Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 3 - 3 The Collapsed Female Soldier

Fatty felt deeply wronged.

He cried like it was pouring rain.

This life was unbearable.

During the fight, he wasn’t allowed to leave, and when he was allowed to leave, he couldn’t. In the end, he helped someone escape but was abandoned here. Crying aside, Tian Xingjian wasn’t a fool. He picked up his gun, turned around, and ran into the depths of the jungle. His agile movements resembled a fat rabbit.

As long as these Imperial Mechas didn’t enter the jungle, Fatty had an 80% chance of slipping back. It would be even better if these Mechas followed the Federation Mechas in the pursuit.

Fatty could sprint across open areas at top speed; as long as he plunged into the not-so-turbulent waters of the Wave-Soaring River, relying on his fat and his record-breaking armed swimming skills, Fatty could easily return to the camp. He could devour some large chunks of roasted meat, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate or tea, and maybe even find some alcohol if he was lucky. Tian Xingjian quickly shook his head, dismissing these foolish thoughts. Thinking about these luxuries while tired, hungry, and sad would only make Fatty feel more devastated.

He needed to find a hiding spot first because if those heavy Mechas reached the battlefield and didn’t pursue northward, but instead regrouped the dispersed Single Soldier Mechas, this jungle would inevitably become their camp.

Fatty could almost imagine himself being caught, stripped bare like a sheep, and hung from a tree while people whipped his fat mercilessly.

It was utterly miserable.

He barely discerned his direction and ran wildly. To increase his survival chances, he had to gather a few tools.

The original base of the Federation Armored Forces was not far from the jungle. Fatty quickly reached the camp. After some rummaging, he found several Single Soldier Hand Grenades, a large piece of compressed solid energy block, and an old energy machine gun.

Most importantly, he found an automatic mechanical arm used by Mechanical Repair Soldiers. With this, Fatty could assemble bizarre vehicles from any parts he could find in the shortest time. Out of his twenty previous escapes, fifteen were accomplished this way. This time, the materials seemed more abundant than before.

But these items were too heavy for one person to carry. Using the mechanical arm for repairs, he quickly dug a hole and buried everything except the hand grenades. Then, Fatty lit a fire without hesitation and took off running.

As the fire set off the ammunition explosion in the sequence Tian Xingjian planned, the poor and lonely Mechanical Repair Soldier was already in the center of a stinky mud pond in the jungle.

It took him just a few minutes to bury himself completely, leaving only a hollow tube extending to the grass at the edge of the mud pond. To escape infrared and bio-radar detection, his anti-detection combat suit alone wouldn’t suffice. Fatty slowed his breathing and heartbeat to a dangerous level—a peculiar technique taught by his Bear Instructor during reconnaissance training.

Tian Xingjian had an extraordinary talent for these strange techniques. He always felt that if he could hide like this until the war ended, he wouldn’t mind burying himself even deeper.

The Imperial Mecha Team outside the forest acted as Fatty had predicted.

They did not continue the pursuit but contacted the scattered Single Soldier Mechas, starting to regroup their forces. According to their battle plan, this place would become a forward base for their attack on New Rome City. This meant that if Fatty wanted to crawl out of the mud pond after they left, he might as well carve himself a gravestone right there.

Poor Tian Xingjian didn’t know this. As he relaxed, fatigue washed over him like a tide, and he soon fell asleep in the mud pond.

Meanwhile, the Leray Federation Command Department was in chaos.

Phones rang incessantly, the central computer processed tens of thousands of frontline messages, and the combat staff looked ashen, inputting battle information into the virtual sandbox.

The Miloke Star floating above the hall was riddled with holes. The red color symbolizing the Imperial Army spread rapidly across the virtual planet image. Over sixty immigrant cities were surrounded, with sixteen already captured, and one city completely turned gray-black, indicating it had been entirely destroyed.

The Federation’s ground defense forces were isolated in their own battles without aerial support. Large areas symbolizing Federation troops were divided by the red marks of the Imperial Army and were rapidly disappearing.

In the command office, Admiral Mihailovich was reporting the battle situation to the President, who had come to the Command Department.

