Arc of Fire-Chapter 757: Preparing for the Offensive
Chapter 757 -14 Preparing for the Offensive
Wang Zhong had just gotten off the plane when he saw Journalist Mike and his colleague, leading two other unfamiliar faces of white men.
"Mike, I was wondering how a meeting destined to go down in history, like the Balas Conference, could take place without you,” Wang Zhong teased as he approached Mike.
Mike flashed a bitter smile, “It’s because the real big-time journalists want the credit, so I graciously stepped aside.”
Wang Zhong, “I thought you were the ace reporter of your newspaper.”
"Speaking of getting news, I am. But I don’t have a governor for a father-in-law, so I had to yield to that guy—the one who interviewed you. I read his report; it missed the point and lacked any provocativeness. Publishing something like that on the front page might even affect the sale of war bonds. But the guy has a governor as his father-in-law and can do whatever he wants.”
Wang Zhong, “Is that how the Federation is nowadays?”
...
Journalist Mike shrugged, “It’s always been this way. So how about an exclusive interview? Can we set a time before you head back to the front lines?”
Wang Zhong, “I thought you were here for an exclusive interview.”
"Unfortunately, no. I’m here to introduce these two—they’re journalists from our competitor. You might not know what that means, but in America we have two major
Wang Zhong, “I get it.”
The donkey and elephant rivalry, of course. Since he started following the Ying election campaigns, Wang Zhong had always treated US elections like a variety show; he was well aware of such basics.
Mike, “You might be wondering why I would introduce a competitor’s journalists. The thing is, I owed him a favor, and I’m repaying it now, so I won’t be participating in your car interview later.”
Car interviews involved conducting interviews while riding in a car, similar to the conversation that happens in a car early in “Cyberpunk 2077” with a fat middleman.
Upon hearing this, Ludmila whispered into Wang Zhong’s ear, “I’ll ride in another car with Olga.”
"Okay.”
Wang Zhong had just nodded when Mike eagerly introduced, “This is Journalist Wallace from our rival.”
"Oh, you’re that Wallace. Quite tall indeed,” Wang Zhong said, shaking the man’s hand.
Wallace, “I have personally wanted to interview you for a while. Our readers are very eager to know how you achieved such brilliant victories.”
Wang Zhong, “I’m afraid the art of war can hardly be explained in just one interview. Perhaps you should be more interested in what kind of person I am.” ṛ𝘢Ꞑ𝘰ᛒƐs
"That’s Mike’s forte,” Wallace glanced at Mike, “All of New York knows you’re childhood friends with the former Crown Prince and they know about your escapades with the ladies.”
Wang Zhong looked at Mike, thinking what the hell did you write.
Mike, “As I said, I’m very skilled at distilling what readers care about from the news. Don’t worry, readers love the rugged cowboy Rocossov I’ve created.”
Cowboy?
Journalist Wallace, “If not for his ‘florid writing’, you probably wouldn’t have to wait until now to be on the cover of Time magazine for the second time.”
Wang Zhong was surprised, “I’m on it again? Can the same person be featured twice?”
Journalist Mike, “Normally not, but there can be exceptions. Like President Roosevelt, he has won his third term; if the war doesn’t end quickly, he will run for a fourth term the year after next.”
Wang Zhong, “Okay, when can I get that issue of Time magazine?”
Journalist Wallace pulled out the magazine from his bag and showed Wang Zhong the cover. The text accompanying the cover, which Wang Zhong could barely understand with his limited English proficiency, seemed to say “Pulosen Grave Digger.”
That seemed quite alright.
He took the magazine, stared at the cover for a few seconds, handed it to Vasily next to him, and said to Journalist Wallace, “Let’s talk about the rest in the car.”
Once in the car, Journalist Wallace didn’t wait for the vehicle to start before asking the first question, “Marshal, I’d like to know if you’ve considered the possibility of defeat.”
Wang Zhong, “No, because after my analysis, there’s almost no chance of us losing.”
Wallace, “But what if—I’m just saying what if—Ante has lost and the former His Majesty the Tsar has surrendered and proclaimed allegiance to Prosen—We know there’s a possibility, because nearly two years ago, that winter, he was close to doing just that.
"Suppose this becomes reality, what would you do?”
Wang Zhong, “I would retreat to Siberia and continue to resist.”
Wallace, “Back then, the Federation probably won’t be providing support through a Lend-Lease Act, would you still continue?”
"Of course. Even if in the end I’m the only one left,” Wang Zhong stared at Wallace, enunciating each word, “Even if I have no bullets left and can’t hold a gun anymore, I would still throw sticks at those damn Pulosen ghosts.”
Wallace widened his eyes, “With sticks?”
"Could be bricks or anything that can be used as a weapon. Ante will not become a colony of Pulosen, and we refuse to be second-class citizens! I can predict that in your hypothetical scenario, all of Ante would be a beacon of resistance,” Wang Zhong stared resolutely at Journalist Wallace.
