Chapter 258
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Chapter 258: The Battle of Life and Death
In front of Lin Mo, there was a lot of food: fried meat pies, freshly baked flatbreads, and a selection of fresh, cold wild vegetables piled up high.
Afghan cuisine actually has much more to offer, but after recently migrating, they only had some storable foods, and some seeds for vegetables and fruits had not yet been planted.
“Thank you!” Abik followed the Pashtun custom, drinking three cups in a row before putting down his cup. He had lost the heart to savor the tea and barely touched the food in front of him.
“The situation is not good. The casualties from last night’s night attack at the mountain pass were heavy. Only nine survived, six severely injured, and three lightly injured. Based on the on-site statistics, we probably wiped out about one hundred and fifty enemy forces; it was basically one for one. After I brought you back, Kadiya has already deployed one hundred and fifty warriors to reinforce the mountain pass defenses and sent back other wounded and non-weapon loot cleared from the battlefield. We have about a hundred AK-47s, along with mortars and RPGs, which can be considered a supplement, all kept at the mountain pass.”
Lin Mo calmly tore off pieces of flatbread, filled them with chunks of meat pie, and ate with the bright red tea, taking one bite at a time.
Normally, Lin Mo’s appetite was slightly larger than average, but after participating in combat or flying missions, his appetite would rise dramatically. Only with more food could he replenish the energy he had consumed.
“One for one!” The mercenary leader Abik raised his cup and pounded the carpet with his fist, saying fiercely, “Hey, one for one; this casualty cost is acceptable. It’s far better than I originally imagined. However, if this continues, even if we finish them off, we won’t have many people left, and there will be even more enemies targeting this place in the future.”
He felt deeply unwilling, as it was hard to find this advantageous location, only to have enemies as fierce as wolves and tigers charging in to seize it.
“I know what you’re worried about. Don’t worry, those terrible weapons from last night won’t show up again.” Lin Mo raised his tea cup towards Abik, saying, “The remaining enemies aren’t something to be worried about. The battle last night probably exceeded many people’s imaginations, and today, their offensive won’t be too fierce.”
Lin Mo’s expression was relaxed, as if he didn’t take into account that there were still hundreds of enemies outside the valley.
With such heavy losses, the enemy commander would have to weigh the consequences, especially the foot soldiers. If it truly turned into a one-for-one situation, their determination to engage in such fierce combat might not be so strong.
Meanwhile, the civilians and mercenaries inside Gem Valley were fighting with their backs against the wall, with no way to retreat; they could only battle to the death.
Moreover, outside the mountain pass, where the land was dry and barren, lacking supplies, the situation was a stark contrast to the water-rich Gem Valley. If they couldn’t break through the mountain pass defenses in the short term and were forced into a prolonged war, it would be even more disadvantageous for the coalition outside the valley.
“Ah, I hope we can get through this!” The mercenary leader thought of defeating the enemy, who were not just a weary army from afar, but the civilians and mercenaries in Gem Valley were also not in much better shape.
It’s not fear of a thief stealing, but fear that a thief is laying plans. If they occasionally launched fierce attacks, the population in Gem Valley wouldn’t be able to withstand constant casualties, making it even harder to attract reinforcements from the outside.
“Abik!” Village chief Mude Zariyev spoke up, “All of this is the will of Allah. If Allah allows us to live, we live; if Allah allows us to die, we die. You need not blame yourself. Just do your best; we will not blame you.”
It seemed that the village chiefs had reached a consensus among themselves based on the current situation and did not want to place too much pressure on this loyal ally, who commanded the military strength within the valley.
“Respectable village chiefs, I only hope to protect the women and children so that they can continue to live here in peace. Our generation has already borne too much suffering; we shouldn’t let our pain continue to the next generation.”
The mercenary leader’s words carried a deep sense of helplessness, and he was certainly a person with a profound story. His cooperation with the migrants had more significance than just monetary exchanges.
Years of war had made many Afghans unable to see a future, leading them to give up and descend further into chaos. Yet, there were a few rational individuals continuously seeking ways to change everything and achieve a better homeland.
The emergence of Gem Valley had given Abik hope for recuperation. If he could find shelter for twenty years from the flames of war and gather strength, he would have confidence in maintaining peace and stability in the area. Whether he consumed the land bit by bit or took it all at once, he aimed to unify all of Afghanistan, just like the Taliban once did, bringing peace and stability to the people.
However, all these thoughts were suppressed deep within his heart due to the harsh realities and circumstances.
