Team Work

The flying convoy consisting of 1131 fighter planes, 1545 transporter planes, and 478 gliders took off from 24 airbases in Southern England and flew northwards across the North Sea. The paratroopers were crammed into canvas seats, their bodies wrapped in countless straps and ammunition... The Allied staff officers were filled with optimism about the outcome of the campaign.

On a C-47 transport plane of the British First Airborne Division, Keanu sat with his eyes half-closed. He was dressed as a typical British paratrooper, wearing the uniform and sporting a red beret, his hand clutching an old-fashioned M1 rifle from the World War II era. All of his adventurer gear was neatly packed away in the storage space on his emblem.

As soon as he stepped into the teleportation gate, he found himself in this situation. Taking a cool look around, there were a total of 22 people on this transporter plane, each with an emblem on their wrist - The City had grouped all of the adventurers.

So, this was the cooperative offensive? First grouping everyone together, then dropping them off in the designated location for combat? Keanu glanced at his emblem, which gave the following information:

Main Mission One: Successfully land in the town of Arnhem. 500 CP reward for mission completion. Failure results in a 500 CP penalty, insufficient CP will result in erasure.

Main Mission Two: Break through the German encirclement and head to Arnhem Forest within 12 hours. 1000 CP reward for mission completion. Failure costs 1000 CP, insufficient CP will result in erasure.

Main Mission Three: Break through the German encirclement and head to Arnhem Bridge within 12 hours. 1200 CP reward for mission completion. Failure costs 1000 CP, insufficient CP will result in erasure.

You can choose between Main Mission Two and Main Mission Three.

Optional Mission One: Join forces with the main unit of the British First Airborne Division and help them break through the German encirclement. 2000 CP reward for mission completion.

Optional Mission Two: Join forces with the 2nd Parachute Battalion of the British First Airborne Division and assist them in capturing and holding Arnhem Bridge for ten days. Completion grants a reward of 4000 CP and 1 skill point.

Only one of the optional missions can be chosen, and they will only be initiated after the completion of the main mission. These optional missions can be rejected, and if rejected, you will be directly returned to base. Once accepted, optional missions cannot be terminated prematurely. During the execution of the mission, one must not disclose the direction of the battle's progression and their own identity. Violators will lose 10,000 CP, and those with insufficient CP will be erased.

Evidently, the choice of the main mission directly influences the completion of the optional mission. If one wants to complete Optional Mission Two, which has the highest reward, one would have to complete Main Mission Three. Realizing this, Keanu had a hint of a smile on his lips.

Suddenly, an explosion echoed in his ears, "Damn it, I don't know how to parachute." Amid this charged atmosphere was a man with a bit of a belly sitting next to Keanu, grimacing as he grappled with his predicament.

A fellow soldier chimed in, reveling in the big man's misery; "You didn't learn to parachute jump? It's a simple skill, it only costs 50 CP, no leveling up required."

The fatty replied dejectedly, "I didn't understand what Operation Market Garden was about initially, by the time I got it, it was too late to learn. Besides, I assumed we'd be dropped directly at our destination."

Simultaneous looks of sympathy were directed at the fatty from the others, one even commented, "You don't even know the most famous military operation following the Normandy invasion during the Second World War, what

Keanu patted the chunkier man on the shoulder saying, "Don't sweat it, parachuting isn't as difficult as it seems. You just jump out, and pull your chute using this thing right here, pretty simple. Oh no, not now... don't pull it just yet."

"Are you sure I won't die if I do that?" asked the fatty in a pathetic tone.

Keanu chuckled, "Honestly, even if you don't open the parachute, your chances of dying don't exceed 50%."

The rest of the crew exchanged alarmed glances.

One of them sternly asked, "Boy, what do you mean by that?"

With a smirk, Keanu replied, "It's clear to me that most of you are familiar with Operation Market Garden. This operation moved smoothly initially before hitting a hurdle. So, most of you probably think there wouldn't be any issues at the start, right?"

As the team glanced at each other, Keanu slowly turned his head towards the window, "Look outside, we've started flying over the Arnhem region and the anti-aircraft fire is getting intense."

Outside the transport airplane, there were explosions everywhere in the sky. It was the German anti-aircraft guns unleashing their wrath, launching into a frenzied attack against the massive group of transport planes. Far in the distance, a large swath of German aircraft was rushing toward the transport group, soon to be tangled in a dogfight with our escorting squadron.

Keanu's voice, ghostly as it wafted over them, "The so-called initial success of Operation Market Garden, it's merely a self-deceptive charade. This whole airborne operation aimed to seize the three most strategic bridges in Eindhoven, Nijmegen, and Arnhem. People remember this operation for parachutists successfully capturing two bridges while unknowing of the extensive losses they suffered. In reality, it was only after the ground troops arrived and attacked from the other direction that the second bridge was reluctantly secured. In this entire operation, the German army only suffered 3,300 casualties, while the Allies lost over 17,000 troops. Among them, the 82nd American Airborne Division lost 3,400 men, and the 101st Airborne Division 3,800. All the paratroopers who participated in Operation Market Garden suffered significant

casualties; the hardest hit was the British First Airborne Division, which we belong to now. The entire First Airborne Division, together with the Polish Parachute Brigade, initially numbered 10,000 soldiers, but by the end of the battle, fewer than 2,000 lived to leave the battlefield. The paratroopers' casualties...they didn't start from the ground attack."

