Arc of Fire

Chapter 166: The Darkest Hour (Extra for Alliance Hierarch)_2

“Even if they manage to complete the encirclement, it won’t be until after August 30. Before that, we can first stop the enemy’s advance from the two infantry Army Groups on the inner line. We may even annihilate the enemy’s infantry formations and deplete their numbers!”

The Crown Prince opened his mouth wide, “So… we can really hold out?”

“Of course, we have so many troops and so much supply! Even if we do get surrounded, we can fight for dozens of days,” General Skorobo asserted confidently.

The Crown Prince glanced at the map, then at the resolved face of the general, “I can’t find any faults, after all, I graduated second to last from the military academy. Should I report it to Father like this?”

General Skorobo: “We had already received orders to hold at all costs. Argesukov is one of the origins of the Ante Empire, before the year of Jules, this place was once the ancient capital of Ante, anyone who lightly talks of giving up Argesukov will most certainly abandon the holy Yekaterinburg in the future!”

At that moment, the communications staff officer entered again: “Urgent telegram from the High Command!”

“Read it!” General Skorobo waved his hand grandly, while grabbing a cup of water to drink.

The communications staff opened the folder and read, “Do not give up any inch of the territory, commanders at all levels who vacate their commands to retreat will be deemed traitors, and both they and their families will be executed by firing squad!”

General Skorobo: “See! They’ve just ordered us to hold out, and now they’ve issued such a mandate to the whole army. Now we can only engage in a decisive battle with the enemy here! Don’t worry, Your Highness, we will stop the enemy’s attack from within.”

General Skorobo fell silent for a second, then answered, “As I said, we have enough ammunition and food to last for dozens of days. We will fight for the empire here until the last moment.”

The Front Army’s bishop said, “Although we must hold on, we can issue a general evacuation order to the ordinary civilians of Argesukov. Let the women and children retreat to the rear.”

General Skorobo nodded, “That’s not a problem. Once we get besieged, women and children may starve to death due to the lack of food. Arrange for it to be executed!”

————

Ante Empire, Holy Yekaterinburg, Summer Palace, Jules 914, August 2, 1630 hours.

“No, no!” Tsar Nicholas V roared at the generals, “You promised me that the heavy forces in Argesukov would be able to effectively defeat the enemy! Now let them defeat the enemy!”

The Chief of General Staff of the High Command Marshal Kulenov said, “According to the aerial reconnaissance, our new tanks that comprise the tank army are no match in front of the enemy, we have overestimated the combat effectiveness of these tanks. Although the enemy’s pincer movement has just begun, but…”

“You weren’t saying this two weeks ago! You said that even an idiot who finished last in his class and wet his pants could use the T34 to destroy a large number of the enemy’s tanks!” The Tsar banged his hand on the table angrily, the ring on his ring finger making a crisp sound.

At that moment, the great doors opened and the guards outside said in panic, “Your Highness the Princess, you can’t go in! The highest military council is in session!”

Princess Olga Nikolayevna Antonovna ignored the guards’ attempts to stop her and surged all the way to the center of the meeting room, stopping by the map table.

Nicholas V impatiently said, “Olga! There’s no time to play at pretending to be Empress Ekaterina! We’re discussing important matters! Military matters!”

Her Highness the Princess glanced sidelong at her own father, “Father, I also have military matters to discuss.”

Nikolai V turned to look at the maid hiding by the door, shivering: “What are you standing there for? Take her away!”

Olga Nikolayevna Antonovna locked eyes with her father: “Father, have you read the battle reports from Peniye, the ones without embellishment? Since The Church Tribunal has sent a report to my brother, there should be one on your desk as well.”

Nikolai V felt somewhat embarrassed and was about to answer when his daughter continued: “And then there’s Loktov’s battle report. Anyone who has read that report knows that Aleksei Konstantinovich Rokossovsky is an undisputed military genius. He has an acute sense for the battlefield and his military competence is solid!”

“Such a man couldn’t possibly be ranked last, so there’s only one possibility! He must have intentionally ranked last for my foolish brother!”

“He had to ensure his score was not higher than my brother’s while also making sure he could graduate. Isn’t this precise control of his ranking enough to prove that he is actually a military genius?”

The generals and marshals in the room looked at each other, at a loss for words.

Only Nikolai V continued to scold the princess: “Olga! This is not one of your childish games!”

The princess stared back at her father: “I am pointing out how foolish these generals under your command are! If you think about it, they’re no different from the defeated Sanctified faction nobility; they simply chose a better side during the civil war but are all fools nonetheless!”

“Moreover, some of them are deeply connected to the defeated Sanctified faction nobility!”

“Father! Your failure to thoroughly eradicate these people has led to the dire defeats over the past month!”

“Your Highness!” the Chief of General Staff of the High Command, who was also the only surviving prince of the entire empire, Marshal Kulenzov, said angrily, “Even the imperial family must not speak so recklessly!”

Princess Olga retorted: “Am I not stating the truth? You deceived my father with your fancy words, making him believe that Argesukov was as stable as Mount Tai! Now you’re here telling my father that Argesukov must retreat! You…”

“Enough!” Nikolai V slapped his daughter, “Get out!”

At that moment, the youngest, Duke Raoul, stood up and advised: “Your Highness, please leave. This way, please.”

He tugged at the princess’s sleeve as he spoke.

Princess Olga reluctantly turned and left the room, followed by Duke Raoul.

“Your Highness,” he whispered to the princess, “we had a chance to persuade His Majesty to issue a retreat order. Your outburst has embarrassed him, making a retreat now less likely, at least not today.”

Olga: “Is this my fault? Weren’t you the ones claiming a few days ago that the tide of the war had turned? And how did that turn out?”

Duke Raoul was slightly embarrassed: “Yes, we underestimated the enemy. But we are correcting that mistake, and you’ve seriously disrupted our plans.”

“Hmph!” Princess His Highness did not bother to hide her disdain.

Duke Raoul continued: “Moreover, as smart as you are, how could you not know that His Majesty relies on us to counter the Grand Patriarch and the church? You would be wise not to get too close to the church as well. During the civil war, the Sanctified faction had some public support, and the church needed us to win them over.”

“After ten years of champagne and caviar, the public is now full of Secular faction believers. This war is our last chance.”

Olga: “Yet you’re not doing well. I think that at such a critical time, the fact that you’re still concerning yourselves with these matters is truly the darkest hour for the motherland of Ante.”