Seeing Hu Hao lead his troops in a counter-offensive, Jiang Kai was incredibly thrilled and excited. He had said he would send the footage of Hu Hao’s offensive to His Majesty, hoping His Majesty would recognize Hu Hao’s worth and grant him a bright future.
If Hu Hao had a bright future, it would also bring glory to the Southwest Combat Zone. After all, Hu Hao had risen through the ranks within the Southwest Combat Zone and had been promoted by Jiang Kai himself. With the Empire currently engulfed in war on all fronts, allowing someone like Hu Hao to rise was an excellent thing for both the Empire and its people.
“Commander, I truly never expected this! We were just worrying that we were in massive trouble. His Majesty ordered us to hold out for two months, and we were wondering how we could possibly do it. Now, it seems it won’t be much of a problem! Anyway, as long as Hu Hao wipes out the Allied forces in front of him…
“…combined with His Majesty authorizing us to replenish our troops, we will have 600,000 men to hold off the 11 Allied corps! Plus, we’ve already inflicted substantial casualties on the Allied forces. Calculating it now, we aren’t at a disadvantage in terms of troop strength!” Sun Qinxue told Jiang Kai with a smile.
“How about that? Ah? Hahaha! I, Jiang Kai, bet on Hu Hao! I bet on Hu Hao three times, and achieved three massive victories! Hahaha! Although I, Jiang Kai, might lack combat ability, my ability to judge character is quite decent, isn’t it?” Jiang Kai looked at Sun Qinxue, immensely proud.
“Indeed. Truly, three times! The first time, during the breakout, if Hu Hao hadn’t come over, our Southwest Combat Zone would have been completely wiped out! The second time, we counterattacked Nanlin City and annihilated the Allied forces there!
“And this time, betting on Hu Hao brought you this surprise! By swallowing these three corps, the Allied forces’ hopes of completely annihilating us and breaking through our sector are… hmph, impossible now!” Sun Qinxue gave Jiang Kai a thumbs-up.
“Mm. Get Hu Hao on the phone!” Jiang Kai smiled and nodded.
“Yes, sir!” a senior staff officer behind them responded with a smile, immediately picking up the phone to contact Hu Hao. The call connected quickly.
“Hu Hao! You fought beautifully! Absolute beautiful! You gave me a miracle! A miracle!” The moment the staff officer handed him the phone, Jiang Kai spoke with a wide grin.
“Hehe, Commander, we’re going to completely annihilate the Allied forces on the opposite bank this time! Didn’t you say earlier that another Allied corps was on its way? As long as we swallow the troops currently on the opposite bank, I won’t be afraid even if the Allied forces send another corps!” Hu Hao laughed over the phone.
“Yes, no need to be afraid! By the way, after this battle is over, is expanding your troops to 40,000 men enough? If it’s not enough, I’ll add a few more for you!” Jiang Kai offered with a smile.
“Well, if you could add a few more, that would be even better! Oh, right, Commander, I have an idea I’d like to discuss with you,” Hu Hao chuckled.
“You still want more? Fine, 50,000! You can expand your troops to 50,000 men. I hope you can bring me another miracle. How does that sound?” Hearing Hu Hao needed more troops, Jiang Kai immediately added another 10,000.
It was important to note that they were only authorized to expand by roughly 270,000 men this time. Divided among the twenty or nearly thirty divisions under his command, each division would get less than 10,000 men. For Hu Hao to instantly increase by 40,000 men meant that those numbers had to be deducted from other units.
“Deal! Thank you, Commander! I also hope there will be miracles!” Hearing Jiang Kai agree to let him expand to 50,000 men, Hu Hao was naturally overjoyed. If he added another 10,000, he would have the equivalent of a full-strength corps.
“By the way, you said you had something to discuss with me just now. Let’s hear it!” Jiang Kai asked with a smile.
“Yes, Commander. It’s like this: I want to lead my troops and begin pushing south. Commander, we can’t remain on the defensive forever. If possible, we should start expanding into enemy-occupied territory and reclaiming lost land. Firstly, this will rescue more civilians.
“Secondly, it will build confidence among the troops of our Southwest Combat Zone. It will show them that we can counterattack; we aren’t just stuck passively defending. Furthermore, Commander…
“…if we reclaim enough lost territory, it won’t just increase the strategic maneuvering space for our Southwest Combat Zone; it will also make His Majesty look at you in a new light. Right now, our Empire has lost so much land. If only our Southwest Combat Zone manages to reclaim lost territory…
“…in the future, His Majesty will undoubtedly rely on you even more and give you command of more troops. When the time comes, if the Grand Marshal’s faction suffers enough casualties and your own troop strength has grown, you could head to the capital and take over the Grand Marshal’s position. What do you think?” Hu Hao laid out his thoughts to Jiang Kai.
