Counterfeit Hero

As the commander-in-chief of the Leray Main Army, Hall had long anticipated the actions of this Southeast Expeditionary Army.

More than a month ago, this fleet from the Fei Alliance suddenly appeared in Knevel, and after nearly coercing Knevel to declare war against Desic, they broke through the Little Pyrenees Space Jump Point at lightning speed and occupied Minsk. Their force was so overwhelming that Hall had no choice but to focus all of Leray’s main army’s attention on this fleet.

The two primary mixed fleets from the Feiyang Republic, coupled with the two elite fleets from the Ryan Republic, Hall fully understood our strength. Moreover, the Southeast Expeditionary Army’s forceful entry happened precisely when Desic was splitting its forces to Galileo, which was evidently a meticulously planned intervention by Fiscella or Hastings. The timing of their involvement was impeccable!

Why is it impeccable?

This force must have been gathered at least six months ago, and appearing in Knevel required passing through sixteen Public Star Domains! Their timing indicated a thorough and deep analysis of the war situation between Desic and the Leray Federation! They had precise intelligence on Desic’s military movements, otherwise, how could they be so accurate?

This discovery made Hall highly vigilant. He had once requested that the domestic attack on the Newton Star System be slowed down, to turn back and hold off this fleet, waiting until the fifth reinforcement was completed. However, the Royal Family was unwilling to abandon the Newton Star System, which had been fought for nearly half a year. They believed that with a little more persistence, the Newton Star System would be breached.

Ultimately, as a compromise, only a half-disabled fleet from the Galileo Star System was withdrawn to Little Pyrenees to guard against an attack from the Southeast Expeditionary Army on Biekelan.

Who knew, the Southeast Expeditionary Army did not launch a decisive battle to determine the ownership of the Little Pyrenees Star System while Desic’s forces were overstretched, but instead made a move against Mezrich! And at this moment, the ethnic equality movement in Mezrich was in full swing, and the Reinhardt Group, supported by Desic, could not fully control the situation!

Fortunately, at the critical moment, the Binart Empire intervened. Although their fleet was still on the way, their envoy altered the situation. Under the pressure and mediation of the Western Alliance, the Stephen Group and the Reinhardt Group had no choice but to set aside everything and join forces against the ground offensive of the Fei Alliance.

However, the Southeast Expeditionary Army’s cards were not played all at once. They were stationed in Minsk, with two fleets and twelve elite armored divisions still in reserve! The Knevel Republic was also massing troops on the border, with intelligence showing two Knevel fleets and six armored divisions already assembled.

This gave Hall a headache, especially when he realized there was activity among the Fei Alliance Joint Army stationed in Minsk; he had to make a judgment on whether the Fei Alliance was interested in Mezrich or Biekelan!

No matter which interest they pursued, Hall could not let it go. Biekelan was Desic’s forward base for attacking Leray, and the domestic aristocracy’s pocket of interests had been painstakingly managed and could not afford any losses; meanwhile, the constant star system where Mezrich is located, and the constant star system where Biekelan is located, are both on an arm of the spiral Little Pyrenees Star System, with the strategic position being equally important!

Once Mezrich was occupied, with Knevel following up into Minsk, the Southeast Expeditionary Army would be like choking Desic’s neck. Who dared to march into Galileo under the watchful gaze of this fleet? Changing defenses, logistical supply routes - should they be maintained? Constantly guarding against threats, how could battles be fought? By then, they would be left with only the option of fighting Fei Alliance and Knevel in the Little Pyrenees! The Newton Star System - forget making any progress.

Therefore, Hall decided to force out the true intentions of the Southeast Expeditionary Army! Upon hearing the news that the ground battle in Mezrich had reached a tipping Point, two Desic fleets appeared in the Mezrich airspace. He wanted to see what plan Fiscella had in mind!

The result was both expected and unexpected! Biekelan was attacked, confirming that the Southeast Expeditionary Army indeed planned a diversionary strategy of luring the tiger away from the mountain. However, at the critical moment in the Mezrich battle, abandoning six divisions and the entire pro-Fei Alliance forces so cleanly and decisively, could not help but leave Hall shocked and horrified!

Fiscella’s tactical thinking was in line with Hastings - but could the Feiyang Republic really be so formidable?!

”Does the fleet have giant transport ships?” Hall took a deep breath and stood up.

