Chapter 124: 【The Battle of Stalingrad】 begins (6.7k combined)

Looking at the clamor of the audience below.

Zhao Ming spoke up to offer a reminder:

"But I’ll say this upfront."

"The difficulty of this national war instance, 【The Battle of Stalingrad】, is very high, very high, very high. So, players who want to challenge for the 【Stalingrad Medal】 must be well-prepared."

"As for just how high the difficulty is... it’s probably as high as several stories of a building."

"Because of the difficulty, for this national war instance, 【The Battle of Stalingrad】, players can form their own squads with top experts, or they can choose to have NPCs fill in as squad members to play the game."

"If players can pull off brilliant maneuvers in such a high-difficulty instance, then surely there will be no shortage of players giving likes, so the rewards obtained will also be very rich."

"The main core of this 【Instance】 is the cruelty of war. You all think previous battles were cruel,"

"then once you have experienced 【The Battle of Stalingrad】, you will know what true cruelty is."

"Based on the experience of cruelty, triggering... is this... our..."

Offstage.

Fang Ming, Mo Xiaomo, Yu Feng, and a host of other top streamers from Tian Sha were all using their respective equipment to livestream Zhao Ming’s press conference from above.

Inside Fang Ming’s livestream room.

Sitting below, Fang Ming looked at Zhao Ming’s warning on stage and said to the livestream with some skepticism:

"Is this Old Thief Zhao... Boss, is he for real?"

"Difficulty as high as several stories? What kind of difficulty is that?"

"It can't be harder than the 【Battle of Moscow】, right?"

Fang Ming thought about it for a moment. When he did the challenge mission for the Battle of Moscow, he had to fight Imperial soldiers in the freezing snow and break out.

He was hunted for a full fifteen days.

That level of difficulty was already top-tier, and he had completed it.

【The Battle of Stalingrad】 shouldn't be harder than that, and judging by the situation, it’s still summer in the game. From the perspective of survival and combat.

Summer is a bit more comfortable than winter.

At least you don't have to jump into a river to escape while wearing cotton-padded clothes, only to be chased like a dog...

The viewers in the livestream room also flooded the chat with messages.

【That's right, we're all veterans, what scenes haven't we seen? Let me see how strong the difficulty is.】

【Intensity? I've even experienced dying by taking a shell to the face, what else is there to see?】

【What if Old Thief Zhao is deliberately provoking us? Don't let him actually drop something big later?】

【No way, is this guy really not planning to act like a human?】

【When has this guy ever acted like a human... By the way, streamer, is the fruit ready? When others throw theirs, you throw two as well, and I'll gift you a Starship.】

Seeing the Starship, a smile appeared on Fang Ming's face:

"Easy, easy."

As he spoke, he reached out and took two oranges from the fruit platter placed in front of him.

Yu Feng, sitting next to him, also took two. The two of them looked at each other and smiled in unison.

Mo Xiaomo, beside them, shook her head, and then also reached out to take two...

But immediately after, Mo Xiaomo said righteously to her livestream:

"I'm doing this to vent for you all."

"It might even cost the streamer her future!"

"Send some free little stars~"

"The press conference is about to end, it'll be crowded and chaotic in a moment, I'll strike quietly, hehe~"

On stage.

With the announcements of the 【Battle of Midway】 and 【The Battle of Stalingrad】 concluded, the press conference for Polar Star also came to an end.

Next was the fan photo session. First, a group of streamers and players were asked to stand on stage for a photo, but it was a bit strange that these streamers and players,

were all holding various fruits in their hands.

Zhao Ming had retreated far to the back, not giving the players any chance to strike.

At this moment.

Inside Duan Yu’s livestream room.

Watching the streamers and players on stage taking photos, Duan Yu and his viewers all had expressions of watching a show. "It's starting, it's starting."

"At this distance, should be able to hit him, right?"

With a 'click' in the livestream!

A flash went off, and the photo was taken.

The streamers and players on stage turned around in unison, looking at Zhao Ming, who was dozens of meters away. Zhao Ming looked innocent and spread his hands.

Someone shouted, "Smash this guy who digs pits to death!"

The sky full of fruit turned into a fruit waterfall, flying toward where Zhao Ming was. Zhao Ming looked calm and unhurried, chuckled, and shook his head.

Then...

Various fruits passed through Zhao Ming's body.

In an instant.

The streamers and players on stage, as well as those watching the livestream, were all stunned.

What the hell?

The next second.

Zhao Ming waved his hand with a smile, then his figure became illusory and disappeared. Only then did everyone realize,

This is a virtual projection?!

