First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 216
Chapter 216: Exit
Cornell raised his hand towards them when the sound of pursuit echoed from afar: "Up ahead! Flank them! Front and rear pincer movement! They may be armed, maintain distance for now."
Cornell turned and said, "Follow me!"
He led the way, retreating to the side of the factory building. There was a half-open cover on the open ground. He pushed it open with one hand, flipped it over, and jumped in first.
Zhao Zhuoluo had paused earlier, and now his legs felt as if they were filled with lead, so heavy he could barely lift them. It was as if something was gripping him tightly, a numbing sensation surging up from his feet.
He shook his leg and then followed.
The pursuers were almost upon them; they could hear footsteps closing in.
The more one tries to stay calm, the easier it is to feel nervous.
The side area wasn't illuminated, making it hard to see clearly, but this path absolutely couldn't be exposed.
Zhao Zhuoluo, carrying Lian Sheng on his back, had only climbed halfway when Cornell, using the nearby handrail, leaped up, grabbed the handle, and pulled the cover shut. Then he pressed one hand against the wall, locking it in place.
At the same time, Zhao Zhuoluo leaned back, ready to jump down directly.
His legs were already at their limit. With the combined weight of two people, even a half-meter drop was a heavy burden.
Seeing this, Lian Sheng let go of him first and jumped down.
Her injury was on her hand, but due to the fever and blood loss, her limbs were weak. She couldn't control her balance well and stumbled several steps after landing, nearly falling.
Just as the light was blocked outside, a group rushed past from the side.
They swept their flashlights around, checking for shadows. Then they moved in, searching thoroughly.
Nothing was found. Just an empty patch of ground. There was a small flower bed nearby, but it only had a patch of short grass—clearly no place to hide.
"Report, no suspicious persons found at the target location. All teams, confirm your checkpoints."
"Search again. If they haven't escaped, and we've already surrounded this area, they must still be here."
"Search the factory! Request thermal detection equipment. All teams, guard the intersections and corners, keep your lights on."
The three of them leaned against the wall, steadying their breathing, listening carefully to the sounds above.
No time for reunions, and they didn't dare make noise. Getting out of this place was the priority.
Cornell turned on the lights in the passage first.
Warm light shone down from above, instantly bringing a sense of warmth to the two who had been running outside. Cornell checked the direction and pointed ahead, signaling them to move.
Zhao Zhuoluo stood still, his face still pale, sweat dripping down, his teeth clenched in obvious discomfort.
Cornell looked at him and silently mouthed, "Zhao Zhuoluo?"
Zhao Zhuoluo pinched his leg, straightening his knee and pulling it outward.
The other two immediately recognized it as a cramp.
The footsteps above were already growing sparse, likely moving away from the area.
Cornell had Zhao Zhuoluo sit on the ground and massaged his cramped muscle.
Lian Sheng couldn't use her hands, so she took Cornell's optical computer and analyzed the pipeline map.
Zhao Zhuoluo lay on the ground. After the painful spasms, he suddenly laughed.
Lian Sheng beside him laughed too.
Cornell got goosebumps from their laughter, unsure what they meant. He asked, "Still moving?"
Zhao Zhuoluo got up with the wall's support, and Lian Sheng stood up too. Cornell asked, and she indicated she could walk on her own.
The underground passage was safe for now, so they could take their time returning. Timewise, it should still work out.
Zhao Zhuoluo had been exhausted earlier, but after resting, his strength returned. He walked steadily, gaining confidence with each step.
Lian Sheng took the anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing medicine from the clinic. Once the medicine took effect, she felt much better.
Late at night, after walking further, the soldiers' patrols above lessened.
Lian Sheng thought it best to report they were safe and arrange for the rendezvous. Cornell also needed to contact Harry and set a meeting point.
The three of them each accessed their comm channels and started talking.
"Stop blocking the signal all the time, Comrade Lian Sheng. You guys are terrifying. Even if you don't talk, at least let us see that shiny green dot!" Fang Jianchen sprawled on the back seat and asked, "When are you coming back? It's past midnight already."
