"I admit that it was my improper command that allowed them to escape last time. But this time, with the strength of two reinforced regiments, we will crush them. The rebel army is bound to be annihilated."
The major said while waving his hand to drive away the smoke floating over.
"Major, you're overthinking it. The Empire sent me here neither to replace you nor to steal your credit. I'm just an observer, here to record your military achievements."
Alphonse said this, but in his heart, he was thinking that you have all the advantages in weapons, supplies, and manpower. For three years, your territory has been shrinking, and now you're huddled around a few starports. You're a disgrace to the military for fighting like this.
The major was about to sit down by the window and say something when suddenly a cloud of green smoke exploded in his chest, followed by four dull thuds.
"Two o'clock direction! Enemy attack!" The communicator shouted in panic.
The still-shaken major closed the window and hurriedly asked, "How many enemies are there?"
"No enemies have been found yet. It's only inferred from the trajectory that it's probably in the two o'clock direction." The communicator reported.
"Send two groups of swarms to reconnoiter in that direction." The major patted his chest, trying to wipe off the green mucus on it.
"What's this?" Alphonse leaned over to look at the green mucus on his chest and suddenly his complexion changed as he shouted, "Take it off! Everyone, abandon the vehicle!"
These words seemed to be like a spell. As soon as he finished speaking, the ground began to shake violently.
"Report that something is approaching from underground. It's very fast." The communicator reported.
"Stop the vehicle! Everyone, abandon the vehicle!" Alphonse roared.
Everyone looked at the major who was taking off his clothes. His face was flushed, and after a long while, he spat out two words: "Abandon the vehicle!"
"Yes!"
With a sudden stop, Alphonse hurriedly jumped out of the vehicle and ran into the distance. Looking back and seeing that the major was still clutching his clothes, he angrily shouted, "Throw it away, and the gloves too! Do you want to die?!"
The major was stunned for a moment, then threw the jacket and gloves in his hand behind him and staggered after Alphonse towards a sand dune.
The shaking became more and more intense. Alphonse found it difficult to even stand still, so he simply stopped running and sat down on the sand, looking back at the direction from which the shaking came.
He saw that the sand in the direction where the shaking came from was bulging a little. A large sandbag was moving quickly on the sand. As the distance decreased, the sandbag became bigger and bigger. Finally, a huge sandworm broke through the sand wave and leaped up, then plunged into the sand again.
"It should be the pheromone. There is some kind of pheromone in that bullet. It has enraged the nearby sandworms." Alphonse pointed at the sand wave and said to the major.
He didn't understand. These reports about the pheromone had been mentioned once or twice in previous battles, but these commanders not only didn't pay attention but didn't even know about it.
The commanders who escaped from the command vehicle were all staring at the huge sandbag that appeared and disappeared from time to time, showing horrified expressions.
The large sandbag quickly moved to the position of the command vehicle. The huge sandworm broke through the sand wave and leaped up. In mid-air, it shook its scales and let out a shrill hiss.
The huge beast opened its huge mouth full of interlaced sharp teeth and swallowed the command vehicle in one gulp.
"Everyone stay where you are. Besides identifying prey by smell, it can also identify by the vibration of the ground." Alphonse stretched out a hand to signal everyone to stay put.
The violent shaking came again. The sand around the major's jacket that he had just thrown away began to churn. With a hiss, the huge sandworm leaped out of the sand and then plunged into the sand hard, stirring up sand and dust all over the sky.
"Order the troops not to return fire. Don't continue to provoke it. It should leave on its own." Alphonse said to the communicator.
The communicator looked at the major, at a loss.
"Do as he says." The major rubbed his forehead as if to dispel some annoyance.
"Major, I think we should cancel this battle plan. Let the Battle Bear Regiment come over. After we rendezvous, we'll retreat to the city of Aipida and make another strategic deployment." Alphonse said to the major.
"Lieutenant Colonel, our army has several times the strength of the enemy, advanced weaponry, and our battleship docked in synchronous orbit. With such advantages, you still want to retreat. This is simply cowardice!" The major replied indignantly.
