Arc of Fire

The Chief of General Staff finished cursing, glanced at the curious onlookers, and then said to General Tugenev, “You organize the exchange meeting.”

General Tugenev asked, “What happened? Who’s come back?”

Chief of General Staff Tukhachev did not answer but followed the staff officer who had come to report the news, striding away briskly.

Wang Zhong, observing the situation, was also moved and stood up to follow them out.

The Chief of General Staff seemed to be in a hurry, not noticing Wang Zhong at all. He walked as if he were in the final sprint of an Olympic race walking competition.

Even Wang Zhong, a young man, had to hasten his steps to catch up with the older man.

At first, he was worried it might be too obvious, but then many others started coming out from neighboring rooms, heading in the same direction.

When Marshal Xiemiao came out of the building, he saw Wang Zhong, but obviously thought Wang Zhong had been called by the Chief of General Staff and paid him no mind. He went straight to the Chief of General Staff and said, “He actually abandoned his troops and ran back! If he had died in the encirclement, we could still provide for his wife and children.”

Could it be that… that thing has come back?

His anger surged up in an instant.

In this way, the group barged into the drawing room.

Olga Grand Duchess was already there in the drawing room; she stood in front of Major General Skorobogatov, her face red with anger, clearly having just erupted.

When she saw the others enter, the Grand Duchess turned around, heading to the window to cool off.

Tukhachev glanced at the Grand Duchess’s retreating figure, and, glaring at Major General Skorobogatov, exclaimed, “Why have you come back? Do you even have the face to return?”

Sweating profusely, Major General Skorobogatov responded, “I thought someone needed to take responsibility for this military failure, so I…”

Chief of General Staff Tukhachev interrupted, “You have excuses, do you? To take responsibility? Do you think that saying so will cover up the fact that you abandoned your troops and fled in panic? You coward!”

Stung by the word “coward,” Major General Skorobogatov protested, “I’m not a coward! I can lead an army of tanks to break the encirclement! I will die in battle just as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince did!”

Wang Zhong sneered, “Easy to say!”

Everyone turned to look at him, and Tukhachev now noticed him for the first time, his face showing surprise.

Wang Zhong walked directly up to Major General Skorobogatov, “Lead an army of tanks? Haven’t you sacrificed enough tank armies already? The Sixth and Eleventh Tank Armies, with all those T34s and KV1s – how many of the enemy did they actually destroy? How many?

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“When the enemy’s armored clusters reached my position, not even the paint was scratched off! The Fifth, Sixth, and Eleventh Tank Armies committed to the counterattack were squandered by you!”

Furiously, Major General Skorobogatov shot back, “The extent of the enemy losses from the counterattack requires a detailed assessment, not just your personal impression, Major General Rokossov!”

Wang Zhong retorted, “Then let planes sweep over the plains and check whether those tank wrecks have sloped armor or vertical armor! Let them count properly!”

Major General Skorobogatov fell silent because aerial reconnaissance had already confirmed it: indeed, more Ante tanks were destroyed.

At that moment, the Grand Patriarch and several Cardinals arrived with the junior officers who had participated in the earlier military exchange meeting.

The originally spacious drawing room suddenly became half-filled.

Wang Zhong, not even glancing at the doorway, continued to roar, “The reason for this outcome is because some of our commanders are simply not familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of our tanks, thinking that as long as we win in the armor-piercing shell confrontation, we can crush the enemy!

“Some commanders don’t even realize how poor the situational awareness of the T34 tanks is due to the elimination of the tank commander’s role! They have no idea of the advantage the enemy gains through their use of radio!”

Many tank soldiers among the officers brought by the Grand Patriarch nodded in agreement upon hearing Wang Zhong’s words.

Major General Skorobogatov challenged, “You knew, did you tell?”

“I did! I spent an entire night writing a summary report of my experiences! Did you read it? No, you didn’t, because it was the last one on the list! And in front of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, you even said that just having T34s would be enough to send the Prussians packing!”

With a trembling voice, Major General Skorobogatov contended, “But you also reported that the armor of T34s and KVs holds a tremendous advantage in combating enemy tanks…”

Wang Zhong interrupted, “Yes, indeed they hold a tremendous advantage, which is why I was able to destroy so many enemy tanks at Orachi with just over thirty T34 tanks! Let the planes go see how many wrecks of enemy tanks litter the Orachi fields!

“Even if the enemy’s repair crews have fixed quite a few by now, the plain is still littered with wrecks!

“Me, an Infantry Division, reinforced with a battalion’s worth of tanks, destroyed more enemy tanks than the entire Southwestern Front Army! More than the entire Southwestern Front Army! Those KVs and T34s of the Sixth and Eleventh Tank Armies could have wreaked immense havoc on the enemy!

“But because of an incompetent pig, they are now just wreckage on the Kazarlian plains!”

Tukhachev glanced at Marshal Xiemiao.

The marshal stepped forward, “All right, all this can be documented in a post-war summary. Major General Skorobogatov, you’ll face a military tribunal, be prepared…”

Wang Zhong interrupted loudly, “No! I pointed out as early as July that the enemy might move south to outflank Argesukov. Major General Skorobogatov disparaged me, dismissed my suggestions, then deployed our most advanced tanks in a reckless attack that led to their annihilation.

