« Setting up headquarters in such a medium-sized village means having to endure the mud. If the headquarters had been set up in Bolsk, you could have walked on asphalt to get here. »
Wang Zhong entra dans le quartier général en pestant et en marmonnant, tira une chaise près de la porte, saisit un petit outil appuyé contre l'armoire à chaussures et se mit à nettoyer la boue de ses bottes.
« Forget it, that would have put us too far from the front line. Generals being far from the front line, and from their troops, means being very close to defeat, very close. »
Pavlov haussa les épaules et changea de sujet : « Today there's still no anomaly, the ammunition stockpiling speed is below expectation but it's not a big problem, we still have two months to continue increasing the ammunition.
« The Prosen side is also very quiet, the front line reported that the Prosen forces sent out a patrol last night, and there was a low intensity skirmish with our troops. »
« Keep an eye on the frequency of enemy patrols. Although I believe the enemy won't launch an attack during the muddy season, but... what if there's any change? How's the intelligence from within Prosen? »
« The routine report early yesterday morning mentioned that since Prosen began its total mobilization, it is conservatively estimated that three million young people have enlisted in the military, most of the new recruit training camps are at full capacity, and factories have also begun operating day and night.
« According to intelligence obtained by the Allied Forces, the first batch of civilian factories will complete their conversion by the end of this month. »
Wang Zhong hocha la tête. Il finit de nettoyer la boue de ses bottes, remit les outils dans l'armoire à chaussures, tapa des pieds plusieurs fois sur le paillasson près de la porte avant d'entrer dans le quartier général, satisfait.
Sur le mur nord du quartier général pendait une grande carte du Front Sud, présentant une ligne de front sinueuse marquant la ligne de contrôle effective entre l'ennemi et nous.
Wang Zhong fronça les sourcils en voyant cette ligne de front.
Le déclenchement de la Guerre sur Terre était dû au fait que les Russes contrôlaient un saillant, et le Sturmtiger prévoyait d'utiliser un mouvement de pince pour couper le saillant et anéantir les lourdes troupes russes retranchées là-bas.
Maintenant, l'expérience de la Terre était inutile, car sur la carte devant Wang Zhong, c'étaient les forces prosiennes qui contrôlaient le saillant.
L'Armée antéenne n'avait absolument le contrôle d'aucun saillant sur le Front Sud.
Cela rendait impossible de prédire où Prosen attaquerait.
Mais les forces prosiennes attaqueraient certainement, car leurs doctrines et traditions militaires les faisaient croire fermement que pour gagner la guerre, ils devaient attaquer.
Wang Zhong réfléchissait depuis quelques jours à l'endroit et à la manière dont l'ennemi attaquerait.
« You've been meditating in front of that map for days now, but I think instead of blindly guessing the enemy's direction of attack from the map, it would be better to take a closer look at aerial photos. »
« You're right, I should personally conduct a reconnaissance to see how the enemy troops are assembling. »
« I told you to look at aerial photos, not to go scouting yourself! Besides, haven't you already scouted several times? It seems you didn't find anything new about the enemy's movements. »
« That's exactly why I need to scout more until I find the enemy's new movements. Where is Amelia? »
« Haven't seen her today. Also, the Air Force reported that the airfield was bombed by the Prosen Air Force yesterday evening, and they are still repairing the runway, so planes can't take off for the time being. »
Wang Zhong soupira, impuissant.
——–
À cet instant précis, dans le dortoir de Wang Zhong.
« Here, I heard that people from the United Kingdom like to drink tea, this tea is from Yeburg. » Ludmila tenait une théière finement ciselée et versa une tasse pour Amelia. « Do people from the United Kingdom add milk and other things to their tea? I'm not very clear, so I prepared it the same way as for coffee. »
« No need, I prefer it plain. »
Elle porta la tasse à ses lèvres et en but une gorgée.
« I've actually wanted to talk to you for a while, but the fighting has been fierce, and I heard that you have to take off every day to meet the enemy, and even accompany him on personal scouting missions.
« I also have to be on duty next to the Divine Arrow, so I just couldn't find the time. »
« I have no inappropriate thoughts about your husband, he is indeed very outstanding, but... »
« You misunderstood. » Ludmila rit. « I just wanted to thank you. I heard that he still let you take off in that red Pe-3 knowing that the enemy would set an ambush, using you as bait? That's too much, I scolded him harshly for that! »
——–
Wang Zhong se mit soudain à éternuer, l'un après l'autre, chacun avec un tremblement qui semblait faire trembler la terre.
« In my homeland, sneezing like this means someone is cursing you. »
« It must be the Prosen people, you wiped out a million of their troops in the winter campaign, forcing them into total mobilization, they must hate you to death. »
« Hmm, let them have their verbal satisfaction. This summer campaign, I'm going to completely break their bones! »
——–
« I'm actually very grateful to him for arranging opportunities to increase my combat achievements, although in the end I only added one more downed plane. But... »
Mademoiselle Sorcière s'arrêta car elle remarqua le sourire significatif de Ludmila.
