Thunder Warrior Saves the World

Page 37

"Damn it!" Viscol slammed his fist on the concrete wall next to him and pressed down on the PTT on his shoulder. "This is Big Bear. We're pinned down under a five-story dormitory building and need fire support!"

Soon, the communications were switched to the air support frequency. Visker made a nine-line report as required, reporting the height and location of the dormitory building, the position of friendly forces, and a series of other necessary information. He recalled the specific contents of the weapons list provided by Witch II and said after Witch II was about to copy down the note: "Requesting the deployment of two FAB-500s and two FAB-250s."

"I don't care about that dog poop!"

"That damn building has taken several of my brothers. Now all I want to do is wipe that building and all the scum inside it off the ground!"

"If you can't help us, then we'll figure it out ourselves!"

The medic didn't have access to the air support communications channel, so he couldn't hear what the pilots were saying. From the platoon leader's words, it seemed they had some disagreements. But he didn't dwell on it, because he knew Viscol would eventually be able to resolve it.

Sure enough, not long after, he heard the shrill roar of a jet overhead. A pencil with wings was hurtling towards the five-story dormitory building blocking their way. He saw four small black dots fly off the belly and wing roots of the attack aircraft. After a moment, a violent explosion shook the dormitory building; the immense tremor could be clearly felt even from this location. The curtains on the fifth floor were torn apart by the shockwave, and a large amount of debris and jagged metal flew out of the windows. Large chunks of concrete fell from the upper floors, making the ground uneven.

The black smoke from the explosion lingered for a while, but the VDVs seized the opportunity to rush up. Even though the people on the upper floors of the dormitory building had luckily escaped the 500-kilogram bomb explosion, the shockwave and sound were unavoidable. The Belken people, who were stunned by the shockwave, found it difficult to organize a defense. But it was a different story for the people on the lower floors. The sound that reached their positions was already very faint. Although their field of fire was not as good as that of the people on the upper floors, they still spotted the volunteers rushing up.

This time, however, the Belken soldiers weren't so lucky. Their firing positions had many blind spots. An Amelia soldier sneaking through one of these blind spots threw a small apple through a window, and with a puff of smoke, the firing position fell silent. If they encountered a machine gun position that was difficult to bypass, these sailor-shirted soldiers would call in a rocket launcher. The rocket, trailing a long plume of flame, would often reduce these sneaky firing positions, along with their weapons, to pieces.

Colonel Schmidt's 328th Regiment was slowly losing control of the factory area on Hill 143.

Volume 1: Chapter 204 (Chapter 190) - A Missed Opportunity

The situation developed in a way that exceeded Colonel Schmidt's expectations.

Although the 328th Regiment's forces in the factory area far outnumbered the enemy forces that had landed there, they failed to complete Schmidt's orders—the VDV's control zone was slowly but steadily expanding outwards. The workers' dormitories had been destroyed by the Amelians—yes, destroyed, not captured. The planes swooping down from the sky helped the light infantry break through the dormitories' fire blockade. These soldiers didn't attempt to capture the dilapidated concrete building; instead, they planted explosives on the first floor, physically destroying the fortress. Now, only the three-story management dormitory remained, still putting up resistance. The pencil-shaped planes had temporarily disappeared, thus preserving the last stronghold.

In addition to the dormitory area, fighting also broke out in the warehouses adjacent to the dormitory area. The fighting inside the warehouses was no easier than that in the dormitory area. These light infantrymen always had some strange weapons that could cause quite a stir, which caused great trouble for the 328th Regiment's defense. Now, nearly one-third of the warehouse area has been controlled by the enemy.

Zero made Schmidt restless. He considered several times sending reinforcements from nearby mines, but the absence of the Amelia tank units made him hesitant to act rashly. These light infantry, whose combat capabilities far surpassed those of ordinary light infantry, reinforced his earlier assessment. Only such a force was qualified to serve as bait.

"Order the Second Battalion and the Guard Company to abandon the dormitory area and retreat to the factory and warehouse." Colonel Schmidt had no choice but to make this decision. It was obvious to everyone that the pencil-shaped aircraft had disappeared to reload their ammunition. By the time they returned to the battlefield, the dormitory building would be destroyed. It would be too late to evacuate everyone then; it was better to evacuate before the enemy infantry surrounded them and preserve their strength.

