Thunder Warrior Saves the World

Page 26

Being busy is good, being busy is good

Volume 1: Chapter 144 (Chapter 130) Street Fighting

At the same time that the 7th Brigade was holding an emergency meeting, Fabandi was also facing the greatest test since the founding of the Kingdom of Ergia.

Due to the disruption of communications, the Kingdom's forces on the outer defenses of Fabandi faced extremely difficult resistance. Some of the weaker, less resilient troops surrendered after being surrounded by an enemy several times their size and unable to call for reinforcements. Meanwhile, the more determined troops, lacking flank cover and support, became increasingly passive in the battle, gradually being torn apart into isolated islands by the Belken, and ultimately annihilated by superior forces.

After seven days of fighting, the last outpost belonging to Elgia on the outskirts of the city finally raised the flag of the Belken Empire. However, the Belken people who occupied the outskirts did not rush to attack the city. After all, the old lady knew that there must be a large number of defenders hidden in the city, just waiting for them to walk in and be delivered to their doom. So they advanced their artillery and began bombarding the city, weakening the resistance forces within as much as possible.

Nearly half of the outer city's buildings were reduced to ruins during the prolonged shelling, burying the soldiers hidden within. The entrances and ventilation shafts of a few underground fortifications were covered by rubble, causing the soldiers inside to slowly die as oxygen depleted. The explosions also ignited fires in some areas, making no difference to unarmed civilians or soldiers licking at the flames.

But this attack did not completely destroy the defenders' fighting spirit as Belken had imagined. Even in the outer city, which was most severely damaged by the artillery fire, a large number of soldiers survived. The sight of their homes destroyed and their compatriots slaughtered did not destroy their fighting spirit; on the contrary, it fueled their anger even more. They hid in every corner of the city, gripping their weapons tightly, waiting for the invaders to appear before them.

Perhaps it was because the ammunition was being used up too quickly, or perhaps the Belkens simply felt they had been bombarding for long enough. After enduring a full four hours of bombardment from a cluster of 150mm heavy artillery, the enemy artillery finally stopped. Lieutenant Iwamoto shook his dizzy head. He understood that the cessation of the artillery fire did not mean that the Belkens had clocked out. On the contrary, it was the enemy's call to attack.

"The Belken devils are about to sneak up, prepare for battle!"

He brushed aside the pebbles obstructing his view from the firing port, pulled out the cotton balls stuffed in his ears, picked at his ear holes, and then loudly issued the order.

He looked around his position—the machine guns on the flanks and the mortars at the rear were ready to fire, which reassured him. The mortar and machine gun teams were a pleasant surprise they had encountered on their way back to Fabandi. With this 80mm mortar, even if the attacking enemy was accompanied by tanks, they were not without the ability to fight back.

An explosion from the unseen other end of the street drew Iwamoto's attention back to the battlefield before him—they had planted several landmines there as early warning systems, and also to scare the Belken. Whether they had actually frightened the Belken was debatable, but serving as a warning was certainly worthwhile. A figure appeared from the direction of the explosion; the color of his uniform allowed him to safely pass through the network of fire Iwamoto had laid out. Those were eyes that Iwamoto had deliberately left outside.

"Platoon leader! A tank and an infantry platoon are coming from the other side! There are heavily armored soldiers inside!" The figure, darting around like a cat, finally stopped beside Iwamoto and eagerly reported his discovery, "The tank ran over a landmine, but nothing happened."

"Tsk, when we get back we must advise the higher-ups not to use these sand-mixed mines anymore." Iwamoto clicked his tongue with some regret. He didn't expect the mine to destroy the entire tank; he would be very satisfied if it just severed the tracks and rendered the tank immobile. But now it seemed that the mortar team would have to do the job. "Go, notify the mortar team to prepare to work according to the plan. Make sure to knock that tank out in the shortest possible time."

"Alright!" The messenger, who had just stopped, immediately sprang into action and darted toward the mortar positions behind them.

