Arc of Gunfire

At one o'clock in the morning on August 5, the headquarters of the Kosalia Front.

Wang Zhong was about to leave the headquarters and go to sleep. The commander of the communications battalion rushed in excitedly: "General! The First Mobile Army reported that Agsukov has been occupied, and only thousands of Proson combat engineers are still resisting. , The battle is expected to end before tomorrow morning!”

"What?" Wang Zhong looked at his watch, "So fast?"

Communications Battalion Commander: "After receiving news of the uprising in the city, the First Mobile Group Army organized an assault group, directly rushed into the city using motorized maneuvers, and occupied the Plosen City Defense Headquarters. The defenders immediately collapsed. ”

Pavlov: "It sounds like they took advantage of the lack of anti-tank firepower in the second-line troops of Plosen."

Popov: "It is also possible that the scale of the uprising was larger than we expected, and the Plosen defenders were directly driven back to the isolated stronghold, allowing our army to move unimpeded in the city."

Pavlov: "Should we report this news to Yebao? I think it would be safer to wait until all the enemies in the city have been eliminated, and the entire bank of the Tiber River has been occupied, before reporting it to Yebao."

Wang Zhong thought for a while and said: "No, we should report it as soon as possible to highlight that the Prosen people's front is falling apart. Not only do I need to report it, I also want to enter the city as soon as possible.

"You should immediately arrange for the front army headquarters to move forward."

Pavlov: "Now Agsukov is still within the enemy's artillery coverage. Is this really good?"

Wang Zhong: "If the enemy retreats in such a hasty manner, how many artillery units can be ready to fire on us?"

Pavlov shrugged: "According to the results we obtained from counting the artillery abandoned by the enemy on the battlefield and the wreckage of various artillery pieces, Proson lost more than half of its artillery force."

"That's okay. Make preparations now. We'll head towards Agsukov tomorrow morning." Wang Zhong yawned long after he finished speaking. "I'll rest for a few hours first and then we'll talk again at dawn."

Pavlov made a gesture of invitation.

Popov: "Wait a minute, shouldn't you draft the telegram reporting this matter to Yebao? You are the commander of the front army."

Wang Zhong raised his eyebrows and said to Vasily: "You draft the telegram, be a little more restrained when reporting, and sign our three names at the end."

Vasily: "Yes! This is originally the job of the adjutant. You personally drafted it because you said it, and I will record it."

Wang Zhong patted Vasily on the shoulder: "Leave it to you."

————

Ant's capital, St. Catherine's Fort, six o'clock in the morning.

After Olga got up, she was dressing up under the waiters of the maids, when the palace steward came in and reported: "General Turgenev is outside the door."

Olga was overjoyed: "We have won the battle, right? Have we captured Agsukov?"

The palace manager reminded him seriously: "It should be said liberated, otherwise the church may have objections."

Olga: "Sorry, I was so happy that I forgot. Let Turgenev come in, I'm already dressed."

The manager nodded, opened the door and went out.

After a while, Turgenev entered the room and said to Olga: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, just now, the 1st Kesalia Front reported that they had occupied the Agsukov city defense headquarters, and the enemy was guarding it. The army collapsed, and our army, under the guidance of the local people, was annihilating the defenders in the isolated strongholds in the city one by one.

"We took back this ancient city."

Olga: "When can I go to this city to pay homage to my brother?"

Turgenev: "When the Khazalia Front drove the enemy's artillery 25 kilometers away. It is still too dangerous to visit this city now."

Olga: "What about my brother, General Rokossov? When is he going to enter the city?"

Turgenev: "The general's headquarters began to move towards Agsukov this morning. The headquarters objected to him entering the city so quickly. After all, there may still be some saboteurs or even enemy agents left in the city.

"but……"

Olga smiled: "The headquarters can no longer command him."

Turgenev: "This is not a good thing, Your Majesty."

