artillery arc

Chapter 567: Condolence Phone Call
After a series of events related to the surrender were completed, Wang Zhong finally returned to the headquarters on the evening of December 12.

Pavlov, who had returned earlier, was standing in front of a table piled with documents, as if he was stretching his muscles.

Wang Zhong: "What is this? Why are there so many more files than usual?"

"The battle is over. We are identifying the bodies and confirming the names of the dead. However, the city has been in such a state that I guess a lot of people will have to be listed as 'missing'."

Wang Zhong: "You should give these to your six-episode clerk. Next, we will pursue the fleeing Prosen heavy troops, which seems to be called the Shiplin Group? We must defeat the enemy's B Army Group with overwhelming force, recapture the land lost since June in recent years, and approach Shepetovka.

"This will further threaten the Prosen Army Group A. If all goes well, we can even return to Khazaria!"

Pavlov turned around and looked at the large map of the entire battlefield, frowning. "Are you planning to encircle the enemy's Army Group A? Your appetite is too big. Last year, we were taught a lesson by the Proshen Army who set up a solid defense line in advance because of our reckless advance."

On the war map that includes the entire Europa, the middle section of the Eastern Front still basically maintains the state after the counterattack ended last year. General Gorky's offensive has only achieved a local breakthrough and has not changed the overall front line.

Wang Zhong: "The Proson army as a whole still has strong combat effectiveness, but I have a reason for expecting this. That is, the entire Nanant grassland is almost indefensible, and the logistics supply is extremely poor. We can use the advantages of artillery fire and manpower to defeat the exhausted enemy.

"Of course, what I just said about returning to Khazaria is just a beautiful vision. I don't really regard this as a goal."

Pavlov: "I have already completed the pursuit plan. I just need to make some minor adjustments based on the current reality."

Wang Zhong waved his hand: "No, no, the retreating Proson troops were seriously exhausted in the rescue operation. Although General Shiplin set up a defense line in advance, how much supplies can he leave for the officers and soldiers on the defense line? The low temperature of minus 40 degrees Celsius is unbearable for the Sixth Army. Do you think the remaining troops can bear it?

"No, Pavlov, forget your plan. Now all our troops must be deployed in the offensive, and as quickly as possible."

Pavlov: "Of course this can be done for cavalry and infantry, but not for mechanized infantry and armored troops. But since you want to set off as soon as possible, I think you can separate the troops with low logistical requirements from the troops with high logistical requirements.

"Provide a series of forward supply stations for troops with low logistical needs, allowing them to take them when they pass by. As for the armored and mechanized infantry, they should develop a complete supply plan and advance step by step as before.

"You know our support capabilities. We can't do the same as Proson, who marched at full speed day and night. If we do this, 60% of our tanks may break down halfway, and we won't have enough power to recover them."

Wang Zhong thought about it and agreed with Pavlov's suggestion: "You are more professional in this area, so you can do it."

As soon as he finished speaking, the phone rang. Since Wang Zhong was relatively close, he picked up the receiver directly: "I am the commander of the front, Rokossov. Who is it?"

Lyudmila's voice came from the other end of the line: "Alyosha! Is the line busy now?"

Wang Zhong looked around and found that every phone in the headquarters was indeed in use, but the staff officers were taking the initiative to call each unit to convey instructions.

The red telephone near him and Pavlov rarely rang, as if the noise in the headquarters had nothing to do with it.

Wang Zhong picked up the phone, pulled the phone cord and sat on the empty table at the edge: "It's okay, there shouldn't be any emergency that would require my red phone. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, healthy, and not injured. But Nellie... Nellie's eyes are in trouble. There was a huge scratch on the eyeball after it was removed. The doctor said that even if there was no infection, her eyesight could not be preserved. Today she has boarded the evacuation train to the rehabilitation center on the inland sea. The doctor said that it will take at least four months for the wound to heal completely."

Wang Zhong sighed: "I know Nellie was injured, but she has been on the front line, I thought it was just a minor injury."

Lyudmila: "Your orderly tried her best to let the soldiers know that they had not been abandoned. Please praise her when she comes back."

Wang Zhong: "Yes, I will, Liu Xia, I will."

"And..." Lyudmila's voice suddenly trailed off.

Wang Zhong: "What's wrong?"

"No, you are going to continue chasing the enemy, right?"

"Yes."

Lyudmila: "Then I'd better give up the dedicated line. I heard that even His Majesty the Tsar has been strictly prohibited from interfering with the operation of the front headquarters."

Wang Zhong: "Liu Xia, you can talk more. You are my wife, and the soldiers will understand."

"No, don't be willful. The opportunity to fight is fleeting, and we still have a lot of time in the future."

