Chapter 154: Jiang Kai’s Resolve

Hu Hao and Xiao Quan arrived at the command center’s observation port. Xiao Quan said Hu Hao knew what the brothers were thinking: everyone wanted to survive, and everyone hoped to fight their way back.

Now, they no longer cared about the High Command and His Majesty, because the High Command and His Majesty couldn’t lead them to fight their way back. Therefore, they hoped Hu Hao could lead them back! That was why they supported Hu Hao so strongly!

Hu Hao stood there. Upon hearing Xiao Quan’s previous words, he didn’t say much. He just stood there, thinking quietly. From the looks of it, the High Command was definitely coming to investigate him, or to take him away.

He didn’t mind it himself, but the brothers below wouldn’t stand for it. A conflict with the High Command was already inevitable. As for his relationship with Jiang Kai, Hu Hao also believed that once they killed the investigators here…

…then Jiang Kai would definitely no longer trust him. In fact, Jiang Kai might even command his troops to attack them. Jiang Kai, after all, still obeyed His Majesty.

That night was incredibly quiet. There was no movement at all from the Allied forces; they did not launch an attack. Early the next morning, Hu Hao woke up and stood at the observation port for a while, but he didn’t see any trace of the Allied forces.

“Hao-ge, look at this telegram!” At this moment, a staff officer walked over with a telegram and spoke to Hu Hao.

“What telegram?” Hearing this, Hu Hao took it in confusion. Normally, the staff officers would tell him what the telegram was about beforehand.

But this time, the staff officer didn’t say anything. Hu Hao read the telegram carefully. It was from Jiang Kai. Jiang Kai stated that Tang Junjie, the person from the High Command responsible for investigating the matter, would arrive around noon.

“Ha, so it’s him. He moves pretty fast!” After reading the telegram, Hu Hao handed it back to the staff officer. He merely chuckled and didn’t say anything else.

“Hao-ge, should we inform the Chief of Staff and the other regimental commanders?” the staff officer asked, standing there.

“No need. Let him come!” Hu Hao waved his hand dismissively.

“Yes, sir!” The staff officer nodded and went back with the telegram.

It seems this matter really is related to the Grand Marshal’s family and Mu Zhifu. Otherwise, how could they have come so quickly? Hu Hao muttered inwardly. Previously, he hadn’t cared much, thinking it didn’t matter who snitched since this was bound to happen sooner or later.

But right now was a time of war. For the sake of taking him down, the higher-ups were actually disregarding the defensive line. There was still an entire enemy corps here. Did those people not care if this defensive line was lost? It seemed they truly didn’t care.

“Sigh!” Hu Hao sighed and looked up at the distant sky.

Early that morning, after waking up and finishing breakfast at the Headquarters’ cafeteria, Tang Junjie intended to take the High Command officers and head straight to Hu Hao’s location. However, he was immediately stopped by Jiang Kai.

“It’s best if you don’t go right now, otherwise you might be in danger!” Jiang Kai stood next to Tang Junjie’s car and spoke to him through the window.

Hearing this, Tang Junjie opened the door, stepped out, and faced Jiang Kai directly. “Commander Jiang, you can’t protect your subordinate like this. Even if Hu Hao has some ability, private conscription is a massive taboo. Yet he dared to do it! If things go wrong later, can you bear the responsibility?”

“Don’t mistake a good intention for malice. I am saving you, and I don’t want the situation to escalate further. If you insist on going, then I’ll call your father and make it clear to him. If anything happens to you, I will take no responsibility!” Jiang Kai told Tang Junjie.

“What could possibly happen? This time, I brought the High Command’s Military Police and our guard units. They are all officers. I refuse to believe Hu Hao would dare try anything funny!” Tang Junjie said dismissively.

“This handful of people truly isn’t enough for Hu Hao to kill!” Jiang Kai stared at Tang Junjie.

“What did you say?” Tang Junjie stood there, looking at Jiang Kai in shock.

“The people you brought really aren’t enough for them to kill. Hu Hao probably wouldn’t even need to lift a finger; his subordinates would kill you themselves!” Jiang Kai said coldly.

“You…?” Hearing this, Tang Junjie looked at Jiang Kai suspiciously, unsure of what he meant.

It seemed like Jiang Kai was doing this for Hu Hao’s sake, but also for his sake. It made him completely unsure of Jiang Kai’s true stance.

In reality, Jiang Kai’s attitude was very simple: he hoped to minimize the issue and smooth things over. Furthermore, he was currently undecided about what to do with Hu Hao. Hu Hao’s name had already reached His Majesty, and His Majesty was extremely dissatisfied with his actions.

If they couldn’t provide a reasonable explanation to His Majesty, Hu Hao would have no hope of ever being promoted to General in this lifetime. Plus, Hu Hao had already offended the Grand Marshal’s family. In other words, Hu Hao had a talent for fighting, but an even greater talent for offending people.

