Counterfeit Hero

With his left hand, Cozmo pushed the universal control lever into the fifth-speed secondary engine position. His index finger, which was tightly clasped on the energy cannon launcher of the control lever, lost its color due to too much force. The thumb of the right hand presses the c4 key of the leg transmission, and the other four fingers, with the thumb as the center of the circle, quickly jump between the a2 to b8 keys.

This is the arc-shaped finger jumping technique taught by Colonel Fatty - irregular steps while traveling combined with cross-target fan shooting during frontal group combat.

The majestic body with a sword couldn't help but change directions and rush forward amidst the barrage of artillery fire and the remains of mechas everywhere. As nimble as a fox running in the jungle. With irregular running rhythm and sudden changes in direction, you can always find the gaps between the energy cannon firepower nets.

Countless explosions sounded at Zhanjian's feet. The energy shield light curtain outside the fuselage, which was like a blue lake, rippled in the explosion shock wave and changed colors rapidly. The entire mecha was filled with yellow dust, with scars of various colors and causes, criss-crossing here and there.

Zhanjian's ugly 260mm ultra-large caliber energy cannon was vibrating desperately. Along with the vibrating rhythm, balls of white light were sprayed out. It is fan-shaped and pours forward.

Next to Cozmo's mecha, which was running and firing at high speed, were countless similar mechas.

The same irregular running and dodging, the same fan-shaped shooting... The firepower of the triangle assault formation was fully utilized.

The earth quickly retreated under the feet of the group of ugly mechas, and the dust and smoke were torn apart by the strong wind whipped up by the mechas as they ran.

The stars were about to disappear into the undulating horizon in the distance. In the dim world, all that could be seen was the ghostly steel figure and the firepower network intertwined with energy cannons.

Bloody battle, in the sound of cannon. Explosions, screams and roars continued.

On the plain battlefield underground in the 205 Highlands, the charging bandit mechas once again broke into the formation of the Suss mechas. The two sides immediately became entangled, and there were sounds of killing.

This was Cozmo's third forced assault on the blocking position of the 2nd Battalion of the 402nd Armored Regiment in Sousse.

It will also be the last time.

In the first two assaults, the bandits' SM third regiment and one battalion penetrated two lines of defense of the enemy's circular defense formation.

A circular defense array ten kilometers wide, at this moment. Only the last semicircular line of defense was left. The widest point on both wings of the line of defense that had been concentrated to resist desperately had been reduced to four kilometers. That's it. It is also impossible to guarantee the thickness of the arc-shaped defense line during a camp assault. He was torn to pieces in an instant.

"Kill!" Cozmo shouted violently, and the thirty mechas at the front of the assault formation accelerated at the same time, and like arrows flying through the air, they pierced into the group of Suss mechas.

Dodge the fist of a boxing champion. Cozmo flicked the control stick. The mecha took a side step and appeared out of thin air on the left wing of the boxing champion. He turned around and punched... This is the phantom style of turning one into a hundred!

There was a loud "bang" sound, and the iron fist with the sword had already penetrated the boxing champion's waist.

The boxing champion with the engine located at his waist instantly lost his combat effectiveness.

The internal transmission system was stuck tightly with the sword-wielding fist. Then it broke apart due to the inertia of high-speed movement. High-speed rotating gears and transmission rods. The half-moon disk and other parts were completely out of control. They shot out in all directions with a crackling sound like firecrackers, smashing the inside of the mecha to pieces.

The temperature of the damaged engine rose sharply, and the engine block and energy system turned red. Like a heart with blocked blood vessels.

When Zhan Jian closed his fist, turned around, and fired towards another boxing champion, a violent explosion sounded behind him. The scattered fragments burned like shooting stars. The energy on the mecha's remains turned into flames in the wind, illuminating the surrounding area.

A boxing champion fell, and then another one fell.

The Suss mecha warriors are desperately resisting, and their hand speed has been increased to the limit!

However, everything is in vain!

The Susians discovered in despair that once they were approached by these ugly mechas, they had no chance at all.

That is an overwhelming power gap.

No matter how hard they try, the boxing champion can't keep up with his opponent's moves.

The skills they trained according to the "Mecha Control Standards" were useless in front of these ugly mechas. With the same movements, their opponents are faster, more accurate, and more deadly than them! Not to mention those fighting moves that they haven't even thought about.