« I want to reiterate, » Amelia haussa la voix, « I do indeed have special feelings for Rocossov, but that's because he might be the only one of my kind in this world. »
Ludmila parut surprise : « Eh? What do you mean? »
« You're also a user of mystical powers, so I can speak frankly with you, and you should understand. I can sense threat and hostility; I definitely know when an enemy is diving towards me, and I'll know where they're coming from!
« Your husband has the same ability; he knows where the enemy is. During reconnaissance, he knows where to take photos, and the films from his reconnaissance flights are all filled with valuable enemy targets. »
Ludmila pencha la tête : « Hmm, ever since he was bombed by a 380mm shell in Ronied, I felt that he had changed. »
« How many millimeters? »
« 380mm, from the main gun of the battleship that your Royal Air Force's Lancaster sank. He was the only one who survived–at least, almost the only one. Oh right, some duchess's lover survived too. »
« What? A lover? »
« Yes, some nobles survived the purge after the civil war and brought some bad customs with them. I am a follower of the Secular faction and don't have such inclinations; he's the only one for me. »
« Oh. »
Alors le silence tomba.
Se sentant mal à l'aise, Amelia ramena la conversation sur le bon terrain : « Anyway, Rocossov and I are of the same kind, unlike you. We both use non-scientific powers. Meeting him felt like finally encountering a fellow countryman. That's all. »
« I think you might have misunderstood something, I really just wanted to express my gratitude to you, » Ludmila sirota son thé avec élégance.
Amelia prit aussi sa tasse de thé — elle ne l'avait pas touchée depuis le début.
Après une gorgée douce, la jeune femme du Royaume-Uni fit sincèrement l'éloge : « This tea is rather good. »
« Of course, it was specially sent over by your embassy during New Year's. »
« You're using top-quality black tea, a gift from our embassy, as a gesture of thanks to me? »
« Yes, any problem with that? »
« Not really. By the way, what's the deal between Rocossov and His Majesty the Tsar? »
« His Majesty probably likes my husband; he just views His Majesty as a younger sister. After all, he is entrusted by the former Crown Prince. My husband is a man of deep loyalty. »
« Ah, I see, » répondit Amelia et toutes deux burent leur thé simultanément.
——–
Empire de Prosen, terrain d'essai de chars de Belka.
Un char Modèle 6 redessiné se dirigea vers le centre du terrain d'essai, marqué par un Drapeau Rouge, puis tous ses membres d'équipage débarquèrent et coururent vers un bunker proche en file indienne.
Un Char Chasseur Tourbillon s'arrêta à 600 mètres du nouveau prototype. Un major prosien commandant le char confirma que tous les opérateurs du prototype étaient entrés dans le bunker avant de lever la main et de l'abattre avec force.
Le Tourbillon tira.
L'éclair du canon de 100 mm engloutit le sol autour du chasseur.
Le prototype resta immobile, apparemment intact.
Depuis un bunker d'observation à distance, l'Empereur impérial posa ses jumelles : « Let's go take a look. »
Il quitta le bunker en tête, monta sur un chariot à baril déjà en marche.
Le chariot fila immédiatement vers le prototype, suivi de deux motos et d'un semi-chenillé transportant une section de soldats.
L'Empereur, incapable de contenir son impatience, sauta du chariot encore en mouvement et s'approcha du prototype, les yeux fixés sur les impacts de balles à l'avant du véhicule.
Le Directeur du Corps Blindé, le Général Moochi, le rattrapa et dit : « Your Majesty, when we repaired this enemy's new assault gun, we used quite a bit of our own technology, and our own shells were used for the shells; according to previous tests, the Anteans' shells have a lower penetration due to the quality of their gunpowder... »
L'Empereur l'interrompit : « Do not make excuses! »
Giles conseilla aussi : « 600 meters is rather a short distance. We've tested another enemy assault gun wreckage, and the new Model 6 tank equipped with a 10.5 cm gun can penetrate the enemy's front at 1500 meters; the newly deployed Big Max self-propelled anti-tank gun uses this artillery, and indeed it can exchange fire with the Whirlwind. »
L'Empereur : « What about Rocossov's new heavy tank? Can it withstand it too? Our new tank must resist the Antean 100mm gun attack at 600 meters, understand? Redesign it, increase frontal protection! »
Le Général Moochi : « The new Model 6 is already sixty-six tons; adding more defense would exceed seventy tons, too heavy, inconvenient whether for transport or long-distance mobility.
« Considering the enemy's new assault guns and the new heavy tanks are very rare, I believe just being able to withstand a 76mm gun like the T34 is sufficient... »
« No! » L'Empereur coupa la parole au Directeur du Corps Blindé. « By our June offensive, we need a new tank that can perfectly crush all of Ante's armored vehicles, to serve as our main breakthrough force! Now go check the self-propelled anti-tank gun! »