Counterfeit Hero

Moments later, the cannon fire, which had just fallen silent for a brief moment, resumed once again. Accompanying the cannon fire was the fierce clash of metal as mechas engaged in close combat.

More than thirty Black Mechas emerged from the smoke and were completely entangled with the Second Battalion.

These Black Mechas, covered in scars, were clearly the survivors of the earlier barrage. They were making their last stand.

The Red Mechas surged forward like a tide.

But the Black Mechas fought to the death without retreating!

Thirty Black Mechas formed a circular defensive formation, blocking the Red Mechas’ advance. They covered each other, advancing and retreating methodically. In the trenches, amidst the ruins of collapsed buildings, they leaped and maneuvered, fighting to the death.

In the desperate hacking and slashing of the Black Mechas, the leading Red Mechas fell one after another. The overwhelming superiority of the Eighth Generation Mechas over the 6th Generation Mechas was absolute. It was like the Gulf War on ancient Earth when US Army tank depleted uranium rounds pierced through two Iraqi tanks simultaneously, while the Iraqi tanks’ shells were deflected by the US tanks’ armor.

However, the numerical superiority of the Red Mechas compensated for this flaw. No mecha is invincible. Under the tidal wave of Red Mechas, the Black Mechas also began to suffer casualties. Outnumbered, they could only rely on skilled coordination, alternating the mechas with red energy shields or those that had lost their combat capability to the rear of the defensive formation.

Both sides fought fiercely like two groups of wild lions between the rubble and craters. This was no longer about victory or defeat; it was a contest of will and dignity!

The 01 Mecha piloted by Fatty had become the grim reaper in the minds of all Red Mecha warriors.

This Black Mecha, in the eyes of the Blood-colored Mercenary Army Mechanical Warriors, did not seem to be piloted by a human. On Puluo First Avenue, it always held the front line, wherever it charged, a bloody storm followed.

Its assaults were as swift as lightning; its battle axe, its fists and joints, every part of its body was a lethal weapon. No mecha targeted by it managed to escape alive. It was invincible in close combat, and even long-range artillery was useless against it.

It was like a ferocious leopard, dodging shells with bizarre, swift movements. Its energy shield would at most turn light red, and as long as it slightly slowed its killing pace to focus on evasion, it would soon return to its despair-inducing blue state.

One Red Mecha after another fell at its hands. Some were brutally slammed into the formation and hacked down with its battle axe, some were silently strangled from behind, and others were lifted and smashed into pieces on the ground.

If not for their numerical advantage, if not for knowing that the enemy was already at their last gasp and only needed one final push, many Blood-colored Mercenary Army Mechanical Warriors might not have dared to charge forward.

Even the fiercest lion gets tired eventually. Finally, under the relentless assaults of the Red Mechas, the Black Mechas began to retreat. Their casualties were mounting, their numbers dwindling; they had to use the depth they controlled to gradually neutralize the enemy’s attacks.

Kodell watched the long-range viewer’s screen with a blank expression. He hadn’t expected that after his near all-or-nothing firefight, the enemy’s front line hadn’t collapsed. The Second Battalion’s attack had turned into a stalemate trench war. And this trench war, who knows how long it would last!

On the screen, as the Black Mechas retreated, more than a dozen Black Mechas at the rear positions stepped up. Under the lead of that exceptionally fierce Black Mecha, they stabilized the front line, plunging both sides into another deadlock.

Kodell pinched his brow with his fingers, his face livid and his jaw clenched!

The fallen ”Fire Elements” on the front line were all trained by him. Suffering such heavy losses in the first battle was unbearable for him!

Looking at the map, seeing the narrow transverse alleys between the district buildings on both sides of the First Avenue, barely wide enough for two mechas to pass side by side, Kodell slammed a fist on the armrest of his seat and barked, ”Order the 3rd Battalion to press up from the district flanks, and command the direct-assault company to immediately join the attack!”

***************

Zhang Kai weakly adjusted the camera angles, trying to capture every event in Puluo Town completely and truthfully. His strength had been depleted during the half-hour barrage. Even now, his head was still spinning.

From his buzzing ears came the sounds of sobbing.

Zhang Kai pointed a camera angle at the source of the sobs— a girl with slightly swollen eyes, crying with tears streaming down her face.

The beautiful girl had smooth, black hair and bright, big eyes. At that moment, she stood by the window, biting her lip, tearfully watching the battle outside, crying intermittently.

Zhang Kai sighed softly; just a few hours ago, he had captured her cheering for the Black Mechas’ victory. Then, her fair face had been flushed with excitement, her eyes shining, every part of her exuding youthful vitality and genuine joy.

But who would have thought that in just a few hours, it would come to this.

Zhang Kai opened his mouth, trying to comfort the pitiful girl, but he didn’t know what to say. Everyone knew the defeat of the Black Mechas was inevitable.