Infinity Armament

Book 2 Chapter 5: Team Cooperation

Formed by 1,111 fighters, 1,545 transport planes and 478 gliders, the Allied airborne formations took off from the 24th airport in the south of England. It flew along two routes to the North Sea. All parachuters were sweaty. Crowded in the canvas seats, each person was covered with countless kinds of straps, sets of bands, bullets… The Allied commanders were full of optimism, confident in victory.

In a C-47 transport plane of the British 1st Airborne Division, Shen Yi closed his eyes, as he sat in his own position. At this time he wore a standard British parachuter uniform, with a red beige cap. In his hands was an old M1 rifle from World War II. All his items were still in the Bloody Crest’s storage space.

After walking through the gate of light, he found himself in the present situation. Looking round a bit, the transport plane had a total of twenty-two people, with each person having a Bloody Crest on their wrist. It appeared that the City compiled the adventurers together.

Was this a Team Cooperation mode? First gather all the people together, then send them to the designated location to participate in the fight? Shen Yi was observing as the Bloody Crest, prompted:

“Main Quest 1: Successful landing in Arnhem town. Mission accomplishment – Reward: 500 BP. Mission failure – Deduct: 500 BP. If there’s not enough BP to deduct, dismissed.

Main Quest 2: Get out of the German encirclement, escape to Arnhem forest, Time limit: 12 hours. Mission accomplishment – Reward: 1000 BP. Mission failure – Deduct: 1000 BP. If there’s not enough BP to deduct, dismissed.

Main Quest 3: Get out of the German encirclement, escape to Arnhem Bridge, Time limit: 12 hours. Mission accomplishment – Reward: 1200 BP. Mission failure – Deduct: 1200 BP. If there’s not enough BP to deduct, dismissed.

Can only choose to do either Main Quest 2 or Main Quest 3.

Optional Quest 1: Unite with the main force of the British 1st Airborne Division, help the 1st Airborne Division break through the German encirclement. Mission accomplishment – Reward: 1200 BP.

Optional Quest 2: Unite with the 2nd Paratroopers Battalion of the British 1st Airborne Division, help the 2nd Paratroopers Battalion capture Arnhem Bridge, and hold it for 10 days. Mission accomplishment – Reward: 4000 BP, 1 Skill Point.

Can only choose between Optional Quest 1 and Optional Quest 2 after completion of Main Quest. You can give up the opportunity of Optional Quest to directly return. But after accepting an Optional Quest, you cannot abandon it halfway. During the implementation of the mission, you must not divulge the development of the war or your identity, any violators will be fined 10,000 BP. If the violator doesn’t have enough BP, dismissed.”

Obviously, the choice of direction for the Main Quest directly determined the completion of the Optional Quest. If you wanted to receive the highest reward in Optional Quest 2, you could only choose the Main Quest 3 to complete. Thinking of this, Shen Yi’s mouth formed a smile.

Beside his ears a sound suddenly bursted, “WTF, I don’t know how to parachute jump.”

It was a fat man next to Shen Yi. At this moment his face was like it was about to cry.

An adventurer gave him a humorous look, “You didn’t even learn how to do parachute-jump? You only need 50 BP to learn it, and it doesn’t have to be upgraded.”

The Fatty replied, “In the beginning I didn’t know what Operation Market Garden was.  I only learned about it at the last minute, it was too late. I thought the Bloody City would directly place us at the designated location.”

Everyone gave a sympathetic look at the Fatty, someone even said, “It’s the second most famous military action in the history of World War II, only behind the Normandy’s landing, if you didn’t know that, then what do you know?”

Shen Yi patted the Fatty’s shoulder, “Don’t be so nervous. In fact, parachute-jumping is not so difficult. Jump out, then pull the thread to open the parachute package… that’s it, the line in your hand. Very simple right… No! Don’t pull it right now!”

“Can you guarantee that I will not fall to death?” the poor Fatty asked in a whisper.

