Arc of Fire

Chapter 671: Chapter 9 The Meaning of Victory

Wang Zhong: “Is this Lady Maria Vasilyevna Bratov?”

Yakov was a Bratov.

"Yes.” Maria first looked at Wang Zhong’s face, then her gaze fell on the five stars of his military rank, “Could it be… General Rokossovsky?”

"Yes, I came Wang Zhong had rehearsed many times in his heart, but at this moment, he was still at a loss for words and could only pull out the handwritten casualty notification that had warmed in his pocket, then took the package containing personal effects from Ludmila’s hands.

He handed these to Lady Maria.

Maria turned around, laid the sleeping baby on the chair beside the door, then vigorously wiped her face before turning back to take the package and letter.

Wang Zhong clearly saw the moisture around her eyes, evidently, the wiping she did just now was to clean away tears.

"I Wang Zhong started to speak but stopped, suddenly remembering the scarf that he had stuffed into his pocket, so he hurriedly took it out, “There’s also this scarf. During last winter’s coldest time, Yakov gave it to me because he was afraid I would freeze. Now, it has returned to its rightful owner.”

Maria reached out, gently picked up one end of the scarf, her fingertips moving over the uneven stitches: “I knitted this scarf for him… He always said it was scratchy around his neck, itchy to wear… Does it… itch you?”

Wang Zhong: “No, I think it’s a good scarf, it could be used for a child in the future.”

Maria continued to caress the surface of the scarf, showing no intention of taking it back, and after a long time, she withdrew her hand: “No, since he gave the scarf to you, he must wish for you to use it. There might be countless severe winters in the future, and I believe he would want you to wear it.”

Wang Zhong: “But, just now, you seemed very reluctant.”

"Yes, I want to keep everything related to him, but… I hope this scarf can follow you, enter Plowsonia with you.”

Maria paused, as if lost in memories.

Wang Zhong waited patiently, not wanting to interrupt her exchange with the memories of her departed husband.

Finally, Maria spoke again: “He… my husband had a process of accepting this slogan. At first, it seemed he treated it as a delusional dream, not using it himself, and even showing disdain when others did.

"The Judge took note of us then, branding us as the surrender faction. Two years ago, when the enemy was closest to Yeburg, the Judge simply moved in across from our house.

"At that time, there were a few other staunch members of the surrender faction living in this vicinity. When they were arrested, the Judge looked meaningfully at my husband.”

Wang Zhong was surprised: “That happened? Yakov did mention to me that before I had repelled the enemy from Yeburg, both he and you thought victory was as hard as ascending to heaven.”

Maria smiled: “Yes. You didn’t expect that, did you? When you paraded through the streets with a hundred thousand Prosen prisoners, he crazily bought the pamphlets you distributed, proclaiming ‘See you in Plowsonia’ to everyone he met after reading them, which made the Judge suspicious enough to come over and investigate thoroughly.”

Ludmila: “The Judges also do it for the country.”

Maria: “After they were convinced my husband had become a staunch victor, they lifted the surveillance on our home. After my husband’s sacrifice, they even quietly brought over some necessities.”

She suddenly changed the topic, looking at Wang Zhong: “So, General, please take this scarf and march into Plowsonia. This is what he most hoped to see.”

Wang Zhong nodded, solemnly wrapping the scarf around his neck.

Ludmila reached out to help him, adjusting the edges of the scarf.

However, truth be told, with the current weather, wearing a scarf was slightly warm.

Wang Zhong: “Is there anything else I can help with?”

"There’s nothing, the community Church and the parish priest take very good care of us, there are no difficulties in life.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the baby Maria had set in the chair woke up, instantly letting out a strong cry.

Maria quickly turned around, placed her husband’s belongings on the shoe cabinet, and picked up the baby, gently rocking it.

Wang Zhong: “Shall I send a nanny over?”

"General, do you know how many single mothers there are like me? Many women thought of at least leaving a child behind before their husbands went to the front lines, in case of any eventuality, seeing the child’s face to remember their husband.

"Do you intend to send a nanny to every such mother?”

Wang Zhong fell silent.

Indeed, it wasn’t feasible. In today’s Ante, women were also vital labor forces, in factories and in fields, where numerous women worked as hard as men.

Maria suddenly thought of something, looking up at Wang Zhong: “Our child does not yet have a godfather, could I ask you to be his godfather?”

Wang Zhong smiled: “Of course, I would be very pleased. When is the baptism ceremony?”

"The ceremonies are all simplified now, seems many priests also went to the front lines,” Maria said, “You just need to sign a document.”

Wang Zhong: “Hmm, I’ll sign.”

He had never been as willing to sign a document as he was now.

