Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 416 Westward Expedition Ceremony
Chen Mo arrived very quickly.

The surface of the Huanyan River, shrouded in a light, chilly mist, revealed a deep bluish-gray hue. Its current, sometimes swift and sometimes gentle, resembled a giant python meandering across the plains, pointing into the distance.

In the center of the water, three steel warships from the Vast Ocean Territory moved slowly in a triangular formation, their steel bows slicing through the water and leaving long, white-washed trails.

Regardless of whether the Restoration Society cleared the land of West White Deer, the lord's procession was already unstoppable, advancing westward all the way downstream.

On the towering bridge of the "Chaoyin" ship, the wind was stronger than on the deck, carrying with it the damp scent unique to the river. Chen Mo, wearing a dark blue military woolen overcoat with the collar turned up, leaned on the railing and looked out at the vast north bank.

The distant, undulating mountain outlines appeared and disappeared in the mist.

"Commander-in-chief, we will arrive at the designated landing point in one hour." The voice of Xia Yuanfeng, the security chief, came from behind.

The name Xia Yuanfeng might lead one to believe he is the brother of Xia Yuanchen, the deputy director of the Hanhai Inspection Office, but the two are not related by blood at all.

They were classmates at best, all students taught by Chen Mo.

As outstanding members of the Hanhai Yuan generation, Xia Yuanchen was in charge of supervision and security, while Xia Yuanfeng was equivalent to Chen Mo's office director, responsible for handling related miscellaneous tasks.

"Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant Colonel Moon of the White Deer Restoration Society has sent another signal. They have cleared out all the orc patrols within 60 kilometers of the river and are awaiting your arrival."

What were their casualties?

"slight."

Xia Yuanfeng held the report in his hands, but it was for Chen Mo to review. He himself didn't need to look at it, as he knew all the information by heart.

"Over the past six days, the Restoration Society has launched seven ambushes and two large-scale assaults, annihilating approximately 2,200 orc patrols and reinforcements, while suffering 37 dead and 104 wounded!"

In terms of battlefield exchange ratio, this was an absolute resounding victory.

Chen Mo remembered that when Old Cat Daryl went to Hanhai City, he reported that during the most difficult years of the Restoration Society, exchanging ten human lives for one orc soldier was considered a "worthwhile deal".

However, now that the Han Hai army has achieved a decisive victory on the East Bailu Plain and has the upper hand, it is still painful for Chen Mo to feel that they are exchanging casualties at this time, even if the casualties are low.

Xia Yuanfeng noticed Chen Mo's displeasure and carefully explained, "Commander-in-Chief, the Restoration Society is extremely eager to fight, and it is not appropriate for the command to interfere excessively."

"Moreover, the General Staff has clarified the battlefield guidance principles: we cannot act as caretakers for the White Deer Restoration Society. On the premise of providing weapons and supplies, we should fully respect their fighting will and combat methods."

“Excessive interference may affect their spirit and mood…”

Chen Mo remained silent for a few seconds, gazing at the mountain shadows on the north bank, before finally letting out a soft breath. "Alright, I understand!"

"Once we get ashore, the medical team should provide assistance immediately!"

"Yes!"

The warships sailed westward, and as the thin fog slowly dissipated, the scenery on both banks gradually became clear, as if the curtain of a stage was being slowly drawn back by the passing daylight.

The distant scenery on both banks gradually came into view. The north bank consisted of rolling hills and sparse woodlands, while the south bank was a relatively gentle slope and plain. Occasionally, the ruins of some burned villages would flash by, their broken, charred traces like scars left on the earth.

After rounding another gentle bend in the river, the water suddenly opened up, forming a natural slow-flowing area. Right there on a sunny slope on the south bank of the river, a large, dark crowd came into view.

This is the temporary beachhead camp built by the White Deer Restoration Society.

Although the time was short and things weren't perfect, it was already taking shape, with trenches, bunkers, fortifications, barricades, and other structures scattered throughout.
The most eye-catching sight was the row of flags held high on simple wooden poles along the river. Their bright red color resembled clusters of burning flames, making them exceptionally dazzling.

The warship sounded its deep horn, slowly adjusted its course, and moved closer to the makeshift dock.

As the cable was tied to the giant wooden stakes temporarily planted at the dock, the Han Hai Guards were the first to land, quickly setting up a cordon in the dock area. Then, Chen Mo and the main representatives of the delegation came ashore.

Moon led a dozen or so leaders from various branches of the Restoration Society, kneeling neatly on the pebbles of the riverbank, forming a straight line when viewed from a distance.

Chen Mo sighed softly.

He was gradually getting used to it. These people would feel uneasy and start to make wild guesses if you didn't make them kneel down once, or express themselves with the most solemn, even self-deprecating, etiquette.

