Gun of Ashes

Chapter 11: Chapter 6 Midcourt Serpent

Old Dunling is vast, incredibly vast.

As the capital of Ingvig, Old Dunling has been gradually expanding throughout Ingvig’s history. When steam power emerged, the rate of this expansion reached its peak.

Its architectural area reached astounding levels, occupying the central part of Ingveig Island. However, such a large city area initially brought about huge transportation costs.

A citizen from the East City District going to work at a factory in the West City District would take half a day just by walking. With the income of an ordinary citizen, they couldn’t afford a steam car, let alone some damned horse to ride to work.

To solve this problem, the Mechanical Institute began a new round of transformation in Old Dunling over a decade ago. They opened up underground tunnels and established trains that could traverse Old Dunling. They called this a subway, looking like a shrunken underground train. On the surface, tracks embedded at ground level were covered, with steam trams named Iron Serpents running on them.

This transportation system used Old Dunling as a testing ground, and after its success, it expanded nationwide. In recent years, they have even attempted to integrate Zeppelin Airships into this massive transportation system, leaving Ingvig’s footprint in the sky as well.

Midcourt Serpent.

The mechanicians of the Mechanical Institute named this transportation system after a giant serpent from Norse mythology. This beautiful and abundant world is like the mythical Midcourt, where everyone can become part of this earthly giant serpent with a minimal cost, circling around this increasingly small world with machinery and steam.

Victoria Central Hospital is also a well-known station, where steam trams pass by every fifteen minutes, and this time Lorenzo caught one just in time.

”Sorry, my friend!”

The tram door opened, and Lorenzo, wielding a dangerously menacing shotgun, headed straight for the driver’s cabin.

After expelling the innocent passengers, the driver didn’t put up much resistance and was tossed out of the steam tram. Subsequently, the Iron Serpent heaved steam, gradually accelerating and speeding along the tracks.

The law-abiding citizens of Old Dunling had never witnessed such chaos. Even Pres was a bit stunned.

This is Old Dunling, the heart of Ingvig, where at least three Zeppelin Airships are always patrolling in the sky. Above them are the fully armed Aerial Cavalry clad in red cloaks, forming a powerful defense line for the order and security of Old Dunling. In times of emergencies, you would only see the massive entity that covers the sky, and under its shadow, red-coated soldiers would rappel down from the sky, immediately exploding your head with a shot.

First, a steam pipe explosion and fire, then a gun battle, and now a steam tram hijacking. Although it’s unclear what the situation is, all these troublemakers will inevitably be caught and locked up until death.

This can be considered a significant event in Pres’s career. He belatedly picked up his gun and ran toward the steam tram, only to see a figure hanging from the back of the tram.

Pres’s heart skipped a beat the moment he saw this.

...

”This... at least counts for a third-class merit!”

Despite the fierce wind in her ears, the girl still had an indifferent look, mumbling continuously.

Eve clung tightly to the handrail of the steam tram, finally catching up at the last moment of its departure.

The unfortunate girl had not realized the level of danger she was truly in. Her mind was filled with nothing but visions of the next day’s Queen’s Daily, where the headlines would read: the new police officer on duty at Suyalan Hall solved a major case on their first day, earning a third-class merit and being invited to the Platinum Palace to meet the Queen, reaching the pinnacle of life and rising to become the Chief Inspector of Old Dunling, or some other damned thing.

Thinking about reaching the pinnacle of life before the age of thirty really seemed extremely dull.

On top of the Iron Serpent, Lorenzo felt nothing like Eve’s sense of boredom; at this moment, he was thrilled.

The whistle blared all the way, like a Death God rushing to kill, as pedestrians on the road made way one after another.

Lorenzo was a very studious person. His room was filled with books, and he knew a bit about everything, even the steam tram was no exception. Although he wasn’t entirely clear about the detailed operations of this steam tram, looking at the simple control panel, he felt confident about handling the basic operations.

He had to catch up with those people; they were the only clues in this cloud of mystery.

Quickly, those individuals came into Lorenzo’s sight. Old Dunling’s roads were crowded, and riding a horse was destined to be slow, unless you were a whistle-blowing mounted officer or a fearless Iron Serpent like Lorenzo. Under law and life, even the most irritable citizens were willing to make way.

Lorenzo wedged something against the control lever, grabbed the edge of the steel, and flipped right to the top of the tram.

Although the people from the Mechanical Institute were a bit crazy, their work was extremely meticulous. The steam tram had been part of the Midcourt Serpent system for many years, equipped with a set of safety emergency measures that enabled rapid emergency stops.

Lorenzo’s gaze swept past the barrel of the gun and landed on the ”suspect” not far away. He didn’t need to catch everyone; he only needed the slowest one.

Pulling the trigger, a thunderclap rang out.

The bullet pierced through the horse’s leg, and the poor animal, along with the suspect, tumbled onto the ground, skidding several meters away. Lorenzo thought he had succeeded, but another gunshot sounded, and the suspect on the ground was shot dead.

No live witnesses.