Counterfeit Hero

Upon seeing Fatty collapse on the ground, four soldiers swiftly dispersed, keeping a vigilant watch. The remaining medic and sergeant quickly ran to Fatty’s side, kneeling down and supporting him as they asked, ”What happened? Are you okay?”

The distress signal on Fatty’s arm was still flashing. He weakly opened his eyes, pointed to the steep cliff, but as soon as he opened his mouth, streams of blood mixed with white foam gushed out.

”Don’t speak!” The medic hurriedly stopped Fatty and turned to the sergeant, saying, ”It looks like he accidentally fell from above and injured his internal organs. We need to get him back immediately; we can’t treat him here.”

”Sir...” The other soldiers searched around and reported back, ”No signs of the enemy, no traces of battle.”

The sergeant nodded and said, ”Let’s carry him back first.”

On the SkyNet display, the soldiers quickly unfolded a simple stretcher and lifted Fatty onto it.

In the close-up shot, Fatty’s expression was excruciatingly painful. Watching him lying on the stretcher, still pointing at the cliff, then slowly falling into unconsciousness, Nia felt a surge of frustration. This guy was acting too realistically! Compared to this Fatty, the renowned actors she knew back home seemed like amateurs!

Nia clearly didn’t know the effort this con artist put into that book ”Realistic Imitation.” No matter how good an actor’s skills are, they only perform in front of the camera. A con artist, however, performs in real life. And Fatty learned these things to act in situations of life and death, a fundamental difference.

It’s like how everyone can walk in a straight line on the road, but if it’s on the edge of a high rooftop, eight or nine out of ten would fall. If it’s on a tightrope between cliffs, hardly anyone can. Life and death moments call for extreme caution. Fatty had practiced changing his expressions tens of thousands of times in front of the mirror, making his performance exceptionally realistic at this moment.

Carrying the heavy Fatty, the unlucky soldiers trudged back to their base. When the few remaining warriors at the base came out to help, the soldiers carrying the stretcher were almost collapsing. This Fatty was indeed very heavy.

On the SkyNet display from a top-down view, the position Fatty saw was a combination of armored bunkers arranged in a plum blossom shape, the nearest high ground to where he acted injured. Clearly, Fatty had this position in mind when sending signals with the combat assistance device on his arm.

A platoon stationed here belonged to Gazalin’s 311th Mechanized Infantry Division under the Stephen Group. They defended an area spanning hundreds of kilometers on both sides of the No.6 Resource Highway.

Since the transport supply mission was at a critical juncture for the Jiacuo frontline, there could be no mistakes. Two days ago, the 311th Division issued an order mobilizing the main force groups stationed at each base to coordinate with an armored group and two infantry groups in guarding the transport.

The high ground where this platoon was stationed was in the middle of the defense zone, making it very unlikely to be attacked. Moreover, there were other defensive formations nearby, so most soldiers here had been sent to assist with patrols, leaving only a small team for routine defense. If SkyNet hadn’t issued a rescue command, these remaining warriors would still be lounging around the bunkers, chatting and joking.

The squad Fatty previously killed was dispatched from this position. After decrypting the combat assistance device, Fatty instantly became aware of this position’s situation. Knowing both himself and the enemy, Fatty no longer took risks with positions he didn’t fully understand and came straight here.

Five octagonal combined armored bunkers occupied the corners of this small high ground. Surrounding them was a Magnetic Electric Protection Line made up of a dozen generators. During battle, the energy fields they emitted could char any approaching creature. Even ordinary Mecha had difficulty crossing the line without damage.

This high ground had clearly been long cultivated. In the open space between the five bunkers, there was a semi-underground spherical fortification housing an energy aggregator. The energy aggregator provided long-term energy reserves for the magnetic electric line and bunkers, extending defense duration and strength.

From this high ground alone, you could see Stephen’s extensive effort and resolve in defending Jiacuo.

Fatty was placed in the central open space. The medic called for a few of the remaining soldiers to bring out a battlefield medical box. This medical box was very light, shaped like an ancient mummy’s coffin. By injecting a special liquid, a doctor could perform any surgery on the patient inside.

The liquid not only disinfected but also repaired some bodily functions. The medical box could scan and monitor the body, providing real-time feedback on the patient’s heartbeat, blood pressure, respiration, and other vital signs. It even suggested surgical procedures on the box’s computer screen. During surgery, the medical box provided auxiliary functions like anesthesia and hemostasis.

Fatty, of course, couldn’t enter this medical box. No matter how realistic his act, the diagnostic data would immediately expose his disguise. Everyone knew this, including Nia, who had fought on the front lines. Her long eyelashes trembled, and her knuckles, gripping the edge of the information desk, turned white. Her heart was almost leaping out of her chest.