Arc of Gunfire

After dinner, the senior officers of the Rokossov battle group met again. A map of the defense of Loktov was placed on the table where they sat.

Yegorov spoke first: "I put the first and third companies in the chemical plant. To be honest, it is relatively solid there, and when the enemy's heavy artillery fire is prepared, the casualties will be lower than in the garrison.

"Another bunker that is more suitable for anti-artillery is here."

He pointed to the back of the fertilizer plant.

"The warehouse area is also a very solid concrete building. We can put the reserve, that is, the second company, here.

"Loktov is a semi-industrial city with many concrete buildings. This is one of the few good news." Yegorov paused and said, "By the way, the military station headquarters sent a company from their communications battalion here. We worked hard this afternoon to get the telephone line connected." Yegorov picked up the phone on the table and continued, "This is finally no longer a decoration. You can call the main position of the fertilizer plant, the hidden B4 howitzer battalion, the position of the arrow company, and the Loktov garrison regiment." He put the microphone away. Wang Zhong: "There are not many places that can be connected."

"After all, it was just installed this afternoon."

Pavlov frowned: "Why is there still a telephone line to the garrison regiment? It is not under our command."

"Now it is." Popov replied, "We have established contact with the front headquarters of Agsukov. The front ordered us to unify the command of Loktov's combat forces, block the harassment of small enemy forces, and support General Anton's counterattack."

Wang Zhong sneered: "Small forces? We heard clearly that an armored division is advancing towards us, and its vanguard reconnaissance battalion is now in Kalinovka. Popov, did you pass on the intelligence we obtained? Report to the intelligence department of the front army? "

"We have reported, but they need time to interpret it." Popov looked helpless, "Maybe they just don't believe it. After all, it's just a 'eavesdropped' radio communication. They think that 'the really important information must be transmitted through the radio, and the enemy's Enigma machine is prepared for this.' "

When Wang Zhong heard the familiar term Enigma machine, he immediately remembered the story of the British gathering a bunch of mathematicians in Bletchley Park to decipher the Enigma code, so he asked: "What is the level of mathematics in our country?"

I remember that the mathematics level of Tsarist Russia and the later Soviet Union was very high. Since the British can do it, Tsarist Russia can do it too-right?

After all, this is a different time and space. Maybe all the members of the Ante Empire in this world can't do mental multiplication and division within 100?

In Wang Zhong's view, his question is closely related to the topic, but in the view of others, his sentence is not closely related, at least it is irrelevant.

Everyone looked at Wang Zhong in confusion, and the headquarters suddenly became quiet. Only the beeping sound made by the guest telegraph operators of the Telegraph Investigation Bureau of the trial court next door could be heard.

Pavlov: "Mathematics...?"

Popov: "What does this have to do with mathematics?"

Wang Zhong: "We just mentioned the Enigma code, didn't we? Just find a bunch of mathematicians to decipher it. It's just a mechanical device, and it's not really undecipherable. Of course, the premise is that Ant must be good enough and have enough mathematicians."

Everyone looked at each other, and Yegorov asked: "Then why not seize an Enigma machine?"

Wang Zhong: "It's not enough to just seize one. The Enigma machine can adjust the encryption by changing the initial settings. Even if the settings are exactly the same, the encryption effect is different if the starting position of the rotor is different. So even if the Enigma machine is seized, a large number of cryptography experts are still needed... Why are you looking at me so 'affectionately'?"

Popov: "I never knew before that you actually had this knowledge. I thought you only knew what size bras the socialites in the capital wore."

Wang Zhong was shocked. Is this the son of a playboy? I want to know too!

Pavlov interrupted: "None of this matters. Mathematicians or chest braces are not what we need to consider now. Whether the higher-ups believe it or not, we all know that an armored division is coming towards us." "It is said that Proson has only deployed 20 armored divisions in total, and one of them is heading towards us! And all our anti-tank weapons are only ten magic arrows and three anti-tank guns!" "About the magic arrows." Wang Zhong interrupted Pavlov, "I would like to ask where the magic arrows are deployed now?" Yegorov: "In the fertilizer plant, the second floor of the plant has a good view, which is very suitable for launching magic arrows, and it can be safely transferred after launching. Yetsemenko praised the new launch position." Wang Zhong: "They should be withdrawn." "What?" Yegorov frowned, "Withdraw?" Wang Zhong: "I plan to use the magic arrows for air defense." "Are you going to use the magic arrows to protect our 203mm artillery positions? "Yegorov was amazed, "It's quite appropriate. 203 can survive one more air raid, which will definitely cause more casualties to the enemy than destroying ten tanks!" "No," Wang Zhong shook his head, "The motor reconnaissance battalion I captured in Kalinovka today was the enemy Air Force's ground-to-air missile unit, which inspired me. The Air Force needs to know where the target is to bomb. Do you understand what I mean?" Yegorov shook his head: "I don't understand." Wang Zhong: "Loktov is a city of decent size, with many buildings, and there are no high mountains around. When I went out for reconnaissance, I saw clearly that the highest observation point the enemy could find was the barn outside the city.

