Chapter 1282 Sermon on Revival
"What we are celebrating is the victory of a battle, the complete success of Operation Clean Night. But what we must remember and praise even more is the deeper meaning behind this victory!"
Gu Chengyuan's gaze became sharp and bright, as if it could illuminate every corner of people's hearts.
"First of all, this is a great victory for the Central Plains Theater!"
His tone became more forceful, each word like a heavy hammer striking people's hearts.
"It is the brilliant victory achieved by our theater command, our command system, and our hundreds of thousands of loyal and fearless commanders and soldiers with courage, wisdom, and a spirit of sacrifice that have exceeded all limits!"
"From the initial breakout from the Xishui area to the recapture of Chongqing, and now to the recovery of the night market, we have taken one step at a time, using our iron will and burning passion to carve out space for survival and hope in this land shrouded in virus and death!"
"Our artillery, with its roar that filled the sky, tore apart the enemy's lines! Our armored troops, with their invincible iron torrent, crushed the enemy's madness! Our infantry, with their bayonet-to-bayonet courage, wiped out the last stubborn enemy! Our air force, our special operations forces, our logistical support, our medical evacuation..."
“Every post and every figure is an indispensable cornerstone of this victory! This glory belongs to every brave soldier in the Central Plains Theater!”
Snap snap snap snap snap snap snap snap—
After a brief pause, applause erupted like a long-awaited thunderclap!
The troops participating in the parade, and the disabled soldiers represented by Jia Daiquan who were in special seats, were especially moved to tears, clapping their hands so hard they seemed to want to crush them.
The faces of those fallen comrades, the arduous and extraordinary battles—at this moment, they all seemed to have found their most worthwhile resting place.
Gu Chengyuan raised his hand slightly, and after the applause subsided, he continued. His gaze became even warmer as he swept over the ordinary representatives from various gathering places below the stage, over the cadres supporting the families of martyrs, and over the children whose eyes were full of hope.
"At the same time, this is also a great victory for all the people of the Central Plains War Zone!" His voice was filled with even deeper emotion.
"Our victory has never been confined to the front lines!"
"It exists in the ceaseless roar of machine tools in Factories 001 and 003! It exists in every pair of hardworking hands in Chongyi, Tongren, Panjiang... in all the gathering places, rushing to make clothes, produce food, and provide supplies for the front line! It exists in the sweat on the foreheads of drivers who brave wind and rain on the long-distance transport line! It exists in the resolute eyes of every military family member who sends their loved ones to the battlefield and silently shoulders the burden of their family!"
"It exists even more in the immense desire and unwavering belief of all the ordinary survivors who trusted us, supported us, and shared our fate, in rebuilding their homes and restoring order!"
"It is the people's trust that gives us the source of strength! It is the people's support that forges our invincible backing! It is the people's yearning for a better life that guides our direction! This victory belongs to our heroic army, and even more so to our great people!!!"
Snap snap snap snap snap snap snap snap snap ————
This time, the applause was even more enthusiastic and longer, tinged with emotion and filled with resonance.
In the viewing area, countless workers, farmers, technicians, and grassroots cadres from the grassroots level had tears in their eyes.
They felt that their efforts and expectations were clearly seen by the supreme commander and given such high recognition.
Gu Chengyuan's voice rose again, filled with an even greater sense of history and national pride. He straightened his back, his gaze seemingly piercing through time and space:
"Ultimately, this victory is a vivid manifestation of the indomitable and persevering spirit of the Zhou people in the face of the end-times catastrophe!"
His words, amplified by the sound system, resonated like a great bell across the square.
"Our nation has weathered five thousand years of trials and tribulations. What hardships have we not experienced? What crises have we not overcome? The end times have come, our land is shattered, and our civilization has collapsed. This is undoubtedly the most profound calamity in our nation's history!"
"But look at the land beneath our feet! Look at our compatriots around us! The virus has not made us yield! Death has not made us despair! In the darkest moments, there are always people who step forward, people who hold fast to their beliefs, and people who ignite the first spark of hope in the ruins!"
