Wang Zhong was spacing out while looking at the photo when he suddenly heard Belinsky say, “Let’s get back to the matter of the delegation.”
Only then did Wang Zhong realize he was still holding the receiver. He quickly handed the newspaper back to Vasily and gripping the receiver firmly, said, “I actually don’t understand why a diplomatic delegation would want to visit a military academy.”
“Really don’t understand?” Belinsky laughed, “The improvement in our diplomatic situation started when you drove the Prussians away from the vicinity of Ye Fort. Even if the Empire of Fusang didn’t ‘help a lot,’ the United Kingdom would have tried hard to assist us.
The terrestrial assistance route from the Inland Sea-Balas-Bahara was already operating, but the amount of materials delivered through the route increased after you sent the enemy packing.”
Wang Zhong: “But doesn’t Melania no longer have any territory? What assistance can they provide?”
“Manpower,” Belinsky said, “And it’s high-quality manpower. At least, there’s a large number of draft-age young men with high school education among the refugees registered on our side.”
Wang Zhong: “I’ll definitely treat the diplomatic delegation well! Wait, since they are refugees who have fled to our side, why don’t we just conscript them directly? What does the delegation have to do with this?”
“Without an agreement with them, conscripting refugees doesn’t look good, and there are opinions within the military, stating these refugees don’t speak Ante well. If there are diplomatic considerations, we can suppress the opposing voices within the military,” Belinsky explained.
Wang Zhong: “Okay, I got it.”
“Besides, the delegation this time includes the daughter of the President of the Melania Third Republic, a young girl. Make good use of your masculine charm,” Belinsky added.
Wang Zhong frowned: “My masculine charm? No, no, that’s not appropriate. I already have a fiancée.”
“Having a fiancée doesn’t conflict with using your masculine charm. Cheer up the young lady a bit, I’m counting on you.”
After finishing, Belinsky hung up the phone.
Wang Zhong scratched his head and glanced at Vasily.
Vasily: “Don’t worry, you will definitely accomplish the mission! Your charm is quite lethal to the ladies!”
Mrs. Petrovna, who was still busy arranging her papers in the room, looked up and glanced at Wang Zhong and Vasily.
Wang Zhong: “Don’t say it like that, it sounds like I’m going to seduce a princess of a fallen country.”
“It does seem like that’s the setup,” Vasily shrugged.
Just as they were talking, Professor Valery entered the room: “You wanted to see me?”
Wang Zhong: “The Melania diplomatic delegation will arrive soon, get ready.”
Professor Valery nodded: “Okay, I’ll clean up the Melania cavalry gear and such on display in the school history exhibition hall.”
Wang Zhong: “What stuff?”
“It’s trophies captured hundreds of years ago during warfare with Melania, and many are masterpieces of the Kazarlian cavalry.”
Wang Zhong: “Ah… no need to worry about that. They’re probably just here to confirm whether we can defeat the Prussians. Just make sure the students are spirited, especially during drills, make the cadence loud.”
At that moment, the phone on the far left of Wang Zhong’s desk rang. This phone was mainly used for internal communication.
Wang Zhong picked up the phone: “This is General Rokossovsky, what’s the matter?”
“Your Excellency General, this is the gate guard, there’s a convoy claiming to be the diplomatic delegation. We’ve received no notification, so I’m checking in with you. Should they be let in?”
Wang Zhong: “Let them in, and have them drive straight to Building No. 1.”
After hanging up, Wang Zhong turned to Valery: “Hurry and arrange something, organize activities and teachings that can showcase our spirit.”
Valery nodded repeatedly and left the room in haste.
Wang Zhong went to the dressing mirror to check if his military uniform was in order.
Vasily: “If you don’t want to seduce a princess of a fallen country, why are you looking in the mirror?”
Wang Zhong: “What do you know, it’s not just my own face I’m losing here, it’s the face of our country.”
After saying that, he reached for his overcoat from the coat stand, put it on, donned his hat, adjusted the military rank on his overcoat, and only then did he push the door and exit the principal’s office.
Vasily had just done a round outside, so his overcoat was already on, and he quickly followed Wang Zhong’s steps.
As they walked, he said: “I wonder if the Melania princess is good-looking.”
Wang Zhong: “She’s the daughter of the President of the Third Republic, not a princess.”
Vasily: “So what should we call her?”
Wang Zhong: “Just call her by name, Miss so-and-so will do.”
The two reached the stairwell where Grigori came out fully armed from the security office, falling in behind Wang Zhong.
The trio then entered the elevator together.
When the three walked out of the main door of Building No. 1, the convoy was just arriving.
The car in the center of the convoy seemed familiar to Wang Zhong: it looked like a high-end Steponka sedan. Two small flags were inserted in front of the car, bearing Melania’s national emblem— a… a white swan?
It looked like a white swan with its wings spread as if threatening its enemies.
“It doesn’t make sense; how could a nation with such a crest be annihilated by the Prussians so quickly? It’s a disgrace to the fighting spirit of the great white goose!”
