After Division Commander Bai Ye informed the acting commanders that they would be directing the battle themselves, he left their command center. His own headquarters wasn’t located there; instead, it was situated in an air raid shelter in the center of the city, allowing him to mobilize the entire armored force in the shortest possible time.
Meanwhile, Hu Hao continued to write by hand. Once he finished a page, he handed it to a staff officer to type up and print. If he had just completed an entire chapter, he would have the staff immediately distribute the printed copies to the officers outside so they could start reading right away.
These documents were specialized officer training materials that Hu Hao was compiling based on his experiences from his past life, tailored specifically to their current situation.
The materials covered how to utilize terrain, how to exploit urban environments, how to deploy defenses within a city, and how to use buildings as cover for troops.
The existing military manuals of the Eastern Spirit Empire were archaic and entirely unsuited for modern warfare. Thus, Hu Hao was devising and writing everything himself from scratch.
Outside the command center, the officers eagerly poured over the freshly printed pages Hu Hao had just sent out.
“This is incredible. Our country is mostly plains. We have to use forests, trees, rivers, and small towns and cities to slow the Allied advance!”
“The section further back is even better. It says those buildings are essentially pre-made bunkers, especially the ones that have already been bombed by the enemy. They form relatively stable structures where we can establish our own defensive fortifications!”
“In urban combat, you must secure the high ground and always leave enough room for your troops to retreat. You have to prevent enemy flanking maneuvers. Artillery shouldn’t fire recklessly; rocket launchers are your most effective weapon, followed by grenades and infantry support guns.
“Hao-ge even detailed exactly how to deploy infantry guns. This is so different from what we learned at the military academy. Even when the concepts are similar, Hao-ge’s explanations are much deeper!”
The officers read through Hu Hao’s notes, immediately falling into heated discussions.
“Isn’t this exactly the command bible we junior officers need?” one officer suddenly exclaimed.
“It really is!” The realization hit many of them. The manual covered the myriad problems junior officers faced during both offensive and defensive operations.
Through the staff officers, they learned that Hu Hao was currently inside writing even more material. He had actually set aside many of his other duties specifically to focus on this!
“Hao-ge—no, the Commander—is truly amazing. He’s providing us with a comprehensive guide for grassroots command. Whenever we run into problems in the field, we’ll be able to find the solution right here. The Commander truly is the ‘Commander’!” many officers sighed in admiration.
“Do not throw those materials away, and do not take them outside. Every copy in your hands is numbered, and we will be collecting them later. Hao-ge specifically ordered this.
“Hao-ge said this is just the foundational draft. He hasn’t even revised it yet, and there’s a lot more he plans to add. This is just what he could put to paper right now. Most importantly, Hao-ge doesn’t want these documents falling into enemy hands!” a senior staff officer explained as he emerged from the command center.
“Don’t worry, they won’t be leaked. We understand the importance of this information!” the officers nodded solemnly.
“There are lights over there! Damn, they’re close. They look to be less than 1,000 meters from our frontline. It’s the Allied forces; they’re launching their attack!”
An officer watching the large screen spotted lights to the northeast of Yonghe City—specifically, the headlights of tanks and armored vehicles. The officers immediately knew the assault had begun.
At that exact moment, the phone in Hu Hao’s command center rang. A staff officer answered it and quickly handed it to Hu Hao.
“Commander, it’s Li Nan. He says the Allied forces are preparing to attack!” the staff officer reported.
“Oh? That fast? Almost half an hour earlier than I expected!” Hu Hao stood up and took the receiver.
“Hao-ge, the Allied forces are prepping their assault. It’s the vanguard we spotted earlier: one tank regiment and two armored infantry regiments. They have roughly the same numbers as our defending force!” Li Nan shouted through the phone the moment he heard Hu Hao’s voice.
“Mm. You are in command now. I’ll be watching. Command however you see fit. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. As long as you fight with dedication, it will be effective. So, go all out. I’ve got your back.
“Division Commander Bai Ye is already in position, so you have even less to worry about. Our air cavalry is also prepped and ready. Now is the time for you to train!” Hu Hao told Li Nan.
“Yes, sir. We will take command then!” Li Nan replied.
“Do it!” Hu Hao hung up the phone and walked out of the command center. The officers outside began to stand as they saw him approach.
