The Beiguan Pass battlefield!
After the heavy artillery fire from both sides concluded, Xiao Sihai's hundred thousand strong Xiao Family Army launched a large-scale offensive. The Sunset Nation's army, on the flanks, formed a pincer movement to encircle Beiguan Pass.
Inside our army's command post.
"Messenger!"
"Here!"
"Relay my order: disperse the defensive units. Break the battlefield into several small sectors by company and platoon. No need for large-scale attacks; small-scale, free-ranging sorties are permitted."
"Yes!"
The messenger turned and left.
Commander Lu Cheng, after issuing the order, said to Hu Lai, "Division Commander Hu, your troops are mercenaries. You should primarily focus on defense. For small-scale sorties, my army will handle them."
"You want to tie down the Xiao Family Army?"
Hu Lai instantly understood Lu Cheng's intention.
"Since they've come, they're not leaving."
"Alright, I'll cooperate with you."
The two officers quickly reached a consensus.
Before receiving an order to attack from their superiors, they were unwilling to simply defend. Thus, Lu Cheng dispersed his troops and divided the battlefield, making it less likely for them to be trapped even when actively engaging.
The battlefield was shrouded in smoke.
The ones fighting were Dragon Countrymen.
This elite unit of the Xiao family, worthy of being the Xiao Family Army's trump card, though rebels, their offensive momentum was ferocious, embodying an attitude of no success, no retreat.
In an inconspicuous mountain hollow.
A company of soldiers from the Longcheng army encountered two enemy companies. The moment they met, it devolved into close-quarters combat. Soldiers, too preoccupied to reload, resorted to bayonet charges.
"First Platoon Leader, lead the charge. Second Platoon Leader, take your men around the flank. Damn it, since we've run into them, let's fight them to the death. If I don't wipe out these two hundred-plus men, I won't retreat half a step."
"Yes!"
"Brothers, charge!"
The two platoon leaders immediately ordered a fierce assault.
The Xiao Family Army was somewhat bewildered. In terms of troop numbers, the Xiao Family Army had twice as many men as the Longcheng army. In this situation, the Longcheng army should have retreated, but why were they fighting more fiercely?
Were they not afraid of death?
Yes, they were.
The Longcheng army was indeed not afraid of death.
At this moment, the soldiers at the very front had all learned of the news of the massacre in that small town. Although most of them didn't know the town, how could a soldier of the Dragon Country not be enraged!
"You son of a bitch, die!"
A Dragon Army soldier thrust his bayonet into an enemy soldier's abdomen, violently pulled it out, and swung it at another. With three swift strikes, he decapitated the second enemy soldier.
"Don't kill me, I surrender."
The first soldier, clutching his stomach, was filled with terror.
"Surrender your mother! I don't take prisoners."
The nameless soldier lunged forward and stabbed again.
Just then, three enemy soldiers formed a triangle, trapping the nameless soldier in the middle. One of the enemy soldiers said, "Are you crazy? You're all Dragon Countrymen. You don't have to die if you surrender."
"Surrender? Go to hell!"
The nameless Dragon Army soldier charged directly at one of them. Sparks flew as he lunged, and the shouting enemy soldier was stabbed twice. Our soldier was stabbed once, a large gash opening in his abdomen.
*Shhk!*
*Shhk!*
The other two enemy soldiers attacked almost simultaneously from behind, piercing our soldier's back. However, our soldier completely disregarded the severity of his wounds and continued to attack the soldier in front of him.
One minute later...
Our soldier died from multiple stab wounds.
The enemy soldier in front of him also met a gruesome end!
"This fierce?"
"Damn it, they really aren't afraid of death!"
The two surviving enemy soldiers were covered in sweat.
In their minds, being a soldier was just about earning a living. Although they were part of an elite army, they wouldn't risk their lives in the face of danger, as no one would remember them.
However.
The soldiers of Longcheng were different.
Our Longcheng soldiers didn't seek out danger; they charged wherever danger was. They had long prepared for death, and their objective in attacking was to kill more enemies.
"Is anyone from the First Platoon still alive?"
"Report..."
