058. Invasion
"At 3:11 AM, Frost-Plated Republic President Mai Dewei announced from the Twin Palaces: The government does not recognize the legitimacy of the Grant Republic and will open humanitarian corridors to shelter and guide former Principality officials into the country."
"At 3:19 AM, Frost-Plated Republic announced 210 embargo policies against the Principality of Grant and imposed economic sanctions, including a 25% additional tariff on 20 export agricultural products from Grant."
"At 3:44 AM, the Modessa Republic announced the severance of diplomatic relations with the Grant Republic."
"At 3:51 AM, the White Crystal Republic announced the severance of diplomatic relations with the Grant Republic."
"As of now, under the persistent diplomatic efforts of the Frost-Plated Republic, 29 countries worldwide have refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Grant Republic's government, with only three countries acknowledging it."
"These countries are the Red Arrow Empire, Zhengxu Democratic Republic, and Tianhuan Kingdom."
"At 4:32 AM, an order from the Twin Palaces called for the mobilization of 20,000 Law IV agents, upgrading to military equipment, heading south to the Frost-Grant border to carry out military operations."
"Operation Code Name: White Twilight."
"At 5:12 AM, the capital of the Grant Republic, Silspia, was hit by 422 'Queen' missiles, killing 122 civilians and injuring 2,012."
"At 5:14 AM, Frost-Plated Republic's 22nd Airborne Division and 24th Mechanized Armor Division arrived at the Frost-Grant border. Acting Defense Minister Yamari stated: This is to maintain regional peace and prevent unlawful elements from crossing the border into the Frost-Plated Republic, causing unnecessary disruption to civilian life."
"At 5:54 AM, Silspia's power system was hacked, causing another large-scale blackout."
"At 5:55 AM, the Frost-Plated Republic deployed 12 Z-13 'Seagull' fighter jets, taking advantage of the situation to bomb 14 hospitals, universities, power plants, and airports over the capital."
"At 6:01 AM, the Frost-Plated Republic Air Force announced: The Grant Republic's air force has been completely destroyed."
"At 6:08 AM, the Grant Republic announced that the Silspia Fusion Center was damaged and is undergoing emergency repairs."
"At 6:18 AM, Tianhuan Kurama Private Security Corporation expressed willingness to provide 300 elite mercenaries to the Grant Republic."
"At 6:22 AM, the Red Arrow Empire requested that the GTB Organization send an investigative team to the Abyss Humanitarian Shelter to investigate allegations of anti-human experiments."
"At 7:03 AM, the Law IV's First Combat Regiment crossed the Golba Mountains and invaded the legally recognized territory of the Grant Republic."
"At 7:07 AM, the interim president of the Grant Republic, Xislong, delivered a speech: This is a shameless act of aggression. We will drive the Frost-Plated ghosts out of our land. No one will ever enslave our people again. As long as Bermudes has one soldier left, we will resist to the end. Long live Grant, long live the Republic."
Thump-thump-thump—
Large rotorcraft carrying Law IV female agents cut through the sky of the Outland. The red-black horizon was level with them as light music played on the radio. The female agents chatted and laughed, creating a lively atmosphere.
"Gina, look at this! This is the latest military-grade prosthetic, it's amazing. I love this thing."
A female agent boasted, showing off her implanted prosthetic module. Without moving, she projected a hologram, crossing her fingers and swaying her hips. The hologram moved with her, making it hard to tell who was who.
"Get outta here, Chu Qi. With that frame of yours, how many Grant hicks can you kill?" sneered Gina, a one-eyed female agent. "I've killed three regular soldiers of the Rose Army. How many have you fought?"
"What's the difference? The Rose Army is just for fun. The regular soldiers' men are so lousy they can't even fend off a bunch of Rose Army weaklings." Chu Qi scoffed, puffing out her chest to show off her implants, arrogantly saying, "Look at this—'Ostrich' synthetic electronic muscles. I can flip a car with one hand. Grant people? Just a bunch of farmers. I'll slaughter them."
"Heh, wanna bet? I can kill at least 100 of them."
"I'd love to. If you lose, give me that handsome guy you played with last time."
"Then I want you to buy me a month's worth of coffee."
They joked about their origins, families, gender-based humor, and Grant's tobacco and food. Some even looked at Grant's tourist maps, discussing where to find entertainment spots. The agents chatted and laughed as if the war was nothing serious.
From the start, victory was theirs.
Gina was laughing and drinking her hot coffee, chatting with colleagues, when she suddenly caught a glimpse of an unusual figure out of the corner of her eye. It was an elite agent with green hair and sharp antennae on her temples for enhanced brainwaves. Her gold-green eyes were focused on the operations manual, not interacting with anyone. Occasionally, she would lower her head to check her weapons and gear. Compared to her relaxed colleagues, her expression was incredibly serious.
"Hey."
Gina walked over, leaned against the wall, and greeted the elite agent:
"I haven't seen you before. Where are you from?"
The elite agent ignored her, still engrossed in the operations manual. Gina grew interested, took a sip of coffee, and teased:
"What's the point of looking at those? They don't even have tanks and fighter jets. We've got two airborne divisions and mechanized armor behind us."
The elite agent glanced up at her and said coolly:
"That's because a powerful country stands behind you. It has nothing to do with you."
"You're really interesting. How did you become an elite?" Gina sneered. "Oh, are you from some backwater town, scared to die on the battlefield? Don't worry. It's just a colony. What's there to fear? We're only going to suppress a bunch of hicks, liberate the oppressed women. Nothing to be scared of."
The elite agent casually replied:
"Have you ever died?"
"—Huh?"
"Facing death, or seeing your soul separate from your body, watching each cell, each drop of blood slowly drain from your body, starving until you're dizzy."
"Shoving everything you see into your mouth, just to fill your stomach, but still powerless, watching your loved ones starve to death right in front of you."
"Your once delicate little sister saying, 'Sister, I see buns, cream bread, and milk,' before her head tilts, hitting the concrete, rotting under the scorching sun."
The elite agent's vivid description sent chills down Gina's spine.
"You..." Gina's lips twitched.
The elite agent crossed her legs, turned a page, and calmly said:
"I've died before."
Gina thought this person was insane. She was about to say something when she suddenly noticed the elite agent's eyes glowing faintly with a ghostly blue light.
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