Hu Hao sat on the ground floor eating with the other soldiers when Wu Kexiao walked over. Having secured control of the majority of the city, they could now move about relatively freely.
“Hao-ge, I just want to know… does your big brother, Zhang Debiao, truly possess real ability? The brothers submit to you, which is why we follow your orders. Now we’re listening to him, but we still harbor doubts about his capabilities.
Hao-ge, hear me out. The brothers have fought to this point just to survive, hoping that one day we can fight our way back and, if possible, find our families.
None of the brothers doubt your abilities, Hao-ge. But now this Zhang Debiao appears out of nowhere. You trust him, Hao-ge, but the brothers… we’re still a bit skeptical!” Wu Kexiao sat there and spoke to Hu Hao, looking somewhat nervous.
The corps and division commanders were actually a little afraid of Hu Hao—a fear born of profound respect. They had watched Hu Hao lead them, step by step, carving out a path of survival and steadily building up their forces. An ordinary person simply couldn’t achieve that.
“My big brother? Hah. Wu Kexiao, and all of you! I truly learned how to fight wars from my brother! He was my first teacher, and the two of us… we’re inseparable! You might not see his capabilities right now, but you’ll understand in due time.
When I fight, I like to use risky, unconventional tactics—like last night, when I directly assaulted the Allied command center. My brother is different. My brother would use his troops to steamroll straight to the Allied command center!
If you use risky tactics too often, the Allied forces will start guarding against them. And if a risky maneuver fails even once, it could lead to massive trouble.
But my brother’s style of fighting… he hits you head-on, leaving you utterly helpless, forcing you to watch your own troops be defeated right before your eyes. That is my brother’s capability!” Hu Hao sat there and explained to Wu Kexiao.
“But Hao-ge, the moment he arrived, he took over command. The brothers aren’t convinced!” Wu Kexiao pressed.
“Command? Eh, Old Wu, I told you guys a long time ago: if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have even accepted the position of division commander in the first place, let alone corps commander, or Commander-in-Chief!
The thing I, Hu Hao, hate most is sitting in a command center! I love charging on the front lines! I love living freely and decisively! I love operating with small units! Before this, I simply couldn’t find anyone to replace me, anyone who could command our troops. But now that my brother is here, I can rest easy!” Hu Hao smiled at him.
“But Hao-ge, aren’t you worried? The First Army Group is your army! If your brother has ability, you could recommend him to become a corps commander, or even an army group commander! Hao-ge…
What if… I’m just saying what if… what if your brother strips you of everything later? What will you do then? Hao-ge, don’t tell me it’s impossible. In the face of power, anything is possible!” Wu Kexiao continued.
“Haha! Hahahaha~” Hu Hao burst into loud laughter upon hearing this. The others stared at him, bewildered as to why he was laughing so hard!
“Power? Haha! Old Wu, I appreciate you looking out for me. But power means jack shit to me, and it means jack shit to my brother! Neither of us desires power; we were forced into this!
Furthermore, anyone else might try to steal my things, but never my brother!” Hu Hao smiled at Wu Kexiao.
“Hao-ge, are you really that confident?” Wu Kexiao looked at Hu Hao, thoroughly shocked.
“I can’t say the same for anyone else, but my brother? He would never covet what’s mine. Between us brothers, if we live, we live together; if we die, we die together! So relax, Old Wu. Just listen to my brother. As for me, hehe, I’ll do whatever the hell I want!” Hu Hao smiled and patted Wu Kexiao’s shoulder.
“Alright. Since you put it that way, Hao-ge, what else can we say? However, Hao-ge, our loyalty lies with you. As for your big brother, we need to observe. We need to see if he truly possesses this ability!” Wu Kexiao nodded, looking at Hu Hao.
“I understand. Time reveals a person’s true heart. You’ll all understand eventually!” Hu Hao nodded in understanding.
Someone of unknown origin arriving and immediately taking over Hu Hao’s command authority—the subordinates were bound to be unconvinced. The only reason they didn’t dare say anything right now was because Hu Hao was keeping them in line. Without Hu Hao’s support, they would have pulled Zhang Debiao down instantly.
“Hao-ge, a call!” Zhao Yang brought a phone over.
“From my brother? Not answering!” Hu Hao stated immediately.
“Uh, your brother says he has something important to discuss with you!” Zhao Yang nodded, standing his ground.
“Sigh!” Hearing this, Hu Hao took the phone and answered, putting it on speaker!
“Brother!” Hu Hao called out.
“You bastard, when are you coming back?!” Zhang Debiao demanded the moment he heard Hu Hao’s voice.
“Brother, the signal is bad~!” Hu Hao yelled instantly.
“Stop, stop, stop! It’s important. Don’t pull that trick on me!” Zhang Debiao countered immediately.
“What is it?” Hu Hao asked.
