Chapter 20: Battlefield Simulation Training

Ever since the last disclosure of secrets, the entire squad had fallen into disarray. Although Baiyue still appeared obedient to Luo'er, at this point, Luo'er no longer had the courage to lead them. Even though the team's atmosphere had seemingly returned to a harmonious state, it had once again turned cold in an instant, leaving Luo'er feeling at a loss.

More than a week had passed, and the expanded Virtual Machine Room at the academy had been equipped with more virtual machines. According to Zhuyan Yu, the academy planned to use these machines for live combat simulations, replacing conventional drills. The machines could not only simulate the environment of the real world but also the magical environment of Otherworld, providing these young spellcaster students with another combat method.

The expanded Virtual Machine Room directly incorporated students from several classes into the virtual space, allowing hundreds to train simultaneously.

Today's simulation was casualty training in live combat, allowing the students to experience the sensation of death for the first time. Being hit by a bullet would cause pain and weakness; a hit to the arm would break it, perfectly simulating the physical laws of the real world.

In a flash, everyone was standing in the trenches in tattered military uniforms, surrounded by scars of bombardment, with black smoke hanging in the sky and the rumbling sound of artillery fire coming from afar.

Their faces smeared with mud, they held bolt-action rifles from World War One and surveyed the misty battlefield ahead from the muddy trench. Alongside them were tens of thousands of NPCs fighting shoulder to shoulder. The entire simulation space was managed by the state's latest military-grade quantum computer, which could perfectly recreate such a grand spectacle.

With a light rain falling and fog all around, they could even smell the damp, foul air. The trenches in front of them were taller than most people, and they could barely peek over them by standing on wooden steps.

Luo'er looked around and noticed Baiyue from Class Three, who had somehow appeared in his trench holding a long Enfield Rifle and staring at him with wide eyes. She had found a coarse hemp cloak somewhere, wrapping it around her helmet and upper body, making her look quite comical. Although there was much murmuring from the crowd, the oppressive atmosphere stifled any laughter.

"Listen carefully, today's simulation mimics the real battlefield environment. You will die, get injured, and feel the most direct death and pain. Although your physical bodies in the real world won't be harmed, it doesn't mean you can withstand this feeling," Wang Xu, serving as the military Instructor, had entered the virtual environment unknowingly and was now addressing everyone from the trench, his voice clear though not loud.

"When the whistle sounds later, you will charge with fifty thousand AI soldiers to take over the enemy's position. Listen up, once the whistle blows, everyone must move forward—no turning around, no backing down, no running away. Anyone who disobeys will be shot by the supervisory squad without hesitation, understood?" said Wang Xu, jumping out of the trench after speaking.

Luo'er looked behind from the wooden ladder, spotting several water-cooled heavy machine guns flatly placed on the rear position, likely the so-called supervisory squad. He jumped down into the muddy ditch and checked the weapon in his hands. It was an Enfield Rifle, identified by its straight, long magazine and forearm level with the muzzle, a No.1 model rifle widely used by the British army during World War One.

Luo'er slung his rifle over his shoulder and, turning his head, saw Tangmo and Hu Daoke in a nearby trench. Tangmo glanced back briefly after noticing Luo'er's gaze then quickly looked away, making Luo'er feel guilty.

"When we charge later, stay behind me and don't run around," Luo'er instructed Baiyue, who was behind him. Judging by their equipment and uniforms, Luo'er had roughly deduced in which era's battlefield they were now and had a basic understanding of what was to come.

Baiyue didn't speak but nodded resolutely. Luo'er, slightly relieved, turned back just in time to hear Wang Xu's warning: "Attention everyone, our artillery barrage is covering, prepare for the charge!"

As the words dropped, a series of dense, dull artillery roars sounded from behind, as large-caliber shells streaked across the sky, howling toward the opposite position, exploding like thunder.

After thirty minutes of artillery suppression, when the sound started to thin out, they heard the sharp and urgent whistle from behind, signaling their imminent charge.

Many of the students didn't quite understand what was happening and were somewhat distracted, whispering amongst themselves. Luo'er climbed back onto the wooden ladder to the trench and looked at the land in front of him: flat but chaotic with large craters and mounds of upturned earth and wood debris. The mist in the air limited visibility to less than 200 meters, which, while limiting the enemy's line of sight, also increased a sense of irrational fear.

The first NPC soldiers to climb the trench moved silently, holding their rifles and advancing towards the enemy under the urging of the whistle. When Luo'er waited for Baiyue to climb up behind him, the vanguard had already advanced over 100 meters.

