CHAPTER 541: CHAPTER 533 KORNILOV’S RESPONSE STRATEGY

Under the influence of the butterfly effect caused by Jerome Bonaparte, this sudden intruder of the 19th century, the Crimean War deviated from its original historical course from the very beginning, and the entire world began stepping boldly in a new direction.

Nakhimov and Kornilov were the two unfortunates directly affected by Jerome Bonaparte’s butterfly effect, and at this moment, both were racking their brains to devise a suitable plan for the upcoming rescue operation.

After more than two hours of debate, Nakhimov and Kornilov finally settled on a rescue plan.

All 16 ships docked on the South Shore of Sevastopol will be mobilized tomorrow to serve as crucial forces in setting up a floating bridge, creating a life passage.

Originally, this task should have been performed by ordinary civilian vessels, but unfortunately, at Admiral Kornilov’s suggestion, the civilian ships in Sevastopol Bay were sunk at the bay’s mouth before the Allied fleet approached Sevastopol, thus preventing the ships of the Allied Forces from directly entering the bay to bombard Sevastopol.

After the rescue plan was formulated, Kornilov proposed another suggestion to Nakhimov.

Kornilov hoped to mobilize all residents of the South Shore of Sevastopol to construct trenches, parapets, and simple forts (earthen forts) and batteries, while dismantling all remaining artillery from the ships to be installed on the batteries, to strengthen the defense capabilities of the South Shore of Sevastopol.

"However, it might be difficult to mobilize today’s Sevastopol." Nakhimov frowned and responded to Kornilov.

Nowadays, the South Shore of Sevastopol is already in panic, and many residents are eager to escape; how could they help build defensive positions?

"Don’t worry!" Admiral Kornilov, with a confident demeanor, said to Nakhimov: "I have a way to make them cooperate obediently with us!"

"What way?" Nakhimov asked curiously.

"Deception!" Admiral Kornilov spoke softly.

"Deception?" Admiral Nakhimov looked at Kornilov puzzled.

"Exactly! Since we can’t stop this panic, why not further exaggerate the threat of the Allied Forces! Let them equate the image of the Allies in the minds of Sevastopol’s residents and soldiers with demons that devour hearts and livers, specifically those that devour the hearts and livers of Sevastopol’s residents! We can declare to Sevastopol’s residents that the reason the Allied Forces launched this war is to devour Sevastopol’s residents! No matter where they run, they will be chased down and eaten alive by the Allies! Running away won’t solve the problem; only defeating those demons can prevent the risk of having their hearts and livers eaten!" Admiral Kornilov explained to Nakhimov.

"This method can indeed arouse the sentiment of shared enmity among Sevastopol’s residents, but it will also cause our soldiers to lose confidence in fighting alongside them!" Admiral Nakhimov replied worriedly to Admiral Kornilov: "After all, mortals cannot defeat demons!"

"You’re absolutely right! Humans indeed cannot defeat demons!" Admiral Kornilov nodded at Nakhimov while revealing a sly smile, saying: "But the Shepherd and His Majesty the Tsar can! We just need to borrow their names, and the priests and Prince Menshikov will be the ’sharp blade’ in our hands!"

Admiral Kornilov paused and whispered to Admiral Nakhimov: "All we need to do is..."

As soon as Kornilov finished speaking, Nakhimov’s eyes lit up, and he nodded at Admiral Kornilov: "It’s truly a good method!"

"Then let’s start taking action!"

Subsequently, Nakhimov and Kornilov, in the name of the Sevastopol Command, "invited" the Eastern Orthodox priests within the fortress into the military camp for a chat.

Awoken rudely from his dreams, the Bishop of Sevastopol yawned his way into the sailors’ camp, where he not only met the two heads of the fortress, Nakhimov and Kornilov but also all the priests within Sevastopol Fortress.

Needless to say, like the Bishop of Sevastopol, they too were forcibly awakened and brought to this camp.

Thinking of this, a trace of resentment naturally grew in the Bishop of Sevastopol’s heart.

"Your Grace, priests, welcome to the camp!" Admiral Kornilov addressed all the priests present.

"Admiral Kornilov, what is the reason for summoning us in the middle of the night? Is it merely for your amusement? If so, I must consider asking His Majesty the Tsar to ensure justice for us!" The Bishop of Sevastopol complained to Kornilov.

"Yes! Admiral Kornilov, what exactly do you intend to do!"

"Admiral Kornilov, I hope you have something to say!"

...