"From the Dibo River to the Baltic Sea, all the land will be liberated.”
Wallace, “But that also includes the Empire of Prosen’s homeland. If Ante’s army enters Prosen’s mainland, shouldn’t that be called invasion rather than liberation?”
Wang Zhong laughed, “What a joke! The rulers of Prosen are burying their young men in foreign lands, all to satisfy their own desires! Countless Prosen mothers have lost their sons because of this.
"To rescue the Prosen people from such ruthless rulers, that is surely liberation!
"We will liberate the whole of Eastern Europa, and if the Allied Forces don’t open up a second front, we will also liberate Western Europa and plant the flag of the Secular faction on the shores of the Atlantic!”
Wallace looked profoundly shocked and was speechless for a long time.
Wang Zhong: “Anything else you want to ask?”
Wallace: “Of course, when do you think was the most difficult moment of the entire war?”
Wang Zhong: “It was certainly at Upper Penie, where we had only a crippled infantry battalion, some T28 tanks, and every Tank Operator driving them lacked training, lacking everything but courage. Some tank crew members lacked even that.
"I was there, and it was the first time in my life that I fought a defensive battle against greater numbers.”
Wallace: “The village of Upper Penie?”
"Yes, in this year’s winter offensive, my troops will take back that village.”
Wang Zhong was still acting; in fact, after the autumn forced crossing of the Dibo River, the places he had fought over would be recovered one by one.
First would be Loktov, then Bogdanovka, then Upper Penie and Ronied, with the offensive finally halting near the national border.
But Wang Zhong insisted on making it out to be an event of this winter.
Wallace: “Is it really okay to speak of future plans like this?”
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"No, in military affairs, some things are open secrets, much like the inevitable defeat of Prosen. The key is in the details!” Wang Zhong laughed, “So revealing the broader strategy here poses no risk, because the enemy’s headquarters knows it too.”
Wallace: “Is… that so.”
Wang Zhong: “The enemy’s headquarters also knows that we have just finished a long advance and must stop to resupply and regroup. During the advance, many soldiers fell behind; many others became separated from their original units and need time.
"A lot of warriors have ruined their feet in the rushes and are physically drained, which also requires rest for recovery.
"Plus, armored vehicles like tanks, after traveling so far, definitely have many malfunctions, needing time for repairs. The vehicles that broke down also require time to be replenished. We definitely can’t launch a major offensive in September. We know this, and the Prosen people do too!”
Wallace: “But you always like to defy military norms, don’t you? Some people say that anything the Prosen generals can predict, you will surely find a way to break.”
Wang Zhong: “I cannot defy objective laws, my dear journalist. When it comes to war, you have a lot more to learn.”
On the East Bank of the Dibo River, behind the position of the First Front Army of Kazarlia, a concealed departure point.
Ante Soldiers unloaded the sampan boards from the Dragon-type trailers onto the ground.
"Let’s put some muscle into it!” the Military Chaplain shouted, “Today we have to unload all the sampans!”
Some soldiers yelled, “We’re not attacking next month, what’s the rush?”
"It’s an order from the Front Army Headquarters, the Marshal’s wish; when has the Marshal ever made us do useless work? Just get it done!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the sound of artillery fire came from the east, and shells whistled overhead.
Someone looked up at the sky: “Good, kill more Pulosen Ghosts!”
Priest: “Your shouting here won’t make more Pulosen Ghosts unlucky; the impacts of the shells are already determined! But if you work hard, perhaps soon you’ll get to personally eliminate Prosen people!”
"Oh!” everyone responded together.
At the same time, at Argesukov Train Station.
A fifty-year-old railway worker, Ivan, watched the tanks being unloaded from the arriving train and couldn’t help muttering, “These tanks are so odd-looking, round and smooth.”
A young soldier on guard duty laughed, “You don’t know, do you? This round dome has great protection. Prosen’s Armor-Piercing Shells bounce right off them!”
Old Ivan: “Really?”
"Yes, look at our helmets, they’re also rounded, using the same principle to deflect bullets!
"I heard from the tank operators that this new model tank can go toe-to-toe with the enemy’s seventy-ton heavy tanks! Ours is just a medium tank, weighing just over thirty tons!”
Old man: “Ah? Then if we also made seventy-ton tanks, wouldn’t we be invincible?”
Young soldier: “What you’re saying… seventy-ton tanks would just get stuck and sink! Don’t you know the condition of Kazarlia’s ground? In spring and autumn, even cows occasionally get stuck!”
Old man: “True. Alas, our equipment has gotten better. If we had gear like this two years ago, maybe not so many would have died, right?”
The young soldier reassured him, “Don’t worry, old man, we’re not retreating anymore. By next summer, we’re going to march into Pulosen Mainland!”
"Great! Great!” the old man repeatedly said, his gaze fixed on the train still entering the station.
