Arc of Fire

Chapter 678: Chapter 16 Revenge for the Heroic Brother

May 15, in the capital of Ante, St. Ye Katerina Fortress.

Wang Zhong was inspecting the recently replenished Rokossovsky Type heavy tanks of the Guard First Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment.

As a tank rolled to the center, he suddenly noticed text on the turret and hurriedly shouted, “Wait a second! Stop!”

The accompanying commander of the Guard First Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment immediately turned pale, “General, this is our troublemaker. He’s always wanted to put slogans on the tanks. We’ve painted over them many times, even said to wait until after today’s inspection before painting over it… and yet he still secretly applied it!”

Wang Zhong: “Don’t talk yet, let me see what it says.”

He hopped down from the vehicle and walked on foot towards the tank with the slogan.

The tank crew climbed out led by the tank commander and stood in a row in front of the tank.

Wang Zhong glanced at them, intending to bypass them to see the slogan, but the commander took a step to the side, blocking Wang Zhong’s path: “General, we know our mistake, we will paint over the slogan right away!”

Wang Zhong patted the commander’s shoulder: “Don’t rush, I’m not blaming you. I just want to see what the slogan says. Maybe I’ll even encourage you to do this.”

The commander was stunned: “Encourage?”

Wang Zhong looked at the commander’s build and asked, “With your size, you don’t look like a soldier. When did you join the military?”

"Last June. My brother had been serving in the army. I was the best tractor driver in the village, so the parish priest found a way to delay my conscription, to allow me to train a few apprentices who could drive tractors. That’s how, after the spring farming was done last June, I joined and went to the Belov Crash Course for Tank Training.”

A tractor driver is generally also capable of maintaining tractors. In Ante, they are considered high-tech talents, so they are generally not conscripted as common infantry. Instead, they might become repairmen or learn to drive tanks.

Wang Zhong: “Your brother has always been in the military? Which unit?”

The commander’s expression darkened slightly: “He has already fallen. So I named this tank ‘Revenge.’ The Military Chaplain says our battle is not purely for personal revenge. Our main goal is to liberate the occupied territories and free other nations oppressed by the Prosens.”

Wang Zhong: “The Priest is right, but too dogmatic.”

As he said this, the Guard First Heavy Tank Regiment’s Military Chaplain was right behind him, awkwardly fidgeting with his coat.

Wang Zhong continued: “Moreover, there’s nothing wrong with revenge. It’s not contradictory. I too must avenge my good brother and father. Is that also wrong?”

The Guard First Regiment’s Military Chaplain became even more embarrassed, looking as if he wished to find a hole to crawl into.

"What’s your brother’s name, in which unit? I’ll help you inquire if there are any mementos or something,” Wang Zhong continued.

The Commander: “He was in Tank Corps 51. The battle report said he went missing.”

Wang Zhong was stunned: “Tank Corps 51? The one that struck deep into enemy territory from the landing field last year? And whose corps commander is Korodov?”

"Yes, General. During the winter campaign last year, they fought to the last moment under your command. My brother had already received the Venus Medal once before. After that battle, he was posthumously awarded another medal.”

Wang Zhong recalled and said: “Your brother’s name is Aleksei Podoliskov, right?”

The commander was taken aback.

Wang Zhong: “I personally review and sign all the death notifications for heroes who receive posthumous medals. The heroes of Tank Corps 51, because of the special nature of their fight, the last moments were reported by local guerrillas verbally.”

"I have a particularly strong memory of it.”

Wang Zhong gave Podoliskov’s shoulder a firm pat.

Then he bypassed the stunned commander and approached the tank, finding the row of red lettering on the side of the turret: Revenge.

Wang Zhong: “Not specific enough! ‘Revenge for the Heroic Brother’ would be better! Bring the paint and brush, let’s change it now!”

The paint and brush were quickly brought, and the “Revenge” on the turret was painted over and replaced with “Revenge for the Heroic Brother.”

The other crew members on the tanks watched the new slogan being completed, envy written across their faces.

Wang Zhong stared at the new slogan for a few seconds, nodded in satisfaction, and gave Podoliskov’s shoulder a solid pat: “Do not disgrace your brother. Moreover, I have another task for you, one even more difficult than not disgracing your brother! That is to survive until the moment of victory in this war!”

Podoliskov: “That… sounds difficult, General. Our greatest advantage compared to the enemy is not being afraid of sacrifice.”

Wang Zhong: “Right, previously we held back the enemy mainly through this. So I say it’s a difficult task, isn’t it? You have to both honor your brother and survive. That is the highest difficulty! Do you have the confidence to take on this challenge?”

Podoliskov’s expression shifted from surprise to determination: “Yes, General! I want to take on the challenge!”

Wang Zhong gave him a thumbs-up, then looked at the others: “The same goes for all of you! Not only must you annihilate the enemy fiercely, but you must also preserve yourselves!”

"Previously, we had no choice; T34s, KVs, against the enemy’s new generation of anti-tank weapons like the PAK40 anti-tank guns, and the Long-barreled Four, we did indeed struggle. We could only compensate for the enemy’s tactical and armament advantages with our heroic sacrifices.”

"Now that I’ve produced the Rokossovsky Type heavy tank for you, I prohibit you from dying in vain before destroying a sufficient number of enemies!”