When did this guy switch it?

No!

Damn it! Don't tell me this guy was using a virtual projection to host the whole time?!

Damn!!!

Inside Duan Yu’s livestream room.

The dumbfounded Duan Yu and his viewers watched as, after Zhao Ming disappeared, a dozen more projections of Zhao Ming appeared all over the stage, only they were in fixed poses.

Only then did they react. After a long while, Duan Yu finally said:

"Awesome."

Using a virtual projection to host a press conference, this guy seems to have some self-awareness about his own actions. Then, looking at the dozen or so Zhao Mings in fixed poses, Duan Yu had a strange expression:

"It really is a 'photo' session."

"There are all kinds of poses, players just need to crowd over."

"Too 6."

Just as he was speaking.

A prompt for a non-downtime update popped up in the game interface.

"Huh?"

"It's starting to update already?"

Duan Yu immediately clicked the update button.

Meanwhile, the streamers and players at the press conference.

After being stunned and finding they couldn't do anything to Zhao Ming, the target quickly shifted to the dozen or so projected Zhao Mings in fixed photo poses.

Soon, all kinds of prank photos appeared online.

The trending searches on the Federal Headlines also exploded.

#Top-tier awareness, virtual projection hosting a press conference#

#Shameless Old Thief Zhao!#

#Never seen such a shameless person...!#

To this, Zhao Ming could only say, you have to let the players vent a little, right?

With the end of the press conference.

The Polar Star app was also launched on major application platforms, and the Polar Star platform, which integrates games, forums, and shopping, was also promoted.

"Earth" IP series products were listed on the Polar Star Mall, and "Huaxia Series" restaurants opened across the Daxia Federation.

A few days later.

With the update of the 【Battle of Midway】, players had already been fighting for a few days.

Many players chose to skip the plot and went directly to the time node of the 【Battle of Midway】 in June, then participated in the 【Battle of Midway】.

Only a small number of streamers like Duan Yu and Huang Hao maintained the normal progress, and the rest were some new players starting from the beginning, not in a hurry to participate in the 【Battle of Midway】.

And the 【Battle of Midway】 instance.

Because it only lasted three days, players basically finished it on the first day, and the constant start of the game was to experience the novel naval and air battles.

The rest was mostly discussing the current war situation in the game.

The Axis forces, which had been advancing fiercely in the first half of the year, had now encountered their first setback.

The 【Battle of Midway】 broke the myth of the invincibility of the Japanese Navy and also directly thwarted Japan's offensive momentum.

Inside Fang Ming’s livestream room.

Fang Ming, who had just finished a 【Battle of Midway】, stretched and let out a long sigh:

"Although this naval battle is fun."

"But it's mainly for the novelty, still a bit unaccustomed."

D

As he spoke, Fang Ming checked the chat group. It wasn't the agreed time yet, but nearly half the people were ready.

"Next, let's play 【Multiplayer Co-op Mode】."

"I've formed a team with Yu Feng and the others, they are all top experts in FPS games, of course, in other games..."

"...there's no such thing as an expert in this game."

"You never know when you might die."

"After that, we'll start teaming up every day to train our coordination."

"Mainly because there's only about half a month left until 【The Battle of Stalingrad】 goes live."

"When the time comes, we'll challenge for the 【Stalingrad Medal】 and see if it's as hard as Old Thief Zhao said."

As for the nickname Old Thief Zhao, ever since they were dazzled by Zhao Ming's actions at the press conference, all the major streamers had gotten used to calling him that. He's too crafty...

Who would have thought that this guy had been using a virtual projection to host for several hours.

Afterwards.

Fang Ming opened the "Real-time Map" on the Polar Star official website, and then opened the player forum on the Polar Star platform, the 【War Situation Analysis】 section.

There were quite a few Blue Star players discussing the current war situation on "Earth".

Currently, the hottest topic was still the 【Battle of Midway】.

Players had different perspectives; some thought that even if they failed temporarily, the strength of the Axis powers was still visible to the naked eye, while others thought that the Allies had begun to counterattack and the Axis powers would soon be unable to hold on.

Fang Ming browsed the exchanges on the forum, and honestly... every point felt reasonable.

But soon he discovered some novel viewpoints. Fang Ming said to the viewers in his livestream:

"This viewpoint makes some sense. This post analyzes that."

"No matter what, Japan is a small country with limited industrial potential. The aircraft carrier of the American Freedom Federation that was heavily damaged in the 【Battle of the Coral Sea】, through powerful industrial capability,"

"was repaired in just three days and could even participate in the current 【Battle of Midway】, which is a testament to that."