”So far, the Federation has completely lost control of five immigrant planets. The 11th and 12th Space Forces stationed in the Galileo Star System are almost entirely wiped out. Only one ’Orion’-class battleship, several light cruisers, and one Titan-class aircraft carrier survived due to shift changes. The Miloke local fleet in the Newton Star System, due to the overwhelming enemy forces, has retreated from the Atlantis Star Domain after losing 50% of its warships with the Command Department’s consent.”

Admiral Mihailovich’s voice was somewhat hoarse. It had been half a year since the Gazalin Empire’s unannounced war. The Federation’s long-term lack of preparation for war left them unable to organize adequate defenses, let alone counterattacks. The Leray Federation, with its three major Star Domains and eight Star Systems, faced its most severe challenge in history.

Facing the well-prepared Gazalin Empire, the Federation’s military was always at a disadvantage. The government and Congress were dominated by pacifists who were overly complacent towards the Gazalin Royal Family, which had a history of aggression. Several budget proposals from the military department were vetoed.

Budget cuts, outdated ships, and insufficient training.

Moreover, Mihailovich was helpless about the fact that many academy-trained commanders in the military had never experienced the fires of war. The Leray Federation had been peaceful for too long. In this heroic nation, born 300 years ago, the dazzling stars of older generations who shone in the War of Independence had become names in history textbooks and statues on military academy lawns.

Now the Leray Federation needed time. The National Mobilization Order had been issued. Factories and shipyards were working around the clock to build new Mechas and warships. Groups of new recruits were continuously entering camps for training. But would time bring victory to Leray?

”The First Mixed Army Group composed of the 4th, 6th, and 7th Space Fleets has completed its assembly in the Central Leray Star Domain. Due to the space jump points being blocked by the Gazalin Empire’s Space Fleet, it’s no longer possible to reinforce the Newton Star System by forced jump. Thus, the Command Department has ordered the sealing of jump points between Leray and Atlantis Star Domain and for the First Mixed Army Group to defend locally.”

Seeing the President, holding a cup of tea with a furrowed brow, without any reaction, Admiral Mihailovich continued, ”The Space Fleets drawn from the Bermuda Star Domain, the 1st, 2nd, and 8th Fleets, are assembling at the rear; maintenance of ships and replenishment of ammunition and personnel will take some time. The 3rd and 9th Space Fleets have been ordered to set out, bypass the Public Star Domain, and search for new jump points to the Atlantis Star Domain. The 5th and 10th Space Fleets remain responsible for safeguarding the Capital Star’s security.”

”Local fleets have begun full reorganization. After replenishing ships and personnel, they are expected to extend to five to six mixed fleets.”

The President Hamilton finally set down his teacup, waving his hand, and said, ”Tell me your difficulties. What do you need me to do? Whatever the military needs, I will support unconditionally.”

After a pause, the President continued, ”The domestic situation is very unstable. Five immigrant planets, nearly 300 cities, billions of people—lost just like that. There’s a public outcry for a counterattack. The opposition is stirring things up. If Miloke Star falls, we will be completely passive, losing the base for strategic counterattacks.”

Seeing Admiral Mihailovich about to speak, the President raised his hand to stop him, stood up, walked to the window, and said, with his back to the Admiral, ”I know what you want to say, but we have no way out. If we can’t hold Miloke Star, I will become the first President in Federation history to resign out of responsibility, and you will become the first General to be dismissed. Without sacrifice, there’s no victory. We must fight to the death; even if it’s a gamble, we have to risk it.”

Turning around, the President signaled the secretary to hand a document to Admiral Mihailovich, saying, ”This is the entire force accumulated through the Federation’s National Mobilization over the last three months. I believe that if we can endure these three months, we can achieve strategic balance. With resources and production capacity nearly double that of the Gazalin Empire, we can launch a comprehensive counterattack within a year.”

”Without sacrifice, there’s no victory.” Admiral Mihailovich repeatedly pondered these words.

”Even if there’s only one city, one armed force, we must resist to the end. Miloke Star must not completely fall into Gazalin’s hands. The people need victory, so we will give them victory. The public needs heroes, so we will give them heroes.” The President’s gaze was far calmer than his tone: ”Seize the jump point, quickly reinforce Miloke, unify the ground resistance, create Federation heroes, and strive for a partial victory. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Mihailovich heavily nodded. He suddenly realized that he was no longer just a pure soldier. He considered political needs more than military ones.

”I hope the choices we make are the right ones.”

