Trier, the capital of the Republic of Intis.
The residents of this international metropolis did not have their lives disrupted by the sudden war.
Or rather, they were well aware that the war was taking place on the southern border and would not affect the capital for the time being.
Moreover, thanks to the Intis government's consistent propaganda, they have considerable confidence in their own defense capabilities.
At this time, the Intis government had nearly one million soldiers, and it was said that it had also formed many heavy infantry regiments and church knightly orders.
Remburg reportedly had only a paltry 200,000 troops, and had to face two military superpowers, Intis and Ruhnn, at the same time!
Just as everyone was discussing the declaration of war just released by the Presidential Palace, a dozen or so points of light with long tails suddenly appeared on the horizon.
Some people thought it was a meteor shower and started making wishes.
Some people thought it was a special kind of cloud and immediately picked up their paintbrushes, wanting to capture this breathtaking scene.
Some people thought it was a miracle and were already praying to their gods.
Just then, the air raid siren sounded, and after a moment's reaction, everyone began to panic and flee towards the square.
Air raid sirens have only become widespread in the last year, supposedly designed to counter a flying weapon from Remnantburg.
For several months, newspapers had been reporting on this, reminding everyone that if an air raid siren sounded, they should immediately run to an open field, because the enemy's primary target would be buildings. Therefore, it was crucial not to hide inside buildings.
This conclusion can only be attributed to their unfamiliarity with air force tactics.
At that moment, the people running suddenly noticed that the light spot in the sky was getting bigger and bigger. Then they realized that it was not that the light spot was getting bigger, but that it was falling towards the ground, towards Trier.
Just then, a small sun suddenly appeared in the sky, and it passed by those points of light.
But the next second, the little sun was covered by a thin layer of black gauze, and it seemed not as bright as before.
What ordinary people don't know is that it was a battle at the angelic level. The angels of the Church of the Eternal Sun hoped to stop those "spots of light," but they were intercepted by the "Demon King" Fabuti who appeared later.
Then the angels of the Church of the God of Steam and Machines and the Republic of Intis took action one after another, and two other angels of Lenburg followed suit and intervened as well. As a result, a fierce battle broke out in the sky above Trier.
Those dozen or so points of light, or rather those dozen or so missiles, crossed the Angelic Battlefield and swiftly attacked their designated targets.
Remburg's missile technology has made significant progress, and its missile base in the Ole province can now reach virtually the entire territory of Intis.
This is also why Odis was so determined to conquer the province of Olay, even though it is several hundred kilometers away from Trier.
Moreover, the mountains and rivers present a barrier, making it not the best direction to attack Intis.
However, this extended the Remnburg missile base by more than 100 kilometers!
Most of the dozen or so missiles were intercepted by Trier's demigods and exploded violently in the air.
These missiles exploded normally, without flames or ice.
Because there's no need for any extraordinary offensives; normal explosions are enough to achieve the tactical objectives.
At this time, most of the Extraordinary Forces of the Republic of Intis were on the front lines, and there were simply not enough Extraordinary Forces in the rear to intercept those missiles.
Even Trier didn't have enough extraordinary power; two of the three angels rushed back immediately after receiving the news.
So three missiles still hit their targets accurately: two hit military camps and facilities, and one hit the Ministry of Defense building.
The moment the explosion occurred, everyone in Trier felt as if the ground shook. The three targets that were hit were completely destroyed, and a large number of soldiers died.
The shockwave from the explosion shattered windows and lampshades on streetlights in the surrounding blocks, and many people screamed in fright at the sudden blow.
Finally, the smoke from the explosion and fire was visible throughout Trier.
At this moment, the battle between the angels in the sky also ended, and the Fabutis quickly escaped and left the skies above Trier.
Several minutes passed before the residents of Trier realized that the war had spread to Trier on the very first day of the conflict.
Not only Trier, but all military targets behind Intis were subjected to saturation attacks.
The so-called saturation attack means that each target is attacked by three to five missiles. Most targets are only protected by "middle sequence" extraordinary individuals, and are unable to intercept the missiles in advance.
