Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 1 - Revised: Chapter 1 The Fleeing Mechanic Soldier

Tian Xingjian lay motionless in the shell crater, the mud on his body blending him in with the surrounding environment.

In this former artillery base far from the battlefield, there was no other living being besides him.

Not even a mouse.

In fact, there weren’t any mice on Miloke Star to begin with.

This small hillock, covered in dense jungle, originally housed a Federation Artillery Battalion, which had turned to ash under bombardment a few days ago.

Various debris lay scattered around Tian Xingjian, including both metal and flesh. The sympathetic detonation of ammunition had decimated hundreds of meters of surrounding jungle, and the wildfire it sparked burned for two days before subsiding.

Tian Xingjian felt a bit drowsy, his eyelids drooping uncontrollably, so he gently slapped his face, forcing himself to stay alert and watch the battlefield.

This was the twenty-first battle for Tian Xingjian, a corporal in the Federation Air Marine Corps.

From the Galileo Star System to the Newton Star System, the retreating Federation Army had lost twenty-two resource planets and five human immigrant planets. Miloke Star was one of the two immigrant planets in the Newton Star System. The other, Miloke II Star, had been entirely captured by the Imperial Army two months ago.

If this planet fell to the Imperial Army as well, the Federation would have to relinquish the Newton Star System, which contained over thirty resource planets.

None of this concerned Tian Xingjian; his sole concern was how to survive the war.

Staying alive was his wholehearted philosophy.

As a result, despite experiencing twenty-one battles, Corporal Tian Xingjian of the 3rd Armored Battalion’s first squad in the 5th Armored Division’s logistics unit remained just a corporal.

Most of his comrades who had survived the first eighteen battles had been promoted. Nonetheless, after battling through three planets from the Galileo Star System to the Newton Star System, he was the sole mechanic left without a promotion but still alive. The 5th Armored Division of the Federation Air Marine Corps had been annihilated, with ninety-five percent of the division killed in action. The remaining five percent had stayed behind on Miloke II Star, their fate grim.

Tian Xingjian had narrowly escaped death, managing to board a retreating warship and being reassigned to the remnants of the 9th Armored Division, now retreating to hold Miloke Planet.

Tian Xingjian shifted stealthily behind a large tree felled by shellfire, lying on his side to relieve himself. It was a technical task, but he had gotten the hang of it. As long as he relieved himself from a slightly higher position, he wouldn’t soil himself. Through prolonged combat, Tian Xingjian had at least learned how not to wet his pants out of fear on the battlefield.

Shivering slightly, Tian Xingjian felt a bit more awake. He spat to his side, lamenting his bad luck. Initially, the 9th Armored Division had been withdrawn to the Darwin Star System to regroup due to forty percent casualties. However, as the Imperial Army achieved a foothold on Miloke Star within a week, the command had no choice but to order all nearby forces to assemble and resist, buying time for reinforcements from the rear.

Even though his hiding spot had been carefully chosen and was far from the battlefield center, it still felt unreliable to the survival-focused Tian Xingjian.

From his vantage point, the battle still raged fiercely off in the distance. At the nine, twelve, and three o’clock positions of the battlefield, there were nearly a hundred two-meter-high Imperial single-soldier mechanical combat armors, ”Holy Armor 22.” These standard issue Imperial armors leaped around like ostriches, their missile launcher winglets emitting piercing screeches as they fired laser-guided missiles.

Compressed at the six o’clock position were over a dozen three-meter-high, multi-legged, five-man ”Honor 15” combat armors of the Galaxy Federation. These cumbersome armors possessed astonishing defensive capability. Despite being outnumbered and overwhelmed in terms of firepower, they could still execute complex evasive maneuvers under central computer control. For now, the Imperial single-soldier armors had no way to break the defensive formation of the Federation armors.

The battle was intense, with missile trails crisscrossing the battlefield and the deafening sounds of energy machine guns echoing throughout. This battlefield, featuring select mecha units, was the Northwestern salient of New Rome, Miloke Star’s largest industrial city, defended by a reinforced medium-sized armor battalion and an artillery battalion tasked with protecting the logistics routes.

There were no fortifications or trenches to stop infantry; this was merely an advanced position. The Federation’s true first line of defense lay further back, several kilometers into the jungle.

Behind that first defense line stood the Sujiang Bridge, a steel bridge spanning Miloke Star’s largest river, the Wave-Soaring River. On the far side of the bridge was the hastily constructed second defense line of the Federation Army, New Rome’s last line of defense. If this line was breached, the Federation would be forced into urban combat.

On this battlefield, the only soldier without a mecha was Tian Xingjian, a mechanical repair soldier. He had been sent to this forward position a few days ago as the sole technician responsible for repairing mechas.

Since the battle started, he had been observing from the sidelines for two days. There were no trenches, no fortifications, and not even infantry comrades to share hardships with. Thinking about this, the unlucky Tian Xingjian felt depressed. ”Damn, I can’t live like this!” At that moment, his headphones received an order for a full retreat.

