Cannon Fire Arc-Chapter 901 - 23 Lament_2
Chapter 901 -23 Lament_2
“We still have control over the bridge on the Vistula River, and they can immediately cross the bridge to strike the enemy.”
The Chairman was stunned for a few seconds, finally coming to his senses: “They can arrive in two days! Wonderful! Wonderful!”
As the Chairman beamed, others began to laugh as well.
Chairman: “Long live Rocossov!”
The others also echoed: “Long live Rocossov!”
Chairman: “I thought he was just putting on a show, but I didn’t expect them to really rush over!”
Helman, whose smile had just been a smirk, now turned into a full grin: “Marshal Rocossov is a true hero, he really wants to save us from water and fire. When Melania is restored—they seem to call it liberation—when Melania is liberated, I want to meet him and have a good drink.”
“Helman!” A messenger burst into the room, “Helman, something’s wrong! Come quickly!”
After speaking, the messenger turned and ran out of the room, leaving the door wide open.
Helman collected himself and strode out of the room, only to see the messenger standing in front of the window, eyes brimming with tears.
“Helman, look! Them!”
Outside the window was a sea of orange-red; the whole city was burning.
Helman rushed to the window.
Hot winds poured in from outside, blowing against Helman’s face.
“Demons!” he cursed, “These demons have actually set the city on fire!”
In this situation, it was utterly impossible to organize firefighting efforts or open up firebreaks; the fire would spread uncontrollably until it naturally extinguished.
It was unknown how many civilians would perish in the flames.
No, to be precise, after the fire, it’s unknown how many people will remain alive.
Suddenly, there was the sound of a camera shutter.
Helman turned his head and saw a Special Envoy from the United Kingdom taking photos.
“What are you doing?” Helman asked.
Special Envoy: “Taking pictures. When these photos are published on the front page of The Times, War Bonds will see a new sales peak. At the same time, the public will question, where are the Anteans, where is the invincible Rocossov.”
Helman: “He is already advancing with all his might! The day after tomorrow, he will reach—the opposite shore!”
The Special Envoy nodded: “Then you must hold the bridge, but with this wind direction, the fire should spread to your occupied zone, right?”
Helman froze for a moment, then quickly moved to the balcony beside him, untying the enemy identification fabric strip from his sleeve and raising it high.
The wind direction was indeed very unfavorable to the guerrilla.
Helman: “Concentrate all the explosives we have, prepare to use explosions to create a firebreak!”
“Yes!”
————
Capital of the United Kingdom, Fleet Street, Allied Headquarters.
“36 days after landing, we finally captured Kinburg, almost 20 days slower than we anticipated!” Prime Minister Leonard complained to Admiral Eck, “Because it took so long to capture Kinburg, the entire landing forces’ supplies are in trouble. We’ve already spent too much time in the fields of the Norman Duchy!”
Admiral Eck: “We are making progress; it may not seem particularly obvious on the map, but we have advanced 166 kilometers inland.”
Prime Minister Leonard: “166 kilometers calculated from where?”
Admiral Eck: “From Kinburg, of course.”
Kinburg is at the tip of the Peninsula, while the Allies landed at the “mid-hill” of the Peninsula, so Eck’s calculation was quite “ingenious.”
Prime Minister Leonard: “I used to be Minister of the Navy and participated in the Boer War, so I’m familiar with maps. Please tell me, how far have we advanced from the beachhead?”
Admiral Eck: “Calculating from the beachhead isn’t fair, because we first went north from the beachhead to Kinburg, secured it to ensure supply, and then attacked inland. It isn’t appropriate not to count the distance from the beachhead to Kinburg.”
Prime Minister Leonard: “Do you know how far Rocossov’s operational group advanced in six days?”
“120 kilometers. I know.” Eck immediately replied.
Prime Minister Leonard: “Then tell me, are we facing more enemies than Rocossov, or are we less equipped than Rocossov?”
Admiral Eck: “The troops under Rocossov are all battle-hardened, very familiar with the Prosens’ tactics, and can respond accordingly. Most of our three million troops have only seen Prosens in propaganda posters.
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“Moreover, our supplies have been chronically delayed, with massive stockpiles accumulating on the beaches. We are already addressing this issue; I appointed a Special Envoy who is organizing the ‘Red Ball Express’ convoy to solve the supply problems of the forces until we liberate Paris.”
Upon hearing “liberate,” Leonard immediately opened his eyes wide: “No! It’s restoration! Don’t use the Anteans’ vocabulary! After the war ends, they will become our main rivals! Melania is already theirs, but we can still capture the Lowlands, both Burgundy Duchies, and even the Hesse Duchy!
“If we move quickly, we can even cross the Elbe River and press close to Plowsonia!”
The generals exchanged glances.
Admiral Eck: “We will do our best. In fact, according to the intelligence we’ve received, Rocossov’s advance has exhausted his last attack potential, and they will soon have to halt.
“And after we capture Kinburg, fully equipped troops are arriving continuously; the Prosen army facing us cannot maintain a complete defensive line, and our forces can encircle them from all directions.
“Before the liberation—restoration of Parry, there may be a large-scale annihilation battle.”
Leonard: “It better be so.”
With that, he turned and left the Allied Commander’s office.
Eck shook his head: “No wonder President particularly reminded me to pay attention to Leonard; what he thinks about now is more about maintaining the United Kingdom’s status as the Sun Never Sets Empire rather than defeating our enemies and eradicating those demons.
“President is right, the Sun Never Sets Empire should perish along with Prosen, that would be best for the world.”
His Deputy Officer agreed: “I feel the same way. Especially after seeing the Prosens’ atrocities in Melania, I sincerely hope Marshal Rocossov can rush to the Melania Capital smoothly and end their suffering.”
Eck: “But what Leonard hopes for is the suffering of Melanian people to slow down Rocossov; he doesn’t care about the hardships the residents face on land.
“At the start of the war, he might have been a righteous fighter, but now—we need to exclude his opinions from the Allied command, otherwise, I have a premonition that Leonard’s ideas will lead the Allies to suffer significant casualties.”
————
September 7th, after the fire had burned for 22 hours.
Helman, holding a submachine gun, looked at the path of ruins extending to the horizon before him.
The efforts to create a firebreak failed, as did the firefighting attempts.
The guerrilla’s last reliance turned to ashes within the blaze; now they could only use their flesh and blood to resist the Prosen people’s steel monstrosities.
The sound of engines rumbled like distant thunder, the rolling thunder closing in on the guerrilla’s last stronghold.
“Helman!” The messenger ran over, whispering, “Everyone’s asking what should we do.”
Helman: “Fight to the last moment, then die with dignity. Rest assured, the compatriots under Marshal Rocossov will avenge us; they will replace us, storm into Plowsonia, returning everything we endured to the enemy.”
Messenger: “But—”
“The committee has fled!” A surprised cry came from afar, “Helman! The entire committee is nowhere to be seen! They’ve run away! We’ve been betrayed!”
Helman: “Wasn’t this inevitable? Don’t worry, I am still with you.”
The enemy’s steps grew closer; the engine roars mingled with the noise of tracks and gearboxes.
Helman inspected his submachine gun, chambered a round, and turned back to the group: “Come on, the final moment is upon us!”
