Chapter 85: Entering Occupied Territory

Hu Hao walked alone through the village where the 87th Division had established its headquarters. He had to admit, the pre-war standard of living for the citizens of the Eastern Spirit Empire had been incredibly high.

The village consisted of neat rows of detached, single-family homes, each boasting its own private courtyard filled with meticulously tended flowers and gardens. If it wasn’t for the war, living in a country like this would have been a peaceful, idyllic existence. But war had come, and these beautiful homes could be reduced to rubble by a single stray artillery shell.

As Hu Hao walked down the main road, the sentries standing guard snapped to attention and saluted. Hu Hao smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. He walked until he reached the edge of the village, finding a large boulder near the perimeter to sit on, and lost himself in thought regarding his future.

The Empire was already tottering on the brink of collapse. The aristocratic Generals were desperately clinging to their remaining power, refusing to let go even as the nation burned around them. Meanwhile, the Allied coalition clearly intended to completely conquer the Eastern Spirit Empire and exterminate its population to make room for their own citizens.

This land was about to plunge into the darkest, most horrific period in its history.

Sitting on the boulder, Hu Hao lit a cigarette and leaned back, staring up at the starry night sky. He wondered where Earth was out there in the vast cosmos.

He thought about the family he had left behind on Earth. He thought about the brothers-in-arms he had fought alongside during the War of Resistance against Japan. When he had first transmigrated to this world, his only intention had been to remain a detached spectator and survive. But that was impossible now.

He had family here too. Even though, from a soul’s perspective, these people had nothing to do with him, the memories of his predecessor’s family constantly surfaced in his mind, carrying the heavy weight of genuine love and connection. Hu Hao knew he couldn’t abandon them; he had to take responsibility for this family.

As a man, he couldn’t simply walk away and leave his family to be slaughtered.

“So be it. I’ll fight. My life has always been bitter anyway; if it’s war they want, I’ll give them war. What the hell does Hu Hao have to be afraid of? I’ve already lived several lifetimes; I’ve had my fill. If we can actually win this and secure peace, maybe I’ll travel and finally see the sights of this planet,” Hu Hao resolved silently.

He knew he had no other options. He had to consolidate his power within the military first before he could tackle anything else.

Hu Hao sat at the edge of the village for a long time. Many passing soldiers saw him sitting there alone. Assuming their new Division Commander was simply missing his family, no one dared to disturb him.

Early the next morning, Hu Hao ordered the Reconnaissance Company of the 1st Regiment to immediately deploy across the river and scout Santong County.

Simultaneously, he ordered the remainder of the 1st Armored Infantry Regiment and the 1st Battalion of the 4th Tank Regiment to prepare to march. Once they finished breakfast, Hu Hao intended to personally lead them across the river. He ordered the logistics officers to ensure the vehicles were fully fueled and heavily loaded with ammunition.

As for rations, the military had recently begun issuing standardized combat field rations. However, they were universally despised. Hu Hao and his veterans much preferred to carry raw flour and scavenged canned goods to cook their own meals.

In the words of the veterans, the official combat rations were fit only for dogs, and even a starving dog would turn its nose up at them.

After finishing his breakfast and delegating the defense of the riverline to Li Jingsong and Xiao Quan, Hu Hao hopped into a jeep and drove to the staging area. The 1st Regiment and the 1st Tank Battalion were already marshaled and waiting.

“Hao-ge!”

“Hao-ge!”

1st Regiment Commander Ye Zifeng and 1st Tank Battalion Commander Bo Gang jogged over to salute him.

“Is everyone ready?” Hu Hao asked with a smile.

“Everyone is accounted for, Hao-ge! Are we crossing the river?” Ye Zifeng asked eagerly.

“Yes. We have two primary objectives today. First, we need to establish a clear intelligence picture of the Allied dispositions on the far bank. Second, we need to scavenge grain and supplies. Furthermore… we need to see how many civilians are actually left over there,” Hu Hao nodded gravely.

“Understood, Hao-ge. The men are prepped and ready to move,” Ye Zifeng reported.

“Good. We roll out immediately. By the way, have we received any updates from the Recon Company? How long have they been deployed?” Hu Hao asked.

“Report! They crossed the river nearly an hour ago, but they haven’t checked in yet. As per your orders, their primary recon vector is Santong County,” Ye Zifeng replied.

“Alright. Mount up. We move out,” Hu Hao ordered.

He climbed into his designated armored command vehicle. Ye Zifeng immediately ordered the men into their APCs. Once the armored column was fully mobilized, Hu Hao called Ye Zifeng and Bo Gang over to his vehicle for final instructions.

“Listen closely. If we encounter small, isolated Allied elements during this push, we devour them instantly. However, if we run into a massive Allied formation, we immediately break contact and fall back. This entire operation relies on our Recon Company providing accurate early warnings.

Remember, the Allied air force is still actively contesting this airspace, so we must remain highly vigilant. We absolutely cannot afford to get bogged down in a protracted firefight and pinned in place.

Additionally, we must visually confirm if the Allied forces are actively massacring our civilians in the occupied towns. If they are, we document it and immediately transmit the intelligence back to Zone Command,” Hu Hao instructed them seriously.

“Understood!” both commanders nodded firmly.

“Furthermore, regarding our march formation once we cross the river: deploy a single infantry company as the vanguard element. The Tank Battalion will form the center of the column, and the main body of our infantry will follow in the rear.

Maintain a distance of roughly two and a half kilometers between the vanguard and the main armor. Do not bunch up! We are completely blind regarding the tactical situation on the opposite bank; caution is our highest priority!” Hu Hao finalized the deployment strategy.

The two commanders acknowledged the orders and returned to their respective vehicles. Hu Hao then ordered his personal guard detail to fall in around the command APC, and the massive armored column began its advance toward the pontoon bridges.

