This Game Is Too Real-Chapter 740: Beside that gentleman, I saw another possibility.

Chapter 740: Chapter 740: Beside that gentleman, I saw another possibility.

The conference room of the combat command center, where Lucien was restless in the "rectification meeting," had finally ended.

Although Commander Lin didn’t take advantage of the meeting to show off, the unintentional glances that came from somewhere always made him feel like he had needles on his back.

That was probably what it felt like to be guilty.

However, what surprised Lucien was that, leaving aside that uncomfortable feeling, the content discussed by that guy named Vanus generated in him an illusion of substantial benefit.

That guy had profoundly reviewed the mistakes made by the Allied forces in battle from both tactical and strategic perspectives.

Although the war had ended in victory, had the cooperation between the armies been more coordinated, the Allied forces would not have had to endure such significant casualties.

Of course, this kind of hindsight analysis was something he could have done himself.

However, to analyze the problems systematically in such a short time and come up with improvements still required some competence!

Observing that guy’s prominent nose, Lucien’s eyes flickered with a sharp light.

Speaking strictly about the matter, this Vanus was indeed talented!

It was hard to imagine that such a talented person had previously been just a Centurion in the cannon fodder unit of the Eastern Legion Expeditionary Army.

If he were his superior, he would have definitely recommended him to the youth army as a mid-level officer and promoted him to a high-ranking position when appropriate.

After the meeting was adjourned.

Lucien sat at the table and waited for a while, and after most people had left, he called out to Vanus, who was preparing to leave.

"Hold on."

Seeing that it was General Lucien who had called him, Vanus stopped and asked,

"What now?"

Lucien looked him up and down, then suddenly smiled and said,

"I don’t understand, with your capabilities, you could achieve a lot in the military, why choose to be a traitor?"

He emphasized the word traitor heavily, trying to discern a trace of shame or similar emotion on the man’s face.

This would make it easier for him to say what followed.

However, what he didn’t expect was that Vanus’s expression did not change at all; instead, he looked at him and countered,

"What do you mean by achievement? To become a Ten Thousand Leader or a governor, or to possess tens of thousands of slaves and acres of land?"

Lucien was taken aback and stared at him for a while before saying,

"What about honor then? You are a soldier; you must value that at least."

Vanus smiled faintly, his tone gentle,

"For me, honor is fighting for what I believe in. Otherwise, even Looters can claim they are fighting for ’honor’ before they rob, shouting ’For the Boss’ or something similar."

Lucien narrowed his eyes.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I’m addressing your confusion. Didn’t you ask me why I betrayed the military?"

Vanus glanced at him, then looked towards the door and succinctly continued,

"Beside that gentleman, I saw another possibility."

Lucien was slightly taken aback.

"That’s it?"

Vanus nodded.

"Just that."

...

At noon.

On the frontline where the Allied forces were engaging the Torch, a group of young men from Ideal City were waiting at the position on Black Cloud Mountain, ready to head to Blade Mountain.

The 1st Regiment of The 100th Mountain Division was responsible for taking over the control of Blade Mountain from the Storm Corps.

From the start of the war till now, these young men hadn’t killed a single Mutant, though they had collected quite a few colorful cards and had grown rounder.

However, even so, they hadn’t forgotten why they were here.

Everyone’s face showed eagerness and impatience to go up and prove themselves, to confirm they were not just burdens.

Listening to the faint sounds of gunfire from distant mountains, Tang Feng felt his blood boiling. Thinking that he would soon be heading there, he involuntarily tightened his grip on the G9 assault rifle in his hand, his index finger constantly rubbing on the safety.

Not out of fear.

But out of excitement.

The training that had lasted for several months was finally about to come in handy! fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

"Are the Mutants in these mountains not extinct yet?"

The officer standing not far from him nodded, squinted slightly as he looked ahead, and spoke in a concise manner.

"Those guys are like cockroaches; it takes more time to exterminate them completely than it does to defeat them on the battlefield... whether it’s by the sea, in the woods, or on the mountains."

Saying this, he stepped forward to the front of the entire company, looked around at those vigorous young eyes, and raised his voice.

"Once we get to the frontline, stay alert at all times, keep your eyes wide open, and report any suspicious threats!"

"I’ll only say this once, this is not a game, a single mistake could cost your lives, maybe even all of yours!"

"Understood!" After listening to the commander’s speech, the soldiers of 1st Battalion roared with high morale, including Tang Feng who had asked a question earlier.

The commander slowly nodded as he looked at the spirited young men.

"You’d better have truly understood."

