《TF Amethyst》 TFA1 0.0 - Prologue TFA1 0.0 - Prologue Vast meadow in the middle of Amstell Continent 08:30, 2 April 2008 An old man, a young man, and a little girl, the three of them stood under a sky clear of clouds. The girl looked around with her sparkling eyes. Previously, she had passed through colossal snowfields before entering a long and dark cave. So, it was natural that her mind was filled with many questions. "Grandpa, what is this place?" The old man knelt in front of his granddaughter before replied gently, "The locals calls this place Amstell Continent." "...Amstell Continent?" The girl tilted her head while her grandfather continued. ¡°Eight years ago Grandma discovered this place by accident. Unfortunately, this place is also the place where Grandma met with her eternal rest. So, will you help Grandpa guarding Grandma''s final resting place?¡± The girl firmly answered, "Claire will guard this place with all her might." The old man smiled before turning his gaze to the young man next to him. "O''Neil, you know I and Samantha treat you like our own son. We also know you enter the military because you don¡¯t want to compete with Robert in effort to manage and control our corporation networks, even though your talent for business is much better. I can fully understand your feeling and respect it. But at least, promise me that you will help Claire protect this place, because once Nouel''s existence is discovered the whole world will fight over for this place." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Consider it done." The young man replied casually, but the Old Man immediately smiled because he knew that his adopted son had never gone back on his words. --- Apartment 2701, Royal Crown Tower, San Francisco. 13:00, 14 Nov 2023 After gulping down a large piece of waffle, Claire looked at the Marketing Director Slane. "We will bring sufficient military strength to Amstell Continent, but I''ve decided that our first line of defense is economic power. So, tell me Director Slane, how confident are you?" Marketing Director Slane casually replied, "In two years I will control Amstell Continent''s economy. After that, no local authorities will disturb us and we can start collecting natural resources other than Nouel, without the need to deploy military force." Claire smiled in satisfaction. "Good, you''ll lead our trading wing, and hold the third highest position on our exploration of Amstell Continent.¡± "I don''t mind leading our trading wing. I love it instead. But please don''t give me a flashy position. I don''t want to be a High Value Target." "Are you sure?" "Absolutely.¡± "I''ll arrange it according to your wish then." ***** Author''s note: In 2004, a member of Jesuit Refugee Service gave me a book ''Say You''re One of Them'' by Uwen Akpan, a Jesuit from Nigeria. The five short stories and novellas in the book give voice to an African child growing up in the face of incredible adversity. As a real example, how in many conflicts, children managed to survive while their parents and families were killed. The journey of living hell for these children then begins. Rape, abuse, torture, and other savagery were repeatedly inflicted on these poor children by animals in human clothes. To this day, the impression I get from the book is still very strong. Sometimes, it makes me imagine a world where these children will find sanctuary. Until finally, last year I braced myself to pour my imagination into this book, with the hope that people who read it would be moved to care more about the unfortunate children in this world, whose number continues to grow until now. Thank you. TFA1 1.1 - The Door To Other World TFA1 1.1 - The Door to Other World Southern Pacific Ocean, 4 km west of Antarctica¡¯s shoreline 09:30, 14 Jan 2025 An ocean freighter with a capacity of 18,000 tons anchored while its cargo was lowered to dozens of LCACs. Generally, ocean freighter carried cargo in the form of ship containers. But the anchored freighter was full of pallets and wooden frames of various sizes, wrapped in thick opaque plastic. Thirty minutes had passed since Jack, the chief mechanic on the freighter, observed the unloading work. In the end, he could no longer contain his curiosity. "Captain, the cargo is belongs to American McMurdo Research Station. So why don''t they ask us to dock over there? It has a docking port and the location is not far from here.¡± Captain Morgan sighed deeply before answering, "Don''t ask too many questions. This isn''t our first time we''ve brought a cargo to a location that doesn''t conform the official documents." Jack instantly pursed his lips and decided to stop asking. Without knowing that actually, Captain Morgan was also curious. As from his position, Captain Morgan couldn¡¯t see a single building or light even though he had observed the shore using high power night vision binoculars. --- Marie Byrd Land, giant snowfield west of Antarctica Sgt. Reine skillfully steers LCAC 05A3 part of the 27th Transport Team across the vast snowfields. LCAC or Landing Craft Air Cushion was not only able to pass sea surface but also flat ground. Therefore, passing in a vast and flat snowfield was an easy feat for LCAC. The label indicated that the five pallets on the LCAC¡¯s deck were light trucks. However, based on his experience at USMC, Sgt. Reine knew that the payloads he carried were AH-1Z Viper. He also realized that the previous dozen pallets were Humvees, while the first five packages were Light Armored Vehicle. Of course, Sgt. Reine didn''t just blurt his knowledge out. After 30 minutes of crossing the giant snowfields, Sgt. Reine finally saw the huge gate at the foot of a hill. Most of the time, the gate under the hill was hidden by ice. It would only be open widely when there was a cargo shipment. Stolen story; please report. With ease LCAC 05A3 smoothly entered the gate, and then with moderate speed it ran on an 8 km wide tunnel that was heavily guarded by a sentry battalion. Time kept running and Sgt. Reine finally arrived at the underground complex which was brightly lit, vast, and supported by modern equipment. As per the label attached to the package, Sgt. Reine took the cargo to D7 Maintenance Depot, which was one of the ten largest maintenance workshops for aerial assets. After completing the handover, Sgt. Reine looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "People wouldn¡¯t believe it if I told them that this place is another world, and two floors above this place is a military base equivalent to Andrews AFB.¡± Sgt. Reine let out a deep breath before looking at the tunnel that connected earth with the new world waiting to be explored. "I have to hurry. There are still a lot of packages I have to unload." --- XO Office, 4th Floor of Main Building, Harley Quinn MOA. 15:40, 23 Jan 2025 Executive Officer (XO) Lucan ''Vex'' McGuire took a sip of his third coffee before looking at two documents before him. The first document was Operation Southeast Triangle Outline, while the second was Temporary List of TF Amethyst Assets. After a little stretching, Vex then opened the Temporary List of TF Amethyst Assets. He passed several of front pages and headed straight to the heavy asset section. === // === // === // === // === Humvee 680 units M1151 Ripper 200 units M1152 Personnel Carriers 40 units M1152 Cargo 50 units M1152 Ambulance . . . . . . 8x8 Light Armored Vehicles 20 units LAV Shorad 12 units LAV Mortars 4 units LAV Command 2 units LAV Recovery 2 units LAV Logistic Artillery 140 units M120 Mortar 120 mm 56 units M777 Howitzer 155 mm 28 units MTV SPH 155 mm 28 units MTV MLRS 122 mm 56 units MTV Ammunition Carrier . . . . . . Helicopter / Tilt-rotor 32 units CH-47 Chinook 18 units AH-1Z Viper 12 units UH-1Y Venom 12 units OH-58D Kiowa Warrior 10 units MV-22 Osprey Fixed Wing Aircraft 56 units C-130J Hercules 14 units KC-130J Tankers 18 units P-8 Poseidon 18 units F/A-18E Super Hornet 6 units F/A-18F Super Hornets 4 units E/A-18G Growler . . . . . . Unmanned Aircraft 16 units MQ-9 Reaper SAM System 12 units Tamir Air Defense System Light Armored Tracked 0 units M113 Shorad 0 units M113 Command 0 units M113 Mortar 0 units M113 Recovery 0 units M113 Ambulance . . . . . . === // === // === // === // === As soon as he discovered that the LAV numbers were only 20% of the proposed amount, while for the M113 none had arrived yet, Vex immediately let out a long sigh. "It seems like I have to rewrite Operation Southeast Triangle." ***** TFA1 1.2 - Night Drop TFA1 1.2 - Night Drop CO Office, 4th Floor of Main Building, Harley Quinn MOA. 07:58, 24 Jan 2025 General (Ret.) Randall O''Neil casually looked at the digital-display as big as a billiard table, on which Amstell Continent''s map was displayed. The Amstell continent''s shape was similar to Australia but with a larger size, where right in the middle stood Harley Quinn Main Operating Airbase. From Harley Quinn to the south coast extended the 1800 km long South High Road, which was protected by nine Forward Operating Camps, while to the east coast extended the 1850 km long East High Road, which was protected by ten FOCs. The East and South High Road were then connected by Southeast High Road which ran along the coast at southeast of Amstell Continent and was protected by eight FOCs. The area surrounded by the three high roads was labeled as Southeast Triangle, wherein the center stood Pope MOA, surrounded by five Medium Operating Base as first perimeter and twenty seven Forward Operating Camps as outer perimeter. Every military site in Southeast Triangle was built to protect Nouel farmland, warehouse, and processing facilities for Nouel Biogas, accordingly to Operation Southeast Triangle. However, up to nine months after TF Amethyst arrived on Amstell Continent, Harley Quinn was the only site that was successfully built. The reason was because Ground Combat Group did not yet have sufficient assets to protect the operation, from Dangerous Wildlife which forced local residents to empty the northeast, east, and southeast of Amstell Continent and call it Desolate Land. Two examples of the most aggressive Dangerous Wildlife were Black Eagle and Gray Wolf. The Black Eagle had an average height of 5.6 meters with a wingspan of 20.2 meters. It was capable of flying up to an altitude of 3500 meters with a top speed of 360 km/h. Its beak could perforate Humvee''s hood with ease, while its claws could tear apart the Humvee''s roof with ease. It took a Stinger or 20 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition to bring down the giant eagle that had killed fourteen TF Amethyst''s personnel. As for Gray Wolf, the first contact occurred on the 14th night after TF Amethyst arrived at Amstell Continent. At that time, the night picket officer decided to alert all his members, after seeing suspicious movements in the bushes 200 meters from Outer Protection Line. At first, he thought his instinct had missed because until morning there had been no incident, before finally he received a report that one of the night guards was missing and there were bloodstains and wolf tracks. A guard on duty who was an ex-Scout Sniper stated firmly that from the size and depth of the trail, the wolf that visited them was weighed 400 kg at least. The remains of the unfortunate personnel who were eaten by the giant wolf were found four hours later, on a slope 6 km from the OPL. A few days later a gray wolf the size of a stallion was found dying after being exposed to eight Claymore''s at close range. Since then the Claymore field has been expanded and its distribution pattern became denser. Knock knock! Before General O''Neil could respond Vex had come in first, still looking disheveled from last night''s overtime work. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Revision for Southeast Triangle Operations, we finally have the minimum strength to get started." "Thanks for the hard work." General O''Neil accepted the revision with a smile, and Vex nodded before walking out. --- MCG Headquarters, 2nd Floor of Building Bravo, Harley Quinn MOA. 14:00, 26 Jan 2025 As soon as Colonel Maddox entered the room, Mobile Construction Group''s officers immediately surrounded him. "How did the meeting go?" "Can we start Southeast Triangle?" "We already have materials to build ten metro cities?" Colonel Maddox responded to the hail of inquiries from his men with an ear-to-ear smile. "We''ll start with South High Road and nine Focs that protecting it, and then continue with site construction from south to north." Major Callum immediately frowned before saying, "Instead of choosing a pattern from outside to inside, Why not start with Pope Moa, and then use it as a base for logistical support before expanding outside?" Colonel Maddox took a deep breath before explaining, "Nature Environment Group insists that we have to minimize the wildlife casualties. Therefore, we will move from the south and herding the wildlife to Northeast Triangle which will be used as a wildlife reserve." "Why do I feel as if they don''t mind if we are the ones who get killed by those dangerous beasts?" Lieutenant Juan grumbled sourly, and Colonel Maddox responded. "I feel that way too, but General O''Neil agreed to their request, so we have no choice." Major Callum nodded three times before saying, "Let¡¯s talk the details then." --- An Airspace, 821 km south of Harley Quinn MOA 23:06, 28 Jan 2025 Under the dark night sky, 16 units of C-130J Super Hercules flew in two rows at an altitude of 550 meters. Inside the lead Hercules on the left, Captain Stark was busy studying the intelligence from combat control team''s personnel and making calculations. He had to jump with seven of his men, two MCG personnel, 1 unit LAV Shorad, 1 unit M1151 Ripper, and 2 logistical pallets. The dropping zone was a hill with a height of 110 meters, where its top was flat and wide enough to receive a jump in one pass. CCT personnel deployed two hours earlier stated that there was no Dangerous Wildlife activity at the dropping zone, but that did not mean the hill was safe. As the field situation was always flowing. It was not impossible that when he and the rest of the team arrived on the ground, they were greeted by Gray Wolf who enjoying the CCT personnel as yummy snacks. Meanwhile, even though the Black Eagle did not have night vision, that did not mean on Amstell Continent there were no flying predators with night vision. And even if a P-8 Poseidon and four F/A-18E Super Hornets were deployed to secure the airspace, they would still be too late to react if a nocturnal flying predator took off from a location close to the dropping zone. ''Our life and death depend on how quickly we activate the weapons system on LAV Shorad and M1151 Ripper, and then form a perimeter with personnel from other Hercules.'' Captain Stark then approached MCG''s personnel who were about to jump in with him and said, "Two construction workers from MCG, listen carefully!" Hearing Captain Stark spoke in a serious tone, Lieutenant William and Specialist Monroe instantly nodded. "The wind above the dropping zone is very strong. You will move too far if you open your chute too early, and we can''t go to search you before the perimeter is formed. Meaning, maybe we will only find your remains. Do you understand?" "Sir!" Lieutenant William and Specialist Monroe answered in unison, albeit in slightly shaky voices. "Good." Captain Stark nodded in satisfaction as the cabin lights turned red and Loadmaster shouted. "Five minutes." Captain Stark immediately ordered a final inspection, and before long Loadmaster shouted again. "Two minutes." The jumpers immediately took their positions, while Super Hercules'' ramp door slowly opened. From his position, Captain Stark saw Super Hercules behind them climb up to a position 60 meters higher than Super Hercules in front of it. "Good to go!" Together with the signal from the Loadmaster, the cab lights turn green. Without delay, Loadmaster activated rails that deliver logistic pallets out of Hercules''s ramp door. The logistics pallets flew out smoothly and the parachute expanded perfectly, followed by M1151 Ripper, LAV Shorad, MCG personnel until finally it was Captain Stark''s turn. "Good luck." The Loadmaster said to Captain Stark, who answered him with a small nod, and then lowered NVG before his eyes and jumped out. "I Hope everything goes well," murmured Loadmaster as dozens of parachutes bloomed perfectly under the night sky. ***** TFA1 1.3 - Uninvited Guest TFA1 1.3 - Uninvited Guests CO Office, 4th Floor of Main Building, Harley Quinn MOA. 23:34, 28 Jan 2025 From one of the windows in his office, General O''Neil watched a convoy of trucks pass the main gate, while inwardly he was thinking about the night drop led by Captain Stark. If the jump went well, MCG''s personnel would assess whether the selected location was sufficient to be used as a Forward Operation Camp or a new location must be sought. If the location was adequate then the next stage could be started. Sending Tamir Air Defense System that would provide air cover, a company of light infantry that would secure the area, followed by MCG''s personnel along with materials and equipment they needed. As for heavy equipment that could not be deployed from Hercules, it would be sent by land. After the FOC was established and the area around it was under control, MCG''s personnel would build South High Road to the south as well as to the north, and meet with MCG personnel who started the work from Harley Quinn. ¡®The final assessment should have been completed by now.¡¯ General O''Neil muttered while Vex entered the room and walked straight to him. "The jump in the south is a success without personnel or material losses. The next stage will begin in three hours." "Finally, we are at starting point." A faint smile appeared in General O''Neil''s lips before he continued, "Vex, the other groups also want to start their initial activities. Will the Ground Combat Group and Aviation Combat Group be able to support it?" "Which group and to what extent they will conduct their initial activity?" "Nature Environment Group and Mobile Construction Group want to conduct a survey in Southeast Triangle. The Agriculture Development Group wants to start planting Nouel. Meanwhile, Intelligence & Diplomacy Group wants to start relationships with nearest Regions." Vex immediately massaged his forehead. TF Amethyst had no shortage of personnel, as all the personnel it needed had arrived on Harley Quinn. Unfortunately, not all assets had arrived. After a deep breath Vex said, "We can provide escort for NEG and MCG. ADG can plant Nouel with a radius up to 5 km from South High Road. As for IDG, we should wait until South Highroad and the Focs that protecting it is ready. We can¡¯t forget that diplomatic relation usually comes with a potential for conflict." "Arrange it accordingly to your suggestion then." "Understood." Vex then returned to the Main Operations Control Room. --- Main Operations Control Room, 3rd Floor of Main Building, Harley Quinn MOA. 09:20, 31 Jan 2025 Vex was busy studying the route proposed by NEG and MCG when, Lt. Colonel Julius, one of senior officers in the Operations Control Room approached him. "Sir, you may be interested to examine it." As Vex looked at the main screen where a group of horsemen herded some people, Lt. Colonel Julius continued. "Reaper caught their movement thirty minutes ago. Fifty horsemen entered a settlement 9 km west of the OPL. They killed some and then herded the rest to northwest. According to IDG''s officer they are skilled riders, but there is no attribute that indicates they are a cavalry unit from a nearby region." Vex was pensive for a moment before asking, "Is there any indication they will move to OPL?" "No, there isn¡¯t." After he heard Lt. Colonel Julius'' answer, Vex immediately nodded in relief. "Then ignore them. We are not a peacekeeping force." "Sir, in the last month they have captured hundreds of villagers in the west of OPL. We can send a small team to eliminate them, so why don''t we do it?" Vex casually answered, "We''re in the middle of a resource-consuming operation. It''s best not to attract attention." "... Sir?" "Lieutenant Colonel Julius, our presence is still unknown because no one is willing to approach Desolate Land''s entrance. This situation must be maintained until we are ready to face anyone who may have interest to exploit our presence." "Sir." Lt. Colonel Julius gave a small nod before returning to his desk with lowered head. Vex then heaved a sigh silently while checking his watch. ''Ten minutes before Old Man O''Neil takes my place. Then, I can go to ACG HQ to coordinate the logistical support for the team who will visit Southeast Triangle.'' As Vex went back to studying the map before him, the display on the main screen was replaced by the construction activities of FOC South 860. --- Vast Meadow 1 km west of OPL W115 11:47, 31 Jan 2025 "A little more, once we enter the woodland before Desolate Land, we no longer have to worry about Black Eagle that might appear at any time." Reem then smiled at Rui, her younger brother who was only 8 years old while tightening her grip. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. This morning Reem, Rui, and a dozen other kids were playing hide and seek on the outskirts of their village when a group of mounted bandits attacked. Without blinking their eyes, the mounted banidts killed elderly and toddlers before herding the remaining villagers to northwest. Reem''s parents and other villagers were refugees who escaped from choking taxes, never-ending forced labor, negative sentiments from the majority, or other reasons that made them unable to seek protection from local authorities. Therefore, from an early age the villagers teach their children the skill to survive in the woods, and where to go if disaster strikes their village. ''After arriving at the woodland we must immediately build a foxhole, with a door as small as possible to prevent Gray Wolf from entering. Tomorrow afternoon, we will return to the village to collect supplies and equipment that were left behind by the mounted bandits, and then stay in the forest for a while. As for the next few weeks mounted bandits will occasionally come to check the village.¡¯ It was a tragic occurrence, for a 12-year-old girl had to lead a dozen younger children and to keep them alive under the threat of dangerous wildlife. Unfortunately, that''s the reality. Actually, Reem was trembling and scared inside. But she realized that if she gave up, her brother and the other children hope to survive would completely gone. ''Don''t give up and be strong.'' Reem repeatedly tried to strengthen her resolve, but tears in the end poured down from her eyes. "Big Sis, please don''t cry. We will help you.¡± Rui tried his best to suppoort his sister who was starting to sob, followed by the other children who got closer to Reem. Because right now, she was the only one who could lead them. "I know, don''t worry we''ll be fine." Reem wiped her tears. Then, she tried to smile at dozens of children around her. Reem and other children finally arrived at the edge of the woods before the desolate land, and they almost screamed when a man in green clothes covered in twigs and weeds suddenly rose and stood in front of them. "Kid, this place is very dangerous and not a place to play. Hurry back to your home." With a tone as friendly as possible, the man reminded dozens of children who tried to cross the Outer Protection Line guarded by his team. But the children in front of him were just silent, and then some of them began to sob. Meanwhile, Reem was stunned for a moment before saying, "Mounted bandits came to our village, killed the elderly and toddlers, and then took our parents and other villagers away. Some of them would hide in the village at least until tomorrow morning to wait for villagers who might return from a trip, so we can¡¯t go back now." "..." The man in green clothes was speechless after hearing the little girl¡¯s explanation. In the protocol he received, there was no procedure that could be used as a guide for the current situation. "Uncle, let us stay in this forest for a while. We will not disturb you." ''Fuck! Why did a situation like this arise when I was on duty? If I call in Command Center, they would just ask me to kick these poor kids out.'' The man in green clothes frowned before asking, "Do you know how to survive in the woods? Trust me, it is not easy even for adults.¡± "We do." Seeing a glimmer of hope, Reem immediately nodded before explaining, "Since we were four years old we have been taught the skill to survive in the woods." "Sarge, they''re not going to survive here." Suddenly, another man in green clothes rose to his feet not far from where Reem and the other children were standing. However, Reem did not have time to feel the shock in her heart. She was already drowning in worry that she and the other children would be kicked out. If she was not allowed to live in the woodland before the Desolate Land, then she no longer knew where she had to go with the other children. "Uncle, we will succeed, believe me, we beg you." Reem tried to explain further, but the two men in front of her shook their heads slowly before taking a deep breath. Reem instantly fell into panic, and then started sobbing with the rest of the children. --- Ward A2, 1st Floor Medic Quarter, Harley Quinn MOA 12:56, 31 Jan 2025 "Whoaaah..." "It¡¯s so sweet and delicious." "These must be the milk and biscuits that the nobles enjoy." Reem and a dozen other children enjoyed the warm milk and biscuits handed out by Medic Quarter''s officers, and they were constantly in awe. Previously, they were invited to ride a four-wheeled iron carriage. The carriage had two doors at the side and one large door at the back, along with two seats at the front and two long benches at the back facing each other. On either side of the iron carriage there were three small, very clear windows. Strangely, even though there was no horse to pull it, the iron carriage could move very fast. Reem and the other children had the impression, "Riding the strange iron carriage turned out to be very fun." After passing through the woodland, they came to a smooth and long road that ended up in a wide area filled with various giant buildings. Other than some very tall buildings, there were also semi-circular buildings that extend backward, or buildings with roofs but without walls where objects shaped like an arrowhead in white, gray, and with a hint of black were lined up neatly. There was also a long and smooth path where the object with a shaped like arrowhead shot out and made a loud sound, and then lifted and climbed into the sky. Reem and the other kids repeatedly rubbed their eyes, and only stopped and were sure there was nothing wrong with their vision after the other three big arrowheads also flew up into the sky. "U-uwawa... the arrowheads flew without flapping their wings." In addition, they also saw a row of objects with a shape similar to a cart or dragonfly with four long stalks above it. While Reem was trying to understand what place she had just entered, the other kids suddenly screamed hysterically. "Look look. . . the cart can fly too!" At the same time, they came across an iron carriage that was bigger than the iron carriage they were on. ''They must be the messengers of gods who live in the heavens, and the tallest building on the easternmost field is their main shrine,'' Reem murmured while nodding her head. Reem also remembered that the driver of the two iron carriages were dumbfounded when they met them for the first time. But only for a moment, before they attentively helped the children hopped up onto the iron carriage and with broken accents reminded them to hold on firmly. The man in green who they met for the first time also muttered non-stop ''Everything will be fine. Everything will be alright¡­'' with a trembling voice while his face was pale. Initially, Reem and the other children were worried whether they would be okay if they followed the weird uncle in green. But their worries evaporated as soon as they arrived at the building called Medic Quarter. The men and women in Medic Quarter looked at them dumbfounded at first, but only for a moment before they took the children to a room where dozens of beds neatly lined up, and everything was all white, from mattresses, blankets, pillows, tables, floors, ceiling, to the wall. The men and women who were called paramedics place their hands on Reem''s and other children''s wrists before writing something on a small board, and then place something in the children''s mouths and stick small metal circles to their chests before writing again on the small board. The paramedics were very friendly and could speak fluently. Although there were still traces of accents that indicate they were not locals. Reem braced herself to approach a female paramedic who seemed to hold a high position. If she remembered correctly, the young woman was called "El-tee." "Miss El-tee, we can work if we are allowed to live here. We are still children, but we are very strong and diligent." Miss El-tee was dumbfounded for a while before nodding and smiling. "Okay, but for now you and the other children should eat and rest so your bodies recover as quickly as possible." Reem nodded firmly and was relieved that the strangers they met didn''t seem like bad people. They also allowed her and the other children to show that they could be of use. So, they could temporarily stay in the shrine of the divine messengers. ***** TFA1 1.4 - Operation Little Guest TFA1 1.4 - Operation Little Guest Vex was on his way to Aviation Combat Group HQ, when two M1152 Personnel Carrier dropped a dozen children in front of Medic Quarter. He immediately rubbed his eyes to make sure there was nothing wrong with his vision. "Why did OPL personnel let a group of children entered this place?" Vex said as he hurried up toward the Medic Quarter''s lobby. "Well well well, Mr. Vex, what can we do to help you?" A man in his early 30s, wearing a multicam combat dress and a white coat that signified he was a doctor greeted Vex with a friendly tone, but it was clearly visible that his smile did not reach up to his eyes. Meanwhile, dark lines appeared on Vex¡¯s forehead. He got a feeling that the officer who was in charge of Medic Quarter was deliberately guarding the lobby in anticipation of his arrival. "Major Shade, how could a dozen children enter this facility?" "A bunch of kids got lost near OPL. The personnel on duty didn''t know what they had to do and brought them here. Now, we''re making sure they''re all right." "What if the children are herded by a party who wanted a justification to come in here?" Major Shade shrugged his shoulders before casually speaking, "Well, it¡¯s above my pay grade, and I believe GCG will take care of it." ''This is the reason why I can¡¯t get along with idiots from Medic Quarters. They do exist to save lives, but they don''t differentiate between friends, strangers, or even opposing personnel who should be sent into afterlife,'' Vex muttered inwardly before saying, "The children must be returned to where they were found." "XO, they''re not a bunch of puppies you find by road side." "I know." "XO, currently these children no longer have home or parents. Give me a few days to arrange a place for them, and I''ll make sure there won''t be any accidents the next time you get hurt and being treated here." Vex ignored Major Shade''s threat before walking towards the ward where children''s voices could be heard, and as soon as he passed the door his gaze immediately met a girl who was talking to a female paramedic. In an instant, Vex''s heart trembled violently. The little girl blonde hair and blue eyes reminded him of Nicole, his only daughter who he had last seen was around nine years ago, when she was only four years old. "I must be hallucinating," Vex muttered before taking a half-run out of Medic Quarter. Vex then continued his walk to ACG HQ. However, in the middle of the road he turned his steps into a hangar, or to be precise to the telephone attached next to its door. --- Main Operations Control Room, 3rd of Floor Main Building, Harley Quinn MOA General O''Neil was observing activity around FOC South 860 when the phone on his desk rang. Without delay he immediately grabbed the receiver. "O''Neil here." [I have to mobilize some elements, and it will speed up the discovery of Harley Quinn''s presence.] General O''Neil was silent for a moment. He recalled that Vex had an authority to mobilize 1200 composite personnel without his permission. It was enough to form a Battalion Landing Team or Airborne Combat Battalion. Therefore, question marks filled his mind to the brim. "Vex, how big power projection do you need?" [Three QRF squads with support for aerial observation, air cover, and airlift with fully armed escorts.] "I don''t see why you need my authorization to mobilize that power." [My action could get TF Amethyst into a major conflict before Operation Southeast Triangle is complete.] "Well, my job is only to determine where we will hit the opposing force and how much damage to be made. You are the one who has to think about the assets to be used, the personnel to be involved, the deployment method, quota of ammunition, fuel, or other technical details. If a conflict occurs before our preparations are complete, then your task will be three times more complicated, but if you don''t have a problem with that, so do I." Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. [Understood, and thank you.] "Okay." Click! General O''Neil hung up the receiver before casually looking back at the monitor, as if the conversation with Vex had never happened. --- Main Operations Control Room, 3rd Floor of Main Building, Harley Quinn MOA Lt. Colonel Julius was pensive. He couldn¡¯t shake the image of the captured villagers. Then, a captain came over to him and handed over a high-priority Deployment Order. ''Is XO kidding me?'' asked Lt. Colonel Julius before once again he checked the Deployment Order. === // === // === // === // === Deployment Order A1 Call sign: Little Guest Target: A group of horsemen who attacked the settlement west of OPL. Executor: 3 Squads of QRF elements, 4 personnel of Para rescue, support elements. Configuration: hot pursuit, hostage rescue, the potential use of sound suppressor, the potential use of NVG, airstrike using smart ammunition. Support: => Aerial Observation: MQ-9 Reaper, P-8 Poseidon => Aerial Cover: 4 units F/A-18E Super Hornets => Airlift: 3 units CH-47J Chinooks, 1 unit UH-1Y Venom => Escort: 1 unit OH-58N Kiowa Warriors, 1 unit AH-1Z Viper Briefing: QRF Hangar, by XO. Signed, XO. === // === // === // === // === ''I have to hurry. Reapers will need operations supervisors, pilots, sensor operators, and intel analysts. I also need a communications specialist, an IDG officer, a QRF officer, and a few other personnel.'' Lt. Colonel Julius immediately rose to his feet, and as he turned to look at General O''Neil, the old general gave him a small nod. In steady steps, Lt. Colonel Julius then rushed to one of backup Operations Control Rooms. --- A patch of triple-canopy forest, 10 km west of OPL W115 A 9-man infantry squad moved with extra vigilance under the shadowy forest. The first layer consisted of 5 personnel who spread out 2 meters from each other, led by Corporal Twig the deputy of squad commander. The second layer consisted of 4 personnel who took a distance of 5 meters behind the first layer, led by Sergeant Heins the squad commander. The target of this infantry squad was a settlement located 800 meters from their positions. The settlement was surrounded by open space except on its west side, where the triple-canopy forest was located. The OH-58N Kiowa Warrior which escorted their deployment detected six heat signatures at the center of the settlement, and an indescribable weak heat signature at the eastern end. However, thermal sensor on OH-58N couldn¡¯t penetrate the dense of triple-canopy forest on the west of the settlement. So Sergeant Heinz decided to approach the settlement through the forest in order to simultaneously comb and neutralize any potential surprises. Sergeant Heinz''s decision was correct. Corporal Twig who was in front of him suddenly gave a stop sign and asked him to come closer. "Para-para, 50 meters at 1 o''clock, largest tree, third branch from below, approx. 2 weasels. Semi-bunker, 70 meters at 11 o''clock, next to a small hump, approx. 4 weasels." Sergeant Heinz switched the low-light scope on his HK416A5 to thermal sensor mode before observing the two locations Corporal Twig mentioned. He then gave instructions by pointing out the weasels'' locations before drawing a horizontal line around his neck. Without delay, Corporal Twig then moved forward with a HK MG416 gunner and an HK M110A1 shooter. At the same time, Sergeant Heinz ordered the rest of the squad to take a wide formation and watch the movement around the area. --- Semi-bunker, Weasels¡¯ Lookout. Ritz was watching the area while calculating the money he would get from the slave hunt. Over the past month, his group managed to send hundreds of captures to slave traders in Rowane Region. As for today, his group got an additional 46 villagers who would arrive at their base this afternoon. After the contingent was sent to the slave traders, the hunting would be completed and he would receive his reward. ''Well, the girls I enjoyed during this operation were quite satisfying. But the main appeal of this operation is still money. '' Ritz cheerfully made plans for the money he would receive, when repeated short flashes suddenly appeared not far from his position. In the dimly lit forest, a single spark could be seen from a great distance. So the flash was striking even though he heard no sound. A moment later, Ritz''s two colleagues who guarded the para-para fell to the ground along with wood chips, twigs, and leaves, and then lay motionlessly. But Ritz did not panic, he was sure the opposing force had not yet realized his position. He immediately warned his colleagues who were lazing around. "Enemies, 60 meters, one person is spotted." Without delay, Ritz''s colleagues quietly prepared their crossbows. Altogether they had 4 crossbows and 60 bolts. Their basic set up was two men would shoot and the other two would reload so that the shot could be fired without pause. "Now, we just have to wait until they get into crossbow''s range." Ritz calmly muttered when another flash appeared from a different position, and suddenly the colleague beside him squeezed his chest while moaning, then fell into a huddle and stopped moving. Followed by a second flash that caused blood to gush from the back of his other comrade''s head. Then, the third flash that made his last comrade clutches his neck and chokes on his own blood. And finally the fourth flash, followed by his fading consciousness. Within three seconds, Ritz and his three colleagues were being sent across into afterlife. --- When the four glowing silhouettes displayed by thermal sensor turned black, the HK M110A1 shooter immediately gave a hand signal that the four weasels had been eliminated. Meanwhile, Sergeant Heinz and the rest of the squad carefully swept the area using thermal sensors, but they had to be disappointed. There was no movement other than the birds that were flying to all directions. "Do body checks, record the lookout structures, and maintain vigilance as some weasels may escape our surveillance." Wasting no time Sergeant Heinz''s men executed the orders. Body checks were being carried out carefully while the para-para and semi-bunker¡¯s shape and size were documented in detail, complete with sketches. The shooter even recorded both weasel¡¯s lookouts using video feature on his rifle scope. Not long after that the movement was resumed. However, until they reached the outer boundary of the settlement they encountered no other opposition. ***** TFA1 1.5 - First Rescue TFA1 1.5 - First Rescue Diez had a hard time understanding what had hit him and his men. Although the slave hunt was a success, he and his men were not relaxed at the slightest. They took a position in a house near the village square, waiting for villagers who would return from their journey. Their position was ideal. It was located next to the village square where bodies of 8 elderly and 14 toddlers that they killed laid silently. In addition, it was also surrounded by storage house for staple foods and farming equipment. Diez was sure the returning villagers would have gone straight to the village square, whether to pick up foodstuff, equipment, or buried the bodies they left behind. Like experienced predators, he and his men waited silently and patiently, but what came to them was something beyond their wildest imagination. It was started with a loud explosion that made their ears ringing. At the same time, their vision blacked out and their body lost balance, followed by a blunt object that repeatedly hit their body until they almost vomited blood. Diez and his men were utterly helpless when their attacker roughly dragged them outside, and tied them to the horse moorings. Both hands tied above their heads while they sat on the ground with straight legs. Diez counted that his captors consisted of nine people, and all of them were wearing green clothing. It also didn''t take long before Diez figured out that apart from uniformity in clothing and gear, his captors also had discipline and hierarchy. All the clues led Diez into one conclusion. His captors were definitely a military unit. However, this was the first time he had seen such strange military personnel with insignia he did not recognize. The way they wrapped the bodies of the dead toddlers and the dead elderly was also full of caution. After that, they put the corpses in one of the houses which were used as a funeral house. Diez believed his captors had no relation with the villagers, so he had a hard time to understand their actions. Moreover, some of them spoke fluently using local language while the rest spoke using broken accents. But they all spoke more often in languages ??he never heard of. Some of them also frequently press a button on their chest before talking to themselves. Meanwhile, the only weapon Diez recognized was a 25 cm long dagger on their left waist. ¡®Freaks, talk to themselves and put their dagger to left waist when they are right-handed,'' Diez muttered before examining the black sticks hanging at the chests of his captors. Their sticks were no less strange. And they always aimed it forward before striking it in an odd way, but somehow a few of Diez¡¯s ribs broke as the result. Diez took a deep breath before turning his head towards one of the freaks guarding him. "If you let me go now, I will forget this incident and you can take the valuables." Baam! Without warning, the freak kicked Diez on the chin before casually saying, "When we say do not talk, you better shut your mouth up." Diez wanted to curse, but immediately held back, realizing that the next hit could kill him. But when Diez decided to keep quiet, one of the freaks who held the highest position knelt before him. "You''re in no position to make a threat. So tell me, where are your confident come from?" This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Diez decided to open the card he kept for emergencies. "Looks like you guys aren''t from around here. So, I understand if you don''t know the customs in this place." "Yes, we are not locals." The Freak who questioned Diez smiled before offering him a bottle of water. He even helped Diez to drink it, and for the first time Diez felt a very refreshing cold water. Not the cloudy water mixed with cheap wine to prevent stomach upset, like the one he used to carry. Diez then confidently said, "We are not mountain bandits, but cavalry elements from Rowane Region, in charge of waging economic and agricultural disruption to Lionel Region." "You mean by robbing traders or farmers, and then selling them as slaves." Diez nodded before adding, "My name is Diez Morallez, a Lieutenant in Rowane Cavalry, 5th son of Morallez Family, one of three noble families in Rowane Region. My family will pay dearly for my release." The Freak smiled a little before asking again, "Ser Morallez, thank you for the information. Now, can you tell us your comrades'' destinations, their routes, and their number?¡± Diez did not immediately answer. Instead, he smiled scornfully. For thousands of years, nobles in Amstell Continent held on a tradition not to kill each other unless they had no other choice. So, Diez was sure that even if he didn''t answer the question, he would be fine. Moreover, the ransom for a member of noble family was not a value that could be underestimated. However, Diez''s smile instantly evaporated after he saw the map shown by the freak. The map was not only detailed and precise, but also had a very wide radius. As an officer in the military unit, Diez immediately realized that the map was a result of serious work, and was far much better than the map he had seen at the HQ of Rowane Guard. The problem was, making a map without permission from the authorities could result in charges of treason and death penalty. It didn''t matter whether it was a general map or a military map, only military officers at the level of brigade commander and above, or nobles within the top three positions in the government were allowed to have them. However, currently, a military unit with only nine members held a high quality map. ''They are reconnaissance elements from a very advanced military unit. One of them is likely a high-ranking officer who is guarded by an elite bodyguard.'' Diez quickly concluded, and when he remembered that over the past few months the number of Black Eagles and Gray Wolf that had left Desolate Land was dropping dramatically, half of Diez''s life immediately slipped away from his body. ''They are not an opponent we can face.'' Now Diez felt that The Freak''s smile no longer looked like a smile. It looked more like the grin of a tiger who was talking to its prey happily. One thing that Diez had in mind was, he had to warn his comrades that an invasion was approaching their region. A moment later, Diez and his men did manage to get away from the small settlement they attacked this morning. It¡¯s just that their destination was the afterlife. --- By using the guidance from OH-58N, Corporal Twig led two men to inspect a horse stable on the eastern end of the village. The heat signature captured by Kiowa was indeed very small and insignificant, but to make sure there were no hidden surprises, an inspection had to be carried out. "Corporal, there''s nothing here. No humans, no horses, or ghosts. It¡¯s just a big pile of horse dung in a corner." The first man said, followed by the second. "Maybe this horse shit was the source of heat signature captured by Kiowa''s sensors." Corporal Twig didn''t answer. He turned on the thermal scope on his HK416A5 before examining the pile of horse dung in the corner of the stable. "There are two layers of heat signatures. We have to check it." "Sir, this is just a pile of horse dung, shall we do it?" Corporal Twig nodded before saying, "Don''t you remember that in basic training you were reminded to always check what you need to check, so that later you won''t regret it and saying, ''If only I had checked out that place.''" Corporal Twig''s men rolled their eyes, but in the end they grabbed shovels in a corner, and together with Corporal Twig they began to remove the fresh horse shit. Not long after that, Corporal Twig grinned. "Well well well, what do we find here?" Under the horse shit, the three found a 50x50 cm wooden plank. While pointing his HK416A5 with the flashlight turned on, Corporal Twig opened the wooden plank. However, he immediately shifted his aim, from two toddlers who were sitting side by side and shaking in horror. "Good Lord, thank goodness we checked this place," said one of Corporal Twig''s men while his partner nodded firmly. ***** TFA1 1.6 - Second Rescue TFA1 1.6 - Second Rescue Grassland 26 km northwest of the settlement. Every time he saw his wife who walked like a living corpse, Tulla felt as if his heart was crushed into pieces. Tulla and his wife had survived many unbearable hardships throughout their life, but this time his wife hit her limit. This morning mount bandits came to their settlement. At first, they thought the bandits were only targeting valuables and foodstuffs. Unfortunately, they were also slave hunters. The first thing they did after gathering the villagers was executed elderly and toddlers who were deemed would be hindering their journey. Tulla and his wife were desperately trying to protect their two-year-old son, but their efforts were in vain. The bandits deliberately beheaded their crying toddler right in front of them. The light of life instantly vanished from his wife''s eyes, and Tulla could only curse the gods in heaven who were silent when misfortune befell his family and all the villagers. ''I hope Reem and the other kids manage to find a way to survive.'' Tulla prayed inwardly while awaiting an opportunity to seize one of the bandits'' weapons. ''I should send my wife first before killing these bastards as many as I can.'' The life of a slave was much lower than animal, so Tulla had to make sure his wife avoided that fate. After calming his heart, Tulla then looked at the rope at his wrists. The bandits took positions in front and behind the villagers who were tied and connected to each other, so he could untie his hands unnoticed if he did it carefully. "Tulla, use this." Donda, one of Tulla''s colleagues when he was serving in the military, whispered as he handed over a small knife. Donda also pointed out that the knots on his wrist were already broken, but he covered them by tightly grasping it. "Nun will attract some of bandits'' attention. Then, we will kill them, grab their weapons, and attack the bandits on the rear while the women run in all directions. After that, we can only pray some of the women will escape and catch up with the kids who ran to Desolate Land." Tulla nodded slightly, but inwardly he felt bitter. Currently, it was impossible for his wife''s to escape. So Tulla could only strengthen his resolve to kill her and then fought to the death. Before long, a signal was given that the men were ready to act. However, just a moment before they started, a group of people in green clothes suddenly appeared from their left and brandished odd-shaped sticks at the bandits. Ra-tatar¡­ ratatar¡­ ratatar!! As flames burst out from the odd sticks and deafening sounds rang out to all direction, the bandits tumbled and fell to the ground like sandbags. With a neat and coordinated movement, the people in green then separated the bandits from the villagers. "Tulla who are they?" Donda asked in a half-whispered while his face looked very worried. "I also do not know." Tulla replied shortly while his gaze was fixed on the two bandits who managed to escape and spur their horses with all their might. At the same time, a person with a smaller fire stick whistled and pointed at them. Two people in green immediately stood side by side and pointed their fire sticks towards the two escaping bandits. Then, a short streak was heard and the two bandits in the distance fell to the ground. "A very powerful weapon and they combined it with a neat coordination." Tulla murmured while trying to calculate if he had to fight the people in green, and his face instantly turned pale because the result would be much worse compared to the fight against the bandits. While Tulla was immersed in contemplation, the men in green casually finished off the bandits who were moaning or crawling, regardless of their cries of surrender. It didn''t need a smart brain to realize that they were familiar with killing and fighting. A few seconds later, the vicinity was clear of living bandits. Every single of the bandits had lied motionlessly on their own pools of blood. "Is anyone hurt?" With a loud but casual voice, the man in green with shortest fire stick asked the villagers, who answered by shaking their heads rapidly. "The honorable Ser Benefactor, may we know who are you?" With a respectful tone Tulla asked, and the answer he got was, A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. "My name is Lieutenant Lambert, I cannot provide further information without authorization from my superiors, but I can tell you that my unit has order to hunt down bandits who attacked a small settlement 20 km southeast of this place this morning." "That¡¯s our settlements." "Yes, one of my squads already eliminated six bandits hiding in the settlement and six others hiding in the small forest west of the settlement. They also found a pair of sibling, Sith and Ruth, the two were hiding under a horse stable." "Ah...!" A woman shrieked under her breath before walking forward with hasty steps, along with a middle-age man. "Are our children all right?" "At first they kept crying while calling out to you, but the personnel who found them managed to calm them down. So you don''t have to worry, Ma''am." "Praise the gods in heaven, praise the gods in heaven...." said the woman before sobbing on her husband''s chest. "Sun will down soon, and Gray Wolf will be active shortly after. We must return to the settlement." The residents nodded, while in the distance several flying objects with windmills were approaching fast. The largest flying object was long and had two large windmills on top of it. While the other was shaped like a dragonfly or wagon, and had a large windmill on top and a small one on its tail. The residents stuttered and some of them panicked, but Lieutenant Lambert managed to calm them down. Not long after that, the three largest flying objects lined up on the meadow 25 meters apart, while the smaller ones remained in the air with their noses pointed in all directions, like sentries who formed security perimeter. Even though they were a little hesitant at first, the residents in the end were willing to enter the flying objects through the ramp door. Meanwhile, a few men took the bandits'' weapons, and then rushed over to Lieutenant Lambert. "We don''t mean to deny Ser Benefactor good intentions, but some children managed to escape the Bandits raid and were highly likely heading east. We will go to pick them up," Tulla explained. "Don''t worry, our main unit is looking after them. Right now the most important thing is to return to the settlement as soon as possible." In an instant, a big question mark appeared in Tulla¡¯s forehead, but then he chose to comply with Lieutenant Lamber¡¯s request. "We understand." Actually, Tulla and the other men still had some suspicion on their helper. However, their suspicion was eased a little after they were allowed to board the flying objects while carrying the looted weapons. "Can we trust them?" Donda asked in a whisper, to Tulla who was standing next to him. "For now we have no other choice," Tulla replied softly. --- Grassland 500 meters east of the settlement. 04:15, 31 Jan 2025 "Why is this happening to me?" While looking up at the evening sun, Private Keane firmly held his HK416D at his chest. It was a posture that would have looked very dignified, if only on his left and right he had no two 3-4 year old kids who held the hem of his shirt tightly, one of them even happily sucked on her thumb. Private Keane was not an animal lover, let alone a human child. He was the type of human who avoided complex and troublesome matters as much as possible. For example, when his first girlfriend called in the middle of the night to pour out her heart, he didn''t hesitate to break her up right away. While for his second girlfriend he left her because she forcibly asked him to go to the beach on a holiday where he intended to spend all day sleeping. When he, Corporal Twig, and a colleague found two children hiding under the stables shivering with fear, all he did was give them two MRE Choco candies that happened to be in his pocket. He did not give the candy out of affection or concern for the frightened children, but because he did not know what he had to do while his colleague and Corporal Twig desperately tried to calm the children down, who without warning started sobbing heavily. Also, the candy he gave was actually the candy he didn''t eat because he didn''t like it. Miraculously, the two frightened children immediately stopped their sob after they chewed the chocolate candy from Private Keane. They even looked at Private Keane with a happy, innocent, and clear gaze. After that, the two kids followed Private Keane like a puppy follows its mother. They didn''t even mind when Private Keane didn''t stretch out his hand to hold theirs. Instead, they both took the initiative to grab the hem of his shirt. Corporal Twig, who realized that Private Keane was not a human who could be relied on to look after two children, tried to prevent the tragedy that might occur, but the two children cried loudly when he tried to separate them from Private Keane. In the end, Corporal Twig could only stop his intention. As for Private Keane, he wanted to cry a river but no tears came out. When Sergeant Heins and the rest of the squad saw Private Keane return with two kids on either side of him, they struggled to hold back their laughter. However, they then collectively round-up crackers, chocolates, candy, or snack-bars they had for the two kids who clinging tightly to Private Keane. When he finally heard that the two toddler''s parents would return soon, Private Keane immediately took the initiative to go to the landing site. ''Finally, freedom will return to me,'' Private Keane muttered as he saw a helicopter formation approaching fast. "Whoaaaah ...!" Seeing the two children in his left and right staring at the helicopter in amazement, Private Keane took the initiative to explain, "The flying object is called Chopper." "Chooo-ppper." The youngest kid repeated Private Keane''s words while her brother nodded his head. Not long after the Chinooks landed, a husband and wife came out from one of the Chinooks and immediately ran towards Private Keane, or to be precise towards the two children who were flanking him. The two children were stunned for a moment before running towards their parents, but both of them stopped at the third step, turning around and came back to tightly hug Private Keane''s thighs before resuming their run towards their parents. Both parents kept bowing and thanking Private Keane, while the young soldier couldn''t help but felt awkward. Sith and Ruth then followed their parents to the settlement, on the way the two took the time to turn to Private Keane and wave their little hands. For some reason, Private Keane felt a deep longing for his parents when he saw this. ''Mum, Dad¡­ I hope you are doing well on earth.¡¯ ***** TFA1 1.7 - The Greatest Victims of War TFA1 1.7 - The Greatest Victims of War Operation Control Room B1, 3rd Floor of Main Building, Harley Quinn MOA. 16:05, 31 Jan 2025 After giving the mission executor a short brief, Vex rushed to Operations Control Room B1, and during the last few hours he was directly supervising the rescue operation. "Intel from Sergeant Heinz had confirmed the aerial footage from Reaper. The mount bandit built their base is in a valley that separates Rowane and Lionel Region. Unfortunately, they have transferred their previous catch to Rowane Region." Vex scanned the area on the map that Lt. Colonel Julius pointed out before saying, "There''s nothing we can do for the villagers who have entered Rowane Region." Lt. Colonel Julius took a deep breath before answering, "Understood." "What about the kids in Medic Quarter?" "Most of them started to calm down, but the smallest few started to cry when they remembered theirs parents. Medic Quarter officers decided to send them home as soon as possible. Some medics will accompany them, and in a few minutes they will take off." "Have Lieutenant Lambert and his unit guard the settlement tonight, then grounded all air assets that do not participate in the final phase." "Understood." Lt. Colonel Julius nodded, while Major Maxwell from Intelligence & Diplomacy Group approached Vex. "Now, it''s only a matter of time before Harley Quinn''s whereabouts are discovered. So, can IDG starts taking the initiative to establish relationship with local authorities?" "I don''t mind, but if shit happen and we have to go on an offensive, make sure the motive is worthy." "Roger," Major Maxwell smiled cheerfully before returning to his seat. --- Hangar H26, Harley Quinn MOA 16:58, 31 Jan 2025 Major Duran calmly sat in the F/A-18E Super Hornet''s cockpit. While listening to the briefing, he entered coordinates of the target. When he first flew the Super Hornet in Amstell Continent airspace, Major Duran for the first time understood the ups and downs of World War II fighter pilots who had to fly without GPS/INS assistance, and only rely on maps, compasses, or landmarks. Once he got lost, it was highly unlikely that he would be able to return to the base. Therefore, flights could only be carried out during the day and must not exceed the Ground Control radar range, which guides the pilots. As an ex-USAF pilot who used to operate with the flexibility to determine the route''s and tactics to be used, Major Duran could not help but become awkward when he had to operate under Ground Control''s direction. Moreover, they provided the instructions and information in analog form. Gone was the digital and network-centric, which had become main foundations for USAF fighter pilots¡¯ combat tactic. Luckily the situation didn''t last long. As soon as P-8 Poseidon was in operation, the mapping of Amstell Continent was immediately being carried out. The entire planet''s longitude and latitude have not yet been determined, but the mapping department did not lose initiative and created the latitude and longitude for the basis of Inertial Navigation System (INS) from scratch. With INS entry into the system, Major Duran and pilots of Flying Puppy Squadron regained their combat effectiveness. One of them was the ability to use the JDAM that works using INS/GPS guidance. While Major Duran and his three colleagues studied and determined the route to the target, the ground crew swiftly prepared the weapon packages as well as refilling the fuel tanks. The weapon package was GBU-32 JDAM which used the General Purpose Bomb Mk.83 as the base. Mk.83 has a total weight of 454 kg of which 30-40% of that weight was explosives. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. In this airstrike, GBU-32 JDAM would be guided using INS with accuracy up to 30 meters. INS was less accurate than GPS which had an accuracy of 2-13 meters. However, because GBU-32 had a fragmentation radius up to 200 meters, a 30-meter miss could still be categorized as accurate and deadly. To this day, TF Amethyst had never used INS for offensive purposes, be it for artillery strikes or airstrikes. Operation Little Guest would therefore serve as a measure for TF Amethyst airstrike effectiveness. The Flying Puppy Squadron''s rapid sortie capabilities would also be tested, such as installing weapons and refuel the tank when the aircraft''s engine was running. Rapid sortie was impossible if Super Hornet engine was turned off. Because once the aircraft''s engine was turned off, a total checkup must be carried out before the aircraft was allowed to fly again. The inspection not only took time, around 8-48 hours depending on the aircraft''s age, but also consumed manpower, costs, and other resources. This complexity was what led to the birth of air refueling, which costs much cheaper. When the briefing was finished, the Super Hornet''s fuel tank was also already in full, while the weapon package was firmly attached under its wing. One by one, the Super Hornets took the preparations for takeoff, and before long they were already in the air. --- Typically, fighter pilots would approach the target by flying as low as possible to avoid radar contact. However, because there was no radar on Amstell Continent, Major Duran and his colleagues chose to approach the target from an altitude of 30,000 feet or about 10,000 meters. With a distance less than 40 km away, it took only a few breaths of time before the formation arrived over the target, then Major Duran gave the instructions. "Send the package." Thirty two GBU-32 JDAM instantly fell free to their coordinates and ensured that every inch of the targeted camp was enveloped in the firestorm and deadly fragmentation. Major Duran and his colleagues did not need to check the results of the attack as that was not their job. Instead, they had to quickly leave the area. Therefore, they would be able to carry out the next sortie if the damage was deemed inadequate. To check the result of the airstrike, the task was assigned to MQ-9 Reaper, and once the bombing results were sent to operations control center, intelligence officers and analysts immediately concluded that the target had been completely destroyed. Vex agreed with the assessment and the plans for second sortie were scrapped. --- Ludwig Valley, borders of Rowane and Lionel Region. 17:26, 31 Jan 2025 "Witchcraft, volcanic eruption, or Flame Dragon?" Jeffe really couldn''t understand what had just happened to the camp where his comrades were on standby. Because right now, it seemed the place had just been swept away by a firestorm. Initially, Jeffe was tasked to check the contingent who had previously announced their success via courier and was on the way, but had not arrived even though the sun had fully down in the west. Jeffe truly hates the assignment as leaving the camp after sunset could make him end up in Gray Wolf''s belly. However, he had only been out 4 km away when a very loud boom was heard, and when he looked back his gaze was greeted by flash after flash that made the night sky flicker incessantly. Jeffe then steeled his heart and decided to return to the camp. When he finally arrived at the camp one thing that came to his mind was. "There is nothing left." Cold sweat profusely ran down on Jeffe''s back as he imagined the entity that turned 850 Sidewick Cavalrymen to charcoal and ashes along with their horses and camp. "I have to get out of here quickly and report what had happened." Jeffe muttered before spurting his horse towards Rowane Region. As for his comrades who hadn''t arrived at the camp, Jeffe assumed that they would never arrive. --- XO Office, 4th Floor Main Building, Harley Quinn MOA. 09:05, 2 Feb 2025 Without knocking first, General O''Neil walked in and sat directly before Vex. "I''ve read the report for the rescue mission. The results are pretty good and we haven''t lost any assets." "Yeah, but I failed to save hundreds villagers who were already brought into Rowane Region." "Don''t be too hard on yourself." Vex took a deep breath before saying, "If I tell you one of the kids who got into Medic Quarter reminds me that I once made a child lose his father. And to ease my own regret I tried to prevent the child from losing his parents through Operation Little Guest, will you regret for giving me the authorization?" General O''Neill tapped his fingers for a moment before answering, "A philosopher once said that the biggest victim of war is truth, but my experience during my service shows that the biggest victims of war are children. Several times I helped those poor children, but more often I acted like a coward by hiding behind the rules. So if you ask me if I regret authorizing you, the answer is no. Whatever the reason is, Operation Little Guest also eases the guilt that has been buried deep in my heart." "Thank you." Vex immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He was burdened by the fact that Operation Little Guest would hasten the potential conflict with the local authorities, but now the burden had lessened a little. As he pulled out a bottle of 20-year-old Armagnac from his desk drawer Vex said, "I also intend to convert the settlements we help into farmland and ranch. I''ll submit the details tomorrow morning." General O''Neil accepted a glass of Armagnac offered by Vex as he answered, ¡°You don''t need to hand over the details to me first.¡± "Understood." Vex smiled, then together with General O''Neil he cheerfully took a sip of the Armagnac. ***** TFA1 1.8 - Barbecue Party TFA1 1.8 - Barbecue Party After General O''Neil approved his proposal, Vex immediately worked on it. First, he changed the name of the settlements into Settlement 116. After that, various constructions were carried out. It was started with construction of Solar Power Plant to support the lighting and clean water network, the replacement of outer walls into 5 meters high Hesco Barrier, to the establishment Outpost 116 which was equipped with radio stations, barracks, 16 units M1151 Ripper, and 6 units M1152 Cargo. Except for a few forests which were useful for preventing landslides and maintaining the ecosystems, the entire hilly area around Settlement 116 was being converted into farmland and ranch. Once every two days Vex would check the progress for the construction and then took his time teaching the children in Settlement 116. Initially, he volunteered to become a teacher because he wanted to stay as close as possible to a little girl who was very similar to his own daughter. However, slowly but surely he also became close enough to other children. He even memorized their names, characters, and various other details about them. There was even a pair of siblings who always followed him wherever he went after he gave them chocolate candy. Vex was worried that the two siblings were orphans, but luckily his worries turned out to be false. Vex was about to give his student math task when a loud ''Bang!'' heard, followed by his students'' beaming expressions. Vex immediately realized that the class was impossible to continue. Vex put the math task back into his bag while asking, "Do you want to watch it again?" All children in the class spontaneously nodded like chicks pecking at rice, and Vex could only smile helplessly. "Okay, we''ll watch it again then, but don''t get too close." Every kid in the class nodded again while Vex continued. "Reem, Sien, Heem, and Nouk, help me look after your younger friends." The four students that Vex called to nodded firmly. Not long after that, two dozen children cheerfully walked out of the classroom while holding hands in pair. Among them were Vex and some of his bodyguards. --- One of the assets that became the backbone of TF Amethyst, both offensively and defensively was M1151 Ripper. It was built from M1151, the Humvee weapon-carrying variant, which was combined with a remote-turret Reconfigurable Integrated-weapon Platform (RIwP). The RIwP turret could receive almost any weapon system in US Army''s inventory. For TF Amethyst, the configurations were Chain Gun M230 30 mm, Medium Machine Gun M240 7.62 mm, and a tube of 7 x 2.75" Talon laser-guided rocket. As for the tracking system, M1151 Ripper was equipped with an electro-optic (EO), thermal imaging, and laser rangefinder with a range of 10 km. In summary, M1151 Ripper could detect targets at a distance of 20 km, started tracking them at a distance of 10 km, and locked them according to the effective range of the weapon system it used. As for the crew, it was consisted of a vehicle commander who was also the gunner, an assistant gunner who was responsible to reload and maintaining the weapon system, and a driver who was also in charge of maintaining the vehicle. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. In one corner of a newly built ranch an M1151 Ripper took a position. Inside it, Sergeant Lucas watched a flock of six approaching Black Eagles. Sergeant Lucas had received a warning from radar station at Harley Quinn, when the flock of giant eagles was still 60 km away, and because his team was the first check-point the flock would pass, the command center tasked him to neutralize them. As soon as Black Eagles entered the targeting laser¡¯s effective range, Sergeant Lucas immediately marked the largest bird, and then chose Talon laser-guided rocket as a weapon. At sea level, Talon had an effective range of 3.5 km, and was very accurate when it was being guided by a targeting laser. It didn''t take long before the lock-on tone was heard. Without delay Sergeant Lucas pressed the fire button. With a loud whirring, a Talon burst out of the launch tube, and then shot toward the largest Black Eagle. Before it had a time to react, the largest Black Eagle was hit fatally. While leaving a trail of thin smoke, the Black Eagle plunged free, hitting the ground very hard, and then floundered for a while before finally stopped moving. Meanwhile, the rest of the flock scattered in all directions, and in an instant was out of sight. --- With sparkling eyes, the kids from Settlement 116 watched a Black Eagle being lowered from the back of a 5-ton MTV Crane. One-third of the Black Eagle''s body fell apart, but the remaining meat was still equivalent to 6-7 adult bulls. "Blackie this time is bigger than Blackie last week,¡± said one of the kids cheerfully. Another kid then added, ¡°Yes, and tonight we will have barbecue again." ¡°Yeah, Blackie''s BBQ. . . super yummy. " "Wolfie''s barbecue is super yummy too." When the barbecue party was mentioned, each child immediately swallowed their saliva very hard. Meanwhile, Vex could only listen to their chatter with a complicated expression. Never did he imagine that the Dangerous Wildlife they were so afraid of before, now had turned into their favorite menu. To this moment, Vex still could not completely eradicate the eerie impression he got from the Dangerous Wildlife. Moreover, Vex had absolutely no idea that people from Settlements 116 would consume the meat from eliminated Black Eagle and Gray Wolf. They casually ignored the possibility that the Dangerous Wildlife they ate may be had consumed human flesh. ''Well, as long as they''re happy,'' Vex muttered in his heart while ignoring the moral considerations that was bothering him. At the same time, the slaughterhouse workers deftly worked under the enthusiastic gazes of the children. The children were not in the least bit terrified when seeing the Black Eagle being skinned, dismantled, and washed. --- As soon as the sun set, the barbecue party in Settlement 116 began immediately. It was held in the village square. In total there were 12 campfires, each manned by two women. In one corner, Vex sat with General O''Neil while enjoying cider and roasted potatoes flavored with barbecue sauce. Previously, two women delivered two large trays of grilled Black Eagle meat, but they chose to give it to Reem and the other children who always clung to Vex at every barbecue party. General O''Neil enjoyed a piece of baked potato before saying, ¡°I think we should start Operation Neptune soon.¡± ¡°Well, if you want to start it, let¡¯s start it,¡± Vex casually replied. ¡°I thought you will suggest me that it¡¯s too early to start it." Vex took a deep breath before saying, "I''ve read the last report from IDG regarding Tuscan Region''s circumstance. I think that Region will completely die if we wait too long." "Then, tomorrow we''ll start to finalize Operation Neptune." "Understood." Vex then looked at two trays that were already empty, before turning his gaze to Reem and the other children who were looking at him expectantly. The children in the settlements occasionally enjoyed roasted wild chicken. However, because the roasted chicken had never been seasoned with salt, let alone spices, the taste had never left a deep impression in their hearts. That''s why as soon as the kids in Settlement 116 taste the roasts seasoned with barbecue sauce made in Harley Quinn''s kitchen, they got hooked by it right away. Without delay Vex said, "Reem, bring your friend to take the second portion. Tell them General O¡¯Neil is very hungry." Reem and the other children''s gaze immediately lit up, as the roast meat provided for Vex and General O¡¯Neill was always the best cut. At the same time, General O''Neil smiled faintly before taking a sip of his cider. ***** TFA1 2.1 - Tuscan Region TFA1 2.1 - Tuscan Region Lt. Colonel Slane¡¯s Office, FOC South 860. 09:05, 7 Feb 2025 When viewed from above, South High Road was extended from Harley Quinn to southern coast of Amstell Continent for 1800 km, where in the middle of it stood Forward Operating Camp South 860. FOC South 860 was built for two reasons. First, so that South High Road construction could be carried out from two starting points at once. Second, it was to support the intention of embracing Tuscan Region which was located 50 km west of the camp. When Reaper conducted aerial observations to determine the route for South High Road, Tuscan Region''s condition was recorded accidentally, and IDG concluded that the Region had a potential to become a good friend in all weather. As soon as intelligence was obtained, an operation to approach Tuscan Region was drafted. And it would be led and executed by Lt. Colonel Slane, the leader of Amethyst Merchant or to be precise was the economic wing of TF Amethyst. With great care, Lt. Colonel Slane studies intelligence about Tuscan Region over and over. Like most other regions, Tuscan Region only had one city which became the center of government, along with large and small settlements scattered around it. Magwurt City or the capital of Tuscan Region had a 10 meters high and 2.5 meters thick outer wall. Of the four entry gates, trucks and other heavy vehicle could enter the city only from east gate. Also, even though Humvee could enter every gate easily, the streets in the city would not be able to withstand its weight. As for the layout of Magwurt City, it was divided into commercial districts in the east, high-class districts in the north, military districts in the west, and commoner districts in the south. Meanwhile, in the center of the city stood Castle Magwurt where the nobles live. Until two decades ago, Tuscan Region was the largest Nouel producer and became one of the richest regions in Amstell Continent. Unfortunately, Nouel''s production in Tuscan Region gradually declined until the land could no longer be planted with Nouel or other food crops. During the last eight years, Tuscan Region had experienced a severe economic decline and food shortages. The population had also decreased drastically from 400 thousand to 80 thousand. However, based on field confirmation by Agriculture Development Group, 75% of the farmland in Tuscan Region could be replanted with Nouel after being reconditioned for 8 months. The reconditioning took a long time because the farmland had been planted with one type of plant continuously for many years, without pauses or attempts to restore the soil potential. Also, the farmland in Tuscan Region that could not be planted with Nouel, turned out could directly be planted with sugar cane. Therefore, Lt. Colonel Slane immediately asked so that sugar cane seeds from earth must be brought in immediately. As he closed the document before him, Lt. Colonel Slane took a deep breath. "I hope everything goes well." --- South High Road km 863, 3 km to the east of FOC South 860. 11:09, 7 Feb 2025 Captain Stark was a little surprised when two days ago, Lt. Colonel Slane arrived with a notice that FOC South 860 would receive additional asset to support the attempt in approaching Tuscan Region. FOC South 860 was equipped with a helipad, hangar, fuel depot, and maintenance depot, so the upgrades could be made in no time. Four hours after Captain Stark received the notification, 6 units CH-47H Chinook, 4 units AH-1Z Viper, 4 units UH-1Y Venom, and 4 units OH-58N Kiowa Warrior, along with their flight and ground crews arrived in FOC South 860. Meanwhile, right now he was asked to secure the landing sites of 26 C-130J Super Hercules that carrying other assets, equipment, and various commodities. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. South High Road had a width of 21 meters and was built from 8x3 meters concrete blocks. The concrete block was chosen because its maintenance was far easier compare to asphalt, although its smoothness was still a little less. In addition to have lot of long straight lanes, South High Road also could be landed by Hercules or other TF Amethyst aerial assets. This capability was done so that rapid mobilization to each FOC could be done at rapid pace. [Control 8-6-0 to Godfather 8-6-0, friendly convoy from the north will arrive in five minutes, please confirm.] Captain Stark pressed PTT button on his chest before answering, "Godfather 8-6-0 to Control 8-6-0, horizon is clear, over." [Received and understood, Control 8-6-0, over and out.] Before long black dots appeared in the north sky, and in a few breaths of time they turned into silhouette of Hercules. Each Hercules then landed one by one, and without turning off the engine, they turned around. As soon as the rear door of each Hercules opened, personnel from Logistics & Support Group immediately started the unloading. ¡®The first sortie landed safely, three more sorties to go," Captain Stark muttered before heaving a sigh of relief. --- Viscount Rattel''s Study, Castle Magwurt 10:00, 10 Feb 2025 Viscount Rattel was pensive while his hands were gripping a small bottle filled with light blue grains. The blue grain in Viscount Rattel''s hand was Nouel. A plant that was similar in shape and size to barley, but its stems, leaves, and grain remain green, before turning blue when it was ready to be harvested. Nouel was a companion food for Dragon, Wyvern, or Firebird which was widely used as an aerial element by the 1st and 2nd world authorities. It was also main ingredient to produce fuel brick. So it could be said that Nouel was a strategic resource. Two decades ago Nouel was the epitome of glory for Tuscan Region. But now, let alone Nouel, even ordinary food crops could not be produced by Tuscan Region. Therefore, Viscount Rattel did not understand why someone would lease the entire farmland in Tuscan Region for a long period. "Mr. Slane, have you confirmed the condition of our farmland?" "Yes, and according to proposal I had submitted, Amethyst Merchant is willing to pay in gold, coins, foodstuffs, health assistance, or other assistance for public infrastructure development." Seeing the confidence on his guest face, suspicion ran through Viscount Rattel''s heart. Yet he truly couldn''t let go of the opportunity to free Tuscan Region from a long famine. After sighed inwardly Viscount Rattel said, "I don¡¯t mind if you want to rent all farmland in Tuscan Region for 50 years and tax-free. I also have no objection to the price you are offering. I¡¯m fully aware I have no basis for haggling. It just¡­ can the first 25 years of the rent be paid in advance with gold and foodstuffs. As for the remaining 25 years, you can pay it with health assistance and public infrastructure development accordingly to your proposal." "It can." Hearing Lt. Colonel Slane replied steadily, Viscount Rattel was flabbergasted, but only for a moment before he stretched out his hand with a broad grin. --- The outer boundary of commoner district, southern part of Magwurt City 13:30, 10 Feb 2025 Captain Elliot really didn''t know what to do, when two guests he had to guide insisted on visiting the southern part of the city. The two guests did promise to only see from the outermost boundary, but that still could not dispel his anxiety. Above the surface, the southern side of the city was known as a district for the lower class. However, in reality the area was no more than a slum. Rickety huts that stand on each side of an unpaved road, women and children with emaciated bodies and shabby clothes sitting in front of their huts with empty stares, and sewers filled with black mud that ironically was used as a source of water by the population. Captain Elliot was embarrassed when the guests he was guiding had to witness all of that, but he could do nothing. "Just reading the report and seeing it directly give us a very different impression." Lt. Colonel Slane turned his head towards Lieutenant William from Mobile Construction Group before continuing, "Looks like MCG and Medic Quarter will become very busy." "Don''t worry, even if MCG and Medic Quarter personnel aren''t in charge of carrying assault rifles, that doesn''t mean we''re weak." Lieutenant William answered calmly but firmly, and he was just about to bite his bread when a six-year-old girl with a worn face and clothes approached him. "... b-read." Seeing the girl swallowed nonstop while staring at his bread, Lieutenant William immediately tore his bread into two big chunks, and gave the piece he had not yet bitten to the little girl. The girl''s face instantly filled with joy, and she immediately ran toward a hut. At the same time Lt. Colonel Slane sighs deeply. In a sense, Lt. Colonel Slane understood the meaning of poverty and hunger, because he was acquainted with it from a very early age. He then turned his gaze towards Lieutenant William. "We''ve seen what we need to see, so we''d better get back and start the work." "Yeah." Lt. Colonel Slane and Lieutenant William then hurried back to Amethyst Merchant Camp, while relief was clearly visible on Captain Elliot''s face. ***** TFA1 2.2 - An Intimidating Guest TFA1 2.2 ¨C An Intimidating Guests FOC South 860 08:10, 12 Feb 2025 The sentry personnel swiftly opened the portal, and a long convoy quickly passed the gate. The convoy was carrying 480 TF Amethyst personnel from various groups in a vehicle consisting of: 42 units M1151 Ripper 72 units MTV of various variants 14 units M1152 Carrier Personnel 10 units M1152 Ambulance 8 units M1152 Cargo 6 units LAV Shorad 1 unit LAV Command 1 unit LAV Recovery The road from FOC South 860 to Magwurt City had not yet been built. However, the convoy with ease passed the flat, dry, and hard terrains. Meanwhile, two officers observed the convoy from a watchtower. "Captain, Southeast Triangle isn''t finished yet, but we¡¯re expanding outward already. Isn''t that too hasty?" asked Lieutenant Tig. Captain Stark pondered for some time before answering, "Hasty or not, it¡¯s depends on your point of view. If this operation brings us allies, then we are getting a valuable foothold." "With the technological advantages we have, why would we bother looking for allies?" Captain Stark didn''t answer immediately, but tried to remember some intelligence about Amstell Continent. In Amstell Continent there were 89 Regions categorized as the 3rd Authority, and 2 Kingdoms categorized as the 2nd Authority, with a total age of compulsory military service of 235 million. Even by employing weapon of mass destruction, killing more than 200 million people was not easy feat. Not to mention the after effects that must be taken care of. Captain Stark then took a deep breath and explained, "It will take large resources to conquer Amstell Continent. Where the resources needed to build alliances with local authorities are much smaller. That''s why we should not create an impression of an aggressor that will unite Amstell Continent. Just do what''s your job and don''t think about what the Bigwigs in Harley Quinn should think." "Understood." Lieutenant Tig slightly nodded before looking at the convoy which was almost out of sight. --- East Gate of Magwurt City 09:25, 12 Feb 2025 Centurion Kallie looked to the east while occasionally yawning. For him, guarding the city walls was a boring task. Given the city he had to guard was a dying city and no one was interested to visit it. When he heard that someone wanted to rent farmland in Tuscan Region, Centurion Kallie immediately concluded that these people must be mentally ill. But this morning, he was notified that a large convoy would be coming from the east, and he was asked not to show hostility. And so Centurion Kallie was eagerly waiting for the guess. It had been a long time since Magwurt City had visitors. However, slowly but surely Centurion Kallie¡¯s enthusiasm was evaporating to the last drop. After three hours of waiting, he still had not seen the convoy. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "It looks like this day will be like any other, looking at the little patches of grass between the arid fields, under the scorching sun." Centurion Kallie muttered before preparing to yawn one more time, but he was only half yawning when a cloud of dust appeared in the distance. He immediately grabbed the monocular at his waist and put it before his right eye, and in instant he stuttered. More than a hundred big and small iron carriages were moving fast and full of intimidation even though no horse was towing it. "Is this the convoy? But why is the iron carriage very similar to the carriage for siege operations? Their speed is also too fast.¡± Centurion Kallie immediately hardened his heart and decided that the safety of the city was absolute. He could not hesitate or the approaching convoy would pass through the city gates in an instant. "Ring the alarm!" "... Sir?" Asked one of Tuscan Guards who stood next to Centurion Kallie, but he didn''t have much time to think. "I said ring the alarm. Right now!" Centurion Kallie screamed while grabbing the collar of Tuscan Guard¡¯s member who doubted his orders. "Sir!" The Tuscan Guard¡¯s member immediately answered loudly, and then he ran as fast as he could towards the bell tower. A moment later, warning bells echoed through every corner of Magwurt City, followed by a frenzy that had never occurred in the last decade or so. --- East Gate of Magwurt City 15:30, 12 Feb 2025 From the top of the city walls, General Khartoum surveyed the giant encampment 200 meters in front of him, which a dozen of iron carriage had just entered. This morning he was about to have a heart attack when suddenly the warning bells echoed through every corner of the city. However, after rushing to the city wall with thousands of Tuscan Guard¡¯s personnel, he was told that the warning bell was a misunderstanding. General Khartoum instantly became furious and punished the Centurion who gave the order to sound the bell. However, after he saw for himself how intimidating the convoy of Amethyst Merchant was, General Khartoum understood why the Centurion decided to sound the alarm. He then canceled the sentence imposed on the Centurion. General Khartoum was also in awe after he personally witnessed, that it took only two hours for Amethyst Merchant to build a solid and huge camp. After that, they rushed to the southeast side of the city where the land they received from Viscount Rattel was located. Then, they built a temporary shelter, a medical tent, a public kitchen, public baths, clean water facilities, and various other facilities. Also, from the moment they arrived, their convoy had been back and forth carrying various loads, ranging from foodstuffs, medicine, tents, clothing, and other equipment. To support his people, Viscount Rattel offered Tuscan Guard as mercenary for almost anyone, and General Khartoum was the field commander whom the Viscount trusted the most. As a general full of real wartime experience, General Khartoum knew very well how a large-scale military campaign should be carried out. Therefore, it was not difficult for him to see the military capability of Amethyst Merchant. Massive mobilization, efficient and effective construction units and medical units, with technology levels far above Tuscan Region¡¯s standards. Moreover, they came from the direction of Desolate Land which was full of Black Eagle and Gray Wolf. The conclusion that came to General Khartoum''s mind was, ''Tuscan Region will disappear from the map if it takes a hostile stance against Amethyst Merchant.'' Viscount Rattel had said that if Amethyst Merchant succeeded in their plan to grow Nouel or other foodstuffs in Tuscan Region, then the tax exemption would not be possible because once Kingdom of Makai found about it, they would definitely impose the tax. That''s the reason why Viscount Rattel asked for payment in advance. So if in a later date Kingdom of Makai, which had been ignoring Tuscan Region for the last decade came knocking, Tuscan Region could calmly avert its face from Amethyst Merchant. ¡®Ser Viscount, it looks like you will have to change your plans.¡¯ Without delay, General Khartoum descended from the city walls and rushed towards Castle Magwurt. There were many urgent things he had to discuss with Tuscan Region¡¯s higher-ups. ***** TFA1 2.3 - Dawn of Resurrection TFA1 2.3 - Dawn of Resurrection Southern Magwurt City 07:25, 13 Feb 2025 Once every two days, Tuscan Region¡¯s authority would distribute porridge to its residents, and today was the day for porridge distribution. Usually, Sia would rush to the porridge distribution post while carrying two bowls. One bowl was for herself and the other one for her sick grandmother. However, at this time Sia had no interest to leave the house. A few days ago, Sia received soft and sweet bread from a stranger, who for unknown reason stood not far from the hut where she and her grandmother lived. The bread was very delicious. However, after enjoying it her grandmother muttered, "Ah... so delicious, this is must be the bread the gods in heaven enjoys. Now I can go in peace." And last night, her grandmother once again muttered, "Sia, forgive me, grandma can no longer accompany you." Her grandmother then sobbed all night while Sia panicked. She knew that the grandmother who had raised her had no blood ties to her, but she was very kind to her. Even though they never had an adequate food, she never hesitated to give a portion of her food so that Sia could get a little extra intake. That''s why, even if Sia was hungry and weak most of the time, her heart was always comforted whenever she remembered she had a grandmother who loved her so much. That''s why, the thought that her Grandmother would leave her made Sia felt that the whole world suddenly went dark, and she was worried that if she left the hut, she would not see her grandmother again when she comes back. Kr-kre-kreeeeaaaaak! Then, suddenly the hut¡¯s door opened and Sia turned her gaze to check who open it. There were three people, and they wore clothes similar to strangers who gave her bread a few days ago, and one of them wore an additional outer white robe. The man in white robe softly smiled before saying, "Sweetie, good morning. We were told that a grandmother who lived here needs medical attention." The man in white robe then turned to the rickety bed, where the grandmother was lying under the shabby cloth. Then, without hesitation he walked over to the bed and grabbed Grandma''s wrist before sighing. "Thankfully we are not too late, but we must immediately transfer her to medical tent." ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Sia tried her best to try to understand what was happening, and was dumbfounded when the man in white robe walked over to her. "Sweetie, does anyone else live here?" Sia shook her head three times and the man in white robe asked another question. "Apart from your grandmother, is there anyone else who can look after you?" Sia shook her small head once again. "It seems we can''t leave you here." The man in white robe nodded slightly before continuing, "Sweetie, your grandmother is seriously malnourished. So we have to take her to medical tent. Will you come along to accompany her?" "Can Grandma be healed?" If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. With a face full of hope Sia asked, and the man in white robe answered with a small nod. Tears immediately flooded Sia''s face, then with a sobbing voice she begged, "Ser Benefactor, please heal Sia''s grandmother. Sia will work hard to repay your kindness." "Don''t worry. Your grandmother will be fine in a few days." The man in white robe then carried Sia and rubbed her head gently. He wasn¡¯t uncomfortable even though Sia''s hair and clothes were worn out, and who knows how long it had been since the child took a bath. At the same time, one of the men who had previously moved the Grandmother to the iron carriage came over. "Major Shade, we''re ready to go back to medical tent." "Then we''d better get going." The man in white robe replied before getting into the iron carriage while carrying Sia, who was still sobbing. --- Southern Magwurt City 08:15, 13 Feb 2025 With feeble steps, Rutim walked with Lucca, her eight-years-old son. On her back, she carried her only belonging, a bundle of several worn clothes. Yesterday, she heard a convoy of iron carriage was setting a camp near the east wall, and this morning she saw dozens of green iron carriages pacing back and forth the south side of the city to pick up the sick residents. Surprisingly, the iron carriage moved without being pulled by a horse and the roads it passed on had collapsed. However, Tuscan Guards who were guarding the road ignored it. They instead helped the foreigners who were riding the iron carriage. Not long after that, several Centurions came and asked the residents to move to a campsite on the southeast of the city, because the south of the city would undergo major renovations. At first, Rutim didn''t bother with the relocation, but when she heard the Centurions said that starting today they will no longer be hungry, Rutim''s heart immediately tightened. ''First they got rid of the sick, and now it''s our turn.'' Rutim took a deep breath before kneeling and hugging Lucca tightly. Even though he was born to a commoner couple, Lucca had a handsome face and was smart enough for a child of his age. "My poor son, because your parents are useless you had to suffer at such an early age." "Mom, don''t cry. Lucca will become a strong mercenary and come home with lots of bread for you." Lucca hugged her mother as he tried to calm her down. However, Rutim became even sadder because she remembered her husband, a Centurion who died when Tuscan Guard was hired by Kingdom of Makai in the war against Kingdom of Horrep. Even though her husband died in the war, things weren''t that bad as long as someone hired Tuscan Guard. At least, the residents of Magwurt City could eat once a day and even twice a day if victory was won. Unfortunately, during the past year there had been no major conflict requiring the services of Tuscan Guard. Therefore, Tuscan Region¡¯s condition went nose dive to the lowest point. Rutim and the residents of Magwurt City did not blame Viscount Rattel for the plight that had befallen them. Instead, they were very grateful because when other nobles abandoned their titles and left secretly with their wealth, Viscount Rattel who came from the smallest Noble Family decided to stay behind, took over the leadership, and did his best to fix the situation. "Lucca, we should have gone with your uncle when he asked us, but because of my decision you have to suffer." "Mom, I heard that uncle and his group were captured by slave hunters." "Those things might be just a rumor." Rutim rubbed Lucca''s head gently before rising to her feet and continuing the journey with thousands of other residents. --- Dining Tent A2, Amethyst Merchant Camp. Rutim was dumbfounded when the monk from Nemo Temple handed her a tray of thick red bean soup, a piece of bread freshly out of the oven, jelly with sliced ??fruit, boiled egg, and a glass of warm barley tea, while Lucca got a glass of warm soy milk for his drink. "Uncle Monk, can we really eat this food?" Rutim asked doubtfully, while Lucca repeatedly swallowed his saliva. "You can. After that, you can go to the tent on the east side. There, you will receive instructions on where to stay and how to use the other facilities. You will also get new clothes and tools for personal hygiene." Rutim tilted her head before asking again, "Is all of this from Viscount Rattel?" "I don''t know the details. I only heard that last night the Abbot received a request from Viscount Rattel, for the Nemo Temple''s monk to help Amethyst Merchant take care of the residents who were transferred here." Rutim instantly breathed a sigh of relief. If Nemo Temple was involved, it was unlikely that she and the other residents would receive ill-treatment such as mass slaughter or enslavement. "Hurry up, don''t get in the line!" Rutim immediately gave a deep bow before approaching an empty table with Lucca. Ear to ear smiles graced the faces of the two. It had been very long time since they had a proper meal. ***** TFA1 2.4 - Manpower Recruitment TFA1 2.4 - Manpower Recruitment MCG Quarter, Amethyst Merchant Camp. Kaiel was the commander of Construction Platoon in Tuscan Guard. Last night, he received a direct order from Viscount Rattel. He had to join in the project that Amethyst Merchant was working on and gauge their technological level. And usually, a Region would hide their level of technology. Considering that it was closely related to military capability. However, the Construction Unit called Mobile Construction Group or MCG received Kaiel and his men with open arms. Never did Kaiel imagine that MCG¡¯s personnel would be very happy, when they found out that Tuscan Guard''s Construction Platoon was coming to help them. "Well, the bonds between construction workers are very tight wherever we are. Bro, let''s build Magwurt City wholeheartedly." Kaiel was very moved every time he remembered the remarks uttered by Lieutenant William, the Commanding Officer of MCG. At the same time, he was embarrassed by having prejudice when he and his team were treated to a bitter black drink. ''I thought they were planning to poison us. Who would have thought that a black drink called coffee was a mandatory drink for construction workers, and after adding sugar and cream, it turned out to be extraordinarily delicious,'' Kaiel muttered inwardly. Moreover, MCG¡¯s personnel were not stingy when giving them explanations. After inspecting the clean water tower that was built by MCG yesterday afternoon, and finding out that the water could be drunk directly, Kaiel immediately asked if a similar water tower could be built at Tuscan Guard HQ, and Lieutenant William happily agreed. Kaiel attentively studied the blueprint presented by Lieutenant William, starting from the pumping system, the tower that supports the storage tank, until finally a question arose when he studied the piping system in the blueprint. "Water is obtained after placing the pipe to a depth of 35 meters?" Lieutenant William smiled before answering, "The depth is different, and the selection of the location also uses a special technique. You will understand it when the construction is carried out later." "I see, and the pipes are not made of metal, with a diameter of only 2 cm." "Yes, metal pipes carry the danger of lead and rust, while the small size pipes will lessen the burden of pumping system.¡± Kaiel nodded before asking another question. At the same time, at a different table, Construction Platoon''s personnel were discussing with other teams from MCG. "I understand we have to rebuild the west gate so that heavy vehicles can pass it. I also understand about the paving of the road or making drainage channels, but why do we have to make a separate road for pedestrians on each side of the main road?" "First, it¡¯s for the safety and comfort of road users, both pedestrians and vehicle drivers. Second, the traffic will be smoother if pedestrians and vehicles use separated lines." Tuscan Guard Construction Platoon personnel nodded slightly before asking another question. "What about the pipeline network for water and... e-electricity?" "We will not use the water pump forever. At a later date, the pipeline network will be used to flow water from the water purifier facility, as well as electricity that will be generated by hydropower plant." The Construction Platoon personnel did not understand what electricity was and how it would be generated. So he chose to ask the next questions on the part that its basic principle he could understand. Meanwhile, in one corner two MCG''s engineers discussed a temporary source of electricity that would be used until the hydropower plant was built. The older engineer said, "We have enough panels for solar power generation. But we need additional giga-power bank that will be used as power storage and the basis for the distribution system." The younger engineer frowned before saying, "Old man, haven''t you made the calculations. If it''s only to power the water pump and night lighting without the use of electric tools, then three giga-power banks are sufficient?" "Indeed, unfortunately the construction on the Herron Mountain Ranges has to be postponed. So we will need additional substations to get through the winter, when room heaters are massively needed." "MCG has sufficient resources to build a water purifier facility, hydropower plants, and other facilities. So why do we delay the construction?" "According to XO, assets that will be used to secure the construction must be transferred to southern tip of Southeast Triangle. In exchange, he agreed to add more giga-power bank, including the power bank to support the factory and tramcar network." The young engineer pondered for a moment before speaking, "Shall we build a Dynamo Tower then?" The old engineer immediately shook his head, "The delay is only for one year. So as long as the Solar Power Plant can meet the demand, we will not build a permanent facility such as Dynamo Tower." Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The young engineer nodded slightly before continuing the discussion with the old engineer. --- Main Square, Amethyst Merchant Camp 08:00, 16 Feb 2025 Over the past few days, the residents of Magwurt City had continued to wonder. How the famine which had plagued Tuscan Region for many years suddenly disappeared without any trace? The residents did have to live in a tent for a while, but they didn''t mind at all because the tent was much better than their huts. It was able to withstand the wind and very warm at night. Magwurt City''s residents also didn''t have to worry about food, clothing, clean water, and other basic things. The only thing that bothers them was how long this joyous thing would last. Moreover, they had seen the various constructions carried out by Amethyst Merchant, and they wanted to know if they could participate in order to earn some income. Luckily, Magwurt City''s residents didn''t have to wait long for the answer. Starting today, Amethyst Merchant would be giving a briefing about manpower recruitment, where each briefing would be attended by 5,000 residents. As soon as the 5,000 residents of the first group gathered at the main square, Viscount Rattel immediately climbed onto the podium with a man. The entire residents in the main square were simultaneously prepared to salute on their knees, but Viscount Rattel prevented it. "You don''t need to kneel. From now on a small bow is more than enough when you meet me." The residents in the main square were dumbfounded. First, it was because only nobles were allowed to pay their respects to other nobles with small bowings. Second, because Viscount Rattel''s voice sounded loud and clear enough that the residents in the rearmost row had no trouble hearing it. "I''m sure all of you are wondering how we get the food we''ve been enjoying for the last few days.¡± Seeing Magwurt City''s residents before him nodded in unison, Viscount Rattel smiled before continuing, "We get it from Amethyst Merchants, who intend to lease the entire farmland in Tuscan Region." Viscount Rattel then pointed to the man beside him. "And Ser Slane, the leader of Amethyst Merchant wants to convey something to all of us." Lt. Colonel Slane immediately cleared his throat before saying, "As Viscount Rattel said, my name is Slane, the leader of Amethyst Merchant. On this occasion, I would like to explain the purpose of Amethyst Merchant''s arrival. Apart from renting all farmland in Tuscan Region, Amethyst Merchant also wants to build factories, hotels, shopping centers, restaurants, marketing offices, and various other businesses that require large manpower." Lt. Colonel Slane then paused for a moment to let Magwurt City''s resident digest his explanation, but one of the residents in the front row suddenly raised her hand and asked a question. "Does Amethyst Merchant intend to cultivate farmland in Tuscan Region, because as far as we know it cannot be cultivated anymore?" Seeing one of the residents asking a question without introducing herself or asking permission first, Viscount Rattel immediately turned towards Lt. Colonel Slane with a worried face, but his anxiety evaporated as soon as he saw Lt. Colonel Slane smiled cheerfully. "Yes, Amethyst Merchant intends to grow Nouel, barley, and various legumes." In an instant, whispers and expressions full of doubt filled every corner of the square, but Lt Colonel Slane ignored it. "Amethyst Merchant has confirmed that the farmland in Tuscan Region can be restored. We''ve even conducted small-scale experiments and the results have been very satisfying." While most of the residents in the field were stunned, Rutim, who happened to be part of the first group, raised her hand before asking. "For the required labor, are there any conditions that must be met?" Lt. Colonel Slane nodded slightly. "Yes, and we have prepared a selection mechanism that every candidate must go through. For example, outside of character, personal skills, and individual capacities, some jobs also have attractive appearance as the requirements." Lt. Colonel Slane''s explanation regarding the requirements for an attractive appearance, made Rutim tilted her head before asking the next question. "For a job that requires an attractive appearance, does the worker have to be ready to do sex in carrying out her duties?" Lt. Colonel Slane immediately answered, "No, the requirements for attractive appearance are needed because the worker will become the face of the place where she or he works. For example are personnel for reception, information center, or public relations. Of course, Amethyst Merchant will also open a business where workers are required to provide sexual services, for example a nightclub. However, apart from these places, sex and similar things are not included in the tasks that must be carried out by workers." As soon as Rutim sat down, a middle-aged woman immediately stood up before asking a question. "Is there a boundary between jobs for women and men, considering that most men in Tuscan Region have to join Tuscan Guard?" "Before I answer that question, allow me to ask. Does the gardener have to be a man?" The middle-aged woman who asked the question immediately answered, "Isn''t that a natural thing that has been going on all this time?" Lt. Colonel Slane smiled a little before saying, "Now let me ask the second question, does the gardener need his genitals when sweeping the garden or mowing the lawn?" "Pfffttt...!" The residents in the main square who were mostly women tried desperately to hold back their laughter, while Viscount Rattel gasped for a moment. But Lt. Colonel Slane leisurely continued. "If sweeping or mowing the grass does not require a specific gender, why should we limit the job by genders? One of Amethyst Merchant¡¯s philosophies is that, if a woman is able to carry a job as well as a man, then she is entitled to the job." In an instant, all the women in the main square nodded firmly as a form of approval, and the question and answer between Lt. Colonel Slane and the residents of Magwurt City continued. It was lasted longer than the plan, but Lt. Colonel Slane did not mind in the slightest. He cheerfully answered every question. The session was then closed with an explanation regarding the selection and training mechanisms, as well as the function of the Job Fair Tent which would be open starting today. The residents of Magwurt City were also required to obtain a Social Security Card, which would be used as the basis for many things related to Amethyst Merchant and status as a citizen of Tuscan Region. ***** TFA1 2.5 - Grandmaster of Fine Arts TFA1 2.5 - Grandmaster of Fine Arts Medical Tent, Amethyst Merchant Camp. 13:20, 19 Feb 2025 Mier looked at Sia with a soft smile. After feeding her porridge, the cute girl then peeled an orange for her. "Grandma Mier, from now on Sia will take care of you." Mier had lost track on how many times Sia had repeated the words, but she never got tired of hearing it. For more than a decade Mier was the Chief Servant of Vadiz Family that ruled Tuscan Region for over 300 years. When Vadiz Family was about to leave Magwurt City, Count Vadiz and his wife directly asked her to come with them, but without hesitation Mier refused. Not long after that Tuscan Region''s condition fell to its lowest point. However, even though Mier living conditions were getting more difficult and full of uncertainty, she did not hesitate to pick up Sia who had lost her mother due to an illness. The only regret that Mier had was that, she couldn''t provide a decent life for Sia. However, that regret began to evaporate when a few days ago she woke up on a very comfortable and warm bed, in a brightly lit tent and there was a sweet girl waiting for her. It took a while before Mier realized that the cute girl was Sia. It was reasonable because the child had a clean and radiant face, shiny straight black hair, and was wearing colorful clothes. Only when she heard Sia call her name while sobbing and hugging her tightly, did Mier fully believe that the girl was Sia. Since then, Sia would cheerfully feed her, accompany her, massage her feet and hand, and tell her some news she heard when she went to the dining tent. Mier ate a slice of orange that Sia gently handed her over before asking, "Sia, is it true that Amethyst Merchant is recruiting workers on a large scale?" "Mhm." Sia nodded firmly before answering, "They open a Job Fair Tent and carry out selection before sending the candidates to a training program." A glimmer of hope shined through Mier''s eyes, while in her heart she promised to visit Job Fair Tent as soon as possible. Moreover, Sia also said that in a few days Amethyst Merchant would open a school that accepted students whether the students come from commoners or noble families. ''I have to make sure Sia gets an adequate education.'' Mier was hardened her resolve when a nurse suddenly approached her, together with a casual man. Mier did not recognize the man, but Sia looked at the man with wide eyes. Sia recognized the man. He was the colleague of the man who some time ago gave her a piece of sweet and soft bread. "Lieutenant Colonel Slane, this is Mrs. Mier, and Mrs. Mier, this is Lieutenant Colonel Slane from Amethyst Merchant." The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. In an instant, a shock and wonder why a high-profile figure visited her filled Mier''s mind. Then, she respectfully said, "Ser Slane, I deeply apologize for I can''t get up to give you a salute." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled before sitting next to the bed on the chair offered by Sia. "Ma''am, you don''t need to. I''m not a noble." After flabbergasting for a moment Mier said, ¡°Thank you, for pardon this commoner rudeness.¡± Lt. Colonel Slane smiled and waited until the nurse who introduced him left with Sia before saying, "I comes here to ask you a few questions. I hope Mrs. Mier doesn''t mind answering them." "Of course not, I will answer as best as I can." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded in satisfaction before asking the first question. "I heard you refused Vadiz Family''s invitation to move to Makai Royal City, may I know the reason?" "I don''t want to serve noble families who leaved their people." "Did you ever have contact with them after Vadiz Family''s departure, or at least know their condition?" Mier nodded. "Six months after they left a servant from Vadiz Family came to see me, and once again delivered the invitation from Count Vadiz and Lady Rorie. The servant also told me that Vadiz Family''s first daughter married one of Duke Kalzar''s son. So even though Vadiz Family lost their title, they still got a place in Makai Royal City, and the art gallery they opened was growing rapidly." Lt. Colonel Slane pondered for a moment before saying, "Apart from being the Chief Servant for Vadiz Family, I heard you are also a professional appraiser, and very good at organizing parties for the nobles. There is even a story that a member of Makai Royal Family who visited Castle Magwurt became fascinated by your insight in fine arts and offered you to become manager in his art gallery." Mier took a deep breath before answering, "I understand one or two things on how to assess the artistic value of a work, but I don''t have a professional Appraiser certificate. I also know how to organize a party, but it''s not as great as people say. As for the insight in fine art, I got it because when accompanying Lady Rorie to study at Makai Royal Academy, I often helped her with her assignments." Mier described her abilities as simple and humble. However, Lt. Colonel Slane had already been told by Viscount Rattel that Mier''s skill was at the level of Grandmaster. From the meeting, Lt. Colonel Slane only wanted to know Mier''s character and personality, as appraisers and art lovers usually had unique personalities that were a bit difficult to understand. Fortunately, from his conversation with Mier, Lt. Colonel Slane could understand that Mier was just an ordinary woman in her old age, and it''s unlikely that he would experience significant problems when working with her. Lt. Colonel Slane then said, "Amethyst Merchant intends to bring in artworks, but does not have a reference that can be used to determine whether a work will be accepted or reviled by local art lovers. We also need advice on cultural assimilation so that there is no conflict between the local culture and the one we carry. In short, we need your expertise and intend to offer you a position as an art consultant. Would you like to consider our offer?" "I accept it," without further thought Mier answered. "Are you sure you don''t want to consider it first? I mean, you haven¡¯t checked the draft for the work contract." "At my age, there are not many jobs I can take on, and if I can work in a field that I love, then it is a blessing." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded slowly before saying with great seriousness, "I''ll make sure you don''t regret your decision." For Lt. Colonel Slane, fine art was an alien world, no matter whether it was on earth or Amstell Continent. The problem was that, the artistic taste of upper-class society could be used as an entry point for political or economic diplomacy. So he could not just ignore it. Luckily, now he had a good compass to guide him. While smiling from ear to ear, Lt. Colonel Slane handed a draft of the work contract to Mier. ***** TFA1 2.6 - Officer of The Clandestine Unit TFA1 2.6 - Officer of A Clandestine Unit South Magwurt City 18:10, 28 Feb 2025 Inside a simple hut, a middle-aged man with a thin body and tattered clothe sat while enjoying a piece of chocolate bar. Several centurions from Tuscan Guard several times came to persuade him to immediately move to Amethyst Merchant Camp, but he insisted on staying in his rickety hut as long as possible. After enjoying the last piece of chocolate in his hand, the man took a deep breath before looking at every corner of the hut he had used to live for the past seven months. During these months, he collected information about Magwurt City and Tuscan Region. The people who live in it, environmental conditions, living standards, beliefs and traditions, and other things that could help the negotiation with Tuscan Region''s authority. Sometimes, he would also guide personnel from Agriculture Development Group who came to check the farmland. Now, the tiring and mentally draining task had been completed, and he had just received order to regroup with Amethyst Merchant in Magwurt City. "I''d better hurry. I''m starving." After locking the door, the man then walked towards the southeast of the city, carrying a bundle of rags on his shoulders. Without checking it, no one would have thought that the bundle contained a radio, maps, compass, and various other tools. People would also never suspect that a Glock 43, a silencer, and two extra magazines were tucked at his waist. Tuscan Guard was not too strict when checking people who were entering or leaving the city gates, especially the people who their appearance and clothes were as shabby as most residents of Magwurt City. With feeble steps the man walked down the dark streets, and he had to make several detours because the road he intended to pass was under heavy construction. When he finally arrived at the front gate of Amethyst Merchant HQ, the man waited for two guards to approach him. "Good evening, Sir. Is there anything we can help you with?" Asked one of the guards and in a casual but dignified tone the man answered. "Major Petrov, IDG 3rd section, Lieutenant Colonel Slane asked me to come here, please confirm it." One of the guards was about to grab the radio over his shoulder, when his senior partner stopped him. The senior guard then looked at the man in front of him carefully before saying. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "Major, welcome back." The senior guard saluted before opening the gate, and the shabby man walked in before asking, "Do you know me?" "Counter-observation class, three times you came to teach while I was in attendance." The shabby man gave a small nod before walking in, this time with the steadfast and dignified steps of a middle-ranking officer in an elite unit. --- Dining Room, Amethyst Merchant HQ After washing his body and changed his clothes, Major Petrov rushed to the dining room, and he was welcomed by Chef Bianca personally. With a friendly smile Chef Bianca handed over a 1/4 cooked steak, two slices of wheat bread, and pure orange juice without sugar, which all she personally prepared. "Major, this is welcome greetings from Lieutenant Colonel Slane." Major Petrov immediately smiled at Chef Bianca, one of the best chefs in Amethyst Merchant while saying sincerely, "Thank you, Chef." Without delay, Major Petrov then hurried to an empty table in one corner. And not long after he started savoring his dinner, Major Shade walked into dining room and went straight to his table. Previously, Major Petrov had helped him make a list of residents who needed serious medical attention and where they lived, so Major Shade intended to thank him. "Thank you for fulfilling the request from Medic Quarter," Major Shade said as he sat down across from his old comrade. "No worry, XO had agreed so it is part of my job." "Still, the intel you provide helped Medic Quarter to work more efficiently." Major Petrov gave a small nod before changing the subject, "What have I missed?" Major Shade cheerfully explained, "Last week, MCG completed the construction of South High Road and the FOC''s protecting it, followed by construction of other facilities starting from the southern end of Southeast Triangle. However, the level of threat in the area is higher than the initial estimate. So Harley Quinn increase the number of GCG personnel who securing the construction." Major Petrov downed a mouthful of orange juice before asking another question, "Do you know why they pulled me back two weeks earlier?" "I heard a thing or two, but can''t say for sure if that was the reason." Major Shade cleared his throat a little before continuing, "Some time ago we rescued a settlement from slave hunters. IDG officers then tried to dig up information about Kingdom of Makai from its residents. The digging didn¡¯t produce satisfying intels, but some residents voluntarily asked to be sent to Kingdom of Makai as spy. CO agreed and asked IDG to select candidates, and prepare and lead them." With ease Major Petrov concluded that he would be involved or possibly be in charge of the operation, but he said nothing about it. "What about our operation in Tuscan?" "Currently, our relationship with Tuscan Region is still limited to landowners and tenants, but Amethyst Merchant had prepared a tantalizing bait to lure them into a closer relationship. When Tuscan Region¡¯s authority grabbed it, our operation is 80% complete." Major Petrov took a deep breath before saying, "I''m relieved we didn¡¯t need to muster military means." Major Shade smiled faintly when he saw that his old friend was having a deep feeling for Tuscan Region, especially to the residents of Magwurt City, even though he did not say it openly. ***** TFA1 2.7 - Becoming Close Ally TFA1 2.7 - Becoming Close Ally Viscount Rattel¡¯s Study, Castle Magwurt 09:00, 18 Mar 2025 Viscount Rattel gasped incessantly every time he read report about the construction progress on southern Magwurt City. He had a hard time understanding how a slum could turn into a classy residential area in such short time. The construction on southern Magwurt City was not finished yet, but Viscount Rattel could already imagine the final result. Neat and smooth streets with separate lane between pedestrian and vehicle, completed with road signs, lighting, and public transportation means called tramcar. Tramcar had two types of carriages, passenger car with a capacity of 52 seats, or a freight car with a capacity equivalent to 10 carts. Currently the tramcar operated only by single car, but when sufficient electricity could be generated 3-4 cars could be combined and operated as a single unit. Buildings for housing were also built massively, 5-7 stories high, stretching along the block which extended up to 1.6 km, completed with clean water pipeline, lighting, and a garden which was also a playground for children. The residential building or apartment block was divided into smaller rooms with capacity of 6 people and had already accommodated bedroom, living room, dining room and kitchen, bathroom, and laundry area. Each apartment block was designed to accommodate 10-12 thousand people, but for now each block was being occupied only up to 80% of its capacity for the sake of equal density. Under the apartment block, a three-story emergency shelter was also built, completed with logistical storage, medical room, lighting and clean water systems, and other basic necessities. Some residents who have moved to apartment blocks claimed that their new house was felt like heaven. In a way, Viscount Rattel understood their feeling because Castle Magwurt also experienced similar renovation. Now, Castle Magwurt was equipped with electricity-powered lighting system, and it allowed a fire-free lamp to glow brightly with the push of a small button called switch. When Viscount Rattel became acquainted with it for the first time, he had to press the switch over a hundred times before he was sure he wasn''t dreaming. The residents of Castle Magwurt were also being introduced to super clean and sparkling bathrooms, toilet with flushing system, comfortable bed, chair massage, and super clear mirrors, along with all kinds of things that Amethyst Merchant personnel called as 21st century standard of living. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. In short, now Castle Magwurt was felt like another world. Sometimes, Viscount Rattel still had to peek out the window to make sure he was still in the castle. Magwurt City now also had educational facilities. The teachers were personnel from Amethyst Merchants who were happy to spend their spare time teaching the locals children or adult. On a continent where 98 out of 100 populations were illiterate, an educational facility was like a blessing that fell from heaven. Moreover, the teachers were very sincere. They even wholeheartedly encourage adults who were hesitant or embarrassed to come so they had confidence to study with their children. Viscount Rattel let out a deep breath before looking at Tuscan Region''s higher-ups sitting in front of him. "Until now, we haven''t seen the military capacity of TF Amethyst, the parent organization of Amethyst Merchant. But I feel we have seen enough the other potential that we can use to determine our attitude." General Khartoum calmly replied, "Amethyst Merchants do refuse to share military technology, but it is still far better than Kingdom of Makai who refused to help us at almost anything. So, I guess allying with TF Amethyst is logical option." Jeve Rattel who was in charge of food reserve added, "Amethyst Merchant helps us get out of the famine as well as achieve food stability for the next decade, so it is only fitting that we ally with them." Viscount Rattel nodded in satisfaction before turning to Maine Rattel who was in charge of finances. "Maine, what do you think?" "I agree we have an alliance with Amethyst Merchant, but can we find a way to take part in sugar factory, beer brewery, and whiskey factory they''re building." Viscount Rattel and the rest of Tuscan Region''s higher-ups instantly let out a deep sigh. They had seen how Amethyst Merchant''s sugar cane field was flourishing, and the granulated sugar they produced had higher quality than the sugar imported from 1st world authority outside of Amstell Continent. They have also sampled the beer and whiskey that Amethyst Merchant would produce. The beer and whiskey taste amazingly delicious, and the planned sale price was much lower than similar products circulating around Tuscan Region. After a deep sigh Maine said, "Without me explaining it further, you must be aware that their factories are goldmine. Unfortunately, they don''t need new land that we can use as entry for our investment." Viscount Rattel tapped his fingers on the table before saying, "We can use the gold we previously received as payment for the land lease. If necessary, we can also extend the land lease and add the payment to our investment." Maine nodded slightly. "That''s what I''m going to propose, but will Amethyst Merchant accept it?" "I will try my best." Viscount Rattle said as determination gaze flashed in his eyes. For the sake of Tuscan Region''s future, he was willing to do anything, including begging and humbling himself if necessary. ***** TFA1 2.8 - The First Ally TFA1 2.8 - The First Ally Lt. Colonel Slane''s Office, Amethyst Merchant HQ 08:10, 19 Mar 2025 If someone asked Lt. Colonel Slane¡¯s opinion about Africa, his respond would be, ¡®A potential market. The people don''t have money, but we can help them increase their purchasing capacity.¡¯ This way of thinking was then being applied to Amstell Continent by Lt. Colonel Slane. Under his lead Amethyst Merchant would help friendly Region build public infrastructure, manufacture complex, and created jobs that grew a good market for Amethyst Merchant¡¯s commodities. And the first Region to receive this economic cooperation was Tuscan Region. The economic scheme proposed by Amethyst Merchant would also allow Tuscan Region¡¯s authorities to collect tax from its residents, and this tax money would be sufficient to rebuild Tuscan Region¡¯s financial power. The residents of Magwurt City accepted Amethyst Merchant''s proposal with open arms, because it came alongside with a guaranty of employment with adequate wages. So, even though they had to pay for housing rent, clean water, electricity, and other public facilities, they were still able to support themselves and two other people properly. This economic scheme also came with a policy of two children limitation. Therefore, the economic growth would remain above the population growth. For residents of Magwurt City who had nothing and always hungry, Amethyst Merchant¡¯s proposal was no different from a meat pie that fell from sky. They did indeed not receive free gifts, but it was an opportunity for a decent and dignified life through their own sweat. In addition, Amethyst Merchant also provided a relief by covering personal taxes and public facilities rates for the first 6 months, so the residents could buy various urgent necessities or make small savings. At the same time, Magwurt Social Bureau was established to ensure that children and the elderly who did not have family at productive age could still live properly. In short, Amethyst Merchant not only acquired Nouel Farmland massively, but also opened a potential market for their product. With great attention, Lt. Colonel Slane was studying the static for Tuscan Region¡¯s growth for the past week, and he subconsciously smiled. Tuscan Region was still in the early phase of economic recovery. Therefore, its people''s purchasing potential had not reached the highest point yet. Even so, their purchasing capacity showed significant growth. ''If this economic scheme is working just fine in Tuscan Region, then it will work in other regions as well.'' Lt. Colonel Slane smiled cheerfully, while at the same time one of his bodyguards walked into the room. "Sir, Viscount Rattel wishes to see you." Lt. Colonel Slane immediately nodded. "Invite him to come in." --- Lt. Colonel Slane took a deep look at Viscount Rattel before responding to the alliance proposal that he had put forward. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "The alliance is a good deal, but why would Tuscan Region want to participate in the factories we built? Isn''t the economic scheme we proposed had already provided a good income?" "Yes, it is.¡± Viscount Rattel took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°However, every time I remember the crisis we''ve had over the past few years, I am encouraged not to miss any potential income. Ser Slane, I assure you that Tuscan Region will do everything in its power to repay Amethyst Merchant''s kindness." Lt. Colonel Slane was pensive for a moment before calmly saying, "Ser Viscount, there seems to be a misunderstanding. Allow me to once again explain Amethyst Merchant''s position, and I beg your pardon if I use straightforward language." "No problem, please." "Amethyst Merchant is not an angel, but investors. What we do for Tuscan Region is not based on goodness, but cold calculations. You are renting out the land and we pay for it with food, gold, and various assistance. Therefore, if Tuscan Region wants to participate in the factories we are going to build, there must be a commensurate return. Because the alliance we hope for must be based on the principles of equal footing." Viscount Rattel''s heart was beating fast. Lt. Colonel Slane''s words at a glance were cold. However, he realized that what Amethyst Merchant wanted was a strong and dignified ally, not a weak ally who tended to lean on. That''s why Viscount Rattel was very happy. Because this was the first time a party that was far stronger than Tuscan Region was willing to forge a relationship based on equality. Viscount Rattel firmly said, "I understand and ready to exchange the gold we received with shares in the factory. I''m also willing to extend the land lease for 25 years to increase our shares." ''This is what TF Amethyst needs, a loyal friend with a powerhouse mindset.'' Even though his face looked casual, inwardly Lt. Colonel Slane felt a sense of overwhelming joy. He immediately made a brief calculation. "The gold you return is equivalent to the land lease for 12.5 years, and will give you a 6% shares in first three factories. An additional 25 years of a land lease will increase the share up to 18%." Seeing Lt. Colonel Slane only needed two breaths of time to make a calculation, Viscount Rattel stuttered. Moreover, the share was much smaller than what he expected. "Ser Slane, I''m sorry if I have the courage to ask, but why does it seem the shares are too small?" Lt. Colonel Slane did not feel offended even though Viscount Rattel doubted his calculations, he calmly explained. "Ser Viscount, I think you underestimate the potential of our factories. But I have no objection and it is not too late if you want to cancel your participation." For whiskey and beer factories, Viscount Rattel may not have realized its highest potential. However, he clearly understood the potential for sugar factories. Therefore, he firmly decided, ¡°Ser Slane, I gladly accept our shares.¡± Lt Colonel Slane nodded slightly, and the legalization of Tuscan Region participation was discussed further. Tuscan Region had the right to send representatives to Amethyst Merchant, and to know any plans related to the three factories to be established. However, the authority in management, human resource selection, financial, and marketing rested entirely in Amethyst Merchant''s discretion. Advice from Tuscan Region''s representatives would be considered, but not absolute. By following the shares, Tuscan Region was entitled to a profit of 18%, which could be received in liquid, used to increase the shares up to 30%, or invested in another factory that would be established at a later date. Viscount Rattel realized Lt. Colonel Slane had just told him that Tuscan Region representative would just sit around without real authority, but relief still filled his heart. "I gladly accept." ¡°Then, we have a deal.¡± Viscount Rattel and Lt. Colonel Slane shook each other hands while smiling from ear to ear. Not long after Viscount Rattel left, Lt. Colonel Slane reported to Harley Quinn that an alliance with Tuscan Region had been established. An hour later, he received a reply from General O''Neil who congratulated him on his success. ''One good friend in all weather has been obtained. Only nine left, and then Amethyst Merchant will dominate Amstell Continent economy,'' Lt. Colonel Slane muttered as he took a sip of his wine. ***** TFA1 2.9 - Unknown Flight TFA1 2.9 - Unknown Flight Berril Plain, 32 km northwest of Magwurt City. 08:30, 23 Mar 2025 At one corner of Berril Plain a unit of LAV Shorad took position. Its mission was to participate in the early warning network around Magwurt City. And if necessary, it had to neutralize any threats long before they arrived in Magwurt City. Ideally, for this mission the LAV Shorad should be accompanied by another LAV Shorad or two M1151 Rippers. Unfortunately, due to the limited resources, each check-point around Magwurt City was only guarded by one LAV Shorad or a pair of M1151 Rippers. The crew dug a hole as deep as ? LAV Shorad while the excavated soil was stockpiled around the hole¡¯s edge. That way the camouflage net could be installed as low as possible. And because LAV Shorad was not equipped with air conditioning, when in a static position the driver''s hatch and the two rear doors would be opened. Up to a radius of 50 km LAV Shorad could receive data from the nearest radar station. However, the nearest radar station was at FOC South 860 which was 70 km away, therefore the Multi-mission Hemispheric Radar 272 was on full operation. MHR 272 had detection capabilities including: Medium-Size UAV: ??23 Km Heavy Transport Aircraft: 60 Km Fighter: 34 Km Helicopter: 23 Km Pedestrians: 10 Km Medium Vessel: 23 Km Large Vessel: 40 Km Apart from its adequate detection capabilities, MHR 272 also had other advantages over similar products. It did not require periodic maintenance when being fielded. The maintenance could be done when the carrying unit was being pulled out to the base. LAV Shorad required three crews to operate it. The Commander Vehicle was also the sensor operator, the gunner who was also in charge of maintaining the weapons system, and the driver who was also in charge of maintaining the vehicle. Like any other quiet day, while sitting in the Vehicle Commander seat and fanning his face, Sergeant Dwight observed the sensing result from electro-optic and MHR 272. Meanwhile, his gunner and driver were busy playing deck cards to ward off boredom. However, the calm mood inside the LAV Shorad was broken when a radio call from radar station at FOC South 860 came in. The driver immediately turned on the engines, put it in reverse gear, and was ready to take LAV Shorad came out of the hiding holes if situation demanded it. Meanwhile, Gunner returned to his seat after closing the rear door tightly. [Sierra Romeo 8-6-0 to Blaster 2-2, comes in.] Sergeant Dwight pressed PTT button before answering the call, "Blaster 2-2 to Sierra Romeo 8-6-0, loud and clear, over." [Blaster 2-2, be advised, you have an unknown flight, 78 km northwest, at altitude of 600 meters, speed 260 km/h, over.] "Receive and understood, requesting permission to engage the unknown guest, confirm." [Blaster 2-2, negative, do not engage unless your position is threatened, let the unknown guest in, over.] Since the command center at FOC South 860 wanted to know the guest''s intentions, Sergeant Dwight could only comply. "Sierra Romeo 8-6-0, understood, the door will be left open, Blaster 2-2, out." Time continued to flow before finally a blip appeared on the MHR 272 screen. A few minutes later the display tablet that worked in daylight mode displayed the unknown flight. Without delay, the gunner immediately marked the target then selected the weapon to be used. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The armaments carried by LAV Shorad were: FIM-92 Stinger, 4 units were ready to fire, and 12 units stored in the cabin. AGM-114L Hellfire Longbow, 2 units were ready to fire, and 2 others stored in the cabin. Chain-gun M230 30 mm, with Air Burst Tracer or Armor Piercing Tracer in a dual feed-system. Medium Machine Gun M240 7.62 mm, with full metal jacket and incendiary tracer. To welcome the approaching unknown guest, the gunner selects Chain-gun M230 with Air Burst Tracer or AB-T round. Once the weapon was selected the locking system was automatically activated, taking aim at targets that casually entered the M230¡¯s effective range. --- Rider Orka wanted to curse when this morning he got an order to conduct aerial reconnaissance on Magwurt City. "What do they want to see from a dying city?" Rider Orka grumbled as his Cloud Hawk glided across the cloudless sky at moderate speed. Magwurt City''s location was too close to the entrance of Desolate Land. Therefore, he may meet a herd of Black Eagles that came out from Desolate Land to hunt him. Given that the giant eagle was very aggressive and territorial in nature. If that happened, it was unlikely that he would come home alive, considering that Black Eagle was much faster and stronger than Cloud Hawk. Without realizing that an angel of death was peeking at him from a corner, Rider Orka flew across Berril Plain, until he finally arrived above Magwurt City and instantly sank into shock. Dozens of large and small iron carriages ran without being towed by horses. A smooth, wide, and neat street, extended between massive buildings that rose to five floors. "Am I lost without realizing it?" Without delay, Rider Orka compared the landmarks around Magwurt City with a map he was carrying. The results turned out to be quite astonishing. He was not lost. "The reconnaissance order is not ordinary order." Rider Orka immediately took out crystal recorder, and then he recorded various pictures that he considered vital. When he realized there was a wide and smooth road that led to the east, without hesitation he followed it even though he realized it led to Desolate Land¡¯s entrance. --- Western Wall of Magwurt City As soon as Tuscan Region''s higher-ups heard that an unknown flight was approaching, an alert was issued. The residents immediately entered the emergency shelter under the Apartment Block, while Tuscan Guard personnel readied ballista¡¯s crew and scattered bowmen on the roof of apartment blocks or other high-rise building. Even so, every member of Tuscan Guard was aware that they were at a disadvantage, as Riders could shower their positions using arrows from a height they could not reach. From above the city walls, Centurion Kallie looked at Cloud Hawk that circling Magwurt City, before looking at Amethyst Merchant personnel who were doing their usual activities. "Amethyst Merchant personnel seemed unaware of how dangerous the Riders were. A Squadron of 20 Riders could easily scatter a thousand-strong ground force. They must have never heard the phrase ''The best defense against Riders is another Rider.''" Centurion Kallie sighed silently before murmuring again. "Unfortunately, before Tuscan Guard rebuilds its aerial capability, an enemy has come knocking." Centurion Kallie still wanted to complain, but the Rider who circling Magwurt City suddenly flew eastward until he was out of sight. --- Settlement 116 08:35, 23 Mar 2025 As usual, every two days Vex would check the progress of Settlements 116, and then teach the children in the settlement. "Sir." Lieutenant Kim Dong-chun saluted Vex who had just disembarked from an M1152, and then reported, "Vegetables are ready to be harvested, while fruits still have to wait a little longer. Production of milk, cheese, meat, eggs, and other animal products has also started. The quality of livestock we buy from Lionel Region is a little below our standard, but we can still maximize it. The residents here are also fast learners." Vex smiled before cheerfully saying, "Yes, I''ve read the report. When Settlement 116 production capacity reaches a full rotation, we can reduce the food imported from earth by 14%." Lieutenant Kim Dong Chun nodded. "I heard that apart from a dam and a few other facilities, we are also planning to set up a second farm and ranch in the mountains south of Magwurt City." "Yeah, but it seems like we have to postponed it until next year becau---" Vex stopped his words when he saw a communications NCO running toward him hastily. "XO, you''re asked to return to Harley Quinn right now." "Lieutenant, ask someone to take my place to teach the kids." Vex then boarded the M1152 and immediately stepped on the gas, heading to Harley Quinn. ***** TFA1 2.10 - Plan of Invasion TFA1 2.10 - Plan of Invasion CO Office, 4th Floor of Main Building, Harley Quinn With great seriousness, TF Amethyst higher-ups looked at the display table in the General O''Neil office. Apart from General O''Neil and Vex, also attended: Brigadier General William Rayden, CO of Ground Combat Group, 3rd highest-ranking officer, Daniel Nate, CO of Intelligence & Diplomacy Group, 4th highest-ranking position, Col. Patricia Cruz, CO of Aviation Combat Group, 5th highest-ranking officer, and Col. Emil Montana, CO of Logistics & Support Group, 6th highest-ranking officer. About an hour ago a Rider entered Magwurt City''s airspace, and then moved to FOC South 860. According to Tuscan Region''s higher-ups, he was Tarai Rider. The problem was, it was too early for Tarai Region to notice the changes in Magwurt City. While the possibility of spies or traitors in Magwurt City was being discussed, the Reaper that was sent to inspect the border had an unexpected result. On the northern border, or to be precise at Fort Cambia, there was a build-up of strength, along with a clear sign of preparation for an invasion. Without difficulty, IDG identified the elements of Tarai Guard, Liqua Guard, and Darpha Guard. And judging from the thousands of military tents scattered around Fort Cambia, it was estimated there were at least 90 thousand well-trained assault troops. Ironically, Fort Cambia was one of symbol for Tuscan Region''s glory until a decade ago. The fort was designed to massively accommodate personnel and supplies, and was full of defense mechanisms that made it easy to defend but difficult to attack. Regarding the reason why the three neighbors of Tuscan Region on the northern border were suddenly interested in launching an invasion, TF Amethyst''s higher-ups could somewhat predict it. Several years ago, the Northern Coalition consisting of Tarai Region, Liqua Region, and Darpha Region, captured 1/3 of Tuscan Region territory because they had the same idea as TF Amethyst. The leader of Northern Coalition wanted to restore Nouel Farmland that could no longer be cultivated. However, these attempts failed. So when they found out that the farmland in Tuscan Region could be restored, they immediately took action to find the method used. As for why they chose military mean, it was likely because they were worried Tuscan Region would refuse to share their desired methods. Meanwhile, if they wait too long, Tuscan Region would recover and tried to regain its territory. While observing the activity at Fort Cambia Vex asked, "What is our response?" General O''Neil answered casually, "We will secure Tuscan Region''s stability with whatever mean in our disposal." After General O''Neil determined TF Amethyst''s stance, Col. Patricia made a suggestion, "Once Northern Coalition elements cross the border, we can send Vipers to drive them home." Vex shook his head and said, "That will make us open too many cards without producing sufficient results. Once Northern Coalition finds out we have a deadly iron bird, they will retreat to avoid more damage. Then, they will return to attack when they have a solution to neutralize the iron bird." Col. Patricia turned to General O''Neil before saying, "If we want to do more damage. We can let them enter a little deeper and ambush them with artillery. Then, we send Viper, Kiowa, and Venom to hunt remaining force.¡± General O''Neil closed his eyes for a moment before speaking, "Even if we wiped out all Northern Coalition elements that had entered Tuscan Region, the damage they received would be minuscule if they divided it by three." After tapping his finger on the display table for a while, General O¡¯Neil then explaining the plan he had in mind. The Northern Coalition elements would be allowed to arrive in front of Magwurt City, and once a quick retreat was impossible for them, a light surprise attack would be launched to cause a chaos in Fort Cambia. Like it or not, Northern Coalition''s higher-ups had to strengthen Fort Cambia, or elements that had gone too deep would lose logistical support and the retreat route. Once the reinforcement to strengthen Fort Cambia left the populated area, air strike would launch to wipe them out, along with artillery strike to hit the elements that had arrived in Magwurt City. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. With an expression full of seriousness, General O''Neil closes his explanation, "We are going to let a big and hostile element go very deep in our front yard. One wrong move and we will face a protracted war. One thing we don''t want because right now, GCG has to focus on the south side of Southeast Triangle. So, if there is a group that has doubts in executing its duties, you should say it now." Silence immediately enveloped the entire room, before finally the details of the operation were discussed. --- Main Meeting Room, Fort Cambia. 14:45, 23 Mar 2025 As soon as he landed, Rider Orka was being taken by Viscount Grakh''s bodyguards to the Main Meeting Room, where three people were waiting. Viscount Grakh, Supreme Commander of Tarai Guard, Baron Eslei, Supreme Commander of Liqua Guard, and Baron Mhors, Supreme Commander of Darpha Guard. Cold sweat immediately drenched Rider Orka''s forehead, because now he was very sure that the joint training between the three Regions was not ordinary training, but a camouflage to cover the invasion on Magwurt City. Viscount Grakh took a sip of his tea before turning towards Rider Orka. "How''s the reconnaissance going?" "Sir," Rider Orka swiftly handed over several crystal recorders. "Rider Orka, you must know what to say and whatnot." "Sir." "Once we occupy Magwurt City, you will be promoted two ranks higher, for the dangers you took today and for your willingness to safeguard the vital information." "Sir." After Rider Orka saluted and exited the room, Viscount Grakh turned towards his two colleagues. "Check whether the intel I previously gave you is real or bullshit." Baron Eslei and Baron Mhors stared at each other for a brief moment, before examining the crystal recorders, and in an instant their eyes widely opened. Results of aerial reconnaissance in Magwurt City: - Multi-storey building extended for a few kilometers. - A wide and smooth road, full of iron carriages of various sizes that were not towed by horses. - Greenfields where sugar cane-like plants thrive. . . . . . . Results of aerial reconnaissance at the entrance of Desolate Land: - A complex that too small to be called a fortress, but too large to accommodate the estimated 300 personnel living in it. - A smooth road like the one in Magwurt City, but wider and extended from north to south as far as the eye could see, and was flanked by Nouel fields that jut out up to 3-5 km. . . . . . . "It''s a shame that each crystal recorder can only store nine pictures." "At least, we''ve confirmed intel from Viscount Grakh." Viscount Grakh was completely satisfied as he saw the surprise on face of his two colleagues. "Our Nouel field is already showing signs of decline as Tuscan Region has experienced. Wasting any more time is not wise. Not to mention that if Kingdom of Makai finds out about Amethyst Merchant''s existence, they will devour all knowledge and technology they brought without sharing it with us." The moment Amethyst Merchant was mentioned, a speck of concern crossed Baron Eslei''s face. "Are you sure we can beat Amethyst Merchant who has such high level technology?" Viscount Grakh grinned before saying confidently, "So far Amethyst Merchant personnel are no more than 800 people, and the majority of them are support personnel. As long as we move quickly it will all be too late when their main unit arrives." Baron Eslei and Baron Mhors immediately nodded in agreement with Viscount Grakh''s assessment. One of their reasons was, Viscount Grakh spies had confirmed that Amethyst Merchant''s personnel were very open, and repeatedly emphasized that Amethyst Merchant always prioritized the path of peace. Amethyst Merchant''s weak attitude was also reflected in the policy not to attack if not attacked, and this was proven through the actions of Rider Orka who were not attacked even though he entered their airspace without permission. No matter how high the level of technology Amethyst Merchants had, if they didn''t use it with the right way of thinking then it was all useless. Also, at the moment, of the 80 thousand population of Tuscan Region, only 24 thousand were members of Tuscan Guard, while the rest were women, children, or elderly. With Northern Coalition''s total strengths in Fort Cambia reaching 123 thousand personnel, the defense on Magwurt City would collapse in a matter of hours. Moreover, Northern Coalition elements would be supported by three Rider Squadrons. Meanwhile, Tuscan Guard had not rebuilt their Rider regiment. Baron Mhors firmly said, "Very well, with the combined strength of three Regions, I doubt we will fail." Baron Eslei then added, "After all, all personnel who will participate are already stationed in this fort.¡± Once his proposal was approved, Viscount Grakh nodded in satisfaction. "Also, in anticipation if our calculations miss, while moving we will throw bait to see their reaction." ***** TFA1 2.11 - Deepening Trust TFA1 2.11 - Deepening Trust A small settlement on the border of Tuscan and Tarai Region. 08:12, 25 Mar 2025 The bonfire burns violently devouring the pile of dry wood. While in front of it hundreds of villagers knelt under swords of Mightwick Cavalry from Tarai Region. The corpses of villagers who previously tried to resist were thrown into the bonfire, and the smell of burning flesh immediately filled the air. Captain Berg took a deep breath, and instantly his face was filled with ecstasy. "The smell that evokes the spirit of life in the morning." He then threw a short sword at a man, who was kneeling while hugging a four-year-old boy. "Kill your child with your own hands or I''ll throw him in the fire." "Please, we are not doing anything to disturb Tarai Region." Captain Berg ignored the man''s pleas. "Do it while I''m asking nicely." "..." The man stared at the soaring bonfire before turning to the short sword in front of him. Tears rolled down his cheeks while he shook his head. Captain Berg snorted, "Don''t test my patience." As Captain Berg walked over, two members of Mightwick Cavalry swiftly grabbed the man''s hand. Without difficulty Captain Berg grabbed the boy who was crying while holding his father, then threw him into the fire. "Uwaaaaa... D-dad... Mom... it hurts..!" Unable to bear to hear her son''s cries, a woman immediately ran towards the fire. Without hesitation, she lunged for the wall of fire that was burning violently and brought her son out of it. While shedding tears, the woman desperately tried to extinguish the fire on her son''s body, but before she could succeed three arrows shot at her from the side and pierced her heart. "Who gave you permission to interfere with my show?" Captain Berg cheerfully looked at the boy who was screaming and struggling, while his mother hugged him tightly and choked on her own blood. Not long after that, the mother and child collapsed to the ground and did not move anymore. Captain Berg then grabbed the man''s hair before speaking, "This is what you get if you don''t follow my request while I am asking nicely." "Rotten bastard! Your soul will burn in hell." "I know, and for your information I can''t wait for it." Captain Berg ignored the gritted teeth of the man who had just lost his wife and child, then looked at the villagers. "Kill your children with your own hands and give them a quick death, or they will die horribly before your eyes." Before long, a man grabbed the short sword on the ground. Then, while shedding tears he chopped his one-year-old daughter''s neck. The man and his wife then hugged their child''s body and head tightly before walking towards the fire. An intense pain was visible on the couple''s face, but it wasn''t pain from the fire that burned their bodies. One by one, the parents then killed their children with trembling hands while tears were pouring down. Some men even have to kill their wives first, who try to protect their children. While several other men screamed hysterically and wailed after killing their child, who in confusion and fear cried, begged, or tried to run. Not long after that, no children were left, and Captain Berg smiled broadly before giving instructions to his Lieutenant. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Do what you want with the remaining villagers, but make sure a few people live to spread the panic." "Sir!" The Lieutenant grinned from ear to ear, and then turned his head towards villagers who were shivering with fear. Judging from the way the Mightwick Cavalry personnel worked, it was clear that massacres and terror were common to them. Their gazes and smiles also showed that they enjoyed their actions. --- Amethyst Merchant HQ, Castle Magwurt. 12:50, 25 Mar 2025 After the alliance with Tuscan Region was formed, Amethyst Merchant HQ was moved to Castle Magwurt. Previously, Tuscan Region higher-ups had been told that Northern Coalition was building up strength at the border, and would likely invade. So they were not surprised when Lt. Colonel Slane asked them to come to Amethyst Merchant HQ. But they did not expect they would to be asked to witness the massacre, which was launched by Northern Coalition¡¯s cavalry along the northern border. The standard surveillance electro-optic on Reaper could display car plate numbers close-up from a distance of 4 km. While the version used by ACG could do the same thing from a distance of 9 km. Therefore, the massacre that befell eight settlements on the northern border could be seen in detail by Tuscan Region higher-ups. Once Viscount Rattel took over the leadership, the first thing he did was lift the migration ban for Tuscan Region''s residents. However, moving to another region was not easy. Therefore, most of Tuscan Region residents established settlements along the border, to make a living from other regions while waiting for permission to become legal residents. That''s why technically the people who were being slaughtered weren''t Tuscan Region residents anymore. But somehow, the blood of Tuscan Region higher-ups was still boiling, when they witnessed the savagery that befell on them. Bang! General Khartoum pounded on the table as he gnashed his teeth. "Mightwick Cavalry, Widewild Cavalry and Storam Cavalry. The bastard who never saw real combat, and only knew how to attack weak targets to cause panic." Viscount Rattel took a deep breath before saying, "General Khartoum, please calms down. They are trying to provoke us." "Ser Viscount, allow me to respond it. I can lead 400 elite swordsmen and bowmen to disrupt their operations. It will give people from the untouched settlements a chance to escape." Viscount Rattel did not immediately respond to General Khartoum''s request. He had been told that TF Amethyst was planning a major operation to exhaust Northern Coalition capacity, and any movement had to be confirmed in advance. After taking a deep breath, Viscount Rattel turned his head towards Lt. Colonel Slane. "Ser Slane, can we carry out General Khartoum''s request?" Lt. Colonel Slane was fully aware that TF Amethyst higher-ups were people with ice-cold heads. Therefore in a tone full of regret he answered. "I will try to confirm it. But I think TF Amethyst higher-ups will choose to ignore Northern Coalition provocation, to preserve the element of surprise that is being prepared." Grief instantly appeared in Viscount Rattel''s gaze. However he realized, with the alliance between Tuscan Region and TF Amethyst, he could not act carelessly and had to follow TF Amethyst¡¯s plan. Moreover, Lt. Colonel Slane had guaranteed that TF Amethyst would not let Magwurt City fall into anyone''s hands, and had more than enough abilities to ensure this. For the time being Viscount Rattel chose to believe in TF Amethyst''s promise, even though he had yet to see its military capability. "I understand and will wholeheartedly follow TF Amethyst''s plan." General Khartoum wanted to protest, but Maine Rattel who was sitting next to him grabbed his wrist tightly. So he had to cancel his intention. --- CO Office, Harley Quinn MOA 14:12, 25 Mar 2025 Vex put his teacup down before giving General O''Neil a deep look. "Eliminating eight swarms that barged in is not difficult, but it is tantamount to give them a warning. Are you sure you wanted to do it?" "Yes, consider it as we are giving them a warning. If they ignore it, then we will wipe them out wholeheartedly." Vex looked doubtfully at General O''Neil. "You want to warn your opponent? Old man, this is not your way of fighting. Did you take the wrong medicine this morning?" General O''Neil ignored Vex questioning glances, and tapped his fingers on the table before saying, "Slane said that Tuscan Region higher-ups reacted very harshly. Apart from that, they are not afraid even though the opponents are several times bigger, while they have not even seen our offensive capacity. We are fortunate to have tough allies. So I feel we should deepen their trust." Vex understands the meaning of the phrase ''Tiger opponent is a challenge, pig teammate is calamity in disguise.'' Therefore he agrees with General O''Neil''s intentions. "Well, they''re willing to hold back and follow our game while their people are being slaughtered. So we better not go overboard." Vex took a full sip of his tea before continuing. "I''ll prepare it. It won''t take long since we are already on combat alert." General O''Neil immediately nodded with satisfaction, while Vex rose to his feet and walked outside carrying his empty teacup. ***** TFA1 2.12 - A Warning TFA1 2.12 - A Warning A plateau on the northern border of Tuscan Region. 01:15, 26 Mar 2025 ''We''re not going to hit the cliff.'' ''We''re not going to hit the cliff.'' ''We''re not going to hit the cliff.'' General Khartoum prayed silently, while his gaze fixed on the blurred cliff wall. At the same time, his back was drenched on cold sweats. Previously, or not long after he finished his dinner, Lt. Colonel Slane informed him that early in the morning, an ambush attempt would be launched on Northern Coalition''s cavalry elements, and Harley Quinn asked a representative from Tuscan Guard to join the fun. Without hesitation General Khartoum volunteered himself. He was truly curious about TF Amethyst''s offensive capacity and couldn''t wait to see it. Especially after he heard that the ambush would be carried out using an aerial platform, called OH-58N Kiowa Warrior which had capability to fly at night. When the appointed time arrived, Lt. Colonel Slane then escorted him to the rendezvous point, located 5 km to the east of Magwurt City. And General Khartoum dropped his jaw as soon as he met with OH-58N Kiowa Warrior. The aerial asset turned out to be had a shaped like dragonfly with a fast-spinning windmill above it, along with two small wings on each side. ''No beak to peck at, no claws to grab on, and the riders don''t carry arrow or javelin. So, how do we carry out the ambush?'' Fortunately, during his interactions with people from Amethyst Merchant, General Khartoum often heard things that were too difficult for him to understand, but in the end he found out that it was not a nonsense. So he immediately ignored the common reasoning he was accustomed to and chose to just believe on Lt. Colonel Slane. The problem was that as soon as OH-58N Kiowa Warrior took off, a sense of horror in an instant gripped General Khartoum¡¯s heart. Under total darkness of the night, Kiowa Warrior flew very low at a speed that made the ground below blurry. The night vision device called NVG did allow General Khartoum to see clearly in the dark, but it was only worsen the horror in his heart. And it was not the worst part. General Khartoum almost jumped on his seat when suddenly Major Baxter released the stick that seemed to be the tool to control Kiowa Warrior. As he looked at Major Baxter who was busy matching the map on the screen with the one he was carrying, General Khartoum asked in a weak tone, ¡°Ser Baxter, is it okay to not watch out for the flight path before us?¡± ¡°No worries, it¡¯s absolutely fine.¡± Major Baxter then turned his gaze towards General Khartoum, and in an instant he almost got a heart attack. Never did he imagine that a complexion of a living human could become as pale as a corpse. Wasting no time, Major Baxter gave General Khartoum an explanation, "General Sir, Kiowa Warrior can fly as low as possible by following the contours of the ground. It is also equipped with a system that will guide it to the coordinates we entered." ¡°I see.¡± General Khartoum fully understood Major Baxter''s explanation, but he did not believe a word. The reason was simple, he was one hundred percent sure that Kiowa Warrior could not fly alone no matter what sensors or instruments it had. There must be a special trick that Major Baxter didn''t explain. ''Major, if you wish to calm me down, please did it more seriously,'' wailed General Khartoum silently. If it wasn''t for the sake of maintaining his image as Tuscan Guard highest leader, General Khartoum would definitely said he had a pressing matter to attend, and asked for Kiowa Warrior to be flown back to Magwurt City. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t do it and could only strengthen his resolve while silently praying for the safety of the flight. And so, time continued to flow before finally Major Baxter took over Kiowa Warrior¡¯s control again. However, General Khartoum could only breathe a sigh of relief for a moment, because Kiowa Warrior then entered a narrow canyon and followed it without slowing down at all. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Based on Reaper''s intel, as soon as we exit this canyon our target will be visible at a distance of 4.5 km, and move closer from the front. Once they enter Kiowa Warrior''s effective range, we will make contact without warning." General Khartoum nodded slightly, even though he did not understand what kind of contact Major Baxter was referring to. "General Sir, by using thermal imaging on our main screen it will be easier to track the target." "Understood." General Khartoum nodded one more time, while Kiowa Warrior main screen displayed the glowing silhouettes of 60 horsemen approaching at full speed, without noticing a pair of Grim Reapers smoothly shifted into their route. Major Baxter then contacted pilot of second Kiowa Warrior, "Hitman 2-2 to Hitman 4-4, come in." [Hitman 4-4 to Hitman 2-2, copy.] "Stand by, versus-contact in 3... 2¡­1¡­ Light them up!" R-rarararararrrrrr. . . . !! A roaring sound could be heard along with fire arrows gushing from Kiowa Warrior''s wings, and raining down on the horse riders who were advancing at full speed. General Khartoum stared with wide eyes and a hanging mouth, as dozens of horsemen were torn apart and fell to the ground along with their horses. "Hitman 4-4, clear the left side, I''ll take the right side." [Roger.] While General Khartoum was still stunned, Major Baxter made a right turn and approached a glowing silhouette that was hobbling his way away. After a short burst of fire arrows, the silhouette immediately collapsed to the ground, while the light it emitted rapidly dimmed. A glowing silhouette that was helping his comrade to his feet also did not escape the short bursts of deadly fire arrows. A moment later, some silhouettes who were trying to use their comrade''s body to hide also met with similar fate. General Khartoum also saw the other Kiowa Warriors several times fired short bursts of fire arrows, not far from their positions. [Hitman 2-2, left side is clean and tidy, over.] "Understood, prepare for Romeo Tango Baker." [Roger.] Major Baxter then turned his head towards General Khartoum. "We have orders not to spare anyone." "Thank you, being merciful towards enemies is tantamount to being cruel to your friend." Major Baxter smiled before saying, "We didn''t hear any news, meaning the ambush at the other seven locations went well." "In that case, thanks to the gods." General Khartoum breathed a sigh of relief and gratitude that Tuscan Region was allied with Amethyst Merchant, who had a weapon system like a meat grinder. ''We will win this war.'' Confidence shone on General Khartoum''s eyes, as the pair of Kiowa Warrior darted under the night sky towards Magwurt City. --- Main Meeting Room, Fort Cambia. 10:00, 27 Mar 2025 "What do you mean the traces of the raiders, and how the ambush took place is still unknown?" Visount Grakh looked at his assistant with a frown. He did not understand how the cavalry elements which main weapon was speed and mobility could be wiped out to the last man. Breaking the cavalry elements'' mobility was possible by deploying sieges and blocking using large units, but it was still impossible to wipe them out without leaving a trace. Moreover, the targets for the ambush were in eight locations that were quite far apart. "The trackers from headquarters said there were no human traces, Gray Wolf, or any other trace. Apart from hundreds of brass tubes as big as index fingers with burned marks inside, there was nothing else worthy of attention." "Are you sure the trackers weren''t drunk?" The assistant steadily shook his head. "Our three best trackers have all said the same thing." Baron Mhors who had been observing the recording crystal, containing the images of an arm that was about to break off, a head that was about to split open, and a body that was torn apart without any sign of using a sharp weapon, turned towards Viscount Grakh before speaking, "I''ve never seen a wound like this." Baron Eslei then added, "Is this Amethyst Merchants'' response to show off their offensive capacity?" Viscount Grakh took a deep breath before saying, "I have received the third confirmation. Magwurt City still has no word on the bait we threw." In an instant silence enveloped the meeting room, before finally a Captain walked in and handed a piece of paper to Viscount Grakh, who immediately read it. "One hour ago, some fish that we let escape arrived in Magwurt City, not long after that Military Law was announced." Everyone in the meeting room immediately smiled, while Viscount Grakh continued. "Now we know for sure it wasn''t Amethyst Merchant. So we will continue the long march. It''s just that we will change the route to avoid the spots where our cavalry elements are attacked." Baron Mhors and Baron Eslei nodded in unison, while Viscount Grakh smiled broadly. ***** TFA1 2.13 - Threats at The Gates TFA1 2.13 - Threat at The Gates Apartment 0390, Apartment Blok G2 16:20, 1 April 2025 Corporal Stuart looked into huge soup pot on the stove before taking a deep breath. "Again, our dinner today is diesel soup with white bread and bacon." Private Able shrugged his shoulders before tucking a large quantity of saut¨¦ed onions into the simmering soup. "We can''t waste soup leftover from breakfast and lunch." "I know," Corporal Stuart replied briefly. Diesel soup was an accumulation of soup leftover from previous meals, which was warmed and added with water, spices, and some new ingredients. Within a few days, the soup accumulation would release oil with a color like diesel. So veterans would call it diesel soup. "Well, stove-cooked hot food is much better than MRE," Corporal Stuart muttered before walking into a corner of the room and watching the activity on the streets. After Tuscan Region''s authority declared martial law a few days ago, almost every room in the apartment block, especially those facing at intersection and on the 2nd floor and above, had been converted into machine gun nests complete with shooters and grenadiers. Various barricades were also built to herd the invaders who made it into the city, directly to the machine gun crews who would cut them down. TF Amethyst was trying its best to prevent the battle from entering the city, but it did not mean preparations for the worst were not held in advance. Simulations by using the breaching at city walls as the scenario were also carried out, as real as possible by involving Magwurt City''s residents. Some of evacuation drills to the emergency shelters were also held without prior notification. In the first practice the result was chaotic, but starting from the second drill the residents began to understand what they had to do when warning alarm rang. The storage in each emergency shelter was also filled with dry food, MRE, pickles and sweets packed in glass, canned food, and medicines. Multi-fuel generators were also placed at every emergency shelter, along with a large amount of fuel. Simulations when the electricity supply from solar power plants was cut off were also practiced, especially by medic squads who would operate the medic room. Meanwhile, training in providing first aid, operating field radios, and car driving were provided to Tuscan Guard''s personnel. In short, all efforts that could be made to prepare for the worst were done by TF Amethyst, with assistance from Magwurt City''s authority. Even so, Magwurt City''s residents did not get the impression that they were in a state of martial law. Apart from various simulations they had been carried out, the activities in Magwurt City were as usual as any other day. There was also no shortage of food, something that usually occurred when martial law was implemented. Private Naam, one of a dozen Tuscan Guard deployed to Corporal Stuart''s machine gun squad, was busy cleaning PERC 889, the squad-level radio he was responsible for, when a notification came in. Without delay he turned on the speaker. [Miwa Control to all units, be advised, cavalry elements from Northern Coalition just established a blockade, 5 km on the four cardinal directions of Magwurt City.] ¡°¡­¡± [I say again, cavalry elements from Northern Coalition have just established a blockade, 5 km on the four cardinal directions of Magwurt City.] ¡°¡­¡± [All units be ready, versus contact may break at any time, Miwa Control over and out.] Corporal Stuart looked at his men and Tuscan Guard¡¯s personnel in the room before speaking, "You heard it. No more alcohol, juju weed, or other rubbish. From this very moment, we are in full military discipline." "" "" Sir! "" "" All personnel in the room answered calmly but steadily. --- Hangar A2, Harley Quinn MOA 17:00, 1 April 2025 The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Since two days ago, 19 units C-130J Super Hercules had been neatly parked in front of Hangar A2. Within each Hercules tactical loads were neatly arranged, consisting of: 28 logistics pallets 8 units LAV Mortar 8 units LAV Shorad 1 unit LAV Command 1 unit LAV Recovery 1 unit LAV Logistic Next to the hangar door, 87 members of Task Force Passer sat and chatting. Meanwhile, inside the hangar Major Jansen and two Lieutenants were busy rereading Fort Cambia''s assault plans. When Vex entered the hangar, Major Jansen immediately asked him, "Sir, do we have the green?" "Yes, within an hour main element from Northern Coalition will reach Magwurt City. Their cavalry elements have even started to block the highway around the city." "Understood." Major Jansen smiled cheerfully, then signaling his men to start the departure procedure. Without delay, TF Passer personnel approached the long table where weapons, equipment, and parachutes were neatly arranged. With the assistance from Logistic & Support Group personnel, they then put their equipment and parachutes on. After that, officers and NCO conducted a final check. At the same time the flight crew warm-up the engine of each Hercules, while the ground crew carries out final checks. Before long, every Loadmaster gave a signal that their Hercules was ready to board. TF Passer personnel then walked into their designated Hercules casually. Vex accompanied Major Jansen who walked last, and just before Major Jansen boarded his Hercules, he stretched out his hand. "Major, good luck and always remember the doctrine of personnel over equipment." "Sir!" Major Jansen tightly gripped Vex''s hand before boarding his Hercules. Major Jansen fully understood the message that Vex wanted to convey. Latest aerial reconnaissance showed him that around 8,000 defenders were staying at Fort Cambia. Meanwhile, TF Passer was only able to carry a limited amount of ammunition. Therefore, if it was impossible to continue the operation, he must immediately break-contact and rush to the extraction point where Osprey from FOC South 860 would pick him and his men up. Before long, the Hercules moved toward the runway one by one, and then took a take-off run before climbing to the sky and flew to the south a full speed. --- West Wall of Magwurt City 20:00, 1 April 2025 General Khartoum looked coldly at the giant encampment several kilometers before him. The Northern Coalition had deliberately placed their main force on the west of Magwurt City, while the other three sides were guarded by a small number of light cavalry. Their intention to lure out Tuscan Guard was clear, but General Khartoum ignored it. Maine Rattel who was standing beside General Khartoum took a deep breath before saying, "We should have followed your advice. We obeyed TF Amethyst too much. As a result, we were surrounded by over 100,000 opposing force." "No." A faint smile spread across General Khartoum''s lips. "We made the right decision by following TF Amethyst''s plan." Maine Rattel immediately turned to General Khartoum, and looked at the old general with a questioning look. Previously, General Khartoum had proposed a small but repetitive assault to slow down Northern Coalition¡¯s advance and cut their numbers. However, TF Amethyst rejected this proposal. Of course General Khartoum didn''t just give up. However, one night he secretly left with Lt. Colonel Slane, and after that his stance changed completely. Now, General Khartoum wholeheartedly supported every TF Amethyst¡¯s step, even though these steps could not be accepted by common sense. "Khartoum my friend, it is still not too late to raise Tuscan Guard''s morale by attacking the light cavalry blocking the eastern route. Our cavalry can make a blitz to wipe them out before returning to the city." "Maine, it''s an ideal plan if we were fighting alone, but it''s ridiculous when we were fighting side by side with TF Amethyst." "I hope your change of attitude wasn''t because they were threatening you secretly." "Well, they don''t have to do something stupid like that." General Khartoum then turned his gaze towards Maine Rattel before asking. "What about you? Why did you cancel your protest to Amethyst Merchant?" "Kukh!" Maine Rattel''s face changed drastically, as if she were forced to drink a mouthful of vinegar. Initially, she wanted to protest that 18% share was too small for Tuscan Region''s deposit. She also wanted to file a complaint, because Amethyst Merchant gave her the position of chief advisor but they never asked for her advice. She was only asked to sit down every time a meeting was held. But then, slowly but surely her attitude changed. "Well, in short I now realize there are many things that I need to learn. The annual salary they give me is also higher than the annual salary I received when Tuscan Region¡¯s prosperity is in its peak.¡± Maine Rattel took a deep breath before continuing, "However, for the operation against Northern Coalition, if they make a wrong step then Tuscan Region will be destroyed." "Don''t worry about it." General Khartoum smiled as he saw how TF Amethyst personnel were calmly manning the city walls, while Tuscan Guard personnel who were accompanying them were a little nervous. "Maine, soon you will realize that the primitive monkeys who invade us, made a fatal mistake by concentrating their strength in one location when facing TF Amethyst." As a smile full of a confident formed on General Khartoum''s lips, the question mark on Maine Rattel''s face thickened. She could not understand why General Khartoum was very confident even after witnessing the huge numbers of opposing force in front of their nose. ***** TFA1 2.14 - Opening Strike TFA1 2.14 - Opening Strike Northern Coalition Camp, 5 km west of Magwurt City. 21:05, 1 April 2025 After a warm bath and a sumptuous dinner, Northern Coalition''s leaders then enjoyed a show of several young and alluring women performing a dance. "It''s disappointing. They didn''t launch a single ambush even though some logistical convoys moved around without escort. They also didn''t try to attack the blockade that we established." Baron Eslei responded to Baron Mhors'' complaint by saying, "Don''t spoil the mood, this is the last time we can relax before the battle begins." "Baron Eslei, what do you mean by battle? Two waves of attacks, and I guaranteed Magwurt City¡¯s walls will collapse." Viscount Grakh smiled broadly before adding, "Besides, we can still relax when the attack to soften Magwurt City defense is launched, and only go to the front lines when the main attack is launched." Viscount Grakh then grabbed one of the dancers, and placed her on his lap while his hands moved to every corner of the girl''s body. Baron Mhors and Baron Eslei immediately followed in. Not long after that, a repetitive panting was heard from inside the tent, along with the happy laughter of the Northern Coalition''s leaders. --- South Wall of Fort Cambia. 05:08, 2 April 2025 General Balthor looked at the iron carriages that took up position 1.5 km to the south of Fort Cambia, on a 50-meter high mound with a fairly wide peak. From his position, he saw two people dressed all in green standing beside one of the iron carriages. One observed Fort Cambia using some kind of binoculars, while the other one stood beside the first person enjoying a cup of drink. "You said they''ve been there since sunrise?" Captain Phiere who was standing next to General Balthor answered, "According to the guard who saw them for the first time, it''s likely they had been there since before sunrise." General Balthor frowned before saying, "Send a cavalry squad, kill a few of them and interrogate the rest. Make sure they know the price for spying on Fort--" Siuuuuu siuuu siuuuu. . . ! General Balthor narrowed his eyes, when a plume of smoke appeared from several iron carriages, along with a whistle that approached in a flash. Boom! Boom! Boom! Bo-bo-booom! In an instant, General Balthor''s heart stopped beating after a chain of deafening explosions rang out behind him. Not to mention one of the explosions was very close to his position. Luckily, his bodyguards immediately made sure he took cover behind the fort walls. While his body was shaking, General Balthor looked at the destroyed kitchen, horse stables, and logistic barn. And before long, the long whistle was heard one more time, followed by an object that fell on one of the logistics warehouses roofs, and a moment later a huge explosion gushed out of the warehouse. Meanwhile, the alarm bell immediately heard along with the panic that enveloped the entire fortress. Several Centurions managed to gather their squad members and led them towards the defensive wall. However, on the way to the defensive wall, explosion after explosion hit and killed most of them. At the same time, the attacks on the logistics warehouse, horse stables, and kitchen continued. In an instant, General Balthor realized the opponent''s goal and he knew he had to thwart their intentions no matter what the cost, or Northern Coalition¡¯s contingent that attacked Tuscan Region would losing logistical support. Magwurt City''s invasion involved more than 100 thousand personnel, where along the incursion corridor there was not a single agricultural land or settlement that could be looted. Losing logistical support could lead to a disaster worse than defeat, a total wiped out. Cold sweat flooded General Balthor''s back, as he remembered that last night Viscount Grakh had sent a message that Northern Coalition¡¯s contingent had arrived in front of Magwurt City, in full force and was about to launch its first assault this morning. ''Damn, how could this fortress take a fatal blow at such a critical moment?'' General Balthor gritted his teeth before shouting out an order, "Send cavalry and Riders right now! Kill them immediately!" "General, you must take cover to a safe place. I will bring their heads to you." Captain Phiere said steadfastly before rushing towards the barrack of Tarai Air Corps'' 2nd Rider Squadron. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. --- TF Passer, small mound 1.5 km to the south of Fort Cambia. In the TF Amethyst¡¯s doctrine, in addition to carrying a communications specialist or battalion staff, LAV Command usually also carries a Support Coordinator & Air Officer who was in charge of coordinating mortar firing solutions, or requesting artillery strike and airstrike. The fire support could be requested manually using radio, digitally by utilizing a net-centric between platforms, or simply by marking the targets using a laser designator carried by LAV Command. Inside LAV Command, Lieutenant Flores sent target coordinates to the LAV Mortar crew. Early this morning, with assistance from Reaper he managed to identify important targets such as logistics warehouses, kitchens, barracks, wells, armory, and horse stables. Of course, once the attack started he also got additional targets such as the concentration of defenders. Lieutenant Flores was engrossed in sending the target coordinates, when he saw a small crowd on top of the south wall. Seeing that the crowd seemed to be escorting a High Value Target, he immediately aimed at the crowd. Generally, 120 mm mortar was fired with a formula of 4 mortars round to cover an area up to ??200 square meters. However, for the target that he aimed, Lieutenant Flores chose to use only one mortar round, and waited until the target was walking between two walls. Therefore, if the target was not killed by the first shock wave and fragmentation, they would still be killed by the second shock wave that was reflected by the wall. Coordinates were immediately dispatched and a moment later, Lieutenant Flores smiled as his target got hit hard, and stopped moving after their bodies crashed to the ground. Then, his smile was replaced by a broad grin as he saw a large number of cavalry moving towards the east and west gates. At the same time, dozens of Cloud Hawks took off from one corner of Fort Cambia. "All Passers, be advised, cavalry is approaching from 10 and 2 o''clock, followed by Riders from 12 o''clock." ¡°¡­¡± "I repeat, cavalry is approaching from 10 and 2 o''clock, followed by riders from 12 o''clock." [Roger.] [Roger.] [Roger.] Apart from LAV Shorad, all LAVs belonging to the TF Passer are equipped with a Medium Machine Gun M240 7.62 mm. As soon as Lieutenant Flores announced the arrival of the opposing cavalry, the gunners immediately got ready. At the same time, the LAV Shorad''s crew was preparing to welcome Riders that were already visible in the distance. --- Barracks of 2nd Rider Squadron, Tarai Air Corps. Throughout the journey, Captain Phiere kept asking, ''How could the attackers have such strong firepower?'' He knew that 2nd world authorities like Kingdom of Makai had fire trebuchet that could burn their targets, but this was the first time he saw an artillery weapon that could make a building explode from inside and shatter to pieces. Luckily, from the start he managed to grasp what kind of target that the attacker was aiming for. So he could choose a safe route and arrived at the barrack safely. Then, relief filled Captain Phiere''s heart as he saw that Cloud Hawks of 2nd Squadron''s still intact and the Riders were ready for battle. "Captain, we''ve installed your saddles, and Darpha Riders and Liqua Riders are just taking off." Captain Phiere nodded slightly without thanking the crew for working so responsively. Right now every second was precious so he had to make the most of it. "Our target is taking up positions 1.5 km to the south of this fort. We still don''t know their anti-air capability. So, attack from the maximum height with arrows." """ROGER!" "" The 2nd Riders Squadron answered in unison before climbing onto their Cloud Hawks, and without delay they immediately took off. Captain Phiere was in no rush to catch up with two squadrons who had preceded him. Instead, he wanted to use them to confirm how the enemy would fight, and before long that wish was full filled. First, he saw the dotted line showering the cavalry units who coming out of the east and west gate. The vanguard of the two cavalry units immediately collapsed, while the ranks behind them chose to turn around. "Cowardly bastards, at least drain their fire arrows even if you can''t win the fight." Captain Phiere muttered while a salvo of thicker fire arrows suddenly shot out towards Darpha Riders and Liqua Riders who were approaching from two directions at a very low altitude. Captain Phiere was sure that the fire arrows did not hit Darpha Riders or Liqua Riders, but he vaguely saw small explosions around them. Then, several Cloud Hawks took a sharp dive and hit the ground very hard, while the rest were desperately trying to fly away. However, their efforts were fruitless. Without delay, Captain Phiere gave instructions to the 2nd Squadron members. "Attention, do not fly too close. It seems our opponent uses fire arrows that can explode and scatter deadly splinters." [Roger] [Roger] [Roger] [Roger] All 2nd Rider Squadron''s personnel replied alternately, and they had just spread out in all directions when in the distance fire spears shot into the air. The fire spears flew straight to their position while leaving a long smoke trail. ''They also have fire spears that 2nd world authorities use.'' Captain Phiere was surprised, but he didn''t panic. Fire spears were dangerous, but if their trajectory was known they could be avoided. Moreover, the opponent was shooting it from a too far position and the numbers were too few. "Evasive maneuvers!" Captain Phiere''s gave the orders calmly, but a moment later his eyes widened as the incoming fire spears changed their flight path and followed his maneuvers. "Attention, opponent is not using a normal fire spear, but a guided fire spe--" Boom boom boom bo-bo-boooom! Of the 20 Riders from 2nd Squadron, 18 were fatally getting hit by incoming fire spears and fell free straight to the ground. The other two Riders survived because somehow, the fire spears missed and flew away before exploding in midair. The two survivors then flew away at full speed, while cold sweat flooded their backs. ***** TFA1 2.15 - Main Attack TFA1 2.15 - Main Attack Operations Control Room, Amethyst Merchant HQ 06:21, 2 April 2025 While observing Fort Cambia through aerial footage from Reaper, Lt. Colonel Slane let out a deep sigh. LAV Mortar carried by TF Passer brought only 20 pieces of 120 mm round. Therefore, even though each salvo produced devastating damage, targets that could be hit were limited in numbers. With the size of Fort Cambia that almost matched Magwurt City, the damage inflicted by TF Passer would be miniscule, and 80% of the defenders were still intact. However, right now, a massive retreat took place at Fort Cambia. ''Looks like we have miscalculation this time,'' Lt. Colonel Slane muttered while shaking his head. Meanwhile, Tuscan Region''s higher-ups dropped their jaw as they stared at the main screen. Especially, when they found dozens of Cloud Hawks that slumped on the ground. "Ser Slane, what weapon did TF Passer use to take down the Riders?" Viscount Rattel asked curiously. "TF Passer uses a 30 mm airburst ammunition and Stinger missile that explodes when it reaches a certain distance from the target." Tuscan Region¡¯s higher-ups immediately felt that their heart was racing wildly, and it was almost out of control. It was no secret that until now there had been no effective way to counter Rider other than using other Rider. The 2nd world authority had indeed succeeded in developing a fire spear with an effective range up to 1 km. However, due to the maintenance complexities, these weapon systems had to be permanently deployed to defend strategic assets. ''Now, we don''t need to worry about Riders from other Regions,'' General Khartoum muttered before asking, "Ser Slane, can you explain how Stinger missiles work?" "Well, it''s a bit difficult to explain technically, but in short it has sensor that can sense the difference in temperature between the target and the area around it, and the sensor use it as a base to guide the Stinger towards its target. This method is called contrast lock-on." "?" "It could also use ultraviolet emissions as a lock-on basis if the target temperature was too low." "??" "Or, combining the heat and ultraviolet emission to produce a more solid locking. The combination of the two is referred to as a Rosette Scan." "??????" As question marks piled up on the foreheads of Tuscan Region¡¯s higher-ups, one of the communication specialists turned his head towards Lt. Colonel Slane. "Sir, Forward Observers on the west wall reports that Northern Coalition encampment is showing signs of retreating." Lt. Colonel Slane took a deep breath before saying, "Don''t let them get away." "Aye Sir." In an instant, the display on the main screen switched to the real-time aerial view of Northern Coalition¡¯s camp, along with dozens of markings indicating high-value targets. --- 2nd Battery of MTV Multi Launcher Rocket System 122, Castle Magwurt. During its formation, TF Amethyst wanted to acquire M142 HIMARS as backbone of Rocket Artillery Battery. Unfortunately for one, two, and many other reasons this intention was not achieved. The desire to acquire ASTROS II from Brazil as an alternative was also hampered by various reasons. In the end the choice fell on BM-21, but Vex decided to build it from scratch using components available on the market. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Five-ton Medium Tactical Vehicle was chosen as the launcher vehicle and ammunition carrier. The launch tubes, ammunition, and various other parts were purchased from Poland and the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, a kit to increase the accuracy of 122 mm rockets was purchased from Israel. Generators, electrical systems, fire control systems, communications systems, integrated networks, or other software were bought from black market suppliers from US of A. The results turned out to be quite decent. MTV MLRS 122 was able to provide saturation in an area of ??400 square meters to a distance of 30 km. The person responsible for the birth of MTV MLRS 122 was Major Demitri, a brilliant artillery officer in Russian army, who would have become a colonel, had he not incurred the wrath of a two-star officer in his unit. A few seconds ago Major Demitri received the launching code for main attack. In an instant he stuttered, but only for a moment. Major Demitri immediately relayed the order to his men. A moment later, 8 units MTV MLRS 122 were ready to start the salvo. Then, the fire control system on each MTV MLRS 122 started receiving the coordinate of targets. The sequence was based on target priority and value. Each master gunner then activated the fire control in fully autonomous mode. After that, they only had to supervise the entire firing process from the fire control panel in front of them. --- 2nd Battery of MTV Self Propelled Howitzer 155, Castle Magwurt. The MTV SPH 155 used by TF Amethyst was a photocopy of France made Caesar SPH 155 mm. It was built on the same principles as MTV MLRS 122, by using components and spare parts available on the market with priority to use the domestic product. Major James almost choked on the sandwich he was enjoying, when the launching code for main attack was came in through the radio in his shoulder. "I thought the opening strike will be served by mortar battery. Who would have thought Command Center want go big from the start?" In two big bites, Major James finished his sandwich. Then, he cheerfully distributed instructions to his men. Not long after that, 8 canons of MTV SPH 155 were pointing at west and ready to fire. --- Northern Coalition¡¯s Camp. 06:23, 2 April 2025 With a complicated gaze, Viscount Grakh looked at the western wall of Magwurt City. A moment ago his assistant forcibly woke him up, because an emergency message came from Fort Cambia. The message was stating that the fort had just received a fatal attack, three Riders Squadrons stationed over there got wiped out and General Balthor was killed. And when Viscount Grakh asked for confirmation from Fort Cambia, he received no reply. Then, while he had waited anxiously, a direct retreat order came from Count Weizz, emphasizing that he had to bring home as many personnel as possible. Although he did not understand why he was asked to make a quick retreat before a single incursion was launched, Viscount Grakh did not dare to ignore Count Weizz''s direct orders. Of course, the retreat couldn''t be done in a few breaths of time. "Ser Viscount, please immediately retreat like Baron Eslei and Baron Mhors," Viscount Grakh¡¯s assistant said urgently. But Viscount Grakh shook his head before turning his gaze to outer perimeter, where the retreating convoy just started the march. He was fully aware that if he retreated now, the foot soldier would start to speculate, and then anxiety would engulf the camp. "Just make sure the retreat is complete as soon as possible and we''ll be fine." Booom! Booom! B-boboboooommm! As if it was to refute Viscount Grakh''s words, explosion after explosion ravaged the convoy he was observing, followed by pieces of human bodies that flew in all directions. A few breaths later, another chain of explosions hit the biggest concentration of Northern Coalition¡¯s personnel. "W-What kind of attack is this?" With a gaze filled with horror, Viscount Grakh looked at Northern Coalition¡¯s camp, which rapidly turned into a living hell. --- Western Wall of Magwurt City The faces of Tuscan Guard¡¯s members and Magwurt City''s residents instantly turned as pale as corpses when a chain of thunder was heard from within Castle Magwurt. Panic and chaos soon enveloped every corner of Magwurt City. Children and elderly were rushed to the shelter, while Tuscan Guard¡¯s members on the street were preparing for the worst scenario and desperately calmed their hearts. However, their worries turned into a big question mark as hundreds of fire spears flew towards the west while leaving a hissing sound and trails of smoke. Meanwhile, Tuscan Guard members who were guarding the western wall looked at Northern Coalition¡¯s camp with wide eyes and hanging jaw. It was natural because without prior warning, they were asked to witness the wrath of the gods that befalling to the camp. In an instant, Northern Coalition¡¯s camp was torn apart, but the rain of explosion that ravaged the camp had no sign of receding. Several Magwurt City¡¯s residents then climbed to the west wall, before calling other residents, and soon the western wall was filled with eyewitnesses to the destruction of Northern Coalition¡¯s camp. ''Who is the moron in charge of guarding the perimeter? This is not a fireworks display, but a serious offensive.'' Private Keane, who became one of the Forward Observers on the west wall, complained inwardly when a girl suddenly stood next to him, on a pile of sandbags that he usually used to sit when he on a break. While looking at the fireworks that fell on the Northern Coalition¡¯s camp, the girl muttered with admiration, "Whoaah! The fireworks are so huge." Private Keane heaved a deep sigh, but he didn''t chase away the girl. Instead, he ensured that the girl was not squashed by people behind her. ***** TFA1 2.16 - Capture TFA1 2.16 - Capture Operations Control Room, Amethyst Merchant HQ. The heart of Tuscan Region''s higher-ups was churning mercilessly, as they saw TF Amethyst''s efficiency and effectiveness in producing destruction. Once an area was destroyed, the designated mark in that area immediately disappeared and appeared in the new area, where the concentration of Northern Coalition personnel was very high. Question mark filled the forehead of Tuscan Region¡¯s higher-ups when Lt. Colonel Slane said, "Targets beyond 7 km will be hit using MLRS and Howitzer, while the closer one will be hit with mortar round." Then, after they saw how Northern Coalition Camp was destroyed, they soon realized that MLRS and Howitzer were the primary weapons, and the mortar that hit opposing cavalry on the south, east, and north of Magwurt City was the secondary weapon. ''If I don¡¯t see this is a human handiwork, I will have thought that Northern Coalition Camp is being hit by the wrath of the gods,'' muttered Viscount Rattel. ''They are not merchants, but conquerors who are on vacation,'' muttered Jeve Rattel. ''Damn Khartoum, he must have known TF Amethyst''s military capacity but didn''t tell me on purpose,'' muttered Maine Rattel. ''I thought the Kiowa Warriors were their ultimate weapon. Don''t tell me the MLRS and Howitzers aren''t their main weapons either,'' muttered General Khartoum. For the first time in their life, Tuscan Region¡¯s higher-ups were sympathizing to their enemy misfortune. ''The Northern Coalition has not taken a wrong turn, but it has been going the wrong way from the start.'' While Tuscan Region''s higher-ups were busy with turmoil in their hearts, Lt. Colonel Slane casually gave instructions to an officer. "Send Viper and Kiowa to obliterate Northern Coalition outpost beyond the reach of our artillery." "Sir." Lt. Colonel Slane then walked over to Viscount Rattel with a cheerful smile. "Ser Rattel, TF Amethyst can provide assistance to defend Fort Cambia. But to operate it, I think Tuscan Guard personnel are more suitable. TF Amethyst will provide 50 trucks and escorts to shift 1,800 Tuscan Guards to Fort Cambia. At the same time, we will launch a clean-up against the remains of Northern Coalition." "Understood," Viscount Rattel answered steadily. --- Hills on the western tip of Berril Plain, the Borders of Tuscan Region and Kandez Region. 09:37, 2 April 2025 Inside a hole of 0.5 meter deep and covered in a camouflage net, by using a high-power telescope Centurion Ravel scanned the wide plain spread out below him. Starting from a few days ago, he and his three colleagues had accompanied personnel from Surveillance & Target Acquisition Platoon to monitor the western border. It was a precaution in case Kandez Region decided to participate in the campaign organized by Northern Coalition. However, until Northern Coalition main force arrived in front of Magwurt City, there was no sign that Kandez Region was going to join the campaign, and this morning he received notification that some of Northern Coalition''s elements who were retreating maybe would pass through their position. Centurion Ravel didn''t understand why Northern Coalition main force that just arrived last night suddenly decided to retreat this morning. Moreover, they chose their retreat route through Kandez Region and not head straight north. When he saw a plume of dust in the distance Centurion Ravel immediately said, "Looks like we have another guest." This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Sergeant Leslie, who sat next to Centurion Ravel answered. "Let them pass, our mission is observation." Centurion Ravel was about to nod, when he realized that among the dozens of incoming horsemen there was one person in a flashy and glamorous outfit. "Sergeant Leslie, there seems to be a high-value target among our guests this time." Sergeant Leslie immediately used a long-range digital camera to inspect the incoming guest. The flock was still more than 2.5 km away, but through the long-range digital camera, he could clearly see the face of a middle-aged man in a flashy and glamorous outfit, including the insignia on his left chest and the rank mark on his shoulder. Sergeant Leslie reflexively grabbed his radio and pressed PTT button. "Wide Raccoon to Miwa Control, come in" [Miwa Control to Wide Raccoon, go ahead.] "We have obtained a target-opportunity, highly likely is a Viscount, requesting permission to snatch and grab him, confirm." [Received and understood, please wait for confirmation from Miwa Godfather.] With a pounding heart Sergeant Leslie waited. Every second was precious and if the target he was aiming for went at full throttle, then it would pass his position in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, when Sergeant Leslie was about to call in the command center in Magwurt City one more time, a radio call came in. [Miwa Control to Wide Raccoon, comes in.] "Wide Raccoon to Miwa Control, go ahead.] [Snatch and grab are green, succeed or fail immediately go to Delta 0-6-0-2, Echo 1-2-6-0, for aerial extract, and good luck.] "Received and understood, Wide Raccoon, over and out." Sergeant Leslie immediately gathered his men and gave them a brief briefing. The STA unit he led consisted of four sub-units, each equipped with: AWM 338 Lapua Magnum with an effective range of 1.58 km, HK M110A1 with an effective range of 800 meters, HK416 with a grenade launcher for sporadic fire up to 400 meters. While the STA personnel listened to the briefing with eyes glistening of killing intent, Centurion Ravel and his colleagues could only cry silently. ''Why are they so excited even though they know our opponent is three times bigger? Looks like this fight will become my last.'' --- Viscount Grakh felt fortunate that he had such a perceptive bodyguard. While he was disoriented after seeing the destruction of Northern Coalition camp from a close range, his bodyguards swiftly took him out of the danger zone, and then escaped by taking an inconspicuous route. While looking at the hills that formed the boundary between Tuscan Region and Kandez Region, Viscount Grakh smiled from ear to ear. ''Once I enter Kandez Region, I no longer need to worry about the hunting efforts that Tuscan Guard and Amethyst Merchant launched.'' Viscount Grakh had indeed lost more than half of his bodyguards, but as long as he was alive he could easily form a new bodyguard unit. Then, a moment before he and his remaining bodyguards arrived at the foot of the hills, Viscount Grakh proudly said. "Once we return to Tarai Region, I will make sure you and the families of your fallen comrades are properly rewarded." An ear-to-ear smile immediately bloomed on Viscount Grakh''s bodyguards'' lips. They would not only survive the hellish hell that fell out of nowhere, but would also receive a legit reward. So, it was natural that their hearts were filled with overflowing joy. "That''s why, don''t be discouraged and keep on---" Bang! Bang! Bang! Ba-ba-bang! Without any warning a chain of loud ''Bang!'' was heard, followed by the fall of Viscount Grakh''s bodyguard to the ground. Within a few breaths, only three bodyguards in the closest position to the Viscount were still alive. A moment later, while Viscount Grakh and his three bodyguards were flabbergasted, from a shallow hole not far from their position three STA personnel in ghillie suits rose to their feet and approached them. "Drop your weapons, get down from your horse, then lay down and put your hands behind your head." Seeing the people with weird clothing dared to command their lord while brandishing a weirdly shaped staff, Viscount Grakh''s bodyguards instinctively pulled out their long sabers. Each bodyguard was not only skilled in close combat, but also adept cavalryman. That''s why they didn''t see anything to worry about from the three weird people who were approaching them. And somehow, both Viscount Grakh and his remaining bodyguards forgot that a moment earlier dozens of their comrades had collapsed for reasons that were still unknown. With full confidence, Viscount Grakh''s bodyguards galloped their horses towards the approaching STA personnel, and it was a fatal mistake that cost their lives. Ratatar. . . ratatar! After a series of short outbursts, the three bodyguards instantly fell to the ground. At the same time, Viscount Grakh''s smile evaporated, and while he was still dumbfounded, one of the STA personnel pulled him off the horse until his body fell to the ground with a loud thud. "I am Viscount Grakh of Tarai Region. If you don''t treat me with respect, I will have Viscount Rattel hand over your heads as an apology." Without heeding Viscount Grakh words, the STA personnel disarmed him before handcuffing his hands and gaging his mouth roughly. At the same time, one of them radioed Sergeant Leslie. "Top, the target-opportunity is likely to be Viscount Grakh from Tarai Region." [Understood, I will report it.] The STA personnel who had just radioed Sergeant Leslie then approached Viscount Grakh. "Don''t try to run away or get cranky during the trip, and we won''t kill you." Hearing a warning filled with killing intent, Viscount Grakh swallowed hard before nodding his head repeatedly. It was natural as the Viscount had the impression his captors didn''t care whether he was a noble or a street thug. ***** TFA1 2.17 - The Final Result TFA1 2.17 - The Final Result POW Camp, Fort Cambia. 12:15, 2 April 2025 Baron Mhors'' face was filled with bitterness as he entered Fort Cambia. A few days ago he left the giant fort as one of its rulers, but now he must return as a prisoner of war. ''At least I''m alive,'' Baron Mhors tried to cheer his mood up inwardly. Previously, as soon as he knew Fort Cambia received a fatal attack and Riders who had launched a counterattack were wiped out, Baron Mhors and Baron Eslei immediately withdrew from the front lines. It was a correct decision, because from 5 km away he could still see the calamity that befalling on Northern Coalition Camp. While Baron Eslei chose the detour route to the northeast, Baron Mhors chose a direct route to the north, hoping that the route would be safe because it was still in a corridor guarded by element of Northern Coalition. The problem was that without prior warning a Northern Coalition post located 1 km in front of him was suddenly hit by a shower of fire spears and instantly got destroyed. Baron Mhors did not have time to think about how the enemy could attack from such a distance. He immediately spurred his horse as fast as possible. However, before he crossed the border, out of nowhere two flying carriages suddenly appeared and blocked him. Fortunately, the people who rode the flying carriages recognized him as a noble and chose to capture him. Of course, it happened after they slaughtered most of his bodyguards who tried to knock down the flying carriages using arrows. "Welcome to your new house, the nobles are gathered in the cabin on the far right," said one of the guards before smiling cheerfully. After glancing at the simple cabin that would become his residence, Baron Mhors frowned and turned towards the Centurion who escorted him. "This is not a proper treatment for a Baron even though he is a prisoner of war." The Centurion casually answered, "For your information, if within five days Northern Coalition refuses to pay the war compensation. All captured nobles will be executed for the crime of killing civilians at the border, and invasion on Northern Coalition territory will be launched." ''Sentencing nobles to death just for the slaughter of several hundred commoners? I heard it wrong or this bastard is scaring me.'' Baron Mhors wanted to ask further, but the Centurion had already walked away. Meanwhile, the Tuscan Guard guarding the gate looked at him with scorn. --- Castle Dohark, Dohark City, Tarai Region. 08:00, 3 April 2025 In a luxurious meeting room, three nobles sat facing each other with grim faces. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Count Weizz, the highest leader of Tarai Region, Viscount Olrig, the highest leader of Liqua Region, and Viscount Yelk, the highest leader of Darpha Region. The Northern Coalition''s three highest leaders had just received the list of captured nobles. It came along with a request for ransom that very expensive and almost made them vomiting blood. Moreover, just before sunrise, the 12 divisions that were deployed to recapture Fort Cambia were destroyed as soon as they arrived in an empty plain 10 km north of the fort. The exact cause for the destruction was still unknown. The initial report only stated that huge fire storm suddenly came out of nowhere. "I decided to comply with their demands to prevent further damage," Count Weizz opened the meeting in a deep tone, like an opening speech at a funeral. Viscount Olrig added in an equally heavy tone, "Well, their demands are extremely expensive, but they are not specifically asking for gold. So we can pay for it with land on the border." "Are we just going to follow their wishes?" Reluctance was evident in Viscount Yelk''s gaze. Count Weizz said firmly, "Of course not, we will spread negative sentiment towards Amethyst Merchants. Also sending all the information we know to Kingdom of Makai. I believe some greedy nobles will be tempted to devour Amethyst Merchants. Then, we will bring them into a total war." Killing intent flashed in Count Weizz''s gaze, while Viscount Olrig and Viscount Yelk grinned from ear to ear. --- CO Office, Harley Quinn MOA. 07:00, 7 April 2025 This morning, all TF Amethyst higher-ups gathered in General O''Neil''s office. Brigadier General William Rayden from Ground Combat Group, Daniel Nate from Intelligence & Diplomacy Group, Col. Patricia Cruz from Aviation Combat Group, Col. Emil Montana from Logistics & Support Group, and Vex. All TF Amethyst higher-ups gathered to discuss, the outcome of the conflict with Northern Coalition, which consisted of: => The three field commanders of Northern Coalition survived the artillery salvo. They happened not to be in an area where Northern Coalition''s elements were concentrated. When interrogated they cooperated fully, and were willing to name all of Northern Coalition spies in Tuscan Region. => Tarai, Darpha, and Liqua Region are willing to pay war compensation using land at the border. Tuscan Region will lease the land to Amethyst Merchant free of charge for the first 20 years. => Fort Cambia will be operated by Tuscan Guard with the assistance of TF Amethyst. All the spoils of war, be it property, precious jewelry, logistics, or military equipment will belong to Tuscan Region. => As a form of victory celebration, Amethyst Merchant will extend the public facility payments subsidy for Tuscan Region''s residents for up to three months. Vex took a sip of his tea before saying, "Actually, I hoped we eliminated 80% of Northern Coalition military capacity." Brigadier General Rayden nodded slightly. "At least this conflict ended without needing to divert GCG personnel in the southern tip of Southeast Triangle." General O''Neil smiled before saying, "Yes, and now we can get back to our daily routine." Without any victory celebrations, General O''Neil ended the meeting. The TF Amethyst higher-ups then returned to their office. Every TF Amethyst higher-ups were aware that they were responsible for the departure of more than 100 thousand souls to the afterlife. Therefore, they chose to avoid celebrating victories, or anything else that could remind them of how thick the blood had stained their hands. ***** TFA1 3.1 - Job Interview TFA1 3.1 - Job Interview Apartment 2304, Royal Crown Tower, San Francisco. 19:20, 6 Nov 2023 Claire J. Webber, a French-American girl who at the age of 20 had become a Titan in global economy. In her two hands, Claire held 46% of the American economy and 56% of French economy, without many people knowing about it. While sitting cross-legged on the sofa, Claire was enjoying a plate of waffles. It was an unusual habit for a girl with a body as perfect as a supermodel. However, in many ways Claire was indeed not an ordinary girl. For example is in clothes. Other than business suits for formal meeting, Claire would only wear basketball shoes, tracksuits, and jackets. Claire had no dresses or other feminine clothes. While chewing one large bite of a waffle, Claire looked at the old man in casual clothes before her. The old man was a US Army veteran. He ended his military career six months ago, with a rank four-star general and the head of an educational institution sponsored by US SOCOM. "Uncle O''Neil, are you sure you only need 12,000 combatants?" "Yes, 12,000 combatants are more than adequate for the initial stage." Claire stared deeply at his adoptive uncle who she also considered as a figure of a father before saying, "Just a reminder, there are more than 250 million people who have the potential to become enemies." "We didn''t come to conquer. So stop assuming we''re going to start a war with the entire Amstell Continent." "Okay, but I still don''t understand why you rejected TF Victory concept that my team tried so hard to put together?" "I told you, TF Victory concept doesn''t fit the doctrine I wanted." General O''Neil''s words made Claire pout her lips, but it only made the Old General smile cheerfully. "Find Lucan ''Vex'' McGuire, have him organize a Task Force according to my doctrine, and compare the results with TF Victory. I guarantee you will understand." While still pouting her lips, Claire nodded three times. --- Mid-Class Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown, San Francisco. 08:30, 14 Nov 2023 With light steps Vex followed the guide into a VIP room on the 2nd floor. Inside the room, a young woman in business suit was already waiting for him. She let her brownish blonde hair fell freely in her back. Her blue eyes had a gentle gaze. Her posture was ideal and she had a charming face along with friendly smile on her red lips. However, once Vex glanced at her, he immediately realized that the young and charming woman in front of him was no ordinary woman. After the guide left the room, the young woman invited Vex to sit down. "Mr. Vex, my name is Claire, CEO of Amethyst Security Group. Maybe you haven''t heard of it because we are newcomers in the field." As Vex sat down before her, Claire continued. "We recently got a contract to provide military assistance to a country in Africa, and we hope that you will be willing to help put together the Task Force we need." Vex nodded before asking, "Can I confirm one thing?" A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. "You can, please." "The person who picked me up said that my ex-wife''s company was in trouble, and if I take your request seriously then you will help my ex-wife''s company get out of the crisis." "Yes, and I am willing to make a letter of agreement legalized by your legal advisor." Vex shook his head. "No need, I just need to hear your promise in person. So I will have justification to claim it if you break it." "I hear you like to claim broken promises by giving a free .338 Lapua Magnum." "Not without a warning." "Thanks for the warning. Now we can have a little chat to better understand each other." Claire gave a small smile before continuing. "Do you know General O''Neil?" "I was in Squadron B when he led the Army Delta." "Can you give me a little description of him?" Vex nodded slightly before starting to explain. General O''Neil was West Point''s top graduate. Spending his career up to Lt. Colonel in 82nd Airborne Division, and then became commander of Delta, followed by commander of JSOC, US SOCOM, before returning to 82nd Airborne Division. After that, he taught a lot at seminars sponsored by US SOCOM. Most people describe General O''Neil as a military ascetic, who lived a simple life like a Franciscan but had a sharp way of thinking like a Jesuit. It was a contradiction that somehow blended well into him. When Delta personnel trained at the House of Horror, it was not uncommon for them to find General O''Neil sitting on the sofa with the other team, squinting while the bits of the door that had just been blown up filled his face. After that he and the team that just entered would act as hostages. While the previous hostage would execute the attack, without being told where the bad-guy position was moved. Claire nodded in satisfaction before asking her next question, "When did you last see him?" "Seven years ago, when he kicked me out of the Delta. After that we never saw each other again." Claire pondered for a moment before continuing, "For a brigade-level unit that will operate in a triple-canopy jungle for 10 months, what is the ideal assault rifle for this unit?" Vex answered spontaneously, "An assault rifle adopted by the closest military." "If the assault rifle adopted by the closest military was M4A1, would you still choose it even if you had the budget to buy HK416?" "Yes, I would." Vex pondered for a moment before starting to give a description. The M4/M16 family had undergone various improvements and had been well tested. In the Israeli Defense Forces, there was even resistance from field personnel when the M4/M16 was being replaced with Tavor. The Israeli Army HQ then decided that some units were allowed to keep using M4/M16. In large-scale military operations, tactics, weapons, training, equipment, and various other technical things could win the battle, but in the end of the day logistics won the war. And legally it was quite difficult to obtain large numbers of weapons'' spare parts. There were complicated procedures to go through, not to mention the delivery process. Shopping on black market was also not as simple as most people think. So it would be wise to select standard assault rifles, from the ones that have them in large numbers near the area of operation. Vex allowed Claire to take a little note before continuing. "In the military, it is not uncommon for the spare parts needed for an operation to arrive when the operation is already finished. Ironically, this also happens in the US Mil which has the most solid logistics line in the world." Claire nodded for a moment before asking her next question. "What if there is no military near the area of ??operation?" "In this case, I will choose M4A3 or AK-100 series that had use polymer to reduce its weight. With a purchase amount of one and a half times the personnel involved, for reserves as well as spare components." "Mr. Vex, can I conclude that you think M4/M16 is a better rifle than the HK416?" "No, HK416 is one of the best assault rifles ever made, and has many advantages over M4/M16. Even so, in long-term operation HK416 still needs spare parts. So before making your choice, make sure you have a solid logistics line." Claire smiled faintly before handing Vex a document. "This is the doctrine for the Task Force that I want, complete with the conditions of the area of operation, the potential to be faced, and various other intel." Vex took a deep breath before saying, "I haven''t followed developments in the arms industry for a while. So I doubt I can give results according to the latest developments." "No worry, I''ve provided everything you need. You can also access the work of the previous team. And even if your work is not selected, you will still get proper compensation, apart from my promise to help your ex-wife''s company." Vex nodded and said, "Understood." ***** TFA1 3.2 - Lucan Vex McGuire TFA1 3.2 - Lucan ''Vex'' McGuire Apartment 2304, Royal Crown Tower. 07:55, 15 Nov 2023 Vex found that his workspace was a luxurious two-story apartment. His office was on 1st Floor, while the 2nd Floor was a normal apartment room consisted of bedroom, recreation room, bathroom, and kitchen. In his office, Vex found a variety of information about weapon systems that were under development, had been adopted by US military and its close allies, or decommissioned assets in the storage facility. He also found a contact list of people who had influence in the arm trade and development of military technology. Beeeeep beeeep! As he held a bowl of cereal he was about to enjoy, Vex opened the door, and his gaze immediately met a middle-aged man with a super neat appearance. "Mr. Vex, my name is Bob. Miss Claire sent me to assist you." "Come in, Bob." Vex led Bob into kitchen in the 2nd Floor before saying, "Snacks and drinks are in the refrigerator and cabinet, restaurant brochures with delivery services are near the telephone, choose what suit your taste." "Thank you." Without hesitation, Bob made a cup of instant coffee before sitting in front of Vex. "Bob, Miss Claire asked me to include the cost estimation as accurately as possible, but the Task Force I had to form is bigger than I expected. So we have to contact a lot of people. The problem is, I''m afraid the people on the contact list won''t be willing to help, considering that they hate me so much." Bob casually answered, "Don''t worry Mr. Vex, Miss Claire knows that when you became advisor for Minister of Defense of the Central African Federation, you angered many figures in the arms trade world. So Miss Claire has made some precaution to make sure those people help us wholeheartedly." "Are you sure? For your information, some of them even tried to kill me, and I thwarted their tender because they forced a sale of junks." "Mr. Vex, some of them actually tried to eliminate you as soon as they knew Miss Claire want to meet you, but you are still fine until this moment." ''Hell!'' Vex cursed in his heart, but it''s too late to change his mind now. "Well, we''d better get started then." --- Apartment 2701, Royal Crown Tower 08:40, 17 Nov 2023 While sat on the sofa and enjoyed a jumbo waffle, Claire studied Vex''s profile, which she had only skimmed through previously. Vex was the only child of a middle-class family. When he was in 11th grade, he lost his parents in a car accident. He then refused a basketball scholarship from a professional club, preferred to enter Airborne Ranger, and completed his training at the age of 18 years old. His military career was full of rewards, and although he had difficulty keeping up with the chain of command, he never did an insubordination and always completed his missions flawlessly. At the age of 22 years old, he married a Japanese-American woman from an upper businessman family, and at the age of 25 he passed the SFOD-Delta''s selection. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. While he had been deployed on Central African Federation, Vex was accused of blasphemy against the enemies'' bodies he killed. The government of Central African Federation fiercely defended Vex, but their effort was ignored by US Government. Vex was then dishonorably dismissed from Delta. A week after he was kicked out of Delta, Vex divorced his wife and lost custody of his four-year-old daughter. Vex then disappeared in the deepest part of Louisiana and no one had ever managed to meet him. It took two years before Vex appeared again, and then accepted an offer to train Army Sniper Unit of Central African Federation. However, somehow he ended up became advisor for Minister of Defense, and played a major role in the reformation and modernization of Central African Federation Armed Forces. Vex was known to have observed his ex-wife and daughter from afar several times, but he never tried to fight for custody of his daughter. Moreover, his wife had remarried to a veterinarian and gave birth to a second child. Vex had a confidential account in Switzerland, at six different banks with different identities, with a total deposit value of up to USD 8.4 million. Vex also had non-liquid assets in Central African Federation, but the local government was closely guarding information about his wealth. Claire turned her gaze towards General O''Neil and asked, "Uncle, why did you dishonorably dismiss Vex?" "To avoid martial court." General O''Neil replied casually, and then paused for a few moments before continuing. "At that time, my choice was to roast Vex or roast the whole team. I chose to roast Vex even though I was aware that the accusation on him was false." Claire tilted her head before asking curiously, "Wasn''t in the Vex¡¯s combat knife, the forensic found the DNA of mutilated guerrilla fighter?¡± "Of course they found it in Vex''s combat knife, as Vex was the one who killed him using his knife. The two guerrilla fighters were actually Russian''s merc, and Vex didn¡¯t mutilate their bodies.¡± Claire immediately got up and sat cross-legged. "Tell me what wasn''t written on the report." General O''Neil gave a small nod before starting his story. In return for refusing to make the country a base of operations for anti-American fundamentalists, the Central African Federation received military assistance in the form of equipment and training. Until one day the young country was involved in a conflict at the border, and suffered many casualties due to the activities of opposing sniper. A team of shooters from Delta was then deployed to provide assistance, and managed to silence the sniper activities at the border within two weeks. On the last night before the withdrawal of Delta personnel, a pair of Russian''s merc tried to avenge their student. After silencing a machine gun nest the Russian¡¯s mercs then splited up. One tried to go deeper to finish off a high-ranking officer, while the other tried to comb the perimeter to finish off the American''s sniper. At that time Vex was lucky, the Russian¡¯s merc who combed the outer perimeter knelt right beside him, without realizing that Vex had pulled out his combat knife. After neutralizing the visiting Russian Commando, Vex then warned the camp about the infiltration. The entire camp immediately conducted a sweeping, but you couldn''t underestimate Crazy Ivan. The last Russian¡¯s merc killed four people and injure a dozen others before he got an additional hole in his head. To avenge the deaths of their fallen comrades, local personnel held a jamboree. It was a bonfire and alcohol party while using the remains of Russian¡¯s merc as a knife-throwing target. Meanwhile, Vex continued his guard duty at the outer perimeter. Several international journalists who happened to be at the camp captured the jamboree event. They then wrote a story where Vex was the main character in the event. The negative sentiment from the public then flared up and some politicians used it to pressure Delta. Claire nodded slightly before asking, "One thing I still don''t understand, why is it that my psychologist concludes that Vex is retreating into deeper part of Louisiana to punish himself?" General O''Neil deeply sighs. "I don''t know for sure, but imagine someone willing to trade his life for mastering an art. Then, when he managed to master it to the highest degree, suddenly it was taken from him because some bullshit. And while he loses most of his identity, dirt is wrought on what is left. If that happens to me, I am sure I will be driven to destroy this world." General O''Neil was pensive for a while, while Claire remembered a piece of information on Vex''s profile. Every time Vex was in a city where Potus would visit, Secret Service¡¯s agents accompanied by FBI agents and local police SWAT would kindly ask him to leave the city. As analysts in the Secret Service put Vex on the top list of people to watch out for, as a figure who had both the motive and means to kill Potus. General O''Neil took a deep breath before speaking softly, "The fact that up to this moment, Vex is not an enemy of this country is a miracle in my opinion." "Yeah." Claire nodded slightly before eating the last piece of waffle in her hand. ***** TFA1 3.3 - Major Military Equipment TFA1 3.3 ¨C Major Military Equipment Hangar A40, Edward AFB 08:05, 18 Nov 2023 After absorbing all the information he needed, Vex then directly examined the weapon system he would choose. Fortunately, the previous team had stored some samples at Edward AFB, one of the largest USAF Air Bases located 367 miles south of San Francisco. As soon as they arrived, Vex and Bob immediately rushed to Hangar A40, a small hangar located in a remote corner of Edward AFB. Over there, an arm dealer named Andrew Fox was already waiting for him. Vex had a few transaction through Andrew, so the two already knew each other. Without further ado Andrew brought Vex and Bob to enter the hangar. "Welcome to TF Victory''s showroom, what system would you like to see first?" Vex calmly answered, "LAV Shorad." "Good choice." Wasting no time Andrew brought Vex and Bob to see an 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle while giving them some explanation. The LAV Shorad was built based on LAV-25 that served as the backbone of USMC''s armored reconnaissance elements, and was combined with the simplified sensors and weapon systems on Stryker IM-Shorad. To enable air drop from Hercules, the outer armor of LAV-25 was removed so its combat weight fell from 16.5 to 12 tons. As for sensors, fire control systems, and the other sensitive equipment, the modular type was selected so it could be easily re-packaged using an anti-impact packing and quickly re-assembled after the drop. Scrap price for LAV-25 was USD 100 thousand, a running cost of USD 400 thousand, and another USD 1.5 million for sensors, fire control system, Chain-gun M230 30 mm, and Medium Machine Gun M240 7.62 mm. To add the ability to fire Stinger effectively, an additional USD 3 million was required. Meanwhile, radar, digital integrated network, and the ability to fire Longbow Hellfire brought the total price to USD 18 million, or equivalent to 2 units of M1A2 Abrams. The LAV Shorad was highly reliable for point air defense roles, such as convoy escort or hide-and-seek tactical deployment to intercept hostile flights. However, without area air defense it would not survive in a contest against high-tech adversary. An UAV flying at an altitude of 12,000 meters could kill LAV Shorad using smart ammunition without having to worry about retaliate fire, as Stinger could only reach a target at a maximum altitude of 3800 meters to a distance of 4500 meters. Vex turned to Andrew before saying, "Make a projection cost for three battalion of LAV Shorad, 36 units each, complete with support elements.¡± "Roger." Vex pondered for a moment before asking, "Can we install RIwP turret to M1151 Humvee, and combined it with M230, M240, and 4-cell Stinger launcher." Andrew answered steadily, "Just a suggestion, for a combination of three weapon systems in a Humvee, it would be more cost-effective if the Stinger is replaced with Talon laser-guided rocket. Humvees also can''t generate enough electricity to power the digital network centric, so the crews can only communicate using Loud Mouth Mk.2 aka radio." "No problem, give me the projection cost for 800 units Humvees equipped with RIwP then." "Roger." Andrew noted down Vex''s request while asking, ¡°In the list you gave me, I did not find M1A3 Abram, M2A5 Bradley, or other heavy assets. Are you sure about that?" Vex casually answered, ¡°The systems I buy are far less in type, but I can assure you the nominal are much larger, so don''t worry about the total value of this project." In the concept he composed, Vex indeed only spends 30% of the budget on the main weapon systems, and spent the remaining budget on spare parts and components. However, he also drew up new budget for massive purchase of ammunition separately. After grinning from ear to ear Andrew said, "Well, thanks then." After the initial inspection, Andrew then took Vex to an office and a bedroom he could use while he was at Edward AFB. --- Apartment 2701, Royal Crown Tower 22:10, 8 Dec 2023 Claire carefully compared the list assets of TF Victory and TF Amethyst, and the more she read it the more she creased her brows. ===//===//===//===//===//===//===//=== TF Victory Ground Combat Group M1A3 Abrams 124 unit M2A5 Bradley 350 unit Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.M270 MLRS 24 unit M109 Paladin 48 unit M142 HIMARS 12 unit Caesar SPH 155 28 unit Stryker (all variant) 840 unit Humvee 105 unit Air Combat Group F-15E 18 unit F-16/C/D 54 unit A-10 Warthog 32 unit AH-64E Apache 24 unit UH-60 Blackhawk 52 unit CH-47 Chinook 24 unit E-3 Sentry 8 unit C-130J Hercules 32 unit C-17E Globemaster 12 unit Artillery Howitzer 105 mm 148 units SAM Network 1 NASAM II 28 unit ===//===//===//===//===//===//===//=== TF Amethyst Ground Combat Group M113A3 144 unit M142 HIMARS 12 unit Caesar SPH 155 28 unit LAV (all variant) 200 unit Humvee (all variant) 2000 unit Air Combat Group AH-1Z Viper 16 unit UH-1Y Venom 10 unit CH-47 Chinook 36 unit P-8 Poseidon 18 unit C-130J Super Hercules 56 unit AV-8E Harrier II 48 unit V-22 Osprey 8 unit Artillery Howitzer 155 mm 72 unit Mortar 120 mm 164 unit Mortar 81 mm 54 unit Mortar 60 mm 80 unit SAM Network Tamir ADS 24 unit ===//===//===//===//===//===//===//=== Apart from cutting down on the types of assets, Vex also cut its numbers. Judging from the statistics, TF Amethyst''s combat capacity was only 30% of TF Victory''s. It made Claire deeply wondered about Vex¡¯s train of thought on it. "Does Vex underestimate the potential adversary to be faced, or he has solid reasons for his choice?" Without delay Claire then grabbed her smartphone and called Bob. "Bob, where''s Vex?" [We just finished talking with Raytheon¡¯s representatives, and Mr. Vex has entered his bedroom.] ". . . " [Do I need to wake him?] "No, but tomorrow I want to discuss a few things with him. Make sure he has the time.¡± [Understood.] "Thanks Bob, and good night." After disconnecting the call, Claire then typed various questions that popped up in her mind. --- Apartment 2304, Royal Crown Tower 08:20, 9 Dec 2023 Claire took a deep breath before turning her laptop on and activated a two-way secure connection. The connection could only be used to send text, but its security was almost unmatched. It took 30 seconds before Claire connected to Vex, and she immediately typed. ***** TFA1 3.4 - Departure TFA1 3.4 - Departure Shooting range on the outskirts of San Francisco 09:20, 16 Dec 2023 Claire lowered Sig Sauer P226 she had just used, and then turned her gaze towards General O''Neil. "I understand why Uncle chose TF Amethyst, but I''m not sure Vex will accept the offer to become your XO." "I''m sure you will succeed in persuading him." Claire nodded slightly. "I''ll do my best. But if I succeed, some people in Pentagon and White House will inevitably react negatively." Seeing Claire pouted her lips General O''Neil instantly smiled. "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of it." "Aye Sir!" Claire then inserted the second magazine before shooting at second paper target that had just been installed. Apart from persuading Vex, Claire also had to discuss a few things with him. For example, USMC was not willing to lease the AV-8B Harrier II, so Vex had to find a replacement. Also, for assault rifles she had to persuade Vex to use HK products, because she had already bought the company. ''I have to hurry.'' Claire muttered silently as she emptied the second magazine. --- Apartment 2304, Royal Crown Tower. 14:05, 19 Dec 2023 Vex stared at Claire for a long time, while inwardly he contemplating on the offer he had just heard. Claire would not only choose TF Amethyst, but also wanted him to become Executive Officer for it. Meanwhile, General O''Neil would become the Commanding Officer. In return Claire would help him get Nicole''s custody, in addition to helping his ex-wife''s company get out of the crisis. Vex took a deep breath before he finally answered, "I accept your offer, in exchange for salary as large as possible.¡± Surprise was clearly visible at Claire¡¯s eyes as she asked, ¡°What about your daughter custody?¡± ¡°I have no intention to take over Nicole¡¯s custody from Yumiko. I only intended to leave as much money as possible for her." Seeing Claire staring at him as if he was a rare animal, Vex sighed silently before adding, ¡°Miss Claire, let me explain a few things so you understand my situation." "Yes, please." Wasting no time, Vex started telling his story. It started on the day he was kicked out of Delta. Vex instinctively realized he had to stay away from home for a while. However, somehow he returned home in a state of utter chaos. Knowing that Vex had return from overseas mission, Nicole who had just come home from school, immediately ran in with a puppy she had just bought a few days earlier. Nicole cheerfully walked over to Vex who was sitting in the living room. Smiling as bright as the morning sun, she showed Vex a German shepherd puppy she named Lily. She was a cute puppy, and very friendly with Nicole. Then, Vex himself didn''t remember why he did it. Without a word, he grabbed Lily and threw her against the wall as hard as he could, and when Lily was teetering trying to get up, he shot her twice. Until this day, Vex still vividly remembered the horror reflected in Nicole''s eyes. Meanwhile, in a half-hysterical state Yumiko hugged Nicole before running out of home. A few minutes later the Military Police came and arrested Vex, and the next day Yumiko''s lawyer came to deliver a divorce papers. "The last time I met Nicole, she was hiding behind Yumiko, and was crying so hard when I tried to approach her." Claire stared deeply at Vex before asking, "Is that why you went to deep rural Louisiana to punish yourself?" "Maybe, at that time I only wanted to get out of this world. However, the longing to meet Nicole made me come back to the world again." While complicated expression flashed in his eyes Vex continued, "When I found Yumiko and Nicole living happily I was devastated, but not stupid enough to disturb them." Claire nodded slightly. Then, she said in half whisper, "Something that is lost can be recovered, but something you threw away will forever be lost even if you can find it." "True." "Now, I understand your goal. So work as hard as you can for me until your bones are broken into pieces if necessary. In return, I will give you unimaginable wealth." Still with a serious tone and expression, Claire added, ¡°I''ll also make sure your ex-wife''s company thrives. Of course without hinting that it has anything to do with you." Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Vex gave a small bow before saying with all sincerity. "Understood, Ma''am." --- Apartment 2304, Royal Crown Tower. 21:05, 20 Dec 2023 Beeeep! Beeeep! On reflex, Vex looked at the door while frowning. Today he gave Bob a day off. He also had no appointments with Claire. So he wondered who the guest had visited him so late at. Wasting no time Vex opened the door, and he was stunned for a while. "Long time no see, Vex." "Sir." Vex immediately invited General O''Neil in and led him into living room. With great curiosity, he then asked. "What''s your relationship with Ms. Claire, Sir?" "She is my niece, but not many people know about it and I want you to keep it that way." "Understood." General O''Neil nodded in satisfaction before saying, "I come to discuss the realization of TF Amethyst." Vex nodded, while inwardly he recalled the curiosity that had been bothering him for the past few days. The ability to shift a Battalion Combat Team to a radius of 1,000 km in 20 hours, the ability to operate in rainforests, deserts, savanna, marshes, snowy field and mountains, and highlands. In the dry season 85% of the operating area could be explored by wheeled armored vehicles, while in the wet season the percentage drops to 55%. Vex had a hard time imagining which African country had such a complex area of ??operation. In addition, TF Amethyst was also projected to be able to carry out ten non-war military operations. "Sir, in which countries TF Amethyst¡¯s area of ??operation is located?" General O''Neil casually replied, "TF Amethyst area of operation is not a country, but a continent. There is also a potential it will become an intercontinental area of operation." Seeing Vex staring at him wide-eyed, General O''Neil immediately continued. "In a few days we will visit it so you can understand the field conditions better. After that we will think of a quiet means to transport the equipment and personnel. Then, start recruiting personnel and purchasing assets. "For now, make me a cup of barley tea and serve it with whiskey. There are a lot of details we need to talk about." "Roger," Vex answered briefly before walking into the kitchen. --- Louis Cafe, Baltimore, Maryland. 09:10, 21 Dec 2023 Today Vex looked different from any other day. He did not only trim the beards that filled his face to the brim, but also wore a new and expensive suit. One hour before the appointed time he even had arrived at Louis Cafe, a small cafe near his ex-wife''s company. A smile instantly bloomed on Vex''s lips, as he saw Yumiko pass through the front door and went straight to his table. Yumiko still looked the same as when the last time he saw her, long shiny black hair, a distinctive oriental face, and a well-tuned body. "Thank you for coming." Yumiko nodded before sitting in front of Vex, and then in a flat tone she said, "For six months, I was desperately fighting the forced acquisition launched by Katsunori Holding without any progress. Then, last week they suddenly retreated when their victory was only a half-step away. Strangely, a few days later you asked to see me." In a calm tone Vex answered, "I have nothing to do with it." Yumiko took a deep breath while scorn filled her face for a moment. "Even though we haven''t seen each other in the last few years, I can still tell when you''re lying." Since Vex didn''t respond, while cold sweat started to appear on his forehead, Yumiko immediately continued. "Tell me what you want. As long as it has nothing to do with Nicole''s custody or my marriage, I''ll accept it." A bitter regret gripped Vex''s heart for a moment, before he calmed it down and said. "Can you give me Nicole''s pictures, from the moment of her birth until recently?¡± "Give me your smartphone." Without a word, Vex handed over his smartphone, and Yumiko was pondering for a while when she found that apart from two anonym numbers, there was nothing else on Vex¡¯s smartphone. What''s more, it was the smartphone she gave to Vex when they were together. Vex was also still using his old number and email. "When there''s a new photo I''ll email it to you, but you shouldn''t meet Nicole in person." Yumiko stared deeply at Vex before continuing in a super-serious tone. "Until now she still can''t see shooting scenes in a movie, hear the sound of firecrackers that are too close, or anything similar, and you must be aware the cause of all that." "Understood," Vex answered in a weak tone Yumiko then looked at Vex deeply, and she immediately sensed that deep down Vex kept a desire to return and live together with her and Nicole. However, she realized that it was literaly impossible. After heaved a sigh in silent Yumiko then said, "I don''t want to interfere with your life, but just a suggestion. You better find a new partner and start rebuilding your life." Vex smiled slightly before answering, "I''m working on it." Yumiko realized Vex was lying, but she chose not to say further. After nodding slightly, she then got up and walked towards the exit. --- Up to two hours after Yumiko left, Vex was still sitting in his chair, dumbfounded, feeling the turmoil in his heart that never subsided. General O''Neil who was sitting in a corner finally decided to approach Vex. "We can delay the departure to Amstelll Continent for a day or two." "No, we better get going. My goal in coming here has been accomplished." Vex sounded very steady. However, General O''Neil caught the regret and bitterness in his words. "Are you sure?" "Absolutely." Vex then called the waiter to pay the bill. Not long after that, he and General O''Neil walked out of Louis Cafe, and a luxury and bullet-proof SUV approached the two. --- Some Airspace, 150 km north of Antarctica. 