Axel

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The Little Journal

Dinner was white bean stew with beef—once Charles’s favorite. Now, he found it rather ordinary, thinking it could use more Sichuan pepper, chili, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce...

His mother, Camille, hummed a tune as she chopped vegetables in the kitchen.

Djoka, chewing on a piece of beef, remarked to Charles with admiration,
"Your mother has never been this happy before!"

Camille brought a plate of fruit to the table, pla...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: A Deal is a Deal

At the 6th Army Headquarters in Paris, Gallieni paced back and forth like a restless ant on a hot pan.

So far, all the intelligence he had received was bad news:
“The Germans have appeared in Davaus and launched a fierce assault.”

“A German secret unit crossed the river last night and successfully launched a pincer attack, capturing the Marne Bridge!”

“Our defensive line has collapsed. General Garde has led the headqua...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: "The Inventor"

The subsequent battle benefitted greatly from the counteroffensive of the French Fifth Army's main forces.

Major Browning's unit had just over three hundred men. Even as they chased down thousands of German soldiers, it was impossible to eliminate them all at once without risking being overwhelmed in turn.

This new tactic of infantry advancing under the cover of "tanks" had a critical weakness:
If German soldiers resolved to counteratta...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Advancing in Defense

Matthew originally didn’t need to go to the battlefield.

Charles’ plan didn’t include him. Charles had already selected a dozen tractor drivers, which wasn’t a difficult task for the tractor factory.

However, when these drivers heard they would be driving tractors into battle and leading the charge to block bullets, their faces turned pale:

“We’re just drivers, Master Charles, not soldiers!”
“We have families...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: You Saved France

Blood spattered as screams echoed across the battlefield.

German soldiers fell like stalks of wheat being harvested. Yet with Colonel Jonas leading at the front, no one dared to flee. They lay prone, gazing at the colonel with pleading, terrified eyes, as if silently begging: "Order a retreat, sir! We cannot fight that thing!" But Colonel Jonas knew there was no way out.

Behind him was the Marne River, and the only bridge was undoubtedly...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: What is This "Monster"?

Francis paused for a moment before asking, “What about Charles? Where is he? Has his family also left?”

“No, sir!” the butler replied. “They’re at the tractor factory!”

Without another word, Francis began walking toward the tractor factory, his silver cane tucked under his arm.

The butler trotted after him, pleading earnestly:
“Sir, the Germans are right at our doorstep—they’ve already attacked! The tr...

Chapter 236: Summoning the Great Winds

In a short time, Charlot Mecklenburg had advanced by another rank, and the enhancement in his abilities brought about a transformation akin to a rebirth.

The two sides exchanged over a dozen moves, during which Charlot executed the 77 Movements of Heaven’s Wing flawlessly, fully showcasing the speed and precision of the Arsilo Family’s swift spear techniques.

The orc assassin, realizing after his initial failed attack that the assassination was now impossible, flipped off the ...

Chapter 235: War Is the Most Efficient Way to Cultivate

The Redback Bear Warriors were tall and powerfully built, among the strongest types of orcs.

Charlot Mecklenburg had eighteen of these warriors under his command, so he was well aware of their prowess. Without hesitation, he pulled out his Anti-Space Long-Range Rifle, aimed at one of the Redback Bear Warriors, and pulled the trigger.

Although the Redback Bear Warrior was a mid-tier Transcendent, it couldn’t withstand the force of the Anti-magic Armor-Piercing Rounds and was blow...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: These Damn Liars

The cold wind howled as autumn leaves withered away.

By September, the temperature in France had dropped to eight degrees, carrying a noticeable chill.

Hiding in the grass, the commander of the German First Army, General von Kluck, raised his binoculars to observe the town of Davaus across the mist-shrouded Marne River.

As he expected, French soldiers were indeed building defensive fortifications along the river. The only bridge ...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: I’m Betting Everything on Your Victory

“Tell me, what’s going on here?” In the corner of the square, Camille asked Charles anxiously, “Are you planning to lead these soldiers into battle with the Germans?”

“Don’t worry, Mama!” Charles reassured her. “I’m only teaching them how to fight. I’m not going to the front lines myself!”

“Teaching them how to fight?” Djoka and Camille exchanged bewildered glances.

Charles had nev...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Rumors

As the evening approached, the setting sun filtered through the gaps in the sycamore branches, casting faint shadows across the second floor of the Sixth Army Headquarters, where the officers and soldiers bustled about.

