Thirty minutes later, at the Trinka Village church.
“I never thought that I’d rely on mysticism on the battlefield,” said Wang Zhong, as he watched the “folklore researchers” set up the site for the ritual, speaking to Popov.
Popov looked surprised, “You hadn’t thought of it?”
Before Wang Zhong could answer, Popov found the answer himself, “That’s right, you’re not a devout believer. I’ve followed you for ten months now, and you’ve never prayed even once.”
Wang Zhong was astonished. As a Ceris person, he had never been in the habit of praying. He would just occasionally pass by temples, it didn’t matter whether they belonged to God or Mazu, and he would go in and worship.
When worshiping, there wasn’t even the mention of praying, let alone any connection to devoutness.
It was just, when you see a temple, you’ve come all this way, why not light some incense, right?
Back when he still carried change, Wang Zhong used to toss a one-renminbi coin into the Merit Box. Later, when everyone switched to electronic payments, he just gave up on that.
Now, Wang Zhong finally realized that Popov was a clergyman! I haven’t prayed in front of a clergyman for a whole year, how embarrassing, brother.
Popov laughed out loud, “Don’t be so serious, we from the Secular faction don’t indulge in this sort of formalism. That’s the outdated stuff of the Sanctified faction, and it’s been cast aside.”
Really?
Seeing Wang Zhong relieved, Popov changed the subject, “But not praying at all is going a bit too far. Most of the soldiers are devout Secular faction believers; you need to show a little respect.”
Wang Zhong, “What counts as ‘a little respect’?”
“For example, reciting a prayer loudly before a charge.”
Reciting a prayer?
Wang Zhong was reminded of Warhammer 40K when it came to reciting prayers on the battlefield. Was he also supposed to nail scrolls inscribed with scripture onto his armor? Then, first, you guys need to give me a power sword and a bolter!
That’s totally the wrong style!
Popov, “It’s not that hard to do, right? If you don’t remember the prayers, just read from the book. I’ll give you this old copy of the Andrew Scripture; the folded pages all have appropriate sentences for preaching.”
As he spoke, Popov took out a hefty volume that visibly bore the traces of time.
Wang Zhong, “You’re telling me this thick book is just one silver coin?”
“It’s the industrial age now. If it were 300 years ago, a scripture like this would probably cost 10 gold coins, and that’s if you could even buy one.”
“Hold on,” Wang Zhong suddenly realized something, “Were silver coins still in use decades ago?”
“Yes, it’s only been about thirty years since we started using paper currency.”
Wang Zhong asked seriously, “How old are you?”
“55. I joined the seminary when I was eight. Back then, the seminary mainly taught the stuff of the Sanctified faction; the Secular faction’s teachings were passed around in secret.”
Wang Zhong, “Because industrial production wasn’t sufficiently developed back then?”
In fact, Wang Zhong was just speaking off the top of his head based on what he had learned. Economic fundamentals determine the superstructure, after all, and the thoughts of the Secular faction are part of the superstructure. Naturally, they would spread first in regions with advanced industry and commerce.
However, Popov stared wide-eyed at Wang Zhong, “I see now, although you have never prayed, the Scripture has always been in your heart.”
Hey, that’s not— I didn’t! Don’t start spreading rumors!
While thinking this, Wang Zhong’s facial muscles formed a smile, “The wine and meat pass through the gut, the sacred teachings stay in the heart.”
Popov, laying a hand on his old book, “Shall I take it away then?”
“No, no, better leave it with me. I only remember the gist, not the specific sentences. Wouldn’t want to mess up the prayers before battle, that wouldn’t be good.”
Popov laughed heartily for the third time.
At that moment, Wang Zhong shifted the topic back to the use of mystic forces in warfare, “I remember Carolingian used witchcraft spells to counter the Prosen invasion?”
“Indeed, they did,” Popov looked towards the folklore researchers preparing the site, “It sparked an epidemic, but it was eradicated by Prosen using penicillin.”
Penicillin is so amazing!
Wait a minute, isn’t penicillin just another word for antibiotics? Suddenly it’s lost all its prestige! Witchcraft magic that’s defeated by antibiotics is just too weak!
Popov continued, “The drug penicillin was apparently mass-produced using a special kind of melon as a culture base.”
Did witches’ magic really get defeated by melons?
Popov: “And this variety of melon was introduced from the Federation’s United Fruit Company to the territory of Prosen.”
Did the Federation defeat the witches’ magic?
Huh, suddenly that seems reasonable.
After speaking, Popov shook his head and changed the topic, “So I’m not quite sure if magic can help us defeat Prosen tomorrow, it’s best to prepare for both possibilities.”
Wang Zhong: “I will.”
At this moment, the main force participating in tomorrow’s operation, the current regimental commander of the 31st Guards Infantry Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Semyon, entered the church, saluting Wang Zhong and Popov: “Commander, Bishop, the commanding officers of the 31st Regiment’s companies have assembled according to your orders, awaiting instructions!”
