…
Shortly after the governors concluded their meeting and prepared to depart from the Nest City, General Barret received orders from the Marshal.
The command was straightforward: Barret was to lead the entirety of the Second Army to abandon their standoff, as the First Army was not the enemy; as subjects of the Divine Emperor, each individual should strive to mend any discord.
Though the directive was beautifully articulated, Barret suspected it reflected the governor's desire to compromise and retreat; otherwise, such eloquence would be inconceivable. Through the prolonged period of standoff, Barret had come to perceive the soldiers of the First Army as a group of enraged survivors, unwilling to allow their home—the Nest City—to be engulfed in flames of war.
Upon receiving the orders, Barret immediately summoned his troops and made his way to the First Army's position.
"The Nest City has chosen to compromise," Barret relayed to Grey, who was busy coordinating the transport of new recruits. He presented the orders for Grey's examination. "We no longer need to maintain the standoff."
Grey promptly took the command, scrutinizing it before transmitting a scan to Qin Mo. Then he addressed Barret, "Congratulations. After living in constant fear of our potential attack, I trust you can now breathe easier?"
"Not entirely, for I am uncertain whether your formidable Legion Commander will agree to compromise," Barret replied with a wry smile and a shake of his head.
"He will certainly not compromise. He will identify the mastermind behind the attack plan, execute him, and bring this matter to a definitive close," Grey stated matter-of-factly.
Listening to his calm demeanor, Barret felt the relief he had just found begin to wane, as the specter of war reemerged over him.
After much contemplation, Barret murmured, "Please convey to your Legion Commander that we must prioritize the greater good. The Nest City is our home; we cannot permit its destruction."
"Relay to the governor, if you can find him," Grey countered quietly, "that we have all sacrificed far too much. This matter will not conclude easily; he must prepare for atonement."
"Your words are bold," Barret shot a glance of reproach at Grey, then turned to return to his own troops.
At this moment, the Second Army had begun assembling and preparing to withdraw.
Everyone gathered in a cluster, buoyed by the prospect of retreating from the front lines.
Though they were forbidden from speaking loudly during the assembly, the discipline of the planetary defense troops was notoriously lax, and with the mood so jubilant, soldiers engaged in boisterous conversation, even laughing openly before Barret.
Barret, too, was in high spirits, joining the merriment as he regaled the soldiers with tales of the gifts he intended to bring home to his wife and children, and plans for a grand banquet to celebrate his survival through the standoff.
Grey watched the jubilant gathering of soldiers, feeling an inexplicable sense of joy himself.
Grievances often have a rightful owner; no one bore animosity towards the soldiers of the Second Army, as they were merely obeying orders stationed here.
Life beyond the Nest was invariably dreary, yet at this moment, in this blocked passage, the people were filled with joy.
Grey smiled at the crowd until a sudden alert interrupted, causing his expression to vanish instantly.
"Warning, warning: Multiple high-velocity objects detected approaching rapidly."
"Warning, warning."
Before Grey could fully comprehend the situation, his shoulder-mounted cannon extended automatically from his powered armor, firing several small beams into the sky.
The same occurred for Anrida and the others present.
The sound of the beams being discharged alerted Barret, who glared angrily at Grey, mistakenly believing he had ordered a preemptive strike.
However, the reprimanding words were caught in his throat as he heard the chilling shrieks in the air—artillery shells were descending.
Barret stood frozen, momentarily dazed as he glanced back, then turned to Grey, his mouth moving as if to speak.
In the next heartbeat, an intense flash of explosion engulfed the ground where Barret stood, obliterating him along with those nearby.
A torrent of shells followed in quick succession.
The soldiers of the First Army immediately transitioned into combat mode, seeking cover amidst the barrage.
The shoulder cannons of the Elite Guards continued firing beams to intercept the incoming shells, thus safeguarding their side for the moment.
But the Second Army fared poorly.
They were still in the process of assembling, crowded together, nearly overlapping one another.
When the shells landed among them, Grey witnessed an unprecedented and horrifying scene.
The explosion instantaneously vaporized the hundred souls at the epicenter, and the shockwave radiated outward, shattering bodies as debris was propelled skyward, only to rain down in fragments thereafter.
"Defend!" Grey no longer lingered on the grim fate of the Second Army, for he needed to organize a defense against this sudden assault.
The commanders of various battalions received the orders and immediately directed their soldiers into trenches and bunkers to shield against the bombardment.
What was once the position of the Second Army had been expanded and fortified, now serving its purpose as an effective shield.
…
Two hours later.
In the lower Nest,
After the outbreak of war, the command center in the heart of New Kato was activated, yet due to the urgency of the conflict, chaos ensued among the personnel within.
In the corridor of the highest floor, Qin Mo and Yaoen, clad in Elite Guard armor, walked in succession.
Everyone who passed them leaned against the walls, hastily saluting before returning to their duties.
Qin Mo reached the door of the operations conference room and pushed it open.
Inside, Klein and several other high-ranking officials were huddled around a holographic display, discussing matters. Upon seeing Qin Mo, they immediately stepped back to clear a path.
Qin Mo approached the holographic display to assess the situation.
The hologram depicted the entire battlefield; their forces held the line, utilizing advanced weaponry to fend off the assault.
However, the enemy was not only attacking from outside the passage; they had already begun preparations to establish a frontline in the lower Nest region adjacent to the passage.
"It seems the war has truly commenced…" Klein lamented.
"Have the troops destroy the fixed weaponry on the frontlines, then teleport back to the lower Nest," Qin Mo ordered, ignoring Klein's complaints.
Klein immediately picked up the communicator to relay the command over the communication channel, then incredulously inquired, "Are we retreating?"
"The passage was already blocked; the positions ahead have lost their significance after the standoff turned into war." Qin Mo's gaze remained fixed on the hologram. "They must fall back, regroup, and prepare for a direct strike at the enemy's rear."
"Understood," Klein responded, enlightened.
Qin Mo then collaborated with those present to devise a detailed plan for the teleportation assault, including where the unmanned artillery should be deployed to commence bombardment and the teleportation locations for each battalion.