Chapter 875 - This Game Is Too Realistic

Chapter 875: Madness Twisted steel burned across the muddy wasteland, while fractured corpses lay buried upon the rain-swept riverbank. After constructing the pontoon bridge, five thousand soldiers of the Honorary Army, armed with rifled muskets, launched a charge, quickly followed by another five thousand. These clones, like unleashed hyenas, ferociously attacked the scattered positions of the Coalition and Boruo infantry. The fierce battle turned the entire forest into a merciless meat grinder. Wave after wave of clones were fed into it like rolling chunks of meat. The same was true on the other side. They too endured severe casualties under the nearly fanatical assault. Yet, even with such an intense attack by over ten thousand clone soldiers, they could not breach the defenses standing firm on the eastern riverbank. The opponents seemed immortal; despite enduring ten consecutive waves of assaults and bombardments, sporadic, piercing gunshots still rang out now and then. The gruesome carnage caused the surrounding Velantian soldiers to gulp nervously, only now beginning to grasp what the men of the 360,000-strong force had truly faced. But before they could feel relieved that only clone cannon-fodder had perished, they were greeted by the thundering roar of their commanding officer. "Our Honorary Army has shattered the enemy's defenses! Now, check your gear! Prepare for the assault!" The clone infantry of the Honorary Army was not limitless, much like the ammunition of the support units. After the bombardment, the regular army had to take the charge. Especially as these clones were not suited for fighting skirmishes; akin to rabid dogs, they were uncontrollable and impossible to communicate with, only fit for charging fortified lines. The lead battalion quickly assembled at the bridgehead. Boots stepped over bloodied and mangled corpses. Velantian soldiers, clad in exoskeletons and bulletproof vests, widened their eyes towards the withered forest, channeling fear and courage into their battle cries. "Oooooh!!!" Under the cover of armored vehicles and tanks, they charged across the riverbank's defenses, sparking intense firefights with the coalition forces concealed in the forest and hills. The brutal carnage officially unfolded, lasting from dawn till dusk. The flowing blood stained the land, forests, rivers, and even the sun, with a bloody crimson. The Death Corps was completely annihilated! The players holding the line on the positions exhausted all their ammunition, even using up weapons they scavenged. The Goblin Corps’ rocket launcher positions met the same fate. All twelve "Storm" rocket launchers were destroyed by the Horn airships, with only a few scattered 155mm field guns surviving in the mountains. The Boruo army likewise suffered heavy casualties. The 50th, 51st, and 52nd Divisions, newly positioned on the front lines, were thrown into a grueling battle before they could acquaint themselves with the terrain, facing severe losses. However, the Southern Corps didn’t gain anything favorable either. Disregarding the Honorary Army's ten thousand, the regular army suffered over four thousand casualties, with equipment losses exceeding three hundred! And this was even with airship support, as well as the Coalition's incendiary brigades and the First Mechanized Division from Gallon Port already retreating to defend the capital. Aside from ground force losses, airpower suffered significantly too. Out of five airships, three lost propulsion. Even with spare wings ready at Seafront Harbor, fixing these three airships would take a week or two. Gazing over the devastated riverbank, Major Ryan clenched his fists inside the command vehicle, his teeth grinding audibly in frustration. After a short while, he squeezed out a curse. "…A bunch of incompetents!" Even though they won this battle, Ryan felt no joy whatsoever. His original plan was to crush the forces stationed on the eastern shore like squashing a grasshopper, reclaiming the face and morale lost with the 360,000-strong army’s mishap. Yet, they hadn’t anticipated losing flesh to this grasshopper’s bite. No one would cheer for a victory that came at such a steep cost. He saw the unfitting expressions of shock and fear on his soldiers' faces, something no Velantian should exhibit. Watching their enraged commander, the adjutant and staff officers nearby squirmed in their seats, daring not whisper a word. At that moment, a communication request appeared on the holographic screen. Ryan felt his heart skip a beat seeing the incoming signal, only breathing easy when he saw it was from John. He pressed the connect button. Face to face on the holographic screen, Ryan spoke with an unchanging expression. "What is it?" Sensing Ryan wasn't in a good mood, John refrained from taunting the army for their messy battle like he usually would, instead speaking in an official tone. "…General Gurion's associate on my airship requests