Section Thirty-Six: The Day the Star of David Banner Rose (Part One)

The bombardment from the city tower continued relentlessly, as joyful shells rained down one after another within the Governor’s Mansion, leaving the place in utter ruin. Houses and walls were blasted apart, each explosion carving into Governor Hendry as if flaying his own flesh. Although the Revolutionary Group hoped to relieve Wei Wuji and Grant, the real effect was little more than chaos, as shells occasionally came dangerously close to striking the two men. Fortunately, both possessed impressive agility and managed to dodge in time. The blame, if any, lay with the Revolutionary Group’s abysmal artillerymen.

Despite having twice established bases, both of which were destroyed, the Revolutionary Group’s small arms factories, under Grant’s guidance, only managed to produce some matchlock muskets. Later, after learning the secrets of modified firearms through the research of defected magicians and spells extracted from certain prisoners, they could barely use such guns. Yet, they had never been able to manufacture cannons themselves. Their only artillery was a half-finished piece left behind by a Gallic test-casting team. Grant himself had led an assault on the test-casting group, seizing the opportunity, but despite the group being protected by an entire infantry regiment, they still managed to escape. The only gain was hauling back the unfinished cannon to their base. A few clever fellows fired it several times and became makeshift gunners, but when the cannon exploded one day, their apprenticeship ended abruptly.

Today, however, was different. Over twenty cannons and ample ammunition were now installed atop the city tower, offering the rebels a rare chance to train, especially under the guidance of an artillery expert from Randia. After their failed assault, the test-casting team swiftly left Gaul City, and Warrenheit ordered a second purge of the Revolutionary Group, forcing Grant to abandon his hard-won base and once again flee into the South Ktesis Mountains.

Seizing the moment, Wei Wuji and Grant broke out together, while the surviving prisoners behind them snatched soldiers’ weapons and charged in all directions. Amid the swirling smoke and dust from the shelling, it became nearly impossible for ordinary people to distinguish friend from foe; chaos reigned. Only Euclid and a handful of others could still keep their eyes on Wei Wuji and Grant, but even they found it difficult to stop them, as the shells above showed no discrimination and hindered their pursuit as well.

The rebel gunners might have been clumsy, but when directed by Hegel to simply target the Governor’s Mansion, they could at least manage to hit that area. Neither Leonardo, who had ordered the bombardment, nor the gunners themselves worried for their leader’s safety, for in countless battles, the leader had always managed to extricate everyone from direst peril. As Leonardo proclaimed, trust the leader—shelling the Governor’s Mansion would only aid his escape and trouble the First Battalion.

The truth, of course, was not so simple. Wei Wuji and Grant were far from unscathed amidst the chaotic barrage. The bronze cannons atop the walls were mostly twelve-pounders, with six-pounder cast-iron pieces as well. Though a direct hit might not kill them outright, with eight bronze and sixteen iron cannons firing, multiple hits or shrapnel could seriously wound them, hampering their escape. Even in such confusion, the five-man group from the Inspectorate remained relentless in their pursuit.

Bursting through a gap in the battered wall, the two men escaped the Governor’s Mansion. Outside, the streets were equally chaotic. At the first sounds of bombardment, the city’s residents panicked—some clutching their children and hiding under beds or tables, others daring a glance outside. Gradually, they realized the shells, though thunderous, were not striking their homes. Slowly, people ventured out and saw that the shells soared over their heads from all directions, targeting only one place—the detestable Governor Hendry’s mansion.

Even the kindest souls, long oppressed by the old nobility, found the sight satisfying, some secretly applauding. When they wondered who was responsible, they were astonished to see that, at some point, a red flag had been raised atop the city wall—a bright crimson banner with a six-pointed star in the upper left.

Mouths fell open, for as locals, they recognized the flag of the Commune Revolution Group.

They watched as two figures, faster than thoroughbreds, dashed from the wall’s breach toward the city tower, followed by five more in pursuit. Behind them, a crowd of soldiers armed with muskets chased after ragged convicts. Most of the escaped prisoners were shot down, only a few scattering and vanishing into the streets.

“Stop chasing! The city tower! The city tower! Don’t let Grant or that Easterner escape—don’t let a single one get away! Retake the tower! Damn it, Hendry, this is all your fault! The mutineers are your own soldiers—do you see?” Antonio’s furious voice rang above the tumult. Perhaps his frantic gestures drew too much attention, or perhaps fortune favored the rebels that day, for a shell landed squarely, reducing the highest commander of the First Battalion to a heap of flesh.

Yet his final order still held, and Colonel Smith, his deputy, immediately assumed command, continuing the fight. Now it was not just about killing Grant; if the rebels took Gaul City, how could they answer to Valencia?

So began a most peculiar battle, assault and defense both within the city. One side held the city tower; the other climbed rooftops to fire upon the walls and fought their way up stairwells to retake control.

Wei Wuji and Grant swiftly approached the western gate—Gaul City had two gates, east and west, and the western gate was the first to fall. Their allies atop the gate recognized them, and a thunderous cheer erupted. Someone stood high, waving the red banner with its six-pointed star, shouting, “Long live the Leader!”

The two vaulted onto the narrow stone staircase, the only way up the tower. Suddenly, as if struck by revelation, Wei Wuji turned to Grant and said, “You’re using me, aren’t you? Using me to draw the city’s main garrison away, so the Revolutionary Group could seize this city.”