The current special training cadets were assigned to the Bermuda Star Domain Military Region after passing their assessments.
Tian Xingjian spent another six months in the special training team. After mastering mechanical repair knowledge systematically, he was recommended by the colonel to his old friend, the Chief of Logistics at the Atlantis Star Domain Military Zone. Subsequently, Tian Xingjian was posted to the 1st Squad of the Logistics Team, 3rd Armored Battalion, 5th Armored Division in the Galileo Star System within the Atlantis Star Domain, becoming a new recruit with the rank of corporal.
At the beginning, Tian Xingjian felt a bit proud. After all, he had come from the special training team and had undergone training in both the reconnaissance camp and the mechanical repair camp. With the colonel's recommendation, he directly became a corporal, which was a rank higher than the private first class rank that most new recruits from the special training team received. Upon joining the unit, he found that the leader of the 1st Squad of the Logistics Team was also only a corporal.
The good fortune ended there...
Three days after Tian Xingjian reported in, the Gazalin Empire launched a full-scale invasion of the Atlantis Star Domain of the Lelle Democratic Federation, and war broke out. Within six months, the four immigration stars of the Galileo Star System fell one after another. Following the retreat of the remnants of the 5th Division to Miloke II Star, they were encircled by the Newton Front Army of the Imperial Army and the trailing Galileo Front Army. Barely making it onto the 9th Division's ship, they were ordered by the command department to participate in the defense of Miloke Star.
Within a week, the Imperial Army landed on Miloke Star.
Thus, this 'fatty' who seemed to be quite adept at survival in the eyes of his superiors was sent to the front lines to help with mecha repairs.
Soon after, the Imperial Army launched their assault.
He hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath!
At this point, all Tian Xingjian could do was run for his life.
Trying to outrun mechas on two human legs, Tian Xingjian was both furious and terrified. No matter how fast he ran, he could only reach a speed of around 20 kilometers per hour, which was a stark contrast to the mechas, making it a typical tortoise and hare race. The only consolation was that because of their size, mechas had difficulty moving through the jungle. Fortunately, survival and evading enemies in the jungle was one of Tian Xingjian's specialties. Besides, he was just a logistics repair soldier. Who would be specifically interested in chasing him?
Climbing up a tall tree, Tian Xingjian carefully observed the battlefield. If the twelve Federation Land Battle Mechas that looked like centipede roaches could disengage from the battle, Tian Xingjian wouldn't mind following them and retreating together from the shadows.
Of course, it would be great if everything went smoothly. If they encountered a small number of enemy troops, at least he could rely on this not-so-weak force. If they faced a large number of enemies, Tian Xingjian would just disappear like a small star beside the sun.
The focus of the battle was on the small hill Tian Xingjian had just left. Two Federation Honor 15 Land Battle Mechas had already approached the hill, while an approaching squad of Imperial Holy Armor 22 Single Soldier Mechas swarmed like a group of crazed bees. Some formed a skirmish line and continuously attacked the two Honor 15s, while others activated high-speed propulsion rockets, flanking the hilltop without regard to long-term exposure, making themselves easy targets for the Honor 15s.
The Federation Army was in a precarious situation. If they couldn't shake off the enemy at the front and the rear high ground was controlled, the battle would be lost. Securing the small hill and using it as a defense point was the only way to allow most of the mechas to disengage from the battle.
The headset went silent.
"Damn it! Go for it, 2119. Brothers, take care of our mothers."
One of the closest Honor 15s to the hill broke away from the battlefield without cover and charged up the hill furiously.
The exposed L9-2119 immediately became a prime target. In just a few hundred meters, its defense shield turned a dangerously high red.
"2119, get back here, damn it."
"Fire, fire!"
"Let's go, guys. We can't let 2119 die ahead of us."
"The Leray Federation has no cowards."
"Boys, are we warriors?"
"We are!"
And!
"We always have been!!"
All the Federation Honor 15 Mechas roared in unison. They rushed out from their positions, their turreted energy machine guns operating at full capacity. At the same time, their energy defense shields quickly turned light red. This meant that in order to cover 2119, these mechas were determined to push their energy valves to the limit, completely abandoning their protective shields essential for survival.
