Cannon Fire Arc

As the music began, Wang Zhong was already getting the hang of it. He had just based his previous performance on a movie he remembered, and now he started to utilize his recent experience, making his moves much smoother.

However, Ludmila encountered a problem with her first big movement: the skirt of her military dress uniform restricted her legs, causing a small tear the length of a pinky finger.

Taking advantage of a twirl, Ludmila tore a fifteen-centimeter split in her skirt, transforming it into a cheongsam with a slit.

Free from the constraints on her legs, Ludmila put even more force into her movements—Wang Zhong didn't know what made a good Flamenco dance; he just knew it seemed passionate and fiery, so maybe more force meant it was better?

Since she was his fiancée, Wang Zhong simply let loose too, making broad and expansive gestures.

There's a saying that dance should be free, and that expressing one's current mood is the mark of good dancing.

Wang Zhong's movements at the moment were a good reflection of his mood.

When he was dancing with Olga earlier, some of the moves required him to get close, yet he didn't really do so, maintaining a distance instead.

Now he let go of that inhibition, truly pressing close, even nesting his nose into the gap of reactive armor.

You wouldn't understand, but this kind of gap-clearing could prevent accidents when shells are incoming; it's what a tank commander should do.

At the end of the dance, Ludmila whispered in Wang Zhong's ear as she posed for the final position, "What, did not being able to touch earlier frustrate you that much?"

Wang Zhong pretended not to hear and asked, "How come you're also so good at Flamenco?"

"I saw you practicing and just picked it up. I was planning to learn dancing anyway, and my teacher also happens to know Flamenco."

Well, that's a delightful twist unique to childhood friends, damn it—it's a pity you can't even get a taste of it without transmigrating. Modern day Ceres is where neighbors live and die without interacting with each other.

Honestly, Wang Zhong felt he performed better this time, but paradoxically, the applause wasn't as enthusiastic as before; he wasn't sure if that was for fear of angering the Tsar.

But the Tsar himself was clapping particularly hard. When Wang Zhong looked up, he locked eyes with Olga and noticed her genuinely admiring expression.

Thus, the clapping from everyone else grew more enthusiastic as well.

Wang Zhong intended to lead Ludmila back to their original spot, but she said softly, "I need to fix my dress."

Wang Zhong: "Is it serious?"

"Just need to sew it. Nelly probably brought a sewing kit; I'll be back in a jiffy."

Suddenly, Wang Zhong wondered if there would come a day when, amidst enemy fire at the front lines, Ludmila would sing "A River of Wider Waves" while mending torn clothes—no, wait, that's mixing up stories.

Ludmila left the room to find Nelly, and Wang Zhong watched her go before turning back to the others in the room.

Right then, a diplomat's wife, struggling with her Ante language, approached him, "May I have the honor of an invitation from you?"

Wang Zhong: "No, I'm a bit tired."

Agreeing to one could lead to countless more Flamenco dances; Wang Zhong decisively left her behind and headed back to the buffet table.

Male diplomats were congregated nearby, chatting. They greeted Wang Zhong as he approached: "You danced wonderfully, General."

"I hear you're planning to get engaged to Miss Mailehovna?"

Wang Zhong: "Yes, her family has already evacuated to Bolsk, but the railway is full of military trains right now, and they can't get through just yet."

The evacuation route from Bolsk didn't go through Ye Fort, so Ludmila's family couldn't take the evacuation train there.

Wang Zhong, anticipating that Bolsk would become the focus of the enemy's attack next year, had Ludmila send a telegram instructing her family to evacuate further back without rushing to Ye Fort.

Just as he answered one question, another diplomat curiously asked, "There's a rumor everywhere in Ye Fort that you might become a prince; what's that about?"

Wang Zhong: "That's because I'm as close to His Majesty's elder brother as siblings, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince intended to sacrifice himself. So he entrusted me with his sister, asking me to take his place as her brother.

"I'm actually committed to being a good stand-in brother, but somehow the rumor around Ye Fort's social circle turned into me wanting to marry Olga.

"How easy could it be to court Her Majesty? Her standards are high! A mere puff of breath and I would be worthy? Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

The diplomats nodded in agreement, and Wang Zhong inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

Being a brother is good enough, not disappointing either Crown Prince Ivan who entrusted Olga to him, nor Ludmila.

At that point, the discussion among the diplomats naturally turned to the war situation for the following year.

While snacking from the table, Wang Zhong listened to their conversation until a diplomat asked, "General Rokossovsky, how do you see the war unfolding next year? Will a counter-offensive happen?"

Wang Zhong: "Our previous offensive theories have become inadequate in the face of modern military technology.

"The assault organized by Tukhachev revealed that our military personnel at all levels lack understanding of how to conduct an offensive under current technological conditions—I myself don't have much experience organizing them either."

Wait a minute, doesn't this sound a bit like boasting?

