419 All the world's a stage

Zhang Xiaoman said as he walked, "HQ has made wrong estimations of the number of the enemy troops stationed in the mountains. If you hadn't gone to scout ahead, the entire Razor Sharp Company would probably have been wiped out once we stepped into their perimeter. Speaking of, we still have to thank you for it."

"Gratitude received from Zhang Xiaoman, +1!"

Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment before saying, "That's not really due to me. More importantly, we had to take out that sniper since we got pinned behind the rocks."

"It's not that we can't do anything to the snipers. We could've charged out from behind the rocks together. His effective range is probably around a 1,000 meters or so, but we have six HMGs whose effective range isn't any shorter than his weapon." Zhang Xiaoman said, "Why are so many snipers on the battlefield not given automatic sniper rifles? Is it because they don't want it? Of course not!

"It's every elite sniper's dream to be able to use a fully automatic sniper rifle. No matter how accurate a bolt-action rifle is, it's not as good as a full-auto rifle on the battlefield. Even the best snipers are afraid of the HMGs operated by recruits. A long-range HMG with a tripod that can provide effective cover is a natural enemy of snipers."

This was an ironclad rule formed from the sacrifice of countless lives on the battlefield. So some of the more decent snipers would not choose to fire continuous shots and left right after carrying out a decapitation strike, the mark of a truly vicious sniper. Like the two snipers Ren Xiaosu had encountered. They were purely used for intercepting scouts who might try to infiltrate from this place.

On the battlefield, snipers could be used in more than one way.

Based on Zhang Xiaoman's original plan, the enemy sniper was hiding on the mountainside and trying to pin them down. But Zhang Xiaoman was willing to minimize their losses if need be. By charging out from behind cover, they could catch their enemy off guard.

"But a lot of people would be killed that way," Ren Xiaosu said.

"How can there be no casualties in war? It's just some people dying. What's there to be afraid of?" Zhang Xiaoman chuckled. "If I can die on the battlefield, that would be an honor."

How can there be no casualties in war? This seemed to be the conventional wisdom that Zhang Xiaoman frequently uttered.

However, that was where the problem lay. In his pursuit with the sniper, Ren Xiaosu decided to charge because he did not want anyone from the Razor Sharp Company to get killed. This was his obsession.

His thinking may have been naive, but that was just how he thought. If someone from the Razor Sharp Company got killed, it was like he would be unworthy of protecting anything anymore.

Zhang Xiaoman asked how there could be no casualties in war. To which Ren Xiaosu answered they wouldn't know if they didn't try.

Regardless of what happened in the future, he had still managed to keep everyone alive this time.

Zhang Xiaoman looked at Ren Xiaosu and said in a serious tone, "Don't just talk about me. You can't continue risking your life like that either. You only live once, so we can't keep letting you charge into battle like this."

But Ren Xiaosu insisted, "I'll make sure that all of you survive."

Zhang Xiaoman felt something was wrong. Why did it suddenly seem like Ren Xiaosu was the company commander instead of him?

But now they were facing new problems. Since there was an error with the intel of the garrison forces in this mountain range, this route was no longer safe to take. However, they still had not completed the operation assigned to them by Zhou Yinglong to blow up the Beiwan Bridge.

"Bring the map over and let's figure out an alternate path to the Beiwan River." Zhang Xiaoman said, "We're only 200 kilometers away from the Beiwan River now, so it's really frustrating that we can't get to it when it is right in front of us."

Ren Xiaosu asked, "I've always been curious about something. This op should've been done by Recon, right? So why did they send our Razor Sharp Company?"

Ren Xiaosu had been wondering about this for some time. In his opinion, the Recon Battalion should have been the ones responsible for infiltration, carrying out long-range raids, and bombing bridges. So why was the Razor Sharp Company made to do it this time?

Even if Zhang Jinglin liked to order him around, he wouldn't have given such an illogical order, right?

Zhang Xiaoman looked at Ren Xiaosu and explained, "Commander Zhou has already left the FOB with the rest of the Forward Strike Battalion and headed northeast. From the looks of it, they'll pass through Shichuan Village to join up with us, but the Forward Strike Battalion suddenly changed their direction and advanced north after passing through Shichuan Village. They plan to arrive at Mt. Qiangwan within three days and assault it."