The brothers from the 2nd Battalion had already departed for the frontline, and the few companies of the 1st Battalion had been waiting all day without receiving orders, so the commander ordered them to relax, only asking them not to stray too far from the rallying point.

After all, Black Cloud Mountain was a Vellante stronghold.

This wasn’t boot camp, he didn’t want to be too strict with his subordinates, but he was worried about the vigorous young men getting into conflicts with the Vellante people.

Who can blame them for their natural animosity?

Tang Feng didn’t wander off, he just sat with the brothers of 1st Battalion, 2nd Company, casually chatting with the grimy, big-nosed men nearby.

"Is that the 2000th thousand team?"

"It’s probably the 1st thousand team."

"But I heard the 2000th team was the one leading the charge last night? How come they’re also beaten black and blue?"

A machine gunner curled his lips, his voice tinged with mockery.

"This involves the cunning of those big noses... I heard last night they wanted to show off, pulled the originally scheduled for rotation 2000th team to the frontline, only to realize the bone wasn’t easy to chew, got half-killed by the mutants. Later, probably unable to take losing, that Lucien angrily pushed the defense troop forward."

"They shot themselves in the foot?" a rifleman interjected with a sarcastic tone.

The machine gunner laughed.

"Hah, exactly."

The 1st thousand team?

Tang Feng vaguely remembered the designation.

That ’show-off’ who often took off his jacket to flaunt his muscles seemed to be in that team, no idea how the guy was now.

Being beaten to a pulp by a bunch of mutants, talk about embarrassing.

Next time they play cards, he’s going to thoroughly mock him.

Using his Blue-Eyed White Dragon!

Just as he was thinking this, a Vellante person, limping towards them with the help of a crutch, approached.

Judging by his outfit and shoulder straps, he seemed to be a centurion.

His left leg appeared broken, his head was wrapped in bandages, and from the slightly visible wounds, they seemed to be burns.

As the Vellante approached, the young men of 1st Battalion, 2nd Company stopped their chatter, watching what this crutch-bearing guy intended to do.

Based on past experiences, Vellante people approaching usually meant no good.

However, to the surprise of the young men, this grimy guy didn’t seem to be looking for trouble, but simply glanced over them, then asked.

"Are you 1st Battalion, 1st Company?"

The company commander in the middle looked at him.

"Yes, what about it?"

The Vellante person cracked a smile.

"Looking for someone... Is there a guy named Tang Feng here?"

Seeing his brothers glance at him, Tang Feng put his rifle aside, hopped off the rock he was sitting on, and sized up the man in front of him.

"That’s me, what’s up?"

The Vellante nodded, not wasting words, pulled out a package tucked under his arm, and tossed it into Tang Feng’s arms.

Watching Tang Feng, puzzled, he slowly continued.

"My brother mentioned in his will, he asked me to send his letter and belongings back home... except for this thing. He told me to find a guy named Tang Feng in the 1st Battalion, 1st Company of the 100th Division, and give this to him."

Tang Feng unconsciously unwrapped the package, peering inside at the colorful array of cards, momentarily stupefied.

"Your brother is..." he blankly looked up at the Vellante centurion.

"Damon."

The centurion cracked another smile, which might have been to ease the stiffness of his facial expression or perhaps a reflex of the injured muscles.

He told Tang Feng the departed man’s last words.

"He wanted me to tell his family he was a true warrior, no need to be sad for him. To die before growing old was an honor for him, be proud of his bravery... this moron’s nonsense, though plentiful, isn’t needed by a real warrior, right? Keep this for him."

Pausing briefly, the centurion’s Adam’s apple bobbed, then he added.

"Also, he wanted me to tell you, playing cards with you was quite fun... though not being able to land a punch on your face was a regret."

"That’s how we make friends where I come from."

Leaving these words, the centurion limped away, leaving Tang Feng standing there stunned with the package in hand, and the young men of 2nd Company sitting on the rocks, looking at each other.

That guy...

Dead?

Looking at the package in his hands, Tang Feng unconsciously swallowed, feeling the exoskeleton enveloping his fingers slightly cool.

It wasn’t until a distant voice sounded that he came back to his senses.

"Assembly!"

Hearing the officer’s voice, he suddenly woke up, without time to think further, reflexively secured the package on his back, and picked up the rifle that was set aside.

It was only at this moment that he fiercely realized.

This wasn’t Ideal City.

Nor was it the Game on Endpoint Cloud.

It was the real Battlefield...

...

Since the Allied forces’ high-level "Rectification Meeting" ended, another three days had passed in the blink of an eye.

