Battlefield Priest's Diary

Chapter 39 Heavy Rain
"Gale! Heed my command!"

With a loud shout from the black-haired priest, the sky seemed to have been opened, and a torrential downpour began.

In the dark, cloud-covered sky, lightning flashed like snakes, tearing through the sky in an instant, making one feel an urge to kneel down.

The cavalry squad leader, no longer arrogant as before, asked with trembling lips as the rain lashed down on him, "You, you, did you hear what he said at the end?"

Ivanovich nodded, swallowing hard in the pouring rain. "He said, 'Make the wind obey his commands!'"

“Divine magic? He, he, he is…” Panasenko trembled, whether from the cold or from fear, it was hard to tell.

In the Arthurian legends, Merlin, the great wizard, could control the wind and rain; in Exodus, Moses used God's divine power to part the sea; and in Norse mythology, Thor, the god of thunder, could control lightning...

As an intellectual, Panachenko had come across some of these stories, but he always thought they were just bedtime stories.

But when the power to move heaven and earth truly appeared before his eyes, he found his so-called courage ridiculously absurd; he couldn't even manage to stand up.

At this moment, the man on the mountaintop put away his "magical artifact," covered his head with his hands, and began to jog backwards, transforming into a passerby caught in a sudden downpour.

Ha~ It seems like everything that just happened had nothing to do with him at all.

The two people who were hiding looked at each other and made the same choice—run away quickly, they couldn't let him see them!

They practically rolled down the slope, arriving back down just before the black-haired priest did. The tethered horses had become frantic, their trembling forelegs making it nearly impossible for them to stand.

A figure carrying a patched, tattered cloak hurriedly ran down from the mountaintop.

Click! ! ! !
A muffled thunderclap sounded in the sky, and the horses that had been trembling could no longer stand. Several horses buckled at the ground and knelt down.

This scene was interpreted in completely different ways by several people.

"I've really messed up this time. I was probably a bit stupid just now." Qin Hao ran down quickly, his robe still on, muttering to himself.

Like most men, after a brief moment of release, they would probably regret their foolish behavior, and Qin Hao was no exception.

Therefore, when he jogged down the mountain and saw a few people, his first question was, "You didn't hear any strange noises, did you?"

"No, no!" The two of them tensed up immediately.

“There’s nothing there! Father! The thunder was so loud, we didn’t hear anything.”

What's going on? Something's weird.

However, by this time the rain was already pouring down, and Qin Hao didn't have time to think too much. The group worked hard to get the horses up and galloped back to the camp.

There was a subtle change here: the riders no longer dared to ride alongside the priest, but only dared to follow closely behind him.

In the wind and rain, Panachenko's hand holding the reins trembled uncontrollably, and he couldn't stop it no matter what.

The scene he had just witnessed dealt him a heavy blow.

It's not in the body, but in faith.
-
At night, at the temporary encampment of the German Eighth Army, thick clouds obscured the moonlight, making it impossible to see anything.

Hindenburg stood by the window in the office, watching the torrential rain in the dim light, seemingly lost in thought.

Knock knock knock~~~ A knocking sound rang out on the door.

"Sir, excuse me!" Chief of Staff Ludendorff and Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman entered the office together.

"How is the situation now?" Hindenburg asked without turning around.

“It’s not good,” Ludendorff said after a pause.
"The Ninth Army has broken through the Russian first line of defense and is preparing to advance, but the torrential rain that started this morning has made their march very difficult. They are still on the line along the Revents River in East Germany." "Can't German soldiers march in the rain?" The general frowned.

"Sir, there is a large swamp that has suddenly formed ahead of them, making it difficult for soldiers to pass. These heavy ground artillery pieces would also get stuck immediately. In addition, the river has risen sharply, causing some problems with our supply lines."

"It formed suddenly? Why?!"

“That place was already dry, and under normal circumstances it would be passable, but with such terrible weather…” Ludendorff hesitated before continuing.

Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman stepped forward. "Sir, I failed to consider unforeseen circumstances. This is a dereliction of duty on my part. I will request disciplinary action after the battle."

"The issue now is not about assigning blame."

The general turned and sat down at his desk, his hands clasped together to shield his sharp eyes. "The question now is, can the Ninth Army still launch its offensive on time? And can we accept simply watching these tens of thousands of Russians leave?"

Ludendorff pointed to the map and said, “Sir, we have conducted reconnaissance. There is an unnamed village on the edge of the swamp, where a battalion of Russian troops is stationed.”

"These few hundred Russian soldiers are theoretically not very strong. If we take this village as a springboard for our advance, we should be able to continue. However…"

"But what?"

"Because of the swampy terrain, it's not suitable for deployment there, and we can't commit too many troops at once; half a regiment should be the limit," the Chief of Staff said in a deep voice.

“Sir, this is due to my dereliction of duty. I request to personally lead the attack.” Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman volunteered.

Considering that Hoffmann's position as adjutant would facilitate coordination between units, Hindenburg ultimately agreed, "Alright, you can start preparing now."

click!
The two soldiers saluted and prepared to leave.

"Hoffmann, stay a moment, I have something to say," Hindenburg called to the adjutant at the door.

After Ludendorff left, Hindenburg put on a stern face and asked, "You went to see him? I remember saying that he should be treated the same as ordinary officers, right? And that medal, why was it bypassed and given to him ahead of time?"

“Sir, to be frank, you are too concerned about giving him the status of an ordinary officer, which is actually not good.” The lieutenant colonel unexpectedly retorted to his superior.

"Hmm? Go on!"

"He was a very talented young man, but his excessive concern about his identity limited his potential. If he hadn't been so eager to prove himself, he might not have gotten injured this time."

"Although you emphasize treating him as an ordinary officer, isn't that kind of special treatment in the eyes of outsiders?"

The general looked at his assistant with a surprised expression.

“That young man seems a bit lost and needs some encouragement. Since it’s inconvenient for you to do it, I’ll take care of it.” After saying that, Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman stood at attention, awaiting the general’s criticism.

Looking at his sincere assistant, the veteran general, over sixty years old, finally managed a rare smile.

"Max, has anyone ever said that you sometimes resemble a mother duck protecting her chicks?" The general, usually known for his rigid and serious demeanor, made a rare joke and even addressed his assistant with an intimate nickname, indicating that he was not a superior but a friend at this moment.

“Back in my hometown, some people did say that,” the lieutenant colonel replied with a smile, relaxing as well.

"Let's leave the medal issue as it is, but we'll need to complete the formalities and ceremony later, and you'll have to personally award him the medal in person." Hindenburg stood up and made the decision.

"I am honored!" The lieutenant colonel bowed slightly. "After this battle, I will personally arrange everything."

After saying this, the lieutenant colonel stood up, bowed, and walked out the door.

The rain outside was getting heavier.

(End of this chapter)