I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France Chapter 334: Revised - 334 That Is Shire

Shire could only half-heartedly tell the neighbors who ca to plead with him that he would do his best.

Even so, the neighbors were endlessly grateful to Shire, as if once Shire promised, he would surely defeat the Germans and bring their sons back from the frontlines.

Only Shire knew that the battlefield was full of uncertainties, and no one could guarantee victory, even with thorough preparations.

...

The military situation was urgent; Shire returned to the City Defense Headquarters after staying at ho for only half an hour.

After a brief preparation, the 105th Infantry Regint boarded a train heading to the Ypres front. At this ti, it was only two hours since the German Army launched the gas attack.

Since the police training base was located in the 12th district of Paris, it was still within the city, though far from the city center. Therefore, the departure of the 105th Infantry Regint was no secret; people imdiately knew the regint was heading to the front.

But Shire played a trick; he did not follow the troops but continued to enter and leave the City Defense Headquarters under the watchful eyes of his followers, even taking so ti to say a few comforting words to the public.

Naturally, people assud that Shire would not go to the front this ti, as usual, commanding from the City Defense Headquarters.

The French had mixed feelings about this battle; so were optimistic, but more were skeptical:

"Look, Shire’s troops are going; they’re going to teach the Germans a lesson!"

"But what can Shire’s troops do? Are they immune to gas?"

"Yes, sending Shire’s troops seems unwise. Whether elite or not, they’re the sa in the face of gas."

...

At the sa ti, people understood why Shire did not go to the front personally. After all, gas was too dangerous, and there was no suitable counterasure yet.

However, what no one knew was that Shire secretly flew to Ypres that night to join the 105th Infantry Regint.

Even Gallieni said, "You need not go in person, Colonel. People will understand; the parliant does not dare suggest it!"

Indeed, if the parliant suggested Shire go to the front at this ti, it would be nearly telling the world they wanted the Germans to kill Shire.

But Shire felt he had no choice.

Shire asked back:

"General, what will the soldiers of the 105th Infantry Regint think if I don’t go?"

"They’ll hold their gas masks and say, ’Shire invented this, but he doesn’t trust it himself. Otherwise, why wouldn’t he dare join us?’"

"They’ll think the gas masks are just a psychological comfort, tricking them into fighting in the gas!"

This was not about demanding Shire to go to the front, but doubting the gas masks.

Once they doubted the gas masks, the 105th Infantry Regint would collapse and flee at the slightest disturbance, just like any front-line troops.

This was the tradition of European troops; if they saw no aning in their presence or felt powerless to change the situation, they would choose to flee. It was natural and not shaful.

Gallieni knew this; he knew that if the front-line troops knew Shire was fighting alongside them, it would greatly boost morale and stabilize the front lines, avoiding a breakthrough by the Germans.

But this was gas!

After so consideration, Gallieni still nodded: "This seems beneficial for you. The French will rember you were with them when they needed you most."

"Yes, General," Shire replied.

This was indeed one reason why Shire insisted on going to the front.

In tis of crisis, true loyalty was revealed. When the entire Allies were in panic, and the French military and civilians felt despair, even considering surrender, if Shire could stand against the tide and hold the danger off alone, his status in the people’s hearts would beco irreplaceable. This would be Shire’s greatest military and political asset, which even Fuxu could not challenge.

Otherwise, life was his own. Shire would not risk facing the gas, even with gas masks.

...

It was over ten o’clock at night, and Ypres Airport, which should have cald down, was in chaos. Many severely poisoned soldiers and civilians were waiting to be urgently transported to Paris for treatnt.

Since the Germans launched the gas attack, tens of thousands of casualties had occurred within an hour, causing the Ypres dical system to collapse instantly.

More importantly, nearly everyone, including the doctors, was helpless against the poisoning symptoms. They could only think of sending the wounded to Paris, hoping for a solution there.

However, Ypres was too far from Paris. The 400-kiloter journey by train could take more than a dozen hours, possibly longer, which was almost like waiting for death.

Thus, so high-ranking officers with the ans could only try to hire planes.

At this ti, a two-seater "Aphro" softly landed at the airport under the guidance of the signal lights.

People curiously gazed at the airplane. Shouldn’t the "Benovia" land at this ti?

(The image above is of the earliest civil transport aircraft "Benovia," which began operating on January 1, 1914. It carried only two people, the pilot and one passenger, and the fare was expensive, costing 5 US Dollars per trip. The first ticket was auctioned for a whopping 400 dollars.)

Before the plane stopped, several cars t it, carrying ard French soldiers and police officers who blew whistles to keep people within the warning line.

Soone shouted, "They must be sending so rich capitalist’s family to escape."

The crowd instantly grew chaotic, shouting and rushing toward the blocking police and soldiers, but soon stopped.

They saw the police and soldiers draw pistols from their waists.

"Don’t co closer!" A leading guard holding a revolver cautiously pointed the muzzle to the ground and loudly warned, "We will shoot, I promise!"

People were stunned; such a scenario only appeared during suppressed workers’ marches for an eight-hour workday.

Then soone quietly guessed, "Is it a military secret?"

The angry crowd suddenly understood. If it was because of a military secret, the soldiers’ behavior was normal. Their previous actions nearly threatened national security.

Then, everyone cast their eyes on the plane, guessing who it was bringing.

Soon they realized it wasn’t taking soone away but bringing soone in.

In the dim light, a slightly thin figure jumped out of the cabin and got into a car surrounded by guards.

Soone exclaid, "My God, that’s Shire, it’s Shire! I recognize him!"

Everyone was stunned. Shire? He ca to Ypres? At this ti?

After a while, soone said, "No, that’s not Shire, you must be mistaken!"

Others exchanged glances and responded:

"Yes, you must be mistaken; Shire couldn’t co here."

"Shire is in Paris."

"We saw nothing!"

...