"Moreover, in the 【Battle of Midway】, even when suffering bomb attacks from the Japanese military and the deck being blown through,"

"repairing while fighting is something Japan cannot match."

"Unless Japan can wipe out the American Freedom Federation in one fell swoop, even if the 【Battle of Midway】 doesn't fail, they will eventually be exhausted to death."

"This is unsolvable."

"And the Empire is facing the same dilemma; the soldiers of the Soviet Federation are too numerous."

"Japan's attack on the Pacific led to the constant withdrawal of troops from the Soviet Far East region that were defending against Japan to the front of Moscow. Even though it is summer, the Empire has not recovered."

"The Empire's advance is very difficult."

"If Japan had not failed in the 【Battle of Midway】, they could have occupied Hawaii and directly threatened the territory of the American Freedom Federation."

"They could have forced the American Freedom Federation while freeing up their hands to attack from the Eastern Front and encircle the Soviet Federation with the Empire."

"But now they have failed and are trapped in the Southeast Asia region by the American Freedom Federation."

"The Empire is being exhausted by the Soviets, Japan is being exhausted by the American Freedom Federation and the unopened 【Asian Battlefield】, plus the British Federation is causing trouble everywhere, the Axis powers are bound to fail."

Fang Ming read this post and nodded involuntarily:

"Feels very reasonable."

As he spoke, he opened the "Real-time Map", and it was just as the post said.

But because of the failure of the 【Battle of Midway】, they are now trapped in the Southeast Asia region, their naval combat power is half-wasted, and they have lost four aircraft carriers.

Plus the one aircraft carrier lost in the 【Battle of the Coral Sea】, a total of five aircraft carriers, which is an absolutely fatal blow to an island nation with limited resources.

However, Fang Ming couldn't be sure about the next war situation, he just chatted with the livestream.

After all, there is a new battle coming up, 【The Battle of Stalingrad】, a battle known as the 'WWII Meat Grinder' in the medal introduction.

A battle in which the Empire and the Soviet Federation suffered a total of over 2.7 million casualties.

Who will win and who will lose is still unknown, one can only understand it after participating in it.

Fang Ming watched for a while, checked the time, it was almost noon, the agreed time was one o'clock, so he directly opened the Polar Star app:

"Brothers."

"Let's grab a bite to eat first, I recently discovered a shop."

"【Huaxia Delicacies】, this is a shop from Polar Star Company, there are many dishes inside."

"The taste is also very good."

A series of question marks appeared in the livestream chat.

【???? Calling him Old Thief Zhao in one breath, and then giving him a GG?】

【Little Ming, be honest, how much money did you take to pretend to say that so casually?】

【Exactly, we're all buddies, just be honest, we won't tell anyone.】

Fang Ming looked at the chat, crying and laughing, and said:

"It's really not."

Then he showed the interface of the Polar Star app to the viewers in the livestream:

"This 'Huaxia Series' restaurant has nearly ten thousand kinds of dishes, currently only open in the major main cities of the Daxia Federation, and it is said that they are all prepared with the highest-grade synthetic ingredients."

"It is said that it perfectly replicates the delicacies of various dynasties in the 'Huaxia History Series' game."

"However, I haven't played the 'Huaxia History Series' either, mainly because it hasn't been launched yet, but the food these past few days feels pretty good."

"Let me see what to order today."

As he spoke, Fang Ming started flipping through the menu, his fingers constantly tapping on the Polar Star app:

"Let's get 'Taiji Bear Paw', 'Flying Dragon White Mushroom Soup', 'Mandarin Duck Shark Fin'... not bad, although they are all high-grade synthetic ingredients, they are not expensive."

"Done, wait for it to be delivered, and after eating, we'll start training."

"Let's practice coordination first, I want to see what the difficulty of this 【Battle of Stalingrad】 is like."

Half a month later.

As the novelty of the 【Battle of Midway】 passed, players also began to look forward to the upcoming 【Battle of Stalingrad】.

There were a few minutes left until the update.

Fang Ming's livestream team was already formed, as long as the update button popped up, they would click update, and then they could immediately enter the game.

And at this time, in the game section of Tian Sha livestream, other livestream rooms,

Many livestream rooms were titled 【Challenging the Hall of Fame, 【Stalingrad】 Medal】, and quite a few streamers were those who had obtained the 【Moscow Defense Medal】 last time.

After all, that was a lifetime GG, attractive enough.

However, there were also many streamers like Mo Xiaomo, some formed teams, some didn't.

