Chapter Fifteen: Overnight Operation

  Chen Haisong arrived at Baita Village, and the sky had already completely darkened.

  Pacing back and forth along the road, summarizing and collecting various information while thinking of the best ambush plan.

  For the commander, he must be bold and meticulous, with careful thinking, cannot be impulsive, and even more cannot act on impulse, but must rely on accurate and detailed intelligence to grasp the battlefield situation accurately, take advantage of the enemy's weaknesses, play his own strengths, and offset the enemy's advantages in troops, geography and technology.

  The closer we are to victory, the more cautious we must be. Otherwise, one mistake will lead to defeat and the death of our entire army. Our advantages still lie in night battles and close combat. Our goal requires swift and covert operations. What we urgently need is to solve the problem of insufficient troop strength. Combining these aspects, a new battle plan has emerged.

  A chaotic sound of horseshoes broke the silence of the night, slowly becoming clear from afar to near. The independent regiment finally arrived safely, and he let out a sigh of relief, ordering the guard squad to inform the members of the command department and the leaders of each battalion to come to a meeting. Other comrades dismounted and rested on the spot.

  "Director Chen, we're here." Zhang Zhenyu excitedly shook hands with Chen Haisong.

  Chen Haisong shook hands with the comrades who had arrived earlier and asked, "Was everything smooth along the way?"

  "It's okay, didn't encounter any major enemies, the militia at the floating bridge had been notified by you and there were no issues. Just that this leg is a bit disobedient, but everyone's horse riding skills have improved a lot."

  "Alright, everyone gather around, let's discuss our next move."

  Through reconnaissance in the afternoon, the enemy's defense is indeed slack, and their main energy is focused on guarding supplies and escorting prisoners.

  The enemy is scattered into several large piles, creating conditions for us to encircle and divide them. But it is also because the enemy is scattered that if we take action in several places at the same time, it will be easy to disperse our forces, making it impossible to achieve the effect of annihilating the scattered and isolated enemy with superior forces.

  Once exposed, we will fall into a melee, our forces are not many everywhere, and head-on attack is not the best choice, nor is it our combat principle.

  We must give full play to our army's advantages in night fighting and close combat, gradually whittle down the enemy's advantage in numbers, and build up small victories into big ones.

  "So I was just thinking, we can take advantage of the cover of night to strike at a few key targets that pose a greater threat first, and then deal with the remaining targets after dawn breaks. This way, we'll have a tighter grip on things."

  We were stationed at the 599 Brigade base for rest and recuperation, which was close to the ammunition depot and food warehouse.

  Ma Quanyi is licentious and lustful, let me send him a few female captives, first use this as a breakthrough, take down the enemy's headquarters, destroy his command center, understand his specific defense intelligence, provide specific guidance for tomorrow's action.

  Moreover, the enemy demanded that we send the captives to the Dongxiao Camp prisoner-of-war camp as soon as night fell. There was an enemy company there, and we also took the opportunity to capture it, rescue our comrades-in-arms, and let them recover their bodies and treat their wounds as soon as possible.

  "What does everyone think?"

  After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Zhenyu said, "Divide the battle plan into two steps to complete, it is convenient for us to concentrate our forces and eliminate the problem of insufficient forces, I think it's feasible."

  But can we ensure that we won't startle the snake in the grass, and once a mistake is made, we have no defense against our enemies who are targeting us, it's easy to be completely passive, and all our efforts will be wasted."

  "We only choose two targets, which are easier to plan and concentrate our forces. I believe that as long as the method is correct, we will definitely succeed." Liu Gang said after some thought.

  Chen Haisong nodded and made up his mind. "After we arrive at the barracks of the 599th Regiment, we will immediately organize cooking and rest."

  At 10 o'clock after dinner, Wang Dajun led the team, and the first battalion of the first company escorted the prisoners and all the horse-drawn vehicles into the prisoner-of-war camp. They took advantage of the chaos to get rid of the sentry, cut off contact with the outside world, and disguised soldiers as prisoners, all carrying daggers, tied up with live buckles, and opened the buckle at the moment of handover, and together with the first company used cold weapons to kill all enemy guards, trying to kill them with one knife.

  The enemy knows that the female captives will come, and they will take advantage of it. The defense will not be very strict, but we cannot be careless either. As soon as we enter the camp gate, we need to have soldiers sneak into the barracks and guardrooms, two people at a time, to check for hidden sentries and guards. We must find a way to get close and use our knives to take care of them quietly, absolutely not using brute force.

  At the same time, I took a guard squad and two female soldiers to the enemy's headquarters, with the third company following 100 meters behind. We eliminated the sentry and enemy soldiers we encountered at the camp gate, and reached the front of Ma Quanyi's house. The guard squad replaced the sentries with the third company, detaining nearby enemies.

  After resolving the outdoor activity targets, split up to eliminate all enemies in each house, also using cold weapons. After entering the house, first separate people and weapons, and prioritize solving those holding weapons.

