Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World-Chapter 542: Rebellion 10

TL: Rui88

The streets of Lakeheart Town were suddenly filled with clamor.

“Quick, quick, quick! One-two-one, one-two-one, one-two-one!”

Amidst loud chants, one company of militia after another marched in neat formations, jogging through the streets.

Large numbers of militiamen suddenly appeared at all the entrances and exits connecting Lakeheart Town to the outside world…two in the east, two in the west, and three in the south. Under the command of officers sent from the training section, they set up roadblocks, sealing off the city from the outside.

In the Lakeheart Town Police Station, located in the new district on the south bank, Captain Byleth McReynolds, dressed in a crisp police uniform, walked into the main courtyard with a grim expression.

The entire second detachment was already lined up in the courtyard waiting for him.

This police unit was supposed to be on night patrol duty, but he had quietly notified his subordinates to return to the station and assemble at this hour.

Looking at the familiar faces before him, standing in neat rows and looking at him with reverence, Byleth McReynolds couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion. It had not been easy for him to climb to this position.

He recalled when he was transferred from the army to the police force due to an injury. He had thought he would be doing nothing more than the work of a bailiff, but after truly becoming a member of the force, he found himself at a complete loss, faced with a mountain of rules and regulations set by Lord Paul Grayman.

But others were just as bewildered by this new profession of policing. Fortunately, he had the strong support of his family behind him. He finally rose step by step through the ranks of the police force to the position of detachment captain.

Now, it was time for him to contribute to his family.

Byleth McReynolds knew very well that this was a gamble, a high-stakes one. If he won, his family would gain enormous benefits, and he himself would be promoted further, becoming a pivotal figure in Alda’s military and political system. But if he lost, he dared not imagine what would happen.

‘Pull yourself together, Byleth. The future of the McReynolds family is in your hands’…he repeatedly encouraged himself this way.

“Ahem!” Byleth cleared his throat heavily.

“Brothers, you must be very puzzled as to why there are companies of militia running around on the streets. I learned something a short while ago that should answer your questions.”

Byleth put on a deeply pained expression.

“Just a short while ago, several guards who rushed back to Lakeheart Town brought terrible news! Our respected lord, Count Paul Grayman, was attacked by a group of thugs while hunting. It is estimated that now… things look very grim.”

Ah!!!!

As Byleth had expected, apart from his own trusted men whom he had arranged, everyone else’s eyes went wide, their faces filled with shock.

“At the same time, a secret report from the Department of Intelligence shows that a small group of conspirators in this city are taking this opportunity to try and seize control of Alda. That’s right, they must be in league with that group of thugs who deserve to be cursed a thousand times over, coordinating a rebellion from both inside and out.”

Byleth’s face then shifted to one of extreme worry.

“It is most unfortunate that the Lakeheart Town garrison has gone out for field training at this critical juncture. We don’t even know where they are now. This means we have lost our greatest support for maintaining order. If no one else steps in to stop them, the rebels will carry out their conspiracy unimpeded.”

“Therefore, the General Staff’s training section, which remained in Lakeheart Town to command the militia training, has taken the initiative to assume the responsibility of maintaining order and stopping the conspiracy. I have just received official notice that, starting from midnight, Lakeheart Town has officially entered a state of military administration. The task assigned to our police force is to cooperate with the militia to maintain order. The other detachments will also be assigned tasks when they report for duty at dawn.”

“Is everyone clear?”

A few loud responses immediately rang out from the ranks, “Clear, Captain!”

With some taking the lead, the others also responded one after another, “Clear!”

Byleth looked at the few men he had arranged in the ranks, a look of approval in his eyes.

“Um… Captain McReynolds…”

Someone raised his hand, seeming to have something to say.

“Oh? Lucas, do you have a question? Speak up, we don’t have much time.”

A flash of displeasure crossed Byleth’s face. ‘Damn it, what a pain. Can’t you just follow orders?’

The person who raised his hand was a young man named Lucas, who had just joined the police force after passing the exam in the first half of the year. A complete rookie.

“Is it inappropriate for us to take orders directly from the army? Shouldn’t Director Russ Hayden of the Department of Public Safety be the one giving us orders?”

As soon as the young man’s words came out, looks of confusion appeared on the faces of many in the ranks.

“Ahem!” Byleth cleared his throat loudly, but inwardly he was cursing Lucas to hell and back. ‘What a troublemaker. Why are you making things difficult?’

Now he could only use more lies to dispel everyone’s doubts.

“The military administration was a unanimous decision by the esteemed members of the Administration Council. From now on, command of all armed forces is temporarily transferred to the army until the rebellion is crushed and a new lord ascends.”

Byleth showed no trace of guilt on his face. ‘Go ahead, you little grassroots officer, go and ask Director Russ Hayden for clarification yourself if you have the guts, humph!’

‘Lucas, is it? I’ll remember you. Just you wait.’

…

Burgan paced anxiously in his office, glancing from time to time at the grandfather clock in the corner.

The militia had been dispatched. All key locations were now under his control. The signal towers around Lakeheart Town should also be under the control of his accomplices outside by now…if their operation went smoothly.

All that remained was to summon the various important figures remaining in Lakeheart Town, announce the terrible news of Paul Grayman’s death, and arrange for the heir personally “appointed” by the lord before his death to take over.

It was very fortunate that Count Malron Ganard had returned to Baylding. If he were in Lakeheart Town, his status would have made things much more troublesome.

“Report!” “Come in!” Before the person’s voice had even faded, Burgan told him to enter.

“Sir.” The man pushed open the door and entered hastily.

“How are things progressing?”

“All the lords have been notified. Lord Ford, Lord Hansel, Lord Cecil… they will all gather at the Lord’s Manor for a meeting at two o’clock. Except for…”

“Except for what?” Burgan’s heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition welled up inside him.

“Chief of Staff Schroeder… he… is not at home.”

“What?” 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Burgan was suddenly dumbfounded.