Chapter 1357
Bloody Dawn
Chapter 1357 Bloody Dawn
6:20 in the morning.
The first rays of dawn struggled to cut through the thick clouds in the east, casting an ominous dark gold hue over the Nasul Fortress.
The morning mist was not a gentle white veil, but a murky gray-yellow curtain, carrying the smell of gunpowder and dust, churning heavily in the valley.
Visibility was reduced to less than 500 meters, and the whole world seemed to be stuffed into a frosted glass jar.
"A Company Observation Post Report—"
The sound coming from the encrypted radio station was taut like a steel wire, with the howling mountain wind in the background:
"Eastern highway! Dust! Lots of dust! About eight kilometers away! Confirmed to be a large armored convoy, tanks in front, infantry fighting vehicles and trucks behind...number...very large! We're calculating...at least company size, no, battalion size! It's a complete armored battalion! No...more than one battalion!"
Inside the command post, the air instantly froze into ice.
Song Heping and Xiao Masude rushed to the observation post almost simultaneously and raised their binoculars.
The cold metal pressed against their eye sockets, and the morning mountain wind blew into the firing port, carrying a biting chill, but both of them had beads of cold sweat on their foreheads.
Through the telescope, deep in the fog of the east, a murky yellow dust cloud appeared in the field of vision.
"coming."
Song Heping's voice was kept extremely low.
The misty fog was stirred up.
First came the blurry shadows, wriggling behind the grayish-yellow fog wall.
Then the outline gradually became clearer...
The wedge-shaped turret was the first to pierce the fog, and in the dark golden morning light, the rough metal surface of the reactive armor gleamed with a cold luster.
The 125mm smoothbore cannon's barrel hung low, like a viper raising its head, pointing towards the Nasul fortress.
The first vehicle to lead the charge was the T-72.
Then came the second one, the third one...
A total of twelve main battle tanks, arranged in two tight columns, rolled across Highway 80 at a tactical speed of less than twenty kilometers per hour.
With each rotation of the tracks, the distance to the death corridor increased by one meter.
Behind the tank, the silhouettes of eight BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles were faintly visible in the fog, their low-slung hulls and 30mm autocannon turrets barely discernible.
Further back, there were countless military trucks, their canvas covers crammed with infantrymen in khaki combat uniforms, their helmets forming a dense, overwhelming array.
The entire vanguard stretched out a nearly one-kilometer-long steel centipede, winding its way along the highway.
"Judging from the vehicle number, it is confirmed to be the 'Lynx' battalion of the 1st Armored Brigade."
Major Faisal's voice came through the radio.
"They are the sharpest teeth of the First Brigade, with the best equipment, and all of them are veterans with more than five years of service. It seems that Barzani has really gone all out!"
Song Heping's binoculars slowly swept across the entire convoy, his brain frantically processing the information he received: formation, speed, spacing, potential weaknesses...
"Let them all in."
He issued orders over the radio.
"Wait until the rear wheels of the last truck have passed turn three before starting. Engineers, prepare."
"understand!"
"Sappers in position!"
The command was instantly transmitted to all positions via encrypted channels.
Nasul Fortress fell into complete silence.
Behind every firing port was an eye with constricted pupils; beneath every camouflage net, a gun muzzle was subtly adjusted.
The tank column of the "Lynx" battalion continued its advance.
The two lead T-72s have already entered the most dangerous section of the road—the eastern entrance to the "Death Corridor".
The terrain here is so treacherous it's like a natural trap.
The road was squeezed to less than 20 meters wide, with a nearly vertical cliff full of weathered rocks on the left and a dry, cracked anti-tank ditch more than three meters deep on the right.
The tank commanders were clearly aware of the danger.
The turret began to sway restlessly from side to side, and the muzzles of the coaxial machine guns swept across the hillsides on both sides as the turret rotated.
Occasionally, the hatch would open, revealing a head wearing a tank helmet, peering out nervously through binoculars.
But they did not slow down, nor did they stop.
Stopping in this terrain increases the risk exponentially.
Speed is their only chance of survival.
As the rear wheels of the last troop transport truck rolled over the conspicuous white boundary stone at turn three—
"Detonate!"
Song Heping's order was short and clear.
A blinding flash erupted from behind a massive weathered rock at the first bend—
Not one point, but four points, lit up almost simultaneously!
Then came the sound!
“BOOM Boom Boom Boom!!!”
boom--
boom--
boom--
The loud noise made people's eardrums ache.
