On a high ground near Hulmatu, Ahmed, the observer of 1515, put down his binoculars, rubbed his eyes which were almost bulging out of their sockets, and looked at the distance in disbelief.
"By... By Allah! They've... They've retreated?!"
Just half an hour ago, Ahmed's heart was still caught in his throat.
Daguge fell, Ozham was attacked by the government army, the Russian army along with Wagner Mercenaries and Hafez's government forces launched a fierce counteroffensive in the direction of Syria, Deir ez-Zor, and Raqqa...
Early this morning, a series of terrifying news arrived.
It seemed as if overnight, all forces hostile to the 1515 Armed had united to launch an attack against the 1515 Armed within the two countries.
Just two hours ago, Ahmed was dispatched by his commander to this high ground a dozen kilometers from Hulmatu to monitor enemy movements.
He spotted a large number of militiamen appearing in his view and had already reported the situation in a timely manner to his superiors.
He originally thought they would face a fierce battle next.
But to his greatest surprise...
These terrifying heretics...
Actually left on their own?
They retreated!
Really retreated!
Those surging militia forces and mercenaries turned their vehicles around within half an hour, kicking up a cloud of dust, and eventually disappeared to the north...
He quickly picked up the radio handset, babbling as he truthfully reported the situation here.
The message was reported layer by layer, finally reaching the ears of Hulmatu's top commander, Basmo.
"Are you sure?!"
Basmo asked excitedly and slightly surprised: "Are you sure they didn't stop advancing, but rather retreated?!"
"Sure, boss!"
Ahmed swore: "I swear on my family's honor! They've retreated! Heading north!"
"It seems it's really not a trap."
Basmo's mouth uncontrollably cracked open, his eyeballs bulging out an inch, his heart pounding like a drum.
Excitement uncontrollable enough to make his dopamine crazy secreted.
Allah assists me!
He almost shouted out loud to vent his joy.
Indeed, just as his lieutenant had previously speculated.
"It's internal strife! The Americans have fallen out with them! These heretics will never learn to unite!"
He slammed the table hard, his voice hoarse yet filled with excitement.
"Opportunity! Allah has bestowed upon us an opportunity! Immediately pull out all maneuverable reserves along the Hulmatu-Titrick line! Send them east at the fastest speed to reinforce Ozham! Let those arrogant Americans taste our true elite!"
He dared not, nor had ever considered pursuing Song Heping's troops.
Even if that army was retreating, he lacked the courage.
Previously, Song Heping once confronted the 1515 Armed with 300 militiamen, resulting in the opponent suffering nearly a thousand casualties.
The battle made everyone in the 1515 Armed aware of Song Heping's reputation.
They gave Song Heping a name—the Demon of Illiguo.
Pick soft persimmons to squeeze.
Unable to handle Song Heping, but handling the Illigo Government Army in the Ozham direction, Basmo was full of confidence.
Ozham originally already had over four thousand people from the 1515 Armed, he pulled out two thousand elite with heavy weapons to support, those garbage soldiers and officers of the government army probably couldn't last a day before retreating.
Moreover, he might seize the opportunity to continue advancing eastward, expanding "Levant Country's" territory by several hundred square kilometers!
More importantly, as the regional commander, Basmo was also considered a high-ranking commander within 1515.
The retreat of "Demon" Song Heping not only meant the crisis of Hulmatu was removed but also activated the previously restrained massive 1515 troops in the Northwest, as if a death row prisoner, once noosed around the neck, suddenly found the rope snapped, and the restraints binding the hands and feet also came off...
This excitement was like being reborn!
He immediately went to the radio, ordered the signalman to connect to Buckdadi command channel: "Connect me to Emir immediately, I want to report this great news to him personally!"
...
Song Heping's move to "throw down the towel" and retreat was like suddenly pulling out the most critical piece of a domino set, causing the coalition frontline to quake instantly!
The first to suffer was the government army in the Ozham direction.
That evening, the forward lines of the government army in Ozham were counterattacked by the 1515 Armed.
Like a tide, extremists and armed pickups mixed with suicide trucks and some armored vehicles began attacking the government forces' lines from different directions, like African hyenas smelling blood.
"Son of a bitch! Did they grow out from the ground?!"
Sayif, the commander of the 9th Armored Division of the Illigo Government Army, the overall commander of "Furnace" operation in the Ozham direction, was hiding in his command post, furiously roaring into the radio, "Tell the Americans! I need air support! More air support! Right now! Immediately! At once!"