On the fifth day of the counterattack, the French attack had begun to stagnate.

"Marshal, we really can't take it down. Our soldiers have suffered heavy losses, and many companies have lost more than half of them.

And this time is different, many of those lost are veterans.

The new recruits lack battlefield experience, they...!"

"Shut up, I don't want to listen to your nonsense. I just want to know when I can capture the small high ground ahead.

It's just a hilltop more than 100 meters high. It took a whole day to attack but it didn't come down. The First Army doesn't have bear soldiers like you!" Ney was like a violent lion.

He hadn't slept for two days, and Ney's eyes were all red.

"Marshal, this is really not possible! It has been five days, and the soldiers' physical strength has reached the limit. If we attack again, our First Army will be completely destroyed." The chief of staff was already crying when he spoke.

Ney gritted his teeth. His chief of staff was also a fierce warrior on the battlefield. If he could fight, he would definitely insist on fighting, even if there was a glimmer of hope.

He didn't even agree to continue the attack, which showed that this battle really couldn't go on anymore.

The attack only lasted five days!

The French army advanced no more than thirty kilometers, and except for the first day, the distance they advanced decreased every day.

As of today, we have only advanced two kilometers.

It's just a small hilltop, but it actually blocked the brave and capable First Army. And it lasted for two hours!

"I'll take the people there myself!

The brave men of France are willing to stand up and charge with me as the marshal."

Ney roared, and more than two hundred people immediately gathered behind him.

"Marshal, no!

This won't work!" There were five Maxims alone on the top of the hill, and the density of firepower was terrifyingly high.

With this intensity of firepower, it's not easy to attack the top of the mountain.

Moreover, behind the German troops on the hilltop, there was an unknown number of artillery support. It could be heard just from the sound of the artillery.

In addition to the 75mm howitzer, there are also 155mm heavy artillery.

Not to mention, there are a lot of scary mortars.

The attacking troops usually suffered heavy losses before they even reached the bottom of the mountain.

Moreover, the German troops defending on the mountain were very experienced. They planted many mines in the forest.

Even if a mine goes off, dozens of mortar shells will hit it.

If it weren't for the difficulty of attacking the mountain, the First Army would not have lost troops and generals, and would not have been able to conquer the mountain.

"Since you all say it's difficult, then I'll do it myself. For the sake of France, this highland must be taken down.

As long as we take this high ground, there will be nothing in front of us that can stop us.

The rest of the troops will attack along this gap until they reach the French-German border and defeat the Germans."

Ney roared loudly, becoming unreasonable at this time.

Although Ney was reckless and brave in the past, she would not be as unreasonable as she is today!

If Ney were always so reckless, a hundred lives would have been lost.

"Olemthorn, you know the price His Majesty the Emperor paid for this attack.

If we don't take this high ground, everything will be lost.

France is finished, His Majesty the Emperor is finished, you and I...are finished too." Ney looked at the old man and patted his shoulder.

"If I die, you will take my place. No matter what, as long as the First Army is still breathing, we must capture this high ground.

Now, organize artillery cover." Ney got on his horse, gave a military salute to the chief of staff, and galloped out.

Napoleon was looking at the map, and the news coming back from the front was getting worse and worse.

As the French army advanced, the German army's defense became increasingly determined.

Many positions were taken, but not a single German soldier could be found. Moreover, the number of German prisoners captured recently was particularly small. On the first day of the attack, the French army captured more than a thousand German prisoners.

But yesterday, the French army tried its best to attack, but they only advanced two kilometers and captured a dozen German prisoners.

These dozen German prisoners were still injured and unable to move, so they were captured.

Not only the number of prisoners taken was decreasing, but the number of enemy soldiers killed and wounded was also decreasing.

On the first day of the offensive, the French army launched a fierce attack across the entire front, causing more than 10,000 German casualties.

But yesterday, in a day's fighting, less than a thousand enemy soldiers were killed or wounded.

It has only been five days and it has already seen a cliff-like decline.

What is even more frightening is the rising casualty number of the French army.

With many years of war experience, Napoleon had become numb to the number of casualties among his soldiers. But... the numbers reported now still made him tremble with fear.

France really sacrificed its blood for this battle.

Napoleon glanced at the map helplessly. As a commander, he knew that he had lost.

Even though the battlefield was on the edge of Paris, he still lost.

The offensive has been going on for five days, and the troops on the front line are almost exhausted.

With no other option, Napoleon could only invest his own reserves.

But once this reserve force is committed, it means that we no longer have mobile troops in our hands.

Generals on the battlefield know that the consequences of not having mobile troops are devastating.

If the enemy has sufficient reserves, the French army will soon be outnumbered and then be counterattacked by the German army.

The land gained in these days will be lost in a shorter period of time.

Moreover, more will be lost. For example: Paris!

It was already dark, and Napoleon was still waiting for military reports from the front.

Because the secret disk in Berlin has returned news, Asch is organizing a huge army to support the German army in France.

Moreover, since the situation in Poland was understood, they could also mobilize ten divisions of troops from the eastern front.

"Your Majesty the Emperor! Your Majesty the Emperor!" the intelligence staff rushed in like a mad cow.

"What's wrong?" Napoleon frowned. His intelligence staff was very capable, and it was impossible for ordinary news to panic him like this.

"Ney...! Marshal Ney was killed in battle."

"What did you say?" Napoleon rushed over and grabbed the intelligence staff officer's neck.

"General Ney personally led his team to attack a hilltop, but... unfortunately he was hit by a mortar and died!"

The intelligence staff was frightened. Looking at His Majesty the Emperor who looked like a hungry wolf, his body was shaking involuntarily, and his legs felt like playing a pipa.

Napoleon let go of his staff officer's collar and sat down on the chair.

Ney is dead!

His most loyal marshal, the fierce Ney, died.

Napoleon covered his face with his hands, and a cry like a wolf howled from between his fingers.

Murat, who had just returned from England, was struck by the news like a lightning strike.

He is also a warrior with a hot temper, and he has the best relationship with Ney. They are really like brothers!

Whenever nothing happens, the two of them will get together and drink in the manor.

I didn't expect, I didn't expect...! Ney would just leave like that!

"Murat, Ney is dead, it's our turn."

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Li Xiao was always paying attention to what was happening in France. When he learned that Napoleon had launched a counterattack, he couldn't help but sigh.

He knew that Napoleon was making a last-ditch effort.

It's like a fish that has landed on the beach, jumping for the last time. With a slim hope, it jumps into the water again.

If it fails this time, it is estimated... No, Li Xiao can be sure that Napoleon will surrender.

Maybe Napoleon will die, and Murat will die too. But there will still be people who surrender on behalf of France.

Paris has never been captured because the French surrendered before Paris was captured.

This method of surrender has been used since the days of the Roman Empire and is still powerful today.

Ignore him and let the Germans and the French fight to the death.

Even if Paris is occupied, the Germans will have to station a large number of troops in France. Otherwise, the French power is likely to resurgence.

And this is exactly what Li Xiao hopes to look like.
To be continued...