First Battlefield Commander! - Chapter 231
Chapter 231: End of Main Story
Eight versus eighteen. To be precise, excluding Ji Ban's mech which was essentially serving as a vehicle, it was seven versus eighteen. Was it difficult?
As it turned out, it wasn't.
Since leaving the academy, Lian Sheng and the others had experienced countless battles, traversed various battlefields, executed diverse coordinated tactics, and witnessed all sorts of combat situations.
Among their peers, they were undoubtedly the most experienced. Among those with similar combat records, they were definitely the youngest physically. Especially in the narrow streets of a non-combat urban area.
Without saying a word, Lian Sheng piloted Jiugong forward to clear the path. The others understood her intention immediately, falling back to give her space, ensuring the mech had enough room to maneuver.
Lian Sheng didn't know when this tacit understanding had developed. The memories of the past were too long; she could barely recall her days at the academy.
Although Jiugong was an older model mech, its internal systems had been completely updated. Furthermore, Lian Sheng's greatest combat strength lay in her technique. Therefore, when Lin Lie modified Jiugong, she focused on enhancing its joint flexibility and speed, minimizing the chassis's weight as much as possible while maintaining attack power.
And unleashing the mech's speed required space.
Jiugong held its shield in front and moved towards the opponents, firing two rough shots ahead. They mostly hit the road. One attack shot damaged the road surface ahead, hindering the enemy's movement. One smoke shot released white mist, obscuring their vision.
The opponents didn't need to see Jiugong; mech radar could directly perform heat source detection. However, due to Jiugong's unique appearance, the radar's thermal imaging couldn't determine its specific posture based on details, and thus couldn't predict its direction of movement.
So, in the view of the dozen or so old Gelen mechs, it became a mass of red light approaching in an erratic pattern. Swift as lightning, fast as the wind. The distance detection system in their cockpits beeped incessantly.
That sound easily made people nervous and irritable.
"So fast!"
"Don't try to match their mech performance! All units attack! Staggered strafing!"
Those few simply raised their cannons and fired broadly towards the suspected location.
Numerous mechs crowded the highway outside the city. Even though the road was wide, it could accommodate at most two mechs side-by-side.
When Jiugong charged forward, the mechs at the front of the pursuing team subconsciously retreated. Retreating easily led to collisions with the mechs behind. The pilots behind needed reaction time, which then fed back to the mechs at the rear. Thus, any movement at the front caused a jam behind.
As they attacked, Jiugong turned sideways, hugging the edge of the walkway, leaped, stepped onto the guardrail, and dashed off the highway. It ran directly up the adjacent mountainside slope, relying on its speed.
There were quite a few low trees on the slope, all crashing against Jiugong's shield, either snapping or having their roots loosened, tilting their trunks.
The Gelen side was dumbfounded, having never seen such a thick-skinned and violent vanguard.
The mechs' attention was drawn away, preparing to redirect their attacks. A patch of red light flickered in their vision, never dissipating. Only then did they realize something was wrong. Jiugong had yielded its position, and the mechs behind it had seized the opportunity to advance.
The heavy firepower from both sides mingled. Relying solely on thermal imaging for identification, they hadn't noticed, and now it was too late to dodge.
The leading few mechs were already destroyed in the bombardment. In this terrain and under these conditions, the Gelen side knew they were at a natural disadvantage.
Explosions and flying debris filled the air. The effect of the smoke grenades gradually faded, but visibility didn't improve.
Trees on one side of the mountain were pushed over, rolling onto the main road, blocking the path in front of Jiugong and the other mechs.
"Retreat!" the captain ordered. "Disperse first! Increase distance, find suitable combat points!"
Cheng Ze's heavy armor mech unleashed its full firepower, bombarding the opposite side relentlessly.
Ji Ban slammed his palm on the console, saying, "Let me!"
Even if his mech couldn't freely transform anymore, a portion of its arsenal was still usable in this state. The arsenal of a manually operated mech was not to be underestimated. Moreover, Moshi's driving mode could be switched to different tires or chassis configurations to handle various terrains.
He extended several support struts directly from the mech's chassis, ignoring all obstacles, and crawled across. Simultaneously, he deployed the weapon rack on its back, locked on, and fired.
The Gelen team was retreating at full speed, not expecting the enemy to be able to pursue them despite the obstacles.
Looking back, at this distance, attacking, defending, or fleeing were all difficult options. Their formation instantly fell into chaos.
Lian Sheng had already rushed back to the main road from the slope, rejoining the main force and engaging in the attack.
Cheng Ze's heavy armor voluntarily moved to the rear, salvaging usable equipment from the disabled mechs.
"Lian Sheng, next time, you can leave this kind of thing to Zhuoluo," Cheng Ze said wearily. "Don't forget you're a commander."
The commander charging faster than their vanguard? Wasn't that fatal?
