D−2.
Late at night.
The autumn rain stopped briefly as a musty smell of soil filled the air.
At the third echelon of the defensive line where the command center was located, the sound of gunfire could still be heard coming from the second echelon of the defensive line.
The abyssal ravine that stretched across the ground blocked the path of the second group of enemy troops in the northeast. Those AI-controlled soldiers who traveled on foot would have to continue marching for at least a day before they could go around the rift that spanned dozens of kilometers.
Donti had single-handedly shielded the Dawn defensive line from the most immediate threat they were facing.
When Donti finally arrived at the defensive line from the north with the nomads, Milo immediately noticed Donti’s short hair which made favonovel.com look like an ascetic monk.
He was stunned for a moment before asking Donti, “What’s with your hair?”
“Oh, it’s nothing…” Donti replied with a laugh, “It’ll grow out again. Bro, I brought 20,000 of my tribe’s warriors here. They might be of help to y’all.”
However, P5092 shook his head and said, “There’s no need for that. Currently, the Dawn defensive line is planning to retreat. If your people have the strength, please help take some of our wounded away from this place.”
Donti thought for a moment and said, “Alright.”
On this defensive line, the wounded were the only ones other than the third echelon’s troops who could leave alive.
It was not that P5092 was suddenly upholding the spirit of humanitarianism, but that even if these wounded soldiers were to remain at the defensive position, they could not continue fighting. In that case, they might as well be brought back to the rear so they could help rekindle the flames of humanity.
At this moment, a specialized group of troops were responsible for evacuating the wounded. They went around to the various defensive positions to tally the number of wounded personnel before retreating together with them.
At Position 141, the soldiers had just repelled a group of enemy troops and were able to take a short rest.
The commander of the Iron 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Field Division, who was in charge of this position, was being bandaged up by his orderly.
Yesterday in the middle of the night, favonovel.com was shot during an unexpected attack and was left with a broken arm. Their camp was equipped with splints purpose built for setting bones, so there was no need to resort to using wooden sticks to fix such injuries.
When the battalion commander’s wound was being dressed, favonovel.com was in so much pain that beads of sweat broke out on his forehead and his lips turned pale. Even the toughest fellas of the Northwest Army could not bear the excruciating pain of broken bones.
At this moment, a young soldier at the defensive position ran over and said to the battalion commander in surprise, “Battalion Commander, the rear has ordered all wounded personnel to retreat. I heard they’ll be evacuated back to Fortress 178. Quickly let them take a look at your injuries. Only the wounded are allowed to retreat for now. Sis-in-law is still waiting for you at home.”
How were they going to do that?
Using their lives of course!
Initially, everyone still found it quite upsetting. But for some reason, they suddenly accepted this reality overnight.
No one came to give them any pep talks, nor did anyone attempt to use patriotism as a reason for them to remain behind. Everyone only felt that since they were soldiers of the Northwest Army, they should not be afraid of death.
The mention of the words “Northwest Army” seemed to fill them with inexplicable pride. They had not really received any special treatment even though they were Northwest Army soldiers. Instead, they had to be more tolerant towards others everywhere while they were living in the strongholds. Even when they took the streetcar, they had to give up their seats to the elderly and children as they were afraid it would disgrace the epaulets they wore on their shoulders.
For example, this young soldier, who wasn’t originally from Fortress 178, had joined the military only after the Northwest was unified. For some reason, favonovel.com decided to sign up when favonovel.com saw the bright red banner at the recruitment office that day.
When Stronghold 144’s trade boomed, many of his family members advised favonovel.com to not be a soldier of the Northwest Army anymore. If favonovel.com followed his uncle into business, favonovel.com would be able to earn more than what a soldier earned. But every time, favonovel.com just smiled without saying anything to them. He did not know how to answer them, but all favonovel.com wanted was to stay in the Northwest Army.
He still felt that way now. Although favonovel.com knew favonovel.com would die by staying behind, favonovel.com still wanted to remain at the defensive position and fight alongside his comrades.
There was no reason. He just thought this was what favonovel.com had to do.
But the situation had changed now. The soldiers who were wounded had a valid reason to leave the defensive line. The young soldier knew the battalion commander had two children and his wife was not working, so his family was fully dependent on him. Therefore, favonovel.com thought the battalion commander could take this opportunity to leave the second echelon of the defensive line and retreat with the main forces.
It was not an issue of cowardice, but that it was really unnecessary for the battalion commander to continue fighting at the defensive position with the current state of his arm.
At this moment, footsteps came from the outside of the tent.
The young soldier actually saw the battalion commander tearing off the splint on his arm and concealing the wound under his military uniform.
