Homemade Airplane

How much time has passed?

A year? A month? A day? An hour?

Or just a few minutes?

The cacophony faded into the distance, Beikete snapped out of his dazed state. The next moment, he ducked his head as lightning roared across the sky, the earth trembled faintly, and explosions echoed everywhere.

He remembered who he was, his origins, and his past experiences.

A few months ago, he was still a Taxiao Sword and Shield Guardian belonging to the Scorching Heart Arcane Corps, and then he was selected from his original unit to join a special force called the Biting Wind Assault Squad.

Shedding her heavy armor, she donned a black overcoat and enchanted soft armor, abandoning the Blazing Blade and Rune Tower Shield in favor of a ranged weapon named "Energy Blast Gun," a small crossbow capable of firing rapidly enchanted arrows, and extravagant alchemical bombs and even tactical scrolls... an unprecedented level of wealth.

Salary and benefits starting at three times the original amount.

A faster career advancement path.

As well as...

Extremely generous compensation.

Using the finest potions and aided by the magic of top Arcane masters, they advance with ghostly speed, breaking through enemy lines and tearing a gap to allow follow-up troops to advance unimpeded.

That was their mission.

He originally thought this would be anything but an easy or leisurely job.

He soon realized he had made a mistake.

This is hell.

He didn't know how he passed out; his last memory was of being violently pushed by a tremendous force. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious. Looking around, he saw the corpse of his companion not far away.

He had already recognized the identities of the dead. Captain Gesala's jaw was smashed, but he could still recognize the identity of this half of the face from the horrifying scar on his forehead.

Oh, this is Laina, a townman from Naste County. He always boasts about his beautiful fiancée, with long, straight, slender legs, but what good is that?

Beikete struggled to pick up the rifle beside him, only to find that the exquisitely crafted weapon, engraved with silver magic runes, was broken in the middle. He cursed, then drew his small crossbow, checked the enchanted bolts in the magazine, took a deep breath, and prepared to stand up—

But it failed.

My hands are trembling, my lungs are gasping for breath, my back is soaked, my body refuses to obey my brain's commands—fear is taking hold, panic and anxiety are gripping my heart.

Former Taxiao Sword and Shield Guardian, now Biting Wind Assault Squad, Beikete was a coward—his brain warned him, urging him to accept his current situation, to just stay there, curled up among the wreckage of the dead, tail between his legs like a dog, lying there.

This is a chaotic and disorderly war, and life is only given to us once.

His memories were slowly returning; he recalled the previous massacre, how Kang De's soldiers, like terrifying ghosts, fought fearlessly with powerful weapons.

He fought his way through the enemy ranks, never seeing a single enemy corpse. This terrified him more than the bombardment of heavy artillery or the fiery rivers raining down from the sky. He even felt that the intricate network of trenches was a labyrinth casually drawn by the Dragon of Cathay, a bloody arena where they were made to fight and bleed pitifully, all to please this demonic Cathayan...

How could such a bizarre thing happen?

So--I'll just stay lying there forever.

Perhaps driven by fear, or perhaps by cowardice, at that moment, Beikete finally realized that this war was not meant for him. He felt as if he had died once more; the country boy who yearned for a life of luxury and was determined to join the army to change his fate might have truly perished in the fierce battle just now.

He who lives is a coward, a regretful coward.

But all he wanted was the sound of his family's noisy chatter, and he longed for the cow-dung-scented air of the countryside. All he wanted was a small bedroom without chairs, or even a room with his brother. Spending his life on that oppressive, colorless, and futureless farm was better than crawling like a maggot in a muddy, filthy ditch, just to survive. So be it.

Beikete slowly lowered the crossbow and fell into the foul-smelling mud. Guilt, remorse, and shame were overwhelmed by fear, and he tightly closed his eyes.

Play dead... That's fine. The sounds of battle and screams still echoed nearby, but Beikete ignored them. He could even hear fearless warriors leaping in from the outside, letting out brave roars. He just kept his eyes tightly closed, pretending to be a dead man, or at least an unconscious one.

Let's talk about it after the battle... If the Council, we'll rejoin the team. Kang De wins, we'll surrender. Then we'll find a way to return home. Father was right; an ordinary life is the greatest happiness.

Unfortunately, by the time one truly realizes the wisdom and correctness of their parents' wisdom, it is often accompanied by a heavy price to pay, or regret. Such is often the way of the world.

On the other side of the battlefield.

"--defense!"

Boiling Magic Power bound the scattered elements, forming a thick wall of water that blocked their path. Cone-shaped bullets pierced the fluid, leaving trails of churning water. As the ripples spread, the terrifying force was dissipated. By the time those deadly little things emerged from the other side of the water wall, they had already fallen to the ground crookedly, no longer able to harm even a child, and had lost all their threat.

