I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France
Chapter 157: Only Shire Can Do It

Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Only Shire Can Do It

Fairworth Town, the rain had miraculously stopped, and a faint seven-colored rainbow hung in the sky.

But the reporters had no heart to enjoy this post-rain beauty, as they gathered together to discuss today’s battle:

"It’s said that the Command Post also doesn’t know the latest situation, although perhaps they just don’t want to say."

"They only mentioned that Shire’s troops broke through the Andrush and Tamon defense lines."

"In that case, they can’t have reached the Lafox Defense Line that quickly, right? At least two days, which means we have to wait here for two more days!"

...

In the minds of the reporters, war should be where both sides set up their arrays - you defend, I attack, and the front line advances little by little.

Therefore, even though Shire’s troops had tanks that could smoothly breach the enemy’s defenses one after another, it was reasonable for the Lafox Defense Line to take about two days.

But the Morning Paper’s military correspondent, Kobudo, thought differently.

He knew that the battlefield couldn’t be thought of in this way. The strength of both sides was now concentrated along this stretched-out defense line, leaving the rear extremely vulnerable.

It was like an egg, with its outer shell hard but hollow inside.

Once any part of that shell was breached, it would be like breaking through into the hollow interior. If fuel and ammunition supplies followed, Kobudo even believed this force could fight all the way to Berlin.

Of course, Shire’s target wasn’t Berlin but Lafox, so the battle could end in just a few hours.

Kobudo did not share these thoughts with his colleagues/competitors; instead, he would occasionally lift his binoculars to observe the enemy’s direction.

There was no rain, but he could see nothing, just faint glimpses of their trenches and soldiers running back and forth.

Kobudo pulled his assistant Swan aside.

Kobudo hoped to get closer to the front lines for firsthand interviews, ensuring they wouldn’t miss any potential opportunity, but Swan thought it was too dangerous.

"You don’t know what this means!" Kobudo said anxiously, "We might get a firsthand scoop, hours ahead of others. That’s enough to publish a special issue!"

"Or there might be nothing!" Swan doubted, "If something’s happening, the Command Post should’ve responded. And those soldiers..."

Swan nodded towards a passing patrol, "Look at them, do they show any signs of victory? Victory doesn’t just appear out of nowhere, Kobudo, there are always signs!"

"That’s because they don’t know!" Kobudo explained anxiously, "No one realizes how fast this battle could be, it might be much quicker than we imagined!"

But Swan still shook his head.

...

Just as Kobudo thought, Xia Fei’s command post didn’t expect it, and neither did the soldiers facing the Germans in the front line trenches.

Xia Fei and his staff were still guessing Shire’s troops’ current position.

The frontline soldiers were on high alert, fearing the Germans might launch an unexpected attack.

Yet suddenly...

A white flag began to rise slowly from the German trenches; it wavered cautiously to attract the opposing side’s attention.

"Ceasefire, ceasefire!" Colonel Kote shouted, thinking it was a German messenger to convey something.

However, when he saw it was a German officer, a Colonel no less, he knew it wasn’t that simple.

"We surrender, Colonel!" The German officer said in broken French, his face full of helplessness.

"What?" Colonel Kote was stunned and asked, "You mean, how many people?"

Khalil looked incredulously at the French officer in front of him, who also seemed incredulous. Didn’t he know that Lafox had already been surrounded?

"Of course, all of us!" Khalil replied, "You’ve already won!"

Colonel Kote was shocked, "But, but... why?"

Khalil had a look of defeat on his face. Oh God, they didn’t know what had happened, and now he had to surrender to such fools!

If it weren’t to avoid unnecessary casualties, Khalil felt he should wait for Shire’s troops; that way, at least he’d have some dignity!

...

At Xia Fei’s headquarters, a staff officer suddenly froze mid-call, his face showing an expression of utter shock. Then, as if discovering a new continent, he shouted: "They’ve surrendered! They’ve surrendered!"

He shouted so loudly that he drowned out all other sounds.

The people in the command post cast strange glances at him, wondering if he had suffered some sort of breakdown.

"What’s surrendered?" Xia Fei, who was pacing anxiously, snapped impatiently, "Are you dreaming, Jerald?"

"No, General!" The staff officer answered loudly, "It’s Colonel Kote from the front line. He says the Germans have surrendered! Shire’s troops have taken Alrony Town and successfully met there, leaving the Germans no choice!"

The command post fell silent for a moment, then erupted in cheers.

A few radio operators couldn’t contain themselves and rushed out of the command post, shouting, "The Germans have surrendered! We won!"

Xia Fei sat back in his chair, looking "calm" amidst the celebrating crowd, internally repeating: I have to learn about the battle from the Germans!

Deputy Commander Kanes took out his pocket watch, comparing the attack time on the documents. The total time taken was one hour and forty-seven minutes, less than two hours.

From when Shire’s army started the battle to now, in less than two hours, a force of only two thousand successfully recaptured Lafox.

Initial estimates of prisoners were over ten thousand, mostly from the Lafox region, and they hadn’t fired a shot or launched an artillery attack.

This was the same force that had previously thwarted multiple attacks by the French general, causing significant tank and troop losses.

It was a miracle!

Kanes shook his head slightly, "Perhaps only Shire could achieve this!"

...

The news of victory swiftly spread from the command post throughout Fairworth Town, and the reporters soon heard about it too.

Yet they still looked bewildered:

"What happened?"

"Did Xia Fei organize an attack on the enemy? Otherwise, why would the Germans surrender?"

"But we heard nothing, not even any gunfire!"

...

Only Kobudo knew what was going on, he spread his hands to his gaping assistant, as if to say: See, you believe me now? But it was too late!

"We should’ve captured the moment the Germans surrendered!" Kobudo said helplessly, "That would’ve put our news on the front page with high sales, but now we’re just like everyone else."

Sighing, Kobudo looked regretfully towards the front, "Shire was much faster than I imagined!"

He hadn’t expected it to be this quick. Otherwise, he would’ve left his assistant behind and gone with his camera alone.

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