This is the inertia of this great era in the world of stars, and it still needs education to gradually reverse it.

"Everyone get up!"

"You fought well, greatly tying down the enemy's forces and creating favorable conditions for the decisive victory on the East Bailu Plain. On behalf of the soldiers of West Bailu, I extend my highest respect to you!"

When Mu En looked up, Chen Mo saw a face completely soaked with tears.

This human giant, nearly two meters tall, with muscles bulging like cast iron, was now trembling violently, his lips opening and closing as if a thousand words were stuck in his throat, but he could only utter incoherent "ho...ho..." sounds.

Excitement, sorrow, and joy!
Behind him, the leaders of the various departments of the Restoration Society could not control their emotions and let out sobs, some loud and some soft.

These soldiers, who usually wouldn't even flinch at the deaths of their comrades or the tragic demise of their loved ones, were now weeping like children who had suffered endless injustices in the darkness and were finally seeing the light and their parents.

They waited for over two hundred years, for more than a dozen generations, waiting until the ground was littered with bones and tears of blood filled the sky.

They endured the lingering darkness, making countless sacrifices, until finally the return of humanity.

Chen Mo helped each of the leaders up.

The reception process for the Restoration Society was arranged in advance. First, Chen Mo, as the chairman of the alliance and the leader of the Restoration Society, would pay tribute to the heroic spirits who had died on this land over the years.

The memorial ceremony was held on a hill to the east of the camp, where there was a wide view of the winding Huanyan River.

A tall altar built from nearby rocks stands atop the mountain, with countless memorial tablets stacked on top of each other, taking up almost every inch of available space. The sight of it from afar is enough to make one's scalp crawl.

Accompanied by Mu En, Chen Mo slowly walked up to the altar and looked at each one one by one.

From these memorial tablets, one can seemingly read directly the long and cruel changes that have taken place in the White Deer Restoration Society.

The older the memorial tablet, the more "refined" and "neat" it looks!
On those dark wooden memorial tablets that are clearly quite old, names, ages, and even details of life and battles fought are neatly engraved. Below the memorial tablet, there is usually a small, exquisite urn containing the ashes.

These memorial tablets form a chronicle stained with blood and tears.

"Carlo, the fourth leader of the Restoration Society, died in the Battle of Black Pine Forest in the autumn of the Thirty-Seventh Ring of Fog Moon, at the age of twenty-six."

"Lial, daughter of the fifth leader of the Restoration Society, died in the Battle of Broken Bridge at the age of thirteen during the Eternal Year of the Thirty-Nine Rings of the Fog Moon."

"Raymond, captain of the Restoration Society's assault team, died in the Battle of Broken Bridge at the age of fifteen, during the Eternal Year of the Thirty-Nine Rings of the Fog Moon."

"..."

Chen Mo looked around and saw nothing but young lives.

Among these relatively well-documented early memorial tablets, those who died in battle were extremely rare, and those who died in battle were not even one in their forties.

As we move further back in time, the more recent the region, the simpler the format of the memorial tablets becomes. Neat wooden tablets are gradually replaced by rough stone slabs, casually chopped pieces of wood, or even just slightly trimmed dried tree bark.

The records became increasingly disorganized; some lost their names, others their dates, and in the last sixty or seventy years, even the memorial tablets were gone, replaced by a tree branch or a piece of bamboo.

Simple markings were carved on the branches: a small sword, a feather, or a smiley face... At the ends of the branches, hair of various colors was wrapped with thin ropes, most of which were withered and dull, like withered grass in winter.

Mu En, who had been bowing and silently standing half a step behind Chen Mo, explained in a low voice when faced with Chen Mo's questioning gaze:
"The orcs were chasing us too relentlessly. We...we just couldn't retrieve our brothers' bodies. Sometimes, we couldn't even get close to the battlefield..."

"Before leaving, I...I left a few strands of hair for the brothers..."

Chen Mo walked all the way to the end, then slowly turned back and stood in front of the altar filled with memorial tablets, remaining silent for a long time.

During this time, the other military and political leaders in the delegation had already begun their worship under the guidance of the Restoration Society members.

They used a ritual that was adopted from the Eastern Xia and had become a tradition in the Han Sea. They lit wooden incense sticks, held them with both hands to their eyebrows, bowed deeply three times, and then inserted the incense sticks into the incense burner. The smoke curled up, and their expressions were solemn.

"Commander-in-Chief? Commander-in-Chief! It's your turn to pay your respects!"

Chen Mo seemed to be pulled back from his distant thoughts. He slowly turned around and took the three incense sticks that Xia Yuanfeng handed him. He stood up straight in front of the altar, his lips moving slightly, as if he were saying something.

