130: Thousands of traitors, bloody battlefield!

“Boss, are we really letting them leave the town?”

In the communication earpiece, the brothers of the 3rd Platoon, deployed at other defensive points, asked Huang Yanbing in confusion.

Huang Yanbing nodded, indicating, “When it rains, a mother marries; you can’t expect everyone to have the absolute determination to protect the town. They are just ordinary people.”

“But… what if everyone in the town leaves? Our mission this time—”

Huang Yanbing: “Let them leave if they want to. War shouldn't involve ordinary civilians… those are our Commander’s original words.”

Thus, with the tolerance of Huang Yanbing and others, about 1,000 Alice Springs residents gathered, waving white flags, and left through one of the town’s exits, heading towards the U.S. Military front line outside the town.

As soon as these people left the confines of the town, like birds freed from a cage, they immediately rejoiced. The first few steps were fine, but soon they were running towards the U.S. Military position.

This was actually a rather taboo way of surrendering, extremely prone to causing misunderstandings on the other side, thus instinctively prompting many U.S. Military soldiers to raise their guns in alert.

However, fortunately, the U.S. Military front-line commander remained steady and did not order to open fire.

But, unforeseen changes always happen.

Bang, bang, bang—

Many of the previously joyful and fleeing civilians were suddenly thrown into the air, and a crater exploded beneath their feet, as if blasted by a landing shell.

Huang Yanbing, who was observing the situation through a concealed observation hole, immediately grew anxious and questioned in the channel, “Who the hell launched the attack?”

There was a moment of silence in the channel.

“Boss, we didn’t.”

Huang Yanbing: “No one is allowed to attack civilians. This is the People's Army’s principle, understand?”

Leaving aside Huang Yanbing’s reaction, the U.S. Military’s side was in an uproar.

Because it was late at night and the light was not detailed enough, the sudden series of explosions made the U.S. Military soldiers mistakenly believe that the town had used artillery fire, or that these surrendering people were simply human bombs.

U.S. Military soldiers, knowing that terrorists would resort to any means, reflexively opened fire on the approaching surrendering crowd, and then other soldiers, infected by this, also opened fire, and the entire front-line position was engulfed in a tide of gunfire.

The civilians, at first, also thought the attack came from Huang Yanbing and others behind them, and ran even faster forward, directly charging towards the U.S. Military position. It wasn't until they were very close that they realized they were being targeted by the U.S. Military, but it was too late to react; a dense volley of gunfire brought them all down.

By this time, the U.S. Military front-line commander’s cease-fire order had just been conveyed.

The gunfire on the entire front line ceased.

But dozens to hundreds of meters away from the U.S. Military front line, a large number of scattered human corpses lay, almost none of them still moving.

Commander-in-Chief Aris, who was commanding from the rear, was furious when he learned of the situation at the front line.

And in the town, after the remaining residents saw these events through drone surveillance, no one dared to propose surrender anymore.

Old John, a town councilor, said sorrowfully, “See? See? This is the true face of the U.S. Military. The so-called persuasion to surrender is just a means of luring people to their deaths.”

“We have no retreat; we can only fight to the end!”

“Fight to the end!” countless Alice Springs residents echoed loudly, united in purpose.

At this moment, Huang Yanbing finally had a general understanding of what was happening.

It was a minefield!

The previous occupying forces had truly put on a complete show. Not only did they make the entire town airtight in terms of defense, fully demonstrating the battlefield instincts of professional soldiers, but they also laid a large number of hidden mines in the wilderness around the town.

Only the occupying forces themselves knew the distribution areas of these hidden mines.

And these minefields had not been triggered because neither the early Australia Army nor the later U.S. Military had entered Alice Springs, opting to besiege it instead, and had not even arranged for anyone to clear mines around Alice Springs.

Now, these hidden mines were inadvertently triggered by these chaotically fleeing civilians, leading to a series of misunderstandings.

Alas, what a tragedy.

As Huang Yanbing was sighing, behind him, in the direction of the main part of the town, countless shouts suddenly arose, tumultuous and loud.

He poked his head out to look at the ground and cursed.

At this moment, Alice Springs was turning into an ocean of people.

All Alice Springs residents came out of their hiding buildings, filling the streets of the entire town with figures.

They were also led by Old John, raising their arms again and again, shouting slogans.

“Defend our home!”

“Defend Alice Springs—”

The sound was as grand as a protest march, making it seem utterly unlike a time of war.

Huang Yanbing had no choice but to emerge from the air-raid shelter, squeezing his way through the crowd, and grabbed Old John’s raised hand.

“Old John, you can’t do this. You are directly exposing all the townspeople to artillery fire—”

Old John retorted, “Then if we don’t expose ourselves to artillery fire, can we avoid it?”

Uh,

Huang Yanbing was speechless.

Indeed, the U.S. Military’s first round of artillery fire was mainly to dismantle defensive fortifications and deter the townspeople; if they really wanted to, they could directly hit buildings.

Old John continued, “The U.S. Military has exposed its evil nature, killing so many of our people. Even if those townspeople were going to surrender to the U.S. Military, they are still our compatriots, possibly our neighbors, colleagues, and relatives among those of us who are still alive.”

“How can we let them be killed and remain indifferent!”

“We must fight to the end!”

“Fight to the end—”

Old John led the shouts, and nearly ten thousand people also raised their arms and cheered.

Huang Yanbing’s hand unconsciously fell.

Yes, speaking of which, in this town, they were the outsiders; Old John and the others were the local residents.

Those who were killed might have been traitors, but they were also compatriots with whom the townspeople lived day in and day out.

Now, so many familiar people were cut down by the U.S. Military like wheat; who wouldn't be enraged, who wouldn't be heartbroken?

Huang Yanbing: “Alright, alright… Huzi, tell them to transport all the weapons and equipment over and distribute guns to the townspeople one by one!”

The already prepared weapons and ammunition were transported over and, with the assistance of Old John and Police Chief Galen, quickly distributed to these townspeople, arming approximately eight or nine hundred more people, bringing the total defending force in the town to over a thousand.

Among those selected this time, some had never even touched a gun before.

But their will was resolute, at least for the time being.

Then, these armed people, under Huang Yanbing’s guidance, dispersed to various defensive points throughout the town.

The rest of the townspeople, meanwhile, simply gathered in the streets, passionately shouting slogans.

Huang Yanbing watched, shaking his head.

If he didn't have a contingency plan, he definitely wouldn't let these civilians do this.