Shen Yi smiled, “Honestly, even if you can’t open the parachute package, the probability of death will not be more than 50%.”

Everyone’s expressions changed.

Someone said in deep voice, “Boy, what do you mean?”

Shen Yi smiled, “I know most of the people here have heard of Operation Market Garden, and that this battle was successful in the early stages but failed later, so many people must think that in the beginning of the action, we will not have any difficulties, right? “

Everyone looked at each other.

Shen Yi slowly looked back to the transport plane’s window, “You see outside, we have begun to enter the Arnhem airspace, the artillery firepower is being strengthened.”

Outside the transport plane, the sky was full of masses of fire. It was the German artilleries, they had launched fierce attacks toward a large transport aircraft cluster. In the distance, a large number of German fighters have also flown toward the transport planes brigade. It’s estimated that not long after, it would collide with the Allies’ escorting fighter formation.

Shen Yi’s voice was like a ghost haunting someone, “Operation Market Garden was said to be smooth early on. But that, in fact, was just self-deception. The whole airborne operations goal was to capture Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Arnhem. The three most important bridges. People only knew that the airborne troops successfully won the two bridges, but they didn’t know how much losses they suffered. In fact, the second bridge wasn’t won by the airborne troops alone, but the ground forces and airborne forces combined. The two armies attacked, to only then reluctantly win the whole operation. The German casualties were only 3,300 people, while the Allies lost more than 17,000 people, of which the US 82nd Airborne Division casualties were 3,400 people, the 101st Airborne Division casualties were 3800 people. All divisions that participated in Operation Market Garden suffered heavy losses, and the division that took the heaviest loss was the British 1st Airborne Division, which is now our forces. The 1st British Airborne Division, plus the Polish Paratrooper Brigade, totals up to 10,000 people. But eventually those who left the battlefield alive surmounted to no more than 2000. More importantly, the airborne force casualties… didn’t start from the moment the ground attack began.”

“Poor 1st Airborne Division…” Everyone sighed.

500 BP wasn’t so easy to get. In fact, the adventurers were still almost ordinary people. Even after enhancing themselves, it was impossible to block bullets and shells.

The group of adventurers were depressed, they wanted to curse, but they had no way to change the situation.

A butcher-like man said to Shen Yi, “Can you talk to us about the specific situation of Operation Market Garden? Bloody City gave out five quests, we must pick one-out-of-two for the main quests and one-out-of-two if we choose to do the optional quest, we want to hear about the Arnhem Bridge, if we still have time.” He said, adding that it would be helpful for everyone to choose the next option, “After jumping, we might have to fight individually. If you can point the direction of the escape after the breakout, it will be good for everyone.”

He didn’t think that the butcher-like man could be so calm and quick-witted in thinking. Shen Yi was a bit shocked.

Indeed, due to the reasons of the Optional Quest, some adventurers would like to choose different directions to breakout from. If one could point the direction of the breakout, it would be a lot more safe.

Shen Yi looked at the sky outside, and said, “Three minutes later, we must jump, if I were to explain simply, the entire plan of Operation Market Garden was made by Marshal Montgomery. From the beginning there were many problems, overconfidence, underestimation of the Germans, inadequated war preparedness, and lack of collaboration. Because of these mistakes, Montgomery didn’t know the Allies scheduled landing area. The Germans had deployed the SS Panzer Corps’s 2nd Armored Division and part of their Airborne Army unit. With the lack of heavy equipment, the Allied airborne troops and Allied forces were parachuting from an average height of 366 to 457 meters. Which was much more than World War II’s recorded standard parachute height of 244 meters. A lot of people who had not been reduced to paste by the ground was killed by the Germans. What was especially bad, was that after only two hours after the Allies had launched an air assault, the German’s 1st Paratrooper Corps Commander, Kurt Student, obtained an Allied combat order from a laid-down glider. He brought the order to their Army Headquarters to see Commander-in-Chief Walter Model, who then planned the German counterattack. Among the German generals, Student was more familiar with the Netherlands than anyone, but more than that, he also understood better than anyone about the Allied Airborne Forces major shortcomings – such as the lack of mobility on the ground and the lack of heavy weapons. Finally, Model was the one who chose Arnhem as the SS Armored Units training area, and Arnhem was the ultimate goal of the 1st British Airborne Division.”

