Chapter 35: Rear Guard Turns Vanguard, Securing the Flank

The sunlight at Banyou dispelled the chill and dampness of the grassland, yet it could not disperse the heavy anticipation etched upon Wang Lin’s brow. The Independent Regiment seized every fleeting moment on this rare patch of dry land to recuperate. Soldiers cleaned their weapons, mended their straw sandals, and consumed warm bowls of highland barley porridge, their strength recovering slowly but steadily. The local Tibetan people in the village, initially wary, had gradually come to accept them; some of the younger ones even gazed with curiosity at this army, which, despite its strict discipline, carried the weary scent of gunpowder and battle.

Wang Lin stood at the entrance of the makeshift regimental headquarters, his gaze drifting past the fluttering flag of the "Iron-Blooded Rearguard Tiger Regiment" toward the northeast. Beyond the undulating contours of the mountains lay Baozuo, the strategic stronghold that would determine the fate of the Red Army’s northward march. He knew that the main forces of the Central Committee and the Right Route Army were struggling through the treacherous expanse, inching their way out of the "Death Marsh." The key to opening the gate to the north rested entirely on Baozuo.

Every minute of radio silence felt agonizingly long. It was not until the codebreaker came running, nearly cradling the thin sheet of decoded text, that everyone’s heart leaped into their throats.

"Regimental Commander! An urgent telegram from the Central Committee and the Right Route Army Military Commission!"

Wang Lin snatched it, his eyes scanning the lines like lightning. The message was clear and pressing:

"To Comrades Wang and Wang, and all comrades of the Independent Regiment: We are heartened to hear that your unit has successfully crossed the grassland and arrived at Banyou, marking the route as you went—a truly great achievement! The key pass for the northward route—Baozuo—is currently held by heavy forces of the Hu Zongnan army, with their reinforcements, the 49th Division, advancing rapidly from Songpan in an attempt to block us at the Baozuo River line. The outcome at Baozuo concerns the success or failure of the entire army’s move into Southern Gansu and the future of the Chinese revolution!

"After deliberation, it has been decided: Wang Lin is appointed as the Frontline Commander for the Baozuo Campaign. Take Baozuo! Your mission: with the Independent Regiment as the main assault force, you are to resolutely crack the two hard nuts—Dajie Temple and Qiuji Temple—to open the path north! The 30th Army will be responsible for perimeter security and intercepting reinforcements, focusing on ambushing and annihilating the incoming 49th Division!

"This battle affects the entire strategic situation. We hope your unit will uphold the 'Iron-Blooded Rearguard' tiger spirit, overcome all difficulties, and resolutely take Baozuo! All comrades of the Central Committee and the Right Route Army await your victory! Zhu, Zhou, Xu."

Political Commissar Wang Guangdao, Li Yunlong, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, and several battalion commanders all held their breath. The content of the telegram was concise yet carried the weight of a thousand pounds: Wang Lin was appointed Frontline Commander, and the Independent Regiment was tasked with the main assault to take the Baozuo fortress. They were also informed that the elite of the Red Fourth Front Army’s 30th Army—the 264th and 268th Regiments—were rushing to their aid and would serve as the general reserve and reinforcement-interception force. However, the heavy responsibility of the spearhead assault fell unequivocally upon the shoulders of the Independent Regiment.

"Ha! Main assault! Head-to-head! Now that’s what I’m talking about!" Li Yunlong slapped his thigh, his excitement palpable, as if he could already see himself leading his new battalion into the enemy lines.

Wang Guangdao was more cautious: "Old Lin, such trust is like a mountain, and the responsibility is even greater. Is the unit's state... capable of cracking this?"

Wang Lin did not answer immediately. He closed his eyes, and the detailed 3D map in his mind unfolded once more. The mountains, rivers, ravines, and jungles of the Baozuo region appeared in minute detail. However, many specifics regarding the enemy’s defensive fortifications remained blurry—especially the precise distribution of firepower, the rotation patterns of the guards, and the exact locations of the command posts.