Phantom flow techniques, Tai flow techniques, fighting skills taught by Fatty, and various moves made the Suss soldiers stunned and terrified. In the eyes of these Sussian mecha warriors, the control of the opponent's mecha has become almost an art - an art of killing!

Jumping through, dashing forward in a zigzag line, dashing forward in an arc, stepping forward to punch, stepping back and kicking sideways... Those mecha formulas that they are extremely familiar with have been transformed into magic in the hands of these ugly mechas. .

A series of Sussian mechas fell under these stereotypes.

Their fall proved a statement they heard many years ago - the free world is the holy land of mecha fighting! There, hidden dragons and crouching tigers!

Many current veterans would have just laughed at that time.

No one took such words seriously. The folk mecha fighting skills in the free world are very powerful, but so what, the war at that time was a world of long-range firepower, energy cannons, and energy shields! All parameters of military mechas are based on long-range combat capabilities.

Close combat, whether it is for the mecha warrior or the mecha itself, is only an auxiliary! Auxiliary skills, auxiliary functions!

However, no one expected that in just three to five years, the combat mode of mechas would be changed.

As energy shields and armor systems become more and more perfect, and as the mechas of the sixth generation and later become faster, more agile, more energy-loaded, and more powerful, battles between long-range artillery fire begin to become awkward.

The armored groups were engaged in battle, firing thousands of energy cannons to accurately hit just a few dozen rounds. And even these dozens of rounds may not be able to destroy a mecha. Unless five or six energy shells can continuously hit the same mecha, the energy shield can be restored as long as the enemy avoids the final fatal blow.

At that time, such a situation often occurred - thousands of military mechas dueled, and the cannonballs were overwhelming. Missiles flew randomly, and the positions of both sides were almost destroyed, but. The casualty rate hovered at a very low level. No one can do anything to anyone.

What really solves the problem is the close firefights and close combat between the two sides.

And as the mecha's close combat mode took shape. As mechas pay more attention to close combat performance, the free world that used to be like child's play in the eyes of the mainstream society's military, playing with civilian mechas in close combat, has turned into a fierce tiger. .

Now. The tiger has been released.

On the battlefield. Smoke was everywhere and the sound of killing was loud.

Cozmo led a battalion and launched a fierce assault on the last line of defense of the Sousse blocking formation.

Behind them, there were three battalions with a total of 1,200 identical ugly mechas, overwhelming the enemy. Whistling down from the 205 heights.

Chuck looked livid. The veins on both sides of his forehead snaked out from under the skin. Extremely terrifying. The eyes that were staring at the virtual screen were already bloodshot. The cigarettes he smoked one after another and the uncontrollable anxiety caused blisters on the corners of his mouth.

Just a few dozen minutes, to Chuck, seemed like decades.

He knew that even though he was a born militant, as a soldier in a country where victory and honor were his life, Sousse soldiers had a strong fighting spirit and strict battlefield discipline. However, if the war situation continues like this, no one can guarantee that it will not turn into a panic rout.

The Second Battalion is still persisting in resistance. This is already the last psychological line of defense for all Sussians. Once the enemy breaks through the Second Battalion's blockade before the two battalions of the 401st Regiment enter the battle from both wings of the battlefield, everything will be over.

"What are the 401st doing?" Chuck threw the cigarette butt in his hand to the ground and roared, "Why haven't we reached the designated position yet?"

"We have arrived at the designated location..." a combat staff officer said tremblingly: "We are making preparations for the war!"

"You're still prepared!" Chuck slammed his fist on the console and roared: "Tell Riddle that if he doesn't launch an attack within three minutes, I will personally take him to a military court!"

"Yes, Colonel." The military staff officer quickly contacted Riddle, the commander of the 401st Regiment.

Chuck asked the adjutant for another cigarette to light. Amidst the green smoke, while looking at the changing clock numbers on the console, he prayed in his heart that the Second Battalion could survive this period of time. If the second battalion of the 401st Regiment collapsed before the two battalions of the 401st Regiment entered the battle, then the armored troops of the bandits that merged into one fist would be able to completely destroy the remaining troops of the 402nd Regiment on the attack position in one go.

Once the attack position is breached, the battle will be over.

Chuck used his fingers to loosen the buttons on his collar and smoked heavily.

