Chapter 93: with translation of chapter title

"； Commander! Outside the city... outside the city..."； the messenger's face was ashen, his legs trembling, he could barely speak.

"； What the hell is going on? Tell me clearly!"; Yang Chengdong grabbed the messenger's collar.

"； Outside the city... outside the city everywhere are corpses,"; the messenger's voice trembled, "; the whole official road has been blasted into pits and holes, everywhere are craters, some deep enough to bury a truck...";

Yang Chengdong's hand trembled slightly: "; Continue speaking!";

"； The Ninth Division's equipment... all turned into scrap metal. Armored vehicles were blown to pieces, the barrels of the field artillery were bent. Everywhere were burnt-out vehicles, many corpses burned beyond recognition...";

Qin Chang'an's hand holding the windowsill unconsciously increased force, his knuckles whitening.

"； The worst part is..."; the messenger swallowed, "; the ground is littered with shrapnel, thick and dense, like a steel rain fell. Many corpses were turned into sieves, not even intact ones can be found...";

"； What about Xiao Ye?"; Yang Chengdong's voice was trembling, "; where is the commander of the Ninth Division?";

"； In... in the west city's Kaikuodi area,"; the messenger's voice trembled even more, "; that place... that place is simply hell...";

The remnants of the well-trained Ninth Division, driven there, were all mowed down by machine guns. The dense bullet impacts turned the ground into a series of trenches. Corpses piled up like mountains, blood flowed like rivers, even the moonlight was dyed red.

"； Xiao Ye's corpse lay right in the middle,"; the messenger continued, "; he had taken a bullet to the chest, still gripping a short dagger in his hand...";

Yang Chengdong staggered back two steps, collapsing into his chair. An elite division of eighteen thousand, wiped out overnight just like that?

"； Not only that,"; the messenger seemed to recall something even more terrifying, "; we discovered on the battlefield a trace of a weapon never seen before. Those craters are strange, diameter over ten meters, depth astonishing. The surrounding trees were uprooted, metal melted and deformed by high heat...";

Qin Chang'an recalled those mysterious weapons he had seen before, a chill rose in his heart.

"； And those steel monsters,"; the messenger continued, "; they are larger than any armored vehicle we have seen. Where their tracks crush, even reinforced concrete is pulverized. The gun barrels are as thick as an adult's waist...";

The room fell into a deathly silence. Everyone realized they were facing not an ordinary army, but a terrifying force never seen before. The proud army of those Easterners, before such firepower, couldn't even last a night.

"； This..."; Yang Chengdong slumped in his chair, muttering, "; such power, even if the Easterners' ace division came, they probably...";

Before he finished speaking, another messenger rushed in: "; Commander! Director Lin's troops have already entered the city! They... they are advancing toward the Security Command Headquarters!";

"； Toward... toward the Security Command Headquarters advancing?"; Yang Chengdong's voice changed tone, "; what does he mean?";

Qin Chang'an stared fixedly at the map, his finger tracing the possible advance route of Lin Yu's forces: "; Uncle, Lin Yu is trying to profit from the chaos! Father just left, he wants to pull the rug from under us...";

"； No! Absolutely cannot let them approach the headquarters!"; Yang Chengdong slammed the table and stood up, "; Zheng Sheng hao!";

"； Present!"; Security Division Commander Zheng Sheng hao immediately stepped forward.

"； Immediately mobilize the Security Division's heavy machine gun company, set up fire points around the headquarters."; Yang Chengdong issued the order quickly, "; pull out those few 75mm field guns, even if we can't pierce their armor, at least make them think twice!";

"； Yes!";

"； Sun Desheng!";

"； Present!"; The commander of the 13th Brigade responded.

"； Your troops are our finest infantry, immediately construct fortifications around the headquarters, you must hold the high ground."; Yang Chengdong's voice trembled slightly, "; we must not let them easily break in!";

But Qin Chang'an shook his head: "; Uncle, you forgot the messenger's report just now? Even the Easterners' heavy artillery regiment was smashed to pieces by them, our firepower...";

"； Then what do you suggest we do?"; Yang Chengdong grabbed Qin Chang'an's collar, "; are we just going to sit and wait for death? Let that brat Lin Yu ride over our heads?";

The room fell into deadly silence. Everyone understood that if Lin Yu really made a move, the thirty thousand troops of the Security Command Headquarters probably couldn't withstand even a single salvo of their rockets.

"； Wait!"; Zheng Sheng hao suddenly spoke, "; Lin Yu wouldn't do that.";

"； How so?";

"； You think, if he really wanted to deal with us, he could easily wipe out both the Ninth Division and the Security Command Headquarters in one go."; Zheng Sheng hao analyzed, "; he didn't do that, instead he swaggered into the city, indicating he has another motive.";

Yang Chengdong's eyes lit up: "; You mean...";

"； He is demonstrating his strength!"; Zheng Sheng hao said word by word, "; using the annihilation of the Ninth Division to tell us: if he wants to act, we don't even have a chance to fight back.";

Qin Chang'an pondered: "; So he came to negotiate?";

"； Quite possible."; Zheng Sheng hao nodded, "; but this kind of negotiation... we have no room left to choose.";

Yang Chengdong heaved a deep sigh, sat down in his chair: "; Pass the order down, all units stay on alert but don't act rashly. Also... prepare the reception room, it seems we need to have a proper talk with Director Lin.";

In the dim dawn, the steel torrent of the Seventh Division was advancing toward the Security Command Headquarters.

Tiger tanks led the way, the muzzles of their 88mm main guns glinting coldly in the dawn light. The roar of their tracks grinding the ground made hearts pound, the brick-and-stone road along the route was pulverized. Leopard tanks flanked both sides, armored grenadiers close behind, the whole column stretching several kilometers.

"； Report! The Security Command Headquarters' defensive line spotted five hundred meters ahead!"; the tank commander's voice came over the radio.

Shiteyin raised his binoculars. The soldiers of the Security Command Headquarters were frantically moving sandbags, a few heavy machine guns hastily set up at the intersection. Those few old 75mm field guns looked utterly ridiculous, the gunners' hands trembling.

"； Ignore them, keep advancing."; Shiteyin said coldly.

The tank formation accelerated, the roar of their tracks crushing the ground growing ever closer. The soldiers of the Security Command Headquarters turned ashen, watching this unprecedented armored unit advance step by step.

"； Withdraw... retreat!"; an officer shouted hoarsely.

The defensive line collapsed in an instant. Soldiers dropped their sandbags and machine guns, scrambling to retreat. Those few field guns were abandoned where they stood, like a few laughable antiques.

Tiger tanks rolled over the discarded sandbags, their main guns slowly turning to aim at the Security Command Headquarters building. Leopard tanks swiftly deployed, bringing the entire block within their fire range. Armored grenadiers dismounted from their vehicles, submachine guns at the ready, moving in perfect unison.

Within the compound of the Security Command Headquarters, thirty thousand troops stood silent as cicadas in winter. They understood how this steel torrent had obliterated the Easterners' Ninth Division in a single night.

At this moment, that terrifying force halted outside their gates, like a sword hanging over their heads.

"； All... all fall back! Fall back quickly!"; the officers of the Security Division shouted hoarsely, their voices laced with undisguisable fear.

And the armored forces continued advancing, crushing the Security Command Headquarters' final line of defense...