Chapter 321: Chapter 172: Stunned by Close-Quarters Combat, Heading to the Marne River
After entering the Arden Forest, Kong Yang’s unit advanced as the vanguard according to orders.
Walking behind the team, Kong Yang felt the difference between World War I and World War II at this moment.
In World War II, it was mainly a torrent of iron and steel.
While in World War I, with planes and tanks not yet fully developed, it was mainly human-powered; just like here in Arden Forest, which was swiftly pushed through by the torrent of iron during World War II.
Now, it’s relying on legs to run through, the sense of the difference between eras sweeping over.
Kong Yang and the people around him stealthily moved forward, quickly reaching the French troops stationed in Arden Forest.
The good news was that the French soldiers were completely unprepared.
Kong Yang watched while others went back to report.
During the wait for the main force, looking at the unprepared French troops below, Kong Yang used the zoom function in the live stream room to show the French troops opposite:
"Brothers, how long do you think France can hold on?"
"Want to place a bet?"
"Bet with the free little shark."
"I’m in."
"Two days."
As he spoke, Kong Yang opened a polling.
[How many days will it take for the Imperial forces to break through the Arden Forest?]
There were seven options below, from one day to seven days. Kong Yang placed all his free little sharks on the second option, two days.
The Blue Star viewers in the live room followed suit, and the numbers of little sharks for all seven options surged.
But the most went for the seven-day option, and Blue Star viewers also had their opinions:
[World War I is different from World War II; the current French soldiers are much tougher than those in World War II, they should at least hold on for 7 days.]
[That’s right, before in CG, France held its ground in Verdun; they shouldn’t surrender this time either.]
[That’s one way to say it, but don’t forget that the French soldiers over there are completely unprepared; when the Imperial main force pushes through, how could they hold for 7 days? I think it’ll be gone in 1 day.]
[Saying 1 day is kind of an insult, I’ll go with the streamer, two days!]
The Blue Star viewers in the live room chimed in.
But mostly they were just guessing blindly.
After all, no one knows how the war will develop; just guessing based on the current situation.
And those French troops in the distance aren’t prepared at all.
When the Imperial forces launch a surprise attack, it’s hard to say if they can hold on.
Even though it’s known that World War I French soldiers were different from World War II, without having seen it with their own eyes, it’s better to estimate conservatively.
Kong Yang’s live room was betting.
Meanwhile, in the neighboring live rooms with the [Immersive Plot] mode, there were also streamers in the Arden Forest.
...
At this time.
In Han Hao’s live room, within the [Immersive Plot] mode, having chosen the French Empire, he was also located at the unnoticeable French troop in Arden Forest.
The viewers in the live room warned Han Hao that the Imperial forces were already surrounding them.
Although each person’s [Immersive Plot] mode is separate, the plot development is the same, so when the Imperial camp streamers enter Arden Forest.
The streamers in the French camp generally knew through the viewers.
But....
It was useless.
The grunts have no say, Han Hao hid behind a bunker, complaining:
"Of course I know the Imperial forces are here."
"The problem is I can’t even see the officers in this camp."
"Damn it."
"And you can’t imagine how stubborn those French officers are!"
"They are completely old-fashioned!"
"No wonder the World War I French soldiers were so tough, their commanders were so obstinate."
Just as he was speaking.
Boom! Boom——
A muffled explosion suddenly echoed continuously through the forest, Han Hao’s heart skipped a beat, the Imperial forces’ attack began, while the surrounding French soldiers still looked up in confusion, wondering where the muffled thunder came from.
Upon seeing this, Han Hao immediately shouted:
"It’s artillery shells!!!"
"Get down!!"
As the voice fell, some soldiers around reacted, while some did not.
The next second.
Boom boom boom boom——!
Artillery shells rained down on the camp, soil flew up, and the once-standing French soldiers were swept away by the blast, crashing into a nearby tree.
Crack!
The whole body bent backward bizarrely, falling helplessly to the ground.
The camp fell into chaos.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!!"
"Quick! Organize the troops to launch a counterattack!"
"Where is the enemy?!"
"North forest!"
"Don’t panic! Everyone...."
Tut tut tut tut——!!!
Before the words were even finished, a burst of machine gun fire roared into the camp from the dense forest.
The frantically running French soldiers were felled like wheat; Han Hao was relatively calm at this moment, after all having witnessed such scenes many times during World War II, hiding behind a bunker.
But the command of the troops in the camp made his head ache:
"Damn it, did you hear!"
"Still organizing manpower for an attack in such a time!"
"That seen officer!"
"Always touting the ’attack supremacy’ theory, saying soldiers should charge."
"Organizing a charge now, are they targets?!"
However...
The French officers in the camp actually did just that.
Faced with the Imperial artillery and machine gun fire, the first reaction of the French officers in the camp was to organize an attack, purely by-the-book operations, completely ignoring the battlefield situation.