It's better to conquer them than to command the steel torrent

Chapter 259 | I am the most hated person by the Ivan Rus' (Combined into one)

Philadelphia.

This ancient city is named 'Philadelphia', meaning fraternity. Philadelphia is one of the most historically significant cities in America, having hosted two Continental Congresses and the Constitutional Convention during the Revolutionary War.

Now, as the invaders' forces approach the city's northern outskirts, more than 1.8 million people are anxiously coping with the situation in their own unique ways.

Some people choose to flee and seek refuge—running away unscathed.

Some people chose to stay at home and wait—helpless.

Some chose to join militia groups—to rise up in resistance.

In the evening, a convoy of cars was stranded near Wedell University in the western suburbs, and the people in the convoy were all very anxious.

The bald-headed senior police inspector, Taylor, was in charge of the convoy. He was so restless that he stood up and paced back and forth.

At noon, he sent someone to a nearby phone booth to call Washington and inquire. The reply was that reinforcements were on their way. After that, the convoy lost contact with Washington and could not be reached no matter what they tried.

Without portable communication devices, long-distance communication is really troublesome these days.

The sounds of gunfire could be faintly heard as Ivanos's army, advancing from the north to the south, attempted to attack the city, which was only seven or eight miles away.

The interstate highway leading south was completely blocked, with cars stretching as far as the eye could see in front of and behind the convoy, numbering in the thousands.

Senior Superintendent Taylor was extremely anxious, as the convoy was transporting over six million ounces of gold, equivalent to approximately 170 tons.

It's worth noting that the purchase price of a Yorktown-class aircraft carrier is only $4000 million, equivalent to 114 million ounces of gold. In other words, this small convoy was carrying the equivalent of precious metals worth five aircraft carriers.

However, the convoy was only protected by more than two hundred USPIS postal police and USSS agents. Such security was sufficient to deal with armed rioters, but it was clearly no match for regular troops.

"Why aren't those engineers here yet?" Taylor asked a police inspector beside him.

The latter replied helplessly, "They ran away, sir! They deceived us!"

In the afternoon, Taylor was already making two preparations. He was determined not to give up the gold so easily. He planned to throw the gold into the nearby Skulkill River, but he needed someone's help.

Dozens of defeated engineers had passed through the area, and he asked them to come and help him. They agreed on the surface, but in reality, they took the opportunity to run away.

At that very moment, his worst fears came true.

There is also a north-south auxiliary road north of the interstate highway. Ivan Ross's army not only attacked the city from the northern suburbs, but also bypassed the city through the auxiliary road and went straight south from the western suburbs, seemingly to cut off their retreat.
A nimble police inspector climbed onto the roof of the truck's cab and looked closely.

The enemy force that had circled around numbered about two or three hundred, led by several tanks, followed by some trucks and civilian buses.

"Sir, a large number of enemy troops are approaching this area along Highway 476. There are several tanks ahead, and a total of about 200 or 300 men!"

Taylor looked around and knew that his men alone could not possibly withstand the tanks and infantry of a regular army, especially in field conditions.

He looked at the neighboring Wedell University, took a deep breath, and decisively issued instructions.

"Get off the highway immediately! Drive the truck into the university! Everyone get into those (academic buildings)!"

Everyone did as instructed.

One truck after another drove off the highway and into the Wedell University campus, a few hundred meters away.

More than two hundred postal police officers and special agents dispersed and rushed into three adjacent teaching buildings, intending to use the buildings for defense...

Why did those American police convoys flee in such a hurry? There must be something fishy going on!

The Imperial Russian soldiers clearly noticed the American convoy that had just fled the highway in a hurry, so two tanks and dozens of men followed them, while the rest stayed at the intersection to establish a circular defensive position.

At 17:25 p.m., a depleted infantry company approached Wedell University with the support of two T-34 tanks.

"Listen up, you people inside! You're just police! This war has nothing to do with you! Get out of the war zone now!"

The arrogant shouts of the Imperial Russian soldiers ordered the postal police and secret agents guarding the school building to get out of there immediately, giving them five minutes, or they would resort to force.

According to international law, a country's police force is essentially an employee that enforces domestic laws, and is equivalent to civilians in nature, not a hostile armed force.

However, at Taylor's command, they were met with a hail of bullets.

In an instant, hundreds of guns fired from every window of the three buildings. Various lever-action rifles, automatic rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, and revolvers crackled and popped like firecrackers during the Spring Festival.

