Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 1333: Chapter 72: Ritual (Part 2)

When the seventh and eighth giant transport ships simultaneously opened, countless soldiers with the Leefer Legion emblem and the 31st Army insignia embroidered on their uniform shoulders poured out from dozens of aligned hatches, gradually transforming into a cacophony of noisy discussions, which suddenly, after a brief silence, turned into an irrepressible cheer and applause.

The citizens who had long heard of the Leefer Legion were conquered at first sight by the 31st Army’s military appearance.

Countless resolute and stern soldiers, like black torrents, swiftly gathered in the vast space beside the berth. Except for their footsteps, these soldiers did not make a single other sound.

Their assembly speed was extremely fast, without any calls for rest, attention, left-right alignment; squads of soldiers stood in their positions with computer-like precision. A huge phalanx started from one corner, continuously extending to the right and to the back, the crowd churned, and moments later, the formation was complete.

More than twenty thousand soldiers, each one’s military posture identical to that of the officers like Faset on the docks, as if they were all cast from the same mold. The precise intervals between soldiers and the tidy ranks were awe-inducing enough to make one’s scalp tingle.

There’s no need to say more; upon seeing this troop, it’s not hard to imagine why the Leefer Legion was able to sweep across the Ryan Battlefield like a bamboo split.

This is not just an army; this is a sharp sword! Everyone believed that as long as the commander’s finger pointed, they would charge forward without hesitation, at any cost, regardless of life or death, until they pierced and penetrated the enemy before them.

The military display of the 31st Army made everyone’s hearts race, eyes dazzle.

Suddenly, jeers rang out from the crowd. People turned their heads to look and found that just as the 31st Army appeared, the bandit army transport ship on the other side of the berth also opened its hatches.

Margaret and a group of high-ranking officials awkwardly covered their eyes.

Groups of boisterous bandit army soldiers walked messily out of the hatches, upon emerging, these guys looked around, laughed and joked, whispering to each other from time to time. They seemed less like an army, more like a tour group. Some of them even excitedly waved to the welcoming crowd, whistled, and blew kisses, busy as can be.

The crowd’s jeers grew louder. However, the jeers seemed to barely affect this band of bandits’ spirits; they waved their hands even more energetically, faces filled with joyous smiles, eyes deeply affectionate.

If it were just this, perhaps it wouldn’t be much of anything, but somehow, as several bandit army soldiers glared at the 31st Army soldiers on the other side of the berth, more and more soldiers exchanged glares. Moreover, some bandit army soldiers directed jeers at the 31st Army, and the crowd’s jeers seemed to be collaborating with them in jeering the 31st Army.

”What should we do?” Some Chuckna officials stood at a loss, exchanging helpless glances. Everyone was quite headache-prone.

The bandit army picked the worst time to intersect with the Feiyang Army at this critical moment, not to mention the welcome ceremony prepared for the Feiyang people, being so upstaged by the bandit army is outrageous. Furthermore, the conflict when entering the harbor alone is headache-inducing enough.

Most damningly, Faset, who seems completely out of place with everyone, is nonetheless a prominent figure in the currently thriving Leefer Legion. Although his rank in the Leefer Legion is no more than seventh or eighth, because of his youth, many already regard him as Leefer’s successor!

As the successor, it’s impossible for him to show any weakness or compromise in front of the bandit army.

Fatty publicly insulting Leefer at the Alliance Supreme Command is no longer a secret.

This rascal from the Leray Federation seems completely unaware of what Leefer represents in Feiyang, unaware of Leefer’s status among his soldiers. Leefer is not just a leader; he’s the faith of every soldier in the Leefer Legion! This fact is widely known throughout the Fei Alliance Military!

Yet Fatty chose to curse Leefer in front of high-ranking military leaders from over a dozen countries, condemning him with all manner of invective!

Of course, Leefer must avenge this grudge. Anyone who knows Leefer is aware of the consequences of offending this person. The proposal by the Supreme Joint Council regarding the two seized Binart Elephant-class fleets was merely a gentle jab by Leefer. If not for Hastings’ command, perhaps this jab would have already punctured Fatty’s heart.

This also indicates that Fatty is on Hastings’ side, thereby making the discord between the two sides even more irreconcilable.

Looking at the silent soldiers of the 31st Army with their fierce gazes towards the bandit army and the disdainful glances from those lackadaisical bandit army members towards the 31st Army’s ranks, it is clear that just one spark could ignite a fight between the two under the watchful public eye.

Because they’re outsiders, the generals and officials present understood the Feiyang Military’s emerging power struggle better than anyone, and their status and access to information provided them with an exceptionally deep understanding of this conflict.

Since Leefer emerged like a tiger from its cage and triumphed in Catalonia, the power struggle in the post-Hastings leadership era has become completely clear. The people present believe that given the opportunity, whether it be Hastings, Leefer, the young and seemingly somewhat naive Miss Margaret, or Faset, they would unhesitatingly take action.