And in the evening!

Brothers, for our copper and saltpeter! Charge! Save it! Recommend it!

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Melino. Japa didn't know what was going on in Antofagaste at the moment, and perhaps he didn't have any heart to care about it, standing in the temporary command post of Issyk-Kul Fortress, he only felt cold hands and feet.

Outside, there was the rumbling sound of artillery, and the siege of Issyk-Kul Fortress suddenly began, although as early as more than a month ago, the Admiralty sent an urgent telegram, telling him that the political axe army might have to take action against the fortress, and also replenished his troops with ammunition and provisions, but what he did not expect was that the political axe army led by President Balmaceda would be like such a thunderbolt as soon as it struck.

With the assistance of a dozen artillery pieces, he smashed open the gates of the fortress in just three hours, leading a small detachment of marines, who numbered less than five hundred, but had to face the two thousand elite troops who were swarming in and much better equipped than himself.

"How should this battle be fought?"

"Has the telegram for help been sent?" Melino. Japa pulled out a cigar and looked at the communications soldier who was busy delivering the news, his face turned blue.

"It's been sent, but they replied that they hope we're holding out for a while, and reinforcements will arrive soon!" The adjutant gritted his teeth, listened to the gunshots outside, and shook his head.

"Reinforcements? Will there really be reinforcements? "Actually, don't ask, Melino. Japa also knew that due to the hesitation of Congress and General Monte, the Admiralty and Congress were not fully prepared at this moment, and in the face of the political axe army that suddenly fought hard, it would be good to be able to hold it, where would the reinforcements come from? Especially in this kind of land warfare, even if a few warships come, it is difficult to have any real help.

Moreover, the fleet is now assembling in the southern seas under the command of General Monte, waiting for the best opportunity. The rest of the Marines and the patchwork Congressional Army have already launched a northern crusade, which means that there will be no more reinforcements.

Damn it! It's clear that you can't send troops, but you still lie to yourself!

Melino. Japa angrily unbuttoned it, in addition to hating the damn Army, he also hated the Admiralty, they thought they were the Easter Island statue that couldn't be killed? At this time, I still ask myself to stick to it!

In just a few hours, the gate of the fortress was smashed open, how can you hold on? How to fight?

Reinforcements! To hell with it!

Light the cigar and let the smoke go back and forth in the nasal cavity a few times, Melino. Japa calmed down a bit, he didn't count on reinforcements, but he wouldn't give up on Iquique either, and no one knew better than him how important this small fortress by the sea in the north was.

"Order the troops, take the civilian houses as the point, hold on step by step, and tell the soldiers that we are the navy, the elite navy! Our glory must not be tarnished by a group of scholars! "Melino. Japa ordered loudly that all he could do now was to use every street and house in the fortress to slow down the enemy's footsteps.

But how long can this last?

Reinforcements? Will there really be!

Melino. Japa looked out the window lit by a flame from time to time, the cigar in his hand trembled slightly, he was not afraid of death, even a few years ago in the face of the charge of the Peruvian army, he didn't even blink his eyes, but now he was a little nervous.

"If Iquique is lost in his own hands, what fate awaits him?" Melino. Japa remembered his wife far away, and a wry smile appeared on his lips.

Suddenly, a few shrill whistles shattered his thoughts, and several fires lit up not far from the command post, and the flying stones smashed into the ground like hailstones, filling the air with countless smoke and dust.

"Major, are you alright?" The adjutant crouched down and nervously glanced at the figure standing motionless in the window.

Melino. Japa didn't reply, the shrill screeching of cannonballs, the chirping of bullets, and the crying, swearing, and shouting all mixed together, and the whole fortress of Iquique felt like hell.

Who would have thought that Chile, which had just won a foreign war a few years earlier, would break out into a civil war? I don't know how long this damn battle will be fought, and how many Chileans will be displaced.

Another string of dense chirps came, and stones flew at the hidden gate of the command post, could it be said that the political axe army had hit here so quickly? Before the people in the command post could react, everyone saw a corporal braving a hail of bullets, rushing through the street and rushing into the headquarters.

"What's wrong? Is Third Avenue lost? "The adjutant recognized the corporal who came in, and his troops were supposed to intercept the enemy on Third Avenue at this time, how could they suddenly run back?

A shadow was cast over everyone's hearts, Third Avenue was the penultimate line of defense, and if Third Avenue was lost, then everyone in the command would have to carry their guns!

The corporal obviously didn't know everyone's mood, bent over, panted hard, his face turned red, and excitedly pointed in the direction he was running from: "Report, reinforcement......s, reinforcements, we ...... Reinforcements have arrived! ”

"What!"

"Reinforcements? Are there really reinforcements?! ”

"The Admiralty did not give up on us!"

With a buzz, the news brought by the corporal made the entire command explode in an instant, if it weren't for the rain of bullets outside, someone would have rushed out to take a closer look.

Melino. Japa was also shocked, although he was only a major and could not get the detailed battle plan of the Admiralty, he also knew that General Monte had used his troops to the extreme at this moment, how could there be reinforcements to help Iquique at this time?

