amaotonovel Chapter 1342 Troops Assemble!
Chapter 1342 Troops Assemble!
Gucheng Lake area, at the intersection of the main road and the branch road in the East District.
The chaos here is slightly less than in the blocks closer to the west, but the atmosphere of panic is just as thick.
The evacuating traffic, like startled river fish, jostled and bumped into each other in the narrow streets, a cacophony of horns, roaring engines, and people's cries and curses.
Some belongings that had been hastily abandoned were piled up by the roadside—half a bag of rice, an iron pot, and a few old clothes, looking particularly desolate under the swaying headlights.
Throughout the streets and behind makeshift roadblocks made of sandbags and barbed wire, several fully armed soldiers stood tall amidst the crowd, like rocks, forcibly maintaining a fragile but necessary passage in this chaotic torrent.
This is the temporary defense zone of the 2nd Platoon, 3rd Company, 5th Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade of Yezhou.
At this moment, everyone was wearing sealed digital jungle camouflage protective suits, pig-nose rubber gas masks, rubber gas gloves tightly gripping the guns, tactical vests filled with magazines loaded with bullets, fragmentation grenades hanging on both sides of their waists, and heavy tactical backpacks slung on their backs, filled with spare magazines, rations, first aid kits, and extra gas filter canisters.
The squad leader was a veteran of four terms from the army group, nicknamed "Old Cat." At this moment, he was standing at the forefront of the roadblock.
Holding a QBZ-191 assault rifle horizontally in one hand, he waved the other hand constantly, directing the scene and occasionally shouting sternly:
"Fuck you!"
"Go back! Move in order! We'll break your legs if you keep pushing! See that truck over there? Get on that one!"
His voice came through the gas mask like a thunderclap.
Several survivors were startled by his shout and instinctively shrank back, stumbling and staggering with the crowd in front of them toward the designated vehicle.
The other soldiers in the squad were scattered on both sides of the roadblock and in key positions behind it.
Machine gunner "Iron Bolt" and his assistant crouched behind a slightly higher pile of sandbags, the cold barrel of the Type 201 5.8mm squad automatic weapon pointing diagonally to the side of the intersection, ready for any threat that might suddenly emerge from the chaos.
The sniper occupied a broken window of a two-story building by the roadside, his high-precision scope occasionally sweeping across the dark rooftops and alleyways in the distance.
The remaining riflemen worked in pairs, using shouts and body language to forcibly separate the flow of people and vehicles, ensuring that this vital passage was not completely blocked.
They've been holding out here for almost half an hour, and their workout shirts and training uniforms underneath their protective suits are already soaked with sweat.
As they watched terrified and desperate faces pass by, and listened to their pleas, cries, and even curses, they were not unmoved. But as soldiers, all they could do at that moment was to carry out orders.
As the squad leader, "Old Cat," roared, he glanced at the tactical watch on his wrist out of the corner of his eye. Time ticked by, each second feeling like sand being squeezed through his fingers.
Even ants cling to life; he didn't know how much longer he would have to stay here, but he hoped for a chance to escape...
Sudden--
Zi————
A brief static crackled to life, and the company commander's stern voice came through the walkie-talkie hanging on his chest.
"Third Company, all squads! Please respond upon receipt! Repeat! Third Company, all squads, please respond upon receipt!"
As soon as he finished speaking, 'Old Cat' perked up, wondering if the evacuation order had been issued.
"Second Class received!"
"Class 7 received!"
"Received, Class 5!"
...
Various responses quickly filled the walkie-talkie. After the last squad's response faded, the company commander immediately issued new operational orders:
"Following the latest order from the military district command! All combat personnel in the company must immediately cease all current order maintenance tasks!" The company commander's voice was fast and urgent, almost a shout.
"Repeat, immediately stop! Assemble at the pre-defined assembly point in class units!!!"
"After assembly, the entire company will move in unison to the western city wall defense zone of the assembly point! Prepare to engage the enemy! Prepare to engage the enemy!!"
"Received, Class One!"
"Class Six received!"
"Class 11 received!"