Faced with the Bishop of Sevastopol’s rebellion against "public grievances," Admiral Kornilov did not react angrily but maintained a gentle and elegant demeanor, saying: "Here’s the thing! I hope everyone can perform a baptism for all residents and soldiers of Sevastopol Fortress tomorrow morning!"

"What a joke! There are altogether 50 to 60 thousand people in Sevastopol; how could we possibly manage that!"

"Indeed! This is really asking too much!"

...

The priest continuously complained that Admiral Korolev was making unreasonable demands, and expressed to the admiral that he would refuse to conduct a mass baptism for all of Sevastopol’s people, even at the cost of his life.

"So you are refusing?" Admiral Korolev asked the priest present, maintaining a smile.

"Your Excellency, Admiral, it’s not that we’re refusing you! It’s just too unreasonable!" The priest, with a troubled expression, lamented to Admiral Korolev: "Moreover, we don’t have nearly enough Holy Water for so many baptisms!"

"Hmph! That so-called Holy Water you have is just the water from the Sevastopol Bay, and there’s plenty of that," Nasimov mocked the priests in the room with disdain.

Upon hearing Nasimov’s words, the priests instantly erupted, shifting their accusations towards Admiral Nasimov.

"Silence!" It wasn’t until a reprimand from the Bishop of Sevastopol that the priests quieted down, subsequently turning their gazes towards the Bishop.

"Admiral Korolev!" The Bishop of Sevastopol stepped forward a few paces, and with a serious expression, inquired of Korolev: "Can you tell me! What is it you intend to do?"

"To dispel the fear of the Allies from Sevastopol’s residents!" Korolev paused briefly, then complained to the priests present: "That being said, the fear Sevastopol’s residents and soldiers have of the Allied Forces is entirely thanks to all of you here! If it weren’t for your incessant propaganda day after day, Sevastopol wouldn’t be in the state it was just days ago!"

"We were following orders!" The priests rebutted: "If it weren’t for Prince Menshikov’s demand that we do this, we’d never have agreed to propagate it! Now we’re being blamed; had we known this outcome would arise, we would have opposed it from the start!"

"Indeed! Ultimately, it’s because you lack capability!"

"That’s absolutely right!"

...

Seeing the situation about to devolve into a rowdy argument, the Bishop of Sevastopol had no choice but to interject: "Now is not the time to argue about who’s right or wrong; the most important thing is figuring out how to solve the problem!"

"I agree with the Bishop’s perspective!" Admiral Korolev also spoke up: "Arguing like this won’t get us anywhere! We must face the current difficulties together; surely you’re all aware of what might happen if the Allied Forces breach the Sevastopol Fortress!"

The priests were momentarily speechless, already having heard of the Allies’ notorious military discipline, fully understanding what could transpire once they captured Sevastopol.

If they get lucky, they might only lose their wealth to avoid disaster. If unlucky, even their lives might not be spared.

After all, the Allied Forces include the notorious Turkish Army known for killing captives.

The conflict between Russia and Turkey has long been irreconcilable.

Only when one of them falls can their hatred be resolved.

As for escaping the Sevastopol Fortress, that is even more far-fetched.

More than half (80%) of the Crimea Peninsula is Tatar, and those Tatars were notorious troublemakers even before the arrival of the Allied Forces, to the extent that the Russian Empire frequently needed to mobilize forces for clearance operations against them.

After the arrival of the Allied Forces, those Tatars would likely become even more rampant, and priests traveling without military protection would become nothing more than victims of the Tatar bandits.

Staying in Sevastopol seems more likely to ensure survival, as long as it doesn’t involve the Turks, whereas leaving Sevastopol would be fraught with danger.

Of course, if they could indeed hold their ground, it would be all the better!

"Can you hold out here?" one of the priests nervously inquired of Admiral Korolev.

"I don’t know, but I will do my utmost to hold out!" Admiral Korolev spoke with firm resolve, assuring the priests present that he would live and die with Sevastopol.

Standing by Korolev’s side, Admiral Nakhimov echoed his sentiments.

Subsequently, the Bishop of Sevastopol asked Admiral Korolev for specific steps.

Admiral Korolev informed the Bishop of Sevastopol that he would release a message early the next morning: the Allied Forces intend to consume every soul in Sevastopol Fortress, even if they flee to the ends of the earth. Then the priests will announce that Sevastopol has been blessed by the Lord, and that all baptized in Sevastopol will be granted the power to resist demons.

Anyone seeking to leave Sevastopol or disobey Sevastopol’s orders (Korolev’s orders) will be abandoned by the Lord and become food for demons.