The Belken soldiers didn't give Iwamoto much time, quickly appearing at the end of the street. This news was immediately relayed to the mortar positions, and because the firing parameters had already been set, the mortar gunners fired three times in just a few seconds, the distinctive sound of the mortar firing almost without pause.

4. The moment the whistling sound rang out in the air, the Belken knew something was wrong. The infantrymen guarding the chariot immediately scattered and lay down for cover. Only the chariot continued to advance until shells exploded around it, and they finally realized they were under attack. The chariot commander shouted loudly, trying to get the chariot to turn, but the Elgins didn't give him the time. Three shells exploded almost simultaneously.

The first and second mortar shots crossed each other, while the third hit the tank's tracks as intended. The 400-gram mortar shell successfully disabled the tank's mobility and left the crew inside in a daze. Knowing the importance of finishing off the enemy, Iwamoto ordered the mortar crew to continue attacking the tank. This time, the shell hit the crew access hatch on the roof with surprising precision. Although it was a high-explosive shell with a contact fuse, the point-of-effect explosion not only destroyed the hatch but also allowed flames to flow into the tank, instantly igniting the flammable materials inside. The stunned crew didn't notice the fire in time, and the uncontrolled flames quickly spread to the ammunition racks—and then, without warning, this tank, painted with the number 114, taught the nearby light infantry what it meant to be "furious."

Iwamoto didn't have much 80mm mortar ammunition, so after confirming that the enemy's tanks had been destroyed, he temporarily sealed off this heavy weapon. The Belkens had already spread out, and with the cover of the terrain, the kill radius of the shells would be greatly reduced. He couldn't bear to waste the shells like that.

However, Iwamoto soon discovered that the situation was somewhat different from his initial plan: although he had quickly destroyed the enemy's heavy firepower, the morale of the opposing side had not dropped due to the loss of tanks. Led by those heavily armored soldiers, this infantry platoon still resolutely moved towards its own position.

"Machine gunner, take out those heavily armored soldiers first. Since they want to be heroes, let's grant their wish and help them level up three times."

kill……

What day of the week is it today?

It's Sunday, hahaha!

Volume 1: Chapter 145 (Transfer)

The machine gunner moved swiftly, drawing a line of fire that covered the heavily armored soldiers' positions. But something unexpected happened: the machine gun bullets failed to penetrate the soldiers' armor as expected, leaving only scratches as they struck the armor. The bursts of fire only slightly slowed the soldiers' advance, and when the machine gunner paused to check the effect, the soldiers immediately regained their speed—no, they even accelerated, launching an assault on the Elginian position.

"Sir?!" the machine gunner cried out in surprise and disbelief. He had never encountered such a situation before. Although his machine gun wasn't a large-caliber machine gun specifically designed to deal with heavily armored soldiers, but rather a "general-purpose" machine gun that used the same ammunition as rifles, it hadn't been able to penetrate the Empire's armor in the past, but it shouldn't have been like this, unable to even stop the bullets. After all, while metal plates could stop the penetration of bullets, the impact of the bullets was undeniable. How could this heavily armored soldier be hit by so many bullets yet seem completely unharmed?

"Bombard them with mortars." Iwamoto narrowed his eyes. "If they like to play so much, let them play to their heart's content, with 80mm mortar shells. Suppress the other infantry's movements with machine guns."

Even if the Belken Empire's heavy infantry are born with superhuman strength and can withstand 10mm rifle bullets without breaking a sweat, no matter how strong you are, you can't withstand 80mm mortar rounds, right? The shockwave would be enough to give those turtle-shell-clad bodies a run for their money.

"Sir, we don't have much ammunition. Is it a bit much to use it on just a few infantrymen...?" The one asking the question wasn't his old subordinate, but a replacement soldier given to him after returning to Fabandi. He was acting foolishly at this moment.

"Do you think we can penetrate their armor with rifles after they charge up? We're just saving our shells." Having been through a lot, Iwamoto knew that once these heavily armored soldiers, immune to 10mm bullets, broke into the position, even if they eventually wiped them out, they would suffer heavy casualties and be unable to cope with the next wave of enemy attacks.

