Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 459: Volume 5, Chapter 62: Putting All Eggs in One Basket_2

”Fatty.” Bonnie’s voice came through the communication channel, sounding a bit fatigued due to continuous command coordination: ”The warriors are already exhausted. Forcing a return march now... I’m afraid...”

Bonnie’s words hit Fatty heavily in the chest; this was precisely what he was most concerned about.

To block Reinhardt’s attack, the 19th and 25th Divisions had already displayed their utmost determination and perseverance. Especially the 19th Division, which had been rushing back and forth to solidify the defensive line over the past few days, moving through every position along a defense line spanning tens of kilometers. In the battle that just ended, these Leray Warriors fought against several times their number of enemies for over ten hours!

Fatty personally devised the battle plan; no one understood its brutality better than him. To maneuver the enemy, and to utilize the close combat advantages of the 19th Division to compensate for their numerical inferiority, Fatty placed the 19th Division at the front of the defensive line, directly facing wave after wave of enemies covering the mountains.

In this fierce battle with virtually no distance and no pause, the 19th Division repeatedly pierced through the enemy mecha groups, repeatedly counter-charged, and repeatedly drove the enemy back with almost hand-to-hand combat. Every moment was a trial by blood and fire, life and death. After fighting for a whole ten-plus hours, even an iron man couldn’t withstand it!

Contrasting the fatigue of the 19th Division, the Desic people are well-rested and are biding their time. Moreover, the troops air-dropped at such a critical moment could only be elite troops from their operational ranks. With the long-range raids and continuous combat of the 19th and 25th Divisions, how much strength will they have left to resist the wave upon wave of enemy attacks once they return to Prisk?

Under the mature military system of the Desic Empire, with just one order, these Desic Armored Divisions can keep attacking until they collide with the defense line and are completely annihilated. Facing such enemies, there couldn’t possibly be a miracle like that against the Mythical Army.

Fatty stared blankly at the electronic map, dazed, when Rashid’s voice came through the communication channel: ”Bonnie is right, Division Commander. The warriors have reached their limit. Even if we go up, how long can we hold them off? Two days, three days? Damn it, what if the Feiyang people in the Eastern Theater can’t take Jiacuo? Stephen’s 39th Division still hasn’t shown up!”

”What do we do now?” It was Jiasier asking, as his 3rd Group had already turned from the rear into the vanguard, with the leading troops having crossed the infantry defense line and were advancing towards Prisk.

”Let the main force from the East District return, or we’ll jump out!” Rashid said, ”It’s not that we don’t want to fight. This battle simply can’t be fought anymore. Besides, it’s clear now that we’re all abandoned pieces in the Expeditionary Army’s deployment in the Little Pyrenees. Fight well or badly, it no longer matters! Only Douglas, that idiot, still thinks about defeating Stephen and occupying Mezrich. If it were up to me, once the Expeditionary Army Fleet left, I’d return the troops to Prisk and everyone would play cards and drink waiting for news!”

”It’s not that simple.” Suddenly, the usually taciturn Stewart spoke: ”The battle plan was devised by the Expeditionary Army Command, personally signed by Fiscella. Even Douglas doesn’t have the authority to change it until he gets Fiscella’s approval.”

”I’ve contacted the front-line command in the theater at the earliest moment.” Bonnie’s voice came through the channel, sounding a bit helpless: ”The East District is at a critical moment in the campaign, not to mention they can’t withdraw from the frontline, even if they return now, they couldn’t reach Prisk within ten hours. The only support given to us is allocating all remaining sortie batches from the Prisk land-based air force to us.”

”They’ve got it figured out.” Rashid said, ”After all, if we lose here, the land-based air force can’t be preserved, might as well give it to us and let us continue fighting desperately. Damn it, if we jump directly from Long Line Ridge, even ten more Desic Armored Divisions wouldn’t scare us!”

”Jumping crap...” Fatty wiped his tears and angrily said, ”If we just run like this, if the Expeditionary Army Fleet suffers some mishap, we won’t even have a chance to turn back! Besides, damn it, I’ve received orders, the 19th Division is part of the overall combat plan. At that time, a charge of fearing battle, defying orders, and betraying allies would be enough to execute me. I won’t do it!”

Everyone fell silent; they all understood that though Fatty spoke grandly, in reality, he wouldn’t entertain any thought of turning back—his last sentence was the true sentiment. Considering Fatty’s current status and the 19th Division’s current sequence, there indeed was some hidden danger. Who knows what reaction the Feiyang people might have at the end, once the 19th Division jumps out from Long Line Ridge, exposing their backs would ultimately be a fact.

”Who’s got the nerve?” Rashid shouted, ”We’ve fought like this; we’ve already done enough! If they dare to charge us, then how does the Expeditionary Army Fleet’s withdrawal from Mezrich fit in?”

”They’re the officials playing with fire,” Fatty said bitterly, his voice trembling slightly, ”We’re the civilians using candlelight. Damn it, we’re on different levels.”

The communication channel fell into silence; with the battle reaching this point, it seems there are no other choices left. No matter how formidable the 19th Division might be, under such circumstances, going head-to-head with Desic’s five armored divisions would ultimately lead to a situation of complete annihilation.

”Let me think a bit more.”

Fatty’s words concluded the discussion. The mecha tide rolled northward in silence. No one dared to utter another word. To Rashid and the others, they completely believed that Fatty always had a way. This confidence, honed in each battle and in the recently concluded miraculous victory, had become unbreakably strong.