"Haha, that's damn exhilarating. Gazalin's whores, get ready for a beating."
"Imperial fleas, let me give you a lesson."
"This missile greets your mother, and this one greets your father."
The Imperial Army was stunned by the Federation's sudden increase in firepower. Twelve charging red mechas, like twelve deathly reapers jumping out of hell, glowed red all over, wielding deadly scythes, and pouring forth missiles like a torrential rain.
"L9-2108, enemy concentration at one o'clock. Fire!"
"L9-2117, advance!"
"L9-2121, advance!"
"L9-2119, keep advancing! Guys, we're almost there."
"L9-2110, advance!"
"L9-2111, damn you, 2119. That spot is mine."
"L9-2106, charge up there. Don't lag behind those bastards."
"L9-2133, advance."
"L9-2129, brothers, let's go."
"L9-2101, advance."
Perched in the tree, Tian Xingjian trembled uncontrollably, goosebumps rising all over his skin. Whether his reaction was out of excitement or fear, even he didn't know. He only knew he would never forget this scene: one Honor 15 with its defense shield turned red charging up the hill madly, another two mechas abandoning their defense energy to intercept the swarming Imperial Mechas fiercely, and nine more doing the same. They poured out overdrawn firepower as they closed in on the hill, drawing enemy fire.
"Advance! Honor 15s!"
Twelve Honor 15 Land Battle Mechas sounded a resounding charge, their cannon fire and burning blood heralding a clarion call that reached to the skies.
The sudden counterattack by the Honor 15 Land Battle Mechas caught the Imperial Army off guard. Although they had the numerical advantage, they were, after all, only Single Soldier Mechas. Aside from their mobility, they had no advantages against medium-sized mechas. A single direct missile hit or two energy cannon shots could easily destroy a Holy Armor 22.
Seeing one Holy Armor 22 after another explode into fireballs under the Federation Army's torrential firepower, the firepower advantage the Imperial Army had due to their numbers was gradually slipping away. The ratio of mechas between the two sides was now down to 5:1. This meant there were only a little over sixty Imperial Single-Person Mechas left with combat capability. After prolonged fighting, the five light missiles the Holy Armor 22s carried were almost all used up. The battlefield's reserve firepower had dropped to a dangerously low level. Without missiles, the two machine guns mounted on the mechas could only scratch the Honor 15 of the Federation.
The Honor 15's desperate fighting style terrified the Imperial Army. Losses were accelerating, with one panicked Imperial Single-Person Mecha after another being hit. Panic spread uncontrollably within the Imperial Army. Those within the Federation Army's firepower range didn't dare to lift their heads, frantically seeking craters or obstacles for cover.
War is a curious thing.
Your forces might be formidable, your tactics superior, your weapons more advanced; you might have all the advantages of timing, terrain, and support. You might think that losing is almost impossible. Yet, you could still lose. Because you can lose to something beyond control.
Luck!
When the right time meets the right place with this factor, the outcome can be entirely unexpected.
The Federation Army was undoubtedly very lucky at this moment. These warriors, who had lowered their defense shields to the bare minimum, almost fighting naked, not only didn't lose a single piece of armor, but contrary to expectations, they were turning the tide.
In ancient Earth wars, there were often cases where one soldier chased a group of soldiers.
Morale and luck
Without the morale that burns the boats, such madness wouldn't appear, and without luck, even a fleeing soldier could turn around and shoot the pursuer dead.
An ancient Chinese philosopher once said, "When people's hearts scatter, the team is hard to lead." Now, this saying deeply bittered the Imperial Army commander. His soldiers were dispersed and could no longer be rallied; most had devolved into every man for himself.
Under the pressure of seeing one mecha after another being destroyed and exploding by the Federation Army, the Imperial Army began to waver and then fragment sporadically. Ultimately, this fragmentation turned abruptly into a panicked rout. The scattering mechas fleeing looked like sheep scattered by hungry wolves.
