Arc of Fire

After finishing his meal in the dining hall, Wang Zhong had just stepped out when he faced Popov.

Popov, “Did you also receive the order?”

As he spoke, he noticed Vasily coming out with Wang Zhong’s military uniform and new epaulettes and snorted disdainfully, “It seems you did. Then, as my duty as the Military Bishop of the 151st Division, I suggest we assemble every morning before breakfast and tidy up after meals.”

Vasily frowned, “Do we have to polish our boots again?”

Popov, “Not just polish boots. I went to the dormitory today, and some people don’t even fold their blankets! It’s understandable during wartime, and I can tolerate lax military discipline, but since we’ve entered a rest and replenishment phase, all this needs to be taken care of. It can reduce casualties in the next battle.”

“Shiny boots can reduce casualties?” Vasily sarcastically challenged.

Wang Zhong, “You’re making even me think you’re a pain.”

“Sorry, General.”

After silencing Vasily, Wang Zhong said to Popov, “Set it up however you’re planning to do it. The Grand Patriarch told me yesterday that our reinforcements would arrive today. You should get enough Priests to manage them finally.”

Wang Zhong, “Just wait and see. I’m going to find Pavlov. Do you know where he might be?”

Popov turned and pointed at the small, two-story building situated opposite the concave arrangement of dormitory buildings, “He seems to have set up the headquarters there. I’m not too sure myself; I stayed in the local church dormitory last night.”

Wang Zhong, “You didn’t tempt any capable Monks back with you?”

“Monks are needed everywhere nowadays. Even ones like Brother Peter are in high demand as air defense watchers,” said Popov, looking helpless. “Don’t worry, the Grand Patriarch has explicitly promised me that they will replenish our God’s Arrow Company to its full strength.”

Wang Zhong was about to speak when he saw a row of trucks waving church flags driving onto the parade ground.

So he pointed to the trucks and asked, “Could those be them?”

Popov turned around, “Uh… I don’t know, let’s go find out.”

At that moment, the first truck stopped, and a bunch of civilians jumped down.

Wang Zhong, “Bishop, can you explain why a truck with church flags is unloading a bunch of civilians?”

Popov gaped like a fish out of water, opening and closing his mouth vainly without producing a good explanation.

By then, the “veteran” soldiers who had finished their meals had also noticed these people, curiously stopping to watch them.

Priest-like individuals began to organize them, trying to get the civilians to form ranks similar to a military array.

Wang Zhong had a bad feeling, “This couldn’t be the Guardian Army meant for our reinforcement, could it?”

Popov clicked his tongue, “With one lowest-ranked Priest per platoon, it’s definitely the Guardian Army. They didn’t even get issued equipment?”

Wang Zhong, “Never mind the equipment, they don’t even have uniforms. Is the Grand Patriarch playing me?”

“You’d best not say that in front of the Judge,” Popov cautioned.

The trucks, lined up in a row, dropped off their human cargo and drove away. Soon the parade ground was crowded with a dense mass of people, barely able to stand in loose formations by squad, despite the Priests’ efforts to maintain order. Many were still chatting away.

Wang Zhong stood at the dining hall door watching this scene, feeling as if he were back in college, on the reviewing stand during the final parade of military training, watching the assembly of freshmen.

——Is my next task really to lead this group to a brutal battlefield?

Vasily, “Even though I’m just a Warrant Officer who hasn’t finished officer training, I can tell that these people need at least six months of training to become reliable soldiers.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Yegorov popped out of nowhere, adding, “These recruits can only fire the first shot, then forget they must pull the trigger fully to fire. They’ll just keep re-cocking and ejecting unfired rounds from the chamber.”

“I’ve had my fill of such new recruits. Why do they send us troops like this?”

Wang Zhong turned to Yegorov, “Did you get a promotion?”

Yegorov, “No. The bigwigs probably think a civilian like me has to advance to military academy for further promotion. Even though currently the most outstanding commander in the army graduated last from the military academy.”

“Uh,” Wang Zhong was somewhat embarrassed, “I’m just the most outstanding commander of the Front Army.”

Yegorov, “It’s all the same. I think you should go find Pavlov first, get these people equipped. Then we can immediately start teaching them how to shoot, so at least in battle, they can shoot into the sky to boost morale.”

Wang Zhong, “I was planning to see Pavlov. You can take care of these new recruits.”

————

Wang Zhong found Pavlov in the command headquarters’ empty map room, directing the two trainees assigned to him to update the maps.

“Did you see the… reinforcements outside?”

Pavlov glanced out the window, “I see them now.”

He seemed a bit in denial.

Wang Zhong, “These people need guns, ammunition, and uniforms.”

Pavlov, “It is said that outside Argesukov lives a Witch who can grant any wish for a part of one’s body. I suggest you give it a try.”

Wang Zhong, thinking that if God-guided missiles existed then such a Witch might not be too strange, responded, “Fine, where can I find her?”

