Chapter 680: A New Offer
In the Ardennes, over 2,000 French soldiers routed more than 5,000 retreating German troops.
And more than just routing them—almost none of the Germans managed to escape. Tassini's encirclement at the forest pass had only one entrance and one exit. The moment fighting began, both were sealed with machine gun and artillery fire. The rest of the perimeter was fortified with barbed wire and French soldiers holding firm.
Snipers and machine gun teams were positioned on the heights around the clearing, suppressing every attempt by the Germans to regroup or fight back.
Morale among the German troops had already been low. Once they realized they couldn't break out, they surrendered in droves.
After the battle, a count of prisoners revealed something astonishing: over 3,700 German soldiers had been captured—more than the total number of French troops engaged.
…
When Charles received the telegram reporting victory, he was genuinely surprised. This battle defied his usual expectations of French infantry.
There had been no tanks, no mechanized support—yet the outcome was brilliant. "Adaptive use of terrain," Charles murmured. "Flexible, tactical deception…"
Tijani, after reading the battle report, chuckled. "This feels like your style, General. Tassini didn't just outmaneuver the enemy—he toyed with their morale, pulled them in like a fisherman with baited line, and closed the trap at just the right moment."
Charles paused, then nodded slowly.
Now that Tijani mentioned it, he could see it clearly:
—The feigned retreat.
—The staged defeat of French "stragglers."
—The careful positioning to lure German scouts.
—The false sense of safety in the forest clearing.
Every step was a psychological maneuver. It was the kind of operation Charles himself might have commanded.
"What about the German reconnaissance unit?" Charles asked suddenly.
Such units were usually composed of elite troops. If even a few had survived and escaped into the forest, they could still be dangerous—especially with the upcoming advance through the Ardennes.
"No worries," Tijani said, waving a file. "They heard the gunfire and rushed to support their comrades, but we had the perimeter locked down. They were wiped out, and we captured all five of their radios."
"Radios?" Charles raised an eyebrow.
Tijani grinned. "Yes. All five. That's the best part."
Without radios, any surviving stragglers in the forest would be unable to report their findings. Even if a few German soldiers witnessed French forces preparing an advance through the forest, it wouldn't matter if they couldn't get the word out.
Charles gave a satisfied nod. "Instruct Tassini to remain in position and conduct a thorough sweep of the area."
"Yes, General," Tijani replied with understanding.
"Conduct a sweep" was just a cover. What Charles really meant was to keep the area sealed off from any outside observers while engineers moved in to begin the next phase.
Roads needed to be built. Bridges reinforced.
Survey teams had to check if the terrain could support the Charles A1 tanks.
Transport units—specifically motorcycle-sidecars—would follow the new roads and establish hidden supply stations along the route.
Once the preparations were complete, the First Armored Army could traverse the Ardennes in just a few days.
…
Spring had come in full.
A soft breeze carried the scent of flowers. Bluebells bloomed across the hills around Namur, covering the slopes with a sea of violet.
Charles stood at the top of the Namur castle. Beneath the warm sun, he looked down at the surreal beauty of the landscape and sighed softly. If not for the war, this would have been the perfect time for spring outings. The castle and surrounding hills would've been full of tourists.
But now, the hills echoed only with the shouts of training troops and the clatter of boots on stone.
It had been two weeks since Charleroi was retaken. Charles and the First Armored Army had remained in Namur, not moving an inch. On the contrary—he'd reinforced the area.
He had even summoned Belgium's elite First Reconnaissance Division and had them advance toward Liège, creating the appearance of a major offensive operation.
Would the Germans believe it?
Charles thought they might. After all, Liège was the last major Belgian city still under German control. Retaking it would mean full liberation of Belgium—something the Belgian people, including King Albert I, longed for.
And once Liège was secured, the majority of Allied troops stationed in Belgium could be redeployed elsewhere. Including Charles's own forces.
Liège was strategically ideal: nestled between the Netherlands and the Ardennes, only a small garrison was needed to hold it and safeguard the region. Both the Central Powers and the Allies had reasons to focus on it.
But no one—not even the Germans—would guess that Charles's real plan was nearing completion. The path through the Ardennes had been carved. The logistics were in place.
Soon, the First Armored Army would pass through that route—undetected.
"General," a guard approached and saluted. "His Majesty King Albert I is here to see you."
Charles was slightly surprised. Albert had been busy restoring Charleroi's industry. The city was vital to Belgium's economy, producing coal, steel, textiles, and glass. Its liberation meant Belgium was now self-sufficient—no longer dependent on imports.
Albert had gone personally to oversee reconstruction, repair the bombed-out railroads, and restart the coal and steel plants.
"Let him in," Charles said, turning from the tower and descending the stone stairs toward the command center.
…
Inside the command room, Charles had just taken his seat when King Albert I arrived, beaming with his usual springtime energy. He greeted Charles with an enthusiastic embrace. "It's always a pleasure to see you, Charles!"
Then he stepped aside and gestured to a man accompanying him—middle-aged, with a trimmed mustache, dressed in a neat suit and a fine hat.
"I'd like you to meet Mr. Gilles," Albert said cheerfully. "Owner of the Seraing Steelworks."
"General," Gilles said, respectfully removing his hat and bowing slightly. "It's an honor."
"Seraing Steelworks?" Charles blinked, surprised.
He knew that name well. Decades later, this same steelworks would become the foundation of China's modern steel industry. During a downturn in the European steel sector, China would buy the entire facility—including its furnaces, equipment, and even the walls and roof panels—for the price of scrap metal.
This was the birthplace of Shougang.
(Above: The No. 4 blast furnace from Seraing, later reassembled in China)
"What can I do for you?" Charles asked plainly.
By all protocol, he should have offered them coffee and engaged in pleasantries—but as a wartime commander, he had neither the time nor the inclination for such rituals.
Albert didn't seem offended. With a subtle glance at Gilles—whose face briefly tensed—Albert finally spoke:
"Yesterday, our Special Reconnaissance Division recaptured the Seraing Steelworks."
He looked at Gilles again—his eyes cold and firm—and then turned back to Charles.
"As a gesture of thanks, Mr. Gilles wishes to sell you a share of the factory. At a very… favorable price. I believe it could be of strategic use to your future operations."
Charles immediately understood.
Albert wanted to bind his interests more deeply to Belgium—and this was his newest way of doing it.
Another opportunity. Another carefully packaged gift.
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