Chapter 138

Outside the south gate of Shen City, the Sun family's reinforcements were entering the city in an orderly manner. The two main brigades totaled eight thousand men, all of them Sun family's core troops.

"First brigade, advance along Zhongshan Road! Second brigade, enter via Nanjing Road!" Sun family army's chief of staff Gu Changfeng gave the order on horseback. These were troops carefully trained by Sun Lingyun; although they couldn't compare to the Ghost Division, they were considered elite among local forces.

The equipment of the two brigades was at a medium level among local forces. Most soldiers were equipped with Lanyang-made rifles; each company had three or four light machine guns. The artillery battalion was equipped with twelve mountain guns; although not advanced, they were well maintained and their firepower was adequate. The Sun family had long been in the arms trade, so the troops' ammunition supply was far more ample than that of ordinary warlords.

Inside the French Concession, Sun Lingyun was remotely commanding via telephone: "Tell Chief of Staff Gu, the troops must disperse when entering the city, avoid concentration. The Ghost Division's firepower is too fierce; we must not give them a chance to concentrate their strike."

"Young Commander, rest assured," Gu Changfeng's reply came quickly: "I have already ordered each battalion to disperse and advance, ready to construct fortifications on the spot at any time."

At this time, the Lu family's marine infantry was also assembling. Three thousand strong, although their equipment was ordinary, these men had long fought on water and at the docks, giving them rich close-combat experience. Each squad was equipped with sufficient hand grenades, preparing to ambush the enemy at close range in urban combat.

Under the reorganization of Xu Zhiyuan, the remnants of the Garrison Brigade were reformed into a combat group. Although they suffered heavy losses, the remaining over two thousand were all veteran soldiers with combat proficiency far exceeding that of ordinary units.

"Attention, all units," the Zhou Special Envoy said at an emergency meeting of the Allied Forces command center: "We now have a force of fifty thousand. Although our equipment is inferior to the enemy's, if we employ the right tactics, victory is not impossible."

The chief of staff, standing before the sand table, introduced the deployment: "The Sun family's two brigades will be the main force, breaking through from the south. The Lu family's marine infantry will handle urban combat on the east. The remnants of the Garrison Brigade, combined with the Security Army, will contain the west. Mobile reserves will be held in the north, ready to reinforce at any time."

"The key is to break the enemy's armored units," Yang Chengdong interjected, "otherwise our infantry cannot deploy at all."

"Three ambush positions have already been planned," the chief of staff said, pointing at the map, "each position has a demolition team and a fire team working together, aiming to strike the enemy's armor at close range."

Although the communications system was imperfect, all units were equipped with telephones and signalers. Important orders were personally delivered by liaison officers to ensure the command system remained smooth.

In logistics, three supply stations were set up in the French Concession, stocked with ample ammunition and medical supplies. The Sun family's quartermaster specially allocated a batch of anti-tank hand grenades for close-range attacks on armor.

"Operation code name 'Dawn,' the general assault will be launched at dawn tomorrow." The Zhou Special Envoy finally emphasized, "Remember, this is our last chance. If we fail, Shen City will fall completely into Lin Yu's hands before reinforcements arrive."

However, just as the Allied Forces were preparing in full swing, the Fourth Bureau's intelligence network had already sent all the information to Lin Yu's desk.

"These local troops are ultimately still too backward," Lin Yu said, shaking his head as he looked at the intelligence.

Shiteyin worriedly said, "But sir, a force of fifty thousand is indeed not to be underestimated. Moreover, the court's reinforcements can arrive in at most three days."

"Perfect." Lin Yu stood up, walked to the sand table, and said, "Let us give them a lesson on what modern warfare is."

He moved the markers on the sand table: "Order all combat groups to fall back two kilometers, luring the enemy deeper. The Marshal's Staff artillery group shall disperse and relocate to avoid their reconnaissance. Armored grenadiers will ambush on these heights, waiting for the opportunity."

"You mean...?" Shiteyin's eyes lit up.

"Exactly." A cold gleam flashed in Lin Yu's eyes, "Let their fifty-thousand-strong force become our living targets."

