Counterfeit Hero

The vast land west of Sunset Mountain, spanning over a hundred square kilometers, has been transformed into a noisy military camp.

Countless aggressive strike positions stretch from the southern end of the Sunset Mountain Defense Line, winding through the undulating hills, valleys, plains, and rivers, reaching all the way to the northern section twenty kilometers away, seemingly endless.

The Western Alliance Forces crawl over the mountains like ants, densely packed, impossible to count. Further away, more follow-up units are gathering along the winding roads, flowing like streams converging here.

By this time, the Northern Group Army of the Western Alliance had already laid out their strong assault stance.

With Frenso Town tying up the Fei Alliance forces and swiftly capturing the western part of the Sunset Mountain Basin, they had no reservations, nor did they need to feign politeness.

This is about using strength to overwhelm the weak, to leverage power to oppress! In the eyes of all Western Alliance soldiers, gathering such a massive force to capture the precarious Sunset Mountain Defense Line is merely a matter of time.

The No. 3 intercity highway from Seven-star Town to Sunset Mountain Satellite City runs eastward. The string of small hills, eighteen kilometers from the Sunset Mountain Range, disappears under a green slope north of the highway, transforming into a wide plain. The lush flat land stretches to three kilometers in the distance, ending at a series of gently rising hills.

Being at the intersection of several highways of different grades, it naturally became a temporary station for multiple units.

As the prolonged attacks on Sunset Mountain prolonged, more and more troops and logistics gathered here along the No. 3 intercity highway and its flanks. Under the command of the front-line headquarters, three whole engineering battalions, with thousands of engineering mechas working in collaboration, constructed here the largest forward base for the Western Alliance’s offensive force at the foot of Sunset Mountain.

Human engineering capability in this era of mechas has an astonishing efficiency. From selecting this area to cutting down trees, leveling the ground, and finally establishing a giant base, it took only two hours.

Inside the base, thirty giant warehouses and barracks capable of housing tens of thousands were constructed. These modular buildings were strictly distributed across nine grid zones according to defense requirements.

The base’s perimeter was enclosed by long modular metal walls. There were guard towers with large-caliber mounted Energy Cannons every fifty meters, and at the four corners and central part of the base, five massive energy shield generators were assembled and linked to everything.

At night, the blue light of the energy shield spread from the corners of the walls upward, crossed the walls, and climbed the massive metal supports into the sky, encasing the entire base, leaving only a circular passage above the temporary platform for small transport ships to land. It resembled a giant blue bird’s nest.

At this moment, the base was brightly lit and bustling. Convoys and transport mecha teams, with bright and dazzling lights, filed in from the large doors on the east and west.

Since a futile round of attacks had just ended, the command unit needed time to complete the regrouping and deployment of the troops, so the arriving units stayed put for now, resting, eating, and sleeping as much as possible.

From time to time, everyone turned their attention to the northeast part of the base.

There, surrounded by two small hills forty to fifty meters high, was a mountain recess with some modular barracks and bright lights at a glance. However, no one approached. An hour ago, the area was placed under martial law. An entire Suss Armored Battalion had set up three layers of guard lines around the camp zone.

Even when facing their own comrades, the soldiers on guard had a fierce and wary look in their eyes, as if they could suddenly attack and shred anyone daring to approach or spy on the camp zone to pieces.

In fact, what they were guarding had long ceased to be a secret.

Even a new recruit in the army would know what was in that camp zone—besides the legendary Judger Force, who else would warrant such a grand show of force, all just to display a stance of importance?

In this grand war, soldiers uncertain if they would survive were more hopeful than curious.

After halting the strong assault on Sunset Mountain, headquarters hadn’t issued any new instructions. Clearly, the next battle was when the force that made everyone’s heart race at the mere mention of its name would come into play.

"General Reinhardt, Marshal Bellif is scheduled to launch the full assault at precisely six o’clock." Inside the heavily guarded camp zone, a row of black Judgers stood silently under the lights surrounded by moths, as Suss Admiral Langman glanced around at the Ghost-like silent Judger Knights and then respectfully turned to Reinhardt beside him.

Unlike those Judgers that covered the neck and ears, Reinhardt simply stood there with the collar down, hatless. His silver metal skull, with sleek industrial design, merged with his flesh, evoking not horror but an eerie beauty.

To expose the flaws of the body so candidly, to face people’s incredulous gaze with such calm and composure, it spoke volumes of his strong, resilient inner world.

From this alone, Langman knew this captain of the Judger Force was no ordinary person.

Seeing Reinhardt nod, Langman continued, "To coordinate with you, we have drafted a new battle plan, and within an hour, the combat unit’s redeployment will be complete..."

As he spoke, Langman took a faintly glowing blue electronic folder from an aide and handed it to Reinhardt, "The command selected the breakthrough point at Zone 3’s 152 Highland. These are the detailed intelligence materials. General, you can familiarize yourself with them first. At that time, the 70th Armored Division of my eighth strike position will collaborate with you in combat."

Taking the electronic folder from Langman’s hand, Reinhardt quickly scanned it with his eyes.

