Chapter 91

The explosions occurred on both sides of the mountain peaks, and with the explosions, countless boulders rolled down from the mountaintops.

The locations where the explosives were buried were all carefully calculated; this was a successful directed blast!

Many of the boulders on the mountaintop were already unstable, and by placing a small amount of explosives in the right spots, they could be set in motion. As they rolled down the slopes, their speed increased, and eventually, they became uncontrollable.

At the same time, to enhance the effect, they laboriously transported rocks from various places to the mountaintop, which would roll down after the explosions. During these few hours, hundreds of guerrillas worked tirelessly on this task.

These explosives included part of the C4 from Osama's vest and modified grenades and other equipment. Through careful placement and arrangement, they finally achieved this effect.

Now, watching the rocks roll down the slopes, the scene was truly spectacular.

Energy comes from movement. A rifle bullet can easily take a life, relying on its speed. A stone, even the size of a fist, rolling down from the mountain, could create a hole in a person's head. Not to mention, many of the rocks weighed hundreds of pounds. When their potential energy was converted into kinetic energy, the power was immense.

A boulder as large as a millstone rolled down, and several Soviet soldiers hurriedly dodged it on its path.

Suddenly, the boulder encountered a protrusion on the slope, changing its direction and colliding with a Soviet soldier. The soldier continued to run frantically but felt a violent impact on his back. He fell to the ground, powerless. The boulder first crushed his right leg, the sound of bones breaking echoing, and his right leg instantly became a bloody mess. Then it crushed his back, the ribs breaking with a crunch, and his abdomen split open, intestines spilling out and sticking to the rock, which continued to roll forward. A loud thud followed, the sound of his head being crushed.

The Soviet soldier's suffering lasted only a second. Compared to others, he was still lucky.

Another Soviet soldier's lower body was crushed under the rock, almost severed, while his upper body still had sensation. He screamed in agony, calling for help, and struggled to crawl out from under the rock.

Finally, his body loosened, and he crawled a few steps forward. Suddenly, he felt something was wrong. He turned his head and saw his lower body still under the rock, only his upper body had crawled out, trailing a trail of blood and intestines several meters long...

The entire valley had turned into a hellish scene, dark and terrifying.

The Mi-24 Hind helicopters circled in the sky. They saw the explosions on the slopes, the rocks rolling down, and the elite GRU special forces being buried by the rocks. However, they could do nothing to help.

The mountains were quiet, and they couldn't see a single guerrilla.

Except for Muhammad and Masood, the other guerrillas had already left, hiding in the caves of the mountain behind. After the explosion, Muhammad and Masood quietly and almost crawlingly left. The Hinds in the sky, with their keen eyes, couldn't find any trace of the guerrillas.

Muhammad didn't want to pursue the victory. Although setting up more guerrillas on both sides to shoot at the Soviet soldiers after the rocks rolled down could kill more of them, the Hinds would not let them off. As soon as they appeared, they would face relentless attacks.

This was best. They would wait for the Soviet rescue forces to arrive and see the outcome!

Wear down the Soviets! The death of a Soviet soldier meant only a pension, but an injury meant a lifetime of care by the Soviet state, a cost far greater than a pension. The Soviets would eventually realize this was a quagmire that would bury them...

The sky quickly turned dark, and the rumbling outside never ceased.

Both the Mi-24 Hinds and Mi-8 Hip helicopters were operating at full speed, continuously transporting the 108th Division's troops to this area. Now, they were here to rescue, moving rocks and saving their wounded.

The terrain was rugged, and large machinery couldn't be used. Many large rocks couldn't be moved even by several people together. They could only watch helplessly as their comrades under the rocks gradually lost their lives.

In the cave on the other side of the mountain, the guerrillas were resting and regaining their strength.

"Mr. Muhammad, your broad-mindedness and outstanding command skills are truly admirable. You are the lion of Panjshir!" Masood said.

