Gun of Ashes

Ingwig, Reindona Port.

The port was still the same busy scene, people from different countries gathered here, even though the war between Ingwig and Gaulunaro was imminent, no one cared about it. After all, life had to go on, even anxiety couldn’t change anything.

Inside a cargo ship docked at the pier, in the dark cabin, the dim light illuminated the table, flies swayed between falling dust, bringing irritating noise.

Ande waved his hand, dispersing these annoying things, biting a cigarette and looking down at the ledger, counting gold coins.

”Business hasn’t been good lately, war is coming, the stowaways from the Viking countries have decreased significantly.”

A face full of fat sighed helplessly, gathered up all the gold coins, put them into a bag, and stuffed it into the hidden compartment under the drawer.

Ande was engaged in the gray industry of smuggling, it was hugely profitable and tax-free. It was a business where one could count money lying down; Ande thought he would earn like this forever. However, the tense situation between the great countries affected him too.

Once war broke out, the White Tide Strait would inevitably become a battlefield again, and the surrounding areas of Ingwig would no longer be safe. Some Vikings who were longing for this place grew afraid, which worsened Ande’s business considerably.

”Where are the people? Why haven’t they returned after so long?”

Ande finished his work and cursed at the sailors.

”Probably fooling around in some bar.”

The sailor sitting inside the cabin replied, after a voyage, Ande would let these sailors go and mess around for a few days, and today was the last day. They would set sail at night and head to the Viking countries once again.

Ande planned to make this last pile of money and then stop temporarily. He had met some decent Vikings and planned to stay in the Viking countries for a while to escape the flames of war.

”Damn it, if they miss it, they don’t need to come back.”

Ande said viciously, with every step, his bloated body would sway violently.

Opening the cabin door, there were bloodstains all over the corridor, a long streak, as if a corpse had just been dragged through here.

”Is it handled?”

Ande looked at the sailor who was still washing away the blood and asked.

”Handled it as usual, tied stones to the bodies and sunk them into the sea.” The sailor replied calmly, he seemed used to such things.

”Mm, well done, anyway, just a bunch of dead Vikings. By the time they’re discovered, they might be eaten to the bones.”

Ande’s smile was detestable.

Smuggling was a business, but he wasn’t gentle with his clients. Even though he took their money, most Vikings were like slaves trapped in the lower cabins. Some might die from accidents during the journey, and those dead bodies needed such handling. As for the Vikings who arrived at Ingwig...

Ande had many connections with factories, Vikings were very reliable and cheap labor. Factory owners were willing to pay Ande per head.

He rose through these means, and of course, there was the ship beneath his feet, Ande thought it was the best decision he had ever made in his life.

The cargo ship went to the Viking countries for goods transportation, some Vikings secretly paid him to take them away from this barren wasteland. Faced with the temptation of gold coins, Ande agreed without hesitation, first one person, then three, five, and more, until one day the captain discovered these.

Facing the captain’s scolding, Ande shot and broke his leg. He thought the other sailors would stop him, but Ande handed them a dagger.

Only then did the captain realize Ande couldn’t have done all this alone, everyone on the ship was a part of it. Amid his desperate wails, the dagger stabbed and withdrew, everyone’s body was smeared with blood.

The riddled corpse was thrown into the sea, the captain’s death created today’s Ande.

”Can’t we just do good business? Why must there be war.”

Ande glanced at the sea by the dock, not far from Reindona Port, several iron armor ships were waiting there, cannons and soldiers, black smoke continuously rose from chimneys, as if in the next second, the enemy would arrive from the other end of the sea riding the wind and waves.

The presence of iron armor ships added some sense of security for the port residents, but because of them, everyone was aware that war was indeed coming. It wasn’t random speculation in newspapers; it was a nightmare destined to arrive, accompanied by the wheels of history.

”You’re Ande, right?”

A cool female voice sounded behind him, without any warning.

Ande turned abruptly, drawing the pistol from his waist, cold sweat instantly oozing from his neck.

Doing this business inevitably brought enemies, so after docking, Ande rarely left his ship, yet even with such careful precautions, a woman had silently approached him.

”Who are you?”

Ande didn’t pull the trigger immediately, he had killed many, but with Reindona Port in its current situation, gunfire might trigger something unpredictable.

In sight was a woman with messy clothes, her style unlike that of Ingwig people. From the cross necklace around her neck, Ande guessed she might be from the Holy Evangelical Pope Kingdom.

The woman appeared very dejected, exhaustion marked her face, and her droopy eyes were bloodshot, as if she hadn’t slept well in a long time.

What caught Ande’s attention the most was the decoration on the woman’s head.