Chapter 279 : Beyond Seven Steps, the Gun Is Faster

If ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍a person was at their most vulnerable halfway through using the restroom, then an army was at its least prepared while getting ready to eat.

Aside ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍from the security troops guarding the outer perimeter, who still held their positions waiting for the next shift to relieve them, the soldiers resting inside, while not so careless as to completely lower their guard by throwing their rifles aside and eating empty-handed, could not avoid becoming scattered in formation.

After ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the long march, most of the Allied soldiers had already reached the limits of their endurance. Hungry and exhausted, they squatted on the ground, stuffing hard black bread into their mouths while washing it down with hot water.

Before ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Challenger helicopters greeted them with a volley of rockets, many Allied soldiers simply stared blankly with mouths full of food before being blasted into the sky.

Those ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were actually the lucky ones.

Many ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍soldiers stationed near the forest were caught by the first wave of charging tanks. The comrades who had been laughing and chatting just moments earlier ended up plastered onto the tank tracks.

Thirty tons being classified as a medium tank was merely the Alliance's own standard.

In reality, among the Allied nations, a thirty-ton vehicle was already considered a heavy tank.

In terms of motorization efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and terrain accessibility, thirty tons was already one of the heaviest tanks that could realistically appear on a battlefield in this world.

Anything above the forty-to-seventy-ton range was almost never seen in normal warfare. Even the tanks copied by the Allied forces generally weighed around forty tons. Anything heavier imposed extremely demanding road requirements and could barely move across most terrain.

“Enemy attack!!! Return fire where you stand!!”

“Where are the Magic Armor troops?! Where are the tanks?! Hurry! Push them back!”

Several magic soldiers who had been resting and chatting beneath a tree turned pale at the sight of more than a dozen Sherman tanks bursting out of the woods, frantically sprinting toward the Magic Armor units parked nearby.

Since ordinary soldiers made up the majority of the army, the kneeling Magic Armor units and parked tanks were enormous, conspicuous targets, making them the Challengers' first priority.

Besides the rockets used for area bombardment against infantry, the twin externally mounted Gatling guns unleashed dense curtains of fire across the equipment staging area, creating a deadly storm of metal that riddled every Magic Armor unit and tank along the way with holes.

The drivers and operators who rushed toward their equipment were destroyed together with their battlefield partners.

More and more tanks and infantry fighting vehicles poured out of the forest, mercilessly slaughtering Allied soldiers who had failed to establish effective defensive positions.

Even the tracked anti-aircraft vehicles equipped with quadruple-mounted 20 mm anti-aircraft cannons lowered their barrels to bombard the routed Allied troops. A single shell was enough to blow a body into multiple pieces.

However, the Magic Armor units and tanks stationed farther away still gained the precious time needed to start up, gradually launching counterattacks against the Alliance troops charging out of the forest.

The Allied commander desperately directed the disciplinary troops to reorganize part of the core force as quickly as possible and rush toward the outer edge of the camp, where trenches had already been dug in advance.

Originally, those trenches had been prepared to defend against attacks from the outside.

But trenches were, after all, bidirectional fortifications.

Now they were perfectly suited for defending against attacks coming from within.

The battlefield was engulfed in chaos.

Gunfire, artillery blasts, explosions, and screams echoed without end.

The armored forces charging out of the forest seemed endless, smashing through one defensive line after another established by the Allied commander with overwhelming force.

The rear hatches of the infantry fighting vehicles swung open as large numbers of Alliance soldiers leaped out, shouldering their AKM assault rifles and sweeping away the remaining Allied troops at close range.

The terrifying rate of fire and magazine capacity of the assault rifles left many burly Allied soldiers, who had been charging forward with enchanted longswords or bayonets for close combat, completely dumbfounded.

Beyond seven steps, the gun was faster.

Within seven steps, the gun was both accurate and fast.