The old men of the vast sea all know that the lord is a sentimental person.

However, they did not expect Chen Mo to be so sentimental.

What followed was a scene that the crowd who had been watching the altar witnessed that they would never forget.

Chen Mo held the incense sticks in both hands, raised them above his head, and then knelt down directly, his knees hitting the hard ground with a dull thud.

Xia Yuanfeng, who was standing next to him, was the first to react. Almost instinctively, he bent his knees and immediately knelt down.

Immediately afterward, like ripples spreading across the water, all the generals, officials, attendants, guards, and leaders and young warriors of the White Deer Restoration Society knelt down in a rush.

The ripples continued to spread outwards, and near the fortifications far from the altar, the guards all bowed down in unison; in the camps further away, the Restorationists' families who had come to pay homage to the lord knelt down in bewilderment.

The sailors on duty aboard the several giant steel ships anchored on the shore also knelt down on the deck; even the packhorses and land animals, who knew nothing and were still looking around for fodder, had their heads lowered and were forced to lie prostrate on the ground by their riders...

The moment the lord knelt, no living creature could stand within a radius of several kilometers—at least, that's how it appeared! This kneeling was so shocking that everyone was somewhat dazed and confused during the latter half of the ceremony.

It wasn't until the flag-raising ceremony began that Moon and the leaders of the various ministries seemed to wake up from their daze.

"The flag-presentation ceremony of the Han Hai Guard, the Bai Lu Independent Brigade—begins!!!"

Liu Zaiyue, who was accompanying the group, served as the chief guest of honor and shouted at the top of his lungs.

Old Niu had never really gotten involved in the factional struggles within the military, but the sudden addition of such a large force to his former Imperial Guard was something worth remembering.

The cow's voice rang loudly in everyone's ears. Then, four soldiers of the Hanhai Guard marched in formation, escorting a neatly folded military flag to the flag-raising platform.

Old Niu gripped the flagpole with one hand, took a deep breath, and with the other hand he pulled hard on the corner, then swung it sharply upwards at an angle.

A red flag, measuring 1.55 meters in length, unfurled with a whoosh, creating a magnificent wave in the wind.

“Moun”.

"exist!"

Chen Mo handed the flagpole to him: "From today onwards, your unit designation is officially established as the White Deer Independent Brigade of the Hanhai Guard!"

"Your glory will be etched into history! You are no longer alone; behind you stands the entire Vast Ocean Territory, the entire Summer Moon Alliance, and the entire human world!"

"White Deer Independent Brigade, may you be victorious!"

Moon received the military flag with both hands, his knuckles turning white and veins bulging.

The leader of the White Deer Restoration Society, now the commander of the White Deer Independent Brigade, suddenly stood up, turned to face the audience, and vigorously waved the flagpole.

"Independent Brigade—"

"Victory!!!"

A deafening roar erupted from the crowd, and a dense thicket of arms waved wildly.

Chen Mo looked at the flushed faces below the stage. Among them were men and women, the elderly and children; there were veterans with scars all over their faces and teenagers with innocent eyes; they wore ill-fitting Hanhai uniforms, and they tried to stand on tiptoe and stretch their necks, their eyes fixed on the fluttering red flag.

Their eyes sparkled like stars in the dark night.

In such a fervent atmosphere, Chen Mo couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

Since you've come all this way, Lord, you can't just bring moral encouragement; you must also provide material support.

The transport ships following the warships had already docked, and two-wheeled vehicles lined up in a long row to emerge, with neatly stacked crates visible in the tarpaulin-covered cargo beds.

Food, clothing, medicine, weapons... This was a massive collection of supplies that the Restoration Society had never seen before. The list, which was more than a dozen pages long, made even the most educated person in the camp, Tim, dizzy.

In addition to knives, guns, arrows, and crossbows, the number and variety of weapons have increased dozens of times this time, including pistols, rifles, light machine guns, general-purpose machine guns, grenades, landmines, mortars, rocket launchers, and a large amount of various types of ammunition.

The special equipment section also includes flamethrowers, individual night vision goggles, binoculars, rangefinders, signal pistols, tactical watches, tactical flashlights, rain bags, and a complete set of weapon maintenance and repair tools...

Survival supplies include compressed dry rations, vitamin tablets, individual self-heating rations, military canned food, energy bars, water purifiers, lighters, portable cooking utensils, moisture-proof containers, etc.
Clothing and equipment include combat uniforms, waterproof boots, tactical belts, tactical backpacks, camping tents, cold-weather sleeping bags, non-slip gloves, multi-purpose raincoats, goggles, and so on.
There was even a batch of special living support supplies, which included not only a variety of cleaning and insect repellent products, but also sanitary products for women, which were thoughtfully packaged separately in more than a dozen large boxes.

