Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 1312 - 60: Majestic Mountains (Part 4)

The sound of gunfire, like rolling thunder, never ends. The sky seemed to be obscured by smoke. Standing at the observation post of the bunker, one could only see flashes of gray-brown sky, one after another. The ground shook violently without stopping, and sand and mud fell continuously through the gaps of the explosion-proof shed."Are you worried about him?" Su Fei focused on the girl in front of her.

The girl was wearing a fitted combat suit, her beautiful figure wrapped in tight elastic material, overlapped by a white research coat. She sat quietly in front of Su Fei, her chin resting on her hand, seemingly unaffected by the deafening noise. Even Su Fei felt a bit jealous of her lovely face—a purity she could only possess ten years ago.

Milan, a name that sounds extremely beautiful.

She was also from Leray, and she was the girlfriend of Major General Tian of Leray, who led the Suicide Camp to divert the enemy.

It was said that Milan came here before Major General Tian. Because of her work, she had been conducting research at the Military Academy in Hanjing, the capital of Chuckna. Unexpectedly, during a test on Canglang Star, she coincidentally encountered a surprise attack by Mikami Yuto.

Having fled with the 13th Armored Division to the mountainous area by Karachi River, she was initially at a dead end. Who would have thought that the arrival of General Tian would revive the entire unit from despair, naturally saving Milan as well.

This is a beautiful story. A pair of lovers separated by a thousand miles, brought together by different missions on one planet; the prince descends from the sky to rescue the princess in her hour of need... Although somewhat clichéd, it is very touching. Uh, but Major General Tian, it seemed, fell from an Armed Merchant Ship.

In the bunker, hardly anyone was a combatant. Researchers in lab coats continued their work, occasionally turning to look worriedly at Milan sitting quietly on an empty ammunition box, lost in thought. Felix, holding a camera, filmed scenes outside from the observation hole. Once the enemy’s artillery ended, he would go to the front lines to capture more authentic and close-up battle footage. This old man had been assimilated by the troops and the war. It was hard to imagine if he could regain his previous calm when he returned to his broadcast studio.

Su Fei carefully observed Milan’s eyes, which were beautiful but appeared somewhat empty at present.

"If my lover were on a mission, perhaps I would be like her..." Su Fei wanted to feel Milan’s experience so much that she suddenly desired romance, to find someone she could worry about. In this brutal war, that would be the most beautiful thing.

"He will come back." Su Fei held Milan’s cold hand, feeling a bit sad. She initially wanted to create a program recording the real life and emotions of this couple during the war, but she now felt how cruel it would be to start filming. If Major General Tian didn’t come back...

"I know."

Milan’s clear voice rang in Su Fei’s ears.

"What..." Not expecting Milan to speak, Su Fei instinctively asked.

"I know!" Milan’s voice was clear, as she looked at Su Fei firmly: "I know he will come back!"

Su Fei was a bit dazed looking at the girl in front of her.

As the top General of the Military Department’s publicity office, she’d dealt with countless people, developing a skill to read faces and emotions. Rarely could anyone lie in front of her and deceive her, and seldom did people pretend confidently without her probing their limits.

Just by looking at Milan’s eyes, she knew the girl was telling the truth.

Su Fei didn’t ask why; she immediately believed her. Even though she knew the upcoming battle would be ten times more brutal than the one happening in this town, and despite knowing that an Armored Camp with just over five hundred Mechas would face an entire division’s attack, she inexplicably found confidence in her heart.

That unit, capable of completing a mission under nearly impossible circumstances, allowing the main forces to construct this vast stronghold without interference, surely they would return!

This was a pair of lovers from the Leray Federation.

From 2059 until now, they have fought for four years. Against Gazalin, against Desic, against Suss and Jiepeng... the people of this country have consistently battled, neither giving up nor being conquered.

Su Fei picked up her camera: "Is it alright?"

Milan nodded. She liked this mature, beautiful, and empathetic war correspondent: "Of course it is."

"He will come back!" Felix, who had been standing by the observation hole, unexpectedly chimed in with this sentence. His voice was recorded into the just-captured footage.

The two girls exchanged a smile, and the gunfire outside seemed less deafening.

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Undoubtedly, by late October 2063, the world’s attention was fixed on the Resk Star System.

On Leifeng Star, the Eastern Theater Army led by Qian Bolin abandoned its previous defensive tactics and launched a full-scale offensive against the Su Jie Alliance Army. In space, although the Qian Bolin Fleet and Li Hongwu Fleet couldn’t confront Mikami Yuto head-on yet, they had gained the strength to maneuver with Mikami Yuto in the Leifeng System and Canglang System simultaneously.