"Could it be a makeshift rebel army!" Come to think of it, Melino. Japa's face, which had just flushed with excitement, suddenly turned gloomy again, if it was really those Boy Scouts, what was the use of coming at this time?

At this moment, a screech that was different from the army artillery came faintly, followed by an explosion that was bigger than those army guns, and as Marine Corps officers, no one was more familiar with the unique roar of the naval guns than them!

"Reinforcements are really coming! Son of a bitch, they're really here! ”

The cheers, accompanied by the unique loud sound of naval guns, instantly spread throughout the fortress of Iquique. Japa was so excited that he didn't even notice that the cigar had fallen on the ground, grabbed the corporal who came to report, and shouted, "Tell me, how many people are there?" ”

"Two cruisers, and five hundred army troops, they are landing, and they can be put into battle in ten minutes at most!" The corporal replied excitedly.

"Two cruisers, and five hundred marines! God, I love you! "Melino. Japa didn't expect the Admiralty's action to be so stealthy and swift this time, not only the warships came, but also the emergency mobilization of 500 troops, which was a shot in the arm for the current situation.

But before he could finish praising God, he heard the corporal shouting: "No, it's not the Marines, I heard that it's five hundred soldiers from the Qing Empire!" ”

"Qing Empire? Which country is that? What are they doing here? Listen to the sound of artillery, or the naval escort, who are they? The corporal's words made the command post look at each other, and before everyone could figure out which country the Qing Empire was, the gunfire outside the command headquarters became dense again, and everyone subconsciously touched the pistol on their waists and followed the gunfire.

The hand had just grasped the handle of the gun, Melino. Japa and the others saw a major in the uniform of the Chilean Navy, with several yellow-skinned, black-eyed, helmet-on-top, rifle-wielding, eye-catching white cloth bands on their shoulders, and vigilant eyes walking into the command post.

"Japa, haha, you're still alive, it's a pleasure to see you." As soon as he walked into the command, the lieutenant commander immediately gave Melino. Japa a bear hug.

Melino. Japana still took care of the greetings, pushed his friend away, looked at the fighters who came with him, and asked, "Pat, ...... they?" ”

Without waiting for Pat to answer, the young soldier at the head stretched out his hand and introduced himself in not very fluent English: "Luo Feng, the commander of the first regiment and one battalion of the Qing Imperial Guards, has been ordered to come to assist you in defending the fortress. ”

"Luo Feng? Qing Empire? "Melino. Japa felt that his brain was not enough, and he shook Luo Feng's outstretched hand in a daze.

Looking at Melino with a confused face. Japa, Luo Feng smiled, in fact, he was also a little strange about this title, I don't know why the young master wanted to borrow the name of the Great Qing Kingdom, but a military order is a military order, and there is no room for questioning.

Fortunately, after some explanations, the admiral finally let Melino. Japa understood the purpose of these Qing Empire soldiers who came from afar, and besides, now was not the time to get to the bottom of it.

Melino. Japa was an open-minded man, and since people were here to help him, he was not so wary, so he took out a map of the fortress and drew a line: "In front of us, there are about two thousand well-armed bastards, and it is Jose who leads them. Soto, that madman, now they are blocked between First and Second Avenue, there are many civilian houses, their artillery advantage cannot be fully utilized, what they need to do now is to stabilize the defense line as soon as possible, and not let them continue to go deeper. ”

Fortunately, everyone is fluent in English, and there is a temporary translator, so Luo Feng can also understand Melino. Japa means.

Look at Melino. The line drawn by Japa, Luo Feng frowned, obviously this Chilean major only wanted to stabilize his position, not to use the night to be ruthless a few times, but now on other people's territory, it is not good to express many opinions, anyway, the troops are their own, and it is not up to them to decide how to fight?!

"Major, can you give me this map?" Luo Feng pointed to the map.

"Yes." Melino. Japa was stunned for a moment, and then immediately scratched it with a pen in several important places and handed it to Luo Feng, who greatly appreciated his carefulness.

"Now it's our turn!" Luo Feng took the map, turned around and said a few words to the few people who accompanied him, and the Chilean officers didn't understand what the Chilean officers didn't understand, before turning his head and hooking the lips at the corners of his mouth: "Give us the defense line, let your soldiers withdraw and rest first, and wait for the final decisive battle." ”

"Over to you?"

Don't wait for Melino. Japa and the other Chilean officers reacted, and Luo Feng had already turned away.

In the command room, there was silence for a moment, looking at Luo Feng and his subordinates, bowing strangely in the rain of bullets, and quickly disappearing at the end of the street, everyone's eyes were straight.

Qing Empire? Is it the country where there are only fine silks and porcelain?

They also have warriors who can cross thousands of miles across the Pacific?

A moment later, a torrential rain of gunfire broke the silence of the command, and from all over the fortress, the incomprehensible shouts, shouts, and explosions accompanied by bursts of explosions no weaker than cannonballs, swept across the fortress like a raging monsoon.

Oh ~ Oh my God! Melino. Japa's pupils began to dilate.

"They're charging!"