Falcon City.
The once prosperous streets are now deserted.
Except for a few main roads leading to the palace and military camps, the rest of the streets and alleys are full of obstacles and bunkers.
Several workers worked hard to fix the steel bars made of scrap iron with rivets into triangular pyramid-shaped chevaux de frise. This is the eleventh one they have completed today.
The leader of the labor team told them that this can resist the tanks of the Alliance.
However, almost everyone felt that this was a waste of effort.
If even the river bank can't stop the tracks of the Alliance tanks, what's the use of this makeshift anti-tank chevaux de frise?
They can just knock down the houses on both sides of the street and go around.
"I heard that the town of Bicester has fallen."
A shirtless man wiped his sweat and put his tanned arm on the anti-tank chevaux de frise that he had just assembled.
The workers nearby looked over after hearing this, and an old man in his forties or fifties muttered in doubt.
"Is it true?"
The man said in a firm tone.
"It's absolutely true! I was working outside the city yesterday, and I saw with my own eyes that a team withdrew from the direction of Bicester Town..."
Whether or not they care about the progress of the war, the residents of Falcon City are familiar with the fortress-like settlement.
Before the Willant people came here, they had never tried to build a fortress in the desert due to their poor economy.
It is precisely for this reason that the Falcon Royal Family often talks about the fortress standing in the desert to prove that the royal family's joining the Legion was an extremely wise decision, proving the Legion's advanced construction technology, and proving the friendship between the Falcon Kingdom and the Legion...
And the fact is indeed so. Until half a month ago, Bicester Town played the role of a front-line logistics hub.
No one could believe that the invincible fortress fell so easily...
"Bist... even that place fell."
"Are the people from the Alliance coming to kill us?"
"I heard that the Alliance is full of bloodthirsty wastelanders who have lived in a poor and barbaric abandoned land since birth... God knows what those barbarians will do to your Majesty's palace after they come, the spirit of the sea of sand."
Everyone was talking in whispers.
A boy with a tanned face asked nervously.
"Where are the army and the legion?"
The tall Willant people still made him feel safe.
Hearing from the radio, the reinforcements from the west are coming soon. As long as they hold on a little longer, the Alliance will soon be overwhelmed by tens of thousands of tanks.
However, the adults didn't seem to believe those words at all.
The dark-skinned man shook his head.
"The Weilant people have rearranged three layers of defense, but I think it's not going to work... Less than half of them have withdrawn from Oasis No. 3. I think this battle is about to end."
Hearing this, the old man on the side was frightened and quickly covered his mouth.
"Shh! Shut up! Be careful that the patrolling guards hear you!"
A resident wearing a headscarf stared at him angrily and said.
"Rumors! It must be a rumor!"
This sentence was quickly echoed.
"That's right! Your Majesty is a chosen warrior, how could he lose!"
The dark-skinned man seemed to realize his slip of the tongue and quickly changed his words to make amends.
"I said it was over, not lost... I meant that the alliance would soon be over, and in the end, of course, the wise and powerful Your Majesty won."
However, even the most devout believers did not believe this sentence.
At this moment, the patrolling guards were coming from a distance, and everyone quickly stopped talking and returned to their posts to continue working.
"...I wonder if patrols are necessary? It seems that there are few people in this city." The guard carrying a rifle yawned and glanced at the workers who were working honestly.
These days are definitely the most peaceful days in Falcon City.
No thieves.
No robbers.
There are not even pedestrians.
All men from 12 to 46 years old who can hold a gun have been sent to the barracks or to the labor camp.
Except for the court of His Majesty the King, there are probably few idle people in the whole Falcon City.
"Patrol is not to catch criminals, but to find those who have slipped through the net." The slightly older guard glanced at the alleys on the corner and was about to go in to take a look.
At this moment, a shrill alarm suddenly came from a distance.
"Shit! Air raid?!"
He was not the only one whose face changed drastically. The workers who were repairing shelters on the street also dropped their tools and ran into the alleys on the street to find shelters.
It is said that the alliance's planes are very tricky, just like sparrows. The radar of the Willant people can't "catch" them at all. Often, bombs will fall soon after the air raid alarm sounds.
However, this time it was a little abnormal.
After waiting for a long time, there was no explosion.
Even the plane was not seen.
Feeling a little abnormal, the older guard couldn't help but frown.