"Jiugong has a shield and partial manual control, making it more convenient in this location," Lian Sheng said. "Urban combat, incomplete maps, delayed data – I think even without a commander, you all know what to do."
Cheng Ze: "Don't pass the buck. We only feel safe when you're here."
Lian Sheng: "Sure, sure."
Because the Alliance headquarters had been deadlocked near the docking point, unable to break through after prolonged attacks – a scene identical to the 1st and 2nd Districts – the political authorities in the 16th District were anxiously biting their nails and scratching their heads. Nothing good would come of this continuing.
Could it be that just as the 1st and 2nd Districts were constrained by Barite, the 16th District was facing the same situation? Wouldn't that mean both Alliance rescue teams were pinned down by Barite?
They had no retreat path, nor did they intend to create one. So, they bypassed the main Alliance force and contacted Lian Sheng's small team.
As the currently sole legally stationed strongest armed force in the 16th District, their actions were crucial. Although hope was slim, they might become the only bargaining chip to delay Barite's army.
However, Zhou Shirui and Lu Mingyuan's optical computers couldn't guarantee absolute information security. Without Alliance assistance, data transmission could easily be intercepted by the enemy, and current capabilities and conditions didn't really allow for it.
The 16th District staff communicating with them didn't dare exchange any highly sensitive data either, only revealing their current situations to each other. After all, if state secrets were inadvertently leaked, they would be blamed for treason.
Looking at the blurry positioning of Lian Sheng and the others, the contact frowned, "Are you returning to the main urban area now?"
Lian Sheng said, "Yes. We feel the defense performance of the main urban area's army is slightly abnormal and have decided to return for a secondary investigation. Also, the distance to the Alliance docking point is too great; I believe the conditions for rendezvous are not currently met."
The contact asked, "How much longer?"
Lian Sheng: "We didn't run too far out. At our current speed, we estimate arrival within ten minutes."
"There are large numbers of mech units in the main urban area. Please be prepared," the contact said. "Are you going in directly with just your group? Ten people including two data analysts?"
Lian Sheng said, "Yes."
After a moment of silence, the other side said, "What is your unit's current combat strength? What is the battle situation and mech damage? Are weapon reserves sufficient, do you need resupply? What are the weapon and power source models? Perhaps we can prepare them for you."
Lian Sheng asked, "How many enemy mechs were just destroyed?"
They had pursued them all the way, catching up behind the scattered joint forces rushing to regroup, taking down quite a few.
Cheng Ze tossed two cannons and an energy battery to Ye Buqing. Ye Buqing accelerated to catch up with Lian Sheng and threw them to her.
Lian Sheng caught them firmly, shouldered the weapons, placed the power source in the reserve slot, and absorbed the remaining energy: "The enemy has lost eleven units. No casualties on our side so far. Energy is currently sufficient, arsenal replenished."
The other side immediately said, "Transmit the video from your combat recorder to me. I will broadcast it for you."
Lian Sheng glanced at the control screen.
Lu Mingyuan said, "Send it to me, I'll handle the forwarding."
Inside the shaking vehicle, Zhou Shirui was once again pinpointing possible locations where Barite might be hiding within the main urban area based on previous data.
As they were about to re-enter the main urban area, twelve of the opposing eighteen mechs had been scrapped during the pursuit, and three were heavily damaged.
Fang Jianchen cried out in regret, unable to stop all of them before they entered the main city.
Lian Sheng said, "Disperse into the city. Teams of two. Zhuoluo and I are one team; I'll cover, you attack. Fang Jianchen, Cheng Ze, and Ye Buqing form another team. Cornell and Harry, find your own positions."
Everyone responded, "Understood."
Lian Sheng and Zhao Zhuoluo took the first exit off the highway into the city.
The main urban area was vast, with numerous highway exits. If the enemy wanted to block them at the exits, they would have to pursue and defend each location sequentially, or be guided by the remaining mechs on the highway.
The battle line stretched infinitely, drastically thinning the density of mech soldiers.
As Lian Sheng charged out of the exit, before even turning the corner, cannon fire rained down. Black smoke mixed with white mist completely obscured her vision. Her speed was too great to stop in time, nor did she intend to stop and slowly wear down the enemy.
At this exit, a total of seven enemy mechs were detectable.
Lian Sheng's left fingers flew across the controls. She simply rounded the exit at an even faster speed. In the instant of turning, the centrifugal force of the high-speed cornering and the rolling air currents flipped her mech. She forced herself to relax, seized the opportunity, leaned Jiugong backward onto the ground, scraping its back, while simultaneously using manual control to fully engage the thrusters for accelerated sliding.
Jiugong slammed heavily into the side guardrail. The stone blocks on that side fractured and flew off upon impact. Half of Jiugong's body slid out of the channel, nearly falling, but was barely pulled back by its power.
Lian Sheng's expression remained unchanged. Her fingers pressed again, switching the mech's main perspective from the head to the knees.
