Chapter 282: Operation Kill the Tiger (Part 1)

I don't know how long it took before Normandy asked with difficulty, 'Has the entire 163rd Infantry Battalion been wiped out?'

'No, because Lieutenant Colonel Arthur left a reserve force of more than 800 people before breaking into Isla. This reserve force only encountered an ambush by the Iraqi army when it came to support the assault troops in exiting Isla later. Three hundred people were killed in battle, but it still managed to support the exit of 100 people from Isla.' The secretary read the report to Normandy as written.

Listening to this report, {Little} 3 Normandy's face revealed a bitter smile: 'One battle has cost us 600 soldiers. Is this the worst defeat we've suffered since the start of the Gulf War? This is completely at odds with my expectation of minimising casualties. It seems that I underestimated the determination of the enemy. Regardless, at least here in Basra, their defenders are still very determined and resourceful.'

'General, there will inevitably be casualties in war. It is not your fault,' The secretary tried to persuade Normandy.

Normandy waved his hand to indicate that he wanted to skip the topic. He sighed and said, 'Now that Iraq has achieved such a great victory, I'm sure the world's public opinion didn't expect it.'

'General, international opinion has not mentioned this battle, and Iraq has not claimed victory in this battle,' the secretary said.

This answer made Normandy feel very strange, because not only was it the first victory of the Iraqi army against the US army, but it could also bring them a lot of bargaining chips during the current peace negotiations. So why didn't Saddam publicise this victory?

As Normandy pondered this question, a very bad feeling suddenly came over him: they were planning an even bigger conspiracy!

Although Normandy could not understand how the Iraqi army could fight a more beautiful battle in its current state, his always accurate intuition clearly reminded him that this was very realistic!

Normandy, the US commander-in-chief handpicked by US President Walsh, quickly dismissed his distracting thoughts and calmed down. He asked, 'What position has the Tiger Infantry Regiment reached?'

'They are now ten kilometres outside the city of Islah at the Akut Oasis,' the secretary replied.

On hearing the answer, Normandy immediately put down his knife and fork, got up from his seat, and walked over to the map. After carefully observing the terrain around Basra, he said to the secretary, 'Immediately convey my orders to the Tiger Infantry Regiment to convey my orders to them, telling them to retreat to Qubāl immediately after resupplying Infantry Battalion 163. They must be careful during the retreat, as the enemy's target is likely to be the entire Desert Tiger Infantry Regiment.'

While Normandy was giving the Tiger commandos the order to retreat in his own restaurant, Zou Yue was also looking at the map in the command centre in Basra.

'Did the American commander really think that he could swallow the Desert Tiger in one bite? If he did, he was a very cautious guy, but he lacked the creativity of the art of war,'

Zou Yue muttered to himself, but then he laughed because he remembered that this was what Zhou Ming had said about himself in the beginning. He remembered that at that time, in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, he and Zhou Ming discussing how to fire the shot, his first thought was also to use this Desert Tiger, but Zhou Ming gave a more imaginative suggestion: the surprise attack on the White Tiger Regiment.

The surprise attack on the White Tiger Regiment was a legendary battle on the Korean battlefield 40 years ago. A deputy platoon leader led his sharp-edged squad straight into enemy territory, infiltrated the enemy regiment and created chaos, and finally wiped out the White Tiger Regiment and the US Army's ace artillery battalion.

Zou Yue was very familiar with this battle, and he even saw the captured US Army flag of the ace artillery battalion with his own eyes at the Military Museum.

So now Zhou Ming's idea was that if they were going to play, they would play the Americans a bigger game. The Tiger of the Desert was going to be eaten, but this battle would also completely pull back Iraq's defeated momentum. So this was the operation that was set.

While Zou Yue was thinking, his aide-de-camp came in with two Iraqi officers behind him. Without turning his head, Zou Yue asked, 'Is there any movement on the part of the US military?'

The two Iraqi officers replied, and the Arabic-speaking deputy officer translated: 'General, according to reconnaissance reports from the front, the US Army's Desert Tiger Infantry Regiment is now withdrawing from the Aqut Oasis. Judging from their route, they are most likely heading for Qubal.'

On hearing this, Zou Yue immediately went to the map and found Qubal, a small town on the border between Iraq and Kuwait.

'The Americans are being a bit overcautious, retreating 20 kilometres after suffering a defeat.'

Zou Yue said with a smile, before giving the order to his adjutant: 'Send word to Qian Jun that our plan to kill the tiger can begin.'

The adjutant, who had received the order, immediately said 'Yes' in a standing position, and then went to give the order to the front line. By the time the message was transmitted to Qian Jun by encrypted satellite signal, he had already set off with with twelve fighters, five of them members of the Desert Squad, six other handpicked Iraqi soldiers and a translator, all dressed in US army fatigues, and had already passed through the oasis of El Kout.

'Captain, we just received orders from General Zou that our Operation Tiger Kill can begin, but how exactly are we supposed to infiltrate the enemy camp?' the small warrior in charge of communications asked Qian Jun.

'You idiot, didn't General Zou tell us when we left? He told us to disguise ourselves as American soldiers, go up and befriend the Americans, pretend that we are also American soldiers, and then drop a few important pieces of information. We can then blend in very easily. Now you're asking for a hammer!' Qian Jun said impatiently.