"Follow me!" Luo'er, not wasting words, picked up the rifle from his shoulder and began to stride forward, crouching.

Everyone had advanced about 100 meters, and it was still eerily silent on the opposite side, only sporadic artillery fire could be heard trailing from behind. One of the trainees, seeing the comical posture of Luo'er and another, couldn't help but scoff, "Idiots, with all the bombardment, the opposite side must have been crushed already, why the pretense..."

He hadn't finished his sentence when suddenly intense and dense gunfire exploded from a distance, the roars from the Maxim guns. The trainee didn't even get to finish his sentence before a sudden bullet smashed his head, shattering his face with the bullet's impact.

Luo'er had no time to see the gruesome scene. As the gunfire erupted, he furiously pushed Baiyue, and they both rolled into a shallow pit, bullets whipping up the mud around them. They heard the terrifying whizzing sound of bullets overhead.

The enemy positions began an intense and rapid attack, a dense curtain of bullets sweeping over the charging soldiers, falling in swathes like cut grass. Not far away, a trainee screamed as a bullet broke his thigh completely; clutching at his thigh, he yelled in agony as blood poured out from his lower body.

"Battle of the Somme, the British army lost 60,000 soldiers in one day," Luo'er adjusted his tilted helmet and wiped his face with his mud-stained hand, then said to Baiyue, "We'll charge once the barrage lessens. Understood?"

Baiyue nodded without speaking. Her lips were somewhat pale, whether from fear or the chilly weather. She stared at Luo'er wide-eyed. Out of a psychological impulse, she clutched her rifle tightly while discreetly grabbing onto Luo'er's clothing.

Luo'er peered out slightly and observed a horrific scene. Rows of soldiers, densely charging, were cut down even more densely by the sweeping gunfire, including a mix of trainees among them. Some were killed instantly, while others moaned in pain, the dark earth stained with a layer of fresh blood.

Suddenly, he saw the tall figure of Hu Daoke followed by Tangmo advancing about fifty meters away where the opposition's gunners focused heavily.

"Move! Move!" Ignoring the still intense barrage, Luo'er waved his hand and steeled himself, rifle in hand as he advanced. Facing intense enemy fire, countless charging soldiers were knocked down, blood pouring out. Screams and wails mixed with relentless gunfire filled the air. Trainees experiencing the battlefield environment for the first time were frightened by such a scene, seeing their comrades buried by enemy fire in an instant, which greatly shocked them psychologically.

Luo'er, along with Baiyue, braved the barrage as they charged forward, nearing the enemy positions when they were spotted, a dense volley of bullets raining down on them like a downpour. Luo'er grabbed Baiyue's arm and pulled her into a huge crater for cover. Bullets struck the dirt like hefty punches, throwing up mud everywhere. Baiyue instinctively hid in Luo'er's embrace, and he unconsciously held her head tight.

Luo'er risked a glance, seeing Baiyue not far away from them. Taking advantage of the break in fire drawn their way, both attempted to leave the crater and charge. However, just as the towering Hu Daoke climbed out, a machine-gun bullet instantly shattered his thigh, bursting into a cloud of blood mist. Hu Daoke howled as he rolled back into the crater, where Tangmo let out a terrified scream.

"Stay here, I'm going to help!" Luo'er pushed Baiyue away, telling her.

Baiyue stared at him wide-eyed. Although she didn't speak, Luo'er could see the worry on her face and the tight grip she had on his clothing.

"It's okay, I'll be fine!" Luo'er wiped the mud off her face, reassuringly said.

Despite reluctance, he still resolutely pushed her away. As the gunfire slightly shifted, he took the chance, rifle in hand, and dashed out of the crater.

The crater where he was was less than ten meters from Hu Daoke's, but those ten meters seemed incredibly long. The enemy's gunners spotted Luo'er, and dense bullets closely followed his every step.

"Bang!"

A gunshot sounded from behind, the roaring machine gun suddenly silenced—Baiyue's doing. But the machine gun quickly burst into fire again; by that time, Luo'er had already made a desperate dash, rolling and tumbling into the crater where Hu Daoke was.

Inside the crater, besides Tangmo and Hu Daoke, there was a corpse with its chest blown open. Hu Daoke's face was pale, a huge bullet hole in his thigh, his body trembling incessantly as blood pooled out. Tangmo next to him stared blankly at the unfolding events, having completely forgotten the military training on battlefield trauma care taught in coursework.

Luo'er didn't think twice, forcefully pushed Tangmo aside, and clamped his hands down on Hu Daoke's gushing wound, blood splattering onto his face, giving him a terrifying appearance.