some bodies, preferably those poisoned." Ryan replied impatiently. "So many dead, where am I supposed to find him poison victims?" As he finished, a bothersome face with a flat nose barged onto the holo-screen. "Give me an engineering team! And a medical team! I can establish a frontline lab myself!" Hearing this demand, Ryan chuckled internally. An engineering team and a medical team... Quite the audacious request! "What’s in it for me?" That blue-nosed fellow laughed sinisterly. "Plenty! Once my project is complete, you'll have a virus effective solely on the Boruo people… or even beyond. We can customize the RNA receptors of the 'Dose of Death' to match the DNA of any target." Not quite understanding this guy's jargon, Ryan snorted noncommittally. "So?" Martin spoke softly. "Essentially… you can erase any race you dislike from this planet." Ryan's eyes narrowed slightly, a smirk curling his lips unexpectedly. "…Interesting." Though he doubted this fellow's capability, there was no harm in trying—if it succeeded, the war might end instantly. They didn’t need to kill every Boruo. Just eliminate enough to instill fear in the rest. Martin chuckled. "So… you agree?" Ryan pondered momentarily and said. "The engineering team is fine, but frontline medical resources are tight; I can’t spare personnel… can I substitute with a squadron?" Martin grimaced. "A squadron… You mean your soldiers? I don’t doubt their bravery, but identifying causes of death stretches their expertise—" Ryan waved dismissively. "Then use the living." Honorary Army clones could be used without hesitation. If those quick yields didn’t suffice, they could always capture some locals. As long as Velantian casualties decreased, this trivial cost was worth it. Martin paused, incredulous, swiftly replaced by excitement and delight spreading across his face. "Oh, that’s splendid! Esteemed General! Thank you for supporting the eradication of wastelands—cough, I mean supporting science!" Ryan chuckled. "Don’t thank me yet; I’m waiting for results." "No problem! Sir!" Martin bowed deeply. "I won’t let you down!" Elsewhere, up north in Arkler County, two shadowy figures were observing Velantian forces cleaning up the riverbank battleground. Gazing at the bodies, Night Ten clicked his tongue. "Man… What a goddamn slaughter." If this were the real world, a nail-sized patch on the map could take months to resolve. Only wastelands, devoid of human regard, could witness such brutal fighting. With the Corps deploying five airships here, too many radars patrolled, preventing the duo from deploying drones to spy, leaving them crawling in ghillie suits for reconnaissance. Gale glanced at the VM screen’s time, then at the distant airship, speaking calmly. "Judging from the damage, one week should suffice... By the way, how long does your academy friend need?" Night Ten pondered. "A week should do it." Gale nodded, saying nothing as he focused on the truck loaded with corpses, frowning slightly. Seeing the Southern Corps soldiers loading Boruo bodies into a separate vehicle, driving alongside the winding riverside to a gentler terrain, they disposed of truckloads into the Everflowing River. Equally noticing the river activity, Night Ten furrowed his brows too. "What are they planning?" Night Ten pondered aloud. Gale thought for a moment before responding, "Perhaps they hope these bodies will wash downstream to the capital, breaking the resolve of Boruo's remaining resistance." He paused, then added, "Or, it could be poison." Aside from battle casualties, a significant number of Boruo soldiers had died from exposure to gas. According to intel from their allies, the Southern Army's gas shells seemed not to be mere synthetic toxins but viruses capable of some form of self-replication. This was far more potent than nuclear fallout. However, what truly bewildered Gale was the rationale behind such actions. If the Southern Army intended to occupy this land and its people, what could possibly justify these tactics? Unless— They were conducting some kind of experiment. And the virus deployed on the battlefield might just be an intermediary product of this experiment, or an “incomplete version” of a final product. That would explain everything.... ... News of Arkler County's fall had not yet reached the capital, but the demise of an indebted official had already spread through the official forum. While players engaged in a post-mortem discussion, a group of researchers in white coats busied themselves with tablets in a quiet corner of the Celestial Palace. These researchers were from the Academy, numbering around a hundred, ranging from an E-level minimum to a top rank of B-level. Since the war between the Southern Army and the Boruo Province nations began, the Academy borrowed part of the Celestial Palace from Abu Saike to establish an observation post. Though Boruo had no formal diplomatic ties with the Academy, Abu Saike quickly agreed when he heard they could aid