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Page 57
The two watched as a fiery shell burst from the cannon barrel, illuminating the street around them like the sun!
"Enemies are in sight!"
Chapter 42, Section 68: Dagger Meets Rock
"No, no, no, no!" The pilot, who had already lost his mind, watched helplessly as a shell hurtled towards his head.
"sky!--"
Gilech reacted swiftly, pulling the control lever for Sunderland as if it were a conditioned reflex, and the mech knight immediately leaned back against the corner of a building on the street. But his companion was not so lucky. The sound of shells tearing through the air was deafening, and he could only watch as sparks flew, blooming like autumn chrysanthemums on the helpless steel humanoid.
The dazzling explosion turned Sunderland white, leaving only the mech's legs lying on the street like a mop—where were the cockpit and arms?
"All infantry! Get off the road!" He quickly ordered his men to hide inside the building, while he himself retreated behind a pile of collapsed outer walls, facing the raging gunfire, and had his four- or five-meter-high vehicle lie flat on the ground.
"Lieutenant! What's going on up ahead!"
Behind him was another squadron, equipped only with relatively slow-moving assault guns and infantry fighting vehicles.
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"You'd better stop! There's an enemy ambush there!"
"Yes, Lieutenant! Back up! Back up!"
Just as he was about to retreat back into the turret from the assault gun hatch, another thunderous roar echoed from the distant street. A shell, trailing a white flash, swept past the ruins in front of Lieutenant Gilech, sending a chilling gust of wind across the top of the assault gun.
"Damn it... is there anything I can do, Lieutenant!"
"Stand by! Report to your superiors that we have encountered a large enemy force! Send reinforcements immediately!"
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"Maintain firepower! Comrades! Don't let the enemy break through the pass!"
The sound of the T-34's main gun echoed through the streets once again amidst a hail of bullets, and along with the radio waves transmitted back to the city center, it scattered like ghosts onto the exterior walls of the Capitol Building.
"General! Colonel Darwin, who is in charge of the East District, has a report!"
"Connect!"
"Your Excellency! My troops have been attacked by multiple enemy forces!"
"What? So fast?" The major general was a little incredulous; less than fifteen minutes had passed since he gave the order.
"How is the situation?"
"I have ordered all front-line squadrons to stand by in place, and we are currently coordinating the main attack force."
How many enemies are there?
"The entire perimeter is swarming with enemies! Gunfire and artillery are everywhere! I estimate the enemy numbers to be no less than two thousand!"
What kind of weapons are there?
"In addition to infantry with light weapons, the enemy has also deployed tanks! We've already lost four Sunderland tanks to tank fire!"
"Useless! What were your mechs doing while they were pulling out their tanks? Using infantry as shields?!" The general was furious. "Listen up, Colonel Darwin! Have all your troops attack at full speed and drive out all those enemies who have sneaked into the city! If you can't even handle tanks, then you'd better all take off your mech uniforms! Understand?!"
"Yes...yes, Your Excellency."
"General?" The communications soldier was about to continue his work, but then seemed to suddenly remember something, turned back, and asked in a low voice.
"Should we order other regiments or brigades to provide support?"
"No need! Do you think I need to fully support these cowards?!"
“But, General, I’ve read the intelligence the vanguard sent before. The enemy in District 45 is different from the ones we’ve seen before. If we do as you say, we’re sending them to their deaths!”
The major general was immediately enraged, pulled out his gun, and pointed it directly at the soldier's head.
"Stand up!"
"I know, I know!" the soldier cried, begging for forgiveness in front of everyone. "I won't do it again! Please don't kill me! Please! I don't want to die!"
"You two, hold him down!" The general called over two guards who pinned the ungrateful young man against the wall.
"I didn't mean to, General! Please!"
"Go apologize in hell!"
After a barrage of gunfire, the man fell into a pool of blood in the corner of the wall, like a shirt slipping off a clothes rack, right before everyone's eyes.
The command center fell completely silent, except for the crackling of the radio...
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"Listen up, all of you! Anyone who dares to question my orders will suffer the same fate! From now on, any troublemakers will be dealt with here!"
"Yes……"
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Marendo did this not to vent his personal grievances, otherwise, the somber atmosphere would spread to everyone, and the entire command center would be unable to escape the low morale.
Hopefully, this stain of blood on the wall can serve as a good remedy, I hope...
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"Calling Lieutenant Gilech! Reinforcements are approaching. Once we've rendezvoused, immediately begin the advance! Understood?"
"Ah, I understand, Colonel!"
Back in Makhsdorf, amidst the flames of war, the two squadrons had been held up by Soviet fire for half a day, with enemy tanks firing back and forth between the infantry's windows, calling out names.
