Thunder Warrior Saves the World

Page 25

“No, haven’t you noticed yet?” The senior Gilahani warrior began to consider whether to replace his subordinate with a smarter one as adjutant after the battle. “Their heavy fire has been avoiding the center of the convoy, so their target is clearly these VIPs in our vehicle. We absolutely cannot let these researchers fall into enemy hands. If they really do use heavy fire, it will save us trouble.”

"Understood, sir!" The adjutant suddenly realized what was going on, and then began to notify the other soldiers to tighten their defensive line as instructed by his superior.

Such commotion was naturally noticed by the reconnaissance company at the high ground, and Valerio immediately gave the order: "Suppress them and do not give them a chance to move!"

Whether it was light machine guns, heavy machine guns, or rocket launchers, they held nothing back, unleashing a torrent of ammunition at the enemy's position. Faced with such firepower, ordinary Belken troops wouldn't dare leave their cover easily. But unfortunately, the enemy wasn't an ordinary Belken force. These Gilahani warriors, relying on the thick layer of paper they carried, charged fearlessly towards the center of the convoy. Half of these fearless warriors fell during the charge, but the remaining half successfully reached the center of the convoy and took cover.

"Start the surrender negotiations. Have the first platoon proceed according to plan." Valerio frowned. Although the reconnaissance company had a numerical and firepower advantage, the terrain prevented him from deploying the entire company to maximize their firepower. Otherwise, these Gilahani warriors wouldn't have had a chance to reach the center of the convoy. Fortunately, he had prepared three contingency plans: Plan one was naturally to persuade them to surrender; Plan two was to have the first platoon sneak up and launch a full-scale attack if they refused to surrender; as for Plan three… well, that was to blow them up with rocket launchers. As for whether the experts on the vehicles would be injured or killed… that wouldn't be their primary concern then.

"Listen up, you Belken people over there! We are the Amelia Volunteer Army! You are surrounded! We, the Volunteer Army, treat prisoners of war well. Lay down your weapons and surrender now!"

A scout, holding a makeshift megaphone made from a tin bucket left behind by Belken soldiers, shouted at the convoy. However, to the scout's slight embarrassment, the Belken soldiers on the other side completely ignored him.

He turned to look at the second platoon leader beside him, but at the latter's prompting, he could only grit his teeth and continue: "Brothers of Belken! You've come all the way from Belken just to earn some money so your families can live a better life, right? It's not worth risking your lives for such a paltry sum! Hundreds of guns and dozens of cannons are already aimed at you. Don't waste your lives for those fat, big-eared noble bastards who only know how to sit in their rooms and talk, and who are always thinking about squeezing money out of you! You only have so few men left, and you don't have heavy firepower. You have no chance against us! Even if you die here today, those nobles won't remember you! Your pensions will be swallowed by them, and then they will exploit your families even more. When your families can no longer be squeezed out of a single penny, your daughters and wives will be sold into brothels, and your sons and fathers will be thrown into the mines! Is this the future you want?"

"Belken brothers, facing a powerful enemy, your mission is destined to fail, but you have already fulfilled your duty as soldiers. Now, think more about yourselves and your families! We have reached an agreement with Donghuang and the Federation, and they will intervene soon. The war will be over soon. Don't you want to go back to see your wives and children alive? We, the Amelia Volunteer Army, have no deep-seated hatred for Belken. You will not suffer any injustice on our side. Don't hesitate, even for the sake of your families, lay down your weapons!"

After speaking at length, the other side remained completely unresponsive, as if there was no one in the convoy at all, which discouraged the scout. However, to his relief, his efforts hadn't been in vain; the Belken soldiers seemed oblivious to the platoon of soldiers sneaking up using cover.

Seeing that his comrades had all reached their attack positions, Valerio lost patience with the Belkens. The second platoon leader snatched the megaphone from the scout and issued an ultimatum: "Belken devils, I curse your ancestors! Give me a straight answer: surrender or not?"

Volume 1: Chapter 139 (Chapter 125) Nine Consecutive Flashes

However, the only response the second platoon leader received was an extremely vulgar Belken curse.

