An anguished officer rushed into the headquarters of Major General Kontrachenko, saluted him, and reported breathlessly: "General, the Japanese threw in heavy artillery, and we counted at least ten of them, with a caliber of at least ten inches. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info Our fortifications cannot withstand the blow of such weapons. ，”

The Major General threw the pencil in his hand onto the map and stood up straight. "What is the goal of the Japanese?"

"Our artillery positions, the Japanese found part of the gun emplacements. But before they could open fire, we had already shifted the artillery. General, I must say that the light mortar made by the Americans is a good weapon, and it only takes a few minutes to withdraw from the firing position. ”

"That's why the Army bought them, Lieutenant Colonel." Kondrachenko said with a relaxed expression, "Let the Japanese consume their shells, but immediately after the shelling is over, organize the soldiers to repair the damaged gun emplacements." ”

Saluting him again, the officer turned and rushed out of the command in the same hurry as he had entered. Kondrachenko, on the other hand, turned his attention back to the question he had just been studying: how to keep the fortress of Arthur until the moment when the Russians launched a full-scale counterattack - and defeated the Japanese. According to his estimates, that will be a long time later, at least a month later.

As the supreme commander of the Russian army in the Far East, Alekseev was neither brave nor smart, and as for the other general, the former Minister of War General Kutparokin, he was in fact no better than Alekseev. Moreover, there is a very sharp contradiction between the two generals, so as long as they are still in command of the army, a full-scale counterattack is a seemingly unexpectedly distant thing with no deadline, like a dream.

It is better to count on them than to expect the Japanese themselves to give up the fight.

Sometimes, for some unknown reason, Kontrachenko's brain is filled with these negative, and somewhat offensive perceptions. They made him nervous and panicked, both because of slander against his superiors and because of pessimistic predictions about the future. Fortunately, there were not many cases, and they were always short-lived, and it only took a moment for his opinion to return to normal: the Russian troops in the Far East would definitely launch a full-scale counterattack, and the Japanese would be completely routed, it would just take a little longer.

At least a month. Kontrachenko shook his head. This is his speculation, and it is only speculation, and no one knows what the actual situation will be - it may be sooner or later. However, the Arthur Fortress will be difficult to hold on to for even a week - still negative, but quite likely.

The Japanese had two corps, and they were complete, armed with heavy artillery, and fired more shells in one attack than the garrison of the fortress could fire in a day. Such a force had already frightened Lieutenant General Stessel so much that at yesterday's military meeting it was suggested that "perhaps we should surrender to the Japanese army at the right time". No one echoed him, but everyone knew that if the "right time" really came along, he wouldn't mind selling himself for a good price.

Stessel is not the only problem. Kondrachenko continued to think. The commander of the fortress was a coward, and the morale of the soldiers was not high - although not yet to the point of "lowness". The brains of these gray animals are not stupid at all, and there are many smart people, of course, they can see that they have no chance of winning. Perhaps one or a few limited tactical victories can motivate soldiers to keep fighting, but in the end, routs, casualties, and disappointment will turn them into Stessel supporters.

Then the fortress will have a white flag, and the Japanese will be victorious......

"Oh, my God." The major general scratched his hair and said to himself, "Look what I'm thinking?" I'm losing faith myself. ”

"I can give you confidence." A voice came from the side. Kondrachenko was sure that it was not God's voice - because it was familiar, and went on to say: "General. ”

"Captain Danilov." The major general raised his head and looked at the officer who was saluting him, and his expression became stern. "I think you should be mindful of who you are."

He was a little angry, but more nervous: Danilov heard him talking to himself. If junior officers and soldiers knew that their commanders had lost faith in the war, the tide of battle would collapse tomorrow. Kontrachenko did not want to become a sinner of the Russian Empire and therefore left the army undignified.

Thinking of that possible future, his expression became complicated again.

Danilov noticed the change. "General." The captain put down his right hand, took a step forward, and said loudly: "I have an idea that will boost the morale of the army." ”

"Do you have an idea?" Kondrachenko's expression became more complicated - he felt like he had heard a funny joke. "Captain, I have a platoon of staff officers, most of whom are more experienced than you, but none of them know how to solve our dilemma. How do you know if your idea is a good idea – what do you want to do? ”

"Make a hero, General."

