Scott said as favonovel.com walked, “HQ has made wrong estimations of the number of the enemy troops stationed in the mountains. If you hadn’t gone to scout ahead, the entire Razor Sharp Company would probably have been wiped out once we stepped into their perimeter. Speaking of, we still have to thank you for it.”
Gratitude received from Scott Miller, +1!
Milo thought for a moment before saying, “That’s not really due to me. More importantly, we had to take out that sniper since we got pinned behind the rocks.”
“It’s not that we can’t do anything to the snipers. We could’ve charged out from behind the rocks together. His effective range is probably around a 1,000 meters or so, but we have six HMGs whose effective range isn’t any shorter than his weapon.” Scott said, “Why are so many snipers on the battlefield not given automatic sniper rifles? Is it because they don’t want it? Of course not!
“It’s every elite sniper’s dream to be able to use a fully automatic sniper rifle. No matter how accurate a bolt-action rifle is, it’s not as good as a full-auto rifle on the battlefield. Even the best snipers are afraid of the HMGS operated by recruits. A long-range HMG with a tripod that can provide effective cover is a natural enemy of snipers.”
This was an ironclad rule formed from the sacrifice of countless lives on the battlefield. So some of the more decent snipers would not choose to fire continuous shots and left right after carrying out a decapitation strike, the mark of a truly vicious sniper. Like the two snipers Milo had encountered. They were purely used for intercepting scouts who might try to infiltrate from this place.
On the battlefield, snipers could be used in more than one way.
Based on Scott’s original plan, the enemy sniper was hiding on the mountainside and trying to pin them down. But Scott was willing to minimize their losses if need be. By charging out from behind cover, they could catch their enemy off guard.
“But a lot of people would be killed that way,” Milo said.
“How can there be no casualties in war? It’s just some people dying. What’s there to be afraid of?” Scott chuckled. “If I can die on the battlefield, that would be an honor.”
How can there be no casualties in war?
This seemed to be the conventional wisdom that Scott frequently uttered. However, that was where the problem lay. In his pursuit with the sniper, Milo decided to charge because favonovel.com did not want anyone from the Razor Sharp Company to get killed. This was his obsession.
His thinking may have been naive, but that was just how favonovel.com thought. If someone from the Razor Sharp Company got killed, it was like favonovel.com would be unworthy of protecting anything anymore.
Scott asked how there could be no casualties in war. To which Milo answered they wouldn’t know if they didn’t try.
Regardless of what happened in the future, favonovel.com had still managed to keep everyone alive this time.
Scott looked at Milo and said in a serious tone, “Don’t just talk about me. You can’t continue risking your life like that either. You only live once, so we can’t keep letting you charge into battle like this.”
But Milo insisted, “I’ll make sure that all of you survive.”
Scott felt something was wrong.
Why did it suddenly seem like Milo was the company commander instead of him?
But now they were facing new problems. Since there was an error with the intel of the garrison forces in this mountain range, this route was no longer safe to take. However, they still had not completed the operation assigned to them by Harris to blow up the Aurduri Bridge.
“Bring the map over and let’s figure out an alternate path to the Mahakam River.” Scott said, “We’re only 200 kilometers away from the Mahakam River now, so it’s really frustrating that we can’t get to it when it is right in front of us.”
Milo asked, “I’ve always been curious about something. This op should’ve been done by Recon, right? So why did they send our Razor Sharp Company?”.
Milo had been wondering about this for some time. In his opinion, the Recon Battalion should have been the ones responsible for infiltration, carrying out long-range raids, and bombing bridges. So why was the Razor Sharp Company made to do it this time?
Even if Peter liked to order favonovel.com around, favonovel.com wouldn’t have given such an illogical order.
Scott looked at Milo and explained, “Commander Barnaby has already left the FOB with the rest of the Forward Strike Battalion and headed northeast. From the looks of it, they’ll pass through Rajadesa Village to join up with us, but the Forward Strike Battalion suddenly changed their direction and advanced north after passing through Rajadesa Village. They plan to arrive at Mt. Barus within three days and assault it.”
