jdhmnovel Chapter 321 A thunderclap in the dark night startled the world into turmoil.
Chapter 321 A thunderclap in the dark night startled the world into turmoil.
"boom!"
A gunshot shattered the silence of Portland. Lockheed Corporation finally discovered the changes in the industrial area. The police and company envoy convoy sent to the industrial area were intercepted by the workers' picket line on the bridge leading to and from the industrial area.
"Don't move! Gentlemen! The Portland Workers' Armed Forces greet you!"
The red flag was finally raised and flew high. The workers mobilized all the weapons and equipment they could collect in the entire industrial area, including a large number of M72 rocket launchers and M18 recoilless rifles.
"What...what do you mean?"
"It means that we workers are no longer objects to be manipulated at will. Lay down your weapons, gentlemen."
A rifle was pointed at the convoy in front of them. Before anyone could react, in the darkness, someone's hand reached for their waist, which was seen by a worker.
"Damn it, they're going to draw their guns!"
From a nearby sentry post, an armed worker pulled the trigger, and someone fell to the ground, becoming the first shot fired in this revolution.
"Kill them!"
In an instant, gunfire erupted like popping beans as the workers' armed forces pulled their triggers. The tactical thinking of the California Republic Army was fully validated—the high rate of fire of assault rifles was enough to overwhelm any enemy who dared to retaliate in a short period of time.
The CAR-15's short barrel and 30 rounds of small-caliber ammunition instantly tore through the resistance of the convoy in front of it, and the gunfire echoed throughout half of the city.
The young worker looked at the experienced worker squad leader next to him, glanced at the watch on his wrist, and saw that it was 9:23 a.m., two minutes before the time for the final mobilization.
Immediately afterwards, an even bigger storm swept in. Upon hearing the gunfire, the first person to realize that the 2nd California Division had been attacked awoke from his barracks and immediately found his officers.
"What's going on? Immediately organize the army! Emergency assembly!"
The army of the Greater California Republic still relies on officers, but after searching the barracks, the junior officers at the regimental and battalion levels have mysteriously disappeared.
"What's going on? Where are your regimental commander and battalion commander?"
"Sir, sir, someone has invited them out for dinner and drinks!"
Indeed, Calgary of the 3rd Division had several officers invite all the regimental and battalion commanders of the 2nd Cavalry Division stationed in Portland to a banquet at Portland’s best restaurant under the guise of an officers’ club.
Amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, a gunshot suddenly rang out.
"Gentlemen, there is no need to panic; these are just minor changes."
At the banquet, the battalion commander and regimental commander woke up with a start, their hands holding knives and forks to eat steaks frozen in mid-air. Soldiers from the Third Cavalry Division—no, the Third Cavalry Division of the People's Red Army—filed in, and the soldiers who had taken over the new assault rifles pointed their guns at the officers.
"Gentlemen, please continue to enjoy yourselves, but you are not allowed to leave the scene. It would be bad for everyone."
Armored vehicles drove into the city streets. Every armored vehicle or tank belonging to the 3rd Cavalry Division or the 38th Infantry Division of the People's Red Army was marked with a red flag for friend or foe identification. This was normal during the civil war, as all factions had their share of the military legacy of the former United States. Vehicles of the same type could only be identified by conspicuous flags or markings.
At Portland Airport, an M60A1 tank destroyed the gate. The 1st Regiment of the 38th Infantry Division assembled at Portland Airport under cover of darkness. The Republic of Greater California only had an entire air tactical wing, two military police battalions, and an air defense brigade stationed there.
When the M60A1 kicked open the gate with its 105mm tank gun, no one inside understood what was happening. The military police battalion came out to check the situation, but were immediately routed by the infantry regiment supported by the tank platoon.
"All California troops, listen up! Cease resistance immediately, lay down your weapons, and surrender is your only way to survive! Repeat, cease resistance! All those who resist will be killed!"
As the tanks drove into the airport, a significant number of California soldiers laid down their weapons, and many of them didn't even have time to pick them up. Although the 812th Air Defense Brigade stationed at the airport was on standby, they only had some light weapons besides 12 towed twin 40mm anti-aircraft guns, 14 Hawk surface-to-air missile launchers, and 6 MIM-14 Nike surface-to-air missile launchers. Moreover, each launch squad only had two M-14 rifles, and those launch squads on standby didn't even bother to bring ammunition.
Apart from two military police battalions putting up sporadic resistance against the attacking regiment at the airfield, most of the other troops surrendered. Several of the duty firing squads of the 812th Air Defense Brigade scattered and fled, while the rest surrendered. By 10:10 a.m., the red flag had been raised at Portland Airport.
But at that moment, fighting broke out in the city. The 2nd Cavalry Division, stationed in the city, was an elite force of the Greater California. The division commander immediately promoted a number of sergeants and reassigned some of the units. Division Commander Mark Higgwitt immediately ordered two infantry battalions to take control of the communications bureau located in the center of the city.
pat!
The power supply was cut off. Mark Higgwitt knew this was the standard for the enemy to have occupied the power plant. The entire South District was without power. The workers' armed forces launched an uprising at the power plant on the outskirts of the city, and together they defeated a battalion of the 2nd National Guard Brigade that was guarding it, and then cut off the power to the South District where the 2nd Cavalry Division was located.
"Start the backup engine! Immediately! Contact nearby friendly forces. Portland is under enemy attack. Repeat, Portland is under enemy attack!"
He had his answer. That damned Calga of the 3rd Cavalry Division—he should have known long ago that the man was a traitor. But he dared not say it; after all, Calga was a war hero of the United States, a commander with a distinguished military record.
Fort Knight, the 2nd Cavalry Division’s base, is a temporary army base south of Portland. This base, surrounded by blast walls and barbed wire, has no concrete buildings; it consists mostly of tents. Even the division headquarters had to huddle inside large tents.
The Magic Crystal Generator has been put into use. Compared to gasoline, Magic Crystal Batteries are safer and have a wider range of applications in the military field.
Two tank platoons drove out of the maintenance camp. He looked at the dark city not far ahead, which looked like a man-eating den of demons. He shuddered. He could see it clearly through the 12x scope of a TAC-50.
"Wind speed level 1, distance 350 meters, adjust to mil."
The Alpha team easily smuggled weapons here, including a TAC-50, and several burly men set up a sniper position in a hotel.
The observer used the target designator to look at the distant outpost, which was clearly visible in the darkness, not to mention that the outpost was brightly lit.
"Fire."
Snapped!
The gun barrel spewed out a burst of gas inside the window. The silencer absorbed a significant portion of the gunfire. The Alpha team had been stationed here for several days, and they had booked first-class suites, staying in these luxurious rooms like high-ranking company executives.
Of course, if you ignore the AK-105, AS-VAL, and other equipment in the luggage, that's how it would look to an outsider.
"Target eliminated. Repeat, target eliminated."
Thermal imaging reveals everything clearly. The efficiency of nighttime combat brought by this expensive gadget is unparalleled. In this era where infrared headlights are still used, no one could have imagined that such a small device could bring about such a big change at night.