"Attack!" Valerio then announced the start of the offensive.

So, did these Belken soldiers really not notice the First Platoon's subtle movements? The answer was revealed after the First Platoon soldiers threw the flashbangs brought by the helicopter. The stun grenades, with their two safety pins removed, had barely crossed the obstacle when they were immediately detected by the Gilahani soldiers—"Grenade!"

Recently, a Gilahani soldier tried to catch a grenade and throw it back, but he didn't realize that this stun grenade was very different from the grenades he had handled before. Regular grenades, to avoid friendly fire or premature detonation in mid-air, have a longer fuse to give soldiers ample throwing time. However, stun grenades, special weapons designed for indoor environments, don't require such a long flight time. Furthermore, to prevent the enemy from throwing them back, the fuse delay of stun grenades is generally much shorter than that of regular grenades. This Gilahani soldier, unaware of this, foolishly reached out to act as a human ADS (Advanced Disposal Device). Just as his hand grasped one of the stun grenades, the fuse countdown ended, and his hand glowed.

Logically, the effectiveness of these stun grenades would be significantly reduced when used in open outdoor areas, but if the effect isn't enough, quantity makes up for it. Seven or eight "Nine-Flash Barrage" grenades fired together would be too much even for Captain America. Thus, along with the "Nine-Flash Barrage" came the screams of the Gilahani warriors. Clearly, their armor offered no protection against the intense light and sound.

Due to their location, the commander of this group of Belken people was fortunate enough to escape the disabling effects of the first burst of intense light, but at the same time, a deafening roar that could temporarily deafen an ordinary person also struck. As Gilahani warriors created through extensive human augmentation surgery, their eyesight and hearing were far more sensitive than those of ordinary people, which made the effects of this disabling weapon even greater on them than on ordinary people.

Officer Gilahani heard a loud bang, followed by a continuous buzzing sound. Things in front of him began to shake, his abdomen cramped, his stomach acid surged, he felt unbalanced, dizzy, and a series of side effects from the middle ear damage began to appear.

In this state, they were no longer able to organize an effective counterattack to stop the platoon's assault. The officer's plan to engage the charging enemy in close combat, rout them, and then follow the fleeing troops to storm the enemy positions had completely failed. Unable to see or hear, even these rigorously trained Gilahani warriors lost their composure, and those with weaker mental fortitude began firing at the imagined enemy. However, this firing was futile. While the atmosphere team at Starbucks could at least create some illusion for outsiders, these Gilahani warriors were now even less effective than the atmosphere team, because those Gilahani warriors who still had the will to pull the trigger would soon be picked off one by one by the sniper teams left to provide cover on the hillside.

The remaining dozen or so Jirahani warriors were quickly disarmed and subdued by a platoon of soldiers who rushed up. As for the truck in the middle of the convoy that had remained motionless throughout, after clearing out the resistance outside the vehicle, the scouts initially tried to persuade it to surrender by shouting, but were stopped by the platoon leader, who then pulled out a nine-shot flashbang.

After ordering his subordinates to spread out to the left and right, and with his subordinates looking on with expressions of "Damn, you're ruthless!", the platoon leader pulled out the two pins of the nine-shot flashbang and threw it into the carriage without warning before immediately lying down. As the flashbangs flew into the carriage, gunshots rang out inside, followed by a series of "BANG" "BANG" sounds from the flashbangs.

As soon as the explosions inside stopped, the platoon leader immediately led his men onto the train carriage, disarmed the unlucky guys who had been blown unconscious, and then threw them off the train like cargo.

“These Gilahani warriors are no good.” Having witnessed the entire battle, Lu Wu was now completely relieved and began to make arrangements: “Yelena, send over a few Mi-4s. We need to pack up everything here and take it with us.”

As a result, the already tense Ergia in Swobella quickly noticed that the helicopter unit at the airport was moving. The doors of the several large aircraft opened from the inside, and the soldiers on board returned to the ground. The helicopters, now unloaded, finally broke free from the constraints of gravity and flew towards Fabandi.

"Dad, what are the Amelia people doing?"