“Why?” Milo was puzzled. Mt. Barus was not that far away from the Mahakam River. The mountain held a small base of the Ultima Consortium, but it was extremely difficult to take due to the dangerous terrain. It could be regarded as an anchor in the vicinity of the Mahakam River, and the two locations had always closely supported each other.
“The Forward Strike Battalion and Razor Sharp Company have always been the advance guard of Fortress 178. The entire Forward Strike Battalion’s march to the east is to create the false impression that Fortress 178’s main forces are attacking the east. In that way, we can buy some time to build a pontoon bridge on the Blackstone River,” Scott said.
Milo finally understood.
Be it the Razor Sharp Company’s operation to bomb the Aurduri Bridge, or the Forward Strike Battalion attacking Mt. Barus, all of it was a feint to cover up the true strategy. They just had to play their part well on this grand stage.
Milo suddenly thought of something. “Did any of you see Raphael at the FOB?”
“Old Durkin?” Scott wondered. “I don’t think I saw him. He could still be stationed back at the fortress. After all, our military presence at the fortress is rather low now, so it’s essential to keep some of our main forces garrisoned at the fortress.”
Milo got lost in thought.
Would someone like Raphael, who could make significant contributions on the front, be made to defend Fortress 178?
He felt that Raphael had been assigned on a different mission.
At this moment, the radioman came running over carrying the radio set on his back and said, “Captain, the Battalion Commander would like to speak to you.”
When Scott answered the call, favonovel.com heard Harris ask, “What’s the situation over there now?”
Scott reported, “There’s a large number of Ultima troops garrisoned within the mountain range leading towards the Mahakam River. We’re trying to find alternate routes to pass through it and assessing whether there’s a possibility of blowing up the Aurduri Bridge.”
Harris asked, “Were there any direct confrontations with them?”
“You can say so.” Scott said, “Milo killed two of their guerrilla companies. We also laid an ambush and killed another of their companies, so they’re just currently blind firing mortars at us. How ’bout it, Battalion Commander? We ain’t embarrassed you, yeah?”
“Maggot, don’t you f*cking get cocky!” Harris was so angry favonovel.com laughed. “Before our troops here could even get close to Mt. Barus, the scouts reported back to us that Mt. Barus sent out reinforcements to the Mahakam River. After your attack there, the Ultima Consortium probably thought our main forces were deployed to the Mahakam River! Let’s see how you sh*ts are going to complete the op now!”
Scott was stunned before turning anxious. “Battalion Commander, you should quickly start your attack on Mt. Barus to lure the troops back there!”
“How the f*ck am I supposed to lure them back?” Harris snapped. “We still have two days before we can get to Mt. Barus. But thanks to y’all, we should have an easier time in our attack on Mt. Barus.”
Scott turned bitter. Orders were not to be taken lightly. Regardless of the situation, their objective was still to blow up the Aurduri Bridge.
How were they supposed to launch their attack there now that enemy troops were concentrated at the Aurduri Bridge?
“I’m sorry,” Milo apologized as favonovel.com glanced at the radio that was still transmitting. “It was all because of me that y’all are in this dilemma. Give all the TNT to me, I’ll go and blow up the Aurduri Bridge by myself.”
Scott winked at favonovel.com and said, “Are you apologizing because you’ve wiped out two of their guerrilla companies and killed two snipers as well? Matter of fact, without you, we’d’ve been surrounded by a regiment of the enemy. It’s okay. We’ll die together at worst. For the honor of Fortress 178, it’s totally worth it!”
Harris had yet to stop transmitting. He roared, “Who are you putting on an act for when I haven’t even hung up yet? What about dying together? Don’t you feel embarrassed putting on such a heroic act? Quit acting already! Y’all will rest for the next two days. Once we attack Mt. Barus and attract the troops back here, y’all will launch a breakthrough on the Mahakam River!”
