Fangzhou Xier, starting with failing the art exam

Several gunners hurriedly set up the mortars and fired shells at the tank formation based on their instincts.

However, when shells landed around the tank, the shrapnel from the explosions also failed to penetrate the sturdy armor.

In response, the turret of a Tiger I slowly rotated and locked onto the mortar position.

boom!

The main gun roared deafeningly.

The violent explosion sent the gunners and their weapons flying into the air.

This completely destroyed the Syracuses' last will to resist.

"Devils! They are devils!"

"Run!"

The so-called defense line collapsed completely within five minutes.

The soldiers threw down their weapons and fled in tears, wishing they had two more legs.

This scene was less a battle and more a one-sided massacre.

Or, to be more precise, it was a dimensional reduction attack by the industrial age on the armaments of the pre-industrial age.

Lyon drove his tank, crushing through a wrecked camp.

The fleeing soldiers were terrified at the sight of the tank's massive form.

Lyon's mission was simply to move forward, relentlessly, to clear a path for the infantry fighting vehicles and troops that followed.

The veteran, inside the tank commander's tower, observed the battle situation through binoculars, a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth, speaking with the ease of someone on a picnic.

"Report the situation from each unit."

"Report 013: Point A has been breached, and no effective resistance has been observed."

"Report from 024: We have reached point B and have found an enemy platoon. They have surrendered."

“Report from 052… Uh, sir, we seem to have hit their kitchen. It smells like they’re stewing meat.”

A burst of laughter came from the channel.

"Full speed ahead!" the veteran ordered.

"Our target is Taranto, twenty kilometers away! We must take it before dawn!"

When the first rays of sunlight pierced the clouds and illuminated this scarred land, the battle was over.

The First and Second Armored Divisions of Letania, like sharp blades, easily cut through Syracuse's border defense system and began to penetrate its deep interior at high speed.

…………

Holy Leitanian Empire: Chapter 102: First Victory

Grimaldi Estate, on the border of Syracuse.

Mario Grimaldi, the patriarch of the Grimaldi family and the supreme commander of the Syracuse border region, is currently shirtless, enjoying a morning massage from two maids.

His family wielded considerable power in the area, and the position of commander was bought for him by his father at a high price.

To him, the army was his private property, and the soldiers were his tools for making money.

As for Letania's threat, he never took it to heart.

Last night, he and a few cronies mocked the peasant emperor Lacey, asserting that the Letanians would at most only dare to rant in the newspapers.

"Sir, it's time for your breakfast." The butler stood respectfully at the door.

Mario waved his hand impatiently: "Okay."

He was just about to get up when a violent explosion came from outside the manor, followed by a barrage of gunfire and screams.

The entire manor seemed to tremble, and the pendants on the crystal chandelier jingled.

"what happened!"

Mario jumped out of bed in shock, his obese body trembling.

A guard stumbled in, his face covered in terror and blood: "Sir! Something terrible has happened! Enemy attack! It's the Leitanians!"

"They...they broke in!"

"what?"

Mario couldn't believe his ears: "How could they possibly get here? Where are the border posts? What are they doing?!"

His answer was an even closer explosion.

The main gate of the house was blasted open by a tremendous force, scattering wood chips and dust everywhere.

Amidst the swirling dust, several figures dressed in black combat uniforms and wearing masks rushed in.

They moved swiftly, their weapons spitting fire as they shot down the guards who tried to resist, one by one.

Although Mario's guards are better equipped than ordinary soldiers, they are essentially a group of pampered thugs.

Their resistance seemed laughable in the face of these battle-hardened Imperial special operations personnel.

In less than a minute, all the guards in the hall were cleared out.

Mario was terrified. He scrambled behind the bed and, trembling, pulled a gold-plated revolver from under his pillow.

This was his most cherished possession, but at this moment, the weapon offered him no sense of security whatsoever.

The footsteps are getting closer.

A tall figure walked into the bedroom.

It was a woman, carrying two oddly shaped weapons.

It is a mace.

“Mario Grimaldi.” Mace’s voice was completely flat. “By order of His Majesty the Emperor, you have been arrested.”

"No...don't come any closer!" Mario mustered all his courage, raised his revolver, and aimed it at the mace.

"I, Ersan Wuqi Jiuliu, am warning you! Do you know who I am? I..."

Before he could finish speaking, everything went blurry.