Wang Zhong smiled: "Yes, we still have a lot of time in the future."

I always feel that this is setting a flag, but at this moment Wang Zhong doesn’t feel that he will lose Lyudmila in the war, as if it is some kind of revelation.

"Well, see you in Yeburg when the muddy season comes."

"Well, see you in Yebao next year. I'm hanging up." Although Lyudmila said this, she was reluctant to hang up the phone.

Wang Zhong: "Hang up, dear."

The girl hung up the phone reluctantly. Pavlov: "You can talk for a while longer."

Wang Zhong: "What about you? Don't you want to chat with your wife? No, the commander of the front army cannot be treated specially."

"I don't know who just said, 'The soldiers won't mind if you chat for a while longer.'" Pavlov was unusually sarcastic.

Wang Zhong just scratched his head.

As a result, the red phone rang again at this time, and Wang Zhong picked it up again - actually to cover up his embarrassment.

"Abavakhan Front Command, General Rokossov is on the phone." Before Wang Zhong could speak, the other side gave the order.

Wang Zhong: "I am Rokossov, go ahead."

"This is the chief steward of the Tsar's court, General Rokossov. We have met before. The Tsar wants to speak to you."

Then Olga's voice appeared impatiently: "Brother!"

Did he call her brother directly? Ever since Wang Zhong's son was born, Olga seemed to have accepted the identity of his godsister.

Olga: "Brother, this time I am calling through official procedures. I want to express my condolences to all the officers and soldiers of the front army who have won a glorious victory - what? Commanders and fighters? I want to express my condolences to all the commanders and fighters of the front army who have won a glorious victory!"

Wang Zhong: "I will convey this to all officers and soldiers, or should I put your call on the radio?"

"No need, you can just pass it on. In addition, I will broadcast the news of victory to the whole country on the radio station tomorrow night. By then, I will need the most specific number of enemy annihilation. Please ask Chief of Staff Pavlov to prepare it."

Wang Zhong: "You want detailed combat results, right? Is it for tomorrow night's broadcast?"

Pavlov cursed, "So anxious? Considering the time to bring the decoder... it will definitely be too late!"

Wang Zhong: "Pavlov said it's too late. Can it be postponed until the day after tomorrow?"

Olga: "Well... delaying the announcement of victory for one day will arouse suspicion. Now everyone in Yebao knows that you have won a great victory and surrounded and annihilated hundreds of thousands of enemies, just like they surrounded and annihilated our heavy troops last year!
"Such a major victory must be announced as quickly as possible to the people who are fighting and the people in the occupied areas."

Wang Zhong: “You are right.”

Pavlov: "It's mainly a transmission problem. Such a telegram must be very long, and it will take a lot of time to encode and decode. If we can send it in plain text... maybe we can try the wired telegraph used in the railway system."

Wang Zhong suddenly slapped his thigh and said, "Use a plane. After doing a preliminary statistics, let a staff officer take the documents on the plane. This way, we can reach Yebao in a few hours."

Pavlov also slapped his thigh and said, "Yes!"

Wang Zhong quickly said into the receiver: "We have found a solution now. You can just broadcast as normal tomorrow night."

Olga: "I heard it, and I knew you would always find a way, brother."

I don’t know why Olga’s tone always reminds Wang Zhong of the hero’s sister in an animation he liked very much before he traveled through time, “Too Many Loser Heroines”.

Wang Zhong: "Have you finished talking about business? My line is very busy. If there is nothing else, I will hang up."

Pavlov and other staff officers frowned and looked at Wang Zhong, with everything they wanted to say written all over their faces.

Olga: "Wait a minute! Congratulations on your victory, brother! Are you going back to Yebao now? We are already preparing for the awarding ceremony..."

Wang Zhong: "I will return to Yebao when the muddy period comes next year. We are now chasing the enemy. We estimate that there are still about 300,000 enemies fleeing."

At this time, the staff officer came over with a large envelope, opened it and poured the photos inside onto the table: "Report, aerial reconnaissance found that the enemy was building fortifications on the Sukhayaveli River."

Wang Zhong: "Well, it seems that the enemy intends to maintain the demarcation line during the muddy period at the place they occupied at the end of August this year."

Pavlov picked up the photo and examined it carefully. "It looks like there is some large-scale construction machinery, but... it's winter now. Even if we use explosives to break up the ice, it will freeze over the next day. It's minus 40 degrees."

Because of the severe cold, the river, which was originally a natural barrier, has become a thoroughfare.

Wang Zhong: "We are defending our old rival, the Tenth Army, here. I wonder if its commander still likes the fake tanks I left for him."

Pavlov: "This time you finally have the upper hand in terms of military strength."

Wang Zhong smiled.

(End of this chapter)