NOVEL NEXT Chapter 144: No Arrest
"Jacob, follow the procedure I just demonstrated to you wisely.
Go to the other high-altitude rain cannon and start firing the rainfall bombs systematically as I have instructed.
If you run into any trouble or have questions, ask me for the proper method immediately, do not fire it at the people area in case some bombs are faulty they can be dangerous. " Alex turned his head to look at Jacob, his voice steady despite the ringing in his ears.
"Yes, Boss." Jacob nodded obediently and carefully began to operate the other high-altitude rain cannon, preparing to fire rainfall bombs into the atmosphere.
"Mr. Hartwell and Lucy, help me operate this rain cannon and maintain a steady firing rate for me."
"Of course."
"Yes, Master Alex."
They gathered around and began studying the high-altitude rain cannon's operation under Alex's patient instruction.
BOOM!
BOOM!
The rain cannon's operation was surprisingly simple. Within two minutes of practice and a hands-on experience Jacob and the others had completely mastered the essential firing skills.
"You three, continue firing these rainfall bombs at a steady pace," Alex commanded, his gaze sweeping over his newly trained team. "Nathan, gather fifty of your gang members immediately and come with me to the warehouse.
We need to retrieve the remaining forty-eight high-altitude rain cannons and nine hundred fifty rainfall bombs."
Alex turned and looked directly at Nathan, his expression one of urgent determination.
Originally, his plan had been to position a quarter of the rain cannons at each of the four main gates of Ironhold situating at east, west, south, and north.
By firing rainfall bombs from such distributed locations, the chemical catalysts would evenly cover Ironhold's territory.
But now, severe time constraints had forced him to modify this plan. They could only fire everything from this single, concentrated location.
"Understood, I will summon them immediately." Nathan nodded vigorously, his eyes still filled with a lingering shock and a newfound sense of awe.
He had not expected that Alex possessed more than forty additional metal devices that could produce such a tremendous sound.
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The Viper Syndicate Gang Headquarters, Ironhold City Underground.
The Viper Syndicate Gang had grown to over two hundred members throughout the city.
With a single order from their leader, Nathan quickly gathered fifty of his most reliable members from the nearby area.
They marched in a surprisingly organized column toward the warehouse to transport the cannons back to the Hartwell family estate.
The old saying proved true: there is strength in numbers.
The warehouse was also located close to the Hartwell family compound.
The fifty men worked with startling efficiency that only a large, coordinated group could achieve.
Forming a human chain, they systematically transported the heavy cannons and crates of rainfall bombs, completing the entire arduous operation in less than half an hour.
Fortunately, the Hartwell family's courtyard was spacious enough to accommodate everything. Otherwise, there would not have been sufficient room to position all fifty high-altitude rain cannons for their simultaneous, thunderous operation.
"Viper Syndicate Gang members, all of you follow me carefully and learn how to operate these devices!" Alex announced loudly, having climbed onto a stone table in the center of the courtyard so everyone could see and hear him clearly.
He demonstrated how to operate the rain cannon, from loading the bomb to aiming the muzzle, and even fired a shot into the sky as a practical example.
BOOM!
The resulting explosion that echoed from the sky immediately silenced the crowd, capturing everyone's full attention and arousing their enthusiastic interest.
"This metal device of yours is absolutely amazing Boss! It can produce such an incredibly loud sound!" one of the men shouted in awe.
"Big Boss Alex said this device can bring rain to our drought-stricken city!" another added, his voice filled with hope.
"Really? Is that true?" a third asked doubtfully.
"What do you mean, 'is it true'? If Big Boss Alex says it's true, then it must be true!" a loyalist shot back immediately.
"That's right! We trust Big Boss Alex completely!" the sentiment echoed through the group.
It was obvious from their expressions and eager shouts that the Viper Syndicate Gang members held a tremendous admiration for this mysterious leader.
This deep admiration stemmed from two main sources.
First, as a high-ranking member, Nathan frequently boasted about Alex's incredible accomplishments and wisdom.