A staff officer took a phone call and then approached Gallieni with a perplexed expression:
"General, a rumor has been circulating in the city today. It claims that we have abandoned Paris, the army is retreating, and that all troops w...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: From Tractor to Tank

Charles strolled leisurely through the tractor factory.

The Francis Tractor Factory was considered a large enterprise in France. According to French records, there were only 257 companies with more than 1,000 employees, and most were small operations with fifty or sixty workers.

The Francis Tractor Factory, however, employed over 2,000 workers. This success was largely thanks to Francis’s significant investment two ...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: For France

Charles led Major Browning to the machine gun factory to pick up ammunition.

The process went unexpectedly smoothly. The staff, upon seeing Charles, gave them unrestricted access. They even provided Major Browning with ten additional M1909 Hotchkiss machine guns.

Charles understood the reason—it was because they had heard about the events of the previous night, including Francis’s change in attitude toward the Djoka family.

Factory wo...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Deserters Deserve Praise

Charles paid little attention to family feuds.

Francis was a legend in the Bernard family, a business prodigy who repeatedly rose to the upper echelons of French society from nothing.

He was the pride of the Bernard family, an unsurpassable figure. Gaining his approval meant not only a life of comfort but also a great honor.

But Charles didn’t care about any of this. To be precise, Francis meant little to him. In Charles�...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Gallieni

At the 6th Army Headquarters in Paris, the clamor of telephone calls filled the air as documents and intelligence flooded Gallieni’s desk amidst the constant flow of personnel.

Lieutenant General Gallieni was widely regarded as one of France's most capable military commanders. Once a competitor of Joffre for the position of French Commander-in-Chief, he had lost that contest, supposedly due to his age.

This explanation, however, was unconvincin...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Everything is Business

However, Francis was not so easily convinced. The disdain at the corner of his mouth faded as he spoke seriously:

"I'm sorry, but we are equally unable to command the Fifth Army of France. We can't even influence the higher-ups. We are merely... businessmen with some notable achievements."

Francis shrugged awkwardly, feeling embarrassed to admit before Charles that he lacked any political or military background.

The true capit...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: This Young Man is Not Simple

It was natural for Francis to feel this way, as Charles had traveled back in time from the modern era.

At this moment, the First World War had just begun. Everyone thought the war would end quickly, but Charles knew it would rage on for over four years, claiming the lives of 1.69 million Frenchmen.

A casualty rate of 4.25%. Excluding the elderly, women, minors, and well-connected bureaucrats exempt from military service, the d...

I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Turning to Military Industry is the Best Way Out

September 1, 1914. Exactly one month after Germany declared war on France, German forces, executing the Schlieffen Plan's "West First, East Later" strategy, swiftly broke through Belgium and advanced into France.

At this moment, the German vanguard was only about 30 kilometers from Paris, and all efforts by the French Army to repel the German right flank had failed.

Paris was on the brink o...

Chapter 234: The Horse King Clan, Fleet as the Wind

Frederica had promised to extend the duration of the third assassination attempt. Charlot believed she had done everything within her power.

Thus, facing this orc assassin, Charlot was neither panicked nor enraged. He was no longer the low-ranking Transcendent of his past.

As Charlot charged forward, the orc assassin showed no sign of distress. He fired eighteen shots in rapid succession. His marksmanship surpassed even that of Aubrey Tildon Atwood. While Charlot managed to slice ...

Chapter 233: Days in Silver Dove Castle

Yan Melianne sat quietly before the temple of the Lady of the Black Moon. He had waited for over ten days, but Charlot never came...

The young man clenched his fists in anger and muttered under his breath, “I will go to Strasbourg to find you.”

Yan turned and descended the mountain. Behind him, a dozen youths of similar age, carrying their packs and looking ready for a long journey, followed closely. In each of their hearts, a single thought floated: “Yan and his sister must...

Chapter 232: Frontline Intelligence

Baron Valentine was brought in, his face blank with shock. He was indeed frightened, unsure of how Charlot Mecklenburg would deal with him. Initially, he had thought that Charlot, infamous in Seagull City, was a far less reputable figure than himself. Surely, Charlot couldn’t be that impressive; most of the rumors were likely exaggerated. After all, he had seen Lady Nancella before, and the South Seraph restorationists were terrifyingly fierce—Behemoth’s knight orders couldn’t even co...

