Explosion

Once the previous issues were settled, it was time to address the immediate concerns.

Inside the command tent of the army camp.

Luo Li was not particularly familiar with the regulations of the Kingdom of the Moon's infantry.

She only knew that they were organized into legions of ten thousand men.

At that moment, Lola was explaining the infantry structure to her.

"The infantry regulations state ten thousand men per legion, one thousand per camp, one hundred per great team, ten per team, and five per section."

"From the bottom up, the ranks are: section leader, team leader, great team leader, camp commander, and legion commander."

"Within each great team, one team handles the logistics department."

"There are ten miscellaneous personnel in each great team responsible for distributing supplies, recording the population, and other related matters."

"In each legion, there are two chief logistics officers responsible for the unified allocation of supplies and daily maintenance."

In other words, regardless of how things were outside, the separation between military and administrative affairs in the infantry was quite clear.

The chief logistics officers handled administrative matters, while military affairs were the primary focus of the legion commander.

Brilliant City had a standing force of fifty thousand infantry and ten thousand knights.

Five legion commanders balanced each other, overseeing five different infantry legions.

These were the East, South, West, North, and Patrol Legions.

The Patrol Legion, as the name implied, was dedicated to patrolling the city.

At this stage, because military and administrative duties were not clearly separated, the infantry also handled internal security within the city.

The patrol camps rotated every month. The camp on duty would split up, using one camp as a base to divide the city into ten districts, each controlling local public security.

How large was Brilliant City?

So far, Luo Li had not yet walked its entire length.

However, based on the data, the city walls were approximately ten kilometers long on each side.

It was a perfect square.

The Temple was located at the very center.

The central square was directly in front of the Temple.

Using ten thousand people to manage the daily security of a million was considered normal in this inefficient era.

Until communication technology reached a point where short-distance contact was cheap and accessible, this level of efficiency would not change.

"So, in this camp, you two are the chief logistics officers?"

Luo Li looked down at the man before her.

He was a middle-aged bald man with a look of terror on his face. His fingers twitched slightly, showing his agitation.

"Reporting to Your Highness, we are."

The two men knelt on the ground, not daring to stand.

Perhaps they had already sensed the impending consequences, as their eyes were filled with fear.

"Your Highness, we... we know we were wrong... I..."

The two seemed to want to say more, but the silver-haired girl only looked down at them with cold eyes.

"Both of you belong to the Cromwell family, right?"

"Yes, yes."

"We do."

The two answered simultaneously.

Luo Li nodded and did not waste any more words. Without looking up, she spoke to Lola.

"Lola, have Sir Kevin come here first. In an hour, notify Sir Hilda."

With that, Luo Li looked down at the two men, her gaze filled with indifference.

"How you are dealt with is no longer my concern. You can explain yourselves to your own family head."

"Cain, I am leaving this place to you for now. Once Sir Kevin arrives, return to the unit immediately."

A flash of deep thought crossed Cain's eyes, but his response was crisp.

"By your decree."

Standing up and ignoring the pleading looks from the two men behind her, Luo Li stepped out of the command tent.

Once outside, Luo Li whispered softly.

"Lola, have someone keep an eye on how Sir Kevin handles this matter and report back to me in detail. I also want to know Hilda's reaction to it."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Lola's expression remained unchanged, seemingly unsurprised by Luo Li's decision.

After all, both men were considered core members of the Cromwell family.

Since they were the sons of the great elder of the Cromwell family, if she were to punish them impulsively, it might be legally fine, but it could cause the Cromwell family to begin resenting her internally.

Therefore, she could not take action herself.

Kevin was the most suitable person to handle this.

Of course, this could also be considered an observation and a test.

"Investigate the identities of those two and let me know their importance within the Cromwell family."

"Also, take Dean and the others who were involved in the riot with him."

There would no longer be a place for people like them in the army camp.

Even though their actions were reasonable and followed their own sense of justice, they were not what was needed here.

What the army camp needed least were those very things.

An army was a sharp blade; it could not have a mind of its own.

An army with its own thoughts could be easily swayed by others, and at that point, the blade would be pointed at its master.

The only thought an army should have is loyalty.

Anything else was a mistake.

Executing orders was the sole duty of a soldier.

However, talents are only talents because they are placed in positions where they excel.

If placed in the wrong position, even a genius would become a fool.

Dean was a talent, but he was not suited for the army.

"Does Your Highness intend to make use of those men?"

Nara asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yes. They cannot be soldiers, but they can be officials."

People who dared to speak up did not need to be in the army.

They were not needed there.

However, such bold and responsible individuals were perfect for the political arena.

For a supervisory role, someone who dared to speak and take a stand was ideal.

In ancient terms, it would be the Censorate; in modern terms, the Disciplinary Committee.

Nara watched her lady's back with a look of confusion, her mind still a bit muddled.

She instinctively turned her gaze toward Lola.

Lola calmly pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses.

"Her Highness means that the army does not need two voices, so rioters are unnecessary. However, in administrative affairs, such people are useful."

Nara blinked, seemingly understanding something, and nodded.

"So Her Highness wants them to specifically investigate this kind of corruption?"

Lola gave a slight nod in response.

Returning to the Saint's Carriage, Luo Li stretched and leaned back onto the bed.

Her small face was written with displeasure.

Her mood was ruined after running into such a mess first thing in the morning.

Outside the window, heavy snow was still falling, and it likely wouldn't stop for several days.

Such heavy snow was enough to kill pests in the fields while ensuring the ground temperature remained stable and the soil stayed moist, making the land more fertile for the coming spring.

However, everything had its pros and cons.

For instance... a snow disaster.

The heavy snow brought future prosperity, but for now, it brought disaster.

The weight of the snow would be the final straw that crushed many dilapidated houses.

