artillery arc

Chapter 538 In the Underground Tunnel
The new headquarters of the Abavakhan Front was set up in a maintenance well on the side of the cross-river tunnel.

The cross-river tunnel itself has become an important transportation channel for the front army. Transport vehicles shuttle through the tunnel almost day and night. As long as you open the door of the maintenance well leading to the main tunnel, you can hear the sound of car engines.

At first, Wang Zhong was worried that the tunnel maintenance shaft would be stuffy, but after entering, he realized that the maintenance shaft was also a ventilation shaft, and the air circulation was very good.

He even felt a little cold.

However, with so many people gathering in a confined space, there is a risk of danger if ventilation is not maintained.

As soon as Wang Zhong entered the headquarters, guard Gregory said, "I'm going to check the headquarters' defenses."

After saying this, the sergeant grabbed a clerk who was passing by and said, "Show me the blueprint of the tunnel. I want to know every exit."

Wang Zhong: "If the enemy has reached this point, then Abawahan will almost certainly be lost, at least this side of the river. It shouldn't be that serious."

"It is better to be prepared, my general." Gregory said, saluting Wang Zhong, "This is my duty, just like your duty is to lead us to victory."

Wang Zhong: “Okay, I’ll leave it to you.”

After seeing Gregory off, Wang Zhong said to Yakov, "It's too cold here. Go to my dormitory and get my thickest coat."

Yakov: "Your clothes have been delivered to the lounge. I'll get them."

After saying that, he entered the narrow side door and ran away along the small passage.

Wang Zhong turned to Pavlov and asked: "How long will it take for the headquarters to be relocated? I mean, how long will it take for the headquarters to be able to function again?"

"It has been restored now. Since the place is small, it can only accommodate a portion of the staff and clerks. I asked those who have received combat training to stay, and sent the others to the east coast to maintain the operation of the entire headquarters through telephone lines."

Wang Zhong nodded. "Okay, that's great. All those in the city who have not received combat training should be sent to the East Coast."

"I've been doing this since I arrived here, but many people refuse to go to the east coast. They want to maintain production in the city. Currently, Abawahan can produce hundreds of PPShs and ten T34s a day."

Wang Zhong: "300 vehicles per month? Is that so high?"

Pavlov: "This is the output achieved under the current situation of difficult raw material supply. The local church has found a way to maintain the supply of the factory. I don't know where they got so much steel and non-ferrous metals from. They may have gotten it from local residents."

Wang Zhong sighed: "People, with such people, we will definitely win."

"Yes."

Wang Zhong: "But women and children must be ensured to leave the urban area. You have to convince them..."

Popov: "This is my job. In fact, I have tried my best to persuade the women and children. But most of the women in the city have joined the labor camps and are currently building fortifications and anti-tank piles throughout the city. Their children are also reluctant to leave and are helping to bury mines, direct traffic, and do some carrying work within their capacity."

"Nonsense, let the children leave! If you can't do it, it's your dereliction of duty!" Wang Zhong raised his voice and glared at Popov.

Popov: "I'll take care of this."

With that, he quickly left the headquarters.

Yakov just came in with his coat, glanced at Popov and asked in confusion: "What's wrong? The military bishop looks very serious."

Pavlov: "The Commandant gave him a difficult task: to persuade the children to leave their mothers - and their entire families - behind."

Wang Zhong: "This is his job. Do you understand what his job is?"

Yakov: "Okay, your coat."

Wang Zhong put on his coat and breathed a sigh of relief. He came to the map on the wall and watched the staff update the status of each division in the city.

Pavlov: "Each division has been divided into numerous combat groups according to your orders, hiding in buildings and ruins. They will kill as many enemies as possible until they die on the battlefield."

Wang Zhong nodded.

Pavlov: "This is simply a trade of lives. There is no strategy or tactics involved."

Wang Zhong: “But it can help us win.”

At this time, a staff officer ran over and said, "Report from the No. 1 beachhead, the enemy has begun to deploy Moravia's vassal troops."

Wang Zhong: "Really? How many vassal troops were deployed? How many numbers appeared?"

"The numbers of the two army groups." The staff officer replied.

Wang Zhong smiled happily: "Great! Great! The vassal army has low combat effectiveness and needs supplies. Two armies means too many mouths to feed. This will be the last straw that breaks the camel's back. As long as we can withstand the enemy's final offensive, we will win!"

Pavlov looked at the map seriously: "Hold on to the final attack..."

----

Proson, the Sixth Army Commander, General Frederick pointed to the map: "We have advanced to the city of Abavakhan. As long as we push the artillery positions forward, our artillery can even bombard Rokossov's headquarters.

"And your army will be directly involved in the assault on the city." He looked at the face of the commander of the 30th Infantry Corps of Plossen, who arrived with the Moravians.