Thus, within half an hour of the start of the battle, Intis's military system was paralyzed by missiles.
Fortunately, news spread slowly in this era. The soldiers on the front lines were unaware of what was happening in the rear. Only a dozen or so divisions suddenly received orders to be transferred to other defense zones.
The real purpose was to withdraw and establish temporary outposts, quickly build new logistical lines, and continue to provide logistical support to the front lines.
Fortunately, several months before the war began, Intis had started deploying troops to the border and transporting a large amount of strategic materials.
The soldiers will not go hungry for at least a month.
So when the soldiers at the front learned a few days later that the rear had been attacked, the new supply line was almost completed.
Presidential Palace of Intis.
President Calvin Payne looked at the room full of senior generals and staff officers with a gloomy gaze.
Some of them still had bandages wrapped around their heads or bodies. The missile attack had taken Intis by surprise, and many of Intis's generals had been killed or wounded.
President Calvin took a drag of his cigarette before saying, "So, in other words, although Lenburg declared war, it did not immediately attack the borders of Intis and Loen?"
"That's right," said a staff officer with bandages wrapped around his head. "Even Lenburg didn't launch missiles at Rune."
The president tilted his head and rubbed his forehead, asking, "What are the thoughts of the Eternal Sun Church and the Steam Church?"
"They all believe that the less Remnantburg attacks, the more likely they are plotting something, and we should be cautious—"
The president flicked his cigarette: "Damn it, now you know to be careful?"
"Olay Province is more than 600 kilometers away from Trier! More than 600 kilometers away! Their missiles just happened to hit the military camp in the city of Trier!"
"Could the Steam Church provide such a weapon? Or could the Eternal Sun provide such a weapon?"
The generals and staff officers stood tall, not daring to breathe too loudly.
After venting for a while, President Calvin calmed down: "These missiles not only bombed those military bases, but also the backbone of the Intis soldiers!"
"Our original plan was to use a large number of ordinary soldiers to compensate for the lack of 'extraordinary puppet' soldiers and extraordinary weapons. Now look what's happened, what morale is left on the front lines?"
The generals still dared not say anything. President Intis, who was elected after the war, was the most powerful president in recent decades, or rather, the president who was most adept at using his power in recent decades.
When Remenberg was chosen in Port-de-Kaiser, the president only had executive power, but he quickly used his influence to win over a group of members of parliament and turn them into his confidants.
Such actions usually mean that the president has given up huge benefits, but this is not the case. After the president has his own power in Congress, he uses this power to make himself more powerful, and those members of Congress gradually submit to him.
The president then hinted that Congress had passed a Supreme Court Retirement Act, which would give the president the power to force judges to retire.
In other words, according to Intis's Constitution, the president has no power to interfere with any action or decision of the Supreme Court, but now the president can force disobedient judges to retire.
Thus, before the war, President Calvin effectively controlled Intis's three major power systems, becoming a true "president"!
Currently, it is a state of war, and all of Intis's troops are under the command of the president. Even the kings before Roselle overthrew the royal family did not have such power.
The generals were not very comfortable talking freely in front of the president, which is why the high-level meeting seemed so quiet.
President Calvin lit another cigarette and said, "Since this war was strongly urged by the Church, let them find a way to destroy the Remnburg missile base!"
The generals replied in unison, "Yes."
Meanwhile, in the Ole province of Remburg, a military conference was also being held in Remburg.
Medici, sitting at the head of the table, said, "The fact that the enemy's counterattack is so slow shows that the way the missiles were launched was unexpected!"
"At the same time, this also reveals that the governments of Intis and Ruen are unwilling to go to war at this time, so their response is very passive."
"We can seize this opportunity to expand our gains!"
He picked up his baton and pointed to the map: "We'll launch a surprise attack from here tomorrow, then we'll circle around Intis."
"yes!"
The extraordinary individuals present all smiled knowingly.
Remenberg's mixed armored corps suddenly moved out. Compared to Medici's previous rampage in Rune, this time it was more like a steel torrent, with more than two thousand vehicles of various types, including tanks and troop carriers, looking like a huge dark mass!
