Miss Wang Weina, even your cousin won't do!

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Pre-Battle Speech at Deep Pool

Victoria, South Caishire, Logistics Warehouse.

As one of the few remaining Deeppool outposts in Victoria, the Cayshire Warehouse stored a large amount of strategic materials, including basic food and water, as well as a large quantity of sophisticated weaponry such as Victorian-style crossbows. There were even two sets of steam armor intended for use in emergencies in Cayshire. Of course, the operation of the steam armor required specially trained soldiers. Untrained Deeppool soldiers attempting to use the steam armor faced only two outcomes: either it wouldn't start at all, or improper use would cause the steam pressure to overload and become uncontrollable, ultimately leading to internal combustion and an explosion.

Yes, the explosive power of steam armor is quite strong. If a set of steam armor explodes without being depressurized, it can easily destroy a three-story Victorian mansion. Most steam armor soldiers will use this method to perish together with the enemy when they are ambushed and cannot escape. In a sense, if Deeppool wanted to, he could shout "Allahu Akbar!" and then launch a Bastion charge while wearing this armor, which could also be considered a tactic.

It's practically impossible for it to cause any damage to the Victorian army. After all, given the special nature of steam armor, it's inherently very noisy. And with the malfunction, the impending self-destruction, and the pressure relief alarm blaring like a loudspeaker, there's no reason the Victorian army wouldn't have noticed it. If they had, a simple hand cannon could have easily eliminated this blatant threat.

Ahmoni issued orders to abandon all the cities in the north controlled by Deeppool except Dublin, and to gather all the remaining Deeppool forces in Caesarshire for what she called a "fight to the death!"

At this moment, she shakily steadied herself on the high tin roof of the logistics warehouse. Before her stood Nikolai, the "acting commander," who had been placed at the head of the table. Ahmoni coughed softly. Nikolai immediately spoke:

"Gentlemen, I have gathered you all here because Deeppool has reached a point where it is no longer a matter of fighting to the death against Victoria! Now, please welcome my military advisor, Ahmoni, to deliver her pre-battle speech!"

After Nikolai finished speaking, a commotion and discussion erupted among the Deeppool soldiers below the stage. After all, before this, no one knew who Nikolai Kenny was, let alone that Deeppool had acquired a proxy leader. Even though this proxy leader had the endorsement of Deeppool's current supreme leader—Akhmoni.

Nikolai dared not say much. Just a few days ago, he was an ordinary low-ranking officer in the Deep Pool. There were hundreds of men like him in the Deep Pool. As one of those few hundred, he had never overestimated his abilities, nor had he ever imagined that he would one day stand in this position, commanding the entire Deep Pool like a Celtic leader. Faced with the doubts of the Deep Pool members, he, who had been temporarily pushed onto the stage, didn't even dare to utter a word. He simply turned slightly to the side, instinctively wanting to bow to Ahmoni behind him, hoping that Ahmoni, who truly held prestige and status here, would step forward and quell these unruly soldiers. But naturally, Ahmoni helped Nikolai up.

This guy was a puppet she had painstakingly chosen. Ahmoni was counting on him to take the blame for her so she could escape unscathed. How could she let his image as the "acting leader" and the number two figure in Deeppool collapse so quickly?

“You’re right, Acting Commander. According to your orders, it’s my turn next.”

Ahmoni leaned close to Nikolai's ear and said in a reverent tone:

"Please believe me, give me some courage, Commander Nikolai."

Nikolai swallowed hard, nodded, and a hint of inexplicable confidence rose on his flushed face. He coughed twice, maintaining his poker face as a powerful figure, and then roared:

"Attention!"

The Deeppool soldiers, who had been murmuring amongst themselves, instinctively fell silent, staring tremblingly at the man on the roof. That roar had, for a fleeting moment, reminded them of the time when the Celtic leader was still alive. But they quickly realized that the person standing on the roof wasn't the Celtic leader, or even Mandela, but an unfamiliar man.

Fortunately, Ahmoni stepped into the spotlight before a second, larger-scale debate ensued.

"Everyone, please be quiet."

