Chapter 118: The Carnela Port Recapture Operation (25)
“Whoops! I thought it was fine to take a peek…”
A large bullet fired from an unmanned attack drone grazed past Marcellus’ nose as he attempted to quietly look in through the entrance, causing him to quickly retract his head.
While they were struggling to advance, he knew their allies were likely suffering more significant casualties. They needed to find a way to capture this location quickly and minimize losses on the imperial army’s side. Marcellus kept simulating potential tactics in his mind, but each attempt seemed to end in failure… deep down, he knew there were no convenient solutions.
“…Commander.”
“What is it?”
Perhaps because he was preoccupied with such an unanswered, difficult question, when a local soldier called out to him, his response was somewhat curt. However, the soldier didn’t take offense and spoke calmly.
“Just staying stuck here won’t get us anywhere. In the meantime, our allies are facing losses.”
“I know that. Do you have a good plan then?”
Marcellus’ voice had turned somewhat lower than before. He was frustrated that the soldier had pointed out exactly what was bothering him. Though he managed to restrain himself from shouting, his irritation was evident to anyone listening.
Yet, the soldier didn’t seem bothered by it. In fact, he answered Marcellus’ question directly, saying he indeed had a plan.
“Really? Then tell me.”
“Let’s organize a suicide squad and charge in together to destroy those floating saucers. This seems to be the least sacrificial method to break through the entrance.”
The plan was hardly worthy of being called a plan. The soldier intended to organize a unit with the assumption that its members would sacrifice their lives, after which they would charge in to destroy the unmanned attack drones. It was nothing more than a brute-force approach.
Marcellus’ disappointment was immense, as he had held onto a glimmer of hope. He knew from the start that a head-on approach would be futile, and certainly, there would be no volunteers for a suicide squad. He was about to express his disapproval, but before he could speak, the soldier interjected.
“Leave the suicide squad to us. We will definitely accomplish it.”
“What…!?”
Until now, Marcellus had been speaking while trying to peer into the entrance; and he now finally looked back at his soldiers after coming here. Alongside the said soldier stood about half of the surviving local soldiers. Yes, they had decided to become the suicide squad and charge in.
Facing the stunned Marcellus, the soldiers hailing from Carnela Port began speaking in a composed tone. Those who were prepared to join this suicide squad all shared a common feeling…. the desire to find a place to die.
“Among those gathered here are individuals who had become soldiers of the Empire, yet due to being stationed far away, they couldn’t protect their homelands and families. They curse their own helplessness and incompetence as much as they hate the invaders… They are the living dead.”
“We have no fear of death. However, we want to choose how to die. We want to die to liberate our homeland by killing as many invaders as possible.”
“Commander, could you please grant our wish?”
“…”
Marcellus remained silent while deflecting gunfire from above with his shield, but he could only listen to their true feelings quietly. As a commander, he had always prioritized minimizing casualties among his subordinates over gaining military merit and climbing the ranks. For him, sending a suicide squad on a reckless assault was something he couldn’t approve of.
However, witnessing their determination, Marcellus couldn’t outright deny their conviction. He couldn’t bring himself to say it was unacceptable. Their words carried too much weight to dismiss lightly, and his limited interaction with them didn’t give him enough influence to change their minds.
“…Understood. However, there’s a condition.”
“What is it?”
“If you truly wish to die, I’ll grant you the place to die as you desire. But listen, before that, we are soldiers of the Empire. As soldiers, we must act with the intention of achieving the mission’s success. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Then take action to increase the chances of success, even by a little. Strip the armor off fallen soldiers and wear it. Use the shields lying around to fortify your defense. We’ll follow behind you… Is that acceptable? Now, understood? Move into action quickly!”
“”””Understood!””””
That was Marcellus’ decision. Since he couldn’t change their minds, making the most of their determination was the only thing he could do as their commander. Thus, he gave them specific tactics to implement.
The subsequent actions of the suicide squad were swift. Silently, they removed armor from the bodies of their fallen allies, layering it on themselves. They prepared themselves with shields in both hands. The armored soldiers above, who were perplexed by the imperial soldiers stripping armor from their comrades, kept firing bullets, but the soldiers paid them no mind; they used their shields to protect themselves while continuing their preparations.
“Commander, preparations are complete.”
“Understood. Then… go!”
“Roger that! Charging ahead!”
“Here we go! Charge!”
“”””Ohhhhh!!!””””
The suicide squad, having completed their preparations, started their charge into the Governor’s office without hesitation. The moment they revealed themselves, the unmanned attack drones resumed their merciless barrage. Bullets capable of piercing through light infantry rained down, halting their advance even with their shields and a few pieces of armor.
However, wearing armor became meaningless if a bullet struck near the protected areas. While they avoided instant death upon entering, members of the suicide squad were taken down one by one.
“Don’t let their sacrifices be in vain! Let’s take control of the Governor’s office all at once! Keep going!”
“””Uooooooooo!!!””
Right after the suicide squad’s entry, Marcellus and his group also leaped into the Governor’s office. Until then, the Imperial soldiers had been somewhat intimidated by the power of the formidable bullets, but witnessing the determination of the suicide squad gave them newfound courage.