Hearing this, Jiang Kai felt a warmth in his heart. Hu Hao had advised him previously that if he couldn’t control more troops before being transferred to the capital, he might be turned into a mere figurehead. But securing more troops now required His Majesty’s approval, and to gain that approval, he needed military achievements to speak for him.
“Mm, the idea is very good. But we only have this many troops, while the Allied forces number in the millions. Pushing into enemy-occupied territory… will that work?” Jiang Kai asked cautiously.
“It will work. Think about it: the Allied forces are currently scattered all across our country. The actual forces we’ll have to face won’t exceed 800,000. As long as we control the pacing well, we can gradually reclaim those lost territories!” Hu Hao began trying to persuade Jiang Kai.
“Are you confident? What are the odds of success?” Jiang Kai pondered for a moment before asking.
“Eighty percent!” Hu Hao stated firmly.
“Good! Go! We will reclaim lost territory! However, Hu Hao, our troops cannot move right now. The units in other sectors still have Allied forces glaring at them from the opposite bank.
“If we make a mistake, it could trigger a collapse across the entire defensive line. As for this plan, our other units will have to judge based on the timing and see if an advance is necessary!” Jiang Kai agreed with Hu Hao’s proposal, but noted that since the other units still faced enemies, they couldn’t move recklessly.
“Commander, the other units don’t need to move. My troops will mobilize first. We’ll find an opportunity to annihilate a portion of the Allied forces first. That will make subsequent battles much easier. After all, this is our Eastern Spirit Empire’s territory. Once we seize the initiative, fighting will be easier. It’s enough if only my troops move out. Aren’t the Allied forces sending another corps to reinforce this sector?
“I’ll see if I can find a chance to wipe out that unit! If I do, my troops will be freed up to reinforce the other defensive lines and pull our forces out of a purely defensive posture. Once the time is ripe, we can launch a general counter-offensive!” Hu Hao explained his plan.
“Excellent. Then we’ll do as you suggest. 50,000 isn’t enough. How about this: your division will temporarily expand to 60,000 men. Although it’s just a division, I am giving you a corps’ worth of troops! Just execute your plan!
“Also, Hu Hao, remember this! You absolutely do not conscript troops privately ever again! If you need troops, tell me, and I will find a way to request them from His Majesty. Do not make a mistake like this again! You aren’t a General yet, so you cannot afford to make such mistakes!
“Especially now, when His Majesty might open the promotion channels at any moment. At a time like this, you need to be even more cautious,” Jiang Kai warned Hu Hao over the phone.
“Yes, sir! Thank you for the reminder, Commander!” Hu Hao replied immediately.
“Can your side truly annihilate the Allied forces right now? Your troop strength is less than theirs! Tell me, how are you fighting them? Also, what was that explosion behind Santong County earlier?” Jiang Kai asked, his eyes on the large screen.
“Before this battle even began, I had Li Jingsong’s troops cross the river and lie in ambush in advance. I originally thought the Allied forces would only deploy two corps. I never expected them to deploy three corps to attack me!
“Because of that, I kept Li Jingsong’s troops completely hidden and unused. Today, I saw that the Allied forces had committed the vast majority of their troops.
“That was the moment I deployed my artillery and Li Jingsong’s forces to launch a preemptive counter-attack! I believe our current bombardment alone will inflict at least 10,000 to 20,000 casualties on them. And our bombardment is still ongoing!
“Most importantly, our bombardment and Li Jingsong’s attack completely stunned the Allied commanders and shattered their troops’ morale! The Allied forces actually don’t have many troops left right now.
“Before tonight, they only had around 100,000 men. During our defensive battle tonight, we inflicted at least 20,000 casualties. Add the 10,000 to 20,000 from the artillery bombardment, plus the 20,000 or so casualties Li Jingsong inflicted when he wiped out their artillery positions…
“…I estimate the Allied forces currently have no more than 40,000 men still capable of fighting. Furthermore, they are all concentrated near Santong County, which gives our artillery a massive advantage. Right now, I just hope our Air Force fighters can hold the line for us!” Hu Hao reported the situation to Jiang Kai.
“Good! Excellent arrangement! Don’t worry about the Air Force. Our Air Force is keeping a close eye on the Allied forces. The moment they launch aircraft, our fighters will intercept them!” Jiang Kai said joyfully.
“That’s good to hear!” Hu Hao nodded in relief.
“Truly an excellent arrangement! Since the Allied forces still have over 40,000 men, won’t they try to break out?” Jiang Kai thought for a moment and asked.
“They might. However, they’ve been fighting all night. Plus, my artillery is still bombarding them, and Li Jingsong’s armored units have blocked their retreat route. I estimate breaking out will be incredibly difficult for them. Even if they succeed, they won’t have many troops left!” Hu Hao reported.
“Excellent! Then wipe them out! After that, take some time to rest and reorganize. Starting tomorrow, begin replenishing your troops up to 60,000 men. Although you are a Division Commander, I am giving you a corps’ worth of troops! Fight well!” Jiang Kai instructed happily over the phone.
(End of Chapter)