At this time, Ludmila gently tugged at Wang Zhong’s sleeve: “It seems quite a crowd has gathered.”

Only then did Wang Zhong notice the noise outside.

Maria: “General, everyone needs your encouragement, please go and speak to them.”

Wang Zhong: “Alright, take… take care of yourself.”

After speaking, he turned around, walked down the stairs, and just as he turned the first corner, he saw the second floor was packed with local residents.

Women, old people, and children, but no able-bodied men.

Countless pairs of eyes gazed at Wang Zhong.

No one spoke, they just silently watched him.

Yet their looks said everything, their eyes conveying volumes.

Wang Zhong walked forward, the crowd parted like a tide around him, clearing the way. He moved through the crowd, as though guided and propelled forward by them.

When he finally reached his car, the crowd, like an invisible wall, stood a few meters away from the vehicle, lining up, conscientiously not blocking the car’s path.

Wang Zhong watched them and felt it wouldn’t be right not to say a word, so he spoke, “Folks, I

An elderly lady interrupted him, “Go, General! Do what you must!”

Suddenly, the previously silent crowd burst into chatter.

"We can hold our ground!”

"Leave the rear to us!”

"Only you know how to defeat the enemy!”

Wang Zhong closed his mouth, suddenly realizing that liberating the homeland, charging into Plowsonia, and achieving final victory was the best response he could give.

So he raised his right hand high and shouted, “Victory!”

The women and the elderly responded with an overwhelming voice, “Victory!”

Only victory can answer all the sacrifices, all the suffering.

Wang Zhong got into the car and found Ludmila waiting for him inside.

The car started and sped away.

The Rokossovsky Estate looked almost the same as before.

Only, there were more children.

Wang Zhong was curious, and Ludmila explained, “Mikhail wrote to me, saying he recruited some teachers too old for the front lines to take care of the war orphans using the estate’s land and set up an orphanage. There are over three thousand war orphans here.”

Wang Zhong: “How many?”

Ludmila: “Over three thousand. This is just a fraction of the countless war orphans.”

Wang Zhong looked outside again, watching the children pruning branches of fruit trees and turning the soil in the makeshift fields, preparing for the upcoming spring farming.

Despite being at an age meant for play, these children all acted like little adults.

Strangely enough, the more sensible the children appeared, the more uneasy Wang Zhong felt.

He dearly wished that one day, innocence could return to the children’s faces.

He dearly hoped that one day, angels could peacefully sleep.

On the front lines, when calculating how to eliminate the enemies, Wang Zhong enjoyed the sense of achievement from his role as the Commander-in-Chief in defeating large numbers of enemies.

Only upon returning to the rear did he once again remember that victory was not just glory but also a duty.

Victory was not to showcase his strategic brilliance and martial prowess but to allow for a day when peace would return to his homeland.

Wang Zhong was lost in thought until the car stopped, snapping him back to reality.

Ludmila: “We’re here, my love.”

Wang Zhong nodded, opened the door to get out, then quickly moved to the other side of the car to help Ludmila out, only to find she had already opened the door herself.

Ludmila laughed, “I also need to leave some outdated baggage behind and embrace the new era.”

This was in response to Wang Zhong’s earlier speech at the train station.

Ludmila didn’t want to be the Queen.

Wang Zhong embraced his considerate wife, and then turned around, only to be surprised to find that at the front of the Rokossovsky Estate’s main building, there was only one person there to greet their master.

The person was somewhat short, dressed in a maid’s outfit, and had a stern look as if Wang Zhong owed her a lot of money.

Wang Zhong rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn’t mistaken, then exclaimed, “Nelly?”

Nelly nodded gently, “Mmm, welcome back.”

Wang Zhong took three steps in one stride, jumping up the stairs, and scooped Nelly up, spinning her around three times.

Nelly: “My hat! My hat!”

Her cloche hat had been thrown off, carried far by the wind, and then gently caught by Ludmila.

Nelly: “I’m still a patient, you know!”

Only then did Wang Zhong put Nelly down, carefully examining the scar on her cheeks.

The scar above Nelly’s right eye was notably less severe than Wang Zhong had anticipated.

He had thought she would have turned into a gangster like Balalaika in “Black Ledge.”

The injured right eye’s pupil color was visibly different, probably a glass prosthetic, giving Nelly heterochromatic eyes.

It was… quite charming.

Wang Zhong: “Not bad, you look even cuter than before.”

Nelly: “I’m not cute.”

"Right, right,” Wang Zhong responded as Ludmila came over and put the cloche hat back on Nelly’s head.

Nelly adjusted her clothes and saluted Wang Zhong, “General Comrade, please allow me to return to your war.”

Wang Zhong nodded, “Approved!”

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