Liu has just fell back to the second position at Calumpit, which was only two kilometers away from their former positions. The Mongolians have lessened their air strikes on their positions; it seemed that the Northern Offensive is doing its job.
“We have only a few hours before the Mongols attack in full force once again! Fortify your positions, check your ammo, and keep your eyes peeled!” he shouted over the radio.
He knows very well that the Mongols are trying to advance as methodically as they can, and that they will not take any chances.
A soldier comes in and brings a document. Liu opens it and reads:
From the President
We need to defend everything for three days. If I were you, pull your reserves back to Manila.
Just delay them at the river. If they cross it, just delay a bit more.
If we can do this for two days, we will have a very good settlement.
So tell your men not to lose heart. We are doing everything.
Good luck and good hunting.
Best Regards, Mike
Hazard is a bit perplexed now.
HE has realized that the Philippine government is trying to gather international support for a settlement.
Goddamn it, he thought. I need that deuterium!
He dials a few phone numbers and tells the guys on the other line to speed up their offensive.
He knows that he does not have enough time.
He gets to his room inside his luxurious yacht and leaves his empty glass of iced tea.
Mike Stevens is now on a teleconference with the foreign ministers of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
“Look, Mike, we need assurances that we will be allowed to do a consortium.”, said Lakshmi, the Indian minister.
“Yeah. This is a big risk we are taking, do you realize this?” said the Indonesian minister.
Mike just nodded.
“Okay. We have two days, we will pressure as many people as we can.” interjected the Sri Lankans.
As if I did have a lot of choices.
“The Mongolians are advancing! Prepare for battle!” shouted a soldier.
Commander Liu heard this loud and clear, and he immediately ordered everyone to open fire.
The Mongolians did not expect a warm welcome as they approached the Calumpit River, the last natural obstacle to Manila from the north.
“Enemy tank ahead! 1000 meters!”
“Fire!”
The Mongolian tank bursted into pieces.
“Enemy planes!”
“Open the curtain!”
As soon as the Mongolia planes showed up on the radar, they were greeted by a load of SAMs and anti-aircraft fire.
“Do not falter! Fight the yak-eaters!”
Within seconds, the area has became filled with fire, smoke, and chaos as the Philippine Army gave their all to defend the line.
This is the breaking point, Liu noticed. The Mongolians are giving everything.
Soon, the streets became filled with Mongolian blood as battalion after battalion perished under the brutal fire; their air support cannot breach the SAM blanket and their naval support is being harassed by submarines as well, thus forcing the Mongolian Navy to use its resources instead to fight the remnants of the Philippine Fleet.
“Commander, have you noticed that there are no Tu-160s yet?”
Right. The Mongolians haven’t used their radiative missiles, which will knock out anti-aircraft radar and electronic warfare systems.
As if replying to the subordinate’s question, five Tu-160s appeared at low altitude and released a rain of missiles; within moments, the Calumpit air defense system is shattered into a zillion pieces.
“Damn!”
“Fight harder! Do not retreat! Kill them all!”
Mongolian artillery has started to kick in, as well as strafe runs from the Mongolian Air Force have started to destroy every land position that the Philippine Army held on both sides of the river; it was an absolute meat grinder as both sides try to contest control of the river.
“Wait.”
Lieutenant Karl Schurl and his platoon are trying to sabotage the Mongolian mobile radar system located 16 kilometers north of Calumpit Bridge.
“Guys, are you ready?”
Ten men nodded, and they proceeded to fire their RPGs at the station.
Within seconds, the station is destroyed, and they know that Mongolian troops will now have to rely either on satellites, drones, or helicopters in order to coordinate their attacks.
“Captain, how many men did we lost?” asked Liu.
“Some 25,000 already sir. We don’t know how much the Mongolians have lost.”
“And our combat efficiency, Captain?”
“We are still at 75% efficiency; however, we may have to fall back to the third line soon.”
What his men do not know is that there are only a couple of National Guard battalions in the third line. Sure, the police divisions will arrive within half an hour, but it will not matter.
The Special Forces have went back to Manila in order to coordinate its defense, even as Mongolian planes and ships offer the city no respite.
“The Mongolians are crossing the river, sir! What are your orders?”
“Get me the SPV command.”
His aide gave him a phone, and Liu said:
“Bring a blanket barrage. Use all what you’ve got. We are falling back to the third phase line.”
“Affirmative, Commander.”
Liu knows one thing:
The Mongolians are having a harder time now. They must have realized by now what it means to fight in an urban setting.
They’re gonna lose and get ripped.
And we will have a nice paper to end it.
Herlen Hazard watched with worry as he sees the disposition of the Mongolian Army on the battlefield. They have broken through the third line at Calumpit, which meant that the road to Manila is pretty much open. However, by now, he knows very well that the Philippine Army will make them pay for every yard that they have advanced.
This is exactly the type of war that he did not want.
He had only one card left.
One card.
A Tu-160 carrying a bomb called the “Father Of All Bombs” is on its way to Manila. At the same time, Mongolian troops carrying “Tank Support Fighting Vehicles”, much well-known as BMPTs, are crushing their way in the South, where there is no practically Filipino military presence to start with.
He has got this.
By this time, Rave was alive and well together with Mike Stevens, and they are now on their way to Cebu, which is one of the larger cities in the archipelago.
He was able to pass the message to the President, and he ordered his troops to evacuate the city as much as they can.
He knows that many people will die.
This is why I hate war.
No bars. No love. All hate.
And he could not do anything about it, because the Mongolians have almost destroyed all the jets of the Philippine Air Force.
Bloody hell.
Just beside him, Mike Stevens is making calls to the Indonesian Foreign Minister named Fahri Hussein. HE has promised to send 10 Makassar-class vessels loaded with troops as well as submarines and ships to the Philippines, and they have just went underway from their bases in Jakarta.
At least, this should make the Mongolians think more about their moves.
He allowed himself a private smile.
Colonel Vincent Apolinario was the head of the air defense at Malacanang Palace, which is the symbolic seat of power of the Philippine government. The palace has been under incessant attack, but it did not matter as much because they had good air defenses.
However, when the Tu-160 appeared on the radar, he sensed that something terrible will happen.
His intuitions did not fail him.
He saw the light.
And that was the last thing he saw.
The light.