The mace vanished from its spot in an instant, and the next second, an irresistible force struck the wrist holding the gun.

There was a crisp sound of "click".

"Ah—!" e〤r令倭2〖【依「鏾陵拔栮

The revolver fell to the ground, Mario's wrist twisted at an unnatural angle, the excruciating pain causing him to scream like a pig being slaughtered.

He didn't even see how the other person did it.

One of the maces was already pressed against his throat. The cold touch instantly stopped his screams, leaving only a "hoarse" sound from fear.

"take away."

Jian gave orders to the team members behind him.

Two team members stepped forward and roughly dragged the commander, who had been acting arrogantly just moments before, out of the room.

When Jian left the manor, the battle was over.

The entire manor was completely taken over by her squad; the thirty-odd guards were either killed or surrendered.

On their side, there were no casualties.

In the morning sunlight, on the distant horizon, the red flag of Letania was already rising from the clock tower of Taranto.

The results of this blitzkrieg were quickly reported back to Trinity.

The Twin Towers, Throne Room.

"Your Majesty! Six shrimps are pulling at the ground!"

Taylor's voice came through the communicator.

"The First and Second Armored Divisions met up an hour ago, completing the encirclement of the Syracuse border."

"According to preliminary statistics, more than a thousand people were captured and countless weapons and equipment were seized."

“What about our casualties?” Lacey asked.

"Casualties?" A soft laugh came from Taylor's end.

"Your Majesty, would a few scratches on a tank be considered a casualty?"

"Two of our soldiers sprained their ankles due to improper operation, and a cook cut his hand while chopping vegetables."

"Apart from that, there were zero casualties."

The other cabinet members in the office were all shocked when they heard the battle report.

Even the most optimistic Mecklen did not expect the battle to go so smoothly.

　Is the border defense of Syracuse really that bad?

Not only were there no casualties, but more than a thousand people were captured?

Even if it were a thousand pigs, catching them wouldn't be that easy, would it?

“Gertrude, the propaganda department can begin its work.” Lacey turned to the intelligence minister.

"Everything is ready, Your Majesty."

Gertrude handed him a sample copy of a newspaper, the latest issue of the Workers' Daily.

The front page headline, in the most striking red font, proclaimed: "Imperial Iron Fist Punishes Provocateurs! Syracuse Border Defenses Crushed in Half an Hour!"

The following article, after artistic embellishment, describes in detail the “brutal provocation” by Syracuse and how the imperial army launched a “just counterattack” when it was “unbearable”.

The accompanying images show the dramatic moment of a Stuka bomber dropping its bombs, as well as the ruins of a destroyed Syracuse outpost.

“Very good.” Lacey nodded.

"By broadcasting, let our victory spread to every corner of the empire."

"Let the people know that their army is invincible."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

……

News of the breach at the border swept through the entire country of Syracuse.

Initially, when the newspapers in Montelupe published news of Letania's invasion, most citizens and family members scoffed, believing it to be a propaganda ploy by the Letanians to boast.

"Half an hour? Break through our border? Has that peasant emperor gone mad?"

"Exactly, even though the Grimaldi family members are useless, they shouldn't be this easily defeated, right?"

"It's definitely fake. Just wait and see. Tomorrow's news will say that Lord Mario led his army in a counterattack and reached Trinitylme!"

However, as time went on, more and more bad news came from the front lines.

Not through official channels, but through the intricate intelligence networks between families.

"Hey, have you heard? Taranto town has fallen!"

"Not only that! My cousin's cousin is at the front lines, and he said his entire regiment surrendered!"

"Oh my god! Commander Mario has been captured alive! He was dragged straight out of bed in the manor!"

When these reports were confirmed, panic gripped the entire upper class of Syracuse.

The family leaders who had been talking loudly and mocking Lacey at the party just the day before now had all the color drain from their faces.

They finally realized that this was not the kind of family feud that could be resolved through negotiation and money.

Panic spread rapidly and eventually drew all eyes to Madame de Sicily's official residence.

Letters requesting an urgent meeting were sent there one after another.

Madame Sicily stood by the window, gazing at the sky, her face ashen.

She knew better than anyone that Syracuse's most dangerous moment had arrived.

She picked up the bell on the table and shook it gently.

"Notify all the heads of the families," she instructed the servants who came upon hearing the commotion.