"Counterattack--"

The ground beneath their feet trembled, sending sharp stone spikes flying. The assault team behind the water wall roared and threw alchemical bombs. Frost erupted, poisonous clouds spread, and Flame swept in from the side. In a narrow encounter, the brave prevail. Arcane Hunter Mile raised his staff, and bursts of lightning shot wildly along the water gun that was spraying forward.

The Distant Harbor soldiers, dressed in strange battle suits, were thwarted and retreated.

Or it could simply transform into a streak of purple light and vanish without a trace.

This assault squad charged forward with high spirits, using detection spells to determine the enemy's location and coordinating their tactics with perfect teamwork. They advanced along the trenches, repelling the enemy forces blocking their way. Teammates fell one after another, and new recruits joined them. They fought their way from the low trenches to a firing point.

"Hellfire!"

Their tactical coordination was already extremely refined. Bullets fired from inside the firing point were intercepted head-on by two walls of water. Another spellcaster in the team launched a dazzling ball of light. Taking advantage of this cover, Mile rolled forward from the side, using his birchwood staff to block the fire groove on his left wristband, and channeled his Magic Power.

Intense hellfire erupted from his hands, engulfing the sealed bunker.

Once all signs of life disappeared, they extinguished the Flame and rushed inside. Heavy weapons rained down from the fortress onto the battlefield like scythes of destruction, reaping the lives of countless soldiers. But Mile and his men went deep inside and found no wreckage, nor any enemy corpses.

They knew they couldn't stay in one place for too long; Kang De's evil eye was watching this land, and a counterattack might be coming soon, but they were already thirsty and hungry.

There were no weapons in the bunker, but there were several crossbow boxes filled with gleaming yellow arrowheads. Each soldier grabbed a handful; capturing the weapons and equipment of the Cathayan would earn them a reward.

Besides that, they found food and drinks. After a simple toxin test, Mile shared two large bottles of Coke with his teammates. They took turns drinking, letting the brown foam burst from the bottle openings and corners of their mouths, splashing onto their faces and even into their nasal cavities. Amidst bursts of laughter, they devoured a bucket of Snickers and two bags of beef jerky. Everyone was busy eating and drinking, without saying a word.

Even if these things really do taste quite good.

Even though these things taste quite good, they may mean something terrible.

But no one mentioned it. Sometimes you have to ignore things and forget them, otherwise life can't continue. Everyone should just do one thing. Like now, the whole squad is fighting hard and has no time to think about anything else... They won't think about why the soldiers in the Distant Harbor always disappear into thin air and turn into purple light after being injured or frustrated. Thinking about this is completely meaningless and unnecessary.

Mile threw the empty Coke bottle to the ground, and heard the whistling sound of shells whizzing through the sky.

He stood on the flat ground of the bunker, looking around. He felt that the enclosed room was very sophisticated, which made him uneasy. After the battle, while resting, complicated thoughts surfaced in his mind.

He was suddenly filled with fear—he should be afraid. This battlefield was like hell. Around the corner ahead, several fully armed Distant Harbor soldiers might rush out, wielding rapid-fire crossbows, bang bang bang bang. Or they might unleash massive, booming weapons, spraying bullets that could instantly obliterate any unsuspecting soldier. And this was just one of the dangers; this was a death trap, a hellish place.

In that instant, trembling and confusion welled up within him. He couldn't understand his purpose or meaning here, nor could he comprehend why he was fighting this damned battle. He was also uneasy; what would come next? When would it end? Could this battle even be won? And...

The heavy touch on his shoulder pulled him out of his reverie.

He turned his head and saw a familiar face, a beard covered in dirt, handing him a tray of coffee-colored pastries that faintly exuded a charmingly sweet aroma.

"This is the last piece, eat it."

Mile reached out and took the chocolate, biting into it. He slowly smiled as the voices around him returned. Those voices were more important than anything else, waking him from his unfounded fear and confusion. He still didn't know what to do, but being here with his comrades made him feel safe.

Because they could protect him, they could support him, and he belonged to them, he was one of them... They shared the same fate, the same experiences, even the same fears, and were bound together in a simple yet profound way on this cruel battlefield, connected by blood.

His comrade in front of him revealed a wolf-like smile.

Let's continue.

Mile nodded, his smile both innocent and wicked, "Okay."

They formed battle formations, roared, and charged out of the trenches, beginning a new round of fighting.

Mile served as the spearhead, providing defense for his teammates while suppressing the enemy with magic. They continued to launch attacks, but had forgotten the meaning of the battle; they only wanted to fight or destroy something, as only in this way could they dispel despair and fear.

The tactics are already very sophisticated. Water walls can block enemy weapon fire, and then alchemical bombs, battle scrolls, and spells can be used to suppress and repel them. When encountering enemies indoors, use Flashburst Spell and Hellfire. This time is no different; new enemies have appeared ahead.

