First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 192
Chapter 192: Speculation
Speculation
One by one, the Expeditionary Force squads searched through each red-circled area on the map.
It was already late at night. The trainee soldiers had been running around all day, enduring various shocks without any rest. Physically exhausted, yet mentally hyper-alert from the prolonged tension.
When luck was on their side, they could perfectly avoid the dozing amateur armed forces.
When luck turned, they might accidentally alert them, triggering immediate confrontations.
With safety uncertain in the deepening night, the group no longer dared to split up. Maintaining their six-person squads, they reminded each other and advanced cautiously.
The areas assigned to them were considered relatively safe zones.
Clad in heavy bulletproof vests, facing opponents mostly lacking high-powered explosive weapons, the life-threatening risks were minimal.
Yet by next morning, several couldn't continue.
One took a stray bullet to the arm, unable to lift weapons. Another suffered leg injuries preventing mission execution. One had a face wound nearly exposing bone, mercifully missing vital features, stabilized temporarily with hemostatic injections.
After sending the wounded back to safety points for treatment, only nine trainee soldiers remained.
They felt immense relief. Survival itself was blessing enough - they dared not ask for more.
The veterans, having completed their own sector sweeps, helped clear the trainees' remaining areas.
After an entire night's search, they found nothing noteworthy. No weapons caches, not even suspicious bases.
Regrouping in their vehicles, they prepared to relocate.
"Rest first, we'll take shifts on watch," a veteran leaned back, breathing heavily. "Stay absolutely focused during firefights. No distractions, no zoning out. We'll sleep two hours then continue, let our brains and eyes recover."
Fang Jianchen asked, "Didn't you say time was running out?"
"Sharpening the axe won't delay woodcutting. Maybe our luck will turn? Accidents would cost us more." The veteran waved dismissively. "No rush, stay relaxed."
Exhaustion overwhelmed them. Eyes open one moment, heads hitting seatbacks the next, sleep claiming them instantly.
Lian Sheng squeezed forward, tapping the soldier on perimeter watch. "What's Kafa's current situation?"
"Not great. Civilians are gathering, deadlocked with Kafa forces downtown." The soldier sighed. "Kafa troops maintain order everywhere. Besides rebel militants, there are troublemakers exploiting chaos - people who think since they're dying anyway, may as well make trouble..."
Lian Sheng nodded. "Understood. Disasters always bring out the scum."
Escaping consequences proved the ultimate criminal temptation. Those who valued life least became most dangerous.
War bred both conditions perfectly.
"Hard to distinguish friend from foe, but conflict lines are clear now. Anyone harming you becomes your enemy, regardless of truth," the soldier said. "Negotiations are impossible."
"Overall though, actual clashes have decreased. Kafa's encircled downtown, using military deterrence to contain militants. The opposition stays quiet inside. Without terrorist attacks, the entire central zone has stabilized."
In such civil strife, with civilians used as human shields, Kafa's military couldn't bombard their own people unless they wished to end their governance.
Lian Sheng pondered, then asked, "Other Expeditionary units? Any discoveries? Evacuated gathering points? Weapons caches?"
"Some abandoned armories were found with ammunition traces near downtown. They'd rented factory warehouses as bases, all emptied now - completely evacuated, meaningless."
Lian Sheng nodded thoughtfully.
The soldier asked, "Why? Got some theory?"
Adjusting her posture, Lian Sheng crossed arms, squinting sleepily at the dawn light. "I've got a bold hypothesis."
The soldier slapped his thigh. "Then boldly speak it!"
Lian Sheng declared, "The enemy has no weapons left."
"..." The soldier blinked. "That is bold."
A veteran sleeping nearby suddenly stirred, muttering drowsily, "Why think that?"
Both turned toward him.
Struggling to open his eyes, the veteran mumbled, "You're not basing this on mystic divination, are you?"
Lian Sheng explained, "Initially, they deployed massive arsenals - cannons, bombs, vehicles, aircraft, all kinds of firearms and ammunition. Distributed to civilians to incite riots across districts, diverting military attention. Judging by their expenditure rate, they treated weapons recklessly - extravagantly wasteful. Even stocked militaries wouldn't operate that way."
"Two possible reasons: First, they wanted to project overwhelming armament superiority to deter our actions. Second, they actually had such stockpiles near downtown. I favor the first explanation - psychological deterrence. They'd already achieved objectives through weapon intimidation, coercing civilian support to abandon Kafa."
The Expeditionary soldiers listened silently.
Lian Sheng continued, "How many operatives are actually in District 12? What ranks? How long? We're completely blind. Worst-case scenario - District 12 is already lost. But optimistically? Perhaps the situation isn't so dire. The enemy's already overextended."
Fang Jianchen leaned in from behind. "Then what about extraction plans? If the Alliance launches a full assault, how would they respond? Surely they didn't just start this without contingency plans?"
Lian Sheng nodded. "If they succeed - if most Kafa citizens renounce allegiance, collapsing Kafa's governance - what happens to these masses of stateless people in crisis?"