Lian Sheng said, "We found Cornell."
The channel fell silent for two seconds.
Fang Jianchen: "Lian Sheng, are you hallucinating from a dream? Wake up."
Zhou Shirui checked the map and asked, "Where exactly are you guys? Your route's been weird since earlier, cutting straight under the city. Is the positioning system jammed? I tried reloading it faster, but it didn't fix it."
Lian Sheng handed the communicator to Cornell, who took it with one hand, hesitated, and finally said flatly, "Yeah, it's me."
The channel went silent again for two seconds.
"Ah—Cornell—!" Ji Ban jumped up excitedly, shouting, "You guys really came back!"
His voice cracked slightly, as if on the verge of tears.
Ji Ban sniffled and said, "Welcome back. We came to pick you up. We went to that damn maze but couldn't find you. Maxwell wouldn't tell us anything—what a jerk!"
Lu Mingyuan sighed in relief: "It's good you're back."
Ye Buqing: "Welcome back. We've been waiting."
Cheng Ze clapped: "Welcome, welcome."
Fang Jianchen hurriedly asked, "How did you guys even meet? Running into each other in the middle of a civil war battlefield? Are you kidding? And where exactly are you now? …Don't tell me there's another bad news, like you got caught by Barite's men and then reunited?"
Lian Sheng said, "Pretty much. About to be caught by Barite's men and then reunited."
She then explained how the two of them had been cornered, on the verge of being caught, when Cornell rescued them and pulled them into the underground passage.
Fang Jianchen kept sighing: "This is fate."
Lu Mingyuan said, "That's great. Does this count as passively completing the mission?"
Zhou Shirui relayed the news to his brother.
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger's first reaction was: "Holy shit?"
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger coughed, unable to suppress his glee, and said, "What does this prove? It proves that when luck hits rock bottom, good things can still happen! Since we've found everyone, make sure you all get back to the Alliance safely! Lian Sheng, arrange the rendezvous. Any problems?"
Lian Sheng said, "Got it."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger, now energized, shouted with full vigor, "You sound like you're about to keel over. Speak up! I could give you a 200,000-word speech right now! What's 200,000 words? Come back and tell Liliana—what's 200,000 words?"
Lian Sheng: "…"
200,000 words might as well be a death sentence.
Lian Sheng ignored him and continued to Ji Ban, "Alright, now confirm the rendezvous point."
Ji Ban said excitedly, "Okay! Should I go scout the area for you now?"
Lian Sheng said, "No. Any move you make now will draw attention, especially you, Ji Ban. You're piloting Moshi—people are already wary of you."
"Then we'll go?" Lu Mingyuan, also excited, asked, "Which route are you taking? Where's Harry now? I can shake off the patrols and pick you up."
"None of you move, and don't try to shake anyone off. This isn't the time to provoke them. They'll let us go more easily when we leave. Keep yourselves under their surveillance—let them feel at ease. We have our own way." Lian Sheng said, "Ji Ban, check the map. We'll circle around to the main city's Yellow Point Street. Once we reach the destination, I'll notify you to come over. We can show up openly, but Cornell and Harry can't. Near the target point, there should be a manhole cover. Position Moshi right over it. When Excellent and I go up front, open the rescue pod and get Cornell and Harry into the mech."
After Moshi's modifications, because the overall design was meticulous, with all components pieced together, changing the cockpit would require redesigning the joints, connections, volume, weight, and even replacing many parts. There wasn't enough time, and the workload was enormous, so Lin Lie had kept it as is.
Hand-operated mechs, prioritizing speed and versatility, originally had two rescue pod slots on the frame. Perfect for hiding Cornell and Harry.
Halfway there, Harry ran over from the border zone to join them.
He had sprinted dozens of kilometers, panting heavily. He stopped in front of them and grinned at the group.
Then they walked back together.
Harry exhaled deeply, finally at ease. He glanced at Lian Sheng and asked, "What happened to your hand? Are you okay?"
The wound had reopened once, blood seeping through the bandages and staining the white sleeve.