Watching the President stride away, the Admiral silently thought.

*************

Tian Xingjian quietly emerged from the mud pit. Being buried in the stinky mud for half a day and night was no pleasant experience.

In the mud pit, Tian Xingjian knew this time he was in deep trouble.

Imperial Mecha, transport vehicles, and soldiers were constantly moving around in the jungle. It seemed the Imperial Army intended to station here until the war ended. They even cleared a small area in the forest for a tiny transport ship landing strip. Endless troops were gathering here, and supplies were piled up like mountains.

Fatty could use his toes to figure out that the Federation Army had definitely fallen back to the second line of defense. Maybe the Sujiang Bridge had already been blown up by the Federation Army.

Even though he was in the mud pit, Fatty had the ability to distinguish, just by listening to the sounds, what kind of troops the Imperial Army had stationed here and the size of the troop. This was his only form of entertainment while hiding in the mud pit. Tian Xingjian lay motionless, ”observing” this hateful Imperial Army.

In this one day and night, this Imperial Army suffered two attacks from the Federation Air Force, but presumably, they had hidden well, as their supplies and manpower didn’t suffer much damage.

But as the Imperial Air Force gradually strengthened their blockades in the air, nothing happened in this jungle that could make Tian Xingjian happy. Disguised as a large lump of mud in the grass, Fatty’s brain kept working overtime.

”Damn it, if this continues, I’ll either be discovered and killed or starve to death.”

If not for the patriotic education he received since childhood, his fear of torture, and his reluctance to give up the villa and flying car at home on the Capital Star, Fatty almost decided to just walk out and get captured by the Imperial Army.

”No matter what, I have to escape from here,” Fatty thought determinedly. ”If this situation continues, I’ll be blown to pieces before I can even make it out of this forest.”

After much consideration, Fatty was out of ideas. It seemed that smoothly escaping without taking risks was not something he could hope for.

As a Reconnaissance Soldier, the usual methods in such situations would be: assassinating enemy officers, sabotage, camouflage, marking targets for Air Force guided missiles, poisoning the water supply, and other methods to create chaos and survive. But for Fatty, these were too dangerous to even consider.

Assassinate an officer? The officer dies, and so does Fatty.

Sabotage? Supplies get blown up, and so does he.

Camouflage as the enemy? Is this a movie? Fatty knew a few words in the Imperial language and had overheard the passwords, but what if he couldn’t find a uniform that fit? Fatty usually had to shop at specialty stores for plus-sized clothing.

Mark targets for the Air Force? Are any of those lousy Federation planes even still around? Sure, they might have an ace pilot, but breaking through the Imperial Air Force blockade was easier said than done.

Poison the water supply? Fatty was a Mechanical Repair Soldier, not a Special Soldier with a bag of tricks. Where would he get poison?

Fatty felt his brain was about to explode. He was caught in a dilemma.

”Damn it! Screw it!” When truly desperate, Fatty’s fearless nature took over.

Tian Xingjian couldn’t tell if he was lucky or unlucky.

Just as he made up his mind and was trying to psych himself up, a tall, burly Imperial soldier was escorting two Federation prisoners into the forest, passing right by Fatty.

This was an opportunity of a lifetime. Seeing no one around, Fatty impulsively leaped up without thinking. With a deft twist of his hands and a light snap, the Imperial soldier’s neck was twisted around, and he dropped like a ragdoll with a twisted neck. It was Fatty’s first kill, and he didn’t stop there. He quickly plunged a dagger into the unfortunate soldier’s throat, followed by a vicious knee strike to the groin.

As he laid the body down, he didn’t feel at ease until he gave the unfortunate soldier’s head a butt of the gun and dragged the corpse into the grass like a thief.

All this took less than five seconds.

Fatty’s legs were shaking uncontrollably, and his heart was pounding out of his chest.

He had killed someone, and this shit was seriously life-threatening.

These swift actions left the two prisoners stunned.

Two female prisoners.

One pilot, one medical soldier.

Both as beautiful as flowers, stunningly attractive.

But Fatty had no time to worry about the dazed female soldiers. That shameless bastard quickly stripped himself naked and put on the Imperial soldier’s uniform.

The two Federation female soldiers felt they were on the verge of breaking down.

What kind of monster was this pale, fat guy?