C104: Heart-Wrenching Plot

At first, I felt usual, even smiling at humorous graphics and scenes in the game. 

But soon, a deep silence took over, as I sensed the cruelty of war. The game's story showed human heart completely. 

Thankfully, Carl didn't die as I initially thought. He had switched his nameplate with another dead soldier, making everyone believe he was gone. He was, in fact, doing everything he could to return to Saint Mier farm. 

Meanwhile, Emil, unaware, fell ill from grief. Freddy, on the other hand, drove the modified tank to the Somme, overturning countless obstacles until finally defeating Byron Vondorf on the battlefield. 

Byron was finally removed from the front line, fulfilling the wishes of many soldiers. But for Byron, this was death, as it marked the end of his career. 

Yet, instead of being thrilled over revenge, I felt sour. The revenge is truly sour. My thoughts drifted back to Carl. And what about Emil?

The game switched back to Carl's journey. He had encountered Anna and the dog along the way and finally reached Saint Mier, where Emil had been recruited. 

However, this time, the place had become a training ground for new German recruits. The search-and-rescue dog even met its original owner, but it felt eerily similar to the encounter in the mine. 

Before I could react, the French launched an artillery bombardment on Saint Mier. With the help of some new friends, Carl and the dog managed to enter a house, but Carl was killed in the process.

As I sat in front of the computer, watching the scene unfold, my mouth twitched. I didn't know how to describe how I felt at that moment. 

After escaping the barracks, the French army began using poisonous gas. Carl, after immense effort, finally returned to his family farm, only to find it destroyed by a gas bomb. 

His sister and her son were trapped under the collapsed house. Carl searched frantically and eventually found them. Marie had fashioned a simple gas mask for her son, but she was exposed to the gas. 

Without hesitation, Carl put his own gas mask on Marie. Mask less, he dragged her outside, trying to comfort her. 

"Mary... it's me... I'm here!" he whispered, even as his strength faded. Eventually, Carl collapsed. At that moment, all I could hear through my headphones was the heartbreaking cry of their son.

By now, my eyes were red, tears risking to spill. A small part of me still hoped the game wouldn't be so cruel as to let Carl and Marie die here. But the game didn't answer my pleas.

The screen shifted to Emil. On April 16, 1917, Emil was still recovering, but the front-line general, Neville, called all the soldiers who could still stand to join his next major attack.

The tone of the entire game became extremely dark. On the front lines of the ruins, the officer raised his saber, yelling to find soldiers who could charge. 

The French were attacking again. Once again, this felt like another battle that could end the war. Before this, we had participated in countless such battles.

As I stared at the game screen, I no longer provided commentary while playing, as I usually did. I simply experienced the plot. At the commander's order, all the soldiers used the countless broken corpses as cover, continuing their desperate charge. 

Compared to the previous levels, this final one was far more challenging. The enemy's attacks were overwhelming, and we had to take advantage of every small opening. 

In the game, the soldiers appeared numb and terrified, yet they were compelled to fight under the harsh oversight of the war supervisors. This level almost brought extreme frustration and despair to both me and the other players.

There were bodies laden everywhere. The ground was painted red with spilled blood. The color of the game screen was dim, shadowy, gloomy, and set in the darkness of night. 

Amid the hail of bullets, Emil and his teammates pushed forward, little by little, while comrades beside them fell one by one. There was no choice but to charge. Any hesitation, any pause, and the officer behind would shoot you directly.

We charged with the corpses of our companions and pushed forward with carts full of bodies. Fewer and fewer soldiers remained to charge. In the end, it was Emil. But even then, the officer behind him held his gun high, ordering the soldiers forward into a hopeless charge.

A shell knocked him out. But the officer continued to force the terrified soldiers to advance. When Emil regained consciousness, he saw the officer shouting and the trembling soldiers before him. 

Without any prompt from the game, every player did the same thing, something that Emil also believed to be the right action. He raised the shovel in his hand and struck the officer on the head, putting an end to this senseless charge and sacrifice.

[The Neville Offensive was a bloodbath, a massacre.] 

[Soon after, a mutiny broke out in the French infantry regiment, bringing the attack to a halt.] 

[Among those mutineers, Emil and another soldier were sentenced to prison, awaiting trial by military court.]

As Emil awaited his trial in jail, a deep sense of dread washed over me as I sat in front of my computer. Something terrible was about to happen.

But the next moment, the scene on the screen switched again, focusing on Carl. In contrast to the extremely depressing atmosphere earlier, Carl's surroundings felt like a ray of sunshine. 

The German search and rescue dog dragged Carl's family of three out of the poisonous gas and found Anna not far away, leading her to Carl's farm. After a simple rescue, Carl was taken to the field hospital, where he eventually recovered. 

After years of war, their family was finally reunited. Seeing Carl, Mary, and her son embrace, I let out a long sigh in front of the computer. At the same time, a glimmer of hope stirred in my heart. 

The previous plot had been too cruel and dark, but now, watching Carl's family so warmly together, I began to hope. Maybe Emil, on the other side, would also have his turning point?

With that thought in mind, I continued playing the game.

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