The mortar squad quickly adjusted the angle and direction, and the artilleryman once again proved his professionalism. The first test shot hit the three heavily armored soldiers directly in the middle. The shockwave from the explosion sent the three flying, and they fell to the ground, seemingly motionless. But Iwamoto wasn't entirely reassured and ordered the mortar squad to fire another shot. Only after seeing the three heavily armored soldiers reduced to mangled rag dolls did he finally relax.

After losing their two main offensive assets, the Belken realized that their current frontal assault was absolutely insufficient to capture the poorly positioned position. Despite their reluctance, the whistle for retreat finally rang out.

"That's it?" Iwamoto paused slightly, watching the retreating Belken soldiers. The option of pursuing them instantly flashed before his eyes. According to the scouts' reports, this invading enemy force consisted of only a platoon, making them roughly equal in size. Currently, his side held a firepower advantage, and annihilating the enemy wasn't impossible. Furthermore, completely destroying this advance force would keep the Belken soldiers guessing about the position's strength, slowing their advance and giving them more time to prepare. However, while the Belken soldiers were retreating, they showed no signs of disarray. Clearly, their commander maintained control of the troops. To annihilate this enemy force with minimal losses, he would have to continue deploying the limited mortar ammunition. If the Belken continued to deploy tanks and heavily armored infantry, his side, lacking heavy firepower, would be put on the defensive. Without mortars, he would have to resort to hand-to-hand combat, which might annihilate the enemy, but would likely result in casualties on his side—something he didn't want to see.

After quickly weighing the pros and cons, Iwamoto had no choice but to abandon this tempting option and opt for a conservative defense rather than expanding his gains.

After confirming the complete disappearance of the Belken and sending out "eyes" again, a relatively relaxed atmosphere returned to the position. Just then, a scout led an unfamiliar face to Iwamoto.

"Lieutenant Iwamoto, I've brought you new orders from headquarters." The unfamiliar face was a messenger. After taking back the identification he showed Iwamoto, he cut straight to the point: "Your superiors have ordered your unit to hand over this position to the 2nd Company, 1st Battalion, 385th Regiment. Your unit is to quickly move to the Heinrich Farm south of the city and rendezvous with the 32nd Guards Company, and take command of them."

"South of the city? Heinrich Farm? What are we going to do there?" The deputy platoon leader was a little confused. "I remember that several large strongholds over there have already been occupied by the Belken people. Heinrich Farm is not a good place to defend either."

"I can tell you. This is a direct order from headquarters; you just need to carry it out." The messenger didn't answer the question, but simply looked at Iwamoto.

The 32nd Imperial Guard Regiment? Unlike the deputy platoon leader, Iwamoto immediately noticed this unusual unit designation. Such special designations were generally only used by the Imperial Guard of the Fabandi Palace. Although these units were called companies, each company actually numbered 300-500 men, with far superior firepower and manpower compared to a typical infantry battalion, and their personnel were far more skilled than those of the general royal army. The Imperial Guard had been mobilized; this definitely meant something big was about to happen. Miki-mune clenched his fist—something big was coming.

Following this line of thought, the deputy platoon leader's words echoed in Iwamoto's mind again, bringing a flash of inspiration—Holy crap, could this be a plan to launch a counterattack and retake the stronghold in the south of the city?! The outskirts of the city have all fallen, and the south side is facing Belken's army head-on; a force of three to five hundred men is hardly enough.

"I understand." Suppressing his surprise, Iwamoto asked, "Besides us, were there any other units also transferred to the farm?"

"Not just you, several nearby units have been transferred over there." Having received Iwamoto's confirmation, the messenger relayed some information. This information further solidified Iwamoto's judgment. However, he still didn't understand one thing: why the south of the city? The south was neither the focus of their defenses nor a weak point in Belken. What prompted command to make this decision?

