Through the ongoing artillery barrage, Jasman realized their opponent was the exact same commander who had defended Bopa City. Therefore, he firmly opposed responding with their own artillery or deploying ground troops.
He wanted to eliminate the enemy artillery first. Thus, he advised Kelly to request bombers to strike the artillery positions inside Yonghe City.
Meanwhile, the artillery in Yonghe City was still firing. They bombarded one of the Mara Empire 1st Corps’ artillery positions for about ten minutes before stopping.
Kelly and Jasman had not left the observation port. They stood there, knowing full well that the Yonghe City artillery would fire again, and that the target would likely be their infantry!
“Report! The Air Force just sent a telegram. They say it will take approximately one hour and twenty minutes to reach us!” a staff officer rushed over and reported to Kelly.
“Damn it! More than an hour? Who knows how many soldiers will die here in that time!” Kelly cursed anxiously.
“It’s our only option. If we launch an assault without taking out their artillery first, our losses will be even greater. The most critical task right now is destroying those guns.
“Besides, Corps Commander, do you still think we can reach Late City in the short term? We have no idea what other tricks our opponent has waiting for us. At this point, we truly must request reinforcements. We cannot afford to engage the Eastern Spirit forces in urban combat; we will be at a severe disadvantage!” Jasman urged, looking at Kelly.
“No, not yet. We must wait. We don’t even know the size of the enemy force. How can we ask for reinforcements? We can’t just say we lost a few thousand men and beg for help. What would the other units think of us?” Kelly shook his head, refusing.
He knew they would likely need reinforcements, but now was not the time. He needed more concrete intelligence about the forces inside Yonghe City before making the request.
“Sigh, that’s true. Many people are eager to see us make a joke of ourselves right now!” Jasman nodded in agreement.
The 1st Corps had performed exceptionally well thus far. During the western offensive, their rapid and victorious advance had sparked intense jealousy among other units. Many officers grumbled that if their own troops had the same elite equipment, they would have performed even better.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Right at that moment, the Yonghe City artillery fired again. This time, the shells rained down on a different sector—the encampment of an armored infantry division.
The deafening explosions terrified the sleeping soldiers, sending many scrambling and diving for cover. Despite their efforts, many were still caught in the blasts.
“Report! We just received a call from the 2nd Artillery Regiment. They have suffered devastating casualties. Out of 45 howitzers, only 3 remain intact. Over 600 soldiers have been killed!” a staff officer ran over to report.
“Damn it! An entire artillery regiment, just wiped out like that!” Kelly cursed furiously. While the loss of life might seem relatively low, artillerymen required specialized training!
Furthermore, an artillery regiment had a much smaller total headcount compared to an infantry regiment. Losing over 600 men meant the regiment was effectively crippled!
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” The explosions outside continued, feeling as if they were detonating right inside their chests!
“Report! The 2nd Armored Division just called to ask if they can counter-attack. The Eastern Spirit bombardment is causing significant casualties. The soldiers don’t know where to hide; it’s completely flat terrain out there!” another staff officer hurried over with a phone.
“Tell them to take cover! When it’s time to attack, they will be given the order!” Kelly snapped.
“Yes, sir!” the staff officer had no choice but to relay the message.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Through the flashes of the distant explosions, they could see soldiers being launched into the air before crashing heavily back to the ground. Yet, they were powerless. They didn’t know how to counter this effectively and could only wait for the Air Force to arrive.
The Yonghe City artillery bombarded the area for about ten minutes before stopping once more. Jasman and Kelly knew the defenders were simply relocating to strike another target. The two commanders could only watch helplessly.
A few minutes later, their fears were confirmed. The Yonghe City artillery opened fire again, this time targeting a tank division. The tank crews immediately scrambled inside their vehicles.
However, while a direct hit from a large-caliber artillery shell might not penetrate the tank’s main armor, it would definitely damage the external turret components.
Meanwhile, in the Daman City command center, Hu Hao was still writing. Several officers had already lain down to rest. After all, it was getting late—around 1:30 AM. This meant the Yonghe City artillery had already bombarded several targets, yet the Allied forces remained completely inactive.
“Connect me to Li Nan and the others!” Hu Hao ordered the staff officer behind him.
