Chapter 1315 The Battle to Recapture Yucheng

Northwest of the outskirts of Chongqing, the position of the 3rd Artillery Brigade

Located about 25 kilometers northwest of the main urban area of ​​Chongqing, this is a hilly area that has been cleared out.

The terrain is slightly higher than the surrounding area, providing a relatively wide field of vision and ensuring that the firing arc of various types of artillery covers the predetermined strike area.

The thin mist of early morning had not yet completely dissipated, lingering between the dark green mountain ridges.

But on this chosen high ground, the mist was dispelled by another, thicker, hotter scent—the scent of diesel fuel, propellant, and the steel itself, a scent of pent-up energy.

Looking around, the entire high ground and the gentle slope behind it have been transformed into a massive, efficient, and violently aesthetic artillery position.

The site was carefully planned, with different functional areas clearly defined:

The core launch area is located on the relatively flat top and leading slope of the high ground.

Thirty-six PCL-181 155mm vehicle-mounted howitzers were arranged in a wedge-shaped evacuation configuration, with each howitzer spaced more than fifty meters apart. The huge tires were deeply embedded in the temporarily reinforced firing positions, and the hydraulic spades were firmly driven into the ground.

To the flanks and at higher elevations of the PCL-181 position lies an even more formidable long-range fire zone.

Forty-eight PHL-191 long-range box rocket launchers are arranged in a "田" (field) shape, divided into four battalion-level positions. Each launcher tows or carries a rectangular modular storage and launch container, which is tightly closed. Forty-eight dedicated heavy cranes/loading vehicles stand quietly by like loyal servants, their sturdy booms folded, ready to quickly reload the launch containers after each salvo.

The vast logistical support and command and control area occupies a wider area behind and on the flanks of the high ground.

Hundreds of vehicles of various types were parked in an orderly fashion, with ammunition transport vehicles fully loaded with pre-packaged 155mm grenades and rocket modules for various purposes.

Command vehicles, reconnaissance vehicles, and communication vehicles are lined with antennas, maintaining uninterrupted data link connections with the army group's forward command post, forward observation posts, and drone relays.

The entire artillery brigade, with nearly 400 military vehicles of various types, lay silently in the darkness before dawn, like the outstretched steel skeleton of a giant, awaiting the order.

.....

Inside the brigade command vehicle, Brigade Commander Colonel Chen Dalei stared intently at the integrated display screen, which displayed various information from the army group's forward command post.

At that moment, he could hear the clear and concise reports from the company and battalion commanders through his earpiece:

"First Battalion, ready!"

"Second Battalion, prepare the battle plans!"

"Rocket Artillery Battalion 1, module test normal!"

……

Suddenly, an order came through Chen Dalei's earpiece from the Chongqing Military Region Joint Command Center:

"The 3rd Artillery Brigade shall immediately launch a fire strike on the designated area according to the established plan!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Dalei's eyes flashed with a sharp light. The next second, his roar, transmitted through the communication module in the command vehicle, instantly spread throughout the entire position, drowning out all other noises!

"All troops! Target data, fire with full force!!!"

boom--!!!!!!

The first to roar were those 36 PCL-181 vehicle-mounted howitzers with a 155mm caliber!

Almost at the same millisecond, 36 blazing fireballs burst forth from the muzzle brakes, instantly tearing the pre-dawn darkness to shreds!

The immense recoil caused the heavy truck chassis to lurch backward, and the hydraulic system emitted a sharp groan.

The muzzle storm whipped up dust from the ground, forming 36 wild plumes of smoke.

As soon as the first salvo of high-explosive shells left the barrel, the automatic loader, driven by hydraulics, pushed the next shell into the scorching breech. The breech closed, and the aiming system made fine adjustments based on the ballistic computer's corrections. The whole process was smooth and efficient. In less than ten seconds, the roar of the second salvo once again shook the mountains and fields!

But this is just the prelude.

What followed was the true symphony of destruction.

*Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!*

In the long-range fire zone, the seemingly calm modular launch box cover of the PHL-191 launcher suddenly popped open!

The next moment, countless thicker and more dazzling trails of flame roared out from inside the box!

It's not about launching one module at a time, but about a module igniting almost simultaneously in a very short time!

48 launch vehicles and nearly 100 launch modules unleashed more than 500 370mm large-caliber rockets into the sky in just over ten seconds!

The sight at this moment is so breathtaking that it will be unforgettable for any witness!

The leaden, cold sky of early morning was completely ignited by countless bright trails that rose from the ground, each trailing an orange-red flame!

They did not go straight up and down, but rather with a deadly arc, intertwining and converging in the air to form an incomparably magnificent and dense net of scorching bullets that covered the entire sky!

The trails of light left by the exhaust flames crisscrossed, illuminating the rolling clouds and the menacing steel firing array below.

The violent roar of the rocket engines merged into a continuous rumble of thunder, overwhelming the boom of the 155mm howitzers. The earth trembled in the continuous tremors, and it seemed as if a man-made, burning sun had risen above the position!

After rising into the air, this destructive torrent slightly adjusted its posture and, as if pulled by an invisible hand, crashed down on the deep red death zone tens of kilometers away—the main urban area of ​​Chongqing and its key surrounding nodes!

......

Located on the northern edge of Chongqing's main urban area, formerly a suburban area, it is now a densely populated area of ​​zombie hordes.

This place, once a mixed area of ​​low-rise buildings, warehouses, and markets, is now filled with layers upon layers of writhing, howling zombies.

The stench of decay was so thick it was almost palpable. Various mutated creatures appeared and disappeared among the horde of zombies, including the massive, heavily armored "Heavy Armor Tyrants," which moved slowly through the sea of ​​ordinary zombies like mobile fortresses.

First came a muffled, continuous howl like rolling thunder from the sky, approaching rapidly from afar.

Some of the more acutely aware mutants seemed to sense something, and uneasily raised their twisted heads to look at the still dark sky.

But before they could react further—

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! ————

The first wave of 155mm high-explosive shells arrived like a streak of meteors!

They did not fall blindly, but rather through precise calculations, forming a "fire carpet" with an extremely wide coverage.

The explosion's flames merged into one, instantly shattering a large area from darkness! Orange-red fireballs, accompanied by black smoke columns, shot into the sky, and shockwaves, like invisible giant hammers, spread violently outwards in a ring!

The reinforced concrete wreckage was easily torn apart and thrown into the air; the crowded horde of corpses vaporized directly at the center of the explosion, while those a little further away were torn to pieces by the shock wave, with severed limbs mixed with internal organs and black mucus, splashing outwards like a torrential rain.

Even those heavily armored tyrants, under such dense bombardment of direct hits or near misses from high-explosive grenades, will develop terrifying dents and cracks in their thick armor, or even be completely flipped over, exposing the fragile flesh and blood tissue underneath, which will convulse and burn violently in the flames.

But this is just the beginning.

Before the dust from the first round of shelling had even settled, the sky was filled with an even more terrifying sight—countless "meteors" trailing flames pierced through the clouds, covering an even larger area with a deathly shriek!

The PHL-191 launches a wide variety of long-range rockets:

The explosive bomb exploded in mid-air, and the pre-formed shrapnel swept downwards in a fan shape, cutting down exposed zombies in large numbers;

Cluster munitions disperse countless small warheads at a lower altitude, forming a true "rain of steel" that covers corners and gaps in building ruins that are difficult for artillery to reach.

There are also incendiary bombs. When they explode, the viscous incendiary agent splashes everywhere, adhering to all combustibles and living organisms and burning violently, turning large areas into rolling seas of fire and thick smoke that obscures the sun!

.....