Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 1574 -49: Massacre (Part 2 of 3)

On the small rise of the horizon, when the silhouettes of a group of black mechas appeared, Reinhardt stopped.

Behind him were forty-one Judgers and two Suss Armored Groups. About three kilometers further back was Langman’s command cluster. The seven groups trailing behind had already spread out nearly ten kilometers to the left and right. However, since reaching within ten kilometers of the 5th Resource Highway, they haven’t encountered resistance.

Along the defense line set on the D88 interstate highway, there’s no one. Judging by the exposed dirt color and the disorder within the fortifications, these Fei Alliance troops evidently just left. It seems as if they made way for them deliberately. However, from the reports coming from breakout forces in other directions, the Fei Alliance Joint Army has intensified its interception targeting them.

The abnormal actions of the Fei Alliance Joint Army left everyone with a sense of unease.

The fog of war is always present. No one knows whether the Fei Alliance Joint Commander’s judgment is mistaken, providing the command cluster with a rare opportunity, or whether they intentionally set up a trap, waiting to catch them like trapped turtles.

Still, at this point, regardless of whether what’s ahead is opportunity or trap, everyone seems to have nothing but to charge forward with their eyes closed.

Nine dispirited armored groups that have lost most of their logistics and fire support troops are merely red-eyed gamblers with few chips. Trying to win back, they have no choice but to make a bold gamble. If they carefully weigh gains and losses, waiting will only lead to their calm annihilation by the enemy.

The Western Alliance soldiers find it hard to accept the change from sweeping victories to fleeing in panic, but it’s reality, and facing reality, they can only choose to accept it.

Reinhardt’s eyes narrowed in a dangerous way.

He could already see the intersection bridge of the D88 highway and 5th Resource Highway. He could also hear the faint sound of artillery from the western side of the 5th Resource Highway.

And on the road ahead, the only troop blocking them stood on that small earthy hill, no more than twenty meters high. Five hundred Devil-like menacing black mechas, arms crossed, looking like a group of thugs. At the forefront, a mecha of the same model, though battered, crouched on the ground, coldly watching this way.

No need to guess, Reinhardt knows who stands before him.

That dirty and despicable Fatty always likes to disguise himself as a pitiful figure that doesn’t seem dangerous, a beggar without any threat. That was the look of the [Magic Beast] he used to pilot; now, his new mecha bears the same guise.

He gently signaled the warriors behind him to form an attack formation. The reconnaissance soldiers scattered around had already started sending back reports. There was no trace of Fei Alliance major forces within a ten-kilometer radius of the D88 interstate highway. Langman had already ordered the troops to spread out left and right, establishing a blockade line to cover the main force’s passage.

Could Fatty be trying to challenge him with these five hundred never-before-seen mechas?!

Reinhardt thought to himself, a cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. He had to admit Fatty’s courage; that thick-skinned and naive-looking fellow in Mezrich, seemingly ready to cry at the slightest grievance, was challenging him in the most reckless way with the toughest voice.

He knew well that these five hundred mechas were definitely not simple.

This should be the bandit army’s strongest force. There are reports that the Fei Alliance has developed new Twelfth Generation Mechas, possibly these right before him.

Those capable of piloting these mechas certainly aren’t ordinary mechanical warriors. Fatty is now the ruler of Mars Free World, a place lacking other resources but abundant in mecha commanders and mechanical gods with superb speed. It can be easily inferred from the bandit army special forces camp blocking him at Sunset Mountain the power of those Devil Mechas behind Fatty.

Reinhardt was certain that his forty-one Judgers couldn’t rival these five hundred Devil Mechas. Even one-on-one advantage wouldn’t make up for the overwhelming numerical difference. As for the Suss Mechas behind, they’re even less up to par. Even if all nine groups charge at once, they wouldn’t be able to eliminate the five hundred mechas.

Since the war between Leray and Gazalin broke out in 2059, mecha combat mode has undergone profound changes every day.

From long-range firepower and precision shooting as battle elements to high-speed advances based on wave-like coverage and Triangle Attack Formation, from a prolonged tug-of-war needing five hundred rounds to destroy a mecha with a full energy shield, to instant devastation in close combat—all reflecting the continuous evolution of mechas from ancient thin-skinned tanks into army weapons.

Evolution means elimination. Any combat force that can’t keep up with the times will be discarded in the cruel war.

And entering 2064, while small countries are still developing Ninth Generation Mechas and buying small quantities of Tenth Generation equipment, and major countries are researching Tenth Generation Mechas, attempting to popularize close combat in every troop, mecha combat has indeed entered an era dominated by high-end mechas.