against the Southern Army, even reallocating leftover medics, scribes, and officials to assist. Ostensibly helping, Abu Saike's real aim was for them to learn a thing or two. Yet the Academy cared little for these individuals' skills, using them only for menial tasks like serving tea. For research-related duties, the Academy relied on its own surveyors and apprentices. At the entrance to the observation post, Fang Chang presented an ID card with a scanning code to the bionic soldiers on duty. Accompanied by players clad in exoskeletons, he pushed a cart laden with body bags through the checkpoint. Jiang Xuezhou’s mentor, Yang Kai, stood near a barrack, directing several E-level researchers handling a square terminal device. Curious, Fang Chang approached and asked, "What’s this?" Yang Kai openly explained, skipping any theatrics, "We redesigned this terminal for the starship. It connects to the starship’s control servers, allowing adjustments to the reactor’s output and obtaining access permissions without entering its interior." "In theory, it seems simple, but executing it isn’t. Locals encased the starship with so much superfluous structure that access is virtually sealed." Fang Chang inquired, "Isn’t it repairable?" Yang Kai laughed heartily, joking, "Sometimes we're lazy but not blind. If it were fixable, it wouldn’t have been abandoned for over a century." Fang Chang found himself unable to argue against Yang Kai's logic. Yang Kai continued, teasingly, "The locals put such a gravitational burden on it that even anti-gravity engines struggle. According to our reactor checks, even without their shenanigans, this palace has only another 30-40 years in the air. After our meddling, maybe only 10-20 years remain. You’d better forewarn that chief of yours, so they don’t scapegoat us later." Fang Chang nodded, "I’ll inform him. But I doubt he's that petty." Yang Kai chuckled noncommittally, "One never knows." Having worked his way up from the grassroots, Yang Kai was well-acquainted with the mindset of wasteland survivors. Their sentiments were something he understood all too well… Noticing the cart and body bags, Yang Kai raised an eyebrow, anticipating Fang Chang's explanation. "Are these the so-called 'Death Dose' victims?" he asked. With the topic shifted to the body bags, Fang Chang turned serious, nodding, "Yes. These soldiers fell on the frontline. We discovered unfamiliar viruses in them, seemingly engineered. The Coalition’s Biological Research Institute is analyzing samples. The administrator hopes you might find something we’ve missed." Yang Kai rubbed his chin, expression growing solemn, "Alright, leave them here." Virus weapons are far more insidious than nuclear ones—the latter devastates an area; the former exploits entire ecosystems. He tapped his personal terminal, summoning a young man in a lab coat who exuded professionalism despite being barely eighteen, thanks especially to his polished forehead. "Professor, you called?" the young man addressed Yang Kai respectfully. "Qin Yuanxing, correct? Yes, I have something for you." After checking his tag for verification, Yang Kai continued briskly, "Our friends sent virus samples. Your research includes virology, yes? Perform RNA and pathology analysis. Then compare with our database to devise a cost-effective solution." The young man’s eyes lit up, eager, "Leave it to me!" The Academy boasted no shortage of researchers, just opportunities to shine. Despite his rank, his ability was on par with D-level peers, his only limitation being his lack of a lengthy CV. Watching the young man's departure, Fang Chang felt a pang of envy. Though the Coalition had its share of researchers, they weren’t so numerous as to easily assign significant projects by a simple callout. In research talent reserves, the Academy stood impressively deep. Oh, what it would mean to lure these E-levels to the Coalition! Unknowing of the envy he'd sparked with his unintentional flex, Yang Kai remained unaware his "corner" had already drawn interest. Distracting from the vanished figure, Fang Chang recalled another matter, saying, "According to frontline reports, the Velantians dumped virus-laden bodies in the river. We fear contamination of Everflow River's water." Yang Kai’s brow furrowed as he pondered, "You’ve valid concerns. Inform the local chief to have survivors practice hygiene: avoid river water for laundry, and boil drinking water." Dumping toxins into Everflow River… Those big noses played ruthless moves. Viruses wouldn't linger in Everflow forever, moved inevitably to sea, and who knew where fish or currents might spread them. Thankfully, the "Death Dose" bore high lethality, so its pathological imperfections limited its spread. Yet obviously, those battle-crazed lunatics wouldn’t settle for such an incomplete product; they’d surely refine current samples for enhanced transmission and efficiency. Wielding high-tech for harm was far easier than construction… To be continued.