diymy Chapter 52 The Mystery of the Church
Chapter 52 The Mystery of the Church
The following day, the situation in the city of Malolos became even more tense, with the air thick with the pungent smell of gunpowder.
As dawn broke, the streets were deathly silent, not even a stray dog could be seen, only the footsteps of the Spanish colonial army breaking the silence.
Upon hearing the noise, Chen Feng immediately got up and went to the window.
Soldiers were carrying ammunition boxes and dragging gun carriages, hurriedly transporting supplies to the city wall. Two 120mm howitzers and four 75mm mountain guns were being moved to the west of the city.
More than ten 37mm rapid-fire cannons were nowhere to be seen, as if they had been transported away long ago and sent to the city wall for defense.
Pushing open the door that Charles had repaired overnight, Chen Feng stepped downstairs and walked straight into the dining room, beckoning a waiter: "The usual, three steaks and a glass of red wine."
"Chen Sang, I really envy young people like you. With war looming, you still have such a good appetite!" A familiar voice came from behind.
Chen Feng chewed on his steak and turned his head, only to see that the old Japanese devil Aoki Nobuyuki was still staying at the hotel, but the tall, thin follower who had been with him earlier was nowhere to be seen.
He swallowed the meat in his mouth and replied calmly, "Mr. Aoki, you are quite composed."
"Isn't Chen the same?" Aoki Nobuyuki smiled and sat down opposite him.
Chen Feng frowned slightly, quickly stuffed the remaining two steaks into his mouth, stood up and said, "I have something to do, I'll take my leave first."
"Mr. Chen, please proceed!"
Aoki Nobuyuki's smile remained unchanged, but the moment Chen Feng turned around, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes, and he got up and headed for the stairs.
After leaving the hotel, Chen Feng walked briskly along the wall.
Every few steps, you'll encounter a patrol team armed with guns.
Occasionally, a few muffled shots of calibration cannons could be heard from the direction of the city wall, making the windowpanes vibrate and adding to the oppressive atmosphere.
Before long, he arrived at the Zheng family warehouse.
As luck would have it, Zheng Mingsong was holding an account book and counting supplies in the courtyard.
Upon seeing Chen Feng, he immediately put down his account book and rushed over, his tone urgent: "Brother Chen, stop wandering around! The local lords gathered by the Independent Army have already assembled outside the west side of the city!"
Chen Feng was taken aback, then said in a deep voice, "Has the Independent Army gone mad? A 120mm howitzer has a range of five kilometers. Letting the natives huddle together like this is practically suicide!"
"I'm not the commander of the Independent Army, how would I know what they're thinking?" Zheng Mingsong shrugged.
Chen Feng pondered for a moment, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes: "Unless they want to use the natives as cannon fodder to tie down enemy fire while their main force attacks the city from other directions."
"That's possible!"
Zheng Mingsong was clearly not very interested in military topics. After shaking his head slightly, he changed the subject, "When are your men leaving? I'm sealing off the warehouse this afternoon to prevent it from being looted by the Independent Army's rabid soldiers."
Chen Feng glanced at the yard that was being used as a warehouse. The wall was only about three meters high, and a human ladder could easily be used to climb over it. He immediately said, "Leave tonight. They will climb over the wall to leave. Tell your men not to stop them."
"I will arrange for two carriages to be parked at the warehouse entrance tonight."
After Zheng Mingsong finished speaking, he remained silent for a long while, but finally couldn't suppress his curiosity any longer. "Brother Chen, tell me the truth, what exactly are you here to do with these people?"
Instead of answering directly, Chen Feng asked, "Brother Zheng, could you tell me what the Englishman who contacted you earlier wanted?"
"It's not convenient to talk about!" Zheng Mingsong shook his head decisively.
"Then I can't say." Chen Feng smiled, turned and walked towards Zhang Xiuwu, who was waiting not far away, and asked in a low voice, "Are the fireworks ready?"
"Ready!" Zhang Xiuwu said, taking out three short fireworks from his pocket.
Chen Feng tucked the fireworks into his belt and lowered his voice: "I'll set off fireworks when the Independent Army launches its attack. You're not allowed to close your eyes tonight. Once you see fireworks light up in the direction of my hotel, bring all the brothers here immediately."
"No problem!" Zhang Xiuwu nodded vigorously, then pulled a pistol from his waist as if presenting a treasure, and whispered, "Young Master Zheng is quite generous, actually giving away this thing."
Chen Feng thought it was something special, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be just a Star M1887 revolver, the standard issue pistol for Spanish officers.
This gun has an 11.43mm caliber, an effective range of only 25 meters, cumbersome reloading, uses black powder bullets, and emits a cloud of smoke when fired, making it ineffective.
Seeing that the two had finished talking, Zheng Mingsong came over, waved to the shop assistant in the distance, and said with a smile, "I almost forgot, since you haven't been carrying a pistol for self-defense, I prepared one for you too."
Before he finished speaking, the waiter had already come over quickly carrying a wooden box.
Zheng Mingsong opened the box, and Chen Feng glanced inside, his eyes instantly flashing with a sharp light.
It's a German Mauser C96 pistol!
This gun has a 7.63mm caliber, a 10-round magazine, semi-automatic firing, and an effective range of 50 meters. It was the only pistol in the late 19th century capable of continuous fire and could also be used as a submachine gun.
This thing is a frequent feature in later anti-Japanese war dramas. Nowadays, top-tier sci-fi weapons are only possessed by generals and top warlords of great powers.
It must have taken Zheng Mingsong quite a bit of effort to get his hands on this gun.
Chen Feng solemnly cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Brother Zheng, I am deeply grateful!"
Seeing that he recognized its value, Zheng Mingsong's eyes flashed with admiration, and he chuckled, "Since ancient times, fine swords have been given to heroes. Now, a gun is a fine sword. Only you are worthy of using this Mauser C96."
Thank you!
Chen Feng thanked him again and held the pistol in his hand, examining it closely.
Having traveled through time, he is no longer the novice he once was. While his marksmanship may not be considered divine, accurately hitting an enemy's vital points within ten meters is by no means difficult.
"There are still two hundred rounds of ammunition in the box. Once you've used them all, just send someone to Manila to find me," Zheng Mingsong added.
Chen Feng tucked his pistol into his waistband, pulled up his shirt to cover it, and asked, "Brother Zheng, are you leaving?"
"Whether the Independent Army can break through the city tonight or not, I have to set off tomorrow." Zheng Mingsong nodded. "After meeting General George Dewey last time, there are many things that cannot be explained in letters and I must report to my father in person."
Chen Feng looked towards the direction outside the city, his tone tinged with worry: "Once the war starts, the area outside the city will be full of chaotic soldiers, and they won't recognize any young master of the Zheng family."
"Don't worry, Brother Chen, I have guards with me." Zheng Mingsong smiled. "You may do as you please; I have other matters to attend to."
After saying that, he turned and walked into the warehouse.
Chen Feng gave Zhang Xiuwu a few more detailed instructions before turning back to the hotel.
Huh?
Why is that Englishman coming out of the church?
At the hotel entrance, Chen Feng narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the blond middle-aged man who called himself Jerwell.
This fellow was alone today, without a female companion. He whispered a few words to an old priest at the hotel entrance before walking into the lobby.
Chen Feng quickly withdrew his gaze, walked straight into the lobby without stopping, and hurried upstairs to his room on the third floor.