"I understand. So when will the 3585th Regiment arrive for the handover?" At the sixth rank, Iwamoto lowered his guard and inquired about the rotation. (Part Two)

"The 2nd Company of the 1st Battalion is already on its way and will arrive soon."

……

I miss you guys so much!

Volume 1: Chapter 146 (Chapter 132) Heinrich's Farm

Just as the messenger had said, the 385th Regiment arrived shortly after he left. After verifying their identities, the rotation proceeded smoothly without any mishaps. Lieutenant Iwamoto's reconnaissance platoon then set off for Heinrich Farm.

When his reconnaissance platoon arrived at Heinrich Farm, he was surprised to find that the troops gathered there were far more numerous than he had imagined. They had quietly amassed about a thousand men right under the noses of the Belken, and their heavy firepower far surpassed that of the average Kingdom army. Besides conventional mortars and mountain guns, he even spotted several new-style cannons with extremely long barrels but relatively small calibers. Fortunately, Heinrich Farm was quite large; otherwise, hiding these thousand-odd men would have been difficult.

Most of the troops gathered here, like the reconnaissance platoon, are still confused about the situation, and whispers about the assembly are everywhere in the camp.

"Excuse me, where is the commander of the 32nd Imperial Guard Regiment?" Iwamoto asked, grabbing a passing soldier. Only after getting the answer he wanted did he let him go. He told his men to find a place to rest, and after tidying up his uniform, he went straight to the command post.

"Reconnaissance Platoon of the 3rd Battalion, 241st Regiment, reporting for duty!" Upon entering the command post set up in the basement, Iwamoto found the not-so-spacious basement crowded with people. They were huddled around a wall covered with a large map, and a mixture of gunpowder smoke and sweat filled the air. The group was clearly discussing something, and Iwamoto, who had suddenly intruded, became the focus of their attention.

“I thought you, as a model unit for propaganda, would have arrived earlier, Lieutenant Iwamoto.” A voice rang out from the crowd. Iwamoto looked over, and the man’s collar insignia indicated his rank as a colonel. If nothing unexpected happened, he was the commander here—the commander of the 32nd Guard Regiment. However, the man didn’t pursue the matter of Iwamoto’s lateness any further. “Fortunately, we’ve just begun, and you haven’t missed too much. Hurry up and come over.”

“As I just said, the Belken wanted to completely sever Fabianti's connection with the outside world, trapping us in a desperate situation and leaving us to fight alone, so they could catch us like fish in a jar. They almost succeeded. Fortunately, our allies helped us avoid the worst outcome. We thwarted the traitors' plot, and His Majesty the King has safely left Fabianti. He will continue to command the war in Svorbella.”

"Svorbella? That's 200 kilometers away! How did they manage that?"

This explosive news naturally caused a stir among the officers. They were astonished at how the king had managed to reach a city 200 kilometers away in such a short time, and some quickly connected it to the local tales of miraculous arrivals. Their speculation was confirmed by the colonel. However, the hope that had been ignited was quickly dashed—"I know what you're thinking, but unfortunately, our communication system is still under the control of the Belken people, and we can't contact the Amelia. Besides, the Amelia certainly doesn't have many planes; otherwise, they wouldn't have chosen to rescue the king but instead reinforce Fabandi."

"The most urgent task is to restore Fabandi's connection with the outside world so that we can regain the initiative in the war. The command has decided to start from the south and prioritize opening up the connection with Swabella. We will be the vanguard of this counterattack."

"Sir, I request to speak." A major raised his hand.

"Permission to speak is granted," the colonel said, nodding with his hands behind his back.

"Why Svorbella? It's not the closest reinforcement to us, nor is it a weak point in the Belken encirclement," the major asked.

"Because the King is in Swobella. And the Kingdom's army stationed there recently defeated the Imperial Southern Army's Elwin Battle Group with inferior forces. With their participation in this battle, our actions will be much more relaxed, whether we continue to hold Fabandi or shift the battlefield."