"Make a hero? How is it made? ”

Kontrachenko's inquiry gave Danilov enough confidence. The captain's volume increased and became more determined. "We selected soldiers with excellent marksmanship, organized them into separate units, let them move alone, freely searched for firing positions throughout the position, hunted officers of the Japanese army......"

"Captain, do you know what you're talking about?" Kondrachenko knocked on the table, "Your idea violates the traditional rules of engagement. The glorious Russian Army is not the pathetic Boer militia. ”

"We need change, General." Danilov replied, "Only the victory is real, the process is insignificant." The world will not condemn the winners. ”

It sounds like some kind of philosophy. Kondrachenko pondered, and then realized that he was not really against Danilov's idea - it was a good idea, it was a good idea, but it was difficult for the traditional soldiers to accept, and it could burn itself - and the Japanese army could form the same hunting force. It's easy and doesn't cost much, but the rewards are huge.

Turn a noble officer into a soldier-like, pure expendable? Kontrachenko hesitated, not daring to make a decision immediately.

Danilov's voice rang out again.

"General, this is not a question worth pondering. The War of Independence, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, the Americans did such things all the time, and in Cuba and the Philippines, almost half of the Spanish officers and non-commissioned officers were killed by mercenary snipers. I can't say that this is an important factor in the Americans winning the war, but if we still want to maintain the morale of the military, imitating what the Americans do is the only way. ”

"At the risk that the Japanese will do the same?"

"Even if things get worse, it won't get worse than it is now, General."

"Well, officers who hunted the Japanese." Kontrachenko sighed, regretting the decision he had to make, and then asked: "And then?" ”

"We record the sniper's record, update it every day, print it as leaflets, and distribute it to every platoon." Danilov replied, "We let every soldier know what our snipers have done and can do." I'm sure they will be inspired. ”

"Yes...... Except for one thing, we cannot confirm the results of the sniper, we cannot find actual evidence. ”

"That's true."

"Aren't you worried?"

"In any case, we can inflict a heavy blow on the command system of the Japanese army, affect the Japanese offensive, and also dampen their morale."

"Captain, it looks like that's what we can expect." Kondrachenko nodded. Now, there is only one question left. "Do you know how to implement your plan?"

Otherwise I wouldn't have brought it up. Danilov thought triumphantly, and pulled out a pamphlet. "I commissioned a mercenary from UMBRELLA I knew in the past to buy, Sniper Tactics Manual 2.0."

“2.0？”

"I'm sorry, General, I don't know what that means. However, this handbook was published last year and is in its second edition. ”

"I see." But he still doesn't understand why the people at UMBRELLA would name the second edition of a manual 2.0 - but what does it matter? There are many more important questions than that, such as why Danilov asked people to buy this manual, and when did he meet the UMBRELLA mercenaries? When the Boxer riots were suppressed in Beijing? All of them deserve in-depth study - but not now. Whatever the problem, it is time to give way to this war.

"Carry out your plan, Captain, and I'm waiting for good news from you."

"Thank you, General."

Salute, then turn and walk towards the door of Command. However, before Danilov could step out, Kontrachenko suddenly stopped him. "Wait a minute, Captain, I want to know, do you have the right person?"

"Yes, General, there is already one."

At this moment, Private Zaitsev was carefully wiping his rifle in the place where Danilov asked him to stay. His demeanor was very attentive and meticulous, at least as it seemed, but in reality, he devoted a large part of his energy to the reasons why Danilov asked him to report.

It definitely has something to do with his marksmanship. Zaitsev could only guess this outcome. Then, he had no idea what the captain was going to do, whether to give him a medal or to promote him to corporal. No matter how he thought about it, even if he racked his brain, he never knew what would happen next.

However, he did not give up his efforts, because there was nothing else to do but think about the answers to the questions, and wipe the rifle.

He sighed, and then Danilov appeared.

"Soldier, you will soon become a hero of the Army, as long as you do what I say," he said. (To be continued, if you want to know what will happen next, please log in to the www.qidian.com, more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!) (To be continued.) )