Ahmoni spoke, completely silencing the crowd below. Although the soldiers were dissatisfied with this newly appointed leader, they still respected and trusted Ahmoni. She was someone the leader approved of, Deeppool's strategist, who had led them out of Victoria's encirclement several times. Without her operational plans and intelligence, Deeppool wouldn't have been able to so easily capture Victoria's northern cities—cities heavily fortified and garrisoned. This included Dublin, the northern capital.

Seeing that the scene had quieted down, Ahmoni said:

"Gentlemen, I know you have some reservations about our decision to abandon the northern cities that we had worked so hard to conquer, but I must tell you, it was a last resort!"

"In the Battle of Lentinium, our leader sacrificed his life to kill many Victorian nobles, eradicating the cancer that had been weighing down the Victorian people. He also made the Victorians truly realize who was exploiting and oppressing them, and who was helping and liberating them. It wasn't the Victorian nobles, but us at Deeppool! However, for this, our leader was captured by the Victorians, and General Mandela, the leader of Deeppool, was killed by Victorian artillery fire! Under such perilous circumstances, we had no choice but to temporarily abandon the Victorian territory we had already occupied and let the bullets fly for a while!"

"The people's anger has been ignited, the nobles have been overthrown, and it won't be long before the people of Victoria rise up against their king's rule. That will be the time for our full-scale counterattack! Until then, we should consolidate our forces, concentrate them at one point, and utilize the mobility of our Ghost Army to move rapidly between the wastelands and cities, keeping the Victorian army constantly on the move! Once they are exhausted, weakened, and their fighting spirit is low, we will concentrate our forces to launch a fatal blow! Working together with the people of Victoria, we will completely crush the Aslan government! Do you all understand?"

The soldiers immediately looked enlightened and replied, "Understood!"

I understand, that's good.

A cruel smile appeared on Ahmoni's lips.

This plan is indeed a good plan, but unfortunately, it wasn't proposed by her, but by Nikolai, who was beside her. She was merely speaking on his behalf.

Ahmoni never considered resisting again. In her view, what difference would it make if they followed the plan? They would be like mosquitoes, biting back and forth on the Empire's body. Even if they occasionally managed to suck a drop or two of blood, they would be powerless against its massive size. Rather than that, Ahmoni might as well sell out the Deeppool, cleanse herself of her past, and perhaps even become a spy hero, living a life of luxury in Victoria.

However, she outwardly agreed to Nikolai's plan and assembled the entire army there. But secretly, she simultaneously relayed intelligence about the army to Wayne and others in Lentinium via mail. This way, unless the Victorians were fools, they would come to investigate. In the ensuing battle, Victorian and Deeppool soldiers would die, while she would be the only beneficiary—fewer people would know her true identity, and the intelligence confirming her spy status would be available. Two birds with one stone, everything would be perfect!

Next, once Deeppool is thrown into the forest and ready to begin his operation, that will be the time for Victoria to have Therese close the net and capture Deeppool in one fell swoop.

Thinking of this, Ahmoni couldn't wait to speak:

"Then, I wish you all the best of luck and that history will remember you!"

"Prepare for action!"

P.S.: I wrote this chapter on the train. Going home for Christmas Eve!

Why do Chinese people celebrate Christmas Eve? Because Christmas Eve was a turning point in the Korean War!

Chapter Seventy: Hellish Jokes

"Reporting to the Chairman, the enemy has entered the encirclement!"

The adjutant quickly reported,

"Requesting further instructions."

Therese glanced at the clock in the command center: 1:26 AM—a memorable time. He pressed the communication button and replied:

"Pass on my order: begin shelling at 1:30. This is not a drill or a feint. Begin shelling at 1:30, using the main guns."

"Victoria has tolerated these lackeys for far too long. Even a monkey show should be getting tiresome by now. Let's end this charade. Let's use cannon fire to show them who the true masters of the empire are!"

With Theresis's order, the long-dormant war machine of Victoria finally started up again. Soldiers shouted slogans such as "Long live the Queen!" and "Long live the Prince!" as they went to their posts and began the final adjustments before the shelling.

At 1:27 a.m. Terra time, the Deep Pool forces, under Ahmoni's command, entered the pre-arranged encirclement.

At 1:28 a.m. Terra time, Royal Victoria Army Commander Therese issued the order: shelling.

At 1:29 a.m. Terra time, the Royal Victoria Army began final adjustments and calibrations to the main guns of the war fortress, and loading began.

