us al ▁that ▁caused ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁battle . ▁ ▁After ▁five ▁days ▁of ▁inten se ▁battle ▁that ▁saw ▁hor r ific ▁cas ual ties ▁on ▁both ▁sides , ▁Ha o , ▁who ▁personally ▁led ▁a ▁counter ▁off ensive , ▁decided ▁to ▁survey ▁the ▁front , ▁during ▁which ▁he ▁had ▁to ▁reach ▁another ▁isolated ▁section ▁of ▁Chinese ▁controlled ▁mountain ▁r idge . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁two ▁tra ils , ▁one ▁was ▁shorter ▁and ▁direct , ▁but ▁a ▁stretch ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁metres ▁of ▁this ▁trail ▁located ▁at ▁the ▁front ▁line ▁and ▁thus ▁was ▁exposed ▁to ▁the ▁enemy ▁fire . ▁ ▁Another ▁trail ▁was ▁completely ▁in ▁Chinese ▁control ▁and ▁out ▁of ▁reach ▁of ▁the ▁enemy ▁fire , ▁but ▁it ▁would ▁take ▁much ▁longer ▁time ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁destination ▁if ▁this ▁path ▁was ▁taken . ▁ ▁Ref using ▁his ▁staff ' s ▁suggestion ▁for ▁the ▁same ▁reason ▁of ▁boost ing ▁mor ale ▁just ▁like ▁the ▁way ▁he ▁had ▁refused ▁to ▁change ▁to ▁ordinary ▁soldier ' s ▁uniform , ▁Ha o ▁made ▁a ▁f ateful ▁decision ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁first ▁trail ▁and ▁his ▁entire ▁staff ▁followed ▁in ▁the ▁hope ▁of ▁offering ▁some ▁protection ▁in ▁numbers ▁so ▁that ▁enemy ▁sni per ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁so ▁easily ▁pick ing ▁out ▁their ▁command ing ▁officer . ▁ ▁Every one ▁was ▁bet ting ▁on ▁that ▁the ▁enemy ▁often ▁chose ▁not ▁bother ▁to ▁fire ▁upon ▁the ▁Chinese ▁soldiers ▁dash ing ▁through ▁the ▁ 2 0 ▁metres ▁stretch ▁at ▁the ▁night ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁past ▁experience . ▁ ▁During