At this moment, the visual feed was misaligned with the actual space, creating a bizarre scene that momentarily disoriented Lian Sheng. She focused her mind, running through the process mentally: hands, body, eyes, brain – each performing different tasks.
By alternating the left and right thrusters, the mech began to twist.
Through the smoke and dust, a red serpent was seen sliding out, hugging the ground, its movements dazzlingly fast. Due to the perspective and distance, the target profile was small. The targeting systems on the enemy mechs couldn't lock onto its figure for a moment. Gun barrels swiveled back and forth, but the cannons remained silent.
Sparks flew from metal friction where it passed, testament to its incredible speed.
They had never seen a mech capable of moving while lying down; this was simply beyond human capability.
Moving while lying down was one thing, but it could even perform a tail whip. To avoid being knocked over, the group of mechs hopped slightly aside, inadvertently letting her slip through the gap.
Zhao Zhuoluo almost forgot Lian Sheng was the king among soul drivers. He stood at the corner, maintaining distance from Lian Sheng to avoid friendly fire.
After Jiugong broke through the Gelen United Army's defensive line, it changed posture to stand sideways, continuing to scrape its left shoulder on the ground, while the cannons mounted on both shoulders dipped slightly.
High heat emanated from the cannon muzzles as it frantically chose to engage the two mechs directly in front at close range.
The recoil from the shoulders pulled the mech upright. Jiugong lifted its heavy body, turned in mid-air, fired another shot to push itself away. Because this maneuver was relatively basic, relying mainly on cannon recoil and thrusters to adjust its center of gravity, precision was clearly impossible.
Jiugong looked like it was about to fall again. Using hands and feet, it performed a side flip, planting its shield heavily in front to stabilize its forward momentum. Then, without looking back, it turned directly into the adjacent cross street.
In the screen room of the 16th District's air-raid shelter, her recorded video was currently playing.
The 16th District's signal tower hadn't been attacked. Although the shelter blocked external signals, it had its own independent internal network. Usually, the government used this network for political propaganda, announcing precautions to citizens, and arranging shelter aid to appease the masses. But this time, they skipped the nonsense and directly showed an unedited video.
This unedited video was more thrilling and shocking than any special effect.
Although the sequence of actions could be broken down into multiple parts, several were completed seamlessly in mid-air, flowing without any pause.
Because it was combat footage from Jiugong's perspective, her own detailed operations couldn't be seen clearly. Also, because the area was obscured by smoke and flying debris, the camera view was quite blurry, constantly shifting between sky and ground perspectives. However, the thrilling mid-slide cornering, the rapid rise using recoil, and the ground-hugging serpentine movement under fire, precisely avoiding enemy attacks, were clearly conveyed.
The wildly spinning perspective made the viewers' hearts pound. In just a few short seconds, she had successfully broken free from the encirclement.
Undoubtedly, if any joint had hesitated even slightly, Jiugong would absolutely not be standing now.
Smooth movements and bold gambles – were all mech pilots this skilled and reckless?
"Damn! Those moves were so damn beautiful?!"
"Holy crap—what the hell is this mech? Is it a sensor mech? Or a manual one? Can mechs even be piloted like that?"
"I guarantee with my toes, manual mechs can't pull off that slick move just now. They aren't sensitive enough to changes in the chassis's center of gravity to perform such actions. That's why manual mechs usually have more stable chassis. No manual mech pilot has that kind of feel."
"I know, the Alliance only has one active manual mech, and it's black. But this one is red."
"Is this an animation? Or special effects?"
"It should be live. Isn't the fight happening outside right now?"
"Want to watch!"
"Aren't you watching right now?"
"Want to see it with my own eyes! It's too damn cool, okay?!"
"I'm asking, is this even possible?"
Lian Sheng checked the extent of damage to the mech's outer shell. Fortunately, the material was wear-resistant. However, during the close-range bombardment, some components on the head had slightly melted due to the high temperature.
Yet, the melting of these few metal pieces wasn't in vain. Zhao Zhuoluo took advantage of the chaos to rush forward from behind and fire two supplementary shots. In less than a minute, the two of them took four enemy mechs down with them. Then they split into different side roads, planning to rendezvous ahead.
At this time, the screen split into eight feeds. The top indicated these were the eight mechs of the Alliance ten-person team, the only mech armed force in the main urban area.
The crowd, sitting cross-legged under the large screen watching the excitement, stared wide-eyed.
Eight mechs daring to enter the main urban area? These people were crazy, right?
"The Alliance only sent eight mechs over? How is that possible? What for? A ribbon-cutting ceremony or a debut?"
"What exactly does the Alliance mean by this?"
"Can any representative summarize the current political situation in the 16th District? Based on the limited news reports I've seen, isn't the Alliance supposed to be Maxwell's ally? Then what are they fighting in the 16th District? The entire 16th District is under martial law, not just the main city. Has anyone figured out the reason?"