”Yes, there are six [Blue Whale] class giant transport ships! Currently, the enemy has begun clearing the perimeter defenses, and the transport ships are preparing to enter the atmosphere; the expected drop points...”

”They won’t be able to deploy anywhere!” Hall waved his hand; he would not watch the ground situation unravel, with twelve elite armored divisions wreaking havoc in Biekelan, once let loose, they couldn’t be reined back in! He marched toward the command center: ”Give my orders, commence the hunting operation!”

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The battle at the Long Line Ridge had lasted for nearly eight hours.

The center of the battlefield had been ravaged by artillery fire, almost every inch of land was scattered with craters and abandoned land mecha wreckage. The explosions’ flames and the mecha’s burning black smoke made this land resemble a hellish inferno.

One squadron after another of mecha, engines wheezing hoarsely, rushed back and forth over the uneven terrain; every few minutes, the artillery fire from the rear or low-altitude missile visits from hundreds of kilometers away missile bases would pour down, like a sudden rainstorm, bombarding the area.

Both sides demonstrated unyielding spirit, repeatedly attacking and counterattacking across the nearly hundred-square-kilometer battlefield. The Nineteen Division’s combat power had been pushed to its limits; during the continuous hours of battle, they destroyed and defeated six armored groups totaling seven enemy armored groups.

The trend of modern mechas evolving toward close combat was fully demonstrated in this battle. Those remote-controlled mechas, slow and cumbersome, once approached by the Leray people, were inevitably doomed to defeat.

In the eyes of the three armored divisions successively deployed by Reinhardt, these Leray people seemed impossible to crush. Each wave of assault was met with their gritted determination, and each counter-offensive launched was like a blood-drawing dagger, violently penetrating and dividing, remaining as ferocious as at the beginning of the battle, as if they would never tire!

Such battles had been heard of by Gazalin soldiers who had never fought in the Leray battlefield before. In tales from comrades relieved from duty or disabled veterans, Leray people were just like this: their courage and indifference were carved into their very bones!

Every time it seemed they couldn’t hold on any longer, thinking they would collapse, they still stood there, with indifferent smiles, smoking while playing for keeps. In this country, each warrior seemed to have nine lives, unbothered by losing one or two. If they chose not to retreat, even if they all perished in their positions, they would not take a step back!

It was said that since Gazalin started the war against Leray, Leray had supposedly lost over sixty divisions where everyone died fighting! From the division commander to the private, none survived; they all died on the battlefield! This fact was shocking in itself!

The Leray Armored Division before them was as awe-inspiring as those legendary Leray people. It could be said that these were Leray’s Mythical Army!

The battle had reached such a stage, yet they were still launching counterattacks and ruthlessly slaughtering, annihilating every armored camp they aimed for, relentlessly tracking each mecha until their goals were fulfilled, retreating bitterly but boastfully only after achieving their objective.

The sky slowly darkened, and the intensity of the offensive subsided; many soldiers from the Reinhardt Group lost confidence in overwhelming the enemy. The prolonged fight and incessant pressure of impending death left them exhausted, an unusual atmosphere spreading through the communication channel. Many pondered amidst the rain of artillery: given such circumstances, why isn’t the Mythical Army stepping in?!

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Torick led the Sharp Blade Camp, quietly concealed behind the eastern defense line of the battlefield. A few kilometers ahead lay the Freedom Fighters of 25th Division Regiment. This regiment had been reduced to barely over a camp’s worth of troops. Under fierce enemy assault, they struggled desperately against a teetering defense line, seemingly on the brink of being breached at any moment.

The warriors of Sharp Blade Camp, observing the scene through the mecha’s long-range viewer, nearly clenched their teeth to pieces. Yet they could only continue lurking here, and could not act prematurely before receiving orders. The order was personally given by division commander Tian Xingjian; he said he needed a fresh unit at the critical moment to fulfill a mission that might never be completed.

For several hours, as they lay in wait, witnessing the enemy’s reliance on sheer numbers and firepower to launch brutal attacks, seeing Freedom Front’s mecha units fall one by one, the entire Sharp Blade Camp simmered with pent-up fury. Being the elite force of the Nineteen Division, they longed to plunge into the enemy’s mecha formation with their frontline comrades, to wreak havoc!

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Today’s first update has come, seeking recommendation votes!!! Please support us daily with your votes, dear brothers!

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Second chapter will be released at noon, third chapter before midnight; another quality highlight release, hoping some night owls come over at past midnight to drop some recommendation votes.

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