Chapter 337 ·Not One Step Back！

【The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍enemy has already penetrated deep into our heartland，destroying and devastating our cities and villages。Plundering and killing our people。If we do not stop retreating，we will have no food，no factories，no railways，everything will be lost。】

【Children，the ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍time has come to stop retreating，we must hold every inch of our positions，every inch of our territory，until everyone sheds the last drop of blood in their bodies。】

【Not ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍One Step Back！】

Ernesto ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Supreme Council，Order Number—227。

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a Collective Farmhouse in Ernesto Vyatlitsk State

Amid ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the endlessly repeating broadcast，a large group of girls crowded around the Recruitment Office clamoring to enlist，the recorder’s fingers trembled slightly as he recorded their names one by one。

From the brutal Trench Warfare between dynasties，to the Slave Army uprising that liberated the entire State and completed unification，then to facing the Coalition Forces invasion，and now the Battle of Como City Defense，all of this was like an invisible black hole endlessly devouring everything they had，draining away their final blood。

Vyatlitsk was almost out of men，no，all of Ernesto was almost out of them，yet the bloody hole at the front still needed an endless stream of people to fill it。

The Motherland could no longer protect them，Avisu completely lifted every restriction on enlistment。

Looking at the girls lined up before him the officer sighed：“There’s nothing in the barracks，little girls，some of you aren’t even as tall as your guns，who forced you onto me。”

“There are no men or women on the battlefield，do you little girls understand what that means？When you fall into the enemy’s hands，the best outcome will be death。”

‘We understand，there are no men or women，no little girls，only warriors of the Motherland！’

Katerina wore an oversized military uniform as she raised her head to look at the officer：“This is our country too！The Motherland needs us！”

For the first time they were not fighting for some illusory Tsar and gods，not fighting for the Imperialism that enslaved them，but fighting for a Motherland that had liberated them from oppression，and granted them the same rights and freedom as men。

Once the Motherland fell into enemy hands，they would fall again from masters of the nation and glorious workers，into slaves who would never be able to rise again for all eternity。

Only those who had regained dignity and conviction would understand just how precious this was，and be willing to place their lives beneath it。

‘Boom...’

A succession of exploding artillery shells startled Katerina awake from her sleep，only after feeling the cold hard touch of the firearm in her arms did she relax slightly。

After simply tidying her hair，Katerina crawled out of the tiny dwelling hidden among the ruins and made from a tattered blanket，warily raising her rifle and observing the ruins within the city through the scope。

In the blink of an eye she had already safely spent half a month on the battlefield

An ill-fitting pilled soldier’s uniform，size 43 shoes fitted onto size 35 feet，reality could not give her beauty，war would not wait for her to grow up，it would only leave behind a blood-colored shadow。

On the battlefield they were like stalks in a field，falling as soon as the wind blew。

Yet Katerina could still find her own happiness within it，such as the SVD Semi-automatic Sniper Rifle wrapped in torn cloth in her hands，which she lovingly stroked again and again。

SVD Semi-automatic Sniper Rifle

Maximum range 1300m，magazine capacity 10 rounds，using a 4× scope，firing 7.62㎜ Specialized Sniper Rounds。

It was also fine not to use Specialized Sniper Ammunition，it could use existing 7.62 rifle rounds interchangeably，but both accuracy and power would be greatly affected，and the precision firing range would be reduced to around 600m。

Through professional integrated design of the rifle、sight、and ammunition by the development unit，the three achieved completely compatible performance，it was a Specialized Sniper Rifle developed on the basis of experience with traditional rifles，put simply it was similar to an enlarged AK，retaining the durability of the AK family，with low maintenance costs and low manufacturing difficulty。

With the breakthrough in Optical Sighting Device technology，the production cost of ordinary sniper scope lenses dropped significantly，and the general squad-type Semi-automatic Sniper Rifle was placed on the R&D agenda。

In many situations a highly professional Sniper was actually unnecessary to complete the mission，deploying a Sniper Team was extremely wasteful，while the SVD replaced the previous Bolt-action Rifle as an extension of squad-level precision firepower。

Of course，this division of roles was from the Alliance’s perspective，the Alliance did not lack more advanced specialized weapons。

But after this weapon was supplied as aid to Ernesto，Ernesto positioned it as an Urban Warfare Specialized Sniper Weapon，selected a group of soldiers possessing excellent shooting accuracy and issued them SVDs，then let them disappear like drops into the sea，doing everything they possibly could on their own to inflict casualties on the Coalition Forces。

And Katerina was one of them，she had already used the SVD to precisely kill four Coalition Forces soldiers one by one，and safely escaped the enemy’s counterattacks。

There was no helping it，the quota of Sniper Rounds was extremely small，because most transport capacity was concentrated on transporting the firearms themselves，she used Standard-issue Rifle Ammunition most of the time，once the range exceeded 800m accuracy would noticeably decline，so she could only fire from more dangerous positions。

In the early stages the Coalition Forces lost large numbers of completely unprepared soldiers and officers to Ernesto’s suddenly appearing Sniper Teams，because of this later whenever they discovered a comrade killed by a single shot from long range，the Coalition Forces would launch fierce artillery retaliation against suspicious locations，while fighter aircraft in the sky would also descend to lower altitude to clear them out。

For Ernesto’s Snipers，the battlefield survival environment worsened every day，and this was also a microcosm of the entire Como City garrison。

Como City’s grain warehouse burned fiercely and illuminated the night sky，before this it had already held out for more than ten days and nights，every wave of charges by the Coalition Forces had been repelled by defensive firepower。

Amid the chaos Katerina used the firelight to aim and shoot at every soldier，doing everything she could to relieve the pressure on her comrades inside the grain warehouse。

Until the Coalition Forces brought in Heavy Artillery，amid the roar of artillery the ruined structure of the grain warehouse finally could no longer endure and began collapsing across a large area，the flames also began spreading into the interior of the grain warehouse，and the never-ending hum of machine guns abruptly ceased。

Katerina’s firing also attracted the attention of the Coalition Forces，lying prone among the ruins Katerina saw through her scope that the raised gun barrel of a Tank was pointed directly in her direction，her finger trembled slightly before releasing the trigger。

Her eyes left the scope and looked toward the pitch-black night sky，the corners of her mouth rose slightly as though she had seen the tomorrow she longed for。

“What I love......”

After the roar of artillery，the already tottering ruined building collapsed，while more than ten Ernesto warriors at the grain warehouse broke through the blockade of the sea of flames，their entire bodies wrapped in blazing fire as they shouted slogans and launched a death charge toward the Coalition Forces at the entrance：

“Hurrah！！！”

“Fire！Fire！”

Under the dense gunfire，the blazing Ernesto warriors fell one after another before their positions。

Paul lowered his muzzle and stared at the corpses still burning before him while panting violently，although they had caused him no harm whatsoever，this scene dealt an enormous shock to Paul’s mind。

After the battle，the Coalition Forces soldiers numbly cleared the battlefield，rescuing comrades who still showed signs of life。

When the adjutant reported the number of enemy troops to the Battalion Commander Paul heard the Battalion Commander roar furiously：“What did you say？！40 people？”

“40 people held off 800 of us for nearly 20 days！Are they monsters？”

‘Sir，it was 41...’the adjutant emphasized，as though even one more could make him feel slightly better。

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