Munitions Empire-Chapter 1188 - 1108 water well

At the same time, the Tang Navy was also undergoing strategic redeployment: two aircraft carriers had already returned to Beiyuan Port for repairs, resupply, and rest.

Another two carriers, escorted by four supply ships and a destroyer detachment, headed east to carry out the mission of blockading Mirage Country’s eastern and northern seas, cutting off their transportation and supply lines.

Of the remaining six carriers, two would detach from the fleet and head southwest to Linshui Port for rest once the first batch of carriers reached Beiyuan Port.

In other words, as the campaign progressed, the carrier fleet near the South Island landing zone would be reduced to just four.

In reality, once the airfields on South Island were repaired and operational, Tang Army’s air power on the island would be fully self-sufficient.

By that time, the Navy’s main responsibility would be ensuring the safety of their shipping routes. In fact, the Tang Navy had already completed their next stage of the mission ahead of schedule: Mirage Country’s Navy was no longer capable of threatening Tang Army’s maritime supply lines.

"What do you think? Only four carriers left—does it add any pressure?" Bernard glanced at his flagship’s captain and asked with a smile.

"Pressure? Four aircraft carriers… how could this possibly be pressure? I’ve got over 300 carrier-based aircraft. What do those Goblins have? Their entire South Island can probably muster less than 100 planes." The captain replied lightheartedly.

Bernard nodded. They had just received a cryptic communication from the homeland, and the latest satellite images brought back some interesting pictures: Mirage Country’s airfield in the northern part of South Island had been bombed, and their planes on the island were dwindling in number.

These two pieces of intelligence were great news for Tang Country’s troops fighting on South Island—they meant that Mirage Country had completely lost air superiority on the island.

On the 13th day of the Tang Army’s landing on South Island, they unleashed a fierce rocket artillery strike on Great Southern Bay: countless rockets rained down on the city, igniting fires that kept blazing past dusk, turning Great Southern Bay into an inferno.

Under the cover of night, Cao Fei, a sniper for the Navy Marine Corps, and his partner cautiously navigated through the ruins, inching forward slowly.

Using dim moonlight and the distant glow of fire as cover, they moved with extreme caution. Their goal was to exploit the night to find a suitable sniper position and update their kill records.

For soldiers of the Navy Marine Corps, these opportunities to engage in direct combat were rare. Cao Fei and his partner cherished the chance—especially the possibility of earning an upgrade to the Blade Medal on their chests.

Both were draped in ghillie suits tailored for urban combat, featuring a mix of dark gray and light gray hues that made them blend seamlessly into the rubble.

Without close observation, it was nearly impossible to spot them—they resembled two piles of moving debris among the ruins.

The two crawled through a "natural trench" formed by the collapse of buildings, then climbed up the remains of a partially destroyed second floor.

The floorboards were fractured, leaving only two to three meters intact near the window. Even the window was halved—with the rest having crumbled away.

Frankly, the place looked extremely dangerous. A distant exploding shell could trigger vibrations strong enough to bring it down.

But the vantage point was simply too good. Hidden here, they could overlook most of the block and detect even the slightest movement.

Positioning themselves in a corner with a segment of an abandoned table near the window as a support, Cao Fei mounted his rifle and meticulously camouflaged his scope and muzzle to make them look as inconspicuous as possible.

Then he crouched behind the table, adopting a sitting position that made him resemble a collapsed section of wall, blending perfectly with the shattered second-floor façade.

Meanwhile, his partner secured an equally excellent spot nearby, offering a clear line of sight to every area he needed to cover.

The pair quietly waited as the horizon gradually brightened. Before long, a Mirage Country Goblin civilian crossed the street, seemingly scavenging the ruins for food and valuables.

The civilians of Great Southern Bay hadn’t been fully evacuated; in fact, nearly all had stayed behind. Older ones were drafted into the army, while younger ones were left to fend for themselves amidst the devastation. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Some elderly people took their children and fled east, aiming to avoid Tang Army’s artillery bombardment.

However, the eastern escape route was no longer safe. Once daylight broke, Tang Army’s aircraft would seal off the area. The Stukas of Tang Country were indiscriminate—they would dive down and fire at any target.