Lian Sheng said, "It's fine. Just needs to be rebandaged when we get back."
Harry stepped in front of her and said, "I'll carry you."
Lian Sheng: "No need."
Harry insisted, "I'll carry you. Let me carry you back. Please?"
Harry was on the shorter side for a guy. He'd enlisted young, before his bones had fully developed, and muscle training had stunted his growth. Now barely scraping 170 cm, he was practically a dwarf in military formations.
Looking at his back, Lian Sheng felt like she'd be the straw that broke the camel's back. He'd already run quite a distance. But seeing his scrunched-up, desperate expression, she relented.
They picked up the pace, heading for the target point.
Ji Ban jiggled his leg, calculating their distance, muttering, "Hurry back, hurry back."
"Ahhh, closer, closer!"
"Almost there! You've successfully moved one meter!"
Cheng Ze swayed and recited, "Longing, longing, the footsteps of spring draw near..."
Zhao Zhuoluo, influenced by the doctor, instinctively asked, "Is that still on the exam?"
Cheng Ze: "What exam? Excellent, are you dumb?"
Amid Ji Ban's live commentary, everyone perked up, witnessing their return in real-time.
It was actually pretty boring—the map didn't change much, and the group inside was just walking. But Ji Ban was having fun. Playing games, fiddling with the mech, and cheering them on.
When the clock passed 3 a.m., the four successfully entered Gelen's main city limits.
Ji Ban stood up and stretched, ready to move. But Lian Sheng didn't contact him, continuing toward the central district.
Ji Ban said eagerly, "Do you really need to go that far in? Can I go pick them up now?"
Cornell said, "Wait. The exits here are too exposed. Better avoid them. Otherwise, Lian Sheng and the others won't be able to get up. Or the path's too narrow—Moshi won't fit."
Lian Sheng: "The central district's safer anyway. Easier to blend in than the outskirts."
Another forty minutes later, the four finally reached their spot.
Cornell opened the passage for them. Lian Sheng and Zhao Zhuoluo climbed up. They emerged in an old commercial alley in the city center.
The street had been cluttered with vendor stalls, but after the evacuation, it was cleared. The crowds and parked cars were gone, revealing a surprisingly spacious road.
Lian Sheng and Zhao Zhuoluo sat by the exit, then notified Ji Ban to come get them.
Ji Ban immediately closed all his games, transformed Moshi, turned it around, and shouted for the people behind to make way.
The Gelen soldiers, who'd been unable to shoo Moshi away earlier, grew wary. "Where are you going?"
"Oh, just delivering takeout to my buddies." Ji Ban asked, "Does Gelen still have food delivery?"
The Gelen soldiers: "..."
Is this guy insane?!
Ji Ban said, "I'll be right back. Don't take my spot!"
A Gelen soldier warned, "No speeding. The roads are empty, but racing's forbidden."
Ji Ban acknowledged.
As Ji Ban set off, a car followed closely behind.
He checked the rearview and, following Lian Sheng's instructions, maintained a steady pace, unhurriedly approaching the target.
Near the spot, Ji Ban leaned forward, turning on Moshi's headlights to search for the manhole. He zoomed in, tested the distance, locked the coordinates, and stopped automatically, opening the cockpit door.
Lian Sheng and Zhao Zhuoluo stood and climbed into the mech from the side.
They'd removed their white coats, rolled them up, and carried them. Then they squeezed into the same seat.
Lian Sheng asked, "Are the ones below in?"
Ji Ban: "They're in."
"Ji Ban, take Excellent and me to the team's car. Then you take those two back to the city border." Lian Sheng added, "Cornell, neither of you can leave the rescue pods until we're back in the Alliance. So get comfortable, or you'll regret it."
Ji Ban started up again, taking them to meet Lu Mingyuan.
The Gelen soldiers watching from afar were baffled.
"Huh? Those two—they're with the Alliance, right?"
"Yeah." His companion was equally confused. "When did they get here? Weren't they always in the car?"
"No, not necessarily. We didn't search their car—just assumed they were together. Their people never got out."
