Chapter 60: A Wall of Darkness and Despair

Chapter 60: A Wall of Darkness

(Part One)

“Record this!” Dong Dahai, the communications platoon leader stationed on the ridge, ordered, “At 1:35, a motorcycle equipped with a machine gun rolled out from the stronghold. Three enemy soldiers on board: one sergeant with a knife and two machine gunners. Following behind are over thirty second-rate soldiers.”

He glanced toward the distant mountains but saw no dust or smoke. Dong Dahai continued narrating, “Still no sign of the iron beast. Our soldiers escorting five civilians are retreating uphill. The rest of the troops remain halfway up the mountain!”

Corporal Abao quickly took notes; all this intelligence was to be sent to Li Yunlong.

Though Dong Dahai had no binoculars, his eyesight was exceptional. Observing carefully, he spoke, “So far, Company 2 is unscathed. The soldiers on the mountainside are fighting while retreating, drawing the enemy’s attention. The ambush troops at the mountain base remain undiscovered.”

After the battle began, the response from the second-rate soldiers was predictable, so the mines set in advance remained intact. Three soldiers quietly lay in wait about ten meters from the roadside, bearing the greatest risk.

Next came a test of courage: waiting for the enemy to use those construction-laden trucks as cover before detonating the mines and sending them to their deaths.

Luck was also crucial, requiring the soldiers to remain well hidden, unseen by the enemy. Of course, this could be addressed technically. Following Guan Shan’s inventive suggestion, the military engineering team had devised three sets of camouflage suits overnight—hundreds of strips of burlap from head to toe, smeared with yellow mud and adorned with some grass.

“The enemy has entered the minefield, using those trucks as cover to fire. They haven’t launched an attack yet. The soldiers protecting the civilians are nearly at the ridge and remain uninjured. Our troops on the mountainside continue their fighting retreat, primarily engaging the enemy hidden at the mountain base…”

Two enemy corpses lay just seven or eight meters from the hidden soldiers below. The rest crouched behind cover, firing suppressive shots toward the mountainside but not rushing forward, seemingly waiting for something.

“Another group came out of the stronghold—six this time: two riflemen, a machine gun team, and a grenade launcher squad. The second-rate soldiers lead with over thirty more behind…” At this point, Dong Dahai seemed to hear movement deeper in the mountains. Turning his head and shading his eyes, he quickly reported, “I hear engine noise and see faint black smoke! It’s 1:54. The battle started about half an hour ago, and they’ve arrived quickly!”

(Part Two)

“The enemy is about to attack, Company Commander! Give the order to detonate the mines!” Guan Shan peeked out, holding his submachine gun, firing a few shots at two enemy soldiers approaching the hidden position.

“Ratatatatata!” A burst of rapid gunfire. Two enemy soldiers dropped immediately.

Hearing the automatic gunfire, the others scrambled behind the trucks for cover.

“Boom! Boom!” Before Company Commander Chu even ordered the detonation, the tripwire mines were triggered by the enemy, explosions erupting one after another. The highway was engulfed in flying sand and rocks. Amid thick smoke, the trucks shattered, pieces soaring into the air.

Along with them, the remnants of livestock and men flew skyward.

Guan Shan observed cautiously, shouting at Chu, “Commander Chu, tell the hidden soldiers to retreat!”

“You’re asking for death!” Chu slammed Guan Shan to the ground. A hot rush of wind brushed past his ear, followed by the whistling of bullets, the clatter of machine gun rounds hitting stones behind him, and gravel pelting his helmet.

“Give me the submachine gun!” Chu snatched it from Guan Shan, taking the spare magazine from his waist as well.

“How can you teach me to fight? Each of those three enemies still has a grenade launcher! Stay down and don’t move. After they’re dead, then you go!” Chu cursed, swiftly charging from cover, firing a long burst toward the recent machine gun fire.

“Clang clang clang clang!” Bullets struck metal plates.

So close—less than half a minute, maybe just seconds—and the iron beast would have entered the center of the minefield!

“Fix bayonets! Machine gunners, open fire! Battalion 2, commence firing!” Chu yelled, then exposed himself again, unleashing another long burst toward the mountain base before rolling to new cover.

“Rat-a-tat-tat!”

“Bang! Bang!”

Besides the armored vehicle, at least two rifles fired at Chu’s position.

The enemy’s tactical skill was astonishingly high. Guan Shan broke out in cold sweat.

But now was no time to hesitate. If the iron beast wasn’t dealt with quickly, once the enemy reached the mountainside, our troops would suffer heavy casualties.

“Jiang San, Ding Liu! Get ready. When I charge, follow me! Stick to the training—keep your distance!” Guan Shan shouted, hoisting a satchel of explosives and leaping out, rolling toward the mountain’s base.

(Part Three)

“Boom! Boom!”

As Guan Shan rolled, explosions erupted—darn it! Right at the spot where he had just been hidden!

Enemy grenade launcher soldiers? That shot was incredibly precise!

Had he hesitated before charging out, he’d surely be dead by now.

“Ah!” While rolling rapidly, a sharp stone struck hard against Guan Shan’s left ribs. If not for his bulletproof vest, it would have pierced his flesh!

Damn it! Damn it! Reaching the foot of the mountain, Guan Shan clutched his side, grimacing in pain, then suddenly realized the satchel of explosives was gone! What the hell…

“Cough, cough, cough!” Choking on smoke and dust, Guan Shan was now engulfed in a dense cloud of smoke, visibility nearly zero. He groped around but found nothing.

“Boom!” An explosion flared with an orange-red flash.

That was a demolitions soldier’s grenade launcher! Guan Shan abandoned searching for the explosives, instinctively drawing his pistol and charging toward the flash.

Why he made that choice, Guan Shan himself didn’t know. At that moment, his mind was blank, as if frozen. He had no idea what to do next.

After running about fifteen meters, he saw a wall ahead…

“Cough, cough, cough! Cough, cough! Baka!” Amid creaking and groaning sounds, Guan Shan vaguely saw a head peeking over the wall, muttering curses in Japanese.

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(End of chapter)