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Gilech's team only had UL rounds and infantry rocket launchers, which were not long enough. The other team, although they had two assault guns, also had concerns: the current position of the assault guns was such that neither side's combat vehicles could see the other. If they moved forward a little, the assault guns could reach the tanks, but the uneven ground made the already top-heavy assault guns quite wary of the risk of tipping over after firing.
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"Oh God, how much longer do I have to lie here..." Gilech couldn't take it anymore.
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After a long absence, we turned our attention back to the Soviet infantrymen in the building ahead.
"Yes! That's it! Comrades!" Lemilia called out to everyone, "Keep firing! Give the assault team more cover!"
The lieutenant's infantry company was just one part of the feint attack force. Along with him, there were other companies of soldiers guarding the nearby buildings, totaling more than two hundred men. With the addition of tanks, virtually no bandits dared to cross this area.
This was just the tip of the iceberg of the entire feint attack. In the streets to the north and at the intersections to the south, such combinations of infantry and armored vehicles were everywhere. Each attacking force cooperated and supported each other, forming a solid net that sent any unfortunate individuals who ran into the line of fire to their doom.
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The T-34 tank next to it suddenly stopped firing and retreated to the back.
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"Hey! Lieutenant!" a comrade next to Lemilia called out to him.
The lieutenant also noticed something was wrong—the puppets that had been destroyed by the T-34 earlier seemed to be accompanied by a lot of headlights, like those of vehicles, coming from the street behind them.
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"Lieutenant Gilech! What are you doing here! Playing pinball in a Sunderland?!"
On the other side of the battlefield, several KMFs, followed by an equally large number of tanks, drove up in a grand procession with their headlights on.
The first one was a Gloucester, the rest were Sunderland.
"Hurry up, Lieutenant! Get up! Charge over with Kurk!" Gloucester's pilot brazenly shouted his name.
"Really...really charge in?" Gilech's tone was full of doubt. "The enemy has heavy firepower. Aren't you going to be careful?"
"Heavy firepower? Tanks or firecrackers?" A scornful laugh came from the cockpit. "I've been in this area for so long, and Kurk hasn't heard a thing!"
"That tank must have already hidden itself! You guys..."
"Alright, alright! The general has already given the order to launch the attack. If you don't make a name for yourself for Britannia now, what are you waiting for? A coward like you should go back to sweeping the streets, you know that!"
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"Jace! You take the lead!"
"Yes, sir!" A Sunderland gunman behind him raised his gun and charged out.
"careful!"
No sooner had Gilech's warning been given than the familiar booming of cannons echoed from the same spot in the distance.
"What!" Kurk exclaimed in astonishment as a shell struck Jess's vehicle in the chest. Sunderland's upper body was instantly engulfed by the fiery python, and the entire intersection was illuminated by the scattering burning debris. Only his lower body remained, enveloped in exploding sparks, like the shattered parts of a broken compass thrown from a hand and scattered across the ground.
"Ah! By the Emperor! That damned tank is back!" Gilech complained loudly. "You better have brought a recoilless rifle, Lieutenant!"
"Ah! The general can't make a mistake! The tank is just a bluffing donkey! Kurk's men must win!" Gloucester angrily slammed the end of his spear into the ground. "Charge! Take down that tank first to avenge Jess!"
"ah!--"
As soon as Kurk spoke, the other four Sunderland tanks following him immediately formed a single file and rushed out.
"Hey! You guys!"
"Kurke doesn't need to handle something so unchallenging!"
However, another shell struck, landing on the ground behind Sunderland, the first tank that had dodged. The second tank, unable to maneuver in time, was forced to accept this second "gift." The immense energy kicked up dust, instantly severing Sunderland's left leg at the knee, causing the Iron Knight to lose speed and fall to his knees.
The kneeling itself wasn't a big deal, but the pilot behind him didn't react in time! He immediately collided with the knight with the broken leg, and in an instant, the two KMFs turned into two wine glasses colliding violently. The components that sparked electricity flickered in the darkness, turning the nearby streets into shattered reflective glass.
"How is this possible! Kurk's men are not the unlucky ones!" Gloster began to shout angrily again.
“I can’t watch you die! Sir!” Gillespie grabbed Sunderland, pulled Gloucester back, and pinned him to the ground.
"Assault guns! Assault guns behind, listen to my command! Move forward immediately!"
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"Two targets have broken out! Get ready!"
The T-34 tank was still parked on the street, and inside the turret, the loader was busy between the breech and the ammunition rack for a new shell.
The gun barrel was slowly adjusted by the gunner, and now two puppets came from the left and right. The one on the right was firing at the tank, so it was undoubtedly the primary target.
"All done!" the loader shouted.
"Fire!—"
Another 85mm shell, accompanied by a thunderous roar, left the barrel and took out the doll that dared to run in a straight line.
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