“If those tanks had been under my command, set up defensively in the proper positions, the enemy wouldn’t have been able to push through at all.

“Now, the entire Southwestern Front Army is encircled and he has fled. With such actions, I suspect—”

Wang Zhong took a deep breath.

“I suspect he is a spy for Prosen! When I was breaking out of Ronied, I encountered Prosen spies disguised as our military bishops and judges. I suspect Prosen spies have already riddled us with holes.”

Tukhachev snorted coldly, “Ridiculous, I’ve known Skorobo since he was in military school.”

“Such a possibility cannot be ruled out,” Belinsky suddenly joined the conversation. “General Skorobo led the tank troops in the Castilian Civil War, where there were plenty of opportunities to come into contact with the Prussian Army involved in the civil war.”

General Skorobo snapped, “This is slander!”

Marshal Semyonov: “This is a very serious accusation, Major General Rokossov.”

The Marshal purposefully did not mention the Grand Patriarch as if it were an accusation by Wang Zhong alone.

“Such accusations need evidence.”

Said the Marshal.

Wang Zhong pursed his lips, he indeed had no evidence, his earlier remarks had been made on the spur of the moment.

General Skorobo snorted coldly: “Can’t you see? This is Major General Rokossov’s usual trick; he himself said he executed spies disguised as our military bishops and judges.”

“But who knows if they were spies? Perhaps those bishops and judges were only trying to prevent him from fleeing Ronied! Then he thought about the title of a spy and executed them!

“Now, he probably thinks the same way and plans to pull out his pistol to execute me, because I ran away just like him!

“Go on, pull out your gun, Rokossov! What is that at your waist, a toy? If you are convinced I am a spy, then draw your gun! And shoot here!”

Skorobo pointed at his own forehead.

Wang Zhong was also worked up; the anger he’d been brewing all along converged into a volcano, erupting violently.

He drew his service pistol and aimed it at General Skorobo.

Everyone was shocked.

Marshal Semyonov roared, “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Drawing a gun in the Summer Palace?”

As if he had won a personal victory, General Skorobo laughed, “See! All the charges are groundless! He just wants to lynch me! Because in his eyes, it was me who caused the death of his father!

“This is a personal vendetta! This guy talks all about Ante, with the pretense of worrying for the country and its people, but in reality, he just wants to avenge his father!

“Princess Olga, remember his shameful behavior at this moment! He drew a gun in the sacred Summer Palace, disrespecting the dignity of royalty.”

Crown Princess Olga turned around, looked at Wang Zhong, and appeared very much like she wanted him to fire.

General Skorobo continued to agitate: “Come on, shoot, Rokossov, shoot, and after you do, you will be a man who despises the royal family, and none of your honors will save you! Go ahead, Aleksei Konstantinovich Rokossov!”

Wang Zhong fired.

The first shot pierced General Skorobo’s chest, and then as the muzzle rose, the second shot hit Skorobo’s throat, and the third shot hit his forehead.

After three shots, Wang Zhong’s pistol jammed, the brass casing stuck in the ejection port.

General Skorobo knelt on the ground and then fell backward.

Hearing the gunshots, the guards rushed in.

Belinsky: “Calm down!”

The guards stopped.

Belinsky stepped forward, pushed down Wang Zhong’s gun-wielding hand, and smoothly removed the jammed pistol: “What I just said meant that this matter should be handed over to the tribunal.

“You were too impulsive. The report says you executed enemy imposters as a bishop and judge, and the servants of Boye who were preventing your defenses… and now a general. It looks like in the future, you won’t be allowed to carry a gun in the Summer Palace.”

Wang Zhong: “He asked for it.”

Belinsky: “He asked because firing indeed worked in his favor. Lucky you killed him, otherwise there would be many more troubles later.”

For some reason, Wang Zhong always felt that Belinsky was quite pleased.

Finally coming out of shock, Tukhachev shouted angrily: “This is a grave act of rebellion! A major general has openly executed his superior, a general! Major General Rokossov must face a military tribunal!”

Belinsky: “He was just careless in his actions, but to execute a spy and traitor is not too much of an issue. It is an extraordinary time, after all.”

Tukhachev: “This…”

The Grand Patriarch looked towards the Chief of General Staff: “Your eagerness to protect a traitor and your desire to bring to trial a meritorious officer suggests that the tribunal needs to review your family relations and private life.”

Beading with sweat, Tukhachev’s poured down his face, literally.

The Grand Patriarch continued: “By the decree issued by His Majesty the Tsar, all traitors are to be with their immediate family members held accountable. Cardinal Ravkid, you carry out the implementation.”

The bespectacled Cardinal bowed slightly: “By your command, Your Holiness.”

Finishing speaking, the Grand Patriarch retracted the slide of Wang Zhong’s pistol, expertly cleared the jam, then engaged the safety and returned the gun to Wang Zhong: “Remember next time, don’t be so impulsive, think more.”

Belinsky said and then lightly tapped his forehead.