“`
After confirming that the position had been captured, Wang Zhong personally led Vasily and two guards to the site.
Grigori saluted Wang Zhong, “We’ve captured fifteen prisoners, including one major. The rest are at most warrant officers.”
Wang Zhong, “Is there any medicine here?”
“Yes, we have both medicine and bandages.”
Wang Zhong, “Shoot each of them in the shoulder, then dress their wounds with their own medical supplies, and order them to walk back to their base.”
Grigori nodded and turned to carry out the orders.
He left a corporal behind, guarding the major they had just captured.
Wang Zhong, “Vasily, it’s your turn.”
Vasily went up and struck the major with his rifle butt.
Wang Zhong was startled, “I told you to speak in Prussian!”
Vasily, “Ah? Oh, right. (Switching to Prussian) The general wants to ask you questions.”
The Prussian major had just been struck by a rifle butt and was still dazed, and responded, “(In Prussian) I demand prisoner of war treatment!”
Vasily, “(In Prussian) What kind of prisoner of war treatment do beasts deserve?”
At that moment, gunshots were heard from Grigori’s direction.
From this angle, the major couldn’t see the “disposition” Wang Zhong ordered for ordinary soldiers, so he misunderstood, thinking they were executing prisoners of war.
Major, “What you’re doing is against international conventions!”
Vasily struck the major with the gun butt again, skewing his nose and causing blood to gush, “(In Prussian) Shit, why didn’t you mention international law when you were slaughtering our civilians! You should all be flushed down the toilet and drowned!”
Wang Zhong, “What’s the situation?”
Vasily turned back, “He thinks we’re executing prisoners of war and is accusing us of violating international law.”
Wang Zhong, “Tell him that international laws are made for humans, none of which apply to beasts.”
Vasily immediately translated.
The major’s eyes widened.
Wang Zhong drew his pistol and expertly chambered a round, “This pistol has been blessed personally by the Grand Patriarch of the Eastern Holy Church, Belinsky. It’s perfect for executing Prussian devils.”
After Vasily translated, the major stared in horror at Wang Zhong’s gun, “Please don’t execute me with this gun, I won’t be able to enter heaven!”
Wang Zhong looked at Vasily who translated, “He says he can’t get to heaven if he’s killed with that gun.”
“Tell him, he was destined for hell anyway.”
After speaking, Wang Zhong aimed his gun.
The major rattled off a barrage of words at a rapid pace.
Wang Zhong, “What’s he saying?”
“He’s confessed everything; he just begs not to be killed with that gun. Even a bayonet would do.”
Wang Zhong thought how superstitious these people were and then said, “It all depends on his performance. Which unit does he belong to, and why did he come here?”
After Vasily translated, the major immediately replied, “I am a staff officer of the 35th Infantry Division of the 9th Army Group’s 337th Army. My division is stationed here, and I came to inspect the defenses.”
Upon hearing the translation about “the 9th Army Group,” Wang Zhong interrupted, “Who is the commander of the 9th Army Group?”
Vasily, “Who is the commander of the 9th Army Group?”
“It’s Major General Walter Mendel.”
Wang Zhong frowned at the pronunciation, “Walter? Mendel? Does he like to tinker with peas?”
Vasily was taken aback, “Should I translate this? I mean, the part about peas?”
Wang Zhong, “No, I just asked subconsciously. Where is your division’s headquarters? Where is the army headquarters, and where is the army group headquarters?”
Major (omitting the translation process), “My adjutant’s bag contains a map with all the locations marked.”
After Vasily translated, Wang Zhong immediately asked the corporal guarding the major, “Where is the bag with the documents?”
The corporal brought it out, “Here.”
Vasily took it, opened it, and spread out the map.
Wang Zhong couldn’t understand the Prussian language on the map, but he could read the military symbols. A quick glance told him that there were simply no armored units on the entire front.
If it weren’t for the possibility of enemy 88mm guns and defensive PAK38 anti-tank guns, Wang Zhong would have considered launching an armored assault to capture more territory.
According to the map, the nearest armored battalion was two hundred kilometers away—
Wang Zhong, “Keep the map safe; let’s retreat quickly to avoid complications. After making a copy of the map, submit it. As for this Mr. Major, knock him out, tie him up, and place him on a saddle.”
The corporal guarding the major laughed, “I’ve got this; I come from a hunting background. I’ve tied up deer and put them on saddles before, and a man is much lighter than a deer.”
Vasily asked, “Aren’t we going to call for artillery fire? According to the map, the division headquarters of the 337th is within our artillery range.”
Wang Zhong, “If we shell them now, they’ll take cover. Let’s wait until nighttime.”
Vasily grinned, “You’re right.”
————
When Wang Zhong returned with his elite troops to Shostka’s completely demolished western bank, he found many soldiers active on the western shore.
They must have crossed on ferries; a ferry was docked next to the destroyed ticket office of the ferry terminal.
These men were unloading concrete blocks from trucks.
“`
Wang Zhong rode on his horse past the spot and asked curiously, “What’s with this mound?”
The lieutenant who was addressed immediately saluted, “Reporting to the general, this is a target, the anti-tank artillery troops are going to fire at this mound soon.”
Wang Zhong: “Firing at the mound?”
