Chapter 1751 - 1359: Reversal_2

"Observation post 'Hawkeye-1' reporting..."

The spare radio crackled intermittently, the voice hoarse and indistinct, the signal incredibly unstable, "Artillery strike... ceased... mountaintop... unrecognizable... extensive fortifications destroyed... heavy smoke and dust... visibility extremely low..."

"Observation post 'Groundhog-3' reporting... observed at the foot of the mountain... enemy infantry amassing... tanks and infantry fighting vehicles advancing... large-scale... at least regiment level..."

Song Heping's face darkened, he shouted into the microphone at the top of his lungs:

"Major Faisal! Faisal! Respond! All personnel on the positions, immediately return to combat positions! Repeat, immediately return to combat positions! Enemy's large-scale infantry charge is about to commence!"

A few seconds later, Major Faisal's voice finally came through the radio: "Received! Organizing personnel out of the shelters! Damn it... situation outside is terrible..."

Song Heping put down the microphone, glanced at Little Masoud and the others, and tersely commanded, "Go up. Prepare for the worst."

As they climbed back to the mid-level command post via the steps, the sight before them caused everyone's hearts to sink to the bottom.

Looking through the remaining observation ports, the once familiar mountaintop positions of Nasur Fortress had completely changed in appearance.

Vegetation?

Long gone, along with the topsoil, flipped over to expose the ghastly gray-white rocks beneath.

The clear firing points, communication trenches, and foxholes previously visible now remained only a blurred wasteland, repeatedly plowed over.

A few conspicuous concrete machine gun emplacements suffered direct hits, blasted into piles of twisted steel bars and shattered concrete blocks, with grim prospects for those inside and their weapons.

The thick smoke and dust hadn't yet fully dissipated, lowly enveloping the mountaintop, visibility reduced to less than fifty meters.

The air was thick with the scent of sulfur, charred organics, and death.

At the mountain's foot, through the gradually thinning smoke and dust, an overwhelming line of insurgent infantry was seen initiating an attack under the cover of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles!

This time, not a probing action by company or battalion, but a regiment-sized, orchestrated, multi-wave comprehensive assault intent on overwhelming the defenses at a stroke!

The surviving "Storm" battalion soldiers staggered out from various shelter exits, many dust-covered faces, some injured, others still showing the dazed and frightened looks left by the bombardment.

Witnessing the scene before them, they gasped audibly, a few recruits instinctively retreating, quickly cursed and pushed back forward by veteran soldiers.

Amidst the shouts from officers and sergeants, everyone returned to positions not yet completely destroyed.

After the frenetic barrage earlier, many positions on the defensive line were now barren, or remained only a wasteland, with dark red bloodstains.

Major Faisal roared through the radio, urgency and anger in his voice:

"Everyone get into position! Repeat! Everyone into position! Doesn't matter how many are left! Doesn't matter what weapons remain! Hold them off! They're coming up!!!"

The true purgatory was just beginning.

At the foot of the mountain, the insurgent assault wave, post heavy artillery mowing down, advanced towards the battered Nasur Fortress with an unstoppable momentum.

The insurgent soldiers of the first brigade, under officer command, launched a comprehensive assault.

"Right wing position number five has fallen! Repeat, position number five has fallen!"

"Left wing needs support! There are too many of them!"

"Anti-tank missile team, take out that tank on the front blasting with high-explosive rounds! Quickly!"

The radio was filled with calls, screams, and explosions all mixed together.

In the command post, Song Heping rapidly issued orders, deploying reserves to fill the gaps, instructing mortars to carry out interdiction fire on the insurgent follow-up echelon.

But the pressure was immense, the insurgents' manpower and ammunition advantage manifesting exquisitely over more than two hours of exchange.

At 9:47 am, a gap thirty meters wide was torn open on the left wing of the defense line.

More than a platoon of insurgent soldiers flooded in, engaging the defenders in fierce bayonet and close-quarters urban warfare.

"C Company, with me! Let's seal the breach on the left wing!"

Major Faisal personally led the last reserve up.

In the command post, Little Masoud watched everything unfold, his teeth gritted tightly.

Several times he wanted to grab the nearby rifle and rush out, but recalling Song Heping's conditions, he forced himself to stay put.

"Mr. Song, we can't hold much longer!"

A captain with a blood-covered face dashed into the command post, his arm crudely bandaged, still bleeding.

"The gap on the left wing is widening, the right wing is on the verge of being breached! Our casualties exceed a third, ammunition..."

His words were interrupted by sudden intense gunfire and bombardment.

The sound wasn't originating from the mountain's foot, but further east, from behind and on the flank of the insurgent main force!

And among them was the distinctive roar of combined mortar and rocket salvos!

Song Heping charged to the communication console: "What's happening?!"

The communications soldier swiftly adjusted frequencies, within seconds looked up, face showing incredulous joy:

"It's the Abu You Brigade! General Abuyou's forces have arrived! They're striking the insurgent main force's rear guard and flank! Drone footage shows the insurgent logistics convoy and artillery positions under heavy attack!"

Almost simultaneously, from the northern horizon, came a rumble like rolling thunder.

Not just one or two sounds, but a continuous, deep roar, as if the earth itself was bellowing in fury.

Artillery strike!

Massive-scale heavy artillery barrage!