artillery arc

Chapter 758: On the East Bank of the Oder River
On November 11, the agenda of the Theban Conference was completely completed.

Wang Zhong was preparing to board a flight back to Ant on the morning of November 11.

That afternoon, during dinner, a stack of United States newspapers was delivered.

Vasily, who was delivering newspapers, had a grin on his face, which made Wang Zhong wonder: "What are you laughing at? Did the newspaper publish a joke on the front page?"

Vasily took out a newspaper and handed it to Wang Zhong: "Read it yourself!"

Wang Zhong took it and looked at it, and also laughed.

The photo on the front page of the newspaper was a photo of Wang Zhong’s big ass cheeks taken by a reporter. His slap became a shadow in the photo, while Ah Chang fell backwards with his face turned towards the camera, his cheeks still maintaining the shape when he had absorbed the force of the slap.

Wang Zhong was not sure whether there was photo retouching technology in this era. Wang Zhong always felt that the fist mark was made with PS because it looked too - too cartoon-like.

But precisely because of its cartoon-like feel, the impact of the photo almost overflows from the paper.

Wang Zhong laughed for a long time before he remembered to look at the photographer's name, and found that it was not his old acquaintance Robert Capa (Mike's partner).

On second thought, Mike and his partner are currently filming a documentary in the Melania liberation zone, exposing the atrocities of the Prosen people.

Wang Zhong: "This is a great photo. Give the photographer a souvenir. I think a captured cross medal would be nice."

According to Wang Zhong's instructions, Ant is now collecting the captured cross medals, engraving the date of capture and the name of the soldier who captured it on them, and then giving them as souvenirs to international friends and civilians who have made outstanding contributions but have not met the standards for awarding medals.

Of course, these are cross medals above the knight level. Those first and second class iron crosses that are common in the streets will be sent to Yekaterinburg to pave the way for the future Victory Memorial.

Vasily: "Okay, give this reporter a captured cross. By the way, Marshal, I think if you want these crosses to be valuable, you can issue a certificate signed by you personally."

Wang Zhong: "That's a good idea. Let's do it."

After saying that, Wang Zhong admired the photo again. After looking at it for a long time, he muttered, "It's really cool. I should throw a few more punches."

He handed the newspaper to Olga: "Look, my punch looks very heroic, isn't it?"

Olga: "That's quite heroic. But is this person so hateful?"

Vasily: "He retreated 2400 kilometers!"

Wang Zhong: “Not only that!”

Then he recounted what Ah Chang had done on Earth.

Olga shouted, "Well done! If you had told me earlier, I would have gone up and kicked him again."

At this time, the confidential secretary entered the room: "Report, urgent telegram from home."

Wang Zhong frowned. "The last time I received an urgent telegram like this was when I was in the United States giving a speech to solicit war bonds and aid. Then there was the Battle of Abawahan, where I lost my adjutant."

Vasily: "It's unlikely. It's impossible for Proson to launch a decent attack now, and I'm very tough and unlikely to die. Let me take a look first."

He took the telegram and glanced at it, then smiled and said, "Guess what the urgent telegram is about? Kashuh originally wanted to erode the enemy's defense line secretly, but he ended up occupying the enemy's core city of Korshu inexplicably.

"This is the most important city in South Melania. The rebels launched an uprising when our army infiltrated the city, and welcomed our army after occupying the city. Now Kashuh is frantically asking for more troops, thinking this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Wang Zhong: "Reinforce the troops. Send the troops that have been replenished with basic non-commissioned officers to Kashuh, and let them quickly eat up South Melania."

Vasily: "Now we have reached the Oder River. As long as we can occupy the river bend in the middle of the Oder River and break through the river bend, we will be less than 60 kilometers away from Prothenia!"

Vasily took out a map from his pocket and said, "Look! This is the latest map, and there are also photos taken by the aircraft."

Wang Zhong: "Why do you carry these things with you?"

Vasily: "I think it might be useful in the future, like when I'm driving a small jeep behind a Rokossov tank."

Wang Zhong: "You guy... I promised Pavlov that I would no longer go to the front line to drive tanks."

Vasily nodded: "I believe you, too. But as an adjutant, I must be fully prepared."

At this time, Olga interrupted their conversation: "So we take off tomorrow?"

"Today, this is to deceive the possible Proson spies." Wang Zhong stood up, "Let's take off after we finish eating."