The fireball from the explosion did not rise upwards, but was guided by the carefully designed direction of the explosive charge. The shockwave violently pushed aside the natural boulders weighing several tons that had been piled up there!
In an instant, the sky collapsed and the earth cracked.
Several car-sized rocks were thrown into the air by the shockwave of the explosion, tumbling through the air and crashing down onto the road with destructive kinetic energy!
Smoke and dust billowed into the sky, instantly engulfing the bend.
The sight before them terrified all the rebel soldiers—the entrance to the highway was completely blocked by a chaotic barrier nearly three meters high, made of boulders and mud!
Only a narrow gap remained on the side, just wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways!
Almost in the same millisecond before the flames of the explosion had completely dissipated, two carefully disguised anti-tank missile launchers on the upper level of the Nassul fortress spewed out deadly flames.
Chi-
call out--! !
The distinctive whooshing sound of the Kornet missile during launch drowned out the echo of the explosion.
Two thick white plumes of smoke, like the javelins of death, hurtled towards the two T-72 tanks at the very front of the tank column, which had become sitting ducks, from different angles at a speed of nearly 300 meters per second!
Time seemed to freeze.
The first "Cornet" drew a subtle, corrective arc in the air, precisely aligning with the base of the lead tank's turret where it connected to the hull.
This area is typically where the top armor is relatively thin, and once penetrated, it is highly likely to trigger a secondary explosion of the ammunition.
hit!
There are no slow, penetrating shots like in movies.
Only a blinding flash exploded from the point of impact, and then the entire fifty-ton steel behemoth was as if it had been slammed hard from the inside by an invisible giant hammer!
"boom--!!!!"
With a dull yet deafening roar, the welded joint of the T-72's turret base suddenly ripped apart!
The twelve-ton turret was lifted up like a toy by the violent pressure of the explosion, tumbling and being thrown several meters into the air, drawing a twisted arc in the air, and then crashing heavily into the mountain wall on the left with a "boom", sending rocks flying. It then bounced back, tumbling and crashing onto the road, completely blocking the already chaotic road!
Thick smoke and flames billowed from the wreckage of the vehicle, which had lost its turret; there could not possibly be any living creature inside.
The second missile struck the side of the second tank almost simultaneously, exploding into a fireball on the reactive armor block. The metal jet penetrated the side armor and entered the fighting compartment.
The tank did not explode immediately, but the turret began to spin wildly at high speed in place. After spinning three or four times, it suddenly jammed, and thick smoke mixed with strange flames shot out from the hatch and observation slits.
The rear escape hatch was suddenly pushed open, and a figure engulfed in flames struggled to crawl halfway out before falling still, lying at the exit like a dead fish in a fire, letting the flames consume it.
Five seconds.
From the explosion blocking the road to the two lead T-72s being reduced to burning coffins, only five seconds passed.
The rebel convoy immediately erupted into chaos.
"Enemy attack! High alert!!"
"Car 02 is destroyed! Car 03 is on fire!!"
"The road is blocked! Back up! Back up now!!"
"Infantry dismount! Establish defenses!!"
The radio station was filled with terrified screams.
The tanks behind frantically shifted into reverse, their heavy tracks scraping against the road with a piercing scream.
But on such a narrow road, making a U-turn or reversing quickly is no easy task.
In the chaos, the left track of a T-72 crashed into a protruding rock corner by the roadside. The track plate snapped off with a "crack," and the entire vehicle immediately tilted and lay paralyzed on the spot, becoming yet another fixed target.
The infantry hatches on the infantry fighting vehicles were pushed open in a panic, and the soldiers scrambled out and jumped out of the vehicles. Some of them were swept down by the next hail of bullets before they could even stand up.
The ensuing hail of bullets was devastating.
"All units—fire!!!"
Major Faisal's roar echoed across the General Channel.
The Nassul Fortress, which had been silent all night, finally awoke amidst gunfire and explosions.
The first to attack were the four NSV "Rock" 12.7mm heavy machine guns at the upper firing point.
They were deployed inside reinforced concrete fortifications, and at that moment they simultaneously spewed out blazing tongues of fire nearly a meter long!
“Boom boom boom boom!!!”
The deep, continuous, and powerful gunshots instantly drowned out all other noises on the battlefield.
The 12.7mm bullet shot out of the muzzle at a speed of over 800 meters per second, leaving a bright trail in the air before slamming into the road below.
The bullets struck the thick frontal armor of the T-72 tank, producing a series of crisp clanging sounds and scattering clusters of dazzling sparks. Although they were difficult to penetrate, the enormous kinetic energy and sound were enough to terrify the crew inside.