Mile launched a fireball, scorching the water puddles in front of him and sending up clouds of steam. Lightning bolts were fired into the mist, triggering a chain of electric shocks. They pressed on, launching a surprise attack under the protection of the water wall shield. But through the swirling mist, Mile could vaguely see that the enemy's weapons seemed different this time.

Grenade launchers, rocket launchers, recoilless rifles.

The heavy projectiles launched suddenly exploded upon contact with the wall of water.

Constrained fluids can prevent bullets from penetrating, but they cannot withstand the impact of an explosion. Language is insufficient to describe the mechanical forces exerted on an incompressible liquid by the surging blast waves. Rapidly fired rifle grenades are constantly exploding, vibrating, and propelling, exerting a roaring force.

Words cannot describe the fate of this squad that used the water wall as a shield. The raging water surged backward, like thousands of sharp blades piercing and bombarding, sweeping past with unstoppable force.

Mile's head was half embedded in the damp, rotten side of the trench. Blood and water trickled down from his forehead, seeping into his eyes and washing away the shock and... realization that had just surfaced.

"Codename Cloud Lark... Broken ribs, fractured legs, bleeding from the abdomen. I've already received emergency treatment. No, I don't need medical assistance. This location is excellent; no one has noticed me."

Amidst the corpses, a fallen spy's mouth moved slightly as he contacted headquarters via a short-range communication device. His eyes, already showing signs of bleeding, strained to observe the battlefield from this vantage point.

"Kang De's weaponry advantage remains extremely strong; the fluid shield tactic is rapidly becoming ineffective. I... I suspect they possess highly efficient real-time communication systems, even down to the individual soldier..."

"Similarly, each individual soldier can be teleported, whether wounded or trapped, making it extremely difficult to eliminate the enemy..."

"I have managed to observe the details of the enemy's rapid-fire weapons at close range..."

"New firing position detected. I'm calculating the coordinates and preparing to submit..."

The pale-faced spy clutched his wounded abdomen, his voice growing softer and softer. He trembled as he pulled out a potion from his pocket, slowly drank it, and a sickly blush appeared on his face.

"I am alright, but the soldiers are sacrificing themselves. Please convey to His Excellency the Grand Speaker that every soldier is fulfilling their duty and fighting bravely against the enemy..."

The soldiers, carrying their fellow countrymen, trudged through the muddy trenches, rummaging through each corpse for healing potions, patting their comrades' faces to keep them conscious as they searched.

Braving the suppressive artillery fire, the soldiers roared as they charged into the trenches and began their battle.

One by one, the firing positions were eliminated.

The soldiers attacked and retreated, suffering heavy casualties, but the battle continued, with death following them everywhere.

The coward, lying amidst the pile of corpses, prayed desperately, longing for a simple life. He wanted to return to the quiet, warm nights of the countryside, to sleep soundly in the cool fields, even after he had already woken up.

But those braver than him have long since fallen asleep, drowning in an unawakening dream.

The battlefield was chaotic and terrifying, like the gaping maw of a monstrous beast, devouring and chewing up living beings, a scene of terror that drove people to madness. In the rear, mages desperately squeezed out their Magic Power, while officers drove restless soldiers across the long battlefield, charging towards the enemy's main force. Pale faces were embedded in the mud, agonizing hands convulsed like chicken claws, the dying desperately grasping at any glimmer of hope... the dead were about to die.

Those who survived became gamblers, desperately piling their chips high. Soldiers' lives, their own lives, were squeezed dry in the life-or-death struggle, squeezing out all their passion, potential, and life, yet they didn't know what they really wanted to win. Only the stench of the wind swept across the scorched fields, and everyone was thinking about one thing.

--As long as we win! As long as we win, that's all that matters!

But when will victory come? When will we be able to defeat Kang De?

This problem is maddening, but the soldiers can only fight like beasts in their madness.

Until more and more purple streaks of light shot into the sky.

Amidst the hellish carnage, heavenly words swept across the land.

"We won--"

Someone was cheering.

"Kang De withdrew his troops--"

"The Distant Harbor have run away--"

The results of the Atmospheric Perspective image were presented to the commanders, and then swept across the battlefield like the clear sound of a lark. The people of Distant Harbor were already in a large-scale retreat. The enemy's front line had been torn apart and broken by the Biting Wind Assault Squad. The army was advancing rapidly. The Distant Harbor had been defeated!

The soldiers on the front lines cheered with excitement, cried out in despair, or laughed wildly. Some collapsed and never got up again, while others cursed and wept. Reinforcements trekking across the battlefield quickened their pace with renewed vigor. The officers' inspiring speeches uplifted everyone's spirits—the brave soldiers, with their fearlessness and sacrifice, had repelled the brutal Dragon of Cathay!

