Steel steam and flame

Cassia was driven down by the administrator with several thick books in her arms. He started from the first carriage to the last one, but there was no trace of Nuoer in every carriage.

He stood dazedly in front of the heavy train, surrounded by crowds of people. People who came to Manoma from all over the empire were looking at the magnificent steel forest city in front of them in stunned admiration. The nobles and wealthy businessmen were already riding in various types of vehicles. Various limo cars left.

Everyone came to Manoma with smiles of happiness and shock, and full of ambition. Only Cassia felt as if someone had cut off a piece of her heart with a sharp knife, and she felt full of loss. He felt like a kitten abandoned by its owner, standing in a dark stormy night without lights. Only lightning and thunder could briefly illuminate the surrounding scenery hidden in the darkness. He was cold and hungry, and tears continued to flow in his heart. The fully loaded pistol that already had its own temperature in his arms could not bring him any sense of security.

Cold sweat continued to break out on his forehead, which was because he was panicking.

"Hello, have you ever seen such a girl? That is..."

"Mr. Administrator, have you seen a girl who is alone..."

"Sir, when you are sitting here, have you seen a girl with light blond hair who is alone? That's it..."

The time lasted until the afternoon, and the imperial train slowly drove away, but there was still no news about the little girl.

Everyone just covered their hands to breathe in the heat, and then shook their heads with doubtful expressions.

"No."

"No."

It seemed like he was back when he asked Nuoer's name.

"May I have your name?"

"Noel." Repeated reply. I was also so impatient at that time.

But when she thought of the look of attachment in the girl's clear black eyes, Cassia only felt the tenderness of a big cat taking care of a kitten.

The sun has not yet appeared today and is slowly setting again.

It's not that Nuo'er left, but that he was abandoned. He didn't know when this idea suddenly appeared in his mind. He felt even more uncomfortable inside, and inexplicable emotions surged and fermented. The order of my life seemed to have been put back on track.

"Hey, brother, it'll be too late if you don't leave!" Someone said next to him.

Cassia looked over and saw that the speaker was still very young. His face was very tanned, his teeth were white, he was skinny, and he had a nice smile on his face.

"Are you going to the Imperial Heavy Industry School? I noticed you when I came here to pick up people this morning. Your appearance is also very eye-catching. After looking at you a few times, I saw your notice. If you don't leave, you'll miss the registration time. These schools in Manoma don't accept late students. It's getting dark. I've just returned and I have to go back to the west of Manoma. I'll give you an advantage this time, fifty saints. How about the coins?”

Seeing that Cassia was in a trance and didn't reply, the man continued: "Brother, you are not an aristocratic businessman. I already knew that you are a commoner. How about forty? Get in the car quickly and start the car as soon as you are seated. I The car is as fast as the wind, and the safety is guaranteed. It will never roll over and will take you directly to the gate of the Imperial Heavy Industries School. I pick up a lot of people like you every year, and they all say yes!"

"Come! Come! I'll help you carry your luggage." The coachman was so enthusiastic that Kasia felt so uncomfortable that she wanted to cry, but thinking of her ultimate purpose of coming to Manoma, Nuo'er's matter was still deeply buried at this moment. heart.

This is a simple steam locomotive with no shield, no soft seats, or even a body frame. It has only a simple motor frame with a thick layer of steel plate welded on it. The steel plate is made of wooden boards and iron nails. A simple car seat.

"Little brother, don't dislike it. Although the car is ugly, the work is good! You can ask the experienced drivers here if there are any quality problems with my Lemo car. Not only is the car good, but the service is also the most considerate."

Laimer looked around and said, "Don't look at those beautiful limousines saying 'Dear Sir, Madam' or anything like that. In fact, as long as you are not a big noble, they might be scolding you. I have seen them scold you." Get up and be like us."

Rymer patted his chest in assurance, and then turned on the various steam valve switches on the driver's seat, of course, if that could be called a driver's seat. Then thick clouds of steam came out steadily from the rear of the car, and the four rubber wheels rolled up and onto the flat road paved with steel and rock cement, heading towards the steel jungle outside the station.

