First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 160
Chapter 160: Melee
Ye Buqing and the others successfully regrouped in the forest.
Lian Sheng took roll call and had them exchange equipment.
Ye Buqing swapped for a Pojun mech, while Cheng Ze still took a heavy armor unit. The others with higher shooting proficiency retained their sniper-type mechs.
They felt somewhat relieved internally, but no one showed it, silently switching mechs.
The atmosphere in this part of the forest was oppressive, but entirely different from the suppressed excitement near the waterfall. There, it was restrained fervor; here, it was pure dejection.
After the exchange, everyone continued moving deeper into the dense forest according to their mech types.
This left one person without a mech and several others using damaged equipment.
They trailed at the rear of the group, hesitantly following along, unsure what to do next.
Were they to serve as cannon fodder? Would they be assigned any tasks? Would this match still be interesting to fight?
Lian Sheng's voice suddenly came through: "Those at the back, stop. You don't need to go further."
The students' footsteps faltered. They knew Lian Sheng was calling them.
When Lian Sheng said this, their hearts leapt into their throats, almost making it hard to breathe.
Though they knew they couldn't be of much help now, hearing these words from her—whether sarcastic or gently comforting—would be a massive blow.
They opened their mouths to speak, inhaled, then swallowed their words.
Then Lian Sheng continued: "I have the most important mission to assign you."
They were stunned, instinctively looking up. But ahead was only dense forest.
Of course, Lian Sheng was still sitting by the waterfall.
Lian Sheng marked a position on their maps and said, "You'll go there later. For now, stay here."
"The red team has been aggressively attacking since earlier and will likely soon realize we're gathering at the waterfall. When their main force approaches, don't confront them head-on. If encountered, retreat. After they enter our defensive line, you'll move to your designated positions and wait in ambush." Lian Sheng explained slowly, "Use your energy guns. Those without mechs can share with comrades nearby. Stay well-hidden. The moment red team members appear, attack without hesitation. Also, watch your footprints, friends."
Though it hadn't rained in the forest area, mech footprints were still too conspicuous.
They studied the map carefully.
The marked location was near the waterfall in the dense forest, yet not particularly special.
Combined with Lian Sheng remaining stationary by the waterfall from the start...
A male student suddenly realized: "This is... could it be... ah!"
Lian Sheng: "Shh—! Be good."
The students: "..."
Who are you treating like a child here?!
"Then I'll leave it to you. Be careful with your shots—no friendly fire." Lian Sheng said, "Have fun."
They felt complex emotions churning inside, unable to find words to describe it. No one spoke.
Then one person grunted in acknowledgment, and they settled in to wait.
The instructors observing this scene wore peculiar expressions.
"This kid... has real potential," an instructor said meaningfully. "She's a good kid."
The military isn't about life-or-death competition. Never has been.
They're comrades, brothers who entrust their lives to each other. They must place faith in one another, then share the same goal and resolve, dedicating their lives in the same place to protect life itself.
Even during the Expeditionary Force's selection training, this relationship holds true.
Everyone who comes here, regardless of ability, deserves respect. Their fearless spirit in standing up for the Alliance and loved ones should be honored.
Everyone shares the same doubts, but the military won't abandon anyone based on skill. Because they stand here to protect Alliance citizens—they themselves are Alliance citizens too. No one is expendable.
Soothing all anxieties is also something one must learn.
Yet few truly consider these things. Lian Sheng, as commander standing highest and farthest, most prone to overlooking such details, noticed them anyway.
Regardless of this match's outcome, he decided he liked this student.
After a moment of silence, the rear students said:
"After fighting alongside Lian Sheng, you want to keep doing it."
"Yeah. She's strict with everyone on the battlefield, but also respectful."
"Feels like countless brothers are right beside us. It's thrilling, and not scary at all."
"Scared of what? Who even considers losing? Lian Sheng acts like 'how could I possibly lose?'"
"Ah no no. If you're Lian Sheng's opponent and talk to her, you'll die of anger."
Meanwhile, the red team had finished preparations.
They decided to attack straight down the center. With personnel scattered, regrouping would waste time. The vice commander calculated movements from different points toward the center line, attacking while converging to save time.
They also had teams nearest the waterfall patrol for anything suspicious.
After the vice commander's prompt, the red team commander and others began advancing straight ahead. Rear teams signaled readiness while providing speed and route details.
Ji Fangxiao, mixed in the ranks, listened to their constant discussions, formations, and charges—everything proceeding smoothly like his usual simulated battles. He frowned, pensive.
Something felt off, but he couldn't pinpoint what.
The red team commander and members concluded their plans confidently. Team morale was good—the earlier surprise hadn't shaken them, instead raising vigilance. This was optimal—if they could leverage this initiative, victory seemed assured.
