After wiping out the first checkpoint, Hu Hao ordered the Recon Platoon Leader to guide him to the next one.
These outer sentry posts had to be neutralized. If they weren’t, the moment the Imperial armored column rumbled into the city, the sentries would radio the garrison, giving the Allied main body time to mobilize. Hu Hao’s entire strategy relied on trapping the vast majority of the Allied Regiment inside those university dormitories. Only by bottling them up could his men slaughter them quickly and efficiently.
If they allowed the enemy to spill out into the campus and establish a conventional defensive perimeter, breaking them could take an entire day. Hu Hao didn’t want a protracted siege; he wanted a rapid, brutal extermination.
Moving silently through the dark streets, Hu Hao and the recon squad spent the next hour systematically slaughtering the guards at the remaining checkpoints.
Just as they finished neutralizing the final post, Hu Hao’s satellite phone vibrated. It was the commander of the mechanized infantry battalion racing toward their position.
“Hao-ge, we’re approaching the city limits!” the Battalion Commander reported.
“Push straight into the city. Follow the main avenue; it’s completely clear. We are holding at the final intersection waiting for you. Remember: strict light discipline! Do not use your high beams!” Hu Hao ordered into the receiver.
“Understood! We’ll be at your position in ten minutes!” the Commander replied before hanging up.
Hu Hao immediately dialed Liu Shuyi.
“If you see a massive wave of Allied troops pouring out of those dormitories, open fire immediately and force them back inside! Our mechanized infantry is ten minutes away! You just need to hold them for ten minutes! However, I doubt they’ve even realized they’re under attack yet. Just hold your ground!” Hu Hao instructed.
“Copy that, Hao-ge! Don’t worry, I have nearly a hundred men fully concealed around the perimeter. We can definitely lock down those exits for ten minutes!” Liu Shuyi whispered confidently.
“Good,” Hu Hao hung up the phone and waited in the shadows by the roadside.
Roughly ten minutes later, the low, powerful rumble of heavy diesel engines echoed through the dark streets. The Imperial mechanized infantry arrived, moving swiftly and with minimal lighting. Hu Hao flagged down the lead command APC and quickly climbed inside.
“Brothers, this is Division Commander Hu Hao,” Hu Hao grabbed the radio handset, broadcasting his orders to the entire battalion. “When we reach the University City campus, the APCs will immediately fan out and encircle the occupied dormitories. You’ll know which ones they are; the lights are on.
Once the perimeter is established, every single heavy machine gun opens fire! I want those buildings saturated! Rocket teams, deploy and fire at will! The primary objective is simple: do not let a single Allied soldier reach their parked armor! They cannot be allowed to man their tanks or APCs!
Furthermore, our own Tank Battalion is roughly 15 minutes behind us. Once the heavy armor arrives, they will level those buildings. Do you understand?!”
“Understood!” The Company Commanders roared their confirmation over the net.
“Hao-ge… exactly how many enemy troops are we hitting tonight? A Battalion?” asked Li Jiahang, the Commander of the 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment, who was riding in the command vehicle with Hu Hao.
“A Regiment,” Hu Hao replied casually.
“What?! An entire Regiment?! We are using a single Battalion to encircle a Regiment?!” Li Jiahang gasped, his eyes going wide with shock.
“Mmh. A full Regiment. Don’t worry about it, we’ll be fine. I’ve locked them into a fatal position. Tonight is just going to be a slaughter,” Hu Hao smiled reassuringly.
“Hao-ge… a full Regiment? The Allied coalition forces are ruthless; their combat effectiveness is terrifying!” Li Jiahang pressed, clearly nervous.
“I know,” Hu Hao nodded calmly.
“Hao-ge, listen… the brothers follow you willingly. But please, don’t march us into a meat grinder we can’t win,” Li Jiahang cautioned, trying to gauge Hu Hao’s true confidence.
“I might screw over anyone else, but I will never screw over my own brothers,” Hu Hao laughed, patting Li Jiahang’s shoulder.
“Alright. We’re following you regardless, so we have no choice,” Li Jiahang sighed, resigning himself to the insane plan. He had never heard of a single battalion successfully encircling and destroying a full regiment, especially not one from the elite Allied coalition.
A few minutes later, the armored column bypassed the main commercial districts and arrived at the sprawling University City on the outskirts of Daman.
“Deploy! Fan out and encircle!” Hu Hao roared into the radio.
“Damn it! Where did those vehicles come from?!” “Are those armored personnel carriers?!”
Inside the brightly lit dormitories, several Allied soldiers glancing out the windows spotted the massive, dark silhouettes of the Imperial APCs rumbling across the campus grounds, tearing through the fences.
“Smash through the perimeter walls! Surround every building with lights on!” Hu Hao commanded.
“Hao-ge! The Allied infantry are all trapped inside those buildings?!” Li Jiahang finally saw the glowing windows and realized the tactical advantage they held.
“Exactly,” Hu Hao grinned.
“And they aren’t manning their armor?!” Li Jiahang asked, looking down at the massive motor pool parked in the central plaza, completely devoid of enemy troops.
“They’re sleeping,” Hu Hao chuckled.
“Holy shit! Let’s wipe these motherfuckers out! Hao-ge, I knew you wouldn’t screw us over!” Li Jiahang yelled, his fear instantly evaporating into bloodlust.
“Tch,” Hu Hao waved his hand dismissively.
