I simultaneously traverse countless worlds

At this distance, the Kabane could no longer withstand the jet stream of bullets from the new steam guns. When the high-speed spinning jet stream hit the Kabane's head or body, it would shatter the Kabane's head into pieces. The core of the Kabane's body was too conspicuous. The new army soldiers, who had already fired at least several hundred rounds, were still able to achieve about half of their target hits at this distance. The remaining jet stream bullets would also leave holes in the Kabane's body.

Despite their fearless demeanor, the Kabane in Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress haven't reached the level of the T-Virus or Blacklight Virus. At least, ordinary Kabane don't have the ability to quickly recover from limb damage. If their bodies are shattered or their limbs are broken by jet bullets, they become nothing more than unsteady, unresponsive targets. Even a rookie could easily kill them with a steam gun.

Moreover, Li Mo had arranged for more than one set of steel wire tripwires; dozens of steel wire tripwires, combined with barbed wire, effectively slowed down the Kabane's charge. Furthermore, the Napoleon cannons had been switched to specialized shotgun shells, each shot enough to clear out the Kabane's path across a width of several dozen meters.

If the Kabane had self-awareness, they would surely find themselves in a scene of one-sided slaughter. Those who charged at the forefront, the Thieves, were mostly dead. The remaining ordinary Kabane were blocked by obstacles and then harvested. In less than half an hour, more than half of them had been lost. However, they did not even break into the New Army's formation. After the initial intimidation, the New Army, which was outnumbered, quickly calmed down and engaged in the battle. They found that they could keep killing the enemy while staying put. They were harvesting the Kabane who kept charging forward with high morale.

Compared to the increasingly excited and high-spirited soldiers of the new army, Li Mo calmly used his eagle to scout the surrounding environment and estimate the amount of ammunition he had consumed. When he found that there were less than a thousand Kabane left, he ordered the Napoleon cannons to stop bombarding and set up several steel wire tripwires and barbed wire fences so that the new army could continuously shoot down the remaining Kabane at close range.

When the last Kabane fell, the new army had already rotated all its soldiers. Riflemen and shotgunners were sweating profusely, and many artillerymen were so tired that their hands were weak, but they still cheered loudly!

"My lord! We have won!"

As the last Kabane was killed by a few jets of fire, a mid-ranking officer and the others cheered, but he didn't forget to report the good news to his supreme commander, even though his commander had also witnessed the victory.

"Yes, we've won..."

Despite the considerable cost of the victory, Li Mo was in high spirits. He nodded slightly and sighed, then gave orders to the messenger beside him: "Pass down the order to rest for ten minutes before clearing the battlefield. Also, notify the stronghold to send the second batch of supplies over as soon as possible. The makeshift city wall connecting this side needs to be built quickly. We've captured the port, and we must hold it!"

Now, Li Mo is not concerned about the victory he has already won, but rather that his prestige at Xianjin Post Station has obviously increased after this victory, so he must consolidate the fruits of this victory!

……

"Long live!"

"We won!"

"Waaaaah! This is great..."

When news of the victory reached Xianjin Station, the entire station erupted in celebration. Everywhere, there were jubilant civilians, some even in tears. Even the once arrogant samurai were now all smiles and couldn't help but want to drink to celebrate.

It's important to know that most of the residents of Kenkin Station were former samurai and subjects of the Yoshikazuchi family. Many of their relatives and friends died in the Kabane attacks. In the past, staying at Kenkin Station only guaranteed them a certain level of safety. In reality, including those swaggering samurai, most people lived a very frugal life. Commoners were treated to a hard-working day just to avoid starvation, and even the samurai and their families were barely able to get enough to eat each day.

It would be a lie to say that everyone in Xianjin Post harbored resentment about the situation. The Kabane before had left no hope of victory. Xianjin Post and other fortresses barely survived by relying on their terrain and city walls. Occasionally, those who wanted to fight the Kabane would die unjustly because their steam guns were so ineffective. Over time, some people became unwilling to face the cruel reality. However, now that the new army had won the victory over the Kabane, the civilians and warriors who had previously supported the new army but had many complaints immediately cheered for the news of the victory.

