Chapter 277 : The People of Suria Strike Back

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Ashadron's understanding, the course of a war should have been the enemy launching a major offensive across the entire broad front, steadily forcing the defenders' front line backward.

Therefore, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍all he needed to do was withdraw his forces some distance, reorganize and construct a new defensive line, then reinforce the frontline defenders with fresh troops that he would dispatch later.

However, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the battle unfolding at Trelenta was nothing like what the Allied rear headquarters had envisioned.

'Buzzz...'

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the two breakthrough points where the Alliance had punched through the front, twenty thousand surrendered Allied soldiers stood in dejected lines, handing over the weapons they carried.

Those ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍who had been completely disarmed squatted in various corners, eating a single piece of flatbread that had been distributed to them.

They would receive very little food during this period.

That one meal had to last them several days.

Only water was supplied in sufficient quantities.

By the time the follow-up forces arrived, they would be too weak from hunger to move, making them much easier to manage.

The captured soldiers obediently remained under guard, while the other Alliance units continued rushing down the roads without stopping.

Neither side interfered with the other.

Before long, however, the captured Allied soldiers noticed something strange.

The stream of military vehicles passing beside them continued growing larger, showing no sign of slowing down.

Regardless of their condition, every Allied prisoner stared blankly at the endless procession of armored vehicles driving past.

Besides the soldiers hanging onto the exteriors of the various tanks and armored vehicles, every troop transport truck and all-terrain vehicle was packed full of soldiers as well.

However, the expressions those soldiers directed toward them were generally anything but friendly.

Their uniforms were also different.

They more closely resembled those of the Kingdom of Suria's army.

Soon, the guard units completed their rotation.

The newly arrived troops displayed an attitude that had changed by a full one hundred and eighty degrees.

If a prisoner moved even slightly too slowly, they would immediately be cursed and shouted at.

Anyone foolish enough to show dissatisfaction on their face would receive a rifle butt smashed directly into it, leaving their face covered in blood.

Meanwhile, those who were clearly Alliance soldiers simply turned a blind eye.

Some looked up at the sky.

Others chatted casually among themselves.

In any case, none of them even glanced over.

They acted as though they heard nothing—not the cries of pain, the screams, nor the occasional gunshots.

These troops were all locally recruited auxiliary forces.

In other words,

They were local residents.

Because Suria possessed abundant natural resources such as petroleum, it had once prospered tremendously on the main continent thanks to the Alliance.

Nearly every household had lived in apartment buildings and owned automobiles.

Furthermore, because of its location on the main continent, Suria served as the crossroads between the cultures of both continents.

Its purchasing power was strong.

The standard of living enjoyed by its people had far surpassed that of most regions within the Alliance.

But after the Allied Nations invaded the Kingdom of Suria under the pretext of supporting the Crown Prince of Suria...

All of that disappeared.

When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact.

If the Allied Nations wanted to sustain the combat capability of their massive armies, then besides transporting supplies across vast distances from their own countries, the best solution was simply to live off the land.

There was no method simpler or more effective than outright looting.

Especially after arriving in the famously wealthy Suria.

Since they had already come,

It would have been a shame not to take home a few souvenirs.

Moreover, the widespread popularity of Alliance ideology throughout the Kingdom of Suria gave the Allied Nations an excuse to create even more trouble.

After arriving in Suria, the Allied forces looted virtually everything the local residents possessed.

Food.

Money.

Women.

Even able-bodied adults were dragged away to serve as cannon fodder on the frontlines or forced into unpaid labor.

No normal person would willingly allow everything they owned to be stolen away.

Violent clashes between the two sides occurred constantly throughout every occupied region controlled by the Allied Nations.

From the moment the Alliance launched its mobile warfare offensive until its forces reached Trelenta, every occupied region along the way presented an utterly miserable sight.

The smoke of war, shattered rubble, and collapsed buildings were one thing.

The local residents themselves were in even worse condition.

Each of them was dressed in rags, barely resembling living people anymore.

There were hardly any young children to be seen.

The moment they caught sight of Alliance soldiers, they embraced them even more eagerly than their own fathers.

Their cries were utterly heart-wrenching.

The once prosperous cities had almost been reduced to barren wastelands.

Besides piles of rubble, there was only drifting white dust and deep pits everywhere that had been used to dump and burn corpses.

Despite the prolonged tug-of-war on the battlefield, the combined military casualties of both sides had totaled only around one million.

Yet the Kingdom of Suria's population had conservatively declined by thirty percent during this upheaval.

Far more civilians had been struck by bullets than the soldiers actually fighting on the frontlines.

After finally enduring that living hell and being rescued by the Alliance's main army, their initial joy and relief gradually faded.

What replaced it was boundless resentment...

And overwhelming fury.

Strictly speaking, the Alliance had never originally planned to recruit local civilians into military service.

There was simply no need.

Nor would they be easy to coordinate.

No one knew how much combat effectiveness they would actually possess.

Besides, the Alliance still had to consider King Bratt's dignity.

After all,

His country had not yet fallen.

However, once large portions of the nation had been liberated, Bratt immediately declared nationwide wartime mobilization while handing over all military command authority to the Alliance High Command.

Although fighting along his front remained fierce, the overall strategic situation had already completely reversed.

The Allied forces that had once surrounded the royal capital now found themselves trapped within multiple Alliance encirclements, facing imminent annihilation.

Having survived the greatest crisis of his life, Bratt naturally intended to repay blood with blood and tooth for tooth.

Not only him—

His people also needed an outlet for their endless rage.

That was how the Homeland Defense Forces came into existence.

Countless civilians could no longer endure the humiliation of falling from free human beings back into livestock awaiting slaughter.

They chose to unconditionally support the government that continued resisting.

They also needed weapons in their own hands to guarantee their safety.

Thus, they continuously enlisted and took up rifles.

Suria had broken through the limitations of traditional kingdoms.

It completed a nationwide general mobilization.

Using local resistance forces as the backbone, it established Homeland Defense Forces named after each state.

Their primary mission was to cooperate with the Alliance's second-wave mechanized infantry in recapturing the towns isolated and cut apart by the vanguard armored forces.

As for how they chose to treat the prisoners who surrendered...

That no longer fell under the jurisdiction of the Alliance High Command.

Do whatever you want.

We don't know.

We won't interfere.

Nor will we express any opinion.

“Hey! It's an honor to meet you, Brigadier General Sergey!”

Hearing the voice, Sergey instinctively turned around.

Looking at the two women walking toward him with pilot helmets tucked under their arms, he asked curiously,

“You are? Is there a new mission from headquarters?”

“A mission? There is one.”

“You need to get to know me and my partner.”

“Because from now on, your Airborne troops will be reaching the battlefield through us most of the time.”

“Hmm... including whenever you need fire support~”

“Allow me to formally introduce myself.”

“My name is Nelly Dart, Senior Pilot of the Alliance.”

“This is Gudny Hayes, my co-pilot and weapons systems operator.”

“Sergey Andar.”

Sergey stood up and politely shook hands with both women before asking,

“So, from the sound of it, we'll be working together from now on?”

“The bomber crews have been assigned to the Airborne Forces?”

“Her Majesty is certainly generous.”

“No...”

“We don't fly bombers.”

“Those big things are far too clumsy.”

“Forget it.”

“Just come with us.”

“You'll understand as soon as you see it~”