In the VIP room of the station, this is a room where you can see the appearance of the entire station and the flow of people. At this moment, the girl is standing quietly on the fragrant wood table used to make up for her lack of height, looking at the platform that is filled with people. Behind her stood a line of people quietly, wearing rimmed black top hats and high-collared black trench coats with the collars raised up to just below the earlobes. Their entire faces were cleverly hidden in the dim light. Underneath the windbreaker were extremely simple and plain clothes, with light white gloves and black boots that were deliberately blunted so that they would not reflect any strong light.

The door was opened silently, and two people in the same clothes walked in. There was no trace of human breath or warmth. Even walking on the installed oak floor, there was no sound of footsteps that normal humans should make.

"Captain Eileenor, the matter announced by Valoka and the school has been dealt with." The two men stood behind the girl and said respectfully, holding several bulging black thick plastic bags in their hands. "Do you need to take a look, Captain?"

"No need, just throw it into the furnace." The girl still looked at the flow of people passing by in front of the station and said calmly. She couldn't tell how tired she was. Her eyes were filled with the starry night sky that had regained its vitality.

In the night sky, the steam locomotive left the station and was swallowed up by the jungle of steel.

"Go back. I don't want to be used as a tool anymore. I want to ban the current patriarch of the Chilaandi family, my father Tovilast Chilaandi. By the way, I also want to ban the people in the family elders' association. Reorganize it, there are still many things to do, and you will be very busy in the future." The girl's voice was full of dignity, and she lightly jumped off the table while wearing those rough-modified shoes. The pile of war weapons shrouded in black windbreakers behind him also made no sound, disappearing into the bustling city.

Manoma is a steel rose created by bolts and rivets, a vast forest of marble pointed domes. With the talent and imagination of countless top designers and artists, combined with the dexterous hands of architects and the unparalleled power of steam, the two are like twin babies, in perfect harmony and complementing each other.

The majestic buildings that require you to look up deeply to see the top ushered in the night in the city early. High-voltage mercury lamps on the roadside flickered and slowly lit up, illuminated by colorful neon lights and billboards decorated with countless small light bulbs. The seductive and alluring colors make her look like a woman wearing gorgeous dance makeup. As expected, the things used to prop up the facade and attract customers cost a lot of money.

Of course, although the popularity of electrical appliances in Manoma has reached 100%, the pipes transporting steam can still be seen in rooms with open windows.

This is the first time Cassia has seen such a city. In the small town at the foot of Lilac Peak, the most magnificent building is probably the Great Cathedral, which is only visited once every New Year. It is built of snow-white marble. thing. But in this area, which is clustered like a forest of buildings, it can only be regarded as ordinary.

Cassia looked up at the new world she was about to enter and live in, and the feeling of loss in her heart somewhat lessened.

Reimer saw that Cassia's mood had improved a little, and various lights were flashing in her eyes. He also adjusted the valve and slowed down the steam locomotive.

"Brother, don't be amazed, this is still the outermost layer. There is also a layer of transitional urban buildings inside, and the innermost part is the core of Manoma. If you have time in the future, you can also go and see it alone. However, Laimer drove my car There are some problems that you cannot drive in. Otherwise, even if you don't charge your money, I will take you for a walk inside. My driving skills are amazing!" Laimer held the iron pipe and welded it. The steering wheel looks like it's about to rush into a steel building.

"Yes, it's a matter of course." Cassia raised her head, and the scenery of the streets on both sides moved back quickly.

When we arrived at the Imperial Heavy Industry School, it was completely dark.

There were all kinds of vehicles parked in front of the school, and nobles, businessmen, soldiers, and ordinary civilians were all mixed together. Some people come here accompanied by their parents, but there are also many people like Cassia who are alone with their luggage. Now people who are rushing to apply for admission are also crowded into the huge square in front of the campus. Under the high-intensity lights, there are all moving figures.

"Brother, we're here. I wish you all the best in your future life in advance." Lemo pointed to a huge square next to him and pointed out the location to Cassia.

"Thank you." The young man silently got out of the car with his book in his arms, and the sound of a rhapsody-like mixture of trumpets and steam gushing sounded around him.