Upon hearing the news of the victory, the head of the Shifangchuan family sighed with emotion and promptly announced that the fishing and foreign trade in the recovered port would be reopened. The news that everyone would be able to eat their fill and obtain goods from the outside world ignited the enthusiasm of everyone at Xianjin Post Station, who threw themselves wholeheartedly into the intense battle and work. The second batch of supplies was quickly gathered and transported to the port through the safety belt formed by the stronghold.

At the same time, the steel wall that carried the hopes of many people was also quickly built. The combined steel plate city wall, which was more than 30 meters high, grew longer and longer, eventually extending to the coast and completely surrounding the port of Xianjinyi, which had been lost for a long time!

Chapter 26 The Manifestation of Change at Jinze (New book, please add to your favorites and support!)

Since Xianjin Post successfully recaptured the port, the entire fortress has rapidly transformed from its previous apathy and dullness into a vibrant and fast-paced development. In less than three months, it has given outsiders the illusion that they are seeing a completely different fortress.

With the successful construction of the steel wall, the port of Xianjin Post Station was recaptured. Li Mo immediately restarted the original salt fields and fishing grounds. Every day, a large amount of fish and sea salt were sent to Xianjin Post Station. They were either sold cheaply in various markets within Xianjin Post Station City, or after a short processing, they were sent to other surrounding cities and fortresses through Juncheng, where they were warmly welcomed.

Even in the modern world that Li Mo transmigrated to, Japan had to recover after the end of World War II, removing a large amount of military equipment and taking over some of the industrial capacity of Europe and America in order to make profits through industrial products and import a large amount of agricultural products to meet its own needs.

In the world of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, before the Kabane ravages, Japan occasionally experienced famine. During the Kabane ravages, it was even worse. The arable land in Kenjin Station and other strongholds was barely enough to supply the population with food. Even if ordinary civilians managed to grow radishes and other crops on small plots of land, it was enough to keep them from starving. To have enough to eat was an absolute luxury.

As for meat, seafood and snacks?

Hehe, unless it's the shogun himself staying at Kongo Station, even the daimyo of various fortresses might not be able to enjoy it freely. Didn't you see that Yomogawa Ayame has to sneak around if she wants to eat a little bit of sweets? That's because it's already a very rare and precious item.

Li Mo naturally didn't have the ability to directly cultivate crops, but the sea was clearly not contaminated by the Kabane virus. Building steam-powered steel fishing boats or even steam-powered merchant ships was not a technically difficult task for Xianjin Post Station. Going out to sea to catch fish became the most convenient and quickest way to supplement protein. The common people of Xianjin Post Station could even eat salted fish after a long time. The soldiers of the new army and ordinary officials could afford whale meat or other seafood, so they were naturally very satisfied.

In particular, Hyunjin Post Station directly obtained various supplies from other cities and villages through trade, including salted fish, seafood, and sea salt. The steam merchant ships they sent out even secretly opened up trade routes between Korea and the Ryukyu Islands. Even Japan was able to survive many people by taking advantage of its own preparations and geographical advantages. Similarly, some clever people from Korea fled overseas. Jeju Island became the largest survivor camp in Korea. Several large islands in the Ryukyu Islands were still under human control. Since they couldn't swim and weren't like the Kabane virus, which spreads through the air, they naturally didn't have the ability to cross the sea to invade these overseas islands!

The problem is that while the humans on those islands can survive, they still need to secure essential supplies such as metal tools, medicine, and cotton cloth. For example, when faced with the rare appearance of steam merchant ships, the survivors from Jeju Island and the Ryukyu Islands, upon discovering that the ships were equipped with cannons, wisely offered various items in exchange. Hyunjin Station obtained local specialties such as sugar, livestock, and silk from this exchange, greatly enriching its own market.

Moreover, the information Li Mo obtained from the outside world allowed him to piece together the general structure of the Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress world, East Asia, and even the entire world.

For example, the Kabane in the world of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress not only ravaged the entire world, but the more densely populated the area, the more likely it is to form Kabane clusters. In densely populated areas such as the Americas, Europe, and Africa, few humans have survived. In inland areas, there are only a few human survival camps, which rely on natural defenses or city walls to struggle for survival, just like the fortresses in the neon world.

