Counterfeit Hero

Raising his eyes to glance at the meditative Hastings, Douglas remained silent.

The elderly man with legs as thin as a baby’s in front of him was the most revered and devoutly worshipped military god in the hearts of every Feiyang soldier. To be able to spend day and night with this military god and listen to his teachings is the dream opportunity every soldier yearns for. Although he had attended one of his lectures like all other students and considered himself his student, he never imagined he could accompany him like he did now.

His thoughts involuntarily turned to that Fatty.

Among all the young commanders he knew, the one truly most qualified to become a student of Hastings was probably that Fatty.

Unfortunately, why wasn’t he a Feiyang person!

”What do you think of the situation in Leray?” Hastings ended his meditative state, turning his gaze from the window to the young man in front of him.

This overly young Vice Admiral appeared somewhat restrained before him. However, he knew that Douglas’s talent was undoubtedly the most outstanding among the young people he had seen.

Looking down at the intelligence he had just received, Douglas refocused his attention back to Hastings’s prior contemplation. After several months of interaction, Douglas had some understanding of Hastings’s habits. After contemplation, this military god already had a comprehensive plan, and asking him was merely a kind of supplementary examination.

Douglas respectfully said, ”Marshal, Leray has already reached a desperate point. The outbreak of anti-war and peace-seeking movements at this moment was also expected. After all, this country has been peaceful for three hundred years, adhering to principles of balanced politics in the southeast for hundreds of years, leaving its military tired and its citizens weak. To be able to fight to this extent has already greatly exceeded expectations. Given Hamilton’s current situation, if we do not decisively intervene, Leray is on the verge of collapse. Saleria is not far from being the precedent.”

Hastings listened expressionlessly, faintly asking, ”Do you think we should intervene?”

Douglas was stunned; given the importance of the Leray Channel, the answer was self-evident. Could the Fei Alliance really sit by and watch the Leray Channel fall into enemy hands? If so, not only would the Western Alliance unite into one, but they would also pose a pinch to Feiyang, Chuckna, and the Ryan Republic. Internally, the Fei Alliance would cause each country to be coldly fearful, even threatening the interests Feiyang currently holds in Gazalin.

”Yes!” After much deliberation, Douglas finally replied.

Hastings nodded and closed his eyes, speaking no further. After a while, he opened his mouth and asked, ”How much do you know about the person named Tian Xingjian from the Leray Federation?”

”This person appears dull on the outside, but actually....” Douglas struggled to find an accurate adjective.

”Actually, how?” Hastings looked at Douglas with interest.

”Astonishingly brilliant! Unpredictable!” Douglas sighed lightly, recalling everything that happened back in Mezrich, and slowly said.

Hastings nodded, seemingly recalling something, and smiled slightly, saying, ”Seeing through Russell’s setup in Miloke and reversing the war situation. Capturing James in Gazalin and wreaking havoc in Mezrich, and at the most critical moments, killing Stephen and stomping Victor to death. Even I can’t understand such a character.”

Pausing, Hastings continued, ”No wonder back then, the Gazalin Military regarded him as a variable. His peculiar personality makes him the least suitable to become a soldier, yet he established so many merits, which can be considered a fortunate coincidence.” Saying this, Hastings pulled up a file on the in-car computer and said to Douglas, ”Take a look at this file.”

Tian Xingjian, Mars Free Port?

Douglas was quickly drawn into the file.

The convoy moved swiftly. While Douglas was focused on reading the file, they had silently arrived at the military department located in Glory City on the western outskirts of the capital, Hydefield.

The bodyguard opened the car door, and Hastings stopped Douglas from getting up, saying indifferently, ”Finish reading the document first. I have a task for you afterwards. Right now, Mars Free Port is of crucial importance, and we must grasp it. Let’s see how far that guy can stir things up; it might save us some effort later....”

”You mean, he can.....” Douglas was a bit puzzled. From the file, Tian Xingjian’s situation in Mars Free Port did not seem very promising.

”I do not know how he will fight this battle he is facing now. I really want to see it,” Hastings muttered to himself, shook his head with a smile, and said no more. The wheelchair gently moved out of the car door on the assistance of automatic arms, and in the sunlight, his eyes squinted into a line.

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

The first gunshot sounded in Puluo Town, then it all turned into a cacophony.

The First Armored Assault Group under Kodell’s command began attacking the Commerce Alliance across from the Tai Sect Puluo Branch.

About this attack, Kodell didn’t even have the interest to command it.

He simply dispatched a battalion to cooperate with an infantry regiment to advance forward.

To him, it was just an appetizer before the main course—assuming the rabble in the Tai Sect Branch could count as the main course.

The only thing that kept Kodell sufficiently vigilant was those fifty Mechas equipped with long-range firepower. Perhaps now, there were even more. However, their numbers were really too few. Kodell confidently felt that with just one charge, his Mechanical Armor Group could utterly destroy them.