He couldn't understand how the bandit army on the opposite side could have such a strong combat effectiveness. According to the previous information provided by the Northern Alliance, in addition to the 120 combat mechas, the enemies were all ordinary private mechas gathered from various major factions.

Those mechas without energy defense systems would be killed by a single shot in front of the boxing champion. The previous killing flow and the breaking mountain flow also proved this point. The top two mecha schools were completely defeated by the seventh-generation mechas eliminated by the Sussian military like Far East Victory. They faced bandit armies that were far inferior to those two schools, and were more advanced than Far East Victory. How could the boxing champion lose?

It was precisely because of the Northern Alliance's intelligence that Chuck was slapped in the face of the facts - not only did the opponent have four battalions of large-scale military mecha regiments, but they were also equipped with ninth-generation mechas. !

The more he thought about it, the more Chuck thought it was a trap.

He could not bear such a failure, so this could only be a trap - the Northern Alliance did not provide correct intelligence, but sent the Suss Armored Regiment to the Pingqiling defense line, which was the most difficult to defeat. Those damn businessmen. Trying to use the lives of Suss soldiers to contain the opponent.

"Check the current branch status of the Northern Alliance army." Chuck hooked his fingers and asked the adjutant to light another cigarette for him. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth and said to the staff officer beside him. : "Also, let's check again. Are the one thousand Far East Victories left at Lille Port still there?"

Seeing the staff officer take the order and leave, Chuck returned his attention to the battle report on the central console of the command mecha.

War situation. After two battalions of the 401st Regiment were forced into the battle, the situation eased up.

Facing the attacks from both wings, the assault of the bandit armored regiment was no longer too fierce and unstoppable. They had to pay attention to the Suss armored forces in the hilly areas on both sides of the plain, if they were outflanked by both wings. The escape route was cut off, or Highland 205 was attacked by surprise. Even the ninth generation mecha cannot turn the tide of the war.

Now, according to the real-time battle situation on the electronic sand table, the follow-up forces that the bandit army originally planned to concentrate on breaking through the Sus attack position have been attacked by Sus' two wings. Start spreading to the left and right.

Chuck looked anxiously at the sky and time. Issue orders one after another from time to time. Feedback from the front line revealed an important piece of news. The enemy's communication and command system seemed to be interfered by our own electronic mechas. All their orders were issued unabashedly and clearly through loudspeakers.

Then, only the two wings can contain the enemy, preventing the enemy from breaking through the frontal defense line in one go. Headquarters and remaining troops located behind the defensive line. can be preserved to the greatest extent. After dark, the bandit army could not carry out dispersed operations. Will can only watch in the darkness as the Suss armored forces on both wings retreat. If they dare to turn on the lights to fight, then they will become the target of artillery fire. If they dare to disperse and pursue, Chuck will not mind taking advantage of communication coordination to divide and annihilate them.

Although the enemy had once deceived the electronic mecha's detection, Chuck was not worried. After all, interference and detection, counter-interference and counter-detection cannot be confused.

Breakthrough!

When the last mecha in front of him fell, Cozmo's vision suddenly became clear.

After several explosions, there were no Suss mechas standing around. Cozmo was suddenly startled. He couldn't believe that after more than an hour of fighting, the Phantom Jets set foot on the battlefield for the first time and wiped out nearly twice the enemy's strength with a casualty ratio of 1:20.

This astonishing result made him unable to accept it for a while.

Cozmo slowly turned around the mecha...the bandit mechas covered in smoke and dust were following behind him. These Phantom Streamers, whom he was so familiar with, looked a little strange at this moment.

Their mechas still have the smell of gunpowder smoke and traces of smoky fire. Some mechas have their external armor torn, with pieces of rag hanging on their bodies. Large holes are broken in some parts, and the mechas can even be seen. The inner shell of the armor... This makes the swords look even more ugly. However, in Cozmo's eyes, these things not only did not damage the image of his companions, but made them look iron-blooded and tough.

Once, he and they stood on the roof of the Tailiu Mecha Hall, watching the one hundred and twenty black mechas galloping invincibly among the enemy groups. .

But today, I and them have become the protagonists in the eyes of others!

Cosmo licked his lips and smiled. This feeling was so good!

He turned around and saw through the cockpit cover, five kilometers ahead on the horizon, the looming Suss defense armor walls and mechas. Cozmo raised his mecha arm, paused for a few seconds, and then pointed forward!

