Chapter 1216 Iron-Blooded Special Operations Brigade
During this period, he witnessed firsthand how Wang Tiefeng, like a master chess player, did not pursue the immediate gains or losses of a single city or territory, but focused on the entire chessboard of the battle.
When to commit heavy troops for a fierce offensive, when to slow down the pace and consolidate the front line, and when to withstand pressure and even suffer some casualties in order to achieve key strategic objectives...
Wang Tiefeng's precise grasp of the battle's rhythm allowed Jia Sanniu to deeply understand what "strategic patience and decisiveness" meant.
Furthermore, given the limited resources, the urgency of the situation, and the rapidly changing enemy circumstances, Wang Tiefeng faced countless difficult or even multifaceted choices.
Should we prioritize securing an attack on the eastern front, or strengthen the blockade on the western front? Should we commit our precious reserves to a potential breakthrough, or hold them back to deal with more unknown risks?
Jia Sanniu learned from Wang Tiefeng how to calmly weigh the pros and cons, how to make decisions concerning the lives of tens of thousands of people based on experience and intuition when information was incomplete, and how to bear the consequences.
Of course, all of the above require Jia Sanniu to spend a considerable amount of time repeatedly digesting and absorbing them through practice.
What truly enabled him to make a huge improvement in a short period of time was that Wang Tiefeng taught him his experience and thoughts on the use of artillery, aviation, armored forces, infantry, and even special operations brigades almost without reservation through this battle!
Let him know which "sword" to draw under what terrain and enemy situation, and how to make them work together to achieve a power greater than 1+1>2.
Therefore, the Night Market Battle was not only a battle for the strong voice of the Central Plains War Zone, but also a battle for Jia Sanniu's personal growth!
It can only be said that compared to Lu Chong, Zhu Jun, and other young officers of the same generation, Gu Chengyuan showed far too much favoritism towards Jia Sanniu. Not only did he make him an apprentice of Wang Tiefeng, a battle-hardened master strategist and commander of the theater army, but he also used the Night Market Campaign as a practical training exercise...
In martial arts novels, this treatment would be comparable to receiving a powerful initiation or empowerment.
"Commander, comrades!" Jia Sanniu's voice, hoarse from days of command, was still loud and powerful, like a blood-stained battle blade:
"I am here to report on the first week's operational summary of Operation 'Clean Night'!"
After seeing Gu Chengyuan, who was sitting in the main seat, nod slightly, he opened the electronic tactical board in his hand, and data instantly appeared on the central main screen.
"Over the past seven days, our participating troops have resolutely carried out the theater command's orders, overcome numerous difficulties, and the overall progress of the campaign has met expectations, and even exceeded expectations in some aspects!"
I. Advancement of the Battlefront and Control of the Area:
"The main attack force on the eastern front has completely opened up and consolidated the Yingbin Avenue-Golden Avenue axis, and the vanguard has advanced to an area less than 3 kilometers from the site of the former core business district of the night market, the 'Fortune Building'!"
"The western assault group has completed the thorough clearing of the West Railway Station and surrounding area, covering approximately 25 square kilometers, and has established a solid outer blockade line."
"The covering forces on the north and south flanks are advancing steadily, and have compressed the main combat area into a circular area with a radius of about 8 kilometers, centered on the original city center."
"To date, our army has completely controlled more than 68% of the surface area of the night market, and major traffic arteries, bridges, and tunnel entrances are all under our control!"
II. Destruction of enemy manpower:
"Based on comprehensive statistics (including the results of artillery, air force, ground troops, and special operations brigades), a total of approximately 610 million zombies and mutated creatures of various types have been confirmed to have been eliminated this week!"
His voice was deliberately emphasized here, and this number moved several members of the Standing Committee present.
"Among them, 98 medium-sized or larger mutant nests were confirmed to have been destroyed, including 9 'secondary mother nests' with certain command functions."
"The main body of the mutant ant colony on the east side has been destroyed by the 1st Special Operations Brigade. More than 70% of its underground main nest structure has collapsed, and the remaining ants have lost their organization and have turned to sporadic resistance."
