Cannon Fire Arc

September 25th, this day can only be described as boring with the time remaining.

The Prussian bombardment was punctual as always, but it had no effect because everyone hid before the appointed time.

And the Prussian Air Force seemed to have forgotten about the city of Shostka, not even conducting a level bombing with their heavy bombers.

Wang Zhong, in the division headquarters bunker, yawned mightily while listening to the taunting broadcasts from the loudspeakers set up by Vasily outside.

Pavlov: "If you're tired, go to sleep. Once the real fighting starts, you'll probably have to stay in the division headquarters bunker all day."

Wang Zhong: "I'm starting to wonder if a real battle could even happen? We caught so many officers yesterday, all with engineer insignia, and seized so many of their tools. Enemy engineering advancement capabilities must be severely compromised.

"Maybe if we just sit here quietly until it starts raining, we can retreat."

Pavlov frowned, "Do we still have to retreat even if we hold out until it rains?"

Wang Zhong: "Right now, the enemy's supply line isn't long enough. Although the rain will lead to chaos, I believe we still need to retreat to stretch out their supply line."

Saying this, he walked up to the frontline map.

"Besides, look at the enemy's northern offensive. Even though it's slower than we anticipated, it is still progressing. The day before yesterday, they advanced 25 kilometers; yesterday, 28 kilometers. It's slow, but they are indeed moving forward.

"From the start of their offensive on the 20th, the enemy has advanced 110 kilometers in five days."

Pavlov, looking at the map: "What on earth is the northern line doing? Since we're not under much pressure here, the Western Front Army has moved all its troops to the north. Why has the enemy been able to advance 110 kilometers in five days?"

Wang Zhong: "Regarding this, I also heard some things when I was interacting with the officers at Ye Fort. Mainly, blind expansion of the military has led to a severe shortage of equipment.

"Tank divisions lack everything except tanks and infantry divisions even lack tanks.

"Prussian infantry are equipped with machine guns down to the squad level, while our infantry divisions only have two to three machine guns per company, and Papashas are sometimes even rarer than machine guns, with only platoon leaders each having one."

Pavlov: "Thinking about it, aren't we an incredibly wealthy division? We captured so many machine guns. When we retreated to Loktov, everyone had submachine guns."

Wang Zhong: "You only realize this now? Look at our artillery, 36 heavy guns. Which other division has such artillery configuration? I met an officer at Ye Fort whose division had a total of four 122 mm guns, four! And only four 76 mm regimental guns."

Pavlov, looking at the map: "When you think about it, the equipment of our Third Rear Amur Group is also very poor. Only divisions have regimental guns."

Wang Zhong: "Right, Prussian infantry groups have a bunch of 75 mm infantry guns, and divisions are well supplied with 105 mm and 150 mm guns. Even if the enemy only launches infantry attacks, the artillery fire density alone could break through our lines.

"Our problem, in a nutshell, is one phrase: insufficient firepower!"

Popov chimed in at this point: "I thought it was a shortage of tanks."

Wang Zhong: "Having tanks alone is useless; you need a combined arms approach. Look at the enemy, a tank division has everything – sufficient artillery, strong infantry, accompanying engineers and anti-aircraft artillery battalions, as well as motorized reconnaissance battalions.

"Look how many motorcycles and trucks we captured yesterday."

As Wang Zhong said this, he also remembered the sailor who sped past on a motorcycle yesterday, with his large lapels and streaming ribbons.

At this moment, the telephone rang.

Pavlov picked it up: "Division headquarters. Who's this? I'll put him on right away."

Passing the receiver to Wang Zhong, Pavlov said: "It's a call from Ekaterinburg Fortress."

Wang Zhong took the receiver: "This is Rocossov."

A grave and steady voice came through from the other side: "Rocossov, you've done very well!"

Wang Zhong couldn't immediately remember who the voice belonged to and was about to ask "Who the hell are you" when he suddenly realized, with a jolt, that the person likely to speak like this was probably Belinsky, the Grand Patriarch.

He quickly said, "Your Excellency, the Grand Patriarch, hello."

The other side burst into laughter, clearly very pleased.

As soon as Popov heard it was the Grand Patriarch, he immediately stood up.

The voice on the phone said, "We have already received the 'gift' you sent!"

Wang Zhong: "You received the Enigma machine, then. Get the mathematicians on it for decoding right away."

The Grand Patriarch paused for a moment: "Hold on."

Then, presumably, he moved the receiver away from his ear, but Wang Zhong could still hear the Patriarch's voice: "The Enigma machine sent by Rocossov? Did the High Command intelligence service's cryptography department receive it? Why wasn't I told? Alright, I understand."

The Grand Patriarch's voice came through clearly again, obviously with the receiver back to his ear: "There's been a bit of an issue. It seems that the High Command thinks decoding ciphers is within their jurisdiction. But the cryptographer is currently with the Judge, after being rescued we'll make him talk."

Wang Zhong: "Actually, the key is mathematics. We should organize the mathematicians, let them focus on studying the patterns of the enemy's telegraphs to establish a mathematical model. The Enigma machine itself doesn't enable us to decode the cipher, we need to know the key, which is the initial position of the rotors."