"Did you see that Goblin?" His partner remained motionless, maintaining his posture as he asked in a low voice.

"Yes! Just a civilian. If he comes too close, wait until he approaches and then take him out." Cao Fei was reluctant to fire on civilians, but if one interfered with his mission, he wouldn’t hesitate.

Hidden beneath the ghillie suit, Cao Fei’s partner quietly chambered a round in his Type-56 assault rifle. The sound of the bolt clicking assured him the weapon was ready.

A series of whistling noises followed as Tang Army’s rocket artillery flew over their heads and struck the center of the city. The explosions made the ruins shake beneath Cao Fei’s position.

"I’m really worried this place might collapse," his partner said uneasily from his precarious perch.

"We checked when we climbed up—it’s still stable, isn’t it?" Cao Fei reassured him. "I’d bet someone’s bound to pass by here shortly."

True to his prediction, a Mirage Country soldier soon peeked out from a distance. The man scanned furtively before bending low and carrying a water bucket across the street.

"Fetching water… Didn’t we already occupy their water plant? He’s likely drawing from a nearby well," Cao Fei immediately deduced, understanding why the civilian had ventured there earlier.

Soon enough, the same civilian returned, clutching a water flask. He crossed the street, entirely unaware a rifle had been pointed at his head the whole time.

As the Mirage Country soldier carrying the heavy water bucket made his way back across the street, Cao Fei pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The decision to wait until the soldier’s return was tactical: carrying a bucket of water slowed him down, making him the perfect target.

"Bang!" A crisp gunshot echoed; the soldier collapsed in the middle of the street as the bucket fell, spilling its contents.

Blood quickly mixed with the water pooling from the bucket. Cao Fei fired another shot at the bucket’s base, piercing a hole before retreating with his partner from their exposed sniper position.

As for the loss of a soldier and a vital water bucket—it wasn’t Cao Fei’s concern whether Mirage Country’s commanding officer would curse his situation.

The two retraced their steps, returning to the nearby Tang Army command post. After removing their steel helmets and drinking a bowl of hot soup, they began reporting their findings: "There’s likely a well nearby! We saw their soldier fetching water."

"Are you certain?" The battalion commander questioned, incredulous that Mirage Country’s troops had been sneaking water right under his nose.

"We spotted a civilian with a water flask and killed a Goblin soldier carrying a water bucket." Cao Fei explained briefly.

"Securing that spot should force their retreat!" The commander nodded in agreement, finding the intelligence highly valuable.

"2nd Company, you must advance to this line by noon and establish defensive positions among the ruins! 1st Company, secure the flank! 3rd Company will remain here and create a circular defense formation alongside 1st and 2nd Companies." Without hesitation, the commander issued orders.

After assigning tasks, he took the still-warm food container from Cao Fei. "You’re a Marine sniper unit—I don’t have authority over your actions, so…"

"We’ll act as we see fit; you do as you please." Cao Fei replied with a smile, having grown accustomed to such scenarios.

Mirage Country’s defenders had clearly lost organizational coordination. Their troops fought independently and mostly remained entrenched.

The well nearby was evidently a critical reason for their reluctance to retreat. Their lack of manpower made counterattacking impossible.

The well sat between the two armies’ positions, preventing Mirage Country from engaging directly with Tang Army’s battalion stationed in the ruins. Thus, they could only covertly fetch water.

These circumstances had been overlooked by Tang Army until Cao Fei uncovered the water-fetching enemy soldiers that morning, prompting the nearby Tang forces to decide on further offensives.

The battle erupted shortly thereafter. As Cao Fei and his partner sought their next sniper position, the sound of mortar fire reached their ears.

Tang Army launched an attack in the morning and, sure enough, discovered a well within a rubble-strewn courtyard behind the ruins.

Admittedly, the water quality was poor, but finding a water source in a desolate city like Great Southern Bay was no small feat.

By afternoon, reinforcements from another battalion swept through the nearby ruins, confirming Mirage Country’s forces had retreated. They left behind several wounded corpses, empty ammo crates, and a damaged radio.

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Two updates today—more to come tomorrow!