Currently, most of the Celestial Empire survivors in East Asia are concentrated in the Liaodong Peninsula, Taiwan, Qiongzhou Island, and Zhoushan Islands. They have even retained a certain level of industrial capacity. While they may not have caught up with the leading position of those who have entered the steam age, they are not far behind. Their merchant ships even have trade relations with some survivor camps in Southeast Asia and India. Although there are not many Celestial Empire merchant ships coming and going in Japan, it is not that there are none at all, but rather that it is a very rare occurrence. This made Li Mo realize that the excuse he had made up earlier had coincidentally matched the actual situation.

As for the European countries and America, Li Mo only confirmed through the information from the King Kong Post that the King Kong Post had purchased several batches of weapons via the Hawaiian Islands. He also knew that there were probably some survivors in the European colonies in Southeast Asia. He didn't know the situation in the European countries, but just by looking at the situation in Japan, China, and America, he knew that the situation in Europe was definitely not optimistic.

Of course, Li Mo was paying attention to outside news to see if there were any other forces in the Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress world, but his main focus remained on the internal affairs. For example, he was stationed at the port of Kenjin Station and dispatched the new army to continuously clear the surrounding area.

Thanks to the victory in the port battle, Li Mo's prestige among the new army and the people of Xianjin Post Station became extremely high. He seized military power and, through actions such as the port cleanup, transferred some of the port trade profits to his own control. He was not stingy in this regard, turning a large amount of resources and money into the accumulation of his own power. In addition, with the powerful tool of the [Shadow Seed], he rapidly accumulated his own power.

For example, even if Li Mo wanted to take action against Xianjin Station now, he would have more than a hundred loyal subordinates who had fused with the [Shadow Seed] and controlled at least half of the new army's combat forces. He could easily launch a coup. However, he felt that it would be too risky to act rashly. In Japan, a coup would certainly be possible, but his real enemy was not the Yomogawa family, who had not yet shown any hostility. The real enemies that Li Mo had to face were the Amatori Mima and Kongo Station, who were hiding in the shadows.

In contrast, the head of the Sifangchuan family was somewhat anxious. He knew that the strength and economy of his Xianjin Post Station had risen significantly in the rankings of various cities in Japan. However, Li Mo, an outsider, had taken control of the most important military power of the Sifangchuan family. Some of the elders were already grumbling that someone should be sent to share the power. But knowing what kind of people those elders were, the head of the Sifangchuan family would not make a decision rashly.

However, the head of the Shifangchuan family knew very well that he and Li Mo needed to make a clear decision. He had already persuaded his beloved daughter, so he asked Li Mo to come to the Tenshukaku to prepare for the final discussion!

Chapter 27 The Decision of the Yoshikawa Clan Head (Please add to your favorites and support!)

Xianjin Post Station, on the top floor of the castle tower, between the city lords.

Without a doubt, those allowed to enter this area by the head of the Yomogawa family are either core members of the Kenkin Station, very important guests, or even just Miss Yomogawa Ayame, to be allowed to enter this important area.

Li Mo now directly controls the new army of Xianjin Post Station, has captured the port and successfully cleared the area around Xianjin Post Station. Even the catastrophic disaster brought about by the [Juncheng], in which the passengers of the original plot were turned into Kabane, has been eliminated. It is no exaggeration to say that his current strength and prestige in Xianjin Post Station are enough to threaten the Shifangchuan family. Naturally, he is qualified to be invited to the castle lords of Tenshukaku to have a fair discussion with the head of the Shifangchuan family.

If it were an ordinary person, they would have to worry about whether it was a trap. However, Li Mo, who had the advantage of intelligence, knew that there were no ambushes on the side of the Tenshu Pavilion. As for tricks like poisoning, Li Mo was not afraid of the other party playing such tricks. Upon hearing that the head of the Sifangchuan family had invited him to discuss important matters, he did not hesitate to take ten guards and step into the room of the Tenshu Pavilion's lord.

However, Li Mo did not expect that the situation he had anticipated, such as a trap or an ultimatum, was not what the head of the Sifangchuan family intended. The other party had come to him to discuss an important matter that truly concerned the future development of Xianjin Post Station!

"Mo Jun, it's been so long! It's been over a month since we last met, hasn't it?"