And sure enough, one of the diplomats teased, "You captured a hundred thousand Prosen prisoners; if you don't know how to organize an offensive, then no one in the Allied Forces will."

Wang Zhong: "During my offensive, the enemy was both hungry and cold. At the outset, their cannons were frozen solid and they couldn't muster any effective defensive firepower."

"No, the attack was more or less a gift from the enemy. The reason we were able to push the front back to the east bank of the Duva River was also due to the enemy's terrible supply situation. As soon as we encountered their fortified defensive positions, we were immediately stopped in our tracks."

"We need time to learn warfare, and so do the commanders at all levels."

Wang Zhong's remarks were actually more about himself. In the game, he usually commanded at the battalion and regiment level, and then he played a role like the grand strategists in 'Hearts of Iron', overseeing everything. Commanding from Army Group to Front Army level, Wang Zhong had only tried in some very niche war games.

But no matter how realistic the war game is, it's still a tabletop game, simulating war according to certain rules. It's just a simulation.

To be honest, Wang Zhong really didn't know how an army should carry out an offensive. He needed to actually do it to learn.

However, Wang Zhong always felt that he would still be on the defensive next year.

It just so happened that the newly developed 100mm gun carrier, which lacked a turret, was a tank destroyer, well-suited for defense.

Therefore, at this moment, Wang Zhong wasn't just answering the diplomats' questions, he was also clarifying his own thoughts.

At this point, John Wick, the military attaché, also came over: "I overheard some of it, does General Rokossovsky think the main strategy next year will still be defensive?"

Wang Zhong: "Localized offensives will certainly occur. Counter-attacks are part of defensive operations."

"I see, your insights coincide remarkably with those of the newly appointed commander of the Pacific Fleet," said Colonel John Wick, incongruously for a man wearing an army uniform.

The Federation has its inter-service rivalries, too—the Army Air Corps (at this time, the Federation did not have a separate Air Force) used 'P' as the prefix for fighter aircraft, while Naval Aviation used 'F'.

The Army Aviation preferred liquid-cooled engines and seized all production. Naval Aviation, in turn, scrambled for the production capability of air-cooled engines.

Of course, this kind of discord was more about lack of cooperation, and hadn't reached the point where the Army was building aircraft carriers and the Navy tanks.

Wang Zhong: "What did the new Pacific commander say?"

John Wick: "He said that the fleet should primarily conduct defensive operations next year, and the initiative for an attack lies with the Empire of Fusang."

Wang Zhong nodded, assessing that there was no issue with that estimate.

It was the same on Earth. Throughout '42, it was Japan on the offensive. Although America preemptively took Guadalcanal, in terms of distance, America's occupation was more of a defensive move.

It was Japan that secretly sent men to Guadalcanal, near Port Moresby, to build an airstrip in preparation for an attack on the port, but America discovered it and took the island given its proximity.

Afterwards, Japan continually moved troops prepared for the Port Moresby attack to the island, and its navy also made multiple proactive strikes.

Therefore, although America conducted a landing operation on Guadalcanal, the battle was actually a defensive campaign.

Seeing Wang Zhong's expression, Colonel John Wick asked, "Does the general also have an interest in naval affairs?"

Wang Zhong: "Not at all, not at all. How could a landlubber like me understand the navy? I just think, with the Federation only just entering the war, it won't be able to scale up production next year. The real impact of the Federation will likely be in 916."

John Wick: "Indeed."

Wang Zhong suddenly felt as if he was a fully-equipped ADC ready for battle.

At this moment, the band finished their intermission piece, and the second dance was about to begin.

Many diplomats, upon hearing the band play the final note, turned their heads to seek out dance partners.

Ludmila had not yet arrived in the hall, still sewing her dress.

Those men who were quick to act had already made their move.

Wang Zhong saw a diplomat approach Olga, only to be politely rejected; the diplomat then walked back towards the long table with a look of frustration.

Wang Zhong promptly approached and asked, "What did Her Majesty say?"

The diplomat: "Her Majesty said she just twisted her ankle during the Flamenco and can only sit and rest, hoping we enjoy ourselves."

Wang Zhong had this nagging feeling that if he went to invite Olga to dance, her ankle would miraculously heal right away.

John Wick also said, "If you were to invite her, even if Her Majesty's foot hurt, she'd likely accept with pleasure, right?"

Wang Zhong: "Of course not, Her Majesty is very willful. As I've just said, courting Her Majesty is as difficult as reaching the heavens."

Darn it, inadvertently, he had portrayed Olga as an unattainable flower.

John Wick added, "Over there, there are plenty of ladies looking over here eagerly. Aren't you going over?"

Wang Zhong: "I think I also twisted my ankle just now, I mean, my fiancée stepped on my foot."

"Really?" John Wick said with an understanding smile. "Well, let's just leave it at that."

The dance went on.

By the way, it was only after the dance had ended that Ludmila returned to the ballroom, reportedly unwell.