Chapter Twenty: The Railway

"Human potential truly knows no bounds. Who could have imagined, a hundred years ago, that a coal-burning machine could transport hundreds or even thousands of tons of goods across vast distances within a short time? The invention of the locomotive has undoubtedly revolutionized the speed at which wars are prosecuted. It's a pity that no other nation on the continent of Europa has constructed such railways. I believe that any empire with a comprehensive railway network could instantly assemble its most formidable forces to deliver a fatal blow to its enemies!" Sun Li gazed at the massive locomotive, voicing his thoughts to Victoria, who stood beside him.

Hearing such praise from a prominent knight, Victoria felt an immense pride in her nation’s industrial achievements—her homeland was the first in the human world to popularize the railway, and the railway was a symbol of the Empire of Anglia's industrial might.

The railway network across the heartland of the Anglian Empire had played a pivotal role in the war with the Empire of Madrid. These swiftly moving locomotives saved untold amounts of manpower and increased efficiency, delivering muskets, cannons, grain, vegetables, and even soldiers from factories all over Anglia directly to the docks. There, everything was loaded onto warships and transported across the English Channel to the region of Fonebo. The speed at which supplies and reinforcements were dispatched far outpaced Madrid's own domestic logistics, ensuring that Anglia and its ally, the Empire of Franknia, always maintained superiority in men and munitions on the front lines, keeping the Madrid Empire perpetually suppressed.

Therefore, war is never won by a few decisive battles alone; behind every conflict lies the measure of a nation’s comprehensive strength—its economy, its production, its logistics. This is no longer an age when a band of valiant knights and conscripted peasants can conquer the world. With the advent of muskets and artillery, war has become a contest of manpower and resources—a matter of steel and supplies. No matter how elite a force, in the face of endless ranks of conscripted peasants armed with flintlocks and cannons, even the finest soldiers will eventually be worn down. The more battles the elite fight, the fewer of them remain; but the cannon fodder, who can be trained in a few months and sent straight to the front, are vast in number. The only true bottleneck is the supply of arms—and this, above all, is the source of Anglia’s confidence!

Of course, should war ever break out with the Holy Light Dominion, and should Anglia suffer a string of defeats, the strength of the Holy Knights would be worn down, yes, but the face of the Norman family—and thus Victoria herself—would be sorely tested! If Sun Li could be persuaded to join their cause, Anglia could greatly narrow the gap in elite combat power between itself and the Holy Knights. So long as those monsters’ decapitation strikes could be blunted, Victoria was confident that with superior numbers of muskets and artillery, she could shatter the decaying Dominion in a direct confrontation!

In recent days, Victoria had often accompanied Sun Li on tours of Anglia’s many factories, displaying the nation’s strength. Her aim was to help Sun Li decide his "stance" on the continent of Europa. In Victoria’s eyes, Song was completely unqualified to play a part in the world’s great struggles. Thus, she naturally believed that if Sun Li—an ambitious knight—wished to achieve fame and success, joining a continental power was the most straightforward and convenient path.

To entice someone to join, one must demonstrate strength and offer tempting rewards. Victoria felt that unless Sun Li harbored some ulterior motive, it should not be difficult for him to choose which empire to pledge himself to.

Once he had witnessed the industrial might of other nations, he would realize that, the reclusive Dwarven Empire aside, there was no country on the continent more advanced than Anglia!

To Sun Li, the shock of the weapons factories and steam engine production lines paled before the wonder of the locomotive. He understood only too well the industrial prowess required to build a complete railway network. The railway and the locomotive are, after all, the crowning achievements of industrial civilization.

Possessing the technology to build a locomotive does not guarantee enough high-quality steel to lay tracks; having the steel does not ensure the manufacture of high-powered steam engines; producing steam engines requires precision lathes, which in turn depend on mother machines that may or may not exist…

In short, railway transport is the result of a complete, interconnected system of industrial production. To produce locomotives and lay a comprehensive network of rails means that a nation’s industry stands a full tier above its rivals.

To wage war against a country capable of fielding endless firearm-wielding armies, could Song alone hope to endure? Perhaps, if Jinzhou’s gold mines were theirs, they could afford a drawn-out war of attrition. Song lacked an industrial base, but with enough money, elite armies could be recruited, allowing them to hold out. But to gain such wealth, they would have to seize territory from Anglia—inevitably, they would have to confront this industrial powerhouse with boundless war potential.

To defeat Anglia, Song would need the gold mines of Jinzhou; to seize Jinzhou, they must first vanquish Anglia…

A true dilemma, indeed.

Thus, the continent of Europa must descend into total war. Only the grand battles of the mainstream world can tie down Anglia’s terrifying war machine and give Song a chance to rise!

After several days in Victoria’s company, Sun Li’s resolve to ignite conflict on the continent grew ever firmer. If Victoria realized she had awakened a demon, would she come to regret revealing her nation’s strength so soon?

During his days in Anglia, Victoria not only showed Sun Li the might of her nation but also led him through her personal treasury. Generously, she gestured to the heaps of gold and silver, telling Sun Li he was free to take whatever pleased him. Bedazzled by the sight of so much gold, Sun Li’s feelings toward Victoria warmed considerably.

By any measure, she had treated him exceedingly well. Perhaps, when the day came to defeat Anglia, he could spare her life in gratitude for her kindness today.

In any case, after spending a few days with Victoria, Sun Li’s impression of this amiable and beautiful noblewoman improved greatly. Intelligent, lovely, generous, understanding—he saw in her all the virtues of womankind. Perhaps these were all qualities Victoria deliberately displayed, but to present herself so flawlessly and maintain that image was, in itself, a remarkable merit!

With his growing understanding of Europa and under Victoria’s counsel, Sun Li decided to forgo visiting the tradition-steeped military empire of Franknia and set his next destination as the Empire of Madrid. Once the overlord of Europa, Madrid might offer Sun Li benefits and opportunities beyond expectation.