When Li Mo stepped into the castle lord's quarters, he found that in the seemingly empty room, the head of the Shifangchuan family stood with his back to the door and his hands behind his back. While admiring the bustling castle town outside the gate and the vast golden rice fields being harvested, he turned to look at Li Mo with a look of both admiration and sigh.

"Lord City Lord, it has indeed exceeded one month..."

Li Mo nodded in agreement with the words of the head of the Sifangchuan family. His words were polite, but he placed himself on the same or even higher level as the other party. This attitude of treating him as an equal made the head of the Sifangchuan family frown but then calm down.

Admittedly, the head of the Sifangchuan family had to admit that Li Mo was no longer someone he could easily manipulate. Not only did Li Mo control the new army of Xianjinyi and enjoy great prestige, but he was also said to be able to heal those bitten by the Kabane. Given the apocalyptic backdrop of the Kabane rampage, Li Mo could be said to have become too powerful to control. If he were to rashly host a trap, the consequences would be extremely serious, possibly even leading to the annihilation of the Sifangchuan family. Therefore, he was preparing to seek out Li Mo to solve this problem.

Li Mo was also very clear about this issue, but he didn't know what the head of the Sifangchuan family planned to do. Judging from the current situation, it seemed that the other party did not intend to use physical elimination to deal with him...

"Lord Mo, the changes at Xianjin Post Station do indeed rely heavily on your efforts..."

Looking at Li Mo's imposing yet dignified expression, and recalling how he had been so timid and submissive when they rescued him a few months ago, the head of the Sifangchuan family felt a surge of genuine emotion. His expression then turned serious as he stated his terms of negotiation: "Therefore, I intend to betroth my only daughter, Changpu, to you. One of your sons will inherit the Sifangchuan family name and territory. What do you think?"

？ ！！

Upon hearing the words of the Sifangchuan family head, Li Mo was momentarily stunned. When he finally understood the meaning behind the words, his expression became somewhat strange and inexplicable. However, he quickly analyzed the situation in his mind and realized that this seemed to be an excellent plan from the Sifangchuan family.

Admittedly, Li Mo himself has not yet shown any ambition, but his firm grasp on military power and his continuous leadership of the new army to victory have already greatly increased his prestige in a territory that is constantly threatened by the Kabane. If the head of the Sifangchuan family takes any rash action, it may cause serious internal strife. However, if he does not take any action, Li Mo may gradually take the initiative. The head of the Sifangchuan family must react.

Li Mo had guessed the thoughts of the Sifangchuan family head. If he were twenty years younger or had a son, the Sifangchuan family head would have tried to expel or kill Li Mo directly. However, his only direct descendant in the Sifangchuan family was his precious daughter, Sifangchuan Changpu. If he could successfully expel or kill Li Mo, not to mention the internal strife and losses that would bring to the developing Xianjin Post Station, could he and his daughter maintain such a large-scale operation at Xianjin Post Station?

Regarding this issue, the head of the Sifangchuan family, who knew that his ability to lead troops in battle was not outstanding, was very self-aware. He also knew his precious daughter's abilities very well; she was simply not capable of handling the grand occasion at Xianjin Post Station. Moreover, Sifangchuan Changpu was also of marriageable age. Marrying his precious daughter to Li Mo to ensure that the Sifangchuan family's reputation would not decline seemed to be much better than other methods.

Therefore, it was with this mentality that the head of the Sifangchuan family tacitly approved of Li Mo's various actions to win over the hearts and minds of the army. Otherwise, if he had even one son as his heir, he would have considered whether to expel or kill Li Mo!

"I have no objection, but isn't the head of the family afraid that I will completely take over the Yomogawa family?"

Li Mo let out a slight breath. After thinking it through, he immediately realized that the current situation at Xianjin Post Station was completely different from the original plot. He then looked at the head of the Sifangchuan family with some interest and directly asked a question that had been bothering him.

"Hehe, I may be old, but I think I can still see people clearly. For someone who actively explores trade routes and the way home after recovering the port, preserving the bloodline of the Sifangchuan family is the best outcome... Mo Jun, when do you plan to marry Changpu?"

