12dz Chapter 340 The Enemy in the Command Post
Chapter 340 The Enemy in the Command Post
Chapter 340 The Enemy in the Command Post
Gazing at the lingering starlight left behind as the projection of their minds dissipated, Andrew and his group remained silent for a long time.
After a long while, the team leader rubbed his temples and said wearily, "It seems we've raised an uncontrollable beast. Perhaps we shouldn't have invested so much in him in the first place."
The "he" Andrew was referring to was naturally the recently departed Federal President.
In order to improve their status within the faction and to enhance the competitiveness of their respective factions, all the Reincarnation Squads did one thing: they invested.
The Burners team was no exception; they really went all out.
In addition to the Federation, the Federal President was also strengthened by them.
They not only created a powerful psychic, but also used an "arrow" on him, causing him to awaken something called a "stand-in".
However, to this day, they still do not know what the President's stand-in is, nor do they know its abilities.
Throughout the entire Federation, no one has ever seen the President use a double.
"Andrew, are we really going to Weston? To get involved in that war?" a squad member asked.
Andrew could see his reluctance, but still said coldly, "We have no other choice. Besides, we're just going to investigate the origins of that legion; we don't need to engage in direct confrontation."
"But...
""
"No buts, Langdon. Don't forget, I'm the captain."
"Alright, alright." Seeing that things were about to escalate into an argument, Adrian quickly stepped in to take sides.
"I think the captain is right. We have no other choice. That president's attitude is unusually tough."
"Adrian, what's wrong with you too...?"
'
The white man named Langdon glanced at Adrian and silently swallowed the rest of his sentence.
Adrian gave him an apologetic smile, and unconsciously touched the burning scales on his neck, feeling a slight warmth in his heart.
Yes, he could sense that the great being that had given him new life was in America, in Weston.
He had to go on a pilgrimage.
The shells fell almost continuously, exploding violently upon hitting the ground.
Large amounts of soil and rocks were thrown into the air and then scattered back to the ground. The dust and ash raised obscured the sky, and Weston has been perpetually shrouded in gray ever since the outbreak of the war.
Being there is like being in Victorian London.
The weather and the roaring, heavy steam engines added to the surreal feeling of the place.
At the front-line command post of the Kingdom of Avalon, Mordy stood beside the war sand table, analyzing the front-line situation based on the battlefield simulated by this magical artifact.
"The magic haze has spread and enveloped Weston. The Federation's satellites will not be able to detect our movements, which is also a harmful factor to the enemy's respiratory tract and lungs."
"The 1st Armored Division is currently engaged in combat with the enemy on the western front. The enemy's fragile armor is simply no match for our powerful firepower."
"A land fortress and three Knight-class mechs have arrived; our reinforcements have arrived."
His adjutant's voice rang out from time to time, delivering intelligence to him.
Aside from nodding in response a few times at the beginning, he stopped responding afterward.
Most of the time, he was silently analyzing the enemy's possible movements and making advance arrangements for troops to intercept them.
His authority includes elements such as blood, dragons, and war.
Warfare involves strategic and tactical factors, making him a natural-born commander.
Although he usually prefers to use super strength to directly defeat enemies rather than to use strategy to calculate.
"Commander," the adjutant suddenly spoke, "the Third Assault Team has detected an unusual energy reaction, suggesting that someone has crossed the blockade and infiltrated our rear."
"I know, I put it there."
Modi didn't even look up, but what he said startled the adjutant, who then felt a chill run down his spine.
The question "Why is the commander plotting a rebellion?" was stuck in his throat. Before the adjutant could speak, he heard Modi continue, "Mobilize the Third Army and force them toward the Gates of Avalon... Never mind, I'll micromanage it myself."
"Deploying an entire army group just to drive away a few infiltrators?"
The adjutant blurted out, then immediately corrected himself, "Your will, Commander."
"They're worth the price," Mordy added, tapping the war table twice.
The sandbox paused for a second, then the battlefield data refreshed.
Four red dots suddenly appeared far from the front lines and were rapidly penetrating Weston State, deep into the rear of the Steam Legion.
Nearby, after the adjutant relayed the order, countless blue dots began to move, surrounding and intercepting the red dots ahead.