After crossing the river, Hu Hao stood up through the top hatch of the command APC, manning the heavy machine gun position. He kept a sharp eye on their surroundings, constantly scanning the horizon and the sky. Although the Imperial military still possessed functional radar early-warning systems, Hu Hao relied on his own battlefield instincts.

The column soon rolled through the first occupied town. It was eerily quiet. The vanguard company passed through first, followed by the tank battalion, and finally Hu Hao and the main body.

“Motherfucker… there’s almost no one left,” Hu Hao muttered to himself.

He looked at the houses lining the main street. The front doors had been kicked open, and the interiors were violently ransacked, belongings scattered everywhere. Along the road, they encountered numerous refugees fleeing in the opposite direction toward the Imperial lines. Hu Hao didn’t order the column to stop; they had to keep moving.

After marching for over an hour, Hu Hao finally received a report from the Recon Company.

“Division Commander! Satellite call from the Recon Company!” a radioman inside the APC called out, handing Hu Hao the receiver.

“It’s Hu Hao. What’s your situation?” Hu Hao asked immediately.

“Hao-ge, this is Captain Liu Shuyi, Commander of the 1st Regiment Recon Company. We have reached a small town approximately 5 kilometers outside of Santong County.

According to the refugees fleeing the county, there is a confirmed Allied military presence inside Santong County. Furthermore, the refugees report that the Allied troops have already begun executing civilians. Mass panic has broken out, and the surviving population is desperately trying to flee,” Liu Shuyi reported rapidly.

“Do you have an estimate on enemy troop strength?” Hu Hao asked, his grip tightening on the receiver.

“Negative. The refugees just say there are ‘a lot’ of them. We don’t have a concrete number yet,” Liu Shuyi replied.

“Strip off your uniforms and disguise yourselves as civilians. Commandeer civilian vehicles and infiltrate the county to conduct close reconnaissance. Keep your weapons concealed but accessible. Your absolute priority is ensuring your own safety, but you must establish a clear intelligence picture of the enemy dispositions inside the county.

The main armored column is currently roughly fifteen kilometers behind you. We need that intelligence as quickly as possible!” Hu Hao ordered after a moment’s thought.

“Yes, sir!” Liu Shuyi acknowledged the dangerous mission and ended the call.

Hu Hao pulled out his tactical map, located Santong County, and marked it with a red cross, indicating confirmed enemy presence.

“They move fast. They’re already right on our doorstep,” Hu Hao muttered, folding the map away.

He grabbed the radio handset connected to the column’s internal net.

“1st Regiment Commander! 1st Tank Battalion Commander! Report!” Hu Hao called out.

“Hao-ge, I’m here,” Ye Zifeng answered.

“I’m here too, Hao-ge. What are your orders?” Bo Gang responded.

“I just received an update from the Recon Company. There is confirmed Allied presence inside Santong County. Maintain high alert! The column will halt its advance when we reach Muyang Village, which is exactly 10 kilometers outside of Santong County. We will hold position there and await further orders!” Hu Hao instructed them.

“Copy that!” both commanders acknowledged.

Hu Hao climbed back up to the heavy machine gun mount, keeping his eyes peeled. As the column rumbled down the highway, the remaining Imperial civilians hiding in the ruined villages cheered and applauded when they saw the armored vehicles bearing the Imperial crest. Hu Hao and his men offered reassuring smiles, but they couldn’t afford to stop.

Roughly half an hour later, the armored column reached Muyang Village and halted. Just as they secured the perimeter, Hu Hao received another call from Liu Shuyi.

“Hao-ge, we’ve successfully infiltrated Santong County. We have visual confirmation on the Allied forces. We still can’t ascertain their exact unit designation, but based on the troop density, we estimate it’s at least a full Regiment.

Right now, they are conducting brutal house-to-house sweeps. They are actively looting grain, cash, and valuables… and they are dragging women out into the streets. If any civilian attempts to resist or hide their supplies, the Allied soldiers execute them on the spot.

The entire county… Hao-ge, it’s a literal hell on earth,” Liu Shuyi reported, his voice hushed and trembling with suppressed rage.

“Understood. Maintain your cover and continue gathering intelligence. Report any significant developments immediately.

Your next objective is to locate their primary staging areas. I need to know exactly where they are storing their heavy weapons and looted grain. I also need you to locate their motor pools; counting their transport vehicles will give us a much more accurate estimate of their total troop strength!” Hu Hao ordered, his brow furrowing deeply.

He hadn’t expected the Allied troops in this sector to be so brazenly focused on looting and wanton slaughter instead of establishing defensive perimeters.

“Yes, sir!” Liu Shuyi confirmed.

“Patch me through to the 1st Regiment and the 1st Tank Battalion. Tell them to hold position and maintain strict noise discipline,” Hu Hao ordered his radioman.

Without knowing exactly how many Allied troops were entrenched in Santong County, launching a blind armored assault into the urban center would be suicidal.

Hu Hao climbed down from the APC and walked over to the shade of a large tree, unrolling his tactical map. Ye Zifeng and Bo Gang immediately jogged over to join him.

“Hao-ge, what’s the situation in Santong County?” Ye Zifeng asked urgently.

“Motherfuckers. The Allied forces are there. They are actively looting our civilians and executing anyone who resists.

We still don’t have a precise headcount. Because they are currently dispersed throughout the urban center, they hold a massive tactical advantage for street fighting. We absolutely cannot charge in blindly; we have to establish a clear picture first.

I’m going to infiltrate the county personally to assess the situation. Both of you will remain here and hold the perimeter. I will contact you via satellite phone when I have a plan,” Hu Hao decided, looking at the two commanders.