A dud?
Just as he was thinking this, a white piece of paper suddenly floated down from the sky.
"What is that?"
The young guard reached out curiously, caught a piece of falling paper, unfolded it and took a look.
And this look was not a big deal.
The lines of text almost made him stop breathing.
[Warning to the royal family of the Falcon Kingdom! We will carry out strategic bombing on the Falcon City Palace, military camps and other facilities on the last day of this week. Surrender is your only way out. The only outcome of stubborn resistance is self-destruction! ]
[Appendix 1: Please leave the war zone in the city. If you cannot leave, please stay at home to avoid being accidentally injured by stray bullets and explosion fragments. ]
[Appendix 2: All combat units such as the Legion and Falcon Kingdom soldiers and officers can surrender to the Alliance station with this leaflet to avoid being captured. ]
[Appendix 3: (Air Raid Emergency Evacuation Guide), (Safe Zone Location)]
Alliance...
Has it come here?
Why has it never been mentioned on the radio?
A trace of panic appeared in his eyes. He looked up at the older officer, but saw that the officer was staring at the leaflet in his hand and quickly threw it away as if he had been electrocuted.
"Report, report to the commander, I definitely don't have that, that--"
"Shut up."
The older guard glanced around and saw that no one noticed this side, so he walked over and picked up the leaflets thrown by the young man.
"We have to collect them and destroy them... You are responsible for that side," he pointed to the alley next to him, "Go."
The young guard breathed a sigh of relief, nodded tremblingly, and hurriedly trotted into the alley.
The older guard took a look at the leaflet in his hand, his eyes stayed on the map with the safe zone drawn on it, carefully memorized its location, and then folded the leaflet into the size of a thumb and stuffed it into his boots.
It is a serious crime to secretly hide leaflets thrown by the enemy.
But he still did it for some reason.
Although his superiors had repeatedly brainwashed them, and the Falcon Kingdom's army, led by Prince William, had made rapid progress and had already taken over the territories of the Lion Kingdom and the Hump Kingdom, few people believed this nonsense.
All the soldiers returning from the east were terrified, with their pupils dilated and dull...
That didn't look like a winner at all.
Not far from him, the dark-skinned laborer and the old man in his forties and fifties also carefully hid the leaflets.
The two looked at each other and understood each other tacitly.
Even if it wasn't for themselves.
It was also for their unarmed families.
Amid the shrill sound of air raid sirens, similar scenes were staged everywhere in the city...
At the same time, in the palace of the Falcon royal family.
Unlike the chaos and commotion on the streets, it was unusually quiet here.
On the magnificent throne, the aging King Mungot stared expressionlessly at the neatly written list in his hand.
This was the list sent by the temporary court, which recorded the next batch of people to be executed.
When the war was going well, there were often only one or two names on it, but when the war situation began to take a sharp turn for the worse, sometimes even one piece of paper would not be enough.
Among these executed people.
Some were spies, some were deserters, and some were traitors who questioned the royal decision, or simply dissidents who were inserted by political enemies in the chaos.
King Mungot knew very well that there must be many people on the list in his hand who were wronged, but he no longer had the heart to care about those boring questions.
He signed the list casually and threw it impatiently to the captain of the guard beside him.
"Send it to Count Cromwell."
Count Cromwell was the president of the temporary court appointed by him. His power was above the military court and the general court. He was responsible for handling the traitors.
"Yes."
The captain of the guard bowed solemnly and took the list with both hands.
Menggot suddenly noticed that the hands stretched out in front of him were shaking slightly.
He looked up at the captain of the guard, and his dry lips slowly opened and closed, calling out the man's name.
"Midal."
The captain of the guard trembled and whispered.
"What's wrong... Your Majesty."
"You are afraid."
"I, am not."
Looking at his confidant who knelt down with a plop, Menggot's turbid eyes suddenly showed kindness, and he put his right hand on his shoulder and patted him gently.
"Don't worry, the Willant people promised me... and it was General Griffin who made the promise himself that he would bring us victory."
It's not just General Griffin's promise.
His son William is also an excellent marshal.
He has been preparing for this war for more than ten years, for the future of his people and to fulfill the long-cherished wish of his ancestors...
He has a full hand of cards in his hand, and there is no reason to lose.