However, enemy forces are currently present in the warehouse, so these planes will be somewhat hesitant to attack, fearing they might harm friendly forces. Therefore, the warehouse is actually safer than the factory.

Now, Colonel Schmidt could somewhat understand why the 210th Infantry Regiment had been wiped out in just a few hours. An enemy of this caliber was indeed difficult to deal with.

The battle taking place on Hill 143 was transmitted back to the command vehicle via the optical lens of a drone. Looking at the 328th Regiment troops still standing firm on the outer edge of the hill, Lu Wu decided to play another card, forcing the other side to send reinforcements.

The Belken men didn't tell him the exact location of the 328th Regiment's command post, but he could guess its general area. A command post needs good visibility and accessibility to allow commanders to stay informed about battlefield developments and make appropriate responses. The coal mine's rough processing plant on Hill 143 was ideal for serving as a command post—the rooftop was suitable for outposts, the towering chimneys could be used as observation posts or targets, and the plant also served as a central hub connecting the mine, barracks, and warehouses, facilitating troop movements.

So now it's Sergeyev's Spetznaz squad's turn to shine. With their base about to be raided, he doesn't believe the opposing commander can sit still.

Sure enough, when the resupplied Su-7s returned to the battlefield, but instead of supporting the infantry fighting in the warehouse, they began bombarding the factory, the colonel began to feel a chill run down his spine. Anyone with eyes could see that this bombing by the Amelia wasn't a misfire; it was pre-attack firepower preparation!

But the question is, why a factory?

Schmidt removed his helmet and grabbed a handful of hair that was starting to fall out. Was it a friendly fire incident? Or was it an attempt to create a pincer movement? Both are possible. But there's another possibility: his position had been exposed, and this was a targeted elimination.

He heard the roar of planes receding into the distance. They had successfully destroyed one of the factory's main entrances; Explosion 4 had directly collapsed the roof of that building. Ruins and flames had blocked the road, forcing them to take a detour. The air raid was over, and the enemy infantry should be on their way, likely deployed in the same manner as before. Whether he wanted to relocate his command post or call for reinforcements, he had to act now. He had originally had a guard company protecting his command post, but he had already dispatched them. Only a few guards transferred from the reconnaissance company remained in the command post; the rest were almost entirely civilian staff.

They're trying to force me to mobilize the troops outside. Schmidt loosened the top button around his neck to make his breathing easier. Since that's the case, the troops outside absolutely cannot be moved. Amelia's tank units are right there, waiting. Giving up our rear at this point would only lead to total defeat!

"We're moving command post." He looked at the remaining messengers. "You, inform command post that the main force of the Amelians is nearby. Be smart, don't get caught by them. The rest of you, get moving! Destroy anything that's inconvenient to carry! We don't have much time!"

If they really are here to eliminate me at a specific location, then the combat effectiveness of the subsequent infantry cannot be weaker than what I have seen before; in fact, it may be stronger. I also need to deal with any traces that can be tracked, so I don't have much time left.

Spetznaz quickly rappelled through the hole in the roof and into the factory.

The factory interior was a scene of utter chaos, littered with rubble and buried machinery. The special forces team, advancing in combat formation, encountered no resistance and easily reached the gates of Belken's command post. Perhaps due to the urgency, no booby traps were set at the entrance, and upon entering, they found the interior almost as devastated as the exterior.

The documents in the metal basin on the floor were still burning, with large sections of text still on them. Next to it was an overturned metal basin, its scraps of paper and ashes scattered everywhere, and the floor was covered with messy footprints. Several radios were still on the table, and a piece of a battle map remained on a nail in the wall.

Sergeyev removed his gloves and touched the overturned iron basin; it was still scalding hot. A Spetzner carefully circled the still-burning basin, approached the radio, crouched down, and examined it closely. He quickly discovered a fishing line hidden in a corner, the other end of which was a hand grenade. The burning basin, too, was a trap. Naturally, the radio frequency had been scrambled, and the burning documents in the basin couldn't possibly be any truly important secrets.