“Brothers, establish the perimeter! Heavy machine guns, sweep the windows! Do not let up! Infantry, dismount and use the APCs for cover! Watch your back; there might still be scattered Allied patrols operating outside the campus! Do not let anyone exit those buildings!” Hu Hao roared the final assault order.
Rat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat!
The heavy 12.7mm machine guns mounted atop the Imperial APCs instantly opened fire, unleashing a devastating torrent of lead directly into the illuminated windows.
“Damn it! Enemy attack!” The Allied soldiers inside the dorms screamed as the heavy caliber rounds tore through the walls.
Because the Eastern Spirit Empire was located in a tropical zone, the university buildings were constructed using hollow cinder blocks to dissipate heat. While sufficient for civilian use, hollow cinder blocks offered absolutely zero ballistic protection against heavy machine gun fire. The 12.7mm rounds punched straight through the exterior walls, shredding the soldiers cowering beneath the windows.
“Get to the central hallways! Crawl! Stay low and crawl to the center!” Surviving Allied NCOs screamed in panic, watching their men get ripped apart through the walls. The Allied soldiers scrambled on their hands and knees, desperately trying to reach the reinforced concrete of the inner corridors.
“Keep firing! Do not stop! Infantry, lock down the exits! If anyone tries to sprint for the motor pool, cut them down!” Hu Hao ordered continuously.
The Imperial soldiers fully grasped the genius of the plan. The entire Allied Regiment was trapped inside fragile buildings. Their heavy weapons and armored vehicles were parked uselessly in the plaza below. Without access to their heavy weapon, and carrying only whatever light ammunition they had in their immediate webbing, the Allied Regiment was completely neutered. Once their personal ammo ran dry, they were dead men walking.
“Hao-ge, this is brilliant! You literally caught them with their pants down!” Li Jiahang laughed gleefully as he watched the massacre unfold.
“Save the compliments for later. Keep the pressure on them! I’m calling Bo Gang; I need his tanks here now to level these buildings!” Hu Hao replied, pulling out his satellite phone.
“Don’t worry, Hao-ge! These Allied bastards are already dead!” Li Jiahang cheered.
“Hao-ge! We just entered the city limits! We can hear the heavy machine gun fire! We’ll be at your position in minutes!” Bo Gang yelled over the phone the moment he answered.
“Good! Full speed!” Hu Hao grinned, hanging up and immediately dialing Liu Shuyi.
“Liu Shuyi! There are definitely still scattered Allied patrols operating within the city! Pull your Recon Company off the perimeter! Fan out into the surrounding streets and establish a blocking screen! If any Allied patrols attempt to reinforce the campus, annihilate them!” Hu Hao ordered.
“Copy that, Hao-ge! We’re on it!” Liu Shuyi replied enthusiastically.
His men were practically buzzing with adrenaline. They had effectively surrounded an entire Allied Regiment; this was an absolute, undeniable victory, and the Recon Company had played a pivotal role in setting the trap. Striking back proactively and securing a massive win on their very first operation under Hu Hao’s command was the best possible omen for the 87th Division’s future.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Suddenly, massive explosions ripped through the upper floors of the dormitories.
Hu Hao looked over and saw the lead elements of the 1st Tank Battalion roaring onto the campus. Seeing the intense firefight, the tank commanders hadn’t even waited to fully deploy; they simply elevated their main guns on the move and fired high-explosive shells directly into any window returning fire.
“Tanks, fan out! Surround the dormitories! If you see muzzle flashes, you put a shell through the wall!” Bo Gang’s voice roared over the command net.
“Understood!” the tank commanders responded eagerly.
“Report! We need immediate reinforcement! I repeat, we need immediate reinforcement! We are completely surrounded by a massive Eastern Spirit force!” an Allied Lieutenant Colonel screamed into his satellite phone, huddled in the reinforced stairwell of the third floor of a dormitory.
He had managed to connect directly to Division Command in Santong County. He knew the Division Commander and Chief of Staff had just been assassinated, but he knew the two remaining Regimental Colonels were still there.
“What?! You’re under attack by Eastern Spirit forces?! How is that possible?!” Colonel Ilo yelled into the receiver on the other end.
“Listen to the background noise! They have heavy machine guns and main battle tanks! We are completely pinned down! Send reinforcements immediately! The Imperial Army has deployed a massive force! Hurry!” the Lieutenant Colonel pleaded desperately.
“Damn it! How did the Imperial Army bypass our recon screens?! Why were you surrounded without any prior warning?!” Colonel Ilo roared in frustration.
“Just send reinforcements! Damn you!” the Lieutenant Colonel screamed back just as a massive tank shell detonated on the floor above him, shaking the entire building and cutting the connection.
Colonel Ilo lowered the phone and stared grimly at Colonel Sama, who was sitting across the room.
“Our forces in Daman City are under heavy attack. They are completely surrounded and requesting immediate reinforcement,” Ilo reported tightly.
“How is that possible?! How did the Eastern Spirit Army get a force that large across the river without us noticing?! What is actually happening over there?!” Sama demanded, entirely bewildered.
“I don’t know! But we have to move now! If they’ve managed to completely surround our 3rd Regiment, the attacking force must be larger than a single regiment. To effectively break the siege and extract our men, we must deploy both of our remaining regiments!” Ilo analyzed the tactical situation quickly.
“No. We can’t act blindly. Staff Officer! Try to contact the other Battalion Commanders of the 3rd Regiment in Daman! Confirm if they are truly surrounded!” Sama ordered, unwilling to commit his forces without verifying the intelligence.