Outside the bunker, the fierce battle raged on. The Allied forces were entirely suppressed. Their defensive perimeter was too small, their numbers were insufficient to hold a cohesive line, they lacked artillery support, and worst of all, they were critically low on ammunition.
When they fled the creeping barrage, they had been forced to abandon the vast majority of their supplies in the staging areas outside the city.
"Report! General Kelly of the Mara 1st Corps is requesting to speak with you!" a staff officer announced, holding out a radio handset.
Ketonli nodded and took the receiver.
While the various nations of the Southern Region spoke many distinct languages—particularly those isolated in mountainous areas—the dominant language, spoken by the major powers, was the 'Southern Tongue'.
Conversely, the nations of the Central Region universally spoke the 'Spirit Tongue'. Before the global crisis, the Spirit Tongue had served as the global lingua franca, a testament to the Central Region's economic dominance and worldwide trade networks.
"This is Ketonli. Greetings, General Kelly," Ketonli answered.
"General Ketonli, I received word that you are under heavy assault by Hu Hao's forces. What is your situation?" Kelly asked urgently.
"Total annihilation is highly probable. I made a catastrophic miscalculation. I assumed Hu Hao had massed a massive force within the city. I was wrong. His initial garrison was minimal. The forces currently assaulting us are fresh reinforcements that arrived mere hours ago. And judging by their combat coordination, they are almost entirely green recruits!" Ketonli admitted bitterly.
"What?! Total annihilation?! You deployed a full heavy corps!" Kelly exclaimed, utterly shocked.
"More than half my corps was obliterated by Hu Hao's artillery before we even entered the city. My own artillery was completely destroyed. We managed to secure a tiny foothold in the urban sector, but we have virtually no ammunition.
"Seeing our vulnerability, Hu Hao seized the opportunity and launched a massive, combined-arms offensive to wipe us out before we could consolidate," Ketonli explained.
"Damn it! How could this happen?! Why didn't you establish entrenched positions immediately upon arrival?! Ah, wait... you had just arrived; there wasn't time," Kelly answered his own question, his voice tight with anxiety.
He had every reason to be anxious. If Ketonli's 7th Corps was annihilated in Jinhe City, Hu Hao would be free to redeploy those victorious forces to Yonghe City. If that happened, Kelly's 1st Corps and the newly arrived 14th Corps would be in extreme danger.
"Yes. We were rushed into the assault, and before we could dig in, the torrential rain began. Digging trenches in this mud is impossible," Ketonli sighed.
"Can you hold out a little longer?! I am certain the Supreme Commander will dispatch reinforcements! As long as you can survive until tomorrow evening, relief forces will undoubtedly arrive!
"Yes, the rain hinders mobility, but armored columns utilizing the paved highways can still make good time! If they push hard, they could reach you by tomorrow noon!" Kelly urged desperately.
"It's too late. My lines are crumbling as we speak. Listen to the gunfire. My troops are entirely suppressed; we can't even mount an effective counter-attack.
"General Kelly, I strongly advise you to launch an immediate, massive offensive to expand your perimeter in Yonghe City. I fear that once my corps falls, Hu Hao will immediately shift his forces to crush you. You must secure a larger foothold now!" Ketonli warned him.
"My forces are preparing to launch a general offensive shortly. But please, you must find a way to hold Jinhe City! Reinforcements will be there tomorrow! If it weren't for this damned storm grounding the air force, we could have provided close air support and bombed Hu Hao's lines to relieve the pressure on you!" Kelly said, frustration evident in his voice.
He genuinely dreaded the destruction of the 7th Corps. If Ketonli fell, Hu Hao's full wrath would undoubtedly turn on him next.
"I will do what I can. But you must press your attack in Yonghe City. Expand your perimeter, or you will share my fate when Hu Hao counter-attacks. I must return to commanding the defense. I wish you the best of luck," Ketonli said before hanging up.
"Contact the Supreme Commander. I need to deliver my final report," Ketonli ordered grimly.
"Yes, sir!" A staff officer immediately dialed Vostok's secure line.
Vostok answered promptly, knowing that a second call from Ketonli so soon meant the situation had deteriorated rapidly.
"What is your status?" Vostok demanded the moment the connection was established.