Their objective was clear: they attacked a weak point in the Intis position, which was defended by the Church's "Knights." The surrounding Intis army did not arrive in time to provide support, so they quickly broke through the position.
The Church's "Knights Order" was the Church's legitimate armed force in war. In that era when warhorses and cold weapons were prevalent, the so-called "Knights Order" members were all "Church Knights," basically composed entirely of extraordinary cavalry.
However, during World War I, cavalry gradually faded from the historical stage, while members of the Church's "Knights"...
They gradually transformed into extraordinary legions, or retired soldiers with devout faith and strong combat capabilities.
The "Knights" of the "Steam Church" are divided into the Extraordinary Legion and the "Extraordinary Puppet" Legion.
The "Knights" stationed at the position attacked by Remburg were basically composed of retired soldiers, and were no match for the Remburg army. Even if reinforcements were available, this position would be a weak point and would be difficult to stop Remburg's armored forces.
The extraordinary beings sent by the Church of the Eternal Sun were all somewhat shocked to see the steel torrent rapidly "flowing" across the battlefield.
After a slight pause, they attempted to launch the attack.
The leader of this group was a "Dark One" from the Church of the Eternal Sun, along with a dozen or so extraordinary subordinates.
They did not intend to launch a full-scale attack, but rather to harass the enemy while waiting for reinforcements.
Just as the "Darkless One" summoned the "Pure White Javelin" to attack a tank, a solemn voice suddenly echoed from within the steel torrent: "Disposal!"
Most of the extraordinary abilities of the "Dark Ones" and others were suddenly "stripped away".
"Retreat!" the "Dark One" shouted in disbelief.
Now he had only one thought: someone had to survive to tell the arriving reinforcements that there were angels in Remenberg's steel torrent!
This was far beyond the expectations of the "Dark Ones," because angels rarely participate in specific military operations.
In fact, during World War I, the Church of the Eternal Sun and the Church of Steam only clashed with the Remnburg army in the Battle of Olay Province.
However, that war was one in which Medici skillfully used extraordinary weapons to achieve victory, so the two churches today still have a limited understanding of Hullenberg's tactics and strategic thinking.
The reason why the Extraordinary Forces of Remburg possessed such astonishing combat power was mainly because, after the start of the war, all Extraordinary Forces, including the President, and all military forces, obeyed the command of Field Marshal Medici.
Therefore, in Remenberg, the supreme military commander could command angels.
Angels from other countries are not so easy to talk to. If a military commander needs the help of an angel, he usually presents the war plan to the angel, and the plan can only be implemented if the angel is willing to help.
Most of the time, angels won't object to battle plans, but if an angel feels something is dangerous or simply doesn't like the battle plan, they will refuse to help.
But if the angels are unwilling to help, the battle plan must be modified until the angels are willing to help.
Therefore, for commanders in other countries, asking angels for assistance is a difficult and uncertain matter.
Before the start of World War II, the Church of the Eternal Sun and the Church of Steam were treating the Remnburg people as the Loen people. The missile attacks after the start of the war began to make the leaders of the two churches start to reflect, but their reflection was not enough.
At least this "Dark One" misjudged the situation between the enemy and himself, believing that the steel torrent before him was a force composed purely of extraordinary weapons.
Of course, they didn't have time to retreat. The angel's attack range was much larger than that of the demigod. At the end of the steel torrent, Terensost waited until the enemy began their attack before making his move. By then, "The One Without Darkness" and the others had already entered his attack range and it was too late to escape.
The next second, the "Darkless One" heard a solemn voice say, "Death!"
The dozen or so extraordinary individuals suddenly paused. Although they were very unwilling, their spirits and mental bodies had already accepted this "judgment".
Thump~
One by one they fell to the ground, dead.
Immediately afterwards, their extraordinary characteristics were released, and they were drawn by a force, flying into a seemingly ordinary troop carrier.
This was something that President Odis had repeatedly emphasized before the war: after killing an enemy's extraordinary being, their extraordinary characteristics must be recovered!
The long, steel torrent thus crossed the Intis army's defenses and appeared in Intis's Lim province.