...
'Approaching the enemy? The city walls?'
Upon hearing those two words, Old Cat stood frozen in place for less than half a second. His breathing behind the gas mask suddenly became heavy, but he did not hesitate at all.
He turned around abruptly, facing the scattered soldiers of his platoon, pulled out the assembly whistle from his pocket, and blew it loudly!
Beep—! Beep be ...
"Class! Emergency assembly! Cease duty! Move to my position! Quickly!"
His roar pierced through the noise of the street and even through the soundproofing of the gas mask.
The soldiers on both sides of the roadblock were startled almost simultaneously, but their long-term training made them react reflexively.
The machine gunner, Tietuo, grabbed the machine gun, and the assistant gunner grabbed the ammunition box and tripod. The two of them bent over and quickly withdrew from behind the cover.
Eagle Eye at the window holstered his sniper rifle, leaped from the second floor like a nimble cat, rolled on the ground to dissipate the impact, and quickly got up.
The riflemen, scattered among the crowd, immediately broke away from their positions maintaining order, ignoring the astonished and confused looks of the civilians around them. With their rifles in hand, they took quick, compact steps and moved rapidly toward the core position where their squad leader was.
The whole process took less than thirty seconds.
Nine men, fully armed and panting, had already regrouped around their squad leader, forming a tight defensive circle with their guns naturally pointed outwards, alert for any possible unexpected events.
Everyone looked at the squad leader, waiting for further instructions.
No one asked why, but their tense bodies and solemn eyes betrayed their shock and the sudden escalation to a state of extreme combat readiness.
"Mission changed!" Sergeant Old Cat stated succinctly, his voice carrying a metallic coldness through his mask:
"Abandon this position and proceed at full speed to the rendezvous point! Prepare to participate in the defense of the western wall!!"
"Check your gear! Gas filter level! Ammunition! Grenades! Stay close to me! Let's go!"
There was no extra mobilization, and no time to digest this sudden and drastic change.
The nine soldiers quickly ducked and rapidly checked their primary weapons, spare magazines, and grenades once more...
They moved swiftly and meticulously.
"Inspection complete!"
"Alright! Take turns providing cover, follow me!"
Old Cat waved his hand, took the lead, gun at the ready, and strode towards a relatively empty alleyway perpendicular to the evacuation traffic. That was the shortest route to the rendezvous point.
The whole class immediately followed suit, automatically forming a standard marching formation with two forwards, flank guards, and a rear guard.
The heavy combat boots made a rapid and rhythmic "crunch" sound as they stepped on the gravel and garbage-strewn road, creating a stark and jarring contrast with the chaotic and noisy surroundings.
Their figures quickly disappeared into the shadows of the alley, vanishing into the chaotic backdrop of car headlights, red sirens, and countless bewildered faces.
Almost at the same moment—
In every corner of the Gucheng Lake area, in countless equally chaotic streets, intersections, bridgeheads, and warehouse areas... a similar scene is constantly unfolding!
Countless grassroots combat units of the 1st Infantry Brigade of Yezhou, like the "Old Cat" squad, are like the most sensitive nerve endings in the human body. Under the strong current stimulation of the same supreme command, they suddenly contract and assemble!
The camouflage "reefs" scattered throughout the vast settlement, which were originally like anchors in the evacuation torrent, suddenly "came to life" at the same time, leaving their original positions and converging at high speed towards several pre-designated core nodes—the emergency assembly points of each company!
The view from above is spectacular.
The chaotic evacuation of civilians continued to move slowly, like the thick, dark blood flowing from a wounded beast.
Within this "blood," hundreds of smaller, faster, and more determined "dots of light" (soldiers' tactical flashlights) are breaking through obstacles from all directions, drawing clear trajectories, rushing against or across the chaotic flow of people and vehicles towards the western city wall!
Like rivers flowing into the sea, or like a spark igniting a prairie fire, countless sparks suddenly burst forth from the ashes, rushing toward the vent that is about to ignite a raging inferno!
Orders are orders, and speed is of the essence in warfare.