Cannon Fire Arc

Chapter 900: Chapter 23 Lament

September 6th, Melania Capital.

Oscar, the Division Commander of the 36th Grenadier Division of the Asgard Knights, observed the buildings held by the Warsaw Rebel Army through binoculars, mumbling as he watched:

“They are just civilians. Their gun handling is very unprofessional. Intelligence before we came said they were former Melania soldiers, trained in the military.”

The Deputy Officer replied: “Our soldiers also reported back that the enemy lacks basic tactical competence, nothing but courage.”

Oscar put down the binoculars: “That’s what’s unreasonable about modern warfare. Even rookies with no battle experience can kill the most seasoned warriors. It wasn’t like this in the age of cold weapons, where an experienced soldier well-armored could take on a thousand.”

“Have the flamethrower tanks arrived?”

“The 335th Special Weapon Battalion has arrived, General.”

Just as the Deputy Officer finished speaking, a Major Officer of the National Defense Army stepped forward, saluted Oscar, the Brigade Commander of the Knights (equivalent to a Major General): “We are fully equipped, Your Excellency, Major General.”

Oscar: “How much fuel do you have?”

Major: “Enough to burn down an entire block.”

Oscar nodded: “Then burn down the block in front of us.”

The Major of the National Defense Army was stunned: “What? These are residential buildings. There must be civilians!”

Oscar: “This city has no civilians anymore. If you flame a house and the enemy runs out in panic, it means they are guerrillas, relocating their positions. If they stay hiding inside, it means they are well-trained guerrillas.”

The Major seemed to still be processing Oscar’s words, saying nothing.

At this moment, a few soldiers from the Asgard Knights brought over a young boy.

The Major immediately pointed to the boy and said: “Is this also a guerrilla fighter?”

Oscar glanced at the Major, stepped forward, and reached out to touch the boy’s cheek.

But the boy bit Oscar’s finger, his teeth sinking deep into the flesh.

Oscar slapped the boy, pulled out his finger, and showed the bite marks to the Major: “See, he’s a guerrilla fighter.”

After that, Oscar waved his hand: “Take him to my command vehicle and bind him tightly!”

“What are you going to do?” the Major shouted.

Oscar forcefully pushed the Major against the tank’s armor plate, poking his trachea with his finger: “Don’t play the saint here, Major. I was once in the National Defense Army. Those hypocrites accused me of ** assault, sent me to prison. But I know, every one of those judging me had their own dirty secrets! We are all demons and scoundrels!

“Why are the Anteans so furious, why do they fight desperately to push us back? Do you not know what we did on their land?”

The Major’s lips trembled, but he couldn’t utter a single word in rebuttal.

Oscar looked closely at the medals and decorations on the Major’s uniform chest: “Iron Cross of the Knight, you’re a hero, aren’t you? The Melania Campaign Medal, haha, I dare say that when you entered Melania, you also spent the night with one or two ‘inferior women’, right?

“You are one of the criminals who destroyed their country, and now, you plan to repent? To be a good man with knight spirit? Seeing the impending defeat, you’re eager to hide the demon behind human flesh, I call this hypocrisy!”

With a trembling voice, the Major said: “You can’t insult my honor as a soldier! I’ve never done such things!”

“But did you stop others? Did you report it? Did you publish articles condemning these atrocities in the newspapers? No, you didn’t, the decorations on you show you spent a long time on the front lines, you were promoted there.

“If you had done those things I mentioned, there’s no way you could have been promoted.

“Don’t you see? You knew they were crimes and yet you let them happen, you are doubly guilty!”

The Major lowered his gaze.

“I’ll use the rest of my life to atone.”

Oscar: “You will be hanged, just like us. Now fulfill your duty as a soldier, burn down the block in front of me! This way we can lose fewer excellent warriors. Rocossov has already launched the attack, we need these fine warriors.”

The Major hesitated for a few seconds and answered through gritted teeth: “Yes, I will carry out your order.”

————

Helman returned to the Rebellion Command Center and rushed to the radio room immediately.

The Rebellion Command Center is set up in the reinforced concrete building of the Melania Capital Radio, and although Prosen’s air raids and bombardments destroyed most of the transmission antennas, the rebellion army still gained communication abilities far superior to the past by relying on the radio’s equipment.

“Where is the Ante Army?” Helman asked.

The Telegrapher answered excitedly: “They are only 30 kilometers away from us!”

Helman’s mouth slightly curved upwards, but before he could speak, the Chairman of the Rebellion Committee rushed in, slapped the table with the radio, and cursed: “Why are they advancing so slowly? They have defeated the Prosens! Back in the day, the Prosens could advance fifty kilometers a day!”

Helman grabbed the Chairman’s shoulder and pulled him away from the radio: “The Anteans’ opponent is the Prosens, and they’ve just finished a major campaign, advancing hundreds of kilometers, their personnel and equipment need replenishment.”

Chairman: “They’ve only advanced 120 kilometers! Six days have passed, averaging 20 kilometers a day!”

Helman: “On the other hand, even with their average speed of 20 kilometers a day, they can reach the opposite bank of the Vistula River in just two days.