Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

So it wasn't until he heard what the customs official said that he realized the three and a half people lying inside were the four passengers from the Bandit Gull. It seemed none of the four had survived.

"...And then they were all killed on the dock," Lop said, failing to notice the young military officer opposite him had dilated pupils and quickened breath. "These four people, their names, places of origin, occupations are all mysteries. The murderer or murderers made off with the things they carried. Among the personal belongings left behind, not a single item could reveal their identities. As for the perpetrators, they fled the scene immediately and are now untraceable. They blew up one of our customs docks, and now we don't even know whom to ask for compensation."

Lop took another dossier from his adjutant and handed it to the lieutenant colonel: "This is the report written by the doctor in charge of the autopsies from our guard office."

The lieutenant colonel accepted the report, didn't bother to open it, and handed it to Winters without looking back, along with the previous dossier.

Lop didn't take offense and continued calmly: "Among those three whole bodies, one had a fatal injury in the chest that pierced the heart and lungs. The other two's fatal injuries were on the side and back, likely the result of being attacked by several people."

The lieutenant colonel listened very carefully, nodding as he did.

"As for the one blown to pieces," Lop said with a bitter smile, "it's impossible to tell where the fatal injury was. He might have been blown to death."

"Only these four died?" Colonel Field asked with a slight frown.

"A few sailors and dockworkers were also killed," Lop replied with composure. "Some were blown up, others were shocked to death in the water. Their families and workmates identified and took away the bodies. Their names are recorded in the dossier I gave you. Ha, I suspect that the missing part of that half body, if it wasn't simply not salvaged, then it must have been erroneously claimed by someone."

"Is there any other valuable information?" the lieutenant colonel continued to inquire.

Lop let out a sigh and spread his hands: "That's everything I've found, all detailed in the dossier."

The lieutenant colonel still had an expressionless face as he nodded, but his lips parted slightly to say "thank you."

"What's there to thank me for? I haven't figured anything out," Lop said with another long sigh, speaking helplessly. "This case is just a mess, completely unclear, and is sure to become an unsolved case. Although I don't know why the army would take over this homicide... Anyway, you taking over this case is doing me a huge favor, and I owe you one. If you need my help with anything, don't hesitate to come find me at the customs guard office."

Colonel Field tipped his hat in gratitude. The two customs officials also responded politely, and the parties bid each other farewell.

However, a few dozen meters after the two customs officials had left, Colonel Naro's adjutant jogged back. He rushed to Colonel Field and Winters, panting as he asked the colonel, "Excuse me, sir. The customs official asked me to inquire what you would like to do with the evidence and the bodies? We can deliver them for you, or even bury them if you prefer."

"Please send the evidence directly to the Army Headquarters Military Police," Colonel Field readily agreed to take the evidence, but the handling of the bodies posed a dilemma. He pondered for a moment before saying, "As for the bodies... hmm... let me think..."

Then the colonel had a good idea. He happily said, "I'll take the bodies as well, but the Army Headquarters doesn't have a morgue. Deliver them to the morgue at Sea Blue City Command Headquarters instead."

To ensure the customs adjutant remembered, Colonel Field repeated his instructions, emphasizing "the morgue at Sea Blue City Command Headquarters."

Colonel Naro's adjutant nodded, saluted in haste, and muttered "the morgue at Sea Blue City Command Headquarters" to himself as he jogged off to catch up with his superior, Lop.

Colonel Field was in high spirits as he led Winters toward the prison entrance. When they passed the morgue again, the colonel suddenly had an excellent idea.

"You can do the Wind Control Technique, right?" Colonel Field asked Winters with a smile.

Winters nodded; it was the spell that had knocked him unconscious, how could he not know it.

"Follow my command and use the Wind Control Technique to blow air into this room, understood?"

Winters nodded firmly this time, as he had already grasped what the colonel intended to do.

Field snapped his fingers and, using the same spellcasting gesture as Winters, they both launched the Wind Control Technique together. Magic accelerated the air in front of them, creating a gust that blew into the morgue.

During this process, Winters vaguely felt his ability to use the Wind Control Technique had improved a bit.

The foul smell that had been trapped in the morgue was pushed out by the gust and quickly spread throughout the entire prison, with sounds of retching coming from all over the customs prison.

Colonel Field laughed wildly as he and Winters strode to the prison gate, both men mounted their horses and galloped away.

The horses' hooves thundered, and soon, the customs prison was left far behind, no longer in sight.

Suddenly, Colonel Field pulled on the reins, and his black horse neighed, coming to a halt.

Winters didn't stop in time, rushing past Colonel Field. Seeing the colonel dismount, Winters quickly turned his horse around to rejoin him.

Without a word, the colonel walked over to a roadside cypress. Winters, puzzled, followed him.

The colonel shut his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and finally, unable to hold it back any longer, vomited with a "wah".

Winters, having been trying hard to forget the nauseating feeling induced by the morgue at the customs prison, was reminded of that nightmarish stench upon seeing the colonel vomit. He felt a great force squeezing his stomach, his esophagus involuntarily expanded, and he too vomited with a "wah".

After vomiting once, the colonel's urge to retch wasn't as strong. But when he turned around and saw Winters vomiting, his stomach started churning again, and he vomited with another "wah".

Winters was the same, barely recovering before seeing Colonel Field vomit again, and couldn't help but follow suit and vomit once more.

Colonel Field said, "Stop vomiting, once you do, I can't keep it under control either, blegh..."

Winters replied, "Wasn't it you who vomited first, blegh..."

The two men emptied the last bit from their stomachs, and finally, after vomiting up to the point of bitter bile, they were at last able to stop completely.

The colonel spat out his saliva bitterly: "This damn thing, if it ever comes to the palace, I must host him properly."

Turning around, the two men saw their horses licking and eating their vomit.

Winters and Field exchanged glances, both seeing despair in each other's eyes.

"Blegh..."

————Divider————

Military customs have existed since ancient times, with the tradition of touching one's hat at least present since the eleventh century, and saluting with a raised hand appearing at least as early as the sixteenth century.

I've posted some photos and information of the Dusack given to Winters by Colonel Field on the fan circle, for those interested to see (don't bother looking now, the image has been broken, as all three-dimensional cold weapons will break).

Also, horses really will eat human vomit... At least I've seen one that does....

Further, thank you for your recommendation votes. Since such content is not allowed in the main text, the thank you list will be moved to the author's remarks from now on. Thank you, dear readers.