Chapter 231: Everyone’s Past Has More Than One Side

Charlot Mecklenburg, though a layman in military matters, understood the importance of proper equipment. Under his leadership, every member of the West Wind Knight Order was outfitted with a rifle, a rapier, and a dagger. Some soldiers used a combination of long rifles and pistols, as those skilled in wielding the Knight’s Lance found rifles cumbersome and instead opted for weapons like the Magnum Mauler.

At his command, Baron Valentine and his men were met with a forest of black gun ...

Chapter 230: Your Reputation Was Never Good

That day, Charlot Mecklenburg camped outside the city, unwilling to return to his hometown.

By evening, his older brother, Mycroft Mecklenburg, arrived. After the Grand Duchess Josephine was killed by Hughes, her head taken as a trophy, no one cared about the Mecklenburg family anymore. Charlot’s father took the entire family and returned to Seagull City.

When Mycroft saw his younger brother, his emotions were deeply conflicted.

The last time they met, Charlot had appeared...

Chapter 229: A Delightful Dive into the Sea of Words

Charlot Mecklenburg halted outside Seagull City and sent Dubin Alger and Yellow Bear to notify Baron Valentine.

He had no desire to meet the baron and felt a sense of embarrassment even contemplating it.

Charlot hoped the baron would simply hand over the knight order, allowing him to report back to Clair Bretagne and keep matters simple.

After Dubin and Yellow Bear left, they returned half an hour later, both forcibly shaved bald, with a message in tow: "Tell Charlot to wash...

Chapter 228: Rumors from Home

Although Charlot Mecklenburg did not hold the highest office, his command of the West Wind Knight Order and the Silver Dove Militia, combined with his representation of Clair Bretagne, ensured the obedience of Mostar Castle's local nobles. His reputation, built on a series of decisive victories, played a key role in maintaining their compliance.

Facing the local nobles, Charlot said with a faint smile, “It is unfortunate that Duke Joseph perished in South Seraph. The loss of such an e...

Chapter 227: Hmm, Let’s Talk About Morality Later

Clair Bretagne had little trouble subduing the Mostar Castle Knight Order.

Whether it was the Blood Knight Diak, the Green Knight Enzo, or the third captain, after a round of discussions, they all pledged their full support to him in the campaign against the South Seraph territory.

In order to win over the Mostar Castle Knight Order, Clair still allowed them to remain in command of their own group.

Clair was arguably one of the brightest talents of the younger generation in ...

Chapter 226: Perhaps This is Fate

Charlot Mecklenburg’s mastery of the 77 Movements of Heaven’s Wing was personally honed under the guidance of Julian Arsilo.

Although this spear technique held no particularly profound secrets—its force application and movement transitions could be discerned by any mid-level Transcendent skilled in spear combat—on the battlefield, even simple techniques could be decisive.

The cruelty of combat often meant that there was no second chance. Those who perished under the 77 Mov...

Chapter 225: Breaking the Sky

The Mostar Castle Knight Order had not truly decided how to proceed.

This knight order was originally led by Grand Duke Ferdinand. After the assassination of Ferdinand and his wife, Duke Joseph took command of the order, but his control over it was significantly weaker. Without the rallying cry of avenging Grand Duke Ferdinand, Joseph might not have been able to command them at all.

When Duke Joseph fell in battle in the South Seraph region, the order was left leaderless.

Or...

Chapter 224: The Last Legacy of Grand Duke Joseph

Dubin Alger did not get his promotion.

Not long ago, this could not have been blamed on Charlot Mecklenburg. After all, Dubin had submitted the necessary paperwork, but the higher authorities simply never approved it.

But now, it was undeniably Charlot's fault.

With his steady rise in rank, Charlot had gained authority over many personnel approvals, including those of Dubin Alger and others. Although the process was somewhat circuitous, he held the ability to promote subordi...

Chapter 223: The Power to Decide One's Own Destiny

The more beautiful the plum blossom, the more desolate the black moon.

The lonelier the plum blossom stands, the more elusive the black moon becomes.

Charlot Mecklenburg had initially worried that Menielman Soumet, a newly advanced Saint rank, might not be a match for Princess May.

But he quickly realized that his understanding of Senior Menielman Soumet was far too shallow.

Menielman Soumet was definitely not a recent Saint rank.

She had merely been hiding her s...