Inside Mo Xiaomo’s livestream room.

While waiting for the game to update, Mo Xiaomo clicked on the Polar Star official website.

To see if there were any updates.

Checking the 【Huaxia History Series】 data section on the Polar Star official website during this time had become a habit for players.

Because new data would be uploaded every few days, making many players addicted to it.

Mo Xiaomo browsed the 【Huaxia History Series】 data on the Polar Star official website. At this time, the data section of the 【Huaxia History Series】 had already been divided into multiple dynasties.

【Spring and Autumn Warring States】【Seven Kingdoms Hegemony】【Unification of the World】【Chu-Han Contention】...【Republic】

From the 【Spring and Autumn Warring States】 all the way to the modern 【Republic】, according to different dynasties, non-fixed data was updated in each section, including emperors, famous ministers, and those who have been passed down through the ages...

There was inexplicably a feeling of opening a blind box. Mo Xiaomo browsed through each section one by one:

"Huh? The data for the 【Great Tang Empire】 was updated today?"

"Let me see..."

What caught Mo Xiaomo's eyes was a picture, a high-altitude bird's-eye view, with countless soldiers below holding long blades and slaughtering each other, looking like a meat grinder.

Below the picture was written 【Battle of Xiangji Temple】, and further down was a brief introduction.

【Battle of Xiangji Temple】

【This is a decisive turning point in the An Lushan Rebellion, known as one of the most tragic battles in the history of ancient cold weapon warfare in Huaxia. Its record of beheadings and casualty efficiency is unprecedented, and it is hailed as a "Cold Weapon Meat Grinder".】

【The Tang army and the An Lushan rebel army deployed a total of 250,000 troops on the narrow battlefield north of Xiangji Temple, all of whom were the most elite border troops in Asia at that time.】

【The intensity of the battle is unparalleled in the history of ancient world warfare.】

【The battle lasted only 8 hours, with 130,000 casualties on both sides, an average of 16,000 deaths per hour, and a soldier survival rate of less than 50%.】

【Note: Survive for 8 hours, behead 20, can unlock hidden general: Li Siye (can be embodied)】

【Achievement condition: 0/8 (hours) survival 0/20 (beheadings)】

【Hidden General: Li Siye】

【Origin: Jingzhao Gaoling, from the Anxi Army, famous for his bravery in the Western Regions.】

【Early battle record: During the Tianbao era, he followed Gao Xianzhi to conquer Little Bolu and the Shi Kingdom, repeatedly breaking enemy forces as the vanguard of the Mo Dao squad. In the Anxi Army, it was said, "Those who face Siye's blade, both man and horse are shattered".】

【Peak battle record: In the Battle of Xiangji Temple, he led the army to use the Mo Dao formation to hard-hit the rebel elite cavalry (Yeluhe),】

【winning time for the Tang army to reorganize its formation, and cooperated with the cavalry to flank and attack, laying the foundation for victory.】

【Later influence: His Mo Dao tactics became a model for Tang infantry to counter cavalry, but after the An Lushan Rebellion, the Mo Dao technique was lost, and his tactics gradually became a lost art.】

【Note: Those who face Siye's blade, both man and horse are shattered! Unlocked template players can be selected for the "Famous Generals of the Prosperous Tang" series.】

"Hiss—" "Although I don't understand it, it feels very powerful?!"

"This famous general."

The viewers in the livestream were all stunned.

【No? Is this for real? Using a Mo Dao formation to hard-hit elite rebel cavalry, is this written wrong??】

【?】

【Infantry countering cavalry, am I crazy or is the Huaxia in this game crazy?】

【Elite, and elite cavalry at that, is this really not something made up by the Photon Supercomputer?】

【Fake, absolutely fake, infantry fighting cavalry, are you kidding me?】

Mo Xiaomo was also a bit confused, not knowing why the viewers reacted so strongly, but looking at the reaction, she still took a look and said:

"This is... official history, right?"

"I see it marked below, the above content is all official history of the Huaxia History Series."

"Maybe Polar Star also thinks it's outrageous?"

"So they gave such a note?"

"But is it very difficult for infantry to counter cavalry?"

"Why do you have this reaction?"

After a moment of silence in the livestream, a message slowly floated by:

【Infantry against cavalry... how should I put it?】

【You've played 《World War II: Rise of the Empire》, you should know about cavalry charging tanks, right?】

【Cavalry is that tank.】

Mo Xiaomo widened her eyes:

"So I'm the one riding the horse?"

"Hiss" "Then the gap is a bit big."

This was simple and easy to understand, and Mo Xiaomo understood.