Lieutenant: “Ah, I misspoke, it’s to shoot at the wooden target board set up on top of the mound, it’s just that the target hasn’t been mounted yet. The troops have already hit targets at 800 meters before, that vehicle over there, a perfect hit, so they sent us to set up a new target.”
As he spoke, the lieutenant pointed at the remains of the truck that had served as a target.
Using wreckage as a target was indeed economical.
He glanced at the remains of the truck, then turned to look toward the eastern shore, only to see a ZIS30 stopped over there. From this distance, without a bird’s-eye perspective, it was genuinely difficult to make out that small object.
If they added some camouflaging brush, and set up fortifications, you might fear that without opening fire, the enemy couldn’t see it at all.
Wang Zhong put down his binoculars and asked the lieutenant who was setting up the target, “How’s the new equipment?”
Lieutenant: “See for yourself, it pierced right through that wreck, and with high precision, too. They aimed for the engine air intake and hit it squarely. And that’s from over 800 meters! A 45mm gun might not have hit it.”
Wang Zhong: “Because it was so accurate, you’ve come to set up a 1000-meter target now?”
“That’s right.”
As they spoke, the soldiers were mounting the wooden targets onto the mounds.
Wang Zhong turned and ordered, “First send that ‘venison’ across the river, and we’ll see how well the artillerymen do with the new weapons on this side.”
“Yes,” the sergeant in charge of the prisoners immediately nudged his horse’s belly and rode towards the bridge.
The major on horseback looked at Wang Zhong, seemingly sighing with relief.
Wang Zhong thought without a trace of pity: In the hands of the Tribunal, you’ll wish you had been killed by my blessed pistol.
A minute later, the target was set up, and the lieutenant said to Wang Zhong, “General, you better come quickly, we should take cover a bit further away.”
Wang Zhong: “You drive away, we’ll just follow on horseback.”
“Yes.” The lieutenant and his men got into the vehicle and quickly distanced themselves from the target. Wang Zhong followed behind the truck on Bucephalus.
Soon, they were about a hundred meters away from the target when the lieutenant fired a signal flare from the cab of the truck—lacking radio communication on both sides, they could only use signal flares to coordinate.
Wang Zhong raised his binoculars—actually switching to a bird’s-eye view—and saw the gunner on the ZIS30 complete the loading and begin to adjust the gun’s elevation.
The aiming process lasted about 20 seconds, and then the 57mm gun fired.
It seemed to be a bit quieter than the 76mm gun.
A flash of light hit the target—the mound beneath it.
A cloud of dust rose from the mound.
The lieutenant, cursing under his breath, raised a yellow flag to signal the other side to cease fire, and then carrying the flag, he walked towards the target.
Wang Zhong dismounted and followed the lieutenant, overhearing him grumble, “Had to show off like this! That mound is supposed to be the target!”
Upon reaching the mound, Wang Zhong crouched to inspect it—the shell had penetrated the mound and exited through the side. It appeared that the concrete mound had forcefully changed the shell’s trajectory.
Wang Zhong estimated the depth of the marks on the mound and was impressed, “I fear no enemy tank could withstand such a hit.”
Lieutenant: “I think so, too, after all, we directly pierced through the target using the truck just now. Even though the truck’s engine had already been removed, it was still quite formidable.”
Wang Zhong: “Hmm. Pleasing results.”
“If we had more of these guns, not a single Prussian would make it back,” the lieutenant sighed.
But Wang Zhong could only smile bitterly.
No doubt the 57mm gun was superior, but its production time was too long, and the rate was too slow. Desiring more meant hoping that Wang Zhong somehow had a system to conjure equipment from the void.
Wang Zhong switched to a bird’s-eye view, confirmed he had no such ability, and concluded.
He would have to make the best use of the 57mm guns he had.
Wang Zhong gave another glance across the river to the ZIS30 self-propelled artillery.
———-
After crossing the river, Wang Zhong went directly to the side of the ZIS30.
Among the anti-tank gunners were several veterans who had experienced the bloody battle of Orachi, praising the new weapon: “If we had had this thing in Orachi, coupled with the trenches we dug for the tanks, we would have completely annihilated the enemy’s armored division! Completely annihilated!”
Wang Zhong: “You can still completely annihilate the enemy’s armored division now.”
The men turned their heads, then promptly stood at attention and saluted, “His Excellency the General!”
In that moment, Wang Zhong suddenly wondered if there would come a day when the troops would only shout ‘ura’ upon seeing him?
Just like a certain little man, the Carolus Army would only shout ‘long live the Emperor’ at the sight of him.
Just thinking about it felt quite stirring. Alas, Ante probably wouldn’t have a Tsar in the future.
Wang Zhong: “How do you like the thing I got for you?”
“It’s excellent,” said the veteran who had spoken earlier. “It’s a pity we’re only getting it now.”
“No, this is a result of your struggles in Orachi! The outcome of the battle in Orachi has given me enough prestige to acquire such weapons for you,” Wang Zhong looked at the men, “Your valor has been recognized! Do you understand?”
Both new recruits and veterans displayed looks of joy at this moment.
Having their struggle recognized is a great honor for any soldier.
Wang Zhong: “Next, more ZIS30s will be continuously sent from the rear. You need to familiarize yourselves with them as soon as possible. The enemy will arrive in no more than 20 days.”
“Rest assured, General!” the veteran sergeant responded on behalf of everyone. “We’ll make sure the Prussians can’t return!”