Ronnie is a messenger in Lim province. His work has become much busier since the fighting began, as many soldiers are communicating with their families.
This task was not originally handled by the post office in Lim province. Usually, the company or platoon would collect the soldiers' mail, transport it to the rear, and hand it over to a military post office there, which would then distribute it.
Letters from military families were also sent to a designated military post office, and then forwarded to the platoon.
However, shortly after the war, a large number of military facilities in the rear were destroyed by the Remnburg people. In particular, Intis's logistics were greatly affected, and some civilian resources had to be used to maintain normal logistical supplies.
The post office in Lim province was one of the civilian resources that were mobilized. Ronnie, who originally delivered mail to the town by bicycle, also had to deliver mail to the positions along the way.
Today his destination is the valley ahead, where a church's "Knights" are stationed.
Ronnie was terrified, fearing that the war might suddenly break out while he was delivering the message, and he would die under enemy fire without even realizing it.
Boom! Boom!
Several explosions suddenly rang out in the distance, making Ronnie's heart leap into his throat.
Has war begun?
But the explosions and unsettling "rat-a-tat" sounds lasted only a short while. Just as Ronnie was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he suddenly witnessed a scene he would never forget.
A black torrent rushed out of the valley, and after leaving the valley like a flood, it immediately scattered. Then the "water flow" in the valley accelerated and "gushed" out more and more black torrents.
This was a spectacular sight that Ronnie had never seen before, and he knew very well that it was not a natural phenomenon; this black torrent was definitely a man-made creation.
The next second, Ronnie realized what was happening and pedaled his bicycle as fast as he could towards the hill on the side.
He knew very well that his chances of escaping were extremely slim, and that the enemy's guns and cannons could easily take his life.
But the will to survive drove him desperately forward...forward...
Waaaaah~
A strange sound came from behind him. It was a tank, a vehicle he had seen in the newspapers called the Remnburg Tank and the Intis Tank.
This sent chills down Ronnie's spine; he thought the tank didn't want to waste bullets and was instead trying to run him over.
So he pedaled even harder.
Finally, Ronnie arrived at the foot of the hill, abandoning his letters and bicycle, and ran frantically up the hill.
He ran until he was completely exhausted, then resignedly sat down on the ground and turned to look at the tank chasing him from behind.
Only then did he realize that no tanks were chasing him at all; the Remberg tanks had simply driven past him from behind, and even though they were so close, the Remberg soldiers hadn't fired a shot at him.
To him, all of this was somewhat unbelievable.
During the recently concluded First World War, the Lim province of the Republic of Intis was one of the main battlefields, where battles were fought not only against Lenburg but also against Rune.
As a postman, Ronnie had witnessed and heard of many tragedies on the battlefield. The soldiers of Intis did not treat the civilians of Rune as human beings, and neither did the soldiers of Rune.
To prevent leaks, civilians encountered on the enemy's marching route would be shot.
At that moment, Ronnie touched his head and realized he was perfectly fine.
As he watched the steel-colored tanks bearing the Remnburg flag speeding past, Ronnie once again felt that the surging torrent was magnificent enough for him to brag about for a lifetime.
Most of the central plateau is a wasteland overgrown with weeds. Even the cultivated land has already been harvested, leaving only low haystacks.
There is too little rainfall here, making it unsuitable for crop growth.
If this place had no strategic significance, it would still be the territory of the highland people.
In this environment, the tanks can move forward at will.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Ronnie struggled to get up and looked in the direction Remenberg was marching.
There's a small town over there, right in front of the Remburg army's current march. Could that town be the Remburg army's target?
In any case, that town will definitely be looted, since the enemy troops will certainly plunder the civilians when they arrive in Intis.
The residents of that small town clearly thought the same thing, and upon seeing the tanks from Remburg, they quickly fled the town.
But how could their speed compare to Remenberg's tanks?
Ronnie clenched his fists, watching as his compatriots were overtaken. He saw an old man fall to the ground, turning his head in despair, awaiting his fate of being crushed to death.
He saw a mother who was too exhausted to run any further, so she sat down on the ground, hugging her child tightly, and awaiting her fate.