Upon hearing Li Mo's words, the head of the Shifangchuan family smiled. As a daimyo, he was naturally not so naive. Through the goods and personnel transported by steam merchant ships, he naturally knew about Li Mo's expansion in East Asia, which made him determined to arrange the marriage. Therefore, he could accept that the other party would be in charge of Xianjin Post Station, since he only had one precious daughter left in his generation.

At least, the head of the Sifangchuan family had no intention of letting his relatives benefit from it. He would rather have his grandson inherit the Sifangchuan family name and territory than let anyone else inherit the Sifangchuan family, not even relatives!

"We both need some preparation time, so let's set it for seven days from now!"

At this point, Li Mo had nothing more to say. He nodded to indicate that he agreed with the other party's opinion and then proposed a rather tight schedule.

"Time is a bit tight, but it's barely enough. After all, my beloved daughter's marriage involves the subsequent transfer of power in [Xianjin Post Station]. According to custom, we must notify Jingang Post Station and other strongholds, and invite envoys from familiar powerful families to come and witness the ceremony..."

Faced with Li Mo's reaction, the head of the Sifangchuan family raised an eyebrow and regained his composure. He pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement, while also making it clear that he intended to withdraw and that Li Mo understood the necessary procedures for the transfer of power at Xianjin Post Station.

In peacetime, the wedding and power transfer of a daimyo's direct heir would have to be reported to the shogun and other daimyo. The preparation time for the wedding alone would probably take a year and a half. However, during the Kabane's rampage, the wedding and power transfer ceremony of the daimyo's direct heir had to be simplified as much as possible. Even using the [Shunjo] to travel to other castles would be quite risky. The shogun's control over the castles in various places was naturally only superficial.

The head of the Sifangchuan family didn't think there was much of a problem with the seven days Li Mo gave them. In fact, given the current material reserves at Xianjin Post Station, a few days would be enough to prepare a decent wedding ceremony!

"Then, I'll have to trouble you, Father-in-law!"

Upon hearing the Sifangchuan family head's agreement, Li Mo tactfully changed his form of address to him. Since he had already agreed to the marriage alliance, and Sifangchuan Changpu was a beautiful woman who also brought with her the rightful control and inheritance of Xianjinyi, there was naturally no reason for him to be unwilling. Calling him "father-in-law" was perfectly normal, and he had no psychological burden whatsoever.

This time, the head of the Sifangchuan family responded with great joy. He was also relieved that Li Mo had agreed to marry his daughter, Sifangchuan Changpu. This was the best outcome for both the Sifangchuan family and Xianjinyi!

Chapter 28 Arranged Marriage and Reality (Please add to your favorites and vote!)

On that day, Kenjin Station delivered news of the power change in the Yomogawa family and the marriage of the eldest daughter of the main family to Kongo Station and other strongholds through Juncheng. As is customary, envoys from Kongo Station and other daimyo were invited to witness the ceremony.

In this situation, during the peaceful period before the Kabane rampage, it wouldn't be surprising if it took a full year and a half to complete. Even with the [Juncheng] connecting various regions, it was still the same. That thing called [Etiquette] was enough to make people suffer. Japan is a country that really likes to use cumbersome etiquette to make things difficult for itself. Just looking at those colorful twelve-layered kimonos and considering that this thing can carry a weight of more than forty pounds, you can imagine how it feels for Japanese noblewomen to wear it.

Fortunately, the life-or-death crisis brought by the Kabane has reduced the so-called etiquette and constraints to a minimum. Weddings that used to require many complicated procedures have been reduced to the simplest method of inviting generals and friendly daimyo envoys to attend the ceremony. The weddings of the heirs will be held within their own fortresses, and the scale of the ceremony will vary depending on the availability of supplies. It can be predicted that most of the Japanese fortresses will not have abundant supplies. Being able to treat all the commoners of the fortress to a meal of white rice on the day of the heir's wedding would be considered a very good standard. Those who are more frugal will simply hold a simple ceremony.

Previously, Xianjin Post Station was considered above average among the remaining fortresses in Japan. The recapture of the port and the opening of trade with other parts of East Asia brought about a significant boost to the overall strength of Xianjin Post Station, including fishing, salt production, and trade. Except for a relatively small increase in population, its resources far surpassed those of other fortresses. Now, with the wedding of the eldest daughter of the main family and the new leader, the scale of the wedding was naturally expanded, making it exceptionally lively.

