Chapter 138 The Decisive Battle Is Coming

It was a little after three in the morning when the first wave of attacks on Tian Shen Mountain ended.

Two thousand garrison troops had been dispatched from Desola, the capital of the Red Hat Army, suffering over six thousand casualties, with heavy losses in mechanized units. Armored vehicles and other important war reserves suffered particularly, losing a third of their number.

Leaving behind a large number of corpses and armored units, the garrison troops finally retreated from the Tian Shen Mountain battlefield in a sorry state.

Fei Pingsheng and Xing Yao's troops, relying on the mountain's advantageous terrain and defense works, coupled with effective battlefield tactics, inflicted significant damage on the enemy while suffering fewer than two thousand casualties on their own side, a casualty ratio of almost one to three.

The wounded were immediately sent to makeshift field hospitals built in the rear for treatment.

This battle clearly showed the Red Hat Army's anxiety. Especially with Bai Qiaozhi issuing a death order, the garrison's attack rhythm was obviously too hasty, even somewhat careless.

In the eyes of the garrison's command, the force of just over ten thousand people on Tian Shen Mountain could be easily dealt with. By relying on large-scale armored units to crush the outer defensive positions at the foot of the mountain, and with the firepower suppression of helicopter gunships, they could charge up the mountain in one wave and resolve the battle.

But the resilience of the defense and the soldiers' willpower far exceeded their expectations. In this attack, not only did they fail to take Tian Shen Mountain smoothly, but they were also bitten hard.

After retreating, the garrison commander did not act rashly again, but decided to set up camp in place, reorganize the troops, and wait for reinforcements from the Old Mo region. When the forces combined, they would launch another attack with absolute superiority in numbers!

...

At the same time, on Tian Shen Mountain.

Xing Yao sat in a trench, wiping the blood from his hands and face with a tattered rag. At the same time, he put a piece of beef jerky in his mouth, chewing it to replenish his strength.

The surrounding soldiers were also resting in place, taking advantage of this time to recover their energy.

Xing Yao looked around, his eyes falling on Lao Qian. He asked him in a low voice, "Got any booze? Give me a swig."

Lao Qian glanced at him, "How about I piss some for you? There might still be some alcohol in my piss."

Xing Yao said disdainfully, "You're disgusting!"

Lao Qian smiled, took out a cigarette, and handed him one, "Alright, stop thinking about drinking. Have a cigarette, it's good for your health."

As they spoke, the two lit their cigarettes, watching the soldiers around them cleaning up the battlefield and the bodies being carried away.

Lao Qian took a deep puff of his cigarette and said slowly, "They're not moving. Guess they're not attacking."

"This is just an appetizer..." Xing Yao looked at the scene below the mountain and the distant enemy troops, saying softly, "They must be waiting for reinforcements from the Old Mo region... When that time comes, our brothers might face a threat of forty or fifty thousand people. The real decisive battle will be in a dozen hours!"

Hearing this, Lao Qian couldn't help but fall silent. He took another puff of his cigarette and said slowly through the swirling smoke, "Ah, I kind of regret coming with you."

Xing Yao looked at him and said jokingly, "Okay, you can leave now. I'll open up a small path for you in the back. If the Chief of General Staff finds out, he can have me shot."

Lao Qian grinned, "Damn it, I've spent more time with you these years than I have with my wife and kids! If I leave, what will you do, you son of a bitch, without cigarettes or booze? How can I not worry?"

Xing Yao grinned, "Actually, I have a... secret I haven't told you. I've always thought of you as my wife."

"Get lost!" Lao Qian kicked him, "Stop talking shit and get some rest!"

The two joked, lay down on the soft earth, and closed their eyes to rest.

After a long time, Lao Qian suddenly asked, "Do you think we'll win this war?"

Xing Yao asked, "Which war are you talking about?"

Lao Qian didn't say anything, and only the sound of the wind could be heard around them.

Xing Yao closed his eyes, thought for a long time, and said slowly, "We may die here... but the overall battlefield will definitely be victorious!!"

Having said this, the two fell silent and stopped talking.

...

District One, Washington.

Commander Lao Wang of the Chinese Legion took a military vehicle and arrived at the Military and Political Committee Building.

When he walked into the conference room, all the senior generals and military and political officials of District One were already gathered here, discussing the war situation in the Old Mo region.

Most of those present were white and black officers, with a few scattered Chinese generals.

After Commander Wang walked in, he greeted the generals and officials present, and then sat next to the chief of the military and political affairs of District One.

Soon, the meeting officially began, and everyone continued to discuss the Old Mo region.

Most people believed that the war situation in the Old Mo region had changed, and the real war hotspot was Tian Shen Mountain. Once Tian Shen Mountain was cut off, the consequences would be unimaginable when the People's Army reinforcements arrived.

And the real difficulty lay with Bai Qiaozhi. At that time, his Red Hat Army would not only face the problem of defeat, but more importantly, it would also face the danger of his regime being overthrown, which District One could absolutely not accept.

Those present were all seasoned generals, and their capabilities in military strategy were naturally beyond doubt. Most of them had already sensed the danger, so they quickly reached an agreement at the meeting, unanimously believing that it was necessary to reinforce the Old Mo region!

Otherwise, once Tian Shen Mountain was occupied, the war situation in the Old Mo region would be completely reversed, and it would definitely affect the situation in Dragon City.

Without the threat of Bai Qiaozhi, the coalition forces in the Old Mo region would unreservedly support the People's Army and counterattack Dragon City.

Amidst the heated discussions, the chief of military and political affairs of District One finally issued an order to the Military and Political Department and the Chinese Legion to massively reinforce the Old Mo region!

...

The next day, at 8:45 a.m., in a mountainous area of the Old Mo region.

Tan Hengqiang sat in the relocated command post, in his chair, eating breakfast while watching the news from District One's official media on a portable television.

On the screen, a blonde, blue-eyed female host said solemnly to the camera: "...Considering that the Bai Qiaozhi government is suffering military aggression, and its strategic cooperative relationship with District One, the Military and Political Department officially issued a statement this morning, not excluding the possibility that the District One inland will send a large-scale military force to reinforce the Desola region and the Bai Qiaozhi government!"

Next to him, a newly promoted chief of staff couldn't help but say, "The battle of Tian Shen Mountain is estimated to change the situation on the Old Mo battlefield. District One is getting anxious, and it looks like they are really going to send a large-scale reinforcement."

Tan Hengqiang thought for a while, and said lightly, "The Greater Region is intervening. We can't participate in this level of game... Let's see how the Hua region responds."