Cannon Fire Arc

Chapter 921: Chapter 31 “Distant Bridge

September 12, Plowson Melania Occupying Forces Headquarters.

General Hawke let out a long sigh when he heard the telephone ring.

“I’ve been dodging for so long, and what was bound to happen has finally come.” He picked up the receiver of the red phone on the table, “This is Hawke.”

“Is your situation so bad that you can only answer the phone now?” questioned the Plathen Emperor.

“Yes, our situation is extremely chaotic; we only organized a counterattack yesterday.” General Hawke tried to make his voice sound candid.

Emperor: “You guys are all up to no good! The several admirals and marshals in Kebao all say they can’t abandon their troops and just refuse to return! Everyone knows Rocossov will not attack Kebao. He didn’t attack when he took the Melania Capital, and he certainly won’t attack now!”

General Hawke: “We believe Rocossov is unlikely to launch a large-scale offensive in the next few months either.”

“Of course, he won’t launch a large-scale attack. Just look at the map and see how far he’s advanced since he started from the Kazarlia border! He first went north for five hundred kilometers, and then west for one hundred and fifty kilometers. In less than three months, he’s almost at our doorstep!

“Back then, why did we attack Melania? For the living space, for a buffer zone! Now, all the buffer zones are gone! If he stops to catch his breath for three months, he can directly threaten Plowsonia!

“Our only hope is for you to drive him back across the Vistula River, so we can rely on the river for defense! But can we? Can you?”

The Emperor’s words were somewhat incoherent, and General Hawke recalled the rumors brought by officers from Plowsonia: The Emperor was using the Imperial scientists’ newly developed “Awakening Potion.”

It is said that this potion is being distributed to the Asgard Knights by the Science Academy.

Nobody knows what this potion is. Dr. Heisenberg, who developed it, claims it’s the result of studying the Berserkers of Balas and is the key to human evolution.

But from the Emperor, General Hawke sensed a dangerous aura; this Awakening Potion might not be a good thing.

It is making the Emperor hysterical, incapable of rational thought.

Facing the questioning of the now hysterical Emperor, General Hawke pondered for a moment and replied: “If our troops were of the same standard as when we occupied Melania six years ago, without a doubt I could drive Rocossov, who hasn’t gained a firm foothold, suffered heavy losses, and is lacking in ammunition, back across the Vistula River.

“However, Your Majesty, our troops have taken so long just to recover from chaos. The incoming troops are all rookies, and we can’t even ensure the basic officers have enough combat experience.

“With such troops, there’s no way to drive Rocossov back across the river.”

Emperor: “General Steiner over there has well-trained troops! I’ll have him support you!”

General Hawke: “That would leave the remaining river sections of the Vistula defenseless.”

The Emperor remained silent for a long time and then abruptly hung up the phone.

General Hawke looked at the red receiver in his hand, sighed, and placed it back on the cradle.

————

Plowson Western Front Command.

Marshal Mendel explained his plan to all the officers: “We must abandon the defense near Falais, shrink the line back to the border of the lowland countries and the Maginot Line. We should mobilize the troops south of Carolingian as fast as possible, and the Kingdom of Sardin’s forces can fortify along the Alpine Mountains—”

At this moment, the red telephone rang.

Marshal Mendel sighed and nodded to his Deputy Officer.

The Deputy Officer picked up the receiver: “Western Front Command, please proceed.”

A few seconds later, he handed the receiver to Mendel: “It’s His Majesty.”

Mendel took the receiver: “Your Majesty.”

“I heard you’re planning to give up Carolingian?”

Mendel: “Yes, the best course of action for us right now is to fortify along the border of Carolingian, the lowland countries, and our country. We don’t have the manpower to keep fighting the Allied Forces across the vast lands of Carolingian.”

“Aren’t there several rivers? You can fortify along the rivers!”

Mendel explained patiently: “Your Majesty, these rivers can block us from capturing the Carolingian Capital, which means they mostly flow east-west.

“But now, the enemy is advancing along the rivers, and our reconnaissance planes have even seen them moving warships into the Seine River.

“Our aerial reconnaissance also indicates that the scorched earth tactics in Qenburg have been notably effective; currently, the enemy can’t utilize Qenburg’s ports efficiently.

“Given the current situation, for the enemy to fully resolve their supply issues, they need to capture the harbor of Anwerp in the lowland countries. We can retreat to the border, block the enemy while executing scorched earth tactics at Anwerp, destroying all the ports.”

“No.” The Emperor shouted, “The military production in Carolingian has significant importance for us to continue this war! You must drive the Allied Forces into the sea! What Rommel managed to do, you should be able to do too!”

Mendel: “And what of Rommel? Wasn’t he captured? Was he truly captured?”

There had always been whispers in the military that Rommel surrendered on account of knowing he couldn’t win, using the excuse of going to the 21st Armored Division, when in fact he had already negotiated with the guerrilla and surrendered directly.

Given Rommel’s situation at the time, it was understandable—staying, putting aside whether he could drive the Allied Forces into the sea again, the Emperor’s suspicion of him never ceased, even inserting a bunch of ‘staff,’ who were good for nothing but tattling, into his headquarters.

Mendel glanced around at the staff in the room and unsurprisingly noticed many were eavesdropping instead of working.