"Poor First Airborne Division..." everyone sighed in unison.

Earning 500 CP is not an easy feat. Fundamentally, the adventurers here were still ordinary folks, and no matter how much they might be enhanced, one can't exactly shield against artillery.

A sullen mood stewed among the adventurers, though there was little they could do in their predicament.

Unexpectedly, the burly individual who had the air of a butcher about him turned to Keanu, "Could you provide us with more details about Operation Market Garden? The City assigned us five tasks, select two out of three and one out of two. We'd like to hear about the Arnhem Bridge task, it could potentially help with later decisions. While we still have time before we jump out of this plane and every man for himself, getting a better understanding of the situation and aligning our breakout directions could be beneficial for everyone."

No one anticipated such a collected and dexterous line of thinking from the butcher-like man, even causing Keanu to flinch a tad.

Indeed, due to the selection of tasks, adventurers were destined to choose different breakout directions. If they could all agree and unite in a particular direction, it would be a safer approach.

Glancing swiftly at the sky outside, Keanu stated, "We have roughly 3 minutes before we parachute jump, I'll keep it brief. Operation Market Garden was proposed by Marshal Montgomery and from the get-go, it was plagued with overconfidence, an underestimation of the Germans, and a myriad of issues such as inadequate preparation, poor enemy surveillance, and insufficient coordination. Due to an intelligence error, Montgomery was entirely oblivious to the fact that in the Allied designated landing area, the Germans had already deployed 2 armored divisions of the 2nd Waffen SS Panzer Corps and parts of the 1st Paratroopers Army."

"The Allied paratroopers, who lacked heavy equipment, landed right on top of the German Panzer units. Moreover, the Allies executed a high-altitude jump, with an average altitude of 366-457 meters, much higher than the standard WWII parachute altitude of 244 meters. With the constant firing of German anti-aircraft guns in the parachute area, many were shot by the Germans before they even reached the ground. The most disastrous aspect was that no more than two hours after the Allies initiated the aerial strike, Commanding General Student of the 1st Paratroopers Regiment had obtained a copy of the Allies' operation instructions from a downed glider. With that, he made his way to the headquarters of Army Group B to meet Field Marshal Modell and plan a German counter-attack. Among the German generals, Student had a better understanding of the Netherlands and knew the significant shortcomings of airborne troops - such as their inferior ground mobility and lack of heavy weaponry. Finally, Modell selected Arnhem as the location for an armored division of the Waffen SS to conduct military exercises, and Arnhem was, coincidentally, the final target of the British 1st Airborne Division."

"Damn it!"

"Foolishness!"

Everyone cursed aloud, feeling the grim whisper of death in Keanu's last words.

"Talk to us about Arnhem Bridge," continued the butcher-like man.

"The landing process of the British First Airborne Division didn't go smoothly, actually. Due to heavy German anti-aircraft fire, they were forced to jump prematurely. The majority landed in a small forest far from Arnhem, where they were heavily surrounded by Germans. However, a small fraction managed to break through and approach Arnhem Bridge. That fraction formed the 2nd Battalion, 1st Parachute Regiment. They were the first to enter Arnhem and secured the northern end of the Arnhem Bridge. Yet, they were slowly being encircled by Waffen SS armored forces, leading them into an isolated situation."

"Encapsulated by the relentless Germans, the battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Frost fought valiantly. To avoid unnecessary casualties, Frost surrendered most of the wounded to the Germans, who accepted. The remaining troops, led by Major Ralph, refused to surrender and continued to fire at the Germans, who retaliated with their Tiger tanks. On September 21st, their stronghold was completely destroyed by the Tiger tanks, effectively relinquishing control of Arnhem Bridge to the Germans. After that, the Allies couldn't get close to Arnhem Bridge until two months later when all stranded troops were finally rescued."

"A death mission, all thanks to that idiot Montgomery!" one individual grumbled.

"I've always disliked him," another chimed in.

All 22 adventurers on board the transport plane found themselves united in their hatred for Montgomery.

The larger man next to them innocently asked, "How do you remember all this?"

"I looked up the information during the one-hour prep time given for the mission,"

"But you still couldn't remember all of this."

"I have a Grandmaster-level memory," Keanu stated coldly.

"Memory enhancement? Why haven't I heard of this?"

Someone nearby smacked the larger man on the head, "Dolt, he's pulling your leg. If anything, enhancing people like you would probably make you even dumber."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Smirking, the butcher-like man said, "No wonder the mission gives a reward of 4000 CP, we have to go head-to-head with a Tiger tank. What do you guys reckon, north or south?"

