Arc of Gunfire

On September 25th, the rest of the day can only be described as boring.

The Plosans' bombardment was on point, but in the end it had no effect because everyone took cover before the point was reached.

The Prosen Air Force seemed to have forgotten the city of Shostka, and did not even carry out heavy horizontal bombing.

Wang Zhong was in the division headquarters bunker, listening to the taunts played by Vasily on the loudspeaker outside, and yawned greatly.

Pavlov: "If you're sleepy, go to sleep. If there's a fight, you'll have to stay in the division headquarters bunker all day."

Wang Zhong: "Now I wonder if we can really fight? Yesterday we arrested so many school officers, all of them wearing engineer armbands, and took back so many tools. The enemy's soil engineering advancement ability must be greatly reduced."

"Maybe we can sit here until it starts to rain, and then we can retreat."

Pavlov frowned: "Do you want to retreat until it rains?"

Wang Zhong: "The enemy's supply line is not long enough now. Although rain will cause chaos, I think we still need to retreat and lengthen the enemy's supply line."

As he spoke, he walked up to the battle line chart.

"Moreover, if you look at the enemy's offensive on the northern front, although the progress is slower than we expected, there is still progress. They advanced 25 kilometers the day before yesterday and 28 kilometers yesterday. Although it is very slow, they are indeed advancing.

"Since the launch of the offensive on the 20th, the enemy has advanced 110 kilometers in five days."

Pavlov looked at the map: "What on earth is the Northern Front doing? Because there is not much pressure on our side, the Western Front pushed all the troops to the Northern Front. Why can the enemy advance 110 kilometers in five days? "

Wang Zhong: "I also heard something about this when I communicated with the officers in Yebao. The main reason is that blind expansion of the army has led to a shortage of equipment in the army.

“The tank division lacks everything but tanks, the infantry division even lacks tanks.

"Ploson infantry, machine guns are equipped to the infantry squad, and our infantry division can only have two to three machine guns in a company, and Bobosha sometimes has less than machine guns, and each platoon leader only has one."

Pavlov: "If you think about it this way, aren't we a super rich division? We captured so many machine guns. When we first retreated to Loktov, everyone had a submachine gun."

Wang Zhong: "You just know? Look at our artillery, 36 heavy artillery pieces. Which division except ours has such an artillery configuration? I met an officer in Yebao. His division had a total of four 122, four! There are only four 76-gun infantry guns.”

Pavlov looked at the map: "If you think about it carefully, the configuration of our third rear Amur regiment is also very bad. The division only has infantry artillery."

Wang Zhong: "Yes, the Prussians' infantry regiment has a large number of 75-mm infantry guns. The division has enough 105- and 150-mm tubes. Even if the enemy only launches an infantry attack, this artillery firepower density can break through our defense line. .

"Our problem can be summed up in one sentence: insufficient firepower!"

Popov interrupted at this time: "I thought it was because there were not enough tanks."

Wang Zhong: "Tanks alone are useless. All arms must be combined. Look at the enemy. A tank division has everything. It has enough artillery, strong infantry, accompanying engineering and anti-aircraft artillery battalions, and motorized reconnaissance." camp.

"Look at how many motorcycles and trucks we robbed yesterday."

When Wang Zhong said this, he also thought of the sailor riding a motorcycle yesterday, and of his big lapels and ribbons.

Then the phone rang.

Pavlov picked up: "Division headquarters. Where are you? I'll give it to him right away."

As he spoke, Pavlov handed the receiver to Wang Zhong: "This is from Ye Bao."

Wang Zhong took the receiver: "I am Rokosov."

A serious and steady voice came from the other side: "Rokosov, you did a great job!"

Wang Zhong couldn't remember who the voice was for a while. Just when he was about to ask, "Who the hell are you?", he suddenly realized that the person who could speak like this was probably Patriarch Belinsky.

He hurriedly said: "Hello, Your Majesty the Patriarch."

The other guy laughed, very happy.

When Popov heard that it was the Patriarch, he quickly stood up.

The other person on the phone said: "We have received your 'gift'!"

Wang Zhong: "I received the Enigma machine. Hurry up and organize mathematicians to decipher it."

The Patriarch was stunned for a moment: "Wait a moment."

Then he probably took the receiver away from his ear, but he could still hear the Patriarch's voice: "The Enigma machine sent by Rokosov? Did the Cryptozoology Section of the Intelligence Bureau of the Headquarters receive it? Why didn't you tell me? ?Okay, I know."

The Patriarch's voice became clear again, and he obviously put the receiver to his ear again: "Something went wrong. It seems that the high command believes that deciphering the code is within their scope of responsibility. But the decoder is now with the Inquisitor, and we will wait for rescue It will make him talk."

Wang Zhong: "Actually, the key is mathematics. We should organize mathematicians and let them focus on studying the laws of enemy codes and establishing mathematical models. The Enigma machine itself cannot allow us to decipher the code. We must know the secret key, which is the rotor. 's initial position.

Belinsky: "Thank you for your suggestion. We will gather the best mathematicians in Yeburg now. What we are talking about here is another gift."

