CHAPTER 675: AFTER MODIFICATION: CHAPTER 675 FOREST TRAP

The Arden Forest is located at the border between Belgium and Luxembourg and is also known as the Arden Highlands.

Its average elevation is not high, with the highest peak, Botrange Mountain, only reaching 694 meters. However, because of the dense forest and complex terrain, as well as being covered in swamps, the area is considered a wasteland that cannot be developed by locals.

Major General Fred led his troops to Road 3 junction, where they stopped at the forest’s edge. The highway ended there, and ahead was a narrow path that only two or three people could walk abreast.

It was used for mining, and the surface was covered with ruts made by hand-pushed mine carts, as well as randomly filled holes with stones and mud.

The Arden Mountains are rich in coal and iron mines and upon discovering a new mine, people would build a small road, but these often became abandoned once they lost their value.

For instance, these three roads were abandoned in favor of the more accessible and valuable Kazir Forest Coal Mine.

Major General Fred raised his binoculars and looked toward the forest, seeing nothing but a wilderness.

Soon, a few German Army scouts came out of the forest, crouching as they ran.

They ran straight to Major General Fred without saluting; a Lieutenant at the forefront reported, "General, Major Feinde ordered us to support you here!"

Major General Fred acknowledged with a grunt, asking expressionlessly, "What’s the situation now?"

"All is normal," the Lieutenant reported. "The Major is leading the troops forward to ensure the safety of this road."

Suddenly, a few gunshots sounded from the forest, startling the vigilant German Army soldiers. The guards immediately raised their rifles and stood in front of Major General Fred.

However, Major General Fred was unfazed.

With his years of combat experience, he knew those gunshots were at least a few kilometers away, though it sounded closer due to the elevated position.

The Lieutenant glanced toward the forest and then explained to Major General Fred, "The Major is still searching for remaining enemies; they might have encountered a few French soldiers again!"

Major General Fred said nothing.

He considered: If the scout team could penetrate a few kilometers into the forest, does it mean the road is safe?

After thinking for a while, he believed it to be true.

So, he raised his hand and signaled forward, and the troops marched into the forest along the mountain path in a grand procession.

Behind them, the motorized troops used torches to ignite the fuel tanks of their vehicles, soon lighting up the road with black smoke pillars and occasional explosions.

...

Deep in the forest, a chilling wind blew.

With the melting ice and snow, there was mud everywhere on the mountain path.

German Army soldiers practically had to use their hands and feet to climb uphill, sometimes slipping halfway back down.

Going downhill required extreme caution; without catching hold of vines or being blocked by tree trunks, they would slide all the way to the bottom, ending up battered and bruised, or falling into deep ravines.

Overhead, branches and leaves always blocked the sunlight, casting faint, intermittent shadows on the ground.

Strangely enough, these shadows shifted gently with the swaying trees, like a spinning kaleidoscope, entrancing the soldiers.

After more than an hour of marching, the troops finally reached an open area.

Here, the ground was relatively flat and filled with sunlight. A small stream flowed gently from above.

The German Army soldiers, covered in mud, cheered and quickly ran out of the forest, as if fleeing from darkness into light.

"General," an aide reminded Major General Fred, "the soldiers need to rest. They are not well suited for mountain marches. Also, we should be safe by now!"

Major General Fred nodded, feeling a burden lifted as he gave the order to rest.

Once in the forest, it wouldn’t be easy for the French Army to catch up. This was no place for tanks and vehicles; the French could only track them along the mountain path behind.

However, Major General Fred did not notice the black muzzles of guns emerging from the surrounding jungle.

These belonged to Tassin’s 192nd Infantry Regiment. He had allowed the German scouts to pass.

To be exact, he had deliberately led the German scouts through this open area:

When the German scouts appeared here, a few "remnants" suddenly fired at them, causing the scouts to rush forward with their guns.

Otherwise, the scouts might have discovered the ambush around.

...

The German Army soldiers remained oblivious. Some leaned against tree trunks to rest, some fetched water from the stream, and others sat on rocks to scrape the mud off their boots with stones, as it made their feet feel heavy.

Major General Fred found a flat rock to sit on, its sun-warmed surface bringing a sense of comfort.

An orderly handed over a water bottle, which the Major General took and drank from, tilting his neck back.

"Bang!"

Major General Fred fell backward to the ground, unable to utter a sound. His face was shattered, and the water bottle in his hand spilled water through a bullet hole.

The bullet had passed through the water bottle before hitting Major General Fred.

Such secondary injuries are often more fatal; the bullet, after penetrating the bottle, tumbled erratically, leaving a horrific imprint on Major General Fred’s face.

The bullet might have continued to whirl within his brain, turning it into a mess, as white tofu-like substance spurted from the wound.

The orderly was too shocked to make a sound, staring blankly at the scene, with a piece of bread he intended to hand over still in his hand.

The German soldiers instinctively looked towards the direction of the gunshot, then abruptly turned back to see Major General Fred had become a corpse.

Quick-thinking soldiers immediately took cover and returned fire, but gunshots erupted from all directions, and a barrage of bullets fell upon them.

German soldiers dropped one after another in pools of blood, their bodies contorted in various poses. Some clutched their chests, others held their heads, and some tumbled into the stream, staining it red.

At this point, the German Army realized they had been duped. There was no cover in this open area, but the enemy was hidden in the forest.

The surviving Germans hastily fired towards the source of the gunshots, hitting only trees.

Major Enzo hurriedly took over command from the fallen Major General Fred. He crouched behind a rock, waving his pistol and shouting at the soldiers, "Follow my orders, we must rush into the forest!"

The forest was their only route to survival, offering trees for cover and leaves to block the light.

However, as Major Enzo organized a charge, light machine gun fire suddenly erupted from the forest, mowing down German soldiers in swaths.

Then, grenades were hurled from the forest, creating a deadly barrage.

Major Enzo lay on the ground, peering into the forest, and saw barbed wire laid down.

At that moment, Major Enzo knew there was no escape.

This was a carefully prepared trap by the French Army!