On the ninth day of the countdown.
When Ren Xiaosu found out there were only nine days left in the war, he did not feel the slightest bit uneasy.
Regardless of whether they succeeded or failed in the next nine days, or whether human civilization could continue in the future, there would be an answer after nine days.
And all he needed to do was survive these nine days with everyone else.
Ren Xiaosu started patrolling the various defensive lines. He was surprised to discover a large number of civilians here were not refugees who had escaped from the four strongholds in the east, but residents of Fortress 178.
At this moment, it was not only the four strongholds in the east. Even the remaining nine strongholds had started retreating to the rear of Fortress 178 because the Kyung Clan troops had been defeated.
If they were only facing the enemies from the Northwest, this defensive line might have been able to hold out for some time.
But coupled with the surging tide of people from the Kyung Clan, it would probably be very difficult for this defensive line to stop the enemy.
Therefore, all the residents of the strongholds outside of Fortress 178 started evacuating.
But just as everyone was evacuating, the residents of Fortress 178 took the initiative to come to the front lines and help the Northwest Army build the defensive line.
For some reason, Ren Xiaosu could see a sense of superiority in these residents of Fortress 178. It was as though it was an honor for them to be willing to live and die with the Northwest Army. They dared to do what others did not dare to do.
Of course, this was also due to the general ethos of the Northwest Army. In a place like Fortress 178, the soldiers were the guardians of the fortress. Everyone knew what these people had sacrificed to protect them.
Ren Xiaosu saw the residents of Fortress 178 sitting in the cafeteria after finishing their work. They even had smiles on their faces as they chatted with the other residents. It was as though they were not afraid at all.
Then something strange happened.
When the first wave of escapees arrived at the defensive line, the residents of Fortress 178 took the initiative to help the Northwest Army. They organized the escapees to rest behind the defensive line before continuing their evacuation.
Then the residents of Fortress 178 comforted the escapees by saying, "We're all family in the Northwest. After we go to Fortress 178, we'll still be family. Don't be afraid. When the Northwest Army wins the war, we'll reclaim our home together."
The residents of Fortress 178 played the role of psychological counselors. After the escapees, who had been panicking a little, were reassured, they really calmed down a lot.
However, the refugees asked themselves, "Can the Northwest really be won? If they can win, why are they retreating?"
Although everyone had some confidence in the Northwest Army, there was always a lot of apprehension on the way to escape.
As a result, the residents of Fortress 178 said, "Look at the Northwest Army. Haven't they been fine fighting the warlocks for so many years? Moreover, with the Young Marshal and a large group of supernatural beings, how could they possibly lose? Tell me, how do I lose? "
These two rhetorical questions caused the escapees to be dumbfounded. With that said, everyone felt that the Northwest Army could indeed win. Although they did not know how they would win, it would be over once they won.
After the first batch of refugees had calmed down, the ones that arrived later were even more stable.
Unknowingly, the thorniest problem, the refugees, was solved first.
Moreover, on that very night, some of the young people among the refugees discussed something together. Then, they collectively ran to the officer in charge of the defense line construction and said, "We also want to participate in the construction of the defense line."
The officer shook his head and answered directly, "Don't cause more trouble here. We have enough people."
The young people were unhappy. They pointed at the residents of Fortress 178 and said, "Then why can they do it but we can't?"
The officer was puzzled at that time. Was this a good thing? Why were they still fighting to do it?
This matter caused such an uproar that it even alarmed Zhang Jinglin.
In the end, Zhang Jinglin decided to set up a threshold. All young men between the ages of 18 and 28 could sign up to participate in the construction of the defense line. However, they had to obey orders. Furthermore, they could not join on a whim and run away the next day when they felt tired. If they wanted to do it, they had to persevere to the end.
With that, the young people stopped making a fuss.
Although it was a little absurd, it was still a good thing.
The defense line in the Northwest was not stable yet. Otherwise, the 6th Field Division would not have been needed to stall for time.
Therefore, the construction of this defense line did indeed require a lot of manpower.
That night, during a battle conference, Ren Xiaosu sat on Zhang Jinglin's left and listened to the various commanders report on the progress of the construction of the defense line.