"Why?" Ren Xiaosu was puzzled. Mt. Qiangwan was not that far away from the Beiwan River. The mountain held a small base of the Zong Consortium, but it was extremely difficult to take due to the dangerous terrain. It could be regarded as an anchor in the vicinity of the Beiwan River, and the two locations had always closely supported each other.

"The Forward Strike Battalion and Razor Sharp Company have always been the advance guard of Fortress 178. The entire Forward Strike Battalion's march to the east is to create the false impression that Fortress 178's main forces are attacking the east. In that way, we can buy some time to build a pontoon bridge on the Blackstone River," Zhang Xiaoman said.

Ren Xiaosu finally understood. Be it the Razor Sharp Company's operation to bomb the Beiwan Bridge, or the Forward Strike Battalion attacking Mt. Qiangwan, all of it was a feint to cover up the true strategy. They just had to play their part well on this grand stage.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly thought of something. "Did any of you see Xu Xianchu at the FOB?"

"Old Xu?" Zhang Xiaoman wondered. "I don't think I saw him. He could still be stationed back at the fortress. After all, our military presence at the fortress is rather low now, so it's essential to keep some of our main forces garrisoned at the fortress."

Ren Xiaosu got lost in thought. Would someone like Xu Xianchu, who could make significant contributions on the front, be made to defend Fortress 178?

He felt that Xu Xianchu had been assigned on a different mission.

At this moment, the radioman came running over carrying the radio set on his back and said, "Captain, the Battalion Commander would like to speak to you."

When Zhang Xiaoman answered the call, he heard Zhou Yinglong ask, "What's the situation over there now?"

Zhang Xiaoman reported, "There's a large number of Zong troops garrisoned within the mountain range leading towards the Beiwan River. We're trying to find alternate routes to pass through it and assessing whether there's a possibility of blowing up the Beiwan Bridge."

Zhou Yinglong asked, "Were there any direct confrontations with them?"

"You can say so." Zhang Xiaoman said, "Ren Xiaosu killed two of their guerrilla companies. We also laid an ambush and killed another of their companies, so they're just currently blind firing mortars at us. How 'bout it, Battalion Commander? We ain't embarrassed you, yeah?"

"Maggot, don't you fucking get cocky." Zhou Yinglong was so angry he laughed. "Before our troops here could even get close to Mt. Qiangwan, the scouts reported back to us that Mt. Qiangwan sent out reinforcements to the Beiwan River. After your attack there, the Zong Consortium probably thought our main forces were deployed to the Beiwan River! Let's see how you shits are going to complete the op now!"

Zhang Xiaoman was stunned before turning anxious. "Battalion Commander, you should quickly start your attack on Mt. Qiangwan to lure the troops back there!"

"How the fuck am I supposed to lure them back?" Zhou Yinglong snapped. "We still have two days before we can get to Mt. Qiangwan. But thanks to y'all, we should have an easier time in our attack on Mt. Qiangwan."

Zhang Xiaoman turned bitter. Orders were not to be taken lightly. Regardless of the situation, their objective was still to blow up the Beiwan Bridge. How were they supposed to launch their attack there now that enemy troops were concentrated at the Beiwan Bridge?

"I'm sorry," Ren Xiaosu apologized as he glanced at the radio that was still transmitting. "It was all because of me that y'all are in this dilemma. Give all the TNT to me/ I'll go and blow up the Beiwan Bridge by myself."

Zhang Xiaoman winked at him and said, "Are you apologizing because you've wiped out two of their guerrilla companies and killed two snipers as well? Matter of fact, without you, we'd've been surrounded by a regiment of the enemy. It's OK. We'll die together at worst. For the honor of Fortress 178, it's totally worth it!"

Zhou Yinglong had yet to stop transmitting. He roared, "Who are you putting on an act for when I haven't even hung up yet? What about dying together? Don't you feel embarrassed putting on such a heroic act? Quit acting already! Y'all will rest for the next two days. Once we attack Mt. Qiangwan and attract the troops back here, y'all will launch a breakthrough on the Beiwan River!"