"Bang! Bang!"
The "1911" roared twice more, instantly blowing apart two corrupted knights, leaving them motionless.
The gun-wielding "young man" was none other than Ryan, clad in a specially designed combat suit.
After confirming that there were no immediate threats in the vicinity, Ryan holstered the 1911, which his father had temporarily lent him, and approached his fellow humans who had previously been willing to sacrifice themselves, now staring in disbelief.
He glanced at the man's tattered uniform and the nameplate on his chest, his gaze sweeping over the thousand or so compatriots gathered there, and said, "Sergeant, tell them to keep running south."
With that, Ryan disappeared into the crowd.
Despite his youthful appearance, Ryan's eyes betrayed a chilling indifference.
However, the soldier from the old era didn't dwell on this. The most pressing matter at hand was escaping from Minova, and Ryan's words didn't contradict that. So he shouted, "Guys! Someone's taking care of those bastards for us! Run! Keep running, don't stop!"
With the sergeant's call, the ever-growing crowd no longer lingered or hesitated. They quickly resumed their escape.
From an aerial perspective, thousands of people formed several massive "streams," surging over the breached high walls.
As they fled, people not only ensured their own safety but also helped those nearby who had difficulty moving. The stronger individuals even carried the weaker children on their backs.
At that moment, they noticed missiles occasionally flying across the sky, accompanied by the whistling of artillery shells. Armed helicopters and large transport vessels sometimes flew in the opposite direction.
When did the resistance become so powerful? The people wondered.
As they gradually distanced themselves from the nightmare that was Minova, they encountered an armored corps with hover tanks, realizing that it wasn't the resistance that had saved them, but a giant corporation called Atlas.
---
Inside Minova, now stripped of air superiority:
"Rat-tat-tat!"
Gunfire of various calibers erupted.
Amid the ruins and alleys, AECS squads in dark green uniforms and camo were methodically eliminating all fallen soldiers.
Some UAC soldiers, who had narrowly escaped tactical and strategic bombings, hid in corners, hoping to ambush or sneak attack the AECS squads.
However, most UAC soldiers were gunned down by AECS heavy infantry before they could take any action, targeted by their wall-penetrating aim and machine gun fire.
Bang! Bang! Tracer rounds with blue streaks and incredibly fast "bullet heads" effortlessly pierced through walls.
Splat! Splat! Any UAC soldier hit by a round was torn apart or blown to pieces.
The AECS heavy infantry, or rather, the general-purpose heavy mechanical exoskeletons from Atlas, used machine guns with a 14x112mm caliber.
These machine gun rounds, however, abandoned traditional gunpowder-filled casings, relying solely on 14mm uranium needles, high-explosive rounds, tracers, and other types of long "bullet heads."
In fact, Atlas was undergoing a comprehensive update, replacing traditional gunpowder machine guns, cannons on mechs, tanks, and aircraft with Gauss weapons.
Gauss weapons used electromagnetic coils in their barrels, combined with transient capacitor systems, to generate powerful pulses that could launch needle-shaped projectiles or shells at extremely high speeds.
For example, the Gauss machine gun used by AECS heavy infantry had a muzzle velocity of 1,690 meters per second, about four times the speed of sound, and could continuously fire 900 rounds of various types per minute. The extreme speed, combined with uranium needles, gave the Gauss machine gun formidable armor-piercing capabilities.
However, Gauss weapons consumed an astonishing amount of power, which is why they were initially applied to heavy equipment and vehicles. If powered by conventional infantry exoskeletons, a soldier's combat time would be reduced to less than half an hour.
In addition to the battles in the buildings and alleys, the fights breaking out along the main thoroughfares also began to show a one-sided trend.
Improved AMP mechs became mobile cover for the AECS troops, and the 30mm Gauss cannon wielded by the AMP mechs was an excellent weapon against UAC armored units.
Moreover, at the forefront of the battle was Ryan, who, relying on his extraordinary reflexes and strength, continually shattered the UAC soldiers' morale with his equally formidable 1911.
Especially in close combat, Ryan deliberately employed brutal tactics like stomping or smashing his opponents, pushing the UAC forces, who had barely mustered any effective resistance, to the brink of collapse.
"Die, heretic!"
"Die! Die! Die!"
"Hahaha! You want to taste some bullets? Come on! I've got plenty!"
In contrast, the AECS soldiers, advancing step by step, were in high spirits.
Ryan, the employer's descendant, leading them into battle was one factor, but more importantly, the AECS members saw the UAC's fallen soldiers as a source of glory and bonuses.
About 65% of the AECS were former RDA mercenaries.
Although most of them lacked "absolute loyalty" to the company, merely working for money and treating each mission as a mercenary operation where more kills meant higher rewards, their prolonged exposure to Atlas's unified training and command had subtly influenced them.
As a result, the AECS naturally regarded the UAC as corrupt heretics, believing this operation was worth their full military expertise and experience. Of course, the money couldn't be overlooked.
This meant that as Atlas gained the upper hand overall, the AECS's frontal assault and combat abilities were not much different from the ARS's second to fourth infantry companies.
Furthermore, with the UAC command structure decimated in the initial tactical and strategic strikes, leaving them without clear orders, air superiority lost, military forces scattered and broken, and millions of prisoners revolting, especially in the face of Atlas's rapid offensive...
The UAC soldiers, fighting on their own, could no longer hold out, either fleeing or surrendering, completely losing their will to resist.
---
Later that same day.
In the evening.
About three kilometers south of Minova, in the desert, a Swift Shadow assault craft hovered in midair, periodically providing long-range fire support to the ground forces.
Inside the command cabin:
"Boss, according to the latest information we've gathered, we know that the AECS reinforced battalion led by Major Krauser has cleared 72% of the southern region, while Lieutenant Colonel Morgan's ARS Second and Third Companies have cleared 74% of the western region. The Fifth Armored Company continues to advance.
The special operations team, composed of ARS's First Reconnaissance Company and investigators, has completely dismantled the remaining UAC command members and successfully recovered a large amount of research data and related materials.
The UAC has essentially lost its ability to resist.
As for the nearly six million human compatriots, current reports indicate that over 75% have escaped captivity amidst the chaos, with many choosing to assist our ground forces in fighting the remaining UAC forces.
Following your orders, our personnel did not interfere with the human compatriots' decisions to stay or leave, but they informed them that Los Angeles has abundant food, clean water, and opportunities to start anew."
___________________
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