Cai Minjin was so angry he was steaming, yet he still had to deploy his troops for an all-out attack.
Although upon hearing that the attacking Alliance Army from the north had been assisted by the Phoenix Battle Group, he feared the chances of winning this ‘race’ were slim. However, that didn’t mean the Star Realm Army would surrender without a fight.
But some things cannot be swayed by human will.
The forces he had been able to muster to attack Blackbird City amounted to two full divisions. Over seventy thousand warriors, under fierce artillery cover, engaged in a fight to the death with the enemy in front of them.
However, the results were not very good. Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire
The troops suffered heavy losses under an irrationally hasty assault.
Just as he was considering whether to continue ordering his troops to attack at all costs, he heard news from the Northern Front.
The Alliance Army had, led by the Interstellar Warrior Squad, broken into the inner district of Blackbird City.
He let out a long sigh, feeling somewhat despondent.
Even though it was an anticipated outcome, it still hurt.
Nevertheless, he soon calmed down.
He had done his best, after all. How could he compete with the likes of the mighty Gundams?
Nobody could blame him now.
At the same time, he rescinded the order for the troops to attack at all costs, deciding instead to be patient and fight normally.
After failing to be the first to enter Blackbird City, to continue sacrificing many lives for it would have been a loss too great.
…
Inside Blackbird City, in the core city area.
Matins flung the mechanical torso that was clinging onto his powered sword.
It was the upper half of a machine with the face of Irong Fetches.
In front of him stood a massive machine.
This was Blackbird City’s Energy Shield Generator.
At the moment, the surrounding battle was nearly over, with few remaining enemies who would soon be wiped out by the remaining members of the Interstellar Warrior Squad and the elites of the Tenth Brigade.
Where they currently stood was the bottom layer of the core city zone.
They had not gone straight to the upper floors to find the real body of Irong Fetches. That task was left to several infantry platoons. Of course, this wasn’t to suggest that these infantry platoons would handle it on their own, as there could be unknown risks involved. Their job was just to clear the path, identify the target’s location, and either surround it or cut off its escape routes.
Afterward, Matins would lead a team to deal with it personally.
But before that, he needed to deal with the Shield Generator.
It wasn’t that the existence of this machine was causing any hindrance to the Alliance’s advance, that wasn’t the case. The Energy Shield couldn’t prevent the approach of slow-moving targets, so the army didn’t encounter any problems entering the inner city area; it was just that the artillery couldn’t fire directly into it. But with the Interstellar Warrior Squad leading the vanguard, the artillery had entered within the shield’s range, so there was no longer any concern about artillery fire being blocked.
Matins was thinking about how to dismantle this thing and move it back.
Although it wasn’t the biggest, most expensive type that could envelop an entire planet, being able to cover a city was still quite remarkable.
The value of this item was at least four million Tax Currency upwards, so to blow it up on the spot would be a terrible waste.
Weixing City of the Alliance was the industrial heart of the entire planet, and with further development to come, such a device was needed for protection.
Indeed, if possible, they would love to have every key city equipped with its own city-level energy shield.
It’s just that the price is a bit too much to bear.
Now, to be able to pick up a set and take it back would definitely be good.
For this reason, one of the Alliance’s chief technical officers, Engine Prophet Hu Ke, even came over on a Wind Falcon. Under the escort of a group of elite soldiers, he began his research.
The main task was to safely dismantle this city-level shield generator. The device itself is very large, covering an area of two hundred square meters, with a height of six meters, heavy and bulky. Transporting the whole thing back would be too strenuous and there was the risk of knocking it about. If possible, the best way was to dismantle it and ship back the parts for reassembly.
Matins exchanged a few words with Hu Ke, then watched this member of the Sect of Mechanics work, and scanning the surroundings, realized the battle had calmed and knew there was no need for him to stay longer.
However, to ensure the safety and continuation of the work here, Matins still left a squad of Phoenix warriors, led by Anat, in place.
He himself, however, led the main force toward the upper district.
In this area, several recon units tasked with scouting above had reached a point where it was quite difficult to advance further.
Outside the door where Irong Fatches’s real body was located, the defense was heavily guarded.
The Alliance soldiers had been ordered only to clear the way and scout; they were not required to conquer the target. Upon discovering that the enemy’s defense forces were quite strong, the commanders of these units did not require their troops to recklessly engage in combat.
They set up heavy firepower, blocking the entrances and exits to prevent anyone from escaping, and occasionally managed to send artillery shells inside.
The most critical issues were left to the Interstellar Warrior Squad to resolve.
After Matins arrived with the Phoenix warriors, they took over the conflict here. All the infantrymen then became supporting roles, following quickly as the Interstellar Warriors cleared the paths, seizing control of the corridors and checking for any remaining enemies…Oh, generally, there were none, as the Interstellar Warriors were not so careless in their work.
Making their way through, whether it was the well-armed mechanical guards or the sneakily positioned automated cannon guards, all met the same fate of being dismantled into pieces.
Matins led the team to the front of a massive steel door.
He tried using some force, and somewhat to his surprise, the door wasn’t locked. Although it was a bit of a struggle, he managed to push the door open.
When the door swung open, he saw what lay behind it:
In this vast space, there was a throne made of steel. Countless mechanical structures were exposed; numerous pipes, cables, and chains intertwined within, and blue electrical light flickered ceaselessly.
Sitting atop the throne was a ‘Queen.’
Upon a closer look, it wasn’t so much sitting as her lower body was fused with the machinery of the throne below. Her seemingly human upper body was also just a likeness; her eyes flashed with blue electrical light, and numerous cables extended from the back of her head to the far end of the ceiling.
She seemed to be engaged in many complex calculations, with the electric lights resembling countless messages being continuously sent out.
This scene shocked the Phoenix squad members who had entered.
Many among them, referred to as ‘interstellar’ warriors, were actually born and raised on Rage Owl Star, never having left it. Their bodies and wills may have reached the level of interstellar warriors, but their experiences had yet to catch up.
Matins was an exception.
He had seen far too many weird and wonderful things.
A quick check confirmed that the human female upper body before him was indeed the likeness of Irong Fatches.
“Bang.”
A gunshot rang out, and the explosive round in Matins’s hand hit the base of the throne, setting off a blast.
Unlike the energy shield generator below, such a heretical creation had no value for use; the best course of action was to destroy it immediately.