If they go north, they have to take the Arnhem Bridge. If they go south, they have to rescue the main part of the 1st Parachute Division. It's evidently a life-or-death choice.

"I choose to go north," Keanu stated, "You decide on your own."

"This kid's got guts," someone muttered.

"I've seen this guy before, a newbie. I heard he did quite well in the newbie mission, seems like he even killed vampire Dracula," someone interjected.

The rest glanced at each other in disbelief, "How is that possible?"

As everyone huddled, whispering among themselves, Keanu let out a chuckle, effortlessly pulling out the equipment he had prepared in his emblem. "My God, a spirit gun, an infinity ammo box, a bulletproof jade, and a Kevlar bulletproof jacket! This guy is loaded!" someone exclaimed. They were starting to believe that Keanu had indeed completed a high-level mission; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to afford these items. The collected gear fascinated everyone, and if the scenario didn't demand cooperation, some would have likely attempted to rob Keanu, though success was another matter.

"Could I ask why you chose to go north? I don't believe it's purely for the high reward," the burly man, resembling a butcher, yet again asked a question that surprised Keanu.

Looking at the enormous man, Keanu laughed, "My name is Keanu, what's your name?"

"Names are meaningless here, you can call me Max. That's what everyone else uses," the man answered.

Keanu nodded in agreement, Max suited the man indeed. "If you look at the clues on the emblem, you'll notice the first optional task is to help the First Airborne Division breakout. Do you know when the First Airborne Division managed to break the encirclement?"

"Are you telling me it's two months later?" Max immediately understood the subtext in Keanu's words.

Keanu nodded, "The main forces of the First Airborne Division were in that forest, so it's where Germany deployed the most troops to surround them. Although the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Parachute Regiment faced a dangerous situation, there weren't too many German troops needed to deal with them because the battalion and main forces of the airborne division were separated."

"Therefore, the Germans focused more on the First Airborne Division. If we choose the First Airborne Division task, you must realize we can't contribute much against the overwhelming German forces with our current level of enhancement. However, if we head to the Arnhem Bridge, we could be of tremendous help to the 2nd Battalion, no matter how weak we are, just because of the advanced weapons we hold. Choosing the Arnhem Bridge would induce a greater change in the balance of power compared to rescuing the First Airborne Division. In other words, choosing the bridge, we'd create bigger variables."

People's faces lit up with understanding. Someone quickly voiced, "So you're saying, our chances of survival are higher if we go to the Arnhem Bridge, as compared to rescuing the First Airborne Division?"

Keanu shook his head, "No, the survival rate is still higher if we rescue the First Airborne Division. Don't forget, the First Airborne Division historically had 2000 survivors, while the 2nd Battalion virtually faced complete annihilation."

"So if we decide to save the First Airborne Division, no matter what, the task would certainly be accomplished. The only variable would be whether we manage to survive or not. On the other hand, if we go to the bridge, the outcome is not assured. Even if we seize the Arnhem Bridge, it may only last for a few more days. Is that right?"

"Correct."

"In that case, I'd prefer to head south."

Keanu scoffed. "How many days' worth of food did you bring along? Enough for two months? Do you know how the British First Airborne Division survived being besieged for two months? They had to live off grassroots and tree bark! A lot of them starved to death or died from their wounds without receiving timely treatment. How many of you have unlimited ammunition? What will you eat and use during the final days?"

The adventurers were stunned into silence.

Keanu continued, "None of us knew what the mission was before we got here, and I don't think many of us prepared for a long-term battle. Those who want to hold out for two months and finally break out can go ahead. I won't go. I only brought ten days' worth of food; I'm going to Arnhem Bridge only. Let me remind you that this is a cooperative attack scenario—the more people, the higher the success rate. From my perspective, the difficulty of Arnhem Bridge is actually manifested in the fact that not many adventurers will voluntarily choose to attack Arnhem Bridge. Once this problem is solved, half the mission is accomplished."

Max laughed, "No wonder you're so generous in sharing this information with us."

Keanu immediately replied, "Correct, I'm sharing this since I need your collective attack. I believe those who don't have the courage to face the challenge of death may not have the confidence to complete the optional task even if they finish the main task. After all, the airborne division suffered heavy casualties there, losing three-quarters of its soldiers. No one can guarantee that they won't die after choosing the first optional task. But by choosing to break out north, at least we can share the risk and it will be much easier when breaking out. After completing the main task, those who don't want to take risks can choose to return. Those who are willing to take risks can stay and continue. Isn't that better for everyone?"

After hearing these words, the adventurers exchanged glances.

Finally, it was Max who mused, "Nice, not only are you brave, but you're quite smart too. Fine, let's do this. After we parachute down, we all break out to the north together. After completing the main task, those fearful of death can return, and those unafraid can stay and continue. Sounds good?"

"That's settled then!"