Arc of Fire

Chapter 70

After the meal, the senior officers of the Rokosov Battle Group gathered again, with a defense map of Loktov City placed on the table around which everyone sat.

Yegorov spoke first: "I've stationed the first company and the third company at the chemical plant. Honestly, it's quite sturdy there, and casualties will be lower than at the base when we face enemy heavy artillery fire preparation.

"Another suitable shelter for artillery defense is here."

He pointed to the area behind the fertilizer plant.

"The warehouse district, also made of very sturdy concrete buildings, we can place the reserve forces, that is, the second company, here.

"Loktov can be considered half an industrial city, with many concrete buildings, which is one of the few pieces of good news."

Yegorov paused for a moment, then added: "By the way, the supply depot headquarters has assigned a company from their communications battalion to us, and they've been busy all afternoon setting up telephone lines."

As he spoke, Yegorov picked up the phone on the table and continued: "This is finally no longer just for show; it can now connect to the main position at the fertilizer plant, the hidden B4 howitzer battalion, the Divine Arrow company position, and the Loktov garrison."

After speaking, he put the receiver back in place.

Wang Zhong: "The places we can connect to are a bit limited, aren't they?"

"After all, the lines were just set up this afternoon."

Pavlov frowned: "Why is there a phone line to the garrison? They're not under our command."

"Now they are," Popov replied. "We've established contact with the Southwestern Front headquarters in Agsukov, and the Front has ordered us to take unified command of Loktov's combat units, to fend off harassment from small enemy detachments and support General Anton's counterattack."

Wang Zhong sneered: "Small detachments? We heard it loud and clear-an armored division is advancing toward us, and its vanguard reconnaissance battalion is already in Kalinnovka. Popov, did you even report the intelligence we obtained to the Front's intelligence department?"

"I did report it, but they need time to analyze it," Popov said, looking helpless. "Or they might simply not believe it, since it was just 'overheard' radio communication. The higher-ups think 'truly important information must be transmitted via telegraph, and the enemy's Enigma machine is designed for that purpose.'"

Wang Zhong, upon hearing the familiar term Enigma machine, immediately recalled the story of the British assembling a group of mathematicians at Bletchley Park to crack the Enigma code, and asked: "How is our country's level in mathematics?"

He remembered that both Tsarist Russia and the later Soviet Union had very high levels of mathematics, so if the British could do it, Tsarist Russia should be able to as well-right?

After all, this is a different timeline; maybe in this world, the Ante Empire's people can't even do mental math for multiplication and division within 100?

In Wang Zhong's view, his question was closely related to the topic, but to the others, it was, if not completely unrelated, at least as far-fetched as comparing apples to oranges.

Everyone looked at Wang Zhong with confusion, and the headquarters suddenly fell silent, with only the ticking sounds of the telegraph operators from the Tribunal's electronic reconnaissance bureau next door audible.

Pavlov: "Mathematics... huh?"

Popov: "What does this have to do with mathematics?"

Wang Zhong: "Didn't we just mention the Enigma code? Just gather a bunch of mathematicians to crack it. It's just a mechanical device, not something truly unbreakable. Of course, the premise is that Ante has enough outstanding mathematicians in sufficient numbers."

Everyone exchanged glances, and Yegorov asked: "Then why not just capture an Enigma machine?"

Wang Zhong: "Capturing one isn't enough. The Enigma machine can adjust encryption through changing initial settings. Even if the settings are identical, different starting positions of the rotors result in different encryption effects. So even if we capture an Enigma machine, we still need a large number of cryptography experts... Why are you all looking at me with such 'deep affection'?"

Popov: "I never knew before that you had such knowledge. I thought you only knew the bust sizes of the socialites in the capital."

Wang Zhong was utterly shocked. Is this what it means to be a playboy in the game of romance? I want to know too!

Pavlov interjected: "None of this matters-whether it's mathematicians or bust sizes, it's not what we should be focusing on right now. Regardless of whether the higher-ups believe it or not, we all know that an armored division is heading toward us.

"It's said that Prossen has only deployed 20 armored divisions in total, and one of them is coming straight at us! And all we have for anti-tank weapons are ten Divine Arrows and three anti-tank cannons!"

"About the Divine Arrows," Wang Zhong interrupted Pavlov, "I'd like to ask where the Divine Arrows are currently deployed."

Yegorov: "At the fertilizer plant. The second floor of the factory building offers good visibility, making it very suitable for launching Divine Arrows, and it's safe to relocate after firing. Brother Yatsemenko can't stop praising the new launch position."

Wang Zhong: "We should withdraw them."