“Damn it!”

“Crazy!”

From Shen Yi’s final words, all adventurers tasted the breath of death, and finally couldn’t help but shout out.

“Talk about Arnhem Bridge,” the butcher-alike man continued.

“The 1st British Airborne Division parachuting process was not smooth. In fact, because of the German’s strong air artillery, they were forced to parachute ahead of schedule. Most people fell into the forest far away from Arnhem, while a small part broke through the line of defense near Arnhem Bridge. That was the 2nd Paratroopers Battalion. They took the lead into Arnhem City and occupied the northern section of Arnhem Bridge. But they were gradually surrounded by the SS Armored Forces, and fell into a completely isolated and helpless situation. The 2nd Paratroopers Battalion led by Lieutenant-Colonel Frost fought to death with the Germans until September 20. Frost, in order to avoid unnecessary casualties, led most of the wounded to surrender to the Germans. The Germans accepted their surrender, but the 2nd Paratroopers Battalion’s second-in-command, Major Ralph, refused to surrender and continue to open fire at the Germans. The German’s Tiger Tanks immediately began bombarding them, and on September 21, the Tiger Tanks collided with the last wall of the 2nd Paratroopers Battalion. They completely regained control of Arnhem Bridge. After that, the Allies couldn’t even come close to Arnhem Bridge. It wasn’t until two months later that all the captured troops were finally rescued.”

“A completely suicidal task, that Montgomery was an idiot.” Some people said.

“I never liked him.” Another followed.

The twenty-two adventurers on the transport plane unanimously hated Montgomery.

Fatty asked, “How do you remember so clearly?”

“The mission gave me an hour of preparation time, so I checked the information.”

“That cannot explain how you remember so clearly.”

“I have a Grandmaster-level memory.” Shen Yi said.

“Memory can also be enhanced? Why haven’t I heard about it before?”

A man next to him knocked Fatty’s head, “Stupid, he teased you. An adventurer like you, basically have been enhancing more stupidity.”

“Ha ha.” Everyone laughed.

The butcher-like man let out a brawny smile, “No wonder it is willing to give a 4000 BP reward, f*ck, this is a fight with the Tiger Tanks. What would you choose? North or South?”

The North, was to occupy the Arnhem Bridge, the South, was to save the main force of the 1st Airborne Division. Obviously, this was a matter of choice in life and death.

“I choose to go North.” Shen Yi said, “You’re free to go.”

“This kid really has bravery.” Some people whispered.

“I have seen this kid. He’s a newcomer. I also heard that in the beginner’s mission, he killed Vampire Dracula.” Some people suddenly said.

The others looked at each other, “How could that be?”

Hearing everyone’s whisper, Shen Yi just chuckled and readily took out his equipments from the Bloody Crest.

“OMG, Spirit Flame Gun, infinite-bullets magazine, Bullet-proof Jade, and Kevlar armor, this guy is really rich.” Some people exclaimed. They began to believe that Shen Yi indeed completed a high-level mission, if not he wouldn’t be able to afford these things. Everyone watched in envy. If this wasn’t the Team Cooperation mode, there would’ve been someone who would try to kill Shen Yi. Of course, being successful or not was another matter.

“Can I ask why you chose the North? I don’t believe you just want the high reward.” Butcher-like man again asked a question that made Shen Yi surprised.

Shen Yi looked at his brawny smile, “My name is Shen Yi, what is your name?”

“A name doesn’t matter in this place, you can call me Jin Gang[1. “Jin Gang” means “diamond” (this isn’t his real name, but all over this novel he will always be called by this name).]

, everyone calls me that.”

