LRAB Page 27
Page 27
"Have you contacted him? What are your thoughts?" Although Lu Wu asked this, he was certain that Paz had already contacted this unusual "researcher" and made a preliminary assessment of him; otherwise, she wouldn't have brought this information here. After all, the way Paz reported to him in this tone already reflected the girl's initial belief that this guy posed little threat to them and might possess significant intelligence. He asked this question primarily to learn more about the researcher from the girl, preparing for the next step of negotiations.
“Seven very rational, steady, and quick-thinking men.” Paz concluded, “After he woke up, he immediately understood his situation and showed his bargaining chips and demands. He didn’t reveal any useful information to our indirect questions. Instead, he tried to understand our equipment with very straightforward and undisguised questions, as professionally as a real researcher.”
"How so?" Lu Wu asked with great interest.
“Every question he asked hit the nail on the head. Take our AK-12 rifles, for example. He determined that its main material was synthetic resin just by visual observation and a few unanswered questions.”
"An unanswered question? Micro-expressions..." Lu Wu paused for a moment, but immediately thought of a possibility. The girls beside him seemed to think the same thing, and he quickly realized the reason for their behavior: "They're showing us their abilities, creating psychological pressure to gain an advantage in negotiations."
"What is his name?" During their conversation, the two had arrived outside the ward where the captured researcher Belken was being temporarily detained. It was then that Lu Wu realized he still didn't know the name of this unusual researcher.
"Celtic Hall".
Celtic Halme… Lu Wu pondered the name, which sounded very familiar, turned the doorknob, and entered the ward.
"The design of your military uniforms is very ingenious. These small, colored squares blend easily into various backgrounds from a distance. The irregular grid pattern perfectly matches the irregular shapes of leaves and pebbles in nature, making it much more difficult for the human eye to extract special images from the background..."
As soon as Lu Wu pushed open the door, he heard a steady voice. Looking in the direction of the voice, he saw a man in a hospital gown with gray hair leaning against the bed. Although his eyes were still red and swollen, this did not affect the fact that the two guards in the room were wearing camouflage uniforms. At this moment, the expressions on the faces of the two guards were completely blank.
"So you're the commander of the Amelia Volunteer Army? You're much younger than I expected. Do you really think your words carry any weight?" Hearing the commotion at the door, Celtic Hall stopped his sharp commentary, scrutinized the three people who entered, and finally fixed his gaze on the only man, speaking first.
Lu Wu was not surprised at all. After all, it was a fact as obvious as a louse on a monk's head, and anyone with a normal IQ could guess it. Instead of following Celt's lead, he said to himself, "I heard that you, Dr. Hal, are willing to cooperate with us, so I came here."
Clearly, the person before me wasn't the type of reclusive researcher who was completely absorbed in their work and oblivious to the world around them; he also possessed considerable social skills. Whether it was cultivating an image of "I know everything" or attempting to lower his status by questioning his age and extending that to his abilities, it was all to gain an advantageous position in subsequent negotiations. With this kind of person, you can't go along with their pace, or you can easily be unknowingly dragged into their rhythm and end up in a passive position.
"Let's have an open and honest talk, Dr. Hal. I'm curious about why you abandoned the Belken Empire and are willing to cooperate with us." After sitting down in the chair Yelena brought over, Lu Wu adopted a relaxed posture. "While it's said that a wise person knows when to yield, your actions seem a bit too hasty. Has the Belken Empire been withholding your research funding for several years?"
“Nationality means nothing to me,” Celtic Hall replied calmly. “I’m more of an Ennsian than a Belkenian.”
Volume 1: Chapter 150 (136) Secrets (1)
Is this to show that he is an internationalist?
Upon hearing Zero's words, Lu Wu immediately had this thought, but quickly dismissed it. It was less about internationalism and more about humanism… Lu Wu didn't delve deeper into this line of thought, as preconceived stereotypes aren't easily corrected; this is often the reason behind so-called "overthinking" and "fighting wits with thin air." Objectively assessing Celtic Hal's character was the foundation for the Amelia Volunteer Army's decision on whether to engage in deeper cooperation. Therefore, Lu Wu couldn't be led by stereotypes at this crucial moment. After all, he couldn't guarantee that the information he was currently sensing wasn't deliberately orchestrated by Celtic Hal; the so-called chain of suspicion was precisely such a thing.