  "The 2nd and 3rd battalions will make preparations for a surprise attack, with specific targets for the attack. Before the action, the staff department will inform each battalion of the enemy's garrison situation based on their location. Does everyone think this is feasible?"

  Zhang Zhenyu saw Chen Haisong's confident expression and felt at ease, adding: "Alright, the first battalion will take action, while the second and third battalions will make preparations for battle. If the sneak attack fails, as soon as you hear gunfire, immediately take action."

  The Second Division took priority in occupying the four city gates and armory.

  The three battalions surrounded the 600th Regiment's barracks, holding their ground and annihilating the enemy's effective strength with precise shooting and hand grenades. Wait for the return of the first battalion, attack from both sides, and eliminate the remaining enemies.

  Chen Haisong said firmly: "Zhangye must be taken. The outcome of the battle depends on this one move. Everyone, disperse and prepare."

  "Yes."

  At eight o'clock in the evening, a group of cavalrymen arrived at the North Gate, shouting upwards. A duty sergeant cursed: "Damn it, why are you late? Because of waiting for you bunch of cowards, I've been frozen for more than an hour."

  "Officer, you don't know that those bandits made us cry and didn't let us walk properly, so we brothers were frozen all the way. Please be kind and let us go in to warm up by the fire."

  Scolding is scolding, but the heavy gate slowly opened after all, since the team leader had given orders beforehand, no matter how late it was, they had to let this Luohua civilian team enter the city.

  The cavalrymen also didn't say much and marched into Zhangye City in a steady stream.

  At 9 o'clock in the evening, the barracks of the 599th Regiment were bustling with activity, assigning dormitories, distributing rations and cooking meals, feeding and watering horses, and packing equipment.

  The first battalion and the guard company, the female soldier company stood on the playground, listening to Liu Gang's introduction of the action plan and combat requirements for that night. Chen Haisong explained the principles of using cold weapons, the lethal parts of the human body, the skills of approaching the enemy, the ways of adapting to changing circumstances, and mutual protection. The basic sequence of sneaking into the enemy's key targets and peripheral security measures, as well as subsequent adaptation measures.

  These special warfare theories, which countless people have paid for with their lives over the decades, are novel and exciting to everyone.

  At 10:10 in the evening, a group of Tun Dings from Huanxian Upper Fourth Workers' Militia came to the front gate of Dong Xiao Chang Men on the east side of Zhangye's East City Wall, escorting an even larger group of Red Army soldiers who were bound up, with disheveled hair and dirty faces, wearing thin clothes, looking dejected.

  In between, there was a group of female Red Army soldiers, their eyes dull and their faces sorrowful, some even let out faint sobbing sounds.

  The impatient battalion commander of the prisoner-of-war camp, who had been waiting at the gate for a long time, hastily came out to greet him. A tall and powerful militia officer stood at attention and saluted: "Report to the superior officer, the Looping Fourth Workers' Militia has escorted the Red Bandit prisoners here, with 197 male Red Bandits, 92 female Red Bandits, and 18 dead Red Bandits on the carts along the way. Please receive them."

  The squad leader's eyes kept scanning over the female Red Guards as he waved his hand and said, "What took you so long? I'm dying of anxiety. Bring them all in."

  The officer of the militia hastily walked up to him and said: "The prisoner is weak, walks slowly, and delays on the way, please forgive me, sir."

  "Alright, alright."

  The team of guards drove the captives into the courtyard, where there were dozens of rows of old barracks along the edge of the wide parade ground. Many sentries who heard the commotion came over to watch, and for a time the camp was filled with the sounds of shouting, crying, and discussion, creating a chaotic scene.

  As they arrived at the barracks, the militia officer loudly ordered the prisoners to stand at attention. The team members also interspersed among them to help maintain the formation. Unbeknownst to them, more than a dozen team members quietly left and disappeared into the distant barracks and guardhouse area.

  After inspecting the formation and finding it satisfactory, the team members walked out of the prisoner-of-war group and stood behind the guards.

  The militia officer said to the company commander on duty: "Please give orders."

  That battalion commander hummed twice: "Fellow Red Army brothers, you have been deceived by **. You traveled thousands of miles to come here, spreading heterodox heresy, advocating for communism and sharing wives, bloody struggle, wanting to deal with our Muslim faith. Captain Ma said that we have the all-powerful God on our side, you heterodox followers will not have a good ending, how about it? You are defeated!"

  Fortunately, our Director Ma has a kind heart and wants to let you lost lambs return to the embrace of Allah under the sacred light of Islam and live a happy life. So, he gave you the opportunity to repent and will soon send you to the beautiful Xining to work in the factory.

  "Be grateful for Allah's mercy, be grateful for Magistrate Ma's leniency, work hard to reform and redeem the sins you have committed, believe in the great and mighty Allah, and start anew."

  Several figures approached from different directions, the militia officer nodded, looked around and casually removed his own cap, walking towards the guard officer.