"That's my favorite political interference command." Iwamoto lowered his head and sighed.

He wasn't unaware of the great victory at Swobella, but in his view, no matter how capable Swobella's troops were, they were only a division and a brigade. Such a small force, deployed to a battlefield of the scale of Fabandi, would quickly be swallowed up by the overwhelming enemy. What the Kingdom's army needed most wasn't one or two elite units, but a large number of flank divisions capable of holding back the Belken. On such a large-scale battlefield, what good would one or two elite units do even if they managed to breach the enemy's lines? The lack of follow-up troops would make it difficult for them to sustain their gains, rendering the breakthrough meaningless. And if they dared to continue advancing without cover and support, their isolated advance would be hampered by continuous losses, potentially leading to their complete annihilation.

"Understood, sir." The major nodded and remained silent.

“Very well, let’s get back to the main topic. To connect with Svorbella, the first thing is to re-establish a foothold in the south—” The colonel slammed his fist on the blue circle marked in the center of the map, “— ‘Razor Base,’ a large fortified position. The 460th Infantry Regiment stationed there withstood seven waves of enemy attacks, but unfortunately, two days ago, due to the loss of nearby positions, the depletion of ammunition reserves, and the continued increase in casualties of the 460th Infantry Regiment, we had to abandon the base. Now, it’s time to retake ‘Razor Base.’”

"Intelligence indicates that the Belken have committed most of their forces to the ongoing offensive, and 'Razor Base' has become a forward supply depot for their attacking forces. There is only one infantry battalion there, lacking heavy firepower."

The men present did not let their guard down just because the enemy's forces were only a third of theirs. They understood that even a single infantry battalion, reinforced by trenches, barbed wire, bunkers, and machine guns, would demonstrate formidable fighting power in a defensive battle. Their three-fold numerical advantage would only barely offset some of their disadvantages, merely meeting the minimum attacking force requirement in the manual. The good news was that the fortifications at "Razor Base" were not intended to defend against enemy forces from the city, and the 460th Regiment had destroyed many of them during their withdrawal from "Razor Base." Therefore, the remaining fortifications would be significantly less effective in defending against the Elginian forces' attack.

"This attack will be supported by a 105mm heavy artillery battery in Fabandi. I have only one request for you: take 'Razor Base' as quickly as possible and repel the Belken's counterattack."

Volume 1: Chapter 147 (Chapter 133) Purity greatly improved.

"Sir, I don't mean to dampen everyone's enthusiasm, but what if we encounter enemy tanks? We can figure out how to deal with two or three, but what if it's an entire unit..."

Those who have survived this period since the start of the war, even if they were just impulsive young men full of enthusiasm, have become seasoned veterans with careful consideration. Therefore, the people present were not fooled by the colonel's passionate speech, and they asked the key questions that could change the course of the entire plan.

“I know that since the start of the war, Belken’s tanks have caused us enormous casualties and even left a lasting negative impression on some of our comrades, but I have to tell you something,” the colonel said, clearly prepared and not flustered at all by this question, “You should have seen those new, extremely long-barreled cannons on the farm, right? Those are the newly developed 75mm anti-tank guns by the Logistics Ordnance Department. They assured me that when using specially designed armor-piercing rounds, these cannons can penetrate the frontal armor of a Belken tank at a distance of 400 meters.”

Naturally, excitement erupted in the small command post—what the hell is a surprise? A surprise is when you're being crushed by a metal can and can't breathe, and someone delivers a can opener. 400 meters may not sound far, but the appearance of this anti-tank gun represented a qualitative leap in the anti-tank capabilities of the Kingdom of Elgia—from relying on human lives to defending with anti-armor weapons. This meant the Belken could no longer rampage with their tanks.

"We've been equipped with four Type 1 prototype anti-tank guns. Although they're anti-tank guns, they're also equipped with conventional high-explosive shells, so these guns can also be used as direct-fire weapons in the attack." The colonel didn't spend too much time introducing the guns. He continued, "The entire operation will be divided into three phases. In the first phase, I need Captain Iwamoto to find out the enemy situation at 'Razor Base'—personnel configuration, firepower configuration, command nodes, etc. Once Captain Iwamoto relays the intelligence back, we'll enter the assault phase."