"Damn, what were they doing in the city all this time?"
"I think the Alliance car came back from outside... Did they split up?"
They examined the footage.
"Is that one injured? She moves stiffly. Was there an armed conflict in the city?"
"Not that I know of. Where'd she get hurt? Couldn't have come from outside, right?"
"No way anyone's getting in now. Look how many people we have stationed out there. These are Alliance soldiers, right? And probably first-timers in District Three. No way they know Gelen's layout well enough to slip past everyone and reach the city. Impossible!"
"Exactly. If they didn't know the layout, they couldn't have hidden in the city this long without being spotted."
"Moshi's been guarding the border suspiciously. We thought it was waiting for someone, but nothing happened. Was that not the case?"
"The Alliance rescue team should be here soon to pick them up."
"Follow them—but not too close. Report this immediately. We can't let them leave like this."
Ji Ban delivered them and, to avoid suspicion, had to take Moshi back.
Lu Mingyuan and the others pressed against the window, staring as Moshi approached, then rushed out to greet them.
Though they couldn't see Cornell and Harry, knowing they were nearby was comfort enough.
Then they turned their attention to the approaching figures.
Seeing Lian Sheng's condition, their joy faded instantly. They were shocked but quickly suppressed it, helping her into the car without a word.
Ye Buqing checked her injury. Rolling up her sleeve, he found her left arm cold, the skin a sickly grayish-white, as if blood had stopped flowing. It hung limp, unresponsive to stimuli.
Lian Sheng pulled her sleeve down and leaned back.
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger said warmly, "Everyone's back? That's what matters."
Zhou Shirui said, "Lian Sheng's injured."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger didn't ask how bad it was. He just said, "As long as you're all alive. I'll speed up the rescue team to get you back sooner. Lian Sheng, your boss is coming personally. Hang in there."
Not long after, dawn broke.
The Alliance rescue team arrived at the airport, and Ji Ban received orders to rendezvous and return to the Alliance.
But before he could leave, a line of armed soldiers turned their guns on him, blocking his path.
Ji Ban frowned. "What do you want?"
A soldier at the front looked up at Moshi and said, "You're not leaving yet. Cooperate with our investigation, please."
Ji Ban said, "No cooperation. No thanks. Try shooting me—my mech reflects bullets."
"We've got more than guns. There are weapon platforms nearby. We just don't want to use them on you." The soldier said, "We're serious. If you need a demonstration, we can bring them out now."
Zhou Shirui assessed the situation and immediately contacted Hundred Meter Flying Dagger.
Zhou Shirui said, "They're being unreasonable. If you don't know how to handle this, stay silent for now. Don't provoke them. Let the Alliance professionals negotiate."
Lian Sheng, who'd been dozing, tilted her head. "What's wrong?"
Ji Ban said, "They won't let me go."
Lian Sheng stood and walked to the cleared control panel at the back to see what was happening.
The soldier said, "If you want to leave, cooperate with our inspection. Or you can stay."
Lian Sheng asked, "Is Gelen illegally detaining us? We've submitted requests to the joint team and Gelen's upper echelons and received approval. Our departure is lawful. Your actions violate our agreement. What's the meaning of this?"
The soldier said, "My apologies. The exit permit was negotiated between the Alliance and Mr. Maxwell. But Gelen's current diplomatic strategy isn't under his purview. General Barite came to District Three to question Mr. Maxwell's authority to represent Gelen. So we don't recognize permits issued by him. Please contact General Barite for a new one."
Barite's forces hadn't breached the main city yet, but they'd already seized control of District Three's borders.
Especially at the perimeter, their numbers were growing, steadily advancing.
Hearing this, the Gelen soldiers and police under Maxwell's command didn't object, continuing to watch silently.
Their leaders had clearly given up resistance.
Fang Jianchen, in the front seat, whispered, "They're just picking a fight. Bullying us because we're outnumbered? Contact my ass! Is this even human speech?"
Cheng Ze hesitated. "We can't agree to this."
