42: The war officially begins, and thousands of cannons fire at once!

It was early morning on the third day of Darwin City's military control.

At the newly formed Anti-War People's Army's command headquarters, Fang Le once again convened a high-level pre-war meeting.

Army Commander Yue Hanshan spoke: “According to intelligence, the U.S. Military will complete its overall assembly as early as this morning and no later than evening!”

“The total strength of the American military, according to estimates, is about 100,000, which is 10 times our strength, and includes almost all U.S. Military branches.”

“Regarding the American military’s deployment, there are about 30,000 troops north of our city, centered around Darwin Air Force Base, belonging to the U.S. Military Command’s direct forces, including land, air, and naval units.”

“The U.S. Military’s remaining forces are roughly divided into three groups: one deployed west of Darwin City, in the Kimberley Plateau area; one to the east, in the Arnhem Land region; and one to the south, near the desert and Gobi areas.”

“The American military has surrounded us layer by layer across a vast area.”

Fang Le nodded again.

He had long expected to be surrounded.

Fang Le looked at the others: “So, when and in what form do you all estimate the American military will launch an attack on us?”

“And how will we withstand the first wave of attack?”

First Division Commander Luo Hui analyzed: “It is estimated that the American military will launch an attack shortly after completing the encirclement.”

“Since the American military has no worries, they will make decisions very quickly.”

“Moreover, we held the army founding ceremony yesterday, and the U.S. Military probably can’t wait to eliminate us as soon as possible.”

Second Division Commander Chen Guangming: “Regarding the American military’s attack mode, this is debatable.”

“During the previous aerial bomb night raid, due to the accidental bombing of residential buildings, the U.S. Military should be wary of a forced assault on the city and will not immediately resort to the most ferocious tactics.”

“Of course, if the U.S. Military is determined to end the battle quickly, a full-scale offensive from the start cannot be ruled out. In that case, we would be in a bitter fight from the very beginning.”

Fang Le waved his hand, indicating: “Alright, let’s not analyze it for now.”

“We will observe what methods the U.S. Military uses in its first offensive, and then discuss countermeasures.”

“Meeting adjourned.”

—

With accelerated assembly,

The U.S. Military’s remaining 70,000 troops, divided into three groups, finally completely encircled Darwin City in the afternoon of that day.

Of course, subsequent defensive positions would need to be constructed to stabilize the encirclement.

Unexpectedly, within the Joint Military Operations Command at Darwin Air Force Base, the supreme commander, Aris, directly issued an order:

“I am Aris, and I order all units to bring out all artillery pieces—howitzers, rocket launchers, mortars, even anti-aircraft guns, and tank cannons—and arrange them in a single-line formation along the foremost edge of the People's Army’s encirclement outside Darwin City!”

Huh?

Although this order was not entirely in line with military doctrine, it was a direct order from the Commander-in-Chief. Considering the American military was relatively weak, there was no major issue.

Thus, the four U.S. Military encirclement forces underwent a series of maneuvers and adjustments.

Artillery pieces from various branches were brought out all at once, lined up in a single row along the encirclement line.

All muzzles were pointed towards Darwin City, the center of the encirclement.

Darwin City immediately became aware of this development.

Judging by the American military’s posture, were they intending to use the most barbaric siege tactics?

Meanwhile, inside Darwin Air Force Base, a man in a suit and tie, pushing past soldiers who tried to stop him, furiously shouted Aris’s name and was finally granted an audience with Aris.

In the reception room, Aris was comfortably sipping coffee, looking at the visitor.

“Oh, isn’t this Senator Pearson?”

“You haven’t returned to Canberra yet.”

The visitor was Senator Pearson, an Australia Member of Parliament.

He was the mediation representative sent by the Australia government.

Pearson had failed in his previous peace efforts and had not returned to the capital, choosing instead to remain locally, ready to intervene in the situation at any time.

He believed that while fighting was inevitable, there should still be rules and order.

However, Aris had immediately ordered all artillery pieces to be brought out and aimed at the city.

Was this an attempt at indiscriminate, large-scale attack?

Coupled with Aris’s pretense, Pearson was furious and directly questioned him:

“Commander-in-Chief Aris, have you not considered how many innocent casualties will result from such indiscriminate attacks?”

Aris sneered.

“Senator Pearson, you must have witnessed Darwin City’s army formation ceremony yesterday.”

“The American military is no longer a disorganized rebel force but a regular army with independent thought and unified regulations.”

“It has defected from Australia and is a common enemy of Australia and the U.S. Military, yet you sympathize with such an enemy.”

“If the American military truly cared about the people in its city, it should not have proposed such outrageous peace terms earlier!”

This—

Pearson was speechless.

Aris ignored him and issued another order:

“All artillery units, fire collectively! Target, Darwin City!”

Immediately, across the fields, from all directions, countless artillery pieces arranged in formations simultaneously opened fire.

Shells rained down like a deluge.

This concentrated firepower, imbued with a destructive aura, was clearly intended to completely destroy Darwin City’s defenses in one go.

And the defending soldiers of Darwin City, watching the countless screaming, rapidly enlarging shells in the distant sky, immediately felt that the end was nigh—