Pavlov rolled his eyes in exasperation, “I was being sarcastic! Do you understand sarcasm? There is no such Witch, and I’m not a sorcerer!”

He took off his round glasses with shaky hands and slammed his pencil down on the map, “This is exasperating! Where are my staff officers? My clerks? My accountants? Do you have any idea how many people at least are needed in a division’s headquarters to keep the whole division operating?

“No, you don’t! All you do is drive your little tank and beat up the Prussians on the battlefield!”

“`

“I came to Argesukov hoping that with so many clerical staff, I could finally have a normally operating division headquarters! But now, I still have to personally direct the map updates!”

Ante’s overall language style tends to be quite soft, but because of Pavlov’s tone, Wang Zhong always felt as if he was listening to Prussian—a language with many explosive sounds, so normal speech sounds like quarreling.

Wang Zhong felt overwhelmed and subconsciously said, “Uh, sorry, please calm down…”

Just as he spoke, there was the sound of brakes from outside, indicating a car had stopped at the division headquarters’ entrance.

However, from where he stood, he couldn’t see the car.

Pavlov glanced outside and asked with suspicion, “What’s this now? Why are there so many girls?”

“Girls?” Wang Zhong’s interest piqued, and he walked to the window to look out.

Indeed, many girls were getting down from the truck, curiously looking around the division headquarters.

They saw the red flag hanging at the division headquarters—yes, the one that Wang Zhong had previously hung on the aerial of tank 422.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes, the red flag.”

Wang Zhong and the Chief of Staff exchanged looks, both very puzzled.

Wang Zhong: “Well, let’s go out and ask.”

Saying this, he was the first to head outside, with Pavlov immediately following.

Once outside, Wang Zhong called out directly, “Ladies, what are you here for?”

The girls, who were originally curiously looking around, all turned their attention to Wang Zhong.

One of the more daring ones asked, “Are you Major General Rocossov?”

Wang Zhong: “Though I haven’t had time to switch to the rank of major general, yes, that is me. And you are?”

“We are typists and clerks, sent here by the church’s recruitment office, they said you needed us here.”

Wang Zhong immediately turned to Pavlov: “Your clerks have arrived!”

The Chief of Staff frowned: “Why are they all women?”

The same woman who had spoken before replied, “Because all the men have taken up arms.”

That made perfect sense!

Pavlov scratched his head: “Alright, which of you has experience as a warehouse inventory clerk? Come stand over here, those who have studied accounting, stand over there…”

“I’m a student at Argesukov University,” a girl raised her hand, “and so are several of us. Although we don’t have the experience, we can learn. We’re quite good at that.”

Pavlov nodded: “Good, that’s the best news I’ve heard this morning.”

Wang Zhong felt that this man seemed to have aged backwards in an instant, and the anxiety that was hanging around him also seemed to lighten.

Pavlov: “I’ll assign you work…”

At that moment, two more GAZ trucks arrived and stopped at the entrance of the division headquarters.

This time, the ones getting off were elderly men.

A man with a large beard was the first to step up to the entrance, giving Wang Zhong a rather sloppy military salute: “Good day, General sir. May I ask if this is the division headquarters of the 151st Temporary Infantry Division?”

Wang Zhong: “Yes, it is. And you are?”

“Ah, I am a member of the academic committee of Argesukov University. The university has been relocated, and only the professors and current students will go to the rear. We are staying to serve our country.”

Wang Zhong raised an eyebrow: “You… Are you a Level 6 Clerk?”

“To be precise, an Imperial Level 6 Civil Officer. Yes, I am indeed of this grade. Why do you ask?”

Wang Zhong turned excitedly to Pavlov and pointed at the old man: “Your Level 6 Clerk has arrived!”

Pavlov, with a frown, sized up the old man: “Sir, we are a field unit.”

“Is that so? But if these young ladies can work in a field unit, I think I can too,” said the old academic committee member.

Wang Zhong: “Enough Pavlov, my Chief of Staff, you have your people now, hurry up and get the new recruits’ equipment and uniforms! We can hand out equipment this morning and teach them how to shoot by the afternoon. We’re short on time!”

Pavlov: “Even if we have people, it’s not possible to produce equipment that quickly.

“You’re pestering me here. It would be better to plunder from the local supply depot—request a bit. If you’re the one requesting, remember to get us some GAZ trucks as well. If no trucks, mules and horse-drawn carts will do.

“Also, we need civilian laborers, two for every combatant, understand?”

Wang Zhong nodded: “Right! Huh? I’m the superior officer here! Why are you giving me orders?”

“I’m just making suggestions, it’s the duty of the Chief of Staff to make suggestions. Whether or not to accept them is the decision of the commanding officer. But I also have to tell you the consequences of not accepting…”

Another truck stopped in front of the division headquarters, and a group of officers bearing staff badges got off.

“The red flag,” Wang Zhong heard someone say, “this must be the place.”

Wang Zhong to Pavlov: “Now you have your people, no more taking it out on me! I’m off to the supply depot to raid—apply for supplies!”