"Wow!"... That was Fatty's strange cry like a savage one day when he launched the final blow in a contest to tease a certain second-level mecha god of war.

Countless cries of ghosts and howls of wolves gathered together and resounded throughout the sky.

The torrent of steel surged past him in the direction of his finger.

Bowing, the earth trembled under his seat, looking up, the sky. Covered by billowing dust and smoke.

A wave of hot blood rushed to his forehead, and Cozmo couldn't help but tremble all over. With his blood boiling, he suddenly pushed the control stick, and the mecha ran and merged into the rolling torrent.

Looking from the sky, on the vast plain, there are more than four hundred black mechas, keeping the same distance from each other. Row after row, leaping and galloping. Behind them, smoke billowed. A huge triangular formation eight kilometers long at the widest point on both wings, like a battleship flying. The shadows cast from the sky follow the undulations of the earth. With lightning speed.

There was deathly silence on the Sousse position. The Sousse soldiers could no longer hear the hysterical roars of their officers.

They gripped the joystick tightly and turned pale.

On the horizon in front of them, a black wavy line was rolling in. The sound of the mecha's galloping footsteps. Like a series of muffled thunder. Came from the trembling earth.

The beard on the chin of the leader of the 402nd Regiment was trembling. The first battalion is gone, and so is the second battalion. Even with such a position and the troops close to him, how could he possibly stop this already crazy opponent.

The "wow" sound of ghosts crying and wolves howling is getting closer and closer.

The regiment leader closed his eyes and shouted desperately: "Fire!"

The sky is dark. suddenly became translucent......

"Retreat." Chuck slumped down in his chair.

The ending now. This is already the best result he can achieve.

The 401st Regiment on both wings can still be roughly preserved intact. The headquarters can also leave safely. However, the 402nd Regiment was completely lost here.

Command the mecha and start it. The console split into several small pieces, and with the mechanical arm of the mecha, it was reversed and retracted into the mecha.

The staff members packed up their preparations with pale faces.

Twenty kilometers away, the earth-shattering sound of cannons could be heard all the time. The explosion and the light from the energy cannon fire whitened the entire sky...

"The Suss Armored Regiment was defeated..."

Holding the battle report in his hand, Thelwall was a little distracted. After a while, he looked at Fairler beside him in confusion and said: "It has only been more than six hours since Chuck attacked Highland 205. Among them, The bandit armored regiment went into attack, including the final pursuit, which lasted only more than two hours. Their combat effectiveness..."

"Unexpectedly." Fairler frowned and said: "...I mean Chuck. He actually lost a regiment and chose to retreat. Originally, I expected him to support twenty-four hours."

"Then now?" Thelwall looked at the electronic sand table with some worry. There were six flaming red arrows pointing directly at Puluo Town, and now there were only five left.

Fairler smiled coldly and said: "This result is not bad. At least, Chuck still retains half of his combat effectiveness, and it is easier for us to explain to the Sussians." As he said that, he turned to ask the staff beside him. Said: "Pioneer Group, where are they now?"

The staff officer reported: "We have passed the Mishan 2611 Pass and are on the way down the mountain. We estimate that we should have reached the Rift Canyon by now."

Fairer nodded, looked at the time, and said calmly to Thelwall: "No matter how powerful they are, they only have one armored regiment. If they want to solve this deadlock, they must escape to the sky! Otherwise, they will be here. Within twenty-four hours, they will eat five of my troops. Is this possible? I’m afraid, until now, they haven’t..."

"Chief of Staff..." A staff officer who hurried over interrupted Feller. He handed Feller a transcribed communication record and reported: "The fifth and sixth regiments just News came that their vanguard clearing force discovered unusual movements in the refugee area..."

Waving his hand to stop the staff's oral report, Fairler quietly read the communication records. After handing the manuscript to Thelwall, he walked to the electronic sand table with his hands behind his back.

"I didn't expect that they discovered our whereabouts in advance." Feier frowned, seeming to be extremely confused about something. After a long while, he shook his head and said coldly: "What a woman's kindness. In this case, we might as well start fighting!"

He turned his head and ordered unhurriedly: "Order all troops to give up hiding and speed up the advance. Be sure to enter the attack position before dawn, complete pre-war preparations, and launch the attack at the same time at eight o'clock!"