"The 105mm heavy artillery will conduct precision strikes on enemy strongpoints based on the firing coordinates provided by Captain Iwamoto, removing obstacles in our attack path. However, this massive artillery barrage undoubtedly signals to the Belken that we have a major operation here, and they will inevitably send reinforcements. Therefore, in order to seize the position before the enemy reinforcements arrive and have enough time to prepare for defense, we must minimize the time spent in the assault phase. Thus, while the artillery is firing, you must move forward simultaneously, minimizing the assault distance of your troops. After destroying the enemy strongpoints, the artillery will continue to suppress the enemy position for thirty minutes. Within two minutes of the artillery ceasing fire, you must rush onto the enemy position and seize it in one fell swoop."

"To ensure speed, I will commit the vast majority of my troops to this assault, except for the 3rd and 7th companies and Lieutenant Iwamoto's reconnaissance platoon." The colonel turned his gaze to Iwamoto and the other two lieutenants. "You will be bypassing 'Razor Base' and moving to this location to set up positions. We anticipate that this will be the inevitable route for any enemy reinforcements. If Belken's reinforcements arrive before we capture the position or set up our defenses, you must hold them off at all costs."

"Once we take the position, we will enter the third phase. If there is no contact with the enemy, the 3rd and 7th companies will withdraw to 'Razor Base,' and the reconnaissance company will advance to this position to perform guard duty. Once you spot the Belken, there is no need to initiate firefights. Remember, you are scouts, our eyes. Your primary task is to relay enemy intelligence back to us. If there is ongoing combat, then your delaying mission is complete, and you can withdraw to 'Razor Base.'"

Hearing this, the two lieutenants remained silent, so Iwamoto had no choice but to ask, "Then how do we know if the mission has been completed?"

"Once we recapture 'Razor Base,' we'll launch a red signal flare, clearly visible even in daylight." Hearing this, Iwamoto wasn't surprised; in the current situation, it was probably the most reliable and efficient method of communication. However, he noticed that since leading his platoon back to Fabandi, his situation had become somewhat precarious—thanks to his incompetent colleagues, he'd only captured a poorly defended supply depot and rescued a few men back to Fabandi, yet he was being hailed as a model of heroism? It sounded like a good thing, but in reality, it meant his unit was labeled "brave and skilled in battle." This meant that in any tough or difficult battle, he might be the first person the superiors thought of. Frankly, he'd rather survive the war unscathed than be a hero, and go home to his wife and children. His presence in this command room today clearly indicated that things were developing as he'd expected—after all, having finally found someone useful, he naturally wanted to use them to the fullest.

"Sir, shouldn't we keep a reserve team?"

Just as one problem was solved, another one was raised.

"Gentlemen, I need to remind you of a fact," the colonel said, placing his hands behind his back again, "This battle is of paramount importance, affecting a series of subsequent actions. We cannot be complacent; we must go all out. If we fail, the next enemy we will face will not just be a battalion. Only by risking everything can we achieve the objective of this operation."

"It's all about going all in at the end..." someone muttered, but the voice was just loud enough for the colonel to hear, yet no one could tell who said it.

"Some say this is all-in, and yes, it is indeed all-in." The colonel seemed unmoved. "History has long proven that when a city is completely surrounded, its fall is only a matter of time without external help. This is a crucial battle, and at this point, there is no need to maintain any reserves. It is no exaggeration to say that the rise and fall of the kingdom depends on this battle. You all must fight bravely and live to the death."

Hearing these familiar words, Iwamoto's body trembled. He looked at the colonel with disbelief—you blond-haired, blue-eyed guy, how come your Japanese purity is higher than mine, a native-born Japanese? Did you perhaps attend a military academy in Japan? That's not exactly a place for education!