When Rosa first saw these troops suddenly assembling, she instinctively thought they were heading to the aid of Fapanti from afar. But now this scene confused her even more. These few empty planes probably wouldn't be of much use to the overall battle situation. If she knew that more than half of the people on those helicopters were actually medical personnel, she would probably be even more confused. Could it be that something had happened on Fapanti's side, and the Amelia people were rushing over to pick up people and escape?

Regardless of the final outcome, the Ergia royal family, as the legitimate rulers of this country, are now completely unaware of what is happening on this land, and this feeling of being kept in the dark is truly unpleasant.

“I suspect they might have made some important discovery in Fabandi.” Rosetta had previously inquired with the officers remaining at command about the current situation, but Davis, without authorization, naturally wouldn't reveal Lu Wu's current actions, offering a plausible excuse to brush Rosetta off. Therefore, Rosetta could only answer her daughter's question with this seemingly pointless statement: “Since the Amelias have already taken their next step, they probably won't keep us waiting too long. Until they give us an answer, we should just wait patiently. Remember, the more urgent the situation, the more composed and patient you must be.”

"I understand, Dad." Although Rosa said this, the expression on her face betrayed her deep unease. Seeing this, Rosetta didn't say anything more, because he knew that the ability to remain calm in the face of danger wasn't something you could just acquire by talking; it also required learning and training to cultivate.

What happened next was pretty much as Rosetta had predicted—more than three hours later, accompanied by a highly recognizable rotor noise, a huge formation of helicopters appeared in the air, with the bulky Mi-4 helicopters surrounding the center.

Volume 1: Chapter 140 (Chapter 126) Anton's Horses Back on Track

The ground troops that had poured out had somehow returned to the base. Rosetta could see that three round-headed low-profile armored vehicles and five small-headed metal box armored vehicles had surrounded the helicopter landing pads. Cannons of varying lengths were pointed at the helicopter positions, while the infantry used these armored vehicles to assume combat postures, clearly wary of the supplies being transported by the helicopters.

"Gods above, what on earth did they bring back?" This was the first time Luo had ever seen the Amelia people set up such a cautious formation. Having witnessed the fighting of the Amelia volunteer army, he knew the destructive power of these soldiers and their equipment. At this moment, a mixture of disbelief and fear welled up in his heart.

His daughter, standing beside him, had clearly thought of the same thing. At this moment, he couldn't care less about remaining calm in the face of a collapsing mountain. He started to walk towards the airport. If the Amelia people were so on high alert, then it seemed that what was in the helicopter could easily crush Elgia. With this in mind, how could they sit still?

At this moment, Lu Wu's mood was not much better than Luo Lusetta's. Although it had been confirmed that this Gilahani warrior was not the same as the other Gilahani warrior, all the signs indicated that an unknown alien civilization did exist in this world, and that the Belken Empire might have already made contact with this alien civilization. How long had they been in contact with these alien civilizations? How had they made contact? How did they plan to use the products of these alien civilizations? Had they already made contact with the members of these alien civilizations? Had any agreements been reached? Was the Belken Empire the only country in the world that had made contact with an alien civilization? These questions, one after another, gave Lu Wu a headache. Solving these problems would be no easy task, even more difficult than transforming into Zelensky and leading Ukraine to resist Putin's attack.

Looking at the helipad so close by, Lu Wu rubbed his acupoints and instructed, "Davis, all the prisoners are yours. Make sure to get them to talk and spill everything they know. Then call all the battalion commanders to the conference room for a small meeting."

After giving this instruction, he felt his terminal vibrate in his pocket. He took it out, and the automatically lit screen showed that he had received a new email from Gaijin. Only then did Lu Wu realize that he hadn't paid attention to Gaijin's activities for quite some time...

Yeah, that brat never said he was going to fight aliens before I came. Now that the report is inaccurate, BWD is partly to blame. It wouldn't be right if he didn't give me tens of thousands of gold eagles. If he wants to see me fight a powerful enemy, he should at least offer me money, people, or equipment.

So he opened the email, and the subject line immediately made him lean back in shock—"Initial Changes to the Tech Tree and Planned Economic Adjustments."