The Suss people’s choice of breakthrough point clearly took great effort. Viewed from any angle, the 152 high ground in Sunset Mountain Defense Zone 3 is an ideal target.

The direct distance from there to the 202nd main peak position of Sunset Mountain is six kilometers. If it’s a clear day with high visibility, the two positions can even be seen with the naked eye.

If the 152 position falls, the entire Sunset Mountain Defense Line would be like a tightly stretched iron chain breaking in the middle. No matter how the two wings of the defense line are held, the Western Alliance Forces cannot be stopped. Panic will spread as the first ray of sunlight hits Sunset Mountain in the morning, leading to inevitable full-scale collapse of the Fei Alliance’s garrison.

"A brilliant choice." Reinhardt exchanged the folder back to Langman, a hint of a smile of appreciation on his handsome face: "I have no objections."

Langman, who had originally felt somewhat uneasy among the cold-faced, Ghost-like Judgers, was relaxed by Reinhardt’s smile and tone, and chuckled: "General Reinhardt flatters me. The choice of this point as the breakthrough was also based on your and your troops’ formidable attacking power..."

He casually handed the folder to the staff officer beside him, shaking his head self-deprecatingly: "...To be honest, I initially thought we could break through the Sunset Mountain Defense Line in one go, but unexpectedly, the Fei Alliance held off thirteen of our army’s attacks consecutively. In just five or six hours at the 152 position, I lost two regiments. That’s why I shamelessly requested help from you all."

"The Fei Alliance garrison is already a spent force," Reinhardt gently tapped his palm with his glove: "I think, even without our participation, conquering Sunset Mountain would only be a matter of time for you, Mr. Langman. In the end, we’re just icing on the cake."

Reinhardt’s humility greatly increased Langman’s favorable impression.

In fact, everyone understood that this time the Northern Cluster ran into a wall. Prior to this, the main force of the Northern Cluster, which occupied a large number of towns and strategic points west of Sunset Mountain, had only lost two divisions. But in the battle for Sunset Mountain, three divisions’ worth of troops were lost in just five or six hours, exceeding Langman’s psychological threshold.

Adding these three armored divisions, this battle so far has seen troop strength decrease by twenty-five percent! What’s even more embarrassing is that although the entire strategic plan seems to be progressing smoothly, Seven-star Town and Xiushui River Town are still like nails in the western part of the Sunset Mountain Basin. In other controlled areas, the Western Alliance Forces still have not gained complete control, forcing them to slow their advancement.

The speed with which the Fei Alliance garrison at Sunset Mountain reacted and organized such levels of resistance really surprised many people. If it weren’t for the Judgers, who could be considered a stabilizing force, and if it weren’t for the fact that conquering the Sunset Mountain Defense Line would win the entire campaign, Langman would probably be considering retreating by now.

Langman truly did not want a meticulously planned battle to suffer a change of plans due to failure to break the Sunset Mountain.

If the failure of the battle at Sunset Mountain is due to excessive losses, he believes Marshal Bellif would unhesitatingly scapegoat him.

In Suss, being the scapegoat for such a critical battle usually means being sent into a hell from which there’s no return.

The former Gazalin Admiral before him is humble and gentle, with no hint of arrogance, even while leading Binart’s topmost forces, he can lower himself for seamless cooperation, truly a rare partner. Looking again now, Langman even found Reinhardt’s cold metal visage pleasingly familiar.

He secretly decided that once Sunset Mountain was taken, the greatest credit must be given to Reinhardt no matter what.

As Suss Admiral, he understood the Judger Force far better than the rumors ordinary soldiers hear. A squad composed of ten mechas can frontally split an armored division, and twenty such squads placed on this battlefield are as powerful as twenty nuclear bombs!

The two countries of Su Jie do not have command authority over the Judger Force. If similar battles occur in the future, being able to call upon Reinhardt for favors and dispatch one or two squads for assistance, then he may well create a sweeping victory in this Southeast Star Domain, like in the Ryan Battlefield.

Langman plotted in his mind, intending to invite Reinhardt to his command post for a chat and strengthen their relationship. But then Reinhardt looked at the time, turned to him, and said: "I’ve been cooped up on the transport ship for most of the night, with more than an hour left, I think it’d better if I stretch my bones for a while..."

"Stretch..." Langman said in surprise and delight: "General Reinhardt is planning to personally...."

"Know yourself and know your enemy, a hundred battles without danger," Reinhardt said serenely: "War with SkyNet has one approach, war without SkyNet has another. Compared to SkyNet’s omnipresent warfare, we actually prefer to fight under the cover of darkness."

He turned to his subordinates and clapped his hands, expressionless: "Controlling the battlefield, blocking the enemy’s information, launching attacks, is the contest before the battle begins. Let’s first teach the Fei Alliance people a lesson."

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.These days I have been busy with my daughter’s grading exam, which is tomorrow, and we’re heading to Leshan in the evening for my wife’s grandmother’s 80th birthday; after two busy days, I should have time to write peacefully. Please bear with me a little longer. I initially didn’t have work lined up, so I could write more, but unexpectedly spending time with my little girl is busier than work.

.(To be continued. For more updates, please visit www.qidian.com. Support the author and legitimate reading!)