Chapter 986: First Volume, Chapter 986: The Battle Situation Takes a Sudden Turn

First Volume, Chapter 986: The Battle Situation Takes a Sudden Turn

Under Qin Feng's gaze, Liu Ming nodded.

"My Lord, based on the intelligence gathered by Qi Ya, the Xiongying Brigade has not returned to Jingji to Reinforce the King; moreover, the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue are actively shifting troops and logistical supply toward Ezhou. It is virtually certain that the Beidi King has been secretly coordinating with the Xiongying Brigade—calling them back to Wang Du was merely a ruse; they are certainly already in Ezhou, engaging our forces."

Hearing this, Qin Feng sighed inwardly—just as he feared, what he dreaded had come to pass.

The Beidi King was no fool; even in his current predicament, he would never sit idle. Sending the Xiongying Brigade back to Wang Du to defend the city would be like trading strength for weakness.

After all, the Xiongying Brigade excelled in Open Field Battle and offensive action—only then could their full advantage be unleashed.

Though this was still only speculation without direct confirmation that the Xiongying Brigade had entered combat, the movements of the Ministry of War and Ministry of Revenue strongly suggested the Xiongying Brigade had already clashed with the Beixi forces.

According to Qin Feng's initial Military Deployment, if all went smoothly and no major changes occurred, the unit closest to the Ezhou Bei Xian should now be the Beixi Expeditionary Brigade.

The moment he imagined the Beixi Expeditionary Brigade already locked in battle with the Xiongying Brigade, Qin Feng felt an inexplicable tightening in his chest.

The Beixi Expeditionary Brigade's Combat Effectiveness was indeed first-rate among Beixi County's forces; no other unit, not even the Tianji Camp Guards, could match its overall strength. The latter were too few in number and were never designed as Open Field Battle Main Force, so they remained utterly incapable of confronting the Beixi Expeditionary Brigade.

But precisely here lay the problem: this absolute Elite Troops was meant to serve as a dagger, slicing straight through Ezhou's DefensiveLine, splitting the city in two, and driving its blade straight toward Jingji.

This unit's role was not to engage in prolonged warfare—it was to deliver the "final kick."

If entangled by the Xiongying Brigade, not only would they miss the critical opportunity, but they would also suffer heavy casualties and weaken themselves.

Even the most elite unit, once on the Battlefield, inevitably suffers deaths—they are soldiers, flesh and blood, a single slash severs a head, a single arrow brings death; they are not celestial warriors impervious to blades and arrows.

With the Beixi Expeditionary Brigade's Morale, they could fight to the last man—but that only applied to Military Defense. In Open Field Battle, such a notion was meaningless.

No matter how strong an individual warrior, two fists cannot fend off four hands. Once their casualties reached thirty percent, they would lose the ability to rapidly breach Ezhou's northern DefensiveLine; if casualties exceeded fifty percent, they could no longer advance and would be forced to retreat; if casualties reached seventy percent, there would be nothing left to do but wait for death.

Individual soldiers breaking out in small groups didn't count—the main force and logistical supply would be dragged down by the wounded, making mass retreat impossible. They could only hold their ground and be slowly consumed and annihilated by the enemy's concentrated Cavalry.

Qin Feng frowned deeply and said sternly: "The Beixi Expeditionary Brigade cannot afford any misstep. Lose this dagger, and the battle situation will turn utterly upside down."

"Even if the Main Force arrives in succession, neither their Combat Effectiveness nor their equipment can match the strategic value of the Beixi Expeditionary Brigade. Forcing an assault on the northern DefensiveLine would only lead to a grinding stalemate."

"Time is our only advantage. Neither we nor the Beidi can afford to drag this out."

Hearing Qin Feng's words, the three Main Generals exchanged uneasy glances.

Liu Ming handled Military Intelligence and could offer no strategic help; Ning Hu, a pure warrior, was even less capable; as for Zhang Zhenhai, though he possessed some general talent, he had always served with the Tianji Camp Guards and lacked experience in grand strategy—in short, he had too little experience.

At this moment, no one could aid Qin Feng.

Yet Ning Hu still spoke to comfort him: "Brother Qin, though the Xiongying Brigade is elite, devouring over thirty percent of our forces is surely impossible unless they're willing to trade lives recklessly."

The moment he finished speaking, Qin Feng shook his head and sighed again.

"How do you know the Xiongying Brigade lacks the resolve for a bloody fight?"

"Our army's iron hooves have reached the Ezhou Bei Xian, leaving only one final step to Jingji. In this moment of life or death, the enemy must possess the Courage to fight to the death—especially an elite force like the Xiongying Brigade?"

"Moreover, Wu Kang, commander of the Xiongying Brigade, has been investigated countless times by the Brocade Guard. Though he is usually low-key, he is a rare talent, fiercely loyal to Beidi."

"During the National War, when we fought a decisive battle along the Northern Border, Wu Kang led the Xiongying Brigade in flanking maneuvers, employing wildly variable Tactics and astonishing bravery. Even after the war ended, they withdrew from the Battlefront as a complete unit—clear proof of their Morale and ferocity."

"Once Wu Kang realizes the key to this battlefield lies in the Beixi Expeditionary Brigade, he will spare no cost to wage a Consumption War against them."

"Even if the entire Xiongying Brigade is wiped out, as long as they cripple the Expeditionary Brigade, they will buy the northern front breathing room."

"That breathing room won't be three or five days—it will be three or five months!"

"By next spring, when the snow melts and all things revive, cavalry units will begin moving freely. For Beidi, assembling a ten-thousand-strong cavalry force will be effortless."

"At that point, Flash Strike Warfare becomes merely offering our necks for the chopping block. Our fragile Supply Line and the small Strongholds along the route will be utterly useless against Beidi Cavalry. Without winter's protection, they can easily destroy our carefully built Supply Line, leaving our forward units trapped like dumplings—total annihilation is merely a matter of time."

This was the core of Qin Feng's Winter War strategy: no delays allowed.

Zhang Zhenhai and Liu Ming exchanged a glance, their expressions growing grim.

They had assumed that, with Changshui County as a base, they had successfully pinned down a large portion of Beidi's Elite Troops, ensuring smooth advances toward Zhuozhou and Ezhou.

Yet they had not anticipated how severe the disadvantages of fighting on foreign soil still were.

No matter how elite our troops were, every man we sent was one we could not replace—each death was permanent. Beidi, though hampered by transportation, still held the advantage of home territory; even mobilizing nearby forces, they could still assemble sizable armies.

If we fail to swiftly breach Beidi's DefensiveLine, this war is lost.

All three men knew clearly: Qin Feng's goal was to annihilate Beidi utterly. Even if Beidi survived half-dead, it would still be an absolute strategic defeat.