Lu Wu instinctively let out a painful groan. In his memory, this notification was a major reform comparable to Gorbachev's announcement of economic reforms. If this adjustment continued in the past style, then the Amelia Volunteer Army's operations against potential interstellar enemies would become even more passive.

He forced himself to stay awake and continued reading. (Transfer: $" Group: Ear Nine ↓ Four ○ ○ ~ ‰ 5∽—□＆ Company.)

You have come across the secrets hidden beneath the surface of this planet. In order to better survive in this world, Gaijin plans to adjust the current technology tree and economy within the system in mid-September.

Please see the table in the link below for the planned economic changes.

• Vehicle research and development points, purchase and production costs, and related coefficient adjustments

Research and development technology tree adjustment

Soviet Union

• The 2S3M "Acacia" was moved to Category IV, located behind the SU-100.

• Added the MT-LB Podnos self-propelled mortar, a Tier III premium vehicle. Purchasing it unlocks the option to purchase the Tier IV premium vehicle, the MT-LB Valek self-propelled mortar.

• The military factory now offers production options for the 2B14 and 2B9 mortars.

• Added Mi-8 helicopter, a Tier V vehicle, located behind the Mi-4AV.

We will be performing server maintenance at 2 PM Svorbella time on September 15th to implement the new tech tree and economic system for War Thunder. We will notify everyone after the maintenance is complete. During the maintenance, you will be unable to log in or use any online content on this terminal, but offline content will not be affected. Please plan your usage accordingly to avoid inconvenience to your daily life. After the maintenance, we will distribute 50000 Gold Eagles and one Su-7BMK attack aircraft equipped with an expert-level certified pilot.

Thank you for your patience.

Lu Wu was genuinely astonished after carefully reading the email. It was like seeing Andropov on television instead of Gorbachev on Christmas Day in 1991—a truly unexpected surprise. He glanced at the economic adjustment table and discovered that this economic shift had reversed the previous pattern of prices only rising and never falling. Both the demand for research points and the demand for Silver Lions had seen price reductions of 5% to 15%, and the changes in the research technology tree were an absolute delight.

The demotion of Jin Hehuan alone is enough to evoke emotion, but the subsequent addition of new equipment options is even more exciting: the 2B14 mortar is arguably the most renowned 82mm mortar in the Soviet Union. This type of mortar is typically equipped in the artillery platoons attached to infantry companies. It is relatively lightweight and possesses considerable firepower. Its unique trajectory makes it particularly suitable for attacking enemies hiding in trenches, mountain slopes, and other terrain-based fortifications. Areas inaccessible to self-propelled howitzers like the SU-122M are perfectly suited to the 2B14. This mortar was originally designed for use by light infantry such as paratroopers and special forces. Its introduction means that air assault and reconnaissance companies, among other paratroopers, finally have their own readily available fire support, no longer needing to lie on the ground waiting for aircraft to arrive. The arsenal also produces another type of 2B9 mortar, a special rapid-fire mortar fed by a four-round magazine. The two newly added advanced vehicles are actually finished products with these two mortars mounted on MT-LB armored personnel carriers.

The appearance of the Mi-8 helicopter was a completely unexpected bonus. The Mi-4 helicopters currently used by the 7th Brigade are outdated, dating back to the early 50s, with a paltry takeoff payload of only 7.6 tons and a crew of just 15. The Mi-8, on the other hand, boasts a higher service ceiling, greater speed, a maximum takeoff payload of 12 tons, a crew capacity of 28, and a cabin volume increased from 16 cubic meters to 23 cubic meters. Once this helicopter is put into service, the 7th Brigade's rapid deployment capabilities will be greatly enhanced.

