Origin Paradise!

On the other side, Tommy stubbed out his cigarette and said bluntly, "The orders are in. Starting tomorrow morning, the artillery clusters behind the front lines will bombard the Prussian positions with saturation fire for seven days straight, destroying the enemy's barbed wire and machine gun positions. When the bombing ends, all front-line troops will launch an assault. Our company's mission is to dig tunnels and bury and detonate explosives under position number 145 on the other side."

“There’s not enough time, which is why you’re here. The Prussians are also digging tunnels, and if we run into them, it’ll be close combat. I need manpower to advance from two directions. Among the newcomers, you three are the toughest. Forgive me for saying such strange things, but I have Gypsy blood.”

Charlie shouted, "Leave it to us, sir!"

Jiang He did not express any opinion. This was not a negotiation, but a notification, only that the other party had put it euphemistically.

Tommy handed over his aluminum cigarette case. Cigarettes could be used as currency on the front lines to exchange for supplies such as alcohol with his comrades. A haircut would cost about three cigarettes.

Charlie and the death row inmate both looked at someone. Tommy, seeing that his probing had yielded results, said, "Now you're a private first class. You're in charge of the three-person team. I'll complete the procedures tonight. Next, it's dinner time."

"Understood," Jiang He replied, taking the aluminum cigarette case, as a notification sound rang in his ear.

[Hint: Faction Reputation +10 points]

[Promotion: You have been promoted to Private First Class (10/100)]

……

In the evening, a simple campfire burned in the trench, and several steel helmets hung on a frame made of wooden sticks, with hot water gradually boiling inside. Cigarettes, alcohol, tea, and sugar were indispensable non-staple foods for the army, and the British soldiers had an unimaginable devotion to tea.

As for military rations, Jiang He took a bite of a "wooden board" called No. 4 biscuit. It was so hard it hurt his teeth. Its only advantage was that it was moisture-proof.

A cry rang out from the sky, and a large crow circled down, landing beside the campfire. It tossed the rabbit it had caught into the fire to roast, then hopped closer and whispered:

"This is a gift, partner. Don't eat those biscuits that could be used as bricks."

Jiang He couldn't help but glance sideways. He had considered that his personal intelligence agent might be a man or a woman, but he never expected it to be a large crow.

The crow introduced itself: "Player level 8, not much combat power, only good at running away and gathering intelligence, quack quack quack, my name is Wuhe, I audited computer science and technology classes, my professional skills are top-notch."

Not far away, Charlie and the death row inmate were frying bacon and number four cookies. Jiang He reached out and let Wuhe jump onto his shoulder. He moved his lips slightly and asked, "What is the Prussian Reverse Tree Sword? My side shows that the violator is in a high position inside."

Wuhe readily replied, "Currently, all I know is that it is the official intelligence organization of Prussia, and there is more than one superhuman in it. The ancient alchemists of this world of remnants have made a major breakthrough in the field of souls. The alchemical matrix they developed is based on animal souls, which is transformed into armor to protect the soul, and it is named Knight Soul Armor, which grants people superhuman power."

"For example, your current boss Tommy, according to the intelligence I've gathered, his soul weapon is a wildebeest, also known as a wildebeest knight. He possesses the Gypsy tradition of free migration and a love for his family. He is physically stronger than ordinary people and can turn danger into safety with a flash of inspiration when facing a crisis."

"It can also enhance basic attributes?"

"Yes, but not by much, equivalent to two free attribute points. The key is the ability derived from animals."

Jiang He was somewhat tempted by this and said, "Let's investigate the old noble families on the Prussian front. They should have a stable lineage. If you and I obtain the Soul Armor, our strength can be significantly enhanced."

Wuhe nodded. His resources were concentrated in his professional field, and he lacked the ability to fight directly. He came to join him as soon as he made a gain, precisely for the purpose of cooperation.

Before leaving, Wuhe said, "Partner, you can find a few more helmets and put them into the ten equipment slots of a player with access privileges. This way, you can stack head protection, and it will be much harder for bullets to hit your head. Also, add each other as friends first."

Chapter 43 Authentic

into the night.

Led by Corporal Arthur, the newly arrived death row inmates began to emerge from the trenches to inspect and repair the barbed wire, all in complete darkness.

"The moment you light your first cigarette, the sniper on the other side will spot you."

"When they light their second cigarette, they'll aim for your head."

"No chance to light a third cigarette, boys."

"Hurry up and do it. After checking it once, go to the tunnel and wait to transport the soil."

At the same time, led by Sergeant Tommy, several men opened the wooden door that was slanted into the trench wall, went down the ladder into the tunnel, and the oil lamps in their hands illuminated the darkness.

The tunnel was stuffy and humid. Due to the rain, water droplets kept seeping from the walls, and the mud was ankle-deep, making the soil even softer. The wooden frame seemed to be trembling, and upon closer inspection, there were traces of cracks and erosion.

"Seriously, there's absolutely no guarantee of safety," Jiang He muttered to himself, noting that a landslide could happen at any moment.

After walking straight for several dozen meters, the tunnel branched off into two paths.

Tommy was followed by a bald man and an Irishman; this was his vanguard task force.

