Working as a police officer in Mexico-Chapter 1677 - 762: Our Swords Are Just as Sharp! (Part 4)

"Did the images come through?" Salsedo asked the communications officer beside him.

"The last images came in three minutes ago, sir. They have at least two companies of troops and mortar batteries."

Salsedo nodded and picked up the walkie-talkie: "Proceed as planned. Anti-tank teams, keep an eye on their armored vehicles. Remember, hold fire until they're within 300 meters. I want their first wave to fall right here."

800 meters northwest of the village, the French Army's attack starting line.

Colonel Durand emerged halfway from the top hatch of the VAB armored vehicle, observing the village with a pair of binoculars. He was wearing the standard French Army F2 camouflage, with the Foreign Legion's red flame insignia prominently on his right arm.

"The Italians botched it; now it's our turn to make the Mexicans remember the colors of France."

He spoke into the radio, his voice calm but with undeniable authority. "First Infantry Company feints from the front, Second Infantry Company infiltrates from the eastern trench. Armor platoon provides direct fire support, take out any visible fire points. Mortar company, await my orders for creeping barrage fire. 'Little Antelope,' stay on standby until I call."

"Colonel, reconnaissance shows signs of minefields around the village perimeter." The reconnaissance team's voice came through the headset.

"Engineers, move out and clear the mines, infantry follow up, commence action."

Three VAB armored vehicles equipped with mine plows slowly advanced toward the village, the heavy steel plows digging into the soil.

The following infantry crouched low, the barrels of the French Army FAMAS assault rifles glinting coldly in the sunset.

Suddenly—

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three almost simultaneous dull bangs sounded from the direction of the village, as three smoke grenades exploded on the French Army's advance route, quickly enveloping the area in thick white smoke.

"Stop!" Durand shouted sternly, "They're calibrating firing data! All vehicles, evasive maneuvers!"

No sooner had he finished speaking, the real artillery fire arrived.

"Whoosh—boom!"

The first mortar shell landed five meters to the right of the leading mine-clearing vehicle, the explosion sending dirt flying everywhere.

Soon after, the second, the third... the Mexican Army's 81mm mortars began rapid fire, their impact points extremely precise, clearly in a pre-calculated fire coverage area.

"Dismount! Infantry dismount and disperse!" Durand shouted, withdrawing into the armored vehicle and slamming the hatch shut.

The VAB's rear door opened, and French soldiers leapt out single file, swiftly moving to the nearest cover.

Their well-trained demeanor was apparent—no one panicked, all kept vigilant towards the village while seeking cover.

The outskirts of lawlessness are indeed lawless.

But the Mexican firepower did not end there.

"Ratatatatatat!"

From the second-story window of a farmhouse at the village edge, an M2HB heavy machine gun roared, 12.7mm bullets whipping through the air, striking the hulls of two VABs, sending out showers of sparks.

A French soldier unable to fully hide behind a vehicle fell with a scream, his leg nearly severed by bullets.

"Anti-tank missiles!" someone shouted.

From the direction of the church, two "Milan" anti-tank missiles streaked out trailing white smoke.

The French AMX-10RC tank destroyer immediately released smoke grenades and maneuvered evasively. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

The first missile skimmed past one tank destroyer's turret, exploding on the distant ground. The second hit the side of a VAB, the explosion tearing open its armor, desperate screams emanating from inside.

"Locate that missile team!" Durand's eyes scanned the vehicle's display screen, which integrated live feed from a drone. "The church belltower, ten o'clock direction, second-story window. 'Little Antelope,' take it out for me!"

"Roger, Colonel."

A "Little Antelope" attack helicopter hovering overhead lowered its nose, a 20mm cannon spitting fire.

The rounds lashed at the church tower like a whip of death, wood and bricks flying everywhere.

But the price had already been paid.

The French Army's first probing attack, within five minutes, resulted in two damaged armored vehicles and at least seven casualties, without even reaching the village outskirts.

Durand's expression was grim.

"These Mexicans... tougher than the intel suggested." He pressed the communication button, "Mortar company, cover the village perimeter with alternating smoke and fragmentation rounds. First Infantry Company, maintain suppressive fire. Second Infantry Company, start infiltrating now. We need to force them into a dilemma."

Inside the village, church basement.

Here had been converted into a temporary command post and medical station.

Under dim lights, the crackling of radio static, the groans of the wounded, and the faint sound of explosions from outside mixed together.

Captain Salsedo crouched over a spread-out map, his finger moving swiftly: "Their main force is still at the front, but there's heat activity in the eastern trench. Lieutenant Rodriguez!"

"Present!" a dust-covered lieutenant responded.

"Take your men to the east side, they're attempting infiltration. Greet them with the surprise I prepared for you."

"Understood!" Rodriguez grabbed his M4 carbine, leading six soldiers out of the basement.

The so-called "surprise" was the IEDs and tripwire flares that Salsedo had pre-planted along both sides of the trench.

These devices were connected to fiber optic sensors, almost impossible to detect by electronic equipment.

The eastern trench, actually an irrigation ditch about one and a half meters deep and two meters wide, was overgrown with weeds.

French Second Infantry Company, more than thirty soldiers, were silently infiltrating towards the village interior along the trench.

Leading them was a young lieutenant named Jean-Pierre, from the outskirts of Paris, participating in combat for the first time.