Shen Yi nodded. This man was indeed worthy of that title, “If you pay attention to the Bloody Crest’s prompt, you will find that Optional Quest 1 is to help the 1st Airborne Division to break through the encirclement. Does anyone of you know when the airborne division broke out?”

“Oh hell no, isn’t it two months later?” Jin Gang immediately realized the meaning of Shen Yi’s words.

Shen Yi nodded, “That piece of the forest held the 1st Airborne Division’s main force, so the German encirclement and suppression forces there was also the strongest. The 2nd Paratroopers Battalion’s camp, although it is dangerous, but due to the fact that it was isolated from the 1st Airborne Division, the Germans didn’t need to use too many troops to deal with them. The German’s main attack target was still the 1st Airborne Division’s main force. While, if you choose the 1st Airborne Division mission, we would face the German’s strong artillery firepower for sure. With our current enhancements, we would basically not play an important role. But if we were to go to Arnhem Bridge, even if we are weak, by using the advanced weapons in our hands, we can give great support to the 2nd Paratroopers Battalion. The combat effectiveness of the two sides will be greater than if we were to join the 1st Airborne Division. In other words, by going to Arnhem Bridge, our role would be greater.”

Everyone suddenly realized something. Someone immediately said, “So the survival probability of going to Arnhem Bridge is higher than saving the 1st Airborne Division?”

Out of their expectations, Shen Yi shook his head, “No, the survivability of the rescuing mission is higher. Don’t forget, in history, the 1st Airborne Division eventually had 2,000 people escape, while the whole 2nd Paratroopers Battalion was annihilated.”

“In other words, if we choose to save the 1st Airborne Division, in any case, the quest will be completed. The difference lies only in our own ability to survive. If we choose to go to Arnhem Bridge, we cannot determine the results. Maybe we would win Arnhem Bridge, but it is also possible to only win it for a few days then lose it, right?”

“Correct.”

“If that’s the case, I’d rather go South.”

Shen Yi sneered, “What about the amount of food you brought? Is it enough to eat for two months? Did you know the British 1st Airborne Division passed two months inside Germany’s encirclement? They had to eat grass roots and phloem! Many people simply starved to death or died by getting injured because they had no medicine. How many people here has a gun with an Infinite-bullets magazine? In the last days, what will you eat?”

Everyone was stunned.

Shen Yi continued, “Before we came in, no one knew what the task was, I think very few people prepared for long-term fighting. Anyone who wants to hang in there for two months, feel free to go. In any case, I will go to Arnhem Bridge, because I only brought enough food for ten days. By the way, I remind you, don’t forget this is Team Cooperation mode, the more people we have together, the higher the success rate. In my view,  half of the difficulty of Arnhem Bridge was reflected in the fact that few adventurers took the initiative to choose to attack Arnhem Bridge. And if we solve that problem, the quest’s success rate would be more than a half.”

Jin Gang laughed, “No wonder you are kind enough to talk with us about this information.”

Shen Yi immediately replied, “Yes, I need the help of all of you, so I told you everything I knew. I believe that people don’t have the courage to face the challenges of death, even if they completed the Main Quest, they may not have the confidence to complete the Optional Quest. After all, the 1st Airborne Division suffered heavy casualties, losing three quarters of their soldiers. No one can guarantee that after choosing Optional Quest 1, he or she can survive. But if we choose to break through North, we can at least share the risk. It is a lot easier to complete the Main Quest that way. After that, anyone who doesn’t want to take risks, can choose to return, anyone who’s willing to take risks, then continue to stay. Is that better for everyone?”

After these words come out, everyone looked at each other.

Finally, Jin Gang was the first one who nodded, “Good boy, not only do you have the guts, but you also have the brains. Well, I think that after we parachute, along with the North break, after completing the Main Quest, whoever is afraid of death can return, and whoever is not afraid of death can continue. How about it?”

“Ok, Deal!”

TL note:

1. “Jin Gang” means “diamond” (this isn’t his real name, but all over this novel he will always be called by this name).