Counterfeit Hero

When the dust settled, everyone looked at each other in astonishment, seeing faces pale as death, gasping for air.

No one expected the outcome to be like this. Even those who blindly trusted and worshipped Fatty, like Cosmo and others, did not expect this. When the Red Mecha launched its final charge, they all jumped into their mechas, ready to fight to the death!

At this moment, everyone could only stare blankly to digest their inner fear. They looked at Fatty walking back and forth among the ruins with weird expressions, unsure if this guy was an angel or a devil! How did he formulate this terrifying plan and implement it so perfectly?!

As cheers from Puluo Town echoed from all directions.

The Mech Knights finally snapped out of it.

They turned around, seeing the crowds waving at them from distant buildings amid resounding jubilation. Suddenly, as if drunk, their heads spun.

A surge of blood rose to their hearts. Facing the cheering crowds, they raised their hands! As members of the bandit army, they felt so proud!

***********

”Northern Alliance Strikes Hard, First Battle Completely Annihilated!”

After receiving help from the Sect Mutual Aid Alliance, Zhang Kai’s report was published. This article, with its ironic title, instantly stirred up a storm at Mars Free Port.

An entire infantry regiment was wiped out, and an armored regiment retreated from Puluo Town with less than a company of troops remaining. Commander Kodell was captured. Accompanied by Zhang Kai’s real-time battlefield footage, subscription rates for Mars Daily skyrocketed to the top among all media outlets!

People were stunned by the video in the report. They did not expect the Northern Commerce Alliance to have such powerful forces, nor did they expect the sturdy Red Mechas in the video to be annihilated by the newly formed Sect Mutual Aid Alliance.

From the surprise attack, enemy luring, to the final dust settling, the strength displayed by the 120 Black Mechas was absolutely that of regular elite troops.

Especially those civilian mecha sects that were anxious about the deteriorating surrounding situation, they watched the report and video repeatedly, trying to absorb the embedded information. The more they watched, the brighter the eyes of the Directors became. Many struggling sects even held meetings overnight for discussions.

The earth-shattering battle of Puluo Town gave them reason to believe that integrating into this mutual aid alliance to restore the dominance of sects at Free Port was not an unrealistic dream—completely annihilating a quasi-military armored regiment of the Northern Alliance, Fatty did not even deploy Mech Knights from New Tai Sect and Phantom Stream! Even the Three Major Schools did not possess such formidable combat power.

Does this mean that the Fei Alliance officially made a move?!

Yet, before people could react, the situation at Mars Free Port underwent a dramatic change due to this report.

The Northern Commerce Alliance, which had been watching from the sidelines, had its plans disrupted by Puluo Town’s defeat. Once the report came out, Selwal did not hesitate and ordered all its armed forces to launch a brutal attack. Within less than twenty-four hours after the report’s release, the well-prepared Northern Alliance completed several strategic moves in succession!

Two armored camps of the Tai Sect Bullfighter Mercenary Corps in the Northern Industrial Zone of Central City were completely annihilated, a Broken Army Camp and an infantry regiment of the Mountain Breaker Sect were wiped out, the base of the Absolute Kill Stream in the East Central City was destroyed, over a hundred core disciples along with an infantry camp and an armored camp were all eliminated.

Six Northern Alliance Armored Groups and ten Infantry Divisions pressed forward simultaneously, almost in an instant, the Three Major Schools that were already locked in fierce combat were driven out of Central City. Their bases at various ports also faced fierce attacks—in the face of quasi-military mechas of the Northern Alliance, sect mechas without energy shields had no resistance at all.

The ground defenses repeatedly collapsed under the sudden strong offensive of the Northern Alliance, and in space, the Three Major Schools were caught off guard.

Twelve Northern Alliance fleets swarmed out, using information obtained from their powerful intelligence network to launch sneak attacks on sect fleets still wary of each other. This strike was deadly! The fleets of the Three Major Schools could not organize any effective defense against the overwhelmingly superior Northern Alliance fleets.

Ports 13, 18, 21, 35... one space port after another was occupied under the powerful assault of the Northern Alliance fleets. The Three Major Schools’ fleets retreated in confusion, forced to scatter to preserve strength, dragging their wounded bodies into the depths of space.

Selwal’s move was like a thunderbolt.

The most incredible part was that a third of the thousands of free docks and space stations simultaneously issued a joint announcement when the Northern Alliance took action, declaring their allegiance to the Northern Alliance. All passing and docking ships must clear their ties with any hostile forces against the Northern Alliance!

In a moment, chaos swept everywhere.

The entire Mars Free Port trembled under the unhindered stride of the Northern Alliance’s mechas.

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

Instant fame.

Using these four words to describe the current Sect Mutual Aid Alliance is absolutely fitting.

Old Smith, Geoffrey, and elders from the two major sects have completely discarded all worries—all busy warmly receiving emissaries sent by various sects, negotiating with commerce groups seeking protection, establishing management structures, organizing logistic supplies, and absorbing the overflowing queues of young people wanting to join the sub-sects’ ranks, occasionally arguing over which excellent new recruit should go to New Tai Sect or Phantom Stream, the old folks were exhilarated and couldn’t touch the ground!