Chapter 419: Unprepared
Before Charles could stop her, the young girl waved to the people around her and cheered, "He's here! Charles is by my side! Charles is here!"
The crowd turned their eyes to Charles. Many of them had sought refuge in Antwerp before and had seen Charles there, so they quickly recognized him:
"It's really him! Charles is there!"
"He's grown up and looks much more mature."
"God, he actually fought alongside the army. What a respectable hero!"
...
Charles had no choice but to stand up and wave to the crowd.
This triggered another wave of cheers as people surged toward the armored car, frantically offering flowers and vying to shake Charles' hand:
"You saved us, General, once again."
"I deeply regret what happened in Antwerp—it wasn't our intention!"
"Thank you for saving Belgium once more!"
...
Charles could only smile and respond to them one by one.
However, he felt his scalp tingle. If a German sniper were lurking nearby or hidden in a building, his life as a general would end here! Luckily, guerrilla fighters stepped forward and pushed the crowd away, shouting loudly, "This is war! Charles has to hurry and chase the enemy. Do you want to help the enemy escape?"
The people then consciously made way for the troops to pass, but their cheers grew louder and louder.
The convoy finally passed through Brussels without incident, and Charles let out a sigh of relief.
Tigani glanced at the lipstick marks on Charles' face and teased with a smile, "Our general sails smoothly on the battlefield but almost drowned in women's lipstick!"
The nearby soldiers burst into laughter.
Charles scrambled to wipe the lipstick marks off his face, but the more he wiped, the worse it seemed to get, leaving a sticky mess.
This only made Tigani and the soldiers laugh even harder. They couldn't believe that a general who commanded with such composure on the battlefield was still like a child in daily life.
After a moment of laughter, Tigani pulled a map from his pocket, leaned on the edge of the car, and spread it out beside Charles. "Now, once we pass Mechelen, we'll reach Antwerp—about 35 kilometers away."
Charles asked, "You want to know how we'll capture it?"
"Of course," Tigani nodded. "It's the most important link!"
Only by taking it could they close the encirclement of the German army.
"It won't be easy to take," Tigani said, pointing at the map. "Although the Germans stationed there only have a regiment of new recruits, they have time to send reinforcements. I've also heard they've fortified their defenses and repaired several forts."
Charles nodded.
This was the side effect of the Dardanelles Campaign. Charles had tried to convince the Germans that the British would land in the north and attack Belgium from the rear.
"What preparations do you have for this?" Tigani asked curiously.
"I have no preparations," Charles replied.
"Impossible!" Tigani laughed.
But seeing Charles' serious expression, his smile faded, replaced by concern. "No preparations? This could cause everything to fail!"
Charles calmly replied, "You have prepared, and so has our army."
"What do you mean?" Tigani asked, puzzled.
Charles glanced ahead and behind.
Tigani seemed to understand. "You're referring to the armored and mechanized units?"
"Exactly," Charles said, turning his gaze back to Antwerp on the map.
"But Antwerp has forts and 200mm and 150mm artillery," Tigani said anxiously. "Those can undoubtedly destroy our tanks and armored vehicles with ease."
Tigani had done his best to research relevant information before the battle.
"I've been to Antwerp and know the forts well, General," Charles said as if discussing something trivial. "When they were built, no one even knew what a tank was."
Tigani let out an "oh." "You mean they're difficult to hit moving targets?"
Charles nodded. "Just like the Germans' 105mm artillery."
The inner and outer fortifications of Antwerp seemed formidable, but all their designs were meant to defend against enemy infantry. Armored and mechanized units, which could withstand shrapnel, were outside their scope of consideration.
Charles concluded, "We just need to ignore those forts, pretend they don't exist, and we should be able to win."
"Should be able to?" Tigani looked at Charles in disbelief. "You're not certain either?"
If they couldn't, it could mean total annihilation!
Charles shrugged. "This is war, General. Until the end, no one can be certain."
...
Ben Nevis in Britain is a dormant volcano and the country's highest peak. Its summit is snow-capped year-round, attracting many mountaineering enthusiasts.
King Albert I was one of them. At this moment, he and his team were gathered around a campfire, having lunch and resting to regain strength before continuing their ascent.
Albert I had organized this climb to vent his frustration. He wanted to clear his mind.
For months, he had been tirelessly lobbying for the British to land in the north, sparing no expense—even bribing British parliamentarians with huge sums of money.
However, just as everything seemed settled and everyone believed the British would land in the north, the Dardanelles Campaign began.
What frustrated Albert I even more was the recent revelation he received from General Winter.
"Do you think Charles really intended to land in the north?" General Winter said over the phone. "No, Your Majesty. From start to finish, Charles never planned to land there. It never changed—it was us who messed up."
"Impossible," Albert I replied. "He told me himself that landing in the north was more appropriate..."
"Your Majesty," General Winter interrupted, "that was only to mislead the Germans. By doing so, they would think the Dardanelles Campaign was a feint, buying us more time."
Albert I froze.
He realized he had been used—used by Charles like a fool!
How could this happen?
He had regarded Charles as a friend, a confidant, and Belgium's hope. If anyone could save Belgium, it had to be Charles!
Yet he had deceived everyone, including Albert I, who had assured his people that victory was near and that Charles would lead his troops to liberate them...
Albert I stabbed his climbing pole into the rocky ground as if piercing an enemy with a sword.
"Your Majesty!" the radio operator, stationed by the wireless set, called out to Albert I with a stunned expression. "They say Charles' troops have advanced into Belgium and have already liberated Brussels!"
"What?" Albert I leapt up as if stung by a needle. "Say that again! Is it true?"