Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 1546: Chapter 40: Xiushui River Town (3)

Langman’s eyelids twitched violently, and his face instantly turned a shade of iron blue.

The unexpected intensity of the Chuckna people’s resistance had long since made him sense that something was wrong. Poro’s words confirmed his judgment.

And this also meant that relying on the dozen or so divisions in his own hands, taking the Sunset Mountain Defense Line would be far from as easy as he had originally envisioned.

Or rather, it had never been easy to begin with—and now it was even harder!

Since their troops were only half again fewer than his own, the Chuckna people were fully capable of holding out for two days.

This was a very simple calculation. Typically, when the combat capabilities and other factors are roughly equal, the attacker’s losses will be twice those of the defender. That meant that when the Chuckna people lost fifty percent of their strength, he would have to lose six divisions on this position!

Fifty percent is the minimum casualty rate at which a position collapses. Clearly, the current garrison at Sunset Mountain did not fall into that category. Their high morale, tenacious spirit, and clear awareness of the consequences of losing Sunset Mountain were enough to sustain them in fighting to the death without retreat even at seventy percent casualties.

Moreover, their own current casualty ratio far exceeded twice that of the enemy.

This meant that even if he committed all his forces, he might still not be able to take Sunset Mountain.

Langman’s mind was racing. The more he thought, the heavier his heart sank. If the enemy had only six divisions, he would consider staking everything on a single throw. But what if they did not have merely six divisions, but ten divisions, or even twenty?

Staring at the operations map, a thought suddenly flickered through his mind, flashing by like a meteor.

Though the thought itself was not clear, the sense of danger it brought made Langman suddenly feel as though he were a wolf launching a fierce assault on a rabbit warren. Inside that pitch‑black hole, a pair of deadly eyes lay hidden, greedily watching him.

”General, Headquarters has sent an order.” At the SkyNet communications console, a staff officer pulled a file from the computer and stood up quickly.

Taking the folder, Langman entered his clearance code to decrypt it, and felt a bitter taste in his mouth as he read.

”Sir?” Poro, seeing that Langman’s expression was off, ventured a tentative question.

”Marshal Bellif requires that we take Sunset Mountain as quickly as possible.” Langman handed the document to Poro. ”He seems to be running out of patience. The Main Camp Staff Headquarters has already moved forward.”

Poro’s expression shifted as he swiftly skimmed through the order in his hand.

Although modern technology had long made it possible for the Staff Department to direct operations from several Star Systems away, Army operations still followed centuries‑old tradition, with the Staff Department established in the strategic rear of the contested planet, its distance from the frontline Staff Department shifting with the course of the war.

The forward movement of the Staff Department was a powerful signal.

It represented the supreme Commander’s dissatisfaction with the conduct of operations at the front—a traditional, implicit, yet indisputable form of urging.

For any frontline Commander, the step‑by‑step advance of the Staff Department was like one death warrant after another.

Once the Main Camp Staff Headquarters advanced to a position where it could replace the frontline units’ Staff Department—indeed, even directly overlap it—that would mean the frontline Commander would lose his authority to command, reduced to a humiliated bystander, and later demoted, or even subjected to questioning and trial.

”Mr. Langman,” Poro pondered for a moment, then hesitated and said quietly, ”Marshal Bellif has always been steady and cautious. The deadline for breaking through Sunset Mountain in our operational plan has not yet arrived. Why did Headquarters ignore us before, only to suddenly become anxious now?”

Langman suddenly raised his head to look at Poro. Their eyes met, and both felt their hair stand on end.

The thoughts circling in his mind rapidly crystallized. Langman turned and ordered, ”Check for me how long it’s been since we received a battle report from Frenso Town!”

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Xiushui River Town was located on the Xiushui River, adjacent to Seven-star Town to the north. The urban centers of the two towns were only twenty kilometers apart.

Although both lay in the mountainous region on the western side of the Sunset Mountain Basin, the two locations were connected not only by a well‑developed highway system, but also by Resource Roads No. 5, 6, and 8. Transportation was extremely convenient. They formed the first gateway for the northwestern mining area and the frigid zone into the warm southeast.

Only ten years after Leifeng Star was discovered, human immigrants had already appeared on the Phoenix Plain.

In the early days, the Sunset Mountain Basin was not yet a human settlement area. But as time passed, the population immigrating to Leifeng Star grew larger and larger. With human reproduction and expansion, the demand for land and resources also increased.

When rare metallic ores were discovered in the Sunset Mountain Basin, along with natural gas and oil resources that, although inefficient, existed in enormous reserves, the footsteps of humanity extended here.

And with the discovery and development of the northwestern mining area, the Sunset Mountain Basin—already a step ahead, with a well‑established industrial base and convenient transport—became the most important industrial satellite city of Phoenix City.

Seven-star Town and Xiushui River Town were the two major strongholds of the Sunset Mountain Satellite City.

Seven-star Town was built against the mountains, while Xiushui River Town grew along the water. At the center of each town lay a bustling commercial district, with shopping malls and office buildings standing shoulder to shoulder. Encircling the airport docks on the outskirts were several major industrial zones and material distribution markets. Both towns followed a典型的蛛网式布局.

In peacetime, viewed from afar, one could see the busy flow of vehicles, throngs of people coming and going, loading arms constantly extending and retracting, and Transport Ships and shuttles taking off and landing in rapid succession.