The first magazine loaded into every Alliance soldier's AKM was generally a drum magazine holding over forty-five rounds.

Within one hundred meters, the resulting storm of metal was an absolute forbidden zone for carbon-based lifeforms.

Even a mage protected by a magical shield would be turned into a human colander by the AKM's extremely high muzzle velocity and concentrated firepower at that distance.

With no obstacles blocking the line of sight, and helicopters overhead constantly identifying and eliminating targets, this kind of battlefield was exactly the environment armored forces loved most and excelled at fighting in.

More and more attack helicopters entered the battlefield, bombarding Allied armored formations everywhere with rockets and autocannon fire.

The armored torrent spearheaded by the Sherman tanks split the fifty-thousand-strong Allied force directly through its center, forcing the Allied commander—who had yet to establish a firm foothold—to continue retreating with his elite troops.

The light tanks that followed then cooperated with the infantry fighting vehicles and the dismounted infantry regiments, advancing outward from the center to encircle the Allied troops who had failed to retreat in time.

One became two.

Two became four.

The battlefield was continuously divided and encircled piece by piece.

When the two gunships that had been standing by finally arrived over the battlefield under fighter escort, their enormous shadows overhead—and the relentless six-barrel Vulcan Cannons pouring fire directly into the Allied headquarters—became the final straw that crushed the main force's resistance.

The orderly withdrawal they had barely managed to maintain ultimately collapsed into a complete rout.

With the central command structure gone, the fifty-thousand-man Allied army disintegrated into chaos and fled in every direction.

Large numbers of thoroughly battered Allied soldiers dropped to their knees and surrendered, while even more routed troops chose to flee.

The armored army commander had no interest in such a scattered enemy.

After glancing at the marked locations on his map, he ignored the defeated soldiers kneeling nearby and calmly led the vanguard in pursuit of the main body of fleeing troops.

Above the Hosath Region

The first breakthrough armored army tore open a gap in the outer ring of the Allied main force around Hosath.

A bomber squadron carrying airborne troops, which had been circling overhead awaiting the opportunity, immediately descended to a lower altitude.

A logistics support officer wearing a tactical vest quickly and concisely briefed the troops waiting inside the aircraft.

“Set your altimeters to five hundred meters. There won't be much wind at the drop zone. Drift will be negligible.”

“Altimeters stabilized and calibrated. Oxygen on!”

“The red light is on. The red light is on. We've reached the designated altitude. Lower the jump platform.”

After descending to the designated altitude, the support officer opened the rear cargo door and gave everyone a thumbs-up.

“We'll have a drink together when you get back.”

“Move! Move! Move!”

Carrying parachute packs and wearing windproof helmets, the soldiers grabbed the weapon containers mounted on the guide rails.

As the electromagnetic launch system activated, they were propelled out of the aircraft by the momentum of the weapon containers, immediately tucking in their limbs as they dove after the containers toward the ground.

“Stay with the weapon container. Wait for the signal.”

After breaking through the clouds, they spread their limbs and rolled onto their backs, looking up at the sun, whose glare was softened by their visors.

As their altitude rapidly dropped, the altimeters emitted urgent warning tones.

Hundreds of parachutes blossomed across the sky one after another.

High-altitude jump, low-altitude deployment, rapid descent.

The airborne troops completed their insertion at maximum speed.

The locator beacons inside the weapon containers that had landed nearby transmitted signals at a specific frequency.

The paratroopers immediately sprinted toward the containers and armed themselves.

Their mission was to ensure that the breakthrough corridor carved out by the vanguard armored army would not be severed by the enemy again.

Following the designated transportation routes, they would reconnoiter and eliminate nearby Allied defensive positions until the rear mechanized forces arrived to relieve them.

Only then would their mission be considered successfully completed.

To support this mission, one squadron of armed helicopters from the vanguard would be assigned exclusively to the airborne troops.

Several all-terrain vehicles were also airlifted in to provide them with rapid mobility.