Along the path of the red dot, fortresses and strongholds also received orders.
The heavy artillery adjusted its angle and began to bombard the calculated area relentlessly.
The flying dirt and rocks fell like rain on the heads of the Burners, but were kept out by the shields they had erected.
Even so, they still looked quite disheveled, not only having to avoid the roaring artillery fire, but also having to quickly cross the shelling zone and shake off the army group that was about to catch up.
"Andrew, the enemy's firepower is too strong. We need to destroy the giant cannon in front!"
Langdon, his brow furrowed, braced himself against the energy shield.
"Leave it to me." Andrew looked at the outline of the giant cannon in the distance, clenched his right fist and slammed it against his chest, then raised it high into the sky.
An ominous red light bloomed in his palm and spread upwards.
In just a few seconds, the sky was dyed blood red, like a terrifying celestial phenomenon caused by the breaking of a taboo.
The flames started at some unknown time and spread rapidly through the clouds, burning across the entire sky.
The sky is burning, a large amount of air is being drawn away by an invisible force, and the temperature is rising sharply.
Under this burning sky, problems such as lack of oxygen, uncomfortable air pressure, and burns have already appeared in the soldiers.
But this is just the prelude.
The real trial followed.
The raging flames in the sky converged into beams of light, shooting towards the fortress on the ground, along with fireballs falling from the sky.
Wherever the light shines, everything is quickly obliterated, leaving only a thick layer of ash.
Seven massive cannons and five fortresses were destroyed in a matter of seconds by the inferno that engulfed the city, and the soldiers inside suffered heavy casualties.
Even those who survived would die from the various effects of this miracle.
"I can't pull off a second miracle anytime soon, so let's get out of here."
Andrew was panting heavily, his face flushed, and his right hand, which was holding the cross, was charred so badly that it was almost unrecognizable.
The Burners did not linger, even though the surrounding area had been reduced to scorched earth, as the enemy army was still in hot pursuit.
The hot ashes fell in droves, and the effects of the lingering low pressure had not yet completely dissipated. They could only hope that this would delay the enemy for a little longer.
"I think this is more like divine punishment than a miracle." Adrian stepped into the thick pile of ashes, frowning as he watched the ashes fly upwards because of him.
This place used to be a fortress, but now all that's left is a thick layer of ash, not even a trace of ruins remains.
"What is beyond human capability is a miracle," Andrew shrugged.
His complexion had improved considerably, and his charred right hand had healed. However, the cross on his hand had not cooled down and instead caused blisters to form on his hand.
"This should already be deep within the enemy's rear. Intelligence indicates that the original steam legion appeared in this area."
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Langdon looked around, took out a flawless gem, and sent it into the sky.
The gemstone emitted a pure white light, seeping into the ashes and falling snow, creating a beautiful Tyndall effect, with every ray of light clearly visible.
The gem floated in the air for a few minutes before slowly descending and landing in its owner's hands.
"I've observed the area with my Pure Eye, and there's nothing unusual." Langdon shook his head. "Could it be that the entire Steam Legion appeared out of thin air?"
"Impossible, everything has its origin."
Andrew was adamant, convinced that the source of the enemy was being kept hidden.
"Langdon, investigate again."
"Still need to investigate? I... Fine, you're the captain, I'll listen to you."
Langdon shrugged and released the Eye of Purity once more.
The flawless gem rose into the sky and shone brightly once more.
"See? I told you there wasn't one... Huh? When did that door appear?" Langdon was stunned.
He rubbed his eyes, staring wide-eyed at the door that had suddenly appeared.
The heavy stone gates stood silently on the earth, their surfaces carved with dragons and various fantastical creatures, as well as numerous obscure and difficult-to-understand runes.
The twisted patterns, dense and intricate like reptiles, would change further when Langdon focused his gaze on them, as if they were alive.
"All personnel on high alert."
Andrew gripped the cross tightly, and everyone else became alert... except for Adrian.
On the surface, he was no different from others, but the soul beneath his skin trembled slightly, not from nervousness, but from excitement.
I can sense that it's inside.
Instead of sharing this secret with others, he urged, "It looks like the enemy came out from here. Why don't we go in and find out?"