Volume 1: Chapter 148 (Paragraph 134) - Personnel Arrangements

The Kingdom's army on the Fabandi side was preparing a counterattack, while the allied forces on the Swobella side were not idle either.

Now that a consensus had been reached to advance on Fabandi, the 7th Brigade immediately began preparations. As mentioned in the previous meeting, it was easy to amass troops and launch a full-scale assault on Fabandi; the challenge lay in maintaining the ability to continue fighting afterward. The answer was to establish a suitable forward base in Fabandi.

Thirdly, considering the deployment of Su-7BMK jet attack aircraft, this forward base must have a runway capable of handling Su-7BMKs and a hangar for their maintenance. This presents some challenges in site selection. Although the Su-7 was designed to take off from relatively harsh frontline airfields, it doesn't mean you can just find any flat, straight, and long dirt road—at the very least, the runway shouldn't end with a row of tiered spectator seating; neither spectators nor pilots would likely appreciate such a design. Furthermore, as a crucial link between Svorbella and frontline troops, this forward base must have good accessibility to ensure that ammunition and consumables produced in Svorbella are delivered to the frontline troops in a timely manner.

Therefore, Lu Wu decided to first send an advance team to Fabandi to establish contact with the local Royal Army, secure the frontline base, and then prepare supplies. This crucial task was undertaken by the only two companies capable of rapid helicopter mobility—the air assault company and the reconnaissance company.

As for why two companies were deployed, the answer is quite simple. After you've chosen the site, it's time to start construction on the airport. But the Belken people of Fabanti aren't here for a day trip; they certainly won't remain indifferent to Algeria's actions. At this point, a strong and capable force is needed to ensure that the airport construction is not disturbed—and the rockets carried by the helicopters attached to these two companies have a fairly good ground suppression effect.

On the other hand, the important purpose of the 7th Brigade's advance into Fabandi was to disrupt the Belken Empire's research on hard optical coils. The Belken had set up hard optical coil jamming towers in Fabandi, which were not so numerous as to be scattered all over the mountains. Finding out the location of these jamming stations in advance would help the command plan the operation. This was also an important task for these two companies.

After completing the preliminary reconnaissance, it was time to decide who would guard the base.

Things are different now. The 7th Brigade can't just pack up and leave like before. Their main base is still here. Once they lose their foothold in Svorbella, the 7th Brigade will be in an awkward situation of constantly depleting equipment and ammunition without being able to replenish them. Even though Svorbella is still under the control of the Kingdom's army, Lu Wu doesn't dare to be careless. This isn't because he has paranoia. Now, almost everyone in the Elgins in Villand Province knows that the Amelia Volunteer Army has good stuff. It's possible that after the main force of the 7th Brigade leaves the base, some self-righteous geniuses will try to take advantage of it. And who knows what kind of wicked schemes the Belkens in Villand might have after learning that the 7th Brigade has set off.

However, the question of how many people to retain to prevent these people from acting rashly, to protect one's own foundation, and not to interfere too much with Fabandi's actions is a delicate matter.

The commanders of the 7th Brigade, without exception, were not the type to stay in the rear and watch others fight fiercely. Therefore, at the meeting, these junior officers were practically staging a full-blown brawl to prove who had the most martial spirit and was more qualified to follow Lu Wu out to "scrape the palace" (a metaphor for military exploitation). In the last decade, their enemies had shifted to Middle Eastern communists and Western capitalists—generally right-wing figures. Enemies like the Belken Empire, with their highly entrenched Nazi and militaristic tendencies, were extremely rare. Scraping the palace was already a rewarding experience, but now it was a Nazi palace—double the pleasure, a glorious achievement to proudly boast about to their sons. Therefore, no one wanted to pass up this opportunity.

Including Lu Wu.

Yes, in this operation, Lu Wu will definitely continue to carry forward the fine tradition of leading from the front and crush the six dogs of the Belken Empire, the Nazis.