Meanwhile, in their respective countries, the armies of the Suss Empire and Jiepeng Empire were mobilizing, gathering towards the Resk Star System. The continuously arriving armies were transported by massive fleets to the Jump Point boundaries, under Mikami Yuto Fleet’s coordination, they were deployed in batches onto the Resk Battlefield.

In Chuckna, President Hill delivered a televised speech, calling on all citizens to unite and spare no effort to win this war. The president’s speech conveyed a single message from beginning to end—Chuckna will no longer retreat or hesitate; everything will make way for victory in this battle. The Military Department will receive the most substantial support ever!

The President’s speech inspired high spirits throughout Chuckna.

This nation, second only to the two superpowers, once fully engaged, wields an incredible force. Countless troops are assembling, and innumerable supplies are converging. The people of Chuckna can distinctly feel that their country is operating around the Resk Battle with fervor.

The public’s attention is fully focused on Resk.

Aside from various government announcements, rumors, and news, what everyone eagerly anticipates most is Felix’s warzone reports from the frontline.

This is the most authentic frontline.

Perhaps the first report was too deeply impactful, or perhaps the legendary fact that Old Marshal Li Cunxin is still alive and leading two divisions in vital roles against the Jiepeng people left a profound impression; everyone unconsciously regards this unit as the protagonist of the entire Resk Battle.

People are eagerly awaiting all news regarding this unit.

On October 22nd, news arrived from the frontline that the second batch of landing forces successfully landed. This news brought joy. It indicates that the first phase of the landing was successful. Moreover, well-informed sources have discovered that the Alliance forces are on the brink of achieving a major victory in Resk. It is said that this victory will be a crucial turning point from the war’s outset, shortening the entire war’s duration, and sparing many Chuckna warriors from unnecessary sacrifices.

Exciting news always travels faster than bad news. People waited anxiously for eight o’clock in the evening when Felix’s warzone report program was to air. Perhaps from Felix’s frontline reports, they could glean more information.

At eight in the evening, when everyone sat glued to their TVs, the first image they saw was Felix, now slimmer, his chin covered with stubble, yet looking more astute and capable than before.

His first words were, "I may have to break my promise."

Stunned, the audience watched as their most trusted chronicler solemnly said, "I once promised that all the footage for this program would come from my camera. However, recent events have compelled me to break my promise—I must utilize military-recorded footage because I need to focus on a battle I’ve been intently following but am unable to document personally and bring it to you."

"This is a great battle," Felix slightly lifted his chin, his habitual gesture whenever he needed to assert an unquestionable fact with the utmost conviction.

"This battle is still ongoing. Its final outcome leaves us all anxious. My reports may lag behind current events by a few or maybe more than ten hours, and I may have to use military records I would rather not use. Nevertheless, I believe this will be the best episode I have ever produced. Let us first remember these names... Avery Jenkins, Jiang Hao, Hann Guoxin, Li Weiguo..."

The list was extensive, and Felix read each name with solemnity, seemingly unaware he was producing a nerve-wracking program.

However, despite it being surprisingly different from his usual style, none of the viewers felt impatient. They listened quietly to Felix’s voice and watched the names appear one by one on the screen, many already framed in black. Everyone knew the black frames signified death.

Although the list was long, it eventually came to an end. Felix put down the folder in his hand, looked at the screen, and said slowly, "Now, let’s return to the moment when our heroes stepped forward."

The scene began to change.

The dawn sunlight bathed the hilly terrain. The voice of Old Marshal Li Cunxin echoed in everyone’s ears.

"...Chuckna has no cowards. Those willing to follow Major General Tian, step forward!"

The audience stared blankly at the ranks along the hillside, edge of the forest, stepping forward in unison. It wasn’t uniform marching, but a simultaneous step forward from every individual. Their strides varied in size, and once they stepped forward, the formation appeared slightly tilted. Yet, at that moment, these warriors appeared awe-inspiring.

On the screen was Marshal Li Cunxin’s trembling but proud voice, proclaiming those were his soldiers, and he was proud of them.

Then came the roll call.

A list identical to the one Felix had recited before.

The world fell silent, watching each figure step out of the lineup, recalling the black-framed names from the list; every viewer knew what had transpired.

"Follow my lens," Felix concluded, "Let’s pursue them. Follow our heroes. And please, every viewer watching this program, pray for the warriors whose fate is still unknown at this moment.... Pray!"

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This Chapter was exceptionally difficult to write. I pondered for a long time, repeatedly interjecting different angles into the narrative. The time spent considering was three times longer than the writing itself.

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