"Fighting Maxwell?"
"If they were fighting Maxwell, buddy, do you think we'd still be seeing this video?"
"During the city lockdown, the level of control and enforcement – I refuse to believe it was done by those soft, procrastinating people. It's obvious the military was involved."
The crowd grew restless, shifting in their seats, "Wait, so when did the 16th District become Barite's territory?"
"Can the main battlefield really extend to the 16th District? The kind of main battlefield declared externally during chaotic warfare? Why wasn't there any notification? Isn't the 16th District just a temporary docking station?"
"Judging by the mere eight mechs in the main city, it probably won't spread here for now."
Emotions were contagious; the sheltered crowd began to stir. The personnel responsible for maintaining order didn't step forward, but stated firmly, "The 16th District will not become a main warzone. These are the instructions given to us by superiors. Otherwise, the 16th District would have become unsafe some time ago."
"Even if Mr. Maxwell wanted to fight, he probably lacks the strength."
"As cooperation partners, the Alliance is the one with the real power. Are the superiors' instructions effective?"
"A military academy student tells you: having this number of mech soldiers in the main city is clearly abnormal. It exceeds the standard by at least tenfold. This indicates Barite's joint forces indeed entered the 16th District long ago. And the fact that we didn't notice also suggests Maxwell didn't resist. Although Barite's purpose is still unknown, the Alliance and Mr. Maxwell definitely knew and rushed over. Whether it becomes a warzone depends on the Alliance's attitude."
While discussing, the crowd continued to watch the video feeds.
After Lian Sheng and Zhao Zhuoluo succeeded with their move, they started to pull away at speed, fleeing in the same direction, separated by a street.
The two headed straight down, retracting all offensive weapons, simply leading the pursuing mech soldiers in constant turns.
New reinforcements appeared among the pursuing soldiers. They continuously set up ambushes ahead, but due to their conservative tactics, they consistently failed to catch the two high-speed mechs.
"So fast! Gelen's mechs look like toys compared to it!"
"The difference in mech performance is too huge, right? One is max level, the other a novice."
"The Alliance people seem very familiar with the 16th District."
"The 16th District is piloting older mech models. The newer ones were likely sent to the front lines; they aren't that common."
"My home! My home is in this area!! Buying a house isn't easy! I'm not even married yet, calm down!"
Lian Sheng and Zhao Zhuoluo finally passed the residential area and reached the central bustling commercial district. As they approached this area, the enemy's tactics became wilder.
Lian Sheng said, "Rendezvous. You run behind me."
Zhao Zhuoluo: "Okay."
The two mechs gathered in front of the museum.
Lian Sheng took a deep breath, "Getting a bit tired." Zhao Zhuoluo's breathing was also somewhat ragged.
Fighting outnumbered was basically a contest of stamina. Lian Sheng worried slightly about Ji Ban, wondering if his fingers could hold up. More than two hours had passed since they left the airport. The enemy bombardment hadn't let up for a moment, and the constant dodging and observation severely drained one's energy.
However, the streets here were relatively open. If Cornell and Harry cleared the path well, his burden could be significantly lightened.
The pursuing mech soldiers behind had already given up. With the speed disadvantage, long-range pursuit couldn't harm them at all. The only way they could possibly overcome their mech performance was through attack.
The moment the enemy fired, Jiugong instantly accelerated, leading Zhao Zhuoluo behind a wall. That shot landed squarely on the museum entrance, immediately triggering a loud security alarm.
Lian Sheng led the way, deliberately heading towards expensive places. Tech buildings, shopping malls, jewelry stores, art galleries...
She continuously probed the suspicious locations provided by Zhou Shirui, and the cannon fire from behind grew increasingly dense.
This time, people really couldn't sit still.
"Damn! Gelen is bombing its own commercial district? Are they sick?"
"Are you kidding? These aren't soldiers from the joint forces, right?!"
"I heard Barite is very petty. Could this be a self-staged act by Maxwell?"
"Then let me tell you, Maxwell is even pettier because he's poor."
"If Maxwell was willing to deploy over a hundred mechs for a self-staged act, would he be fighting so miserably in the 1st and 2nd Districts?"
"Stop showing off your IQ here."
"It's clearly deliberate baiting. Is the Alliance any better? If they're so capable, keep hiding. Real sensor mechs demand stamina beyond your imagination. Let's see how long they can keep this up."
Lian Sheng, of course, knew that merely dodging was useless. Damage could only be inflicted through comparison.
After selecting a good spot, the constantly dodging Jiugong made a ninety-degree turn, flashed behind a wall, braked hard, turned one hundred eighty degrees, and lunged forward.
In the nick of time, it accurately pierced the cockpit of the pursuing enemy mech, disabling it instantly. Then it pushed forward, using the disabled mech as cover, disrupting the enemy formation.
Zhao Zhuoluo's Pojun flashed out from behind her, delivering precise shots at the front.