After some joking, the commander suddenly asked, "Ji Fangxiao, what do you think? You've been quiet—weren't you going to advise me?"
Ji Fangxiao weighed his words carefully: "Her tactics have never been this straightforward. It feels strange."
The commander laughed: "Straightforward? I think it's like rock-paper-scissors—simple or complex, there's always an opposite possibility. Whether she's bluffing or planning countermeasures, who can say? On the battlefield, we can only trust our eyes and analysis."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
No tactic is 100% foolproof. Every choice carries risk, especially in large-scale battles where one move affects the whole situation. They could only analyze pros and cons, then stake their chips on the most likely outcome.
This was fundamental for every commander.
Ji Fangxiao hesitated. Though he doubted his words would be believed—might even draw mockery—he couldn't bear watching his comrades suffer crushing defeat (himself included).
So he added: "Be prepared for the prisoner not being at the waterfall."
They reviewed the rules again, finding no issues, then laughed:
"If not at the waterfall, then where?"
"Confirmed white team gathering at waterfall—no problem. Scouts saw them forming defensive lines. More coming. Situation established."
"We've almost searched the entire map—only that area left. Where else could the prisoner be? What alternative approaches exist beyond the waterfall?"
"The prisoner was hidden by their commander. But earlier, their commander never appeared, just loitered in designated areas. Unlikely to be elsewhere."
"Once bitten, twice shy—Ji Fangxiao, your quality is lacking!"
"I thought nothing scared you, Ji Fangxiao! Haha!"
"Might be buried near the waterfall—that makes sense too."
The commander suddenly shouted: "Turn on detectors! Everyone got theirs on?"
Ji Fangxiao listened to their teasing and stayed silent.
For some reason, he recalled Zhao Zhuoluo during training camp's red vs. white matches, repeatedly dismissed and mocked.
Quite the empathetic regret.
Their chatter stopped as the target neared. Their numbers had swelled to forty-plus.
Remembering Ji Fangxiao's words, the commander assigned two Fengyi mechs: "Observe the surroundings—check if they buried the prisoner nearby. Report anything suspicious. If the rescue target isn't in the waterfall, charge both flanks to draw attention—maybe uncover something."
They acknowledged.
"If I'm eliminated first, command transfers to Ji Fangxiao," the commander said. "But I believe we'll seize final victory!"
Everyone responded: "Yes—!"
The white team members guarding the defensive line had been standing loosely, waiting to intercept the approaching enemy.
But as the distance closed, detectors flashed incessantly. Forty-plus mechs charging together was no joke—the ground trembled beneath them.
"Holy shit!" The students directly in their path grabbed their guns and fled for cover. "So many? The whole enemy team? Damn, trying to wipe us out?"
"Avoid direct engagement. If they're fully assembled, our flank numbers can't match," Lian Sheng said. "If they press, retreat toward the waterfall together. Understood? Don't scatter recklessly."
Finding the prisoner quickly for a decisive end was preferable to drawn-out annihilation where few mechs remained to contest victory.
The students responded: "Understood!"
Then the red team arrived with overwhelming force.
Frontline personnel reported: "They're coming through!"
Lian Sheng ordered: "Everyone converge on the target point! Prepare for battle! This is a prime opportunity for kills—don't waste it!"
Someone asked blankly: "So... so we're brawling now?"
Hadn't Lian Sheng said at the start that melees weren't advisable when disadvantaged?
Was her definition of "disadvantage" just a five-point deficit?
By now, Lian Sheng had jumped into the waterfall, awaiting the enemy.
The red team found their path largely unobstructed, only suffering sporadic long-range attacks too distant to matter.
One looked back: "They're behind us."
"Let them be—their numbers can't encircle us," the commander said without turning. "Keep advancing! Speed up! The waterfall defenders should be fewer—we'll push straight through!"
As they neared, the waterfall's roar grew audible. The commander instinctively raised his voice, having the team adjust formations and accelerate.
The first sight was twenty-plus mechs blocking the waterfall's front.
Already in combat stance, weapons ready to fire.
The red team commander ordered: "Attack!"
Sniper mechs stayed back while Pojun units advanced under heavy armor cover.
The red team scattered, closing in on the target.
At close range, enemy ranged attacks became useless. With double the numbers in melee, victory seemed assured.
The red team commander watched silently from the center, lips pressed tight.
In warfare, he believed solid fundamentals outweighed tricks. Steady progress trumped flashy reversals.
Miraculous performances were legends—maintaining standard performance under battlefield stress was already miraculous.
Focusing on minimizing errors was the true path to victory.
The commander ordered: "Spread out! Groups 1-4 harass their left. A2 probe behind for ambushes. 11-14 right. We push center."