"A petty trick." Sergeyev snorted, deliberately not setting up booby traps at the entrance, pretending that he had forgotten important supplies due to the hasty retreat. This kind of trick hasn't been popular for decades.

……

Please give me some votes!

Volume 1: Chapter 205 (Chapter 191) - Cutting Off the Tail to Survive

"Commander, they've escaped."

Sergeyev brought back this news.

That was quick enough. Lu Wu remained noncommittal about the news. Although he was somewhat disappointed and annoyed that he hadn't been able to directly wipe out the enemy's command, the attacks by Spetznaz and the Su-7 had actually played a part—at least until these commanders settled down, the 328th Regiment shouldn't even think about efficient command; simply not causing trouble for the soldiers on the front lines would be an extraordinary achievement.

"We plan to follow the trail left by the enemy," the special forces leader stated, outlining their next plan.

“Go ahead and do it.” Sergeyev’s actions could continue to put pressure on the enemy’s command and disrupt their command, so Lu Wu had no reason to refuse.

The middle-aged man whose action was approved smiled slightly, but quickly concealed it. He shouted, "Alright, young men, please move your precious butts a bit. Our mission is not finished yet, and it's not time to rest!"

But this was bad news for the Belken. They were like a beautiful woman in a dress being chased by a cheetah while clutching a cough syrup—weak, helpless, and bewildered. Despite the experienced guards' various attempts to mislead the pursuers, the enemy seemed to have a map-wide cheat code, completely ignoring them and steadily closing in. They were only managing to avoid entering the enemy's line of sight thanks to their greater familiarity with the terrain.

Their original target was to relocate to the side of the mine, so that Schmidt could promptly understand and command the battle there. However, if they continued according to the original plan, they would likely be attacked from behind before they could even set up their command post. Now, Schmidt had no choice but to change their destination to a location further away from the mine, closer to the outer edge. While this made commanding the battle less convenient, it was at least much safer. After all, if the command post was destroyed, what was the point of commanding?

He had to cut his losses and survive. Realizing that he might not be able to easily shake off the enemy's pursuit, Schmidt had no choice but to make this decision.

“I need some volunteers; if we keep running like this, none of us will make it.” Despite the difficulty, Colonel Schmidt finally spoke up, adding, “Ideally, they should be non-eldest sons with children. In addition to the compensation, I will personally provide a sum of money to the volunteers.” He said a figure that would be enough to make the soldiers’ hearts flutter.

There was a long silence in the line. Schmidt sighed. He really didn't want to gather the necessary "volunteers" by taking attendance. Fortunately, a young voice broke the deadlock—"I'm willing."

Schmidt breathed a sigh of relief; at least someone had started. He remembered the young man's name; he was a radio operator, but unfortunately, his equipment, being too heavy and bulky, had been left behind as bait for booby traps. Now, without his radio equipment, his greatest value was probably only as bait to ensure the safety of the main force.

He selectively ignored whether the young man met the additional criteria he had proposed, and instead looked at the ranks, hoping that someone else would step forward. Sure enough, three or four more people stepped forward, and unsurprisingly, none of them held high ranks.

"Paul, take them to get their gear ready. You stay here with them and fight a stalemate." There were a few men, but it was enough. He called out the name of the elite scout in a low voice and gave the order.

Paul's gaze at him was complex, causing Schmidt to involuntarily look away, only to refocus his eyes on Paul again—he had no choice but to do so.

"Understood, sir," Paul replied simply in the end.

Soon, only this small team of less than ten people remained in one corner of the factory. No one spoke. Paul took out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, only to find that there was only one left. So he took out a lighter, lit the cigarette he had brought from China, and white smoke billowed from his mouth and nose. The familiar tobacco smell seemed to instantly transport him back to Belken.

He shoved the rare cigarette, which he'd only taken one puff of, into the hand of his comrade beside him, his voice a little hoarse: "Get moving, everyone, time to get to work."

Schmidt allocated the remaining rifles and most of the grenades from the team to this squad. Combined with the submachine guns already carried by the scouts, the squad's firepower on paper was almost equivalent to that of an infantry platoon. Although the volunteers were not professional infantrymen, they had received proper infantry training and possessed combat skills, though not as proficient as ordinary infantrymen.