While trying their best to avoid damaging the commercial district buildings, the two once again took down three mechs. After striking, they retreated without hesitation.
They focused only on destroying the mechs' operating systems, but made no attempt to confirm the pilots' deaths or deliberately harm them.
This action garnered much goodwill. Their apparent concern for property protection clearly won favor.
Amidst the cheers, someone abruptly asked, "Are you really people of Gelen? Why is everyone speaking up for the Alliance?"
"But isn't the Alliance also an allied force? And clearly, the other side is fighting with more integrity than ours."
"Technically, the 16th District should be under Mr. Maxwell's direct jurisdiction, and the Alliance and Maxwell are cooperative teammates. So, when referring to the Alliance, we should use 'us'."
Gelen was different from the Alliance.
Gelen was originally a nation formed from mixed populations, its regime established through robbery and fighting. It lacked cultural heritage and historical treasures; education couldn't even be coordinated between regions.
Cultural differences were vast, regional disparities large, the wealth gap significant, and social conflicts severe. Thoughts of independence were far more common than thoughts of unity, especially in peaceful places like the 16th District. They simply couldn't comprehend the Alliance's insistence on grand unification.
The 16th District's political authorities began to grasp the direction of public opinion.
Cultured people could also be dealt with in cultured ways. During wartime, the political forces still had many things they could do.
"Mobilize all resources! Smear them! Work hard to smear them!"
At this point, they had to provide support.
Jiugong's performance was quite captivating, especially the earlier downhill maneuver, proving it was definitely not an ordinary sensor mech. Moreover, two names were engraved on Jiugong's chassis.
Engravings on a mech usually signified it was a dedicated unit. Dedicated mechs were custom-modified and not subject to transfer rules. Judging by the color of the metal plate, an old model mech couldn't achieve today's performance, proving its origins were unusual.
The 16th District authorities immediately requested Jiugong's data from the Alliance headquarters. The Alliance readily sent the information over.
A technician edited the text and released it directly.
"This mech is named Jiugong. Seeing Jiugong reappear on the battlefield after twenty-five years truly brings back memories. It was originally the dedicated mech of an Alliance military genius, Major Lian Heng. Now, inheriting this dedicated mech is a new recruit named Lian Sheng, his only daughter. The person who personally modified this mech is his wife, Colonel Lin Lie."
"Major Lian Heng died heroically in battle. Now, Lian Sheng inherits his grand ambition, stepping onto the same battlefield, continuing to fight for the future and peace of the world."
"Jiugong is a semi-manual, semi-sensor mech, re-modified according to Lian Sheng's body. The initial reason was neither to develop a new type of mech nor to add functions. Because not everyone can master the techniques of such a hybrid mech."
Several photos flashed across the screen.
One was a snapshot of Lian Sheng breaking through the security passage in the 36th District years ago. Her face was stained with blood and dirt, her features barely discernible, only her eyes exceptionally bright, showing a gaze unbelievable for someone just twenty-one.
One was taken back in Kafa. Lian Sheng and her teammates sat dejectedly in a dirt pit, covered in mud, each holding a piece of bread.
Another showed Lian Sheng leaning against a hospital bed, one hand on her still-bandaged shoulder, a metal arm resting across her front, frowning as she looked out the window.
Then came scenes of Lian Sheng frowning, diligently undergoing rehabilitation.
The last picture showed Lian Sheng in military uniform, marching out with the Alliance forces.
"Many people abhor war, asking soldiers: why wage war, participate in war, kill your enemies? I also want to ask: enduring prejudice and misunderstanding, yet still forging ahead, what is it all for?"
Photos of Lian Sheng and Lian Heng setting out on campaigns were placed side-by-side. One smiling wildly and unrestrainedly, the other with a composed, restrained curl of the lips.
Similar scenes, similar people, similar gazes, yet two generations separated by life and death.
Facing death, enduring fear, the two characters 'Jiugong' engraved on the mech perhaps explained a single phrase – "For the ideal that I hold dear to my heart, though I die nine times, I will have no regrets."
After stirring emotions, without giving people time to react, they quickly jumped to the perspective of another mech.
While Lian Sheng's side coordinated steadily, the team of Ye Buqing, Cheng Ze, and Fang Jianchen was harder to combine. The three-person team included the fastest, the slowest, and the mech requiring the most stealth, making it impossible for them to operate on the same starting line or combat platform.
So, the three were widely separated.
Fang Jianchen, a comrade marked from the start, found it practically impossible to find a good sniping position under these circumstances. He could only pilot his mech, fleeing with enemies on his tail, while constantly checking the map to avoid straying from his teammates.
Cheng Ze was also rather unlucky. His mech was too slow, unable to shake off enemies with performance advantages. And in the main urban area, considering the Alliance's reputation, his stored arsenal had no chance of being deployed.
Fang Jianchen kept a constant eye on Cheng Ze, in case he unfortunately got hit.