"What?" Yegorov frowned. "Withdraw them?"

Wang Zhong: "I plan to use the Divine Arrows for anti-air defense."

"You plan to use the Divine Arrows to protect our 203mm artillery positions?" Yegorov exclaimed. "That's quite fitting. If the 203mm can survive one more air raid, the damage it inflicts on the enemy will definitely exceed destroying ten tanks!"

"No," Wang Zhong shook his head. "Today, the motorcycle reconnaissance battalion I captured in Kalinnovka was part of the enemy air force's ground guidance unit, and that inspired me. For the air force to bomb, they need to know where the target is. Do you get what I mean?"

Yegorov shook his head: "I don't."

Wang Zhong: "Loktov is a decent-sized city with many buildings. The surrounding terrain doesn't have high mountains either. I saw it clearly when I was out scouting-the highest observation point the enemy can find is the barn outside the city.

"The ground guidance units absolutely cannot see where our heavy artillery positions are. The enemy needs to conduct aerial reconnaissance."

Wang Zhong paused, hoping the others had grasped his meaning.

Pavlov: "And then?"

Wang Zhong: "We rescued a monk with exceptional hearing in Kalinnovka..."

"You mean a sound array specialist?" Popov asked.

"Yes, although he discarded his listening equipment, he said the blacksmiths in the city could quickly craft something usable. He'll be ready by tomorrow!

"He can distinguish the engine sounds of enemy reconnaissance planes!"

Yegorov finally understood: "You mean to use the Divine Arrows to take down enemy reconnaissance planes?"

Wang Zhong: "Exactly. When attack plane pilots are dropping bombs, they're under high tension facing our anti-aircraft fire and might not notice well-camouflaged B4 launch positions.

"But reconnaissance planes can take photographs, and the intelligence staff behind them can carefully analyze the photos in safety. The chances of them locating our artillery positions are much higher!"

The others nodded in agreement: "That makes sense."

"Block their reconnaissance and maintain good camouflage, and those cumbersome B4s might survive longer, inflicting greater damage on the enemy!"

Yegorov: "If we find another launch position and split the B4s up, they could withstand even more attacks!"

Wang Zhong: "We can also use wood or something similar to create fake positions. If we don't fire, they won't be able to tell the difference. We just need to avoid firing when enemy planes are overhead."

"Exactly!" Yegorov slapped the table. "I'll get the young men to..."

"No," Popov interrupted him. "This job shouldn't be done by the young men. The church is organizing civilian laborers and self-defense forces. Let them handle it. Among them are plenty of carpenters and blacksmiths."

Wang Zhong: "The church is organizing this?"

"Yes, we're the secular faction. The local parish priests have a lot of influence among the citizens. If it were the devout faction, it might be different," Popov said with some pride.

Wang Zhong: "That's good. The best cards we have right now are these B4s. The good news is, we've captured the enemy's communication call sign book. As long as they don't change the call signs, we can infer from the content of their communications where certain units are located.

"I've personally scouted the villages within the B4's range that can house people. Most of the villages are inhabited only by the elderly, those who don't believe in the Eastern Holy Church, and a small number of the devout faction. We can bomb them without hesitation.

"Especially at night, when the enemy is camping, we should be able to inflict significant damage on them."

----

Kalinnovka.

The second tank of the vanguard reconnaissance battalion of the Prossenian 15th Armored Division stopped on the road 500 meters from the village. The battalion commander, Captain Hank, poked his head out of the turret and observed the village with binoculars.

The smoke columns from the air force's bombings rose high into the sky, the particles in the smoke forming large clouds, painted blood-red by the setting sun.

The terrain of Kalinnovka village was a single road running straight through from one end to the other, so Captain Hank could see all the way to the exit on the other side from outside the village.

Thus, he clearly saw motorcycles belonging to the 220th Motorized Reconnaissance Regiment lying overturned in the village.

Clearly, these friendly forces had been ambushed.

The captain lowered his binoculars and ordered: "Gunner, fire at every window in the village."

The machine cannon of the second tank immediately opened fire, stuffing at least three 20mm high-explosive shells into every window.

Most of the houses in Kalinnovka were wooden, and the machine cannon tore apart even the window frames.

When they reached the fifth window, the captain shouted: "Stop!"

The machine cannon abruptly ceased.

No one emerged from the village, nor was there any return fire.

Wait, someone was coming out of the village!

An old man, wearing a military uniform from the era of the war between the Ante Empire and the Anatolia Empire, staggered out of the village, stood at the entrance, and looked at the Prossenians.

The captain: "Grab him and ask where the people who ambushed the motorcycle battalion went!"

