Chapter 61: The Great Battle Begins

"As for me, after graduating from Huali Military Academy back then, I enlisted in the Zheng faction's forces. Later, when the allied forces of Marshall invaded our country, I was called up and went to war with my unit. I've switched through several different units since then, and it was by sheer coincidence that I ended up in the 339th Division this time."

At this point, Ma Yuan paused involuntarily before continuing, "However, I am so grateful to have come to the 339师 this time. It’s what allowed me to run into you once again. Otherwise, we would have missed each other yet again, and who knows when the next time we met would be."

Liu Shishi did not speak. She nestled quietly in Ma Yuan's arms, listening intently as he recounted his experiences over the years. Those experiences felt as though she had lived through them alongside him; she listened with the utmost care, unwilling to miss a single detail.

"And you? How have you spent these past years?" After finishing his own story, Ma Yuan stroked the soft hair on Liu Shishi's forehead and asked softly.

Before Liu Shishi could reply, however, a voice resembling a squawking duck suddenly cut through the air, accompanied by the beam of a flashlight sweeping over them.

"Hey, what are you two doing? What do you think you're doing? This is a battlefield, not a place for you two to be romancing."

It was the soldier on night watch. Spotting Ma Yuan and Liu Shishi hiding in such a secluded spot and suspecting an enemy infiltration, he had come over to investigate.

Startled by the voice, Ma Yuan and Liu Shishi hurriedly stood up and left in absolute embarrassment, though the soldier's grumbling followed them from behind: "You're old enough to know better, don't you know what time it is? You still have the mood to fall in love."

Upon returning, Ma Yuan personally escorted Liu Shishi back to the medical department. They made a promise that once the war here was over, Ma Yuan would take Liu Shishi back to Gaozhou, an arrangement she readily accepted.

The next day, shortly after the sun had barely cleared the horizon, a low, rumbling sound echoed from outside the city walls. Coming from not far away, it signaled that the enemy outside the city was launching their fourth assault.

"That's coming from the direction of the East Gate. Looks like those bastards are attacking again. The 7th Brigade stationed just outside our West Gate will probably make a move soon too; they're the ace unit among those brigades," Cheng Qian muttered to himself.

"Alright, enough talking. Hurry up and pack your things to report to the staff headquarters. The division headquarters is probably in complete chaos by now," Ma Yuan commanded immediately as he gazed at the thick smoke rising in the distance.

By the time Ma Yuan arrived at the staff headquarters, the command center of the 339th Division was already a scene of frantic activity.

"You've arrived just in time. Hurry up and mark down the defense layout for the West Gate. The division commander and the others will need it shortly. Fast, hurry up."

As soon as they stepped inside, Chief Intelligence Officer Li Sheng issued his orders, his current personnel already completely overwhelmed.

Without a moment's delay, Ma Yuan directed Cheng Qian and Hou Lili to help set up the tactical defense maps and haul in all the operational documents required for the battle.

A moments later, the commander of the 339th Division, Li Jujun; the chief of staff, Zeng Guojiang; various regimental and battalion commanders; and even Chang Huailiang walked into the war room.

As soon as everyone was seated, Division Commander Li Jujun spoke directly.

"Gentlemen, please, take your seats quickly. Today's operational briefing will be short and concise, because the battle at the East Gate has already begun. Our 5th Army has just arrived, and this first battle must be fought with flying colors—we must display the might of our 5th Army and the prestige of our 12th Corps."

One had to admit that Division Commander Li Jujun was exceptionally skilled at rousing his troops. With just a few words, he made everyone present feel their hearts surge and their blood run hot.

"Alright, enough idle talk. Let's discuss how this battle should be fought. Chief of Staff Zeng, give us your thoughts," Li Jujun said, turning to look at Zeng Guojiang beside him.

"Understood. I will now brief everyone on the plan," Zeng Guojiang said as he stood up and walked over to the tactical map.

With a sweep of his hand, he pointed, "Gentlemen, this right here is the critical defense sector outside the West Gate of Bozhou City. Division Commander Li and I intend to deploy an entire regiment here. This area will undoubtedly bear the brunt of the enemy's most ferocious artillery fire. Regiment Commander Ma, the defense of this sector will be entrusted to your 1st Regiment."

"Guaranteed to complete the mission!" Ma Bosheng, commander of the 339th Division's 1st Regiment, stood up and snapped a crisp salute.

Zeng Guojiang waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down, and continued, "Good. As for the 2nd and 33rd Regiments, they will be stationed in these two locations respectively to serve as the supporting defense zones for the 1st Regiment. Your tasks are equally crucial. You must ensure that your defense sectors are not overrun by the enemy, and at the same time, if the 1st Regiment's line breaks, you must throw yourselves into the breach with everything you have. The position holds as long as there is breath in your bodies!"

The commanders of the 2nd and 33rd Regiments also stood up and voiced their firm resolve.

"Division Commander, that concludes the general deployment. Would you like to say a few words?" Zeng Guojiang asked after finishing the briefing, turning back to Division Commander Li Jujun.

Li Jujun rose to his feet, swept his gaze across the room, and let out a deep breath.

"Gentlemen, the days ahead of us will be fraught with extreme danger. It is even possible that our entire 339th Division could be wiped out. But I, Li Jujun, will make this clear right here and now: as long as a single man remains in the 339th Division, the West Gate of Bozhou City will not fall. If the enemy wishes to cross into Bozhou City, they will have to march over my dead body, and over the bodies of every single soldier in the 339th Division!"

Once more, a stirring and impassioned speech moved everyone in the room to stand up and pledge their unwavering commitment in unison.

Standing to the side, Ma Yuan felt his heart swell with emotion. The scene brought a sudden mist to his eyes; this was war, the stark and brutal reality of the battlefield.

With the deployment complete, all the soldiers of the 339th Division moved into their assigned positions.

Back at his post, Ma Yuan led Cheng Qian and Hou Lili in continuously refining the defense maps and organizing frontline intelligence reports. Their intelligence section was tasked with ensuring that the front lines had accurate, up-to-the-minute awareness of the tactical situation.

Finally, by the afternoon of the following day, the Marshall coalition's 7th Brigade outside the city officially launched its assault against the defenses outside the West Gate of Bozhou City. In an instant, countless artillery shells rained down from the sky like a torrential downpour, slamming into the ancient walls of Bozhou.

Even sitting securely inside the intelligence room, Ma Yuan could feel the sheer brutality of the frontline fighting. The ceaseless roaring of the heavy artillery battered the senses, striking terror into the hearts of all who heard it.

Unlike the Zheng faction's forces—whose artillery capabilities remained deficient, possessing only a rudimentary artillery regiment that paled in comparison to the brigade-level might of the Marshall coalition—the defenders had little choice against the relentless bombardment. Only after weathering these ferocious waves of artillery fire did the defending soldiers dare to lift their heads, gripping their rifles and bracing themselves at their respective posts.