They fought from dawn until daybreak, watching the sunlight emerge from the east, turning the pitch-black night into azure blue.
The pursuers behind them hadn't significantly decreased, but their stamina was nearing exhaustion.
When the heavy armor, less responsive to attacks, was nearly caught by the enemy, Fang Jianchen didn't hesitate, lunging forward to push him away.
The heavy armor, weighing dozens of tons, crashed heavily to the ground. Before Fang Jianchen could regain his footing, he was hit by a wind cannon shot from Ye Buqing approaching from the side, pressing him down onto the heavy armor.
The two rolled on the ground, quickly got up, and began a new round of tug-of-war.
Fang Jianchen carried his weapon, running and shooting, howling, almost driven mad. He was busy providing cover for Cheng Ze while enduring Ye Buqing's occasional wind cannon shots.
The onlookers were stunned by their combat style, clapping and marveling.
"This group's way of providing cover is so unique."
"They don't cherish their mechs at all."
"Damn! When surrounded, do you choose to protect your mech or your life? I choose life!"
"The expert's tactics are so unique. Can heavy armor and Qixing really cooperate like that?"
"Maybe try it next time."
Just as Fang Jianchen's trio was about to fall into disarray, the main Alliance rescue force finally began a forced attack on Gelen. Leveraging their current overwhelming advantage, they boldly bombarded the defensive line.
The blame was respectfully handed over to Barite's joint forces.
At 08:00, Lian Sheng heard good news from them for the first time.
"All units, please confirm channel data reception is normal and you are in a safe position. Team leaders, please report your status."
"Alliance has successfully docked."
"Target point breached."
"Bombing successful. Battlefield cleanup and reconnaissance in progress."
"Terrain successfully scouted, no remaining units found. Secondary search underway."
"Gelen local government database successfully accessed. Compiling data on armed defense forces in various locations."
"Data sent. All units, please note reception."
Lian Sheng breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhou Shirui also forwarded the existing data to their command center, allowing them to take command of the ten individuals.
Everyone had been piloting under high pressure for four or five consecutive hours. If the attack line in the main city wasn't withdrawn, they wouldn't even have time to rest. Mechs were enormous, with no convenient hiding places in the city. If they waited for headquarters to rescue them, they'd probably die from overexertion first.
The question was, where exactly had Barite hidden? When would this chase finally end?
Lian Sheng was still confirming the target location with Zhou Shirui when the overall commander connected, "Lian Sheng, go to the target coordinates and rescue someone."
Lian Sheng: "Rescue who?"
She didn't seem to know anyone in the 16th District, having barely left the airport twice.
The commander marked the location for her: "Get there immediately! He's waiting for you by the roadside!"
Lian Sheng checked the map location. Cornell and Harry's team was closer. She had the three go prepare for backup, then rushed over with Zhao Zhuoluo.
Both groups had tails behind them, but it couldn't be helped.
Lian Sheng: "Put Moshi in the middle. We'll cover. Let's get the person out safely first."
Ji Ban obeyed, piloting Moshi and accelerating ahead of Cornell.
The person was Albert.
Lian Sheng was truly startled when she saw him. She hadn't expected him to still be in the 16th District, let alone show himself at such a time.
Cornell's pair and Lian Sheng's pair warily watched each other's pursuers. This time, they used long-range weapons without reservation, maintaining distance between the groups to prevent Albert from being accidentally injured while boarding the mech.
Moshi opened its cockpit, took the person in, squeezing him together with Zhou Shirui and Lu Mingyuan.
Albert's injuries likely hadn't healed yet. Zhou Shirui tried hard to squeeze himself tight to avoid jostling him. Albert adjusted his black coat, turned sideways, pointed at Zhou Shirui's map and said, "Go here."
Lian Sheng roughly understood what kind of place it was and asked, "Do we have enough people? We don't have many hands, and our stamina isn't exactly abundant."
Albert said, "You're mistaken. The place he lives actually has no guards. He doesn't trust anyone, including me."
Lian Sheng: "Then how do you know he lives here?"
Albert simply said, "After all, I've already fallen into his trap once. I won't fall for it a second time."
The five mechs sequentially turned towards a residential area in the north of the city, the location Albert had specified. The residential area seemed to have been built long ago; the buildings looked old and slightly weathered.
This location wasn't within Zhou Shirui's deduced range, nor did it look like a place someone of Barite's status would live.
"Your father is quite low-key," Lian Sheng hesitated for a second but chose to trust him. She jumped down from Jiugong, went to follow Albert, and said, "You guys watch my mech. I'll go up with him."
Zhao Zhuoluo immediately said, "I'll go with you!"
Lian Sheng: "No, you stay outside. We don't have enough people. Cornell still needs to look after Moshi. Help provide cover."
Albert seemed completely unfazed by the outside cannon fire, hands in his pockets, walking first into the residential building ahead.