Wang Zhong stood up: “Good, let’s head to the command post, and not disturb the anthropologists preparing the ceremony.”
As he spoke, Wang Zhong strode towards the door and casually asked, “How’s the troop’s morale?”
“Their spirits are high, hearing that the armored troops have achieved success, everyone is eager to fight,” said Lieutenant Colonel Semyon, “after all, they are your old unit.”
Wang Zhong: “They? What, they don’t acknowledge you, ‘the new monk’?”
“It’s nothing, after all, the previous commander was Major General Yegorov. There might be a bit of a gap in comparison, and I have no outstanding battle achievements. I was a lieutenant colonel when the war started last year, and I am still a lieutenant colonel this year.” Lieutenant Colonel Semyon gave a bitter smile, “I don’t even know why they reassigned me to your elite troops.”
Wang Zhong smiled: “General Tugenev at Military Command is a straightforward man, they wouldn’t arbitrarily assign people. After tomorrow’s assault, you’ll have your own battle results.”
“Let’s hope so,” said Lieutenant Colonel Semyon.
Meanwhile, as the two talked, they entered the yard of the Army Group Command, where the company and platoon commanders of the 31st Regiment were gathered; upon seeing Wang Zhong, they immediately stood at attention and saluted.
Wang Zhong scanned the familiar faces and casually pointed to one, “Filippov, how come you haven’t been promoted to company commander yet? Are you even trying?”
Filippov: “No, Vasily is still a captain, too; he hasn’t been promoted to a field officer rank, has he?”
“Then you’d better try harder this time, get promoted to a field officer rank before he does. Then I can taunt him daily by reciting your name in front of him,” said Wang Zhong, glancing back at Vasily—his aide-de-camp had to follow his commander at all times, making Vasily half a guard to Wang Zhong now.
Filippov laughed, “Vasily, too bad, you can’t join us this time.”
Vasily: “Reporting to the general, I request to join the assault.”
“No, there are plenty of things for you to do before Pavlov arrives. Wait until Pavlov brings the Corps Command, then I’ll consider it,” Wang Zhong replied, then gestured with his hand to everyone, “Let’s go inside.”
After the group had entered the room, Wang Zhong handed a stack of photos to Lieutenant Colonel Semyon, “Pass these around, these are aerial reconnaissance photos of Yeisk’s terrain.”
As everyone passed the photos around, Wang Zhong pointed to the simple map on the blackboard and said, “This is the simplified map drawn by Vasily based on aerial photos. The anthropologists will hold the ceremony overnight tonight, and fog is expected to start forming at 5 AM tomorrow.
“Therefore, artillery preparations will start at four o’clock, one hour of preparation to destroy all of the enemy’s perimeter barbed wire and mines. We can’t start too early, as we’ve never opened fire at three o’clock before. As artillery preparation happens, you will move covertly to the starting line.”
Wang Zhong drew a line on the map with chalk, “The engineers have confirmed, up to this line, there are no mines. Once artillery preparation ends, you’ll use the heavy fog to attack. Silenced weapons should be very effective in the fog with the element of surprise.”
Filippov raised his hand: “General!”
Wang Zhong: “Speak.”
Filippov: “The heavy fog in the morning is due to the low ground temperature and the condensation of water vapor, will there still be fog after the artillery preparation?”
Wang Zhong: “Scientifically speaking, there won’t be. However, our current science cannot explain some phenomena, such as the fog tomorrow. I mean, if there really is fog tomorrow.”
In the movie “Apocalypse Now,” after the F4 Phantom dropped napalm, the wind direction changed, and the surf haven suddenly turned into an unimpressive beach.
Therefore, Wang Zhong believed that there would definitely not be heavy fog after tomorrow’s artillery preparation unless some unexplainable influence was at play.
Conversely, if heavy fog formed immediately after artillery preparation, then it would suggest that the anthropologists really did summon a force beyond modern science.
Not like the witches’ magic from Carolingian, whose spells could be defeated by penicillin, which made one doubt that it was merely the use of some biological weapon.
Perhaps it was a biological weapon left behind by an ancient super-civilization, now controlled by the witches.
Huh, wait, that’s not right, if that were the case, then the fog could also be due to a weather control satellite in the sky being activated—
Wang Zhong was lost in thought when suddenly he saw Sufang Batu Wendusu waving at the door.
“Hold on a moment,” he said to the officers, then quickly walked to the door, “What’s wrong?”
In a low voice, Sufang said, “Dean Mama asked me to tell you not to begin your fire preparation before the fog. If you’re going to prepare, do it now. But two hours before the fog, you need to stop.”
Wang Zhong’s brow furrowed, “If it weren’t for the fact that I’ve actually witnessed Divine Arrows chasing down enemy planes, I’d be suspecting you anthropologists were scammers. Do you know the meteorological department of the Air Force reported that fog is likely tomorrow morning?”
Sufang: “I don’t know what the meteorological department says, but I can tell you that there will certainly be fog tomorrow morning.”