Chapter 286: Entering the Dead Zone

The artillery shell dragged a trail of fire straight into the night sky; the lead plane had no time to react before it was riddled with holes, falling into the valley while billowing black smoke, its flames staining the night sky red.

"Direct hit!" Cheers erupted from the defensive position.

The other two enemy planes hurriedly gained altitude, still circling in the air, attempting to find an opportunity to attack.

"Parameters updated! Bearing zero-nine-nine! Elevation three-five! Fuse one-two! — Fire!"

"Boom, boom, boom..." A series of artillery shots rang out, and another Mustang was hit in the tail, spinning as it crashed onto the riverbank.

The pilot of the last remaining enemy plane was terrified, slamming the throttle to climb and flee.

He Yuzhu would not let them go, immediately shouting new parameters: "Bearing zero-eight-eight! Elevation six-zero! Fuse two-eight! — Long burst, fire!"

The fleeing enemy plane was hit and disappeared into the horizon, trailing black smoke.

Seeing the last plane fly away, He Yuzhu immediately ordered the bugler to sound the horn.

Only after the air raid alarm was lifted did the soldiers quickly rise to continue crossing the river.

He Yuzhu let out a long breath and wiped the sweat from his brow. Tonight, this bridge had finally been held.

Ershuan rubbed his shoulder, which had been numbed by the recoil of the machine gun, and grinned: "Zhuzi, fighting with you is truly satisfying!"

At this moment, Yang Hu ran over, looking at the still-operating radar, and exclaimed sincerely: "He Yuzhu, you son of a bitch, you're a living immortal! If we had this stuff a few years earlier, how many fewer comrades would have sacrificed their lives!"

He Yuzhu smiled and said nothing. He knew that technology could not leap across eras. Even as a transmigrator, he could at most make technology lead the era by just a little bit.

Before long, leaders of various ranks came out to express their condolences to his New First Company.

Because of this, they also harvested quite a lot of good things to eat.

This time, the New First Company led by He Yuzhu became famous in one battle, but they also bore the cost of fame—they received notice that they must wait until all troops had crossed the river before they could leave.

Ten days passed before He Yuzhu finally crossed the Yalu River, but the main force under Division Commander Yang had already marched several hundred miles away.

The roads were blown to pieces, and it was extremely difficult for He Yuzhu to lead his company with their heavy equipment.

The US Military planes checked in for work almost every day, and He Yuzhu also grew anxious; he adjusted the marching schedule to fight planes during the day and march only at night.

Over ten days, the New First Company led by He Yuzhu shot down more than ten US Military Mustang bombers.

When he reported the results to Regimental Commander Yang via radio, what he did not expect was that a few days later, the name "He Yuzhu" would already be resounding throughout Si Jiu Cheng.

Early in the morning, Yan Bugui clutched a newspaper, staring at the three characters "He Yuzhu" in a daze for a long time. He could not connect the "bad kid" in the courtyard with the combat hero in the newspaper who had shot down nineteen American planes.

Yi Zhonghai walked to the gate of the courtyard and, seeing him lost in thought, asked: "Lao Yan, what are you looking at so intently?"

Yan Bugui pointed to the name in the paper and muttered: "This He Yuzhu... could he be He Daqing's son?"

"My Volunteer Army hero Company Commander He Yuzhu, leading his anti-aircraft company... shot down nineteen enemy planes..." Yi Zhonghai finished reading the report and shook his head decisively: "It must be a name coincidence!"

"I think so too, it's impossible!" Yan Bugui finally found some psychological balance.

Just then, Director Wang arrived with people from the Street Office, beating drums and gongs, heading straight for the He Family to deliver the "Collective First Class Merit" commendation.

Yan Bugui and Yi Zhonghai were stunned on the spot.

Yan Bugui stepped forward and tentatively asked: "Director Wang, which family is this commendation for?"

"The company He Yuzhu belongs to has been awarded a Collective First Class Merit!" Director Wang replied loudly.

