Southern guerrilla warfare: I led the Red Seventh Army Corps to amassed a million troops.

Seeing their brothers fall one after another, their flesh and blood flying everywhere, a truly gruesome sight, their morale collapsed instantly.

I don't know who shouted "Run!" first, and then like dominoes, the soldiers on the entire front line started turning around and running back.

The officers brandished their pistols in an attempt to stop them, but the retreating crowd was like a flood bursting its banks, and no one could hold it back.

Lu Xingrong, deputy commander of the 52nd Division, stood in the temporary command post atop Olive Ridge, holding binoculars, watching helplessly as yet another charge was thwarted.

The defeated soldiers fled down the hillside in a panic, abandoning their armor, weapons, and ammunition along the way.

His heart was bleeding drop by drop; this was all the wealth of the Lu family!

This was the capital that Lu Xingbang had painstakingly accumulated over more than a decade in northern Fujian! In just a few hours, more than 30% of it was lost.

Enraged, he slammed the binoculars to the ground. "Tell Commander Li Yannian! My 52nd Division has suffered over half its casualties and is utterly incapable of fighting any further! Tell him to send reinforcements as soon as possible!"

A little further back, in a newly erected makeshift tent, Li Yannian and Song Xilian were sitting on cots, slowly drinking water.

The sounds of gunfire outside grew increasingly intense, but the two men remained remarkably calm.

A staff officer strode into the tent, stood at attention, saluted, and reported on the battle situation at the front.

After listening, Song Xilian put down his kettle, wiped his mouth, and said, "With Lu Xingbang's ragtag troops, I'm afraid they won't be able to break through the Red Army's defenses. Let our 36th Division go."

Li Yannian raised his hand and said, "Hey, don't be in such a hurry. The Red Army is powerful, but you alone can't take them down in one fell swoop."

"Once the officers and soldiers of the 56th Division arrive, your two divisions will attack together. He will be in charge of the main attack, and you will be in charge of the flanking maneuver."

The two exchanged a glance, and a knowing smile simultaneously appeared on their lips.

The Red Army had to be suppressed, and the irregular armies also had to be eliminated.

These two things can definitely be done together.

If the Red Army is wiped out, they can make a name for themselves; if the miscellaneous armies are wiped out, the Central Army can expand its strength and territory.

It is also an achievement, perhaps even an even greater achievement.

Regardless of the outcome, it's a sure-fire deal for the Central Army.

Song Xilian hesitated for a moment, then said, "But I'm afraid it's a bit too late; it's already four o'clock..."

"What does it matter? Do you expect us to reach the gates of Gutian Castle in a single day?"

Li Yannian waved his hand, his tone relaxed yet confident, "Then we'll camp here tonight and rest. Tomorrow morning, we'll flatten Tiger Head Mountain and take Gutian City."

The sun had long since sunk behind the western mountains, and although it was not yet completely dark, the light had become much dimmer.

In the same spot as last time, Su Yu stood in the hidden observation post halfway up Tiger Head Mountain, holding the same binoculars, making the same gestures, and looking in the same direction.

But now, the view through the telescope is completely different.

The once deserted village site is now covered with camps, densely packed together.

The gray-white canvas tents, like mushrooms sprouting after the rain, crowded the basin, which was no more than two kilometers in circumference, in the twilight.

There were figures moving about between the tents, and flickering firelight.

The Nationalist army moved very quickly.

Less than two hours after capturing Olive Ridge, the vanguard had advanced into the basin, and the divisions set up camp in sequence, following the daytime order.

Simple fortifications had already begun to be dug behind the camp, with trenches and wooden fences rising from the ground.

As Su Yu watched this scene, the corners of her mouth slowly turned up. It wasn't her usual gentle, warm smile, but rather a somewhat flamboyant laugh.

It's like a hunter crouching in a tree, observing the prey in the trap, and confirming that the prey has stepped into the snare and can no longer climb out.

Ma Gongcheng was stunned to see his usually calm and serious chief of staff laughing so unabashedly.

He had fought alongside Su Yu in several battles and had never seen the chief of staff show such an expression before.

"Chief of Staff, why do I get the feeling that you're not worried at all?"

Su Yu put down her binoculars and turned around. "Worried? What am I worried about? Worried that there will be too many prisoners and we won't be able to capture them all?"

Ma Gongcheng's eyes widened suddenly, and he didn't react for a moment.

He thought the chief of staff was joking, but looking at Su Yu's expression, he realized it wasn't a joke.

He swallowed hard. "Chief of Staff, do you think these 40,000 Nationalist troops are all prey?"

Su Yu looked at him, her smile deepening. "After all that guessing, you finally guessed right. This small basin is the hunting ground I've designated. And these Nationalist soldiers are the prey in that hunting ground."

Ma Gongcheng's mind went blank for a moment. He subconsciously wanted to say "impossible," but he swallowed the words back.

He raised his head, looked at the densely packed tents in the basin, and then at Su Yu's resolute face.

No, this is insane.

He shouted in his heart, but said something else aloud: "Chief of Staff, we only have one division. You want to use one division to defeat four enemy divisions. I've fought so many wars, and I've never seen anyone win such a battle against such adversity."

"Haha. It's alright, I'll show you tonight." Su Yu reached out and patted Ma Gongcheng on the shoulder.

"The comrades from the Second and Third Regiments should have arrived by now. Let's go to the meeting. Aren't you curious about what I'm up to? You'll find out in a bit."

The temporary command post was set up in a naturally formed cave on the north side of Tiger Head Mountain. The cave entrance faced north and was completely invisible from the basin.

The cave isn't very big, but it can still fit twenty or thirty people if you squeeze in.

When Su Yu walked in, more than a dozen regimental and battalion-level officers had already arrived.

No one whispered to each other; everyone sat quietly in their seats.

This is Su Yu's habit when leading troops: a meeting is a meeting, no idle chatter, no distractions, he will make sure to say what needs to be said, and he will give time to ask the questions that need to be asked.

Su Yu did not greet the others, nor did she sit in the main seat.

He stood at one end of the conference table, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before settling on a seat at the back.

"Comrade Qin Yongsheng."

A young battalion commander stood up in response, his movements swift and decisive, and saluted. He was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, not very tall, but with broad shoulders, standing there like an iron tower, exuding a toughness forged in the crucible of war.

He was transferred from the First Division and distinguished himself in the Battle of Fuzhou and the Battle of Huanxi.

Of the four infantry battalions, Su Yu transferred three to the Northern Fujian Division, leaving only him behind.

"Comrade Chief of Staff, please give the order."

"Comrade Yongsheng, don't rush. I've been having you practice night raid tactics these past few days. How's it going?"

"Please rest assured, Chief of Staff." Qin Yongsheng puffed out his chest. "Our First Battalion guarantees to complete the mission. In the night raid training, the entire battalion achieved excellent results. We've practiced every single thing repeatedly: sentry duty, infiltration, night shooting, and silent advance. The soldiers can do it with their eyes closed."