Agreeing to reapply with Barite would invalidate Maxwell's permit. Barite, a longtime rival of the Alliance, would either reject the new request or delay it indefinitely.
Ye Buqing: "District Three nominally belongs to Maxwell, but Barite has the upper hand. If he insists on keeping us here, we're in danger."
Zhao Zhuoluo asked, "How many people did the Alliance send?"
"However many they sent, it's nothing compared to a whole district's forces. They've got home-field advantage and full arsenals." Cheng Ze said, "If we can't leave, we're all hostages."
Ji Ban scooted aside to give Lian Sheng room.
Lian Sheng said, "I don't know how Gelen's government works, but the coup was sudden, and the main city's still intact. For now, valid permits still require Maxwell's signature. We're leaving now. If General Barite wants us to reapply, he should follow procedure and announce it publicly first."
The soldier remained expressionless, relaying his superiors' orders: "You misunderstand. We're not detaining anyone or questioning your permit's validity. We just have doubts about the scope of Mr. Maxwell's authorization. For security reasons, please submit to another inspection. Especially for high-risk weapons like mechs."
Ji Ban nodded.
Lian Sheng: "We'll accept a scan."
The soldier said, "We'll scan first. But the equipment is at our military base. Please come with us."
Lian Sheng almost laughed. "Heh."
Sharpening the knife and then politely asking them to lay their necks on the chopping block? Screw that!
The soldier: "Please."
Fang Jianchen fumed, "Shameless! Adding 'please' doesn't make it polite! He's insulting you, Lian Sheng!"
Cheng Ze: "Even worse than Maxwell."
Ye Buqing: "To be fair, Maxwell's vagueness is why we're in this mess."
Lian Sheng raised her voice, addressing the screen: "No. The only scan we'll accept is the standard one at the airport—normal procedure for entry and exit. I protest the Alliance being subjected to special, harsh treatment in Gelen!"
The soldier said, "Mechs are special items. Isn't a special inspection justified?"
"Unnecessary. This isn't special—it's abnormal. We're exiting, not entering. Even for entry, under joint team standards, only on-site checks are required. 'Military base' is just an excuse." Lian Sheng said, "We have legal permits and deserve normal treatment. If you insist on unreasonable demands, we'll respond in kind."
She turned to Ji Ban: "Prepare for combat. We're heading to the airport."
Ji Ban met her eyes, then hesitantly pressed a button.
Moshi's back instantly deployed two rows of weapon ports, ready for action.
The Gelen soldiers panicked.
Though they had mechs stationed nearby, in a direct fight, Ji Ban wouldn't win. But how many soldiers were guarding the perimeter? How many buildings needed protection? If things escalated, Gelen would suffer more.
Not their home—who cared more?
The soldiers crouched, aiming their guns. One demanded, "What is the Alliance doing?"
"The Alliance isn't doing anything. The question is, what is Gelen doing? You aimed guns at us first. You surrounded us with superior numbers. You made unreasonable demands. Now you're illegally detaining us. Why ask what the Alliance is doing? You can posture; so can we. A reminder: The Alliance isn't under Gelen's jurisdiction or some minor system cowed by your military. As long as we follow interstellar protocols, we have the right to challenge your unreasonable demands." Lian Sheng said, "Moshi is the Alliance's precious research property. I have every reason to suspect Gelen intends to seize it unlawfully."
The soldiers seemed unprepared for such defiance. They wanted to crush the Alliance's spirit, but this wasn't the place.
As far as they knew, Moshi was unmanned, with no control console or data core. Destroying it would just leave scrap metal.
Too costly. Not worth it.
The soldier said, "Stand down your weapons."
Lian Sheng: "Move. We're going to the airport."
The soldier said, "Fine. But we'll escort you there for inspection."
Lian Sheng raised an eyebrow.
Zhou Shirui said, "The airport's being cleared. Flights grounded, no entry. Be careful."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger rolled up his sleeves, eager. "Let them come. They'll have to eventually. The joint team's still in Gelen's main city. They've got their own mess to clean up. How many enemies do they want? Bring it on. Boss is here to settle scores!"