"It’s time for the Prosens to bleed and sacrifice! Ura!”

A deafening chorus of “Ura!” rose wave after wave across the entire parade ground.

Wang Zhong had arrived home from the parade ground to find the royal carriage parked at the doorstep. He hurriedly asked the old butler who came to greet him, “Where is His Majesty?”

The old butler, Mikhail, said, “In the tearoom having tea with the madam.”

Wang Zhong said, “Understood, I need to change clothes, as quickly as possible.”

"Everything is ready for you; you can change right away.”

Moments later, having changed out of his combat uniform, Wang Zhong appeared in the tearoom. Ludmila and Olga were already inside, and to his surprise, the two were playing chess.

Wang Zhong said, “You’re actually playing chess?”

"Occasionally, we also enjoy this kind of intellectual entertainment,” Olga commented. “How’s the new tank?”

"It’s excellent; after the inspection, it’ll be shipped to Bolsk.”

Olga asked, “Now that our heavy troops are all gathered near Bolsk, what if the enemy doesn’t attack here?”

Wang Zhong replied, “The enemy has already concentrated a considerable amount of forces, and aerial reconnaissance shows they’ve likely stockpiled quite a bit of ammunition as well. It’s pretty much confirmed that this is their main direction of attack.”

In Earth’s history, just before the start of the Battle of Kursk, both sides had also effectively laid their cards on the table, with aerial reconnaissance from both confirming the concentration of heavy troops, resulting in a clash without any subterfuge.

The current situation was essentially replicating that of Earth’s.

However, the Ante Prairie made it difficult to hide large numbers of troops, which was a significant reason both sides played with open hands. Tanks on the prairie, even camouflaged with nets, could still give away their positions.

This was also why Wang Zhong’s deceptive tactics near Yeisk had been so successful last year; it was normal for tank units amassed on the prairie to be spotted, leading the enemy to think nothing of it.

Of course, the most crucial factor was that aside from Wang Zhong’s Front Army, there were no other salients particularly vulnerable to pincer movements.

Olga said, “I don’t quite understand, after suffering so many losses at your hands, why would they still attack you?”

"Because I’ve never managed to stop their summer offensive,” Wang Zhong explained with a shrug. “The Prosens are very rigid. Both last year and the year before, they broke through my defenses in the summer, or at least they think they did. So naturally, they want to try again this year.”

Olga commented, “The way you put it, I feel quite sorry for the Prosens.”

Just as Wang Zhong was about to reply, the old butler arrived, “General Gorky is here.”

Wang Zhong said, “Let him in, come here.”

"I’m already here.” General Gorky entered the room, quickly noticed Olga, and promptly saluted, “Your Majesty. I didn’t know you were here.”

Olga replied, “Lies, Mikhail would have told you. I’ve been coming to the Rokossovsky family since I was little, and am very familiar with Grandpa Mikhail.”

General Gorky seemed somewhat embarrassed, “Well

Mikhail interjected, “I truly did not inform General Gorky. I assumed you had invited him over.”

Olga teased, “Oh, is that so? So, what are you Rokossovskys plotting? Let me in on it!”

Wang Zhong said, “Your words are curious, but I believe General Gorky is here to report on his offensive preparations to me.”

"Yes, that’s correct. Actually, I came to report to the High Command, and stopping by here was just convenient.”

Nelly appeared, carrying a tray of chilled cola.

She stopped in front of General Gorky.

"Oh, thank you.” General Gorky focused on Nelly’s right eye for a few seconds as he took the cola, then looked up to ask Wang Zhong, “Injured?”

Wang Zhong confirmed, “Yes, last year she stood in for me at the beachhead for over a month, her right eye got infected directly, and couldn’t be saved.”

General Gorky sympathized, “Poor girl, to be so beautiful.”

Wang Zhong said, “She’s still very beautiful, isn’t she?”

"Oh, right, indeed.” General Gorky took a sip of cola and was immediately shocked by the coldness of the cup, “This cold? I thought it would be like other cold drinks, only slightly chilled.”

Nelly explained, “The Federation sent us an ice machine, it seems to be one used on aircraft carriers, and it even produces ice cream. Now the kids eat ice cream every day.”

General Gorky whistled, happily downing his chilled cola in one go. After wiping his mouth contentedly, he got down to business, “I’ve heard that in your Front Army, the pilots have mastered a new way of making ice cream?”

Wang Zhong shared, “Yes, the Federation pilots taught them. They put milk and honey, stuff like that, in the auxiliary fuel tank, fly high for a few laps, and when they come down, they’ve got a tub of ice cream. These Fed folks have as many tricks for making ice cream as our own people have for brewing alcohol.”

General Gorky laughed heartily, “I think we should definitely promote it. It allows the troops to enjoy ice cream without increasing the logistical burden. That’s a real boon!”

After another drink of cola, he got to the point, “Alexei Konstantinovich, I’m planning to launch an offensive on the 20th of June, which should perfectly disrupt the enemy’s rhythm of counterattack. What do you think?”

Wang Zhong asked, “That’s fine, but will the Ulbans be able to replenish your Front Army by then?”

"Don’t worry, I already have one Ulban battalion. I plan to use this battalion at the Shostka front, to create sufficient pressure on the enemy and draw their attention. However, in reality, the second echelon will be deployed to other breakthrough points!”

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