Arc of Fire

Chapter 16

Wang Zhong nodded and strode out the door, turning back to say, "Take all the maps and the documents. Get in our jeep."

It wasn't that Wang Zhong didn't want to walk with the officers and soldiers; it was mainly because walking from his perspective made him dizzy almost instantly. Sitting in a bumpy car could also make him dizzy, but it happened more slowly, allowing him to monitor the overall situation from a bird's-eye view for a longer time.

As soon as he stepped outside, Wang Zhong saw Captain Sergei already waiting in the jeep.

"You're pretty quick, huh."

Sergei gave a bitter smile, "Sitting in the car means no one can see my pants."

So that's how it is.

Wang Zhong got into the car and turned back to Yegorov, saying, "You get in too."

Yegorov replied, "I need to stay where the messengers can find me."

Wang Zhong clicked his tongue, "Get an Ant Army flag, tie it to the car. Tell the messenger corps leader to look for the jeep with the flag."

While speaking, Yegorov's guard had already found a flag and stuck it on the corner of the rear compartment, securing it with a few wraps of bandage.

The flag had a white background, a blue X-cross in the middle layer, and a double-headed eagle as the top design.

Good grief, a Saint Andrew's Cross flag with a double-headed eagle emblem-way too intense.

Yegorov looked at Wang Zhong suspiciously, "Why do you insist on dragging me along?"

Of course, it's because talking with you gives me a view of the troops!

Wang Zhong figured that if he just drove off, he'd immediately lose sight of the Third Rear Amur Regiment.

So Yegorov had to get in the car.

But he couldn't say this reason, so Wang Zhong started to make up an excuse, "As a commander, of course, I need to be at the forefront of the troops at all times, personally inspecting the terrain where battles might occur."

Sergei glanced at Wang Zhong sideways, looking like he had a lot to say.

And understandably so-a rookie coward who had just wet his pants was now suddenly so brave as to personally go to the front to check the situation. Anyone would find that strange.

Yegorov clicked his tongue, "The way you talk, you don't sound like a noble lord. Noble lords never go to the front lines; they just draw lines on maps. I learned that during the Civil War."

Wang Zhong replied, "I'm not quite like the others."

Luckily, no one who knew the original Count was present, so he could spout nonsense without restraint.

Just as he thought this, Su Fang spoke up, "That's not right. I heard that Count Rokosov is a frivolous jerk who always looked down on commoners and only came to the army to wear a uniform so he could go back to Saint Yekaterinburg and brag to noble ladies."

"They also said the Count never showed up on the training field, not even for morning drills."

Wang Zhong broke out in a cold sweat and could only dodge with, "That was before. I've been reborn. I mean, I was reborn after being blasted by the Prossenians' cannons."

Su Fang looked at Wang Zhong, "Is that so? Indeed, the vibe you give off is very different from the rumors. You don't seem frivolous at all..."

Wang Zhong said, "I need to remind you, I'm your superior officer, the commander of this unit."

"Ah!" Su Fang exclaimed, "Indeed, I shouldn't speak ill of you."

By this time, Yegorov had already gotten into the car. He looked at his Staff Officer Pavlov and said, "You'd better not come with us. If we get strafed by enemy planes and die, you'll still be here to command the troops."

Pavlov nodded.

At this moment, Yegorov's guard tried to get into the car, but Su Fang quickly slipped into the rear compartment ahead of him.

The guard said, "This... can we all fit?"

Wang Zhong replied, "We don't need a guard. You stay with Chief of Staff Pavlov."

Mainly because with the bird's-eye view and the full army's perspective, it's not easy to run into enemies.

When escaping in the city, they were spotted by the enemy only because a jeep chased them from behind. Otherwise, Wang Zhong and Lyudmila could have crossed the battle lines back to their side without firing a single shot.

Wang Zhong snapped his fingers, and Captain Sergei immediately understood, releasing the clutch, shifting gears, and stepping on the gas.

The captured jeep roared and shot forward.

The Third Rear Amur Regiment had already set out, and the jeep drove past the troops heading west.

The flag Wang Zhong had impulsively decided to stick on the jeep turned out to have a surprisingly good effect. When the troops saw a flag leading the charge, with Regiment Leader Yegorov sitting in the car, their morale soared, and they began shouting "Ura"!

The cries of "Ura" spread through the entire formation in an instant, and everyone looked with fervent eyes at the jeep charging ahead.

Amid the chorus of "Ura," a loud voice shouted, "Yegorov! Lead us to crush those damned Prossenians!"

Yegorov shouted back, "Remember, our commander is the great Count Rokosov! It's the Count's orders that have led us to such great victories!"

Although Wang Zhong was in bird's-eye view, his hearing wasn't affected, and he heard Yegorov's words loud and clear.

At the same time, he also clearly heard that the "Ura" cheers stopped abruptly after Yegorov's shout.

It seems Count Rokosov had long been infamous among the soldiers.

Wang Zhong switched back to his normal perspective just in time to hear Yegorov shout, "What are you doing? Don't stop cheering! Look, the Count is right here, charging forward with me!"

"Yegorov!" Wang Zhong spoke up, "Let everyone sing a song, something they like, something that boosts morale!"

Yegorov looked troubled, "A song that you like and everyone else likes too? I'm afraid there isn't one."

Wang Zhong frowned, "What about a military song?"

"Nobody likes military songs," Yegorov said honestly, "The soldiers like... well, pretty crude stuff."

Wang Zhong replied, "Then let's go with the crude stuff!"

Yegorov said, "Alright! Petro! Start us off with 'The Girl from the Neighboring Village'!"

The Girl from the Neighboring Village? Just the name sounds like it's not a proper song.

Singing something like this at a time like this-won't it lower morale instead? Should I just belt out a verse of 'Three Kingdoms Warriors'?

At that moment, Su Fang suddenly started singing.

Wang Zhong felt a chill down his spine as he heard the tune. Isn't this Katyusha?

Legend has it that during World War II, the Germans played Katyusha on a gramophone at their position. The Soviets, hearing it, were so enraged that they launched a direct assault, captured the position, took the gramophone, and mowed down all the German soldiers there.

Su Fang sang, "Just as pear blossoms bloom across the horizon..."

It really is Katyusha!

Su Fang's soprano voice sang the first verse, and as if on cue, the marching soldiers joined in, singing the chorus together.

Katyusha stands on the steep shore

Her song is like the bright spring light

Katyusha stands on the steep shore

Her song is like the bright spring light!

With the song, even Wang Zhong could feel the soaring morale.

By now, the jeep had overtaken the front of the formation, truly becoming the vanguard.

Wang Zhong said, "There's a hill ahead. Drive up there; I want to check the terrain."

(End of Chapter)