Cannon Fire Arc

August 13, the newly-formed Melania Front Army Headquarters.

"Why are you stopping me? Don't you know who I am?"

Hearing the noise at the door, Pavlov looked up and saw Yegorov, like a bear, breaking through the guards' obstruction and barging into the huge map room.

All the busy staff in the room looked up, saw it was Yegorov, and bowed their heads to continue their work.

Pavlov gave the guards a look, and so the guards released Yegorov, saluted, and left.

Yegorov straightened his uniform: "Hmph, the headquarters changes its name and suddenly I'm an outsider! Three years ago, you were my chief of staff!"

Pavlov: "Are you looking for the Marshal? Didn't the guards tell you he's not here?"

"What happened to him? Did he take off? How can you spread such news around? What if it reaches the Prosens and they send someone to capture the Division Commander? Isn't that how that Admiral from Fusang died?"

While chiding, Yegorov walked to the table, picked up Pavlov's cup, and drank all the water inside.

Pavlov: "I don't have any alcohol here."

"I wasn't thinking of drinking." Yegorov paused, "So what's the situation?"

Pavlov: "You know about the Melania uprising, right?"

"I know, they're in a standoff with the Prosen forces in the capital."

"Internationally, there's constant pressure urging us to give them a hand." Pavlov lowered his voice, "Personally, I think this group is just putting on a show."

Yegorov made an "oh" sound, also leaned over to Pavlov, and lowered his voice: "So the Division Commander being in charge is also a show? Actually no real effort?"

At this moment, Vasily came in and was stunned to see the two bears bending over face to face, his hand holding a cup pausing at his mouth.

Pavlov ignored Vasily and continued in a low voice: "I think the Marshal doesn't see it that way; he may genuinely want to rush to Melania's capital to save people. Isn't he flying every day to do reconnaissance, grasping enemy movements."

"You see the map behind me? All of it gets updated every time the Marshal gets off the plane."

Yegorov turned his head to look at the map on the wall; it was unfinished, but the completed parts were very detailed, showing enemy troops and weapon quantities and such.

Yegorov: "Can aerial reconnaissance see such detailed intelligence?"

"You see, it's clear it's been a long time since you fought directly under the Marshal's command." Pavlov finally got a chance to counter Yegorov's earlier "you were my chief of staff."

Yegorov straightened his back, walked around Pavlov, and muttered as he looked at the map: "The Division Commander intends to punch through here, that's definitely what he's thinking. If the intelligence on this map is true, it definitely can punch through!"

"We are fully verifying this intelligence, and it appears to be mostly accurate. So regarding the assault group's configuration, I'm trying as much as I can to include suppression artillery and Urban Assault Guns inside, to cover these enemies marked by the Marshal."

Yegorov: "Good, very good. By the way, can I have the Melania People's Army under my command participate in the assault group?"

"They were going to participate in the assault group anyway, after all, they are Melanians."

Yegorov smiled: "Ah, that's great. You see, my troops have already been reassigned, as Commander, I can't ignore my troops, right? You might as well reassign me as Commander too..."

"No way, according to the Marshal's intention, this army group is to have fewer command levels; he wants to personally command each division. I'm even worried the command-level officers will have issues!"

"I have no issues at all!" Yegorov patted his chest, "Command! Let the Division Commander command as he wishes! When he can't command, I'll take over! Come on, be kind! At worst, let me be demoted; I'll be a regiment commander, commanding a regiment at the front."

Vasily finally couldn't stand watching and interrupted: "Admiral Comrade, you are about to be promoted to General; if you go to the front as a regiment commander, it will all fall apart."

Yegorov glared and huffed at Vasily: "What does a school officer like you know? Go, go, go, go, have you cleaned the restroom? Hurry up and clean it!"

Vasily: "Ha ha, I'm not scooping poop anymore!"

Yegorov ignored him, continued to plead with Pavlov: "Just let me be a regiment commander! Let me join the offensive!"

Just then, the sound of the guards came from the door: "Wait a minute, Admiral Davarish, what are you doing here? Wait a minute!"

Admiral Eugene rushed into the room, and his first words upon seeing Pavlov were: "So what is this situation?"

Pavlov: "Why are you here too?"

Eugene: "My troops are in better condition than Yegorov's, you should reassign my troops! The warriors have seen the enemy's atrocities in Melania; no matter how bitter or tired, they want to join this group!"

Pavlov angrily said: "If all of you are like this, then the command system will be in chaos! Are you still a soldier? Having one Yegorov is enough, and now you're the same!"

Eugene, somewhat cowed: "Uh, I don't have to be in it, but you see, my troops are indeed overall better preserved. They've been recuperating for a week now, and are mostly recovered, hearing every day about the enemy's brutality from the Melania populace, they are burning with rage."

Vasily: "Your troops have so many people familiar with Melanianese? I thought Melanianese and Antenese were different, only people with ten years of schooling would find it not easy to learn."