Darkstone Code

Chapter 1217 - 1215: You Are a Part of Me

"Do you think... they can withstand the first attack?"

Ryan sat behind the defense line clutching a gun. At this moment, the fortifications were still being constructed, the Federation Army recruited many workers to build those defenses.

Perhaps considering this is the Army’s first international battle, the Ministry of Defense paid special attention to this battle and allocated additional funds to provide more support to the army.

The Darkstone Security personnel currently had no specific tasks. They demarcated an area for themselves, built fortifications, then watched the army fuss over there.

A soldier also responsible for patrolling and guarding replied cheerfully, "Who knows? I think it’s a bit difficult, so we must always be ready for combat."

During their time in Mariluo, their confrontation with the warlord made them understand that real war requires bloodshed, especially ground warfare.

The battlefield is a giant meat grinder into which both sides keep throwing soldiers, only to turn into corpses.

Whichever side cannot withstand the pressure first will lose the battle.

Advanced weaponry cannot fully function in complex environments, much like bombers when the urban situation gets bogged down; besides bombing the enemy’s rear to assist in breaking the stalemate.

They cannot directly help front-line warriors eliminate the enemy’s first line; they can only serve a support role.

Because no one knows if those bombs will fall on their own people’s heads; perhaps merely a fierce gust of wind can make the bombs deviate by tens or even hundreds of meters.

These distances are too easy to achieve; no one dares to take risks.

The current situation is the same, aircraft reconnaissance can only serve as a warning and alert, once both sides engage closely, aircraft can only bomb the enemy’s rear.

Front-line pressure increases dramatically when the enemy’s rear is cut off; they have already experienced this in Mariluo.

Each time after a bombing, fierce firefights erupt on the front line as the warlord’s armed forces madly attack them, until the bombing ends.

Some call this desperate counter-attack, as the survival space shrinks, they have to temporarily forget the fear during a frenzied assault.

Ryan sighed, "Actually, the Ministry of Defense sending them to the front line is extremely irresponsible; although I was once a soldier, I know some things are hard to imagine without experience."

This is Ryan’s most authentic sentiment. Having never gone through it, he will never know what the word "enemy" truly entails, even including the elderly, women, and children; none are innocent behind this term.

It’s even clearer that target shooting and shooting people are completely different experiences, with more psychological pressure.

On the battlefield, it’s not those charging in the first line but the machine gunners whose emotions are most prone to collapse.

Their trigger fingers often cramp and lock due to high tension, watching the enemy fall batch after batch like being swept by an invisible scythe.

The pressure and psychological barriers from killing a large number of the same species become their mental illness, psychological counseling, the Priest rarely comforts ordinary soldiers.

In the outbreak of group emotions, only a few shrink from war and hide; most aren’t afraid of dying under such circumstances.

Those who need counseling are the machine gunners who kill many enemies.

Things like this, in military schools, in the army, no one tells them, nor teaches them.

Even massacring indigenous people was generations ago; this generation of soldiers isn’t at all like soldiers.

Ryan soon proposed another idea, "If you were Peng Jieao people, knowing we’ve built such perfect defenses here, would you still attack from here?"

Another person laughed heartily, "Whenever I visit my girlfriend’s home, I climb up the eaves to the second floor because her father holds a gun sitting in the living room, I never reason with gun-wielding unreasonable people."

Ryan agreed, then looked back, "I think so too. They say Peng Jieao’s army is very elite, having conquered many countries through the army, I don’t believe they would just charge headlong..."

Actually, this issue has begun to be discussed at the command level in Darkstone Security. The Federation has built perfect defenses on the tidal flat, bunkers, gun turrets, and solid ramparts; would Peng Jieao people attack like fools?

Unless they don’t know, but how could they not know?

An aircraft flew overhead again, Ryan glanced upwards, frowned, "There seems to be something drawn on that plane’s wings..."

The other person also looked up, squinting for a while, then shrugged carelessly, "There indeed is, but it’s not clear. I heard those pilots like to draw something on the fuselage after each mission completion."

"This way, when others see their plane, they know how many missions have been executed, supposedly personally suggested by the boss."

"Those pilots really get good treatment, their allowances are several times ours."