When the bullet hits the relatively thin aluminum alloy side armor of the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle, it produces a muffled "thud" sound as it penetrates, easily tearing through the steel plate and entering the vehicle, leaving the personnel and equipment inside in a mess.
It hit a group of unprotected infantry...
That was the most terrifying sight.
The human body is as fragile as paper in the face of bullets of this caliber.
Those hit by bullets don't simply fall to the ground; instead, they are propelled backward by the immense impact, or a part of their body instantly disappears or ruptures, with blood and bits of flesh exploding into puffs of red mist in the air. Screams are instantly drowned out by the gunfire.
Immediately afterwards, the AGS-30 automatic grenade launcher, known as the infantry killer, joined the death chorus.
"Thump thump thump thump—!!"
With an ultra-high rate of fire of 400 rounds per minute, 30mm grenades were sprayed out like hail, covering the road and the open ground on both sides.
Each grenade exploded upon landing, creating a cloud of black smoke mixed with shrapnel and dirt.
Fragments swept across in a fan shape, reaping lives from all those without armor protection.
The continuous explosions blended together, almost without any discernible intervals.
B Company's anti-tank team launched a second wave of attacks from concealed positions closer to the road.
This time, instead of the expensive "Kornet", they used the cheaper but equally powerful RPG-29 rocket launcher and Carl Gustaf 84mm recoilless rifle.
"Swoosh—Boom!"
"boom--!"
Rockets and recoilless rifle shells, trailing long or short plumes of flame, flew in from all directions, hurtling towards tanks and infantry fighting vehicles that were trying to retaliate with their main guns or seek cover at near-direct angles.
They specifically target vulnerable areas such as the sides, rear engine compartment, and observation and aiming equipment.
A BMP-2's turret was directly hit by a rocket, the barrel of its 30mm cannon was bent, and the entire turret tilted to one side.
The right track of a T-72 was broken by a recoilless gun, leaving it paralyzed on the spot.
Meanwhile, snipers scattered across the high ground of the fortress began precise "roll call".
Any insurgent who appears to be an officer, operating heavy weapons, or attempting to organize effective resistance will be met with a precise 7.62mm or 12.7mm bullet if exposed in the scope for more than three seconds.
A rebel captain had just emerged from behind a truck, brandishing his pistol and shouting hoarsely as he tried to rally the scattered infantry and order them to launch a counterattack up the right-hand slope. He had barely uttered two words—
"puff!"
A faint sound, almost drowned out by the gunfire.
His head snapped back, and half of his helmet, along with his skull and brain tissue, was blown off by an SVD sniper bullet fired from 200 meters away.
The headless corpse swayed, then collapsed limply to the ground, the pistol falling into the dust.
The battle, within three minutes of its start, skipped the probing phase and went straight into the bloodiest and most brutal white-hot slaughter.
However, the rebels were, after all, Barzani's most elite "Lynx" battalion. After the initial shock and chaos, the surviving officers and non-commissioned officers, driven by their survival instincts and rigorous training, began to organize a fierce counterattack.
The tanks that were still able to move turned their turrets, and their short, stubby 125mm smoothbore guns spewed out flames and thick smoke, slamming high-explosive shells hard into the firing ports on the upper level of the Nasul fortress that were spitting fire.
boom!
boom!
boom!
The high-explosive bombs detonated outside the hard rock walls and concrete fortifications, each impact causing the ground to shake and sending up clouds of debris and dust.
The fortress's thick outer walls trembled violently, and the surface camouflage layer and loose rock were peeled away.
However, the main structure, built during the Ottoman era and reinforced in modern times, is exceptionally sturdy. Unless a shell penetrates directly into the narrow firing port, it is difficult to inflict fatal damage on the defenders inside.
However, the shockwave from the explosion and the flying debris continued to cause ongoing harassment and psychological pressure on the defending troops.
The surviving BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles used 30mm autocannons to suppress the enemy, with rapid-fire shells hitting the outer walls of the fortifications and exploding into a series of sparks and dust, attempting to disrupt the defenders' aiming and firing.
Meanwhile, under the cover of fire from tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, as well as a large number of smoke grenades, the dismounted infantrymen were driven by officers and sergeants and divided into five or six attack waves, launching a desperate charge on the relatively gentle slopes on both sides of the fortress!
"Charge! Seize the high ground!"
"They don't have many of them! Charge in and you'll survive!"
"For General Barzani! For Koldestan!"
Shouts, curses, and urging could be faintly heard amidst the sounds of gunfire.
