Arc of Fire

Wang Zhong had just entered the headquarters when he first shouted, "Nelly, get me a towel, and some replacement pants and shoes. These shoes and legs of my pants are all wet."

Pavlov, who was originally commanding his staff in front of the map, turned his head toward the door when he heard Wang Zhong and said, "After you went to the Federation, she went to Yeburg to take care of your wife. Your orderly is too busy to idle; she even went to the laundry team to help washing clothes when you departed."

Wang Zhong took off his hat and handed it to Yakov, then looked down at his soaked leather shoes and shook his head, "Well, I will change them later. Report the situation!"

Pavlov picked up a file that had already been organized from the desk, walked over to the map, and grabbed a map stick, "According to reconnaissance, the Prosen vanguard is 50 kilometers west of Abawahan, right here we have encountered Prosen’s motorized reconnaissance battalion.

"The captured prisoners have confessed the numbers include the 14th Armored Army and the 41st Armored Army as well as the 4th and 8th Infantry Armies. The Army Group number is the Sixth Army Group, and the commander is General William von Frederick."

Wang Zhong pursed his lips; his guess when he received the orders was confirmed. In Earth’s history, the 41st Armored Army wasn’t part of the Sixth Army Group. The Earth’s Sturmtiger Sixth Army only had one 14th Armored Army. This fellow had directly doubled the armored strength.

That is to say, he had to face a Sixth Army Group that was much stronger than in history.

But on a positive note, the enemy made a deeper advance, which also meant that their logistics were worse than the Earth’s Sixth Army Group.

Wang Zhong, "Weather forecast."

Pavlov immediately gestured, and a staff officer delivered the report to Wang Zhong.

As Wang Zhong looked down, the Chief of Staff explained succinctly, "The mud should start this week."

"Good!" Wang Zhong immediately looked up from the forecast, handed the report back to the staff officer, "A month of the muddy season, what’s our supply situation?"

Pavlov immediately pointed with the map stick to the Valdai Hills River, "The Prosens have taken control of some areas on the west bank of the Valdai Hills River and have placed artillery there. The Inland Sea Naval gunboats have attempted to engage them several times but have not been able to destroy these guns, so transportation on the river is limited to our side’s waterways.

"The Valdai Hills River is very wide. Prosen’s direct fire can’t cover the East Bank channels, and their indirect fire relies on adjusted shooting, but the Naval Infantry and Inland Fleet have been uprooting the Prosens’ observation posts on the banks.

"Therefore, we still ensure half the transport capacity on the Valdai Hills River — well, less than half, because of the losses brought by air raids, a third.

"The good news is, all our railroad lines are on the East Bank. It was deliberately planned that way back in the day, so that, in the event of an invasion from the west, the railroads would be protected by the Valdai Hills River."

Wang Zhong, "So the Prosens don’t have any railroads to use?"

"Yes, they don’t," Pavlov stopped and after a brief silence, added, "I’ve never been so grateful for the Imperial Chancellor who designed this, it’s said he was from the Secular faction."

Wang Zhong, "So, the Prosens’ logistics mainly rely on roads, right?"

"Yes, we’ve sketched out their approximate supply routes based on aerial reconnaissance, prisoners’ confessions, and descriptions by scattered soldiers who have returned."

With a snap of his fingers from Pavlov, his staff immediately placed a separate map on the blackboard.

A very obvious blue line ran a long course on it.

Wang Zhong carefully observed the blue line and then asked, "Why aren’t their supply depots and transit stations marked?"

"Because we don’t know," Pavlov looked very helpless, "The Prosens are different from last year; they’ve also started disguising. Aerial photos haven’t captured these places."

Last year, the Prosens didn’t bother with disguises at all. Supply and transit stations were all openly placed, and aerial photography could directly reveal them, without any need for identification.

Pavlov continued, "This is probably related to the continuous bombing of the Prosen logistics system by my Air Force."

Under Wang Zhong’s interference, the Air Force’s operational focus had completely shifted from the Russian Air Force’s on Earth, which emphasized close air support, valuing models like the IL-2, which were heavily promoted post-war with the IL-10.

The Air Force, under the artificial influence of Wang Zhong, now mainly bombed Prosen logistics, destroying train stations, transit stations, etc., and the amount of close air support had sharply reduced.

Overall, the Air Force had achieved better results than its different space-time isomers on Earth, because train stations are much bigger targets than a tank. This was an easier target under the premise that the pilots generally lacked training.

It seemed that the successful aerial raids by the Air Force had forced the Prosens to disguise their logistical nodes.

Wang Zhong clicked his tongue, "So, the effectiveness of the bombing has reduced the efficiency of reconnaissance, quite a contradiction. Alright, I understand the general situation now, so how many divisions do I have on hand as fresh troops?"

Pavlov, "Apart from the troops returning from Balas, there are eight new divisions added."

Wang Zhong in shock, "Only eight? Are these new divisions formed according to my new restructuring?"

Pavlov, "No, those new divisions are highly sought after. As soon as they’re assembled, they’re taken by various Front Armies. Given the urgency here, we can’t even pull out new divisions for us."

Wang Zhong, "Alright, but these eight new divisions have eight thousand troops each?"

"Yes, according to the standards of the provisional infantry division, all eight divisions are fully staffed."