Fairler's emotionless voice echoed in the command room. On the huge electronic sand table, five red arrows are approaching the town of Puluo little by little as the time changes in the upper right corner.

Lorenzo Bridge. Already hidden in darkness.

There is no moon on the planet, only countless stars in the sky, which make the river run under the bridge and cover it with waves of light.

Slightly cold wind. omnipresent. The surrounding forest leaves undulated silently. In the mountains and forests. There was silence. All you could hear was the roar of the river.

The pilots stood together in silence, unable to see each other clearly.

Only when the cigarette in a companion's mouth suddenly lights up, everyone can guess that they can see the same frown as their own. And a livid face.

Everyone already knows the news from the base. I also know the fat man’s inference.

At first, no one believed it was true. The free world is used to seeing burning, killing and looting, but this is the first time they have heard of such a horrific massacre.

Just to hide your whereabouts?

Civilization has developed to this era, although wars still exist. An inhumane atrocity like this. It’s rarely heard of anymore.

Even those countries at war would not issue such orders in occupied areas. They can destroy cities. They can use any excuse to point guns and cannons at civilian houses, rob and kill, or set fires, but they will also try every means to cover it up.

This is a free world. Those soldiers from the Northern Alliance also grew up here. How could they do it?

Looking at the refugee settlement that the two lines passed through, and calculating the area and number of people, none of the pilots could believe that this was true. However, the news that came from the base later proved this fact. If Fatty hadn't ordered to notify the observation point and surrounding refugees in advance, I'm afraid more people would have fallen into a pool of blood. .

"Markovich, how is the situation in Pinch Ridge?"

In the darkness, Fatty's voice came.

The pilots threw away their cigarette butts, gathered together, and listened to Markovich's reply on the communicator: "The enemy has been defeated, Colonel. Currently, our army is in the process of clearing up. The area around Highland 205 has been cleared. An enemy armored regiment has been annihilated and a large number of weapons have been seized. Weapons, equipment and vehicles, in addition, twelve electronic mechas were captured.”

Markovich's voice was relaxed, he didn't know what was happening yet. I am very happy about this victory of the 3rd regiment.

Although he failed to defeat his opponent, he achieved a devastating war situation. However, whether it was the first battalion led by Cozmo or the other three battalions led by Wetherill, Baz and Thomas, all the bandit soldiers did not take this small setback seriously.

The war has reached this point, which has exceeded everyone's expectations. The mecha warriors were surprised to find that the firepower and bandits had an overwhelming advantage, and the mecha's defensive performance also had obvious advantages. What makes everyone even more excited is that after carefully implementing the wave-type switching cover that Fatty repeatedly emphasized in his daily training, their battle loss ratio, even excluding the results in the pursuit battle, was one-twentieth that of the Sussians!

But once they got close, the Seuss Mechs, who had only been trained in mecha control standards, were no match for them at all. Years of training in mecha fighting techniques, coupled with the practical combat skills taught by Fatty, make them invincible. Except for a small number of officers who could resist for a while, the Sussians almost collapsed at the first touch.

It's so exciting to fight like this. So in the end, a group of energetic guys were still not satisfied and chased the scattered Sussians all over the mountain. The remaining people went around collecting loot and took the trouble to move things back from all corners of the battlefield and put them together.

While talking to Fatty on the phone, Markovich was happily counting the loot.

"Leave one company behind to assist the 1st Infantry Division in clearing materials from the defensive highlands. The others immediately gave up the clearing pursuit and retreated to Puluo Town. I need you to assist in the defense of Puluo Town. The defense line will shrink to the third ring road, and all outer positions will be abandoned. understand?"

"Understood, Colonel." Although Markovich didn't know what happened, his tone immediately became serious and he didn't ask any extra questions.

"I have sent you the battle plan." In the darkness, Fatty's voice was cold: "I need you to persist for thirty-six hours! Can you do it?"

"As long as I live!" Markovich's answer was simple and decisive.

"Very good." The fat man was silent for a long time and said in a deep voice, "Thank you!"

After speaking, he turned off the communicator. Turning around, although the pilots couldn't see his face clearly, they could see his shining eyes.

"They can kill the refugees in the wild, but unfortunately, they can't kill all the people in Central City." The fat man spread his arms and legs and did the preparations that all pilots were familiar with.

"There are still many of us who have never played the game of banditry." He bent down and puffed out his stomach: "This time, will you all come with me to play?"