Midal lowered his head, his Adam's apple moved, he wanted to say something but didn't dare, and a bitter smile squeezed out of his face blocked by the shadow.
He knew it very well.
His Majesty in front of him was crazy.
Not even just His Majesty...
Everyone here is crazy.
Including himself.
"Yes..." Midal said respectfully.
Just then, footsteps were heard outside the palace, and an officer trotted in, knelt on one knee on the ground, and reported quickly.
"Report to Your Majesty! The Alliance has dropped leaflets in our city! They claimed on the leaflets that they will launch an air raid on the last day of this week--"
"How could the Alliance's planes fly to us!"
King Menggot interrupted him with an unquestionable voice, and then said lightly.
"Show it to me."
"Yes!"
The officer stood up and took two steps forward in panic, handed the wrinkled leaflet in his hand to the captain of the guard, who handed it to King Menggot.
Menggot took the leaflet and just glanced at it lightly, snorted slightly, and a sneer rose at the corner of his mouth.
"... Extremely arrogant."
After saying that, he crumpled the leaflet into a ball and threw it out.
Two months ago, in the letter William wrote to him, the Lion Kingdom's City of Plenty was still under their siege. Even if the front-line battle situation was slightly defeated, the war would not have spread to the capital.
"The city defense commander suggests that you seek refuge in the underground palace..." Seeing that His Majesty the King was indifferent, the officer was sweating profusely and tried to persuade him to go to the air-raid shelter to take shelter.
However, before he finished speaking, he was ruthlessly interrupted.
"This king is not going anywhere."
Looking down at the officer kneeling on the ground, Menggot clenched his fists, and a trace of madness flashed in his turbid pupils.
"I want to see how the alliance's planes can pass through the thousands of troops under my command!"
...
Bester Fortress.
Looking at the row of corpses hanging under the telephone poles, the Elf King Fugui's expression was slightly complicated, and it took him a long time to sigh.
"These people are ruthless enough to deal with their own people."
Irena said with a subtle expression.
"That's too normal."
Even the Willant people may not be Griffin's "own people", let alone these followers whose status is not much higher than cannon fodder.
The short-lived victory concealed a series of inequality issues. The conquest of the Honey Badger Kingdom and the Lion Kingdom allowed the slaves to regain their confidence as superior people.
When the victory could not be sustained, all the concealed contradictions came out like pus under acne.
This kingdom has gone crazy...
From the king to the common people.
Fortunately, this is the last madness.
Trucks are driving into the east gate of Bicester Fortress, and a large number of building materials are sent here through Oasis No. 3.
According to the order of the manager.
They want to reinforce the town of Bicester, completely transform this fortress that serves as a supply hub into an offensive fortress, and deploy at least 100 155mm artillery on a 5-kilometer-wide front to bring the border of the Falcon Kingdom within the artillery range.
Not only that, large and small engineering equipment imported from Ideal City were also sent here, including excavators and road rollers.
According to the alliance, not only a road from Oasis No. 3 to Bicester Town will be built, but also an airport will be built to the east of this offensive fortress.
Entrance to the military camp.
With a flattering smile on his face, Wedler walked to the side of the mole and respectfully handed over the notebook in his hand.
"Sir, this is what you want."
The notebook records in detail the movements of every army passing through here, including numbers, personnel, supplies, and destinations.
He spent a whole morning racking his brains to sort it out.
The mole took a quick look and made a simple comparison with the intelligence he had collected from Wedler's adjutant.
After confirming that there was no problem, he nodded.
"Well done, you are free."
Wedelier stood still.
The mole looked at him and raised his eyebrows.
"Didn't you understand what I said?"
Wedelier explained quickly.
"No, no, sir... I just want to stay and serve you."
"Serve me?" The mole looked at this guy curiously, wondering what he was up to.
Seeing the inquiring look of the legion commander, Wedelier nodded quickly and said righteously, "Yes, sir! The Weilantes have kidnapped our king, controlled our country, and committed crimes that are outrageous to both humans and gods in this desert... Although I am not talented, I am willing to stand on the side of justice and conscience and contribute to the alliance!"
He is not stupid.
The Falcon Kingdom is finished.
A baron like him who is neither high nor low, and has no relatives in other kingdoms who can help him, will die wherever he goes, so it is better to follow the Alliance to make a living.
Mole didn't like this opportunistic guy very much. He didn't want to agree at first, but he thought it would be good to have an obedient local guide by his side.
