Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Starting with the Korean War, returning home to take charge

After his conversation with Qin Huairu, a corner of He Yuzhu's heart eased a little, but that was all. Life on the front line continued as usual: the fortifications were repaired every day, the ammunition boxes were empty and echoing, and the enemy side was temporarily silent, with only the sporadic explosions of sniper rifles and artillery shells, like the low growls of two trapped beasts baring their teeth at each other.

But beneath the calm surface, undercurrents were surging. Fragmented intelligence from the division's reconnaissance and monitoring units pieced together a fact—Colonel Ellis on the other side was redeploying troops and replenishing ammunition, clearly preparing for a new offensive. They couldn't let him get too comfortable.

The order was given directly to the reconnaissance battalion command post: Attack. The target was the enemy's forward stronghold, codenamed "Nail Rock," located 1,200 meters directly ahead. It was a rocky hill that the Americans had been building for over six months, with layers upon layers of fortifications, both visible and concealed, and a cunningly cross-positioned array of firepower. It was like a wedge wedged in front of our defenses, not only obscuring our field of fire but also frequently sending small groups to harass and eavesdrop on telephone lines.

"Tough nut to crack." He Yuzhu handed the order to Lao Geng, his eyes fixed on the red circle on the map.

"The division commander said that if we don't remove this thorn, our defense line will remain blind in the left eye." Old Geng leaned closer. "If we launch a full-scale attack, we probably couldn't break through even if we filled the entire battalion. They have the high ground and their firepower is fierce."

"A direct assault might not be necessary." He Yuzhu traced a line across the map. "Look at the terrain—the north slope is steep, the south slope is gentle. The enemy's fortifications and main firepower are all facing north. Behind the south slope lies their rear, where their defenses are sparse."

Wu Dayong's suspenders had been removed, and his eyes lit up: "Battalion Commander, you mean...?"

"Surround them and slowly wear them down." He Yuzhu pointed to the sides and south of the hill. "Increase the sniping and artillery fire so they dare not show their faces day or night, making resupply difficult. At the same time, choose a concealed route from the flanks and rear and quietly dig over there."

"Dig a trench?"

"No," He Yuzhu lowered his voice, "dig a tunnel. Dig it all the way down to their bunker."

The command post fell silent for a moment. Tunnel tactics were not uncommon, but conducting precise long-distance tunneling over short distances in front of the enemy was extremely risky and posed a severe test to earthwork operations.

"It will take time, absolute secrecy, and some special tools." He Yuzhu turned to Lao Geng, "Select the most reliable soldiers to form the tunnel operation team—those who are tight-lipped, hardworking, and have experience in coal mining and well drilling will be given priority. They will work at night and hide during the day, and the entrances and exits must be concealed."

He continued his deployment: "Sniping and artillery cannot stop; they must be even more active to draw the enemy's attention. Mortars and snipers should focus on enemy observation posts and firing positions that may threaten the operational area. Give them the illusion that we are going to conduct a long-term siege and harass the enemy."

Once the mission was assigned, the reconnaissance battalion operated like a precision instrument, working on two fronts, one overt and one covert. Overtly, snipers and mobile artillery groups became more active, quickly alerting the American troops on "Nail Rock," who would be met with precise fire at the slightest exposure. Covertly, a work team of over thirty men, under the cover of night, began digging into the hard mountainside from a densely vegetated depression.

He Yuzhu personally determined the tunnel axis and the target point for the explosives chamber. He kept a close watch on both fronts day and night, his eyes bloodshot. The excavation was more difficult than expected: the rock layers were thicker, and they often encountered huge boulders, which could only be tackled with chisels, slowing down the progress. The soldiers sweated profusely in the narrow and damp tunnels, and each time they climbed out, they were covered in mud, exhausted and speechless.

Half a month later, the tunnel had been extended by less than 100 meters. The pressure from superiors and the pressure from neighboring units due to "Nail Rock" were like whips lashing He Yuzhu's back.

We can't go any slower.

His consciousness sank into the system. Points: 5,453,398. Tunnel blasting requires precision and power.

[Exchange: 500 kg of high-strength ammonium nitrate explosive (camouflage), -15,000]

[Exchange: Electric Detonator and Waterproof Detonating Cord Kit x10, -5,000]

[Exchange: M2 Flamethrower Fuel Tank x20, -8,000]

[Exchange: 30 sets of tunnel excavation rock-breaking tools, -2,000]

Total -30,000, remaining points 5,423,398.

The new tools and blowers were quietly delivered into the tunnels under the guise of "supplies obtained from the rear." The explosives looked ordinary, but only He Yuzhu knew their power. The flamethrowers were reserved as "special assault equipment."