"Report, Supreme Commander. I fear I must disappoint you. This will likely be my final communication. Hu Hao's forces are overrunning my defensive lines. My corps has suffered catastrophic casualties. I don't even know how many combat-effective troops I have left. I apologize for failing you and His Majesty," Ketonli said, his voice heavy with tragic resignation.
"What?! You can't hold the line?! How long have they been attacking?!" Vostok demanded, shocked by the rapid collapse.
"Roughly twenty minutes. Hu Hao's firepower is overwhelming. He committed massive armored formations to spearhead the assault. The suppressive fire from their heavy machine guns is absolute; my men are being cut down before they can even aim their weapons.
"The moment their infantry reaches our positions, it's a slaughter. I have lost countless men in the last twenty minutes alone. I don't know how much longer I have before I must personally lead the final reserves into the meat grinder," Ketonli reported bleakly.
"No! Absolutely not! Take your personal guard and evacuate immediately! Break out of the city!" Vostok roared.
"Break out? How? Hu Hao's artillery has cratered every road out of the city. We can't use vehicles. And even if we tried to run on foot, his artillery is currently idle, simply waiting for us to expose ourselves in the open! The moment we try to flee, he will resume the bombardment!
"Furthermore, the air outside this bunker is saturated with lead. Escaping on foot is suicide," Ketonli chuckled darkly.
"You must survive! I have already ordered armored reinforcements to your sector! A full tank division and a mechanized infantry division stationed nearby have been mobilized!
"They are utilizing the pontoon bridges you established on your march here. They are pushing through the night! They will reach you by 10:00 AM tomorrow at the latest! You must hold out until then!" Vostok screamed into the phone.
"I don't think we can," Ketonli replied simply. He watched as stray bullets continuously zipped past the bunker entrances, ricocheting off the concrete. Even stepping outside the bunker was a lethal gamble right now.
"Damn it all!" Vostok cursed vehemently. He couldn't accept that his elite Imperial Guard corps, which had just arrived at the front, was being annihilated simply because of a disastrous tactical miscalculation and a perfectly timed ambush by Hu Hao.
"Goodbye, Supreme Commander. I must prepare for combat," Ketonli said quietly, ending the call.
He placed his service pistol back into its holster, then turned to a nearby guard and took his submachine gun. He looked at the remaining soldiers huddled in the bunker.
"Brothers, our lines are breaking. I have failed you as your Commander. I apologize to you all. Hu Hao intends to annihilate us tonight.
"Regardless of our fate, we must show Hu Hao that the soldiers of the Holy Ancient Empire are not sheep to be slaughtered! If he wants our lives, he will pay a horrific price in blood! Now, we charge! We show them the true ferocity of the Imperial Guard!" Ketonli roared, his voice echoing in the concrete chamber.
"YES, SIR!" the soldiers roared back, their fear replaced by desperate, suicidal resolve.
"Move out! Deploy through all exits! Reinforce the front lines!" Ketonli commanded.
"CHARGE!" The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly and surged toward the bunker exits, throwing themselves into the storm of lead.
Meanwhile, Hu Hao stood calmly in his command center, watching the tactical feeds.
"Hao-ge, the battle is decided. Their lines are collapsing. The suppressive fire from our armor has completely paralyzed their defense. They have no capability to mount an effective counter-attack!" a staff officer reported triumphantly.
"Mm," Hu Hao nodded in satisfaction.
He shifted his gaze to the monitors displaying Yonghe City. The Mara Empire's forces had indeed launched a massive general offensive, committing roughly three divisions to the assault. They were utilizing their tanks from a distance to bombard the Eastern Spirit defensive positions while pushing their infantry and APCs forward in a desperate bid to fracture the line.
"Hao-ge, look! A massive surge of Allied troops is pouring out of those subterranean bunkers! That must be the 7th Corps' final strategic reserve!" a staff officer pointed at one of the Jinhe City feeds.
"They have nothing left. Total annihilation is guaranteed," Hu Hao smiled, nodding.
"Hao-ge, do you think their Commander will try to escape?" another staff officer asked.
"He won't run," Hu Hao shook his head firmly. "The 7th Corps is the Imperial Guard of the Holy Ancient Empire. If he fled and abandoned his men to die, he would inflict an unforgivable humiliation upon his entire nation. He would never be able to hold his head high among the Allied commanders again. He might die in battle, but he will absolutely not run. And he will certainly not allow himself to be captured alive!"
(End of Chapter)