Chapter 280

Since the collapse of the station across the river, Eric has been thinking about why he failed.

The continuous bombing for three days temporarily prevented the further attack of heresy.

But at the same time, with the spread of rumors, the panic in the military camp is also spreading.

But Alec believed that he still had a chance to fight back. The place where they were stationed was an abandoned ancient castle, because it was well protected, and there were still complete parapets and trenches, which accommodated tens of thousands of disabled and defeated soldiers who retreated from various regions. This was also the last place for valledo to resist.

Because all the regiment level military officers have been killed or missing, and now they have formed a temporary regiment, the only surviving regiment level political commissar, that is, he will serve as the top commander of the front line.

That's what Eric couldn't even think of in the past.

He was responsible for more than 10000 lives. The burden was so heavy that he couldn't sleep at night for several days.

Similarly, what made him fidgety was not only the extremely bad situation in front of him, but also the scene of retreat, which often rolled in his mind

On that day, he saw that the speed of the whole column was accelerating.

But then came fear. There were more and more enemies in the streets. Heavy explosives and combat cannons could not stop them. They were as unstoppable as a tide.

The bridge is very narrow.

It is only wide enough to accommodate a chimera, which is the hope of Eric's retreat, reorganization and counterattack.

The command car rushed onto the bridge, it rumbled on the river, and the main turret had to cease fire in order not to hit another chimera.

Eric still found some targets. He bombarded them hard and won more time for the army.

One chimera after another reached the bridge, and the abominable heretics destroyed the vehicles behind.

No amount of gunfire could stop them. They even climbed up the roof and pried open the hatch and side door.

Eric couldn't see what happened to the soldiers inside.

However, even at such a distance, the scream reached his ears.

Only then did he realize that he could not save the whole column.

"Bartz!"

He shouted.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, commissar!"

The interim lieutenant who replaced Miller responded loudly that he was just a sergeant not long ago.

"Very good."

Eric looked behind him. No one needed his help.

He stopped shooting because there were no enemies in range. He could do nothing but choose the time to give orders.

Soon his chimera reached the other side of the bridge.

The driver drove it to the shore and stopped next to the line of defense. Bartz ran over with a detonator in his hand.

"How is the defense line built here?"

She asked, without looking away from the march of the armored forces, the second and third chimera had reached the West Bank.

"The remaining troops of two regiments have withdrawn here from other areas. They have brought some petrified lizards and Hydras."

"Very good."

Eric nodded and looked calm.

He believes that an image of political commissar who looks unusually calm and sure to win can bring more encouragement to the soldiers around him, so he tries to shape his personal heroism image.

But inside——

"What's good about this?"

He said to himself:

"We were beaten to death, lost half a regiment and lost a lot of good people. What's good about this?"

But they are still fighting, and these heretics have not won, which is important.

Two more cars have crossed the bridge, and all the remaining troops will arrive here, but the evil heretics are also surging forward. They have gone a third.

Eric hesitated for a few seconds, weighing whether to make a sacrifice.

Is there time to save another chimera? How many excellent and loyal subordinates will he choose to give up?

He watched the surging tide of the enemy, and the heretical songs were getting closer and closer. For all those who remained normal, an unbearable madness was coming.

Strong as he is, he is also afraid of the upcoming scene of hell.

He had no choice.

"Now -"

Bartz pressed down the detonator, a series of explosions shook the pillars of the bridge, and a huge fireball exploded in the center of the bridge. Then the whole bridge collapsed on the water, throwing the enemies and vehicles on the bridge deck into the air.

Then everything fell and disintegrated in the whirlpool of fire, smoke and white water curtain.

The loud explosion and the roar of broken stones rang through the whole river.

When Eric turned to speak to the troops on the defense line, the roar had not abated.

"All artillery units fired."

Heavy artillery fire began to cover the river bank, and every Petrochemical lizard and mortar of the artillery aimed at the river embankment in the East.

As the shells fell, this narrow strip 100 meters wide and stretching more than ten kilometers from north to South was covered by the fire.

Even on this side of the river, Eric could feel the beating of the emperor's hammer shaking the earth.

The outline of the east across the river disappeared behind the dark, rolling smoke, like a volcano spewing its magma under the river embankment.

This is the second sacrifice Eric made that day.

He mourned the soldiers who could get off the bridge in the future. They played well, did their duty and faithfully obeyed orders.

At the moment of their sacrifice, they were still following him.

Eric felt sad for them and relieved of what he had done for them.

In return, they will stand beside the emperor, and their souls will not be defiled.

But he didn't want to leave anything on the east coast.

"Sir, there are not many shells in reserve."

While he was still meditating, Bartz made a worried voice. They were standing on a lookout post, which was what Eric often did these days - observation.

Thanks to the continuous shelling, so far, nothing can pass through the bombing area.

"Well, stop the shelling for a while."

As if to confirm Eric's decision, a strong wind blew from the north and dispersed the smoke.

He saw almost immediately everything he needed to know.

The things on the ground near the river bank climbed, fluctuated, and jumped disgustingly.

This number is far more than estimated, as if it had not been reduced by shelling or fire.

"What's that?"

He adjusted the focus of the telescope, but he still couldn't see clearly, as if there was an invisible veil blocking his eyes - not just the thick fog, it was an unspeakable feeling.

But whatever it was, his instinct told him not to let them near.

"Keep shelling! The riverbank defense line is on alert! Send two more companies here!"

When he returned to the castle's temporary command post to order further bombing, the sun began to fall in the haze - a sign of the coming night and a favorite time for heretics.

The real siege is about to begin.