01:30, 24 Dec 2023 In the cabin of CH-47 Chinook, Vex studied the technical data regarding Nouel. It was a type of plant that were similar to barley, very easy to grow, and could produce 2-3 harvests in a year. Nouel grains could be processed into dry biogas or liquid biogas, with a chemical structure similar to natural gas but having greater efficiency and higher combustion potential, as well as far more environmentally friendly. Vex put down the document in his hand before turning his gaze to General O''Neil. "Nouel has economic value above petroleum and natural gas. We also have US of A as a potential consumer. So, are you sure we won''t use military means as a shortcut?" General O''Neil calmly replied, "If military power is TF Amethyst''s primary means, I wouldn''t recruit you as an XO but a trigger happy idiot." Vex pondered for a while before saying, "Well, I know how to build ground and aerial assets and help you operate them. But I''m blind to naval assets." General O''Neil nodded and replied, "Don''t worry, someone is already taking care of the planning for Amphibious Strike Group. Besides, for the first two years we''ll just be sitting around on Amstell Continent." "Understood." Vex then leaned back his head to the chair before closing his eyes. ***** TFA1 3.5 - Contact TFA1 3.5 - Contact Air Space, 20 km north of Harley Quinn. 09:00, 12 April 2024 Four C-130J Super Hercules flew at an altitude of 480 meters above the ground in two rows. Each Hercules carried two logistics pallets, an LAV Shorad, and the LAV''s crew. In short, the flight of Hercules was carrying an armored reconnaissance element with callsign Willy Fox. Its objective was conducting a jump on full combat load, and then patrolling Outer Protection Line on the north of Harley Quinn. In the lead Hercules on the left, Captain Stark sat quietly while chewing gum. When he was still an active duty in 82nd Airborne Division, he participated in several combat jumps with LAV-25 in the mix. Therefore, he was aware it was not a simple jump and quite dangerous actually. Years ago, in a night airdrop on the border of A-Stan and I-Ran, he was tasked to lead the security element. He and his men had to jump first and provide the physical space for the vehicles and its crew so they could do the combat preparation in a sterile area. In other words, the vehicles were dropped inside the security element''s Dropping Zone. In his life, Captain Stark had never ran so hard to move away from a Dropping Zone, when someone shouted that they were bringing in several LAV-25 with the wind went in the unwanted direction. If the LAV dropped correctly, he had thirty seconds to see to which way the wind was blowing and stepped away from the drag track. However, if the LAV''s parachutes didn''t bloom perfectly, he only had ten second before an LAV pounds him like a hammer. Then, relief instantly filled Captain Stark''s heart as he managed to dodge the falling LAV-25. But a moment later, he heard over the radio that two of his company members had mishap. One was a platoon commander. An LAV-25 hit him and half of his body turned into tomato sauce. The unfortunate Lieutenant dislocated his right ankle during the landing, and failed to step away from the drag track. The second fallen soldier was a private who joined his unit a few days before. The unfortunate private was still trying to take off his parachute when an LAV-25 fell on him. That very day, Captain Stark stopped praying to God. Airborne operations were inherently high risk and complex operations, and the dangerous level went up several folds when heavy assets like armored vehicles were added to the mix. Even US Army top brass would only launch airborne operations when Jarhead was not available for a hundred miles from the area of operation. Then, finally the light on Hercules¡¯s cabin turned red, while the ramp door slowly opened. In an instant, Captain Stark let out a deep breath. ''At least TF Amethyst using a procedure where the personnel jump last.'' The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Without delay, Captain Stark then ordered the final check. --- Other than Vehicle Commander, Driver, and Gunner. LAV Shorads usually also carried a pair of scout snipers, whose job was to check and prevent choke points from being used as ambush site by opposing force. As soon as they arrived on the ground, each personnel immediately carried out their designated duties. Scout Sniper immediately secured the perimeter. They knelt down, watching the sector they were responsible for and ready to receive warning from MQ-9 Reaper circling in the sky. Meanwhile, the driver filled the fuel tank and started the LAV Shorad''s engine. At the same time, the commander vehicle and gunner worked hand in hand to install RIwP remote turret, followed by weapons, sensors, radar, antenna communications, before finally turned the integrated digital system and network on. Within 12 minutes, all LAV Shorad were ready for combat and connected to Command Center on Harley Quinn. Willy Fox¡¯s personnel also left nothing. They folded the parachute they just used, and then tied it to the side of LAV Shorad, along with neatly bundled pieces of wooden pallets. Wasting no time, the four LAV Shorads were closing in and form a defensive perimeter. Then, Captain Stark had just reported to Harley Quinn that the jump was successful when Reaper sent a warning. [Sky Eye to Willy Fox, be advise, multiple unidentified bowmen closing in from your left, 200 meters, do you copy?] ''What the¡­ How did they sneak up on us so close undetected?'' Captain Stark grumbled and he just about to press PTT button when one of the scout snipers shouted a warning. "Contact left! Incoming arrows!!" In an instant, all Willy Fox¡¯s personnel docked and knelt on the right side of LAV Shorad. With pounding hearts they waited for the salvo of arrows raining down their positions to stop. Then, they immediately scrambled to enter their LAV Shorad. "Sir, requesting permission to launch retaliate fire, confirm." "Light them up!" Captain Stark calmly replied. The Gunner immediately directed the 30 mm M230 Chain-gun at the bushes where the salvo of arrows came from, then selected Air Burst ¨C Tracer round, and pressed the trigger. The 30 mm AB-T projectile was guided by a laser range finder and computer, where the detonation could be set at a distance of 0.5 - 3 meters from the target. Its damage potential was equivalent to a high fragmentation grenade. However, with a velocity at 805 m/s, the damage potential increased four times. Even though he didn''t see any human silhouettes, Gunner occasionally saw a light pink mist spraying to the air and it made him excited. At the same time, Captain Stark ordered two LAV Shorad to press forward, followed by two others with a slightly wide formation, ready to respond to an unexpected surprise. However, the salvo of arrows last only for a few seconds. After Reaper confirmed that there was no more opposition in the area, the scout sniper carried out a site inspection, and all they could find were minced meat and pool of bloods made from around 40 humans. One of the Scout Snipers then brought Captain Stark to examine a hole connected to an underground tunnel. "No wonder they managed to sneak up on us. Fortunately, we suffered no casualties from their ambush.¡± "Yeah." The scout sniper nodded slightly, and then pointed to a trail of blood near the tunnel entrance. "Two people, 15-20 minutes before their death. I can catch up to them, give them medical treatment, and then interrogate them." Captain Stark firmly shook his head. "Negative, we have no intel about opposition in this tunnel. Let¡¯s wait for Command Center to decide the next step.¡± "Roger." The scout sniper was disappointed, but he said nothing further. ***** TFA1 3.6 - Camp Terry TFA1 3.6 - Camp Terry XO Office, 4th Floor of Main Building, Harley Quinn MOA. 09:20, 12 April 2024 Grapass was an old slave from Lionel Region. He spent half of his life teaching children from noble families Amstell Language. Until finally six months ago a group of people bought him and a dozen other slaves. He and other slaves were then taken to a giant camp located on Desolate Land. Grapass still remembered the horror in his heart, when he entered the camp for the first time. At that time, he thought that people who bought him would use him and other slaves as bait to hunt Gray Wolf or Black Eagle. However, slowly but surely his horror turned into curiosity after he saw that clothing, equipment, and tents of the people who had bought him were very unusual. What''s more, those people treat him and other slaves with great respect. Grapass returned to his old profession, but this time his students treated him like a free human. They even called him Teacher Grapass. He also got a huge salary and nice accommodation. In a matter of weeks, the tents on the camp also turned into a giant complex called Harley Quinn. And under Harley Quinn, Grapass heard there was another giant complex. However, he did not have permission to enter it. Among his students, Grapass was most impressed by one person. The student''s name was Vex, who loved to wear a T-shirt with puppy pictures. According to Vex, her only daughter was a puppy lover, and somehow Grapass could feel that Vex looked very sad every time he touched the puppy pictures in his chest. Vex arrived at Harley Quinn for the first time last January. After that, he went back and forth, and only started settling in Harley Quinn three days ago, right after the name TF Amethyst used by people in Harley Quinn. However, even though Vex only attended his class 3-4 times a month, he was the first student to graduate from his class. And not only graduated but was able to speak like the rural people or the nobles in the city fluently. Now, Grapass only needed to accompany Vex to chat to help him master some local accents on Amstell Continent. Grapass smiled before saying, "Ser Vex, just a little more and you will master the accents on the southern area of Amstell Continent." "It was all thanks to Teacher Grapass'' help." Vex handed Grapass a Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Watches before adding, "Sorry, only now can I thank Teacher for your help." Grapass spontaneously refuses the Hamilton Watches. "Ser Vex, TF Amethyst has given me freedom and a new life. So, it''s more than enough." Vex smiled before saying, "Teacher, please don''t hesitate. This watch is not a luxury product, but represents the spirit of the place where I come from and I want Teacher to have it." In the end, Grapass accepted Vex''s gift, and the two of them were chatting over tea. Then, Nate entered the room with hasty steps. "Vex, we have a situation." The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Vex nodded slightly, then turned to Grapass. "Teacher, sorry, it looks like the lesson has to stop here." "Understood." Grapass then got to his feet, and after giving a small bow to Vex and Nate, he quickly left the room. --- Camp Terry As soon as report from Captain Stark came in, Harley Quinn immediately sent reinforcement. The entrance leading to the underground tunnel was widened, while security perimeter to ward off Gray Wolf and Black Eagle was established. The emergency compound was named Camp Terry, and when Vex arrived, he was greeted by a salvo of Chain Gun M230 30 mm trying to repel a flock of Black Eagles. While shaking Vex''s hand, Colonel Meyer said, "We''ve already taken down five Black Eagles leads, but other flocks are still coming." "Then, we will continue to take down every incoming herd''s leads." Vex then followed Colonel Meyer to command tent, where a geologist from Brazil named Elias Carlos was preparing a drawing desk. Colonel Meyer casually said, "Carlos, please enlighten us." "Sure." Carlos nodded slightly before starting to explain, "So far we only know the tunnel leads to the north and south. No idea how far, how many levels, or how many branches. Fortunately, the tunnel walls are made of a dense, hard, and dry layer. So radio waves can work well in the tunnel." Vex raised his hand before asking, "Are we going to do paperless cave mapping?" "Yes, but not as instant as you see in the movies. We still have to send exploration teams down to the tunnel." Carlos held out a 1 meter long stick, made of polymer, and there was a big light and a micro emitter at the top of it. Then, with a sparkling face he resumed his explanation. "Allow me to introduce Disto Beacon. This tool will help the mapping process using radio waves, as well as being a relay for communication networks. The explorer teams just needs to stick it along the tunnel with a distance of 200 meters or at every turn. Then, the computer will do the basic mapping. But for more in-depth results, specialists should be sent to do the mapping and analysis manually, using compass, clinometer, drawing board, shovel, and other primitive tools." Colonel Meyer then turned to Vex. "I''ve prepared the explorer teams. We just need the goals and priorities." Vex tapped his fingers on the table before saying, "The priority right now is to find out whether this tunnel is a threat to Harley Quinn or not. After that, we''ll decide what to do next." ""Understood."" Colonel Meyer and Carlos calmly replied in unison. --- The exploration teams prepared by Colonel Meyer consisted of 80 personnel from CQB Company. They were divided into 8-man squads, where 5 teams would move north and the other five would move south. Each team would bring 30 Disto Beacons, and enter the tunnel at 15-minute intervals. Right at the tunnel entrance, Carlos placed the first Disto Beacon. After confirming that it was functioning properly and connected to the mapping computer, Carlos nodded at Vex. Vex then looked at the exploration teams before saying, "Well, good luck and don''t get lost down there." """"Sir.""""" All of exploration teams¡¯ personnel smiled slightly, and then they began the operation. The first team to move south was Sierra One, led by Sergeant Kurt. Meanwhile, the first team to move north was Utah One, led by Sergeant Marco. The first two teams immediately entered the tunnel, and it wasn''t long before both of them were out of sight. ***** TFA1 3.7 - Gold TFA1 3.7 - Gold With the help of NVG, Sierra One navigated the underground tunnel. The tunnel was meandered but it did not branch. So Sierra One kept moving forward. Every 200 meters, a Disto Beacon would be plugged into the tunnel floor. Meanwhile, two pointmen armed with silenced Scorpion Evo stood guard eight meters ahead. The 24th Disto Beacon had just been activated, when out of nowhere a silhouette of an archer entered one of the pointman''s crosshairs. Be-beep! Be-beep! As soon as the archer knocked an arrow, shots were fired. "Contact front! Contact front!" At the same time, other archers appeared. Without hesitation, the two pointmen showered them with short outbursts while pressing forward side by side. Behind the pointmen, the other Sierra One members followed tightly. Be-beep! Be-beep! Be-bebebeeep! "Change!" When one of the pointman knelt to change magazines, the Sierra One personnel behind him swiftly replaced him, so they could kept moving forward without pause. Within seconds, Sierra One arrived before the bodies of eight archers lying on the tunnel floor. To make sure there were no unpleasant surprises, every archer got an additional headshot. A few meters behind the archers'' bodies, one of the pointman found a turn. Cautiously, he peered in and found eight archers already in an aiming position. Not far in front of them, a trip wire lay 20 cm above the floor. Pointman immediately gave a signal of a booby trap, and then requested the use of a flashbang before changing the magazine. Wasting no time, Sergeant Kurt quickly took a flashbang from his waist, and removed the safety ring while gripped the detonation lever. Then, he showed it to the pointman. As soon as the pointman nodded, Sergeant Kurt threw the flashbang into the turn. Baam! Be-bebebeeep! Be-bebebeeep! Without showing his body, the pointman fired a full magazine of spray and pray into the turn. After that, two personnel stepped forward, entered the turn, and shot at anything that was still moving. "Threat eliminated, threat eliminated!" As soon as a safe signal was heard, one of Sierra One personnel with combat engineer qualifications immediately inspected the trip wire, and then turned to Sergeant Kurt. "This trip wire is designed to trip the target, without other tricks." "Fuck me!" cursed Sergeant Kurt before taking a deep breath, "We just missed our chance to dig up intel." The pointman who identified the booby trap immediately scratched the back of his head. "Sorry Boss." "Naah, not your fault. I will also not take an unidentified risk to capture one or two weasels." Two personnel were then stationed to guard the turn until Sierra Two arrived, while the rest of Sierra One continued the journey. A hundred and fifty meters from the location of versus contact, Sierra One finds a huge hall full of wooden crates. When Sergeant Kurt opened one of the wooden crates to check the content, all Siera One personnel instantly dropped their jaws in shock. --- "Received and understood, we have a threat with an unknown number in the tunnel, Utah One, over and out." After receiving the latest intel from command center, Sergeant Marco turned to the paramedic who was examining two bodies sitting side by side and leaning against the tunnel wall. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "What did you find?" "They were part of the group that tried to ambush Willy Fox. Both died from blood loss." Sergeant Marco nodded slightly. "We''d better continue with our work then." Without wasting time, one of Utah One personnel stuck the Disto Beacon into the tunnel floor. But before he activated it, the pointman suddenly shouted. "Contact front! Sixty Metro!" All Utah One personnel dropped to the tunnel floor simultaneously, and then crept toward the pointman position. With pounding hearts, they observed the approaching three rows of huge shields. Not long after that, the whir of arrows passed their position. --- When he heard a group of people in green clothes gathered near the entrance to the second storage room, Captain Skutt immediately ordered a platoon to eliminate them. However, not long after that, he received a report that the people in green clothes wiped out the platoon he sent. The squad guarding the second storage room then reported several people in black clothes moving closer to their position. After that, he also lost the contact with the squad guarding the second storage room. Captain Skutt then led 80 of his best men to carry out a sweep. This time luck seemed to be on his side. As soon as a scout reported that several people in black clothes were gathered 60 meters from a turn, he immediately prepared a welcome party. Captain Skutt and his men had been living in the underground camp for six months, and had simulated tunnel ambushes hundreds of times. So he and his men could fight in the tunnel very well. In the leading position, six people carried three wooden shields covered with iron plates in pairs. The shield team moved side by side in silence, followed by twenty archers. Behind the archers, Captain Skutt led the spearman and swordsman. As soon as all archers behind the shield team passed the turn, they immediately launch a salvo. At first, Captain Skutt was a bit surprised that one of the people in black clothes noticed their presence just before the arrows were fired. but that seems to be just a coincidence. After a loud shout, no more sound could be heard from people in black clothes. A smile instantly spread across Captain Skutt''s lips. "Don''t stop! Keep moving and pressing!" "Sir, yes Sir!" Archers in front of Captain Skutt confidently firing arrows, while the spearman and swordsman behind him tightened their grip. Then, flash after flash appeared from the position of people in black clothes, followed by ''Tap tap tap ta-ta-ta-tap!'' sound on the shield. "Your arrows won''t be able to penetrate our shields." Captain Skutt muttered confidently, but the shield team suddenly collapsed, followed by archers behind them. Then, he felt a sting in his chest while his knees lost strength. As his body collapsed onto the tunnel floor, Captain Skutt could hear the spearman and swordsman behind him frantically fleeing. Of course, most of them fell to the tunnel floor and stopped moving. "How could be?" Captain Skutt muttered before his consciousness was lost for eternity. --- Vex cradled a 2-kg gold bar marked with Makai Central Bank before turning to Carlos. "Is this really pure gold?" Carlos smiled before replying, "Yep, you can bite it to test it." Colonel Meyer then added, "There are 5 tons of such gold in the storage room that Siera One found. For other storage rooms, we''re waiting for your green to check them." Vex didn''t answer immediately, but re-read the result of IDG''s interrogation of several wounded guards captured by Utah One. Even though their leader was dead, the captured guards still had some essential intels. These intels were a great help for Vex, as what lay ahead of him was a pure unknown. The intel were: -- Underground gold mine with 600 guards and 1500 slave workers. -- The owner of the underground gold mine is unknown, but judging by how they kept the mine presence as a secret, it is certain that the owner has no relationship with Kingdom of Makai. -- The gold mine operations center is located 5 km to the north from Utah One versus contact location. There are three other storage rooms similar to the one that was found by Sierra One. Colonel Meyer looked at Vex deeply before asking, "XO, what are you worried about? We have a Tunnel War specialist." "I''m not worried about the Tunnel War, but the owner of the mine." "You want to avoid open conflict?" Vex took a deep breath before replying, "Yeah, that''s why we have to quickly find the owner and silence him or her along with anyone who knows about the gold mine. At the same time, the gold mine must be seized and isolated as quickly as possible without attracting attention." ""Understood."" Colonel Meyer and Carlos answered in unison. ***** TFA1 3.8 - They Are Not Enemies TFA1 3.8 - They Are Not Enemies TF Amethyst''s initial structure, personnel, and assets were only completed last week. Most of the personnel had arrived at Harley Quinn, but only a small portion of assets had followed. For example, from 108 units of LAV Shorad, only 12 units had arrived. While from 2000 units of humvees, only 300 were in operation. Overall, it took 6-9 months before all TF Amethyst''s assets arrived. Meanwhile, judging from the number of personnel in the gold mine, it was likely that they had connections with the nearest Region. Considering that logistics for more than a thousand people was no simple matter. Therefore, to seize the gold mine, TF Amethyst mustered a sizable element from what it already had, and packed it into TF Raider. While TF Raider¡¯s personnel carried out the final preparation, General O''Neil talked to Brigadier General Rayden in one corner of the Underground Motor Pool. General O''Neil asked casually, "What do you think?" Brigadier General Rayden took a deep breath before replying, "130 km to northwest is Rowane Region. 150 km to west is Lionel Region. These two are not formidable opponents if we are at full strength." General O''Neil nodded slightly. "Unfortunately, contact has already taken place and we can''t just ignore them." "Yeah, and once we''ve snatched this gold mine, we had to always be on guard." "Just a little curious, are you worried because there is a possibility we will enter an open conflict?" Brigadier General Rayden calmly replied, "Nope." "Good." General O''Neil smiled broadly, and then approached TF Raider¡¯s personnel who had just finished their preparation. "Gentlemen, you all already know your job. So good luck." """Sir.""" TF Raider¡¯s personnel answered calmly in unison, and then climbed into their vehicles. Not long after that, a long convoy drove through exit tunnel and in an instant arrived at the surface. Once the convoy passed the main gate, they then broke up according to their tasks. Three convoys of 4 units M1151 Ripper and 6 units M1152 Personnel Carrier each, they would attack the three storage rooms similar to the one that Sierra One found, and then combed the underground tunnel to the operation center of the gold mine. As for the main convoy consisting of 4 units LAV Shorad, 16 units M1151 Reapers, and 12 units M1152 Personnel Carriers would directly attack the operation center of the gold mine from surface. Meanwhile, the largest convoy consisting of QRF elements, artillery, air defense, paramedics, logistics, and engineers went straight to Camp Terry. --- Six km east of Camp Terry, by relying on intelligence from IDG''s interrogation, East Raider managed to find the entrance to underground tunnel. The entrance had a double-locked iron bars on the inside. However, East Raider¡¯s personnel easily opened it using C4. The crew of M1151 Ripper and M1152 Personnel Carrier then secured the entry point, while 24 combatants entered the tunnel. Even if the opposing side was used to live in the underground tunnels and could see in the dark quite well, East Raider¡¯s personnel were not worried at all. They were not only had NVG, but also was trained to fight in tight spaces and had extraordinary adaptability. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. In steady steps, East Raider¡¯s personnel moved forward until finally one of pointmen saw an activity 70 meter up ahead. East Raider¡¯s personnel immediately docked against tunnel''s wall, while Sergeant Adams approached the pointman. "Contact front, 80-100 hostiles." The pointman whispered while pointing to people who were loading wooden crates into carts. Sergeant Adams watched the loading for a moment before saying, "Some will passing ours position. Let¡¯s ambush them and dig intel from one or two." The East Raider¡¯s personnel then swiftly took positions and waited quietly. It wasn''t long before three carts approached their position. Crosshairs were immediately placed on the heads of incoming targets. --- Until two months ago, Emil was a servant in a mansion of a noble from Lionel Region. Unfortunately, he accidentally offended his master. He was then sold to a slave trader and ended up in an illegal gold mine at the entrance of Desolate Land. From the slave workers who had arrived before him, Emil learned that the gold mine had been operating for eight months, and had killed more than 1000 slave workers. The dead toll was high because the slave workers have to work 18 hours/day without adequate food. Emil''s body also rapidly declined to its lowest point. Even so, his determination to escape remained strong, and this morning Emil saw an opportunity. First, he saw Captain Skutt furiously leading his men down to south tunnel. Two hours later, a rumor about Captain Skutt and his men being slaughtered by a demon in black clothes was heard. The situation in the gold mine instantly became tense. The guards who used to be ruthless turned quiet, and anxiety was visible on their faces. And when he and around a hundred of slave workers were asked to move the gold from east storage to operational center without an escort, Emil immediately laughed cheerfully in his heart. Other slave workers were worry that the black-clothed demon would eat them, but for Emil, the absence of the guards was an opportunity to escape. ''Besides, the guards would at most run away if the black-clothed demon appeared.'' Cheerfully, Emil touched the small crowbar that he tied around his waist. At this moment, Emil decided he had only two choices. Manage to escape or die trying. He swore that he would no longer live as a slave worker. When he reached the exit point on the east, Emil would try to dismantle the double-locked iron bars. If other slave workers wanted to come with him, he didn''t mind. If not, he didn''t mind either. The more Emil imagined the freedom before his sight, the lighter the cart he was pushing. Then, without warning, several black-clothed figures suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Before Emil and other slave workers could react, an arm wrapped around their necks from behind, and then violently strangled them. A moment later everything turned pitch black. --- A few years ago, when he was still a member of Operational Detachment Alpha at US Green Beret, Sergeant Adams had a mission to confirm the presence of an HVT hiding in a cartel compound in the deep of Amazon rainforest. Blackhawk dropped him and the three team members 5 km from the target location. Then, he and his man would approach the target location on foot. Until finally, when Sergeant Adams and his man arrived at a slope, 40 men armed with arrows suddenly surrounded them from a higher position. All of them wore Indian-style clothes, looked fierce, and gave the impression of a trigger-happy idiot. Sergeant Adam and the team were not only outnumbered but also out-positioned. He was sure he and his man could finish off a dozen of their besiegers before they were killed. However, Sergeant Adams chose a different approach which could be considered reckless. Although he was very nervous inwardly, Sergeant Adams casually lowered his M4, and then took out a pack of Lucky Strikes, lit one, and made a leisure puff. As if talking to an old friend, he then said in Spanish, "Dude, we''re lost. Can you help us show the way?" Miraculously, the Indians responded to Sergeant Adams'' word by lowering their aims. Then, tensions melted away when one of the Indians asked for a cigarette. Cigarettes then distributed, small talk began, and most importantly information was extracted. Intel regarding terrain in the area was obtained to the smallest detail, with the price of several sacks of corns, green beans, bacon, and beers airlifted by a Blackhawk. The reconnaissance mission was scheduled to last for 12 days, but eventually it was finished in just 5 days. HVT was then captured on his way to the town to meet his trusted courier, and the high-risk raid on the cartel compound was scrapped. Since then, Sergeant Adams has come to truly understand the principle of ''Sometimes, enemies don''t become enemies until you decide it that they are enemies.'' It was a principle that the instructor of clandestine course for US Green Beret continued to shout at their student. As he saw the people who pushing the carts were unarmed, while their wrists and feet were tied with a rope 50 cm long. Sergeant Adams immediately lowered his aim. ''The heck, they''re not enemies.'' ***** TFA1 3.9 - Finally, Lets Roll. TFA1 3.9 - Finally, Let''s Roll Sergeant Adams looked at the slave workers who sat against the tunnel¡¯s wall. Then, he knelt before one of them. He wanted to offer a cigarette, but after seeing the slave worker¡¯s lips were very dry, he then chose to offer his water canteen. The slave worker unhesitatingly accepted the water canteen, took a sip and then passed it to slave worker next to him. "What is your name?" Sergeant Adams started a conversation. "Emil from Lionel Region." "Emil, are you slave worker in this mine?" "Yes." "Then, we''re not a threat to you. We''re here to hunt the guards." A question mark instantly appeared on Emil''s forehead. "Hunting the guards?" "Yeah, and we can offer water, food, and medical treatment if you are willing to help us." "I''m willing, but right now I''m too weak to fight." In an instant, a smile spread across Sergeant Adams'' lips. "No problem, we just need information and some guides." Without hesitation Emil nodded. "I''ll help." An attempt to coax the slave workers then launched. At first, they hesitated when Sergeant Adams said he would take them out. The slave workers also didn''t budge when Emil coaxed them. The slave workers'' doubts only began to fade when food and water were mentioned. Then, completely collapsed when Sergeant Adams said they didn''t need to carry wooden crates containing gold bars. After they were sure Sergeant Adams did not intend to use them to move the gold bars and then finish them off, the slave workers were then willing to follow Sergeant Adams to entry point which was now widely open. Under illumination of carbide lamp, the slave workers then happily enjoyed the fresh breeze that for a long time they didn''t felt. --- When carrying out missions outside of Harley Quinn, the logistics units would provide each personnel with a carton of 12 packs MRE and a carton of 12 cups pickled fruit. If the mission was scheduled for more than four days, each personnel would receive two cartons of MRE and pickled fruit. As for freshwater, every four personnel would have a 20-liter jerry can. Therefore, East Raider was able to feed 100 slave workers with ease. Swiftly, four East Raider¡¯s personnel warmed 10 cartons of MRE using a flameless heater. Then, they distributed it to slave workers along with 10 cartons of pickled fruit and five jerry cans of freshwater. Dinner went fast. Then, the session to dig information up was started and slave workers who were already full, happily answered every question. The underground tunnel structure turned out to be simple as previous intel suggested. The problem was, to enter the operational center they had to pass a 20 meters special design tunnels that had five blocking walls. Sersan Adams turned his gaze to Emil before asking, "Emil, how fast the guards can deploy this blocking wall?" "Very fast. It¡¯s inserted it in the ceiling. The guard only need to remove the pillar that supports it using a lever and the blocking wall will instantly fall to block the entrance." This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Sersan Adams then turned to Combat Engineer Collins, "Five concrete walls, each one are 50 cm thick with solid iron frame. Can you destroy it without making the tunnel collapse?" "With the right equipment and adequate explosives, it''s a piece of pie. We have what we need in one of M1152, but to bring it we need four people." Emil enthusiastically said, "I and my friends can help. We can also bring food and water to calm slave workers at Slave Hall." In an instant a smile spread on Sergeant Adams''s lips, "Problem solved, let''s finish this job." New intel was immediately sent to Camp Terry, and while the rest of the slave workers waited for transportation to move them to Camp Terry, East Raider continued to sweep the underground tunnel along with 14 slave workers. The slave workers would take turns to become guides and push three carts. One of the carts was carrying explosives and equipment to destroy the blocking walls, while the other two carried MRE, pickle fruits, freshwater, and spare ammunition. --- Command Center Tent, Camp Terry. As soon as intel from East Raider came in, IDG immediately processed it. At the same time, a suggestion to persuade the slave workers to help was sent to other teams. Not long after that, new intel was sent by Utah One, North Raider, and West Raider. And after dinner, Vex received an update from Major Maxwell. "A slave worker named Emil said the guard bought supplies from a merchant in Lionel Region. But so far, IDG¡¯s elements in the Lionel City don¡¯t see any reaction from Lionel Guard.¡± Vex nodded slightly before turning to Colonel Meyer, "How about the sweeping in the tunnel?¡± "Main Raider, East Raider, West Raider, and North Raider are ready to break the Blocking Wall. As for Sierra and Utah, they don''t carry equipment and enough explosives. So they have to wait until demolition team arrive and help them." "Well, let''s starts breaching the blocking wall then.¡± "Roger." Without delay, Colonel Meyer grabbed his radio and sent the raid order. --- 8.5 km north of Camp Terry, stood a rocky hill. Its peak was 150 meters, with a total area of ????16 square kilometers. Reaper on patrol had detected the activities inside of the rocky hill months ago, including the cave on the east side of the hill which was the only entrance. Every eight days there was also a small convoy of supplies that visited the rocky hill. However, IDG¡¯s officers concluded the people who established the base inside of rocky hill were Gray Wolf hunters, and the option to eliminate them was crossed out. TF Amethyst ground patrols also kept their distance from rocky hill to avoid contact. In short, no one had thought that under the rocky hill was actually an illegal gold mine. At exactly 1905 hours, Main Raider arrived at the cave''s mouth on the east side of rocky hill, and immediately set up a defensive perimeter to prevent interference from Gray Wolf. Twenty personnel then climbed the rocky hill to find an entrance from above. Meanwhile, 80 others were on standby in front of the cave''s mouth. Major Jansen looked at the Blocking Wall which was already standing still when the Main Raider arrived, then turning to Combat Engineer Phillips. "Can you destroy it?" "The data of Blocking Wall seems to be exactly the same as the intel from East Raider, but since this Blocking Wall is much wider, it will be easier to destroy it." "Good, but I wonder how they built this damn wall and inserted it into ceiling." Combat Engineer Phillips pulled out a pocketbook before explaining, "At Amstell Continent, the technology for making a blocking wall and insert them into ceiling of a city or castle gate has been carefully researched and developed over the last thousand years. As a result, almost all Regions on Amstell Continent were able to construct extremely sturdy Blocking Walls and simple pulleys capable of lifting loads up to several tons." "Thank you for the explanation." With a half run Major Jansen then walked away, before Combat Engineer Phillips had time to read the next page. At the same time, a radio call came in. [Charlie Tango to All Raider, party is a go.] "..." [I say again, party is a go, good luck.] An ear-to-ear grin instantly appeared on Major Jansen''s lips. ''Finally, let''s roll.'' ***** TFA1 3.10 - First Breach TFA1 3.10 - First Breach Lieutenant Rodriguez swiftly led 15 personnel from CQB Company, 2 Combat Engineers, and 2 Communications Specialists hike to the top of Rocky Hill. His mission was to block the opposing side¡¯s communication network. The Signal Squadron under IDG hadn¡¯t grasped how crystal communicator worked. So the blocking operation must be carried out using a direct intervention. Based on intel from IDG, the target was a rock mound on the highest peak and had barred windows facing four cardinal directions. Pointman found it just when the raid command was launched by Colonel Meyer. Wasting no time Lieutenant Rodriguez gave the order, "We''re going in." The security perimeter immediately erected. Meanwhile, one of the pointmen peered into the mound where transmitter for crystal communicator was located. "Nobody home," the pointman whispered over the radio. The two combat engineers then grinned before starting to work. First, they measured the thickness and density of the mound walls. Then calculate the required blast power and pattern After that, drilling was started using a 2 mm steel bolt, followed by a larger bolt until a 10 mm diameter hole and 15 cm long was formed. In 80 minutes, 32 holes with a zigzag pattern were created. Then, they inserted TNT as big as pencil into each borehole. The combat engineers chose TNT because to destroy a structure from inside, a low-velocity but heavy explosion was more effective than a high-velocity sharp explosion, because the impact would last longer inside the wall and created wider cracks. This was also the reason why dynamite was used in mining, rock blasting, and building destroying. The problem was, unlike plastic explosive, the factory-made TNT was produced in the form of a block. So, the Combat Engineer Platoon had to produce their TNT and shaped it according to the field need. It was not an easy job, considering that TNT was one of the most difficult explosives to mix manually. Fortunately, the Combat Engineer Platoon had a lot of explosive junkies who thought that any challenge in the process of explosive production was a bliss. Therefore, the production of home-made TNT went smoothly. Bam! All of the TNT was detonated simultaneously, but the sound was no louder than a single blow to a sandbag and without vibration or shaking. A moments later, the cracks in the mound''s wall collapsed to form a 2¡Á1 m hole and a pile of gravel beneath it. After the room was secured, the two communications specialists started their work immediately. They carefully examined the transmitter for crystal communicator in the center of the room. There were four transmitters. It had a shape like a spotlight, 40 cm in diameter, and each facing a window. After examining the transmitter holder that penetrated the floor, the two communication specialists immediately concluded. "Their communication post is below this room." "Bingo." Pointman confirmed the communications specialist''s deduction by pointing to the iron hatch he was guarding. The two combat engineers then checked the structure and thickness of iron hatch. After making a short calculation, they turned their gaze to Lieutenant Rodriguez. ""Very sturdy, but we could blow it up."" Lieutenant Rodriguez instantly frowned. "A large entry point is ideal. But we''re not out in the open. We shouldn''t attract attention either." One of the communications specialists immediately added, "We should also take the entire crystal communicator as intact as possible." Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The sparkling in the two combat engineers'' gazes immediately dimmed, then in a low voice the two said, ""We will use cold breach then."" Within 2 minutes, the two combat engineers managed to trick the lock on the iron hatch. Two team members then prepared to open the hatch, while the two pointmen and four team members prepared to enter. "Ready." "Set." "Go." As soon as the iron hatch was opened, the first pointman immediately aimed his silenced Glock 19 to every corner of his view. Surprisingly, he found no movement or sound from within the room, but he smelled blood and some burning. Without delay, the first pointman jumped down and he found three bodies lying on the floor, in a pool of blood. Meanwhile, a pile of scrolls was being devoured by the fire in the hearth. "Cover me." The first pointman immediately ran to the hearth to save the scroll that had not been devoured by fire. Meanwhile, the second pointman who had just set foot in the room swiftly protected him. --- Major Jansen carefully observed the 3x2 meter hole in the blocking wall. Destroying the concrete on the blocking wall was not difficult. The problem was, inside the blocking wall there was an iron frame made of iron bars with a diameter of 2 cm. "How long will it take to cut this iron frame?" Combat engineer Phillips immediately replied, "It will take time, but we''re doing our best." "Good." Under Combat Engineer Phillips'' direction, the process of cutting the iron frame then began. At the same time, Major Jansen received a radio call. [High Raider to Main Raider, do you read me?] "Main Reader to High Raider, loud and clear, go ahead." [We secured the communication post and some documents. Three operators of crystal communicator were already dead when we entered.] "Good, stand by and be vigilant for now. We still haven''t crossed the first blocking wall." [Received and understood, High Raider, over and out.] --- East Raider was the first team to arrive at the special tunnel which connected to the center of the gold mine, and as expected, once the guards in the special tunnel were cornered, they immediately lowered the blocking wall. The combat engineer then used TNT to knock the blocking wall down. As for the iron frame, they heating it using a handheld welding, sprayed it with freezing liquid, and finally hit it with a hammer. When the last blocking wall was ready to be torn down, Sergeant Adams reported to Camp Terry. Ten minutes later, he heard Colonel Meyer launch the attack order. "We have green, get in your position." Swiftly, the East Raider personnel dispersed and took a prone position. After the combat engineer signaled that the detonator was ready, one of personnel immediately turned the carbide lamps off. Bam! The concrete on the blocking wall immediately collapsed, and a row of huge shields appeared in the distance. --- As soon as his men lowered the blocking walls and blocked the special tunnel, Centurion Mutt immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Even though the fire arrows used by the demons in black clothes were able to penetrate the huge shield, he was sure that it wouldn¡¯t be able to penetrate the blocking wall. Of course, Centurion Mutt still ordered his remaining men to set up a defensive perimeter around the last blocking wall. With a pounding heart, Centurion Mutt then waited. However, an hour later the last blocking wall still stood still. So he began to relax. However, without warning, the center of the last blocking wall suddenly collapsed and formed a 3x2 meter hole. ''Bastard!'' Centurion Mutt''s heart stopped beating for a moment. He realized that there was still some iron frame to hold the demons in black clothes. However, if the demons in black clothes could reach the last blocking wall, then the iron frame was not enough to hold them. So, Centurion Mutt took initiative to attack. "Don''t be afraid! Archer, release the salvo while iron frame on the blocking wall hold them.¡± After strengthening his resolve, Centurion Mutt loudly gave the order, and the archer squad immediately responded. However, before first salvo of arrows was launched, flash after flash appeared from the dark tunnel behind the last blocking wall. A moment later, Centurion Mutt and all of his men had collapsed to the floor, lying on top of their pool of blood. ***** TFA1 3.11 - Evacuation TFA1 3.11 - Evacuation After sending the emergency message, killing the operator of crystal communicator, and burning all communication records, Goran held a meeting with his main aide. He tapped his fingers on the table, while in front of him Captain Riek and Chief Sinoda sat nervously. "So, we have lost all secondary storage rooms and the intruder has arrived in front of special tunnels?" Goran asked in gloomy tone. Captain Riek immediately replied, "The intruder may have also arrived at the main gate on the surface. But to destroy the blocking wall, it will take them at least three months." "What about our supplies?" Chief Sinoda opened his record book before replying, ¡°If we don''t need to feed the slave workers, we will have enough food and water for 9-10 months.¡± Goran nodded in satisfaction before saying, "Reinforcements have been organized. However, the delivery will take some time as it has to be done quietly. Also, right now only the three of us have the password to operate crystal communicator. So, just a reminder, don''t ever think to betray our lord or your family will have to suffer the consequences. If the worst scenario happens, you know what you had to do." ""Understood."" Captain Riek and Chief Shinoda answered in unison. At the same time, a centurion entered the room. "Ser Goran, the intruder had just penetrated the blocking wall on east special tunnel." ''So fast.'' In an instant Goran''s heart stopped beating, but only for a moment before he got his focus back. "Send out all the guards and do whatever it takes to contain them." --- Clank-lank-lank-lank. . . . As soon as the iron frame was cut and torn down, East Raider¡¯s personnel immediately secured the intersection connected to the gold mine center. Carbide Lamps were lit in every corner and a defensive perimeter was established. Then, Sergeant Adams brought Emil in. "Emil, it¡¯s time to enlighten us." Without delay Emil explained, "The corridor on the left leads to the mine. The corridor in the middle leads to barracks and access to top floor. The corridor on the right leads to slave hall." "Okay, now leave your two colleagues here to greet slave workers that may be coming from above. As for the rest, you can take them to look for slave workers in the mines, or calm those in slave hall." A question mark appeared on Emil''s forehead. "You''re not planning on combing up?" Sergeant Adams casually replied, "Nope, as the first team to enter, our job is to lure and distract the guards." After looking at the corridor leading to the pitch black and silent mine, Emil immediately concluded. "It seems they had stopped the mining operations. I''ll go to slave hall right away." Sergeant Adams nodded. "Until we secure the entire mine, paramedics can¡¯t enter. We also have no idea what kind of last resort the guards will throw on us. So, you should evacuate the slave workers to exit point." "Understood." After appointing two people to accompany Sergeant Adams, Emil then brought his other colleagues to slave hall, and along the long corridor they put carbide lamps to replace oil lamps that only numbered one digit. --- The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. This afternoon, not long after hundreds of slave workers were sent to move the gold in the secondary storage room, the rest of the slave workers were locked up in the slave hall. Usually, the slave hall was only occupied by one-fourth of the slave workers while the rest worked in the mines. Therefore, the slave hall which normally was already crowded, now becomes twice as crowded and there wasn''t even a place to lie down. Some of the slave workers had even fainted, because for hours they had to stand in an unbearably crowded space. What''s more, there was no sign that the guards would distribute the dinner. Slowly but surely slave workers'' hearts began to fret. Now, they even miss the opening sound of the slave hall door, which they used to hate so much because it marked the start of inhumane forced labor. Some slave workers even began to swear they were willing to do anything as long as they could get out of the crowded slave hall. Then, finally, the voice that the slave workers had been waiting for was heard. Cr-cree-creeaaaaakk. . . . With a hopeful gaze, the slave workers looked at the widely open door, but they did not see any guard. Question marks filled the slave worker''s foreheads as their gaze was fixed at Emil. One of the slave workers immediately asked, "Emil, didn''t you go to the secondary storage room on the east side? Did you meet the demons in black clothes?" Emil immediately smiled. "They''re not demons but TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel. Several guards attacked them first and now they''re hunting and killing the guards." "Are they going to kill us too?" "No, they''re going to get us out of here instead. They''re also willing to share some food and water." As soon as foods and waters was mentioned, most of slave workers'' faces lit up immediately. Of course, there were some who were worried. "Emil, are you sure they won''t enslave us?" Emil took a deep breath before replying, ¡°To be honest, I don''t know, but they treat me and slave workers who go with me very well. Also, if you don''t want to leave I won''t force you. But don''t ever show any hostility towards TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel. They kill the guards with ease, as if they were stepping on ants. They are not opponents you can fight." The slave workers in front of Emil immediately nodded like chicks pecking rice. Then, Emil''s words were passed from mouth to mouth, while the ties on their wrists and feet were untied. Not long after that, some of the slave workers were already sitting in a row in the corridor. While some carbide lamps were brought in to illuminate the slave hall. Food and water then began to be distributed. According to the directions from the paramedics, pickle fruit and water must be distributed first to prepare the slave workers'' stomachs which were likely to be very weak, followed by snacks and the main menu from MRE. Then, they put drink sachets in MRE into heat-resistant plastic, mixed it with water, and distributed it as desserts. Due to time constraints, the main menu and sachet drinks were served without being warmed up first. Even so, the slave workers enjoyed it heartily. Of course, the food and water that Emil and his colleagues brought were not enough to feed the slave workers to full. Therefore, some slave workers looked at the MRE wrapper with longing, while some others tightly gripped the spoon from the MRE package or the glass of pickle fruit. Without delay, Emil then took advantage of the situation to coax the slave workers. "TF Amethyst promised warm food, drink, and medical treatment at their campsite. But as I said, I had absolutely no idea of ??their intentions. Therefore I won''t force you to go. But for those who want to go, we''d better hurry." To Emil''s surprise, it didn''t take long before some slave workers answered. "I will go. At least they give us a decent meal." "I''ll go to." "Me too." "Yeah, let''s leave this damn place." In an instant, all slave workers expressed their willingness. Not long after, that they had walked and leaving behind the slave hall. --- Sergeant Adams casually looked at the long line of slave workers who were passing through the special tunnel. Some of them looked back at him with worry.Some others looked hatefully at the pile of guard corpses, or surveyed the hole in the blocking wall curiously. After gulping down a mouthful of water, Sergeant Adams turned his gaze towards Emil who was standing next to him. "Are you sure you don''t want to go to our campsite immediately? You can get some hot food and a got rest there." Emil shook his head slowly. "I''ll go there when I''m done guiding your unit." Sergeant Adams realized having a guide would make his job a lot easier. So he didn''t refuse Emil''s offer. "Thanks, you really help us a lot." "We should be the ones to thank." Sergeant Adams and Emil then smiled at the same time. ***** TFA1 3.12 - Captive TFA1 3.12 - Captive Not long after East Raider evacuated the slave workers from the slave hall, North Raider and West Raider also managed to break through the blocking wall. Meanwhile, the Sierra and Utah Team had to stop in front of the south special tunnel, waiting for equipment and explosives to be used to break through the blocking wall. Even so, Sergeant Kurt and Sergeant Marco weren''t worried they would miss the action. As the other three teams would only take a static position to lure the guards, while the task of combing up to surface would fell on Sierra and Utah, which in total have 80 personnel. And finally, TNT on the last blocking wall was ready to be detonated. Wasting no time, Sergeant Marco immediately gave a briefing. "Currently, East Raider is under intense pressure from the mine guards. Therefore, after we secure the guard hall, Sergeant Kurt will bring Sierra One and Sierra Two to link-up with them. Sierra Three will lead the way, and then take defensive positions in the guard hall together with Sierra Four. Meanwhile, I''ll take Utah Team to comb up then link-up with Main Raider''s elements who were combing down." Sergeant Marco then looked at every personnel before him and asked, "Understood?" """"Sir.""" "Good, now take your position." As soon as every personnel took their positions, the carbide lamps were immediately turned off and the TNT was detonated. Bam! A big and wide hole instantly formed in the middle of the blocking wall, but no target was in sight. "The heck?" Sergeant Marco looked at the empty and dim-lit room behind the iron frame for a moment, and then signaled the two pointmen from Sierra Three to take a closer look. A moment later, one of the pointmen reported, "Nobody home." Sergeant Marco nodded before turning to combat engineer. "Cut the iron frame as quickly as you can." --- The slave hall and corridor to the mining area were only located on the east side of the gold mine, while the other special tunnels were directly connected to a corridor to the guard hall. As soon as combat engineer cut the iron frames, Sierra Three immediately entered the corridor and headed straight for the guard hall, followed by Sierra Four and the rest of the team. Before long, the guard hall was taken over without the slightest bit of resistance, because it was empty. "I don''t like this." Sergeant Marco turned to Sergeant Kurt before continuing, "They must have concentrated their strength in one place." Sergeant Kurt calmly answered, "We will find it soon, but for now I need to link-up with East Raider as fast as possible." "Okay, I also need to comb the tunnel to surface." Sergeant Marco then looked at Sierra Three and Sierra Four personnel before saying, "Guard this place and make sure no one is stabbed our ass, but be careful when aiming at silhouettes in the other corridor because they might be friendly." """Sir.""" A moment later, Sergeant Kurt took Sierra One and Sierra Two down the corridor to the east special tunnel. Meanwhile, Sergeant Marco led the Utah Team to the stairs that connected to the floor above. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. --- The guard hall and east special tunnel were connected by a corridor 200 meters long with one turn. With full alertness, Sierra One and Sierra Two personnel walked down the corridor, until finally the two pointmen reached a position 20 meters from the turn. A few steps in front of the pointmen, body of two dead guards was sitting next each other on the floor. Their backs were leaning against the wall. Meanwhile, three other corpses lay face down on the floor and left a trail of blood nor far from them. Even though the five guards were clearly no longer breathing, both pointmen didn''t want to take the risk. They immediately aimed their Scorpion Evo and performed the confirmed kill by shooting each guard''s twice on the chest. One of the main tasks of a pointman was to make sure the team members behind him/her didn''t get unpleasant or even deadly surprises. So it didn''t matter whether he/she liked it or not, a pointman must be ready to perform the confirmed kill whenever needed. Sergeant Kurt and the rest of the team also didn''t consider the pointmen actions as an exaggeration. They were actually grateful that both of the pointmen did their job thoroughly. Upon reaching three meters from the turn, both pointmen then stopped, and one of them signaled Sergeant Kurt to come closer. While pointing to the pile of guard corpses and pool of blood at the end of the turn, the pointman said, "If I remember the map from IDG correctly, then as soon as we turn we will go straight to East Raider line of fire." "I''ll confirm it." Wasting no time Sergeant Kurt pressed the PTT button. "Sierra One to East Raider, do you read me?" [East Raider to Sierra One, loud and clear, what can I do for you?] "It seems we are a few steps before your line of fire. So, I will send a visual and please confirm it." [Roger that, send your visual.] Sergeant Kurt then aimed the tactical flashlight on his HK416A5 at the wall on the turn, and sent a Morse signal saying ''Friendlies'' several times. A moment later, a radio call from East Raider came in. [Sierra One, we saw your visual, please come in, but be ready for any pop-up spoiler. We haven''t performed confirmed kill on the hostile we downed.] "Understood, and thank you for the warning." Sierra One and Sierra Two personnel then took the turn, and in an instant they saw corpses of more than a hundred guards. They scattered on the floor, and some of them pile up into a small mound. "East Raider, what''s going on here?" [Believe me, we have no option. I had warned and asked them to surrender, but they kept coming with drawn weapons.] "Understood." Sergeant Kurt had just removed his hand from the PTT button, when one of the pointmen pointed at the guard who was prone on the floor shaking. "Sarge, I need your wisdom." While highlighting the trembling guard with his tactical flashlight, Sergeant Kurt said, "If you want to live, throw away your weapon, then stand up and raise your hands above your head." While still shaking, the guard rose to his feet, slowly drew the dagger at his waist, and then threw it to the floor before raising his hands above his head. The guard''s face was covered in blood, but it still clearly visible that he was only in his late teens. In a calm tone Sergeant Kurt asked, "Are you hurt?" "N-no." Worry was evident in the young guard''s gaze, and Sergeant Kurt immediately calmed him down. "Walk to the end of the corridor, my comrades will tie your wrists, but they won''t kill you if you don''t make any trouble." The young guard nodded slightly, then turned around and started walking. At the same time, Sergeant Kurt pressed the PTT button. "East Raider, one captive and maybe more are coming your way, do you copy?" [Roger that, we will handle them.] Sergeant Kurt then looked at the pile of corpses in front of him, and said loudly, "Last warning, surrender now before we perform the confirmed kill by making a hole in your head." Slowly, two guards stood up, followed by several other guards until there were a total of 16 guards. After throwing daggers at their waists to the floor, they then raised their hands above their head, and walked in a single line to the East Raider¡¯s position. Not long after that, Sierra One and Sierra Two personnel started to perform the confirmed kill. ***** TFA1 3.13 - Surrender TFA1 3.13 - Surrender From the slave workers found by East Raider, IDG successfully compiled the layout of all tunnels leading to the center of gold mine, along with the mining area, corridor, and every room on three floors below the main entrance on the surface. The slave workers also provided the layout of the sentry hall, armory, and logistics warehouse which located right behind the main entrance. However, the slave workers didn''t have much information about the four floors above main entrance. A slave worker named Emil and some of his colleagues who had experience in cleaning the communication crystal room, could only provide information that the room was at the end of the corridor on the 4th floor, right before the rooms for the gold mine higher-ups. While on the 3rd floor there were only two rooms. One was the command center, while the second was a lounge with a minibar. Regarding the layout in each room, no one knew. After checking his tablet and there was still no update from IDG, Lieutenant Rodriguez immediately sighed. ''It seems we have to go through room after room blindly.'' Then, coincidentally or not, Lieutenant Rodriguez had just tucked his tablet into his chest pocket when a radio call from Major Jansen came in. [Main Raider, High Raider, come in.] "High Raider, Main Raider, I read you." [We''ve reached the last blocking wall, you can start combing down.] "Received and Understood, High Raider over and out." Lieutenant Rodriguez immediately grabbed his HK416A5, and then signaled High Raider¡¯s personnel to assemble. "Even if our main target is only HVT in the command center, don''t just kill anyone we meet. Bear in mind, only important people are allowed to go up here. They most likely have the intel that IDG needs." """Sir.""" High Raider¡¯s personnel replied calmly and in unison. They then started the combing attempt in full vigilance. --- As the crystal communication room was located at the end of the corridor, once they stepped out of the room the two pointmen only had to anticipate hostile from one direction. As soon as they passed the door next to the crystal communication room, they immediately stopped and took a stand-by position. At the same time, one High Raider¡¯s personnel picked the door, and as soon as the door opened, three personnel rushed in armed with silenced HK USP. Even though the room was empty, the three strikers continued to aim their silenced HK USP to every corner, and then carefully checked the cupboards and space under the bed. "Clear." You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Once they confirmed that the room was safe, the door of the room was marked with a blue cross made of spray paint, and then they continued the combing. Apart from the crystal communication room, there were a total of four rooms on the fourth floor, and all of them turned out to be empty. As the pointmen arrived right in front of the stairs leading to the 3rd floor, Lieutenant Rodriguez gave a stop sign before approaching the two pointmen. "The command center is the first room from the stairs. I want the two of you to be the strikers with me." ¡°"Sir."¡± Lieutenant Rodriguez then selected two personnel to replace the two pointmen. A moment later, the High Raider had already walked down the stairs. --- After going through a fairly long spiral stair, High Raider¡¯s personnel arrived at the 3rd floor. Three men immediately secured the corridors and stairs leading to the 2nd floor. While the two former pointmen and Lieutenant Rodriguez took positions next to the door to command center, which somehow was not locked. "Ready." "Set." "Go." Using dynamic entry, both pointmen and Lieutenant Rodriguez entered the command center. After securing every corner, the three then turned their attention to the table in the middle of the room, where three people sat with their heads lying on the table. One of the pointmen immediately checked the vitals of the three, and then surveyed their foaming mouths and turned to Lieutenant Rodrigues. "They''ve been dead for about an hour. The cause of the death is poison." "Shit." Lieutenant Rodrigues looked at the empty filing cabinet, and then turned his gaze towards the pile of ashes in the fireplace. "IDG is going to have a hard time figuring out the owner of this mine." --- As soon as TNT on the last blocking wall was ready to be detonated, Main Raider¡¯s personnel immediately took their positions. Some personnel turned the carbide lamp off, while the combat engineer patiently waited for the green light from Major Jansen. Then. . . Kreeeek-krek-krek-krek-krek-krek!! Without prior warning, the last blocking wall suddenly went up and entered the slit in the ceiling. Main Raider personnel immediately shifted the safety lever to semi-auto and aimed forward, while a Sergeant and two other personnel approached Major Jansen and took him to a protected corner. Slowly, dozens of guards that stood nervously came into sight, and in front of them were piles of huge shields, weapons, and body armors. When the entire blocking wall entered the slit in the ceiling, one of the guards took a few steps forward and said, "The top leaders of this mine have committed suicide and we want to surrender." ''Well, this will make our job easier.'' Major Jansen surveyed the dozens of guards before him and said loudly, "If you want to surrender, put your hands above your heads and then walk here in single file." Wasting no time, the surrendered guards followed Major Jansen''s orders. After their wrists were tied with a cable tie, they were then asked to sit in one corner.At the same time, Major Jansen radioed High Raider and Utah Team. "Main Raider, to Utah Team, to High Raider, gives me a sitrep." [Utah Team to Main Raider, we have an empty shell, as if this place is abandoned.] [High Raider to Main Raider, we found three cold bodies in the command center, possibly HVT we are looking for.] "Be advised, some guards perhaps will surrender, but you should stay vigilant." [Understood, Utah Team, over and out.] [Understood, High Raider, over and out.] After taking a deep breath, Major Jansen then pressed the PTT button one more time to report to Camp Terry. ***** TFA1 3.14 - A Little Clue TFA1 3.14 - A Little Clue In total 78 guards surrendered. Among them, Lieutenant Tome held the highest rank. From early morning until dawn, he was asked to lead the surrendered guards to move their comrades'' corpses and clean up the bloodstains. After that, they were asked to sit next to the main entrance while their comrades'' bodies were cremated using a flamethrower. Then, anxiety began to grip their hearts as they watched TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel enjoying some food without showing intention of sharing it. Two centurions immediately approached Lieutenant Tome and sat down next to him. One of them then asked in a hushed voice, "Sir, they didn''t feed us, will they execute us?" "Maybe." With a tone full of regret the second centurion said, "We should have followed your advice to fight to the last man." Lieutenant Tome reflexively took a deep breath. "There''s no point in regretting it now. Just focus on surviving." The two centurions then lowered their heads languidly, while the dawn sun slowly appeared in the eastern horizon. --- A few meters near the bonfire, four Main Raider¡¯s personnel deftly opened seven MRE boxes, and then opened each package and separated the main menu, snacks, and sachets drinks. While enjoying crackers and biscuits from the MRE¡¯s package, the four personnel prepared the MRE main menu, pickled fruit, and 4 jerry cans of water for the surrendered guards. Broadly speaking, the MRE used by TF Amethyst was the same as the MRE used by US Military. It was created with a philosophy so that front-line elements could enjoy hot food even if they couldn¡¯t establish a field kitchen. It had a decent taste, but in order to meet the requirements of long storage, components that were easy to decompose such as fiber were being minimized to the max. Therefore, the nickname Meal Refuse to Exit or Material Resemble Edible was still well attached to those MRE. Considering that continuous consumption of MRE without additional natural fiber could result in digestive disorders. The slight difference was that cigarettes were being replaced with additional snacks. The number of sachet drinks was also being increased to 5 warm drinks and 5 cold drinks. When everything was ready, one of the personnel immediately turned towards Lieutenant Tome and shouted, "Lieutenant, bring ten people here." Wasting no time, Lieutenant Tome brought 10 men to the personnel who were preparing MRE, and then received an explanation. "This is your breakfast. Open it by tearing at the part marked by the dotted line." "Sir." "For pickle fruit, if the sugar water is too sweet for you, you can add cold water as much as your preference." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "Sir." A moment later, Lieutenant Tome and his men were happily enjoying their breakfast. Meanwhile, the four Main Raider¡¯s personnel shared the snacks and drinks they got. --- After enjoying the MRE, Lieutenant Tome immediately realized that TF Amethyst not only excelled in the military, but also excelled in culinary and very possible in other fields. Therefore, when he was told that Major Jansen wanted to ask some questions, Lieutenant Tome decided he would answer as honestly as possible. Lieutenant Tome calmly followed a Main Raider¡¯s personnel, and as he arrived at the command center, Major Jansen immediately invited him to sit down while introducing a man next to him. "Lieutenant Tome, this is Major Maxwell and he wants to talk to you." Lieutenant Tome nodded slightly while Major Maxwell smiled at him. During his life, Lieutenant Tome had tasted the bitter fate of a prisoner of war. From his experience, he discovered that there were two types of interrogators. The first was Fake Angels who pry on intel using subtle means such as persuasion or manipulation. The second was a True Devil who liked to use hard methods such as torture. But at this time, Lieutenant Tome could not decide whether Major Maxwell was a Fake Angel or a True Devil. So he concluded that Major Maxwell was the combination between Fake Angel and True Devil, or the third type of interrogator that he met for the first time. While Lieutenant Tome was deep in wonder, Major Maxwell calmly started the conversation, "Lieutenant, tell me a little about yourself." "Tome Burr, from Rinner Region, grew up in an orphanage, aged 14 joined Makai Guard, aged 16 entered the first battle, aged 22 became a Lieutenant, and in the same year my fiance married a son of a merchant. Twice became a prisoner of war, in the last one was not redeemed by Kingdom of Makai and was bought by Ser Goran to become a guard in this mine." After making a small note, Major Maxwell asked, "What made you and your men surrender to us?" "People who should be leading us are dead or committed suicide and abandoned us. Meanwhile, our resistance will not affect the situation. So, survival is the path we choose." "What do you know about the top leader or the owner of this mine?" Lieutenant Tome shook his head slowly. "Nothing, I only know Ser Goran is an alias, and all the guards he recruits are from Kingdom of Makai¡¯s territories and have no family." "Lieutenant, do you know why there are four storage rooms besides the main storage?" After a small nod Lieutenant Tome explained, "The gold bars that have been produced are being planned to be transported using Cloud Hawk. Twenty Cloud Hawks, once a week, each will carry 50 kg for every trip. Therefore, if the Cloud Hawk always lands in the same place, it is feared that it will raise suspicion. The platoon that attacked TF Amethyst¡¯s element was waiting for the Cloud Hawk that will make the first take." Major Maxwell''s eyes flashed for a moment before asked, "Do you mean, at that time 20 of Cloud Hawks were flying here?" "Yes, but the take was canceled after the versus contact occurred." Major Maxwell nodded and then turned to Major Jansen. "I need to get back to Harley Quinn to check something out." "Okay," Major Jansen casually replied. While putting on his jacket, Major Maxwell then asked Lieutenant Tome a final question. "What do you think if TF Amethyst intends to hire you and your men?" "We are captives. We have no opinion." "Good.¡± After a smile Major Maxwell continued, ¡°Tell your men, TF Amethyst pays a good price for loyalty and honesty." "Sir." Wasting no time, Major Maxwell then rushed towards the exit. ***** TFA1 3.15 - Incoming Trouble TFA1 3.15 - Incoming Trouble During Harley Quinn''s pre-construction, General O''Neil had sent heavy cavalry elements consisting of: 16 units M1A3 Abrams 48 ??units M2A5 Bradley Shorads 10 units Engineer Vehicle-01 Rhino. When it was finally known that the potential threat from the local military could be overcome without MBT, the heavy cavalry elements were then tasked to guard Harley Quinn. Two hours after Rocky Hill was occupied, Vex changed its name to Terry Hill, and then sent security elements consisting of: 1 Light Infantry Company 1 Mortar Platoon 1 Stinger Platoon 42 Various Humvee 1 Mechanized Infantry Platoon 18 M2A5 Bradley Shorad 6 M1A3 Abrams 4 EV-01 Rhino Three days later, support elements and MCG¡¯s personnel who would carry out the construction at Terry Hill followed the deployment. From General O''Neil''s office, Vex watched the convoy of support elements and MCG¡¯s personnel passed through the main gate before turning north. ''If only the damn gold mine doesn''t pop up.'' After taking a deep breath, Vex then approached the display table where TF Amethyst''s higher-ups gathered. The main subject of today meeting was to listen to the results of the survey conducted by Carlos. After General O''Neil gave him the signal, Carlos immediately displayed Terry Hill on the display table. "Initial estimates suggest that the gold ore under Terry Hill reaches a depth of 300-400 meters, with a radius of 5 km to the east, 18 km to the south, 110 km to the west, and 150 km to the north." ¡°¡­¡± With a smile on his face Carlos then added, "In short, TF Amethyst is now super rich." However, the excitement and surprise that Carlos had hoped for did not appear on the faces of TF Amethyst¡¯s higher-ups. General O''Neil and Brigadier General Rayden looked casual as usual, some others sighed deeply, while Vex looked at Terry Hill with an expression as if he had just been forced to swallow a glass of cold vinegar. A big question mark immediately appeared on Carlos'' face. "XO, is there a problem? With Brigadier General Rayden the Marauder on our side, I don¡¯t think we have something to worry about even if the whole Amstell Continent tries to snatch this gold mine from our hand.¡± Seeing Vex just silent, Brigadier General Rayden immediately said, "If there''s a place I need to visit and level up to the ground, I''ll gladly do it. Even if I can only use a small number of assets, at least I still have the initiative and element of surprise.¡± ¡°I know you can do it,¡± Carlos excitedly expressed his agreement. ¡°However,¡± Brigadier General Rayden continued in bitter tone. ¡°Establish and maintain a line of defense is a different whole beast. Moreover, at this time we do not have the luxury to expand our line of defense beyond 30 km, let alone beyond 100 km and reach the front yard of the two closest Regions." This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. "I don''t get it. Don''t we have a land slide edge on firepower?" Seeing Carlos was truly confused, General O''Neil took over the explanation. "Well, let''s assume Lionnel and Rowane Region find out about the gold mines and decide to attack us. Latest intel shows both Regions can deploy 200 thousand combatants at the age of 18 years, and more if they also deploy younger combatants. Meanwhile, our big caliber assets and ammunition are still very limited. If the two Regions send all their combatants in one big wave, then we can eliminate as many as possible using the big caliber before switching to the small caliber to sweep the rest. However, if they sending their combatants in four waves from two directions. Then, we will ward the first wave off using big arm, followed by small arm in the second, and bayonet in the third." General O''Neil''s explanation made Carlos gulp hard, but a possibility popped into his mind. "There is still a possibility that they will withdraw after tasting our artillery." Nate, the CO of IDG, decided to add some of his view, "Stopping the attack after the defeat in the first wave is very possible. But most likely, it¡¯s only because they want to rethink their strategy. Also, from our experience at Terry Hill, we found that there is a drug that makes combatants become fierce and lose their sense of fear. So, as long as both of the Regions still have combatants to spare, they will most likely continue the attack." Vex, who had been silent for a while, finally said, "Besides, there is still the worst possibility, where it is not only two closest Regions that attack us, but two Kingdoms capable of mobilizing the entire Amstell Continent and bringing more than 200 million combatants. Even if TF Amethyst is already at full strength, wiping out 200 million combatants is not an easy task, both technically and morally. Therefore, from the start we decided to avoid any actions and policies that could unify the whole Amstell Continent. But now, the thing we most want to avoid is in our side yard." Awkward silence instantly filled every corner of the room, before finally Lt. Colonel Slane turned to Vex and asked, "XO, how much security we can provide for Terry Hill?" "With the Terry Hill''s distance of 28 km, air cover is not a big problem. But for ground security, we can only send a small number of elements to hinder the opponent''s advance so that non-combatant personnel have time to retreat here." "In that case we should just focus on what we can effort to, and move any gold bars that we manage to produce here." Vex looked at Lt. Colonel Slane deeply before asking, "Are you sure?" ¡°I¡¯m,¡± Lt. Colonel Slane firmly replied. "Keep in mind that gold was never on TF Amethyst''s priority list. Getting additional ammunition for the economic supremacy that Amethyst Merchant will unleash is ideal. But if the price is too high, I''d rather ignore it. Besides, even without additional ammunition, Amethyst Merchant can still meet the timetable." General O''Neil immediately nodded. "Well, now we just need to find out the previous owner of Terry Hill and determine our next move." After taking a deep breath, Nate then said, "Major Maxwell managed to get intel that the platoon who attacked Captain Stark and his unit, is waiting for 20 Cloud Hawks that will conduct the first airlifting for the gold bar. Radar records showed there was a Cloud Hawk flight 400 km east of the versus contact location, and once contact occurred, the flight instantly took a reversed course. Reapers have been dispatched as far as to east coast of Amstell Continent, but so far we got nothing." Just as Nate finished his words, Major Maxwell suddenly came into the room. "I deeply apologize for my rude intrusion, but I have something urgent to report." "Report it then, Major." "Sir." As soon as General O''Neil gave him the permission, Major Maxwell immediately approached the display table and plugged a USB stick into one of the slots. In an instant, the display table displayed thousands of ships are making their landing on east coast of Amstell Continent. "Reaper got this feed a few minutes ago. Initial tally is 260,000 combatants, along with construction materials and supplies. East coast is no man''s land. They will be able establish a base freely if they have effective means to ward off the Dangerous Wildlife." "Fuck me." Colonel Montana let out a long sigh before saying, "They have a Cloud Hawk capable of ferry flying for 1800 km back and forth. Their airlift capability for logistics is a serious concern for us." General O''Neil tapped his fingers before saying, "Well, at least now we know who we''re dealing with. Also, to form a solid corridor from east coast to here they will have to build dozens of forward base. So, we still have some time to prepare." General O''Neil then turned to Nate before continuing, "Keep an eye on their movements. And for now make sure only the observation team and everyone in this room knows about this uninvited guest." "Understood." After some small talk, General O''Neil then closed the meeting. ***** TFA1 3.16 - Compromise TFA1 3.16 - Compromise Once Lt. Colonel Slane decided to recruit the mine guards and slave workers, Major Maxwell and a team from IDG immediately held interviews with the recruits. Its main purpose was for digging intelligence and determining their character and potential. At the end of the selection process, six guards were executed. Meanwhile, the rest were recruited as internal security in Terry Hill, led by former Lieutenant Tome as Chief of Security. As for the slave workers, they would become the miners, led by Emil as Chief of Daily Operation. Both member of internal security and miners were very satisfied with the salaries and facilities they received. They didn''t expect that as manual laborers they would get such a high salary. Therefore, they did not object to the condition that they should not have contact with outsiders without permission for the first three years. The training then begins. The internal security underwent training to immobilize humans with taser, security sticks, and handcuffs, along with driving techniques and how to operate radio communication. At the same time, the miners were being introduced to modern mining techniques. For a few days everything went smoothly. However, the miners suddenly requested that more than half of the internal security had to be executed. The reason was, the previous inhuman treatment they gave to the miners was crimes not worthy of forgiveness. Lt. Colonel Slane then responded by summoning Emil, Tome, and supervisors who were assisting the two. With a casual tone, he opened the meeting, "Before getting into the main agenda, I would like to ask Chief Tome about his trip to Lionel Region yesterday. I had read Sergeant Liam¡¯s report, but I want to hear some direct report from you.¡± Tome nodded before replying, "The merchants who were supplying food staples still assume that Terry Hill is the base for Gray Wolf hunters. The fur, fangs, and claws that Amethyst Merchant cultivates are also having better quality than the previous batch so there is an increase in demand. I don''t know if Sergeant Liam wrote it down in the report or not. But I brought him to meet some of my colleagues in Lionel Guard to find out if there was a mobilization after what had happened in Terry Hill." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled before saying, "Chief Tome, in the next visit to Lionel Region, you''re the one who will write the report, since that''s your job as leader of the convoy. I have ordered Sergeant Liam to teach you." "Sir." Lt. Colonel Slane then turned to Emil. "Chief Emil, I have read the request from the miners and decided to refuse." "But Sir..." Emil took a deep breath before explaining, "The former mine guards are beasts by nature. They don''t deserve a second chance." Lt. Colonel Slane slightly nodded before saying, "I know my decision was unfair to the miners. Personally, I also sympathize with the mistreatment you guys have received. However, please understand that Amethyst Merchant is not a law enforcement unit. Amethyst Merchant is a trading company with the goal to make a profit. When we meet a group of people who need our help, it''s a pleasure to help them if we can. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. When we meet a group of people who can help us achieve our goals, we recruit them. Nothing more nothing less." Emil took a deep breath before saying, "Ser Slane, can you reconsider it? Because member of internal security may betray Amethyst Merchant or cause some other negative consequences in the future." Tome who had previously chosen to remain silent decided to say, "The people we betrayed chose to commit suicide and abandoned us. They didn''t stand with us to fight to the last man." "Then all of you should have committed suicide too." Emil''s sharp words made Tome silent, and could only heaving a deep sigh inwardly. At the same time, Lt. Colonel Slane calmly said, "Chief Emil, the possibility of betrayal will be always exists from anyone we had recruited. But please believe me, at least, Major Maxwell and his team have do their best in selection process. They have also identified six bad apples that must be removed." "Yes, but the former mine guards are shrewd and hypocritical. What if they managed to deceive Major Maxwell¡¯s judgment?" Doubt was evident in Emil''s gaze, but Lt. Colonel Slane only smiled slightly. "Chief Emil, only one in a thousand can lie or hide something from Major Maxwell. As he has a unique talent for detecting lies and trained it from the age of 10, then using it since the age of 18. Eighty percent of TF Amethyst personnel also have to pass Major Maxwell¡¯s examination. So doubting his judgment is the same as doubting the eligibility of more than half TF Amethyst personnel." "Sir." Disappointment instantly gripped Emil¡¯s hearts, but he did not protest any further. In a calm tone, Lt. Colonel Slane continued, "The only compromise I can offer is that the member of internal security will receive a 12% cut for their salary, for the first two years, and it will be put into the miners'' welfare fund." "We accept." Tome realized that Lt. Colonel Slane needed his support. Therefore, he firmly accepted the compromise. In addition, even with 12% salary cut, the internal security take-home pay was still high. In the end, Emil also accepted the compromise, and the meeting ended. --- After the meeting, Lt. Colonel Slane then rushed to visit Vex. As soon as he entered Vex''s office, Lt. Colonel Slane found Vex was preparing spiced wine using a portable electric stove and a small pot, on top of his working desk. As he sat across from Vex, Lt. Colonel Slane said, "I didn''t expect you also enjoyed spiced wine. I thought you only enjoyed whiskey, cognac, or scotch." Vex smiled slightly before replying, "I tried it for the first time when I finished 30-miler cross country navigation while carrying a combat load of 30 kg. The instructors at the finish line gave me spiced wine which helped me recover my dead-tired body and soul. Since then, I have had a habit of enjoying spiced wine when my mood is down." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded while in his mind he remembered the uninvited guest approaching from the east. "XO, how long will it take for our guest from the east to arrive here?" "Two to three months, but we''ll try to launch a silent disturbance to slow them down." Vex then turned to Lt. Colonel Slane before asking, "But do we really not need to defend Terry Hill?" Lt. Colonel Slane firmly replied, "For local nobles, the products we bring from the earth are worth much more than gold. Therefore, with the right method we can dredge their gold without the need for bloodshed." "I''m sure that would be the most ideal circumstance. Unfortunately, a massive gold mine popped up in our side yard." "Yeah." After a deep sigh, Lt. Colonel Slane then handed over a USB to Vex. "I heard you will meet our Lady Boss in two days. So I want you to deliver something to her." "Sure." After Vex received the USB, the two then enjoyed the freshly boiled spiced wine. ***** TFA1 3.17 - Dogfight TFA1 3.17 - Dogfight As Vex was on Earth, General O''Neil had to picket in Operational Control Room twice in a row. From morning until noon, everything was calm and peaceful. However, just before the lunch Lt. Colonel Julius came over to General O''Neil with a hurried step. "Sir, six Cloud Hawks are approaching from east, flying straight here, and have just crossed the 600 km limit." General O''Neil nodded slightly before asking, "How is our Super Hornet status?" "Two are undergoing routine maintenance, the other two are on standby and ready to take-off, while the last two are conducting a combat air patrol, theirs current position is 200 km in front of our guest." "Connect me to CAP flight leader." "Sir." Lt. Colonel Julius immediately grabbed the receiver on General O''Neil''s desk. After entering some frequency codes and making sure the connection was online, he then handed the receiver to General O''Neil. "Sir, Major Duran is on the line." With a small nod General O''Neil accepted the receiver, and then he said, "Major, this is General O''Neil and I have a specific order for your CAP." [We are listening, Sir.] "Major, I heard you were a remarkable basketball player at the academy?" [Yes Sir, an ace player for three years in row.] "Then, you must know the main role of an ace player?" [To destroy the opposing team''s confidence by slaughtering their ace.] "Good, now I want you to make sure, whoever sent six Cloud Hawks from the east, will lose their confidence as long as possible. Gather the data we need for the future aerial combat, and then pass on my message." [Consider it''s done, Sir.] "Thank you, Major." General O''Neil then calmly put down the receiver. Currently, TF Amethyst had received only a small amount of main weapon system from the total amount they should have. Therefore, General O''Neil decided to play the tactic of appearing strong when weak. He hoped it would make the opposing side took their step in full caution and give TF Amethyst more time to prepare themself. ''Hopefully everything goes as expected,'' General O''Neil muttered under his breath. --- Airspace 400 km east of Harley Quinn. Two F/A-18E Super Hornets fly side by side at altitude of 20,000 feet. Both Super Hornets used white, gray, and a bit of black camouflage, and on its vertical tail there was a picture of a cute winged puppy embracing a pair of AIM-120C and AIM-9X as if she was hugging a baguette. On the Super Hornet on the left, Major Duran turned to his wingman before opening communication. "Dagger Two, how is your puppy?" [Belly is full, claw and fang are sharp, eyes and noses are good, ready for the hunt without additional drink.] "Good, let''s gain altitude and welcome our guests then." [Randu] The two Super Hornets then changed their course to the east while climbing to an altitude of 30,000 feet. Before joining ACG, Major Duran and most of his colleagues were former F-15 or F-16 drivers in USAF. So when TF Amethyst canceled the acquisition for Eagle and Falcon and replaced them with Super Hornet, they were very disappointed. In terms of radar, speed, range, altitude, fuel capacity, and the number of weapons it could carry, F-18 was far below F-15. Therefore, in air superiority scenario, F-15 would prey on F-18 as a snack. Meanwhile, in a dogfight F-18 was less agile and nimble than F-16. So, was F-18 a design flaw? The answer was no. From the beginning, F-18 was designed as a multi-role fighter. In short, F-18 was a fighter jet with the character of good at everything but not great at anything. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. TF Amethyst chose F-18 because of its multirole nature, plus the capability to operate from aircraft carrier it was born with. Therefore, if one day TF Amethyst intends to launch an intercontinental operation, then preliminary operations such as establishing a forward airbase or providing a large convoy of heavy tankers could be skipped. Simply by sending a carrier strike group with 20 units F-18s and a serious bite deep into enemy territory could be launched almost in an instant, followed by a lightning retreat to avoid retaliation if needed. Fortunately, fighter pilots from ACG slowly fell in love with F-18. During the pre-duty training, they wholeheartedly tried to understand and test F-18 capabilities to a level that was beyond the limits on paper. As if they were following the phrase, ''New girlfriend is new adventure and discovery. So don''t be so sad.'' One example was what Major Duran and his wingman did. The two cheerfully held a race by flying upside down at an altitude of 40 meters, at full speed. When Colonel Patricia Cruz called the two and questioned their actions, Major Duran who was a Lieutenant Colonel at that time replied proudly, "Ma''am, this is Super Hornet data when flying 40 meters above the ground at full speed, cockpit facing downward, and the pilot is under pressure of losing a bet of four month salary." Colonel Patricia Cruz didn''t know what to say and she could only demote Lieutenant Colonel Duran by one level, as well as removed his position as CO of Flying Puppies Squadron. Meanwhile, the data recorded by Major Duran was then sent to US Navy along with other Super Hornet flight data for internal studies. Major Duran didn¡¯t bothered by the punishment he received. Moreover, in an exercise with a USAF squadron, he managed to slaughter two F-16s in a 1 vs 2 dogfight exercise. After that, he always cheerfully recited the motto ''It''s not the truck, but the driver behind the wheel.'' While occasionally glancing at the radar screen, Major Duran vigilantly surveyed the vast, cloudless sky before him. Until finally, six black dots appeared in the distance. "Tally ho! Six bogeys up ahead. Dagger Two, do you see them?" [I do.] "Good! Prepare your recorder." [Randu.] Slowly and smoothly, Major Duran then lowered F-18''s altitude and shifted its flight course to line up with six incoming Riders. --- Major Duran didn''t bother whether the six Riders before him identified him as an enemy or not. One thing for sure was, he had an order to execute. Therefore, he calmly placed M61 Vulcan crosshair towards the leading Rider, and at exactly 1 km away he opened a short burst. B-Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt!! The M61 Vulcan''s short burst tore apart the leading Rider and the Rider behind him precisely. The two of them then fell straight to the ground. Meanwhile, Major Duran took his Super Hornet into a mountain range below, and as expected, the remaining four Riders chased after him furiously. "Good, it seems they have some balls," Major Duran muttered as he glanced at four Riders through the rearview mirror. The chase between the cliff gaps was intense. Considering the Super Hornet couldn''t fly at its top speed, while the four Cloud Hawks were able to fly with all their might and nimbly avoid crashing into the cliff. As the gap between the cliffs drew close to a wide and deep valley, Major Duran made a small climb before rolling the Super Hornet so that the cockpit was facing downwards, and then he dived sharply into the valley. Super Hornet had a fairly high climb rate. Therefore, if it dives in an upside-down position the dive rate and speed would increase. In short, the upside-down maneuver was not just a mere showing off. It''s an absolute must if Major Duran didn''t want the Cloud Hawk''s claws tear his lovely Super Hornet. Cloud Hawk could sense airflow and adjust the shape of its wings to reduce air resistance, and it would give them the ability to significantly boost their speed in a nose dive maneuver. Noticing that the leading Cloud Hawk was rapidly approaching him, Major Duran bank hard to the left, but the Cloud Hawks easily followed him. The four Cloud Hawks deftly spread their wings while turning their head and upper body, the combination of these movements resulted in a super sharp turn without reducing their flight speed in the slightest. From a distance, it looks like the leading Cloud Hawk had almost cut the trajectory of Super Hornet. But just before the leading Cloud Hawk''s claw touched Super Hornet''s wing, Major Duran took his Super Hornet climbed to the sky. The high climb rate was one of the Super Hornet''s good things, and this was where Major Duran demonstrated the superiority of man-made machines over muscles. No matter how fast or hard the Cloud Hawk flapped its wing, the giant bird couldn''t possibly beat a pair of engines which was able to push an airframe weighing more than 21 tons to speed of 1900 km/h. From the rearview mirror, Major Duran observed the four Cloud Hawks that were getting left behind. Without no time he then made a big clockwise turn, and when the four Cloud Hawks were at the 3 o''clock position, he launched two AIM-9X Sidewinders. The Advanced Super Hornet Block 4 was equipped with joint helmet mounted cueing system. It would enable the locking of heat-seeker missiles without the need to point the nose of the aircraft towards the target. It was an advantage that super useful in a within visual range (WVR) combat scenario. Realizing that two fire spears were flying towards their position, the four Riders immediately dispersed in four different directions. However, two of them were still fatally got hit by Sidewinder. Swiftly, Major Duran then approached the third Rider from behind and finished him off using M61 Vulcan. ''Well, please pass on the message from General O''Neil,'' Major Duran muttered as he looked at the fourth Rider who flew away. Then, as if the air combat he had just done was just a breeze, Major Duran calmly radioed his wingman, "Dagger Two, do you get the data?" [Top speed, agility, nose dive, turn rate, climb rate, Rider mentality, we got it all.] "Good, let''s Read The Book then." [Randu.] The two Super Hornets then changed their flight course and flew towards Harley Quinn side by side. ***** TFA1 3.18 - The Last Meeting TFA1 3.18 - The Last Meeting Modest Apartment in the downtown of Rio Gallegos, Argentina. 10:00, 26 April 2024 Most people would not have thought that one of the richest women on earth was staying in a cheap apartment in the southern tip of Argentina. As usual, Claire wore a casual outfit consisting of basketball shoes, jeans, a t-shirt, and a light jacket. Leisurely, she sat cross-legged on the sofa, enjoyed a jumbo-sized waffle while studying TF Amethyst''s shopping list. Overall TF Amethyst purchased 34 million tons of weapons, equipment, spare parts, and ammunition, and the delivery was divided into 9 months, or about 12% of the total quota each month. To avoid the unwanted attention, the delivery would also be made from dozens of different places using different routes. Fortunately, US Military had bases and weapon depots all over the world. So only a few sensitive systems and technologies were taken directly from America. Even so, planning the purchase and delivery routes for all these quotas within three months was not trivial. Considering that transactions and the delivery were carried out in silence. However, Vex could execute this complex and large operation perfectly. He started work in mid-December 2023, and last month the first shipment of TF Amethyst assets had arrived safely at Harley Quinn, along with shipment of food, construction material, and fuel with the total amount up to three times from the main package. In addition, Vex also managed to get real clients from countries in Africa for Amethyst Security Group. Therefore, the lobbies he did to find out the latest developments in military industry would seem like lobbies for these clients. And this month, Vex would supervise the second shipment. If this delivery was successful, then for the next shipment, Vex would not need to return to Earth until Nouel was ready to be marketed to America. Meaning, this was the last time Claire could see Vex before the total cut-off for around two years. The cut-off of communications was necessary, as after she hired Vex, the wiretapping attempt on her had increased six folds. ''From the beginning, I should have recruited Vex as Uncle O''Neil suggested,'' Claire muttered as she reached for the second waffle. Then, Bob suddenly walked in and rushed over to her. "Miss, Mr. Vex just landed. But he left the escort team and now we don''t know where he is." Claire gave a small nod before casually saying, "Then we''ll wait here." "Understood." After a small bow Bob then immediately left the room. --- Cheap bar on the outskirts of Rio Gallegos, Argentina. A white man of medium stature and modest clothing, sat in one corner of the bar accompanied by a local newspaper and a bottle of beer. Even though he was 56 years old, at first glance the man still looked like he was in his early 40s. The man in the corner of the bar was Major General Randy Westwood. He was former Commanding Officer of 1st Infantry Division who later made a career at Pentagon. At first, many people thought the tough-minded general would fail at Pentagon, which was known as a political battleground for top US military officials. However, it seemed Major General Randy had hidden talent as a politician. He later became Pentagon''s golden boy and thrived as Vice Chief of Staff of The Army. It had even been confirmed that next year he would be promoted to Chief of Staff of The Army. As soon as Vex passed the bar entrance, several men with Mk.18 immediately searched him thoroughly before allowing him to approach Major General Randy''s desk. Major General Randy then put down the newspaper in his hand before turning his gaze to Vex. "You didn''t bring your bodyguard?" As he sat in front of Major General Randy, Vex answered, "They stand by across the street, and will fire a Javelin if I don''t come out in five minutes." "Nice jokes." Major General Randy downed a mouthful of his beer before continuing, "So, why do you suddenly want to meet with me?" "Regarding my order, can you speed up the procurement?" "Nope," Major General Randy replied flatly. He then took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°Your order this time is ten times larger and more complex than the order for Central Africa Federation, and I have worked so damn hard to shorten the procurement time by three times. So it''s impossible to shorten it anymore. Unless, you want to actively involve other big players." Vex instantly shook his head. "Can''t involve them, but I can add some purchase funds." "Vex, I''m sure you know this is not about money." Major General Randy was silent for a moment before continuing, "Previously, I helped you supply the Central Africa Federation because you promised me their natural resources would only go into US of A. For this order, I am once again willing to help you because you put forward the same conditions. Although this time you didn''t tell me which country you supplied." Vex gave a small nod before saying, "I know you''ve worked hard. But I''m really in a desperate situation. At least include the spare Howitzer barrel, 155 mm shell, Mk.84 along with Paveway II and JDAM kit in this shipment." Major General Randy took a deep look at Vex before saying, "Vex, the shipment was arranged in a specific way so that no one would sniff it. Therefore, one small change could bust this operation open. As in the previous shipment, you forced six Advanced Super Hornets with tactical nuclear capability to be included, and CIA sniffed it out. If I hadn''t risked my career, some of your cargo ships would have been sunk by Devgru in the middle of nowhere." "Sorry about that, but I need to get the Super Hornet''s operational data in the Area of ??Operation as soon as possible." "Well, in the end everything went well. So it''s okay. But now, we can only follow our schedule and maintain a low profile attitude." "Yeah." After gulping down his beer, Major General Randy then stood up and walked towards the exit. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. --- Modest Apartment in the downtown of Rio Gallegos, Argentina. 12:30, 26 April 2024 As soon as Vex sat down next to her, the first thing Claire asked was, "Vex, who did you just meet?" "It would be much better if you didn''t know." "Vex, I''m your Boss. Answer my question!" "My Boss is General O''Neil." "Vex, The Boss of your Boss is your Boss." Vex smiled before casually saying, "Boss of my Boss, as far as I remembered, you promised me to close your eyes, ears, and nose to my activities as a means for operational security." Claire instantly pursed her lips, but she didn''t push Vex any further. Then, while thrusting the laptop on her lap to Vex, she said, "Fine, let''s hear your report." "First, this is a report from Mr. Slane." Vex handed Claire a USB before turning on Claire''s laptop and plugging an SD card into one of the slots. "In general, all TF Amethyst assets are working well on Amstell Continent. LAV Shorad has done a jump test. The Super Hornet has dogfighting with Black Eagle dozens of times, although dogfights with Rider-controlled Cloud Hawk have yet to be carried out. We will also keep Abrams and all assets that were already sent before you recruited me." Vex then showed Terry Hill as seen from above before continuing, "The problem is, it turns out there''s a giant gold mine in Harley Quinn''s side yard." Claire frowned before asking, "Does any Region know about it?" "We''ve confirmed that the two nearby Regions don''t know about it. The gold mine is managed by a foreign party from outside Amstell Continent, and because of a spontaneous incident we were forced to seize it." After changing the display on the laptop to a giant encampment on the east coast of Amstell Continent, Vex added, "On the first day they managed to land 60 thousand combatants. The last day before I left, the number was 300 thousand combatants and 100 thousand construction workers." Claire surveyed the various constructions in the display before asking, "What are they building?" Vex calmly replied, "A fortress city. It was concluded that their initial goal was an invasion of Amstell Continent. Then their scout elements somehow found a gold mine and decided to exploit it. IDG also estimated that they had a large number of spies planted into the two nearby Regions." "What is our response?" "IDG wants to launch an operation to exert influence in the two closest Regions. But Old Man O''Neil and I refused. We agreed not to open diplomacy or reveal Harley Quinn''s existence until we have a minimum essential force, or it would be ideal if we wait until TF Amethyst is in full combat-ready." After pondering for a moment, Claire asked again, "Why don''t we launch an airstrike against this visitor?" Vex took a deep breath before saying, "Super Hornet''s combat radius for air interdiction is only 721 km, while the distance to the east coast is 1800 km. We also haven''t mapped Amstell Continent as the base for the Inertial Navigation System. And so, long-range smart ammunition can''t be used yet." "So, what can we do?" "We can create artificial rain to turn some of the grasslands along the invasion route into a swamp. In the invasion route, there are also vast mountain ranges. So we can fake landslides when they pass." "Can we speed up the delivery of TF Amethyst assets?" "Nope and money can''t resolve it. I''ve tried offering it to our broker." Claire thought for a while before saying, "What if I reveal my status as a 40% holder of US of A economy, and then publicly support the acquisition of TF Amethyst assets?" Vex firmly replied, "Absolutely not, you are our ultimate card and must be saved until the last second. Remember, when Nouel enters US of A, our strongest enemy will appear and you have to make sure TF Amethyst is not being swallowed alive." Claire pursed her lips before saying, "No sweats, in two years I will control 80% of US of A economy." After a deep sigh, Vex then said, "Well, it''s not easy, but right now we can only wait patiently, and try not to commit any reckless actions either on earth or on Amstell Continent." Claire nodded firmly before saying, "Understood." "Well, I have to see the delivery team and make sure everything is going well, so see you until the next meeting." "Okay." Wasting no time, Vex then got up and walked towards the exit. At the same time, Claire was also preparing to return to San Francisco. --- Cabin of a Gulfstream G650, airspace in the northern tip of Argentina. 15:20, 26 April 2024 While supporting her chin using the back of her left palm, Claire looked at the cloud out of the window. Bob, who was sitting in front of her, was curious as to why she had been pensive since the plane took off. So he tries to find out the reason. "Miss, are you thinking about Terry Hill?" "Yeah." Claire took a deep breath before continuing, "The gold deposit in Terry Hill would be enough to build a second Federal Reserve, but as you know we can''t bring the gold here." Bob nodded slightly. More or less he knew why large amounts of gold could not be brought to earth. The US of A used gold as insurance if the US of D and the US of A¡¯s economy crash. Given the amount of gold on earth would remain as it was, its value would stable when economic growth was good, and would skyrocket if the economy collapses. Therefore, if suddenly the amount of gold increased dramatically, the price of gold would fall and this was tantamount to cutting the value of economic insurance owned by US of A. With a tone full of regret, Bob then said, "If the mine is a nickel, cobalt, or copper deposit, then one of TF Amethyst''s main goals to support future energy needs in US of A will be fulfilled." "Yup" Claire sighed before asking, "Regarding Vex''s purchases and deliveries, did you hear anything?" "Yesterday my colleagues at CIA told me some things that might have a thing or two connected with TF Amethyst." Curiosity immediately flashed in Claire''s gaze, "Tell me!" After clearing his throat, Bob then began to explain. In early February, six Super Hornets at MacDill Naval Station were declared as total loss due to cracks in their airframes. But the six Super Hornets never arrived at the junkyard like official documents. In the same week, CIA discovered that six packages of Advanced Super Hornet upgrades with tactical nuclear capability had been sent to the Middle East. The operation to intercept this shipment was about to launch, when suddenly Pentagon decided to cancel it. Bob showed the report he was reading before continuing, "Surprisingly, the report from Mr. Vex this time stated that TF Amethyst already has six operational Super Hornets. While all Super Hornets that TF Amethyst bought have not yet been delivered and are still in our warehouse." Claire nodded slightly before asking, "What about the tactical nuke weapon system?" With a serious expression Bob replied, "There are rumors that Israel is testing a tactical nuclear with the code name Gundam Zero in the middle of some desert. The weapon system has a range of 2,000 km when released from an altitude of 30,000 feet by a fighter. It has the capability of stealth flying, counter-jamming, and guided by artificial intelligence. The weapon system is designed to detonate at an altitude of 1000 feet, and then generate a hot cloud that will turn the target below into ash up to a radius of 80 km, and be uninhabitable for 5-8 years." Claire nodded slightly before saying, "A weapon to wipe out a city or kill a titan monster like King Ghidorah." Bob nodded and said in a serious tone, "Miss, it''s not too late to call Mr. Vex and ask him why he developed weapons of mass destruction." "Don''t worry about it. We won''t use it against fellow humans," Claire replied calmly before leaned her head and closing her eyes. A question mark immediately gripped Bob''s heart, but he didn''t ask further and let Claire got some rest. ***** TFA1 4.1 - Visiting Walluo City TFA1 4.1 - Visiting Walluo City Berril Plains, Northwest of Magwurt City 07:38, 7 Jun 2025 Under the morning sun, a convoy consisting of 3 units M1151 Ripper 4 units M1152 Personnel Carrier 7 units M1152 Cargo was crossing Berril Plains and heading to west. The convoy brought only 3 units M1151 Ripper because the route was free from Black Eagle interference. As a few days ago a battery of Tamir Air Defense System was deployed at Fort Cambia, to strengthen the battery that previously was deployed at FOC South 860. Each battery of Tamir ADS had twelve launcher vehicles, nine of which were equipped with independent radar so there was no need to stick to Command & Fire Distribution Vehicle. With the right network pattern, one Tamir ADS battery could cover an area up to 140 km from the protected site, or up to twice the effective range of Tamir missiles. Therefore, although currently all LAV Shorad was being deployed in southern tip of Southeast Triangle, the entire Tuscan Region would still have an adequate air defense. The air defense even protruded into territories of neighboring regions. From the driver seat of second M1152 Personnel Carrier, Captain Rummus looked at Berril Plains in awe. Even though he was the commander of General Khartoum''s bodyguard, Captain Rummus participated in the hunt for the remains of Northern Coalition a few months ago. So he witnessed it firsthand how TF Amethyst effectively and efficiently eliminated the hostile elements that refused to surrender, handling prisoners, or took care of thousands of scattered corpses by cremating them. The monks from Nemo Temple were then summoned to pray for the fallen from Northern Coalition, and a memorial was erected to commemorate them. After that, Agriculture Development Group started cultivating Berril Plains and the areas that were handed over by Northern Coalition. In a matter of weeks the result was already visible, as if the war with Northern Coalition had never happened. Berril Plains which was previously barren with only patches of grass at some area was now almost completely covered with barley sprouts. Meanwhile, in several locations Tuscan Guard established an outpost. Two days ago after he completed the driving course, Captain Rummus received an order to guide Amethyst Merchant¡¯s personnel who would market Amur Beer to Walluo City the capital of Kandez Region. Amethyst Merchant chose Kandez Region as their second marketing location after Magwurt City due to its proximity and relatively affluent population. Moreover, Kandez Region was a producer of agricultural and livestock products that were needed by Magwurt City. Captain Rumus turned his gaze towards Lt. Colonel Slane before saying, "18 km before we exit Berril Plains, after that we will take a 29 km long hilly route." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded slightly before answering, "Understood." Lt. Colonel Slane had studied Kandez Region for the last few days. It had a very fertile land, but their territory was at an elevation where Nouel could not live. Therefore, even if its people would never faces a shortage of foodstuffs, Kandez Region would never become a dominant force in the area. However, Kandez Region was also nearly impossible to invade because its natural terrain did not allow large numbers of troops to enter simultaneously. At the same time, Kandez Guard was a mountain infantry adept at deploying guerrilla tactics in the harsh highlands. Before long, the convoy of Humvee entered the hilly route. Even though they had to reduce their speed, the convoy easily devoured the steep path until finally the walls of Walluo City appeared in the distance. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. --- East Gate of Walluo City 08:36, 7 Jun 2025 From above city wall Captain Beust looked at the 14 iron carriages approaching from east. At the same, he wondered how the iron carriages could move without being towed by horses. ''No wonder the report sounds like bullshit.'' Captain Beust then turned towards Centurion who stood next to him. "I will greet them myself. Be ready to close the gate if they show bad intentions." "But Cap--" "Don''t argue and just follow my order." Although his heart was beating wildly, Captain Beust casually descended from the city walls. He could not let the city gatekeeper who had habit to bluff and dominate, greet the guests who came by riding the magic iron carriages. If the guests were messengers from 2nd World Authority or even the 1st World Authority, and the city guard offended them, then as the officer in charge of east wall he must be willing to put his head on the tray to make up for the stupidity of his men. That''s why Captain Beust chose to greet the incoming guest in the magic iron carriages personally. Although this choice was not completely safe, at least he still had a chance to live. Not long after he cut through the crowd around the iron carriages that stopped at the side of the road, Captain Beust was immediately taken aback. ''Rumus?'' With a face full of question marks Captain Beust looked at the driver who got off the second iron carriage. He knew Captain Rumus because he had come to buy food from agricultural area on the south side of Walluo City several times. Captain Beust also recognized member of Tuscan Guard who disembarked from the third and last iron carriage, but he did not recognize most of the guests who got off holding oddly shaped short sticks. These people also wore an unusual clothes. "Long time no see Captain Beust." "Yeah." Without hesitation Captain Beust shook Captain Rumus''s hand, but his gaze continued to fixate on the Humvee beside him. "This iron carriage is called a car. It¡¯s driven by a machine so it doesn''t need to be towed by horses." Captain Beust nodded his head like an enlightened hermit, but to be honest he didn''t understand Captain Rumus''s explanation at all. "Did you come to buy food staples?" "Yes, but before that we wanted to sell beer to several bars." "You want to sell beer?" Seeing Captain Rumus nodded, Captain Beust immediately tilted his head, and then in a half-mocking tone he asked, "Did you guys collect all piss from Magwurt City residents and give it yeast before calling it beer?" Captain Rumus chuckled for a moment before saying, "Of course not, Tuscan Region''s condition has improved and we have a reliable partner." Captain Beust was silent while he recalled some news carried by merchants from Northern Coalition. "I heard Tuscan Region allied with cursed magicians under the guise of Amethyst Merchants, and by using a cursed technique Tuscan Region repelled Northern Coalition¡¯s offensive." Captain Rumus sighed silently while inwardly he was grateful, because Amethyst Merchant had predicted the incitement that Northern Coalition would bring and prepared an appropriate response. With a smile Captain Rumus said, "Don''t tell me you believe that bullshit." Captain Beust immediately rolled his eyes. "Of course I don¡¯t. No matter how I imagine it, it''s hard to see a conflict between Regions that lasts for only several days will cost more than 100 thousand lives. I think they carelessly go too deep and create a long and fragile corridor. The Tuscan Guard then launched a high-risk attack on Fort Cambia and somehow captured it, and then crushed them while they tried to retreat.¡± Captain Rumus smiled cheerfully before saying, "I can''t go into the details, but that was how we won the battle." Then, Captain Rumus handed a leather pouch to Captain Beust, who instantly gasped as he examined it. "The entrance fee is plenty, but I still have to check your iron carriages." "Of course, and if we may, we''d like to park it near the city walls while we go into city.¡± Captain Beust immediately gave a broad smile. "Please choose the most convenient location." After once again shaking Captain Beust''s hand, Captain Rumus then entered Walluo City with Lt. Colonel Slane and his four bodyguards, as well as a member of Tuscan Guard in charge of bringing the samples of Amur Beer. ***** TFA1 4.2 - Dourk Tavern TFA1 4.2 - Dourk Tavern Inside a middle-class bar in Walluo City, a bartender lazily said, "Owner is out for a few days." In an instant, Captain Rummus sighed in silence. "Understood, but can you taste our beers and give a reference to the bar owner?" "Sorry, I couldn''t do it without bar owner permission." "Very well and thanks for the time." Wasting no time, Captain Rummus and the group from Magwurt City walked towards the exit. During the last two hours, Captain Rummus and the group from Magwurt City visited six mid-range bars in Walluo City, but not a single bar was willing to sample Amur Beer let alone put it on the menu. It made Captain Rummus''s heart filled with regret, because he knew very well that Amur Beer was more delicious than any beer sold in mid-class or even high-class bars in Waluo City. Now, the options they had were only low-class bars. High-class bars were excluded from the option as nobles were only willing to do business with fellow nobles. "Sorry Ser Slane, I never imagined they would turn Amur Beer down without tasting it." In a casual tone Lt. Colonel Slane answered, "Don''t worry about it." Lt. Colonel Slane was aware that bar owners were usually reluctant to change suppliers, if they already had a large customer base. Meanwhile, adding another beer to the menu could offend the old supplier and led to termination of cooperation. However, their trip was not completely wasted. At least, they could see the price list of each bar, and found that beer at mid-class bars was in the range of 10-12 coins/glass. Lt. Colonel Slane then cheerfully added, "Captain, we''d better take a break for a lunch." "Understood, I happen to know a tavern with a nice menu." --- Dourk Tavern, Waluo City 12:40, 7 Jun 2025 Captain Rummus brought the group from Magwurt City to a bustling medium-sized tavern. They even had to wait for a while before getting a table for eight people. And one thing immediately caught Lt. Colonel Slane''s attention. In one corner of the tavern, a boy with a bruised face was busy peeling a basket of potatoes. Now and then the boy would touch the bruise on his face while grimacing. Meanwhile, one of the two waitresses came over. Captain Rummus immediately asked her, "What''s the daily menu for today?" "Pea soup, grilled sausage, lamb steak, potato salad, baked potato, boiled egg, black bread, apple or pear, ginger beer, or boiled water." Seeing Captain Rummus turn his head at him, Lt. Colonel Slane immediately placed an order. "For me, pea soup, grilled sausage, poached eggs, potato salad, apple, ginger ale, and can you tell me why that kid''s face is covered in bruises?" This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The waitress followed Lt. Colonel Slane''s gaze before saying, "His name is Sturk. Yesterday, he was caught pickpocketing a merchant from Lingua Region. If Papa had not saved him he would have been beaten to death." The waitress took a deep breath before continuing in a low voice, "The tavern''s profits are meager, but Papa was never able to leave someone who needs his help." Lt. Colonel Slane responded to the waitress''s complaint with a smile, and while the waitress continued taking orders he turned her gaze back to the boy in the corner. In any world, even the most prosperous cities were not free from poverty. Lt. Colonel Slane understands this very well because he had experienced it firsthand. At the age of six, his mother left him. He understands why his mother didn''t want to live with taxi drivers who always coming home drunk, but he always wondering why his mother didn''t take him along. Because his father did not always bring food for him, Little Slane took initiative to support himself. The first thing he did was rob the drunkard who passed out at a lonely alley. At the age of ten, Little Slane then joined a group of pickpockets who targeted foreign tourists who had just left the airport. One time he was caught and badly beaten. When his father found out that he worked as a pickpocket, he was kicked out of the house. Since then, Little Slane fully joined the group of little pickpockets. At the age of 12, little Slane heard a story about Warren Buffet, who at his age began to use the income from selling newspapers to buy shares on Wall Street, until he finally became one of the Titans in the financial market. Little Slane realized he didn''t have a sharp mind like Warren Buffet. So the means that he chose to change his life was adequate education. He set Harvard as his target. After that he worked hard to collect money no matter whether it was by pickpocketing, working as a dishwashers, or various other menial jobs with wages a few cents/hour. Meanwhile, to prepare for his academic capability, little Slane took advantage of the free online learning site, which at that time began to boom. In his spare time, Little Slane would diligently visit the city library. Slane''s marketing talent began to show when he became a part-time salesperson at a used-car dealer, at the age of 16 years old. Every week Young Slane would sell at least one car. It was a record that not even professional salesman could match. At the age of 18, young Slane already had enough money to pay tuition for his first year of college, as well the payment for his father who had to enter the nursing home. Even though he had to work while studying, Young Slane could still graduate cum laude. Shortly before Young Slane applied to Harvard, CIA actually offered him a full-scale scholarship. It was known that Young Slane had a character that was very attractive for CIA high-ranking officials. He was a simple and hardworking young man with a realistic and practical perspective. Did not like to day dreaming or took the perspective of a victim, and always used his time for positive things. Young Slane also had the determination to avoid cigarettes, alcohol, and women. After the first attempt failed, CIA tried again three years later. However, at that time Young Slane already received an offer from his senior, a young woman who was three years younger than him, but had graduated two years earlier with summa cum laude. The young girl, Claire J. Webber, appointed Slane as a junior member of the marketing team at one of her companies. Two years later, Young Slane became head of the marketing team after he successfully tripled the company''s turnover. As head of the marketing team, Slane left the board of directors dumbfounded because within one year he once again doubled the company''s turnover. While his ideas on delivery systems increase the cost efficiency significantly. Until finally, one morning Claire called him and asked a question, ''If you could go back to the Middle Ages while bringing in technology and products from the 21st century, what would you do?'' Young Slane answered casually but steadily, "I will turn every place I visit into a goldmine." Claire then appointed Young Slane to form and lead Amethyst Merchant. Apart from Bob, Vex, and General O''Neil, only Lt. Colonel Slane who knows that behind TF Amethyst stands the titan of global economy, Claire J. Webber. In the TF Amethyst structure, Lt. Colonel Slane only occupied the 8th highest position. However, in the trade war that Amethyst Merchant was waging, no one could intervene in his policies. Only Claire could change the policies made by Lt. Colonel Slane. This was a proof how deep the trust that Claire placed in him. After taking a deep breath, Lt. Colonel Slane then turned his attention to the food that were being laid out on the table by the waitress. Not long after that, the lunch began. ***** TFA1 4.3 - Returning Kindness TFA1 4.3 - Returning A Kindness Dourk Tavern, Walluo City. The lunch was quick and the food was quite delicious as Captain Rumus said. It could be said the delicacy of each menu was equivalent to a family restaurant on earth. It was something that extraordinary because in Amstell Continent, salt, sugar, and spices were expensive and rare commodities. Unfortunately, the ginger beer from Dourk Tavern made the group from Magwurt City want to cry and swear non-stop. "This beer tastes like horse pee mixed with boiled ginger water," Captain Rumus complained while glancing at the Amur Beer samples. Lt. Colonel Slane said casually, "Maybe we can offer Amur Beer to this tavern." "Ser Slane, with all due respect, I think Amur Beer deserves a better place." Still in a pleading tone Captain Rumus continued, "One of my men can return to Magwurt City to pick up Lady Maine, then we can follow her advice to meet noble families at Walluo Castle." Lt. Colonel Slane took a bite of an apple in his hand before saying, "Captain, it doesn''t matter where we start, what matters is where we end. After all, Amur Beer we carry is not an exclusive commodity for nobles." Captain Rumus fell silent while Lt. Colonel Slane cheerfully called one of the waitresses. "I want to thank the cook for this delicious lunch. Can I offer him a glass of beer?" The female waitress who seemed to be 17-18 years old nodded before saying proudly, "Papa was the head cook at Walluo Castle before opening this tavern. Unfortunately, his habit of giving food leftover to beggars made him lost his position." "No wonder." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled, and then took a beer glass that will be included in the Amur Beer''s promotion. Meanwhile, Captain Rumus grabbed a small barrel containing Amur Beer samples from his men and immediately opened the seal. As Amur Beer fell into the glass in Lt. Colonel Slane''s hand, the waitress was amazed at the clear golden-yellow beer. And not long after the young waitress brought Amur Beer into the kitchen, an old man in casual clothes and a cream-colored apron came out carrying the empty glass. All of the man''s hair had turned white, his face was also full of wrinkles, but his steps were steady while his eyes were sharp and clear. The Old Man gave a small bow before the Magwurt City group, then saying, "Gentlemen, my name is Dourk and I am very honored by your compliments. The beer you have brought is extraordinarily delicious." Old Man Dourk looked at the empty glass in his hand before continuing in admiration, "I don''t know who made it, but I''m sure it took decades or maybe generations to perfect the recipe." Lt. Colonel Slane immediately rose to his feet before giving a small bow to Old Man Dourk, "My name is Slane, thanks for your compliment, and is it okay if Amur Beer that you just tasted was sold through this tavern?" Captain Rumus immediately invited Old Dourk to sit in his chair, or to be precise in front of Lt. Colonel Slane, and without hesitation Old Dourk accepted it as he said, "I don''t mind, but I doubt I can buy Amur Beer. The profit of this shop is not great. I can''t even hire workers, and only rely on my wife to help out in the kitchen while my two daughters become the waitresses." Lt. Colonel Slane turned to the boy in the corner of the tavern before saying, "How about him?" "While recuperating, Sturk is working here, but apart from food and shelter I can''t pay him properly. So I don''t know how long he will last." After pondering for a moment, Lt. Colonel Slane said, "Amur Beer is not expensive, only 6 coins/glass. Also, for the first year you only need to pay 48 liters for each barrel of 50 liters." Old Dourk dropped his jaw before doubtfully asking, "Are you sure about the offer?" "I am." "How many have you brought?" "32 barrels. After you open the seal, each barrel must be consumed within 12 days before the taste becomes softer. For unopened barrels, the taste can last up to 3-4 years as long as you store it properly." After making a brief calculation Old Man Dourk said, "I''ll take 15 barrels then." The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Can you take them all?" "Sorry, I have an adequate storage room, but I still have to buy vegetables, fruit, eggs, meat, and other stuffs." "Mr. Dourk, right now you just have to pay a down payment and next month I will come to collect the rest. You can also return the unsold beer as long as it is remains in its original condition, or maybe you will increase the order." Old Dourk looked at Lt. Colonel Slane deeply. "Mr. Slane, you have a strange way of trading." "You could call it a breakthrough in marketing." Old Man Dourk smiled faintly before asking, "What about the other bar owners? Most of them are pricks, but they are not idiots who can''t see an opportunity. So I''m sure they''ll grab your offer without hesitation." "Unfortunately we didn''t meet them and I was tired of walking around." Old Dourk gave a small nod as he wondered why Lt. Colonel Slane didn''t wait until he met a mid-range bar owner to get a better price, but in the end he chose not to reveal his heart. The deal with Old Dourk was closed after the old man happily offered his cart to move Amur Beer. --- A farm and ranch on the south of Walluo City Of the hundreds of farming families in Kandez Region, Jarac Family was only a middle-class player. When Tuscan Region was at its prime, Jarac Family only received a small amount of orders. However, when Tuscan Region was at its lowest point, Jarac Family was the only farmer family in Kandez Region who did not look away when they were asked to give Tuscan Region a big discount. The Jarac family even sold groceries to Tuscan Region for almost no profit for several times. When Tuscan Region¡¯s condition improved greatly, Viscount Rattel immediately decided that it was the time to return the favor to Jarac Family. Captain Rumus smoothly parked the M1152 in front of a large house with wooden walls and thatched roof, and as soon as he got off an old man immediately approached him while dozens of children looked at the iron carriages that had just entered their yard. "You haven''t visited in a long time, and now when you come you are riding a strange iron carriage." "Uncle Jarac, it''s nice to see you are so healthy and fit." Old Jarac gave a small nod before speaking casually, "Come in, we have a lot of excess vegetables that haven''t been sold for the past few days." As usual, Old Man Jarac would say he had a lot of excess vegetables and would sell them cheaply. However, never once did he sell unworthy vegetables or fruit to Tuscan Region. Therefore, Captain Rumus''s heart felt warm while his gaze was fixed on the old farmer in front of him. "Ummm ... Uncle we''d better talk first, our order this time is bigger than usual." "It seems news that Tuscan Region is winning the conflict with Northern Coalition is true." "Yeah, and now Tuscan Region''s economy has improved." Without further ado, Old Jarac then took Magwurt City group to sit on the terrace, and not long after that several women came out carrying boiled corn, red apples, pears, oranges, and roasted sweet potatoes. "I hope you are still fond of farmers'' food." "Of course, for me and the entire Tuscan Region, every meal from Jarac Family farmland is a priceless blessing." Without hesitation, Captain Rumus took a roasted sweet potato and devoured it cheerfully, while Lt. Colonel Slane and his bodyguards took various fruits. As a farmer who cares for every plant in his farmland like his own child, the stern expression on Old Jarac''s face softened as he watched his guests cheerfully enjoy the harvest of his field. After putting a mouthful of roasted sweet potato in his mouth, Captain Rumus then handed a list to Old Man Jarac, who accepted it with wide eyes. In all his life he had never seen such white paper and such neat writing, so it was only natural that he was stunned for a while, and when he read the list that was written on the paper, Old Man Jarac became even more dumbfounded. Apart from wheat, barley, soybeans, and cereal crops, he could provide all the vegetables, fruits, and tubers on the list. It''s just that the list specifically stated that each product must be sorted by quality with codes A, B, C while the rest were coded D. Also, the ripeness level of the fruit was divided into two categories, 90% ripe for code A and 85% ripe for other codes. As for animal products such as meat, milk, and eggs, the conditions must be as fresh as possible. "The sorting will be tiring, but I can do it. The problem is the quantity you are asking for is too big. I have to invite other families, and of course they will not give a discount like me." Captain Rumus casually nodded, "We understand and are ready to pay the normal price. It''s just that we''ll only talk to Uncle Jarac." As the sole representative, Jarac Family would receive a 2% commission from other families, but Old Jarac was in no rush to celebrate. "Are you sure? I believe you already knew that for orders of this size, 6-8 biggest players will be appointed as representatives." "We are absolutely sure." "Fine then, but you must be aware I can''t convince other families just by talking." "Of course." Captain Rumus then took out 20 banknotes made of sheepskin measuring 30x20 cm, each worth 10,000 coins, complete with a receipt. Old Jarac looked at the banknote in front of him for a moment before calling out to his wife. With great care, Old Jarac''s wife then examined the banknotes one by one before finally, she took a deep breath. "All of them are genuine banknotes from Makai Central Bank, where did you get them?" Captain Rumus cheerfully answered, "From an underground vault at Fort Cambia." Old Man Jarac and his wife immediately took a deep breath, while inwardly they muttered, ''Looks like the Gods in heaven are blessing Tuscan Region.'' ***** TFA1 4.4 - Winds of Change TFA1 4.4 - Winds of Change Joker Trading Post, a few km south of Walluo City 08:15, 16 Jun 2025 In order to manage transactions with farmers from Kandez Region, Amethyst Merchant set up Joker Trading Post next to Jarac Family house. It was manned by a supervisor and three personnel who were all residents of Magwurt City, as Amethyst Merchant did not have enough manpower to carry out field administration tasks. Five member of Tuscan Guard were also stationed on the trading post to provide light escort. In addition to the workspace, living quarter, radio communications, two units M1152 Personnel Carrier, and other equipment, Joker Trading Post was also equipped with a simple dormitory. After finalizing the contract with Old Jarac, Lt. Colonel Slane decided to stay at Joker Trading Post¡¯s living quarter. He was worried that trouble maybe would appear, and his prediction was correct. The five largest Farmer Families known as the Big Five refused the appointment of Jarac Family as sole representative. They demanded that it was their families who should be appointed as collective representatives. They also complained that the standard quality set by Amethyst Merchant were too strict. When Lt. Colonel Slane took a ''Listen and Forget'' attitude, the Big Five responded by refusing to sell the harvest from their farmland and ranch. Lt. Colonel Slane then sent an official statement. "We don''t insist on purchase." When the quota that Amethyst Merchant requested was not met, Old Jarac suggested a renegotiation with the Big Five. He was even willing to give up his position as a representative, but Lt. Colonel Slane casually answered. "No worries. Before we came here Amethyst Merchant can meet the food needs for Magwurt City. So, even if the quota we ask isn''t met, everything will be fine." Then, unexpectedly three days later the Big Five sold their commodities through smaller Farmer Families, before finally they made direct sales to Amethyst Merchant, but Lt. Colonel Slane strictly prohibits Joker Trading Post''s personnel from celebrating it. Even though things have calmed down and transactions with famer from Kandez Region were going well, Lt. Colonel Slane decided to stay a little longer because he wanted to talk with Old Dourk one more time. When Old Dourk arrived in Joker Trading Post, Lt. Colonel Slane smiled from ear to ear. Honestly, if he had met a gentle-hearted person like Old Dourk a few years earlier, then he would undoubtedly ridicule that person as an idiot. From an early age, Lt. Colonel Slane had never thought that this world was a welcoming place. Young Slane hold one believe that people with gentle heart were prey to be devoured. However, after he succeeded in placing himself into top society, Lt. Colonel Slane began to doubt the compass he had been using. Then, slowly but surely the values ??he used as a guide in life began to change. ''In the world of the blind, the one-eyed person is king. In a world full of injustice and suffering, people who choose to become human beings are angels to others,'' Lt. Colonel Slane muttered as he walked over to Old Dourk and Sturk. Old Dourk grabbed Lt. Colonel Slane''s hand tightly as he said, "As I recall, you gave me a month to pay the bills." "Did my courier mention something regarding the bill?" Old Dourk shook his head, while Lt. Colonel Slane smiled as he turned his gaze towards Sturk. "Looks like he feels at home while living in your place." Old Dourk smiled broadly before answering, "Working in the kitchen isn''t easy. So most of the kids I help last only a few days. But Sturk isn''t complaining and he has the talent too." ¡°Really?¡± Lt. Colonel Slane curiously asked. ¡°Really.¡± Old Dourk looked at Sturk with pride before continuing, "My wife has been helping me for a decade, but she still can''t judge whether the broth has excess or lacking in salt. As for Sturk, I need only once to show that from the shape of the drips he can judge whether the broth needs extra salt or water." Still with an excited tone, Old Dourk added, "Sturk has also succeeded in understanding the structure behind the basic spices, and is starting to learn how to apply it to food ingredients. He also doesn''t mind even though I only give him pocket money 5 coins/day." Seeing Old Dourk so proud of Sturk, Lt. Colonel Slane smiled cheerfully. In truth, he intended to take Sturk to Magwurt City if the boy returned to the street. However, for now it seemed like he only needed to help the boy silently. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! "Even though you don''t intend to talk about the bill, I already brought the money and will also place a second order. So we''d better hurry because I can''t leave the tavern for too long." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded before inviting Old Dourk and Sturk into Joker Trading Post. "Old Dourk, in the future you can place your order or payment here. I have given instructions to the supervisor at this post." "Understood." Old Dourk then took out several money bags, and Lt. Colonel Slane counted it before making a receipt for full payment. "For the next order I need 150 barrels/week and it might increase. Meanwhile, Walluo Castle wants 300 barrels for the first order. Can you provide it?" "In two days your order will arrive." "So fast, are you sure you don''t need more time?" Old Dourk doubtfully looked at Lt. Colonel Slane. "Nope" While receiving a receipt of payment and a copy of the order he submitted, Old Dourk said, "You have a neat way of trading." Lt. Colonel Slane received Old Dourk''s compliment with a smile before saying, "Now we can have the next subject." Wasting no time, Lt. Colonel Slane took his guests to the dining room at the back of trading post, where on top of three long tables various commodities packed in glass bottles or jars, as well as cans with paintings of fish, shrimp, and other aquatic products were arranged neatly. "These are product from Amethyst Merchant which related to tavern business. I would like to offer it to you." ¡°I see.¡± As an experienced cook, Old Dourk immediately recognized the small jar of salt, sugar, pepper, and various herbs or spices, as well as various bottles of vegetable oil, sesame oil, sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, meat sauce, red wine, rice wine, fruit wine, and other commodities that must be available in kitchen. The problem was that the prices listed on each of commodity were too cheap. For example, for salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, the price was only 1/10 of the market price, while each of these commodities had premium quality, not the mixed type as he usually used. It took Old Dourk a few moments to calm the turmoil in his heart, before he turned his head towards Lt. Colonel Slane. "Are you sure there''s nothing wrong with the price?" Actually, the listed price was already covering shipping costs from earth and a net profit of 14%. However, as a genuine trader, Lt. Colonel Slane instinctively ensured his customers made the purchases with a happy heart, full of satisfaction, and without regrets. "Amethyst Merchants pay their workers not only in coins, but also with their commodities. Of course, we use a heavily discounted price for them.¡± Still in a cheerful tone Lt. Colonel Slane continued, ¡°And because you were Amur Beer''s first agent, I decide to celebrate it by giving you similar treatment.¡± In an instant a big question mark appeared on Old Dourk¡¯s face, "Are you sure about that?" ¡°I¡¯m.¡± Old Dourk didn''t know what to say as the shock he received was too great, so he chose to examine the glass bottles filled with perry, cider, jam, syrup, and various fruit pickles. And because the labels on all Amethyst Merchant products were written in Amstell Language, Old Dourk could easily understand every description. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Slane opened three bottles of cider, and then cheerfully handed two of them to Old Dourk and Sturk. As soon as the two tasted it, they immediately stared at the cider in their hands with wide eyes and hanging mouths. The cider for the commoner was usually made without sugar. As sugar was one of the rare and expensive commodities and could only be purchased with gold coins. Meanwhile, cider for the nobles was usually had an overwhelming sugar content. Considering that in Amstel Continent sugar was also a symbol of luxury A concept that was highly detested by Old Dourk, as it would kill the creativity in the art for making drinks and deserts if apart from excessive sweetness, no other standard was used. ''This cider is very innovative, bold, and incredibly delicious. A sweet taste that is not overly sweet and very fresh because it still leaves room for a sour taste.'' With great admiration Old Dourk looked at the cider in his hand. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Slane turned his gaze towards Sturk, who had just finished his cider and was staring at the mandarin pickle on the table. "Sturk, you can give it a try." Sturk received a glass jar filled with mandarin pickles handed by Lt. Colonel Slane, but he only opened it after Old Dourk gave him a small nod. Together with Old Dourk, Sturk then tried the orange pickle, and once again they became dumbfounded. ''The taste and texture of the orange haven''t changed at all, as if you were enjoying a fresh and perfectly ripe orange.'' Without delay Old Dourk ate another slice of orange pickle, and immediately sank into contemplation. In Amstell Continent 4 out of 5 women could make cider, perry, syrup, or pickle fruit. Therefore, almost no one had interest in starting a business of making those products for commoner. And so, if someone was able to make those products at a lower price than the homemade version, with a better taste and adequate availability, then that person would make a huge profit because he had no competitors. ''Amethyst Merchant seems to have come while riding a strong wind of change.'' Old Dourk swallowed hard while Lt. Colonel Slane handed him a notepad and pencil. "You can try all products on the table. In return, I hope you are willing to give it an assessment. For example, a comparison with homemade local products, suggestions for improvement, marketing prospects, or whatever is on your mind, and if you have anything you want to ask, don''t hesitate to ask me." "Understood." Old Dourk nodded firmly before starting the tasting work with Sturk''s help. ***** TFA1 4.5 - First Representative TFA1 4.5 - First Representative Dourk Tavern, Waluo City 08:10, 26 Jun 2025 During the last week, Dourk Tavern¡¯s visitors had increased rapidly and kept increasing. The visitors initially captivated by Amur Beer, then became captivated by various new menus on the tavern. Since two days ago, nobles at Waluo Castle even started sending their servants to buy various new menus at Dourk Tavern. The supply of spices and other commodities from Amethyst Merchant had made the quality and variety of menus at Dourk Tavern multiplied. For example, steaks and roasts at Dourk Tavern now were served with a dozen different sauces made based on a wide variety of wine. Large chunks of boneless canned salmon also sold well when it was lightly grilled and served with a fruit wine sauce. Once every three days Old Dourk would also bring in smoked meat, sausage, cheese, bacon, butter, yogurt, pasta, and bread that Amethyst Merchant produces locally in Magwurt City. In Amstell Continent, commoner could only consume black bread. It was hard like wooden blocks. People had to thinly slice ??if it was served without soup. Therefore, the new kind of bread that Dourk Tavern had served in an instant became favorite staple food among resident of Waluo City. The candied fruit, perry, and cider offered by Dourk Tavern also sold well even though they were only served with ice cubes, without any additional touch. To this moment, Old Dourk couldn¡¯t stop his amazement every time he looked at the ice cube machine and the solar panel that powers it. These magic mechanisms turned Dourk Tavern into the only provider for ice cubes in Waluo City. Nothing beats the allure of a cold beer when you''re exhausted after a hard day''s work. Therefore, the popularity of Amur Beer at Dourk Tavern had increased dramatically. Moreover, Dourk Tavern also received an additional supply of Lada Whiskey, which liked other Amethyst Merchant product, it had premium quality at affordable prices. However, Lt. Colonel Slane gave Old Dourk an advice to impose a rule that each customer could only order alcoholic drinks for a maximum of two servings. That way only visitors who intended to fill their stomachs would visit Dourk Tavern. Meanwhile, people who wanted to relax and chat while drinking would go to the bar. Old Dourk happily adopted the advice because Dourk Tavern''s capacity was not big even though the expansion had been made. Of course, it wasn¡¯t affecting Dourk Tavern''s profits because Amur Beer and Lada Whiskey had become main menus in every bar in Waluo City. Initially only small bars took Amur Beer from Old Dourk. However, after the middle and upper-class bars realized that they could not possibly reproduce Amur Beer anytime soon, they ended up taking Amur Beer as well, even though they were secretly still trying to reproduce it. When Old Dourk expressed his concern over Amur Beer''s plagiarism, Lt. Colonel Slane casually asked him to stay focused on Dourk Tavern and ignore everything else. Without many words, Old Dourk carried out this advice. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Ironically, Old Dourk was not aware that at this time he already had an earning equivalent of a middle-class noble who had a fertile field. Since the beginning, Lt. Colonel Slane had predicted that Amur Beer would provide massive income, and with access to cheap spices and modern food staples, it''s only a matter of time before Dourk Tavern grew into a titan in food business. Lt. Colonel Slane looked at every corner of Dourk Tavern which was being prepared by Old Dourk''s wife and daughters before speaking, "As long as you don''t enter the spices market that had been monopolize by nobles, I''m sure you''ll be fine." "Don''t worry. I''m not stupid enough to draw their attention." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded in satisfaction before asking, "What about Sturk?" "Now he helps me with the preparations in the kitchen. So my wife is demoted to become dish washer and helps my two daughters clean the front." Old Dourk glanced at his wife for a moment before continuing. "But she doesn''t complain because the cleaning equipment supplied by Amethyst Merchant makes her job much easier." Lt. Colonel Slane slightly smiled as he was holding out two clocks in front of Old Dourk, who in an instant became dumbfounded. As a cook who had lived in Waluo Castle, Old Dourk understood the concept of time. He also knew that the only clock in Waluo Castle had a size of two wardrobes with the price of a medium-sized field. As for clocks that were slightly smaller, the price would be two or three times higher. Meanwhile, the two clocks on Lt. Colonel Slane¡¯s hand were only 30x30 cm in size. It also had elegant shapes and colors, and logo of ''Amethyst Merchant'' was written in the middle. While staring at the dumbfounded Old Dourk, Lt. Colonel Slane said, "A small gift from Amethyst Merchant. One for the kitchen and another one for the shop." "It''s no small gift. I can''t accept it." "Don¡¯t hesitate. This is Amethyst Merchant''s way of appreciating business associates." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled before continuing, "I will return to Magwurt City. If you need to talk to me, come to Joker Trading Post, the personnel over there will put you in touch with me." Old Dourk took a deep breath before saying, "You have a kind heart, may the gods who live in heaven always be with you." Lt. Colonel Slane realized the gods that Old Dourk meant were just figments, but he did not reject Old Dourk''s good intentions. "I pray they''ll be with you too, and thank you for the breakfast." Lt. Colonel Slane and the group from Magwurt City then left Dourk Tavern. As they reached the city gates, Captain Rumus could no longer hold back the restlessness in his heart. "Ser Slane, I''m sorry if I''m presumptuous, but I think Amethyst Merchant deserves a bigger partner." "Captain, don''t worry too much about it. Our mission in Waluo City has been accomplished well." Lt. Colonel Slane goal was a promotion, not finding big partners, and the promotions through Dourk Tavern gave him a very positive result. Waluo City residents did not have negative sentiment towards Amur Beer, Lada Whiskey, or other product supplied by Amethyst Merchant. Lt. Colonel Slane didn''t even need to ward off the negative rumors from Northern Coaliton¡¯s merchants. This was a great success for him. Of course, it wasn''t because the residents of Waluo City trusted Amethyst Merchant''s products, but because they believed in Old Dourk who had a good heart, and would never harm his customers no matter how much profit Amethyst Merchant offered to him. With a cheerful heart, Lt. Colonel Slane then left Waluo City. ***** TFA1 5.1 - Ambush TFA1 5.1 - Ambush Lt. Colonel Slane''s Office, Amethyst Marketing Office 07:51, 2 Jul 2025 Once the conflict with Northern Coalition ended, Lt. Colonel Slane moved Amethyst Merchant HQ to Castle Magwurt. As for the old HQ building, he converted it into a marketing office. Every day, Lt. Colonel Slane spent most of his time in the marketing office. He only went to Amethyst Merchant HQ when there was a meeting with Tuscan Region''s higher-ups. Once he sat down at his desk, Lt. Colonel Slane immediately checked Amethyst Merchant''s latest progress report. The essence of the report was: The supply of agricultural commodities and livestock from Kandez Region was sufficient, so the supply from earth would be reduced. Of course, the development of agricultural and livestock area in Herron Mountains would remain to be carried out to prevent dependence from outside. The Amur Beer and Lada Whiskey factory in Magwurt City was also already fully operational. After final producing process, it would need two weeks before Amur Beer was ready to be consumed, while Lada Whiskey would need four years. Fortunately, massive supply that just came from earth would ensure Lada Whiskey was available for the next six years. Production facilities for perry, cider, jam, syrup, candied fruit, jelly, meat sauce, along with packaging glass and cardboard would also be in operation this month. Therefore, the production facilities on South America could be sold to local investor. Meanwhile, the finishing products could be sent to Amstell Continent. The sugar factory still had to wait for the first harvest of sugarcane before its real capacity was known, but in general there was nothing to worry about. In his report, Lt. Colonel Slane also included the impression he caught while visiting Waluo City, including intelligence regarding the closeness between Terrek Family who ruled Kandez Region and important noble families in Makai Royal City. Lt. Colonel Slane suggested that for the time being the relations with Kandez Region should be limited to the level of economic cooperation, without entering into an alliance. At least until Kingdom of Makai''s reaction to the presence of TF Amethyst could be ascertained. After nodding his head three times, Lt. Colonel Slane turned to the next page, but before he could start reading it, Vex suddenly walked into the room and sat in front of him. Lt. Colonel Slane then turned his gaze to the sofa where Kim Dong-Ree, the chief of his security detail, was sitting and reading a fashion magazine. After staring back at Lt. Colonel Slane, Kim Dong-Ree then got up and walked out of the room with her team. "I didn''t expect you to come here. I hope you don''t bring me bad news." Vex grabbed a glass of whiskey from Lt. Colonel Slane before answering, "Of course not, I came to survey Herron Mountains and I happen to have something to ask you." "Well, don''t hesitate then." Vex put down his emptied whiskey glass before asking, "Are you sure that the energy needs for production facilities in Magwurt City can be fulfilled without waiting for the hydropower plant to be built?" Vex did not understand agriculture, livestock, or matter regarding food processing industry. However, he knew that the three states that became largest food producer in US of A were also the biggest energy users. So, he wanted to determine how urgent the energy needs for Magwurt City. Lt. Colonel Slane calmly explained, "For now, each production facility in Magwurt City is only at home industry level. We will be fine even without a hydropower plant." Seeing Lt. Colonel Slane answered confidently, Vex didn''t ask any further and chose to change the topic. "I''ve brought some updates for you." In a half-whisper, Vex then explained that Claire had succeeded in controlling 80% of the Antarctic. So, she ready to send exploration team and announce that she had found a new source of energy. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Nouel''s first harvest along the South High Road was also quite successful, and in a few weeks the fuel for all of TF Amethyst''s ground assets would be switched from palm oil to Nouel biofuel. Of course, this did not include electric-powered vehicles. Vex then closed the brief explanation he gave while handing Lt. Colonel Slane a flashdisk. "This is the intel that Major Petrov obtained about the economic, social, political, cultural, and trade in Kingdom of Makai, including trade agreements and price lists for various commodities that you ask for." While smiling from ear to ear Lt. Colonel Slane grabbed the flashdisk. "Thank you, with this intel I can immediately carry out trade negotiations with the noble families." Lt. Colonel Slane turned his head towards Vex before continuing, "If possible, could Major Petrov dig deeper into the relations between Terrek Family and noble families in Makai Royal City?" Vex nodded slightly. "I will ask Major Petrov to prioritize your request." --- Landei Gorge 12:40, 5 Jul 2025 Landei Gorge was located at the northwestern tip of Berril Plain, extending up to 7 km with the widest area reaching 3 km. The gorge, on which the surface was a dense forest, forms a barrier between Kandez Region on the south and Liqua Region on the north. For decades, skirmishes between Kandez Region and Liqua Region took place in Landei Gorge. However, two years ago, to be precise after the skirmish which caused both parties lost more than a thousand lives, a truce agreement was finally signed. In the ceasefire agreement, the two parties agreed not to carry out any activity in Landei Gorge and the border post must be built at least 1.5 km from the outer boundary of the gorge. It was also for this reason that Tuscan Guard built the border post 1.5 km from the outer boundary of the gorge. By taking advantage of the authority vacuum in Landei Gorge, Lassac and dozens of his men managed to infiltrate the outer boundary between Berril Plain and Landei Gorge. Their mission was to kidnap Amethyst Merchant¡¯s personnel. Since seven days ago Lassac had been observing the activity on Berril Plain. Every day, Amethyst Merchant¡¯s personnel would come to inspect the barley fields at the outer boundary of Landei Gorge using iron carriage. It was not uncommon they would come over to tens of meters from Lassac¡¯s position. However, Lassac didn''t act because of the three iron carriages that came, only passengers on one of the iron carriages got off. So, if the rider on the other two iron carriages decided to interfere, Lassac was completely sure he would fail. Moreover, every time he imagined that being hit by the iron carriage which was super heavy but could run very fast, the hairs on his nape immediately stood upright to the end. But today, luck finally smiled at Lassac. There was only one iron carriage approaching his position, and all the passengers were getting off and moving away from the iron carriage that became the source of his worry. Also, of the seven passengers, five of them were women while the other two men looked very weak. From their gestures and clothes, Lassac could tell that four of them were not locals, while the other three were residents of Tuscan Region. "Now!!" Lassac firmly gave his men signal to act. With steady steps Lassac and around 60 men ran toward their prey. They were only 40 meters apart, while the closest Tuscan guards were about 500 meters away. So, speed was the key to the success of his action. "Stop and state your identities!" While his comrades were running towards the iron carriage, one of Amethyst Merchant''s personnel shouted and grabbed something from his waist. However, Lassac ignored the warning and sped up his pace. Bang! Bang! Bang! A loud explosion was heard and several of his men collapsed to the ground, but Lassac kept running toward Amethyst Merchant''s personnel. Lassac already knew that Amethyst Merchant personnel had fire sticks that could kill from a distance. Therefore, for this mission he specifically chose the best runners and archers who were also ready to sacrifice their lives. Without waiting for orders, the archers placed arrows into their bows and took aim. A moment later, Amethyst Merchant personnel who had previously knocked their comrade down fell onto the ground with a body full of arrows. One of Amethyst Merchant¡¯s personnel who ran to the back door of the iron carriage did not escape the rain of arrows either. He tumbled two meters off the iron carriage, and the companions behind him immediately stopped running. In an instant, Lassac and his men arrived before the remaining Amethyst Merchant¡¯s personnel who stood stunned as they raised their hands. When Lassac saw the horror in their gazes, he instantly grinned from ear to ear. ''Looks like Amethyst Merchant personnel aren''t as terrifying as we thought.'' Of course Lassac didn''t forget his job, as in the distance he saw a dozen of Tuscan guards running over with all their might. As soon as Lassac blew a whistle, 40 Cloud Hawks shot out from the tree line at the edge of Landei Gorge. Before long, Lassac and all of his men were already on the back of Cloud Hawks, flying low over Landei Gorge with their prisoner. ***** TFA1 5.2 - No Time To Relax TFA1 5.2 - No Time To Relax Maple Hall, Maple Palace Hotel 14:16, 5 Jul 2025 Over the past few months, Amethyst Merchant had built seven luxury hotels in Magwurt City. Although each hotel only had two floors 42 rooms each, the facilities and services in these hotels were no less than the top class hotels on earth. Each hotel had various facilities such as fitness center, swimming pool, salon and spa, casino, bar, restaurant, cafe, and nightclub. Of the seven hotels, three of them were devoted to nobles. Meanwhile, the other four were open to the public, where TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel, Tuscan Guard¡¯s members, and local Amethyst Merchant workers would receive special discounts. The nobles needed a special hotel because they could not use facilities that were also used by commoners. Of course, hotels for nobles and hotels for commoner operated under different philosophies and pricing. Public hotels adhere to the same philosophy as the luxury hotels on earth at reasonable rates. Meanwhile, hotels for nobles adhered to a philosophy that assumed their guests were demigods who must be given respect and adulation. Of course, the rates for these hotels were eight times higher. For the hotel for the nobles, every ornament, layout, worker dress, and manner of service were all arranged personally by Mier. She even directly selected and trained the personnel who would interact with the nobles. Of course, Lt. Colonel Slane provides a team to ease Mier''s duties. Considering that she had to prepare three concepts at once. After traveling to every corner of Maple Palace, Mier then brought Lt. Colonel Slane to Maple Hall, where she devoted all her knowledge and experience over the years. And just after two steps, Lt. Colonel Slane immediately stopped. ''If I hadn''t seen it myself, I would never have thought there was such a relaxing place.'' Initially, Lt. Colonel Slane sensed there was something odd about the layout of the lamps, lighting levels, or the dull floor. However, when the odd thing was combined with the sculptures on the wall, he immediately felt as if he were surrounded by thousands of cypress trees, at dusk. And that shook Lt. Colonel Slane''s heart to the core. The impression he caught was so vivid that he completely felt he was in the middle of a pine forest, if only he hadn''t seen the hall door that had been left open. Lt. Colonel Slane had heard that the painter was the person who turned the sun into a small yellow circle, while Van Gough was the person who turned the small yellow circle into the sun. Now, finally he understood the meaning of this expression. At first, Mier was only asked to become a consultant for Amethyst Gallery. However, not long after the architect and artist in charge of drafting the hotel concept for the nobles asked her for advice, they then proposed that Mier should be given the responsibility of fully drafting the concepts of hotels for the nobles. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Lt. Colonel Slane agreed and gave Mier a full support, even though he secretly paid close attention to the development and realization of the concept made by Mier. That''s why Lt. Colonel Slane fully understands that Mier perfectly and harmoniously combined architectural techniques, arts, and culture from the earth and Amstell Continent. That way, the Amstell Continent''s nobles would feel a new, authentic, and refreshing sensation, but also feel the traditions and culture they were familiar with. In short, Lt. Colonel Slane was delighted with Mier''s work. "Thank you for working so hard to meet my expectations." Mier smiled slightly before she humbly said, "It¡¯s thanks to the skill of Amethyst Gallery''s artist." "Mier, don''t be so modest." Lt. Colonel Slane was aware that Amethyst Gallery artists'' skills were profound, but to integrate their skills into a masterpiece was much more difficult than flying using two hands. "Unfortunately, my concept takes up budget three times higher than hotels for public, and until now these hotels are still not getting visitors." Lt. Colonel Slane gave a small smile before saying casually. "The budget you are using is still within the limits I set. So don''t worry too much about it. For the visitor, I''ll take care of it myself." Although the restlessness in her heart did not completely disappear, Mier forced a smile and nodded. At the same time, a communications specialist approached Kim Dong-Ree and whispered something. Without delay, Kim Dong Ree then delivered the message she had just received, and Lt. Colonel Slane instantly frowned upon hearing that. --- Tumbra Lake, Herron Mountains Range. 14:38, 5 Jul 2025 When viewed from above, Herron Mountains almost form a circle with a diameter of 390 km. Needless to say, it was easy to conclude that Herron Mountains were much larger than Tuscan Region, and 47% of the area was very fertile. Unfortunately, Gray Wolf¡¯s population in this mountain range was extraordinarily high. One of the trademarks of Herron Mountains was Lake Tumbra, a freshwater lake located at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level. In this lake, TF Amethyst planned to build a clean water purification and hydropower plant. While below it, in the Namba Valley which stretches for ??42 km, Agriculture Development Group would build various research facilities. On the shores of Lake Tumbra, two OH-58 Kiowa Warriors and an AH-1Z Viper sit idly, while the flight crews relax nearby. Not far from the three helicopters, Vex sat pensively while holding a fishing rod. ''It takes at least 6 batteries of Tamir ADS, 24 LAV Shorad, and 80 M1152 Ripper to provide air cover to all corners of this mountain range. Meanwhile, every vital site must be equipped with 50-200 Ripper Stations. ''The other problem is that, Herron Mountains have too many mouse trails that intruders can take advantage of. While waiting for the arrival of Tamir ADS and LAV Shorad, I have to schedule the training for GCG so they understand the terrain like their own backyard.'' Vex nodded and he just about to note his reflections when a radio call was coming in. [Miwa Godfather, XO, do you copy.] "XO, Miwa Godfather, loud and clear." [XO, we have situation in Berril Plain, two ADG personnel were KIA, while the other two were MIA along with three local workers.] Vex took a deep breath before pressing PTT button. ¡°Understood, I''ll be right back, XO, over and out.¡± ''Why? Whenever I decide to relax a bit, problems arise.'' Vex sighed silently while fixing his fishing rod. After releasing some of the fishes he had caught, he then rushed over to one of the Kiowa Warriors. ***** TFA1 5.3 - Interrogation TFA1 5.3 - Interrogation Once Vex arrived at Castle Magwurt, he immediately received a short brief about the situation from Lt. Colonel Slane. Weasel came from the tree line at the edge of Landei Gorge. They wore light gear and covered a 40 meter distance in an instant. Specialist Conrad tried to block them but he was killed by a salvo of arrows. Specialist Hebert also died for the same reason when he tried to get his Scorpion Evo that he left on the M1152¡¯s back seat. Forty Riders then emerged from Landei Gorge and took away all the weasels including those killed or injured, along with Specialist Peggie, Specialist Amber, and three Amethyst Merchant workers who were all young women. Vex nodded before pointing to a location 20 km from Landei Gorge and interrupting Lt. Colonel Slane''s explanation, "Radar on FOC South 860 cannot reach deep into Landei Gorge, but what about Tamir launcher vehicle that is specifically deployed to monitor Landei Gorge?" Lt. Colonel Slane changed the map on the display table to a picture of abandoned carts and said, "They passed Landei Gorge on foot. They put their Cloud Hawk into a cart and then using pack horses to tow it.¡± "They moved the Cloud Hawk on a cart?" A large question mark suddenly appeared on Vex''s forehead. Given that Cloud Hawk almost had to perch all the time, the giant bird could not stay on the ground for too long, let alone being placed in a cart that had to go through over an uneven track. "STA¡¯s personnel found remnants of an anesthetic on the Cloud Hawk''s food." Lt. Colonel Slane took a deep breath before continuing, "Unfortunately, they found no other traces that could aid the pursuit." After giving Vex time to digest his explanation, Lt. Colonel Slane immediately added. As dozens of Cloud Hawks fled through Landei Gorge, Tamir¡¯s crew was ready to take it down. Fortunately, they heard Tuscan Guard at the location radioed Command Center and reported the kidnapping that had just happened. Meanwhile, radar station at FOC South 860 managed to track down them. After exiting Landei Gorge, they entered Liqua Region and continued moving west until they disappeared from the radar. "Generally that''s what happened. For the details, IDG¡¯s officers have compiled it while continuing to add updates." Lt. Colonel Slane then turned towards Vex before asking, "What is our response?" Vex firmly answered, "Full mobilization to the border. Meanwhile, IDG¡¯s personnel stationed in Northern Coalition have to spread out rumors that we will use the incident on Berril Plain as a pretext to launch an invasion and annex their territory." Lt. Colonel Slane looked at Vex deeply before saying, "Do you want to adopt Gunboat Diplomacy?" "Yes, with Fort Cambia as the foothold. But how far we will go, we have to wait for General O''Neil''s decision." With full determination Viscount Rattel expressed his support, "Tuscan Region will gladly support every step that TF Amethyst takes." And gratefully, Vex replied, "Thank you Ser Viscount, Tuscan Region''s support means a lot to us." --- Main Operations Control Room, Harley Quinn MOA. As soon as he received the report about incident on Berril Plain, General O''Neil immediately asked IDG to activate their spies in Northern Coalition¡¯s territories. At the same time, he ordered ACG to deploy six Reapers and four Poseidons to carry out aerial tracking. Without hesitation, General O''Neil considered the option of storming Northern Coalition leader''s residence. Given that IDG found indications about Northern Coalition''s higher-ups involvement. For example, weasels were capable of deploying 40 Riders, meaning they had large resources. The weasel also had remarkable determination to cross the rugged terrain while carrying Cloud Hawk, wits to looking for weak points on the perimeter, patience to keep an eye on potential targets, and then act at the right moment without hesitation. It clearly showed that weasels were used to carry out a high-risk illegal operation in enemy territory. And in Amstel Continent, only nobles were capable of maintaining Black Ops units. However, before the attack on residence of Northern Coalition¡¯s leader was discussed with other TF Amethyst higher-ups, General O''Neil wanted to discuss it with Vex first. And the second opinion he was waiting for, finally arrived when Lt. Colonel Julius walked over to him. "Sir, XO is on the line one." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Thank you, LTC." General O''Neil then picked up the receiver before him and punched the number one. "Vex, come in." [Have you read the report?] "I have." [Then, you must be aware we don''t have much hope. Apart from violating security protocols by visiting the red zone without escort, the captured personnel also did not carry radios so Poseidon could not carry out electronic tracking to estimate their location.] General O''Neil was silent for a moment before asking, "What do you think if we capture Northern Coalition¡¯s leaders, and dig up information from them or propose a hostage exchange." [I think we should use it as the last option. I mean, even if they are the culprit, there is a possibility they already gave their men orders to erase the tracks so they can carry out denial tactics if they are being suspected.] "Do you have suggestions in mind?" [Let¡¯s launch Gunboat Diplomacy along with strong ultimatum. If the hostages don''t come back alive then we will declare total war on whoever we suspect. That way, Northern Coalition¡¯s leaders might choose to return the hostages while scapegoating nobles they don''t like.] "I will set the target for Gunboat Diplomacy. However, if in seven days we get nothing, then we will capture Northern Coalition¡¯s leader at all cost." [What if Northern Coalition wasn''t mastermind behind this incident?] "I''d rather kill the innocent than give up the opportunity to save our personnel." [Understood, I will send the list of assets I need. Vex over and out.] After placing the receiver back on its place, General O''Neil tried to write letter of condolence for the families of two fallen personnel. Specialist Conrad left a father, mother, and younger sister. Meanwhile, Specialist Hebert left an ex-wife and two daughters. However, up to twenty minutes later, General O''Neil still couldn''t get any words. ''No matter how many times I write it, I''m still not used to it,'' General O''Neil muttered before closing his eyes and sighing in silence. --- Villa Hagel, middle of abandon agricultural area on western tip of Liqua Region. 16:15, 5 Jul 2025 Specialist Peggie and Specialist Amber were botanists who have never received military training. That''s why the shock they received from seeing their colleagues being murdered before their eyes was quite large. Flying on Cloud Hawk''s back where there was only a small net to hold on was also draining them mentally. Meanwhile, traveling by cart without rubber in its wheel was draining them physically. However, Lassac did not care about their condition. In fact, he enjoyed the scene where his captives were half dead mentally and physically. As he put two bowls of oatmeal on the table Lassac said, "I want you to know that I am a patriot. It means that I am willing to die or do savage things for the sake of my homeland. So you better not irritate me. What I want from you is a method to restore Nouel farmland. Once you give it to me, I will free you. Tonight you can rest and tomorrow we will talk again." Lassac was almost arrived at the door when Peggie got the courage to ask, "Where are our three colleagues?" Peggie and Amber realized that they were in a villa, in a room that was quite spacious, neat, and clean. Unfortunately, they didn''t know where their three female colleagues were being locked up. "You better worry about yourself and don''t ask too many questions." After Lassac left the room, Peggie immediately breathed a sigh of relief. At least for now she and Amber would not be subjected to rape or sexual harassment. Peggie then turned to Amber before saying, "No matter what, we must stay alive as long as possible. So be strong." "I will try." Amber answered softly, but her willingness to answer was more than enough to calm Peggie''s worry. They then forced themselves to eat the oatmeal before lying down on the bed. --- Underground Detention, Villa Hagel. 19:20, 5 Jul 2025 Lassac attentively studied the interrogation of three Amethyst Merchant workers, which contained agricultural techniques, information about Amethyst Merchant¡¯s officers, the economic condition of Tuscan Region, and the current capacity of Tuscan Guard. Although the three Amethyst Merchant workers cooperated immediately after they saw the torture instruments laid out in front of them, Lassac realized that the information he had obtained was not deep enough. Considering that the source was only ordinary workers. But at least he managed to get an idea that Tuscan Region was growing rapidly in all fields. ''It is only a matter of time before Tuscan Region returns to become a power house. When that happens it will be too late no matter what steps we take.'' After putting the document he had just studied into an envelope and sealing it, Lassac then handed it over to his assistant. "Rhaver, send this document to Ser Baron as soon as possible." Rhaver received the documents before turning to three female prisoners who were being raped by his men. One glance and it was easy to tell they were already over exhausted and could die at any second. "How about them?" "Do whatever you wa---" Lassac stopped his words as he remembered that Peggie seemed to care deeply for her colleagues. "Leave them alone, we might need to use them later." "Are you sure? Don''t you see that almost all of our men are already riding on them?" "Then, immediately order them to stop." Hearing Lassac gave him the orders in an icy tone, Rhaver immediately rushed over to his men who were drowning in the orgy. Not long after that grumbling was heard, but no one dared to refute Lassac¡¯s order. ***** TFA1 5.4 - Air Domination TFA1 5.4 - Air Domination South High Road km. 863 02:05, 6 Jul 2025 By relying on emergency lights, dozens of Hercules made night landings. The dozens of Hercules were carrying two Task Forces who would participate in Operation Gemini. The first task force was TF Pollux. CQB Company was the backbone of TF Pollux. Its mission was to storm the residence of Northern Coalition¡¯s leader and capture as many key personnel as possible. TF Pollux was led by Major Norlan, the CO of Alpha Co of CQB Company. As soon as Hercules landed, all TF Pollux personnel immediately boarded the truck that would take them to FOC South 860. The second Task Force was TF Castor. It had a company of air assault, along with 62 M1151 Ripper, artillery platoon, and various supporting assets. TF Castor would take part as ground element in the Gunboat Diplomacy. It was led directly by Colonel Meyer, the third-highest officer on Ground Combat Group. While greeting Vex, Colonel Meyer said, "In the previous conflict, it seemed we were too soft." Vex smiled before answering, "The previous conflict was not a battle, but an exercise with live targets." "This time, make sure my unit gets a chance to level a fort or two." "Wilco Brother." Colonel Meyer then boarded a LAV Command, and TF Castor''s convoy immediately began the journey to Fort Cambia. Vex then got into one of the trucks carrying TF Pollux¡¯s personnel, and on the way to FOC South 860 he received a report that ACG''s assets had just arrived at Fort Cambia and FOC South 860. --- Main Briefing Room, FOC South 860. 06:30, 6 Jul 2025 After breakfast, Vex called the officers, team leaders of CQB Company, personnel of ACG, and other key personnel in TF Pollux to the briefing room. The brief was, TF Pollux''s would kidnap Northern Coalition''s leader from their residences, and then take them to Castle Magwurt for interrogation. The three targeted residences were 200-220 km from Fort Cambia. So the fort would become the point of departure considering AH-1Z combat radius that would escort the Chinook was only 231 km. Over the past few months, IDG had planted spies in the residence of Northern Coalition¡¯s leader. They already obtained layout of the complex, patterns and strength of the guard as well as the habits of the target. Since last night, personnel from Logistic & Support Group had started building a mock-up of the targeted complex. They would complete it this afternoon. Until the next five days the raid team would stay, sleep, and train at the mock-up complex. Vex paused for a moment so that the briefing participants could digest his explanation, and then he asked, ¡°Before we go into the details, is any of you have something to ask?" For some time Vex waited, but no questions were asked. "All right, IDG¡¯s officers will share the intel they have, and then we can compile the details of the operation and the training menu." "" "" "Sir!" "" "" " All the briefing participants answered calmly but steadily. --- Abandoned Nouel Farmland near Villa Hagel 07:15, 6 Jul 2025 Peggie wanted to curse when this morning she found the three female workers of Amethyst Merchant who were kidnapped with her were hobbling while walking and their faces were very pale. However, she immediately held back after remembering that the situation could have been worse. That''s why even though her heart was burning with rage, Peggie did not argue when Lassac took her to the abandoned Nouel Farmland around Villa Hagel. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The problem was that at a glance, Peggy could tell the farmland was in much worse condition than the Nouel Farmland in Tuscan Region, and the root of cause was man-made. "It will take at least three years to repair this field, and believe it or not the damage in this field is not due to natural causes." Lassac casually answered, "At least you didn''t say this field could be repaired easily like previous Maester." Peggie instantly frowned. "Before I formulate a solution, I need to know what previous agriculturalists have done to this field." "The Maester has already gone to the afterlife. But he has notes that you can study and some subordinates that can help you." "It''s too much trouble if I have to teach new people. I need my colleagues, so leave them alone." Lassac pondered for a moment before saying, "It depends on how fast you can repair this field. I can''t restrain my subordinates for too long." Peggie glanced at Lassac before saying in a super-serious tone, "To be honest, three years is the fastest time before this land is ready to be replanted with Nouel. Before that, this land must be reconditioned and then being planted with barley or other crops depending on the results of my analysis." A glimmer of hope flashed through Lassac''s eyes, but he desperately hid the joy in his heart. "How long before the land is ready for barley?" "Three months at the earliest, five months at the most." Lassac said reflexively, "Nouel is not a priority, just focus on the crops. Once you provide the technique I asked for, I''ll send you home and no one will bother you until then.¡± Peggie didn''t fully believe Lassac''s promise, but for now she would follow Lassac''s wishes while looking for a way to tell her location to Amethyst Merchant HQ. "I''ll get to work today and quickly get the things I asked for." Lassac gave a small nod before taking Peggie back to Villa Hagel. --- Airspace at an altitude of 20,000 feet, 105 km east of Dohark City. 07:50, 6 Jul 2025 With ease, a P-8 Poseidon with callsign Smoking Panda crosses the sky to the east. In addition to tracking and locating the kidnapped personnel from Agriculture Development Group and Amethyst Merchant¡¯s workers, Smoking Panda had the additional task of securing air space for two OH-58D Kiowa Warriors who would pay a visit on Dohark City, the capital city fo Tarai Region. The two OH-58D Kiowa Warriors with callsign Oscar Kilo were tasked with checking the route to Dohark City as well as giving an ultimatum to higher-ups of Tarai Region. The radar operator on Smoking Panda was about to sip of his second coffee when six blips appeared on the dark green screen he was watching at. "Radar contact, six bandits, 12 o''clock, 85 km at 3000 feet, 320km/h. It will hit Oscar Kilo''s from nine O¡¯clock." The operations control officer immediately responded to the radar operator''s intel by asking the Electro-Optic/IR operator for confirmation. "EO, give me your input!" "Roger." In non-total war circumstance, TF Amethyst adheres to the doctrine of visual confirmation before shooting down a target. Therefore, the operations control officer could not simply ordering the weapon officer to launch a strike until the target had been identified visually. In clear weather the EO/IR sensors on Poseidon could reach up to 120 km, and if the target was a fighter using the afterburner or a missile with a booster, then both targets could be tracked and identified from a distance of 200-300 km. Of course, when the sky was filled with thick clouds, Poseidon''s visual/passive sensing ability dropped dramatically to a range of 8-35 km. As soon as visual confirmation was obtained, the EO/IR sensor operator immediately said, "Visual contact, six Cloud Hawks, with Tarai Air Corps attributes." The operations control officer immediately responded by giving orders to the weapon officer, "Send A-1-20 in pairs at three-second intervals." "Roger! A-1-20 in pairs, at three-second intervals." The Poseidon used by TF Amethyst had been modified so that it could fire all missiles in the USAF''s inventory, where each unit could carry up to a maximum of 6 heat-seeker homing missiles such as AIM-9 Sidewinder, or 18 radar homing missiles such as AIM-120 AMRAAM. Smoothly, three pairs of AIM-120C7, which had an effective range of up to 105 km, were launched from under Poseidon''s wings at intervals of three seconds. The AIM-120 had a pop-dive trajectory. It would climb up as it flew toward its target. The radar on the Poseidon would direct the AIM-120s towards Tarai Riders until a distance of approximately 20 km. After that, the seeker on the missile would activate and take over the tracking. In the world of fighters, there was the phrase ''Missiles have no friends.'' This was because the seeker on a missile, no matter whether it was guided by radar or heat-seeker, could not distinguish between friend or foe. When the seeker on the missile was active, the seeker would repeat the locking process, and automatically locked on to the closest target. That''s why fighter pilots were strictly prohibited from firing missiles at an opponent who was involved in a tight dogfight with a friend unless he or she had a clear shot. Fortunately, in the Smoking Panda case the opponent was still quite far from Oscar Kilo''s location. So the AIM-120 could be fired with ease. Not long after the seekers on the AIM-120 locked onto the six Tarai Riders, the six missiles then took a sharp dive and hit the target from behind diagonally. Two Tarai Riders in leading position reflexively made a sharp turn as soon as they heard an explosion from behind them. However, both of them still did not escape the next pair of AIM-120 and soon followed up their colleagues into afterlife. ***** TFA1 5.5 - High Activities at the Border TFA1 5.5 - High Activities at the Border Darpha Region Northern Border, 30 km behind the border post, at altitude of 20,000 feet. 09:20, 6 Jul 2025 A unit of P-8 Poseidon with callsign Rolling Panda flew across the sky gracefully. Its mission was carried out an airstrike as part of the Gunboat Diplomacy. Upon entering Darpha Region airspace, it was welcomed by a patrol of Riders who then followed it tightly. In this mission, Rolling Panda did not carry air-to-air missiles for self-defense. However, since Cloud Hawk could only fly up to an altitude of 12,000 feet with a maximum speed of 360 km/h, Rolling Panda¡¯s crew could calmly ignore their stalkers. As soon as Rolling Panda was above the target coordinates, it immediately dropped 18 units GBU-32 JDAM on its wing and internal bay. When dropping JDAM, the two most usual tactics were to spread out the dropping points to create a wide area of ??explosion, or concentrate it for the maximum damage. For this mission, Rolling Panda dropped all GBU-32s at one point. The GBU-32 used for the mission was based on General Purpose Bomb Mk.83. The warhead had 180 kg of TNT or 40% from the Mk.83¡¯s total weight. One Mk.83 could cover an area of ??200 m2 where every 1 m2 would get 900 grams of explosive. The potential only needed to be multiplied by 18 if all of Mk.83 brought by Rolling Panda were dropped at one point. Of course, the killing radius of an Mk.83 was not only limited to 200 m2. The shock wave, heat wave, and fragmentation generated by 180 kg of TNT could produce an instant-kill effect on humans up to a distance of 200 meters from the center of the explosion. It wasn''t hard to imagine how much damage that Rolling Panda had just produce, but the procedure for recording the results of the bombing was carried out as usual. Shortly after that, Rolling Panda increased its speed and altitude, and then started the tracking mission. Meanwhile, the Riders who were following Rolling Panda dropped their jaw as they looked at the area that had just received the bombing strike. It took a while before the Riders nervously took out a crystal recorder. --- Castle Dohark, Dohark City, Tarai Region 10:05, 6 Jul 2025 In a luxurious meeting room, three nobles sat with grim faces. Count Weizz, leader of Tarai Region Viscount Olrig, leader of Liqua Region Viscount Yelk, leader of Darpha Region As soon as the three heard the incident in Berril Plain, followed by the rumors regarding the incursion and annexation that Tuscan Region and Amethyst Merchant would launch, cold sweat immediately drenched their backs. In addition, they also received reports that a large number of Tuscan guards and hundreds of Amethyst Merchant¡¯s iron carriages had entered Fort Cambia this morning. Meanwhile, a pair of flying carts broke into Northern Coalition''s airspace until it reached their respective capitals, then by using sound amplifier gave an ultimatum that the kidnapped Amethyst Merchant¡¯s personnel must immediately be returned alive. Also, Riders who tried to ambush the flying carts were hit by a fire spear that suddenly appeared from the sky. By riding the fastest Cloud Hawk they had, Viscount Olrig and Viscount Yelk rushed towards Castle Dohark to meet Count Weizz. And while they were fiercely accusing each other of the idiot who was provoking Amethyst Merchant openly, they received another choking report. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Amethyst Merchant''s giant flying arrows had launched three simultaneous airstrike across every region of Northern Coalition. The targets of the airstrike were only empty arid field and there were no human casualties. However, from the picture on crystal recorder the Northern Coalition¡¯s leaders could easily get the picture that ??if the attack was directed at their castle, it was certain that their castle would be leveled to the ground. This was coupled with a message from General Khartoum which was sent via a long-distance crystal communicator, saying: -The next one will not miss.- Count Weizz massaged his dizzy forehead as he remembered that Northern Coalition did not have a back channel with Tuscan Region. Meanwhile, Fort Cambia did not respond to the message he sent. "I''m not forcing you to follow my suggestion, but you should decide what you will do immediately. Sitting here accusing each other will not bring you any results." Count Weizz then rose to his feet and exited the room, leaving behind the stunned Viscount Olrig and Viscount Yelk. --- Border Post of Tarai Guard, 2 km north of Fort Cambia 15:20, 6 Jul 2025 Captain Elkan looked at Fort Cambia as he took a deep breath. This morning he had watched dozens of flying wagons land into Fort Cambia, and a few hours later hundreds of iron carriages belonging to Amethyst Merchant and thousands of Tuscan Guards entered the fort from east gate. Unfortunately, after Captain Elkan reported about alarming build-up at Fort Cambia, he and his unit were only received an order to slow down the impending attack as much as possible, without any notification of reinforcement being sent. Captain Elkan only had a 200-man Cavalry Company under his command, most of whom had just completed their training. That''s why he kept asking, ''How could we possibly withstand the onslaught of an opponent capable of wiping out a whole corps in one breath?'' In the previous conflict, Captain Elkan was part of the corps that had to block the possible incursion from Fort Cambia, and he survived the firestorm that wiped out the main elements as he was leading a reconnaissance of Fort Cambia when the airstrike came. Captain Elkan still remembered it vividly, when he and his men had to collected the ashes and charcoal of their fallen comrades so that they could bury them properly. "It seems we will also suffer the same fate," Captain Elkan muttered silently before turning his head to the Centurion standing next to him. "Is there still no reply from Fort Cambia?" "Absolutely nothing and the communications squad had confirmed there is no signal disturbance. Fort Cambia received our message, but they ignored it." Normally, the party that built up a force at the border would send a message to the opposing side. Usually, they would say it was an exercise. Although the message would be laughed at and those on the other side would still make a full preparation to block the possible incursion, at least it could ease tensions a little. However, Tuscan Guard and Amethyst Merchant did not send any messages and ignored the incoming messages. This made the tensions at Tarai Guard¡¯s border post soar to the sky. As cutting off communication completely could be interpreted as a declaration of hostility that was impossible to reconcile. This step was usually taken by 2nd World Authorities such as Kingdom of Makai or Kingdom of Horrep when they were about to annex a territory. Captain Elkan could have faked a communication contact to ease his men¡¯s worry, but he chose not to. No matter how difficult the situation, he wanted his men not to hold on to false hopes. Therefore, his men could quickly accept the reality, and when death came they could die without remorse because they had fought to the last drop of blood, and then crossed into the afterlife peacefully. Even so, it didn''t mean Captain Elkan''s heart was not tightened when he remembered that most of his men were only teenagers. "Order all personnel to write the final message, and ask the youngest personnel to send it to Headquarters." "Sir!" The centurion next to Captain Elkan answered firmly. He realized that the order was an indirect message that the option to surrender had been removed completely, but without hesitation he accepted it. However, the Centurion had only walked two steps when another Centurion hurried toward Captain Elkan. "Captain, a convoy is coming from north." Captain Elkan immediately checked the convoy using a monocular scope, and he saw a cavalry unit escorting three luxury cart each with the insignia of Northern Coalition¡¯s leader. A large question mark filled Captain Elkan''s face, but he still knew what he had to do. "Prepare my horse, I will greet them myself." "Sir!" The second centurion answered firmly before rushing to carry out the order. ***** TFA1 5.6 - Prospective Desert TFA1 5.6 - Prospective Desert North Gate, Fort Cambia 17:10, 6 Jul 2025 This afternoon Colonel Meyer received reports that a number of cavalry entered Tarai Guard border post. However, he ignored it because the opening attack would be launched by artillery elements, and the bigger the concentration made by the opposing side the happier he was. One thing he did not expect was that Northern Coalition¡¯s leaders would come to Fort Cambia¡¯s north gate, and asked to meet with Lt. Colonel Slane or Viscount Rattel. ''Are they trying to use Trojan Horse Tactic?'' Asked Colonel Meyer inwardly, but his wonder evaporated after he saw that his guest consisted of only three luxury carriages, each carrying a middle-aged man in glamorous clothes, an old man, a woman, a young man, and several children. Meanwhile, a small number of cavalrymen and coachmen stood not far behind them. Colonel Meyer was a Georgian ex-Ranger Airborne who had a tough, outspoken character, and didn''t know how to speak formally. Therefore, without introducing himself first he opened the conversation. "State your identities and the reason for the visit?" One of the middle-aged men immediately took a step forward, and then in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant he said, "I am Count Weizz from Tarai Region, together with Viscount Olrig from Liqua Region, and Viscount Yelk from Darpha Region, the three of us intend to propose peace talks with Amethyst Merchant and Tuscan Region. As a sign of goodwill, in addition to our trusted assistants, we are also bringing in the most important family members including our successors." Without any further thinking, Colonel Meyer realized that he had to take his guest to Magwurt Castle. "I am only in charge of field operations. I do not have the authority to respond to your requests. Therefore, I will send you all to Castle Magwurt and you are not allowed to bring armed guards." Count Weizz nodded before saying, "We understand, but for the trip to Castle Magwurt we hope Amethyst Merchant will provide an escort for us." Colonel Meyer took a deep breath before saying, "We will transport you all using airlift. As for your carriages and horses, we hope that your guards will bring them back." Count Weizz was stunned for a moment before he finally answered, "Understood, we will follow Amethyst Merchant procedure." --- Main Hangar, Fort Cambia. To support TF Castor, ACG provided air assets that could be flown immediately without the need to be scheduled in advance, and the choice to bring Northern Coalition leaders and their families fell on 2 units Chinooks, 2 units Venom armed with Mk 19 Automatic Grenade Launchers, and 1 unit Kiowa Warrior. Venom was chosen so that in case one of the Chinooks had to make an emergency landing, the VIP passengers could be evacuated immediately. And when they finally arrived in main helipad, the Northern Coalition Leaders and their family instantly stared at the five flying carriages in front of them with a dropped jaw. ''Finally, I was able to get a close look at Amethyst Merchant''s flying carriages." Count Weizz muttered as he followed a small briefing from a Lieutenant who in charge of escort team. Meanwhile, Chinooks crew politely helped the very nervous passengers to sit as comfortable as possible and fastened their seat belts. Before long, a convoy of helicopters carrying Northern Coalition leaders and their family were take-off and sped up toward Magwurt City. And as soon as Viscount Olrig turned his gaze towards the window, cold sweat instantly ran down his back. He then nervously turned to Count Weizz who happened to be sitting next to him. "How do they see in the dark?" Previously, Count Weizz was too immersed in shock after seeing Amethyst Merchant''s flying carriages. So he completely forgot that he would fly under the night sky. That''s why, as soon as he heard Viscount Olrig''s question, in an instant Count Weizz''s face became as pale as a corpse. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "How am I supposed to know?" Count Weizz replied in a low voice. While in his heart, for the first time in his life he sincerely prayed to the gods who lived in heaven for a safe journey. --- Main Interrogation Room, Amethyst Merchant HQ, Castle Magwurt. 18:20, 6 Jul 2025 Once the notification from Colonel Meyer arrived, preparations to welcome Northern Coalition leaders were immediately carried out. Mier had the task to taking care of Northern Coalition leader''s families and bringing them to Maple Palace. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Slane, Viscount Rattel, General Khartoum, and officers from IDG would talk with Northern Coalition leaders. An interrogation room was immediately prepared. But of course, not an interrogation room equipped with torture instruments. As soon as Vex entered observation room, he immediately walked over to Major Maxwell who was standing behind a giant glass wall. "Am I late?" Major Maxwell shook his head. "No, they just finished their dinner and we were waiting for you before starting to questions them." "Thank you." Vex nodded in relief, and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s start it then.¡± --- From the earphones attached to his left ear, Lt. Colonel Slane heard Major Maxwell say. [LTC, you can start.] While maintaining the casual atmosphere, Lt. Colonel Slane then asked, "Ser Count and Ser Viscounts, can we start confirming a few things?" Count Weizz nodded slightly. "We can." Initially, Northern Coalition leaders were disappointed when they heard that their family was being sent to a hotel. It was quite natural because in Amstell Continent, nobles never stay in public inn unless they were in an incognito circumstance. Nobles would usually rent mansions or villas when they travel to other regions, or choose to camp in the wild if there were no facilities that matched their status. So with their status as diplomatic guests, Northern Coalition leaders spontaneously felt insulted to hear that the lodging reserved for their families was a hotel. Fortunately, Viscount Rattel and Mier who realized the situation immediately calm them down. Viscount Rattel and Mier assured Northern Coalition leaders that Maple Palace was specially designed and prepared for nobles. Also, the hotel had never received guests, and to honor them, Maple Palace would not receive any other guests during their visit. After recalling that their current position did not allow them to bid for a bargain, Northern Coalition leaders in the end canceled their request that a mansion in Castle Magwurt must be reserved exclusively for their family. In addition, after Northern Coalition leaders enjoyed the steak and wine served by the host, and received assurance from Viscount Rattel that their family would have a much better dinner because the chef at Maple Palace was three levels better than the chef at Castle Magwurt, they were instantly calming down and became easier to talk with. After he saw Northern Coalition leaders'' friendly expression, Lt. Colonel Slane smiled before asking the first question. "Are you the ones who planned the attack on Berril Plains?" "We have absolutely no idea about the attack, let alone planning it." After clearing his throat, Count Weizz continued in a serious tone. Before Ser Slane asks any further questions, let me state our intention of coming here." "Please." "We will cooperate wholeheartedly in searching for kidnapped Amethyst Merchant¡¯s personnel. In addition, every military officer and noble in our Region is ready to be summoned here for interrogation." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded slightly before asking, "What rewards do you expect for the full cooperation you are proposing?" Viscount Olrig slightly cleared his throat and said, "If Tuscan Region and Amethyst Merchant truly intended to annex our territory, we hope that a deadly means such as an airstrike is unnecessary, and bloodshed can be avoided." Lt. Colonel Slane pondered for a moment before asking, "Are Ser Count and Viscount ready to lose your position as a leader of a Region?¡± Viscount Yelk calmly replied, "We prefer to lose our position peacefully, rather than lose it with the life of our people. Of course, if we have to lose our position then we hope Amethyst Merchants will provide protection, as we have enemies that will show their fangs once we lose our power." Count Weizz immediately added, "Let''s make an honest calculation. The Northern Coalition''s total population reaches 1.4 million, while Tuscan Region''s total population is no more than 100 thousand. So, the key to make sure the annexation run smoothly is to eliminate eight out of ten residents in the three targeted Regions. If we insist on fighting back even though we are aware that in the end, we will lose our position as well as the population that we must protect, then when we arrive in the afterlife we ??will not be able to be held accountable for our actions in front of our ancestors." Lt. Colonel Slane tapped his finger on the table before speaking casually, "We have no objection to your proposal. You also don''t have to worry about the annexation if we manage to get the kidnapped personnel back and alive." "...?" Then, Lt. Colonel Slane''s gaze turned icy before he continued, "However, if we fail to recover the kidnapped personnel, we will turn Northern Coalition territory into a desert with all its residents." Gulp! The Northern Coalition leaders swallowed hard, while Lt. Colonel Slane''s gaze returned to being casual as usual. ***** TFA1 5.7 - A Ray of Hope TFA1 5.7 - A Ray of Hope Observation Room, Amethyst Merchant HQ 01:25, 7 Jul 2025 After information was obtained from Northern Coalition''s leaders, the next process was to confirm the truth. The method was by mixing the interrogation formula into Northern Coalition leaders'' drink. The interrogation formula would not make Northern Coalition¡¯s leaders automatically speak the truth. However, for a few hours it would hinder their ability to think. In short, they would only be able to access their memories whenever they answered a question. Before targets receive the interrogation formula, they must also be conditioned as relaxed as possible. If targets felt a pressured even only a slight, they would subconsciously form a self-defense which would reduce the effectiveness of the interrogation formula. Slowly but surely, the Northern Coalition¡¯s leaders sank under the influence of interrogation formula. Every time they received a question, they would answer it at length with pleasure, and even though their sentences were irregular and chaotic, personnel from Intelligence and Diplomacy Group were still able to confirm the truth for each of intel they had previously provided. The problem was that after all the confirmation had been made, they still had no clue about involvement of Northern Coalition¡¯s leader with incident in Berril Plain. Vex took a deep breath before turning his head towards Major Maxwell. "Are you sure there was nothing wrong with the interrogation formula?" "I and two other officers confirmed it before the interrogation formula was given." Major Maxwell massaged his forehead before continuing. ¡°Northern Coalition¡¯s leaders are not involved in Berril Plain incident, unless they have had a training to counter modern interrogation." Vex once again let out a long sigh. "I''ll change TF Pollux¡¯s menu to standard hostage rescue until we identify our target. Meanwhile, invite and dig up as much intel as possible from Northern Coalition''s nobles." Major Maxwell firmly answered, "Understood." --- Super Supreme Room, Maple Palace Hotel. 07:05, 7 Jul 2025 Lady Naomi walked over to Count Weizz with a cup of warm black tea. "The quality of sugar and black tea at this place are amazingly good, and they provide it massively." Count Weizz accepted the black tea with a smile. "Do they treat you well?" Lady Naomi nodded slightly. "Don''t worry, the facilities, culinary, and other service in this place far exceed the standards of Royal Mansion in Makai Royal City. Lady Mier and the hotel''s manager are also very kind to us." "Good." Count Weizz made a satisfied smiled before taking a sip of his tea. A moment later, he put his focus back to the list of nobles from Tarai Region whom he would summon to Magwurt City. When Count Weizz a few days ago asked her what if she had to stay in Magwurt City for indefinitely, Lady Naomi immediately realized that her husband was considering the option of relinquishing his position as ruler of Tarai Region, and asked for protection from Tuscan Region in return. Lady Naomi''s suspicion got even stronger after her husband asked her and her children to go to Magwurt City with him. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. If not careful, a noble family that lost their power could end up tragically at the hands of those who hold a grudge against them. That''s why, since the first day she became Count Weizz''s wife, Lady Naomi has begun to make preparations if the worst scenario happened to her family. So, it was natural that even with a very limited time Lady Naomi still had a time to pack a large number of banknotes, gold coins, and other liquid assets belonging to Weizz Family. She also had time to send a message to her family, that they should start sending their assets out of Tarai Region along with the most important family members of the younger generation. --- Balcony of Main Study Room, Villa Hagel. 08:00, 7 Jul 2025 Lassac looked over at the side yard where his prisoners were mixing soil samples taken from the fields with charcoal, sand, and some other material. He was clueless about agricultural techniques, but he could tell that Peggie''s methods were much better than the previous Maester. The previous Maester directly applied their technique to the fields that required the remedial measure. Meanwhile, Peggie and her colleagues took a sample of the soil and then did the experiment using small plots and documented the progress of each testing plot. The experiments were also not limited to one or two solutions, but 14 solutions simultaneously applied into 14 separate plots. ''I''ve got to get the other stuff that Peggie ask as soon as possible,'' Lassac muttered as he looked at the long list in his hands. Peggie asked for dozens of items that at first glance had nothing to do with agricultural engineering. However, because Peggie insisted that these items were very important for her experiments, Lassac promised to get them as soon as possible. Lassac also greatly admired the lilies that Peggie and her colleagues planted. The lilies were a legacy from his father and were planted in pots. But now, it was moved to the front yard and formed a very large and striking ''505'' pattern. Lassac did not understand the meaning of the symbol, but since Peggie said the ''505'' pattern represented luck and blessings in farming, he did not ask any further. Moreover, every morning and in their spare time, Peggie and her friends would nurse the Lilies wholeheartedly as if they were precious treasure. "Hopefully, our efforts are not in vain." For more than a month, Lassac prepared his men so that they were able to pass through Landei Gorge while pulling Cloud Hawk on a wagon. It was not easy feat and required steel determination, not to mention he also had to lose several of his loyal subordinates. However, the toil and casualties he had to pay to kidnap Amethyst Merchant''s personnel was nothing compared to the rewards he would obtain. Lassac smiled faintly before returning to his desk. He couldn''t wait to write a report to Baron Eslei that the farmland in Liqua Region could be saved. --- XO Office, FOC South 860. 16:15, 14 Jul 2025 Over the past week, huge amount of information had been gathered from Northern Coalition¡¯s nobles. However, there were no specific leads related to the incident on Berril Plain. Even so, it did not mean that hypotheses could not be formulated. Of the dozen hypotheses that were compiled by IDG¡¯s personnel, one of them caught Major Maxwell''s attention, and he immediately shared it with Vex. The condition of farmland and food stability in Liqua Region was in a very bad shape. Last year, the farmland in Liqua Region turned out was no longer suitable for Nouel and could only provide about 60% of food needs. Meanwhile, this year the figure fell to 45%. After the peace agreement was signed, Liqua Guard even had to carry out house-to-house inspections to confiscate foodstuffs. Currently, Liqua Region''s residents could only rely on the distribution of porridge twice a day which was managed directly by Liqua''s authority. The Liqua Region''s higher-ups had concealed the truth from their people, but IDG¡¯s field personnel had already confirmed it. Major Maxwell cleared his throat before adding, "And to this day, the only influential figure from Northern Coalition who hasn''t come here is Baron Eslei, on the excuse that he is seriously ill." Vex immediately asked, "What do you suggest?" "Focus our search on Liqua Region and launch intensive observations at Baron Eslei''s residence." Vex immediately checked the log-book for mission and operational rotation of ACG''s assets in his tablet. After studying it for a while he said, "We will maintain aerial tracking in other two Regions, as well as add four Reaper and two Poseidon to Liqua Region." Major Maxwell instantly smiled. "I will immediately prepare a team to observe Baron Eslei''s residence." ***** TFA1 5.8 - The Luck Factor TFA1 5.8 - The Luck Factor XO Office, FOC South 860 15:26, 15 Jul 2025 With great interest, Vex studied photos of a small farmland. It was oddly located in the middle of Liqua Guard¡¯s installation. According to IDG¡¯s intel, the installation was a Nouel farmland initially. Around nine months ago, Liqua Guard suddenly turned it into a cavalry training field and ignored any objections. Most likely, this was done to hide the fact that the field could no longer be planted. Major Maxwell calmly said, "Poseidon took this photo a few minutes ago. It is estimated that the farmland is only a few days old. ADG personnel also confirmed that they use our rejuvenation techniques.¡± I suggest we send an element to find out the hostage locations from the officers at this installation, while TF Pollux is on stand-by to move towards the hostage locations." ¡°Negative,¡± Vex firmly answered, "Until we get the exact location of the hostages. We will not take an action that can alert the kidnappers and put the hostages at risk. For now we will just observe and trace." Major Maxwell looked utterly disappointed, and then he said, "At this point, the hostages are most likely still alive, but we must be aware that once the kidnappers gets what they want, they will erase all evidence and traces." Vex massaged his forehead before saying, "That¡¯s why we must hurry." --- The front yard of Villa Hagel. 07:30, 18 Jul 2025 Lassac stood pensively before a collection of lilies that formed a ''505'' pattern. As the first son of a noble family, from an early age he underwent military training without paying attention to anything else. Therefore, he didn¡¯t understand why farmers in Liqua Region took care of the crops like their own children. Although in fact, Lassac was very curious about their attitude. Not to mention, his father was also very good at growing lilies. And now, with a complicated expression Lassac looked at the lilies before him. His father had left this world. He died when organizing Liqua Guard''s retreat from the front yard of Magwurt City. But somehow, now Lassac could understand his sentiment on his lilies or why farmer from Liqua Region put a great attention on their crops. From the plump and radiant school of lilies before him, Lassac could feel the dedication, care, affection, and somehow the hope that Amethyst Merchant worker poured out over the lily. ''No wonder they managed to repair the damaged fields.'' Lassac took a deep breath of the morning air while a speck of regret rose in his heart. ''If from the very beginning nobles and high-ranking officials in Liqua Region were willing to invest time and resources in understanding the farming techniques and the farmer''s hearts, then perhaps we could have avoided such severe damage to our farmland.'' At the same time Lassac heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Not long after that, Peggie and an Amethyst Merchant worker walked past his side by carrying two buckets of water. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Each morning, before they went to work on the test plots, Peggie and her colleagues would take turns to care for their beloved lilies. Whether coincidence or not, this morning it was Peggie''s turn so Lassac could immediately deliver the words he wanted to say to her. "I''ll be gone for two days, but you don''t need to worry because my right hand will make sure no one will disturb you while I''m not around." Still in a calm tone, Lassac added, "After you have perfected the technique for repairing the damaged farmland, I will escort you back to Tuscan Region, as well as surrender and receive the punishment for killing two Amethyst Merchant members in Berril Plain." Over the past week, there had been a drastic change in Lassac''s tone and expression as he spoke to Peggie and her colleagues. There was no more open hatred. Even so, Peggie still refused to accept his good intentions. Two of her colleagues died while the other three were gang-raped. Peggie would never forgive that. Of course, Peggie would not just show her heart out. "Understood." Peggie replied curtly before starting to weed the grass around the lilies, which had become a ray of hope for her and her colleagues. At the same time Lassac smiled before leaving. One thing he didn''t tell Peggie was, last night he received an order from Baron Eslei to erase all evidence that could lead to the incident on Berril Plain. Baron Eslei had a feeling that Amethyst Merchant was watching him closely. He also heard from the nobles who returned from Magwurt City, that Amethyst Merchant was incessantly searching for their kidnapped workers, and vows to roast the culprit alive. There were even rumors that they would burn the entire territory of Northern Coalition along with all its residents. Previously, Lassac without hesitation poisoned all Riders and Cloud Hawks who participate in the kidnapping operation, as soon as the captured Amethyst Merchant workers arrived at the transit point. Lassac also would not hesitate to kill 60 of his subordinates in Villa Hagel. But somehow, he became hesitant when he received orders to execute the five Amethyst Merchant workers who had helped him understand the values ??in the art of farming. Therefore, he intended to meet Baron Eslei to submit a proposal. He would escort the five Amethyst Merchant workers back to Tuscan Region, and take full responsibility for the kidnapping incident without mentioning Baron Eslei¡¯s role. ''Long time ago, I had saved Baron Eslei. I believe he will definitely listen to my proposal,'' Lassac muttered as he walked toward the stable. --- The airspace at the western end of Liqua Region. 19:43, 18 Jul 2025 Inside the cabin of P-8 Poseidon with the callsign Sleepy Panda, while narrowing his eyes Major Howard studied a collection of lilies. This group of lilies was forming a pattern of ''505'', and EO operator accidently caught it when observing a villa in the middle of an abandoned farmland. Believe it or not, be it in a military operation, an intelligence operation, and even more in a hostage rescue operation, luck had an enormous role to play. For example, in Operation Magic Fire that was executed by GSG-9. Most people only know that it was one of the most successful hostage rescue operations in history. However, the leader of the HR Team later said publicly that the raid was not as glamorous as the media had heralded. After the HRT team managed to enter using dynamic entry, somehow the Jam or the situation where the HR Team movement stopped occurred, and the versus-contact with the bandits dragged on. The jam gave the bandits enough time to throw grenades, and not just one but two. It was no secret that fire, explosives, and of course grenades were not a good combination when paired with an airplane in full tank. Fortunately, both grenades all fell into positions where the explosion was completely absorbed by the empty passenger seat. In the current searching operation dead end was occurred for days even though motives and suspects had been obtained. Also, the ground team assigned to observe Baron Eslei did not receive meaningful clues other than confirmation that Baron Eslei faked his illness. Therefore Major Howard never underestimated the importance of luck. "Finally luck has come to us." While pointing to a location next to the villa, Major Howard continued, "These little plots look like a testing ground." The Intel analyst beside Major Howard nodded slightly. "We think weasels fly west as far as possible as part of a misdirection tactic. Moreover, we find new fields in one of Liqua Guard installation on the eastern side of the Region. But who would have thought our target was really in the west." Wasting no time Major Howard gave instructions, "Send this intel to FOC South 860 right now." ***** TFA1 5.9 - Intelligence Gathering TFA1 5.9 - Intelligence Gathering Open field 5 km west of Villa Hagel. 21:05, 19 Jul 2025 A Chinook was hovering to secure the perimeter while another one landed smoothly. As soon as the landed Chinook''s ram door opened, Sergeant Liam and eleven STA¡¯s personnel trotted out and formed a defensive position covering 360 degrees. While kneeling and observing his sector, Sergeant Liam pressed PTT button. "Green Raccoon to Sleepy Panda, communications check, confirm." [Sleepy Panda to Green Raccoon, loud and clear.] "Visual check, confirm." [Twelve IR Strobe are clearly visible.] "Roger, Green Raccoon, over and out." Sergeant Liam then turned his head towards the cockpit of landed Chinook before raising his thump up, and the Chinook¡¯s co-pilot gave him a reply with a small nod. A moment later, the two Chinooks left the insertion point and Green Raccoon split into three four-man sub-teams. With Sleepy Panda''s guidance, the three sub-teams approached the observation points around the targeted villa. Green Raccoon''s mission was to gather as much intel as possible. Once the hostages'' location was confirmed, TF Pollux would immediately launch a Hostage Rescue at dawn, with high precision fire support from Green Raccoon. Swiftly, Green Raccoon sub-teams took their positions. Then, they deployed the long-range eavesdropping device. Green Raccoon personnel wasted no time to dig foxholes, as the only options they had were to provide fire support for TF Pollux or completely withdrew before first light. The eavesdropping device used laser as the base. A laser beam would be emitted to the window of the targeted room, and any sound waves received by the glass surface would be sent back to the listening device. According to intel from Sleepy Panda, all rooms in the targeted villa had glass windows. So the long-range eavesdropper would be a perfect fit for the mission. And fortunately, not a single window was covered with curtains. As no matter how sophisticated a laser-based eavesdropper was, it would be useless if there was a curtain between the source of the sound and the window, no matter how thin the curtain was. Sergeant Liam and sub-team one got the task to eavesdropped on every room on the east side of the villa, and he immediately frowned as the eavesdropping result from one of the windows on the first floor entered his ear. --- Villa Hagel''s living room 22:18, 19 Jul 2025 Rhaver enjoyed a glass of wine while not far from where he sat, his subordinates raped the five Amethyst Merchant¡¯s workers who were lying helplessly on the mat. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Rhaver secretly mixed a stimulant into Amethyst Merchant workers dinner, and not long after that the sex party begins. The turn was set according to the highest rank, and Rhaver tasted each Amethyst Merchant worker 2-3 times before he was satisfied, then spent the time drinking wine. This afternoon, Rhaver received an order from Baron Eslei to remove all trails that could link Liqua Region to the incident on Berril Plain. Baron Eslei also informed him that Lassac would not return to Villa Hagel and he was appointed to take his place. "You sure won''t ask them to stop. Those women will die of exhaustion if they keep being raped without any rest, and Lassac will skin us if that happens." Rhaver turned his head towards his colleague who was trying to advise him before shaking his head. "If they die then all we need to do is cremate their bodies. We also don''t have to worry about Lassac." Rhaver''s colleague was silent for a while before saying, "Then, I will enjoy their bodies for another round." --- Baron Eslei''s residence, Okko City, Liqua Region. In his study, Baron Eslei was enjoying a glass of wine silently. This afternoon he was forced to silence Lassac, one of his most loyal followers. Without hesitation, he rejected Lassac''s idea of ??returning Amethyst Merchant workers, because he could not predict whether Amethyst Merchant would quit after punishing Lassac or continue to investigate thoroughly until the number of rolling heads satisfied their hearts. Actully, even though Baron Eslei was a fundamental figure in the Warhawk Faction, he was the first to decline the invitation from Tarai Region to attack Tuscan Region. He repeatedly insisted that an envoy must be sent to establish contact with Magwurt City and Amethyst Merchant. He concluded that if Amethyst Merchant were willing to cooperate with a dying Region, then there was a chance that they would also be willing to cooperate with Liqua Region. Although the conditions they put forward might be quite heavy, Liqua Region didn''t have many options. Not to mention that after Maester of Agriculture they sent met with failure, Makai Royal Family completely ignored Liqua Region. In addition, Liqua Region''s food reserves were far past the safe limits. Even though the invasion plan had a 70% chance of success, it could still become a tough situation for Liqua Region if Tuscan Region and Amethyst Merchant managed to turn the conflict into a protracted war. However, the leaders of Peace Dove faction continued to insist that they should not show weakness in front of their two allies. And Baron Eslei''s comrades from Warhawk Faction in the end fell under the influence of the Peace Dove Faction. Not long after that, the invasion of Tuscan Region was launched. Baron Eslei was aware that the intentions of Peace Dove Faction which were dominated by politicians and traders, were not based on rational thinking, but on greed after hearing about the food, wealth, and technology brought by Amethyst Merchants. Unfortunately, he was powerless to stop the invasion. And when the invasion failed, Peace Dove Faction unhesitatingly refused to purchase food staples. Instead, they were preparing to secretly leave with the remaining assets of Liqua Region. That''s why, in his despair Baron Eslei ventured into a high-risk action. Even though he knew that for the action he had to pay a heavy price by losing his most loyal follower. Kling-kling! Not long after Baron Eslei rang the small bell on his desk, an old butler immediately walked into the room. "Ser Baron, is there anything you need?" Baron Eslei nodded before asking, "Has Maester Rig fully understood the farming techniques we got from Villa Hagel?" "According to Maester Rig, he has mastered it by 80%. The rest will be mastered in a few days. However, he continues asking to meet with the agricultural expert who created the technique." Baron Eslei casually replied, "Tell him the agricultural expert is from Roumstell Continent and he is not willing to meet with him. Also, sent order to Captain Ureg to start the final step. " "Understood." After giving a small bow the old butler left the room. ***** TFA1 5.10 - Unforeseen Circumstance TFA1 5.10 - Unforeseen Circumstance Operations Control Room, FOC South 860. As soon as Vex received intel regarding the symbol ''505'' on Villa Hagel, he immediately dispatched a team of STA to carry out intel gathering and confirm the presence of the hostages. Villa Hagel was located straight to the west of FOC South 860 at a distance of 354 km, or the southwest of Fort Cambia at a distance of 281 km. And so, either from FOC South 860 or from Fort Cambia, Vila Hagel was beyond the combat radius of OH-58N Kiowa Warrior or AH-1Z Viper, which was only around 240 km. Meanwhile, ACG assets that could be used to deliver STA team were CH-47 Chinooks, C-130J Super Hercules, or V-22 Osprey. Hercules was immediately excluded from selection as it could not provide fire support if versus contact broke out at insertion point. While Osprey structure did not allow the platform to be fitted with weapons one the windows on either side. Osprey could only carry weapon on the ramp door, under the nose, or under belly. In addition to M2HB 12.7 mm at the ramp door, each Osprey under ACG¡¯s command was actually could be armed with M230 30 mm. The crew could control and reload it from cabin. However, because it would reduce Osprey''s combat load and range, ACG only installed it when they had scheduled special mission. Unfortunately, Vex did not expect the location of target in current operation was beyond combat radius of attack chopper under ACG¡¯s command. So, he only ordered the installation of under-belly gun only after knowing the possible location of hostages at Villa Hagel. Initially, the Osprey armed with belly-gun would become the main means of transportation in the hostage rescue attempt. Meanwhile, the STA team who would collect the intel would be sent using Chinooks. The problem was, when the Chinooks that sent STA team already leaving half-way, Vex received a notification that STA team decided to launch a direct action because the hostage''s life was in danger. Without hesitation, Vex immediately radioed two Chinooks that were on their return flight to FOC South 860. ¡°Command to Flying Truck, do you read me?¡± [Flying Truck 0-1 to Command, I read you loud and clear.] ¡°Flying Truck, takes air refueling from Flying Tanker on standby, immediately, and then returns to targeted villa and provide close air support for Green Raccoon.¡± [Do we have to carry hot extract for Green Raccoon?] ¡°I can¡¯t say it for sure. But currently, Green Raccoon is in an attempt to rescue our kidnapped personnel.¡± [Received and understood, I can¡¯t guarantee we will arrive on time, but we will bet our live to arrive as soon as we can.] Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°I can¡¯t ask more and you have my gratitude, Command over and out.¡± After taking a deep breath Vex then turned his gaze towards officer in charge to coordinate aerial operation. ¡°Give me the update.¡± ¡°We just sent three Chinooks carrying 36 personnel from CQB Company, along with two Chinook carrying fully loaded fuel-bladder. But as we know, distance and time is not on our side this time.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Vex massaged his forehead before saying, ¡°Ask Fort Cambia to send two Vipers, and brief the flight crew that the life of 17 good men and women are on the stake.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Without delay, they officer in charge to coordinate aerial operation carried out the order. Even if he already did whatever he could, Vex''s heart was still full of anxiety. Apart from qualifying as advanced shooters, STA personnel were also required to have CQB qualifications. Because based on research in urban warfare, the ideal shooting position was usually located in hostile location, and in the process to reach it or returning to friendly territory, shooters have to deal with ambushes or close quarter fight. However, STA personnel were never specifically prepared for Hostage Rescue Operation. Their CQB training was focused on eliminating opponents as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, it was estimated that the targeted villa was housing around 50 hostiles, and all of them were experienced combatants who were not afraid to die. In addition, from the interrogations with Liqua Guard''s officials, IDG obtained information about the deployment of a 900-man Cavalry Squadron to a border post located 8 km west of the villa. Officially, the deployment was part of the border security operation. However, for IDG personnel, this deployment was not an ordinary deployment considering the captain of the unit and all of its members were loyal followers of Baron Eslei. The war horse had an average speed of 60 km/hour. So to arrive at the villa, the Cavalry Squadron only required eight minutes from the time they received the distress signal. To destroy a 900-man Cavalry Unit it would require a mid-scale precision airstrike. The problem was, Harley Quinn and the targeted villa were 870 km apart. If the mission was to secure airspace, Super Hornet armed with 2 AIM-9 and 2 AIM-120 could be flown immediately. However, to carry out mid-scale precision airstrikes, Super Hornet''s combat radius was only 722 km. The combat radius could be increased by installing a CFT (Conformal Fuel Tank) on the Super Hornet''s back, but a time-consuming preparation still needs to be done. With ease, Vex could tell that Viper from Fort Cambia would arrive at the location before Super Hornet from Harley Quinn ready to take off. Another asset that could be used to carry out medium-scale precision airstrikes is Poseidon or Reaper. However, Poseidon and Reaper that fly around the villa were not armed with weapons. It was at times like these that Vex was looking forward to the presence of AV-8B Harrier II, which could launch precision close air support in day, night and in all weather, from a base with minimal facilities such as FOC South 860. ¡®Looks like I have to come up with a new protocol so that when patrolling, P-8 Poseidon always carries Maverick or Paveway II in the internal bay.¡¯ Vex muttered before turning his gaze to the officer in charge to coordinate aerial operation one more time. "Captain, how long before the installation of belly-gun on the Osprey is complete?" "About 50 minutes." Vex instantly massages his forehead, and in the end, he could only let out a long sigh. "Get them to work faster." "Sir!" Wasting no time, the officer in charge to coordinate aerial operation immediately rely the order. ***** TFA1 5.11 - Versus Contact TFA1 5.11 - Versus Contact To ensure they could fight comfortably, combatant would usually carry individual combat weight around 12-14 kg. From that number 7-8 kg was being allocated for ammunition and primary weapon, while the rest was divided into sidearm, NVG, medic-bag, radio, and combat knife. As for other equipment, they would be packed into a backpack which can be put down if versus contact occurred. Green Raccoon¡¯s personnel were also inseparable from the concept of maximum combat load. Their sets up for primary weapon in current mission were: Carbine HK416A5 + Eotech 551 + tactical flashlight + 6 extra magazines, HK M320 40 mm grenade launcher + 12 rounds of ammunition. Precision Rifle HK M110A1 + medium-range low-light rifle scope + bipod + 4 extra magazines Long Range Precision Rifle AWM 338 + long-range low-light rifle scope + bipod + 35 rounds of match-grade .338 Lapua Magnum Each sets up had one thing in common. It was weighing no more than 8 kg. As soon as he decided to take a direct action, Sergeant Liam immediately ordered his men to gather around him. He then asked who was willing to become a volunteer, and without further ado all Green Raccoon personnel¡¯s raised their hands. Subsequently, tasks, weapons, and ammunition were immediately divided while unused equipment was wrapped in poncho, and was buried along with a mini-transmitter to mark their location. --- Every member of Green Raccoon was an experienced veteran, but their heart was still pounding hard as they walked closer to Villa Hagel, relying solely on the darkness of the night as cover. Villa Hagel had no outer walls and no plants or trees in the fields around it. In addition, carrying out a hostage rescue mission was a foreign thing to Sergeant Liam and his men. And even if they managed to rescue the hostages, the problem did not end. For intelligence said that 8 km west of the villa, there was a border post with hundreds of potential hostile. Moreover, defending a captured target was not skill-set of STA Platoon. Compared to 12 STA¡¯s personnel who had a wide range of advanced skills but unsuitable for conventional combat, a well-led, well-equipped, well-trained, and highly morale regular platoon would give better results when being tasked to defend a captured target. Secrecy was the main weapon of STA Platoon. Therefore, they would instinctively avoid large numbers of enemies. In case they had to engage a huge hostile unit, they would rely heavily on artillery or close air support. If artillery strikes or airstrikes could not be provided, they would then carry resistance, evasion and escape maneuver. A prolonged versus contact should be avoided at all costs, as it would allow the opponent to carry out a siege and launched fatal attack. Therefore, STA personnel carried only a minimum amount of ammunition. But currently, Green Raccoon¡¯s personnel were volunteering to engage a larger unit while carrying a limited amount of ammunition. And even if Command Center at FOC South 860 had already sent reinforcements, it would take some time before they arrived. Even so, every Green Raccoon¡¯s personnel didn¡¯t have any intention to back down or retreat. They kept advancing forward while strengthened their resolve. The first sub-team approached from the front and was tasked with attacking the main building and rescuing the hostages. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The second sub-team was approaching from the left side, and would attack the barracks next to the main building. Meanwhile, the third sub-team would split into a two-man cell, took position 200 meters from the villa, and eliminated hostiles on the right wing and backyard of the villa. As soon as each sub-team arrived at their designated positions, the raid was then executed. --- The first sub-team was led directly by Sergeant Liam. They managed to close in into main building without difficulty, as there were no sentries or patrols around the villa. All personnel of first sub-team were armed with silenced HK416A5. The HK M320 grenade launcher on their carbine had been removed. The buttstock which was being stored in the backpack were then being installed before they were distributed to second and third sub-teams. The first sub-team used the regular assault formation. Point-man in the leading position, two strikers in the middle, and one rear guard. Point-man would enter first and secure the side where the majority of hostility was present. This side was commonly referred to as the heavy side. The first striker would then caught up and secured the light side or side where the number of enemies was smaller. Followed by second striker who would assist point-man to clear the heavy-sides. Meanwhile, the rear guard would open the door and then securing the point of entry from opponents who try to sneak in from behind. The living room on the villa had only candles and oil lamps as lighting means, but it was adequate enough to make NVG lose its effectiveness. So, Sergeant Liam turned off his NVG before peeking in through one of the windows. Not long after that, he gave his men instructions using hand signals. The fastest right-handed shooter would become point-man because the heavy side was on the left, and on that side the hostages were lying on the floor. Meanwhile, Sergeant Liam would become second striker. Once the positions and assignments have been determined, the first sub-team immediately line up next to the front door of main building. After Sergeant Liam gave a small nod, the rear guard immediately opened the door which happened to be unlocked. Then, with a steady step and HK416A5''s muzzle directed towards the front, the point-man walked in followed by two strikers. Be-Beep!! Point-man''s first victim was a hostile who was standing with his hand on his hips, while watching his comrades raping the hostages. A silenced double-tap slammed into his back and shattered his heart. He then powerlessly tumbled to the floor.. Be-beep! Be-beep! Be-be-be-beep! As soon as the first victim fell, the following victims immediately followed. In three breaths of time, seven hostiles collapsed to the floor and puddle of blood appeared from under their body. At the same time, the five hostile who were engrossed in intercourse with the hostages were realizing the incoming dangers. They swiftly crawled towards the short swords propped against the wall not far from their position. However, just before their hands reached the short sword, they were entering the third striker¡¯s line of sight. Unavoidably, they become victim of long and short outburst combination. With ease, it tore apart their bodies. At the same time, Sergeant Liam found three hostiles were sitting in a corner while enjoying wine. He instantly killed two of them as they tried to grab short swords at their waists, while the third hostile smiled as he casually put his wine to the table. "Soldiers of Amethyst Merchant, I challenge you to a one-on-one duel bare-handed. If you win, I will give you every piece of information I have." Be-beep! Without further ado, Sergeant Liam pulled the trigger, and the hostile in front of him fell to his knees while squeezing his chest. "Sorry, I don''t come to play," Sergeant Liam said as he pulled the trigger one more time. Eighteen hostiles were eliminated, while some of them managed to escape through the back door. Sergeant Liam and the pointman then checked the hostages'' condition and wrapped their body using curtains. After that, as second striker guarded the rescued hostages, he and the pointman swept the 2nd floor. A few minutes later, they moved the hostages into a room on the 2nd floor. ***** TFA1 5.12 - Incoming Enemies TFA1 5.12 - Incoming Enemies With four HK M110A1 and two HK M320 grenade launchers, the second sub-team attacked the barracks next to the main building. They took up a position 50 meters in front of the barracks. From the cheerful laughter and shadows seen from the windows, they estimated that there were about 40 hostiles in the barracks. The formation adopted by the second sub-team was two grenadiers took a kneeling position and a shooter took a prone position, while another shooter knelt behind his three comrades to secure the perimeter behind them. Blaaaarrr! Blaaaarrr! As soon as the first sub-team executed the attack, the two grenadiers from the second sub-team immediately fired a HE round into the barracks. A heart-wrenching scream was instantly heard, but without hesitation the grenadiers fired the second salvo. Then, as one of the hostiles stumbled out of the front door, the shooter pulled the trigger. Bang! The hostile instantly collapsed and stopped moving. Bang! The second hostile that jumped out of the window did not escape the shooter''s ambush either. He fell to the ground after a projectile pierced his lungs from the side. Several hostiles fled to the backyard, but the second sub-team did not chase them. The tasks were already clearly divided. The first sub-team would storm the main building and rescue the hostages. The second sub-team would eliminate the hostiles in the barracks and prevent them from moving towards the main building via the front yard. Meanwhile, the back and right sides of the villa would be secured by the third sub-team. In a raid operation, staying inside the area of ??responsibility was a fundamental principle. For no matter how neat the coordination was, or how sophisticated the identification method was, moving into friendly line of fire could still result in fatality. While flash after flash was seen from the 1st floor of the main building and the typical bang of .338 Lapua Magnum round was repeatedly heard, with full vigilance the second sub-team surveyed the left courtyard of the villa. --- As not a single report had been received from the two other sub-teams, Sergeant Liam calmly waited for the typical bang of .338 Lapua Magnum round to go into silent before pressing PTT button. "Green One, All Green, come in." [Green Two, Green One, the left-wing is clear.] [Green Three, Green One, right-wing and tail is clear.] "Green One, All Green, regroup in the main building, Green One over and out." Sergeant Liam breathed a sigh of relief before changing channels and once again pressed the PTT button. "Green Raccoon, Sierra 8-6-0, come in." [Sierra 8-6-0, Green Raccoon, go ahead.] "All hostages have been rescued. They were extremely exhausted but paramedics managed to stabilize them." [Received and understood, airlift and air support is on the way, hold tight.] Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "We''ll wait, Green Raccoon over and out." Just as Sergeant Liam lifted his finger from the PTT button, the two other sub-teams'' personnel entered from the front door. Wasting no time he immediately greeted them. "Our task is not finished, immediately build a defensive perimeter, the night is still long." "" "" "Sir!" "" "" All Green Raccoon personnel answer calmly but steadily. --- Green Raccoon personnel swiftly built barricades. However, without claymore, explosives, barbed wire, or sufficient time, they could only create simple barricades that surrounded the villa at a distance of 30 meters. The barricades were built using the bandits'' bodies, firewood, tables, chairs, and other flammable materials, and then they doused it with lamp oil found in storage sheds. They then mixed the remaining lamp oil with alcoholic beverage they could found and converted it into Molotov Cocktails. After that, they barred every door and window on the 1st floor of the main building by using wooden blocks. Green Raccoon¡¯s personnel then took up their defensive designated area. Three personnel were in the 2nd-floor corridor to secure the front door and stairs connecting the 1st and 2nd floor. Four shooters armed with AWM 338 took up positions on the ceiling, and made small holes on various sides by removing 2-3 tiles. Meanwhile, the rest of the personnel took up positions at every window on the 2nd floor. After the preparations were complete, the wait then began, and Green Raccoon personnel didn''t have to wait long. As Sergeant Liam poured a sachet of instant coffee into a cup in the kitchen, a radio call came in. [Sleepy Panda, Green Raccoon, come in.] Sergeant Liam took a deep breath before pressing PTT button. "Green Raccoon, Sleepy Panda, go ahead." [Be advised, 900 cavalries approaching from the west, estimated to arrive in six, over.] "Understood and thanks for the warning, Green Raccoon over and out." After distributing the intel he had just received and setting the outer shooting point at a distance of 1.2-1.4 km, Sergeant Liam returned to his position on the 2nd floor, then enjoyed a cup of hot coffee while standing by the window. For combatants, pauses between battles were valuable moment. So Sergeant Liam didn''t want to waste it. ''A cup of coffee before body count,'' Sergeant Liam muttered as he enjoyed what might become the last moment of his life. --- Sergeant Rodriguez enjoyed a bar of chocolate as he counted his remaining AWM 338''s round. ''19 rounds of FMJ, 5 rounds of tracer, and 10 rounds of subsonic.'' In an instant, the result made Sergeant Rodriguez take a deep breath. Unfortunately, the hostages'' condition was too weak to travel on long distances. Using horses not only would worsen their condition, but also could kill them unintentionally. Staying as long as possible in the villa was the only option Green Raccoon had. However, their ammunition was limited and the opposing side might use fire arrows to burn down the villa. ''Well, when it''s time to die then you will die. The problem is how.'' Sergeant Rodriguez muttered as he made up his mind to kill as many incoming oppositions as possible before he got killed, and before long he heard Sergeant Liam''s voice on the radio. [Green One, All Green, be advised, 900 cavalries have just entered a 2 km radius on the west side of the villa.] [Green One, All Green, from now on the communication will go into wide-net mode and immediately take out anyone who entered outer-shooting-point, Green One over and out.] No matter how sophisticated a communication system, the traffic of radio waves must be managed by using a hierarchy so that unnecessary interference does not occur. However, in an emergency, the communication channels would be opened as wide as possible so that every personnel could be connected to all friendly channels, even if the communication network would become vulnerable to wiretapping and jamming. After confirming his radio was in open channel, Sergeant Rodriguez and the other three shooters took position in the hole that directed to the west and waited. Not long after that, hundreds of horsemen were seen from behind their scope. Sergeant Rodriguez and his three colleagues immediately put the safety lever off, and then they gently placed their index finger on the trigger. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Four deafening sounds broke the silence of the night almost simultaneously, and alerted other personnel that versus contact had just begun. ***** TFA1 5.13 - Cornered by Footbow TFA1 5.13 - Cornered by Footbow Apart from Lassac''s men at Villa Hagel, the only person who knew that the incident on Berril Plains was planned by Baron Eslei was only Captain Ureg. On the surface, he was sent to the border post with his unit to carry out routine patrols. But all of that was just an excuse, because Baron Eslei secretly placed him as insurance if at the last second Lassac refused to finish off his men. As Lassac''s best friend, Captain Ureg did not expect that his friend at the last second would refuse Baron Eslei''s orders. Moreover, not for the sake of his men but for the hostage he only knew for a matter of days. ''Lassac, why are you so stupid?'' Captain Ureg muttered while from the direction of Villa Hagel he saw four flashes, and then several of his men who fell from their horses, before a loud ''Bang!'' was heard four times. Captain Ureg instantly stuttered, but only for a moment. With a loud shout he then gave orders. "Retreat and set up a firing base at a distance of 1.5 km." Initially, Captain Ureg only received orders to eliminate all trails that could link Baron Eslei to the incident on Berril Plain. However, just before he left to do his job, Baron Eslei''s butler contacted him and told him that Viscount Olrig''s personal bodyguard had just captured Baron Eslei. Also, there were rumors that a small number of Amethyst Merchant personnel had just occupied Villa Hagel. So far Baron Eslei has managed to deny that he didn''t know anything about what happened at Villa Hagel or the incident on Berril Plain. So Ureg was asked to immediately eliminate the hostages and all Amethyst Merchant personnel at Villa Hagel, and then go as far as possible from Liqua Region as originally planned. From the previous conflict, it was known that the effective range of Amethyst Merchant''s fire sticks was in the range of 500-600 meters. The Intel seemed to be inaccurate because currently, Ureg found that they hit his unit from a distance of 1.3 km. Fortunately, his unit brought 120 footbows with an effective range of 1.5 km. In an instant the firing base was established, and Ureg grinned broadly. "Ambush Unit, take a circle position 2 km from the villa. Archer unit, use fire arrows to smoke them out." Before long, more than a hundred fire arrows flew through the night sky and rained down on Villa Hagel. Even though flash after flash were seen from the roof of Villa Hagel, and accurately nailed down its targets. Ureg''s men continued to effectively send a salvo of fire arrows. --- This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "According to the FITA website on October 28, 2008, the farthest record in the world of modern archery is 1222.01 meters for men, 950.39 meters for women, 817.90 meters for male juniors, 738.66 meters for female juniors. The four records were recorded using a specially designed flight-bow. For the male class using the footbow, the record is 1410.87 meters. In the previous conflict with Northern Coalition, we got a lot of booty footbows. Most of it was absorbed by Tuscan Guard while some was sent to Weapon Research Center for internal studies. It seems Weapon Research Center didn''t boast when they said that the footbow used by Northern Coalition had an effective range for area target up to 1.5 km." Sergeant Liam looked at Sergeant Rodriguez with a complicated expression as he said, "Because we were cornered by hostile footbowmen, then you talked at length about a footbow." "Yeah." Sergeant Rodriguez replied before sipping his coffee. He and three other AWM 338 shooters were already taking out as many opponents as possible. However, due to limited ammunition the number of remaining opponents was still quite large. Ten minutes after a salvo of fire arrows had rained down on Vila Hagel, the barracks next to the main building had now completely collapsed in fire. Meanwhile, several other buildings were burning violently and it was only a matter of time before they were leveled to the ground. The barricades around the villa were also blazing violently and the smell of burning human flesh filled the night air. As for the main building, Green Raccoon personnel would take turns in extinguishing the fire arrows that hit the building, especially arrows that pierce tiles or enter through windows. But over time, it got more and more difficult. The increasing temperature of the air would make the main building easier to catch fire. Moreover, even though the fire arrow was successfully extinguished, the splashes of fuel gel from the arrow would continue to accumulate. Sergeant Rodriguez took another sip of his coffee before saying, "I feel so relieved after letting go of my feelings." Sergeant Liam immediately pondered for a moment. He did not understand how talking about arrows and bows were a letting go of feeling in the heart. But from Sergeant Rodriguez''s expression and manner of his speaking, he realized that his colleague had just decided to make a bold move. "I''ll lead the third sub-team to scrape them off with grenade launcher. I''m sure 2-3 salvos of four grenade launchers will neutralize more than half of their footbowmen." Sergeant Liam instantly let out a deep sigh. "And after that, they will neutralize your lives along with the third sub-team." Sergeant Rodriguez casually shrugged his shoulders. "It''s much better than sitting here and getting roasted with you." After pondering for a moment, Sergeant Liam said, "Good luck." Sergeant Rodriguez smiled faintly. "If we fail, go to the basement with all hostages and burn the building. Hopefully, that will be enough for buying time until reinforcement arrives." "Understood." With casual steps, Sergeant Rodriguez then walked out of the room. Before long, he and third sub-team personnel sneak out from the main building''s back door. Then, they used a few wooden planks to make a small gap between the fire barricades. ***** TFA1 5.14 - End of Operation TFA1 5.14 - End of Operation A pair of AH-1Z Vipers smoothly took off from Fort Cambia, then immediately climbed to an altitude of 6,000 meters or 20,000 feet. Both Vipers climbed to the maximum flying ceiling because the less atmospheric pressure that they had to passed, the faster they could fly. The Vipers¡¯ destination was a villa 281 km southwest of Fort Cambia, while their combat radius was only 231 km when being configured with a payload of 1.13 tonnes. Even so, the Viper''s crew carried out their mission without asking question. The only thing on their mind was to quickly arrive at their destination. For other matters, the Viper''s crew entrusted it to Command Center. However, even though the two Vipers were flown at a speed of 355 km/h, its crew still felt as if their journey would never end. Therefore, they took a breath full of relief when they saw the targeted villa in the distance. However, their relief only lasted for a moment. The targeted villa where Green Raccoon personnel took shelter was currently being surrounded by a ring of fire. Meanwhile, a shower of fire arrows kept coming from the west. ''What the duck!'' Major Staniss'' expression instantly turned serious as he opened the communication. "Flying Rabbit to Green Raccoon, do you copy?" [Green Raccoon to Flying Rabbit, glad you have arrived. Opposing side is taking up position 1.5 km west of our position, Green Three is trying to sneak in from their flank, so be careful when aiming if you see small cluster of cluster IR Strobe.] "Received and understood, sit tight Brother. We''ll take over from here." [Green Three to Flying Rabbit, we are 800 meters south of opposing main element. We just finished off three sentries whose bodies are still warm. So give us some time to retreat before you guys start the firecrackers." "Flying Rabbit to Green Three, negative, we don''t have enough fuel to wait. Stay put as low as possible. We just marked your position." [Received and understood, Green Three over and out.] Each Viper carries four Hydra rocket tubes containing 19 rockets each. Both Vipers would concentrate all of it on the opposing main element. While the remaining opposing force would be hunted using 20 mm M193 three-barreled rotary cannon. At sea level Hydra had an effective range of 3.5 km, while when fired from an altitude of 20,000 feet, its effective range increased to 8 km. However, because there was a friendly element near the target, the salvo would be fired from the closest possible distance to avoid friendly fire. When they reached a position of 2 km from the villa, both Vipers made a sharp turn to the left and then approached the opposing main element from south. As soon as they passed the Green Three''s position, Both Vipers immediately took a sharp dive and launched a rain of rockets from a distance of 500 meters. --- While smiling from ear to ear, Ureg looked at salvo of fire arrows that were raining down Villa Hagel. Somehow, after knocking down about 160 of his men, Amethyst Merchant¡¯s personnel no longer used their fire sticks. This made the morale of Ureg''s remaining men soar as high as the sky. Ureg and his men still vividly remember how they had been turned upside down by Amethyst Merchant in the previous conflict. Not to mention, large number of their comrades died on that event. That''s why the image of slaughtering the cornered Amethyst Merchant¡¯s personnel made them drunk with euphoria. They were completely unaware that two angels of death were silently approaching their position. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Then, without warning, more than a hundred fire spears suddenly appeared from the darkness of night sky and rained down on their position. Ureg and his men did not have a chance to scream, as in an instant the heat wave and shock wave engulfed and crushed them alive. The personnel in charge of the blockade around the villa could only be stuttered, while the horror that Amethyst Merchant had inscribed on their hearts now returned, and the sensation was getting worse as the two angels of death who had just roasting their comrades were now hunting them down using fire arrows. --- After clearing the perimeter around Villa Hagel, Both Vipers then stood by on the maximum flying ceiling. Ten minutes later, two Chinooks that had previously delivered Green Raccoon arrived, followed by flight of Chinooks from FOC South 860. Personnel from CQB Company immediately set a perimeter around the villa, while a Chinook secured the perimeter from the air. At the same time, the support crew refueled the Vipers using a fuel bladder carried by one of the Chinooks. With hustle, Green Raccoon¡¯s personnel rushed to retrieve the observation equipment that they previously buried. When they returned to Villa Hagel, the paramedic team had already moved the hostages to one of Chinooks. A moment later, the journey to FOC South 860 began. While looking at the burning Villa Hagel Sergeant Liam said, "As soon as we land, we head straight to the bar. The first two rounds are on me." The Green Raccoon personnel instantly answered in unison, "" "Aye Sir!" "" Today they made it back alive, so they had to celebrate it before the next battle arrived. --- Amethyst Merchant''s HQ, Castle Magwurt. 13:00, 28 Jul 2025 As soon as Viscount Olrig received a request to arrest Baron Eslei, he immediately carried it out. Viscount Olrig didn¡¯t have objection in the slightest, even though Amethyst Merchant didn''t provide evidence regarding Baron Eslei¡¯s role in Berril Plain incident. The next day, Count Weizz and Viscount Yelk also personally came to Okko City to make sure Viscount Olrig did not half-heartedly comply with Amethyst Merchant''s request. Baron Eslei kept declining the accusation regarding his role in Berril Plain''s incident, but in the end the investigation managed to cover the undeniable proof. Also, the use of the interrogation formula on Baron Eslei had uncovered the missing link in the investigation. Baron Eslei and all of his family members were then transferred to detaining house in Liqua Guard HQ. The investigations also produced the names of every personnel who had role in Berril Plain¡¯s incident. Their families were also immediately being detained together with Baron Eslei''s family. If Amethyst Merchant did not make a stern statement that all the suspects were their property, each suspect and his family would certainly receive inhuman treatment. To be honest, Viscount Olrig did not care about what Amethyst Merchant would do to the suspects or their families. The only thing he cared about was, Liqua Region was finally freed from a calamity that Amethyst Merchant was about to send. Moreover, in addition to the threats, Amethyst Merchant also promised assistance in the agricultural sector and very lucrative trade cooperation. In short, Viscount Olrig and other leaders of Northern Coalition would do anything to please Amethyst Merchant. Vex casually studied a long list of names of the suspects in Berril Plains incident, along with their family members. In total there were 2,785 names, of which hundreds were children under the age of ten. The number was smaller because previously there were more than 9000 names. However, IDG had worked very hard to confirm every name sent by Liqua Guard before doing massive editing. Viscount Rattel, General Khartoum, and Nate from IDG insisted that the entire Baron Eslei¡¯s family had to be executed. However, General O''Neil and other TF Amethyst''s higher-ups opposed the idea. After all, nearly all of attackers on Berril Plain had been killed or dead. Vex turned his gaze towards Major Maxwell before asking, "When will Baron Eslei arrive at Fort Cambia?" "This afternoon." Vex nodded in satisfaction before turning his gaze towards Lt. Colonel Slane, "I haven''t finished the survey on Herron Mountains. I hope you can take care of the rest." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded. "Leave it to me." That night, the elements who participated in Operation Gemini began to be gradually returned to Harley Quinn, and with the end of Operation Gemini, Amethyst Merchant could resume its expansion. ***** TFA1 5.15 - Seira and Keira TFA1 5.15 - Seira and Keira Parks and Jogging Areas, Complex of QRF Element. 09:05, 18 Aug 2025 Two days ago Vex completed the survey in Herron Mountains, and before going back to Harley Quinn he took his time to study a report''s summary made by Lieutenant Colonel Slane. The report said that hundreds of farmers and agricultural experts from Northern Coalition were invited to attend an agricultural seminar held on Berril Plain. The seminar only lasted 12 days, but according to Agriculture Developing Group it was more than sufficient to provide the necessary knowledge. Since Northern Coalition had to send Nouel up to a certain quota to Kingdom of Makai, some farmland would be sacrificed to plant Nouel until it was damaged. Then, it would enter the recondition program. As for the rest of the farmland, it would be planted with foodstuffs and reconditioned until it was ready to be planted with Nouel again. Amethyst Merchant fully bore the costs of the seminar and accommodation for the participants. The farmers would also get superior Nouel and various food plant seeds for free. A few days ago the seminar was finally over, and all of Northern Coalition farmers led by an agricultural expert named Maester Rig sent their deepest gratitude to ADG and Amethyst Merchant. Maester Rig even volunteered to become an intern at ADG. After intensive examination by IDG, it was concluded that Maester Rig was a fanatical agricultural expert who had not tied to any authorities or group. So Lt. Colonel Slane gladly granted Maester Rig''s request and even designed a mission for him. Maester Rig was asked to provide counseling on the regions along the entrance to Desolate Land. There are 18 Regions in total, starting from the Region bordering the Northern Coalition to Rowane Region which was located at the tip of northern border, right before Kingdom of Horrep. Maester Rig''s goal was to increase the production of foodstuffs such as wheat and cereal crops. As well as making sure that the 18 Regions near the entrance to Desolate Land were willing to open new Nouel farmlands, up to a radius of 2 km from Desolate Land entrance which had become South High Road. If the 18 Regions agreed, then new Nouel Farmland as wide as 52 km and as long as 962 km would be opened and TF Amethyst would provide the security from Dangerous Wildlife. Lt. Colonel Slane had also started a trade relationship with Northern Coalition. Other than firearms, explosives, radio communications, vehicles, and other equipment that could provide tactical advantages, Amethyst Merchant was happy to sell other commodities, and Northern Coalition absorbed it like dry fields soaking up rainwater. Moreover, the Nouel price offered by Amethyst Merchant was slightly higher than the price offered by Kingdom of Makai. So outside of the mandatory quota, it was certain that Northern Coalition would sell their remaining Nouel to Amethyst Merchants, and would even actively bought Nouels from other regions. The incident on Berril Plain had indeed delayed Amethyst Merchant''s plans to enter Makai Royal City. However, since Amethyst Merchant got the opportunity to spread its wings to other places, Lt. Colonel Slane wasn''t too disappointed. For today, Vex decided he''s going to relax the whole day before returning to Harley Quinn tonight. He sat on a wooden bench enjoying the morning air while beside him Big Brown laying casually. Big Brown was a big German Shepherd ex-K9 of QRF Unit who had been with him since he arrived in Magwurt City. Vex was about to deeply inhale morning air when two little girls suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and looked intensely at Big Brown. Both of them had cute faces, brown hair that falls straight down to their backs, and wore matching pants and t-shirts. The older girl turned her gaze towards Vex before saying, "Uncle, can we play with Big Doggie?" While inwardly holding back his laughter Vex answered, "Of course you can, but introduce yourself first, then call me Lucan, and this is Big Brown not Big Doggie." After nodding her head three times, the older girl pointed at her own nose. "Seira, 6 years old." Seira then pointed to the younger girl, "Keira, 4 years old." "All right, now you can play with Big Brown." Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. As soon as they got permission, Seira and Keira immediately stroked and rubbed Big Brown, who seemed truly enjoy it. Vex thought Seira and Keira would take Big Brown to run around the park or play the frisbee that he put next to Big Brown. However, Seira and Keira just stroked Big Brown starting from the head, back, and then rubbing his belly. Even so, from the laughter of the two children it seemed that they were very happy with what they were doing. Without realizing it, Vex smiled too whenever Keira and Seira chuckled, and it didn''t feel like the time went on, until lunchtime finally arrived. Vex began to wonder where Seira and Keira''s parents were, and how they could leave their child in the park alone for nearly two hours. With a gentle tone Vex asked, "Seira, where are your parents?" Without turning towards Vex and continuing to caress Big Brown''s belly, Seira answered, "Jessie lives in California, and Daddy''s going to a very far place." "Then, who are you currently living with?" "Big Sis Lan." Of the thousands of TF Amethyst personnel there was only one person with the first name ''Lan'', and it just so happened that Vex knew her. First Lieutenant Lan Yan''er, the best psychologist TF Amethyst had. She was born to a chinese couple with Canadian citizenship. When she tried to get a scholarship to major in surgeons from Canadian Navy, Lan Yan''er was instead directed to take a scholarship to major in psychology. She completed her psychology education brilliantly, and she had a very solid experience through a Canadian government-sponsored humanitarian mission. She later also succeeded in getting an assistant surgeon''s certificate. With the expertise and field experience she had accumulated, Lan Yan''er should have become a Lieutenant Colonel. However, her love for fieldwork made her repeatedly refused her promotions. Medic Quarter personnel nicknamed Lan Yan''er as Madonna, short for Primadona which referred to the many men and women who send her love letters. Meanwhile, the children in Settlements 116 called her Miss El-tee. And the relationship between Vex and Lan Yan''er could be likened to water and fire, after Lan Yan''er found out that Vex was trying to evict the children from Settlements 116 when they were in Medic Quarter. ''Fuck me.'' Vex sighed silently as he recalled the sharp gaze Lan Yan''er gave when they accidentally passed each other on Harley Quinn. Even so, it didn''t mean that Vex had negative sentiments towards Seira and Keira just because they were relatives of woman who were hostile to him. ''Well, I think there''s nothing wrong in taking these two to a lunch before taking them home.'' Vex then turned to Seira and Keira. "I''m going to have an ice cream, would you two come with me?" Seira tilted her little head for a moment before asking back, "Is Big Brown coming too?" "Of course, he is." "Then we''ll come too." A smile immediately bloomed on Vex''s lips while he carried Keira and held Seira''s hand. Together with Big Brown, the three then walked towards Chow Hall. --- Chow Q, QRF Element Complex 12:15, 18 Aug 2025 Chow Q was a Chow Hall devoted to personnel who have duty rotation in QRF. Therefore, it was not strange that many visitors to Chow Q wore full-body gear and carried their weapons. Some of them even brought Javelin or Carl Gustav. Chow Q''s interior was far from the military style and looked more like a mid-class restaurant. The tables consist of a table with two chairs or a table with four chairs. The menu at Chow Q was also two levels higher than the rest of the Chow Hall, with 23 hours of service and closing hours of 23.00 - 00.00 for cleaning. After washing their hands in the sink beside the entrance, Vex immediately led Seira and Keira to the queue. First, he helped Seira and Keira get their lunch before leading them to a table with four chairs. Only then did he take his lunch and some plain sausages for Big Brown. Vex was just sitting down after placing his lunch tray on the table when Seira asked, "Lucan, where''s the ice cream?" "After you finish your lunch, you can get as much ice cream as you want." Seira and Keira nodded together and the lunch began. The menu at Chow Q was not designed as Kid Meal, so Vex had to make sure that Seira and Keira could enjoy their lunch without using a knife and just using a fork. He skillfully cut Keira and Seira''s fried chicken into one small bite. "Aaaa...." Without any warning, Keira who was sitting beside Vex suddenly approached while opening her mouth. Vex smiled reflexively, and then fed Keira a piece of fried chicken and asparagus. At the same time, Seira looked expectantly at him, and Vex responded by feeding her. Several QRF female personnel tried to suppress their laughter when they saw Vex feeding Seira and Keira, but Vex ignored them. This was not the first time he had fed a child in a public place. After Seira and Keira finished their lunches, Vex took them to the dessert counter to get ice cream, and while Seira and Keira were enjoying their ice cream, he ate his lunch. ***** TFA1 5.16 - Two Little Guests TFA1 5.16 - Two Little Guests Counseling Quarter, Castle Magwurt 13:24, 18 Aug 2025 "XO, thank you for bringing Seira and Keira here right before their nap time." "No problem." Vex replied shortly, and he was about to say goodbye when Lan Yan''er asked him to stay. "XO, we have to talk. So please wait a moment while I take Seira and Keira to their rooms." Vex didn''t know what to say so he just nodded slightly, while Seira and Keira waved their hands before leaving with Lan Yan''er. A moment later Lan Yan''er returned with two cups of tea and invited Vex into her office. She stared at Vex for a brief moment before asking, "XO, looks like something''s bothering you?" "Yeah, I''m a little worried because you let two kids play in the park alone." "Well, I don''t let Seira and Keira go to the park alone." Lan Yan''er smiled slightly before continuing, "We just came back from shopping when Keira and Seira saw the big dog next to you and asked if they could play with the dog. I watched from afar how Seira and Keira approached you, and then they cheerfully played with your dog. I felt relieved when they laughed so freely. It was their first laugh since Specialist Hebert left them." "Specialist Hebert?" A question mark appeared on Vex''s forehead, while Lan Yan''er was stunned for a long time. "XO, it seems you don¡¯t know that Seira and Keira were Specialist Hebert''s daughters." "Honestly, I don''t know. What''s more, they looked like normal kids when they were with me." Lan Yan''er took a deep breath before saying, "To be honest, I¡¯m still wondering why they are so happy when they are with you." Vex pondered before asking, "May I know why Seira and Keira have not been sent to their mother? If there were any issues regarding personnel security or operational security from IDG, I could help you take care of them." Lan Yan''er took another deep breath, and for a moment, pain crossed her gaze. "Seira and Keira are still here not because of opsec-persec problems. But because their mother had died in traffic accident and Specialist Hebert didn¡¯t tell them. I also didn¡¯t know how to tell them about it." Silence enveloped every corner of the room for a long time, until Vex finally asked, "What about the adoption option?" "Specialist Peggy, Specialist Amber, other Specialist Hebert''s closest friends, and even TF Amethyst personnel who don''t know him have volunteered to adopt Seira and Keira. However, Seira and Keira close their hearts to anyone who tries to get close to them. After finding out that their father already passed away, Seira and Keira who were super cheerful now become very quiet. Then, for the first time they laughed freely this afternoon while playing with your dog." Vex nodded slightly before asking, "What about you Lieutenant? They seem pretty close to you." Lan Yan''er sighed deeply before answering, "Our closeness is more like teachers and students, while what they need is a deeper relationship. They are at an age where talking to the people closest to them is crucial for their growth mentally and emotionally." Vex nodded. He has heard that even if babies didn''t understand the words spoken by those around them, parents were still be advised to talk to their babies using soft language and never let them feel lonely. As for older children, giving them the widest possible opportunity to express themselves through conversation or other interactions was equally important. Therefore, it was very worrying if a child chooses to close his or her heart off, no matter if it was consciously and unconsciously. After taking a deep breath to calm the nervousness in his heart, Vex then asked in a slightly trembling voice, "What about me? Is there a chance I could adopt Seira and Keira? I may not be the ideal father but, at least I know how to change diapers and bathe children." With an expression that was hard to describe, Lan Yan''er looked at Vex. "XO, do you really know how to change a child''s diapers?" "Yeah, there were times when I helped my wife change our child''s diaper." * Fuiiitttt fiuuu. . . . .! * Lan Yan''er spontaneously whistled like a thug who found a smoking hot babe passing by. "XO, if you were five years younger I would have gone crazy over you." Vex casually said, "Stop joking and answer my question." After clearing her throat, Lan Yan''er then said, "I don''t mean to doubt your intentions. However, right now the best option you can give is to interact with Seira and Keira as much as possible. Then, let''s see if the adoption option is feasible for you." Stolen story; please report. "Understood," Vex answered calmly but steadily. --- Parks and Jogging Areas, QRF Element Complex 09:10, 21 Aug 2025 For the last three days, Vex accompanied Seira and Keira to play in the park with Big Brown. So today he plans to take them to Amethyst Theater in Magwurt Mall. Seira and Keira really loved Big Brown. So Vex thought they would also like the Wildlife Series that would be playing at Amethyst Theater starting today. As soon as Seira and Keira arrived, Vex immediately greeted them with a smile from ear to ear. "Today I''m going to watch the Wildlife Series at Amethyst Theater. Would you like to come?" Seira and Keira didn''t answer immediately, both of them were busy checking the area around Vex before asking, "Lucan, where''s Brownie?" "I left him at home." Keira, who since meeting with Vex hardly ever said a word, suddenly turned towards Vex and said with a hopeful gaze, "Lucan, can we take Brownie too?" "No, Big Brown can''t get into theater." Hearing Vex''s answer, Keira''s eyes suddenly started to tear up, and Seira immediately grabbed both her hands while saying gently, "Keira, don''t cry so Big Sis Lan won''t worry. We can still play with Brownie tomorrow." Keira nodded three times, while Seira turned to Vex, "Lucan, we''ll go home first and see you tomorrow." While Seira walked away holding onto Keira who was trying hard not to sob, an epiphany touched Vex''s mind like a thunderbolt striking in broad daylight. ''It''s not me, but Big Brown who brightened their mood all this time.'' Without delay, Vex chased Seira and Keira. "Wait, you can go to my house if you want to play with Big Brown." Keira instantly turned towards Vex and while tilting her little head she asked, "Really?" "Really." Vex immediately picked up Keira and took Seira¡¯s hand, then led them to a mini-cottage across the park. --- Mini-cottage 01, QRF Element Complex 12:30, 21 Aug 2025 Like most German Shepherds in general, when staying at home Big Brown would spend his time lazing on the couch. Even when Vex came home, he would still lie on the couch. However, when Vex said, "Brown, your friend comes." In an instant, Big Brown jumped from the couch and ran to the front door, unknown whether the reason was because he understood Vex''s words or because he was aware of the presence of two kids who had played with him for the last few days. While wagging his tail as hard as possible Big Brown welcomed his two friends. Wasting no time Seira then rubbed Big Brown''s head gently, while Keira hugged his back. "Uuuh... Keira loves Brownie." While smiling from ear to ear, Vex then took Seira, Keira, and Big Brown to play on the inner yard. --- When lunchtime arrived, Vex asked Seira and Keira what they wanted to eat. The two of them simultaneously answered. "Pancake." Lunch with pancakes was not a natural thing but, Vex didn''t bother and sent one of his bodyguards to buy a package of assorted pancakes from Siena Patisserie. As soon as the pancakes arrived, lunch began. Seira and Keira had different ways of enjoying pancakes. Seira would rub the syrup on the small pieces of pancake separately. Meanwhile, Keira would pour all the syrups on the plate and then stir them together before rubbing small pieces of pancakes into the mixture. At first glance Keira''s eating style was messy, but Vex let it be. As long as Keira didn''t waste food, Vex wouldn''t reprimand her. Of course, it didn''t mean Vex was silent when Keira was about to mix tomato sauce into the syrup on her plate. Gently, Vex took the tomato sauce from Keira''s hand. "Pumpkin, you can''t mix tomato sauce with syrup." And Keira did not argue. She looked at Vex while tilting her little head, then nodding three times. Lunch was only halfway through when one of Vex''s bodyguards reported he had a guest. A moment later, Vex found Lan Yan''er standing at the door carrying a large suitcase. "Are you going on a trip?" "To be more precise go to FOC South 860 until the day after tomorrow, and because Seira and Keira are already here, I plan to let them temporarily stay here." "Goodbye then." Vex said indifferently, and Lan Yan''er instantly massaged her forehead. "Duh... XO, don''t kick me out yet." Lan Yan''er handed the large suitcase in her hands before continuing. "These are Seira and Keira''s change of clothes, pajamas, diapers, and toothbrushes. After finding out that their father had passed away, Seira and Keira sometimes wet the bed every 2-3 days. So make sure they wear diapers before going to sleep." "Understood." "Also, Seira and Keira are fanatical pancake fans. So their consumption of pancakes should be limited to one meal a day and make sure they eat enough vegetables, fruits, and protein." Vex immediately scratched the back of his head. "Well, they''re having a pancake lunch right now." "Just make sure it doesn''t happen again." "Understood." "Now, let me say goodbye to them." Without waiting for Vex''s permission, Lan Yan''er entered and headed for the dining room. Seira and Keira panicked a little when they saw Lan Yan''er, but Lan Yan''er did not reprimand them for having pancakes for lunch, so they breathed a sigh of relief. Gently, Lan Yan''er wiping Keira''s lips which were covered with syrup. "Be good here and when Big Sis comes back, we''ll have a pancake party." As soon as Seira and Keira heard the word ''pancake'', both of them instantly nodded. After hugging Seira and Keira tightly, Lan Yan''er then returned to meet Vex who was still standing near the entrance. "XO, if anything happens to Seira and Keira, I will mobilize my fans to skin you alive." "Understood, now... shoo... shooo!" After shooing away Lan Yan''er as if she was a stray dog Vex closed the door, and Lan Yan''er could only sigh in silence before leaving. ***** TFA1 5.17 - Farewell TFA1 5.17 - Farewell After the lunch, Seira and Keira played for a while with Big Brown. Then, the three took a nap. In the afternoon, after they took a shower, Vex, Seira, Keira, and Big Brown played poker as they waited for dinner. After that, they watched animated wild life in Desolate Land until 9 o''clock. Then, after making sure Seira and Keira brushed their teeth and put their diaper on, Vex led them to the bed. Seira and Keira fell asleep easily. However, in the early morning Vex woke up to find Seira was not in the bed. After fixing Keira''s blanket, he then came out of the room. In the dimly lit living room, he found Seira sat in a corner while weakly sobbing. At the same time, Big Brown gently rubbed his head against her arm. This was his first time Vex had seen a six-year-old girl sobbing in the middle of the night. So he was a little awkward in his heart. Even so, without hesitation Vex approached Seira who immediately wiped her tears and hid the photo she was watching. Vex sat next to Seira before asking, "Do you miss your father?" Seira gave a small nod. "Seira often had a dream Daddy is coming home, but before Seira and Keira can hug him Seira had woke up." Most young children may not be aware of how difficult to accept that they could no longer meet someone they loved, while small portion of them would feel it as a painful and unbearable experience. Sadly, Keira was in the group of unfortunate kids who could realize the pain of losing someone. "Lucan, don''t tell Big Sis Lan that Seira cries because Seira misses Daddy very much." "Okay." Vex then pondered for some time before continuing, "Well, talking about missing someone, it reminds me of my daughter." "Lucan, you have a daughter?" "Yes, and because of a fatal mistake, now I cannot see her anymore." ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will also have a dream about her whenever I miss her. Then, when I wake up I will have a painful tightness in my chest that won''t go away unless I cry it out. So, at night sometimes I cry alone in my bed, at the dining table, or in the bathroom." Seira looked at Vex while tilting her head. "You cry a lot too?" "Yeah, and for your information, in this world there are many adults who often cry alone. A very wise man has also said that people who never cry alone are people who don''t understand the bottom of their hearts." Seira nodded slightly before asking, "Lucan, is Daddy will be all right in heaven?" To be honest, Vex didn''t know for sure, but he firmly answered, "I''m sure he''s fine. You don''t have to worry about him." ¡°I see.¡± Since Seira seemed to have calmed down, Vex then took the initiative to change the subject. "Can you tell me why you and Keira like Big Brown so much?" "Before Daddy went to Berril Plain, he promised us that when he came back he''d buy us a puppy.¡± Vex''s heart skipped a beat as he realized that he had just led Seira to the topic he wanted to avoid. Luckily, Seira seemed to have gotten out of her gloomy mood. But most of all, he got crucial information that Big Brown was a bridge to strengthen Seira and Keira''s last memories of their father. Vex then calmly said, "You and Keira can take Big Brown actually. I¡¯m sure Big Brown will also love it." Vex thought Seira would cheer when she heard his idea, but she shook her head before speaking softly, "We can''t take Big Brown. Big Sis Lan is afraid of dogs because she was bitten by a dog when she was in the kindergarten." In an instant, Vex smiled from ear to ear because the opportunity to adopt Seira and Keira was now getting bigger. "Lucan..." "Yeah." "Do Seira and Keira have to go back to California and live with Jessie?" This was the second time Vex heard Seira mentioned Jessie, and he could vaguely guess her identity. "Don''t you want to stay with Jessie?" The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Nope, Jessie is always angry and forbade Seira and Keira to play in the park. Sometimes she also didn''t come home for a few days and left us alone in the apartment. That¡¯s why Daddy took us secretly and brought us here. Besides, Daddy was buried here. So Seira and Keira don''t want to leave Daddy alone. Living with Big Sis Lan is also fun.¡± A black cloud briefly adorned Vex''s face when he heard that Seira and Keira were very happy to live with Lan Yan''er. However, he had no intention of influencing Seira''s preferences. Vex then gently said, "Honestly, you don''t have to worry about Jessie. You can also stay here as long as you want." "Mhm." Seira nodded slightly while Vex continued. "The night is still long, so we better go back to sleep." Seira naturally climbed into Vex''s arms, while Big Brown who usually slept on the sofa, for some reason followed Vex and Seira then lay down next to the bed. On the way to the bedroom, Vex saw reflection of NVG in one of windows on the QRF Barracks across mini-cottage 01. However, he waited until Seira fell asleep before radioing the head of his security detail. "Grim, who is amateur who watching my room from QRF Barracks, 2nd floor, third from the left?" [Lieutenant Lan Yan''er and a female captain from Military Police, Sir. I also spotted five Military Police stand by at QRF Barracks¡¯ lobby. They have been there since this afternoon. Do you want me to reprimand them?] "No, let''s ignore them." [Understood] --- Room 0203, QRF Barracks 07:30, 22 Aug 2025 As more than half of QRF elements were still in Fort Cambia, there were many empty rooms in QRF Barracks, and because Lan Yan''er knew the officer who in charge of QRF Barracks, she could get access to a room across from mini-cottage 01 with ease. Last night, Lan Yan''er watched mini-cottage 01 like a farmer guarding their field against ferrets. But luckily, the thing she was worried about did not happen. Lan Yan¡¯er took an extreme step to ensure Vex''s appropriateness in adopting Seira and Keira, because she failed in getting her hand on Vex''s profile. Nate, the chief of IDG was one of Lan Yan''er''s fanatical fans. He would do almost anything to prove his sincerity. Even so, Nate couldn''t help her to get Vex''s profile. The answer Nate gave her was, "XO doesn''t have profile." Nate''s answer led Lan Yan''er to several conclusions, and one of them was: ''Vex may have a serious criminal record that could affect TF Amethyst''s dignity.'' As the sun climbed into higher sky, Lan Yan''er slowly opened her sleepy eyes, yet she had no intention of getting up. She had watched the mini-cottage 01 until five in the morning. So she decided she wouldn''t wake up until noon. After all, until tomorrow she was still on an official leave. However, as soon as she turned around, Lan Yan''er''s gaze was greeted by Seira and Keira who were playing snake and ladder quietly in the next bed. Judging from their clothes, it seemed they already had morning shower. Lan Yan''er immediately sat up. "Where''s XO?" Seira answered, "Lucan went to Amethyst Merchant HQ after an urgent call." Lan Yan''er nodded before asking again, "Have you eat breakfast?" "We have, and we brought Big Sis''s tuna-mayo sandwich and a tea box." "Thank you." With a gentle smile Lan Yan''er accepted a paper bag that Seira handed over to her. Then, she cheerfully enjoyed her breakfast. --- Counseling Quarter, QRF Element Complex. 10:30, 22 Aug 2025 For more than three hours, Vex and TF Amethyst higher-ups discussed the latest situation in southern tip of Southeast Triangle, which lately required more attention. Even if Vex didn¡¯t like it, he had to admit the meeting had made him realize that he was not the ideal figure to adopt Seira and Keira. As a second-highest officer, Vex had to give up 85% of his time for TF Amethyst. Meanwhile, the remaining 15% won''t be enough to ensure Seira and Keira grow and develop to their full potential. Although he was unwilling, in the end Vex hardened his heart. "Lieutenant Lan, I think you should cross me off from the list of potential foster parents for Seira and Keira. I have to go to Southeast Triangle immediately, and I don''t know when I will return here.¡± For some time Lan Yan''er stared at Vex, and then she said, "XO, do you realize that you are the only potential candidate to take Seira and Keira. You are the only person who managed to make Seira and Keira laugh cheerfully since they lost their father, and they also did not refuse when I left them with you." "Lieutenant Lan, don''t you realize that you''re also a potential candidate for Seira and Keira?" Seeing a huge question mark appearing on Lan Yan''er''s forehead, Vex immediately continued, "Seira told me that she and Keira are very happy to live with you. They are also very worried that they have to return to California and have to live with their mother. Also, what made Seira and Keira laugh cheerfully was Big Brown, not me. Before Specialist Hebert went to Berril Plain he promised to buy Seira and Keira a puppy. Unfortunately, Specialist Hebert never came back to fulfill his promise. Therefore, Keira and Seira have a big hole in their heart, which Big Brown happened to be able to fill. When they went to find me, what they were looking for was Big Brown. As for me, Seira and Keira are just a means to projecting my longing and loving to my daughter." Lan Yan''er tapped her finger on the table before saying, "I don''t know if what you''re saying is the truth or just plausible excuse. Also, I can''t force you to become foster parent for Seira and Keira, but at least you have to hand Big Brown over to me." Vex pondered for a moment before asking, "Are you sure about that? I heard you''re afraid of dogs. I can leave Big Brown to Lt. Colonel Slane so Seira and Keira can still play with him." In an instant a steel determination flashed on Lan Yan''er¡¯s eyes. "For Seira and Keira I''m ready to do anything.¡± "In that case, you can take Big Brown.¡± After Lan Yan''er nodded slightly, Vex then went to the window and looked at Seira and Keira. The two were playing Frisbee with Big Brown while laughing cheerfully. At the same time, Lan Yan''er somehow sensed the melancholy that gripped Vex''s heart. She then approached him. "XO, if you have time to play with Seira and Keira, please don''t hesitate to come by." Vex firmly replied, ''I''ll definitely come back to play with them.'' ***** TFA1 6.1 - Getting Acquainted with Electricity TFA1 6.1 - Getting Acquainted with Electricity Dourk Tavern 07:40, 24 Aug 2025 Even though he now had an income equal to someone of the upper class, Old Man Dourk''s way of life was still the same as before, simple and full of hard work. Every morning he woke up long before sunrise. Then, together with Sturk he would prepare various cheap but delicious sandwiches that were popular among people who were leaving for work. Old Man Dourk and Sturk had just completed third batch of 50 bacon sandwich, when a group of guests walked into the shop. The group was led by a young man with a body like a barrel wrapped in luxurious clothes. He was accompanied by three old men in Maester robes and a dozen of Count Terrek''s bodyguards. Bad feelings gripped Old Man Dourk''s heart as he walked out of the kitchen to greet Osvik Terrek, Count Terrek''s eldest son and the only candidate to the leadership of Kandez Region. "Ser Osvik, what an honor to have you visits this lowly tavern?" "Some talk about business." Osvik then cheerfully sat down at one of the tables with the three Maesters. "Old Dourk, I still remember that when I was a child you always made me my favorite sweets. Daddy always said your sweets were not suitable for nobles, but Mommy and I always stood up for you. Your sweet is not luxurious and elegant, but for us it is very delicious. For the sake of that memory, I will not take Amethyst Merchant''s representative position and ice cube maker by force." Osvik arranged a pile of gold coins in front of Old Man Dourk as he continued. "Until a certain quota you can still get Amethyst Merchant¡¯s commodities, but I will the one who fulfilled the rest of the demand. Starting today you also cannot communicate with Amethyst Merchant without my permission. For the ice cube maker, I heard you paid 7 gold coins. So I think the compensation of 10 gold coins is sufficient." Osvik''s tone was not arrogant or intimidating, but it didn''t change the fact that he had just seized Old Man Dourk''s business. While the 10 gold coins he offered were nothing compared to the attraction of ice cubes. Moreover, Dourk Tavern''s monthly profit currently could reach 8-10 gold coins. To be honest, Old Man Dourk realized that over the past month the pressure that the nobles had put on him had increased dramatically. Considering that the summer sales of Amur Beer and Lada Whiskey increased to the sky-high. However, he never expected that there would be nobles who would take open action like Osvik. Moreover, he was the sole candidate for the position of Kandez Region''s Leader. Unfortunately, Old Man Dourk couldn''t put up any resistance. He could only follow Osvik''s wish to prevent greater damage. "I only know how to operate the ice cube maker, the water pump, and the solar power plant that powers it. So, Ser Osvik should call Amethyst Merchant¡¯s engineer if you want to uninstall it.¡± Osvik smiled cheerfully before saying, "No need, I brought Maester Kallep. He was one of the best Maester of Mechanical Engineering from Makai Royal Academy. I''m sure he could handle the job." The old man in a Maester robe beside Osvik immediately said confidently, "This old man may still not be able to create an ice cube maker as the one Amethyst Merchant has. But this old man is sure he can understand the working principle behind its mechanism. So, if it were just to dismantle and reassemble it, this old man was sure he could do it as long as he was allowed to study it carefully." Old Man Dourk sighed silently. Others might complicate or even mislead Maester Kallep. However, he did not want to see Amethyst Merchant''s device suffer an unintentional damaged. So, he immediately took the manual left by Lt. Colonel Slane and handed it to Maester Kallep. "I will do my best to help if there is something that Maester wants to ask." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. His pride as a Maester of Mechanical Engineering made Master Kallep wanted to reject Old Man Dourk''s good intentions. However, at the last moment he realized that he was about to face a completely new mechanism. So Maester Kallep forced himself to swallow his pride. "Then, allow this old man to thank you for the help you offer." With sincerity, Maester Kallep accepted the manual. --- Terrek Mansion, Walluo Castle. 15:30, 24 Aug 2025 The two most prestigious educational institutions on Amstell Continent were Makai Royal Academy and Horrep Royal Academy. Both educational institutions have 27 fields of study ranging from the military, politics, arts, trade, mechanics, agriculture, culinary, and other fields that were believed to be the foundation of human civilization. The title of Maester would be given to people who have made the highest achievements in 27 fields of study, and for thousands of years the number of Maester had never exceeded 200. In short, for every field of study the number of existing Maesters had never exceeded finger count. That''s why it was only natural that a Maester had a sky-high pride. Considering that they were a small group of elite who stood at the highest peak of the human civilization. Actually, Maester Kallep and his two colleagues were not following Osvik or Count Terrek. A Maester was usually only willing to follow a Duke, the main member of Royal Family, or a figure of equal influence. The one who Maester Kallep and his two colleagues followed was Lady Yuuri. She was Osvik''s birth mother, wife of Count Terrek, and owner of Merry Gold Union, the second-largest trading company in Kingdom of Makai. Maester Kallep carefully studied the manual for water pumps, solar power plants, and ice cube makers. Then, with great care and thoroughness he supervised the dismantling and transferring of the three mechanisms to Terrek Mansion. It was only after he had a precise understanding of the structure of the mechanisms that Maester Kallep began to work. It took four hours before he managed to reinstall the three mechanisms taken from Dourk Tavern. An achievement that amazed Osvik because initially, Maester Kallep said it would take him 3-4 days to understand the working principle behind Amethyst Merchant''s mechanisms. With great admiration, Osvik looked at the roof where rows of glistening solar panels reflected the scorching sun. He then turned his gaze to the water pump he installed above the main well and the pipeline connected to the bathroom, before finally looking at the large yellow box in front of him. According to Maester Kallep''s explanation, the bright yellow large box was the foundation of Amethyst Merchant''s three mechanisms. Osvik turned his gaze to Maester Kallep and confirming the explanation he had previously received. "The shiny board on the roof will harvest sunlight and channel it into this big box, which in turn converts it into energy called electricity, and then feeds it to the ice cube maker and water pump." Maester Kallep nodded firmly. "That''s the basic principle, and I suspect there are many other mechanisms that are also powered by electricity. In short, the application of electricity has almost no limits." ''Looks like I just made the best decision of my life.'' Osvik smiled as he remembered the wall clock he had also taken from Dourk Tavern. At the same time Maester Kallep turned three knobs on the large yellow box. However, he instantly frowned because the needle behind the small glass he was watching stopped moving before it pointed to the number 900. Meanwhile, the other needle stopped before pointing to 220. Drops of cold sweat started appearing on Maester Kallep''s forehead. But it was only for a moment, his deep and wide experience made him manage to calm down in an instant. "It looks like we have a loose connection somewhere." Wasting no time, Maester Kallep grabbed the gloves he had previously prepared. In the manual for solar power plants, it was stated that when checking the connections on the generator box special gloves must be used. This was because being electrocuted by a very large electric current could cause serious burns and even death. Maester Kallep was not only an intelligent man but also a careful one. With all his heart he followed the manual. He quickly put on the heat-resistant gloves that usually were used by a baker in the kitchen, and as an additional precaution he even soaked them in cold water. After all preparations were done, Maester Kallep confidently approached the yellow box which became the energy producer called electricity. TZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!! As soon as Maester Kallep grasped the connector at the end of the cable, the hum from hundreds of beetles were suddenly heard. At the same time, Maester Kallep grimaced from ear to ear as his body stiffened from toe to head. A moment later he collapsed to the ground with a loud thud. Then, he lay stiff, still grimacing while white smoke came out of his head. ''. . . How dangerous!'' While looking at the unmoving and smoking Maester Kallep, Osvik swallowed hard a few times. ***** TFA1 6.2 - Diplomatic Prisoner TFA1 6.2 - Diplomatic Prisoner Joker Trading Post 08:00, 25 Aug 2025 People said that tragedy always came with her friends. For the first time in his life, Osvik finally understood the meaning of this saying. Yesterday, all the mechanisms he took from Dourk Tavern failed to work. Maester Kallep even almost lost his life. And this morning, the clock that he also took from Dourk Tavern stopped ticking as if it was protesting for being taken from its original house. ''Damn it, I didn''t even do anything to the clock,'' Osvik muttered as he looked at the front door of Joker Trading Post. By bribing the waitress, the nobles could find out the price of the mechanism that Dourk Tavern had bought from Amethyst Merchant, as well as the list of items and the purchase procedures through Joker Trading Post. However, the workers at Joker Trading Post always refused the purchase requests made by the nobles, and asked them to come directly to Amethyst Merchant Marketing Office in Magwurt City. In fact, long before the workers at Joker Trading Post directed the nobles to Magwurt City, Osvik had received advice from Lady Yuuri that he should visit leader of Amethyst Merchant if he wanted to do a business with them. Lady Yuuri also strongly warned Osvik not to disturb Dourk Tavern until he knew why Amethyst Merchant chose Dourk Tavern as their extension. However, Osvik realized that Amethyst Merchant was not an ordinary merchant and Lady Yuuri or Merry Gold Union''s name could not be used in front of them. So, he chose an indirect approach while trying to minimize the damage. In truth, if yesterday Old Man Dourk had shown any resistance, Osvik would have back down and find another way. However, from Old Dourk''s expression and attitude, Osvik could guess that Amethyst Merchant''s support for Old Man Dourk was not as deep as he had imagined, and so he pressed further. Unfortunately, things didn''t go according to his expectations and he had to take care of them before Lady Yuuri returned from Makai Royal City. After taking a deep breath, Osvik got off the carriage. Then, with a steady stride and highly lifted up chin he walked into Joker Trading Post. As a supervisor at Joker Trading Post, Dariek immediately welcomed his guest. This was not the first time Joker Trading Post had a noble as a guest. So more or less Dariek knew what he had to do. "Dear Ser, is there anything that this lowly servant can do for you?" Seeing he was being greeted with such respect, Osvik nodded in satisfaction and said, "Yesterday Old Dourk handed over Amethyst Merchant representative status to me along with several mechanisms. He also suggested that I should call Amethyst Merchant''s worker to help me install the mechanisms in my residence." ¡°¡­¡± Osvik handed a scroll to Dariek before continuing. "Also, I wish to place an order with Amethyst Merchant." Even though he already knew what he had to say, Dariek chose to read the scroll before responding. The first scroll contained Old Dourk''s statement that Osvik was now Amethyst Merchant representative in Waluo City. In an instant, Dariek wanted to laugh his head off, but he held back before reading the second scroll that had a list of commodities his guest wanted to order. In a tone full of regret Dariek then said, "It''s a shame that Old Man Dourk is no longer willing to cooperate with Amethyst Merchants." "Indeed it''s regrettable, but I will make sure Amethyst Merchant products are widely known and even reach Makai Royal City." Osvik then took a deep breath before continuing. "When will Amethyst Merchant workers come to my residence? The shortage of ice cubes must be prevented as soon as possible." For Osvik, the shortage of ice cubes was something not to be trifled with. This morning a queue to buy ice cubes had already formed in front of Castle Waluo. He had succeeded in repatriating the envoys of the nobles by saying that the ice cubes could not be produced this week, because the mechanism was still being researched and developed further by Maester Kallep. However, not long after that the nobles in Waluo City sent a message to him. If in three days the ice cubes were still not available, they then would not support his appointment as Count Terrek''s successor. Osvik really wanted to wail but he didn''t have time to do it. Meanwhile, for some reason Osvik felt that Amethyst Merchant worker before him didn''t understand how dangerous it was if the scarcity of ice cubes was last for too long. In addition, although the face and expression of the worker looked very pitiful, there was not the slightest trace of trepidation or nervousness in his eyes even though he was standing face to face with a noble. Then, dariek casually said, "I deeply apologize, Ser. Amethyst Merchant''s worker will not come to your residence. Your order may never be delivered as well." Dang!! For a moment Osvik''s gaze darkened, while Dariek returned the scrolls. "Old Man Dourk has the right to terminate the cooperation with Amethyst Merchant. But he has no right to choose who will replace him. Moreover, Old Man Dourk is directly appointed by Ser Slane, the highest leader of Amethyst Merchant, so only Ser Slane can determine his replacement." Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Osvik narrowed his eyes and looked at Dariek intimidatingly. "Do you know who I am?" Dariek shook his head slowly and with great authority Osvik continued. "I am Osvik Terrek, Count Terrek''s eldest son and his only successor. Do you realize that I have the authority to close this post and terminate the cooperation between Amethyst Merchants and farmers in Kandez Region?" In a light tone Darek answered, "Then, we''ll pack up and head back to Magwurt City." Osvik instantly stuttered while beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. In his life, this was the first time he had encountered someone in Kandez Region who was not intimidated by Count Terrek¡¯s name. Moreover, he used his father''s name when he was only a few kilometers from Waluo City. "Wait!" Osvik shrieked, and Dariek immediately stopped his steps. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Ser Osvik?" "Don''t get me wrong, I never intended to kick you out of Kandez Region." Count Terrek and Lady Yuuri have warned Osvik that no matter what happens, he must not disturbed the transaction between Amethyst Merchant and farmers in Kandez Region. Considering that the tax obtained by Kandez Region from this transaction was quite large. Count Terrek and Lady Yuuri even strongly suggested that Osvik stay away from Amethyst Merchant workers to extinguish potential conflicts. So, if Amethyst Merchant worker left Kandez Region not long after his visit, then no doubt Count Terrek and Lady Yuuri would beat him thoroughly until he was half-dead before asking what had happened. A friendly and warm smile instantly bloomed on Darek''s lips. "Then, let me express my gratitude for Ser Osvik''s understanding. We are just small workers who live by following the instructions we receive, nothing more or nothing less." Osvik wanted to swear, but the thought of scolding and beating from Count Terrek and Lady Yuuri made him stop himself. "All right, do your job and pretend I never came here." Darek nodded before saying, "Ser Osvik, if you want to go to Magwurt City, there are a few things I have to tell you because Magwurt City uses a different system of entry and exit from other cities." "No need," Osvik replied firmly before shaking his head. Realizing that he couldn''t get what he wanted and things could only get worse, Osvik immediately left Joker Trading Post. Meanwhile, Darek watched Osvik''s carriage and muttered, ''I have to check what happened to Dourk Tavern and report it to Ser Slane.'' --- West Gate of Magwurt City 10:12, 26 August 2025 On his trip to Magwurt City, Osvik was accompanied by three Maesters and escorted by three dozen Count Terrek''s bodyguards. He had also decided he would enter Magwurt City with dignity at all cost. So, as soon as he heard that his entourage had to register at registration office like how criminals who were about to enter a city, Osvik happily welcomed the opportunity to show his dignity. "What do you mean I have to follow a procedure at registration office? Can''t I pay the entrance fee at the gate like in other cities? Can''t you see I''m noble and not a criminal who should be checked first before entering a city?" With a scornful gaze, Osvik glares at Tuscan Guard''s Captain in front of him. After forcing a smile, the Tuscan Guard''s Captain said, "Deeply apologize to Venerable Ser, Magwurt City uses a different procedure of entry and exit from other cities. I beg you your understanding." To be honest, Osvik had seen dozens of noble carriages bearing the emblem of Tarai Region, Liqua Region, or Darpha Region enter the registration office the Tuscan Guard''s Captain referred to. However, this made Osvik even more eager to show that he deserved different treatment. Without hiding the irritation in his heart, Osvik said, "Tuscan Region and Amethyst Merchants have indeed succeeded in bringing Northern Coalition to its knees. But can''t you see that I came from Kandez Region, or do you think you can treat Kandez Region as you wish?" "Of course not, the entry and exit procedures in Magwurt City have nothing to do with the outcome of conflict with Northern Coalition. These procedures are adopted for the sake of mutual convenience and security." "Nonsense!" Osvik gave a small snort, but inwardly he was delighted as the attention of the nobles who were about to enter Magwurt City began to be drawn to him. While pointing at 14 carriages behind him Osvik said, "I have mechanisms belonging to Amethyst Merchant which must be repaired and immediately brought back to Kandez Region. I have no time for your nonsense. The longer I stay here, the more humiliation you give to Kandez Region." The Tuscan Guard''s Captain glanced at14 carriages behind Osvik, which all looked suspicious to the brim. "Venerable Ser, we also have to check your carriages one by one without exception." "Then, let''s see how you''re going to do it." With great confidence, Osvik ordered his convoy to enter Magwurt City. "Take them out." The Tuscan Guard''s Captain calmly ordered his men. Dozens of Tuscan Guard who were on standby around Osvik''s party immediately pulled out a small L-shaped object from their waist, gripped it tightly with both hands and aimed it forward. At the same time, Osvik''s bodyguards swiftly drew their weapons and formed a defensive perimeter. The people who had been attracted by the commotions between Osvik and Tuscan Guard''s Captain immediately ran away to avoid being dragged into bloody fighting that was about to occur. "Protect Ser Osvik at all costs!" The commander of Count Terrek''s bodyguard shouted loudly, while the L-shaped on Tuscan Guard¡¯s grips suddenly shot two needles connected to two thin ropes, right into the thighs of Osvik, the three Maesters, and Count Terrek''s bodyguards. TZZZZZZZZZZ !!! TZZZZZZZZZZ !!! TZZZZZZZZZZ !!! TZZZZZZZZZZ !!! As the buzzing sound was heard, Osvik and his entourage winced from ear to ear, then collapsing onto the ground. While their face was still in a grimace, their bodies would occasionally twitch. Among the party led by Osvik, only Maester Kallep understood what was happening as he had experienced something similar. ''They can even use electricity as a weapon. What a brilliant thought,'' Maester Kallep muttered before his consciousness slipped away. Meanwhile, the Tuscan Guard''s Captain smiled from ear to ear after seeing Osvik and the rest of his entourage were taken down without the slightest bit of resistance. Some even fell unconscious with a foaming mouth, while those who were still conscious had lost the ability to fight back. Without delay, the highly trained Tuscan Guard members handcuffed Osvik and his entourage, then took them to Diplomatic Detention Center located behind the Registration Office. ''Finally, we had the opportunity to put into action the procedure that we have practiced thousands of times.'' The Tuscan Guard''s Captain smiled as he stroked the stun gun on his waist. ***** TFA1 6.3 - Harassment TFA1 6.3 - Harassment Lt. Colonel Slane''s Office, Amethyst Merchant Marketing Office. 11:57, 26 Aug 2025 Yesterday at noon, Lt. Colonel Slane received a report that Count Terrek''s eldest son took over Dourk Tavern¡¯s access to Amethyst Merchant commodities, along with the equipment Old Man Dourk had bought. Without delay, he immediately opened a draft of an old operation. It was an operation with primary goal to gain access to Makai Royal City through Merry Gold Union, and it would be launched if Amethyst Merchant¡¯s commodities received a good welcome from Kandez Region''s residents. In the draft, the option to devour Merry Gold Union became the highest priorities, but then Lt. Colonel Slane modified it. He didn''t want to see Dourk Tavern was being dragged in into a conflict between Amethyst Merchant and Merry Gold Union. An option to lure Lady Yuuri Arasmus in a gentler but time-consuming manner was adopted to replace the first option. However, shortly before the operation was launched, the incident in Berril Plain broke out. And now, when the operation was about to be launched one more time, who would have thought that Lady Yuuri Arasmus'' son was cheerfully devouring Dourk Tavern. Today, after he had his lunch Lt. Colonel Slane would go straight to Walluo City. His primary goal was to counter Osvik Terrek¡¯s action and use him as a bridge to reach Lady Yuuri Arasmus. After all, even if Lady Yuuri did not give Osvik the power to represent Merry Gold Union, intelligence showed that she was willing to do anything for the sake of her children. Of course, there was also an option to destroy Osvik Terrek and start a war trade if Lt. Colonel Slane deemed that the idiot deserved it. Lt. Colonel Slane was about to turn his gaze to the wall clock, when the telephone on his desk rang and the small light above number 3 flashed brightly, a sign that it was a figure with access to the level of an office head. Wasting no time Lt. Colonel Slane picked up the receiver and dialed the number 3. "Slane here." [Good afternoon Ser Slane, I am Rutim from West Gate Registration Office. A moment ago, we had an incident with a guest we identified as Ser Osvik, the eldest son of Count Terrek, the leader of Kandez Region.] Lt. Colonel Slane was stunned for a moment. Then, he cheerfully grinned from ear to ear. Never did he imagine the fish he was about to snare came to him voluntarily. "Rutim, give me the details." --- West Gate Registration Office, Magwurt City 13:14, 26 Aug 2025 If Darek was a local who passed the espionage class from IDG with brilliant grades, Rutim was a local who passed the administration and management class with equally stunning grades. It only took 10 days before Rutim became proficient at ten fingers typing. On earth this was a common achievement considering the standard syllabus for typing courses was 2 hours per day for 10 days in a row. However, Rutim was taking the typing class while she also had to take the language and math lesson from scratch. After seeing Rutim''s potential, the instructor from Amethyst Merchant then included her in the office administration and management program. And Rutim completed the program with a satisfactory score within 14 days. In which it was consisted of archiving advanced level, computer applications for office administration, and human resource management. Rutim was then received an appointment to head the West Gate Registration Office. After leading the West Gate Registration Office for a month, Rutim proved herself that she possessed the quality that Amethyst Merchant''s higher-ups expected. The position of the Head of West Gate Registration Office was then being given to her for the next four years. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Unfortunately, Amethyst Merchant did not find another local with potential like Rutim. Therefore, the other three Registration Offices still had to be headed by a supervisor from Amethyst Merchant. It was something that was not quite right as the Registration Office was a civilian bureau under the authority of Tuscan Region. While at the same time, Amethyst Merchant''s personnel were very limited in number. Lt. Colonel Slane''s entourage entered the West Gate Registration Office through the side door, and as soon as he got off the Humvee, Rutin immediately rushed over to greet him. "Good afternoon, Ser Slane." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled at Rutim, who at first glance was no different from an office lady from earth. She wore high heels, a gray knee-high skirt, a white blouse, and an office coat that matches her skirt. Meanwhile, her hair was neatly tied in a ponytail. "Are MCG¡¯s personnel still checking the equipment that Osvik brought?" "Yes, Lieutenant William came here personally." Lt. Colonel Slane knew that Lieutenant William had an intimate relationship with Rutim. So he was not surprised if the highest MCG¡¯s officer in Magwurt City took the time to come to the West Gate Registration Office. With a casual tone Lt. Colonel Slane said, "Take me to him." Rutim immediately nodded and took Lt. Colonel Slane into multipurpose hall next to the main building. --- With great care, Lieutenant Colonel Slane looked at the solar power plant, water pump and piping system, the ice cube maker, and the clock that were being spread out on the floor. Then, he turned his head to Lieutenant William. "How bad the damage?" "Nothing''s broken. The person who tried to re-assemble this solar panel seemed quite thorough in following the details of its arrangement. However, he doesn''t understand the underlying principles. So he also doesn''t fully grasp the safety procedure." Lt. William pointed to a black grip-shaped mark on one of the distribution connectors before continuing. "He seems to touch it recklessly and exposed his body to electricity. Fortunately, the power is too low, so he didn¡¯t suffer fatal burns. Even though I am sure he will feel the horror of total paralysis which would make him unable to breathe for a whole minute." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded slightly. He understood the principle of 20 watts would not have any effect on human body, while 200 watts would roast the same body until it was burnt inside and out. Lt. Colonel Slane then turned his attention to the clock that lay not far from his feet. "Is this clock also fine?" "It¡¯s fine. The battery is just running out of power." After pondering for a moment Lt. Colonel Slane said, "Make sure all of this equipment can be reinstalled at Dourk Tavern tomorrow, but in the report write that all this equipment is completely damaged and we have to send new equipment to Dourk Tavern." "Any reason for this false report?" ¡°I want to put the reparation cost on our guest.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Lieutenant William happily complied with Lt. Colonel Slane¡¯s request. Not to mention, he also had his own grudge to Osvik. ¡°The Bastard Osvik had also dares to touch Rutim. Can you do something about it?" "Leave it to me." Lt. Colonel Slane replied steadily, even though he didn''t know the details of what happened. As soon as he came out of the multipurpose hall, he immediately approached Rutim who was waiting for him near the door with some of his bodyguards. "Before we met Osvik, is there anything you didn''t say on the phone?" "U-ummm?" Black clouds filled Rutim''s face, before finally she took a deep breath and said. "When I helped Ser Osvik process his passport, he squeezed my butt." ¡°Your butt?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rutim embarrassingly replied. Lt. Colonel Slane immediately stopped walking and looked at Rutim''s butt closely, and he had to admit that Rutim''s butt did have a very provocative curve. "I''ll make sure Osvik pays for what he did." "Thank you for your concern, Ser Slane. Rutim will never forget this kindness." Rutim then gave Lt. Colonel Slane a small but sincere bow. ***** TFA1 6.4 - This Child Is A Catastrophe TFA1 6.4 - This Child Is A Catastrophe Diplomatic Detention Center, West Gate Registration Office At first Osvik was angry because he was being forcibly detained. However, his anger greatly subsided after he tasted various delicacies that the Registration Office had served for him. He even had a chance to squeeze the provocative butt of the young woman who was said to be the Head of the Registration Office. Therefore, Osvik''s heart was filled with joy right now. ''Well, that''s her fault for wearing sexy clothes.'' Osvik grinned while remembering the incredible sensation in his right palm. However, Osvik''s joy was drastically reduced as he turned his gaze to the small painting on his passport. The face painting was totally different from his personal painting made by a famous painter in Makai Royal City. Not to mention being handsome, in the face painting called a photo, Osvik''s face looked more like a hornless buffalo rather than a human face. Of course, Osvik couldn''t accept it. Unfortunately, the three Maesters and his bodyguards swore that the photo was extraordinarily accurate. Then, as Osvik was contemplating on how to change his photo, the woman whose buttocks he had squeezed walked in with a group of people. Judging by how the security of Registration Office saluted the man in the front, Osvik concluded that he must be had a quite high position. "Ser Osvik, this is Ser Slane, the highest leader of Amethyst Merchant," with a tone full of respect Rutim introduced Lt. Colonel Slane. Osvik didn''t expect that he would meet with the highest leader of Amethyst Merchant so quickly. In an instant, his heart jumped to the sky. ''It seems they understand my importance.'' "Venerable Ser Osvik, welcome to Magwurt City." In a friendly tone Lt. Colonel Slane shook Osvik''s hand and hugged him as if he was his best friend. "Venerable Maester, welcome to Magwurt City." Lt. Colonel Slane also greeted and hugged the three Maesters who stood behind Osvik as if they were his closest relatives. After that, he sat on the sofa across the four. "Venerable Ser Osvik and Maesters, may I know the reason for your visit, and why did you bring along some of Dourk Tavern''s equipment?" Osvik smiled from ear to ear before saying, "Maybe Ser Slane doesn''t know yet, so let me explain." "Please, I''m all ears." "Old Man Dourk has given me the position of Amethyst Merchant¡¯s representative along with the equipment he got from Amethyst Merchant." Lt. Colonel Slane tapped his finger on the armrest before speaking, "I don''t know why Old Man Dourk handed over it to Ser Osvik, but he is only allowed to return the position of Amethyst Merchant¡¯s representative only to me." ''Contract? Why did Old Man Dourk never mention it?'' Osvik muttered without realizing that the contract actually had never existed. After clearing his throat, Osvik immediately proposes his thoughts, "Since we have met, can we straighten out this contract matter? If Ser Slane gives me the right to circulate Amethyst Merchant''s commodities, I guarantee it will smoothly enter Makai Royal City." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded slightly. "It''s a feasible proposal, but before that there are a few things we have to agree on. First, I hope Ser Osvik is willing to help me ensure Old Man Dourk fulfills his role as Amethyst Merchant¡¯s representative. Second, all the equipment you bring here is damaged and according to our engineer, the cause is a procedural error in the re-assembling process, so you have to pay for its replacement." Osvik smiled cheerfully before saying, "Ser Slane, I have asked Old Man Dourk to continue operating as usual. It''s just that the commodities he buys from Amethyst Merchant must be limited to a certain quota. For the equipment, I have paid all of them 10 gold coins. For the clock, Old Man Dourk said he didn''t spend any money on it. Old Man Dourk also said that if there was any damage, Amethyst Merchant would send someone to repair it, but I took the initiative to bring it here. So, shouldn''t you thank me?" Lt. Colonel Slane casually said, "As I said, the equipment was completely damaged and could not be repaired. Also, the price of the package for the solar power plant, ice cube maker, water pump, and its pipeline is 25 gold coins. As for the wall clock, I think Ser Osvik realizes that its worth is equivalent to a few mid-tier farmlands." Osvik immediately frowned, but he tried to restrain himself and said as calmly as possible. "Ser Slane, even though I had to pay the replacement cost, you cannot simply raise the price or even charge the clock that you previously gave away for free." Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "I did not raise the price. More precisely, I gave a big discount to Old Man Dourk because I owe him a huge debt of gratitude." "Debt of gratitude?" In an instant a huge question mark appeared on Osvik''s forehead. Slowly but surely Lt. Colonel Slane''s expression becomes gloomy. "Ser Osvik, I''m sure a noble born like you will never understand how bitter a life of an orphan who had to live on the streets like me.¡± "Ser Slane¡­.?" "When I was six years old, there was a moment when I had not eaten for three days in a row. At that time, I could only sit in a small alley without being able to move my body. I instinctively knew that if I didn''t get any food that day, I would die. Even so, I had accepted my fate. I thought death was much better than having to starve every day. However, a man suddenly gave me a piece of bread. It was 2-3 days old plain bread, but to me, it was the sweetest bread that I''ve ever tasted. The man then helped me until I recovered. After that, an old pickpocket forced me to join his group and I turned out to be very good at pickpocketing. But then, I was caught by a young noble whose face, hair, gaze, nose, and manner of speech are very similar to yours. He had beaten me until I almost died. However, once again, I was saved by the man who previously gave me bread, who turned out to be the cook at Castle Walluo. After that, an adventurer merchant took me and brought me to travel from one continent to another. He also educated me to become a merchant. He has a very large trading business and I got a pretty good position. In short, after I returned his kindness, I requested permission to return to Amstell Continent. I saw an opportunity to set up a base in Magwurt City. So I built a base there before going to Walluo City to repay the kindness of the cook who had helped me. Of course, the cook did not remember me. He also no longer worked at Castle Walluo. Ironically, he was being kicked out from castle for giving leftover food to street children too often. But it doesn''t matter if he doesn''t remember me. Because the most important thing is, I will never forget his kindness. Ser Osvik, whether Amethyst Merchant will cooperate with you or not, it depends entirely on your willingness to replace the equipment and your attitude toward Old Man Dourk." At first, Osvik had doubted Lt. Colonel Slane''s long life story. The problem was, Lt. Colonel Slane had a natural talent for lying that he had honed it until it surpassed the level of a Hollywood veteran. Moreover, he mixed his lies with real-life experiences and intel that IDG managed to gather. Meanwhile, Osvik fully understood that his father really hated pickpockets and always gave them harsh punishments. And the final hammer that destroys Osvik''s doubts was, how could a mechanism that the concept not even be able to imagine, let alone created by Maester of Mechanical Engineering on Amstell Continent, was only valued at a few gold coins. Not to mention the wall clocks that worth a few mid-tier farmland was given away for free. Even so, in the end Osvik insisted that Lt. Colonel Slane''s story was only a means to deepen his demands for the compensation he was asking for. In short, Osvik chose to consider that the story was never happened. "Ser Slane, I will compensate for the damaged equipment. But you don''t need to dramatize it. I will cut my hand off if a respectable man who leads a large trading business like you has a childhood as a pickpocket." "Thank you for your understanding and generous praise, Ser Osvik," Lt. Colonel Slane said cheerfully before turning his gaze to Rutim. "Rutim, how is Lucca?" Rutim did not understand why Lt. Colonel Slane suddenly asked about Lucca. Moreover, she was still deeply contemplating on Lt. Colonel Slane''s past which shook her heart so hard. So she stuttered a little before answering, "L-Lu-Lucca is well and now he was preparing himself for mid-year exams." "I''m happy to hear that." Lt. Colonel Slane nodded in satisfaction before grabbing four bags of money from his pocket. Then, from the most beautiful money bag he took out 5 gold coins and gave them to Rutim. "You can go home early today. Take Lucca and William to a dinner, and forget about unpleasant experience you had this afternoon. Also, don''t stop wearing sexy clothes." "... Ser Slane?" Rutim was dumbfounded while Lt. Colonel Slane put the five gold coins into her. She had no chance to refuse it, so Rutim could only get up and bow deeply. "Thank you for Ser Slane''s kindness and attention to this humble servant." At the same time, Osvik and the three Maesters looked at the money bag in Lt. Colonel Slane''s hand while muttering, ''Why is the money bag so similar to mine?'' Osvik and the three Maesters immediately found the answer after they checked their waist, and found that their money bag were nowhere to be found. ''Bastard!'' Osvik shrieked in his heart, but he immediately held back as he remembered that he had said he would cut his hand if Lt. Colonel Slane was a pickpocket. Osvik immediately forced a smile before saying, "Ser Slane, while I was on my way here I lost my money bag. Maybe it fell over, and somehow my money bag looks very similar to money bag in your hand, did you possibly find it by the side of the road on the way here?" "Ser Osvik, do you means this money bag?" Lt. Colonel Slane pointed to the money bag in his hand and Osvik immediately nodded his head firmly. "I really don''t know that this money bag looks similar to yours. But these money bags were gifts from distant friends when they visited here. So, I can guarantee you that this money bag is mine." ''Bastard!'' Osvik shrieked in his heart once again. He had heard from Lady Yuuri that bureaucrats and merchants had something in common. They would never spat out money they had swallowed. Now, finally Osvik experienced it personally. At the same time, the three Maesters looked at Osvik with sharp eyes as they muttered inwardly. ''This child is a catastrophe.'' ***** TFA1 6.5 - Solar Power Plant TFA1 6.5 - Solar Power Plant On Amstell Continent, the currency with highest exchange rate was gold coin, which could only be issued by Kingdom of Makai or Kingdom of Horrep. A piece of gold coin was made of pure gold weighing 21 grams. By using the gold price which was currently perched at USD 52/gram, the value of gold coins was equivalent to USD 1,092 or rounded down to USD 1,000 by Lt. Colonel Slane. To be honest, pricing USD 7,000 or 7 gold coins for a 900 watts solar power plant complete with a water pump, pipeline, and ice cube maker along with transportation and installation costs was already giving an 8% profit. Since 2022 the US of A government had begun subsidize the price of solar power plants, and coupled with research and development that continued to increase its efficiency, the price of solar power plant had experienced a consistent downward trend. So, why did Lt. Colonel Slane ask for 25 gold coins as compensation from Osvik? Because that was the standard price he charged to anyone who didn''t get a special discount like Old Man Dourk or Tuscan Region''s nobles. Is the price set by Lt. Colonel Slane too expensive? According to Lt. Colonel Slane¡¯s calculation it was absolutely not, as the selling price was not calculated by cost of goods plus the percentage of profit, and then being applied to all consumers. Each commodity had different values ??for consumers in different situations. A glass of water would be nothing to the people living by the lake, but a luxury commodity for people who lived in the desert. As for people who almost died from dehydration, they would not hesitate to buy it with all the belongings they have. In fact, Lt. Colonel Slane felt that the price he was offering was still too cheap. Given that with the current level of science and technology on Amstell Continent, it would take centuries before the concept of electricity was born and could be widely applied. Osvik also did not seem to mind Lt. Colonel Slane''s calculation. He cheerfully paid the price. Luckily, apart from his bodyguards'' weapon and equipment that he took from Dourk Tavern, the security in Registration Office did not confiscate his other belongings. The two banknotes'' suitcases were still intact and were not missing a single banknote, even though the security officer had opened and through fully checked them. For the wall clock, Osvik paid for it with a 10-year of managing rights for a hill in Kandez Region. He was super relieved because Lt. Colonel Slane did not ask for fertile farmland, but rather a hill that was tightly covered by pine trees which were generally used only as firewood. With an ecstatic heart, Osvik requested another 10 wall clocks in exchange with 10-years of administration right for a whole plateau that was tightly covered by a pine forest. Osvik had a hoped that Amethyst Merchant would turn the entire plateau into agricultural land which would be returned to him in 10 years. ''Turning a pine forest into farmland is not easy, but Amethyst Merchant would do it for me,'' Osvik muttered while his heart flew up into the clouds. Osvik did get suspicious when Lt. Colonel Slane calmly used a map to pinpoint the location he requested. Moreover, he even showed a photo of the requested area which seemed to be taken from the air, and it was so accurate and detailed to the point that Osvik had to rub his eyes several times to make sure there was nothing wrong with his vision. Also, Osvik saw how in an instant Lt. Colonel Slane created a very neat administer right agreement using a device he calls laptop and printer. Although Lt. Colonel Slane explained that he only had to change the name and a few other parts before printing it, Osvik still did not understand how a 16-page document could just appear in a few breaths of time after the agreement was reached by both side. Osvik was not a smart human, but he wasn''t stupid either. Therefore, he was fully aware that Lt. Colonel Slane had long been eyeing the hill and the plateau for which he had requested its administer right. But in the end, Osvik chose not to think too deep about it. He was sure that there was no gold or other mineral in that hill or the plateau. Besides, the location of the hill and plateau was on the remote border so it had no strategic value if Amethyst Merchant had the intention to use it to attack Walluo City. At the same time, Lt. Colonel Slane felt a slight guilty because the land that Osvik gave up was much bigger than his initial estimation. However, because Osvik signed the agreement while smiling from ear to ear, the guilt that lingered in Lt. Colonel Slane''s heart was slowly but surely evaporating. After putting the agreement into his briefcase, Lt. Colonel Slane cheerfully said, "Now we can go to Amethyst Merchant Marketing Office to see commodities Ser Osvik might be interested in. Meanwhile, some of your bodyguards will go to Maple Palace Hotel to drop your belongings and guard your room." Osvik immediately frowned. "Ser Slane, no nobles on Amstell Continent will willing to stay at a hotel. Asking a noble to stay in a hotel is tantamount to insulting him." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled cheerfully before saying. "If you want a roadside camping, I''ll provide it.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. An irritation instantly enveloped Osvik''s heart. However, after he remembered that he had just obtained 10 wall clocks for a cheap price, his irritation immediately subsided. ''Who knows I''ll get another big fish with similar cheap price. I have to be patient while waiting for another golden opportunity.'' Osvik then took a deep breath before casually saying, "Well, there''s a first time for everything. Ser Slane, we''d better hurry." --- Display Room, Amethyst Merchant Marketing Office. Osvik already saw the iron carriage belonging to Amethyst Merchant. It had made him amazed, but the admiration he had felt was nothing compared to when he looked closely at it. Osvik circled the M1152 Personnel Carrier a dozen times before finally he was satisfied and climbed into it. Osvik chose the seat next to the driver and during the trip, he poked his head out the window, much like a puppy that going out by car for the first time. Lt. Colonel Slane wanted to ask Osvik so he sat in the back seat with him. Considering that statistics showed the highest number of fatalities in traffic accidents was at the passenger next to the driver. However, after he saw Osvik''s face which was adorned with a grin from ear to ear, Lt. Colonel Slane canceled his intention and only advised his trusted driver to drive extra carefully. Before long, Lt. Colonel Slane and his guest arrived in Amethyst Merchant Display Room. It was a combination of living room, bedroom, lounge, study room, kitchen, pantry, bathroom, and several other spaces combined into one like a 21st-century residence. Osvik had entered Makai Royal Family''s living room a few times, but somehow the living room that was filled with gold ornaments felt less classy than the Display Room he was currently entering. Osvik looked at every corner of the Display Room with a wide-open mouth, before finally he turned to Lt. Colonel Slane. "Ser Slane, please begin the presentation." To help him with the presentation, Lt. Colonel Slane brought three people he considered could represent the three main products of Amethyst Merchant, and the first person to give the presentation was Specialist Adam from MCG. Specialist Adam immediately turned his laptop on. "Ser Osvik, according to Lt. Colonel Slane, you are interested in solar power plants and their applications." Osvik nodded and Specialist Adam immediately continued. "Amethyst Merchant provides solar power plant packages based on the size of ??the mansion, with a power around 5400-8000 watts." "5400-8000 watts?" A large question mark appeared on Maester Kallep''s forehead, while Specialist Adam nodded and gave further explanation. "As an illustration, the system used at Dourk Tavern generates 900 watts of power. Meanwhile, the system at the Registration Office generates 3600 watts of power. Apart from the size of ??the mansion, the applications that will be used will also determine the amount of power that the solar power plant must be generated." With the help of a 3D simulation, Specialist Adam then explained how the solar power plant works in a mansion, including its application in powering the lighting system both inside and outside the mansion, pumping system and pipeline for clean water, and air conditioner to control room temperature. As for small applications, Specialist Adam used the mock-ups kitchen to demonstrate electric teapots, electric stoves, refrigerators, pipeline capable of delivering cold, warm, to hot water, and several other electronic devices. With sparkling eyes, Osvik, Maester Kallep, and the two other Maesters heeded Specialist Adam''s explanation and demonstration. Until finally, Osvik couldn''t wait anymore to find out how much the cost of solar power plant for Terrek Mansion. "Ser Slane, how much is the price for this electricity-based system?" "For a small mansion with 5400 watts of power, the package can be obtained for 250 gold coins, and it will increase if there are electric devices outside the package that you want to add." Osvik reflexively tilted his head. "Isn''t it only 25 gold coins for a system with 900 watts of power?" Lt. Colonel Slane nodded firmly. "Yes, but the installation complexity from the smaller system to a larger system cannot be calculated by three plus three. If the complexity for 900 watts system is three, the complexity of an 1800 watts system will be nine." Actually, Lt. Colonel Slane''s explanation was a lie. The price of an 8,000 watts solar power plant was only USD 37,000 or 37 gold coins, including transportation costs from earth, installation costs, the most basic home device, and a profit of 12%. However, what he was sold was not just an electricity-based technology, but also a technology gap of several hundred years. Osvik and Maester Kallep were also aware that this price was quite cheap, because they could easily reach it. But of course, Osvik was still looking for loopholes to bargain. "Ser Slane, isn''t there a special cut you can give?" Unfortunately, Lt. Colonel Slane didn''t give him a chance. "The mansions of Northern Coalition nobles mostly use packages worth 310 gold coins. They also add various electric devices outside of the basic package up to 50-80 gold coins. But if Ser Osvik wants a package with a simpler system, we can arrange that." "Of course not!!" Osvik''s ego instantly drowned his rationality, including his intention to haggle. With a burning spirit he gave an instruction. "Maester Kallep, if the system used in Terrek mansion is cheaper than the system used by Northern Coalition''s nobles, it will also tarnished your name. So, make sure it never happens." "Understood." With steady steps and a fighting spirit that soared up to the sky, Maester Kallep approached Specialist Adam. It wasn''t long before the two had sunk in discussing about the systems and devices used by Northern Coalition''s nobles and the better options that Amethyst Merchant could provide. Lt. Colonel Slane then gave a small smile before turning his head towards Osvik. "Now, what other commodity is Ser Osvik interested in?" Osvik immediately turned his head towards Maester Rivak, who then took a step forward. "Ser Slane, please show me Amethyst Merchant''s culinary commodities." ***** TFA1 6.6 - God Level Culinary TFA1 6.6 - God Level Culinary To explain Amethyst Merchant''s culinary products and commodities related to it, Lt. Colonel Slane brought Chef Bianca. Her father was Italian Michelin three-star chef, while her mother was a French pastry chef in her father¡¯s kitchen. From an early age Chef Bianca was being trained to become a professional chef and pastry chef. And the result was, she succeeded in establishing a well-known pasticceria chain in Italy, as well as leading a three-star Michelin restaurant which became a staunch rival to his father''s restaurant. If it weren''t for a group of shameless people pretending they didn''t know how to interpret the word ''No!'', Chef Bianca would never have left earth and joined Amethyst Merchant. After Lt. Colonel Slane nodded at her, Chef Bianca took a step forward and slightly bowed, ¡°Honorable Ser, my name is Sienna Bianca, Head Chef at Luise Petra, Maple Palace Hotel." In an instant, disappointment gripped Maester Rivak''s heart as he muttered, ''Even if it''s only a restaurant in a hotel, it''s still not wise to choose a very young woman as Head Chef.'' After the solar power plant''s presentation that turned his heart upside down, Maester Rivak instinctively hoped that Amethyst Merchant''s culinary level would give him the same level of shock. He didn''t expect that Amethyst Merchant would introduce a young woman as a Head Chef. On Amstel Continent, Head Chef was a position exclusively reserved for men. Therefore, it''s natural that Maester Rivak didn''t have high expectations from Chef Bianca. However the same disappointment didn''t arise in Osvik''s heart. The all-white outfit that Chef Bianca wore did not accentuate her curves. Even still, Osvik instinctively looked at her from top to bottom and left to right several times. Usually, Osvik had absolutely no interest in women who were taller than him. But somehow, even though Chef Bianca was one head taller than him, Osvik still couldn¡¯t help but to admire her beautiful but cold face. With their own mind and heart, Osvik, Maester Rivak, and the other Maester followed Chef Bianca to the mock-up kitchen. After washing her snow white hands, Chef Bianca walked over to the coolbox she previously placed on the kitchen table. From the coolbox, she pulled out beef cuts and arranged them onto a stainless steel tray lined with a white towel. "Please select the cut you want and the level of doneness." A question mark instantly appeared on Osvik and the two Maesters'' foreheads, as they stared at the raw beef cuts. As a Maester of Culinary Tradition, Maester Rivak actually realized that the bright pink of beef cuts in front of him was a masterpiece. He could see they were the best cuts taken from a carefully risen calf. The freshness of the meat was also well preserved and there was no trace of blood or fishy and metallic smell. Even so, Maester Rivak still did not understand the meaning of Chef Bianca''s question. He had visited every high-class restaurant in Makai Royal City. Some of them did give their visitors an option to choose the cut they will eat. However, they were never asked to choose directly from raw pieces, let alone be asked to determine the level of doneness. ''Shouldn''t the cooks determine the best doneness for the menu they are cooking?'' Maester Rivak inwardly asked. On earth, even a middle-class steak house has implemented a procedure to offer their guests the cuts they have. However, on Amstell Continent this procedure was not common practice. Realizing that his guests were confused, Lt. Colonel Slane immediately intervened. "Chef, use the largest cuts with a level of doneness mid-rare." "Understood." Wasting no time Chef Bianca swiftly and gracefully started to her work, under the curious gazes of her guests. Maester Rivak recognized some of the spices Chef Bianca used, such as honey, salt, pepper, and onion powder. He also recognizes the technique of applying spices by wrapping and kneading the meat, or using high temperature to lock the delicacy in the meat that was applied for a few breaths of time at the start of the cooking process. What Maester Rivak didn''t understand was, why Chef Bianca didn''t continue to cook the meat using low heat until it''s fully done. But drain the oil and broth before wrapping the meat in silvery paper, then putting it in a box with a glass door and bright light. After that the oil and broth in the pan were used to roast carrots, potatoes, and asparagus, what was left then used to make a sauce based on red wine. Not long after that, Chef Bianca beautifully arranged the grilled meat on a serving plate. Maester Rivak knew the concept of time using a clock. So he could calculate that the total time for Chef Bianca to cook was only 20 minutes. This was extraordinary considering that the young female chef started from scratch using raw meat which had not received any pre-processing such as marinade. Even so, Maester Rivak still instinctively doubted the delicacy of grilled meat prepared by Chef Bianca. Because in the culinary world on Amstell Continent, there was a principle that delicacy was equal to the time invested in the cooking process. On earth the same principle was also being applied, but only for menus with complex ingredients where the harmony of each ingredient could only be achieved after each ingredient had been separately pre-processed. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. For cooking at the home level, family restaurant, fast food restaurant, or street food, ingredients and seasonings were simplified to maximize efficiency while still producing maximum delicacy. Not to mention, on earth, the technique of breaking down protein using natural ingredients such as honey, pineapple, or other ingredients had also been developed to the highest potential. For professional chefs, making delicious dishes was not difficult or took a long time. They could even use makeshift ingredients and seasonings. What was difficult was to make delicious dishes that could not be imitated, so people could not have them anywhere else. However, Maester Rivak''s doubt gradually faded. Slowly but surely, the smell of grilled meat on the plate started to prick his nose. Without realizing it, he started to swallow hard and even had to wipe the saliva that almost dripped from corner of his lips. The grilled meat appearance and aroma easily stimulated Maester Rivak''s instincts to the highest. The problem was, apart from a fork Maester Rivak did not find knife on the plate in his hand. ''How should I enjoy it?'' Maester Rivak asked silently, and the question was answered when Osvik, who could no longer hold back, used the fork to stab the grilled meat and brought it to his mouth. However, Osvik only managed to bite the wind as the meat at his fork split in half and fell onto the plate. At the same time, from the meat that was still pink in color, a delicious aroma brutally burst out. "Bastard!" Without delay, Osvik used his hands to devour the piece of meat that had escaped his bite, and instantly his eyes widened. Then, he madly devoured whatever was left on his plate. He even used the slices of bread to wipe away the remaining sauce and stock. However, Osvik was still not satisfied. Like a starving predator he looked at the grilled meat on Maester Rivak''s plate. Maester Rivak and the other Maester immediately protected their plates. The two then heeded the etiquette of the meal and with ease they cut the grilled meat using the fork. As soon as the piece of grilled meat landed on Maester Rivak''s tongues, a burst of deliciousness instantly attacked his mouth, and after one small movement of his tongue the grilled meat melted away. Before he knew it, he had already swallowed the grilled meat. ''This. . .'' Amazement shook Maester Rivak''s heart while he greedily put the second piece of grilled meat into his mouth. At the same time, Osvik pitifully stared at the two maesters who were enjoying their grilled meat. Fortunately, Lt. Colonel Slane fully understands Osvik''s feelings. With a smile he handed over his grilled meat. "Ser Osvik, will you help me?" "Of course." Without hesitation Osvik accepted the offer. Now, it was Maester Rivak and his colleagues'' turn to look at Osvik enviously. But they managed to refrain themselves from complaining and continued to eat carrots, asparagus, and roasted potatoes on their plates, and then cleaned off the remaining sauce and stock using a slices of white bread. However, even though the plate was already clean and shiny, Maester Rivak still felt the urge to lick it. Luckily, he managed to hold back and put the plate to the table with a look full of regret, as if he had just been leaved behind by his true love. ''It is a great sin for me, to dare to think of myself as a Maester of Culinary. In front of this God Level Culinary, I''m just speck of dust. I''m sorry that I was born into this world.'' The shock in Maester Rivak''s heart was so big and deep that he even regretted his existence in this world. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Slane grinned widely. The impact was successfully created, so he gave Chef Bianca a signal to start presenting Amethyst Merchant¡¯s culinary products. First, Chef Bianca took her guests to the pantry and utensil room where various spices, ingredients, and equipment were neatly arranged. The explanation she gave got into the heart of her audience effortlessly, without any resistance. It was not an exaggeration to say that Chef Bianca was hypnotizing her guests. From the pantry, she took her guests to a mini-bar where every alcoholic beverage that Amethyst Merchant could provide was on display, starting from wine, tequila, brandy, vodka, whiskey, and various other alcoholic drinks. Until finally, Maester Rivak was shocked after discovering that Amur Beer and Lada Whiskey were not Amethyst Merchant''s best products. "Wait a minute, you mean Amur Beer and Lada Whiskey are standard products for commoners?" Chef Bianca nodded. "Yes, but there is also a special edition of Amur Beer which is packaged in glass bottles." Chef Bianca took three glasses and filled them with a few ice cubes, then poured two bottles of Amur Beer. She skillfully tilted the glass in her hand so the Amur Beer that came out of the bottle fell on the edge of the glass and produced thick foam. A moment later Osvik and the two Maesters sipped the foam in their glass, and then sipped a mouthful of Amur Beer, and a deep satisfaction was visible on their faces in an instant. However, only Maester Rivak realized the difference between Amur Beer he had just drank and the Amur Beer he used to drink. "The chestnut aroma in this version is much stronger." Chef Bianca smiled a little before explaining, "I''m expert of alcoholic beverages, but at least let me explain." """Please.""" Osvik and the two Maesters replied while nodding simultaneously. "When we pack it in barrels made of wood, there is a potential for chemical reactions. So overpowering aromas should be avoided or the life of the beer will be shorter. Meanwhile, if we pack it in a glass bottle, the potential for chemical reactions is almost non-existent. So the desired aroma and taste can be maximized without worrying about beer''s life." Osvik nodded three times, and then with a hopeful gaze he asked, "Miss Bianca, will you work for me. I will double the salary and all the benefits you are currently receiving." In any part of the world, hijacking human resources was a common thing, but only Osvik would do it right in front of the worker''s boss. Even so, Lt. Colonel Slane wasn''t worried at all. He fully believed that in terms of salary and benefit, no one could beat Amethyst Merchant. Lt. Colonel Slane''s confidence was then solidified by Chef Bianca''s answer. "I am honored by Ser Osvik''s offer. Unfortunately, I have been contracted by Amethyst Merchant for the next 100 years. So I can''t accept your generous offer." After hearing Chef Bianca''s answer, Osvik could only let his head down. Because he realized he could not force his will on Amethyst Merchant''s workers. ***** TFA1 6.7 - Renegotiation TFA1 6.7 - Renegotiation The third maester who came with Osvik was Maester Ciesar. He was an expert in arts and culture. And because Osvik was not interested in the next presentation and chose to follow Chef Bianca like a puppy following its mother, Lt. Colonel Slane decided to give Maester Ciesar the presentation personally, so the old Maester would not feel abandoned. With high enthusiasm, Maester Ciesar followed Lt. Colonel Slane. He attentively listened to every explanation about products that were closely related to art, culture, and modern lifestyle on earth. A large, soft, and super comfortable bed; a charming dressing table; a sturdy but elegant working desk; a soft chair called sofa that made people who sat on it reluctant to leave; a clear glass mirror measuring 1.9 x 0.75 meters; the cutlery that was beautiful but comfortable to use; the paintings on the walls that were so alive, and finally the wristwatch that almost made Maester Ciesar had a heart attack. ''This place is a treasure storehouse,'' Maester Ciesar muttered as he desperately tried to calm his heart. Then, with an endless admiration he inspected the wristwatch. "Ser Slane, how much is the price for this wristwatch?" "Five times the clock that Ser Osvik bought." Technically, Lt. Colonel Slane wasn''t lying. The standard wall clock that Amethyst Merchant sold used a black walnut frame with small silver trimmings and cost USD 40, while the wristwatch in Maester Ciesar''s hand was USD 200. In terms of appearance, the wall clocks and watches that Amethyst Merchant offers were very standard. It had almost no different from the similar products on Walmart. This was because Amethyst Merchant wanted durability and function to be placed above appearance. As for the wall clocks and watches with the outer appearance wrapped in high-value art and materials, Amethyst Merchant would distribute them as limited editions through an auction. However, for Maester Ciesar the standard clocks and watches were already products that were worth fighting for. Considering that a long time ago Merry Gold Union failed so badly when trying to produce a wristwatch. Not to mention the Old Maester estimated the wristwatch was worth at least ten times of the wall clock. At half-past five, the presentation of Amethyst Merchant¡¯s products was finished. Osvik and the three Maesters were then escorted to Maple Palace to rest. Lt. Colonel Slane escorted them directly, and before leaving he told them that at seven in the evening he would take them for dinner at Luise Petra. --- VIP Room 23, Maple Palace Hotel 17:20, 26 Aug 2025 After Lt. Colonel Slane left, the hotel clerk immediately explained to Osvik about the various facilities in the VIP room and how to use them, and the explanation amazed Osvik endlessly. Lt. Colonel Slane had openly told Osvik that the VIP room he occupied was only third place in terms of rates. But for Osvik, the room was more than enough to make him regret until his liver became green. As he had said that in Amstell Continent no nobles who would be willing to stay in a hotel and asking them to do so was an insult. ''Damn it! Why did I wait too long before visiting this incredible city?'' Osvik muttered while the hotel clerk gave an example of how to prepare a hot soak by using bathtub with triangle shape and rounded corners. After a warm soak with a very fragrant soap, Osvik intended to relax on the sofa while waiting for dinner. Unfortunately, he could not carry out his wish peacefully. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "We have to focus the budget on electronic appliances," Maester Kallep firmly said as he grabbed Maester Rivak''s hair and pulled Maester Ciesar''s beard. "No, we must prioritize culinary commodities as well as buy recipes from Amethyst Merchant cooks," Maester Rivak firmly said as he grabbed Maester Ciesar''s hair and pulled Maester Kallep''s beard. "You two are mistaken. We must buy all the clocks and wristwatches Amethyst Merchant can provide. Then use the profits from its sales to buy other commodities," Maester Ciesar firmly as he grabbed Maester Kallep''s hair and pulled Maester Rivak''s beard. Before he went to take a bath, Osvik asked the three Maesters to determine the commodities to be bought from Amethyst Merchant. He divided the budget equally for them. Therefore, the three Maesters shouldn''t make a fuss, let alone pulling each other''s hair and beard. However, it seemed the three Maesters didn¡¯t satisfy with their own budget and the fight would continue if Osvik did nothing to stop it. After heaving a deep sigh he immediately came over to the three Maesters. "Venerable Maesters, use your own budget, nothing more nothing less." With a deadpan face, Osvik gave the command. The three Maesters then removed their hands from their colleagues'' hair and beards. In truth, Osvik understood why the three Maesters were fiercely fighting over the budget. Usually, he only carried a banknote worth 10,000 gold coins when went into shopping. However, this time he brought a banknote worth 20,000 gold coins but the commodities he could get were far less than he had expected. For special commodities which were monopolized by nobles, Osvik indeed received a better prices and quality than the offer he got from suppliers in Makai Royal City. However, other products that only Amethyst Merchant could supply absorbed the budget like a dry field absorbing a drop of water. For this product, Osvik could do nothing. That''s why he intended to seek discounts on special commodities which were monopolized by nobles. And an idea popped up in Osvik''s mind. ''I can use information from Merry Gold Union as a weapon.'' --- Lounge, VIP Room 23 19:00, 26 Aug 2025 After subtly refusing the dinner invitation, Osvik then asked Lt. Colonel Slane to conduct another trade negotiation. When Lt. Colonel Slane finished in checking the list he had submitted, Osvik immediately started. "Ser Slane, the quality of Amethyst Merchant''s salt is indeed a little better than the salt from Makai Royal City. But it''s a shame that the price is too high? So, can Amethyst Merchant give me a little cut?" Lt. Colonel Slane put down his wine glass before turning to Osvik. "Ser Osvik, why do you want to trick me?" Seeing a smile that wasn''t a smile bloomed on Lt. Colonel Slane''s lips, cold sweat immediately drenched Osvik''s back. Luckily, he somehow managed to maintain his calm. "Ser Slane, please don''t misunderstood. I can offer a price list of special commodities at Makai Royal City for free. I''m sure Northern Coalition can¡¯t provide you this price list.¡± Lt. Colonel Slane casually replied, "It''s true that Northern Coalition can''t provide the price list of special commodities. However, that does not mean I do not know that over the past eight months the average price of salt in Makai Royal City is 12 kg/gold coin, and has risen to 7 kg/gold coin when arrived in the Regions near the entrance of Desolate Land. Ser Osvik, you already realized that the quality of Amethyst Merchant¡¯s salt is much better at a price 20 kg/gold coin or almost half the average price offered by merchants in Makai Royal City, and you don''t have to pay for transportation and escort, but now you dare to trick me." Drops of cold sweat instantly appeared on Osvik and the three Maesters'' foreheads, while Lt. Colonel Slane continued. "Well, bidding is a natural thing in trade negotiation. Therefore, I will adjust the price of salt to 19 kg/gold coin." "Wait, Ser Slane let''s use the price before---" "18 kg/gold coin." "Ser Sla---" "17 kg/gold coins." "Agreed!! 17 kg/gold coins." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled cheerfully before asking, "Are there any other commodities that need price adjustments?" Without delay, Osvik shook his head from side to side like a drumstick. ***** TFA1 6.8 - Raped To The Fullest TFA1 6.8 - Raped To the Fullest Once he realized that Lt. Colonel Slane knew the average price of salt for the past eight months, half of Osvik''s life instantly evaporated. On Amstell Continent, the wholesale prices of special commodities were never publicly announced. Every negotiation related to special commodities was always being carried out behind a closed door. So, most buyers never know whether their purchase was cheaper or more expensive than other buyers. Only trading businesses with immense influence and connections would be able to accurately grasp the prices of special commodities. One of such trading business was Merry Gold Union. So, how could a trading business whose name had only been heard since a few months ago have information as accurate as Merry Gold Union, the titan in the trading world on Amstell Continent? Osvik was indeed not a smart human being, but it didn''t mean he didn''t realize that the casual man in front of him was someone he could underestimate. He even believed that Lady Yuuri, who was known as the Devil Queen in the trade negotiations, must be extra careful when made a deal with Lt. Colonel Slane. Luckily, other than taking his money bag, it seemed Lt. Colonel Slane didn''t intend to swallow him alive. Therefore, Osvik could breathe a sigh of relief even though his nervousness didn''t fully go away. So, once again, Osvik asked that the dinner at Luise Petra to be canceled. He worried that the longer he interacted with Lt. Colonel Slane, the more likely he would make mistakes that could damage the trade agreement that he had been made. Unfortunately, for some reason Lt. Col. Slane refused to leave and insisted on having dinner with Osvik. In the end, Osvik could only shed tears in silence and accepted Lt. Colonel Slane''s invitation. Apart from the bedroom, workspaces, and lounge, the VIP Room was also equipped with a dining room. Therefore, the dinner could be carried out properly. Although the atmosphere was no different from a funeral as Osvik and the three Maesters lowered their head and tried their best not to say a word. Lt. Colonel Slane realized that he had been putting unnecessary pressure on his business partners. So he immediately defused the almost frozen air. After a dinner that lasted without any conversation, Lt. Colonel Slane called for dessert to entertain his guests. With widened eyes and hanging mouth, Osvik and the three Maesters looked at the eight young women that Lt. Colonel Slane invited. They all had attractive faces, and sensual bodies wrapped in tight office lady outfits that exposed their long, smooth, and slender legs, while the curves on their waist and the provocative twin hill on their chests make Osvik and the three Maesters drooling non-stop. Casually, Lt. Colonel Slane said. "Magwurt City has a night entertainment service with a cosplay style. Meaning, every entertainer is ready to dress and behave following the character that the consumers want. Because it seems Ser Osvik can''t take his eyes off every time you see a woman in office lady outfits, I chose this package for you." Lt. Colonel Slane then turned to the young woman who was the leader of the Escort Girls. "Narra, what menu do you suggest for my esteemed guests?" Narra looked at the three Maesters and Osvik in turn before smiling coquettishly. "Reverse-gangbang for the young, and one-on-one for the mature." Lt. Colonel Slane immediately nodded. "Please start the show then." "With pleasure." Cheerfully, Narra and her comrades approached their prey and dragged them into a dimly lit bedroom. At the same time, Lt. Colonel Slane processed Osvik''s purchase order using the telephone and fax machine in the VIP Room''s workspace. All TF Amethyst elements, both combatant and non-combatant adhere to a 24/7 work system with a shift. Therefore, every purchase order received by Amethyst Merchant could be processed immediately as long as the goods were available. --- As soon as they entered the bedroom, the Escort Girls did not immediately take off their clothes, but only took off the buttons on their blouses. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. However, because they did it so sensually, Osvik and the three Maesters''s desire immediately burned to the sky, and it go even higher to the outer space when the Escort Girls made their second move by removing their panties. Then, before Osvik and the three Maesters launched their offensive, the Escort Girls had taken the initiative first. An Escort Girl dragged Maester Kallep to a chair and took a position on his lap. She then launched a deep kiss, while moving her waist skillfully. Not long after that, Maester Kallep squeezed the armrest with all his might before drooping powerlessly. Another Escort Girl dragged Maester Rivak to a sofa in the corner of the room. Then, she guided the old Maester into legendary 69 position and using each other''s thighs as a pillow. Whether it was a coincidence or not, Maester Rivak turned out to be having a fairly long tongue, and for the first time in his life he discovered that it had another important function. For Maester Ciesar, he took the missionary position on the massage bed and performed the executions in a moderate but passionate manner. As for Osvik, for the first time in his life he experienced an art called reverse gangbang, or what in layman''s language means a wolf cub who got captured by a pack of extremely horny sheep. Osvik lost his virginity at the age of 14 while he was studying at Makai Royal Academy. At that time, he was following his friends to visit the most famous brothel house in Makai Royal City. After that, he became addicted to the nightlife and messing his own studies. He even failed to graduate. Osvik already had sex with countless high-class comfort women. But from all of his experiences, all of them have something in common. Osvik had always been on the dominating side. Therefore, he was completely unprepared and could only stutter like a chicken being thrown into a well, when he became the one who got dominated. Before he realized what had descended on him, Osvik was already lying on the bed without any clothes on. Two escort girls held his hand above his head, the other two held his leg, while the last one was riding him mercilessly. Within 30 minutes Osvik lay helplessly on the bed, while the five Escort Girls who had just taken a turn on surrounded him. From their starving gaze every time they took a glance on him, it was clearly visible that they were far from full. Worse of all, the three Escort Girls who had just neutralized the three Maesters joined in. One of the Escort Girls took out a bottle filled with light blue pills before turning towards Narra. "Big Sis, how many are we going to use?" "Five I think is enough." Narra replied casually, while the Escort Girl who conquered Maester Rivak checked Osvik''s weapon rod with her nimbly hand before saying in a regretful tone. "He has a rare giant rod. Are we sure we will only use five?" Narra immediately felt Osvik''s body before speaking, "He''s still young, but he doesn''t seem to be doing physical exercise very often. He could die if we overdo it." ''Wa-Tauw!!!'' Osvik shrieked inwardly as soon as he heard that there was a possibility his life would be slip away as a result of excessive sex. When he imagined that on his tombstone would be written ''Osvik Terrek, a noble who died tragically after being raped by a group of comfort women'', he couldn''t help but immediately forced his exhausted body to move. He must immediately save his body from the rapists. However, Osvik had crawled only two steps when two Escort Girls suddenly grabbed his ankles, and then dragged him back into middle of the bed and flipped his body over. "Darling, where are you going?" Osvik wanted to cry but he didn''t have time. While evilly smirking, one of the Escort Girls approached him with a blue pill in her finger. ''No matter what happens, I will not swallow that bastard pill.'' Osvik swore in his heart before turning his face away. However, Osvik attitude only made the Escort Girl became hungrier. She then calmly placed the blue pill on her tongue, and then squeezed Osvik''s cheeks with her hands. "Darling, don''t fight back, time for the medicine." The Escort Girl gently kissed Osvik''s lips, which somehow reflexively responded and did not give the slightest resistance. Osvik could only be stunned because before he realized it, the blue pill on the Escort Girl''s tongue had moved to his, and before he could get it out of his mouth, another Escort Girl had kissed his lips and fed him a mouthful of Amur Beer. Gulp! Osvik was totally unable to fight back, and swallowed the blue pill. Once again, Osvik wanted to cry but he didn''t have time, because the eight Escort Girls around him suddenly took off all their clothes. With widened eyes and hanging mouth, Osvik looked at the smoking hot sexy bodies in front of him. At the same time, Osvik''s fatigue evaporated. He immediately forgot that a few moments ago he wanted to run away from his rapists. But now, he voluntarily wanted to be gang-raped, even though there was a possibility that his life would be lost in the process. ''Whatever, humans have no power to avoid death anyway.'' With a wide open arm, Osvik let his body and heart be raped to the fullest. ''Oh My gods, this is so gwouuuud!!'' ***** TFA1 6.9 - Escort Girl TFA1 6.9 - Escort Girl Exactly at midnight, Osvik''s gangbang party was over. The eight Escort Girls then approached Lt. Colonel Slane who enjoyed a glass of wine in the lounge, and they deliberately did not wear their clothes. Cheerfully, Narra took the initiative to sit next to Lt. Colonel Slane and pressed her naked body on him tightly. While rubbing Lt. Colonel Slane''s chest she said, "Ser Slane, is there anything we can do for you?" Narra body was still drenched in sweat, but somehow it made people who saw it compelled to make her to sweat even more. The way Narra rubbed Lt. Colonel Slane''s chest was also very potent. It was a clear sign that she was experienced and well trained. Lt. Colonel Slane was also aware that if he let Narra''s gentle hands fall into the weapons system at his groin, it would be too late. He would lose control and do some things that had crossed his mind. Unfortunately, Kim Dong Ree would cut him to a thousand pieces if he dared to have sex with other woman. Therefore, Lt. Colonel Slane immediately stopped Narra''s hand which had almost reached the finish line. "No, and thanks for the hard work." Disappointment was evident in Narra and her comrades'' gazes, but Lt. Colonel Slane ignored it. He then took Osvik''s money bag and put 8 gold coins in Narra''s palm. "Amethyst Merchant got a sweet deal. So I''d like to give you and your friend an additional fee." Narra and company immediately bowed deeply towards Lt. Colonel Slane. After wearing their clothes, they then went outside the room. A long time ago, Lt. Colonel Slane had heard that comfort women were the most suffering soul in this world, because they have to sell their dignity as women to survive. At the same time, he also heard that they were the most hypocritical people in this world. Lt. Colonel Slane realized that the two things he had heard were both true. Therefore, as long as a comfort woman did not disturb his peaceful life, he would treat them like woman with dignity even though they stand in front of him without wearing any clothes. Meanwhile, before closing the door, Narra stole a glance at Lt. Colonel Slane and a smile spread across her lips. Eight years ago, when she was 18 years old Narra left Magwurt City with her boyfriend. A pimp managed to smuggle her into Walluo City. A few months later, she managed to pay a heavy price so that her lover could also live in Walluo City. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. However, a person''s fate was unpredictable. In the first year she lived in Walluo City, Narra became pregnant while her lover left her and married a local woman. Narra then lived a life as a comfort woman until she had two daughters and a son. In any world, the life of comfort women was miserable. Some of them may be lucky enough and get a decent life, but most of them had to go through a living hell. Even so, Narra managed to survive without having to leave her children. After the conflict with Northern Coalition ended, Viscount Rattel formed a task force to track down the former Magwurt City''s residents and asked them to return. However, even though Amethyst Merchant and IDG took part in the effort, the results he obtained were insignificant. In a world where information and transportation network was underdeveloped, while public safety in a journey was almost non-existent, a distance of 8 years was a distance that could make thousands of people disappear without a trace. Only about nine thousand residents were successfully brought home. Among them were Narra and her three children. In order to bring home Narra and her three children, as well as other comfort women who came from Tuscan Region, Amethyst Merchant had to redeem them using no small amount of funds. Therefore, Narra and her friends thought that their lives would not change much, apart from having a different master. Nara and her friends did not expect that when they arrived at Magwurt City, they would be greeted by a city that was far different from their memories. Moreover, they were being treated very well. A strict medical examination was carried out immediately. Women who have contagious diseases or were not fit to become Escort Girls were directed to work in other fields. While women who meet health requirements were offered whether they were willing to undergo training as an Escort Girl or would choose to work in other fields. Those who were willing to undergo training as a professional Escort Girl, immediately received training about how to dress, how to maintain the beauty and health of their body, how to seduce and behave in front of customers, art in bed, and various other vital skills. The training was tiring and draining, but Narra and her friends lived it with great joy because their instructors treated them humanely. When they were finally being hired to peddle their bodies and skills, Narra and her friends were also taken aback by the strict protection that Amethyst Merchant provided for them. Several incidents of beatings and mistreatment by the guest nobles from outside Tuscan Region had befallen Narra''s friends. But after Lt. Colonel Slane talked to the nobles, the incidents of beating and mistreating to the Escort Girls were never repeated. In terms of income, Narra and her colleagues could also earn 9 gold coins/month or 2 gold coins higher than Rutim monthly salary as Head of the West Gate Registration Office. But for Narra the most important thing was, before leaving for work she could accompany her three children to dinner. It was a precious little thing she could never do in many years. Every few days she could even sleep at home with her children. In addition, she could send her children to school so they would have a better future than her. ''Person''s fate is really unpredictable,'' Narra muttered as with her friend she joyfully passed through the corridor. They were only Escort Girls, but Amethyst Merchant gave them the courage and protection so they could walk with their heads held high. ***** TFA1 6.10 - Visiting Dourk Tavern TFA1 6.10 - Visiting Dourk Tavern Buffet Hall, Maple Palace Hotel 08:05, 27 Aug 2025 Like a desert traveler who found an oasis, Osvik devoured two large serving of scrambled eggs without paying any heed to his status as a member of noble family. It could be said that he had already dropped all formalities when interacting with Lt. Colonel Slane. ¡°Big Bro Slane, this scramble egg is truly marvelous.¡± Lt. Colonel Slane put down his coffee as he said, "It seems you are a big fan of scrambled eggs." "Honestly, even though this scrambled egg is extraordinarily delicious, I actually eat it as much as I can because I have to get my revenge tonight." "Revenge?" Lt. Colonel Slane asked as a large question mark appeared on his forehead. "Fufufu... Last night a group of women dared to gang-raped me. Even though I enjoyed it, my self-esteem would not recover if I didn''t pay them back." An ear-to-ear grin spread across Osvik''s lips as he imagined how he triumphantly made the Escort Girls lay helplessly and beg for mercy. In an instant Lt. Colonel Slane looked at Osvik as if he was an idiot. ''Playing with Escort Girl is a pay and forget recreation. You shouldn¡¯t keep it as personal matter or let it to linger around.¡¯ But in the end Lt. Colonel Slane could only sigh silently. "Before you launch your revenge you''d better return to Walluo City first, and get as much money as you can." Osvik nodded in reflex. "I do plan to take as much money as possible from Walluo City''s safe. Then, I will place a second order, but I think it could wait for a few more days." "If you want to wait for a few more days, I won''t stop you. However, honestly, you have not time to relax." A question mark appeared on Osvik''s forehead while Lt. Colonel Slane continued his explanation. "This morning, as sun rise in the east, Northern Coalition Representative Office contacted me. They want to increase their bank guarantee at Magwurt Central Bank from 200 thousand gold coins to 500 thousand gold coins. This value is equivalent to their monthly purchase, and it¡¯s still going up. They also submitted an additional 200 thousand gold coins for this month''s purchase order, which are paid in cash even though they have a bank guarantee. If you want, I can hold their order for 3-4 days so you can place the order first. That way, all your orders can be sent immediately without any need to wait for the restock." Osvik pursed his lips before saying, "Big Bro Slane, you can''t just pit Kandez Region and Northern Coalition. Even though Kandez Region has just made its first purchase, we are supplying agricultural and livestock commodities to Amethyst Merchant." Lt. Colonel Slane let out a deep sigh and said, "I don¡¯t pit you and Northern Coalition or divulge the trade deal between us. However, Northern Coalition has been established their Representative Office for several weeks. So they have built some connections with Amethyst Merchant¡¯s officers and Tuscan Region¡¯s authorities. As soon as your purchase order is being process, they will sniff it and make a rough estimate. Also, what they are worried about is not you, but Merry Gold Union. They keep trying to confirm whether I''ve made contact with Lady Yuuri or any Merry Gold Union¡¯s representative." "Bastard! They dare to underestimate me!" Osvik cursed before putting three large mouthfuls scrambled eggs into his mouth. "Osvik, this is not the time to get carried away with emotions. You need to consolidate your budget, determine how much money you can use, make a shopping list, and submit it to me. Then, while waiting for the delivery process you can prepare the warehouse and supporting facilities. All of that won''t be finished in 1-2 days so you have to hurry." Osvik immediately took a deep breath. "All right, I''ll immediately pack up after finishing my breakfast." Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Lt. Colonel Slane immediately added, "Captain Usbek had packed your things. Your carriage and horse have also been put on the truck. The convoy that will carry your purchased items and the personnel who will install the solar power plant, along with the supporting equipment has arrived at West Gate Registration Office. Once you''ve finished your breakfast, we''ll head straight to West Gate Registration Office and then go to Walluo City." Osvik instantly looked at Lt. Colonel Slane with widened eyes, and then turned his head towards Captain Usbek, and when the head of Count Terrek''s personal bodyguard gave a small nod, he immediately dumbfounded. ''Since when did this Captain with a head as hard as rock follow an order from someone other than Daddy? He also never obeyed my orders even though he was fully responsible for my safety.'' The shock that Osvik received had not subsided, when Maester Rivak said, "I have also written a letter to Lady Yuuri, asking her to return to Walluo City as soon as possible." Welp! Osvik swallowed hard at the mention of his mother, and for a moment panic flashed through his eyes. "I have to immediately return to Walluo City then." A moment later, with wobbling steps and while rubbing their almost broken waists, Osvik and the three Maesters walked out of Maple Palace''s lobby. With a full of understanding, Lt. Colonel Slane opened the back door of M1152 Personnel Carrier, and after helping Osvik and the three Maesters, he got on with Kim Dong Ree. --- Dourk Tavern 10:15, 27 Aug 2025 For the past two days, Old Man Dourk had closed Dourk Tavern because he had run out of supplies, some spices, and Amur Beer. And when he contacted Osvik to place an order, he was told that Osvik had not returned from Magwurt City. During the last two days, several nobles also visited Old Man Dourk in secret. They desperately asked him to go to Magwurt City and met Lt. Colonel Slane so that the scarcity of ice cubes and other Amethyst Merchant''s commodities could be resolved immediately. Of course, Old Man Dourk refused because he felt it was inadequate to ask Lt. Colonel Slane for help. When Lt. Colonel Slane and his entourage entered Dourk Tavern which was as quiet as a cemetery, Old Man Dourk was still sitting pensively in a corner. While at another table his wife and daughters were silently enjoying boiled peanuts and apple cider. Old Man Dourk instantly gasped and went straight to Lt. Colonel Slane. "Ser Slane, I''m so sorry. Osvik took Amethyst Merchant equipment and I heard he broke it." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled before saying casually, "Don''t worry, it''s not a big deal." While Old Man Dourk was dumbfounded, Lt. Colonel Slane was already sitting and greeting Old Man Dourk''s wife and daughters. At the same time, Sturk poked his head from kitchen before disappearing again. Old Man Dourk didn''t have the instincts to run or maintain a business. Therefore it was a miracle that all this time Dourk Tavern could survive, and for some reason Lt. Colonel Slane felt a strong urge to help him. Maybe because a long time ago, Little Slane also had a hope that someone would come to help him. Although in the end Little Slane''s hopes were not fulfilled and he managed to enter the world of high society with his own efforts, Lt. Colonel Slane''s heart was still moved when he saw a naive person like Old Man Dourk, who sincerely helped street children or other unfortunate people. Casually, Lt. Colonel Slane said, "Please, sit down so we can talk." Without delay, Old Man Dourk hurriedly sat in front of Lt. Colonel Slane, while his wife and daughters went to kitchen. "The clock and equipment that Osvik took, all of them were completely damaged. But Osvik has already paid the compensation and I''m here to deliver its replacement." "Ser Osvik paid the compensation?" A question mark appeared on Old Man Dourk''s forehead, while Lt. Colonel Slane nodded and continued his explanation. "He also regretted his action, but don¡¯t mention it to anyone else because it will hurt Osvik pride as a noble." "Understood," Old Man Dourk nodded firmly. Lt. Colonel Slane then handed over to Old Man Dourk a money bag with Terrek Family insignia. Inside the money bag there were 12 gold coins, the remaining Osvik money after being used to pay his entertainment and accommodation. "I''m sorry Ser Slane, I can''t accept it. Moreover, Ser Osvik has also given me 10 gold coins in exchange for the equipment he took." "Old Man Dourk, I know you helped a lot of street children and homeless people in this city through Nemo Temple. So feel free and take this money along with Osvik¡¯s money.¡± After remembering there were a lot of unfortunate people that needed his help, Old Man Dourk immediately took the money bag in front of him, "Ser Slane, you are truly generous. I pray the gods in heaven always be with you." "I hope they will always be with you too." Lt. Colonel Slane then ordered MCG¡¯s personnel to start their job. At the same time, Old Man Dourk''s wife and daughters served Amur Beer and the light dish that Sturk had made. A moment later, cheerful laughter began to be heard from Dourk Tavern. ***** TFA1 7.1 - The Frogman Platoon TFA1 7.1 - The Frogman Platoon Bluefin Naval Station. 23:20, 21 Aug 2025 Under the darkness of night sky, four people dressed in black wetsuits silently swam into the gap that became the entrance to Bluefin Naval Station. At a position of 400 meters from the entry point, the intruders easily passed through the row of floating blocks that served as portals. The intruder''s swimming ability was excellent. By using frog style they were able to keep their heads above the water line. They also showed no signs of having short of breath or cold. As soon as they entered Bluefin''s deep pool, they immediately took out crystal recorder, and by using a hand signal they divided the areas they had to record. However, the intruders didn''t realize that from two different directions at a depth of four meters, eight shadows swam gracefully toward their position. Without warning, the shadows then grabbed the intruders¡¯ ankles and pulled them to the bottom of the deep pool. Ripples and bubbles were formed, but only for a moment before the surface of the deep pool returned into a total calm and quiet. --- Main Hangar, Davy Jones MOB 17:05, 22 Aug 2025 Davy Jones Medium Operating Base was TF Amethyst''s second base with an airfield and hangar. In this MOB, 8 units F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and 4 units P-8 Poseidon were stationed and rotated every three weeks. Davy Jones was also the home base for a battery of Tamir ADS that protected lot of vital facilities around it, such as Bluefin Naval Station which was located 8 km to the south, FOC South 1750 which was located 50 km to the west, Aqua Marine Development and Research Center which was located 5 km to the north, and several Nouel storage and processing facilities. TF Amethyst had planted Nouel only 5 km outward from South High Road, but with the length of South High Road which reached more than 1800 km, the few first of Nouel''s harvest already filled the existing storages to the maximum capacity. Moreover, Lt. Col. Slane had already signaled that in the next few weeks Amethyst Merchant would be flooded with Nouel from Northern Coalition. Therefore, if someone showed an interest to the area around Davy Jones, TF Amethyst''s higher-ups would take it seriously. Smoothly, a C-130J Super Hercules made a landing. As soon as its rear door opened, personnel from Logistics & Support Group immediately started the unloading. At the same time, from the side door Vex and his bodyguards walked out while carrying their backpacks. Nate, who had been waiting for Vex''s arrival smiled and said, "Welcome to Davy Jones." "Yep." "After putting your luggage we can go to the bar." "Cold beer is tempting, but can you take me to Bluefin first?" "As you wish." Nate replied as he took Vex and his bodyguards to 3 units of M1152 Personnel Carriers not far from the Hercules parking spot. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. --- Bluefin Naval Station 17:30, 22 Aug 2025 Within TF Amethyst''s special operations element, Frogman Platoon was the only unit that had a base outside of Harley Quinn. Their HQ was at Bluefin Naval Station, located on the southern coast of Amstell Continent. To be precise, it was located on an inland small sea surrounded by a cliff 30 meters high, and connected to the sea through a gap of 600 meters wide and 4 km long. Therefore, ships at Bluefin''s deep pool didn''t have to worry about seasonal storms that visiting twice a year. Even though for now it had only served as a base for several armed LCACs, guided-missile patrol boats, and speedboats. The commanding officer of Frogman Platoon was Captain Kasino. He was a frogman from Indonesian Navy who considered his appointment as CO was a disaster. Because it was no secret that every Frogman Platoon personnel have various ''uniqueness'' as a side effect for spending most of their time underwater, which was not a natural habitat for humans. In addition, when not on a mission, be it a real mission or a training mission, Frogman Platoon¡¯s personnel carried out their daily activities by the ''Rule and Forget'' principle. In short, they were behaving more like mercenaries rather than military personnel. Therefore, Captain Kasino spent his days with the principle of ''Stay calm in chaos and suffering to the end, while holding back the nerve.'' In short, as long as the members of his unit didn''t kill each other, he wouldn''t bother with what they did. Every afternoon, the off-duty Frogman Platoon¡¯s personnel would carry out a ritual of dinner together in the side yard of their barracks. Some personnel would prepare dinner, while his comrades relaxed around the campfire. This afternoon, Captain Kasino happened to be tasked with preparing the dinner, and he used young jackfruit as the main ingredient. Vex had tasted Captain Kasino''s dishes many times. So he was quite familiar with tonight''s menu. Young jackfruit was cooked using saut¨¦ed spices and minced meat, added with coconut milk and boiled egg, and then being enjoyed with white rice. The dish''s flavor was similar to curry rice, except that the carrots, onions, and potatoes were being replaced with young jackfruit and boiled eggs. "XO, please." After handing over a large bowl of white rice doused with young jackfruit curry, Captain Kasino sat down next to Vex. "Captain, give me your opinion if Frogman Platoon had to carry an underwater infiltration into Kingdom of Buriek?" Captain Kasino didn''t answer immediately. He took a sip of his coffee while an unwanted memory filled his mind. Two months ago, he was conducting an underwater infiltration exercise when a Black-striped Shark came over from the side and bit one of his men until his body was cut from the waist up. Black-striped Shark was not only seven times larger than the great white shark on earth, but also ten times fiercer and had a natural character of a serial killer. In short, Black-striped Shark killed its prey for fun, not for its belly. So, it wouldn''t stop until every toy before its nose was dead. Captain Kasino and his men were aware that they would not come home alive since firearms were useless underwater, especially at depths. But Sergeant Jason, the second prey of the Black-striped Shark, managed to detonate two hand grenades at its throat, even though he had to sacrifice his life in the process. Since sound travels about four times faster in the water than in the air, the blast of a hand grenade could travel quite far. The underwater blast would hammer sinus and lung very hard, and it would fatally wound or even kill a diver. Fortunately, the Black-striped Shark''s throat was thick enough to hold the explosion, so it didn¡¯t harm the frogmen. Captain Kasino and the rest of his men then returned to Bluefin carrying the bodies of their two fallen comrades, and in the following day General O''Neil directly led the funeral of two fallen Frogman using a full-scale military ceremony. Captain Kasino put down his coffee before saying. "There are many ideal landing sites along Kingdom of Buriek¡¯s coastline. The problem is they have a hobby of feeding Black-striped Sharks on their shores. So, underwater infiltration to secure landing areas is not a wise choice. Of course, if the situation is we will lose the war if the underwater infiltration is not being carried out, the Frogman Platoon will happily carry it then. We would rather die than lose. However, if it is not for worthy reasons, please do not send us to become Black-striped Shark''s food." Vex nodded slightly before saying, "Understood." ***** TFA1 7.2 - Storm In The Horizon TFA1 7.2 - Storm in The Horizon Operations Control Room, Davy Jones MOB 08:30, 23 Aug 2025 Over the past three weeks, Davy Jones had regular visits from some Riders. According to radar they were flying from Kingdom of Buriek. The four intruders who were caught at Bluefin were also Buriek sailors. The result of interrogation indicated that Kingdom of Buriek was preparing to invade Sandhur Region, which was located 60 km west of FOC South 1750. Even so, it did not mean that TF Amethyst higher-ups had relaxed their guard. Vex shifted his gaze from Kingdom of Buriek''s map towards Nate and asked, "What do you think?" Nate answered calmly, "Statistics show Buriek Riders reconnaissance on Sandhur Region 30% higher than reconnaissance on Davy Jones. However, during World War II allies sent more aerial reconnaissance to Calais when their target was Normandy, and Germany¡¯s intelligence that was dominated by statistical geeks were deceived. Also, it''s possible that the captured sailors were deliberately fed with misinformation to trick us." Vex immediately took a deep breath. "I want IDG to form three teams. Team A will collect data on Buriek Navy to smallest detail. Team B will collect data on Buriek Air Corps, And Team C will determine the most effective strike to bring Kingdom of Buriek''s to negotiation table as soon as possible." "Do you intend to launch a preemptive strike?" "No, I already proposed it to Old Man O''Neil but he refused." Vex was silent for a few moments before continuing, "The problem is, for the last six months TF Amethyst has not received shipments of spare parts and ammunition from earth. So if a conflict occurs, victory must be secured as fast as possible." Nate tapped his finger on the display table before speaking, "I understand your concern. We are outnumbered and can only rely on firepower and an element of surprise. So taking a passive stance is not wise. But if Kingdom of Buriek''s target is Sandhur Region, then this is a good opportunity to see Kingdom of Makai''s military capacity. Besides, who knows if Kingdom of Buriek is willing to ally with us." Vex nodded and even though Nate didn''t tell him, he could guess that when Kingdom of Buriek launched their attack on Sandhur Region, Nate would order IDG personnel at Makai Royal City to spread the news about the invasion. And when either party was on the verge of defeat, Nate would offer to help. Vex then casually asked, "What if Kingdom of Buriek attacks us and Sandhur Region simultaneously?" A smile bloomed on Nate''s lips. "If that happens, then we will turn Buriek Royal City into a desert." --- Main Meeting Hall, Buriek Guard HQ 10:05, 26 Aug 2025 Kingdom of Buriek was located on a continent 355 km south of Amstell Continent. It had an area equal to 1/10 of America and supplied 40% iron ore needs in Kingdom of Makai. Meanwhile, Kingdom of Buriek imported 80% of their food from Amstell Continent. Of the 15 million of Kingdom Buriek''s residents, 75% were at military age. With an abundant military budget Kingdom of Buriek was also able to form an Air Corps with total strength of 1200 Riders and Navy equipped with 3000 warships. For the past two months, Buriek Guard¡¯s high-ranking officers had been busy preparing for an invasion. Their target was Sandhur Region, a small Region located on a plain flanked by two highland. Most of Amstell Continent''s southern coast was cliffs with an average height of up to 30 meters. The exception was flat sandy beach in Sandhur Region and Ursu Canal in Sutt Region. Like the previous days, today Grand Commander Keraz led Buriek''s military high-ranking officers to hold a meeting. For a long time Grand Commander Keraz stared at the giant strategy map on the table. Before finally, he pointed at the two highland that flanking Sandhur Region. "Whoever controls Levsait and Raisat will control 70% of Sandhur Region as well as the entrance to Amstell Continent. If we fail to seize these two highlands, then our invasion is failed even though we succeeded in occupying Lagra City." ¡°¡­¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Grand Commander Keraz then turned to Marshal Ducie. "Is your Rider ready?¡± Marshal Ducie replied firmly, "Buriek Riders will neutralize Sandhur Guard on Levsait and Raisat in three hours. At the same time, they will slaughter Sandhur Riders." "Ducie, I believe in Buriek Rider''s ability. But I will still remind you, if you fail then elements from Buriek Navy and Buriek Guard will be in a fragile situation." "It won''t happen." Once again Marshal Ducie replied firmly, and Grand Commander Keraz gave a small nod before turning his gaze towards Admiral Errez. "Errez, I''m just reminding you. Our ultimate goal is to occupy Sandhur Region. Then put as many defensive assets as possible to defend it from Kingdom of Makai''s counter-invasion. Until we break Kingdom Makai''s intention to reclaim Sandhur Region, we will ignore the foreigner on the southern side of Desolate Land. However, once we get hold of Sandhur Region, I will directly lead the negotiations for the release of our sailors who were caught during reconnaissance." Admiral Errez took a deep breath before saying calmly but steadily, "Understood." Over the past few days, aerial reconnaissance had shown that four captured Buriek sailors were still alive. They were held in a 1x1 meter cage in an open yard. But there were no signs that they were going to be executed or tortured. Therefore, for now Admiral Errez no longer asked for a permit to launch rescue operations. Grand Commander Keraz was relieved after seeing the calm expression on Admiral Errez''s face, an old sailor who was stubborn, fierce, and famous for always treating his men as his own family. "Then, we will launch the invasion early in the morning." As soon as Marshal Keraz gave the green light, cold gleam in an instant flashed on the eyes of all high-ranking officers in the war strategy room. --- Lady Tears Pub, Davy Jones MOB 22:15, 26 Aug 2025 As a fanatical admirer of Lan Yan''er, Nate was really worried when his idol asked him for help to get Vex''s profile. Moreover, he later heard that Vex was quite close to the two cute little girls left by the late Specialist Hebert, who happened to be in Lan Yan''er''s care. There was a time when Nate was quite close to Keira and Seira. Considering that he often ate lunch with Lan Yan''er, and Lan Yan''er always took Seira and Keira wherever she went. The problem was, a small incident destroyed his relationship with Keira, which resulted in the breakdown between him and Lan Yan''er. One day, Nate brings honey pancakes for Seira and Keira. As he was cutting the pancakes, Keira suddenly looked at him with sparkling eyes. Then she approaching him and opening her mouth wide. Nate immediately grinned from ear to ear while bringing a piece of pancake to Keira''s mouth. However, when Keira was about to eat it Nate deliberately pulled his hand and laughed cheerfully. In an instant, Seira puffed out her cheeks. After three times successfully tricking Keira, Nate finally stopped his prank, and even though she was tricked several times, Keira still opened her mouth to welcome Nate''s helping hand. ''Children are very innocent,'' muttered Nate at that time, then he was screaming hysterically because Keira didn''t eat the pancake. Instead, she bit his fingers as hard as she could. From that day on, Nate realized the meaning of the phrase ''Never underestimate a cute little girl.'' And the worse part was, Seira and Keira didn''t want to play with Nate anymore after that. Keira would even show off her white teeth every time she met him, as if she were saying ''I''m going to bite you bad person.'' Lan Yan''er from then on also seemed to have avoided Nate, and would not have come to see him if it weren''t for something of extreme importance. So it''s natural that right now Nate considers Vex was the biggest crisis in his life. When Vex arrived at Davy Jones, Nate intended to find out how far his relationship with Lan Yan''er. Unfortunately, Vex refused his drinking invitation. But tonight, when afternoon aerial surveillance showed that activity at Buriek Guard HQ had significantly dropped, Vex somehow accepted Nate''s invitation to drink. Nate downed a mouthful of brandy before turning his head towards Vex. "I wanted to ask you something. I hope you answer it honestly." Vex accepted the second serving of roasted peanuts from the bartender before casually answering, "Depending on the question, I can answer it honestly or no answer at all." Nate nodded several times before asking the question that had been bothering him. "Have you done it with Lan Yan''er?" "Done what?" a large question mark popped up on Vex''s forehead. "Of course..." Nate did not finish his words, but clenched his right fist then tapped the top of it with his left palm until a ''Plock plock plock!'' sounds were heard. Vex almost choked when he saw that the way of how Nate confirming was similar to a high schooler who asked if his friend was having sex with the girl he was interested in. Luckily, Vex managed to hold back his laughter. Vex casually answering, "If what do you mean is sex, then the answer is no and will never be." A big doubt flashed in Nate''s gaze. "Are you sure?" "Absolutely." Vex downed a mouthful of Amur Beer before continuing, "If I did it with Lan Yan''er, most likely what will I think of was not Lan Yan''er but my ex-wife. I believe Lan Yan''er doesn''t deserve to be treated like that." Nate stared at the Vex with a gaze that was difficult to express before asking, "Are you still unable to forget your ex-wife?" "Yeah," Vex replied honestly. Then, an officer from Operations Control Room suddenly entered the pub and approached the two. "XO, Chief Nate, Reapers just caught the deployment of Buriek Navy 4th Fleet. They headed straight north at full speed." Vex sighed deeply. "When I think we can relax, we just have to stay up late." "Yeah." Nate answered before downing the last sip of his brandy. ***** TFA1 7.3 - Invasion TFA1 7.3 - Invasion Guise Sea 02:30, 27 Aug 2025 Under the night sky, more than 600 warships from Buriek Navy''s 4th Fleet were advancing at full speed heading north. In the rearmost row, 10 carrier ships, 60 cruisers, and a dozen of supply ships anchored as soon as they reached a position of 40 km from Sandhur''s coastline. The Buriek''s carrier ship was up to 300 meters long and could accommodate 20 Cloud Hawks. Its hull could fully open, and was equipped with Cloud Hawk¡¯s hanging perch made from an iron frame. As for the cruisers, it was 275 meters long, manned by 300 sailors, and equipped with a combination of hundreds of footbows and ballista. From the bridge of carrier ship Rebbar-01, Admiral Orres looked at the hundreds of ships moving away to the north. He waited until the 4th Fleet convoy disappeared into darkness before turning to his assistant. "Wake the Riders up and get them ready." "As your command." --- For thousands of years, Guise Sea had been a source of livelihood for Sandhur''s fisherman. The fishermen only used small boats so they could not go too far from the coastline. A dozen of fishermen joyfully packed the equipment they had just used. Even though the early morning wind bit their bodies, the fishermen did not feel disturbed. Instead, they would smile widely every time they saw tonight harvest which for some reason was abundant. However, the fishermen''s smiles instantly evaporated when in the distance a faint screams was suddenly heard, followed by the sound of people splashing into the sea. One of the fishermen immediately grabbed a torch, and while he tried to look into distance, without warning a bolt shot straight through his neck. At the same time, 20 people dressed all in black boarded the boat from each side and fired crossbows at the dumbfounded fishermen. After giving finishing touches for each fisherman, the people in black then threw the fisherman''s bodies into the sea. Once the fishing boat was under control, the people in black immediately directed it to a large fishing village on the beach. Altogether there were 84 boats, and 2 km behind them 150 landing ships from Buriek¡¯s 4th Fleet tightly followed. --- Femm couldn''t understand why her baby suddenly woke up and didn''t want to stop crying. She tried to breastfeed her, but her baby refused and continued to cry. Her baby even continued to sob when she was tired of crying. Even though the early morning wind from the sea was not good for health, Femm decided to get out of her hut and walk to the shoreline. Of course, she wrapped her baby tightly in a thick cloth. Although Femm did not recognize the concept of time based on hours, she could accurately determine when her husband usually returns from fishing. She hoped the baby would calm down after meeting his father, like any other day when she was fussy. When dozens of fishing boats'' silhouettes appeared in the distance, Femm immediately smiled. "Sweetie, look, your father has come home. Don''t cry anymore so your father won''t worry." Femm joyfully cradled her baby, while dozens of fishing boats continued approaching the beach. As soon as the first boat touched the sand, 20 people dressed all in black immediately jumped out. Femm frowned because she didn''t recognize them, then immediately ran towards the village as soon as they drew their short swords. Femm ran as hard as she could, but one of the men in black caught up with her and slashed her back. She fell forward, but reflexively managed to ensure that her baby was not injured. Femm hugged her baby tightly while the man in black clothes walked up to her. "Please... Don''t kill my baby daughter. I will do anything but don''t kill her," Femm pleaded while tears started pouring down from her eyes. The man in black looked at the baby in Femm''s embrace, and doubt reflected in his eyes. The man''s hand began to shake and his grip became loose. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "If you hesitate you will fail to kill them on first strike, and they will suffer longer." An older man who was also dressed all in black approached the man whose heart was filled with doubts. The older man then looked at Femm for a glance before continuing. "Akrei, we are assigned to launch a Genocide War into Sandhur Region. If you are unable to do so, you can return to the ship and join the Ballista Crew." Akrei immediately took a deep breath and erased the image of his son, who was only a few months old out of his mind. In an instant, Akrei''s eyes turned cold again. Without hesitation, Akrei then cut Femm''s neck, who was trying to protect her baby. A moment later he also cut the baby''s neck who was still sobbing. Then, he made sure that the mother and child continued to hug, hoping that they could cross into afterlife together. --- Dawn was just breaking when more than 1,600 people in black marched toward the fishing village with drawn weapons. After setting up a perimeter, the people in black immediately launched a total massacre. Some women who were fetching water from wells become their first victims. The screams of the women made the other residents awake, but it was in vain. Because all that was left in the fishing village was only elderly, women, and children. Some teenagers and old fishermen tried to fight back, but they instantly got killed. Once the resistance was suppressed, a house-to-house hunt began. The cries and screams of the children who called their parents could be heard, but a moment later silence returned to envelop the fishing village. While the massacre in the fishing village was taking place, the 4th Fleet landing boats landed on the beach to unload logistics, support personnel, and of course the main elements that would attack Sandhur Region. As soon as the fishing village has been controlled, the support personnel immediately went to work. First, they were cremating the villagers'' corpses. Then, they set up defensive barricades, building logistic depots, communication posts, and a field command post. While the foothold on the beach was being established, five cavalry squadrons of Buriek Guard moved toward the deeper part of Sandhur Region. Their mission was to disturb and delay the rapid reaction elements that would be sent by Sandhur Guard. --- The entire Sandhur Region was flanked by two cliffs. When viewed from above it was looked like an hourglass. The cliff on the left was called Levsait while the cliff on the right was called Raisait. Levsait and Raisait were extended from the coast, passing Lagra City to the northern border with Sviek and Rivek Region. Because of its vital position in protecting Sandhur Region, Sandhur Guard puts 60% of its strength into Levsait and Raisait. It could be said that almost the entire surface of Levsait and Raisait was a network of strongholds and fortifications. In the coastline, Levsait and Raisait were separated by a 65 km wide sandy plain, and in the middle of this sandy plan stood the large fishing village. Even though Sandhur Guard¡¯s personnel at either end of the cliff could not saw the massacre in the fishing village, they could still spotted more than a thousand Buriek Guard entering it, followed by a landing of hundreds landing boats. As soon as General Pommer received a report regarding Buriek Navy''s landing, he immediately rushed towards Railev Pass, where Levsait and Raisait were narrowed to only 5 km apart. General Pommer realized that on the coast there was a fishing village with more than two thousand residents. But he did not send Sandhur Guard to save the villagers. General Pommer was sure that when he received the report about the landing, all the villagers had already been slaughtered. Moreover, if Sandhur Guard''s elements he sent were ambushed and captured, then it would be a tantamount to providing free information to the invaders. General Pommer''s response was fairly simple. He issued a mandatory military call for all Sandhur Region''s residents, followed by a full-scale mobilization of Sandhur Guard. As for the counter invasion''s strategy, Sandhur Guard would withstand Kingdom of Buriek¡¯s invasion in Railev Pass by utilizing a salvo of footbows. Footbow only had an effective range of 1.5 km, but if they were fired from both sides it was more than enough to destroy 80% of the invaders who were trying to pass the Railev Pass. Therefore, the key to victory was how well Sandhur Guard in defending Levsait and Raisait from Buriek Riders¡¯ attack. Meanwhile, Buriek Rider had conducted a Combat Air Patrol, and found the exact position of Buriek Navy¡¯s carrier ships. "They really took a big risk by making a landing before getting a hold of air superiority," General Pommer muttered while fixing his gaze on the strategy map on the table. It didn''t take a genius brain to realize that Kingdom of Buriek''s invasion would end up in failure, if reinforcement from nearby Region arrived before Buriek Guard succeeded in controlling Levsait and Raisait. Also, even though ground reinforcement would take a while before arrived, with Cloud Hawk''s combat radius reaching 500 km, Sandhur Riders didn''t have to worry about being outnumbered. Therefore General Pommer began to wonder where the Buriek Guard higher-ups'' confidence had come from. But he didn''t have much time to ponder, as an operator of crystal communicator suddenly made an announcement. "Combat Air Patrol from 8th Squadron reports the movement of 80 Buriek Riders. They are moving straight to Levsait at an altitude of 200 meters." ''Looks like they don''t want to give us time to prepare,'' General Pommer muttered before giving an order, "Let Sandhur Riders welcome them, and inform Sviek Riders and Rivek Riders who are standby at the border." "At once, Ser!" Without delay, General Pommer''s orders were dispatched. A moment later 120 Sandhur Riders took off from both Levsait and Raisait. ***** TFA1 7.4 - Air Superiority TFA1 7.4 - Air Superiority As hundreds of black dots took off from Levsait and Raisait, Brigadier Lurek gave instructions via crystal communicator. "Maintain formation and let them choose the angle of attack freely." [Roger.] [Roger.] [Roger.] [Roger.] Four Captains from 4th Regiment answered in unison, and the formation continued flying towards Levsait at an altitude of 200 meters. The Buriek''s Riders weren''t nervous at all, even though opposing Riders had disappeared behind the clouds and would pop up from unexpected angles. The only thing they had on their minds was, they had to quickly destroy Sandhur Guards'' anti-air batteries in Levsait. As the formation reached a position 2 km from the southern tip of Levsait, Brigadier Lurek gave another order. "Destroy every ballista and footbow battery. Make sure Squadrons from HQ can attack Sandhur Guard with minimal disruption." The four Captains in 4th Regiment immediately led their squadrons towards the ballista and footbow batteries that rapidly came into view. --- As soon as he received the order, Captain Ballan immediately led 20 Riders from B3 Squadron to scramble. B3 Squadron''s mission was to stand by at maximum flying altitudes and ensure A1, A2, and A3 Squadrons could ambush Buriek Rider formations without interruption. However, as soon as Captain Balan and Riders from B3 Squadron passed through the clouds, they were greeted by black dots that moved toward their positions at full speed. Without delay Captain Ballan grabbed his crystal communicator, and with a slightly trembling voice he reported. "Captain Ballan to command center, correction of intel from Combat Air Patrol, approximately 150 Buriek Riders are already at high altitude." [. . . ] "Repeat, approximately 150 Buriek Riders are already at high altitude. B3 will try to contain them, but the ambush squadrons must remain cautious." [Captain Yusak to Captain Ballan, B1 will take positions on your left.] [Captain Wiker to Captain Ballan, B2 will launch a flanking maneuver from your right.] "Wilco Brother, and may the gods in the heavens be with us." [Command center to B1, B2, B3, hang on, all Sandhur Riders will scramble immediately, while Riders from Sviek and Rivek Regions will arrive in 14 minutes.] "Roger that." As he prepared his bow and arrow specifically designed for aerial combat, Captain Ballan muttered, ''Hopefully, Sviek Riders and Rivek Riders are not too late''. In an instant, B3 Squadron arrived at a position 2 km from Buriek Riders. Captain Ballan and his Riders immediately clamp the saddle using their thighs, while their hands were ready to shoot the poison arrows. In one-on-one dogfights, victory would be determined by Rider''s skill and Cloud Hawk''s capacity. Meanwhile, in a large-scale aerial combat victory would be determined by numbers, where the volume of the first salvo was vital in determining the momentum of the battle. Captain Ballan realized that Sandhur Riders were smaller in number, but without hesitation he led them flying straight into Buriek Riders'' formation. However, before he entered the salvo range, rains of arrows suddenly hit Riders from B3 and B1 Squadrons. "Above us, immediately spread out!" This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Eight Riders from B3 Squadron instantly fall free straight to the ground. Fortunately, Captain Ballan escapes the salvo. However, a Buriek Rider managed to identify him as the squadron commander and immediately went after him. Captain Ballan nimbly makes a super tight turn. Among Riders in Sandhur Air Corps, only 2-3 senior Riders would be able to follow his maneuver, but the Buriek Rider effortlessly followed him. When Captain Ballan glanced at the opposing side Cloud Hawk, he was instantly shocked. The Cloud Hawk was 2/5 bigger than a regular Cloud Hawk. ''No wonder they can cross the maximum flying altitude for regular Riders.'' Captain Ballan realized that with a bigger wing, the Cloud Hawk must be faster and stronger. So competing in acrobatic maneuvers was not a wise move. Without hesitation, he then took a nosedive to bait his opponent into a high-risk maneuver. However, as soon as Captain Ballan swooped down, another Buriek Rider with bigger Cloud Hawk cut off his maneuver from the side, and then grabbed and ripped him apart. Cloud Hawk had an extraordinary loyalty to the Rider who raised it. Therefore, as soon as it saw its partner being ripped apart, Captain Ballan''s Cloud Hawk instantly went crazy and attacked the killer. Unfortunately, with the two-on-one condition and the two opponents were bigger and stronger, Captain Ballan''s Cloud Hawk instantly turned into pieces of meat and fell freely to the ground. Captain Turiek, the Buriek Rider who killed Captain Ballan, looked up at the sky around him before grinning ear to ear. With neat coordination, Buriek Riders hunted, pinned, and then finished off Sandhur Riders one by one. In an instant, Sandhur Riders were slaughtered to the last man. The Sandhur Riders who were about to ambush Buriek Rider''s that moving towards Levsait were also being eliminated to the last man. In truth, Marshal Ducie''s tactics were quite simple. He let Sandhur''s Combat Air Patrol to find Buriek Navy carrier ship''s position. Then, he ordered the 4th Regiment to attack Levsait. As soon as Sandhur''s Combat Air Patrol reported the incoming Buriek Formation, the Special Squadron that had been standing by at a higher altitude would eliminate them. Then, regular Buriek Riders would take off from the carrier ship and welcome Sandhur Riders in the sky. Marshal Ducie had expected that Sandhur Air Corps would not dispatch all of its Riders in the initial phase of the battle, but would share the workload with their two neighboring Regions. It was a fatal mistake, because from the start Buriek Air Corps was ready to pay a fairly expensive price as long as Sandhur Guard''s defenses in Levsait and Raisat could be destroyed in the initial phase of the battle. Captain Turiek immediately reported to command center in Rebbar-01, that the first wave of Sandhur Riders had been eliminated, and the ambush towards their second wave was about to launch. --- In general, Cloud Hawks could carry a load of 250 kg, and because the average Rider''s weight was 80 kg, the most Cloud Hawks in the Air Corps could carry weapons or supplies up to 170 kg. In the air raid to Levsait, apart from bows, arrows, and javelins, the Riders of 4th Regiment were also provided with 30 clay jugs containing 5 liters of lamp oil. The tactic used by Riders from 4th Regiment to neutralize Sandhur Guard''s anti-air batteries at Levsait was, five Riders would throw jugs of lamp oil at the ballista or footbow crew. Then, the other five Riders would shoot fire arrows. It was a tactic that was not only wasteful, but very difficult and high risk. This tactic was considered wasteful because lamp oil was an expensive commodity. And jugs of lamp oil were only used to destroy large buildings, not a ballista or foot bow crew that were scattered and quite a lot. Targeting the ballista or footbow crew from a Cloud Hawk flying at full speed was also difficult. The Cloud Hawk had to fly so low and enter the ballista or foot bow effective range because small targets require extreme accuracy. However, the Riders of 4th Regiment were able to carry out the wasteful and extremely dangerous tactic in perfect manner. Judging from their accuracy and agility when maneuvering, it didn''t take a genius to conclude that they had practiced the tactic thousands of times. When a Rider from 4th Regiment was shot down and was still alive, the Rider would also choose to fight to the death rather than get caught. A clear sign that Riders from 4th Regiment were ready to die for the success of their mission. As a result, in less than an hour, 3/4 of the ballista and footbow crew at Levsait were burned alive by Riders from 4th Regiment. It would not be an exaggeration to say that they had turned Levsait into a sea of ??fire, as the water that was being used to extinguish the fire, made the thick lamp oil spread in all directions while still burning. And when Riders from 4th Regiment had just started attacking Sandhur Guard¡¯s command center at Railev Pass, Brigadier Lurek''s crystal communicator suddenly lit up. [Brigadier Jasik to Brigadir Lurek, 7th Headquarter Regiment is 8 km from the coastline. Can we come in?] Brigadier Lurek smiled before answering, "We lost 18 Riders, but we managed to open Levsait''s door as wide as possible. So, please don''t waste the sacrifices of our fallen comrades." [Understood, I will make sure the Fallen Riders'' sacrifices are paid off. The 2nd Headquarters Regiment is also about to start the air raid on Raisait.] "Copy." Brigadier Lurek then led the 62 Riders from 4th Regiment into retreat, while in the distance 80 Riders from 7th Regiment moved into Railev Pass at full speed. ***** TFA1 7.5 - Innovation of Concept TFA1 7.5 - Innovation of Concept Command Center, Railev Pass. "We lost all contact with Squadrons B1 - B3." "Squadrons A1 - A3 have been ambushed by Buriek''s Rider." "Ballista crew and footbowman on south of Levsait suffered heavy air raids. They are requesting immediate air covers." Not long after Captain Balan corrected the report from Combat Air Patrol, chest suffocating reports were flooding the command center. General Pommer let out a deep sigh before saying to one of the crystal communication operators, "Where are Sandhur Riders second wave and assistance from Sviek and Rivek Riders." The crystal communication operator immediately made a brief contact before answering, "Rivek Riders has just joined Sandhur Riders second wave and is already within 5 km from Buriek Riders front elements." "How about Riders from Sviek Region?" "They are 30 km behind our Riders and planning to ambush Buriek Rider who were returning to carrier ship." "Fucking opportunist!" General Pommer cursed while clenching his fists, and he was just about to contact General Attar from Sviek Guard when a courier entered the command center. The courier saluted before reporting, "General, Buriek Riders uses a new type of lamp oil to launch a scorched earth tactic. It cannot be extinguished with water. They also don''t hesitate to attack small targets such as ballista crew or footbowman using high-risk low-flying maneuvers." "How effective is their attack?" "One strike to destroy a crew of ballista or foot bows." An ominous premonition instantly filled General Pommer''s mind. It didn''t take a genius to conclude that Kingdom of Buriek had prepared their invasion for many years. Then, while General Pommer made calculations, another report came in from crystal communication operators. "We just lost contact with A1 Squadron. Before the contact was lost, Captain Harek reported that among Buriek Riders there is an Ace Squadron with a Cloud Hawk bigger than regular Cloud Hawk." "We just lost contact with A2 and A3 Squadrons." "Sandhur Riders'' second wave and assistance from Rivek Rider is unable to provide air cover to Levsait." "We just lost all anti-air elements on south of Levsait." While reports of defeat after defeat kept coming, a Captain from Sandhur Guard entered command center. "General, Buriek Riders have begun attacking command center''s outer perimeter. You must withdraw immediately." Without delay, General Pommer said to one of crystal communication operators, "Send a message to Castle Lagra, Viscount Issel must immediately evacuate to Rivek Region with the most important family members." "Sir." General Pommer then gave the second order to another crystal communication operator. "Send a message to every Sandhur Guard element in Levsait and Raisait, we will fight to the last drop of blood, and let''s hope Sviek Riders will arrive in time." """"Sir!!!"""" All officers in the command center responded in unison. Retreat was not an option. They were fully aware that making a retreat while the opponent was controlling the sky was a suicidal move. Fighting spirit and murderous intent immediately filled every corner of command center. At the same time, Buriek Riders'' second wave approached at full speed. --- More than a hundred Sviek Riders flew through the sky towards the south at moderate speed. Their mission was to join forces with Sandhur Riders and Rivek Riders to defend Levsait and Raisait. From the start, Sviek Guard''s higher-ups had deliberately ordered their Riders to move at a slower pace. Therefore, when Sviek Riders entered the battle they would have many opportunities to exploit. Of the 140 Sviek Riders, 40 were even sent to perform a flanking maneuver to ambush Buriek Riders, who were on their way back to the carrier ship after a deadly dogfight. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. In the leading position, Brigadier Sherk smiled from ear to ear as a cluster of black dots moving closer at full speed. Judging from their small number, Brigadier Sherk concluded that Sandhur Riders and Rivek Riders must have worked very hard to drain Buriek Rider''s blood. Brigadier Sherk was about to give his men the order to attack when crystal communicator on his shoulder suddenly lit up. [HQ to Sviek Formation 1, do you copy?] "This is Sviek Formation 1, loud and clear, we are listening." [Sviek Formation 1, avoid contact with Buriek Riders, and return to base.] "...?" [Repeat, Sviek Formation 1, avoid contact with Buriek Riders, and return to base immediately.] "HQ, we are already in front of Buriek Riders, do we really have to retreat?" [Yes, Sandhur Riders have lost more than half of their Riders, while Rivek Riders lost all Riders they sent. We also lost the 40 Riders who were carrying the flanking maneuver.] "...?" [Until we know what we''re up against, we will avoid contact with Buriek Riders and concentrate our strength on defending Sviek¡¯s airspace.] "Understood." Brigadier Sherk immediately ordered his men to retreat. However, he felt something odd when in the distance Buriek Riders followed his maneuver to turn around and avoid versus contact. ''If Kingdom of Buriek''s target is only Sandhur Region, then, we have just made a fatal blunder.'' --- Operations Control Room, Davy Jones MOB In the view of the traditionalists, war was only won when two maps were successfully being united, and the unification of the two maps could only be done by ground force. The traditionalists'' view did not mean to undervalue the importance of air force and naval power. Because there was a territorial war that could only be carried out by them. For example, air superiority or sea control. Of course, the doctrine and deployment of air force and naval power were closely related to the ground element''s main task in uniting two maps. Therefore, it was not surprising that in the air force doctrine, assets with ground attack capabilities had a higher strategic value than assets that were only used to dominate air space. Considering that the effect of assets with ground-attack capabilities could be directly felt by the opposing side. Since thousands of years before the first aircraft flew to the skies, human civilization was already aware of the importance of air assets with ground-attack capabilities. At least, the idea had been expressed in mythology, legends, and various stories. That''s why it was natural that Air Corps'' higher-ups on Amstell Continent would also realize the importance of Riders with ground-attack abilities. However, after thousands of years of Air Corps'' development on Amstell Continent, only Marshal Ducie from Buriek Air Corps dared to make innovation by forming a squadron specifically designed to carry out air-to-ground attacks. Air Corps higher-ups with conventional views would regard Marshal Ducie''s innovation as heresy. Given that for them the ideal Rider was a Rider who was able to fight in the air and attack targets on the ground equally well. Of course, since ''ideal'' was an adjective word, its meaning and definition could never be absolute. For example, what was considered a heresy by Air Corps higher-ups on Amstell Continent, would be considered the most ideal concept for Air Force higher-ups from earth. The formation, training, and deployment of air elements were complicated and required a massive and neck breaking logistics chain to support it. However, with the specific tasks between one squadron and another, the level of complexity would be reduced by half, while the effectiveness and efficiency of the squadron was being doubled. Long before the air combat began, Marshal Ducie had full confidence that Buriek Riders would crush opposing riders and destroy the air defenses at Levsait and Raisait with ease. First, it was because Buriek Rider had a huge edge in numbers. Second, Buriek Rider¡¯s skill was much better thanks to the skill specialization. And lastly, Buriek Air Corps was the only Air Corps in Amstell Continent that managed to form an Ace Squadron. It would take for a while before Air Corps'' higher-ups in Amstell Continent understood how brilliant Marshal Ducie''s innovation was. But for Vex, he instantly realized the potential of Buriek Rider shortly after the intel gathering on Buriek Air Corps began, and his suspicions were confirmed after Buriek Rider launched their offensive on Levsait and Raisait. With a serious expression, Vex looked at the surface of Levsait and Raisait which became a sea of ????fire. The view on the display table was taken by P-8 Poseidon from an altitude of 30.000 feet, and it clearly showed how effective Buriek Riders'' tactic was. "We must prevent Buriek Riders from entering Southeast Triangle''s airspace. Even if we manage to shoot them down, the fire they carry will still burn the facilities or Nouel farmlands." Nate who stood next to Vex immediately said, "Unfortunately, the latest calculations show that Buriek Air Corps has 1200 Riders with regular Cloud Hawk and 120 Ace Riders with super variety Cloud Hawk. Their special lamp oil stockpile is also quite large." Vex sighed deeply. "Can''t we do a pre-emptive strike? If they send a thousand Riders simultaneously to attack this place, even if we can repulse them, the damage we suffer will be enormous." Nate tapped his fingers on the table before speaking, "I know your feelings, but we''re not going to make a pre-emptive strike to Kingdom of Buriek, and as I said before, once they open versus contact with us we''ll immediately respond by leveling Buriek Royal City, so they''ll be willing to negotiate as soon as possible." Vex sighed deeply one more time. "I hope you realize that in Buriek Royal City there are more than 2 million civilians." "I know and I alone will held the moral responsible for the attack." "It''s not that simple. Want it or not, all TF Amethyst higher-ups would be morally responsible for every mass destruction we carry." Nate still wanted to argue, but he realized Vex''s words were completely undeniable. So in the end he could only say, "Let''s hope the war with Kingdom of Buriek doesn''t break out." Vex didn''t say anything and just nodded slightly, while the display table now showed that more than a hundred thousands of Buriek Guard''s personnel freely passed through the Railev Pass like a flood. It was easy to conclude that Sandhur Region would meet it demised if reinforcement form Kingdom of Makai didn¡¯t arrive soon. ***** TFA1 7.6 - Offensive on Lagra City TFA1 7.6 - Offensive on Lagra City Outer Wall of Lagra City 01:30, 1 Sept 2025 The distance from the beach to Lagra City was 120 km. Therefore Buriek''s cavalry could reach it within 4 hours, then launch hit & run raids to soften the defensive network around the city. However, General Griek chose to hold off the ground offensive to Lagra City. Of all the elements that landed in the first wave, he had only deployed four infantry divisions at a distance of 20 km from Lagra City, plus four cavalry regiments to patrol the gap between the four divisions. The remaining elements he sent straight to the north. Within eight hours after the capture of Railev Pass, the cavalry divisions had managed to establish a dynamic perimeter along the border with Sviek and Rivek Regions. Not far behind the cavalry divisions, infantry divisions march day and night. Meanwhile, construction personnel, elite infantries, and supplies were sent back and forth via air by Riders from ground attack squadrons. At the same time, Buriek Rider also launched heavy scorched earth attacks on Lagra City, air interdiction to Sviek and Rivek Guard who were approaching Sandhur Region, as well as conducting hunter-killer patrols against Sandhur Riders. In just four days, Buriek Guards managed to complete the defensive line along northern border of Sandhur Region. With Levsait and Raisait''s terrains which were ideal for blocking ground attacks, plus the support of an adequate air cover, it would need a ratio of 1:16 to penetrate Buriek Guard''s defensive line. As soon as the border with Sviek and Rivek Region were secured, Buriek Guard elements from second and third wave were ordered to attack Lagra City with full force. General Griek looked at the map in front of him while smiling. "We pass the most fragile moment safely. So today we will have lunch in Lagra City and dinner inside Lagra Castle." The staff officers and field officers around General Griek immediately laughed. Then one of them grinned from ear to ear and asked, "General, what about the loot?" "Other than Nouel, food staples, and farmland, everything will be divided according to merit, not rank. You are free to do whatever you want with the captives, but make sure they are all executed and cremated when you finish." """"Sir!"""" A moment later, right early in the mornings, 400 thousand Buriek Guard''s personnel moved closer to Lagra City from various directions. The attack was carried out without support from Riders, because it was estimated that the defenders in Lagra City wouldn''t be able to provide significant resistance. Moreover, during the last few days Buriek Rider had eliminated more than half of Lagra City''s residents. --- Since a few days ago, Sandhur Guard had withdrawn all sentry posts around Lagra City. Therefore, Buriek Guard could approach Lagra City''s outer walls without encountering opposition. As soon as Buriek Guard leading elements were visible from city walls, warning bells immediately rang to every corner of Lagra City. Sandhur Guard personnel and Lagra City''s residents in an instant took up their posts on the city wall. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. However, the scorched earth attacks launched by Buriek Rider over the past few days had completely drained Lagra City''s manpower and resources. So it''s only natural that in a few breaths Buriek Guard''s elements have managed to break through dozens of defensive points on the city walls. Captain Taggar could only grit his teeth as Buriek Guard personnel brutally massacred women and elderly who were tasked with pouring hot oil. Captain Taggar also knew he was going to die soon, but he still hoped that some of the children tasked with throwing stones at the invaders could retreat from the city walls. Previously, Sandhur Guard and Sandhur Rider failed to protect the children''s parents or relatives. So he wanted to ease the regret in his heart a little. "Sandhur Guard, listen to my orders! Protect children at the stone post so they can retreat to Lagra Castle." No screams or answers were heard, but any Sandhur Guard personnel who were still able to fight immediately formed a combat formation according to Captain Taggar''s instructions. Meanwhile, several others swiftly guided the surviving children down the city walls. Of course, Buriek Guard personnel did not remain silent. They ambushed and indiscriminately killed the children who were trying to get down from the city walls. As a result, dozens of children managed to get off the city walls safely, but hundreds were killed in the process. Captain Taggar also had to receive a fatal strike in his left waist to protect one of the children, but he had no regrets. ''I hope defenders at Lagra Castle can hold out until help from Sviek and Rivek Region arrives.'' Captain Taggar muttered before a spear pierced his heart, followed by a kick that sent him crashing to the bottom of the city walls, and joining the thousands of defender corpses. Not long after that, Buriek Guards managed to take Lagra City''s southern wall, and they immediately opened the city gates. --- The morning sunlight entered Viscount Issel''s study unhindered, but its warmth could not dispel his grief. When he watched how Sandhur Riders fell from the sky above Lagra City like a rain, he instantly realized the gap in skill between Sandhur Rider and Buriek Rider was too big, to the point that Sandhur Riders couldn''t put up a fight. This means that Kingdom of Buriek had been preparing the invasion for a long time, and after Buriek Rider launched a massive scorched earth attack on Lagra City, the fall of the city was only a matter of time. Moreover, on the fourth day after Kingdom of Buriek''s landing, Sviek and Rivek Region stated that they would not send reinforcement and chose to strengthen their defense at the border. At the same time, Makai Guard responded to Viscount Issel''s request for help by asking him to withdraw to Rivek Region. Viscount Issel didn''t mind if he had to lose Lagra City, what bothered him was the process. Considering that currently there were more than 20 thousand refugees in Lagra Castle, and more than half of them were children under the age of ten. ''Sandhur Region never late in paying tribute to Kingdom of Makai, but they are completely unreliable when disaster strikes this region.'' It was not difficult for Viscount Issel to conclude that Kingdom of Makai refused to send reinforcement because they wanted to use the early phase of the battle as a means of gathering intelligence, and they were fully aware that their decision was tantamount to sacrificing Sandhur Region. Viscount Issel tapped his fingers on the table before asking his trusted butler, "Barrie, is it true that none of the defenders on the city walls managed to retreat to this castle?" "Yes, it''s true. Baron Ossik was on guard at the castle gates to make sure the doors were opened until the last second. However, until Buriek Guard lead elements arrived, not a single defender appeared." ''I hope they don''t execute the kids who surrender.'' Viscount Issel muttered before saying, "Send a surrender statement to Kingdom of Buriek. They didn''t launch scorched earth attack on this castle, surely out of hope for our surrender." Butler Barrie instantly gasped. "Ser Viscount, if you surrender to Kingdom of Buriek, then Issel Family''s members who have arrived in Rivek Region will be executed." "I''m willing to trade the lives of my family for tens of thousands of lives in this castle, and make sure you beg them not to execute any captives." Butler Barrie immediately let out a deep breath before giving a small bow. "Understood, a declaration of surrender to Kingdom of Buriek will be immediately sent along with a plea not to execute any captives." ***** TFA1 7.7 - Incoming Trouble TFA1 7.7 - Incoming Trouble Buriek Guard Command Center, 3 km south of Castle Lagra 07:30, 1 Sept 2025 General Griek was carrying out a final check on the plan to assault Castle Lagra when a staff officer approached him. "General, Grand Commander Keraz sent urgent orders. The attack on Castle Lagra must be postponed until further notification." General Griek frowned as he asked, ¡°Did you just say that Grand Commander Keraz issued a delay for our offensive?¡± "Yes, General. Viscount Issel had sent a statement of surrender along with a request that the prisoner of war not to be executed, and Grand Commander Keraz accepted it." "Why did he accept it? Aren''t we waging a genocide war on Sandhur Region?" Silence enveloped every corner of command center, neither the staff officer nor the field officer dared to answer General Griek''s cynical question. General Griek then turned his gaze to his XO. "Rhoe, how many prisoners do we have?" Brigadier Rhoe immediately opened a notebook before answering, "127 in total, 19 of them are Sandhur Guard''s personnel, while the rest are children who defended the outer wall. They were retreating from the east, west, and north walls when the elements that penetrate the south wall cut off their retreat route. The Captain who captured them refused to carry out executions on the spot and he is currently serving an administrative sentence. The prisoner''s execution will be carried out in an hour." General Griek grinned. "Continue the execution and do it in front of Castle Lagra¡¯s defenders. If they respond it, launch a full-scale attack." "General, do we will just violate the orders from Grand Commander Keraz?" Some people in the command center thought Brigadier Rhoe''s question would provoke General Griek''s outburst, but the General just smiled casually. "Report it that we had already carried out the execution just before his order arrived." """"Sir!"""" Under General Griek''s intense gaze, all the staff and field officers at command center answered in unison, and the execution for the prisoners was immediately being carried out. --- Campground of Robber Brigade, A hill located 30 km west of FOC South 1750 12:20, 1 Sept 2025 While enjoying a roasted wild chicken, Brigadier Flek studied the latest report sent by his colleague in Crystal Communication Unit. The report gave him the idea regarding ??the situation in Lagra City. More than a hundred prisoners, most of whom were children were executed in front of Castle Lagra. Their heads were then being plugged into spearheads and were neatly arranged not far from the castle wall. When Lagra Castle''s defenders weren''t provoked, taunts were thrown out. Not long after that, a salvo of arrows was being fired from the castle and the battle broke out once again. Since it was determined that scorched earth attacks should not be launched on Castle Lagra, while the defenders'' morale was at its highest peak after the provocation, victory could not be achieved in the first wave of attacks. Even so, the collapse of defensive line on Caste Lagra¡¯s outer wall was only a matter of time. ''Bastard, they''re having fun storming the dying castle while I nearly died of boredom.'' From the first day of the landings, Brigadier Flek could only sit while his comrades achieved victory after victory, and piled up loot for them to enjoy once Sandhur Region was conquered. Brigadier Flek and 2700 cavalrymen from Robber Brigade were tasked to anticipate the foreigner''s reaction that established a compound at Desolate Land''s entrance. But to this day, the scouts still reported the same thing. There was no slightest movement from the foreigner compound. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Therefore, when a staff officer entered his tent, Brigadier Flek only glanced at him before returning his attention to the crystal communicator. "Sir, our scouts reported a small convoy of refugees moving toward Desolate Land, via Nouel Farmland 18 km north of foreigner compound." Brigadier Flek immediately put down the crystal communicator before turning his gaze to the staff officer. "What do you mean by a small convoy of refugees?" "They are dressing like commoners, but the way they ride their horse show they are trained cavalrymen, and there were some women and children in the convoy." ''Finally, a prey to hunt.'' Brigadier Flek''s eyes flashed for a moment. "Order the reconnaissance platoon to herd the convoy to foreigner compound, and prepare 2nd and 3rd Squadrons to move." "Sir!" The staff officer immediately gave a salute before exiting the tent. Not long after that, 1600 Robber Brigade¡¯s personnel leaved the campground and headed east at full speed. --- At first, Captain Rasser breathed a sigh of relief, because as soon as the convoy he was escorting reached an area 20 km from Desolate Land¡¯s entrance, Buriek Riders who had been hunting them for the past few days suddenly stopped their pursuit. The trip could be continued during the day since then. However, the convoy had just come out of their hiding when 80 Buriek cavalrymen spotted them, and then herded them to a small compound in the south. Captain Rasser turned his gaze to his subordinate who rode next to him before saying, "Looks like Buriek Guard wants to use us as a pretext to attack the compound." The subordinates looked at the compound 3 km in front of him before answering, "Captain, we have no other options." "Yeah, I know." Of the 200 elite cavalrymen he brought, Captain Rasser had lost 146 of them. Meanwhile, of the 70 noble family members he escorted, he had lost half of them. So, Captain Rasser didn''t have much choice if he wanted to prevent a bigger loss. --- As soon as Captain Rasser arrived in front of the small compound''s main gate, he immediately concluded that the compound was very fragile. It was located in the middle of open plain and would be very easy to attack it from any direction. While its outer walls were only made of sand bags with a height of 3 meters, wrapped with iron frames, topped with barbed wire, and behind it some people were pointing strangely-shaped stick. The enemy could indeed be seen from a distance, but if they came in massive numbers, in an instant they would sweep the compound like a giant flood. It would be very easy to climb its wall or even knocked it down. But that''s not necessary because the compound''s main gate was widely open and there was only a bar in front of it. The personnel in the main gate also didn''t wear body armor. They only wore plain green clothes. Moreover, apart from oddly-shaped sticks and knives on their waist, they did not carry standard weapons such as sword, spear, or bow and arrows. Their bodies did appear to be stronger than civilians, but still too weak compared to regular Sandhur Guard¡¯s personnel. Their posture also did not show signs of a combatant who routinely conducts close combat fight. However, one thing was bothered Captain Rasser to the core. He could feel that the green-clothed people were veterans full of life and death experiences. Besides, with a massive Nouel''s Farmland behind the compound, how could they survive from Black Eagle''s disturbance? But in the end, Captain Rasser put aside various questions in his mind. ''I hope they can distract Buriek cavalrymen that are following us.'' Captain Rasser then dismounted from his horse, and introduced his convoy to the three men in green clothes who came out from the main gate. "Greetings, I am Captain Rasser, commander of Viscount Issel''s bodyguard from Sandhur Region." One of the men in green clothes in front of Captain Rasser answered, "I am Captain Nathan, commanding officer of Outpost South 1750. Captain Rasser, may I know the purpose of your visit? Captain Rasser nodded slightly. "We were on our way to north when bandits attacked us. We lost more than half of our convoy and supplies. So, we look forward to stay at this outpost and refilling our supplies. Of course, we will pay it with a fair price." Captain Nathan did not answer immediately, and turned to the convoy behind Captain Rasser. ''At a glance, I can smell they are bringing disaster. But XO has given instructions, so I can''t kick them out.'' Captain Nathan then said, "This outpost was established to protect the surrounding Nouel Farmland and has no political or territorial purpose. So, if there is a political conflict or territorial dispute, we will take a neutral stance as long as we are not attacked. As for any guests with peaceful intentions, we can provide supplies, accommodation, and medical treatment for free. Of course, all weapons must be handed over to us when the guests stay in the outpost." For Captain Rasser, handing over the weapons was not a big problem. He believed his men could retrieve it back easily. Given that in close quarter fight, he and his men are far superior to the personnel in the outpost. Especially, if later he succeeded in conditioning the personnel in the outpost and his pursuers to be involved in a conflict. Captain Rasser answered immediately, "We understand." After Captain Rasser and his men handed over their weapons, the convoy then entered FOC South1750. ***** TFA1 7.8 - Dead End TFA1 7.8 - Dead End After Vex and Nate received a report that Buriek element was herding their prey towards FOC South 1750, they immediately realized that a complicated problem was visiting TF Amethyst. Moreover, Reaper detected that around 1500 Buriek¡¯s cavalrymen were approaching at full speed. After distributing orders to various units in Davy Jones, Nate and Vex then rushed to FOC South 1750. They had to make sure the incoming complicated problems were being handled with extra care. As soon as Vex and Nate got off UH-1Y Venom, Captain Nathan approached the two and gave them a brief report. "I place the Guests from Sandhur Region in the reserve barracks. They were 54 combatants, 9 women, 14 teenagers, and 12 children. Would you like to meet them, Sir?" ¡°Not now,¡± Vex casually answered. "What about their pursuers?" "They are taking position 5 km west of our position, behind a hill. Larger elements are estimated to join with them in 20 minutes. Artillery has marked their position and is ready to launch a salvo." "Captain, for now gives the artillery a yellow. We still haven''t entered a hostile situation." Captain Nathan was stunned for a moment before hastily speaking, "Sir, we are outnumbered by 1:5. Eliminating them using artillery as far away as possible is the most ideal solution." "I know, but for now let¡¯s wait until they tell us their intention." "Aye Sir." Captain Nathan could only sigh silently as he followed Vex and Nate to Command Center at FOC South 1750 --- Main Gate, FOC South 1750 16:00, 1 Sept 2025 After regrouping with the reconnaissance element and finding that there was no movement from foreigner compound, Brigadier Flek decided to immediately put a show of strength. The two cavalry squadrons he brought he deployed at a distance of 1.5 km west of foreigner compound, in an aggressive and intimidating formation. The footbow element was even ready to launch a salvo at any moment. After that, accompanied by a staff officer and four bodyguards, Brigadier Flek approached the foreigner compound. "Brigadier Flek, commanding officer of Robber Cavalry Brigade, Buriek Guard, I requests the highest-leader of this compound to come out right now." While sitting on his horse, Brigadier Flek announced the purpose of his arrival. Not long after that, four men walked out of the compound gates and went straight to him. Three of them wore all green clothes and carried oddly shaped sticks in their hands. While the fourth man wore a beige trousers and a buttonless dark gray shirt, with a brown puppy painted on the chest. Somehow, the combination of his casual demeanor, clothing, and especially the image of a puppy on his chest, made Brigadier Flek felt the urge to chop the fourth man. At the same time, the man stared at Brigadier Flek before saying lightly, "Vex, highest-leader of this insignificant outpost. What can we do for the honorable Ser Flek?" The man''s casual tone made Brigadier Flek frowned, but he managed to contain his anger. "We are pursuing political fugitives and our reconnaissance elements saw them entering this outpost. We demand that they be handed over to us immediately." "Do you mean Captain Rasser''s convoy from Sandhur Region?" "Yes, Kingdom of Buriek is at war with Sandhur Region, and we are on a mission to capture them." Vex nodded and said, "Understood, we will hand them over." Vex''s answer made Captain Nathan gasp, but in the end he chose to remain silent. --- This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Lady Erien sat pensively while members of noble families from Sandhur Region lay on their beds. As for children and teenagers, they have been fallen asleep since a while ago. It was natural, considering that for the past few days they have not been able to sleep or eat well. Of the ten members of Issel Family who tried to flee to Rivek Region, only Lady Erien and her six year old sister survived. Meanwhile, she did not know what had happened to his father and brothers who chose to stay and fight for Lagra City. To be honest, as the leader of the convoy, Lady Erien had almost given up and chose to surrender to their pursuers. She could no longer bear to see how the members of the convoy fell one by one. However, Captain Rasser insisted that they had to keep fighting, and finally a glimmer of hope appeared. The foreigner in the compound named FOC South 1750 received them with open arms and treated them very well. The foreigners serve them with delicious hot food, fresh fruit, and soft fragrant bread. Then, they conducted a medical examination and treated their injuries. After that, the refugees were given the opportunity to rest in a comfortable barracks. Lady Erien''s fighting spirit was rekindled and she immediately thought of her next move. In FOC South 1750, she had seen iron carriages that could move without being towed by horses. If she could hire it along with a number of bodyguards, arriving in Sviek Region would no longer be impossible. Moreover, she had also seen a wide, straight, and smooth road that extended to the north. Captain Rasser had also confirmed that the wide road was specifically designed for the iron carriages that could speed up to 100 km/hour. A smile was about to bloom on Lady Erien''s lips, when Captain Rasser suddenly rushed in into barracks. "Lady Erien, you must leave this place immediately." "Uncle Rasser, why do we have to leave? And why are you alone?" Without calming his wild breathing Captain Rasser explained, "The highest leader of FOC South 1750 intends to hand you and the entire convoy to Buriek cavalry. And security in this compound has a strange device to immobilize my men. Lady Erien, I beg you to hurry." "Uncle Rasser, even if we can get out of this compound, where else cans us going to?" Lady Erien asked as dozens of FOC South 1750 personnel entered with steady steps, holding short sticks in their hands. --- Within the military, the unit that had the sparest time usually was the military police. Therefore, military top brass would invest a lot of resources so that military police were not busy doing nothing in their barracks. So, it''s natural if most members of the military police usually have various qualifications. Such as sniper, CQB, high-risk escort, hand-to-hand combat, K9, or other qualifications. TF Amethyst also applied the policy of allocating a huge amount of resources to military police. Especially, for the skill to knock out targets who were skilled at hand-to-hand combat. The syllabus used by military police in TF Amethyst was compiled by world-class martial artists from both civilian and military. However, the syllabus that was considered almost perfect, had to be rewritten after the military police performed a real fighting simulation against members of Tuscan Guard. The stun gun or taser gun used by military police was only useful in the first fight, and then it was easily being neutralized by Tuscan Guard¡¯s members in the second fight and so on. No matter how high the skill of a martial artist from military police was, it was useless when it was used on people who trained with the intent to kill and had used their skills quite often in life and death battles. Ground Combat Group higher-ups then prepared a new training syllabus based on input from members of Tuscan Guard. Therefore, when Vex gave a notification that there was a possibility military police at FOC South 1750 had to arrest 54 visiting combatants, they weren''t nervous at all, and when the order was finally issued they easily executed it. It''s just that Lieutenant Hess didn''t understand. If from the beginning there was no intention to protect them, then why did they accept them into FOC South 1750. But in the end, Lieutenant Hess could only follow the order. Of course the dilemma in Lieutenant Hess''s heart did not just go away. He was the officer who received the refugees from Sandhur Region when they entered the camp. He did his best to help them settle in, but now he was being asked to expel them. With a regretful gaze, Lieutenant Hess looked at the young noble lady before him. "Lady Erien. . . We were sorry. We had to carry out our orders." Lady Erien took a deep breath before saying, "I understand, but can I myself wake the sleeping children. In return, we will leave all the gold and valuables we have." For Lady Erien, it would be much better if all the gold and valuables they had were being handed over to the people who had treated them very well, rather than let it fall to their pursuers who would later humiliate and kill her and the rest of the refugees. "Of course, but we still have to tie Captain Rasser''s hands." Captain Rasser instantly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but the tears that he had been desperately holding back finally flowed. For the first time in his life, the Captain whose name was always associated with boundless courage burst into tears. Not because he was afraid of the incoming death, but because of bitterness when he imagined the inhuman treatment that would befall on the young noble lady he had considered as his own daughter. "Lady Erien, please forgive this useless servant." Lady Erien didn''t answer and just hugged Captain Rasser tightly to hide her sobs. Not long after that, Lieutenant Hess brought Captain Rasser out. Lady Erien then woke up the children who were fast asleep, while some of the women began to sob. ***** TFA1 7.9 - Please Save Sandhur Region TFA1 7.9 - Please Save Sandhur Region Under the gentle light of dusk sun, Sandhur Region''s refugees lined up in front of FOC South 1750¡¯s main gates. Captain Rasser and his men were in the back row, hands in handcuffs, while the rest were at the front. Lady Erien turned to Erlin, her six years old little sister, and she couldn''t help but deeply sighed. In the end, she couldn''t bear to tell her sister and the other children about what had really happened. So, it''s natural that Erlin was currently looking at the situation around her with innocent and curious eyes. While in her hand, she was tightly holding a chocolate bar that she received from one of personnel in FOC South 1750. Erlin and the other children loved the chocolate bar so much. So they enjoyed it in small pieces and stored the rest very carefully. ''I don''t care what they will do to me, but at least let these children passed away in peace,'' Lady Erien muttered expectantly. At the same time, Brigadier Flek carried out an examination while frowning. He had not expected, the opposing side¡¯s highest leader would just hand over the refugees to avoid conflict. Of course, he didn''t plan to give up his main prey. The vast Nouel Farmland behind the compound gave him a thousand reasons to strengthen his resolve. "Ser Vex, don''t messing around with me. There are over 200 refugees from Sandhur Region." ¡°Well,¡± Vex casually answered, "Maybe they got lost on the way, as only 89 men, women, teenagers, and children had arrived at our outpost." "Ser Vex, I demand the handover of this compound to ensure that none of the refugees are hidden within." "Please pardon my rudeness, but I have to refuse. However, I will allow your men to check every corner of our outpost." In a tone full of intimidation Brigadier Flek said, "Can''t you see that 1600 elite cavalrymen are ready to level this compound?" "Yes, I can see it very clearly. But I still can''t hand over this outpost." Brigadier Flek instantly tilted his head while looking at Vex. ''Am I talking to an idiot?'' But in the end, Brigadier Flek sighs silently after he realized that his attention had just been distracted by an unimportant question. He had just got a pretext to raid the prey he was aiming for. So he had to take the action immediately. "Ser Vex, I offered a path of peace but you refused it, so don''t blame me for the consequences." Vex sighed deeply before saying, "Can''t you just take the refugees and go peacefully?" Brigadier Flek didn''t answer. He looked at Vex and Sandhur Region''s refugees for a moment before turning around. While Brigadier Flek spurred his horse towards Brigade Robber''s battle formation, Vex grabbed his radio and pressed PTT button. "XO, to all units under Davy Jones''s command center, Operation Crystal is a go." [. . .] "I say again, Operation Crystal is a go." [Roger.] [Roger.] This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. [Roger.] . . . . After launching Operation Crystal, Vex asked Lieutenant Hess to remove handcuffs on Captain Rasser and his men. Then, he approached Lady Erien. "Milady, I''m sorry for the inconvenience you have to go through. We have to make sure that Buriek Guard is targeting this outpost before we can take a stand." Lady Erien nodded as she organized her thoughts. At the same time, long whistles were heard one after another. --- Brigadier Flek was only halfway through the journey, when explosions suddenly rained down Brigade Robber''s battle formation. Starting from the footbow element which was already in combat-ready, followed by the wing element in charge of guarding it. Wasting no time, Brigadier Flek spurred his horse out of the killing zone. He then activated his crystal communicator, and with a trembling voice sent a distress signal. "Brigadier Flek to Buriek''s combat air patrol, elements from Brigade Robber is being cornered by enemy attack. We need immediate air support to protect the retreat." [Brigadier Flek, this is Captain Zavir from 41st Squadron, where is your location and who are your opponents?] "We are 1.5 km west of foreigner compound. They are protecting the fugitives from Sandhur Region and opening an attack when we are in the middle of negotiation.¡± [I''m sorry Brigadier Flek. We cannot enter airspace around the foreigner compound without authorization from command center.] "Bastard! We have already lost more than 500 men. Without immediate air support, we will be wiped out in a minute." [Captain Zavir, this is General Griek, 41st Squadron has been authorized to attack foreigner compound, 42nd and 43rd Squadron will be takeoff from Levsait to reinforce you.] [Understood, General Sir, 41st Squadron is only 16 km away. We will arrive in an instant.] "Thank you, Gen----" BOOMMM!! Brigadier Flek did not have time to finish his words. Without any warning, a salvo of 155 mm Howitzers hit his position fatally. --- After receiving six salvos from 8 units 120 mm Mortars and 4 units 155 mm Howitzers, Brigade Robber¡¯s battle formations were completely turned into a pile of shredded flesh, which burned and billowed smoke. Luckily, Brigade Robber formation was at a distance of 1.5 km from FOC South 1750. Therefore, the children from Sandhur Region did not need to see the horror produced by modern artillery in detail. Instead, they looked at the calamity that befell on Brigade Robber with amazement and admiration. On the other hand, other refugees could only see the scene with wide eyes and hanging mouths. Vex patiently let Lady Erien to calm her mind before speaking, ¡°Lady Erien, we will transferring you and other refugees to a military base 50 km east of this outpost. Of course, if Milady wishes to continue the journey, we will gladly provide airlift and escort." Wasting no time Lady Erien knelt in front of Vex, and with a shaking voice she pleaded, "Esteemed Ser, please save Sandhur Region. We are ready to repay your kindness using Nouel and gold reserves in Castle Lagra." Before Vex could reply, all refugees from Sandhur Region, including children, followed Lady Erien''s action. """Esteemed Ser, please save Sandhur Region."""" Vex wasn''t used to seeing people begging and kneeling in front of him. So he quickly helped Lady Erien to her feet. "Close air support to relieve the pressure on Castle Lagra will depart in a few minutes. While a larger support element will take off once Captain Rasser confirms some of our intel. And tomorrow, we will launch a major attack on Kingdom of Buriek to end the war as soon as possible." Vex''s explanation made Lady Erien and other refugees cried in joy while they are hugging each other. At the same time, Captain Rasses'' mind was stirred up. He wasn''t a high-ranking officer who knew how the strategy was devised and executed, but he knew it''s impossible to launch air support at night. Besides, where did the casual man in front of him gain the confidence that he could loosen the pressure on Castle Lagra just in an overnight? Moreover, he would launch a major attack on Kingdom of Buriek to stop the war, while Buriek Navy was still fully control the sea. But in the end, Captain Rasses did not think about it further. He then followed a military police officer to command center. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Hess and his men helped Lady Erien and other refugees to pack up their belonging. ***** TFA1 7.10 - Dilemma Between Two Choices TFA1 7.10 - Dilemma Between Two Choices Thirty kilometers east of FOC South 1750, a Tamir Launcher Vehicle with callsign Archer-14 took up position. Basically, it was a 7-ton MTV Truck equipped with 15-tubes Multi Mission Launcher and independent radar. When on a deployment, a Tamir Launcher Vehicle would be escorted by two M1151 Rippers and one Ammunition Carrier Vehicle with a capacity of 24 missiles. As soon as Davy Jones launched Operation Crystal, Archer-14''s crew immediately activated the Fire Control System. A moment later, searching radar managed to detect some targets. Six Riders flew at an altitude of 2000 meters, 16 km west of FOC South 1750. Before long, Command Center in Davy Jones ordered Archer-14 to take down the Riders who had suddenly made a turn towards FOC South 1750 and gained altitude. Wasting no time, Archer-14¡¯s crew started the killing chain. In less than three seconds, tracking radar managed to lock the six Riders. Then, Tamir''s salvo was launched with 0.10 seconds interval between each missile. As six Tamir missiles spike to the high sky while leaving a trail of white smoke, the reload for empty launcher tubes began. --- As soon as he received permission to attack the foreigner stronghold, Captain Zavir immediately took Combat Air Patrol from 41st Squadron climb to an altitude of 3000 meters. The tactics used by Captain Zavir were similar to the tactics adopted by fighter pilot from World War II. Fly through the clouds while passing the target, and then determine the approach through an angle where the target''s field of view was limited. For example, a low approach from behind a mountain or hill. It was ideal tactic actually, if only active radar-guided missiles hadn''t been invented. With the born of active radar-guided missiles, flying high over a target was tantamount to suicide. Of course, there was exists a method to counter radar-guided missiles. For example, by employing tight maneuvers to break the radar lock. But to execute it, the fighter pilot must calculate the distance and speeds, and then combine it with a tight turn rate at the right time and right place. As for Cloud Hawks, they indeed have a super tight turn rate which was ideal to break radar locks. However, without early warning instrument the Riders wouldn''t be able to perform the maneuver at correct moment. They wouldn''t even know that they were making contact with searching radar or were already being locked by tracking radar. Therefore, Captain Zavir and his subordinates didn''t realize that six Tamir missiles were approaching their position in mere seconds. When suddenly Tamir missiles appeared from behind the clouds one after another, it was already too late to avoid them. Then, each missile exploded exactly one meter in front of their target. At the same time, the two backup squadrons from Levsait had no idea that Captain Zavir and his men had already arrived in the afterlife. They were busy contacting Captain Zavir, when the ambush launched by three Tamir Launcher Vehicles from three different positions hit them fatally. --- Vex did not immediately return to Command Center. Together with Captain Nathan, he supervised the cleaning process for Brigade Robber''s remains. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. On this occasion, Vex and Captain Nathan also got the opportunity to watch incoming Riders who were being taken down by Tamir ADS. With Indifferent gaze, both of them looked at Riders in western sky who were falling and leaving a trail of black smoke. Then, Captain Nathan finally let out the question that disturbed his mind. ¡°Sir, why don''t we take out Buriek cavalry as soon as they get into artillery range? You even secretly recorded the inspection conducted by the Idiot Flek. I beg your pardon if I''m being presumptuous, but I don''t believe you did it because you wanted to follow our ROE, not shoot unless being shot first." Vex casually answered, "From the start, I didn''t intend to follow our ROE. I pretended to follow Idiot Flek''s wishes because I want our personnel to fight in one heart." Captain Nathan frowned, "Sorry Sir, but I can''t understand your intentions." Vex smiled before explaining, "When refugees from Sandhur Region arrive, this outpost will be divided into two camps. First, the group that wanted to help the refugees. Second, the group that thought we should not interfere. The problem is, once Buriek cavalry herded the refugees to this outpost, it could be said we''re already 80% going into conflict with Kingdom of Buriek, whether we want it or not. And Flek''s refusal will unite our personnel hearts and minds. Because now, they understand that the fight can''t be avoided no matter what we do." "What if Flek accepts the refugees from Sandhur Region and then falls back?" "In that case, we can avoid the conflict with Kingdom of Buriek." Captain Nathan was stunned. "Sir, from the start you didn''t intend to protect the refugees from Sandhur Region?" "Absolutely not." Seeing Captain Nathan staring at him with a complicated expression, Vex immediately asked, "Captain, do you know how many anti-aircraft missiles we have in stock?" Captain Nathan shook his head, and Vex started to explain. The total number of AIM-120, AIM-9, Stinger, and Tamir in our inventory was 8,000 missiles. That''s a fantastic number because a non-super power country usually only had a few hundred for each type of missile. To protect Harley Quinn''s construction process, TF Amethyst had spent about 1200 missiles. To protect construction on southern tip of Southeast Triangle, another 2000 missiles were used. This month, there were hundreds of expired batteries for Stinger and Tamir. In short, TF Amethyst currently only had 4000 anti-aircraft missiles. Meanwhile, the final calculation of Buriek Riders was around 1400 Riders, excluding those still in training. If TF Amethyst went to war with Kingdom of Buriek, then they must assume to shoot down all Buriek Riders. After that, TF Amethyst no longer had adequate air cover to protect the expansion and construction in Southeast Triangle, because the remaining missiles must be stored in anticipation of a conflict with local authorities. Those calculations were only from anti-aircraft missiles, not including spare parts for other assets. While at the same time, shipment from Earth was stagnating for unknown reason. Under these conditions, TF Amethyst would not carelessly enter into a conflict. Vex was silent for a moment before continuing, "If the price to avoid a conflict is to let several dozen outsiders die, then I''ll gladly do it. As it''s a much better option than bringing our men into a fragile situation. Unfortunately, my hopes were not fulfilled. Although on the positive side, I didn''t have to sacrifice my conscience." "Sir." Captain Nathan still looks at Vex with a complicated gaze, but his tone becomes softer. "Captain, becoming a big wig in a combat organization is complex and tiring. Although sometimes it is difficult to understand, what we decide and do always has a purpose, not just random." "Sir!" This time, Captain Nathan answered firmly, while Vex smiled. ***** TFA1 7.11 - Firestorm TFA1 7.11 - Firestorm While gritting his teeth, Captain Rasser looked at the remains of Lagra City. When he left, Lagra City had not yet received air raids from Buriek''s Riders. So he didn''t know that the city had now turned to charcoal and ashes. Also, there were hundreds of spears in front of Lagra Castle, where the heads of children who were defending city walls stuck on top of them. It took a while before Captain Rasser managed to calm the turmoil in his heart. "Ser Nate, how can I help you?" "TF Amethyst is planning an airstrike on Lagra City. We want to know if there are any residents or elements of Sandhur Guard hiding in the bunker under the rubble." Nate clearly remembers that during an operation, QRF elements found two children hidden under a stable. In the post operation evaluation, a procedure was added to check the possibility of illegal targets hiding in bunkers in the targeted area. Moreover, not long after that, it was discovered that most Magwurt City''s residents had bunkers under their house. Therefore the intelligence from Captain Rasser would be vital in determining the intensity of the airstrike. After taking a closer look at the display table, Captain Rasser said, "When the outer wall fell, we will build layered defense by utilizing buildings and bunkers, to protect the retreat to Lagra Castle while draining invaders'' blood as much as possible. However, with Lagra City nearly razed to the ground, I think Viscount Issel will choose to concentrate all strength on the city walls and evacuate children under the age of ten into Castle." Nate nodded slightly. "Thank you, now we can launch heavy airstrikes on Lagra City. Then, we will dispatch ground elements. We hope you are willing to link us with defenders at Lagra Castle." "It''s my honor." Tears of joy instantly flowed from Captain Rasser''s eyes. He had been told that Castle Lagra was suffering tremendous pressure from Buriek Guard. But before he could beg for help, Nate told him that help would be sent instead. So it was natural that while his tears were flowing profusely, Captain Rasser also started to sob. --- The sun was already setting when 4 units AH-1Z Vipers from Flying Duck Squadron flew over the remains of Robber Brigade''s camp. The campsite, located 22 km west of FOC South 1750, had just received a salvo of MTV MLRS 122, with a total of 640 rockets fired in less than three minutes. The Viper''s electro-optics caught small movements in several corners of the camp, but the pilot and master gunner ignored them and continued to head west. The cavalry elements they passed had been neutralized as combat units. Meanwhile, their mission was far more important than taking out a small group of targets who were trying to retreat. When flying over Levsait, the four Vipers also ignored various tantalizing targets captured by electro-optics and simply flew by. Since take-off from Davy Jone, there has been no conversation between pilots or conversation with Command Center. The radio discipline was only broken when Captain Russell saw Castle Lagra in the distance. As the flight leader, Captain Russell immediately gave instructions. "Duck Leader to All Ducks, do you copy?" [White Duck to Duck Leader, loud and clear.] [Black Duck to Duck Leader, loud and clear.] [Red Duck to Duck Leader, I read you.] "White Duck and Black Duck, clear the opposing concentration 200 meters from the castle walls." Red Duck, clear the opposing force under the castle walls, the route is clockwise, I will follow from behind, confirm." [Black Duck to Duck Leader, roger.] [Red Duck to Duck Leader, roger.] This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. [White Duck to Duck Leader, roger.] "Duck Leader to All Duck, take your position and stand by, Duck Leader over out." Without delay, the four Vipers immediately split towards their target. While flying above the castle walls at an altitude of 3000 meters, Captain Russel saw how defenders at Castle Lagra were desperately trying to hold back Buriek Guard''s momentum. During the briefing, Captain Russell was informed that since this morning Buriek Guards launched three major attacks on Castle Lagra, and would likely break through the castle wall on the fourth attack, which was predicted to be launched after sunset. Without delay, Captain Russel turned on the speakers and amplifier that were attached to the Viper''s belly. TF Amethyst had no other way to contact defenders in Castle Lagra. So direct methods called Loud Mouth mk.2 had to be used. "Defenders of Castle Lagra, hold your ground! TF Amethyst''s close air support came to help." "..." "I say again, Defenders of Castle Lagra, hold your ground! TF Amethyst is coming to help." Captain Russell did not care whether the message he conveyed was received and understood or not. Because the most important thing was the action he would carry out. Therefore, as soon as the message was said, he quickly sent a signal to the other Vipers. "Duck Leader to All Ducks, weapons free." [[[Roger]]] A moment later the four Vipers execute nose dive, while sending a hail of machine guns and rockets into concentration of Buriek Guard. --- Viscount Issel was fully aware that on the fourth attack, Castle Lagra would fall. No matter how high the defender''s morale, or how many deadly surprises they prepare for the invaders, in the end the huge difference in number would show its effects. Every attack from Buriek Guard was always carried out by a fresh unit, while defenders at Castle Lagra didn''t have the luxury to rest or rotate. Castle Lagra did manage to withstand Buriek Guard''s attack up to three times, but the price was high. The defenders had to lose 8 out of 10 best combatants. When Buriek Guards launched the fourth attack, Viscount Issel immediately gave orders, if castle walls were breached, then all children and non-combatants inside the castle must take high doses of sleeping pills in order to cross over to afterlife peacefully. While a small number of defenders would burn the entire castle to cremate the bodies of its deceased occupants, as well as a means to destroy valuables in the castle. Therefore Buriek Guard would only get charcoal and ash. After that, with body drowned in extreme exhaustion, Viscount Issel led the defense on the castle walls. He was in a deadly duel with a Captain from Buriek Guard when out of nowhere, a loud voice about assistance from an unknown party called TF Amethyst was heard. Of course, Viscount Issel didn''t just believe it. Who knows if it''s just a diversion tactic from Buriek Guard, although he also wondered why they did such a ridiculous thing. But doubt slowly enveloped Viscount Issel, as he saw the big question mark on the forehead of the Captain he was facing. Moreover, not long after that, a rain of fire arrows and fire spears fell on Buriek Guard¡¯s elements who were trying to climb the castle walls, along with the elements that were on standby waiting their turn. In an instant, Buriek Guard''s momentum was cut off. Defender on the Castle Lagra then easily dominated and slaughtered Buriek Guard¡¯s elements on top of the castle wall. With wide eyes and hanging mouths, Viscount Issel and other defenders then looked at the flying object that was spewing fire arrows and fire spears at Buriek Guard¡¯s positions. In rapid intervals, fire arrows or fire spears would be launched from the chin or wings of the flying object with a silhouette that looks like a dragonfly. While Viscount Issel was dumbfounded, Baron Ossik who was in charge of leading the defenders on the other side rushed over to him in a hurry. "Ser Viscount, are they reinforcement from Kingdom of Makai? How come I''ve never heard a unit called TF Amethyst?" Viscount Issel firmly answered, "Baron Ossik, I don''t know where they came from, but I''m completely sure they are not from Kingdom of Makai." The attack from the unknown giant dragonfly was indeed very destructive, but it''s not sufficient to kill all Buriek Guard''s elements around Castle Lagra. Even so, the effect of the surprise attack was more than enough to force Buriek Guard''s elements into retreat. While Viscount Issel, Baron Ossik, and defenders on top of the castle walls were looking at the chaos that had befallen on Buriek Guard, the loud voice that had previously made them wondering non-stop was heard again. "Defenders of Castle Lagra, don''t leave the castle. Heavy airstrikes will be launched on Lagra City soon." "..." "Defender of Castle Lagra, don''t leave the Castle. Hold tight, reinforcement from TF Amethyst will be here soon." "..." "Defenders of Castle Lagra, hold your ground, Lady Erien and Captain Rasser send greetings." Boom! Boom! BO-BO-BOOOOMMM! Out of nowhere, explosion after explosion suddenly hit every corner of Lagra City, and in an instant turned the city into a sea of ??fire. "Gods who live in heaven are showing their anger." Viscount Issel muttered as he swallowed hard, while Baron Ossik and the defenders around him could only nod like chicks pecking at rice. ***** TFA1 7.12 - Clean Sweep TFA1 7.12 - Clean Sweep On February 5, 1994, a single 120 mm mortar round hit a dense crowd at Markale Market, Sarajevo. The mortar explosion killed 68 people and injured 144 others. Most of the dead victims were found outside the mortar''s killing radius. Why was a single mortar so deadly? It was because the explosion occurred in an open area surrounded by tall buildings, where the walls of the building reflected the shockwaves. As a result, victims who should only suffered minor injuries became seriously injured. While victims who should have suffered serious injuries died on the spot. The airstrike launched by TF Amethyst on Lagra City took the same principle as the mortar attack on Markale Market, where Buriek Guard elements were out in the open between castle wall and city wall. In addition, the dropping coordinates were set to form a circular pattern. Therefore, the shockwaves and heat waves would travel with a dense concentration towards the castle wall and city wall, sweeping away anything in its path before being reflected by the two walls and swept back into center. This tactic was adopted with a hope that Buriek Guard elements in Lagra City would take the damage as maximum as possible. While the four Vipers were busy handing out free ammunition to Buriek Guard¡¯s elements, eight units F/A-18E Super Hornets arrived over Lagra City and immediately took positions. Each Super Hornet carried 10 units GBU-32 JDAMs with thermobaric warheads commonly used in GBU-16 Paveway II, instead of conventional warheads filled with TNT, Tritonal, or other explosive. As soon as Duck Leader alerted defenders at Castle Lagra and moved out of the danger zone, the airstrike was launched. However, there was one thing that airstrike designers from ACG did not calculate. Buriek Guard¡¯s elements in Lagra City actually brought a large amount of lamp oil for lighting, which was distributed to every corner of the city. The supply of lamp oil then became a booster for the airstrike. As a result, the airstrike turned into a giant firestorm and swept clean every single one of Buriek Guard¡¯s element in Lagra City, with exception elements who had been stationed on top of the city walls. --- In the assault on Lagra City, Captain Issak refused to execute a group of children captured by his unit when they tried to retreat to Castle Lagra. Previously, he did not hesitate to behead children who killed his subordinates by dropping rocks as big as coconut from the top of the city wall. However, he did not want to execute a group of children who were no longer a threat, let alone they had surrendered while clutching each other and crying. Captain Isak was aware that his decision would bring him trouble. Considering that Kingdom of Buriek was waging a genocide war. But he was fully prepared for the consequences. Unfortunately, the punishments were not only imposed on him but also on his subordinates. All spoils of war and merits that his unit collected were erased. He was also given an additional penalty of delaying his promotion twice in row. After that, Captain Isak and his unit were assigned to stand guard on the city wall. Captain Isak didn''t mind his punishment, but he couldn''t stand the hateful stares from his subordinates. He truly hoped that the operation in Sandhur Region would be finished soon. Then, he would resign from Buriek Guard and return to his hometown to become a farmer. While gazing at the ruin of Lagra City and listening loud ''Dum dum dum!'' who suddenly was heard from the direction of Castle Lagra, Captain Isak continued to ponder his plan. Then, an explosion that formed a ring of fire suddenly occurred in the center of Lagra City. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. With wide eyes and hanging mouths, Captain Isak and his subordinates watched the firestorm that spread in all directions and turned Lagra City into a giant furnace, while more than two hundred thousand Buriek Guards were inside. Several silhouettes seemed to be limping with their bodies on fire, then collapsed and stopped moving. Seeing some of his subordinates about to go help their comrades, Captain Isak reflexively forbade them. "Don''t go into the city." Several Centurions wanted to argue, but after they saw Captain Isak pointing at the weapons and armor of the fallen personnel that were glowing red, emitting thick smoke, and forming a mist, they canceled their intentions. The smoke emitted by burning metal was poisonous, and if the concentration was too high then within 2-3 breaths the person who inhaled it would pass out before entering a coma phase and eventually met with their death. "We''re going back to Levsait." Whether it was coincidentally or not, as soon as Captain Isak finished his words, explosions after explosions suddenly appeared in the distance, or precisely at Levsait and Raisait. "What have we done that gods in heaven poured out their wrath on Kingdom of Buriek." Captain Isak mumbled helplessly, while a complicated expression was visible on his subordinates'' faces. --- When Vex and Nate decide to erase the pressure on Lagra City, they intend not only to erase the actual pressure, but also any potential pressure. Vex and Nate realized that there was no guarantee that Kingdom of Buriek would surrender even if Buriek Royal City had been reduced to ashes. It should be remembered that during World War II, Japanese Empire high-ranking military officials refused to surrender even though two cities had become victims of atomic bombing. If it weren''t for Emperor Hirohito giving direct orders to lay down weapons, there''s a high chance the Japanese Empire would fight to the last man. In addition, even if Kingdom of Buriek agreed to surrender, there was no guarantee that the high-ranking officers on the field would immediately accept it. Therefore, destroying Buriek Guard¡¯s element in Lagra City was not enough. Vex and Nate wanted to make sure that if field officers from Buriek Guard intended to launch a final attack after the statement of surrender, the potential they could use was at a minimal level. With the distance between Davy Jones and Lagra City only around 200 km, Buriek Guard¡¯s element in Levsait and Raisat was not something to worry about. Viper and Venom could be launched in a matter of minutes once there was an offensive maneuver from Buriek Guard¡¯s ground elements. The real threat to worry about was Buriek Riders. Therefore, while eight F/A-18E Super Hornets wiped out Buriek Guard elements in Lagra City, four units P-8 Poseidons were hunting and killing Buriek Riders on Levsait and Raisait. Their tactic was to hit the barracks for Rider along with the stall for Cloud Hawk using GBU-16 Paveway II, one by one. The Paveway II is guided by targeting laser and using thermobaric warheads, which was if it exploded in the lobby of a five-star hotel, then the entire ceiling and walls in the hotel lobby would turn to ashes in less than a second. In short, Paveway II was not designed for massive bombing, but for surgical hits. As long as the targeting laser marks the target, then Paveway II would not miss. Technically, the P-8 Poseidon crew had no trouble carrying out hunter killer operations against Buriek Riders, but that didn''t mean they''re not mentally burdened. Among P-8 Poseidon¡¯s crew, none had ever served on a bomber like B-52 Strategic Bomber. Therefore, even though they had been re-doctrine to carry out an airstrike, only a few could overcome their guilt when they finally executed the bombing mission. While the ground crew refueled and rearmed some P-8 Poseidon that had just completed the sortie, the flight crew gathered in a small tent next to the hangar. There was coffee, tea, and snacks prepared for both flight crew and ground crew. Even so, the flight crew only drank one mouthful of hot tea before chatting or helping each other to stretch. They ignored the snack because the nausea in their stomachs was almost unbearable. In front of the tent, Major Jenkins looked up at the night sky, while remembering the kill record for his mission. After a deep sigh, he then muttered softly, "After the last two targets at Raisait, we will start hunting for carrier ships, landing ships, and supply ships. Then, finally, our part in tonight''s massacre is finished." ***** TFA1 7.13 - Killer Club TFA1 7.13 - Killer''s Club Viscount Issel was pensively pondering the firestorm that swept Buriek Guard elements in Lagra City, when three giant flying carriages landed in the main square of Castle Lagra. Surprisingly, Captain Rasser was a passenger in one of the flying carriages. As soon as Captain Rasser met with Viscount Issel, he instantly prostrated until his forehead touched the ground. "Ser Viscount, please punish this stupid servant for failing to guard your family." Viscount Issel immediately took a deep breath. "Have they all left this world?" "No, but apart from Lady Erien and Lady Erlien, this useless servant failed to guard the rest of your family." Relief instantly flashed in Viscount Issel''s eyes. This morning both his sons were killed when defending the castle walls, while from Rivek Region there was no news of his family. So, when he heard a notification ¡®Captain Rasser and Lady Erien send their greetings¡¯, he thought that only his fifth daughter had survived. But now, he heard that his youngest daughter also survived. "Captain Rasser, I don''t blame you. Get up and introduce our Guests." "Sir!" Captain Rasser swiftly got up and introduced the man beside him. "Ser Viscount, this is Major Jansen from TF Amethyst. He came to convey TF Amethyst''s intention to assist Sandhur Region." Without delay, Major Jansen said, "Ser Viscount, TF Amethyst ready to deploy reinforcement. Once you give us permission, we will immediately set up a defensive network. Then our medic squad and other support elements will follow. If there is something you''d like to discuss in more detail before you can give your permission, I''d be happy to discuss it with you." Viscount Issel had seen how TF Amethyst roasted Buriek Guard elements in Lagra City. So refusing their help was not wise. Moreover, they came with a friendly smile while Sandhur Region was not in a position to be picky about allies. Without hesitation Viscount Issel replied, "Major Jansen, I welcome TF Amethyst." Major Jansen instantly smiled, "Ser Viscount, you will not regret your decision." The initial team brought by Major Jansen then moved towards the castle wall to prepare landing points. --- Main Airfield, Davy Jones MOB Smoothly, a flight of 25 units C-130J Super Hercules landed one by one. The Hercules brought 900 QRF personnel from Magwurt City, along with equipment, ammunition, and heavy weapons they needed. As soon as Hercules'' ramp door opened, QRF personnel immediately exited. Then guided by logistic and support personnel to sit neatly on the grass at the edge of the runway. Meanwhile, all QRF officers gathered in the nearby hangar to get a briefing. Vex glanced at the 90 QRF officers for a moment before starting the briefing. "We have neutralized Buriek Riders throughout Sandhur Region''s land and water. However, Buriek Riders from their HQ are still a fatal threat to Lagra City. So your main mission is to repel incoming Buriek Riders while we launch an airstrike on Buriek Royal City. Not an easy task, as we don''t have spare Tamir Batteries and LAV Shorad to move to Lagra City. You can only rely on Stinger, Ripper, and M2HB." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Vex gave the QRF officers time to digest his explanation before asking, "Any questions?" Lieutenant Colonel Luther, CO of QRF element, raised his hand. "What about our ROE, Sir?" "Feel free to shoot down anyone who enters Lagra City''s airspace within a radius of 10 km." "What about the air cover from ACG?" "Eight Hornets and four Poseidons that on standby at Davy Jones must be inspected and are scheduled to be available tomorrow at 1200. Meanwhile, Hornets and Poseidons from Harley Quinn will launch the airstrike on Buriek Royal City at 1000. So, from sunrise until noon you won''t have air cover." The whole hangar was silent before Vex finally said, "We have eight hours before sunrise. If you have no more questions, we better get into details." """"Sir!"""" Wasting no time, details for the deployment began to be discussed. Two hours later, all of the QRF officers walked out of the hangar. Some of them immediately led their units to board 24 CH-47J Chinooks, which the engine was already running, while the rest joined their units on the grass, waiting for their turn to depart. --- The first wave of QRF elements swiftly arrived in Lagra Castle. Then, by following the guidance from the initial team, all Chinooks head straight to their designated dropping point in the castle walls. Each Chinook carried 18 personnel, plus two packages that slung under its belly. With this configuration, two Chinooks could carry a platoon of QRF along with equipment, ammunition, and heavy weapons. Carefully, the pilot placed the two under-belly packages, then shifted Chinook''s position a little so QRF personnel could fast rope to the castle wall. Direct dropping in the castle wall may look simple, but in truth those were a high-risk maneuver that needed a high-skilled pilot and neat coordination with the initial team. In normal situations, whoever authorized the direct dropping would be sent straight to the military court. Unfortunately, reality in the field sometimes dictated that extreme measures had to be taken. QRF elements not only have to set up and organize defensive networks in a limited time, but also in massive areas. Meanwhile, defenders at Castle Lagra were too exhausted to help, as they were just fighting all day long. So, the standard protocol to drop personnel and equipment on helipads, and then move them to the designated areas had to be reconsidered. After QRF personnel exit the Chinook. Pilot then immediately gained altitude before darting eastward. There were still hundreds of personnel and tons of equipment had to be airlift, so wasting time was not wise. At the same time, QRF personnel in the castle wall began their work. Systematically, the defensive network was formed starting from the castle walls. Then moving inward to the multi-story buildings around the castle, and the command center was being set up in the Issel Family''s mansion. At 0500, the defensive network at Lagra Castle was successfully established without any accident. Medic squad and other support elements were then airlifted to Castle Lagra. --- After receiving a report from Lt. Colonel Luther, that Lagra Castle was ready to welcome any unwanted guest, Vex and Nate immediately breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed their mind for a moment. Nate took a sip of his coffee before turning at Vex. "If Kingdom of Buriek chooses to fight to the last man, shall we kill them all?" Vex casually answered, "We must not be half-hearted when fighting." Nate tapped his fingers on the table before speaking. "When in CIA, I supervise some elimination operations directly. But only after I joined TF Amethyst I saw so many deaths occur in a matter of hours, and the aftertaste is so damn awful." Vex nodded slightly before answering, "While undergoing Airborne Ranger training, one of my instructors said that the hardest part is not how to become efficient and effective. But how to accept the guilty conscience for every life we took. As long as someone is not a sociopath, suffers Texas Tower Syndrome, or other mental disorders, sooner or later they will realize that taking human life is the most disgusting thing in the world, and there is no medicine for it. The good news, maybe you will get used to it and be able to live your life normally. The bad news, when that happens, you have to start worrying about the health of your subconscious and see a psychologist." Vex took a sip of his coffee before smiling and continuing, "Welcome to the Killer Club." "Damn you Vex, this is no joke." "I''m not joking." Vex''s answer made Nate gasp, and didn''t know what to say for a very long time. ***** TFA1 7.14 - Second Round TFA1 7.14 - Second Round Main Meeting Room, Buriek Guard HQ 03:30, 2 Sept 2025 Yesterday morning, Grand Commander Keraz received the statement of surrender from Viscount Issel. He immediately accepted it, with the hope Buriek Guard could catch their breath before counter-invasion from Kingdom of Makai arrived. However, not long after the ceasefire was issued, he received a report that the execution of the prisoners was already being carried out before the ceasefire order arrived, and a moment later the battle broke out again. Grand Commander Keraz was familiar with General Griek''s character, so he realized that the General was deliberately ignoring his order. Unfortunately, for the time being there was nothing he could do, except support General Griek''s attack on Castle Lagra. He had to wait until Castle Lagra was captured before he could pass the sentence to General Griek. However, the battle that was expected to end in an instant became a fierce battle that lasted until dusk. After that, a shocking report arrived. Robber Cavalry was being wiped out by foreigners at Desolate Entrance, along with three squadrons of Riders that were sent to provide assistance. Then, reports that were much more stifling kept coming. Starting with the destruction of Buriek Guard elements in Lagra City, the destruction of Cloud Hawk stalls and Rider barracks in Levsait and Raisait, and the destruction of carrier ship, supply ship, and transport ship from 2nd Fleet. Moreover, the cause of all those destruction was unknown. The report only said that fire spears suddenly appeared from behind the horizon, and then blowing up whatever it hits into pieces. And to this moment, the report about ships from 2nd Fleet were being sunk by deadly fire spear was still coming in. At the giant map on the strategy table, almost every position of Buriek Guard in Sandhur Region was now labeled with a red cross. A sign that the element had been destroyed. Grand Commander Keraz turned his gaze to Marshal Ducie and Admiral Errez before saying in a heavy tone, "It seems the foreigners in Desolate Land¡¯s entrance have the capability to launch a night attack. However, in a few hours sun will rise and we can send Riders to retaliate. I also plan to shift 3rd and 4th Fleet to replace 2nd Fleet in providing air cover for the remaining Buriek Guard¡¯s elements in Levsait and Raisait. If you two have other suggestions, you''d better say it right now." Marshal Ducie cleared his throat before saying, "I agree we go on the offensive. I suggest we leave 400 Riders to defend domestic airspace and send the remaining Riders including those still in training to carry out a scorched earth attack." Admiral Errez added, "I also agree that we go on the offensive. I suggest we send Riders from 3rd and 4th Fleet to launch a scorched earth attack on Castle Lagra. I hope it will raise our men morale, who currently is being stuck Levsait and Raisait." Grand Commander Keraz nodded in satisfaction. "Then, we''d better start issuing the orders right away." --- This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Guise Sea, 20 km from the remains of 2nd fleet. 06:40, 2 Sept 2025 When the invasion of Sandhur Region was launched, the 3rd and 4th Fleet were tasked to ambush Makai Navy¡¯s element that was sent to assist Sandhur Region. However, until the third wave of landings, not a single Makai Navy¡¯s element appeared on the route they guarded. Then, they received an order to replace 2nd Fleet. Rear Admiral Wessek looked at the rubble scattered over the surface of the sea, while deep in his heart he wanted to know what kind of opponent that the 2nd Fleet faced and how hundreds of ships were being wiped out clean overnight. He then took a deep breath before turning his head towards Brigadier Zaak who stood next to him. "Unlike 2nd Fleet that was specifically being prepared to support the invasion. The 3rd and 4th Fleet can only provide 200 Riders in total. With that number, are you sure we can defeat our opponent in the air?" Brigadier Zaak answered firmly, "Our opponents have night vision ability. So it''s suicidal if we fight them after sunset. However, for air battle during the day, I''m sure our Riders will devour their aerial elements with ease. And don''t you find it strange, why did they stop hunting 2nd Fleet¡¯s ships just before sunrise?" Rear Admiral Wessek nodded slightly. "Twenty km before we join the remnants of 2nd Fleet. I''d better get back to the bridge, and you better get ready too." Brigadier Zaak grinned from ear to ear. "Don''t worry, all Riders from 71st Air Regiment are ready to scramble at any second." --- Basement, below the Issel Family Mansion. 07:15, 2 Sept 2025 As soon as support elements arrived at Castle Lagra, they began to work immediately. The medical element went to treat the injured, and managed to save more than one thousand half-dead defenders. It was an achievement that Viscount Issel considered a miracle. Viscount Issel also received a report on how TF Amethyst''s personnel effectively and efficiently cremated the bodies that piled up like a small mountain around the castle walls, both the bodies of defenders and attackers. But the thing that impressed Viscount Issel the most was the way TF Amethyst raised the morale of the defenders, residents, and children in the castle by providing delicious warm food. When the reinforcement from TF Amethyst arrived in Castle Lagra, there were about 16 thousand survivors, 80% of whom were children under the age of ten.nBut without difficulty, TF Amethyst''s field kitchen provided hot food for everyone, and at exactly half-past six in the morning all resident in Castle Lagra were able to enjoy a super delicious meat and potato stew. Personnel form TF Amethyst''s field kitchen even specifically ensured that the stew they distributed to the children was not too hot, but was warm enough and could be eaten right away. The number of kitchen personnel who distributing potato stew to the children was also three times bigger than kitchen personnel in other place. Moreover, TF Amethyst put very tight security around the basement where the children take shelter. When Viscount Issel saw the children in the basement happily wolfing down the warm potato stew, and for a moment they even forgot that they had lost their parents, his chest suddenly became tightened. ''Forgive me, for failing to protect this city and your family.'' Viscount Issel muttered silently as he looked at the joy on the faces of the thousands of children in front of him. At the same time, Baron Ossik entered the basement and approached Viscount Issel. ¡°Ser Viscount, Ser Luther requested your presence in Command Center. Two battle groups with five carrier ships each just entered Sandhur Region''s waters, and then a hundred Riders took off and headed here at full speed." Baron Ossik''s message made Viscount Issel realize that the war with Kingdom of Buriek was not over. Killing intent in an instant flashed in Viscount Issel''s eyes. "Ser Luther has promised TF Amethyst will evacuate the children and civilians if this castle falls into Buriek Guard''s hand. So, we should fight to the last drop of our blood if we have to." "Understood." Calmly but steadily Baron Ossik answered. ***** TFA1 7.15 - Point Air Defense TFA1 7.15 - Point Air Defense While grinning from ear to ear, Brigadier Zaak looked at Castle Lagra in the distance. If so far, the foreigner''s Riders still hadn''t welcomed him and his Riders, then his assumption that they couldn''t fly and fight during the day seemed accurate. ''Everything has advantages and disadvantages,'' Brigadier Zaak muttered as he decided to change the attack plan. The attack plan which had been drew by Marshal Ducie personally was, 71st Regiment from 3rd Fleet and the 53rd Regiment from 4th Fleet would conduct a scorched earth attack as fast as possible to Castle Lagra. Then, they would refill the lamp oil and immediately join forces with elements that attacked the foreigner''s strongholds. The scorched earth attack had the possibility of destroying food, Nouel, and other valuables in the castle. However, this possibility had to be taken to ensure victory could be achieved in the shortest time possible. As right now, Kingdom of Buriek had to focus on an opponent who was much stronger than Sandhur Region. Unfortunately, Brigadier Zaak had his own idea. He believed that Marshal Ducie overestimated the foreigner¡¯s combat capability. So he intended to minimize the damage on Castle Lagra. Brigadier Zaak estimated that Riders who were attacking the foreigner strongholds would receive no significant resistance. It was very possible all targets would have been destroyed by the time 71st Regiment arrived. Without delay, Brigadier Zaak grabbed crystal communicator on his shoulder. "Attention, we have adjustment on our attack plan. We will circle Castle Lagra to deplete the defenders'' morale. After they are paralyzed by fear, we will launch a full attack on the defenders on top of castle¡¯s walls to make an opening for ground element. And remember! Don''t attack the inner areas of the castle. Our prizes are located in those areas." [[[Roger!]]] The three Captains in 71st Regiment answered in unison, while inwardly Brigadier Zaak was very satisfied. ''We will spare nothing for 56th Regiment.'' Brigadier Zaak then led a hundred Riders from 71st Regiment to circle Castle Lagra, like a python circling a cornered and frightened little hamster. --- West wall of Castle Lagra 07:40, 2 Sept 2025 Point air defense basically was a deployment to shoot down any flight up to 20 km from the objective that had to be protected. Inside the area of point air defense, Command Center would ensure there were no friendly flights that entered it without notification. Therefore, air defense elements would be able to react as quickly as possible, for they already had the green light to kill any unidentified flight. The QRF element at Castle Lagra also applied point air defense. However, their killing range was much smaller as their main armament was only Stinger with an effective range of 4.5 km. Above the castle wall, members of the Stinger team vigilantly scanned the vast sky. This primitive detection system using the combination of binocular and naked eye was widely known by TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel as Eyeball Mk.1, where rotation was carried out every two hours. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. When Command Center suddenly issued a warning that a large number of Riders were approaching at full speed from the west, all personnel who were on duty as Eyeball Mk1 immediately looked up to the western sky. And as soon as dozens of black dots appeared in the distant sky, they instantly gave a warning call. "Be ready for contact!" Without delay, defenders on top of castle wall prepared their weapons. The ground defense team prepares their Medium Machine Gun M240 7.62 mm and Automatic Grenade Launcher Mk19 40 mm. While the air defense team prepares their Heavy Machine Gun M2HB 12.7 mm and Stinger missile. For the machine gun and auto grenade launcher, the preparation was simple. They only had to load and lock. While for the Stinger team, they had to follow some procedures. To fire stinger missile, a BCU (Battery Coolant Unit) had to be inserted into gripstock. This device consisted of a supply of liquid argon which was injected into seeker to cool it into operating temperature, along with thermal battery that provided power for target acquisition. A single BCU could provide power and coolant for roughly 45 seconds. After that, another BCU must be inserted if the missile had not been fired. Therefore, Stinger Team would inserted BCU only when they had positive fire mission. The stinger shooter calmly waited for opposing Riders to come within range, but then something unexpected happened. They suddenly turned around, circling Castle Lagra at a distance of 4 km, at an altitude of 800 meters. The QRF element on top of castle wall was stunned, but only for a moment before an order from Command Center entered their ears. [All Air Defense teams, weapons free. I say again, weapons free.] The Stinger shooters immediately inserted Battery Coolant Unit before taking an aim. Then, they waited until the crosshairs turned red and a long ''Beeeep!'' of lock-on ringtone was heard. Wasting no time, they immediately squeezed the trigger. Salvo of Stingers in instant flew to the sky while leaving a loud whirring sound. However, every Stinger shooter didn''t bother to check the result of their fire mission. All Stinger shooters swiftly removed the empty tube from the launcher grip and threw it over the castle wall. Then, they received new Stinger tube from their assistants. A few seconds before the BCU ran out, every Stinger shooters had managed to lock onto their second target and fired second salvo. --- On the castle wall, there were 56 Stinger teams, and in less than 40 seconds, 112 Stingers spike to the sky while leaving behind a trail of smoke. They flew towards Buriek Rider¡¯s formation in straight line. In a few seconds, they had arrived at a distance of one meter before their target. Then, they exploded and sending heat wave and lethal fragmentation up to a radius of 5 meters. Some Stingers indeed aimed at the same target, but because Buriek Rider¡¯s formation was so tight, all Buriek Riders more or less get hit by the heat wave and lethal fragmentation. The oil lamps in the Cloud Hawk''s back then lit and burned fiercely. Most Buriek Riders instantly fell to the ground, while some Riders who tried to approach castle wall were welcomed by a shower of 12.7 mm tracer lead. In short, all Riders from 71st Regiment were killed without being able to retaliate. For QRF personnel, the Stinger explosion was no different from fireworks, but to defenders at Castle Lagra, it was miracle that symbolizes hope and regret. With joy, the defenders at Castle Lagra watched how Buriek Riders fell like rain. But there were no cheers or shouts of victory, the defenders at Castle Lagra instead shed tears while praying and telling their fallen comrades and relatives that their revenge had been avenged, so they could cross into afterlife in peace. Some defenders also sobbed and lamented why TF Amethyst did not come before their friends and relatives died. Meanwhile, on one of castle walls, Baron Ossik clenched his fists tightly. When black dots appeared in the western sky, he had hardened his determination to fight to the last drop of his blood. However, Buriek Riders who for the last few days scorched Lagra City along with more than 380 thousand of its residents were now being massacred in matter of seconds without being able to provide a fight. With a complicated gaze, Baron Ossik looked at the trail of black smoke that filled the sky while inwardly he wondered, ''These formidable guests, who are their real identity?'' ***** TFA1 7.16 - Air Raid TFA1 7.16 - Air Raid To ensure that the defenders at Castle Lagra did not have time to catch their breath, the 53rd Regiment was ordered to fly 15 minutes behind the 71st Regiment. Therefore, Brigadier Asai and the rest of the 53rd Regiment had no idea how the opposing side wiped out 71st Regiment to the last man. As he saw a huge numbers of bonfire were scattered around Castle Lagra, Brigadier Asai thought the defenders were trying to produce smoke that would disrupt the Riders'' vision. Unfortunately, his conclusion was wrong. As soon as he inspected the bonfire by using his telescope, a shock instantly hit Brigadier Asai¡¯s mind. For a while, he could only stare in horror the bodies of Riders and Cloud Hawks that were burning violently and billowing thick black smoke. ''There seems to be a barrier preventing Riders from 71st Regiment to fly directly to Castle Lagra, and while they were circling the castle looking for an entrance, the defender took them down simultaneously.'' After a single glance, Brigadier Asai deduced what had happened to the 71st Regiment. Even so, he still had a trouble imagining what kind of weapons that able to wipe out a Rider Regiment in one go. Wasting no time, he immediately activated his crystal communicator. --- Overall, Buriek Air Corps had strength of 1200 active Riders, 300 reserve Riders, and 500 Riders who were in their final year of training. In the invasion on Sandhur Region, they deployed 400 active Riders. Of those numbers, 84 Riders died with their Cloud Hawk. The other 20 had to be withdrawn for medical treatment. Meanwhile, the remaining Riders were then wiped out to the last man when they were sleeping in their barracks. Of the remaining 800 active Riders, 200 would be deployed to attack Castle Lagra, while another 400 would secure domestic airspace. So, the total Riders that Marshal Ducie could muster to attack the foreigner strongholds was 200 Active Riders, 300 Reserve Riders, and 500 Riders who were in their final year of training. At exactly eight o''clock in the morning, the Rider Formation that was about to attack the foreigner stronghold took off and flew north at full speed. In the leading position, with an expression that was difficult to describe, Marshal Ducie looked at Kingdom Buriek''s residents who were cheering on the formation he led. At first glance, the formation was full of awe and thrill for everyone who saw it. However, Marshal Ducie was fully aware that the battle he would face was the most difficult battle in his entire career as a Rider, as this battle was full of unknown factors. However, Marshal Ducie was a veteran full of death and life combat experience. So, once he crossed the north coastline, restlessness in his heart faded away and all that was left was the determination to win the battle. In this attack, Marshal Ducie decided to use the simplest possible tactic. Considering there were a thousand Riders who had to coordinate their attack. In short, the Rider Formation was divided into four groups. Each group would attack on different target and was supported by different group of supply ships. The group of supply ships had already departed and would take a position 50 km from the south coastline of Amstell Continent. That way, Riders could refill oil lamps in the shortest amount of time, and after performing three sorties of air raid all Riders would withdraw. It didn''t take long before Marshal Ducie saw the cluster of supply ships and escort ships that protecting them. A smile instantly spread across Marshal Ducie''s lips. ''They let the supply ships take a position so close to the coastline. This could be a good sign for our offensive.'' Then, Marshal Ducie was just about to order each attacking group to split up, when his crystal communicator suddenly lit up. While frowning, Marshal Ducie opened communication. "Marshal Ducie is here, come in." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. [Ducie, Keraz speaking here, I just got a report from Asai that 71st Regiment was being wiped out to the last man with an unknown weapon.] "Are you sure they were got wiped out to the last man?" [Yes, and therefore we have to make some adjustments.] Marshal Ducie knew very well that Grand Commander Keraz was a calculating person. So he never doubted his judgment. In a steady tone Marshal Ducie answered, "Understood." --- Operations Control Room, Davy Jones MOB In the air defense doctrine adopted by most western countries, the defensive zone was divided into three layers. Point Defense with a radius of 20 km from the protected site. Area Defense with a radius of 20-300 km, and Long Range Defense with a radius of over 300 km. TF Amethyst also held the same air defense doctrine, although so far only to the level of Area Defense. As soon as Operation Crystal was launched, the Point Defense and Area Defense elements deployed around Davy Jones immediately entered high alert. The Point Defense elements consisted of M2HB Team, Stinger Team, M1151 Ripper, and LAV Shorad. Meanwhile, the Area Defense elements only consisted of Tamir ADS networks. For Area Defense, fighters also had to be deployed to reduce the number of opposing force before they entered into Point Defense. Unfortunately, currently all Super Hornet and Poseidon in Davy Jones could not be flown because they were undergoing total maintenance. Meanwhile, the four Super Hornets and four Poseidons from Harley Quinn were almost finished their configuration for the airstrike on Makai Royal City. Therefore, Vex and Nate could only sigh in silence when the radar operator informed them that a large number of Riders had just taken off from Kingdom Buriek and were flying straight to the north. Vex and Nate never expected that Kingdom of Buriek would launch a counterattack in such a short time, without trying to find out how their elements in Sandhur Region were being wiped out. With a serious expression Vex looked at the radar operator and asked, "Are you sure our radar detects 1000 Riders?" The Radar Operator firmly answered, "Absolutely, Sir, there is even a possibility that their number is a little higher." Vex nodded slightly before making calculations. A Tamir ADS launcher vehicle carries 16 ready-to-fire missiles, and currently Davy Jones and the surrounding area were protected by 24 launcher vehicles. So, for the first salvo a total of 384 missiles would be fired and it would take nine minutes to reload and fire the second salvo. Taking into account the range of a Tamir missile which reaches 70 km and the speed of the Cloud Hawk which reached 360 km/h, the Buriek Riders would arrive before the third salvo could be fired. ''Hopefully, the point defense elements can finish off the remaining Buriek Riders in the shortest possible time,'' muttered Vex before turning to the radar operator. "How far are they?" "90 km from the coastline and approaching fast." Without delay Vex turned to one of the communications officers. "Spread my orders to all air defense elements, Weapons at Discretion." "Understood, Weapons at Discretion to all air defense elements." Without delay the communications officer spread out the orders. Vex and Nate were then anxiously awaiting the launch of Tamir ADS'' first salvo. However, just before Buriek Riders entered Tamir ADS¡¯ range, the radar operator suddenly shouted, "Opposing Raiders lowered their altitude and made a sharp turn. Repeat, the incoming Riders lowered their altitude and made a sharp turn." "Where are they headed?" The radar operator scanned the radar display before speaking somewhat hesitantly, "They circled back to Kingdom of Buriek." Silence instantly enveloped every corner of the operations control room. Then, the radar operator spoke one more time, this time with a firm tone, "Sir, they indeed returned to Kingdom of Buriek." Vex nodded slightly before turning to the communications officer. "Cancel the Weapons at Discretion, and send four Reapers to perform a simultaneous four-way sweep." "Sir." Without delay the communications officer spread out the orders, while Vex and Nate stared at each other for a moment. Relief was clearly visible on their eyes. ***** TFA1 7.17 - Unexpected Visitor TFA1 7.17 - Unexpected Visitor After Reapers confirmed that the sky was clear of unidentified flight tried sneaking up into Davy Jones, Vex immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he leaved Operations Control Room for some fresh air. He was about to sit in the Main Building''s lobby when one of his bodyguards came over with an eight-year-old little girl. The little girl bowed elegantly before introducing herself, "Ser Vex, my name is Erlin Issel." Vex looked at the little girl in front of him dumbfounded. She had shiny straight black hair, clear eyes, and a very sweet face. If Vex didn''t know that she was a member of the noble family, he would have already pinched her cheek gently. However, Vex realized he could not act normally in front of members of the noble family, even though she was a little girl. He immediately stood up before bowing slightly, and then asked, "Lady Erlin, where is your sister? I mean Lady Erien." "Big Sis is at the Guest House. Erlin snuck out of there this morning before sunrise and went over here to meet with Ser Vex." In an instant, Vex looked at Erlin with a complicated expression. The distance from the Guest House to the main building was 5 km. A distance that was not easy for a child of Erlin''s age. "How did Lady Erlin know I was here?" "Last night, Erlin asked Uncle who was on duty at Guest House, and he told Erlin that Ser Vex is staying here most of the time." Erlin then took out a tattered piece of paper from his shirt pocket before continuing. "The uncle also drew maps and directions from Guest House to this place, and after arriving here Erlin then met this Uncle who accompanied Erlin to wait here." Vex nodded slightly before signaling to his bodyguard that he could return to his station. Then, Vex respectfully motioned for Erlin to sit down. "Is there anything I can do for you, Lady Erlin?" Erlin firmly nodded, then thrust a hairpin in front of Vex. The hairpin was made of gold, in the form of a small stalk, in which ten blue gems form two rows as if it''s Nouel''s grains. At a glance, Vex could see that the hairpin was not a random item, but he realized that the children of noble families were far different from normal children. Since childhood, they have been educated with a way of thinking like adults. So Vex also realized Erlin wasn''t acting aimlessly. "Ser Vex, this hairpin is a memento from Erlin''s mother, and Erlin wants to use it as a token of sincerity as Erlin wants to be friends with Ser Vex. Right now Sandhur Region is on the verge of collapse. Therefore, Erlin wants to befriend Ser Vex so that Sandhur Region can be saved." Erlin might still be a child, but Vex could clearly feel the sadness and sincerity in her words and gaze. Vex also believed that Erlin would definitely cry if he refused the hairpin, even though it was for her own good. So, Vex received the hairpin which was the only memento that Erlin received from her mother. "Lady Erlin, from now on you are my friend and your enemy is my enemy." The promise that Vex made when he formed a gang with his friends in 2th grade, was said firmly without the slightest hesitation. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. But the promise that to adults sounded very childish, to Erlin sounded like the most beautiful poetry. Erlin nodded her little head three times before smiling cheerfully. "Lady Erlin, starting from now on pleases call me Lucan and I will call you Little Erlin." "Mhm." Erlin once again nodded, and Vex immediately carried her. Since they were now friends, Vex felt there was nothing wrong if he treated Erlin as a normal child. One thing that was on Vex''s mind was, he had to get food as soon as possible. Erlin left the Guest House before sunrise, so it wasn''t hard to conclude that she hadn''t had breakfast. --- With moderate speed, a landing boat equipped with a white flag moved closer to the gap flanked by two cliffs. Apart from the 20 oarsmen, there were only four passengers on the landing ship. The four passengers were Admiral Errez and his three bodyguards. In the air raids on foreigner strongholds, Buriek Navy was assigned to provide logistical support and the operations were led directly by Admiral Errez. Therefore, when Admiral Errez received orders for initial talks with the foreigner''s leader, it didn''t take long before he arrived at the entrance to the foreigner''s port. In addition to stalling for time by using the initial talks, Admiral Errez was also asked to assess the capacity and capability of the opposing side. Meanwhile, Buriek Navy would prepare some landings for elite personnel. If the battle continued, the landing operation would be launched immediately after sunset, in small units and spread over the opposing coastline to avoid detection. These units would infiltrate the rear lines of the foreigner''s strongholds and conduct interference operations. Therefore, Admiral Errez had less than half a day to obtain the intel to make the judgment, whether Kingdom of Buriek would continue the war with the foreigner or the actual peace talks should begin immediately. "May the gods who live in heaven help Kingdom of Buriek," muttered Admiral Errez just before the landing boat entered the foreigner port. --- As soon as Davy Jones launched Operation Crystal, Captain Kasino immediately evacuated vital assets that were not needed in the mission to ambush Buriek Riders. As for buildings and other structures, Captain Kasino didn''t bother to defend them. Almost all buildings at Bluefin were semi-permanent which were made manually by his men. Even for sleeping, he and his men did not use a bed, but a simple hammock. So, if Buriek Riders wanted to burn Bluefin Naval Station to the ground, Captain Kasino and his men would actually cheer them on. As the ammunition spent on destroying Bluefin was equal to less ammunition could be used for more important targets. After they finished moving vital assets, Captain Kasino and Frogman Platoon then dug dozens of defensive holes along the cliffs near Bluefin. Inside the defensive hole, they placed M1151 Rippers which were covered in a camouflage net. The Frogman Platoon''s mission was to ambush Buriek Riders who were returning to reload ammunition. Of course, the ambush could only be done once, and once their positions were known, the Frogman Platoon must immediately leave and join the point defense elements. However, Captain Casino and his men hopes to shoot some Riders down evaporated to thin air, for at the last second Buriek Riders canceled their raid for unknown reasons. Not long after that, a wooden boat with several oars on each side entered Bluefin. After the four passengers stepped out, the wooden boat then returned to open sea. Without delay, Captain Kasino made a call to Command Center. ¡°"Froggie 0-0 to Charlie Chip, come in." [Charlie Chip to Froggie 0-0, go ahead.] "Four people have just entered Bluefin, one in flashy attire and the other three in full-body armor, we need your wisdom." A minute passed before Captain Kasino got an answer. [Receive them respectfully, and escort them to Davy Jones.] "Understood, Froggie 0-0, over and out." Without delay, Captain Casino then started the M1151¡¯s engine. ***** TFA1 7.18 - Peace Talk TFA1 7.18 - Peace Talk Currently, Vex could not leave the main building where the operations control center was located. Fortunately, in addition to the bedroom his quarter also had a small kitchen. After making sure Erlin had no problem in consuming dairy product, Vex made a glass of warm strawberry milk for her, and while Erlin enjoyed the strawberry milk in amazement, he prepared a light breakfast. When he was too lazy to go to Chow Hall for breakfast, Vex would smeared some loaf with butter, sprinkled it with granulate sugar, and then toasted it using a frying pan. For Erlin, Vex made the same toast. In about fifteen minutes, Vex managed to make two stacks of toast which was also Nicole''s favorite snack. Then, while enjoying a cup of milk coffee, he looked at Erlin who was heartily enjoying the toast, just like when he looked at Nicole who he missed so much. Erlin might have been raised as a noble since she was able to walk, but she was still a child. So, after Vex spoke and treated her casually but attentively, it didn''t take long before Erlin took off all formalities and talked to Vex like talking to a friend, and once she started talking, she would have a long talk. One of the topics that made Erlin talk with enthusiasm was the game she really likes, namely hide and seek. "In the castle, Erlin is very good at playing hide and seek, and sometimes it takes three days to find Erlin." Vex listened intently with a small nod, though deep down he wondered what kind of hide-and-seek that was going on for three days in row. At the same time, Erlin gulped down the last piece of toast in her hand before continuing, "In the east wing of the castle there is an unused maid''s room. Erlin keeps a lot of change of clothes there. When the hide-and-seek begins, Erlin will take as much food as possible from kitchen and hide in the room. Then, only come out when father orders the castle guards to look for Erlin." ''Girl, what you''re doing is not hide and seek, but run away from home,'' Vex muttered inwardly while amusingly continued listening to Erlin¡¯s story. However, Erlin suddenly stopped talking and intensely looking at the toast in front of Vex. "I''ve eaten some breakfast." While widely smiling, Vex handed his toast to Erlin. ¡°You can have it.¡± "Mom always said Erlin shouldn''t be picky, and this white bread is super yummy." Without delay, Erlin then cheerfully enjoyed the toast while continuing her story. --- Nate was engrossing himself in a mystery novel when he received a report that a high-ranking official from Kingdom of Buriek had come to discuss a possible truce. He then immediately called Vex. "Vex, be prepared, a man claiming to be a leader of Buriek Navy has come to discuss a ceasefire." [If they sent only one person, it means they haven''t fully intended to talk about ceasefire. I guess you''re more than enough to handle the meeting.] ¡°Vex, did you have a fever?¡± ¡°No, but I have pressing matter to do right now.] In an instant question mark appeared on Nate''s forehead. Currently, the conflict with Kingdom of Buriek was the highest priority for TF Amethyst. So, he had a hard time imagining what kind of pressing matter that made Vex couldn''t spare his time to meet with high-ranking official from Kingdom of Buriek. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Okay, I''ll handle it." [One thing I would like to emphasize, now I can''t see death befalling on our guests from Sandhur Region. So, please don¡¯t use them as bargaining chips.] The question mark on Nate''s forehead grew thicker as he asked, "Did you sleep with any of our guests?" [No.] "Are you planning on sleeping with one of them?" [No.] "Then, why is their safety now really matter to you?" [The explanation is quite long while I''m very busy, so happy negotiating.] *Beeeeep!!!* While frowning, Nate put the receiver, but he didn''t think any further and immediately made preparation for the meeting. --- When he was greeted by a group of people, riding in an iron carriage that ran without being pulled by horses, Admiral Errez immediately concluded that his mission would not be easy. Admiral Errez''s assumption was accurate. It''s clearly visible that the foreigner who called themselves TF Amethyst, held a far higher technology than Kingdom of Buriek. All the way from the port to a HQ called Davy Jones, Admiral Errez couldn''t help but seeing many things that made him feel like a country bumpkin. The highway was smooth and wide. Nouel fields that stretched as far as the eye could see, but not a single Black Eagle was visible in the sky. Large and small iron carriages that moved very quickly without horses to tow them, and various constructions that made Buriek Royal City look like a rural area. With ease, Admiral Errez concluded, ''Kingdom of Buriek started a war with the wrong opponent.'' Once he arrived at Davy Jones, Admiral Errez was then asked to wait in a room that was not too large, but sparklingly clean, and had luxurious furniture. Not long after that, an officer entered with a group of people who neatly arranged snacks, meals, and various types of drinks on a serving table at one side of the room. Then, after tasting some of the dishes, Admiral Errez stared blankly for some time. As he recalled, the last time he enjoyed such delicious food was at the year-end banquet held by King Buriek XII, and no more than ten guests were invited. Even then, each guest only gets a quota of one portion for each menu. But right now, he was treated to a dish that was no less delicious, with the amount ten times larger. Admiral Errez had not recovered from his shock when the door to the room was opened and a man with a casual appearance walked in. The man then approached him before extending his hand. "Greeting Ser Admiral, my name is Nate, 4th highest position holder in TF Amethyst." "Errez, Admiral, leader of Buriek Navy." After shaking Admiral Errez''s hand tightly, Nate took various foods from the serving table while saying, "I''m sure the talks we''re going to have are not official. So if you don''t mind, we''ll do it informally." "I don''t mind at all," Admiral Errez replied as he piled meat rolls up onto his plate. "So, Admiral Errez, what honor do we owe for you to visit us?" "Kingdom of Buriek proposes a ceasefire and is willing to pay a high compensation if TF Amethyst turns a blind eye to the operations we are carrying in Sandhur Region." Nate was silent for a while before asking, "And if we refuse?" To be honest doubts clouded Admiral Errez''s heart, but he firmly said, "Kingdom of Buriek will declare a total war on TF Amethyst." Nate made a small smile before casually speaking, "Actually, we don''t care about what Kingdom of Buriek do in Sandhur Region. The thing is, we were attacked by Buriek cavalry when we were just sitting and do nothing in our place." "Ser Nate, we can argue about who attacked whom, but without concrete evidence it¡¯s pointless. So, can we focus on what is going to happen, and not what has happened?" Still in a casual tone Nate answered, "For now let''s have our meal in peace. After that, I''ll show Ser Admiral the concrete evidence you asked for. I''ll also show Ser Admiral a bit of TF Amethyst''s military capacity. Then, you can carefully think whether going to war with TF Amethyst is a wise choice or not." At first glance, Nate''s words sounded very arrogant even though he said them with a smile. Therefore Admiral Errez frowned, but only for a moment before he made a small nod. If he could peek at TF Amethyst''s military capacity for free, then Admiral Errez wouldn''t mind swallowing his pride. ***** TFA1 7.19 - Old Memories TFA1 7.19 - Old Memories In a happy mood Admiral Errez enjoyed his meal. Unfortunately, after that he was then asked to witness the destruction of Buriek Guard. Through a giant screen with a very clear voice, Admiral Errez watched as Brigadier Flek conducted a check on refugees from Sandhur Region. He couldn¡¯t help but kept cursing as Brigadier Flek casually refused the compromise that was offered to him. The show then continued with the living hell that descended on Robber Brigade¡¯s element that followed Brigadier Flek, along with the remaining elements that were on standby at their field HQ. Not long after that, the giant screen turned green and displayed explosions after explosions that formed a giant ring and turned into a firestorm that swept across Lagra City. Then, the turn for the Buriek Rider in Levsait and Raisait arrived, all of which were systematically destroyed until nothing remained. And while Admiral Errez''s jaw was still widely hanging, the next show began. With an extreme accuracy, a fire spear struck one of 2nd Fleet''s carrier ships, and then a blinding explosion burst out from inside the carrier''s hull. The carrier ship was 300 meters long, but in an instant only the two ends of the carrier ship was still visible. While the other part turned into shards and small pieces along with all the sailors, Riders, and Cloud Hawks inside it. When there were no more carrier ships left, the logistics ships became the next target. Hunted and destroyed one by one without being able to put up a fight. Let alone resisting, Admiral Errez was fully convinced that the poor sailors didn''t even know what had hit them. While Admiral Errez still dumbfounded, wondering how humans could have such extraordinary power, Nate casually turned off the projector. "Admiral Errez, TF Amethyst is willing to enter into a ceasefire if Kingdom of Buriek agrees with our term." It was easy for Admiral Errez to conclude that TF Amethyst was not an opponent that Kingdom of Buriek could face. Therefore, as soon as he heard TF Amethyst was willing to make a truce, a glimmer of hope instantly sparked in his eyes. "Ser Nate, this old admiral is ready to listen to TF Amethyst''s terms." Nate immediately smiled before saying, "First, Kingdom of Buriek must pay war compensation to Sandhur Region, in form of iron ore which will be handed over to TF Amethyst. Second, the remaining iron ore in Kingdom of Buriek can only be sold to Amethyst Merchant and will be paid using various commodities. Third, Kingdom of Buriek must ensure security and stability in Sandhur Region. All Buriek''s elements stationed in Sandhur Region will be under TF Amethyst''s command, have support from TF Amethyst, and all operational costs will be borne by Amethyst Merchant." The three conditions made Admiral Errez gulped down hard. They were no different from the winner''s rights. However, Admiral Errez refrained from bargaining, because he was aware that Kingdom of Buriek''s response had to be seriously discussed with King Buriek XII and other high-ranking officials. "Ser Nate, I cannot answer right now and must return to Kingdom of Buriek. So I request a deadline." Nate nodded slightly before answering, "Kingdom of Buriek has three days, for in five days we estimate Makai Guard''s elements will arrive in Sviek and Rivek Region. With Sandhur Region''s current state being extremely fragile, their neighbor may devour Sandhur Regions instead of protecting it. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. So, if Kingdom of Buriek has no intention to help us guard Sandhur Region, we will be forced to destroy its fighting capability." ¡°¡­¡± Nate then tapped his fingers on the table before continuing, ¡°And for your information, if it weren''t for our curiosity, why Kingdom of Buriek suddenly canceled the air raid they launched this morning, we would already launch an airstrike to Buriek Royal City, with potential ten times bigger compared to what we sent to Lagra City.¡± Gulp!! Admiral Errez once again swallowed hard before he said nervously, "Ser Nate, it seems I have to return to Kingdom of Buriek immediately." "Sure, I have also prepared preliminary documents as well as samples of commodities that will facilitate ceasefire talks. Please hand over them to experts from Kingdom of Buriek." Admiral Errez didn''t understand how the documents and samples of the commodities would facilitate the ceasefire talks, but he didn''t mind it and firmly nodded. "Understood, this old admiral will make sure Buriek''s experts receive them." --- The commodities samples that Admiral Errez had to bring were quite a lot. It would take at least 20 carriages to carry them. Fortunately, Nate had provided three trucks and personnel who would take care of the loading and unloading. Admiral Errez also did not expect that he would be able to bring home the Buriek sailors who were caught when tried to infiltrate TF Amethyst¡¯s port. After bidding farewell, Admiral Errez then climbed into an SUV specially prepared for him. A moment later, a convoy consisting of 2 M1151 Rippers, 1 SUV, and 3 MTV Cargo moved towards Davy Jones'' main gate, and then went straight to south. While the convoy was undergoing a brief inspection by sentries at main gate, Admiral Errez''s gaze accidentally met a middle-aged man and a little girl sitting at the front of an SUV similar to the one he rode. The middle-aged man and the girl were enjoying a kind of cone-shaped food, and occasionally the man would wipe the lips of the little girl. At first glance, there was nothing strange about the pair, as if they were common father and daughter. But for Admiral Errez, the pair was anything but ordinary. Because he recognized the man was the one who received the visit from Brigadier Flex, and Ser Nate introduced him as Ser Vex, the second highest-ranking officer in TF Amethyst. While the little girl sitting next to Vex was one of the refugees from Sandhur Region, and if he remembered it correctly, she was a member of Issel Family. ''It seems gods in heaven are helping Sandhur Region.'' Admiral Errez heaving a deep sighs as the SUV he was riding in slowly passed through the main gate. --- When she arrived at FOC South 1750, Erlin was super curious about the iron carriage called a car and wanted to ride it. Moreover, the number of cars she saw increased drastically after she arrived at Davy Jones. Erlin truly wanted to ride one of the cars. Unfortunately, Erien strictly forbade it after knowing that cars were an important means of transportation for military units, and should not be used carelessly. Fortunately, when Erlin asked Vex about the car, he cheerfully asked her if she wanted to go for a ride. In an instant, Erlin was firmly nodding her little head five times in a row. At first, Vex only brought Erlin to ride in the backyard of main building. Then, after Nate told him that the talks with guests from Kingdom of Buriek went smoothly, and the alert status was lowered one level, Vex immediately took Erlin to drive around Davy Jones. After that, the two took a pack of cornetto mini ice cream at chow hall before parking in front of the highway near the main gate. Vex gently wiped the ice cream on Erlin''s lips, while Erlin reflexively lifted her chin. "Do you like it?" "Mhm, this ice cream is super yummy." "Then, after this, we''ll head back to chow hall for a second pack." "Mhm." Erlin firmly nodded. At the same time, Vex''s recalled an old memory when Nicole was three years old. At that time, whenever Vex was at home, every afternoon Nicole would whine for Vex to take her to the highway in front of the base. Then, while enjoying her favorite ice cream, Nicole would watch the cars passing by with sparkling eyes. ''Nicole, I hope you''re doing well over there.'' Vex muttered before he once again wiping the ice cream on Erlin''s lips. ***** TFA1 7.20 - Blessing and Curse TFA1 7.20 - Blessing and Curse In Kingdom of Buriek, there was hardly anyone who didn''t know Duke Phelite. A venerable expert in economy and trade who did not hesitate to rebuke King Buriek XII, when the King wanted to double the budget for an annual banquet. Seven years ago, Duke Phelite made an economic projection that Kingdom of Buriek must be able to produce food and Nouel independently, as the trade relationship with Kingdom of Makai went into an alarming direction, and would lead Kingdom of Buriek¡¯s economy into a fatal collapse in 20 years. That''s why, starting from seven years ago Kingdom of Buriek had prepared its military to occupy Sandhur Region. A military campaign that would have succeeded brilliantly, if only an unexpected variable called TF Amethyst had not pop-up at the last second. Last night, Duke Phelite attended a closed-door meeting at Buriek Royal Hall. During the meeting, Admiral Errez shared all information he got from his visit to Davy Jones. At first glance, this information was sounded like a fairy tale for children. After hearing it for the first time, Duke Phelite immediately muttered inwardly, ¡®It seems Old Errez suffers heavy trauma on his head.¡¯ The problem was, all information regarding military capability of TF Amethyst did not contradict the field data that had been collected by Buriek Guard HQ. In short, the two pieces of information complemented each other. Grand Commander Keraz and Marshal Ducie even took the information as if it was a death sentence for them. It could be said that Kingdom of Buriek was already halfway in agreeing to the ceasefire terms offered by TF Amethyst. Meanwhile, the other half step was in Duke Phelite''s hand. As a person in charge of Kingdom of Buriek''s economy and trade policy, he was responsible for studying the economic partnership offered by Amethyst Merchant, the trading wing of TF Amethyst. As the meeting lasted until early morning, Duke Phelite did not immediately study Amethyst Merchant¡¯s proposal after he arrived is his mansion. Without second thought, he went straight to sleep. The proposal did catch Duke Phelite¡¯s attention, as they were written on a very clean white paper, with an easy-to-read and precise font that was neatly bound. However, a tired mind and body could lead to erroneous perceptions and biased judgments. Therefore, Duke Phelite chose to restrain himself. It was only after good rest, nice bathing, and proper breakfast that Duke Phelite entered his study. "Let''s see what Amethyst Merchant has to offer." Calmly, Duke Phelite reached a document entitled ''Major Transactions in Makai Royal City''. A very provocative title, for accessing the detail of major transactions in a Royal City was as difficult as accessing vital information in the military. So, it was natural for Duke Phelite to open the document pessimistically. However, as soon as he saw the title ''Chapter 3A - Merry Gold Union and Kingdom of Buriek Transactions'' at the table of contents, Duke Phelite immediately opened it. A moment later, he dropped his jaw as he saw various commodities were listed along with their prices in absolute precise. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "Gods in heaven, does Amethyst Merchant have spies in Kingdom of Buriek or have they infiltrated Merry Gold Union?" Without delay, Duke Phelite opened other chapters and made a small note. As a result, he found that Merry Gold Union sold Nouel and food staples at a price 20 times higher than the selling price in Kingdom of Makai. Duke Phelite was aware that Kingdom of Buriek had always been rigged by Merry Gold Union, but he had trouble getting exact figures. Intelligence operations had been carried out for years to find out the price difference applied by Merry Gold Union. Unfortunately, it never bore any fruit. But now, the information that he had been coveting for years was available to him with such ease and accuracy. With this data, Duke Phelite could accurately conclude that the economic projections he made seven years ago were very wrong. It turned out that Kingdom of Buriek had passed the trade balance three years ago. This meant that Kingdom of Buriek''s iron ore was drained at a rate that was beyond the safe line without being able to make a commensurate economic contribution. Rage in an instant filled Duke Phelite''s heart, but only for a moment as it was being replaced by curiosity. "Let me see what kind of scheme that Amethyst Merchant has proposes." The answer was, Amethyst Merchant would buy iron ore at a price three times higher than Merry Gold Union, and would sell Nouel, food staples, and other commodities at cheaper prices. In addition, Amethyst Merchant was willing to resell the iron ore they bought in the form of pig iron and steel alloy with a quota of 30% of the total purchase. Duke Phelite knew pig iron very well, but he didn''t know what steel alloy was. However, he didn''t dig any further because Royal Blacksmith was checking every sample of processed iron ore and some finished products from Amethyst Merchant. "Hopefully this steel alloy has a better economic value than pig iron." Duke Phelite then studied further documents. Starting from fisheries farming, hydroponic farming, to the solar power plants as sources of energy for industries. Duke Phelite couldn''t understand the concept of fisheries farming, hydroponic farming, and solar power plant, but he understood that if these concepts were successfully being adopted then Kingdom of Buriek could reduce imports of food, which would increase the trade surplus. Of course, such a fantastic idea not only aroused hope but also suspicion. However, Amethyst Merchant seems to have predicted the worries that would arise in Duke Phelite''s heart. They were offering small-scale applications as part of research and development before the full project began. And Amethyst Merchant would gladly finance every small-scale application that Kingdom of Buriek chose as starter. "The war compensation asked by Amethyst Merchant is indeed very high, but on the other hand it can also be considered as the price for desperate solution that Kingdom of Buriek needs." Duke Phelite took a deep breath before continuing his whisper. "This kingdom has an enormous iron ore deposit, but apart from a boon it can also be considered a curse as its land was uncultivable." Duke Phelite then unknowingly sank into contemplation. Accepting the terms from Amethyst Merchant meant stopping the supply of iron ore to Kingdom of Makai, and it would definitely trigger a major war. "For years, I have had a sincere wish to make merchants and nobles in Kingdom of Makai vomit their blood. Now, my wish has finally come true." Slowly but surely, an ear-to-ear grin bloomed in Duke Phelite''s lips. ***** TFA1 7.21 - Peace Treaty TFA1 7.21 - Peace Treaty Buriek Royal Hall 09:00, 3 Sept 2025 Over the past few days, King Buriek XII seemed to have aged ten years. The failure of invasion in Sandhur Region truly shook his heart until its deepest part. Also, he was still having trouble accepting the explanation regarding TF Amethyst''s military strength which was beyond reason. After taking a deep breath, King Buriek XII turned his gaze towards Grand Commander Keraz. "Uncle Keraz, how big is the remains of Buriek Guard we had in Sandhur Region?" With a heavy tone Grand Commander Keraz replied, "50,000 at forward base on the beach, 80,000 at Railev Pass, and 170 thousand at the border with Sviek and Rivek Region. They only have enough supplies for the next three days and they don''t have air cover. Meanwhile, we can''t send additional supplies or make a quick retreat. Apart from carrier ships and supply ships, TF Amethyst destroyed 90% of our landing ships." King Buriek XII took another deep breath before saying, "So, in short TF Amethyst has 300 thousand prisoners of war." "Yes, Your Majesty." King Buriek XII immediately massaged his forehead, while silence enveloped all corners of Buriek Royal Hall. --- Buriek Royal Hall 11:35, 3 Sept 2025 When Duke Phelite entered Buriek Royal Hall, King Makai XII and other high-ranking officials were sitting in silence. It could be said that the Royal Hall was as quiet as a haunted graveyard on a full moon. Without delay, Duke Phelite bowed slightly to King Makai XII. "Your Majesty." On any other days, King Makai XII would rise to greet Duke Phelite like an old friend regardless of formality. But for now he only nodded slightly, and then waited for Duke Phelite to take his seat before asking, "Uncle Phelite, please share your review on the economic proposal from TF Amethyst." In a calm tone Duke Phelite started his explanation, "On paper their proposal is quite lucrative and worth the compensation they are asking for. However, as they suggested in their letter, more detailed talks from both sides are needed to arrive at a more concrete conclusion." Duke Phelite then turned to Grand Commander Keraz before asking, "About the request for deployment of our forces in Sandhur Region, I need to know the details before I can draw up the operational budget and submit it to TF Amethyst." Grand Commander Keraz immediately handed a document to Duke Phelite. "The details are in this document, but in short we will deploy 400,000 Buriek Guards, 20.000 workers, 400 Riders, and a combination of 3rd Fleet and the remnants of 2nd Fleet." Duke Phelite gave a small nod before turning his gaze towards King Makai XII. "Your Majesty, if assessment from Royal Blacksmith and Royal Chef on Amethyst Merchant''s commodities is positive, then I dare to conclude that siding with TF Amethyst is a wise choice." "They both conclude that Amethyst Merchant''s level of metallurgy and culinary, are far above Kingdom of Buriek''s level." King Makai XII tapped his fingers before continuing, "So, I decided that we will have talks with TF Amethyst to establish the cooperation. And, because Prince Meriek will succeed me in five years, he will represent me in this talk. The contingent will set sail tomorrow at first light. For today, we will discuss the details of the negotiations." As soon as King Makai XII gave the mandate, all high-ranking officials in Buriek Royal Hall immediately responded in unison. """"We are ready to carry out Your Majesty''s wish with all of our hearts."""" --- As the potential for conflict with Kingdom of Buriek increases, TF Amethyst didn''t just gather intelligence about Kingdom of Buriek''s military power. In Magwurt City, Lt. Colonel Slane formed a team to explore economic potential on Kingdom of Buriek. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Understanding Kingdom of Buriek''s economic potential would be vital once the conflict ended, where the possibility of TF Amethyst coming out as a winner was quite large. The problem was, Kingdom of Buriek''s economic aspects could only be obtained from third parties, such as merchants and noble families in Makai Royal City. That''s why the assessment was not free from bias and personal sentiment. Meanwhile, aerial reconnaissance did not provide adequate information. Then, before Lt. Colonel Slane managed to gather solid data to form an economic plant, the conflict with Kingdom of Buriek had ended and peace talks would soon be held. Fortunately, Lt. Colonel Slane was a veteran in trade negotiations. So, he reflexively came up with a solution to overcome the lack of information. When Nate asked him to provide the economic plant for Kingdom of Buriek, Lt. Colonel Slane only sent the half-done outline, but he added pre-note that more solid data and input from Kingdom of Buriek''s expert was needed to complete the economic scheme. Lt. Colonel Slane also emphasized that a feasibility study for each project was a must and Amethyst Merchant would fully finance it. Once the raw economic plant was sent to Davy Jones along with information about major trade in Makai Royal City, Lt. Colonel Slane then issued a daily order and delegated various powers to his aide. Then, the next morning he left Magwurt City with ease. --- As soon as Lt. Colonel Slane came out of Osprey, Nate immediately greeted him. "Welcome to Davy Jones." "Yeah, I hope I''m not late. I tried my best to get here as soon as possible, but I can''t leave Magwurt City without making sure everything will run normally when I''m gone." "Don''t worry. Delegation from Kingdom of Buriek is still two hours away from Bluefin." Lt. Colonel Slane immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God." "Yup, and we should go to see Viscount Issel before peace talks start." "Okay." Without delay, Nate then took Lt. Colonel Slane to main building in Davy Jones. --- At first, Prince Meriek thought the peace talks with TF Amethyst would be tense or filled with one-sided mocking. But unexpectedly, it was running in a casual atmosphere. Delegation from Sandhur Region did indeed not hide their hateful gaze towards delegation from Kingdom of Buriek, but they did not say anything and chose to let TF Amethyst do the talking. At the end of the talks, it was agreed that Kingdom of Buriek and Sandhur Region would send representatives to conduct a comparative study on the development in Magwurt City. Meanwhile, Amethyst Merchant would send a feasibility team to assess the economic potential in Sandhur Region and Kingdom of Buriek. The peace talk was then end in a casual lunch. Nate cheerfully accompanied the delegation from Sandhur Region, while Lt. Colonel Slane accompanied the delegation from Kingdom of Buriek, and talked with Duke Phelite who was in super happy mood. Then, Prince Meriek sneaked out of the room with Captain of Buriek Royal Guard. He quietly went to the small park beside the meeting room, where a man was sitting on a wooden bench with a little girl. The man sat casually, while the girl beside him was happily drawing something and would occasionally show it to him. According to Admiral Errez, the man was Ser Vex, the second-highest ranking official in TF Amethyst and the strategist who thwarted Kingdom of Buriek''s invasion on Sandhur Region. As soon as he arrived in front of Vex, Prince Meriek bowed slightly. "Ser Vex, greeting, please allow me to introduce myself, I''m Meriek from Kingdom of Buriek. It was an honor to meet you directly." Vex immediately got up and also bowed slightly. "Prince Meriek, greeting, this humble me is Lucan ''Vex'' McGuire." Prince Meriek didn''t surprise Vex knew his identity, even though he didn''t participate in the peace talks. After a slight smile Prince Meriek then said, "Ser Vex, please don''t joke around. No matter how humble you are, with a few words you will be able to erase Kingdom of Buriek from the map." "Thank you for your kind words, but I will end up in jail if I declare a war without justified reason. Also, TF Amethyst''s main goal is to secure natural resources using trading and economic cooperation." Prince Meriek nodded, but he didn''t believe TF Amethyst would not use its military strength as a primary means to achieve their goal. "Even so, once Kingdom of Makai realizes that they just lost one of main sources for iron ore, it will be impossible to avoid open war with them." Vex casually replied, "In that case, we will break their will to wage an open war." "Good points." Prince Meriek smiled cheerfully before continuing, "May glory and prosperity be with TF Amethyst and Kingdom of Buriek." Vex smiled before replying, "May glory and prosperity be with Kingdom of Buriek and TF Amethyst." Inwardly, Vex wanted his guest to leave as soon as possible, but he couldn''t just kick out a prince. Fortunately, after some small talk Prince Meriek then went back to meeting room. Meanwhile, with a curious gaze Erlin looked at the two people who walked away, then turned to Vex. "Lucan, are they bad people from Kingdom of Buriek?" Vex smiled and then replied, "Don''t mind them." "Mhm.¡± Erlin nodded three times, and then she went back to her drawing. At the same time, Vex was heaving a sighed inwardly because he could feel the burning ambition in Prince Meriek''s eyes. ''I hope he wouldn''t become a king, or TF Amethyst would have a dangerous liability.'' ***** TFA1 7.22 - Intercept TFA1 7.22 - Interception Guise Sea, 100 km from south of Amstell Continent. 11:00, 7 Sept 2025 With advances in technology, flight routes could be planned in such a way to avoid bad weather. But unfortunately, sometimes bad weather cheerfully appeared above the dropping zone. In front section of C-130J Super Hercules¡¯s cabin, Captain Kasino and Jumpmaster Luke checked out the situation above the dropping zone through aerial footage from MQ-9 Reaper, and it was not good. All they could see was thick black cloud where lightning and rainstorm danced side by side, encompassing a massive area beyond the dropping zone. Without turning away his gaze from the tablet in his hand Jumpmaster Luke said, "No one in their right mind will jump into this storm." ¡°Just look at them,¡± Captain Kasino said as his thumb directly pointed at the middle section of the cabin where 12 Frogmen were joking around and trying to grab each other butt. "Do they look like people in their right mind?" "Absolutely not." "Exactly." Captain Kasino then walked over to the Frogmen before asking, "Who are among you have ever done a combo scuba jump over a sea that''s been hit by a rainstorm?" Simultaneously, all Frogmen before Captain Kasino raised their hands. "Who has been struck by lightning during a free fall?" Three Frogmen raised their hands and Captain Kasino immediately smiled. "Well, my grandmother once said, anything that doesn''t kill you will make you stronger. And if it kills you, then it will strengthen your parents. In short, whatever happens there is always a positive value one way or another." """Aye Sir.""" "Good, let¡¯s get ready for the jump." As soon as the Frogmen started the preparations, Jumpmaster Luke immediately took a deep breath, and then radioed the pilot to coordinate the jump. Wasting no time the pilot directed the Hercules to fly directly above the rainstorm. At the same time, Captain Kasino received a radio call from Davy Jones. [This is XO, Captain Kasino, do you copy?] "Loud and clear, Sir." [Captain, I just received a report that rainstorm hit the dropping zone. So I want to remind you, as on-site Team Leader you have the authority to cancel the mission.] "Black-striped Sharks avoid waters that have been hit by bad weather, so I think this rainstorm will give us an advantage, Sir." [Yes, but can you bring all Frogmen back?] "XO, you know I can''t promise that." After a long pause, Vex''s voice was then heard again. [Captain, it''s your call, but I will take full responsibility for the result no matter what it is, so do your best.] "Received and Understood, Sir." Captain Kasino then turned to Frogmen who were preparing for the jump. "Last chance, who wants to withdraws?" The Frogmen looked at Captain Kasino for a moment, and then shook their heads in unison. --- This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it The first preparation for the frogman was the medical check-up. Most people think that medical check-up was only been applied to HALO/HAHO jump that was carried out from altitude above 10,000 feet. But actually, a free fall from 8,000 feet also required a last-minute check-up from the flight surgeon. Therefore, even though the mission only required eight Frogmen, four additional Frogmen were included in the flight. It was to anticipate in case one or more mission executors were declared unfit to do the jump by the flight surgeon. But somehow, on this mission all Frogmen were declared fit. They then put their individual equipment on, while Frogmen who became the backup wholeheartedly helped their comrades who would execute the mission. It was no secret that every member of the Frogman Platoon was a high-expert in complex techniques such as scuba and Freefall. However, when the two skills were combined in one infil, its level of complexity would increase tenfold. Not to mention the jump was done in bad weather. That''s why Captain Kasino didn''t get tired of reminding his men. "Even though we don''t do HALO/HAHO so there is some equipment and procedures that can be passed, the combo scuba jump is still not simple jump, so don''t forget the triple checks." """Aye Sir.""" A few minutes later, Captain Kasino and the other seven Frogmen had put their equipment on. Starting from the headgear, the main parachute on the back, the spare parachute on the chest, to the weapon strapped to the side of the body. For scuba suits, diving fins, altimeters, portable navigation devices, and several other pieces of equipment, all of them have been worn directly. While oxygen cylinders, breathing equipment, telescopic-build scooter divers, and explosives were packed into large bags placed in front of both feet. After the triple check was done, the mission executor then walked to the back section of the cabin with wide steps like a duck. Before opening the ramp door, Jumpmaster Luke said to Captain Kasino, "It''s still not too late to abort this suicidal jump." "The only easy day was yesterday." Captain Kasino''s answer made the Jumpmaster sigh deeply, but he said nothing further and opened the ramp door. A moment later, by following the Jumpmaster''s signal, the eight Frogmen jumped out of the ramp door one by one. --- As soon as he jumped out of the Hercules, the first thing that Captain Kasino did was stabilized his body, then orientated in which direction he had to go. In an instant, he knew that he was almost above his dropping coordinate. It was a sign of very deep coordination and skill from the Jumpmaster and the pilot. Wasting no time, Captain Kasino dove almost vertically, and the cold wind that hit his face grew stronger as he entered the rainstorm area. But he didn''t slow down, because the key to getting through the rainstorm was to pass it as quickly as possible. It was precisely at an altitude of 200 meters that Captain Kasino opened his parachute. However, he didn''t feel the jolt he should have, and the speed of his descent was also only slightly reduced. One of the risks of jumping into a rainstorm area was, the parachute wouldn''t deploy properly, and even though he''s prepared for that risk, Captain Kasino still got annoyed when he experienced it. "Fuck!" After looking at the parachute that was not fully blooming, Captain Kasino activated the float on the large bag between his legs and released it. The large bag then slid down ahead of him. Unfortunately, before he could release the main parachute and deploy the spare parachute, his feet had already touched the water. SPLASH!! A tidal wave devours Captain Kasino, and he must fight with all his might to escape the parachute and strong current that drags him down. Luckily, the training and combat experience he underwent for years made his body as fit as a professional athlete, along with an unshakable mental attitude. Once he arrived on the surface, Captain Kasino calmly took a breath and checked the situation around him. He didn''t care about the bruises and pain from the heavy impact on the surface of the sea. To Captain Kasino, as long as his body could complete the missions, it meant everything was fine. Before long, Captain Kasino swiftly swam through the waves to the large bag containing his diving equipment, and while being played by the violent waves, he put on the oxygen cylinder and other scuba gear, and then deployed and turned on the underwater scooter. The strong impact when landing did make Captain Kasino lose his HK416D, mag pouch, medic bag, and radio. Even so, it didn''t bother him. "At least I can still carry out the mission," Captain Kasino then set his sights on the Underwater Scooter''s main screen. The Underwater Scooter or DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) used by Frogman Platoon was not only bigger in diameter, faster, able to dive deeper, and had longer range than the commercial variant, but it was also equipped with INS and network-centric which connected to P-8 Poseidon in charge of supplying intelligence for the mission. On the Underwater Scooter''s screen, eight blue dots stretch across an area of ??3 km, each dot had mission executor callsign. At the same time, 5 km in front of them scattered hundreds of green dots, formed a long column, and each dot was labeled with the type and class of a ship. "The carrier ship is in the middle of the formation. It will be some time before they arrive. I need to maintain my body temperature." Captain Kasino then casually opened an MRE and enjoyed it in the middle of the violent wave and rainstorm. ***** TFA1 7.23 - Perfect Jackpots TFA1 7.23 - Perfect Jackpot Although at first glance it looked easy, diving using a DPV was complex and risky actually. It required a greater situational awareness than simply swimming, as some changes could happen in a flash. It also required precise and simultaneous depth control, buoyancy adjustment, monitoring of breathing gas, and navigation. Moreover, even if DPV could compensate for poor buoyancy control by thrust vectoring while moving, on each stopping the diver may turn out to be dangerously positively or negatively buoyant if adjustments were not made to suit the changes in the depth while moving. Also, a rapid ascent or descent under power could result in barotrauma or decompression sickness. While limited visibility would increase the risk of impact with the surroundings, at speeds where injury could be fatal. Therefore, the eight frogmen chose to wait on the surface while their target closed in. Considering that in a rainstorm, the watch guards who were tasked to prevent an infiltration from swimmers would have low visibility. With small maneuvers, the frogmen shifted left or right to avoid hundreds of passing warships. Then, as a huge silhouette appeared in the distance, they used a waterproof night vision monocular to confirm their targets. When their target passing next to their position, the frogmen immediately made sure their breathing regulators were working properly, and then swiftly closing in into the side of each carrier ship. On the right side of the last carrier ship, Captain Kasino calmly made calculations. Then, when the carrier ship slid down he immediately dived, approached the center of the keel, and attached a limpet bomb that was set to explode in two hours, and as the carrier ship was climbing upwards, he moved aside before slowly rising to the surface. While his heart was still pounding, Captain Kasino looked at the carrier ship that moving away and muttered, ''Hope nothing goes wrong.'' At first glance, the maneuvers to attach the limpet bomb seemed simple. But actually, a one-second miscalculation could make Captain Kasino fatally get hit by the keel. Therefore, he wouldn''t be surprised if one or two frogmen would fail and didn''t return. After taking a deep breath, Captain Kasino then maneuvered between the Buriek Navy¡¯s columns, heading north. --- Carrier Ship Essei-01, Flagship of Makai Combined Fleet. 15:20, 7 Sept 2025 From the bridge, Rear Admiral Savier watched the rainstorm that showed no sign of abating. After making a small calculation he turned to the operator crystal sensor. "We''re halfway through the journey, is there still no sign of Buriek Navy''s presence?" "Negative Sir, the crystal sensor does not capture any activity at sea or in the air, nor is there any emission of unknown crystal communicator." "Weird, if Buriek Navy wants to ambush us, this rainstorm will become a good cover to mask their approach.¡± After a moment of silence Rear Admiral Savier then asked, "What about swimmers?" The communications officer immediately replied, "A watch guard on one of destroyers reported that he saw an object that did not resemble any marine life maneuvering between the fleet." "Did other watch guards see it too?" "Negative, Sir." "Then ignore it.¡± "Aye Sir." With a calm heart, Admiral Savier then walked over to his seat. But he had not yet sat down when a maintenance officer approached him with a suppressed panic-expression. "Sir, there is something you must see." Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Rear Admiral Savier frowned, then he said, "XO, take the command for a moment." "Aye Sir." Wasting no time, Rear Admiral Savier then followed the maintenance officer, escorted by his bodyguard. --- On the center of the lowest deck of Essei-01, Rear Admiral Savier observed the slightly shifting ship''s construction. The leading half of the ship shifted 10 cm to the left from its axis, while the rear half shifted 10 cm to the right. With ease Rear Admiral Savier concluded that the keel of Essei-01 had broken. "How did this happen? It''s impossible to hit a reef in these waters. Moreover, the location of the fracture is right in the middle of the keel." The maintenance officer immediately replied, "There is no sign of a collision with reef. But a few minutes before the ship construction began to shift, the personnel on duty here reported a vibration on the floor. It was as if someone had hit the keel with a big hammer. The aft and front ends of the ship have also started to rise. We had to anchor and check how bad the damage on the keel." Rear Admiral Savier frowned as he said, "Not only we had to anchor, we must also start evacuating." "But Sir, how about our mission?" "Losing one carrier ship won''t affect our mission. Start the evacuation, it''s just a matter of time before this ship splits in two. Riders and Cloud Hawks should arrive on land before sunset. I will contact the nearest Region to receive them." Then, Rear Admiral Savier was just about to contact his XO when he received a call in his crystal communicator. [Admiral, this is XO, I don''t understand why or how, but other carrier ships reported their keels seemed to be broken and asked for permission to carry out an emergency evacuation." "Huh?" In an instant, a huge question mark appeared on Rear Admiral Savier''s forehead. --- Operation Control Room, Davy Jones MOB 15:50, 7 Sept 2025 With great attention, Vex and Nate observed the total evacuation at Makai¡¯s carrier ships. If conventional tactics were used, it would take massive explosives to sink Makai¡¯s carrier ships. However, if the frogman could put explosives at its keel, then a minimum amount of explosive was more than enough to sink it and it would look like it was an accident. It was because the keel was the spine where the ship''s skeleton was placed and held together, as well as being the heaviest part. Thus, the entire weight of the ship would all be pulled down and distributed to the keel evenly, and it would prevent the ship from tipping over to the side due to strong winds. So, if the keel breaks in the middle, the weight distribution of the ship would be disturbed, and sooner or later the structure above it would split due to not being able to withstand the weight of the ship and the waves that came repeatedly. The Frogman also had another key of success. As the shipbuilding techniques between Kingdom of Makai and Kingdom of Buriek were similar, by using the data from Buriek Navy theey could accurately determine the angle and distance from the water surface to the center of the keel. The only challenge was, how the frogman could get to the right place and attach the limpet bomb without getting hit by the keel. Fortunately, they managed to carry out the sabotage perfectly. Vex then ordered one of the communications staff, "Send Osprey to extract the Frogman." "Sir." While the communications staff relayed the orders, Vex turned to Nate. "I hope it will buy us some time, while I return to earth to take care of the delay on our shipment.¡± Nate nodded and then said, "Since we are now involved in it, I sincerely hope this conflict does not continue. Considering that we still have the uninvited guest from the east." "So do I." Vex and Nate then took a deep breath at the same time. --- South coast of Amstell Continent 20:40, 7 Sept 2025 Beneath a 30-meter cliff wall, eight frogmen were shivering while stood on a reef, submerged in seawater up to 20 cm high. At the same time, 12 meters ahead of them an Osprey slowly lowered its altitude up to 8 meters above sea level. Then, a rope ladder was thrown from the ramp door, while a hooked sling was lowered from its belly. The frogman immediately swam while carrying the entire equipment that had been tied together and wrapped in a buoyant net. After the net containing the equipment was attached to the hooked sling, they then climbed one by one into Osprey. As a Team Leader, Captain Kasino became the last frogman to climb. As soon as he arrived at the Osprey¡¯s cabin, the Load Master immediately handed him a tablet. "Congrats Captain, you have eight perfect jackpots." "Thank you." Captain Kasino checked the pictures of eight carrier ships that split in half before turning his gaze to Loadmaster. "Chief, do you have something to eat?" "I have one box of instant cup noodles, if you don''t mind." "It''s more than enough." Without delay, Loadmaster heated some water and distributed instant cup noodles. ***** TFA1 7.24 - Going To Magwurt City TFA1 7.24 - Going To Magwurt City Viscount Issel''s Study, Castle Lagra 16:00, 8 Sept 2025 For indefinitely, General Khartoum would hold the command of Buriek Guard in Sandhur Region. In addition to staff officer and 2000 liaison officers, he also brought 3000 elite personnel of Tuscan Guard. The elite personnel would work hand in hand with TF Amethyst to secure Castle Lagra. Given that the negative sentiments of Sandhur Region''s remaining residents towards Kingdom of Buriek were still strong. In a calm tone, General Khartoum reported to Nate and Viscount Issel. "All liaison officers have been assigned to the units they are responsible for. Meanwhile, Tuscan Guard''s attributes and combat uniforms have been distributed to Buriek Guard''s personnel." Nate nodded slightly and said, ¡°Even though we managed to prevent the arrival of Makai Combine Fleet, some elements of Makai Guard and Makai Riders have already arrived in Sviek and Rivek Region. So we have to handle the current situation with a delicate touch. And if we can prevent the conflict from continuing, the existing funds and resources can be used for more positive activities." ¡°I do hope Makai Guard will retreat too,¡± General Khartoum briefly said. Nate then turned towards Viscount Issel. "Ser Viscount, it''s time to send an invitation to see Kingdom of Makai''s attitude." Viscount Issel firmly replied, "Understood, tonight my courier will be leaving." --- Marquise Orev''s Office, Sviek Guard HQ 13:00, 9 Sept 2025 Marquise Orev casually looked out of the window, while his hand held a letter from Viscount Issel. Then, with hasty steps, Count Isak suddenly entered the room. "Ser Orev, Makai Navy HQ withdrew their Combine Fleet to check for design flaws on their ships." "They do a design flaw inspection now. So what exactly they have been doing in peaceful time?" After taking a deep breath Marquise Orev then said, "Tell me the progress of our consolidation." "If we add the strength from Sviek and Rivek Region, we will have 800 Riders and 700 thousand ground personnel." Count Isak paused for a moment, before hesitantly adding, "But to break through the defensive line at Levsait and Raisat we should wait until the ground element reaches one million personnel.¡± Marquise Orev looked at the letter in his hand before saying, "There''s a chance we won''t go on a war." "Huh?" "Reinforcement from Tuscan Region arrived at the last minute and they somehow managed to wipe out Buriek Rider and Buriek Guard back to the sea. Currently, in Sandhur Region there are 400,000 Tuscan Guards and 400 Tuscan Riders." Seeing the question mark on Count Isak''s forehead thickened, Marquise Orev immediately added, "Of course we can''t just believe it. I want you to bring a delegation to check Sandhur Region''s latest situation." ¡°What will we do regarding our promise to help Sviek and Rivek Region to obtain a portion of Sandhur Region¡¯s territory?¡± After taking a deep breath Marquise Orev replied, "If Tuscan Guards are truly already in Sandhur Region, then nothing we can do." "Understood," Count Isak replied briefly. It was an iron rule that nobles and high-ranking officials in Kingdom of Makai should not be involved in conflicts or territorial disputes between Regions. As long as a Region was not occupied by foreign powers and still paid annual tribute, Kingdom of Makai had no justification for deploying its military force to the Regions in dispute. "I will be leaving tonight." After giving a small bow Count Isak then left the room. Meanwhile, Marquise Orev was looking back into distance. ''Looks like the rise of Tuscan Region is not hearsay,'' Marquise Orev muttered. - - - - - General O''Neil''s office, Harley Quinn MOA This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. 10:00, 12 Sept 2025 With serious expressions General O''Neil, Brigadier General Rayden, Colonel Patricia, and Colonel Maddox looked at the aerial footage of four fort cities on the east coast of Amstell Continent. TF Amethyst did hope the Guests From East would move slowly and carefully, but who would have thought that their preparations turned out to be quite massive. General O''Neil calmly said, ¡°The conflict in Sandhur Region is practically over. Therefore, we will direct our attention to the east for the time being. Judging from their preparations, it seems our guest is not only aiming for Terry Hill but also looking for new territory to occupy. I wonder if there''s a possibility to break their intention without needing to deploy ground elements." Colonel Patricia firmly replied, "Currently, we don''t have assets capable of wiping out the four fort cities without deploying ground elements. The only options are setting up a Firebase to launch artillery strikes, or a Forward Airbase to launch airstrikes." General O''Neil nodded slightly before asking again, "If you had a blank check, what options would you suggest?" "Option one, a Strike Groups consisting of eight Aegis Destroyer, we can destroy one of the fort cities using a salvo of 700 Tomahawk from 2000 km away." Colonel Patricia was silent for a moment before continuing, "Option two, six B-52s each releasing two 30,000 pound stand-off bunker busters from 1500 km away." A question mark instantly appeared on Brigadier General Rayden''s forehead. If he remembered it correctly, the two options were standard tactics for destroying modern military bases with reinforced underground structures. "Patricia, Are you sure these fire powers aren''t overkill for our targets?" "Absolutely not,¡± Colonel Patricia firmly replied, ¡°Terry Hill had showed us that our guest is capable of making a construction as solid as a modern military base." "We can''t acquire a forbidden toy like a B-52. Our only options are Aegis Destroyer or Aegis Land System. It seems we should start the second purchase." General O''Neil then turned to Colonel Maddox before asking, "Can we start the construction of shipyard to build assets of Amphibious Strike Group, as well as Aegis Land System for Harley Quinn?" "We''re temporarily halting the efforts to turn Southeast Triangle into a Nouel Farmland, so we have sufficient resources." Colonel Maddox made a small calculation and then continued, "Three months for facility construction, one month for heavy equipment installation, then eight months to assemble 70-80 ships if there is no delay for the shipment of system and components.¡± In an instant Colonel Patricia frowned. "Could you work a little faster?" Colonel Maddox snorted before replying, "1 unit Ronald Reagan-class CVN, 3 units America-class LHD, 6 units San Antonio-class LPD, 6 unit Ticonderoga-class CG, and 18 unit Arleigh Burke-class DDG. For this list alone, it''s already a miracle if we can finish the assembly and sea trial in eight months." ¡°Fine,¡± Colonel Patricia replied before letting out a deep breath. After tapping his fingers on the table, General O''Neil said, "Vex will return to earth to take care of the delay on shipment for first purchase. I''ll ask him to start the second purchase." --- Primary Hangar E6, Davy Jones MOB 08:20, 16 Sept 2025 As soon as versus contact with Kingdom of Buriek stopped, TF Amethyst immediately transferred Lagra Castle¡¯s defenders who required intensive care to Magwurt City. It was a wise decision as in Magwurt City, TF Amethyst already had a hospital with the capability and technology no less than Medic Quarter at Harley Quinn. Not to mention Magwurt City also had Counseling Quarter which was led by Lan Yan''er directly. Then, medic personnel at Castle Lagra suggested that the children in the castle be temporarily transferred to Magwurt City too, as the trauma they experienced was not light. Major Shade and Lan Yan''er then wrote the request of approval to General O''Neill and Vex. A few days later, ACG prepared eight C-130J Super Hercules to transfer the thousands of children at Castle Lagra to Magwurt City. Each Hercules was fitted with two pairs of long benches facing each other and used a thick cloth net for leaning. The two pairs of benches inside the Hercules could accommodate 120 adult passengers who did not carry equipment and weapons. Therefore, the actual number of children on each flight could be higher. However, Vex put a limit that on each flight, a Hercules would carry only 100 children and 10 castle maids who would became their guardians. As soon as the eight Hercules were ready to be boarded, the bus carrying the children approached. In a neat line as if they were duckling, the children then walked towards the ramp door while their gazes were filled with curiosity. But this neat lineup only lasted for a moment. Some children didn''t pay attention to the way, so they were tripped when they stepped on the ramp door. Some others scrambled for seats once they entered the Hercules, and some cried because they didn''t want to enter the Hercules. The castle maids, the Hercules¡¯ crew, and the security officers instantly became busy, but there were no yells or loud words they uttered. It took two hours before all the children entered and sat inside the Hercules. On the last Hercules, Vex sat side by side with Erlin and other children, while his bodyguards stood around him. "Lucan, are we really going to fly?" Vex smiled before replying, "Yup." A moment later, after the pilot turned on the engine, Loadmaster told the children to sit tight and hold on to the net on which they were leaning. Then, as soon as the castle maids and the flight crew made sure all the children were holding on tight, the Hercules moved to the runway, took a take-off run, and took off very gently. As soon as the children were allowed to let go of their hold, the commotion filled the cabin again. "Whoaah . . . We are flying." "Uncle . . . Can we open this window?" "Wuaaaa. . . So high." "Aunt. . . I want to pee." While smiling from ear to ear, Vex looked around the cabin, where the flight crew and castle maid became super busy again. ''Well, they are still kids and just lost their parents, families, and homes. It''s truly fortunate that they are able to forget their pain, even if only for a moment.'' Then, Vex leaned his head to the net, while Erlin looked out of the window in awe. ***** TFA1 7.25 - Arrive in Magwurt City TFA1 7.25 - Arrive in Magwurt City Airspace 300 km south of Magwurt City. 12:30, 16 Sept 2025 In the Hercules¡¯s cabin, Vex studied the operational data of TF Amethyst¡¯s assets during the deployment. In a few weeks he would return to earth. So, he had to quickly decide the adjustment and improvements he had to make as he could not return to earth too often. However, currently Vex only had rough data. More detailed data would only be available when he arrived at Magwurt City. Therefore, Vex studied it just to pass the time. After turning off his tablet, he then turned to Erlin who was sleeping next to him. Ever since she met Vex, Erlin had always clung to him, and Viscount Issel and Erien didn''t seem to mind it. Three days ago, Erien led the contingent from Sandhur Region that would conduct a comparative study in Magwurt City. But Erlin chose to stay with Vex and would go to Magwurt City with him. Vex didn''t mind it and he let Erlin to follow him wherever he went. After all, when he had to hold a closed meeting or stand by in the operation control room, he could ask Grim or the other bodyguards to teach Erlin to read, write, and count. Erlin also obediently studies and she was super excited every time Vex checked how far she had progressed. After smiling gently, Vex then leaned his head backward and closed his eyes. There was still some time before Hercules landed at Woodpecker MOB, so he could get a short rest. --- Woodpecker Medium Operating Base, 28 km south of Magwurt City Even if Woodpecker MOB had not been fully operational yet, in a limited way it was ready to be landed by every TF Amethyst¡¯s aerial asset. Smoothly, the eight Hercules landed one by one. Then, as soon as the Hercules engine stopped and the ramp door opened, hundreds of children neatly walked out while being guided by their guardians. Wasting no time, the security officer guided them to the bus that had been waiting for them. This time, everything went smoothly because the guardians promised the kids that they would have a lunch with yummy fried chicken if they were obedient and not fussy. Surprisingly, the promise of yummy fried chicken was very effective. Even the Guardians were stunned by the result. In a flash, all the children got on the bus. The journey to Magwurt City then began and was accompanied by a heavy escort. Meanwhile, Vex and Erlin stood next to one of the Hercules, just in front of Lan Yan''er, Seira, and Keira, along with Mr. Brown who looked at him nonchalantly as if he was a stranger. When he was at Davy Jones, Vex never made a contact with Seira, Keira, let alone with Mr. Brown. But Lan Yan''er always kept him informed about the three. For example, not long after Vex left, Seira and Keira were finally able to return to school like before they lost their father. It was just that after using a formal language in the first letter, Lan Yan''er somehow used a lot of sarcasm in her next letters, as if she was pouring her frustration on him. But Vex didn''t mind it, or to be precise he ignored it. To Vex, what the matter the most was that right now Seira and Keira welcomed him with sparkling eyes and an ear-to-ear smile. After slightly nodding to Lan Yan''er, Vex hugged Seira and Keira tightly, then introduced the two to Erlin. ¡°Erlin, this is Seira and Keira. Seira, Keira, this is Erlin.¡± Seira, Keira, and Erlin nodded simultaneously before looking at each other curiously. But Vex decided that a deeper introduction could be done later. So, he immediately took the three to one of the Black SUVs parked not far from Hercules. After making sure Erlin, Seira, and Keira were sitting in the back comfortably, Vex then rushed to the seat next to the driver and signaled for Grim to be his driver. However, before he could open the door, Lan Yan''er cleared her throat, and then by using her index finger she asked Vex to come over. Question marks instantly filled Vex''s forehead. Last night, Lan Yan''er told him that she would be busy accompanying the children from Sandhur Region, so Seira and Keira would stay with him for the time being. That''s why Vex didn''t understand what she wanted to talk about, as he had already accepted Seira and Keira, and would take them home. Vex casually asked, "Lieutenant, what''s the matter?" Lan Yan''er immediately sighed silently as she massaged her forehead. She was fully aware that Vex didn''t understand what it meant to communicate normally, but she still felt irritated when he ignored her. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. However, in the end Lan Yan''er canceled her intention to reprimand Vex and turned her gaze to Erlin. ¡°It seems you have a hobby of collecting little girls. Do you intend to form an illegal harem?¡± And as usual, Vex did not catch the ridicule in Lan Yan''er''s words. He replied casually, ¡°Little Erlin will only stay with me for a while, and she is a lovely friend.¡± "Yeah." "Is there anything else?" "Nope." Wasting no time, Lan Yan''er signaled for Grim to step down from the Black SUV, and he immediately obeyed after seeing the thunderstorm reflected in Lan Yan''er''s gaze. Then, while sighing incessantly, Lan Yan''er drove the Black SUV towards Magwurt City. After Vex left Magwurt City, it only took two days before Keira and Seira kept asking when Vex would be back, or could they give him a telephone call. But Lan Yan''er knew Vex was in the middle of an important operation, so she decided not to disturb him, and said that Vex was temporarily unreachable. The problem was, it made Seira and Keira sulk and didn''t talk to her for several days. And now, when the two finally met with Vex, they had completely forgotten about her as she had predicted. ''Why are they so attached to him?'' Lan Yan''er muttered as a loneliness slowly gripped her heart. --- Mini-cottage 01, Complex of QRF Element As soon as he entered mini-cottage 01, Vex was greeted with various items that didn''t belong to him. Two school bags, children''s toys, fashion magazines, women''s clothes, and underwear that hanging freely in the terrace of inner yard. Vex turned to Lan Yan''er as he asked, "What a provocative panties, is that yours?" "Yes." Lan Yan''er casually replied. "After you leave, Seira and Keira want to sleep here and I can''t just leave them. We sleep in the spare room at the back." "I see." Vex nodded without asking any further. Even Lan Yan''er was a bit surprised when Vex didn''t seem bothered or complaining. She then checked Erlin''s bag before saying, "Erlin would need new clothes so she could blend in. For now, Seira can lend her a few pieces. Tomorrow afternoon, I''ll take the three for little shopping." "Are you sure you had the time, you had to accompany children from Sandhur Region?" "No worry, I can manage it." "Okay." During the trip, Lan Yan''er did not ask about Erlin at all. So, Vex concluded that Lan Yan''er was not interested in her, but it seemed he was wrong. Then, Lan Yan''er said goodbye. She had to meet the children who had just arrived from Sandhur Region, so she had to hurry. --- It didn''t take long for Erlin to get along with Seira, Keira, and Mr. Brown. Especially, after they took her to watch anime. And Last night, the four watched an anime made by Magwurt Motion Pictures until past midnight. Then, they slept in the living room or precisely in front of the tv. Judging from how Lan Yan''er set up the mattress and sleeping sheet in the living room, it was easy to conclude that this wasn''t the first time Seira and Keira had watched anime until past midnight, but Vex didn''t think about it any further. And because today was Sunday, Vex also didn''t wake them even though the sun had fully risen. After taking a bath, he made toast for his breakfast and he was just about to enjoying it when General O''Neil came to visit. Vex immediately led General O''Neil to sit in the dining room, and while handing him a cup of warm tea he asked, ¡°How was the meeting with King Buriek XII?¡± ¡°It went smoothly and he decided to extend his stay at Magwurt City. But I can''t keep him company and must return to Harley Quinn this afternoon." General O''Neil then gave Vex a memory card as he continued, "Operational data on every TF Amethyst assets for the last 10 months, and additional assets that ACG and GCD asked." Vex nodded before asking, "What is Slane''s opinion about the additional asset?" Last month, Lt. Colonel Slane confirmed that Amethyst Merchant''s income was sufficient to support TF Amethyst''s operation, even though it was still far from his target. Therefore, Vex thought it was essential to know his opinion. General O''Neil then explained, ¡°He has confirmed the iron ore from Kingdom of Buriek will return the entire investment along with a massive profit. Meanwhile, next spring we will start sending Nouel to earth. So the additional investment is not a big thing and Slane already drafted a new budget for you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In a half-whisper, General O''Neil added, "Moreover, from the eastern part of Kingdom of Buriek, Carlos and his team found titanium deposits ten times larger compared to Caucasus, and nickel deposits eight times larger compared to what is discovered on earth." "Understood," replied Vex calmly and firmly. --- Not long after General O''Neil left, Erlin woke up, followed by Seira and Keira. While still nodding off, the three looked at the situation around them. Without delay, Vex turned off his laptop, and then approached the three while carrying three towels that had been soaked in warm water. Vex gently wiped the faces of the three before saying, ¡°Tidy your bed, then have breakfast, and take a shower. After that we went for a walk with Big Brown, and in the afternoon you will go on shopping with Big Sis Lan." Erlin and Seira nodded, while Keira looked at Vex expectantly and asked, "Can we sleep again after breakfast, and then continue watching anime at noon?" "Nope," Vex replied before smiling. After the three sweet and cute children in front of him made their beds, Vex then carried Keira and accompanied by Erlin and Seira he walked towards the kitchen. Not long after that, breakfast with pancakes and blueberry milkshakes began. ***** TFA1 7.26 - Epilogue TFA1 7.26 - Epilogue Underground Cave in the Middle of Amstell Continent 08:30, 2 April 2008 An old man, a young man, and a little girl. A few minutes ago they stood in a vast meadow under the clear sky, but now the three stood in front of a giant wall, inside of a dimly lit cave. With sparkling eyes, the little girl looked at the painting on the wall which depicts a dragon as big as a mountain. It had three heads, four arms, a pair of wings, and stood upright on its two legs. Around the dragon, thousands of Riders bravely attacked it from the air. Meanwhile, millions of horse cavalry were attacking from the ground. However, the dragon casually stood while gazing at a gigantic city he had just turned into a sea of ??fire. Curiously, the little girl asked the old man, "Grandpa, who drew King Ghidorah here?" The old man softly replied, "This is not King Ghidorah but The Calamitous. The painting was made by the 3rd Great Leader of Nemo Temple, as a reminder for destruction of Regus Imperial City 1200 years ago. Two hundred years ago, The Calamitous should have woken up from its hibernation and hunted for a year in every corner of the planet before going back to sleep, but somehow he didn''t appear. Then, the 15th Great Leader of Nemo Temple had a vision that in 22 years The Calamitous will appear to end all life on this planet before returning to its home planet." Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Calmly, the young man said, "Well, it just so happens that this place is in the middle of Amstell Continent. So we will set up the main base here, create the required weapon systems, and then finish off The Calamitous when he appears." With a hoping tone the little girl asked, "Uncle O''Neil, can we make and bring Gundam Zero here?" "Of course we can." Almost all the time, the young man had an expressionless face, but when he spoke to the little girl, his gaze and expression turned gentle. While holding the little girl in his arms, the young man continued, "We will build and bring as many Gundam Zeros as possible to defeat The Calamitous." "Mhm." The little girl nodded firmly before kissing the young man''s cheek. At the same time, a smile full of relief appeared on the old man''s lips. --- Apartment 2701, Royal Crown Tower 12:30, 2 Oct 2025 Claire was enjoying jumbo waffles when Bob came into her study room. "Miss, I just received some words that Gundam Zero''s developments by Israel have been completed, and some samples will be sent to US Mil base in Turkey." Claire immediately smiled. "Good, Vex just got in touch with me. He will be at Central Africa Federation for a few days before flying here. He also asked me to advance some schedules." Bob nodded slightly before asking, "Are we starting the second investment in Central Africa Federation?" "Yupe." "Understood, I will immediately fly to Central African Federation." After a small bow Bob then left the room. At the same time, Claire muttered under her breath, ''It''s only a few years before The Calamitous appears. Hopefully, TF Amethyst is fully ready when the time comes.'' ***** TFA2 0.0 - Prologue TFA2 0.0 - Prologue Small Cafe, Suburb of San Diego 02:15, 14 Nov 2015 Two middle-aged men, one was black and the other one was white, casually enjoying their breakfast in one corner. Both of them wore civilian clothes, so most people would not realize that the two were active-duty officers in the military. Colonel O''Neill took a bite of his bacon sandwich before turning his gaze to Captain Reed in front of him. "So, what is your decision?" Captain Reed gave a small snort before replying, "This decision will affect my career and my life, but you only gave me 48 hours to decide." "Reed, I know you very well. If you can''t decide it in 48 hours, then you will not be able to decide it even if I gave you 48 years." "The fuck." Captain Reed could only swear as what Colonel O''Neil said was correct. Then, he deeply sighed before sinking into contemplation. Two days ago, Colonel O''Neil asked him to help him build an Amphibious Strike Group, with the capability to conduct sea control, amphibious landing & attacks, and deep strikes into enemy territory. The problem, building an Amphibious Strike Group was not trivial. Not to mention if the unit was projected to operate in the otherworld and its construction must be done in secret. Therefore, even if the assets to be used were existing assets in the US Navy that were already labeled as design-proven and combat-proven, without any need to build it from scratch and conduct a lot of testing, the acquisition and shipment process would still have its own challenges and risks. First, the entry point to the other world was at a coordinate at the South Pole. So, the shipments from freighter to the entry point could not go through the existing port. Considering that sending massive cargo to an empty area via a regular port would invite suspicion. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Fortunately, at the South Pole there were many uninhabited open areas that heavyweight hovercraft like LCAC could pass. For example was Marie Byrd Land, an ice field on southwest of Antarctica. Therefore, the cargo would be directly unloaded from a freighter equipped with heavy cranes to LCAC. In this era, there was a lot of civilian freighter equipped with crane systems, especially cargo ships that were being designed to operate in remote and low-tech ports. So, it could be said that the means of transportation was halfway solved. Second, LCAC has a maximum capacity of 70 tons and for safety reasons it must be limited to 50 tons. Meanwhile, many ship components were sent to main assembly line in a semi-assembled segment and weighed over 100 tons. To change the shipping procedure, it would need a very large influence on the shipbuilding company. The influence was also useful for disguising the production of required components as components that were ordered by US Navy. "Well, I''m waiting, you know," Colonel O''Neil casually said to wake Captain Reed up from his sudden contemplation. "I need to build a shipping company and exert a fairly strong influence on defense contractors in the shipbuilding industry." After a slight smile Colonel O''Neil said, "Since a few years ago, my sponsor has been buying every company you needed using third-party names. You will also have an unlimited budget and full power to determine the structure and doctrine to be used." "Do you have any intel regarding areas of operation and potential threat to be deal with?" Captain Reed asked in super serious tone. "I''m working on it right now." "Then, we only have one last big problem. To hide the delivery route and shipment operation from CIA and NSA spy satellites, you need help from someone at the level of CIA''s Deputy Director." "My sponsor is ready to support you to get the position at all cost." "Wait a second¡­" Captain Reed frowned as he continued, "You know navy is my everything and I have a big fat chance to become a four-star admiral, but you want me to let it go." Colonel O''Neil casually nodded. "Yes, I do. I beg your sacrifice to switch to CIA after you become a two-star admiral." "O''Neil, at least make your begging look sincere." "Do you want me to put my forehead in front of your feet? I will do it right now if you want it." "No, I don''t want it." Captain Reed pursed his lips before continuing, "But I want privilege in recruiting personnel." "As long as the candidate is willing to not return to Earth and passes the screening process, you can recruit anyone." "Understood," Captain Reed firmly replied. Breakfast then continued in a casual mood, as if the previous conversation had never happened. ***** Note: In the US Navy and Royal Navy, a Captain is equivalent to a Colonel in the army. TFA2 1.1 - A Pair of Mother and Daughter TFA2 1.1 - A Pair of Mother and Daughter Merry Gold Union HQ, Makai Royal City 13:00, 26 Sept 2025 After having canned salmon steamed with ginger, scallion, salt, pepper, lemon juice, honey, and rice wine as her lunch, Lady Yuuri casually enjoyed a glass of cider. In all her life, never did she imagine that there would be people who could pack fresh salmon into a can and create a simple but incredibly delicacy with it. Moreover, their other commodities also surpassed her imagination. ''I have postponed the meeting with Amethyst Merchant for too long.'' Lady Yuuri heard about Amethyst Merchant for the first time a few weeks ago. In their letter, the three Maesters who accompanied Osvik suggested that Merry Gold Union should immediately cooperate with Amethyst Merchant, and Lady Yuuri should lead the negotiations directly. The three Maesters wrote extensively about Amethyst Merchant¡¯s god-level culinary traditions, along with their extraordinary mechanical engineering reflected in their watchmaking techniques, and the power source called electricity that could produce flameless lighting system or support various other mechanisms. In short, their explanation sounded like a fairy tale and made Lady Yuuri felt as if she was cavemen from prehistoric era, especially the electricity which could power mechanisms to heat water or produce ice cube. ''How does electricity able to support two systems that work in polar principle? Also, is it true that humans can create ice? If it is true, this is a revolution in human civilization then.'' The more Lady Yuuri thought about Amethyst Merchant''s level of technology, the more curious she became. However, she could not immediately meet Amethyst Merchant representative. As when she managed to take the time to return to Walluo City, Amethyst Merchant¡¯s commodity that Osvik sent had arrived. Lady Yuri still clearly remembered when Leira, her most trusted aide, with an indescribable expression reported the arrival of the magical commodity. After conducting a direct inspection, Lady Yuuri immediately canceled her return to Waluo City. If the marketing of the newly arrived commodity was not done carefully, a huge uproar would definitely hit Makai Royal City. The uproar did eventually hit Makai Royal City, but fortunately Lady Yuuri was able to ensure that it didn''t get out of hand. Even so, until now the nobles in Makai Royal City were still sending requests and bribes to get commodities from Amethyst Merchant¡¯s exclusively. Moreover, even if it took the role as a middle-party, Merry Gold Union had received a profit equivalent to last year''s profit for every three batches. So, Lady Yuuri was really curious about the profit that Amethyst Merchant received. ''I have to secure a trade agreement with Amethyst Merchant and exploit it to the fullest,'' Lady Yuuri muttered as determination flashed in her eyes. At the same time, Leira entered the dining hall. "A message from Kingdom of Buriek just arrived. It said that Kingdom of Buriek must pay the winner''s rights to Amethyst Merchant in the form of iron ore. So, they had to limit our orders and increase the price by ten times." After slightly nodding Lady Yuuri said, "It seems Tuscan Region''s assistance to Sandhur Region has something to do with Amethyst Merchant." "We have also just received a message from Walluo City. Amethyst Merchant has submitted a massive order for food staple." "Ordering food staple through Amethyst Merchant, this must be Duke Phelite''s idea." Lady Yuuri sipped her cider before continuing, "I will take care of this transaction personally." A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. "Understood, and your Cloud Hawk is ready." "Good, I can''t wait to meet Yuuna." Wasting no time, Lady Yuuri grabbed the small paper bag in front of her. Then, she immediately rushed towards the Cloud Hawk¡¯s stable. --- A small settlement of farmers, mountains range west of Walluo City. A 10-year-old girl deftly helped the women thresh the corn from the cob. The color of the girl''s clothes had faded and there were small patches in some places, but overall it was clean and tidy. Her expression and gaze also show that she was a smart kid. The little girl was Yuuna. She was the second child of Count Terrek and Lady Yuuri. Since she was five years old, Yuuna had lived in the farmer''s settlement and lives her life like a farmer''s child. It was just that there was a Maester and several bodyguards who were also disguised as farmers accompanied her. The Maester was in charge of teaching her the knowledge of being a merchant, while the guards were in charge of protecting her safety. Cultivation of a simple lifestyle from an early age was also had been experienced by Lady Yuuri, so Yuuna lived it without complaint, and she never once tried to run away like her mother did. In addition to having a solid mentality and fortitude, life as a poor farmer''s child also made Yuuna very creative and independent. At the age of seven, she was already able to make straw sandals and fix her torn clothes. Meanwhile, at the age of nine, she had perfectly absorbed all the knowledge given to her by the Maester. Lady Yuuna then took her on a trip from Walluo City to Makai Royal City. On the way, Yuuna was given a little capital and being asked to develop it. The result was, she accurately determined what products should be bought from one area, and then being sold in the next one. All of this was achieved by Yuuna because she skillfully gathered information about the area she was going to visit from other traders, farmers, travelers, or other people. In short, Yuuna understood the importance of information, knew how to collect and organize it, and then used it effectively. Therefore, it was natural that her profit was much bigger than what Lady Yuuri earned when she underwent the same test. Yuuna and the other women were happily doing their daily chores, and then cheers of children who were playing not far from them suddenly was heard. While continuing to cheer the children pointed towards the sky. Yuuna and the other women immediately raised their heads, and their gazes were met by a dozen Cloud Hawks that circled the settlement. Then, four of them glided down gracefully to the grassy field on the edge of the settlement. Wasting no time, Yuuna immediately approached Lady Yuuri who looked at her with joy. She didn''t run or express her happiness. Yuuna calmly walked over to her mother and then hugged her tightly. The level of maturity that Yuuna showed made Lady Yuuri very proud, but also miserable at the same time, because in a flash Yuuna had passed her childhood. However, after being satisfied hugging her mother, Yuuna then looked at her with a pitiful gaze and said, "Mommy, give me food. I''m super hungry." In an instant, Lady Yuuri smiled widely while tears of joy streamed down her cheeks. ''It seems there is still a bit of a childish side in her heart.'' Without delay, Lady Yuuri handed over a small paper bag containing a tuna corn mayo sandwich to Yunna. "Try it, it''s super delish." "Really?" Yuuna asked as she took one of the sandwiches. "Yes, it is," Lady Yuri replied confidently. Hearing her mother confidence tone, Yuuna immediately gave a small nod. Then, after one small bite her eyes instantly widened. Without delay, Yuuna took a second bite, the third, and before she realized it, she had eaten all the sandwiches in the paper bag. "Mommy, do you have more?" After widely smiling Lady Yuuri replied, "When we arrive at Castle Walluo, we will have something better. So, wait for a little, okay?" In an instant Yuuna replied with eager nods and Lady Yuuri hugged her tightly one more time. At the same time, Lady Yuuri''s bodyguards have finished unloading various commodities for the villager. After bowing slightly towards the Maester who was teaching Yuuna, Yuuna''s bodyguard, and the other residents, Lady Yuuri then carried Yuuna up on top of her Cloud Hawk. The journey to Walluo City was then being continued in hurry, as the sun had almost set in the west and Cloud Hawk could not fly at night. ***** TFA2 1.2 - Copper Ore TFA2 1.2 - Copper Ore Terrek Mansion, Castle Walluo 18:15, 26 Sept 2025 Finally, Lady Yuuri was able to see flameless lamp and other electric mechanisms. Unfortunately, she didn''t have time to satisfy her curiosity. Osvik and the three Maesters insisted that the talks regarding cooperation with Amethyst Merchant should be carried out immediately. In the end, Lady Yuuri complied with their requests. However, she requested that the meeting was to be carried out in the dining room, as she also wanted to accompany Yuuna to dinner. While living in the farmer''s settlement Yuuna only ate two meals a day, so Lady Yuuri wanted Yuuna to eat well when she was home. After bathing, Lady Yuuri then took Yuuna to dining room. Over there, Osvik and the three Maesters were already waiting for her, but she directed all her attention to the delicacy on the table. She was a bit taken back as she found only five pieces of fried chicken wrapped in flour, a basket of finger-sized fries, a plate of thinly sliced ??cucumbers, a bowl of thick chili sauce, and a drink filled with assorted pieces of fruit. In terms of quantity, the dinner was adequate enough for a child, but the fried chicken was too plain as a welcome dinner for Yuuna. Moreover, it was not her favorite dish. ''Looks like I was gone for too long that the castle chef had forgot his real master. But for now, I had to let Yuuna eat first,'' Lady Yuuri muttered as she suppressed her irritation. Swiftly, Lady Yuuri then put a few pieces of fried chicken on Yuuna''s plate, and she waited until Yunna started eating her dinner before turning her gaze to Osvik. "Skip the technical stuff, I can read it myself. Tell me what commodity that Amethyst Merchant wants the most." Osvik firmly replied, ¡°Big Bro Slane has set unlimited purchase quota for Nouel, copper ore, and iron ore. He already got Nouel from the Regions near Desolate Land''s entrance and a few days ago he secured iron ore supply from Kingdom of Buriek." "So, our only entrance is copper ore?" Lady Yuuri calmly asked. Maester Rivak immediately replied, "Yes, even if there are a lot of commodities that Amethyst Merchant wants in massive amount, copper ore is the only commodity that we can supply as many as we could almost without competitor.¡± "I see. Then, let''s prepare the talk with Sir Slane using copper ore as the base." "But Mom..." Osvik paused for a moment before continuing, "You can''t lead the negotiation with Amethyst Merchant." In an instant Lady Yuuri''s left eyebrow rose. "Why?" Maester Kallep immediately explained, "The day after the peace treaty between Kingdom of Buriek and Sandhur Region is signed, King Buriek XII immediately visited Magwurt City and he is still there now." Maester Rivak added, "If Milady visits Magwurt City now, a speculation that you try to secretly meet King Buriek XII will arise, and it will cause suspicion from Makai Royal Family.¡± After heaving a deep sigh Lady Yuuri said, "I understand." In Amstell Continent, it was no secret that merchants were bound by the authority where they came from. The bigger the trading companies, the higher the connection and privilege they got. Of course, the privilege had to be followed by a bigger contribution and loyalty. As a kingdom-level trading company, Merry Gold Union was asked by Makai Royal Family to wage a secret war trade to anyone that they define as their enemy. The example of such request was economic suppression to Kingdom of Buriek. For many years, Merry Gold Union had suppressed Kingdom of Buriek''s economic and even tried to destroy it. It was something that Lady Yuuri happily complied with. As it would lead into a huge profit and ensure the dominance of Merry Gold Union in the entire territory of Kingdom of Makai. As she put the second piece of fried chicken on Yuuna''s plate, Lady Yuuri asked, "Do you have suggestion in mind?" Osvik instantly and confidently said, "Let me lead--" "Denied," Lady Yuuri flatly rejected. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Mom, my relationship with Big Bro Slane is very good. I''m confident I will bring huge profit for Merry Gold Union from this negotiation." "No." Lady Yuuri took a deep sighed as she muttered, ''So, you want this conversation to take place as soon as possible because you see an opportunity to lead it.'' Long time ago, Lady Yuuri had already decided that she would bequeath Merry Gold Union to Yuuna. First, it was because she believed in Yuuna''s abilities. Second, because Osvik would inherit Kandez Region from his father. Everyone in Terrek''s family already knew it and Osvik also accepted it because he was aware of his own abilities. Therefore, she was a bit surprised Osvik¡¯s change of attitude. ''Did he forget that every time he leads a negotiation, he is always completely being ripped off if the three Maesters are not with him?'' Lady Yuuri took another deep sighed before turning her gaze to the three Maesters. "What do you think?" "Young Master Osvik has established a tight relationship with Sir Slane, so it is feasible to let him lead the negotiation with Amethyst Merchant," Maester Kallep replied. "Indeed, somehow, Sir Slane treats Young Master Osvik like his own brother," Maester Rivak added. "I believe Young Maester Osvik will bring prosperity through the trade with Amethyst Merchant," Master Ciesar concluded. In an instant Osvik smiled smugly, while Lady Yuuri massaged her forehead. As far as she could remember, the three Maesters had secretly despised Osvik for his idiocy. So, it was hard to believe when the three suddenly changed their view so drastically. ''What in the world is really happening when I''m gone?'' Lady Yuuri muttered before asking, "Can we invite Sir Slane to come here?" "My Lady, I''m afraid it''s not a wise choice," Maester Kallep warily said. "Mom, it turns out that in every aspect, Amethyst Merchant is far bigger than what we wrote in our first report," Osvik added. Lady Yuuri frowned as she said, "Amethyst Merchant indeed has a high-end product and solid finances. They also have a decent military might. However, even if their potential is higher than what you have estimated, to enter Kingdom of Makai they will need Merry Gold Union¡¯s network. So, we have an equal stand with them, correct?" ¡°No, we don¡¯t,¡± Osvik replied in a dead-serious tone. Maester Kallep immediately added, "We are lucky enough to be able to peek a bit about their agreement with Kingdom of Buriek, and it''s not as simple as a trade agreement on a national level. It''s more like high-tech assistance on a national scale, to level up Kingdom of Buriek in all fields. In short, Amethyst Merchant can change the fate of a kingdom and not just a simple trading company." After a deep breath Lady Yuuri said, "If what you all say is true, I will definitely not let Osvik lead the negotiations with them." "But Milady!" Maester Rivak lowered his tone before continuing, "It''s a huge waste if we don''t exploit the good relationship between Young Master Osvik and Sir Slane." "I need to think about it carefully. For now, let''s talk about copper ore," Lady Yuuri firmly decided. "Mom, let''s just supply them with every copper ore we can access. In return, we ask Amethyst Merchant to become our exclusive partner." "That is one of the main reasons why I can''t let you lead the talk with Amethyst Merchant." In an instant Osvik pursed his lips, while Lady Yuuri was lost in contemplation. The Arasmus Family was the owner of largest copper mine in Kingdom of Makai. While the second-largest mine was owned by Pavel Terrek, Count Terrek''s second son and Osvik''s half-brother. Therefore, supplying copper ore was an easy feat for Merry Gold Union. However, as a merchant Lady Yuuri could not act recklessly without knowing the true value of a commodity. ''As a trading company, why are they targeting copper, and not gold or silver?'' Lady Yuuri inwardly asked. On Amstell Continent, gold was the main currency where Kingdom of Makai and Kingdom of Horrep constantly competed to collect it. Meanwhile, silver was used as the main material for high-value ornaments. As for copper, it was only used as a mix in the coins used by commoners. "Do any of you know why Amethyst Merchant wants copper ore?" "No," Osvik replied weakly, while the three Maesters shook their heads. "What about the number of copper used in the electric mechanism?" Maester Kallep immediately explained, "Copper is vital for electric mechanisms, but the market for electric mechanisms is only noble families. Meanwhile, the demand for copper that they are asking for is much larger." "I see." Lady Yuuri took a deep breath before continuing, "It seems the four of you never thought the possibility that copper is vital commodity in the place where Amethyst Merchant came from." Seeing Osvik and the three Maesters remained silent, Lady Yuuri immediately said, "For the time being, we will release our supply of copper ore in a measured manner, and let''s continue this talk tomorrow." Without many words, Osvik and the three Maesters nodded before leaving the dining room. Lady Yuuri then turned her gaze to Yuuna and she instantly gasped as she found the fried chicken already gone without a trace. "Hey, did you eat it all?" In reflex, Yuuna replied with rapid nods and then she said, "Mom, the fried chicken is super delish, spicy, and crispy." "Do you like it?" "Yes, Yuuna super-duper likes it." "I see," Lady Yuuri happily said as she gently wiped the grease around Yuuna''s lips. ''It seems there are a lot of things going on in this house while I was away.'' In a happy mood, Lady Yuuri and Yuuna then enjoyed the fries along with the thick sauce, and surprisingly it also tasted good. ***** TFA2 1.3 - A Stepson TFA2 1.3 - A Stepson Count Terrek''s Bedroom, Castle Walluo. 20:45, 26 Sept 2025 Count Terrek was in the middle of a war game when he received a message that Lady Yuuri had returned. Without delay, he returned to Castle Walluo, and after cleaning his body and changing his clothes he immediately rushed to his room. When he saw Lady Yuuri was leaning on the head of the bed while reading a document, a smile instantly bloomed on Count Terrek''s lips. It was no secret that Lady Yuuri was an expert in manipulating someone and she also never trusts anyone. Therefore, when she married a young nobleman from a rural region and even helped him rise from Viscount to a Count, many people concluded that the husband she chose was only a pawn. Moreover, a few months after the marriage, Lady Yuuri gradually moved the liquid assets of Merry Gold Union to Kandez Region. She even turned the region into the biggest food producer in Kingdom of Makai. But actually, Lady Yuuri was truly in love with Count Terrek and she had never treated him like a puppet. Lady Yuuri asked only one thing. Count Terrek must not have concubines or intimate relationship with other women. Unfortunately, Count Terrek had violated Lady Yuuri''s term once. And even though Lady Yuuri didn''t divorce him after his fatal mistake, bitter guilt still plagued his heart to this moment. As he approached the bed, Count Terrek gently said, "Dear, you had come back." "Yeah." Lady Yuuri smiled at Count Terrek and then asked him to sit next to her. "Can you give me your assessment on Amethyst Merchant''s military capacity?" Count Terrek calmly replied, "We should not start a conflict with them. Whatever disguise they put in front, an organization that beat Northern Coalition on a matter of days is not a light opponent." "Then, what if Kandez Region had to choose between Kingdom of Makai and Amethyst Merchant?" Count Terrek deeply sighed before answering, "It''s a difficult choice. I need to know the background of the situation before I can weigh the pro and cons for every possibility." Lady Yuuri slightly nodded before continuing in a whisper, "King Makai XXII had decided to launch a retaliatory invasion on Kingdom of Buriek, so there is a high probability that an open conflict against Amethyst Merchant will occur." "Is it the warhawk in Makai Royal Hall who proposed it?" "Yeah, their main idea is to make the retaliatory invasion as a competition for the three princes who are fighting for the throne." "I see." "Well, let''s continue this talk tomorrow." Lady Yuuri then took off her bed robe and exposed her slender body, which had perfect curves and mounds in the most appropriate place. There was no sign that she had given birth to two children in the slightest. Without delay, Count Terrek also took off his clothes and immediately took a position above Lady Yuuri, who opened both her legs widely. Then, Count Terrek started to move his waist and short long gasps were immediately heard alternately. --- Pavel Terrek''s Study, Castle Walluo. 08:20, 27 Sept 2025 While in a light mood Pavel sat in his desk, studying the intelligence regarding Amethyst Merchant¡¯s latest activities. Pavel''s room was a bit spacious but very minimalist. Apart from a mini-fridge and the stationary that his servant bought from Amethyst Merchant, the other furniture was old, ordinary, and made of wood. Also, there were some kid toys in a very good condition in one of the corners. However, even if his room was very humble, anyone who knew Pavel Terrek would never underestimate him, the youngest viscount in the history of Kingdom of Makai. Pavel Terrek was Count Terrek''s second son, or more precisely he was the result of his carelessness. When he was heavily affected by alcohol, Count Terrek dragged a young maid onto his bed. However, even though the noble bloodline in his vein was not pure, it did not reduce Pavel¡¯s capability and capacity as an excellent leader. At the age of sixteen, Pavel graduated from Makai Royal Academy by holding the title of Maester in politics, military, and general trading. It was an achievement that only ever won by the founder of Makai Royal Academy. As a form of admiration, King Makai XXII gave Pavel the title of Viscount along with Horak Region. The size of Horak Region was indeed only slightly above average. However, it was fiercely contested by many noble families because the second-largest copper mine in Kingdom of Makai was located in this Region. Not long after that, three princes who were fighting for the throne tried to pull Pavel to their camp. Considering that the fight for the throne did not only require strong military support but also large funds, but Pavel refused the invitation. He firmly stated that he would dedicate his life to help his step-grandfather, Duke Arasmus, in defending the northern border from Kingdom of Horrep''s harassment. The speculation that Duke Arasmus would pass on the title of Northern Guardian to Pavel immediately appeared. And to this day, Arasmus Family never confirmed or denied the speculation. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Also, even though he lost his mother a few days after he was born, who was killed at the command of Terrek Family''s Elder, and his relationship with his father was as cold as ice, Pavel never bore any hatred to Walluo City or Kandez Region. Therefore, as soon as he heard about Tuscan Region''s victory over Northern Coalition, Pavel immediately returned to Castle Walluo and observing Amethyst Merchant''s movement very carefully. When Amethyst Merchant wanted to buy agricultural commodities from Kandez Region, Pavel sent some of his men to participate in the negotiations. And when some farmer families disturbed the trades because they wanted to be appointed as representatives, he intervened so that the trades with Amethyst Merchants could continue smoothly. Then, when Osvik disturbed Dourk Tavern, Pavel almost had a heart attack. Considering that Oldman Dourk was quite close to Ser Slane the leader of Amethyst Merchant and based on the info he managed to collect, Amethyst Merchant could easily flatten Walluo City to the ground. Fortunately, Osvik''s action did not end with a tragedy somehow. After making a few small notes, Pavel then got up and cheerfully walked towards a blue 54-liter mini-fridge in the corner of the room. After putting four ice cubes into a large cup, he then poured Amur Beer. "It''s still delicious, no matter how many times I enjoy it.¡± After sipping his favorite beer foam with pleasure, Pavel then returned to his desk. And he was about to sit when Yuuna entered the room and approached him. "Big bro Pavel, Mommy is coming here. You should hide." "Huh?" Pavel''s relationship with his father was indeed as cold as eternal ice, but the person he wanted to avoid the most was Lady Yuuri Arasmus. Fortunately, Yuuna always helped him, so he never doubted her. As panic filled his face, Pavel said, "Thank you Yuuna, and when Lady Yuuri arrives, please tell her I''m not here." "Okay." Yuuna cheerfully raised her thumb, and wasting no time Pavel ran towards the window. It was quite wide, while the height was slightly lower than his waist, so jumping over it was a trivial thing for Pavel. In a flash, Pavel arrived in front of the window. However, he immediately stopped his steps as not far in front of him, right across the window, Lady Yuuri stood with both hands at her waist. A sense of victory filled her face as Lady Yuuri said, "I got you." "Ugh..." Seeing Pavel was standing awkwardly in front of her, Lady Yuuri smiled smugly. She then approached the window and with the help of Pavel, she jumped over it. Before long, Lady Yuuri and Pavel had sat on the sofa facing each other. Meanwhile, Yuuna who sat next to Lady Yuuri put on an expression as if to say, ''I''m sorry Big Bro, Yuuna had no choice''. After smiling slightly at Yuuna, Pavel turned to Lady Yuuri, and then he said as gently as possible. "Umm¡­ Lady Yuu---" However, Pavel immediately stopped his words because Lady Yuuri''s gaze suddenly became as sharp as a sword. --- Lady Yuuri married Count Terrek at the age of seventeen. Shortly after the honeymoon, she then returned to Makai Royal City to take care a few things. Then, when she came back to Castle Walluo she found out that a few days before, Count Terrek had banged a young maid when he was drunk. Lady Yuuri said nothing, but from her gaze Count Terrek could feel deep sadness, anger, and disappointment. He then asked the young maid to drink medication to prevent pregnancy, and then gave her a large sum of gold coins, and sent her home to her village. But who would have thought that the young maid never drank the medication to prevent pregnancy. She said that she didn''t care about money and status, all she wanted was a child who was handsome or beautiful, and intelligent like the children of nobles. It was a simple and naive wish that in later days would cost her life. In the end, Terrek Family''s Elder knew that the young maid did not abort her pregnancy. She was then taken to Castle Walluo to get as much attention as possible. According to Terrek Family''s tradition, even if it was not pure noble blood, it shouldn''t be abandoned. At the same time, Lady Yuuri was also pregnant with her first child, and although her heart was still bitter, Lady Yuuri didn''t disturb the young maid at all. Of course, she refused to interact with her. To please Lady Yuuri, Count Terrek also never visited or accompanied the young maid. When she finally gave birth to Osvik, for the first time in her life Lady Yuuri understood the joy of being a mother. She was so happy that when she heard that the young maid who had hurt her heart gave birth to Pavel, she immediately sent a congratulatory gift. She was also angry when she heard that Count Terrek had not accompanied the young maid when she gave birth. Unfortunately, the young maid died four days after she gave birth. The healer at Castle Walluo said the young maid failed to recover from the exhaustion after giving the birth. Moreover, she lost too much blood in the delivery process. But Lady Yuuri knew the truth, Terrek Family''s Elder decided to kill the young maid so that he could fully raise Pavel without the influence of his mother who was a commoner. And somehow, Lady Yuuri couldn''t stop thinking about how sad the young maid would be to be separated from her child for eternity. Moreover, her heart became restless whenever she thought of Pavel who had to lose his mother when he was only a few days old. Without delay, right after the young maid''s funeral, Lady Yuuri visited her living quarters. The young maid living quarters were located in one of the best locations in Castle Walluo. The furniture in the room was also quite luxurious, although there was some simple wooden furniture in some corners. One of the simple wooden furniture was Pavel''s bed cage. Lady Yuuri had heard that Pavel''s grandfather, who lived in a farmer''s settlement in the mountain ranges west of Walluo City, had come to visit to deliver some homemade furniture. So Lady Yuuri was not surprised when she saw them, which didn''t match with other luxurious furniture at all. One thing that absorbed Lady Yuuri''s entire attention was the pile of socks, hand gloves, baby clothes, and toys neatly arranged beside the bed cage, and all of them were handmade. When she checked one of the half-finished baby clothes, Lady Yuuri found behind the collar there was a small stitch that read ''My precious Pavel''. In an instant, tears rolled down on Lady Yuuri''s cheeks. She clearly remembered that the young maid had blatantly said she didn''t care about money and status, but no one believed her because she diligently studied how to write and read like an ambitious woman. Then, wasting no time Lady Yuuri rushed to Terrek Elder''s living quarters. Over there, she found two maids are trying to breastfeed Pavel. But Pavel refused to drink the milk and kept crying, as if he knew that his mother who loved him so much had left him for eternity. After hearing from the two maids that Pavel hadn''t drunk milk at all since his mother died last night, Lady Yuuri immediately took Pavel and rocked him gently. Miraculously, Pavel immediately stopped crying. He even drank heartily when Lady Yuuri nursed him. Lady Yuuri then took Pavel back to her mother''s living quarters. There, while she cradled Pavel gently, she made an oath. "Please don''t worry, I will raise Pavel like my own child, and this place will become his study room, so he will always remember the mother who gave birth to him." And somehow, from the corner of the room Lady Yuuri heard a soft sigh filled with relief and deep gratitude. ***** TFA2 1.4 - Merry Gold Unions Representative TFA2 1.4 - Merry Gold Union''s Representative As she maintained her angry gaze at Pavel, Lady Yuuri said, "It seems like you have forgotten that I was the one who breast milk you, replaced your diaper, read you bed stories when you couldn''t sleep, accompanied you to play, and taught you all my knowledge." "No, I haven''t forgo---" Pavel couldn''t finish his words, as Lady Yuuri used her fingers to cut him. "Do you remember, when we had a lunch party in the garden and you were petrified because your father continued to give you a sharp gaze, I immediately beat him so he didn''t dare to mess with you any ever again? Also, every time your father bought something for Osvik and forgot about you, I would immediately buy the same thing for you." Lady Yuuri looked into the distance before continuing in a soft tone, "When you''re still a toddler, you would always follow me wherever I went while calling me Mommy and smiling broadly. There was even a moment when you called me ''Mom Yuuri is the best''. Gods who live in heaven, what happened to this child? Why did he forget me?" While he looked at Lady Yuuri deeply, Pavel said full of sincerity, "I would never forget that you are my second mother, who raised me, showered my life with your love and care, and supported my growth with everything you have. Without you, I''m just nothing." "Then, how dare you call me ''Lady Yuuri!" "Ugh¡­" Pavel pursed his lips for a moment before saying nervously, "M-Mom Yuuri, welcome back." "Good." In an instant, a smile as bright as a morning sun bloomed on Lady Yuuri''s lips. "Now, come here and sit next to Mommy." With a heavy heart, Pavel got up and approached Lady Yuuri. Then, as soon as he sat next to her, the thing he was most worried about happened. Lady Yuuri cheerfully rubbed his head, cupping his cheek, and kissed his forehead over and over again. Just as exactly as she used to do when he was still a toddler. The problem was, Lady Yuuri was still doing that habit even if Pavel was already 18-years-old. And when she saw Pavel pouted while his face became as red as tomato, the smile on her lips became thicker. "My Pavel, my precious Pavel," Lady Yuuri muttered as she hugged Pavel tightly. --- After she was satisfied to vent her love and care to Pavel, Lady Yuuri then scanned every corner of the room. "This place doesn''t change much." "I have a lot of good memories here, so no point in changing it." As Lady Yuuri smiled gently, Pavel took initiative to escape from her grip, "Mom, let me prepare some drinks and snacks for you and Yuuna." "Okay," Lady Yuuri said as she released Pavel''s arm. Without delay, Pavel went to a small kitchen in one corner of the room. Then, he swiftly prepared spicy beef jerky, pear jam filled pastry, onion flavored eel crackers, and a basket full of various fruits. As for the drinks, he prepared Amur Beer for Lady Yuuri and apple cider for Yuuna, the two drinks were served in a large glass with a lot of ice cubes. "Is this the famous Amur Beer?" Lady Yuuri asked as she received the large glass from Pavel. "It is," Pavel replied as he handed the cider to Yuuna. "Mmmm¡­ this is good. Too bad this beer hasn''t entered Makai Royal City yet. " "Well, even now Amethyst Merchant still has difficulty to fulfill the demand from Regions around Desolate Land¡¯s entrance." "I see." Lady Yuuri took a bite of spicy beef jerky before continuing, "Pavel, I''ll go straight to the point. I want you to lead the talk with Amethyst Merchant. Also, it''s already the time for Yuuna to learn from you. So, prepare her as best as you can before she can take over Merry Gold Union from me." "Big Brother Osvik will be angry if he hears this." "He won''t dare, and I can only entrust Yuuna to you." Hearing her mother''s words, Yuuna who was happily enjoying an onion flavored eel cracker instantly nodded three times. "I don''t want to learn under Big Dumbo Osvik," Yuuna firmly said. "See, even his little sister thinks he is a goof." "Okay, I''ll do it." Even if he didn''t care about position in Merry Gold Union, Pavel would never let Yuuna be tutored by Osvik. So, without second thought, he agreed to Lady Yuuri''s request. "Do you have term that I need to follow in the talk?" "No, I believe in your skill and I''m sure you already collected the necessary info." Lady Yuuri slightly smiled before continuing, "You can make your own term, but bear in mind that conflict between Kingdom of Makai and Amethyst Merchant may occur in near future." Pavel nodded and then said, "I heard from a friend in Makai Royal Hall that the three princes who fought for the throne would launch a retaliatory invasion on Kingdom of Buriek." "Yes, they''ve already sent a request to Merry Gold Union, asking us to provide supply and equipment at a discount price." Lady Yuuri paused for a moment before continuing, "Meanwhile, Kingdom of Buriek already sent a notification that they will increase iron ore''s price and limit the sales quota to Kingdom of Makai." The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "It seems like conflict between the two kingdoms is unavoidable." "Yeah, but more importantly you also have to apologize to Sir Slane, because your father unintentionally almost killed him when he was a child." "Didn''t you have sent an apology through Big Brother Osvik before?" "Yes, but this time I want it to come from you as Merry Gold Union''s representative." "Okay, I''ll prepare a gift for him then." "Good." After she delivered the purpose of her visit, relief immediately filled Lady Yuuri''s face, especially when she saw Pavel attentively peeling a pear for Yuuna, just as exactly as when she used to peel a fruit for Pavel. ''Now, I can relax here with Yuuna until dinner time,'' Lady Yuuri muttered as a thin smile appeared on her lips. --- Main Living Room, Terrek''s Mansion 20:10, 27 Sept 2025 After dinner, Yuuna and the three Maesters helped Pavel prepared the talks with Amethyst Merchants. Therefore, Lady Yuuri could calmly enjoy a fashion magazine that was published by Amethyst Publishing. The fashion magazine used Amstell Language and was super popular among noble ladies, and Lady Yuuri was no exception. Then, without warning, Osvik suddenly entered the living room and sat before Lady Yuuri. "Mom, why do you choose Pavel as Merry Gold Union¡¯s representative?" Osvik asked in agonizing tone. "Why shouldn''t I?" Lady Yuuri casually asked in return. "It''s not fair. I''m the one who made first contact with Amethyst Merchant." "You can still maintain your relationship with Amethyst Merchant as Kandez Region''s representative. I didn''t strip your position at all." "Mom, why do you always give the best part of the meat to Pavel?" "Because he deserved it." Sniff! Sniff! In an instant, tears flowed on Osvik''s cheeks but Lady Yuuri ignored it. "You are not my mom," Osvik said. "You are not my son," Lady Yuuri replied. "You are the worst mom in the world." "You are the worst son in the world" "I wish I was not born into this world by you." "I wish I didn''t give birth to you." "I hope yo---" "Shut up!" In the end, Lady Yuuri lost her patience. "Can''t you let me enjoy my time peacefully?" ¡°¡­¡± As tears flooded Osvik''s cheeks, Lady Yuuri casually said, "Fine, let''s make a simple review. When both you and Pavel were five years old, I sent you to stay at the farmer''s settlement in Norville Region. At that time, you two said, ''Mommy, I will make you proud.'' so I was super happy. You were smarter than Pavel, so at the age of seven years you could already read and write fluently. But then, you pretended to be sick and sent a letter to your father to pick you from the farmer''s settlement. When I tried to stop him, it resulted in a big and fierce argument. He even threatened to divorce me. So, what kind of son who almost caused his father to divorce his mother?" "Kughh!" "At the age of nine, your grandfather, Duke Arasmus, came to teach you martial art personally, while he only sent his bodyguard to teach Pavel. At that time, you said, ''Grandpa, I will make you proud.'' So I was super happy. But then, two weeks later you banged your head into a wall, and threatened your Grandfather you would keep banging your head if he didn''t leave Castle Walluo immediately." "Kughh!" "You were stronger and smarter from Pavel. You also got overflowing support from both your parents, while Pavel only had my support. So, how did you get left behind so so so far by him?" "Mom, it''s called fate." "Fate my ass." Lady Yuuri snorted before continuing, "For many years, Pavel dried up his sweat and blood to fulfill his promise to make me proud. Even your grandfather, Duke Arasmus who was famous for his iron heart, was deeply touched after he saw how Pavel practiced sword art as if his life was depended on it. Yes, at the age of ten he almost failed to enter Makai Royal Academy, while you reached the top ten in the entry exam. But in the end, he became the best graduate in Makai Royal Academy''s long history, while you failed to even graduate normally. You sank too deep in hedonist lifestyle while studying in Makai Royal Academy, and using your father as a shield every time I tried to correct you. Even so, to this day I never abandoned you and still give you overflowing support." "K-ugh!" "Now, wipe your fake tears and let me enjoy my time peacefully." "Okay, but at least, can I take part in talks with Amethyst Merchant?" "You can, as Kandez Region''s representative of course." "Okay." Wasting no time, Osvik wiped his tears before leaving the living room. He already achieved his goal, to get approval from Lady Yuuri, so Yuuna could no longer kick him out of the meeting room. At the same time, Lady Yuuri sighed deeply, and then she returned her attention back to the fashion magazine in her hand. --- East Gate of Walluo City 08:05, 28 Sept 2025 With permission from Count Terrek, Amethyst Merchant built a road that connected Magwurt City and Joker Trading Post. Initially, the road was only used to move goods and commodities. But then, it was also used to transport nobles who wanted to visit Magwurt City. The road was then connected with Walluo City, and called Magwurt-Walluo Highroad. Next to the east gate of Walluo City, seven luxuries Black Vans belonging to Maple Palace Hotel were lined up neatly. Not far from it, there were several M1151 Rippers and M1152 Personnel Carriers that would escort the convoy. Most nobles who happened to also go to Magwurt City had entered their vans. While next to the leading van, Lady Yuuri looked at the iron carriage that she saw for the first time intensely. ''So, this is what they called car huh,'' Lady Yuuri muttered as she touched the Black Van''s seat made of Gray Wolf leather. "What a shame, I really want to enjoy the trip using this car." "Mom, sooner or later you will have your chance," Pavel calmly said. After smiling slightly Lady Yuuri said, "I know." Without delay, Pavel then helped Yuuna entered the Black Van, followed by Maester Kalep. "Pavel, make sure Yuuna learns a lot from the talk with Amethyst Merchant," Lady Yuuri firmly said. "Understood," After hugging Lady Yuuri tightly, Pavel then climbed onto the Black Van. He ignored Count Terrek who stood next to Lady Yuuri and looked at him indifferently. At the same time, Osvik and the two other Maesters entered the second van. It was visible that Osvik was not happy with Lady Yuuri''s decisions, but he fully realized how far the limit of his ability. Moreover, the three Maesters agreed if Merry Gold Union would be led by Pavel until it was time for Yuuna to take it over. Also, he still held the position of Kandez Region''s representative at least. The trip to Magwurt City then began, and in an instant the convoy was out of sight. ***** TFA2 1.5 - Delicious Offer TFA2 1.5 - Delicious Offer Lt. Colonel Slane''s Office 08:30, 28 Sept 2025 Count Weizz, Viscount Olrig, and Viscount Yelk. The three leaders of Northern Coalition came to meet Lt. Colonel Slane to convey a complaint. Count Weizz carefully opened the talk, "Sir Slane, if Amethyst Merchant opens an official trade relationship with other Regions around Desolate Land''s entrance, they would buy the commodities to Amethyst Merchant directly, along with the sales of Nouel." With a tone as careful as Count Weizz, Viscount Olrig added, "Therefore, Northern Coalition will lose a massive income. It was unfair for us after we helped market and promote Amethyst Merchant''s commodities." Viscount Yelk also stated his opinion, "Actually, we don''t mind if the purchase is done on a small scale by Nobles who were visiting Magwurt City. However, we oppose large purchase. Moreover, Sir Slane asks us not to charge any taxes for nobles and commodities that pass through our territory." "I understand your objection." Lt. Colonel Slane slightly nodded as he smiled. It could be said Amethyst Merchant was more than capable in suppressing Northern Coalition. Moreover, their role in marketing Amethyst Merchant''s commodities was not as big as they thought. But in the long-term, maintaining good relations with Northern Coalition would also useful for Amethyst Merchant and TF Amethyst. "I''ll be frank," Lt. Colonel Slane said casually, "I want to rid your role as a middle party because I need to suppress the price so the volume of transaction would increase." """Sir Slane!""" In a flash, despair filled the face of Northern Coalition''s leaders, but Lt. Col. Slane ignored it. "In return," Lt. Colonel Slane said, still in his casual tone, "I will give Northern Coalition other sources of income." "Other sources of income?" Count Weizz asked with a puzzled face. "Yes, Amethyst Merchant intends to open a factory of vegetable oil, sesame oil, and such." In an instant, the three leaders of Northern Coalition dropped their jaws. It was natural because the oils that Amethyst Merchants introduced were luxurious commodities in culinary art, and now they had even become one of exclusive commodities monopolized by the nobles. Coincidentally, to restore the potential of Nouel Farmland, the Nouel''s planting must be interspersed with corn, soybeans, peanuts, and sesame, where all these commodities were the main ingredients of vegetable oil, sesame oil, and such. "Sir Slane, you are not joking right?" Viscount Olrig nervously said. "I don''t. Amethyst Merchant also plans to open a factory of Amur Beer and Lada Whiskey in Northern Coalition''s Territories. We need it as right now we have Kingdom of Buriek as a huge customer." While the three leaders of Northern Coalition deeply sank in a trance, Lt. Colonel Slane handed over a number of documents. "The details are in this document. Basically, it''s pretty similar with the proposal I gave to Tuscan Region. Please study them carefully before you make the final decision." "We will." "And this," Lt. Colonel Slane handed over another document as he continued, "is my proposal to build a high road that will connect all Regions around Desolate Land¡¯s entrance with Magwurt City. We will build it for free, but every region must bear the maintenance cost. We build this high road for economic and trade purposes, but for a Regions that are worried we will use it as a means of military mobilization, they can reject this proposal. Of course, in the future Amethyst Merchant will only build a factory in Regions that are connected to Magwurt City. Please help me to communicate this project." """We will,""" The three leaders of Northern Coalition firmly replied. "Thank you." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled widely before continuing, "And please remember, when there is a meat pie, Amethyst Merchant will happily share it to anyone who helped to secure it." """We understood.""" Without Delay, the three leaders of Northern Coalition then said their goodbye. They just got a very sweet proposal, so they couldn''t wait to study it. ''Phew... I still have a meeting with Pavel Terrek,'' Lt. Colonel Slane muttered as he hurried to the Main Meeting Room. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Yesterday afternoon, while crying tragically, Osvik told him that Pavel would come as Merry Gold Union''s representative, so Lt. Colonel Slane had made some preparations. --- Main Meeting Room, Amethyst Merchant Marketing Complex. 09:20, 28 Sept 2025 Other than Yuuna, every member of the group from Walluo City had visited Magwurt City, so they all already had a passport to enter Magwurt City. As for Yuuna, Rutim had received special instructions from Lt. Colonel Slane, so Yuuna''s registration process was completed in a few minutes. Yuuna even had a chance to take a photo with Pavel. The group from Walluo City was then taken to Amethyst Merchant''s marketing office, while some of their bodyguards took their luggage to their room at Mapple Palace. Once he entered the meeting room, Lt. Colonel Slane immediately approached the group from Walluo City, who was sitting on the couch while enjoying some snacks. Wasting no time, Lt. Colonel Slane said, "Viscount Pavel, Brother Osvik, Lady Yuuna, and the Three Maester, welcome to Magwurt City. It''s my honor to have you all as my guest." "Sir Slane, the honor is ours," Pavel replied as he stood up and shook Lt. Colonel Slane''s hand. "Brother Slane, please don''t treat us as if we are strangers," Osvik said before hugging Lt. Colonel Slane. "Understood." Lt. Col. Slane smiled before shaking hands with Yuuna and the Three Maester. Wasting no time, Pavel then handed over a small wooden box to Lt. Colonel Slane, "Sir Slane, please allow me to apologize for the misunderstanding that had happened between you and my father." "Please, don''t worry about it. It''s just a small thing in the past, and please conveys my greetings for Count Terrek." "I will." Without the slightest of guilt that the misunderstanding mentioned by Pavel was actually never happened, Lt. Colonel Slane checked the item in the small wooden box, and a thin smile immediately bloomed in his lips. At the same time, relief filled Pavel''s heart. "Well then, I''ll get straight to the point." As he sat down, Lt. Colonel Slane continued, "I believe Merry Gold Union already knew what kind of commodities that Amethyst Merchant has or needed. I''ll just emphasize that Amethyst Merchant will buy copper ore no matter how big or small the quantity." Pavel replied calmly, "Yes, I have already heard it from the Three Maester. Fortunately, Merry Gold Union has full control over copper mine in Horak and Norville Region, so it''s not a big deal. We will easily move copper ore from the two regions to Joker Trading Post, and I come specifically to talk about the details." "I see. I''m glad to hear that." "It''s just," Pavel paused for a moment before continuing, "In the list of commodities that I received from the Three Maester it doesn¡¯t mention about iron ore. Considering that Kingdom of Buriek just moved the flow of iron ore to Amethyst Merchant, can we barter with copper ore?" "No, I''m sorry we can¡¯t do that. Amethyst Merchant won''t do the barter no matter what." In an instant, the Three Maester''s expression became stiff, but Pavel calmly asked, "Sir Slane, can you please explain the reason?" "It''s Amethyst Merchant policy. We don¡¯t sell raw material. In case of iron ore, we will only sell steel alloy, semi processed material per request, standard construction component, or fully finished product." "How about pig iron?" "We will sell some pig iron only to Kingdom of Buriek." With a serious tone Pavel said, "Sir Slane, the termination of iron ore supply to Kingdom of Makai will cause turmoil, and it''s not a good environment for business, unless short-term gain without any care to the future gain is our objective." "I am fully aware about the potential for the turmoil, but Kingdom of Buriek only provides 40% of Amstell Continent¡¯s iron ore need. So, the turmoil that arises will not paralyze Kingdom of Makai''s economy, even though some big players in the construction business will go bankrupt. Still in a casual tone, Lt. Colonel Slane continued, "As for Merry Gold Union, you only need to make a price adjustment and maybe lose a few customers, but it will not affect Merry Gold Union in a bigger scheme." "I see." Pavel then paused for almost two minutes before asked, "What if Merry Gold Union refused to sell copper ore to Amethyst Merchant unless the payment is using iron ore?" After a casual smile, Lt. Colonel Slane replied, "What if Amethyst Merchant offered a proposal to open a factory of various BBQ sauce, paper & pencils, tissue, garment, black beer in the level of Amur Beer, and several other factories in Kandez Region?" Osvik and the Three Maester immediately dropped their jaws, while Pavel could not hide the deep shock in his heart. No one predicted the ambush launched by Lt. Colonel Slane, so their calculation went out of the window in a matter of a split second. It''s no secret that every Amethyst Merchant''s commodities were a high-end product. So, having access to its factory was no different from having a gold mine. "Big Bro Slane, are you serious with your offer?" Osvik tremblingly asked. "I''m. Kandez Region has abundant raw material, while Amethyst Merchant has the technology. So, why don''t we combine it?" Lt. Colonel Slane happily smiled before continuing, "I also already prepared the proposal. Merry Gold Union can choose one or all factories that I offer after studying it." "How big is the percentage of ownership that can be held by Merry Gold Union?" Pavel asked. "No more than 30%, and Amethyst Merchants hold full power over the management of each factory." "I see." Pavel slightly nodded and then continued, "Sir Slane, Merry Gold Union will open a branch office in Magwurt City." "Then, I will gladly help you take care of the administration procedure.¡± "Thank you." "No problem." Actually, it was Lt. Colonel Slane who actually had to thank Pavel, as the more Amethyst Merchant''s commodities were produced locally, the shipping quota from earth would become smaller. Therefore, in addition to cutting the costs, the risk of Amstell Continent¡¯s exposure would also decrease. Of course, Lt. Colonel Slane would never say it to his guests. ***** TFA2 1.6 - Tiger Leap TFA2 1.6 - Tiger Leap Main Meeting Room, Amethyst Merchant Marketing Complex. 10:12, 28 Sept 2025 After the meeting with Merry Gold Union, Lt. Colonel Slane did not leave the main meeting room. He stayed while study the last update about the Guests From East. The last time he studied about their progress, they had succeeded in establishing four fort cities each of which was 100 km away, heading west to Terry Hill. And now, they have succeeded in establishing another three fort cities. In short, the Guest From East had already advanced 600 km from east coast of Amstell Continent, or about one-third from the total distance before they could launch a serious ground offensive to Harley Quinn. And it was a solid and calculated marching. In contrast to the sloppy advance of Northern Coalition when they attacked Magwurt City. TF Amethyst''s higher-ups decided to stop the Guest From East by setting up Gandalf MOB, in a mountain range 500 km east of Harley Quinn. Then, they would wait for Amphibious Strike Group to enter the operational phase. After that, an offensive to east coast of Amstell Continent would be launched, or to the guests from the east''s homeland if necessary. Unfortunately, Major Petrov sent an intel that Kingdom of Makai would launch a retaliatory invasion on Kingdom of Buriek, right when Gandalf MOB fully entered operational status. As TF Amethyst was low on equipment, spare parts, and ammunition, the situation became tricky. Fighting both Guest From East and Kingdom of Makai at the same time would be too heavy for current TF Amethyst. The only option was to beat one of its opponents as fast as possible. And for now, the opponent within TF Amethyst''s reach was Kingdom of Makai. The problem, if Kingdom of Makai refused to back down and got destroyed, it would disrupt the plans to make the kingdom as main market for Amethyst Merchant''s commodities. So, consent from Lt. Colonel Slane was needed. Last night, General O''Neil and Vex asked Lt. Colonel Slane to make an assessment of whether it was possible to exclude Kingdom of Makai from Amethyst Merchant''s marketing plant, and Lt. Colonel Slane would only give the answer after a meeting with Northern Coalition and Merry Gold Union. --- With a casual step, Vex passed four guards at the door and entering the main meeting room. Inside the room, he saw Kim Dong Ree and several Lt. Colonel Slane''s security details were happily enjoying the leftover snacks from the meeting. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Slane was already in the isolated cubicle in one corner of the room. As he recalled Lt. Kim Dong Chun¡¯s message, Vex took the time to approach Kim Dong Ree. "Dong Dong, you''ll get fat if you don''t stop eating the pound cake." "Shut up, Vex." Kim Dong Ree took a big bite on her pound cake before continuing, "Also, my name is Kim Dong Ree, not Dong Dong." Vex took a slice of pound cake from the service table before asking, "Dong Dong, why are you so fierce? You''ll never marry if someday Slane dumps you." "He won''t dare or he will die while trying." Vex slightly smiled before saying, "Well, I just want to deliver a message from Lieutenant Kim Dong Chun. He is worried because you stopped calling him." "I already told him that I would only call him when there is an emergency." "I see." Vex nodded slightly, and then continued, "I don''t mean to interfere with your personal life, and this is just a bit of advice from someone who doesn''t have parents anymore. At least call your father once a month or a week, even if it is only to say a simple hello." "I will try it." "Good, and I truly thought that Dong Dong sounded very cute." "As if." Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. As Kim Dong Ree rolled her eyes, Vex happily hurried to the isolated cubicle. Inside, the cubicle Lt. Colonel Slane was busy studying his laptop, while on the table before him stood a statue of a dove which was perched while carrying a wheat stalk in its beak. The statue was made of pure silver and has a dimension as big as an adult fist. "Nice bird," Vex said as he closed and locked the isolated cubicle''s door. Lt. Colonel Slane nodded and said, "Yeah, a gift from Pavel Terrek. The value is about 500 thousand USD, but the meaning behind this gift is what we should appreciate for." "I see." Wasting no time, Vex then activated the curtain that fully closed the isolated cubicle from outside view, along with a counter-eavesdropping mechanism. At the same time, Lt. Colonel Slane turned the main screen on. "I will connect us to General O''Neil." "Okay," Vex replied as he sat in one of the chairs. A moment later, the main screen in the isolated cubicle displayed General O''Neil, and he calmly said, "Let''s start the meeting." "Okay," Lt. Colonel Slane nodded before saying, "I already gave some delicious offers to Kandez Region and Regions around Desolate Land''s entrance, that''s more than enough to show our good intentions. So, if in the future they choose to side with Kingdom of Makai and even try to stab us, feel free to destroy them." "Good, that will make our job easier," General O''Neil calmly said. "I also already drafted a plan to buy food staples from Kandez Region as much as possible, around five times from what I had submitted to Osvik. So, if Kandez Region becomes hostile after we launch our offensive on Kingdom of Makai, at least we have secured the food supply for Kingdom of Buriek." "I see," Vex nodded and said. "As for Kingdom of Makai, yes, it is a market several times bigger than Kingdom of Buriek, but I don''t mind if we let it go." "Slane, are you sure?" General O''Neil curiously asked. Lt. Colonel Slane firmly replied, "I''m. I mean, even if Kingdom of Makai disintegrated and civil war or territorial dispute break out, I believe there will be some Regions that are not dragged by the conflict and can receive Amethyst Merchant''s commodities via Merry Gold Union. Moreover, with a reduced supply of Iron ore, the price of military equipment will rise dramatically, so only war maniac nobles will throw their Regions into civil war. Or, we can also exploit the civil war and give an assistant to Regions that rich with natural resource. Though this option will eat a lot of resources and need complex planning." "Whatever it is, for our current circumstance anything is feasible as long as we don''t need to fight two titans at the same time," General O''Neil then turned to Vex, "I need your opinion." "The elements we temporarily deploy in Sandhur Region and Kingdom of Buriek are sufficient to buy some time." Vex paused for a moment before continuing, "So, we only need to launch a tiger leap on Makai Royal City. We can use Woodpecker MOB as a launching pad, considering that Makai Royal City is only 800 km away from this base." "Then, I will move assets and personnel from Gandalf MOB to Woodpecker MOB as soon as possible." General O''Neil took a deep breath before continuing, "As for the Guest From East, we will let it advance to the west until we put Kingdom of Makai in our grip." "One more thing," Vex said, "I already finished reviewing TF Amethyst''s assets, so I will go back to earth tonight." "Good." In an instant, relief was visible on General O''Neil''s face. Initially, Vex would need about three weeks to finish the review. He had to do it carefully because the result of the review would dictate the final posture of TF Amethyst and how they would fight in the most effective and efficient way. Not to mention that the addition of TF Amethyst''s strength must also be based on the review. But if he already finished it, it meant TF Amethyst had no fundamental problem with the asset, command system, doctrine, and basic tactics. In short, as long as TF Amethyst received the remaining asset, spare part, and ammunition, conventional warfare at Amstell Continent was no longer a challenge. Vex then casually added, "I will also recruit the personnel and assets for deployment in Kingdom of Buriek." "The new budget I drafted a week ago, do I need to revise it? I can finish it tonight," Lt. Colonel Slane said. "No need." Vex slightly smiled and continued, "The deployment only consists of 6800 combatant and 8500 support personnel. Their equipment and weapon system were also already being covered under the new budget." "Wait, why are the number of support personnel bigger than the combatant?" Lt. Colonel Slane curiously asked. "Majority of the combatant is elite personnel capable of various missions and deployment, while the support personnel are designed for specific jobs. For example, mechanics for Humvee will not be able to handle a Chinook. And unlike ground vehicle where one maintenance crew can handle a dozen vehicles, every aerial asset has to be handling by one permanent ground crew.¡± "I see." "Well, without Vex around, I will have a lot of things to discuss with others. So, have a nice day, gentlemen," General O''Neil said before he cut the connection. After a small talk with Lt. Colonel Slane, Vex then also leaved the meeting room. ***** TFA2 1.7 - The Power of Amethyst Merchant TFA2 1.7 - The Power of Amethyst Merchant Mini-cottage 01, Complex of QRF Element 16:30, 28 Sept 2025 When he arrived at Mini-cottage 01, Vex found that Seira, Keira, Erlin, and Big Brown were watching anime with their security detail. Meanwhile, Lan Yan''er was in his room. Last night, he had said to Lan Yan''er that he would go back to earth tonight, but he didn''t ask her to help him packed his clothes. So, Vex was a bit taken back when Lan Yan''er went home earlier than usual and helped him pack his clothes. After living together with him, somehow Lan Yan''er took care of his daily chores very naturally, as if it was part of her daily life for a long time. In a matter of days, she also managed to understand Vex''s habitual behavior, work schedule, and food preference. Then, she adjusted herself accordingly. At first, Vex did not know how to give a proper response to Lan Yan''er''s treatment, but after he was sure it had nothing to do with romantic feeling or such, he chose to go with the flow. "Thank you," Vex said as he approached Lan Yan''er. "No problem," Lan Yan''er replied casually. "Have you packed the documents you have to bring?" "Everything is already in my laptop." Lan Yan''er nodded and then asked, "Can you bring the girls to have dinner outside before leaving?" "I can. Do you want to come along?" "No, I haven¡¯t taken a bath yet. But you can bring me spicy tofu kimchi, fried chicken, and orange juice from Green Bamboo Stall." "Okay." Without delay Vex leaved Lan Yan''er and went to living room. "Girls, let''s have dinner outside """Okay.""" Seira, Keira, and Erlin replied in unison. It was clearly visible they already knew Vex would take them to have dinner outside. The three cheerfully got up and followed Vex to the garage. Of course, Big Brown followed them closely. A moment later, Vex was already driving his SUV. In the back seat, three little girls happily sat, while next to him Big Brown poked his head out of the window. At the same time, from one of windows in Mini-cottage 01, Lan Yan''er looked at the moving SUV until it was out of her sight. ''Maybe I should go with them,'' Lan Yan''er softly muttered. What Lan Yan''er felt was not a romantic feeling. She only thought that it would be fun to eat together with Vex and the girls. However, whenever she was around, Vex became very passive and let the girls interact with her as much as possible. It was as if she became a wall between Vex and the girls. ''No¡­ I need to give Vex and the girls time to spend time together,'' Lan Yan''er muttered before going back to pack Vex''s clothes. --- VVIP Room 23, Maple Palace Hotel 16:40, 28 Sept 2025 Lady Yuuri decided that it was already more than enough for Yuuna to study from the three Maester, Pavel, and public schools in Magwurt City. Therefore, Yuuna didn''t need to go to Makai Royal Academy. Five days a week, in the morning Yuuna would go to public school in Magwurt City, and then she would receive a lecture from one of the Maester in the noon, while before dinner she would receive a lecture from Pavel. After she took afternoon bath, Yuuna came to Pavel while carrying her new and high quality notepad and pencil. Both the notepad and pencil were gifts from Pavel, and Yuuna almost couldn''t believe it when Pavel told her that students in Magwurt Public School used it as if it were common commodities. Finally, she understood why her mother wanted her to study in Magwurt Public School. It was because she could see that the standard education used by Amethyst Merchant was a whole different level than the standard education in Amstell Continent. Then, once Yuuna sat in front of Pavel, the lecture began. "Could we imitate the techniques and production facilities used by Amethyst Merchant?" It seemed like Pavel wanted to check how well Yuuna absorbed today lecture from Maester Kallep, and Yuuna smiled before firmly replied, "No." "Why?" "Based on Maester Kallep¡¯s investigation, we can only imitate the processing of raw material to semi-processed material because the techniques are still utilizing human labor in mass. While from semi-processed material to finished product everything is done using a machine. Our people would be able to operate the machine, but it is impossible to build it. Moreover, we can''t provide the catalyst material needed in the final process." "Can you tell me an example of a mechanism that we can''t imitate?" Yuuna nodded and replied, "The mechanism for measuring viscosity in beers, vegetable oil, and sauce so that the finished product follows certain standard. This mechanism does not only work automatically but also in large volume." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Pavel nodded in satisfaction before saying, "Therefore, for now we shouldn''t be too greedy. We will not follow in the footsteps of bar owners at Walluo City, who rushed to try reproducing Amur Beer without proper knowledge. In the end, they failed after spending a huge sum of money. But we must also open minded to every possibility that might appear later. Slowly and surely, we will learn and adopt the technology and knowledge we need. In the meantime, we would try to gain some profit while making sure Amethyst Merchant need our assistant. Just like how Mom makes Makai Royal Family need Merry Gold Union." "Okay." Yuuna nodded firmly and Pavel immediately asked another question. "Do you know why Amethyst Merchant built a factory to produce some of their commodities locally?" "To eliminate shipping costs, so the price will go down and the volume of sales will increase," Yuuna calmly replied. "Then, what is our response?" "Make a list of raw materials that we can provide, offer it to Amethyst Merchant, and put investment in the factory they built." "Good." Pavel smiled widely and then continued, "I will give you five days to choose three raw materials that Merry Gold Union can provide, along with the basic proposal we can offer to Amethyst Merchant. If we could get another factory from Amethyst Merchant, it would be great success for Merry Gold Union." "Mhm.¡± Yuuna nodded firmly. "Can I use the proposal from Amethyst Merchant as a model?" "You can." "Okay." Yuuna immediately noted down her first task from Pavel. "Well, you already got your task, so ask any question to me or to the Three Maester if there is something that you don''t understand." "Okay." Pavel then showed the new order of food staples from Amethyst Merchant which had arrived a few hours ago. "Do you know why Amethyst Merchant order a massive number of food staples?" "They know that a conflict with Kingdom of Makai will come." "Do you have suggestions on how we will respond it?" "Before the conflict broke out, lower the price slightly as a gesture of good intentions and fulfill the order openly. After the conflict occurs, fulfill the order secretly and increase the price accordingly." "Good, we will use your suggestion then." "Okay." "Well, that''s for today. Let''s have dinner outside." "Mhm." In an instant, Yuuna nodded while her face brimmed with excitement, and Pavel smiled broadly when he saw it. --- South Food Avenue, Magwurt City. 17:35, 28 Sept 2025 There were only a few hotels and restaurants in Magwurt City. Therefore, it couldn¡¯t accommodate all delicious menus from earth. Therefore, Amethyst Merchant built several food avenues in Magwurt City. One of them was South Food Avenue. As the name suggested it, South Food Avenue was located on south of Magwurt City, or to be precise was the living area for commoner. Its layout was similar to Food Avenue for high-class people in Makai Royal City, but it was being combined with culture, technology, and architecture from earth. In short, it had elegant but comfortable atmosphere, delicious but easy on wallet menu, as well as good level of cleanliness and healthy environment. Therefore, no wonder if South Food Avenue¡¯s visitors were not only commoners who just returned from work, but also nobles and high-class people who came to relax. Of course, those nobles and the high-class people came with casual and low profile clothes. As soon as she entered South Food Avenue, Yuuna immediately looked in all directions with sparkling eyes. Red lanterns hanging freely above her head, a row of nearly full tables on both sides of the road, food stall workers who were busy working, or visitors who came like an unending flood. However, one thing that attracted Yuuna''s attention the most was that she didn¡¯t saw food stalls workers did promotions by shouting: ''Please come please come to our shop! The vegetable oil is replaced every seven days!'' or ''We just received a new batch of spices, sauce, herbs, and salt! Please come and try our menu in its best condition!'' As far as Yuuna saw, every food stall worker was busy working in the kitchen or serving the visitors. "Do you capture the difference between food stalls in this place and in Makai Royal City?" Pavel casually asked. Yuuna looked at a food stall worker who poured fresh vegetable oil into a large frying pan, and then she turned her eyes to some visitors who happily used sauce and sprinkle spices on tables before replying, "Exclusive commodity in Makai Royal City is a common commodity here." "Yeah, and that''s only the tip of Amethyst Merchant''s power." Pavel then looked at Yuuna before asking, "Do you want to eat something specifically? I know this food avenue very well. I''ll become your guide." "Fried chicken," Yuuna spontaneously replied. "Then let''s go to Green Bamboo Stall. They have super yummy fried chicken." "Okay." Pavel and Yuuna then went to Green Bamboo Stall while holding hands. --- Green Bamboo Stall, South Food Avenue. By using a big wooden tray, Markei swiftly brought two glasses of orange juices and a jumbo portion of fried chicken to a table. He already knew that the young man and the little girl that just came in were important people. The young man was Viscount Pavel, highest leader of Horak Region. He had come several times. While the little girl, even if it was her first time visiting Green Bamboo Stall, Markei could guess that she must be Little Lady Yuuna. Therefore, as the head of waiter at Green Bamboo Stall, Markei took the initiative to serve them directly. Moreover, coincidently, Viscount Pavel and Little Lady Yuuna sat in front of Ser Vex, who came a few minutes earlier with his adopted daughters and their dog. "Ser Pavel, Little Lady Yuuna, this is your drink, please enjoy," Markei said using a tone as if the two guests he served were his savior. "Thanks Markei," Pavel happily replied. "Thank you, Uncle Markei," Yuuna added. "No problem, it''s my pleasure to serve both of you." While maintaining his sunny smile, Markei turned to Vex, "Ser Vex, do you have another order?" "No, for now everything is good." "I''m glad to hear that, please call me if you need anything." "I will." After glancing at Big Brown which somehow always looked at him as if he was his archenemy, Markei then went back inside. At the same time Vex and Pavel went back to chatting, and even if the two only talked about light and general topics, it was visible that they knew each other''s position and status. Meanwhile, the four little girls and Big Brown cheerfully enjoy the fried chicken. Somehow, the fried chicken easily glued them. ***** TFA2 2.1 - Espionage and War Strategy TFA2 2.1 - Espionage and War Strategy Apartment Block E3, South of Magwurt City. 05:30, 29 Sept 2025 As usual, even if he just worked from dusk until dawn, Markei still looked cheerful. Throughout the way to his home, he greeted everyone he knew. Seven years ago, Markei left Magwurt City along with his wife and children. But somehow, there were a lot of people who still remembered him. And they sincerely showed condolences when he told them that his wife and children were killed by a group of Black Eagle on the way to Walluo City. With all their heart, they then helped him so he could adapt to Magwurt City''s latest situation as soon as possible. Moreover, even if Tuscan Guard rejected him when he tried to re-enlisted, Magwurt City''s authorities still helped him to get a proper job. He was also found a little consolation when an old friend told him that Tuscan Guard didn''t just reject him, but every single ex-members who tried to re-enlisted. Soon, Makei arrived in the backyard of his apartment. He took his time to lightly talk with a group of elderly who went out to enjoy the fresh morning air. Then, he cheerfully continued the walk to his room on the third floor. Once he entered his room, he immediately locked the door. Without turning on the lighting or opening the window first, Markei took out a crystal communicator from behind a tile under his bed. The crystal communicator could only send text messages, but it could reach up to 200 km. It was more than enough to reach the secret base at Walluo City. Working at Green Bamboo enabled Markei to hear a lot of things. Some of it was just cheap gossips, but sometime he would get essential information. Given that people who visited the stall ranged from commoners to nobles, and many of them could not keep their lips tightly closed like Pavel or Vex. It was not a rare occurrence that from a grunt or brag, Markei heard about the deployment or strength projection by Tuscan Guard and TF Amethyst. Moreover, yesterday he saw Vex and Pavel sat eating at one table. Whether it was intentional or not, Markei had to report it. Every single day, there was a lot of info that Markei must send to his superior officer. It would take a while and it was also a boring job, but Markei did it cheerfully. Then, once he had nothing to report and put the crystal communicator back into its secret nest, Markei would take out a small painting. As he looked at the painting of his wife and his two children, Markei''s smile became thicker. Markei and his family were one of the few who gained success and luck after leaving Magwurt City. Markei did not only manage to bring his wife and children to safely arrive at Makai Royal City. He also managed to get in into Makai Intelligence Service and became a field officer. ''Another two months before I can go back to you all,'' Markei softly muttered. After saving the painting of his wife and children, Markei then lied down in the bed and fell asleep a moment later. --- Main Meeting Hall, Makai Intelligence Service Quarter, Makai Guard HQ 09:40, 2 Oct 2025 Two weeks ago, King Makai XXII gave his approval on retaliatory invasion to Kingdom of Buriek. The three princes who would execute it then started the groundwork, and organized the resource they received from Regions who became their supporter. Diplomacy to neutral Regions was also being carried out in order to get additional personnel, logistics, and equipment. And a few days ago, three Battle Groups were formed. Meanwhile, Makai Guard HQ took care of the intelligence needed for the retaliatory invasion. All intels from internal sources, the three princes¡¯ source, and other sources, both new or old, were absorbed and organized by Makai Secret Service. It was a tough job because most info providers had a tendency to twist the information they submitted for personal gain or a certain group''s interest. But fortunately, Makai Secret Service had a lot of competent analysts along with solid internal networks. Therefore, many biases could be recognized and dropped from the Integrated Information System. Also, Makai Secret Service actually had been observing Amethyst Merchant since a few months ago. Though, this was the first time every single piece of intelligence from various sources was organized as a whole by a small group of staff officers appointed directly by Grand Commander Migal. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. With a proud but respectful attitude, Grand Commander Migal led King Makai XXII to a giant table where Amstell and Buriek Continent''s maps were displayed. As the highest leader, King Makai XXII had the first opportunity to see the results of Makai Secret Service''s hard work. And once he focused his attention in the area around Desolate Land''s entrance, King Makai XXII found some military bases called Harley Quinn, Woodpecker, Davy Jones, Bluefins, long and big roads called South High Road, and other information. King Makai XXII then said, "Uncle Migal, you can start." Wasting no time Grand Commander Migal explained, "We have confirmed that hundreds of thousands of military personnel in Sandhur Region are members of Buriek Guard. Most likely, Sandhur Region will also refuse the request to be used as a forward base for our retaliatory invasion. Our analyst even believed that Sandhur Region would choose to side with Amethyst Merchant. So, our first step would be to take over Sandhur Region and eliminate every Buriek Guard''s elements.¡± King Makai XXII used his finger to sign Grand Commander Makai to pause his explanation, and then he said, "Before the attack, please send a message to Viscount Issel that I still expect his loyalty But if he refused my benevolence, launch an indiscriminate massacre to Sandhur Region." "Understood." Grand Commander Migal nodded before continuing his explanation, "To capture Sandhur Region, we will launch a pincer attack. Battle Group A will attack via Rivek and Sviek Region. While Battle Group B will attack from the sea, in addition to beach landing, they will also launch a sea control operation to block reinforcements from Kingdom of Buriek. As for Battle Group C, they will disrupt Buriek Guard''s concentration by seizing outer islands 18 km west of Buriek mainland. These islands can provide fresh water, so it''s suitable to be used as forward base for landing operations to Buriek mainland. "I see. Then, how about Amethyst Merchant''s military force? I hear that their name is TF Amethyst and they have godlike military might," King Makai XXII asked in a curious tone. "Based on the intel from their conflict with Northern Coalition, we managed to understand the potential of fire stick, artillery, ground vehicle, and aerial strength of TF Amethyst. It is indeed a godlike military might, but they have some fatal weakness. For example, they will not fire at civilian settlements or other non-military targets. Their personnel are also weak at close combat. So, we will exploit their weakness to bring the fight as close as possible." "I see." "Also, Duke Kalzar plans to attack Magwurt City. It would be a good tactic to disrupt TF Amethyst''s concentration, but this humble servant rejected his proposal." As Magwurt City was mentioned, King Makai XXII frowned. The King remembered reports about the defeat of Northern Coalition who then launched a black campaign and even tried to incite some nobles in Makai Royal City to attack Tuscan Region, where a foreign power with abundant knowledge and wealth set its base. Foreign power named Amethyst Merchant did attract the attention of Makai Intelligence Service after their absolute victory over Northern Coalition. Especially, after they managed to restore the Nouel farmland in Tuscan Region. They even helped Tuscan Region paid the tax and tribute to Kingdom of Makai a little higher than their last tribute. However, sometime later it was known that the tribute submitted by Tuscan Region was much smaller than the profits of factories that they established with Amethyst Merchants. Not to mention that in a few months some farmland in Tuscan Region would be able to produce Nouel again. However, the thing that made King Makai XXII angry the most was that after Northern Coalition opened trade relations with Amethyst Merchants and got massive profits, they did not increase their tribute to Kingdom of Makai. The Northern Coalition and Regions around the Desolate Land''s entrance also did not report the Nouel''s production that rose up to 35% after they applied a new planting technique provided by Amethyst Merchant, or the opening of new and super large Nouel Farmland in their territory. After calming his anger King Makai XXII said, "Instead of attacking Magwurt City, why not target Northern Coalition and Regions around Desolate Land''s entrance." "Do Your Majesty want to open the fourth front?" Grand Commander Migal asked with a worried tone, because opening a fourth front would be too much of a burden for the three princes. "No, we will secretly launch a disruption operation to Regions around Desolate Land''s entrance. Send covert ops unit to act as a brigand of marauder and launched a massive erratic killing, looting, raping, and other thing that would destroyed the public order. I believe this operation will not eat too much resource, but it is complicated enough to provide trouble for both targeted Regions and TF Amethyst." "This humble servant understands," Grand Commander Migal firmly replied. "Good." King Makai XXII then nodded with satisfaction. Nouel was a primary export commodity to the 1st World Authority that produced a large income, so hiding it from Kingdom of Makai was a crime that was worthy of severe punishment. King Makai XXII then said, "Uncle Migal, I handed over the supervising to you." As he slightly bowed Grand Commander Migal firmly replied, "This humble servant will do his utmost for Your Majesty and The Kingdom." ***** TFA2 2.2 - Battle Group TFA2 2.2 - Battle Group Main Meeting Hall, Makai Intelligence Service Quarter, Makai Guard HQ 11:00, 2 Oct 2025 After the talk with King Makai XXII, Grand Commander Migal invited people who would execute the retaliatory invasion to Kingdom of Buriek. They were: Prince Makar, the 1st Prince, Prince Portho, the 2nd Prince, Prince Dellan, the 3rd Prince, Duke Kalzar, the leader of Urea Region, Duke Fogel, the leader of the Sutt Region, Duke Velker, the leader of the Wist Region, Trade Minister Bellu, person in charge for trade and economic policies in Kingdom of Makai. Grand Commander Migal calmly opened the meeting, "All military forces under the command of Prince Makar and Duke Kalzar are already in Sviek and Rivek Regions, so Prince Makar will automatically become the Leader of Battle Group A. As for Prince Portho and Prince Dellan, please choose a role between the Leader of Battle Group B and Battle Group C." Prince Portho calmly said, "11th Makai Fleet under Uncle Fogel knows Guise Sea like the back of their hand, so I will choose Battle Group B if Brother Dellan doesn''t mind." "I don''t mind." Prince Dellan slightly smiled before continuing, "I and Uncle Velker will attack the islands west of Buriek Mainland then." As he handed over three thick documents to each prince, Grand Commander Migal said, "This is the compilation of every intel needed for the retaliatory invasion. Use it to write your operation plan, and give me the copy. I will become the bridge who connects the three operation plans." ""Understood,""" The three princes replied in unison. Grand Commander Migal then turned his gaze to Trade Minister Bellu. "Minister Bellu, do you have update on supply and equipment from Merry Gold Union?" "Even if His Majesty notified Lady Yuuri only one week ago, Merry Gold Union has already delivered the supply and equipment we asked for," Minister Bellu calmly replied. "Good." Grand Commander Migal nodded in satisfaction. "It doesn''t matter how big or small the strength, supply, or equipment that each prince have gathered, the Kingdom would only give additional supply and equipment in the same value and amount. Duke Arasmus had also given a guarantee that he could withstand attacks from Kingdom of Horrep for eight months if there was an attempt to break through the northern border. So, six months is the time limit for our retaliatory invasion. Also, don''t expect help from Makai Royal Guard or Makai Royal Navy, as they are not allowed to take part in the competition for the throne." "Don''t worry, Uncle Migal, I have already secured enough supply, personnel, and equipment for Battle Group A," Prince Makar calmly said. "Buriek Navy has never succeeded in breaking through the blockade launched by elements from 11th Makai Fleet who disguised themselves as pirates, so it could be said that Battle Group B would dominate the naval battle in Guise Sea," Prince Portho confidently added. After a smile Prince Dellan said, "Well, Battle Group C only needs to take some empty islands as a diversion, so I''m confident I will manage it smoothly." The Three Princes had tasted the battlefield since they were 16 years old, so Grand Commander Migal understood why they were so confident. Even so, he still had the obligation to advise them. "Confidence is a good thing, but we still don''t know how TF Amethyst beat Buriek Navy in one night. Therefore, caution is a must." """We understood,""" The three princes replied in unison, but deep down they believed that TF Amethyst''s landslide victory over Kingdom of Buriek which they heard so often must be an exaggeration. Moreover, almost everything they had heard was sounded as if it was propaganda. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Actually, Grand Commander Migal was fully aware of how the three princes thought, but he chose to wait until they submitted their operational plan before making sure that each prince did not underestimate TF Amethyst. --- War Strategy Room, Sviek Guard HQ 10:20, 7 Oct 2025 As soon as the news of invasion on Sandhur Region arrived in Makai Royal Palace, Prince Makar immediately sent Marquise Orev to lead the reinforcements, and even if in the end a peace treaty was signed, he did not withdraw the forces that had arrived in Sviek and Rivek Region. Instead, he kept sending personnel, supply, and equipment. As a member of Warhawk Faction, Prince Makar was fully aware of his colleague¡¯s train of thought. No matter how the battle in Sandhur Region would end, they would never be satisfied if a retaliatory invasion to Kingdom of Buriek was not launched. At the suggestion of Duke Kalzar, Prince Makar then carried out a small diplomacy to his two brothers so that the retaliatory invasion was being used as a competition for the throne. Therefore, it was natural that Battle Group A became the first party to submit its operation plan to Grand Commander Migal. After that, Prince Makar and Duke Kalzar immediately rushed to Sviek Region to take over the command from Marquise Orev. Marquise Orev respectfully guided Prince Makar and Duke Kalzar into War Strategy Room, and then he started explaining, So far the total number of our strength is 1.1 million ground force, 200 thousand mercenaries, and 980 Riders. As for logistics, we have more than enough to sustain an eight month war. Aerial recon estimated that the Fake Tuscan Guard established 84 forward camps in Levsait and Raisait, but they only established one forward camp in the junction between the entry point to Levsait and Raisait. However, this sole forward camp also controls the entry point to the highroad to Lagra City." As a question mark appeared on his forehead Duke Kalzar asked, "How strong is this sole forward camp?" "Based on its size, it''s roughly had capacity of 1800 personnel, without Rider," Marquise Orev respectfully replied. "Deploy only 1800 personnel to guard three vital entry points. Are they bluffing or this forward camp just a sacrificial thorn to drain the invader''s blood?" Prince Makar asked with a puzzled face. "Well, whatever it is, we have to eliminate this forward camp to capture Levsait and Raisait," said Duke Kalzar. "True." Prince Makar slightly nodded before continuing, "We had to wait until Battle Group B and C get into their position. Let''s use the remaining time to make sure our personnel understand who and what they will be dealing with." "Understood," Duke Kalzar and Marquise Orev replied in unison. --- Port of Ursu, Sutt Region 08:20, 19 Oct 2025 The entire southern coast of Amstell continent was almost rock cliffs as high as 30 meters. There were only three locations where a port could be built. The two locations were Bluefin and Sandhur Region¡¯s south coast, while the third location was Ursu Canal in south of Sutt Region and about 800 km west of Sandhur Region. The Ursu Canal had a length of 31 km, an average width of 2 km, and an average depth of 300 meters. On this canal stands Ursu Port, one of the largest trading ports in Kingdom of Makai, along with headquarter of 11th Makai Fleet. In terms of ships, sailors, and landing troops, 11th Makai Fleet was far superior to Makai Royal Navy. The 11th Makai Fleet was only lost in the number of carrier ships and Riders. However, because Regions who joined Battle Group B sent their Riders along with their ground element, the number of Riders and landing troops under Prince Portho and Duke Fogel''s increased dramatically. To accommodate the additional Riders, 11th Makai Fleet modified four dozen supply ships into mini-carrier ships. Meanwhile, to transport the landing troops, more than 600 merchant ships belonging to Merry Gold Union had been chartered as transport ships. In total, Battle Group B had strength of 130 thousand sailors, 720 thousand landing troops, 760 Riders, and 8000 ships of various types. All these forces had finished consolidating and had a solid chain of command since ten days ago. Several small maneuvers and landing simulations had even been conducted. The only thing that Battle Group B was waiting for was the departure time. And last night, Grand Commander Migal finally approved the operation plan submitted by Prince Portho. Without delay, Prince Portho immediately rode all night to Port of Ursu. Still wearing his traveling attire, Prince Portho boarded the cruiser ship Geko-01, and an officer immediately guided him to the officer lounge. Over there, he found Duke Fogel waiting for him while sipping a glass of wine leisurely. Without delay Prince Portho immediately asked, "Uncle Fogel, why don''t we use a carrier ship as a flag ship?" "This ship is faster and has high flexibility for various missions," Duke Fogel calmly replied, and he ignored Prince Portho''s dissatisfy face as he continued, "We just received the latest intel from my sailors who disguised as fishermen and pirates. Buriek Navy increases patrol intensity, but there is no additional fleet around Guise Sea, so we will send a few destroyer groups to annihilate them. Our secret bases in empty islands along the route are also already fully operational. All this time, 11th Makai Fleet only used this secret base for piracy operation against Buriek Navy. But finally, we will use the true function of these secret bases." Prince Portho nodded and asked, "Then, when will we depart?" "Tonight." Seeing Prince Portho knitting his brow, Duke Fogel immediately continued, "If I fail to help you ascend the throne, your mother will stop calling me brother and your grandfather will no longer call me son. So, don''t you dare adding the pressure I have to bear in my shoulder. For now, just relax with me here." "Okay." "Good." Wasting no time, Duke Fogel poured a glass of wine for Prince Portho and dancers were called to the lounge. ***** TFA2 2.3 - Widely Open Gate TFA2 2.3 ¨C Widely Open Gate Port of Wellmoss, Wist Region 17:50, 20 Oct 2025 Port of Wellmoss, a trading port that was located at the west end of Amstell Continent or more precisely in Wist Region. Its size and class was similar to Port of Ursu, which was one of the largest trading ports in Kingdom of Makai. The majority citizen of Wist Region also had similar occupation to citizen of Sutt Region. They were sailor, fisherman, or pirates. A day after the departure of Battle Group B from Port of Ursu, more than 4000 various ships left Port of Wellmoss and sailed directly to the south. This convoy that was led by 23th Makai Fleet under Duke Velker¡¯s command was Battle Group C. Unlike 11th Makai Fleet whose strength was being focused on destroyer attack group, the 23th Makai Fleet focused its strength on Rider, both for sea control and land attack, and of course also for air superiority. Therefore, even if the number of ships was smaller than Battle Group B, the Battle Group C still had power that could not be underestimated. In total it had 90 thousand sailors, 300 thousand landing forces, and 1500 Riders. In the war strategy room at carrier ship Solera-01, Duke Velker explained to Prince Dellan. "Three days to the south, five days to the east at medium speed, and at dawn of the ninth day our targeted island would appear in the horizon. And along the journey we would eliminate every Buriek Navy¡¯s patrol." "Uncle Velker, I know nothing about sea operation, so I will entrust that part to you." "Understood." Duke Velker smiled before continuing, "In general, we have Riders on Combat Air Patrol up to a radius of 500 km from dawn to dusk. So, we only need to worry about a night ambush, and before the landing, we will make sure that the sky above the targeted islands are fully under our control." "I see." "And after we seize the targeted islands, we will immediately launch the landing operation on Buriek Mainland as Prince Dellan wishes." In an instant a wide grin appeared in Prince Dellan lips. "Well, First Brother and Second Brother think that Battle Group C is only a diversion force, but we will use this diversion force to launch the main attack while TF Amethyst and Kingdom of Buriek busy fighting the other two battle groups." "Understood, this humble servant will support your wish with his utmost," Duke Velker firmly replied. --- Main Meeting Hall, Makai Intelligence Service Quarter, Makai Guard HQ 18:10, 20 Oct 2025 While Battle Group C left Port of Wellmoss, three people stood before the giant map of Amstell and Buriek Continent. The Three were King Makai XXII, Grand Commander Migal, and Trade Minister Bellu. King Makai XXII calmly asked, "What do you think, who will get the highest score in this competition?" "Your Majesty, it''s hard to say. The three princes are all competent field commanders and their operation plans are solid," Grand Commander Migal respectfully replied. "Well, this servant also had difficulty in giving assessment, but the three princes have an overwhelming force so it''s unlikely that they will suffer a defeat. Though, a draw due to the difference in fire power with TF Amethyst may occur," Trade Minister Bellu calmly replied. "I see," King Makai XXII nodding slightly. As a king, having three competent sons were blessings as well as disasters. It could be a blessing if the three sons could get along. However, if the throne struggle turned into a bloody conflict and one party tried to wipe out the other sides, Kingdom of Makai would then not only weaken, but it was very likely to be destroyed. Bloody conflict was very likely to arise, considering that the relationship between the three camps was increasingly tapering, and each side continued to build military force. But fortunately, an external enemy that could be used to vent the bloodlust from the three princes'' supporters appeared. "Uncle Migal, give me the update for disruption operation to Regions around Desolate Land''s entrance?" "The contingent already departed and a few days after the three princes start the offensive, they will launch the first wave of disruption." King Makai XXII immediately nodded in satisfaction. "Then, let us alert Makai Royal Navy and Air Corps, they had to be ready to depart at any time if the worst scenario occurs. Also, other than the Regions that helped Duke Arasmus maintain the northern border, ask the neutral Regions in the throne competition to send their Riders to be placed under the command of Royal Air Corps." This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ""Understood,"" Grand Commander Migal and Trade Minister Bellu replied in unison. After some small talk, King Makai XXII then invited his two most trusted subordinates to a dinner. --- Woodcutter Settlement, Penna Hill, 7 km east of Makai Royal City. 18:15, 20 Oct 2025 The surface of Penna Hill was a half-limestone where the only plants that could grow on it were Black Pine. The peak was at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level, elongated from north to south 6 km long, and had an average width of 2 km. Since four months ago a woodcutter settlement was being opened at western tip of Penna Hill''s peak. It was quite famous among timber companies, construction companies, or shipyard owners in Makai Royal City because of its accuracy in meeting the promised schedule. Not to mention, in Kingdom of Makai there were only a few woodcutters who were able to cut Black Pine and turn it into a semi-processed material. And to this day, nobody knew that woodcutter settlement in Penna Hill actually was Forward Operating Camp Jack Sparrow, and 200 Woodcutters who live in it were: 160 personnel of Ground Combat Group, 18 personnel of Mobile Construction Group, 12 personnel of Intelligence & Diplomacy Group, and 10 men from Settlement 116 who graduated from IDG''s Intelligence Gathering Course. From the ceiling of a log cabin at the peak of Penna Hills, Sergeant Spier and Sergeant Gaz calmly operated a laser-based long-range eavesdropping device. Their target was the Main Meeting Hall of Makai Secret Service. Normally, a laser-based long-range eavesdropping device would not be able to reach a target 7 km away. However, the model used by TF Amethyst was a variant that had been improved into a whole new level. "It seems Makai Royal Navy and Air Corps must be taken into account in the counter-invasion plan," Sergeant Spier calmly said. "Yup," Sergeant Gaz gave a short reply. "Well, ten minute before Reaper comes to pick up today''s intel, and then let''s get some beers and grilled sausage." "Roger." Of the 18 log cabins at the peak of Penna Hills, 14 were used as a post to eavesdrop on talks at Makai Royal City. The personnel who were tasked with it worked in a two-man team format with a duration of six hours for each shift. Each post was equipped with three laser-based long-range eavesdropping devices. Therefore, they could run the operations for 24/7, with the main targets being important buildings or the residence of a high-ranking official. And even if most of the important buildings in Makai Royal City did not have glass windows, these buildings had some roofs made of mosaic glass to allow sunlight entered as natural lighting in the day, so the eavesdropping team happily exploited this mosaic glass. The results of the eavesdropping operation were quite various. Some were essential intelligence, while some others were only cheap gossip. No matter what it was, every intel would be relayed to home base through MQ-9 Reaper which came twice a day, once was after the sunset and the other was before the sunrise. --- TF Amethyst''s Command Center, Castle Lagra. 18:50, 20 Oct 2025 After reading the latest intel from FOC Jack Sparrow, Nate instantly frowned. If Makai Royal Navy and Air Corps had been alerted to support the retaliatory invasion, then he must change the outline of counter-invasion strategy he had arranged. At present, smart ammunition that could be used by TF Amethyst for naval warfare were AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-114 Hellfire, and Paveway II with a total number of 1150 units. From these numbers, Nate obtained a quota of 700 units. Initially, Nate planned to launch a night airstrike to carrier ship, cruiser ship, and destroyer ship from both Battle Group B and C when they were 500 km away from their homeport. Then, without adequate escort ships, the remaining warships would become easy prey for Buriek Navy, who would hunt with the help of intel from Poseidon. However, if Makai Royal Navy were already in alert status, then they would be able to arrive in the ambushed location after a full night sailing at full speed. In this scenario, Buriek Navy had to retreat before they could sink enough ships to thwart the invasion. After sighing deeply, Nate then turned towards General Khartoum and Viscount Issel. "It seems like we have to let Battle Group B and C enter our territory as deep as possible and execute a beach landing." With a calm tone General Khartoum confirmed Nate''s intention, "Does Ser Nate want to separate both Battle Group B and C with their reinforcement as far as possible?" "Yeah. For now, it''s the best option we have." General Khartoum immediately nodded. He already saw how TF Amethyst used a similar strategy to trap Northern Coalition, so he firmly approved Nate''s proposal. "I agree with Ser Nate''s suggestion." Without delay Viscount Issel added, "I also agree with Ser Nate''s strategy. It was very effective when we used it to hold Buriek Kingdom''s invasion." "Thank you, for putting your trust in me." Nate breathed a sigh of relief because both General Khartoum and Viscount Issel did not doubt his decision. But actually, Nate was very nervous because his strategy would put Sandhur Region in the middle of a pincer attack with a total strength of more than two million ground forces. On paper, TF Amethyst was indeed capable of holding the invasion. However, one small mistake and Lagra City would face a massive siege. Not to mention that war always flowed in an unexpected direction. ''If only TF Amethyst has sufficient fire power,'' Nate muttered in silence. But Nate only lamented for a moment, he then called all staff officers under his command. A moment later, a long-range strategy meeting with Harley Quinn and Buriek Guard HQ was began. And the next day, just two hours before sunrise, various deployment orders were being sent from Castle Lagra. ***** TFA2 2.4 - Festive Meal Before The War TFA2 2.4 - Festive Meal Before The War Buriek Guard Camp, Sandhur Beach 04:10, 21 Oct 2025 In the invasion on Sandhur Region, Akrei was one of the few who survived from TF Amethyst''s airstrike over Lagra City. A devastating offensive that killed more than 400 thousand Buriek Guards in one sweep. Fortunately, when the airstrike was launched, Akrei was already being sent to the rear line, as he suffered serious injuries in the battle to seize Castle Lagra at noon. Now, he was being appointed as a captain of a 900-man detachment in charge of securing wooden dock in Sandhur Beach. As usual, long before the sunrise Akrei was already wide awake. Then, shortly after he came out of his courtyard, Akrei saw five young sentries were running and leaving their post, as if their life was depended on it. ''Damn cowards!'' As he cursed inwardly, Akrei swore that the coward sentries would receive a memorable punishment. However, at the same time he also understood why they were so terrified. The location where his detachment and the other two detachments set up their camp was a fishing village whose residents were being slaughtered by his old unit. So, it was natural that the area was full with the remnants of negative sentiment from its old residents. For example, a group of headless children who loved to invite the sentries to play with them, just a few hours before their night duty ended. Sometimes, a personnel also saw a group of women who fetched water from a well, but when the personnel approached them, he found that the women''s faces didn''t have eyes or noses. Whispers of some women sometimes were also heard from a corner of the room, but not a single woman was visible over there. Or, the sounds of children running around on the street while laughing cheerfully, but none of the children were seen. Some accidents such as personnel who fell from a horse, fell into the well, or the fire that burned the kitchen to the ground were also associated with the appearance of the villager''s ghost. According to the monk from Nemo Temple, the souls of the dead villagers had crossed into the afterlife. What''s left was only their lingerie sentiment and it would take a long time before it disappeared, depending on how dark the sentiment was. The only thing that Buriek Guard''s personnel could do was sending a pray for the sake of cleaning the negative sentiment. Therefore, every morning before sunrise, Akrei would pray for a woman and her baby whom he killed on the first day of the invasion. Akrei never expected forgiveness for his actions. He only deeply hoped that the woman and her baby could find peace and happiness in the afterlife. As soon as he arrived at the location where he beheaded the woman and her baby, Akrei immediately closed his eyes and sent his prayer. Usually, he would pray until the sun completely rose without anyone dared to disturb him. Considering that in the area where he stood right now, usually there was a headless woman who cradled a headless baby. But today it seemed like someone had some courage, as a few minutes after he started his prayer he heard footsteps approaching. Akrei immediately opened his eyes and turned back, his gaze then met with a young Buriek Guard''s lieutenant whose face was as pale as a corpse. "S-s-sir, b-b-b-hind y-ou¡­" "I know," Akrei casually replied. Akrei realized the scared young lieutenant wouldn''t be able to talk normally if he didn''t leave the place, so he immediately walked to the camp. Wasting no time, the scared young lieutenant followed Akrei while relieved filled his face to the brim. The Lieutenant then told Akrei that Castle Lagra had just sent a retreat order. All elements of Buriek Guard at Sandhur Beach had to withdraw to Lagra City. Meanwhile, TF Amethyst would build a new defensive line in Railev Pass, or more precisely in the choke point between Levsait and Raisait. "It seems like TF Amethyst wants to let Makai Kingdom''s contingent execute the beach landing," Akrei said as he looked at a long truck convoy that approached Buriek Camp. --- Defensive Point LS-01, Levsait 06:20, 21 Oct 2025 At the southern tip of Levsait, where the waves that hit the cliffs were heard continuously, Major James and Lieutenant Cameron stood on the head of an MTV. As he looked at the vast blue of Guise Sea, Major James said, "We only have 600 pieces of 155 mm shell, so the howitzer team will prioritizing the big ships in the area of impact." "Roger." The Major then turned to a wide sandy plain that spread over between Levsait and Raisait before continuing, "As for the opposing landing element, we will hit them with 120 mm mortar. We have more than 5000 pieces of 120 mm shells, so be generous to our guests." Lieutenant Cameron grinned before replying "Understood." A moment later, Major James deeply sighed before saying regretfully, "Unfortunately, Stinger Team only gets 150 pieces of stingers, so let''s hope the Ripper Team and M2HB Team will be able to give us adequate air cover." "Yeah." Major James and Lieutenant Cameron then went back to mapping the area of impact for 155 mm M777 Howitzer and 120 mm M120 Mortar. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Meanwhile, in the surrounding area around them, people were busy building the firing nests for Howitzer 155 mm, Mortar 120 mm, Stinger, Ripper Station, M2HB, and various other weapons along with its ammunition stash. Also, the number of M1151 Ripper and M1151 M2HB deployed in Levsait was increased by several times. This Humvee Armament Carrier would take the role as Mobile Air Defense to defensive points that were being overwhelming by opposing Rider. The intense preparation was also being carried out in Raisait, Railev Pass, and other areas. In short, all preparations that could be done to thwart the invasion from Kingdom of Makai were done as much as possible. --- Duke Phelite''s Mansion, Buriek Royal City. 07:10, 21 Oct 2025 Since its founding, Kingdom of Buriek had a tradition to celebrate the New Year with Commoners Festival. In this festival, the Royal Family and Nobles would hold a courtyard banquet for commoners. The gate to the main courtyard in the Royal Palace or noble mansion would be widely open, and every commoner was free to enter and enjoy every available dishes. In Commoners Festival, nobles would wear plain clothes while commoners wore their best, and then they would sit at one table to enjoy the festival together. However, Commoners Festival had to be turned into a simple chicken porridge breakfast twelve years ago, as Kingdom of Buriek''s economy plunged into lowest level. This situation made King Buriek XII unable to sleep well every night. Given that failing to maintain the tradition of the ancestors was a great sin for a king. Fortunately, this year the Commoners Festival could be continued and King Buriek XII advanced its date to be today, not at the end of the year. Of course, after Kingdom of Makai''s intention to launch an invasion was discovered, King Buriek XII almost canceled the Commoners Festival, but Lt. Colonel Slane confidently guaranteed that it could be held on schedule. Moreover, Lt. Colonel Slane already drafted a plan to send a huge amount of specially prepared dishes, so Buriek''s people could enjoy the festival to the fullest. Therefore, it was almost impossible to cancel Commoner Festival. In the main courtyard of Duke Phelite''s Mansion, King Buriek XII was busy manning three huge grillers. He proudly wore a chef jacket and red bandana on his head. And every time he looked at dozens of children who drooled as they watched the barbeque skewer in the grillers, a grin immediately appeared in his lips. Most adults would went from one mansion to another to taste various delicacy, and they were amazed with roasted turkey, cheese burger, paella, kebab, pasta, apple pie, cheesecake, blueberry tart, strawberry pudding, cider, coke, Amur beer, and other delicacy sent by Amethyst Merchant. Meanwhile, the majority of the kids were mesmerized by barbeque skewers. The main ingredients for the barbeque skewer were only ordinary beef, chicken, shrimp, corn, mushroom, and paprika. But the BBQ Sauce was made specifically by Chef Bianca according to the preference of children in Magwurt City. So it was natural that the kids got hooked by it after their first try. Since the beginning, King Buriek XII had arranged that the barbeque skewer must be distributed through Duke Phelite''s Mansion. Then, early in the morning he sneaked out of Royal Palace. As for the banquet at Royal Palace, he handed it over to the Queen and Prince Meriek. Once he arrived in Duke Phelite''s Mansion, King Buriek XII smoothly joined the Cooks who would manning the grilling stations. Other than Duke Phelite, no one knew his identity. However, King Buriek XII never thought that from ten grilling stations in the courtyard, only his grilling station was surrounded by the kids. "Handsome Uncle Cook, give me two pieces of delish skewer." Without realizing that the Uncle Griller in front of her was The Majesty King Buriek XII, a six or seven year old girl, where on her lips there was a trace of barbeque sauce happily submitted her order. Then, the other kids followed her example. "Me too, Handsome Uncle Cook, give me one beef skewer and one shrimp skewer." "Handsome Mister, for me two chicken skewers." "Uncle, why did it take so long?" "Mister Cook, please hurry!" . . . . . . . . . "Uncle Cook, we will cry super loudly if you do not hurry." ''These kids...'' King Buriek XII muttered as a smile bloomed in his lips. Even if the children in front of him suddenly became fussy and demanding, King Buriek XII was not angry. Instead, he was very happy. "Kiddo, you need to be a little patient. If I take it too early it would not be as delicious as it should be." """"Really?"""" The children asked in unison. "Yes, really." King Buriek XII widely smiled before explained, "When I went to Magwurt City, I was fortunate enough to study a grilling technique from the world best griller, so believe in me." """"Mhm."""" The children immediately nodded a few times like a school of chicks pecking at rice, and King Buriek XII happily went back to manning the grillers as if his life was depended on it. Actually, King Buriek XII didn''t lie when he said that in Magwurt City he studied a grilling technique from one of the best grillers he had ever met, and that griller was Chef Bianca. Somehow, Chef Bianca understood King Buriek XII¡¯s sentiment, who wanted to cheer his people by delivering a good delicacy for them, and if possible he wanted to serve them directly even if in a small quota. Chef Bianca then sincerely whipped King Buriek XII for three weeks in order to drill the Basic Technique of Grilling and Frying into his body and mind. She even instructed King Buriek XII to become an intern at Green Bamboo Stall in the South Food Avenue. King Buriek XII shuddered for a moment when he remembered the inhuman training that he had to went through under Chef Bianca''s dictatorship, but it was only for a moment. ''My suicidal hard work is not wasted.'' As he smiled from ear to ear, King Buriek XII distributed the barbeque skewers which had just been perfectly cooked to the children before him. "Kiddo, here are your serving, careful it''s hot." """"Mhm, thank you Uncle Cook."""" The kids cheerfully received the barbeque skewer before going to the row of empty benches in one of the corners. There, they happily enjoyed the barbeque skewers. As King Buriek XII looked at the children, he muttered softly, "War will come and go, but I will make sure these kids will have a better future." In the invasion attempt on Sandhur Region, Kingdom of Buriek lost more than 700 thousand personnel. So of course, among the kids who happily enjoyed barbeque skewers there must be someone who loses a grandfather, a father, or some older brothers. Therefore, after seeing the kids'' happy smiles, the crushing tightness in King Buriek XII''s heart was lessened up considerably. Then, without delay King Buriek XII put another batch of marinated barbeque skewers on the grillers. It would be only a few minutes before the kids returned for the next serving, so he must hurry. ***** TFA2 2.5 - Expensive Business TFA2 2.5 - Expensive Business Count Isak''s Mansion, Lagra City 07:20, 28 Oct 2025 After reading the order that was just sent by Prince Makar through crystal communicator, Count Isak instantly sank in contemplation, recalling the memories when he first arrived at Lagra City. At that time, as far as he could see, what lay before him was a wide plain of ashes and charcoal. But then, in just a matter of weeks Lagra City began to show its new face. The streets began to form and various buildings appeared. The impression of Lagra City which was a wide plain of ashes and charcoal disappeared, as if the destruction experienced by the city was just a figment. Thus Count Isak realized that TF Amethyst''s technology level was far beyond his imagination. He immediately sent a recommendation so that diplomatic relationship was immediately established with TF Amethyst. However, the reply that he got was a strict order to report any info about TF Amethyst, along with a warning that spies in Magwurt City had confirmed the hundred thousands of military personnel in Sandhur Region were not Tuscan Guard''s personnel, but Buriek Guard. In a flash, Count Isak''s heart was filled with intense anger. First, because he fell for Viscount Issel''s blatant lie. Second, as a member of Warhawk Faction he had extraordinary hatred towards anyone who had tried to invade his beloved kingdom. Count Isak then cleverly asked for permission from Viscount Issel so that Rider from Sviek and Rivek Region could conduct combat air patrols in Sandhur Region¡¯s air space. He also requested high-level access to every fake Tuscan Guard''s base around Levsait and Raisait. As a result, he obtained the format, maximum capacity, and number of deployment at every military base in Sandhur Region. He also discovered that other than hundreds of thousands of Buriek Guards, there were at least 1200 TF Amethyst''s personnel and 5000 Tuscan Guards. ''Well, even if they have a higher technology level, Kingdom of Makai is far superior in numbers,'' Count Isak confidently muttered. Count Isak''s self-confidence was not without any basis. Kingdom of Buriek only had four Regions with a total population of 15 million, while Kingdom of Makai had 43 Regions with a total population of 154 million. Therefore, it was not surprising that Kingdom of Buriek immediately surrendered after its first wave of invasion was destroyed by TF Amethyst''s remarkable fire power. As for kingdom of Makai, Count Isak believed that TF Amethyst''s firepower would not be able to hold a multiple and continuous wave of invasion. Considering that the greater a fire power, the more expensive and complex to maintain it in a prolonged warfare. After reading the order in his hand one more time, Count Isak then got up from his chair. King Makai XXII wanted to give Viscount Issel a last chance to prove his loyalty, just right before the attack was launched, and he got the assignment to deliver it. Even though he did not agree with King Makai XXII''s good intention, Count Isak did not dare to neglect it. --- TF Amethyst''s Command Center, Castle Lagra 07:40, 28 Oct 2025 Time kept flowing, and eight days had passed since Nate canceled the preemptive strike on the Battle Group from Kingdom of Makai. Like any previous days, this morning he held a meeting with Viscount Issel and General Khartoum. The only difference with the other meeting was that the three seemed to have just stayed up all night. Nate calmly turned on the digital table display in the middle of the room and displayed the last position of Battle Group from Kingdom of Makai. Last night, Battle Group B had entered Sandhur Region''s waters and anchored 20 km in the south of Sandhur Region''s coastline. At the same time, Battle Group C anchored 18 km west of Buriek Continent''s outermost islands. In other words, the two Battle Groups had already arrived right behind the horizon to their target and were ready to attack. TF Amethyst was already on alert to welcome beach landing at night or aerial incursion at dawn, but somehow the two Battle Groups just sat tight in their position. With annoyance, General Khartoum opened the meeting, "Damn, we have stayed up all night, but they leisurely took their time." "Well, maybe they still want to negotiate, so their force can be fully directed to Kingdom of Buriek," Viscount Issel said. General Khartoum nodded before saying, "Maybe, given that Count Isak is still here." Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Nate who had been silent then said, "Well, whatever it is, we have done whatever we could to welcome them, so let''s just patiently wait." General Khartoum and Viscount Issel nodded, almost at the same time. Then, a Major entered the room and reported to Nate. "Sir, Count Isak wants to meet with Viscount Issel." "Okay, thank you, Major." After the Major took his leave, Nate then his gaze turned towards Viscount Issel. "Ser Viscount, it seems Kingdom of Makai still has some hope from you." Viscount Issel took a deep breath, and then firmly replied, "I think it''s time to clearly declare Sandhur Region''s stance for once and forever." Wasting no time, Viscount Issel left the room. Meanwhile, Nate and General Khartoum stayed behind in case the Battle Group from Kingdom of Makai launched a sudden attack while the talking was held. --- Side yard Garden, Issel Mansion, Castle Lagra 08:05, 28 Oct 2025 There was a time when Count Isak would visit Issel Mansion cheerfully. Given that Viscount Issel would welcome him like a brother and serve various heavenly delicacies supplied by Amethyst Merchants. But this time, he didn''t touch any delicacy on the table. His expression was also as cold as an eternal ice, and became colder as he saw Viscount Issel walked towards him. Once Viscount Issel sat in front of him, Count Isak coldly said, "You really have the guts, dare to trick me that hundred thousands of military personnel in Sandhur Region are Tuscan Guard." "Senior Brother Isak, it was true that I did not mention some details, but I didn''t lie to you at all," Viscount Issel calmly said. "First, please stop calling me brother. Second, whatever you say, a lie is a lie." Viscount Issel took a deep breath before continuing, "It''s not a secret that Tuscan Region''s residents are less than 100 thousand, so of course it''s natural if they recruited outsource strength to support their regional interest. And coincidently, TF Amethyst has a winner right over Kingdom of Buriek and they let Tuscan Region use it for the strength recruitment they need. Also, I can prove it that the highest officers from Buriek Guard were only at the rank of a Captain. As for the high-ranking officers, every single one of them is from Tuscan Guard. Not to mention we openly let you enter every military installation in Sandhur Region, along with Rider from Sviek and Rivek Region who can enter Sandhur¡¯s air space freely." "Then, will you allow Sandhur Region to be used as a forward base for retaliatory invasion against Kingdom of Buriek?" Count Isak calmly asked. A steel determination immediately flashed in Viscount Issel''s eyes. "No, I will never allow it. I have to honor the peace treaty between TF Amethyst, Sandhur Region, and Kingdom of Buriek." A rage burnt violently in Count Isak''s heart as he said, "Do you realize that this is the last benevolence from the Majesty King Makai XXII that he can show to Sandhur Region?" "I do." "Viscount Issel, it seems you deeply trust TF Amethyst''s technology level and fire power, but do you realize that it was very hard and expensive to maintain high level technology and fire power in a prolonged war." "To be honest," Viscount Issel paused for a moment before continuing, "I''m not sure about who will win or lose if Kingdom of Makai attacks using every power it can muster. But TF Amethyst saved Sandhur Region from annihilation, so I will stay by their side to the bitter end." "I see," Count Isak calmly replied. Once he saw that there was not a slight lie when Viscount Issel said he did not know who would come out as a winner in the upcoming war, but he still chose to siding with TF Amethyst, Count Isak immediately realized that Viscount Issel''s heart would never changes. As he stood up Count Isak extended his hand. "Let''s meet on the battlefield." "Let''s meet on the battlefield," Viscount Issel replied as he reached out for Count Isak''s hand. Wasting no time, Count Isak then left the side yard. He already delivered the message from King Makai XXII, but it was clearly visible that Viscount Issel had already forsaken Kingdom of Makai. More importantly, he gained an essential info that even with TF Amethyst''s fire power and high level technology, Viscount Issel didn''t had absolute confident to face the full strength of Kingdom Makai. --- After Count Isak left, Nate silently pondered. One thing that filled his mind was that this war would deeply depleted TF Amethyst''s resources. Of course, Nate fully understood that war was never a cheap business. For example, the Falkland War. For UK, the war cost them 255 fallen personnel, 6 sank ships, 10 damage ships, 34 lost aircraft, and a war budget of ¡ê2.778 billion or ¡ê9.255 billion in fiscal year 2018. Of course, because the war was to defend national dignity, British''s government and its people were ready to pay the price. Not to mention that some of the war budget would be flowing back to domestic economy via their military industrial complex. As for TF Amethyst whose main purpose was economic gain and didn''t have national dignity to defend or military industrial complex to absorb some of the war budget, war was no different than a piece of expensive and bitter fruit that was forcefully sold by some idiots. ''Well, let''s make sure that after this war, Kingdom of Makai and every Region under its sovereignty fully understands that getting along with TF Amethyst is a must,'' Nate inwardly muttered. In an open war, TF Amethyst''s doctrine was strongly influenced by US Military, which put heavy emphasis on elements of surprise and fire power. But now, TF Amethyst had already thrown away the preemptive strike because its fire power was at minimum level and had to be used wisely to create the maximum damage. Therefore, currently TF Amethyst had no luxury to show mercy, or it would cost dearly for its allies. ***** TFA2 3.1 - Incoming Human Wave Tactic TFA2 3.1 - Human Wave Tactic Observation Post Northeast Corner, FOC Venom 10:40, 28 Oct 2025 Forward Operating Camp Venom was located right next to the intersection towards Levsait, Raisait, and Lagra City. It was about 2 km south of border fence that separated Sviek and Tuscan Region, and 12 km from the nearest forward camp in Levsait and Raisait. In total, FOC Venom was manned by 400 TF Amethyst personnel, 500 Tuscan Guards, and 900 Buriek Guards. It had four outer walls 300 meters each, with a height of 6 meters and a width of 4 meters. As a forward camp in an entry into vital area, it had main objective to holding back the advance of Battle Group A from Kingdom of Makai, which would come from Sviek Region in the north. In the last 24 hours, FOC Venom had entered the alert status three times. The first was at midnight, the second was at dawn, and the third was right after the talk between Viscount Issel and Count Isak ended. Command Center in Castle Lagra was also emphasized that there was a high possibility Battle Group A would launch an offensive once Count Isak''s convoy passed through the border. Therefore, the Observation Team in the northeast corner of FOC Venom immediately went on standby when they saw a cloud of dust in the south. Without Delay, a Corporal immediately directed the Long-Range Digital Camera supported by a tripod towards a convoy of approximately 60 horsemen. Not long after that he got the ID confirmation. "Sir, this is our VIP." "Keep observes them," The team''s leader briefly replied, without moving his binoculars from the huge concentration of infantry along the border. "Aye Sir." Soon, the convoy arrived at intersection that connected the three main roads. Without slowing down, they continued move north, and once they passed the border, sound of trumpets was immediately heard. Then, thousands of infantry that were already stand-by before the border fence for two hours moved forward. The infantry were divided into 100-men columns, where in each column there were 4-5 iron ladders specifically designed to climb the wall of a fort. Without difficulty, the first 90 infantry columns knocked down the wire fence, along with the big and bright warning ''Trespasser will be shot to the death, survivor will be shot again''. With A light but steady step, the trespasser then jogged to FOC Venom. Wasting no time, the leader of the observation team pressed PTT button in his chest. He realized that Command Post must have seen the trespassing through Reaper, but he still had to do his job to give a sitrep from Ground Observation''s perspective. "Northeast Corner to Command Post, do you copy?" [Loud and clear, Northeast Corner, go ahead.] "We have massive trespassers on the fence, I say again, we have massive trespassers on the fence." [Received and understood, be advised for combat alert, Command Post over and out.] --- A moment after Command Post received the sitrep from OP Northeast Corner, alert alarm immediately rang to every corner of FOC Venom. Crew of Mortar 120 mm, Mortar 60 mm, and Automatic Grenade Launcher Mk.19 immediately prepared their weapons. M1151 Ripper and M1151 M2HB also took their positions. Meanwhile, Shooters armed with HK M110A1 7.62 mm and AWM 338 Lapua Magnum ran to their nest in the outer wall, along with Fire Support Elements, Buriek Guards, and Tuscan Guards. And because behind every outer wall there was a pile of sandbags that formed a wide stairs, every wall defender could go up and take their position almost at the same time. In less than a minute, every post on the outer wall had been manned. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. M110A1 Shooters and AWM 338 Shooters swiftly cocked their weapons, and then calmly looked at the approaching human waves. At the same time, their spotters were busy loading every spare magazine they managed to collect for the past few days. In front of human wave tactics, shooters would have too many targets. So, instead of guiding them to eliminate high value targets, the spotters chose to make sure that their shooter could shoot continuously without tactical pause. As for the crew of M240 7.62 mm, they were always on standby on the outer wall in turn, with weapons in a ready to fire condition. So, they were the first element who entered combat ready as soon as the alert alarm rang. In fact, they casually opened a piece of gum and put it into their mouth as other personnel ran to their position. Then, as they calmly chewed the gum they put their index finger above the trigger nest, while their thump reached out the fire-selector lever. Now, they only needed to wait for any prey to enter their designated target area at the range of 800 meters. As for Tuscan Guards and Buriek Guards, they stood neatly behind the rifle teams. They would only go into action when enemies reached the base of the outer wall and tried to climb it. As for now, they only had to wait vigilantly. --- Command Post, FOC Venom 11:09, 28 Oct 2025 With a serious expression, Colonel Glass looked at the footage of aerial reconnaissance from MQ-9 Reaper. With steady steps, 30 infantry columns moved south to the north outer wall, 30 other columns flanked to the east before turning toward east outer wall, while the last 30 columns flanked to the west before turning toward west outer wall. And those 90 leading columns were followed by thousands of other columns which extended up to 7 km. Colonel Glass immediately turned to an analyst sitting next to MQ-9 Reaper¡¯s sensor operator. "Jackson, have you got the final headcount from Reaper?" "Not yet, Sir." Analyst Jackson immediately directed his gaze to the result of auto-head count that was processed by computer and said, "Right now, the number is 130 thousand, and it keeps increasing. Enemy second camp 10 km from the border also began to move their personnel. The initial estimate is 12 thousand light cavalry and 120 thousand infantry." "Fuck." Colonel Glass cursed as he clenched his fist. At the same time, Major Kimber, the XO in FOC Venom sighed deeply. "If only these bastards didn''t exploit our ROE. We will finish this battle before it even starts." "Yeah," Colonel Glass replied weakly. Normally, once the oppositions conducted an incursion, artillery strikes would be launched to their camps and the approaching elements. However, the opposition had placed thousands of children and women in their camp. Along the route to the border they also built small lodging houses for thousands of women and children. With Rule of Engagement where the target of airstrike or artillery strike must be located 2 km away from civilian settlement, the opposition''s infrastructures and routes automatically became illegal targets for any strike. It was also the reason why the opposition confidently established a giant camp with a capacity of 200 thousands personnel, only 2 km away from the border. And once the incursion started, they immediately put the women and children into rooftop of barracks or other buildings Although IDG had confirmed that the women and children were slaves, TF Amethyst higher-ups couldn''t just ordered the massacre of innocent people without solid justification. However, the most vexing thing for TF Amethyst''s higher-ups was that the main meeting room at Sviek Guard HQ did not have window or roof made of mosaic glass. Therefore, IDG couldn''t predict what kind of strategy that Battle Group A would employ. From the eavesdropping operation on some of noble houses in Sviek Regions, IDG only got info that from Regions which support him, Prince Makar obtained 1.1 million regular guards and militias. Meanwhile, from the neutral Regions he managed to recruit 200 thousand mercenaries, consisting of veterans who were full of combat experience and youth without any experience but full of determination and well trained. And by no means these mercenaries were not cheap. Their payment must also be sent to their families through Mercenary Guild before the offensive. The reason was because the mercenaries were ready to die to fulfill their role as door kicker units. Before the battle, they would consume courage wine that would turn them into a fearless and merciless combatant. And on the battlefield, they would kill anyone who didn''t wear the same uniform, even if the target were their families. "Fuck shit." As Colonel Glass cursed one more time, the leading columns had reached a distance of 1.6 km from the north outer wall. In the end, Colonel Glass could only sigh in silence before turning his gaze towards communication officer standing next to Major Kimber. "For now we will play by the book, send green light for rifle team, the target priority is ladder''s carriers." "Sir." Without delay, green light for versus contact was sent to rifle team. Not long after that, the distinctive ''Bang!'' of AWM 338 Lapua Magnum was heard in turn. ***** TFA2 3.2 - Outnumbered TFA2 3.2 - Outnumbered On top of north outer wall, 16 Shooters armed with AWM 338 used their rifle scope to observe the leading column of mercenaries. The mercenaries jogged with a steady step. They didn¡¯t wear body armor or carry a shield. Most likely, they already knew their body armor or shield were useless in this fight. Therefore, they put their bet at speed and number. Actually, it was decent tactic to counter marksman. But for AWM 338 Shooters it didn''t matter at all. As the longest spear tips in the rifle team, their main job was to say the first hello at a range of 1600 meters and nail as many targets as possible, not to nail every single one of them. Then, radio call suddenly came in. [Command to rifle teams, you have green, your target priority is ladder carriers.] "..." [I say again, rifle teams, you clear to engage targets at your designated target area. Your target priority is ladder carriers, Command over and out.] Without delay, AWM 338 Shooters picked one of ladder carriers and placed the impact point at their center mass. Then, they used their thumb to shift the safety lever before putting their index finger on the tip of trigger. Bang! Bang! B-Ba-ba-ba-baaang! Loud bangs were suddenly heard alternately. A second later, sixteen .338 Lapua Magnum rounds hit their target and came out of their back along with shred of bone, muscle, or internal organ. Then, it continued to penetrate 3-4 other targets behind the first targets. Normal people would be petrified when witnessing the destructive power of .338 Lapua Magnum on human body. However, the mercenaries who survived the first salvo calmly took the iron ladders from their fallen comrades and continued the advance. Of course, the AWM 338 Shooters didn''t pay any heed to the mercenaries'' reaction. Klick-clack!! They swiftly pulled out the bolt to extract the empty casing, and then pushed it back to its place to load a new round into firing chamber. After that, they took aim at their next target before squishing the trigger gently. Every AWM 338 Shooter needed 3-5 seconds for each shot. It was a remarkable tempo, but it was not enough to stop the ladder carriers. Even so, the AWM 338 Shooters did not panic. They ignored the ladder carriers who manage to slip through their ambush. At the same time, 43 Shooters armed with HK M110A1 took aim. As soon as ladder carriers in the leading position entered their designated target area at the range of 1000 meters, they fired a salvo almost simultaneously. Bang! Bang! B-Ba-ba-ba-baaang! In an instant, 43 ladder carriers fell to the ground. However, other mercenaries once again swiftly replaced their downed comrades and the advance continued. Of course, M110A1 Shooters kept releasing salvos, but the number of ladder carriers kept increasing. In a matter of minutes, the leading ladder carriers reached the designated target area for M240 Gunner, at a distance of 800 meters. Wasting no time, 24 M240 Gunners shifted the safety lever, took aim with the help of 8x magnification MG Optic. Then, they fired an accurate and stable 5-round burst continuously. This time, the pace of the ladder carriers became a little slower. Each iron ladder only advanced a few steps before its carrier was knocked down. Even so, step by step, the iron ladder continued to move closer to FOC Venom''s outer wall. --- "Damn." Colonel Glass whispered as the ladder carriers finally reaching a distance of 200 meters from outer wall. And it was only 40 minutes since the opposing side launched their offensive. "It seems the opposing side will sacrifice as many ground elements as they can to conquer this camp," Major Kimber flatly said. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "It seems so." Colonel Glass then turned to Analyst Jackson before asking, "Have you complete the headcount?¡± Analyst Jackson immediately shook his head. "The computer must separate combatants and non-combatants along the marching route, so it will need a little additional time. For now, the tally is at 500 thousand personnel." "That''s almost half of their total strength." Colonel Glass heaving a deep sighs before asking another question, "How many that riffle teams manage to trim down?¡± "About 18-20 thousand," Analyst Jackson calmly replied. "Not even 10% from their total number.¡± "I will ask Castle Lagra to prepare a resupply for our small caliber," Major Kimber calmly said. ¡°Yeah, we will need it,¡± Colonel Glass expressed his agreement. Then, one of radio operators suddenly loudly announced, "We have a warning from radar station at Davy Jones, 60 opposing Riders are approaching our position from west, altitude of 800 meters, speed at 250 km/h." "Get AA Element to welcome them," Colonel Glass calmly issued an order. "Aye Sir." Without delay, Colonel Glass¡¯s order was being relayed to Anti Air Element. --- As soon as they knew 60 Riders were approaching from west, six Stinger Shooters on west outer wall immediately rushed out of their bunkers. It was very dangerous to let a formation of Riders approaching freely and having time to observe the situation, so they had to break their formation as early as possible. Wasting no time, Stinger Shooters took a parallel position 4 meters away. After swiftly placing a Stinger tube into launcher gripstock, they then patiently waited. Even though six Stinger Shooters prepare their toy, only three of them would have a chance to fire it. Colonel Glass had determined that for every 10 Riders only one stinger would be fired. With the limited number of stinger missiles and Battery Coolant Units, the generous welcome of Stinger salvos like in the operation to defend Lagra City, had to be crossed off. Then, as black dots appeared in the west sky, the leader of Stinger Team immediately gave a loud command, "Mick, Jagger, Thomaso, prepare your BCU. You have two shots, use it well. """Sir!""" "The rest, stand by as back up shooters in case we have a failed launch." """Sir!""" "Wait for my mark!" A few moments later, the leading Riders entered the Stinger¡¯s range. With his rich experience, the leader of Stinger Team in an instant realized it even before the personnel who had duty to measure the range told him. The Team Leader immediately shouted, "Nail them!!" Without delay, the three Stinger Shooters put BCU into grip stock and then took aim. A moment later, three Stingers shot towards the incoming Riders while leaving behind a loud whooshing sound and a long trail of white smoke, followed by three others in an interval of ten seconds. As six Stingers were approaching their positions rapidly, the opposing Riders immediately scattered in all directions. Some of them even execute a series of extreme maneuvers. Unfortunately, the Stinger Shooters had a very decent luck today. Each Stingers missile faithfully followed their target. Then, six loud explosions rumbled across the west sky alternately, followed by six Riders who fell and crashed into the ground while leaving a black trail. The Stinger Shooters then trotted back to their bunker. They already did their job, so now they had to obediently wait for the next incoming Rider. --- In addition to Stinger Shooters, each outer wall at FOC Venom was also armed with six M1151 Rippers. As soon as opposing Riders who survived from Stinger salvo reached a distance of 3.5 km, six Talon laser-guided rockets immediately welcomed them. Of course, this time the salvo didn''t just stop at the first six victims. Without pause, the Fire Control System on each M1151 Ripper did the sequence of lock and release automatically. As a result, opposing Riders fell from the sky in rapid intervals. Some Riders executed a tight maneuver, but it was futile. Even if Talon didn''t have fire and forget feature so the target had to be painted by targeting laser constantly, it was supported by a fire control system and solid sensor that was able to track flying target with a speed under 2.8 mach. Meanwhile, Cloud Hawk maximum speed was only 360 km/h, while a Talon fired from M1151 Ripper would be able to intercept far faster target like fighter jets, missiles, and artillery shells. In short, no matter how tight the turn rate, as long as the Cloud Hawk couldn''t avoid the targeting laser, Talon''s shaped-charge warhead would inevitably reach and pierced its body before exploding. Unfortunately, M1151 Ripper only armed with a 7-tube rocket launcher. So, even after the six Rippers fired all of their Talons, there were still 18 Riders left. Two M1151 Rippers immediately reload their rocket launchers while the other four switch to 30 mm M230 Chain Guns. And as soon as the remaining Riders entered M230''s effective range at 1.5 km, salvo of 30 mm Air Burst - Tracer and Armor Piercing - Tracer immediately greeted them. Even so, 18 Riders were too many for four Rippers to wipe them out in one go. Therefore, eight Riders managed to sneak in up to 500 meters from west outer wall and enter the designated target area for M1151 M2HB, which became the last line of defense against Riders. ***** TFA2 3.3 - Intercept the Incoming Riders TFA2 3.3 - Intercept the Incoming Riders The 12.7 mm M2HB on the M1151 Humvee were pintle-mounted on the roof and operated manually. It used a combination of tracer and full metal jacket round, so the Gunner could see the trajectory of the shot and correct it without needing to aim through the iron sight. But the most important thing was that the Gunner of M1151 M2HB truly understood how to use the heavy machine gun to kill a giant bird. From their rich experience in taking down Black Eagle, they knew that to take down and immobilize a giant bird with high vitality, a heavy shot to destroy their spine and the nerves attached to it was a must. The Team Leader of M1151 M2HB Platoon calmly radioed his men, "You know the drill and you know what happens if you execute your job sloppily. So, make sure you destroy it properly if a Cloud Hawk falls inside perimeter." [Roger!!] [Understood!!] [Aye, Sir!!] [Got it.] ¡­. ¡­. The platoon members replied firmly one by one, while unpleasant memories flashed through their minds. Two months ago, a Black Eagle managed to pass through the AA Defense in Davy Jones, and a unit of M1151 M2HB failed to kill it as soon as the Black Eagle fell within Davy Jones'' perimeter. Even though the Black Eagle had lost one of its legs and its body was full of holes like a Swiss cheese, the giant bird was still able to drag its body at a speed of 60 km/h and entered a Maintenance Depot in the middle of rush hour. The Black Eagle then thrashing around in a half-dead state for six minutes. As a result, 14 units Humvee, 4 units 5-ton MTV Truck, and 5 units recon motorbikes were destroyed. But the biggest loss was, 21 mechanics and 6 administrative personnel from Logistic and Support Group were killed in the process, while dozens of others suffered serious injuries. As determination filled their gaze, the Gunners of M1151 M2HB looked at the approaching Riders, and then placed a high aim before pressing the butterfly trigger and launched a 5-round burst repeatedly. Dum dum dum! Dum dum dum! Dum dum dum! Slow but heavy ''Bang!'' from M2HB was heard continuously as 12.7 mm projectiles shot towards the incoming eight Riders. The aim was too high, so the first salvo only passed the empty air in front of their targets. However, the M2HB Gunners only needed to slightly lower their aim, and in an instant the eight incoming Cloud Hawks were hit hard in the chest. The unfortunate Cloud Hawks immediately fell to the ground, rolling around, and crushed their Rider along with some mercenaries who were advancing towards the outer wall. These Cloud Hawks were still alive, but they couldn''t get up no matter how hard they tried. In the end, they could only weakly tweet ''Piek¡­ piek¡­ piek!'' as they waited for their dead. --- First Camp of Battle Group A, 2 km north of border fence. From the 3rd floor of a barrack, Prince Makar watched the stream of infantry columns move to the south like a giant river. Then, as he went back to the strategy table in the middle of the room, he asked, "Uncle Kalzar, how is our ground element progressing?" "Only 100 meters left, once our ground element reaches the outer wall, this camp is as good as ours," Duke Kalzar said cheerfully. "But they still haven''t used their artillery." Prince Makar took a deep breath to calm uneasiness in his heart before continuing, "Even if they can''t use it to attack our camp, it''s still feasible to use it to stop the momentum of our offensive." "Maybe they wait until our ground element reaches the wall before using it to make a massive sweep." Prince Makar immediately shook his head. "No, it will be too late to use artillery after our ground element reached the wall, and I''m sure they fully understood this circumstance." "Well, for now our only option is to keep pushing forward." "Yeah, I know. Let''s send the second wave of Rider then." "Understood." Duke Kalzar nodded and the scramble order was immediately sent. --- Third Camp of Battle Group A, 23 km north of border fence. Smoothly, 120 Sviek Riders from 12th Air Brigade took-off and went straight up into the sky. At the leading position, Brigadier Sherk grabbed his crystal communicator before giving the order to three Captains under his command. "Remember, we only need one Rider to make a long sweep on the wall using Cloud Hawk''s claws, and a wide opportunity would appear before our ground element." [Sir!!] A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. [Sir!!] [Sir!!] As a satisfied smile bloomed on his lips, Brigadier Sherk led the formation of 12th Air Brigade soaring west. His plan was simple. He would approach the targeted camp from the grassland in the west at super low altitude, about 8 meters above the ground. Therefore, enemy air defense wouldn''t be able to take aim because their line of sight was blocked by outer wall. Of course, flying in super low altitude was extremely dangerous. They had to reduce their speed and would become an easy target for opposing Rider. But if the approach was successful, then the collapse of opposing defender on the outer wall was inevitable. ''In the conflict with Kingdom of Buriek I had to withdraw before I could take any action. But finally, my time to shine has come,'' Brigadier Sherk muttered inwardly. --- Command Post, FOC Venom "The fuck..." Colonel Glass cursed as he observed 120 blips on the display table, which flew over the mountain ranges 50 km west of FOC Venom. "It seems like they are targeting the west outer wall again," Major Kimber said. "Yeah, and they must have received intel about our Air Defense''s effective range and angle of fire from the previous Rider." "Do I need to shift the Air Defense Element from the other outer walls?" "No, let''s ask Castle Lagra if our aerial assets can ambush and reduce these incoming Riders." "Roger." Without delay Major Kimber then sent a request of assistance to Castle Lagra. At the same time, Colonel Glass turned to display table showing the ladder carriers'' advance, and he reflexively sighed several times. --- Airspace above FOC Venom, altitude of 10,000 meters. Four F/A-18E Super Hornets quietly fly side by side, circling around FOC Venom in a loitering mode. Each Super Hornet was armed with two AIM-9X Sidewinders, four AIM-120C7s, and two GBU-16 Paveway II. The four Super Hornets were part of Winter Flight. Their main mission was providing immediate Close Air Support to friendly ground elements. Inside cockpit of Super Hornet in the middle, Major Gilmore was observing the offensive to FOC Venom through a multipurpose liquid-crystal display when a radio call came in. [Castle Lagra to Winter One, do you copy?] "Winter One to Castle Lagra, solid copy, go ahead." [Winter One, you have an interception mission, the target is 44 km west of your position. Cut their number down as many as possible.] "Roger." As he glanced at the dozens of blips in the radar screen Major Gilmore asked, "Do we have intel on the target?" "I will send their profile, coordinate, and their possible route to your database.] "Received and understood, Winter One out and over." Wasting no time, Major Gilmore turned on the Combat Management System, and the live-feed on the full color multipurpose liquid-crystal display instantly changed into a giant map. As he waited for the intel he needed to calculate the firing solution for AIM-120, he radioed his flight members, "Winter One to All Winter, you heard the order, so be ready." [Roger.] [Roger.] [Roger.] With a distance of 44 km, not much time was left to determine the most ideal ambush route and firing solution. So, Major Gilmore handed all the calculations to computer. A moment later, four Super Hornets under Winter Flight banked to the left calmly. They flew westward at the lowest possible speed without lowering altitude, and were ready to launch every AIM-120C7 they carried. However, before any AIM-120C7 got a radar lock, dozens of blips on the radar screen suddenly disappeared one by one in rapid pace. ''The Fuck.'' Major Gilmore immediately switched the Super Hornet''s radar into a short-range sweep, but there was still no radar contact at all. Wasting no time, Major Gilmore radioed his flight members, "Winter Two, stays in long-range mode." [Roger.] "Winter Three, switched into short-range sweep." [Received and understood.] "Winter Four, use your IRST." [Got it.] "Winter One to All Winter, I will use visuals, and let''s find our target ASAP." [Roger.] [Roger.] [Roger.] With great vigilance, each member of Winter Flight searched for their target. However, until they arrived in the location where they supposed to meet with their target, they still had not found the flight of opposing Riders. "Winter One to All Winter, let''s split up into two combat flights and make a big circle sw--." Major Gilmore didn''t finish his words, as suddenly he saw a group of Riders glided out from a narrow gorge. They flew very low over the grasslands, in five tight lines of 150 meters long. At the same time, his flight members reported. [Winter Four to Winter One, Tally Ho, they are below us, grassland at 10 o''clock, heading east at 60 km/h.] [Winter Three to Winter One, my Sidewinder on the left got solid lock on, ready for green.] [Winter Two to Winter One, do we change to heat seeker?] "Negative, let''s change to Paveway II." [Roger.] [Roger.] [Roger.] Wasting no time, Winter Flight immediately made a big circle before approaching the flight of opposing Rider from south, and then dropping four GBU-16 Paveway II covering the leading Rider to the Rider at rearmost at 40 meter intervals. The GBU-16 Paveway II had an effective range of 14.8 km. It was laser guided and several times had proven to be capable of hitting fast boats that traveling at 80 km/h and performing zigzag evasive maneuvers. Therefore, hitting a target flying straight at low altitude at a speed of 60 km/h was an easy task for the smart bomb. Moreover, the targeted convoy was not aware that four smart bombs each with a thermobaric explosive weighing 180 kg were freely gliding towards their position. The last thing that Riders of 12th Air Brigade saw was a blinding flash before their consciousness evaporated along with their bodies. After getting an air refueling, Winter Flight then returned to their parking lot above FOC Venom, flying in loitering mode and ready to take the next mission. Actually, the Command Center at Castle Lagra stuttered when they received a report that all incoming Riders had been eliminated, but they refrained from asking questions until Winter Flight returned to the base. ***** TFA2 3.4 - Human Wave Tactic vs Low Cost Weapon System TFA2 3.4 - Low Cost Weapon System North Outer Wall, FOC Venom Bang! Bang! Ba-babang! Ratatar! Ratatar! Ratatar! Bang! B-bababang! Ratatar! With a serious expression, Captain Thyssen and Lieutenant Sean observed how the shooters and gunners tried to block the advance of ladder carriers. From the huge numbers of the ladder carriers that were eliminated in every second, it was easy to conclude that the rifle team was utilizing their best abilities. Of course, the efforts would also eat a large amount of ammunition. Fortunately, personnel from Logistics and Support Group could compensate for the speed of ammunition consumption. They swiftly went back and forth from ammo depot towards each outer wall, driving M1152 Cargo that was fully loaded with 1.5 ton of ammunition. However, no matter how huge the amount of ammunition they distributed, without the support of a heavy strike, it would be impossible to stop the advance of more than a hundred thousand ready-to-die mercenaries. Even after the fire teams used their carbines to assist the rifle teams, the advance of the ladder carriers remained unstoppable. "I wonder. What kind of drug did they use?" Lieutenant Sean asked as he looked at the steady advance of ladder carriers. "I also want to know about that," Captain Thyssen casually replied. "It''s remarkably effective." Since the beginning of the offensive, there were no shouts of commands or war cries to raise morale. The mercenaries just kept advancing in silence. The only sound that accompanied their advance was their steady and determined footsteps. When the huge numbers of their comrades fell and didn''t wake up again, they didn''t stop. When their comrades'' blood turned the ground into a bloody mud, they didn''t stop. and When the bloody mud was fully covered with their fallen comrades, they also didn''t stop. So, it was natural that in the end they managed to reach their objective. Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! One by one, the tip of iron ladder appeared on the edge of north outer wall, and its hook immediately pinched the lips of the wall tightly. Some iron ladders even appeared right in front of a shooter or gunner. "Well, finally they arrived." Captain Thyssen then turned towards Lieutenant Sean before continuing, "LT, ask the Breaker to welcome our guest." "Sir." Wasting no time Lieutenant Sean spread out the order. Normally, it was impossible to push an iron ladder if its hook managed to pinch the lips of the wall. However, TF Amethyst had formed a unit that could destroy the hook on the iron ladder effectively. That unit was The Breaker. Their personnel were recruited from Tuscan Guard''s personnel and they worked with a format of 4-man team. As both rifle teams and fire teams stepped back from their firing position, the Breaker''s personnel approached the iron ladder. Then, two personnel who were wearing anti-frozen gloves sprayed the freezing spray to the hook. The freezing spray was exactly the same as the one that was used in Terry Hill''s operation. Therefore, it had been proven effective for use on metal. Next, the users of freezing spray reached for the hammer at their waist, then hit the hook as hard as they could. Clank!! It was only required one hit, and the hook shattered as if it was made of glass. Wasting no time, two other of Breaker''s personnel pushed the iron ladder which lost its hook using a Y-shaped stick. With ease, the iron ladder was pushed away from the wall and collapsed to the ground, along with mercenaries who tried to climb it. Of course, the second, the third, and the next wave of iron ladder continued to arrive at the outer wall. However, the Breaker''s personnel managed to repel them effectively before any climber reached the top of the wall. "Good, the Breaker executed their job properly." After smiling lightly, Captain Thyssen then gave his next order to Lieutenant Sean, "Time for Molotov Cocktail." "Sir." Wasting no time Lieutenant Sean spread out Captain Thyssen''s second order. A moment later, Tuscan and Buriek Guards on the north outer wall took out Molotov cocktails from some wooden crates. Without any hesitation, they then threw the Molotov cocktails towards the ladder carriers. With the large number of the ladder carriers at the base of the wall, most Molotov cocktails landed on their heads, broke, and splashed the Nouel Biofuel to their body and mercenaries around them. Therefore, when some torches touched their bodies, in an instant they got burned violently. In a matter of seconds, a sea of fire was formed at the base of the wall. Stolen novel; please report. Molotov cocktails were then thrown away as far as possible from outer wall. And with ease, Nouel Biofuel seeped and spread through the ladder carriers¡¯ clothes, both those who were still alive or dead and laid on the ground, followed by fire that burned violently. Crackle crackle crackle!! In a flash, the sea of fire at the base of the wall widened up to a radius of 50 meters. However, there were no screams or shouts from the mercenaries. Instead, with a gaze full of determination they ignored the fire that burned their body and kept advancing. But in the end, the fire killed them before they reached the outer wall. Even so, the next wave of ladder carriers continued to advance and try to break through the sea of fire, without the slightest showing pain or fear. Therefore, Tuscan Guards and Buriek Guards on the north outer wall continued to throw the Molotov cocktail. "This is madness," Lieutenant Sean said. "LT, war is basically madness," Captain Thyssen calmly replied. "Yes, Sir, but I never see something like this one." "So did I." As both Captain Thyssen and Lieutenant Sean sighed in silence, the smell of burning human flesh filled the air, along with a thick black smoke which rose into the sky. The smell was annoying, but every personnel in FOC Venom realized that the burning smell was much better than the rotten smell from ten thousands of human bodies that were left lying around. So, there were almost no complaints. --- Command Post, FOC Venom. Almost at the same time, the sea of fire was formed in front of the north, west, and east outer wall. As he observed the ladder carriers who were trying to pass it, Colonel Glass Said, "No wonder a lot of nobles loved to hire these mercenaries." "Yeah," Major Kimber replied before she turned her gaze to Colonel Glass, "I think it''s time for mortar elements to break their momentum." "No, let''s use Molotov catapult." "Are you sure?" Major Kimber asked with a puzzled face. "Didn''t you intend to reserve it until our guests send their main unit?" "Yes, I did. But it seems like their door kicker is more troublesome than my initial estimation." "Understood," Major Kimber replied as she lightly nodded. --- As they were realizing that TF Amethyst was low in ammunition but potential conflict continued to come, TF Amethyst''s higher-ups started to explore the possibility of a weapon system made of local material. The basic parameters they set were, it must be easy to mass produce, low in operational and maintenance costs, compact in size and having high mobility, and could be operated by local allies. One of the options which were then adopted was Molotov cocktails. It was super cheap because Amethyst Merchant already established a glass bottle factory, and also had abundant supplies of Nouel Biofuel. Doctrine and mechanism to maximize the effect of Molotov cocktail was then designed and led to the formation of Molotov Catapult Company. The first company consisted of four batteries, and each battery was equipped with eight catapults, where all of the members were recruited from Tuscan Guard. After two months undergoing intensive training at Harley Quinn, the 1st Tuscan Molotov Catapult Company finally got the chance of their first combat deployment. For two months, they didn''t communicate or meet their families, and right after they finished their training they were sent to the front line. Even so, every personnel of 1st Tuscan Molotov Catapult Company cheerfully welcomed their first firing mission. Fifty meters behind the north outer wall and right next to Mortar 60 mm firing station, Lieutenant Mahak shouted his order loudly. "Get your ass moving faster, I want Battery A1 to become the first unit to launch a Molotov salvo in real combat." """Sir!!"" Crew of Molotov catapult from Battery A1 firmly replied as they conducted their combat preparation. The Molotov catapult had a simple construction. It was consisting of a tripod, launcher spring, launcher shaft to direct the throw, and a manual mechanism to calculate the impact point. Every single part of it was made of fire-resistant and lightweight synthetic material, and could be loaded into a M1152 Cargo along with its crew and five wooden crates of 16-bottle Molotov cocktails. And most importantly, it had an effective range up to 500 meters longer than footbow, very accurate, and only took three minutes to assemble every catapult. "Catapult A1-1 is ready." "Catapult A1-2 is ready." "Catapult A1-3 is ready." . . . . . . "Catapult A1-7 is ready." "Catapult A1-8 is ready." After lightly smiling, Lieutenant Mahak turned to Centurion beside him, "Start the salvo." "Sir." Without delay, the Centurion carried out the order and the impact points were being calculated. Then, Molotov cocktails that had been lit were being placed on the launcher shaft and the first salvo was launched not long afterward. The Molotov cocktails drew a high arc before landing in its intended target almost simultaneously. Blaarr!! Blaarr!! Bla-bla-blaaarr!! The first impact point was the border fence that had been torn down. Of course, most of the Molotov cocktails were not landed on the border fence, but on the head of the mercenaries who were passing through on it. In an instant, a blast of fierce fire flared up. Because the bottle was designed to be easily broken when falling from certain height, the Molotov cocktails that happened to fall on empty ground were also broken at first impact and immediately created a fire plot. Systematically and rapidly, the border fence along the border received a salvo of Molotov cocktails. Followed by salvo from the west and east outer wall, with a point of impact of 2000 meters from outer wall. In a matter of minutes, a neatly U-shaped and thick firewall surrounded the north, west, and east outer wall. Even so, the salvo of Molotov cocktail continued to be launched and only stopped after the trumpet as a signal of the retreat was heard. Once the flow of human wave was stopped, the riffle teams and fire teams finally managed to sweep clean every mercenary that was trapped between the firewalls. ***** TFA2 3.5 - Three Simultaneous Attacks TFA2 3.5 - Three Simultaneous Attacks Command Post, FOC Venom. As he looked at the fire wall displayed on the display table Colonel Glass said, "It''s cheap, but turned out to be effective." "Yeah," Major Kimber replied briefly. A single bottle of Molotov Cocktail only cost 2 US of D, or equivalent to 4 pieces of 5.56 mm round, but the effect was much larger. And when it was combined with a catapult, Molotov cocktails would become an effective means to counter a formation of footbow, ballista, or human wave tactic. Therefore, both Colonel Glass and Major Kimber understood why Harley Quinn emphasizes that Molotov Cocktails should become the main option in the effort to counter Kingdom of Makai''s ground offensive. Colonel Glass then turned to Analyst Jackson. "How much of opposing force did we manage to eliminate?" "The final estimation is about 60 thousand, Sir." "That''s another big number to send me straight to hell." "But you don''t look that worried," Major Kimber said in a half question tone. "On my first tour, I already threw away my ticket to enter the holy heaven." "Well, now I know another reason why General O''Neil chose you to lead this forward camp and also why your previous staff officer followed you faithfully." "Yeah." Colonel Glass calmly replied before taking a sip of his coffee. To this moment, many officers at TF Amethyst were still wondering why Colonel Glass was deployed to lead FOC Venom. Considering that other Forward Operating Camp was only led by a Captain. Moreover, Colonel Glass was not a regular Colonel but the second highest officer at Ground Combat Group. With his seniority and combat experience he was more than qualified to lead a Medium Operating Base. Therefore, if an unexpected accident occurred and Colonel Glass was KIA, that would become one of the greatest losses for TF Amethyst. On the other side, one of the few officers who knew the reason behind Colonel Glass'' appointment was Major Kimber. She knew that Colonel Glass was not the smartest or bravest middle-rank officer in TF Amethyst. However, he was the only officer that throughout his military career had never lost any camp under his watch. Not even once, no matter what the challenge or circumstance were. In other words, Colonel Glass''s appointment was a form of determination that TF Amethyst would not give up on FOC Venom regardless of the circumstance. --- As he looked at the strategy table, Prince Makar sank into a deep contemplation. Makai Intelligence Service already knew that Amethyst Merchants were able to produce liquid fuel massively and cheaply. However, their intel never mentioned its adoption as a weapon system. Of course, Prince Makar did not blame the Makai Intelligence Service for failing to sniff the bottle throwing weapon system. As he believed this was its first appearance in real combat. Moreover, even Count Isak who was entering FOC Venom several times also failed to realize its existence. But still, when he heard the effective range and accuracy of TF Amethyst''s new toy, in an instant he got a shock that was much deeper compared to when he heard that the second wave of Rider was intercepted and wiped out clean. Stolen story; please report. With ease Prince Makar concluded, ''It''s not as simple as throwing a huge number of bottles filled with liquid fuel. This weapon system is a result of serious thinking. Its accuracy and effective range will provide various tactics for field officers. And depending on the application, it will become a cheap game changer for TF Amethyst.'' As he took a deep breath, Prince Makar turned to Duke Kalzar. "Uncle, we can no longer put our bet on tactics to drain their fire power and resources." Duke Kalzar nodded before replying, "It seems like TF Amethyst''s higher-ups are not a bunch of simplistic arrogant who would blindly rely on the advantage of high level technology." "Indeed, compared to the arrogant fool from 1st World Authorities, TF Amethyst''s higher-ups are far more dangerous." "Fortunately, human wave tactics are not our only option." A thin smile then bloomed on the lips of Prince Makar and Duke Kalzar. A moment later, they already enjoy a festive lunch leisurely, as if the failed attempt to take FOC Venom was not a big deal. --- After Makai Intelligence Service confirmed that more than a hundred thousands of military personnel at Sandhur Region were member of Buriek Guard, Prince Makar immediately ordered Marquis Orev to dig an underground tunnel, starting from the 2nd Camp to 1st Camp in the tip of the border, and continued to the center of Levsait and Raisait. To hide the excavation activity from TF Amethyst''s aerial reconnaissance, construction warehouses were established on several entry points. The excavated dirt was then being packed with sandbag and stacked in these warehouses, while the construction materials in the warehouse were being moved to underground tunnel gradually. Marquis Orev carried out his mission as if his life depended on it. As a result, the construction of underground tunnel ran slightly faster than its initial schedule. Even before Prince Makar and Duke Kalzar arrived in Sviek Region, The construction of the underground tunnel had passed the 1st camp, and flanked each side of FOC Venom towards Levsait and Raisait. Right after the lunch, Prince Makar and Duke Kalzar visited the underground tunnel through one of entry points. They casually descended a 3 meter wide downward walkway into a depth of 8 meters. Then walked along a 6 meter wide tunnel, with a 4 meter high ceiling supported by wooden block, sturdy pave floors, and illuminated by oil lamps that attach along the tunnel wall. During the trip, Prince Makar and Duke Kalzar met with carts and horses that passed the underground tunnel easily, and this made the two smiled broadly. Then, a few minutes later they arrived at underground command center and were greeted by Marquis Orev and Count Isak. "First Prince, Lord Duke, welcome to underground command center," Marquis Orev said proudly but also respectfully. After slightly nodding, Prince Makar then looked at every corner of command center. "It seems like this place is bigger compared to command center at 2nd Camp?" "Yes, it is. This servant adds an accommodation chamber for you and Duke Kalzar, in case both of you have to lead the operation from here." As he frowned Duke Kalzar said, "Marquis Orev, I hope the construction of this accommodation chamber does not interfere with schedule for main tunnel." "Of course not, Lord Duke." Marquis Orev replied confidently, "In three days, we will reach the center of Levsait and Raisait." With full of sincerity Count Isak then bowed deeply to Prince Makar. "First Prince, to redeem the failure in discovering the bottle throwing weapon system, please allows this lowly servant to lead the attack to Levsait." "Very well, Count Isak, you will lead the attack to Levsait." "Thank you, First Prince, this lowly servant will not let you down." "I know." Prince Makar then turned towards Duke Kalzar. "Uncle, let''s move the entire slave worker we have to this camp." "Understood, with a combination of slave workers and the mercenary, we will have enough strength to launch human wave tactic for three days in row, and that will become a good distraction." Duke Kalzar paused for a moment before continuing, "Moreover, we have spent a lot of money to get them, so we should use them to the fullest." "I agree we have to use them to the fullest, but we will make a little adjustment." As his three closest followers looked at him with a questioning gaze, Prince Makar continued, "For the next three days, we will stockpile water and sandbag at the starting point of human wave attack. We will make an impression as if we are preparing to counter TF Amethyst''s fire tactic. Then, on the fourth day we will launch the underground attack to the center of Levsait and Raisait, along with human wave attack." Almost at the same time, Duke Kalzar, Marquis Orev, and Count Isak nodded, and then they firmly replied, """Understood.""" ***** TFA2 4.1 - Enemy From The Sea TFA2 4.1 - Enemy from the Sea War Strategy Room, Cruiser Geko-01 10:08, 28 Oct 2025 From the intelligence given by Northern Coalition, Duke Fogel knew that TF Amethyst''s devastating artillery had an effective range up to 30 km. Therefore, he put every main combatant ship at twice of that distance. While to test TF Amethyst''s response he placed 800 corvettes and frigates at a distance of 20 km from the coastline, or around 4 km behind the horizon from the perspective of the defenders on the beach. However, TF Amethyst showed no reaction. They also showed no signs of offensive even after the talk between Count Issak and Viscount Issel ended without a peace agreement. As he looked at the giant map on the strategy table, which was filled with hundreds of finger-sized wooden ships, Duke Fogel said, "It seems TF Amethyst waiting for us to launch the beach landing." A cold gleam immediately flashed in Prince Portho''s eyes. "Uncle Fogel, let''s exploit their confidence." "Yeah, let''s launch your battle plan." Duke Fogel then turned his head towards Admiral Shank. "How long before Count Issak pass the border?" After glancing the wall clock as big as a wardrobe in the corner of the room Admiral Shank replied, "If there is no accident, Count Issak will enters Sviek Region in 55 minutes." "Well, let''s alert the first wave of landing troops, and make sure the special shield on main combatant ship is clearly visible from the air." "As your command, Sir Duke." "Then, once we get the attack signal from Battle Group A, immediately launch the beach landing." "Understood." Without delay, Duke Fogel''s orders were carried out, and staff officers immediately changed the formation of wooden ships on the giant map. --- TF Amethyst''s Command Center, Castle Lagra With great admiration Nate looked at the nine thousands of various naval vessels under the flag of Battle Group B, which filled Guise Sea as far as the eyes could see. "This is the first time I''ve seen a beach landing that involves thousands of ships." Viscount Issel who stood next to Nate immediately replied, "Sir Nate, this is also the first time I see such invasion." "Well," General Khartoum paused for a moment before continuing, "Without TF Amethyst¡¯s aerial reconnaissance, we won¡¯t be able to follow the development on the battlefield on a real time like this." "Indeed." Viscount Issel nodded in agreement. Both Viscount Issel and General Khartoum were fully aware that to win a battle, a constant situational awareness of the battlefield was a must. At the same time, they also couldn''t wait to see the airstrike on the main combatant ships of Battle Group B. With great anticipation Viscount Issel and General Khartoum put back their attention to the display table. Together with Nate, they then observed how hundreds of corvettes and frigates in the leading position formed thirteen landing corridors in coordinated maneuvers. These landing corridors were a standard tactic to protect transport ships. Considering that in the process of shifting landing troops into landing boats, the transport ship would become easy prey for opposing Riders. Meanwhile, the center deck in every carrier ship slowly opened and exposed Riders who were ready to take-off. At the same time, dozens of women and children came out from one of the side doors connected to the lower deck of carrier ships, cruisers, or destroyers. They then lined up on the deck rail of each ship. Just like Battle Group A, Battle Group B apparently also adopted human shield tactics. "Bastard..." Nate cursed in a whisper as anger was reflected in his eyes. Wasting no time Viscount Issel immediately offered a suggestion, "Ser Nate, we can still target the other ships that are not protected by human shields." However, General Khartoum did not agree. "I think we should give these bastards a lesson that human shield tactics are useless in front of us. That way, they will never use it again in future conflict." After heaving a deep sigh Nate said, "General Khartoum, I will make sure we won¡¯t have another conflict with Kingdom of Makai. As for this one, we will play by the book. I know this is a bothersome challenge, but please believe me, we will overcome it." "Understood." General Khartoum answered without hesitation. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. As for Viscount Issel, he nodded firmly. Without delay, Nate then sent the order to cancel the airstrike. And suddenly, one of the radio operators announced, "Sir, Camp Venom reported that Battle Group A conducted an incursion and versus contact occurred." After a slight nod Nate said, "Give all elements at Raisait, Levsait, and Railev Pass a green. Also, ask our artillery to sink any ship that are not protected by human shield, regardless the type and size." "Sir." Without delay Nate''s orders were carried out. --- Defensive Point LS-01, Levsait Inside the fire control bunker for artillery element, Major James and Lieutenant Cameron looked at the main screen gloomily. Initially, together with Reapers which were equipped with Hellfire missile, the artillery element would sink the opposing side main combatant ship as many as possible. Unfortunately, the opposing side put their main combatant ship outside the effective range of M777 Howitzer 155 mm. The only targets under M777''s effective range were frigates, corvettes, and transport ships. And all of those ships were marked by a box and coordinate of impact point in a bright red color, which means they were illegal targets. With an annoyed tone Major James said, "Damn it! How the fuck did they know the effective range of our 1-55?" After a deep sigh, Lieutenant Cameron replied, "I don''t know the details, but my friend in IDG told me that Kingdom of Makai has a solid and competent intelligence network." "What a troublesome bunch." "Yeah, they are." Then, as deep disappointment continued to adorn Major James and Lieutenant Cameron''s faces, all of the boxes and coordinates of impact points on the main screen suddenly turned green. "What the¡­" "...Huh?" Both Major James and Lieutenant Cameron immediately rubbed their eyes, but the boxes and coordinate of impact points remained green. And almost at the same time, the radio operators receive orders and notifications alternately. "Sir, Castle Lagra ordered us to sink the opposing vessel as many as possible, regardless the size and type." "Sir, Castle Lagra will also send an additional package of 155 mm shells and M777 spare barrels." "Sir, 120 opposing Riders just takeoff, they are approaching our position at 200 km/h, 400 meters above sea level." Even though the command and notification came alternately almost without pause, Major James calmly responded, "Notif the anti-air element, we will break the Rider Formation at a distance of 6 km. Ask them to save their Stingers for the next formation." "Sir." Major James then turned his gaze into Lieutenant Cameron. "Simultaneous salvo from every M777, beehive round, a 50 meters wide cone area of effect for each round." As he noted down the requested firing solution Lieutenant Cameron asked, "Maybe we could add a salvo of tear gas after beehive round, to make them fly blindly." "No, let''s leave the rest of aerial threat to anti-air element." Major James glanced at the auto-tally of designated target which continued increasing as he added, "We have to get back to our mission as soon as possible. There are more than a thousand ships we need to sink." "Understood." As he cheerfully hummed, Lieutenant Cameron then began calculating the fire solution for the first salvo. Basically, the main purpose of artillery radar was to track and determine the firing position of enemy''s battery. But of course, it could also be used to track a flying target. Therefore, placing an impact point in the trajectory of a flying target was possible. And so, as long as the intended target did not change their flight path, then they would meet with a nasty surprise in the middle of their journey. --- In a neat formation hundreds of transport ships entered the landing corridors, took their designated position, and reported back to Geko-01. One of them was Sampan-02. It smoothly entered the far left side corridor and anchored at a distance of 7 km from the shoreline. The oarsmen and landing troops then lined up neatly on the deck. Every single one of them was veterans full of life and death experiences under their belly. Their courage and determination to win the battle was top notch. And so, they didn''t need to consume the courage pill which would make them fearless but lacking in initiative. A moment later, Captain Karam came out from the bridge and walked past the oarsmen and landing troops. After seeing the cold gleam and determination on the eyes of each landing troop before him, he nodded in satisfaction and continued walking to the edge of the deck. As he looked at the vast blue sky Captain Karam muttered, ''It¡¯s a good day to launch a beach landing. It¡¯s just a pity that this time we will suffer an enormous casualty.'' Even though crystal sensors in the frigates and corvettes that securing the landing corridors did not detect the presence of opposing Rider, Captain Karam still could not calm his anxiety. Given that he already knew the opposing artillery had an effective range of up to 30 km. No matter how he tried to hold it back, in the end Captain Karam sighed in silence. ''With such effective range, they don''t need to send Riders.'' Fortunately, the first wave of beach landing had more than a thousand ships, and Makai Intelligence Service had estimated the opposing artillery would not be able to sink every single one of them. ''Hopefully, this ship survives from their salvo.'' Captain Karam muttered as he turned his gaze into one of the senior sailors under his command. "Start the landing." "Aye Sir!!" Without delay, the senior sailor carried out Captain Karam''s order. Landing boats were lowered to the both sides of Sampan-02 along with its oarsmen, and then followed by landing troops who went down through a wooden ladder, 30 personnel in each landing boat. In less than 10 minutes, the shifting of landing troops into landing boats was completed. The two landing boats then moved to the beach together with thousands landing boats from other transport ships. Their target was a flat sandy beach 65 km wide, stretching between Levsait and Raisait. Meanwhile, Captain Karam took a breath full of relief and muttered, ''Now, we have to retreat as far as possible.'' But then, thunderous cheers suddenly rang out. "Riders!! We are counting on you!!" "Go get them!!" "Show no mercy!!'''' "Riders!! Show them what you made of!!" "Makai Rider rules the battlefield." In reflex, Captain Karam turned his gaze towards the formation of Makai''s Rider that majestically flew towards Levsait. A smile instantly bloomed on his lips ''Damn it! Since when do I turn into a coward?'' As Captain Karam clenched his fist, the memory of deadly skirmishes he had gone through filled his mind. He clearly remembered that he would be worried and anxious before each skirmish, but at the end of the day he always managed to survive. Slowly but surely, confidence filled Captain Karam''s heart to the brim. ''Well, let''s see how the contest to dominate the sky goes.'' With eyes full of anticipation, Captain Karam looked at the Rider Formation which steadily passed his position ***** TFA2 4.2 - Deadly Greeting TFA2 4.2 - A Deadly Greeting A proud smile floated in Brigadier Oak''s Lips, as he saw thousands of sailors and oarsmen waving their hands and cheering on the Rider Formation he led. He couldn''t clearly hear the cheering word by word. But still, the combinations of the echoes raised his fighting spirit and liven up his mood dramatically. Initially, Brigadier Oak was nervous as the success of the beach landing closely related to how big the damage his Riders could inflict on the opposing artillery. Duke Fogel even said that destroying a piece of opposing artillery was equivalent to saving the lives of 3000 landing troops. But now, he felt that Duke Fogel''s words were an indirect way to say the importance of Rider in the current conflict, and not to describe how dangerous the opposing artillery was. Brigadier Oak also started to think that the intelligence about crushing defeat of Buriek Air Corps was only propaganda full of deception. ''A completely different air defense from what we have faced before huh...'' Brigadier Oak snorted before continuing his mutter, ''What a joke, rather than the air defense''s might, it''s more like the inability of Buriek''s Riders.'' Wasting no time Brigadier Oak grabbed his crystal communicator. "Let''s show to this smelly sailors, how we win a war." [Roger, Sir.] [Understood.] [Copy that.] [Aye Sir.] Four captains under the command of Brigadier Oak immediately sent a calm but steady reply. And so, the Rider Formation continued approaching Levsait confidently in three wide rows. Then, they suddenly saw twelve thin puffs of white smoke from the southern tip of Levsait, and six seconds later... B-B-BOBOBOOM!! Almost at the same time, twelve thunderous explosions blared just 20 meters in front of the Rider Formation. Every explosion perfectly sends a group of 10,000 steel darts that were tucked neatly in the beehive round, and each group forming a cone area of effect which enlarged up to a diameter of 50 meters just before it arrived in front of their first victims. No matter how good their reflexes were, it was impossible for the leading Riders to avoid the incoming steel darts. They didn''t even have time to scream when hundreds of steel darts penetrated and shredded their body. In an instant, Riders and Cloud Hawks in the leading position were being turned into a lump of meat and fell to the sea. Then, slowly but surely they sink to the sea floor, leaving behind a red colored sea surface. As for the Riders in the second row, they managed to survive but suffered severe wounds. In short, only 40 Riders in the third row were in a perfect condition to continue the formation effectively. But a moment later, they became easy snack for 44 units Rippers deployed in Levsait. Actually, the use of the beehive round was not a new thing. In the University of Vietnam, 105 mm beehive round with 8000 steel darts were often fired from a main battle tank to ward off a human wave attack, that usually came from a dense forest. It was very lethal means given that in its effective range, the steel darts could penetrate a tree as thick as 30 cm. Of course, at that time the beehive round only had an effective range of several hundred meters and NVA or Vietcong could avoid it by lying low on the ground. As for TF Amethyst, this was the first time beehive round was used as a means of air defense. And the result was good even if the firing solution was calculated manually, without assistance from a Fire Control System equipped with C-RAM capability. Moreover, the timed fuse for each round was also being set manually by the loader. --- "Impossible!!" "How can this happen?" "Someone, please wake me up from this nasty dream." "Oh my gods, they slaughter our Riders..." Every sailor, oarsmen, and landing troops in the first wave dropped their jaws, as they witnessed how the Riders fell from the sky rapidly like dry leaves falling in the wind. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. In a single blink of an eye, a rapid series of thunderous ''Boom!'' killed dozens of Riders in the leading position. Then, fire spears accurately intercepted and killed the rest in a rapid interval. In the end, most of the sailors, oarsmen, and landing troops turned their gaze away. It was painful to witness Riders who were the source of their pride getting slaughtered without being able to put up a fight. ''They easily wiped out our Riders,'' Captain Karam muttered weakly. Even after he watched it with his own eyes, it was still too hard for Captain Karam to swallow the reality before him. Unfortunately, the total massacre in the sky was just a small greeting from TF Amethyst. Siuuuuuu. . . . . . . . Kwaboom!! A long whistle was approaching quickly, and then a 120 mm mortar shell suddenly hit transport ship Sampan-01 in the left side. The mortar shell used a delayed impact fuse and it easily penetrated the upper deck, before exploding outward sending deadly fragmentations along with wooden shards. The outburst killed a dozen sailors, injured another dozen, and created a large hole in the left hull right below the water line. The sea water then entered the hull like a flood. Without a separate pumping and sealing system to contain the flooding in each compartment, it only took a few breaths before Sampan-01 tilted to the left and passed the margin of beyond saving. Wasting no time senior sailors immediately shouted orders. "All hands Leave the ship!! Leave the ship!!" "Move your ass on the double!!" "Save yourself!! Get out of here fast!!" The surviving sailor immediately executed an emergency evacuation. They swiftly carried their colleagues who were still able to stand up. As for their colleagues who suffered severe injuries, they hardened their hearts and left them. If they wanted to survive they had to hurry, because the ship was rapidly sinking as if a pair of invisible hands pulled it down to the sea floor. Most of the heavily wounded sailors closed their eyes in silence as their colleagues were leaving them behind, while some others tried to plead for their life. "Noooo! Please, don''t leave me!" "W-wait¡­ Why do you just leave us to die here?" "Brother, help me. I can still fight." A young sailor stopped at the stairs after hearing his best friend''s plea, but a senior sailor immediately dragged him. "We don''t have enough time to save them. In return, win this war so their family receives war compensation in full." "Aye Sir." After wiping his tears the young sailor continued his step. In the end, some sailors failed to get out from the ship, some others failed to get away from the sinking radius and got dragged to the sea floor by whirlpool, but most of the Sampan-01 crews managed to climb into the lifeboat. Unfortunately, a long whistle was heard one more time. Siuuuuuu. . . . . . . . Kwaboom!! This time, the mortar shell used a proximity fuse and exploded 10 meters above the head of the survivors. In an instant sweep, deadly fragmentation killed or heavily injured every single survivor. Some of them fell to the sea, creating a splash of red water before sinking to the sea floor, while the rest slowly sank in one package with the lifeboat. Then, once a good firing solution to kill the targeted ship and its crew was obtained, TF Amethyst''s artillery element immediately sent the real salvo in the most effective way. --- Siuu.... siuu.¡­ siuu.¡­ siuuu!! Kwaboom! Kwaboom! Kwaboom! Siuu.... siuu.¡­ siuu.¡­ siuuu!! Kwaboom! Kwaboom! Kwaboom! Under a heavy rain of artillery shells, Sampan-02 tried to leave the landing corridors as fast as possible. Previously, right after the first mortar shell hit Sampan-01, Captain Karam immediately went back to the bridge and ordered a full retreat from the landing corridors. And now, from the bridge of Sampan-02 he witnessed how the landing corridors were being turned into an unforgiving hell. Frigates, corvettes, transport ships, landing boats, survivors on the lifeboat, or even survivors who were still floating on the sea surface, TF Amethyst''s artillery element sent every single of them to the sea floor in a precise and efficient manner. ''This is not a war but pure one-sided massacre.'' Captain Karam couldn''t stop shivering as he imagined if Sampan-02 was hit by the deadly salvo. Wasting no time he immediately shouted his worries. "Damn it! Go Faster!" "Aye Sir!" "Use every single coal brick we have." "Aye Sir!" "I don''t care if we blow the engine up, just get this ship out of the landing corridors as fast as we can." "Aye Sir!" Actually, even without Captain Karam''s instructions, every single crew of Sampan-02 already gave their best effort to escape the landing corridors. Given that the continued long whistles and loud explosions they heard was more than enough to make them piss in their pants. And finally, Sampan-02 managed to reach a distance of 16 km from the coastline. "A little more and we will be well hidden behind the horizon." "Aye Sir!" Slowly but surely, color returned to Captain Karam''s face and all the crew of Sampan-02. ''You can''t hit something that you can''t see,'' Captain Karam muttered as he took a breath full of relief. Unfortunately, Captain Karam''s calculation was a big miss. As TF Amethyst''s artillery elements had a means to peek at targets beyond the horizon accurately. Moreover, they have a huge number of smart shells in their inventory. A guided artillery shell equipped with wings, control fins, GPS/INS navigation, and a laser seeker, to increase the accuracy up to 1 meter and could reach a range of 20 km in five minutes. As for the 155 mm howitzer shell, the guidance system would increase its effective range up to 40 km. However, in the current conflict TF Amethyst would only utilized it up to 30 km, and stored the extra 10 km range as a surprise for future opponents. KWABOOM!! A mortar shell suddenly hit Sampan-02 right on the bridge. This time, it came in silence without long whistles. It killed Captain Karam in an instant, along with most officers under his command, followed by two other shells that sent Sampan-02 and the remaining crew to the sea floor. Then, with the assistance of 12 Reapers which took the role as target acquisition units, the massacre to the target beyond the horizon began. ***** Footnote: C-RAM: Counter - Rocket Artillery Missile TFA2 4.3 - Beachhead TFA2 4.3 - Beachhead War Strategy Room, Cruiser Ship Geko-01. In Makai Navy, ships were grouped in a squadron of 8-12. Each ship would have the same hull name, but with a different number. And so, 8-12 mini flags with different numbers would be attached at each finger-sized wooden ship on the giant map. A staff officer just took a mini flag from a finger-sized wooden frigate, when an operator of crystal communication announced loudly. "Transport ship Sampan-02 has been sunk by opposing artillery, repeat, Sampan-02 was a total loss." The staff officer immediately looked at a finger-sized transport ship which symbolized the Sampan Squadron, and he took a deep breath as he found that only one mini flag was attached to it. He then took the wooden ship off the map and put it into a wooden box. ''Another squadron goes to the sea floor,'' the staff officer muttered. One by one, the staff officer took the finger-size wooden ship off the giant map. It was not new for him. He already did the job for more than four years. However, this was the first time he had to pack hundreds of mini wooden ships in less than an hour. Moreover, each ship sank at ridiculous speed and even the survivors got wiped out in an instant. ''Oh the mighty Gods who resided in high heaven, please don''t abandon us in front of such dangerous opponent.'' The staff officer prayed in silence as he continued taking the mini flags. This time, it was from wooden ships which symbolized the frigate squadron at a distance of 16 km from the coastline. At the same time, at the other side of the strategy table, Duke Fogel and Prince Portho observed the rapid development on the giant map with a serious expression. From thirteen landing corridors, only one corridor in the center remained untouched, or more precisely did not receive salvo from TF Amethyst''s artillery. "It seems like our intel about the effective range of their artillery is correct," Prince Portho said as he rubbed his chin. "They also don''t attack ships with human shields." "Yeah." Duke Fogel turned his gaze to Prince Portho and continued, "Well, land warfare is your specialty. So I will just follow your wish, my nephew." A cold gleam flashed in Prince Portho''s eyes as he said, "Let''s send the second wave of landing troops, through the only remaining corridor. Then, we will establish a beachhead and advance to Lagra City also by relying on protection of human shield." "Are you sure about that?" Duke Fogel asked as a big question mark appeared on his forehead. In the long history of Kingdom of Makai, human shields had never been used in an offensive. It was only used as a defensive means. Therefore, Duke Fogel tried to remind Prince Portho that he took a different route from his ancestors, and it would invite negative sentiment from some Noble Families. "Uncle, this is the only option I have and I fully realize the consequences." After hearing Prince Portho''s resolute reply, Duke Fogel smiled in satisfaction. "Well, as long as you have the resolve, I''ll support you no matter what action you take." The new order was then sent from Geko-01. A moment later, transport ships that brought the second wave of landing troops entered the only remaining corridor. --- Thirteen landing corridors, every single of them would deliver a 3600-men strong regiment, led directly by a senior brigadier. The six regiments on the left side would climb the 30-meter high cliff using a field-assembled staircase and attack Levsait. While the six regiments on the right side would attack Raisat using the same method. As for the single regiment in the middle, they would establish a beachhead right in the middle of Levsait and Raisat, where based on the intel the area could not be reached by opposing artillery. After that, the second wave of landing troops would land along with the support element. Then, the marching to Lagra City began. Actually, it was a good battle plan. Unfortunately, it did not survive the first contact. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ''They got us really good,'' Brigadier Klark muttered as his face was brimming with complicated expression. From one of the landing boats in the landing corridor, the old brigadier looked at the surface of the sea which turned red and was full of wood chips. Meanwhile, hundreds of dead bodies were dragged by the wave and stranded on the sand along the beach. And those were just a tip of an iceberg, for in the sea floor there were more than a thousand of ships and fifty thousands of dead bodies piling up each other. Soon, the landing boat arrived on the beach and Brigadier Klark immediately jumped out of it. And as he looked at the opposing camp located 500 meters from the landing spot, four Captains under his command approached him. One of the captains then said, "Sir, the oarsmen requested permission to join us." "Permitted." Every single oarsman was equipped with a short sword and they had a good amount of experience in using it. Therefore, Brigadier Clark gladly welcomed their assistants. Then, as killing intent flashed in his eyes, Brigadier Klark said, "Let''s drink their blood, as payback for our fallen brothers." """Sir.""" After seeing that four Captains under his command answered calmly but firmly, Brigadier Klark smiled widely. He was glad that they didn''t lose their courage even after witnessing the might of TF Amethyst''s artillery. A moment later, with a light jog Brigadier Klark led the advance of 14th Landing Regiment, while inwardly he was curious why the opposition didn''t welcome them even after his unit reached a distance of 100 meter from their camp. There were no ambushers hiding beneath the sand, trap holes full of sharp spikes, rain of arrows, or rapid fire arrows which were able to penetrate body armor like a hot knife penetrating a block of butter. There was also no movement in the opposing camp. But it could be a trick, so Brigadier Klark remained on high alert as he grabbed his crystal communicator. "First squadron, flank their left. The rest, forward to their center. Capture some officers and kill the rest." [Roger.] [Roger.] [Roger.] [Roger.] A moment later, with eyes full of bloodlust, members of 14th Landing Regiment entered Buriek''s camp. They easily knocked down the wooden gate, and then swept every building and watch tower, but they found no one. They also did not find food or equipment, but construction throughout the camp was still in good condition. The wells at the camp were also not poisoned. However, the former resident of the camp left them a message. They put it in the middle of main assembly square, written on a black board using big red letters that looked like blood splashes. ''Welcome to our humble slaughterhouse, roll back to the cave where you belong, or we will butcher every single one of you.'' --- Not far from the location where 14th Landing Regiment landed, stood a wooden dock, built by Buriek Guard when they launched an invasion on Sandhur Region. It was 500 meters long and 8 meters wide, connected to the beach through three wooden bridges, and looked like a letter ''E'' when viewed from above. In three long lines, 600 transport ships approach the wooden dock. Each transport ship was bigger than a regular military transport ship, for these ships originally were merchant ships. And of course, with its big size it would become an easy target for TF Amethyst''s artillery, if only there were no human shield lined up in its rail deck. However, the first ship to dock was a destroyer. Some personnel of 14th Landing Regiments swiftly tied the rope thrown from the top of the destroyer to the moorings. Then, the side door of the destroyer slowly opened downward until it touched the surface of the wooden dock, and General Kasian walked out with his staff. Wasting no time Brigadier Klark welcomed the general. "Sir, your command post is ready." "Thank you, Klark." General Kasian paused for a moment before continuing, "But it seems I will not use it for long." "Sir?" General Kasian looked at Brigadier Klark''s puzzled face as he replied, "Tomorrow, I will lead the advance directly. We just lost twelve senior Brigadiers, so we have to raise our men¡¯s morale." "With all respect, Sir. Battle Group B has more than 150 Brigadiers and 28 Admirals, but only 6 Generals for land warfare. Sending out a General this early in the game is not wise." "I know, but it''s a direct order from Prince Portho." General Kasian smiled before continuing, "But have no worry, the human shield tactic seems effective and we will use it tomorrow." "We should use it from the beginning, Sir." "Klark, this war is not only about winning the battlefield, but also about winning the throne. So, Second Prince can only throw out his image when he has no other choice, and we should be happy because it happened before it''s too late." "Understood, Sir." Brigadier Klark lightly nodded, and then he escorted General Kasian and his staff to the command post. Meanwhile, the destroyer went back to open sea and the transport ships started docking, three at once. The process of unloading women, children, slave workers, equipment, logistics, horses, mules, oxen, landing troops, and even some oarsmen began shortly after. ***** TFA2 5.1 - Oplan Black in The Night TFA2 5.1 - Oplan Black in The Night Colonel Glass was the second highest ranking officers in Ground Combat Group, and also the strongest defensive specialist after Vex. Therefore, it was decided that he was more than enough to lead the attempt in stopping Battle Group A. And so, Nate could focus his mind on thwarting the advance of Battle Group B. Together with General Khartoum and Viscount Issel, he observed how in the most efficient way possible, the artillery element hit the ships and personnel in the landing corridor. ''So far everything is in our favor,'' Nate muttered as he strengthened his resolve. In normal circumstances, he would only disrupt the chain of command by targeting the bridge on each ship. Unfortunately, TF Amethyst was not in a normal situation. In the face of low ammunition while opposing combatants numbered more than a million, Nate had to make sure every shot bleed the opposing force as fatally as possible. Then, as Nate took a deep breath, a Major from IDG approached him. "Sir, Winter Flight just wiped out a flight of more than a hundred riders in one strike." Question instantly mark appeared on Nate''s forehead. "How did they do that?" "The report said they dropped four GBU-16 on the flight." Nate lightly nodded, but when he tried to imagine the airstrike, no picture came into his mind. "Major, show me the footage from Hornet''s recon pod." "Sir, we need to wait until Winter Flight returns to base before we can download the footage offline." "Can the Winter Flight send it online, like Reaper or Poseidon?" "They can''t do that. Let alone to us here, without satcom, Super Hornet can''t even send recon footage to the ground element right below their position." Another thick question mark appeared on Nate''s forehead. "If I remember correctly, the Old Harrier can send recon footage without satcom. So, how the fuck the young Super Hornet can''t do the same?" "Well, Harrier is a dedicated ground support, while Super Hornet is a jack of all trades. It''s good enough in everything, but not great at anything." "I see." Nate nodded and muttered, ''No wonder, even to this day Vex is still trying so hard to get a fleet of Harriers.'' In the end, Nate only asked so that the airstrike footage was immediately sent to him once it was available. Then, he changed the topic. "What about the final preparation for Oplan Black in the Night?" "It is ready to go. Once the conditions is met, we can launch it." "Good, and thank you for your hard work, Major." "Sir." Without delay the Major returned to his station. A moment later, Nate, General Khartoum, and Viscount Issel enjoyed a simple lunch in the command center. In the middle of it, the attack on FOC Venom finally stopped. As for artillery strike to Battle Group B''s element, it was continued until no target under the artillery¡¯s reach. Then, Battle Group B launched a beach landing through the only remaining corridor, under the protection of human shield. Therefore, the airstrike from Reaper couldn''t be launched. However, Nate, General Khartoum, and Viscount Issel observed the massive number of landing troops that came together with slaves, equipment, and logistics without showing any worry. In fact, they looked like a butcher who watching a plump slaughter cow entered the slaughter house voluntarily. --- At dusk, it was concluded that Battle Group B would not launch an attack until tomorrow, or at least until they finished piling up sufficient strength and logistics. Nate then went back to his quarter, leaving behind General Khartoum and Viscount Issel who chose to stay in command center. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. In his quarter, Nate immediately slept and woke up at 7:30 pm. After taking a shower and dinner, he then returned to command center. There, he found General Khartoum and Viscount Issel were enjoying melon seed while observing activities at the wooden dock. Nate immediately joined with the two. "What did I miss?" General Khartoum immediately replied, "So far, 18,000 combatants, 5,000 slave workers, 9,000 slave women and children,1,200 horses, 800 mules, and other animals." And Viscount Issel added, "They have also unloaded several thousand tons of provisions, weapons, construction materials, and equipment." "That¡¯s really fast," Nate said in surprise, but then he calmly continued. "Fortunately, their strength has not reached the point where we need to revise Oplan Black in The Night." "Hopefully, we can launch it tonight." A thick hope was clearly visible in General Khartoum''s gaze. At the same time confidence filled Viscount Issel''s face. "Believe in me, tonight we will meet the conditions we need." ""We do,"" Nate and General Khartoum firmly replied, almost at the same time. Then, the three went back to observe the unloading at the wooden dock. They patiently watched and waited while enjoying melon seeds. Then, at 9:10 pm the unloading had to be stopped because the tide began to arise and sink the wooden dock. Not long after that, every transport ship and supply ship returned to the open sea. Only frigates and corvettes which formed the landing corridor remained in their place. "Finally," Nate muttered softly as he recalled intel from Viscount Issel. According to Viscount Issel, in this season the tide would rise after nine at night and last until three in the morning. At the same time the wind would blow towards the sea until the sunrise, and at midnight fog would fall along the coastline. In short, it was an ideal condition to launch a silent raid. During the last six days, IDG had made observations on Sandhur Coastline, and the results were exactly the same as intel from Viscount Issel. Even so, Nate still asked for the final confirmation. "Ser Viscount, any last minute correction?" "No." "Then, Black in The Night is a go." Nate said calmly, and General Khartoum nodded in agreement together with Viscount Issel. A few minutes later, a P-8 Poseidon take-off from Davy Jones, while six AH-1Z Viper take-off from Castle Lagra, and more than 300 units of various ground vehicles left Lagra City toward south. --- Under the night sky, P-8 Poseidon with callsign Rolling Panda took off from Davy Jones. Then, it flew to west in full speed before leisurely circling right above Battle Group B''s formation. Of the entire P-8 Poseidon operated by Air Combat Group, Rolling Panda was the only aircraft equipped with an anti-crystal communication pod. And in the Oplan Black in the Night it had the task of silencing the crystal communication network used by Battle Group B. ''Finally, we have the opportunity to test it in real combat,'' Major Elliat, the operation control officer at Rolling Panda, muttered inwardly in full anticipation. In the last five months, Major Elliat led Rolling Panda''s crew to test the anti-crystal communication pod developed by IDG. By any means, it was not an easy job. Given that in front of science from earth, crystal communication was a foreign and uncharted land. And IDG only had one set of huge crystal communication, a piece of loot from Terry Hill. Hundreds of combat simulations had been carried out, massive operational data was obtained, followed by constant improvement, but the damnable bugs were still popping up here and there. And so far, the obtained capability was only disruption against crystal communication network from a distance of 400 km. More precisely, it was only a half of the effective range of conventional electronic warfare on P-8 Poseidon, and it did not include intercepting, infiltrating, isolating, or tapping. ''Well, we will just use what we have as effectively as possible.'' Wasting no time Major Elliat got up and approached the latest control panel in Rolling Panda¡¯s cabin, where a crystal communication specialist preparing a gift package for Battle Group B. And once he arrived behind the specialist, Major Elliat said, "Lieutenant, give me sitrep." "The music is ready, Sir." "Good." Major Elliat slightly smiled, then continued, "Play it." "Roger." The specialist from IDG calmly replied, while Major Elliat turned his gaze to main screen which was displaying thousands of ships under Battle Group B''s command. A moment later, the ships shifted into visual communication by using lanterns. ''Thank God, its work,'' Major Elliat muttered in relief. "Good job Lieutenant, and please maintain it as long as possible." "Aye Sir." ***** TFA2 5.2 - Gas Attack TFA2 5.2 - Gas Attack War Strategy Room, Cruiser Ship Geko-01 As he frowned, Duke Fogel looked at the leader of Crystal Communication Maintenance Team. "Supervisor Braak, even if it''s just an assumption, give your opinion about what is really going on?" "Ser Duke," Supervisor Braak nervously replied, "to be honest, I have never experienced a situation like this." "What situation?" "There is no damage or malfunction in our crystal communicator. It is just that someone sends a very accurate signal of disturbance. I suspect this is the act of TF Amethyst." "Why do you think this is a new situation?" A question mark filled Duke Fogel''s forehead as he continued, "As far as I remember, sending a signal of disturbance is not a new tactic and we can counter it with switching channels. Fortunately, Battle Group B has more than a hundred crystal communicator channels. I believe it will be difficult for TF Amethyst to find the channel we use. And even if they find it, we can switch the channel again.¡± A deep frustration appeared on Supervisor Braak''s face as he replied, "We already tried it. We had changed the channels fifty times in row, but every channel only lasted for 6-8 seconds." "Impossible! How did they find the channel we use in such a short time?" With a face full of disbelief, Duke Fogel looked at Supervisor Braak, and for a moment his mind spun wildly. Meanwhile, Prince Portho and Admiral Shank could only frown in silence, and it was very normal that the three had difficulty in understanding the situation. The reason was, crystal communicator worked in a direct channel as if it was connected by an invisible cable, and not in open air like a radio wave. Therefore, to disrupt a crystal communicator network, someone had to track the channel that was being used, and then conducted a trial and error to find the right signal of disturbance. It was not easy because every channel had a unique attribute, and an effective signal of disturbance for a certain channel was not necessarily effective for other channels. In short, it was almost impossible to disturb a crystal communication network that had more than a hundred channels. But of course, that scenario was only valid in front of analog technology. In front of computers and digital technology, various complex analyses could be done in a matter of microseconds, as long as a right program was properly written for the right device. IDG even set a target that the anti-crystal communicator pod had to be able to analyze and send the right signal of disturbance within 0.05 second. Therefore, the targeted network did not have any chance to send any message even if they used the basic tactic of switching channel. After a long silence Duke Fogel said, "For now, use visual signals to communicate, but keep trying to counter the disturbance in our network." "At your command," Supervisor Braak replied firmly before going back to his station. Then, Duke Fogel was about to close his eyes and sigh deeply when the Leader of Crystal Sensor Team approached him. "Supervisor Sett, I hope you don''t bring bad news." "Ser Duke, honestly, I don''t know if this is a good or bad news." Duke Fogel calmly said, "Explain it." "We just got six return signals, approaching the outer perimeter on the east at 250 km/h and altitude of 3000 Feet." "Do these return signals are similar to the dozen return signals that circled above our formation when TF Amethyst launched artillery salvo?" Admiral Shank asked curiously. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "No, Ser Admiral. This time they are slightly stronger. But there is another one that coming from something that currently is circling above our formation, and this one is very strong." In an instant a question mark appeared in Prince Portho''s mind. "How strong the return signal and what is the detail of its flying profile?" "It''s as strong as return signal from a medium dragon, coming from the east before circling above us at 400 km/h, at an altitude of 24,000 feet." Admiral Shank immediately said, "It is true that only a dragon can fly that high. But if our guest is truly a medium dragon, then we must have arrived in afterlife right now." It was known that dragon never bothered to circle their prey like an eagle. When in a hunt, they would just approach their prey directly and grill it using its flame tower. Therefore, Admiral Shank confidently concluded that their guest was not a dragon. "I think it''s one of TF Amethyst''s assets. Our intel said they also had a big-sized aerial transportation." Duke Fogel paused, then continued in a curious tone, "Though, I don''t know what objective they want to achieve by flying above our formation." As relief filled his face Prince Portho said, "Well, if our guest is TF Amethyst''s asset, then we don''t need to worry. They will not attack our assets that have human shields. " "I hope so." Duke Fogel replied. Then, a senior sailor from Signal Team suddenly entered the war strategy room and reported. "Sir, our corvettes in the east perimeter sent a signal. They were attacked by six flying carriages that could spit fire arrows like rain." "I see." Duke Fogel replied calmly. "Send a warning to all of our elements that a similar attack might come to them, and I want them to send a sitrep every one hour." "As you command, Sir." Without delay, the senior sailor carried the order. Then, silence filled the War Strategy Room. Duke Fogel, Prince Portho, Admiral Shank, and every staff officer at the War Strategy Room were fully aware that the attack on east perimeter was just a diversion, which usually came together with interference to communication networks. And so, they were vigilantly waiting for the main attack that could come at any second. However, no one thought that what TF Amethyst wanted was their beachhead. Of course, their experience and knowledge warned them that a beachhead was a favorite pick up for whoever opponent they may face. But unfortunately, the assumption that TF Amethyst would avoid targets that were protected by human shields was already rooted deeply in their minds. --- A few stars twinkled in the sky, as a long convoy moved towards Sandhur Beach at medium speed. The drivers drove with the help of NVG, while the passengers sat in silence. In short, the convoy moved in the dark and almost silently. In total, the convoy consisted of 487 units of various Humvees and trucks. Most Humvee were ridden by 436 personnel of Ground Combat Group, while around 90 trucks were ridden by 560 personnel of Tuscan Guard, and 6000 personnel of Buriek Guard. At a distance of 6 km from the Battle Group B''s camp the convoy slowed down, and then formed a defensive perimeter before fully stopping. Meanwhile, on one of the Humvees in the leading position, Lt. Colonel Luther observed the aerial reconnaissance from Reaper through his tablet. "What a lively camp," Lt. Colonel Luther muttered under his bread. When he arrived at Castle Lagra with QRF element, Lt. Colonel Luther harbored great hopes for tasting his first ground combat. But he had to be disappointed because Kingdom of Buriek was willing to sit at the negotiating table before contact on the ground broke out. Fortunately, in the end he had the opportunity he desired for, and it was a large offensive. ''Let''s not waste our time.'' Lt. Colonel Luther immediately got out from his Humvee and approached the Leader of NBC Team. "LT, you can start smoking our target." "Copy that." The Lieutenant immediately gave a signal to NBC Team to prepare the gas attack, and then he pressed PTT button on his radio, "Nano Bravo Charlie to all units, put your gas mask on. I say again, gas mask on." Once the wind was confirmed blowing to south, and the safety seal of 20 gas cylinders at the rear bed of five units M1152 Cargo was off, the Lieutenant immediately wore his gas mask and pressed PTT Button once again. "Nano Bravo Charlie to all units, be advised, gas in the air on ten, nine, eight, . . . . three, two, one, now!" Hisssss! Hisssss! Hisssssssss! A colorless gas came out from the gas cylinder and fused with the night air, and then was silently carried away by the wind into Battle Group B''s camp. From his tablet, Lt. Colonel Luther observed the effect of the gas attack. Soldier, slave worker, women, children and even animals, all of them did not able to avoid it. Most of the victims collapsed to the ground almost instantly, while some of them tried to crawl or got up before collapsing again, and fully passed out. Wasting no time, Lt. Colonel Luther gave orders through his radio, "Night Shepherd to Vanguard Leader, you have green, make it swift and clean, we don''t have much time." [Received and understood, swift and clean, Vanguard Leader over and out.] ***** TFA2 5.3 - Secure the Camp TFA2 5.3 - Secure the Camp Without turning on the lights, a convoy moved past Battle Group B''s camp toward the beach. Its speed was also being limited below 40 km/h in to maintain silence. Considering that the nearest opposing''s corvette was only 1.5 km from the coastline and the wind was moving towards them. In total, the convoy consists of: 62 units M1151 Armament Carrier equipped with Medium Machine Gun M240 7.62 mm or Automatic Grenade Launcher Mk.19 40 mm, 30 units 5-ton trucks carrying two 600-men squadrons of Buriek Archer, and 16 units M1152 Cargo carrying two batteries of Tuscan Molotov Catapult. As soon as the convoy reached a distance of 200 meters from the shore, the M1151 Armament Carriers immediately took a position side by side with a distance of 6 meters, while Buriek Archer and Batteries of Molotov Catapult took position behind it. These blocking elements were in charge of repelling reinforcement sent by Battle Group B, in case they notice that their camp was under attack. Overall, the blocking elements were able to launch a high-volume fire for 30 minutes before they were running out of ammo. Then, they had to retreat, following other elements that had retreated first. From one of the M1151 M240, Captain Hans sent a radio call, "Sierra Echo to Vanguard Leader, do you copy?" [I read you Sierra Echo, go ahead.] "We are in position, no opposition in sight, so we will sit tight for a while." [Copy that Sierra Echo, please watch our back and stay in touch.] "Received and understood, Sierra Echo over and out." At the same time, three convoys of trucks, each one was carrying a 900-men squadron of Buriek Guards, approached the gates of Battle Group B''s camp on the north, east, and west sides. As soon as each convoy arrived at their designated gate, several members of Buriek Guard immediately climbed up the camp''s wall made of wooden blocks and then opened the main gate. Then, the rest of the Buriek Guard personnel entered the camp. --- At the west gate, Captain Akrei walked into Battle Group B''s camp accompanied by the six lieutenants under his command, and without turning his head he said, "Drek, tell me your job?" Lieutenant Drek immediately replied, "Secure the south wall and send the safe signal to opposing''s corvette using visual communication." "Have you got the example of the signal you should use?" "I have." Lieutenant Drek showed footage on his tablet as he continued, "Castle Lagra just sent it. It''s easy enough to imitate and the next safe signal should be sent in 52 minutes." Captain Akrei nodded and then said, "Drek, I don''t care how you will do it, but be careful, if you mess it up you will jeopardize the whole operation." "Roger that, Sir, and please believe me, you can count on me." "Good, you can go." Wasting no time Lieutenant Drek led the second company to the south wall. Meanwhile, Captain Akrei continued his short briefing on his Lieutenants, "We don''t have a lot of time, so stick to the plan and don''t mess it up, or I will draw a nice red smile in your throat." """As your command, Sir.""" "Good, you can start the fun then." """Aye sir.""" If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Without delay, the five Lieutenants placed an archer platoon on the rooftops and then led the rest of their company''s members to sweep the camp. At the same time, Captain Akrei continued his walk, followed by the first company which was under his direct command. ''Let''s bag some high-ranking officers,'' Captain Akrei muttered as he quickened his pace. --- When the Kingdom of Buriek invaded Sandhur Region, they had built a basecamp in Sandhur Beach. This basecamp was able to accommodate 50,000 personnel along with logistics for 10 months. And until the end of the conflict, TF Amethyst never attacked this basecamp. Even though after that there were only five squadrons of 900-men Buriek Guards stationed at the basecamp, the maintenance of the camp was carried out properly. So, when Battle Group B took it over, they could immediately pile up troops, equipment, and logistics to the camp. The outer wall of the camp was indeed only made of wooden logs, and footholds for wall defenders were only wooden planks supported by wooden poles, but fortunately TF Amethyst were reluctant to attack targets protected by human shields, and so the fragile wall was not a big problem. But now, Battle Group B''s personnel were being slaughtered without being able to put up a fight. The three 900-men squadrons that carried out the sweeping were former residents of the camp, so they were well acquainted with its layout and the sweeping could be done systematically. It didn''t matter if it was the personnel lying on the ground, sleeping in the barracks, guarding the outer walls, or lying around in other posts, all of them were killed using their own weapons. Stabbb!! After thrusting a spear into a chest of a Battle Group B''s personnel lying in front of a barracks, a young Buriek Guard then looked at the small money bag on his victim''s waist before turning into his Centurion. "Sir, do we really won''t collect any loot?" "Yes, we won''t. Don''t forget that TF Amethyst magic only works for 20 minutes." The Centurion looked at his wristwatch before continuing, "And not much time left." Another member of Buriek Guard immediately said, "Sir, if we just take the personal money bag, I think we can still complete our tasks on schedule." The Centurion answered, "The time you use to take the money bag is more than enough to get another kill. And like I said, we don''t have time for any distraction. Too many targets to eliminate and too large area to cover." The Centurion was an experienced combatant, so he realized that when one person took some loot, others would immediately follow to collect some spoils as well. Then, before long it would become competition, and it was not uncommon for fights to occur. Moreover, taking the spoils before every single hostile were eliminated was a stupid action that could not be forgiven. "Keep your discipline in the check, or get out of my platoon." The Centurion sternly said, then looked at the barracks in front of him before leading his platoon to enter it and continuing the massacre. Not long after that, the effect of the incapacitating gas that was expected to affect Battle Group B''s personnel for 20 minutes ended, and the surviving personnel immediately woke up. Fortunately, the number of these survivors was less than three thousand and they fell into panic upon seeing the corpses of their comrades. The survivors did not organize any resistance at all. Most of them immediately fell victim to the Buriek Archer who stood by on the rooftops of some buildings, while the rest chose to throw their weapons to surrender. --- It was very easy for Captain Akrei to find location of high-ranking officers from Battle Group B, as aerial surveillance showed they chose his old HQ as their command post. Then, in less than 20 minutes his men finished the job. The high-ranking officers and other personnel in the command post were easily secured, and they all received the same treatment. Their mouths were gagged a duct tape, while their hands were tied with cable ties. And now, they were sitting on the floor in the corner of the room. Several high-ranking officers had made a fuss in protest of the inappropriate treatment they had received, and now they were lying unconsciously next to their comrades, with face and body covered in bruises. In addition to the captives, maps and various important documents were packed into a large waterproof bag. Then, Captain Akrei was sitting casually near one of his men manning the crystal communicator. Not long after that, Captain of Vanguard Two, sent him a radio call. [Van Two to Vanguard Leader, how copy?] Wasting no time Captain Akrei pressed the PTT button in his chest, "Loud and clear, Van Two, go ahead." [Area Two is secure. We have some prisoners, and no casualties.] "Good job, be vigilant and start the second phase in Area Two." [Copy that, Van Two over and out.] Then, Captain of Vanguard Three also reported via radio. [Van Three to Vanguard Leader, do you copy?] "Loud and clear, Van Three, go ahead." [Area Three is secure. We have some prisoners, and no casualties.] "Good job, and start the second phase in Area Three." [Received and understood, Van Three over and out.] A moment later, Captain Akrei reported to Lt. Colonel Luther that command element, paramedic, and the rest of the element could enter the camp. ***** TFA2 6.1 - Second Phase TFA2 6.1 - Second Phase The incapacitating gas used to attack Battle Group B''s camp was different from the one that usually used by law enforcement unit in riot-control operations. The gas used to break a riot was designed to provide a limited area of ??effect, by default it would loses its efficacy as it expands, and only affects eyes, ears, or nose for a short moment. Meanwhile, the gas that was used by TF Amethyst was military-grade incapacitating gas. It was designed to produce a wide area of ??effect and targeting the brain and spinal cord, or what was commonly called the Central Nervous System effect. In short, the CNS effect would render its targets so they were unable to think or do physical activity regardless of their level of consciousness. And even if the main purpose of military-grade incapacitating gas was a non-lethal effect, in fact, one slight error in calculating the dose would turn it into one of the deadliest chemical weapons. Therefore, the use of the gas must be done as accurate as possible, followed by an after-effect operation that was no less careful. And so, to avoid fatalities on the slaves, the second phase in Oplan Black in the Night would be carried out by 38 doctors, 89 field surgeons, and 156 senior paramedics from Medic Quarter. This number was represent half of the most experienced personnel in Medic Quarter, and was still added with 300 new paramedics from Tuscan Guard and another 700 from Buriek Guard. --- A long convoy smoothly passed through the west gate of Battle Group B''s camp, and from the leading M1152 Personnel Carrier, Major Shade looked at the corpses of Makai Guards, lying around here and there, strewn with spears, daggers, or swords deep in their chests. Several patches of blood also decorated the road inside the camp, but luckily there were no corpses lying around on it, and so the journey to assembly point went smoothly. "The Vanguard Element really did a massacre," said the driver next to Major Shade. Major Shade calmly replied, "Yes, they did. 2700 vs 22,000, so each Vanguard''s personnel had to kill seven people at the minimum." The driver slightly nodded before asking, "I understand they have to carry their mission, but why don''t they pull out the weapon they put in the victim''s chest?" "It¡¯s to speed up the process of confirmed kill. I mean, it will be difficult to fake death when there is a spear, sword, or dagger stuck in your chest." The driver nodded once more, and then pointed to a large square surrounded by torches, where the trucks used by Vanguard One were lined up neatly. "Looks like this is assembly point for Area One." "Yeah" Major Shade firmly replied as he saw Captain Akrei standing in the square with some of his lieutenants, and behind them lined up neatly a company of Vanguard''s elements. Without delay, the long convoy entered the square. Not long after that, the vehicle crew was busy checking their vehicles and refueling, while the paramedics lined up neatly next to the Vanguard''s company. As for Major Shade, he followed Captain Akrei into a row of wagons. "As per your instructions, Major." Captain Akrei opened the sheet that covered a few of closest wagons one by one and showed bags of brown bread, jars of dried fruit, jars of walnuts, and barrels of fresh water. "The two other squadrons have also finished preparing similar snacks." Major Shade smiled as he casually tore a heel of brown bread and tasted it. The bread was too dry even for an adult like him, but it was much better than black bread. "Thank you for the hard work, Captain." "No problem, Sir. This square is surrounded by a kitchen, mess hall and bath house, so getting fresh water and these provisions are not a big deal." Captain Akrei breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "Actually, we can also get beef jerky, salted salmon, or hard cheese, so are you sure this is enough?" "This is more than enough." Major Shade looked at the question mark on Captain Akrei''s forehead before explaining, "I suspect the slaves have weak digestive systems. Therefore, heavy protein will make them have a fever or diarrhea." "Understood." Captain Akrei nodded slightly. Major Shade then walked back to the front of the paramedics and said, "I believed you already knew the details of your job and how to execute it, but allow me to remind you." """Sir.""" "Even if NBC Elements has carried out indirect decontamination to clean the air in the camp, there will be some incapacitating compound attached to the clothes of the slaves. Even though the dose is small, with the slaves'' weak condition, this remnant can still cause an overdose and death if we don''t wake up the slaves immediately. And in total, there are 5,000 slave workers, and 9,000 human shields which are basically slave women and children. So make sure you execute your work swiftly but accurately, without unnecessary distraction. Do you understand?" ¡°¡±"Sir, yes Sir,"¡±¡±¡± The paramedics calmly replied in unison. "And please remember, the opposing main unit still poses a serious threat for this operation. So if you hear a retreat order, no matter what you''re working on, get back to assembly point as soon as possible, take what you can and leave the rest. Is that clear?" Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. """Sir.""" "Good, now let''s start the fun and follow the guidance from Vanguard''s personnel. They know this camp like their own home." """Sir.""" Wasting no time the paramedics immediately dispersed into small teams, following the guidance from small-squad Vanguard''s personnel who were also tasked as helpers to bring medical supplies. Only a small number of paramedics remain and stand by at the assembly point. They have done similar simulations several times, so the paramedics were well acquainted with the small-squad that guides them. At the same time, the ambulance crew made preparations to receive slaves who needed extra medical attention, or pick them up if the situation demanded. As for Major Shade, his team consisted of senior paramedic from Medic Quarter, three Tuscan''s paramedics, twelve Buriek''s paramedics, and a small-squad of helper led by Lieutenant Koshak. "Lieutenant, we are ready." "Aye sir, let''s visit the laundry area first. A lot of slave women and children work there at night." "Understood." Wasting no time Major Shade and his team jogged behind Lieutenant Koshak. --- Normally, a military-grade incapacitating gas was capable of immobilizing a combatant with robust physical fitness for three hours. However, because Battle Group B''s camp were also full of slaves workers, slaves women, and slave children who work 16 hours per day and only get minimal food intake, the NBC elements had to reduce the efficacy of the gas. The gas used to attack Battle Group B''s camp was designed to incapacitate a healthy combatant for 20-25 minutes, an adult slave for 6-8 hours, and 12-16 hours for slave children. As for toddlers under four years old, the gas would kill them in a few minutes. Fortunately, the youngest slave children in Battle Group B''s camp were five years old. However, an unexpected event always occurs in the field. With wide eyes, Major Shade looked at a boy sitting among hundreds of women and children who were lying motionlessly in the laundry area. "Treat the children first," Major Shade ordered. """Sir.""" As the paramedics under his command started to work, Major Shade approached the boy who caught his attention and knelt before him. "Good Boy, what is your name?" Major Shade gently asked as he checked the boy''s pulse. "Reek." Seeing the boy answered without averting his curious gaze, Major Shade lightly smiled. "Reek, are you feeling dizzy or nauseous?" "No," Reek replied and shook his little head. "Is there any pain or discomfort in your body?" "No." "Do you feeling weak?" "No." Major Shade checked Reek''s pulse one more time, and breathed a sigh of relief after find no abnormality. "Where did you get this from?" Major Shade asked as he pointed to the half-eaten energy bar in Reek''s hand. "From that Uncle," Reek happily pointed at Lieutenant Koshak, and then he explained the details. When his mother, other slave women, other children, and even the Makai Guards suddenly fell to the ground and stopped moving, Reek pretended to fall to the ground as well. Then, people dressed in black suddenly appeared and killed the Makai Guards. Terrified, Reek burst into tears and sobbed, and one of the men in black came up to him. The man was Lieutenant Koshak, who then gave him an energy bar, then asked him to look after his mother, the other slave women, and the children until healers came to treat them. "Smart boy, and very brave one." Major Shade stroked Reek''s head gently before turning to Lieutenant Koshak, "And an excellent kindness, Lieutenant. I will note it in my report." "Sir." After watching a few of the children who had woken up sobbing and terrified, Major Shade then approached a woman in her mid-20s who was lying beside Reek. "Is this your mother?" "Mhm," Reek nodded repeatedly and then he asked, "Good Uncle, can you heal her?" "I''ll do my best." Major Shade then checked Reek''s mother. Her eyes were still wide open but her gaze was blank, while her breathing and pulse were extremely weak. Major Shade didn''t know if Reek''s mother would understand his words or not, but as he placed a mask attached to a portable gas cylinder to her nose, he said, "Ma''am, please take a deep breath and exhale slowly." A few moments later, Reek''s mother''s gaze became clear, and although she still felt dizzy and weak, her vitals had stabilized and strengthened. The worried and alert on her face also melted away after she saw that Reek was fine. "Ma''am, I and my colleagues are healers from Sandhur Region. We come to help, but we also need your assistance." Reek''s mother nodded and Major Shade continued. "We had to treat the kids first, but it seemed they were afraid of us. So, can you help us to calm them down once they wake up?" "Ser Benefactor, I''ll do my best and thank you for helping my son," Reek''s mother said firmly "It¡¯s our pleasure to be able to help, and you can call me Shade." "Ser Shade, this lowly slave is Irri." "Irri, you are no longer a slave woman. We also come to free you." "To free us?" A big question mark immediately popped up in Irri''s forehead. "Right now, the population of Sandhur Region is no more than 16,000 people, and more than half of them are children. So, Viscount Issel will accept slaves who wish to become residents of Sandhur Region, as a free person of course." "As a free person?" Another big question mark appeared on Irri''s forehead. "Yes, as a freeman, a freewoman, and a freechild." Irri nodded but said nothing. It was hard for her to imagine that someone would attack a heavily guarded camp, then help and free the slaves for free. But at least, from the healer who introduced himself as ''Shade'', she didn''t see contempt gaze that was usually thrown at slaves. He also didn''t slap her when she looked at his eyes directly. A moment later, with all her heart Irri was busy calming the slave children who woke up. Then, when all the slaves in the laundry area were successfully being woken up, they were then asked to go to the assembly point to receive water and food. With full alert the slaves women and children walked hand-in-hand passing the corpses of Makai Guards, but then they breathed a sigh of relief because the black clothed people who were guarding the key area did not harass them. On the middle of their way, they also met the slaves from other areas and their confidence grew a little bit thicker. As for Major Shade and his squad, they had arrived in another area to continue their mission. ***** TFA2 6.2 - The Loot TFA2 6.2 - The Loot "This way, Ma''am. This is their House of Pleasure." A Centurion swiftly led Lan Yan''er and her paramedic squad into a barracks. The interior of the barracks was illuminated by candles attached to the walls, and there were two rows of 110 beds on each side. On each bed laied naked women, while on the floor next to it lay 4-5 men with various weapons stuck in their chests, most of them naked too. "We dragged them off the bed before making a new hole in their chest, so their blood didn''t wet the bed," said the Centurion after he saw the direction of Lan Yan''er''s gaze. "Good move," Lan Yan''er replied as she turned her gaze to the naked women on the bed. "It seems they choose the young ones." "Yes, they are between the ages of 14-16." After slightly nodding, Lan Yan''er turned her gaze to a member of her squad. "Emmer, call MTV Ambulance here, six units at least. We also need help from other squads." "Yes, Ma''am." "The rest, let''s start the work." """Aye, Ma''am.""" As her squad spread out to select their patients, Lan Yan''er approached the closest bed where a girl lay. The girl looked very young, maybe 14 or 15 years old. After checking her pulse, Lan Yan''er immediately sighed silently. She then checked her other vitals before folding the girl hands in front of her chest, ''May you find peace in afterlife.'' After asking two members of the helper squad to put the deceased girl into a body bag, Lan Yan''er then approached the next bed. This time, the girl was still alive even though her vitals were in an alarming state. A purple bruise also visible in her left breast was, while her vagina was swelling. Wasting no time Lan Yan''er immediately gave the girl a careful treatment, and then noted all the medical data on a record card and tied it to her right wrist. "Keep the oxygen mask on her until the ambulance crew takes over." "Aye, Ma''am," a member of the helper squad replied firmly. Then, Lan Yan''er was just about to switch to the next bed when a Tuscan''s paramedic approached her. "Ma''am, my patient is too weak and it seems she is pregnant. I don''t know what kind of med I have to use." "Take me to her." "Yes, Ma''am." With quick steps, Lan Yan''er followed the Tuscan''s paramedic. And turned out, the girl was not the only girl who was pregnant. Fortunately, a moment later paramedics squads arrived along with four doctors, or else Lan Yan''er would have been overwhelmed because giving medical attention to a pregnant women who was being exposed to incapacitating gases was tricky. --- One of the Medic Quarter''s most important assets was MTV Ambulance. Basically, it was a 5-ton tactical truck being converted into an ambulance, and adopted a medical layout and system similar to the medevac system in Patria Armored Ambulance. It used a double-bed rack on both sides, complete with life support and life monitor devices. However, MTV Ambulance had a longer cargo room, about eleven meters. And so, four double-bed racks could be installed on each side, increasing the patient capacity to 16 people. The MTV ambulance was operated by two vehicle crews, a doctor, and five paramedics. In some scenarios, it could even take on the role of a mini field-hospital as long as the crew had time to conduct a proper preparation. In one of MTV Ambulances in front of House of Pleasure, doctor Isser examined a patient attentively, and then turned his gaze to one of his paramedics. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "This one is already stable. You can clean her body and put a patient gown on." "Aye, doc." The paramedic immediately used body cleaner tissue to wipe the patient''s body and sterile it. Then, he put a patient gown on her. It was basically one piece cloth that could be worn on without the need to remove the life support or life monitor device. Meanwhile, doctor Isser continued to examine the next patient, and one of the patients suddenly grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly. "Ser Benefactor," said the patient, a 16-year old girl who had a two-month-old fetus in her womb. As he smiled, doctor Isser knelt next to the girl who was looking at him with tears in her eyes, "No worry, Child. Now you are in good hands. Sleep and get a good rest. Tomorrow, you will wake up on a bright new day. I promise." "Thank you." The girl nodded as her tears flowed more and more heavily. This was the first time in her life that a human other than a slave treated her humanely. So, it was a bit difficult for her to stop her tears. After fixing her blanket and making sure her condition was stable, doctor Isser continued to check the next patient. One by one, and finally he finished examining the 16 patients he was responsible for. Then, he looked outside, to be precise at the helper squad''s personnel who were loading body bags into an MTV Truck. ''Please forgive us for we didn''t come early enough,'' muttered doctor Isser. In total, it took 90 minutes, six MTV Ambulances, and five paramedic squads to carry out the medical attention in the House of Pleasure. And the final results were, 123 women were able to join their colleagues at the assembly point, 64 had to be treated in an ambulance, and 33 had to be put in body bags. Even if doctor Isser knew everyone had worked hard, somehow a bitter taste was lingering in his heart. And it was much bitter compared to when he failed to save a patient for the first time. "Doc, we''ve got permission to return to Lagra City." One of the paramedics reported and woke doctor Isser up from his pondering, and he nodded slightly as he closed the back door of MTV Ambulance. "Let''s get back to Lagra City then." "Roger." --- Almost all of the cargo belonging to Battle Group B was packed into a cart. This system made the amount of cargo in each supply ship smaller than it should be, but in return made the unloading process could be done very fast. For example, with 200 mules, 200 carts each carrying a load of 100 kg could be unloaded from a supply ship in less than an hour. And so, as long as Battle Group B used a supply ship with a side door that could be used as a bridge to the dock and has enough pack animals, then the unloading several thousand tons of cargo in a matter of hours was a trivial matter. Also, the cart packing system made the mobility of the logistics unit very high, and could follow the main unit''s advance easily. And now, the system made it easier for Buriek''s logistics personnel to move the loot from Battle Group B''s camp. "What a long convoy." Lt. Colonel Luther calmly looked at the long convoy of pack animals moving towards the north gate. More than two thousand pack horses, cows, and mules pulled carts filled with iron ingots, nails, horse shoes, arrows, javelin, grains, nuts, and other supplies. Each warhorse was also loaded with four sacks of corn, barley, garlic, or potato. Every five pack animals would be linked to each other and guided by a Buriek''s logistics personnel. They had to walk 60 km to Railev Pass, and another 60 km to Lagra City in the dark. But fortunately, Buriek''s logistics personnel really knew how to handle pack animals so they didn''t made too much of noise. "There are still some provisions in the kitchens that we can load into trucks," said Captain Akrei who was standing beside Lt. Colonel Luther. "No, we don''t have time or manpower to do it, so let''s stick to the plan." "Understood." "What about the slave evacuation? How far is the process go so far?" Captain Akrei pointed to the slave women and slave children behind him as he replied, "They are the last batch of women and children, and the paramedics have just started the treatment for slave workers. We''ve confirmed that all slave workers are stationed on the north wall to pile up sandbags behind the outer wall, so it will make the paramedics elements work faster." "Good." Lt. Colonel Luther then turned to Captain Akrei as he said, "And now it''s time for the Vanguard elements to claim their rights, the loot I mean." "The loot, Sir?" A question mark instantly appeared on Captain Akrei''s forehead, because as he recalled, in the Oplan Black in The Night there was a strict prohibition of looting and rape. "Yes, the loot," Lt. Colonel Luther said firmly. "Each Vanguard Squadron can put aside a platoon to collect the loot, but the rest of the personnel must stick to their job." "Understood, Sir,¡± Captain Akrei cheerfully replied. "One platoon is more than enough to collect the loot, and I will make sure personnel from other elements get their share." "No, the loot is Vanguard elements'' right as a door kicker unit, don''t share it with other elements." "Sir, are you sure we don''t need to share? Personal money bags from 22,000 people are a huge sum of money, not to mention jewelry belonging to the high-ranking officers." "It''s a direct order from Chief Nate." "Understood." Then, as Captain Akrei gave radio calls to other two captains, Lt. Colonel Luther approached the last batch of slave women and slave children. They happily enjoyed their snacks, and most of the children held brown bread and dried food as if it were the most delicious food in the world. ''God, please give us another three hours so we can complete this ops without versus contact,'' muttered Lt. Col. Luther as a chilly fog started to descend on the Battle Group B''s camp along with the whole coastline. ***** TFA2 7.1 - Counter Raid TFA2 7.1 - Counter Raid War Strategy Room, Cruiser Ship Geko-01. "Sir, the second sortie of opposing flying carriages has just retreated," reported the Leader of Crystal Sensor Team. ¡°I see,¡± Duke Fogel replied without showing the slightest of relief as there was a possibility the flying carriages would return for the third sortie. "Also, 32 unknown corvettes are approaching our perimeter in the south, but they are in a defensive maneuver." "I bet they are the damnable Buriek Navy," Admiral Shank slightly snorted before continuing, "Sending out a small number of corvettes to lure our attention, and will withdraw if we launch an attack." "But we can''t completely ignore their bait, or it will switch into a serious bite when we''re off guard," said Prince Portho. "Yeah," Duke Fogel pondered for a moment, and then gave the closest staff officer an order, "Send out the same number of corvettes to match their maneuver, but do not engage." "As your command, Sir." The staff officer immediately carried out Duke Fogel''s order. At the same time, a senior sailor from Signal Team entered the war strategy room. "Sailor, give me the tally in the east perimeter first?" ordered Duke Fogel. "Aye Sir," the senior sailor respectfully complied, "This time we lost 46 corvettes and 28 frigates. Fortunately, the opposing flying carriages ignore the survivors in the sea and the destroyers trying to save them, just like in the first sortie." "70-80 ships on each sortie," Admiral Shank muttered as he turned his gaze to Duke Fogel, "Ser Duke, is this their main attack, and not a diversion as we thought?" "I don''t think so. They won''t achieve significant results just by sinking our corvettes and frigates." Prince Portho immediately added, "This is just harassment attack. They are still waiting for the right moment to launch the main package." Duke Fogel nodded and then turned his attention back to the senior sailor from Signal Team, "What about idiot sailors in the north perimeter who fell asleep while on watcher duty?" "They have woken up and are back on duty, and their captains vowed to give a proper punishment for these idiots." "Good." Duke Fogel nodded in satisfaction, and after seeing the senior sailor not go back to his station, he immediately asked, "Do you have something else to report?" "Yes, Ser Duke." "What is it?" "Just before the thick fog descends, our beachhead sends the wrong safe signal." In an instant, dark cloud covered Prince Portho''s face, "Are you sure they sent a wrong safe signal?" "Yes, Second Prince, I asked our corvette to send a random meaningless signal, but our beachhead still replied using the expired safe signal." After taking a few deep breaths to calm his heart Duke Fogel said, "It seems the main attack we''ve been waiting has took place." A cold gleam immediately flashed in Admiral Shank''s eyes. "But this is also our chance to meet them in close combat." "Yes, it is." Duke Fogel expressed his agreement as he made calculations. Every safe signal was only used three times. Therefore, he estimated TF Amethyst had occupied Battle Group B''s camp for 2-3 hours at most. Most likely, they had also wiped out 2nd Landing Troops to the last man. However, they hadn''t burned the camp. Meaning, they were left silently and ignored the loots, or were still moving the loots along with injured personnel. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Uncle, let''s attack with full power." "Ser Duke, I agree with Second Prince. We can use the thick fog to cover our approach." "Of course we will give a proper response." Duke Fogel then turned his gaze to Prince Portho. "Nephew, do you have idea in mind?" Prince Portho immediately replied, "First, the closest frigates and corvettes will approach the shoreline and launch salvo of fire arrows. Second, 3rd Landing Troops will land and slaughter the survivors, while 4th Landing Troops take position to block opposing reinforcement. Third, a 900-man Light Cavalry Squadron will land 5 km to the left of landing corridor, and launch a hit and run raid on their retreat line." Admiral Shank nodded before saying, "It''s a good plan. Their closest defensive line is at Railev Pass which is 60 km away, so their retreat line will be long, thin, and fragile." "Indeed, it''s a good plan. But we also need human shields to anticipate in case they can see a target hiding behind the thick fog," said Duke Fogel firmly. "Let''s execute it and add 24 destroyers to the mix." Almost at the same time, a thin smile bloomed in the lips of Duke Fogel, Prince Portho, and Admiral Shank, along with a flash of killing intent in their eyes. Finally, their chance for slaughter finally came. A moment later, the deployment order was dispatched from Geko-01. --- As Battle Group B''s crystal communications network was still dead and the thick fog neutralized visual signal, the orders from Geko-01 were sent by couriers who rode small boats. Fortunately, tonight the sea was calm and so the couriers could do their job smoothly, although the thick fog limited the visibility to 8-10 meters. Without difficulty the order reached the frigates and corvettes that formed the landing corridor. They then took a position at the distance of 100 meters from the beach, in four rows of 16 ships each. From the bridge of frigate Tello-01, Admiral Dunn tried to check the conditions on the beach by using a telescope, but the only thing he saw was a thick fog wall. Luckily, he could still see the corvette on both sides of Tello-01, so visual communication could be carried out in a relay. Then one of the senior sailors reported, "Ser Admiral, we have confirmation that the destroyer and transport ship elements already reached a distance of 300 meters behind us." "Start the salvo then." A question mark instantly appeared on the senior sailor''s forehead, "Shouldn''t we wait for the destroyer squadron first?" "They are only a few breaths away, it doesn''t make a big difference whether we launch the salvo now or after they arrive." "As you command, Sir." The order to launch the salvo was immediately dispatched. --- A platoon of 40 footbowman lined up on the Tello-01''s deck neatly. Every two footbowmen shared a small burner and a wooden pail filled with sticky oil lamps. Then, a lieutenant gave order in a calm tone. "Take your position and aim high." Almost in unison, the footbowmen lay down on their back and placed their footbow on their raised legs. "Lit the arrow." As soon as each footbowman held a flaming arrow, the next command was given. "Nock, draw, lo---" Blaaarrr! Blaaarrr! Blaaarrr!! Without warning, two bottles suddenly landed on Tello-01''s deck, shattered, and scattered liquid fuel in all directions. It was indeed only two bottles and it didn''t have any fire on it. But unfortunately, the decks of Tello-01 were filled with burners and made of wooden plank, so the fire spread over easily and wildly, and even lightly lit the clothes of six footbowmen. "Jump to the water! Jump to the water!" "Get the water here! Fast!" A senior sailor directed the footbowmen with clothes on fire to jump into the sea, to save them and prevent the fire from spreading further. At the same time, another senior sailor ordered his squad to draw water from the sea and try to extinguish the fire on the deck. Blaaarrr! Blaaarrr! Blaaarrr!! Unfortunately, another salvo of bottles filled with liquid fuel landed on Tello-01''s deck once again, followed by the third, fourth, and fifth salvos. In a few breaths of time, fire enveloped the entire Tello-01''s deck, while dozens of sailors and footbowmen who became human torches screamed hysterically as they jumped to the sea. Crackle! Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!! "Oh my gods who reside in heaven." From the bridge, Admiral Dunn watched in horror as Tello-01 turned into a giant bonfire. And as the same calamity descended on two corvettes on each side of Tello-01, the report of the calamity that had befallen on 1st Landing Troop immediately filled his mind. "Send a messenger, we must warn the elements behind us," ordered Admiral Dunn. "As your command, Sir. But now, we have to leave the ship first." Admiral Dunn nodded, and followed the lead from one of the senior sailors. And because the deck had become a field of ??fire, he and other sailors had to jump into the sea from the bridge. Splash! Splash! Splash!! With a perfect straight body, Admiral Dunn entered the water, and then fought his way to the surface with everything he got. A moment later, two sailors helped him to climb up to a lifeboat. "Sir, a messenger has been sent." A senior sailor said as he pointed at a small boat with a lantern and four oarsmen moving away. "Good." "Now, it''s time to evacuate you, Sir." "No, I will stay to help the rescue attempt. I will not leave my men." "But Sir---" "Sailor, that is an order." "Aye Sir." The senior sailor did not dare to argue after seeing the steel determination in Admiral Dunn''s gaze, and the rescue attempt began immediately. Unfortunately, a few seconds later a salvo of more than a thousand arrows showered the survivors'' position. ***** TFA2 7.2 - Area Denial TFA2 7.2 - Area Denial With a pounding heart Murak looked at Tello-01, which was on fire. He had been a sailor for eight years and had gone through countless naval battles, but this was the first time he had seen a frigate turn into a bonfire in just a few breaths of time. Then, slowly but surely it turned into a silhouette under a yellow glow before totally disappearing. ''I need to notify the destroyer squadrons that the opposing side can track them in this thick fog. Their fire tactic is also insanely accurate and dangerous.'' A sharp determination flashed in Murak''s eyes as he ordered, "Faster! Move faster." """Aye sir!""" The oarsmen fully understood the importance of Murak''s message, so they doubled their efforts in rowing the small boat. Not long after that, a bow of two destroyers appeared and the small boat had to move its course to the gap between them. Murak then stood up and raised the lantern in his hand. "Watchers!" Murak shouted to the sailors armed with bows and arrows above the destroyer''s bows. "I''m messenger from Te--" Bang! Bang! Bang! B-bababaang!! Murak didn''t have time to finish his words. He reflexively threw his lantern and dropped his body onto the small boat''s floor as a series of explosions suddenly hit the destroyer''s bow. Each explosion created a hole as big as a watermelon, sending wood chips to all directions, and only stopped when the front section of the destroyers widely gaped like an alligator''s mouth. "What the fuck!!" Murak dropped his jaw as water flowed into the destroyers like a flood. In an instant the destroyers'' speed dropped, and as the front section sank the rear section lifted. Sailor, footbowman, ballista crew, slave woman, slave children, and anyone on the destroyers'' upper deck helplessly slid or rolled forward and fell into water. Swears and curses immediately filled the air, along with begs of help from slave woman or cries of slave children who were struggling with all their might to float. But Murak didn''t have time to listen, let alone help them. He had an important mission to accomplish. With a slightly trembling voice he ordered, "Don''t stop! We need to warn the transport ships." "A-aye, Sir," replied the most senior oarsmen. The small boat glided smoothly between the two destroyers which were sinking deeper and deeper. Not long after that, Murak saw bow of two transport ships, and a lot of sailors on the deck who were looking in the direction of the sinking destroyers. This time, Murak immediately shouted the warning, "Stop!! The opposing side can see you. The destroyer alre---" Bang! Bang! Bang! B-bababaang!! Another series of explosions was heard, and a moment later the two transport ships slid to the bottom of the sea, along with most of its passengers. "Gods who reside in heaven, please show us some mercy," Murak weakly muttered as he witnessed the convoy of transport ships carrying the 3rd Landing Troops sank in a rapid interval. --- When Captain Hans saw 40 transport ships broke away from the main convoy and snuck to the second landing area, he immediately sent Sierra Three to greet them. The Sierra Three consisted of 4 units M1151 M249 and 4 units M1151 Mk 19, led by Lieutenant Pierre. They took position 80 meters from the shore, and each pair of Humvees forms a triangle defensive position. From one of the M1151 M249, Lieutenant Pierre calmly observed his target using a tablet. And he took a deep breath when he found that there were at least 30 human shields on each transport ship. ''The fuck!!'' Lieutenant Pierre cursed quietly. The tactic used by Captain Hans to deal with the ships protected by human shields was to punch holes on its bow and sink it without destroying it. With this tactic, he hoped that the slaves would have a chance to survive. Of course, it was only a slim chance because finding the direction to the beach when the whole area was shrouded by thick fog was not easy, even for experienced sailors. Therefore, Lieutenant Pierre considered another tactic, and he was deep in contemplation when one of his men radioed him. [Sierra 3-2 to Sierra 3-1, copy?] "Loud and clear, Sierra 3-2 go ahead." [Sir, our target has just entered the effective range of Mk 19, requesting permission to engage.] If Lieutenant Pierre adopted Captain Hans'' tactic, then with the help of aerial reconnaissance the vehicle commanders would guide the grenadiers to place the point of impact on the targeted ship''s bow, but he had already made up his mind to adopt a different tactic. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Denied," Lieutenant Pierre replied calmly. "We will wait until targets are 200 meters before our nose. Then, let''s nail selected targets using M110A1. Hopefully, it will make them roll back.] [And if they don''t, Sir?] "In that case, we will light them up in earnest." [Copy that, Sierra 3-2, over and out.] In TF Amethyst¡¯s doctrine, vehicle gunners and vehicle grenadiers were required to have sharpshooter qualifications. The minimum requirement was headshot at 300 meter and center mass at 500 meter. As soon as Lieutenant Pierre gave the order, the assistant gunners and grenadiers immediately took over the M249 and Mk 19 on the Humvee. At the same time, the shooters prepared their M110A1, and then placed it on top of Humvee¡¯s hood together with four fully loaded magazines, M320 Grenade Launcher, and spotter''s high-power observation scope. They also placed two folding chairs behind the M110A1, sat in one of them and casually loaded 7.62x51 mm match grade round into every available M110A1''s spare magazines. As for the vehicle commanders, they took the role as spotters. First, they gathered with other spotters to determine the designated area for each team. Then, they sat next to their shooter as they sketch their designated area and divided it into some sectors, complete with range measurement and other details. When the designated area sketch was completed, it could be said that the spotter''s task was half finished, and the waiting began. A few minutes before the convoy of 40 transport ships entered the designated area, Lieutenant Pierre pushed PTT button on his radio. "Sierra 3-1 to all Sierra Three, we have green for collateral damage, but let''s bear in mind that collateral damage is our last option.] [Sierra 3-2 to Sierra 3-1, my shooter will not draw innocent blood.] [Sierra 3-3 to Sierra 3-1, copy that.] [Sierra 3-4 to Sierra 3-1, received and understood.] ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ [Sierra 3-8 to Sierra 3-1, beer and body count without innocent blood.] After taking a deep breath Lieutenant Pierre pressed PTT button once more. "Good. Let''s kill as many legal targets as possible so they abort their landing attempt, and beer is on me when we return to Lagra City, Sierra 3-1 over and out." --- By using a high-power thermal imaging scope, Lieutenant Pierre observed five transport ships that entered his designated area. A moment later he found his first target. He was a man who seems to be receiving a report. "Tango challenged, leading ship, at the bridge, third person from the left." Wasting no time Sergeant Dalton directed the thermal scope mounted on top of his M110A1. "Leading ship, at the bridge, third person from the left, I have eyes on tango." "Range, 198 meters and approaching fast. Wind, eight miles per hour pushing forward." After some swift adjustment Sergeant Dalton replied, "I have tango inside." "Send it." BANG!! A split second later, Lieutenant Pierre saw the glass window in front of the target shattered, and the target froze for a second before tumbling to the side. "Nail to the head, target is expired, stand by." "Roger, target is expired, stand by." A moment later, Lieutenant Pierre found the second, third, and subsequent targets, along with other teams who were also starting their precision shooting. Bang! Bang! B-bababang!! Loud ''Bang!'' immediately heard alternately, accompanied by faint flashes in the middle of thick fog. And in a rapid interval, targets on the transport ship''s bridge were being nailed one by one. When targets in every bridge ducked, hid, and disappeared from the view, spotters directed shooters to aim for sailors, archers, and other targets on the deck. Of course, these targets didn''t just wait for their death. They launched retaliation by firing arrows in all directions sporadically. Clank! Clank! Cla-cla-clank!! Most of the arrows landed in the middle of nowhere, but some landed on the roof of the Humvees or even just a foot next to the shooters. However, the shooters and spotters did not budge. Their expression remained calm like still water as they continued nailing their target one by one. While ignoring arrow that just grazed his shoulder, a shooter calmly took aim at a sailor who was holding a slave child high in front of him. "I have tango inside." "Send it." BANG!! The shooter could not immediately see the results of his shot, because his M110A1 would slightly jerk after each shooting. Fortunately, his spotter was next to him to inform him. "Nail to the knee, target is expired, stand by." "Roger, target is expired, stand by," The shooter then observed the boy who was still crying and sat next to the sailor who was clutching his knee. Relief immediately filled his heart, ''Live Kid, as long as you live then all possibilities will remain open.'' Relentlessly, the shooters continued to launch the precision shooting. When the 7.62x51 mm match grade round ran out, they immediately switched to the standard ammo for M240, and the drivers gave a hand to load it into magazines. However, eight shooters were too few, and the 40 transport ships continued to move forward without slowing down. Then, they finally reached a distance of 50 meters from the shore, and neatly lined up in an area where the sea was only as deep as the chest of an adult. It was a type of landing when transport ships had to deliver the landing troops as close as possible to the shore, and the ship and its crew were ready to be sacrificed for the success of the landing. Then, slowly but surely the front section of the transport ships opened downward, and dozens of cavalrymen immediately jumped into the water. With a steady pace, they crossed the waters to reach the shore. ''Fuck! They were sent to flank our retreat line.'' Realization came to Lieutenant Pierre''s mind, and he immediately pressed PTT button, "Sierra 3-1 to all Sierra Three, use tear gas and don''t let a single cavalrymen reach the shore." [Roger.] [Roger.] ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ [Roger.] Wasting no time, the shooters switched to M320 Grenade Launcher. They quickly loaded tear gas rounds and shot it blindly. Thumbs! Thumbs! T-t-thuthump!! Almost simultaneously eight tear gas rounds shot into the air, making a huge arc through the thick fog, landed in the water, and spitting out tear gas. Unfortunately, all of the tear gas rounds landed too far from the opposing cavalry. But it was to be expected, and by using the first point of impact as measurement, the spotters corrected the shooters'' aim. Thumbs! Thumbs! T-thu-thump!! This time, the tear gas landed in front of the opposing cavalry, along with the second, third, and fourth salvos. Chaos and panic immediately fell upon the opposing cavalry and their advance came to a halt. Several cavalrymen fell from their horses and some even got stepped on by their comrades. Wasting no time the shooters exploited the chaos to slaughter them. Unfortunately, before all targets could be nailed, they withdrew to the transport ships which then retreated to open sea as fast as they could. "Damn." Sergeant Dalton cursed after he took a mouthful of water from his water canteen, "Their cavalry don''t use human shields. We should shower them using M240." "Honestly, I forget we have MG," Lieutenant Pierre openly admitted. "Please, ignore my rambling, Sir. Our objective is area denial, and we did it well." "Yeah," Lieutenant Pierre nodded before pressing PTT button, "Sierra 3-1 to all Sierra Three, good jobs everyone." ***** TFA2 7.3 - Swift Attack TFA2 7.3 - Swift Attack Five kilometers south of Battle Group B''s outer perimeter, 32 unit corvettes from Buriek Navy''s sailed from east to west in one long line. Three kilometers on their right, corvettes from Battle Group B''s mirrored their maneuver, one corvette for one corvette. The area was not blanketed by thick fog, and the moon shone brightly in the sky full of flickering stars. Therefore, each side could clearly see the silhouette of opposing corvette. In general, Buriek Navy and Makai Navy used similar corvettes. It had a length of 120 meters with a width of 16 meters. The most important part was made of metal, while the rest was made of wood. The shape was similar to a modern cargo ship on earth. The bridge was in the rear and the war strategy room was right below it, without a window. Every compartment in the hull was not equipped with a pumping or sealing system to prevent flooding. While the upper deck in front of the bridge was flat and became a station for footbowman or ballista crew. The corvette was powered by two engines that used fuel blocks and had a top speed of 20 knots. But the engines were only used to move the ship. The lighting system had to rely on oil lamps, while crystal communicator and crystal sensor used separate power sources. At the bridge of corvette Ragar-01, Admiral Errez looked at the laptop''s screen operated by Lieutenant Chester. It displayed the Battle Group B''s night landing attempt. ''From this small tool, I can observe every corner of Combat Zone in real time. What a fabulous tool,'' Admiral Errez muttered in admiration. In addition to crystal communicator and crystal sensor, every Buriek''s corvette in the Oplan Black in The Night was also equipped with a portable network centric operated by IDG''s personnel, as a means to introduce the essence of modern naval battle to Buriek Navy. Then, Lieutenant Chester reported, "Sir Admiral, Castle Lagra just sent us an order to attack." In an instant, a smile bloomed in Admiral Errez lips. "Let''s execute it then. Maintain our formation as we approach our mirrors." "Roger." Admiral Errez''s order was immediately carried out. A moment later, Buriek''s corvette''s line shifted to the north little by little. In response, 32 unit corvettes from Battle Group B shifted their line to the south. "Lower our speed to 8 knots and armed the deck," Admiral Errez ordered. "Aye Sir," Ragar-01''s Captain replied firmly. A moment later, Lieutenant Chester showed Admiral Errez the second maneuver executed by Battle Group B''s element. "Sir, another 32 units of opposing corvettes try to flank our left from rear." "They intend to clamp us from two sides. Let them complete their maneuver." "Copy that." Time kept flowing and as Admiral Errez predicted, in less than 20 minutes each Buriek''s corvette had been flanked by two opposing corvettes. One on the left and one on the right at a distance of 2 km, and they slowly approached to reach the effective range of footbow and ballista. At the same time, Admiral Errez smiled cunningly, then he ordered, "Launch the salvo." "Aye Sir." --- Usually, Buriek''s corvette was armed with 40 footbowmen or 8 ballista crews. But in the Oplan Black in the Night, every corvette was armed with 8 Molotov Catapult on each side. Actually, the Molotov Catapult''s crew deployed in Buriek''s corvettes still hadn''t finished their training. At the same time, aiming from a deck that went up and down over the waves was not easy. Moreover, the spotter had to work without the assistance of a computer-controlled fire control system. Therefore, an instructor from GCG was assigned to be a spotter for each Molotov Catapult Battery in every corvette. At the left deck of Ragar-01, Corporal Styr observed the opposing corvette using a high-power night vision scope and made a calculation. Then he calmly ordered, "Set for a launch, elevation at 75¡ã, power at 90%, cold fire." Without Delay, Molotov Catapult''s Crew set their catapult and placed a Molotov cocktail without lit it on. "Catapult-01, ready to launch." "Catapult-02, ready to launch." . . . . . . . . "Catapult-08, ready to launch." "Send it." Swoosh! Swoosh! Swo-swo-swoosh!!! Eight molotov cocktails flew and formed a high arc, but only one landed in the targeted corvette and produced a fire outburst. Then, the sailors in the targeted corvette easily extinguished the flame. Even so, Corporal Styr was not disappointed. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Set for a launch, elevation at 70¡ã, power at 90%, cold fire." "Catapult-01, ready to launch." "Catapult-02, ready to launch." . . . . . . . . "Catapult-08, ready to launch." "Send it." Swoosh! Swoosh! Swo-swo-swoosh!!! "Again!" Swoosh! Swoosh! Swo-swo-swoosh!!! . . . . . . "Again!" Swoosh! Swoosh! Swo-swo-swoosh!!! To overcome the decrease in accuracy, Corporal Styr increase the volume of salvo. Fortunately, Molotov cocktails were cheap and the supply was abundantly available. After eight rapid salvos, the opposing corvette on the left side of Ragar-01 finally turned into a giant bonfire, while the opposing corvette on the right side needed 10 salvos. As for other opposing corvettes, some needed a fewer salvo while some others needed more. But in general, they were eliminated before reaching the effective range of footbow or ballista. And so, their retaliate salvo of fire arrows and ballista landed in the sea and didn''t become a threat. From Ragar-01''s bridge, Admiral Errez observed the final results of the battle via aerial reconnaissance. After nodding in awe, he then turned his gaze toward Lieutenant Chester. "64 units opposing corvettes in less than four minutes and we don''t suffer any loss. This is not a naval battle but one-sided slaughter." "Aye Sir," Letnan Chester calmly replied. "Lieutenant, do we have other order from Castle Lagra?" "No, Sir. We had to retreat. There is a lot of stuff that we must study from tonight versus contact." "We will retreat then." "Aye Sir." Retreat order was immediately issued. A moment later, almost at the same time 32 units Buriek''s corvettes made a sharp turn to the south and sped up at max, leaving behind 64 floating bonfires that formed two long lines. ''We will meet them again and sink more warship,'' Admiral Errez muttered inwardly Actually, Admiral Errez was slightly disappointed. Deep down in his heart, he still wanted to burn a number of opposing warships. Fortunately, he knew how to hold back and followed the battle plan faithfully. Also, when facing Makai Navy, usually Buriek Navy could only rely on swimmers who targeted their supply ships. Buriek Rider was indeed able to face Makai Rider head-on despite losing in numbers. But unfortunately, to this day Buriek Navy still could not overcome the advantage in the number of warships maintained by Makai Navy. And so, achieving a perfect score after facing Makai Navy in a head-on battle could slightly soothe Admiral Errez''s deep hatred towards Makai Navy. --- Through aerial reconnaissance, Nate observed Battle Group B''s movement. In the south perimeter they consolidated, but did not pursue the retreating Buriek''s corvettes. In the north perimeter they conducted a search and rescue using small boats, but it was a half-baked operation. Too many people failed to be rescued and drowned. Most of them were slave children. They were making a splash for a moment, then drowned, and disappeared. ''What will Vex do if he is in this situation?'' Nate wondered as he tried to strengthen his resolve. This was the first time he ordered an attack while overriding the precaution for collateral damage, and the after taste was so awful. He was also sure that for some time he would not be able to meet a child face to face or hear their laugh. ''Lesser evil to prevent greater disaster.'' Nate deeply sighed as he continued, ''I really hope I still have that belief.'' Then, a Major from IDG woke Nate from his pondering. "Sir, Rolling Panda captured footage that a huge number of messengers were sent from a cruiser Geko-01, just before the night landing was launched." "Major, do you suspect that Prince Portho and Duke Fogel are in this cruiser?" "Yes, I do, Sir." "Do you have any suggestions in mind?" The Major nodded before replying, "Rolling Panda have a pair of GBU-16 in its internal bay, let''s drop one of them on Geko-01." "How sure are you that if we kill Prince Portho and Duke Fogel right now, then the rest of Battle Group B will retreat?" "Around 70%, Sir. The nobles behind Battle Group B will lose their cause for the throne." "No, the possibility will be lower than that. As long as Makai Royal City is safe and sound, there is a high chance that remnant of Battle Group B will join the other Prince." Seeing the disappointment on the Major before him, Nate immediately asked, "Major, what is our objective tonight?¡± "Capturing high-ranking officers and extract Prince Portho¡¯s location, and deplete Battle Group B''s combat strength." "Do you know why we limit our objective only to locate Prince Portho?" "Because we still haven''t decided the next move." "Actually, General O''Neill, Viscount Rattel, and Viscount Issel already agree that we should eliminate one or two princes, but we will not do it in hurry." "Sir?" In an instant, a big question mark filled the Major''s forehead. "The point is not just to eliminate Prince Portho, but what kind of effect we desire from his death." Nate paused for a moment before continuing, "In the offensive on Makai Royal City, we will kill one of the princes to show them that for us a prince''s life means nothing. And so, we hope nobles and royal families in Makai Royal City will understand that their lives had less value." "And if they still don''t understand, Sir?" "In that case, we will teach them the consequences of messing around with the wrong guys. As for now, form a team to observe Geko-01 on a 24/7 basis and confirm your suspicion with our high-ranking captive." "Aye, Sir." The Major then went back to his station, while Nate returned his attention to display table. A moment later, the search and rescue was ended. Battle Group B''s elements then retreated into a healthy distance far from the coastline. Meanwhile, a few hundred survivors were washed up to the shore Without delay Nate gave an order to a staff officer, "Captain, send one of Vanguard Squadron to sweep the shore. Capture who surrender, kill who resist, and help the slaves as best as they can." "Sir." The Captain replied firmly, and then swiftly carried out the order. ***** TFA2 8.1 - The Survivors TFA2 8.1 - The Survivors With steady steps, 900 personnel of 2nd Vanguard Squadron approached the beach. Sword and dagger in the waist, while ready to fired rapid-loading crossbow in their hands. Their targets were survivors of the landing attempt who reached the shore and scattered in small groups along the beach. The thick fog had disappeared, so the visibility had increased and they could vaguely see the survivors'' silhouette. Some were standing, several others were kneeling, but most of them were lying in the sand with two or three arrows stuck in their body. Then, most of the survivors immediately stood up. They drew their weapon and took a stance to welcome the approaching 2nd Vanguard Squadron. However, it was clear that they were not ready to fight. They were too tired, low on morale, and outnumbered by a landslide difference. The 2nd Vanguard Squadron''s personnel stopped at a distance of 20 meters before the first group of survivors, and then a Centurion moved forward. As he calmly looked at the 40-50 survivors in front of him the Centurion said loudly, "Surrender, drop your weapon, lift your hands above your head, and we will treat you humanely." ¡°¡­?¡± The Centurion looked at the tense faces in front of him before adding, "We will tie your hands until you arrive at POW camp, but you won''t be harmed." A survivor immediately stepped forward and asked, "What about our injured comrades?" "We will help them as best as we can," replied the Centurion. "You mean by giving them a quick death?" "No, we will try to save them, but our paramedics can only start working after we secure the area." "I want a guarantee from one of your officers." Wasting no time Captain Isak stepped forward and stood next to the Centurion. "Isak, Captain of Buriek Guard, commanding officer of 2nd Vanguard Squadron of TF Amethyst. You have my words that anyone who surrenders will suffer no harm." The survivor who asked for the guarantee immediately replied, "Glithor, Lieutenant of Makai Guard, Commanding Officer of 6th Company, 3rd Landing Troop. My Unit is in your custody, Captain." "Very well, Lieutenant. You will not regret your decision," Captain Isak said respectfully. Lieutenant Glithor and his men then dropped their short word and raised their hands above their heads. After their hands were tied, they were asked to sit on the sand. Right next to them, 2nd Vanguard Squadron''s personnel neatly lay the wounded survivors. They then distributed fresh water, two big gulps for each survivor. Meanwhile, not far from the group of survivors who surrendered, Captain Isak approached a 5-6 year old boy. The Boy sat shivering from the cold while hugging a small wooden plank tightly and he kept looking at the sea looking for something. Captain Isak knelt before the boy and asked gently, "Boy, you can put the wooden plank down." "No." Fear was visible in his gaze as he looked at Captain Isak, but the boy continued with determination, "Mom told me to not let it go, whatever happens." "Your mom asked you not to let it go so you didn''t drown, but now you''ve already on the shore." The boy pressed his lips together, and then asked, "Ser Soldier, do you know where my Mom is?" Captain Isak immediately sighed silently. "I''m sorry, Boy. I don''t know where she is, but I already confirmed that there are no survivors that remain in the water." "Liar, you can''t see in the darkness," the boy said stubbornly. Captain Isak then showed and explained to the Boy the aerial reconnaissance footage displayed in his tablet, and the Boy started to sob afterward. But fortunately, he let Captain Isak took the wooden plank from his hands and didn''t resist when Captain Isak lifted him and hugged him, even though his sobs became a little harder. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Boy, what''s your name?" "Wiek." "Wiek, you can call me Captain Isak and believe in me you are safe now. We will take care of you. But we have to leave this place before the slavers come back." Wiek didn''t answer and just looked at the sea while sobbing. Captain Isak then handed over Wiek to a Centurion. "His name is Wiek. Escort him to paramedics on the double, his body is too cold like ice." "At once, Sir." After the Centurion walked into some distance, Captain Isak then continued to search for other survivors, especially the slave children. In the offensive on Lagra City, Captain Isak killed a lot of children in the city wall and it left bitter after taste in his heart. After that, he refused to execute a group of children who surrendered, but failed to save them in the end. Therefore, in the Oplan Black in The Night he tried to find salvation to ease the dark burden that gripped his heart up to this very moment. --- Captain Isak just managed to calm a boy who wanted to go back to the sea to look for his little sister, when a Centurion approached him. "Captain, we have a situation?" Captain Isak immediately frowned. He then turned his gaze from the boy who being taken to the paramedics to the Centurion before him. "Explain it." "A group of survivors saved some slave children while swimming to the shore, but now they use the kids as shields." "Take me there." "Aye Sir." Without delay the Centurion jogged and Captain Isak followed him. A moment later, the two arrived in an area where a platoon surrounded and pointed their loaded crossbow at six survivors armed with daggers. Three survivors placed their dagger to the throat of three sobbed slave children, while the other three took a stand that showed their determination to fight to the death. Meanwhile, in front of a survivor who seemed to be the leader of the group a little girl was lying in the sand. A wide red cut gaped in her throat, and the moonlight reflected in her blood and tears that had not dried up. Captain Isak immediately approached Lieutenant Merrak, who stood only a few meters in front of the survivors. "Lieutenant, what happened here?" "Their leader cut the girl''s throat before the talk started, to warn us that they prefer to fight to the death rather than to surrender." "It''s despicable and risky, but also a strong move. I admit," Captain Isak nodded before asking, "Other than fighting to the death or surrender, do they have other options in mind?" "They will wait until their crystal communicator is active, and then request a landing boat to pick them up." Captain Isak then turned his gaze towards the leader of the survivor group, "My name is Isak, Captain of Buriek Guard, commanding officer of 2nd Vanguard Squadron of TF Amethyst. May I know with whom I am speaking to?" The leader of the survivors replied, "Taberk, Brigadier of Buriek Guard, commanding officer of 5th Brigade, 3rd Landing Troop." "Brigadier Taberk, Sir, hate to say this but your plan will not work. TF Amethyst will destroy any ship who tried to approach the beach without exception. Surrender is the only way if you want to live and we will not harm you in any way." "Unfortunately, it''s too late for me. Your Lieutenant said it. I threw away my life when I killed this damn whelp," Brigadier Talberk said as he kicked the little girl''s body, "and the only thing I can get is quick death or torture." "Sir, surrender and you have my words that you and your men will suffer no harm. But if you harm the other three kids, I promise, my men will peel your flesh from your bone like how we peel an orange." Captain Isak then shouted an order, "Men, lower your aim, don''t give these gentlemen a quick death." In an instant every loaded crossbow was being pointed to the feet of the survivors, and panic immediately flashed in their eyes. "Captain, swear to the gods and to your ancestor that you will keep your words," Brigadier Taberk said. Captain Isak nodded firmly, and then with solemn voice he swore, "I swear in the names of gods and my ancestor, no harm will befall on Brigadier Taberk and his men." Brigadier Taberk and his men immediately took a breath full of relief. They then lowered their Dagger and dropped it to the ground. "Captain, my unit is in your custody." "Very well, Sir. I guarantee you will not regret your decision," Captain Isak said with a respectful tone. Wasting no time Lieutenant Merrak and his men started to work. A moment later, the six survivors already sat on the sand in single file, facing the sea with tied hands. While the three slave children were taken to paramedics. As for the unfortunate little girl, they put her body into a body bag. TF Amethyst had determined that they would provide a proper funeral service for the unfortunate slaves, so they would bring their body to Lagra City. Then, Captain Isak took Lieutenant Merrak to some distance. He pointed at Brigadier Tarberk and his men using his chin before calmly saying, "Slit their throat." "But your oath, Sir?" "I''m the youngest of eight children. When I was two years old my parents decided that I was just another useless mouth to feed. They then sold me to a slaver. To this moment I still curse them and their ancestors." Captain Isak paused for a moment before continuing, "As for gods, I don''t give a damn about gods who let a kid get slaughtered helplessly." "Understood, Sir." Lieutenant Merrak then whispers to some of his men. They then grinned as they drew their dagger silently. A moment later, they approached Brigadier Taberk and his men from behind, and yanked their hair before swiftly making a long slit on their throat. Gurgle and coughing was heard as Brigadier Taberk and his men fell to the side. Their body were twitching and kicking weakly for a moment, and then stopped moving for good. The closest survivor group who surrender was looking at the small slaughter with a look full of terror. But they immediately took a breath full of relief because Lieutenant Merrak and his men did not approach them. ***** TFA2 8.2 - Return to Castle Lagra TFA2 8.2 - Return to Castle Lagra Before Vex returned to earth, Lan Yan''er had a chance to learn how to make spicy wine from him. She had already made it a few times, so she rather adept in making it. And now, she had a good opportunity to share her skill. Behind a row of Humvee that formed the security parameters, Lan Yan''er was busy preparing a kettle of spicy wine by using ingredient and equipment she found at the camp. After pouring summer wine into a large kettle, she then added a little nutmeg, dried lemon, cinnamon, along with a lot of raisin, nuts, dried berries, and honey. Then, she hung the kettle above the fire. Usually, she would take the kettle from the fire when the wine reached a temperature of 80¡ã C. But for now, she let it to boil vigorously until the alcohol content completely evaporated. Meanwhile, not far from her location, some paramedics bathed the surviving slave children using warm water. They had to clean the salt that coated the slave children''s skin because letting it too long on their bodies were no different than marinating them and it could lead into a fatal dehydration As for their changing clothes, fortunately a lot of TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel brought spare t-shirt, boxer, balaclava, and jacket in their Humvee and they happily gave it to the slave children. Some of them even took initiative to collected gladiator sandals from the dead bodies of Makai Guard''s personnel for the slave children. Of course, the clothes and the gladiator sandals were too big for the slave children, but a few ropes fixed the issue and it was much better compared to the wet rags they wore before. Coincidently, when Lan Yan''er finished preparing the spicy wine, the surviving slave children also already finished their bath and sat neatly around a camp fire. At one glance, they looked cute and adorable. However, after a careful observation it was easy to tell that they were too quiet and too gloomy. Moreover, one of the youngest boys were still sobbing weakly. Wasting no time, Lan Yan''er poured the spicy wine into 14 big wooden mugs and tore 14 big chunks of brown bread. "Be careful, it''s hot." As she distributed the spicy wine and brown bread, Lan Yan''er gave the surviving slave children gentle reminder. And she immediately breathed a sigh of relief as they enjoy the snack heartily. ''At least, they didn''t refuse to eat or drink,'' Lan Yan''er muttered inwardly. At the same time Major Shade approached Lan Yan''er and said, "We already gave the POW water and medical treatment, so we will retreat in a few minutes." "Understood." Lan Yan''er then looked at the dark sea in the distance and asked, "Did command center had ensured there was no remaining survivor in the water?" "Reaper already swept the area three times, and found no heat signature." "I see." In an instant, Major Shade''s reply made Lan Yan''er deeply sighed. Aerial reconnaissance showed that after versus contact with incoming Landing Troop, at least there were 150 slave children and 200 slave women in the water. But only 14 slave children managed to reach the shore alive. After the slave children finished their snack, the paramedic element then started their retreat. A moment later, Vanguard elements burned the dead bodies and the whole camp. After making sure there was no more resource and construction that could be used by the opposing side, they then retreated and took the role as rear guard. At first light of dawn, all elements involved in the Oplan Black in The Night were safely passed the defensive point at Railev Pass. Meanwhile, Battle Group B continued their retreat. Based on their course and direction, it was estimated that their destination was a group of empty island 150 km west of Sandhur Region, where they built their closest logistic and maintenance base. --- Right after supervising Oplan Black in the Night, Viscount Issel immediately went to storage facility at Castle Lagra. There were a lot of loots that must be organized and he had an urge to check the process before going back to his resident. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. At the backyard of the storage facility, he found Lt. Colonel Slane casually watched the unloading. A smile bloomed in Viscount Issel''s lips as he approached Lt. Colonel Slane. "Sir Slane, I never thought you will supervise the unloading personally." Lt. Colonel Slane smiled before replied, "Actually, it was an accidental stop. I was on my way to my office when I saw the massive loots and decided to take a closer look." "I see." As he looked at the huge amount of staple food and construction materials that were being recorded, Viscount Issel continued, "Maybe we can send some of these loots to Kingdom of Buriek?" "We can, but it¡¯s not wise course of action," Lt. Colonel Slane calmly replied. "Right now, Kingdom of Buriek doesn''t lack of food or construction material, so the loot will not mean much while we have to bear expensive shipping cost." Viscount Issel nodded and then he took a deep breath. "Ser Slane, I''m sorry that for the past few weeks I can''t spare my attention to Amethyst Merchant''s projects in Sandhur Region." "Ser Viscount, you had to lead a war so don''t worry about anything else." Lt. Colonel Slane confidently smiled before continuing, "Believe me, under my watch Amethyst Merchant will deliver the highest possible prosperity to Sandhur Region." "Ser Slane, I believe in you," Viscount Issel answered firmly without the slightest of doubt. Wasting no time, Lt. Colonel Slane then explained the latest progress of Amethyst Projects in Sandhur Region, "Next week, the processing facilities for seafood and other marine products will be ready to operate. As per your request, it will not use workers from Kingdom of Buriek but workers from Tuscan Region and Northern Coalition." "Glad to hear that." In an instant a smile full of satisfaction bloomed in Viscount Issel Lips. Even though inwardly, he had difficulty when trying to imagine how dozens of high capacity processing facilities could be built in such a short time. "As for the other details I will send them to your office in a few days, before I go to Kingdom of Buriek." "You already planned to go over there?" A big question mark and reluctant were clearly visible Viscount Issel''s eyes. "Amethyst Merchant''s projects in Sandhur Region were already on track, so it doesn''t need my direct supervision anymore." Viscount Issel nodded, and then he said with a tone of deep gratitude, "Ser Slane, I will never forget the kindness and hard work you show to Sandhur Region." Lt. Colonel Slane happily replied, "Ser Viscount, it''s a fair business deal so don''t be too courteous about it." "Even so, it''s still the greatest kindness that Sandhur Region has ever been received." Currently, Sandhur Region was suffering from severe population deficiencies, and the majority of its remaining residents were children under ten years old. However, Viscount Issel could breathe a sigh of relief because the children and the next generations of Sandhur Region would be able to live in prosperity, and one of the biggest contributors for that result was Lt. Colonel Slane. Lt. Colonel Slane didn''t take away the massive gold reserve in Castle Lagra. He said that Amethyst Merchant already satisfied with the winner right from Kingdom of Buriek. The only thing he asked was so that Viscount Issel sold Nouel and rent the Nouel Farmland to Amethyst Merchant. And surprisingly, he offered a good price if Viscount Issel willing to invest the payment into Amethyst Merchant''s project in Sandhur Region. Therefore, it was natural that Viscount Issel had an immeasurable gratitude to him. --- After the debriefing of Oplan Black in The Night, Lan Yan''er immediately returned to her temporary resident in Castle Lagra. She also brought along the fourteen former slave children and asked Butler Barrie to take care of their accommodation. After taking a shower she immediately climbed into her bed. In an instant, she felt the wonderful bliss as soon as her body lay on the nice and comfortable bed. Last night, she arrived at Castle Lagra by bus. She came with one mission, to make sure so that children who would return from Magwurt City in a few days, would smoothly reconnected with their newly built home. However, she just got off the bus when Major Shade approached her. In a straight forward manner, he explained that a senior assistant surgeon under his command had just resigned from a role to lead a paramedic squad. The problem was, command center planned to launch the mission in three hours, while decent replacement was only available in Magwurt City or Harley Quinn. It was critical circumstance as losing one paramedics squad could lead into a failure in saving a large number of people. Without hesitation, Lan Yan''er agreed to become the replacement even though Nate tried to stop her. After making sure Butler Barrie received Erlin, Seira, Keira, and Big Brown, she then attended the final briefing of Oplan Black in The Night. And so, it was easy to imagine how big and heavy the fatigue that accumulated in her body and mind. Lan Yan''er easily fell asleep and she slept like a log. Until finally, she vaguely heard cheerful laugh of children in the distance. She immediately opened her eyes and checked her watch. ''10:30 am, three hours since I went up to the bed.'' Lan Yan''er then slowly got up and approached the window. Her room was on the second floor of the wing building, so she could easily observe the wide yard in front of maidservant lodging houses. Dozens of boys were running around, play chase and tag while laughing breathlessly. Meanwhile, dozens of women and girls sat on the terrace and watched the boys with a cheerful smile. Judging from their clothes and merry expressions, it was easily to conclude that the psychologist team in charge of accompanying the former slave children and slave women did a good job. "Castle Lagra and Amethyst Merchant Branch Office will take care of them properly," Lan Yan''er muttered as she tried to hold the urge to check the slave women and slave children. She had her own mission, so she had to maintain her priority. After finishing her daily yoga, Lan Yan''er then went to take a bath. A moment later, she already wore her office outfit and on the way to the living room in the first floor. ***** TFA2 8.3 - Lan Yaners Addiction TFA2 8.3 - Lan Yan''er''s Addiction From inside the living room, Viscount Issel and Butler Barrei observed the small inner garden where Erlin, Seira, Keira, and the former slave children enjoyed their time. Keira and some youngest children were having fun rubbing the belly of a black and brown wolf dog. Occasionally, they would giggle or laugh. Not far from them, Seira, Erlin, and other children were cheerfully coloring fruits sketch by using a set of crayon. "Compared to the time when they just arrived this morning, the former slave children were much calmer. They no longer show wary expression when meeting with maid servant or castle guard. The youngest kid also had stopped their sobbing. ¡°They are very surprise when they know Lady Erlin is a member of noble family. But Little Lady manage to blend in very naturally and it''s greatly help them to calm down," Butler Barrei calmly explained. "Very good." Seeing her youngest daughter finally had some real playmates, Viscount Issel couldn''t hold back his ear to ear grin. Actually, Erlin was a good hearted, smart, and brave kid. She also never created trouble for people around her, except when she played hide and seek. But somehow, children from other noble families maintain some distances from her. They played with Erlin only for the sake of obeying orders from their parents. As a smart kid, Erlin easily realized the situation but she didn''t utter any complaint and played along with the act. Then, Lan Yan''er arrived in the living room and she immediately approached Viscount Issel and Butler Barrei. As she looked at the kids in the inner garden Lan Yan''er said, "I hope they don''t cause some trouble." "No, not at all. Actually, I''m happy that Lieutenant Lan bring them to this castle." After a wide smile Viscount Issel asked, "About the kids who will return tomorrow, can''t they stay at Magwurt City until peace treaty with Kingdom of Makai was signed?" "I can arrange it. But honestly, it''s not wise course of action." In an instant big question mark appeared on Viscount Issel''s forehead. "May I know the reason?" Wasting no time Lan Yan''er explained the circumstance, "Lagra City was a wide of ash and blackened field when the kids leaved. If they come back and see it had change into new and modern city, and there are fifty thousand expatriate workers live in it, they will felt alienated in their own home. In that scenario, reconnected their hearts with Lagra City will be tricky. And in long term, it can lead into unwanted concern as children''s development was easily affected by environment they live in." A deep worry immediately flashed in Viscount Issel''s eyes. "So, at the minimum they need to be arrived before the workers." "Yes, something like that." Viscount Issel never thought there was a serious concern behind the decision to bring the Lagra City''s kids back home. The thought that he almost made a fatal blunder made his back drenched with cold sweat. "And there is also another unofficial concern Ser Viscount need to worry about," Lan Yan''er calmly added. "There is another unofficial concern?" Lan Yan''er nodded and said, "After some noble families knew that more than half of Lagra City''s kids have high-level academic potential and TF Amethyst had serious intention to nurture them, they immediately try to adopt the kids." Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "They dare?!" In an instant Viscount Issel''s furry soared to the sky. "They realized that in the future these kids will become foundation in the development of science and technology in Amstell Continent and perhaps in the whole planet. So, of course they are ready to offend you and pay the necessary price." "I will skin those nobles," Viscount Issel firmly said. ¡°Lieutenant Lan, please tell me their name.¡± "Ser Viscount, TF Amethyst had already prevents it, so let''s stop at that." To prevent the rose of any unwanted circumstance, Lan Yan''er deliberately hide that Northern Coalition''s Leaders were the culprit behind the adoption attempt. They even directly visited her to carry out a back door deal. And when their attempt ended in failure, they changed their tactic by approaching the castle maids who became the kids'' guardian. Dozens of castle maids got swayed with the offer. They agreed to help Northern Coalition''s nobles coaxed the kids under their care to accept the adoption. Fortunately, IDG sniffed the attempt and Harley Quinn immediately issued a harsh warning. As for the traitorous castle maids, Lan Yan''er personally issued an assessment that these maids were unfit to become guardian. Under permission from Viscount Issel, Amethyst Merchant then sent them to become worker in the production facilities located in Kandez Region. "Understood." Viscount Issel calmly replied, but inwardly he swore he would retaliate. "Thank you for your understanding," Lan Yan''er sincerely said. After silent for a while Viscount Issel then said, "Regarding the transportation for the kids, do TF Amethyst really can''t provide airlift?" Viscount Issel heard that the kids were amazingly happy when they went to Magwurt City by using airlift. So, he hoped they could also use it when they return to Lagra City. "I know the cost is astronomical, but I will gladly pay it," Viscount Issel firmly added. After a deep sigh Lan Yan''er said, "The cost is not the problem." Economic and trade relationship with Merry Gold Union and regions around Desolate Land''s entrance brought unimaginably massive profit for Amethyst Merchant. Right now, money was the last thing that Amethyst Merchant would worry about. Lan Yan''er turned her gaze to Viscount Issel before saying, "Ser Viscount, I''m sure you had already heard from Chief Nate regarding the latest circumstance of TF Amethyst''s aerial asset." "Ser Nate said that because of sudden expansion of area of operation to Buriek Continent, coupled with current situation with Kingdom of Makai, TF Amethyst''s aerial asset will only be available for military purpose." After a deep sigh, Viscount Issel continued in low voice, "But honestly, I had difficulty to accept Ser Nate''s explanation." "It''s regrettable that Chief Nate''s explanation is true," Lan Yan''er then inwardly continued, ''Even though he didn''t mention the details.'' Currently, of the fifties Hercules, only half of that number were in a ready-to-fly condition while the rest must be used as a temporary spare part. Therefore, other than for strategic and tactical purpose, all personnel and goods would be transferred by ground asset. Of course, Lan Yan''er didn''t say the real circumstance openly, as transportation capacity and capability were essentials military intelligence. "Ser Viscount, you don''t need to worry about the transportation for the kids. I already tried it personally and it''s a nice ride." "I sincerely hope so." Seeing some doubt was still lingering in Viscount Issel''s gaze, Lan Yan''er immediately explained, "Ser Viscount, the bus is equipped with an air conditioner and comfortable chair, the South Highroad is wide and smooth, the teachers will ride with the kids, and the escort is adequate. They will also make a stop in one of FOC''s for refueling, good lunch, and a short rest. In short, it''s a nice and safe trip. You can ask Erlin, Seira, or Keira if you don''t believe me." "I see." Even if inwardly he was still dissatisfied, Viscount Issel chose to compromise. At the same time, with a cherry smile Lan Yan''er entered the inner garden. As the kids looked at her, Lan Yan''er gently said, "Kidos, carry on and don''t mind me. I''m just looking for a place to sit and wait for the lunch." As the kids lightly nodded, Lan Yan''er walked over to a rocking chair in the terrace and immediately sat on it comfortably. She waited for a moment, until the kids went back to their happy activity before observing them one by one. If the slave children stayed in the slave camp, then in one year the twelve-year-old boy would start the bitter life of a slave worker. As for the twelve-year-old girl, they had to start the painful life of a sex slave. The fact that she was taking a part in the effort to stop that outcome, made Lan Yan''er felt an extraordinary happiness, and it was addictive. And when she saw that the former slave children no longer gave her a suspicious gaze, Lan Yan''er smile became thicker in an instant. It could be considered as a great progress, as for a slave trying to trust other people from outside their inner circle was almost impossible. ''Just for a few more years, I will stay in the field,'' Lan Yan''er muttered as she closed her eyes, and then she gently rocked the chair while humming happily. ***** TFA2 9.1 - Imminent Threat TFA2 9.1 - Imminent Threat Nate''s Office, Castle Lagra 13:10, 2 Nov 2025 For the last few days, situation was calm and quiet. Battle Group B loaded a massive number of water and provision to their ships. But after that, they just sat idle on their base. As for Battle Group A, they just conducted their daily routine like any other days. Therefore, Nate could sit in his office and took care of Oplan Black in The Night''s post-operation report. He had finished everything, except a few things related to Captain Isak. And so, after he had his lunch Nate called Captain Isak to his office. As he asked Captain Isak to sit, Nate opened the conversation, "Captain, before we go into main subject, is there something you want to say regarding Oplan Black in The Night?" "Yes, Sir." Captain Isak calmly replied, but inwardly he was nervous as hell. First, because this was his first time he had talked face to face with one of TF Amethyst¡¯s high-ranking officers. Second, because Lt. Colonel Luther had warned him that executing POW without permission could drag him into military court. After calming his heart, Captain Isak then continued, "About our loot, I and other Vanguard Squadron''s officers decide that we will combined it, convert the valuables into money, and then distribute it evenly to every personnel who participated in the operation." As he gave Captain Isak a curious gaze Nate asked, "Did your unit get good loot?" "Yes Sir. It''s a massive harvest." "I see. Glad to hear that." "Each Squadron could only spare one platoon to collect the loot, but we manage to secure more than twenty thousand personal money bags, along with a lot of jewelry and high valuable items from special quarter for high-born officers." Captain Isak then put a beautiful box made of sandalwood in front of Nate and continued in low tone, "And this is our token of gratitude for you, Sir." As he smiled from ear to ear Nate checked the jewelry in the sandalwood box, and then he took a ring with tiger eye jewel and pushed the rest back to Captain Isak. "Thank you," Nate smiled amusingly before continuing, "I had supervise countless raid, but this is the first time a field officer share some of his loot." "Sir?" Question mark immediately appeared in Captain Isak''s forehead. "These are your unit loot, do whatever you and your men want to do with it. Looting and foraging is legal as long as you have permission, no war crime in the process, and no messing around with operation''s objective." "Understood, Sir." Captain Isak nervously took back the sandalwood box. "Now, let''s talk about the main reason why I call you here." "Sir." "Captain, in the future, please refrain yours self from execute POW without permission. It''s a serious war crime and can lead into unwanted diplomatic issue in the future." "Sir, I will gladly accept the punishment." "For this one, I will let you off." In an instant Captain Isak flabbergasted. He had prepared to accept the consequence for his action, and expected that Nate would use him as an example. Without delay, Captain Isak hastily said, "Sir, thank you, Sir." Nate lightly nodded and then asked, "Can I ask your opinion for a few things?" "Absolutely, Sir." ¡°Good.¡± Wasting no time, Nate immediately gave Captain Isak a summary. In short, TF Amethyst plant to form 1st Buriek Vanguard Brigade, and its core units were three infantry squadrons and two archer squadrons that participated in Oplan Black in The Night. The brigade would be projected as a rapid reaction force that always ready to be deployed on short notice and able to operate for long duration together with TF Amethyst''s element. Its main job was to help TF Amethyst''s higher-up to shape the flow of the battlefield into their favor. Especially, when there was an objective that must be neutralized without the use of heavy airstrike or artillery strike in order to avoid collateral damage. Also, its sister unit or more precisely 1st Tuscan Vanguard Brigade had already finished its first three-week combat simulation a few days ago. After taking a sip of his tea, Nate casually asked, "So, what is your opinion?" Captain Isak calmly replied, "I will faithfully follow TF Amethyst arrangement." "Good." "Sir, may I know, who will lead this rapid reaction brigade?" Nate calmly looked at Captain Isak as he replied, "You." "Me?" Captain Isak asked with a half shriek voice as big question mark appeared in his forehead. "Yes. You, Captain. We will promote your rank into a Brigadier." "With all respect, Sir. I think you overestimate my ability." "Maybe," Nate casually replied, "But the thing is, the brigade will be stationed at Castle Lagra and will have a lot of direct communication with Viscount Issel. Therefore, TF Amethyst put a significant amount of consideration into Viscount Issel recommendation. He is the one who ask me to pardon your illegal execution." "I never meet, not to mention talk with Ser Issel." Puzzlement was clearly visible in Captain Isak''s face as he continued, "So, why does he recommend a small fry like me for such a high station?" Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "In the offensive on Lagra City, you refused to execute children that were captured by your unit. It makes Viscount Issel has a good impression on you." Nate paused for a moment before continued, "As for other Buriek Guard''s officers, especially the high-born officers, he still hold a deep resentment towards them. He even proposed an idea to replace Buriek Guard''s personnel in Sandhur Region with mercenary and ready to pay the expenditure." Captain Isak slightly nodded, and then he asked in a low tone, "Can I refuse, Sir?" "No, I don''t have other candidates," Nate replied firmly. "Then¡­ I''ll do my best, Sir." "Good." Nate ignored Captain Isak''s complicated expression and happily nodded. "The official appointment will come out in two days. You may return to your station, Captain." "Sir." After giving a salute, Captain Isak then exited the room with an expression as if he had just drank a glass of vinegar. Unlike high-born officers who were graduated from Buriek Military Academy, he was just a base-born officer who crawled step by step from lowest pecking order into his current station. It was uncommon for such officer to be promoted higher than a rank of a captain. ''I''m screwed.'' Captain Isak walked the hallway dejectedly. He was an illiterate, so he shuddered when he imagined that as a CO of a brigade, he had to read a lot of report and intelligence, or write a neat battle plan. --- Knock knock knock!! After Captain Isak left, Nate just about to lean his back to his chair, but someone suddenly knock the door of his office. "Come in." Nate casually said and Analyst Stockwell immediately entered and approached his desk. "Sir, I have something to share with you." As he saw there was a deep concern on Analyst Stockwell''s face, but there was no document in his hand, Nate immediately asked, "Is it an emergency?" "No, Sir. It just my assumption, but I think I have to share it with you as soon as possible." "What kind of assumption?" Nate asked as he signaled Analyst Stockwell to sit. "I think Battle Group A is preparing to launch a tunnel attack on us." In an instant curiosity filled Nate''s gaze, "Give me the detail." Without delay, Analyst Stockwell used his tablet to show a picture of eight-wheeled cart with broken axis. "A cart usually only has a pair of wheel to make it easier to turn. However, the carts used by Battle Group A have four pairs of wheels Aerial surveillance only showed us bags of grain and other provision on the carts. But with a long cart, it''s possible to hide wooden blocks and construction materials under the provision bags." Nate nodded and said, "Continue." "Normally, when axis on a cart is broken, they will move the goods to another cart and take the broken cart to repairing facility. But they repair this cart on the spot without moving the goods. Moreover, they did all unloading inside the storage house." "And the statistic for the carts and the storage house?" Nate curiously asked. "They have 36 of high-roof storage houses, each one with capacity of 300 carts. But yesterday, there were at least 400 carts entered each storage house. It would enough to feed the whole camp including the slaves for seven meals a day." "Is there any trail lead to the place where they throw the excavation soil away?" "No, but if they put the provision and construction material to the underground storage, then they can pack the excavation soil into sandbag and put it inside storage house. Moreover, because it''s not grain or flour, they can stack it up as high as possible." "Fuck me." Nate massaged his forehead as headaches suddenly attack him. ¡°Battle Group A already sat in the border for a long time. Who know how big or long the tunnel they have dug." Analyst Stockwell looked at Nate for a while before adding, "Sir, the same pattern also happened in their second camp. They also have storage houses more than they need." "No wonder the number of slave workers in these camps is too little. The slave workers must be works in the underground tunnel." Nate then looked at Analyst Stockwell as he continued, "Do you have prediction for their target?" Analyst Stockwell slightly nodded. "If their target is Foc Venom, they will already use the tunnel to attack it. But it seems like their target are Levsait and Raisait. Unfortunately, Count Isak has visited Levsait and Raisait dozens of times. He knows the layouts both Levsait and Raisait to some extent." After heaving a deep sigh Nate said, "I let him enter Levsait and Raisait and even show him capability of our small arms to make him understand how big the difference in our combat potential, but it backfires on us." Analyst Stockwell nodded and said, "Base on Count Isak visit and interest, I already made prediction of the targeted area." "Good, let''s deploy Tunnel Rat and MCG to sweep the area." Nate paused for a moment before continuing, "After the incident with Terry Hill, MCG also developed new tactic to counter tunnel attack, let''s ask them to prepare it." Analyst Stockwell silent for a while before asking, "Sir, can I say some unpleasant things?" "You can," Nate replied casually. Analyst Stockwell immediately took a deep breath before saying, "To observe Battle Group A, we only have two analysts. First is Analyst Jackson in Foc Venom, but he had priority to track and locate Prince Makar. So I''m sure he will ignore everything else. Second analyst is me, over here in Castle Lagra. But my primary role is a wild card that had to study intel from other hot zone. As a wild card, I work randomly and rely on luck to find jackpot. If three days ago I didn''t coincidently see the cart with broken axis, I will never dig deeper and sniff this possible tunnel attack. However, if we have more analysts, I''m sure they will recognize the abnormally between the number of provision cart and storage houses as soon as they processed the collected intel into statistical data. In short, we lack of analyst but having too many hot zone to observe. The Guest From East, Battle Group A, B, & C. Kingdom of Makai''s covert ops in Northern Coalition''s territory, Makai Royal City''s intel gathering as preparation for Tiger Leap, and contra-intelligence against Makai Intelligence Service in Magwurt City." Hearing Analyst Stockwell who usually cherished his word as if it was diamond, suddenly make a long complained in one breath, Nate immediately took a deep sigh. "Stockwell, even if I''m seven years younger than you, I had my fill as analyst a little longer than you. So believe me, I understand why you are very upset with current circumstance in IDG." "Sir." "The sudden expansion of AO to Kingdom of Buriek is really mess up our rhythm." Nate said weakly, "But we have no choice. At Foc 1750, I and XO already throw away our conscience and ready to hand over the refugees from Sandhur Region. But the opposing side refused our gesture of good will and showed us a crystal clear hostility. At that time, we have no way of knowing if the refusal was personal initiative or Kingdom of Buriek''s interest. Therefore, our only option was to jump in into conflict between Sandhur Region and Kingdom of Buriek with everything we have." "Understood, Sir." "Good." Nate nodded before continuing, "I want you to accompany Tunnel Rat and MCG while they conduct the sweeping." "Sir?" Seeing big question mark appeared in Analyst Stockwell forehead, Nate immediately explained, "Levsait is 1200 square kilometers of flat field on the highland. It¡¯s two times bigger than Chicago. As for Raisait, even if it''s slightly smaller, it¡¯s still a big area. It will be a great help if Tunnel Rat have someone to give them a proper advice directly." "Sir, I don''t mind doing field work. But right now, in my office there are eight long tables filled with mountains of intel and I haven''t finished studied it." "You can leave it for a few days." "Understood, Sir." Wasting no time, Analyst Stockwell got up and exited the room. Meanwhile, Nate tidied up his desk before going to command center. ***** TFA2 9.2 - Start of Tunnel Attack TFA2 9.2 - Start the Tunnel Attack First Camp of Battle Group A, War Strategy Room. 17:05, 2 Nov 2025 Battle Group A finally completed the underground tunnel that would be used to attack Levsait and Raisat. After the routine of morning assembly, the assault troops gradually entered the tunnel and stood by in their designated position. At the same time, the slave workers gradually exited the tunnel while wearing combat uniform which had been prepared for them beforehand. The switch ran all day with ease. And so, Prince Makar held the last strategy meeting in the afternoon. With a calm gaze, Prince Makar observed Levsait and Raisat''s layout on the table. Then, he turned his gaze to Marquise Orev. "Let''s start the meeting." "Understood," Without delay, Marquise Orev explained the latest situation, "90.000 elite troops already stand by in their designated position. Extended from 2nd Camp to the exits in the targeted area and will start the attack at 22:00. We had also filled the underground storage room with five days¡¯ worth of provision and water." Prince Makar nodded before asking, "And status of the diversion?" Marquis Orev firmly replied, "We can launch it at any time. We will throw every mercenary and our second-line troops to attack Camp Venom. This servant will supervise it directly. If window of opportunity appears, we will exploit it and switch into an attack to kill." "Good." Prince Makar smiled in satisfaction before looking at the three areas in the Levsait''s layout alternately. The objectives in this area were Logistic & Support Area, Buriek Guard Area, and Tuscan Guard Area. With element of surprise and initiative in their side, the assault troop would have a chance to seize their objective and established foothold inside the opposing perimeter. However, if the exits were turned out in the middle of landmine or area for TF Amethyst¡¯s combat unit, then it would become uphill battle for the assault troop. Prince Makar turned his gaze to Count Isak and said, "I hope our troops don''t arrive in the wrong area." Seeing the worries in Prince Makar''s gaze, Count Isak immediately said, "Your Highness, I guarantee it with my life that the underground tunnel ended in the designated area." Wasting no time Marquise Orev added, "Each targeted area has a size of several square kilometers, so the possibility for our tunnel to end up in another area is low." "I hope so." Prince Makar lightly nodded before continuing, "I manage to ask Portho to delay Battle Group B¡¯s second offensive. I hope it will make TF Amethyst lower their guard because the calm over the past few days. So, let''s exploit this opportunity as much as possible." ""Understood,"" Marquise Orev and Count Isak answered in unison. Duke Kalzar who had been silent, decided to say, "Count Isak, your intel regarding layout of Levsait and Raisat have deciding value in our offensive. It will give you the biggest credit even if you don''t lead the attack on Levsait directly. So, are you sure you still want to lead it directly?" Count Isak hide ambition in his heart as he replied in humble tone, "Ser Duke, I know Levsait''s layout like the back of my hand. This knowledge will become great help if I stay with our troops in the field." "I see," Duke Kalzar replied briefly as he ignored the faint gleam in Count Isak''s eyes. In a sense, Duke Kalzar could tolerate Count Isak''s hidden ambition. The problem was that high-born officer had a tendency for spontaneous initiative in order to secure their personal agenda. And in many case, it ended up as a disaster. Therefore, Duke Kalzar would prefer a base-born officer to lead the troops in the field, as they were always following battle plan unconditionally. Prince Makar also realized Duke Kalzar''s worries. But in the end, he chose to go with his decision to let Count Isak led the offensive to levsait. He smiled while looked at Count Isak deeply. "Very well, if this attack success, I will raise your rank into a marquise and double your territory." As he slightly bowed to Prince Makar, Count Isak said, "This servant will bet his life for the success of this offensive. May Gods in heaven bless us a victory." "Good." Prince Makar nodded and smiled in satisfaction before continuing, "I and Duke Kalzar will supervise our operation from here. So please follow our direction as we are the one who know the big picture of the battlefield. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Sviek Guard and Rivek Guard will join in the second phase of tunnel attack, with total strength 70.000 elite troops. Battle Group B is already on the way. Our Riders and their Riders will scramble at the first light tomorrow. As for their landing troops, a numbers of hand-picked elite personnel will silently approach the cliff on the southern tip of Levsait by using small raft, and then conducted climbing assault. This attack will become our decisive battle against TF Amethyst. If it fails, then we will never have another chance." ""Understood,"" Marquise Orev and Count Isak answered in unison. A moment later, Prince Makar held the ritual of Last Dinner Before The Battle. He personally asked Count Isak to sit next to him. The two then happily enjoyed the best cut of roasted deer, along with the savory of deer''s blood soup. --- Command Post, FOC Venom. 20:50, 2 Nov 2025 At midday, Colonel Glass received a warning regarding the possibility of tunnel attack to Levsait and Raisat. Then, one hour ago Battle Group A deployed more than one hundred thousand combatant to the border fence. They neatly lined-up behind the massive piles of sandbags, wooden planks, and dozens of wells they dug three days ago. For the last few days, mercenary under command of Battle Group A also flooded the field around Camp Venom by using water from the well. As a result, they managed to turn the blackened and dried field full of skeleton into a muddy blackened swamp. Then, as Colonel Glass took a deep sigh, a massive numbers of carts full of sandbags suddenly came out from the storage houses and moved towards border fence. In matter of minutes, the stacks of sandbags before the border fence increased by several fold. As he observed the Battle Group A''s line-up through main screen, Colonel Glass said, "130.000 combatants, two times bigger than last attack. They sure have abundant manpower." "No worry, we will stop them." Major Kimber paused for a moment, and then she continued in regretful tone, "But it will perfect if only they attack this camp by utilizing tunnel attack." Colonel Glass replied weakly, "Yeah, it''s a shame that they bypass this camp." Actually, under the massive of hesco barriers and sandbags that formed FOC Venom''s outer wall, MCG put a row of seismic detector. This seismic detector was the old model from the last period in Vietnam, but it was still effective tool even in modern era. If seismic detector detected human activities in the underground, MCG would immediately drill a hole and NBC Team would then pump in a high-dose sleeping gas. And so, the tunnel attack would end up as a nasty disaster. Unfortunately, to this moment the expected tunnel attack still hadn''t arrived. And finally, Battle Group A started their night attack on FOC Venom. As the opposing side made their move, Colonel Glass said, "Molotov Catapult, point of impact at 1800 meter. Rifle teams, weapon at discretion. Other elements, on standby." "Roger." Wasting no time, Major Kimber executed the order. --- Eight hundred meters from the border fence, Marquis Orev and some of his officers observed the Battle Group A''s Line-up. Once the last cart finished unloading the sandbags, he immediately nodded in satisfaction. "Pull back all slave workers into safety distance and launch the diversion." "At once, Ser." A Brigadier who stood next to Marquis Orev immediately reached out for his crystal communicator and relayed the order. A moment later, the mercenaries in leading position started to wear head cover, coat, and gloves made of coarse and thick cloth. After that, they poured down cold water on their body before started working. The mercenaries swiftly built two walls made of sandbags. It was 0.8 meter thick, 1.5 meter high, and were1.8 meter apart. Every 1.6 meter, the mercenaries would connect the top of the two walls using five wooden planks before covering it with sandbags. In short, they built a small sand tunnel. In total there were 12 sand tunnels. It went to Camp Venom in zig-zag pattern. The mercenaries generously poured down cold water on the tunnel wall and dotted roof. They also covered the tunnel floor with a layer of thick sand. Then, when the tunnel reached a distance of 1800 meter from Camp Venom, Molotov cocktail started raining down on it. However, the Molotov cocktails that accurately hit the tunnel didn''t broke and spread the fire, as the tunnel were made of wet and soft sandbags. Moreover, as if they had already expecting it, the mercenary calmly took cover under the dotted roof. Then, they would grab Molotov cocktail that fell on the tunnel''s floor and throw it out. As for the Molotov cocktails that fell on the dotted roof, the mercenaries easily reach them and throw them away. "Very good." Seeing that the sand tunnels manage to neutralize Molotov cocktail, Marquis Orev immediately grinned from ear to ear. "In the battlefield, initiative and counter initiative will always become each other''s tails. This time, we do the chase properly and manage to snatch the lead," The Brigadier who stood next to Marquise Orev happily said. Marquise Orev happily nodded in agreement, "Indeed." The Brigadier then proposed an idea that suddenly appeared in his mind. "Ser Marquis, perhaps we can use the slave workers to build the sand tunnels." In an instant, Marquis Orev gave the Brigadier a sharp glare. "Are you trying to tarnish The Highness Prince Makar''s reputation?" As cold sweat drenched his back like a flood, The Brigadier dropped on his knee. "No, Ser. This lowly servant doesn''t dare." While maintaining his chilling tone, Marquis Orev continued, "Know your place and don''t propose anything unless you had been requested to." "Understood, Ser." "Good, now get up. If TF Amethyst''s aerial surveillance sees someone is kneeling in front of me, they will definitely mark me as a delicious target." "Ser." Wasting no time, The Brigadier got up to his feet. A moment later, a series of loud bang started to fill the night air in rapid pace, followed by some mercenaries who fell to the ground. However, Marquise Orev was not worried as Battle Group A didn''t lack sacrificial troops. In order to lure TF Amethyst''s attention, Battle Group A was ready to send every combatant in their reserve. ¡°Finally, their sharpshooters join the fun.¡± In a calm voice Marquis Orev then said, "Send message to War Strategy Room, we can start the tunnel attack." ***** TFA2 10.1 - A Good Start TFA2 10.1 - A Good Start Normally, when digging an underground tunnel the digger had to make checkpoints on the surface. This checkpoint was needed to ensure the tunnel didn''t go in the wrong way. However, Battle Group A managed to dig their tunnel without utilizing checkpoints. The key for their success was the precise layout drew by Count Issak. It accurately explained on what distance before the tunnel had to climb or turn, how big the angle or elevation, and for how far before it had to become flat again. To prevent the deviation in direction the slave workers used super precise compass. As for to ensure the tunnel''s floor didn''t go downward or upward unintentionally, they adopted a method that was used by stone mason to ensure floor of a building was flat and had zero degree. In short, it was a precise job that required precise planning and supervising. Fortunately, when he was young Count Issak had a dream to become a Maester of Architecture. Even if in the end he had to give up on his dream and entered military to full fill his father request, the essentials skill and knowledge regarding architecture were still deeply buried in his mind. In the preparation phase, Count Issak even conducted an aerial surveillance with a few Riders to obtain the real scale of the underground tunnel from above. Therefore, Count Issak''s heart was filled with joy and pride as he walked the underground tunnel while holding a big scroll. He was hardly able to hide his smile. ''This is indeed not the first massive tunnel used by Makai Guards in an offensive. But I''m sure this is the longest,'' Count Issak muttered as he arrived in a gentle slope. Wasting no time, he accelerated his steps. A few minutes later, he arrived at the end of the tunnel, which only a half meter below the surface. There, under the light of a small candle, a number of Brigadiers wearing light-weight body armor and Captains in black outfit were already waiting for him. "Open the small door," Count Issak calmly ordered. While he was still on his way, he had got the permission to launch the attack. So he didn''t need to wait anymore. Four assault troops immediately took down two wooden blocks and planks that supported the ceiling. Then, they gently made 1x1 meter hole, before stacking sandbags below it to form steps. After one of assault troops confirmed that the surface was safe, Count Issak then peeked and checked the surrounding. A wide smile bloomed in his lips, as he saw a high water tower in the distance. The exit missed the designated point a few dozen meters, but it was still in the flat, dark, and quiet field as planned. Count Issak then went back to the tunnel. After signaling that the exit could be widened, he then laid the big scroll in his hand into tunnel''s floor. Without delay, four Captains in black outfit immediately kneeled around the scroll. Every single officer in the assault troop had memorized Levsait''s layout as if it was their backyard. However, it would be better if someone gave them a good situational awareness in the starting point. "This is the location of our actual exit," Count Issak said as he pointed a location on the layout. "Now, let''s see if the four of you do your homework properly." The four Captains in the black outfit nodded in unison, then pointed their objective in the layout and explained their mission alternately. "This building is maintenance facility for iron carriages, two hundred meters to the east from here, and the place where we will set up our command post. TF Amethyst has working hours 24 hours a day, so some of their personnel will still be working over there. My company will capture this building cleanly and eliminated every TF Amethyst''s personnel." "Depot for ammunition, spare part, and fuel, 2 km to the north. My company will kill what we can kill, burn what we can burn, and then establish our first ring perimeter." "Parking lot for iron carriages, 2 km to the east. Sweep clean burn clean, and then set up perimeter." "Kitchen, mess hall, recreation facility, and a two-floor barracks with two-floor bunker, 2 km to the south. Kill any resistance and lock the rest.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Good." Count Issak nodded in satisfaction. "This exit is our way in and retreat, so we will guard it with everything we have until all of assault troops safely passed it. As long we hold their personnel in the barrack, TF Amethyst will not use their artillery on us." """"Aye Sir."""" The four Captains replied calmly. At the same time, the exit hole was already widened up to 10x6 meters. The four Captains then led their company to their objective. Each company was 200-man strong. All of them wore black outfit and they moved silently under the cover of darkness. Count Issak then looked at three Brigadiers before him. "Your turn." One of the Brigadiers immediately replied, "TF Amethyst''s first responder will came from west. It will need time to gather enough people and launched proper respond. So they will send scout to assess the situation first. We will utilize our numbers to ambush and eliminate their scout, and then stall their main unit as long as possible." "Good." Count Issak nodded in satisfaction. "The longer you stall them, the more we have time to expand our area of control to south and north, and link up with assault troops that attack Buriek Guard Area and Tuscan Guard''s area." """Aye Sir.""" The three Brigadiers then led their troops to their objective. Each brigade was consisted of 3600 swordsmen and bowmen, so it would take a while before all of these assault troops exited the tunnel. However, Count Issak calmly watched them and didn''t urge them to move faster. A moment later, he already gave final brief to the next batch of Brigadier. Slowly but surely, each batch of the assault troops exited the tunnel and went to their objective. The exit was located in the assembly field in the middle of Logistic and Support Area, so they could easily spread over undetected. --- Captain Dakko calmly led his company, approaching the backyard of the maintenance building through a dark field. When he saw two people sitting and playing a card game near a rear door of the building, he immediately signaled his men to stop and kneel. Then, he asked four bowmen to eliminate their first two targets. Swish! Swish! Sw-swish!! Four arrows flew from the dark field and accurately pierced the necks of two men who having fun playing cards, two arrows for each neck. There were no screams or shouts. There was only a light thud, gurgling, and muffled sound as the arrows'' victims fell to the ground. Captain Dakko then calmly approached them. As the two were in their dying breath, he stabbed them in their heart and then checked the rank on their collar. "A captain and a major." A smile immediately bloomed on Captain Dakko''s lips. "We have a good start. This two must be the first officers¡¯ casualties for TF Amethyst." Without delay, Captain Dakko then ordered half of his men to set a security perimeter. Meanwhile, he led the other half to attack the maintenance building both from front and rear door simultaneously. All of the mechanics were busy. After losing more than twenty mechanics in the Black Eagle incident in Davy Jones, the schedule for ground vehicle maintenance became very tight. Only one mechanic who coincidentally stood near the door realized that a number of men in black outfits suddenly entered the building. At first, he thought that these guys were Tuscan Guard''s personnel who played a prank on them. However, they already nocked an arrow on their double-curve bow. Moreover, their eyes were thick with killing intent. "Who are you guys?" The mechanic asked the men in black, but the answer he got was a flight of two arrows right into his heart. He dropped to the ground almost in an instant. As for the other mechanics, they realized the assault a few seconds later, but it was too late. The assault troops who got the role as a spear tip were elite archer specialized in close combat. Their technique was called instinctive shooting, which basically was shooting without needing to aim first. It was an extremely fast archery technique, as the archer''s body and mind would be able to answer his or her will to put an arrow to any point up to 50 meters in reflex. When it was combined with a compact 40-pound double-curve bow, these archers became remarkably deadly in close combat. Their motto was ''In 30 meter arrow warfare, anyone who tries to aim will die first.'' Therefore, in a few breaths of time, most mechanics in the maintenance building fell to the floor after 2-3 arrows pierced their vitals. Unfortunately, none of them managed to grab the radio and warned other personnel in the area. As the assault troops dragged and piled up the mechanics'' body into a corner, Captain Dakko grabbed his crystal communicator. "Ser Count, this is Dakko, first company, do you copy?" [I read you, go ahead.] "We managed to secure the building without any loss. We also killed a field officer and middle-rank officer in the process." [Very good] Count Issak let out a satisfied chuckle for a moment before continuing, [I will go over there with my staff and crystal communication team.] "Understood, Ser." As he put back his crystal communicator to his shoulder, Captain Dakko muttered, ''Finally, we have our chance to rule the battlefield.'' ***** TFA2 10.2 – Secure The Hostages TFA2 10.2 ¨C Securing Hostages With ease, Captain Tark and his company captured the parking lots for iron carriages. The guards on the portal were silenced by his best archers. They died without having chance to warn other personnel. After that, the hunt for the remaining TF Amethyst''s personnel began. In total there were seventeen personnel, consisting of eleven male and six female. Every single one of them was executed on the spot without exception. Their head were then had been placed in a spike and used as a perimeter marker. After sending an update to command post, Captain Tark then inspected it. He calmly looked at the bloods that were dripping from the neck of TF Amethyst''s personnel, and then turned his gaze to the panic and horror on their faces. ¡°At the end of the day, they are just ordinary humans like us. Cut their neck and they will die." "Aye Sir." A Centurion who was standing next to Captain Tark firmly replied, and then he asked, "Can we start burn their assets, Sir?" ¡°Not yet.¡± Captain Tark replied calmly. In accordance with initial plan, the leading unit would start the fire only after hostages in the barracks were secured, but until now he had not received an update on this matter. The Centurion took a deep breath before saying, "I hope Captain Kerro and his company managed to secure the hostages in the barracks." ¡°So do I.¡± After being silent for a moment, Captain Tark added, "We already executed every TF Amethyst''s personnel we could find. If Kerro and his company fail, then we won''t have human shields to ward out their insane artillery." Actually, Captain Tark regretted the decision to only secure hostages at the barrack and executed TF Amethyst''s personnel in other places. He considered the decision too risky and overconfident. But on the other hand, he understood the reason behind this decision. The high-ranking officers wanted to remove the idea of surrender which might arise in some situations. Considering that TF Amethyst was a dangerous opponent, but didn''t hesitate to accept an opponent who surrendered. And so, if the attack unit executed every TF Amethyst''s personnel they could find on the spot, they no longer had a chip to bargain if they wanted to surrender. In short, from the beginning the attack unit had already been conditioned to enter a killed or be killed situation. After heaving a deep sigh in silence Captain Tark said, "Well, we can only follow our order and try not to die in the process." ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Both Captain Tark and the Centurion fully understood that after seeing the row of their comrade¡¯s heads, the rest of TF Amethyst''s personnel would not show mercy. They would fight to kill with everything they have. So, the two immediately strengthened their resolve. A moment later, a Lieutenant and about two dozen swordsmen approached Captain Tark. The Lieutenant cheerfully showed the loot, stripped from the fallen TF Amethyst''s personnel. Assault rifles, side arm, magazines, grenades, NVG, combat knife, tablet, radio, tactical vest, water canteen, combat boot, watches, and other equipment. ¡°Sir, we managed to collect the targeted loot.¡± ¡°Very good, Lieutenant.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Wasting no time, Captain Tark took a small notebook from his pocket. The small notebook was full of drawing and detailed information about the loot that must be collected. It was the result of Count Isak''s hard work. After comparing the drawing of an assault rifle in the notebook with the real thing, Captain Tark had to admit that the picture and information was extraordinarily accurate. ¡®We need to study and if possible replicate these weapons and equipment,¡¯ Captain Tark muttered before turning his gaze towards Lieutenant before him, ¡°Take these loot to command post. They had to send it to rear line as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Aye, Sir.¡± --- In silence and full of vigilance, Captain Kerro led his company passing through a pitch black grass field. Their destination was the complex of barracks, kitchen, mess hall, and recreation building. As long as his unit managed to secure TF Amethyst''s personnel in the barracks and hold them as hostages, it could be said that the attack on Levsait was halfway completed. Therefore, Captain Kerro became excited as the guard post to the targeted complex appeared in the distance. Moreover, he had just received an update that command post had been successfully established. Meanwhile, parking lots for iron carriages have been taken with zero casualties in the process. ¡®We absolutely cannot fail,¡¯ Captain Kerro muttered as his fighting spirit soared to the sky. Then, at a hundred meters from the guard post he gave his men a hand signal to stop and kneel on the ground. Based on the intelligence from Count Isak, the guard post was only guarded by four Military Police. Fortunately, it was accurate. Four silhouettes were seen next to the guard post. They all hold a weapon called an assault rifle. Two guards placed their assault rifle in front of their chest, while the other two slung it on their shoulders. In order to maintain the element of surprise, the guards must be eliminated in silence. Without delay, Captain Kerro asked his best eight bowmen to come closer. Then, he looked at them one by one. ¡°Don¡¯t miss.¡± ¡°¡±¡±Aye Sir!¡±¡±¡± The eighth Bowmen then crawled towards the guard post. They moved swiftly but in absolute silence. At a distance of 30 meters from the guard post they were slowly kneeling. Then, they took an arrow from quiver, placing it on their longbow, and took aim as killing intent flashed in their eyes. Twang twang tw-tw-twaaaanngg!! From the pitch black grass field, eight arrows shot out towards the guards. More precisely, two arrows for every guard''s neck and each one penetrated its target perfectly. The four guards fell to the ground as they made a muffled sound. From his position, Captain Kerro saw how his bowmen did their job perfectly. A thick smile immediately bloomed in his lips. However, he didn¡¯t realize that while in his last breath one of the guards followed his instinct to alarm the whole complex. As he choked on his own blood, the dying guard shifted the safety lever on his assault rifle to full-auto. He then yanked the trigger as he let out his last breath. RA-TA-TA-AAAAAARRRRRRR! ¡®Fuck!!¡¯ In an instant, Captain Kerro''s smile evaporated. He then shouted, ¡°Move! Fast! Before our target escape into bunker." The whole company immediately got up and ran to the targeted complex as fast as possible. After passing the guard post, they then spread out. Some small teams moved towards kitchen, mess hall, and recreation facility. Their mission was to hunt and kill every TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel they found. Their targeted facilities did not have bunkers and at this hour there were not many personnel staying over there. And so, they would not meet with some worth mentioning resistance. After that, they could immediately form the perimeter. Meanwhile, the other half of the company''s strength followed Captain Kerro to capture TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel. Their targeted barracks had two floors and had a capacity of 400 personnel including around 50 officers. At this time, it was estimated there were around 300 personnel in the targeted barracks. These personnel must be secured before they escaped into underground bunkers. The barracks was located in the deepest part of the complex. However, Captain Kerro easily found it as he already knew the layout of the complex like his own palm. ¡®Behind its door is a small corridor to access rooms on first floor, stairs to second floor, and the door to the bunker. Once we secure it, we will have the whole barrack as prisoners.'' With steady steps Captain Kerro led his men approached the only entry door to the barrack. Then, he gave one of his Centurions a hand signal to breach the wooden door. ***** TFA2 10.3 – Another Incoming TFA2 10.3 ¨C Another Incoming Before joining TF Amethyst, Sgt. Finneli was a squad leader in the US Army 18th Infantry Division. He served six combat tours, almost got blown up by IED twice, and three times he was sent to ER by enemy¡¯s fire Initially, Sergeant Finneli wanted to join Ground Combat Group. However, he canceled it after he learnt that Logistic and Support Group had empty slots for heavy vehicles mechanics. A job that matched his passion. Moreover, the Logistic and Support Group offered a preparation program for former US military personnel. Without hesitation, Sgt. Finneli applied for the slot. And now, he casually sat on his bed, reading his favorite mystery novel while eight mechanics who shared sleeping quarters with him were fast asleep on their beds. Lately, due to so many deployments, mechanics and other personnel in the Logistic and Support Group have had to follow a strict and tight maintenance schedule. Therefore, most of them would directly go to sleep after finishing their daily quota. Then, Sgt. Finneli suddenly heard a long series of assault rifles'' outbursts. It came from the direction of the guard post. Wasting no time, he grabbed his NVG and approached the window. ¡®Jesus H. Christ!¡¯ Sgt. Finneli gasped as hundreds of people, armed with shorts word and double-curved bows entered the complex. They ran with steady steps, passing four MP''s personnel who were lying motionlessly on the ground next to the guard post. Wasting no time, Sgt. Finneli alarmed his colleagues, ¡°Wake up! We are under attack!¡± At first, Sergeant Finneli¡¯s colleagues were angry. But in an instant, their eyes widened as they heard that they were under attack. ¡°That¡¯s fast?¡± ¡°How the fuck does the attack already arrived?¡± This afternoon, all elements in Levsait and Raisait received a warning about the possibility of a tunnel attack. However, they did not expect that the attack would arrive a few hours later. Without delay, two men took the initiative to warn personnel in other rooms. Meanwhile, Sgt. Finneli and six other mechanics made quick preparations to become the first responders. Fortunately, a little similar to the US Army, TF Amethyst also adopted a policy that in forward base, all personnel were permitted to carry individual weapons and equipment to their workplace or their personal quarter. Armory was basically used only to store ammunition and provide regular maintenance. Such policy was adopted as experience showed that in forward base, versus contact could occur without prior warning at any second. Also, the individual weapons and equipment for supporting personnel were not much different from the ones being issued to combat units. Without taking off their pajamas, Sergeant Finneli and his colleagues wore their tactical vests. Then, they grabbed their carbine, sidearm, extra magazines, grenades, ammo can, combat knife, NVG, radio, and medic bag. Fortunately, after the warning about the tunnel attack, Sergeant Finneli and his colleagues took the time to take additional ammunition from the armory. And so, as long as they used it wisely, they would be able to hold their position for a while. A moment later, Sergeant Finneli led his colleagues to secure the only access to the barracks on the first floor. Fortunately, when they arrived on the first floor, the entry door was still tightly closed. As he looked at the two-meter-wide and eight-meter-long corridor before him, Sgt. Finneli said, ¡°This tunnel is a good choke point. Let''s hold them here." ¡°¡°¡°Roger.¡±¡±¡± Hearing his colleagues gave him a reply with a slightly tense and nervous voice, Sergeant Finneli immediately added, ¡°Trust me, be cautious but don¡¯t try to avoid death using the easy way. The result will be more painful.¡± Sergeant Finneli¡¯s colleagues didn¡¯t reply, but they nodded in unison. The firing order and positions were then distributed. A moment later, they heard a series of footsteps rapidly approaching the entry door. ¡°Here they come. Be ready!¡± Sergeant Finneli said as he shifted the selective-lever on his carbine from safety to semi-auto. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. A moment later, a loud ¡®Bang!¡¯ was repeatedly heard as the attacker rammed the entry door. It was made only of a wooden plank with a simple electric lock, so it collapsed easily. Dozens of people in black suits immediately flooded the corridor. They walked confidently with a short sword in their hands. Then, they saw four men at the end of the corridor, two on the left and another pair on the right. Two stood while the other two kneeled. All of them hold a short and weirdly-shaped black stick. After one glance, the leader of the swordsmen immediately recognized the short stick. It was dangerous weapon called assault rifle. Wasting no time, the leader of the swordsmen pointed his short sword towards the mechanics. ¡°Attack!! Kill th---¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! Ba-ba-babababannnngg!!! Unfortunately, there was a distance that had to be closed by the swordsmen, while the mechanics only needed to pull the trigger. Intense and well-placed fire hit the swordsmen in the corridor. In an instant, the leading swordsmen collapsed to the floor with bodies full of fresh holes, followed by swordsmen behind them and so on. Some swordsmen tried to hide behind the reception table, but it was made of wood. So their efforts were in vain. Out of the 24 swordsmen who entered the corridor, only two managed to come out alive. The rest were killed or fatally wounded. Seeing their comrades being slaughtered, some bowmen tried to retaliate. However, to fire an arrow they had to fully expose their bodies. As a consequence, they became an easy target for the mechanics. All bowmen who tried to fire an arrow into the corridor instantly got nailed, without having a chance to fire a single arrow. Even though the mechanics'' marksmanship was not as good as regular infantry as they only had shooting practice once a week, at a distance of 20 meters they would not miss. They swiftly eliminated every target that entered their line of sight. When a mechanic had to change magazines, he would step back, and other mechanics in standby would take his place. In short, Sergeant Finneli and his colleagues managed to kick out the uninvited guest with continuous fire. Not long after that, some personnel in the barrack joined in with Sgt. Finneli and his colleagues. Wasting no time, they made a barricade to block the entry door. --- Lt. Colonel Harold''s heart skipped a beat when he heard that a hostile element had entered the Logistic and Support Area. Fortunately, this was not the first time he had such a scenario. So he recovered from the shock almost in an instant. Moreover, among the Logistics and Support Group''s personnel there were many who were ex-combatants. Also, Lt. Colonel Harold could take a breath of relief as Sgt. Finneli and some mechanics had taken the initiative to secure the entry door to the barrack. Wasting no time, Lt. Colonel Harold gathered officers and other personnel. While they organized a defensive measure and sent distress calls to Command Center, continuous gunshots were heard from the first floor. It was a sign that versus contact had occurred. Fortunately, Sergeant Finneli and his colleagues managed to repel the uninvited guest. Wasting no time Lt. Colonel Harold ordered some mechanics to turn the light off. Then, he gave the shooters who took positions in the window and rooftop a green light to engage the opposing force. Some shooters were injured by opposing arrows, but overall they won the skirmish. Logistic and Support Group''s personnel indeed only had average marksmanship. However, compared to the bowmen, they were superior in rate of fire and effective range. Moreover, after they saw some of the uninvited guests in the distance laughing while putting the severed heads of Logistic and Support''s personnel they killed into a row of spikes, the shooters immediately opened fire as if there were no tomorrow. And so, in an instant the uninvited guests were running in all directions looking for cover. After the situation calmed down a little, by using his NVG, Lt. Colonel Harold observed a corner, where a black-suited man slightly poked his head from behind a wall. "Kinkaid, can we flank their position and ambush them?¡± Lt. Colonel Harold curiously asked. Master Armorer Kinkaid immediately replied, ¡°It¡¯s too risky, Sir. We are not a combat-oriented unit and we don¡¯t know their exact number. This group could be just their scout." "So, we will only hold up here." ¡°Yes, we do.¡± Master Armorer Kinkaid paused for a moment before continuing, "Not all personnel in this barrack took extra ammo after receiving the warning this afternoon. Some even leave their weapons and equipment at their workplace." ¡°I see.¡± Lt. Colonel Harold then looked at the long and neat row of spikes near the guard post. Some spikes had been decorated with severed heads of the kitchen''s personnel, and not far away from them were piles of fresh and severed heads of other personnel. ¡°Is there any survivor who responded to our call?¡± ¡°No, Sir. I¡¯m afraid our guest had already hunted and killed every personnel outside this barracks." ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Sir, I did the head count three times. They even kill the serving girls and other civilian workers from Tuscan Region.¡± ¡°Damn! What a savage.¡± This was the first time Lt. Colonel Harold lost so many subordinates in a single versus contact. Moreover, the body of his fallen subordinate received inhuman treatment. Unfortunately, it was not the worst part. Slowly and carefully, thousands of silhouettes entered the complex and regrouped with the men in black suits, who took cover behind various buildings around the barrack. A moment later, one of the shooters on the rooftop radioed Lt. Colonel Harold. [Watchout 0-1 to Second Floor, do you copy?] ¡°I read you loud and clear Watchout 0-1, go ahead.¡± [Sir¡­ We have another incoming.] Hearing the shooter reported with a slightly trembling voice, a bad feeling immediately filled Lt. Colonel Harold''s heart. ¡°Sergeant, what kind of hostile and how big?" [Bowmen and swordsmen, a few thousand at least, Sir] ¡®Fuck me!¡¯ muttered Lt. Colonel Harold as he turned his gaze to Master Armorer Kinkaid, "Send an update to Command Center, the opposing main unit have just arrived." ***** TFA2 11.1 – Complex of Ammunition, Spare Part, and Fuel TFA2 11.1 ¨C Highly Valuable Complex In Levsait, the biggest military facility was the fuel depot. It took up to 60% space in the Logistics and Support Area. In addition, it was located in the same complex of ammunition depot and spare part depot. And Count Isak knew that TF Amethyst''s combat potential was closely related to the availability of fuel, ammunition, and spare parts for their war machine. Therefore, Analyst Jackson predicted that the three-in-one complex that store ammunition, spare part, and fuel would become the main target of tunnel attack. By utilizing a seismic detector, Analyst Jackson, four technicians from Mobile Construction Group, and a 6-man Tunnel Rat squad combed the complex carefully. The job was not complicated. They only had to drill a 5 cm hole as deep as 20 meters before inserting a seismic detector. However, the portable seismic detector only had a detection area of 100 square meters, so the combing could not be done in fast pacing. At the same time, not far from a hole that was being drilled, Lt. Colonel Parker, the CO of Tunnel Rat Company, and Sergeant West from Military Police casually had a chat. Like other personnel who participated in the combing operation, the two also had to skip their dinner and replace it with a snack bar. "Sir, can other MCG''s technicians join the comb? At current pace, it will take us four days to comb the entire complex,¡± asked Sergeant West. Lt. Colonel Parker put a piece of snack bar in his mouth before replying, ¡°Well, the order to comb Levsait and Raisait just came out this afternoon, while MCG has a tight schedule. So they have to reschedule their priority, and then divide the team and working area, followed by preparing the equipment. We are lucky enough if the massive comb can be started tomorrow morning. As for this complex, Jackson insists we have to comb it as quickly as possible. And so, here we are." ¡°I see.¡± Sergeant West replied and lightly nodded three times. Then, a series of assault rifle¡¯s outburst suddenly broke the silence of the night. Sergeant West immediately turned his gaze to the direction of the assault rifle¡¯s outburst. ¡°What the¡­ it''s from the barracks.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Lt. Colonel Parker said as he also turned his gaze to the direction of the assault rifle¡¯s outburst. ¡°The kitchen, mess hall, and recreation building are also located over there.¡± At the same time, Tunnel Rat¡¯s personnel loaded and locked their carbines, and then checking their other equipment. At a glance, it was easy to tell that the preparation for sudden versus contact already became their second nature. Seeing his men''s swift reaction Lt. Colonel Parker couldn¡¯t help but smiled inwardly. Then, he said, ¡°Sergeant, ask for confirmation from MP''s personnel who guarded the barrack.¡± Wasting no time, Sergeant West pushed PTT button in his chest and made a call asking for confirmation. And as he waited for the return call, an intense series of gunshots was heard. ¡°Sir, no one is answering," Sergeant West said as he furrowed his brow. In an instant Lt. Colonel Parker let out a deep sigh. ¡°Hate to say this, but they''re already dead.¡± Sergeant West¡¯s gaze immediately turned sharp. He couldn''t accept it when someone casually concluded that his comrades had died without confirming it first. "How can you so sure, Sir?¡± ¡°Long experience, Sergeant.¡± Lt. Colonel Parker replied before pushing PTT button in his chest. ¡°Big Rat to all Rat One, be advised, we have a possibility that hostiles are already inside the wire, immediate retreat to the building and set up new defensive line.¡± [Rat 1-1 to Big Rat, copy.] [Rat 1-2 to Big Rat, roger.] [Rat 1-3 to Big Rat, understood.] ¡­ If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡­ Once all Tunnel Rat¡¯s squads at the outer perimeter responded to his warning, Lt. Colonel Parker immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Wasting no time, he then radioed Tunnel Rat¡¯s shooter on the rooftop. ¡°Big Rat to all Red Two, eyes up and cover our retreat.¡± [Rat 2-1 to Big Rat, we have your six.] [Rat 2-2 to Big Rat, received and understood.] [Rat 2-3 to Big Rat, roger.] [Rat 2-7 to Big Rat, sorry to break the sequence, but our guest already arrived, around 200 bowmen and swordsmen, 400 meters from the front gate, approaching by foot.] ¡°Big Rat to Rat 2-7, copy that.] Lt. Colonel Parker took a deep breath before pushing the PTT button once again, ¡°Big Rat to all Rat Two, you have green, shoot to kill, I say again shoot to kill, Big Rat over and out.¡± As shooters on the rooftop opened fire to welcome the uninvited guest, Sergeant West casually asked, ¡°Sir, do we really have to retreat into the building?¡± ¡®What a dimwit¡­¡¯ Lt. Colonel Parker cursed inwardly before replying, ¡°Sergeant, I only bring 80''s men with small arms. They will not be enough to secure this freaking huge complex. The opposing force will overrun us from all directions in no time.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± ¡°Personnel in this complex also have to prepare ammunition at every landing pad on the roof." ¡°For your men, Sir?¡± ¡°Yes, but also for other units. Our intel states that Makai Guard is able to launch a tunnel attack with a total strength of 40-60 thousand combatants, and they just arrived inside our wire.¡± ¡°Roger that, Sir.¡± Finally, a deep concern flashed in Sergeant West''s eyes. Without delay, he radioed CO of three-in-one complex and relayed Lt. Colonel Parker''s request. --- Although the three-in-one complex was the largest military complex in Levsait, most of the surface in this complex was grass field, with a 3-meter high wire fence as outer perimeter. On the surface, the complex only had five four-story buildings. Each building was equipped with a rooftop landing pad for V-22 Osprey or CH-47 Chinook, and access to a giant nine-floor underground storage. Of the five buildings, one was located near the front gate, while the other four were located in the middle of the complex Therefore, retreating from outer perimeter could not be done in quick manner. Fortunately, Tunnel Rat¡¯s shooters on the rooftop managed to repel the uninvited guest. And so, most personnel who retreated from outer perimeter managed to enter the buildings in the middle of the complex safely. As the last men who withdrew, Lt. Colonel Parker chose to enter the building near the front gate. After a brief radio contact with Command Center, and some coordination with officers in the complex, he then headed to the rooftop where Tunnel Rat''s shooters took position. ¡°Sir.¡± As Lt. Colonel Parker approached him, Lieutenant Ramirez reported, ¡°Their main unit just arrived.¡± ¡°How big?¡± Lt. Colonel Parker asked as he received a long-range night vision scope from one of Tunnel Rat¡¯s personnel. ¡°A few thousand, they circle us at a distance of 900 meters from the fence.¡± ¡°Fuck me!¡± Lt. Colonel Parker took a deep breath as he observed the thousand hostiles surrounding the complex. ¡°Our shooters can reach them, but their number is too big.¡± Lieutenant Ramirez nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, they are.¡± Tunnel Rat¡¯s shooter was as good as any shooter from other special mission units in the Ground Combat Group. By using AWM 338 Lapua Magnum, they could nail an adult''s center-mass from a distance of 1500 meters. However, their number was less than forty and currently Lt. Colonel Parker only brought fourteen of them. Even if they have unlimited ammunition, fourty shooters would not be able to withstand let alone break a human wave tactic numbered a few thousands. Lt. Colonel Parker lowered the long-range night vision scope in his hand before turning his gaze to Lieutenant Ramirez, ¡°For now, our main option is medium range combat.¡± ¡°With all respect, Sir. Eighty dudes with carbines and precision rifles will not stop our guest, no matter how good our marksmanship.¡± ¡°I know, but that¡¯s the only option we have at the moment." "Damn¡­" After a deep sigh Lieutenant Ramirez continued, ¡°If only there is some medium fire power stored in this place.¡± Lt. Colonel Parker lightly nodded and said, ¡°Some armorers try to assemble M240 and MK 19 from spare parts they store over here, and out of a hundred and eleven personnel in this complex, sixty men and women will join us as combatant. Right now, Command Center is trying to prepare attack hellos, artillery strikes, and a small group of first responders they could gather. However, they have to grasp the whole situation before they can take any action. We also can¡¯t ask for reinforcement from Raisait as they are also taking tunnel attacks." Question mark instantly appeared on Lieutenant Ramirez¡¯s forehead. ¡°Doesn''t this complex have irreplaceable strategic value? Why does Command Center not send the first responders here right away?¡± Lt. Colonel Parker calmly explained, ¡°They already airlifted some available first responders to the barracks in the Logistic and Support Area to prevent mass slaughter conducted by our guest." "Mass slaughter, Sir?" "Yes, our guests kill and decapitate every single one of our personnel they managed to capture." "What a savage." "Yup, and even now, the fight to defend the barracks in the Logistic and Support Area is still going on fiercely." With a regretful tone Lt. Colonel Parker continued, "Unfortunately, our guest already took over Buriek Guard Area and Tuscan Guard Area, along with half of Logistic and Support Area, and connected the three. In short, they already established a foothold to attack the center of Levsait. At the moment, we don''t know if the attack on this complex is a diversion or main attack. So, Command Center can''t deploy our first responder carelessly." ¡°Understood, Sir,¡± Lieutenant Ramirez calmly replied. ***** TFA2 11.2 – Action and Reaction TFA2 11.2 ¨C Action and Reaction With dark expression, Rolling Panda¡¯s crews looked at the main screen in the cabin. Previously, they witnessed how the fight to defend barracks in the Logistic and Support Area took place fiercely, followed by the brutal fight in the Complex of Ammunition, Spare Part, and Fuel. Now, they were watching the last situation in the Buriek Guard Area. With ease, the opposing force stripped down the loots from more than a thousand fallen Buriek Guards. ¡°They got us this time,¡± Major Elliat said with a complicated emotion. ¡°Sir, their entry point is right in the middle of Buriek Guard Area.¡± By using a red dot pointer, one of Rolling Panda¡¯s crews pointed a hole on the surface, located less than a hundred meters from Buriek Guard HQ. From this giant hole, the opposing force¡¯s combatant poured out massively like a horde of bugs. ¡°No wonder they managed to force Buriek Guard into retreat as soon as the fight started,¡± said another Rolling Panda¡¯s crews. ¡°Their number must have reached tens of thousands right now,¡± Major Elliat added with a grim tone. Then, the footage in the main screen changed into the latest situation in Tuscan Guard Area. In an instant, Rolling Panda¡¯s crews gasped as they saw the sea of fire covering the entire area. Some buildings also already collapsed to the ground. ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Electro optical operator covered her mouth before continuing in a whisper, ¡°What happened to this place?¡± ¡°EO, make sure command center receives all footages we took. Right now, they need as much aerial reconnaissance as they can get.¡± ¡°Copy that.¡± Without delay, EO operator confirmed the connection to Command Center and reported, ¡°Live feed arrives in Command Center without a hitch. What we see, they see it too, Sir.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Major Elliat then approached control panel where Lieutenant Tennet was busy analyzing Battle Group A¡¯s crystal communication network. ¡°Lieutenant, is the music ready?¡± ¡°One minute, Sir.¡± Lieutenant Tennet wiped the sweat on his forehead before continuing, ¡°Simultaneous music for two crystal communication networks is far more complex.¡± ¡®Damn it¡­ If only they use conventional networks, right now Poseidon will already shut it down.¡¯ Major Elliat sighed inwardly before saying, ¡°Lieutenant, I know it¡¯s not easy, but every second count.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± Lieutenant Tennet replied without looking at Major Elliat, but his tone was full of steel determination. Rolling Panda was carrying a mission to kill Battle Group A¡¯s crystal communication network in Levsait, Raisait, and their first camp. Initially, not long after Rolling Panda took off from Davy Jones, Lieutenant Tennet immediately found an active crystal communication network along with the right music to kill it. It was an extraordinary achievement, considering that when the takeoff order arrived, he was in the middle of a drinking party and had already half-drunk. However, a moment later a Tuscan Guard¡¯s officer who managed to seize a crystal communicator from an opposing force¡¯s advance units reported that the crystal communication network in Levsait was still active. Without delay, Lieutenant Tennet launched a total re-scanning and found the second crystal communication network. It took a while to prepare the second disruption package, but finally it was ready. A thin smile bloomed in Lieutenant Tennet¡¯s lips before he said with relief, ¡°Music is ready, Sir.¡± ¡°Play it.¡± ¡°Mother Jammer in heaven, please help us,¡± Lieutenant Tennet muttered as he pressed the enter button. --- Previously, Count Isak had sent the loot from TF Amethyst''s personnel to Battle Group A'' First Camp. And now, he got the sample of loot from Buriek Guard''s personnel. With great admiration Count Isak examined a short sword. When he stayed at Castle Lagra as a diplomatic guest, he had a chance to study similar short sword. Compared to short sword produced by TF Amethyst, the short sword used by Makai Guard were junk. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Blood, fat, muscle flakes, and even bone fragments easily coated the short sword used by Makai Guard. As a result, it became blunt and Makai Guard''s personnel had to swing or stab two times harder to inflict a fatal wound. To restore its sharpness, Makai Guard''s personnel must had re-sharpen it carefully, something that couldn''t be done while they were in the middle of a battle. As for Buriek Guard¡¯s short sword, with a single swung the blood, fat, muscle flakes, and bone fragments would come off from the blade. Of course, the proper maintenance was still needed when the user was not in combat. ¡°This short sword is a piece of magnificent work,¡± Count Isak said as he put the short sword in his hand back into its scabbard. ¡°Indeed, Sir,¡± replied one of the staff officers. ¡°Our combatant reported that by using this short sword, maintaining an instant fatal strike for long duration is possible. Also, apart from Buriek Guard personnel we killed, we managed to secure their armory as we planned.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Count Isak nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Immediately distribute the loot to our combatants.¡± ¡°As your command.¡± The short sword was not the only magnificent equipment that Buriek Guark''s personnel enjoyed. They also wore lighter but better armor, used rapid-reloading crossbows, and other marvelous pieces of work. And now, that equipment fell into Battle Group A. So, it was natural that Count Isak and staff officers in the command post kept smiling from ear to ear. With cheerful steps, Count Isak then returned to the big table in the middle of command post. With a calm gaze, he observed the map showing the progress of the offensive on Levsait. "Sir, their radio chatter went silent a moment ago," reported the staff officer in charge of monitoring the offensive. "It''s to be expected that they try to prevent eavesdropping attempts." "Understood, Sir." "How about their first responder? Do they send in another one?" ¡°No, Sir. Other than around 400 combatants they deployed to the targeted barracks, there is no other first responder.¡± ¡°It seems they want to use their card carefully. In that case, we will exploit this opportunity.¡± "Sir," The staff officer smiled before continuing, "We already have enough strength to launch the first wave of attacks at the center of Levsait." Count Isak nodded and then calmly ordered, ¡°Send a message to First Camp. We will begin the first wave of attacks on the center of Levsait. At the same time, we will continue and increase the attacks on the targeted barracks and depots in this area.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Wasting no time, the staff officer approached one of crystal communication operators. However, before he relayed the order, the crystal communication operator reported, ¡°Sir, our crystal communication network just went out." ¡°Finally, TF Amethyst used the tactics they used on Battle Group B yesterday.¡± ¡°We use two crystal communication networks simultaneously, but they still manage to disrupt it,¡± the crystal communication¡¯s operator said in amazement. ¡°It¡¯s indeed a marvelous tactic, but it became useless as soon as we know it will come to our way,¡± Count Isak then calmly ordered, ¡°Deploy our runners to relay the message.¡± ¡°At once, Sir.¡± --- When there was a conflict between two equally strong parties, victory would roll into the side that had the edge in communication and deployment means, because those two aspects were closely related to the speed of action and reaction in the battlefield. This principle was the main reason why TF Amethyst invested a lot of resources to gain the capability to disrupt a crystal communication network. If Battle Group A didn''t know the existence of the nasty capability to disrupt crystal communication network, it was certain that at the moment they would experience tremendous chaos, an ideal condition that TF Amethyst needed to increase their chance of success for their counter offensive. Unfortunately, sometimes reality on the battlefield didn''t flow as expected. The Battle Groups from Kingdom of Makai shared every intel they got on daily basis. Therefore, when Battle Group A attacked Levsait and Raisait, they also prepared some runners to anticipate the disruption to their crystal communication network. Using a runner was much slower compared to sending a message by using a crystal communicator. However, this method was still sufficient when the runner only needed to run 100 meters before passing the message to the next runner. In less than an hour, Count Isak''s message had already arrived at Battle Group A''s First Camp. Prince Makai was hardly able to hide his grin, as he read the message that 15,000 combatants from the first wave were ready to launch the offensive on center of Levsait. At the same time, the combatants from second and subsequent waves flow smoothly. The message was a cure for his bitterness, as a few minutes earlier TF Amethyst had wiped out all the contingents that attacked Camp Venom. It seemed that after they knew hostile elements had entered their perimeter, TF Amethyst decided to neutralize any potential danger to Camp Venom. And so, they launched their insane artillery strike without reservation. As the result, they wiped out Marquise Orev and all combatants under his command to the last man. "Marquise Orev''s sacrifice is not in vain. Finally, we have an opportunity to face TF Amethyst in close quarter warfare,¡± as he tried to calm the excitement in his heart, Prince Makar continued, ¡°Uncle Kalzar, it¡¯s time for Sviek and Rivek Region to join the offensive.¡± With a firm tone Duke Kalzar replied, ¡°As your command.¡± Without delay Prince Makar¡¯s order was being carried out. A moment later, the war contingents from Rivek and Sviek Region started their march towards Levsait and Raisait. ***** TFA2 12.1 – The Call for Indiscriminate Massacre Command Center, Lagra Castle 0010, 3 Nov 2025 Three hours after the start of tunnel attack, finally, command center in Lagra Castle grasped the general situation and was ready to launch a counter-offensive. In the isolated meeting room in one corner of command center, TF Amethyst¡¯s high-ranking officers made the final call of counter-offensive. As he looked at his colleagues in the main screen, Nate opened the meeting, ¡°In Raisait, we were lucky enough as our combatan managed to seal the three entry points, almost right away after it pop-up to the surface.¡± A question mark immediately appeared on Colonel Patricia¡¯s forehead, ¡°How did they do it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pure luck.