The most troublesome part of Bravo Team's retreat was the civilians. However, with Long Zhan, a formidable transport machine, this problem became a breeze.
In just over ten minutes, all 23 civilians were relocated to the first-floor lobby.
With time to spare, Long Zhan climbed up to the rooftop of the hospital's second floor to prepare for a counterattack with Sonny against the advancing Syrian troops.
At the 20-minute mark, a group of infantry appeared in Long Zhan's northern field of vision, advancing in formation.
With the aid of the EOTech G33 flip-to-side magnifier providing 3x magnification, Long Zhan could clearly see each individual and estimated the group to be about the size of a company.
While the combat effectiveness of the Syrian Army was not comparable to major world powers, the fact remained that over 100 armed soldiers were advancing.
In the era of modern firearms, where even legendary warriors like Zhao Yun would bow down, no matter how skilled Bravo Team was, they couldn't withstand an assault from over ten armed attackers at once.
Fortunately, the powerful QRF (Quick Reaction Force) was en route and was not expected to be delayed by much.
(QRF: Quick Reaction Force, a type of specialized combat unit.)
Additionally, the open desert terrain provided excellent visibility, with over a kilometer separating the two sides. This distance was sufficient for Long Zhan, Sonny, and their team to implement a delay-and-snipe strategy to buy time for their QRF reinforcements.
The Syrian Army's commander was clearly no ordinary strategist, choosing to launch the attack just before dawn, knowing that nighttime combat against U.S. forces was futile.
This approach was sound in a conventional battle, but unfortunately, they were up against the elite DG Squad.
As the Syrian company jogged into the town and prepared to assault the hospital, fierce firepower rained down on them.
"BIU~"
Lei's sniper rifle shot rang out, precision killing a Syrian soldier in officer's attire.
This single shot marked the beginning of the battle.
"Ratatatatat…"
Long Zhan and Sonny opened fire simultaneously with their light machine guns. Assisted by their magnified optics, they unleashed a relentless hail of bullets on the Syrian troops 300 meters away.
Under the barrage of two highly accurate machine guns, combined with the loss of their commander in the opening moments, the 100-plus Syrian soldiers were thrown into disarray. Within seconds, over ten soldiers were hit, screaming in pain, and at least five were killed outright.
Although these casualties didn't significantly impact the overall combat effectiveness of a 100-person unit, the psychological blow was immense.
The soldiers hadn't even spotted their attackers yet, and over a dozen of their comrades were already down. This level of confusion and fear was unprecedented for them.
Accustomed to fighting poorly-equipped insurgents armed with little more than sticks and rudimentary weapons, the Syrian Army had never experienced the brutal reality of war at this level.
Bravo Team's opening salvo shattered their confidence entirely. The soldiers' advancing formation, originally fan-shaped, was decimated and scattered.
All survivors took cover in buildings or behind barriers and finally located the direction of the enemy fire.
Some brave souls attempted to peek out and return fire, but their subpar marksmanship, combined with iron sights that offered no magnification, left them powerless against targets 300 meters away—targets no bigger than a grain of rice.
A few stubborn soldiers tried to retaliate, exposing themselves in the process. This only revealed their positions, leading to immediate retaliation—a single precise shot left them bloodied and lifeless.
Faced with such a stark disparity in marksmanship, the remaining Syrian troops dared not expose themselves again.
Still, despite their inability to return fire, they did not halt their advance. These seasoned veterans adapted quickly under the command of their second-in-command, opting for a more cautious approach: advancing by moving between buildings.
This method drastically reduced their speed but offered the advantage of avoiding the hospital's firing lines, eliminating the threat of sniper fire.
Simultaneously, the second-in-command ordered the artillery team to set up mortars in strategic positions.
In the absence of snipers to counter the enemy's long-range suppression, shelling was the best solution.
It had to be acknowledged:
The Syrian Army, though less capable than elite forces, was still a national military. Their level of training far surpassed that of ragtag insurgent groups.
Their response to Bravo Team's assault posed challenges for Long Zhan and his team on the rooftop, leaving them unable to fire.
But that was precisely the goal.
Long Zhan, Lei, and the others had engaged the Syrians not to kill them but to delay their approach.
And now, the delay had worked.
With the Syrians advancing cautiously through buildings, the final 300 meters to the hospital would take them at least 10 minutes.
In this silent stalemate, five minutes passed without notice.
Brock, stationed on the eastern side, spotted three vehicles and immediately reported, "B1, the Quick Reaction Force has appeared. They'll reach the town in two minutes."
"B1 received. All retreat preparations are complete. Sniper team, fall back."
Upon receiving Brock's report, Jason immediately ordered Long Zhan and the others on the roof to regroup with the main force before the convoy arrived.
Just as Long Zhan prepared to withdraw, a sharp whistle echoed from the sky.
"Mortar!!!!!!!!"
Long Zhan shouted, tackling Lei, who had turned and was unaware, to the ground.
"Whoosh—BOOM."
The mortar shell flew with incredible speed, hitting the rooftop less than a second after Long Zhan dove. The explosion tore a massive hole in the roof, sending debris and smoke flying.
The shockwave carried shards of debris across the rooftop. At a distance of less than 10 meters, the sound waves were deafening.
Although their noise-canceling headsets provided some protection, the abruptness and intensity of the explosion overwhelmed the internal chips, frying them instantly and rendering them useless.