This building was eleven stories high, with two households per floor. The thermal detection system found no heat sources. Albert opened doors floor by floor, tirelessly. Lian Sheng could only follow behind him, confirming each room one by one.
They checked upwards from the first floor. When they reached the sixth floor, Albert, behind her, suddenly said, "Actually, he revealed it to me himself."
Lian Sheng's hand paused on the doorknob. She then walked over to his side, looking at the shoes in front of the entryway.
Albert whispered, "Can someone like him admit defeat?"
Lian Sheng felt the answer wasn't hard, just that Albert himself had already decided it in his heart. She didn't want to argue with him either, casually saying, "Not necessarily admitting defeat. Perhaps he just doesn't want to fight over winning or losing anymore."
She moved past Albert, pushed the door open, simultaneously raising her handgun, ready to aim at any figure inside the room.
The bedroom was empty, the living room too. Lian Sheng pushed open the study door.
Barite sat behind the desk, hands resting on his chest, watching her quietly. There was neither anger nor surprise in his eyes.
However, his complexion looked equally haggard. His mental state was far worse than before, his eyes clouded.
Lian Sheng kept her distance, confirming his face.
This man was really in the main city. Seeing this legendary, decisive general in person, Lian Sheng felt a sense of unreality.
Albert walked up from behind and said, "He is indeed my father."
Barite leaned back, his voice hoarse as he asked, "You really came. Why did you betray me? I am your father, yet you betrayed me time and time again."
Albert remained silent.
The room was very quiet.
Seeing that the father and son had no intention of exchanging pleasantries, Lian Sheng kept her gun raised and spoke, "Then why do you think he did it?"
Barite said, "I've been thinking these past few days, but the more I think, the more I feel it wasn't my fault. Our living environments are too different. You cannot understand my actions, but I can understand yours."
"The previous generation probably couldn't understand you either. Mr. Barite, allow me to speak impartially: your persistence yields no results," Lian Sheng said. "Mr. Edwin took up arms to protect more people."
Barite: "So did I."
"You did not," Lian Sheng said. "You just wanted more bread; you were just afraid to bear responsibility. Edwin's weapon was to let people see hope, but your path holds no hope. I believe this is why your esteemed son chose to oppose you."
Barite fell silent.
Lian Sheng still held her hand up, while Albert watched the man opposite him with consistent indifference.
"Transition periods involve growing pains, perhaps even difficult births. But when the time comes, no one can change what happens. Compared to destruction, people are more willing to accept temporary pain," Lian Sheng said. "One Maxwell dies, one Albert dies, there will be a second, a third. But if one Barite dies, can there be a second? Without Barite, what will the joint forces do?"
Barite smiled weakly.
He once believed in everything he did. Later, he wavered. Believing no one could remain unshaken after being betrayed by their own blood.
But Barite didn't feel he was wrong. If he could live another twenty years, if he had a sufficiently outstanding successor, perhaps he would continue to push forward stubbornly, without looking back, continuing to lead Gelen forward in the same way.
But he was old now, no longer the decisive General Barite of yesteryear. The successor he had chosen had also left him. He didn't know whom to entrust Gelen's future to. He knew clearly how many jackals and tigers coveted benefits within the military, and he had neither the time nor the energy to rectify it.
Only then did he realize how many problems he had left behind.
"Someone like you, for Gelen's sake, has plundered multiple resource planets and killed countless people. You've already prepared yourself mentally, perhaps indifferent to the harm you've caused others, indifferent to their hatred towards you. However, this doesn't mean they won't retaliate out of their hatred, nor does it mean those around you share your indifferent emotions," Lian Sheng said. "For example, the Alliance, for example, your son. Even if the Gelen United Army achieved an overwhelming advantage in the 1st and 2nd Districts this time, afterward, the Alliance will consistently choose to wage war within Gelen territory, just as you once did. And I believe, by then, it won't just be the Alliance willing to interfere. As the war develops, Gelen's resources will gradually tighten. Can you still secure enough resources for production for Gelen amidst internal and external troubles? Isn't Gelen's future becoming exactly what you fear most? Or rather, do you dare to imagine the world after your death?"
"You should understand by now," Lian Sheng said. "Your path has no future."
Either hand over political power to Maxwell's faction now, and the Alliance would help support reforms, leading Gelen in another direction of development.
Or continue to fight the Alliance to the death, hoping his lifespan would be longer. Otherwise, once the military lost control, the entire Gelen would descend into chaos. The violence inflicted in the past would eventually backfire, other nations would interfere, ultimately leading to fragmentation.
After Lian Sheng finished speaking, the room fell silent again. Albert suddenly took a step forward. Lian Sheng's gaze shifted between him and his father. After a moment, she finally noticed: Barite's eyes were closed, unmoving. He had held that posture for a long time.
Light streamed in from behind him, blurring his features. A moment later, his head nodded forward, hitting the desk directly.