The door to the Steponk opened, and the first to emerge was a middle-aged man who looked like he held a position of high authority. He raised his head as he got out of the car and locked eyes with Wang Zhong, maintaining a proud yet respectful demeanor.
However, Wang Zhong was distracted at the moment, his mind occupied with searching for the president’s daughter.
Then, he saw a man dressed like a butler come up to the other side of the Steponk and open the rear car door.
A blonde beauty stepped out of the car.
Wang Zhong stared at her for a few seconds before losing interest.
Pretty average.
It wasn’t that Melania’s younger sister was unattractive, but she paled in comparison to Ludmila and Olga, lacking distinctive features of her own.
Plus, as a Ceris person who had traveled through time, Wang Zhong was somewhat face-blind when it came to Westerners. The so-called “princess” of Melania lacked memorable features.
If she had some freckles, maybe Wang Zhong would have remembered her for that.
Wang Zhong shifted his attention back to the middle-aged man who had gotten out of the car first and reached out a hand, “Hello, I am General Rokossovsky. May I ask your name, sir?”
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“Mozitski Razkevich, Prime Minister of the Melania exile government,” the man replied, taking Wang Zhong’s hand. “It’s an honor to meet you. You’re the first person in the world to have annihilated a Prussian regiment.”
Wang Zhong was surprised, “Really?”
Nobody told me about this. Am I really that awesome?
Razkevich seemed surprised as well, “You didn’t know? You’ve captured more Prussian generals by yourself than all the world’s armies combined!”
Wang Zhong replied, “Is that so… No matter, it won’t be long before everyone starts capturing Prussian generals by the basketful.”
Razkevich continued, “You’ve become a symbol of the world’s resistance against Prussian atrocities. That’s why Miss Heidewei and I have come here. We need to take a photo with you to boost the morale of Melania people scattered around the world to continue the struggle.”
Wang Zhong asked, “Miss Heidewei?”
He pretended not to have noticed that there was a miss in the delegation.
Razkevich took a step aside and introduced to Wang Zhong, “This is the last remaining orphan of the President of the Melania Third Republic who held out in the capital city of Wesvawalski, Heidewei Yadweiga.”
Wang Zhong looked at the lady again, and the girl turned her face away shyly at first.
Huh? Am I that handsome?
But the girl quickly forced herself to look directly at Wang Zhong, adopting the posture fitting of a “princess of a vanquished nation.”
Wang Zhong greeted her, “Hello, Miss Heidewei…”
He almost addressed her as ‘Your Highness.’
Heidewei responded, “Hello, General Rokossovsky. You are even more dashing than you appeared in your photos.”
Wang Zhong replied, “You are as beautiful as the rumors say.”
He extended his hand, and Heidewei immediately stepped forward to grasp it.
At that moment, Razkevich said, “Our photographer is ready. Please, both of you, stand a bit closer.”
Wang Zhong cooperated and moved a step closer to Heidewei, maintaining the handshake and looking towards the camera lens.
Heidewei also moved a large step closer toward Wang Zhong, almost pressing against him.
The photographer immediately snapped the photo, and a puff of smoke burst from the flashbulb as the flash lit up their faces.
Heidewei said, “Thank you. This will greatly inspire the fighting spirit of the Melania people.”
Wang Zhong replied, “I think that if you have been able to continue the fight until now, then you must not lack the confidence and determination to liberate your homeland.”
Heidewei’s smile was suddenly clouded with gloom, “Actually, the situation isn’t too good. The Prussians just passed a law granting Melania people second-class citizenship status. Quite a few people feel that it’s better to live as second-class citizens, with some semblance of peace, rather than live in fear under the Prussian repression.
“The Melania forces abroad are still holding on; we have over a hundred thousand soldiers, and we keep fighting against the Prussians. However, the resistance organizations within the country are barely able to sustain themselves.
“It’s not that the weapons and support from the United Kingdom aren’t sufficient. The main issue is… the absence of hope. The Prussians are so powerful, so unassailable, that we’re nearly losing our will to fight. Some people have even started to believe the nonsense spouted by the Plathen Emperor, thinking that they are somehow a superior people!”
Heidewei’s expression suddenly brightened as she continued, “But you defeated the Prussians! You completely annihilated a hundred thousand troops! This is unprecedented! You have no idea how much the news uplifted us when we heard it!
“The image of you riding a white horse, escorting Prussian prisoners of war, was more effective than any broadcast! We turned that scene into leaflets, which the United Kingdom Air Force dropped over the soil of Melania!”
As Heidewei said this, her gaze towards Wang Zhong was not that of someone looking at an object of affection; Wang Zhong suddenly realized that the girl wasn’t shy because of infatuation. To her, “General Rokossovsky” was like a saint, an apostle.
Wang Zhong said, “Miss Heidewei, I truly understand your feelings. My homeland has also fallen and is currently being trampled by the Prussian jackboot. One day we will take back our lands. Melania will not perish.”
Heidewei looked at Wang Zhong, tears suddenly welling up and streaming down her cheeks, “Thank you… Thank you so much…”