When the wedding began, Xianjin Post Station was filled with a lively and bustling atmosphere. Apart from the necessary guards who were on guard against the Kabane and other potential threats, everyone, including the common people, enjoyed the sumptuous food in front of them. The main banquet table was even more unusual, with wine and various delicacies laid out, which amazed the guests who came to watch the ceremony. They enjoyed the food and toasted Li Mo.

After a day of elaborate wedding ceremonies, Li Mo finally managed to escape the toasts offered by his wedding guests as the moon hung high in the sky. Supported by his maids, he arrived at the castle tower and prepared to step into the bridal chamber that had been temporarily prepared for this grand wedding!

………………

It must be said that the head of the Shifangchuan family was very thorough in his work. Considering that his son-in-law might not be able to hold his liquor, he specially arranged for two maids from his daughter's side to help support him. They would even take the initiative to participate in the wedding night if necessary.

But Li Mo is clearly not an ordinary person, or rather, he has integrated the powers of four different worlds. His physical abilities alone have already surpassed the limits of humanity, not to mention the existence of extraordinary powers such as martial arts, chakra, and shadow power. It can be said that it is simply impossible for him to be unable to hold his liquor in the Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress world, at least it is impossible for Li Mo to be unable to drink alcohol on his own.

Seeing that the bridal chamber was almost in sight, Li Mo released the two maids who were supporting him and told them to leave, their faces filled with anticipation and trepidation. Even though the two maids felt somewhat unwilling, they had no choice but to retreat in the face of Li Mo's resolute refusal. As they left, they secretly glanced at Li Mo, their beautiful eyes filled with a hint of sorrow and longing. But without Li Mo's permission, they could only retreat and dared not step into the bridal chamber.

After all, in Japan, you can only act arbitrarily if you break the rules. For example, Li Mo forced the head of the Shifangchuan family to back down by marrying Shifangchuan Changpu in order to control Xianjin Station. In reality, it was a dignified process of admitting defeat. However, the two little maids, Ququ, did not have the confidence to disobey the new master of Xianjin Station. Even if they felt that they had lost a great opportunity, they could only regretfully retreat.

For Li Mo, the two maids were too young. If they were to do anything, they would probably be punished by the iron pincers of the mythical beast, the river crab. Moreover, there was already a very beautiful woman in the bridal chamber. Why would Li Mo need to consider two flat-chested maids?

"Um?!"

As soon as Li Mo pushed open the door and entered the room, he saw the newly decorated bridal chamber. In the light of whale oil candles, a white wedding dress was scattered on the floor, while the bride had changed into her usual Western dress.

Not only did Yoshikazu Ayame change into her favorite cherry-colored Western-style dress, but her elaborate updo, which she wore in a white kimono, was also taken down and retied into a long ponytail. She was now using a small knife to cut the curtains, and the strips of fabric she had just torn off were tied into a half-finished rope. It was foreseeable that if they waited any longer, this young lady might try to escape through the window.

Hearing the door open, Yoshikawa Ayame trembled. Turning her head, she saw Li Mo had already stepped into the bridal chamber. She frantically raised the small knife she was holding, gripped it tightly with both hands, and pointed it at Li Mo!

"Tsk tsk, young lady, are you actually planning to elope?"

Seeing Yoshikawa Ayamura's actions, Li Mo said with some emotion as he walked.

"Don't come any closer! I'd rather kill myself than marry you!"

Upon hearing this, Yoshikawa Ayame froze, then hurriedly turned the knife in her hand around, pointing the tip at her throat, and said in a trembling voice.

For a young lady like Yomogawa Ayame, it would be difficult to commit suicide. However, her escape plan had been exposed before it could be carried out. When she discovered that the man she had seen with her father was approaching, Yomogawa Ayame was afraid that he would force her to marry him. She could only threaten him with suicide to at least stop him from taking any more dangerous actions.

Li Mo smiled slightly, standing still with his arms crossed, watching the show with a hint of amusement in his voice: "Well, if you want to commit suicide, then do it! Anyway, the wedding is over, and your father has publicly announced his resignation, with me succeeding him as the new city lord. Your task as a tool is complete..."