As he listened to Qian Jun and the little soldier's question and answer, the translator behind them asked nervously, 'Officer, do we really have to do that? But those are the US troops! If we get caught, we'll all be killed, especially since there are only a few of us, and we won't be able to fight back!'

Qian Jun turned around and smiled, showing his big white teeth, and said, 'Comrade from Iraq, I'm afraid you don't know that in our country there is an old saying: "If you don't enter the tiger's lair, you won't get the tiger cub". Now that we want to kill this tiger of the desert, there is no reason not to take risks. Besides, since it is a risk, of course the fewer people the better. Having more people will make it easier for things to go wrong.'

While Qian Jun and his team were chatting and laughing, the sound of a car engine suddenly came from the side road.

Hearing this sound, the Iraqi translator immediately shouted, 'US troops, that's a US military convoy, let's run...'

Qian Jun quickly covered the translator's mouth: 'What's the panic? Didn't we come out here to infiltrate the American military camp? This army looks like it should be the American army that just ordered a retreat. It's really a stroke of luck, and that's him.'

Qian Jun said, straightening his clothes as he did so, and then turned to the American and asked in English, 'Do I look like an American?'

The American-speaking radio operator, Little Warrior, gave him a thumbs-up, saying, 'As long as the captain doesn't call you a son of a turtle!'

Qian Jun angrily slapped him and scolded him for calling him a turtle's son before leading the team onto the road to block the US military convoy. When the convoy stopped, Qian Jun shouted, 'I am Captain Kerry of the 163rd Infantry Battalion. Who is the commander here?'

An officer stepped out of the armoured car and came to Qian Jun's front, looking at him with confusion and asking, 'I am Major Ralph. Captain Kerry, you need to explain to me where your unit belongs, why it is here, and what is going on with you?'

Major Ralph pointed at the torn uniforms on Qian Jun's body. Qian Jun wanted to say that there was nothing he could do about it, after all, they were all stripped off the dead, and these thirteen sets of clothes were already the best.

Qian Jun said helplessly: 'I'm sorry, Major, but my team and I escaped from Isla.'

'Isla? Then why didn't you come back with Infantry Battalion 161?' Ralph asked again.

'I don't know either. My unit was ambushed in Islah, and we just kept running, the Iraqis kept chasing us, and we didn't know where we were running to, so we just headed south by compass until we met you here,' Qian Jun answered.

Ralph frowned as he looked at Qian Jun. Although he felt that what Qian Jun said was a bit unbelievable, it was not impossible. Coupled with the tattered clothes they were wearing, were they not the result of battle? But Ralph suddenly saw the translator behind Qian Jun. Ralph pointed at him and said, 'Come here!'

Qian Jun turned around and saw that the translator was shaking. He even sat down on the ground when he heard Ralph's words. Ralph's eyes became fierce at once, and he stared at Qian Jun and asked, 'What's going on?'

Damn it, I knew this timid translator would cause problems!

Qian Jun cursed in his heart. After all, in this team, apart from the translator, who was a soldier carefully selected by him, all the others were fearless and could remain calm under pressure. But the translator's was very timid, but neither he nor the Desert Squad fighters spoke Arabic, so the translator was still essential. He had been expected to be able to hold his own, but it now seemed that he had shown his true colours.

Facing the enormous pressure from Ralf, Qian Jun calmly opened his hands and casually replied, 'He? He was scared by the Iraqi ambush in Iraq and hasn't recovered yet. He's afraid of everything.'

'Is that really the case?' Ralph asked again, as if he was not satisfied with Qian Jun's answer.

Qian Jun nodded in response, saying 'Of course.' At this moment, time seemed to pass incredibly slowly. While maintaining a casual expression, Qian Jun's hand reached for the grenade at his waist, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

Finally, after an unknown period of time, Ralph suddenly burst out laughing, 'Cowards! Only cowards like you from Infantry Battalion 163 would be chased around by the Iraqis and get beaten up. You'll all become stars when you go back, but only comedy stars!'

Hearing Ralph say this, Qian Jun finally let out a sigh of relief, because he had finally fooled him. However, at this time, he made a look of humiliation on his face, and Ralph saw it and said meaningfully, 'Captain, are you still not convinced?'

'It's true that we were being chased by Iraqi soldiers, but it was because we had obtained very important intelligence and needed to return alive to report it, otherwise many more people would have died at the hands of the Iraqis!' Qian Jun said, 'That is, the Iraqis have a type of bullet that is guaranteed to hit the target every time. Any untrained Iraqi who uses this bullet will become a marksman who can hit the target every time!'

At this news from Qian Jun, Ralph was first surprised, then his face fell as he asked, 'Captain, are you sure you really grasp the situation?'

Qian Jun nodded in reply, 'Yes, and I was even lucky enough to bring back a few rounds for this purpose.'

Qian Jun then took out a bullet and handed it to Ralf, who said after checking it: 'I understand, Captain. You are a hero of the United States. Our current retreat is towards Cuba, but I will take you to Avali, because our frontline commander, Brigadier General Harby, is there.'

Lalfe's decision made Qian Jun stare in disbelief.