Although the next mission of the Skeleton Corps is mainly to contain and feint, the Alliance will not occupy Oasis No. 2 for strategic reasons, but Bisterburg, the nail in the belly of Oasis No. 2, will remain.
After this battle is over, there may be many refugees from Oasis No. 2 passing by here...
Thinking of this, he nodded.
"Okay, then you keep it."
Wedler was delighted when he heard this. If he hadn't figured out that this eccentric adult didn't like others kneeling, he would have knelt down on the spot to thank him for his kindness.
The adjutant standing by was not as perceptive as him, and knelt down without thinking.
"I am also willing to follow the footsteps of the alliance, and serve the alliance and the administrator..."
"Get up," said the mole with a frown, "Don't kneel down all the time, we don't buy it."
Before the adjutant came to his senses, Wedelier standing next to him quickly kicked him in the ass.
"Did you hear me? I told you to get up."
This kick had a bit of a personal revenge.
He didn't forget that these bastards stripped his clothes as a white flag.
"Yes! Yes!"
The adjutant looked aggrieved, thinking that I didn't learn this from you, but he didn't dare to say what he was thinking, and quickly stood up.
Completely assuming a new identity, Wedelier didn't treat himself as an outsider at all, and approached the mole diligently and asked.
"Sir, when are we going to teach those big noses a lesson? I've been fed up with them for a long time!"
The mole said impatiently.
"We naturally have our own plan. If you can't wait, take a gun and go and attack them."
Hearing this, Wedelier's enthusiasm was immediately poured with a bucket of cold water. He smiled awkwardly and shut up...
...
Although Wedelier wanted to lie down and lick his soles, the mole did not completely trust this boastful guy.
After reporting the news to the manager, he arranged a foreman for this licker and threw him to work on a construction site east of Bicester Town.
No way.
It's too disgusting to watch every day.
Although I wish my opponents were all such soft bones, it's true that warriors like Rachel are more respectable.
Unlike the mole's dislike, Wedelier was very satisfied with this new job, even to the point of being moved.
Being the captain of the labor team is better than being cannon fodder on the front line.
It seems that the Alliance really treats prisoners well as rumored.
It's a pity that he is not Marshal William.
Otherwise, he would have surrendered with the entire army of the Falcon Kingdom and ended this stupid and futureless war as soon as possible.
…
The third day of joining the construction team.
Seeing another team of trucks passing the checkpoint not far away, the adjutant standing next to Wedler muttered.
"Does the Alliance plan to stay here forever?"
In the past few days, trucks have been driving in, and planes have been landing one after another. The unloaded materials are enough for several 10,000-man teams.
But the Alliance's army is not seen moving forward.
Before, everyone in the labor team was speculating that the Alliance planned to catch the Legion off guard, but the result was completely different.
Wedler was also confused.
But he is an honest and responsible person, and he knows that it is best not to interfere in things that he should not know.
After kicking the adjutant's butt, he cursed in a low voice.
"Stop looking around and get to work!"
The adjutant immediately shut up, glared at the guy fiercely, and dared not say anything, and went to dig a hole honestly.
...
It was not just Wedler and his "workers" who were confused by the Alliance's actions.
There was also General Griffin, the commander-in-chief of the Legion stationed in Luoxia Province.
He stared at the map on the table with a frown, and there was a trace of obvious confusion on his face.
As he expected, the Alliance took over the Bicester Fortress.
However, what puzzled him was that the Alliance armored forces that had knocked on the gate of Oasis No. 2 did not continue to move forward as he imagined, but stopped on the spot.
Not only that, according to the report of the front-line reconnaissance troops, a large number of trucks and engineering equipment were transported into the town of Bicester, seemingly to strengthen the local infrastructure.
This made Griffin even more confused.
After regrouping his forces, he was ready to fight to the death with the Alliance, and even he himself was ready to die heroically.
However, the Alliance, which had been preparing for a blitzkrieg a few days ago, suddenly stopped fighting.
This made him feel like he had no place to use his strength.
What on earth do these guys want to do? ? ?
"...According to the news from the front-line reconnaissance troops, planes have been landing near Bicester recently." Standing next to the command table, the staff officer who knew nothing about Griffin's plan said in a deep voice.
"Orca?"
"Not only... there are also many propeller planes."
