Arc of Fire

As soon as Yegorov stepped through the door, the first words out of his mouth were, “Why is the headquarters on the front line? It’s too dangerous. Move to the middle of the village instead, I saw it from outside, a three-story building.”

Wang Zhong was drinking water. When he saw Yegorov come in, he directly handed the cup back to the landlady of the house and wiped his mouth before saying, “Don’t worry about that now. Do you know how to make improvised incendiary bombs? You use spirits, replace the cork with a piece of cloth soaked in alcohol, and light the cloth before you throw it.”

Yegorov said, “Of course I’ve seen them, the people of Manahaim used these things against us during the Winter War.”

Wang Zhong asked, “Then why didn’t I see you use them in Ronied?”

Yegorov replied, “Because we couldn’t find the right kind of alcohol. The homemade spirits the peasants drink are too low in alcohol content and too impure to ignite. To make it work, we would have needed to use gasoline, but we’re an infantry unit, not motorized infantry. We don’t have any gasoline—though we do have plenty of fodder for the mules and horses.”

Wang Zhong said, “I don’t believe that you couldn’t find any spirits!”

"There are spirits, in the cellars of the nobles.”

At this point, the woman who had just given Wang Zhong water spoke up: “The Lord Boye in town has a distillery. Every year, he uses wheat to make vodka, which is then sold in Argesukov.”

Wang Zhong said, “Do you hear that? Go requisition that distillery.”

Wang Zhong asked, “The estate manager?”

Clenching his teeth, he stood up: “I’ll go see what this is all about.”

He took a couple of steps, then turned to look at the landlady: “Miss Natasha, you’d better run quickly. These Prussians, they’re no better than beasts.”

The landlady smiled: “I heard what you advised to old lady Ilynichna next door. But her whole family hasn’t left, and you see, as a widow, I have even less reason to go. The Prussians couldn’t possibly kill us all, could they? If they killed everyone, who would farm this vast land?”

Wang Zhong said, “But I’ve seen their indiscriminate slaughter! The village square is piled with bodies!”

The landlady replied, “Then we can only ask you to take revenge for us.”

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Wang Zhong understood that unless witnessed firsthand, no one would believe the enemy to be so brutal.

He wanted to persuade her further, but there were more pressing matters at hand, so he dropped the subject.

Turning away, he took a couple of steps, stumbled, and then called out to Yegorov: “Get a stretcher! I’m running a fever and don’t have the strength to walk!”

Yegorov immediately shouted to his subordinates: “A stretcher!”

Just then, Staff Chief Pavlov entered and, upon seeing Wang Zhong’s condition, said, “Count Rocossov is not fit to command the troops in this state, better let him move back with the field hospital.”

Wang Zhong retorted, “Are you trying to strip me of my command? How dare you!”

At that moment, he was feeling terrible, and people are often bad-tempered in such circumstances, and especially obstinate.

Wang Zhong didn’t want to retreat. All he wanted was to give these damn Prussians a beating.

That was all he wanted to focus on. Anyone who suggested otherwise would incur his wrath.

When his fever subsided, he would probably be shocked by the decisions he made in that moment.

Wang Zhong asserted, “I think you’re a spy, just like that fake bishop, trying to throw our command system into chaos! Guards! Execute him by firing squad!”

Pavlov immediately caved: “No, that’s not what I mean!”

A corporal had already stepped forward with a rifle; it seemed that Staff Chief Pavlov wasn’t very well-regarded among the regular soldiers.

Pavlov raised his voice: “I’m just concerned about your health! Spare my life!”

Wang Zhong replied, “Keep spouting nonsense and I’ll take your head!”

At that moment, the stretcher arrived, carried by two bearers who looked bewildered because they saw no wounded person.

Wang Zhong pointed in front of him: “Put it here!”

The stretcher bearers quickly set the stretcher down in front of him.

He unceremoniously sat on the stretcher and waved his large hand, “To the distillery! Yegorov, follow me!”

————

The distillery was right next to the tractor station Wang Zhong had seen before, appearing to be part of the local lord Boye’s estate.

In front of the ornate iron gates, several thugs already stood guard with shotguns.

Carried by two stretcher bearers, Wang Zhong made straight for the gates.

A thug raised his right hand in a “stop” gesture, “This is Lord Boye’s private land, halt, soldier!”

Wang Zhong, “We’re requisitioning this place, including the distillery and the liquor inside it.”

The thug turned and shouted, “Mr. Korshov!”

A scribe-looking fellow with a bulbous belly emerged blearily from a side room near the gates and yawned his way over, “What is it?”

"This colonel said he is requisitioning the distillery.”

Korshov, “Do you have the requisition orders?”

Wang Zhong, “The Prosen bastards are only twenty li from here! We need strong liquor to make Incendiary Bombs.”

"Oh? What’s that got to do with us?” Korshov spread his hands, “Before Lord Boye retreated, he entrusted this place to me, and you need proper procedure to requisition it.”

Wang Zhong, already in a terrible mood from illness, snapped, “Obstructing our military preparations, I suspect you’re a Prussian spy!”

Korshov, “Then you should go to the Tribunal…”

Wang Zhong drew the gun at Yegorov’s side and shot Korshov in the stomach.

The thugs with shotguns were startled; clearly, they hadn’t expected Wang Zhong to actually shoot.

Wang Zhong, “They are the enemy! Spies! Open fire!”

Yegorov raised his submachine gun and started spraying bullets.

A few seconds later, it was quiet in front of the gates.

A platoon of infantry jogged over, and the sergeant in the lead called from a distance, “Commander! What happened?”

Yegorov, “Found some spies. Nothing major.”

Wang Zhong, “Get their keys, open the doors, and requisition all the liquor inside. Get an old soldier who knows how to make Incendiary Bombs to lead the others in making them.

"The remaining soldiers experienced with Incendiary Bombs will split up, one old soldier taking two new recruits, the recruits carrying the bottles, the old soldier throwing them. Take control of the two-story buildings on both sides of the streets!

"Yegorov, find a good spot to set up the machine guns, aiming to cut off the enemy tanks and accompanying infantry, creating opportunities for the grenade throwers!”

Yegorov nodded, “Understood. Additionally, I suggest we establish the headquarters inside the distillery.”

Wang Zhong looked at the distillery building in front of him.

Yegorov, “It’s clearly reinforced concrete; even if the enemy uses heavy artillery, it won’t budge. It can serve as our final fortress.”

Wang Zhong didn’t care about that, his eyes were on the distillery’s water tower, “That water tower, is it the tallest building in the village?”

Yegorov, “Yes, it’s a bit taller than the steeple of the church.”

Wang Zhong, “Good. The headquarters will be here.”

Yegorov, “There’s also Lubokov’s tank unit, what do you think…”

Wang Zhong, “These tanks are an important mobile support force; I’ll personally decide where to position them.”