He Yushui ran out from the room and looked up, asking: "Did my brother win a merit?"

Director Wang patted her head and smiled: "It's your brother, your brother has won a great merit!"

Shen Guizhi came out upon hearing the sound, and as soon as she heard this, tears fell, and she asked with a trembling voice: "Is Zhuzi already dead?"

"Don't worry, Auntie, he is doing just fine!" Wang Xia hurriedly comforted her.

"You are lying to me, how can anyone who wins a First Class Merit still be alive?"

"What are you saying, many people who win First Class Merits are still alive!"

Only then did Shen Guizhi break into a smile through her tears—she hadn't slept soundly for days, dreaming either that her son had sacrificed himself or that her husband had died for his country.

But at this moment, He Yuzhu, far away on the battlefield, had truly encountered trouble.

On the night of October 26th, the heavy snow did not stop all night.

The accumulated snow blocked the road, meaning the trucks could no longer move forward, which meant all the heavy equipment could not be moved. Even with his space, he couldn't fit everything inside. Those cannons were dead heavy.

He Yuzhu could only contact Regimental Commander Yang to wait for instructions while setting up camp in a leeward mountain hollow.

Having been tired for days, He Yuzhu fell asleep as soon as he lay down.

Still in his sleep, He Yuzhu was suddenly pushed awake by Ershuan: "Zhuzi, the scouts are back—over fifty US Military tanks are driving toward us!"

He Yuzhu woke up instantly: "How far are they from us?"

"Less than twenty miles!"

"Emergency assembly!" He Yuzhu jumped up, "Assemble the whole company within five minutes!"

The unit quickly finished lining up.

Standing in the wind and snow, He Yuzhu said decisively: "The enemy is at least a tank battalion, and there might be follow-up troops. We are an isolated force with no support; even if we fight until the whole company is wiped out, we won't beat them. Therefore, we must fight a guerrilla war. I am now deploying the mission—"

His gaze swept toward Second Platoon Leader Xu Jian and Third Platoon Leader Shi Lei, and he said loudly: "Second Platoon and Third Platoon, each platoon take ten Bazooka rocket launchers and occupy the left and right flanks of the high ground. Three people to a team, adopt a 'hit and run' guerrilla tactic, and never get bogged down in a fight. Remember, the more dispersed you are, the higher your survival rate—tank artillery is more accurate than you."

"Understood!" Second Platoon Leader Xu Jian and Third Platoon Leader Shi Lei replied simultaneously.

"First Platoon, come with me three miles forward to lay Landmines."

"Yes!" First Platoon Leader Wang Tieshan said loudly.

He Yuzhu led the thirty-plus men of the First Platoon in a rapid march for three miles and stopped at the designated section.

Looking at the snow-covered ground where no one had walked, Wang Tieshan said: "Company Commander, if we bury the Landmines under the snow, will they discover them?"

"Good question. I didn't bring you here to bury mines. You start from here and run toward the mountain, back and forth, to create the appearance that a massive army has passed through."

"You want to make the enemy think we have many people?"

"Smart! From now on, you run all over the mountain and run back, making the footprints as messy as possible."

Wang Tieshan understood immediately and led his men to run on the mountains on both sides of the road.

He Yuzhu, meanwhile, took Landmines out of his space and buried them in places without marks, leaving no traces on the snow—this method was something only someone like him, who possessed a space, could do.

Once He Yuzhu finished all of this, he led the panting Wang Tieshan back to the encampment.

Wang Tieshan looked at the Anti-aircraft Gun and said, "Company Commander, if the Tank charges over... what should we do with this equipment of ours?"

"Tieshan, have everyone aim all the Anti-aircraft Guns and Anti-aircraft Machine Guns at those Tanks. Once the Tanks enter the minefield, concentrate your fire and cover them with shooting—you must hurt them in the first wave! Once they break through the defensive line, we are finished."

Wang Tieshan nodded heavily: "Understood!"