Under Paul's command, the squad quickly took their positions and awaited Speights' arrival.

They didn't have to wait long.

They had barely taken their positions when Spetznaz's scouts appeared. Before Paul could even give the order to fire, the radio operator facing the scouts nervously pulled the trigger, and the rookies around him opened fire as well. The distance wasn't ideal; it was a bit far. More importantly, Spetznaz hadn't fully entered the firing range of the veteran scouts on both sides—there were only two or three of them.

But since things had come to this point, Paul had no choice but to join in the attack.

Half a magazine of bullets was fired at the green-clad soldier facing sideways, the bullets striking the target squarely in the abdomen. The target fell, but he didn't see the familiar blooming flower. Before he could fire a few more shots, enemy counter-fire forced him to abandon his attack.

But in that brief moment of retreat, he noticed a detail that nearly made his heart stop. The unit they were fighting seemed to consist of only a dozen or so men?! If that was really all, where were the rest? A cold sweat broke out on his back. Without waiting for the enemy's counter-fire to cease, he shifted his position and continued peering out—

There really were only a few people... Before he could even think about what to do next, he saw an enemy soldier behind the support pillar pointing his rifle at him, and then sparks flew from the muzzle.

Captain Kvashnin led the Spetznaz squad. After being ambushed, he nimbly rolled behind a pillar, avoiding flank fire. After ascertaining the approximate number of the enemy, he ordered a counterattack, eliminating a lurking enemy on the flank. He grinned and said, "Just as the major said, they split up! But they actually think a few of them can stop us!"

Volume 1: Chapter 206 (Chapter 192) Hmph, trying to escape?

As a special forces commander, Sergeyev understood that a simple pursuit was highly inefficient, often degenerating into a contest of familiarity with the area and making it very easy to lose sight of the target. Therefore, Sergeyev decided from the outset to employ a two-pronged approach, combining pursuit and interception, in an attempt to get ahead of Colonel Schmidt.

But as a tourist visiting the coal mine for the first time, he was not only unfamiliar with the place, but he didn't even have a decent map. Logically speaking, there was no way he could have blocked Colonel Schmidt's way—but an inconspicuous little thing did a great job and helped him achieve his goal.

The drone operator spent some time maneuvering the miniature drone to locate the relocating 328th Regiment command post. After predicting Schmidt's advance route, they spent more time scouting out routes that could block Schmidt's advance. This series of operations combined resulted in the current situation.

Colonel Schmidt, hiding in the shadows of factory equipment, pistol in hand, surrounded by the clanging of gunfire, was caught in a mental struggle.

Spetznaz wasn't one of Paul's rookie infantrymen; he wouldn't make the elementary mistake of opening fire before the enemy was fully within the ambush zone. Therefore, in a single exchange, about a dozen of these inexperienced senior officers and technical personnel fell.

He could faintly hear gunfire not only here, but also from a slightly more distant area, indicating that Paul and his men were indeed carrying out their rearguard mission. Coupled with the fact that the enemy was right in front of them, Colonel Schmidt understood that the enemy was probably divided into two groups: one pursuing, the other blocking. What puzzled him most was how they knew his position in real time. His escape route hadn't been planned; it was all decided on the spot.

In that brief moment of contemplation, Schmidt noticed that several more of his men had fallen. Their situation was precarious; the production machines couldn't provide cover for everyone, and they were trapped in the workshop. Trying to break through enemy fire and escape with only their small pistols was utterly delusional.

Resistance is pointless; it's better to preserve ourselves. That way, we might be able to plan a rebellion in the prisoner-of-war camp and return to the Belken Empire...

As Colonel Schmidt pondered this, he threw away his officer's pistol amidst the astonished gazes of the remaining guards.

"We surrender! Don't shoot!" he shouted as he left his hiding place, hands raised. The guard briefly aimed his gun at Schmidt's back, the trigger already pulled back, but ultimately couldn't pull it. He sighed, threw down his weapon, and also raised his hands.