“Yes, sir!” The staff officer immediately initiated the call. Seeing this, the officers who were still awake quickly roused those who had fallen asleep.
They knew Hu Hao likely had new orders. The officers loved observing him issue commands; every order sparked intense discussion among them as they analyzed its purpose. Through collective brainstorming, they often arrived at the correct tactical reasoning, allowing them to learn significantly more.
“Hao-ge!” “Hao-ge!” “Hao-ge!” Li Nan and the others quickly appeared on the screens.
“It’s been almost an hour of bombardment, hasn’t it?” Hu Hao asked from his seat.
“Yes, almost an hour. We are currently preparing to bombard the fifth target,” Liu Yichuan nodded.
“And there’s been no movement from the Allied forces?” Hu Hao continued.
“None. Not a single movement!” Liu Yichuan confirmed.
“Are you hitting them?” Hu Hao pressed.
“Definitely. Our observers have confirmed multiple hits on their positions,” Li Nan added.
“Then think about it. Why is it that we are hitting our targets, yet the Allied forces remain completely inactive? It’s possible for them to stay quiet for a short while, but for this long? They aren’t turtles hiding in their shells.
“Moreover, this is the Mara Empire’s 1st Corps—the Royal Imperial Guard. They have their pride. If they simply endure this without reacting, how will they ever hold their heads high in front of other units?” Hu Hao asked the three acting commanders.
“Hao-ge, are you suggesting their lack of reaction is abnormal?” Wu Xunqi asked tentatively.
“What do you think?” Hu Hao countered with a smile.
“True, it does feel a bit abnormal. But what else can they do? They can’t effectively target our artillery, so what other choice do they have?” Li Nan asked, looking at Hu Hao.
“That’s for you to figure out. They are an entire corps; do you really think they have no way to deal with a few dozen artillery pieces? They could easily organize an assault. Why aren’t they attacking? Think deeper!” Hu Hao urged.
“Hao-ge, then… what are they planning? A sneak attack?” Liu Yichuan ventured.
“They aren’t stupid. They probably don’t even know our true troop strength yet. Sending forces for a sneak attack now would be suicide. Think carefully: why are they enduring this? Why must they endure?” Hu Hao continued to guide them.
“They have a solution, but that solution requires time!” Liu Yichuan realized.
“Correct!” Hu Hao nodded.
“Bombers!” The three shouted simultaneously.
“Exactly. They are going to use bombers to strike us. Order your troops to take cover immediately!” Hu Hao confirmed with a nod.
“Understood, Hao-ge. Using bombers… aren’t they capable of anything else?” Li Nan sneered.
“It doesn’t matter what they’re capable of. As long as it can eliminate the opponent, it works!” Hu Hao chuckled.
“That’s true,” Li Nan and the others agreed.
“Remember, whenever you spot abnormal behavior, you must think deeper. I warned you about this just a few hours ago. Pay closer attention next time!” Hu Hao instructed.
“Yes, Hao-ge!” the three shouted in unison. Hu Hao then told them to hurry and order the troops to take cover to avoid the incoming Allied bombers.
Not long after they issued the orders, a staff officer reported to Hu Hao: “Hao-ge, we’ve detected 30 Allied aircraft approaching from the southwest!”
“Mm. Inform Li Nan and the others that the target of those aircraft is Yonghe City,” Hu Hao replied calmly.
“That’s incredible, Hao-ge!” The officers who had been pondering the situation earlier immediately exclaimed upon hearing the staff officer’s report.
“It’s not about being incredible. In war, you must use your brain. Constantly ask yourself ‘why’ and ‘what to do.’ Actually, once you read the materials I’m writing, you’ll realize that the situations you encounter on the battlefield all boil down to these core principles. While the variations are endless, the fundamental logic remains the same. You just need to be cautious and think comprehensively!” Hu Hao told the officers.
“Yes, sir!” the officers nodded earnestly.
Hu Hao placed great importance on this group of officers. Currently, there were only about 500 present, but by tomorrow night, that number was expected to swell to 2,000. These officers formed a true training regiment, with Hu Hao acting as their commander.
He hoped to train them quickly so his army would possess a sufficient number of qualified junior officers. With him overseeing the high-level strategy and these capable junior officers executing commands on the ground, the probability of securing victories would increase dramatically.
(End of Chapter)