……

Trying to get back to daily update schedule 1

Volume 1: Chapter 141 (Chapter 127) Strengthening Strength

After reading the email, Lu Wu casually clicked into the combat mission menu. He then discovered that the things that made him as happy as a celestial being weren't just the tech tree and economic adjustments. Over the past two weeks, whether it was the 7th Brigade or the Elgia Kingdom's army equipped with Amelia-style gear, the continuous battles had allowed Lu Wu to accumulate a large number of research points and Silver Lions. How many research points did he have? Enough for him to immediately unlock the Mi-8 helicopter and upgrade all Tier II vehicles. As for combat missions, he not only completed all the sub-missions of the Battle of Svorbella, but the raid on the Fabandi Palace also allowed him to inadvertently earn a fortune in Gold Eagles. These two gains combined instantly ballooned his savings to over 50,000 Gold Eagles.

This exciting discovery immediately spurred him to further expand the artillery. Artillery was the god of war in the past, it is now, and it will remain so in the future. As an outstanding graduate of the Anton Star Branch of the Soviet Military Academy, the doctrine of massive artillery had left an indelible mark on Lu Wu's mind. And in the world of Ens, perhaps only more artillery and bombs could allow the 7th Brigade to contend with an army several times its size. After all, the more thorough the firepower preparation, the higher the efficiency of the attack. Think about it: bombarding the enemy with artillery for several hours first, and then sending infantry to deal with the remaining enemy and occupy the position, compared to the tactic of sending infantry to fight the enemy inch by inch, it is simply simpler and more efficient.

而这一次炮兵扩充的核心，自然就是基于MT-LB底盘和2B14 Podnos中∽轉≯〔QｕN:jiu似杷！￡泀←$仨〇◇№5改造出的MT-LB Podnos自行迫击炮了（苏军代号2S24）。这款自行迫击炮的炮其实也就那样，但这个MT-LB底盘却是比2B14更能吸引陆武的东西。

Some may be unfamiliar with this model, but if you mention the 9P149 "Storm"-S anti-tank missile carrier, most people will recognize it—that's right, this missile carrier uses the MT-LB chassis. After all, it's essentially the same as the 2S24, both being support vehicles upgraded by stuffing weapons and ammunition into the rear crew compartment of the MT-LB.

For the 7th Brigade, developing the 2S24 also had another significance: its conversion back into armored personnel carriers (these aren't expensive, costing only 3000 gold eagles each; it's likely only BWD (BMW) that's offering them as a charity, since they're basically only good for infantry or fixed targets). This would create a high-low mix with the BMP-2M, allowing soldiers recruited from Belken POWs or locals to enter the battlefield in these APCs. The MT-LB, designed as a tracked armored personnel carrier, naturally has superior battlefield survivability and mobility compared to trucks. Since entering service in 1964, the MT-LB has played a crucial role in the Soviet Army and the entire Warsaw Pact land forces. From the Afghan War to the Syrian conflict, the MT-LB and its countless modified versions have been active on the battlefield, whether as unsung pack animals transporting personnel, supplies, and equipment, or as various army support vehicles. The MT-LB was always a presence in the war zone.

However, Lu Wu's rosy vision of the 7th Brigade's future was quickly shattered by the pilots:

"Commander, the prisoners and equipment have landed safely. Now it's our turn."

"News has come in from below: the King and Princess of the Kingdom of Elgia are waiting for us down there." Yelena followed the pilot. "It seems this operation has given them quite a fright."

"Let alone them, even I was scared." Lu Wu, pulled back to reality, thought about the discovery of the four attacks, and his joy, like that of a farmer who had just harvested a bountiful harvest, dissipated considerably. "They must be looking for an explanation from me. After all, such an army suddenly made such a big move on my territory without any prior notice. They must be here to find out what happened."

"Should this operation be kept secret from Elgia? Are they even qualified to have access to this kind of intelligence?" Yelena asked, after all, leaking such information might cause panic. Who knew if this king, who still had some backbone when facing the Belken, would become a collaborator when facing aliens? Such people, who think "I'd rather die a quick death than betray my youthful ideals," are not uncommon among humans.

“We still don’t know where the Belken people came into contact with these alien civilizations. If they acquired their knowledge through relics or spaceships—things that are considered ‘legacy’—then these things might also exist within the Kingdom of Elgia, and perhaps even the king himself was aware of them. Moreover, we lack scientific researchers, so we ultimately cannot bypass the Elgia. Rather than keeping it a secret until we can no longer hide it and then seek help, it’s better to show a generous and honest attitude from the beginning in exchange for some benefits.”

