H-hour minus two hours, 2:30 AM.
Southwest outskirts of Bayji, in the barren desert area.
The rcenaries of the second battalion silently infiltrated forward under the cover of night and terrain.
In the darkness, these elite rcenaries wearing desert ghillie suits and equipped with rifles and crossbows fitted with silencers, blended into the night with heavy face paint, as if they were part of the night itself, making it hard to distinguish them even with infrared reconnaissance equipnt.
Wells personally led a Vanguard Group, using thermal imaging and low-light night vision devices, to precisely locate and clear out two forward observation posts set up by the 1515 in the southwest.
The process was clean and swift, almost without making any sound.
Only the slight friction sound of a dagger slitting a throat and the dull thud of a body hitting the ground, quickly dispersed by the night wind.
A secure path was rapidly cleared.
Soon, engineers moved forward and cleared several vehicle paths through the enemy's minefield and barbed wire.
"The path is clear and secure."
Wells' calm voice sounded on the radio channel.
Song Heping, in the command vehicle, watched the screen as the green lights representing the second battalion advanced steadily forward, and the red markers representing enemy sentries extinguished one by one.
He pressed the transmitter, "First battalion, attack path is open. It's your turn."
"First battalion, acknowledged!"
Milosh's voice carried an uncontrollable excitent.
H-hour minus ten minutes, 4:20 AM.
The first battalion armored convoy, composed of pickups mounted with heavy machine guns and rocket launchers, along with a few armored personnel carriers, had already assembled near the secure path.
The first battalion, responsible for the main assault, was fully prepared, waiting for the final mont of the offensive to arrive.
Ti ticked by second by second, and the air in the rear temporary command post was filled with a tense aura.
Song Heping sat at a makeshift folding table, his eyes fixed on the open battle map and the flickering communication terminal screen beside it.
He held a heavy ceramic cup in his hand, filled with strong brewed green tea, almost half filled with tea leaves.
He chanically took a sip, the warm, bitter tea sliding down his throat, yet failing to dispel the anxiety between his brows.
His gaze swept over the watch face for the third ti—
It was now 4:15 AM.
Fifteen minutes remained until the scheduled H-hour.
According to the original plan, the main force of the Abu You Brigade should have already arrived at the western side of Bayji from the direction of Mosul and entered the assault staging area.
They were responsible for firing the first shot of the battle, launching a feint attack from the west, to attract and hold the main force and firepower of the defending enemy.
Only with confirmation that the Abu You Brigade was in place and had fired, could his two rcenary battalions, as the main striking force, launch the general assault, dealing a fatal blow to the defenders of Bayji.
Yet, on the communication channel, the specific frequency for the Abu You Brigade remained disturbingly silent.
The strict radio silence was still maintained, which might be a good thing, suggesting they hadn't been detected and were maneuvering in secrecy; but it might also an they encountered unexpected trouble and couldn't arrive on ti.
That's how battlefields are.
Luck.
Sotis, it's beyond human control.
"Still no news..."
Song Heping's fingertips unconsciously tapped against the cup wall.
He downed the remaining strong tea in the cup, his gaze fixed on the screen area representing the western battlefield, waiting for that decisive signal to appear.
H-hour minus ten minutes, 4:18 AM.
The first battalion armored convoy, composed of pickups mounted with heavy machine guns and rocket launchers, along with a few armored personnel carriers, had already assembled near the secure path.
Engines were rumbling lowly, like beasts about to pounce on their prey, panting.
Ti ticked by second by second, and the battlefield atmosphere solidified to the extre.
4:30 AM.
The radio channel light for Abu You Brigade finally flickered, turning from red to green, and Abu You's rough voice ca through—
"Boss, I'm in position, launching attack now!"
Almost simultaneously, a barrage of gunfire and explosions erupted suddenly from the western direction of Bayji City!
The 3,000 n of Abu You Brigade did not disappoint Song Heping; they arrived on ti and launched their assault as scheduled!
Though they didn't carry heavy artillery due to rushing, they had plenty of RPG rockets, mortars, recoilless rifles, and heavy machine guns.
The firepower, though mixed, was imnsely powerful, instantly disorientating the 1515 defenders in the west of the city.
The city's alarms blared shrilly, waking the slumbering city instantly.
The attention of the 1515 defenders and their command system was drawn towards this "main assault" from the west.
"It's ti!"
Milosh roared into the radio, "First battalion, attack!"