Rebel soldiers, dressed in khaki uniforms, jumped, rolled, and crawled among the rocks and craters, desperately trying to climb upwards, in platoons and squads.
Light machine gun and rifle bullets rained down on the hillside in an attempt to suppress any potential firing positions.
But this was exactly the situation Song Heping had anticipated.
The infantry squads of Company A had already driven themselves into the foxholes, machine gun nests, and sniper positions that had been pre-constructed on the hillside, like nails.
From their elevated position, they had a clear view of the enemy and could clearly see every tactical maneuver of the rebel soldiers.
When the first wave of rebels, panting and scrambling, reached the halfway point of the mountain and entered the optimal killing range—
"beat!"
With a command from the position commander, the dormant firing positions on the hillside suddenly came back to life!
Light machine guns, assault rifles, and rifle-mounted grenades opened fire simultaneously!
Countless grenades rained down, exploding among or around the rebel crowd!
Shooting from a high vantage point has a natural advantage.
The defenders can easily aim at exposed enemies, while the attackers have a hard time accurately hitting the defenders hidden behind cover.
Crossfire is like the Grim Reaper's scythe, ruthlessly reaping lives.
The first battalion-level charge was repelled within just ten minutes.
More than thirty bodies in various positions were left on the hillside, and many more wounded people were groaning and writhing in pools of blood, but no one dared to rescue them, because anyone who tried to approach would be shot dead.
"Don't stop! Damn it! Don't back down!"
A rebel major, hiding behind the wreckage of a burning tank, brandished a pistol and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Second wave! Third wave! Charge together! Their ammo isn't unlimited! Charge! Our reinforcements will be here soon, overwhelm them with sheer numbers!"
More rebel infantry were driven up.
This time they were smarter; instead of launching concentrated attacks, they made full use of the terrain.
Every rock, every crater, and every wreck of a burning vehicle became their temporary shelter.
With skillful tactical maneuvers, they took turns providing cover in twos and threes, gradually encroaching upwards, exchanging fire with the defenders above using rifles and light machine guns, attempting to slowly wear down the defenders with their superior numbers and firepower.
The battle quickly entered the most brutal phase, a close-quarters stalemate that tested both sides' willpower and tactical skills.
Gunfire erupted fiercely at a distance of less than 100 meters, grenades flew crisscrossing in the air, and explosions echoed one after another, interspersed with the screams of soldiers on both sides as they were hit and the dying groans of those on the verge of death.
Inside the command post, Masoud was pale, gripping the cold cement edge of the observation port tightly.
Through the high-magnification periscope, the hellish scene was laid bare before his eyes—
A young soldier from the "Storm" battalion had just leaned out from behind a rock to throw a grenade when he was hit in the chest by a burst of machine gun fire from below.
The bulletproof vest blocked part of the impact, but the enormous kinetic energy still made him scream in agony as he fell backward, tumbling down the steep hillside and disappearing into the dust.
He saw a rebel soldier who was exceptionally brave. Taking advantage of the moment when the defenders were reloading, he suddenly leaped out of the shell crater and charged into a defender's light machine gun position at an astonishing speed.
The gleaming bayonet plunged deep into the side of the machine gunner's neck, and blood gushed out.
But the next second, the assistant gunner next to him swung his entrenching tool and used all his strength to smash the rebel soldier's brains out of the back of his head.
He saw a BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle firing its 30mm cannon at a firing point on the upper level of the fortress like a madman, with shells scattering stone chips everywhere, and it looked like the heavy machine gun was about to fall silent.
Suddenly, an RPG rocket flew out from the side of the hillside and accurately penetrated the vulnerable side armor of the armored vehicle.
The infantry fighting vehicle jolted violently, the hatch was blown open by the blast wave, and flames and thick smoke spewed out from inside, quickly engulfing the entire vehicle. None of the crew members escaped.
The overwhelming stench of blood, the putrid smell of burnt muscle and entrails, and the acrid odor of gunpowder and dust were carried into the command post by the mountain wind, the intense and nauseating smells irritating everyone's nasal passages and nerves.
Masood felt a churning in his stomach.
"Mr. Song!"
The communications soldier's voice trembled with tension: "Report from position number three on the left flank! They've repelled two company-level assaults! But their casualties exceed half! The squad leader is dead, ammunition is critically low, and they only have two anti-tank rockets left! Requesting reinforcements!"