Wang Zhong reacted immediately: "You mean those prisoners?"

"Yes, there have been some rumors before that we have advertised all kinds of great victories, but not a single prisoner has been seen. Now there are prisoners. If you don't send the prisoners, we may have to find someone to play the role of the subdued Pu Luo. The forest army is gone.

“Even with their uniforms we’re halfway there.

"This kind of disguise is definitely risky. Once the news leaks out, the consequences will be disastrous. Now that we have a real prisoner, everything will be easier to handle."

Wang Zhong: "That's great. By the way, we must let the Mike reporter from the United States and his photographer partner come take a look and write a good report!"

"Of course." Belinsky paused, "Can that reporter be trusted?"

"It should be possible." Wang Zhong replied, "Is there something wrong with the message he sent back to the United States?"

"No, that's not the case. But I haven't been in contact with that reporter, and I still don't know the details. Since you think you can trust him, he has produced a true report. Then we will arrange for him to have a good visit."

————

St. Catherine's Castle, afternoon of September 25, 1914.

After answering a phone call, United States reporter Mike and his partner, photographer Robert Capa, were invited to Yeburg Street by several inquisitors.

Mike looked around in confusion. At this time, there were far fewer pedestrians on Yebao Street than a few weeks ago.

People from the labor camp can be seen stacking sandbags on the street. In the distance, in the park in the middle of the street, you can see the 85mm heavy anti-aircraft gun hidden in the park.

Robert was very happy taking photos, especially staring at a lady who was shopping.

At this time, the inquisitor said in the Anglophone of the United States: "You'd better save some film."

Robert: "I speak Antese. Let me save the film? Why?"

The judge smiled slightly: "There will be exciting things to show later."

Suddenly, a woman's scream was heard in the distance.

Mike and Robert turned their heads together and saw several ladies at the intersection in the distance throwing down their things and running away from the intersection like crazy.

The lady who just passed Robert had a look of astonishment on her face, looking blankly into the distance, not knowing whether to continue moving forward - the direction she originally wanted to go.

Then, the Prosen army turned around the intersection!

The wife who was still watching screamed, dropped her things and turned around to run away, but was caught by the judge: "Don't worry, madam, you can see clearly, that is a prisoner!"

The woman turned back and stared at the Prothen.

Robert: "They are tied with ropes! They are prisoners!"

He hurried toward the advancing column of prisoners.

Mike glanced at the inquisitor, and when he saw the other party making a gesture of invitation, he took steps to catch up with his partner.

Robert was already consuming film crazily, and the smoke from the flash drifted into Mike's nostrils.

Mike looked at the prisoners carefully and found that half of the prisoners were wearing engineer armbands, and the other half were wearing military uniforms that were darker than ordinary Prosin uniforms, and the collar badges around their necks were also different.

He suddenly grabbed his partner: "Pay attention, take pictures of their collar badges! This is the most newsworthy part!"

Robert: "Collar badge?"

Mike: "Did you see Zeus holding lightning? These people are the Knights of Asgard according to Prosen's propaganda department, the best of the elite! Prosen's propaganda said that this army is invincible!"

Robert: "I don't remember this happening, but it must be what you said it was. And this collar badge...it does look eye-catching!"

As he spoke, he picked up the camera, got close to the infantryman with collar badges, and pressed the shutter.

The smoke produced by the rapid combustion of magnesium powder comes out of the flashlight.

Mike: "Take more pictures!"

After giving instructions to his partner, he switched to Prosen and asked loudly: "Are you the Knights of Asgard? Who defeated you?"

All the prisoners stared at Mike with resentful eyes.

Robert, as if he had found a treasure, took pictures of the expressions of these people.

At this time, the Ant crowd came to their senses and began to curse at the prisoners, and threw all kinds of debris at the prisoner team from all directions.

Mike was still repeating: "Are you the Knights of Asgard? Who defeated you? Who captured you? I am a reporter from the United States! Who can accept my interview?"

At this time, a man who looked like an officer suddenly said: "Ob's stürmt oder schneit, Ob die Sonne uns lacht!"

Mike understands Prosin and knows the meaning of "whether it's a strong wind, a blizzard, or a scorching sun."

This is the military song of the Prossen Armored Corps.

The next moment, the disgraced prisoners raised their chests and raised their heads, singing loudly together.

The engine roared like thunder and the speed was as fast as lightning. It faced the enemy and was protected by the tank. In front of our comrades, we charge and fight alone, thus we penetrate deeply into the enemy's position.

The Ant crowd threw things more vigorously, but this did not stop the Proscenians.

No, they seemed to be singing louder to counter the anger of the Ant people.

If the goddess of fate abandons us again, if we can no longer return to our hometown, if bullets are fired at us, ending our destiny and stopping our lives, at least our loyal tanks will give us a steel tomb.

Mike looked at the arrogant Prossens and had already thought of the first sentence of the report.

"These prisoners, it seems as if they are not prisoners at all, but come to occupy the city. This is the first group of Plosen soldiers who entered Ye Fort."