Encrypted Code

Fengtian, Ulan Frontline Command Post.

The atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.

Zhang Xueliang paced back and forth in front of the huge sand table, hands clasped behind his back, his handsome face etched with anxiety.

"How is it?!"

He stopped abruptly, turning his head and roaring towards the communications section.

"Have you contacted Xueming?!"

A communications soldier quickly stood up, saluted, and replied tremulously, "Reporting, Commander, we still... we still can't reach the Eighth Brigade's radio."

"Useless!"

Zhang Xueliang kicked over a nearby chair. "What time is it?! A brigade! An reinforced armored brigade! Just vanished into thin air like that?!"

He had been waiting here for a full day and night.

Ever since that scoundrel Zhang Xueming led the Eighth Brigade deep into enemy territory, chasing the White Bear Army's tail into the heart of Ulan, all contact had been lost.

"Commander, please don't worry."

Chief of Staff Yang Yuting walked over slowly, holding a cup of hot tea, his demeanor calm and composed.

"Xueming, that kid, you don't know him? He's like a mad dog, he doesn't care about anything else when he's fighting."

He pointed to the map. "The Eighth Brigade has been equipped with the latest tanks, their mobility far surpasses the White Bear Army. It's normal for them to be too busy to set up a radio when they're in hot pursuit."

"Normal?"

Zhang Xueliang snatched the teacup from Yang Yuting's hand and smashed it violently on the ground.

"This is called normal?!"

His eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at Yang Yuting's nose and cursed, "That's a deep penetration into enemy territory! Hundreds of kilometers! Surrounded by White Bear Army territory! What if he gets surrounded and wiped out?!"

"Old Yang, I'm telling you, that's my own brother!"

"If anything happens to him, the Marshal will skin me alive! At that point, forget about Ulan, do you believe the Marshal would declare full-scale war with the White Bear Country?!"

Yang Yuting looked at the enraged Zhang Xueliang and sighed, saying nothing more.

He knew that Zhang Xueliang was telling the truth.

The old Marshal of the Zhang family was extremely protective of his own.

If he found out his son had perished in Ulan, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The atmosphere in the entire command post became even more somber due to Zhang Xueliang's outburst.

Just then, a communications soldier suddenly took off his headset and jumped up excitedly.

"Connected! It's the Eighth Brigade's encrypted code!"

"Quick!"

Zhang Xueliang rushed over, almost grabbing the communications soldier by the collar. "Decrypt it quickly! What did he say? Is he surrounded? Does he need support?!"

His heart was in his throat.

Sending an encrypted telegram at this time must be an urgent call for help!

"Quick! Inform the Marshal! Tell him Xueming is surrounded in Kulun! Tell him to send reinforcements immediately!"

Zhang Xueliang was already issuing orders.

"Guard Regiment! Head to the border line immediately! Commander Wang! You son of a bitch, take your men..."

"Commander! Wait!"

Yang Yuting grabbed Zhang Xueliang's shoulder with surprising strength.

"Look at this first!"

He took the thin telegram paper from the cryptographer and shoved it directly in front of Zhang Xueliang.

Zhang Xueliang stared at it, and his whole body froze.

Everyone in the command post craned their necks, wanting to see what was written on it.

Yang Yuting cleared his throat and read the contents of the telegram in an extremely peculiar tone.

"The telegram reads:"

"Our unit encountered the main force of the White Bear Far East Armored Army below Kulun City."

"After a day of fierce fighting, our Armored Battalion heavily damaged the enemy, destroying over three hundred enemy armored vehicles and one hundred and twenty-seven tanks."

"The enemy line has completely collapsed."

"Our unit pursued for eighty kilometers and annihilated the remnants at Xingxing Gorge."

"Kulun has been captured, and the gateway to Ulan Province is wide open."

"Please dispatch follow-up troops to garrison the area and prevent others from claiming credit."

"Additionally, ammunition and fuel consumption is extremely high, please resupply quickly."

"Feng Army's Eighth Brigade, Zhang Xueming."

After Yang Yuting finished reading, the entire command center was so quiet that everyone could hear their own heartbeats.

Everyone's mouths hung open, staring at the telegram in Yang Yuting's hand as if he were a monster.

Seriously wounded the main force of the White Bear Armored Army?

Annihilated its remnants?

And captured Kulun?

And... and they're asking for people to be sent to prevent others from stealing the credit?

Zhang Xueliang blinked, then blinked again. He snatched the telegram and read it three times, carefully, word by word.

Then, he looked up at Yang Yuting, his lips trembling.

"Am I... am I dreaming?"

Fengtian, Marshal's Mansion.

Zhang Yuting paced back and forth in the living room, the Persian carpet beneath his feet creaking with every step.

The cigar in his hand had burned down to the end, scorching him. He flinched and tossed the butt into an antique vase by his feet.

"Damn it!"

A roar of anger made the Fifth Concubine, who was next to him, drop her melon seeds.

"Have those bastards at the Middle East Railway not responded yet? What is Wu Tiancheng even doing! Tell him, if the negotiations still don't go through, I'll personally lead troops to talk!"

Zhang Yuting kicked over a chair beside him, and the atmosphere in the entire Marshal's Mansion became terrifyingly oppressive.

Everyone knew that the Marshal's intentions were not solely focused on the railway.

The Middle East Railway was a problem, but it wasn't enough to make him lose his composure like this.

What truly agitated him was his youngest son, Zhang Xueming, who had ventured deep into enemy territory and had been unheard from since.