Improved tools accelerated the process. He Yuzhu descended into the tunnels more frequently, using his increasingly clear knowledge of blasting to provide on-site guidance on locating the explosives chamber, estimating the amount of explosives to be loaded, and setting up the detonation network. The darkness, lack of oxygen, the risk of collapse, and the oppressive feeling of approaching death's lair made each descent feel like diving into an abyss. Once, a loose rock nearly struck a soldier; He Yuzhu pushed it away sharply, cutting his arm and drawing blood. He simply had someone give him a quick bandage and continued monitoring the excavation of the explosives chamber.

Late at night, the work team leader—a veteran from Shandong named Shi Tou—crawled back with a mixture of excitement and nervousness to report: "Battalion Commander, it's through! We've reached the concrete bottom! There's movement up there, we can hear voices, gurgling sounds, it must be the main bunker!"

He Yuzhu's spirits lifted, and he climbed up himself to confirm. His palms pressed against the cold cement base, his ear against the rock wall, and he could faintly hear vibrations and sounds. This was it. He carefully measured, confirming the final size of the medicine chamber and the amount of medicine to be filled.

"Evacuate all personnel except the blasting team. Install the explosives and set up the detonation network—be extremely cautious."

The final assault was scheduled for 3:00 AM, when people were most exhausted. Inside the tunnels, the demolition team completed their final checks and slowly withdrew. On the surface, the elite troops of the 1st and 2nd Companies, tasked with the assault, had assembled and were checking their weapons, especially the heavy flamethrowers. The atmosphere was as heavy as iron.

He Yuzhu stood in front of the command post, gazing at the dark sky and the blurry outline of "Nail Rock" in the distance. Qin Huairu stood not far away, not approaching, but simply watching quietly. He Yuzhu nodded slightly in her direction, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice to the communications soldier, "Detonate."

The order was transmitted via wired telephone into the deep tunnel. The detonator's hand trembled slightly, but he resolutely turned the detonator handle.

No deafening roar came from the ground—first came a muffled rumble from underground, like a giant beast turning over. Then, the entire mountaintop suddenly arched upwards, then collapsed violently, a huge column of smoke, a mixture of dust and fire, rising from its center, gaping menacingly in the night. The tremors were clearly felt even from our own positions.

"Assault team, go!" He Yuzhu ordered immediately.

The lurking soldiers leaped up, rushing towards the lingering smoke and dust. The explosion had nearly destroyed the core bunker and adjacent large bunkers; the remaining American troops were stunned and struggled in the collapsed fortifications. The assault team stormed the surface positions, flamethrowers licking at the remaining firing ports and tunnel entrances, quickly drowning out screams and sporadic gunfire. The battle was essentially over in about ten minutes, and the surface positions were under control.

He Yuzhu led his battalion to follow, climbing the still-smoking "Nail Rock." The loose rocks underfoot, the twisted steel bars, and the air filled with the terrible smell of gunpowder, dust, and charred flesh. He glanced at the huge blast crater, then at the soldiers who were repairing fortifications and setting up defenses. His face showed no joy, only the heavy relief of mission completion.

"Quickly upgrade the fortifications, shift the defensive line to the south and flanks to prevent enemy counterattacks. Take a count of casualties and rescue the wounded." Orders were issued one after another.

Casualties reported: Seven commandos were killed and eleven seriously wounded, mostly from sniper fire by remaining enemy forces or resistance from within uncollapsed fortifications. These numbers are far less than the potential cost of a direct assault.

At the crack of dawn, enemy retaliatory artillery fire arrived, followed by an infantry counterattack under the cover of tanks. However, the reconnaissance battalion had already constructed a new defensive line using the existing enemy fortifications and the firing points hastily repaired overnight. The enemy's counterattack, hasty and chaotic after losing its high ground, was repelled one by one.

As the sun fully rose, illuminating the unrecognizable "Nail Rock" and the retreating enemy troops below, He Yuzhu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He leaned against a hot, scorching rock and looked at the map in his hand, stained with blood—the red circle around "Nail Rock" had been crossed out.

[Successfully commanded the tunnel blasting operation to capture the enemy's fortified forward stronghold at a relatively low cost.]

[Effectively kill and inflict casualties on the defending enemy and repel a counterattack.]

[Gain Battle Points: +220,000.]

[Demolitionist skill upgraded to Intermediate.]

Battlefield Points: 5,643,398.

He was one step closer to 6.5 million points. He rubbed his throbbing temples, the flow of knowledge from his explosive mastery of the skill gently rippling through his mind. He looked up and saw Qin Huairu writing rapidly not far away, occasionally glancing at the scorched mountain. Their eyes met briefly, and they remained silent.

One nail has been removed. But He Yuzhu knows that there are many more such nails on Ellis's chessboard. And the pieces he has at his disposal are dwindling. This long and brutal war of attrition is far from over.