As long as Cornell's presence wasn't exposed, they had the moral high ground. They weren't afraid to fight. Gelen had provoked the Alliance repeatedly—it was time to settle accounts.
And with the battlefield in District Three, even if they all died here, it'd be worth it.
Lian Sheng agreed.
So Moshi, under the surveillance of ten mechs, headed for the airport.
Lu Mingyuan was also en route, about to arrive.
Fang Jianchen cheered, "Ji Ban, faster, faster! Show them what speed is!"
Ji Ban's inner racer reawakened. He licked his lips and unleashed Moshi on the open road.
The mechs behind struggled to keep up, falling behind. On straight, open paths, hand-operated mechs had no equal.
Just as they were about to lose their pursuers, Lian Sheng said, "Slow down. Don't give them excuses to accuse us of tampering."
Ji Ban eased off, letting them catch up.
Mechs were faster than cars, and Lu Mingyuan, worried about jostling Ji Ban, had deliberately driven slowly.
So the car and mechs arrived at the airport simultaneously.
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger and the soldiers were already waiting. The tarmac was empty. Lu Mingyuan parked nearby, and everyone got out to join the Alliance forces.
The Gelen contingent arrived too.
They exchanged salutes and greetings.
The spokesman glanced at Lian Sheng. "Ma'am, since you were in the main city, how did you get injured?"
Lian Sheng said, "You can get hit by a flowerpot just walking down the street. People are dying out there in the war—what's so strange about me getting hurt?"
He didn't press further, directing Ji Ban to move Moshi to an open area. Then a team wheeled out scanning equipment and began inspecting the mech.
They scrutinized the screens, circling Moshi multiple times.
Harry and Cornell, hidden below, held their breath, squeezing deeper into the pods.
The inspection ended. Unsurprisingly, nothing was found.
Mech armor, especially rescue pod material, was specially designed to block all scanners.
Lian Sheng asked, "Find anything?"
The soldier said impassively, "The airport's equipment is outdated. Since you refused inspection at our base, we'll need to conduct a detailed check."
Lian Sheng: "Be clearer."
The soldier: "Disassemble it to confirm no hazardous items."
In other words, tear it apart.
One excuse after another—they just wouldn't let them leave.
Lian Sheng said, "No."
"Ahem." Hundred Meter Flying Dagger stepped forward. "I'm the mission commander, thank you. Don't bypass me."
The soldier turned to him. "Thank you for your cooperation."
"No, no cooperation." Hundred Meter Flying Dagger said, "I'm here to personally reject your unreasonable demand."
The soldier: "..."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger said, "To be frank, hand-operated mech remote control is classified Alliance technology. If Gelen insists on dismantling our mech, we'll suspect espionage. Denied."
The soldier: "Then we suspect the Alliance is smuggling classified intel out of District Three. Denied."
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger: "What intel?"
The soldier: "That's what the inspection's for."
"Has Moshi done anything suspicious? Has District Three lost any classified data? Even if it had, you have no right to inspect our mech without evidence. Especially when you've found nothing." Hundred Meter Flying Dagger said, "A reminder: Gelen's habit of using conjecture as justification is flawed. You get away with it not because you're right or unchallenged, but because you've got guns to people's heads."
He stepped back and raised a hand.
The Alliance transport ship behind him slowly lowered its cargo bay doors. The ramp descended, revealing rows of gleaming mechs emblazoned with the Alliance's crimson insignia. They marched forward on the ramp, towering over everyone.
Compared to Gelen's outdated models, these were cutting-edge.
Lian Sheng and the others looked up, awestruck.
The sight was breathtaking—steel giants standing at their backs, casting shadows that blotted out the sun.
Now they understood: Hundred Meter Flying Dagger had come to settle scores.
"Alliance Expeditionary Sixth Army, First, Second, and Fifth Squads reporting!"
"Every soldier is an Alliance citizen! Every mech is Alliance property! The Expeditionary Force will protect all honor belonging to the Alliance!"
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