At this moment, he heard the sound of something collapsing, followed by a loud bang outside the window, and a large amount of sand and dust blocked the entire window.

Vasily drew his pistol, ready to fire, and shouted: "Guards!"

Soon the guards rushed into the room.

At the same time, a long whip was swung into the window and wrapped around the high table with a vase by the window. Soon a white man wearing a cowboy hat crawled in through the window.

Wang Zhong's eyes widened: "Dr. Indiana Jones? What are you doing?"

Doctor: "Ancient tomb. Sand was flowing down from the ceiling. I escaped."

Wang Zhong: "Oh, I just learned that you are still conducting archaeological activities here."

"Me? No, I was ordered to protect the safety of the meeting because the local Proson spy organization lurking there might use ancient ritual magic to launch an attack."

Wang Zhong: "What about now?"

"The ritual failed, and all the Prosen people died. I escaped, but unfortunately the ruins were not preserved. I suggest you leave this place as soon as possible, because I don't know if there are any unclean things in the ruins."

Wang Zhong: “For example?”

"Guiki's virus."

Wang Zhong nodded and said to Olga, "Let's go. We are leaving soon."

"Hey wait, are you the Marshal Rokossov?" Dr. Indiana pointed at Wang Zhong. "Oh my god, I've been carrying your card with me. It was given to me when I bought war bonds. Can you sign it for me?"

Wang Zhong always felt that this signing scene seemed to be in some Indiana Jones movie... Was it the third movie? When he met Dr. Jones with a mustache, he quickly handed him the diary and asked him to sign it.

From a failed art student to the last-ranked student in a military academy...it seems quite reasonable?
Wang Zhong took the card and signed his name.

At this time, the guard battalion commander came in and reported: "There is a big hole in the yard, and we are preparing to go down to investigate."

Wang Zhong: "No need. There may be an ancient virus underneath. Use explosives to collapse the cave entrance. Remember to evacuate nearby buildings before detonating. We will set off and return to Ante now."

"Yes."

Wang Zhong looked at Dr. Jones and said, "Plosson is already on his last legs, Doctor. Don't let them find those ancient weird things."

The doctor replied seriously: "Those weird things don't exist. They are all superstitions of the ancients. For example, here in Mamluk, they all believe that black cats are messengers from the land of the dead. If you encounter a black cat, it means you are going to die. But I have been fine."

----

Yegorov discovered that in the parking lot in front of the new commander's office, there was a black cat lying on the still warm hood of a car.

The black cat's yellow eyes were like two gemstones, reflecting light even in broad daylight. It stared at Yegorov, its erect pupils like cracks leading to the abyss.

The driver waved the crank to start the car, trying to drive the cat away, but the cat did not move and stared at Yegorov.

"Wait a minute," Yegorov stopped the car soldier, "We have canned fish, open two for him."

The car soldier was shocked: "Is it the canned fish from Factory 651? That is the latest product and very popular."

The new canning factory 651, built with technology supported by the United States, produced canned fish that were well received by the entire army and could even be exchanged privately for alcohol.

Yegorov: "Give it canned food. When the residual heat of the car dissipates, it should leave."

"Yes."

Yegorov entered the headquarters and looked at the map that had just been hung up. "Very good. The headquarters is only fifteen kilometers away from the Plossen border. We have finally made it."

The chief of staff said: "Don't even think about going to the Oder River. The Prosens have set up observation posts and radio monitoring stations on the other side of the river. They seem to be able to use a triangulation method to determine the source of our radio signals and then launch artillery fire.

"If you are observed at the front line, you will be dead! I cannot bear the Marshal's wrath."

Yegorov chuckled and said, "No, no. But Chief of Staff, after we cross the river, we will be in Prosen's territory. Don't say that there are guerrillas that have not been eliminated and forbid the headquarters to move forward!
"When fighting in enemy territory, it is even more impossible for the headquarters to be far away from the troops, otherwise it will not be able to handle emergencies in time."

The Chief of Staff could only say: "Of course we will move forward in time, don't worry."

Yegorov sat down and suddenly laughed: "Let's stay at the back. The division commander might charge forward. When he does, you can't stop me! I'm going forward to scout and provide cover for him. Do you understand?"

The Chief of Staff looked even more worried.

----

Before the plane landed, Wang Zhong leaned over the window and saw the Oder River in the west.