"No, we won't go in. This is the end of this investigation. We're leaving immediately."
Andrew immediately rejected the idea, shouting to their last companion, "Mason, quickly set up the hyperspace teleportation beacon!"
Give me five minutes...
Before Mason could finish speaking, his voice was drowned out by a cannon blast.
A shell exploded not far from them, followed by a second and countless others.
"The enemy has caught up. It seems the lingering effects of the City-Burning Heavenly Fire haven't been enough to hold them back."
The Reincarnators' exceptional eyesight allows them to see the outlines of tanks and land fortresses in the far distance.
"Damn it, even if it's just long-range artillery bombardment, we can't possibly hold out for five minutes here."
Holding up his energy shield, Langdon gritted his teeth.
On the open ground nearby, Mason was still setting up beacons and couldn't get away for the time being.
"Move underground!" Andrew roared.
Adrian acted immediately, clapping his hands together, causing the Philosopher's Stone in his pocket watch to flash red, and the transmutation circle to unfold instantly.
The ground caved in, swallowing the four Burners underground. As they descended to the depths, the ground writhed and closed up again.
The thick layer of earth and stone insulated the area from the raging artillery fire; apart from the impact and vibration, the artillery fire had little effect on this place.
"We're safe, for now."
Andrew wiped away a bead of sweat, but the next moment, the ground shook.
"What...is that?"
Then came the continuous earthquakes.
For some reason, Andrew felt a chill creep up his spine, as if his plans had been seen through by the enemy.
What followed the earthquake confirmed his conjecture.
"Get up there now!" he suddenly shouted. "Something's coming!"
"What?" Langdon was still in a daze when Adrian next to him had already started to act.
The alchemy array unfolded again, the soil and rocks above melted away, and the platform beneath their feet carried them back to the surface.
At the same time, a ferocious, thick, and long steel behemoth also burst out of the ground.
It has terrifying mouthparts, densely packed with countless blade-like teeth, and its spiral-structured body is constantly rotating; it is clearly the one that caused the earthquake.
"Our plans have been seen through," Andrew said grimly.
He felt as if he had fallen into a spider web, and the enemy commander had seen right through him.
But when exactly did it start? And who leaked their information?
"It doesn't make any sense to mobilize an entire army group just to chase the four of us."
Andrew understood, and he said with absolute certainty, "There's a mole within the Federation; he's the one who leaked our intelligence!"
Langdon, bracing himself with the shield, whirled around, his face filled with horror: "What's wrong with you now?"
"No one knows our whereabouts except for the Federation's president," Andrew said in a deep voice. "I can't think of anyone else besides him."
"Then why did he do that?" Adrian was also confused.
He originally thought he was the biggest mole, but after hearing what the captain said, it seems he wasn't the biggest one after all.
"I don't know. Maybe they'll discard us after we've served our purpose, maybe they'll think we're too much of a threat, or maybe I'm wrong."
Andrew looked around and despairingly realized that he was surrounded.
No matter which direction you break out from, you will fall into the enemy's trap, as for the air.
He looked up, his expression as if he had just swallowed a dead fly.
In the sky, there were numerous steampunk-style airships, and dragon riders guarding them.
These dragon riders rode bipedal dragons, wore power armor, and were all over two meters tall; they were no ordinary humans.
"It's not safe in the air either."
"Can we have another miracle, like that Sodom fire from earlier?" Langdon asked.
Andrew shook his head. "Why do you think it's called a miracle? If it could be used freely, it wouldn't be a miracle."
"Now, the only option left is that door," Adrian spoke again. "The enemy has been preventing us from getting close to it. Could there be a secret behind that door that concerns their very survival?"
"Don't have that mindset, but this is indeed our last resort."
The captain of the Burners looked dejected.
Langdon roared, "Tell me what to do now? I can't take it anymore!"
"Come in." Andrew waved his hand and immediately put away the beacon that was not even halfway set up.
The dragon riders in the air swooped down, and the steam airships began bombing the ground.
But before all of this could happen, they had already reached the door.
With a slight effort, Andrew, though not using much force, showed a look of astonishment on his face.
The door was pushed open.
A surge of radiation, like a tidal wave, erupted from it, engulfing every reincarnator behind the door.
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