He opened his eyes abruptly, his gaze sharp as a blade: "To crack it, determination alone isn't enough; we need eyes and brains! Hu Zongnan is no fool; he has been operating in Baozuo for years. A head-on charge is just suicide!" He turned to the reconnaissance company commander standing by, "Zhang Hongtu!"

"Here!" Zhang Hongtu snapped to attention, his chest puffed out.

"Assemble the entire reconnaissance company! The mission is here, and it’s a life-or-death one!" Wang Lin’s voice was low and powerful. "I need you to be my eyes. Sneak into Baozuo and see every inch of Hu Zongnan’s turtle shell, inside and out!"

The atmosphere inside the headquarters turned somber. Zhang Hongtu and his platoon leaders and core scouts gathered around Wang Lin. On the table lay a map, synthesized from scattered intelligence and the systematic information Wang Lin had compiled.

"Look closely," Wang Lin’s finger pressed heavily on the points marked 'Dajie Temple' and 'Qiuji Temple.' "These two points are the core, the hardest of the hard. Especially Qiuji Temple; if we don't take out that high ground on the back mountain, no matter how many men we throw at it, it won't be enough."

"Commander, this place is too treacherous. To try to sneak in..." one veteran scout platoon leader said, looking troubled.

"That’s why we won't act recklessly." Wang Lin interrupted him, simultaneously activating the system's "Tactical Simulation Analysis" and "High-Precision Terrain Survey" functions. His vision seemed to connect to an invisible drone, overlooking Baozuo from high above. The terrain, vegetation coverage, and water flow became incredibly clear. He could even simulate lighting and shadows at different times to deduce which routes might be covered by enemy fire and which blind spots could be exploited.

[System Prompt: Optimal infiltration routes generated (3). High-risk observation points marked (7). Estimated main enemy firepower sectors (marked). Night/dawn visibility simulation provided.]

Integrating the system’s prompts with his own judgment, Wang Lin began issuing specific orders, his words painting a vivid picture:

"Zhang Hongtu, you lead the First Platoon personally along this line." His finger traced an eerie curve on the map, bypassing the frontal river and cutting in through a junction of dense forest and steep cliffs that seemed impassable. "Here, based on the terrain, there should be mountain shadows after 3:00 PM; the light will be at its dimmest, allowing you to stealthily approach within 300 meters of the rear-flank of Dajie Temple. Focus on identifying the layout of the barbed wire, the number of bunkers, the orientation of the firing slits, and the building with the brightest lights and the most antennas—that is likely the command post or communication hub."

"Second Platoon leader, take your men and handle Qiuji Temple." Wang Lin’s finger moved to the steeper northern side. "This is the hardest path to take. You’ll have to scale a nearly vertical cliff face, but it’s the place the enemy least expects. Move before dawn, using the morning mist as cover. Once you’re up, don’t get bogged down in a fight; your mission is that high ground on the back mountain! Count exactly how many machine-gun nests there are, whether there are mortar positions, the locations of observation posts, and the guard rotation times! Remember, you are eyes, not fists; seeing is victory!"

"Third Platoon, split into small groups and operate around the Yanong intersection and Gawa Village. Create diversions, fire a few shots, and run. Draw their attention and create opportunities for our brothers to infiltrate the main positions. At the same time, observe and record the enemy’s movement patterns, the timing of supply convoys, and the direction from which reinforcements might arrive."

Wang Lin paused, his eyes sweeping over every scout: "Remember, this reconnaissance directly concerns the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of our brothers in the main assault force! I don't want 'about' or 'maybe.' I want precision down to the meter and the minute! Where the enemy’s machine gun is mounted, what time they change guards, how thick the walls of the command post are—I need to know it all! Can you do it?"

"Yes! We guarantee the mission will be accomplished!" the scouts growled in low voices, their eyes burning with the fire ignited by their heavy duty.

