Munitions Empire

Chapter 1040: 962 Qin-Shu border

The sudden outbreak of the war between Qin Country and Shu Country instantly reduced the attention to the Fengjiang battle, pushing the world towards the brink of danger, with everyone eager to move as if every country was brewing a shocking conspiracy.

This was inevitable. Before, there were countries planning to partition neighboring countries to repay the debts of the Great Tang Empire; now these countries possess more powerful weapons and have more military, how could they not have other intentions?

The civil war in Dahua had already stirred the hearts of monarchs of various countries, and everyone had started to consider whether to take action against their neighbors, with international tension already very high.

Now the situation has become even more sinister. It is no longer limited to the civil war within the Dahua Empire. Qin Country has already declared war on Shu Country, and both sides have staged a modern war drama directly at the border.

This immediately astonished everyone. The war, which previously seemed distant due to communication limitations, now appeared imminent due to various broadcasts and video recordings, making everyone feel the crisis of war breaking out in full force.

The bombing of three major cities in the northern part of Shu Country by Qin bombers is now well-known, and broadcasts in various countries are playing programs describing the horrible conditions of those cities.

With descriptions of black smoke blotting out the sun, hundreds of buildings collapsing, and casualties in the thousands…all these words are stimulating the nerves of leaders in various countries.

They have similar bombers too! Even more bombers and fighter jets! They have newer tanks, they have hundreds of warships!

If only, if only a war starts! These usual gold-consuming giants could create profits! They could occupy the enemy’s land, destroy the enemy’s industry, and achieve imperial victories unimaginable in ancient times!

Now the destructive power of warfare has given them immense confidence. What the Great Tang Empire once achieved, they now believe they can do too.

If only! If only a war starts!

Many countries are mobilizing, arming as many troops as possible. Even if they can’t gather enough heavy weaponry immediately, they’ll use light weapons to form many second-line troops.

These troops have an even more expendable name: Filler Troops. Indeed, these troops are used to fill gaps on the front line.

Following this, each country began to build as many fortresses as possible along their long border lines, some directly digging in the wild fields, others even constructing fortresses on the outskirts of cities.

At the same time, seeing the terrifying destruction made by advanced air forces, these countries also gradually start to focus on anti-air and civil defense constructions in cities.

They are beginning to build enough underground shelters, expanding previously underestimated sewers, and more orders for anti-aircraft guns are being sent to armament factories.

Of course, the focus of this round of arms race is still the powerful air force: more fighter jets, more bombers… As the war between Qin and Shu bursts forth, each country begins to expand their aircraft production.

…

In the Northern Region of Shu Country, on the outskirts of a typically inconspicuous village, a Number 4 tank of Qin Country is slowly turning.

Following this tank, there is a second and third tank; they are coordinated quite tacitly through radio communication.

Compared with the troops of Shu Country, Qin’s ground forces are vastly experienced. They have not only gained a large number of veteran soldiers from the years of war with the Orc Empire but have also learned a lot about modern warfare in clashes with the Great Tang Empire.

Following on both sides of the tank, Qin soldiers, very experienced, spread out to avoid becoming an easy target for heavy machine guns.

Then they look for undulating terrains and cautiously move forward alongside their tanks. Qin soldiers, equipped with a large number of submachine guns, have a firepower density higher than that of Shu troops, who only have Mauser 98K rifles.

Interestingly, both countries are fans of Great Tang; they are both equipped with M35 steel helmets once used by the Great Tang Empire, primarily use Mauser rifles, and even have the Great Tang Empire’s Thompson submachine guns and Number 4 tanks…

It is almost like the Tang troops are fighting themselves from five years ago… If not for the differences in troop emblems and uniform styles, they might not even be able to distinguish friend from foe.

“Qin troops are coming!” a soldier in a trench in Shu Country nervously alerts his silent superior.

“I see them! Hold steady! They have tanks; let our anti-tank guns fire first!” Shu’s officer is quite skilled, relying on his country’s better economic level, many of Shu’s officers have visited Tang Country and seen the world.

As the interaction between countries becomes more intense, many previously impossible things are quietly happening. For instance, the theory level of Shu’s officers is quite high because they not only have some who trained in Tang Country, but many also studied in the Orc Empire.

Isn’t that interesting? These Shu officers have even helped train officers and pilots of the Orcs in Nanjiao of the Orc cities—back then they were working together with officers from the Tang Country, naturally learning quite a few skills.

