Counterfeit Hero

Initially, Kolev was in a very good mood today. He thought he had just done a good deed. He had slaughtered several studios in Silicon Valley but had a sudden change of heart and gave the Black Devil Studio time to leave when they pleaded for mercy.

But now, his mood had taken a sharp turn for the worse.

The ultimatum was about to expire, and those Black Devil Studio idiots whom he had generously spared still hadn’t left!

Leading twenty fully armed Guards, Kolev walked slowly into the Imagination Technology Building, which was shaped like a zero. As he watched the elevator doors close, he carefully thought about how to deal with those ungrateful fools.

Even though there were still a few hours left before the ultimatum expired, that was because of Lord Kolev’s generosity! After he gave them extra time, they should have been grateful and left early, instead of foolishly staying there and making him angry!

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

The bandit army, speeding north along the arterial road, was accelerating their advance.

Their speed was much faster now—after learning that the Interstellar Traveler Guild on Mercury Avenue had unconditionally cleared the road and was not attacked by the bandits, many well-informed factions had decisively withdrawn their defenses!

Now, sporadic footage from the initial battles had already surfaced online. Although shot by ordinary citizens and fragmented, it provided enough information for everyone.

Contrary to expectations, the bandit army’s Mecha didn’t launch direct attacks along the way. They first requested passage outside the defense lines, making the same request three times without giving reasons. If they were refused or received no response, they launched a direct assault!

And witnessing the bandit’s assault sent chills down everyone’s spine!

These words, ”unstoppable and invincible,” had always been literary terms, but now, for the first time in many years, people had a direct experience.

Watching the attack efficiency of the bandit army’s Mecha, everyone finally understood what ”unstoppable and invincible” truly meant!

Out of 238 Mecha, only the first 118 were deployed in the attack!

No cunning tricks, no ever-changing tactics. The bandit army Mecha, advancing in an attack formation, ignored other defense lines and only advanced along the arterial road, sending twenty Mecha to both sides to disperse and penetrate, then focused the rest on one point!

Under their fierce artillery barrages and sharp close combat tactics, no defense could stop them. After breaking through, they immediately spread out, cutting and thrusting, annihilating any resisting forces in their path.

Charge, strike, and pursue! This ancient three-fold tactic seemed tailor-made for this armored unit. Especially the Black Mecha at the forefront—once it breached a position, the position was effectively done for.

If the bandit army was likened to a sharp blade, then that Mecha was the blade’s edge!

Faced with such a brutal, domineering, and unreasonable fighting style, even the fiercely tenacious Tucker Freedom Brigade could only hold out with their one battalion of Mecha for twenty minutes!

And after that, it was total collapse!

The bandit army didn’t care who escaped; once the enemy broke, they continued their rampage along the blood path they had carved out.

They didn’t even glance at the retreating soldiers filling the streets!

No one knew what those defeated leaders felt as they watched the enemy leave. They only knew it was better to open a passage and take a gamble than to be crushed by this maddening army.

Anyone who wanted to test the enemy’s strength after getting their head stuck in a door could look to the factions that instinctively tried to interfere.

Dying half-defeated, only to discover the enemy couldn’t care less about you, would make anyone furious to death!

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

Folman, the leader of the Kasi Youth Party, was sweating profusely as he stared at the electronic map with the arrow pointing straight to Silicon Valley.

He had no idea why these relentless killers, with whom he had never had any conflicts, had come for him.

What was their ultimate goal?

Folman was feeling dizzy and trembling all over.

He didn’t know whether to yield or not when the bandit army reached the city gates!

At forty-two years old, Folman had been in Silicon Valley for thirty years. Rising from a small thug to the leader of the Youth Party, Folman’s most notable trait was never fighting a battle he wasn’t sure he could win.

He never believed that the few men he had could make significant waves in the Free Port. So, his strategy had always been to keep good relations with all sides.

Whether it was the Three Major Schools, the Tusk Gang, or the Gray Wolf Gang, he always managed to avoid offending anyone!

With good relationships, a reasonably armed force, and years of managing two districts near Silicon Valley, Folman had enjoyed a comfortable life.

After the war broke out, Folman set his sights on the remaining areas of Silicon Valley.

For the Kasi Youth Party, controlling every inch of the valuable Silicon Valley would be a future asset when pledging allegiance to the eventual victor. However, without control of the ports or a fleet, despite gaining an edge in landing zones over a few small communities, recent days had not been easy for Folman.

Food shortages, energy shortages—he didn’t have enough weapons and ammunition. To consolidate resources, Folman had even turned against the research labs and studios he had previously seen as cash cows.

Although Silicon Valley couldn’t function without these researchers who stayed holed up in labs, given the current situation, if he didn’t find a way to hold on, this ”chicken coop” wouldn’t belong to Folman either.

Currently, Silicon Valley was still scavenging for resources, the western front was engaged in battles with two small communities, and only a few hundred infantry and a hundred or so Private Mecha were left for southern defense against the bandit army.

With just this meager force, trying to stop those maniacs...

”Report!” A Youth Party member stumbled in front of Folman, out of breath: ”The bandit army... they’re here!”

Folman sprang to his feet, grabbing the Youth Party member by the collar as a voice emerged from outside the distant defense lines.

”Bandit army requests passage!”

The chilling four words sent a shiver down Folman’s spine!

.

.

.(To be continued. To find out what happens next, visit www.qidian.com. More chapters available, support the author, support genuine reading!)