Wang Zhong, "When will my First Mobile Group Army arrive?"

"The Army Group is mobilizing; the vanguard troops should arrive in three days." Pavlov paused, then switched gears, "Actually, High Command has also assigned the original Valdai Hills River Front Army to us, but these are not fresh troops. They have already sustained some wear in the battle with the Prosens, and currently, the distribution of these divisions is as shown on the map."

Wang Zhong finally shifted his attention to the heaps of things on both banks of the Valdai Hills River.

What a Changshan Snake!

Wang Zhong quipped, "Which idiot arranged the troops like this?"

"The commander of the Valdai Hills River Front Army, Yemyenko."

Wang Zhong palm-pressed his forehead, "Where the hell did he roll off to now?"

Pavlov shrugged his shoulders, "Don’t know."

Wang Zhong changed the question, "How are our defensive positions being built? How many days have the fortification zones been dug?"

Pavlov immediately moved to the city defense map of Abawahan, "At present, we’ve mobilized all the women and elderly in the city to form labor camps, constructing two anti-tank barriers outside the city. The bunkers are being rushed by the City Construction Worker’s Association and cement plant workers working overtime.

"Unlike all previous defenses, this time we are very well equipped with weapons—anti-tank guns, submachine guns, and machine guns—we have everything.

"Furthermore, since the Inland Sea Fleet Headquarters is in Abawahan, we also have a considerable number of naval infantry, but they are not under our command."

Wang Zhong’s eyebrows knotted, "Aren’t I a Front Army Commander? In theory, shouldn’t all of these be under my command?"

Pavlov replied, "Yes, but the Front Army was established too hastily, and command authority has not yet been passed down to us. Or perhaps the High Command has been too busy to remember."

Wang Zhong inquired, "Didn’t you send a telegram to ask?"

"I did, but there has been no reply so far."

Wang Zhong decided, "I will make a call to High Command later... no, to His Majesty the Tsar. Also, see which units in this line formation can be pulled out and concentrated for use."

"I’ve already dispatched the staff to inspect where the troops are no longer needed," Pavlov immediately responded, "The report will be ready by tomorrow."

Wang Zhong nodded and continued to order, "We need to pinpoint the enemy’s supply nodes. I’ve persuaded the Allied Forces to send a commando squad to help me, they’re experts in covert sabotage. After last year, the Prosens must be prepared for mud, we need to stoke the fire."

Pavlov spread his hands, "It would be good to confirm, but you’ve seen the state of the aerial photos. The intelligence experts have been deciphering them all day and really can’t make out which are supply depots or transit centers."

Wang Zhong stroked his chin, deep in thought, when Amelia, who had just escorted him, entered the headquarters.

He suddenly snapped his fingers, "Got it!"

Pavlov suggested, "You want to conduct a forward reconnaissance yourself? This time you probably can’t, right? Why not let one of the naval gunboats take you along the Valdai Hills River so you can see firsthand which units can be pulled out?"

Wang Zhong shook his head, "No, no, no, this time I’ll go from the air, fly across the land myself."

"I object!" Pavlov raised his voice, "You’ve already been shot down once! No, I cannot allow you to go! The Prosen Air Force is now focused in this direction, and the Western Front Army and Saint Andrew Fort have not suffered large-scale air raids for a long time. The Prosen Air Force’s strength on the Eastern Front is all here! I won’t allow you to risk your life!"

Wang Zhong reassured him, "Don’t worry! A C47 is too easy to shoot down, and it was brought down by our own anti-aircraft fire at that. I just need to ride in a plane that cannot be shot down."

Pavlov shook his head vehemently, his chubby cheeks rippled, "No, no, no! I disagree! And I think the Air Force’s Davarish would not agree either! They know how dangerous it is in the sky right now!"

"No, Chief of Staff, please look this way!" Wang Zhong gestured Amelia with both hands, "The ace of the United Kingdom, the Witch Miss who will never be shot down!"

Amelia frowned, "I can avoid being shot down because my plane is a special model. If you ask me to fly a two-seater scout plane, my combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced."

Wang Zhong retorted, "I’ll ride in your plane, we’ll squeeze in."

"Will you be able to see clearly?" Amelia asked, puzzled.

Not clearly, but grandpa’s got cheats!

Wang Zhong asserted, "You know I can see clearly!"

Because we are New Humans, Davarish! Quickly sense my thoughts!

Amelia hesitated, but soon shook her head, "No, thinking it over, you’re too tall, too heavy, you won’t fit in my slender wings. My plane, designed to accommodate a larger engine, already has a cramped cockpit. It’s barely manageable for me because I’m a girl, slender, and can barely maneuver.

"If you squeeze in, I might not be able to pull the control stick."

For a moment, Wang Zhong thought, why not just stuff me in the fuel tank, since I don’t need to use my eyes to see outside.

It was then Amelia suddenly said, "Aren’t the reconnaissance results from the modified Pe-3, the Pe-2, very good?" Your next read awaits at

Pavlov contributed, "These aerial photos were mostly taken by the Pe-3 model. Currently, this fast reconnaissance aircraft is rarely intercepted by the Prosen Air Force."

Amelia suggested, "Then use that, it’s a perfect two-seater, and if we encounter an enemy plane, I can fight with my abilities."

Wang Zhong immediately approved, "Good! Let’s use that one!"