After the first shell was fired, the cannon barrel recoiled violently backward. Although the entire cannon vibrated, it remained stable as two Yin soldiers held it steady on either side. Once the barrel reached the end of its recoil and sprung back, the soldier responsible for aiming checked the sight and excitedly reported, "No adjustment needed, continue firing!"
This is akin to the human body performing work. If you jump back two steps, it's difficult to return to your exact original position for your footprints to perfectly overlap. However, if you squat down and then stand up, you've still exerted effort, but your body hasn't moved laterally, and your footprints remain in place!
"What are you waiting for? Load the next round!" Dai Lu urged.
The gunners among the Yin soldiers quickly reloaded and fired again. The cannon remained motionless.
The interval between shots was less than fifteen seconds. This meant that with the addition of this small recoil compensator, the cannon's efficiency had increased seven to eightfold. If the artillery crew coordinated even more seamlessly, it could be even faster, as knowing the cannon wouldn't recoil, the loader wouldn't need to take cover far away. His first task after loading one shell would be to quickly retrieve another.
It was a bit taxing on the loaders.
The combat effectiveness of the new cannon saw an immediate and tangible improvement. It was a shame Xiao Yanwang wasn't present; she had likely gone to the front lines. I used the Soul Guiding Token to contact her, informing her of what I had personally witnessed. Xiao Yanwang was overjoyed and immediately promoted Dai Lu to Deputy Commander of the Divine Machinery Battalion, granting her the fifth-rank official position of Coffin Residence. She also ordered Dai Lu to escort ten new-style cannons to Liyucheng for reinforcement.
"What's wrong with Liyucheng again?" I asked. She had been stationed there last time.
"Nothing much, don't worry. I just want to see what happens if the G98 rifles are used in conjunction with the new cannons," Xiao Yanwang chuckled.
"I suggest you hand over command to Dai Lu," I said frankly. Xiao Yanwang didn't even know how to use the rifle tactics for the G98, let alone artillery tactics. It wasn't that they were incompetent, but they lacked experience with advanced weaponry. Tactics for advanced weapons are developed on the battlefield. For Dai Lu, however, this was all historical knowledge from textbooks. She was well-versed in various old tactics, certainly more so and more specifically than I was.
"Why, you don't trust me?" Xiao Yanwang asked.
"It's not a matter of trust. When it comes to coordinating infantry and cavalry, or attacking and defending territories, Your Highness is undoubtedly a leader. But when it comes to coordinated operations of rifles and cannons, you lack experience. Dai Lu is more suitable. Let her conduct a few basic demonstrations, and I believe Your Highness, with your discerning eyes, will grasp the nuances and develop even better tactics."
"Heh heh, your mouth is so sweet. You're clearly telling me I'm not good enough, yet you make me quite happy," Xiao Yanwang laughed.
"How dare I, how dare I."
I relayed Xiao Yanwang's orders to Dai Lu. Transporting ten cannons by carriage to Liyucheng would take about three days. There was nothing I could do to help with that; it was too long. I could only urge Dai Lu to be careful.
Just as I was about to bid farewell and leave, I suddenly sensed a familiar aura within the army, heading straight for me. Before I could spot the person in the crowd, she executed a somersault, utilizing her Qinggong (lightness skill) to leap over the artillerymen and land in front of Bingbing and me. Everyone was startled, thinking it was an assassin. The Yin soldiers who had just finished operating the new cannons even swiveled their barrels to aim at us. Were they planning to take us all down together? What kind of logic was that!
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Zheng Baobao.
"She's one of us, one of us," I quickly raised my hands to signal. "This is the Commander of Wusan City, Lord Zheng."
The gunners let out a series of murmurs, not of disapproval, but of admiration for seeing a "celebrity." I was only slightly puzzled. Given the inconvenient transportation in the underworld, how were their battle reports delivered so quickly? Could they be using carrier pigeons?
Regardless, it had nothing to do with me.
"Lord Wu, Bingbing, it's great to see you again!" Zheng Baobao excitedly clasped my and Bingbing's hands.
"How did you find your way here?" I asked. Xiao Yanwang had already agreed to assign Zheng Baobao to me, and I had been waiting for the Underworld Officials' Department to bring her to me, but they hadn't yet.