Lu Wu subconsciously adjusted his posture slightly, waiting for Celtic Hall to continue.
“Before we officially begin, I would like you to answer one question for me.” Although Celtic Hall’s expression remained unchanged, Lu Wu could sense a shift in the man’s aura. He gestured for him to proceed, indicating that this was likely the foundation for any potential cooperation. He awaited further instructions.
Do you believe that there are other intelligent beings besides humans in this world?
"..." Lu Wu blinked, somewhat bewildered. Wait, you went through all this trouble just to ask me if I believe in aliens?
“I believe it, I believe it very much.” He answered while pondering the other person’s motives for asking the question. In this situation, every word and action a person takes has a clear purpose, unlike casually asking an acquaintance on the street, “Have you eaten?” Just as Kassel College was setting the stage for the existence of dragons, Celtic Hal’s question must also be laying the groundwork for subsequent topics… It seems that the names of those “Girahani Warriors” were not just something someone came up with on a whim. In a flash, Lu Wu thought of many things.
"Why?" Celtic launched an additional attack without any surprise.
"The universe is so vast. Even if the conditions for nurturing intelligent life are extremely demanding, even if it's only one in ten million, how many planets are there in this universe?" Lu Wu collected his thoughts and replied. He had even experienced things like time travel and systems; what else was impossible for him?
Erkete Hal squinted and scrutinized Lu Wu for a while before saying, "This is the first time I've seen someone apply probability theory to this, especially since it was said by a soldier. This makes me even more suspicious that this is the work of your intelligence network."
An old, all-pervasive intelligence network? I'm sorry, we don't have that kind of thing yet. Lu Wu answered inwardly, though outwardly he maintained his previous expression.
“But that’s fine too, it saves us some trouble.” Celtic Hal continued, “Since you’ve already started designing traps for me, you must have realized the extraordinary nature of the ‘hard light coil,’ especially the core that serves as the energy source. Analyzing its structure and the conditions under which it is generated, it doesn’t seem like something that can be naturally produced on the continent of Ens.”
“Yes, given the level of industrial development of the Belken Empire as we know it, it is indeed impossible for them to produce such a signal jamming station,” Lu Wu replied.
"Even you people of unknown origin, the Amelia, cannot create such a thing," Celt Hal said with certainty. "Although your technology is far more advanced than that of the Belken Empire, you are still a long way from being able to manufacture these things. The Belken Empire was able to create a large number of signal jamming stations entirely thanks to an ancient ruin that has existed for tens of thousands of years."
Why does this art style feel like it's gone from Halo to Girls' Frontline? As a veteran Griffin commander, it's hard for Lu Wu's thinking not to leap to this level.
“Let me guess, could this ‘ruins’ have been built by the Gilahani people?” Lu Wu probed.
"You also know about the Gilahani people?" Celt showed surprise and astonishment for the first time.
Lu Wu was taken aback. I just mentioned it casually, how did it happen? But he didn't answer the other party's question. Instead, he said, "We can discuss this later. Let's get back to the main topic."
“Alright.” Celtic Hal agreed to the proposal. “We discovered this place, known as ‘Relic Zero,’ twenty-one years ago. To date, even with the support of the Belken Empire, we have only explored less than a tenth of the relic. We have gained a lot, but most importantly, we have confirmed the fact that humans are not the only intelligent beings on this world, and that there are intelligent civilizations with technology far more advanced than humans colonizing the stars.”
This confirms that aliens exist in the Ensemble world. Lu Wu felt completely calm, without any sense of unease.
"The ruins contain a great deal of information—books, weapons, energy sources..."
"This discovery touched the Belken royal family, who believed that the knowledge contained in the ruins could elevate Belken to a superpower. So they secretly and persistently invested a huge amount of social resources in the project. For the first ten years or so, our progress was extremely slow, but as we successfully deciphered a portion of the Gilahani script, this treasure trove finally truly opened its doors to us. Metallurgy, engineering design, industrial manufacturing... this ruins contain so many different fields, and every exploration we undertake has been a fruitful one."
"The breakthroughs made by the Belken Empire in various technological fields in recent years are more or less the result of studying this ruin."
It sounded like the Belken Empire already had a bright future. But Lu Wu knew that if that were truly the case, the person before him would probably never have said such a thing.