“Er Lengzi, I just ran some wargames. The Allied forces might still deploy troops from the south to reinforce Tonglong City. I want to ask you: do you intend to occupy Tonglong City? My recommendation is not to occupy it. Keep this place… keep it as your playground!” Zhang Debiao stated.
“Hehe!” Hu Hao chuckled.
“Laugh! Laugh your ass off! Let me tell you, if we occupy Tonglong City, the pressure will be immense. The Allied forces will send an endless stream of reinforcements. We cannot afford a war of attrition with them here. The Allied forces can mobilize troops from their home countries to reinforce.
But we can’t. We have to train our own troops. Therefore, in a protracted war of attrition, we will undoubtedly suffer. My idea is: you need to locate the Allied warehouses immediately, then blow up the railways!
At the same time, Er Lengzi, there is another location we need to strike!” Zhang Debiao said over the phone!
“Mengshui City?” Hu Hao guessed.
“Correct! There aren’t many troops stationed there—I estimate two to three divisions. But they hold a massive stockpile of supplies! All Allied supplies are currently being funneled there. Furthermore, according to my deduction,
If the Allied forces mobilize troops from the south, they will definitely use Mengshui City as a staging base. Therefore, we must seize the supplies there! We have supplies right now, but as the war drags on, we will consume them faster and faster. We must accumulate sufficient reserves now!” Zhang Debiao explained.
“Alright, let’s attack then!” Hu Hao nodded.
“Hmm. Can we pull one tank division and two armored divisions from Tonglong City, along with some Special Operations troops, to launch a fierce assault on Mengshui City? We must capture this location quickly! I estimate the Allied forces will reach Mengshui City in three days at the latest, or tomorrow night at the earliest! We must act fast!” Zhang Debiao urged Hu Hao.
“We can. Have Weng Tao lead the assault. Take one tank division and three armored divisions, plus one fresh recruit division. Launch a fierce assault on Mengshui City!” Hu Hao considered it for a moment before replying.
“Hmm, good. Oh, right, what about those prisoners? Are you really trying to exchange them for money? They won’t pay you!” Zhang Debiao asked!
“They might not pay now, but they will eventually. When have I ever done a deal that loses money?” Hu Hao smiled.
“You brat. Alright, come back once you’ve had your fill of fun! Oh, regarding the situation with the Emperor, you need to handle it properly. Otherwise, it will remain a hidden danger!” Zhang Debiao chuckled, cursed affectionately, and advised.
“Not handling it! Can’t be handled!” Hu Hao replied crossly.
“That won’t do! If you don’t handle it, you’ll definitely be at a disadvantage. They control the nation’s military; your single Army Group means nothing. Furthermore, if you act recklessly here and the nation ultimately falls, they will pin all the blame on you!
When that happens, you won’t be able to wash yourself clean even if you jump into the Longjiang River! Stop acting so impulsively, alright?!” Zhang Debiao immediately tried to persuade him.
“Forget it. Let them do whatever they want. I’ve seen right through them! Even now, they’re still dreaming of their Empire! We’re fighting for our lives on the front lines, yet all we get in return is suspicion!” Hu Hao sat there, speaking angrily.
“And you, Er Lengzi, are afraid of that?! You brat, the longer you live, the more useless you become! What are you afraid of?!” Zhang Debiao scolded over the phone.
The others stared at Hu Hao. Because the phone was on speaker, they heard everything. They hadn’t expected Hu Hao to actually be disdained by Zhang Debiao!
“Who says I’m afraid of them?! I’m afraid of the hassle!” Hu Hao replied helplessly.
“Then leave it to me to handle. Don’t worry about this matter anymore. Also, stop charging to the front lines, alright? Consider it a favor to your brother, okay?” Zhang Debiao pleaded.
He knew Hu Hao hated dealing with hassles. If Hu Hao were forced to handle such matters, he might just sneak into the Imperial Palace and assassinate them all one day. Zhang Debiao knew full well that Hu Hao was capable of doing exactly that.
“Hehe, don’t worry, brother!” Hu Hao laughed.
“Let me tell you, don’t you dare leave your brother alone in this world, do you hear me?! If I’m left alone in this world, I won’t be able to live either!” Zhang Debiao said firmly.
“I know. Don’t worry!” Hu Hao smiled.
“Don’t worry my ass! With you around, I never been able to stop worrying!” Zhang Debiao cursed, then hung up the phone.
“Hehe!” Hearing the dial tone, Hu Hao chuckled!
“Hao-ge, are you afraid of Biao-ge?” Wu Kexiao asked, looking at Hu Hao.
“Afraid? How could I not be? My brother will whip me at a moment’s notice! If I piss him off, he whips me!” Hu Hao smiled and nodded.
“However, Biao-ge’s suggestion to attack Mengshui City just now was truly excellent!” Wu Kexiao nodded in agreement.
“Of course! Have you seen my brother’s strategic vision?” Hu Hao boasted proudly.
(End of Chapter)