Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 1150: Chapter 8-4: First Arrival on Canglang Star (Part 3)

”Marshal, according to the current offensive by Jiepeng Army, we can hold out for two more days. However...” The Vice Admiral Division Commander of Chuckna Army’s 13th Armored Division, Pei Litong, tightly stared at the simulation platform. His tired eyes seemed to want to find a path to heaven from the virtual real scene as he replied, ”If they continue to reinforce tonight, I’m afraid...”

A trace of pain and struggle flashed in Pei Litong’s eyes, while the officers beside him each avoided their companions’ gaze.

”Don’t all act like your mother just died.” Li Cunxin waved his hand and turned to Balmer, the division commander of the 51st Fully Mechanized Infantry Division, saying, ”How about your side, how many people are there?”

”The troops have just retreated, and now there are only two understrength brigades.” Balmer, a Major General, had messy blond hair full of dust and mud, his always neat and straight uniform was so dirty that its color couldn’t be distinguished, and his arm was wrapped in bandages soaked with blood. Upon hearing Li Cunxin’s question, he reacted as if a wound had been ripped open, his face contorted with pain: ”My division’s mecha have all been used up. Without mecha support, the warriors can only rely on positions and Fusion Hand Grenades to fight the enemy. Now, even basic ammunition is almost gone!”

The atmosphere in the command room grew increasingly heavy with Balmer’s words. A shrill whine and a violent tremor were heard, as the command post shook amid explosions, with soil crumbling down.

Everyone knew that the 13th Armored Division and the 51st Infantry Division had reached a dead end.

Since these two divisions were the last to retreat from Leifeng Star, they were the fortunate ones to escape from among six armored divisions and ten infantry divisions during Jiepeng’s sneak attack, even without having time to relieve and unload their fatigued forces. The other Chuckna Forces were drowned under Jiepeng’s near-flood-like assault.

Already exhausted and without rest or resupply, even when they were attacked, most of the 13th Armored Division’s mecha were still on the transport ship. This way, the whole division had only one regiment of mecha. They almost relied on luck to carve a bloody path with the 51st Infantry Division in the surrounding attacks.

But now, not only was the ammunition insufficient, even luck seemed to have abandoned them.

The command post was set behind a hill, beside a cliff, just below which lay the forty-kilometer-wide Karachi River. The surging river rolled eastward, its majestic power leaving people only able to sigh in despair. Not to mention that the mecha’s auxiliary thruster didn’t have the capability to fly across such a distance, even if it did, flying across would be a suicide mission.

The two divisions were now trapped in a narrow mountainous area by the Karachi River. Jiepeng Army had blocked all the routes. Three armored divisions and at least six infantry divisions kept compressing the survival space of Chuckna Army. Coupled with the blanket aerial strikes, the current Chuckna Army could be said to have no way out.

If it weren’t for the numerous towns with populations on Canglang Star and the fact that the blocked area included two small villages, even food supply would have fallen short.

The distress signal had already been sent countless times. Except for initially being able to contact the command, there had been no further news. The SkyNet System of Jiepeng Army covered the entire area, while our SkyNet had been compressed into a minuscule range. Even the communication command system showed signs of malfunction and collapse.

How could this battle continue?!

Li Cunxin stood at the electronic simulation platform, carefully observing the three-dimensional terrain map simulated on the light screen.

Although the officers no longer hoped for a breakthrough, everyone still gathered around, hoping against all odds that the Old Marshal might find a path of survival.

”Is this the Lower Star Fortress Town?” The elderly man’s electronic pointer clicked on a point fifty kilometers behind the defensive zone.

”Yes, Marshal.” Balmer answered, ”Reconnaissance Soldier reports that this town is currently guarded by two regiments from Jiepeng’s 351st Armored Division. High ground on the town’s outer ring has already been constructed into mecha defensive positions. If we could break through Lower Star Fortress, we could enter north of Resource Road No. 3, with much more survival space. However, not only is our current strength insufficient to pose a threat to these two regiments, just moving from here to Lower Star Fortress through the mountains is impossible. Moreover, the enemies surrounding us wouldn’t just watch us move towards that area.”

”Did I say we were going to break through from there?” Li Cunxin glared.

Balmer and Pei Litong exchanged a bitter smile. The elderly man’s stubbornness is famous throughout Chuckna for being stubborn and irrational. Even if he loses, he sometimes likes to bluff. Not only those present but even the Military Department Admiral, including his son Li Hongwu, would avoid arguing with him, often turning away when faced with situations like this.

When the Old Marshal was younger, he was a skilled hand at commanding battles.

His tactical style was fierce, and when he fought, it was like a wild wind sweeping away fallen leaves. He rarely lost in hard-hitting battles. Not only could Chuckna not find anyone alive to match him, but even Feiyang Military God Hastings admired him greatly. It’s said they not only fought together but once even attended an officer training class at Fei Alliance as classmates for several months.

The Old Marshal originally came to Canglang Star as a Military Department advisor for an inspection. Who could have anticipated encountering such an event? After all, he hadn’t led troops in battle for over twenty years. Not to mention that current military theories are worlds apart from those of twenty years ago, and military technology has advanced rapidly. Even returning to twenty years ago, he would likely be helpless to turn the tide.