While the neighboring units were engaged in a ferocious meat-grinder of a battle, Shostka was relatively calm.
It wasn’t necessarily calm, though, as both sides exchanged heavy artillery greetings daily.
The artillery firepower of the Guard’s First Motor Rifle Division certainly couldn’t compare with that of an enemy army, especially one that had been lavished with attention by the Plathen Emperor as the “nouveau riche army.”
But Shostka’s sturdy reinforced concrete structures withstood it all.
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On October 2, 914, Wang Zhong was observing the enemy’s engineering progress when the telephone suddenly rang.
Pavlov picked up, “This is the division headquarters. Please hold.”
After speaking, he handed the receiver to Wang Zhong, “Major General Kiriyenko.”
Wang Zhong took the receiver and his first words were, “No problems on my end. Do you need me to dispatch troops to support Kashuk?”
Kiriyenko, “It seems you’re aware of the situation. The enemy has launched relentless attacks on Kashuk’s position, some of the surface positions have already been flattened. Kashuk has lost the beachhead and it’s only by blasting the enemy’s pontoon bridges with artillery fire that they’ve been stopped from advancing further.”
“Your Air Force at the airfield also played a significant role, I never knew our interceptors could drop bombs before.”
Wang Zhong, “Actually, it’s my first time knowing that too. But it seems they quite enjoy these kinds of missions. By the way, I also learned about the situation on Kashuk’s side through the Air Force.”
Kiriyenko, “I’ve already sent up all the reserves, and even adjusted the defense sectors of other units, abandoning some non-critical positions. Any troops I could spare, I’ve already sent to Kashuk.”
“What does the Front Army say?” Wang Zhong asked.
“You take one look at the situation to the north and you can pretty much guess what they’d say,” Kiriyenko’s wry laughter came through the phone line.
Wang Zhong glanced at the map on the division headquarters’ wall.
To the north, a massive salient had penetrated deep into the defensive area of the entire Western Front Army.
Incidentally, on the Western Front Army’s main line, the enemy’s infantry units had also launched an offensive, firmly pinning down the other units of the Western Front Army in their positions.
As a result, the Western Front Army could only continue sending follow-up troops to the north, trying to block the enemy’s overwhelming assault.
Apart from defense, the Western Front Army had also launched an offensive aimed at cutting off the enemy’s “long fangs” at the root, which, unsurprisingly, failed, costing a large number of troops.
It appeared that the current state of the entire Ante Army was insufficient to launch an attack.
To defeat the Prussian Army, troops had to be tempered in blood and fire.
Wang Zhong, “I can dispatch a battalion, no, a regiment!”
Kiriyenko, “Come on, do you really think I called you for just a regiment? No no, General Rokossovsky, now is the time to use your connections. I don’t know if you should call Her Highness the Princess or His Holiness the Grand Patriarch, I don’t know who can bring in troops.”
“But you need to do something, send a telegram, make a call, or fly directly to Ye Fort—do something! You are the star of victory! Of course, I won’t leave it all to you, I’m heading to the Commander of the Western Front Army’s headquarters right now to plead our urgent case.”
The headquarters of the Western Front Army was not located in Yeborg City but in Tula.
It would take about a day’s drive from Kiriyenko’s headquarters to get there.
Yes, a day. That’s how vast Ante was.
Wang Zhong, “I understand. I’ll make the calls, and you keep up the good work.”
“Let’s all keep up the good work. If we really collapse, just pull back to my headquarters. Given your division’s equipment, you should be able to hold out for a while, plus the rain starting might be a lifesaver. Hanging up now!”
After saying that, Kiriyenko hung up.
Wang Zhong placed down the receiver and looked at Pavlov.
Pavlov, “Kashuk can’t hold out?”
Wang Zhong, “The reserves are almost depleted, including Kiriyenko’s reserves. In retrospect, we should have been deployed to defend the ferry below since we have such powerful firepower. Instead, we’re here in a standoff with the enemy, while Kashuk’s less well-equipped army faces a direct onslaught from the enemy’s heavy forces.”
Pavlov shrugged, “Who could have predicted this?”
Now, it was impossible to move Wang Zhong’s division down there because such a parallel change of guard would cause significant confusion. The enemy wasn’t close enough for a switch, but making such a move with the enemy in sight was tantamount to suicide.
So, a mistake in troop allocation could only result in the current situation.
Of course, it wasn’t Pavlov who made the decision to deploy Wang Zhong here but the Western Front Army’s headquarters.
Wang Zhong thought to himself that when he commanded large troop formations in the future, he must conduct more reconnaissance to accurately assess the enemy’s main direction of attack as much as possible.
At that moment, Popov said, “You can’t say that. If the enemy is undertaking trench work, isn’t it because our division’s firepower hit them hard? They lost so many tanks just on the first day. If Kashuk’s forces came here, perhaps they would face a relentless assault too, and we might be bored watching the enemy’s trench work in Kashuk’s current position.”
It was indeed a possibility.
Wang Zhong, “In any event, Kiriyenko has handed over command to his Chief of Staff and is now going to Marshal Semyon of the Western Front Army to request troops.”