Griffin frowned.
"Is there an airport in Bicester?"
Could it be that it was built recently?
Propeller planes do not have high requirements for airports, but didn't they change the runway on the Heart of Steel?
Why build another airport on the front line...
This sudden caution always gave him a bad feeling, especially the information that a large number of planes landed near Bicester made him feel more concerned.
Although he didn't care what means the alliance used, he just had to complete "that plan" before the end of the month, but the ominous premonition in his heart still lingered.
At this moment, the messenger came in from outside.
"Report! News came from the capital that the alliance dropped leaflets over the capital, claiming that it would carry out a strategic bombing of Falcon City on the last day of this week!"
The last day of this week.
That is, the day after tomorrow?
Griffin suddenly thought of something, his pupils shrank slightly, and he glanced at the map, and then quickly looked at the staff officer beside him.
"Which unit is closest to Falcon City?"
The staff officer was stunned for a moment and answered immediately.
"It is the Falcon Kingdom's 20,000-man team that is retreating to rest... They are about two days away from the capital."
For the decisive battle with the alliance.
They have concentrated all their forces on the border of Oasis No. 2, and the only ones left in the rear are the crippled entourage troops.
Griffin's heart tightened, and he quickly gave the order.
"Let them go to Falcon City immediately! They must arrive within two days!"
Go to Falcon City?
The officers standing around were stunned.
It was at least three or four hundred kilometers from the front line to Falcon City.
They knew that the airborne troops of the Alliance were very strong, and General Soft of the 40,000th Squadron fell into the hands of the "Burning Corps".
But they couldn't use airborne troops to attack the city, right?
The city defense troops and the royal guards stationed in Falcon City had a total of five or six thousand people, and there were also river embankments for protection.
To capture such a fortress...
How many planes would be needed?
Moreover, with the "logistics self-sustaining ability" of the paratroopers, fighting in a place hundreds of kilometers away from reinforcements and supply lines, what was the difference between that and sending themselves to death?
However, seeing the gloomy expression on Griffin's face, the staff standing beside him did not dare to ask more questions, and could only stand at attention and say.
"Yes!"
Griffin took his eyes off the staff officer and looked at the map again. He clenched his fists and then loosened them slowly, his face changing from gloomy to bright.
The Alliance built a temporary airport on the front line and assembled a large number of aircraft from the rear... This was obviously not for bombing targets within 20 kilometers.
This was almost a clear sign!
He didn't understand why the Alliance chose the most risky plan instead of the best option, but his years of military experience told him that when the other party made an unexpected move, he must be alert that the other party might have information that they shouldn't have.
"...Royal Capital."
Griffin chewed on this word repeatedly and muttered softly while staring at the map.
"What do you want to do?"
At the same time.
The desert on the southeast side of Oasis No. 2.
The Iron Heart, which had sailed hundreds of kilometers in the uninhabited area, finally emerged from the howling wind and yellow sand.
Inside the bridge.
General McLen was staring at the man in the power armor with a sullen face, his eyes flashing with hatred and anger, but he dared not say a word.
He did not expect that he would return to this airship in this way one day.
This made him recall the memory of shame...
Finod, who was standing in the corner, did not dare to look at him, so he had to find a crack on the ground to distract himself.
Fortunately, General McLen did not pay attention to him at all, and his eyes were completely focused on the figure of the man.
"What do you want to do by bringing me here?" Finally unable to bear the hatred, McLen gritted his teeth and said.
Not caring about his hateful eyes at all, Chu Guang replied in a relaxed tone.
"Invite you to watch the final ending."
"The ending?" McLen was slightly stunned, and then sneered, "Isn't it too early to brag now?"
Looking at his face pretending to be calm, Chu Guang smiled and teased.
"Be happy, you will be reunited with your old friend soon."
"The Legion will not surrender." McLen stared at him, "Never."
"Really?"
Chu Guang smiled faintly, did not respond to his weak struggle, and cast his eyes out of the French window.
The green outline gradually emerged behind the misty yellow sand, imprinted on the distant looming horizon.
From the bone-chewing chaos that swept the valley to the flames burning above the sunset...
The day of reckoning has finally arrived.
After this battle, the alliance will usher in a long-term peace.
As a dedicated planner, he has to take some time to think about the new version.
But before that--
"It's time to end this war."