Chapter 1750 - 1359: Reversal

Time passed second by second, each one feeling like torment in a frying pan of boiling oil.

The shelter was eerily quiet, only the sound of heavy or irregular breathing could be heard, along with the occasional report in hushed tones from the observation post through the radio:

"Enemy vehicles have ceased advancing... the artillery units are setting up... I can see the dust raised by the guns..."

Little Masoud leaned against the cold stone wall, clearly hearing his own heart pounding wildly in his chest.

He closed his eyes, trying to calm his breathing, but uncontrollable bloody images from the previous battles flashed through his mind.

He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Song Heping.

Song Heping leaned against the wall opposite, eyes slightly closed, seemingly resting.

It's coming.

The first thing to reach was an extremely sharp whistling sound!

From a distance, rapidly approaching, the volume surged dramatically!

Not a single shot.

But the combined whistling sound of dozens of shells slicing through the sky simultaneously.

"Artillery strike——!!!!"

The observation post's final shout came through the wired phone and was instantly drowned out by the deafening roar of explosions!

The first wave of shells landed.

Boom boom boom boom boom!!!!!!!!!

Not a single sound, but a constant barrage!

It was like ten thousand thunderclaps exploding above!

The entire shelter.

No, the entire mountain where Nasur Fortress was located felt as if a gigantic fist had slammed into it, shaking and vibrating violently and madly!

The ceiling and walls groaned, the reinforced logs made a teeth-grinding "creak," while dust and small stones rained down like a storm, instantly filling the shelter with smoke.

Little Masoud felt as if his internal organs were displaced by the terrifying vibration, his eardrums felt like they were being pierced fiercely, following sharp pain was a continuous buzzing, all external sounds became blurry.

He gripped his head tightly, curled up in a corner, mouth agape, following Song Heping's earlier advice to prevent his eardrums from bursting.

Even so, the shockwaves of the explosions transmitted through solids still left his chest feeling tight and a metallic taste in his mouth.

The floor beneath his feet was no longer solid ground but like the deck of a ship in a storm, shaking crazily under relentless impact.

Over ten seconds later.

The second and third waves of shells followed in quick succession.

This time, it wasn't just the 122 mm howitzers.

The deeper, geometrically destructive sound of 152 mm howitzers joined the barrage!

"Boom——!!!"

"Clang——!!!"

The mixed sounds of different explosions were indistinguishable from each other.

The dust on the shelter roof fell even faster, with a few larger chunks of concrete smashing to the floor and shattering.

The telephone receiver emitted harsh static and then fell completely silent.

The line was likely cut.

Little Masoud found it difficult to breathe.

Each intense explosion felt like a sledgehammer striking his heart.

He glanced at the communications soldier beside him, face ashen, fingers digging into the ground, body trembling uncontrollably.

A young staff officer was curled up, letting out suppressed whimpers.

Only Song Heping remained in that position against the wall, as calm as a meditating monk.

The barrage seemed endless.

It wasn't just an assault on the senses of hearing and touch.

Even deep underground, the vibrations transmitted through rock and soil were enough to create the illusion of internal organ rupture.

Each heavy artillery hit on the mountain's summit brought not just loud booms and vibrations, but waves of hot air flowing in through vents and cracks, thick with the acrid stench of nitroglycerin and burning explosives.

Time lost its meaning.

Each second stretched into an eternal agony by the explosions.

It was not known how long—

Maybe five minutes, maybe ten minutes, maybe it felt like a century.

The density and intensity of the barrage seemed to reach a peak, then began to gradually diminish.

But this wasn't over.

The sound of explosions became sparse, but each explosion seemed...

Closer?

And the sound was deeper, not the kind exploding on the mountain's surface, but with a sound of soil being deeply torn apart.

"They're doing creeping barrages... covering the slopes and reverse slope..." Song Heping suddenly spoke: "They're searching for our shelter and tunnel exits."

Sure enough, several particularly deep, subterranean-sounding explosions followed, making the shelter's vibrations even more violent.

Overhead, there was a "crash," as a large portion of the plaster, mixed with broken bricks, peeled off and landed on the radio table.

The barrage continued for what felt like an interminable duration before finally stopping.

Not stopping abruptly, but receding gradually like the tide.

The last few sporadic sounds of shell explosions echoed between the valleys before completely disappearing.

Dead silence.

A dead silence even more bizarre and unsettling than during the barrage descended.

The ringing in the ears was exceptionally sharp.

Dust floated slowly in the dim light.

Everyone remained in their curled or stiffened positions, as if not yet recovered from that purgatorial world.

Song Heping was the first to move.

He brushed off the dust from his head, walked to the backup radio, and began adjusting the frequency, calling each observation post and Major Faisal.

Little Masoud tried to release his grip on his head, moving his nearly stiff neck and shoulders a bit.

He felt pain all over his bones, his ears still buzzing, his hearing severely impaired.

He opened his mouth to speak, only to find his throat so dry he couldn't make a sound.