“Report! The enemy is starting to change movements. They are mobilizing!” Omar, responsible for reconnaissance, rushed in with urgency. Seeing his leader inside the tent, he reflexively stood straight, saluting, “Chief Abik, it’s great to see you are okay.”
“Mm, good! Thank you, Omar. I understand!” Abik seemed to regain his composure, stepping over to a makeshift map pinned in the corner of the tent, starting to devise a response plan. Last night’s battle had also disrupted the enemy commander’s plans, and both sides had to rearrange their moves based on the situation.
“Kadiya’s troops are in position, right?”
“Yes, he has redeployed one hundred and fifty men and laid new landmines.”
“Excellent! Once this battle is over, I will definitely promote him to deputy commander. I wonder if Sadin has discovered any other routes into the valley. If there are other roads, that would be terrible.”
“Don’t worry, chief. Sadin just returned at four o’clock. According to his report, they have not discovered other paths in yet. The mountains outside the valley are a natural barrier, with cliffs everywhere. Sadin has set up reconnaissance posts in several locations to prevent the enemy from sending small teams to scale the cliffs for surprise attacks. This is truly a good place.”
At this point, Omar glanced at village chief Mude Zariyev. This exceptional location was indeed a blessing from Allah. It was unbelievable that Mica Village, under how many generations of village chiefs, had managed to find this place, and the subsequent chiefs had kept the secret tight-lipped, passing this miraculous knowledge down to the present day.
“Very well. It seems that assigning this task to him was the right decision. How is the reserve team? Are there any signs of panic or camps being abandoned?”
“Don’t worry, chief. The Pashtuns are born warriors and won’t see any deserters.”
Omar pounded his chest, assuring Abik. Being a Pashtun himself, he naturally emphasized how martial the Pashtuns were.
“Good, Omar. I have an important mission to assign to you! I don’t know if you’re willing. It has significant risks, and you can refuse. I won’t blame you.” The mercenary leader Abik’s tone suddenly became hesitant, but for the sake of everyone in Gem Valley, he had to say it.
This was a plan Abik had been mulling over for quite some time. If successful, it would greatly strike the enemy. If all went smoothly, it would be enough to leave the enemies trapped here. Even if it didn’t go well, it could force the enemy to retreat.
However, failure would mean that the able-bodied men and mercenaries of Gem Valley would bear the brunt of the enemy’s offensive, and anyone carrying out this task faced almost certain death.
“Say it, chief! I’m even willing to die!” Omar’s loyalty to his leader exceeded Abik’s expectations; there was no change on his face, but rather an expression full of anticipation.
“Alright, you choose ten of the cleverest young men, take along fuel cartridges and C-4 explosives—bring plenty. Don’t go through the mountain pass but find a suitable place to exit the valley, circle around to the enemy’s back, and destroy all of their supply depots.”
Abik finally revealed his plan to strike at the root, precisely leveraging the challenging geographical environment to force the enemy into desperation. He did not expect to completely annihilate the enemy, as the casualty ratio from last night suggested that this group of ruthless bandits would not be easy to handle.
If it weren’t for the advantages of the terrain and the element of surprise, the able-bodied men in Gem Valley wouldn’t stand a chance against these armed militants.
Omar had no hesitation; he saluted Abik and said, “I understand. I’ll go arrange it.” He seemed completely unconcerned about life or death, determined to execute his chief’s orders.
“Take care, my brother! You must return alive!” Abik’s eyes grew moist as he understood the great risks of such a task. Each mercenary in his heart was like his own brother.
“Allah is on our side!” Omar appeared more optimistic than chief Abik as he gave a confident smile and resolutely turned to leave.
Watching Omar’s figure disappear behind the tent flap, mercenary leader Abik let out a long breath, shifting his gaze to Lin Mo. “’Knight,’ I wonder if your fighter is ready!”
“Not a problem, it’s already positioned on the runway and can take off at any time.”
Lin Mo had completely restored the old WWII air force king, the P-51 Mustang. After modifications, its performance was even comparable to when it first rolled off the production line. Although its firepower was slightly reduced, it was sufficient to deliver a surprise attack in this level of battle.
After all, with only one fighter jet, it was unrealistic to rely solely on air superiority to annihilate the enemy. Its greatest role would be to disrupt enemy deployments, attack gathering points, and heavy artillery positions, seriously damaging morale and combat effectiveness, delivering more of a psychological deterrent.