Cassia's luggage was long gone, leaving only a few pens in her pockets and a pile of books in her arms. By the way, the money that should have been used to pay for the expensive tuition was also defrauded by the robber-like manager on the train.

He gave Laimer forty holy coins for his fare, and the remaining money was only enough for bread and food for the next few days.

Where should I go? Cassia hugged the book to her chest, covering the hole that was cut open by the dagger to expose the white cotton. She stood in the huge square of the school and followed the crowd, like a white mist that stretched thousands of miles, not knowing where she was going.

Can I pay the tuition fee first? Although he is a civilian. Cassia had hope in her heart that the school should not be a product controlled by the nobles.

He followed a long queue, feeling frustrated as he watched the young children in gorgeous clothes check into the school with smiling faces. He watched that even if a few civilians successfully entered the school, they could not pay for the tuition fee of 10,000 yuan per academic year. s face. There are always people who are sad and people who are happy. But these emotions do depend on identity.

There were fewer and fewer people in front of her, and Cassia felt more and more nervous.

The people registered in front of them were probably second- and third-grade students in the school. They were all very young. Behind them stood tall and tall soldiers, holding repeating fire rifles in their hands. The body of the gun was covered with fine light silver rivets. The entire length was fast. Close to one meter. But fortunately, lightweight metals like meteorite copper were discovered. Otherwise, a weapon that can penetrate five millimeters of steel plate with each bullet within its effective range would not be able to be mass-produced as a standard weapon for individual soldiers with the improvement of technology.

Behind them was an alloy box used to store coins. Inside were neatly placed stacks of coins with the heads of the first Holy Emperor and King of the Saint Dolag Empire printed on them. They were all golden coins with a face value of one thousand. With more people choosing to use bank cards issued by the Imperial Golden Bank, and using the powerful computing and storage capabilities of the Analytical Machine and the wireless connection capabilities, everything will become extremely easy.

Of course, if you want to get a bank card from Golden Bank, it will be useless without certain financial resources and identity. After all, the wealth and resources of the empire have always been in the hands of a small number of nobles and businessmen, and civilians will always be cheap machines. Their number is like the inexhaustible locusts that can be killed every year, and the production of bank cards is also a delicate job, and mass production is not a worthwhile business.

Cassia handed over her admission notice with a bumpy mood. The person in front of her was a capable young man with a medal in the shape of a steam engine issued by the Imperial Heavy Industry School on his chest. He received everyone who entered the school warmly. Regardless of status.

"Kasia Tussos?" The young man in front of him asked softly.

"Yes, um, actually I want to ask about the tuition fees..." Cassia's mouth suddenly became confused, but she was interrupted before she could finish her words.

"Ah, hello Mr. Cassia Tussos, there are some problems with your admission notice. Please follow me for the specific matters. Professionals will answer them for you. After all, this is no longer a matter that I can intervene in. "The man stood up. His body, which originally looked quite short, was comparable to Cassia's. Even a thick cotton coat could not hide the muscles on his body.

As expected of a heavy worker, it seems like moving things is part of daily life. Cassia sighed in his heart for no reason, thinking of the strong body he had developed unconsciously.

"Mr. Tussos, please come this way." The man cast an apologetic look at the people who were still queuing up behind Cassia, then led Cassia to a room like a VIP room and told him that he needed to wait. No one came.

Cassia didn't know what was going on, and she shouldn't let anyone know that she didn't have tuition. And it is impossible to go to war over this matter.

He looked around. The room was large, with an oak table in the middle. He placed the book on it, finally freeing his tired arms.

Could it be because of what happened on the train? Touching the pistol hidden under her clothes, Cassia seemed to realize the seriousness of the matter for the first time. Imperial regulations stipulated that civilians were not allowed to possess firearms, let alone kill someone with a revolver. If this is really the case, then we can no longer stay here.

Thinking about it carefully, Cassia herself was led into a dead end by the random thoughts in her mind. He quickly picked up the book and strode to the door in a few strides. Before his hand could reach the door handle, the door was already open a crack.

Three people as hard as steel and as solid as rock have blocked the door, with serious faces.