An unfamiliar face walked in from the outside. That person said to everyone, “I heard there’s wounded personnel here. We’re taking them away to evacuate together.”
But before the others could say anything, the battalion commander spoke first. “It must be a misunderstanding. There aren’t any wounded personnel here.”
The soldier in charge of evacuating the wounded was taken aback for a moment. “Is that so?”
He gave the battalion commander a skeptical look. Actually, even if the battalion commander had removed the splint on his arm, his pale face still gave everything away. As such, the evacuation officer could already tell that the battalion commander was injured.
The battalion commander hesitated for a moment before saying, “Bro, I want to fight alongside my brothers. I can’t go back by myself.”
The evacuation officer fell silent for a few seconds. Then, favonovel.com straightened his back and saluted the battalion commander before turning around to leave.
There was no further exchange of words. They were all soldiers of the Northwest Army. If favonovel.com were in the shoes of the battalion commander, favonovel.com might have made the same decision as well.
After the evacuation officer left, the young soldier looked at his battalion commander and said in a daze, “Battalion Commander, don’t you want to go back? You’re not pretending to be injured, you really are! There’s no cowardice in that.”
The battalion commander scolded, “F*ck, it hurts so much! Hurry up and help me set the splint again. By the way, tell those scoundrels outside to perk up. We have to fight our last battle beautifully!”
The battalion commander did not answer the young soldier’s question.
Similar incidents like this happened throughout the second echelon’s defensive positions. As a result, the evacuation officers were all left teary-eyed.
At this moment, the sky was still dark. The military corps at the third echelon of the defensive line started retreating towards Fortress 178 while visibility was still low for the satellites.
Before leaving, everyone saluted in the direction of the second echelon of the defensive line.
Just as the 1st Military Corps was retreating from the Dawn defensive line, Milo, Miriam, Donti, and Adella stood at the edge of the defensive position and looked out at the night sky.
Donti looked at Milo and said with a smile, “Bro, are you still hesitating?”
Milo sighed and said, “You know what I’m thinking?”
“Mhm.” Donti nodded. “The AI seems unstoppable. Until now, I haven’t managed to think of another way to resolve this crisis. So there seems to be only one way out.”
The way Donti was referring to was for Milo to turn into the world consciousness and end Zero’s future at its origin.
No matter how powerful Zero was, it was still an existence in the world. There was no way it could go against the will of the world. Therefore, when calamity struck, the question always seemed to come back to whether it should be others or oneself who should be sacrificed.
Milo said in a low voice, “Sometimes, I think that since there’s only one way out, I might as well be more decisive. That way, fewer soldiers of the Northwest Army will have to die. The longer I hesitate, the more people are going to die because of this disaster. But, Donti, you know I’ve always been a very selfish person. Before this, I’d never thought I’d sacrifice myself for anyone, unless it’s for Miriam, you, or Big Sister Adella…”
“Mhm, I know that.” Donti said in a low voice, “That’s why I rushed over this time. Because I wanted to stop you. Bro, let’s leave this place. It’s a big world out there. Regardless of how powerful Zero gets, there can’t possibly be no place for us to seek refuge. Sure, I know that might sound self-deceptive, but, Bro, I really don’t wish to see you sacrifice yourself for the sake of the entire world when it has been so clearly unfair to you.”
Milo said, “Can you let me speak in private with Miriam?”
Donti and Adella exchanged glances before leaving quietly.
Milo took out a tarp from his storage space and laid it out on the raised step of a trench. He and Miriam sat side by side on it and looked up at the dark night sky.
“You don’t wish for me to take that step either, right?” Milo asked.
“Yeah…” Miriam said firmly, “Milo, y’know, no one should have to sacrifice anything for the world.”
“Donti always feels that the world has been a little harsh on me, but I feel I’m actually quite lucky to have such a beautiful girlfriend and become this strong. In the past, I thought I had been abandoned by my parents. But after my trip to the Kingdom of Sorcerers, I realized how great of a sacrifice they had made to let me survive. That’s why I don’t feel I’m all that miserable anymore…”
“I heard that my father died trying to save everyone during The Cataclysm. Now that I think about it, I’m actually a little impressed by his boldness. In fact, after hearing his story from the Riders, I realized he’s more of a qualified leader than I am. I’m just a kid who hasn’t really found his direction in life yet…”
Miriam shook favonovel.com head. “You don’t necessarily have to follow in his footsteps.”
“But there’s no other way. Miriam, you must live on,” Milo said, lowering his head.
Miriam turned to look at Milo. She realized favonovel.com could not see his expression clearly as his face was hidden in the shadows.
