I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 838: The Great Explosion

In the early morning, the rain stopped.

Mist spread through the forest, like light smoke exhaled by the earth, silently weaving through the trees like white specters.

The air was filled with the freshness of grass and trees, mixed with the scent of dew. A gentle breeze swept the dew along the grape leaves, where it merged into the ground and disappeared without a trace.

If it weren't for the war, Mount Montbeh would be a place that could make people intoxicated.

But the piercing whistle shattered this beauty and tranquility, startling a flock of wild pigeons into flight, as US Army soldiers poked their heads out from the tent fortifications one by one.

More than a month of training had taught them how to set up tents properly; they should be positioned in scattered pits or trenches to ensure survival amid enemy artillery bombardment.

"Prepare for battle!" Patton shouted to the US Army soldiers, "Pick up your weapons; it's time to teach the Germans a lesson."

The troops instantly tensed up, soldiers scrambling to check their equipment, while tanks within the fortifications rumbled into action.

Some soldiers still attempted to pack up their tents, but Williams stopped them.

"Wait until you can come back alive to pack up," Williams said coarsely, "Otherwise, you won't need it anymore."

The soldiers laughed; such jokes helped them relax.

Actually, Major Williams was quite tense, and he briefly summarized the current situation:

The enemy had the advantage of high ground.

With the rain stopped, visibility was good, allowing the enemy to easily take out targets from hundreds of meters away.

The slopes were riddled with mud soaked by rainwater, making it hard for soldiers to even crawl upwards, yet they had to charge through a hail of bullets to seize the enemy's positions!

He ran over to Patton, asking in a low voice, "Colonel, is this Shire's order?"

Williams worried that Pershing was acting on his own initiative.

"Yes," Patton nodded affirmatively,

"I confirmed with the brigadier general (meaning Pershing); it's Shire's order."

"Moreover, he's very confident about this attack, though I don't know why."

"So, follow the orders!"

Williams took a deep breath, as if making a resolution, "Yes, sir."

Since Shire had never lost a battle since the war's start, this time would be no exception.

Thinking of this, Williams waved his hand forward and ordered loudly, "Follow the tanks, advance!"

The tank treads clattered noisily as they cut through the crowd, aligning themselves ahead, and then slowly made their way toward Mount Montbeh, two kilometers away, at a speed of five kilometers per hour.

US Army soldiers carried rifles, following closely in groups.

Already, they felt the difficulties of advancing; the muddy terrain impeded their steps, sometimes requiring friends' aid to pull their feet free when they got stuck, making it hard to keep up with the tanks. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Before covering half the way, over a dozen tanks were immobilized in the mud.

Major Williams furrowed his brow, as his steadfast belief was being shaken once more:

What is Shire doing?

In such a condition, in such terrain, does the attack make sense?

Even if they could successfully seize the position, wouldn't it result in heavy casualties?

Suddenly, the artillery roared—it was the US Army's howitzers and 75 cannons, clearing the mines and barbed wires set by the German Army in front of the positions.

Shells bombarded the slope ahead, throwing up patches of muddy water; the ground instantly became pocked and uneven.

Following signal flags' commands, tanks formed a steel defense line at the foot of the hill, while infantrymen lay prone behind the tanks, preparing for the attack.

Williams was further bewildered.

Massing troops in front of the enemy's positions is a grave mistake; the enemy can summon extensive artillery to blanket this area at any moment, causing severe casualties before the attack even starts.

But soon, Williams understood why Shire had done this.

The Germans' long-range howitzers had suffered heavy losses, leaving them unable to coordinate large-scale artillery coverage.

More importantly, Shire's "radio bombers" were still flying overhead.

Should the German howitzers open fire, they would immediately face ruthless suppression from the "105 truck cannon."

Nevertheless.

This approach was not a permanent solution; ultimately, an infantry charge was needed to secure the high ground ahead.

Williams crouched behind a tank, half-kneeling while holding a telescope to observe the German positions amid the artillery, contemplating potential challenges during the charge.

Suddenly, there was an eruption of explosions.

"Boom Boom!"

"Boom Boom Boom!"

...

Like an earthquake, the entire earth shook and trembled, causing Williams to nearly fall; his telescope was thrown aside.

"What the hell?" Williams looked towards Mount Montbeh in bewilderment, where plumes of smoke billowed skyward, continuing.

"Boom Boom Boom!" The sound of explosions remained incessant.

Artillery?

No artillery had such massive power.

Then what?

Some new equipment invented by Shire?

Regardless, Williams knew the German Army was finished.

With the scale and power of the explosions, the entire mountain would be flattened, and even if the Germans weren't blown to pieces, they would be bleeding profusely.

After a while, the explosions finally ceased, followed by the shrill sound of a whistle.

Williams shouted, "Third Infantry Battalion, advance, kill them all!"

US Army soldiers, their morale soaring, charged towards the high ground, bayonets raised high.

…

At the rear, Shire was in the trench watching the scene unfold with his telescope, a satisfied smile on his lips.

The Germans scarcely put up any fight; even if there were survivors, they were probably too stunned and lacked the strength to pick up their weapons.

Beside him, Pershing had remained awestruck by the huge explosion, finally reacting, his voice carrying a hint of terror: "Commander, how much explosives did you bury? It's like a volcanic eruption!"

"Over 200 tons," Shire answered, "We dug 12 pits in total, on both the front and back slopes, each with about 20 tons."

Pershing nodded, then suddenly sensed something amiss: "When did you—when did you bury them?"

Shire chuckled, "You guessed right; I buried them before handing over the positions to you."

Pershing's face showed bitterness.

That meant that when the US Army occupied Mount Montbeh, they were essentially sitting atop the explosives, unbeknownst to them.

Everything was according to Shire's plan. Shire knew the US Army couldn't stop the Germans' advance and knew the Germans would ultimately seize Reims and these high grounds.

"Sorry I didn't inform you earlier," Shire put down his telescope, "This was the only idea I had..."

"No, no, I don't mind, Commander," Pershing replied, both excited and enthusiastic, "I'm honored—I mean, for us to be part of this plan. It's going to be a great victory for us; you've given us this opportunity…"

"I must warn you, you'll need to be careful," Shire interrupted Pershing.

"What?" Pershing didn't quite understand.

He glanced at the high ground; US Army soldiers were already using mortars to bombard the German lines—the Germans still weren't retaliating.

Pershing saw no reason for caution; the situation was determined, and what was left was for the US Army to reap the fruits of victory.

Shire said calmly, "I buried 20 piles of explosives; just now, it seems only 17 exploded!"

Pershing was startled, nearly dropping his telescope to the ground.