Arc of Fire

The more Wang Zhong looked, the more it seemed so. If the Central Army Group continued advancing, breaking through the canal and then turning south, they could encircle Argesukov.

But where is the other half of the southern pincer that was blocked by me yesterday?

Why does it feel off?

Wang Zhong desperately pondered over the map, as if he were the “player” strategizing in Hearts of Iron once again.

At that moment, Duke Vostrom approached him and asked, “Aleksei Konstantinovich, what is your opinion on the overall situation?”

Wang Zhong replied offhand, “I think the Prosen Central Army Group will encircle Argesukov to the south after breaking through the canal, destroying our heavy troop concentration here.”

The Duke looked at the map without giving his opinion, but the Corps Chief of Staff said, “There is the entire reserve force of the Southwestern Front Army there, just the reserves amount to three hundred thousand men.”

"No, no, that won’t be the case. If the Prussians could complete this encirclement, it would be a large-scale encirclement of over seven hundred thousand men; it would make their splendid victory in the Carolingian campaign seem insignificant. I think even the Prosen generals wouldn’t believe such a thing is achievable.”

Wang Zhong looked at the map with a heavy heart, beginning to consider what he, a mere lieutenant colonel, could do in such a situation.

Just then, the Duke patted his shoulder, “You should go back to rest. When was the last time you slept?”

Wang Zhong: “Twenty hours ago.”

"Go and rest, you are too tired to think straight,” the Army Group Chaplain also said.

Wang Zhong looked at them, feeling that not only himself but even these generals probably couldn’t influence the overall direction of the war.

This was only a corps command, and looking at the map, only the 63rd Army of this Army Group was in position, the other armies were still on the trains.

Based on what the Duke had just said, the 4th Tank Army was also part of the 41st Group, but the 4th Tank Army had already been nearly wiped out in a counterattack.

A general in command of such an Army Group could only do so much in a conflict of this scale—simply hold his own line and complete his mission.

Although worried, Wang Zhong, realizing his helplessness, accepted the Army Group Chaplain’s suggestion, “Alright, I’ll go rest now.”

The Corps Chief of Staff said, “We will arrange for a vehicle to pick you up from your station tomorrow and take you to the train station. The empty cars will also be organized to depart early in the morning, evading the Prosen bombardment.”

Wang Zhong nodded.

Duke Vostrom gave a subaltern a meaningful look, and the young aide stepped forward to gesture Wang Zhong out.

————

Sergeant Major Grigori was outside the map room, smoking and waiting. Maybe because he exuded an aura of severity, the staff officers kept their distance as they passed by.

Seeing Wang Zhong, the Sergeant Major put out his cigarette: “Earl, how are things looking?”

"Not bad, we can enjoy some good wine, meat, and cigarettes tonight. We’re setting off early tomorrow.”

"I see.”

The two followed the guide out of the headquarters and then saw a large group of people gathered across the street.

On closer inspection, they were all young kids, probably only sixteen or seventeen years old, about half boys and half girls.

The youngsters had blocked the road all the way to the intersection.

The young people leading the group were shouting, “Why won’t you let us enlist?”

Wang Zhong stopped and watched them from across the street.

A middle-aged man’s voice could be heard responding, “Kids, we’re only mobilizing adult men right now. Look at yourselves, you’ve just graduated from tenth grade! Boys and girls, we really can’t draft you!”

"We can hold guns too!”

"I can drive a tractor! So I can drive a tank!”

"I’ve also been in a flying club! I can be a pilot and beat the crap out of the Prosen bastards’ planes!”

Wang Zhong looked at them and suddenly remembered a memoir he had read, which recounted how, just two days after the war began, all the children of the commune had made up their minds and ran together to the enlistment office to join the army.

When they got to the enlistment office, “it seemed as if all the young people of the Soviet Union had come.”

Looking at these young people, Wang Zhong suddenly thought that if he hadn’t traveled through time and then the Americans had come over, he probably would also rush to the local military department.

Thinking this way, these “foreign faces” suddenly became familiar to him.

So, under the call of an inexplicable sense of mission, Wang Zhong climbed onto a truck that was blocked in the middle of the road, stood on the footboard, and shouted, “Young friends!”

He did not use “children.”

The kids turned their heads curiously, looking at Wang Zhong.

At this moment, Aleksei Konstantinovich Rokossovsky—Wang Zhong—with the unique aura of a warrior returning from the battlefield.

His military uniform was dirty, the bandage on his shoulder was dirty, his face was also dirty, but this did not stop him from emitting a dignified, solemn temperament.

So the young people quieted down, all looking at Wang Zhong in unison.

Wang Zhong said, “I understand your feelings! But even if you enlist now, you won’t be sent to the front line immediately. Because that would be sending you to your deaths!”

"We’re not afraid of dying!” some young person shouted.

"Right, I know.” Wang Zhong glanced at the one who had shouted, “But if you die without taking down a single Prosen bastard, that kind of death is worthless!”

The person who had just shouted shut his mouth.

Wang Zhong: “The battlefield is hell! Even those who have completed comprehensive new recruit training and passed numerous tests, most won’t survive the first hour! No, not even half an hour!

"So even if you enlist now, you will be sent to the rear, to train for at least three months! However, I have a way that can get you involved in the action against the Prosen bastards right away!

"Look over there! That’s where the city defense engineering team is recruiting laborers! You can join now and build fortifications around the outskirts of the city!

"Each trench dug will ensure a platoon survives the enemy’s artillery! That platoon could then inflict heavy casualties on the Prosen bastards!

"Each anti-tank stake you set up could stop a Prosen tank!”

The young people turned their heads towards the engineering station.

Wang Zhong: “That is the right way to contribute to the country! First dig trenches, then when the enemy comes, retreat and enroll in the military in the rear, join the training! I’m looking forward to seeing you as new recruits in my unit in half a year!”

The kids looked at each other.

Then someone, not knowing who, yelled out: “If digging trenches is so important, we’ll go dig trenches!”

"To dig trenches!”

"Let’s go!”

The crowd surged towards the labor recruitment point of the engineering station.

When most of the crowd had left, a colonel from the enlistment office came over.

The colonel was missing an arm and could only salute Wang Zhong with his left hand.

"You’ve been a great help, Major,” he said.

Wang Zhong saluted back: “Don’t mention it, that’s what I should do.”

The colonel looked at the kids again blocking the entrance of the engineering station and said, “Looking at these kids, I suddenly feel confident. We won’t surrender like the Carolingians.”

Wang Zhong stated firmly: “Of course not. Don’t worry, of course not.”