Chapter 9: Valiance

Crouched behind a small bush, Lynn's eyes were fixed on the Soviet combat unit slowly advancing along the road: four T-34 tanks, three BT tanks, three wheeled armored cars, seven trucks towing artillery pieces, and several hundred Soviet infantry marching alongside the convoy. Among the three Soviet units that had passed through here, this one was the weakest, but it still outnumbered the ad hoc German force consisting of only two armored cars and four to five hundred infantry. Moreover, most of the soldiers here had just retreated from the front lines, lacking heavy weapons and with dwindling ammunition supplies.

Initially out of bullets, Lynn was able to obtain 10 rounds of rifle ammunition with the coordination of the "Butcher."

As the Soviet vehicles approached, the German soldiers in the forest began their final preparations. Several MG-34 or MG-42 machine guns had been set up in optimal firing positions, their gunners carefully chambering rounds, ready to open fire at a moment's notice. Two 80mm light mortars had been arranged further back, but their remaining ammunition was insufficient for sustained combat. Soldiers equipped with anti-tank weapons and light mortars were concentrated in the assaulting teams, with a few large soldiers guarding the only Panzerfaust anti-tank rocket—these soldiers deserved every bit of credit for preserving this 100-kilogram equipment during the chaotic retreat.

At this moment, the two German armored vehicles, covered with branches to resemble "moving bushes," remained concealed on the west side of the forest. Due to the curvature of the trees about 500 meters from the fork in the road, the Soviet column proceeding northwest along the highway couldn't directly observe them. If they were to attack the Soviets, they would need to move forward about 100 meters to gain a firing angle. Thus, when the German infantry prepared to open fire, the vehicles would start up in advance and advance forward with a rumble, the mechanical noise cutting through the quiet forest. Fortunately, the Soviet soldiers were distracted by the roar of their own tanks and vehicles, completely unaware of the imminent danger lurking in the forest.

"Bofors-Zum-Kampf!"

The officers reminded the soldiers to be ready for combat, and the sound of bolt-action rifles being chambered filled the air. Subsequently, some leading non-commissioned officers, including the "Butcher," reiterated their battle plans to their soldiers—fortunately, the "Butcher" had not only gestured and drawn a simple battle map in the mud beforehand, so Lynn knew that his squad would charge out of the forest after the battle started and flank the Soviet column from the side and rear. Undoubtedly, this was a very dangerous task, but in a battlefield filled with blood and fire, if everyone shied away from battle, this severely disadvantaged side could only wait to be slaughtered!

The battle was about to begin. Having experienced six battles firsthand, Lynn was still nervous, and the suppressed atmosphere made him almost hold his breath. In the previous defensive battles, most of the time he had only dodged artillery fire and kept shooting. This would be his first time participating in an offensive operation, and the unknown prospects made him anxious but also kindled a spark of desire for battle within him.

Boom!

The deafening roar of cannons erupted almost without warning, and a shell struck the rear of a T-34 tank that was turning at the intersection, the timing and position perfectly executed! Lynn didn't have time to cheer for the success of their armored troops; the rhythmic chatter of machine guns immediately followed, and the 80mm mortars also began to speak— their normal range reached 2,400 meters, and the shortest distance from the forest edge to the road was only about 500 meters.

The sound of artillery served as the signal to attack. "Butcher" leaped up, shouting "Angreifen," and started firing his submachine gun towards the forest. Following his lead, Lynn and the other soldiers quickly followed suit, eager to charge forward—their two days of being suppressed and turned into attackers for once made the pent-up frustration dissipate considerably.

Under the combined assault of various German weapons, although the Soviet infantry on the opposite side suffered heavy casualties, they continued to fire back with all their might. However, their firepower was significantly weakened, and the inconsistent direction of their gunfire presented the Germans with an opportunity!