Watching the lively scene before him as everyone exchanged their opinions so warmly, Lu Wu felt his head buzzing. He rubbed his acupoints and said, "Alright, Katarina, you stay here to guard the house this time. The anti-aircraft company and the 2nd artillery company will also stay and be under your command."

Upon hearing Lu Wu's words, the meeting room immediately fell silent. Everyone's gloating gazes immediately focused on the three unlucky men. "Oh, we're having a fantastic Ghanaian party in Fabandi this week. Guess who didn't get an invitation?" The three unlucky men, Katarina, Full Moon, and Kii, could almost read the sarcasm in these people's eyes.

Her delicate features scrunched up in a pitiful protest as she said, "No, Commander, why is it me again? I was the one who stayed behind when you came into the city last time. Why don't you change it this time..."

"You did a great job last time, why would I replace you?"

Katarina's expression became even more aggrieved, as if she had been wronged by the sun. "Commander, last time I was just following the plan... I'm not being modest, but you know, it's a bit much for a mechanized infantry company commander to command a battalion. You should probably ask for another one..."

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Wu interrupted her, "It's decided then. You will be in charge of the base's defense, and Man Yue and Ji Yi will assist you."

“Commander, Svorbella is perfectly safe. I think leaving one mechanized infantry company and one anti-aircraft company is enough. There’s no chance for our artillery to be deployed. How about our 2nd Artillery Company goes to Fabandi with you?” Kii, the company commander of the 2nd Artillery Company, said with a smile.

"Kii! You!" Seeing this betrayal of their friend, Katarina and Mangetsu were furious, especially Mangetsu, who slammed her hand on the table and pointed directly at Kii. "You pretty little slut, are you trying to ditch us and go it alone? How dare you!"

"Objection overruled." Lu Wu directly rejected Kii's request. "This base is too important. Don't forget that there are our production lines underground. We must maintain sufficient strength here. Whether for deterrence or actual combat, a sufficient number of artillery pieces with appropriate calibers is the most cost-effective option."

Volume 1: Chapter 149 (Chapter 135) Celtic Hall

After the meeting about personnel arrangements ended, Lu Wu subconsciously took out his personal terminal, only to find a familiar box popping up on the screen—"Connection to the server has been lost."

???

Go and get UU Speed ​​Reducer from Wangnan!

After suppressing the absurd thoughts in his mind, Lu Wu realized that it was already 2:30 PM on September 15th. That meant that BWD had started unplugging the network cable and updating the server content half an hour ago. Just as the previous announcement stated, he was temporarily unable to mass-produce troops or issue equipment production tasks through the terminal.

The warehouse still had ample ammunition and spare parts, enough to sustain them for quite some time, so Lu Wu wasn't too worried about the issue. After all, while BWD might be a bit of a scoundrel, they were relatively reliable when it came to updates, much better than Tanaka Gege over there; at least they wouldn't face another major upheaval after the first. However, even if BWD did experience a major upheaval at launch, he wouldn't back down. In any case, the 7th Brigade would remain in Svorbella for rest and reorganization until they completed their initial preparations in Fabandi.

“Commander, a researcher has woken up and wants to meet with you.” Paz, who had been gone for less than an hour, reappeared with a message.

"Hmm?" Lu Wu raised an eyebrow, sensing something unusual. He gestured for the girl to lead the way while asking, "What's going on?"

“He claimed to be in charge of the ‘hard optical coil’ practical application project and that he could cooperate with us, but he said he only negotiates with the highest commander here.”

Has anyone else spoken to him?

“He’s very tight-lipped,” the blonde girl shook her head helplessly, her golden wavy hair swaying slightly and releasing a shampoo scent. “He hasn’t been able to reveal any useful information; instead, he’s trying to extract information from our people.”

"This doesn't sound like something a typical researcher would do; it sounds more like an intelligence agent posing as a researcher." Lu Wu found it interesting, but then he thought of some researchers like Dr. Gordon who weren't so ordinary. However, compared to this, it didn't seem so out of place.