Which side do you choose?

Tommy's tone was somewhat grave. Since yesterday, the warnings from the extraordinary had been tormenting his senses, and this phenomenon had become even more severe after entering the tunnel.

"Things might change tonight."

Charles and the death row inmates remained silent, while the Prussians also dug tunnels. Once the tunnels were connected, it would be a life-or-death struggle in close proximity, and pressure and fear gradually grew.

Jiang He steadied his helmet and said, "Let's go and carve the fastest one."

"That's the right."

Tommy led his men toward the left passage. Progress was slower on the left because the Somme River had been an ancient battlefield since ancient times, and there were many mass graves buried underground. They had unfortunately encountered one before. In contrast, progress was faster on the right, but the soil was more unpredictably loose, and there was a high probability of encountering enemy tunnel troops.

Jiang He led the team forward, and the tunnel became narrower and narrower until finally only one person could pass through at a time.

As instructed beforehand, he hung the oil lamp high up and picked up an entrenching tool to dig the soil.

The Somme River is located in a layer of chalky soil, which is loose and soft. Before long, dust and dirt began to fall from above.

Seeing this, Charlie handed over a plank, and Jiang He built a simple frame to stabilize the tunnel, then hammered a nail into the joint.

"You're a born blacksmith!" Charlie exclaimed. Blacksmiths have a skill that they rely on to make a living, and they belong to the technical military branch. In his view, they were synonymous with great strength.

"I just eat a lot," Jiang He said honestly, her hands still moving.

The death row inmates would carry the soil out of the basket, a round trip that would take more than ten minutes. The tunnel was narrow, making it difficult to use rifles, which were essentially useless. Non-commissioned officers usually chose revolvers for self-defense, while privates carried bayonets.

After five rounds, the work team advanced one meter.

Jiang He wiped the sweat from his forehead. The sweltering heat and lack of oxygen made this unbearable work. His shirt was soaked through, and his monocle was fogged up.

Is there any water?

Charlie scratched his head. "When we came down, the sergeant only gave us three bottles of rum. He said that fresh water was not easy to preserve on the front line of the trenches, and rum was better at suppressing fear."

"Rum is fine too."

Jiang He didn't have time to be coy. He took the bottle, bit off the cap, and took a few sips. The alcohol content wasn't very high, and it tasted like a gasoline can. This kind of liquor was originally a standard drink for pirates.

Charlie, who had also drunk some wine, immediately looked distressed. "I couldn't taste a single spice or juice in it. Those quartermasters should be shot. In Birmingham, anyone who dares to sell such inferior goods will be lying dead in the street tomorrow."

A dozen minutes later, the death row inmate returned with his basket. Seeing Charlie resting, he immediately snorted coldly.

"What are you humming about?" Charlie said sternly.

The death row inmate wasn't afraid of him and snorted again.

Charlie broke down and stood up to pounce.

Jiang He suddenly hissed in a low voice, "Don't move!"

Charlie and the death row inmate exchanged a glance, their pupils both slightly contracted. The extremely faint sound of wooden nails clicking could be heard, along with a barely audible conversation coming from ahead.

The Prussians' digging direction was opposite to theirs.

Jiang He let out a breath. This narrow distance made it impossible to dodge with large movements. If the enemy focused their fire, he might get his head blown off before he could collect enough helmets.

Without bothering to explain or offer excuses, Jiang He casually grabbed a silver-white spear, the tip of which was engraved with a dragon pattern filled with hatred, a hatred that would last forever.

Charlie's eyes widened, and he reached out to grab it, but unfortunately, he got nothing.

The death row inmates shakily extinguished the oil lamp. In the darkness, each second felt like an eternity for the three of them. After an unknown amount of time, a chunk of earth fell from the tunnel wall in front of them. The person on the other side seemed somewhat surprised and then stopped moving.

Charlie's breathing became increasingly erratic, and his hand gripping the bayonet was sweating profusely, though he was completely unaware of it.

Finally, the sound of entrenching tools digging through the soil rang out again, and after just a few strokes, a large hole suddenly collapsed in the tunnel wall.

The Prussian soldier was initially taken aback, then roared to alert his comrades. He threw his entrenching tool and then charged forward with great courage.

Jiang He dodged the shovel by tilting his head, thrusting out the Long Hatred Spear. The heavy spearhead pressed against the enemy's chest without any hesitation. The three-thousand-pound spear easily pierced through the enemy's chest and back, destroying the spine and flesh in the blink of an eye.

Charlie, his face contorted with rage, rose and ran toward the hole, colliding with a Prussian soldier. The two wrestled and fell to the ground.

The death row inmate stepped forward, raised his bayonet, and was about to stab the inmate when, a second later, a gunshot rang out from the tunnel.

The leader of the Prussian task force frantically pulled the trigger of his revolver. Bullets flew from the muzzle, and blood gushed from the condemned man's abdomen. His eyes widened in horror as he clutched his wound, unable to move. Then, a second shot pierced his neck, gushing blood. A third shot shattered his nose, taking his life instantly.