"The ground missile troops will never be able to see where our heavy artillery positions are. The enemy needs aerial reconnaissance."

Wang Zhong stopped, hoping that others had understood what he meant.

Pavlov: "And?"

Wang Zhong: "We rescued a monk with very strong hearing in Kalinovka..."

"You mean the sound array master?" Popov asked.

"Yes, although he threw away the listening equipment, he said the blacksmith in the city will soon be able to build something that will work. He will have it ready tomorrow!

"He can distinguish the engine sound of enemy reconnaissance planes!"

Yegorov finally understood: "You mean to use magic arrows to destroy the enemy's reconnaissance plane?"

Wang Zhong: "Yes, when the pilots of the attack aircraft are dropping bombs and attacking, they are highly nervous when faced with the anti-aircraft fire of our army and may not be able to detect the well-camouflaged B4 launch position.

"But the reconnaissance aircraft can take photos for reconnaissance, and the intelligence staff behind them can carefully study and analyze the photos in a safe place. The chance of them finding our artillery position is very high!"

Others nodded: "That makes sense."

"With blocking and reconnaissance, coupled with good concealment, those bulky B4s may survive longer! Inflicting greater damage to the enemy!"

Yegorov: "If we find another launching position and place the B4 separately, we can withstand more attacks!"

Wang Zhong: "Use wood or other objects to make some fake positions. If you don't fire, you can't tell the real ones from the fake ones. We just don't fire when the enemy planes are in the air."

"Yes!" Yegorov slammed the table, "I'll let the boys..."

"No," Popov interrupted, "this job should not be done by young men. The church is organizing civil servants and self-defense forces to let them do the job. Some of them are carpenters and blacksmiths."

Wang Zhong: "The church is organizing?"

"Yes, we are a secular sect, and the local priest is very popular among the citizens. If we are a saint sect, that is not necessarily the case." Popov said with some pride.

Wang Zhong: "That's good. The best card we have now is these B4s. The good news is that we have captured the enemy's communication call sign book. As long as the enemy does not change the call sign, we can deduce where and what troops are based on the call content.

"I have personally inspected several habitable villages within the coverage area of ​​B4. There are basically only elderly people, people who do not believe in the Eastern Holy Religion, and a small number of Chongsheng sects in the villages. We can safely and boldly bomb.

"Especially at night, when the enemy is camping, it should be able to cause heavy damage to the enemy."

————

Kalinovka.

The No. 2 tank of the lead reconnaissance battalion of the 15th Armored Division of the Prosen Army stopped on the road five hundred meters away from the village. The battalion commander, Captain Hank, stuck his head out of the turret and observed the village with a telescope.

The plumes of smoke created by the air force's bombings rose high into the sky, and the particles in the smoke formed large clouds, which were painted blood red by the sunset.

The topography of Kalinovka Village is that one road leads from beginning to end. Captain Hank can see the road out of the village on the other side from outside the village.

So he clearly saw the motorcycle belonging to the 220th Motorcycle Reconnaissance Battalion lying crooked in the village.

Apparently these friendly forces were ambushed.

The captain put down his telescope and ordered: "Gunner, shoot every window in the village."

The Panzer II tank's machine gun immediately started firing, and at least three 20mm high-explosive rounds were inserted into every window.

Most of the houses in Kalinovka are made of wood, and the machine guns have even removed the window frames.

When he hit the fifth window, the captain shouted: "Stop!"

The machine gunfire stopped abruptly.

No one came out of the village and no one fought back.

No, someone came out of the village!

An old man, wearing a military uniform from the war period between the Ant Empire and the Anatolian Empire, came out of the village tremblingly and stood at the entrance of the village, looking at the Prosen people.

Captain: "Catch him and ask him where the people who ambush the motorcycle camp are!"

