Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 73: Revised: Chapter 33 Military and Politics (4)

Ann Lei was at a loss when this guy shamelessly leaned over under everyone’s watchful eyes, covering her forehead in exasperation and unable to think straight.

Bernadotte nodded at Tian Xingjian and said, ”Lieutenant, this mission is quite dangerous. We need you to go behind enemy lines to rescue someone...”

Hearing that he had to go behind enemy lines again, Tian Xingjian felt his whole body, including his most private part, was in distress. He immediately wanted to refuse, but upon seeing Ann Lei beside him, he couldn’t help but say, ”Yes, General!”

Almost simultaneously, Ann Lei, in a panic, shouted, ”No way!”

Seeing everyone’s strange looks directed at her, Ann Lei’s face turned red immediately. She stammered, ”I... I mean, such an important mission should be assigned to Special Soldiers. Lieutenant Tian is just a combat staff... he...”

Bernadotte laughed heartily and waved his hand, saying, ”Major Ann Lei, you’re overthinking it. Lieutenant Tian is definitely the best choice. Whether it’s escaping from behind enemy lines or engaging with the Mythical Army, Lieutenant Tian is second to none. Perhaps you don’t know? The Special Soldier Company Commander who escaped from behind enemy lines with over two hundred captive soldiers lacking mobility and weapons was none other than our Lieutenant Tian.”

Ann Lei widened her beautiful eyes in disbelief, looking at the fatty beside her. She covered her mouth with her fair hand once again, her inner shock beyond measure: ”Oh my God, this idiot, Federation Hero, how is it possible?”

Bernadotte paid no attention to Ann Lei’s astonishment and said to Tian Xingjian with a smile, ”Lieutenant Tian, after careful consideration, we believe this mission is truly yours alone. Let me explain it to you.”

Fatty cursed inwardly, ”Why is it that every mission is supposedly up to me? It’s probably because you, old fox, find me convenient to use.”

Bernadotte personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to Tian Xingjian, saying, ”The person you need to rescue, to be honest with you, is the famous general of the Gazalin Empire, Russell!”

Fatty asked in disbelief, ”Russell?”

Bernadotte nodded and said, ”We believe that Russell is probably already under house arrest by the Empire because the information about him being the leader of the Freedom Front was leaked by Colonel Kadur, the director of the Fourth Research Laboratory, who is also a traitor bought by the Gazalin Empire!”

Some things Bernadotte did not make overly clear. The Federation Military Intelligence Bureau, when receiving envoys from Russell, obtained a list from the envoy marking all spies at the Miloke frontline command. After thorough investigation and confirmation, this list was handed over to the political department of the Military Department, preparing to arrest these individuals.

However, after communicating with Bernadotte, the political department decided to delay the arrests temporarily. The reason being that the current battle situation at Miloke might require these exposed spies to transmit deliberately fabricated false intelligence to the Gazalin Empire.

The operation plan proposed by the envoy was highly valued by the Federation from top to bottom, but they took a longer view. If Russell was not the leader of the Freedom Front, the Federation would immediately arrest the informed spies after confirming the operational plan to protect the leader of the Freedom Front.

But if Russell really was the leader of the Freedom Front, the Federation President’s Office and the Supreme Command Department decided on another plan after weighing the benefits—a political plan!

Ann Lei came to the Miloke frontline command with this plan, and the subsequent situational analysis quickly confirmed Russell’s identity. When Tian Xingjian mentioned the Pearce symbol, a few generals already knew that the political plan was set in motion.

Russell was undoubtedly a military genius, but his political wisdom could not compare to the scheming politicians who had long been entrenched in the Federation’s political whirlpools.

In the eyes of politicians, there are no friends, only interests! Russell was too brilliant. From the start of the war, his command had caused the Federation Military to lose too many troops and territories, to the point where they could not explain it to the public! Most importantly, from the beginning, the invasion plan of the Leray Federation was devised by this military genius!

If he was not the leader of the Freedom Front, it would still be manageable, but if he really was! Then his political maneuvering was too perfect!

Such a person, rather than letting him stay in the Gazalin Empire and safely command the army to invade the Federation while serving both sides, it would be better to pull him over! Keep him in the Federation’s hands, so his military genius could no longer be used against the Federation soldiers, and he would no longer play both sides. The armed resistance of the Freedom Front behind enemy lines would be completely in the Federation’s control.

Moreover, with Russell’s reputation in the Gazalin Empire, his defection to the Federation would be a massive blow to the Gazalin Empire! It would also be another great victory for the Leray Federation! The fluctuating public opinion during the war would catapult the president and the Military Department to unprecedented heights!

The final decision was made by Admiral Bernadotte! Russell’s military artistry was beyond what the Federation generals could reach. His feigned death attempts were masked as killing moves! If not for Tian Xingjian recognizing that symbol and making the inference, the outcome would have been hard to determine. For a period, Bernadotte had even prepared to reallocate troops! His attention was fully drawn by Russell to the Jialuo Mountain Battlefield! If Russell’s plan hadn’t been uncovered, the Federation Army would have already been defeated. Thinking of this, both Bernadotte and the generals broke out in a cold sweat!

Once or twice might be luck, but if this dangerous opponent continued to play these tricks in the future? He could continue to shine as a top general in the Imperial Military, but the Federation would always struggle painfully!

The Freedom Front was a resistance organization without governing experience. Their political experience was far from that of the several hundred-year-old political parties in the Federation. The Freedom Front naively believed that since they were allies with the Federation, they could do anything without fear of betrayal because they had a common enemy. However, to the Federation’s politicians, there were no allies they wouldn’t betray! They made decisions based solely on the Federation’s interests. When the benefits of betrayal outweighed those of loyalty, betrayal! A plan was already on the President’s desk!

From the moment Tian Xingjian completed his deduction, Russell’s fate was sealed! Bernadotte intentionally spread the word that the Federation’s 3rd and 9th Space Fleets were already in the Central Leray Star Domain and could support the Newton Star System through the Space Jump Point at any time. This was to ensure that Kadur would convey this along with the news about Russell to the Gazalin Empire. Once Russell’s issue was exposed, at least in the Newton Star System, the Imperial Army, suddenly losing its command system, would be thrown into chaos. The defeat on the ground was inevitable, and the space battles would also be a thorn for the Federation! The intelligence on the 3rd and 9th Fleets couldn’t be ignored, and whether to follow Russell’s original plan to attack the Second Mixed Fleet would cause the Imperial Fleet Commander to reconsider meticulously.

Tian Xingjian listened, confused, to Bernadotte’s order: ”Rescue him, or kill him. Under no circumstances should he be allowed to return to the Gazalin Empire alive!”