When Wang Fengyuan reported, he raised a doubt. "Based on our calculations of the enemy's marching speed, they should be arriving at Outpost 219 by today. However, we haven't discovered any enemy activity there, so we don't know what's slowing them down."
"What do you think?" Zhang Jinglin asked.
"I'm worried that the artificial intelligence is plotting something again, so I plan to send the Forward Strike Battalion under Zhou Yinglong's command to conduct a long-range reconnaissance. Although it's very dangerous, it's necessary to gather intelligence," Wang Fengyuan replied.
But at this moment, a staff officer outside reported that Commander Zhang Husheng had arrived at the defense line with the last group of refugees and had something important to report.
Ren Xiaosu asked the staff officer, "Where's the 6th Field Division? Didn't they arrive together? "
"Reporting, Young Marshal, no," the staff officer replied.
Ren Xiaosu's heart skipped a beat.
Seeing Big Bluff running into the command tent, Ren Xiaosu asked, "Who came with you?"
"Miss Xiaojin, Miss Zhou Yingxue, and Wang Fugui." Big Bluff replied, "The 6th Field Division has gone to harass the enemy under P5092's leadership. He said this line of defense will take another two days to complete, so the 6th Field Division will have to buy two more days for the rear. Moreover, he believes a unit from the artificial intelligence has infiltrated the rear. It's very likely the nanosoldiers that appeared at Mount Zuoyun. He wants to get rid of them. "
Ren Xiaosu clenched his fists.
Everyone in the command tent who was listening to Big Bluff's report gasped. The 6th Field Division only had slightly more than 40,000 soldiers. Even if the original Pyro Company troops were highly skilled in combat, even if they had a genius commander like P5092, and even if the 6th Field Division had the most supernatural beings, it was still an incredible feat for a division to hold off the enemy for a day.
Meanwhile, P5092's goal was to hold off the enemy for two more days.
No matter how the 6th Field Division did it, everyone had to be impressed.
After the Battle of Mount Zuoyun and the Warlock Nation, the 6th Field Division had become the strongest army in the Northwest Army. When the other fighting forces mentioned this division, they could only lament.
Zhang Jinglin looked at Ren Xiaosu and lamented, "You've really helped the Northwest recruit a lot of talents."
He said this because P5092 could accurately determine the situation at the rear just by looking at the defense report. Furthermore, he could accurately guess what kind of ambush Ren Xiaosu would encounter, as well as the elite troops that the artificial intelligence had infiltrated the rear.
Such a talent was something that had never been seen in the Northwest.
To be honest, the Northwest Army had always relied on brute force when it came to war. Although Zhang Jinglin was an outstanding commander, he was still not good enough to be called a famous general.
But P5092 was different from people like Qing Zhen. They were born for war. However, Qing Zhen was better at planning for the big picture. Even Qing Zhen could not predict how long the rear would take just by looking at the defense report.
Therefore, from the perspective of a particular war, if Qing Zhen, P5092, Wang Shengzhi, and Zhang Jinglin were placed on the same battlefield and led the same troops, P5092 might end up winning in the end.
Zhang Jinglin said to Ren Xiaosu, "Go and provide support to P5092. If he survives, it'll actually be more suitable for him to take over the entire defensive line."
Ren Xiaosu nodded. "I'll go right away."
But Wang Fengyuan said, "There's no need to go. Outpost 219 has just sent back news that P5092 is retreating to the defensive line with some of the 6th Field Division's troops. They're expected to arrive tomorrow."
Zhang Jinglin said, "All units, step up the construction of your defensive positions. These defensive positions must be able to hold off the enemy for more than five days. We can't let the 6th Field Division's efforts go to waste. In addition, after P5092 arrives at the defensive line, the defense of the Northwest will be temporarily taken over by P5092. I hope that everyone will cooperate actively. "
Under normal circumstances, it would be a very complicated matter for an "outsider" to take over the defense. However, in the Northwest Army, it would only take a word from Zhang Jinglin.
As for whether P5092 would be up to the task? He had already proven himself.
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