During these three days, the front line was calm and quiet, except for occasional sporadic gunfire from Blade Mountain, there were almost no large-scale battles or exchanges of fire.

However, this peace seemed more like the calm before a storm.

During this period, the Academy had been continuously sending troops to the front line.

The number of personnel in the Alpha Mobile Task Force stationed in the vicinity of Weifu Military Base had expanded from the initial one thousand to three thousand.

Not only that, but the Academy’s aircraft flew over Blood Mountain almost daily for reconnaissance, and occasionally dropped drones to test the strength of those Mutants.

Compared to the Army’s "gambler"-style offensive strategies and corporates’ method of figuring things out as they went along, they seemed to prefer a pre-established plan detailed to the minutest aspect, lowering the possibility of errors and tolerances to a minimum, and ending the combat decisively in one fell swoop.

It must be said, this was very much like the Academy’s style, where during the planning of an event, few could guess their real intentions.

Only Chu Guang was curious, if at the time the plan could not keep up with changes, or if the opponent pulled out a card they hadn’t anticipated, what decisions would they make.

Not just he was curious, other commanders of the Allied forces were also curious.

Currently, the Alliance, the Army, and corporates each had already captured a position, all waiting to see the Academy’s performance in the upcoming battle.

An unprecedented battle was quietly brewing...

...

Outside Weifu Military Base, along the northern shore of Wei Water.

Paths crisscrossed the paddies, where soldiers from the Rat Tribe were burying their heads in the fields, busy working.

The war between the Sticky Community and the Torch seemed irrelevant to them, and so far their only battle "achievement" was following behind the Clone Army and providing a few casualties.

While everyone was waiting for the Academy’s next move, they had already turned over all the land along the northern shore of Wei Water, and now they had entered the planting phase.

Most of these feudal lords’ soldiers were either serfs or domestic servants, inexperienced in combat but experts in farming, though the tools and methods they used were primitive.

They poured seeds into a basin, mixed them evenly with fine sandy soil and ash from burnt weeds, then spread it over the freshly tilled land.

Close to the military base was a vegetable field where they planted seasonal vegetables, particularly cabbages intended for pork knuckle meals.

Beyond that were fields of potatoes and more.

Further still, they had even set up paddy fields, apparently intending to catch the June end window to plant a round of late rice.

General Babita had promised them that once the crops in the fields were harvested, he would give them all a generous reward.

Although they never held much expectation for the abstract phrase "generous," not having to go to the front line to die was certainly a good thing.

Moreover, these seeds and saplings were ultimately funded by deductions from their food allowances by General Babita.

Therefore, everyone worked very diligently, not a single person was slacking off; they even took the initiative to maintain these lands belonging to the West Winds Expeditionary Army, struggling against the "bullies" from the Southern Construction Corps.

Even if these lands nominally belonging to the Expeditionary Army ended up no different from the funds dispensed by His Majesty the Emperor, ending in the pockets of General Babita and his officers in the end, at least some would still make it into their bellies.

Just as the Rat Tribe soldiers were busily engaged, two excavators approached from the direction of Weifu Military Base, one following the other closely.

Alongside the excavators, a group of construction workers in work clothes followed.

Without a doubt, they were from the Southern Construction Corps.

The Rat Tribe soldiers looked up and saw them, their expressions immediately becoming as if facing a great enemy, dropping their baskets and picking up hoes to surround them.

Facing pressure from their officers, a Centurion reluctantly stepped forward and shouted at the man sitting on the excavator.

"What are you doing here?"

One of the construction workers responded.

"Building roads."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, thinking they had misheard.

The Centurion glanced at the excavator’s bucket, then back at the construction worker, and skeptically repeated.

"Building roads?"

The construction worker succinctly said,

"That’s right, there’s some leftover cement prepared for the military base, so the superiors let us build a few roads along Wei Water to connect this nearby area with infrastructure... Once the roads are built, it’ll be easier for you to come here from the military base to farm."

Everyone exchanged looks of surprise and disbelief upon hearing this.

They distinctly remembered that just a few days ago, these people had tried everything to drive them away.

Why are you suddenly in a good mood today?

That Centurion had a skeptical look, vigilantly watching the construction workers.

"What exactly are you trying to do? Why have you suddenly decided to build roads?"

The construction worker said helplessly.

"This... There’s no reason. Alright, let me explain more clearly, the Alliance plans to establish a settlement here, and this whole area will belong to ’Weifu City’. It’s not just your location that needs a road, the nearby Kun Town requires one as well."