Lian Sheng walked forward and found that Barite had passed away.
Several proposals lay on the desk. A syringe was clutched in his hand.
Lian Sheng sighed, a wave of sorrow rising in her heart.
If, if one day she became as powerful as Barite, capable of deciding a nation's fate alone, supporting an entire country, so powerful she even feared thinking about life after her death... Perhaps, rather than becoming an obstacle to their progress, she would choose to leave early.
Lian Sheng bowed towards Barite in respect, then retrieved his ID card from his jacket pocket, stood to the side, bowed again, and looked hesitantly at Albert.
Albert closed his eyes, speaking with difficulty, "Give his body to me."
Lian Sheng agreed. She took the ID card and turned to leave.
She pushed open the security door from the stairwell, and the wind blew against her face.
Lian Sheng looked up; the towering figure of the mech stood before her. She took a deep breath and said, "Mount up! Everyone, hold on! The dawn of victory is here!"
Using Barite's private card, the Alliance took control of the security barriers along the way. Simultaneously, they quickly halted the frontline troops, allowing the Alliance reinforcements to make a strong landing.
Lian Sheng and the others were nearly exhausted. Facing the encirclement by Barite's participating forces, constantly fleeing within the city, their minds were almost delirious. Only when the official news came from the Alliance side did the battle in the city center cease.
After Barite's death, the fall of the joint forces seemed so logical.
Initially, the Gelen United Army didn't know the ceasefire order wasn't personally issued by Barite. Although puzzled, various factions still obeyed the command. By the time they realized what had happened, firstly, there was no unified commander, and secondly, morale had collapsed, making it impossible to stir up any more waves.
Barite was so glorious while alive, but the news of his death was hardly publicized. Only a few rumors speculated about it. More people were puzzled: where had Barite gone? Why abandon the war at the final moment?
The people of the 16th District perhaps didn't fully understand how much Barite's death would change Gelen. Many people didn't understand.
With Barite gone, Gelen could no longer be as assertive as before. Past mistakes had to be rectified one by one. Like a child finally leaving parental protection, starting to learn independent growth.
And Maxwell, as he wished, took control of Gelen and began a series of production system reforms. He wasn't familiar with military affairs, so he handed them over to Albert for reorganization and integration. Basic soldier treatment and rules remained the same, providing proper appeasement.
Barite's body was eventually taken back to the 1st District by Albert and buried quietly and ordinarily in the mausoleum area.
He personally carved his father's name onto the martyrs' monument, something he never thought he would do. But when that day truly came, his fingers trembled uncontrollably, carving with immense force.
He feared that if he didn't carve deep enough, the wind and rain would erode the name. Even in death, Barite should exist gloriously in this world. He feared seeing his father forgotten.
The moment he knelt, memories flooded his mind. The guilt of forcing his own blood relative to death could no longer be suppressed. In just a breath, tears streamed down his face.
His feelings for his father were so complex; he had never truly understood him.
Never.
His father was always righteous. His father was always correct. His father was always dominant.
When he stood in his father's position, he discovered he could only be righteous, correct, and dominant. In the same position, no one could do better than Barite.
He had to continue carrying that resolve and guilt for the rest of his life.
But he had also thought about it. If given another chance, he found he would still make the same choice.
"At the very end, I forgot to say... I'm sorry..." Albert pressed his forehead to the ground, tears wetting the earth. "Will you forgive someone like me? Dad."
By the time all discussions were concluded and the ceasefire agreement was ready to be signed, it was already mid-September.
The weather was neither cold nor hot, and the mountain forests were tinged with crimson.
Hundred Meter Flying Dagger asked if they wanted to attend the meeting. Lian Sheng was quite surprised.
"Can one just attend such a grand occasion if they want to?"
"Of course not, each unit has quotas," Hundred Meter Flying Dagger said. "So, do you want to go? I can give my spot to you."
Lian Sheng thought for a moment and said, "Let Cornell and Harry go. I don't really mind."
Kafa had fought Gelen for over a decade. Now that the day of ceasefire had finally arrived, Lian Sheng hoped those two could witness the signing with their own eyes, fulfilling their own wishes.
The two stood behind the representatives of both sides, watching them sign, shake hands, and finally walk out of the conference hall.
The martyrs' monument in Peace Square still stood tall, but everything was finally over.
Like a long journey finally reaching its end.
Writing this, I feel particularly nostalgic, extremely nostalgic. Over a million words, and in the end, I feel like I personally concluded a story. And when I start reminiscing, the first image that comes to mind is still Lian Sheng's initially flamboyant and arrogant face, and everyone's green yet innocent youth. It feels like this is a journey still continuing, never-ending. For them, I think that's indeed the case. I can decide their direction but not their ending.
The days of not being strong enough, not smart enough, and not powerful enough were truly so blissful. And growth is, although painful, something that gives strength.
Wishing for world peace.
Comments
Post a Comment