dognovel Chapter 66 The Strange Movements of the Human Church
Chapter 66 The Strange Movements of the Human Church
The Secret Service is currently in a state of turmoil. Lavinia Olicarts is constantly receiving messages from agents. As the most modern department, the Secret Service even installed wired telephone systems and radio communication equipment before the Red House.
"Yes, I understand. Move Swallow from Area A4 to Area B1. Yes, with Level 2 equipment. Yes, that's it. Report back to me if there's any further news."
Lavinia Olicarts hung up the phone, and her secretary immediately brought her a document sealed with a red clip, indicating that it was an urgent document.
"Where did they come from?...Sector S1? Isn't that the human area?"
Lavinia Olicatus looked curiously at the text on the outside of the file bag. The Secret Intelligence Agency had indeed sent a group of agents to the Holy See, mainly composed of humans and elves. Most of these people had been persecuted by the Church, so they would never betray it. However, the long-term strategic focus had been on the rebel regime in the south, so the agents from the human Church side did not have many operational resources.
A red emergency bag? Lavinia Olicarts picked up a knife, untied the clips, and gently cut open the sealed bag with the knife to pull out the papers inside. Due to the lack of cameras, intelligence agents in this era were also given extra training in writing and sketching.
"On February 23, 654, Agent AI12 obtained crucial intelligence within the church. The southern rebel regime attacked the church on February 19, 654, but failed. Both sides suffered heavy casualties. The church captured countless advanced weapons, including brown muskets and arquebuses, about 100 large cannons, and several medium and small artillery pieces. It is understood that the church has already begun to master the technology of firearms manufacturing."
The technology for manufacturing gunpowder weapons remains a secret. Alice never intended to reveal the specific parameters to anyone, but the South had clearly also developed firearms technology.
But the South developing gunpowder technology and the Church developing gunpowder technology are two different things. Lavinia Olicats pulled out another report, a sketch of a warship.
"On March 14, 654, the Church had mastered the technology to manufacture firearms and began to equip them on a large scale. AI11 observed that the Church Goddess Fleet was replacing its cannons. The intelligence is accompanied by a sketch of the Church's first-class battleship."
The Church Goddess Fleet is a massive fleet under the Church's command, primarily responsible for attacking the Demon Clan's seas. This is why the Holy Crimson Empire, even as a landlocked nation, must maintain such a large fleet.
Lavinia Olicarts looked closely at the sketch. It was a three-masted sailing ship with a displacement of around 1000 tons, which, by naval standards, was a true first-class battleship.
"The church equipped their largest sailing ships with cannons and even built three gun decks?"
Lavinia Olicarts knew a little about the navy, as agents sometimes needed naval support ships for transport, so she had learned a bit about it.
This thing is a real threat. In terms of firepower, the Navy's current flagship, the Hiun-class cruiser, has a displacement of only about 4 tons, and its firepower is not outstanding in comparison. After all, this first-class battleship named "Glory" has three gun decks, with 17 guns on each deck. In contrast, the "Hiun" only has a pitiful four 75mm Dahlgren guns on one side, plus two 122mm Dahlgren guns, which is seriously insufficient in firepower.
"Hello, is this the telephone company?"
She immediately picked up the phone, propped the receiver up with her shoulder and head, and flipped through the documents, her expression growing increasingly serious.
"To the Hong Kong Coliseum, yes, that's right."
"Hello, please look for Her Majesty Alicia. I am Lavinia Olicatus."
"Greetings, Your Majesty. This is Lavinia Olicarts. I have important information to report to you. Yes, in person? Yes, I understand. I will go."
After hanging up the phone, Lavinia Olicarts picked up her sunglasses and said to her secretary, "Tell the driver to get ready; we're going to see His Majesty and His Highness."
"Yes, Miss Director."
Alice was quickly called back by Alicia. She was the last to arrive. The conference hall in the Red Hall was filled with members of the Secret Intelligence Service, the Navy, the Ministry of Defense, and Alicia herself. She immediately realized that things were serious.
"Everyone's here: Navy, Ministry of Defense, Secret Intelligence Service. Very good, Miss Lavinia Olicates. Please begin."
Lavinia Olicarts distributed the documents, and when Alice received one, the sight of the "Glory Goddess" immediately caught her attention.
"A first-class battleship? The Church isn't..."
"The fools in the South suffered a defeat and gave all their counterfeit cannons and brown basses to the church..."
"Idiot, bastard, son of a bitch! Sewer rat! Doesn't he have the brown bass?"
"It's probably your masterpiece, or perhaps the new hero's. The church has acquired the technology for hardened armor, which can withstand Brownbes' 20mm round bullets to some extent."
"Insufficient firepower?"
"Perhaps, but both sides suffered heavy casualties, only the rebel army in the south was the first to collapse."
"A bunch of idiots who can't even organize the army!"
Alice said angrily that it was not surprising that there were flintlock muskets in the south. After all, they were only good for annoying the church. Moreover, the north was equipped with so many weapons that it was not surprising that one or two were lost. No matter how strict the system was, weapons would still be lost in battle.
The problem is that they simply handed everything over to the church, which he had painstakingly managed for two years. The church had all sorts of workshops, and even a primitive blast furnace.
This is where the problem lies. The "Glory Goddess" is irrefutable proof. This ship was originally probably equipped with ballistae, but now it has 17 cannons, each weighing at least 6 pounds, on its sides. Alice cannot underestimate the Church's casting capabilities, because that's what she spearheaded to popularize, and she knows best what the Church can build.
This raised the church's technological level from the 14th century to the early 18th century. Who could withstand that?
"Most importantly, the church intends to target Brittany."
"Brittania?"
Brittany is a principality bordering both sides, located on the southwest coast.
"The rebellion of the Republican army, supported by merchants, killed the Duke of Brittany. Instead of establishing a monarch, the merchants created a so-called republic, ruled by merchants and petty bourgeoisie."
"Brittania controls the connection between the Holy Sea and the Western Ocean, and has always been neutral. Now that the Duke of Brittany has been overthrown, the Church has an excuse to send troops."
"This ship, the Glory, was prepared for Brittany."
Alice clenched her fist. Brittany was a key strategic location. If the Church were to capture it, they would have a perfect bridgehead.
She glanced at Alicia, who returned a reassuring look.
"We cannot let the Church take over Brittany! Ministry of Defense."
"Yes, awaiting orders!"
"Order: The Amelansi Vanguard Navy and Amelansi Vanguard Army shall enter a state of first-level combat readiness. All ships shall be immediately prepared and ready for combat within 72 hours!"
"Yes!"
"Won't the people of Brittany complain about sending troops like this?"
Lavinia Olicates asked, but Alice simply waved her hand: "Are their complaints more important than the actual threat we are about to face? Besides, they may not even like the Church. So, Director, prepare to activate your agents near Brittany and begin the operation."