novelaction Chapter 1059 Sweeping Away the Trap
Chapter 1059 Sweeping Away the Trap
Phnom Penh, the embassy's underground safe house. This place has been temporarily requisitioned as the frontline command post for the countermeasures against "Operation Xiangjiang".
The air was thick with smog. Several military maps and hand-drawn sketches of the city were laid out on a simple wooden table, with pencils, erasers, and several teacups that had long since gone cold scattered around.
Company Commander Tang, Squad Leader Ru, along with the military attaché and counselor from the embassy, and two operations staff officers who had just arrived and were urgently transferred from China, were gathered around the table. Each of them wore the weariness of a long journey and the solemnity of an impending major battle.
“Based on the existing intelligence and part of Liu Yuncang’s confession,” Squad Leader Ru pointed heavily to several areas circled in red on the map, “these contact points and suspected supply depots provided by ‘Pangolin’ are of utmost importance.”
However, Liu Yuncang was not of a high enough rank to know the specific security arrangements and personnel firepower.
My idea is to split into three groups and simultaneously raid points A, B, and C, using time differences to prevent them from communicating with each other. The operation will be carried out in the latter half of the night, when people are most tired. The infiltration method…”
After listening to Squad Leader Ru's report, Company Commander Tang added:
"Speed is key!"
"Once inside, don't linger. Head straight to the core basement where explosives might be stored. Xiao Ru, your infiltration team should take out any exposed or concealed sentries you discover first, but in case we're exposed prematurely..."
He paused, a fierce glint in his eyes: "Then let's launch a full-scale attack! Use rifle grenades or explosive charges to clear the way, at all costs, rush in before the enemy can react and detonate! Catch them off guard!"
Military Attaché Chen took a deep breath: "Understood. I'll arrange for the second team to check the weapons. Should we request the Cambodian security forces to set up a second line of defense further out to prevent any escapees?"
Company Commander Tang pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Not for now. The situation inside Cambodia is complicated, and we can't fully trust them. The fewer people who know about it before the operation, the better. As for the outer blockade, we and our comrades at the embassy are enough."
"Okay!" Old Chen replied with a wry smile. "But... Company Commander Tang, Squad Leader Ru, there are some things that need to be made clear. This is an embassy, not a field army. We have conventional defensive weapons, such as pistols, submachine guns, and a small number of rifles, but heavy firepower for assaults like rifle grenades and rocket launchers... we absolutely do not have those, and it would not be in accordance with the regulations for diplomatic occasions or our usual style."
"what?"
Upon hearing this, Squad Leader Ru's eyebrows immediately shot up, and he looked Old Chen up and down with an incredulous gaze. "No way, Comrade Old Chen? Your family has already sent 'big gun barrels' (RPGs) to the company, and the production capacity is about to explode. You guys didn't even think of... getting some for self-defense?"
"Damn, those spies have got their hands on machine guns and tons of explosives!"
His tone unconsciously carried the anxiety of a reconnaissance soldier about insufficient firepower: "You mean... is this from the sea? The air? It's definitely not from our old army, right?"
These days, when our Lu (Lu) goes on a training exercise, each combat team has to carry two 'cannon barrels' on their backs; otherwise, they'd be embarrassed to go out and greet their brother units!
Sergeant Ru was wronging Military Attaché Chen. While Chen was indeed from the army, he had been working as a military attaché in the diplomatic system for several years.
He certainly knew the importance of firepower.
However, as a country's diplomatic mission abroad, the embassy's weaponry must strictly comply with the host country's laws, international practices, and diplomatic norms.
The large-scale stockpiling or use of heavy assault weapons could easily trigger diplomatic disputes, provide ammunition for others to use against us, and damage our image of peace and our credibility in strictly abiding by international rules.
Therefore, even though some equipment has become more widespread in China, the embassy's defense arsenal still mainly consists of light self-defense weapons. This is both a matter of discipline and the overall situation.
We have always adhered to the bottom line and been meticulous in matters involving national credibility and diplomatic rules.
