“Ma Gaoxian, you and Wang Zhiyi climb onto the roof of that ruined homestead to observe the situation.”
“Understood.”
The sky was gray and heavy, the earth lifeless and desolate.
Eight of them marched along a road in a deserted area.
The road had long since fallen into disrepair, cracked and fissured, with weeds sprouting from the gaps.
In the distance, a thick fog began to rise.
No one spoke in the squad; each person carried an unease in their hearts.
Ma Gaoxian and Wang Zhiyi reached the ruined homestead, took out their Exceptional Index Meters, circled around to confirm safety, then entered the homestead, climbing up from the attic to the rooftop.
The squad stopped in front of the ruined homestead.
The lone homestead sat oddly to the side of the road, looking somewhat out of place.
On the rooftop, Ma Gaoxian pulled out binoculars and gazed into the distance at a bleak landscape.
“Hanja’s smoke and dust lies in the northeast, the Han generals farewell their broken homes to fight the remnants of bandits.”
Ma Gaoxian recalled an ancient poem and sighed.
“Seriously, it’s time to stop reciting poetry,” Wang Zhiyi said impatiently, snatching the binoculars and scanning around.
“You young folks don’t get it. This is called atmosphere,” Ma Gaoxian jumped down from the roof, continuing to recite, “A man’s nature is to stride proudly, the emperor does not give color lightly.”
“Color my ass, Ma Gaoxian, tell me what you found!” Zeng Tianle asked.
“Nothing. Those bastards are hiding damn well,” Ma Gaoxian said angrily, stomping on the weeds beneath him, crushing them, then recited again, “The captain’s feathered letter flies across the vast sea, the chanyu hunts fires illuminating Wolf Mountain.”
Ma Gaoxian was lost in his own poetic world.
“Ma Gaoxian, aren’t you missing a line?” Xu Tianhao teased; he was the most educated in the squad and served as the communications soldier.
“Seems like it,” Luo Zhizhou agreed; he was the third most educated, the squad’s machine gunner. The second highest was Liu Lancheng, the deputy squad leader.
“So what? I’ll recite however I want.”
Ma Gaoxian took out a pack of cigarettes from his tactical vest, lit one, and smoked, “Mountains and rivers desolate, borderlands bleak, Hu cavalry rides the wild wind and rain.” He puffed as he spoke.
Liu Lancheng opened the tactical map, trying to pinpoint their position. “Damn! The comms device is down again, GPS is jammed. Xu Tianhao, does your radio still work?”
“Works, but also doesn’t,” Xu Tianhao replied, though no one understood what he meant.
“What the hell do you mean, can it or can’t it?” Lu Xiao snapped. He was probably the least educated in the squad.
“Explain, Xiao Xu,” Zeng Tianle, the squad leader, said.
“This radio is newly made. It effectively shields against electromagnetic interference from the Monster Core. You see, none of the internal components are damaged; it’s functioning normally.”
“Then why can’t you receive any signals from the battalion?” Jiang Lianxi, usually shy, couldn’t hide his worry and asked.
“That’s why I said it can’t be used. For some reason, there’s no response from the battalion,” Xu Tianhao explained.
“There’s only one possibility—the division headquarters have all been wiped out,” Zeng Tianle said calmly, delivering a conclusion no one wanted to believe.
Before anyone could react to the shock, Wang Zhiyi interrupted, “Urgent report! Aberrant beasts have appeared! Approximately thirty in number; specific levels unknown for now.”
“Everyone, get into defensive positions. Machine gunners, take the roofs. The rest, disperse and set up defenses!” Zeng Tianle ordered, and the squad quickly took their battle stations.
Luo Zhizhou and squad leader Zeng Tianle climbed the roof to observe the enemy.
“One and a half kilometers out: one Baron-level, five Knight-level, the rest are Soldier-level,” Zeng Tianle quickly assessed through his binoculars.
“All squad members, wait until the enemy reaches the 400-meter line, then engage at close range,” Zeng Tianle instructed via the radio — a device that also resisted electromagnetic interference, though rarely used due to limited durability.
Luo Zhizhou gripped his machine gun tightly. Through the scope, he could clearly see the aberrant beasts’ terrifying forms.
“See that one with the long horn? That’s the Baron-level, probably equipped with a Magic Cannon. Priority target,” Liu Lancheng told Lu Xiao, the squad’s armor-piercing specialist, who dealt with heavily armored enemies.
Lu Xiao slung the Rocket Launcher from his back onto his shoulder, aiming at the Baron-level beast.
The 11 Type Rocket Launcher had a range of only 200 meters, so he had to wait until the enemy got closer to fire.
The rest of the squad loaded rifle grenades onto their 95-2 Type Assault Rifles — improved versions of the 95 Type rifles specifically designed to combat aberrant beasts, chambered in 7.62mm.
The aberrant beasts advanced step by step, tension mounting for everyone.
