Counterfeit Hero

”What are you doing?” Fatty quickly zipped up, his face turning pale....

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”The Blood Shadow Mecha Group’s 6th and 7th Battalions have already engaged with the main force of the Bandit Army Armored Group! The enemy has deployed about a battalion in the first wave of attack, while our forces have suffered......”

At the Northern Alliance Command Center, Feiler listened to the military advisor’s report while carefully examining the map.

”One hundred twenty-five kilometers west of the Lorenzo River.” Feiler looked at the coordinates of the battle area on the map and sneered: ”Naive! Do they think a simple encirclement can take down my two battalions? Don’t they know that launching an attack in such a place will only expose many issues?”

”What do you mean?” Selwal, standing beside him, looked at the map, slapped his forehead, then turned to ask the advisor: ”The enemy didn’t coordinate their attack with infantry?”

”No!” The advisor glanced at the battle report in his hand.

”Instruct the 6th and 7th Battalions to monitor the riverbank on the left wing, the enemy will certainly attempt an encirclement there. Leave one company on the high grounds on both wings to establish blocking positions, and have the main force quickly disengage. Order the 8th and 9th Battalions to swiftly move south and penetrate the southwestern number two resource road E25 kilometers near Puluo Town. Command all other units to accelerate their advance, deploy Reconnaissance Soldiers to scout the perimeters of Puluo Town. If the enemy is found retracting, all units must arrive at the designated locations of the second plan by seven o’clock.” Feiler issued a series of orders almost without thinking.

He knew the moment the Bandit Army launched an attack only ten kilometers away from Puluo Town’s perimeters, their defensive line had already retracted. This was within his expectations. The Bandit Army’s main force proactively striking to try to eliminate the Northern Alliance’s attacking force before the encirclement closed wasn’t surprising at all.

Clearly, the Bandit Army chose the closest and least manned route. Feiler sneered, knowing the Bandit Army couldn’t possibly realize that from the outset, four battalions of the Blood Shadow Mecha Group were mere bait. The frontline Commander was well-prepared for possible ambushes. In the small hilly areas of Puluo’s west, the four armored battalions maintained a distance of no more than an hour apart; once any were attacked, their pincer maneuver would tighten aggressively!

If the Bandit Army in Puluo Town dared to throw all their main forces here, the Northern Alliance’s elite armored forces would trap them tightly, buying time for the other three attack arrows. Feiler believed no infantry defense line could halt his forceful assault.

Taking a sip of coffee, Feiler asked calmly: ”When will the 1st and 2nd Warrior Groups, returning from Bering Port, reach Puluo Town?”

”Eighteen hours!” the advisor replied.

”Good!” Feiler smiled faintly. This game was becoming interesting; he hoped Puluo Town could hold until he deployed his reserves. Though tactically inexperienced, their formidable fighting ability surprised him. Even the once-arrogant Suss Armored Group, upon arriving in the Free World, suffered at their hands, revealing that their combat prowess exceeded his expectations.

Unfortunately, the hero from the Leray Federation was merely a Mechanical Repair Soldier by chance. Concerning a battle requiring precise calculation, he still had much to learn.

Feiler glanced at the time, 5:06 AM; the night had slipped away unnoticed. Since the Bandit Army launched their attack, all variables in the battle’s preparatory phase were on the table. Until other units reached their designated locations and initiated attacks, there was nothing to worry about.

He turned his head and smiled at Selwal: ”Another boring two hours, perhaps we should grab something to eat….. that bottle of Bordeaux you opened for dinner yesterday still had quite a bit…..”

As he was speaking, suddenly, an advisor shot up from the central control console chair. The chair made a sharp screech as it moved.

Interrupted, Feiler frowned slightly, only to see the advisor hastily run up to him, speaking in panic: ”The line on West Second District Perfume Street was attacked by a small unidentified military force. The 3rd Battalion, 1st Company of the 3rd Mecha Infantry Group, just finished changing shifts, had its defense sector breached. In a three-minute firefight, we lost one hundred and seven, sixty-four wounded, five Gust-type mechas, and eleven Fire Element mechas destroyed......”

The advisor’s report left Feiler and Selwal rooted to the spot, their eyes widened. They hadn’t even noticed the abrupt advisor failed to use formal language during his report. ”How many enemies?” Selwal pressed the advisor, demanding quickly: ”What’s the enemy’s casualty status?”

”Exact numbers unknown...” The advisor, sweating profusely, stammered: ”Reportedly, no more than two platoons... the exchange was swift, an ambush...... they had.... no casualties.”

”What did you say?” Feiler yanked the communications record from the advisor’s hand, scanning it rapidly. His dark face turned ashen at once.

This advisor wasn’t reporting a skirmish; it was practically a lightning massacre!

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In the dim living quarters, dozens of rusty cylindrical beds were crammed with people.

Some were idly playing cards. Some shuffled through the luggage-filled aisles, bent over to enter and exit. Meanwhile, more people stayed at their bunks daydreaming or killing time with occasional glances at an old flat-screen TV with terrible reception.

Above, below, on all sides, various sounds resonated. There was the roar of machinery, the hiss of the Life Support System, curses, coughs, murmured whispers, incessant footsteps of annoying children running about, and the constant clanking from the engine room.

This was an old freighter. No one knew its age. Nor did anyone care. As long as it could carry everyone away from Leray, as long as it didn’t fall apart at the Jump Point, it was the best ship in the universe.

Finding a place on such a ship was, for the average Leray person, a truly remarkable feat. The ship’s tickets were so scarce they were essentially priceless. If someone dared to shout about selling a ticket before the ship left port, they would be swarmed by desperate people and crushed to death!

The Leray Central Star System had been breached.

If they didn’t leave now, there would be no chance later.

In the crowded cabin, people busied themselves with anything that could pass the time.

Only one girl sat quietly, seemingly lost in thought about someone.

..

. Tomorrow I have things to do, likely won’t update, don’t wait up. I usually type late, it’s best for brothers to read in the morning.

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. (To be continued, for more, please log on to www.qidian.com, more chapters, support the author, support official reading!)