At 1:30 AM Terra time, the Royal Victoria Army's vanguard reconnaissance force had completed its withdrawal. There were no friendly units remaining within the firing range. The war fortress flagships HMS New Londinium, HMS Wales, HMS Elnia, and HMS Sudmia had completed shell loading, muzzle calibration, and firing preparations. Commander Therese's instructions had been verified.

At 1:30:15 AM Terra time, the Royal Victoria Army's drone reconnaissance unit's calibration drone, positioned above the artillery firing point, completed its mission. All gun barrels were precisely aligned, and the reconnaissance drone did not choose to return to base in the final ten seconds before the artillery fire.

They couldn't come back; the shelling had covered them. The reconnaissance drones weren't fast enough to evacuate the scene in ten seconds, so in the end, these machines performed a final salute from the Victorian army to the defeated.

Under the operator's command, they descended slowly, falling from all directions in a circular formation, appearing before the main force of the Deep Pool. To the astonishment of the Deep Pool troops, the operator of the reconnaissance drone swarm issued the final command.

"Click!" With a burst of blinding flashes, the photos were compiled into a 360-degree photo album, which was transmitted back to the headquarters of the Royal Victoria Army Operations Command via data link and appeared on the computer in front of Theresis, occupying 500M of memory.

At 1:30:26 AM Terra time, the Royal Army War Fort Victoria carried out the order to fire.

The deafening roar of the main gun firing shattered the tranquility of Victoria's night like muffled thunder. A brilliant flash of light slowly rose from the center of the earth, followed by a second, a third, and a fourth, illuminating the dark night sky like a series of fireworks. After the brilliant light had risen, it seemed as if a long time had passed before the deafening explosions finally arrived. Even so, the sound still roused residents several kilometers away from their sleep.

The Victorian government sent a rainstorm warning to residents of surrounding cities in advance. People who woke up from their sleep did not notice the sky that was lit up more than ten kilometers away, let alone the magnificent war fortress on the horizon at the end of their vision, which would only reveal its form from the dead of night for a moment when the muzzle of the cannon spewed flames.

The power of the fortress's main cannons shook the earth. The target was Deeppool's marching position, which had once been a dense forest. The towering trees provided excellent concealment, and their dark green uniforms made them virtually undetectable in the night, moving like phantoms. They weren't afraid of the Victorian army entering the forest, because it was their home turf. Victoria's prized steam-powered armor would lose its effectiveness against the dense undergrowth and rugged terrain. Deeppool had plenty of time to slowly guerrilla-maneuver through the forest, annihilating the Victorian troops who ventured in one by one.

But as history has proven countless times, wars never go the way you imagine.

The Victorian army had no need to enter.

Therese placed her hands on the table, holding her breath as she watched the aerial footage of the artillery fire from the front-line drones.

The crater, measured in kilometers in diameter, resembled a disfiguring wound ripped into the earth's skin. The once lush jungle had vanished, leaving only barren, wildly growing black Originium crystals. Theresis couldn't find even the slightest trace of the thousands of Deep Pool's main force that had once ventured into it; it was as if... no, as if they had truly evaporated from this world.

Those dark green cloaks, those sophisticated Victorian standard weapons, those officers preparing to organize a line to clear the area in the face of the sudden drone attack, those Deeppool soldiers still stunned by the flashing lights—they were like dust dissipating in the air, carried by the night breeze to the earth, their final resting place unknown.

At this moment, Therese finally understood what the so-called "final ceremony" of the Royal Victoria Army truly symbolized.

The lives of those thousands of rebels, in their very last moments, were entrusted to this 500MB ultra-high-definition file. This small folder, at this moment, far surpassed an urn, because Theresis knew that the ashes of thousands of people could not fit in a single urn, but a folder of just 500MB would suffice.

The final ritual—to let the world know that you once existed, to let the world know that Victoria's army once wiped out such a group of enemies, to let the world know that Victoria was invincible, and that traitors, enemies, and those with ulterior motives only deserve to become photographs displayed in the museum of Londinium, to be viewed and ridiculed by educated children, soldiers who admire glory, and veterans who look back on the past.

"Ha, look at these overconfident fools. Do you know where they ended up?"

"They ended up all over the ground."

Therese took a deep breath, as if he were using up all the breaths he had in his life in this one breath. After a long while, he asked:

What will happen to this area in the future?