"But the more we learn about the Gilahani civilization, the more desperate we feel. If you know anything about the Gilahani civilization, you should know what kind of civilization it is—" A hint of hesitation flashed across Celtic Hall's face, "—They follow ancient and bloody cultural traditions, worship the strong, take pleasure in barbaric and cruel acts, and have extremely fanatical religious beliefs and a desire to spread their doctrines. Most terrifyingly, such a civilization possesses technological strength far surpassing ours. Once they descend upon the continent of Ens, the human nations will be unable to resist their invasion."
……
Update: The company has started another project, "887 Likes," which is expected to last until the end of May. During this time, I'll only be able to update two or three chapters a week when I have time. I estimate I can resume daily updates after the project ends.
You can join the group and hurl insults at BWD to release the pressure caused by the infrequent and slow updates.
Group number: 288948672
Volume 1: Chapter 151 (Secrets 2)
"We have only just reached out and touched this sky, while the Gilahani people broke free from the shackles of gravity thousands of years ago and roamed this sea of stars. The difference between the two civilizations is greater than the difference between an infant and an adult." Celtic Hall stated this despairing fact in a calm tone: "If we simply maintain our current development trend, then even a hundred years from now, we will still be weak and worthless garbage in the face of the Gilahani civilization, destined to be swept into the dustbin of history."
"For humanity to survive, it must become more powerful than the Gilahani civilization. However, technological development requires accumulation. Based on previous international trends, even after another hundred years of development, we might not be able to penetrate the Gilahani's defenses. Only by studying and thoroughly understanding their technology will we have the right to resist."
"As long as you can provide sufficient research conditions and don't hold me back, I have no problem conducting research here. In fact, your country must have a very advanced research and industrial system to be able to design and mass-produce such advanced equipment, which is also a good thing for us."
“I don’t believe you.” Lu Wu frowned slightly.
"You think this is sudden?" Celtic Hall asked rhetorically.
"This is too sudden," Lu Wu said. "We've fought so many battles with you, and so many people have died, but you've never talked to us about cooperation. Why are you suddenly saying you want to cooperate with us today?"
“I also find it sudden.” Celtic Hal leaned back against the headboard. “A new power suddenly emerges during the war, with its army's equipment level at least fifty or sixty years ahead of the mainstream countries. Wouldn’t you have doubts about such a power? After all, who knows if your advanced equipment was obtained by betraying your race by siding with the Gilahani people?”
"So why are you now planning to cooperate with us? Aren't you afraid we're traitors?"
"Every civilization's technological creations have unique distinguishing characteristics, determined by the physiological characteristics, habits, and culture of the civilization's constituent entities. If you put the Federation's and Donghuang's warships side by side, even a civilian who knows nothing about military affairs could absolutely tell that these are weapons produced by two different civilizations. Since I woke up, I have been observing your equipment. Although this equipment is much more advanced than the current mainstream equipment, it all conforms to the evolutionary history of weaponry in our world and serves the 'human' subject. If you have ever been in contact with the weapons of the Gilahani, then you should know how different the Gilahani's weapon design logic, the requirements for the operator, and human weapons are from those of human weapons."
"Such a short period of contact is enough for you to make such a judgment? Don't you think it's hasty?" Lu Wu's furrowed brows did not relax despite Celtic Hal's explanation. He felt that such a judgment was too frivolous.
“If you can’t even trust your own judgment, what kind of researcher are you?” Celtic Hall raised his head, clearly very confident in his brain.
“I know you must have some doubts about me now, which is normal; building trust is a long process. Therefore, I have prepared some gifts for you to express my sincerity,” Celtic Hall asked. “There is a castle called Swarth Castle, eighteen kilometers northwest of Fabandi. It is the command center for the entire Fabandi communications jamming project, as well as the headquarters of the 67th Infantry Division of Belken. Only an infantry regiment and a tank battalion are stationed there. Most of my team’s research materials and equipment are in the castle. I would very much appreciate it if you could help me retrieve the manuscripts for these materials.”
Lu Wu noted down the designation of the 67th Infantry Division, intending to find the Ergians later to clarify the origins of this unit. "But how do I know if this is a trap set by you Belken people? Even if it's not a trap, I can't be sure if it's a ruse to infiltrate our ranks."