Belinsky: "Thank you for your suggestion. We will gather the best mathematicians we have here in Ekaterinburg Fortress. What we're discussing is another gift."

Wang Zhong immediately understood: "You mean the prisoners?"

"Yes, there have always been rumors saying that despite proclaiming various great victories, not a single prisoner has been seen. Now we have prisoners. If you hadn't sent the prisoners, we would have had to dress people up in Prussian uniforms.

"We already had their uniforms half-made.

"Such imposture certainly carries risks. If word got out, the consequences would be unimaginable. Now that we have actual prisoners, everything becomes much easier."

Wang Zhong: "That's great to hear. By the way, make sure that Federation's Reporter Mike and his photographer partner come to see them and write a good report!"

"Of course," Belinsky paused, "can that reporter be trusted?"

"He should be," Wang Zhong answered. "Is there something wrong with the news he sent back to the Federation?"

"No, that's not it. But I haven't had contact with that reporter, so I'm ultimately unclear on the details. Since you think he can be trusted and he has produced authentic reports, then let's arrange for him to have a good visit."

————

St. Ye Katerina Fortress, September 25th, 914 A.D. in the afternoon.

Reporter Mike from the Federation and his partner, the photojournalist Robert Capa, were taken to Ye Fort Street by several judges after receiving a phone call.

Mike looked around with confusion; the pedestrians on the streets of Ye Fort were far fewer than a few weeks ago.

One could see labor camp workers piling sandbags by the street, and in the distant park in the center of the street, one could spot an 85mm heavy antiaircraft gun hidden inside.

Robert, however, was happily taking photos, especially fixated on a lady making a purchase, snapping away incessantly.

Then the judge spoke in the Anglo language of the Federation, "You might want to save your film."

Robert: "I can speak Ante. Save my film? Why?"

The judge smiled slightly, "You'll see something exciting in a moment."

Suddenly, a woman's scream came from afar.

Mike and Robert turned their heads and saw several ladies at the far corner dropping their things and running as if insane, fleeing away from the intersection.

The lady who had just passed by Robert looked on in bewilderment, staring blankly toward the distance, unsure whether to keep going forward—she was originally heading in that direction.

Then, the Prussian Army turned the corner!

The lady still observing let out a scream, dropped her things and turned to run but was grabbed by a judge: "Don't worry, ma'am, look closely, those are prisoners!"

The woman turned her head, gazing at the Prussians.

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

He hurried towards the marching column of prisoners.

Mike glanced at the judge, and seeing a gesture to proceed, he started walking to catch up with his partner.

Robert was already rapidly going through his film rolls, the smoke from the flashbulbs drifting into Mike's nostrils.

Mike closely observed these prisoners and noticed that half of them wore the patches of engineers while the rest were clad in uniforms darker than the standard Prussian uniform, with different collar patches.

He suddenly pulled his partner: "Focus on their collar patches! That's where the real news value lies!"

Robert: "Collar patches?"

Mike: "See, the Zeus with the lightning, these people are the Asgard Knights, the elite of the elite! Prussian propaganda says this unit is invincible!"

Robert: "I don't remember that, but if you say so, then it must be. Plus, this patch... it really does catch the eye!"

Saying this, he took his camera, got close to the infantrymen with patches, and pressed the shutter.

The flashpowder's smoke spewed out of the flashbulb.

Mike: "Take several shots!"

After instructing his partner, he switched to Prussian and loudly asked: "Are you the Asgard Knights? Who defeated you?"

All the prisoners glared at Mike with resentment.

And Robert, as if having found treasure, frantically photographed these people's expressions.

At that moment, the Ante people began to react, starting to curse at the prisoners and hurling various objects from all directions at the column of prisoners.

Mike still repeated: "Are you the Asgard Knights? Who defeated you? Who captured you? I'm a reporter from the Federation! Who can give me an interview?"

Just then, a man who looked like an officer suddenly raised his head: "Ob's stürmt oder schneit, Ob die Sonne uns lacht!"

Mike understood Prussian, knowing it meant "Whether it storms or snows, or if the sun smiles at us."

This was the anthem of the Prussian Armored Troops.

The next moment, the previously disheartened prisoners puffed out their chests and raised their heads, singing loudly in unison.

Like the roaring of an engine, as swift as lightning, we confront the enemy, under the cover of tanks. In front of our comrades, we charge, we fight alone, and thus we deeply pierce into the enemy's lines.

The Ante people increased their efforts in hurling objects, but this did not stop the Prussians.

No, it seemed that in defiance of the Ante people's outrage, they sang even louder.

If Lady Fortune abandons us again, if we can no longer return to our homeland, if bullets target us, ending our fate and halting our lives, at least our loyal tanks will grant us a steel tomb.

Mike, watching the Prussians' defiant attitude, had already thought of the first sentence for his report.

"These prisoners, as if they were not prisoners at all but rather here to occupy the city. This is the first group of Prussian soldiers to enter Ye Fort."