At this time, a message floated by leisurely:

【No... you're the horse that gets directly crushed to death by the tank.】

Mo Xiaomo widened her eyes:

"Ah?!"

"You...?! Hey! The game updated."

Mo Xiaomo's attention returned to the game.

She clicked the update button, and a few seconds later the game installation update was finished. Looking at the 【Battle of Stalingrad】 that appeared, Mo Xiaomo clicked start directly.

Anyway, she didn't need to challenge for the 【Stalingrad Medal】, so she started a separate game.

The screen flashed.

Like other national war instances, a CG screen slowly emerged.

Dark gray tones began to appear on the screen.

What came into view was a city swallowed by artillery fire, with blackened ruins of buildings everywhere. A few buildings still standing could be recognized as Stalingrad.

The perspective zoomed out, overlooking the entire city.

Emptiness, silence, death...

A few large characters slowly emerged 【This is the most tragic battle in the history of World War II.】

【Here, the average survival time for each soldier is only 24 hours.】

The screen switched, showing the Imperial soldiers in the initial CG standing by, then Soviet soldiers wrapped in flames rushed out, rushing toward the Imperial soldiers regardless of their lives.

Characters slowly emerged 【From the moment you step onto the banks of the Volga, 'your' life is only about one day left, and this day will be your 'entire' life from now on.】

The screen switched to a building where soldiers rushed out, but were instantly riddled with bullets.

Characters slowly emerged 【Here, every house, every water tower, and even every broken wall you want to use as cover, could be 'your' burial place.】

The screen zoomed up to the high altitude. Under the bloody sunset of the evening, the ruined city with thick black smoke seemed like a hell appearing in reality, and then a few large characters emerged.

【The Battle of Stalingrad】

The screen ended, and the player entered the game.

After Mo Xiaomo entered the game, what came into view was a broken house, with glass shards all over the floor. Through the scenery outside the window, it could be seen that this was at least four or five stories high.

It's just that there was no sound in the room, it was terrifyingly quiet.

Mo Xiaomo looked down at the rifle in her hand, her heart relaxed, and she slowly chambered the rifle in her hand.

"Click"!

As soon as she finished chambering, there was a sound downstairs, but when she listened carefully, there was no movement. Mo Xiaomo swallowed, looked at the stairwell, quietly hid behind the sofa, peeking at the stairwell, and said to the livestream:

"This CG is so oppressive."

"And there won't be ghosts in this game, right?"

"You all heard the movement just now, right?!"

"It's gone now?!"

"Too scary!!!"

On the other side.

Fang Ming, Yu Feng, and others, the team they formed also entered the game.

A total of fifty people, all online at this time, but not online in the game, but each person's livestream small screen was in other livestream rooms.

So if you look at the bottom right corner, you can see fifty small split screens including yourself.

The screen flashed, and these fifty people entered the game.

The first moment they entered the game.

Fang Ming analyzed his current position.

The scenery outside is the first floor, the location is the kitchen, there are footsteps in the living room, don't know if it's friend or foe, the team formed is not together, but should be nearby.

Because a quick glance at the fifty small split screens in the livestream room shows that the scenery outside is the same, but the floors are different.

Fang Ming looked down at the weapon in his hand, a submachine gun.

Not chambered, don't know if the footsteps outside are friend or foe, chambering will expose himself, so Fang Ming didn't chamber immediately, but moved quietly toward the living room.

One step, two steps, all the way to the kitchen door.

He leaned out to look.

In an instant, a head wearing a steel helmet also leaned out from the side.

Fang Ming looked at the steel helmet on the opposite side, and the opposite soldier looked at the red star on Fang Ming's hat... Fang Ming quickly raised his gun, and the opposite side was startled and dodged subconsciously.

But only heard the sound of "click, click" chambering,

Gun not chambered?

When this Imperial soldier reacted and stopped, it was already too late.

Rat-tat-tat!!!

The bullets from the submachine gun in Fang Ming's hand instantly swept across the Imperial soldier, killing him instantly.

And just at the moment the gunfire rang out.

Chaotic gunfire also rang out all over the building. The fifty small split screens in the bottom right corner of the livestream room instantly went black by one-fifth, and Fang Ming felt his hair stand on end.

Damn it?!

How many Imperial soldiers are in this building?!

Just as this thought flashed through his mind.

Roll!

A grenade rolled out from behind the stairs and landed at Fang Ming's feet.

"Damn?!!!"

Fang Ming's pupils shrank, he gasped, and turned to rush into the kitchen.

Boom!!!