Hu Hao sat in the command center, intently monitoring the battle in Jinhe City. He was genuinely surprised by the Holy Ancient 7th Corps' combat effectiveness.
He hadn't expected them to be so proficient in urban warfare tactics!
Fortunately, the frontline Eastern Spirit troops were holding their ground and had begun to launch localized counter-attacks.
After watching the feeds for about half an hour, Hu Hao noticed that the Allied forces had ceased their offensive operations. They had fallen back to secure areas within their captured perimeter and were simply holding the line. Since Hu Hao's troops hadn't received orders to launch a general counter-offensive, they also halted their advance.
"Hao-ge, the regimental commanders are requesting a conference call with you!" a staff officer reported.
"Put them through!" Hu Hao ordered.
"Yes, sir!" The staff officer quickly established the video link, bringing up the faces of the frontline commanders.
"Hao-ge!" the commanders shouted in unison as their feeds connected.
"Mm. You've been fighting for nearly two hours, and the Allied forces have voluntarily halted their attack. What are your thoughts on the situation?" Hu Hao asked with a slight smile.
"Hao-ge, we suffered a significant tactical disadvantage early on because we failed to demolish those high-rises," one commander admitted frankly.
"Mm, correct," Hu Hao nodded.
"Hao-ge, we are requesting permission to launch a general counter-offensive! Since they've halted their attack, we should strike. Based on the recent engagements, their soldiers are exhausted, and their reaction times have slowed considerably. If the heavy rain hadn't reduced visibility, our men could have inflicted far more casualties!" another commander pleaded eagerly.
"A proactive counter-offensive?" Hu Hao's smile widened as he looked at them.
"Yes, sir!" the commanders nodded resolutely.
"It is good that you possess the aggressive spirit to attack. However, have you not realized that our opponent is also a master of urban combat? They are intimately familiar with these tactics—arguably far more familiar than our own newly formed units!
"We currently know very little about their overall deployment, and we don't even know why they abruptly halted their attack. Yet, you want to launch a blind counter-offensive? What if their retreat is a feint designed to lure you out of your fortified positions? If they ambush you in the open streets, what will you do then?" Hu Hao challenged them. The commanders fell silent, pondering his words.
"Consider the core issue: the Allied forces initiated this assault with the clear objective of securing a deeper foothold within the city. They needed a larger perimeter to establish a secure stalemate against our forces.
"They have significant reserves waiting outside the city. Why did they stop attacking? Are their vanguard troops truly that exhausted? Even if they are, their rear echelon troops have been resting for hours; they could easily rotate fresh units in. If they maintained continuous pressure, our defensive lines would undoubtedly begin to fracture. Their commander must realize this. So, why did they stop?" Hu Hao pressed them, demanding critical thinking.
"Why...?" The commanders realized they hadn't considered the enemy's broader strategic intent.
"Look closely at the live feeds. Observe the 7th Corps troops massed outside the city limits. Look at their infantry. They are either huddled inside their transport vehicles or standing out in the open wearing rain ponchos. Some are crammed into those tiny suburban houses.
"Why aren't they moving into the city? Regardless of how heavily we bombard the urban sectors, the city still provides far better shelter from the rain than the open plains. Furthermore, moving those troops into the city would allow them to sustain their offensive. So, why are they staying outside?" Hu Hao pointed at the screens.
The regimental commanders stared at the feeds, unable to formulate an answer. They looked at each other on the video screens, hoping someone else had figured it out.
"You don't know?" Hu Hao prompted.
"Hao-ge, we haven't figured it out," one commander admitted humbly.
Hu Hao turned to look at the staff officers standing behind him in the command center. They exchanged bewildered glances, equally clueless as to what Hu Hao was driving at.
"Can you seriously not see that the enemy is preparing to retreat?! The 7th Corps is clearly a highly capable urban combat force. They are a full heavy corps; they possess more than enough combat power to continue the assault.
"The fact that their reserves are not entering the city, combined with the sudden halt of their frontline offensive, points to only one logical conclusion: they are preparing for a general withdrawal. It will be dark in roughly an hour, and the torrential rain provides perfect cover. They can slip away completely unnoticed! Look at the feeds right now!
"Look at the 7th Corps' tanks and APCs. They are all staged outside the city limits, and some vehicles are already visibly moving away from the city!" Hu Hao explained, pointing out the subtle clues on the monitors.
"Ah?!" The officers gasped, staring at the main screen in shock as they finally saw the pattern Hu Hao had identified.
"Damn it. We're facing a true master. His troops are highly capable, and he is incredibly decisive. When he attacks, he is swift and ruthless. But the moment he realizes the situation is disadvantageous, he retreats without a moment's hesitation! An opponent like this is a nightmare to fight!" Hu Hao cursed softly, genuine respect in his voice.
He had intended to lure them deep into the city and bleed them slowly. But the enemy commander hadn't taken the bait. The moment he sensed the trap, he opted for an immediate withdrawal! If he successfully retreated, Hu Hao's entire plan to use the 7th Corps as a live-fire training dummy would evaporate.
Hu Hao knew the 7th Corps wouldn't retreat far. They would likely fall back to the surrounding county towns, establish fortified defensive perimeters, and force Hu Hao to attack them. The enemy commander was trying to wrest the strategic initiative away from him.
"Order the artillery! I want a rolling barrage, starting from their absolute maximum range and sweeping inward toward the city! Ignore counter-battery fire for now; just saturate the entire ten-kilometer northeastern approach corridor! Bombard the hell out of them! Damn it! Trying to run away from me?!" Hu Hao barked at his staff officers.