The reconnaissance battalion soldiers, who had been taking cover by the roadside, immediately stood up and advanced toward the village entrance.

After the infantry advanced fifty paces, the captain ordered the tank to move forward.

When the tank reached the village entrance, the infantry had already pinned the old man to the ground. A lieutenant approached the tank with a military saber: "Captain, this is all he had on him!"

The captain took the saber, examined it closely, and exclaimed: "What a fine blade!"

As soon as he spoke, an explosion rang out from the village.

The Prossenian troops around the tank immediately dropped to the ground. The captain himself ducked back into the turret, not even caring about the "fine blade," which he threw to the ground.

A helmet blown off by the explosion landed on the ground with a crisp clang.

The pinned old man seized the opportunity to stand up, grabbed the saber from the ground, and attempted to strike the nearest Prossenian, but the submachine gun fired.

The old man's body stiffened violently, the blood-red setting sun falling upon him.

He collapsed bit by bit.

Though the dynasty had changed, he still shed his last drop of blood for his homeland.

Captain Hank emerged from the turret again and shouted: "What just exploded?"

"Report, Captain, the enemy planted a booby trap under a corpse!"

The captain cursed and ordered: "Drag everyone out of the village and ask where else booby traps are planted! Anyone who doesn't talk is a resistance fighter-shoot them all!"

Soon, over a dozen elderly people were brought to the birch trees at the village entrance.

The interpreter asked the first old woman: "How many booby traps are buried here? Where are they?"

The old woman spat in the interpreter's face.

The interpreter: "This is a resistance fighter! Shoot her!"

The submachine gun fired immediately, and the old woman fell, her eyes still glaring fiercely at the invaders.

The interpreter moved to the second person, an old man, and asked: "How many booby traps are buried? Where are they?"

The old man: "I am a sergeant of the 13th Guards Grenadier Regiment, soldier code..."

"I'm asking you a question!" The interpreter slapped the old man several times across the face.

The old man wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and continued: "I am a sergeant of the 13th Guards Grenadier Regiment..."

"This is a resistance fighter! Shoot him!"

Da da da

The interpreter walked toward the third person, a middle-aged man, who spoke before the interpreter could even open his mouth: "I believe in the Prossenian state church! My family secretly worships..."

The interpreter interrupted him: "Then tell me how many booby traps there are!"

"Only five, all buried under the bodies of the empire's soldiers in the village! These damned inferior races, they dare to desecrate the bodies of the empire's soldiers!"

The interpreter: "That's right, you are inferior races, so it's no surprise you'd betray your own neighbors."

With that, the interpreter turned to the surrounding Prossenian soldiers and said in Prossenian: "Just now, they were all so defiant, refusing to yield even in the face of death. I almost thought their national character had been elevated! Luckily, we have this one! They truly are inferior races!"

The Prossenian soldiers burst into laughter.

The traitor looked at the Prossenians in confusion, his face filled with panic.

The interpreter stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, we take care of those loyal to the empire. You did well, very well. By the way, who planted these booby traps?"

The traitor answered: "It was a man named Alexei Konstantinovich Rokosov! He calls himself the White Horse General!"

The interpreter's smile froze instantly.

At that moment, a corporal ran up to the second-in-command and reported loudly: "We found a note written in Prossenian on one of our soldiers' bodies!"

"Read it!" Captain Hank said.

"White Horse General Alexei Konstantinovich wishes you a pleasant occupation. I've left twenty surprises for you, hope you like them."

Captain Hank frowned: "Does it really say that?"

"Yes!"

The captain gave the interpreter a meaningful look.

The interpreter immediately slapped the traitor across the face: "Damn it! You dared to lie to us! There are clearly 20 booby traps!"

"What? Twenty? I swear I didn't know! I was hiding far away, I couldn't hear their orders clearly! I only saw them bury five!"

The interpreter personally drew his Luger pistol and loaded it.

The traitor dropped to his knees with a thud: "I'm innocent!"

"Those who deceive the empire must die!" the interpreter said expressionlessly, raising the gun to the traitor's forehead.

In a moment of desperation, the man shouted: "Long live the Prossen Empire! Emperor Reinhar..."

Before he could finish, the interpreter pulled the trigger. The bullet struck the target right in the center of his forehead, piercing through to the back of his skull, creating a large hole. White brain matter splattered onto the roots of the birch trees.

Then the interpreter kicked the body away with one foot.

The old woman standing in the fourth position spat on the corpse.

The interpreter: "Looks like you won't talk either?"

"The day my son comes back, he'll send all of you to hell!"

Bang.

The gunfire continued.

(End of Chapter)