Counterfeit Hero

The twenty-first simulation of the battle scenario quickly concluded.

Fatty didn’t even last until the midpoint of the scenario this time, performing worse than in previous attempts. This made Margaret even more worried. However, Fatty and Hastings were unusually quiet this time, not saying a word before directly setting up a new simulation scenario, leading to the twenty-second confrontation.

The twenty-second confrontation also ended quickly.

Under Margaret’s anxious gaze, Fatty didn’t rush to start a new round. Instead, he lit a cigarette, concentrated, and contemplated for a while before creating the twenty-third simulation. Throughout the process, his face remained silly, like a stubborn stone, showing no sign of sudden enlightenment.

As Fatty was deep in thought, Hastings remained silent, simply waiting patiently.

The twenty-third simulation began.

Margaret, feeling uneasy due to the unusual behavior of the two, stood behind Fatty. The same scenario had been played out from the first confrontation to now. The terrain, timing, the strength of forces, equipment, electronic suppression, and the advantages and disadvantages of the SkyNet System at different stages—she could almost recite them from memory.

Margaret knew this round was tough for Fatty. Even she, having received over twenty years of guidance from Hastings, wasn’t entirely confident of a victory if she were to take the field herself. Her only slight advantage over Fatty was her seasoned command skills and strategic mindset to break through such scenarios.

Without sacrifice, there is no victory.

And what can be sacrificed isn’t just soldiers’ lives.

At least, in this simulation scenario, Margaret knew there were many things that could be sacrificed, like the city being defended by the forces.

The Blue Army, commanded by Hastings, had the objective of completely capturing the city.

Compared to Fatty, the Blue Army’s strategic task was more difficult. With the strength of two divisions aiming to break through the defenses of four divisions to fully capture the city, the challenge was immense. Additionally, even as the guiding figure in the educational simulation, Hastings, although knowing the Red Army’s casualty limit was ten percent, wouldn’t exploit this weakness with a god-like perspective. He simply arranged tactics with the goal of capturing the city according to the simulation protocol.

This provided an opportunity for the Red Army.

With the grasp of nearly all strategic points, a strong defensive line, complete intelligence, and command system, the Red Army could widen the scenario merely by retreating intentionally within the allotted space and time.

If they merely held out stubbornly in the positions on the city outskirts, the ten percent casualty rate would inevitably prove insufficient. Only by abandoning part of the occupied city, extending the Blue Army’s battle line, or luring the Blue Army into deeper defense layers could the Red Army’s troop superiority be utilized to encircle and segment the Blue Army.

Using the defended city to exchange for casualty rates was the only method Margaret could think of at the moment.

No battle scenario is isolated, and this simulation scenario was no exception. Beyond the attacking and defending sides, there was a larger engagement. All victory conditions must be based on the strategic needs of this major scenario.

Although the Red Army’s casualty rate was stringent, its victory conditions didn’t completely require the annihilation of the Blue Army. The Blue Army’s all-out assault was only within one phase. If the Red Army could eliminate sixty percent of the Blue Army’s forces, the system would automatically determine the Blue Army as losing. If they could delay the Blue Army’s assault for more than ten days and increase its casualty rate to forty percent, the Blue Army would equally be judged as unsuccessful.

Using part of the city as the battlefield would be cruel in reality, leading to enormous civilian casualties. However, for a competent Commander, this is not a difficult choice. In warfare, the army is everything. If unnecessary indecision leads to failure, the pain endured wouldn’t just be the loss of a city but of a planet, or even a nation.

Seeing the two individuals initiate the simulation once again, Margaret couldn’t help but sigh.

Fatty seemed entirely unwilling to abandon the city. His battle line remained at the city’s perimeter defenses, steadfast. The only difference was he not only didn’t open a corridor but actively advanced, shifting the entire warzone towards the Blue Army’s direction.

On the screen, the Red Army was split into hundreds of varying-sized units, fighting across trenches, woods, agricultural areas, hills, and mountains around the city perimeter. Under Fatty’s command, these units operated like tangled threads, covering each other, coordinating, and frequently launching attacks on the Blue Army.

Active assault was also a way to achieve victory.

However, in Margaret’s view, this seemed self-defeating. It must be noted, commanding the Blue Army wasn’t anyone else but her grandfather, the Military God Hastings.

Perhaps in others’ eyes, Hastings had become a symbol.

This symbol, rather than representing the pinnacle of military talent, symbolizes the victor of a battle thirty years ago.

Even as a victor, it was thirty years ago. They respect Hastings, study his tactics, view his words as gospel, and worship him. But how many among them truly understand this Military God?!