"The western spore fungal parasitic area has been largely purified by flamethrowers and special incendiary bombs. The main parent organism (Fortune Building Cordyceps) was severely damaged in the first day of shelling, its activity was significantly reduced, and it completely lost its ability to resist. It has now been taken to the theater biological research center with the assistance of special operations brigade soldiers."
III. Combat performance of various branches of the armed forces:
"Artillery units continuously provide high-intensity and precise fire support, which is particularly effective in countering fortifications and clustered targets."
"The carpet bombing by the air force, especially the H-20 bomber group, made the first contribution to opening up the situation in the early stages and destroying the high-density infected areas!"
"Ground armored forces have demonstrated strong assault and attack capabilities in complex urban environments, and are the backbone of the advance."
"The infantry units demonstrated extremely high tactical skills and a spirit of sacrifice in clearing out the remaining enemy, consolidating positions, and fighting house by house."
“The 1st Special Operations Brigade…” Jia Sanniu paused, his tone filled with deep admiration and a hint of complexity: “Under the leadership of Deputy Brigade Commander Bato, they undertook the most dangerous and arduous special operations clearing missions, and their attacks on the mutated ant nests and several stubborn zombie mother nests were devastating. This unit is known for its fierce and courageous style, but… its casualties were also the most severe.”
IV. Consumptions and Casualties (as of now):
"Ammunition consumption: various types of artillery shells account for about 31% of the total strategic reserves; aerial bombs account for about 28%; the consumption of various types of bullets and missiles is within a controllable range."
"Fuel consumption: Due to continuous high-intensity mobile operations, it has reached 135% of the pre-war estimate, increasing logistical pressure."
“Casualties…” Jia Sanniu’s voice lowered again. He took a deep breath and read out a series of somber numbers:
"A total of 2,817 officers and soldiers were killed in action."
"4,592 people were lost due to infection, serious injuries and other reasons."
"...Among them, the 1st Special Operations Brigade suffered 1027 killed in action and 588 seriously wounded and withdrawn from combat, with a casualty rate exceeding 80%. The command headquarters repeatedly ordered them to rest and regroup, but the Special Operations Brigade fought to the death..."
Jia Sanniu's final report on the casualties of the special operations brigade was like a boulder thrown into the lake of the meeting, which was initially somewhat invigorated by the huge number of enemy casualties, creating entirely different ripples.
hiss--
A series of suppressed gasps, a mixture of shock and disbelief, rose from the group of Standing Committee members.
If they could still maintain their composure as senior generals when they heard about the casualties of thousands of regular troops—after all, this was a necessary, even "minor," price to pay for recapturing a city with a population of tens of millions—then the shocking figures from the Special Operations Brigade truly shook them.
1027 killed, 588 seriously wounded!
The casualty rate exceeds 80%!
The death toll is almost twice the number of seriously injured!
The combination of these data points conveys a brutal and clear message!
For regular troops, it is common for the number of dead to exceed the number of wounded, because many soldiers can die from viral infections, even if they only have minor cuts.
But the special operations brigade...
Everyone knows that those "ghoul" warriors, due to their special physiological structure and natural resistance to viruses, almost never suffer fatal injuries from "infection"!
So, this abnormal, inverted casualty ratio only means one thing—that the soldiers of the special operations brigade are fighting in the most resolute and brutal way!
Even after suffering severe injuries that would render regular soldiers combat-ineffective, they could still charge forward with their tenacious vitality and even more fearless fighting spirit, until they shed their last drop of blood and truly "die in battle"!
"Seriously wounded but not leaving the front line" is not just a slogan for them, but the norm! They don't withdraw from the battle until they are completely defeated!
I imagine those monstrous figures clad in black armor, charging relentlessly into the fangs and claws of mutants, fighting to the death even with limbs broken and armor shattered...
The cold shell that existed in the hearts of the generals present, which existed due to their physical differences and who viewed it as a "weapon of war," was shattered by this iron and bloody reality!
The military has always been a place that is both pragmatic and highly values bravery!
Here, the rule of the strong is an eternal law!
You can have an unusual appearance, an unknown background, or even be misunderstood...
But as long as you prove your loyalty, your bravery, and your determination to shed your last drop of blood for a common goal, then you will earn respect, recognition, and the right to be a "comrade-in-arms"!