"I understand. Should our meeting with them be scheduled before or after our internal meeting?"

“They are, after all, the legitimate government of this land, and we should show them respect. If they do know something, now is the time for us to share our information and postpone our internal meeting.” After only a moment’s thought, Lu Wu gave his answer.

During the conversation, the female Hatchling completed the landing procedure. The rotors spun slower and slower at engine idle, and the hatch opened. Lu Wu immediately spotted Rosa and her father outside the security line. Sure enough, as soon as he left the cabin and returned to the ground, the father and daughter immediately wanted to come over. Lu Wu waved to the soldiers at the security line to let them through, and before Rosetta could speak, he explained, "Your Majesty, I apologize that our operation seems to have caused you some trouble, but the situation is urgent, and we could only respond as quickly as possible. I hope you can understand."

Rosetta's preemptive apology made him temporarily abandon his attempt to use the incident to blame Amelia and gain benefits, so he went straight to the point: "I guess something terrible must have happened."

“Yes, we made some unsettling discoveries during this operation, and perhaps our Ergia partners will have some clues.” Lu Wu cursed the old fox inwardly, but had no choice but to continue, “Let’s take a look at the spoils of this operation first; perhaps these things will remind you of something.”

……

Trying to get back to daily update schedule 2

Now that I'm a manager, I expect I'll be even busier, but like I said, I won't skip work.

Please vote at the appointed time!

Volume 1: Chapter 142 (Chapter 128) A makeshift troupe

"Is this the culprit behind the communications disruption?" Rosetta frowned as she looked at the spoils of war. "Just how many jamming stations did those Belken devils install on our land...?"

"Judging from the coverage area of ​​this jamming station, there must be quite a few of them, unless they have more powerful equipment with a wider coverage area. Taking down their jamming stations one by one is a very time-consuming and laborious task." The situation was not optimistic, and Lu Wu was also somewhat helpless. In the end, it was because the 7th Brigade was too poor. If it were a full-strength regular brigade, it would not be in such a tight situation.

The signal jamming station had been completely dismantled. The Gilahani soldiers had originally intended to destroy the accompanying technical documents, but these were considered vital to the researchers. Only after much pleading did they manage to preserve them from the soldiers. These soldiers might have initially planned to use these documents or people for their own purposes, but a single volley of bullets had left them and the researchers unconscious. The reconnaissance company then followed the instructions in the accompanying technical documents, disassembling the seemingly monolithic jamming station into a dozen or so large components, crating them, and stuffing them all into the Mi-4 helicopter. These crates were now laid out on the tarmac, their covers wide open, revealing their hidden contents to the man.

“I’ve never seen this metal before…” Rosetta asked uncertainly. “Could I touch it?”

“Our people have handled this stuff many times, and the technical documentation also indicates that this metal is harmless to the human body.”

Hearing this, Rosetta finally felt relieved and placed his hand on the metal, experiencing its extraordinary properties. In the other boxes, he found metal plates engraved with strange characters and shimmering yellow crystals. Searching his memory again—from royal secrets and intelligence files to childhood tales and legends—Rosetta was certain he had never encountered any information related to these things.

Lu Wu, who had been watching Rosetta's expression closely, nodded. He believed Rosetta's words. After all, the Belken had made breakthrough progress in this area. If they didn't want to be left behind by the Belken, they needed to disclose their information and cooperate with them. Only in this way could they possibly catch up with the Belken.

“Then we can only wait for those researchers to recover.” Lu Wu nodded and suggested, “I think we should establish a joint research institution to figure out the secrets behind this thing.”

“I agree, but it’s difficult to implement. Our best scientific research institutions have already moved to the north.” Rosetta spread her hands. “This means we only have two options: either move our equipment to the north for research, or move our researchers here. From a risk perspective, it’s obviously safer to send our equipment to the north.”

Swobella is, after all, a frontline city, and the Belken Army might decide to attack it again at any time. The Belken forces deployed then would certainly be much larger, making it difficult for them to ensure the safety of their research facilities. However, he couldn't accept simply sending his people and equipment to the relatively distant north, as this would significantly reduce their control over the project.