With only 10 rounds of ammunition, Lynn was very cautious with each shot, aiming carefully, holding his breath, and gripping the rifle tightly to minimize tremors during firing. He fired two shots in this manner. Suddenly, he heard a strange cry behind him, followed by an odd smell of gunpowder. Turning his head, he saw it was the Panzerfaust! In his memory, this heavy anti-tank rocket launcher could penetrate the armor of a T-34 within its effective range, but due to its high cost and complex craftsmanship, coupled with the severe damage to Germany's military industry from Allied bombings in the later stages of the war, the number of these weapons was limited.

300 meters fell well within the Panzerfaust's effective range, a calculation the German officers had likely made long ago. The first rocket hit a Soviet BT tank accurately, engulfing it in a blaze of explosion—a sight that filled Lynn with indescribable excitement.

The two 50mm light mortars had also been brought into the concave terrain. With the perfect firing position provided by the terrain, after the first shot, the German lieutenant, wearing black leather gloves, loudly corrected the parameters. After adjustments, their second shot hit the convoy, causing chaos among the Soviet soldiers taking cover behind their vehicles and the road embankment.

Lynn continued to chamber rounds, aim, and fire, repeating the process three times before retreating to reload in the concave terrain, where another rifleman promptly took his place. After reloading, Lynn was able to observe the battlefield situation slightly during the wait: out of the seven Soviet tanks, four had been destroyed, and one armored car had caught fire. The Soviet firepower had significantly diminished, but the German armored assault vehicle, intended to attract enemy fire, had also been hit and was now burning in the field. The remaining three Soviet tanks continued to wreak havoc on the German armored assault vehicle's hiding place with artillery fire. Several large trees were broken in half, and the flickering flames and billowing smoke made it nerve-wracking to watch.

"Angreifen!"

With a sudden loud shout, the German soldiers lying at the edge of the concave terrain burst into a powerful cheer and immediately charged forward. Lynn's reaction was slightly delayed, and he found himself trailing behind the "Butcher" by about ten meters. He quickly crawled out of the concave terrain near the machine gunner who was still firing, then, gripping his rifle, rushed forward. Having been suppressed by the enemy's attack for two days, becoming the attacker one day relieved much of the frustration he felt.

Under the combined onslaught of various German weapons, although the Soviet infantry opposite suffered heavy casualties, they still fought back with all their might. Equipped with Degtyaryov light machine guns and Boboshashkas in large numbers, their firepower in close combat was formidable. Despite carrying combat gear, the German infantrymen rushing into the attack covered the distance of three hundred meters in just about a minute. The short distance was fraught with danger, bullets whizzing past him, yet Lynn, although anxious, felt no fear, focusing solely on following the "Butcher."

Finally, the "Butcher" halted his steps, his left leg stepping forward, right leg pressing down, slightly bending his upper body, and with his submachine gun leveled, he began firing rapidly.

Like the "Butcher," experienced German soldiers immediately opened fire. Faced with such a swift German onslaught, some Soviet soldiers remained prone on the north side of the road, while others hastily got up to deal with the German soldiers who had already flanked them. Still, others lost their direction in the chaos and retreated hastily towards the front of the convoy. In this situation, the German soldiers, with the upper hand in momentum, launched a close-range "massacre." The MP38/40 submachine guns sang joyfully, and the Lugers and Walther P38 pistols in the officers' hands were used to full effect. Some infantrymen using the MP44, in semi-automatic mode, efficiently killed those Soviet soldiers attempting to retreat.

Risking his life crossing the battlefield, Lynn found no reason to falter halfway. He quickly searched for targets while holding his rifle, and in just a short while, the surrounding battle had become completely one-sided. He attempted to fire twice but was preempted by other German soldiers. However, watching bullets hit human bodies from a distance of just ten meters, the visual and auditory impact was many times more powerful than games like Counter-Strike and CrossFire! Unconsciously, Lynn underwent a transformation from civilian to soldier—although far from meeting the requirements of a qualified soldier, he had already overcome many psychological barriers.