Seeing that these guys didn't know what was good for them, the Russian soldiers didn't hold back and immediately opened fire.

The two T-34s each fired a shot, and the 76.2mm shells exploded with a bang, instantly overwhelming the enemy in terms of momentum. They then followed up with continuous machine gun fire!

However, the Tsarist Russian soldiers did not expect the Armenian police to have such intense firepower, and how could they have so many automatic weapons?!

The probing attack didn't go well; it seemed these guys were a tough nut to crack. The Imperial Russian soldiers gave up and retreated back to their roadside encirclement.

The vanguard of the Imperial Russian detachment that arrived here was small in number. Their mission, according to instructions, was to establish a stronghold at the intersection of the interstate highway in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, cut off their retreat, and thus isolate the city.

Before the main force arrived, they knew they should avoid a major conflict, since their forces were so small, they shouldn't be too arrogant.

Those who were holding the university breathed a sigh of relief.

"Great! The Ivanros have retreated!"

"That's only temporary, be careful."

"Tanks are terrifying, how should we deal with them?"

A police inspector, panting, asked, "Sir, we can't hold out any longer. Where are the reinforcements?"

It's clear that the enemy wasn't really serious at all.

If those five or six tanks and two or three hundred enemies at the intersection were to launch an attack together, we would all be doomed.

Taylor felt that this was the most helpless and desperate day of her life.

At the same time.

Intersections of interstate highways and bypasses.

Major Titov commanded his troops to build a decent temporary circular position, which the main force would arrive the next day. Once this position was secured, Philadelphia would be surrounded and isolated from all sides.

A lone tank came from the north and returned to the unit. This tank had broken down halfway, but the crew had repaired it and arrived.

The tank commander jumped out of the T-34 and angrily reported, "Major, we saw the crew of vehicle number 246 on the road. They were all killed. It must have been an enemy attack. Those damned Americans!" Three or four T-34s had broken down along the way. Vehicle number 246 was ambushed by more than twenty American deserters and armed civilians, and the entire crew was killed.

Major Titov offered a few words of comfort and then ordered a vehicleload of men to return along the same route to find the tank and check if it could still be repaired.

Then, Major Titov raised his signal pistol and fired two yellow flares into the air, before saying to the female warrant officer beside him, "Kozlova, inform the neighboring units that we have taken control of this area."

Just then, a lieutenant ran over with a beaming smile, exclaiming excitedly, "My God! I can't believe the Americans are so stupid!"

Major Titov frowned and said, "Stand still! What do you want to say?"

The man was so excited he stammered, "Gold... Major... We learned from the civilians nearby... there's a convoy from the Ministry of Finance here... loaded with gold!"

The setting sun cast its rays on the shards of glass, making them sparkle like crystal.

At 18:07 in the evening, the roar of the T-34's engine felt like a heavy blow to the chest, making one's heart tighten.

Upon learning that the convoy that had hastily fled into Wedel University was actually loaded with gold, the Imperial Russian soldiers suddenly understood why the Americans were in such a hurry.

Everyone, including Major Titov, couldn't contain themselves any longer.

This is simply a windfall! A gift from God!

How much gold was being transported by a convoy of dozens of trucks? What glory and honor it would have brought to seize it?
The vanguard of the detachment led by Major Titov was organized into a tank company and an infantry battalion, with a dozen tanks and four or five hundred men when fully equipped.

However, after more than a week of continuous fighting, the fighting force suffered heavy losses, with only half remaining.

Now, one company of over eighty men and three tanks is attacking head-on, while another company of over seventy men and one tank is flanking from the south, attacking from both sides.

Two pieces of bread with cheese!

First, the tanks opened fire, followed by smoke grenades for cover, and finally the infantry advanced in a dispersed manner. The three-pronged approach was simple but swift and effective.

Even with the fortified school building as their support, the American postal police and special agents were still suppressed by the intense direct fire and unable to raise their heads, unable to organize effective blocking fire, and could only watch helplessly as the 'densely packed' Imperial Russian infantry approached the school building.

At this moment, the battlefield dominance of tanks was fully demonstrated, and the strength of Imperial Russian infantry was also revealed.

Law enforcement agencies are not the military after all, and postal police and Secret Service agents did not know how to set up obstacles to hinder the enemy's advance and eliminate blind spots. Therefore, the situation was reversed instantly after the Imperial Russian infantry approached the teaching building.