¡° Nate calmly replied, "In the assembly field, Buriek Guard''s personnel were in the middle of driving practice when an entry points appeared in front of a 7-ton MTV Truck. The truck falls into entry point and clogs it. It seems it also crushed to the death some officers from the opposing side. Unfortunately, the driver and the driving instructor didn''t manage to come out from the hole. After that, the same method was used to clog the other two entry points and halt the tunnel attack. It gives enough time for combatan from nearby areas to circle the entry point and set up a proper defensive measure.¡± "What a luck," Colonel Emil Montana, CO of Logistic & Support Group said in a calm tone, but he was aware that Nate still hadn''t told the dire situation they had to overcome. "What about Levsait''s situation?" "Very bad," Without delay Nate explained, ¡°By using three entry points, our guest already consolidated around 15 thousand combatan. Not including units who secured the entry points, or units who attacked barracks and three-in-one depots in Logistic and Support Area. And as we speak, their number are increasing. Meanwhile, Reaper captures a massive deployment from Battle Group B. Our analyst predicts they will arrive at dawn and scramble their Riders right away. Also, the attempt to disrupt their crystal communication network doesn''t give us the expected result. Aerial footage shows that our guests don''t experience chaos we hope for." A big question mark immediately appeared on Col. Patricia''s forehead, "Do we have no clue on the method they use to counter our crystal communication disruption tactic? Nate shook his head slowly three times before replying, ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Nate, do you have other bad news?¡± Brigadier General Rayden asked in a heavy tone. ¡°No, for now at least.¡± The meeting room was silent for a while, until finally General O¡¯Neill calmly said, ¡°We are facing a possibility of pincer attack, while some hostile element already gained a foothold in our perimeter. This is not a time to be lenient. We had to neutralize hostiles in our perimeter as soon as possible. As for hostiles who still on their way in the underground tunnel, let''s consider new tactic developed by MCG after Terry Hill Operation as our main option." Brigadier General Rayden turned his gaze to General O¡¯Neill as he said, ¡°Just a little reminder, our new tactic to counter tunnel attack can not distinguish between combatant and non-combatant. It will become an indiscriminate massacre." General O''Neill lightly nodded before saying, "That¡¯s why, I ask for your opinion before coming to a final decision." ¡°We had to do what we had to do to protect our men in the field.¡± Colonel Patricia firmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s launch it.¡± Colonel Emil Montana added, ¡°It seems blood in our hands will become thicker.¡± After a deep breath, Nate said, ¡°They have killed and beheaded non-combatants from Logistic and Support Group. It¡¯s a naked indiscriminate massacre to our personnel. So let¡¯s follow their steps. It¡¯s their call, not us.¡± Brigadier General Rayden lightly nodded before giving his agreement, ¡°Let¡¯s neutralize Battle Group A''s threat before Battle Group B arrives." Stolen novel; please report. A moment after TF Amethyst''s high-ranking officers made the final call, command center in Lagra Castle immediately relayed the order for counter offensive. --- Emergency Defensive Line, 3 km to the east of Buriek Guard Area 0112, 3 Nov 2025 In one corner of command tent, Brigadier Isak sat glomily. Bitterness filled his heart as he had just lost more than a thousand men, including two captains and five lieutenants. Not to mention the opposing side also took over the entire Buriek Guard Area, along with new brand armory full of equipment prepared specifically for 1st Buriek Light Brigade. Based on martial law used by Buriek Guard, the loss would lead to the most severe punishment for every personnel who survived the attack. However, the sacrifice actually was not in vain. Under Captain Isak¡¯s command the 1st Buriek Light Brigade managed to form a 3 km retreat corridor so the non-combatant could retreat safely. The fight to defend the retreat corridor also gave TF Amethyst''s officers from neighboring area precious time to form an emergency defensive line. Initially, the defender in the emergency defensive line was only a platoon of mechanized infantry and a dozen of humvees. But the number increased steadily, until it numbered 900 combatants equipped with M240 Medium Machine Gun, M2HB Heavy Machine Gun, Mortar 81 mm, MK19 Auto Grenade Launcher, along with a massive number of ammunition. Of course, Brigadier Isak was not aware that he had made a great contribution in the formation of emergency defensive line. He only knew that right now he was in the middle of a biggest failure throughout his entire life. After taking a deep breath, Brigadier Isak then got up and approached Major Chuck. ¡°Major, could you please connect me with Ser Nate.¡± In an instant, Major Chuck frowned. ¡°Brigadir Isak, do you want to ask permission to evacuate equipment and weapons at Buriek Guard''s Armory? " ¡°No, it¡¯s already too late to recapture our armory," Brigadier Isak firmly said. "I plan to lead a small team to sneak in and destroy it. I can¡¯t let those bastards use our weapons and equipment on us.¡± Before Major Chuck answered, Captain Norris who stood beside him preceded him in an annoyed tone, ¡°Brigadier Isak, Sir, please don¡¯t do unnecessary action when we are in the middle of shit storm.¡± A cold gleam instantly flashed on Brigadier Isak''s eyes. ¡°Captain Norris, I know exactly what kind of shit storm we are facing. It already took more than a thousand Buriek Guards under my command. As for my request to redeem my failure, please enlighten me why you see it as an unnecessary action.¡± Seeing the tension suddenly spike to the ceiling, Major Chuck immediately said, ¡°Brigadier Isak, please don''t misunderstand. Captain Norris only wants to say, equipment is cheap but your men¡¯s life is not.¡± ¡°How come those high-grade equipment are cheap?¡± As Brigadir Isak looked at him with wide eyes, Major Chuck immediately added, ¡°Once you undergo the officer course prepared for 1st Buriek Light Brigade, you will understand it. Especially the crucial part regarding how TF Amethyst fights and what kind of doctrine we adopt. As for now, please follow our advice. Command center has already decided to launch a counter offensive and we have our own share to execute.¡± Hearing TF Amethyst finally would launch retaliatory action, Brigadier Isak immediately calmed his heart and said, ¡°Understood, my men will do as command center says.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Major Chuck smiled before asking, ¡°Brigadier Isak, are you sure there are no friendly survivors in Buriek Guard Area?" ¡°Absolutely sure.¡± Brigadier Isak deeply sighed before adding, "I was in the rear when we retreated from Buriek Guard Area. I saw with my own eyes, how those animals slaughtered the wounded and helpless combatants I failed to evacuate." ¡°They will pay dearly for it,¡± Captain Norris said in a tone full of killing intent. ¡°Yes, they will.¡± Wasting no time Major Chuck pressed PTT button, ¡°Echo Delta Lima to Steel Rain 0-5, do you copy?¡± [Loud and clear, Echo Delta Lima, go ahead.] ¡°Steel Rain 0-5, you have green to drop packet alpha on grid designator papa quebec niner-five, x-ray zulu zero-six.¡± [Echo Delta Lima, have you confirmed the circumstance of our survivor? We absolutely don¡¯t want a blue-on-blue.] ¡°Affirmative, grid designator papa quebec niner-five, x-ray zulu zero-six is total red, feel free to level it.¡± ¡°Roger that, please stay tight inside your perimeter, packet alpha will be launched shortly, Steel Rain 0-5 over and out.¡± After taking a deep breath, Major Chuck turned to Brigadier Isak. ¡°Please, don''t let the lost equipment bother you anymore. You already did a remarkable action, manage to evacuate every single one of non-combatant in the area and bring back half-of your men to regroup here. Believe me, not many officers will be able to achieve it." Major Chuck did not just give Brigadier Isak a sweet word of consolation. He truly gave Brigadier Isak an objective complement. The opposing side not only arrived right in the middle of Buriek Guard Area, but also when 1st Buriek Light Brigade was still in the process of compiling its structure. In short, they arrived in the most vulnerable area and at the most vulnerable time. So it was natural that Buriek Guard suffered heavy casualty. Even so, Major Chuck''s words did not relieve Brigadier Isak''s bitterness in the slightest. He only lightly nodded without saying a word. But one thing for sure, Brigadier Isak''s thirst to avenge his fallen comrades was clearly reflected in his gaze. ***** TFA2 12.2 – First Counter Attack Although the process was not as easy as initial estimation, in the end 34th Makai Guard Division managed to seize Buriek Guard Area, almost in perfect condition. After conducting a short inspection on Buriek Guard HQ, General Berrek chose the main meeting room in the building as his command post. Then, he asked Brigadier Kass and Staff Officer Mikal to meet him. ¡°Kass, tell me, how could the targeted non-combatant escape from your grip?¡± Brigadier Kass took a deep breath before replying, "General, somehow, Buriek Guards reversed the situation just before the victory rolled into our grasp." "Tell me the details." Without delay, Brigadier Kass started explaining. After the assault company secured iron carriage¡¯s garage to prevent any escape attempt, Brigade 34-1 immediately launched the attack and they dominated the fight in the first twenty minutes. Then, suddenly Buriek Guard announced through some kind of loudspeakers that non-combatants had to gather in the parking lot on the eastern complex for emergency evacuation. Brigadier Kass responded by sending Captain Harrak and his squadron. But when they arrived in the parking lot, they were welcomed by hundreds of crossbowmen who took positions on several rooftops. It became an instant massacre and Captain Harrak was killed on the first salvo. Meanwhile, Captain Ulriek and his squadron who went as reinforcement, was ambushed by hundreds of swordsmen supported by around thirty TF Amethyst''s personnel armed with assault rifles. Captain Ulriek and more than half of his men were KIA. When some scouts managed to track the real retreat corridor, Captain Kail volunteered to conduct a chase and capture attempt. But Buriek Guard managed to predict and intercept their maneuver. Without reinforcement, Captain Kail''s squadron was wiped out to the last men. "General, the destruction of these three squadrons made 34-1 Brigade lose momentum and my own squadron almost got wiped out when we tried to seize this HQ. Fortunately, 34-2 Brigade arrived at the right moment to save us.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± General Berrek cursed under his breath, but he didn¡¯t blame Brigadier Kass as he knew for sure that his most trusted brigadier was a capable field commander. ¡°It seems a clever bastard is leading them." Staff Officer Mikal nodded before adding, "And he definitely has a nerve steel to be able to take a brilliant action in the middle of cluster fuck. But as we already knew, there are no high-born officers in this area. I doubt some low-born captains or lieutenants will be able to achieve this feat.¡± ''Arrogant fool.'' General Berrek muttered inwardly as he turned his gaze, ¡°Mikal, remember this, a true commander is born in the battlefield, not in the academy. Whoever this bastard is, if he manage to escape with his life, he will become a formidable general in the future.¡± ¡°Understood, General.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s talk about our next step." Wasting no time, Staff Officer Mikal opened his note book. ¡°Three kilometers to the east of our position, TF Amethyst built a defensive line but there are no signs for a counter attack." General Berrek slightly nodded before asking, ¡°How strong? ¡°I sent a few scouts, but they could only get into a distance of 900 meters or get eliminated by their sharpshooter. So we can¡¯t predict their exact strength.¡± ¡°At least, we know their position.¡± After pondering for a moment, General Berrek asked, "Can we start offensive on the center of Levsait?" ¡°34-3, 34-4, and 34-5 Brigades are ready to go, in full strength and equipped with the loot from Buriek Guard¡¯s armory. Our combat engineers also already grasped the basic principle of Molotov catapult and ready to support the advance.¡± ¡°Is there news from Count Isak?" "His runner just arrived with a message asking us to start offensive to the center of Levsait." Staff Officer Mikal silent for a moment before continued in low voice, "General, I also managed to obtain some info about their situation." "Tell me." "They are ready to launch offensive on the center of Levsait. But in the same time, they still have to secure some of their objective, including their targeted non-combatants." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "It seems our situation is not as bad as I think." General Berrek lightly smiled before continuing, ¡°Let''s start our offensive then.¡± ¡°Right away, General,¡± Staff Officer Mikal firmly replied. --- With a calm gaze, Brigadier Parrak observed the 34-3 Brigade''s formation. The four assault squadrons lined up neatly, ready to march at any time. Behind them, combat engineers were ready to follow with Molotov Catapult and horse carriages full of molotov cocktails. After taking a depth breadth, Brigadier Parrak then shifted his gaze to three captains under his command. ¡°You heard the order. Let¡¯s start the march.¡± ¡°Sir,¡± One of the captains under Brigadier Parrak¡¯s command said calmly, ¡°May I speak?¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°34-1 Brigade failed to secure the targeted non-combatant. So right now we don¡¯t have human shields and we have to pass a 3-km open corridor. If TF Amethyst uses their artillery, they will destroy us almost in an instant. This attack is too reckless." Another captain added, ¡°Why don''t we hole up in this area? Using the buildings as a shield for their artillery and forcing their combatant to come to us." "We can''t do that," Brigadier Parrak firmly replied. The targeted non-combatant in Buriek Guard Area consist of doctor, paramedic, language teacher, mechanic and driving instructor, radio specialist, kitchen specialist, and other experts who were needed to shape Buriek Guard so they could operate under TF Amethyst''s doctrine. Their value did not only lie in their role as human shields, but also in the knowledge and skills they have. Therefore, Prince Makar emphasized that these targeted non-combatant must be secured at any price. However, 34th Makai Guard Division failed to achieve this vital objective. Therefore, General Berrek couldn''t show any sign of cowardice, or his rival would exploit his situation. After a deep breath, Brigadier Parrak repeated his order, ¡°Let¡¯s start the march.¡± ¡°¡±¡°As your command,¡±¡±¡± The three captains under Brigadier Parrak¡¯s command replied in unison. At the same time, commotion rose as hundreds of fire spears suddenly filled eastern horizon. It flew across the night sky in a tight formation, rapidly approaching Buriek Guard Area. ¡°Is this their fire spears?¡± One of the captains asked as he recalled a report regarding the insane destruction of TF Amethyst''s fire spear. ¡°Gods in heaven¡­¡± Another captain said with a trembling voice. Meanwhile, the last captain weakly said, ¡°We are dead.¡± ¡°FOOL!!¡± Don¡¯t just stand around like a stone.¡± Seeing the three captains under his command broken, Brigadier Parrak snapped. ¡°Take your men into closest building!¡± The three captains immediately went back to their senses. Unfortunately, they don¡¯t have enough time. BOOOMM! BOOOMM! BOOOMM! BO-BO-BO-BO-BOOOOMMMM!!! Almost in the same time, 480 rounds of 122 mm rockets explode above Buriek Guard Area at an altitude of 20 meters or equivalent to a five-story building. Some of the rockets exploded on a rooftop, but mostly were able to deliver their load without being blocked, right to the open area crowded by 34th Makai Guard Division''s personnel. Each rocket brought 1700 steel darts and a combination of 40 rockets could cover an area of one square kilometer without a pinch of opening. This was also the reason why TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel called each unit of MTV 122 MLRS as One Square Kilometer Sanitizer System. It was only a brief of steel rains, but the effect was devastating. Every personnel of 34th Makai Guard Division in the open instantly fell to the ground, as hundreds of steel darts penetrated and burst out from their body. Most of them immediately met their end, while some survivors groaned weakly. Dozens of horse carriages which were full of Molotov cocktails also did not survive from the steel dart. Nouel biofuel immediately spreaded in all directions, followed by a fierce fire that burned some unfortunate survivors alive. --- Firebase Steel Rain 0-5, Joint Fire Mission Terminal. Through aerial footage sent by Reaper, Lieutenant Colonel Messi evaluated the rocket strike on the Buriek Guard Area. He coldly observed the thousands of Makai Guards lying on the ground, and covering almost every surface in the Buriek Guard Area. Then, a cold gleam flashed in Lieutenant Colonel Messi''s eyes as personnel of 34th Makai Guard Division slowly came out from various buildings. Judging from their insignia, most of them were staff officers and supporting personnel. These personnel swiftly brought the survivors into buildings. Makai Guard''s personnel who just came out of the entry tunnel also helped evacuate the survivors. Slowly but surely, Buriek Guard Area was once again filled with thousands of fresh and fit Makai Guard''s personnel. However, they showed no sign of launching an offensive. Most of them also took positions as close as possible with various buildings in the area. After fixing his glasses, Lieutenant Colonel Messi turned his gaze to Captain Sullivan. "They voluntarily form a nice and tight concentration as we expected, so let¡¯s launch the main menu.¡± With a regretful tone Captain Sullivan replied, ¡°MCG just completed the area three days ago, they will be very upset if they know they have to rebuild it from scratch." ¡°Unfortunately, we have no choice.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Sullivan carried out the fire mission. A moment later, 8 units MTV 155 SPH and 24 units M120 Mortar started the strike in sustained mode. After 20 minutes, 480 rounds of 155 mm artillery shells and 1920 pieces of 120 mm mortar landed in Buriek Guard Area and turned it into a wide area of rubble. Lieutenant Colonel Messi observed the result of the strike as inwardly he muttered, ¡®We don¡¯t do it with joy. But when it has to be done, we will do it without reluctance.¡¯ ***** TFA2 12.3 – Second Counter Attack TFA2 12.3 ¨C Second Counter Attack After passing the age of 40, Captain Rummus concluded that his duty as commander of General Khartoum''s bodyguards would become his final station. Even in his wildest imagination, he never thought that his rank would rise to a brigadier. Moreover, the promotion was a follow-up for his appointment as Commanding Officer of 1st Tuscan Light Brigade. After undergoing the formation process and hundreds of mock-up battles, the 1st Tuscan Light Brigade finally received its first assignment. The Brigade would be deployed to Sandhur Region as part of campaign to hold the invasion from Kingdom of Makai. Then, this afternoon Brigadier Rummus got a notification that most likely Tuscan Guard Area in Levsait would become the target of a tunnel attack. He then proposed to use Tuscan Guard Area as bait. Without hesitation, Nate agreed to his proposal. Based on Nate''s calculation, losing a whole area to contain tens of thousands of hostiles was a fair trade. Wasting no time Brigadier Rummus issued an evacuation order. In three hours, non-combatant and all transportable assets have already left Tuscan Guard area. Then he ordered every combatant under his command to take position on the rooftop. Unfortunately, the 1st Tuscan Light Brigade didn''t have enough time to set up a proper ambushed. Moreover, the number of attacker was far greater than the initial estimation and they were coming like an unending flood. Therefore, in the end 1st Tuscan Light Brigade had to retreat to the second defensive line under the cover of Molotov catapult salvo. However, although Molotov catapult salvo managed to destroy almost every building in Tuscan Guard Area, it failed to destroy the entry point of tunnel attack. ¡°Fuck!¡± from an observations post in the second defensive line, Brigadier Rummus observed the opposing side''s battle formation. Then, he turned his gaze to Major Terry, his XO. "I should have listened to your advice, directly using Molotov catapult from the start and did not try to defend Tuscan Guard area. That way, the Molotov catapult will inflict a bigger damage and maybe even seal the entry point for a while.¡± Major Terry slightly nodded before saying, "Well, we only suffered a few hundred wounded without fatalities, while our guest lost a few thousand combatants. So it¡¯s still an acceptable outcome.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s painful for me, to see their battle formation line up so smugly in front of my nose.¡± ¡°In that case, let¡¯s not wait any longer. We are ready to cut their head, soften their defense by dropping some firecrackers, and going in for final touch.¡± Brigadier Rummus turned his gaze to Major Terry, and then he gave his authorization, ¡°Let¡¯s launch the counter attack.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± Wasting no time, Major Terry carried out the order. --- One kilometer south of Tuscan Guard Area, around 8,000 combatants from 24th Makai Guard Division line up in a neatly battle formation. Even from a distance, it was easy to conclude that their formation was solid and their fighting spirit soared to the sky. It was quite reasonable as previously 24th Makai Guard Division managed to smash Tuscan Guard''s ambush only by relying on brute strength alone. The 24th Makai Guard Division did lose a few thousand combatants. They also failed to secure the targeted non-combatant and targeted loot. However, the most important thing was, they managed to gain a firm foothold in Levsait. Also, they managed to secure the entry point in the middle of Tuscan Guard Area so the next wave of combatant could arrive with ease. Of course, General Ludua and all officers in 24th Makai Guard Division fully realize that their position was vulnerable. A battle formation in the open was a tantamount of inviting TF Amethyst¡¯s artillery strike. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have other options as all buildings in Tuscan Guard Area were on fire and some had even collapsed to the ground. Stolen story; please report. General Ludua and his officers were in the middle of a strategy meeting when eastern horizon was suddenly filled with hundreds of fire spears. In an instant, the Old General and his officers held their breath. But fortunately, the flock of fire spears did not fly to their position. Then, the loud hum of hundred fire spears turned into an explosion as they landed on Buriek Guard Area, followed by a dazzling flash that made the night sky blinking for a few seconds, but it was not the end. A moment later another series of stronger explosions and dazzling flash hit Buriek Guard Area one more time. This time the explosion and dazzling light last for 20 minutes. Without much difficulty Staff Officer Rada concluded the target of fire spears strike, "It seems TF Amethyst picked 34th as their appetizer." ¡°Fortunately, they managed to take Buriek Guard Area almost intact. So they will have a lot of buildings to be used as shelter,¡± said one of brigadiers in 24th Makai Guard Division. Another brigadier immediately added, ¡°As for us, we are in the middle of open field. We have to attack as soon as possible.¡± Staff Officer Rada nodded before giving his agreement, ¡°True, TF Amethyst will not use their insane artillery strike on us as long as we manage to enter close quarter warfare with them." Hearing his officers were able to maintain their morale even after seeing a glimpse of TF Amethyst''s fire spears, General Ludua immediately took a breath full of relief. ¡°Count Isak had issued an order to attack the center of Levsait, so let¡¯s start the march.¡± Wasting no time, all officers in 24th Makai Guard Division returned to their unit. Before long, the march to center of Levsait began. --- About 1200 meters from the location where 24th Makai Guard Division held strategy meeting, four sentries were lying motionlessly on the ground. From a slit on their throat, blood was flowing out like a small creek. Meanwhile, a few meters from the dead sentries, three people with ghillie suits took a firing position. Sergeant Park took the rear position. He kneeled while his hands firmly held a loaded HK416D. Behind him, Captain Karrak sat behind a long-range low-light observation scope mounted on a tripod. Next to Captain Karrak, Sergeant Rickard operated an AWM 338 Lapua Magnum. This 3-man shooter team had an objective to eliminate the top leader of 24th Makai Guard Division, just before the artillery strike was launched. Seeing that 24th Makai Guard Division had started their march, Captain Karrak immediately pressed PTT button, ¡°Archer 4-9 to Command, do we have green?¡± [Command to Archer 4-9, do you have a clear shot?] ¡°We have, General Ludua is inside our line and range.¡± [Are you sure it''s him?] ¡°Absolutely,¡± Captain Karrak firmly replied. Every time they fought for Kingdom of Makai as hired swords, Tuscan Guard always became spear tips for 24th Makai Guard Division. Moreover, in the last war with Kingdom of Horrep, General Ludua made a fatal mistake and it cost a lot of Tuscan Guard¡¯s personnel. Therefore, Captain Karrak could recognize General Ludua and other officers from 24th Makai Guard Division almost instantly. [You have green then, and three minutes before we launch the artie.] ¡°Roger, Archer 4-9 over and out.¡± After taking a deep breath, Captain Karrak turned his head to Sergeant Rickard, ¡°Be ready.¡± ¡°Finally,¡± Sergeant Rickard calmly answered. ¡°Tango challenged, old man on the table, black armor, red cape.¡± As he shifted AWM 338¡¯s fire-selection lever, Sergeant Rickard replied, ¡°Copy, old man on the table, black armor, red cape.¡± ¡°Range, one-two-four-niner to the table. Wind, five miles pushing left.¡± ¡°Copy, range, one-two-four-niner to the table. Wind, five miles pushing left.¡± After making a slight adjustment, Sergeant Rickard continued, ¡°I have tango inside.¡± ¡°Send it.¡± BANG!! One and half seconds later, General Ludua grinned as he gripped his left waist. Then, as two of his bodyguards dragged him, Captain Karrak said, ¡°Scratch on left waist, tango is still open, send second shot, same value.¡± "Copy." After a quick target reacquisition, Sergeant Rickard gently squeezed the trigger. BANG!! This time, the projectile hit General Ludua¡¯s nape and burst out of his face along with pieces of his skull and brains. Then, the remains of General Ludua¡¯s heads powerlessly fell to his chest. ¡°Nice headshot, tango expired, let¡¯s scram.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Wasting no time, three personnel of Archer 4-9 got up to their feet and ran as fast as they could. A moment later, a salvo of footbows rained down the firing position they left behind. Then, as if it was a response for the footbow salvo, a flock of 122 mm rockets with thermobaric warheads hit various concentrations of 24th Makai Guard Division. ***** TFA2 13.1 – Killing The Underground Tunnel Command Center, Lagra Castle. Together with General Khartoum and Viscount Issel, Nate supervised the attempt to recapture control over Buriek Guard Area and Tuscan Guard Area in Levsait. As expected, with the help from Ground Combat Group, Buriek Guard and Tuscan Guard won the contest easily. After that, Tuscan Guard and Buriek Guard ensured that the opposing side''s advance was held at the entry point. As for contests in the Logistic and Support Area, defenders in three-in one depot and barracks managed to hold their position. At the same time, Nate sent 1480 GCG''s most seasoned combatant to stop the opposing side''s advance so they wouldn''t go into other areas. The fight was not easy as GCG''s element couldn''t use artillery support, but in the end they won it with minimum casualty. ¡°Now we only need to find the right location to cut and stop their next wave,¡± Nate said as relieved filled his face. Without delay, Major Fritz from IDG immediately showed a few locations through the main screen. ¡°Sir, these are locations suggested by Analyst Jackson. MCG already sent initial teams to check it." ¡°Good, the sooner we defeat tunnel attack from Battle Group A, the faster we can focus our attention into incoming Battle Group B." After pondering for a moment, Major Fritz said, "Sir, may I propose an operation to neutralize Battle Group B''s threat for a while." ¡°Give me the basic outline¡± ¡°Sending a team of frogmen to capture Prince Phorto and Duke Fogel. To be precise, to hijack Cruiser Gecko-01." Nate did not immediately respond as he fell into contemplation. Snatch and grab operation against high valuable targets needed detailed and long preparations. So he was wondering why a calculating officer like Major Fritz proposed a complex operation when the target was already halfway before their arrival. ¡°Fritz, how long have you planned this operation?" Nate asked in a calm tone. ¡°Not me, Sir, but Captain Kasino." A big question mark immediately appeared on Nate''s forehead. ¡°Captain Kasino planned it?¡± "Yes, Sir." Wasting no time, Major Fritz then started explaining. After IDG got a clue that most likely Prince Portho was in Cruiser Geko-01, he took an initiative to ask Captain Kasino if frogmen platoon had an available option in case TF Amethyst had to snatch Prince Portho. And Captain Kasino gave him a suggestion that it would be much easier if frogmen platoon hijacked the whole ship, as they already did a similar simulation a few times, by using a Buriek Navy''s Cruiser Ship and its crew as a target. With a hoping tone, Major Fritz closed his explanation, "And just before Battle Group B leaving their forward base, we have visual confirmation through Reaper that Prince Portho and Duke Fogel are on Cruiser Geko-01." "Have you calculated the success rate for this attempt?" "I have, Sir," replied Major Fritz confidently. As long frogmen platoon manage to secure Prince Portho, I believe we will be able to hold Battle Group B¡¯s offensive for a while, without the need to kill innocent people they use as human shields. At least until Battle Group B has their new chain of command.¡± After making some calculations, Nate said, ¡°Let''s deploy the hijacking attempt, but notify Captain Kasino and his men. In case they fail, we will shink Battle Group B¡¯s main formation along with them.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Without delay, Major Fritz carried out Nate¡¯s order. --- MCG¡¯s Sandhur Branch Office, Lagra Castle For the last few months, MCG had been overloaded with construction projects in Bluefin Naval Station and Sandhur Region. Therefore, most of MCG''s officers must stay at Sandhur Region temporarily, including Colonel Maddox. When he heard that Levsait dan Raisait were under the threat of tunnel attack, Colonel Maddox decided that he would directly lead the sweeping operation. Unfortunately, the tunnel attack had already arrived when the sweeping operation was still in the preparation stage. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Colonel Maddox then led MCG and NBC Team to prepare their new tactic to counter tunnel attack. It was developed by MCG and NBC Team after Terry Hill Operation, which basically flooded the targeted tunnel with high-dose sleeping gas. However, Colonel Maddox never expected that their proudly new tactic would not be able to be deployed immediately. As Colonel Maddox read the emergency message from Harley Quinn, dark lines were formed in his forehead. Then, he said in a low tone, "Hercules carrying the sleeping gas had to execute an emergency landing in the middle of the trip. Harley Quinn is already in the process of preparing a second Hercules. But they had to take it from maintenance depot and it will take 18-20 hours before the hercules are ready to fly." Lieutenant Ortiz from NBC Team immediately took a deep sigh. "Not to mention my men will need 2-3 hours to give the sleeping gas a final touch before we can deploy it safely." "Damn it! We don''t have that much time," said Lieutenant Juan sourly. After pondering for a moment, Major Callum turned his gaze to Lieutenant Ortiz. ¡°LT, if my memory serves me right, NBC Team has a lab in Davy Jones. Can you and your men use it to produce the sleeping gas we need?" ¡°On a small scale, my team can produce sleeping gas right here right now by utilizing any available compound and equipment." Lieutenant Ortiz paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°As for in a massive scale, like the one we will use to counter tunnel attack, my team will need 40-60 hours if we have adequate materials and equipment." "That''s a landslide different," said Lieutenant Juan, still in a sour tone. "In a massive scale, sleeping gas is categorized as a weapon of mass destruction capable. One mishap in the production process can end up in a nasty disaster. This is also the reason why it needs a special storing facility in Harley Quinn," said Lieutenant Ortiz. Slowly but surely, silence blanketed the entire room. Then, a sergeant approached Colonel Maddox. ¡°Sir, one of our initial teams managed to identify a perfect location to pump in sleeping gas into underground tunnel." ¡°Thank you, Sergeant.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± As the sergeant returned to his post, Colonel Maddox deeply looked at officers before him one by one. "If any of you have an idea, whatever it is, say it now." Almost in reflex, Lieutenant Juan raised his hand. ¡°I have an idea, but it¡¯s sound like a stupid one.¡± ¡°LT,¡± Colonel Maddox calmly said. ¡°Do you remember MCG¡¯s philosophy?¡± Lieutenant Juan nodded before replying, ¡°When only one solution can be found for a field problem, usually it is a stupid solution. But if it¡¯s work, then it¡¯s not stupid at all.¡± ¡°Then, spill out your idea.¡± ¡°We can replace the sleeping gas with water and electricity.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± In an instant a big question mark appeared on Lieutenant Ortiz'' forehead. ¡°I mean, our target is an insanely long and big tunnel. It will need millions gallons of water and massive electricity to cover it." ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a very viable idea,¡± Colonel Maddox cheerfully said. Seeing that question mark on Lieutenant Ortiz''s forehead thickened, Major Callum immediately added, "When MCG built Marine Industry Area in Levsait and Raisait, the first thing we made was the Sea Water Desalination Facility and Energy Storage Station. These facilities will give us as much water and electricity as we need." Lieutenant Ortiz immediately took a breath full of relief, ¡°Let¡¯s do it then.¡± Wasting no time, Colonel Maddox sent a notification to command center that MCG had to change their plan. A moment later, he received a green light to execute the water and electricity plan. ¡ª With a speed of 90 km/h, it took about 30 minutes before MCG convoy arrived at the north entrance to enter Levsait and Raisait. The entrance was located in a clift 200 meters above sea level, and could be accessed through a steep highway. Once they came out of their humvee, Colonel Maddox and his men took the time to look north, or more precisely to FOC Venom. The camp was located 12 km away. So normally it would be quite difficult to find its position by using naked eye at night. However, at the moment all lighting systems on FOC Venom were fully lit, while its surrounding area was covered by a sea of fire. Therefore, it was rather easy to find its position. Previously, Colonel Maddox and his men managed to obtain some information regarding the fight to defend FOC Venom. So they were fully aware of what had just happened. After the opposing side turned the area around the camp into a swamp in order to counter Molotov cocktail, Colonel Glass deliberately used Molotov cocktail. And when the opposing side thought that the muddy swamp was able to counter Molotov cocktail and attacked in full force, Colonel Glass generously used high-explosive mortar shells. One round high-explosive mortar shell could produce heat as high as 800-1200¡ãC up to a radius of three meters. The high-heat would easily evaporate the water. At the same time, it also burned the accumulation of biodiesel from Molotov cocktails, along with incoming human waves that approached FOC Venom from all directions. After taking a deep breath, Major Callum said, "I''ve heard that Colonel Glass never lost a single camp under his command in his entire career. Now, I can see the reason." After slightly nodding, Colonel Maddox replied, ¡°Well, now it¡¯s our turn to show our determination to win the fight.¡± Wasting no time, Colonel Maddox then led his men to meet with the initial team. ***** TFA2 13.2 – The Last Check TFA2 13.2 ¨C The Last Check A few hundred meters from the north entrance, a 5-ton MTV Driller was busy making some holes. Each hole was 10 cm in diameter and as deep as 20 meters. These holes would be used to insert the sleeping gas''s pipe into underground tunnel. Next to the MTV Driller Sergeant Lucy oversees the work. When Colonel Maddox and other officers from MCG approached her, she immediately handed over her tablet. "Colonel, this is the sensing result from portable seismic detector. The underground tunnel splits into two branches here." After studying the pictures on the tablet Colonel Maddox said, ¡°The tunnel really split into two." ¡°Yes, Sir. One goes to Levsait, while the other goes to Raisait." A smile immediately bloomed on Major Cullum¡¯s lips. "Then, this place is the most ideal location to cut the flow of opposing combatant.¡± Sergeant Lucy firmly nodded. ¡°Exactly, Sir.¡± ¡°Sergeant, how many holes have been made by your crew?" "So far, three holes. We drilled it as gently as possible, exactly up to two meters before penetrating the underground tunnel''s ceiling." "We need more." Colonel Maddox paused for a moment before continuing, "Make it into a pattern so we can insert explosives and create a four-meter-wide hole. Also, you don¡¯t need to do it in silence anymore." "Do we cancel the sleeping gas, Sir?" "We replace it with the plan to flood the tunnel, followed by a touch of electricity." "Understood, Sir." Wasting no time, Sergeant Lucy led her crew to carry out their new task. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Juan led his men to prepare the explosives. As for Major Callum, he and his men prepared the water and electricity. --- Marine Industrial Area, Center of Levsait. In one corner of Marine Industrial Area, Energy Storage Station Levi-01 stood peacefully. It was a facility used to store giga-power bank, a device invented by Tesla USA in 2024. As the name suggested, giga-power bank was used to store electricity on a massive scale. It had the size of a 40-feet shipping container, could store electricity up to 800 MW, and initially it would be used to support the power station to recharge electric vehicles. It was also durable, free of inflation, and environmentally friendly. However, when you compared it to other present energy sources, giga-power bank was too expensive to support a large-scale industrial complex. Therefore, for now only TF Amethyst had the interest in adopting giga-power bank, because it was the easiest and fastest option that could be paired with any environmentally friendly power plant. Tonight, even though Levsait was under attack, all activities in the center of Levsait were running as usual, including daily operations at ESS LEVI-01. Of course, in order to anticipate the worst scenario, Nate had deployed 1200 combatants to form a final protection line and defend it at any cost. The defender also had Attack Hello and other heavy assets to support their mission. Therefore, Site Manager Russell could calmly start his late-night shift. And as usual, once he entered his office, he immediately checked the daily report. Every day, some electricity that was generated by wind power plants and solar power plants in Levsait would be stored to giga-power banks in ESS Levi-01. So far, of the 480 units of giga-power banks, 297 units had been fully charged and ready to be used in winter, when the solar power plant couldn''t generate electricity at its maximum output. A smile bloomed on Site Manager Russell''s lips as he found that three additional giga-power bank would be ready to be used. Then, with hasty steps Engineer Emerson suddenly entered the room. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. As he handed over a piece of emergency request Engineer Emerson said, "MCG asks us to provide electricity up to 700,000 kWh, through a substation near the northern entrance." As a black question mark appeared on his face, Site Manager Russell asked, ¡°Why do they need such big electricity?¡± "Dunno, they didn''t say the details." ¡°What a strange request.¡± "Yeah, but Chief Nate has just contacted us and requested that we put MCG''s request as top priority." In an instant, the question mark on Site Manager Russell''s face thickened. Providing 700,000 kWh of electricity was not trivial matter. In some countries on earth, it could be used to power a city with 60.000 populations. However, as Chief Nate already gave his consent, in the end Site Manager Russell could only comply with the request. ¡°Use the giga-power banks on the 6th floor.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Wasting no time, Engineer Emerson carried out the order. --- Throughout his long and dark carrier in the military, Captain Norrak had seen every single of horror that could only be found on the battlefield. Therefore, he was sure there were no battlefield horror that could make him flinched, let alone the one that could shock his heart to the core. However, battlefield was a place full of sneaky surprises. When an overconfident fellow thought he already saw it all, something new would kick his balls from the direction he least expected. Long short story, Captain Norrak instantly lost his composure when Brigadier Zommat and three other captains, who were standing right in front of him, suddenly became meat paste after a head of giant iron carriage fell on them without prior warning. At that time, Captain Norrak even screamed hysterically on reflex, as if he was an innocent virgin who for the first time in her life encountered a butt groping from a thug. After that, Captain Norrak felt the urge to exit the underground tunnel as fast as possible. Without delay, he climbed the side of the giant iron carriage and arrived on the surface through a tiny gap on the half-opened entry point. And his men followed his lead while bloodlust and desire to revenge the death of their officers filled their hearts to the brim. As soon as they reached the surface, Captain Norrak and his men were greeted by dozens of giant iron carriage. On its head, it had a pair of bright lights that staring at them like a starving devil. As soon as Captain Norrak''s men drew their swords, the iron carriage immediately ran towards their position at full speed. With ease, they hit and crushed Captain Norak¡¯s men mercilessly. Up to this moment, he still could hear the ¡®Crunch crunch crunch!!¡¯ sound as his men were run over by the giant iron carriage''s wheel. He could also clearly remember the horror and despair in their eyes just before their bodies became meat paste. And somehow, Captain Norrak who just stood in place while trembling in fear, was survived and ended up as a prisoner of war. After that, two friendly people gave him a drink that made his head feel very light, but at the same time his memory became very vivid. And every time they asked him a question, Captain Norrak would voluntarily answer it in detail. "What drinks do you give me?" Captain Norrak weakly asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The med is not dangerous as long as you don''t over consume it." One of the friendly people calmly replied, and Captain Norrak lightly nodded. ¡°I see.¡± The second friendly person then asked, "The details about the underground tunnel, have you said everything you know?" "I have." ¡°About Prince Makar''s location, are you sure his command post is in the third largest building in Battle Group A''s first camp?" ¡°Yeah, I enter the building several times to receive a brief from Prince Makar directly." ¡°Thank you for your cooperation.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Captain Norrak casually answered, without realizing that he had just helped the operation to eliminate thousands of Battle Group A''s personnel in the underground tunnel. --- By using the intel from IDG, Colonel Maddox calculated the size of the underground tunnel, along with the amount of water needed to flood it. After an hour of hard work, he got the final estimation. Wasting no time, he then gathered his men for the final check. Colonel Maddox calmly opened the meeting. ¡°Juan, let¡¯s start with you.¡± Wasting no time Lieutenant Juan reported, ¡°Explosives are already inserted and ready to be detonated at any second. I make the last confirmation myself.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Colonel Maddox then turned his gaze to Major Callum. ¡°Callum, your turn.¡± "We have adequate water and electricity," Major Callum calmly replied. ¡°As soon as the hole to access the underground tunnel forms and Captain Murphy''s company secures it, we will immediately throw the hoses into it. In total, we use ten 8-inch hoses to flow the water from the nearest water reservoir. Once the water reaches the desired volume, we will expose it to electricity." Captain Murphy who was tasked with securing MCG''s operation immediately added, "My men will secure and make sure no hostiles coming out of the underground tunnel." Colonel Maddox immediately nodded three times before asking, ¡°Is there any question?" Captain Murphy immediately raised his hand, and waited until Colonel Maddox nodded his head before asking, ¡°How do we know how much electricity is needed to eliminate every hostile at the underground tunnel?" ¡°We have our method. It¡¯s a simple and effective, but it''s hard to explain how it works. So, please just believe in our judgment, Captain,¡± replied Colonel Maddox. ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± ¡°Is there any other question?¡± Colonel Maddox looked at other officers for a moment before continuing, ¡°No, then let¡¯s start the party.¡± ***** TFA2 13.3 – Silent Catastrophe With the help of lighting from a dozen torches, Brigadier Haggar, Commanding Officer of 1st Makai Construction Regiment, observed the underground tunnel''s ceiling. Then, he turned his gaze to a thin layer of dirt and gravel below it. Previously, when he got a report that the ceiling in the branch to Levsait and Raisait vibrated and accompanied by a rather hard hum, Brigadier Haggar immediately rushed to check it out. However, when he arrived at the location, the vibration and hum that made him anxious had already stopped. "Are there similar occurrences in other locations?" asked Brigadier Haggar. ¡°No, Sir,¡± a centurion firmly replied." In an instant dark clouds filled Brigadier Haggar''s face. "Then we have something to worry about." "Sir, maybe it''s just a pack of large rodents making a nest." "Rodents will make their nest far away from an area full of human activities." "Then, is it possible that TF Amethyst detect our present down here?" "Maybe, but I can say it for sure." Brigadier Haggar took a deep breath before continuing, "I can only say this branch is a vital location for attacks to Levsait and Raisait. So, when an odd thing happens in this location, I don''t think it''s a coincidence." "I will ask for immediate reinforcement then." "Yes, you should." Brigadier Haggar lightly nodded before continuing, "As for now, I will check the ceiling personally." Wasting no time, Captain Haggar ordered an engineer team from 1st Makai Construction Regiment to prepare a staircase. It was made of bamboo pieces that could be arranged to form some kind of platform with the size as high and as wide as needed. The engineer team swiftly arranged the bamboo pieces. Then, when they were just about to finish the staircase, a big vibration suddenly shook the ceiling, followed by cracks right above the staircase. ¡°Evade! Evade! Save yourself!!¡± Brigadier Haggar shouted as hard as he could to warn the engineer team. However, it was too late. Crack! Crack! C-craaaacckk. . . . CRUUSSHH!! The underground tunnel''s ceiling suddenly collapsed, and fell on the engineer team like a large landslide. Fortunately, it only consisted of soft dirt and gravel. Therefore, even though the volume was quite large and almost buried the engineer team alive, it did not cause any fatality. ¡°Go help the engineer team!!¡± Brigadier Haggar calmly gave an order, then approached the giant hole in the ceiling. It was about four meters wide, and perfectly round. As a CO of a construction regiment, Brigadier Haggar knew a lot of techniques to make such a perfect hole. However, none of the techniques he knew could match the speed of the techniques he just witnessed. ¡®Damn it, what kind of trick do they employ?¡¯ Slowly but surely, a sense of inferiority filled Brigadier Haggar''s heart. Moreover, from his position, he could look at the night sky full of stars, and it reminded him of a story about a frog that views the world from the base of a well. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. However, Brigadier Haggar didn''t have time to ponder much further. As ten 8-inches hoses suddenly descended from the top of the hole until it reached the middle section of the hole. A moment later, water poured heavily from the ten hoses. "What are they planning?" muttered Brigadier Haggar as he looked at the water that fell on the underground tunnel''s floor with a loud splash. --- One hour after a giant hole was formed on the underground tunnel''s ceiling and water pouring in like there was no tomorrow, General Issus, The Commanding Officer of 56th Makai Guard Division, finally arrived with his unit. Without delay, General Issus and his officers approached Brigadier Haggar. ¡°Brigadier, give us the latest circumstance and make it brief,¡± said General Issus in a calm tone. ¡°Sir,¡± Wasting no time, Brigadier Haggar started explaining, ¡°The water they use is fresh water, and our healers have confirmed it is free of poison or other dangerous substance. The water has also reached our 2nd camp with a height level of 5 cm from the ground." "Do they plan to drown this tunnel from here to our second camp?" "No, Sir, I don''t think it''s their goal." Brigadier Haggar turned his gaze to the water that poured into underground tunnel as he continued, "With the current speed, it will take a few days to sink the entire tunnel from this place to the second camp." In an instant, a question mark appeared on General Issus''s forehead. "If they don''t plan to drown this tunnel, then what''s their goal?" "Our Healer warns that when the water reaches a certain level, maybe TF Amethyst will put poison or other dangerous compounds." ¡°I see.¡± General Issus paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Then, we must act before that scenario come into play." ¡°General,¡± Brigadier Haggar took a deep breath before continuing in low tone, ¡°Closing a hole this big in a short time is almost impossible. Moreover, I believe TF Amethyst puts some units to monitor our activities and they will definitely prevent any efforts to close the hole." ¡°Who said we will close this hole?" After lightly smiled, General Issus continued, "We will use it as entry point for an offensive." "We will launch an offensive by using this hole?" ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a direct order from Prince Makar. 56th Division will lead the assault, followed by war contingent from Rivek dan Sviek Region.¡± ¡°Understood, General. I will prepare the staircase as fast as possible." Wasting no time, Brigadier Haggar and his men began their work. Then, they just finished the first platform when the water pouring hard from the ten 8-inch hoses suddenly stopped. Slowly but surely, the ten hoses then moved up until they disappeared from view. Bad feelings suddenly gripped Brigadier Haggar''s heart. Without delay, he warned his men, "Quickly, get away from the hole!" And the warning turned out to be accurate. Shortly, after the last person stepped away from the giant hole in the ceiling, an object suddenly fell from above and hit the tunnel''s floor with a loud thud. It had a shape like a hammer, with a size as big as an adult thigh, and connected to a very thick black cable. ¡®What is this thing?'' Brigadier Haggar asked as question marks filled his mind to the brim. However, Brigadier Haggar did not have time to think about it any further as a massive jolt suddenly hit his body. Then, panic gripped his heart as his body helplessly tumbled and hit the ground. Even so, Brigadier Haggar was still able to conclude that the massive jolt which almost paralyzed his body was related to the water and the objects shaped like a hammer before him. ¡®Dry place¡­¡¯ With every single drop of whatever strength left in his body, Brigadier Haggar crawled towards the staircase, passing several of his men who were lying in the ground. Even though his body almost had no strength, somehow Brigadier Haggar managed to reach the staircase and pulled his body up to the dry platform. Then, after taking a deep breath several times, Brigadier Haggar finally realized the eerie silence that blanketed the underground tunnel. Wasting no time, he checked his surroundings, and as far as he could see, he only saw bodies lying motionlessly on the ground. ¡®It seems I was the only survivor,¡¯ muttered Brigadier Haggar as chill ran through on his spine. ***** TFA2 13.4 - An Offer to Surrender TFA2 13.4 ¨C An Offer to Surrender In order to find out the correct dose of electric shock attack or ESA, Colonel Maddox sent nano-current into the water in the Underground Tunnel. This nano-current was not dangerous or lethal. However, based on its load he would be able to predict the size of the target. And after he launched the ESA, Colonel Maddox sent the nano-current into underground tunnel one more time. A few moments later he casually said, ¡°There are three to four dozen survivors. I believe this numbers is not a threat. Let¡¯s cancel the second wave of ESA.¡± Captain Murphy nodded, and then he asked, ¡°Colonel, can you tell me, how many hostile we kill with ESA?¡± ¡°Let''s say each person down there has body height around 185 cm, with this basis I estimate we have killed around 110-120 thousand hostiles." "Do they burn to the death like in the movie?" ¡°Nope.¡± Colonel Maddox put a piece of gum into his mouth, and then chewed it for a moment before continuing, ¡°Our ESA is insufficient to cause severe burn or tissue breaks down. It¡¯s only enough to send most of human heart to go into Ventricular Fibrillation, which technically is useless contractions that do not pump any blood. Of course, among our targets there will be some people who stronger than average people and survive the attack." ¡°Why don''t we send an ESA with a dose that will kill all hostile in the underground tunnel in one go?" ¡°Because it''s too difficult," Colonel Maddox casually replied. Captain Murphy tilted his head as he asked, "How so?" ¡°It¡¯s not easy to calculate the minimum voltage and current to kill a person, as electricity is not quantified in a single unit of measurement.¡± Seeing the question mark in Captain Murphy¡¯s forehead thickened, Colonel Maddox immediately turned his gaze to MCG''s officers around him, ¡°Anyone, please be kind to explain this subject to Captain Murphy.¡± ¡±My pleasure Sir,¡± Lieutenant Juan answered enthusiastically. ¡°Captain, to calculate how big electricity needed to kill a person, you need to know how moist the skin is, where the electricity enters and exits, whether the electricity AC or DC, what the frequency of the AC is, the time of exposure, size of the target, the level of electricity resistance, and some other conditions. A huge current that enters pinky finger and exits the thumb on the same hand will burn the hand badly, but not lethal because only a little amount of current can reach the heart. The dangerous one is when current enters from one hand and exits from the other one. In such scenario, a lot of current will pass through the heart. Also, AC is more dangerous. It will often freeze the victim from letting go the source. In most case, for most human, 60 mA, 120 volt, 60 HZ alternating current travelling through the chest for a split second can lead the heart into Ventricular Fibrillation. As for direct current, it will take 300 to 500 mA to have the same effect. However, if the target has a dry skin, it would need a higher voltage to force enough electrons pass through the heart and stop it from functioning properly.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°The other example is, if the victim fully immersed in the water, a voltage gradient as low as 2 volts per feet ¨C or 12 volts for a 6 foot tall person, can allow sufficient current to flow through the body and leading into muscular contraction. As the result, the victim isn¡¯t directly electrocuted. They don¡¯t suffer nerve damage, tissue breakdown, or cardiac arrest. Rather, they become unable to swim and die by drowning.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°As for the massive number of target in the underground tunnel, only a genius can do the math. Or, we can adopt a brute means by sending a current as big as 2000 mA to cause severe burn, cardiac arrest, or tissue breakdown on the victims. However, this brute means will cost us one or two giga power bank in the process, which is why Colonel Maddox avoids this option.¡± ¡°I see.¡± "Do you want other example?" "Umm¡­ yes, please." Even if Captain Murphy nodded his head every time he replied, it was clearly visible that he didn¡¯t understand a single damn thing. The problem was that he didn¡¯t know how to ask Lieutenant Juan to end his long explanation. At the same time, Colonel Maddox casually sent a report to Command Center, stating that ESA had been launch and managed to cut the flow of opposing combatant. --- Command Center, Castle Lagra. Right after he received the report from Colonel Maddox that the flow of opposing combatant was successfully stopped, Nate immediately fell into contemplation. Previously, when he asked Colonel Maddox how high the rate of success for ESA, the reply he got was, ¡®Long time ago, when I was in fifth grade, I applied the same technique to wipe out termites that attacked my grandfather''s wooden cabin, and it gave me satisfactory results." At a glance, people would definitely assume that Colonel Maddox''s answer was nonsense and they would just ignore it. Fortunately, Nate knew Colonel Mathew ¡®Maddox¡¯ Page very well, including the history behind the nickname ¡®Maddox¡¯ which came from the words ¡®Mad¡¯ and ¡®Doggie¡¯. In summary, Young Maddox graduated from MIT at the age of 14-year-old. His teachers, friends, and especially his enemies described him as, ¡®A demon level genius with nasty personality.¡¯ After working at a giant contractor on energy industry for four years, Young Maddox then decided to joint US Navy and applied for the legendary US Navy EOD Mobile Unit. However, his psychological examination showed that instead of defusing a bomb, Young Maddox rather preferred to detonate it. No doubt, it was a dangerous tendency for an EOD¡¯s personnel. Therefore, Young Maddox had to apply for other military occupation specialty. He then joined the US Navy Mobile Construction Group. And in this unit, he found his calling, or to be precise was his desire to be part of the great cycle of destruction and creation without having to violate public law. This desire was also the reason why Old Maddox couldn¡¯t refuse the invitation to shape and lead TF Amethyst¡¯s Mobile Construction Group. ¡®As usual, he always managed to deliver the expected results,'' Nate muttered as relief filled his heart. Then, he turned his gaze to Viscount Issel and General Khartoum. ¡°Well, it¡¯s time to find out if the remaining opposing combatant want to surrender to perverse their life or getting wiped out to the last man." With a heavy tone Viscount Issel replied, ¡°Ser Nate, do we really have to give the offer to surrender?" Wasting no time, General Khartoum immediately added his view, ¡°Ser Nate, actually, I also think it¡¯s not wise to offer the opposing combatant the opportunity to surrender. As you know, they cause us a fairly large loss of personnel and material this time." ¡°Ser Issel, General Khartoum, I share similar sentiment with both of you.¡± Nate took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°However, our war against Kingdom of Makai is not over yet. Therefore, we have to seize every opportunity to save our resource for future battlefield.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± A deep disappointment was clearly visible in General Khartoum''s tone, but he fully aware that Nate was correct so he didn¡¯t argue further. As for Viscount Issel, he closed his eyes for a moment before saying, ¡°I will carry out the talk.¡± ¡°Thank you, for your understanding.¡± Nate then handed over a document to Viscount Issel as he continued, ¡°Ser Issel, these are the conditions if our guest want to surrender. And if they have any request, as long its does not go against our terms, we will try to accommodate it as best as we can.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Without delay, Viscount Issel then left Command Center. ***** TFA2 13.5 – Surrender In a neat coordination and movement, light infantry company under Captain Murphy''s command rappelled down to the dim lit underground tunnel. Once the first squad arrived at underground tunnel¡¯s floor, they immediately secured the area and found a lone survivor who surrender without giving resistance. Then, the remaining personnel followed along with heavy equipment, ammunition, and other supplies. Before long, three defensive perimeters were established. One to seal the route to Levsait, another one to seal the route to Raisait, and the last one to seal the route to Battle Group A''s First Camp. In short, Captain Murphy¡¯s company had the objective to prevent the opposing side from sending reinforcements or conducting a quick retreat. After making sure that each defensive perimeter was solid and properly set, Captain Murphy then took a position in the perimeter that sealed the route to Levsait. As he sat down and leaned his back on the sandbag, Sergeant Reyes, a former member of US Green Beret Operational Detachment Alpha or in old times known as The A-Team, handed him a cup of hot coffee. ¡°Your coffee, Sir.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sergeant.¡± After taking a sip of his coffee, Captain Murphy then looked at the huge pile of the ESA victims in one corner of the Underground Tunnel, ¡°I hope the fight will end before those bodies start to rot.¡± ¡°Aye Sir,¡± Sergeant Reyes replied before putting a piece of crackers into his mouth. Then, Lance Corporal Joseph who sat next to Sergeant Reyes turned his gaze to Captain Murphy and said, ¡°Sir, may I ask something?¡± ¡°You may, Corporal.¡± ¡°Why did we only bring 7.62 mm machine guns? Shouldn''t we also bring .50 Cal, considering that the opposing side is using human wave tactics?" After taking a second sip of his coffee, Captain Murphy gave Lance Corporal Joseph a questioning look. ¡°Corporal, in the pre-deployment training on earth, one of the lessons we received in indoor class is ¡®Learning From Korean War Tanker¡¯. Do you remember the content of this lesson?¡± "No, Sir. I only remember the indoor class is boring as hell, while the outdoor class is tiring me to the death," replied Lance Corporal Joseph innocently. ¡®The fuck, if he isn¡¯t my best shooter at close quarter, I will have kicked him out of my unit,'' Captain Murphy muttered as he turned his gaze to Sergeant Reyes. ¡°Sergeant, please educate this ignorant Corporal.¡± ¡°My pleasure.¡± Without delay, Sergeant Reyes started his explanation, ¡°In the early 1970s, the M1 Abrams designer took the time to gather lessons and experience from US Army''s tankers over the past 20 years. And they got input from Korean War tankers that the reason why their columns were often getting overrun by human wave tactics was because they ran out of ammo. As they could only bring 600-900 rounds of .50 Cal. Therefore, when these veterans saw that Abrams''s initial design had two .50 Cal but only one 7.62 mm machine gun. They immediately suggested that the setting be converted into one .50 Cal and two 7.62 mm machine guns. By using this setting, every Abrams'' crew will be able to carry 600-900 rounds of .50 cal and 2 x 5400 rounds of 7.62 mm. And on several occasions this setting proved to be quite effective in warding off the human wave tactic." "I see." Lance Corporal Joseph nodded a few times before continuing, ¡°So that¡¯s why each one of our defensive perimeter is equipped with four M240, along with two spare barrels and 6,000 rounds of 7.62 mm for each machine gun." ¡°Yes, something like that.¡± Captain Murphy calmly replied before continuing in an icy tone, "And after we complete our mission, this company must repeat the pre-deployment training." In an instant, other personnel who heard Captain Murphy''s words immediately looked at Lance Corporal Joseph with a gaze as sharp as a sword, as if they said, ¡®Let¡¯s skin this idiot for good.¡¯ However, public execution for Lance Corporal Joseph must be postponed because from a distance footsteps were heard and closing in. Not long after that, one of the M240''s Gunner shouted a warning, "Contact front, tight and solid column, 400 meters and steadily closing In." Wasting no time, Captain Murphy used his NVG to check the incoming column. Then, he calmly ordered, ¡°All gunners, light them up.¡± ¡°¡±Copy.¡±¡± Each one of Gunner replied as they adjusted their aim and shifted the safety lever to full-auto. Then, almost simultaneously they squeezed the trigger gently. Ratatar! Ratatar! Ra-tatar! R-ra-tataarrrrr!! A loud series of deafening sound filled every corner of underground tunnel as a well placed 3-round burst showered the incoming column. As a result, the hostiles in the leading position fell to the ground rapidly. Even so, the column kept moving forward bravely. Unfortunately, in the underground tunnel, even a half-baked gunner would be able to turn a 7.62 mm machine gun into a ruthless meat grinder. And so, after six minutes of sustained fire, the last combatant from the opposing column finally fell to the ground. While observing hundreds of bodies lying on the puddle of their bloods, Captain Murphy said, ¡°Stay frosty, they may only scout elements before the real retreat attempt." ¡°¡±¡±Aye Sir,¡±¡±¡± every personnel around Captain Murphy calmly replied. --- ¡®FUCK!!!¡¯ Dark clouds filled Count Issak''s face to the brim as he observed the underground tunnel¡¯s map on the table, or to be precise, the location where the tunnel branched to Levsait and Raisait. ''I knew they had insanely high-level technology, but how could they find the underground tunnel¡¯s weakest point in such a short time, and then wipe out the incoming reinforcement in one go.¡¯ The more he contemplated the situation he was facing, the more wrinkled appeared on Count Issak''s forehead. It was natural as shortly after the element that attacked Buriek Guard Area and Tuscan Guard Area were wiped out, the reinforcement he was waiting for also met with similar fate. Then, as Count Issak sighed deeply to calm his mind, one of his staff officers came to him. From hesitation in the staff officer''s eyes, Count Issak could guess that the report he brought was not good news. ¡°Spill it, what is it?¡± ordered Count Issak. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Sir, we lost the squadron we sent to secure the breaching in the underground tunnel.¡± ¡°So, we can''t call our element in Raisait to regroup here, or retreat to first camp." ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± In an instant, Count Issak felt that the burden on his shoulders became ten times heavier. "Sir, it''s no longer possible to continue our offensive, but we still have enough personnel and supply to defend tunnel under our control." The staff officer paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°We should take shelter over there before it¡¯s too late, and then let¡¯s hope the first camp manages to build up sufficient reinforcement to destroy the blockade in the tunnel and link-up with us.¡± TF Amethyst had shown their ruthless determination by destroying their own infrastructures in order to wipe out elements that attacked Buriek Guard Area. Therefore,it was only a matter of time before the same tactic descended on Logistic and Support Area. After closing his eyes for a moment, Count Issak then said, "It¡¯s a feasible idea. However, will TF Amethyst let us execute it?¡± ¡°I believe they won¡¯t let us go easily, but they just send a message to propose a temporary cease fire so Viscount Issel can personally offer you an option to surrender." "Are you sure Viscount Issel comes to offer me an option to surrender?" ¡°Yes, Sir, I already confirmed it twice. He was waiting for you at the empty field 100 meters from our outer line and was only escorted by an iron carriage driver." Deep surprise was clearly visible on Count Issak''s face, but only for a moment before being replaced by a steel determination. "Let''s exploit it to the fullest then. Pull back our elements into underground tunnel while I meet Viscount Issel." ¡°At once, Sir,¡± Once the staff officer left him, Count Issak rushed to wash his face and tidy up his clothes. Not forgetting, he also wore his luxury fur mantle that symbolizes his status as a noble. In short, he did everything to make sure that he would carry his pride and dignity in the meeting with Viscount Issel. ¡ª A moment after he got a reply for his request to meet with Count Issak, Viscount Issel received an update from command center that the opposing side showed a sign of conducting a massive retreat into underground tunnel. Then, thirty minutes later Viscount Issel saw two figures approaching his position. The first figure wore luxury and glamor clothes. He also walked with steady steps and a high lifted chin. With ease Viscount Issel recognised this figure. He was Count Isak, and behind him was captain of his personal guards. After seeing Count Issak shamelessly showing off his empty superiority, the negative sentiment in Viscount Issel''s heart immediately soared to the sky. Fortunately, Viscount Issel managed to put aside his feelings and then hardened his resolve to persuade Count Issak to surrender. As soon as Count Issak arrived two steps before him, with a friendly tone Viscount Issel greeted him, "Count Issak, we meet again.¡± ¡°Yes, we do.¡± Count Issak slightly nodded three times, and then calmly said, ¡°I hear you want to offer me the term of surrendering." A steel determination flashed in Viscount Issel eyes as he said, ¡°Yes, I do, and considering that we are old acquaintances, I will put my life to preserve your dignity in the process.¡± ¡°On what term?¡± ¡°Total surrender.¡± After silence for a moment, Count Issak asked, "Do my elements in Raisait also receive the same offer?" ¡°Yes, and they had already agreed to surrender when I''m on my way here." A big lie slipped out from Viscount Issel''s lips, but fortunately Count Issak had no way to confirm it. ¡°Give me three hours to discuss it with my men.¡± In an instant, Viscount Issel shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Count Issak, you should decide now or never.¡± ¡°Then I will fight to the last man.¡± ¡°Count Issak, right now, your men are no different from a big school of fish inside a small barrel. TF Amethyst will slaughter them in one breath of time." ¡°I know, but it¡¯s better that way rather than Prince Makar''s wrath descending on my family due to my cowardice." Wasting no time, Viscount Issel used his tablet to show Count Isak a certain building in the Battle Group A''s First Camp. ¡°We have confirmed Prince Makar''s exact location. If you refuse to surrender, we will launch a surgical attack on his war strategy room. A single round of high-power artillery shells is all we need to eliminate him and his high-born officers." Hesitation immediately appeared in Count Issak''s eyes, but only for a moment before he firmly said, "TF Amethyst wouldn¡¯t dare. Killing a prince will make Kingdom of Makai declare TF Amethyst as an eternal enemy, and the two will fight to the last drop of blood. However, based on the assessment to their previous conflict with Northern Coalition, Makai Intelligence Service had solid conclusion that TF Amethyst will avoid that scenario." ¡°I doubt it.¡± A thin smile bloomed in Viscount Issel¡¯s lips before he calmly continued, ¡°I believe Makai Intelijen Service already sniffed TF Amethyst intention on Makai Royal City. As they deliberately leaked several pieces of information regarding the attack. So I will help you to confirm it. Next week, TF Amethyst will launch the attack under callsign Tiger Leap. And actually, even before the versus contact occurred, TF Amethyst had hardened their resolve to neutralize threats from Kingdom of Makai for once and forever. They will not even hesitate to erase Kingdom of Makai from the map if situation demands it. And so, killing one or two princes in the process is only a natural course of action for them.¡± Gulp!! Unconsciously, Count Issak swallowed his saliva hard. As someone who knew Viscount Issel quite well, he was fully aware that Viscount Issel was an honest person with a simple personality. In short, he was the type that didn''t know how to scheme or lie. So he easily believed Viscount Issel''s words. However, Count Issak couldn''t just surrender. ¡°Viscount Issel, if what you say is true, then it¡¯s the more reason for me not to surrender and help TF Amethyst ease their war effort. For your information, I still have eight thousand loyal and ready to die combatants." ¡°Well¡­¡± Viscount Issel took one step closer to Count Issak as he whispered, ¡°If Prince Makar dies, then you will lose your protector. No matter the final result of the war between TF Amethyst and Kingdom of Makai, you will become one of scapegoats for the failure of the attack attempt at Levsait. However, if Prince Makar survives while authority in Makai Royal City gets crushed until beyond recognition, then he will have a good chance to seize the throne. And like I said, I will help you preserve your dignity. TF Amethyst will even make a false statement regarding the loss they suffered, in order to describe how great the damage you bring in the offensive on Levsait. That way, the general public will not be willing to see that the only figure who is able to make TF Amethyst spill their blood is receiving punishment because he tried to save the life of his remaining loyal and brave subordinates. In short, we will make you into an iconic hero who almost defeated the undefeated TF Amethyst.¡± After slightly snorting, Count Issak said, ¡°You talk as if TF Amethyst is a God of War. Even though they have a very high technology level and insane military capability, attacking Makai Royal City and crushing it into pieces is not an easy feat. There is a very long corridor that they have to form and secure before they can launch a substantial offensive on Makai Royal City." ¡°What you said is true. At first, I also have my own doubt.¡± Viscount Issel paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°However, the longer I interact with members of TF Amethyst, the more I''m sure that the most dangerous aspect of TF Amethyst is not their unparalleled technology level, but the mindset of their members. In summary, even if TF Amethyst''s technology is on a similar level or even slightly lower than Kingdom of Makai, I will still bet my money on them.¡± "It seems you have an unmeasurable confidence in TF Amethyst." "I do." After contemplating for a while, Count Issak asked, "Do you really only ask me to surrender and not to become TF Amethyst''s spy?" Viscount Issel firmly nodded. ¡°Yes, after TF Amethyst finishes with Makai Royal City, I believe Kingdom of Makai will think a thousand times before starting a second conflict with TF Amethyst. At that time, even if you are not our spy, I''m sure you will gladly choose friendship over hostility.¡± ¡°I see.¡± And as he sighed, Count Issak dejectedly muttered, ¡®So it had come to this.¡¯ In the end, Count Issak decided to surrender and Viscount Issel fulfilled his promises. Every single one of POW got humane treatment without tarnishing their dignity. The only assignment given to the POW was to help the identification and burial for their fallen comrades. Not long after that, the element that attacked Raisait also surrendered. This surrender marked the end of Battle Group A''s offensive on Levsait and Raisait. ***** TFA2 14.1 – Combat Freefall When viewed from above, Bluefin Naval Station looked no different from an inland small sea with a fairly long coastline. And now, almost all coastlines in Bluefin were on massive reconstruction, as initial step in construction of shipyard, maintenance facilities, docking port, and Main HQ of Amphibious Ready Group. The only area which was free from the hustle and bustle of reconstruction work was the HQ of Frogman Platoon. However, Frogman Platoon was not entirely free of activities. After receiving a notification that Levsait and Raisait were under tunnel attack, Captain Kasino immediately alert all frogmen who did not in duty to be getting ready as QRF element. But then, the mission the Frogman Platoon received was far different from what they expected. Inside the briefing room which was basically a large hut made of palm tree''s leaf and trunk, 37 frogmen gathered to receive briefing from Major Fritz through a teleconference. "This is Geko-01." Major Fritz said as he pointed a picture of Buriek Navy''s cruiser. "We had already confirmed that Prince Portho and Duke Fogel are leading Battle Group B from this cruiser, and your objective is to bring home this two high value targets. Based on aerial surveillance, I predict there are around 400-600 elite combatant in Geko-01, including two dozens Makai Royal Bodyguards who will guard Prince Portho with their life. Feel free to neutralize these combatants in the most effective and efficient means you can employ. However, there are also around 50-100 human shields in Geko-01. Most of them are women and children. So, if possible please don¡¯t kill them.¡± After Major Fritz gave him a signal, Captain Kasino immediately added, ¡°Instead of snatch and grab, we will hijack Geko-01 and bring it into nearest Buriek Navy''s forward station. As Geko-01''s location is too far for LCAC, SDV, or patrol boat, our only option to reach it is by combat freefall from Hercules. And so, if the opposing side refused to surrender even after we had secured Prince Portho, then we had no choice but to kill him then fight until the last men. Any question?" Sergeant Murrel immediately raised his hand, and after Major Fritz gave him permission, he immediately asked, ¡°Why don''t we wait until Geko-01 enters into combat range of our LCAC, patrol boat, or SDV?" ¡°Simply because we have to stop Battle Group B''s offensive before their carriers arrived at the effective distance for scramble their Riders, or to be precise 400 km off the Sandhur''s coastline," replied Major Fritz. After a moment of silence, Lieutenant Kidd raised his hand, "Say we failed to achieve our objective and get killed to the last men, what would command center do then?" One of the frogmen immediately rolled his eyes before saying, ¡°LT, please don¡¯t jinx us.¡± ¡°Well, we must get ready for the worst outcome," Lieutenant Kidd casually said. After taking a deep breath, Major Fritz said, ¡°In case you fail, Reaper will drop GBU-16 Paveway II on Geko-01, and if this action does not stop Battle Group B''s advance, we will sink their carrier ship along with their main surface combatant, even if they are protected by human shields. We estimates, around 4-6 thousand human shields will become victims of this airstrike. Perhaps, most of you doesn''t care with the fate of this innocent people, and even asks why cmmand center send you into high-risk mission in order to avoid some collateral lost. I will not try to make you understand the moral reason behind this operation. I can only say, if any of you doesn''t want to execute this mission, please feel free to refuse it. Chief Nate already gave his consent that only volunteer to be selected for this mission and there is no consequence for anyone who rejects it. ¡°Well, you already heard it. So let¡¯s decide who will execute this stupid mission." Captain Kasino paused for a moment before continued, ¡°Anyone whose brain is still able to think clearly, please leave this hut and continued to stand by as QRF element." Captain Kasino and Major Fritz then patiently waited. At the meanwhile, some frogmen leisurely chatted, some others yawn silently, while most of them continued ate their snack. However, not a single one of frogmen left the hut. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Three minutes later, Captain Kasino said, "Well, it''s seem too often playing scuba in the depth has damaged your brain." """"Aye Sir.""" In an instant, every single one of frogmen in the hut cheerfully replied. Wasting no time, Captain Kasino then chose 24 jumpers while the rest of the volunteer took the role as backup personnel. ¡ª On October 7, 1985, an Italian ocean liner MS Achille Lauro was highjacked by four men representing PLO. To resolve the situation, Seal Team Six offered an option to conduct air insertion. By using Combat Freefall, Seal Team Six''s personnel would land on MS Achille then secure the ship and neutralize the hijacker. However, the plan never got the opportunity to be executed. Even so, it inspired Detachment Jalamangkara, an Indonesian Navy counter terrorist unit to develop similar skill. To hone their combat freefall and the accuracy of landing, Detachment Jalamangkara''s personnel uses a roof of a Land Rover as a target. When the jumper have been adept at landed on top of Land Rover parked in the middle of the field, they tried to land on the roof of Land Rover moving at speed of 5 km/h, then the Land Rover speed was increased to 10 km/h, and finally 20 km/h. When he was appointed as CO of Frogman Platoon, Captain Kasino immediately submitted a training program to maintain the skill he got when he was a member of Detachment Jalamangkara. Without difficulty, most of Platoon Frogman¡¯s personnel were able to land accurately on the roof of Humvee moving at a speed of 10 km/h. Problem and some light accidents only occurred when the humvee speed was increased to 20 km/h. However, Platoon Frogman¡¯s personnel basically were a freak who would gladly welcome any challenge. In the end, they do not only managed to land accurately on top of Humvee moving at speed of 20 km/h, they could even do it on a Humvee moving at speed of 30 km/h. And finally, they got the opportunity to employ their freaking skills on a real mission. As the strong and cold wind hit his face, Captain Kasino focused his attention on Geko-01. Compared to Buriek Navy''s cruiser, it was slightly bigger and longer. However, from an altitude of 6000 feet, Geko-01 only appeared as big as a fingernail. Under the dark of night sky and among tight formations of more than a thousand of ships, it would be rather difficult for the jumpers to determine the exact location of Geko-01. But fortunately, an engineer from Logistic and Support Group managed to invent a practical methode of target designation. By using specifically designed targeting laser that could be seen by NVG, Reaper would marked the landing point to guide the jumpers. This methode worked out very well on the trainings and it was also working very well tonight. ¡®Tonight the sky is covered by thick and black clouds, so they will only realize our arrival when the first person landed,'' Captain Kasino muttered as he adjust his ''flying'' path. His target was rooftop of Geko-01''s bridge and he had to approached it from left. Then, as he got the right path and approaching the right altitude to open the parachute, Captain Kasino''s heart suddenly skipped for a few beats as he remembered that on the last combat freefall his parachute didn''t deploy perfectly. After jumping from Hercules, a jumper would fall with a terminal velocity of 128 miles/h if his or her posture was belly-to-earth figure. In this manner, slamming into surface of water was no different from slamming into surface of concrete. Meanwhile, Captain Kasino had to minimize the resitance due to air friction while employ vertical or forward thrust to reaching the landing zone. In this fashion, the terminal velocity would increase up to 200 miles/h. And so, unless his parachute bloomed perfectly or at least bloomed halfway and gave him some kind of brake to reduce the terminal velocity of his flying, it could be concluded that Captain Kasino would land in afterlife. The end. Fortunately, Captain Kasino felt a stong yank as his parachute bloomed perfectly. Without difficulty, he then approached Geko-01''s bridge from the left, followed by turning sharply and perfoming the hook and break maneuver. And finally, with a gentle step Captain Kasino''s right foot landed on the roof of Geko-01''s bridge from behind. Swiftly, Captain Kasino released his parachute and let the wind took it into sea. Then, he reached for his Scorpion Evo-3 strapped in his left thigh and took prone position on the edge of the bridge''s rooftop. Somehow, the sailors, footbowmen, and ballista crews on the Geko-01''s deck were not aware of Captain Kasino''s arrival. Some of them only looked up towards the bridge''s rooftop after sailors from other cruisers shouted while pointed their finger over there. Unfortunately, it¡¯s already too late as five frogmen behind Captain Kasino already landed and took firing position next to Captain Kasino. ¡°Weapons free!¡± Ordered Captain Kasino as he shifted the safety lever on his Scorpion Evo-3 into semi-auto. Ta-tatar! T-ta-tataarrr! Ra-tatataaarrr!! Geko-01 had a shape like cargo ships on earth, where the bridge was towering high in the rear. Therefore, Captain Kasino and frogmen in charge of securing the dropping point had a perfect field of view for shooter. They only had to point the targeting laser into hostile''s center mass followed by a quick double tap. In an instant, a systematic massacre descended on Geko-01''s deck. At the same time, bowmen from cruisers on each side of Geko-01 tried to loose arrow at Captain Kasino and his men. However, two frogmen were three second faster in rained down their position with tear gas fired from HK M320 Grenade Launcher. It was easy to conclude that Captain Kasino and his men were unstoppable, at the initial versus contact at least. ***** Note: SDV: Seal Delivery Vehicle. It¡¯s basically a mini-sub. Frogman Platoon using the version with three crews, capacity up to 12 fully equipped frogmen, and combat radius up to 260 km in a calm sea. TFA2 14.2 – Pressing Forward At All Cost Because the combat freefall was conducted at night, the jumpers did not have to worry that the opposing side would detect their arrival and send Rider to welcome them. So the jump was executed from an altitude of 6000 feet. At this altitude, the jumpers did not need additional oxygen. Even so, the jump remains a complex operation as the frogmen had to be ready to engage as soon as they landed. Therefore, the first six frogmen in charge of securing landing zones jumped with equipment as simple as possible. They also carried a limited ammunition to maintain their ability in maneuvering the parachutes. Meanwhile, as versus contact broke out on Gekko-01, bowmen and ballista crews from other ships immediately realized that some frogmen were still hanging in the air, waiting to be shot down. Wasting no time, the bowmen and ballista crews filled the night sky with everything they had. And they were very good at it as they had been trained to shoot down Riders who dare to fly below an altitude of 900 feet. ¡®That was too close!!¡¯ Lieutenant Kidd¡¯s heart skipped a few beats as a flight of arrows and ballista passed by only a few meters in front of his face. Without delay, he then adjusted his control. In an instant, the speed of his forward thrust spiked and Geko-01 rapidly became bigger. And finally, he managed to land safely right behind Captain Kasino''s team It was rather a rough and heavy landing, but Lieutenant Kidd managed to land on both of his feet. He then knelt behind Captain Kasino and put a bag full of loaded magazines, high-frag grenades, and flashbang next to his knee. ¡°Top, your ammo.¡± ¡°Thanks, right on time,¡± Captain Kasino replied as he inserted his last magazine, then continued to eliminate hostiles on the deck, especially the bowmen, as fast as he could. As for Lieutenant Kidd, he waited for his team members to land while calmly observing the situation. After a single glance, he immediately concluded that the situation slowly went into an unwanted direction. Two frogmen from Captain Kasino''s team already had an arrow on their shoulder. Meanwhile, hostiles continued to pour out from cabin below the deck like a flood. At the same time, two cruisers next to Geko-01 had been successful in closing in their distance and laid a walkway as a means for their combatants to cross over. And the worst part was that the wind was too strong. It swept away tear gas in the deck before it could give the desired effect on the next swarm of hostile. In short, no matter how fast Captain Kasino''s team tried to eliminate the incoming hostile, their number kept increasing. Then, suddenly a thundering cheer was heard from some distance. A sign that the effort to shoot down the ''hanging'' frogmen bore one or some fruits. A moment later, command center sent an unwanted notification. [Command to All Frogmen, be advised, we lost Third Team.] . . . . [Command to All Frogmen, I say again, we lost the whole third team.] Even so, Lieutenant Kidd and Captain Kasino¡¯s team did not panic or shock. There was nothing they could do to help the unfortunate Third Team. They have their own mission to carry out without delay. Moreover, from the beginning they fully realized that their mission was not a picnic into a nice and friendly park. One, some, or even all of the frogmen could be killed or wiped out by the opposing side. There was nothing surprising regarding the worst possible outcome. However, as long as they were still breathing, the frogmen would try to complete their objective at any cost. And finally, all member of Lieutenant Kidd¡¯s team safely landed. After they handed over their additional ammo-bags to Captain Kasino¡¯s team, Lieutenant Kidd immediately said, ¡°Top, second team is full house and ready for second phase.¡± ¡±Copy,¡± Captain Kasino replied calmly. Lieutenant Kidd and his team then make a preparation for a fast rappelling. A moment later, under the covering fire from Captain Kasino''s team, Lieutenant Kidd led his men rappelling down to Geko-01¡¯s bridge. Their objective was to seize control of Geko-01''s bridge. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. --- As the frogmen who jumped last, Sergeant Murrel and his team had one small advantage. They could use IR Strobe attached on the shoulder of frogmen in front of them as a guidance. Of course, being the last jumper also had its own risk. They had to be ready to receive a nasty greeting from the opposing side when they were still hanging in the air. From his position, Sergeant Murrel could saw how the first salvo of footbow and ballista almost hit Lieutenant Kidd¡¯s team. The salvo just missed a few meters before Lieutenant Kidd''s team''s position. Fortunately, Lieutenant Kidd¡¯s team managed to land on Geko-01''s bridge before the second salvo was ready. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Sullivan''s team was not that lucky. The whole team entered the kill zone right when the second salvo was launched. As a result, rain of arrows and ballista bolts penetrated their body and their parachute. Then, they rapidly losing altitude as their parachute fly uncontrollably Four frogmen landed on the water and immediately sank, dragged down by their parachute. Their IR Strobe blinked for a moment before slowly became faint and then gone. A sign that their body had reached the deepest part of the sea. As for the other two frogmen, they crashed into a deck of a destroyer. They used their handgun to give a final fight. However, before they managed to insert a second magazine, arrows had rained down their body for a second time. The two frogmen immediately slumped to the deck and stopped moving, while the opposing side shouted a thundering cheers. ¡®Rest in peace, Brothers,¡¯ muttered Sergeant Murrel. Fortunately, Sergeant Murrel and his team still had an altitude to slightly change their flight path. So they managed to avoid the killing zone and landed on Geko-01¡¯s bridge before the opposing side¡¯s footbowmen and ballista crew had the correct aim. Once all of his team members landed, Sergeant Murrel immediately kneeled next to Captain Kasino. ¡°Capt, Fourth Team is full house and good to go.¡± ¡°Can you take over Third Team¡¯s objective?¡± asked Captain Kasino. ¡°We can.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Captain Kasino looked at Sergeant Murrel deeply as he continued, ¡°Remember, we don¡¯t have enough ammo to search the whole ship. So don¡¯t let the HVT escape from the war strategy room.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± ¡°Go get them then. My team will try to open a path.¡± ¡°Aye Capt.¡± Wasting no time, Sergeant Murrel¡¯s team made a quick check for the rappeling line left by Lieutenant Kidd''s team. After making sure everything was safe, they immediately attached it to a sling at their waist. Then, Captain Kasino¡¯s and three frogmen from First Team threw all of their flashbang and high-frag grenades. And while chaos descended on the Geko-01¡¯s deck, Sergeant Murrel''s team immediately jumped and rappelled down the 12 meters high bridge''s wall. On the way to the deck, Sergeant Murrel''s team passed the bridge that was just raided by Lieutenant Kidd''s team. It was only a glance, but Sergeant Murrel could see that the raid was success. ¡®We have to hurry,'' muttered Sergeant Murrel as his legs smoothly landed on the bridge''s wall, and after a light kick his body continued to slide down to the deck. Once they arrived on the deck, Sergeant Murrel and his team immediately reached out for their Scorpion Evo. However, most of the hostiles on the deck were seriously injured by high-frag grenade or were still affected by flashbang. Only a small numbers of swordsmen tried to approach Sergeant Murrel''s team. With ease, Sergeant Murrel''s team eliminated this small group. Without delay, Sergeant Murrel¡¯s team then continued their movement in formations of two pointmen, two strikers, and two rearguards. Initially, their objective was to secure the engine room. But fortunately, every team had already memorized Geko-01''s structure as if it was their bedroom. Without difficulty, Sergeant Murrel¡¯s team found their way. Less than three minutes after they set foot on the deck, they already walked down the steps towards the main corridor connected to the war strategy room''s main door. It was heavily guarded, but Sergeant Murrel¡¯s team continued pressing forward with steady steps. ¡°Contact front!!¡± shouted one of the pointmen as he shifted the safety lever on his Scorpion Evo into semi-auto, followed by a series of well controlled squeeze to the trigger. Bang! Bang! Ba-b-babababanng!!! At a distance up to 27 meters, every special mission unit in TF Amethyst would be able to score a perfect headshot as easy as breathing. Platoon Frogmen was not an exception to this standard. On earth, perhaps it was not considered as a special skill, as many other special mission units adopted similar standards. However, in front of oppositions who use sword and spear as their main weapon, inside a single line corridor, and with a proper distance to initiate the engagement, CQB skill would turn a shooter into a killing machine. Then, as the two pointmen conducted their rapid massacre to the closest hostiles, Sergeant Murrel gave a hand signal to the second striker next to him. Without delay, the striker reached out for a flashbang from one of his pouches, swiftly took the safety pin, and then threw the flashbangs as far as possible while shouting, ¡°Flash out!¡± Blaaarrrr! In an instant, hostiles in the far back dropped their weapon, and then fell to their knee as they clutched their head. With the combination of quick headshot and constant flashbang toss, Sergeant Murrel¡¯s team suppressed and wiped out every resistance in the corridor unchallenged. It was like an afternoon walk in the park while leisurely sucking a lollipop. ***** TFA2 14.3 – A Fatal Mistake BR-BRAA-BRAARR-BRAAAAARRRRRR!!! Almost at the same time, six glass windows on Geko-01''s bridge were suddenly broke into pieces. Followed by Lieutenant Kidd''s team who swiftly landed on the floor. Wasting no time, Lieutenant Kidd¡¯s team then pulled their Scorpion Evo, shifted the safety lever into three-round burst, and secure their sector. ¡°Down to the floor, hand on the back, or you will have new holes on the chest." Lieutenant Kidd tried his best to give a serious warning. However, words were not enough most of the time. Two officers in the bridge couldn¡¯t help but followed their combat instinct. As soon as they saw six men in black clothes and black headcover landed inside the bridge, they immediately drew their shortsword, and then moved towards Lieutenant Kidd with a swift steps. BA-BABANG! BA-BABANG! Without a warning, a frogmen gave the two officers a three-round burst on the chest. As the result, the two officers tumbled to the floor on their second step. At the same time, four guards entered the bridges. Two from the main door and two from a small door in the left corner. However, two frogmen already expected their arrival. B-BA-BANG! BA-BABANG! BA-BABABANG!! Before the incoming guards had a chance to understand the situation, a series of quick but well controlled three-round burst welcomed them in the chest first. And so, the incoming guards fell to the floor and arrived in after life. The two frogmen then casually walked to each door, locking it, and stood guard next to it. ¡°Well,¡± Lieutenant Kidd looked at the remaining bridge¡¯s personnel as he continued. ¡°Gentlemen, listen carefully, your life is not our main objective, but I will not reluctant to take it if you don¡¯t know how to cherish it. Do you understand?¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡±Yes,¡±¡±¡±¡± some of the bridge¡¯s personnel replied weakly, while some others firmly nodded their head a few times. ¡°Good. Now, down to the floor, hand on the back, please.¡± This time, the bridge''s personnel immediately got down to the floor as if their life was depended on it. Well, to be frank, their life was really depended on it. Wasting no time, two frogmen processed the bridge''s personnel. Cable tie on their wrist and ankle, black duct tape on their mouth, and black bag on their head. Only three people escaped the special treatment. The captain, the navigator, and the crystal communication¡¯s operator. Lieutenant Kidd deeply looked at the three before saying, ¡°Mr. Captain, Mr. Navigator and Mr. Crystal, you can go back to your station and wait for further instruction. However, please refrain your self from any action that will give my men a good reason to add new holes on your body.¡± ¡°¡±Y-yes, Sir,¡±¡± Mr. Navigator and Mr. Crystal replied with a slightly shaking voice, while Mr. Captain silently returned to his command seat. In less than five minutes, Lieutenant Kidd¡¯s team managed to bag the whole bridge. They were not only one minute earlier than the schedule, but also secured the essential personnel to operate Geko-01. It was a satisfying result. However, the mission was far from finished. Wasting no time, Lieutenant Kidd pressed PTT button in his left chest. ¡°Second to Top, do you copy?¡± [Loud and clear, go ahead, Second.] ¡°Bridge is secure, I say again, bridge is secure.] [Any casualty?] ¡°Negative.¡± [Copy, we will coming down in second.] ¡°Roger.¡± --- Overall, Captain Kasino''s team was staying in the bridge''s rooftop for only 12 minutes. However, in those fairly short time, the opposing side''s bowmen managed to score 2-4 arrow hits on each frogmen. Fortunately, there were no fatality even if the wounds would greatly affect the frogmen combat effectiveness. And now, after their wounds were treated, the wounded frogmen sat in one corner while leisurely munching chocolate bar or drinking energy drink, as if they were on a picnic. At the same time, Captain Kasino and Lieutenant Kidd observed the situation on the deck from one of the window. ¡°Well, this ship is surely a lively place,¡± Captain Kasino calmly said as hundreds of hostiled from the fourth cruiser started to board on Geko-01¡¯s deck. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lieutenant Kidd then turned his gaze to Captain Kasino¡¯s team, and looked at two frogmen with four arrow wounds as he continued, ¡°Their mobility and reaction time will go downhill.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°Top, how about you hand over the next objective to second team. My team is still fresh and fit.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Well, your team will get it if my team fail. As for now, let¡¯s stick to the plan.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Silence then enveloped the two frogmen¡¯s officers, until finally Captain Kasino received a radio calling from Sergeant Muller. [Fourth to Top, do you read me?] ¡°I read you, Fourth, go ahead.] [Top, we are in position, but hostile are rapidly building their numbers up, right in our tail. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they pressing forward with everything they have.] ¡°Copy, give me 50 second, if after that my team fail to arrived at the designated position, you can breach the war strategy room.¡± ¡°Randu, Fourth over and out.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Kasino¡¯s team then make a quick preparation. Each frogmen ensured their magazine and grenade pouches were fully filled. Then, they took position in a single line next to the small door in the left corner. Behind the small door was a stair which directly connected to the war strategy room¡¯s side door, and intel from IDG suggested that the stair was heavily guarded. However, Captain Kasino¡¯s team did not show any hesitation. Wasting no time, they started the sequence for dynamic entry. ¡°Ready?¡± asked one of rearguards to the pointmen in low voice. ¡°Set," whispered the pointment. Wasting no time, Captain Kasino then ordered, ¡°Execute, execute, execute!!¡± The rear guard immediately opened the small door, the pointmen then stepped in with steady steps, followed by three strikers, and two read guards. A second later, gun fires were started to be heard continuesly for about twenty second. Then, it was a total silence. --- When he heard that some hostiles suddenly landed on the bridge¡¯s rooftop and then conducted a massacre, the first thing that popped up in Prince Portho¡¯s mind was, ¡®What are they up to?¡¯ Their number too little to take over Geko-01. Moreover, they landed on a position that gave them a great advantage for their weapon, but sealed their movement. And as bowmen immediately engaged them, it was only a matter of time before these hostiles getting wiped out. ¡®Or are they just a diversion?¡¯ As Prince Portho tried to consider the most possible scenario, a staff officer suddenly reported, ¡°Your Highness, Ser Duke, our guest just breaching the bridge.¡± Question mark instantly filled Prince Portho''s forehead to the brim, as the bridge were located five meters under it''s rooftop and there was no stair to connect the two places. "How did they do that?" Before the staff officer replied, Duke Fogel asked him a second question first, ¡°Did they make a hole on the roof?" ¡°No, they use a thin rope to go down and enter the bridge through the window. Our bowmen did not expect this move, so they failed to intercept it." As he frowned, Duke Fogel asked, ¡°They using a thin rope to go down?¡± ¡°Yes, Ser Duke, and our personnel reported that they are really good at it. Their movement are swift and precise.¡± ¡°Is that so? Did TF Amethyst recruit circus performers and turned them into combatants?¡± As the staff officer fell silent because he didn''t know how to answer, Prince Portho said, ¡°Uncle, it seems like we still underestimate TF Amethyst¡¯s offensive capability.¡± ¡°Yes, we do,¡± Duke Fogel openly admitted, and then he continued in a serious tone, ¡°Moreover, it''s possible that the target of this small but highly-trained unit is you.¡± Without delay, the staff officer immediately suggested, ¡°Ser Duke, maybe we should evacuate Prince Portho before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°No!¡± Prince Portho firlmy said. ¡°Let¡¯s bait them to come over here. No matter how well trained these people or how deadly their weapon, in a tight space our combatan will be able to outnumber and suppress them.¡± ¡°This is also a good chance to show TF Amethyst that we have enough gut to welcome their elite unit,¡± Duke Fogel firmly stated his agreement. As two highest leader in Battle Group B had made their final decision, in the end the staff officer couldn¡¯t say anything other than carried out the order. And turned out, it was a fatal mistake. As twenty minutes later, the uninvited guest had managed to slaughter their way and arrived before the war strategy room''s door. ¡®How in the world did these bastards do it in a such short time?¡¯ muttered Prince Portho as he nervously looked at the main door and side door alternately. The two doors to the war strategy room were heavily barred using tables, huge cabinet, and other furnitures. Even so, Prince Portho could not get rid of the bad feeling that tightly gripped his heart. Then, suddenly, for whatever the reason, the uninvited guesses decided to make some contact. Knock-knock! Knock knock knock!! As gentle knocks were heard from the main door, every Makai Royal Guard in war strategy room immediately tighten their grip on their shortsword or crossbow. ¡°Hello, good night, anybody home?¡± . . . ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, we have cookies, please open the door.¡± . . . ¡°Prince Portho, Duke Fogel, we know you are inside. Just surrender nicely, We aren''t coming to rape you or such." After snorting in anger, Duke Fogel immediately shouted a reply, ¡°Shut the hell up, just come in and get us if you have the guts.¡± Actually, Duke Fogel¡¯s reply helped the frogmen to predict his location, and they didn¡¯t waste it. ¡°As you wish, Buddy.¡± . . . ¡°Please stay back, we don¡¯t want you to get hurt accidentaly.¡± . . . ¡°Ready? Three, two, one¡­¡± BOOOOM!! As every single one of people in the war strategy room focused their attention to the main door, the side door suddenly exploded. The small door and the heavy furnitures which blocked it, in an instant turned into wood chips and wood dust that blasted into the room. Then, six men in black clothes and black head cover entered the war strategy room. Their steps were steady while their hands firmly directed their weapon to anyone they considered targets to be eliminated. Bang bang! Ba-bang! Ba-babababang!!! Prince Portho could not see what had happened as wood dust accidentally entered his eyes. He could only hear continues loud ¡®Bang!¡¯ that made his heart repeatedly skipped for a few beat. And when he finally able to see again, he was immediately greeted by dead bodies thay laid motionlessly on top of puddle of blood. The only people who still breathing and stood in their place were the one who didn¡¯t drew their weapon. Then, one of the men in black clothes opened his head cover as he walked to him. As he stood before him, the men said, "Kasino, Captain of TF Amethyst Frogmen Platoon. Prince Portho, let''s have a nice talk." ***** Side Note: Randu: Received AND Understood TFA2 15.1 – The Fallen With a complicated expression Prince Portho looked at Captain Kasino, the man who just asked him to voluntarily became a prisoner of war and stopped Battle Group B''s Offensive. In short, he had to trade his chance to seize the throne with his life. It took a whole three minutes before Prince Portho finally managed to calm the turmoil in his heart. Then, he said, ¡°Captain, you and your men did so well, so far. However, right now, your only option is to kill me or become my prisoner. And I can promise you one thing. Even if your unit had killed a lot of my combatant, no harm will come to you and your men while you all becomes my guest." Captain Kasino casually replied, ¡°Well, coincidentally, I and my men are ready to die if Your Highness Prince Portho refuse to surrender." ¡°Really? Is your unit some kind of suicide squad?¡± ¡°Sort of.¡± After silent for a while, Captain Kasino continued, "However, I will try to bring my men home alive, if it''s possible." ¡°Do you have other option to offer?¡± asked Prince Portho. ¡°My offer remains as it is. Your surrender, Your Higness.¡± As he took out his tablet, Captain Kasino continued, ¡°But please listen to my explanation before you make a decision." It was quite difficult for Prince Portho to let go of the chance to win the throne. But in the end, compared to his life the throne no longer looked as good as it should. At least, he was still a prince if he lived, and he could enjoy his commensurate lifestyle as long as he did not show hostility to anyone who managed to win the throne. After taking a deep breath, Prince Portho immediately said, ¡°Let me hear it then.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± Without delay, Captain Kasino showed Prince Portho the aerial footage around Geko-01. Followed by the remaining Battle Group B''s strength in their nearest forward stations. The footage was very clear and detail. To the point it made Prince Portho stammered for some time. With ease, Prince Portho understood why TF Amethyst was really good at conducting night attack. ¡®Under the darkness of the night, they have a landslide tactical advantage,¡¯ muttered Prince Portho as unconsciously he swallowed his saliva. Turned out, the intel from Makai Intelligence Service regarding TF Amethyst''s night vision capability was like a description of a lake, when in reality it was a vast ocean. And as he saw the shock on Prince Portho¡¯s face, Captain Kasino immediately explained, ¡°Your Higness, if you refuse to surrender, then TF Amethyst will launch air strike to other ships in this convoy. And even If, let¡¯s say, my team fail to escape, then we will kill you and all people in this ship before fight to the last men. After that, TF Amethyst will launch the second wave of attack on your remaining fleet in the three nearest forward station. In short, TF Amethyst will eliminate you along with Battle Group B''s combat element.¡± ¡°However,¡± In a single glance, Prince Portho immediately saw the direction of Captain Kasino''s explanation. "If I surrender and Battle Group B go into stand down, then I will still have my men and the remaining military resource.¡± ¡°Yes, when the war is over and you returned to Kingdom of Makai, some of them will definitely show you their gratitude for saving their lives. They will still following you even if you are a former prisoner of war.¡± In a regretful tone, Prince Portho replied, ¡°Even so, only a small number of my follower will be remains loyal to me. Human is greedy and ungrateful by nature. Most of my follower is likely to be joining my brothers." ¡°Maybe, but it''s hard for me to imagine how that scenario will come into reality." Seeing Captain Kasino confidently expressed his view, Prince Portho immediately asked, ¡°Captain, why do you think so?¡± ¡°Because right now, both Battle Group A and Battle Group C had already lost their capacity as a combat unit. What is left of them is only their command element and logistic element. They practically lost almost all of their combat element.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± As Prince Portho looked at him with widened eyes and hanging mouth, Captain Kasino added, ¡°In this war, Kingdom of Makai is not under a life threatening circumstances. Meaning, losing almost all of combat elements in this war is a fatal mistake. Therefore, I believed most of noble families will not let their remaining younger generation to join an incompetent leader." Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Captain Kasino then showed Prince Portho the footages that backed his words. Starting from the piles of dead combatants in the underground tunnel, the destruction around FOC Venom, and huge panic that descended on Battle Group A''s First and Second Camp. And then, followed by the insignificant remains of Battle Group C. In the end, because he was worried that Prince Portho would make a wrong decision, Duke Fogel also persuaded Prince Portho to save Battle Group B from a total annihilation. ¡®Well, unless Kingdom of Makai receive a military aid from some 1st world authority, then it could be said that the war against TF Amethyst will end up in a bitter catastrophe,'' muttered Prince Portho before he agreed to surrender. --- After conducting a sea burial for their fallen comrades, Battle Group B''s personnel then started the evacuation. Other than Prince Portho, Duke Fogel, a small number of female servants, engine crew, and key personnel in the bridge, only slave women and slave children remained in Geko-01. And in addition for asking for the bodies of two fallen frogmen, Captain Kasino also requested that all slave women and slave children on other ships be transferred to Geko-01. A request that Prince Portho happily complied, considering that he also began to doubt the effectiveness of human shields. Moreover, when Battle Group B stopped the campaign against TF Amethyst, the slave women and slave children would became a useless burden for the logistic element. The transfer of slave women and slave children took a long time. Fortunately, there were no problems that arose during the process. As the sun rose in the eastern horizon, a group of slave women and slave children from the last destroyer was successfully moved in to Geko-01. Wasting no time, the destroyer then went away and joint with the rest of the fleet. In total, Geko-01 got additional 952 slave women and slave children. Lieutenant Kidd then gathered all of slave women and slave children in the main assembly hall in the second level cabin. After that, he called a number of slave women representative and gave them a short brief. "My name is Kidd, a lieutenant in TF Amethyst Frogmen Platoon." Lieutenant Kidd paused for a moment before continuing, "First, please follow my instructions and you will not suffer any harm. Second, you can take water, fruit, nuts, and bread as much as you need from supply quarter. But after that, you can not leave this hall without permission.¡± ¡°Yes, we understand and obey.¡± The slave women representatives answered in unison with a respectfull tone. At the same time, a thick curiosity grew in their eyes. It was quite reasonable, as for the first time in their life someone politely introduce himself to them, and he even gave them a permission to take food and water as much as they needed. ¡°Any question?¡± asked Lieutenant Kidd. After a moment of silence, one of the slave women representatives warily raised her hand, and after Lieutenant Kidd nodded his head, she immediately asked, "Do we really can take water and food as much as we need?" ¡°Yes, you do. Also, if you need something else, you can ask me or,¡± Lieutenant Kidd using his chin to pointed two frogmen who smoking next to the door as he continued, ¡°my men.¡± ¡°Yes, we understand and obey.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Wasting no time, the slave women then took water and a huge amount of food. Well, basically they took and distributed all fruits, nuts, and bread in the supply quarter. After that, they ate it at a moderate portion, and wrapped the rest on cloth they could find and held it tightly. As if it was the most precious treasure in the world. Seeing that scene, Lieutenant Kidd said nothing. He was also silent when seeing the slave children happily ate the slightly rotten apple along with its core and the worm. ¡®Well, in a few hours they will enjoy a meal a whole universe better. But for now, I should not spoiled their joy and let them enjoy it to the fullest,¡¯ muttered Lieutenant Kidd as he went to the bridge. --- From the bridge, Captain Kasino observed Battle Group B''s convoy that slowly disappeared behind the horizon. Then, Lieutenant Kidd entered and immediately approached him. ¡°The slave women and slave children have calm down.¡± Lieutenant Kidd calmly reported, and then he asked, ¡°Top, do you want to conduct a quick sweep? Who know if Prince Portho or Duke Fogel hid a nasty spoiler, then waiting for us to let our guard down before attacking from an unexpected direction." ¡°No, this ship is too big while we don¡¯t have enough manpower, and a small patrol team was too easy to be silently anihilated." After downing a mouthful of water, Captain Kasino continued, ¡°Let¡¯s just established some check points. And in case there are unidentified people approach it, let''s just shoot them." Lieutenant Kidd nodded and then said, ¡°Three men in the bridge, three men in the main assembly hall, three men in the war strategy room, and the last three in the engine room." ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I will stand by in the main hall then.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± After Lieutenant Kidd left the bridge, Captain Kasino then turned his gaze towards two body bags in the deck. Previously, he deliberately ordered to place the two fallen frogmen on the deck. Therefore, in case unforseen emergency arose, it would be easier and faster to evac them. ¡®Rest in peace, Brothers," muttered Captain Kasino as he recalled the six fallen frogmen one by one. Lieutenant Sullivan ''Sully'' Brooke, British SBS Sergeant Torres ''Thor'' Benelli, Italian COMSUBIN Sergeant, Kim ''Kimchi'' Jun-ah, ROKN UDT / Seal Sergeant Luke ''Woody'' Westwood, US Naval Special Warfare Development Group Sergeant Todd ''Toddler'' McCool, US MARSOC Sergeant Paijo ''Petruk'' Raharjo, Indonesian Marine Amphibious Airborne Reconnaissance After taking a deep breath, Captain Kasino then closed his eyes and offered a silent prayer for his fallen brothers. Telling them that they didn''t need to worry about the mission and could crossing into afterlife peacefully. ***** TFA2 15.2 – Sommer Island TFA2 15.2 ¨C Sommer Island King Makai XXII had just finished his lunch when Grand Commander Migal asked for an audience. In an instant, a foul mood gripped his heart as he recalled that Grand Commander Migal also came at exactly the same time yesterday, and the report he brought was the crushing defeat of Battle Group C. King Makai XXII then asked Grand Commander Migal to hide the report from Prince Makar and Prince Portho. He was afraid the report would affect their fighting spirit, as Battle Group A and Battle Group B were in the final moment to carry out a pincer attack on Levsait and Raisait. However, since last night, contact with Battle Group A had been fully lost. After calming the turmoil in his heart, King Makai XXII then asked the Captain of Royal Guard to let Grand Commander Migal enter the dining hall. And as soon as he saw the dark cloud on Grand Commander Migal''s face, King Makai XXII immediately realized that the hunch in his heart would come into reality soon. ¡°Uncle Migal, does Battle Group A also suffer a crushing defeat?" After giving King Makai XXII a deep bow, Grand Commander Migal replied, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, but it is not as bad as Battle Group C. They lost almost ground combatant but more than half of their Riders are still intact." For a moment, King Makai XXII closed his eyes. Then, he directed his attention to Battle Group B. "Did Portho and Battle Group B also suffer a crushing defeat?" ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Seeing Grand Commander Migal stop his words while complicated emotions flashed in his eyes, King Makai XXII immediately asked, "Did Portho die?" ¡°No, Your Majesty, but Prince Portho surrendered and ordered Battle Group B stop their campaign." In an instant, big question mark filled King Makai XXII''s gaze, "Did Portho really surrender and let the chance to seize the throne slip away from his hand?" "Yes, Your Majesty. Crystal sensor suggests that Prince Portho, Duke Fogel, and Geko-01 are taken to Sommer Island." "What a coincidence, they took him to a place where Dellan suffered the crushing defeat." King Makai XXII then continued in a mocking tone, "And I never thought the ambitious Portho turned out to be a coward." ¡°Your Majesty, it seems Prince Portho had no other options." ¡°Explain it.¡± "As your command." Wasting no time, Grand Commander Migal showed King Makai XXII the report regarding TF Amethyst''s night raid on Geko-01. He also explained to King Makai XXII the value of the intelligence that Prince Portho and Duke Fogel put on one of the officers who had to leave Geko-01. Therefore, if Battle Group B received a new command element, they would not make the same mistakes they had made. After he managed to calm his heart, King Makai XXII said, "Portho will lose the right to seize the throne, but I will not punish him further. Also, we can''t launch a half-baked retaliatory invasion. We will rebuild and rearm Battle Group A and Battle Group C, and send new command elements for Battle Group B as soon as possible.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± After nodding his head in satisfaction, King Makai XXII asked, "Regarding the rumored attack attempt on Makai Royal City, does Makai Intelligence Service already have an update?" ¡°Not yet, Your Majesty," replied Grand Commander Migal. "But we have established a defensive network up to a radius of 300 km from Makai Royal City. Our Riders also conduct combat air patrols on a daily basis and are ready to support the ground element at any moment of need. With this defensive network, it¡¯s hard to imagine TF Amethyst will be able to launch a surprise attack on Makai Royal City.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Glad to hear that.¡± In a cheerful mood, King Makai XXII then sipped his wine. --- Sommer Island was a small coral island around 200 km northwest of Buriek Continent. It had a flat and hard surface, up to 150 square kilometers without a single tree, and lacked freshwater reservoir to support a natural ecosystem. Even so, Air Combat Group considered that this lifeless island was an ideal location for a forward radar station. Therefore, Air Combat Group established FRS Goblin on Sommer Island, along with a small docking port, simple air strip, three-in-one depot, and maintenance facility. The Hercules that carried out the combat Freefall on Geko-01 also went to FRS Goblin after deploying the frogmen. As for security means, Air Combat Group deployed a base security regiment to guard the island. Meanwhile, Buriek Navy deployed a task force consisting of 36 destroyers and 80 veteran Riders. However, TF Amethyst¡¯s high-ranking officers never imagined that two weeks after FRS Goblin was fully commissioned, Sommer Island would become a contested area against Battle Group C. Until 28 hours ago, Battle Group C totally isolated Sommer Island using every means they had at their disposal. Fortunately, all of that was history now, even though not all of it would become a good story to share while enjoying delicious beers in some pubs. As for now, the surrounding sea around Sommer Island was calm and silent, as long as you ignored the thousand swollen bodies and ship wreckages that covered the sea surface. Meanwhile, from Command Center on FRS Goblin, Lt. Colonel Gillray and Rear Admiral Norrak observed the aerial footage on Geko-01. Then, as Geko-01 and other ships from Battle Group B were separated by 20 km away, the two officers immediately took a breath of relief. ¡°Fortunately, Prince Portho still has his senses,¡± said Lt. Colonel Gillray. Rear Admiral Norrak slightly nodded as he replied, "Yeah." Both Lt. Colonel Gillray and Rear Admiral Norrak had a deep concern regarding Prince Portho''s attitude because they wouldn''t be able to help Captain Kasino and his men, if Prince Portho refused to surrender. First, it was because Geko-01''s location was 502 km away north of Sommer Island, which means it was out of the Riders'' effective range. Second, it was because Rear Admiral Norrak had lost all destroyers under his command. Meanwhile, if Geko-01 failed to get away from the other ships when the salvo of Harpoon Extended Range was launched, it was certain that Geko-01 would also be hit by one or two Harpoon ER, as the its guidance system would switch to internal seeker when it reached a certain distance from the target, and automatically lock the closest target without being able to distinguish between friend or foe. ¡°I will prepare the reception for Prince Portho and Duke Fogel. We have to treat them properly before they fly to Lagra Castle," said Rear Admiral Norrak. ¡°We also have to prepare the living quarters for slave women and slave children until their transportation is ready," replied Lt. Colonel Gillray. "I will take care of that personally. I need something to refresh my mind.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wasting no time, the two highest-ranking officers in FRS Goblin left Command Center which became their home for the last eight days. ¡ª The Geko-01''s maneuver to Sommer Island was done for precaution in case some of Battle Group B''s elements took the initiative to flank to the east, and cut the return route to Sandhur Region. And finally, just before sunset, Geko-01 and all of its passengers arrived at Sommer Island safely. Nate immediately let out a breath full of relief after he heard the report. ¡®Thank God, IDG''s hard work finally bears some sweet fruits. First, it is Count Isak, and now it is Prince Portho.¡¯ Nate truly felt the importance of correct intel to increase the success rate of coaxing an important figure. After taking another breath full of relief, Nate then turned his gaze towards Major Fritz. ¡°Major, do you have other update you want to report?" ¡°Yes, Sir. At noon, our men in Jack Sparrow managed to tap the conversation at Royal Makai Dinning Hall. King Makai XXII decided to rebuild and rearm Battle Groups A and C. He also wants to send a new command element for Battle Group B. Our analyst predicts it will take 2-4 weeks to complete the plan. Nate was silent for a long time before saying, "Out of the three battle groups he sent, two were destroyed in a matter of days after the first contact, but he wants to continue the campaign. Can''t he see the difference in strength between Makai Guard and TF Amethyst?" "I''m afraid he can''t, Sir," Major Fritz calmly replied. General Khartoum who so far had only listened to the conversation, decided to join in. ¡°Ser Nate, King Makai XXII is a gambler by nature. As long as he still has a chip to be used, he won''t stop." Viscount Issel then added, ¡°Moreover, King Makai XXII has a tendency to raise the stake every time he loses the fight." "What a troublesome war maniac." Nate then smiled before continuing cheerfully, "Well, Tiger Leap will be ready in a few days. Let¡¯s see how he will react when Makai Royal City receives a fatal attack for the first time since a hundred and fifty years ago." ***** TFA2 16.1 – Reformation Buriek Royal Hall 08:20, 22 October 2025 A day after Commoner Festival, King Buriek XII cheerfully led a meeting in Buriek Royal Hall. He was hardly able to hide his smile every time he recalled the happiness reflected on Buriek people¡¯s eyes. The dishes specifically prepared by Amethyst Merchant for the festival were truly magnificent. Not to mention everyone could eat as much as they wanted. As his heart was filled with an overflowing gratitude, King Buriek XII turned his gaze towards Julia Mallister, the second highest position holder on Amethyst Merchant. ¡°Ms. Mallister, please accept my deepest gratitude. Thanks to Amethyst Merchant¡¯s kindness, Buriek¡¯s people can celebrate the best Commoner Festival since the founding of this kingdom.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Amethyst Merchant help you win Buriek people¡¯s heart and mind, is to make sure our cooperation runs smoothly. Nothing more, nothing less." Still in her flat tone Julia continued, ¡°So please don¡¯t be too courteous.¡± After forcing a smile to bloom in his lips, King Buriek XII replied, ¡°I see.¡± To this day, King Buriek XII was still not able to get used to Julia''s emotionless tone. He did ask Lt. Colonel Slane to send a representative who would not mask his or her opinion in sweet but empty words. However, King Buriek XII never expected that Lt. Colonel Slane would send a representative who had a way of talking unbelievably cold, no matter who she was talking to. Deep down in his heart, King Buriek XII actually did not have a problem with Julia''s way of talking. Moreover, Lt. Colonel Slane had guaranteed that Julia was the most suitable person to bring economic renewal for Kingdom of Buriek. After his first meeting with Julia, Duke Phelite also agreed with Lt. Colonel Slane''s view. Even so, King Buriek XII couldn''t help but feel a deep pain every time he saw a young woman with remarkable beauty like Julia had an emotionless way of talking. ''If only Ms. Mallisters have a slightly more cheerful and warm personality, the meeting with her will become a great source of happiness for me,'' muttered King Buriek XII as she looked at Julia with regretful eyes. ¡®Well, she is not a consort lady. So I should not expecting her to behave like one of them.¡¯ At the same time, as she saw King Buriek XII looking at her with a weird gaze, Julia immediately asked, ¡°Your Majesty, is there something wrong with my face?¡± ¡°No, your face is perfectly fine, Ms. Mallister. It¡¯s too perfect, actually.¡± After smiling slightly to hide his inner thought, King Buriek XII then changed the direction of the conversation, "Ms. Mallister, I heard Amethyst Merchant did not take the gold offered by Viscount Issel. Can I know the reason? " Wasting no time, Julia drew a picture of a single brick and a house, then showed it to King Buriek XII. "This brick is all the wealth currently owned by Sandhur Region, while this house is the economic power that must be achieved by Sandhur Region so that they can be useful for TF Amethyst economically, militarily, and politically. And so, instead of taking a piece of brick they already have, TF Amethyst actually should send additional bricks and other material to help Sandhur Region build the needed house." ¡°I see.¡± After slightly nodding three times, King Buriek XII then asked, ¡°Does TF Amethyst plan to apply this principle to anyone who wants to be its allies?" ¡°Of course not, it¡¯s an idiot action to treat anyone who wants to be our allies equally. We don''t have unlimited resources. Besides, TF Amethyst only needs ten or so trusted allies, and currently we already have three." Without delay, Duke Phelite enthusiastically added, ¡°Your Majesty, these three are Tuscan Region, Sandhur Region, and Kingdom of Buriek.¡± A question mark immediately appeared on King Buriek XII¡¯s forehead, ¡°I thought TF Amethyst will invite Kandez Region and Merry Gold Union to become its primary allies.¡± Julia calmly explained, ¡°Your Majesty, Amethyst Merchant does have common interest with Merry Gold Union, Kandez Region, and Northern Coalition in making money. However, to become TF Amethyst¡¯s ally they lack a few fundamental things that will make sure they are good friends in all weather. Therefore, TF Amethyst will not carelessly share their technology or fundamental knowledge to them.¡± As he deeply looked at Julia, King Buriek XII asked, ¡°In short, TF Amethyst has some doubts about their loyalty." ¡°Yes, something like that.¡± After a smile, King Buriek XII then asked in a mischievous tone, ¡°Ms. Mallister, what if someday, hypothecaly saying, Kingdom of Buriek betray TF Amethyst¡¯s trust.¡± As a cold gleam reflected on her eyes, Julia said, ¡°In that case, Kingdom of Buriek will become history. Then, TF Amethyst will establish its replacement, under the leadership of a wiser King.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± In an instant, King Buriek XII''s face turned sour, like someone who had been forced to swallow a glass of vinegar. ¡°Ms. Mallister, you are way too blunt with your words.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. For the first time since the meeting began, finally Julia showed King Buriek XII her charming smile, and then she said, ¡°Your Majesty, when we met for the first time, you personally asked me to answer all your question in pure truth, without empty ornament or grandiose bullshit. I hope Your Majesty still remembers it, because honestly, it was the sole reason why this humble servant admired your leadership and dedicated herself to bring prosperity into Kingdom of Buriek. Or, Your Majesty has a change of heart and wants me to feed you sweet and nice lies.¡± King Makai XII''s expression instantly turned dead serious. ¡°Ms. Mallister, please continue to accommodate my request in the best way you can think of, and rest assured you have my gratitude and full support.¡± Without delay, Julia slightly bowed her head. ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± A moment later, the meeting began. King Buriek XII, Duke Phelite, Grand Commander Keraz, and the rest of Kingdom of Buriek''s high-ranking officials fell into contemplation, as Julia explained to them the grand design for the development of Kingdom of Buriek in food production, education system, economic capacity, basic industry, and military capability. --- Buriek Guard Training and Development Center 07:30, 27 October 2025 One of the reforms brought by Julia for Kingdom of Buriek was the adoption of a simple but efficient administrative and bureaucratic system. In this new system, King Buriek XII did not need to attend daily audiences. He only had to set the goal, delegated some of his authority, and attend the most important meeting to give his evaluation personally. As a result, King Buriek XII had a lot of free time. Fortunately, there were many new and interesting activities to entertain his mind. During the last two days, King Buriek XII stayed in the Buriek Guard Training and Development Center, a facility established with assistance from TF Amethyst. After finishing his breakfast, he then went to the Weapon Testing Quarter. As he walked side by side with Colonel Harper, King Buriek XII opened a conversation, ¡°Colonel, Buriek''s noble families, with open arms accepted all the reformation suggested by Ms. Mallister and Amethyst Merchant. However, some noble families have some concerns about TF Amethyst''s request for the reformation in the Buriek Guard." ¡°Your Majesty, may I know what kind of concern that came into these noble families'' attention?" ¡°Permit for low-born officer to attend military academy, and the development of non-commissioned officer corps.¡± After a light smile, Colonel Harper replied, ¡°In that case, TF Amethyst will open an officer course and training program for Buriek''s low-born officers that will attract our attention. We will also use NCO system only on Buriek Guard¡¯s unit that deployed under our command, such as Buriek Guards'' element at Sandhur Region.'' Hearing that Colonel Harper could immediately offer a solution to the objection submitted by noble families, King Buriek XII instantly realized that TF Amethyst had predicted it and they were truly serious in their intention to re-shape Buriek Guard''s low-born officers and the establishment of NCO Corps. ¡°Colonel, why did TF Amethyst not directly choose Buriek Guard''s high-born officer? Buriek Guard has many high-born officers who have completed their training at the military academy at the age of 18 years. Those young officers are ready to be shaped according to TF Amethyst''s doctrine and support from their family will give TF Amethyst a lot of benefits." Colonel Harper casually replied, ¡°Your Majesty, TF Amethyst will be able to give the low-born officers the necessary knowledge and skill easily. On the other hand, giving the young high-born officers some life and death combat experiences, which we used as a standard qualification for every officer in a combat unit under TF Amethyst''s command, is almost impossible. ¡°I see.¡± After silence for a moment, King Buriek XII asked another question, ¡°As for NCO Corps, does this element have a vital role in TF Amethyst?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± replied Colonel Harper, ¡°In TF Amethyst¡¯s doctrine, we have high regards for initiatives in the field, and apply it to the level of a squad leader. Therefore, we develop and nurture our non-commissioned officers to become a proper leader as best as we can.¡± Dark question mark immediately appeared on King Buriek XII''s forehead, "Colonel, that''s a dangerous thing to adopt. I mean, when a revolution breaks out, former low-born officers and squad leaders usually will become the main drivers for the movement. This is also the main reason why noble families forbid low-born officers to enter military academies. They can''t let low-born officers obtain the ability to lead a big unit. However, TF Amethyst not only wants to give low-born officers an access to a program at the level of a military academy, but also develop squad leaders who are capable of taking initiatives and think independently." ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s true that when a revolution breaks out, usually former junior officers and NCOs will become the main driver for it. However, this scenario only happened in an authoritarian country. In a good country under a wise leadership, these former junior officers and NCOs will become good pillars to its society." "Colonel, is in your country this concept working out as expected?" King Buriek XII asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s still not as good as we hoped for. Some of them did become criminals, mercenaries, or good-for-nothing bunch. But fortunately, most of the former non-commissioned officers in my country managed to reintegrate themselves into civilian life and give our society a great contribution. A small number of them also managed to climb into high places, for example Executive Officer Vex.¡± ¡®Impossible!¡¯ After being astonished for a while, King Buriek XII immediately asked, "Is it true that Ser Vex was a former non-commissioned officer?" Colonel Harper firmly replied, ¡°Yes, he is.¡± ¡°I see,¡± King Buriek XII calmly replied, but inwardly his heart experienced a great shock. King Buriek XII had several times met and talked with Vex. From these meetings, he easily concluded that one of the reasons why TF Amethyst was a remarkably dangerous opponent was because of Vex. Therefore, it was too hard for him to accept the fact that the person he deeply admired had a background as a low-ranking soldier. At the same time, King Buriek XII also realized the fundamental differences in the way of thinking, between TF Amethyst''s leaders and Kingdom of Buriek''s high-ranking officials. ¡®It seems that compared to them, our way of thinking is too narrow,'' muttered King Buriek XII as he decided that he would secretly support TF Amethyst¡¯s intention in re-shape Buriek Guard¡¯s low-born officers and the establishment of NCO Corps. ***** TFA2 16.2 – Wind of Change TFA2 16.2 ¨C Wind of Change Yesterday, King Buriek XII already saw the performance of Molotov catapult, which would replace the ballista as an artillery element. As for today, the menu was the rapid-loading ballista. As soon as King Buriek XII arrived at the Weapon Testing Quarter, Grand Commander Keraz immediately handed over a sample of a rapid-loading crossbow to him. Wasting no time, King Buriek XII studied it with curious eyes. Broadly speaking, the rapid-loading crossbow had the same shape as the standard-issued crossbow used by Buriek Guard, but it was slightly smaller and lighter. The noticeable difference that could be recognized by naked eyes was that it did not have a stirrup cocking for foothold to help the crossbowmen when they pulled the serving cable, and its limb could also be folded to each side of the barrel. The rapid-loading crossbow also had a vertical foregrip, while right in front of the trigger cage a small tube was tightly attached to the barrel. And the most important thing was, it had an optic and wind-reading device to help the crossbowmen increase their accuracy in long-range shooting. ¡°Uncle Keraz, please show me how this crossbow works,¡± King Buriek XII said as he returned the rapid-loading crossbow in his hand to Grand Commander Keraz. ¡°At once, Your Majesty,¡± Grand Commander Keraz then pointed the small tube under the barrel as he continued, ¡°This small tube is a magazine, some kind of container to hold ten ready-to-loose crossbow''s bolt." In an instant, a question mark popped out on King Buriek XII''s forehead as he couldn''t imagine how the bolt in the magazine would be moved to the arrow track, but he wisely didn''t interrupt Grand Commander Keraz''s explanation. ¡°When we want to reload the crossbow, we have to press the small button in the vertical foregrip using our thumb, and then pull back the serving cable and place it into bolt retention spring.¡± Grand Commander Keraz then showed King Buriek XII how to pull back the serving cable, and as he did it, a bolt was also dragged out of the magazine. Then, right when Grand Commander Keraz placed the serving cable on the retention spring, a crossbow bolt was also perfectly loaded on the arrow track. "What a marvelous mechanism." King Buriek XII truly admired the loading mechanism on the rapid-loading crossbow, but he also had some doubts. "Uncle Keraz, it seems the serving cable is too light. So, does this crossbow have enough power to be useful in combat?" After a smile, Grand Commander Keraz said, ¡°Your Majesty, this serving cable is very strong. It is made of elastic steel, and to pull it all the way to the retention spring, crossbowman have to press the button on the vertical foregrip in order to unlock the rolling wheel on each end of the limbs." ¡°Really?¡± As a big question filled his mind to the brim, King Buriek XII took another sample of rapid-loading crossbow from the table. Then, he tried to pull its serving cable without pressing the button on the vertical foregrip. As a result, the serving cable didn''t budge at all, no matter how hard he tried. "What the¡­" ¡°Your Majesty, only a horse can pull the serving cable without pressing the unlock button first." ¡°I see,¡± replied King Buriek XII as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Grand Commander Keraz then proudly continued his explanation, ¡°For direct shooting, this rapid-loading crossbow is able to penetrate the thickest chestplate we had at 30 meters, light-armored target at 60 meters, and non-armored target at 130 meters. As for a volley, it will easily reach a distance of 300 meters." ¡°That statistics¡­" After a slight gasp, King Buriek XII continued, "is far superior compared to both our crossbow and longbow." ¡°Indeed,¡± Grand Commander Keraz proudly replied. ¡°Moreover, with six weeks of proper training, a crossbowman will have a rate of fire up to 40 bolts per minute. It¡¯s two times higher than longbowmen who have properly trained for five years." ¡°That¡¯s¡­. a freaking¡­¡± Seeing King Buriek XII helplessly running out of words, Grand Commander Keraz immediately said, "When I found out the superiority of this crossbow, I also ran out of words like you, Your Majesty." ¡°I see.¡± After he managed to calm the turmoil in his heart, King Buriek XII then fell into contemplation. With such a weapon that was so lethal, but the training time to master it was very short, Buriek Guard''s offensive capability would surely soar to the sky. Not to mention, TF Amethyst would also provide Buriek Guard with better body armor, help Buriek Navy upgrade their warships, help Buriek Rider establish new combat doctrine, and provide other various assistances. After taking a deep breath King Buriek XII then asked, "Uncle Keraz, how will Buriek Guard adopt this crossbow?¡± "Along with a shortsword for elite infantry and a long saber for elite cavalry, we will also equip them with rapid-loading crossbow. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Of course, Buriek Guard will also change its doctrine. We will not fight in the open by using large formations anymore." ¡°I see.¡± In a steel determination tone, King Buriek XII then continued, "I will fully support this transformation, but it must not be easy for Amethyst Merchant to massively produce this crossbow." Colonel Harper who so far only stood in silence while maintaining a light smile, decided to join the conversation. "Your Majesty, Amethyst Merchant has 500 thousand ready-stock rapid-loading crossbows, and out of 300 thousand ordered by Buriek Guard, 200 thousand will arrive tomorrow." "I see." King Buriek XII had a hard time imagining how Amethyst Merchant could massively produce the rapid-loading crossbows, but he didn''t think about it further. King Buriek XII then cheerfully began the training to operate the rapid-loading crossbow, his new favorite toy. --- In the new system adopted by Kingdom of Buriek, Duke Phelite occupied the highest position in the executive body as a prime minister. While King Buriek XII was busy following the reformation of the Buriek Guard, Duke Phelite was busy rebuilding the kingdom¡¯s economic power. This morning, Duke Phelite and Julia would attend Milkfish¡¯s production presentation. Once the two arrived at the milkfish¡¯s hatchery, Kubo Yamazaki, the Head Chief of Aquaculture Research and Development Group immediately welcomed them. After giving his guests a slight bow Kubo cheerfully said, ¡°Prime Minister Phelite, Assistant Head Chief Julia, welcome to our humble hatchery." Wasting no time, Duke Phelite returned Kubo¡¯s bow and said, ¡°Ser Kubo, I heard a lot of your great achievements and exploits. It¡¯s a huge honor to finally meet you personally." ¡°Prime Minister Phelite, the honor is all mines.¡± Seeing the two old men before her taking their time in an empty flattery, Julia immediately said in a flat tone, ¡°Head Chief Kubo, please start the presentation.¡± ¡°As you wish, Milady.¡± Without delay, Kubo took his guest to a big hatchery pool, where an 80-cm-long milkfish was swimming leisurely. ¡°What a huge milkfish,¡± Duke Phelite said in astonishment. Kubo smiled before explaining, ¡°This eight-year-old female milkfish is captured fourteen months ago in the nearby coastal water, and now it¡¯s ready to produce 3-4 million eggs.¡± ¡°It''s an insanely huge number of eggs." ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that huge, and this hatchery already secures a few hundred similar female milkfish.¡± Aquaculture was new territory for Duke Phelite, so in an instant, a big question mark appeared in his forehead, ¡°With that hundred million milkfish''s eggs, how will this hatchery handle it?" Kubo casually replied, ¡°Well, the detail is rather long and boring, but in summary, we can handle the hatchery and nursing phases with a 70% survival rate easily. The problem is that we don''t have enough land to build the growing-out facility. Out of the hundred million milkfish fry we produce, we can only raise about five million and release the rest into shallow coastal water.¡± "I''m sorry for my rudeness, but I had to condemn every action in throwing away a massive source of food." Complicated emotion tore apart Duke Phelite''s mind as he recalled how Buriek¡¯s people suffered food shortages for years. ''Even though it''s only finger-sized fish, if the amount is hundreds of millions, it will be sufficient to feed Buriek''s people for a while.'' At the same time, Kubo who hadn¡¯t realized Duke Phelite¡¯s inner thoughts casually said, ¡°The main purpose of Aquaculture Research and Development Group is to provide the best variety of freshwater and saltwater seedlings. Therefore, when we have a surplus of seedlings, we will release them into the wild and let them fend for themselves.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Duke Phelite painfully managed to reply. Then, after taking a deep breath he continued, ¡°May I presume that the growing-out facility will be built in Kingdom of Buriek?¡± Julia answered, ¡°Yes, to be precise, it will be built in a group of empty rocky islands, 5 km north of Buriek Continent.¡± ¡°May I know the reason why we chose these lifeless islands?¡± Duke Phelite asked curiously. And Kubo happily explained, ¡°The growing-out facility that we will build is basically an artificial deep canal with flowing water from and into the sea. This canal will also support the ecosystem for various seaweed, algae, rotifers, brine shrimp, and other small marine cultures that will provide enough food for the main product. In short, we will turn this empty rocky island into a giant canal network. And milkfish is only a starter. In the long run, we will also include king crab, giant lobster, oyster, cockles, salmon, grouper, and snapper.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Duke Phelite nodded three times vigorously before continuing, ¡°And where will the processing facility for the final product be built?" Julia immediately replied, ¡°For Buriek Continent¡¯s market, we will build it in the closest coastal city. As for Amstell Continent¡¯s market, we will build it in Sandhur Region. We already started the construction of the processing facility in Sandhur Region.¡± ¡°Lady Julia, may I know the projection on the harvest cycle, the quota of production, and the marketing price?¡± ¡°From hatchery to harvesting, it will take about 2 years, but we will schedule the harvest cycle on a monthly basis. As for the selling price, we will produce as much as we need with several grades, so even a common family of four with only one adult working force is able to afford it. Meanwhile, Amethyst Merchant¡¯s high-class restaurant will turn the first grade harvest into a high-end product specifically designed for noble families or other wealthy buyers.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Duke Phelite calmly replied, but inwardly he couldn¡¯t help but admire Amethyst Merchant''s capability to target low-end, mid-end, and high-end markets from one production facility. After visiting hatchery for other marine cultures, Julia then took Duke Phelite to have lunch. The menu was milkfish curry stew, grilled milkfish roll, sourdough bread, and apple yogurt. And even if, on many past occasions Duke Phelite had enjoyed various delicious dishes that Amethyst Merchant could offer, the milkfish set he just enjoyed still amazed him deeply. After downing the last gulp of his apple yogurt, Duke Phelite cheerfully turned his gaze towards Julia. ¡°Lady Julia, as usual, every dish offered by Amethyst Merchant''s chef is remarkably delicious." After a super rare charming smile, a steel determination flashed in Julia''s eyes, ¡°I¡¯m glad that this menu set is up to your taste. In three years, we will make sure every common household in Kingdom of Buriek can afford it as a daily menu.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± as his eyes widened, Duke Phelite asked, ¡°Lady Julia, do you mean this delicious menu set is one of the milkfish mass products?" ¡°Correct, and Amethyst Merchant has already prepared hundreds of menu sets for the same class and will give them to every tavern owner in Kingdom of Buriek for free." ¡°I see.¡± As his heart was shocked until its deepest corner, Duke Phelite recalled Julia''s words when they met for the first time. At that time Julia flatly said, ¡®Kingdom of Buriek is a weak link in TF Amethyst¡¯s defensive network. The Kingdom is weak economically and also doesn¡¯t have food stability, basic industry capacity, or minimum military capability to protect its national interests. But together, step by step, we will change it, and I will put my life on ensuring its people''s prosperity.¡¯ And now, Duke Phelite was once again convinced that Julia was dead serious with her words. ***** TFA2 16.3 – Strategic Weapon in War Trade TFA2 16.3 ¨C Strategic Weapon in War Trade Isla Eleka Island Chain 11:15, 27 Oct 2025 The Buriek Continent was surrounded by hundreds of island chains. One of those was Isla Eleka. It was located 3 km north of Buriek Continent, consisted of five islands, 730 square kilometers each, or the size of the main island of Singapore. In these five empty and rocky islands, Amethyst Merchant and Kingdom of Buriek built their first growing-out facility for marine aquaculture. As Mobile Construction Group was currently focusing their resources on construction in Bluefin and Sandhur Region, they couldn''t spare their heavy equipment for the project in Isla Eleka. Fortunately, Kingdom of Buriek could provide 3.5 million manual labors with ease. These 3.5 million workers were not forced labor or slave workers, but legitimate workers. They received proper treatment, and worked on shifts 24/7. Therefore, the construction on Isla Eleka could run smoothly and swiftly. Only six days after Duke Phelite''s visit to ARDG''s hatchery, a canal at Eleka One was ready to receive milkfish fry as big as a child''s pinky finger. This first canal was indeed only 1 km long, a minuscule size compared to the total length of the whole canal. However, it had all the good signs needed to determine the continuation of the project. And today, King Buriek XII would become the first person to put the milkfish fry in the canal. ''Who would have thought that humans could build a milkfish farm like a chicken farm?'' muttered King Buriek XII as he looked at a plastic bag containing 200 milkfish fry in his hand. Then, Julia suddenly asked, "Your Majesty, is there a problem with the milkfish fry?" "No, not at all." As he turned his sparkling gaze towards Julia, King Buriek XII said, ¡°Ms. Julia, do you know that milkfish fry is very tasty when you fry it dry? You can even eat its bones." In an instant, Julia raised her left eyebrow. ¡°Your Majesty, can you stop wasting our time? There are 200,000 milkfish fries we have to release to the canal, and standing under this scorching sun is hell." ¡°U-ughh¡­ I mean¡­ at once, Ms. Julia.¡± Wasting no time, King Buriek XII released the first milkfish fries into the canal. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Slane, Kubo, Colonel Harper, Duke Phelite, Grand Commander Keraz, Admiral Errez, and other high-ranking officials skillfully pretended as if they didn''t see how Julia reprimanded King Buriek XII. Then, the other honored guests immediately released their share, followed by representatives of the workers who released the rest of the milkfish fries. After that, a lunch party to introduce various milkfish cuisines began. Wasting no time, Lt. Colonel Slane took Colonel Harper and Kubo into a quiet corner to enjoy Amur Beer. After cheerfully sipping his Amur Beer, he then said, ¡°Finally, after some delays, now we have our first aquaculture growing-out facility.¡± ¡°Yupe,¡± Kubo replied as dark memories resurfaced in his mind, ¡°Damn black-stripped shark! Destroy both our floating cage for milkfish and the seabed cage for oysters.¡± ¡°Well, we ended up with a better growing-out facility, so let¡¯s cheer up,¡± Colonel Harper tried to lighten the mood. ¡°Yes, and fortunately we can also start the projects to produce raw cocoa, almond, vanilla, and olive in Isla Eleka." After hearing about the other projects in Isla Eleka, Colonel Harper curiously asked, ¡°I know nothing about cocoa, almonds, or vanilla except that these three are important commodities in the food and beverage industry. But I know a little about olive trees. It needs six years before starting to bear its first flower, and another 24 years before its harvest reaches proper economic value. Also, other than the abundant sunlight and sea breeze that are suitable for olive trees, Isla Eleka does not have the soil and freshwater reservoirs needed to support farmland. So, is this a trial, a real project, or research?" ¡°It''s a real one.¡± Kubo then pointed his finger at a row of potholes that looked like a one-meter fire pit. ¡°First, we used the excavated rocks to build these potholes. Then, we fill it with fertile soil and provide a dropping watering system that connects into a medium-size seawater desalination facility." Meanwhile, the Agriculture Development Group has already prepared tens of thousands of mature tree seedlings for each plant." ¡°I see. The farming project is as big as the growing-out facility. You guys are truly workaholics." ¡°Well, it''s because we have no choice,¡± Lt. Colonel Slane casually said. "From the beginning, TF Amethyst has decided that the first line of our defense is economic power. Therefore, we don¡¯t have time to slack off as we have to enter the inter-continental phase before we fully put Amstell Continent''s economy and trade under our control." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Colonel Harper slightly nodded before saying, ¡°I heard Amethyst Merchant also sped up the manufacturers'' project with Northern Coalition, Merry Gold Union, and neighboring regions." ¡°Yes, we do. Other than the ones we built in Tuscan Region, so far we have built 27 small-scale manufacturing plants for various products." ¡°I see,¡± replied Colonel Harper briefly. Then, King Buriek XII suddenly approached the three and asked, ¡°Ser Slane, may I ask you something?¡± ¡°Of course you may, Your Majesty," replied Lt. Colonel Slane. ¡°Ser Slane, I heard Ms. Julia say that in the state where she comes from, other than rivers, ponds, and canals, the prawn farmer also uses a rice field as a growing-out facility." ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true,¡± Lt. Colonel Slane replied as he recalled that Louisiana, the place where Julia lived after she arrived in US of A with his parents, was the biggest prawn producer on earth. ¡°Can the prawn farming on the rice field be implemented in Buriek Continent, so that Kingdom of Buriek will also produce rice as a staple food?" ¡°It¡¯s possible, but it¡¯s not the best option we can adopt and apply,¡± Lt. Colonel Slane calmly replied. As a question mark appeared on King Buriek XII''s forehead, Kubo immediately explained, ¡°Your Majesty, the layer of soil on the Buriek Continent is too thin and unfertile. The number of natural water reservoirs is also too small. Those conditions are not challenges without a solution, but the cost will be huge and a waste of resources. Meanwhile, the canal system is ready to be implemented from the get-go, along with the farming project for high-end commodities.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± King Buriek XII strengthened his resolve as he continued, ¡°But if this project will also produce staple food for Kingdom of Buriek, then I will gladly provide the budget in case Amethyst Merchant does not interested in taking part." As he deeply looked at King Buriek XII, Lt. Colonel Slane concluded that King Buriek XII must have already taken his idea to Julia and Duke Phelite, but it got rejected. At the same time, he could also guess the reason behind King Buriek XII''s request. ¡°Your Majesty, are you worry Kingdom of Buriek will lose its food stability again?" ¡°Sort of, I mean, I believe in Amethyst Merchant''s good intentions to provide staple food for the Kingdom, but we can''t underestimate Merry Gold Union and Yuuri the Damnable Witch. Especially, because right now we stop the supply of iron ore to Amstell Continent." ¡°Your Majesty, please rest assured, I never underestimate Merry Gold Union and Lady Yuuri,¡± Lt. Colonel Slane calmly replied. ¡°From the dozens of manufacturer projects that Amethyst Merchant runs with Merry Gold Union, I met Pavel Terrek, Lady Yuuri¡¯s stepson, along with other capable figures from Merry Gold Union, and I¡¯m convinced that only one hell of a capable person will be able to lead them.¡± As concern reflected in his eyes, King Buriek XII asked, ¡°I know Viscount Pavel is a capable man. As for Lady Yuuri¡¯s other subordinates, are they really highly capable people?¡± Lt. Colonel Slane firmly replied, ¡°Yes, they are. Six of them are at least on the level of Duke Phelite.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In an instant, a dark cloud filled King Buriek XII''s mind to the brim. Then, Lt. Colonel Slane added, ¡°Moreover, it seems that Lady Yuuri deliberately avoided me. Therefore, I can''t gauge her character or sniff her true ability. Meanwhile, she can leisurely gather my profile through his stepson and subordinates." ¡°What a sly witch,¡± King Buriek XII said as the dark cloud in his mind thickened. ¡°One more thing, two days after the excavation at Ellek Islands began, Pavel personally visited and asked me about the possibility of Merry Gold Union having a similar project. And apparently, they are able to provide a better location than Isla Eleka.¡± A chill instantly ran through King Buriek XII''s spine. If in order to request a similar project, Merry Gold Union didn''t mind to reveal the presence of their information networks in Kingdom of Buriek, it meant the growing-out facility must be very highly valuable for them. ¡°Ser Slane, will Amethyst Merchant give Merry Gold Union a similar growing-out project?¡± ¡°No, we don¡¯t. I have already politely refused their request.¡± ¡°Thank you. Ser Slane, you have Kingdom of Buriek¡¯s deepest gratitude.¡± ¡°Your welcome, Your Majesty,¡± Lt. Colonel Slane cheerfully replied, and he could see that King Buriek XII still didn''t understand the true value of marine aquaculture growing-out facilities. In Amstell Continent, where the internet, music, movies, and other forms of modern entertainment were not yet available, wealthy people would spend their money on basic entertainment such as sex, delicious cuisine, luxurious commodities, and art. These wealthy people may be reluctant to pay for iron ore in gold, but they wouldn¡¯t have second thoughts about using their gold to liven up their boring and monotonous daily lives. Therefore, in the past they didn''t care when Kingdom of Buriek stopped the supply of iron ore to Amstell Continent. They would just retaliate by refusing to sell staple food and the game of endurance began. However, if Kingdom of Buriek had commodities that support luxurious cuisine and suddenly stopped its chain of supply, then the wealthy people in Amstell Continent would become the first and most suffered victims. And because these people have high influence but low endurance in almost anything, even Merry Gold Union wouldn¡¯t dare awaken their anger. Moreover, the reaction of noble families in Walluo City when the supply of ice was suddenly gone because of Osvik''s actions, had confirmed the hypothesis that commodities which supported luxurious cuisine were strategic weapons in order to conquer Amstell Continent economically. But in the end, Lt. Colonel Slane decided not to explain it to King Buriek XII further. Then, as the four enjoyed Amur Beer along with some light conversation, a captain from IDG suddenly approached Colonel Harper and handed over a piece of message. After reading the message, Colonel Harper calmly said, ¡°Gentlemen, Chief Nate sent us some messages. First, he congratulated the Kingdom of Buriek on its first growing-out facility, and apologized because he could not attend today''s event. Secondly, he has some updates. Battle Group B will soon enter Sandhur Region¡¯s southern waters, while Battle Group C will soon enter Kingdom of Buriek''s eastern waters. The estimated time of arrival is at midnight or in the early morning.¡± Wasting no time, King Buriek XII asked, ¡°Do we have to hold an immediate meeting?" ¡°No, we don¡¯t, Your Majesty,¡± Colonel Harper casually replied. ¡°TF Amethyst and Buriek Guard had been on combat alert since two days ago. Let¡¯s enjoy today''s event to the fullest. After that, we will proceed as we plan.¡± ¡°I see,¡± King Buriek XII gave a light nod three times, and then continued enjoying his Amur beer as if the arrival of two battle groups from Kingdom of Makai was nothing. ***** TFA2 17.1 – First Victory TFA2 17.1 ¨C First Victory 60 km west of Buriek coastline, 23:20, 27 Oct 2025 Under the darkness of the night, more than 4000 ships from Battle Group C entered Buriek''s waters. Unlike Battle Group B which focused its strength on the destroyer squadron, Battle Group C focused its strength on Rider for both sea control and land attack. Therefore, even though it had fewer ships than Battle Group C, it still had power projections that could not be underestimated. In total, they had 90 thousand sailors, 300 thousand landing forces, and 1500 Riders. Also, while both Battle Group A and B had to wait until Count Issak gave Viscount Issel the last warning from King Makai XXII, Battle Group C could directly launch their offensive as their target was Kingdom of Buriek. Along the journey, Battle Group C did indeed not encounter opposition from Buriek Navy or Buriek Rider, but they considered that they had already engaged. Inside the war strategy room on the carrier ship Solera-01, Duke Velker and Prince Dellan carried out the last strategy meeting. ¡°Your Highness, the final say is yours, but I suggest we start our attack immediately." Prince Dellan firmly gave a nod. From the beginning, he wanted Battle Group C to take the offensive role, and not only as a mere distraction. ¡°Let¡¯s launch it.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± After grinning for a moment, Duke Velker pointed his finger at three islands on the map on the table, ¡°Renne, Ranna, and Ronno, these islands are only 12 miles away from Buriek Continent''s mainland. They are easy targets for massive landings because they have long and flat sandy beaches, surrounded by deep water. These islands also have enough coconut trees to support construction, along with fresh water reservoirs. We will use these three as a stepping stone for offensive on Buriek Continent, so we have to capture it before sunrise." "How strong is the defender on these three islands?" "We know nothing about it." In an instant, a big question mark appeared on Prince Dellan''s forehead. "Not even the rough estimations?" ¡°Unfortunately, yes." After taking a deep breath, Duke Velker continued, "This afternoon we sent a squadron of Riders as a probe, but the opposing side didn''t answer our challenge. Our Riders also didn''t see any activity on these islands." ¡°Maybe they employ an underground defensive line." ¡°Most likely, therefore we will flood these three islands with landing troops in a lightning manner.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Basically, Prince Dellan knew nothing about sea warfare or beach landing operations. Therefore, he could only trust Duke Velker to carry out the first phase of the offensive. Only when the beach landing on Buriek Continent was accomplished and the land warfare started, he would lead the offensive personally. --- While Battle Group C''s main formations anchored 36 km to the west of the targeted islands, more than 500 transport ships continued sailing forward, escorted by a combination of 300 corvettes, frigates, and destroyers. The convoy of transport ships approached Renne, Ranna, and Ronno Island with ease, up to a hundred meters from the beach. Without delay, landing boats and landing troops were deployed into the water. The attempt to secure a beachhead began afterward. The first wave consisted of 100 landing boats for each island, and each boat carried 36 seasoned landing troops. From one of the landing boats, Brigadier Kollak observed Renne Island''s beach using his sharp eyes, and anxiety enveloped his heart as he did not see a glimpse of light, silhouette, or movement. "Damn, this is too quiet." ¡°Yeah,¡± Captain Rasak who kneeled next to Brigadier Kollak calmly replied. ¡°I believe they have already detected our presence. We also already entered their footbow and longbow ranges. If to this moment they don¡¯t welcome us, then they must be up for some nasty surprise.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I hate to admit it, but your prediction always spots on.¡± After a deep sigh, Captain Rasak said, ¡°Actually, I do hope I was wrong this time, considering that the opposing force has insane fire power.¡± ¡°So do I.¡± Brigadier Kollak then turned his eyes toward a neatly stacked sandbag wall on each side of the landing boat. "I hope this thing works as we expected." Each Battle Group developed their own way to counter TF Amethyst¡¯s assault rifle, and Battle Group C chose to use sandbags. Once the landing boats touched the sand, the 61st Landing Brigade¡¯s personnel immediately jumped out of their boats. Wasting no time, they built the sandbag walls for a cover. They had already done it a hundred times during their training, so they could swiftly build the sandbag walls in a matter of minutes. Then, as the landing boats returned to the transport ship to pick up the second wave of landing troops, the 61st Landing Brigade''s personnel lay behind the sandbag walls silently. Behind one of the sandbag walls, Brigadier Kollak said to Captain Rasak, ¡°Well, we manage to safely land without fire support. So, I guess they will not launch the salvo unless we ask them.¡± ¡°It seems so, Ser.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s ask it.¡± ¡°At once.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Rasak reached out for his crystal communicator. ¡°61st Brigade to Landing Command, do you copy?¡± [61st, we heard you, go ahead.] ¡°Requesting for fire support on the first objective.¡± [Do you meet any resistance?] ¡°Negative, we reach the beach safely, but we will appreciate it if destroyer squadrons soften the opposing defensive line.¡± [Hold the line, we need to request direct permission from high command to launch a salvo in the current circumstances.] ¡°Understood.¡± The 61st Landing Brigade then patiently and vigilantly waited behind the sandbag walls, but they didn¡¯t need to wait for long. Five minutes after the request for fire support, footbowmen on every corvette and frigate in the vicinity launched a salvo of fire arrows. The flight of fire arrows made a high arc above the 61st Landing Brigade''s position before accurately hitting the targeted fishing village. A moment later, each destroyer launched a salvo of fire trebuchets. The salvo of fire support was launched for 30 minutes in a well-coordinated manner. As a result, the fishing village became a flat and blackened field. With ease, the 61st Landing Brigade seized it, then conducted a wide-spread search on every corner of Renne Island. --- Emergency Docking, Renne Island. 15:00, 28 Oct 2025 It turned out that the three targeted islands were empty. It seemed that Buriek Navy had evacuated the fishermen and their families around 2¨C3 days ago. In summary, Battle Group C won their first victory almost for free. In a matter of hours, hundreds of thousands of landing troops and their logistics landed on Renne, Ranna, and Ronno. After that, various types of construction began. Once the first docking port in Renne was completed, General Hetraz immediately went over there. He and his staff casually came out from the side door of a destroyer and stepped into the wooden dock, while Brigadier Kollak respectfully welcomed him. ¡°General, Sir, your command post is ready.¡± ¡°Good,¡± General Hetraz calmly replied. ¡°Regarding the request for fire support in the last night landing, I will fully take the responsibility.¡± ¡°We really wasted a huge amount of ammunition last night. But fortunately, the High Command didn''t want to issue a punishment in order to maintain the troop''s morale." ¡°General, this servant will never forget this kindness.¡± General Hetraz gave a slight nod and said, ¡°Other than barracks, Cloud Hawk¡¯s pen, and logistic storage, we will also build a healing camp for the slaves, on each island.¡± ¡°Healing camp and not isolation camp?¡± ¡°You heard me, Brigadier. Don''t make me repeat my words.¡± "Yes, General." While following behind General Hetraz, a big question mark appeared on Brigadier Kollak''s forehead. Two days after the departure of Battle Group C, a deadly infectious disease arose among the slaves. Out of fifteen thousand slave workers, only half of them survive. As for the slave women and slave children, only a little over 2000 survive the disease, or around 5% of their initial numbers. The deadly disease also took the life of 1255 sailors and landing troops. Fortunately, the healers were able to stop the spreading of this deadly disease. The High Command then decided that after the landing they would isolate the slaves and make them work in separate spaces until they met their end. ¡°General, may this lowly servant know the reason behind the healing camp¡¯s construction?¡± General Hetraz calmly explained, ¡°At 10 this morning, both Battle Group A and B launched their first offensive. In a matter of hours, they were beaten back so badly. Each Battle Group lost around 40-60 thousand combatants, and maybe more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nasty result for a few hours of contact.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± After a moment of silence, General Hetraz continued, ¡°After that, Battle Group B launched their second landing attempt. This time, they also employed the human shield tactic. Surprisingly, it worked very well.¡± ¡°The human shield tactic is actually effective?¡± ¡°Yes, Battle Group B managed to secure a beachhead without suffering any losses. They even secured a giant military camp in perfect condition, without versus contact.¡± ¡°What a jackpot.¡± "Yeah." General Hetraz nodded in agreement. ¡°Therefore, we will try to heal our slaves, while a new batch will come in 10-12 days.¡± ¡°Understood, General. This servant will make sure the process to heal the slaves runs smoothly.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Wasting no time, Brigadier Kollak then led General Hetraz and his staff to their command post. ***** TFA2 17.2 – Uninvited Guest TFA2 17.2 ¨C Uninvited Guest Buriek Continent¡¯s East Coast 19:49, 28 Oct 2025 Under the darkness of the night, 30 small boats carrying 180 personnel from 19th Reconnaissance Company approached the east coast of Buriek Continent. Most of the journey from Renne Island could be said as easy walk because the strait they had to pass was quite calm. Challenge only started to appear when the convoy entered a distance of 2 km from the beach, where the waters were full of scattered reefs, whirlpools, and strong currents. In such a treachery waters, even the smallest mistake in reading the current would result in hard collide into the reefs, and it was unlikely that the small boat would survive. While for the boat''s crew, it was almost impossible to swim their way to the beach. Their only choices were dragged by current, and then drowned or slammed into the reefs. In short, they would end up as food for the fishes in case a mishap occurred. Fortunately, 19th Reconnaissance Company was consisted of the most seasoned sailors in Battle Group C. Even under the darkness, they could navigate their way in most possible route. One by one the small boats passed the treachery waters and arrived on the beach. Each boat crew then pulled their small boat out of the waters. After that, they regrouped at the starting point of a small trail, right at the base of a cliff wall. Wasting no time Captain Lekre did head count. "Any casualties?" ¡°Two boat crews. One from first platoon, and another one from my platoon,¡± Lieutenant Tormun replied. Lieutenant Asai then added, ¡°It''s either they drowned or drifted away from landing point." ¡°We don¡¯t have time to confirm it. Let''s proceed with our mission.¡± ¡°¡±Aye.¡±¡± ¡°Asai, take the lead. My platoon will tail you at 400 meters away." ¡°Aye.¡± ¡±Tormun, leave some of your men to guard the boats, and send the rest to find other route and scout the nearby area.¡± ¡°Consider it done.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move out then.¡± ¡°¡°Aye.¡±¡± Without delay 19th Reconnaissance Company swiftly carried out their objective. --- As soon as he received the reconnaissance report from Captain Lekre and his unit, Staff Officer Gordie immediately reported to Prince Dellan and Duke Velker. As he marked a location in the giant strategic map on the table, he said, ¡°Your Highness, Ser Duke, our reconnaissance element found a village, 3 km from the landing point." "Good, give us the detail," Duke Velker ordered. "All buildings are intact. Consisting of 16 houses, two blacksmith workshops, three horse stable, and a small inn which is also a tavern. But the villagers have gone, no farmland while vegetable plots near their home has been harvested cleanly, and then they covered it with ash and coarse salt. As for the village''s well, they filled it with sand to the brim." ¡°I see.¡± As he observed the village''s location Duke Velker continued, ¡°We don''t lack of supply. We also have enough support elements to dig new wells. So it''s not a big problem. What matters is the route from the beach." Without delay Staff Officer Gordie continued his report, ¡°To pass the cliff wall in the beach, we found five small trails near the landing point. Every single one of it went to the village. Horses can pass it with ease, but unfortunately cart will not be able to." ¡°And the main road to the deeper areas?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in a good condition, but we will need cavalry scout to check it further.¡± Staff Officer Gordie paused for a moment to look at his note before continuing, "And we are ready to launch the second phase. We had marked the most possible landing route using a campfire. Therefore, we expected that each landing boat can pass the cluster of reef near the beach safely." After slightly nodding his head Duke Verkel said, ¡°Launch the second phase then.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°At once, Ser.¡± After Staff Officer Gordie left, Duke Verkel and Prince Dellan then discussed the main strategy of Battle Group C. It could be said that the two were not lulled by the success of landing on Renne, Ranna, and Ronno. They fully realized that it was not a true victory, as the opposing side chose to let them had it. The opposing side would only face them in a place where they had a good chunk of advantage. In summary, the true battle would only start when Battle Group C''s ground elements entered the deeper part of Buriek Continent. ¡°Your Highness, I believed you already formulated the best possible plan based on our current situation,¡± Duke Velker firmly said. ¡°Sort of,¡± Prince Dellan calmly replied. ¡°Mount a harassment attack on the nearby region to lure Buriek Guard out to the open. Cavalry on the night and Rider on the daylight. Based on their respond, I will decide where we will direct our main unit." ¡°Execelent.¡± Duke Velker nodded in agreement. ¡°Going directly into their stronghold is too dangerous. Fortunately, we have enough intel related to Burriek Guard''s campaign in Sandhur Region. We will not make the same mistake as Sandhur Guard did.¡± Prince Dellan nodded before asking, ¡°Then what about you? We have more than enough warships and Riders to guard Renne, Ranna, and Ronno. We can¡¯t just let them stay idle doing nothing.¡± ¡°Your Highness, if it pleases you, I plan to launch an attack on Sommer Island." Prince Dellan didn''t reply, but turned his gaze to the strategic map on the table. Sommer Island was located 180 km north of Renne and crystal detector detected at least 40 destroyers docked in this small island, along with activities of dozens Riders and TF Amethyst''s aerial assets. In the middle of its journey, Battle Group C sent a task force consisted of two carrier ships and 80 combine escorts as a challenge, but the opposing side didn''t answer it. Even so, Duke Velker ordered the task force to maintain their position at the distance of 40 km north of Sommer Island. Now, Prince Dellan finally understood the reason. From the beginning, Duke Velker already put Sommer Island as his target. ¡°How big the strength do you need?" Prince Dellan casually asked. ¡°I will only need 300 Riders and a small scale landing troops. But for the warships, I will bring 80% of Battle Group C''s total strength.¡± In an instant Prince Dellan was able to perceive Duke Velker¡¯s plan. ¡°Do you plan to use fire power on our warships to crush the defender?¡± ¡°Yes, Sommer Island is surrounded by deep waters. Even a carrier ship can approach it up to dozens meters from the shore. Therefore, it will be a waste if we don''t use our fire power to the maximum." ¡°I see.¡± After contemplating for a moment Prince Dellan said, ¡°Well, you can use our fire power as much as you want. But as you already knew, you had to secure TF Amethyst''s personnel as many as you can, along with their equipment.¡± After a slight grin Duke Velker replied, ¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡± Wasting no time, Duke Velker then conducted a final check for his plan. In summary, he would left most of carrier ships, transport ships, supply ships, and landing ships, along with 500 frigates to secure the perimeter. Then, an hours before midnight, he led the rest of Battle Group C''s warships to sail north. He separated the whole pack into three Task Forces, to close Sommer Island from three directions simultaneously. --- Forward Radar Station Goblin, Sommer Island 02:10, 29 Oct 2025 As soon as the two received notifications that a huge pack of uninvited guests were on their way, Lt. Colonel Gillray and Rear Admiral Norrak immediately went to command center, without changing their pajamas first. Once he looked at the Reaper¡¯s footage on the main screen, Rear Admiral Norrak in an instant gasped. ¡°The whole pack consisted of more than three thousand ships, but they only brought a few hundred supply ships and transport ships. It seems like they planned to launch a short but intense operation. And if there is no storm they will arrive at dawn, and I''m sure they will immediately launch an attack." After heaving a deep sigh Lt. Colonel Gillray said, ¡°Why do they put their attention to this insignificant rocky island? We don''t provoke them and I believed they don''t understand the strategic value of this radar station. Why don''t they just put their focus on the beach landing and receive the full package of welcome party from our ground element?" ¡°Ser Gillray, I¡¯m afraid their way of thinking is beyond our understanding.¡± "I guess so." After taking another deep sigh Lt. Col. Gillray continued, "Admiral, before they finish their blockade maneuver, I think you should send your destroyers away." ¡°No, I will deploy them to form a static defensive line around this island.¡± ¡°That move will cost you every single one of your destroyers.¡± ¡°I believe my destroyer squadron will be able to sink a few hundred opposing ships in the process. So it¡¯s a good trade.¡± ¡°I see. I will prepare our final defensive line then.¡± ¡°Well, I have to brief my sailors and Riders, so I need to take my leave, and may gods who reside in heaven help us all.¡± "Amen." Wasting no time, Rear Admiral Norrak then left command center. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Gillray approached Captain Floyd. ¡°Captain, send a request to Yellow Tail. Let''s see if their guided-patrol boat can help us. We need to upgrade some of the opposing ships into submarines." ¡°Copy, but Sir, I had to remind you. Our guided-patrols boat carries ammo in a very limited amount.¡± ¡°It''s better than no help at all." ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± Without delay Captain Floyd sent an emergency request to Yellow Tail Naval Station. After that, he helped Lt. Colonel Gillray to coordinate defensive measure in Sommer Island, along with the evacuation of some civilian personnel. ***** TFA2 18.1 – Seagull-class Patrol Boat TFA2 18.1 ¨C Seagull-class Patrol Boat Yellow Tail Naval Station was located at north coast of Buriek Continent, and 280 km east of FRS Goblin. It was a small and humble naval station housing 6 units Seagull-class guided missile patrol boat (PG). Its primary mission was to neutralize a pack of three mid-size dragons that used coastline town along Guise Sea as their hunting ground every two or three decades. A similar mission with the other six units Seagull-class guided missile patrol boat that was stationed at Bluefin Naval Station. The only difference was that Bluefin had to protect south coast of Amstell Continent, while Yellow Tail had to protect north coast of Buriek Continent. In the operation to stop Kingdom of Makai¡¯s campaign, element in Yellow Tail did not receive any role. The expected mid-size dragon pack was estimated to come by next year. Therefore, they had to prepare their resources for their intended role. Of course, it didn¡¯t mean they would just sit and do nothing when a friendly element asked for help. As soon as he receive emergency request from FRS Goblin, Colonel Pearson immediately gathered his officers in the briefing room. However, his unit was not a QRF unit. And so, he must found out the level of readiness of every boat before determining which ones that he would deploy. In a calm tone, Colonel Pearson opened the briefing. ¡°Gentlemen, FRS Goblin is facing an imminent threat and they requested for our assistance. And I just got a green from Harley Quinn to deploy two boats and test its weapon system on a night combat. So, let¡¯s decide which boats would get this opportunity." Wasting no time Major Ledford checked the logbook in his hand before saying, ¡°Swallow and Raven are on combat patrol, but the remaining boats can be deploy at any moment, including Crow and Herron that had just return from their patrol this evening. However, we have some official leaves, so none of those boats are in full crew." ¡°Give us the best option available,¡± ordered Colonel Pearson. ¡°Sparrow and Albatross,¡± Major Ledford calmly replied. ¡°Sparrow doesn¡¯t have Fire Scout¡¯s crew, while Albatross doesn¡¯t have weapon system crew, but our net-centric will allow the two to complements each other''s shortcomings." ¡°What about Crow and Herron?" ¡°This evening, their crews went out for drinking and whoring in Lumark City. I already send someone to pick them back, but it will 2-3 hours before they arrive here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sparrow and Albatross then. We will sail in twenty minutes,¡± Colonel Pearson firmly decided. ¡°As for Crow and Herron, the two will stand by as a back-up element.¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡°Aye Sir.¡±¡±¡± All officers in the briefing room replied almost in unison. Then, wasting no time they carried out their task. --- Guided-missile patrol boat was not a new concept on earth. It was basically a 2-9 hundreds ton-class patrol boat equipped with fixed-angle missile launcher on the rear deck. However, TF Amethyst found out that among the existing guided-missile patrol boat, none would give a satisfactory results when it was deployed to hunt a pack of mid-size dragon in the coastal waters. Therefore, TF Amethyst decided to build a new class of guided-missile patrol boat from scratch. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The concept was a whole different beast compared to existing guided-missile patrol boat. Fortunately, most of shipbuilding players in US of A had the capacity and capability to build it. Moreover, without budget watchdog stood in its development, TF Amethyst could adopt the best available technology and weapon system in the market. This new concept was named Seagull-class patrol boat. Seagull-class patrol boat had a full combat load of 1400 ton and 74 meters long. Its main combat system consisted of information processor and tactical digital network centric, AESA 3D radar, fire control radar, surface search radar, navigation radar, optronic sight, tactical sonar array, and integrated command and fire control system. To maximize its detection capabilities, Seagull-class patrol boat also carried MQ-8N Fire Scout, an unmanned reconnaissance helicopter based on Bell 406, which was also used as the base for OH-58N Kiowa Warrior. As for weapon system, every Seagull-class patrol boat was equipped with: 1 x OTO Melara 76 mm Naval Gun 2 x Ripper Weapon Station 8-cells Mk.41 Vertical Missile Launcher 2 x triple-tube Mk.32 Torpedo Launcher In summary, Seagull-class patrol boat was a micro-Aegis combat system minus its electronic warfare and ballistic defense capability. Of course, the whole system would require a huge amount of electric power to make sure it worked properly. Something that was actually quite difficult to be fulfilled by a 1400 tons ship. Therefore, Seagull-class patrol boat had combat radius only up to 3000 km and sea endurance in full hunting-mode for around 10 days. The limitation in its combat radius and sea endurance was not a big hurdle for Seagull-class patrol boat main mission. Problem and challenge would only arise when the boat had to fight conventional sea warfare. It was impossible for Seagull-class patrol boat to give a decisive result when their opponent was numbered a few thousand, no matter how primitive the technology they used. In short, the reinforcement from Yellow Tail could only lessen up FRS Goblin¡¯s burden up to certain extent. Nothing more nothing less. Under the night sky, PG-08 Sparrow and PG-10 Albatross sailed at cruiser speed to the west, straight to their first battlefield. Inside the bridge of PG-08 Sparrow, Colonel Pearson calmly ordered, ¡°Launch Fire Scout from Albatross, let¡¯s check what we are against to." ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Captain Rockie, the officer who was in charge of intelligence gathering calmly replied and carried out the order. A few moment later, MQ-8N Fire Scout easily took off and leaving PG-10 Albatross¡¯ flight deck. Once it reached an altitude of 3600 meters, all sensors on MQ-8N Fire Scout gave it maximal output in provide intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, aerial fire support, and precision targeting support up to radius of 240 km for both PG-08 Sparrow and PG-10 Albatross. Without delay Captain Rockie then reported, ¡°Sir, we have four packs of opposition.¡± ¡°Captain, give me the detail of the nearest two.¡± ¡°First opposition, 2 carrier ships and 80 escorts, 40 km north of Sommer Island, 200 km west of our position.¡± After pausing for a moment Captain Rockie continued, ¡°Second opposition, 5 carrier ships and 700 combine escorts, 50 km east of Sommer Island and 80 km south of our position. The second pack is closing in to our position at 16 knots.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s welcome the second opposition. Set course at 18 km to their right.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Without delay, PG-08 Sparrow and PG-10 Albatross changed its course. At the same time, MQ-8N Fire Scout also flew to the south to conduct visual reconnaissance on the targeted opposing ships. Even if Seagull-class patrol boat was slightly wider than most ships in its class, it had a very good agility. Therefore, it could swiftly change its course and easily flanked their target. In less than one hour, the two patrol boats had already sailed next to Battle Group C''s outer flank at a distance of 18 km. And as the whole planet had the same size as the earth, it meant they were right behind the horizon if viewed from Battle Group C''s outer flank field of view. ***** TFA2 18.2 – Two Giant Fire Spears Inside PG-08 Sparrow''s bridge, Colonel Pearson observed Battle Group C''s east flank which did not change their formation or speed. "They are oblivious to our presence." ¡°Aye Sir,¡± replied Captain Rockie. "It''s time for pissing contest. Captain, give me some targets.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Rockie showed Colonel Pearson footage from MQ-8N Fire Scout. ¡°They place their corvettes and frigates to form their outer perimeter, just next to our left. But I suggest we pick their destroyers. Each one of them has trebuchet and they can approach Sommer Island very closely. We had to eliminate these trebuchet destroyers as much as possible, and at a distance of 28 km, our main gun will easily reach them.¡± ¡°Start marking them.¡± ¡°We already did.¡± As he changed the footage on the main screen, Captain Rockie continued, ¡°Also, FRS Goblin send us this footage. As you can see, these pairs are two times larger than other carrier ships. FRS Goblin advised us to use these two as lab rats for our missile." As he observed two carrier ships with a big marking ''Solera-01'' and ''Solera-02'' written on their upper deck, Colonel Pearson asked, ¡°Do we have a firing solution for this pair of bigass lab rats, from our current position I mean?¡± In an instant, Captain Rockie grinned. ¡°We do. These carrier ships are part of oppositions that take position in south of Sommer Island, or to be precise it''s 145 km to the southwest of our position. Standard Missiles will easily nail them.¡± ¡°Well, let''s hope they put their high-command in one of these bigass lab rats." ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Captain Rockie happily replied. A moment later, OTO Melara 76 mm on PG-08 Sparrow and PG-10 Albatross turned to the left before starting to launch a salvo with rate of fire 20 rounds/minute. Seagull-class patrol boat used a compact model of OTO Melara 76 mm Naval Gun, with an 80-round magazine. The ammunition was multipurpose round which used tipe 3A-Plus programmable multi-role fuze, made it capable for armour-piercing, short-range anti-missile point defence, anti-aircraft, anti-ship, and ground support. In summary, both PG-08 Sparrow and PG-10 Albatross easily conducted a precision massacre on their target, in a span of time less than five minutes. Then, one cell of Mk.41 Vertical Launcher System on each boat opened, followed by intense outburst as SM-2MR vertically thrusting into night sky, then flew to the southwest at a speed of 3.5 mach and leaving behind a trail of thick white smoke. At the same time, Colonel Pearson took a breath of relief as the launching process ran smoothly. As a former Weapon System Officer in Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, it could be said he knew SM-2MR very well. Basically, SM-2MR Standard Missile was a medium range surface-to-air interceptor with a secondary role as anti-ship missile. It was a key part of Aegis combat system and introduced the inertial and command mid-course guidance. Its autopilot was programmed to fly in the most efficient path to the target and could receive course corrections along the way. And in its operating history, SM-2MR proved to be able to kill fast attack craft, helicopters, fighter jets, and anti-ship missiles. Unfortunately, SM-2MR''s reputation got tarnished after it was mistakenly deployed to shoot down Iran Air Flight 655. As he heaved a deep sigh, Colonel Pearson turned his attention towards aerial footage sent by Reaper from FRS Goblin. A few moments later, he witnessed how each SM-2MR fatally hit their target right in the middle. "We have a good hit, Sir. Targets destroyed." "Yeah." As the two carrier ships broke into big chunks of wreckages and slowly sank, Colonel Pearson said, ¡°We had full fill our role. Now, we can only let FRS Goblin fend for themselves.¡± ¡°Sir, maybe we can continue with medium-multirole Tomahawks from each boat?¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°No,¡± Colonel Pearson firmly replied. ¡°Even if XO has gone to earth for a while, we still haven''t received the second batch of missile shipping. We have to save what we have for our intended role.¡± ¡°Copy, Sir.¡± Even though he was slightly disappointed, Captain Rockie didn''t argue. Under the darkness of the night, PG-08 Sparrow and PG-10 Albatross then sailed back to Yellow Tail. --- Inside corvette Renart-01''s bridge, Captain Aran calmly sat in his command seat while enjoying a cup of warm tea. At night, when Rider couldn''t fly to provide aerial surveillance, a warship could only rely on crystal sensor which it''s range was limited by horizon line. Therefore, Captain Aran and his sailors didn''t realize that two grim reapers were peeking from behind the horizon. And finally, the reapers showed their presence, right when Captain Aran just sipped his tea. Boom! Boom! Bo-boom!! Bo-Boboboooom!!! Without any warning, the sky in the eastern horizon blinked ceaselessly, followed by a chain of thunderous booms. Then, as Captain Aran choked on his tea, a flock of projectiles suddenly popped-up from behind the horizon. They flew across the night sky and in the blink of one eye they had already passed Corvette Renart-01''s position. With ease, Captain Aran concluded the target of the incoming projectiles. ¡°Some bastards are attacking our main formation. We need to stop them, at the triple.¡± ¡°At once, Sir.¡± Wasting no time, Senior Sailor Zhorka carried out the order. Corvette Renart-01 then swiftly changed its course to the east, followed by other corvettes in the east flank. In total, more than three hundred corvettes sailed to the east at maximum speed, right under the trajectory of the incoming projectiles. At the same time, footbowmen made the preparation for versus contact in the upper deck. However, suddenly the sky in the eastern horizon stopped blinking. A few moments later, two giant fire spears spiked to the sky, then flew to the southwest like a pair of meteors, crossing the night sky while leaving behind two white smoke trails. ¡°What the¡­¡± muttered Captain Aran as sweat drenched his back. ¡°What are those things?¡± asked Senior Sailor Zhorka. ¡°Something dangerous, I believe.¡± After calming turmoil in his heart, Captain Aran continued, ¡°and they fly towards First Task Force. We have to warn them." ¡°At once, Sir.¡± A few minutes later, the group of corvettes from east flank arrived at the location, which they believed to be the place where the opposing side launched their sudden attack. However, other than the calm sea under the night sky, they found nothing. In fact, If they did not receive notifications that 143 destroyers under Second Task Force''s command had just sank, while a dozen others suffered a severe damage, then they would believe that the salvo of projectiles and the two giant fire spears, which they previously witnessed was only a figment of their imagination. --- From the bridge of carrier ship Korral-01, Admiral Jarros calmly looked at the sea surface under the night sky. Then, one of the staff officers suddenly approached him and reported. ¡°Ser, Duke Velker sent you a message.¡± Admiral Jarros immediately turned his gaze towards carrier ship Solera-01, which was sailing not far in front of him. "Is he giving me some order?" "No, Sir." The staff officer looked at the message in his hand as he continued, "Duke Velker appointed you to take over his position in case something happens to him." In an instant, Admiral Jarros frowned. "He sits in the middle of a formation consisting of more than a thousand ships. So, how can something happens to----" Admiral Jarros did not finish his words as suddenly a commotion was heard from the deck. Then, when he looked at the night sky pointed by sailors above the deck, he found two giant fire spears was flying across the night sky. It rapidly approached the center of First Task Force''s formation, and then dove diagonally and hit Solera-01 and Solera-02. BO-BOOOOMMM!!! Almost at the same time, two huge and dazzling explosions turned Solera-01 and Solera-02, the two biggest carrier ships under Battle Group C''s command into wreckages, which slowly sank and only left some wood chips on the sea surface. With a slightly trembling voice, the staff officer then said, "Sir, it seems like you just got promoted to hold the second highest position in Battle Group C, right below Prince Dellan.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± After calming the turmoil that rocked his mind, Admiral Jarros continued, "Send the damage report to Prince Dellan, and assure him we will take Sommer Island today.¡± ¡°As your command, Sir.¡± Even if he felt a little nervous, Admiral Jarros knew he could not cancel the campaign to take Sommer Island. As the sun would rise in 40 minutes while the maneuver to siege Sommer Island had been completed up to 80%. Moreover, he believed that the opposing side''s remarkable firepower wouldn''t be without limit. Otherwise, they would have already swept the whole Battle Group C with their giant fire spear. A few moments later, as the sun rose in the east, Battle Group C had completed the maneuver to circle Sommer Island. They were then carefully strengthening their grip. Meanwhile, Riders scramble from every carrier ship to launch an opening strike. ***** TFA2 19.1 – Evolution of Buriek Riders TFA2 26.1 ¨C Evolution of Buriek Rider Command Center, FRS Goblin. 05:16, 29 Oct 2025 In a calm tone, Major Hanneson gave Lt. Colonel Gillray an update, ¡°All the weapon systems we have were already in ready-to-engage alert. Even though we don¡¯t have anti-ship missile to launch a preemptive strike, we have enough ammo to defend the perimeter for two days.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray nodded in satisfaction, After a moment of silence, Major Hanneson then asked, ¡°Sir, do we have reinforcement?¡± ¡°We do.¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray calmly replied. ¡°An hour ago, Castle Lagra had finished packing all Harpoons deployed on Sandhur Region. However, as the opposing Riders are operating in the area, the delivery can only be done after sunset.¡± ¡°I will prepare a team to receive those Harpoons then.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Wasting no time, Major Hanneson then returned to his station. At the same time, Captain Floyd approached Lt. Colonel Gillray and reported, ¡°Sir, opposing side just scrambled their Riders.¡± ¡°How big?¡± ¡°More than two hundred, approaching from four directions.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t even give us time to take breakfast.¡± After gulping down his coffee in one go, Lt. Colonel Gillray ordered, ¡°Give a green to our Riders and alert our defenders in the outer perimeter. We are engage.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Without delay, Captain Floyd carried the orders. --- On September 10, 2025, or to be precise six days after the peace agreement was signed, TF Amethyst and Buriek Guard established an elite school for Buriek Riders. It was officially called Rider Aerial Combat School, while the Riders called it Tom Gun. Its main purpose was to teach the modern art of aerial combat and to ensure that the Riders who graduated were the best Riders in the whole planet. Six weeks later, 182 Riders and Weapon Officers completed the training, 80 Riders and Weapon Officers were then deployed in FRS Goblin under the command of 71st Mohawk Squadron, and this morning they would have their first aerial battle. One hour before sunrise, the Riders and Weapon Officers had already started the final preparation. First, they wore their flight suits and flight goggles. Then, they checked IR Strobe and IFF Transponder strapped on their Cloud Hawk¡¯s ankle. After that, Riders checked the display tablet mounted on his saddle. This display tablet was connected to the tactical data link, INS, and other net-centric. So they had to make sure everything was working properly before the flight. Meanwhile, Weapon Officers prepared their HK M320 Grenade Launchers. One was as main weapon and the other one was as a back-up. Then, they strapped it to their saddle along with 128 rounds of 40 mm sub-munition. And finally, shortly after sunrise all Cloud Hawks under command of 71st Mohawk Regiment took off. They smoothly leave behind the landing pad before splitting into four squadrons. In the squadron that flew towards the south, Brigadier Ugla took the leading position. As soon as he saw a group of black dots in the distance, he immediately checked the display tablet. Then, he pressed PTT button. ¡°Alpha-01 to 71-1, we have 60 tallies, be ready to engage.¡± [Roger.] [Copy.] ¡­ ¡­ [Understood.] Twenty Riders from 71-1 Squadron calmly replied one by one, and Brigadier Ugla immediately smiled inwardly. ¡®Let¡¯s see how effective our new doctrine and tactic is.¡¯ A few seconds later, the two groups of Cloud Hawks had entered a distance of 200 meters, right before the salvo of arrows could be launched. However, 20 Cloud Hawks from 71-1 Squadron suddenly broke their formation and flew into multiple directions. Without delay, Makai Riders conducted hot pursuits. As his saddle facing backward, Weapon Officer Berrik easily spotted the incoming three Makai Riders. He then said to Brigadier Ugla, "We got three tails. It seems like they recognize you as a big target.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Well, kill them then.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Weapon Officer Berrik then took a 40 mm sub-munition round from ammo-belt in the saddle. The 40 mm sub-munition round basically was a smaller version of beehive round. It had 120 steel darts inside the projectiles, and on its neck there were marking: -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, which the meanings were safe, detonation at impact, detonation at 10 meter after muzzle exit, detonation at 20 meter after muzzle exit, and so on. To select the desired detonation mechanism, Weapon Officer Berrik only had to shift the numbers on the projectile''s neck until it was paralleled to the red arrow mark. For his first target, Weapon Officer Berrik selected a detonation at 10 meters after muzzle exit. Then, he loaded the 40 mm sub-munition round into firing chamber and took aim. ¡°Good bye,¡± Weapon Officer Berrik said as he gently squeezed the trigger. Thumb. . . . Blaaaaarrr!! The 40 mm sub-munition round smoothly flew into the leading Rider, exploding right 5 meters before him, and sending out bursts of 120 steel darts that have been coated with neuro-toxin agents. Most of the steel darts hit Makai Riders in the leading position, while some of them hit the one behind him. The penetrations were not deep, but undoubtedly fatal. As neuro-toxin on a single steel dart was more than enough to kill a Rider or Cloud Hawk in a split second. As a result, the two Makai Riders and their Cloud Hawks met their end before they had a chance to close their eyes. Their bodies then plunged to the sea surface, creating a big splash and some bubbles, and then slowly sank. As for the third Makai Rider, as he tried to understand what had just happened to his colleagues before him, the second 40 mm sub-munition round exploded in front of his face. In an instant, the third Makai Rider and his Cloud Hawk followed the fate of his two colleagues. ¡°All tails have been eliminated," Weapon Officer Berrik calmly said as he took the 40 mm sub-munition case out of firing chamber. ¡°Good job." Brigadier Ugla then checked the display tablet on his saddle, and he was not surprised when he found that the sky to the south of Sommer Island was clear of unidentified blips. After observing the sky one more time, he then pressed PTT button. ¡°Alpha-01 to Command, we have eliminated all hostiles in our sector, requesting permission to engage opposing warships.¡± [Command to Alpha-01, you have green, go get them.] ¡°Copy, Alpha-01 over and out.¡± A moment later, all Riders under 71-1 Squadron¡¯s command flew towards their new preys, or to be precise the incoming Battle Group C¡¯s warships. --- ¡°What the, that¡¯s too fucking fast. It''s not a fight but pure slaughter.¡± From Korral-01''s bridge, Admiral Jarros observed how the aerial battle between Buriek Riders and Makai Riders took place. Even in his wildest dream, Admiral Jarros had never imagined that 20 Buriek Riders would be able to wipe out 60 Makai Riders in a few seconds. Then, wasting no time Buriek Riders were approaching in full speed. Judging from their flight path, it seemed Korral-01 was their main menu. ¡°Defend this ship at all cost,¡± ordered Admiral Jarros. "Right now, their heart and mind must be overflowing with confidence. Let¡¯s exploit and use it to slaughter them." "At once, Ser." Staff Officer Lowiz immediately carried out the order. A moment later, the ballista crew and footbowmen on Korral-01 were already on combat alert. They filled the 300 meters long upper-deck to the brim. Based on Buriek Riders'' campaign on Sandhur Region, they knew that Buriek Riders would attack by utilizing high-speed maneuver in low altitude. Therefore, they would let them come as close as possible before launching the salvo. Unfortunately, battlefield was unpredictable most of the time. Buriek Riders did not perform high-speed maneuver at low altitude as expected, but leisurely circling Korral-01 at an altitude outside the reach of footbow and ballista. They flew like a flock of hunters who observed their prey, just before the start of a gangbang party. In an instant, chill running down on the back of footbowmen and ballista crew on Korral-01. Somehow, they knew a shitstorm was going to descend on them. Blaaarrr! Bla-bla-blaaaaarrrr! Bla-blaaaarrrr! Blaarrr!! Without any warning, a rain of projectiles as big as a fist hit Korral-01 and exploded. A moment later Korral-01 had turned into a big floating swiss cheese, while Buriek Riders moved to the next carrier ship. As he felt Korral-01''s speed decrease, while its deck slowly tilted to the side, Admiral Jarros immediately realized his flagship was beyond saving. After having a deep sigh he ordered, ¡°All hand! Abandon the ships!¡± ¡°But Sir¡­¡± Staff Officer Lowiz wanted to argue, but in the end he said, ¡°At once, Ser.¡± Wasting no time, Staff Officer Lowiz launched the evacuation protocol. At first, he chose one of the cruisers that escorted Korral-01. However, after they finished with the carrier ships, Buriek Riders continued their gangbang party on the closest cruisers. In the end, Staff Officer Lowiz could only choose one of the biggest destroyers as flagship for First Task Force. Overall, Buriek Riders'' attack only lasted around 40 minutes. In this time span, First Task Force lost 3 carriers and 24 cruisers. Unfortunately, the other three Task Forces also suffered similar fate. Even so, Admiral Jarros did not cancel the attack on Sommer Island. From frigate Toppo-01''s bridge, he coldly looked at 20 Buriek Riders who flew back to Sommer Island. ¡°Start the landing, the faster we seize Sommer Island, the less we have to suffer any loss.¡± ¡°As your command, Ser.¡± Without delay, Staff Officer Lowiz carried out the order. A few minutes later, thousands of landing boats swiftly moved towards Sommer Island from four directions. Each one of them carried 30 landing troops with determination as hard as steel. All officers and personnel who participated in the attack on Sommer Island were aware that when they retreated, they would become an easy meal for Buriek Riders. Therefore, they fully supported the decision to continue the attack on Sommer Island. In fact, right now their determination to win the battle had increased by several folds. ***** TFA2 19.2 - Incoming Warships TFA2 26.2 ¨C Incoming Warships The Riders and Weapon Officers from 71st Mohawk Regiment flew in high spirits. At a distance of 5 km from Sommer Island, they asked the permit to enter before circling the island. They had to wait until Command Center switched the main air defense system into manual mode before going deeper. It was important but not complicated procedure. Therefore, a few moments later the Riders and Weapon Officers had landed in landing pad almost simultaneously. Then, as Riders and Weapon Officers made a preparation for second sortie, the ground crews fetched fresh water for the Cloud Hawks. Meanwhile, the commander of each Squadron gathered in briefing room. Brigadier Ugla calmly opened the meeting, ¡°Anything to share, Gentlemen?¡± Captain Ra¡¯ak, the commanding officer of 71-2 Squadron replied first, ¡°We eliminate all Riders and carrier ship in the east, along with dozens of destroyers and cruisers. Zero casualty on my men.¡± Captain Nadak added, ¡°Same with 71-3, we totally eliminated Riders and carrier ships in the west, along with some cruisers and destroyers. Zero casualty on my men.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Captain Jaseek scratched the back of his head as he said, ¡°After eliminating their Riders, my men focused on attacking their cruisers and destroyers. We sank around 70 destroyers and cruiser, but zero kill on their carrier ships.¡± After contemplating for a moment, Brigadier Ugla then said, ¡°If everything goes as we planned, then we will wipe out around 40-50 percent of opposing warship before sunset. That will be a great score for the first day of versus contact. However, it was not worth to celebrate unless we win the whole contest. So, stay sharp." ¡°¡±¡°Aye Sir.¡±¡±¡± The three captains under Brigadier Ugla''s command calmly replied. Then, they casually enjoyed a glass of cool and refreshing isotonic water. This short break was also meant to give the Cloud Hawks a time to catch their breath, before they began the second sortie. However, the calm atmosphere turned tense as Rear Admiral Norrak suddenly entered the briefing room and said, "We face an emergency on Buriek''s east coast. Makai Riders really got us over there.¡± In an instant, a big question mark appeared on Brigadier Ugla''s forehead. It was estimated that Battle Group C have around 1200 Riders to support their landing operation on Buriek¡¯s east coast, while Buriek Guard only deployed 230 Riders to confront it. At first glance, the difference in number was huge. However, of the 230 Buriek Riders deployed to secure Buriek''s east coast, 102 of them are Tom Gum''s graduates. And it was expected that in the first day of versus contact, each Tom Gun¡¯s graduates would be able to kill 4-6 Makai Riders. Based on 71-1st Mohawk Regiment¡¯s experienced, this expectation was actually still too low. As Brigadier Ugla believed Tom Gum''s graduates would easily kill 7-8 Makai Riders in their first meeting. ''It seems an unforeseen circumstance just showed up.'' In a tense tone, Brigadier Ugla then asked, ¡°Admiral, is our Riders suffered a defeat?¡± ¡°Not tactically, but strategically.¡± Rear Admiral Norrak replied as he approached the projector in the room. After inserting a memory card, he then turned the projector on. In an instant, the map of Buriek¡¯s east coast was projected on the display board. "What the¡­" After seeing that the area up to 200 km from the coastline was full of red and black marks, Brigadier Ugla immediately turned his gaze towards Rear Admiral Norrak. ¡°Did these marked area suffered Riders'' attack?¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. After heaving a deep sigh, Rear Admiral Norrak explained, ¡°Areas with black mark are the one that has suffered Makai Riders'' attack. As for the red ones, they are the settlements we predict to be the next target." "These many had already suffered the attack?" asked Captain Ra''ak. "Unfortunately, Yes," Rear Admiral Norrak replied in bitter tone. "As you already knew, we only deployed the counter measure to fight Riders in big cities, while the villages and small settlements around it have no defense to face a direct attack from Riders. And Makai Riders performs their attack in a small team of 8 Riders to maximize their hunting radius. As a result, our Riders cannot cover all areas that must be protected." ¡°Damn, with their huge number, I can''t believe they will avoid frontal contact and choose harassment attack,¡± Captain Ra¡¯ak said in an annoyance tone. Rear Admiral Norrak nodded before adding, ¡°And so far they had already deployed 960 Riders.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a massive harassment attack.¡± Dark cloud filled Captain Nadak¡¯s mind as he imagined that a village or small settlement would instantly get destroyed by direct attack from eight Cloud Hawks. After heaving a deep sigh, Captain Jaseek added in a tone full of regret, "We should not refuse TF Amethyst''s offer to deploy their air defense system in the Buriek''s east coast. We are overconfident on our new capability." "There is no point in regretting it. We have something more important to do." Brigadier Ugla then looked at Rear Admiral Norrak. "Admiral, what order we had to carry?" ¡°Command Center in Lumark City asked 71st to be sent as reinforcement to hunting Makai Riders.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t mind.¡± Brigadier Ugla firmly replied, ¡°But, even the closest area is almost outside our combat radius. Once the hunting is done, we will not able to return over here immediately, and had to land in nearby base.¡± "No worries,¡° said Rear Admiral Norrak. "I and Ser Gillray have agreed that hunting Makai Riders is top priority. As for this Radar Station, we will managed to defend it as long we didn¡¯t tried to launch ambitious offensive. Moreover, after you eliminated all opposing Riders in the area, the reinforcement from Sandhur Region immediately took off and would be arrived in 2-3 hours. At least, we will survive for the next few days.¡± ¡°I see. Then we will be on our way.¡± After giving a small salute to Rear Admiral Norrak, Brigadier Ugla and his Captains then went to landing pad. As there was not much time available for briefing, Brigadier Ugla decided to give his Riders the brief on the way. Coincidentally, a moment after they scrambled Command Center in Lumark City sent tactical data regarding the situation on the battlefield base on a real time development. Therefore, Brigadier Ugla could divide the hunting area for his 71st Mohawk Regiment more effectively. Wasting no time, Riders and Weapon Officers from 71st Mohawk Regiment then flew towards their designated area in a small team of two Cloud Hawks. --- In a neat formation, 40 Buriek''s destroyers surrounded Sommer Island. These destroyers took position at a distance of 50 meters from the beach, and a few hundreds meter from each other. Their main objective was to become the first line of defense in blocking Battle Group C''s landing attempt. At first, every single one of Buriek¡¯s sailors thought that their job would be quite easy. Especially after they saw how Buriek Riders eliminated the opposing Riders along with some of their main warships. Unfortunately, the flow of the battlefield went into undesired direction. Buriek¡¯s sailors had to lose the precious aerial support from Buriek Riders, right when the opposing side launched their landing attempt. From destroyer Levi-01''s deck, Lieutenant Mirriz observed the incoming landing boats, tightly followed by their destroyers and other warships. Then, he turned his gaze towards Captain Phoker who stood next to him. ¡°Capt, they attack in full strength from the first wave." ¡°It seems so. Well, their numbers is sure intimidating, but we have better weapon system and they don¡¯t have a clue about it.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Then, as soon as the incoming warships entered Molotov catapult¡¯s effective ranges, Captain Phoker ordered, ¡°Lieutenant, give them a taste of hell.¡± After an ear to ear grin, Lieutenant Mirriz happily replied, ¡°At once, Sir.¡± Wasting no time, Molotov catapult¡¯s crew on Levi-01 started launching salvo. On a ship''s deck that constantly went up and down over the waves, performing accurate salvo was not easy. However, the incoming warships were tightly covered the sea surface, so all Molotov cocktails hit a target fatally. ***** TFA2 19.3 – Second Defensive Line In his sector Brigadier Pello had facing only one opposition, a single Buriek¡¯s destroyer with hull code Jeve-01. Even so, he did not dare to lower his guard. Previously, he had seen how Buriek Riders with ease slaughter Makai Riders even though they were outnumbered. So he believed that the lone Buriek''s destroyer must be also had an unpleasant surprise for his units. And turned out, Brigadier Palleo intuition was correct. Without any warning, Jeve-01 suddenly launched a salvo consisting of eight flaming bottles into the air. The salvo made a high arc before accurately landed on the corvettes that tightly following the landing boats. Blaaarr! Blaaarr! Blaaarr! Bla-bla-blaaaarr!!! Fierce and huge fire instantly covered eight corvettes, along with some of its crews. Then, heartbreaking screams were filled the air as some human torches jumped into the sea. Meanwhile, the second salvo of flaming bottle had already in the air, followed by the third, the fourth, the fifth, and so on. Chaos immediately descended among the warships that sailed behind the landing boats. Their formation broke and of course they were also lost the ability to give the landing boats an effective fire support. In a serious tone, Brigadier Palleo immediately ordered, ¡°Row faster. The sooner we reach the destroyer, the lesser the casualties we have to suffer.¡± ¡±At once, Sir.¡± Wasting no time, Lieutenant Hamm carried out the order. A moment later, rowers at each landing boats increased their efforts as if their life were on the line. Then, as the leading landing boats had entered a distance of 300 meter before Jeve-01, and Brigadier Palleo immediately ordered, ¡°Bowmen, get ready! Engage as soon as you can.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Wasting no time, bowmen in the leading landing boats knocked an arrow to their long bow. Wind was on their side, so they would be able to fire their arrow at a distance of 275 meters. However, Jeve-01 suddenly fired hundreds of arrows into the air, following by the second, third, and fourth salvo almost without pause. At first, Brigadier Palleo thought that the first salvo would not reach his position. But he instantly corrected his calculation as the incoming arrows reached a height that was far higher than his calculation before starting went down in full speed. ¡°Shield up!¡± Even if Brigadier Palleo¡¯s order slightly too late, the shield holders managed to rise their wooden shield on time. Tap! Tap! Ta-ta-tap! T-ratatatatatatap!! At almost simultaneously, more than a hundred of arrows hit the wooden shields, followed by the next salvo and so on. However, painful moans and curse still filled the air afterward. At the same time, grim sensation gripped Brigadier Palleo''s heart as he realized that the shield holder in front of him trembling, than fell to his knee. Wasting no time, Brigadier Palleo went to support the shield holder. Then, chill ran on his back as he found out that a crossbow bolt was deeply buried on the shield holder''s chest, and leaving behind a hole in the shield. ¡°What the¡­ it''s not an arrow but crossbow bolts.¡± In an instant, Brigadier Palleo¡¯s mind spun wildly. It was too hard for him to imagine what kind of crossbow that able to send a crossbow bolt up to a distance of 300 meters, and then penetrated a wooden shield cleanly. Moreover, the next salvo already in the air even before the first salvo hit its target. Unfortunately, Brigadier Palleo could not think about it any further. As before long, he also became the victim of the insanely dangerous crossbow. --- With a calm gaze, Captain Phoker observed the sea surface in front of him. It was littered with hundreds of bodies and dozens of landing boats. At the same time, 37 opposing warships were burning violently in the distance, while other hundreds warship tried to establish a new attack formation. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Then, Lieutenant Mirriz approached Captain Phoker and reported, "Sir, catapult crew had landed along with their equipment. Right now, they were on the way to third defensive line." "Good. We also had to retreat into second line immediately." "Yes, Sir." Seeing Lieutenant Mirriz still stood in his place, Captain Phoker immediately asked, "Lieutenant, is something bothering you?" "Sir, may I ask you a question?" "You may." "So far we did a good job. So why we don¡¯t just reload this ship with Molotov cocktails and crossbow bolts, then continue defending this position. Not to mention, we had destroyed only opposing corvettes or frigates, but not a single destroyer." Captain Phoker calmly replied, "Well, in short, we can lose this ship but not our crossbowmen and catapult crews.¡± A question mark immediately appeared on Lieutenant Mirriz''s forehead, "Sir?" "Lieutenant, you should start learning how to see the big picture of the battlefield. That''s how high-ranking officer decide what they can throw away, or preserve for later action. As for now, let''s just faithfully follow command center''s order." "Aye Sir." Even though his mind was still full of questions, Lieutenant Mirriz decided to hold his curiosity. Wasting no time, he then carried out the retreat order. Swiftly, 120 crossbowmen started moving into landing boats. Meanwhile, as two highest-ranking officers in the ship, Captain Phoker and Lieutenant Mirriz became the last crew who left Jeve-01. As he poured a bottle of Molotov cocktail to the deck, Captain Phoker said, ¡°Fortunately, this ship has not used the engine and communication system promised by TF Amethyst." ¡°Yeah,¡± Lieutenant Mirriz replied as he poured second Molotov cocktail. ¡°I wonder. What kind of ship we will receive as Jeve-01''s replacement." ¡°We will know if we can survive and win this battle." ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Phoker and Lieutenant Mirriz then boarded the landing boat. After giving last salute to Jeve-01, the two then threw two torches to Jeve-01''s deck. After that, the journey to the beach started. As each landing boats was equipped with a portable engine, the sailors did not need to row it. Only one sailor was needed to man the engine, every landing boat while the rest looked at the burning Jeve-01. Some sailors only looked at Jeve-01 in silent, while some others sobbed as the destroyer was like second home for them. Seeing this, Captain Phoker immediately said, "It¡¯s better to let Jeve-01 rest, rather than to let it fall into opposing side¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡±Aye Sir.¡±¡±¡± All sailors around Captain Phoker calmly replied. After that, they continued the journey to the beach in silent. --- All night, 12th Base Guard Regiment''s personnel tried to cover most of the beach around Sommer Island with anti-personnel mines and barbed wire. They only left a few gaps to be used by Buriek''s Sailor when they retreating. After that, they established second defensive line at the distance 200 meters from the beach. Once all Buriek¡¯s sailor completed their retreat maneuver, Captain Brad immediately reported to Major Blackburn. ¡°Sir, Buriek¡¯s crossbowmen had regrouping with us in second defensive line, while their catapult crews had setting up new firing position in third defensive line." "Very good." Relief was clearly visible in Major Blackburn ''s eyes as he continued, ¡°4800 crossbowmen will lessen up our burden a lot, while Molotov catapult will help us to form firewall in case we get overwhelmed by human wave tactic." ¡°Aye Sir, and we were fortunate Buriek''s sailor didn''t suffer fatality from previous versus contact." Of the 380 personnel under 12th Base Guard Regiment''s command, only 143 of them were infantry, while the rest were heavy weapon operator or support personnel. Therefore, defending Sommer Island from landing troops numbered tens of thousands was undoubtedly a heavy objective for Major Blackburn and his men. So they would deeply appreciate any help they could get. Major Blackburn then calmly said, ¡°It seems our guest change their tactic." "Do they?" "Yes, they no longer try to land, but send their warships as close as possible to the beach." "They intend to use fire power, before launching the next landing attempt." "It seems so." Major Blackburn nodded and continued, "That''s why command center want our beast to welcome them and prevent any salvo from their destroyers." "I see,¡± Captain Brad replied as he nodded his head. ***** TFA2 20.1 – M2A5 Ripper in Action TFA2 20.1 ¨C M2A5 Ripper in Action Initially, Harley Quinn wanted to equip 12th Base Guard Regiment with 12 units of M1152 Ripper. However, because Buriek Guard required many Humvees for their new doctrine, the plan then had been adjusted. As replacement for the Humvees, Logistic and Support Group proposed M2A5 Bradley. Coincidentally, TF Amethyst had too many M2A5 Bradley stationed to guard Harley Quinn. Without delay, 12 units of M2A5 Bradley were transferred to 12th Base Guard Regiment. The modifications to change M2A5 Bradley to M2A5 Ripper went smoothly, as each M2A5 Bradley already used RIwP turret, along with Chain-gun M230 30 mm and Medium Machine Gun M240 7.62 mm. The mechanics from LSG only had to add the sensor and 7-tube Talon launcher they took from M1152 Ripper. Once the M2A5 Ripper was ready to be deployed, the next challenge was the method to deliver it to Sommer Island. TF Amethyst only had Hercules as a means of heavy airlifting. Meanwhile, even if M2A5 Ripper used remote-turret so its combat load decreased from 27 ton to 23 ton, it was still above the maximum payload of Hercules. Fortunately, the mechanics from LSG were ready to double their workload to support the airlifting operation. They partially disassembled each M2A5 Ripper into a few big parts, and then reassembled it in Sommer Island. It was one hell of tiring and complex procedure, but everything went smoothly. And this morning, M2A5 Rippers from 12th Base Guard Regiment would taste their first combat action. On the second defensive line at north perimeter, 3 units M2A5 Ripper sat silently facing the sea. They looked like a small pack of iron beasts. In one of them, Sergeant Ruppert observed the incoming warships through electro optic. Then, a radio call came in. [Command to All Beast, be ready, you have green to neutralize opposing destroyers or cruisers.] "..." [I say again, you have green to neutralize opposing destroyers or any ships equip with trebuchet.] Hearing the order, question marks immediately filled Sergeant Ruppert''s mind. Laser range finder showed him that the opposing destroyers and cruisers were still outside of M2A5 Ripper''s effective range. Meanwhile, the smaller warships would enter the footbow range in 2-3 minutes. Wasting no time, Sergeant Ruppert pressed PTT button. ¡°Beast 0-2 to Command, are we only have green for opposing destroyer or cruiser, confirm?¡± [Command to Beast 0-2, confirm. Footbow will not hurt our defensive line, but their trebuchet is a different story. It use 5-liter clay jar filled with oil lamp as ammunition, and had an effective range up to 1.5 km. Don''t let them firing it.] ¡°Beast 0-2 to Command, received and understood.¡± [Command to all Beast, any other question?] ¡°¡­¡± [No? Then, give them hell, Command over and out.] A moment later, the opposing corvettes and frigates started launching footbow salvos. Before long, the second defensive line was tightly covered by arrows, and the number increasing in rapid pace. However, the defenders firmly stayed at their position. All gunners and shooter stayed put at their firing post, made of sandbags for the wall and roof. Meanwhile, riflemen and crossbowmen lay down on the ground under a huge shield. The huge shield was more than enough to cover an adult from head to toe, and it was specifically designed to neutralize arrows or crossbow bolt. So far, the huge shield worked perfectly well. Therefore, the defender could casually ignore the rain of arrows that hit their position. At the same time Sergeant Ruppert patiently waited. Until finally, Sergeant Charlie said, "Top, the opposing destroyers and cruisers are entering our range. I need you to mark our target.¡± ¡°Copy, give me a minute.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Sergeant Ruppert immediately switched the electro optic from observation mode into searching and tracking mode. Then, he started marking the opposing destroyers or cruiser that entered Talon laser-guided rocket¡¯s effective range. As each M2A5 Ripper was connected through digital net-centric, every vehicle commander would be able to see which target that had been marked by other vehicle commander on the team. Therefore, there would be no scenario where two M2A5 Rippers aimed at same target unintentionally. And so, in the engagement against a huge number of oppositions, the firepower would become much more effective and efficient. As he continued marking opposing destroyers Sergeant Ruppert said, ¡°Charlie, you can start to nail them. Use proximity fuse to hit the trebuchet¡¯s ammo.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± Wasting no time, Sergeant Charlie aimed at first destroyer, right on the pile of clay jar next to the trebuchet. Then, as he pressed the firing button he calmly said, ¡°Rocket away.¡± Swoosssssh!! While leaving behind a loud hissing sound, a single Talon laser-guided rocket smoothly leaving the launching tube, then flew towards its target. On the sea level, Talon had an effective range up to 3.5 km, maximum speed of Mach 2.5, and an accuracy of 0.2 meter. In short, the rocket passed a few frigates and corvettes in a blink of one eye before arriving in front of its target. Boooommm!! A cone-shaped blast fragmentation and heat wave up to three meters radius perfectly hit the pile of clay jars filled with oil lamp, and turned it into huge camp fire. The destroyer''s crew tried their best to kill the fire, but it was futile effort. The fire was too big and spreading too fast. In a few seconds, two-thirds of the destroyer had already been engulfed by fire. With a calm gaze, Sergeant Charlie observed the unfortunate destroyer. Once he was sure it no longer a threat, he turned his intention to the next destroyer. Then, he pressed the firing button. ¡°Second target, rocket away.¡± The second Talon also hit its target fatally. Unfortunately, before Sergeant Charlie could hit the third destroyer, it had already turned its course and went outside of Talon effective range. Then a radio call came in. [Command to all Beast, you have green for opposing corvettes and frigates, but use your gun and conserve your rocket.] "..." [I say again. All Beasts, you have green for opposing corvettes and frigates, but use your gun and conserve your rocket. Engage as soon as you ready, Command over and out.] Without delay, Sergeant Ruppert rewrote all targets that he had marked. Then, he started new procedure to mark the new targets. A moment later, Sergeant Charlie already hit the first corvette by using Chain-gun M230 mm. He chose 30 mm Air Burst-Tracer round and every single one of them could made 0.5 meter hole on the opposing corvette, at slightly above the water line, right on the engine room. In summary, Sergeant Charlie only had to use three 4-round burst of 30 mm AB-T to upgrade each opposing corvette or frigate into submarine. Unfortunately, the opposing corvettes and frigates had already started their escape as soon as the destroyers and cruisers taking a fatal hit. Therefore, Sergeant Charlie only managed to kill five frigates and three corvettes. --- Command Center, FRS Goblin From aerial footage sent by Reaper, Real Admiral Norrak observed how the rain of arrows hit Sommer Island from all direction. He knew that the second defensive line would survive from the salvo. But even so, his heart refused to calm down as the salvo was thick and without pause. Fortunately, a moment later M2A5 Rippers started to launch retaliate fire. Each fire was brutally accurate and killed its target in a few seconds. But somehow, this precise and lethal fire power made Rear Admiral Norrak''s heartbeat became more erratic, while cold sweat started drenching his back. ¡°Even in my wildest dream, never did I imagine I will witness a one side slaughter like this one." Lt. Colonel Gillray who stood next to Rear Admiral Norrak calmly said, ¡°We can¡¯t hold back when we are outnumbered by a few thousand warships. No matter how low their technology, we shouldn''t underestimate their will to kill us.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Somehow, a sense of pity towards the opposing sailors filled Rear Admiral Norrak¡¯s heart to the brim. ¡®I hope this versus contact made them realize. TF Amethyst is not someone they want to mess with.'' And as if it was an answer to Rear Admiral Norrak''s hope, the opposing warships suddenly stopped their advance and salvo before conducting hasty retreats. They went into all direction as fast as they could, leaving behind Sommer Island as if it was a lair of man-eating demon. Once all opposing warship went out of M2A5 Ripper''s effective range, Lt. Colonel Gillray then turned his gaze towards one of intelligence officers in the room. ¡°LT, do we have the tally?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir. In total our Beast kills 4 cruisers, 48 destroyers, 97 frigates, and 64 corvettes.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray nodded as a satisfied smile bloomed in his lips. ¡°I hope this versus contact will make them stay at a healthy distance for a while.¡± "They will, Ser Gillray," Rear Admiral Norrak confidently said. Without delay, Lt. Colonel Gillray then brought Rear Admiral Norrak into his office to enjoy a light breakfast. ***** TFA2 20.2 - Sea Blockade TFA2 20.2 - Sea Blockade In the war strategy room at frigate Toppo-01, Admiral Jarros kept taking a deep sigh. Previously, he decided that Sommer Island had to be seized as quickly as possible to minimize the damage. So he scrapped Duke Fogel¡¯s plan to soften the defensive line on Sommer Island by launching a continued salvo of footbow and trebuchets. From the first wave of attack, he directly sent the landing troops. Unfortunately, his decision was met with a catastrophic failure. The defender wiped out the landing troop to the last man. And now, even though the number of warships under his command was still quite huge, he knew for sure it would not be enough to conquer Sommer Island. He also couldn''t put the whole fleet at risk of getting wiped out without consulting it first with Prince Dellan. And so, Admiral Jarros asked Prince Dellan to decide the next step he had to take. After waiting for three hours, one of the staff officers finally approached him while holding a portable crystal communicator. ¡°Admiral, Prince Dellan wanted to talk with you in private.¡± ¡°I see." The staff officer immediately handed over the crystal communicator before leaving. Admiral Jarros then started the long-range conversation. ¡°Your Highness, I''m ready to receive your instruction.¡± [Admiral, I had read the report you sent. For now, just maintain a blockade on Sommer Island from a safe distance.] ¡°Your Highness, even if I put up the blockade, TF Amethyst''s aerial asset is still continuing to land on Sommer Island. So far, our crystal sensor has detected that at least two flights have landed over there.¡± [The point is that you shouldn¡¯t provoke them, but you have to be ready to take decisive action when the time is right. They put a serious defensive measure on this small rocky island. It means they put something valuable over there, and I want you to seize it no matter what the cost is.] ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± [Good.] After a moment of pause, Prince Dellan continued, [Actually, my situation is also not too good. I lost around 300 Riders in the span of two hours.] In an instant, a deep shock flashed in Admiral Jarros¡¯ eyes, but he managed to suppress it. ¡°Buriek¡¯s Rider definitely used the same tactics as the ones they used to defend Sommer Island." [It seems so. Unfortunately, we have no survivor to tell us the details. But at least, I managed to pull back the remaining Riders before they got wiped out.] "Your Highness is wise," replied Admiral Jarros in a tone full of flattery. [For now, I have switched my priority from conducting heavy harassment to securing human shields. I predict the survivors of our harassment tactic will go to the nearby fortress city after sunset. I will send cavalry elements to intercept and capture them. Once I have enough human shields, I will send some to you, along with Riders and landing troops. Then, you can continue your offensive.] ¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡± [Good. Keep sending me daily update, even if there is no new development.] ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± Once the conversation ended, Admiral Jarros immediately smiled. Initially, he thought Prince Dellan would replace him, but it seemed he still had a chance to fix his failure. ¡®As long as I have enough Riders, landing troops, and human shields, the defensive line on Sommer Island will crumble sooner or later,¡¯ muttered Admiral Jarros as a cold gleam flashed in his eyes. --- At noon, Lt. Colonel Gillray went to one of the ammunition depots in FRS Goblin. During the trip, he met Buriek''s sailor who had just harvested the arrows from the second defensive line. All of the Kingdom of Buriek''s elite units had already adopted the rapid-loading crossbow as their primary weapon, but the regular and reserve units were still using footbow and longbow. Therefore, the arrows would be very useful for them. Not to mention, it was numbered for more than 20.000 arrows. ''They are very casual, even though this station is still on high alert,'' muttered Lt. Colonel Gillray as he parked his Humvee. Then, as soon as he entered the ammunition depot, Lt. Colonel Gillray immediately saw some mechanics using a pulley to install 16 Harpoons into four Mk.141 Launching Systems. Wasting no time, he immediately approached Major Hannesson. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Major, do we have problems deploying the Harpoon?" "Technically, we are good, but I have other concerns, Sir." "Well, I''m all ears." Without delay, Major Hannesson explained, ¡°The Harpoons are already armed and packed in the launching canister. So we don¡¯t need to assemble them. It makes our job easier, but it also makes each Hercules only able to carry eight Harpoons on each trip. Overall, it will take 72 hours before all Harpoons from Sandhur Region arrive here. Not only a lot of things may happen while the Harpoon is being airlifted, but the number is also too small. So, instead of Harpoon, why don''t we ask for additional ammo for our existing weapon systems? Considering that this morning they were very effective in defending this station." In a calm tone Lt. Colonel Gillray replied, ¡°I had sent that request to Castle Lagra. They agree and the next pair of Hercules will bring us spare parts and ammo for our Ripper and other toys. The amount will be enough to increase our capability to defend this station for the next ten days.¡± "I see." ¡°At the same time, until the Ashore Aegis Combat System in this station receives its missiles, Harley Quinn decides to station the entire Harpoon here." ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± After taking a breath full of relief Major Hannesson continued, ¡°Now, about the Harpoon launching procedure. Before I explain it, may I know how deeply you understand this issue, Sir?¡± ¡°Major, I have zero technical knowledge or experience on Harpoon,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray replied honestly. After nodding his head a few times, Major Hannesson started explaining, ¡°Harpoon is actually a simple system. We can launch it from Hornet, Poseidon, small attack craft, land-based launcher, or Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The launching console needs only one table, one operator, and a small power supply. After setting the coordinates and the course for the target, the operator can launch one Harpoon into the air. However, it will need a 22-second interval between each launch. And as Castle Lagra sent us 10 launching consoles, our rate of fire will be 10 Harpoons every 22 seconds.¡± ¡°It''s too low." Lt. Colonel Gillray pondered for a moment before continuing, "Can you connect the launching console to our Aegis and shorten the launching interval?" ¡°I already did.¡± Major Hannesson calmly continued, ¡°But Harpoon is not part of Aegis Combat System and it doesn¡¯t have time-share radar illumination capability to enable engaging multiple targets in quick succession. It will still need a 22-second interval between each launch." In an instant, Lt. Colonel Gillray frowned. As a former USAF officer, he had to pass Aegis Combat System¡¯s course before becoming CO of FRS Goblin. So he knew that in a configuration of 96-cell Vertical Launcher, Aegis Combat System could send 12 missiles to 12 different targets in one go, even though the doctrine dictated that each high-level threat had to be intercepted by two missiles to increase the rate of success. As for FRS Goblin which was equipped with a total of 64-cell Vertical Launcher, it would be able to send eight missiles in one go towards four mid-size dragons that came from four different directions. However, in the Aegis Combat System''s course, he did not find a class that discussed Harpoon. Now, he knew the reason. ¡°Damn. No wonder the Navy wants to kick Harpoon out of Burke-class destroyer.¡± Major Hannesson gave a nod and said, ¡°In the Cold War, we need every single missile we have at disposal. That¡¯s why the Navy put Harpoon in the first-generation Arleigh Burke-class. However, when the Cold War ended, Harpoon lost its main value, the huge number of stockpiles. This is one of the reasons why XO can procure 800 Harpoons silently. Unfortunately, so far less than half of the number has arrived.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After taking a deep breath, Lt. Colonel Gillray then turned his gaze to Major Hannesson. ¡°Major, I will bear it in mind, 10 Harpoons every 22 seconds.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± After some small talk, Lt. Colonel Gillray then returned to Command Center. ***** TFA2 21.1 – Saving A Settlement TFA2 21.1 ¨C Saving A Settlement Under the morning sky, Brigadier Ugla took his Cloud Hawk to the closest target. Next to him, Lieutenant Ollek faithfully followed his lead. Their destination was a small settlement located on the northwest of Buriek Continent. Previously, they detected six unidentified blips that circled the settlement before lowering their altitude in a sharp dive, and then disappeared from the display tablet. Brigadier Ugla and Lieutenant Ollek concluded these unidentified blips were Makai Riders. Currently, they must be harassing the unfortunate villagers. With a calm gaze, Brigadier Ugla checked the distance to the settlement. It was less than three minutes, and the sky in the area was also clear of unidentified blips. In short, it was a perfect situation to launch an ambush. Brigadier Ugla calmly pressed the PTT button. ¡°Alpha 0-1 to Alpha 2-0, do you read me?¡± [Loud and clear.] ¡°I will bait them to the east. Get into position to nail them.¡± [Copy.] Wasting no time, Lieutenant Ollek took his Cloud Hawk to maximum altitude and then executed a wide flank to the east. As for Brigadier Ugla, he took his Cloud Hawk to an altitude of 50 meters above the ground. Then, he flew straight to the settlement while increasing his Cloud Hawk¡¯s speed. Meanwhile, the Makai Riders who were having fun with the villager didn¡¯t realize that two hostile Riders were coming for them. Therefore, when an unknown Cloud Hawk suddenly screamed while flying above their heads, it startled them to the dead. Some of them even fell on their butt. Without further thought, Makai Riders scrambled and chased the unknown Rider in fury. They had only one thing in mind, regain their honor by killing the damnable Rider who had shamed them in front of ordinary villagers. In a gleeful tone, Weapon Officer Berrik then informed Brigadier Ugla, "Six tails, 100 meters behind, in a tight formation." "Good, let¡¯s hope Ollek and Farrai wipe them out in one go." "Roger." With a calm gaze, Weapon Officer Berrik then observed how Lieutenant Ollek approached the six Makai Riders from above. When he reached an altitude of 200 meters above the Makai Riders, Lieutenant Ollek tilted his Cloud Hawk to the side. Wasting no time, Weapon Officer Farrai aimed at Makai Riders and fired a 40 mm submunition round. Blaaaarrrr!! As a loud explosion was suddenly heard from above their position, the six Makai Riders raised their heads to check it, but it was too late. There was nothing they could do to avoid the incoming death. The rain of steel darts coated in neurotoxin hit them fatally and ended their life in a blink of an eye. The Makai Riders and their Cloud Hawks then powerlessly fell. Their bodies crashed to the ground, rolled a few times and made a cloud of dust, before finally stopping and lying motionlessly. Until their last moment, the Makai Riders didn''t know what had sent them to the afterlife. "All tails have been neutralized," Weapons Officer Berrik informed Brigadier Ugla in a casual tone. "Good." Wasting no time, Brigadier Ugla took his Cloud Hawk to check on the downed Makai Riders. After making sure they were all dead, he then flew to the settlement. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Ollek stayed in the sky and circled the settlement in a gliding flight. --- Even after the Makai Riders left them, the villagers were still sitting in the settlement''s square. Horror and despair were clearly visible in their eyes, especially the children. When Brigadier Ugla Cloud Hawk landed not far from their position, some of the villagers instantly flinched while some parents hugged their children tightly. Wasting no time, Brigadier Ugla hopped down from his Cloud Hawk and approached the villagers. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. We are Buriek Riders.¡± As the villagers looked at him with wary eyes, Brigadier Ugla continued, ¡°We had eliminated the Makai Riders. You all are safe now.¡± Most of the villager remained wary of Brigadier Ugla and stayed in silence, even though he had tried his best to be polite. Therefore, Brigadier Ugla didn''t know how to continue. Moreover, this was the first time he talked to ordinary villagers. Slowly but surely, awkward silence was descending upon the settlement''s square. Fortunately, an old man stood up and walked forward. The old man didn''t recognize Brigadier Ugla''s combat outfit, and it also looked very strange to him. Not to mention, he had never seen a Rider who was famous for their haughty attitude talk to commoners politely. However, he recognized the small symbol of Buriek Rider on Brigadier Ugla''s chest, and the rank on the edges of his jacket''s collar. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. In a respectful tone the old man said, "Ser Brigadier, this humble villager, Wallak, represents the villagers to express their gratitude as Ser Brigadier has saved this settlement from Makai Riders''s atrocities." ¡°No worries, it¡¯s our job.¡± Brigadier Ugla replied as he observed the old man with a well-built body before him and concluded, ¡°Wallak, are you a former Buriek Guard?¡± ¡°Yes, but this useless old man couldn¡¯t save this settlement, or at least was brave enough to put up a fight.¡± ¡®Well, unless you are TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel, you will need a Rider to kill another Rider,¡¯ muttered Brigadier Ugla before saying, ¡°The most important thing is that you are alive. Now, can you introduce me to the chief of this settlement?" ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that,¡± Wallak replied as he pointed his finger to a half-eaten body in the middle of the square. ¡°What an unfortunate fate." After heaving a deep sigh Brigadier Ugla continued, "I hope he enters eternal rest in peace." Throughout his life, Brigadier Ugla never imagined that one day he would have a sense of disgust toward a military unit that indifferently attacked civilians. Moreover, in the military academy, he was taught to treat civilians of the opposing kingdom as legitimate targets. However, after he attended the officer course held by TF Amethyst, he understood the importance of adopting a strict rule to prevent a combatant from transforming into an animal. Brigadier Ugla was also grateful because TF Amethyst who was much stronger than Kingdom of Buriek did not treat Buriek people as a legitimate target. It was easy to conclude that half of the Buriek people would be dead, while the rest would become slaves if TF Amethyst had a nasty disposition towards civilians from opposing kingdoms. After heaving a deep sigh one more time, Brigadier Ugla then said, ¡°In that case, I will appoint you to lead this settlement.¡± In reflex Wallak pointed at his own nose. ¡°Me, Ser Brigadier?¡± "Yes, you." Without second thought Brigadier Ugla ignored the big question mark on Wallak''s forehead. "You have to bring every villager to the nearest city and stay over there until everything is safe. I suggest you pick Lumark City as your first option." After a moment of silence, Wallak hesitantly said, ¡°In the current situation, the villagers will not mind leaving their house and taking shelter in Lumark City. However, we are worried that Lumark City''s authority will reject us. In a war, they will reserve the food supply for combatants who defend the city, and receiving additional useless mouths like us is not a wise decision in their view." Brigadier Ugla immediately said, ¡°I assure you. Food supply is the last thing Lumark City''s authority had to worry about. They will gladly let you in.¡± After he recalled that lately the basic price for daily necessities and staple food in Lumark City was very cheap, and the city itself became more lively, Wallak immediately decided, "This old man will follow Ser Brigadier''s suggestion.¡± "Good." Wasting no time, Brigadier Ugla gave additional suggestions. After burying the former settlement''s chief, the villagers had to pack lightly before hiding in their cellar. They had to stay as quiet as possible in the cellar to give the impression that they had left the settlement. Then, after sunset they could start the journey to Lumark City. Brigadier Ugla also told them that they could take some meat from the dead Cloud Hawks and eat them. However, because the Cloud Hawks were killed using steel darts coated in deadly neurotoxins, their meat must be properly cooked first. ¡°Well, I have to continue the hunt for Makai Riders, so good luck and have a safe journey.¡± Wallak firmly nodded and said, ¡°Yes Ser, and I pray the gods who reside in heaven be with you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± After looking at the relief and hope that filled the villagers'' faces to the brim, Brigadier Ugla then climbed into his saddle. A moment later, he already flew side by side with Lieutenant Ollek. The two went to their next target at full speed. ***** TFA2 21.2 – A Diversion TFA2 21.2 ¨C A Diversion In aerial warfare, situational awareness was vital. First to detect would lead into first to kill. The very example of this scenario was what Brigadier Ugla previously did. He baited Makai Riders into a vulnerable position, while his wingman silently approached and killed them. After that, they used the assistance from Poseidon to locate and stalk their second prey. By using his long-range scope, Brigadier Ugla observed four Makai Riders who flew 200 meters above the ground, heading to the west at speed of 250 km/h. Then, in a calm tone he said, ¡°Berrik, the show is yours and Farrai.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Wasting no time Weapon Officer Berrik pressed PTT button, ¡°Bravo 2-0, do you copy?¡± [I¡¯m listening, Bravo 0-1.] ¡°Twin Hammer, 100 meter above the target, detonation at 30 meter after muzzle exit, confirm?¡± [Confirm, Twin Hammer, 100 meter above the target, detonation at 30 meter after muzzle exit.] After a smile, Weapon Officer Berrik immediately pressed PTT button one more time, ¡°Alpha 0-1, Alpha 2-0, Let¡¯s roll.¡± [Roger.] [Copy.] Brigadier Ugla and Lieutenant Ollek could hear the radio conversation between their Weapon Officers. Therefore, they didn''t need explanation about tactic they would use. Once Weapon Officer Berrik gave them a signal to attack, they immediately approached Makai Riders from behind while lowering their altitude. In a smooth maneuver Brigadier Ugla and Lieutenant Ollek fly side by side until both of them were a hundred meters above Makai Riders. Then, they simultaneously tilted their Cloud Hawk to the side. Without delay, Weapon Officer Berrik and Weapon Officer Farrai took aim on Makai Riders below them. At the same time, Weapon Officer Berrik used his left hand to pressed PTT button. ¡°Three, two, one¡­ Now!!¡± Th-Thumb¡­. Bl-Blaaaarrr!! Two explosions bloomed in the air almost at the same time, sending hundreds of deadly steel darts straight to the Makai Riders and it killed them in a blink of an eye. As he observed Makai Riders who just crashed to the ground Brigadier Ugla pressed PTT button, ¡°Good job everyone, let¡¯ss continue with next target.¡± Brigadier Ugla and Lieutenant Ollek then took their Cloud Hawks to maximum altitude above the cloud. However, before they decided on their next target a radio call suddenly came in. [Lima Charlie to all 71-1, ceases your hunt and romeo tango baker immediately.] ¡°¡­¡± [Lima Charlie to all 71-1, I say again, ceases your hunt and romeo tango baker immediately.] As dark lines appeared in his forehead Brigadier Ugla replied the call, ¡°Alpha 0-1 to Lima Charlie, are you under attack?¡± [Negative Alpha 0-1, but all opposing Riders had left the dry land. It¡¯s a little too late to hunt them.] In an instant question marks filled Brigadier Ugla''s mind. "Do you mean they carry a total retreat?" [Yes, it seems their high-command know how to adapt to the field conditions, and managed to prevent their Riders from getting wiped out.] ¡°In that case, I believed they will not carelessly use their Riders to launch other harassment. So, can you let 71st returns to Sommer Island and finish our job over there?¡± [Negative, tomorrow we will launch a major offensive, and we need 71st to participate. So, romeo tango baker on the double. You have a lot of thing to prepare.] ¡°Received and understood, Alpha 0-1 over and out.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Without delay Brigadier Ugla and Lieutenant Ollek took their Cloud Hawk to Lumark City. Actually, they wanted to know the latest situation in Sommer Island, but they chose to hold their curiosity until they arrive at Lumark City. --- Lumark City was located 90 km south of Yellow Tail Naval Station. Initially, it was just a small and undeveloped town with around 20 thousand population. A natural thing if you considered that cities on the north side of Buriek Continent were a hunting ground for a pack of mid-size dragon that came in a fixed schedule. However, Amethyst Merchant had a different view about this undeveloped town. As the only town in the most northwest part of Buriek Continent, Lumark City was suitable to be used as a hub for inter-continental trade. Therefore, the re-development of Lumark City was no less quick compared to Buriek Royal City. From a distance, Brigadier Ugla observed Lumark City using a long-range scope. The ballista crews and bowmen on the city wall swiftly took their position, as soon as they realized his presence. However, after he passed the identification protocol, the ballista crews and bowmen immediately stood down. Then, He and Lieutenant Ollek flew directly to Castle Motte. After a glance from the air Brigadier Ugla pressed PTT button, "It seemed more than half of 71st have arrived." [It seems so.] Lieutenant Ollek calmly replied.. Wasting no time Brigadier Ugla and Lieutenant Ollek landed on the landing pad. Then, once Brigadier Ugla got off from the saddle, an old nobleman and a Lt. Colonel from TF Amethyst approached him. In a polite tone the old nobleman said, ¡°You must be Brigadier Ugla." ¡°I¡¯m.¡± ¡°Please allow me, Baron Shenill, major of Lumark City to welcome you and your regiment. You all are honorable guest of this city." ¡°Thank you.¡± Brigadier Ugla was a man of little words. Moreover, as the only son in his family, he would inherit the title of Count from his father. So he didn''t have to talk in a formal manner in front of Baron Shenill. After checking the name tag on the chest of Lt. Colonel standing next to Baron Shenill, Brigadier Ugla immediately asked, ¡°Ser Jackson, can you give me the detail about tomorrow offensive?¡± Lt. Colonel Jackson smiled and then asked, ¡°Are you sure you don''t want to get some rest first?¡± ¡°No, I will not be able to calmly rest until I know the mission for my regiment.¡± ¡°Very well, let¡¯s talk it in command center.¡± After he ordered Lieutenant Ollek to make sure members of 71st Mohawk Regiment stayed in the barracks and not wandering into city, Brigadier Ugla then followed Lt. Colonel Jackson and Baron Shenill to Command Center. --- ¡°Camp Forrez,¡± Lt. Colonel Jackson said as he showed Brigadier Ugla a record of aerial reconnaissance. ¡°Initially, it was a fisherman village. The opposing side was then enlarge it into a stronghold, and stationed around 45.000 combatant and 5.000 support personnel. Marshal Ducie directly ordered 71st to strike this camp, as a diversion for our main attack on Renne, Ranna, and Ronno.¡± Brigadier Ugla nodded and asked, "How do we know the name of this camp?" ¡°Last night, a small cavalry patrol captured their scouts in a hill near to Haldon City, and managed to squeeze some juices.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lt. Colonel Jackson then switched the display on the main screen into a giant map. ¡°It¡¯s 300 km away from here to Camp Forrez, so after the strike the 71st will retreat to Haldon City. Based on the development in the field, 71st maybe will also have to carry another combat sortie.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Brigadier Ugla firmly replied as he turned his gaze towards Haldon City, a big city located 90 km east of Camp Forrez, and also the city where his family held the highest authority. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Jackson pointed his finger on the biggest building on Camp Forrez, which located next to an intersection. "And this is their Command Center. Previously, it was an inn and we deliberately left 12 barrels of 600 liters ale in its warehouse. It was cheap ale that easily to burn, so Molotov cocktail will be an ideal choice to flood the whole camp in fire.¡± After slightly nodding his head Brigadier Ugla asked, ¡°Ser Jackson, have you prepared our ammo?" "I have." TF Amethyst had a fuel and ammunition depot in Lumark City. Therefore, Lt. Colonel Jackson firmly added, ¡°We have plenty of it.¡± ¡°Glad to hear that.¡± In a calm tone, Lt. Colonel Jackson then continued, ¡°We estimate the opposing side is still has around 900 Riders. They are stationed in Renne, Ranna, and Ronno, and need only two minutes to arrive in Camp Forrez. So, 71st will have to face them.¡± ¡°No problem, 71st will destroy Camp Forrez and kill Makai Riders as many as possible before retreat to Haldon City.¡± After pausing for a moment Brigadier Ugla asked, ¡°But how is Sommer Island''s situation right now?" ¡°They just thwarted the landing attempt perfectly, and continue to receive additional ammunition as we speak.¡± In an instant, relief filled Brigadier Ugla''s mind to the brim. "I will brief my men and plan the attack then. Before dinner, I will give Ser Jackson the detail.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± Wasting no time Lt. Colonel Jackson gave Brigadier Ugla every pieces of intelligence he had. ***** TFA2 21.3 – Hunter Killer Commando TFA2 28.3 ¨C Hunter Killer Commando Under the darkness of the night, 42 cavalrymen from 18th Makai Cavalry Division walked down a dry and hard highroad. Their mission was to intercept and capture villagers who tried to flee into Haldon City. It was a simple and quick mission. The route they had to comb was also only 8 km from Camp Forrez. Therefore, they could take their time leisurely. However, Lieutenant Rigard, a youngest son of a Duke who decided to join the hunt in the last minutes, started losing his patience. In a moody tone he asked, "Captain, at this speed, will we catch up with our target?" "We will," Captain Goran calmly replied. "They have to bring luggage, kids, elderly, and slow-moving livestock. We will get them sooner or later." ¡°I know, but why don''t we complete this mission as fast as we can?" ''What a dumb head.'' After hearing Lieutenant Rigard''s suggestion, Captain Goran immediately took a deep sigh inwardly. Even an amateur understood that galloping a horse under total darkness was dangerous. If the horse was tripped, it was certain that it would suffer a severe injury. As for the rider, he could have a broken limb, or arrived at afterlife with a broken neck. Meanwhile, row of torches would be easily being spotted from far away. If TF Amethyst''s capability in launching air strike at night was real, then deliberately showed them where to strike was bad idea. In a calm tone Captain Goran then said, ¡°Lieutenant, let¡¯s not take unnecessary risk and proceed as we ordered to.¡± ¡°What risk?¡± After snorting in annoyance Lieutenant Rigard continued, "Three platoons who departing before us have reported there are no Buriek Guard''s activities up to 30 km from our position. Moreover, I can guarantee that Buriek Guard and TF Amethyst will rely on their Riders for their offensive. They will not launch ground warfare outside their stronghold." ¡°Maybe, but in a battlefield precaution is a must.¡± Captain Goran had heard the talk about Makai Riders withdrawal. Command Center in Renne had to pull them back less than two hours after they were launched to carry their mission. It seemed Buriek Rider adopted new and unknown, but effective tactic to hunt and kill Makai Rider. Fortunately, crystal sensor didn''t detect unidentified activities in the sky as soon as the sun was set. Then, a chill suddenly hit Captain Goran¡¯s nape as his unit entered a wide empty field. Normally, ambushing a cavalry unit in this hard and wide field was not a wise move. The cavalry unit would have a lot of room to either welcome or evade the ambush. Moreover, crickets and other night insects were still singing as usual. Even so, Captain Goran rationality couldn¡¯t shake the uneasiness in his heart. Wasting no time, he put his right hand on the handle of long saber in his waist. In high alert, he then scanned the area. However, something that beyond his prediction caught him off guard. His horse and other horses were suddenly slowing down before kneeling and fell to the side. As a good cavalryman Captain Goran was able to roll to the side and avoid being trapped under his horse. Other than Lieutenant Rigard, all of his men also managed to avoid from being crushed by their horses. However, it was not enough save their life. Tap! Tap! Tra-tap! Ta-ratatatatataaaappp!!! Almost at the same time, crossbow bolts pierced Captain Goran''s men on the head, right when they were still wondering about what had happened to their horse. Their body then fell to the ground and lay motionlessly. Without delay, Captain Goran dropped his body and crawled his way to his horse. Throughout his life, this was the first time he crawled so quickly. From behind his horse, he then peeked at the direction where the crossbow bolt came from. Unfortunately, he only saw total darkness. Under the night sky without stars or moon, and in the middle of a wide field without torch or artificial light in the distance, he would only be able to barely saw someone who stood eight meters away, even though he had trained his eyes to see in the darkness. Even so, Captain Goran didn''t panic. As long as he knew the correct direction to attack, it was more than enough. He then carefully reached out for his longbow and quiver on the saddle back. After calming his breath, he immediately knocked an arrow. However, he didn¡¯t have a chance to fire it. ¡°Keuk!!¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. A jolt suddenly hit Captain Goran¡¯s left shoulder, followed by unbearable sting. A moment later his left arm was losing strength to support his longbow. At the same time, a dozen silhouettes slowly approached him. They wore black clothes, black scarf, black head cover, and some kind of monocular that fully covered their left eye. Meanwhile, their hand firmly held a crossbow with a tube under its barrel. ¡°Put your weapon down or we will nail your head!¡± one of the men in black clothes shouted a warning. Captain Goran then stood up and took a time to assess his situation. Unfortunately, other than Lieutenant Rigard who shaking and sobbing under his horse, he did not hear signs that could show him one or some of his men were still breathing. ¡®Well, he is only fifteen and this combat tour was his first.'' After looking at Lieutenant Rigard for a moment and heaving a deep sigh bitterly, Captain Goran then drew his long saber and charged forward. ¡°Glory to Kingdom of Makai!!¡± In reflex, two men in black clothes fired their crossbow and perfectly nailed Captain Goran on the head. Captain Goran then fell forward as if his feet were tripped. His body hit the ground hard, and then laid motionlessly as blood dripped from two crossbow bolts on his head. --- In addition to 1st Tuscan Vanguard Brigade, TF Amethyst and Tuscan Guard were also working together to form platoons of hunter killer. Each platoon consisted of 1 Captain as a CO, 4 Lieutenants as team leaders, and 45 NCO as team members. The training was lasts for eight months and produced ten platoons of hunter killer. They were then placed under the command of 2nd Tuscan Commando, and six platoons were deployed to Kingdom of Buriek to gain combat experience. As soon as Battle Group C transformed the fisherman village they found into Camp Forrez, three platoon of Tuscan Hunter Killer were immediately deployed to silently observe four highroads in the nearby area. Initially, their task was to reports every opposing element that was passing their position. Then, when the opposing main combat unit had gone into a deeper area, they would attack Camp Forrez and destroy the opposing logistic element as much as they could before retreating. However, they received new assignment this afternoon. As soon as the sun set in the west horizon, two divisions of Buriek Guard from Haldon City would start the march towards Camp Forrez. And three platoon of Hunter Killer deployed around Camp Forrez had to make sure this big convoy didn''t meet oppositions along their journey. Wasting no time, the hunter killer platoons left their hideout to carry their new mission. As CO of 3rd Hunter Killer Platoon, Captain Zuther very satisfied with the performance of his men. They were quietly lying on the ground, listening to the artificial sing of cricket and other night insects, while waiting the opposing cavalrymen entered into killing zone. Then, they started the ambush by firing a small incapacitating dart to the hind leg of each horse. When the opposing cavalrymen were trying to understand what had happened to their horse, they pointed their targeting laser at their head. It was targeting laser that could only be seen through NVG, so the opposing cavalrymen didn''t realize they had already one step crossing into afterlife. Then, each hunter killer commando pulled the trigger simultaneously. The result was fast and devastating. Never did Captain Zuther imagine such lightning ambush could be done. Without delay, he then approached the only survivor of the ambush. Even though his left leg was pinned under his horse, the young survivor didn''t suffer serious injury. Meanwhile, judging from his pale face and trembling lips, it seemed this was his first combat tour. After his men finished stripping the young survivor of his weapons and armor, Captain Zuther immediately asked, ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Rigard Kash, Lieutenant, 18th Makai Cavalry Division,¡± replied Lieutenant Rigard with a trembling voice. "What is your mission?" "Capturing villagers to be used as human shields." After pausing for a moment Captain Zuther said, ¡°Lieutenant Rigard, we will not kill or torture you, as long as you don''t try to escape. Is that clear?¡± ¡°It is.¡± In an instant, relief was visible in Lieutenant Rigard''s eyes. ¡°Good.¡± Without delay Captain Zuther then ordered his men to collect the loot. Even though Kingdom of Buriek was rich in mineral reserves, metal was still one of the most valuable commodity and Amethyst Merchants would pay for it at a decent price. As for the war horse, each horse was equivalent to a mid-size fertile farmland. Moreover, they couldn¡¯t let the horses returned to Camp Forrez and alert the whole camp. After getting a shot of counter-anesthetic, the horses were able to stand again. Even though they were not strong enough to run, walking normally would not be a problem for these horses. Wasting no time, Captain Zuther called Lieutenant Kraig and said, ¡°Take the loot to our hideout and don''t harm our prisoner. IDG want him as good as new. Stay there until main unit from Haldon City arrive, while I take the remaining team to help 2nd Platoon annihilate sentries around Camp Forrez.¡± ¡°Copy,¡± replied Lieutenant Kraig. ¡°What about the three other platoons of Makai cavalry?" ¡°They had been taken care of by 1st Platoon." ¡°Understood.¡± Without delay, Captain Zuther and Lieutenant Kraig then carried out their next mission. ***** TFA2 22.1 – Air Superiority TFA2 29.1 ¨C Air Superiority Not long after sunrise, 80 Riders and Weapon Officers from 74th Mohawk Regiment took off and left Lumark City. They flew to the south in medium speed, 50 meter above the ground. On the back of each Cloud Hawk, eight crates of Molotov cocktails were tightly strapped. In an air raid, one Cloud Hawk usually was able to carry 18 crates of Molotov cocktail. However, because they had to fight Makai Riders after the air raid at Camp Forrez, then the payload for this mission were reduced. In the leading position, Brigadier Ugla occasionally would check the update from Poseidon, but the display tablet was remained clear of unidentified blips. Fortunately, until they reached a distance of 20 km from Camp Forrez, the sky was still free from the presence of Makai Riders. Meanwhile, three hours ago two divisions of Buriek Guards had arrived at behind small hill located 3 km to the east of Camp Forrez. Currently, they were fully ready to launch the decisive strike. As for Hunter Killer Platoon from Tuscan Guard, they had eliminated sentries that were scattered around Camp Forrez. Therefore, Battle Group C''s elements in Camp Forrez were oblivious to the incoming air raid or the presence of two divisions of Buriek Guard. At a distance of 2 km from Camp Forrez, Brigadier Ugla pressed PTT button. ¡°Assume attack formation." Wasting no time, every Rider was spreading over to their designated position. In an instant, the long line of Buriek Riders turned into four lines of 20 Riders each, which extended into 200 meters long. The Raid Formation then climbed up to an altitude of 300 meters while increasing their speed. Panic and chaos immediately descended on Camp Forrez as a flight of unidentified Rider suddenly appeared in the distance, but it was too late. The Raid Formation reached the center of Camp Forrez before the defender could organize a proper defensive measure. Without delay Brigadier Ugla pressed PTT button. ¡°Send the package in one, two, three¡­ Now!¡± In a neat and simultaneous maneuver, every Rider took their Cloud Hawk to climb up vertically. Then, every Weapon Officer released the slings that hold eight wooden crates of Molotov cocktails. In an instant, the wooden crates left the Cloud Hawk¡¯s back, fell almost vertically, and breaking apart as soon as it hit the ground. After that, every Weapon Officer fired a 40 mm flare round to the ground. As soon as 40 mm flare round hit the ground, wild fire rose and spreading into all direction. In an instant, fire engulfed Camp Forrez. At the same time, each Rider took their Cloud Hawk into happy hunting. They skillfully placed their Cloud Hawk so that their Weapon Officer could easily hit every big target they spotted using 40 mm sub-munition round. The result was devastating. The survivor of air raids couldn''t fight back and their numbers decreased rapidly. It was a mass slaughter As for Brigadier Ugla, he took Weapon Officer Berrik to attack warehouse on the backyard of Command Center. After a few shots of 40 mm high-frag round, fluid full of white bubbles was flooding out from the warehouse and spread over to all direction. And it turned the area around the warehouse into a big patch of campfire. ¡°The ale is truly flammable like fuel," Weapon Officer Berrik calmly said. ¡°Good, let them enjoyed it to the fullest then.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Without delay, Brigadier Ugla then scanned the ground for the next target. Unfortunately, as soon as he found a fat and nice target, around 300 hundreds unidentified blips suddenly appeared on the display tablet. At the same time, a radio call came in. [Charlie Hotel to 7-1, be advised, you have big pack of inbound bandits, 14 clicks to your west and approaching fast.] ¡°¡­¡± [I say again, 7-1, you have big pack of inbound bandit, 14 clicks to your west and approaching fast.] As he looked at the west horizon Brigadier Ugla pressed PTT button, ¡°Receive and understood. We will welcome them.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. [Go get them, Charlie Hotel over and out.] After taking a deep breath Brigadier Ugla pressed PTT button one more time, ¡°Alpha 0-1 to all 7-1, regroup and assume attack formation. Let''s use maximum fire power to welcome incoming bandits.¡± All Riders from 71st Mohawk Regiment immediately stopped their hunt and regroup to form an attack formation. Even though each Weapon Officer had only fired a few 40 mm submunition round, it was more than enough to destroy combat effectiveness of Camp Forrez. The ground element would easily finish them off. Right now, they had to focus their attention on incoming Makai Riders. They had to finish them off as fast as they could, because their own Cloud Hawk was not in their peak after the long journey from Lumark City. In a tight and neat formation, Riders from 71st Mohawk Regiment took their Cloud Hawk to the west, where 300 hundreds black dots started filling the sky. Meanwhile, every Weapon Officer loaded a ready to fire 40 mm sub-munition round to their HK M320 Grenade Launcher. At first glance, the huge numbers of Makai Riders was very intimidating. However, Riders and Weapon Officers from 71st Mohawk Regiment confidently welcomed them. Then, at a distance of 500 meters before the merge, every Weapon Officer fired their HK M320 Grenade Launcher at high angle. The 40 mm sub-munition round smoothly left the barrel, making a high arc, and exploded at a distance 100 meters after muzzle exit. Bla-Bla-Bla-Blaaaaarrrrrrr!!! The result was devastating. Rain of deadly steel darts hit Makai Riders¡¯ main formation fatally. Of the 300 Makai Riders, more than 250 met an instant death along with their Cloud Hawk. Their body then fell to the ground like a rain. Throughout his life, never did Brigadier Ugla imagine he would witness so many Riders and Cloud Hawks would fall at once. However, his amazement last only for a moment. Wasting no time, he pressed PTT button. ¡°Alpha 0-1 to All 7-1, leave no one." Wasting no time, Riders and Weapon Officers from 71st Mohawk Regiment carried out the order. They were fully aware that if the situation was reversed, Makai Rider would not hesitate to hunt them up to the last Rider and Cloud Hawk. Therefore, they show no mercy on the remaining Makai Riders. A few minutes later, Brigadier Ugla found that his display tablet was clear of unidentified blips. As his Cloud Hawk hovering above the clouds, he then used his long-range scope to observed cluster of warship to the north of Ronno Island. After checking his Cloud Hawk''s condition, he then pressed PTT button. ¡°Alpha 0-1 to Charlie Hotel, do you copy?¡± [Charlie Hotel to Alpha 0-1, loud and clear, go ahead.] ¡°Requesting permission to engage opposing warships to the north of Ronno Island, confirm¡± [Alpha 0-1, Are you sure your unit is still able to fight effectively?] "I''m. We will able to fight for about 15 minutes, and then immediately retreat after that." After a moment of silence, a reply finally came in. [Charlie Hotel to Alpha 0-1, you have green to engage opposing warship to the north of Ronno Island, but for only 10 minutes, do you copy?] ¡°Loud and clear, Alpha 0-1, over and out.¡± After slightly smiling, Brigadier Ugla immediately led his men glided to their new prey. --- Command Center, Castle Harra, Haldon City. In a calm mood, Marshal Ducie and Colonel Harper supervised the diversion launched by 71st Mohawk Regiment. As they expected, 71st Mohawk Regiment managed to wipe out the opposing Riders, while the ground elements easily seized Camp Forrez. And after he gave 71st Mohawk Regiment a green to attack opposing warships on the north of Ronno Island, Marshal Ducie immediately ordered 72nd Mohican Regiment to join the fight from the south. If they managed to dominate the sky, the remaining Buriek Riders would then hunt and destroy opposing warships as many as they could. In a glance it was simple tactic, but actually it hold important factor to enable the next phase. In summary, the more Buriek Riders neutralized the opposing elements, the easier the landing attempt on Renne, Ranna, and Ronno. A moment later, one of communication staff gave the whole room a warning, ¡°The opposing side scrambles their Riders, 300 Riders to welcome 7-1, and another 300 to welcome 7-2.¡± In an instant, a thin smile appeared on Marshal Ducie¡¯s lips. ¡°Ser Harper, it seems they send every Rider they have in disposal.¡± ¡°It seems so,¡± replied Colonel Harper briefly. After taking a deep breath Marshal Ducie calmly said, ¡°I hope everything goes as we expected.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Marshal Ducie and Colonel Harper then silently observed how the aerial battle between Buriek Riders and Makai Riders took place. ***** TFA2 22.2 – Escape TFA2 22.2 ¨C Escape 70 km south of Ronno, 80 Riders and Weapon Officers from 72nd Mohican Regiment casually glided across the blue sky. In the leading position, Brigadier Torri couldn¡¯t hide his smile as 300 blips suddenly appeared on the display tablet. A second later, a radio call came in. [Charlie Hotel to Bravo 0-1, please remembers, finish the aerial fight as quick as possible and then immediately attack opposing ground elements. As for their warships, let the non-Tom Gun graduates to have them.] Brigadier Torri immediately pressed PTT button. ¡°Bravo 0-1 to Charlie Hotel, received and understood.¡± [Copy, Charlie Hotel over and out.] As a fellow of Tom Gum¡¯s graduates, Brigadier Torri was actually rather jealous when he heard Brigadier Ugla and his unit managed to eliminate more than 200 Makai Riders in one salvo. Fortunately, 72nd Mohican Regiment would have similar opportunity. After calming his heart Brigadier Torri pressed PTT button one more time. ¡°Bravo 0-1 to All 7-2, let¡¯s throw a big net on the first merge.¡± Without delay Riders from 72nd Mohican Regiment assumed a neat attack formation. At the same time, every Weapon Officer prepared the first salvo of 40 mm sub-munition round. A few second later, huge number of black dots appeared in the distance and closing in rapidly. Unfortunately, Brigadier Torri¡¯s wish to neutralize opposing Riders as many as possible on the first merge couldn¡¯t be done. Without warning the opposing Riders suddenly spread over to all direction. ¡®Damn!! They have grasped our main tactic from versus contact with 7-1.¡¯ After heaving a deep regret, Brigadier Torri then ordered his men to switch into a quick hunt and kill. --- Command Center, Ronno Island As soon as crystal sensor detected that 80 unknown Riders were approaching from the south, Count Zerb immediately sent 300 Riders to welcome them. Then, with a pounding heart he observed the crystal sensor. Even if the opposing side sent only 80 Riders, Count Zerb did not dare to underestimate them. This morning, he had witnessed more than 200 Makai Riders suddenly disappeared from crystal sensor just before their formation met with Buriek Riders. After that, the remaining Makai Riders disappeared one by one in rapid interval. Therefore, Count Zerb ordered his Riders to avoid forming a big pack when they fought Buriek Riders. He hoped it would prevent his Riders from getting wiped out in one swoop, and gave them the opportunity to adapt to Buriek Riders¡¯ new tactic. Unfortunately, Count Zerb¡¯s wish got destroyed a few minutes later. ¡®What the¡­¡¯ Count Zerb¡¯s eyes widely opened as blips on the crystal sensor disappear one by one in rapid interval. As the crystal sensor couldn¡¯t distinguish between friend and foe, Count Zerb normally wouldn¡¯t able to conclude whether the disappearing blips were Makai Riders or Buriek Riders. However, he got a feeling that Makai Riders were being slaughtered. Unfortunately, Count Zerb hunch was correct. Eight minutes after the aerial combat started, the blips on the crystal sensor shrank into 80 blips and all of them flew to the north at high speed. At the same time, one of crystal communicator¡¯s operators turned his head to Count Zerb and gave him a complicated gaze. Count Zerb immediately asked the operator, ¡°Do we lose all contact with Riders?¡± ¡°Yes, Ser. We also receive some updates. It¡¯s¡­¡± Seeing the operator of crystal communicator losing his composure, Count Zerb immediately said, ¡°Say it or I will execute you for delaying vital information.¡± ¡°Yes, Ser.¡± The operator of crystal communicator immediately straightened his back. ¡°Riders who fought in north of Ranna got wiped out to the last man, while new groups of opposing Rider are attacking our warships on the outer perimeter.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Fuck.¡± In reflex Count Zerb clenched his fist. ¡°What kind of trick that Buriek Riders employ to dominate the fight so easily?¡± Throughout his life, never did Count Zerb imagine that someday he would lose 300 Riders in less than eight minutes. It was too hard for him to accept it as without support from Rider, warships and ground elements under his command would become easy prey for Buriek Riders. Unfortunately, Count Zerb could do nothing other than showed his men a steel determination. After taking a deep breath Count Zerb ordered, ¡°Send my message to every officer in this island. They have to defend their perimeter at all cost.¡± ¡°At once Ser,¡± Wasting no time the operator of crystal communicator relayed the order. --- Once he got order to defend his perimeter at all cost, Captain Wark instantly realized that Makai Riders had lost the aerial fight. Wasting no time, he immediately ordered ballista crews and bowmen under his command to get ready. A moment later, tens of black dots appeared in the southern sky and they were closing in rapidly. In a flash, they had arrived and casually glided above the first perimeter. Captain Wark¡¯s heart started to pound loudly, but his expression remained calm. The opposing Riders were still beyond the effective range of ballista or longbow, but he wasn¡¯t worry at all. He was ready to sacrifice his men, while sooner or later the opposing Rider would run out of arrows. At that time, they would dive to attack using Cloud Hawk¡¯s claw, and Captain Wark would exploit this moment to kill them as many as he could. ¡°Get ready. Even if you can¡¯t kill the Cloud Hawks, at least kill the Riders.¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡±¡±Aye Sir!!!¡±¡±¡±¡±¡± Then, Captain Wark and his men were bravely waiting for the incoming rain of arrows. However, the rain that hit them a few second later was something that beyond their expectation or understanding. Bla-bla-blablablaaaaarrrrr!!! Tens of explosions suddenly filled the air almost at the same time, followed by rain of steel darts. In an instant, humans, horses, dogs, and other living things that were hit by the deadly steel darts fell to the ground and didn¡¯t wake up anymore. One salvo and twenty crews of ballista along with hundreds of seasoned bowmen under Captain Wark¡¯s command were destroyed. After that, Captain Wark who happened to be standing outside of the deadly rain, could only helplessly witnessed how the opposing Riders continued their massacre towards next ballista company, longbow squadron, or infantry columns. The opposing Riders always used the same tactic. They launched a rain of steel darts that killed every living thing inside its impact radius. No doubt, it was one of hell effective and efficient massacre. In less than ten minutes, more than 4000 combatants in first perimeter met with their end. Their bodies were scattered on the ground as far as the eye could see. Meanwhile, a small number of survivors could only standing silently in their place. Shock and despair were clearly reflected in their eyes. It was as if they silently said, ¡®We definitely pick a fight with a fucking wrong opponent.¡¯ --- Command Center, Renne Island. As soon as he heard that Riders under his command suffered a crushing defeat, Prince Dellan instantly realized that the destruction of Battle Group C was only a matter of time. However, he refused to show any sign of weakness. His determined expression remained strong, even when report regarding the sink of warship or destruction of ground element under his command continued to flood Command Center from all direction. Then, he finally received a report about Buriek Guard¡¯s landing attempt. ¡°So this is the end of my journey,¡± Prince Dellan calmly said. Seeing a determination to fight to the death flashed on Prince Dellan¡¯s eyes, Count Rahel, the second highest-ranking officer in Renne immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, as long as you survive and managed to escape, Kingdom of Buriek will not able to fully claim their victory. We still have enough combatants to defend this Command Centre at all cost. Meanwhile, your bodyguards can escort you to the hidden Cloud Hawk¡¯s stable, and then you can fly to closest Region in Amstell Continent.¡± ¡°Count Rahel, do you want me to run like a coward?¡± Count Rahel firmly replied, ¡°Yes, I do. Then, by using your massive fortune, you can reform Battle Group C and pay back today humiliation in full.¡± After contemplating for a moment Prince Dellan finally asked, ¡°If I leave, who will lead the final resistance?¡± ¡°This servant will make sure the opposing side pay a dearly price for every attempt to seize this command center.¡± In an instant Prince Dellan deeply looked at Count Rahel, ¡°Count Rahel, no matter what happen, do not betray me and I will guarantee the safety and prosperity of your family for the next three generation.¡± ¡°This servant will put his life to honor Your Highness¡¯ generous heart.¡± After slightly nodding his head, Prince Dellan and his bodyguards then changed their clothes into regular infantry¡¯s outfit. After that, they were sneaking their way into a hidden Cloud Hawk¡¯s stable in west of Renne. In the sky, some Riders from 72nd Mohican Regiment detected their movement, but they ignored this small group. They had received an order to support the landing attempt, so they put every drop of their attention on this new objective. ***** TFA2 23.1 – Deadly Infectious Disease TFA2 30.1 ¨C Deadly Infectious Disease Port of Kandai was one of military port under Buriek Navy¡¯s command. It was located at west coast of Buriek Continent and 120 km to the south of Ronno Islands. As soon as 72nd Mohican Squadron won the aerial fight, 6 units LCAC or hovercrafts immediately sailed to the sea from Port of Kandai. Under the blue sky, the LCACs drifted across the sea surface in full speed. Their destinations were Renne, Ranna, and Ronno Islands. Along the way, they passed hundreds of sinking or burning warships from Battle Group C. Then, as soon as Renne, Ranna, and Ronno came into view, the LCACs separated into three pairs. In one of LCAC that went to Renne, Captain Jose and Lieutenant Rubben used a supply box as a stepping to look outside. As their LCAC was approaching Renne, they observed thousands of Buriek Guards who secure the landing site. Meanwhile, not far from their position, bodies of fallen combatant from Battle Group C littered the area as far as the eye could see. As he turned his gaze towards the small group of Buriek Riders flying across the clouds, Captain Jose said, ¡°I heard Buriek Rider had neutralized most of the opposing ground element. Their remaining forces then regroup in the center of the island.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lieutenant Ruben observed the opposing side¡¯s final defensive line in the distance as he said, ¡°I hope they don¡¯t launch a counter offensive before we finish our objective.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Buriek Guards has secured the area.¡± Then, as soon as the LCAC touch the dry land, it went straight to the slave camp. At the same time, the medic personnel on the LCAC became very excited. This morning, they had heard the final result of Oplan Black in The Night. After knowing their colleagues had saved thousands of slave workers, slave women, and slave children, their desire to do the same deed in instant soared to the sky. --- Once the 23rd Buriek Guard Division established a firm foothold in anticipation to counter any last resort from Battle Group C, Brigadier Todak immediately brought his unit to secure the area around the slave camp. His unit didn¡¯t meet opposition along the way, so Brigadier Todak easily completed his objective. However, from opposing survivors who surrendered to his unit, he found that a deadly infectious disease infected the slaves. Brigadier Todak then nervously stood by around a hundred meters before the front gate to the slave camp. When two units LCAC that brought medic squad appeared in the distance, Brigadier Todak¡¯s men immediately gave them a signal to stop. As soon as Captain Jose and Lieutenant Rubben came out from one of the LCAC, Brigadier Todak immediately approached them. ¡°Captain, Lieutenant, we have a grave situation and it seems you have to cancel your mission.¡± ¡°Brigadier, Sir, please explain it,¡± said Captain Jose. ¡°The slaves in the camp were infected by a deadly infectious disease. On the journey to this place, it had killed more than half of the slaves.¡± After glancing at the skinny slave women and slave children who were standing behind the front gate to the slave camp, Captain Jose firmly decided, ¡°We will check it first.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s too da----.¡± Brigadier Todak wanted to give his argument, but Captain Jose and Lieutenant Rubben ignored him before returning to LCAC. Wasting no time, Brigadier Todak contacted Command Centre in Castle Harra. ¡°Second Spear to Command, came in.¡± [Second Spear, this is Command, we hear you.] Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Command, the slaves were infected by deadly infectious disease, requesting permission to take medic squad back to Port of Kandai.¡± After a few moment of silence, reply from Command Center came in. [Second Spear, this is Colonel Harper, tell me what is Captain Jose¡¯s decision regarding this deadly disease.] ¡°Sir Harper, Captain Jose decided to check the slaves.¡± [In that case, I give you a direct order to support his decision.] ¡°Sir, there is possibility this disease will Captain Jose and his men.¡± [Second Spear, listen carefully, it¡¯s very possible that all personnel who had landed in Renne, Ranna, and Ronno had been infected by the deadly disease. Until Captain Jose find the solution to neutralize it, all personnel who had landed couldn¡¯t leave the islands.] ¡°Sir?¡± [Second Spear, may God in heaven be with you, Command over and out.] After gulping hard, Brigadier Todak immediately muttered, ¡®Gods who reside in heaven, please help us all.¡¯ At the same time, Captain Jose and three medic personnel walked to the slave camp. They wore a full-body NBC suit and carrying a big medic-bag. They approached the front gate of the slave came as if they were visiting a neighborhood park, without being disturbed by the possibility that this slave camp maybe would take their live. Wasting no time, Brigadier Todak then brought one of his platoons to accompany Captain Jose and his team. He had to make sure they could work without distraction or disturbance, and Brigadier Todak decided to do it personally. --- Cra-cra-rararack!! With ease, three Buriek Guards unlocked and opened the front gate of the slave camp. Then, the remaining platoon¡¯s members entered and secured a space, along with chairs, tables and some slave women. After that, Captain Jose and his team chose their first patient and started their job. Captain Jose deliberately chose a young slave woman. He estimated her aged was 13-14 years old, similar to his first daughter who just entered her rebellion age and gave him a headache every time he talked to her. As he approached her, the young slave woman nervously lowered her head. In a casual tone, Captain Jose immediately asked, ¡°Girl, what is your name?¡± The young slave woman gasped for a moment before raising her head. Throughout her life, this was the first time someone other than slave talked to her very casually. Even though the man wore strange clothes that fully covered him from head to the toe, the young slave woman could still saw his friendly gaze. ¡°S-Serrie, this lowly slave is Serrie, The Venerable Master,¡± replied the young slave woman before lowering her head. ¡°Serrie, you can call me Captain Jose, and I¡¯m a healer, not a slave master.¡± As she warily looked at Captain Jose Serrie replied, ¡°Yes, Healer Jose, this lowly slave understood and will obey.¡± For now, Captain Jose didn¡¯t have time to explain to Serrie that she didn¡¯t have to behave like a slave. So he went directly to the main reason for his arrival. ¡°Serrie, may I check your arm?¡± In an instant Serrie panicked. ¡°Healer Jose, this lowly slave¡¯s arms are infected with deadly infectious disease, and it had killed thousands of slave women, slave children, and even some robust sailors.¡± ¡°I know. That disease is what I want to check actually.¡± ¡°Healer Jose wants to check this deadly disease?¡± While Serrie looked at him with a big question mark in her eyes, Captain Jose reached out for her arm and uncovered the rough cloth that covered it. He then heaving a deep sigh as Serrie¡¯s arm was very thin and almost without flesh. After calming his heart, Captain Jose then examined small bubbles that covered Serrie¡¯s arm. Some bubbles had yellow liquid inside it, while some others had thick pus. After asking Serrie when the bubbles started to appear for the first time, did she suffered a fever at that time, and other physical symptoms in detail, Captain Jose then held a small meeting with his team. After that, Captain Jose and his team checked another batch of patients. Starting from the slaves who were still able to walk, to the slaves who could only stay on their bed and waiting for their death to come. By using the portable equipment they brought, two paramedics had also examined bloods, urines, and other sample from the slaves. Two hours later, Captain Jose and his team made the final call regarding the next steps they had to carry. ¡®Our Father in heaven, please show us your love and compassion,¡¯ muttered Captain Jose before pressing PTT button to call Command Center in Castle Harra. ***** TFA2 23.2 – Brigadier Ugla’s Circumstance TFA2 30.2 ¨C Brigadier Ugla¡¯s Circumstance Command Center, Castle Harra As soon as he received Captain Jose¡¯s reports, Colonel Harper immediately sank into contemplation. He couldn¡¯t help but recalling the outbreak of deadly disease in the south coast of Buriek Continent one month ago. The disease infected dozens of villages and killed more than five thousand people. Every single means that Kingdom of Buriek used to fight the outbreak bore no result. In the end, Kingdom of Buriek could only isolated the infected villages and let the villagers waited for their death. Kingdom of Buriek had also tried to hide the outbreak from TF Amethyst, but IDG managed to sniff it. Medic Quarter then sent a small medic squad to check it and turned out the disease was chickenpox. This chickenpox actually was not as deadly as chickenpox from earth. Kingdom of Buriek failed to overcome it because their medical level was simply too low. With ease, Medic Quarter then invented an effective vaccine to eradicate the chickenpox. After that, Amethyst Merchant sponsored an immediate mass vaccination both in Kingdom of Buriek and friendly Regions in Amstell Continent. As for chickenpox that infected the slaves in Renne, Ranna, and Ronno, Captain Jose and his team concluded that it was carried by migrating seagulls from south coast of Buriek Continent. In the middle of journey, those seagulls landed on Battle Group C¡¯s warships for a short rest, and slaves who tasked to catch and cook them had physical contact with the infected seagulls. ¡®Fortunately, we already acquired a perfect mean to overcome it,¡¯ Colonel Harper muttered as relief filled his heart to the brim. Then, a staff officer approached Colonel Harper and reported, ¡°Sir, medevac team had just finished their adjustment. They are ready to go.¡± ¡°Send them,¡± Colonel Harper calmly ordered. Wasting no time, the staff officer carried out the order. A few minutes later, 9 units V-22 Osprey took off from Port of Kandai. Each Osprey had been configured as medevac air lifter with capacity of 12 stretchers and three senior medical attendants. --- Slave Camp, Renne Island. In swift manner, the medic squad separated the slave into two groups. First group was the healthy slaves, and Buriek paramedics would handle them. The second group was slave in critical condition, and personnel from Medic Quarter would handle them personally. The Medic Quarter¡¯s personnel would be able to stabilize the slaves in critical condition, but those slaves would still need an intensive care. The nearest facility that had personnel and equipment to carry this task was field hospital in Port of Kandai. Coincidently, this hospital had also become the primary means to overcome the chickenpox outbreak in south coast of Buriek Continent. Meanwhile, from one of watch towers in the slave camp, Brigadier Todak observed how his men skillfully guided three Ospreys to land in emergency helipad they built. After that, they help the evacuation for the slave in critical condition. ¡°I¡¯m glad our men carry their job properly.¡± Lieutenant Karsi who stood next to Brigadier Todak firmly replied, ¡°Aye Sir, and it seems they also enjoy it.¡± Brigadier Todak then turned his gaze towards third batch of healthy slave that would be transported to Port of Kandai using LCAC. They sat neatly inside LCAC while enjoying warm barley tea and sweet bread. It was easy to see the happiness in their expression, especially on the slave children who heartily ate the sweet bread. Those slave children made Brigadier Todak remembered his own toddler who had also become a fanatic lover of sweet bread. ¡®Well, it¡¯s good that everything goes smoothly,¡¯ muttered Brigadier Todak. ¡®And fortunately every citizen of Kingdom of Buriek had received chickenpox vaccination, so this disease is no longer a threat for them.¡¯ This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. --- While glided across the sky, Brigadier Torri observed the opposing final defensive line in Renne Island. It was only a small defensive, consisted around a thousand defenders. His unit would easily wipe them out to the last man, but unfortunately he didn¡¯t have green to attack them. Command Centre in Castle Harra had put the evacuation of the slaves as primary objective, and if the opposing side chose not to disturb it, then all Buriek¡¯s element would avoid any contact with them. Considering that even the smallest mistake in a fight against ready to die opposing force could put the evacuation and medic personnel into a dangerous circumstance. Then, seven unidentified blips suddenly appeared in the display tablet. They took off from western Renne Island and flew in maximum speed to the northwest. Brigadier Torri concluded they would flank Sommer Island, crossed the Guise Sea, and then landed on the closest Region on Amstell Continent. Wasting no time Brigadier Torri said, ¡°Be ready, some rats are trying to escape.¡± ¡°Copy,¡± replied Weapon Officer Obba. Coincidentally, Brigadier Torri was the closest Rider to the unidentified blips. Without delay he took his Cloud Hawk to conduct a hot pursuit. Meanwhile, from his display tablet he saw a dozen of his men followed him tightly. Then, a radio call came in. [Charlie Hotel to Bravo 0-1, cease your chase, let them escape.] ¡°¡­¡± [Charlie Hotel to Bravo 0-1, I say again, cease your chase, let them escape, and stay on your designated area.] Brigadier Torri immediately pressed PTT button and replied, ¡°Bravo 0-1 to Charlie Hotel, most likely they are high value target, maybe Prince Dellan is among them.¡± [We have considered that possibility, but we will stick to our primary objective. If we truly want to bag Prince Dellan, we will directly attack their Command Centre from the beginning. High Command has their discretion as why they don¡¯t do it. We can only obey it.] ¡®Damn.¡¯ Even though he was deeply disappointed, Brigadier Torri was not stupid enough to disobey a direct order from Command Centre. He immediately replied, ¡°Received and understood, Bravo 0-1 over and out.¡± A moment later, Brigadier Torri and his men had returned to their designated area. They casually glided across the sky, and ready to intercept any threat to their primary objective. --- After his men secured Camp Forrez, Duke Harare immediately returned to Castle Harra. He arrived in Castle Harra at afternoon. Then, after dinner he casually sat in the balcony of his study while enjoying a bowl of raisins. An hour later, Brigadier Ugla came and sat next to him. Wasting no time, Duke Harare cheerfully opened the conversation, ¡°I thought you would have dinner with me here.¡± Brigadier Ugla took a handful of raisin as he answered, ¡°I had to have dinner with my men. Brigadier Todak invited us.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Duke Harare replied as he slightly nodded ¡°How did the fight to seize Camp Forrez go?¡± ¡°What fight?¡± Duke Harare paused for a moment before continued, ¡°Your regiment had destroyed the defender both in body and mind. They surrendered as soon as they saw my men. Bringing in two infantry divisions is overkill.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s better to bring more rather than to regret later.¡± ¡°True.¡± Duke Harare then turned his gaze towards Brigadier Ugla, ¡°What about your next mission? I heard more than 80% Battle Group C¡¯s warships blockade Sommer Island.¡± ¡°I have proposed to Command Centre to put an end to the blockade as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Good idea. Then, what about the remains of Battle Group C in Renne, Ranna, and Ronno?¡± ¡°Medic Squad concludes they have been infected with chickenpox. It will take some time, but in the end they will die if we don¡¯t help them.¡± ¡°Does Command Centre plan to let them die?¡± ¡°No, IDG want to dig intel about Makai Royal City as much as possible from them. Tomorrow, some Riders from 12-1 Squadron will drop flyer to warn them that they will die if they don¡¯t surrender.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After heaving a deep sigh, Duke Harare said, ¡°Sorry Ugla, you have to bear a heavy burden because your foolish uncle made a fatal mistake.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can handle it.¡± In silence, Duke Harare and Brigadier Ugla recalled General Griek¡¯s insubordination by executed children from Sandhur Region. Even though Buriek Royal Hall didn¡¯t blame Harare Family for General Griek¡¯s insubordination, Duke Harare didn¡¯t just sit and do nothing. He tried his best to redeem it and proof the loyalty of Harare Family. And as the only successor of Harare Family, Brigaider Ugla naturally got the biggest share in this effort. As he looked deeply at Brigadier Ugla, Duke Harare said, ¡°I know you can do it, Son.¡± Both Duke Harare and Brigadier Ugla then continued their conversation in a light mood. Mainly, they were talking about the family issue and the latest development in Haldon City. ***** TFA2 23.3 – SQ-04 Firebee TFA2 23.3 ¨C SQ-04 Firebee Inside the war strategy room at frigate Toppo-01, Admiral Jarros sank in deep contemplation. Two days ago, he received a notification that combat element in Ranna, Renne, and Ronno had suffered a crushing defeat. Fortunately, Prince Dellan managed to escape and arrived in Tumbra Region safely. The next day, Prince Dellan sent him new order. He had to maintain the blockade on Sommer Island. Prince Dellan would send reinforcement as he had promised, but it would take a little longer than the planned schedule before they arrived. After closing his eyes for a moment, Admiral Jarros turned his gaze towards a staff officer. ¡°Is there any movement from Sommer Island?¡± The staff officer replied, ¡°No Sir, everything is calm and quiet.¡± ¡°Good. I hope we can have peaceful days until our reinforcement arrive.¡± ¡°Ser, I believe the opposing side uses a huge amount of resource to defeat our element in Renne, Ranna, and Ronno. They will need a strategic pause before they launch their next offensive.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Based on their long experience at military campaign, the assessment from Admiral Jarros and his staff officer was correct. Unfortunately, this time they were facing TF Amethyst. A totally new opponent unlike any other they had faced before. And as if it was to destroy their assessment, a crystal communicator¡¯s operator suddenly shouted a nervous warning. ¡°We have incoming, two groups of 80 Riders each, approaching us directly from south at 250 km/h.¡± With ease Admiral Jarros concluded that the incoming Riders were bogeys, as Battle Group C¡¯s Riders had been wiped out to the last man. Wasting no time he ordered, ¡°Full retreat to Wellmoss. Save the ships and crews as many as possible.¡± ¡°At once Ser,¡± The operator of crystal communicator swiftly carried the order. --- The opposing warships that surrounded Sommer Island were still beyond his visual range, but Brigadier Ugla could observe them via aerial footage from Reaper. He was fully realized that if the opposing side started their retreat before his regiment arrived, it was highly possible that large number of warships would manage to escape. Even so, Brigadier Ugla didn¡¯t increase the flying speed of his Cloud Hawk. He calmly waited the order from Command Center in Sommer Island to arrive. And before long, a radio call came in. [Command to Alpha 0-1, do you read me?] ¡°Alpha 0-1 to Command, I read you loud and clear.¡± [Alpha 0-1, take your unit to hit opposing warships on the east. Do you copy?] ¡°Copy, 7-1 will hit opposing warships on east of Sommer Island.¡± [Happy hunting, Command over and out.] Brigadier Ugla immediately led 71st Mohawk Regiment flew to the east of Sommer Island. In the middle of the flight, he heard Command Center ordered 72nd Mohican Regiment to hit opposing warships on the south of Sommer Island. As for opposing warships on the north and west of Sommer Island, Brigadier Ugla didn¡¯t give them any thought. He believed Command Center had a good plan for them. Without delay, he focused his body and minds to complete his objective. A few minutes later, as soon as clusters of opposing warships entered his field of view, Brigadier Ugla pressed PTT button. ¡°Alpha 0-1 to All 7-1, show no mercy.¡± Stolen novel; please report. Wasting no time all Riders and Weapon Officers from 71st Mohawk Regiment commenced their air raid. The fight was one side massacre, like a fight between seasoned eagles against defenseless chicks. The chicks were running to all direction to save their dear life, but the eagles easily captured and tore them apart. --- FRS Goblin did indeed have not received missiles which should become their primary weapon, but this station had been equipped with other weapon systems that were also being integrated to Aegis Combat System. These weapon systems were: 8 units Ripper Station Each unit consisted of 2 x Chain-gun M230 30 mm, sandwiched by 19-cell Talon Launcher on the left and right. Each unit was stationed in rooftop of important building such as Command Center, ATC, or Ammo Depot. When working in autonomous mode, Ripper Station would bypass IFF protocol and indiscriminately shooting down every aerial target in its effective range. 6 units Rapid Gun Mk.110 57 mm Each unit was equipped with 1000-round magazine. By using low-cost high precision round, Rapid Gun Mk.110 could hit surface target up to 9.5 km and aerial target up to 5 km. 4 units Lighweight Gun Mk.45 127 mm Each unit was equipped with 400-round ready-to-fire magazine, and secondary magazine loaded with 300 units suicide drone SQ-04 Firebee. Its standard ammo could hit surface target up to 36 km and aerial target up to 7 km, while the guided round could hit a surface target up to 70 km. As for SQ-04 Firebee, it could hit surface target up to 130 km. In ordinary days, only 25% of weapon systems in FRS Goblin were in ready-to-engage status. However, as soon as a huge number of hostile warships approached Sommer Island, Lt. Colonel Gillray immediately activated all weapon systems in FRS Goblin. And today, the crews of Lightweight Gun Mk.45 would taste their first combat action. As soon as they received the order, the crews of Lightweight Gun Mk.45 immediately prepared the fire mission to eliminate the opposing warships on the west and north of Sommer Island. They swiftly switched the loading mechanism from ready-to-fire magazine to secondary magazine. After Fire Control System finished calculating the firing solution, the loading mechanism then placed a SQ-04 Firebee into firing chamber. A moment later, the first SQ-04 Firebee left the barrel of Mk.45. It climbed up to altitude of 100 meters while spreading its folded wings and vertical stabilizer, and then flew to its intended target at a speed of 210 km/h. Unlike the 127 mm artillery round, Firebee was a super-low pressure projectile. It was very friendly to Mk.45¡¯s barrel, and each crew could fire 300 Firebee in one long sustained fire without tactical pause to change the barrel. In summary, a total of 1200 Firebee were fired in 36 minutes. They flew in two separated group. One group flew to the north, while the second flew to the west. --- In a calm gaze, Lt. Colonel Gillray and Rear Admiral Norrak observed the attempt of opposing warships to retreat. When the biggest warships reached a distance of 70 km from Sommer Island, Rear Admiral Norrak immediately turned his gaze towards Lt. Colonel Gillray. ¡°Ser Gillray, maybe we can allocate some of Buriek Riders to attack opposing warships on the north and west.¡± ¡°No need, they are still inside our reach,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray confidently replied, and then he turned his head towards an officer of Aegis Combat System, ¡°LT, give me ETA for the first impact.¡± ¡°First wave will hit opposing warships in the north in ten minutes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray nodded, and then he unconsciously recalled the details about Firebee. SQ-04 Firebee was a cheap and simple concept designed by Boeing. US Navy rejected it as they prefer the 127 mm guided high-velocity round, which also could be used to intercept supersonic cruiser missile. Physically, Firebee had a similar diameter to 127 mm artillery round but 20 cm longer. The shape was pretty similar to Tomahawk missile, and most of its body was made of advance polymer composite. It had an overall weight of 32 kg, carried 18 kg high-explosive warhead, could fly at 210 km/h, and reaching a surface target up to 130 km. In short, Firebee didn¡¯t have velocity to produce enough kinetic energy or carried enough explosive to harm a modern warship made of steel. Moreover, the close-in air defense system on a modern warship would easily neutralize Firebee. It was to be expected as Boeing didn¡¯t design Firebee to kill modern warship. It was made to distract and deplete air defense system on targeted warships, or giving friendly ground element a long range air support. However, in a contest against a huge number of wooden warships, Firebee would become a super cost effective weapon system. With an acquisition price USD 14.000/unit, Firebee was much cheaper than 127 mm guided round while having longer effective range. And in its maximum capacity, Aegis Combat System could guide 60 Firebee towards 60 different targets simultaneously. Then, Captain Flyood who stood next to Lt. Colonel Gillray suddenly said, ¡°Sir, first impact is in ten seconds.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray immediately put his attention back to the main screen and then calmly waiting for the first impact. ***** TFA2 23.4 – Nate and Lan Yan’er TFA2 23.4 ¨C Nate and Lan Yan¡¯er Bo-boom! Bo-booom! Bo-bobobobooommm!!! The first swarm of Firebee simultaneously hit 60 cruisers and destroyers on the north of Sommer Island. And as expected, 18 kg high-explosive warhead was very effective to kill a wooden warship. It made a big hole in the hull and almost split the warship into two giant wooden chunks. Sea water immediately entered like a flood, and a second later every victims of Firebee started their journey to the seabed. ¡®Damn! What a dangerous swarm.¡¯ In the edge of frigate Sarmat-07¡¯s deck, Lieutenant Tabei swallowed hard as 60 cruisers and destroyers he had to protect sank in matter of seconds. However, he didn¡¯t have time to give it a further thought. ¡°Sir! The second swarm is approaching,¡± one of Lieutenant Tabei¡¯s men said in an alarmed tone. Wasting no time Lieutenant Tabei turned his gaze towards black dots in the distance. ¡°Don¡¯t let them passes our position at all cost!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Aye Sir!¡±¡±¡± All bowmen and ballista crews on frigate Sarmat-07¡¯s deck replied in unison. Without delay, they then took aim at the incoming dangerous swarm. Previously, they had only curiously watched as the swarm flew above their head, freely passing their position and then hit the cruisers and destroyers. But now, they would not let it happened again. As he strengthening his resolve, cold gleam flashed on Lieutenant Tabei eyes. Then, he firmly gave his men the order they were waiting for. ¡°Fire!¡± Swoosh! Swoosh! Sw-wowowooossshhh!!! In a blink of one eye, hundreds of arrows and dozens of ballista bolt left Sarmat-07¡¯s deck and flew to the sky. It made a high arc before joining with arrows and ballista from other warships and blanketed the sky. As the dangerous swarm flew too low, there was no way it would escape the arrows and ballista bolts. A smile slowly bloomed on Lieutenant Tabei¡¯s lips as arrows and ballista rained down the dangerous swarm. However, the dangerous swarm easily passed the rain of arrows and ballista. It didn¡¯t even slow down. Lieutenant Tabei and his men could only drop their jaw as the dangerous swarm passed their position unhindered while making a loud buzz. At the same time, panic and chaos descended on the cruisers and destroyers in the main formation. Their bowmen and ballista crews launched a hasty salvo to stop the approaching swarm, but it was futile. The swarm continued its approach before making a sharp dive to their intended target. Bo-boom! Bo-bo-booom! Bo-bobobobooommm!!! Another 60 cruisers and destroyers got hit by Firebee fatally. A few seconds later, they had already sunk along with most of their crews. ¡®Mighty Gods in high heaven please show us Your mercy,¡¯ Lieutenant Tabei muttered as the third deadly swarm appeared in the distance and approaching his position fast. --- ¡®What an insane fire power and precision.¡¯ As he observed how the opposing warships sank in rapid interval, a chill was crept on Rear Admiral Norrak¡¯s back. ¡®No wonder Admiral Errez kept saying only War God can match TF Amethyst¡¯s insane fire power.¡¯ Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Other than a dozen that missed, hit the sea surface and then disappeared, the remaining Firebee killed their intended target perfectly. At the same time, 71st Mohawk Regiment and 72nd Mohican Regiment had also spent their ammunition. In the end, only around 200s opposing corvettes managed to leave Sommer Island. After taking a deep breath a few times, Rear Admiral Norrak proposed and idea. ¡°Ser Gillray, maybe we can send some warships to help the opposing survivors.¡± After glancing at the thousands of Makai sailor that scattered on the sea surface as far as they eyes could see, Lt. Colonel Gillray nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a good idea. Ser Norrak, can you organize it?¡± ¡°Consider it done.¡± Wasting no time, Rear Admiral Norrak sent landing boats to help the opposing survivors. He also asked Buriek Navy to send frigates and transport ships to take the secured survivors into POW Camp. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Gillray sent the initial report of the battle to Castle Lagra. As for the details report, he would need a few days to compile it --- After receiving the report from Lt. Colonel Gillray, Nate immediately took a breath full of relief. Now, Battle Group C was no longer a threat. Meanwhile, Battle Group A and B quietly sat in their base and it seemed they would stay like that for the next a few days. As for clandestine unit that was targeting Northern Coalition, IDG had warned the leaders of Northern Coalition and so far they didn¡¯t ask for assistance. Therefore, Nate decided to take a short break before taking care of mountain of documents and reports in his office. However, in the middle of his journey to the officer pub, Nate saw Lan Yan¡¯er cheerfully led 14 former slave children who were living with her to second kitchen in Castle Lagra. Seira, Keira, Erlin, and Big Brown had also come along with her. After pondering for almost 20 minutes, Nate also went to second kitchen. As soon as he entered, he found the kids happily put the peanut cookies dough into owl, fish, bear, and others animals mold. Meanwhile, Lan Yan¡¯er and the kitchen staffs were making the dough and handled the oven. It was lively and fun, but Nate couldn¡¯t avoid the bitterness that slowly gripped his heart. In silent, Nate recalled that he was the one who gave the order that turned these children into orphan. Not to mention the order he gave also had indirectly sent hundreds of other children and slave women into bottom of the sea. Fortunately, before Nate went deeper into his bitterness, his gaze met with Seira and it woke him up. Nate could only smiled helplessly, as with full of determination Seira bared her row of white teeth, as a sign that she was ready to bite him. At the same time, Big Brown who was lazing around in a corner rose to his feet and gave him a wary gaze. ¡®Damn, now she even coax Mr. Brown into her cause,¡¯ Nate bitterly muttered, but he kept walking over to Lan Yan¡¯er who stood in the end of the long table. ¡°It¡¯s lively here,¡± Nate cheerfully opened a conversation. Lan Yan¡¯er cheerfully nodded. ¡°Yeah, the kids love the peanut cookies and want to help to make it. I hope it will ease their pain.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After a pause Lan Yan¡¯er asked, ¡°Nate, is it okay for you to leave Command Center?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in a short break.¡± Nate turned his gaze to Lan Yan¡¯er as he continued, ¡°If I may, can I ask you something personal?¡± ¡°You may,¡± Lan Yan¡¯er casually replied. After washing her hand in the sink, she then took Nate into pantry. Wasting no time Nate asked, ¡°I heard you are staying in Vex¡¯s living quarter in the east wing.¡± Lan Yan¡¯er nodded and answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you plan to live together with Vex?¡± ¡°If what do you mean by living together is marriage, it¡¯s absolutely no. But I and Vex are on same page regarding Seira, Keira, Erlin, and Kids on Settlement 116. I believed Vex will also support my approach regarding the 14 new kids who are staying with me now.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Also, Vex doesn¡¯t even know he have a living quarter here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As big question mark appeared in Nate¡¯s forehead, Lan Yan¡¯er explained, ¡°It is Erlin, Seira, and Keira idea to prepare a living quarter for Vex in case he comes here. They are also the one who chose it. That¡¯s why it¡¯s very close to the inner garden but very far from Command Center.¡± ¡°I see. Umm¡­ maybe I should move my living quarter next to Vex¡¯s.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea,¡± Lan Yan¡¯er casually said. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Nate weakly asked as if Lan Yan¡¯er objection was a death sentence for him. ¡°Well, Keira has placed you as her arch enemy. Every morning she shows your picture to Big Brown while saying, ¡®Brownie, remember, you can¡¯t trust him. He is a super duper bad dude¡¯, And it seems Big Brown believe her. If you move your living quarter next to us, it will only increase Keira¡¯s hostility.¡± ¡°That little girl truly knows how to hold a grudge.¡± ¡°Yupe, and I don¡¯t want Big Brown bite you accidently.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In the end, Nate canceled his intension to move his living quarter next to the Vex¡¯s, but at least he was able to talk to Lan Yan¡¯er again today. Moreover, he didn¡¯t get the impression that Lan Yan¡¯er tried to stay away from him. So, he wasn¡¯t too disappointed. ***** TFA2 24.1 – Mekar Corporation TFA2 24.1 ¨C Mekar Corporation Settlement 116 08:20, 29 Sept 2025 After his arrival at Harley Quinn, the first thing that came to Vex¡¯s mind was visiting Settlement 116. Before returning to earth, he wanted to check on Reem and other kids. In Settlement 116, Vex found Reem and the other kids were helping Lieutenant Kim Dong-Chun harvested blueberry in the green house. Reem and the other kids had aspiration to become modern farmer. That¡¯s why they also had a class in green house and ranch. After a small talk with Lieutenant Kim Dong-Chun, Vex then approached Reem. Vex knew that a few months ago Reem¡¯s father go to Makai Royal City as part of clandestine mission. Meanwhile, her mother had not fully recovered from the trauma of losing her youngest child. It could be said that Reem was the head of her household at the moment. ¡®What a tough kid.¡¯ Vex muttered as he knelt next to Reem. ¡°Reem, how are you?¡± As he looked at Vex with a big smile in her face Reem replied, ¡°Super fine.¡± ¡°Glad to hear that.¡± Vex then started harvesting blueberry in Reem¡¯s plot. ¡°But please remember, if you need something, you can always come to me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Reem gave Vex a nod before asking, ¡°Teacher Vex, will you stay in Harley Quinn this time, and teaching us again?¡± ¡°No, I just stop by before my next trip.¡± Vex put a scoop of big blueberry into Reem¡¯s basket as he continued, ¡°However, when I come back later I will stay in Harley Quinn and have a lot of time to teach you and the other kids again.¡± ¡°Okay, Reem and other kids miss Teacher Vex and your class so much.¡± ¡°I know. I miss you all too.¡± Vex still want to talk about a lot of things with Reem, but the other kids came and immediately joint the conversation. Of course, Vex didn¡¯t chase them away. He also enjoyed the talk with other kids, who were eager to tell him a lot of things. Vex stayed in Settlement 116 until noon and had his lunch together with Reem and other kids. Then, he returned to Harley Quinn in a cheerful mood. After a short meeting with General O¡¯Neil, Vex started his journey to earth. --- Joint Military Base, Central African Federation. 12:20, 2 Oct 2025 By using Gulfstream G650, Vex flew from a covert airfield in Antarctica to a military base in Central African Federation. The base was a joint base between army and air force of Central African Federation. In addition of housing a rapid reaction brigade and a squadron of Hercules, the base was also the only training facility for Advance Sniper Course in Central African Federation. It could be said Vex knew the base very well. He visited it for the first time when he received the offer to train Army Sniper Regiment of Central African Federation. This time, he also stayed in the same room as the one he used back then, a small personal quarter for instructor. After enjoying a simple military lunch, Vex casually sat in the terrace. A moment later the first man he wanted to meet arrived and sat next to him. Vex¡¯s first guest was an old man in casual clothes. He finished his carrier in military as four-star army general before becoming Defense Minister. After that, Vex helped him to become CEO of Mekar Corporation, the biggest oil company in the country, before finally he entered politics and was elected as President of Central African Federation a few months ago. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Vex,¡± In a calm tone President Ghezo said, ¡°I thought you were dead.¡± Vex laughing for a while before saying, ¡°I can¡¯t die yet. I have lot of things I need to complete.¡± ¡°Good, don¡¯t die yet, until I say my thanks at least.¡± ¡°Actually, that¡¯s the reason for my visit.¡± ¡°Then, tell me what I can do for you.¡± Without delay Vex went straight to the purpose of his visit, ¡°First, may I know the condition of Super Hornet from your air force and the latest border situation with your neighbor?¡± ¡°The Super Hornet is in good condition, 80 units of 4.5th gen fighter with mission availability at 82%. Only our country has such capability in the region. Meanwhile, our damnable neighbor grounded more than half of their Super Flanker, so the weather in our border is calm and quiet recently.¡± ¡°Glad to hear that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that, to this moment, your government still limits our missile purchase around 800 units for air-to-air, 120 units for long-range air-to-ground and anti-radiation. But other than that, we can buy anything else as many as we want.¡± Vex nodded a few times before saying, ¡°In that case, may I borrow some weapons and spare parts of your Super Hornet?¡± President Ghezo flabbergasted for a moment before asking, ¡°Are you for real? Why don¡¯t you buy it from your own country directly?¡± ¡°My primary channel met an unforeseen circumstance, while my client is in a dire need to defend themselves.¡± For a long time President Ghezo fell into a deep contemplation. Then, in a serious tone he said, ¡°I need to discuss it with the high-butt officers from air force and I can¡¯t guarantee how many items we can put aside for you.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Vex handed a memory card as he added, ¡°This is the list. Whatever items you can put aside, Amethyst Security Group will resupply your air force in six months with an additional fee.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°In that memory card, I also have a list of ammo I want to buy from military industrial complex in your country.¡± ¡°What kind of ammo? My country can only produce dumb ammo.¡± ¡°Small caliber, medium caliber, grenade, mortar round, artillery shell, rocket, dumb bomb, etc.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°For the next four months, I will arrange 20 freighters of 24.000 ton each. They will anchor in Guinea Bay alternately. For every item in my list, you can put them into those ships as many as you can.¡± ¡°My country can¡¯t meet that quota in four months. Can I invite a friendly country in the region to join in?¡± ¡°As long they don¡¯t sell garbage items, I don¡¯t mind.¡± After an ear to ear grin President Ghezo cheerfully said, ¡°Understood. As for now, let¡¯s get some good lunch.¡± ¡°I just ate my lunch. Let¡¯s just grab some drink in the officer club.¡± ¡°Vex, you can¡¯t call junk in this place as a food. You are not military man anymore. Let¡¯s go to down town.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember there is a nice place to eat in downtown, or I would already go over there.¡± ¡°I bring my personal chef. He stay in down town because it easier to get the ingredient.¡± ¡°Okay then. Actually, I also miss your personal chef¡¯s delicacy.¡± ¡°I knew it.¡± Wasting no time, President Ghezo took Vex to the down town. Along the trip, he recalled the event when two years ago Vex suddenly gave him a phone call. At that time, Vex asked him if he interested in becoming CEO of Mekar Corporation, a brand new Canadian energy corporation that just won exploration right for an oil field in Central African Federation. President Ghezo happily received the offer, but never did he imagine that Mekar Corporation would grow into the biggest energy player in the region. It secured another four exploration right in Central African Federation, and established a dozen of subsidiaries in manufacturing industries and modern agriculture. And to this moment, he had not yet expressed his gratitude to Vex other than sent some money to his account. Somehow, Vex just disappeared after his phone call. No matter how hard President Ghezo tried, his effort to track Vex bore no fruit. In the end he could only concluded that someone had killed Vex silently, so he put an international bounty on the killer. Then, Vex suddenly gave him a phone call yesterday. President Ghezo was very happy because he finally had a chance to offer his gratitude to Vex personally. However, it seemed he had to double his gratitude as Vex also came to tell him that Mekar Corporation would receive a supply of crude oil from outside Central African Federation. It was good news for President Ghezo, as it would increase Central African Federation¡¯s economy. Moreover, he currently held 6% share of Mekar Corporation. ***** TFA2 24.2 – Romeo Westward TFA2 24.2 ¨C Romeo Westward At 21:00, Vex returned to down town by driving an old land rover. His destination was Lokko Bay, a mid-class hotel that was popular among expatriate who worked in the nearby oil refinery. It could be said that Lokko Bay was the only place to find high quality booze, sex, and dope in the radius of 200 km. After parking the old land rover in the backyard, Vex entered Lokko Bay through side door, bypass the lobby and go straight to British pub in the wing area. As soon as he passed the door to the pub, he saw Bob had waiting for him in a corner. Vex immediately paid a bottle of Irish beer from bartender and went to Bob¡¯s table. ¡°Welcome to Central African Federation,¡± Vex said as he sat in front of Bob. Bob nodded and replied, ¡°Mr. Vex, is it really okay for you to go on a trip without security detail?¡± ¡°I¡¯m better on my own.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After downing a mouthful of his beer Vex continued, ¡°Bob, I need more budgets. I will accelerate the third purchase.¡± In an instant question mark appeared in Bob¡¯s forehead. ¡°You want to accelerate the establishment of military industrial complex in Amstell? ¡°Yes,¡± Vex replied firmly. For the items from first purchase that had not arrived in Amstell Continent, Vex had already paid it in full. As for second purchase, even though the quota increased a few folds from initial estimation, he got enough money from Lt. Colonel Slane to cover it. As for the Amphibious Strike Group, they had separated budget. However, after he knew about what happened to Major General Randy, Vex decided to speed up the establishment of military industrial complex in Amstell Continent. That way TF Amethyst could produce most of ammo, equipment, and spare part they needed, and sustain life cycle of their assets to some extent even if they lost the access to earth. Bob nodded before saying, ¡°In that case, we also have to speed up the transfer of personnel for the third purchase.¡± ¡°Yes, we do.¡± After silence for a moment Bob said, ¡°Mr. Vex, I believe you can manage the shipment for the goods and other materials. However, transporting hundreds of thousands of people is not simple matter. I will arrange someone to assist you.¡± ¡°No, it will be much better if after you finish your job here, you immediately return to the State and help me personally like the last time.¡± ¡°Understood, and you will receive the fund in a few days.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Vex smiled before continuing, ¡°Also, while you are here, can you help me liquidates my assets in this country into my account in Switzerland.¡± As he handed over a business card Vex continued, ¡°This is the legal firm who handle my wealth.¡± ¡°Consider it done,¡± Bob cheerfully replied. ¡°Thank¡¯s Bob. I truly appreciate it.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Seeing Vex stood up, Bob immediately asked, ¡°Do you plan to return without having a party first?¡± ¡°I need a sleep. I have a flight to the State tomorrow.¡± ¡°I see.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. After Vex exited the pub, Bob also returned to his room. He came to Central Africa Federation to make sure Mekar Corporation was ready to receive and process Nouel, and tomorrow he had a lot of work to do. Therefore, Bob also had to get a good rest for both his body and mind. --- In a remote corner of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, Mississippi, an old but big three-story building stood silently. On the surface, this building was the HQ of Global Express, a worldwide delivery service by sea or air that could reach almost all spots on earth. At the same time, a private clandestine unit with callsign Romeo Westward was using its 5th underground floor as a secret base. Barnett Reed, a former 2-star US Navy admiral, formed Romeo Westward three years ago not long after he was appointed as deputy director of CIA. Most of Romeo Westward members were former CIA¡¯s agent who had expertise in clandestine shipment, and US Navy¡¯s personnel who had a rich experience in monitoring Chinese or Russian fleet by employing spy satellite. Admiral Reed hand-picked every single one of them personally. By ¡®borrowing¡¯ some of CIA¡¯s latest generation satellites, Romeo Westward observed and organized a covert activity at some spot 8 km west of Antarctica coastline. Swiftly, a 19.000 ton freighter unloaded its cargo into a group of LCAC. Once the unloading was finished, Romeo Westward would guide the freighter returned into international trading route unnoticed. Then, the next freighter would unload its cargo in the same spot as the previous ship. In a glance, the shipment operation looked pretty simple. But actually, to avoid the eyes and ears of intelligence service with high-tech capability, it required a complex planning and precaution. Fortunately, Romeo Westward was able to do it flawlessly to the point that every ship didn¡¯t realize each other presence. And even if for the last six months, the shipment to Amstell Continent was dropping drastically and only consisted of logistic and stuff that could only be produce on earth, Romeo Westward didn¡¯t lowered their operational security. They conducted every shipment with utmost secrecy. Then, Admiral Reed took a deep breath as his smartphone suddenly received an encrypted message. After decoding the message manually, he found out that Vex was on the flight to Pascagoula and would arrive tonight. Wasting no time, Admiral Reed turned his gaze towards three people he trusted the most. James Mendel, a former US Navy three-star Admiral. Jonathan Ingram, a former US Marine two-star general. Shimamura Heiko, super genius engineer and CEO of Newport News Shipbuilding. In a calm tone Admiral Reed said, ¡°Heiko, Mendel, Ingram, get ready. We are going to Pascagoula tonight. It seems we will start the big shipment soon.¡± Heiko, Maj. General Ingram, and Admiral Mendel immediately nodded while a gleam flashed on their eyes. For years, they dedicated their life to build Amphibious Strike Group, and now finally they would complete the last step. --- After a journey of 1 hour and 14 minutes from Gulfport, a Black Range Rover entered a giant complex of warehouse in Pascagoula, just before the sun downed in the west. In the rear seat, Admiral Reed looked at each warehouse he passed one by one. On the paper, those warehouses were registered as facility to store component of civilian ships, or heavy equipment for construction, mining, and farming. The registration was not completely wrong, but it didn¡¯t mention that most warehouses were used to store ready-to-assembly warships¡¯ component, along with their weapon systems, and spare parts for 10 years of life cycle. Admiral Reed very excited when he imagined how those warships would sail and show their combat capability. Unfortunately, he wouldn¡¯t be able to witness it personally. After heaving a deep sigh, he then opened a conversation. ¡°I hope Vex is not angry with the adjustment we have to make.¡± ¡°No worry, he has no other choice other than to accept it.¡± Admiral Mendel turned his head towards Admiral Reed as he continued, ¡°And it¡¯s not too late if you want to lead Alpha Sierra Golf. I can stay on earth, lead Romeo Westward, and make sure the shipment go as usual.¡± ¡°No, I stop my carrier at two-star admiral because I had to joint CIA, while you managed to become youngest three-star admiral and have a lot of experience in leading a carrier strike group.¡± ¡°As you wish then.¡± Admiral Mendel then turned his gaze towards Heiko who sat next to Admiral Reed. ¡°What about you? It¡¯s not too late if you want to stay on earth.¡± Heiko calmly replied, ¡°No thanks, I would not give up on the only chance to lead a shipbuilding company that I design from scratch.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Admiral Mendel nodded before asking Maj. General Ingram who drove the SUV, ¡°And you Ingram?¡± ¡°I had promised my men I would lead them personally.¡± ¡°No turning back for the three of us then.¡± Silence then enveloped every corner of Range Rover as it continued its journey, until finally it arrived at branch office of Romeo Westward in the deepest part of the complex. As the Black Range Rover entered the building, Admiral Reed received a message from Vex that he would arrive in a few minutes. ***** TFA2 24.3 – No Go for CVN and SSN TFA2 31.3 ¨C No Go for CVN and SSN After 10 hours and 30 minutes of direct flight from Central African Federation, Vex finally arrived at Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi. Then, he took 1 hour and 15 minutes of helicopter flight, before landed on a helipad on the rooftop of Global Express¡¯ branch office. As soon as he exited the helicopter, Vex immediately saw Admiral Reed had waited for him. ¡°Sir, we meet again.¡± Admiral Reed nodded before asking, ¡°I believe you have heard about what happened on Randal.¡± ¡°Yeah, he sent me urgent messages to my mail box in Central African Federation as soon as he lost his position, but unfortunately I could only open them a few days ago.¡± ¡°Do you have solution for it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m considering some possibilities.¡± ¡°Good. Of all the first purchase, we had sent only 40% so far. We have to ship the rest immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, and moreover our situation on the other side is not bright. We have inevitable conflict with local authority,¡± Vex said in a heavy tone. ¡°As a temporary solution, I made a deal to buy some stuff from Central African Federation, under the name Amethyst Security Group. Can you spare some freighter for the shipment?¡± ¡°Give me the detail. Romeo Westward will take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Thank you. We will also start the second and third purchase, along with the shipment of Amphibious Strike Group.¡± ¡°No worry,¡± Admiral Reed calmly replied. ¡°I have estimated you will speed up our schedule as soon as you know Randy lost his position. 75% of Amphibious Strike Group¡¯s asset is ready for shipment. We can start it in two days. But before that, you need to know some adjustment I had to make.¡± Vex was silence for a moment, and then asked, ¡°Sir, last time I was on this side, we had met a few times. You could tell me about this adjustment at that time.¡± ¡°Sorry Vex, at that time I hadn¡¯t finished it yet.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I had prepared your old room. Get some rest, and after that we will talk about the adjustment at 23:30.¡± ¡°Undestood.¡± --- After three hours of sleep and a nice bath, Vex ordered double cheese burger, french fries, spicy chicken wings, chocolate doughnut, and a big glass of orange juice. After that, he took his dinner to the meeting room in 2nd Underground Floor. As soon as he entered the room he found Shimamura Heiko was sitting in one end of the long table. She was wearing a knee-high skirt, T-shirt, and a thin cardigan. It was plain clothes, but it didn¡¯t lessen her beauty. In her profile Heiko was 29 years old, but her appearance was no different from a model for female underwear at early twenty. She tied her long jet black hair on a bobtail and it exposed her long and show white neck. And even if she sat casually, Vex could clearly saw she had a golden ration for her well-tuned body. Other than her physical appearance, Vex actually didn¡¯t know much about Heiko. This was his first meeting with her. Vex only had heard a few things about shipbuilding she lead. Newport News Shipbuilding was the sole designer and builder of US Navy aircraft carrier, one of main contractors who built Los Angeles-class and Virginia-class submarine, and also contractor who responsible to refuel nuclear assets of US Navy. And under Heiko, Newport News Shipbuilding reached its top performance in the history. ¡°Good night, Mrs. Shimamura.¡± Vex say hello as he put his dinner on the table and sat across Heiko. ¡°Mr. Vex, please just call me Heiko.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± In a glance Heiko then checked Vex¡¯s dinner. ¡°What a heavy dinner.¡± ¡°Before I separated with my wife, every time I returned from overseas my daughter will prepare these foods as welcome party.¡± Vex took a big bite of chocolate doughnut before continuing, ¡°As a result it becomes a habit, but I have to buy it myself now.¡± Heiko nodded, and then in a curious tone she asked, ¡°Mr. Vex, on Amstell, do we face significant problem when developed industrial complex for commercial stuffs?¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°No.¡± Vex happily explained. ¡°It makes MCG super busy with various constructions, but they have almost 4000 personnel, adequate heavy equipment, and plenty of hardworking local labors. Also, there is no interference to the flow of construction equipment and materials from earth. Everything will going smoothly as long as engineers, technicians, and other specialist from MCG carry their objective as if their dear life is depended on it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Heiko looked at Vex for a moment before asking, ¡°May I know, how we will transport Nouel from Amstell?¡± Sooner or later Heiko would know about it, so Vex didn¡¯t mind to explain it. It just that he couldn¡¯t mention Claire¡¯s role, as even Admiral Reed had no clue about her. So Vex replaced Claire¡¯s deed as General O¡¯Neil¡¯s. ¡°General O¡¯Neil and Bob had prepared it from 2011.¡± ¡°That far?¡± In an instant shock was reflected in Heiko eyes. ¡°It was a few years before Admiral Reed recruited me.¡± ¡°I believe General O¡¯Neil also hadn¡¯t invited Admiral Reed at that time.¡± After taking another mouthful of coke, Vex started telling Heiko the story. At early 2011, by using fabricated identity of a crazy rich eccentric, General O¡¯Neil built four huge football stadiums, 800 meters below the surface in four different spots in Antarctica. When the basic structure of the stadium was completed, Bob issued a fake report about unknown natural gas that almost killed some of the construction workers. Bob then issued another fake assessment that the project had to be canceled and the stadium had to be destroyed and sealed to prevent the deadly gas from going up to the surface. Of course, the destruction of the stadium was only in paper. In reality it was just permanently sealed by destroying the entry access. By using another fake identity, General O¡¯Neil then bought the land where the stadiums lay and founded Mekar Corporation. After winning exploration right for some oil and natural gas field in Brazil and Mexico, Mekar Corporation then slowly but surely secured exploration right in the whole Antarctica. Other global player in energy industry mocked at Mekar Corporation¡¯ bet, but they would stop their laugh. In a week, Mekar¡¯s exploration team would found four natural reserves for new type of crude oil. The crude oil was not entirely black, but a slightly bluish. It also had far higher combustion potential compared to ordinary crude oil, but very environmentally friendly. As she tilted her head Heiko said, ¡°I bet the oil reserves are located on the half-constructed underground football stadium, but people from Mekar Corporation don¡¯t realize it.¡± ¡°Yes, from the beginning the stadiums are to be used as underground tank for crude Nouel, and people from Mekar Corporation only know that their drill hit a 100% natural reserve for new type of crude oil.¡± ¡°Mr. Vex, you still hadn¡¯t replied my primary question.¡± Vex nodded before cassualy replied, ¡°The crude Nouel from the other side flow to the underground tank through a pipeline. The pipeline network is huge as it also connected to our own Nouel storage, located 300 hundred meters below the surface, and at some point it passed the entry gate.¡± ¡°Do the construction workers know about it?¡± ¡°No, only three senior engineers and the architect know that the pipeline extended beyond the entry gate.¡± ¡°What method did they employ to trick the construction worker?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same method they use to trick the construction workers who built the football stadium. They rig the compass and blueprint. Therefore, when the workers think the go to the east, they actually go to the south, and when they go to the south, they actually go to the west.¡± ¡°Never did I imagine our project is a few times bigger than what I had estimated.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After gulping down another mouthful of coke, Vex asked, ¡°Do we have complex of warehouse in other locations?¡± ¡°Have you never visited the other warehouses? ¡°I don¡¯t even know they are exists.¡± Heiko nodded her head a few times and then she said, ¡°The other warehouses are in Bath Maine, Newport News Virginia, Marinette Wisconsin, Long Beach San Diego, and Gulfport Mississippi. Actually, Romeo Westward HQ is in Gulfport.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Vex didn¡¯t surprise that Admiral Reed never took him to Romeo Westward HQ, while from the location of other warehouses he could speculate the contractors who participate in project to build assets of Amphibious Strike Group. ¡°Marinette Marine, Ingalls Shipbuilding, Bath Iron Work, Newport News Shipbuilding, and Long Beach Shipbuilding, I believe we are working with them.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Heiko casually replied. ¡°We also work with Raytheon, Electric Boat and Integraph Corporation. As for foreign contractor, we are working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, Kawasaki Shipbuilding, Rolls Royce, Babcock International, Damen Schelde, and Fincantieri.¡± ¡°I never thought we would invite six foreign contractors.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Heiko took a sip of her tea before continuing, ¡°Even though we have good harvest from USN Decommissioned Asset and Maintenance Facility, we still had to produce a huge number of components secretly.¡± ¡°And so we invited foreign contractors.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Heiko slightly nodded as she continued, ¡°Rolls Royce and Babcock built the engine and propulsion for all surface ship. Kawasaki Shipbuilding and Mitsubishi Heavy Industry are main contractors for submarine, while the rest working together to produce the hull and other component. But don¡¯t worry, for weapon systems, network centric, electronic warfare suits, radar, sensor, and combat managements, we use domestic products so our sailors will be able to operate every ship effectively in no time.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± As a big question mark appeared in his mind, Vex asked, ¡°As far as I know, Kawasaki Shipbuilding and Mitsubishi Heavy Industry don¡¯t have experience in building nuclear-powered submarine.¡± ¡°Mr. Vex, Admiral Reed canceled the plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarine.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± In an instant Vex dropped his jaw. ¡°He also canceled the procurement for nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Heiko shook her head and then firmly said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± Vex whispered as the shock in his eyes deepened. ***** TFA2 24.4 – Big Adjustment TFA2 24.4 ¨C Big Adjustment Exactly at 23:30, the scheduled meeting was started. Vex immediately asked Admiral Reed, ¡°Why did you cancel the procurement of nuclear aircraft carrier and nuclear-powered submarine?¡± ¡°Because we have to,¡± Admiral Reed calmly replied. ¡°The procurement for nuclear reactor and nuclear refueling facility turned out to be harder than my initial estimation.¡± ¡°And the replacement?¡± ¡°Wakanda-class aircraft carrier, it¡¯s based on America-class.¡± As he tilted his head Vex asked another question, ¡°By using America-class¡¯s hull, I believed Wakanda-class will be 76 meter shorter than Ronald Reagan-class.¡± ¡°After some enlargement, it¡¯s only 56 meter shorter.¡± ¡°How many aircraft it can carry?¡± ¡°Around half of Ronald Reagan-class,¡± Admiral Reed replied. Then, in cheerful tone Mendel added, ¡°The standard complement is 24 F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, 8 E/A-18G Growler, 3 MV-22 Osprey, 3 EV-22D Hawkeye, 3 MH-60K Knighthawk, and 2 MQ-9B Sea Reaper. It also has free hangar for 4-6 friendly aircraft that need emergency landing and have to stay.¡± ¡°41 aircrafts and 2 UAV,¡± Vex muttered under his breath. ¡°Actually,¡± Heiko put Wakanda-class¡¯ picture to the white board and pointed at its hangar deck. ¡°We can increase its capacity up to 52 aircraft, but Admiral Mendel wants to use the space to store additional spare parts of aerial assets.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Admiral Mendel calmly said. ¡°We don¡¯t operate on earth. If Super Hornet needs emergency engine replacement we can¡¯t send Osprey to take it from nearby naval station.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Vex took a deep breath before asking another question, ¡°And what is the standard complement for America-class?¡± After clearing his throat Admiral Mendel explained, ¡°For amphibious assault, 6 AV-8B Harrier II, 4 AH-1Z Viper, 12 MV-22 Osprey, 4 CH-53K King Stallion, and 3 UH-1Y Venom. For air assault, 20 MV-22 Osprey and 4 AV-22 Black Osprey. For sea control, 20 AV-8B Harrier II, 3 SH-60H Seahawk, and 3 EV-22D Grey Osprey.¡± ¡°What about aerial asset for destroyer and frigate?¡± ¡°Each destroyer and frigate will have a pair of SH-60H Seahawk and MQ-8C Fire Scout.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vex tapped his finger on the table for a moment before asking again, ¡°What is the replacement for Virginia-class?¡± ¡°Ghost-class submarine, we built it from scratch, based on Soryu-class.¡± Heiko calmly replied. ¡°We have increased its sea endurance to 105 days. It¡¯s far below Virginia-class, but Admiral Mendel said it¡¯s enough for global projection of sea power.¡± ¡°Unlike Virginia-class, I believed Ghost-class doesn¡¯t have vertical launchers for Tomahawk.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t, but it can fire UGM-109D medium-multirole Tomahawk from its torpedo launcher.¡± Vex nodded a few times and then asked another question, ¡°As far as I know, Japan doesn¡¯t use Soryu-class as a mean to deliver their frogman. Is that not a problem for us?¡± ¡°We had made some modification to meet this mission profile.¡± Vex then turned his gaze towards Admiral Reed. ¡°Can I see the final list?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Wasting no time Admiral Reed projected the lists to the white board. Asset of ASG (169 units): 2 units Wakanda-class Aircraft Carriers 2 units America-class LHD This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. 4 units San Antonio-class LPD 18 units Omaha-class Aegis Heavy Destroyer 36 units Orion-class Multi Mission Aegis Frigate 24 units Ghost-class Submarine 12 units Seagull-class Patrol Boat 8 units Phoebe-class Mine Warfare Vessel 4 units West Island-class 25.000 ton Oiler/Supply Ship 6 units East Bay-class 15.000 ton-class Oiler/Supply Ship 51 units non-combatant ship and hovercraft. After observing the list for a while Vex said, ¡°The final list has more ships but without nuclear aircraft carrier and nuclear-powered submarine.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Admiral Reed replied briefly. ¡°The cost also below our initial budget,¡± Heiko added. ¡°Nuclear refueling facility is very expensive. When we cancel it, we have huge surplus in our budget.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Vex nodded before continuing, ¡°I believe we had recruited the necessary personnel.¡± Admiral Mendel replied, ¡°In total we have 52.850 sailors, 9.210 naval air wing crew, 27.300 marines and frogmen, 37.120 workers of naval industrial complex. As for their family, it consisted of 213.400 adults and children.¡± ¡°What about the spear tip of the ground elements?¡± Major General Ingram who so far was only listening calmly replied, ¡°One Marine Expeditionary Brigade and one Marine Artic Brigade, 1800-2100 marines each, not including sailors. I build it based on Marine Expeditionary Unit, with increase in fire power and combat duration up to 18 days before it need resupply As for special mission units, I formed five companies of Marine Recon, 90 personnel each. I will also enlarge frogman platoon into a company level by bringing 223 additional frogmen.¡± ¡°Do you have any adjustment on ground vehicles?¡± ¡°I had to revise my request from 7000 to 10.200 ground vehicles. However, I don¡¯t put new type of vehicle. It will use weapon, sensor, transmission, engine, and other things that had become standard of GCG.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vex heaving a deep sigh before going silence for a very long time. In a regretful tone Admiral Reed then said, ¡°Vex, I¡¯m truly sorry. It must be messed your power projection up, but we have to do it. It¡¯s impossible to keep the development of aircraft carrier under the table for a long time. And so, we have to acquire all assets and the capability to maintain its life cycle at one sweep, and then tied up any loose ends.¡± In an instant question mark appeared in Vex¡¯s mind, ¡°Tied up any loose ends?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Heiko calmly added, ¡°In short, we recruit engineer, technician, mechanic, and other people who participated. As soon as the procurement is completed, we send them to Amstell. There, they will help us build naval industrial complex.¡± ¡°Do they agree with our term?¡± Heiko nodded. ¡°We had to increase the sign-up bonus, yearly salary, or family benefit for some people, but they all agree with the clause about new life and total cut-lose to their old life.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Vex calmly said. ¡°This is definitely not a small adjustment. But at least, you use same standard for equipment that had been used by TF Amethyst.¡± After deeply looking at Vex for a while Admiral Reed said, ¡°Vex, we have not telling you the biggest adjustment yet.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Seriously.¡± In a regrettable tone Admiral Reed added, ¡°We failed to secure Tomahawk.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± In an instant a deep shock was reflected in Vex¡¯s eyes. ¡°What do you mean we failed secure Tomahawk?¡± ¡°We only managed to secure medium-multirole Tomahawk, but not the real BGM-109 Tomahawk Land Attack Missile.¡± ¡°Damn¡­¡± In an instant Vex felt an urge to bang his head into the wall. ¡°In east coast of Amstell, we have a massive uninvited guest. The most ideal scenario will be to hit them from 1500 km away, to avoid extra-long-range deployment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we had tried our best,¡± Heiko weakly said. ¡°I see.¡± Vex actually loved the concept of medium-multirole Tomahawk. It was developed base on air launch Tomahawk. It had only 135 kg warhead and effective range of 300-400 km. Its potential was only 30% of Tomahawk, but so the price. Moreover, it had reached full operational capability but never entered service because budget cut on USAF. In short it was cheap, proven weapon system, and the procurement would not attract attention so TF Amethyst could buy it as many as possible. Unfortunately, right now what TF Amethyst needed the most was the real Tomahawk. ¡°Well, it¡¯s no use in crying about it now. How many medium-multiroles Tomahawk do we have?¡± Heiko calmly replied, ¡°Three thousand units, consisted of UGM-109D, RGM-109D, and AGM-109D. We have also acquired the capability to produce 70% of its component.¡± ¡°At least we also have some good news.¡± Vex nodded before asking, ¡°And what about the other missiles for Aegis?¡± ¡°We can secure SM-2 and Sea Tamir as much as we want, but we only got a few hundreds of SM-3 and SM-6.¡± ¡°Give me the written detail of every single thing I need to know. I need a few days to study it before we can start the shipment.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Without delay Admiral Reed handed over a memory card to Vex. After that, other than Vex who fully put his attention into his laptop, everyone else returned to their personal quarter. ***** TFA2 24.5 – Upgrade of TF Amethyst TFA2 24.5 ¨C Upgrade of TF Amethyst Vex spent three days studying and integrating the adjustment on the Amphibious Strike Group. Then, on the morning of the fourth day, he held a second meeting with Admiral Reed, Admiral Mendel, Major General Ingram, and Heiko. ¡°I have finished the adjustment for aerial assets,¡± Vex said, opening the meeting as he turned on the projector. ¡°If you have a question or input, please say it.¡± As soon as a long list of aerial assets was displayed on the white board, everyone in the meeting room immediately focused their eyes on it. Fighter/Attack (264 units): 144 units F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, 24 units E/A-18G Growler 96 units AV-8B Harrier II Special Mission (60 units): 36 units P-8 Poseidon 16 units EV-22D Grey Osprey 4 units E-737D Seraph 4 units RC-737E Spyhawk 24 units SH-60R Raven (ASW, ASuW, Sigint, Reconnaissance) Transport (102 units): 56 units C-130J Hercules (26 units will be on reserve status when all Ospreys are in service.) 20 units C-17 Globemaster III (Intercontinental) 8 units US-2 ShinMaywa (Amphibious) 6 units C-27 Executive (VIP) 12 units B-737 Express (Business) Air Refueling (24 units): 8 units KC-130J 16 units KC-737 Tilt-rotor (98 units): 60 units MV-22 Osprey (along with the kit for Basic Medevac and Tanker) 32 units AV-22 Black Osprey (Air Assault, Deep Insertion, C-SAR) 6 units HV-22 Blue Osprey (Dedicated Medevac) Rotorcraft (360 units): 42 units AH-1Z Viper 64 units OH-58H Kiowa Warrior 24 units UH-1Y Venom 54 units CH-47H Chinook 12 units CH-53K King Stallion 32 units MH-60K Knighthawk (Assault, Insertion, CAS, C-SAR) 108 units SH-60S Seahawk (ASW Support, ASuW, Transport, SAR) UAV (188 units): 32 units MQ-9 Reaper 18 units MQ-9B Sea Dragon (Aircraft Carrier Operation) 120 units MQ-8C Fire Scout 18 units MQ-4C Triton (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance) After studying the list Admiral Mendel said, ¡°We will station 48 Super Hornet on two aircraft carriers. Are the remaining units enough to secure the home sky?¡± ¡°Colonel Patricia said 96 units are enough to cover two continents. ACG also has Harrier to back up their combat air patrol operations.¡± Admiral Mendel nodded and said, ¡°Okay. We will become the third largest F-18 user after Canada and US Navy then.¡± ¡°Mr. Vex,¡± Heiko asked, ¡°instead of the old Harrier, why don¡¯t we choose F-35B?¡± ¡°ACG emphasized a high rate of availability, reliability, and maintainability. It¡¯s very hard to meet those parameters if they use F-35B while we don¡¯t operate on earth or adopt conventional procurement lines.¡± ¡°Harrier is old but not bad, actually.¡± Major General Ingram casually added, ¡°In Desert Storm and the early phase of Iraqi Freedom, it was the only tactical fighter that could provide close air support day and night for 24/7.¡± ¡°Well, a flying Harrier is a hundred times deadlier than F-35B that has to be grounded for lack of spare parts,¡± Admiral Mendel calmly said. ¡°I see,¡± Heiko replied and slightly nodded. After a moment of silence Admiral Reed asked another question, ¡°Vex, do we really need VIP and business airlifters?¡± ¡°ACG encountered an operation to airlift around 16,000 children once. After that, airlifts became popular among local nobles. We received a lot of requests to provide it, and ACG decided to provide it specifically.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After sipping his coffee Major General Ingram asked, ¡°The assault Osprey, is it the same bird that USMC developed?¡± ¡°No, we developed our own.¡± As he projected a close-up picture of Black Osprey on the white board, Vex continued, ¡°It had an under-nose M230 30 mm. The shoulder doors are being replaced with shoulder windows, and stub wings are installed below them, two hardpoints each. Each hardpoints can carry the guided and unguided rocket, Mini-gun M134 7.62 mm, Longbow radar pod, Longbow Hellfire, Air-launched Stinger, or external fuel tank. The cabin can also accommodate a fully equipped 9-man infantry squad.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I see. It¡¯s pretty similar to Russian¡¯s Hind.¡± ¡°It is.¡± After a moment of silence Vex asked, ¡°Other question?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No? Let¡¯s continue with ground combatant then.¡± In a casual tone Vex explained, ¡°In summary, GCG will increase the number of its combatants from 12.000 to 85.000. Their scalpels are Surveillance and Target Acquisition Company, CQB Company, and Tunnel Rat Company. As for the hammer, GCG will have a few combat brigades. Their doctrine, tactics, and equipment are a combination of Green Beret and Airborne Ranger. This is the map for their home base.¡± Wasting no time, Vex projected Amstell Continent¡¯s map to the white board, and some information was written on a few specific locations. White Blank, a snowfield on the north coast of Amstell Continent. Home base for 2nd Marine Arctic Brigade, main airlifter is Chinook, equipped with an airfield, docking port, and three-in-one depot (fuel, ammunition, and logistic) to prompt the operation of naval and aerial assets. Brone Desert, west coast of Amstell Continent. Home base for 4th Mechanized Brigade and their fleet of M113, equipped with an airfield, docking port, and three-in one depot to prompt the operation of naval and aerial assets. Herron Mountains, 30 km south of Magwurt City. Home base for 3rd Mountain Brigade, the average peaks are 4600 meters above sea level, even in summer, snow can appear at any time on elevations 3200 meters above sea level, main airlifter is Chinook as only Chinook can operate well in extreme altitudes. MCG will build a mega hydropower plant and water purification facility in one of its peaks, while Agriculture Development Group will build its HQ and research center in one of its valleys. Harley Quinn, center of Amstell Continent. HQ for Ground Combat Group. Home base for 1st Airborne Brigade and special mission unit under the command of GCG. Bluefin Naval Station, south coast of Amstell Continent. HQ and homeport for Amphibious Strike Group, along with the home base for Frogman Company. Lagra City, Sandhur Region, south coast of Amstell Continent. Home base for 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade After people in the room studied the map for a while, Vex put Buriek Continent¡¯s map on the white board and said, ¡°And because we don¡¯t have Tomahawk as a means for long-range land attack, we will have to form 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. It will be stationed on Buriek Continent, along with 2nd Air Assault Brigade. They will have 75% of Osprey fleet to support their mobility.¡± Major General Ingram immediately said, ¡°I will make sure the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade is ready in two months.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Vex replied in cheerful tone. ¡°How about Air Combat Group? Do they have combat unit on the ground?¡± Heiko asked in a curious tone. ¡°They have Base Security Regiment, Pararescue Regiment, Special Tactic Regiment, and Combat Control Team. Their numbers are few, but those four are Tier One and Tier Two units. Their strength doesn''t lie in numbers but in mobility, elements of surprise, and firepower.¡± Heiko slightly nodded. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I will stay on earth for the next few months. If you have other questions or input, don¡¯t hesitate to send it to me.¡± Vex enjoyed a mouthful of his lemon tea before continuing, ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about the shipment.¡± Without delay Admiral Reed explained, ¡°We can start it tomorrow. Once Logistic and Support Group receives more LCAC, we can conduct unloading in three spots around Antarctica simultaneously.¡± A question mark immediately popped up on Vex¡¯s forehead. ¡°Do you mean the southern tip of Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Admiral Reed firmly replied. Vex nodded before asking again, ¡°Can we include intelligence analysts in the first shipment? IDG is in dire need of them.¡± ¡°We can.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Vex immediately smiled in satisfaction. After some small talk, Vex then ended the meeting and made preparations for his meeting with Andrew Fox. He had to immediately take care of the delay in the first purchase, and also placing the order for second purchase. ***** TFA2 25.1 – Second Purchase TFA2 32.1 ¨C Second Purchase Last night, Andrew Fox received a message from Vex. It said Vex was on international flight to Mississippi and would arrive at noon. The problem was, Mississippi had three international airports but Vex didn¡¯t mention it in which airport he would land. Moreover, when Andrew checked the arrival schedule for the past week for both private and commercial flight to Mississippi, he didn¡¯t found Vex¡¯s name. However, because he had pressing matter to talk with him, Andrew immediately flew from his office in Edward AFB to Mississippi. Of the three international airports in Mississippi, Andrew chose Stennis International Airport where he had an office and a small team of staff. As soon as his chopper landed, Andrew immediately got off. Then, he could only inwardly sigh as he saw Vex was leaning his back on the wall next to hangar¡¯s door. Vex¡¯s appearance and manner also didn¡¯t change much. He casually wore a T-shirt with picture of an adorable puppy on the chest, along with tactical pant, and a baseball cap. However, Andrew knew for sure that Vex always carried a concealed hand gun somewhere in his waist. ¡®I hope he don¡¯t shot my leg like his last broker,¡¯ Andrew muttered as he nervously came over to Vex. ¡°Did you really just arrive?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Andrew didn¡¯t believe Vex¡¯s words at all. He was very sure Vex had arrived a few days ago and sent his men to monitor him before making a contact. However, Andrew decided to play along. ¡°I¡¯m sure you had heard about what happened on General Randall.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Vex nodded and asked, ¡°Do you still remember the item you owe me?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Actually, Andrew couldn¡¯t remember the details. But at least, he recalled he still had to send 8 units Super Hornet, 12 batteries Tamir ADS, 144 units M113, 160 units LAV, 1340 units Humvee, along with a long list of ammunitions and spare parts. ¡°Good. I thought you had bailed out on our deal.¡± ¡°Vex, my part is to upgrade and refit those equipment. General Randal is the one who had to take it out of US Mil¡¯s storage facility. As soon as he lost his position, we also lost the access to acquire your items and nothing I can do to fix it.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Vex handed over a memory card as he continued, ¡°That¡¯s why I want to put additional order. Including the one that you had sent, make the total number up to this new list.¡± ¡°Have you secured the access to the storage facility?¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡± ¡°Vex, whoever kicked Major General Randy out of his office, must be insanely strong figure. Are you sure you have a solution for this?¡± ¡°I hope money can solve it. That¡¯s my first option,¡± Vex firmly replied. ¡°Well, as long as you have the access, I can do my part.¡± Andrew immediately put the memory card into a tablet without any connection. After checking the new list with great seriousness, he immediately frowned and fell into a deep contemplation. In the last purchase, Vex ordered 56 Hercules and a lot of people asked him why his customer needed such a huge number of airlifter. They thought Vex¡¯s customer want to invade some country. However, because Vex ordered only 32 units Super Hornet, Andrew managed to assure them that the purchase was not to start a war. But now, less than two years later, Vex made second purchase and increase the number of Super Hornet up to 144 units, along with 96 units Harrier and 24 units Growler. Not to mention he also significantly increase the number of other aerial assets and even added new type on the list. As for ground assets, the total number was 29.430 of various vehicles and 730 pieces of various artillery systems. Andrew immediately turned his gaze towards Vex and in a serious tone he asked, ¡°Is your customer in an attempt to start a war?¡± ¡°No.¡± Vex then calmly asked, ¡°Can you complete the deal or I have to find other broker?¡± After heaving a deep sigh Andrew replied, ¡°I can, but I need a few hours to check some details first.¡± ¡°Good. We will continue this talk tomorrow at noon then.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Go to your closest favorite restaurant. I will right behind you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As soon as Vex entered his Lancer Evo III, Andrew immediately entered the hangar, went straight to the meeting room, and called his staffs. --- After 14 hours of hard working with his staffs, Andrew managed to confirm the availability of each items on Vex¡¯s list. As sun rose on the eastern sky, Andrew went to a nearby family restaurant. He still had a few hours before the meeting with Vex, so Andrew decided to enjoy a good breakfast before having some sleeps. However, as soon as he entered the family restaurant, Andrew saw Vex had waiting for him in one corner. After heaving a deep sigh, Andrew came over to Vex¡¯s table and sat before him. ¡°Our meeting is at afternoon, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Vex put a piece of bacon into his mouth before continuing, ¡°However, if you already had some updates, you can tell me now.¡± ¡°Only some rough outlines.¡± Andrew wrote some orders and gave it to the waitress before continued, ¡°But I need your agreement before going further.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Vex nodded and continued, ¡°My schedule is very tight. Let¡¯s make sure you can process some of my orders. As for the rest, we will talk about it later.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wasting no time Andrew explained to Vex, ¡°Mostly, your order doesn¡¯t have significant problem, except for Harrier, LAV, and M113.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start with Harrier.¡± ¡°USMC finally put Harrier on retirement. You can¡¯t lend lease it like how you did with Super Hornet from Navy, but you can purchase it.¡± ¡°I will purchase it.¡± ¡°Problem solved then.¡± ¡°How about the upgrade I asked for?¡± ¡°We can do it.¡± After a pause, Andrew started explaining. Replacing the original display into multipurpose touchscreen LCD, replacing APG-73 to APG-79 AESA radar, and planted other instrument from Super Hornet into Harrier¡¯s cockpit while maintaining direct link capability to ground force both via Link-16¡¯s connectivity and SATCOM, would require a major retrofit on the cockpit. But it would also give the Harrier other capability such as latest radar warning system and information processing, latest data-link and targeting capability, latest infrared countermeasure, new mission computer with computing power ten times bigger, and the same joint helmet mounted sight for Super Hornet. Meanwhile, Rolls Royce could carry enhance performance engine to increase its output, while Boeing would produce a slightly bigger but lighter wing to increase its internal fuel capacity. ¡°The problem is that," Andrew calmly ended his explanation, "It will burn a lot of money.¡± ¡°Money is not a problem.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Andrew grinned widely before continuing, ¡°As for LAV, do you really need 1200 units in operational and another 300 units in storage?¡± ¡°Yes, my customer need that many.¡± So far, TF Amethyst had received 680 units M1152 Ripper. GCG was pairing it with LAV Shorad or Tamir Launcher Vehicle. However, it was not too effective because Humvee¡¯s combat radius was only 200 km while LAV Shorad and Tamir Launcher Vehicle had combat radius up to 400 km. Therefore, GCG wanted to replace all M1152 Ripper with 320 units LAV Ripper. Meanwhile, Amphibious Strike Group would need 450 LAV all variant. Vex then firmly added, ¡°Ask General Dynamic Land System in Ontario to build new unit, if they have to.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you replace it with Stryker? It had bigger combat load and better protection. US Army also had many spare units along with abundant spare parts.¡± ¡°My customer put armored air drop as core element on their doctrine. They only can employ it with a small and light vehicle like LAV.¡± Andrew nodded a few times and then said, ¡°To meet the quota, I also have to buy second-hand LAV from other countries.¡± ¡°Do as you see fit.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Andrew waited until the waitress who brought his order left before continued, ¡°Now, about M113. We can¡¯t acquire it.¡± In an instant, a big question mark appeared on Vex¡¯s forehead. He even stopped chewing his bacon. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Last year, the administration put every M113 in the inventory to aid program for allies who need it as spare part. Right now, it¡¯s impossible to take M113 out of storage facility unless you have a formal request from allied country.¡± After gulping down a mouthful of orange juice Vex asked, ¡°What is the fastest alternative I can get?¡± ¡°Bradley.¡± Andrew calmly explained, ¡°As its replacement start to enter into service, DoD turn every Bradley in good condition into high-roof model, and install kit for medevac, mortar, logistic, or other variant of support role. Currently, it¡¯s pretty easy to covertly take a few hundreds Bradley, and then retrofit it to your specification.¡± After pondering for a while Vex decided, ¡°Make it 280 units in operational and 70 units in storage. I will send you the type and specification later. Also, add 48 units M1A3 Abrams into the list.¡± ¡°Are you sure about Abrams? I thought your customer has no interest for heavy hitter unit.¡± ¡°If they can¡¯t get M113 with 105 mm gun, they will need Abrams even though only one battalion.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I will send the down payment at noon. The rest will enter your account after I secure the access.¡± In a serious tone Vex continued, ¡°This time, take every single item in my list out of storage facility before starting your part. I will pay the rent for the place. And if after that, I have another delay, I will make sure you spent the rest of your life on wheelchair.¡± After gulping hard Andrew nervously replied, ¡°O-okay.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Vex then happily continued his breakfast. After that, he drove to north through highway along the east coast. It was a long drive straight to the nation¡¯s largest port facilities for specialized cargo in US of A. ***** TFA2 25.2 – Military Industrial Complex TFA2 32.2 ¨C Military Industrial Complex Along the tidal basins of the three branches of Patapsco River, on the upper northwest shore of Chesapeake Bay, lay Port of Baltimore. In one corner of it, exactly at 04:55, Juan Cohen opened the side door of his cafe. One by one his employee then entered. Together with them, Juan then prepared his caf¨¦ so it would ready to serve at 06:00. Juan¡¯s caf¨¦ was only a small shop, but it had remarkable delicious bacon sandwich and coffee. Therefore, it had massive regular. As soon as the caf¨¦ was opened, dock¡¯s workers immediately flooded in and put an order. Most of the time, Juan let his employee handled the regulars while he went up to his office in second floor. It was a small room without windows, but very decent working space and had one of the most secure connections on earth. From this small office, Juan carried his real job as broker for transfer technology and other things that related to this field. On late April 2024, Juan received a project from a certain customer. This customer wanted to establish military industrial complex to support life cycle of numerous military assets, most of it was US made in. The military industrial complex also must be able in creating supply chain for ammunition and other disposable stuff to some extent. It was huge project, but Juan managed to handle it. To this day he had secured the capability to support life cycle of ground assets up to 92% and up to 70% for aerial assets. It was possible because Juan had support from Mosad, while his customer had endless money. Juan was just about to sip his coffee when the certain customer entered his office. Pretty similar to his last visit, he wore working clothes for ordinary dock¡¯s workers. ¡°Vex, can you knock first before entering?¡± ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s old habit, too hard to change it.¡± After locking the door, Vex then sat in front of Juan. ¡°Whatever.¡± Juan then plugged a memory card into his tablet and handed it over to Vex. ¡°Status of your expensive project, you can check it for yourself.¡± Wasting no time, Vex studied the memory card. A moment later, a satisfied smile bloomed in his lips. In the list, Juan managed to make a deal with more than 30.000 experts, scientists, researchers, engineers, technicians, chemists, mechanics, and other people who worked in high mil-tech industries from various countries. The deal was simple. Sign-up bonus of USD 50.000-120.000, guarantee good position, housing, car, take home pay 12% higher than their last salary, and new identity for the recruited and their family. Surprisingly, a lot of people with a deep know-how and rich experienced on military industrial complex happily welcomed the deal. ¡°I had run security check on each recruited a few times. So far they are all clear, but it doesn¡¯t mean I can guarantee it 100%.¡± Vex nodded and said, ¡°No worries, I have my own mean to verified their status.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Similar to other people who had arrived in Amstell Continent, as soon as they passed the gate every newcomer would have to stay in isolation quarter, until they had green from Major Maxwell and his team. So far, this method was very effective in neutralizing infiltration attempt or unwanted intention that could compromise TF Amethyst¡¯s operation. ¡°How do you plan to gather them?¡± Juan calmly asked. ¡°I will provide transportation to various designated city. From there, I will transport them to their working place.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Juan took a sip of his coffee before continuing, ¡°As for key equipment and tools, blue print, necessary software, metallurgy knowhow, R&D data, and other high-tech stuff, I had gathered it here and some other places. You can transport them as soon as you complete the payment.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°In cash and gold, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In a serious tone Juan added, ¡°Vex, even you paid the right owner of the technology, western intelligence service will still consider this transaction as a huge technology heist. If they found this technology fall in the hand of non-allied country, the consequences will be very dire both for you and me.¡± ¡°No worry,¡± Vex calmly replied. ¡°The sensitive tech for netcentric that you previously had supplied, is your friend in Mosad find it fall in the hand of non-allied countries?¡± Juan firmly shook his head. ¡°No, and this is what make them worry because they didn¡¯t find any trace or clue about country who use it.¡± Vex said in serious tone. ¡°I guarantee with my life. This tech will not fall on non-allied countries.¡± ¡°Okay, if you say so.¡± Juan fully believed Vex would keep his words. At least it was the assessment from Mosad, or they would not help him arranged the transfer of technology. ¡°Give me five days to complete the payment.¡± Juan nodded and replied, ¡°As you wish.¡± After taking the memory card from the tablet, Vex then exited the room. In the first floor he paid for his takeaway order before leaving in casual walk. A moment later, he already drove a double-cab Triton while enjoying his breakfast. Vex¡¯s next stop was International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and then he could fly to one of airports in west coast. After making sure no one was tailing him, he would then had a short drive to San Francisco. --- Apartment 2701, Royal Crown Tower 08:40, 29 Oct 2025 With a great attention, Claire studied the Nouel pipeline from Amstell to fake natural reserve in Antarctica. Next year, this pipeline would also be used to send raw mineral from Amstell Continent. The Metallurgy Team from Amethyst Merchant had developed a natural way to convert raw mineral into granulate mineral. It would slightly lessen the impurity, but the granulate mineral was still categorized as raw material. The most important thing was that raw mineral in granulate form didn¡¯t effect each other and it was also very easy to separate it from Nouel, before entering next processing step base on each type. ¡®New source of energy and new source of mineral,¡¯ Claire took a deep breath before continuing, ¡®Sooner or later it will invite unnecessary attention from every player in the industry on earth.¡¯ Mekar Corporation had indeed secured the exploration right in Antarctica for an eternity, or to be precise they had bought the whole Antarctica legally and registered it as a part of Canadian¡¯s territory. However, Claire was fully realized that big player on natural resource would not hesitate to start a war if it could give them some share. Not to mention if they knew there was a door to a new world rich of natural resource in Antarctica. It was not an exaggeration to say they would start a World War III to get an access to this door, if necessary. Of course, Claire had prepared some countermeasures in advance. For the first three years she would limit the output of refine Nouel around 2-3% of world consumption. This portion would not draw too much attention. Meanwhile, Amethyst Security Group would strengthen their foothold in Antarctica. They would also invite US Military to establish a few bases over there. After that, she would invite her other corporation from US, Canada, UK, and Japan to help Mekar Corporation increase Nouel¡¯s production and fully entered international market. ¡®That¡¯s what I can do for the time being.¡¯ Claire was just about to turn her tablet off when suddenly she received a message from Vex. He said he would arrive at her apartment in a few minutes. In an instant, Claire recalled some of Vex¡¯s words. He repeatedly said that having too complex asset when facing an unknown enemy was dangerous on its way. Therefore, from the beginning Vex didn¡¯t buy complex and fancy equipment. Instead, he made sure TF Amethyst could employ General O¡¯Neil¡¯s doctrine using the most simple equipment, and it would be perfect if TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel knew those equipment very well. After that, adjustment and development could be done as TF Amethyst gained experience and operational data from the field. And now, the time to upgrade TF Amethyst finally had arrived. ¡®Grandpa, I will guard Amstell Continent with the best effort I can provide,¡¯ Claire muttered as steel determination flashed on her eyes. ***** TFA2 25.3 – Claire’s True Power From the first day he met with Vex, Claire got an impression that Vex and Bob had a lot of thing in common. Pretty similar to Bob, it was very difficult to contact or track Vex. In short, the two had a perfect talent to become ghost. If they didn¡¯t want to show themselves, no one would be able to found them. For example, even if Claire knew Bob would go to Central African Federation, she still couldn¡¯t find how and when Bob arrived over there. As for Vex, she knew Vex had arrived on the State a few weeks ago but she still couldn¡¯t find his whereabouts, even though she had tasked two world-class surveillance teams to track Vex''s activities. However, Vex¡¯s attitude and manner of speaking when meeting with her was pretty similar to General O¡¯Neil. For example, he took one of her favorite waffles from the plate on the table without her permission. As she looked at Vex who leisurely enjoyed her favorite waffle, Claire asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need some rest fist?¡± Vex casually replied, ¡°Actually, I have arrived in nearby town five days ago. After having some good rest, I then come here.¡± ¡®What the¡­¡¯ Claire muttered as she recalled a report from her surveillance teams yesterday. They said they sniff Vex¡¯s trail in Mississippi. After heaving a deep sigh Claire then said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start the meeting then.¡± ¡°How is Mekar Corporation¡¯s schedule?¡± Claire turned her tablet on as she replied, ¡°I have accelerated their schedule as you requested. Their exploration team had found Nouel ¡®natural¡¯ reserve last week.¡± ¡°Good, I had initiated the second and third purchase. I had also started the shipment of Amphibious Strike Group¡¯s asset two weeks ago and so far we have no issue.¡± ¡°Then all is good.¡± ¡°Yeah, but can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Sure you can.¡± ¡°You had spent an astronomical number of money for TF Amethyst. The third purchase alone, it have value equivalent to US Mil expenditure for the last three years.¡± Vex paused for a moment before continued, ¡°So, currently, is your balance negative or you still have some spares for TF Amethyst? In a teasing tone Claire asked, ¡°Give me your guest.¡± ¡°For the last few days I did a little research to gauge your monetary power. However, other than the owner of two mid-size companies and best waffle shop in San Francisco, personal income around USD 450.000 per year, I found nothing.¡± ¡°Vex,¡± Claire casually said, ¡°After my first visit to Amstell, my grandfather started to teach me on how to become a conglomerate. Two years later, I started buying bankrupt business or properties under various fake names, and then fixed it and raised its value.¡± ¡°What business did you bought for the first time?¡± ¡°A caf¨¦ truck selling coffee, hot chocolates, crepes, hot dog, sandwich, and waffle.¡± ¡°A caf¨¦ truck?¡± ¡°Yes, a caf¨¦ truck,¡± Claire firmly replied. ¡°The waffle is remarkable yummy and the shop had a good amount of regulars, but the owner was a junkie who ruined its prospect. And, at that time I had only USD 20.000 in my saving and Grandpa gave me nothing other than his knowledge and wisdom.¡± ¡°Did your grandfather really give you nothing for initial capital?¡± ¡°Yupe, Grandpa secretly transferred most of his assets to me, only when I succeed in establishing my own conglomeration.¡± ¡°That¡¯s truly a harsh education.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a necessary process to see if I have the ability to manage Amstell.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Vex couldn¡¯t imagine how the Little Claire had to bear such a heavy burden in her tender age, so he could only nodded and said, ¡°I see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed a harsh life and I had to sacrifice a lot of thing, but I managed to get the full reward.¡± In a tone full of pride Claire added, ¡°So far I own 274 multinational corporations across the globe.¡± ¡°274 multinational corporations across the globe?¡± ¡°Yes, and all of them are real world-class corporation, not shell company. Since 2011, I had also sold 375 corporations that didn¡¯t have vital role in supporting my corporation, and used the money to fund the investment on Amstell Continent.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Actually, Claire also had a good number of five-star hotels, three-star Michelin restaurants, royal casinos, premium apartment towers, luxurious caf¨¦s, first-class sport gyms, private islands, international airliner, sport clubs, tv stations, movie studios, educational institutions, luxurious auto-dealers, hospitals, etc. But she chose not to mention it. ¡°Currently,¡± Claire calmly said, ¡°I hold only 61% of US of A economy. It¡¯s much lower from my target. However, if you combined it with what I have in Canada, Europe, Japan, Aussie, South Korea, and Israel, then I¡¯m undoubtedly richer than US of A by a large margin.¡± ¡°You are richer than US of A?¡± ¡°I¡¯m.¡± After took a big bite of her waffle, Claire continued, ¡°The fund I prepare for TF Amethyst and Amethyst Merchant had hit the bottom of the barrel, I admit. But I can easily refill it to the brim if our circumstances demand it.¡± Claire didn¡¯t just put an empty brag when she said it was very easy for her to prepare new fund for TF Amethyst. Moreover, she had pocketed a good amount of profit from her investment in Amstell Continent. The gold mine in Harley Quinn¡¯s side yard was more than enough to pay her capital expenditure on Amstell Continent, along with some profit. She couldn¡¯t move the gold to earth, but it still hers. The selling of Amethyst Merchant¡¯s manufacturing facilities and farmland in South America had also giving Claire a good return. At the same time, Amethyst Merchant already grew into a corporation that could fund TF Amethyst¡¯s operational cost and still growing. Not to mention, in a few month Mekar Corporation would start selling Nouel, followed by various highly valuable minerals. And compared to all natural resource on the whole planet, it was nothing but a small appetizer. Claire then took another waffle from the plate as she asked, ¡°So, how much do you need?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact figure. I just want to know if you have spare resource to put Major General Randy Westwood back into his previous office.¡± ¡°Is he has important role in your procurement plan?¡± ¡°Major General Randy was the highest key figure in my procurement plan. The shipment of first purchase was immediately on halt as soon as he lost his position.¡± ¡°Ouch.¡± Claire took a deep breath before regretfully saying, ¡°Vex, I don¡¯t know about it. So, when some people who wanted to kick him out of his office asked my support, I gladly agree.¡± ¡°Do you have some grudge with him?¡± Vex asked curiously. ¡°No, but he was Uncle O¡¯Neil¡¯s rival in the military, and I needed something to entertain myself at that time.¡± ¡®Oh my God¡­¡¯ Vex couldn¡¯t believe that the reason why TF Amethyst went nose dive into a fragile situation was because a prank from overpowered chick in front of him. Not to mention, she was the owner of TF Amethyst. Vex then looked at Claire with complicated gaze. ¡°That¡¯s a very childish reasoning. From the beginning, Oldman O¡¯Neill never had intention to reach highest position in military and politic.¡± ¡°Yup, but it¡¯s fun to see a reaction from a group of people who taught they held great power in their hand, but then they failed to protect their central figure. They didn¡¯t even know how it could happen.¡± After hearing Claire casual remark, Vex immediately massage his forehead. However, he couldn¡¯t blame her. Even Bob who personally assisted him also didn¡¯t know about Major General Randy¡¯s role. ¡°Well,¡± Seeing Vex seemed wanted to bang his head to the wall, Claire immediately cleared her throat and then in a super serious tone she said, ¡°It¡¯s already happened, so let¡¯s just exploit it.¡± ¡°Can you do that?¡± ¡°Of course I can,¡± Claire smugly replied. ¡°Publicly, people only now my support and role are insignificant. But actually, if I didn¡¯t make a secret push then it was impossible to kick Major General Randy out of his office. He has a very strong supporter from White House, Pentagon, and arm industry.¡± ¡°In short, you will secretly put him back into his office and let people maintain their assumption that you are still in his list of enemies.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Claire nodded. ¡°Give me a few days to pull some strings.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vex put a memory card on the table as he continued, ¡°And this is a report from Lt. Colonel Slane along with the detail of second purchase, third purchase, and final asset of Amphibious Strike Group.¡± Claire nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk again after I study this update.¡± After Claire gave him the keytag for Apartment 2304, his living quarter every time he stayed in San Francisco, Vex then took his leave. ***** TFA2 25.4 – Claire and Bob Apartment 2304, Royal Crown Tower For the whole weeks, Vex worked from his old working space and everything went smoothly. All shipments to Amstell Continent met no challenge, while the effort to put Major General Randy back into his office required only one little final touch. In a few days, Bob would also return to the State and assisted him like last time. As for today, Vex held a second meeting with Claire. Actually, he wanted to meet with Claire four days ago, but her tight schedule didn¡¯t allow it. Even now, Claire was still wearing her business suit after returning from overseas business trip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask you for a meeting this late, but I have to leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Claire took a sip of her warm chocolate before continued, ¡°Let¡¯s start it.¡± ¡°First,¡± Vex calmly said, ¡°Do you have question or input for TF Amethyst¡¯s upgrade?¡± ¡°No, I believed on your judgment.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vex took a deep breath before continued, ¡°Can you help me with some personal matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s depends on what kind of personal matter you want me to help with.¡± As he handed over a document Vex said, ¡°This is my dead certificate and half of my wealth. Please make an arrangement to deliver it to my ex-wife.¡± In an instant Claire dropped her jaw. ¡°Vex, seriously?¡± ¡°Seriously,¡± Vex firmly replied. ¡°If I don¡¯t fake my dead, my ex-wife would not accept the wealth I prepared for Nicole.¡± ¡°When you are truly dead, I¡¯m sure your wife will accept whatever you left behind for your daughter. As for now, when you are still living and kicking, why do you eliminate your chance to meet with them?¡± ¡°Before I came here, I took my time to visit them in Baltimore, covertly of course.¡± Vex heaving a deep sigh before continuing, ¡°They are very happy as ever, even without me. It will not a big deal if I completely disappear from their life. Meanwhile, in Amstell I knew some kids who maybe, they will need my attention. I also plan to carry my remaining wealth to Amstell.¡± ¡°Did you adopt them?¡± ¡°No, but like I said, maybe they will need my attention.¡± Claire looked at Vex for a while before heaving a deep sigh. ¡°Even if you start a new family in Amstell, I don¡¯t think you need to cut every contact with your ex and your only daughter. However, it¡¯s your life and your call. I can only try my best to help you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Vex said sincerely. ¡°No problem. Uncle O¡¯Neil treats you like a family, so for me you are like my older brother.¡± Vex actually felt it¡¯s weird that Clare thought of him as her older siblings, but he didn¡¯t say it and stayed in main subject. ¡°How deep is your trust on Bob?¡± ¡°No offense, but I trust Bob more than I trust you.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Vex smiled before continuing, ¡°In that case, I will introduce Bob to General Randy, and he will take my place as your contact.¡± Claire nodded. ¡°No one knows Bob is working for me, and he very good at keep it that way. So that¡¯s a feasible idea.¡± ¡°I see.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Well, if we have no other matter to discuss, I will return to my apartment. I need a long and nice sleep.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vex then escorted Claire to the door before going to his bed. Tomorrow, he had a trip to Montana so he also needed a good rest for the whole night. --- In west of Montana, stretched a 1250 hectares landscape consisting of hills, valley, woodland, river, and grassland. In this place, people could easily found abundant amount of trout, mallard, peasant, pigeon, rabbit, deer, and other wild games. Local people called this natural beauty as Mount Fairy Farms. In addition as good spot for hunting, fishing, camping, and horse riding in hilly trail, Mount Fairy Farms was also famous for organic fruits, high quality beef, milk, cheese, and special-breed horses. From the passenger seat of a Black Cherokee Jeep, Bob observed hundreds of Black Angus Cows and special-breed horses that grazing freely. Twenty full minutes since he entered Mount Fairy Farms, and he was still in the middle of vast meadow with row of wooden fence in each side of the road. ¡°This place is huge,¡± Bob said in amazement. As he calmly drove the Black Cherokee Jeep Vex replied, ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Bob turned his gaze towards Vex and asked, ¡°Is this land all belong to General Randy?¡± ¡°No, it belongs to his wife.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Bob nodded before asking again, ¡°Mr. Vex, may I know why you choose to put General Randy back into his office?¡± Vex calmly replied, ¡°When I was in Delta, I took two bullets for him in an escort mission. I hope it will prevent him from betray us for mere profit. Secondly, I want General Randy owe you a big favor.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After a moment of silence Vex decided to confirm his curiosity. ¡°Bob, how did you meet with our Young Miss?¡± ¡°Ummm¡­ My Grandfather was gardener in Webber Mansion. I started living with him when I was nine, right after my father died in a traffic accident and my mother ran with another man.¡± ¡°So, you two are childhood friend.¡± ¡°Sort of.¡± Bob slightly nodded, and then he started telling Vex about his childhood memory with Claire. Little Claire didn¡¯t go to public school or private school because she had a hard time to socialize with other children. Private teachers would come to Webber Mansion to teach her, but most of the time her Grandfather would teach her personally. One day, Little Bob saw Little Claire sat in a bench on the side yard. It was the bench where her mother used to sat while enjoying morning sun, before she passed away because her illness. Seeing Little Claire was silently trying to hold her sob, Little Bob didn¡¯t have heart to just watch and do nothing. Little Bob then took Little Claire to play at the small garden in the backyard. At first, Little Claire just curiously followed Little Bob. Then, before she was realizing it, she had already following Little Bob chasing butterfly all over the place. When Little Bob fell she would laughing breathlessly while helping him got up to his feet. When she fell, she was also laughing breathlessly while Little Bob helping her got up to her feet. Three months since he lived in Webber Mansion, and it was the first time Little Bob saw Little Claire was so happy. The two then played together until almost sunset. And the maids in the mansion could only freaking out when they saw dirt on Claire¡¯s clothes, along with bruises on her knee and elbow. However, Claire¡¯s Grandfather was not angry or reprimanded the two newborn little rascals. As he cleaned and sterilized bruises on both Little Claire and Little Bob, he proposed a deal that Little Claire could play with Little Bob from 14:30-16:30 every day, as long she got good score for her study. Without second thought Claire sealed the deal. Claire¡¯s Grandfather then bought track suits and sneakers for the two little rascals, to be wore when they played in the garden. A week later, Claire¡¯s Grandfather invited Bob to join the study session with Claire. ¡°My IQ is only 110, not even half of what Miss Claire has. It was very hard to keep up her.¡± Bob shyly said, before a smile bloomed in his lips. ¡°However, Little Miss, her Grandfather, and Young Master O¡¯Neill never gave up on me, and they always treat me as a member of their small family.¡± ¡®No wonder she had a deep trust on you. You had already become her backbone since both of you were a little rascals,¡¯ Vex muttered before asking, ¡°Where was Claire¡¯s Father at that time?¡± A cold gleam suddenly flashed on Bob¡¯s eyes. ¡°Robert Webber married one of his mistresses not long after Claire¡¯s mother passed away. He then left the mansion and only returned every Christmas with his second wife and their children.¡± ¡°Did Robert Webber inherit the wealth of Webber Family?¡± ¡°No, Miss Claire¡¯s Grandfather made 85% of his corporation went bankrupt, and then Miss Claire bought it cheaply using various fake identities. As for the remaining corporations, he split it evenly for Miss Claire, General O¡¯Neil, and Robert Webber.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Vex nodded as the Black Cherokee Jeep entered the front yard of an old mansion right in the middle of Mount Fairy Farms. ***** TFA2 25.5 – A Farewell In the side yard, Major General Randy Westwood was grilling two large tomahawk cuts. As Vex and Bob came over in casual steps, he welcomed them with a wide smile. ¡°Sake, gentlemen?¡± Major General Randy said as he pointed a porcelain jug near the fire. ¡°That will be nice.¡± Wasting no time, Vex pour the warm sake into two cups. Then, as he handed over one of the cups for Bob, he said, ¡°And this is Bob.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Bob.¡± Andrew Fox had sent Bob¡¯s profile to Major General Randy. Therefore, he knew about Bob to some extent. ¡°Before you, Vex never had any assistant. You must be very capable if he hired you.¡± In a tone full of respect Bob replied, ¡°You are too kind with your words, General, Sir.¡± ¡°Trust me Bob. Vex¡¯s is very picky about his men.¡± Bob smiled before replying, ¡°I absolutely agree.¡± One short conversation and Major General Randy had found that Bob attitude was very pleasant. The young man didn¡¯t try to flatter him or impress him with his ability, but he clearly had a good amount of confidence in his eyes. Major General Randy then turned his gaze towards Vex. ¡°I had tried to contact you with every mean I have. I even sent my men to track you, but you just disappear like last time you did it in Louisiana.¡± ¡°Sorry about that. A complicated circumstance put me in a total cut off.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Major General Randy wanted to know more about Vex¡¯s circumstance, but he managed to hold back his curiosity. ¡°As now you take your time to meet me, I believed you had read my messages.¡± ¡°I had. A few weeks ago,¡± Vex calmly replied. ¡°I can do nothing about delay in your procurement, but I can guarantee you will get your items in full.¡± ¡°What is your plan?¡± ¡°My replacement is an idiot, and he had already made a few fatal mistakes for army and air force. My colleagues have initiates a plan to replace him with someone I know very well. In two months, we can continue our deal.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m truly curious. Can you tell me who kicked you out of your office?¡± ¡°Just a group of clowns who got a lucky shot.¡± ¡°And yet they managed to neutralize your strong supporter in Pentagon, White House, and arms industry.¡± ¡°Honestly,¡± Major General Randy took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°It also surprised me. I mean, they just a bunch of sideshow who I refused when asking for some projects.¡± I believe a small group of strong figures exploit the event to kick me. However, to this moment I haven¡¯t found the detail.¡± ¡°What if I have a sure way to put you back into your office?¡± After contemplating for a while Major General Randy said, ¡°I never imagined this scenario. So, to be honest I don¡¯t know how to answer it.¡± Vex checked his watch before saying, ¡°You have ten minutes to think about it.¡± In an instant a big question mark popped up in Major General Randy¡¯s forehead, ¡°Ten minutes for what?¡± ¡°In ten minutes, someone from White House will call and offer you your old position.¡± ¡°Nice joke, but it¡¯s--¡± Major General Randy couldn¡¯t finish his words after seeing the seriousness in Vex¡¯s gaze. And exactly ten minutes later, Major General Randy¡¯s smartphone rang. After a short conversation, he then gave Vex a deep and complicated gaze for a long time. ¡°Vex, if you has power to put me back into my office, my replacement will not become a trouble for your procurement. So, why do you choose me instead of him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust him,¡± Vex casually replied. ¡°I see.¡± As he put one of the tomahawks cut into chopping board and cut it into pieces, Major General Randy continued, ¡°I had promise my wife that I will retire and help her manage Mount Fairy. She will very angry if I return to Pentagon, but become a farmer is not my thing.¡± ¡°Good. I had put additional purchase on Andrew. After you return to your office, we will talk about it.¡± Vex then smiled for a while before continuing, ¡°As for now, allow me to reintroduce my employer.¡± ¡°Your employer?¡± A big question mark immediately popped up in Major General Randy¡¯s forehead. ¡°Bob is my employer. He is the biggest investor for Amethyst Security Group and Mekar Corporation.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After calming the great shock that shook his heart, Major General Randy immediately said, ¡°I believe Andrew doesn¡¯t know about this.¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡± After taking a few deep breaths Major General Randy turned his gaze towards Bob. ¡°Mr. Bob, I¡¯m sorry if I had offended you in any way. My knowledge about you is based on Andrew¡¯s knowledge.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. In a calm tone Bob replied, ¡°General, no worry, you hadn¡¯t offended me in any way.¡± ¡°Glad to hear that.¡± After heaving a sigh of relieve, Major General Randy then asked, ¡°Mr. Bob, can you tell me how you pull the strings to put me back into my office? My colleagues are deadly curious about who had helped me from the shadow.¡± ¡°General,¡± Bob put a piece of grilled meat into his mouth before continuing, ¡°My influence is not big actually. It¡¯s just that, recently, Mekar Corporation had found new type of crude oil, along with some minerals reserve. It helps me a lot in the talk with Big Players from the State.¡± In an instant a big question mark popped up on Major General Randy¡¯s forehead, ¡°New type of crude oil and some minerals reserves?¡± ¡°Yes, Mekar Corporation will carry initial process in Central African Federation before sending it to the State and other allied countries for further process?¡± ¡°I can understand for the oil, but for the raw minerals, why don¡¯t you sending it to Japan? They have best tech and efficiency to process raw mineral, and we have a deep connection in this industry with them.¡± ¡°Mekar Corporation use Japanese tech, but we need a fully new production line for this new discovered mineral reserve. So, I chose our facilities in Central African Federation.¡± ¡°Well, seeing how you can put me back into my office, I believe Big Players from our country agree with your choice.¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± Bob cheerfully replied. As Major General Randy and Bob talked about a lot of things, Vex was busy enjoying the grilled meats. Now, Bob would supervise first and second purchase with Major General Randy and Andrew fox. Meanwhile, Admiral Reed would handle the shipment of Amphibious Strike Group and naval industrial complex. As for Vex, he and Juan Cohen would handle the shipment of military industrial complex to Amstell Continent. Of course, once for a while Vex would also check on the other shipments. --- In the Middle District of Baltimore, a few kilometers from inner harbor, a nice looking two-story house stood happily. It was indeed a small house, but it stood in the business and commercial district where residential opportunity was limited and astronomically expensive. Moreover, this small house had a good size of front and backyard. Yumiko managed to buy this house six months ago, just after her company made a good deal with a wine maker from France. Of course, money alone would not enough to bag the house. It was Claire who secretly pushed the dealer so he agreed to sell it to Yumiko. Like any other Saturday morning, Yumiko and her second husband were still fast asleep. The two were hardworking couple who spent their week day as productive as possible, and then they would rest their body in the weekend as much as possible. Meanwhile, in the kitchen Nicole was busy preparing breakfast. After swiftly tied her long golden hair, she then made two glass of warm strawberry milk and handed over one of it to her three-year old step brother. As she gently wiped out the white line on her step brother lips, Nicole asked, ¡°Timmy, what do you want for breakfast?¡± ¡°Curry rice,¡± Timmy cheerfully replied. ¡°Timmy, that¡¯s too much work for Saturday morning.¡± Nicole took a sip of her strawberry milk before saying, ¡°We will have no time to watch morning anime.¡± After pondering for a while, Little Timmy said, ¡°Toast for breakfast and curry rice for lunch.¡± Basically, Nicole would pamper her step brother as much as she could, so she immediately agreed. ¡°Okie, and I will add chicken cutlet to our curry rice.¡± ¡°Big Sis is the best.¡± Seeing her step brother looked at her with sparkling eyes, Nicole immediately cupped his cheek, ¡°Of course I¡¯m.¡± Wasting no time, Nicole then swiftly cut six thin pieces of loaf, spread the butter over it, sprinkle granulate sugar, and then lightly toast it using frying pan. Nicole preferred this method compared to use toaster. It was an old school method that Vex¡¯s usually used. Before long, Nicole had toasted all the loaf. She then cut each toast diagonally before put it in a plate. After that, she and Little Timmy enjoyed it while watching their favorite anime. After happily took a bite on his crispy toast, Little Timmy said, ¡°Big Sis¡¯s toast is the best.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Nicole happily replied as she recalled a memory when Vex made a similar toast for her. However, it was memory from a decade ago, when she was in kindergarten and it became blurrier every time she recalled it. ¡°It¡¯s a secret technique from my father,¡± Nicole happily said. As he munching his second toast Little Timmy said, ¡°Big Sis, isn¡¯t your father is a bad guy?¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t forgive him for what he did to Lily.¡± A sense of pain gripped Nicole¡¯s heart as she recalled how Vex slammed Lilly to the wall and then shot her as she was struggling to get up to her feet. It¡¯s took a while before Nicole heaving a deep sigh and continued, ¡°But he still my father and I think it¡¯s time for me to meet with him.¡± ¡°Mom said you will meet him in a few days.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I come along? If he wants to hurt you, we can fight him together.¡± Little Timmy said in a determined tone, but it looked so cute, and Nicole can¡¯t hold back her urge to tussle his lightly brown hair. ¡°I will go with Mom, so everything will be alright.¡± Little Timmy was disappointed, but he didn¡¯t want to argue with her beloved Big Sis. So he only nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Unknown by the two siblings, Yumiko actually stood behind the corner before the living room. She listened to the conversation of her two children while drowning in complicated emotion. For almost 18 months after their last meeting, Vex never opened the emails she sent. It was only around six weeks ago when he opened them in one go. For Yumiko, it wouldn¡¯t matter if Vex opened Nicole¡¯s picture she sent or not. She would just keep sending it as part of her deal with him. However, three months ago, Nicole suddenly asked her if she heard any news about Vex. After she told her about their last meeting, Nicole then asked Yumiko to bring her if she would meet with Vex again. Therefore, as soon as Vex opened her email, Yumiko immediately told Nicole that she would bring her to meet With Vex soon, but she didn¡¯t know the exact date because Vex¡¯s hadn¡¯t answer her email yet. Then, yesterday afternoon, a lawyer from the most expensive firm in US of A suddenly visited Yumiko in her office. He came over to deliver Vex¡¯s dead certificate and the wealth he left behind for Nicole. It stated that Vex died in an aircraft accident. His plane crash in the middle of Atlantic Ocean in return flight from London and his body was not recovered. Coincidentally, the accident took place a few minutes after Vex opened her emails. And now, Yumiko didn¡¯t know how to tell Nicole that his father had gone forever. She could only heaving a deep sigh repeatedly as she found out that Nicole was truly expecting her meeting with his father. ¡®Damn you Vex!! How dare you to make Nicole losing you twice.¡¯ ***** TFA2 26.1 – Re-deployment TFA2 26.1 ¨C Re-deployment Hekker Mountain Ranges, 500 km east of Harley Quinn. 10:25, 28 Sept 2025 To welcome the Guest From East, Harley Quinn established Gandalf Medium Operating Base in Hekker Mountains. The idea was simple. TF Amethyst would launch as many disruptive attacks as possible while waiting for supply of ammunition from earth. Once they had enough fire power, they would then launch the decisive attack. The unit that would carry the plan was 2nd Air Assault Brigade, under command of Colonel Meyer. Even though it had not yet in its fullest capacity, at least 2nd Air Assault Brigade already had a company of infantry, a platoon of Mortar 120 mm, a platoon of Howitzer 155 mm, and two platoons of M1152 Ripper. Other than his unit, Colonel Meyer also had 3rd Tuscan Vanguard Brigade to help him defend Gandalf MOB. This morning, when he was studying the Guest From East¡¯s latest advance, Colonel Meyer received a report that a deer entered a trap in outer perimeter. Without delay he went to check it personally. Colonel Meyer had to make sure the event wouldn¡¯t spark a conflict with Karuso Tribe. This mountain folk had lived on Hekker Mountains for more than two hundred years and they considered the whole mountain ranges and every living thing on it as their property. As he walked over to the deer that hanging on the nets wire Colonel Meyer said, ¡°Nice catch.¡± ¡°Yes Sir,¡± replied Sergeant Beringer. ¡°But it seems we have to butcher it.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s see it positively. It must be 40 kg of good meat, at least.¡± In an instant Sergeant Beringer grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Aye Sir.¡± With the help from two other personnel, Sergeant Beringer put the deer out of the net wire. After that, they butchered it to end its suffering and started a swift work on it. At the same time, a middle-aged man with expressionless face came out from the tree line. The middle-aged man had a lean but sturdy body. His height was around 186 cm and with a single glance, it was easy to tell that he was excellent hunter and skillful fighter. Other than leather armor, he wore shirt and pant made of rough clothes, along with tightly tight gladiator sandals. As for his weapons, he had a short saber in left waist, dagger and quiver full of arrows in right waist, and a hunting bow in his back. The middle-aged man stopped right before Colonel Meyer. Then, in a stiff and serious tone he said, ¡°Chief Meyer, just a reminder, your tribe and mine had already signed a pact. You can build a stronghold in this mountain, and your people can explore all forest, valley, and other part of this mountain as long as they don¡¯t hunt or harvest without our permission.¡± As he looked at the middle-aged man in the eye Colonel Meyer replied, ¡°Shahi, I remember it.¡± Shahi immediately turned his gaze towards the half-skinned deer in front of Sergeant Beringer. ¡°Then, please explain about that deer.¡± After looking at the gunners, shooters, and other on-duty guards in the outer wall and saw they were ready to engage in case situation went into wrong direction, Colonel Meyer calmly said, ¡°We didn¡¯t hunt this deer. It entered one of our traps in our perimeter.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°In that case, instead of butcher it you should release it.¡± After inwardly heaving a deep sigh Sergeant Beringer explained, ¡°Shahi, the net wire dislocated a joint on its neck and hind legs, and it¡¯s already too late to fix it.¡± Still in his stiff and serious tone Shahi replied, ¡°Let the mother nature decide its fate.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Colonel Meyer knew very well that arguing with Shahi or other forest folk from his tribe was not wise. They were stubborn, simple minded, and had unreasonable short fuse for their anger. In short, even the smallest conversation with them had a potential to become a nasty fight to the death. Last time they argued in the negotiation to establish Gandalf MOB, it went into a spontaneous fight. Fortunately, even though 47 men from both side ended up in emergency room, no one had lost their life or suffered a permanent disability. After taking a deep breath Colonel Meyer continued, ¡°It¡¯s a shame to waste it. So, let my tribe to have it and I will gladly pay the penalty.¡± ¡°If you willing to pay the penalty, then I have no further say.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Colonel Meyer cheerfully replied, ¡°Name your price.¡± After checking the deer for a moment Shahi said, ¡°5 bags of salt, 3 jugs of honey, 2 pouch of white pepper, 5 balls of bandage, and 5 medicinal packages like the last one you gave me.¡± ¡°Done.¡± As soon as Colonel Meyer sealed the deal, one of his men immediately radioed the logistic depot to prepare the goods. At the same time, around two dozen of men came out of the tree line. They all wore clothes and carried weapons similar to Shahi. However, as their expression was calm and free of tension, Colonel Meyer immediately took a deep breath full of relief. --- After making sure there was no meaningless conflict with Karuso Tribe, Colonel Meyer went back to main building. As soon as he entered the lobby in the first floor, Major Alfred and Brigadier Bullak immediately welcomed him. ¡°Ser Meyer, who is the leader of our guest this time?¡± Brigadier Bullak curiously asked. ¡°Shahi.¡± Brigadier Bullak nodded and said, ¡°A stubborn man.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Colonel Meyer smiled before continuing, ¡°Fortunately, as long as we don¡¯t break the pact, Karuso Tribe will never become a threat to us. Not to mention, they had agreed with the list of goods that we can use as payment for every penalty.¡± ¡°Colonel,¡± Major Alfred calmly said, ¡°are you sure we don¡¯t need to recruit them as IDG suggested? Every adult from Karuso Tribe, male or female are good hunters and fighters.¡± ¡°Currently, they openly help our combatant explore every corner of Hekker Mountains. Most of all, they happily mutilates every scout from the Guest From East who entered this mountain ranges. It¡¯s more than enough for now.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After a paused Major Alfred continued, ¡°We just received an order from Harley Quinn.¡± ¡°Do they give us a green to start the attack?¡± ¡°No, they sent a re-deployment order for 2nd Air Assault Brigade.¡± ¡°A re-deployment order.¡± In an instant Colonel Meyer furrowed his brow. ¡°To where?¡± ¡°Woodpecker.¡± ¡°On what mission? Is Magwurt City under imminent threat?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t tell me the detail. General Rayden will brief you directly as soon as we arrive in Woodpecker.¡± ¡°How much time do we have?¡± ¡°20 hours.¡± In an instant Colonel Meyer heaving a deep sighs. ¡°We won¡¯t have much time to pack our shit then.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, but we don¡¯t need to bring our Rippers or other vehicles. So, I think we will meet the schedule with ease.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Colonel Meyer slightly nodded. ¡°Which unit will replace us?¡± ¡°7th Base Security Regiment. They will arrive this afternoon.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Colonel Meyer didn¡¯t doubt the combat capability of 7th Base Security Regiment. As a specialist in defending a base, they were more than capable to guard Gandalf MOB. It just that handled Karuso Tribe was a whole different beast. It required a delicate touch, flexible mindset, and a lot of patient. After taking a deep breath Colonel Meyer said in a serious tone, ¡°Brigadier Bullak, half of officers from 7th Regiment are trigger happy idiots, but we both know the difficulty of establishing a good relationship with Karuso Tribe. So, don¡¯t let them ruin it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°I know you will.¡± Colonel Meyer then looked at Major Alfred, ¡°Let¡¯s start the re-deployment procedure. Also, set up a meeting with elders from Karuso Tribe. We have to introduce officers from 7th Regiment to them.¡± ¡°At once.¡± Wasting no time, Major Alfred carried out the order. A few minutes later, high activities enveloped every corner of Gandalf MOB. ***** TFA2 26.2 – Arrive in Jack Sparrow TFA2 26.2 ¨C Arrive in Jack Sparrow On the northern foot of Heron Mountain Ranges, 28 km south of Magwurt City, Namba Valley stretched peacefully for 42 km long. In this fertile valley, Agriculture Development Group planned to build theirs headquarter and main research facility. As for now, TF Amethyst¡¯s facility in this valley was only Woodpecker MOB. After TF Amethyst made the decision to launch Tiger Leap on Makai Royal City, three-in-one depot in Woodpecker immediately received logistic, ammunition, and fuel to its fullest capacity. Super Hornet, Poseidon, Osprey, and other assets that would participate in Tiger Leap also arrived at Woodpecker one by one. Around 19 hours later, a flight of eight C-130J Super Hercules made a landing on Woodpecker. As soon as the ramp door on the lead Hercules opened, Colonel Meyer immediately stepped out, and the first thing that entered his vision was Herron Mountain that stood majestically in the distance. Then, a lieutenant came over and gave him a salute. ¡°Sir, welcome to Woodpecker.¡± ¡°At ease LT,¡± Colonel Meyer casually said. ¡°Do you have a message for me?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, General Rayden is waiting for you in Command Center.¡± ¡°Take me to him then.¡± ¡°At once, Sir.¡± Colonel Meyer then followed the lieutenant to a Humvee. As for his men, Major Alfred would make sure they were settling down while waiting for the detail of the mission. So, Colonel Meyer went to meet Brigadier General Rayden in a calm mood. --- On the Command Center, Colonel Meyer was welcomed by latest aerial footage of Makai Royal City. After observing it with great attention, he turned his gaze towards Brigadier General Rayden. ¡°General, are we going to take an offensive action on Makai Royal City?¡± ¡°To be precise, we will neutralize immediate threat from Kingdom of Makai for once and all before welcoming the Guest From East.¡± ¡°Do we have intel on Kingdom of Makai¡¯s intention?¡± ¡°King Makai XXII decided to launch retaliatory invasion on Kingdom of Buriek.¡± ¡°Where will we establish our forward base?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Brigadier General Rayden said as he pointed at Penna Hill, a big limestone hill 7 km east of Makai Royal City. After observing Penna Hill for a moment, Colonel Meyer with ease concluded that the hill was easy to defend, very ideal to be used as firebase for mortar or howitzer, and also could be used as launching pad for an air assault. However, it had one big problem. ¡°General, this hill is in the middle of opposing side¡¯s territory. Unless we build the forward base little by little for a few months, it will definitely invite unwanted attention.¡± After a smile Brigadier General Rayden said, ¡°We have already established Foc Jack Sparrow on Penna Hill.¡± A deep shock instantly flashed on Colonel Meyer¡¯s eyes. He knew IDG ran a clandestine operation in Makai Royal City currently, but he never imagine that Ground Combat Group also had already established a forward operating base only few kilometers from Makai Royal Palace. ¡°What combat assets do we have on Jack Sparrow?¡± ¡°A company of infantry under Captain Tiffany. They are part of 3rd Mountain Brigade and have been stationed in Jack Sparrow for the past few months. For the next six months, I will put them under your command.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Colonel Meyer firmly replied. Inter and intra units operation was not a new thing for him, so Colonel Meyer had no problem with the arrangement. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Other than infantry element,¡± General Rayden calmly continued his explanation. ¡±Jack Sparrow also has 18 engineers from MCG, 12 personnel from IDG, a platoon of air defense, and 10 men from Settlement 116 who had graduated from Clandestine Course.¡± ¡°Does Major Petrov lead the IDG¡¯s element in Jack Sparrow?¡± ¡°No, they are under Lieutenant Reznik. As for Major Petrov, he uses a tavern in Makai Royal City as his base.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Also,¡± After heaving a deep sigh Brigadier General Rayden continued in a bitter tone, ¡°We already suffered two KIA from a brawl with locals a few weeks ago.¡± Big question mark filled Colonel Meyer¡¯s face to the brim as he asked, ¡°Two KIA from a brawl with locals?¡± ¡°Yes, the tension has cooling down, but Major Petrov asked me to release Captain Tiffany from chain of command.¡± ¡°Why does Major Petrov ask it?¡± ¡°He accused Captain Tiffany ignored his warning and it led to the brawl with the locals.¡± Brigadier General Rayden lowered his voice as he continued, ¡°But I will let you to make the final call. This is your first objective in Jack Sparrow. If you think the combination of Major Petrov and Captain Tiffany is not a good recipe for Tiger Leap, feel free to replace one of them or both.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± A moment later, Brigadier General Rayden and Colonel Meyer started drawing the operation plan. This was not the first time the two drew an operation plan together. They had done it for more than a dozen times when they served in 101st Airborne Division so everything went smoothly. --- FOC Jack Sparrow, Penna Hill. 00:30, 1 Oct 2025 The only opening in Penna Hill was a rocky field in middle of it. It was long and wide enough to receive an air drop. Unfortunately, its surface was not only hard and rugged, but most of it also had been covered by stones as big as mini SUV. Parachuting equipment to Rocky Filed at night was not a problem, but parachuting personnel was a whole different beast. It could lead into fatal accident unless it was done in a free fall by highly-expert jumper. The only way to transport personnel from Woodpecker to Jack Sparrow was by using Osprey, as it was the only aerial asset that could flew for 800 km to reach and land in Penna Hill, and then returned to Woodpecker. The airlift also had to be done under heavy rain to hide the roar of Osprey¡¯s engine and rotor. Fortunately, Colonel Meyer didn¡¯t have to wait long for the first airlift. He just completed the operational plan with Brigadier General Rayden when IDG confirmed that a heavy rain would hit Penna Hill at midnight. Without hesitation, Colonel Meyer took the chance to go to Jack Sparrow. Other than Major Alfred, he chose to bring personnel from mortar platoon, howitzer platoon, and air defense platoon. As for their equipment, Hercules would drop them in a few batches later. It was rough and dangerous flight, but all Ospreys managed to arrive at Jack Sparrow. Carefully and simultaneously, four Ospreys made an attempt to land on small landing pad on Rocky Field. Under the heavy rain, pilots would have a very limited visibility. Even with the help of NVG, they barely could see IR strobe that marked the landing pad. Not to mention, the fierce wind made them had to work extra hard to stabilize their Osprey. Even so, each Osprey managed to land safely. Then, 74 personnel from 2nd Air Assault Brigade stepped out from ramp door in steady steps. Under their raincoat, they carried a big ruck-sack on their back and hold their assault rifle in the chest. They ignored the heavy rain and fierce wind that hit them, and neatly lined up at a small opening 75 meter from the landing pad. Then, they calmly watched as the Ospreys took off and flew to east in full speed. Wasting no time, Captain Tiffany and two Lieutenants under her command approached Colonel Meyer. ¡°Colonel, Major, welcome to Jack Sparrow,¡± Captain Tiffany said in a half-shout. After looking at the neatly line up troops two dozen meters before her she added, ¡°Sir, you have a well-trained breed under your command.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Colonel Meyer smiled and then said, ¡°But I bet they will curse me, if we don¡¯t spare them from this rainstorm.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Tiffany led Colonel Meyer and his men to underground barracks. --- The underground barrack in Jack Sparrow was located right bellow Rocky Field. To be precise, it was carved out of giant black stone that became the core of Penna Hill. The interior was simple. The wall, floor, and ceiling were rough and un-plastered. However, it was very clean and had enough lighting, clean water, hygienic bathrooms. Most of all, it had good air circulation. Therefore, personnel who lived in it could sleep on the floor without being worry of getting pleurisy or other lungs disease. After Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred put their belonging in their personal quarter, Captain Tiffany took them to chow hall. When they arrived, they found that most of the newcomers had been already there. They were enjoying hot coffee and snack while chatting with personnel who had been lived in Jack Sparrow for a while. After taking a cup of hot coffee and cupcake from buffet table, Colonel Meyer, Major Alfred, and Captain Tiffany sat in a table on a corner. ¡°Sir,¡± Captain Tiffany calmly said, ¡°Just a little reminder, other than hidden sentry, when leaving underground barrack all personnel can¡¯t carry their assault rifle. They also have to wear local clothes and conceal their sidearm and dagger.¡± Colonel Meyer nodded and said, ¡°Got it.¡± A moment later, Captain Tiffany invited Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred to check three-in-one depot, hangar, garage, and other underground facilities in Jack Sparrow. The underground tour then ended up in Command Center which was located next to Colonel Meyer¡¯s personal quarter. ***** TFA2 26.3 – Local Language TFA2 26.3 ¨C Local Language Woodcutter Settlement, Southern tip of Penna Hill 07:30, 2 Oct 2025 Other than the one in the underground barracks, Jack Sparrow also had another chow hall in the woodcutter Settlement. Both chow halls adopted serving system like family restaurant. People could order whatever food they wanted as long as it was on the menu for that day. The only different was that underground chow hall served menu from earth, while woodcutter chow hall served local cuisine. After checking the underground workshop where Black Pine was secretly being turned into semi processed product using modern equipment, Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred went to woodcutter chow hall to have their first breakfast in Jack Sparrow. People who ate in woodcutter chow hall were usually personnel who on duty to harvest Black Pine, and they had started their work since a half an hour ago. So, the chow hall was almost empty right now. There was only one young man sat in a corner. He had ordinary appearance, and with great attention he wrote something into a parchment like a poet wrote his greatest masterpiece. Now and then he would take a sip of his coffee before returning to his greatest work. Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred didn¡¯t bother to disturb the young man¡¯s moment of peace. They knew for sure Captain Tiffany was a demonic officer, and no one in her camp would dare to slack off unless they were in their free time. Wasting no time, Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred sat in one of the tables near the window. A moment later, a serving staff came over to take their order. ¡°Good morning, we have barley stew with rabbit meat for today special.¡± After looking at the menu board for a moment Colonel Meyer said, ¡°Hard scramble eggs without cheese, fried ham, roasted corn, and barley tea.¡± ¡°Yes Sir,¡± The serving staff swiftly wrote the order before turning his gaze towards Major Alfred, ¡°And for you, Sir?¡± ¡°Barley stew, garlic bread, and sweetened black tea,¡± Major Alfred replied briefly. ¡°Right away, Sir.¡± As the serving staff took their order to the kitchen, Colonel Meyer turned his gaze to Major Alfred. ¡°Will we have second arrival tonight?¡± ¡°No, we have no rainstorm tonight, but a flight of Hercules will drop some packages.¡± After pondering for a while Colonel Meyer suggested, ¡°Maybe we can move away the rocks on Rocky Field, and then put a layer of soft soil or sand on its surface, making it into a safe dropping zone for our men.¡± ¡°I had considered it,¡± Major Alfred calmly replied. ¡°The problem is, the closest area that had enough soil or sand is a valley 5 km away from this place and the owner is a prickly noble. We also can¡¯t use our Humvee to transport the soil or sand without creating unnecessary attention.¡± ¡°900 Tuscan guards and 352 our own personnel, it will be for a while before they join us then.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred paused for a moment as the serving staff put their breakfast into table. Then, they were about to enjoy it when the young man in the corner came over to their table. ¡°Good morning, Colonel, Major.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°¡°¡­?¡±¡± In an instant, Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred looked each other while big question mark appeared in their forehead. Without standard combat outfit, it would be very hard to recognize two officers who had just arrived in a camp. And yet, the young man gave an impression he had recognize them in the first glance. ¡°May I joint with you, Sir?¡± The young man politely asked. ¡°Yes, please,¡± Colonel Meyer calmly replied. ¡°May I know your name and unit, son?¡± As he sat next to Major Alfred, the young man replied, ¡°Lieutenant Reznik, CO of IDG¡¯s squad.¡± In an instant, the question mark on Colonel Meyer¡¯s forehead thickened. He had saw Lieutenant Reznik¡¯s profile, but his picture was way too different from his real appearance. After taking a deep breath, Colonel Meyer then looked at parchment in Lieutenant Reznik¡¯s hand. ¡°LT, what did you write?¡± ¡°A report for the owner of Penna Hill.¡± Colonel Meyer knew that Amethyst Merchant and IDG had secretly secured the permit to harvest Black Pine in Penna Hill from Makai Royal Family. Even so, he still asked, ¡°Do you mean Makai Royal Family?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lieutenant Reznik nodded before continuing, ¡°Every time the woodcutter guild under Young Miss Tiffany gets additional manpower, as her right hand I had to submit the list of new workers to the supervisor office. As for the background ID for the new arrival personnel, I had put it in your office. Please make sure the new personnel used it in their daily activities, especially when they have an interaction with locals.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Colonel Meyer firmly replied and then asked, ¡°Do we have schedule on when the people from supervisor office inspect this place?¡± ¡°No, as long we gave him enough coin and meet the monthly quota for semi-processed black pine, the current supervisor will never disturb us or came here.¡± ¡°Glad to hear that.¡± Colonel Meyer put a spoon of scramble egg into his mouth before saying, ¡°LT, after we finish our breakfast, take us to IDG¡¯s working space.¡± After a slight smile Lieutenant Reznik said, ¡°I¡¯m about to invite you to visit our humble place.¡± --- As the southern tip of Penna Hill had the highest elevation, IDG chose to establish their observation posts in this area. From their posts, IDG¡¯s personnel would harvest various pictures, audios, or videos from Makai Royal City for 24/7. In once glance, IDG¡¯s observation post was no different from other cabin in Penna Hill. The interior for the first floor was also pretty similar to sleeping quarter for personnel who on duty to harvest Black Pine. Wasting no time, Lieutenant Reznik led Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred to second floor. Over there, they found three member of IDG were operating laser-based long-range eavesdropping device. They put the device three steps behind a window and pointed it at one of biggest structure in Makai Guard HQ. ¡°Sergeant Spier and his team are conducting intelligence gathering on Main Meeting Hall of Makai Intelligence Service,¡± Lieutenant Reznik explained. Colonel Meyer nodded and then asked, ¡°Sergeant, do you have something to share with us?¡± ¡°We have something good, Sir.¡± Without delay Sergeant Spier explained, ¡°The opposing side have a meeting about Battle Groups that would execute the retaliatory invasion. Two battle groups would attack Sandhur Region while the third would try to land on Buriek¡¯s west coast.¡± Colonel Meyer nodded and then turned towards Lieutenant Reznik, ¡°Once we have full record of the strategy meeting, send the copy to Castle Lagra and Woodpecker immediately.¡± ¡°Aye Sir,¡± Lieutenant Reznik firmly replied. After that he took Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred to the next room. ¡°Colonel, I can take anyone who wants to take a walk on Makai Royal City, but they have to be able to speak in local language fluently.¡± ¡°LT, I¡¯m afraid I only have a few dozen men who can speak local language fluently,¡± Colonel Meyer openly admitted. ¡°The rest are, they have enough for asking direction when they lost their way, making dirty joke when visiting brothel, or interrogating captive in the field. However, once sentence and anybody can tell they are not locals.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why IDG use this room for language class. Anyone who wants to increase their language skill can attend it,¡± Lieutenant Reznik casually said. ¡°When they arrive here for the first time, most of Captain Tiffany¡¯s men also had no more than broken accent when using local language. But with our help, now they can speak as good as native.¡± ¡°What trick did Captain Tiffany use to motivate her men?¡± ¡°A chance to visit red light district.¡± ¡°That¡¯s smart,¡± Colonel Meyer smiled before continued, ¡°I will use it too.¡± Colonel Meyer was fully aware that if his men knew the layout of Makai Royal City well enough, even if it was only the outer area, then they would have a better chance to survive in case they had to engage the opposing side inside the city. Therefore, he engraved it in his heart. He would make sure more than half of his men could speak local language fluently and had enough tour on the city. ***** TFA2 27.1 – First Possible Target TFA2 27.1 ¨C First Possible Target Normally, air dropping a package into peak of Penna Hill was easy. It had an elevation of 1100 meter above the sea level, elongated from north to south 6 km long, and had an average with of 2 km. Even if the wind around the peak was strong and wild, air dropping from 100 meter above the landing zone would guarantee all packages landed on peak of Penna Hill. Unfortunately, all air dropping to Penna Hill must be done covertly for the time being. In short, it had to be done at night and silently. And tonight, Penna Hill would receive another air dropping. At altitude of 4500 meter, four C-130J Super Hercules approached Penna Hill from south in a single line and full speed. In the leading Hercules, Major Rivera was calmly looking into distance. As soon as he saw a neat line of IR Strobe, he immediately contacted Combat Control Team on the ground. ¡°Dove 0-1 to Reception Hall, do you copy?¡± [Reception Hall to Dove 0-1, loud and clear, do you see the light house?] ¡°I see it. We will hit it in five to six minutes.¡± [Copy and be advised, we have nasty wind down here. We will need extra tight and neat coordination.] ¡°Receive and understood.¡± Wasting no time Major Rivera then radioed other pilots, ¡°Dove 0-1 to All Dove, be ready for the rodeo, confirm.¡± [Dove 0-2 is ready.] [Dove 0-3 is ready.] [Dove 0-4 is ready.] ¡°Dove 0-1 to All Dove, follow my lead and let¡¯s get it done.¡± After taking a deep breath Major Rivera then radioed the Loadmaster, ¡°Kyle, get ready. We are five minutes out.¡± [Roger.] Loadmaster Kyle calmly replied. A minute later, he continued, [Ramp is open, ready for the drop.] ¡°Copy, we will dive in any second.¡± Major Rivera then turned his gaze towards his trusted co-pilot. ¡°Barnes, kill the engines and start the counting.¡± ¡°Roger,¡± Captain Barnes calmly replied. Then, he pushed start button on his stopwatch as he killed all Hercules¡¯ engine. ¡°Engine is off. We have big crosswind and eight minutes before this lovely bird kissing the ground.¡± ¡°Copy, rodeo is a go.¡± Under the night sky, Major Rivera then took his Hercules to dive. He piloted the Hercules only by relying on his gut feeling, without the help of any instrument. However, he managed to smoothly glide it down to Penna Hill. Then, just a few seconds before the Hercules reached an altitude of 200 meters above the landing zone Major Rivera casually said, ¡°Barns, now.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Captain Barns calmly replied as he switched the green light in the cargo bay on. Without delay Loadmaster Kyle responded it by deploying the drag chute on the rearmost pallet. Then, as Hercules¡¯s nose slightly went up Loadmaster Kyle¡¯s men took the hold that lock the pallet in its position. Without the hold the drag chute easily pulled the pallet. In a swift movement the pallet then slid down and went out of the ramp door. Wasting no time, Loadmaster Kyle and his men repeated the dropping procedure on the two other pallets. Dropping package while in a glide flight was insanely dangerous procedure, but Loadmaster Kyle and his men carried it as if it was a walk in the park. In less than 20 seconds, three pallets were successfully being parachuted. Then, Major Rivera took the Hercules to gently bank to the right, straight into a wide valley on the east of Penna Hill. After that, Major Rivera waited until the Hercules was 8 km away from the closest settlement before saying, ¡°Barn, get the engines on.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Major Rivera then took the Hercules to climb up to altitude of 9000 meters above the sea level. However, Major Rivera, Captain Barns, and the other crew could take a deep breath full of relief only after all Hercules succeed dropping their package without any accident. As the last Hercules regrouped with the other Hercules, Major Rivera said, ¡°Damn, this is why I love Hercules so much.¡± After a slight smile Captain Barnes cheerfully replied, ¡°Best airlifter for smuggling ops.¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Major Rivera happily nodded in agreement, ¡°Best airlifter for smuggling.¡± --- As cold and howling wind hit their face, Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred observed the sky with great attention. However, other than huge black sky with some twinkling stars they saw nothing else. ¡°Sir, do you remember the first supply drop to Gandalf?¡± Major Alfred asked as dark lines appeared in his forehead. ¡°Yeah,¡± Colonel Meyer bitterly replied. ¡°The wind was fierce like tonight, and the package fell to the lake one click from dropping zone.¡± ¡°I hope we won¡¯t have similar miss tonight,¡± Major Alfred hopefully said. ¡°So do I.¡± After a slight smile Captain Tiffany joined the conversation, ¡°Gentlemen, please be at ease. This is not our first rodeo on Jack Sparrow.¡± ¡°Captain.¡± After taking a deep breath Major Alfred continued, ¡°If tonight packages fall in the nearby valley, it can lead into unwanted attention.¡± ¡°At least, we have put retrieve team on standby. In case we have stray package, they will retrieve anything that they can retrieve silently, and burry the rest without leaving any trail.¡± After pausing for a moment Captain Tiffany proudly continued, ¡°But so far Jack Sparrow never have miss drop.¡± ¡°Not even once?¡± Colonel Meyer curiously asked. ¡°Not even once,¡± Captain Tiffany firmly replied ¡°I see.¡± Actually, Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred had difficulty to trust Captain Tiffany¡¯s words. However, before they asked further question, parachutes suddenly landed on the middle of Rocky Field not far from their position. Without delay, Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred immediately lowered their NVG before their eyes and turned it on. In an instant, they saw 12 military pallets had landed on the middle of Rocky Field, forming a 300 meters straight drag line. Major Alfred gasped for a moment before asking, ¡°How did they do it under this fierce wind?¡± ¡°Dunno, I don¡¯t hear the Hercules¡¯s engine, so they must be dropping it from high altitude,¡± Colonel Meyer briefly replied. After a smile Captain Tiffany said, ¡°Gentlemen, it¡¯s landed perfectly so let¡¯s not thinking about it more than we should.¡± ¡°Good point,¡± Colonel Meyer happily said. Under the night sky, personnel from Logistic and Support Group then unpacked the pallets and loaded it into M1152 Cargo. It would require 3-4 hours of hard work to move all loads to underground depot, and another 18 hours to assemble it, but only 30 minutes to make the initial list of item and in a calm mood Major Alfred checked the item. In summary, tonight package was 2 units M777 155 mm, 4 units M120 120 mm, 4 units Ripper Station, 2 units M1151 Humvee, along with ammunition and essential spare parts. After knowing the list, the three immediately felt some sense of relief. At the moment, Jack Sparrow only had some M2HB 12.7 mm, Mk.19 40 mm, and 24 units Ripper Station. For defensive purpose, it was good enough. However, it would need additional firepower to neutralize military installations around Makai Royal City. In cheerful tone Major Alfred then said, ¡°If ACG can conduct this kind of air drop every two days, we will have our equipment in two weeks.¡± ¡°I believe the equipment will arrive on schedule,¡± Captain Tiffany confidently said, but then she continued in a low voice, ¡°Our issue is the personnel.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Major Alfred replied in dejected tone. Of ten units MV-22 Osprey, four units would be always in maintenance while another two in stand by for emergency. Therefore, ACG could only use four Osprey to airlift personnel from Woodpecker to Jack Sparrow. Not to mention they had to do it only when heavy rain hit Penna Hill once or twice a week. ¡°If we have 32 Osprey or more, it will only need two airlift operation to deliver our men here. The delay on shipment from earth is truly fucked us up.¡± After heaving a deep sigh Colonel Meyer turned his gaze towards Captain Tiffany, ¡°Captain, how long before all of your men arrived in Jack Sparrow?¡± ¡°Six weeks,¡± Captain Tiffany replied briefly. ¡°It¡¯s truly unfortunate. IDG predict the opposing battle group will be ready in 3-4 weeks,¡± Colonel Meyer regretfully said. --- The only access to the peak of Penna Hill was a road on the east cliff. The small road diagonally extended for 4.5 km along the vertical cliff wall. It had hard surface, a slightly wider than a Humvee, and very steep. Local people called this small road as East Track. Every three or four days, eight donkey carts full of block and plank made of black pine would walk down East Track. On the second donkey cart, Lieutenant Reznik skillfully held the reign. Next to him, Colonel Meyer calmly sat. ¡°Sir, did the last night air dropping go smoothly?¡± ¡°It hit Rocky Field perfectly,¡± Colonel Meyer calmly replied. ¡°Bull¡¯s eye as usual. I lost another bet then.¡± As he turned his gaze towards Lieutenant Reznik, Colonel Meyer asked, ¡°I thought you were setting the IR strobe with Combat Control Team last night?¡± ¡°Nope, the wind on the peak is too fierce and too cold at night. If it has nothing to do with my job, I prefer to sleep in my quarter.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As the donkey cart walked down the East Track, Colonel Meyer observed the cliff wall in his left. It made of hard and rugged rock, proudly held up upward to the peak of Penna Hill. ¡°LT, if I remember it correctly, this road is the only access to the peak.¡± ¡°Yeah, the other sides are pure cliff wall. It doesn¡¯t even have animal trail. Only expert climber can climb it.¡± ¡°Is Makai Guard has a unit of climber?¡± ¡°In every 900-man squadron they have a platoon of climber. This unit is very good at their job. Please don¡¯t underestimate them.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Colonel Meyer firmly said. Slowly but surely, the donkey convoy arrived on the foot of Penna Hill. Then, it went to a small fort and stopped in its front gate. ¡°Is this the supervisor¡¯s office?¡± Colonel Meyer asked as he observed the small fort with great attention. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Is it a threat to Jack Sparrow?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Lieutenant Reznik looked at the small fort as he continued, ¡°Donte, the current supervisor, is a son of an important from Makai Royal Family, and he is also an absolute greedy fool. Around 400 Makai Guards are stationed in this fort. Donte will not have second thought before ordering them to attack Jack Sparrow.¡± ¡°We should neutralize this fort in the first opportunity then.¡± ¡°Yes, we should. Not to mention Donte can give us valuable intel about layout of Makai Royal Palace.¡± Wasting no time, Lieutenant Reznik then entered the small fort through a small door in the front gate. ***** TFA2 27.2 – Relationship with Locals In casual walk, Lieutenant Reznik passed the corridor in the small fort as if it was his own house. Here and there he made a small friendly chat with some Makai Guards. However, most of Makai Guard he met was sleeping in chair, table, or floor. The thick smell of alcohol from their clothes and the empty bottle in their hand told him what those Makai Guards have done for the whole night. After passing two halls full of wasted Makai Guard and one big empty training field, Lieutenant Reznik arrived in a small the inner yard. As usual, he was welcomed by a dying camp fire and a table full of roasted meat, fruits, nuts, and of course wine. Not far from the table and camp fire, an obese middle-aged man and three young women lay on a carpet, under a thick blanket. Judging from the clothes that scattered in all direction, it was easy to tell that the four under the blanket were naked from head to toe. ¡®Another sex party under the night sky,¡± Lieutenant Reznik muttered as he tried to wake the obese middle-aged man up, ¡°Ser Donte, please wake up.¡± It was always not easy to wake Donte up, but Lieutenant Reznik had a secret technique. While his voice was gentle and polite, he stealthy kicked Donte in the balls. After a few lethal kick, Donte finally woke up and then sat in half sober and half sleeping. ¡°Ser Donte, my guild will receive a few hundreds of new workers. I come to deliver the list,¡± Lieutenant Reznik politely said as he put a parchment on the table. ¡°Yeah,¡± After shaking his head for a moment Donte continued weakly, ¡°Reznik, why do I always have ache in my balls every time you come here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I will also bring you a gesture of good will.¡± As Lieutenant Reznik put a big money pouch on his lap, Donte immediately smiled. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Then, I will take my leave.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Donte shook his head one more time before asking, ¡°Is Miss Tiffany doing fine?¡± ¡°She¡¯s doing great and she will marry his fianc¨¦ in a few months.¡± ¡°What a waste.¡± After snorting in furry Donte continued, ¡°Tell her, my deep connection to Makai Royal Family will help her family to thrive in Makai Royal City.¡± ¡®What a pig!¡¯ Lieutenant Reznik cursed while maintaining a friendly smile. ¡®Even without your connection we had secure the permit to harvest black pine in Penna Hill. Moreover, after your attempt to rape Captain Tiffany failed, you tried to sabotage our permit.¡¯ ¡°Reznik, do you hear me?¡± ¡°Yes, I hear you.¡± After clearing his throat Lieutenant Reznik immediately said, ¡°Ser Donte, I always relay your message to Miss Tiffany, but her marriage is her parent call. She can do nothing about it.¡± Donte calmly suggested, ¡°She can just become my wife and live in my mansion in the inner city. Her family will never have the gut to bother her.¡± ¡°I will tell her that.¡± ¡°Good, tell her that.¡± After nodding in satisfaction Donte then laid his fat body. In his chest, he hugged the big money pouch tightly. Wasting no time, Lieutenant Reznik turned around and walked away. --- If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. In a calm mood, the donkey convoy continued its journey. It was 2 km long journey, so Colonel Meyer had a lot of time to ask a few things that had plagued his mind since his arrival in Jack Sparrow. ¡°LT, about two KIA we suffered a few weeks ago. Can you give me your opinion?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a brawl with locals.¡± After a paused Lieutenant Reznik continued, ¡°In their way after having fun in Red Light District, three men were ambushed by twelve locals. Our men killed two attackers but in the end they were outnumbered. One man managed to escape and calling for help, but when Major Petrov¡¯s men arrived with city guards, it was already too late to save the other two. The next night, Captain Tiffany led a platoon to take revenge.¡± ¡°I had read that in the report,¡± Colonel Meyer calmly said, ¡°Tell me something else.¡± Sooner or later Colonel Meyer would heard it, so Lieutenant Reznik openly said, ¡°Well, Captain Tiffany slit the leader of the attacker on the throat, after beating him into a pulp, while his men do the same thing for other attackers. If we are on earth, Captain Tiffany and his men will be sat behind the bars right now.¡± After a moment of silence Colonel Meyer said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t say this, but I can¡¯t blame Captain Tiffany or her men. They are infantry. We trains them to return a favor when someone kill one of their own.¡± ¡°So, no martial court for them?¡± ¡°No, but the option to replace Captain Tiffany is still on the table,¡± Colonel Meyer calmly replied. ¡°Before I make the final call, I need to understand why Major Petrov wants chain of command release Captain Tiffany from her post.¡± ¡°Major Petrov had warned Captain Tiffany that when her men take a walk into city, they had to do it in a group of sixteen or more. A big group of robust adult would deter people from looking for trouble.¡± ¡°But the locals can attack them in a big group too?¡± ¡°Not that easy,¡± Lieutenant Reznik calmly replied. ¡°We give Donte money every month not for nothing. It gives us strong protection from city guard. Even the commander of city guards will not messing around with our men. As long as our men take their walk on a big group, it will be hard to find people who had the gut to picking a fight with them.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, Captain Tiffany neglected the warning,¡± Colonel Meyer said in regretful tone. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lieutenant Reznik openly admitted. ¡°She gave his men permission to go in a small group. Moreover, she wanted her men had flexibility for their happy hours, so she didn¡¯t make predetermined schedule.¡± Colonel Meyer nodded and said, ¡°In short, Major Petrov is angry because we could prevent this incident actually.¡± ¡°Other than that,¡± Lieutenant Reznik took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°The attackers were woodcutter from previous guild that managed Penna Hill. When they lost their permit, they had to fire some of woodcutters who then took revenge on our men. When we killed those woodcutters, we also cut the lifeline of six elderly, eight wives, seven teenagers, and eighteen children including four babies. Worst of all, it gave Donte an excuse to punish this innocent by selling them as slaves.¡± After silence for a long time Colonel Meyer curiously asked, ¡°Do those people become slaves now?¡± ¡°No, Major Petrov managed to covertly give those people new life in a faraway Region. It took lot of resource and effort, so I don¡¯t think we can do this kind of charity next time.¡± ¡°There will be no next time. I will prevent it at all cost.¡± Colonel Meyer sincerely said. ¡°However, I have my own worry about Major Petrov¡¯s act of compassion.¡± ¡°Sir, with all respect, I don¡¯t think Major Petrov¡¯s action is a bad thing.¡± Lieutenant Reznik heaving a deep sighs before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s super na?ve, I admit, but not a bad thing at all.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say it¡¯s a bad thing,¡± Colonel Meyer said. ¡°However, when doing an undercover mission, it¡¯s pretty easy for your perspective to switch to other side, and before you are realizing it you had become one of them. I do hope we don¡¯t have this issue with Major Petrov.¡± After smiling for a moment Lieutenant Reznik confidently said, ¡°Colonel, regarding Major Petrov, you have nothing to worry about. He is 200% solid.¡± ¡°In that case, I will support his policy on relationship with locals.¡± ¡°Major Petrov will be glad to hear that.¡± ¡°I know.¡± In a calm mood, Colonel Meyer then enjoyed the rest of the journey. ***** TFA 27.3 – Tallmerk Grill TFA 27.3 ¨C Tallmerk Grill In the east of Makai Royal City, Dovar River laid peacefully. It extended from Harrik Mountains Range in the north to Ursu Canal in the south coast. It had an average width of 2 km and average depth of 300 meter. In the west bank of Dovar River, stood military port that connected to a giant military base. Meanwhile, in its east bank stood commercial port called Mons Landing. The warehouse area on this port was the main destination for donkey convoy from Penna Hill. In the office on one of the warehouses, Lieutenant Reznik talked with owner of biggest timber company in Kingdom of Makai. ¡°Owner Kipp, you can¡¯t just increase the quota again. You have done it two times in row for the last a few months.¡± ¡°Reznik my boy, I have no choice.¡± Owner Kipp handed over a piece of parchment to Lieutenant Reznik and continued, ¡°This is a direct request from Makai Guard HQ.¡± After reading the content of the parchment, Lieutenant Reznik said, ¡°Previously, it was because Makai Navy lost eight carrier ships for unknown reason. Now, it¡¯s because they want to build a numbers of new warships. Don¡¯t tell me they have had lost a whole fleet.¡± ¡°They haven¡¯t lost it. I mean not yet.¡± ¡°Not yet?¡± After closing the door to his office, Owner Kipp said in low voice, ¡°King Makai XXII decided to attack Kingdom of Buriek. Doesn¡¯t matter we win or lose, a number of warships will be lost in the fight. So, they want to build some replacement beforehand.¡± In curious tone Lieutenant Reznik asked, ¡°When they will launch the attack?¡± ¡°Dunno, but it¡¯s just a matter of time. The price of food supply is increasing. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because Makai Guard has pile up provision as many as they could. They also recruits and trains boys above thirteen and place them as reserve force.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty big war preparation.¡± ¡°They also take manpower and supply from other Regions and pile them up in Port of Ursu and Port of Wellmoss.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After slightly nodding his head Lieutenant Reznik said, ¡°My guild will try to meet the new quota, but don¡¯t have too high expectation on us. We are already in our highest capacity.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As he handed over a bank note Owner Kipp continued, ¡°Believe me, if I have the power, I will avoid any business with Makai Guard. They pay cheap but put an unreasonable high standard, along with lot of commission cut for person in charge. It¡¯s not healthy relationship. Elegant furniture made of black pine, especially for dining hall and personal study, that¡¯s where the big money comes from. Unfortunately, I¡¯m just a bastard son from a useless noble. I can only follow the current in to survive.¡± ¡°I know.¡± After drinking his tea in one gulp, Lieutenant Reznik than took his leave. --- While his men unload the semi-processed black pine, Colonel Meyer took his time to look at Dovar River from closer range. After some walks, he found a quiet place to carry his intention. He had saw aerial footage of Dovar River a few times and knew the detail to some extent. In summary, it had no bridge that connected its bank. Local people would use a small ferry to cross it. And with Dovar River¡¯s measurement, San Antonio-class LPD or even America-class LHD would be able to sail on it with ease. Meaning, Marine Expeditionary Brigade could land directly into Makai Royal City along with their heavy equipment. Unfortunately, it would be for a long while before Amphibious Strike Group ready for field action. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. As for now, the thing that absorbed Colonel Meyer¡¯s attention was not Dovar River, but dozen groups of kids who hunting crap, shrimp, and clamp in the riverbank where the water was shallow and the riverbed was covered by sand and gravels. From their laughing and cheering, it seemed the kids got a good harvest. Unfortunately, in a few weeks a deathly conflict would hit Makai Royal City. Who know how it would affect or change those kids¡¯ life, not to mention it would definitely kill some of them. As Colonel Meyer heaving a deep sigh, Lieutenant Reznik arrived next to him and said, ¡°The price of food supply is increasing, and it will get worsened as time goes on. I had read some record. For the last fifty years, food shortage in Makai Royal City always led into a riot and Makai Guard would respond it with public massacre on the rioters without any regard to gender or age.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After sensing a pinch of gloominess in Colonel Meyer¡¯s tone, Lieutenant Reznik said, ¡°If we care about the innocents in Makai Royal City, we had to end the war as fast as we can.¡± Colonel Meyer firmly replied, ¡°Quick victory is our main objective, but war always go into unwanted direction.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Lieutenant Reznik said in low voice. A moment later, after taking a last glance on the kids in the riverbank, Colonel Meyer and Lieutenant Reznik took their leave. --- Half a year ago, a small tavern called Tallmerk Grill was born in a remote corner of commoner district, just behind to the red light district. Three days later, almost all commoner in Makai Royal City knew the newborn tavern. Tallmerk Grill did not only offer a fragrant grilled meat, but also good beer, delicious bacon, and thick barley soup. Not to mention it also had unusual soft black bread. Most of all, Tallmerk Tavern put affordable price for their menu and opened for 24/7. From the second floor in Tallmerk Grill, Colonel Meyer observed the inner yard, which somehow was full of kids. The oldest was around 12-13 years old, while the youngest around 4-5 years old. Some of them were gathering next to the well and skillfully cleaning pigeon, hare, mallard, or other small game. While in front of the hearth, some kids were happily grilling their catch using bamboo skewer. When their grill was almost done, they would sprinkle it with some seasoning. Even from the second floor, Colonel Meyer could smell the fragrant aroma from the grilled meat. At the same time, on one corner Tulla repaired a homemade bow while a dozen of youngest kids on the yard sat around him and looked at him with sparkling eyes. It was easy to conclude that Tulla was enjoying the admiration he got from the kids. After taking a sip of his beer, Colonel Meyer than turned his gaze towards Lieutenant Reznik. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Tulla from settlement 116?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lieutenant Reznik calmly replied. ¡°After he graduated from Clandestine Course, Major Petrov brought him here. He has big contribution in the establishment of this tavern, so Major Petrov put him as tavern manager.¡± ¡°Does he employ those kids to hunt small game?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s Major Petrov¡¯s idea. Kids under fourteen can trade half of their catch with coins or big bowl of barley soup and two heel of black bread, as long as they clean and grilled. He got this idea from his favorite novel, Game of Throne.¡± Colonel Meyer nodded and said, ¡°A big bowl of barley soup and two heel of black bread, that will enough to feed 4-5 kids.¡± ¡°Yeah, one hunting group usually is consisting of 4-5 kids.¡± ¡°The bow they use, do the kids buy it from Tulla?¡± ¡°No, the cheapest hunting bow is around 40 fat mallard or hare. Those orphan kids will not able to afford it.¡± After taking a bite from a half-cut grilled hare Lieutenant Reznik continued, ¡°Tulla made a dozen of homemade hunting bows and he let the kids to borrow it.¡± After pondering for a moment Colonel Meyer asked another question, ¡°The seasoning for the grill, isn¡¯t it an expensive seasoning and will draw unwanted attention?¡± ¡°Nope, it¡¯s not expensive at all. It¡¯s just a mix of cheap salt and dried kelp powder. This tavern uses the mix as replacement for MSG.¡± ¡°Mix of cheap salt and dried kelp powder?¡± ¡°Yes, some sailors from Empire of Mikasa teach fisherman in south coast how to harvest kelp, dry it under the sun, and use it to make seafood stock. This tavern only modifies the dried kelp for another use.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In casual mood, Colonel Meyer and Lieutenant Reznik then continued their lunch. ***** TFA2 27.4 – Professional Motherfucker TFA2 27.4 ¨C Professional Motherfucker After finishing his lunch Colonel Meyer went to the bathroom in first floor. However, in the middle of his way a waitress showed him a way to a hidden room next to the cellar. Inside the room, Major Petrov had waited for him. He still wore his apron and sat before a long table. ¡°Welcome to Makai Royal City, Old Mate,¡± Major Petrov happily said. After looking at Major Petrov for a moment Colonel Meyer smiled and then said, ¡°You look exactly like local people.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t help it, my job is to become local people.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± As he sat in front of Major Petrov, Colonel Meyer said, ¡°Before we go to main point, I have to tell you. I won¡¯t replace Tiffany.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She is a good officer.¡± ¡°For conventional warfare, yes, she is excellent officer. For a discretionary warfare, she is dynamite that cans explode at any second.¡± ¡°True, but now I¡¯m here.¡± Colonel Meyer firmly continued, ¡°I know how you carry your work, and you know how I carry mine. Together, we will prevent another incident with locals while putting Makai Royal City on the plate.¡± ¡°Fine. I will put my trust in you.¡± When the two worked for CIA, Major Petrov often worked together with Colonel Meyer. So he knew that Colonel Meyer was an expert in handling an operation that required a delicate touch. In short, Major Petrov didn¡¯t need to worry Captain Tiffany would made another cowboy action. After taking a deep breath Major Petrov then asked, ¡°So, what menu do we have?¡± ¡°A lot,¡± Colonel Meyer happily replied. ¡°Destroying military infrastructures, killing a prince, burning Makai Royal Palace to the ground if we have to, even capturing King Makai XXII is on the list.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of menu.¡± ¡°Yeah, and I will need map of Makai Royal City, map of Makai Royal Palace, along with other seasoning to cook it.¡± ¡°The maps you need, my men have started to draw it since four months ago. As for other seasoning, I will do my best to provide it.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Major Petrov tapped the table for a moment before asking, ¡°If we arrive at a point where we have to neutralize military infrastructures inside Makai Royal City, can you give me the job?¡± ¡°My pleasure.¡± Currently, TF Amethyst had limited amount of smart munitions. So, if Major Petrov wanted to take an action on target in the urban area, Colonel Meyer would support it. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°I have enough firearms, ammo, and C4. Just spare me dozens of mortar rounds.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°I will also need direct action element.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Two teams of 12 men each, have experience on black ops. They will use sewer as their main route, so give me guys from Tunnel Rat.¡± ¡°Sorry Petrov, I¡¯m not sure I can get some guys from Tunnel Rat for you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Harley Quinn had deployed Tunnel Rat to Sandhur Region. They will operate under Chief Nate¡¯s direct order as a whole unit for a while.¡± ¡°Get me CQB guys then.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Colonel Meyer immediately nodded. ¡°Charlie Company right now is on standby in Woodpecker. In operation to seize Terry Hill, they adapted to underground tunnel pretty well.¡± ¡°In that case they will do.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Colonel Meyer happily said. ¡°I¡¯ll ask General Rayden to send some of them here.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I will also support your policy on relationship with locals.¡± ¡°I thought that policy will make you mocking me for being too soft.¡± ¡°Well,¡± After taking a deep breath Colonel Meyer continued, ¡°Too often crashed on hellhole and did lot of unspeakable things have turned us into the meanest motherfucker on earth. Even still, we are professional motherfucker, not just mindless amateur.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Major Petrov nodded and smiled. After some small talk Colonel Meyer and Major Petrov then ended the meeting. --- West side of Penna Hill 04:10, 5 Nov 2025 Six week had passed since Colonel Meyer arrived in Jack Sparrow. Every day, he would spend his time preparing Tiger Leap. Making sure Jack Sparrow was ready for it to its highest capacity. Last night, air defense platoon worked to assembly the 42th Ripper Station. They completed the job just an hour before sunrise. And as usual, Colonel Meyer went to observe the test run personally. In casual walk, he entered black pine forest in western side of Penna Hill. It took about 20 minutes before he arrived in front of a platform made of aluminum. The platform was 3x3 meters, had guard rail on each side, and was supported by telescopic pillars. On the middle of the platform, a unit of Ripper Station stood silently. The configuration was M230 30 mm, 7-tube Talon Launcher, MHR Radar, electro optic, and an auxiliary power unit. After taking a glance at the crew who had been waiting for him, Colonel Meyer said, ¡°Captain, let¡¯s start the test run.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Captain Martin happily replied and then gave the Ripper Station¡¯s crew a signal to conduct the test run. Wasting no time, two Tuscan Guards rotated the big wheel on one side of the platform. As the big wheel rotated, the telescopic pillars smoothly went upward. Once the platform slightly passed the natural canopy made of Blackpine¡¯s peaks, one of Tuscan guards immediately locked the big wheel in fixed position. At the same time, the other Tuscan Guard announced, ¡°Ripper is ready and set.¡± Wasting no time, a member of air defense platoon used the remote console to point the Ripper Station to all direction and angle, followed by search, track, and visual observing using electro optic. After that, Command Center took over the control and integrated it into the whole air defense network and ran it in full autonomous mode. As the Ripper Station was working perfectly, the crew then returned it to the initial position and covered it using camouflage tent. ¡°Well done, Captain.¡± Colonel Meyer made a satisfied smile before asking, ¡°Do you need additional Tuscan Guard?¡± ¡°Unless we receive another battery, hundred and fifty Tuscan guards who knew how to assembly and reload Ripper Station are enough.¡± ¡°Well, we won¡¯t receive another Ripper Station.¡± ¡°In that case, I will make sure air defense platoon maximize what we have,¡± Captain Martin calmly said. ¡°Good,¡± Colonel Meyer briefly replied. Both Colonel Meyer and Captain Martin appeared very calm, but they knew for sure Jack Sparrow didn¡¯t have an edge in contest against opposing Rider. Forty two Ripper Stations were big fire power, and the plan to counter opposing Rider was also solid. Talon would intercept and broke the formation of incoming Rider. Then, when they try to re-orient their position to their target, Ripper Station would shower them with combo Air Burst-Tracer and Armor Piercing-Tracer. As for the Cloud Hawk that fell in the perimeter, bowmen from Tuscan Guard would nail them using neurotoxin arrow. This plan was simple, but it could hold the advances of 300 Riders in one go. The problem was, at this moment Makai Guard possessed around 2300 Riders, while a dozen Regions in the radius of 300 km from Makai Royal City had at least 500 Riders each. If they attacked Jack Sparrow in big wave, some would definitely penetrate the air defense network. ¡°As long the opposing side doesn¡¯t possess long range air to ground ammunition, we will survive.¡± After heaving a deep sigh Captain Martin continued, ¡°Of course, it will not without casualties.¡± ¡°Captain, it¡¯s a war, casualty is inevitable.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± After a moment of silence, Captain Martin then asked in a low voice, ¡°Sir, talking about casualty, I heard we suffer a heavy lost in Levsait a few days ago.¡± ¡°Who did tell you that?¡± ¡°I heard it from Lieutenant Reznik, he also told me that my sister was one of the casualties in Levsait, and those animals put her head on a spike.¡± ¡°Sorry for your loss, Captain.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± After heaving a deep sigh Colonel Meyer explained, ¡°The opposing side launched a tunnel attack and IDG was too late in sniffing it. We suffered 104 KIA, including eight officers, mostly were from Logistic and Support Group. Tuscan Guard suffered 383 KIA, while Buriek Guard lost around 1600 combatant. We also had to smash Buriek Guard HQ and Tuscan Guard HQ to the ground.¡± As cold gleam flashed on his eyes Captain Martin asked, ¡°When will we return the favor, Sir?¡± ¡°Soon,¡± Colonel Meyer calmly replied. ¡°Other than map of Makai Royal Palace, we are more than prepare to return the favor.¡± In an instant a grin bloomed in Captain Martin¡¯s lips. ¡°Glad to hear that.¡± Then, Major Alfred suddenly came out of tree line. In a hasty step he approached Colonel Meyer and said, ¡°Major Petrov had just completed map of Makai Royal Palace.¡± After slightly nodding his head Colonel Meyer said, ¡°Let¡¯s contact Woodpecker. It¡¯s time to launch Tiger Leap.¡± ***** TFA2 28.1 – Tiger Leap is A Go TFA2 28.1 ¨C Tiger Leap is A Go Under the night sky, six UH-1Y Venom and two AH-1Z Viper approached Penna Hill from east. All flight crews took a breath full of relief as the peak of Penna Hill appeared in the distance. It was natural because they had just conducted a high risk ferry flight. On paper, Venom and Viper had ferry radius around 685 km, but tonight they had to fly it for 800 km. The extra 115 km seemed small, but in their last minutes flight the crews could fell that their chopper was in its last leg. Even if external tank could increase the ferry radius, it would still not increase the engine endurance. It was not impossible that one of the choppers would suffer engine failure at any second. But fortunately, all choppers managed to hang on until they arrived above Penna Hill. From the cockpit in the leading Viper, Captain Russell observed the activities in Jack Sparrow. Unlike any other night, the surface of Jack Sparrow was brightly light. People in full combat gear and a few dozen Humvees were also visible in one corner. Then, Captain Russel turned his gaze towards landing pad in the middle of Rocky Field. It was small landing pad, only enough for eight small helicopters or four Ospreys to land or take off simultaneously. It was also brightly lit for regular night landing. Wasting no time Captain Russel radioed the member of his flight. ¡°Duck leader to all flight, let¡¯s make a safe landing.¡± The flight from Woodpecker then approached the landing pad. By following the guidance from the ground crew, they made a smooth landing. After the flight crews exited from their choppers, personnel from Logistic and Support Group immediately moved every chopper into underground hangar. They did it using a tool called manual helitow cart. When they moved only one chopper, 2-3 men would just push the chopper while one person steered the helitow. However, as tonight they had to move eight choppers in hurry, personnel from Logistic and Support Group used eight helitow in one go, and connected each tow to M1152 Cargo. Therefore, they could move all six Venoms and two Vipers in matter of minutes. As for the maintenance equipment, ammunition, and other logistic for the choppers, two flight of Hercules had already air dropping it a week ago. Meanwhile, the flight crews calmly stood in the edge of landing pad, waiting for the arrival of maintenance crews. After observing the activities around him Captain Russell said, ¡°It¡¯s very lively here, Sir.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s preparation for initial strike,¡± Major Alfred calmly replied. ¡°We will launch it in a few minutes.¡± ¡°And so, we don¡¯t need to hide our present anymore,¡± Captain Russell concluded. ¡°Correct,¡± Major Alfred firmly replied. Then, as personnel from Logistic and Support Group had moved all choppers from the landing pad, a roar of engines was heard from a distance. It approached Jack Sparrow in rapid pace, and a moment later four Osprey smoothly landed on the landing pad. Three Ospreys brought the maintenance crew, while the last Osprey carried additional fuel for Jack Sparrow. As two personnel from Logistic and Support Group transferred the fuel from the last Osprey to underground fuel storage, the maintenance crews approached Captain Russell and the flight crews. After clearing his throat Major Alfred said, ¡°Gentlemen, welcome to Jack Sparrow. After we have a small brief in the underground hangar, you can rest in your barrack.¡± ¡°¡±¡±Aye Sir.¡±¡±¡± In steady step, the new arrival personnel followed Major Alfred like a pack of chicks followed their mother. --- Underground Command Center, Jack Sparrow 20:40, 5 Nov 2025 After entering Command Center, Major Alfred immediately walked over to Colonel Meyer. ¡°I have told the chopper crews that we need them for the third strike tomorrow.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. In curious tone Colonel Meyer asked, ¡°Do they have objection?¡± ¡°No,¡± Major Alfred happily replied. ¡°Good.¡± After taking a glance at his watch Colonel Meyer continued, ¡°Rolling Panda is already in position and ready to kill opposing coms.¡± Major Alfred nodded and said, ¡°If intel from Reznik is accurate, right now our target will be too drunk to put a fight. Let¡¯s exploit this opportunity.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Colonel Meyer took a deep breath before calmly said, ¡°Tiger Leap is A Go.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Wasting no time, Major Alfred relayed the launching code for Tiger Leap to all elements in Jack Sparrow. --- In the east side of Penna Hill, right on the lip of the cliff, eight pairs of shooter and spotter established a firing position. This shooter team had conducted tactical observation on supervisor office since this afternoon. Each shooter silently lay behind AWM 338 Lapua Magnum. Their precision rifle had high-powered day-night rifle scope attached on top of it, along with a sound suppressor connected to its muzzle. The high-powered day-night rifle scope could help the shooter marked their targets and calculate the impact point, but it would not clear enough to identify them. As for the sound suppressor, it would not completely eliminate the explosion crack from .338 rounds. It would only reduce it into a level of 5.56 mm round, but it was more than enough to prevent people in Makai Royal City from heard the gunshot. In a suppressed mode, the effective range of AWM 338 would also drop to 500 meters. Fortunately, if you drew a straight line from the firing position to supervisor office, it was only 400 meters at max. Meanwhile, each spotter sat behind a tripod that supported a long-range low-light camera. Initially, the long-range low-light camera was used by researcher on earth to observe the night activities on savanna, grassland, or prairie. When some spotters saw member of Nature Environment Group used it to observe the night life in Desolate Land, they immediately asked the adoption of similar device. And so, TF Amethyst procured 400 units military-grade long-range low-light camera. The military-grade version could reach a distance up to 1.6 km. The image was as bright as daylight, and on its effective range the operator could easily count how many freckles on someone face. Under the night sky, the shooter team calmly carried out their mission. Then, Sergeant Tommy had just put a melon seed into his mouth when a radio call came in. [Command to All Archer, be advised, Tiger Leap is A Go.] ¡°¡­¡± [Command to All Archer, I say again, Tiger Leap is A Go.] Without delay Sergeant Tommy pressed PTT button. ¡°Archer 0-1 to Command, I read you, Tiger Leap is A Go.¡± [Archer 0-1, go get them, Command over and out.] ¡°Right on schedule,¡± Sergeant Tommy calmly said. Then, he turned his gaze towards his team members. ¡°You heard it. Let¡¯s get it done.¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡±Aye Top.¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡± Almost in unison all member of shooter team happily replied. --- Below the shooter teams, a long convoy of Humvee walked down the East Track. The convoy moved in moderate speed, almost in total silent, and without turning on its light. It was pretty standard procedure for a night raid. Without the present of RPG or heavy machine gun, all combatants from Ground Combat Group would agree that their Humvee was the best ride for a night raid. Even though initially, TF Amethyst almost canceled the adoption of M1151 and M1152, and went for the previous version of Humvee. M1151 and M1152 did indeed have reliable armor protection up to 7.62 mm. However, the weight of its armor made the vehicles very sluggish, and made a ¡®Creak creak creak!¡± noise. In addition, the engine was also very noisy. Meanwhile, in Iraq and Afghanistan, the previous version of Humvee was very silent and agile. Therefore, in a night raid the raid team could approach the targeted building up to a very close range undetected. And if it had to, it could hit the wall to make entry point for the raid team. Fortunately, there was always solution for every problem. As the result, M1151 and M1152 used by TF Amethyst evolved and became as silent and as agile as the previous version, but with a better protection. Slowly but surely, the convoy of Humvee arrived at the foot of Penna Hill. Then, it separated into four groups. The blocking team took position around two hundred meters in the north, east, and south of supervisor office. Each blocking team was consisted of four M1151 Weapon Carrier. Two were armed with Medium Machine Gun M240, while the other two had Auto Grenade Launcher Mk.19. Meanwhile, the attacking team stopped about a hundred meters before the front gate. From the second M1152 Personnel Carrier, Lieutenant Reznik and a nine-man infantry squad came out. They wore traveler cloak to cover their tactical vest, combat gear, and weapon, while a scarf covered their head and neck. While his squad made final check on their weapon and gear, Lieutenant Reznik approached third M1152 Personnel Carrier. He stopped next to passenger seat before saying, ¡°Any last minute order, Capt.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to lead the breach personally?¡± Captain Tiffany calmly asked. ¡°You are not officer in the Activity anymore.¡± ¡°I join TF Amethyst because I love this kind of job.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Captain Tiffany nodded before continuing, ¡°Well then, go get them.¡± ¡°Aye Ma¡¯am.¡± Captain Tiffany then calmly pressed PTT button, ¡°Godfather to all Raiders, be ready, party is a go.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Godfather to all Raiders, lock and load, and stand by for my signal.¡± Under the night sky, Lieutenant Reznik and his squad then casually walked over to the small door next to the front gate. ***** TFA2 28.2 – Breaching the Gate Clack¡­..Slieeeeck! The small window on the small door smoothly opened, and a face of a Makai guards appeared. Without delay, Lieutenant Reznik put a smile on his face. ¡°Good night, Karzan. Can you open the door? I have urgent matter to talk with Ser Donte.¡± Karzan frowned as he asked, ¡°Right now, really?¡± ¡°Yes, right now and it¡¯s very urgent.¡± As he maintaining his smile Lieutenant Reznik put a bundle of beef jerky in front of the small window. ¡°And this is a small snack to accompany your booze.¡± Frown in Karzan¡¯s face instantly disappeared as he looked at beef jerky in Lieutenant Reznik¡¯s hand. Karzan knew very well how good the beef jerky from Penna Hill. It¡¯s spicy but very tasty, and it went very well with any kind of booze. Wasting no time, Karzan opened the small door. He took the beef jerky and let Lieutenant Reznik and his men entered the small tunnel. After closing the small door, Karzan happily put a piece of beef jerky into his mouth. He was unaware that Lieutenant Reznik¡¯s men in the rearmost drew a silenced HK USP and pointed it to the back of his head. Beep!! A headshot and Karzan¡¯s body powerlessly fell to the floor. He arrived in afterlife without even knowing how he got there. At the same time, Lieutenant Reznik stopped before the end of the tunnel, just next to the lever to open the front gate. From behind the shadow, he calmly observed the watchtower in the distance, a small patrol that made a turn at an intersection, and a small guard post a dozen meter before him. Lieutenant Reznik then turned his gaze towards his men. ¡°Make it quick and neat.¡± ¡°Aye Sir,¡± The squad leader replied in a whisper. Wasting no time Lieutenant Reznik¡¯s men took their traveler cloak off. Then, they put their helmet on and attached their NVG on it. A moment later, the squad leader took five men to storm the guard post. They didn¡¯t need to breach it as its door was widely opened. The merry laugh and chatter in the guard post instantly died as the raid team entered it. The Makai guards looked at the raid team with widened eyes, wondering who these people were, and why did they pointed a weird-shaped stick to them? On the other side, without saying hello or good night, the raid team gently squeezed the trigger. Flash after flash, muffled sound after muffled sound, double tap from one center mass to another, followed by a headshot for any survivor. Less than a minute, twenty six Makai guards in the guard post meet their end. Bloods flowed profusely from the new holes in their body, dripped to the floor, and became one wide pool of blood. In summary, it was swift and precise. A classic example of a good raid. Kill all oppositions before they could react. From the guard post, the raid team then went up to the wall above the front gate. Other than ballista crews, they found no one. With ease, the raid team eliminated the crews and disabled the ballista. However, the flash after flash on top of front gate caught the attention of bowmen in the nearby watchtower. Fortunately, it wouldn¡¯t matter anymore. The main hurdle for the raid was the Makai guards on the guard post and ballista crew on top of front gate, and now both of them had been eliminated. As soon as he saw a movement on the nearby watchtower, Lieutenant Reznik immediately pressed PTT button. ¡°Dagger One to Archer 0-1, do you copy?¡± [Archer 0-1 to Dagger One, loud and clear.] ¡°Archer 0-1, we have secured the front gate, but bowmen in the nearby watchtower have sniffed our presence.] [Receive and understood, precision support is on the way.] ¡°Much appreciate, Dagger One over and out.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Wasting no time, Lieutenant Reznik lowered the lever to open the front gate. As the result, in slow but sure motion the counter weight pulled the main gate up. --- In a calm tone Sergeant Tommy gave his men the order, ¡°Archer 0-3, Archer 0-4, nail hostiles around the front gate.¡± ¡°¡±Roger.¡±¡± ¡°The rest, free hunting for bowman on the high ground, and squad leader on the ground.¡± ¡°¡±¡±Roger.¡±¡±¡± ¡°Watch out for friendly on the wall, blue on blue is unacceptable.¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡±Aye Top.¡±¡±¡±¡± Without delay the shooter team launched the precision fire support. In the world of precision shooting, high angle shooting or mountain sniping were one of the most challenging missions. Only highly-expert marksman could pull the job. Fortunately, Sergeant Tommy and his team was part of a Mountain Brigade. Since the first day they joint their unit, they specifically shaped their marksmanship for mountain sniping. And now, they could do it as easy as sipping of a cup of good coffee. With ease, Archer 0-3 destroyed the closest watchtower to the front gate. Five bowmen in this tower were killed before they had a chance to snipe the raid team on the front gate. At the same time, Archer 0-4 ambushed a small patrol who on their way to the front gate. After a single shot, the remaining member of patrol squad scattered to all direction. It was natural reaction. Anyone would definitely petrified if out of nowhere, someone who walked in front of them suddenly had their waist exploded, spitting blood along with fragment of bone or internal organ, and leaving behind a hole as big as coconut. A moment later, warnings about the deadly attack were heard to all corner of supervisor office. Bowmen on the watchtower immediately scanned their sector, while dozens other took firing position on the highest rooftop. Ironically, this swift reaction would help the shooter team to nail them. --- In the inner yard next to his quarter, Donte was happily starting a campfire. It was a preparation for his daily sex party. As he took a glance on the east cliff of Penna Hill, he muttered, ¡®Finally, the noise is calm down and I can pass the night peacefully.¡¯ Then, Captain Rawal entered the inner yard and reported, ¡°Ser Donte, a messenger had come from City Guard HQ.¡± ¡°A messenger?¡± Donte frowned as he continued, ¡°Why don¡¯t they send the message through crystal communicator?¡± ¡°It seems we have some disturbance in our network.¡± After slightly snorting Donte asked, ¡°What message do they send?¡± ¡°They want us to check the origin of loud noise in Penna Hill.¡± ¡°Why? I bet the woodcutters are just celebrating some ritual asking for good fortune.¡± ¡°Yes Ser, but the noise was truly too loud for some festival or ritual.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Donte put a chicken into skewer as he continued, ¡°Tomorrow at first light, send a squad to Penna Hill. Order them to ask some penalty for noise disturbance.¡± ¡°As your command, Ser.¡± Captain Rawal was about to leave when flash after flash suddenly were visible on the east cliff of Penna Hill, followed by a repeated ¡®Bang!¡¯. ¡°What was that?¡± Captain Rawal curiously asked. ¡°Maybe some fireworks,¡± Donte casually replied, though a big question mark was clearly reflected on his gaze. ¡°Ser Donte, maybe we should check on Penna Hill right now. I have a really bad hunch about this.¡± As the flash after flash on the peak of east cliff became more intense, Donte nodded. ¡°Well, let¡¯s find out what exactly those morons on Penna Hill do at this hour.¡± ¡°Right awa---.¡± Captain Rawal couldn¡¯t finish his words as warnings of a night raid were suddenly heard all over the supervisor office. At the same time, a Centurion entered the inner yard. Panic was clearly visible on his eyes. ¡°Ser Donte, Captain, we have a breach on the front gate.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± A big question mark in instant appeared on Donte¡¯s forehead. ¡°We are only a few kilometer from Makai Royal City, who the fuck insane enough to attack this place?¡± ¡°They wear a strange outfit, but some of our men recognize them. They are woodcutters from Penna Hill?¡± ¡°Bastard!!¡± Donte furiously cursed. ¡°Send messenger to City Guard HQ. Ask them to send reinforcement as big as they can.¡± ¡°As your command, Ser.¡± Donte then turned his gaze towards Captain Rawal. ¡°Defend this inner yard at all cost.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Without delay Captain Rawal carried the order. Then, Donte went to hide in the bunker under the inner yard. He decided to stay over there until reinforcement arrived. Donte was fully aware that currently more than half of his men were too drunk to fight. So, preserving his life was his highest priority. As for the job to repel the attacker, Donte would let the reinforcement from City Guard HQ to do it. ***** TFA2 28.3 – Retreat to Penna Hill With ease dozens of Humvee passed the front gate of supervisor office. Other than three M1151 Weapon Carriers to help Lieutenant Reznik guard the front gate, Captain Tiffany brought the remaining Humvees to capture Donte, the main objective of tonight raid. The distance from the front gate to the inner yard was about 150 meters and the attack team met almost no resistance. More than half of Makai guards on the supervisor office were too drunk to fight. Meanwhile, the shooter team had wiped out a small number of bowmen on the archer tower and rooftop. Initially, some sober Makai guards tried to organize a defensive measure. However, after shooter team nailed their leader, they immediately went into hiding. After stationing four M1151 Weapon Carriers on each intersection around the inner yard, Captain Tiffany took two nine-man squads to snatch Donte. There was only one corridor she could use to enter the inner yard. In this corridor a squad of Makai guards blocked her way. From a corner before the corridor, she peeked at the neatly line-up Makai guards. Shield and spear in the front and bowman in the rear, fifty Makai guards at least. ¡°They form a good defensive formation,¡± Captain Tiffany calmly said. ¡°It would be very hard to penetrate it using arrow and sword.¡± After chuckling for a moment Sergeant Stern said, ¡°Unfortunately, they have to face assault rifle and grenade.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After taking a deep breath, Captain Tiffany loudly offered the Makai guards in the corridor a chance to surrender, ¡°We just wanted Donte. Give him to us and we will be on our way.¡± A reply was heard from behind the blockade, ¡°Miss Tiffany, is that you?¡± Captain Tiffany recognized the voice and immediately replied, ¡°I¡¯m.¡± ¡°Miss Tiffany, I don¡¯t know why you attack this place, but I had already sent a runner to City Guard HQ. They will come in a few minutes. You better leave now.¡± ¡°Captain Rawal, I don¡¯t think your runner had a chance to leave this place,¡± Captain Tiffany calmly said. ¡°Please, don¡¯t sacrifice your men¡¯s life for a scumbag like Donte.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that,¡± Captain Rawal firmly replied. ¡°You are a good officer, Captain. It¡¯s a shame you have scumbag like Donte as your superior officer.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± After heaving a deep sigh, Captain Tiffany turned her gaze towards Sergeant Stern. ¡°They had made their choice, let¡¯s respect it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Without delay, Sergeant Stern gave his squad signal to attack the corridor. Clank clang cla-cla-claaaannk!! Two high-frag grenades hit the floor before rolling over until it arrived two steps in front of shield holders. The shield holders looked at the two grenades with wondering eyes, without realizing that their life was under imminent danger from those two small round objects. Ba-Bang!! Without prior warning, the two high-frag grenades exploded almost simultaneously. The fragmentation with ease penetrated the wooden shield, and although it failed to penetrate the chest plate wore by the shield holders, it still produced dozens of cuts on unprotected arm, thigh, or shin. In an instant, heart shattering screams filled the whole corridor. The shield formation was broke, while some bowmen fired their arrow accidentally. As for the remaining spearmen, panic and confuse clouded their mind. At the same time, the attack teams steadily entered the corridor in two rows. One squad on the left, and the other one on the right. Brrrrttt! B-Brrrtt! Brrrrrrrrrrttt!! Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Without second thought, the two pointmen launched a spray and pray from their silenced Scorpion Evo. The Makai guards on the corridor couldn¡¯t fight back as the rain of 9 mm rounds hit their body. Each pointman spent the first magazine in two breaths, swiftly changing into second magazine, and then continued the spray and pray. It required four fully loaded magazines before all Makai guards in the corridor fell to the floor. Blood was flowing out from their wound like a flood. The raid team was still ten steps away from the closest fallen Makai guards, but the spreading pool of blood had reached their combat boot. Ordinary people would throw up or at least received a great shock when they saw so much bloods and death bodies from close range. However, the raid team calmly walked over the thick pool of blood and piled of fallen Makai guards. It was easy to tell that this was not their first bloody raid. Not to mention, when the two pointmen found Makai guards who were still breathing, they would shot them on the forehead. As soon as they entered the inner yard the raid team immediately searched the place throughfully, but they found no one. After taking a glance on the camp fire and stone table full of food and wine, Captain Tiffany said, ¡°Donte is the bunker, let¡¯s breach it.¡± ¡°Aye Ma¡¯am,¡± Sergeant Stern calmly replied. Other than the raid to take over the inner yard, the raid team had also simulated the breach to the bunker below it. They were fully aware that the huge block of stone table in the middle of the inner yard was the door to the bunker, and if someone had locked it from inside it was nearly impossible to open it from outside. Fortunately, with proper application C4 would destroy the stone table. C4 was not the best option to destroy a hard object. However, it was the most stable explosive that a frontline squad could carry all the time. Not to mention, it had wide range of flexibility on how a non-demolition specialist could use it Without delay, two members of raid team who had qualification for setting up C4 made a preparation. At the same time, the remaining member of raid team secured the area. --- In a calm mood, Donte enjoyed a bottle of high quality wine. He was sure the attacker would easily take over the small fort, but he was not worry. Donte had absolute confidence on the huge stone table that blocked the entry to the bunker. He believed the reinforcement from City Guard HQ would be arrived before the attacker could destroy the stone table. Unfortunately, Donte¡¯s calculation didn¡¯t include C4 in the equation. BOOOM!! Without prior warning, a loud explosion suddenly rocked every corner of the bunker, followed by big chunk of stones that fell on the staircase under the entry point. In an instant, cold sweat drenched Donte¡¯s back as people on black clothes suddenly entered the bunker and arrived before him. However, Donte¡¯s pale face returned to normal as he recognized the attacker was woodcutter from Penna Hill. Moreover, the woman he admired with every single fiber of his existence was among them. ¡°Miss Tiffany, even if you have a grudge against me, I don¡¯t think attacking this small fort is a wise action,¡± Donte calmly said. ¡°But I can overlook this incident if you accept my offer to become my wife.¡± In a flat tone Captain Tiffany replied, ¡°Thank¡¯s for the offer, but no.¡± Donte looked at Captain Tiffany for a moment before saying, ¡°You will regret it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Tiffany then explained, ¡°Ser Donte, we are at war and if it up to me, I will have execute you right here right now.¡± In an instant a big question mark popped up on Donte¡¯s forehead, ¡°How can we are at a war?¡± ¡°Please allow me to reintroduce myself,¡± Captain Tiffany calmly said. ¡°Tiffany Lockwood, Captain of Ground Combat Group, TF Amethyst.¡± Donte was familiar with the name of TF Amethyst. For the last few days, he had heard a lot of things about them. For example, TF Amethyst was the biggest reason for the defeat of Kingdom of Makai in their effort to retaliate on Kingdom of Buriek. He also heard a lot of talk that TF Amethyst was preparing an attack on Makai Royal City. However, never did Donte imagine that he would become the victim of that attack. ¡°How many manpower TF Amethyst have in Penna Hill? I¡¯m sure it will not exceed five thousand and it wills not enough,¡± Donte confidently said. ¡°Currently, Makai Guard had established defensive network up to 300 km from Makai Royal City to all direction. They have more than two million combatants and a few thousand Riders.¡± ¡°We will kill them all if we have to,¡± Captain Tiffany ignored Donte¡¯s mocking expression as she turned her gaze towards Sergeant Stern. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap over this raid and retreat.¡± ¡°As your command.¡± Wasting no time, Sergeant Stern ordered two men to escort Donte out of the bunker. Then, as he looked at bag of money, pile of banknote, and other valuables at a corner he asked, ¡°Capt, maybe we can also take valuable on this bunker.¡± ¡°We have no time for that,¡± Captain Tiffany firmly replied. ¡°Reznik has to interrogate Donte before we launch third strike this afternoon.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Deep regret gripped Sergeant Stern¡¯s heart, but he didn¡¯t argue. A few minutes later, the attack team and blocking team had already on their way to Penna Hill. They were retreating in full speed while carrying the main objective for tonight raid. ***** TFA2 29.1 – Chicken in the Pot TFA2 29.1 ¨C Chicken in the Pot To carry the Tiger Leap, one of Jack Sparrow¡¯s offensive means was Heavy Mortar M120 120 mm. In total, Jack Sparrow had a platoon of eight mortar squads. Each squad had five-man crew and mortar shelter in separate locations. The separation was done to prevent the mortar platoon from being wiped out in one go. However, this separation wouldn¡¯t reduce their capability to launch an On Time On Target fire mission. In short, network centric in Jack Sparrow would enable them to hit one target at the same time. On the west side of Penna Hill, or to be precise on a small opening in the middle of towering Blackpines, a mortar squad calmly enjoyed their breakfast. They were on combat duty until the next four hours, so they couldn¡¯t leave their mortar shelter other than for nature call. It was casual and light breakfast. A cup of coffee and egg sandwich with cheese and thick bacon. And suddenly, Sergeant Turner, the leader of the mortar squad, received a radio call. [Command to Slingshot 3-1, do you copy?] After taking a sip of his coffee to washed down bacon sandwich he just chewed, Sergeant Turner pressed PTT button on his chest. ¡°Slingshot 3-1 to Command, I read you crystal clear.¡± [Slingshot 3-1, we have chicken in the pot, be ready to provide some fire.] Wasting no time Sergeant Turner took out a small notepad and pen. ¡°Copy, what type of fire do you need?¡± [One gun, one round, high-fragmentation, 81 mm, laser-guided. Grid designator delta zulu seven-two, oscar romeo five-six.] ¡°Slingshot 3-1 to Command, reconfirm, one gun, one round, high-fragmentation, 81 mm, laser-guided. Grid designator, delta zulu seven-two, oscar romeo five-six.¡± [Slingshot 3-1, you have correct fire, stand by for the green, Command over and out.] As soon as the radio call ended Sergeant Turner said to his team, ¡°Be ready, we have chicken in the pot.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Aye Top.¡±¡±¡±¡± The whole team replied cheerfully. This was their first fire mission, so they were very excited. At the same time question mark filled their mind to the brim, as only high value target had predetermined grid designator. ¡°Top, what is our target?¡± Gunner Damien asked curiously. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s not in Makai Royal City.¡± After taking a glance on the grid designator Sergeant Turner continued, ¡°The impact point is 11 km northwest of our position.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Well then, this is our first splash, let¡¯s make it as a good as we can.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Aye.¡±¡±¡± Wasting no time, Sergeant Turner and his squad prepared the fire mission. First, they installed M303 Sub-Caliber Insert. This piece of equipment would allow M120 to fire 81 mm round. Then, they prepared one 81 mm guided round. This guided round had wings, control fins, GPS/INS or laser seeker to guide it, and could reach a range of 12 km in three minutes. It also didn¡¯t whistle when flying to its target. Therefore, the mortar crew also called it as a silent round. About ten minutes later, Sergeant Turner and his team received the green to execute the fire mission. Without delay, they carried it out. Thumb!! The 81 mm guided round leaved the mortar tube smoothly, jumped to the sky, and then flew to its target silently. --- Four kilometer north of Makai Royal City, a mansion stood majestically. This huge and luxury mansion was Prince Dellan¡¯s official living quarter. He received it from King Makai XXII two years ago, as a gift for his graduation from Makai Royal Academy. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Five days ago, Prince Dellan had returned from Tumbra Region. Since then, he would spend most of his time in his mansion and pouring his energy to rebuild Battle Group C. He didn¡¯t even attend strategy meeting in Makai Royal Hall, and only sending Marquis Valmire as his representative. And so, every morning Prince Dellan would receive some updates from Marquis Valmire. After taking a sip of his tea, Prince Dellan turned his gaze towards Marquis Valmire. ¡°Uncle Valmire, what update do you have today?¡± In respectful tone Marquis Valmire replied, ¡°Last night, The Majesty had ordered Grand Admiral Shoel to take over Battle Group B¡¯s command element.¡± ¡°Sending the best admiral from Makai Navy to take over Battle Group B is good choice,¡± Prince Dellan calmly expressed his agreement. ¡°Will Admiral Shoel bring 9th Makai Royal Fleet with him?¡± ¡°No, he will bring only his carrier ships and a dozen of cruisers as escort.¡± ¡°When will he depart?¡± ¡°In four to six days.¡± After pausing for a moment Marquis Valmire continued, ¡°The Majesty will also help Your Highness rebuild Battle Group C, and expecting we can depart as soon as possible in full power.¡± After slightly nodded Prince Dellan cheerfully said, ¡°With the help from The Majesty, I believe we will be ready to sail in ten days.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± As he deeply looked at Marquis Valmire, Prince Dellan asked, ¡°Uncle Valmire, can you take Uncle Velker¡¯s position and becomes my right hand? ¡®It will be a great honor to serve Your Highness Prince. This humble servant will serve you with his utmost, till his last breath,¡± Marquis Valmire firmly replied. ¡°Good. I believe Uncle Valmire will be a great help for me.¡± Price Dellan happily smiled before continued, ¡°I know member of your family from Uncle Velker¡¯s branch don¡¯t support the decision to choose you as new family head. However, I will help you solidifies your authority and assist you to seize the tittle of Duke that Uncle Velker left behind. In return, don¡¯t use violence or harsh means to suppress direct lineage of Uncle Velker.¡± ¡°Your Highness is wise and full of compassion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just preventing a loyal vassal family from getting destroyed because of internal power struggle.¡± After a moment of silent, Prince Dellan then stood from his chair. ¡°Before starting today meeting with the rest, let¡¯s have some exercise.¡± ¡°As your command, Your Highness.¡± Wasting no time, Prince Dellan and Marquis Valmire went to the range in the side yard. After choosing a longbow and a quiver full of arrows, the two took a firing stance in middle of the range or about 100 meters before a row of target practice made of straw. This was not their first longbow practice. Since his return, Prince Dellan would have a longbow practice with Marquis Valmire every morning. This exercise helped him to reduce the bitterness that had plagued his heart after the defeat of Battle Group C. However, Prince Dellan and Marquis Valmire didn¡¯t realize that IDG¡¯s element in Jack Sparrow was closely monitoring their morning routine. And at this moment, while they were loosening up their wrist and shoulder, an 81 mm mortar round was silently approaching their position. With ease, Reaper in the high sky used laser designation to mark the impact point just two steps behind Prince Dellan and Marquis Valmire. Then, the incoming mortar round finally arrived. Blaaarr!! It was perfect hit to the intended impact point. The blast fragmentation cleanly cut Prince Dellan and Marquis Valmire on the legs, just slightly below the knee. At the same time, the shockwave hit their body like an invisible club and lobbed them to the air. The two met their death even before their body hit the ground. As for the mansion guards who guarded the range, they could only freaked out. Their face rapidly became as pale as corpse as they ran over to the two destroyed bodies in the middle of the range. --- In the underground Command Center, Colonel Meyer observed the mortar strike through aerial footage from Reaper. A few seconds after the mortar round completed its mission, he personally radioed Sergeant Turner. ¡°Command to Slingshot 3-1, you cook the chicken well, tell your men they did a good job.¡± [Copy, we are ready for the next round.] ¡°Not so fast, Slingshot 3-1, stand by for now, Command over and out.¡± After sipping of his coffee, Colonel Meyer turned his gaze towards Major Alfred. ¡°Two successful strikes so far.¡± Major Alfred slightly nodded and said, ¡°I hope the third strike will also go according to the plan.¡± ¡°So do I,¡± Colonel Meyer heaving a deep sigh before continued, ¡°But last night I had another dream about my funeral.¡± ¡°Damn¡­¡± Major Alfred swore in half whisper. This was not the first time Colonel Meyer had a dream about his funeral just before a raid. The last time he had it was before an attempt to capture one of the most wanted targets in CIA¡¯s shit list. In this raid, he lost two choppers and failed to save the crews and the raid team. ¡°Maybe, just maybe, we can pray. Asking a divine intervention to help our effort in stopping the war against Kingdom of Makai,¡± Major Alfred calmly proposed an idea. ¡°Nope,¡± Colonel Meyer flatly rejected Major Alfred¡¯s idea. ¡°I¡¯m a catholic, remember?¡± ¡°I do. You are a catholic who believed our Father in heaven is a good Father, and like any good father He will expecting His children to be tough and wise enough to take cares of their own problem.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After a pause Colonel Meyer said, ¡°Let¡¯s launch the third strike and wrap this senseless war up.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Without delay Major Alfred relayed the launching code for the third strike, or to be precise the air assault on Makai Royal Hall. ***** TFA2 29.2 – Air Assault TFA2 29.2 ¨C Air Assault With a complicated gaze, Donte looked at the long table before him. A few minutes ago, an extremely detailed and precise map of Makai Royal Palace was displayed on that table. Worst of all, after he drank a cup of tea he got from one of his interrogators, he lost his ability to lie. Every time he got a question to confirm a classified information about Makai Royal Palace, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from answered it with every drop of knowledge he had. Only in matter of hours, he had spilled out huge chunk of information that normally would require years of effort to acquire it. Not to mention, most of those information were tightly related to Makai Royal Hall, one of the most guarded area in Makai Royal Palace. Therefore, it was natural that up to this moment cold sweats were still drenching Donte¡¯s back like a flood. ¡®What I have done,¡¯ Donte muttered as he imagined his head was rolling away from his body. Then, Lieutenant Reznik suddenly entered the interrogation room while carrying a plate of egg sandwich and a big cup of orange juice. ¡°Ser Donte, please have a breakfast. You maybe haven¡¯t felt it yet, but the interrogation formula is draining your energy.¡± Lieutenant Reznik said in a calm tone. He didn¡¯t use flattering tone like the one he usually used when visiting Donte in his office. At the same time, he also didn¡¯t have mocking expression that an interrogator would usually and proudly show to his prisoner. After looking at the egg sandwich and orange juice in front of him, Donte turned his gaze towards Lieutenant Reznik, and in tone full of hatred he said, ¡°Reznik, you are a fucking liar.¡± ¡°Well, I heard that a lot,¡± Lieutenant Reznik calmly replied. ¡°But history is full of liars, mostly are dictators who wielded power far bigger than mine. I¡¯m just a drop of water in the ocean, nothing else and else.¡± After slightly snorting Donte curiously asked, ¡°What is your unit and rank?¡± ¡°First Lieutenant, Intelligence and Diplomacy Group.¡± ¡°I know intelligence people and diplomacy people work together most of the time, but only fool will put them together under one command structure.¡± Lieutenant Reznik nodded in agreement. ¡°In most case it¡¯s true. Normally, a country would separate diplomacy and intelligence into two departments so the highest authority could assess the situation objectively. But TF Amethyst is not a country. It¡¯s just a huge mercenary group. So, we adopt many policies in compact version to spare us from unnecessary spending, protocol, and bureaucracy.¡± After silent for a moment Donte warily asked another question, ¡°What will you do with the information you squeeze from me?¡± ¡°Use it to help my superior officer capture King Makai XXII.¡± ¡°Insane fool.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Lieutenant Reznik slightly nodded before continuing, ¡°However, after killing a Prince, it¡¯s only proper if our next target is the king himself.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± As Donte gave him a big questioning gaze, Lieutenant Reznik calmly explained, ¡°A few minutes ago, we killed Prince Dellan and his right hand.¡± ¡°You are bluffing.¡± ¡°We are not.¡± ¡°Killing a prince will trigger an irreconcilable war.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Lieutenant Reznik casually said. ¡°For the last thousand years, nobles in Amstell Continent wage a war left and right as if it¡¯s a recreational activity, because a ransom can guarantee their safety even if they suffer a total defeat. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! So, it¡¯s time to wake them up. TF Amethyst doesn¡¯t give a damn about ransom. War against us is a sure way to arrive in afterlife.¡± ¡°And what if Kingdom of Makai refuses to back down?¡± ¡°Regrettably but surely, TF Amethyst will wipe Kingdom of Makai out off the map.¡± Gulp!! Donte gulped hard as he realized that even if Lieutenant Reznik said his words casually, steel resolved was reflected in his eyes. Not to mention, a moment later Lieutenant Reznik showed him the recording of how Prince Dellan and Marquis Valmire met with their end. ¡°Ser Donte, before we start the next interrogation, I suggest you eat your breakfast.¡± In a defeated tone Donte replied, ¡°Reznik, I already told you all information I know about Makai Royal Palace.¡± ¡°Yes, you did. But as member of Makai Royal Family, I believe you have other valuable information and my job is to milk it to the last drop.¡± As he took a glance on the orange juice in front of him Donte asked, ¡°Do you mix the interrogation formula in this orange juice?¡± ¡°No, excessive use of interrogation formula can lead into brain damage. We will only use it once a week, when we have to confirm the truth of the information you have provide.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After heaving a deep sigh, Donte then started enjoying his breakfast. He chose to fully cooperate rather than put a meaningless fight. To be precise, he decided to preserve his life at any necessary mean. --- Like any other tier two units in TF Amethyst, 2nd Air Assault Brigade put a great emphasize in combat readiness for its infantry element. Every infantry from the lowest to highest rank had to be ready to be deployed in front line at short notice, both mentally and physically. Therefore, rigorous training regime was like second nature for them. Every week, every infantry from first company, first battalion, 2nd Air Assault Brigade or 2-11 Company had to meet the quota of 35 hours of physical exercise. This quota didn¡¯t include recreation sport like basketball, volley, or tennis. As for marksmanship, they had to visit shooting range or CQB house three times a week, 35 round of live ammo each. This was not including combat simulation using Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System or MILES. Once every three months, on an unscheduled time, the whole company would conduct a 54-hours war game. After 40 km cross country in full gear, they had to seize hostile camp in a forest, mock-town, or in the middle of nowhere. In this war game, each personnel could spend 200-300 rounds at pop-up targets behind a window, on the roof, on tree top, behind a tree, behind a car, and then clearing another series of pop-up target room by room or hut by hut. Calling close air support, artillery strike, or aerial cas-evac were also in the menu. It was not rare that they would also have unpleasant surprise in the end of the war game. Instead of hot food and hot bath, they got Osprey or choppers to airlift them to the next target. Then, they conducted an air assault when they were already half-dead mentally and physically. Meanwhile, when they have combat mission, the quota for physical exercise would decrease into 20 hours per week, mainly for endurance training and martial arts. In return, the quota for marksmanship increased into 150 rounds per day. As for the rest of their spare time, they used it to drill every intel they needed into their mind, or sharpening individual skill such as radio operator, paramedic, demolition, booby trap, etc. In short, for the last two weeks 2-11 AA Company had done whatever they could to ensure the capture of King Makai XXII. If after all that rigorous preparation they still failed, then they could only blame it to Granny Bad Luck. After taking a deep breath, Captain Mullen looked deeply at second platoon of 2-11 AA Company. Each personnel wore dry moss combat fatigue, along with combat boot, glove, tactical vest, and FAST helmet all in dark grey. They stood ramrod straight, brimming with confidence, but at the same time their eyes and expression was calm and quiet. The paint on their HK416 or USP Compact was flake off in some area. It was a clear sign of hard abuse that those weapons had to go through with their operator. However, every piece would work as good as or better than new piece out of the box. The master armorer had made sure of it and would gladly guarantee it with his life. As for rifle scope, they used combination of Trijicon TA02 and Trijicon RMR as do-it-all rifle scope. One for mid-range engagement, while the other for close-quarter fight. ¡°As you already knew,¡± Captain Mullen calmly opened the brief. ¡°Captain Tiffany and her mountain monkeys from 3-11 MI had carried out the first strike brilliantly. However, it¡¯s just an opening strike. We, the real infantries, are the one who would carry the decisive strike.¡± ¡°Aye Sir,¡± All member of second platoon happily replied. ¡°IDG had confirmed all intels we have. Fortunately, we don¡¯t have to make last minute adjustment.¡± After a small pause Captain Mullen continued, ¡°However, we just killed a prince. So, in case shit hit the fan, save one bullet for yourself as they will torture any prisoner publicly, as long and as painful as they can.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s get the job done and end the war.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Mullen led second platoon exited the underground parking lot, and went straight to the helipad where two Vipers and Six Venoms had been on stand by and ready to fly at any second. Like any other light infantry unit, second platoon had four 9-man infantry squad. Each squad immediately hopped in into four Venoms. A moment later, two Vipers and four Venoms took off and flew straight to west, leaving behind two Venoms that would stand by to carry out emergency evacuation in case shit happened. ***** TFA2 29.3 – Clearing the Route TFA2 29.3 ¨C Clearing the Route From the cabin on the leading UH-1Y Venoms, Captain Mullen observed Makai Royal City. The giant city was divided by Dovar River in the middle. On the east bank, it had commoner district, red light district, and commercial district. This side had no city wall and the main street was wide and had hard surface. Humvee would easily explore it almost into every part of the city. Therefore, if one of the choppers crashed in the east bank, third platoon and their Humvees would easily conducted a quick rescue. Meanwhile, Makai Royal Palace, military district, and high-class district were located in the west bank. This side had a thick city wall and 20.000 Makai Guard who had been stationed in six military bases. If a chopper crashed on this side, the survivors could only made their escape through the underground sewer. As long as the survivors followed the current on the underground sewer, they would find the exit to Dovar River. Then, first platoon and some of Major Petrov¡¯s men who had disguised themselves as fisherman and stood by in Dovar River since yesterday would evacuate them. And if they were lucky, the survivors would meet CQB element on the middle of their way. This black ops squad had silently lived on the underground sewer for the last four weeks, so they would easily took the survivors to the sewer exit. Then, the flight of choppers from Jack Sparrow passed over the east bank, leaving thousand people who gave them wondering gaze. And just before they completely passed over Dovar River and entered the west bank, the Venom¡¯s pilot informed Captain Mullen. ¡°Five minutes.¡± After a small nod Captain Mullen immediately pressed PTT button, ¡°God Father to all squad, lock and load, five minutes out.¡± At the same time, two Vipers in the lead increase its speed. Their first objective was clearing the route for the Venoms. So far, IDG had located six fire spears and two dozens of ballista. They were stationed on top of palace wall and forming a big ring of air defense network. Even if fire spear didn¡¯t have explosive on its spearhead, up to 500 meters it could penetrate cockpit of a chopper and killed the crew. Meanwhile, ballista bolt could cause a fatal problem if it entered the air intake. In short, this primitive air defense could still become a threat for the Venoms and had to be destroyed to the last unit. With ease, the pair of Vipers passed the city wall and flew directly towards Makai Royal Palace in full speed. Before long, palace wall was visible in the distance. Without delay, Captain Russel took his Viper to approach the first fire spear while observing its crew. They seemed didn¡¯t know how to respond the incoming Viper. It was natural as Rolling Panda was still jamming crystal communication network around Makai Royal City. Meanwhile, the survivors in supervisor office were still hiding in their holes. In short, Makai Guard didn¡¯t aware that Makai Royal Palace was under imminent attack, so they didn¡¯t issue any warning for Palace Guard. In a calm tone, Captain Russell radioed his partner in crime. ¡°Black Duck to Red Duck, let¡¯s start the party, follow my lead.¡± [Red Duck to Black Duck, receive and understood, we have your six.] Wasting no time, both Vipers executed a sharp nose dive. Right at a range of 1 km before the fire spear, gunner on first Viper fired one Hydra unguided rocket. Two seconds later, gunner on second Viper also fired another Hydra unguided rocket. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Blaarr! Blaaaarrr!! Both Hydra unguided rockets missed a few meters before the fire spear, but it was more than enough to disable the launcher, burned the fuel stock, and killed the crew. Wasting no time, both Vipers then banked hard to the left and approaching the closest ballista. After seeing how the fire spear and its crew met with their end, the ballista crew immediately fired a ballista bolt to the incoming Vipers, but both Vipers easily avoided it. Blaarr! Blaaaarrr!! Just before the ballista crew launched second bolt, two Hydra unguided rockets hit them first. In a blink of one eye, both the crew and the ballista met with their end. With ease, both Vipers continued their hunter-killer run. They circled palace wall in high speed while neutralizing fire spear and ballista along their way. The crew of fire spears and ballista tried to shoot them down from beyond their effective range, but its futile attempt. Even if fire spear was three times faster than ballista bolt, it still had fixed trajectory. Therefore, Vipers could easily avoid it as long as they knew their trajectory. In less than five minutes, all fire spears and ballista on top of palace wall were annihilated to the last unit. Then, both Vipers proceed with their second objective, suppressing or annihilating opposing ground troops. Coincidently or not, the first barracks of Palace Guard was located only 2 km from their position. Without delay both Vipers approached it. --- In the assembly field in front of a barracks, 600 member of Palace Guard neatly lined up while receiving a brief from their officer. Then, as soon as they saw two flying carriages were approaching theirs position, they immediately formed a tortoise formation. Some of them also prepared their longbow or throwing spear. It seemed the Palace Guard had heard about the attack on the palace wall. However, they didn¡¯t aware about the nasty capability of the two flying carriage they had to kill. With tone of full confident Captain Heriek gave his men an order, ¡°Be ready and do not waver, they fly too low. Our longbow and throwing spear will easily reach them.¡± ¡°¡±¡±SIR YES SIR!!!¡±¡±¡± Captain Heriek¡¯s men firmly replied as their fighting spirit soared to the sky. Then, they calmly waiting for the incoming flying carriages to enter the range of their longbow and throwing spear. ¡®We got you bastards,¡¯ Count Heriek muttered as sadistic grin bloomed at his lips. Then, he ordered his men, ¡°¡°FIRE!!¡± Swish swish swish swi-wi-wi-wissssssh!! Hundreds of arrows and throwing spears flew directly towards the incoming flying carriages. However, the flying carriages easily avoided it by making a hard bank to the left. Then, they circled the tortoise formation while pointing the triple-rod under their chin to its outer section. Brrrrrrt Brrrrttt Brrrrrrrrrrtttttttt!!! Just before Captain Heriek¡¯s men launched the second salvo, a rain of fire arrows hit them first. Each fire arrow easily killed 3-5 men who stood in their trajectory. It penetrated their shield, their armor, and their body like a hot knife cut a block of butter. In an instant, the tortoise formation crumbled. In reflex the survivors followed their instinct. They were running as fast they could to their barrack to take cover. Theirs barracks was made of thick stone wall and roof that was able withstand Cloud Hawk¡¯s claw and beak. So, they believed it would save them from the nasty fire arrow. The decision of the survivors turned out was correct. Theirs barracks easily blocked the fire arrow. Relief slowly filled their heart, while color returned to their pale face. Some of them even started to smile. However, a second later two giant fire spears suddenly entered the barracks from two different windows. Ka-Booommm!! The two giant fire spears exploded almost simultaneously. The survivors in the barracks didn¡¯t know the name of the fire spears. However, from the blinding light and explosion they witnessed with their eyes and body, they spontaneously guessed its origin. They believed it must be fire spears from hell, and they were not completely wrong. Meanwhile, the two flying carriages didn¡¯t bother to check the result of their attack. Two 9-kg high explosive warheads from Hellfire would more than enough to turn a building made of solid stone into a giant furnace, and roasted any living thing inside it into charcoal or ash. Without delay the two flying carriages continued their hunt. They had to prevent any opposing ground troops from jeopardizing the assault team¡¯s objective. They also had to hurry as the flight of the Venoms had just passed over the palace wall. ***** TFA2 30.1 – Secret Corridor TFA2 30.1 ¨C Secret Corridor Once every four days, King Makai XXII would hold strategy meeting in Makai Royal Hall. In the small but luxurious meeting room, just next to the main audience room, he calmly started the meeting. ¡°Uncle Migal, how far is the progress for second campaign?¡± Grand Commander Migal respectfully replied, ¡°Your Majesty, we have secured enough supply but in return the food shortage in Makai Royal City increase several folds, followed by clear sign of imminent public riots. Also, as we suffer massive casualty in the first campaign, now we have to pay a huge amount of pension and death gratuity for the family of fallen personnel.¡± ¡°For now, hold the payment for pension and death gratuity,¡± King Makai XXII casually decided. ¡°And let¡¯s use public riots that occur as a means for population control. The population density in Makai Royal City has hit an alarming rate since last year. We can¡¯t let this issue remains unattended.¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Count Murak, the current trade and finance minister, respectfully said. ¡°May this humble servant propose an idea?¡± ¡°You may, Uncle Murak.¡± ¡°As we know, the number of potential rioter in Makai Royal City is massive. Even if we manage to suppress the first riot, I¡¯m afraid the second riot and the next one will break out shortly after. In that case, we--- ¡°City Guard will annihilate it, no matter how many or how big the riot is,¡± Count Karg, the current commander of City Guard, confidently said. ¡°We had done this kind of routine for the last thousand years and we will do it again to ensure Kingdom of Makai¡¯s existence and glory. Not to mention Makai Guard has recruited most of adult male along with boys above 13 years old, and they will depart to frontline soon. So, the majority of rioters are only widower, orphan kids, or elderly.¡± After heaving a deep sigh Count Murak immediately said, ¡°Count Karg, don¡¯t just cut me in the middle of my explanation.¡± ¡°Why? Do you have something else to say other than doubting City Guard¡¯s capability?¡± Count Karg asked in mocking tone. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Do you want us to spare the rebellious commoner?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then, what idea do you want to propose?¡± ¡®This fool.¡¯ While trying to hold back his anger Marquis Murak continued, ¡°That¡¯s why don¡¯t just cut me in the middle of my explanation.¡± Seeing the verbal exchange between Marquis Murak and Count Karg started going into unhealthy discussion, King Makai immediately said, ¡°Count Karg, do not cutting in into someone explanation and waste our time.¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± As he slightly bowed his head Count Karg respectfully continued, ¡°please pardon this foolish servant¡¯s rudeness.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t do it again in my presence.¡± ¡°This humble servant won¡¯t dare to repeat his mistake.¡± ¡°Good.¡± King Makai XXII then turned his gaze to Marquis Murak, ¡°Uncle Murak, you can continue your explanation.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± As he grinned from ear to ear in his heart, Marquis Murak continued, ¡°As this humble servant had said, killing the rioters will not ensure the return of public order as long as the amount of population remains above the food supply. So, why don¡¯t we trade some of the population with food supply and money?¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Coincidently, slave traders from Empire of Mikasa have made an inquiry about the availability of slave women and slave children.¡± After hearing Count Murak¡¯s idea, Grand Commander Migal instantly frowned. ¡°If member of Makai Guard in front line finds out that we sell wife and children of their fallen comrades, it will destroy their loyalty and fighting spirit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, we will do it covertly. In a small but well organize squad to transport the merchandise to Port of Ursu. City Guard only needs to conduct a fake investigation.¡± ¡°Uncle Murak, how many women and children do they need?¡± ¡°As many as we can offer, Your Majesty.¡± Count Murak happily replied. ¡°If we trade half of the amount of women and children in Makai Royal City, we will get enough food for the remaining population, along with a good amount of gold to refill kingdom¡¯s treasury.¡± King Makai XXII didn¡¯t immediately reply and fell into contemplation. He had legal and moral justification to execute commoners who became rioters, but selling them as slaves was different pond and fish. It could ignite great rebellion. That was also one of the reasons why every king in the previous era had never adopted this idea. However, those previous kings had never facing an opponent like TF Amethyst, or to be precise systematically losing three battle groups in matter of days after the first contact. Right now, King Makai XXII firmly believed he couldn¡¯t show sign of weakness. He had to make sure Kingdom of Makai in a favorable position before starting peace negotiation. Of course, the idea of having peace negotiation with TF Amethyst would crumble as soon as he knew the fate of Prince Dellan. But for now, King Makai XXII was not in the mood to declare total war against TF Amethyst. After taking a deep breath, King Makai XXII turned his gaze towards Grand Commander Migal. ¡°Uncle Migal, I guess we can employ Count Murak¡¯s idea. Currently, we have no means to feed the commoner. We will also need a lot of money to replace the destroyed warships and fallen Riders.¡± ¡°This humble servant understand and obey,¡± Grand Commander Migal respectfully expressed his agreement. ¡°But we also have to prepare a scape goat, as precaution in case this operation gone into public and we need to appease public anger.¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Count Karg respectfully added, ¡°We can¡¯t let people to think that Makai Royal Hall take a part on this operation.¡± ¡°I know.¡± King Makai XXII turned his gaze to Count Murak before continuing, ¡°Uncle Murak, are you ready to take full blame if this operation gone into public?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, whatever the result, this humble servant is ready to bear the responsibility.¡± Count Murak confidently replied, while inwardly he happily imagining the token of gratitude he would receive from the slave traders. ¡°In that case, I will give you full authority to run it.¡± ¡°As you command, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Good,¡± King Makai XXII nodded in satisfaction before continuing, ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about the disturbance in our crystal communication network. Also, can someone explain to me why last night we heard a lot of noise from Penna Hi---¡± Booom! King Makai XXII didn¡¯t finish his words as suddenly he heard an explosion in the distance. At first, it was only a single faint explosion. But then, it was closing in rapidly and became very intense. Bo-bo-booom! Bla-bla-blaaaarr!! Ratatar! Ratataaaarrr!! KA-BOOOMM! KA-BOOOOMM! BLUAAAARRR!!! A moment later, a loud ¡°Bleg ge-bleg ge-bleg ge-bleg!!¡± sound was heard from above Makai Royal Hall. At the same time, a captain from Palace Guard entered the small meeting room and reported. ¡°Your Majesty, four unknown flying carriages had landed in the side yard, carrying small number raiders who were closing in to this place from four directions. We have to evacuate you right now.¡± ¡°What an audacity!!¡± King Makai XXII cursed in furry. The captain didn¡¯t explain the identity of the intruder, but King Makai XXII with ease concluded that they were TF Amethyst¡¯s personnel. However, he didn¡¯t panic even if hostile combatants had penetrated deep into the heart of Makai Royal Palace. As he stood from his chair King Makai XXII said, ¡°After more than two hundred years, finally someone has to use the secret corridor under Makai Royal Palace.¡± Wasting no time King Makai XXII walked to the lamp holder on the wall behind his chair. Then, he calmly pulled it down and the floors next to him shifted to the side, exposing a walkway to a underground corridor. ¡°Captain, lead the way.¡± ¡°At once, Your Majesty.¡± Wasting no time, the lieutenant stepped in into walkway. Meanwhile, other than Grand Commander Migal, everyone in the room looked at the walkway with big wondering gaze. It was easy to tell that they weren¡¯t aware the existence of the secret corridor. ***** TFA2 30.2 – Viper Down TFA2 30.2 ¨C Viper Down While the pair of Vipers hunting and destroying opposing ground force, four Venoms calmly flew above Makai Royal Palace. They flew smoothly. It was a sign they knew the layout of Makai Royal Palace like their own backyard. And finally, Makai Royal Hall was visible in the distance. If you looked at it from above, Makai Royal Hall was flanked by two grass fields. One was on the east and the other one was on the west. Each grass field was not big, but it was spacious enough for two Venoms to land on it. Without delay the four Venoms separated and then made an attempt to land, one pair on each grass field. At the same time, M240 Gunner on each door launched suppressing fire to every opposing ground force that entered their line of fire. Ra-tatar Ra-tatar Ra-tatatatatarrrr!! Well placed short burst repeatedly rained down palace guard who were guarding the perimeter around Makai Royal Hall. Dozens of them immediately met with their end, but about a hundred managed to escape and most of them took cover in Makai Royal Hall. However, it was not a problem for M240 Gunners. Their job was only to secure the landing zone and they had completed it. With ease, all Venoms landed without facing opposition. The assault squads immediately jumped out of the cabin. Their first objective was to reach the hallway on the edge of grass field, and then closing in to Makai Royal Hall from four directions simultaneously. On the west grass field, Captain Mullen and his squad easily completed their first objective. Then, a radio call suddenly came in. [Command to all spears, be advised, primary target has a means to escape.] ¡°¡­¡± [I say again, primary target has a means to escape. You have to hurry.] Wasting no time Captain Mullen ordered his squad to form defensive position while he made a call. ¡°God Father to Command, solid copy. Can you tell us about his mean to escape?¡± [Negative, we sniff it from eavesdropping ops and have no visual.] ¡°Copy, we will try our best to prevent his escape, God Father over and out.¡± After taking a deep breath, Captain Mullen then turned his gaze towards assault team on the other side of west grass field. As he expected, they also halt their advance and formed a defensive position. The reason for the stop was simple. Even if both assault squads would use two different hallways to approach Makai Royal Hall, they would walk it side by side. Therefore, if the opposing force tried to circle one of them, the other assault squad could help them to break it. Wasting no time Captain Mullen pressed PTT button. ¡°Alpha to Bravo, are you set?¡± [Bravo to Alpha, we are set and full house.] ¡°Let¡¯s snatch our prize then.¡± [Receive and understood.] Captain Mullen then turned his gaze towards his squad. ¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡± ¡°¡±¡°Aye Sir.¡±¡±¡± The whole squad replied in casual but determined tone. Then, they swiftly walked the hallway. Their formation was three men in the right, three men in the left, and the last three as rear guard. Slowly but surely the door to Makai Royal Hall became bigger. Then, at a distance of ten meters suddenly it burst out open, followed by a flood of Palace Guard. They ran towards Captain Mullen and his squad at full speed while pointing their swords forward. It was very intimidating charge, but the assault squad didn¡¯t flinch. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡®Too early, you should wait until we arrive just before the door,¡¯ Captain Mullen calmly muttered. At the same time, both pointmen shifted the selection lever on their weapon into full auto. Then, they opened fire on incoming Palace Guard without waiting for Captain Mullen to order them. From behind EoTech 553 on top of his Scorpion Evo, pointman on the left took aim and launched a well-controlled short burst. Palace Guard in the leading position in an instant tumbled to the ground, but the rest kept charging forward. The rain of 9 mm round was clearly not enough to stop the Palace Guard. Not to mention, a hundred of Palace Guard who previously retreated to Makai Royal Hall now concentrated their effort only on Captain Mullen¡¯s squad. Fortunately, the pointman on the right carried MG416 with double-drum magazine as his primary weapon. He also didn¡¯t bother to take aim from behind do-it-all rifle scope on top his MG416. He just aligned his line of fire to the incoming palace guard, and then pressed the trigger. Ta-tar! Ra-ta-tar! Ra-ta-tar!! BRRRRRRRRTTTT! BRRRRRRRRTTTT!!! Ra-ta-tar! Ra-ta-tar! Ra-ta-tar!! The combination of 5.56 mm and 9 mm round hit the incoming Palace Guard like a heavy rain, and it halt their advance. Not to mention the four strikers immediately stepped forward, stood by next to their pointman and joined the fun. At the same time, assault team on the other side of grass field sending assistance by hit the Palace Guard¡¯s formation on the flank. In less than two minutes, the pincer fire from both assault squads wiped out the Palace Guard to the last man. Both squads then continued their advance. Before long, they entered main audience room on Makai Royal Hall from two different doors simultaneously, and found out that assault squads from east grass field had been waiting for them. The two assault squads form east grass field had just raided the small meeting room, and from their gloomily expression it was easy to tell that they failed to capture the primary target. Wasting no time Captain Mullen came over to Lieutenant Costa and asked, ¡°LT, do we fail?¡± ¡°Yes Sir,¡± Lieutenant Costa replied as his expression became darker. ¡°The room is already empty when we arrive. Sergeant Serrano and Private Barnett are still trying to figure out their escape route.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After taking a glance at the door to the small meeting room, Captain Mullen pressed PTT button. ¡°God Father to Command, do you copy?¡± [Command to God Father, we read you, go ahead.] ¡°Command, we have Son Tay.¡± [¡­] ¡°I say again, we have Son Tay, and requesting permission for quick pursuit.¡± After a moment of silence, a reply finally came in. [Negative. God Father, you have hundreds inbound hostiles, and Vipers are low in ammo. Retreat now, this is direct order.] ¡°Received and understood, God Father over and out.¡± After taking a deep breath Captain Mullen said, ¡°Quick retreat. Now.¡± ¡°Aye Sir,¡± Lieutenant Costa firmly replied, even though bitterness gripped his heart tightly. Before long, all assault squads had boarded their Venom. Then, all Venoms took off and climbed to maximum altitude as they flew to east in single file formation. Meanwhile, the pair of Vipers tried to neutralize the remaining opposing air defense. Even if they had annihilated ballista and fire spear on top of palace wall, Makai Guard was still had some spares unit and they had deployed it on every open field on the west bank of Makai Royal City. And because there was a possibility Jack Sparrow had to conduct another air assault in near future, the pair of Vipers took initiative to lessen the potential threat when opportunity presents itself. From the leading Venom, Captain Mullen observed how the pair of Vipers conducted their hunt. In paper, it would be easy hunt. In open field infantry would became easy prey for machine gun, while inside a building rocket and Hellfire would annihilate them. In short, without manpads or heavy machine gun, fighting an attack hello was suicide. However, battlefield was unpredictable and full of surprise. And as if it was to proof its nasty nature, without prior warning a fire spear suddenly came out from one of windows on a third floor of a mansion. The fire spears flew directly to the leading Viper that was on a dive to take out a ballista. It missed the first Viper, but hit the second on the tail rotor. Without its tail rotor, the second Viper immediately spun uncontrollably while losing altitude. At the same time, emergency call came in. [Mayday, mayday, mayday! This is Red Duck to all callsign. We are hit!!] ¡°¡­¡± [I say again, Red Duck is being hit. I¡¯m losing control and altitude.] A moment later, Red Duck crashed on rooftop of two story building. Debris and tile flew all over the place, while Viper¡¯s body deeply stuck on the rooftop. With ease Captain Mullen concluded that the force at the impact was at least 9G. In common English, its mean the weight of Viper and its passenger became nine times heavier when they hit the rooftop. Fortunately, the Viper landed on its landing skids, and didn¡¯t flipping over and slammed its body in full force. Therefore, the shock-absorption mechanism on the Viper¡¯s cockpit could work at maximum. Otherwise, the aftershock would kill both pilot and co-pilot or at least destroyed their spine. At the same time, another emergency call came in. [Command to all callsign, we have Viper down.] ¡°¡­¡± [I say again, we have Viper down, proceed to emergency rescue. Remember, leave no one behind, dead or alive.] ¡®What a nasty day!¡¯ After heaving a deep sigh Captain Mullen immediately pressed PTT button, ¡°God Father to all spears, you know the drill. Let¡¯s get it done.¡± ***** TFA2 30.3 – Shitstorm TFA2 30.3 ¨C Shitstorm Wasting no time three Venoms launched suppressing fire on opposing force who tried to approach the downed Viper. Door gunner and assault personnel did whatever they could to prevent the opposing force from seizing Viper¡¯s crew. At the same time, the last Venom calmly hovered above the downed Viper. As soon as ropes on both door were ready, six assault personnel immediately executed fast rope in rapid pace. In less than ten seconds, they had landed on the rooftop just about four meters from the downed Viper. Five men immediately formed a close-in defensive perimeter. Meanwhile, Sergeant Serrano approached Viper¡¯s cockpit and opened it from outside. Seeing Captain McClintock was looking at the sky with half empty gaze, he immediately shook his shoulder gently. ¡°Capt, do you hear me?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Captain McClintock replied weakly, ¡°but my ears are still ringing.¡± ¡°Do you feel some nausea?¡± ¡°No, but the ringing is annoying. It¡¯s faint, but it doesn¡¯t go away.¡± There was a possibility that Captain McClintock lost one of his hearings from the impact. Sergeant Serrano didn¡¯t know how it could happen, but it was considered not so bad if it was the only damage that Captain McClintock suffered. Wasting no time Sergeant Serrano continued the examination, ¡°Can you feel your back?¡± ¡°I can.¡± ¡°Can you feel your leg?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t think I have broken bone.¡± Sergeant Serrano then showed his finger just about 30 cm before Captain McClintock¡¯s face. ¡°How many finger I have?¡± ¡°One.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Wasting no time Sergeant Serrano took Scorpion Evo that was strapped to the left side of the cockpit, just next to Captain McClintock¡¯s leg. After cocking it and made sure one round was properly inserted into firing chamber, he immediately handed it over to Captain McClintock. ¡°Help us defend this perimeter until we can extract you.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± Captain McClintock swiftly took the Scorpion Evo. Then, with the help of Eotech 553 he started nailing opposing bowman at the rooftop across the street. Meanwhile, Sergeant Serrano went to Viper¡¯s gunner on the front seat. Lieutenant Tanaka, the Viper¡¯s gunner was unconscious. His head bowed sluggishly above his chest, but he was still breathing. Sergeant Serrano immediately leaned his head back to the chair. Then, he checked his pulse on his neck. After finding that his pulse was deep and stable, he immediately slapped Lieutenant Tanako¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°LT, wake up.¡± Lieutenant Tanaka instantly groaned before turning his head towards Sergeant Serrano. From his expression, it was easy to tell that Lieutenant Tanaka immediately grasped the situation around him. However, Sergeant Serrano continued slapping his cheek. ¡°LT, wake up.¡± ¡°Stop slapping my check.¡± Lieutenant Tanaka said in annoying tone. ¡°Then open your eyes. Why it¡¯s still closing?¡± ¡®This bastard!¡¯ Lieutenant Tanaka couldn¡¯t believe that Sergeant Serrano still had a time to joking around when they were in the middle of shit storm. ¡°I already opened it. My eyes are naturally thin and you know it, asshole.¡± ¡°Ah my bad,¡± After a slight smile Sergeant Serrano then asked, ¡°Do you feel some nausea?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lieutenant Tanaka firmly replied, ¡°But I can¡¯t feel my left calf. It seems I also have couple of ruptured rips. Other than that, I think I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Are you sure you have no other trauma?¡± ¡°I¡¯m. Just give me my submachine gun. I can¡¯t reach it with my ruptured rips.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Wasting no time Sergeant Serrano helped Lieutenant Tanaka to get his Scorpion Evo. Not forgetting, he also put all Scorpion Evo¡¯s spare magazines into Lieutenant Tanaka¡¯s lap. After that, he joined the other assault personnel to defend the perimeter. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. In one glance, Sergeant Serrano could tell the situation was not good. Even though three Venoms supported his squad with heavy close air support, the opposing force was too big. Some of them had already escaped the suppressing fire and managed to put a dozen iron ladders to the edge of the rooftop. At the same time, the opposing force¡¯s war cries became louder and louder as time went on. ¡®This is not good,¡¯ Sergeant Serrano muttered as he nailed a head that popped up from one of iron ladder, just five meter in front of his position. ¡®We are toast if we don¡¯t leave this shitstorm immediately.¡¯ --- As soon as he heard the distress call from Captain McClintock, Captain Russel immediately took his Viper to gain safe altitude. After he received the info about the location of fire spear that took down Red Duck, he immediately approached the mansion in nose dive. Then, Black Duck¡¯s gunner accurately sent two Hydra rocket to its third floor. Bla-Blaaaaarrrr!! After two explosions in succession, the third floor of the mansion turned into giant campfire. A moment later, two human torches jumped out of its window while shouting a heart wrenching screams. ¡®I hope civilian is not present on that floor,¡¯ Captain Russel muttered as he made sharp bank to Dovar River. Then, as soon as he arrived above an empty area on Dovar River, Captain Russel ditched away all unnecessary loads. In total, he put two external fuel tanks, three Hellfire missiles, and twenty four Hydra rockets down to the bottom of Dovar River. Wasting no time, Captain Russel then took his Viper flew to the downed Red Duck in full speed. In a few breaths of times, Red Duck was already visible in the distance. It was deeply stuck on a rooftop made of tiles. However, miraculously the bird was still fully intact. Even its rotor blades didn¡¯t broke into pieces. ¡®What a tough birds,¡¯ Captain Russel muttered as he shifted his focus to six assault personnel who put their life on the line to defend Red Duck Every assault personnel made a small fox hole on the rooftop, and used the ceiling below them as foothold. That way they could use tiles around their shoulder to hide two-third of their body. However, the number of opposing force was too big and kept increasing. Countless dead bodies that littered on the street around Red Duck¡¯s location didn¡¯t deter the opposing force. Instead, it amplified their bloodlust. It was easy to tell that the opposing force would breach their perimeter soon. Wasting no time Captain Russel immediately contacted the assault personnel on the ground, ¡°Black Duck to boots on the roof, over.¡± [Spear 4-1 to Black Duck, I read you loud and clear.] ¡°Spear 4-1, be ready for sling load attempt, I¡¯m coming from east.¡± [About the time, my men are already in bad shape, let¡¯s do it fast.] ¡°Receive and understood.¡± A moment later, Black Duck had already hovered above the Red Duck. While his gunner was firing 20 mm M197 three-barreled rotary canon at opposing force, Captain Russel calmly lowered sling cable from Black Duck¡¯s belly. One of assault personnel immediately received the sling cable. He swiftly put it along the sling line that circle Red Duck¡¯s airframe, and then putting it together on above Red Duck, just right on its median line and anchored it with the hook on the end of sling cable. After that, he folded and locked Red Duck¡¯s four rotor blades while continued ignoring incoming arrows. ¡°He has nerve of steel.¡± From his cockpit, Captain Russel deeply admired the courage displayed by assault personnel who single handedly connected the sling cable to Red Duck. A moment later, he received a radio call. [Spear 4-1 to Black Duck, sling load is ready, please have a safe return.] ¡°Copy, Spear 4-1, I will never forget yours and your men courage.¡± [No worry, you chair boys also save our ass in many shitstorm before, we just return the favors.] ¡°Understood, beer and steak on me tonight, Black Duck over and out.¡± Slowly but surely, Black Duck was gaining altitude and pulling over Red Duck out of the rooftop. Tiles and some wooden frames were also uprooted before falling all over the place. Fortunately, assault personnel on the rooftop had already taken some cover. Before long, both Black Duck and Red Duck reached an altitude where ballista and fire spear wouldn¡¯t bother them. Then, they calmly flew to Jack Sparrow. In this return flight, both Vipers basically were sitting duck. However, it was not a problem as the opposing side didn¡¯t possess manpads or surface-to-air missile. Also, it was not uncommon for AH-1 Cobra to sling load downed Cobra and carried it back to the base. US Army had done it in Vietnam in many occasions. It might be a bit more difficult to apply it on a heavier and more sophisticated Viper. However, Air Combat Group and Logistic and Support Group had already done whatever they could do to make it as easier as possible. At the same time, one of Venom picked up the assault personnel on the rooftop. It smoothly lowered its altitude until its landing skids slightly touched the highest point on the rooftop. Without delay Sergeant Serrano pressed PTT button and gave an order that his men had already been waiting for. ¡°We are leaving. Now now now !!¡± Wasting no time the assault personnel on the rooftop took their remaining high-frag grenades, pulled the safety pin before tossing it just slightly over the edge of the rooftop. Blam! Blam! Bla-bla-bam!! A moment after it hit the ground the grenades exploded in turn, followed by a heart wrenching screams, but the assault personnel didn¡¯t bother to check it. They had already leaved their small foxhole and on their way to the half-hovering Venom. They ran as fast as they could as if Demon King was whipping their butt. Then, they boarded the Venom from both sides. A moment later, as soon as they reached the safe altitude, they immediately took a deep breath. Then, their adrenalin level slowly dropped while throbbing and painful sensation started to appear. Of six assault personnel who fought in the rooftop, two only suffered scratches and bruises while the rest got one or two arrows stuck on their shoulders or arms. Even so, they didn¡¯t whining or complaining. Instead, they started laughing their ass off when one of assault personnel proudly showed a scratch from an arrow on his butt. The assault personnel did indeed seasoned veteran of deadly fight. However, escaping a shitstorm without fatal casualty was a luxury even for this battle-hardened veteran. So, they enjoyed the sensation to the fullest. Even Venom¡¯s pilot and his co-pilot couldn¡¯t hold back their chuckles. Then, finally all Venoms and Viper arrived on Jack Sparrow and they were welcomed by medic personnel. ***** TFA2 31.0 – Epilogue TFA2 31.0 ¨C Epilogue After entering Command Center, Major Alfred immediately came over to Colonel Meyer and reported, ¡°All personnel already received proper treatment and they are stable.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Colonel Meyer slightly nodded and then asked, ¡°How long before Red Duck return to combat status?¡± ¡°12-18 hours, and tonight we will receive replacement for Captain Mc¡¯Clintock and Lieutenant Tanaka, along with back-up flight crews for other Venoms and Viper.¡± Colonel Meyer immediately took a deep breath full of relief. ¡°Under TF Amethyst¡¯s unusual circumstance, it¡¯s fortunate that we operate Viper and not Apache.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Viper was indeed not as sophisticated as Apache, but this was also the reason why it¡¯s less complex and easier to maintain. Even still, it could provide up to 85% of Apache¡¯s capability at far less cost. Moreover, Viper and Venom had considerable design commonality. Both choppers shared common tailboom, engines, rotor system, drivetrain, avionics architecture, software, along with controls and displays for over 84% identical components. This commonality was one of the reasons why USMC¡¯s Viper could maintain 92% mission-readiness rate, 24% higher than US Army¡¯s Apache. After sipping of his coffee Major Alfred asked, ¡°Do we have an update?¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Not much,¡± Colonel Meyer gloomily replied. ¡°Rolling Panda¡¯s crew had stopped the jamming ops a few minutes ago. Before returning to Woodpecker, they detect hundreds of opposing Riders are moving closer to nearby base at radius of 100 km from our position.¡± ¡°What is our current objective?¡± Colonel Meyer took a deep breath before replying, ¡°Defending Jack Sparrow at all cost.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°MCG¡¯s personnel also have to turn Rocky Field into runaway as soon as possible,¡± Colonel Meyer added. ¡°Just a reminder, as long as we are under the threat of opposing Riders, MCG¡¯s personnel can only do the heavy work at night. Under such condition, it will take two weeks to turn Rocky Field into a runaway.¡± ¡°As long as they give their best I have no complaint.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Major Alfred firmly replied. ¡°I will make sure they put their best effort.¡± Silence then enveloped every corner of Command Center, until finally Lieutenant Reznik entered the room and approached Colonel Meyer. ¡°Makai Guard HQ had just issued martial call to every Region under Kingdom of Makai¡¯s authority.¡± In an instant Colonel Meyer massage his forehead, ¡°Now they will unleash whatever they have on us.¡± ¡°Does Donte have a clue about King Makai XXII¡¯s location?¡± Major Alfred curiously asked. ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t.¡± Lieutenant Reznik gloomily replied. ¡°People in Makai Guard HQ will also move their Command Center to underground bunker.¡± ¡°Damn, we can no longer eavesdrop on their meeting then.¡± After heaving a deep sigh Colonel Meyer said, ¡°Give Major Petrov a green to launch the disruption tactic. We have to divide their attention and resource, or Jack Sparrow won¡¯t be able to bear their offensive.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± Wasting no time Major Alfred carried out the order. One of TF Amethyst¡¯s main doctrines was to employ element of surprise and massive fire power. However, currently Jack Sparrow had already lost their element of surprise. Meanwhile, their fire power was also far below from what they expected. In short, Jack Sparrow¡¯s future was bleak. ***** TFA3 0.0 – Prologue TFA3 0.0 ¨C Prologue For the whole night, a platoon of combat engineer in Jack Sparrow gave their best to put a Net-centric Tower into commission. They didn¡¯t have to build it from scratch. They only had to install a few pieces of final component, to the half-assembled equipment that had been mounted on a huge skeletal tower, and were tightly covered with weather proof sheet to hide its presence. And speaking about the skeletal tower, it had eight quadrants facing to all direction, seven floors in total, and was 35 meters high to ensure the core equipment could be placed higher than tree tops in Penna Hill. All this time, this skeletal tower was being reported as a facility to air dry semi-processed black pine. Some Makai Riders who flew above Penna Hill and saw the skeletal tower, had submit a concern that the tower could be used as a platform for ballista. However, the bribed to Donte and the smooth flow of black pine supply to timber industry in Makai Royal City had outweighed this concern. Not to mention in a glance the skeletal tower looked very fragile. The main supporting pillars and hundreds of frame that being attached to it was too thin compared to regular supporting pillar in Makai Royal City, so it gave the locals an eerie impression that the whole tower may collapse at any moment. Local people would never believe it if they were told that the skeletal tower could support a weigh up to dozens tons with ease. In summary, from its highest mount on 7th floor down to 4th floor the skeletal tower was able to accommodate: 2 x 2D Air Search and Surveillance Radar This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.4 x Broad Area Passive Radar Sensor 4 x Medium Range Electro-optic and Visual Identification 1 x Multi-spectrum Electronic Warfare Package 1 x Quad-panel Multi-mission 3D AESA Radar 1 x Communication Terminal 1 x Primary Satcom 1 x Weapon and Fire Control Radar 2 x Fire Support Radar 2 x Weather Forecasting Radar 3 x Air Traffic Control Radar 2 x Instrument Landing System Radar 1 x Secondary Satcom Normally, a base would distribute their core equipment to separate locations to prevent total destruction from a single attack. Only aircraft carrier or warship would centralize that array of equipment in one specific area because the lack of space. Unfortunately, Jack Sparrow¡¯s circumstances didn¡¯t allow it to adopt conventional practice. They had to hide their presence as long as possible while building the necessary equipment they needed to defend themselves. Therefore, they could only go with whatever means that didn¡¯t compromising their covert presence. As the sun started to peek in the east, the engineer platoon finally completed the final work for Net-centric Tower. After taking a sip of his coffee Lieutenant Norma said, ¡°Let¡¯s put this tower online, and see how high it can fly.¡± ¡°Aye LT,¡± Engineer Powel happily replied. A moment later, Lieutenant Norma received a notification that Command Center was conducting a test run on the Net-centric Tower. The initial result was good so he also received an order to take some rest. Without many words Lieutenant Norma carried the order. He leaved a team of senior engineer to stand by in the tower peak, while he and the rest of his men used a mechanical elevator that was moved by a counter-weight to descend, and then went straight to the kitchen for breakfast before taking a short nap in their barrack. They had worked so hard all night so they really could use some good rest. Moreover, Lieutenant Norma and his men were fully aware that if the assault on Makai Royal Palace failed, Kingdom of Makai would definitely unleashed whatever storm they could muster on Jack Sparrow. In that scenario, the engineers had to ensure every system in Jack Sparrow would work as expected by all means. ***** TFA3 1.1 – Inbound Riders TFA3 1.1 ¨C Inbound Riders Other than the Satcom, Lieutenant Norma and his men had conducted a separated test run for the other hardware and system in Net-centric Tower actually. However, this was the first time the Net-centric Tower was online as a single integrated system. Fortunately, after a few hours of evaluation and observation, the Command Center found that the Net-centric Tower was operating as expected and showed no major technical issue. As for the ground hardware for Satcom, it would not participate in any operation until TF Amethyst operated mil-grade satellite communication, or at least had commissioned MQ-4C Triton and partially used it as a near-term Satcom asset. Then, a few minutes after Rolling Panda stopped the jamming operation on Makai Royal City, hundreds of blips suddenly appeared in the radar screen. Tension immediately blanketed every corner of command center, while Captain Holmes and other personnel who handled Tactical Data Center and Threat Evaluation did the math. ¡°Holmes,¡± Colonel Meyer calmly said. ¡°What trouble knocks on our door?¡± ¡°Opposing Riders, loads of them,¡± Captain Holmes replied with a tense tone. ¡°Four cardinal directions, 3-4 hundreds Riders each, ETA 24 minutes.¡± ¡°They send their Riders as soon as their coms back online,¡± Colonel Meyer said. Major Alfred who stood next to Colonel Meyer nodded and added, ¡°1200 Riders for the first wave, it means they still have around 2000 Riders at their disposal, and it will increase if the nearby Regions keep sending their Riders to answer King Makai XXII¡¯s calls.¡± ¡°Yeah. If we fail to hold these Riders, Jack Sparrow is pretty much fucked.¡± After a paused Colonel Meyer turned his gaze back to Captain Holmes, ¡°Without Satcom, will we have drawback on our net-centric?¡± Captain Holmes shook his head and firmly replied, ¡°Not at all. Unless the opposing side possesses advance EW capability, our situational awareness and network will work just fine.¡± ¡°What asset do we have in the air currently?¡± ¡°Six Super Hornets in high orbit, south of our position, and one Growler in ghosting mode so we don¡¯t know its exact location.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Colonel Meyer slightly nodded before continuing, ¡°I know nothing about air defense, so Holmes, I will rely on you entirely to orchestra it.¡± ¡°Copy, Sir.¡± Without delay Captain Holmes brought Command Center to fully enter air defense mode. In this mode, the Command and Decision Element, Tactical Data Element and Threat Evaluation, Weapon System Element, and other element in Command Center would rely solely on the multi-mission three-dimensional AESA Radar to carry the detection, tracking, fire system control and guidance, signal intelligence gathering, electronic attack and disruption, and even electronic counter measure. The multi-mission 3D AESA Radar on the Net-centric Tower was one of the most sophisticated radar systems on earth. If you paired it with combat management system that could handle a massive amount of real-time data, you would be able to perform a very short but remarkably effective killing chain. Moreover, if you fused it with other assets in the area to form a net-centric theatre, you would be able to maintain strong grip on clear situational awareness and initiative to dictate the battlefield. Unfortunately, even though Jack Sparrow possessed one of the most sophisticated net-centric capabilities that money could buy, right now they were severely lack of firepower to optimize it. At the same time, they had to hold a huge number of opposing Riders for around six hours, or to be precise until sunset. It was not bright circumstance no matter how you saw it. However, if they managed to resist the Riders onslaught on the day, they would have an opportunity to switch back into offensive. At night, when the opposing Riders and their Cloud Hawk had to stay on the ground, they were no different than sitting duck. If Jack Sparrow could exploit this opportunity to greatly reduce their number, then they would hold the upper hand for a while, and maybe an opportunity to forced King Makai XXII to sit in the negotiation table would present itself.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡®In the end, Jack Sparrow has to enter a major battle against Kingdom of Makai,¡¯ Colonel Meyer muttered before heaving a deep sigh silently. --- At altitude of 12.000 meter or around 37.000 feet, a lone EA-18G Growler with callsign White Rain casually circled Makai Royal City unnoticed. Contrary to its callsign, White Rain¡¯s airframe was almost in total black jet. Even the external fuel tank, various pods, and ram air turbines for emergency power under its wing were all in black. The exception was the light grey number and red smirking puppy on its tail. White Rain was part of Devil Pups Squadron. Currently, it operated only four Growlers with primary role to conduct standoff electronic awareness or electronic attack. In summary, they had to perform tracking, detecting, jamming, and ghosting (radar deception) on opposing asset. Unfortunately, after they arrived in Amstell Continent, Devil Pups couldn¡¯t perform its primary role right away. Authority and military unit in Amstell Continent were using a whole different kind of communication and detecting system compared to the ones they usually had to deal with. Therefore, Devil Pups had to reshape Growler¡¯s capability before they could perform their mission set as electronic attack squadron. Currently, even though EA-18G Growler was still unable to suppress or jam crystal communicator or crystal sensor, at least it could detect and track emission from those equipment. Therefore, it could perform a passive track and detect on it, and this was the first time a Growler for Devil Pups would apply this capability on an offensive. Captain Mitchel was calmly sitting in the White Rain¡¯s back seat when a radio call suddenly came in. [July September to White Rain, do you copy?] ¡°This is White Rain 0-2,¡± Captain Mitchel calmly replied. ¡°July September, we are listening.¡± [White Rain, feel free to use inbound Riders from the south as your lab rat. I say again, you can use inbound Riders from the south as your lab rat.] ¡°Receive and understood. Inbound Riders from the south are our lab rat, White Rain 0-2 over and out.¡± After a smile Captain Mitchel then turned his gaze to the front seat, ¡°You heard it. We have some lab rats we can play with.¡± On the front seat Major Gloster nodded and then asked, ¡°Do you want me to gain more altitude?¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Wasting no time Captain Mitchel started the work. In its body and wing, a Growler carried more antenna and receiver than any GSM tower, along with dozen plus sensor. By utilizing this array of equipment Captain Mitchel managed to detect emission from hundreds of crystal communicator in south of Jack Sparrow. This huge emission moved to north in tight group with moderate speed. However, to precisely locate and target it, Captain Mitchel would need assistance from other aircraft. By using tactical targeting network, three aircrafts would be able to acquire target location and target description as clear as what an AWACS could provide. Normally, it would need three Growlers to perform this passive trilateration tracking. However, Air Combat Group had managed to cut a corner so one Growler or Poseidon and two Super Hornets would be sufficient to carry the job. After a smile Captain Mitchel radioed the flight of Super Hornet that had just completed an air refueling and stand-by in high orbit 100 km south of Jack Sparrow. ¡°White Rain 0-2 to Winter Flight, do you copy.¡± [White Rain 0-2, this is Winter One, I heard you loud and clear, go ahead.] ¡°Winter One, split your formation to the coordinate I send you. We will carry passive target trilateration.¡± [Roger, splitting formation to carry target trilateration.] --- As soon as he received the report that the assault on Makai Royal Palace was failed, Brigadier General Rayden immediately sent six Super Hornets to assist Jack Sparrow. These Super Hornets would conduct air cover under callsign Winter One, and was led by Major Gilmore. Each Super Hornet was carrying 10 AIM-120C7 Amraam, two 19-tube Talon laser-guided rocket pod, and one external fuel tank under its belly. With this set up, Winter Flight could only fly at Mach 1.2 to close the 800 km distance between Woodpecker and Jack Sparrow. It would need around 30 minutes, but fortunately they had arrived on perfect time to perform their mission. After receiving the request from White Rain, Major Gilmore immediately radioed Captain Monroe, ¡°Winter Five, bring Winter Six to third position for target trilateration, over.¡± [Copy, Winter Five and Winter Six are on the way to third position.] In a calm mood, Major Gilmore then waited as Winter Five and Winter Six gently shift to the east. Then, just a few minutes after both Super Hornets disappear from his sight, Major Gilmore found that a designated target consisted of hundreds of Riders popped-up in main screen before him. A moment later another radio call from White Rain came in. [White Rain to Winter One, feel free to send your A-1-20 in rapid sequence, I will guide it.¡¯ ¡°Copy,¡± Major Gilmore calmly replied. A few seconds later, 60 AIM-120C7 Amraam climbed to high sky from two separated locations, leaving a long white trail while flew straight to the inbound Riders who were approaching Jack Sparrow from south. ***** TFA3 1.2 – Out of Ammo TFA3 1.2 ¨C Out of Ammo Looking for a target opportunity using target trilateration in RF spectrum was unique capability owned not only by EA-18G Growler. F-22 Raptor and F-35C Lightning II could also perform similar things using a better equipment set. NGAD and Loyal Wingman CCA would also possess it, and this was the best set up as the Loyal Wingman would took the role to penetrate the hostile airspace, and lower the risk of losing a highly-trained pilot in case shit happened during the infiltration. Some people had questioned why US Mil developed such passive tracking, when they already employed advance radar that could carry active search and track beyond what tech people from previous generation could imagine. The answer was that, improving combat capabilities that would enable US assets to meet the aerial threat from hostile country in the most effective way, would always become primary interest of US Military¡¯s chain of command. In summary, unlike active search and track, in a passive target trilateration the strike aircraft won¡¯t need to use their detectable radar emissions to target hostile aircraft. Meaning, radar receiver warning on the targeted aircraft won¡¯t ring until it was too late to carry evasive maneuver. In short, it was another type of kill chains that was very hard to overcome. It¡¯s not exaggeration to call it total silent killing when a 5th generation stealth fighter jet employed it. As for TF Amethyst, even though so far they faced no aerial threat that was equipped with radar receiver warning, it didn¡¯t mean that in future they won¡¯t face such opponent. TF Amethyst higher-ups also believed that if they could study the opposing side and then created an effective way to defeat their way of fighting, then the opposing side would also be able to do similar things. Therefore, the more good cards TF Amethyst had in their disposal, the harder for the opposing side to counter it. And so, Captain Mitchel guided the flock of 60 AIM-120C7, and he did it without employing radar guidance, but relying on the data link in White Rain. With ease he put the flock of Amraam at 3 km behind the inbound Riders, and 2000 meters higher, before letting Amraam internal seeker to go active, carried the target lock-on, and then dove and hit it fatally from behind. With such a close terminal interception, even if the inbound Riders was equipped with radar receiver warning and managed to detect the radar lock from Amraam, they would still have almost no room or time to evade the incoming missile. In summary, all Amraam hit their designated targets and perfectly eliminate them. ¡°Winter Flight, we have good hits,¡± Captain Mitchel calmly radioed Winter Flight. ¡°Thank you for the good work.¡± [Winter One to White Rain 0-2, receive and understood, can we enter WVR?] ¡°You can. Go give them a good dog-rape.¡± [Copy. We will give them a good dog-rape. Winter One over and out.] Captain Mitchel then turned his gaze to the front seat, ¡°Our job here is done, let¡¯s get back to Woodpecker.¡± ¡°Copy,¡± Major Gloster casually replied, and then gained more altitude while making a gentle turn to the east. --- After receiving an order from Grand Commander Migal to launch air assault on Penna Hill, Count Folk immediately carried it personally. He had heard that his older brother, Duke Fogel, and Prince Portho surrendered to TF Amethyst even though their battle group still possessed sufficient strength to continue the fight. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. In his capacity as the second highest noble in his household Count Folk decided to use the aerial assault on Penna Hill as an opportunity to wash clean the shame on his household that Duke Fogel had smeared. Other than that, he also carried a hope that maybe Makai Royal Palace would strip Duke Fogel¡¯s tittle and handed it over to him if he perform a huge merit for them. And so, under the vast blue sky Count Folk led a flight of 420 Riders from Sutt Region and smaller Regions around it. Most of these Riders were just new graduates and possessed zero combat experience, but Count Folk believed that their number would enough to compensate it. Not to mention, the assault on Penna Hill would be carried out by almost 1700 Riders that approached from four separates direction in tight turn. ¡®We will overwhelm and break apart their defense, and then carry an easy peasy indifferent massacre,¡¯ Count Folk happily muttered before sending a message to his first son through crystal communicator, ¡°How is our right formation?¡± [Solid and firm,] Count Folk¡¯s son firmly replied. [Give us the order, and we will flank and hit our target before they can blink.] ¡°Take it easy son,¡± Count Folk said, still in happy tone. ¡°You will not flank anyone today. We will just hit our target directly from front, along with other assault group.¡± [Underst---.] Bo-Bo-Boboboboooooommm!!! Count Folk¡¯s son couldn¡¯t finish his words as without warning an Amraam suddenly exploded just a meter above his head. Then, the annular blast fragmentation expanded into a big and sharp ring, and cut him and his Cloud Hawk like a hot knife cut a block of butter. Fifty nine young Riders under his command also met with similar fate, while the dozens other suffered various degree of wound from the series of rapid explosion. When Count Folk turned his gaze to check what had happened to his son, all he could see was a huge number of Cloud Hawks from the right formation fell from the sky while leaving a big trail of black smoke. He also noticed that some Riders and his Cloud Hawks were cleanly being cut into two burning pieces. ¡®W-w-what had happen?¡¯ Count Folk muttered while horror filled his face to the brim. Wasting no time Count Folk took his Cloud Hawk to find his son¡¯s body. After some search he found it. It was headless body, being cleanly cut at the upper back right below shoulder, and even after hitting the ground it was still burning fiercely, but Count Folk recognized it right away from his son¡¯s body armor. While his heart was broken into pieces Count Folk got off from his Cloud Hawk, but he got another surprise before he could recover his son¡¯s body. Bo-Bo-Bo-Boooooommm!!! Another chain of explosions took place in the sky, hitting and killing his Riders in rapid pace. Count Folk could only gape in terror as his Riders powerlessly became a flock of prey for six giant flying arrowheads that came out of nowhere. The giant flying arrowheads would dive and launched a fire spear or continues fire arrows on his Riders, and then with ease would climb back to the high sky before diving again in other place. Their aim was so accurate to the point his Riders couldn¡¯t avoid it no matter what evasive maneuver they perform. ¡®Oh gods who reside in heaven, what kind of enemy we have provoked,¡¯ Count Folk muttered weakly. --- Talon laser-guided rocket could hit top speed of 700 m/s, and firing it while in nose dive would increase it further. In summary, it would be very hard to dodge Talon when it came to you from above. This was also the main reason why Major Gilmore and his pack chose vertical ambush to maximize Talon hit rate. As for situational awareness, Major Gilmore and his men didn¡¯t rely only on Super Hornet¡¯s radar. They also took cue from ground radar in Jack Sparrow. Therefore, their situational awareness increased from just 140 degree in front of their nose to 360 degree and almost at all altitude. And so, Winter One could carry the ambush in the most effective way possible. They eliminated the opposing Riders one-by-one in rapid pace. Unfortunately, they could only carry fire power in limited amount, and had to retreat as soon as they run out of ammo. ¡°Damn,¡± Major Gillmore weakly cursed as he fired the last burst from Super Hornet¡¯s M61 Vulcan. The shot perfectly nailed an opposing Cloud Hawk at its back and crashed it to the ground, but it was Winter One last kill for the ambushed. The other Super Hornets had already returned to Woodpecker. ¡°Winter One to July September, do you copy?¡± [Loud and clear, go ahead Winter One.] ¡°I¡¯m out of ammo and returning to Whitepark to rearm and refuel.¡± [Copy, and thank you for the air cover.] ¡°Good luck, and hang in there until we are back for second sortie.¡± [No worry, July September will survive.] ¡°Glad to hear you are in high spirit, Winter One over and out.¡± Wasting no time Major Gillmore took his Super Hornet to bank hard to the east and then darted in full throttle. He had to hurry and every second counted. ***** TFA3 2.1 – Falling from the Sky TFA3 2.1 ¨C Falling from the Sky Four units of 155 mm M777 Howitzer were airdropped to Jack Sparrow in semi-assembly parts. After being reassembled, these big guns would be used in combat finally. Their primary mission was to ambush and wiped out inbound Riders that approached Jack Sparrow from east. So, the M777¡¯s crews were very excited but also nervous as hell. They were excited because their first combat mission was a big one. But at the same time, they never had a chance to carry a firing test to ensure the M777 worked properly. Therefore, there was a possibility that something could go wrong, and they would fail to intercept the inbound Riders. With a nervous gaze Lieutenant Benson looked at the row of four M777 before him. Then, he turned his gaze to Sergeant Perez. ¡°I hope everything go according to the plan.¡± ¡°Sir,¡± Sergeant Perez calmly said. ¡°Since last night, every Howie had received triple-checked to ensure it would work as expected. Nothing else we can do other than carry the fire mission as best as we could. And if even after all of that shit still happens, then it¡¯s just our bad luck.¡± After taking a deep breath Lieutenant Benson said, ¡°Maybe we should disperse the firing pit, like the mortar team.¡± ¡°LT, unlike mortar team, we are very low in ammo. We also have no time to prepare new pit.¡± After a moment of paused Sergeant Perez added, ¡°Let¡¯s just stick to the plan. You offer the Command Center a good plan after all.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lieutenant Benson was still nervous as hell, but he said no more and just stood in silence. Then, a radio call from Command Center came in. [Command to Catapult One, do you copy?] Without delay Lieutenant Benson pressed PTT button in his chest, ¡°This is Catapult 1-1, Command, I heard you loud and clear.¡± [Catapult 1-1, be ready to welcome inbound Riders from east with your firework.] ¡°Understood, what type of firework we have to send?¡± [Four guns, four rounds, beehive, simultaneous detonation at first ambush point.] ¡°Catapult 1-1 to Command, reconfirm the firework, four guns, four rounds, beehive, simultaneous detonation at first ambush point.¡± [Correct, stand by for the green, Command over and out.] After taking a deep breath Lieutenant Benson turned his gaze to Sergeant Perez. ¡°Four beehive rounds at first ambush point, let¡¯s prepare it.¡± ¡°Aye Sir,¡± Sergeant Perez happily replied. --- Airspace 20 km east of Penna Hill, 436 pairs of Rider and Cloud Hawk flew in moderate speed. In the leading position, Count Well creased his brow as the peak of Penna Hill started to appear in the distance. Normally, air assault on the peak of Penna Hill was no different than easy walk on the park. Penna Hill was surrounded by valley in all direction. Therefore, the Riders could just fly to this valley after a dive attack on Penna Hill¡¯s peak, and gain momentum before climbing back to the sky to launch another dive. Not to mention, the air assault would be carried out by almost 1700 Riders from four cardinal directions. However, Count Well had gained access to the confidential report regarding the air assault on Sandhur Region. Even to this moment, he still had a hard time to understand how TF Amethyst could neutralize an air assault carried out by hundreds of Riders, both from Buriek Riders and Makai Riders, with ease. And now, he had a chance to experience it personally before he got a useful clue about TF Amethyst¡¯s air defense. So, it was natural that Count Well inwardly kept muttering, ¡®I¡¯m so dead.¡¯ Moreover, a few minutes ago, he also received a report that opposing aerial assets had ambushed Count Folk and his Riders, just a moment after they took off. As the result, Count Folk lost more than half of his Riders, and this was only a result from first contact with six opposing aerial assets. ¡®What kind of freak we have to face actually?¡¯ Count Well muttered in wonder. Then, dozens of black dot suddenly filled the sky in the south, followed by a call from a crystal communicator. [Count Well, this is Count Folk, may I join your formation?]The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Count Folk, are you okay?¡± Count Well replied as surprise filled his face to the brim. [I¡¯m. I was on the ground trying to retrieve my son¡¯s body, when the damnable flying arrowheads suddenly appeared out of nowhere and attacked my Riders.] ¡°Are those flying arrowheads is what they calls aircraft?¡± [I can¡¯t say for sure. They are different from the picture I see in Makai Intelligence HQ. These flying arrowheads are smaller, sleeker, and very nimble even though their way of flying is very stiff.] ¡°I see.¡± [Crystal sensor in Makai Guard HQ has confirmed that those flying arrowheads gone to the east after attacking my formation. I want to take revenge for my son and my Riders before they return.] ¡°Well,¡± After a pause Count well added, ¡°Let¡¯s join our Riders then. The more Riders we have, the merrier the assault.¡± [Okay. I come from your left.] ¡°Yeah, I can see you.¡± A moment later, both Rider formations merged into one, and increase its number up to slightly more than 600 Riders, led by Count Well and Count Folk who flew side by side in the leading position. Then, slowly but surely the massive Rider formation entered an arid plain 8 km east of Penna Hill. Locals called this empty plain as Barren Plain, and it stretched out as far as the eye could see, so it took for a while before the whole formation fully entered it. Then, Count Well sent an order to his Riders through crystal communicator, ¡°Prepare your bow and arrow. We will become the first Makai Riders to engage opposing camp in Penna Hill.¡± In an instant, fighting spirit and thick bloodlust blanketed the Rider formation. However, without prior warning something unexpected occurred. Bo-Bo-Bobooommm!!! A series of thunderous explosion suddenly was heard from the peak of Penna Hill, and a few seconds later the second one took place in the high sky. BO-BO-BOBOOOOMMM!!! ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± Count Well curiously asked as he fixed his eyes on the giant black clouds that the second explosion leaved behind high in the sky. [Is that their air defense?¡± Count Folk asked while tilted his head to the side. ¡°Did they fire it too early and too high or it was a warning shot for us?] ¡°Who knows,¡± Count Folk nervously said. ¡°Unfortunately, whatever it is, we can¡¯t go back now.¡± [Precisely, we can only fly forward with everything we have.¡± As they strengthened their resolved, Count Well and Count Folk led the Rider formation flew forward, straight to the rain of steel darts that the beehive round had just spat out. In short, the whole Rider formation fell into the ambush that Lieutenant Benson and his men had prepared specifically for them. This artillery ambush was imitation from what Major James and Lieutenant Cameron used to wipe out Rider formation from Battle Group B when they tried to assault Levsait. The only different was, Major James and Lieutenant Cameron had to place the point detonation close enough to the Rider formation so the steel dart had enough power to penetrate and shred the Riders and their Cloud Hawk, while in current ambush Lieutenant Benson and his men used steel dart coated with neurotoxin that had been proven very deadly for both human and Cloud Hawk. Therefore, Lieutenant Benson and his men could place the point of detonation far enough from the Rider formation to create huge area of effect that blanketed the whole Rider formation. Of course, Count Well didn¡¯t just do nothing. As soon as he realized that a rain of steel dart came to his way, he immediately warned his Riders. ¡°RAISED YOUR SHIELD!!!¡± Count Well¡¯s order echoed through crystal communicator, and his Riders carried it out almost in reflex. They raised their shield to protect their face, the only spot that was not covered by armor. As the result, the steel darts couldn¡¯t harm the Riders. Let alone penetrated the thick small shield, the steel darts couldn¡¯t even penetrate the Riders¡¯ light armor. ¡°Fuck! That almost gave me a heart attack,¡± Count Well said with a trembling voice as he lowered his shield. He knew he was fine, but the sound when dozens of steel darts hit his shield and his light armor still gave him an eerie feeling. Then, suddenly he realized that something was wrong. Normally, such small steel darts won¡¯t cause any serious harm on a Cloud Hawk, but he got a bad hunch that something was definitely wrong. His Cloud Hawk was slowing down and didn¡¯t respond to his order. Then, it suddenly wildly spiraled as it went down to the ground. ¡°FUUUUUUUCCCKKKK!!!¡± Count Well¡¯s cursed echoed in the sky before he and his Cloud Hawk hit the ground with a loud thud and created a puff of giant cloud dust. The other Riders and Cloud Hawk also met with similar fate. Long short story, more than 600 Riders and Cloud Hawk fell from the sky and hit every corner of Barren Plain almost simultaneously, like a short rain. The artillery ambush was total success. It fully stopped the inbound Riders from the east. Miraculously, some Riders survived the fall as their Cloud Hawk had shielded them from the impact using their body. Of course, those Riders still suffered some broken bones and bruises. ***** Author¡¯s note: Hello author here, just wants to put a little reminder why I starts writing. Basically, I want to write something I want to read, and writing it alone by myself. I know I lack a lot of thing as a writer, but I can live with that and enjoy the working process and the final result. So, please don¡¯t nag me that I should working together as a team to make a good work, because like I said I just want to write it alone and had no intention to working as a team even though it will definitely turn me into a better writer. Don¡¯t ask me why I want to write alone. I already gave up the effort to understand it a long time ago. Maybe it¡¯s just my nature, maybe because I just want thing go my way without any hindrance, or maybe because it¡¯s the easiest way for me. Whatever it is, writing alone work the best for me. If you enjoy my work, please enjoy it, it makes me very happy if someone enjoy my work. If you have suggestion, please write it in the comment section, and I will put my mind on it dearly. If you want to support me, I will gladly accept it as this is the only work I have. If you plagiarize my work, believe me I will do everything in my power to upset you, by writing something that will irritate your life value, faith and believe, political affiliation, or such in my work, and it¡¯s fully on you as you the one who started it. As far as I remember, I¡¯m very consistence about this reminder. When I still posted my work in Royal Road, I wrote it a few times in comment section or author¡¯s note. In this blog, I had also written it once or two. So, please understand my simple wish. That¡¯s all, and as usual, Thank you and Best regards. TFA3 2.2 – Dire Situation TFA3 2.2 ¨C Dire Situation Neutralized the inbound Riders from the south and the east to the last man was impressive feat, no question. Unfortunately, it was not enough. Without hindrance the inbound Riders from the north and the west approached Jack Sparrow. This two inbound Riders had strength no less than 800 Riders. As soon as these Riders entered its effective range, 42 units Ripper Station fired Talon laser guided rocket to welcome them. Each Talon hit its target perfectly. As the result 42 Riders and their Cloud Hawks went down to the ground simultaneously. However, the opening fire didn¡¯t manage to scatter the Rider formation and bought the Ripper Stations additional time to decrease their huge number. The remaining Riders just determinedly continued their flight path, and tried to reach Jack Sparrow using the shortest route. The Rider formation also didn¡¯t flinch when Ripper Stations fired the second salvo of Talon laser guided rocket. Then, they entered the effective range 30 mm M230 Chaingun. Under the fire of Air Burst-Tracer and Armor Piercing-Tracer, the Rider formation finally reached Jack Sparrow and commenced their attack and they went straight to close quarter fight using combination of high-speed dive and Cloud Hawk¡¯s claw sweep. Currently, all Ripper Stations ran in fully autonomous hunting mode. In this mode, the Ripper Stations would form a very effective integrated close in air defense. And so, it downed the opposing Riders in rapid pace. Unfortunately, the number of opposing Riders was too big. With ease they overwhelmed the Ripper Stations, and their effort showed a result in no time. Only two minutes after the contact, two Ripper Stations fell victim to Cloud Hawk¡¯s claw and were crushed into pieces. Once a crack in the air defense occurred the Riders immediately poured in to the center of Penna Hill, right to the array of M2HB gunners in the Rocky Field. These gunners primary mission was to give additional power to the air defense, but now they became the favorite target of opposing Riders because they were the only visible human target in the vicinity. Corporal Mahoney just emptied the whole box of 12.7 mm rounds when one of Tuscan bowmen who were being attached to his team panicky shouted a warning. ¡°Take cover! Incoming Rider from left!!!¡± The whole team immediately jumped to the foxhole next to the M2HB station. One of the team members even fell to the foxhole head first, but he didn¡¯t give a damn about it and took a breath of relieve as he made it in time. ¡°What a darn huge bird,¡± Corporal Mahoney threw a curse a second after the Cloud Hawk¡¯s claw passed the foxhole just a half meter above it. ¡°Corporal, can we stay here for a little longer? Just two minutes is fine.¡± The team member who fell to the foxhole head first said with a slightly trembling voice, and Corporal Mahoney immediately gave him a sharp glare. ¡°No, let¡¯s get back to our gun.¡± ¡°But corpo---¡± ¡°I said let¡¯s get back to our gun, damn it.¡± Without delay Corporal Mahoney peeked outside the foxhole, but he didn¡¯t immediately climb out as another Cloud Hawk was approaching the foxhole. This time, the Cloud Hawk didn¡¯t come in a high speed dive, but in slow and smooth glide with its wing widely stretched. ¡°Get your weapon ready,¡± Corporal Mahoney ordered as he pulled out and cocked his Scorpion Evo. A moment later, dust flew to every direction as a huge Cloud Hawk was hovering just a dozen meters above the foxhole. The Rider deliberately positioned his Cloud Hawk in front of the sun, so its domineering shadow covered the foxhole. Gulp!! Corporal Mahoney and his men gulped hard as they realized their sidearm won¡¯t be enough to kill the giant bird before it tore them apart into pieces. Even so, they gathered their courage to take aim using their shaking hand. Meanwhile, the Rider on the Cloud Hawk¡¯s back conceitedly smirked before saying, ¡°What do we have here, a pack of trembling chicks? I thought TF Amethyst¡¯s warriors are the bravest among the brave, but it seems you are just a bunch of weakling in close quarter fight.¡± ¡°Said someone who brings a freaking giant hawk to a close quarter fight,¡± Corporal Mahoney mockingly said back, even though inwardly he was trembling very hard. ¡°In a one on one fist fight, I bet even my grandmother will beat the crap out of you.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Well,¡± After a sinister smile the young Rider continued, ¡°Whine as much as you want, but your time to die has arrived.¡± ¡°Not so fast,¡± Tuscan Guard bowman who stood next to Corporal Mahoney said as he loose an arrow coated in neurotoxin almost without aiming first, sending it straight to the small gap on the Cloud Hawk¡¯s armor on its left thigh. At first, the young Rider just indifferently looked at the incoming arrow. A single arrow won¡¯t do any harm to his Cloud Hawk even if it managed to pierce its thigh. However, his face instantly became as pale as corpse when his Cloud Hawk suddenly stopped flapping its wing and fell to the ground. ¡°What the¡­.¡± Confuse was all over the young Rider¡¯s face as from the saddle he kept yanking the leash in his hands, but his Cloud Hawk gave no respond. In the end, the young Rider never found out what had happened to his Cloud Hawk. Without warning, the second Tuscan bowman nailed his head and killed him in an instant. ¡°Damn amateur, talk too much,¡± The Tuscan bowman who killed the young Rider said before peeking outside the foxhole. Once he was sure no Rider approached their position he immediately turned his gaze to Corporal Mahoney. ¡°Sir, let¡¯s get back to our gun.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Wasting no time Corporal Mahoney climbed out of the foxhole, while inwardly he muttered, ¡®Fuck! I forget we have Tuscan bowmen to deal with the Rider and Cloud Hawk from a close range.¡¯ --- As the air assault went on, some Riders realized that the defender in Penna Hill avoided directing their fire power to the airspace around a huge tower in the south side of the peak. This tower had a shape like a birdcage. It was also high, huge, and lot of bowmen where stationed on each of its floor. Wasting no time some Riders took initiative to attack it and their deduction was spot on. If they made their approach from the south, they could use the huge tower to shield them from air defense¡¯s line of fire. Therefore, some Riders with ease reached the tower, and ordered their Cloud Hawk to use their claws to rip apart tower¡¯s frame. However, the fragile looking frame turned out to be far sturdier than their estimation. It didn¡¯t budge even after the Cloud Hawk mustered every drop of its strength to grip and pull it. At the same time, the Tuscan bowmen in the Net-centric tower didn¡¯t just let the Riders and their Cloud Hawks did as they please. On the 6th floor, from behind a cover Lieutenant Grabo and his squad calmly peeked at the closest Cloud Hawk. Then, he turned his gaze to his best bowmen. ¡°Hit the joint between its torso and wing. Our arrow won¡¯t be able to penetrate the plate on its chest.¡± ¡°Copy that, Sir,¡± The bowman firmly replied before coating the tip of an arrow with neurotoxin and nocked it on his longbow. Twang! Almost without took aim first the bowman loose the arrow. It flew straight to the Cloud Hawk¡¯s joint between its torso and wing, and hit an unarmored spot. The sting made the Cloud Hawk slightly flinched, before tilting its head to the side, and then it used its beak to pull out the arrow that just hit it. The Cloud Hawk then turned its gaze to a pile of sandbag where the arrow came from. With a threatened gaze it stared at bowmen who peeked at it. However, a second later the Cloud Hawk¡¯s eyes suddenly rolled back. Then, its huge body suddenly lost any strength and slumped down, ignoring its Rider who was screaming in panic. The Cloud Hawk¡¯s grip on the frame held on for a few seconds as its body hung upside down lifelessly, but in the end it loosen up and its body fell to the ground with a loud thud and crushed the Rider on its back. Similar occurrence took place all over the Net-centric tower. Every Cloud Hawk that made a grip or perched on the Net-centric Tower were killed to the last bird, and their huge body fell to the ground, circled around the base of Net-centric Tower. Once they found out that their arrow could kill a Cloud Hawk effectively, the bowmen immediately took position in the edge of Net-centric Tower. With full of confidence they nailed every approaching Cloud Hawk. In their last breath, some of the Cloud Hawks hit the Net-centric Tower, and they hit it with full power as they had already lost their ability to control their flight midway. Loud thud was repeatedly heard, followed by the Net-centric Tower that slightly shook. Fortunately, the Net-centric Tower was built specifically to deal with such circumstance, so with ease it held its ground. At the same time, the moral of Tuscan bowmen in the Net-centric Tower soar to the sky. Killing a Cloud Hawk with a single arrow was a dream for every bowman. And now, the Tuscan bowmen could make that dream into reality. Unfortunately, at the same time the Ripper Station was in a pinch. Only twenty minutes since the first contact, the opposing Riders had disabled eight units of Ripper Station. Lieutenant Grabo had just turned his gaze to check the situation on the array of Ripper Station, when an opposing Cloud Hawk took down the ninth Ripper Station. ¡°This is far from good,¡± Lieutenant Grabo said as he clenched his fist. And as if it was not enough to upset Lieutenant Grabo¡¯s mood, a radio call from Command Center suddenly was heard on the communication line. [All station be advise, second wave of opposing Riders are approaching our position from north and west, approximately 2000 Riders, ETA 12 minutes.] ¡°¡­¡± [I say again, all station be advise, second wave of opposing Riders are approaching our position from north and west, approximately 2000 Riders, ETA 12 minutes.] ¡°¡­¡± [Immediate close air support is on the way, so fight with everything you have until they arrive.] ¡°¡­¡± [I say again, immediate close air support is on the way, so fight with everything you have until they arrive, and my God with us all.] ***** Author¡¯s note: I just read that recently there are lot of impersonate case pop-up in social media. So, as precaution in case some goofs try to impersonate me and do irresponsible deed using my name, I have to warn you in advance, I don¡¯t have account in Facebook, Whatsapp, or Instagram. I only have one account in X and YouTube, which I use only to follow some content creator. In X, I don¡¯t even make any comment. So, please be wary if you see an account in Facebook, Whatsapp, or Instagram using my name or make an impression as if this account is mine. Most of all, please inform me if you have such encounter. Thanks and Best regard. Tropic Panda. TFA3 2.3 – Biggest Target TFA3 2.3 ¨C Biggest Target Captain Martin could only curse when his Ripper Station became the first unit got destroyed by Makai Rider. After that, he ordered his men to move their auxiliary power unit along with their remaining ammunition and fuel to nearest Ripper Station, and continued their fight. Then, he took his time to observe Makai Royal Palace. As CO of Ripper Station Squadron, normally he should coordinate the whole operation of his unit. But Command Center had put the Ripper Stations in fully autonomous mode and gave him loads of spare time. And so, in the edge of black pine forest, just a few meters before the cliff at west peak of Penna Hill, Captain Martin calmly stood behind a tripod and long range camera recorder. Next to him, stood Lieutenant Borro, the CO of Tuscan bowmen platoon that was attached to Ripper Station Squadron. ¡°Sir,¡± Lieutenant Borro calmly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Command Center asks you to return to underground base?¡± ¡°They did,¡± Captain Martin casually replied. ¡°But I can¡¯t just leave my men when they are fighting an uphill battle.¡± ¡°Then,¡± Lieutenant Borro curiously said, ¡°May I know why do you not lead your men, Sir?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t need my lead, they just need me to stay with them,¡± Captain Martin said as he took his eyes off the camera. ¡°LT, what do you think about Colonel Meyer¡¯s brief an hour ago, that we have to enter an all-out fight against Kingdom of Makai.¡± After a moment of silence Lieutenant Borro said, ¡°Before we depart here, Viscount Rattle and General Khartoum brief us personally. They said that if the situation turn into an all-out fight, it¡¯s highly likely we won¡¯t survive. Therefore, they asked us to sign the insurance paper from Amethyst Merchant and leave our last message.¡± After a smile Captain Martin said, ¡°I see.¡± ¡°What about you, Sir, what do you feel about our current situation?¡± ¡°I received an order for an all-out fight once. I just graduated from air force academy, and being stationed in forward base that housing first responder for our adversary country,¡± Captain Martin casually said. ¡°A moment after we receive the order, a friend who flew a fighter jet came to me to say his last goodbye, and told me that he received an order to retreat to air base in the rear line if he survived the initial contact. It meant the higher-ups had solid intel that our base was primary targets for opposing fire power and most likely will be gone shortly after the fight started. With that knowledge, I went to my station to set up air defense while civilian was being evacuated. It was the scariest moment in my life, knowing that I may not survive the day. However, the opposing side who provoked our respond decided to back down, so here I¡¯m, alive and participate in another all-out fight.¡± ¡°So our situation is not a new thing for you,¡± Lieutenant Borro said. ¡°Sort of, but this time I have a really bad hunch about our situation, even though I don¡¯t quite understand why I¡¯m so calm and has no urge to piss on my pants.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lieutenant Borro slightly nodded, and then turned his gaze to the camera in front of Captain Martin. ¡°May I know what are you recording?¡± ¡°One of the most important events in our war against Kingdom of Makai,¡± Captain Martin happily replied. ¡°Is the artillery preparing aerial ambush for inbound Riders from the west, and you want to record it?¡± ¡°No, right now the howitzer is on stand-by, while the mortar put their sight on far bigger target.¡± Question mark in an instant appeared in Lieutenant Borro¡¯s forehead, ¡°Far bigger target?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°LT, in an all-out fight, it means we have almost no restriction for our offensive.¡± As he fixed his gaze in Makai Royal Palace Captain Martin continued, ¡°And the biggest target in our war against Kingdom of Makai is under our reach.¡± A smile bloomed in Lieutenant Borro¡¯s lips as he also fixed his gaze on Makai Royal Palace, ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± --- Other than Ripper Stations, mortar platoon also took their position in the black pine forest in the west side of Penna Hill¡¯s peak. Eight 120 mm mortar squads in total, they had their firing pit in separate location, and manned by five mortar crews and three Tuscan bowmen. The job distribution for each mortar crew was pretty text book. The squad leader stood directly behind the mortar where he could command, control, and supervises the emplacement, laying, and the firing. The gunner stood to the left of the mortar where he could manipulate the sight, traversing handwheel, and elevating handwheel. He would place the firing solution on the sight and laid the mortar for deflection and elevation, while keeping the bubbles level during the firing. The assistant gunner stood to the right of the mortar, facing the barrel and ready to load. In addition to the loading, he swabbed the bore for every 10 rounds. The assistant gunner was the person who actually fired the mortar. As for the first ammunition bearer, he stood to the right rear of the mortar, preparing the ammunition, charge setting or fuze, and past it to assistant gunner. Behind him, stood the second ammunition bearer, in charge of recording the firing solution, type and number of fired rounds, and kept the safety pin from each round as physical evidence of the firing mission. Meanwhile, the Tuscan bowmen were in charge of providing security, especially from Cloud Hawk that maybe spotted the mortar crews and decided to come over to say hello. Even if their face was calm, every single one of mortar crews had their back drenched with cold sweat actually. It was natural as the sky above their head was filled with hostile Riders to the brim. Even so, they faithfully stood-by in their firing pit and would carry their mission at all cost. At the moment, mortar crew didn¡¯t have Reaper to become their eyes, so they would rely on forward observer for target acquisition. In the edge of black pine forest, just a dozen meter from Captain Martin¡¯s location, two forward observers calmly sat in their observation post. Both forward observers casually ignored Ripper Stations that worked very hard to neutralize Makai Riders. When a Cloud Hawk fell just a few meters from their position, they only gave it a glance before putting back their attention to Makai Royal Palace. After taking his eyes off a long-range scope Private Madden said, ¡°Maybe we should welcome the inbound Riders from north and west with artillery ambush.¡± ¡°Colonel Meyer had considered it,¡± Sergeant Hewitt said. ¡°However, after IDG told him that the stray steel darts will hit a highly populated area and can lead to 8-15 thousand collateral kill, he put the plan as a last option.¡± ¡°Did he choose to spare opposing civilian in the cost of our life?¡± Private Madden sourly said. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± After a paused Sergeant Hewitt added, ¡°Makai Guard has plenty of Riders at their disposal right now. They can replace the eliminated Rider with ease. On the other side, they only have one royal palace. The collateral kills from the strike on royal palace is also far smaller, but it will convey a clear message to King Makai XXII that we won¡¯t have reservation in our effort to make him puking blood.¡± ¡°I hope King Makai XXII receive the message and come to his sense.¡± Private Madden said, still in sour tone. After a smile Sergeant Hewitt continued, ¡°This is not your first shit storm. Cheer up a bit wills you.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not afraid of losing my life in a combat. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m still a singleton. It will be nice if we win this war without losing our life.¡± After a small nod Sergeant Hewitt said, ¡°I can¡¯t agree more.¡± Then, Sergeant Hewitt and Private Madden fell into silence, and a moment later almost a thousand of black dots filled the western sky to the brim, followed by radio call from Command Center. [Command to West Monitor, do you copy?] Without delay Sergeant Hewitt pressed PTT button in his chest, ¡°West Monitor 0-1 to Command, I hear you loud and clear.¡± [West Monitor 0-1, you have green to commence mortar strike on high value target inside Makai Royal Palace, level it to the ground.] ¡°¡­¡± [I say again, West Monitor 0-1, you have green to commence mortar strike on high value target inside Makai Royal Palace, use every available unguided round we have, and level all targets to the ground.] ¡°West Monitor 0-1 to Command, receive and understood, we have green to strike high value target inside Makai Royal Palace with unguided round, over and out.¡± After taking a deep breath Sergeant Hewitt turned his gaze to Private Madden. ¡°Let¡¯s show some goofs how scary when a tiger make a leap on them.¡± ¡°Roger,¡± Private Madden calmly replied while cold gleam flashed in his eyes. Wasting no time Sergeant Hewitt took out the list of grid designator for high value targets inside Makai Royal Palace. At the same time, Private Madden send a medium quad-rotor recon drone to the sky. Once they acquired clear visual of Makai Royal Palace, both from long-range scope and recon drone, Sergeant Hewitt and Private Madden immediately called in the first mortar salvo. At the same time, the second wave of Makai Riders was approaching Penna Hill in full speed. ***** TFA3 3.1 – Second Wave Rider TFA3 3.1 ¨C Second Wave Rider From the highest watch tower in Makai Guard HQ, Viscount Oriek, the Commanding Officer of Makai Palace Guard, observed every corner of Makai Royal Palace. Even though this morning he had lost more than half of his men, Viscount Oriek didn¡¯t chicken lose his composure. Without delay he asked reinforcement from Makai Guard HQ. Then, he strengthened the security at every vital area in Makai Royal Palace. Swordsmen took place in corridors, check points, or used unused hall as additional guard post. Archer took place in rooftop and watch tower, while ballista crew set up their equipment in open field. ¡°TF Amethyst most likely won¡¯t launch another raid at the palace, but we have to display our strength to raise moral,¡± Viscount Oriek calmly said. ¡°Aye, Sir.¡± Brigadier Ullod, the only Palace Guard brigadier who survive TF Amethyst raid expressed his agreement. Then, he asked, ¡°Sir, may I know the result of the meeting with Grand Commander Migal?¡± After turning his gaze to Penna Hill, Viscount Oriek replied, ¡°It takes time to gather and organize huge number of ground force, but Makai Guard HQ will be able to launch ground assault on Penna Hill as soon as sun down in the west.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s if TF Amethyst element in Penna Hill survive the Rider onslaught.¡± Captain Ullod immediately turned his gaze to the sky above Penna Hill. Once glance and he could tell that Makai Riders had not achieved the upper hand yet. Instead, their number was decreasing in steady pace. ¡°But it looks like our Riders have a hard time over there,¡± Captain Ullod worriedly said. ¡°Not for long.¡± Viscount Oriek then turned to his gaze to the north, and a thin grin bloomed in his lips as countless black dots appeared in the distant sky. ¡°As soon as the second wave Rider joins the fight, it will be game over for TF Amethyst element in Penna Hill.¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Brigadier Ullod said as cold beam flashed in his eyes. Then, a long whistle was suddenly echoed through the sky and it was rapidly closing in to Makai Royal Palace. ¡°What is that?¡± Viscount Oriek asked as he scanned the sky, but unfortunately he would never get the answer for his curiosity. BOOOOMM! The first mortar strike from Penna Hill directly hit the watch tower where Viscount Oriek and Brigadier Ullod stood by, and instantly sent the two to afterlife. --- As time went on, Jack Sparrow¡¯s circumstances were just getting worse and worse. Especially, after some Riders ordered his Cloud Hawk to peck on Multi-mission 3D AESA Radar until each panel turned into pieces of junk. Now, the Ripper Station lost its ability to perform integrated air defense network, and its effectiveness dropped to the lowest point possible. Even so, Colonel Meyer didn¡¯t lose his composure. Through the main screen in Command Center, he observed the mortar strike on Makai Royal Palace. It was aerial footage from quad-rotor drone equipped only with medium-power electro optic, so compared to aerial footage from Reaper the field of view was smaller, but at least it could give him minimum situational awareness he needed. As Colonel Meyer took a sip of his coffee, the mortar squad fired the first round. It was a strike to confirm the atmospheric state in the area. This was vital step when carrying a mortar strike using unguided round because atmospheric condition was constantly changing. Usually, it required 1-2 initial fire before the Fire Direction Center grasped the latest atmospheric update. After that, the real mortar strike would begin.Stolen story; please report. Therefore, Colonel Meyer was not expecting a good splash from the first strike, and that¡¯s why he almost got choked by his coffee when it perfectly hit the highest watch tower in Makai Guard HQ. ¡°Just now, CO of Makai Palace Guard was in this watch tower, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Colonel Meyer asked as he pointed the coffee cup in his hand at the destroyed watch tower. ¡°He was,¡± Major Alfred calmly replied. ¡°Well, today must be not his lucky day.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Colonel Meyer casually replied. At the same time the real mortar strike on Makai Royal Palace began with pin point precision. ¡°It seems the FDC have grasped the data they needed.¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred then silently watched the destruction of high value target in Makai Royal Palace. The first victim was Makai Guard HQ. Salvo from eight 120 mortar squads hit it one after another. Mortar round with delayed-fuse hit the building, and exploded only after penetrating its roof and creating huge outward explosion. As for the target in the open, mortar round with proximity-fuse was use and was set to explode at 8 meters above the ground. In matter of minutes, all building in the Makai Guard HQ turned into rubble, while corridors and open fields around it were littered with dead bodies or pieces of body part. The next victim was Makai Intelligence Service Quarter, followed by Makai Royal Hall, and biggest armory in the royal palace. Each one of those areas was destroyed to its fullest without hesitation. ¡°I hope this strike kill lot of seasoned military think tank in Makai Guard,¡± Major Alfred calmly said, ¡°and reduce their combat potential.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it did.¡± After a moment of silence Colonel Meyer added, ¡°But this strike would also kill hundreds of palace maid and servant.¡± ¡°With all respect, Sir. We are at war, not beauty contest,¡± Major Alfred firmly replied. ¡°Collateral kill is inevitable, but at least we use far stricter ROE to prevent unnecessary kill, while the opposing force deliberately use collateral kill as part of their tactic.¡± ¡°I know.¡± After heaving a deep sigh Colonel Meyer added, ¡°I also haven¡¯t forgotten the non-combatant KIA we suffered in Levsait and Raisait, and the inhuman treatment they receive even after their death.¡± After a moment of silence Major Alfred suggested, ¡°With such high level precision, maybe we can let the mortar squad hit HVT beyond palace¡¯s outer wall. Some that have minimum population around it.¡± ¡°No, without guided munitions the risk of collateral kill is too high. Even with ratio one miss out of ten salvos, the collateral kill will amount no less than a few thousands.¡± Colonel Meyer firmly replied. ¡°I also have made a promised to Petrov. In case we need to neutralize HVT located in the population, he and his element will handle it.¡± ¡°Aye Sir,¡± Major Alfred firmly replied and didn¡¯t argue. The two then continued supervise the operation. At the same time, the second wave of Makai Rider had arrived and joint the fight right away. --- One kilometer west of Penna Hill, at the maximum altitude that Cloud Hawk could reach, Count Wolmak supervised the air raid on Penna Hill. It was painful to see the number of his Riders from the first wave was decreasing rapidly. Moreover, from his position he also could clearly witness the result of mortar strike on Makai Royal Palace. ¡°It seems the defeat of three Battle Groups we sent is a just result. TF Amethyst is truly possessing military might beyond our level.¡± Count Wolmak openly admitted that he had underestimated TF Amethyst all this time, but at the same time he gained confidence as Makai Riders steadily destroyed the opposing rapid ballista one by one. ¡°Well, the most important thing is that we will bag our victory today. We lost lot of Riders but their sacrifice worth the effort.¡± Therefore, even though his heart painfully ached every time he saw a Rider and his Cloud Hawk crashed to the ground and met with their end, Count Wolmak didn¡¯t waver in the slightest. Moreover, even though his Riders failed to tear apart the giant skeletal tower on southern most of Penna Hill, Count Wolmak found out destroying the equipment that being mounted on it was sufficient to create favorable result. For example, after out of frustration some Riders destroyed four big panels that facing to each cardinal direction, the coordination among the rapid ballista dropped significantly. Previously, it would require six Riders to destroy one rapid ballista, and five Riders would get killed in the process. Now, it only required three Riders to achieve the similar result. ¡°We will definitely bag our first victory today.¡± An ear to ear grin bloomed on Count Wolmak¡¯s lips as the second wave Riders finally arrived. Wasting no time, he issued an order through crystal communicator. ¡°Destroy every piece of object mounted on the skeletal tower, and work on 3-man team to neutralize the opposing rapid ballista.¡± Count Wolmak received no reply for his order, but with ease he could tell that Riders from the second wave carried it out faithfully. They dove determinedly and joint the fight accordingly to his instruction. ***** TFA3 3.2 – Close Air Support TFA3 3.2 ¨C Close Air Support In Afghanistan, US Force used B-52 Strategic Bomber as close air support effectively. The bomber would fly in high orbit above Afghanistan, carrying more than 60 smart munitions consisted of JDAMS, Paveway, Maverick, or Longbow Hellfire. In matter of minutes it could reach every corner of Afghanistan and delivered precision close air support to troops in contact. In the early phase of Enduring Freedom, there was an event when a single B-52 fired 52 various smart ammunition to eliminate opposing armored vehicle, sniper, machine gun nest, mortar station, command post, and troops concentration, and ending the fight two minutes before the asset solely dedicated for CAS arrived at contact location. Unfortunately, it was impossible for TF Amethyst to acquire B-52 Strategic Bomber. Fortunately, they could modify their fleet of P-8 Poseidon to perform similar role. Of course, the amount of ordnance a single Poseidon could carry would be far fewer compared to B-52, but it¡¯s still huge enough compared to other aerial assets under ACG. As the second wave of Makai Rider joint the air raid on Penna Hill, two P-8 Poseidon with callsign Sleepy Panda and Smiling Panda also arrived at the ideal distance to deliver precision CAS. Both Poseidon also flew at altitude of 12.500 meter or around 41.000 feet above sea level. It was an altitude far beyond Cloud Hawk¡¯s reach. Therefore, they could carry out the CAS undisturbed. In this sortie, Smiling Panda would lead the operation. It meant its three crews who handled the aviation warfare and precision ground strike would be responsible for target designation and execution. As for the crew in Sleepy Panda, they would just responsible to launch the ordnance they carried. Once he and his crewmates decided on their first victim, Sergeant Tullken immediately reported to the superior officer in charge of supervising the cabin operation. ¡°Capt, we are ready to engage.¡± ¡°You are clear to engage,¡± Captain Clavell calmly replied without turning his eyes from the main screen in the cabin. ¡°Aye Capt, we are clear to engage.¡± All he could see in the main screen was thousands of hostile Riders filled the sky above Penna Hill to the brim. They would dove from all direction in turn, and launched deadly attack on any target they had in sight. So, Captain Clavell fully understood the urgency of the CAS that his men had to perform, and decided to launch it as soon as it¡¯s ready. A moment later the internal bay on both Sleepy Panda and Smiling Panda slowly opened. Then, five GBU-12 Paveway IV leaved each internal bay one by one. It was the version manufactured by Lockheed Martin for US Navy. Overall it was pretty similar with the version manufactured by Raytheon. The only difference was that this version included GPS/INS-guided mode that was combined with high altitude detonation on its guidance system. With ease each Paveway IV glided straight to the biggest Riders flock that was waiting for their turn to dive to Penna Hill. It flew just a few meters above their head while spreading into a wide formation. Some Riders had a bad hunch as they looked at the strange things that silently glided above their head, so they tried to express their concern or warned their comrades. Unfortunately, it was too late. BO-BO-BOOOOOOMMMM!!! Fire storm engulfed the sky as ten GBU-12 Paveway IV detonated almost simultaneously. Thermobaric ordnance was always super effective when being detonated in open area. The extreme heat and pressure it generated would erase anything in its path and it could reach a huge area. In short, the explosion killed hundreds of Riders instantly, while hundreds others badly burnt by the high heat and crashed to the ground. However, it¡¯s not the end. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Other than five weapon stations on the internal bay, Sleepy Panda and Smiling Panda had six external hardpoints and the ordnance crew had attached dispenser rack loaded with four AGM-114 Longbow Hellfire on it. As chaos, shock, and panic descended on Makai Riders, salvo of Longbow Hellfire was being launched on them in rapid interval. Out of 48 Longbow Hellfire, 47 hit its intended target and killed it while one of it went astray and hit black pine forest in the Penna Hill. It was entirely possible that among guided ammunition with solid lock, you would find a deserter or two with unknowing reason. Even so, Sergeant Tullken¡¯s heart stopped beating when through radio a unit of Ripper Station reported they suffered three fatalities and five wounded from the stray Longbow Hellfire. ¡°Oh God, what I have done,¡± Sergeant Tullken muttered as his face turned as pale as corpse. ¡°Sergeant it¡¯s not your fault,¡± Captain Calvell firmly said. ¡°I need you to stay solid till the end.¡± ¡°Aye Sir,¡± Sergeant Tullken weakly replied and it was clear he did not recover from his shock yet. Fortunately, both Sleepy Panda and Smiling Panda had dumped all ordnance they carried and had to return to Woodpecker to rearm and refuel. And in case they had to carry out second sortie, Captain Calvell had decided he would perform the target designation personally. In a gentle bank, Sleepy Panda and Smiling Panda made a big turn to east and then accelerated at full throttle. At the same time, Winter Flight arrived to deliver their second sortie. Each Super Hornet carried two AIM-9X Sidewinders and three pod of 16-tube Talon laser guided-rocket, and each pilot was very eager to start their second dog-rape. Then, whether by coincidence or not, Major Gilmore spotted a lone Rider who hovering at west of Penna Hill, at altitude just slightly above the cloud. This lone Rider aroused his interest and he decided to check it. Wasting no time Major Gilmore radioed his men, ¡°Winter One to All Winters, commence the dog fuck, but don¡¯t go near an active Ripper Station. It¡¯s not in full-autonomous mode anymore, but I¡¯m sure the operators were not in the mood to discriminate between foe and friend right now. They will just shoot down anything that enters their range. I will join you after saying hello to someone.¡± Without delay Major Gilmore then approached the lone Rider, while his men started the hunt. Once they picked their victim, they immediately dove on it with intent to kill. Once their Talon hit their target, they then climbed up to reset their position and went to the next kill. --- Count Wolmak creased his brow as a single giant arrowhead approached his position while lowering its altitude. Previously, he almost got cardiac arrest when thundering explosions suddenly rocked the sky, followed by giant fire storm that killed or badly burnt hundreds of Riders and their Cloud Hawks into crisp. Throughout a few decades of his carrier as a Rider, he never saw such scary scene. Even so, he managed to maintain his resolved and continued supervising the aerial raid on Penna Hill. His unwavering courage had brought him good fruit. Makai Riders who had chicken out regain their fighting spirit and continued the fight after hearing the mix of his command and swearing. Therefore, Count Wolmak had no intention to back down even though his instinct had warned him he had to avoid any clash with the incoming giant arrowhead. Right now, his heart and mind was brimming with confidence and fighting spirit. He firmly straightened his back, raising his chin, and threw a mocking gaze on the incoming giant arrowhead. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever think you can intimidate me to leave the battlefield,¡± Count Wolmak said as he reached out the war bow on his back, along with an arrow from quiver on the saddle. ¡°Come, come to me so I can nail your head.¡± Then, at a distance 800 meter before him the giant arrowhead finally reached a parallel altitude to his position. Wasting no time, Count Wolmak exploited the opportunity that presented itself before him. ¡°History will remember me as the first Rider who kill a giant arrowhead.¡± A thin grin bloomed on Count Wolmak¡¯s lips as he took aim at the incoming giant arrowhead. At the same time, the giant arrowhead launched a fire spear from under its right wing, and in a blink of one eye it hit and penetrated Count Wolmak¡¯s Cloud Hawk in the belly. Booom!! The explosion made a huge cavity on the Cloud Hawk¡¯s belly and instantly killed it. As for Count Wolmak, after a rough jolt, the only thing he could felt was a wild spinning, until finally his Cloud Hawk hit the surface of Dovar River. Somehow, he survived both the Talon hit and the crash on Dovar River. He also managed to swim to the shore relatively intact. Today must be his lucky day. After catching his breath, Count Wolmak immediately got up to his feet and looked up to sky above Penna Hill. Once glance and he could tell the situation was dire. His Riders lost their teamwork while being stalked and killed one by one. At the same time, some Riders decided to leave the battlefield at highest speed they could muster, and this coward action infected other Riders in rapid pace. ¡°FUCK!¡± Count Wolmak cursed as loud as he could, but he could do nothing as he had lost his crystal communicator. ***** TFA3 3.3 – Preparation for Retaliation TFA3 3.3 ¨C Preparation for Retaliation Right after Makai Rider ceased their air raid, medic personnel immediately started their work. They treated the wounded personnel and evacuated the body of the fallen. In total Jack Sparrow suffered 112 fatalities. They mostly were member of MG squad and Tuscan bowman who had been stationed at Rocky Field. The medic personnel also properly evacuated and stored the body of fallen Riders. As for their Cloud Hawk, personnel from Logistic and Support Group would cremate them. After stripping its armor, they moved the death Cloud Hawks to a natural basin in the north side Penna Hill, and then poured in some fuels and set the huge pile of Cloud Hawks into fire. Surprisingly, some Riders survived the crash landing they had gone through. They were barely alive, but not quite death yet. Without second thought the medic personnel properly treated them and managed to stabilize their vitals. At the same time, the engineer platoon carried out damage assessment for Net-centric Tower. It took a whole hour before they grasped the tower¡¯s condition to the smallest detail. Then, Lieutenant Norma held a technical meeting in the rooftop of 7th floor, and invited every squad leader under his command. With solemn tone Lieutenant Norma opened the meeting, ¡°The Multi-mission 3D AESA Radar lost its entire panel and we don¡¯t have spare component to fix it. So, we will employ Plan B. Using 2D Air Search and Surveillance Radar for early warning, while Weapon & Fire Control Radar and Fire Support Radar will be used as radar interrogator. As we all know, Plan B will eat more power and we have to reboot and calibrate the whole system every eight hours or two times more often than the Multi-mission 3D AESA Radar, but it will satisfy our need to detect and track aerial threat far enough before it can harm us. Now, if any of you have technical issue to carry this contingency, say it now.¡± Engineer Powel immediately raised his hand and waited until Lieutenant Norma nodded at him before saying, ¡°My squad has no technical issue for this contingency, but may I confirm a few things.¡± ¡°You may,¡± Lieutenant Norma calmly gave his consent. Without delay Engineer Powell said in concerning tone, ¡°Up to this moment, we still can¡¯t integrate Plan B with Ripper Station. Will Command Center satisfy with this condition, considering that Ripper Station is our primary air defense, and when it¡¯s not working as integrated air defense network its effectiveness is too low to be useful?¡± ¡°Before we came here to carry damage assessment, Major Alfred personally said to me that Plan B is more than enough,¡± Lieutenant Norma firmly replied. ¡°He also told me that last night, after a long pause, first armament shipment from earth finally arrived. Within this package, Harley Quinn received 730 combinations of AIM-120C5 and AIM-9N, along with 400 Stinger.¡± ¡°We have standardized our A2A missile to AIM-120C7 and AIM-9X, so why did we receive stuff from older generation?¡± Engineer Powell curiously asked. ¡°It¡¯s a shipment from Central Africa Federation,¡± Lieutenant Norma casually replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know why we didn¡¯t get it from the State, so don¡¯t ask me about the detail. One thing for sure is that an hour ago, the missile package from Harley Quinn and six spares 15-tube Multi-mission Launcher from Davy Jones, has arrived at Woodpecker and tonight Ospreys will airlift it here.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. So, let¡¯s get back our means to detect, track, and identify aerial threat, and then Command Center will be able to effectively use the new firepower we will receive.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Aye Sir,¡±¡±¡± The squad leaders replied simultaneously. ¡°Other question?¡± Lieutenant Norma waited for a few moments before continuing, ¡°No, let¡¯s get the work done then.¡± Wasting no time the engineer platoon carried out their work. --- The bustling activities in Penna Hill did not take place only at outdoor area. In the underground hangar, since morning, the ground crews were busy preparing AH-1Z Viper for tonight show. First, they made sure the Vipers would be in best condition to fly. Then, they installed the wing-tip Longbow fire control radar, followed by 4-round dispenser rack loaded with Longbow Hellfire on each wing. To maintain and flew their fleet of choppers, ACG didn¡¯t recruit only former USAr and USAF personnel. They also recruited ex-personnel from USN, USMC, USCG, military branch from other country, and even from private sector. The concept was pretty similar to Air America, the infamous CIA¡¯s covert airliner, which recruited personnel from any source they could reach and then kneaded them into a single cell organism. The advantage of this recruitment model was that ACG would be able to recruit veteran rich with operational experience in shortest time possible. However, while Air America adopted it only for limited amount of recruitment, ACG employed it to enable mass recruitment. As the result, lot of ego conflict, pissing contest, and even mass brawl happened in the initial phase of ACG formation. And it was not surprising that the biggest incident was a mass brawl between former ground crews from USAr and USMC. For the record, the flight crews were also participated in the brawl actually, but the higher-ups in Harley Quinn were pretending they didn¡¯t see it and so no official report mentioned about their participation. Initially, it was only a bar fight between two squad of ordnance crew. However, the friction between former ground crews from USAr and USMC had piled up in the air for a while, and finally it erupted. In a blink of one eye the fight turned into mass brawl that involved more than 200 men from each side. It was also so wild, to the point General O¡¯Neill had to put Harley Quinn in high alert only twenty minutes after the brawl broke out. When the CO of Military Police arrived at the location with every man he could gather at short notice, his first reaction after witnessing the mass brawl was, ¡°Are you kidding me? I ain¡¯t separating these savages. I don¡¯t want to accidentally get killed.¡± Colonel Patricia then made a call to Brigadier General Rayden and asked him to send immediate assistance, and it took three whole companies of light infantry, one CQB Company, along with Frogman Platoon who had just arrived from earth, to stop the fight. Then, after both sides were subdued, separated, and neatly sat in the football field with black and blue face, pressing lips, and hands tightly tied with double-reinforced plastic zip lock tie, precisely like prisoner of war, Colonel Patricia immediately stood in the middle between the two sides. ¡°Who the fuck started this shit?¡± Colonel Patricia asked in solemn tone A former USMC mechanic immediately looked straight to Colonel Patricia and curiously asked, ¡°Who is this middle-age chick?¡± And in a casual tone a former USAr mechanic who sat across the former marine replied, ¡°A former chair force chick it seems. Let¡¯s just ignore her until the real adult arrives to give us the lecture.¡± ¡°Roger that Dude,¡± The former marine calmly expressed a mutual consensus. In an instant killing intent flashed in Colonel Patricia¡¯s eyes, and it intensified further after a moment later she found out that no one knew the exact reason why they joint the brawl. People from both sides just joint in at first sight, and all they knew was that they didn¡¯t want to lose to the other side at all cost. Without second thought Colonel Patricia then sent everyone who participated in the brawl into unforgettable and unspeakable hell, she personally designed with passion as for the first time in her life she could show her dark side as a true sadist without restraint. But what was in the past was in the past. Now, every member of ACG could operate and function as a single cell organism no matter what their background were, as if they were a zealot cult. And so, just a few minutes after the sun fully downed in the west, the Vipers were fully ready to launch the retaliatory attack. Swiftly, the ground crews installed the helitow cart under each Viper, and then connected it to Humvee. They tunnel to exit the underground hangar was very steep, so it would require Humvee to towed the Viper. ***** TFA3 4.1 – Night Hunt TFA3 4.1 ¨C Night Hunt Just a minute after the sun fully downed in the west, 4 V-22 Ospreys made a landing in Jack Sparrow. Three Ospreys carried missile package and disassembled parts of Multi-mission Launcher, while the other one carried back-up flight crew for Viper and Venom. Without further ado personnel from Logistic and Support Group unloaded the new firepower that had just arrived, and delivered it to engineer crew who were responsible to put it online. As for the back-up flight crew, a senior ground crew took most of them to underground hangar. The exception was Captain Reyes and Lieutenant Ashley, a pair of Viper¡¯s flight crew. Major Alfred personally welcomed the two and took them to the freshly armed and ready to fly Viper. In a glance Major Alfred could tell that Captain Reyes and Lieutenant Ashley were fully ready to carry the attack mission, and it was not just from the neat flight suit they wore but also from their calm expression. Even so, Major Alfred still had the obligation to confirm their combat readiness and he had no plan to skip this protocol. ¡°Are you two sure you are ready?¡± Major Alfred calmly asked. ¡°We are,¡± Captain Reyes firmly replied. ¡°With all respect Sir,¡± Lieutenant Ashley added. ¡°After arriving at Woodpecker a month ago, we didn¡¯t just sit and do nothing. Other than carving every piece of intel we have to remember, both written and visual, into our head, we also regularly use simulator to simulate various mission we have to carry.¡± ¡°LT, I know what the chopper crews have done while they were staying in Woodpecker. I read the report,¡± Major Alfred calmly said. ¡°However, the report doesn¡¯t mention your last second combat readiness, and that¡¯s my job to confirm it.¡± ¡°We are fully ready, Sir,¡± Captain Reyes repeated his answer. ¡°Good,¡± Major Alfred happily replied. Wasting no time Captain Reyes and Lieutenant Ashley hopped in into Viper¡¯s cockpit. Then, they exchanged glance with Captain Russell and his gunner who had entered the other Viper¡¯s cockpit since a moment ago. The pilot and gunner slightly nodded to each other mirror before putting their helmet on. A moment later, both Vipers took off and went straight to north at full speed while gaining altitude. Major Alfred waited until both Vipers disappeared from his sight before returning to Command Center. --- In the Command Center, Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred calmly observed an air strike launched a pair of MQ-9 Reaper. The target was a Cloud Hawk pen, located in a steep ridge 300 km west of Makai Royal City. It was a standard protocol that when building a Cloud Hawk pen located outside of a fortress, it had to be built in a location that couldn¡¯t be reached by land. Therefore, almost every Cloud Hawk pen outside Makai Royal City was a legitimate target for Jack Sparrow as it was far enough from population. As he watched a huge Cloud Hawk pen that now was no more than rubble of charcoal and ash along with everything inside it, Colonel Meyer said, ¡°That¡¯s a good hit.¡± ¡°Four Hellfire in one go is always as effective as ever,¡± Major Alfred expressed his agreement. Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred couldn¡¯t help but celebrate every Rider and Cloud Hawk kill they could harvest, because Makai Riders and their Cloud Hawk were still the biggest threat to Jack Sparrow. Moreover, more than a thousand Riders and their Cloud Hawk managed to retreat from today battle safely, and no one knew when they would launch another air raid along with new arrival Riders.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. At the same time, even though ACG managed to muster eight Ospreys to airlift the missile package and Multi-mission Launcher from Woodpecker to Jack Sparrow, it was still not clear how many missile they could deliver in one night airlift operation. Therefore, every Cloud Hawk kill counted and Woodpecker sent six Reapers to participate in the night hunt. Then, a communication operator suddenly turned his gaze to Colonel Meyer and said, ¡°Sir, our Vipers almost arrive at their first objective and one of Reapers on the hunt coincidently fly in the area. Do you want to get the footage?¡± ¡°That will be nice,¡± Colonel Meyer casually replied. ¡°But don¡¯t contact the Vipers¡¯s crew. Let them carry out their mission peacefully.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± In a blink, the main screen in the Command Center displayed an aerial footage from Reaper. It was Cloud Hawk pen, located 89 km north of Makai Royal City, right on top of a rocky hill. Without lowering their altitude or speed both Vipers approached it. Then, each Viper launched a pair of Longbow Hellfire. It formed an arch as it approached the pen, and then made a nose dive and scored a perfect hit. For a second a dazzling light enveloped the whole pen, and then dimmed down and revealed a fully burnt huge pen, along with anyone and anything inside it. ¡°That¡¯s another good hit,¡± Major Alfred happily said. Colonel Meyer nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, if we can maintain this pace for the whole night, we will nullify the threat from opposing Cloud Hawk, and gain enough time to finish the airstrip and strengthen our air defense.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± At the same time, as Colonel Meyer and Major Alfred continued observing the night hunt, two opposing ground elements were approaching Penna Hill from two directions. One was a massive and open approach to east cliff wall, while the other one was swift and silent approach to west cliff wall. --- In the edge of west cliff, Lieutenant Cobain and his platoon carried the night watch silently and without campfire or any illumination. While sipping his coffee, Lieutenant Cobain recalled his journey to join TF Amethyst. He was former member of 10th SFG ODA, the Green Beret front line combatant that was stationed in West Europe. His unit was regularly trained with Germany mountain ranger and Scotland Royal Marine Commando in high-altitude mountain warfare, both on conventional combined arm warfare or specific unconventional mission for special force. As team sergeant in his unit, Lieutenant Cobain was the most senior and experience combatant and was the dude in charge of how a mission had to be carried out. In short, he was not the team captain who made the decision about where the team would go and what would they do, but without his consent nothing could be done. When TF Amethyst sent him an invitation to join in and go through an officer candidate course to become CO of light infantry platoon that specialized themselves in mountain warfare, he flatly rejected the offer. He loved his life as Green Beret so much. However, the promised that he would be able to send both his children into a good medical school if he could graduate from the officer candidate course changed his mind. And so, Sergeant Cobain became Lieutenant Cobain, a CO of light infantry platoon part of Ground Combat Group, 3rd Mountain Infantry Brigade, and had been stationed in Jack Sparrow for the past few months. Lieutenant Cobain and his platoon was also the second unit who was air dropped to Penna Hill, only one hour apart after Combat Control Team. Then, as Lieutenant Cobain casually enjoyed his coffee under the silent night, a radio call suddenly came in. [LT, we have company.] Wasting no time Lieutenant Cobain pressed PTT button in his chest. ¡°How big?¡± [Two hundreds at most, and they carry climbing equipment.] ¡®It seems their climber is trying to sneak in.¡¯ Lieutenant Cobain muttered before radioing Command Center. ¡°West Ward to Command, do you copy?¡± [Loud and clear, go ahead, West Ward.] ¡°Command, we have opposing climber try to climb cliff wall in our sector, requesting permission to engage, confirm?¡± [West Ward, you have green to engage and use lethal means, but keep in mind that currently we have limited ammo.] ¡°Receive and understood, West Ward over and out.¡± Lieutenant Cobain then ordered his men and Tuscan Guard personnel who were attached to his unit to throw dozens crates of Molotov cocktail to Makai Guard climber on the foot of the hill, followed by a few flares. In an instant sea of fire engulfed Makai Guard climbers, followed by heart wrenching screams. As for climber who already started their climb, a squad of Tuscan Guard nailed them one by one using rapid-loading crossbow. A few minutes later, the silent night returned to the west cliff wall of Penna Hill. ***** TFA3 4.2 – Retreat TFA3 4.2 ¨C Retreat Once the sun fully set in the west, Sergeant Tommy and his team came out of their hiding hole in the edge of east cliff, and returned to their firing position just right above the sentry platoon who guarded East Track. A moment later, the advance of Makai Guard¡¯s ground element appeared in the distance. With calm eyes, Sergeant Tommy and spotter on his team observed it. It was moonless and starless night and the advanced was carried out without torch. Even so, with the help of long-range low light camera that¡¯s almost a hundred times more sensitive than human eyes, they could see the night as clear as a day. The spearman and swordsman with ease reached the supervisor office, and then spread out and took position around it. The closest groups were only a few dozen meters from the foot of east cliff, and clearly showed a sign that they were ready to climb the East Track. Around 700 hundreds meter behind the sea of foot soldier, thousands of footbowman took position. They calmly sat in the ground, hugging their footbow on the chest, and would need only a few seconds to switch into firing position. Most of all, from their current position the footbowman could send a salvo to the peak of Penna Hill with ease with ease. Actually, the sight of tens of thousands of hostile took position so close to east cliff had made Sergeant Tommy worry and nervous as hell. He really wanted to make the move first, eliminated the opposing element that already entered the effective range of Molotov cocktail, and got over it. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t receive the green light to engage yet. He had to wait until tonight biggest threat, the opposing catapult, also entered the range of Molotov catapult. That way, the platoon of Molotov cocktail could deal a fatal blow to Makai Guard. In tonight advance, Makai Guard brought a dozen giant catapults and it took six triple-horned buffalos to tow each catapult. Slowly but surely, the giant catapults made their advance. Until finally, they reached a distance of 1600 meter from East Cliff, a perfect range for Molotov Catapult to hit them. As the crew of giant catapults made preparation for the salvo, Sergeant Tommy radioed Command Center. ¡°Archer 0-1 to Command, do you copy?¡± [We heard you Archer 0-1, go ahead.] ¡°Opposing catapults have entered Molotov catapult¡¯s line and range, do we engage or stand by?¡± [Archer 0-1, we will engage, be ready to provide target¡¯s grid designator.] ¡°Receive and understood, Archer 0-1 on standby.¡± After taking a deep breathe Sergeant Tommy turned his gaze to AWM 338 shooter under his command. ¡°Once chaos descends on the opposing formation, try to hunt and eliminate their officers as many as you can.¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°Aye,¡±¡±¡±¡± Sergeant Tommy¡¯s men calmly replied in a half whisper while cold gleam flashed in their eyes. --- Other than volunteer from best bowman brigade, Viscount Rattel and General Khartoum also sent 2nd Tuscan Molotov Catapult Detachment to Jack Sparrow. Two weeks ago this detachment completed their training, and its members were eager to test their capability. When Viscount Rattel and General Khartoum informed them that they needed to send two batteries of Molotov catapult to Jack Sparrow, the whole detachment instantly volunteered themselves. In the end, Viscount Rattle and General Khartoum had to send the whole detachment because no one was willing to let a go the chance to taste their first combat mission, even after knowing there was a high possibility it would be their last mission. This afternoon, as soon as Makai Guard showed an intention to approach the east cliff, the 2nd Tuscan Molotov Catapult Detachment immediately received an order to set up firing position 300 meters from the edge of east cliff wall. Wasting no time, Captain Karrak and his men carried out the order.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. In total, Captain Karrak and his men had to set up 32 Molotov catapult. Fortunately, Molotov catapult was not complicated weapon system. So, they finished the job in no time. After that, Captain Karrak just casually stood behind the firing line, while munching a piece of energy bar. Then, a radio call from command center came in. [Command to Batter 0-2, do you copy?] ¡°Command, I heard you loud and clear, do we have fire mission?¡± [We do, be ready to received target¡¯s grid designator in a moment.] ¡°Roger, Batter 0-2 on standby to receive target¡¯s grid designator.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Karrak told his men that they had fire mission. A moment later, they received the first target¡¯s grid designator and wasting no time they launched the first salvo of Molotov cocktail. --- In the rear line of Makai Guard¡¯s battle formation, General Tarran sat on top of his horse. From the sour expression in his face, it was easy to tell that his mood was not good. Well, it was understandable as no one would be happy if they were asked to launch a distraction to enable a sneak attack, but the unit who carried the sneak attack got neutralized almost instantly. ¡°Damn it,¡± General Tarran cursed softly as he fixed his gaze on East Track on the east cliff wall. Brigadier Norr who positioned his horse next to General Tarran immediately turned his gaze to him. ¡°General, will Grand Commander Migal sent another climber.¡± ¡°No,¡± General Tarran firmly replied. ¡°It seems TF Amethyst can truly see at night. It¡¯s no use to try another sneak attack.¡± ¡°We will retreat then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I hope for,¡± After taking a deep breathes General Tarran added, ¡°But Grand Commander Migal wants us to mount a full-scale attack.¡± Brigadier Norr nodded and calmly said, ¡°We are already set in position. Let¡¯s just launch it.¡± ¡°That will be a bloodbath up-hill battle for us,¡± General Tarran weakly said. ¡°It¡¯s very easy to defend East Track. On the other hand, other than destroyed two-third of opposing fire spears, our Riders failed to inflict meaningful damage on their ground element. Opposing ground element in Penna Hill is still in their top condition.¡± ¡°General, are you expecting we postpone the attack until tomorrow, when we can combine our ground attack with air raid from our Riders?¡± ¡°Sort of, but unfortunately,¡± General Tarran dejectedly said. ¡°I just received an update that right now, TF Amethyst is conducting visit and destroy to our Cloud Hawk¡¯s pen in rapid pace. If they carry it for a whole night, we won¡¯t have available Rider for a while.¡± ¡°Honestly, General, never did I imagine we will face this kind of dire situation right in our doorstep,¡± Brigadier Norr weakly said. ¡°Yeah, Makai Royal City is fucked as soon as TF Amethyst put their insane artillery in Penna Hill,¡± General Tarran casually said. ¡°And our Riders, the only card we have to turn the table have failed. Most of a---¡± General Tarran didn¡¯t finish his sentence as suddenly, from the peak of Penna Hills 32 pieces of burning object climbed up across the night sky, made a big arc, reached its highest climbing point, and then dove down in full momentum. Blaaar Blaaar Bla-bla-bla-blaaaaarrr!!! The burning objects fatally hit the footbow formation and formed a chain of fireballs. Chaos immediately enveloped the footbow formation. At the same time, the second salvo had already in the air, and then hit the catapult formation. Only 14 out of 32 burning object scored direct hit on the catapults, but it was more than enough to set each catapult into fire. ¡°Damn,¡± General Tarran cursed weakly. ¡°That¡¯s must be the Molotov catapult that halted Battle Group A¡¯s advance.¡± ¡°What a remarkable firepower. They neutralize our catapult with only single salvo,¡± Brigadier Norr said with complicated expression, and then he urgently added, ¡°General, we have to launch the attack now.¡± ¡°No, sound the retreat signal. We have to make sure our men can retreat before they are trapped in sea of fire,¡± General Tarran calmly said. ¡°But General, it¡¯s against Grand Commander Migal¡¯s order.¡± ¡°I will take full responsibility.¡± ¡°Understood, General Sir,¡± Wasting no time Brigadier Norr carried out the order. When facing an opponent with such insane fire power, General Tarran fully realized that time was essential. No matter what he wanted to do, be it attacking or retreating, he had to carry it out as fast as he could. Therefore, he was content that Brigadier Norr didn¡¯t waste some time to argue with him, and just put every drop of his attention to organize the retreat. In the end, most of the combatant managed to retreat to rear line with total lost around 20% including some seasoned officers. As for the punishment for his insubordination, General Tarran didn¡¯t give a damn about it. It would definitely end his career as the best field general in Makai Guard, but he would gladly accept it. In short, he believed he did the right thing tonight. ***** TFA3 4.3 – Shit in the Last Moment TFA3 4.3 ¨C Shit in the Last Moment After Makai Guard¡¯s ground element retreated from east cliff, the night in Jack Sparrow went in a calm mood. Element who was on night duty carried their task calmly but vigilantly. As for the element that was on break, they just stayed put in their barracks. Initially, some of them wanted to hold barbeque party and enjoyed their stash of alcohol to reduce the pent up they built when defending Jack Sparrow in the day. However, they instantly canceled it after Major Alfred told them he would skin them alive if they didn¡¯t rest peacefully in their barracks. Major Alfred was famous for having relaxed approach towards BBQ and alcohol gathering. He would even joint the fun sometimes, putting aside any form of formality and happily shared his alcohol stash. Therefore, when someone like him forbade the gathering with a dead-drop serious expression, everyone couldn¡¯t help but obeyed the order. And so, after a good night rest, the personnel who were part of daytime operation started to wake up at 4:20 am. After some personal hygiene activity, they went to mess hall, tried to chow as much protein and carb as they could, and washed it down with lot of coffee. Then, they went to their station and reporting for the duty. The first element who left underground barrack was Ripper Station crew and Tuscan bowman who were being attached to them. In a calm steps Captain Martin led his men and Tuscan bowmen entering black pine forest. A moment later, the group saw some fully-loaded 15-tube Multi-Mission Launchers that were positioned in black pine forest, along with loading crew and piles of spare missile. In an instant, the Ripper Station crew had a big smile in their lips. Currently, only 21 Ripper Stations were still in operation. Those Ripper Stations also couldn¡¯t operate in full-auto, bypassing the IFF protocol for lightning speed reaction, and formed integrated air defense network. The crew had to operate it individually using remote control. It meant the Ripper Stations couldn¡¯t automatically guard each other flank and rear, and multi-directional attack would defeat it. Therefore, the presence of mid-range air defense would boost the Ripper Station crew¡¯s moral up to the sky. Most of all, when they arrived at the center of Ripper Station formation, they found a pile of Stinger missile guarded by a Sergeant and three personnel from Logistic and Support Group. The sergeant from Logistic and Support Group immediately walked over to Captain Martin and handed over a document. ¡°Captain, we are here to handover the Stinger package.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Wasting no time Captain Martin took the handover document, signed it, and returned it to the Sergeant from Logistic and Support Group. ¡°Sir, I think you should check the package before signing the document.¡± ¡°Well, if later I find we have discrepancy between the package and the document, I will just ask my men to beat you,¡± Captain Martin calmly replied. ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± ¡°So, can you tell me how many Stingers we have in total right now?¡± Captain Martin curiously asked. ¡°137 missiles,¡± The sergeant calmly replied. ¡°And the distribution?¡± ¡°84 missiles to your unit, 4 missiles for each Ripper Station. The rest are being split between defender in Rocky Field and Net-centric Tower.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°I see.¡± After slightly nodded his head two times Captain Martin asked another question, ¡°What about the other missile?¡± ¡°Around 200s, mix of A-1-20 and A-9.¡± ¡°Finally, we have a means to nail opposing Rider far before they can harm us.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± ¡°Well, you may leave Sergeant. Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± Without further ado the Sergeant from Logistic and Support Group left with his men. As for Captain Martin, after giving his men a short brief, he let them to set their Ripper Station, along with the new arrival Stinger to replace the Talon laser-guided rocket. A moment later, the Ripper Station popped up amid the tree tops on black pine forest one by one. --- Around 130 km south of Jack Sparrow, a pair of AH-1Z Viper flew in full speed to the west. For the whole night, this pair of Viper had conducted visit and destroy to Cloud Hawk¡¯s pen up to 200 km radius from Jack Sparrow, delivering six deathly sorties and destroyed 14 Cloud Hawk¡¯s pen in total. This long duration hunting could be done because of two factors. First factors, the Viper had undergone heavy modification to enable such hunting style. Second factors, both the flight crew and the ground crew were capable of bringing out the Viper¡¯s maximum capability after the modification. One of the most striking modifications that could be seen by naked eye was the implementing of wing-tip Longbow radar. This fire control radar enabled the Viper to locate 200 stationary targets and track 98 moving targets up to radius of 50 km, in various scenarios including adverse weather condition. The statistic was slightly below from what the mast-mounted Longbow radar on AH-64E Guardian could reach, but it¡¯s still quite impressive. Not to mention, the modification also included the package to maximize Viper¡¯s capability for littoral and naval operation, which gave it the capability to carry and fire AGM-65 Maverick for anti-ship operation. In short, the fleet of Viper under Air Combat Group was the first of its kind, and compared to other attack chopper in its class it was a little bit too veracious honestly. Of course, for its crew the Viper was nothing more than adorable beast they doted so much. Now, after the hunt that took place from sunset to sunrise, the Viper¡¯s flight crew only had one thing in mind. They wanted to return to Jack Sparrow as fast as they could. The morning sun was already in full glare, so they had lost the cover of darkness. Not to mention, even if they already destroyed Cloud Hawk¡¯s pen in the area, yesterday visual observation from IDG personnel had spotted some Riders landed on Makai Guard base in Makai Royal City. No one knew why those Riders didn¡¯t return to their pen and chose to land in closest base. Maybe it¡¯s because their Cloud Hawk was too tired or maybe it¡¯s because they just wanted to land as soon as possible. One thing for sure, whatever the reason was, right now those Riders could pose a threat to Viper¡¯s return flight. Unfortunately, the scenario that bothered the Viper¡¯s flight crews came into reality. Without any warning, four blips suddenly appeared in the radar screen. They were only 45 km in front of them, right in the middle of return flight to Jack Sparrow. ¡®They really know how to pop up at the wrong place and wrong time,¡¯ Captain Russell muttered to himself before radioed Captain Reyes, ¡°Black Duck 0-1 to Red Duck 0-1, do you see what I see?¡± [I do.] [People keep saying hero will show up at the last moment to save the day, but experience show me it¡¯s the shit who always pop up in the last second, and we have to rely on our own to safe our dear butt.] [Fortunately, we carry Longbow radar and still have six Hellfire combine.] ¡°Yeah, otherwise we are goners beyond saving.¡± [This is Black Duck 0-2, to Black Duck 0-1 and Red Duck 0-1, sorry to interrupt you, but can I ask you to maintain the course while you have your happy chat, I and Red Duck 0-2 will take care of the rest.] ¡°Red Duck 0-1, you heard them, let¡¯s proceed as they requested.¡± [Copy.] Normally, Longbow radar was used only in operation to hunt a massive number of moving target such as armored column. Due to its weight and high operational cost, Longbow radar had almost never been used in operation to hunt stationary target, escort mission, or close air support. That¡¯s why in Afghanistan, US Army¡¯s AH-64 Apache almost never carried its mast-mounted Longbow radar. As for tonight hunt, ACG wanted the pair of Viper to test the wing-tip Longbow radar in real combat scenario, and as expected it did a very good job in marking the stationary target and perfectly guided the Longbow Hellfire to kiss it. And now, the pair of Viper had the opportunity to test its true capability against multiple aerial targets. In full speed the pair of Viper flew head on. Then, at distance of 8 km from the incoming Riders, they launched 4 Longbow Hellfire simultaneously. A moment later, four explosions occurred in the distant sky and the four blips in the radar screen gone without a trace. Without slowing down the pair of Viper continued their return flight, and arrived at Jack Sparrow without encounter other opposition. ***** TFA3 4.4 – Next Phase TFA3 4.4 ¨C Next Phase While carrying a cup of black coffee, Colonel Meyer walked towards underground Command Center. He only slept for three hours, from three in the early morning until six, but it¡¯s more than enough. Moreover, even if he stayed in his personal quarter, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep more than that. And so, after taking a morning bath and having a light breakfast, he immediately went to Command Center. As soon as he entered the room, he went straight to Captain Holmes in the air warfare section. ¡°Holmes, how is our situation?¡± Colonel Meyer calmly asked. ¡°So far all is good, Sir,¡± Captain Holmes calmly replied. ¡°Our Vipers completed all combat sorties they had to carry and had just landed. The ground crew is on the way to tow it to underground hangar, while Major Alfred debriefs the flight crew.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After taking a sip of his coffee Colonel Meyer asked again. ¡°What about the Net-centric Tower? Is there any issue with it?¡± ¡°Not at all. The engineer platoon did a remarkable job for the whole night.¡± ¡°And our new missiles are ready for action, I presume.¡± ¡°Armed and fully ready, Sir.¡± ¡°Glad to hear that. Thank you for your hard work, Holmes.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± Without further ado Colonel Meyer then went to intelligence section, and Lieutenant Reznik casually welcomed him. ¡°Colonel, please forgive my rudeness, but you still have another three hours of break time. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to use it to rest in your quarter?¡± ¡°My mind refuses to stay put. It keeps returning here,¡± Colonel Meyer calmly replied. ¡°It will only stress me out if I force myself to stay in my quarter.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± After taking another sip of his coffee Colonel Meyer asked, ¡°Do we have an update on King Makai XXII¡¯s whereabouts?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Lieutenant Reznik dejectedly replied. ¡°For the last 24 hours, my men have checked every important building and mansion using our long-range eavesdrop device, but no one mentioned anything related to King Makai XXII¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Colonel Meyer nodded and then asked another question, ¡°What about Petrov¡¯s Humint network?¡± ¡°They also got nothing so far.¡± ¡°LT, keep looking,¡± Colonel Meyer firmly said. ¡°Capturing King Makai XXII is our best ticket to end the war as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After a moment of pause Lieutenant Reznik said, ¡°Colonel, an hour ago, Major Petrov sent a message. He wants to know when you will give him the green light to take action against Makai Guard¡¯s chain of command in the city.¡± ¡°Tell him, he can start it,¡± Colonel Meyer casually replied. ¡°I will send the message right away, Sir.¡± After nodding his head, Colonel Meyer then went to his desk. --- In the remote corner of commoner district, just behind the red light district, Tallmerk Grill stood peacefully. As a tavern that opened 24/7, and had good beer, grill, and soup to offer, Tallmerk Grill was almost never empty of visitors. Most of all, after the assault on Makai Royal Palace, Tallmerk Grill somehow became the hub for information and whispers regarding the battle between Makai Guard and TF Amethyst¡¯s element on Penna Hill. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. People who wanted to know about the battle only had to come to Tallmerk Grill to get the latest update. At the same time, the waitresses would silently listen to the chats, assumptions, expectations, and even gossip that circulated in the tavern¡¯s dining hall, and then send it all to underground intelligence quarter below the tavern. And so, for the last 24 hours Major Petrov and his men were busy carrying out rotations to organize the raw intelligence they managed to gather, both from the tavern dining hall and the Humint network they had established in Makai Royal City. ¡°So, still no clue on King Makai XXII¡¯s whereabouts?¡± Major Petrov calmly asked his men. ¡°No Sir, we have nothing so far,¡± Tulla replied. ¡°Sneaky bastard,¡± After taking a sip of his tea Major Petrov continued, ¡°We have to locate him as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± Tulla nodded before letting out a deep sigh. ¡°However, what will we do to their plan to sell some of the residents to slave traders, Sir?¡± ¡°Ending the war as soon as possible is our top priority. Let¡¯s stick to it for now.¡± After a moment of silence Tulla dejectedly replied, ¡°I see. We will do nothing to it.¡± ¡°Tulla, I don¡¯t like it either, but Colonel Meyer said it was a direct order from Chief Nate to not disturb their plan to sell their own people.¡± After taking a deep breath Major Petrov added, ¡°Not to mention, right now our hands are full of vital objectives we have to clear.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir,¡± Tulla firmly replied. Then, a communication specialist suddenly entered the room and reported, ¡°Major, Jack Sparrow sends us the green light to target Makai Guard¡¯s chain of command.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s enter the next phase then,¡± Major Petrov firmly said. ¡°¡°¡°¡°Aye Sir,¡±¡±¡±¡± Every man and woman in the room replied simultaneously. --- Around 6 km west of Makai Royal Palace, right in the middle of high-class district, stood a medium-sized mansion. At a glance, the mansion looked like other mansions in the area, owned by a merchant who was almost always on business trips. Other than commander of royal bodyguard and his most trusted officers, no one knew that the mansion was a safe house for King Makai XXII. Last night, King Makai XXII and some of his best bodyguards arrived at the mansion silently. And now, he enjoyed a light breakfast in the backyard garden. The food was not as luxurious as what he used to eat. His clothes were also quite simple compared to what he usually wore. Even so, King Makai XXII could easily adapt to the new circumstances and environment around him. He heartily wolfed down the toast, paired with peanut butter. Then, Grand Commander Migal entered the backyard and went straight to him. ¡°Uncle Migal, please have a seat,¡± King Makai XXII said as he pointed at the chair in front of him. ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± After giving King Makai XXII a small bow Grand Commander Migal took the seat. ¡°So,¡± King Makai XXII swallowed down a piece of toast before continuing, ¡°How is our situation?¡± ¡°Not good, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°How bad?¡± ¡°In the last 24 hours, we lost almost 3000 Riders in total.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± In an instant King Makai XXII let out a deep sigh. ¡°Even when the last time our kingdom fought a dragon, Makai Guard didn¡¯t lose that many Riders.¡± ¡°It seemed we underestimated TF Amethyst a little too much,¡± Grand Commander Migal honestly admitted. ¡°The aerial battle in Penna Hill and TF Amethyst night hunting for Cloud Hawk¡¯s pen will be remembered as one of the biggest tactical defeats the Makai Guard has suffered. Not to mention, TF Amethyst scored a direct and fatal hit at Royal Palace, and even killed a prince in the line for the crown.¡± ¡°Uncle Migal, do you think we should start a peace talk with TF Amethyst?¡± ¡°No, not yet, Your Majesty,¡± Grand Commander Migal firmly said. ¡°We still have a chance to turn the table.¡± "How will we do it?¡± ¡°We can imitate the earth-scorching tactic used by Buriek Rider to defeat Sandhur Guard in Levsait and Raisait.¡± After a short pause Grand Commander Migal added, ¡°We will have to sacrifice a few hundred riders in the process, but if they manage to drop enough lamp oil, it will burn down TF Amethyst¡¯s combat capability to the lowest point possible.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± After a small smile King Makai XXII continued, ¡°How long before we can launch it?¡± In a serious tone Grand Commander Migal replied, ¡°We have no means to gather a massive amount of lamp oil in a short time. We also have to wait for the nearby Regions to send their second batch of Riders. It will take around two weeks before everything is ready.¡± ¡°Two weeks,¡± After slightly nodding his head a few times King Makai XXII continued, ¡°It¡¯s not that long. Let¡¯s do it. Meanwhile, Uncle Murak will continue the plan to refill our treasury.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, but you have to temporarily leave Makai Royal City.¡± As deep concern filled his face Grand Commander Migal added, ¡°We can¡¯t let TF Amethyst capture or even assassinate you using their precise firepower.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle. I will leave Makai Royal City this afternoon.¡± After taking a sip of his tea, King Makai XXII asked, ¡°What about Grand Admiral Shoel? Can he depart to take over Battle Group B¡¯s command as scheduled?¡± ¡°He decided to put forward the departure time,¡± Grand Commander Migal calmly replied. ¡°He will depart tonight with his carrier ship and a dozen cruisers as escorts.¡± ¡°Good, and as Dellan was dead, let¡¯s disband Battle Group C and split their resources between Battle Groups A and B.¡± ¡°This servant will arrange it,¡± Grand Commander Migal firmly replied. ¡°Good,¡± After a satisfied smile King Makai XXII then said, ¡°Uncle Migal, you may return to underground HQ then, and our next conversation will be done through crystal communicator.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± Without further ado Grand Commander Migal took his leave. ***** TFA3 5.1 – Standby Order TFA3 5.1 ¨C Standby Order 09:40, 3 Nov 2025 Even if officially he had already become POW, Prince Portho didn¡¯t lose his freedom or privilege. He still enjoyed the lifestyle of a prince and could walk freely to every corner of Geko-01. As Geko-01 was approaching Sommer Island, from one of windows in the bridge, Prince Portho observed the sea around the island. It was calm and peaceful. There was no sign of the destruction of thousand ships that tried to put a blockade to the island. Actually, until this moment, if he didn¡¯t see the footage of how the event took place, Prince Portho would still have a hard time believing that Battle Group A and C had suffered a crushing defeat. Then, with casual steps Duke Fogel approach Prince Portho and said, ¡°I just confirms it from Captain Kasino. Once we land on Summer Island, they will fly us to Castle Lagra.¡± After lowering the binocular in his hands Prince Portho said, ¡°So, we will not stay on Sommer Island.¡± ¡°No,¡± Duke Fogel firmly replied. ¡°They want you to arrive at Castle Lagra as soon as possible. Moreover, Sommer Island doesn¡¯t have appropriate accommodation for a prince.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After a moment of silence Prince Portho asked, ¡°How long the flight will take place?¡± ¡°Around an hour.¡± ¡°That fast?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How about the others?¡± ¡°You can bring the female servants to the mansion they prepare for you in Castle Lagra,¡± Duke Fogel explained. ¡°As for the engine crew and bridge crew, they will be sent to POW camp, but Captain Kasino said it¡¯s a humanely POW camp and they will suffer no harm.¡± ¡°And the slaves?¡± ¡°They will have to stay in Sommer Island and go through some administration process. After that, they will fly to Lagra City in batches.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Prince Portho casually replied as Sommer Island getting bigger and bigger. --- First Lieutenant Caldwell was the second highest officer in Frogman Platoon. He served with US NSWG-2 before joining TF Amethyst and being stationed in Frogman Platoon. Actually, he loved his life as east coast-based maritime commando so much. Unfortunately, life had a nasty habit of going into unwanted direction. One day, US Navy sent its latest Arleigh Burke-class to participate in a multinational exercise with allied countries. One of US Navy¡¯s goals in this exercise was to test a few state-of-the art devices they installed in this ship¡¯s hull. And as usual, NSWG operator was stationed to guard the ship both on the surface and underwater when the ship docked in the port. Let alone the adversaries countries, even among the allied countries there was a habit to peek at each other new toy without permission, and a mishandling on this issue could lead into diplomatic shit storm. Therefore, to prevent the rise of unwanted circumstance, the security detail would only act as a scare crow. They couldn¡¯t use lethal means under any circumstances. Unfortunately, the situation in the field was not simple. When the uninvited guest showed a clear intent to kill, the security detail had no choice but to go beyond their protocol. And so, when six uninvited divers drew their combat knife instead of leaving peacefully after Lieutenant Caldwell and his team told them to, the underwater melee occurred. It was four NSWG operators against six hostile divers, and the NSWG operators were not superman. When they were outnumbered by skillful divers who want to kill them, it was impossible to defend themselves by relying only in non-lethal means. Long short story, after taking some fingers for later identification, and sent initial report about the event, Lieutenant Caldwell and his team let the current to drift away six lifeless body. Then, they continued their underwater watch. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it At first, the event just went by as if it never happened. Even when the USN intelligence learned that two of the uninvited diver was former frogman from the host country and shared the information through the backdoor, no rippled appeared to the surface. Especially, after the further investigation found a solid proof that the uninvited divers were being hired by an adversary country. Unfortunately, six months later a domestic politician got their hand on the report about the event, and used it as leverage to ask concession from one of the US Navy airlift program. Worst of all, this politician was really good at rallying public support by stirring emotional reaction and put negative campaign on the program he had sight on. In the end, the US Navy chain of command chose to sacrifice Lieutenant Caldwell and his team because the airlift program was too important to them, and that¡¯s how Lieutenant Caldwell and his team ended up in joining TF Amethyst. When, Battle Group C launched the offensive on Sommer Island, Lieutenant Caldwell and his team were happened to be stationed on the island. They were on a mission to survey the underwater terrain around the island. They then put their mission on pause, and participate in the operation to defend Sommer Island. And now, Lieutenant Caldwell and his team calmly waited as Captain Kasino handed over Prince Portho and his entourage to Lt. Colonel Gillray and Rear Admiral Norrak. As for the former slave women and slave children, Lieutenant Kidd handed over them to a lieutenant from MPU. Then, finally, Captain Kasino and the rest of the frogmen who participate on the ambush on Geko-01 were free. Wasting no time, Lieutenant Caldwell and his team walked over to them and exchanged some hugs with them. ¡°Welcome to Sommer Island,¡± Lieutenant Caldwell happily said. ¡°Yeah.¡± After looking at his surrounding Captain Kasino casually said, ¡°This place looks like a giant rock.¡± ¡°It¡¯s truly a giant rock.¡± Lieutenant Caldwell said before turning his gaze to the body bag being carried by Captain Kasino¡¯s team. ¡°Well, let¡¯s put our fallen brother to the morgue, and then hit the bar.¡± ¡°Yeah, I really need some booze right now, the heavy one,¡± After giving Captain Kasino a big smile Lieutenant Caldwell said, ¡°Fortunately, we have lot of heavy poison here.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Kasino and the rest of the frogmen followed Lieutenant Caldwell¡¯s lead. First, they brought the bodies of the fallen frogmen to the morgue, and the officer-in-charge told them that a flight would took the bodies to Bluefin tonight. While tomorrow, General O¡¯Neil would lead the funeral personally. As for the unrecovered fallen frogmen, they would receive a sea burial and General O¡¯Neil would also lead the ceremony personally. Unfortunately, the rest of the frogmen couldn¡¯t attend both funerals because they had to stay at Sommer Island. Then, after storing their weapon and equipment to the armory, all the frogmen went straight to the bar without exception. They drunk as if there was no tomorrow, and shortly after a bar fight broke out. --- The next day after his arrival on Sommer Island, at noon, as soon as the hangover from yesterday drinking was gone, Captain Kasino immediately went to Lt. Colonel Gillray¡¯s office. The door was widely opened, but he didn¡¯t just enter it and decided to lightly knock it to announce his arrival. Once Lt. Colonel Gillray turned his gaze to him, Captain Kasino immediately asked him, ¡°Sir, I come to report about my unit temporary stay.¡± ¡°Have a sit, Captain,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray said as he pointed the chair in front of him. ¡°Coincidently, I also want to talk with you.¡± ¡°Is that about the fight my men had in the bar yesterday, Sir?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray calmly said. ¡°I come from Air Force, but I quite understand that lecturing a bunch of frogmen about their habitual bar party is waste of a time.¡± Captain Kasino didn¡¯t know how to respond the casual respond from Lt. Colonel Gillray, so he just said, ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Sir.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray said as he handed over a piece of memo to Captain Kasino, ¡°And this is the official order for your unit. It arrived from Castle Lagra as soon as you secured the deal with Prince Portho.¡± After reading the memo Captain Kasino turned his gaze to Lt. Colonel Gillray. ¡°Chief Nate wants my unit to standby here, until further notice.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± As big question mark popped up on his forehead Captain Kasino curiously asked, ¡°Do we have an ops in the making at the moment, Sir?¡± ¡°Other than defending the island, no, we don¡¯t run anything else right now,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray casually replied. ¡°However, I received a notification a moment ago. In a few days General O¡¯Neil will visit this place. I have no clue about the purpose behind his visit, but my guess it¡¯s related to the standby order you received.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So, I hope you maintain your unit¡¯s combat readiness while staying here,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray said in a drop dead serious tone. ¡°In return, I will overlook your unit habitual bar party as long as no one dies, suffers permanent damage, or setting the bar in fire out of over excitement.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± After a smile Lt. Colonel Gillray said, ¡°Just a side note, the food here is good. We have Japanese chef who is skillful at both France and Japanese cuisine. The gym and gun range are only improvised facility, but it¡¯s adequate enough. The barrack and bar are excellent, while the nearby water is heaven for angler and diver. So, I think your men will not get bored easily and do stupid thing to entertain themselves. And if you need something else, just come to me. I will do my best to give you a hand.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± ¡°Question?¡± ¡°No, Sir.¡± ¡°Well, you may leave then.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Without delay Captain Kasino left the office. He then gathered his men to brief them about the standby order from Castle Lagra. ***** TFA3 5.2 – Easy Day TFA3 5.2 ¨C Easy Day 15:20, 6 Nov 2025 Due to the limited space, in Sommer Island, armory was also use to store sport equipment, and like any other days, Sergeant McDobber faithfully operated this section. After checking his watch and found out it¡¯s about the time for afternoon sport, he immediately prepared two mesh bags of volleyball. A moment later eight children entered the armory¡¯s front door and went straight to his section. The oldest kid was 10-year-old, while the youngest was 7-year-old. These children were former slave children who had to stay in Sommer Island for the time being. It was only three days since their arrival, but they adjusting themselves with the strict rule in Sommer Island pretty well. Now, they also wore normal clothes like children in Lagra City, so in a glance they looked like normal children. However, if you look deeper, you would realize that those kids were anything but normal. They were not fussy and too disciplined for a child at their age. When walking in a group they would walk in neat two or three lines. Their awareness to the situation around them was also far higher than the most reserve adult. Most of all, other than for the mandatory study that was being prepared for them, they would spend their time helping the former slave women doing daily task. Even when their improvised playground was ready to be used, they didn¡¯t dare to use it without mandatory playing time from MPU officer who was responsible to manage them. ¡®If they wear mini military uniform and I don¡¯t know their story, I will definitely think they are mini Nazi,¡¯ Sergeant McDobber muttered as the children arrived before him. Then, he casually asked, ¡°Kids, do you want to borrow the ball again?¡± ¡°Yes, Ser McDobber,¡± The oldest kid replied respectfully. ¡°You can borrow the ball,¡± Sergeant McDobber casually said. ¡°But don¡¯t call me Ser McDobber. I ain¡¯t a noble or such. Just call me Sergeant McDobber.¡± ¡°Understood, Ser Sergeant McDobber.¡± ¡®Stubborn kid,¡¯ Sergeant McDobber complained inwardly, but he didn¡¯t press the matter further and handed over the volleyball. ¡°Two bag of volleyball, six balls each, precisely like the ones you borrowed yesterday.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ser Sergeant McDobber,¡± The oldest kid said before helping the other kids receiving the mesh bags. ¡°Your name is Karuk, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Ser Sergeant McDobber.¡± Sergeant McDobber then wrote Karuk¡¯s names on the logbook, and then put it forward to him, ¡°Leave your thumb print next to your name.¡± This was the second time Karuk went through the procedure, so without further ado he lightly pressed the ink pad using his right thumb, and then left his print thumb on the empty spot next to his name. ¡°Kid,¡± Sergeant McDobber casually said. ¡°You should be able to write your own name. It¡¯s not my job to write your name every time you borrow something from my section.¡± ¡°Ser Sergeant McDobber, please forgive my incompetence,¡± Karuk¡¯s genuinely said, while wariness was clearly visible in his eyes. ¡°I will study harder and master the basic writing skill as soon as possible.¡± Seeing that Karuk and the other kids suddenly became afraid of him and misunderstood his intention, Sergeant McDobber immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you don¡¯t slack off with your study.¡± ¡°We will do our best with our study,¡± Karuk firmly said. ¡°Actually, when we heard some Buriek Guards have additional night class, we immediately ask Teacher Arnold if we can have additional night class too. But he said we should take our study at casual pace for the time being.¡± After tilting his head to the side Sergeant McDobber asked, ¡°Did Engineer Arnold really said you should take your study at casual pace?¡± Karuk nodded and replied, ¡°He did.¡± After a moment of ponder Sergeant McDobber said, ¡°In that case, you should take your study in casual pace as Engineer Arnold said.¡± ¡°But if we study at casual pace, it will take some time before we can write our name every time we borrow something from your section.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can write your name for you as long as needed.¡± ¡°But we will still study as hard as we can.¡± Karuk said in a drop dead serious tone. ¡°Mother, aunts, and big sis always remind us that we have to master the skill we have to master as fast as we can if we want to survive.¡± ¡°Kids,¡± Sergeant McDobber let out a deep sigh before continuing, ¡°You all are just children right now, not slave children anymore, just take thing at a pace of normal children.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Big question mark instantly appeared in Karuk¡¯s forehead. ¡°Ser Sergeant McDobber, how do we take thing at a pace of normal children?¡± ¡°Enjoy your time and don¡¯t be too hard on yourself,¡± Sergeant McDobber casually said. ¡°We really enjoy our time here,¡± Karuk happily said. ¡°The food, clothes, bed, and everything else in this place are super nice. The people are also super nice. No one yell on us, or using stick to punish us even though we break no rules and already obeys the instruction as best as we can. We also can play at afternoon here. This place is like a heaven.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you like this place so much,¡± After a moment of pause Sergeant McDobber continued, ¡°Just forget what I said about your study, and follow your teacher instruction for this matter.¡± ¡°Understood, Ser Sergeant McDobber,¡± Karuk happily said, ¡°and thank you for letting us borrow the balls and help me writing my name.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, and enjoys your playing time to the fullest.¡± ¡°We will.¡± Karuk and the other kids then leaved in a neat line while carrying the mesh bags full of volleyball. Four kids for each bag, and they held it as if it was the most precious treasure in the world. At the same time, Captain Kasino and Lieutenant Kidd entered the armory. When Karuk and the other kids saw the two, they immediately saluted them. No one knew who taught the kids to do the salute, and Captain Kasino and Lieutenant Kidd had no interest to find the culprit. The two just returned the salute solemnly and it made Karuk and the other kids had a big smile in their face. Then, Captain Kasino and Lieutenant Kidd continued their walk and went straight to Sergeant McDobber¡¯s section. ¡°I hear the former slave women and slave children treat the frogman platoon as their messiah. It seems it¡¯s true,¡± Sergeant McDobber said as soon as Captain Kasino and Lieutenant Kidd arrived before him. ¡°Honestly, we really don¡¯t know how it ends up that way,¡± Captain Kasino casually said. ¡°All we know is that the last time we didn¡¯t return their salute, the kids cried sobbed in front of us.¡± After giving Captain Kasino a slight nod Sergeant McDobber asked another question, ¡°I hear you also help the MPU build a dozen beach volleyball fields for the kids.¡± ¡°Well, Bartender Bronson threatens us. He will ban us from the bar if we don¡¯t help the MPU,¡± Lieutenant Kidd casually replied, ¡°even though we will gladly help even without the threat actually. The frogman platoon is full of physical labor junkie.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After a light smile Sergeant McDobber continued, ¡°Well then, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°I hear I can borrow some rods and reel from your section.¡± Captain Kasino casually said. Sergeant McDobber replied, ¡°Yes Captain, you can. I have a few types here, which one do you want to borrow?¡± ¡°Admiral Norrak told me that right now, massive school of skipjack tuna is shoaling in the eastern side of this island. Give me something I can use to harvest those fat tuna,¡± Captain Kasino explained. ¡°It will be a good workout before dinner.¡± ¡°Right away, Sir.¡± Without further ado, Sergeant McDobber took a fishing bag and handed it over to Captain Kasino, ¡°Three rods, three reels, two sets of bait, and other things you need to reel some skipjack tuna.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Wasting no time, Captain Kasino checked the fishing gear in the bag. At the same time, Sergeant McDobber turned his gaze to Lieutenant Kidd. ¡°What about you, LT? Do you want to reel in some tuna too?¡± ¡°Nope, fishing is not my thing.¡± Lieutenant Kidd turned his gaze to the bag in his shoulder as he added, ¡°And I already borrow a good fishing crossbow from Admiral Norrak.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After a moment of silence Sergeant McDobber asked another question, ¡°LT, may I know, what is the story behind your decision to join TF Amethyst?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just boring story,¡± Lieutenant Kidd casually replied. ¡°I still want to hear it,¡± Sergeant McDobber insisted. ¡°Well,¡± Lieutenant Kidd took a deep breath before starting his story. ¡°When I received the invitation from TF Amethyst, I was part of GWOT under the Activities, running riverine ops in South Acia. I refused the offer by telling TF Amethyst¡¯s representative that I wanted to stick with my team for the time being, and they responded it by recruiting the rest of my team. So, I had no choice other than came along with the flow.¡± Sergeant McDobber gave a slight nod before turning his gaze to Captain Kasino. ¡°And what about you, Captain, what is your story?¡± Without turning his head from the reel he checked Captain Kasino replied, ¡°I was Kidd¡¯s second-in-command when he ran the riverine ops under GWOT.¡± ¡°Wait, you were his second-in-command?¡± Sergeant McDobber asked in disbelief. ¡°Yupe.¡± ¡°So, how did you ended up as the CO of frogman platoon?¡± ¡°Seven frogmen, including me, went through the assessment to become squad leader, with exception one candidate will became platoon leader, and everyone passed with good score.¡± Captain Kasino casually replied, still without turning his gaze from the reel in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m the only Froggy who never bragged that the frogman unit from my country is the best of the best of the best of the best maritime commando in the universe, so I never fought with other frogman. And it made Harley Quinn put me in charge of frogman platoon. They said I¡¯m a perfect officer to lead the seasoned frogmen who despite their valuable skill and experience, deep down in their heart they are just restless toddler who loved to throw bar party whenever they can¡¯t contain their restlessness.¡± ¡°I see. You have it though, Captain,¡± Sergeant McDobber genuinely said as he recalled that the frogman platoon was very famous for its record in throwing bar fight. ¡°Yeah, all I wanted was becoming a peaceful squad leader, but it sent me straight into a bigger headache instead.¡± After letting out a deep sigh full of regret Captain Kasino added, ¡°If I knew it can save me from the job to babysit those restless frogmen, I would happily brag about my old unit as if there was no tomorrow, and fight the other frogman right and left.¡± ¡°Dude, just accept it already,¡± Lieutenant Kidd happily said. ¡°Everyone is comfortable with your leadership, and Harley Quinn is also very happy with it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I never lecture them every time they throw a bar party, while officer who his men got beaten black and blue can lecture me all they want because they knew I won¡¯t make things messier by beating the shit out of them.¡± After another deep sigh Captain Kasino weakly added, ¡°This shit will kill me one day.¡± ¡°Well, sooner or later, Harley Quinn will expand the platoon into a detachment and put an officer with higher-rank to lead it,¡± Lieutenant Kidd calmly said. ¡°Just be patience until then.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Captain Kasino helplessly replied while putting back the fishing gear he just checked to the bag. Then, he turned his gaze to Sergeant McDobber, ¡°It is better than the one I have in Bluefin. I will borrow it.¡± ¡°In that case, please write the number of the fishing bag, along with your name and signature in the logbook.¡± Without further ado Captain Kasino completed the procedure. A moment later, he and Lieutenant Kidd was already riding a Humvee and went straight to the eastern side of Sommer Island. ***** TFA3 5.3 – Blue Crystal TFA3 5.3 ¨C Blue Crystal Under the gentle sunset, a Super Hercules landed on Sommer Island. As soon as its wheels stopped, the loadmaster immediately lowered the ramp door. A moment later, General O¡¯Neill and his security details exited the plane. At the same time, Lt. Colonel Gillray and Rear Admiral Norrak walked over to them. ¡°Welcome to Sommer Island, General,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray said. ¡°General O¡¯Neill, Ser,¡± Rear Admiral Norrak said, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you personally.¡± ¡°The honor is mine, Admiral Norrak.¡± After giving Rear Admiral Norrak a smile, General O¡¯Neill turned his gaze to Lt. Colonel Gillray. ¡°Well, Colonel, take me to Captain Kasino and his men.¡± ¡°Right away, Sir,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray firmly said. ¡°They are holding dinner gathering in eastern side of the island right now.¡± ¡°Coincidently,¡± General O¡¯Neill happily said, ¡°I¡¯m very hungry right now.¡± Without further ado Lt. Colonel Gillray brought General O¡¯Neill and his security detail to the Humvees he had prepared for them. A moment later, the convoy was already on its way to the eastern side of the island and arrived at the dinner gathering at no time. When the frogmen realized that one of their guests was General O¡¯Neill, they immediately gathered and fell in into a neat formation. Some of the frogmen wore their combat fatigue and carried their carbine and sidearm. Some other wore jeans and collared shirt, but most of them wore only boxer and sneaker. So, at a glance the formation looked funny. However, if you looked deeper you would realized that each frogmen had determined eyes and stood ramrod straight. Wasting no time, General O¡¯Neill stood before the formation and calmly said, ¡°I come to deliver a mission package that suits your specialties. But first, let¡¯s have a good dinner and nice beer. So, stand ease, frogmen.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Aye Sir,¡±¡±¡±¡± The frogmen replied in a calm but solemn tone. A moment later, dinner was begun. The main menu was grilled skipjack tuna. Captain Kasino and Lieutenant Kidd managed to capture five skipjack tuna, weighing around 20 kg each. The two then cut each tuna into several big chunks before grilled it. For the cheek meat and lean part they glazed it using mix of soy sauce and mirin, while for the belly and other part that got lot of fat they added hot sesame oil to the glaze. As for the drink, they had several brands of beer from earth, several packs each, along with two barrels of Amur beer. After taking their food and beer, everyone formed small circle of four or five, and enjoying their dinner and beer while having casual chat. General O¡¯Neil was no exception. He piled up two pieces of huge cheek meat and a piece of belly cut as big as child¡¯s arm into a thick paper plate. To wash it down, he chose two cans of Sapporo premium black, a bold dark lager that well known for its distinct trait of making no apologies but has uncommonly smooth finish. Then, he sat in a circle with Lt. Colonel Gillray, Admiral Norrak, and officers from Frogman Platoon. In a calm atmosphere, the dinner last for two hours. After that, everyone went straight to the briefing room in Command Center. --- While using projector to put a list of date and notes on the whiteboard, General O¡¯Neil opened the briefing, ¡°Gentlemen, this is the timeline of our war with Kingdom of Makai.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. [28 Sept 2025, as soon as we learned that Kingdom of Makai will launch retaliatory invasion, we immediately initiated Tiger Leap with the goal to neutralize the threat from Kingdom of Makai for once and all. Vex returned to earth the next day, that¡¯s why he can¡¯t come here to give you the brief, while General Rayden started to assembly the asset he needs to execute Tiger Leap. 1 Oct 2025, Colonel Meyer and the first batch of his men arrived at Jack Sparrow, a hidden forward base a few kilometers away from Makai Royal Palace, but it would take sometimes before all condition to launch Tiger Leap fell in place. 28 Oct 2025, the three battle groups from Kingdom of Makai launched their attack on multiple fronts, but we managed to neutralize them. 2 Nov 2025, we received tunnel attack on Levsait and Raisait and suffered huge loss, but in the end we managed to handle it and even temporary crippled Battle Group C¡¯s combat potential. At the same time, element from Frogman Platoon managed to secured Prince Portho and Duke Fogel, and temporary neutralized the threat from Battle Group B. 5 Nov 2025, all conditions to launch Tiger Leap were met and we launched it. We managed to deliver fatal blow, but failed to capture of King Makai XXII. So, we literally fail to end the war as we have expected.] After giving everyone in the room enough time to read the timeline, General O¡¯Neil added, ¡°After he learned that Prince Portho had surrendered, King Makai XII decided to send new command element for Battle Group B. He chose Admiral Shoel, the best admiral in Makai Navy, and we will target his carrier ship, the Storm-01.¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray immediately raised his hand, and as soon as General O¡¯Neil gave him a nod he immediately asked, ¡°If we target the carrier ship, isn¡¯t a missile or two will do the job? Or, we plan to hijack it like Geko-01.¡± ¡°There is device in the Storm-01 we need to snatch covertly.¡± General O¡¯Neil put a picture of big blue crystal on the white board as he added, ¡°This is blue crystal communicator. It¡¯s ten times more powerful than regular crystal communicator with the same size, and the only type of crystal communicator that can be integrated to our EW capability. From the ops to seize gold mine under the Rocky Hill, we got our hand on our first blue crystal, and then we managed to integrate it to our Poseidon and used it to jam opposing crystal communication network. Unfortunately, blue crystal is very rare while we are in dire need to expand our capability to jam crystal communication network.¡± As soon as General O¡¯Neil stopped his explanation, Rear Admiral Norrak immediately raised his hand and said, ¡°General, may I add some information regarding the blue crystal.¡± General O¡¯Neil nodded and said, ¡°Please, Admiral.¡± ¡°Blue crystal is not only rare. It¡¯s impossible to buy it unless you are willing to be part of the alliance from the 1st World Authority who possesses this technology.¡± After letting out a deep sigh Rear Admiral Norrak continued, ¡°That¡¯s why, for many years Kingdom of Buriek fail to acquire blue crystal, and our communication network is always one step outdated than Kingdom of Makai.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the more reason we need to snatch blue crystal,¡± General O¡¯Neil calmly said. ¡°Makai Navy has only four blue crystals. If we manage to snatch one of them covertly, it will boost our capability while at the same time cripple their best communication network significantly.¡± ¡°General,¡± Captain Kasino calmly said. ¡°Is Storm-01 already on the sea?¡± ¡°It is, and you have 28 hours before it enter FRS Goblin¡¯s area of responsibility.¡± ¡°How will we get it done?¡± Captain Kasino asked another question. ¡°As usual,¡± General O¡¯Neil happily replied. ¡°You are tip of the tip, master of covert and discretionary warfare. So, how you get the job done is entirely up to your discretion. I will only set the outline on what you can or can¡¯t do, while providing the best support I can offer.¡± ¡°General, will you personally supervise the ops?¡± Lieutenant Caldwell asked. ¡°No. In three hours I have to fly to Buriek Royal City. Grand Commander Keraz asked me to help him form special operation command under Buriek Guard,¡± General O¡¯Neill casually said. ¡°So, I will put Colonel Gillray and Admiral Norrak to supervise the operation, but before I go I wish to see the initial oplan.¡± Wasting no time, General O¡¯Neil handed over the rest of the intels, including the real time aerial footage from Reaper, and everyone in the briefing room immediately started the work to device the oplan. One of the Frogman Platoon¡¯s specialties was covert asset retrieving in the sea, both for friendly and hostile asset. So, in no time they already produced a feasible oplan. Once General O¡¯Neil approved it, the preparation was immediately being carried out. ***** TFA3 6.1 – Similar Mishap TFA3 6.1 ¨C Similar Mishap Around midnight, the frogman platoon completed the oplan to snatch blue crystal from Storm-01. After checking and greenlight it, General O¡¯Neil then continued his journey to Buriek Royal City using one of Ospreys in Sommer Island. At the same time, the frogman platoon made the preparation for the oplan. The Super Hercules that brought General O¡¯Neil also brought tons of frogman equipment from Bluefin. Wasting no time, they unloaded them to prep-room, selected the equipment they would use, and gave them a check When you were under the water, there was room for error. Even the smallest slip could cost you your life and the whole mission. Therefore, the frogmen gave the equipment they would use a triple check before loading it to two Chinook and a Venom. In total it took four hours since the oplan was approved, before finally the first phase was ready to be launched by Lieutenant Kidd and three other frogmen. Then, Lieutenant Kidd and his men was about to board the Venom when a group of small silhouettes were approaching him. He immediately recognized them. They were Karuk and his friends. Normally, Lieutenant Kidd would have dark lines in his forehead if several non-related personnel entered the landing pad, one of the most sterile areas in Sommer Island, and right when a vital mission was about to be initiated. However, he tried his best to hold back his annoyance. After asking his men to board the Venom first, Lieutenant Kidd asked Karuk and his friends in casual tone, ¡°Kids, how do you enter this area?¡± ¡°We ask permission from MPU officer who guards this place,¡± Karuk replied. ¡°And he just let you enter,¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Karuk nodded and added, ¡°but we cannot stay here for too long.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Inwardly, Lieutenant Kidd cursed the MPU officer who let the kids in, but outwardly his expression was casual as usual. ¡°So, what do you need?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, we will be moved to Lagra City, but we love this base so much.¡± Karuk firmly said. ¡°Can Ser Kidd help us to talk it to higher-ups in this base? We want to stay here and in return we will do any work to help you maintain this base.¡± As he pointed at the Super Hercules that was undergone a pre-flight check Lieutenant Kidd said, ¡°You will go to Lagra City by flying on those plane. I assure you it¡¯s a nice experience. Most of all, if you love this place, then you will definitely love Lagra City more.¡± ¡°But we want to stay here, where Ser Kidd and your unit are nearby.¡± Karuk insisted while the other kids behind him firmly nodded their head, and it made Lieutenant Kidd let out a silent sigh. ¡°Kids, this base is located in the first line of contact. Your presence here is additional burden for combatant who defends this place. When we have the chance to evacuate you, you should evacuate,¡± Lieutenant Kidd calmly explained. ¡°Even my unit will return to our home base once we complete our mission, and it¡¯s located near Lagra City. If you go to Lagra City now, you can visit us and play beach volleyball with us later.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Lieutenant Kidd firmly replied. Karuk and his friends then gave Lieutenant Kidd a salute before leaving the landing pad. As for Lieutenant Kidd, he heaved a deep sigh before boarding the Venom. ¡°LT,¡± Sergeant Oakes said in a drop dead serious tone. ¡°The kids didn¡¯t distract you, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lieutenant Kidd firmly replied. ¡°Do you realize that your way of talking to them is similar like how a father talking to his own children?¡± Sergeant Oakes curiously asked. ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Lieutenant Kidd calmly replied. ¡°And I¡¯m just trying to be a decent man in front of those poor kids. Nothing more nothing less.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Other question, Sergeant?¡± ¡°No Sir,¡± Sergeant Oakes firmly replied. ¡°All is good.¡± Wasting no time Lieutenant Kidd turned his gaze to Venom¡¯s pilot. ¡°Major, let¡¯s roll.¡± ¡°Roger,¡± The Venom pilot cheerfully replied as he started the engine. ¡°Let¡¯s rock, roll, and fuck some." A moment later, the Venom gently took off and gain altitude as it flew straight to northwest. The first phase of the plan was to sink Storm 0-1 and made it as if it was an accident. Lieutenant Kidd and his men would employ the same tactic they used to sink Makai Navy¡¯s carrier ship a while back. It was just this time they would put two limpet bombs on the Storm-01¡¯s keel to speed up the sinking process. Therefore, the first phase would be executed by four frogmen. Two frogmen were the main executor, while the other two were back up executor. The first phase would also be executed before Storm-01 entered FRS Goblin¡¯s area of responsibility, in a spot where the water was only 28 meter deep. And so, after around 110 minutes of low altitude flying in cruise speed, the Venom finally arrived in dropping location. Lieutenant Kidd and his men immediately carried out the final pre-dive check on their equipment before wearing it. Then, with the help from chief crew, they took a position in the landing skid. After the pilot lowered the Venom as close as possible to the surface of the sea, they gently jumped into the water almost simultaneously. In the water, the first thing the frogmen did was deploying their telescopic-built scooter diver into its maximum length, and then turned it on and made sure everything worked, especially the connection that relayed the real time location of Storm-o1. Then, each frogman gave Lieutenant Kidd a thumb as a sign they were good to go. Without delay, Lieutenant Kidd relayed the thumb to the chief crew on the Venom, and got a reply of small nod. The Venom then gently turned around as it gained altitude and flew back to Sommer Island. ¡¯It¡¯s still 24 km away, and hopefully no Black-stripped Shark is lurking around in the area.¡¯ Lieutenant Kidd muttered as he looked at the sun that had just fully rose in the east. Then, he ordered his men to turn their scooter diver off. They would only make the approach to Storm-01 when the carrier ship was only 8 km away. Therefore, for now they would just calmly wait while saving the scooter diver¡¯s battery. --- Port of Ursu in Sutt Region was located in south west tip of Amstell Continent. From this port, Admiral Shoel and his fleet started their journey. They had to sail 682 km to the east to reach Battle Group B forward base. For the first two days, they would sail in open sea. It was easy sail because at this time of the year this area was relatively calm. Problem would only occur on the third day, when they had to enter Guise Sea, which was being flanked by Amstell Continent in the north and Buriek Continent in the south. This problem was Sommer Island, a small rocky island that was located in open sea to enter Guise Sea. With the help from TF Amethyst, Buriek Navy had turned it into a deadly naval base. Not long ago, defender on Sommer Island had destroyed the sea blockade from Battle Group C with ease, even though they were greatly being outnumbered. It showed that this naval base had to be avoided at all cost. With average width of Guise Sea that stretched out up to 600 km, choosing a sailing route that was rather far from Sommer Island was not impossible. However, Admiral Shoel deliberately sailed close enough to Sommer Island. ¡®Well, as long as I don¡¯t provoke them, I believe everything will be fine. I only bring a small number of ships after all,¡¯ Inside the Storm-01¡¯s bridge Admiral Shoel calmly muttered. ¡®But if they are tempted to capture me alive like how they capture Prince Portho, it¡¯s also not that bad.¡¯ As usual, every morning the admiral would start his day by sitting in his command seat. From his position, he could easily observe the eastern sky, and it was his habit to enjoy morning sun while sipping a cup of warm black tea. After taking a small sip of his tea, Admiral Shoel turned his gaze to officer who was responsible to supervise crystal sensor crew. ¡°Any suspicious flight in the sky?¡± ¡°No Sir,¡± Officer Parrak calmly replied. ¡°Even so, stay vigilant,¡± Admiral Shoel firmly said. ¡°TF Amethyst¡¯s aerial asset can pop up out of nowhere.¡± ¡°Aye Ser.¡± After a moment of pause Officer Parrak hesitantly said, ¡°Admiral, may I know why you avoid the usual route, and chose to sail through a rather shallow water?¡± ¡°We still don¡¯t know the real cause that made Buriek Navy lost eight carrier ships a while ago.¡± Admiral Shoel casually explained. ¡°I want to lower the risk of meeting similar mishap by choosing our current routes.¡± As question mark popped-up on his forehead Admiral Shoel asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the official investigation states the cause for that lost is the design flaw of the ship?¡± ¡°Yeah, but after I personally confirms it with Grand Commander Migal, turn out that¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°So, we have no clue about the real cause of the mishap.¡± Admiral Shoel nodded and replied, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I hope we don¡¯t meet with the similar mishap,¡± Officer Parrak genuinely said. ¡°So do I,¡± Admiral Shoel said before taking a sip of his tea. Unfortunately, as if it was to mock the expectation from Admiral Shoel and Officer Parrak, Storm-01¡¯s speed was suddenly drastically dropped. A moment later, came a report that the Storm-01¡¯s keel suffered fatal damaged in two separate locations from unknown cause. In an instant, Admiral Shoel¡¯s face turned as black as night. Unfortunately, he could do nothing other than evacuated the ship. The Riders then continued the journey by flying on their Cloud Hawk, while the sailor and other personnel moved to other ship. ¡®Fuck me,¡¯ Admiral Shoel¡¯s cursed as from cruiser Rampant-01 he watched the last moment of Storm-01, just before it fully sank into seabed. ***** TFA3 6.2 – Underwater Asset Retrieving TFA3 6.2 ¨C Underwater Asset Retrieving Harley Quinn adopted a policy that in a special operation mission, three highest ranking officers from the unit that execute the mission couldn¡¯t be deployed together. This policy was to prevent the unit from lose its highest command in one go in case mishap happened during the mission. And so, Captain Kasino could only standby in Command Center as the mission would be executed by Lieutenant Kidd and Lieutenant Caldwell, the second and third highest ranking officer of Frogman Platoon, and were also the best frogmen to carry underwater asset retrieving. As he watched Storm-01 sank and disappeared Captain Kasino muttered, ¡°Kidd is really good at placing limpet bomb at moving platform.¡± Hearing Captain Kasino¡¯s mutter, Rear Admiral Norrak immediately turned his gaze to him, ¡°Captain, didn¡¯t you also personally participate in the previous operation to sink Makai carrier ship?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Then, you are also good at such craft.¡± ¡°Carrying the approach under the stormy night and bright morning is two whole different ballgames,¡± Captain Kasino calmly said. ¡°Under the stormy night, I can approach the ship from surface of the sea before timing my movement to the ship movement and then dive and plant the limpet bomb. While under the bright morning sun, where the deck watcher has clear field of vision, the approach have to be carried out fully underwater, 3-5 km away from the ship at least. It¡¯s not easy to time your movement to a moving ship when you fully underwater. It requires lot of resource, time, and bravery to polish such skill. That¡¯s why, only 16 frogmen master it and among them, Lieutenant Kidd and his men are the best.¡± ¡°But I heard it was you who developed this tactic,¡± Real Admiral Norrak calmly said. ¡°What I developed is suicide torpedo controlled by a frogman,¡± Captain Kasino explained. ¡°Kidd and Caldwell then develop it into the current tactic. They said, a frogman can only do a suicide torpedo once, but with the limpet touch and go tactic a frogman will have a chance to do it multiple times.¡± Admiral Norrak nodded and said, ¡°I see.¡± Everyone in the Command Center then waited until the rest of the ships under Admiral Shoel¡¯s command left the area before initiating the second phase of the retrieving operation. --- As soon as Command Center greenlighted the second phase, two Chinook immediately took off from Sommer Island and flew straight to Storm-01¡¯s location. Each Chinook carry two ASW specialist, four frogmen, and the necessary equipment to carry the mission. In the leading Chinook, Lieutenant Caldwell calmly studied the latest picture of Storm-01, sent by Lieutenant Kidd and his team. The carrier ship was lying peacefully on the seabed, 25 meter under the surface. The sunlight easily reached this depth so the picture was quite clear. The blue crystal was located inside the highest floor on the ship¡¯s tower in the rear, just above the bridge. The room¡¯s structure was consisted of big glass window to all direction, low wall made of wood plank, and steel frame that everything together. ¡®It¡¯s very easy to breach this room and recover the blue crystal,¡¯ Lieutenant Caldwell muttered before turning his gaze to his men. ¡°Let¡¯s get it done quick and back to Sommer Island before the dinner.¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡°Aye, LT,¡±¡±¡±¡± The other frogmen calmly replied. Retrieving asset from under the water in was not new game for Lieutenant Caldwell and his team. They had done lot of such simulation with USN Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit, mostly it was to retrieve missile or sensitive technology from a sunken warship, submarine, or aircraft, and then destroyed everything else to prevent technology leak.Stolen novel; please report. However, Lieutenant Caldwell and his men never had any chance to apply their skill on friendly asset. They did several times perform underwater asset retrieving, but the target was asset from adversary country, and they did it under black ops circumstances. When they lost asset in the sea, those countries had a habit to not admit or announce the incident to save face. And so, US Navy used it as a chance to retrieve some sensitive tech like missile, core component of engine, avionic, or radar. Those loots would give US military lot of valuable intelligence on the real capability of the adversary country, and measured how far their bluffing wandered away from the reality. Of course, the owner would try to recover their sunken asset covertly, using civilian scavenging ship mostly. However, in the middle of international waters, a destroyer or two would ensure any civilian vessel stay away from the area until the frogmen finished their job. And now, TF Amethyst happily continued the US Navy scavenging tradition. It¡¯s just that they applied it on a different adversary. Then, the pair of Chinooks finally arrived at the location. They calmly hovered above the Storm-01¡¯s location, 15 meters above the sea surface and 20 meters apart. At the same time chief crew shouted out a warning, ¡°Be ready to dip into the water.¡± A moment later, both Chinooks slowly lowered their altitude until the side of its body one-third submerged into the water. After crew chief and his men ensure there was no leak and the Chinook was floating in the water just fine, the pilot then turned the engine off. Without delay the chief crew on the leading Chinook opened the left shoulder windows. The ASW operator then deployed the dipping sonar and scanned the area. It was a procedure to ensure the nearby water was clear of Black-stripped Shark. This cold blooded and huge underwater predator was known to hunt at night, but in some occasions they hunt for prey at daylight. Once the ASW specialist confirmed that up to radius 30 km from the Storm-01¡¯s location they didn¡¯t detect the presence of Black-stripped Shark, the chief crew immediately lowered the hooked-steel cable from the winch above the shoulder window, and handed it over to frogmen from the first phase. The frogmen from the first phase would connect the hooked-steel cable to Storm-01¡¯s tower. This step was to prevent the Chinooks from being drifted away by current. Then, the frogmen from the first phase climbed into rooftop of Chinook, two frogmen on each Chinook. While enjoying a cup of hot coffee the chief crew had made for them, they carried out surface over watch. At the same time, Lieutenant Caldwell and frogmen from the second phase made the preparation to retrieve blue crystal. It took 20 minutes before they start the retrieving operation. --- Once he received the report that the frogmen from the second phase had started the retrieving operation, Lt. Colonel Gillray immediately turned his gaze to Rear Admiral Norrak. ¡°Admiral, it¡¯s about time we contact Admiral Shoel. His fleet just enters our area of responsibility.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After taking a deep breath Rear Admiral Norrak asked a Buriek crystal communication operator to contact Admiral Shoel. A moment later, a communication line to cruiser Rampant-01 was established. ¡°Admiral Shoel, this is Admiral Norrak from Buriek Navy,¡± Rear Admiral Norrak calmly introduced himself. ¡°By jurisdiction of Kingdom of Buriek, I ask you to change your course to Sommer Island, and peacefully surrender yourself and your fleet.¡± [Admiral Norrak, this is Admiral Shoel from Makai Navy. My fleet is numbered only a dozen ships, and we are just passing by peacefully. No need for hostility and unnecessary skirmish.] ¡°Admiral Shoel, Ser, please pardon my bluntness, but we are at war currently,¡± Admiral Norrak calmly replied, ¡°Most of all, TF Amethyst still has not forget the loss they suffer from the tunnel Attack launched by Prince Makar.¡± [Admiral Norrak, I have solid intels that TF Amethyst lost only hundred personnel or so. It¡¯s just minuscule number compare to Makai Guard¡¯s loss. Can you not use such a small loss to flame unnecessary hostility?] ¡°Let alone hundred fatalities, even a single fatality is more than enough for TF Amethyst to declare a full scale war,¡± Admiral Norrak said in a drop dead serious tone. [That¡¯s insane. Only warmonger has that kind of logic.] Admiral Norrak could feel a thick sense of disbelief in Admiral Shoel¡¯s tone, but he didn¡¯t give a damn and said, ¡°Feel free to call them warmonger for their care to the life of their man, I guarantee, it will make them smile at you like a maniac Or test if you want, and I assure you they will screw you upside down.¡± [Let¡¯s cut the chit chat.]¡± Admiral Shoel firmly said. [I won¡¯t surrender myself and my fleet. Send your fleet to meet us in the sea, we won¡¯t back down.] ¡°In that case, I wish you good luck, Admiral. You will need it.¡± Admiral Norrak calmly ended the communication, and then turned his gaze to Lt. Colonel Gillray. ¡°If they don¡¯t change their course in five minutes, let¡¯s proceed with the plan.¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± Lt. Colonel Gillray calmly replied. ***** TFA3 6.3 – Multiple Perfect Hits TFA3 6.3 ¨C Multiple Perfect Hits Even if TF Amethyst heavily adopted major military equipment from US Military, they actually didn¡¯t use their top line equipment. To enable rapid and covert procurement, they had to settle with the second or even third line equipment. No doubt it was the best equipment from its era. Unfortunately, as time went on, it was no longer enough to meet the US Military mandatory job to maintain its position as the undisputed apex predator on the planet. Even so, TF Amethyst personnel were more than happy to use that second or third line equipment. They knew for sure their equipment could still enable them to defeat strong country on earth like Russia or China on a one-on-one fight. It would take a week when they had some more important thing to do, and two or three weeks when they were not in the mood to fight. Not to mention, TF Amethyst had carried out some customization so the equipment they picked perfectly matched their doctrine, that had to rely on a relatively small number of fighting force. The TF Amethyst personnel in Sommer Island were no exception. They didn¡¯t complain when they knew they would use only medium-multirole Tomahawk instead of the real Big Daddy Tomahawk. They also didn¡¯t complain when they had to use Harpoon ER until they received the medium-multirole Tomahawk. And finally, those personnel received the order to fire a salvo of Harpoon. In an open field near the beach on the north side of Sommer Island, with calm gaze Major Hannesson looked at the array of Harpoon battery. In total the battery consisted of 24 unit 4-tube Mk.141 Launching System and 12 firing console. This battery would have maximum rate of fire 12 Harpoon every 22 seconds. It was equivalent to firepower of 12 light frigates. It was not as impressive as Arleigh Burke-class where a single ship could launch a salvo of 12 Tomahawk every four seconds, but it was adequate enough to spook a navy without modern air defense. After a small smile Major Hannesson turned his gaze to Lieutenant Cornell, ¡°LT, have you run the last check?¡± ¡°I have, Sir,¡± Lieutenant Cornell firmly replied. ¡°Double check on each launcher and firing console. Everything is good to spit.¡± Major Hannesson happily replied, ¡°Good.¡± ¡°But, who is our target, Sir?¡± Lieutenant Cornell curiously asked. ¡°A small Buriek fleet that carry new command element for Battle Group B,¡± Major Hannesson casually replied. ¡°For some reason, they sail close enough to us, and at some point their position will be no more than 120 km away for 20 minutes. It¡¯s more than enough to serve them a few Harpoons.¡± ¡°I see.¡± A moment later, Major Hannesson received the greenlight to launch the Harpoon salvo. Wasting no time, he launched 12 Harpoons in one go. While being accompanied by a loud hiss, each Harpoon smoothly left its canister, made a gentle climb before lowering its altitude until it was 20 meters above the sea surface, and flew straight to north in subsonic speed. Then, once it reached a distance of 40 km from the target, the flight of Harpoon lowered its altitude once more, until it was only 2 meters above the sea surface. --- An hour before sunlight, four frigates from Buriek Navy and a pair of Seagull-class guided missile patrol boat casually left Yellow Tail Naval Station. Their mission was to ambush a group of Rider from Storm-01, in case they continued their journey by flying after Storm-01 was sank. Inside the PG-08¡¯s bridge, Colonel Pearson was calmly observing the radar screen. In this mission, both boats received support from a Growler that to be happened on the schedule to conduct silent patrol in the area. With this support, they didn¡¯t need to fly their own MQ-8C Fire Scout to expand their situational awareness. Most of all, as they could keep the Fire Scout in the hangar, then each boat could use the helipad to station a pair of 15-tube multi-mission launcher. Normally, a piece of multi-mission launcher was being mounted on a 5-ton MTV Truck, but it didn¡¯t mean it couldn¡¯t be stationed on the ground or a ship. Not to mention, the multi-mission launcher could communicate with Seagull-class without the need of additional touch. And so, the Fire Control System in the boat could control the launcher and all guided-ammunition that compatible with it.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. In this mission, the MML was loaded with Longbow Hellfire. Just two days ago, Yellow Tail received four units multi-mission launcher along with 60 pieces Longbow Hellfire, and today they have to deploy them all in a single interception. Then, as the sun starting to rise in the east, Captain Rockie walked over to Colonel Pearson and handed over a burrito fully wrapped by aluminum foil. ¡°Sir,¡± Captain Rockie calmly said. ¡°Your breakfast.¡± ¡°Thank you, Captain.¡± Without delay Colonel Pearson took the burrito, opened it, and took a bit. Then, he turned his gaze to the monitor that displayed the pair of MML in the helipad. ¡°War is truly a business that burn money.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not us who starts it,¡± Captain Rockie said. ¡°And we have no choice other than using the firepower we have, even if it means burning lot of money.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A moment later, multiple blips appeared in the radar screen and the radar operator immediately shouted a warning, ¡°We have bogeys, 54 in total, fly towards our position from west.¡± ¡°Well, flank and engage them.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± In a calm mood, the small fleet from Yellow Tail flanked the incoming Rider. A moment later, tens of black dots appeared in the horizon. Wasting no time, target acquisition was being carried out. Then, they calmly waited until the incoming Riders reached a position 7 km on their left. Judging from their flight path, it was easy to tell that the Riders had no intention to engage the small fleet from Yellow Tail. Even so, without second thought Colonel Pearson ordered the launching of Longbow Hellfire salvo. Some may asked, can you really use Longbow Hellfire to kill aerial target? The answer was you could, as long as you had the correct condition. The target had to be flew low and slow enough, couldn¡¯t perform high-g maneuver, or didn¡¯t equipped with radar warning receiver so it couldn¡¯t perform evasive maneuver to break the radar lock in the right time and right place. And so, Cloud Hawk and rotary wing aircraft were a perfect aerial target for Longbow Hellfire. Bo-bo-bobooooommm!!! A series of loud boom filled the sky as 54 four Longbow Hellfire hit its intended target and turned it into a big explosion. ¡°We have multiple perfect hit, Sir,¡± Captain Rockie calmly said. ¡°Yeah.¡± Colonel Pearson calmly said before taking another bite of his burrito. ¡°Let¡¯s check if there is surviving Rider before saying hello their main fleet.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± --- As the fleet reached the closest distance to Sommer Island, the atmosphere inside the Rampant-01¡¯s bridge instantly became tense. All officer and sailor in the bridge already knew that TF Amethyst had giant fire spear that could kill a carrier ship from a considerably long distance. They were sure that TF Amethyst deployed some of those fire spears in Sommer Island, and would not hesitate to use it when they had the chance. After taking a deep breath, Officer Parrak braced himself to express his worry. ¡°Admiral, now that we know our current route is also not safe from the unknown mishap, maybe we should return to our regular route and gain a healthy distance from Sommer Island.¡± ¡°Parrak,¡± Admiral Shoel calmly said. ¡°Are you worry Sommer Island will hit us with their giant fire spear?¡± ¡°Yes, Admiral. We can¡¯t underestimate its destruction power and insanely long effective range.¡± ¡°I received solid intel from Grand Commander Migal. TF Amethyst aerial and naval assets are patrolling Guise Sea 24/7. Even if we avoid Sommer Island, they will still have a huge chance to find and destroy us.¡± ¡°But at least we don¡¯t help them making their hunt easier by sailing right in front of their nose.¡± ¡°On the contrary.¡± After letting out a sigh Admiral Shoel continued, ¡°By sailing near Sommer Island, we give TF Amethyst and Buriek Navy a delicious temptation to capture me alive. I believe they won¡¯t use their fire spear on us. They will send their men to board our ship and seize me instead. In such scenario, we will have a chance to win the fight, secure some hostages, and then escape, as we have prepared a special welcome party for any boarding attempt.¡± After recalling that Admiral Shoel had ordered the admiral in other cruisers to bring more combatants and prepare lot of deathly trap in their ship, Officer Parrak immediately nodded and said, ¡°Understood, Admiral. Please forgive my ignorance.¡± ¡°No problem, I deliberately keep it as a secret until the last moment for operational security. It¡¯s not your fault if you don¡¯t get it all this time.¡± ¡°Aye Sir.¡± Then, operator crystal sensor suddenly shouted out a warning, ¡°Sir, we just lost all contact with our Riders.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± In an instant Admiral Shoel creased his brows. ¡°How can we lose all contact with them?¡± Before the operator crystal sensor could reply, one of observer in the bridge suddenly shouted a warning, ¡°We have incoming, 12 fire spears, approaching fast from our right.¡± Wasting no time, Admiral Shoel went to the right side of the bridge and fixed his gaze on the horizon. He couldn¡¯t help but gulping hard as 12 giant fire spears flew just slightly above the sea surface, straight to his fleet. ¡°Damn, my calculation is wrong,¡± Admiral Shoel helplessly said. And Officer Parrak could only nod while weakly said, ¡°We are so dead, Admiral.¡± With ease, the flight of giant fire spears, or to be precise the Harpoon, made their approached unchallenged. When it reached a distance of 4 km from the first ship, six Harpoons suddenly spiked to the sky before performing a sharp dive. It was a maneuver to throw off the tracking and locking from opposing air defense and close-in weapon system. Even if the targeted cruiser didn¡¯t possess such system, the crew who was responsible for target acquisition and firing solution still programmed half of the Harpoon salvo to perform it. Bo-Bo-Bo-Boooomm!!! Almost at the same time, Harpoons that performed evasive maneuver and the Harpoons that stayed in its flight path hit their intended target on the side of the hull and exploded. The 221 kg semi-armor piercing warhead was overkill for a cruiser made mostly of wood. With ease, the explosion cut the cruiser into two big chunks and sank it in no time. In short, it was multiple perfect hits. *****