"Lola."

"Your Highness, please give your orders."

Luo Li glanced outside the carriage at the snow, which was already ankle-deep.

"Issue an order for three infantry legions to mobilize. Two legions will patrol the streets and clear snow from any dangerous buildings to minimize potential casualties."

"The other legion is to immediately clear the snow within the city. Requisition carriages and drivers to transport all the snow outside the city walls."

"Properly handle any dangers that have already occurred. Strictly order the army not to disturb the civilians, or they will face execution."

Lola's expression remained unchanged as she noted down the series of orders, marking them with an emphasis symbol.

This was a long-standing habit of hers.

As she explored unfamiliar matters step by step, she would categorize them as either priority or non-priority based on her judgment.

Priority matters had to be handled strictly, while non-priority matters could be dealt with slowly.

Luo Li leaned against the window, watching the falling snow.

Now that winter had arrived, land and sea transport capacities were reduced, and the pace of Brilliant City seemed to have slowed down significantly.

This was a perfect opportunity, and Luo Li prepared to make certain reforms.

"Lola, call for a meeting tomorrow. Everyone must attend."

Lola nodded solemnly. Since her lady called it a meeting, it was bound to be something significant.

"If Your Highness tells me what you plan to do, I can prepare some materials in advance."

"I intend to reclassify some official positions. I have mentioned this to you before, so use your own judgment."

Lola nodded and said nothing more, simply recording the task in her notebook.

Boom!!

A sudden, thunderous explosion echoed from the vicinity of the Temple!

Flames instantly shot dozens of meters into the air, and thick smoke billowed as the ground trembled.

That location... could it be Anton!?

The steam engine?

Shit! Did something go wrong with the steam engine?

"Stop the carriage!!"

She rushed out of the carriage in two steps, looking toward the distant smoke.

The girl reached out into the void, and a bright silver flagpole appeared in her palm.

Using her waist for leverage, she gripped the flagpole and pulled it from the void.

She looked up at the site of the explosion.

"O Holy Light! In the name of the Saintess of the Moon, I pray to you: take away their suffering and soothe their pain—Light up the Brilliant Night with My Moon Banner!"

Clang.

The metallic flagpole pierced easily into the bluestone pavement.

A full moon rose into the sky!

The world dimmed for a moment.

Specks of moonlight cascaded down from the moon, drifting with the wind toward the site of the explosion.

In an instant, over a hundred injured figures appeared in her mind.

Almost all of these figures were gathered near the center of the explosion.

From the information fed back by the holy light, she could see that several people were breathing their last. If she were a moment slower, they would have met God directly.

However, the Saintess was here!

The specks of moonlight were like being guided by invisible hands, slowly falling onto those people.

In the blink of an eye, their damaged bodies began to rapidly grow new limbs.

Their wounds were restored as if they had never existed.

Even two people whose hearts had been crushed were healed in an instant.

And one of those two was actually Anton!

The skill of the Moon Banner could quickly judge a person's constitution after distinguishing between friend and foe.

Anton's constitution was significantly higher than the physical quality of those around him.

Clearly, Anton's own strength was not to be underestimated.

Since Anton was a dwarf, Luo Li could easily identify him.

The skill of the Moon Banner required her to exhaust all the holy energy in her body.

As she watched the bodies of those people rapidly recover, Luo Li felt as if her entire body had been hollowed out.

She instantly became withered and weak.

Her red eyes, which were usually full of spirit, became tired and listless.

"Whew... whew..."

The exhaustion felt as if she had just run dozens of kilometers in one breath.

Sweat soaked the girl's clothes in an instant.

Fortunately, the Saintess's robe had a self-cleaning function.

"Dominica, quick, send people to the scene immediately. Everyone should be saved. The focus is Anton; he must be fine."

Luo Li took a weak step back, and Nara quickly stepped forward to support her lady.

"Yes."

Dominica nodded and immediately picked up a short-distance communication mana stone to issue the orders.

As someone who had been by Her Highness's side for a long time, she already had the authority to issue emergency orders.

For disaster relief like this, no further approval was needed.

Nara felt her lady's body growing heavier in her arms. It was clear that the skill just now had exhausted her physical strength.

Looking at the weak silver-haired girl, she couldn't help but feel a pang of pity.

The Saintess was truly too overworked; she had hardly rested during this period.

"Your Highness, please leave the matters here to Dominica and Lola. I will take you back to the Temple."

The girl firmly rejected the proposal.

"No, we are going to the scene. I need to make sure if there are any others who are seriously injured. Nara, notify the nuns and priests of the Temple to arrive at the scene immediately. If anyone has suffered secondary injuries, treat them on the spot."

"Your Highness..."

"It's fine, I know you're worried about me. I'm okay, don't worry."

Looking at the worried Nara, Luo Li smiled and touched her own belly.

There was a Holy Crest there.

If things got truly dire, she could directly activate the Holy Crest to fully restore her lost holy energy.

But she couldn't do that now.

It wasn't easy to accumulate energy in there; it would take at least a day or two.

This was her trump card, and she must not use it unless it was absolutely necessary.

If she used up all her trump cards and encountered danger, would she just wait for death?

The carriage turned around and sped away on the snow-covered road.

The troop of three hundred followed closely behind.

In just a few moments, Luo Li arrived at the scene.

"All units, participate in the rescue immediately! Only ten knights are to remain for protection!"

"By your decree!"

In the rear unit, two hundred infantry and fifty knights responded.

Flames roared as they consumed the buildings. The house in front of them had completely collapsed.

The power of the explosion had caused the neighboring houses to mostly crumble as well.

The entire explosion radius was about ten meters in diameter, but the force was so great that debris was scattered over an area of nearly a hundred meters.

Sure enough, residential and industrial areas really shouldn't be placed together.