Jiang He thrust his spear forward, the shaft traversing the large hole in the tunnel wall, and accurately struck the Prussian leader on the forehead. Fluid, blood, and bone fragments squeezed out, shattering beyond recognition, leaving only a section of blood-stained, pale white spine.

"Ahhh!"

Charlie gripped the bayonet that had fallen to the ground after the condemned prisoner fell, and while shouting, he stabbed the enemy's neck repeatedly to vent his terror, until the wound became festering. Only then did he completely collapse from exhaustion, his gaze blankly fixed on the condemned prisoner, whose name he still did not know.

"Don't rest, go and call the sergeant over here right away. The tunnel is dozens of meters deep, they might not be able to hear us."

Jiang He picked up Charlie and kicked him toward the exit.

Although Charlie was distraught, he still knew the situation was urgent and ran into the darkness in the blink of an eye.

Jiang He removed the helmets from the four corpses and put them all into the equipment slots of the privileged player. Only then did he feel a little safer. Including his original dragon scale armor, he was now essentially wearing an ultra-modern bulletproof vest and multiple layers of bulletproof helmets, so he was unlikely to die easily in a hail of bullets.

The Prussian leader's revolver was also picked up and put away; it contained six sets of thirty-six bullets, enough for daily use.

Chapter 44 War rages

Not long after, Sergeant Tommy arrived.

He had anticipated the outbreak of the skirmish, or rather, he knew that becoming a tunnel soldier meant this day would inevitably come; the only difference was when.

Do you have other ideas?

Upon seeing someone, Tommy asked directly, a hint of approval appearing in his blue eyes. "A veteran is someone who has seen bloodshed."

Jiang He quickly said, "The Prussians started digging from that trench. Now that the two sides are connected, it means we can attack directly. Even if we don't have time to gather explosives, we can still capture a defensive node."

Tommy didn't immediately deny it, but explained, "A round of digging and loosening the soil takes about 45 minutes. If it takes more than an hour, the soil transport personnel on the other side will notice something is wrong. Both sides have considered the situation you described, so once an anomaly occurs, the people guarding the tunnel entrance will detonate the detonator and completely collapse this place. At that time, we will be cut off from our retreat, and without follow-up support, we will just be waiting to die."

Jiang He said, "If we can cut the fuse, you can say that the bombing will start tomorrow and last for seven days. Even if we successfully occupy the other side, we will not encounter a large-scale counterattack. We can hold out through the bombing period and the ground troops can advance. The pressure is not expected to be too great, and it will be the first success in the next large-scale offensive."

Tommy wavered upon hearing this. The British army had not launched a major offensive for eight months. He had come from the mainland by ship and had been digging tunnels the whole time. This was a good opportunity to make a name for himself. Time was of the essence, and he had to make a life-or-death decision immediately.

"I agree with your idea, provided that you can actually cut off the other party's fuse."

"I wouldn't joke about my own life."

Charlie chimed in, "The boss just reached out and grabbed a long spear."

Tommy squinted. So they were all "knights" like him. From the descriptions, they were either seahorse knights or kangaroo knights, and they had the ability to store items.

“Then let’s act immediately. Danny, go back and inform the lieutenant that his long-awaited moment of heroism has arrived. I don’t trust anyone else to guard the gate with my brother and his men.”

The bald soldier immediately turned and left.

Jiang He contacted Wu He through his friends list. Wu He was an expert in intelligence gathering, so finding the lead would not be difficult.

[It's a small matter; no one will be on guard at night. The problem is, which trench's fuse to cut?]

[Number 145, diagonally opposite to the right of my position]

Tommy took out his pocket watch and stared intently at the ticking time. If the lieutenant hadn't arrived by forty-five minutes, he would decisively abandon the operation.

Half an hour later, a middle-aged man with gray hair arrived at the scene, followed by a large number of people, all carrying Lee-Enfield rifles and grenades.

The lieutenant shouted in a loud voice, "Tommy, if you dare tell me this is April Fool's Day, I'll kick your ass!"

"Company Commander, time is of the essence. I suspect the other side has already noticed something is wrong. We must act quickly."

Tommy picked up his revolver and stepped through the hole first.

"Hey, you've stolen my thunder!"

Not to be outdone, the lieutenant kicked out a few times to widen the opening, then crawled through, followed closely by a group of British soldiers.

[It's done, but if it takes too long, they'll fix it again.]

Jiang He followed at the front of the group and received a message from Wu He. He and Wu He were a team of executive officer and intelligence officer, and they had a basic level of trust before the hunting mission was completed.

In the pitch-black darkness, the group held onto each other's clothes as they moved forward. Jiang He heard faint breathing sounds coming from not far ahead, so he pulled out his revolver and fired three shots in the dark.

"Bang bang bang."

Kill record on player panel +1

"Hey kid, you scared me," the lieutenant said irritably.

Tommy rubbed the body for a moment, then looked up and said, "There are corpses under my feet. They must be Prussians who came to check the situation."

The lieutenant was overjoyed, "Good lad, you scared me pretty badly!"

At one point, Jiang He's breathing suddenly became easier, and he guessed that they had arrived at a fork in the tunnel.

Tommy whispered, "We have to charge now."