"Hey, Squad Leader Ru! I understand how you feel! No one wants to crush the enemy with the best equipment more than us! But, this isn't the front line, it's not a battlefield... If we don't have it, we don't have it!"
Military attaché Chen's wry smile deepened. Even if it's a friendly country, if you were to pull out a bunch of big guns from the embassy, anyone would be scared!
When Sergeant Ru heard Old Chen say that the embassy didn't have heavy firepower, he wasn't discouraged at all. Instead, a smug smile of "I was prepared" appeared on his face, and he even patted Old Chen on the shoulder:
"You don't have it, but we do!"
"Ha! Comrade Chen, you don't need to worry about that! Luckily we had the foresight to take the opportunity on our way from Sihanoukville... well, we managed to get a truckload of 'equipment'! It's in the truck in the yard."
Forget rifles and grenades, we have ten 'cannon barrels' alone! Ammunition is plentiful! Enough for a small-scale assault!
"Holy crap! Where the hell did you get this?!" Military officer Chen's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and his voice changed tone.
"Hehehe, don't ask, unless you don't want to stay at the embassy anymore and want to follow us, master and apprentice!"
Old Chen's face darkened slightly at Ru Chuang's questioning, but he suppressed his emotions and tried to explain calmly:
"Heh, I'd love to have a real fight with you guys! But no matter how good the new equipment is at home, or how high the production volume is, once we're here, we still have to abide by the rules."
This isn't cowardice; it's prioritizing the bigger picture! Ironclad rules are ironclad rules, and there's no room for negotiation. Let alone ten RPGs, even adding an extra heavy machine gun to the embassy—without extremely special and approved circumstances, it can't be deployed lightly.
Before he could finish speaking, the door to the safe house was flung open, and a confidential communications officer practically rushed in, clutching a newly translated telegram, his face flushed with excitement:
"Report! Urgent telegram from home! Darian has just deciphered the enemy's latest code! A detailed list of enemy firepower and some defensive projections for key outposts!"
All eyes immediately focused on it. Company Commander Tang grabbed the telegram and quickly scanned it. Squad Leader Ru and the others immediately gathered around.
The telegram listed the cold names and quantities of various weapons, followed by brief performance descriptions and possible deployment speculations.
As he watched, Company Commander Tang's brows furrowed tightly, and a fine layer of cold sweat even appeared on his forehead. The muscles on his usually resolute and calm face involuntarily tensed.
“Damn it…” Sergeant Ru gasped, pointing to one of the items, “200 kilograms of TNT equivalent high explosives, dispersed and pre-positioned, suspected to be wired/wireless dual detonation…”
"These bastards! They're trying to send the whole street flying!"
He suddenly raised his head and looked at Company Commander Tang, his eyes filled with lingering fear: "Master, if this thing is real, and they are ruthless enough to try and take us all down with them when we break in... even if we go in wearing the bulletproof vests made by Brother Da Mao, we'll still be torn to shreds!"
As he spoke, a tear welled up in the corner of Sergeant Ru's eye:
"On the northern battlefield, I saw an enemy bunker with a hundred or so kilograms of explosives hidden inside. When it went off, half a hill collapsed! An entire platoon of brothers... couldn't get out. And this 200 kilograms... was even scattered around..."
The military attaché and counselor's expressions also turned extremely ugly.
Although they were not directly involved in the raid, they were well aware of the devastation that would ensue in Phnom Penh if these weapons fell into the hands of ruthless agents.
"What image are you still worrying about now! If the central leadership gets their way, what's the point of talking about image anymore!"
"groove!"
"Use it! Blast them to smithereens! I'll take responsibility for this!"
Military officer Chen was also provoked; he tugged at his collar, revealing a reckless and determined attitude.
Fortunately, his dilemma didn't last long.
Another messenger entered, handing over another order: "Urgent telegram from superiors! Operation code: None! Mission motto: Sweep away the enemy's lair!"
That's it?
"Yes! Just those four words!" the correspondent replied confidently.
“Plowing the court and sweeping the cave…” Military officer Chen clicked his tongue, a complicated expression on his face.
"Comrade Shang Kun is truly enraged. Those four words... carry great weight."