The soldiers of the reconnaissance battalion who were hiding on the roadside immediately stood up and advanced towards the entrance of the village.

After the infantry advanced fifty steps, the captain ordered the tank to advance.

When the tank arrived at the entrance of the village, the infantrymen had already pinned the old man to the ground. A second lieutenant came to the tank with a saber: "Captain, this is the only thing he has on him!"

The captain took the saber, looked at it carefully, and exclaimed: "What a great sword!"

As soon as he finished speaking, there was an explosion in the village.

All the Prosen soldiers around the tank suddenly fell to the ground, and the captain himself shrank into the turret. He didn't even want the "good knife" and threw it on the ground.

The helmet blown away by the explosion fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

The old man who was pushed down took the opportunity to stand up, picked up the saber on the ground and was about to slash the nearest Prossen, but a submachine gun rang out.

The old man's body tensed suddenly, and the blood-like sunset fell on him.

He fell down little by little.

Although the dynasties have changed, he still shed the last drop of blood for his hometown.

Captain Hank got out of the turret again and asked loudly: "What exploded just now?"

"Report to the captain that the enemy has planted booby traps under the corpse!"

The captain cursed and ordered: "Pull out everyone in the village and ask where there are booby traps! Anyone who refuses to tell us is a rebel, and they will all be shot!"

Soon, a dozen old people were taken under the birch tree at the entrance of the old village.

The translator asked the first lady: "How many booby traps are buried here? Where are they buried?"

The aunt spat in the translator's face.

Translator: "These are rebels! Shoot them!"

The submachine gun fired immediately, and the aunt fell down, still staring at the invader.

The translator walked up to the man who was second in line and asked: "How many booby traps have been buried? Where are they buried?"

Uncle: "I am a sergeant of the 13th Guards Grenadier Regiment, soldier code..."

"I'm asking you a question!" the translator slapped the uncle in the mouth.

The uncle wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and continued: "I am a sergeant of the 13th Guards Grenadier Regiment..."

"These are resistance elements! Shoot them!"

Da da da

The translator walked towards the third one, who was a middle-aged man. Before the translator could speak, he said: "I believe in the Prosen State Religion! I secretly worship it at home..."

The translator interrupted him: "How many booby traps do you think there are?"

"There are only five of them, and they are all buried under the corpses of Imperial soldiers in the village! These damn inferior peoples actually desecrated the corpses of Imperial soldiers!"

Translator: "Yes, you are an inferior race, that's why you betray your neighbors."

As he spoke, the translator turned to the surrounding Pluosen soldiers and said in Pluoson: "Just now, they were all willing to die rather than surrender. I thought their national character had improved! Fortunately, there is this one! They are indeed an inferior race!"

The Ploson soldier laughed.

The traitor looked at the Prossen blankly, with fear written on his face.

The translator stepped forward and patted his shoulder: "Don't worry, we will treat people who are loyal to the empire. You did a good job. Well done. By the way, who laid these booby traps?"

Anzai replied: "It's a man named Alexei Konstantinovich Rokosov! He calls himself General White Horse!"

The translator's smile suddenly froze.

At this time, a corporal ran to Command No. 2 and reported loudly: "A note written in Prosen was found on the body of our soldier!"

"Read it!" Captain Hank said.

"White Horse General Alexey Konstantinovich wishes you a happy occupation. I have left you twenty surprises. I hope you like it."

Captain Hank frowned: "Is that really what it says?"

"Yes!"

The captain winked at the translator.

The translator immediately slapped An Zie in the face: "Damn it! You actually lied to us! There are obviously 20 booby traps!"

"Ah? Twenty? I swear I don't know! I hid far away and couldn't hear their orders clearly! I only saw them burying five!"

The translator himself pulled out the Ruger pistol and loaded it.

An Zie knelt down with a plop: "I was wronged!"

"Anyone who deceives the empire will die!" the translator said expressionlessly, raising his gun and pointing it at An Zie's head.

The man was so anxious that he shouted: "Long live the Prosen Empire! Emperor Reinha..."

Before he could finish speaking, the translator pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the target in the middle of the head and passed through the back of the head, creating a large hole. The white brains were sprayed on the roots of the birch tree.

Then the translator kicked the body away.

The aunt in fourth place spat on the corpse.

Translator: "It seems you don't know how to speak anymore?"

"The day my son comes back, he will send you all to hell!"

Snapped.

The gunfire continued.