“Given the current situation, it’s not easy to transport the materials or send the research team over.” Lu Wu offered a compromise: “We can select some promising researchers from Swobella to form a team, determine a general research direction, and get the project started. Even if it turns out that the direction is not viable, at least it will provide some experience and lessons for the teams that follow.”

“The top talent has already been sent to the military, so we can only find people from university teachers, technical personnel, and military factories who have enlisted. Most of them have never actually done this kind of work before, so it’s unlikely that they will be very efficient to conduct this research.” Rosetta was clearly not optimistic.

"Even if the efficiency is slow, at least there is experience to be accumulated. If you don't start, then this thing is worthless."

Rather than saying Lu Wu's words convinced Rosetta, it would be more accurate to say that Rosetta's words were a preemptive warning to both of them. As the king of the Kingdom of Elgia, who had ruled for many years, he couldn't possibly be unaware of this. Thus, having reached a preliminary agreement, the two further exchanged details of their cooperation, such as each initially forming a research team, preparing one or two suitable locations for the research, gathering the necessary equipment, and setting deadlines for the preparation phase, etc.

There are actually many things to discuss, and it's not something that can be covered in a casual meeting like this. Their informal discussion this time is more like a memorandum or a framework for the subsequent projects. More detailed things will have to be finalized and implemented one by one later.

Having set the time for their next meeting, Rosetta wanted to continue examining the spoils of war, but this time Lu Wu had no intention of continuing to idly look around with him, as an internal meeting awaited him.

"Comrades, I have two pieces of news. Our enemy has deployed a completely new force to the battlefield. Their armor and weapons have been upgraded, posing a certain threat to our infantry and light armored vehicles." This news, unsurprisingly, did not cause the slightest stir among those present. After all, many of them had clashed with Nazis and fought knife-to-knife battles with fundamentalists; their weaponry and fighting spirit were far superior to those of the Belken Empire. This mere reinforcement could not affect their morale.

"Another piece of news is that it has been confirmed that the Belken have been using a large amount of jamming equipment derived from alien technology on the battlefield." However, this news caused a stir among the officers. "The Belken are very likely to continue converting this alien technology into combat equipment. We cannot rule out the possibility that the Belken will use this to obtain weapons of mass destruction. As a fascist-leaning dictatorship, the possibility of them abusing weapons of mass destruction to achieve tactical or strategic objectives is very high. This situation must never be allowed to happen."

"Fortunately, the Belken people's conversion of alien technology has probably just begun, and we still have some time to eliminate this danger."

……

Attempting to resume daily update schedule 3

Volume 1: Chapter 143 (Chapter 129) - Marching into Fabanti

"Commander, I don't understand. Wasn't our mission to find the source of the signal jamming? What led us to the conclusion that the Belken might possess weapons of mass destruction?" What Lu Wu said was beyond everyone's imagination. Even the most loyal among them felt for a moment that something might have gone wrong. "What I mean is, there's no connection between signal jamming equipment and weapons of mass destruction, is there?"

“There is still a connection. Have you forgotten about EMP? Only nuclear explosions can produce that. Maybe the jamming equipment the Belken people developed was a byproduct of their research into weapons of mass destruction.” Miller, who worked in intelligence, was more flexible in his thinking and did not immediately dismiss the possibility.

Lu Wu pulled a small booklet, no bigger than an A6 sheet of paper, from his pocket. It was part of the technical documents carried by the Belken engineer. He opened the saddle-stitched booklet to the page he wanted and placed it on the table. “The signal jamming station is powered by a crystal called a ‘hard optical coil.’ With the support of the hard optical coil, this small signal jamming station, when fully powered, has an effective range of 10 square kilometers and an effective time of more than 7 days. And how big is this hard optical coil? It’s only about half the size of a person.”

The officers exchanged bewildered glances. Even those who weren't experts in this field knew that blocking signals across such an area would require a massive amount of energy. Based on the descriptions in the technical documents, their first thought was of devastating weapons like nuclear weapons and antimatter.