"Well, that's a matter of opinion. I can't offer any evidence to prove my point. It all depends on whether you have the guts to believe me," Celtic Hall said casually, seemingly unconcerned.
Having reached this point, there was nothing more to discuss. Lu Wu decided to verify the reliability of Celtic Hal's intelligence before starting the second round of talks. So he stood up and said, "Well then, that's all for today. Please get some rest, Dr. Hal. If you are indeed interested in cooperating with us, I think we'll meet soon."
“Then I’ll wait for your news.” Celtic Hall straightened up and answered, lifting himself off the headboard. After watching the two leave the ward, his gaze returned to the soldier supervising him, continuing his earlier harassment…
"Yelena, have the reconnaissance company make a trip to Swarthburg immediately to verify the intelligence. Be extremely cautious; this could be a trap for us." After moving a distance from the ward to ensure that no one inside could hear, Lu Wu spoke to the girl beside him.
"Understood, Commander."
"Paz, have someone keep an eye on Celt. Keep a close watch, and report any suspicious movements immediately. If he tries to escape, kill him on the spot." Lu Wu then issued another order, "This guy has very sharp observation skills. He's extracted a lot of information from us in just this short time. If he stands on the opposite side, he'll cause us a lot of trouble. Don't let him leave this ward before the reconnaissance company returns, and don't let him come into contact with too many of our people or equipment."
"Yes, Commander."
Lu Wu let out a sigh of relief, admitting that his conversation with Celtic Hal had instilled a profound sense of crisis in him. Faced with the threat of the Gilahani, the battles he had fought before were nothing more than child's play. At this moment, even if he were given a hundred T-80BVMs or a hundred Su-57 fighter jets, it wouldn't make things any easier for him.
As we all know, modern warfare is all about air superiority; whoever controls the air controls the initiative. The Gilahani have gone a step further, controlling space. The conventional munitions carried on the Su-57 are probably just there to weather their starships with cleaning agents.
Fortunately, it wasn't time to completely despair. At this moment, Lu Wu remembered a powerful weapon in the system shop, which reassured him somewhat.
8U49 "Natasha" adjustable yield nuclear bomb.
He simply didn't believe the Gilahani people could withstand a nuclear explosion with a yield of 30 tons.
……
A previous chapter about the reformation of prisoners of war was censored. If you want to read it, join the group. The group number is in the comments.
The subsequent plot regarding the reformation of prisoners of war will be simplified. Please be aware of this.
Volume 1: Chapter 152 (Chapter 138) Identification of Foe and Foe
The 8U49 "Natasha" nuclear bomb is a tactical nuclear bomb developed in the 60s that can be carried by fighter jets. Weighing only 450 kilograms, it can even be carried by a MiG-21. Its nuclear yield can be adjusted between 5000 million and 30 kilotons, making it extremely flexible in use as both a tactical and strategic nuclear weapon.
The "Natasha" nuclear bomb in the store is relatively expensive, but not prohibitively so. While it's not as readily available as the UNSC, it's still possible to build up to five, six, seven, or eight suns, like the Belken race, which could be used as a trump card.
Just as Lu Wu was figuring out how to get the money to buy himself a Natasha, Captain Valerio, who had received another deployment order, felt his face twitch. He began to wonder if he had accidentally offended the commander at some point. He had only just flown back to Svorbella from Fabanti, and now he had to fly back again? The 200-kilometer straight-line distance would take a Mi-4 helicopter nearly an hour at its maximum speed, and for the fully armed little green man, this hour-long journey was no happy school trip.
Or is it that the commander has Ying blood in him, and has inherited the fine tradition of the Angus civil servant group of "using anyone useful to the death"?
"Guys, hurry up! Once we've resupplyed, we're off immediately. A huge group of Belkens are waiting for us in Fabanti to kick their asses!" The order was relayed through the communication network. One by one, the reconnaissance soldiers who had unloaded their gear and were resting in their dormitories or eating in the canteen received the order via broadcast or their respective communication terminals. They immediately dropped what they were doing, grabbed their gear and weapons, and ran toward the airport.
Then Valerio discovered that, not only him, but the air assault company was also beginning to assemble. Soon, both companies, totaling over two hundred men, had completed their assembly at the airport. Without further ado, after counting heads and replenishing supplies and ammunition, the two struggling companies, led by their respective commanders, boarded their planes and headed towards Fapanti.