"From north to south, from east to west, countless people like the sons and daughters of Zhou Bang are fighting tenaciously on different fronts for the same goal—survival, dignity, and rejuvenation!"
"Today, we are here not just to celebrate the victory of a battle. We are declaring to the world!"
"The flame of Zhou Bang civilization has never been extinguished! The backbone of the Zhou Bang people has never bent! Any disaster will only make us more united! Any enemy will only make us stronger!"
"The recovery of the night market is a brand new starting point! It signifies that we not only have the determination to survive, but also the ability and will to recover more lost territory, save more compatriots, rebuild our homes, and revive our civilization!"
Gu Chengyuan's voice reached its peak, filled with unparalleled confidence and power, as he forcefully swung his arm:
"Comrades! Friends! The road ahead is still long, and the challenges remain severe! But we are fearless! Because we have a heroic army! We have a great people! We have an indomitable spirit that has been passed down for five thousand years!"
"Let us unite closely and steadfastly continue along the path we have already blazed! To completely sweep away the gloom of the end times! To rebuild a more prosperous, flourishing, and powerful new Zhou state! For ourselves, and for our descendants, so that they may forever bask in the sunshine of peace and happiness!"
"Victory belongs to the indomitable people of Zhou!"
"Glory belongs to the heroes of the Central Plains War Zone!"
"The future belongs to each and every one of us who hold hope and strive together!"
"go ahead!!!"
The final shout, like a sword drawn from its sheath, pierced straight into the sky!
"Whoa————————!!!!!!!!!"
Instantly, the entire Victory Square erupted in cheers!
The thunderous applause, cheers, and shouts swept through every corner like the most violent tsunami!
People stood up excitedly, waving everything they could, tears welling in their eyes, and shouting loudly!
"Long live the Central Plains Theater!"
"Long live Commander Gu!"
"Long live Zhou Bang!"
"Forward! Forward!!"
...
The shouts rose higher and higher, converging into an unstoppable torrent that lingered over the newly revitalized city.
Under the blazing sun, battle flags fluttered, and hope and strength shone on every face.
Gu Chengyuan stood behind the podium, gazing at the boiling sea of people below, at the steel army arrayed in the distance, and at the vast sky and land.
His eyes were brimming with tears.
A new and more magnificent chapter, belonging to the Central Plains War Zone and to the indomitable people of this land, has begun!
.....
In later historical records and official archives, this unprecedented grand ceremony held at the newly liberated night market was officially named the "Revival Grand Parade," also known as the "Night Market Victory Day Grand Parade."
The significance of this military parade goes far beyond a display of military power or a celebration of a battle victory.
It is widely regarded as a landmark event with multiple epoch-making significance in the process of the revival of Zhou civilization in the Central Plains War Zone and even in the post-apocalyptic period, and its profound influence continued to manifest itself in the decades and even longer historical periods that followed.
—From "The First Year of Restoration: A Brief Account of the Restoration of the Night Market and the Rise of the Central Plains War Zone"
Editor: Editorial Committee of the History of the Revival of Zhou Bang Civilization
.....
This military parade symbolizes the complete end of the old era (the chaotic end times) and the official start of a new era aimed at the revival of civilization.
The night market, this megacity reclaimed from the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, along with this military parade, became the most dazzling "beacon of civilization" in the dark apocalypse, proclaiming to all those struggling in suffering that hope is not illusory, order can be rebuilt, and civilization can be reborn.
This military parade was not only a celebration, but also a successful political mobilization, a vivid myth of national founding, a majestic declaration of strength, and a resounding clarion call for the revival of civilization.
It officially declared that the Central Plains War Zone and the order it represented were no longer a local force confined to a corner, but a new regime with lofty aspirations, a gradually stabilizing foundation, and the ability and will to reshape the land, thus ushering in the magnificent "Great Revival Era".
His images, speeches, and spirit have been repeatedly cited, commemorated, and studied by later generations, becoming a key to understanding the spirit of that era and the character of the regime.
—From *The Lighthouse Era: A Brief History of the Revival of Zhou Bang Civilization in the End Times*
Editor: Society for the Study of History in the Age of End and Revival (Reviewed Version)