Olga smiled even more happily: "Why isn't that a good thing? I know you are going to tell me about the order of command and the like, but as long as he becomes the Commander-in-Chief of Ant Army, wouldn't it be okay?

"After we capture Agsukov, he should be a marshal, right? If he doesn't get promoted to marshal, General Gorky insists on not being promoted to marshal, right? He becomes a marshal, and he is also my godbrother. He is an army officer." The Commander-in-Chief is perfectly fine - isn't he?"

Olga said "Isn't it" three times in a row, which made Turgenev frown.

"There is no problem with the marshal, but there are many considerations involved in appointing the commander-in-chief. I think it is better to let him command a front army to give full play to his talents."

Olga: "Even though all the troops in our army are now being adapted according to his opinions?"

Turgenev: "This is because he is the dean of the Suvorov Military Academy. The dean of the military academy proposed an organization method that is more suitable for modern warfare, and we should naturally follow it."

Olga: "What about the equipment? Now our army's equipment is basically developed in accordance with his guiding ideology."

Turgenev: "That's why we can no longer give him the title of commander-in-chief, otherwise he will be like the conqueror -"

Olga: "Is there anything wrong? We are Ant, and we have always been accustomed to being led by powerful tyrants."

Turgenev was speechless for a moment, because looking back at history it seemed that this was indeed the case.

At this time, Belinsky's voice came from outside the door: "Don't worry, Rokossov is a staunch secular member, and he will not become the tyrant you are worried about!"

With that, Belinsky entered the door and saluted Olga: "Good morning, Your Majesty the Tsar."

"Hello, Your Majesty the Patriarch, you must have heard that Agsukov has been liberated."

"Yes, I rushed here as soon as I heard the news. Two years ago, almost in August, the fall of Agsukov marked the end of Ante's unprecedented military defeat. The country came to a On the verge of national annihilation.”

Belinsky walked up to Olga, looked at the huge makeup mirror with her, and looked at her through the mirror.

“And during the battle to defend Agsukov, your brother, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and Rokosov’s father, His Excellency the old Duke, died together outside Agsukov.

“Also on the same day, Rokosov left his hometown with the black soil of his hometown.

"Don't you think that this kind of care seems to be destined by God?"

Olga: "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that after discussions at the Council of Cardinals, we are ready to canonize Rokossov as a living saint of secularism. His performance in all aspects can be regarded as an example and he is undoubtedly a secular believer."

Olga: "In other words, even if no one can wear the crown of the Tsar on him in the future, right?"

Belinsky smiled: "No, no, your wise Majesty, even if someone wants to put a crown on him, Rokossov will refuse. I have tested him countless times, and he is the most staunch secularist. Be as steadfast as that St. Andrew.

"In fact, if we secularists were not opposed to the whole idea of ​​reincarnation, I might have suggested to the Council of Cardinals that he be canonized as Saint Andrew."

Belinsky turned around, came to the window, and looked at the rising sun on the horizon: "Your Majesty, times have changed, haven't you noticed?"

Olga nodded: "I discovered it. Don't worry, Your Majesty the Patriarch, when the time comes, I will make the right choice. I think that will be a choice that is more suitable for the people of Ant."

Belinsky smiled: "I am very happy to hear the word 'people' from your mouth. Then, I will take my leave first."

————

In the early morning of August 5, outside Agsukov.

Wang Zhong's jeep was speeding beside the advancing infantry column.

In order to prevent the infantry from recognizing him, he did not raise the red flag this time.

After the car passed by, some of the infantrymen realized belatedly that the general who had just passed by was sitting on the car carrying five stars on his shoulders.

I don’t know how long they drove, but a motorcycle suddenly came from the front and stopped in front of Wang Zhong’s jeep.

The driver braked and yelled, "Asshole, don't you look at the road? Do you know who is in my car?"

The motorcyclist said loudly: "I know! I'm here specifically to see the general! Report to the general that under the guidance of fellow villagers, we discovered the graves of the Crown Prince and old Duke Rokosov!"