It's over. Even if he killed Colonel Schmidt, what could he have changed? 5

"I am Colonel Schmidt Kron, commander of the 328th Regiment, and I expect to be treated commensurate with my status." Although Schmidt still held his hands high, he raised his head and declared his identity with a strong voice.

"You captured the commander of the 328th Regiment?" Lu Wu was quite surprised to hear Spetznaz's report. His best-case scenario was likely annihilation; he hadn't considered the possibility of the commander surrendering. If he remembered correctly, the Allied forces' biggest achievement since the start of the war was probably killing Major General Belken, the commander of the 83rd Infantry Brigade, in an air raid—a victory belonging to the 588th Air Regiment. This Colonel Schmidt Kron might be the highest-ranking prisoner captured so far.

If handled well, this could easily become a powerful tool for public opinion.

Realizing this quickly, Lu Wu subconsciously looked at Princess Rosa, his gaze meeting hers. Clearly, they were thinking the same thing.

"Have Sergeyev bring the man over when he returns," Lu Wu ordered, waving his hand.

As a prisoner of war, despite being a colonel, Schmidt did not receive any special treatment. His hands were also bound with a thin but extremely strong flexible strap of unknown material. After being disarmed, he and others were stuffed into the crew cabin of a Mi-8 helicopter, becoming the first Belken soldiers to take a helicopter for battlefield maneuvers (a big lie).

These Belken soldiers' first experience was far less pleasant than that of the 21st Guards Rifle Battalion of the Elgins, especially with the occasional machine gun fire from Hill 143 attempting to take down these seemingly low-flying, slow-moving, high-value targets. The Mi-8 helicopter pilots were forced to perform low-altitude maneuvers to avoid ground fire, making the prisoners in the cockpit feel even worse. Neither their own people on the ground nor the "enemies" in the cockpit seemed to have any regard for their feelings.

So when Schmidt returned to the ground, his complexion was even worse than that of the Imperial Guard. Before he could catch his breath, he was shoved forward by two small green figures, while the Amelia warrior who had captured him led the way. Schmidt's eyes darted around, trying to figure out his location and the Amelia's deployment.

The plane's flight time was short, and this command post was certainly not far from Hill 143. This once again confirmed my suspicion that Colonel Schmidt was not happy at all. After all, he had never imagined that he would be captured. Now, unless he could actually plan a successful prison break in the POW camp and bring back enough valuable intelligence, his career would be completely over.

And so, Schmidt was led to an armored vehicle, where he finally met the commander of the unit—a man and a woman were gathered around a table beside the vehicle. The woman was none other than the princess of the Kingdom of Elgia, and she looked even more beautiful and striking in person than in the photographs. The man beside her looked far too young; he found it hard to believe that both division and brigade commanders seemed premature at that age.

"Colonel Schmidt, I hope you can persuade your men to give up resistance, lay down their weapons, and surrender to us." The young man made no attempt at pleasantries or introductions, stating his request before Schmidt could even speak.

How rude! This is not the behavior of a nobleman, nor of a victor. Schmidt thought to himself, but he concealed it well on his face. He looked at Princess Elgia beside him and asked, "Your Highness, may I ask who this gentleman is beside you?"

Volume 1: Chapter 207 (Chapter 193) A Hot Potato

The conversation between Lin and Colonel Schmidt was unpleasant. This was not only because of Schmidt's self-proclaimed "elegance," which Lu Wu considered extremely foolish—his so-called "aristocratic" demeanor.

Qi Luwu admitted that he initially looked down on Schmidt because of his surrender, feeling that the colonel was nothing special. However, after Schmidt explicitly refused his request to order the 328th Regiment to surrender, he began to look at Schmidt with new respect.

Schmidt is a very clear-headed person.

Even surrenders have different levels of severity. His previous surrenders could be attributed to the need to preserve his own professional personnel when outnumbered, a kind of forbearance reminiscent of King Goujian of Yue, with the possibility of mitigating the negative impact of surrender through later meritorious service and maneuvering. However, if he meets Lu Wu's demands, the nature of the matter changes completely. If an infantry regiment surrenders because its commander is captured without its main force being attacked or even engaging the enemy, Schmidt will be labeled a cowardly traitor. If the Amelia army launches an attack on Wiegel village through Hill 143, causing significant casualties, his crime will likely be compounded. Unless he can obtain some earth-shattering news here and successfully bring it back, he has no chance of redemption, and his family might even sever ties with him to avoid being implicated.

