activa-t Chapter 287 The Port is Destroyed
Chapter 287 The Port is Destroyed
At that moment, from the sky, the port of Cienfuegos had already been reduced to a sea of fire, a purgatory on earth. The raging flames devoured everything like a hungry beast.
All the buildings in the port were vulnerable to the fierce fire. They collapsed and burned one after another. Thick smoke with a pungent smell of burning rushed into the sky and gathered in the air to form a "black curtain" that covered the sky and the sun. Even more than ten kilometers away, the thick smoke column was still clearly visible, like a black flag of the end of the world.
Through satellite monitoring, Ye Daofu stared at the tragic scene after the fire on the screen with an expressionless face.
The once bustling port is now reduced to devastated ruins. Occasionally, among the broken walls, you can see the crumbling frames of a few buildings. They stand alone among the ruins, as if silently crying out for the disaster.
The charred steel beams were twisted and deformed like strange abstract sculptures; broken bricks and stones were scattered on the ground, burned black and unable to distinguish their original appearance; the road surface on the street was bombed into potholes, with deep pits left everywhere by the explosions, and the accumulated water reflected the burning flames, like blood.
Ye Daofu's tone was calm, yet filled with undeniable certainty: "This port has been completely destroyed. In such a dire situation, they can't hold out for much longer and will definitely retreat. In my opinion, the casualties have exceeded 90%. A conservative estimate is that at least 100,000 people have died in this bombing."
After saying this, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, outlining a cold arc, "This great gift, the Rice Empire will surely be very 'surprised'."
At this moment, Ye Daofu's face was as calm as water, and his heart was also calm.
In his eyes, destroying the island port was just a small test, just the beginning, and also a "greeting gift" to the rice empire.
Then, he had already outlined the next strategic blueprint in his mind: quickly occupy the entire Guba area, turn it into a frontier position, and rely on Guba's unique geographical location to continuously send elite forces to harass and attack the Rice Empire.
Let their homeland never have peace, be mired in the quagmire of war for a long time, suffer the deep pain and endless disasters brought by war, until they pay a heavy price for their actions.
In the distance, Li Weiqi stood tall on the high ground, holding a telescope tightly in his hand. His eyes behind the eyepiece were full of shock and sorrow. There was a deep sense of powerlessness in his gaze as he looked towards the port, and his face was as gloomy as the night sky before a storm.
The direction of this war was far beyond his expectations. He thought it would be a protracted, back-and-forth fight, but he did not expect it to be such a one-sided defeat at such a lightning speed.
Looking at the tragic scene in front of him, he bit his lower lip tightly, feeling unwilling.
He originally wanted to call for support, but after seeing this situation he knew that there was no need for support.
The port in the distance has now become a hell on earth, with flames raging among the broken walls and thick smoke rising into the sky.
Li Weiqi knew clearly that this port was completely powerless to defend. Without the protection of air defense forces, if he continued to defend it, he would undoubtedly be courting death.
The soldiers did not even have a basic combat environment. Enemy planes were circling in the sky and bombs were raining down. They had to endure the fierce bombardment of the Qin Empire Navy. In such a desperate situation, retreat was already an unavoidable survival option.
The deputy commander beside him frowned, his face full of worry, and asked with a trembling and confused voice: "Sir, what should we do now?"
His words were filled with helplessness and anxiety. "We had meticulously prepared, planning to hold the port to the bitter end. We even had all the supplies and personnel for a long-term battle, fully expecting to hold out until the end. But who could have foreseen such ferocious firepower, far beyond our wildest dreams? In comparison, our weapons and equipment are like primitive clubs, while they are like a civilized nation mastering cutting-edge technology. How can we continue this war..."
Li Weiqi slowly put down the telescope, his fingers turned white due to the force, and his knuckles were slightly raised.
His eyes were fixed on the direction of the port. The flames rising into the sky and the thick smoke seemed to burn into his eyes, full of grief and determination.
He suddenly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was a bit more determination in his eyes. He took a deep breath, turned around, faced the exhausted and demoralized troops behind him, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Everyone, listen up! Prepare to retreat!"
The voice was filled with unquestionable majesty and endless sadness.
When the soldiers heard the order, they were stunned at first, and an expression of unwillingness instantly appeared on their faces.
Many of them have relatives and friends still on this burning land, and some of their comrades’ bodies are even warm. How can they be willing to just withdraw like this?
But looking at the flames exploding around them and listening to the roar of enemy planes whizzing past, they knew that they had no choice at this moment.
Everyone was hurriedly packing up their equipment. In the chaos, guns collided with each other, making crisp and messy sounds.
Someone looked towards the port, his eyes red with grief and reluctance. His lips trembled as he muttered to himself, "Are we retreating just like that? Our brothers..."
But the situation was urgent and they did not have a moment to feel sad. The officers urged loudly and the team began to move slowly.
At first, the troops' pace was somewhat disorganized, their minds still steeped in the grief and resentment of defeat. Some dragged their feet, as if their energy had been drained away; others looked around in confusion, unsure of where to go.
But under the reprimand and guidance of the officers, the team gradually became orderly.
Li Weiqi straightened his back and walked in the front of the team. His posture was still as straight as a pine tree, but his lonely back was like a heavy hammer, knocking on everyone's heart.
Along the way, the wounded soldiers were supported by their comrades and moved forward step by step with difficulty.
Some soldiers had serious leg injuries. With every step they took, the wounds would burst open, and blood would gush out, dripping onto the sand and forming glaring red flowers.
Some soldiers had their arms hanging limply, obviously with broken bones. Their faces were pale with pain, but they clenched their teeth to prevent themselves from groaning in pain.
The bombing brought them a devastating disaster. Originally, a large number of people were guarding the port to prevent the Qin Empire from landing, but they did not expect this result.
None of the survivors were intact, all were covered in wounds, and many had black faces. Only about 10,000 people escaped in a panic.
Li Weiqi felt heavy-hearted. This was the first time in his military career that he had suffered such a great defeat. He was beaten without any chance to fight back.