Bearer of the Word

Fan setting of China in Trench Crusade world by “河鱼” and his friends North Qing and South Ming—— The State Supervised Machinery Institute of Southern Zhili, South Ming The roar of steam engines beats like the pulse of this land, stirring the people who live off it. Veins flow with coal and synthetic oil; muscles are forged from gears and springs; and the day-and-night toil of workers, like breath itself, infuses vitality into this colossal giant. It is this giant that anchors the Southern Court in the perpetual war—and at its heart lies the State Supervised Machinery Institute of Southern Zhili, the greatest industrial and mechanical marvel in the nation, if not the world, and the preeminent academic hub of the South. This towering behemoth is composed of modular towers that rearrange themselves into myriad configurations at different times, facilitating internal research and lectures. Thus, the appearance of this colossus transforms dramatically with each passing day. Amidst this constant reshaping and the grind of interlocking gears, countless unnamed new Mechanical Structures are discarded during tests in the proving grounds—many more having been reluctantly abandoned long before, after prolonged experimentation. Only the most exceptional designs emerge from the Institute, to be manufactured by machinery factories and deployed in the armies of the South. Elimination is not merely a matter of performance; more crucially, it hinges on practical battlefield concerns: the difficulty of operation for technician-soldiers, ease of maintenance, and adaptability to combat scenarios. As a result, numerous unparalleled Mechanical Structures are consigned to the vast warehouses of the Institute after only limited production, roused from slumber only for the most extraordinary battlefields. Here, aspiring minds converge: orthodox scholars of the Ge zhi (Investigation of Things) School, eclectic artisans of the Gong shu (Master Craftsman) School, and Confucian scholars specializing in mechanical sciences, all seeking to expand their knowledge. This immense steel citadel of learning welcomes them all—whether they enter through the traditional imperial examination system or graduate from modern academies. Admission is granted to anyone who can prove their ability to contribute a unique, rational design, no matter how small, to this steam-and-machinery metropolis. Yet for all its inclusivity, the Institute’s governance—centered on the Mechanist Review Council—remains firmly in the hands of the orthodox faction, heirs to the Ge zhi Society. The State Supervised Machinery Institute of Southern Zhili remains, in essence, the embodiment of orthodox scholarship. When the Institute’s mechanist scholars embark on missions to recover vital legendary Mechanical Structures or conduct special investigations, the South Ming troops accompanying them witness the bizarre, transformative power of those who command the secrets of steam machinery. These scholars, versed in the principles of long-distance mechanical control, effortlessly manipulate multiple Mechanical Structures simultaneously. Under their unique direction, these constructs operate in perfect coordination, like a veteran, well-drilled army, maximizing the advantages of unmanned machinery. They excel too in laying intricate networks of portable devices, annihilating enemies in the traps they weave. Unlike mechanists who specialize in operating colossal battlefield Mechanical Structures, the Institute’s scholars favor designs that are more ingenious and precise. As senior scholars empowered to mobilize small military units, they also hold authority over most of the warehouse’s Mechanical Structures—and these rare, seldom-seen devices, deployed alongside regular human troops, clear the path for the Institute’s mechanical savants. #trenchcrusade