November 22, St. Ye Katerina Fortress, on the outer west entrance of the city’s outer ring.
Nelly checked Wang Zhong’s attire and nodded, “Now you certainly won’t lose face because of your clothes.”
Wang Zhong, “I have never lost face, okay!”
Nelly immediately showed that expression of pity and affection a mother has when looking at her mentally challenged son.
Honestly, because Nelly is super cute, Wang Zhong thought that this expression of hers was also very cute.
But there are more important things to do now.
Wang Zhong glanced at the prisoners’ formation which had already been arranged.
The Prussians really were disciplined; despite being prisoners, they could still form such neat lines.
The first 20 people walking at the front all had red badges, signifying they were Prussian generals.
Further behind were prisoners with the rank of general but without red badges due to their branch of service, and after them came the field officers.
In a line of one hundred thousand prisoners, the enlisted men were all at the back, with several thousand officers in front.
And with malice, Wang Zhong had them dressed in their best uniforms and wear their most beautiful medals but forbade them from shaving or combing their hair, and from washing their faces.
This was all about presenting a well-dressed appearance paired with disheveled looks.
Handpicked Ante Army officers who understood Prussian were scattered along both sides of the long column.
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Because there were so many people, to ensure order during the march, many clerical staff who typically worked at division and army headquarters were also chosen to serve as translators.
A line with one hundred thousand people, including many supporting themselves on crutches or lying on stretchers, even if formed into columns of four, was still incredibly long.
This gigantic column would travel along the main artery of Ye Fort, crossing through Ye Fort, passing the central square where the parade had been held, then past the main entrance of the Summer Palace, before finally entering the specially set up POW camp on the outskirts of the city.
Wang Zhong suggested that this POW camp be named Merit Woods, but Belinsky didn’t approve.
What a good name it was!
But it seems that name was actually something netizens came up with as a joke later on.
At that moment, Bucephalus neighed. Wang Zhong turned to look at the horse but saw a major coming over and saluting him: “General, we can begin the victory ceremony now.”
Wang Zhong nodded, mounted Bucephalus, and then raised his hand.
Before he could even swing his hand down, the military band began to play!
Wang Zhong had to pretend that his raised hand was the signal, putting on a satisfied expression as he lowered it.
Shit, this is what happens when you fail to communicate properly.
The military band was playing that song again, “Ante Women’s Farewell.” Wang Zhong gently nudged Bucephalus’s belly, and the horse began to walk with an air of pride, actually quite imposing.
Actually, many Ante civilians had already gathered along the outer ring, and the moment they saw Wang Zhong mount the horse, they started cheering.
Wang Zhong nodded to them in acknowledgment and gently waved his right hand.
At this time, Wang Zhong spotted the familiar journalist from the Federation, Mike, and his partner, the photographer Robert Capa.
However, this time they were mixed in with a large group of journalists.
Wang Zhong could clearly tell that several of these journalists were not Ante People and guessed they must be from various countries around the world.
There might even be Prussian spies disguised as journalists.
Wang Zhong smiled at the cameras, and the next moment countless flashbulbs exploded into smoke.
The Judges wearing blue hats surrounded the journalists, obviously having checked all their flashlights and cameras, ensuring they were not firearms.
As Bucephalus slowly advanced, a portion of the journalists walked along, seemingly having made Wang Zhong the focus of their report.
Other journalists turned their cameras towards the Prussian prisoners.
No sooner had Wang Zhong walked a distance than a girl broke through the cordon formed by the Priests and the Guardian Army, carrying flowers to present to Wang Zhong.
But Bucephalus ate the flowers in one bite.
The girl was stunned and then swiftly pinned to the ground by a burly female Judge.
Wang Zhong, “She was just planning to offer flowers, be gentler.”
His words triggered a wave of cheers.
Wang Zhong looked to the other side of the road and realized that many onlookers there were actually staring over here, changing to a bird’s-eye view to zoom in on the camera, clearly seeing their envious expressions—envious of the crowd on the opposite side of the street who could interact with Wang Zhong.
Wang Zhong glanced at the marching military band and prisoners in the middle of the road, realizing he couldn’t cross the road to interact with the crowd on the other side.
So the other side’s audience could only envy them, and I’m powerless to do anything.
While thinking this, Wang Zhong suddenly realized something: these prisoners were animals on display for everyone to see, and I, aren’t I the same?
Fuck, I only thought it seemed cool before, so I agreed, but didn’t consider this!
No wonder Ludmila didn’t attend, she didn’t want to be exhibited!
What a blunder!
————
Eight hours later, Wang Zhong, utterly exhausted, finally arrived at the Summer Palace by car.
Ludmila came with him this time and teased him upon seeing his state, “How do you feel about the victory ceremony? If this were ancient times, they’d have to build a triumphal arch for you and put up a statue of you riding a rearing horse in front of it.”
Wang Zhong, who had been on display for eight hours, could only offer a wry smile.
By the way, because he had ridden a horse for eight hours, his buttocks were quite sore now.
Logically speaking, when he rode Bucephalus for scouting or something, covering tens or hundreds of kilometers at a stretch, his buttocks didn’t hurt, but for some reason, just looping around the city in Ye Fort for eight hours, they felt like they were about to split open.
Perhaps it was because this time he was riding at a slow walk, maintaining the same position constantly, and he couldn’t dismount to rest in the meantime, so that’s probably why.