“And I need to place a call to the Grand Patriarch. Our line can directly reach the capital, right?”
Pavlov, “Yes, we can use the civilian long-distance lines. The military lines are more complicated; they must first go through the Front Army’s switchboard.”
Wang Zhong: “Should I just get us connected to the civilian line?”
“Yes, now all the jack points are at our switchboard.”
Wang Zhong picked up the receiver: “This is Rokossovsky, connect me to the civilian line, to Ye Fort.”
The operator on the other end asked, “Which part of Ye Fort?”
“The Great Cathedral of the Eastern Holy Church.”
“Understood.”
Wang Zhong held the receiver, waiting to be connected, as his gaze shifted back and forth between Pavlov and Popov.
Soon, the other side replied, “Great Cathedral switchboard, who may I ask is calling?”
Wang Zhong: “This is General Rokossovsky…”
“Is this Major General Aleksei Konstantinovich Rokossovsky?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Are you looking for His Eminence Grand Patriarch Belinsky?”
“Yes, I am.”
“One moment, please.”
Another waiting period ensued, and Wang Zhong looked at Pavlov and suddenly asked, “Why aren’t you two speaking?”
Pavlov and Popov exchanged a glance, saying, “We were afraid of disturbing your call for reinforcements.”
Popov: “Right, just in case we scare off the reinforcements with our chatter, that wouldn’t be good.”
Wang Zhong wanted to retort to the two of them, but then “that” voice came through, “Rokossovsky here, what’s the matter?”
Wang Zhong: “The situation is this, Kashuk’s unit downstream has exhausted their reserves. Kiriyenko’s reserves have also all been committed, without new troops for support, the situation on the southern line will be very dangerous.”
Belinsky was silent for a few seconds, then asked, “I only have the Guardian Army here, would that be okay? They have weapons, but that’s about it. Do you understand?”
Wang Zhong: “I understand, I’ve fought side by side with them.”
Belinsky: “I see, I will arrange for the Guardian Army to be transported to the front line. I’ll send the ones of better quality. After gaining some battle experience, perhaps they can be reformed into regular troops like the Fifth Beshensk Regiment.”
Wang Zhong: “Thank you very much.”
“What’s there to thank me for? I’m also fighting for the country, just from a different position. Hold the line, the weather department predicts based on current observations and records from the past forty years that it will rain in about a week.”
Wang Zhong: “Understood. I will pass this on to Generals Kashuk and Kiriyenko. So…”
He was about to say goodbye when he suddenly remembered something and asked, “What’s the situation at High Command? Ever since Marshal Semyon went to the Western Front Army, we have been left with Chief of Staff Tukhachev…”
The Grand Patriarch: “Tukhachev has calmed the Emperor down, at least we don’t have to worry about him issuing impromptu orders for now. If the situation on the northern line is indeed terrible, a retreat order is likely to be issued.”
Wang Zhong: “Even if a retreat order is issued, it should be after the rainy season begins. We are better suited for mud, plus our supply lines are shorter. Once the mud comes, the enemy will hardly be able to pursue us, and we can retreat safely.”
Belinsky: “I remember. But High Command doesn’t listen to me. Maybe you should discuss this issue with Her Highness the Princess.”
Wang Zhong: “She still has influence over such matters?”
Belinsky: “From what I’ve heard, she isn’t allowed in High Command’s operations rooms and map rooms, but she’s been staying with General Tugenev at Military Command, so she should be able to exert some influence.”
Wang Zhong: “I see. I’ll reach out to her if necessary.”
At that moment, the Grand Patriarch said “Hold on,” put down the receiver, and spoke with others. After a while, his voice returned, “It’s settled, the first batch of the Guardian Army will leave tonight and should arrive at the train station controlled by your Army Group by tomorrow afternoon. How to use them will be up to your Army Group.”
Wang Zhong: “Thank you very much… Ah, that’s a personal thanks.”
The Grand Patriarch: “Then I accept your thanks.”
After hanging up the phone, Wang Zhong let out a long breath and said to Pavlov, “Inform the Army Group that the reinforcements from the Guardian Army will arrive tomorrow. I don’t know the exact number, but whatever it is, it will be useful.”
Wang Zhong turned to look out the observation window.
The enemy’s sappers were not advancing as quickly as they were at the beginning; clearly influenced by Wang Zhong’s recent strike.
Popov joined Wang Zhong, glancing at the enemy while speaking, “The engineer corps estimates that by October 10th, the enemy will have dug up to fifty meters from the bridgehead. Before that, we need to find the right time to retreat and blow the bridge. Otherwise, once the enemy reaches the shore, installing explosives will be inconvenient.”
Wang Zhong: “Install the explosives tonight. Begin the setup at dusk; now that the nights have grown longer, it should be finished before dawn, and then we’ll retreat from the bridgehead at the darkest time before dawn.”
Popov: “That works. It’s a pity, such a fine anvil, and the enemy isn’t taking the bait after being hammered twice.”
Wang Zhong sighed, “Indeed. And we even have to blow up the bridge over Duva River. Now looking at this bridge, what a fine one it is.”
It was at this moment that Wang Zhong truly understood that line from the famous movie “The Bridge.”