Arc of Fire

Chapter 19

Wang Zhong took two deep breaths before gradually unclenching his fists, saying to Yegorov: "Bury them."

Yegorov: "Digging graves takes time, and we might encounter follow-up Prossenian forces at any moment. My suggestion is to blow up the latrine. Since we're already planning to demolish this supply depot after taking the fuel, we just need to plant a few more bombs."

Wang Zhong nodded: "Do it that way."

Having said this, Wang Zhong didn't want to see this tragic scene anymore and turned to leave, when Su Fang suddenly said: "Is that a child?"

Wang Zhong turned back again and followed Su Fang's gaze, indeed seeing a small figure.

Yegorov cursed: "Those bastards drowned him by sticking him headfirst into the shit."

Unable to bear looking any longer, Wang Zhong left the latrine, entered through the wooden shed's back door leading to the yard, and went straight to the map on the table.

Unlike the map captured earlier from the Prossenian division headquarters, this one didn't show combat unit positions but marked supply lines, depots, and transport units.

For a brief moment, Wang Zhong considered following this map to sabotage enemy supply lines, which might cause massive chaos.

But ultimately, self-preservation won out.

Wang Zhong: "Pack up the map and documents - they might be useful later. Have the troops board the vehicles, and have the engineers set up explosives quickly."

Suddenly remembering something, Wang Zhong asked: "Can we find enough drivers? I doubt many soldiers here know how to drive."

"Most have driven tractors back home, and some were in village transport teams. No problem," Yegorov replied.

Wang Zhong nodded.

Then Pavlov rushed in, panting but speaking immediately: "Are we really escaping by vehicle? The highways must be crawling with Prossenians now!"

"Not on the side road we're taking," Wang Zhong answered.

"There might be no vehicles there now, but eventually we'll have to take the main road - that'll definitely be full of Prossenians!"

Pavlov was right. Although the 3rd Rear Amur Regiment had found a gap, they were still surrounded by enemies. Meeting foes on the highway could happen anytime.

With the 3rd Rear Amur Regiment's limited strength, they'd likely be wiped out quickly.

Wang Zhong paced around the wooden shed, suddenly noticing the slanting sunlight outside the window.

He checked his watch and was surprised to see it was already 7 PM.

The sun still hadn't set at seven, indicating they were at quite high latitude during summer.

Having never lived north of the Yangtze before transmigrating, Wang Zhong didn't know northern summer sunset times, so he asked Yegorov: "How long until dark?"

Yegorov also checked his watch: "Sunset in an hour, completely dark by around 8:30."

After brief consideration, Wang Zhong ordered: "Set up simple defenses. We'll wait here for the rear logistics troops and field hospital. They have more drivers who can operate additional trucks."

Yegorov: "But won't that make our journey more dangerous?"

Wang Zhong smiled slightly: "We're driving Prossenian military vehicles with their cross emblems. At night with headlights on, they'll think we're one of them."

Having heard about volunteer soldiers tricking Americans by driving with lights on, Wang Zhong decided to try it himself.

Pavlov protested loudly: "What if we're discovered? We'd be finished!"

Wang Zhong: "I'll ride in the lead vehicle. If we're caught, I'll die first."

Immediately regretting his words - he'd been focused on survival but accidentally played the hero...

He could only hope the enemy would be careless enough.

Thinking this plan wasn't secure enough, Wang Zhong added: "Assign me someone bold who speaks Prossenian to ride in the lead vehicle. They'll handle any inspections."

Pavlov raised an eyebrow: "You don't speak it?"

Wang Zhong: "Should I?"

"But you're a Count!"

Did nobles in this timeline automatically know Prossenian?

Then Su Fang said: "I speak Prossenian. I'll ride up front with Count Rokosov."

Wang Zhong relaxed - if things went wrong, at least he'd die beside a beauty.

He told Yegorov: "You ride in the lead vehicle too, with Grigori's Special Ops Team all armed with submachine guns. If trouble comes, we can catch those Prossenian devils off guard."

"Good!" Yegorov grinned, clearly relishing this frontline assignment.

**

Meanwhile, Lord von Dietrich paced in his headquarters: "What's happening? Why hasn't the attack come? Has the reconnaissance team reached the 54th Division HQ?"

The communications officer answered: "Not yet. We've maintained radio contact, but their jeep broke down - road conditions in the combat zone are terrible."

Dietrich: "What about the armored units? Any contact?"

"We reached a tank battalion commander at the front who lost contact with the armored company attached to the 54th Division. Though it might just be their command vehicle's radio malfunctioning."

Dietrich sneered: "One armored company goes silent, heavy artillery creates smoke screens, and the enemy launches localized counterattacks. These Ant people are making desperate last stands. But where are they? We've waited so long!"

Walking to the stone manor building serving as headquarters, Dietrich looked through the window at four tanks from the HQ's direct-control tank platoon guarding the garden.

The tank crews stood ready, engines running.

But the attackers were late.

Dietrich: "Call the air force! I want air support!"

"My Lord," the Chief of Staff interjected, "night falls in an hour. Even if the air force scrambles, they won't see anything by the time they arrive."

The Lord cursed and resumed pacing.

Then distant explosions sounded.

Rushing to the window, Dietrich saw orange fireballs rising from the ground.

The Chief of Staff joined him and immediately identified the location: "Looks like the frontline supply depot exploded. Ant Air Force bombing? I didn't hear engines."

Dietrich roared: "Fools! The enemy we're searching for is there! Damn it, that radio threat was a diversion! Dispatch troops immediately!"

Chief of Staff: "The reserves are stuck on the road, remember? The only forces we can send now are the Army Group's anti-aircraft and reconnaissance units. Should we deploy them?"

Dietrich swore: "No! This is the enemy's all-out counterattack. Sending so few would be sending lambs to slaughter. Make the reserves hurry!"

**

Hearing the explosion, Wang Zhong glanced back: "Damn, that's dramatic."

His vehicle led the convoy, and the engineers only detonated the bombs with delayed detonators after the entire column departed, so they were at least a kilometer away, yet the fireball still looked enormous.

Like a nuke.

Though Wang Zhong had only seen nuclear explosions in documentaries.

Captain Sergei, driving, complained: "Did it have to be me driving the lead vehicle? Couldn't you pick someone else?"

Wang Zhong: "I trust you."

Actually because Sergei, as nobility, spoke Prossenian and Carolingian.

Sergei cursed: "Unbelievable! This is a suicide mission - driving with headlights on the main road! We'll definitely be caught and riddled with submachine gun fire."

Su Fang: "Even I, a girl, aren't scared. Why are you so frightened?"

Su Fang currently shared Wang Zhong's seat.

The girl was flat-chested but wide-hipped, squeezing Wang Zhong against the door.

In other circumstances Wang Zhong might have enjoyed this, but now he'd switched to Overhead Perspective, completely distracted.

Another reason Wang Zhong took point was to use his cheat's highlighting function - enemies within his vision would be automatically marked.

This let him detect enemies from two kilometers or more away.

By now it was getting dark, with normal vision limited to 500-600 meters at most.

But Wang Zhong's cheat vision remained nearly as clear as daytime.

This cheat would be incredibly useful for night battles.

Then Wang Zhong heard Yegorov: "Turn left at that big poplar tree onto the small road."

Wang Zhong saw the poplar and the left turn leading northeast, flanked by bushes.

Not a single Prossenian in sight.

(End of chapter)