“No need to stand. Keep your eyes on the screen. The Allied forces are attacking. Brothers, the Allied main force hasn’t even arrived yet, but they are already launching an assault. Why?
“First, they are anxious; their ultimate target is Late City. Second, they want to gauge the size of our force inside Yonghe City. If our numbers are small, they plan to wipe us out as quickly as possible and resume their march!” Hu Hao explained as he walked briskly toward the front.
He reached the main screen just in time to see the Allied tanks open fire, while Yonghe City remained completely silent.
“Brothers, watch closely. You will be able to hear Li Nan and the others issuing their commands. Analyze the frontline situation and carefully consider whether each order is appropriate.
“Ask yourselves how you would command in their shoes. While most of you will return to your units as battalion or company commanders, I know some of you will eventually become regimental or even division commanders. Thinking critically now will greatly aid your future growth,” Hu Hao continued.
“Brothers, hold your fire! Infantry guns, get ready. Keep your sights on their tanks. We piled up all that rubble and those concrete slabs in front of our positions; they won’t be able to rush us that easily.
“Wait until they are within 500 meters, then open fire. We’ll wipe out their first wave of tanks, and then the real fight begins!” The voice of Liu Yichuan echoed through the speakers. The three acting commanders were directing the battle jointly.
Hu Hao stood there and used the command as a teaching point. “Why does he dare to fight like this? Because they constructed ample anti-tank obstacles in front of their positions.
“As everyone knows, tanks are fast and heavily armored. If you can’t impede their advance, especially on open plains, letting them charge right at you is basically waiting to be slaughtered.
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll show you the footage of our tank forces annihilating the two Allied corps. Then you’ll truly understand the terrifying power of tanks!”
As Hu Hao explained, the officers furiously scribbled notes. Once they finished, they immediately returned their attention to the screens.
“Brothers, ready!”
“Fire!”
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” The infantry guns positioned across the sector roared to life simultaneously, scoring multiple hits on the advancing tanks.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Through the screens, Hu Hao and the officers saw at least ten Allied tanks destroyed outright. Several others had their tracks blown off or their turrets damaged, rendering their main guns useless!
“Excellent shooting. Taking out a third of the Allied tanks in the first volley is quite impressive!” Hu Hao nodded in satisfaction.
“Hehe, thank you for the praise, Commander!” Liu Yichuan’s delighted voice came through the comms.
“Never mind my praise. Focus entirely on commanding the battle; ignore my reactions! What are you afraid of? Even if you make a mistake, I won’t punish you. Use your brains and fight!” Hu Hao laughed.
“Understood!” Liu Yichuan replied.
A staff officer brought a chair over and placed it behind Hu Hao. He sat down and continued to observe the battle unfolding on the screens.
“Pull the infantry guns back. Hide them in secure locations. Rocket launchers, prepare for the second volley. Target their tanks and armored vehicles!” Wu Xunqi ordered.
The Allied forces had begun returning fire with their own artillery. To prevent the infantry guns from being destroyed, Wu Xunqi ordered them withdrawn.
Since the infantry guns had exposed their positions, the Allied tanks would undoubtedly target them. They needed to relocate. For now, rocket launchers would suffice, as they were much more mobile.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!” Soon, infantrymen armed with rocket launchers began firing at the Allied forces. Some fired from street level, while others launched from high-rise buildings—they were positioned everywhere!
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Explosions rocked the Allied tanks and armored vehicles. The remaining Allied tanks continued to fire back. Whenever they spotted the flash of a rocket launch, they immediately adjusted their turrets and fired at that location.
However, Hu Hao had instructed them earlier: fire and move. They had to relocate immediately after shooting; standing in one place was practically suicide.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” The Allied tank shells struck the buildings, causing massive explosions. Some structures even caught fire.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!” The rocket launchers relentlessly bombarded the tanks. The soldiers fired, moved, and fired again. They had pre-selected multiple firing positions and rotated randomly between them, preventing the Allied tanks from pinning them down.
“Damn it! How do they have so many rocket launchers?” Sheryl, observing from the rear, was shocked to see so many of his tanks and armored vehicles destroyed.
They still had no idea how many Eastern Spirit troops they were facing. Up until this point, the enemy infantry hadn’t fired a single rifle shot.
(End of Chapter)