The appearance of Twelfth Generation Mechas marks the beginning of this new era.

A single Judger might not count for much. But ten or a hundred Judgers can lead an entire campaign, potentially capturing a battleship in space!

Presumably, these Devil Mechas across the way are at a similar level.

This is precisely what Sobel is most eager to understand! To defeat Hastings, he needs to grasp everything.

Reinhardt meticulously checked the energy and system status of his mecha. Behind him, forty-one Judgers silently observed the enemies on the hill, while the two Suss Armored Groups were already boisterous.

“No enemies within ten kilometers on flanks, such a great opportunity, why linger here, let’s charge ahead!”

“Whose mechas are these? Bandit army?!”

“Using five hundred mechas to block us on this open plain with no fortifications to rely on? How ridiculous! These maniacs, do they really think they’re the almighty God?”

“I’ve never seen these mechas before, they seem quite formidable…”

“Don’t say discouraging words! No matter how formidable, they only have five hundred men. This is a plain area, we don’t need to attack their positions, just pass through quickly. No matter how powerful they are, can they really block us in such a wide place and swallow us whole?!”

“That’s right, everyone pull yourself together. The failure in the Sunset Mountain battle was due to the Frenso Town war zone, not us! How can Suss soldiers be utterly defeated and even lose the most basic morale!”

“Everyone listen, Marshal Bellif is right in front to support us, our forces are squeezing towards this side, no matter who is in front of us, they only have five hundred mechas, they absolutely can’t withstand our pincer attack!”

“Charge through! On this planet, in the entire star system, whether it’s the space fleet or the army, we still have a significant advantage. As long as we charge through, we still have a chance!!”

“Don’t die here, take them down!”

Under the deliberate guidance of Suss officers, the low morale of Suss was like a flickering candle flame doused in gasoline; it surged up in flames for a moment, with cries of attack and kill piercing the clouds and splitting rocks.

Whether the Fei Alliance Joint Army did it on purpose or not, whether this was a trap or an opportunity, the opponents stood on the D88 interstate passage with five hundred mechas blocking nine armored groups, even including the ten armored divisions from the west led by Bellif, their rampant arrogance left all Western Alliance soldiers both incredulous and enraged.

Those five hundred black mechas standing with crossed arms and that dilapidated mecha crouching on the ground like a thug observing targets for extortion at a school gate were a blatant humiliation to them.

Forty-one Judgers remained silent. They stared fiercely at that small hill with eyes as vicious as those of wounded beasts.

The Judgers are the top armored force in this world!

Even though they failed to break through Sunset Mountain, the Judgers’ glory remained intact. Although the enemy was strong, they relied on numerical superiority and defensive positions to achieve a near two-to-one casualty ratio.

If the battle at Sunset Mountain was used to evaluate the strength of the Judgers, then the enemy is gravely mistaken!!!

The true power of the Judgers does not lie in direct confrontation, but in relentless carnage! Even if these five hundred mechas hold back nine Suss armored groups, they can’t stop the forty-two Judgers.

Each Judger believes that they and their companions will pierce through the opponent’s blockade like wolves, disappear into the forests, then turn back and bite pieces of flesh from them!

The black Judgers formed a Triangle Attack Formation, and behind them, thousands of Suss mechas spread out, forming an even larger attack cluster.

Langman’s command cluster had arrived. Apart from two regiments dispersed to the flanks, the remaining five regiments were pouring into the attack cluster one after another like flowing water under the calls of grassroots officers, ready for an assault. On the open plain, a huge formation spread out infinitely.

The sunlight shone down directly, reflecting blinding glares on the steel giants as orderly as a forest.

Engines roared, clouds rolled across the sky, moving shadows swept across the ground, and the light fluctuated between bright and dim. The atmosphere between heaven and earth suddenly turned murderous.

Reinhardt finished inspecting the mecha and instinctively looked around. Suddenly, a flickering flame on a distant hill caught his attention.

On the hill, waist-high wild grass bent in the wind, revealing a command mecha resembling a giant steel ladybug. A petite, yet extremely familiar figure stood quietly beside the mecha. Dozens of bandit army mechas tightly guarded her.

The wave-like wild grass undulated beneath her knees, with the mountain wind caressing her long hair, like a dancing flame.

Reinhardt slowly adjusted his long-range viewer, gazing captivated at that ethereal, unparalleled figure.

Suddenly, he turned his head. The dilapidated mecha was still crouching on the hillside.

The flame on the distant mountain top, the gaze from the thug-like crouching on the hill ahead, made his eyes suddenly fill with bloodshot!

Several commands flashed through his mind.

The Judger beneath him started to run!