“They’re accelerating! Everyone get ready to fire!” Zeng Tianle shouted as the beasts picked up speed.
“Soldiers on the front line face death and life, yet beneath the beauty’s tent they still sing and dance! Damn it, die!”
Ma Gaoxian opened fire first, a streak of flame erupting as several Soldier-level aberrant beasts dropped instantly.
“Damn you, Ma Gaoxian! Why aren’t you following orders?!” Zeng Tianle scolded.
“You bastard, I’ve tolerated you long enough. Trust my aim — I can fire from 600 meters!”
In a blink, the beasts had closed to the 400-meter line.
“Open fire at will.”
Gunfire roared relentlessly, the aberrant beasts slowed under the heavy barrage.
“Fire rifle grenades!”
Several explosions rocked the battlefield as grenades detonated among the beasts, blowing a dozen Soldier-level aberrants to pieces and severely injuring several Knight-levels, though the Baron-level still advanced unabated.
“Getting close…” Lu Xiao carefully aimed, trying to hit the Baron-level beast’s weak point.
He squeezed the trigger. The armor-piercing round flew toward the Baron-level aberrant beast.
A tremendous blast followed, raising a cloud of dust.
As the dust settled, the Baron-level beast remained unscathed. Another Knight-level beast had taken the fatal hit in its place.
“Shit! Get down—” Zeng Tianle’s warning barely reached the others before a Magic Cannon blast slammed into their position.
***
After the attack, Liu Lancheng rose from the ground and saw a gruesome sight: beside him lay Lu Xiao’s body, his upper half completely missing—Lu Xiao was dead.
“Damn it! All aberrants go to hell! Give me the last Rocket Launcher!” Liu Lancheng ordered Wang Zhiyi to bring the remaining launcher.
Wang Zhiyi crawled forward carrying the Rocket Launcher.
Liu Lancheng hoisted it with practiced ease; nine years of combat experience allowed him to calibrate quickly. Before the aberrants could fire a second Magic Cannon, he pulled the trigger.
Boom.
This time, the Baron-level aberrant beast was hit dead center; half its body was utterly shattered, the Core destroyed, killing it outright.
The remaining Knight-level beasts were picked off one by one by Luo Zhizhou’s large-caliber machine gun.
“Medic! I’m wounded!” Xu Tianhao groaned in pain.
Jiang Lianxi rushed over.
His leg had been shattered by the Magic Cannon blast.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, I’ll bandage you up.” Jiang Lianxi pulled out a medical kit and began applying pressure with a bandage.
“Vast autumn in the desert, the frontier grasses wither, a lone city and setting sun see scarce troops. One must never underestimate the grace bestowed, yet even at the end of strength, the mountain pass remains unconquered,” Ma Gaoxian sighed, lighting another cigarette.
“Report casualties,” Zeng Tianle ordered.
“Armored soldiers guard far borders diligently, tears fall after parting,” Ma Gaoxian mumbled as he walked toward the aberrant beasts’ corpses.
“Lu Xiao’s dead… such a fine young man, and he was from my hometown.” He silently shed tears.
The squad was dispirited by Lu Xiao’s death.
“Retreat. Our mission is meaningless now,” Liu Lancheng said, digging a shallow grave with his entrenchment tool to bury Lu Xiao’s mangled remains.
“Unable to contact artillery support, continuing forward is suicide. Fall back to the 201 Blocking Position,” Zeng Tianle said.
Jiang Lianxi carried the immobile Xu Tianhao on his back, Wang Zhiyi took over the radio and medical kit.
Luo Zhizhou’s legs trembled — a comrade of four years was gone.
“On the battlefield, there are always sacrifices. But when will this Magic Disaster ever end?” Zeng Tianle gazed at the darkened sky, searching for a hint of sunlight and finding none.
“A young wife in the south of the city longs with a broken heart, a soldier in Ji Bei emptily looks back.”
After several hours of trudging, the seven survivors reached their destination.
The place was a mess — scorched earth, bodies of aberrant beasts and soldiers mixed together.
A dead tree in the center of the position still burned.
Several large craters were visible, clearly created by explosives.
“They perished together with the aberrants…” Jiang Lianxi said in despair.
The pervasive stench of blood made Luo Zhizhou want to vomit.
A 96A Main Battle Tank had a hole melted through its front, the inside unrecognizable. One could imagine molten metal and blood mixing inside when it was hit by the Magic Cannon.
“Search for survivors,” Zeng Tianle ordered.
Luo Zhizhou checked trench after trench.
Flies and mosquitoes swarmed a half-eaten corpse — a young soldier cleaved in two by an aberrant beast’s blade.
Vultures fed on bodies in the trenches, bones exposed, blocking the way. Luo Zhizhou shooed them away.
At a machine gun nest, a soldier clung to his weapon until his last moment, a large gaping hole in his head.