The 12-helicopter formation headed north, and after entering the airspace over Fabandi, the Mi-4 aircraft broke away and flew west. The reconnaissance company would circle around and approach from the northwest of Swarthorpe—that is, from behind the Swarthorpe garrison, while the Mi-24 aircraft would veer slightly northeast and continue towards the city of Fabandi.
Night had fallen, and Fabanti, once a city that never sleeps, was now shrouded in darkness. This wasn't because either Algeria or Belken had lost power, but rather because both sides had tacitly implemented strict blackouts. Only a few visible lights could be seen on the front lines where fighting was taking place, and these lights quickly attracted Belken artillery fire. Clearly, the Belken had deployed a large number of scouts with excellent night vision to guide their artillery.
However, the Belken artillerymen, who were rampaging across the ground, probably had no idea that hundreds of eyes were watching them from the sky. The flashes of the cannons revealed their positions clearly. The herd of doe in the air meticulously recorded the locations of each cannon, perfectly illustrating the saying, "Don't be so cocky today, you might be held accountable tomorrow."
"Still unable to contact the Elgin army?"
"Captain Miller of the air assault company pressed the PTT button and asked. The radio power and range on the Hind were greater than those carried by individual soldiers, so the task of establishing radio communication with Elgin naturally fell to the Hind crew."
"No, Captain. It's still jammed here. The Belken must have set up a bunch of jammers right under the Elgins' noses." The crew member's reply was somewhat helpless. He had been trying to establish communication with the Elgins ever since entering the Fabandi airspace, but unfortunately, he hadn't succeeded so far.
"Execute Plan B." Fortunately, Captain Miller was prepared for this. He decisively abandoned the plan to directly airdrop at the Elgin command post. The Hind aircraft changed course, flying towards a small square two kilometers east of the command post. This square was not strategically important and had little defensive value. By the time the Elgins heard the commotion and arrived at the scene, the air assault company had already completed its landing and even secured the landing zone, making contact with the Elgin defenders while ensuring their own safety.
This caution is necessary. It's important to understand that friend-or-foe identification (FFI) has always been a crucial part of warfare. History is replete with instances of friendly fire attacks, perhaps the most egregious being Operation Cobra, the US Air Force's bombing that killed a lieutenant general and 200 soldiers. Even in the information age, blue-on-blue incidents still occur, from the Gulf War to the July 2020 incident where a US M1A2 tank's FFI malfunctioned during training, misidentifying a friendly tank as a target, resulting in serious injury to the loader and severe damage to the tank.
Although the Elgin royal family had already publicly acknowledged the existence of the Amelia Volunteer Army and updated and issued the latest friend-or-foe identification standards based on the information provided by Lu Wu, it was impossible for all Elgin soldiers to immediately remember the characteristics of the Amelia Volunteer Army. The dark environment would also exacerbate tension and further reduce the Elgin soldiers' judgment, making it easy for these uninvited guests, whose clothing and weapons were completely different from the royal army, to be mistaken for the enemy.
So it's best to be careful.
The 2-kilometer distance was covered in the blink of an eye.
Six female Hinds landed in two groups on the small square, releasing the paratroopers from their cabins. Despite being in friendly control territory, the paratroopers quickly seized several key positions on the square, spreading out and setting up temporary defensive positions.
Miller signaled his men to light a roaring bonfire at the main entrance of the square and raise the orange seven-star rose flag of the Elgins beside it. Any Elgins coming to investigate who had come from the command post would surely notice the flag. After setting up these identification markers, Miller entered the temporary command post and awaited the arrival of the Elgins.
Three minutes later, the sentry post hidden outside the square finally sent back a message—a convoy of three trucks had appeared on the road and was moving toward the square.
Volume 1: Chapter 153 (Chapter 139) It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early.
At Captain Miller's signal, a small green man with a rifle slung over his back walked to the middle of the road and waved his hands to signal the convoy to stop.
This tactic worked; the three trucks eventually stopped three or four meters away from the little green man. After a moment, an officer wearing a peaked cap got out of the passenger seat of the lead truck.
"Are you the Algerian volunteers?" the Algerian officer asked hesitantly.
"The 7th Brigade of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, the Air Assault Company, have you seen us before?" the little green man replied with some surprise.