"Hao-ge, all artillery regiments? Should we deploy the tank division as well?" a senior staff officer asked.
"All artillery! The tanks remain in reserve. I want the artillery to obliterate their exposed infantry! Let's see if they still dare to retreat after a taste of that! If they don't want to fight, I'll force them to fight! If they run away, who am I supposed to use to train my troops?" Hu Hao shook his head, his tone resolute.
"Yes, sir!" The staff officers immediately sprang into action, contacting the artillery coordination center.
"Tell your troops to brace themselves. The moment our bombardment begins, the Allied forces outside the city will have only two choices: die in the mud, or charge blindly into the city to escape the shells! When they charge, they will fight like cornered animals fighting for their very survival! Contact Xiao Quan! The rest of you, stay on the line!" Hu Hao ordered the regimental commanders.
"Yes, sir!"
A moment later, Xiao Quan's face appeared on a new feed.
"Hao-ge, what's happening?" Xiao Quan asked, immediately noticing the tense atmosphere and the presence of all the frontline commanders.
"The Commander of the 7th Corps is incredibly shrewd. He recognized the trap and is attempting a general withdrawal. We cannot allow that. Tonight will be a brutal bloodbath. Once he realizes he cannot retreat safely, he will order his men to launch a desperate, suicidal assault to secure a larger foothold within the city—it will be their only chance at survival.
"Your mission is to hold the line. Ensure the entire Jinhe City garrison holds firm! If we survive tonight, the 7th Corps will be fundamentally broken, and we will dictate the terms of the remaining battle. Have the tank division and air cavalry prepped and ready. If the infantry line begins to buckle, commit the heavy assets immediately!" Hu Hao ordered Xiao Quan.
"Understood!" Xiao Quan nodded firmly.
"As for you lot," Hu Hao turned back to the regimental commanders, "once this call ends, order your troops to prepare fallback positions on the third defensive line. I am concerned they might breach the second line tonight given their desperation. But that doesn't matter; if they take it, we'll just counter-attack and take it back!
"Your primary objective remains unchanged: train your troops! Learn how to fight a brutal urban battle by fighting a brutal urban battle!" Hu Hao commanded.
"Yes, sir!" the commanders roared.
"Excellent. Corps Commander Xiao, the garrison is yours. You now have full tactical command and control over all forces within Jinhe City. A corps-versus-corps engagement like this is a rare opportunity.
"Originally, I intended to micromanage the regiment-level engagements to train these commanders individually. However, since the enemy commander has escalated the strategic complexity, I am handing overall control to you. Unless you make a catastrophic blunder, I will not intervene!" Hu Hao officially transferred command authority.
"Yes, sir! Thank you, Hao-ge!" Xiao Quan replied, deeply honored by the immense trust placed in him.
He knew Hu Hao would be watching closely. If he made a critical error, Hu Hao would undoubtedly step in and correct him, ensuring the battle wasn't lost. This was his true test as a Corps Commander.
"From this moment forward, you will report all tactical developments, casualty figures, and requests for reinforcement or withdrawal directly to Corps Commander Xiao. You no longer report to me!" Hu Hao instructed the regimental commanders.
"Yes, sir!" they acknowledged.
"Alright, return to your posts and prepare for the storm!" Hu Hao dismissed them. The regimental commanders saluted and logged off, leaving only Xiao Quan on the screen.
"Old Xiao, do you have any questions?" Hu Hao asked.
"Just one. What is our ultimate objective for tonight's engagement?" Xiao Quan asked, needing absolute clarity on the strategic goal.
"Pin them down. Do not let them retreat, and do not let them expand their perimeter significantly. You may yield the second defensive line if necessary to preserve your forces, but the third line must hold at all costs. The 7th Corps is highly proficient in urban combat; they are the perfect whetstone for our troops. We must learn from our enemy!" Hu Hao stated unequivocally.
"Understood. I will head to the forward command post now," Xiao Quan nodded.
"Go," Hu Hao replied.
With Jinhe City securely in Xiao Quan's hands, Hu Hao shifted his attention back to Yonghe City.
Based on his analysis, the Allied forces in Yonghe City would definitely launch a major offensive tonight. Retreat was not an option for them. However, Hu Hao wasn't overly concerned.
The regimental commanders in Yonghe City had been fighting continuously for days; they were already hardened veterans of urban combat. Furthermore, General Bai Ye was personally overseeing the defense there. Hu Hao trusted Bai Ye implicitly.
It was Jinhe City that demanded his attention. The 7th Corps Commander was entirely too cunning. Attacking when it suited him, retreating the moment he sensed danger—it forced Hu Hao to constantly adapt his own strategy.
"Report! Artillery regiments confirm they are fully prepped and awaiting coordinates!" a staff officer reported to Xiao Quan in the Jinhe City forward command post.
"Commence bombardment! Follow Hao-ge's orders: saturate their rear echelon and drive them right into our kill zones!" Xiao Quan commanded.
His command post was also lined with tactical displays showing various sectors of the city. While the fading light and heavy rain severely reduced visibility, the brilliant flashes of gunfire clearly demarcated the active combat zones.
"Yes, sir!" The staff officer immediately relayed the fire mission to the artillery coordination center.
The artillery assets dedicated to the defense of Jinhe City were massive. It wasn't just four regiments; Hu Hao had massed ten full artillery regiments in the sector. Until now, the vast majority of those guns had remained entirely silent, waiting for this exact moment.
(End of Chapter)