Tian Xingjian's mouth also tasted bitter. He really wanted to cry out loud. Life was unbearable. Behind him, the silhouette of an Imperial flanking armored squad was just visible. In ten minutes at most, this armored squad could bypass the forest and reach the battlefield.
Amid the chaos and disorder of battle, Tian Xingjian thought: "If I make it back, I'll apply for discharge!"
The unlucky fatty Tian Xingjian was running and sweating profusely.
A year's reconnaissance training hadn't reduced his weight even slightly, and half a year of war experience had only prevented him from gaining more weight.
"If I had known I couldn't lose weight, why did I suffer through this?"
Tian Xingjian felt his life was nothing but a tragedy.
If he had stayed in the villa his parents left him when they died, driven his flying car, found a simple job, married a beautiful wife, hung out with friends for drinks after work, that would have been his dream life.
"I'm Corporal Tian Xingjian, temporary logistics team mechanical maintenance soldier, requesting communication."
Using his tongue to catch his breath, Tian Xingjian ran wildly towards the battlefield, shouting loudly.
"That fatty who came to repair mechas a few days ago? Why are you still here?"
This was the armored squad's area channel. Connecting to this closed channel meant the person was nearby. The land battle mechanical soldiers were curious — after two days and nights of fighting, this fatty who came to repair mechas a few days ago was still here.
Tian Xingjian was helplessly thinking: "I want to run, but the battlefield recorder on my arm would allow me to flee at will?"
The fatty didn't know
The battlefield recorder usually doesn't restrict logistics troops from leaving the battlefield. Its primary function is to record battle achievements and limit combat soldiers' departure from the combat radius. However, it modifies orders for soldiers with abnormal data. Over twenty times leaving the fight without firing a shot, not killing any enemies, always staying hidden outside of combat, and not a single enemy noticing or shooting at him.
Is this not abnormal data?
Tian Xingjian's combat data had already entered the red alert list in the Federation Combat Command Center's computer.
"Fatty, run on your own." said L9-2101 mecha leader.
"How can I run?!"
Tian Xingjian's wail was full of grievance.
"Except for this small piece of forest, it's open land all around. The Imperial heavy mechas have also arrived."
The Imperial Army's "Fierce Beast" Type 2 Heavy Mecha stands 12 meters high and weighs 80 tons, made entirely of alloy. Equipped with all-around radar, heavy-generation energy defense shield, it uses eight reverse-jointed mechanical legs for cross-over movement with a speed of 120 kilometers per hour, and lying down, it has sixteen huge mechanical wheels able to reach 280 kilometers per hour on roadways. It carries 20 medium-sized missiles, 4 anti-aircraft missiles, two energy machine guns, and a 360-degree rotating "Fire Snake" heavy machine gun.
This guy, finding and killing a logistics soldier wearing a vest with a modified broken gun and running at 20 kilometers per hour outside the forest, is like child's play.
"No time left, everyone follow the Single Soldier Mecha in the lead. Head north first, then west, then south, along the Wave-Soaring River. The central defense line to the east has been breached, and they're blocking us behind."
Tian Xingjian panted heavily. Running at high speed made his lungs feel like they were filling with blood. Each breath felt hot, and it took him five gulps of saliva to finish these words.
"Fatty, are you serious?"
The mecha soldiers were skeptical.
"Dammit! I'm a reconnaissance soldier from the special training team!"
The mecha soldiers fell silent and immediately began to execute Tian Xingjian's plan.
On the battlefield, reconnaissance soldiers are the fighters' most trusted individuals. Even battle plans must be verified by reconnaissance soldiers. In ever-changing combat situations, reconnaissance soldiers often become critical support for fighters. Analyzing the situation on the battlefield and choosing the correct retreat direction is a must-learn for reconnaissance soldiers. So, having no time for debate, the mecha soldiers trusted Tian Xingjian without reservation and accelerated northward.
When the fatty reached the edge of the forest, watching the Federation mechas rolling away at 150 kilometers per hour,
"It's over!"
Tian Xingjian threw his gun to the ground in frustration and cried, "Damn it! Why won't you take me with you?"