Another Worldly Summons

Chapter 76: Periculum Orbis

An hour ago

The 681st Infantry Division of the 7th Corps of Muish Southern Regional Army had been entrenched within and outside of Arou for the past days, enduring the piercing sounds of descending shells and ground-shaking explosions. Some of the conscripted soldiers huddled together in fear, as the Gra Valkan artillery relentlessly pounded their position. Arou, once a bustling frontier hub, now lay in ruins, courtesy of the enemy forces. In just two days, the situation had deteriorated rapidly, with border cities and towns abandoned, and a surge of refugees making their way to the railway hubs on the other side of Malmund.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The Muish soldiers cowered beneath the unrelenting rain of artillery shells, their minds racing with thoughts of how they had ended up in such a dire situation. In the opening days of the war, both sides had unleashed overwhelming artillery fire and hundreds of sorties of combat aircraft that gunned each other down to earth, with bombers dropping hundreds of bombs on their respective targets. However, as time wore on, the Muish found themselves outmatched by the Gra Valkans' superior numbers and technological prowess. Furthermore, the area outside of Malmund had become a logistical nightmare, with only one road leading to Keelski, the main railway hub of Mu in the south, constantly bombed by the Gra Valkans, leaving multiple divisions stranded and unable to be resupplied.

Each day brought fresh tragedies, such as the loss of the 333rd infantry division in the west of Malmund. The division had been surrounded and annihilated by the Gra Valkans' 3rd army corps, with the town they had defended reduced to rubble. It was a testament to the Gra Valkans' absolute air superiority and the sheer number of artillery pieces they had deployed on the battlefield. The sight of the destroyed town and the thousands fallen Muish soldiers, equipment, and debris strewn throughout the ruins was a stark reminder that the second civilization was no longer a safe place.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The ruins shook violently as the explosion reverberated through the area, causing the dust to swirl and the ground inside the foxhole and trenches to vibrate and scatter in every direction.

Despite the violent explosion, the Muish artillery remained silent and did not retaliate against the Gra Valkan position. They were unable to unleash their firepower like they had on the first day of the conflict.

Because the Muish conserving their ammunition due to shortages, and they're slowly being overwhelmed by the amount of artillery poured by the Gra Valkans that for them appears did not diminish. The fact that, Muish side continued to fire at a rate of 18,000 to 20,000 shells per day for three consecutive days since the beginning of the war. However, the Muish General Albertsons issued an order to all forces, instructing them to refrain from blindly attacking and to ensure that their attacks were targeted and precise. If they were unable to locate and pinpoint a target, they were to save their ammunition for future use and leave it in storage. As a result, the Muish artillery fire dropped to less than 100 shells per day, a week later.

The once fierce game of artillery between the Muish and Gra Valkan imperial armies had become increasingly lopsided, with the Muish soldiers on the frontlines bearing the brunt of the full, unrestricted firepower of their opponents. The toll of the war grew heavier each day, and the Muish found themselves unable to effectively silence their foes' trumpets of destruction or match them with their own, and morale among the Muish soldiers was at an all-time low. They were fighting a losing battle, and it seemed as though their sacrifices were in vain. The war had taken a heavy toll on both sides, but the Muish soldiers were the ones who were suffering the most.