“I’m from the Royal Guard. I saw you once before in the castle; your equipment is quite distinctive.” The man in the peaked cap visibly relaxed. “When I heard your voices, I wondered if it was you, and it really is you. Are you here to reinforce us? How many of you are here?”
"You'll have to talk to our company commander about this," the little green man shrugged. "Please come with me." He then turned and walked into the square.
The man in the peaked cap gestured behind him before catching up with the little green man. When he saw Captain Miller, his last trace of unease and doubt vanished. Coincidentally, Captain Miller also recognized this guard officer, whom he had briefly met and fought alongside in the castle—one of the lookouts on the tower keeping an eye on the rebels' movements.
With this connection in place, everyone could speak frankly and openly. To be honest, it was impossible not to be disappointed when he learned that the Chinese People's Volunteer Army had only sent an air assault company, especially after learning that the air assault company had come to deliver a message. However, he was an optimist—the presence of the Volunteer Army showed that Ireland was not fighting alone, and that the Kingdom's friends were still providing them with assistance to the best of their ability. This assistance was truly effective, far more useful than mere verbal support or protests.
As a person, you should know how to be grateful and not take advantage of others.
Although Bradley was only a major, his dual status as a member of the Royal Guard and the Royal Palace Guard gave him more influence than some colonels. Through Bradley's connections, Captain Miller soon met with the highest-ranking commander of the Fabian forces, General Adelaide, at a command post set up in a high school.
"Welcome to Fabandi. I'm sorry I don't have anything to offer to our guests who have come from afar."
General Adelaide, 71, has a loud voice and a strong facial structure. However, she appears tired and haggard, seemingly affected by the unfavorable war situation.
Captain Miller quickly saluted the general. Fabian was able to withstand the betrayal and hold his ground until today entirely thanks to the old man in front of him. "You don't need to do that. We're not here for a vacation."
“I wish you were here on vacation today,” Adelaide said with a wry smile. “Let’s leave the small talk here. Time is precious, and I bet you didn’t come all this way just to chat with this old man. I heard from Bradley that you brought some important intelligence. Everyone in this classroom is a loyal warrior, so you can speak freely.”
Since Adelaide had said so, Captain Miller didn't delay and laid out the plan in its entirety: "We plan to head north and launch a swift attack on the Belken people of Fabandi to break the current predicament. To do this, we first need to build a sufficient forward base in Fabandi."
"A counterattack?" The completely unexpected news caused the Algiers in the classroom to widen their eyes.
Adelaide frowned. "I remember we only have three divisions left in the south. If we divert too many troops for a counterattack, it will allow the Northern Army Group to take advantage of the situation."
"The only unit participating in this counterattack is our 7th Brigade of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army," Captain Miller dropped the second bombshell.
"This is insane! You only have one brigade, you're sending them to their deaths!" someone exclaimed incredulously.
“We happen to excel at fighting outnumbered opponents.” Captain Miller was not angered by the questioning; he said, “The 73rd Division and the Irwin Battle Group can prove us right.”
Only then did the students in the classroom recall the glorious achievements of this volunteer army unit from a foreign land. This was a force that could not be measured by the standards of the Irish or Belken armies. Although nominally only a brigade, its terrifying breakthrough capabilities and firepower were even stronger than several divisions. The Belkens probably never expected that the 7th Brigade, 200 kilometers away, would suddenly launch a surprise attack without warning, shortly after finishing a major battle. With the enemy caught off guard, the 7th Brigade's counterattack might actually disrupt Belken's rhythm.
“Even so, this is still a very radical military adventure. I am very grateful for your efforts, but I really don’t recommend you do it.” However, Adelaide still chose to dissuade him. After all, he hadn’t witnessed the 7th Brigade’s combat methods firsthand and didn’t understand the significant differences between mechanized and motorized units, or traditional infantry divisions. As an army with a special political agenda, if the 7th Brigade suffered heavy losses or even annihilation on the battlefield, it would have an extremely negative impact on the entire kingdom’s will to resist and on international public opinion. From a personal perspective, Adelaide also didn’t want these international friends to sacrifice themselves.
Captain Miller did not respond to him.
“Well, it seems you’ve made up your mind.” Adelaide sighed, giving up on persuading him. “What kind of support do you need? The kingdom will do everything in its power to provide it.”