Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 125: Volume 3, Chapter 32: The Next Mission, Behind Enemy Lines!_2

Seeing Liebgoet silent, Stephen analyzed, ”Since they’re bold enough to conduct landings in the east, there are only two possibilities: either they’ve underestimated our forces, or they’ve found a place sturdy enough to establish a stable defense line and accommodate follow-up troops.” He wondered aloud, ”But according to the battle reports from the front line, our army has discovered landing troops in six different locations and engaged in firefights. Four of them actively attacked us, but none were the main force, all were regiment-level units causing disturbances. Is Russell trying to muddy the waters?”

Liebgoet looked up, smiling at Stephen and said, ”So, what should we do?” Stephen punched his right fist into his left palm and said, ”Respond to all changes by remaining unchanged! The six most important strategic cities and the three key strategic areas are all in our hands, and the surrounding areas are heavily guarded. No matter how they stir up trouble, they can’t shake us. As long as we find their real landing point, we can trap them on the spot!”

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On the map of Lucerne Planet, the entire Eastern Hemisphere was in chaos with over twenty landing points attacked by Federation Teams in all directions. Fatty furrowed his brow deeper and deeper, knowing that now the Galileo Star System was not exclusively Federated territory. If the Imperial Fleet turned around, they could deploy all their carriers, and then these over twenty unsupported landing points could be individually wiped out by the enemy.

Fatty marked several key strategic cities and strategic points one by one, but the confusing landing patterns unrelated to these positions puzzled him.

His gaze naturally moved to the position of the Sixteenth Armored Division.

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The 16th Armored Division had been fighting day and night. Since the Fourth Group ambushed the enemy’s logistics base and returned, pursuing forces continuously attacked the defensive lines E707 and E710 held by the Special Reconnaissance Group. The Special Reconnaissance Group collaborated with the Fourth Group, which leapt forward once again, and ambushed twice fiercely, completely annihilating two regiments of Imperial Armored Forces. Then it was a continuous retreat; the several groups forming a fan-shaped defensive line also faced increasing attacks from the Imperial Army, and the retreating 16th Division groups established blocking points in phases according to division commander Zhou Zhisen’s coordinates.

After repulsing another wave of assaults by the Imperial Mecha, Rashid couldn’t help but ask Nadal over the comms channel, ”Commander, it’s been over forty hours, why haven’t our follow-up troops arrived?”

Nadal replied, ”Shut up and fight! The forward command has their orders. Our mission is to stall them step by step!” Rashid said, ”Damn, so we are not the landing vanguard, but bait!” Nadal laughed, ”Go ask the division commander if you want to know. That’s all I know; there will definitely be follow-up troops!” Rashid said, ”No wonder the two regiment’s self-propelled artillery were placed three hundred kilometers behind us at B1209. The division commander must have long planned for us to fight a delaying action. Everyone, withdraw to the B line defense positions.” Nadal angrily retorted, ”Less talk, more fighting. You’re so clever, but the enemy is attacking your position again.”

The Special Reconnaissance Group engaged once more with the swarming Imperial Army, amidst pervasive smoke and deafening artillery fire.

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The increasing number of attack points also puzzled Liebgoet. At this moment, a Coordinator came over, saluted, and handed Stephen a battle report. Stephen opened it, frowned, and said to Liebgoet, ”A Federation armored division is heading straight for Amayo Mountain! Units along the way are being redeployed to block.”

”Amayo!” Liebgoet muttered, ”What difference can an armored division make? They can’t take Amayo Mountain.”

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Fatty saw the advancing route of the Federation Army First Armored Division at the left-front position of the 16th Division, heading directly towards the strategic point, Amayo Mountain.

Fatty’s eyes brightened; he vaguely understood Russell’s combat strategy. At this time, the command terminal reported that the second-phase landing troops had boarded the ships.

Fatty once again sank into deep thought. Where will the second-phase landing be deployed?

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The Federation Forces, igniting fires across the map, were being chased around by the Imperial Army, plunging the entire planet into chaos. These Federation landing troops scurried around like frightened rabbits, running blindly, with some even fleeing towards heavily guarded Imperial positions.

Stephen smiled as he looked at the contemplative Liebgoet, believing there was no need to worry too much. After all, Lucerne Planet held half of the Imperial Army stationed in the Galileo Star System, overwhelming the enemy with sheer force; the enemy couldn’t stir up much trouble!

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When Fatty saw the third-phase landing forces starting to gather, his vague thoughts began to clarify. He calmed his mind and began conducting simulations on the computer.

Russell stood beside Fatty, puzzled as he watched him draw strange symbols on the map, then quickly input the data into the computer. The map was being scribbled into a mess by him, and Russell had never seen such a simulation technique before. However, based on Fatty’s simulation data, his thoughts seemed very clear.

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”What? Federation landing forces are conducting large-scale landings on the Western Hemisphere!” Stephen looked at the battle report, thought for a long time, then suddenly laughed and said to Liebgoet, ”Russell has finally understood our troop deployment. He’s abandoned the Eastern Hemisphere’s landing operations and shifted to the Western Hemisphere.”