His secretary kindly answered his question in detail.

"The Ministry of Development of Londinium issued a document, which was then discussed by Parliament and approved by the Cabinet before being submitted to the Royal Court for approval to establish a mine here."

"These Originium mines, nurtured with the lives of our enemies, are of very high quality. They are worth using to make the next batch of shells to fire at Victoria's enemies."

"Ha ha!"

Therese laughed.

Just laughing made him feel like he was already in hell.

Chapter 71 The Ruins of Rembito

Not everyone deserves a glorious ending. The Joker's fate was to meet his end on stage. Trying to escape this destiny only resulted in a crushing defeat at the hands of the circus ringmaster.

When Wayne received the news that the Deeppool Force had been confirmed to have been completely annihilated physically, this was the thought that crossed his mind. This was not arrogance, nor was it contempt; it was simply a basic statement of fact.

Ahmoni tried everything to prove her innocence and loyalty, but she didn't expect that Wayne had no intention of listening to her explanations. Her actions were like a clown's tired old tricks, so boring that Wayne couldn't even manage a laugh. Finally, out of a small respect for the actors' dedicated performance in this long-running, nearly two-week-long farce, Wayne gave them a thunderous round of applause.

The performers were very satisfied, and not one of them refused the gift.

With the situation in Victoria settled, Aslan's rule as firm as a rock, the direction forward correct and clear, and the prospects for development bright, Wayne finally had time to extricate himself from state affairs once again to plan his own life's major events.

Surprisingly, it was Theresa who requested a postponement of the wedding.

“Victoria has just gone through a period of turmoil, and even the northern counties have not yet been fully recovered and rebuilt. At this critical juncture, to hold another grand wedding, which would be a waste of resources and manpower, is not a good idea to show consideration for the people, Mr. Bruce.”

Theresa advised. Wayne pouted reluctantly and replied:

"Unusually, I'm not so keen on being considerate of the people. Can't I be considerate of you instead?"

“I’m very happy,” Theresa smiled. “It’s only been a little over six months since I first came to Victoria. For a Sarkaz life, such a short time is like a blink of an eye. But the impression these six months have left on my mind is clearer and more striking than the past few centuries. To be honest, it’s really incredible.”

Theresa's eyes shone with a light, as if she were lost in memories. Wayne wisely ignored the numbers that might have touched on Theresa's age in her words, and looking at her profile, he gave a smile that was both gratified and helpless.

Yes, it's been an incredible six months.

The year 1092 is a crucial year in Arknights, yet it's not the one most prominently featured. Many events occurred that year, profoundly altering the future of Terra, but Yostar's descriptions of this year are consistently vague. Before Wayne's transmigration, the story had stalled for nearly a year on the journey to Victoria. Wayne knew almost as little as the completely ignorant transmigrators about the vast Victorian empire, the events of 1092, and the people who lived there. Even so, through analysis and deduction of character files, he gradually uncovered the momentous events that occurred at this turning point in history, ultimately succeeding in turning the tide of events.

Welcoming back Vina, suppressing the rebellion, allying with Ursus in the east, attacking Colombia in the west, sweeping away the chaos, and restoring order to the world.

Although he is still far from his ideal world, he has achieved this much in just six months. Wayne is satisfied with himself and confident that no one can do better than him!

"What is Mr. Bruce thinking about? Can I see?" Theresa asked with a smile and a slightly playful tone.

Wayne snapped out of his daze, composed himself, squeezed her hand, and said:

"Then you'll need to slowly teach me how to control this passive spell."

"Will I slowly pluck him bald?" Theresa whispered, and when Wayne, who hadn't heard her clearly, looked at her with a questioning gaze, she immediately continued, "Please rest assured that you will leave this important task to me!"

Wayne shrugged and asked, "Then it's up to you. When do you think would be a good time?"

“I’ve already thought about this, Kal’tsit,” Theresa called out.

Kal'tsit, who had been standing at the door waiting for Theresa's call, entered awkwardly, coughing slightly as she stepped forward. Just as she was about to check Wayne's expression, Theresa gave her a triumphant look, forcing her to turn away with her lynx-red face. She handed Wayne a few yellowed pages from a book that looked like they'd been taken from a museum, suppressing her inner rage and maintaining a facade of composure as she spoke: