Chapter 1236: Chapter 1236: “Prival Fla” (Long Chapter for Monthly Votes)
The speeding army raced forward along the flat road.
Armored vehicles clustered densely together, slowly advancing between towering buildings.
Even though the vehicles ahead, affected by the deafening explosions, began scattering in retreat, so were abandoned directly on the road, slowing the army’s progress.
“City roads are far narrower than the wilderness; our mobility is hard to deploy here.”
A voice quickly spoke from within the depths of the army.
“As per the original plan, all chs from the first to third battalions will follow directly. We’ll move through the city skies straight to the Crown District. Ti is running out for us. That cunning, treacherous Christos won’t necessarily surrender easily.”
A calm yet icy voice echoed in the darkness, “The remaining large force will be led by the staff. The chanized units and smaller ch units will move forward to seize control of the highways, clearing a path for the main force. We’ll rendezvous at the Glorious Palace.”
His voice grew slightly louder, carrying a certain motivating tone. “After tonight, each of you will beco generals who have conquered Dawn City. History will rember our nas.”
“Yes, sir!”
A chorus of replies rang through the darkness.
As the voices faded, a swarm of Hell Apostle chs surged out from the army like bees, darting through the gaps between glittering skyscrapers, charging southward.
Shrill alarms and staccato gunfire filled the streets below.
It was the city police force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation trying to resist the advancing army below, but their efforts were nothing more than feeble resistance.
Roaring tanks crushed the vehicles in their way, accompanied by the deafening sounds of harsh tal deformation as they sped onward.
Before long, the gunfire subsided, leaving only the jarring wail of the alarms echoing throughout the city.
Panicked crowds fled the streets, retreating to their hos, nervously peering out from slightly drawn curtains to observe the massive army speeding toward the city’s core.
The glorious nightscape seed to fall into eerie silence at this mont, leaving only the occasional flicker of scattered lights.
——
Aston District
The densely packed chanized units rolled through the old streets, leading the march, clearing vehicles blocking the road, and swiftly setting up periter security to temporarily keep the crowd away from the army’s route.
“How long until we reach the Glorious Palace from here?”
Lina turned to the officer operating the map ahead and asked quickly.
“Dawn City’s South Gate is located in Aston District. We’re now heading toward the boundary between Aston and Crown District. Once we enter Crown District, we still have so distance to cover before reaching the Glorious Palace.”
The officer glanced at the map before him and responded quickly, “Based on our current pace, it’ll take us approximately two hours to reach the Glorious Palace.”
“Two hours?”
Lina frowned slightly. “Wasn’t the South Gate, where we entered, supposed to be the closest gate to the Glorious Palace? Why does it still take this long?”
“The roads in Aston District aren’t great,”
The officer lifted the map in his hand to show Lina. “Mayor Christos has been focusing on urban infrastructure during his term, including rebuilding Aston District’s roads. Many parts of our route are construction zones with worse conditions and lower accessibility. Also,”
He paused, glancing at the crowd outside peering curiously in their direction, “We have to clear a path, move cars, drive off civilians—these all take ti.”
He sighed softly. “Dawn City is really just too big.”
“What about the City Defense Army in South City?”
Lina turned to another officer nearby and quickly asked. “What’s their status?”
“They’re still locked in conflict with the rebel forces and could only spare a single ch team to guide us,”
The officer replied slowly, “General Vislo said he’d deploy personnel from various city walls to assist the Glorious Palace, but all deploynts are being obstructed by the rebels, so the situation is less than ideal.
“Currently, we’re the closest unit to the Glorious Palace, and General Vislo himself is tied up with the rebel-hired Extraordinary assassins.”
“So it’s up to us to rescue the Glorious Palace?”
Lina let out a sigh. “Two hours? The enemy is already ahead of us in entering the city…”
She turned to face a middle-aged officer in a pristine military uniform and the young girl wearing a white dress on the screen. “Looks like we have to execute Plan B.”
“Divide the ch units and ground forces,”
The middle-aged officer nodded. “I’ll lead the ch units ahead.”
The middle-aged officer was once the deputy captain of Nolanka Group’s rcenary Corps and now the captain of the Second rcenary Corps.
“I’ll stay with the staff and the main force,”
Lina nodded gently and looked at the middle-aged officer before her, “Putting personal feelings aside, Mayor Christos and Dawn City are vital to the group. If we lose them, the pressure our group faces will surpass anything we’ve encountered thus far,
“From the perspective of the entire Federation, his existence has altered countless lives and destinies, including those of Dawn City’s residents.
“For the group, for Mr. Vian, and for Dawn City and the Federation, I’m counting on you.”
“I’ll do my utmost!”
The middle-aged officer straightened his posture, pinned the golden Stars City insignia onto his chest, and saluted Lina.
He took a deep breath, then walked toward the chanical door of the nearby land fortress.
“Eve, what’s the probability of success for this mission?”
Lina turned her head, looking at the white-dressed girl on the screen, and asked quietly.
“Based on data analysis, the enemy is highly likely to dispatch ch units to assault the Glorious Palace. A direct confrontation near the Glorious Palace is highly probable,
“If the mission is to rescue Christos, given our nuric advantage and the lack of additional enemy reinforcents or boosts, the success rate for this operation is approximately 50%,”
The white-dressed girl raised her hand as streams of data screens flashed before her,
“However, given estimates, the enemy leader is likely a strong B-level Extraordinary, whereas our Captain Kveshta is an experienced but older C-level Extraordinary,
“In a sudden encounter battle, the enemy will likely aim for a decapitation strategy. In this scenario, the probability of mission success will increase, but Captain Kveshta’s survival rate will drop below 15%.”
As the girl spoke softly, the wide hall beca silent.
Thud. Thud. Thud—
Sharp footsteps struck every heart.
The middle-aged officer heading toward the chanical door didn’t falter, maintaining a steady pace as he pushed open the enormous tal door.
Standing behind the array of central control panels, Lina remained silent.
If Captain Fiss were here, the situation would undoubtedly improve.
But Nolanka Group had only one B-level Extraordinary. If Fiss were here, the southern forces wouldn’t hold, and their current pressure would double.
Lina lifted her gaze, staring at the city and buildings ahead.
This was her first ti on the frontlines, participating in such intense ‘hand-to-hand’ combat, and she truly felt the imnse pressure Mr. Vian and Christos faced.
Compared to their adversaries, the power they could marshal was far too limited.
If only they had one more B-level Extraordinary, the situation would improve dramatically.
From the skies ca a thunderous roar—the sound of chs ascending, joined by transport ships.
Inside were soldiers garbed in Abel Type and Cain Type Exoskeleton Armor—Nolanka Group’s elite forces.
Quickly, the densely packed chs and transport ships shadowed the sky.
Lina watched the command screen, where a fleet of pristine white Seraphim chs approached from afar. These were the ‘reinforcents’ dispatched by the South City Defense Army to lead the way.
This Seraphim ch squad bore signs of wear and scattered damage, their main cannons still prid to fire.
Evidently, they had survived a fierce battle to reach here.
The situation in South City was clearly not as ‘smooth’ as General Vislo had claid.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have handed over his hopes so easily to a visiting rcenary force.
Shortly, the Seraphim ch squad aligned themselves with Nolanka Group’s rcenary team overhead, preparing to proceed through the skies to the left.
Witnessing this, Lina exhaled slowly, slightly relieved.
At least there was hope yet; the enemy wasn’t overwhelmingly suffocating.
Boom—
Suddenly, a laser beam streaked from the nearby ground, targeting the leading ch of Nolanka Group.
The ch spun sharply mid-air, narrowly evading the laser blast.
Alarms blared sharply within the command room.
“What’s ahead?”
Lina quickly turned to the soldiers stationed in the front. “Radar? What did the radar detect?”
“Looks like laser guns, military-grade laser guns.”
A corner officer shouted promptly, “The enemy used stealth coatings. The city terrain is too complex; our radar isn’t distinguishing them effectively…”
“Warning! A large-scale ambush force is anticipated ahead. Please maintain vigilance.”
At that instant, Eve’s voice echoed across the command room.
“Share intel with the ch units,”
Lina clenched her fist, instructing quickly, “All forces, imdiately enter alert mode and prepare for battle!”
As her command was issued, thundering engine noises erupted, and swarms of unmarked military units surged from worn-down buildings ahead.
“Ah!!!”
Panic-stricken screams echoed around as people rushed away from the army’s path.
“How could this be?”
Lina watched in shock at the scene unfolding before her. Even though she had anticipated sothing, the sight of these forces still montarily stunned her. “Wasn’t this rcenary group coming from the north? Have they already broken through all of Dawn City?”
“Based on calculations and modeling,”
On the screen, Eve responded softly, “This appears to be an ambush force positioned here to block South City’s reinforcents heading to Glorious Palace. The exact origin of the force is unclear, but they likely belong to an as-of-yet undisclosed ‘ally’ of the enemy.”
“Another army, positioned deep in the city, here?”
Lina felt a mont of bewildernt but quickly realized the ambushing army wasn’t particularly large.
Clearly, this force was originally stationed to hinder South City’s smaller reinforcent team.
The enemy hadn’t anticipated South City suddenly generating a full-strength rcenary corps.
But given the circumstances, they couldn’t allow Nolanka Group’s rcenaries to simply pass through.
Lina deeply inhaled as she analyzed the unfolding situation.
No one had anticipated that the war would begin so abruptly.
“Should we enter warti mode?”
The white-dressed girl beside her asked calmly.
“Proceed!”
Lina nodded firmly, reaching out to press her hand onto the nearby biotric identification scanner.
“Please verify authorization and biotric data.”
The girl gazed at Lina,
“Combat mode authorization verified. Author: Vian Nolanka.”
“Deputized authorization: Danny Lowe.”
“Commander’s biotric data verified. Validation: Lina.”
The girl extended her hand, a single drop of crimson blood falling from the virtual heavens into her palm, and in an instant, that drop streaked across her form—her pure white dress soaked in red.
“Synchronizing all device subsets…”
“Establishing temporary subnet…”
“Synchronizing all device statuses…”
“Taking control of all devices…”
The deep crimson filled the girl’s pupils as she fixed her gaze on Lina. “Warti allocation mode engaged. Awaiting directives.”
“Lina, we need cover now.”
At that mont, a video feed connected—it was the middle-aged officer from earlier.
The ch units had to break through to the Glorious Palace; they couldn’t be held back here.
“Understood.”
Lina nodded imdiately, turning to face the girl beside her. “Eve, initiate warti cover protocol. Minimize damage to civilian structures. At all costs, open a path for the airborne chs.”
“Comncing warti cover protocol,
“The crimson-clad girl’s eyes glead. “Low-altitude artillery barrage prepared. Beginning first salvo.”
Torrid flas lit up the sky like luminous clouds.
Relieved, Lina exhaled softly as she prepared to delegate command authority to the staff unit.
She lacked battlefield experience—detailed ground operations were best left to the specialists.
Screeeeech—
Suddenly, shrill alarms paired with intense red lights flared within the command room.
The crimson-clad figure raised her hand, revealing a map riddled with red dots—several of them piercing toward the rcenary corps’ position like daggers,
“Enemy Extraordinary units detected approaching the command center, likely executing decapitation tactics.”
“What?”
Lina’s gaze shot forward.
Amidst the chaotic blaze of gunfire, shadows rushed closer.
······
“Is it starting, squad leader!?”
Inside a hefty truck, a young soldier turned to his seasoned comrade in alarm.
“Grab your weapon and follow orders.”
The veteran opened a nearby storage compartnt, grabbing a gun and tossing it to the younger soldier.
“Doctor Roger, it’s happening.”
Startled, the young recruit grabbed the gun and turned toward the rear.
Only an empty space greeted him.
The lounge chairs where individuals had previously been seated now lay barren, and the massive nutrient pod beside them had vanished without a trace.
······
Explosions and flashes illuminated the alley exit.
Roger leaned against the narrow alley’s wall, glancing at the flas outside, before turning to those behind him. “Did you foresee this too?”
“Do you think I’m that capable? Just fortunate,”
A youth, seemingly only eighteen or nineteen, erged from behind an opened nutrient pod, adjusting his freshly donned clothing as he stepped into the light.
Looking at the unmarked armored vehicles outside, his brows knitted slightly, still dripping with nutrient fluid,
“These bastards really lack a shred of decency.”
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