The long-accumulated steel torrent burst out with maximum energy in an instant!
The convoy charged through the path cleared by the second battalion, like a flood breaking through a dam, rushing ferociously towards the southwestern defenses of Bayji!
It wasn't until the convoy was less than a kiloter away that the 1515 defenders at the southwest realized the deadly threat from their flank!
Sparse resistance fire erupted, but was quickly destroyed by the dense barrage of heavy machine guns and automatic grenade launchers from the first battalion.
Precision shooters and snipers from the second battalion occupied high ground in the rear, efficiently eliminating any enemy commanders and fire points attempting to organize resistance.
The effect of the raid reached its peak.
The eastern defensive line originally had few defenders, and most of their attention was drawn by a feint attack on the west side of the city. Under the swift and thunderous assault of two rcenary battalions, the defensive line quickly crumbled.
"Don't stop! Head straight for the refinery!"
In the command center, Song Heping stared at the screen monitoring the progress of the offensive, loudly reminding the first battalion's commander Milosh.
The convoy of the first battalion broke through the outer defensive lines almost without hindrance, accelerating along the designated Main Street towards the city center refinery area!
Bayji Refinery, the lifeblood of the city, also the high point of the entire city, had now beco the center of the fiercest combat whirlpool.
1515 had stationed about a company of elite guards within the refinery. After a brief mont of chaos, they finally reacted, relying on the enormous storage tanks, intricate pipeline networks, and sturdy factory buildings to construct layered fire points.
The vanguard convoy of the first battalion had just rushed through the refinery gates when they encountered fierce resistance.
The bullets from heavy machine guns clanged against vehicle armor, RPG rockets streaked out from the shadows, exploding a pickup that charged too aggressively into a fireball.
"Disembark! Infantry cleanse!"
Milosh decisively ordered.
The rcenaries quickly leapt out from behind the vehicles, spreading out in standard tactical formations, using various covers to engage the defenders in brutal close-quarters street combat.
The sounds of gunfire, explosions, shouts, and screams echoed between the massive industrial facilities, the air thick with the sll of gunpowder, blood, and the distinctive pungent scent of oil.
"Wells, I'm stuck by a hurdle here. I need your mortar platoon to take out their heavy machine gun fire point."
Milosh, hiding behind a building, peeked at the heavy machine gun fire point mounted on the cracking tower opposite, then transmitted the coordinates via radio.
"Coordinates received. Artillery support arriving in thirty seconds."
Wells' reply was concise and straightforward.
At the pre-established mortar position at the rear of the attack sequence, the mortar platoon of the second battalion imdiately sprang into action.
The trained artilleryn, using coordinates transmitted from the front lines, quickly adjusted the angles and orientation of the 81mm mortars.
Loaders retrieved high explosive killing bombs from the ammunition box, holding them in hand, slowly probing the tail into the barrel, awaiting final instructions.
"One-shot test fire for the whole platoon, fire!"
The captain's order pierced through the noisy battlefield background.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
The sound of several powerful, dull shots echoed, hamring the ground.
The gas expelled from the muzzle instantly lifted debris off the ground.
Several shells traced lofty arcs, plumting towards the refinery.
Boom—
Boom!
The explosion point near the cracking tower rose, but slightly deviated from the target.
"Missed! Ten ters right!"
Milosh shouted through the radio.
The captain imdiately issued a correction order:
"Adjust paraters, left 005, add two. Platoon three rounds rapid fire! Fire!"
Almost as soon as Milosh reported the deviation, a new firing order was issued.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
This ti, the shelling was extrely accurate.
Dense explosions blasted within the refinery, the first salvo accurately covering the cracking tower and its surrounding area.
Scorching fragnts and a violent shock wave lifted the heavy machine gun that was sweeping wildly along with its operator.
The towering steel structures violently shook amidst the firelight, emitting piercing sounds.
"Nice work!"
Milosh's voice echoed again through the radio, announcing the destruction of the target.
As soon as the key fire point was eliminated, the rcenaries of the first battalion seized the opportunity to charge against the enemy position that had just been cleansed by artillery fire.
The combat within the refinery was exceptionally fierce, with every ter of advancent exacting a heavy toll.
Fortunately, the rcenaries known as "Musicians" far outperford the fanatical defenders of 1515 in both individual quality and tactical coordination.
Step by step, they compressed the defenders' space for survival.
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