The central defense line, 37 kilometers away, had been partially breached by the Imperial Army, allowing large numbers of Imperial armored forces to pour through. Among them, an Imperial armored squad composed of two heavy land battle mechas and eight medium-sized mechas was advancing to cut off the retreat. If they couldn’t disengage before this squad reached the battlefield, everyone should be prepared to meet their maker.

In the hilly terrain, land battle mechas could move at speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour. On roads, that speed could double. Even the dense jungle and several small rivers along the way could only slightly slow the enemy’s advance. They could still reach the battlefield within 20 minutes.

Finally hearing the order to disengage, Tian Xingjian was so overjoyed he nearly jumped. However, the thought of an Imperial armored squad, including two heavy land battle mechas, chasing them down on the retreat route left a bitter taste in his mouth.

After confirming the order on his combat logger on his left arm, Tian Xingjian began his twenty-first escape. He quickly checked his gear to ensure nothing was missing, then sprang forward like a cheetah. In just a few bounds, he had leaped over two fallen trees and five shell craters, reaching the edge of the small hills. Using both hands and feet like a startled lizard, he raced across the 20-meter-wide slope and dove into the depths of the jungle.

Simultaneously receiving the retreat order, the Federation Mecha Squadron began to contract their formation. Perhaps the Imperial Army received the same message, as the battle intensified.

The sky was filled with dense smoke, and violent explosions sent dirt and dust flying high. The Federation’s Honor 15s provided mutual cover while retreating, while an Imperial Single-Person Mecha squadron began to flank the Federation’s positions. It looked like they wanted to engulf the last twelve medium-sized mechas of the Federation.

The Imperial Army’s flanking route led straight through the small hill where Tian Xingjian had been hiding. The Federation Army noticed the Imperial strategy. Despite the hill not being very tall, it overlooked the retreat path. If the Imperial Army occupied it, it would be like driving a nail into the Federation Armor Unit’s retreat route. Soon, two Honor 15 mechas, covered by their comrades, lunged towards the hill. They needed to occupy the hill before thirty Imperial Holy Armor 22 mechas could, securing a retreat path for their comrades.

Tian Xingjian now resembled a frightened dog, racing through the jungle at breakneck speed.

”Hmm, he’s an odd coward, naive on the outside, but truly a despicable man deep down.” That was everyone’s assessment of Tian Xingjian.

Tian Xingjian’s natural disposition is indeed quite lecherous.

Ordinary-looking and somewhat chubby, Tian Xingjian liked to hover around girls back in school. He always claimed that his ancestor was the famous Boguang, but no one paid him any attention. Still, he reveled in it.

This man had a lot of patience when doing things and could always find another way to solve problems. The reason why Tian Xingjian joined the army revealed that his thinking was indeed beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

His sole reason for enlisting was to lose weight.

For Tian Xingjian, there were actually many reasons. Firstly, he felt he was very lazy, to an unbearable extent. So, he decided to turn over a new leaf. Secondly, he felt he was too fat. Since leaving school, he had gained over twenty pounds. If he gained twenty pounds a year, in ten years... Tian Xingjian couldn’t even imagine. Thirdly, he wasn’t someone with perseverance who could endure hardship. Without supervision, his weight loss plan probably wouldn’t last a day.

So, looking at the peaceful world, Tian Xingjian resolutely joined the army. During the enlistment physical, a pretty female military doctor discovered that this chubby guy had physical strength quite at odds with his body. He ran very fast, moved very agilely, and had astonishing endurance. Tian Xingjian proudly said, ”Beauty, I have a family legacy of qinggong—Ten Thousand Miles Solo, a fast blade technique, and three hundred sixty-five bedroom skills.” The military doctor nodded, made a bold stroke, and threw this descendant of Tian Boguang into the special training team. ”Tian Boguang, right? If you tease this lady, you must be prepared to suffer.”

Of course, Tian Xingjian was not actually a descendant of Tian Boguang; he just idolized that lecherous thief. However, in terms of talent, his speed and stamina were indeed outstanding.

Once he entered the special training team, Tian Xingjian realized the serious consequences of his slick tongue. The special training team was the Leray Federation Army’s training camp for special talents. Any new recruits with special abilities would be thrown into this camp for intensive training and then assigned to positions suitable for their specialties.

Some people had extraordinary calculation abilities. As long as such individuals survived the training without being eliminated, they could enter the Combat Planning Division or Logistics Management Division, leveraging their extraordinary calculation skills. Computers couldn’t calculate everything, but these people could. Others might have a keen nose, sharp ears, a strong sixth sense, particularly robust bodies, exceptional strength, nimble hands, or exceptional academic achievements in school. Such individuals were usually assigned to departments suited to their specialties after the special training.

