Cannon Fire Arc

Chapter 963: Chapter 16 Rocossov Forges Ahead

United Kingdom, Prime Minister’s Residence.

Leonard was pacing back and forth in the office when the private secretary opened the door and came in:

“The Plathen Emperor has just issued a public telegram.”

Leonard shivered: “He’s not going to surrender, is he?”

“No. He’s inviting Rocossov to a one-on-one duel under fair terms.”

Leonard opened his mouth wide, staring at the private secretary, unable to speak for a long while.

Private Secretary: “That’s really what his telegram said.”

Leonard, puffing on his pipe, paced around the room in circles before asking the MI6 director present in the room: “Is the Plathen Emperor out of his mind?”

Sir Cumming from MI6 nodded: “It’s possible. Considering some suspicious reports recently, it’s likely he’s been triggered by something.”

Leonard: “Suspicious reports?”

“There have been successive mutinies among Prosen troops, abandoning their positions and heading to designated locations by the Anteans to surrender their weapons.”

Leonard widened his eyes: “How is that possible? Didn’t we analyze earlier that the Prosens, fearing reciprocated vengeance from the Anteans, would resist desperately?”

“That was indeed our deduction, but now more and more Prosen troops are leaving their positions. The Ante Troops’ advancement has sped up significantly as a result.

“Currently, only the armed forces of the Asgard Knights are fiercely resisting. Perhaps it’s because these forces have committed heinous crimes inside Ante territory.”

Leonard: “How could this happen? What’s going on?”

Sir Cumming: “It’s said the Anteans released some captured Prosen officers who formed a Secular faction church and are spreading secular teachings in Prosen, preparing to establish a secular state there.”

“Just like that?” Leonard was incredulous, “Just like that, they managed to cause mass mutiny among the Prosen troops? Wait, this isn’t just mutiny; it’s downright treason!”

Sir Cumming raised both hands in resignation.

Leonard: “Something’s not right! I don’t believe that’s the sole reason behind the Prosen Army’s treason. There must be something else—what if the Anteans have finally mastered brainwashing techniques? They’ve brainwashed all the Prosen troops!”

General Margo couldn’t help but interject: “Your remarks truly sound absurd. How could something like that even exist? And even if it did, why use it on such a small scale?”

“But is there any other explanation?” Leonard retorted.

Margo: “Then how do you explain the fact that we’ve all met Rocossov and didn’t get brainwashed?”

“Don’t use a rhetorical question as a response to mine!”

“No, I’m drawing your attention to logic, Prime Minister. We, as well as Eck and old President Rowe, have had close contact with that Marshal, yet none of us were brainwashed.”

Leonard: “Perhaps it requires certain complicated conditions or lengthy procedures!”

“Then it would be impossible for them to brainwash so many Prosen troops so quickly.” General Margo continued, “Admit it, the Scripture of Saint Andrew possesses an uncanny ability to entice. Who knows, there might even be individuals in critical positions within the United Kingdom secretly praying to Saint Andrew’s Scripture every night.”

Leonard widened his eyes: “If that’s true, it would be terrifying.”

Margo: “Why be afraid? We’re on the same side. If Rocossov can hasten Prosen’s surrender, we can save a lot of lives. They’re all good lads!”

Leonard didn’t reply, merely puffing on his pipe and walking around the room.

————

November 30th, All Saints’ Day, Third Prisoner Transit Center, within Melania, 91 kilometers east of Plowsonia’s city center.

Sergeant Hans looked at the priest wearing a blue hat, hesitated for a moment, then asked: “Will my crimes affect my family?”

“No, be honest and confess.”

Sergeant Hans sighed and began to recall: “On the first day of the invasion, I killed a—”

“Was it on the battlefield?” The blue hat interrupted him.

“Yes, it was on the battlefield.”

Blue Hat: “That doesn’t need confession. Tell me if you’ve committed atrocities against civilians, executed, or robbed prisoners.”

Sergeant Hans: “The battlefield doesn’t require confession?”

“Right, that’s Marshal Rocossov’s instruction. You only need to confess crimes committed off the battlefield. Remember, if you don’t confess now, someone might report you later, and you’ll be done for.”

Sergeant Hans nodded, thought for a moment, then began to speak: “It was near Ronied. We occupied a farm, then orders came instructing us to clear the farm because the logistics unit was going to turn it into a station.

“I ordered my men to bring out the entire family and execute them by firing squad.”

Blue Hat: “You murdered them brutally?”

“Yes, all these years I’ve been plagued by nightmares, dreaming—”

Blue Hat: “How many in total? Any children?”

“I don’t quite remember, but there were children—two of them.”

Blue Hat picked up a writing pad on the desk and flipped through the files clipped atop it: “Child murder, killing an entire family outside combat… It’s unfortunate, Sergeant Hans, but we must execute you.”

The sergeant let out a long breath, then nervously asked again: “Will my family be unaffected?”

“Correct. Additionally, if you can identify significant crimes committed by others, your sentence may be changed to life imprisonment. You’ll spend your life in labor camps in Siberia, but you can correspond with your family.”

Sergeant Hans: “I’m willing to identify. When I was preparing to carry out the execution, Lieutenant Crowther appeared, taking the woman and the boy up to the second floor. We waited a long while before he came down and ordered us to change the execution method to disposal in the manure pit.”

Blue Hat: “Crowther? His full name, his unit.”

The sergeant recounted everything he could remember in detail.

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