Chapter 372: Chapter 372 Attack Chapter 372: Chapter 372 Attack Bai Xiao glanced at Xiaoli and the others, “The rest is up to you now, I’m just a doctor, I’m leaving!” With hands tucked in the pockets of his white coat, he sauntered off, whistling a tune. The melody of “Loyal to the Country” seemed quite fitting for the scene and his mood.
The melodious and pleasant tune made Xiaoliu pause, “Eh, what song is Doctor Bai whistling? It sounds really nice, kind of exhilarating.”
“Get back to work! Doctor Bai is the team leader’s wife, don’t get any funny ideas!” Xiaoli immediately broke in to dispel his daydreaming, issuing a stern warning, as she was Captain An’s wife.
Xiaoliu’s face flushed, “Who doesn’t know Doctor Bai is the team leader’s wife? I just thought the tune sounded good! What are you thinking? Don’t I know Doctor Bai is our sister-in-law? I truly just enjoyed the melody. If you don’t believe me, listen for yourself.” Xiaoliu’s embarrassment stemmed from being misunderstood, considering Doctor Bai such a nice girl, it was offensive to sully her reputation.
Xiaoli listened intently, “Actually, you’re right, it does have a feeling of a valorous and chivalrous spirit.”
“Let’s go, that’s what I should be saying. We better report to our superiors quickly about what to do with these two and interrogate whether they’re part of any conspiracy,” Xiaoliu asserted, feeling vindicated.
The four of them escorted the two spies to see the deputy team leader.
In the captain’s absence, the deputy team leader held the most authority.
Bai Xiao, of course, had no idea that her unintentional act would reveal a significant conspiracy involving the two captives. The enemy had not only sent two people to scout the terrain and cause destruction but also infiltrated agents among their ranks, providing advantageous intelligence to the enemy.
Due to this blunder, An Zhiyuan and his troop’s defensive position came under a series of fierce attacks. The assault began before dawn, in the misty ambiguity, where neither side needed to see their targets clearly. Both sides knew the enemy’s terrain as intimately as their backyard, and even a new stone would raise suspicion.
No binoculars were necessary, nor explicit coordinates.
Just adjusting the artillery’s aim and elevation was enough to open fire.
This barrage of artillery fire almost destroyed the entire camp, as their latest intelligence indicated that the primary commander was on the high ground, but it was unclear exactly which one. Bringing down the enemy’s command would, they believed, afford them a momentary respite.
Therefore, all five high grounds faced a crescendo of bombardment, marking a peak of casualties, a severe blow to each position.
An Zhiyuan and his men took cover in the trenches, their heads and faces covered in rocks and soil flung by the impact, with loose mountain stones threatening to crash down from above. Real artillery injuries were not fatal provided they didn’t expose themselves; staying in the trenches and fortifications should keep them from serious harm, but they couldn’t stop the falling rocks.
Many were injured by the stones above.
After the barrage had ceased, they urgently checked for casualties—one was critically wounded, a piece of stone embedded in his chest like a knife. No one dared to remove it, as pulling it out might seal the person’s fate. The lightly injured were bandaging each other’s wounds, while the whole area began to recover and repair itself.
Cleaning the trenches, fortifications, aiding the wounded.
An Zhiyuan and the signalman managed to get a phone line. The signal was poor, but they just managed to report their situation. The deputy team leader had arranged for transporters and medics to ascend after dark, evacuating the casualties down.