This constant praise made many gang members admire this remarkable individual even before meeting him. Second, the news that Alex had helped the government locate the bandits' hidden nest and recover the stolen relief grain had spread like wildfire. He had become genuinely famous and respected by the common folk, which in turn made the gang immensely proud.
"Everyone, stop the idle chatter!" Nathan commanded, his voice cutting through the noise. "Have you all learned what Big Boss Alex taught you? Now, let's hurry and begin operating these devices without further delay!"
Spurred on by Nathan's urgent directions, the Viper Syndicate Gang members worked with enthusiastic fervor, positioning the cannon muzzles toward the sky.
They loaded the rainfall bombs into the firing chambers and, following Alex's lead, began launching them systematically into the atmosphere.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
One after another, rainfall bombs continuously exploded high above Ironhold. For a full hour, the courtyard was filled with the deafening, percussive rhythm of sustained firing. Finally, all one thousand rainfall bombs had been launched.
"I wonder when it will start raining," Alex mused aloud, his head tilted back as he gazed toward the heavens with a thoughtful expression.
Regular rainfall bombs typically produce rain thirty minutes to six hours after reaching the upper atmosphere, he thought.
The exact timing depends on atmospheric conditions. If cloud conditions are optimal, rain will begin in about ten minutes. If conditions are average, it won't rain for about two hours.
However, my one thousand rainfall bombs are enchanced versions containing twice the chemical catalyst, so the rain should arrive much faster.
"It should start soon, I believe," Alex muttered to himself with quiet confidence.
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Outside the Hartwell Family Estate
At that same moment, hundreds of armed soldiers remained on high alert outside the estate's walls, their orders were clear to them that is to arrest Alex the moment the deadline passed.
One soldier reported urgently to his commander, "Captain, it is already past noon, and it has not rained yet. According to Sheriff Bowen's orders, we must begin the arrest procedure."
The captain looked up at the stubbornly cloudless sky and nodded grimly. "Unfortunately, it appears Master Alex could not successfully pray for rain after all."
"Yes, I knew it couldn't be so easy to summon rain from clear skies."
"Exactly! It was an impossible task from the start!"
The common people who had gathered to watch also sighed with profound disappointment, their faces showing palpable sadness.
Ironhold had suffered a catastrophic drought for three years without a single drop of rain. Their lives had become incredibly difficult, and they had desperately hoped Young Master Alex would be able to perform a miracle. Now, it seemed he had failed.
And yet, at that critical moment, just as all hope seemed lost, something extraordinary occurred.
The first raindrops began to fall.
Several dark clouds appeared from nowhere in the previously clear sky. Small, hesitant raindrops began falling, landing with a wonderful coolness on people's upturned faces.
A man frowned, touching his cheek. "What is happening? Why does my face suddenly feel cold?"
"Wait! Water? Is that water?" his wife asked, holding out her hand.
"No, that is not just water!" a man nearby shouted, his voice cracking with emotion.
"Rain! It is actual rain!"
"Impossible! It hasn't rained in Ironhold for three years. Why would it suddenly rain now?"
In an instant, a chorus of voices rang out witha a mix of doubt, wonder, and tremendous shock.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, which then erupted into absolute chaos and pure jubilation.
"It's raining! It's actually raining! Young Master Alex truly knows how to summon rain from the heavens!"
"Young Master Alex is a great blessing to our entire city of Ironhold!"
A woman fell to her knees, weeping. "Thank the heavens, it's raining! Our difficult days are finally coming to an end!"
"Young Master Alex is a remarkable man who deserves monuments erected in his honor!"
The common people were ecstatic. Many could not help but cry tears of profound relief and joy. Because there had been no rain in Ironhold for three years, all the crops had died, and many of their relatives had starved to death or perished from thirst. Now that rain had arrived, they could finally escape such desperately hard lives.
"There is no need to arrest Young Master Alex!" the soldier captain announced, his voice booming over the joyous crowd. "Hurry and report this miraculous development to Sheriff Bowen and Magistrate Sai immediately!"
The captain shouted these commands with an urgency that matched the miraculous moment. Without another word, he spurred his horse into motion, galloping toward the magistrate's mansion in a cloud of dust and spray.