The commander of the 30th Infantry Corps held his head high and said, "Leave it to me. My corps happens to be equipped with a considerable number of Bison self-propelled infantry guns, which can be used in the city to destroy the enemy's buildings with accurate and powerful artillery fire."

General Frederick: "Very good. I will send the Asgard 6th Armored Grenadier Division to assist you. This division has not been put into combat yet. It not only has elite armored grenadiers, but also an armored battalion!

"These tanks are designed for urban combat, and have special armor welded on them to protect against enemy Molotov cocktails."

The commander of the 30th Infantry Corps saluted: "Thank you for your respect, General. We will complete the mission and completely take over the port within three days!"

"Three days?" Admiral Frederick shook his head. "Three days is too slow, my general. Three days is too slow. The strength of the Ants is increasing with every day we delay. It's the same as last year! I hope you can reach the port in one day. Don't delay!"

The commander of the 30th Army was embarrassed. "This is a city operation, and it's all reinforced concrete buildings. Based on our experience in Melania's capital, such a city is not so easy to attack."

Admiral Frederick sighed, "Seeking truth from facts is a good quality of Plosson's soldiers. You are right. Then three days. After three days, I want to see the waves of the inland sea."

At this time, Admiral Frederick's adjutant reminded: "As an inland sea, the Inland Sea is calm most of the time."

"I know, damn it, I know. It's just a metaphor!" Admiral Frederick said unhappily.

----

Unnamed Highlands.

Yegorov came out of the division headquarters, climbed to the high ground, and observed the direction of the city with a telescope.

"The city is burning," said his adjutant.

Yegorov: "Yes, although we held our position, the other troops were defeated and the enemy has entered the city."

As he spoke, he turned the telescope and looked in the direction of the train dispatching yard: "I don't know the situation over there. After the shelling this morning, the phone call with the 16th Army couldn't be reached."

Adjutant: "In the afternoon, the enemy fired a rapid-fire attack towards the train dispatching yard, so there should still be people resisting. The phone line is cut because it can't be reached."

"I hope so." Yegorov put down the binoculars. "Today the enemy's attack on our position was much more fierce. Fortunately, we have the vortex, which prevents the enemy tanks from being too reckless."

The adjutant sighed: "How long will this battle last?"

"We must continue until victory. Isn't that a matter of course?" Yegorov said with a firm expression, "or we all die in battle."

----

Train dispatching yard.

The fierce fighting in the satellite city has lasted for two days and has never stopped from morning to night.

Following General Rokossov's instructions, the soldiers of the 16th Army split up into small groups of three and fought the Prosen people throughout the city.

Each combat group fought independently, making their own decisions about actions in the ruins, and actively killing and wounding the Prosen.

Generally, such a combat team would be centered around one or two core members of the secular faction. During the battle, the two teams with reduced numbers of members would even spontaneously unite to form a new team to continue fighting the Prosen people.

They could not contact their superiors or get supplies. They ate the dry food they carried with them or the food they found in the cellars of their fellow villagers, and the bullets they fired were captured from dead enemies.

Except for the khaki Ante uniforms they still wore, their equipment was exactly the same as that of the Prosens.

It was countless troops like this that attacked the Prosen people day and night.

As long as there was one such combat group still alive, the 16th Army would not be destroyed and the train dispatching yard would not be completely lost.

Although the headquarters of the 16th Army had been captured by elite Plossen fighters.

A Major Proson stepped on the documents that had not yet been burned on the ground, walked all the way to the general who was lying on the ground, bent down and took out the documents from him.

"General Panfilov." The major, who obviously understood the Ante language, read out the name on the certificate and turned around to scold, "You shouldn't have killed him!"

The sergeant at the door said awkwardly: "He was fighting with a submachine gun and has killed three of us, Major. We can't afford any more casualties!"

The major cursed, "Can't you wait until he runs out of bullets? There are so many ways to capture him alive, why don't you think of it? Now that he is dead, no one can order a cessation of resistance."

The sergeant hesitated, then said, "Major, I don't think these Ante will stop resisting, even if the commander orders them to. I've fought them, and they won't stop resisting, Major, they won't."

Major: "You can't decide whether or not! Hang the general's body on the front of a tank and parade it through the city to let the Ants know that they are doomed."

Staff Sergeant: "I refuse to do such a thing. It will only boost the enemy's morale and make them more angry and fight to the end."

"Are you telling me what to do?" The major turned around and pointed at his badge. "I am a major in the military police, the eyes and ears of His Majesty the Emperor!"

The sergeant gritted his teeth and nodded to his men, whereupon two privates stepped forward, grabbed Panfilov's arms, and dragged him outside.

(You guys are always worried about the little maid, so I can only release the sketch first)
(End of this chapter)