The red team fanned out encircling as white team members shifted to cover gaps. Their fewer numbers made the encirclement porous.
Several Pojun mechs accelerated through under covering fire, their momentum terrifying. Compared to red team veterans, the freshmen seemed clumsy, quickly retreating to create larger openings.
The red team breached both flanks, achieving inner encirclement.
The white team hesitated, then abandoned flank defense entirely, retreating to the center.
The red team commander's heart pounded. Such swift abandonment of flanks was suspicious—he shouted: "Ambush! Retreat!"
Before the words finished, cannon fire erupted from both sides.
Fortunately, the enemy seemed low on ammo—the barrage soon stopped, its intensity lacking.
Some were hit but quickly rejoined the main force, their mechs damaged but operational. Those retreating toward the waterfall were picked off by hidden attackers.
In moments, they lost three more members.
The disengaged red team members prepared pursuit but were intercepted by white team reinforcements.
Their primary mission remained rescuing the prisoner—revenge was secondary. They turned to support comrades instead.
Amid the cacophony of water, explosions, and reports, the red team commander struggled to distinguish voices. The noise pounded his skull.
Words seemed phantom whispers filtered out by his overwhelmed mind.
The commander inhaled sharply, pressing his ears: "Enemy below the waterfall too! Caution advised—don't approach recklessly!"
Lian Sheng's team gave him an impression of relaxed freedom in both positioning and defense.
Tricky. No battle was easily won—he'd prepared for that.
Whether advantaged or disadvantaged, minimizing casualties came first. Some losses were inevitable, making it tricky.
In this confined space, over seventy mechs gathered—more reinforcements coming soon.
A narrow waterfall area, intense attacks—this naturally meant higher casualty rates.
The battle raged on both flanks.
In pure combat power, red team would win—they currently held the advantage. But white team clearly avoided direct confrontation, constantly evading and harassing in coordinated maneuvers.
An unknown number of mechs lurked underwater, covering from the pool. The red team, wary of harming the prisoner, dared not attack the pool directly.
This behavior suggested further ambushes.
The commander frowned, then sent their ace vanguard straight up the middle.
"First confirm the pool's status—advance carefully," the commander ordered. "Send Fengyi in!"
A Fengyi moved behind a heavy armor unit.
After scouting, the heavy armor signaled, and the Fengyi accelerated forward.
It maxed speed, zigzagging to evade fire.
Nearing the target, a Pojun suddenly charged out, blade in hand.
At under 400 meters, both exceeding 400 kph, only blurs were visible.
The Fengyi braked hard while changing direction. But at this speed, abrupt deceleration risked losing balance—it still surged forward.
As they passed, Zhao Zhuoluo swung his blade at the Fengyi.
The Fengyi gauged the distance, thinking it had dodged, preparing to counter. Then the blade extended—no, unfolded from its compact state, doubling in length to slash its waist.
At that speed, the blow cracked the cockpit's front.
The red team exclaimed: "What weapon is this?!"
Before the Fengyi could react, another beam shot from the pool, precisely hitting the cockpit through the crack.
Then darkness—eliminated.
As others stared stunned, white team stragglers rejoined the fight, tightening the red team's predicament.
Their priority was confirming the prisoner's location, not wasting time here.
Cautious probing would only incur more losses.
The red team commander took a deep breath, bellowing: "Prepare! Full assault! Take that waterfall!"
The red team abandoned caution. Probing aimed to prevent greater losses—like Ji Fangxiao's warning that the prisoner might not be at the waterfall. But Lian Sheng's team deserved no underestimation either.
Even among freshmen, some stood out remarkably. These individuals rendered half-baked probing and scouting ineffective.
Moreover, even if the prisoner wasn't in the pool, it couldn't be far.
The commander realized quickly—he wouldn't dwell on past losses. As a naturally cautious commander, with advantage still present, if large-scale victory seemed uncertain, he'd settle for victory.
Just don't lose.
The red team shifted tactics, aggressively advancing under heavy armor cover.
Facing the numerous, fierce enemy, white team members sweated nervously.
This situation seemed to deviate from Lian Sheng's instructions.
She'd ordered them to block the red team while preserving themselves. But now, blocking meant risking themselves.
Retreat? Behind them was the waterfall—likely where their prisoner was. If captured here, they'd lose terrain advantage and initiative.
Then Lian Sheng's urgent shout came through: "Stop them! You must stop them!"
Lu Mingyuan and Ye Buqing frowned slightly. Her tone sounded uncharacteristically flustered.
Having commanded many times before, they'd seen her angry, mocking, calm, and authoritative—but always confident. That unshakable confidence subdued all doubts and anxieties.
Now her voice carried unmistakable agitation. Not at all like Lian Sheng.
But they said nothing, only glancing again at the waterfall.
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