"First Platoon, continue the attack!"
The First Platoon Leader called out five or six times, and only one severely wounded soldier responded. Yet, the First Platoon Leader did not choose to retreat. He alone, holding his bayonet, charged the enemy again.
In less than three minutes, the First Platoon Leader fell into a pool of blood. Beside him lay three enemy soldiers, two of whom were not quite dead yet, looking at the First Platoon Leader with disbelief.
"I won!"
The First Platoon Leader closed his eyes with a smile.
"These few are mine."
Not far away, the Second Platoon Leader charged at five enemy soldiers alone. He was a general-level powerhouse, but he was already severely wounded. Nevertheless, he unleashed his full strength.
After a fierce close-quarters battle...
The Second Platoon Leader's head was severed!
Of the five enemy soldiers, only one remained!
Small-scale bayonet fights like this were happening in every corner of the vast battlefield. The Dragon Army, with their fearless gazes, roars, and crimson blood, sent the rebels into a state of utter panic.
"Officer, let's retreat!"
"Damn it, they're all lunatics!"
"How can we fight like this? We'll get bogged down!"
On a hillside, a group of Xiao Family Army officers gathered. They watched the brutal fighting at the front lines and felt the situation was dire. If they didn't retreat soon, they would truly be entangled.
"No retreat!"
From a satellite phone, Xiao Sihai roared, "Our hundred thousand men are attacking, and you fifty thousand actively engaging have been crippled. Are you all useless? Continue your attack."
"Yes!"
The officer could only accept the order.
"Damn it!"
After hanging up the phone, the senior officer complained to the junior officers, "Xiao Lao Si doesn't know how to fight at all. We aren't attacking; we're just cannon fodder for the Sunset Nation!"
"Indeed, the Sunset Nation claims to be our allied forces, but they haven't fought a single frontal battle. Damn it!"
"I don't want to fight anymore. If we win, the Xiao family takes power. If we lose, we die horribly. Damn it, we've really hit rock bottom. How did we become rebels?!"
"Perhaps we should retreat?"
The junior officers were all highly dissatisfied.
"Just endure a bit longer!"
The senior officer looked at his subordinates and said, "Let's make one more token charge. If it really doesn't work, retreat immediately. Even if we become bandits, we won't be cannon fodder for the Xiao family."
"Understood!"
"Got it!"
The junior officers instantly comprehended.
War is fought with spirit. If the spirit is broken, even more numerous men will turn into crumbling tofu. When the officers are filled with complaints and their minds are set on fleeing, victory is impossible.
The Longcheng army was too ferocious!
The Xiao Family Army was truly afraid!
North Sea City urban area...
Outside the Lin family's villa district, in a dark alley, a masked Sunset Nation national was holding a military communication device, repeatedly saying "yes" and nodding.
Shortly thereafter, he hung up the phone.
"Relay the order: we act tonight at twelve. Except for that woman, everyone else can be killed. Strike fast and retreat quickly. Anyone who gets trapped is to end their own life."
"Yes!"
Several small group leaders nodded fiercely.
Returning to Jiangcheng...
On the steep cliffs by the sea, a rope over two hundred meters long, tied together, was climbed first by Brother Shan. Cold Young Master followed closely behind. In short, the lighter individuals went first.
Two hundred meters, neither high nor low.
But it wasn't something everyone could do without fear.
Brother Shan was actually incredibly nervous, but he had to grit his teeth and persevere. After an unknown amount of time, just as he was about to collapse from exhaustion, a hand grabbed him.
"Xiao Bi?"
"It's me!"
"Damn it, hurry and pull me up."
"You've got to push harder!"
After a brief exchange, Brother Shan was pulled into an opening about a meter in diameter by Xiao Bi. The moment his feet touched the ground, Brother Shan slumped down, trembling all over, clearly terrified.
"Why were you so slow?"
Brother Shan asked with a hint of complaint.
"There was nowhere to tie the rope!"
"Then where did you tie it?"
"I tied it to his neck."
"Whose neck?"
"His."
Following the direction of Xiao Bi's finger, Brother Shan was utterly stunned!