However, his stance regarding Hu Hao was still very firm. Jiang Kai knew Hu Hao was a man of immense talent, and such a person shouldn’t be wasted like this.

But Jiang Kai worried that if this matter wasn’t handled properly, it would remain a hidden danger. They needed to find a solution.

That was why he came over early in the morning to tell Tang Junjie not to go. If Tang Junjie went, Jiang Kai didn’t even need to think to know that Tang Junjie definitely wouldn’t return. There was no way Hu Hao would obediently let Tang Junjie take him away.

Not only would Hu Hao refuse to be compliant, but his subordinate regimental officers wouldn’t stand for it either. They might strike before Hu Hao even made a move. Furthermore, Jiang Kai didn’t want the defensive line at Bopa City to falter. An entire enemy corps had just moved to that sector. Without Hu Hao’s command, Jiang Kai was genuinely worried that sector would collapse.

“Commander, is Hu Hao really that capable? I have all these men with me, and I still can’t bring him back?” Tang Junjie stood there, still unconvinced. He doubted Jiang Kai had good intentions and questioned his motives for warning him.

“Even if you brought an entire division, you still might not be able to bring Hu Hao back. Leaving aside whether Hu Hao is willing to come or not, his subordinates definitely won’t let you take him!” Jiang Kai told Tang Junjie, who continued to stare at him.

“If you insist on going, then call your father right now. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. If anything goes wrong, bear the consequences yourself!” Seeing that Tang Junjie still didn’t believe him, Jiang Kai dropped his final words, turned, and walked away.

Hearing this and watching Jiang Kai leave, Tang Junjie started to feel a bit apprehensive. He remembered perfectly well how Hu Hao had fired at him before. Tang Junjie knew Hu Hao would dare to kill him, which was why he had brought so many guards this time. But according to Jiang Kai, the guards he brought wouldn’t be of any use.

“Damn it!” Tang Junjie had always wanted to capture Hu Hao personally, but now, he didn’t quite dare to go.

“General, are we still heading out?” a Colonel behind him asked.

“Wait a moment. Find a place to rest first. I need to make a call to my father!” Tang Junjie told them.

“Yes, sir!” The field officers and the Major General behind him immediately complied.

Tang Junjie sat back inside his car, pulling out his satellite phone to call his father.

After Jiang Kai returned to the command center, the staff officers saw him and immediately reported the latest situation.

“Report, Commander! Our reconnaissance planes discovered that the Allied forces have mobilized two corps from the northwest and are closing in on us. In the south, they’ve also mobilized two corps, which are rapidly advancing toward our position!” a staff officer reported.

“What did you say?” Jiang Kai looked at the staff officer in shock.

“Commander, with this new deployment, combined with their previous forces, the Allied forces have committed a total of thirteen corps! Their total troop strength exceeds 800,000 men. Furthermore, their rear reinforcements will arrive at the front lines in four days at the latest!” the staff officer explained.

“Damn it, they’re sending even more?!” Jiang Kai felt momentarily panicked. Previously, the Allied forces had committed a total of nine corps to the front, three of which were being held off by Hu Hao’s division alone.

Now, the Allied forces were throwing another four corps into the fray. This put immense pressure on his defensive lines.

“Commander, we must request reinforcements from His Majesty. Relying solely on our Southwest Combat Zone troops, it will be impossible to stop them!” Chief of Staff Sun Qinxue walked over and advised.

“Where are we supposed to get reinforcements now? In the south and the west, the Allied forces have committed even more troops. Our forces there are being beaten back every single day!” Jiang Kai slumped dejectedly into his chair.

“What?” Sun Qinxue looked at Jiang Kai in disbelief.

“Yesterday, the forces in the Central Combat Zone and the Eastern Combat Zone were beaten back over 300 li. Their casualties exceeded 200,000 men! Moreover, the troops’ morale is completely shattered. The soldiers no longer trust the generals, yet those generals refuse to let go of their power.

“Why hasn’t His Majesty stepped in to handle the current situation?! Damn it, across the entire military, only our Southwest Combat Zone is somewhat stable. But now we have to face 800,000 troops—more than double the total strength of the Southwest Combat Zone! How are we supposed to fight this?!” Jiang Kai rubbed his head, filled with anguish and helplessness.

He didn’t know how the troops should fight next to avoid retreating. He also realized another terrifying possibility.

If the Central Combat Zone and the Eastern Combat Zone retreated too quickly, then the Southeastern Combat Zone might be forced to retreat as well. By then, Jiang Kai’s forces would have no choice but to retreat. If they didn’t, the troops of the entire Combat Zone would be completely encircled by the Allied forces.

(End of Chapter)