He saw—he saw the steel torrent of Remburgers suddenly part as it approached those people.
It's as if these people are stubborn rocks in a torrent, with the "water" flowing past them on both sides.
The old man lying on the ground saw tanks suddenly part a few meters in front of him, without running him over. He stood there, stunned, and for a moment forgot to dodge.
The mother stared blankly as tanks passed by, as if in a dream, while her child in her arms laughed and reached out to grab the tanks on either side.
After that, when they caught up with no one, this torrent of steel would make way for them.
Ronnie, standing on the hillside, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. After about half a minute, he burst into laughter: "A torrent! A torrent!"
Shouting, he rushed down the mountain, picked up his bicycle, and chased after the steel torrent.
He didn't know why he did it; he just remembered chasing the spring breeze, the summer raindrops, the autumn leaves, and the winter snowflakes when he was a child.
Although Intis was somewhat reluctant to launch an offensive against Lenburg, the sudden invasion of Lenburg's army into Lim province was a different story. They reacted quickly, with the surrounding defense forces and extraordinary individuals immediately going to intercept this torrent of steel.
As a "Reaper" of the "Hunter" path, the extraordinary Gil travels to a position under the guidance of a demigod to rendezvous with allies and carry out a blocking mission.
This position was temporarily designated, and when Jill arrived, the soldiers were still frantically digging trenches.
The reason for building positions here is that a nearby mountain pass would allow them to leave Lim province and invade Suhit province, which is north of Intis.
It was Intis's textile hub and a major economic center in the south, wealthier than the provinces of Lim and Ole.
Therefore, the Ministry of Defense of Intis judged that the enemy's target should be this mountain pass. Of course, there are other mountain passes that could be used to invade Suhit Province, but they are all far away from the enemy. In order to preserve their fighting strength, they should not attack from there.
More and more extraordinary individuals and ordinary soldiers, as well as "heavy armored units," are heading to this position, and everyone knows that a fierce battle is about to break out here.
Intis's "heavy armored regiment" is actually the "extraordinary puppet" force.
However, Intis's "heavy corps" was inferior to Remburg's in both numbers and command system.
Therefore, after realizing that war might break out in the near future, the Ministry of National Defense put forward the concept of "human wave tactics".
Use a large number of ordinary soldiers to make up for the lack of "heavy troops".
In order to avoid low morale and potential rout, a large number of soldiers underwent "special training".
As for what the training entailed, the soldiers and officers who participated had forgotten. However, as long as they volunteered for "special training," they could get a raise, so they were all willing to go for the "training."
In reality, the so-called "special training" involved implanting a special command into the soldiers' brains. This command had no effect under normal circumstances, and the soldiers would behave the same as before.
But when they are required to fight desperately, that command will be awakened, turning them into warriors who will only obey orders from their superiors and will not be afraid.
This was a secret, large-scale application of the Steam Church's "Helmet of Wisdom" after it copied Remenberg's design.
They waited from morning until afternoon, and then from afternoon until evening, but the enemy never came.
Tens of thousands of soldiers have already gathered here, and hundreds of Intis's military extraordinarys and church extraordinarys have also assembled.
At this moment, the commander of the position shouted, "No need to dig any more trenches! Rest for half an hour, have dinner, and then march overnight towards Talni!"
We have just received orders from the Ministry of National Defense: all military units are to immediately assemble in the direction of Tarni, where they may encounter enemy forces.
There is a large logistics base in Lim province that was previously bombed by missiles, but a large outpost has just been rebuilt.
The commanders at the position immediately realized that the day's digging had been in vain, and the enemy's target was clearly not Suhit Province.
The "half-hour rest" was the last bit of rest time the commander could buy for the soldiers. Otherwise, the soldiers had been busy all day and would have to march through the night, so they simply couldn't handle such high-intensity operations.
Even with this short rest period, a large number of soldiers will fall behind during the subsequent raid.
"The Reaper" Jill and the "Heavy Legion" assembled first and set off first.
They had been rushing towards Talny for over two hours when, just as darkness fell, the demigod at the front suddenly shouted, "Scatter! The Remnburgers are coming!"