Night fell, and Shen City was shrouded in an eerie tranquility. The Allied Forces' soldiers were inspecting their equipment, preparing for tomorrow's general assault. Meanwhile, in the darkness, the Ghost Division's steel torrent was quietly deploying, awaiting this battle of vastly unequal strength.

No one noticed that, on the distant horizon, a larger army was marching swiftly toward Shen City. These were the two field divisions dispatched by the court, and they would arrive in three days.

But by then, the situation in Shen City might have undergone a complete transformation.

The night was deep, yet the Fourth Bureau headquarters remained brightly lit.

"Sir, a Mr. Chen requests an audience." Secretary Zhou Wei whispered, "He says he is a close aide of Sun Lingyun."

"Let him in."

Moments later, a middle-aged man in a Western suit entered the office. He had a gaunt face, sharp eyes, and his bearing carried an air of scholarly refinement.

"I am Chen Jisheng, here on behalf of the Young Commander Sun to pay a visit." He bowed slightly, "I fear tomorrow's battle will make Commander Lin the object of ridicule."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The Young Commander Sun sent me to tell you," Chen Jisheng lowered his voice, "the eight thousand troops for tomorrow's attack are merely a show. The first brigade will seek to retreat after contact, and the second brigade will 'carelessly' expose its flank."

"What does Sun Lingyun mean by this?"

"The Young Commander said he does not want to be the court's vanguard." Chen Jisheng stared straight ahead, "Moreover, he does not wish to sacrifice his core troops in vain for others' benefit."

Chen Jisheng took a document from his briefcase and placed it on the table: "These are the conditions proposed by the Young Commander: after the war, the Sun family's holdings in Shen City will remain unchanged, and the operating rights of the docks and warehouses will stay as they are. In return, the Young Commander is willing to express support for the Fourth Bureau at an appropriate time."

"The Young Commander also said," Chen Jisheng rose to take his leave, "he would rather be a loser in this battle than a fool. As for how Commander Lin will consider it, the Young Commander will simply await good news."

Lin Yu took a cigarette from the silver cigarette case on the table and lit it slowly. The smoke curled in the light, reflecting his thoughtful expression.

"Interesting." He suddenly snorted coldly, "Originally this was just a spat between the Fourth Young Master and Yang Chengdong, but how did it suddenly turn into multiple forces joining forces against my Fourth Bureau? This change came too fast, fast enough to arouse suspicion."

The smoke slowly rose, and Lin Yu's gaze pierced through it, fixing on Chen Jisheng: "I am curious—what exactly could make you people, who usually scheme against each other, suddenly set aside your differences and unite?"

Chen Jisheng bowed slightly: "Commander Lin, please understand. To be frank, all of this is the work of that Zhou Special Envoy, who has been stirring things up. As soon as he arrived in Shen City, he began touring around, claiming that the Fourth Bureau had already threatened the court's rule in Jiangnan and must be eradicated immediately."

"Oh?" Lin Yu raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Actually, the Young Commander's original plan was quite simple." Chen Jisheng continued, "Support Qin Chang'an to replace Yang Chengdong as the new commander of the Security Army. That way, the Sun family could enter Shen City legitimately and get a share. Although Qin Chang'an is young, he is obedient and will not threaten the Sun family's business."

Chen Jisheng sighed: "If it weren't for the court's sudden intervention, we would never have chosen to oppose Commander Lin. To be frank, the Young Commander has always admired Commander Lin's abilities. But since the Zhou Special Envoy arrived, the situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse. He not only promised greater benefits to all factions, but also brought out the court's big hat, forcing everyone to declare their stance."

"The current situation is entirely under the control of the Zhou Special Envoy alone. He has turned the original local feud into the righteous banner of 'suppressing rebels.' This lets all factions enjoy the court's support while also using the opportunity to weaken their opponents. The Young Commander feels deeply helpless about this, which is why he sent me to explain the true situation to Commander Lin."

Lin Yu silently took a puff of smoke, his gaze gradually deepening.