Fang Jianchen guessed, "Humanitarian intervention. Eliminate the abandoned military remnants."
The veteran added, "Gelen forces are already waiting outside, facing off happily with Alliance relief troops."
Lian Sheng concluded, "Then we'll need reinforcements to block Gelen's entry into Kafa. Otherwise this becomes another District 36."
Gelen's current hesitation suggested many civilians, though suppressed, hadn't yet signed defection agreements.
Fortunately, facing existential threats, most hadn't completely lost rationality.
The veteran wiped his face, gripping Lian Sheng's shoulder. "Rest. Sleep. Leave adult matters to adults."
His tone suggested higher command shared similar assessments. Given weapon expenditure rates, substantial remaining stockpiles seemed unrealistic.
But clear understanding beat aimless strategy. Knowing command had insights reassured them.
They couldn't dismiss any possibility - preparations must cover all scenarios. Both sides now raced against time.
One side urgently needed to incite civilian rebellion, justifying Gelen's invasion. The other needed to locate rebel leadership, control narratives, and prevent their schemes.
And rescue their fellow Alliance trainees.
They'd simply continue searching the shielded zones.
Conversation ceased as everyone closed eyes, snatching brief rest.
Two hours later, the team mobilized again.
Half the marked locations had been cleared. With luck, they'd soon approach their target.
The veteran awoke fully refreshed, appearing energetic.
The younger soldiers, roused from deep sleep, struggled to regain alertness.
"Kafa military and the Alliance are gathering technicians to review surveillance footage from before the civil war erupted, confirming locations," the veteran announced, checking his communicator. "Progress suggests we'll soon identify targets. If they're still in Kafa, even outside red zones, there aren't many hiding spots left. Our next destination might be the one."
Morale lifted, excitement growing. They stretched arms, signaling readiness.
Then Lian Sheng's communicator buzzed.
Retrieving it, she found an unknown caller.
The screen displayed a sharp-featured man with clean-shaven face and buzz-cut hair. Despite wearing a simple white sweater, his presence commanded authority.
Access to military comm channels suggested this might be their target.
Others startled, crowding around to see.
The caller skipped introductions, issuing direct orders: "Alliance soldiers? Heard you're conducting searches. Whatever your purpose, cease operations immediately."
Lian Sheng replied flatly, "Heard wrong. We're not. Misinformation."
The man snorted.
"Stop your searches. This is Kafa's internal conflict. Noninterference means no collateral casualties." He panned the camera to show familiar faces. "Otherwise we'll execute them."
Gasps erupted around her, but Lian Sheng remained impassive.
The man scrutinized her for reactions expected from a junior soldier, finding none - not even a blink. She simply stroked her chin and said, "Oh."
The man frowned. "Don't understand me?"
"I'm just a trainee. Take this up with Kafa's military."
"Heh. And then?"
Contacting Kafa was pointless.
With their entire military's survival at stake, they'd never compromise over a few students - they'd rather storm rebel strongholds immediately.
"What gave you the impression I'm an idiot?" Lian Sheng touched her ear. "Or that I seem cowardly?"
The man's expression fractured momentarily before the veteran reached over and terminated the call.
All eyes turned to him.
Acting oblivious, the veteran clapped. "Move out. Continue sweeps."
The trainees stared blankly.
One stammered, "But... just now... that was..."
"Just now what? Someone farted - how's that affect our mission?" the veteran retorted.
"They said to stop searching!"
"They say stop, we stop? Whose unit are you in? Who's giving orders?" The veteran roughly ruffled the boy's hair. "Enough joking, kid. Move it."
"But... our people are their hostages!"
The veteran studied him expressionlessly before deadpanning, "Gravesites are picked already - good feng shui, central cemetery locations. No worries about lacking memorial offerings posthumously. Martyrs' families get Alliance pensions ensuring livelihood. Any other concerns?"
The group gaped silently.
Lian Sheng slung an arm around one boy's shoulders. "Heard 'Song of Everlasting Sorrow'?"
"Huh?"
"Even Emperor Xuanzong couldn't protect Yang Yuhuan. You think a grunt can protect another grunt?" Lian Sheng said. "We've no time to waste. All Kafa and the Alliance watch this crisis. If Gelen's plot succeeds - assuming they're behind this - they'd never let our comrades live. Saving them requires finding their base quickly, not hoping butchers will show mercy."
The boy fell silent.
Cheng Ze nodded. "She's right."
"Their contact proves we're nearing their position. Excellent." The veteran added, "Gelen fears no war - against Kafa or the Alliance. Don't expect their restraint from fearing Alliance retaliation. Better plan heroic rescue entrances."
The group collectively blinked.
The veteran mused, "Your friends seem fine for now. But why contact you specifically? You famous or something?"
Lian Sheng said, "Moral pillar."
The veteran nodded. "You resemble a legendary Three-Army figure from back in the day."
Lian Sheng paused. "Thanks."
Mid-journey, command transmitted updated maps.
The veteran secured his communicator, grabbing his rifle. "Location confirmed. Rerouting. Kids, get ready."
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