“We know very little about these hard optical coils, but fortunately, we captured several researchers in this operation. Paz,” Lu Wu looked at the blonde-haired girl, “you select some suitable personnel to establish a new department specifically to investigate Belken’s research into weapons of mass destruction. All the prisoners of war from this operation are yours to extract information from them. This new department will be called the Office of Naval Intelligence, or ONI for short, and will report directly to me. Investigating hard optical coils is a high priority within our organization; all other matters must take a backseat. If you need cooperation or assistance from other units, just ask. Counterintelligence work will be handed over to Davis.”

“Understood, Comrade Commander.” Paz was initially startled by the sudden order, but quickly felt a surge of excitement and replied energetically.

"But, Commander, what should we do next?" The news of ONI's formation didn't cause much of a stir among these veterans; they were more concerned with their next move.

"The signal jamming station represents the Belken people's first practical application of hard optical coils, and its use in Fabandi is also its first real-world application. If we can disrupt this practical application test, it will cause some stagnation in their research work."

"Furthermore, it's time for the moles our allies have planted within the Belken Empire to play their part. I will request the Kingdom of Elgia to prioritize the investigation of the hard optical coil." Following Yelena, Lu Wu added, "If the testing project goes wrong, they can't possibly remain silent. What we need to do is wait for them to make a mistake and deliver the decisive blow. But all of this depends on thwarting Belken's activities in Fabandi."

“Fabandi is not close to here. How many battles can our tanks and armored vehicles fight after they arrive in Fabandi? How will we resupply them after we run out of ammunition and fuel? It takes too much time to transport them all the way from Swobella, and there is no guarantee that the supplies will arrive safely in our hands.”

Attacking a target 200 kilometers away in a straight line is no easy task. One can imagine that much equipment will break down en route, even the Soviet equipment known for its sturdiness and durability—don't forget they just ended a major battle, some damaged heavy equipment has only just been towed back to base, and actual repairs haven't even begun. The combat units' vehicles have only been briefly refueled and replenished with ammunition. This is also a major test of the combat troops' physical and mental strength; Japanese pilots in the later stages of the Pacific War faced a similar predicament. The fighting intensity at Fabandi is no less than at Svorbella. Facing the upgraded Gilahani soldiers, ammunition consumption will predictably increase exponentially, further increasing the pressure on logistics. And logistics, throughout history and across the world, has always been the Achilles' heel of an army.

"We need to establish at least one FOB (Forward Offshore Boundary) in Fapanti to support more strike missions there," Vasily said.

“I suggest not just establishing an FOB, but a forward operating base that includes a forward airfield. We would deploy army aviation and fixed-wing aircraft at this base to ensure our frontline troops receive timely air support. On the other hand, this would also allow us to be more fuel-efficient,” Katerina’s idea went a step further.

"The frontline base issue isn't a big problem." Lu Wu wasn't worried about this at all. "The Kingdom's army has a large number of military outposts around Fabandi. I'll have the Kyrgyz provide us with a suitable outpost to solve the frontline supply problem first, and then borrow Kyrgyz personnel to expand the airport." Thanks to Mikoyan and Sukhoi, the Amelia Volunteer Army's fighter jets weren't picky about takeoff and landing conditions, so it wouldn't be difficult to build a runway that allowed fixed-wing aircraft to take off and land.

However, the supply of fuel and ammunition is not so easy to solve.

The only production line on the entire Ens continent capable of providing usable ammunition is its own mother base. Even if the technology were handed over to Elgia for production, Elgia's current industrial capabilities wouldn't allow them to produce standard ammunition. They simply lack the capability. Would the 7th Brigade dare use ammunition that was barely produced?

The only thing they can do right now is probably to first transport a batch of ammunition, fuel, and spare parts to Fabandi to tide them over, and then ask the Egyptians for more trucks to expand the transport fleet and maximize logistical capacity. Although the Egyptians themselves may not have enough trucks, they would probably be happy to accept the trade of sending an armored force capable of overwhelming almost all enemy forces on the Fabandi battlefield.

……