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

The high ground was merely the highest point of an undulating hill, with withered shrubs and jagged rocks shivering in the wind and snow. The wind whipped snowflakes against his face like fine knives. He Yuzhu lay prone in a hastily dug shallow pit, the frozen earth beneath him as hard as iron. The wind that poured in through the tear in his cotton-padded coat had long since numbed and swollen his skin.

The company was planted like a wedge on the hilltop. Company Commander Zhao squatted under a large rock, surrounded by several platoon leaders around a makeshift sand table made of pebbles and tree branches. His face was dark, and his Northeastern accent carried a rusty, hard edge.

"Intelligence has arrived: the vanguard of the U.S. 8th Cavalry Regiment is heading towards Unsan. Our company is a thorn in their side; we must suppress this momentum and buy time for the main force."

The tree branch points to the stone representing the high ground: "Three platoons guard the front, reinforce the fortifications, stock up on grenades, and call for the tanks."

"One platoon will sneak down from the left flank through the woods, circle around to the ravine, and wait for the main battle to begin before striking them in the middle."

Finally, the branch moved to the steep slope on the right: "Second Platoon, lie in ambush here, hide completely. The reconnaissance platoon especially must not show themselves. Once the enemy's main force is drawn away, you will attack from the right flank and catch them off guard! Remember: be quick and ruthless, strike and retreat, don't engage in prolonged fighting!"

Second Platoon Leader Chen, a tall and thin man, readily agreed.

Company Commander Zhao stood up, brushing the dust off his hands: "Get ready quickly! The enemy could arrive at any moment. Send two more men forward to scout out their location, numbers, and whether there are any tanks—they need to be sharp-eyed and quick on their feet."

Platoon Leader Chen returned to his position, his gaze sweeping over his men. Most were new recruits, their faces etched with fatigue and tension. His eyes lingered on He Yuzhu. His fierceness in dealing with Sun Ba on the way there, his agility in rescuing people during last night's air raid—Black-faced Li had praised him—he was a promising recruit.

"He Weiguo!"

"Here!" He Yuzhu leaped up from the shallow pit.

"Take Li Dashuan with you, and call Wang Cheng too." Platoon Leader Chen pointed to the quick-witted young soldier beside him, then pointed to a veteran who had been in the army for a year. "The three of you scout ahead. Don't go too far, cross the stream and keep an eye on the mountain road on the other side. The key is to check the Iron Turtle (a type of enemy), make sure you know the number of soldiers and their equipment. Keep your eyes peeled, and if anything happens, retreat immediately. No firing!"

"clear!"

He Yuzhu checked his rifle, loaded it to five rounds, and tucked two wooden-handled grenades into his belt. Li Dashuan and Wang Cheng were also ready. The three of them said no more, bent down and slid down the slope, disappearing into the rocks and bushes like cats.

The wind had weakened downhill, but the chill still seeped into his bones. He Yuzhu opened the reconnaissance map to its maximum, activating his 100-meter spherical sensor. Behind him, the high ground was densely dotted with white lights; ahead, the area was open, with only sporadic movements.

Twenty minutes later, they dived to the bottom of the valley and crossed a small ditch covered with a thin layer of ice. A dirt road on the opposite bank snaked into the valley.

He Yuzhu gestured, and the three of them dispersed, disappearing behind withered grass and rocks, listening intently. The mountain road was deserted, save for the sound of the wind. In the distance, a low rumble seemed to come from the valley, like the engine of a convoy, but it was muffled by the mountains.

Wang Cheng lowered his voice: "Judging from the noise, it's still far away, at least two or three miles. But it's quite a large-scale operation."

Li Dashuan's grip on the gun tightened: "Are we just going to lie here and wait?"

He Yuzhu remained silent, his eyes closed as he focused intently on the map. He couldn't see beyond a hundred meters, but he knew that if the enemy came from the valley, they could infiltrate not only the main road but also their flanks.

Suddenly—at the edge of the map, about ninety meters from the pine forest on the side of the mountain road, several pale red dots appeared without warning! They didn't come from the main road, but seeped out from the forest! The dots moved slowly and dispersed, forming a loose fan shape, quietly creeping towards the left flank—a row of mountain hollows that were about to be turned around.

It wasn't a large group, about a platoon, around thirty people.

He Yuzhu's heart tightened. No frontal movement, yet a flanking infiltration had already occurred? A classic reconnaissance and encirclement maneuver!

"No!" he hissed, pointing to the pine forest. "There are people over there! At least twenty or thirty, making their way towards the left flank of the mountain pass!"

Wang Cheng and Li Dashuan looked over, but the pine forest was silent, with only the shadows of the trees swaying. "You saw it clearly? I didn't see any movement." Wang Cheng was still doubtful.

"I heard it, and the sound of tree branches snapping underfoot, very faint but frequent." He Yuzhu couldn't explain the map, but his tone was resolute. "It's definitely the enemy, trying to outflank the left flank!"

Before the words were finished, the screen in his mind suddenly lit up, its blood-red border flashing slightly:

[Battlefield situation triggered!]

[Enemy infiltration forces have been detected attempting to flank the enemy.]

[Side quest triggered: Sever the tentacles.]

[Mission Objective: To halt or eliminate this enemy force, ensuring the safety of the left flank and the execution of the battle plan.]

[Mission Rewards: Successfully stop the attack, +1000 points; if all are wiped out or severely damaged (more than half are eliminated), an additional +10000 points will be awarded, and kill points will be calculated (accumulated according to rank).]

[Failure Penalty: Left wing attacked, plan thwarted, points -5000.]

【Whether to accept? 】

Accept it! No need to hesitate!

"Wang Cheng, Li Dashuan!" He Yuzhu made a swift decision. "You two immediately retreat and report to the company commander: approximately one platoon of enemy troops is flanking the left flank from the pine forest on the right, intending to encircle them! Please remind the first platoon to be on guard and quickly send troops to support the left flank, or order my second platoon to act ahead of time to annihilate the enemy!"

Knowing the gravity of the situation, Wang Cheng nodded, "Okay! And you guys?"

"I'll stay behind and keep watch to find out their location and movements. You guys go!"

"Too dangerous! You're all alone..." Li Dashuan hesitated.

"Stop dawdling! Hurry up!" He Yuzhu shoved him. "If we drag on any longer, it'll be disastrous!"

Wang Cheng gritted his teeth and pulled Li Dashuan along: "Let's go!" The two used the terrain to run back to the high ground.

He Yuzhu watched them disappear, took a deep breath, lowered his body further, and crawled close to the edge of the pine forest. He needed to get closer to confirm the enemy's formation and equipment.

A thought raced through my mind: a platoon of American soldiers, superiorly equipped with more automatic weapons. A direct confrontation would be suicide. My advantages lie in the enemy's cover being revealed while I am in the shadows, my familiarity with the terrain, and—the system's generous reward.

One thousand base points, ten thousand extra points, plus kill points... this first bite is delicious. But how to take that bite requires precision and ruthlessness.

He climbed to a large rock about fifty meters from the edge of the pine forest and hid behind it. On the reconnaissance map, dozens of pale red dots had all entered the forest and were advancing along a concealed path into the left flank of the ravine. The formation was loose, and the vanguard was nearing the edge of the forest.

We must not let them leave the forest! Once they enter open ground or encounter a ravine, our chances of survival are slim.

He Yuzhu gently pulled the bolt, chambering a round. The cold touch of the metal slightly calmed the burning desire in his heart.

He licked his chapped lips, his eyes narrowed like a hunter waiting for his chance.

The mountain wind still howls.

In the distant valley, the roar of engines grew closer, like muffled thunder rolling across the ground.