Song Heping stood in front of the map table, his voice still steady, but his speaking speed noticeably increased:
"Order the first platoon of Company C to immediately reinforce position number three on the left flank, carrying extra ammunition and anti-tank weapons. Tell the personnel currently stationed at position number three to tighten their defensive perimeter, concentrate firepower to hold key strongpoints, and abandon secondary areas. Company B's mortar teams, conduct three rapid fire rounds on the area from coordinates 'Red Zone-7' to 'Red Zone-9' on the left flank hillside to disrupt the enemy's next wave of attack!"
"The second sniper position on the right flank has been directly hit by the tank's main gun! The bunker has collapsed, and both snipers have been confirmed dead!"
Another communications soldier reported.
"Have the backup sniper position 'Eagle Eye-3' immediately take over the surveillance and suppression mission. Notify the B Company anti-tank team to concentrate firepower and prioritize taking out the T-72 'Iron Claw-07' that is maneuvering back and forth in an S-shape on the road and continuously bombarding my upper fortifications with high-explosive shells. It poses the greatest threat."
The battle raged on in a hell of blood and fire until 8:00 a.m.
The "Storm" battalion, taking advantage of the treacherous terrain of Nassul Fortress, its pre-constructed fortifications, meticulous tactical deployment, and a surprise first strike, successfully pinned down the vanguard of the "Lynx" battalion in the Death Corridor, preventing them from advancing an inch.
But the cost was heavy.
The list of dead has risen to twenty-one, with thirty-nine seriously wounded. Almost every platoon-level position has suffered casualties, and almost everyone with minor injuries is wounded.
The most critical issue is ammunition consumption.
In particular, the expensive Kornet anti-tank missiles and disposable rocket launchers have already used up one-third of the stockpile.
The rate at which machine gun bullets, grenades, and hand grenades were consumed far exceeded expectations.
Although the rebels lost four tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, and more than one hundred infantrymen, they still had eight tanks and a large number of infantrymen remaining combat-ready. Relying on the vehicle wreckage and terrain, they built a relatively solid defensive perimeter along the road and on both sides, resulting in a stalemate with the defenders.
More importantly, a real threat is looming.
"Mr. Song!"
The communications soldier responsible for monitoring the drone's data link suddenly looked up, his face unusually solemn, even showing a hint of panic.
"The latest drone footage shows that Barzani's main vanguard has reached the eastern side of the battlefield... less than five kilometers away!"
He swallowed hard and said with difficulty:
"Confirmed to be at least a mechanized infantry regiment! They... they show no signs of stopping to wait for the vanguard to open a path! They are rapidly deploying into attack formation! Artillery units are breaking away from the marching formation and maneuvering towards the flank positions! It seems... they intend to use overwhelming force to directly crush us and forcibly tear through our defenses!"
The air in the command post instantly dropped to freezing point again.
Even Song Heping, who had remained calm throughout, suddenly had his pupils constrict.
He took a deep breath and turned to look at Masoud beside him.
"Everyone, the real test is about to begin..." Song Heping said in a deep voice.
Masood's Adam's apple bobbed: "How much time...do we have left?"
Song Heping glanced at the map: "They'll complete their deployment, establish artillery positions, and conduct test firings and adjustments... It'll take them at least fifteen minutes, at most twenty minutes. Their first round of artillery fire will then fall on our heads."
He immediately grabbed the radio microphone:
"Major Faisal, order all forward positions to immediately prepare for artillery fire! Except for necessary observation posts, all personnel must evacuate from open positions and enter fortified bunkers, underground tunnels, or deep fortifications within the fortress! Repeat, this is not a drill! Enemy heavy artillery is about to reach range! We must prepare for at least fifteen minutes of intense artillery fire!"
"Understood!" Faisal's voice came through: "Executing!"
The order, like a signal of receding tide, quickly spread to every corner of Nassul Fortress.
Gunfire from each position visibly thinned out and diminished. Soldiers who were still able to move helped each other, carried the wounded, and with their remaining heavy weapons and ammunition, evacuated their exposed positions as quickly as possible, filing into the reinforced bunkers.
The entire hilltop seemed to have been drained of its vitality in an instant, with only a few well-protected observation posts still watching the rebels' every move below through periscopes or gaps.
In the command post, Song Heping looked at Xiao Masude and several staff officers: "We should also go down to the shelter and take refuge."
They quickly gathered up the most important maps, radios, and documents, and went down a narrow, dimly lit staircase.
The further down you go, the safer you feel.
The core shelter was a space of about forty square meters, with walls and ceilings reinforced with thick logs and steel rails. A wired telephone and a backup radio were the only means of communication between the shelter and the outside world.
Second update! 10,000-word update complete!
(End of this chapter)