The entire material receiving site was bustling with noise and cheers, with waves of sound rising one after another.

For the White Deer Restoration Society, this was like taking off from the ground in primitive society and directly entering the industrial age.

Rhino Moon clung to a box marked "7.62mm Full Power Rifle Ammunition - Hanhai Naval Industry Bureau" and refused to let go until Chen Mo patted him on the shoulder.

"You need to hold on a little longer in Xibailu, but don't send the children back to the battlefield!"

"In Xuan Shui City, they have set up a one-year intensive training program and a two-year advanced training program specifically for your children. There is no limit to the number of places. If they do well, they can continue their studies. If you feel comfortable, send your children there to learn culture and broaden their horizons!"

Moon opened his mouth, his eyes reddening again. He had shed all the tears he would ever shed in his life on this one day!
His throat bobbed a few times, and a thousand words were condensed into a few trembling words: "Th...thank you..."

"No need to thank me. I am representing the White Deer and the human race to thank you!"

"Lord...can we...can we defeat the orcs?"

"Of course!"

"must!"

Having completed this meeting that deserves to be remembered in history, Chen Mo's mood was not light; instead, a complex and heavy feeling weighed on his heart.

The lord's honor guard and flags returned to the warship in a grand procession, while Chen Mo himself, under the cover of a group of guards, changed into ordinary soldier's clothing and quietly left the main force. Led by Old Fish Daryl, the deputy brigade commander of the White Deer Brigade, he traveled swiftly along the mountain path.

After traversing a rugged and steep mountain path, Chen Mo's stamina began to wane, and he could no longer walk. After all, his physical condition was no match for the soldiers around him.

Helpless, Chen Mo could only accept being carried on Liu Shuang's back.

The other guards wanted to help, but were immediately turned away by Liu Shuang's glare.

Liu Shuang had originally planned to give him a "Lord's hug," but that was just too embarrassing for Chen Mo to bear. Although he'd been hugged like that by his sister back when they were fleeing the Crystal Plains, there was no one else around then…

After Chen Mo gave his consent, he relaxed and leaned close to Liu Shuang's ear, whispering his worries to his sister.

"I feel like I'm becoming more and more pragmatic."

"These people from the Restoration Society have really had a tough time. I should have sent them more supplies earlier, but the Political Affairs Department and the General Staff kept urging me to personally distribute the supplies to them on-site to achieve the best results..."

“I know they have a point, and I listened to their advice, but seeing those memorial tablets and ancestral tablets on the altar today made me feel uneasy…”

Warm breath accompanied by whispers gently sprayed onto Liu Shuang's fair earlobes and neck, causing a blush to rise on her cheeks.

Having carried such a powerful lord on her back all the way up the mountain path without even breaking a sweat, Liu Shuang's voice trembled slightly as Chen Mo whispered something in her ear.

"You, you have already helped them so much."

"Without you, their situation would be even worse, and more people would die. Just like when I was being hunted down by enemies in Cloud Mist Territory, I don't know what would have become of me without you..."

"No one is born obligated to help others. If you're always so generous in helping others, your subordinates... they'll get upset. They're doing your work for you, after all..."

"They should be getting more than these people!"

Chen Mo fell into a long silence.

That's just how Liu Shuang is—kind, innocent, and with a clear understanding of the sword's essence; she can always see the true nature of the world that she herself cannot.

This is a complex world woven from interests, emotions, and order, but interests undoubtedly play a huge role.

Even the most selfless and exceptionally talented people often end up as lonely wanderers.

Chen Mo didn't consider himself a genius at all...

The two chatted quietly for a while, and Chen Mo felt that the knot in his heart had dissipated a lot.

Then, Liu Shuang turned the tables and brought up a topic that left Chen Mo speechless.

"Chen Mo..."

"Ok?"

“From now on, don’t stay up late, it’s easy to lose hair…” Liu Shuang said very seriously, “Staying up late is bad, it’s easy to… lose hair.”

Chen Mo chuckled upon hearing this and couldn't help but tease, "So what if I fell off? What's wrong? If I'm all gone, you won't want me anymore?"

Liu Shuang's face flushed red once more, and she murmured in a very low voice, "No, no..."

"I...I suddenly remembered this while I was paying my respects today..."

"Those people couldn't bring back their fallen comrades from the battlefield; all they could do was keep a lock of their hair..."

"If I lose all my hair, won't I have nothing left? That would be terrible!"

"So, you really shouldn't stay up late anymore..."

Chen Mo: "..."

The young lord simply shut his mouth.

How can someone be so genuinely concerned yet so bizarrely angled? Does this mean they're afraid I'll die and they won't be able to find my body outside?

How did this little girl's brain work...?

(End of this chapter)