Hearing Masood's praise, Muhammad replied, "All of this is to drive out the Soviet invaders. Every Afghan is brave and wise."

"Yes, you are the lion of Panjshir!" Fahim also said.

Lion of Panjshir! In the future, this title would be given to Masood, but now, Muhammad had earned this halo and completely won over the guerrillas.

Masood was also an experienced guerrilla commander, but due to Muhammad's arrival, history had changed. Karina, or Kurnaeva, had betrayed Masood, leading to Muhammad's victory.

Muhammad had also paid a high price, almost escaping death again.

"We need to discuss our next move," Muhammad said.

The Soviets had surrounded the entire Panjshir Valley, controlling the mountain passes. Now, their main forces had left the Panjshir Valley and moved towards Badakhshan Province.

"The terrain here is complex, and we can easily engage the Soviets in guerrilla warfare," Masood said. "Moreover, although the mountain roads are rugged, they are interconnected. The Soviets cannot control us and encircle us again."

"Right, we can harass the Soviets in the mountains for a month, making them exhausted. When they leave, we will bid them farewell," Fahim also said.

Masood had fully grasped the essence of guerrilla warfare. Now, with the Soviets advancing aggressively, they had to avoid the Soviet forces' sharp edge. In the combined air and ground attacks, the guerrillas were playing with fire.

Muhammad nodded. "Exactly, we will wear down the Soviets' combat strength here and show them that the mountains are our domain."

"However," Muhammad continued, "I have a better suggestion."

Hearing Muhammad's change in tone, even Masood perked up his ears. "What else do we have to do?"

"Now, the Soviet sweeping forces have all moved to Badakhshan Province, and the number of Soviet soldiers in the Panjshir Valley has greatly decreased. I've heard that the command post for this sweep is in the town of Rukha in the Panjshir Valley," Muhammad slowly said. "We need to select several dozen people to form a special unit."

The Panjshir Valley is a long, over 100-kilometer-long valley. This valley is composed of several smaller valleys, extending southwest from the northern part of Parwan Province along the Hindu Kush Mountains. In the basins within the valley, there are scattered towns, including larger ones like Rukha, Astana, and Zenia.

To encircle and annihilate the Afghan guerrillas, the commander of the 108th Division, General Kurikov, moved his command post from Bagram Air Base to Rukha.

Surrounded by high mountains, the snow on the mountaintops had not yet melted. The Panjshir River quietly flowed past Rukha, one of the few flat areas in the valley. The town was surrounded by fields, which, in the land-scarce country of Afghanistan, were considered fertile.

However, the fields, which had just sprouted green shoots, now looked different. Everywhere were tracks from tank treads, and large, flat fields were occupied by rows of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

Upon entering the valley, General Kurikov realized that bringing the T-62s was unwise. The fuel consumption alone was unsustainable for logistics, and in the battle to encircle the guerrillas, the role of tanks was limited. Many rugged terrains were impassable for tanks, so they remained here.

As for the damage to the land, it was unavoidable. Where else could so many tanks be parked? This open area was the most suitable.

Most of the town's residents were farmers. While they showed little emotion on their faces, they were extremely angry inside. These fields were crucial for their annual harvest, and the Soviet tanks had destroyed their livelihoods. They would face a difficult year, and it was too late to replant.

Damn Soviets!

Where are our guerrillas?

Every native cursed the Soviets in their hearts and reduced their movements on the streets. The entire town was under martial law.

In the center of the town was the town hall, which was just three bungalows and a courtyard, the most luxurious building in town. For example, it was the only one with a wall around the courtyard! The other houses had courtyards surrounded by fences or low mud walls.

On the roof, several sentries stood, providing a clear view of the surroundings. In the center of the roof was a machine gun.

Inside the building, a man in a camouflage uniform stood in front of a large-scale map. On one side were a row of radio operators, and in front, an adjutant was continuously placing small flags on the map. (To be continued...)