This was the traditional dividing line between Melania and Prosen. However, after Prosen annexed Melania, he drove away all the Melanians living on the east bank of the Oder River. Neither the Ante military nor the court found out where they were driven to.

Many speculated that these Melanias had been massacred.

The Plosems relocated a large number of Plosems civilians and occupied the east bank of the Oder River.

The Plossens' original intention was to use the fortress city cluster on the east bank of the Oder River to hold off the core areas of the empire for a period of time when they were threatened.

Wang Zhong switched to a bird's-eye view and saw that most of the towns on the east coast looked different from ordinary Melania towns, and most of the town signs were in Prosun.

The airport where the plane landed was located in one of these "Plosenized" cities.

After sending Wang Zhong to the front line, Tsarina Olga would return to the capital on a refueled plane.

As soon as Wang Zhong landed, he saw Popov's bald head and asked, "Pavlov is not here?"

"He was too busy, you know. The planned repairs that were originally going according to plan were messed up because of our unexpected progress."

An unexpected development, the light infantry actually broke through the enemy's defense line after infiltration.

Wang Zhong: "It's good that he didn't come. I want to go to the front line to take a look."

Popov: "What? At least go in a tank. I'll send a Rokossov II over right away."

Wang Zhong: "Has the second model been put into production?"

“Yes, it is still equipped to the troops on a small scale. Currently, the receiving troops generally reflect that after the caliber of the artillery is expanded to 122 mm, loading is obviously much more laborious and the firing rate is slower.

"Many tankers think that the 100mm gun is still the best choice."

Wang Zhong: "If the Rokossov II is put into combat and performs poorly, we will then consider how to modify its design."

After a brief pause, he continued: "Now the most urgent task is to find out the enemy's deployment across the river. In order to achieve this, I must immediately go to the front line to observe."

Popov watched Wang Zhong run away immediately after he finished speaking, and muttered, "Damn it, Pavlov is going crazy."

He looked up and found Her Majesty Olga looking at him on the gangway with a smile on her face.

"Don't worry," Olga said, "My brother is so tough that even the god of death can't do anything to him. If the god of death really comes to find him, he will definitely smash the god of death's head with the submachine gun in his hand and tear his robe in two."

Popov: "Saint Andrew said something similar, but he died anyway. Never mind. I also believe that the Marshal is blessed with great luck.

“This may be a phenomenon caused by some scientific law, but we have not yet discovered the law behind it.

"In short, we should 'trust science' at this time."

----

Wang Zhong drove a jeep towards the river, and soon drove into the first town with a strong Prosun style.

Then he found a pile of corpses hanging from the street lights on the roadside in the town.

He immediately ordered the jeep to stop and asked the priest who was organizing the disposal of the bodies: "What's going on? Aren't these towns full of Prosen people? Haven't the Melania people been massacred by them?"

The priest saw that it was Marshal Rokossov and saluted: "Report to the Marshal, these are the Prosen people. They are hung up, and there are signs with slogans on their bodies."

Vasily picked up a plaque and translated the words on it: "I refuse to let my children die for Prosom. I am a traitor to my motherland."

Wang Zhong: "The final madness is damn despicable."

At this time, he saw a series of bodies that were obviously children's on the side of the road, so he walked over.

The children were all wearing military uniforms that were too big for their size. One boy’s trousers were too long, so the legs had been rolled up multiple times, creating a bulge at the bottom.

Wang Zhong: "Is it common for the Plossans to use children as soldiers?"

“No, Marshal, it may be because these families moved here after Melania fell, and most of them are newlyweds without children. We checked the registration list of the mayor of this city, and there are a total of 12 children over the age of 11 in the city, all lying there.

"Their uniforms show that they belong to the People's Self-Defense Force. Most of the People's Self-Defense Force soldiers are adult men, and some are adult women."

Wang Zhong nodded and asked, "Were these children...killed by machine gun fire?"

"Yes, they tried to attack our tanks with bazookas, but were killed by the tanks' machine guns and the submachine guns of the accompanying infantry."

Wang Zhong just nodded. There was no other way. If he didn't kill them, he would be killed himself. He could only let these children die. This was a sin committed by those who forced them to go to the battlefield.

Wang Zhong: "Let's go on to the river and see what the land of Prosen looks like."

Vasily: "Maybe it's a terrible country with skulls piled everywhere and rivers flowing with blood."

Wang Zhong: "You are talking about hell, right? Even if it is hell, let's go and see it!"

(End of this chapter)