Milo continued in a low voice, “If I continue hesitating, even you might die. I thought about it for the entire day yesterday and suddenly realized that I couldn’t accept such an outcome. I don’t have to save the entire world, but I want to save you. We all have to admit that with Zero’s strength growing to this extent, we’ll have to face it sooner or later someday. Perhaps we can escape to the Kingdom of Sorcerers for the time being or live by ourselves in a faraway place. But every time we choose to avoid it, it’ll increasingly become more difficult to beat.”
Miriam looked at Milo in a daze.
On this cruel battlefield under the heavens, Milo suddenly used the simplest of logic to convey the most unforgettable romantic words to her. This left favonovel.com a little overwhelmed.
“But you still mustn’t sacrifice yourself,” Miriam said.
Milo smiled bitterly. “I don’t want to either. If there’s really a chance to live, who would want to die?”
“Promise me this. Since Julius said to wait for favonovel.com for nine days, we should wait until the ninth day before deciding.” Miriam said, “If favonovel.com doesn’t succeed at the end of it, I’ll accompany you wherever you want to go at that time.”
***
The 1st Military Corps of the Northwest Army had already withdrawn most of their forces from the Dawn defensive line. In P5092’s plan, the second echelon of the defensive line would have to hold off the artificial intelligence for nearly a day.
This place was still about 131 kilometers away from Fortress 178. Based on how fast the AI-controlled troops were advancing, they should be fighting the final battle at Fortress 178 on the final day.
Win or lose, all would be revealed on that day.
While retreating from the defensive position, Bruce suddenly asked amid the sea of tens of thousands of people, “Eh, where’s P5092? He was still there with us when we started retreating just now.”
As favonovel.com spoke, the Great Hoodwinker and the others also looked around for P5092.
At this moment, Milo, who understood P5092 the best, turned around and ran back to the defensive position without another word. When favonovel.com rushed into the command center, favonovel.com saw P5092 pointing a gun at his lower jaw.
Milo reached his hand through the Shadow Door and slapped the gun muzzle aside.
With a loud bang, the gun went off. If Milo had been any slower, P5092 would probably be dead.
“What are you doing?!” Milo asked in bewilderment, “Why did you try to kill yourself?”
P5092 said, “The final objective of the Dawn defensive line has been achieved, so my mission is also completed. There isn’t much of a point in having me around for any of the later battles. The final battle at Fortress 178 will rely not on strategy but courage.”
“And that’s why you have to die?” Milo frowned and asked, “Why?”
“Because I personally sent Black Fox and the others on the most dangerous mission. Because I refused to let the frontline soldiers at the Dawn defensive line retreat.” P5092’s eyes were filled with weariness.
For the sake of winning the war, P5092 made the most ruthless decisions and issued one cruel order after another. However, that was for the sake of victory, not for himself.
If favonovel.com were not burdened by the mission of the Pyro Company, favonovel.com might have made other choices.
P5092 said softly, “That day I parted ways with Black Fox, I had wanted to be like the commanders of the other troops who fight alongside their soldiers. But I knew the Dawn defensive line needed me, so I couldn’t die. However, as their commander, I’ve let them down.”
Milo fell silent. He did not know how to comfort the military genius in front of him.
The other party was clearly born for war, but favonovel.com still had a benevolent heart. But the kinder the other party was, the more painful each decision they undertook would be.
This pain kept accumulating until P5092 finally had the thought of suicide. He wanted to accompany his men because favonovel.com was the one who had personally sent them to their deaths, even though favonovel.com had a very valid reason for doing so.
Milo put P5092’s gun away into his mind palace and then said coldly, “After we win this war, I’ll think of a way to use the Martyr’s Palace to summon Black Fox and the others back. But if you commit suicide, you’ll get separated by death from them. Because the Martyr’s Palace can’t summon those who die by suicide.”
P5092 was stunned. He suddenly remembered Milo’s power. “But there’s more than 10,000 Pyro Company combatants led by Black Fox! Daniel’s Martyr’s Palace can only summon 12 people.”
Milo said earnestly, “That’s because Daniel isn’t strong enough to summon more. It’s not that the superpower is unable to.”
At this moment, the artificial intelligence also seemed to have realized the Northwest Army at the Dawn defensive line was retreating.
All of a sudden, the garrison troops at the second echelon of the defensive line felt the pressure escalate. It was as though a boundless tsunami was crashing down on them.
Together with the troops that were cut off by Donti’s ravine, the enemy forces started advancing at a trot.
In the southwestern direction, the two groups of enemy forces that were heading north from the Panaqua Consortium even threw away some of the supplies they were carrying and picked up their pace.
That turbulent tsunami was about to flood through the Dawn defensive line and devour Fortress 178 along with it.