The tank turret rotated slightly, aimed at the window, and fired. Explosion smoke and dust, along with fragments of clothing, gushed out!

Immediately afterwards, the Russian soldiers threw grenades inside. As soon as they exploded, they rushed into the room before the smoke cleared!

In the southwest corner of the engineering building, six or seven Imperial Russian infantrymen moved slowly, keeping half a meter's distance from the wall, and then climbed up to the second floor in a human ladder.

The female warrant officer, leading the charge, and several veterans charged ahead. In a single exchange, she stabbed a bewildered Secret Service agent to death with a dagger. Then, she grabbed a submachine gun and rushed to the stairwell, where four agents were intently guarding the area. They had no idea the enemy had infiltrated and were instantly shot dead, all wounded in the back...

We've all been through the brutal battles of Poling and Hanover, we've been through thick and thin, how could we possibly lose face?
The situation has taken a turn for the worse.

Senior Inspector Taylor was carrying his Colt revolver. His hat was nowhere to be found, and his bald head was cut by cement debris, leaving him bleeding profusely.

The postal police and secret agents around him were struggling to hold on, and the panicked shouts and shrill screams were chilling.

Such intensity is simply beyond the capacity of law enforcement to withstand!

"They're too strong! We can't hold on any longer! We should retreat!" someone shouted hoarsely.

One minute later.

Just when everyone was in despair, two explosions were heard outside. Then the firepower of the Imperial Russian troops was significantly reduced, and they began to turn their guns around and return fire in other directions.

In the distance—at least three or four hundred meters away—many dark figures were seen moving at high speed. Because it was late, they were difficult to make out clearly. Those dark figures were firing at the Imperial Russian troops!

When the tracer shells hit the Imperial Russian tanks, they flashed and a large burst of sparks flew everywhere, which was particularly dazzling.

The Imperial Russian soldiers were storming into the teaching building, preparing to clear the room in one fell swoop, when their rhythm was interrupted by a sudden accident.

"call out--"

A flare flew into the air, radiating light. It was a small flare without a parachute, fired from a signal gun, and its light-emitting time in the air was only a dozen seconds.

In that fleeting moment, multiple 25mm tracer armor-piercing rounds struck the running gear of the T-34 that had maneuvered to the south, rendering it immobile.

"Reinforcements have arrived! Good heavens!"

"Aim carefully! Don't accidentally hit friendly forces!"

"They're approaching from the eight o'clock direction!"

Realizing that reinforcements had arrived, despair instantly turned into hope, and the morale of the nearly collapsed postal police and special agents soared!

After exchanging fire for more than ten minutes, Major Titov, completely baffled as to the origins of these suddenly appearing enemies, had no choice but to order a retreat.

On the southwest side of the university campus, several Panhard armored vehicles approached the teaching building at a steady speed in a fishbone formation.

Mr. Shang knelt on the second-to-last armored vehicle.

He clung to the turret and shouted to Morrow inside, "The crew of that tank is trying to escape! Don't fire the cannon, use the machine gun!"

The damaged T-34 put up a stubborn resistance for a moment, but seeing its allies retreating, it also hastily abandoned the vehicle and fled. As a result, the crew members were taken down by a series of 7.5mm machine gun bullets as soon as they jumped out of the vehicle.

"That was a pretty good shot."

"of course!"

Shank loaded another flare into the signal gun, tilted the gun, pulled the trigger, and quickly raised his binoculars to observe. He found that there didn't seem to be many enemies in the vicinity.

Country roads are definitely not as easy to travel as paved roads, and everyone was exhausted after constantly traveling.

Moreover, the closer you get to Philadelphia, the more cars are abandoned on the roads due to traffic jams. Even on country roads, there are many cars that have run out of gas and are parked on the side of the road, which wastes a lot of time.

Taylor's head was almost completely wrapped up, making him look like an Indian. He shook hands with Shank and said, "Daniel Taylor, Senior Inspector of Police of the American Federal Treasury, I was in charge of overseeing the 'Special Key Assets' journey to Washington. Thank goodness you arrived in time. I'd like to know who you are..."

“Me?” Shank, looking travel-worn, smiled slightly and said humorously, “I am the most hated person by the Ivanros, probably without exception. I have led a task force to meet you on the orders of Army Chief of Staff Marshall.”

Shang Ke paused for a moment, then added, "And gold."

(End of this chapter)