Counterfeit Hero

Recalling the steps A1 Fleet took into the trap earlier, everyone was chilled to the bone—that Commander Chuckna was truly ruthless, truly vicious!

This battle will become a classic case in the history of space military engagements and also a mockery in military history.

No one involved in this battle will escape. Brenridge and Maeda Youta will inevitably be nailed to the pillar of shame, Gershkov and Ulianov will also be disgraced. Not only will these individuals bear a lifetime of shame, but even the Suss Empire itself will be humiliated.

In the deathly silence, A1 Fleet’s fighters have returned, and the remaining cruisers and destroyers have gathered beside the battleship formation. The Chuckna fighters, which had been persistently entangled, are nowhere to be seen.

”Beep beep beep.......”

The constant sound is the communication requests from the ship captains. What to do next, to keep fighting, or........

Brenridge slowly sat down in his command seat, at this moment, all his strength had disappeared. He wasn’t unfamiliar with defeat; from the day he became a soldier, he never fantasized about winning every battle. However, he never imagined that one day he would lose so miserably, that he would lose everything because of a single battle.

”Admiral.” Maeda Youta’s face, young and handsome, was already clouded, frighteningly dark, with eyes burning with anger and humiliation. He strode before Brenridge: ”The fleet has completed its assembly, we cannot just watch A2 Fleet being attacked, Admiral Brenridge, please give the order!”

Brenridge looked at Maeda Youta with some daze, this young Major General had just experienced his first battle as the deputy commander of this fleet........Certainly, according to the Suss Army’s tradition, Maeda Youta’s prospects were exceedingly dim. Never did an unlucky senior officer receive such a large shame medal in their first battle. Therefore, he still wanted to fight, he was obviously unwilling, and did not want to acknowledge this defeat. He hoped for a victory to change his fate.

Doesn’t he know, just behind the fleet’s nebula, the Transport Fleet has been attacked? Doesn’t he know that the destruction of A2 Fleet has already rendered A1 Fleet hopeless in victory? Doesn’t he know that once Chuckna’s reinforcements arrive, even A1 Fleet can’t escape?

No, he knows all this, but he has already gone mad. Beneath his strong exterior is a fragile heart, unable to withstand any blow. He has undergone too few setbacks.

Brenridge sighed deeply, knowing it’s a doomed conclusion yet still needing to command his subordinates to jump into the fires—that kind of commander, the world has far too many. War has stripped them of their humanity. Though he lost, compared to the Feiyang Fleet’s commander and Maeda Youta, he remained human in the end.

He gestured with his hand: ”Set the warp coordinates, all warships retreat immediately.”

”Leave?” Maeda Youta was stunned, then furiously emotional: ”No, you can’t do this, we still have a chance, we haven’t lost! Admiral Brenridge, this is a crime!”

He stepped forward: ”If you don’t want to fight, then leave on an escape ship, give me command, the Empire will not accept such a defeat, even in death, I should die in war, not with the burden of shame, dying old in bed!”

”Nonsense!” Brenridge abruptly stood up: ”You want to die, do they want to die?” He pointed with his arm at the silent Suss officers and soldiers around: ”A soldier’s duty is to protect their country, to expand territory, not to send themselves to death!”

”Rubbish!” Maeda Youta’s face flushed red, shouting wildly: ”A soldier’s duty is to fight, not to escape!”

”Why fight?” Brenridge sneered coldly: ”For your first battle honor?”

The remark was a critical blow.

Maeda Youta’s face suddenly turned pale. No matter how he rebutted, no matter how full or noble his reasons, nobody was willing to follow him into battle anymore.

He turned to look around; the personnel at the central control panel, officers, staff officers....these soldiers who had followed Brenridge for years, their eyes held contempt, disgust, and hostility towards him. Perhaps in the hearts of these people, they already deemed him as a bearer of bad luck.

In the instant, humiliation mixed in his bloodstream surged into his brain. Maeda Youta abruptly reached to pull the energy pistol at his waist.

However, his hand was tightly clamped by an iron grip.

Two guards, one on each side, firmly restrained him, while several other guards around had already aimed their guns at his head.

”Lock him up.” Brenridge ordered coldly.

Completely despondent, Maeda Youta did not struggle anymore, he gave Brenridge a venomous glance and was escorted away by the guards.

Outside the portholes, in the distance, Chuckna Fleet’s attack on A2 Fleet continued.

With Brenridge’s order, one Suss warship after another lined up, as the rows of tail thrusters glowed blue, the front lineup accelerated first, the fleet began to warp.

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The Bandit Army Fleet was now completely engulfed in cheers.

When the Suss aircraft carrier exploded amidst Chuckna Fleet’s artillery fire, all the Salerian officers and soldiers jumped up madly.