Half of Warriors' Mile's head is still embedded in the mud.

The spy codenamed Cloud Lark slowly turned his head, revealing a relieved smile.

The soldier, holding his seriously wounded friend, both cried and laughed.

The assault team hadn't seen any new enemies for several minutes.

The cowardly Beikete sat up from the pile of corpses, hearing the triumphant cheers, his face filled with mixed emotions.

--Sudden.

He felt as if all the sounds in the world had vanished, and the muddy ground before him suddenly cracked open.

In that instant, he saw the light.

The next moment, it was as if the whole world had lit up.

Like all the thunder and lightning in the sky roaring at the same time, a huge red fireball shot into the sky on the long, bloody death line of the Distant Harbor Legion, shaking and collapsing the long line and then throwing it into the air, rolling out waves of black smoke and throwing up endless dust and dirt, just like a volcano erupting, instantly engulfing this area of the position.

A violent shockwave swept across, and the reinforcements that were about to reach the Distant Harbor position fell in droves, their bodies twisted like rag dolls, as if they had been hit head-on by the heaviest Warhammer. Soldiers who were further away escaped unscathed, but they were also thrown to the ground by the rumble of the earth, letting out instinctive screams and shouts.

Everyone was stunned!

They stared blankly at the death zone ahead. Whether they were newly recruited soldiers, seasoned veterans, or noble and powerful spellcasters, they all showed fear, their faces filled with terror, letting the raging wind carry the rain of dismembered limbs and pieces of flesh, pelting them.

The spellcasting ceased, the magical artifact stopped, and the charge was interrupted.

The soldiers stared blankly, a chill creeping over them, and fear spreading through them.

They witnessed the sudden, horrific explosion that killed the captured enemy positions along with all the friendly troops who had stormed them, sending everything flying into the air.

Those stories—the brave, the cowardly, the indomitable, the great, and the tragic.

The fierce wind tore everything apart.

The soldiers on the Council suddenly realized something.

--The Dragon of Cathay, Kang De of the Distant Harbor, the Forbidden Spell Mage—this unprecedented and terrifying enemy responded to their heroic struggle with the most cruel, cold-blooded, and brutal methods, mocking their efforts and sacrifices, tearing apart the false cloak of honor, and revealing the true face of war to everyone.

The entire battlefield was silent.

There is no more blatant atrocity and narrative than this.

Faced with imminent victory, the savage, blazing light engulfed everything, extinguishing the flames of glory that lingered in the soldiers' hearts, rendering all that was meaningful meaningless, leaving only black smoke and dust rising into the sky, swirling uglyly, and reducing everything to humble dust.

The enormous mushroom cloud soared and transformed, eventually becoming a giant middle finger under the manipulation of an unseen force, clearly visible to everyone as it pointed towards the Council's vanguard position.

Then, a sound emerged from the smoke and dust, amplified by wind and thunder, echoing across the scorched plains.

Everyone could hear the anger and determination in that voice.

"Griffin Williams!"

It was like a divine declaration and judgment descending from the heavens.

"You will pay the price for every life that died yesterday, today, and tomorrow."

The response to the sound came from the arcane cluster at the vanguard position. The surging spells stirred up a gale and Magic Power, dispelling and extinguishing the middle finger formed by thick smoke and black Blizzard.

The Grand Speaker's angry voice echoed across the battlefield.

"You've all seen it! The cruel Cathayan refuse to accept defeat, even sacrificing their own warriors and killing them alongside our valiant ones. This brutal act will surely be condemned by the entire Mortal World. The despicable Cathayan have finally revealed their evil true colors—"

"Brave soldiers of the Council, burn with rage! The warriors did not sacrifice themselves in vain, for they exposed Kang De's hypocrisy with their lives! Neither the people of Distant Harbor nor the Goth People will remain loyal to him, for no one wants to follow a cruel and wicked monarch. Now, obey my command..."

The sound abruptly stopped.

Because the massive mushroom cloud erected at the Distant Harbor was dispelled by magic, revealing the shattered land and the huge crater blasted out, the most violent force had destroyed the lush fields, leaving ugly scars on the earth. And behind the ruins of the position, as far as the eye could see...

One after another, purple crystal pillars rose into the air, casting large swaths of light. Beneath the brilliant, radiant light, trenches, bunkers, observation posts, communication trenches... a new fortress of steel leaped out of the phase miracle at a breathtaking speed, taking shape and unfolding in a vast expanse.

The distant wind carried the roar of the army, a cacophony of iron and fire, like iron hooves trampling over the silent Council's ranks, echoing through the dark and gloomy sky.

"Victory! Victory! Victory!"

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1:... It's still a pity that this chapter could have been written better. Unfortunately, my physical condition and personal state were too poor, and I couldn't express the feeling I wanted to convey. This feeling of impotent rage is simply maddening.