Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 23 - Revised: Chapter 23 Battle Situation Simulation

After stepping out of the [Antenna], Tian Xingjian found Torick.

He handed the intelligence in his hand to Torick and asked, ”Take a look at this communication, what do you know about this Mythical Legion?”

Torick seriously examined the electronic document and was astonished: ”The entire twenty Special Forces Camps are wiped out?!” He frowned and continued, ”Mythical Legion, I’ve often heard about it before, but it was all rumors. After the war started, we discovered that the enemy’s Special Forces were not as formidable as the rumors suggested, and we thought the Mythical Legion was just exaggerated hearsay. But now, it seems to be quite formidable. If those rumors are true, we might be in trouble this time.”

Tian Xingjian said, ”Tell me about these rumors. Based on the intelligence, this legion isn’t that simple.”

Torick smiled bitterly and said, ”Actually, the so-called Mythical Legion was just a logistics armored transport camp hundreds of years ago. Under the leadership of a war-mad camp commander, the soldiers in this camp trained harder and were more terrifying than the Special Forces at the time. Without advanced weapons and equipment, they found ways to seize them from the enemy, and then modified them to suit their needs. Thus, they were present in almost every battle. Once the logistical tasks were finished, this group would turn into frontline combat troops. They were an anomaly. Under the command of that war monster, they made a name for themselves through countless victories, including assassinations, ambushes, sabotage, poisoning, spreading rumors, and intelligence theft. There was nothing they wouldn’t do or couldn’t achieve. Several Special Forces units that were surrounded were rescued by them without any air drops, just by fighting their way in. The first thing those rescued Special Forces did upon return was collectively apply to join this logistics transport camp. Eventually, due to their numerous merits and widespread fame, other Special Forces Camps couldn’t even compare. The Gazalin Military Department then formed a Special Forces Group around this logistics transport camp. Because its formation and development seemed mythical, it was named the Mythical Special Group and placed under the direct command of the Imperial Family. Over the centuries, this Special Group developed into a Special Forces Division, calling itself the Mythical Legion. As a Special Forces unit, such a large formation is actually a waste, but their role in wars extended beyond small special operations. This division could defeat several times its number of enemies on the battlefield, excelling in both attack and defense. Although puzzling, there have always been rumors that Energy Cannons and missiles almost have no effect on their Single Soldier Mechas. Their Mecha combat style is close combat, like Private Mechas.”

The more Tian Xingjian listened, the more shocked he became. This Imperial Special Forces had surpassed his imagination. A logistics armored transport camp could transform into a Royal unit of the Gazalin Empire, not only surviving but growing over centuries of warfare, becoming a large division. Not only proficient in special operations, but also able to conduct offensive and defensive operations. More importantly, their Mecha combat style upended the entire history of Mecha warfare. No wonder all the advanced Mecha designs stored in the lab computer, including the Prototype No.1 of Milan, pointed towards close combat, with extreme defense and maneuverability.

Torick, still brooding, said, ”In hundreds of years of war, there is almost no other armed force that hasn’t suffered devastating blows. Even the most elite units among those superpowers had to be rebuilt several times over such a long period and high intensity of war. This unit, completely loyal to the Imperial Family of Gazalin, guarantees the Royal Family’s control over Gazalin. Countless rebellions were ultimately resolved by them, brutal to both external enemies and internal dissent. They are born fighting machines.”

Then what is this army’s purpose here? Tian Xingjian climbed into his Mecha, scrutinizing the electronic map of the criss-cross battle zones on Miloke Star. Such an elite force couldn’t have been deployed just to surround and eliminate the rear-attack Federation Special Forces. Moreover, they couldn’t have known about the sudden Federation operation in advance, meaning their presence here must have a special purpose.

What could it be? Currently, any of the surrounded cities could become their target of attack. Their involvement could expedite the resolution of battles, but there are no signs of them attacking these cities. So, what is their target?

This question puzzled the Federation frontline command as well. But with the Thunderbolt campaign already launched, it couldn’t be stopped. To avoid the assault of this Imperial super Special Forces, the Federation dispatched more troops to defend the capital Gallipalan, as this was the most likely target.

