Chapter 56 Wind
"General, the Avecour Forest has fallen!" Pétain's adjutant Cerigny, holding a document in his hand, passed the news to Pétain who was still lying on the hospital bed in a panic.
The dim light in the ward shone on Pétain's tired face. His eyes looked extremely tired from long-term viewing of maps and illness, but those eyes still revealed a firm and indomitable light.
Pétain took the document and glanced through it with slightly trembling hands. His face suddenly turned livid. His finger joints became stiff with anger and his knuckles turned white, as if he was about to crush the thin piece of paper.
"Those bastards! Cough cough cough..." Pétain threw the documents aside angrily and started coughing violently on the bed in excitement. His chest heaved violently, as if he wanted to cough out all the anger in his heart. Every cough seemed to tear his throat and lungs, making his voice more hoarse and painful.
This was not only because the fall of Avercul Forest would pose a serious threat to the entire line of defense, but also because the line of defense fell without even two hours of resistance.
Moreover, so many people were captured without even putting up any decent resistance. This was an utter humiliation for Pétain, and his eyes flashed with flames of anger and shame.
"Tell the front line to recapture the Avercour Forest at all costs! Hill 304 must not fall!" Pétain shouted in his hoarse voice due to fever, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his chest.
"Also, call Commander-in-Chief Joffre and ask him when our reinforcements will arrive!"
"Yes!" Seligny immediately passed on Pétain's order, his face still showing fear and worry.
……
Paris
"Commander-in-Chief, General Pétain called to say that the Avecour Forest has fallen and asked when the reinforcements will arrive." Joffre's adjutant pushed open Joffre's office and informed him of the shocking news, but to the adjutant's surprise, there was a young man sitting in front of Joffre's desk.
Joffre stood at the window with his back to his adjutant. Paris outside the window looked exceptionally peaceful in the sunshine, forming a sharp contrast with the flames of war on the front line.
The sunlight shone on his shoulders, giving his figure a golden glow, but his back looked heavy and worried.
"understood."
When Xiafei heard the adjutant's words, he slowly turned around, still keeping a calm expression on his face, and just waved his hand to signal the adjutant to leave.
After the adjutant left, Xiafei's originally calm face immediately turned cold as ice, and his eyes stared angrily at the young man in front of him, as if he wanted to spit out flames from his eyes and burn the young man to death.
"This is different from what you said before. Didn't you say that France would not lose this war? Why is Prussia still increasing its offensive investment in Verdun? And didn't your bullshit Abraham Treaty stipulate that half-bloods would not participate in ordinary people's wars? What's going on in the Avercour Forest!" Joffre roared in a low voice to the young man in front of him, suppressing his anger.
The big explosion in the Kaurer Forest before could be considered to be caused by the Prussian army's 420mm artillery, and he could also think that Fort Douaumont fell so easily because the defenders inside were drastically reduced.
But now what had happened in the Avercourt Forest left him no excuse, and he no longer believed that the Prussian army could break through a complete line of defense in two hours without some special help.
"General Joffre, calm down. We will do what we say. We will urge Haig to launch the Somme offensive as soon as possible. By then, part of the Prussian army in Verdun will have to be sent to defend it. The remaining Prussian army will naturally not be able to take Verdun." The young man was still smiling, completely unaware of Joffre's angry eyes. There was an unsettling calmness in his smile, as if everything was under control.
"But Commander-in-Chief Joffre seems to have objections to our Abraham Treaty. It's not just Prussia that has mixed-bloods participating in the war. Doesn't France have them as well? Aren't there De Leon of the Kaurè Forest and Markel of the Kaub Forest? But they're all dead now, so we don't care. But that doesn't mean that the Abraham Treaty is just a decoration." When he said this, the young man narrowed his eyes slightly, his light golden pupils emitted a strange light, and there was a hint of danger in the smile on the corner of his mouth.
"We have been keeping an eye on the half-breed in the Avokur Forest since the time we were in the Kore Forest. We originally wanted Markel to kill him, but we didn't expect that it was Markel who was killed. But please rest assured, Commander-in-Chief Joffre, we have already sent someone to deal with it, and I believe there will be a result soon." His voice was low and calm, like a poisonous snake lurking in the dark, ready to attack at any time.
……
Because there were so many prisoners captured at once, the Bavarian Division had to send people to transport these prisoners to the camp in the rear for detention, and the plan to attack Hill 304 was postponed for one day.
"Mr. Lieutenant, it's raining!" Hill took the food and went into the bunker where Lu Mingfei and his men were stationed. His face was covered with rain and there was a hint of excitement and helplessness in his voice. The rain kept dripping down his hair and collar onto the ground of the bunker.
Behind him were several new recruits with lunch boxes hanging all over their bodies. Their faces showed the immaturity and fatigue typical of new recruits, but there was also a hint of a smile on their faces.
Since the bunkers and trenches on the French positions were intact, Lu Mingfei and his men no longer had to stay in the dark and damp assault trenches. Although the bunkers were simple, they were a rare shelter compared to the harsh environment outside.
"Damn it, it's raining so hard, tomorrow's attack plan won't be delayed again?" Paul heard Hill's words and looked out from the firing hole of the machine gun, his voice full of worry. The raindrops kept hitting the edge of the firing hole, making a crisp sound, reflecting his inner uneasiness.
Delaying the attack means giving the opponent more time to prepare, and when they launch the attack, the attack will be more fierce.
The rain began to fall heavier and heavier. Rainwater had begun to accumulate in some trenches outside, and the ground had become muddy. Paul couldn't imagine what the scene would be like tomorrow when they stepped on the mud and launched an attack on Hill 304 not far away.