Therefore, the spineless scene that Lu Wu had imagined, where Schmidt would meekly agree, did not occur; instead, the prisoner resolutely refused.

Hedgehog had initially considered using torture to force Schmidt to submit, after all, he wasn't exactly a saint himself, and he had no qualms about using torture on fascists and militarists. However, he ultimately abandoned the idea. Firstly, he wasn't sure if torture would work; he sensed Schmidt wasn't the type to succumb to physical pain. Secondly, there was the issue of command. Although Schmidt was the supreme commander of the 328th Regiment, in a situation where the commander was captured and unable to provide effective command, command should be transferred according to rank and position. Even though the 328th Regiment's command had been wiped out, if those at the front no longer recognized their authority, then even if Schmidt were to come forward and plead for surrender, it would likely be largely ineffective.

4. Fortunately, the idea of ​​having Colonel Schmidt persuade the 328th Regiment to surrender was just icing on the cake. Even if it failed, it wouldn't affect their subsequent actions; things would just continue as before.

Colonel Zhe was taken back down, and the battle on Hill 143 resumed. But this time, without a commander, even the most valiant Belken infantry in the factory area couldn't withstand the VDV's far superior tactics—these men were less there to fight and more there to demolish; whenever they encountered an obstacle that light infantry couldn't overcome, they would simply call in air support and bomb it. The Belken infantry had already tasted enough of this kind of enlightenment.

With the radios unusable and all the messengers sent to command post never returning, the battalion commanders of the 1st and 3rd Battalions felt like they were blind, restless and unable to sit still, watching the fierce fighting raging behind them. Finally, the battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, unable to bear it any longer, decided to send a platoon to check the situation behind them and restore communication with command post.

The sight of the carnage, riddled with debris by fixed-wing aircraft and army helicopters, terrified the lieutenant leading the team. Although nothing happened along the way, when they entered the abandoned command post, they triggered a small gift left by Schmidt's guards for Spetznaz.

The explosion and shrapnel instantly knocked out four or five men in the squad. The lieutenant, with a gash on his face, led his men out of the abandoned command post in a disheveled state, completely unaware that the traces left by the relocation of the command post and Spetznaz's pursuit had been wiped out by their chaotic actions.

By this time, the fighting inside the factory was nearing its end. The 2nd Battalion and the guard company stationed there had been almost completely wiped out; most of them had been buried alive by the rubble on their own positions. Therefore, when the lieutenant tried to investigate the situation inside the factory, he found that the place had essentially fallen into enemy hands. The lieutenant didn't dare stay there any longer and quickly withdrew from the mine area, returning to the 3rd Battalion's defense zone.

After hearing the lieutenant's report, the battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion became increasingly uneasy.

The original rear area had changed hands, and not only had they lost the heavy artillery support that should have been a great help, but the command post was also missing—they might have been captured, otherwise the reconnaissance team should have found their bodies. This speculation made the major's face even more worried, and everyone else in the command post became uneasy.

"Prepare the vehicle, head to the First Battalion's position." Everyone was in the same boat, sharing the burden, so the major decided to meet with the First Battalion Commander to discuss the next steps. More importantly, they needed to decide whose orders to take during the period when command was offline. Both were majors and battalion commanders; neither was particularly powerful, but given the current situation, they had to choose one to coordinate the overall situation and temporarily act as the regimental commander.

This sounds like a great thing, but it's actually a real hot potato.

This is indeed a rare opportunity. If the acting regimental commander performs well, he will surely catch the eye of the higher-ups, and a promotion to colonel and a medal should be a sure thing. As long as he doesn't make any mistakes, his career path, while not exactly meteoric, will at least be smooth and successful.

The risks were proportional to the enormous rewards. Being betrayed wasn't the scary part; the scary part was having to guard against both the knife in your back and the predator lurking in the shadows. If you couldn't manage both, then even the best honors were just a mirage. Although he was a legitimate, outstanding graduate of a military academy, he wasn't sure if he could shoulder this heavy responsibility.

