Chapter 28: Chapter 26 The First Wave of Casualties
The perspective temporarily moves away from Wang Zhong.
After settling into the shooting position arranged by Yegorov, Monk Yeca Neiko glared at Ludmila, “Captain Mailehovna, your boyfriend really takes care of you.”
Ludmila’s full name is Ludmila Vasilyevna Malyukhova.
The girl frowned, “In Ronied, we really only fired one ‘Divine Arrow’ before our vision was blocked by smoke, he is not wrong.”
Yeca Neiko, “I heard that he pissed his pants as soon as the battle began! How could someone with that kind of tactical acumen point out the problems? No, he just doesn’t want you to be in danger!”
Ludmila, “But didn’t he lead us out of the encirclement? Although he really is a layabout usually, but…”
“How can a layabout suddenly become a military genius? No, there is absolutely no chance of that! I will record all of his orders today in the combat log, I definitely will!
“If we can’t complete the mission in Upper Peniye, he won’t be able to escape the blame!”
In fact, the task of defending Upper Peniye for 38 hours was given to the second battalion of the 31st Tank Regiment of the Fourth Tank Army; the third rear Amur Group and Monk Yeca Neiko’s ‘Divine Arrow’ squad had no obligation to hold here.
But Wang Zhong still issued the order to hold, treating it as a mission for the entire unit.
No one objected, even those who knew the order was given to the second battalion of the 31st Regiment did not say anything. Perhaps the unit had seen enough of the Prussians’ atrocities during the retreat to be infuriated.
**
As for Wang Zhong, he was completely befuddled now, his brain functioning on a single track, utterly unable to consider too much.
Back in the manager’s office of the distillery, Wang Zhong gulped down a large glass of water, but still felt his mouth was dry.
“Water!” he shouted aloud.
One of the two privates who had just carried the stretcher took on the role of an orderly and fetched Wang Zhong another large cup of water.
At that moment, Chief of Staff Pavlov entered the door with some people and seeing Wang Zhong’s condition, said, “Shouldn’t you follow the field hospital and retreat?”
Wang Zhong, “The field hospital is here?”
“It’s already arrived.”
Wang Zhong, “Get me penicillin and some fever-reducing medicine! Also, tell them not to retreat in the enemy’s trucks, but to use the local peasants’ horse carts instead. Hire as many locals as possible!”
By the time the locals brought the field hospital to the rear with their horse carts, Upper Peniye would likely be occupied by the enemy, so even if unwilling, the locals would have to retreat with the unit.
Chief of Staff Pavlov, “I’ll have the clerk see how many rubles we still have…”
“Can’t you issue IOUs, you idiot?” Wang Zhong was in pain, so his temper was bad.
Seeing this, Pavlov said, “I’ll make arrangements” and quickly left, leaving only a few staff officers in the room with Wang Zhong.
Wang Zhong, “Get me a radio. Ask what the radio call signs of the tanks are!”
The staff officers exchanged glances, and the communications officer said, “I’ll go find Captain Lubokov of the tank units right away.”
A short while later Lubokov arrived, and upon hearing Wang Zhong’s question, frowned, “The enemy’s tanks might each have a radio, but we only have a radio in my command vehicle.”
Wang Zhong looked up at the sky and said helplessly, “Alright, tell me your call sign, and I will command you using the radio.”
Although Wang Zhong had no actual experience in tank battles, he realized from his gaming experience how significant the advantage of this bird’s-eye view was in close-quarters city combat.
Not to mention anything else, from the bird’s-eye view he could see which direction the enemy tank guns were pointed. Anyone who has played World of Tanks and been taught a lesson by being pointed at by a gun barrel knows what this means.
Lubokov, “My call sign is tactical number 420.”
Wang Zhong, “Okay, I’ll use that to command you.”
Lubokov looked around with a puzzled face, “You… are commanding from here?”
Wang Zhong, “Of course not, when the battle starts, I’ll move to an open spot with good visibility, just follow my orders. Go now.”
Lubokov saluted and turned to leave.
“`
The tall man with glasses wearing a Red Cross Armband entered the room as he was stepping out, “I heard someone was asking for antibiotics?”
Wang Zhong, “I need them. Who are you?”
“I am Doctor Raskolnikov, Count. I have seen you at the salon before.”
Wang Zhong, “Oh, good day, Doctor Raskolnikov.”
“Raskolnikov.” The doctor corrected him and approached Wang Zhong. After apologizing, he placed his hand on Wang Zhong’s forehead, “Your condition is very bad. You should be evacuated to the rear as soon as possible, why don’t you follow the field hospital and retreat?”
Wang Zhong, “No! I won’t abandon my troops!”
In fact, according to Wang Zhong’s initial goal, which was to save his own life, he should choose to retreat now, but in his delirium, he only wanted to fiercely beat up the Germans—no, the Prussian devils—with his own troops.
The doctor was somewhat moved, “I… I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had this side to you.”
“Did you think I was a playboy? That I’d only wet myself on the battlefield?” Wang Zhong grew angry.
His single-threaded brain now had only one thought: “It’s not just me who wets themselves, I’m sick of everyone blaming this on me!”
So he began to rage, “No! I am not that kind of coward! I’ll make you all see! Whoever suggests sending me to the rear again is colluding with the enemy! Because you all know that with me here, I can strike the enemy hard, that’s why you’re trying every means possible to send me away!”
The doctor was startled by Wang Zhong’s sudden outburst of anger and took a step back, saying, “I’m sorry, please don’t shoot me.”
Wang Zhong’s execution of the local noble’s butler had spread, and as he had previously shot a fake bishop and a fake judge, there were rumors in the troops that “Count Rocossov would execute anyone suspected to be the enemy.”
Wang Zhong, “Medicine! Then quickly take the villager’s cart and scram!”
The doctor immediately opened his bag and took out a bunch of medicines and placed them on the table.
Wang Zhong didn’t even ask how to take them, he grabbed the bottle, twisted it open, threw several pills into his mouth, and gulped down the water.
At that moment, a gunshot rang out from outside, sounding very distant.
Wang Zhong immediately switched to a bird’s eye view, focusing his attention on the small hill to the west—the one initially guarded by Lubokov’s tank.
Sergeant Major Grigori’s observation post was firing.
Through their eyes, the armored units of the Prussians could be seen advancing on the highway.
Wang Zhong counted, at least twenty Panzer III tanks, and an equal number of half-tracks, marching majestically past the wreck of the truck he had left behind.
The roar of the engines could be heard clearly even from the sky.
The tank leading the way had more antennas than the others, and a closer view revealed to Wang Zhong that the tank’s tactical number was 141, with an eagle emblem beside the number.
None of the other tanks had this eagle emblem, Wang Zhong guessed it might be a sign of the commander’s vehicle.
Looking more closely at officer peering out from the turret of Tank 141, the officer’s collar could be seen adorned with a gold decoration on a red background.
Looking even closer, the officer turned out to be a cyclops!
Too much German flavor, too much.
The Cyclopean commander moved his mouth and the Tank 141 stopped, the turret began to rotate.
The next moment, Wang Zhong felt like he heard the German word “FIRE,” and the tank’s muzzle ejected flames and thick smoke.
Almost simultaneously, Wang Zhong lost his vision; neither the tanks nor the half-tracks were visible anymore.
He quickly raised his perspective and saw a cloud of dust rising from the hill, two scouts completely engulfed by the dust cloud.
What the hell? Did the guy spot the scouts firing their warning shots?
Wang Zhong suddenly had an ominous premonition.
He switched back to his original perspective and shouted to the doctor, “Go! The enemy is about to attack, hurry up and go!”