In the following days, the underground advance continued. The closer they got to the eastern mountains, the more complex the terrain became. Finally, when the road extended to a tunnel entrance, Tian Xingjian ordered the digging to halt. Digging further would be pointless. After a thorough reconnaissance of the surface with Logic, Tian Xingjian decided to wait here, considering this area relatively safe. If possible, he hoped for an air lift from the Air Force.

The [Antenna] still received news from Rashid. After organizing continuous positional blockades, the Thunderbolt campaign entered a brief stalemate. Then, through coordinated airborne and ground force assaults, the enemy’s defensive line was breached at several spots again. Six Army Groups marched west, taking turns to pursue, giving the Imperial Army no time to organize a new defensive line. The campaign progressed rapidly, with the paths to several cities along the offensive routes cleared. The Federation forces were continuously advancing to areas around these cities, forcing the surrounding Imperial troops to retreat, lest they fall into a counter-encirclement by the Federation.

Looking at the military situation map resembling a fallen tree, Tian Xingjian had a bad premonition. This operation was going too smoothly, unbelievably smooth. When did the Gazalin Imperial Army, even after losing air superiority, become weaker than the Federation Defense Force from before? Despite several organized blockades, everything seemed like a tactic to lure the enemy deep.

Tian Xingjian worked tirelessly on the Battle Situation Simulation with the Mecha Computer. Meiduo and Nia, seeing him so absorbed, rarely interrupted him. After countless simulations, Tian Xingjian concluded that the Imperial Army lacked sufficient strength to stop the Federation’s advance. He should have been relieved, but the unsettling premonition grew stronger with the Federation’s advance.

Six days later, after receiving the combat statistics from Rashid who had returned to the Federation-controlled sector, Tian Xingjian finally understood. The issue lay in the Imperial Army’s losses; though the Federation achieved successive victories, the enemy’s casualty numbers weren’t enough to force a retreat. Recalling the space battles, the Imperial Space Fleet wasn’t destroyed by the Federation Fleet but ”retreated” after a series of engagements. No large-scale annihilation of the Gazalin Empire Air Force was heard during the atmospheric air control battles either, with most significant enemy losses inflicted by these harassing Special Forces.

Tian Xingjian re-examined the enemy’s Space Fleet, atmospheric aircraft, ground forces, and the mysterious Mythical Legion, inputting them into the computer for a battle simulation. During the simulation, these forces were evenly matched with the Federation’s, without significant advantages. Reversing the war situation seemed impossible, especially amidst a crushing defeat, making redeployment difficult, and no signs of ambush on the Federation main force appeared on the map. However, integrating the voluntarily retreating enemy forces around cities into the simulation, Tian Xingjian discovered that as the Federation divided forces to rescue cities, the power dynamics west of Kato City would gradually shift. This subtle yet systematic change indicated that when the Federation main forces were suppressed by a fierce enemy counterattack, and then placing the Mythical Legion in position, Tian Xingjian broke into a cold sweat — Katos Canyon, a natural, ideal obstruction site, lay two hundred kilometers west of Kato City.

Destroying the military airport at the canyon’s top and deploying air and missile bases would sever the air corridor established by the Federation Air Force, allowing enemy aircraft to dominate an area within a three hundred-kilometer radius, capable of striking any transport ships. The logistical supply line would have to detour three hundred kilometers, winding through mountain trails. Meanwhile, thirty-one Federation divisions would become akin to rabbits caught by a ferocious dog. Achieving this goal would not require superior enemy space fleet or atmospheric aircraft strength. In balanced conditions, concentrating forces could accomplish it within twenty-four hours, coupled with a perfectly-timed air drop, leading to a devastating blow to the Federation.

Almost immediately, Tian Xingjian sprang up, rushed to the [Antenna], and ordered immediate contact with Rashid to relay the simulation to the frontline command. As time ticked by, except for the sweating communication officers, the whole tunnel remained silent.

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This Chapter serves as a transition, with a series of thrilling battles about to unfold. How Fatty will lead everyone to escape, confront the Mythical Legion, and become the hero who turns the tide, please continue to follow and support.