It's better to play it safe. The major, who preferred to avoid mistakes rather than achieve anything, made the decision in the car.

The jeep made its way smoothly, but when he entered the 1st Battalion command post, he saw that the battalion commander was dressed as if he were going out. He had the same idea as him. If the commander had been a little slower, or if the battalion had moved a little faster, the two of them would have missed each other, wasting precious time.

He was slightly uneasy. Could this guy be thinking the same thing as him, pushing over the acting command?

With this in mind, the two returned to the command post, gathered intelligence from both sides, and began exchanging their opinions.

Volume 1: Chapter 208 (Chapter 194) The Return Journey (1)

However, time was of the essence, and Major Miller's paratrooper battalion wasn't going to let them finish passing the buck before continuing their attack. After clearing the threats around the mine and factory buildings, part of the dispersed paratrooper battalion reboarded their helicopters, while the other part rushed directly towards the nearest 3rd Battalion position.

Although the battalion commander had already issued orders to closely monitor the mine's facilities, and some units had already adopted a defensive posture, they detected the paratroopers' attack immediately, but they still struggled to withstand it. Before the Belken possessed SPAA (Special Armed Forces), they had found it difficult to inflict any effective damage on these flying "vehicles."

The paratroopers used the same formula, the same old trick: airstrikes to clear the way, suppressing ground fire, and air assaults behind enemy lines to coordinate with the frontal attack. The scene that had unfolded in the mine just hours earlier was repeating itself. Although the Belken soldiers were like underachievers who had received their exam papers hours early, despite having the questions in hand, they still struggled to deliver a satisfactory answer.

Did they not know that the easiest time to annihilate the paratroopers was before they completed their air assault? Did they not know that deploying paratroopers behind their lines would lead to disastrous consequences?

They knew very well that they had tried to mobilize troops to encircle and annihilate the paratroopers, but their infantry were quickly taken down by those wielding fully automatic weapons that looked somewhat like machine guns, had a slower rate of fire than machine guns, but a caliber similar to artillery, and whose bullets would explode. Belken's snipers had also managed to take down a soldier using such a weapon, but that sniper was quickly torn to shreds along with his makeshift bunker by retaliatory fire from his replacement. After that, they no longer had such opportunities to snipe.

Fourth, as the battleground shifted from the building area to the outdoors, the airborne troops and pilots were severely depleted of energy and ammunition after repeated fighting. Major Miller's disadvantage of having fewer men became increasingly apparent, and the advance was much slower than before, resulting in significantly more casualties. Although the heavy casualties suffered by the 3rd Battalion of the 328th Regiment did not prevent the airborne infantry from joining forces with the ground troops, they finally stabilized the front line and awaited the return of their commander.

The 3rd Battalion Commander, who had been fortunate enough to be promoted to acting commander of the 328th Regiment, returned to his front-line command post with a dark face. The airborne troops' landing position was in an open area less than 600 meters away from his front-line command post. Fortunately, the airborne troops had not searched the enemy enough and entered the ditch (he did not know that the airborne troops were showing signs of exhaustion due to insufficient ammunition and the slower-than-expected progress of the ground troops. In order to avoid the embarrassing situation of the airborne troops being surrounded, he had to temporarily adjust the attack plan and meet up first). Otherwise, he would have had to change to a place with a less favorable view to command.

He had reached an agreement with the commander of the 2nd Battalion, which would send a company-sized elite infantry unit to reinforce him. However, the enemy's attack was too swift, and despite his own preparations, the front line was now in chaos. He had no clear figures on casualties or how many men could continue fighting. Furthermore, the enemy seemed to have slowed their offensive, so he decided to push back the hard-won stable front line, catch his breath, and wait for reinforcements to arrive before launching a counterattack.

With only two or three magazines left and almost all their grenades exhausted, the paratroopers didn't launch a pursuit. Instead, they chose to hold their ground, tacitly giving each other a small buffer zone. Miller called for supplies, ordering some paratroopers to begin treating the wounded and taking turns resting to recover their strength. The two ferocious beasts finally stopped tearing at each other, licking their own wounds.