This was what Captain Li Jinrong had mentioned at the assembly the day before yesterday.

Since there was no request for confidentiality, and with so many people present, it would inevitably spread, so he didn’t bother keeping it a secret.

At that assembly, Captain Li Jinrong discussed not only the planning of Weifu City but also the future plans for the enlisted and non-enlisted personnel of the Southern Construction Corps.

Besides the contracts’ salaries, the Southern Construction Corps would provide at least a hundred square meters of residential housing to those who chose to stay locally after the war ended, as well as commercial properties that could be rented or managed directly.

Although the houses and stores here weren’t as attractive as those in the City of Dawn, the development potential was evident to all.

Otherwise, the refugees wouldn’t have run to nearby deserted villages to claim land and houses, and the brothers in the Southern Construction Corps wouldn’t have been itching to join them.

Due to the Allied forces stationed in this area, more and more survivors from the southern part of Brocade River Province were gathering here.

Not all of these people came here for commerce; many were attracted by the security, stability, and order.

Even when the war was over and the Allied forces withdrew, the order here wouldn’t disappear instantly. Some would stay and become residents of this area.

Initially, he and his colleagues thought these outsiders were just picking up a good deal easily, but after hearing Captain Li’s analysis at the meeting, they changed their minds.

Weifu Wilds had no unique resources, just the abundant land that was all too common on the Wasteland.

In contrast, people were the most valuable resource.

The survivors from the Wasteland were willing to gather around the Alliance, giving value to the houses built by the Alliance.

Conversely, everything they were doing now was not for those refugees; instead, it was for themselves, to make their future homes more valuable!

With such an enticing prospect ahead, they naturally lost interest in the muddy patches by the river.

Not a single person complained, even though they were building roads for these "good-for-nothing" Rat-men.

However, after hearing the construction worker’s explanation, the crowd was astounded.

Before their Centurion could speak, a Rat-man quickly approached and asked.

"Weifu City?! Is this your territory now? Then, what about the land we cultivate?"

The construction worker replied with a smile.

"It doesn’t affect you; continue farming if you wish. I remember there’s something in the Alliance law, farm it for two years and it becomes yours."

He wasn’t sure if this was actually written in the law, but it was indeed the case on the northern side of Rhombus Lake.

He just said it casually, yet to these Rat-men, it sounded like the promise of a lifetime.

Farm for two years and it becomes yours?

Such a sweet deal?!

A mix of envy and intense desire could be seen sparkling in their eyes...

In the Poluo Province, no one had ever told them such a thing.

No one blocked the construction crew of the Southern Construction Corps anymore, and the two excavators didn’t damage their fields either.

Both parties agreed on the boundaries between the farmland and the roads and went about their business without interference.

Watching the Rat-people successfully "drive back" the Southern Construction Corps, Thousand Leader Kumar sighed in relief from afar, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

"General Babita truly anticipates like a prophet."

Those disgusting rats still had some utility.

Those hypocritical folks, didn’t they claim to unite with the lower classes?

General Babita had seen through their pretense and cleverly pushed these lower-class people in front of them.

Indeed, the farmland belonged to the Expeditionary Army, yet they had tailored another explanation for the Alliance: farming outside the military base was a spontaneous act by the Rat-men, entirely irrelevant to the Empire’s Expeditionary Army of West Winds.

Sure enough, facing the plow-wielding, poverty-stricken Rat-men, those pretentious people from the River Valley immediately felt conflicted.

The direct route taken by the excavators was the best proof.

Though those guys hid their embarrassment well, Kumar could clearly tell that the excavators had originally been aimed at those fertile patches by the river.

These guys were truly devious!

Just as Kumar eagerly ran to report another victory of the Expeditionary Army to General Babita, Chu Guang, who was strolling in Weifu military base, suddenly received an unexpected message.

The call was from Yin Fang.

After hearing his statement over the communication channel, Chu Guang was completely stunned.

"...Are you sure that’s ’Wanderer’?"

"Um...I can still tell apart a tractor from a tank, especially such a distinct one. But that’s not the important part; this tank, unlike the wreckage we recovered from the center of Clear Spring City and Falling Leaves Province, has an intact ’Meissner Armor’ synthesizing unit inside. We assume it was not destroyed but abandoned after running out of fuel."

Chu Guang could detect a hint of hesitation and even confusion in Yin Fang’s voice as he spoke.

"But I can’t understand why; our current records don’t mention the United Human Alliance Army deploying armored forces in the southern part of Brocade River Province... And how could a farmer from Mafu Town possibly have discovered something like this?"

This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