As fellow soldiers, they couldn’t afford to let this opportunity, which their comrades had laid down their lives for, slip away. They couldn’t fall behind in bravery as fellow soldiers. Inspired by the suicide squad’s resolve, the soldiers charged forward with reckless determination.
“Nuaaaaaa!”
Right after the suicide squad charged in, Marcellus made a big leap as soon as the last member of the squad fell. Soaring high above the unmanned attack drones, he swung his sword down with reckless abandon.
His sword plunged deep into the midsection of a drone, causing sparks and spiritual energy to leak out of the gap. It seemed he had successfully dealt a fatal blow to the spiritual circuitry that powered it. However, he wasn’t content with just that; he pulled the sword out of the broken drone and kicked it away.
Moments after the drone collided with the wall, it exploded with a deafening sound. “As expected, they had rigged it,” Marcellus muttered, frustrated by the enemy’s cunning methods.
Similarly, the remaining unmanned attack drones were being destroyed by the soldiers. Though a few lives were lost in the explosions, they finally succeeded in making their way inside the Governor’s office. Marcellus silently saluted the suicide squad members, who had been instrumental in achieving this, before they all set about securing the building.
“■■■!?■■■■■■!?”
“■■■■■■!■■■■!”
The Governor’s office had numerous rooms, and the armored soldiers were firing their guns downward from the windows. To ensure the safety of their allies, Marcellus and his team systematically subdued each room with precision. There was no time for lengthy negotiations or surrender calls. Everyone understood that they had to take control as quickly as possible.
As their numbers dwindled, the Republic forces decided to deploy the troops they had kept on standby on the rooftop. Dozens of armored soldiers poured down into the building and unleashed a barrage of bullets.
“There’s no time to be afraid now!”
“Push forward!”
However, the arrival of enemy reinforcements didn’t break the morale of the Imperial soldiers. Witnessing the determination of the suicide squad, who had fought valiantly to shield them from the unmanned attack drones and perished in the process, the Imperial soldiers were resolute not to lose. The way the suicide squad had fallen left a profound impact on their hearts.
They continued to advance, using their shields to protect themselves while closing in on the enemy for close combat, even if some of their comrades fell to stray bullets in the process. Meanwhile, the armored soldiers knew that if they lost the Governor’s office, the tide of the battle in the warehouse district would be sealed, so they put up fierce resistance.
“Guah!?”
“■■■■!”
“Ooh!”
“■■■■!?”
The corridors of the Governor’s office echoed with the shouts and screams of Imperial soldiers and armored soldiers, and both sides left the floor and walls stained with each other’s blood. After a fierce battle, victory belonged to the Imperial forces.
“To the rooftop! Once we take control of the rooftop, the Governor’s office will be ours!”
“””Ooooh!”””
Marcellus, soaked in sweat and spattered with blood, strained his voice to encourage his allies. Though they were nearing their limits, they rallied and responded with determination. They fought their way through the approaching armored soldiers, ascending the staircase that led to the rooftop, and finally, they reached their destination.
On the rooftop, an array of defensive weapons, such as stationary large guns and cannons, were lined up randomly. However, all of them were facing outward. That meant not a single gun barrel or cannon pointed in Marcellus and the other’s direction.
“Well, it looks like it won’t be an easy victory after all.”
On the rooftop, there were not only gun-wielding armored soldiers but also about fifty heavy-armored soldiers who had fought on the frontlines during the field battles.
These heavy-armored soldiers boasted defensive and offensive capabilities equal to or greater than the Empire’s own heavy infantry. They were the last line of defense in case anyone managed to breach the rooftop. While they lacked powerful firearms to avoid damaging the surrounding cannons, they carried enormous swords and axes, each as tall as a person, along with massive shields. Engaging them head-on would undoubtedly lead to being crushed.
“Speaking of fighting head-on, don’t underestimate the Empire’s light infantry. We know how to deal with heavy-armored soldiers… Everyone, throw them!” Marcellus ordered.
“””Yes!”””
As soon as Marcellus gave the command, the imperial soldiers reached behind their waists and retrieved small pottery bottles from their pouches. These bottles were cheap, mass-produced items with no distinctive features. However, with confident expressions, Marcellus and the others hurled those bottles at the heavy-armored soldiers.
The hurled pottery bottles were naturally blocked by the enemy’s shields. As the bottles collided with the shields, they shattered upon impact as intended….. and the sticky liquid inside splashed out. Marcellus and his companions grinned at the sight. At the same time, screams emanated from the heavy-armored soldiers.
“These pottery bottles are filled with adhesive liquid meant for heavy-armored soldiers. It solidifies instantly upon contact with air. If it gets into the gaps of their armor, they’ll be immobilized for a while. It’s a rare substance, and we were issued only one per person… but holding back its use until now was the right decision. Everyone, finish off the heavy-armored troops while we have the chance!”
“””Oooh!”””
Marcellus and his subordinates quickly moved behind the immobilized, heavy-armored soldiers and proceeded to dispatch them by thrusting their swords through the gaps in their armor. Some tried to deploy their armor for battle, but the initial reduction in their numbers proved to be a severe blow.
The heavy-armored soldiers resisted in vain and were taken down one by one, and the remaining soldiers met the same fate. And just like that, the Governor’s office was finally recaptured by the Imperial forces.
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