"All they need to do is fly around in the sky..."

Ryan added, "The danger is also several times ours. If we get shot, there’s still a chance to survive. If they get shot, they’re doomed!"

Yeah, they have seen planes nose dive before, and it’s almost impossible for anyone to survive, dead on the spot.

The two of them didn’t pay much attention to the plane with special markings under its wings, even those on duty in the sky didn’t notice the plane.

Meanwhile, the pilot of this plane was swiftly using an aerial camera to rapidly photograph the specifics of ground defense fortifications.

Installing a camera, such a small component, on a plane isn’t a complex job. Having the camera image during rapid movement is a bit challenging but can’t be stopped by a nation’s research capabilities.

Plus, all the bombers exported by Darkstone Airlines belong to the "Darkstone series," looking very similar in appearance, so no one would suspect that Peng Jieao’s planes would blend into the reconnaissance team.

Fighter jets are still under research and secrecy; for now, the Qi-II bombers are being used as reconnaissance planes, as bombers have a much larger flight radius than fighter jets and can go further.

The Peng Jieao pilot circled around twice in the air, taking a second shot at some spots with poor angles, and lowered the flight altitude.

Surprisingly, the ground troops even thought the pilot was greeting them, with some even doffing their hats and waving at the pilot, who waved back in return.

Watching the pilot raise altitude and leave, some even remarked how hardworking those pilots are...

Over an hour later, the developed photos were sent to Peng Jieao’s outpost, and immediately the entire defense fortifications of the Federation were exposed to them with no flaw.

"There’s absolutely no error with our judgment; they seem convinced we will certainly attack from the tidal flats. We need to strengthen their belief."

The Commander proposed a plan, "Assemble the troops, get some boats ready, we want the enemy to ’discover’ our battle plan."

"Since they plan to stop us on the tidal flats, then we’ll attack from the tidal flats."

"Additionally, contact the rear encirclement troops to assemble quickly and seize the artillery positions; we’ll coordinate over here."

For the Army, the most terrifying is still artillery. If the Federation’s artillery positions can be taken out, the fortresses and bunkers they’ve built can’t rely on repelling Peng Jieao’s forces.

They have various ways to deal with the "Turtle Tactics." This is not the first power attempting to use defense fortifications to resist their military might, and certainly won’t be the last.

Quickly, the Peng Jieao troops began gathering on the tidal flats, placing some supplies on boats, seeming intent to launch an attack along the river.

The planes conducting aerial reconnaissance faithfully recorded all this. Later, the Federation Military also got the reconnaissance intelligence they wanted.

"There’s absolutely no deviation in our judgment; they plan to attack from the tidal flats, and aerial reconnaissance has already discovered their artillery, all being loaded onto boats."

"Continue to accelerate the reconnaissance pace, especially focusing on their artillery, have the pilots fly with bombs."

"Once their artillery is deployed, immediately bombard their munitions..."

Major General stood in front of the command table looking at these officers, "Gentlemen, this battle concerns the Army’s position within the Federation’s military system, we must win, we cannot lose!"

"We need not only to win but to win big, win beautifully, and fully annihilate the Peng Jieao forces!"

The Navy has already set an example, the Army cannot lag behind. The Commander intends to use a complete annihilation to establish the Army’s position in the Federation’s military system!

Soon, all the units started moving. At the temporary airport, all reconnaissance planes began arming with bombs, indicating a prelude to bombing.

Until this moment, many remained optimistic about the war because they had the most advanced military equipment and the most outstanding tactical command; they couldn’t lose!

When the bombers bring the light of death to these people, they will surely regret choosing the Federation Army as their target of challenge!

Judging by the map, the distance between the two sides could just be a few palms’ distance, but there’s still a few days before real engagement.

In the early September morning, a few soldiers walked out from the woods, wearing the Federation’s standard military uniform and carrying the Federation’s weapons, walking toward the base expressionlessly, just like real Federation soldiers!

After a few days of infiltration, four units had bypassed the defenses near the tidal flats, infiltrating through the dense forest.

They somehow got hold of some Federation uniforms and weapons, and just like that, simply and directly infiltrated the base...