CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: THORNED GOLD ROSE

While Aiven was muttering secretly, there was new progress on the merchant ship.

Although the smuggling ship was seized, they were, after all, going to attend the celebration event, and it wasn’t suitable to carry these goods along.

Decided by the General himself, he waved his hand: "Considering these are non-prohibited items, just pay the additional taxes."

Before his two children, especially his pure and lovely daughter, he didn’t want to make the scene too ugly, thus extending leniency and granting this detestable smuggler person a lifeline.

"Yes, yes, yes, thank you, sir!" After the Major officer conveyed the General’s orders, the fat merchant expressed gratitude profusely, scrambling back to his cabin to prepare the penalty payment.

Although his profits would shrink significantly after paying taxes, it was still better than being completely confiscated by a thousandfold!

Huff... Puff...

Not long after, he struggled to carry out a wooden box and a long-shaped box, placing them before the Major officer with a pained expression.

"Sir, this is all my property aside from the cargo, please check to see if it’s enough."

"Heh..."

Seeing that fat face covered with sycophantic smiles, the Major officer didn’t believe a word he said.

He only knew that if this guy dared to give less than a copper fuer coin, he wouldn’t need orders from the General, he’d make sure to teach him a lesson first!

Clack—

Opening the box, the officer sneered.

Although the box appeared sizable, it mostly contained Silver Bulls with few Golden Lions and even a substantial amount of copper fuer coins. A few exquisitely crafted pocket watches inlaid with gemstone crystals, Pure Silver cutlery and dinnerware, and a roll of smooth, snowy white silk.

It truly seemed like he had emptied out his family assets.

Fortunately, aside from currency and precious metals, pocket watches and silk were considered hard currencies in the Kingdom, and clearly, given the situation, even with ten guts, he wouldn’t dare to cheat the Navy.

However... the amount is still incorrect!

Just as the Major furrowed his brow, the perceptive fat merchant eagerly offered the last long-shaped box.

Just a quick glance inside, and the Major closed the lid swiftly. His face improved considerably, patting the merchant on the shoulder once more and directly announcing the end of the operation.

"What’s inside, so secretive?" Aiven was too far away; he only caught a glimpse and couldn’t see what was inside the box.

But soon, the General satisfied his curiosity.

The seized ’penalty payment’ was immediately handed to General Snite. Ignoring the miscellaneous items in the wooden box, he had absolute faith in his officer’s discernment.

What intrigued him more was the item inside the long-shaped box.

It was a firearm.

Strictly speaking, it was an "Alchemy Firearm!"

Unlike regular firearms mostly crafted by blacksmiths in the armory, "Alchemy Firearms," "Alchemy Bombs," and even more mysterious "Sea Monster Compass" originate from the hands of mysterious "Alchemy Masters."

"Ha, it’s indeed a masterpiece from an Alchemy Master!"

The magical alchemy endows these creations with unparalleled supremacy, revered as treasures by every firearm expert.

However, unlike the procedural "Alchemy Bombs," the precision of an Alchemy Firearm means immense difficulty in manufacturing; every existing Alchemy Firearm is synonymous with rarity and value.

No one knows how this nondescript smuggler got hold of such a treasure, yet due to a dramatic anti-smuggling operation, parted ways with it.

Having served in the Navy for so long, Aiven naturally isn’t a stranger to various excellent weapons.

According to his knowledge.

Despite the overall backward production capabilities of this era, the coexistence of witchcraft and technology begets Alchemy Firearms wielded by masters that possess terrifying power surpassing modern firearms of the previous era.

Due to their formidable power and precision, they gained a specific name - "Sniper Firearm."

Their superior features allow excellent Sniper Musketeers, aided by special sights, to accurately eliminate targets from a kilometer away. Even a powerful Extraordinary Knight struggles to defend against a sniper firearm’s sudden shot at an appropriate distance.

Undoubtedly, Aiven longs for such a potent weapon.

Though skilled in swordsmanship himself, he holds no obsessive commitment to it, as a typical pragmatist, he opts for what’s useful.

In the previous life, every boy had a childhood dream of firearms.

His Senior’s in-depth understanding of the power of Alchemy Firearms, hailed as pinnacle single-soldier weapons.

Rumor has it.

Even those determined and spiritually strong to manipulate reality, even manifesting Combat Qi, an extraordinary force like Great Knights, hesitate when faced with three or five Alchemy Firearms wielded by skilled snipers at a distance.

While knights are likely the eventual victors, they undoubtedly pay a brutal price.

Which also corroborates the threat of Alchemy Firearms.

However, Alchemy Firearms are rare, and excellent snipers even scarcer. On land, the demands may not be excessive; solid ground can provide snipers ample stability.

But on a ship, there’s never a stable platform for sniper shots; the incessant waves dramatically increase the difficulty of sniping, with "missing by a millimeter, erroneous by a mile" being no mere words.

Moreover, snipers, like mathematicians, heavily rely on innate talent—a kind of special intuition challenging to develop postnatally.

Thus, in the Kingdom Navy, powerful snipers truly harnessing the power of an Alchemy Firearm might number fewer than its total existence.

"Placing a mighty Alchemy Firearm in a mediocrity’s hands is no challenge to common blacksmith creations."

Aiven was not alone in his thoughts.

When the General raised the "Alchemy Firearm" for admiration, Aiven also caught its full appearance.

Silver barrel with a hint of dullness, smooth mahogany red stock, adorned with golden rose-patterned vines throughout the gun body—more artful a masterpiece than a mere weapon of destruction.

At the base of the stock was inscribed a line of small letters, and the General, full of affection, read its name: "Thorned Gold Rose!"

"Wow! This firearm is beautiful, and the name sounds lovely!" Even a little girl who knew nothing about weapons expressed sincere admiration.

Despite several attempts to touch it, the General avoided her. The Vice Admiral dared not let a brat handle such an item, even if it was an extremely adorable brat.

After admiring for some time, General Snite regretfully put down the Alchemy Firearm. While the nearby officers eagerly eyed it, most knew they didn’t fit this firearm, both in ability and status.

Despite being a Navy Vice Admiral, General Snite was a thorough Civilian Position General and clearly realized, even possessing this firearm, it would merely serve as precious decoration, incapable of realizing its true value, a grave waste indeed.

"Store it away! Hopefully, it will meet a fitting master someday."

Everyone watched as the Alchemy Firearm was taken to the lower quarters for storage, until its shadow vanished, snapping back to reality.

"Wish I had sniper talent too."

Such a sigh echoed in everyone’s heart at that moment.