Luo Zhizhou couldn’t hold back and vomited in a corner. After many years, he still hadn’t gotten used to such scenes.
Ma Gaoxian climbed atop a burnt-out 08 Wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicle, overlooking the surrounding position.
“On the border, the winds blow endlessly, desolation stretches boundless with nothing left.”
Crows gathered above, their cries grating on the nerves.
“201 Position, respond if received… 3rd Company, respond if received…”
Zeng Tianle entered the command post and heard a radio call.
The command post was pocked with a large crater, several charred bodies shielding the source of the voice.
Pushing bodies aside, Zeng Tianle answered the radio.
“201 Position, received,” he responded.
“Any survivors? What’s your situation now?”
“No. We’re a reconnaissance squad. When we returned, 3rd Company was completely wiped out.”
A curse came from the other end.
“Alright, alright. Our battalion is in bad shape too; several positions are under attack. You must hold 201 Position. We will support you as soon as possible.”
Hearing the command’s voice, other squad members gathered around.
“What about artillery support? Air support?” Liu Lancheng shouted angrily.
His voice was heard on the other side — “We don’t know. We can only say this. Division headquarters’ situation is unknown, lost contact. The entire battlefield is under radio silence.”
Zeng Tianle clenched his fist and slammed the wall. “Has the Staff Department abandoned us?!”
The radio crackled with gunfire in the background.
“We received the last order from division five hours ago — hold the position to the death. Then nothing. You know how ridiculous this is?”
“I heard the reserves were all pulled out. What artillery could we possibly have? We have to fend for ourselves.”
“Damn it…” Zeng Tianle said, “Does the command want to lose the Jingxi Railway? They just pulled out the main force? What about the supply lines and the evacuation zones for disaster victims behind us?”
“No idea…”
Xu Tianhao, carried on Jiang Lianxi’s back, asked, “What about the Magical Girl units?”
“Yeah, what about the Magical Girl squads?” Zeng Tianle asked the radio operator.
“That bunch of women ran off faster. They evacuated even before division orders came through. Now you can’t find a single one on the entire battlefield.”
“Ridiculous…” Zeng Tianle had no words.
“I’m cutting comms now. Damn it, the aberrants are almost on me. Remember, you’re the weakest and most crucial point on the front line. Hold to the death!” The other end cut off communications.
“You all hear that?” Zeng Tianle said to his squad.
“Since ancient times, all must die. Looks like today the brothers here have to fall.” Ma Gaoxian sighed, “Too bad I can’t find a Magical Girl wife.”
“Search for supplies. Get defenses ready.” Liu Lancheng said.
Luo Zhizhou picked up scattered ammunition from the battlefield and chose a temporary bunker as his position, with the immobile Xu Tianhao alongside.
Wang Zhiyi climbed a nearby hill and took out binoculars to keep watch.
Zeng Tianle found a small, intact mortar in a pool of blood, along with a few bloody shells.
Ma Gaoxian, as nonchalant as ever, found some compressed biscuits in the trench. Hungry, he nibbled on them while pacing back and forth in the position.
“Ma Gaoxian, if you’re done with nothing, find me some unused Rocket Launchers,” Liu Lancheng said.
“Get lost. I’m almost dead and you won’t let me slack off?” Ma Gaoxian flopped down, indifferent to the dust beneath him.
“I’ve never held a woman’s hand besides my mom. I thought joining the army would help me find a pretty wife. Even that wish, heaven won’t grant me. What’s the point of living?”
Ma Gaoxian closed his eyes, imagining a beautiful woman taking his hand, leading him to a wonderful paradise.
thump thump thump…
Ma Gaoxian heard a strange noise.
“Get ready for combat! Aberrants are coming!” Wang Zhiyi said urgently.
Ma Gaoxian scanned the distance; in the fog, numerous dark shapes seemed to be moving.
“Damn it, can’t even get a break!”
Ma Gaoxian sprinted to the position, gripping his rifle tightly, lowering his posture to observe — at least a hundred shadows were approaching.
“Pah…” Ma Gaoxian counted grenades and placed several Fragmentation Grenades beside him.
“The murderous intent forms a threefold cloud, cold sounds echo all night. Facing each other’s blades, blood flows freely, loyalty to death cares not for merit!”
“I’m going to fight you all to the death!”
Luo Zhizhou stared at the scene in front of him, despair flooding his heart. He looked back at Xu Tianhao, who was writing something, and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Writing my will. So when they count the battlefield later, people can find my last words.” Xu Tianhao seemed indifferent as he wrote and silently recited, “Hua Hua… actually, I like you…”
Luo Zhizhou contemplated whether he should write his own will — after all, he might never see Sister Luo Xi again.
The aberrant beasts gradually emerged from the mist. Luo Zhizhou roughly counted—at least two hundred.
“Everyone, prepare to fight.”
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