The night and the morning mist became the best protective amulets for the Red Army scouts.

Zhang Hongtu and the elites of the First Platoon clung to the steep mountainside like geckos, moving slowly through the shadows of shrubs and rocks. The routes provided by the system precisely avoided several dangerous, wide-open areas. They could even hear the coughing and chatting of enemy sentries above them. Sweat soaked their clothes, and their muscles ached from holding static positions for long periods, yet not one of them made a sound. They quickly sketched on small notebooks with charcoal pencils and measured distances with ropes, silently etching everything they saw into their minds.

The warriors of the Second Platoon performed a silent dance on the precipice. Using grappling hooks and ropes, in the darkest hour before dawn, they miraculously climbed a cliff on the back of Qiuji Temple. Lying behind the cold rocks, they greedily recorded everything through captured binoculars (spoils from previous battles): on the high ground, there were three circular machine-gun emplacements covering the entire frontal assault route; a reinforced semi-underground bunker bristling with antennas, undoubtedly an observation/command post; they even clearly observed the entire enemy guard rotation process—at 5:40 AM, lasting about three minutes, during which the sentries appeared somewhat tired and lax.

On the perimeter, the Third Platoon’s diversions were effective. Scattered gunfire and explosions made the defenders nervous; searchlights swept wildly, and troops were redeployed toward the source of the noise, inadvertently relaxing their vigilance over the core area.

Reconnaissance was not always smooth sailing. A soldier, attempting to observe a hidden fire point on the flank of Dajie Temple at closer range, accidentally tripped a simple alarm line (a tripwire connected to empty tin cans) set by the enemy.

"Clang—"

The harsh sound was jarring in the silent night.

"Who’s there?!" The enemy sentry was immediately alert, the sound of bolts racking clearly audible.

The searchlight beam swept over instantly.

"Pop-pop-pop!" The enemy’s machine gun fired blindly in the direction of the noise.

"Withdraw!" the squad leader leading the team growled, pushing his comrade away, though he himself was a split second too slow as he covered the retreat.

"Squad leader!"

Amidst a few stifled gasps, the squad leader was hit by several bullets and stumbled to the ground, blood quickly staining the grass beneath him. Yet, until the very last moment, he gripped the small notebook filled with markings and data tightly.

His comrades suppressed their grief, quickly disengaging using the darkness and the terrain, firmly engraving the intelligence bought with blood into their memories.

At daybreak, the reconnaissance teams returned to the secret assembly point near Banyou. Some brought back detailed sketches and data; some brought back blood-stained notebooks; others brought back permanent pain and the loss of their comrades.

Zhang Hongtu’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice hoarse but filled with absolute determination as he reported to Wang Lin:

"Commander, we’ve figured it out! There’s a blind spot in the southeast corner of Dajie Temple; the enemy’s two cross-firing machine guns have a three-second gap! The guard rotation at the back mountain of Qiuji Temple is at 5:40 AM, lasting three minutes; that’s the best time for artillery preparation! The command post is in the largest stone house in the backyard of Qiuji Temple; the walls are estimated to be over half a meter thick! The enemy at the outer Gawa Village has a supply convoy every day at 10:00 AM..."

Piece by piece, incredibly precious intelligence converged with Wang Lin.

Wang Lin stood before the map, now densely annotated. The simulated images in his mind became clearer and more precise as the real data was input. The enemy’s defensive system was no longer a vague wall of bronze and iron, but a complex machine with weaknesses, patterns, and vulnerabilities that could be exploited.

He turned to the commanders of all levels waiting for the final order and said with ironclad certainty:

"Alright, we’ve seen the enemy’s hand! Now, it’s our turn to play! Pass the word down: all battalion and company commanders, report to headquarters for a meeting!"

Baozuo, the ferocious tiger entrenched at the throat of the northward path, was now firmly fixed in the eagle-eyed gaze of the Red Army. A meticulously planned thunderous strike was about to descend.