The CCG convoy drove on the highways.
The roads had been blocked, and other cars were forbidden to drive on the route they took. Even so, the convoy was moving slowly, because there were just too many vehicles.
The police ensured the road ahead was open, several helicopters were escorting them, the operation was really incredibly large.
At this moment, all the TV stations in Tokyo were broadcasting this scene.
"The CCG and the police are cooperating with each other to attack the 11th district with a massive number of Investigators. The operation is coordinated and led by Special Class Investigators, Marude Itsuki and other prominent Investigators were dispatched for this.
Special Class Investigator Marude Itsuki's speech will follow."
Almost every citizen of Tokyo paid attention to this operation and looked forward to Marude Itsuki's speech.
In the command car at the front of the convoy, Marude Itsuki carefully gave out last minute orders, and Su Xiao was seated beside him.
The space inside the command car was not small at all. The three sides of the car were equipped with dozens of screens of different sizes. so Marude Itsuki would be able to follow every action on the battlefield.
"Byakuya, help me out with the TV stations, I don't have time for them now."
Marude Itsuki held a camera up and asked Su Xiao to accept the interview for him.
Su Xiao's face turned black. He really didn't want to be interviewed, to him, this was just troublesome.
"This, I have never been interviewed before."
Marude Itsuki thought for a while, then took off the Bluetooth headset.
"Do you see that white cloth, hold it up behind me."
The CCG badge was printed on the white cloth. Su Xiao pulled it up and blocked the view on the monitors behind Marude Itsuki.
Marude Itsuki checked his haircut, cleared his throat, then turned on the camera.
"I am Marude Itsuki, the early stage of the operation is going very smooth, but…"
Marude Itsuki spoke but suddenly stopped, thinking for a while.
"We can guarantee 99% of the residents' safety by placing our lives on the line. The remaining 1% needs the cooperation of all residents. I hope that everyone will work together with us to regain peace in the 11th district."
After that, Marude Itsuki turned off the camera, relieved to have it over with.
This was a live broadcast, which was directly conveyed to the citizens in Tokyo.
"Hey, are you done? This pose is so stupid."
"I'm done, what did we talk about?"
Su Xiao put down the white cloth and threw it negligently to the side.
"You were talking about letting me stay…"
He hadn't finished the sentence yet, as there was a sudden rush of shouts coming from the headphones in Marude Itsuki's hand, so loud that even Su Xiao could hear it.
"Marude, the camera didn't turn off, what are you guys doing."
Marude Itsuki was stunned and hurriedly picked up the camera, his big face appeared on thousands of TVs.
This had been going live the whole time.
The Tv stations, to increase the ratings of their broadcasts, didn't cut the feed even though they noticed Su Xiao and Marude Itsuki privately conversing.
At this moment, the citizens of Tokyo were somewhat shocked. The CCG logo they saw had surprisingly been held by a young man with a white coat.
This unplanned scene made took the interest of most of the audience.
"This stupid machine, how can it be this complicated."
Marude Itsuki fumbled about, but did not find the power switch for a few moments, then he noticed an item which he suspected to be the battery.
With a loud crunch, this expensive camera was broken.
Su Xiao clearly saw Marude Itsuki shaking, probably thinking about how expensive the camera was to replace.
...
Half an hour later, CCG's convoy arrived in front of the main gathering point of Aogiri Tree in the 11th district.
As the convoy stopped, a large group of Investigators wearing battle suits rushed out of the cars, and began to move into offensive and defensive lines in front of the gathering place of Aogiri Tree.
The gathering point of Aogiri Tree was actually just an abandoned building.
Marude Itsuki was busy in the mobile command center. Su Xiao walked down from the command car and jumped on its roof, then sat down on the radar antenna. It was the highest place, from here, he could clearly observe the battlefield.
The sounds of people running about and shouting were endless.
"Hurry up! We need to have the defensive line in place within one minute."
CCG's defensive line was actually very simple, they were going to use bulletproof shields to form a shield wall in front of the vehicles.
This formation had two advantages. It allowed convenient access to the cars to retrieve munitions and supplies, and if someone got injured, they could move behind the shield wall to get to the cars. All of the cars were armored, and quite heavily at that.
The battle line was quickly set, and the CCG combat personnel proved their mettle, remaining quiet after moving into position.
It was about 8 o'clock in the evening, the sky was already dark, and the gathering point of Aogiri Tree in front was also quiet.
Suddenly there was movement in the dilapidated building of Aogiri Tree, the outer wall of the building crumbled down and all the windows were violently smashed open by ghouls.
Although it was dark, Su Xiao could feel that there were many ghouls, at least a few hundred by his estimation.
Marude Itsuki did not immediately order the attack, he was waiting for something.
On the top of a building nearby, some ghouls stood and watched and some sat on the roof.
"It happened faster than I imagined."
Takatsuki Sen, with bandages covering her body, sat on the edge of the roof, looking at the CCG personnel below.
"Mn."
Tatara just grunted in response, before he turned to look at the people behind him. These were the cadres of Aogiri Tree. He began to issue combat orders.
After explaining the specific tasks, Takatsuki Sen and Tatara left.
"I saw 'that' guy, will we get problems?"
There was only Tatara besides Takatsuki Sen. Tatara did not speak much, he was somewhat worried.
Tatara and Marude Itsuki were somewhat similar, they were both battlefield commanders.
"Even if he is strong, he will still have limits. We will, at most, lose most of our subordinates. As long as we can weaken the CCG, it will be worth it.
The intention of the CCG executives is obvious, we have destroyed the 'balance', so they have to destroy us."
As Tatara explained this, he became somewhat aggressive.
Takatsuki Sen looked up at the sky, there was some helplessness and resentment in her eyes.
She was resentful towards the unfair world and felt hopeless.
"One day, I will make it so ghouls don't have to hide in the dark underground. I swear."
Takatsuki Sen remembered her childhood. She spent her childhood in the dank underground, until she grew fourteen years old, when she reached above-ground. She picked up a pen and wrote a novel, and in the same year, she formed the Aogiri Tree.
...
After waiting for news from the headquarters for a long time, Marude Itsuki received an order.
"Prepare to launch the illumination flares. After launch, open fire."
With the command of Marude Itsuki, a few flares were shot into the sky, where they remained floating. [1]
The strong light of the flares immediately illuminated the building of Aogiri Tree.
In the two highest rows of windows of the building, ghouls with red robes were holding rifles and aiming down at the CCG's forces.
"Open fire!"
"Open fire!"
CCG and the ghouls ordered almost at the same time.
"Boom, boom, boom…"
Bullets started flying around the battlefield.
Su Xiao jumped down from the roof of the car, as he didn't want to be a target.
The situation was different from his imagination. Although CCG's equipment was more sophisticated, the ghouls' defense was better. Koukaku were after all a natural bulletproof shield.
The battle reached the climax right from the start, both sides took out their strongest firepower in an attempt to destroy each other.
Su Xiao hid behind a tall, bulletproof shield, with a cigarette in his mouth. He did not even use the gun in his hand.
Right now, it was not the time for him to attack, there were more important things for him to do.
If things went well, he would be able to redeem the bottle of [human genetic enhancement fluid] after this.
[1] E/N: For those interested, flares remain floating by using miniature 'parachutes'. The heat of a flare produces upwind, which acts on the parachute, actually allowing it to float or even go higher rather than drop to the ground.