Tian Xingjian was assigned to the reconnaissance soldier training squad for training.

Today’s technological level could almost monitor all designated targets. Note, this is about designated targets; if a target wasn’t designated or its location was unknown, it couldn’t be monitored. This work had to be done by reconnaissance soldiers, especially in ground combat, where their role was crucial. High-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, spy satellites, and outer space reconnaissance ships, while powerful, couldn’t always distinguish real from fake. Contemporary electronic technology could create many illusions to deceive sky radars and cameras, needing only a jammer. Added to that, airspace was the first contested ground in warfare; losing air superiority without reconnaissance soldiers meant the battle couldn’t be fought at all.

Reconnaissance soldier?

This was a death sentence for Tian Xingjian. Such a life-threatening job was not something he could or would do!

For Tian Xingjian, life was the most precious thing. He wouldn’t risk his life for anything. Greed, lust, cowardice, and fear of death were the common ailments of his generation. Only, Tian Xingjian was more straightforward and worse. Repeated ideological work couldn’t change his mind. Stubborn as a mule, he wouldn’t report to the reconnaissance soldier training squad.

But things were not up to Tian Xingjian. In the army, could a new recruit decide his fate? The reconnaissance soldier instructor gave him a thorough beating, shattering his resolve to resist.

Before beating him, the instructor asked, ”Why don’t you want to be a reconnaissance soldier?”

”Reconnaissance soldiers are too dangerous. I’m afraid of death.”

”Good, either you die as a reconnaissance soldier or I beat you to death now.”

Smack, Bam, ”Are you going or not?”

”Going!”

”Smart to recognize the times,”

”Pah, scumbag. Won’t go softly, but goes when beaten,” the unbearably robust instructor said as he left.

Flattened on the ground, Tian Xingjian tried hard to make himself feel happy. He thought, ”Damn it, it’s peacetime. Entering the reconnaissance training camp is not the same as going to war in the reconnaissance team. What am I afraid of?”

”Once I learn all the reconnaissance soldier skills, instructor? I’ll beat ten with one hand!”

A typical case of mental victory.

So he happily got up from the ground and followed the instructor’s butt to report voluntarily.

Thus, Tian Xingjian entered the reconnaissance training camp. His training was very rigorous. That bear-like instructor followed him every day. Any laziness would result in a thorough beating.

Tian Xingjian indeed had some talent for reconnaissance training subjects. Plus, by nature, he had a bit of Tian Boguang’s rogue spirit. So, after a year of training, his performance was excellent in field survival, camouflage, stealth, and long-distance marches, surpassing even the instructors. When his unarmed combat skills reached a very high level, the bear-like instructor started carrying a knife around him every day. After much painful contemplation, Tian Xingjian finally didn’t dare to risk his life.

When Tian Xingjian was about to graduate from the training camp, he cunningly found a way to avoid being assigned to the reconnaissance team. In his spare time, Tian Xingjian often visited the mechanical repair camp.

”As long as you complete your training, you can do whatever you want. As long as you don’t cause trouble, do as you please.” This was the instructor’s original words. In the instructor’s view, there were very few people who had the energy to do other things after the daily overloaded training of reconnaissance soldiers.

Those selected for the mechanical repair camp had dexterous hands. They weren’t ordinary repair workers; their studies were far more advanced than general repair workers, whether on aircraft carriers, warplanes, or land battle mechas, electronic equipment. There was nothing they couldn’t repair.

Tian Xingjian had a pair of fast hands. He could disassemble and reassemble guns in the shortest time, five seconds faster than the highest record in the repair camp. Being a second faster was impressive, let alone five seconds. Every day, Tian Xingjian foolishly watched the new recruits in the repair camp incessantly disassemble and reassemble various warships, mechas, and weapons, and attended the mechanical principles class, blueprint analysis class, fault troubleshooting class, field assembly class, and electronics class held by the instructor. Soon, the entire camp’s instructors and trainees knew about this reconnaissance trainee who looked a bit dumb. A month before the end of the special training, Tian Xingjian approached the mechanical repair camp’s instructor and straightforwardly requested to join the repair camp.

This request made the reconnaissance camp’s instructor fly into a rage but helpless.

Because the repair training camp’s instructor was also the highest officer in the special training team. It took Tian Xingjian only two hours to completely win over this white colonel. He participated in the trainees’ theory exam and ranked among the top. The subsequent practical operation made the colonel ecstatic. Tian Xingjian’s fast hands convinced him that they had a mechanical genius trainee.

Due to the involvement of many technological and military secrets in mechanical repair, the repair camp’s level was much higher than the reconnaissance camp, and many of the Federation’s mecha designers came from the repair camp. Seeing a genius about to be buried in the reconnaissance camp, a place for dullards, the colonel decisively used his privilege to transfer Tian Xingjian to the repair camp. Qing was delighted to escape from danger, but the reality left him almost regretting his miscalculation.