"What's the use of worrying about these things? We can't control whether it will rain or not. Let's come and eat. Today's meal is really sumptuous!" Hill said as he patted the rain off his clothes, and then he couldn't wait to open the lunch box he brought back.
Because they had won a great victory today, the food was especially good. The bread was no longer the hard black bread that could kill people, but soft white bread, as well as smoked sausages, broth, and even half a bottle of champagne for each person. The aroma of the food filled the bunker, dispelling some of the gloom and coldness, giving people a brief warmth and comfort. The champagne was captured in the Champagne area, and the cigarettes were doubled. The recruits showed long-lost smiles, as if these foods made them forget the cruelty of the war for a while.
Lu Mingfei looked at the food and his originally irritable mood improved a little. He hadn't eaten anything delicious for a long time. Since he arrived in Verdun, he had either had black bread or emergency rations.
They were advancing too fast, so the supply lines in the rear had to prioritize delivering ammunition to them. As for food, they could only take what was easy to store and transport. Even though Lu Mingfei was an officer, the food he ate was not much different from that of ordinary soldiers. At most, they were given more cigarettes.
Lu Mingfei's appetite became active because of the aroma of food. He picked up a piece of white bread and took a bite. The soft texture and light wheat aroma made him sigh.
The entire position was filled with a jubilant atmosphere due to the victory in the first battle. As for the wine, Lu Mingfei did not let his soldiers drink too much, as they still had to launch an attack tomorrow, and if they got drunk they would be finished. They also had to pay attention to the possible artillery shells fired from Hill 304 not far away.
He looked at his soldiers, each of whom had a smile on his face, but he knew that the battle was far from over and they could not let their guard down.
At night, the rain was still falling. It had been raining for several hours. The water in the trenches outside was almost waist-deep. Some soldiers who were on duty outside also hid in the bunkers. The sound of rain was like a low drumbeat, constantly hitting the trenches and bunkers, bringing a depressing atmosphere.
"It's over. Our attack really has to be postponed." Hill, who was originally immersed in the delicious food, looked at the rain getting heavier outside and began to worry about tomorrow's situation.
"Something's wrong..." Lu Mingfei walked out of the bunker and looked at the heavy rain outside. The ground had been soaked by the rain and was as soft as a swamp. He looked up at the edge of the forest and found that the rain there seemed to be less than here. He frowned and had an ominous premonition in his heart.
Yan Ling·Kamaitachi
The bat-shaped elf began to fly through the rain and among the trees, transmitting all the sounds into Lu Mingfei's ears. When the sickle-weasel passed through the entire forest, Lu Mingfei's feeling of something was wrong reached its peak.
The torrential rain only covered this forest. When leaving the forest, no rain fell from the sky.
Just when Lu Mingfei was wondering what was going on, the whistling sound of the shells flying through the air was caught by the kamaitachi, and his face suddenly changed.
"Everyone, attention! Bombardment!"
Lu Mingfei shouted to the outside with all his might, but the sound of the falling rain covered up his shouting. Only a few people heard his shouting, but none of them could hear clearly what he was shouting. His voice seemed weak and feeble in the sound of the rain and was almost drowned out.
But Hill and the others behind Lu Mingfei heard it clearly. Out of trust in Lu Mingfei, they immediately lay on the ground and prepared for the incoming artillery fire. Their movements were swift and skillful, showing their reactions through rigorous training.
"Bang!!!" The sound of explosions continued in the forest, accompanied by screams one after another. Each of these shells landed on the bunkers or trenches with great accuracy, causing very serious casualties to the Bavarian Division. The flames of the explosions illuminated the entire night sky, revealing faces distorted by pain and fear.
…………
304 Highlands
"Christ, how's it going? Did you hit it?" A handsome young man with golden pupils, green scales on the corners of his eyes, and a mouth full of fangs asked another young man with his eyes closed. His voice was a little proud and provocative, as if he was enjoying the fun of this game.
"Hit the bull's eye." The young man opened his golden pupils and raised the corners of his mouth. His eyes flashed with coldness and confidence, as if this war was just a hunt for him.
He had just used the Word Snake to transmit the main positions of the Bavarian Division to the minds of all the artillerymen. Every shell seemed to have eyes and landed precisely at the designated location.
If Kamaitachi is a map cheat, then Word Snake is a map cheat plus a walkie-talkie. Of course, this does not mean that Word Snake is stronger than Kamaitachi. Snakes put a huge burden on users, and users will be very vulnerable when using snakes.
"Oh, it seems that your Vacuum Snake is really suitable for artillery fire. No wonder those old guys sent you to be my partner this time." said the young man with fangs, with a hint of sarcasm and disdain in his voice.
"But the half-breed doesn't seem to be hurt. He is worthy of being called a super half-breed by the Elders' Council. Sweetin, you must be careful." Suddenly, Christ seemed to sense something and frowned. His expression became serious, and a hint of vigilance was revealed in his eyes.
"Super hybrid? Hahaha! I am a dragon descendant who has successfully walked the path to deification. No hybrid can be compared with me!" After hearing what Christ said, Sweeting covered his forehead and laughed up to the sky. His laughter was extremely crazy. His voice echoed in the night sky with a terrifying arrogance and confidence.
"Those old guys asked me to bring him back alive. Hahaha, just wait and see how I bring them back a breathing torso!" His laughter was full of murderous intent and determination, as if he had already seen the scene of the enemy being defeated by him.
After saying that, the wind began to gather towards Sweetin, actually making him float up, and then flew towards the direction of Avokur Forest.
Word Spirit: Eyes of the Wind King
I'm so damn busy today. That idiot dug up the first cup of milk tea in autumn again. I'm so tired. I originally wanted to finish writing the battle.
(End of this chapter)