So, although the troops of Shu Country lack practical combat experience, the quality of their mid to high-level officers is actually quite good.

However…

“Ratatatatata!” Suddenly, a machine gun position not far away opened fire, and this abrupt gunfire even startled the Shu officer.

“Who fired the gun? It’s still so far away, why did the machine gun open fire? Are they insane?” the officer from Shu Country angrily questioned.

The soldiers standing next to him were all very nervous, instinctively shaking their heads, indicating they did not know what exactly had happened.

Soon, the experienced Qin Army’s mortars landed, causing several pillars of smoke to rise abruptly from the positions of Shu Country.

In the village, the Shu command post’s commander was gripping the telephone, requesting fire support from his own side: “Hello? Hello! Yes! Directly in front of the positions, 500 to 1000 meters away! Lots of Qin troops! Requesting immediate fire cover!”

“Boom!” A shell fell at the edge of the village, the massive vibration causing the buildings in the village to shake.

Wooden beams creaked and twisted, dust periodically fell down, landing on the map spread on the table with a pat-pat sound.

The hurricane lamp hanging from the beam for additional lighting swayed left and right with the vibrations, and the officers of Shu Country in the room nervously looked up, pausing the work in their hands as they watched the teetering building.

After all, they still lacked combat experience. If it were the troops of Tang Country, or even the troops of Qin Country or Dahua, the commanders wouldn’t have set up their command post inside the buildings of a village.

Such civilian buildings are extremely dangerous, easily targeted by enemy fire, and even if the shells don’t hit them directly, buildings without earthquake-resistant designs might occasionally collapse.

For the command system of the troops, such risks are actually unbearable. Hence, the command posts of the Tang Army are strictly forbidden in similar buildings.

“Maybe… we should get out…” said a Shu Country officer, who was scared of being buried alive.

Many began silently packing up the documents and maps in front of them, valuing their lives more than the comfort.

On the battlefield, the combat between both sides had already begun, with the Qin troops using their experience to advance quickly; they knew if they stopped in the middle of the battlefield, they would soon be buried by artillery fire.

This experience was gained during their battles with the Tang Army; if it were the forces of Tang Country opposite of them at this time, they would already be facing a barrage of artillery fire.

However, the reaction speed of Shu Country’s troops was clearly too slow; the Qin troops had already reached right in front of the positions, yet the artillery fire had still not fallen.

“Long live the King of Qin!” A Qin officer waved his pistol, shouting loudly, while the Qin soldiers with bayonets mounted, accompanied by tanks on either side, enthusiastically charged towards the defenses of Shu Country.

“For Shu Country!” On the battlefield, the Shu officer also shouted, and the Shu soldiers who were just firing in retaliation also promptly took out their bayonets and affixed them below their gun muzzles.

“Ratatatata!” A concealed machine gun position of Shu Country suddenly opened fire from the flank, instantly mowing down over a dozen Qin soldiers. The remaining Qin soldiers continued their fearless charge forward, ultimately crashing into the Shu trenches like a flood.

Bayonets clanged against each other, shouts and cries of battle filled the air. The Qin’s No. 4 tank ran over the just-fired Shu machine gun position, crushing two dead machine gunners and their now-destroyed Maxim machine gun.

A Qin shock trooper, wielding a submachine gun, entered the trench and it was as if he was in unoccupied territory, mowing down seven or eight Shu soldiers with bayonets in a burst of fire.

Then, he didn’t dare to fire easily anymore, as the soldiers from both sides were mixed together and seemed hardly distinguishable from each other.

The standard military uniform of the Qin Country, adapted to the Northwestern environment, was a sandy yellow; Shu Country’s uniform, imitating the camo of the Great Tang Empire, was bicolored, interwoven green and yellow.

Although under normal circumstances, these differences appeared distinct; however, it was discovered in combat that truly, they hardly varied. In an era where electronic equipment wasn’t widely available, identifying friend from foe was always a significant challenge.

“Boom!” Hidden at the back of the trenches, an anti-tank gun spat flames, with a shell directly hitting a Qin’s No. 4 tank turning its direction.

The tank immediately emitted a thick smoke, the tank crew hastily opened the hatch and scrambled out as if chased by some monster.

Their reaction had to be quick because once hit, the internal ammunition of the tank might quickly detonate, and if they didn’t escape swiftly, they would be consumed by the flames.