"Major, the rebel army first surrounded Rilda but didn't attack, then cut off the supplies to force us to rescue. Now the Battle Bear Regiment has lost its mobility. Can't you see? This is a typical battle operation of besieging a point to ambush the reinforcements."
Alphonse said as he took out another cigarette and fumbled for a lighter on his body.
"Even so, we still have several times the strength of the enemy and the advantage of advanced weaponry. Ambush the reinforcements? Do they have the ability?" The major snorted and replied.
"Well, what if our shipboard surveillance system in synchronous orbit fails to detect the rebel army's troop movements?" Alphonse took the lighter handed by the communicator, lit the cigarette, and said slowly.
"You're blaspheming the great Empire!" The major pointed at him, his face flushed with anger.
"Okay, let's not talk about this. We've lost so many supplies. I'm afraid the rebel army has already taken them away. We may not necessarily have the advantage in weaponry." Alphonse exhaled a mouthful of smoke and stared at the major.
"I think you just want to hold us back and let the Battle Bear Regiment take the credit. Don't think I don't know that you and their colonel are classmates from the same period!" The major said.
"Well, since you think so, Major, I have no choice. Please send a vehicle to take me back to the city of Aipida. My work here is done." Alphonse sighed, threw the cigarette butt on the sand. He couldn't imagine that a front-line commander would be so petty.
The shaking stopped, and the huge sandbag symbolizing death disappeared.
Alphonse jumped onto the light shuttle prepared for him and said, "Major, I'll go back to Aipida first. I'll truthfully report your bravery and loyalty to the Imperial Military Headquarters."
After saying that, he saluted.
The major also returned a salute and said, "Lieutenant Colonel, just wait in the rear for the good news of our victory."
He ignored this sarcastic remark and signaled the driver to drive away.
On the sand dune, Edward looked through the telescope at the few people who had run out of the command vehicle and muttered, "They actually escaped."
"Command Center, this is Special Operative A19. This is Special Operative A19. The target has been destroyed, but the commander has escaped. Should I eliminate him?"
What answered him was a crackling sound of electricity.
He dug out the electromagnetic gun from the sand again, set it up, took out a common explosive bullet from his pocket, licked the warhead, and stuffed it into the gun chamber.
In his countless battles, more than a hundred commanders had fallen under his gun. As a result, there was a legend in the Imperial army that the violent sand on this planet could gather into a human form, and they punished the tyrants who ruled the planet with the power of the planet. They also gave them a terrifying name - Sand Demon.
"As long as I take out that two-star officer, it should be enough."
He aimed the electromagnetic gun at the man who was sitting on the sand smoking in the distance, increased the magnification, and a familiar face appeared in the sight.
"This... this is..." He was extremely shocked and almost panicked and pulled the trigger.
He increased the magnification again, and the other person's appearance was clearly visible in the sight.
"This nose, this chin, these eyes, and the chestnut hair showing under the hat. Why does this person look exactly like me?" He thought to himself and activated the communicator again.
"Command Center! This is A19. The target has been destroyed, but the commander has escaped. Should I eliminate him?""Susurrus..." What answered him was still noise.
His adoptive father had once said that when the rebel army had just risen up twenty years ago, he was found abandoned in a corner of a hospital in Kanrad.
Thinking of the other person's chestnut hair, which was rare in the entire galaxy, he believed that this person must be related to him by blood.
Thinking of this, he couldn't make up his mind to kill this officer who looked exactly like him.
While hesitating, the officer jumped onto a light shuttle and sped away in the opposite direction of the main force, gradually out of range.
"Then you're the highest-ranking one now!"
He moved the electromagnetic gun, aimed the sight at an officer without a coat, and pulled the trigger.
"Got it!" He saw a big hole explode in the officer's chest, and then the officer fell straight back.
The soldiers around the officer were shouting in panic that the Sand Demon had come while looking for cover. He quickly buried the electromagnetic gun and lowered his head and buried himself in the sand again.
In the city of Aipida, Alphonse, who had just returned from the front line, was writing a report in his office.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He put down his pen and said, "Come in."
A young officer with blond hair and blue eyes walked in and saluted, "Lieutenant Colonel Alphonse!"
"Oh, Major Yang! Why aren't you staying in your regimental headquarters? Why do you have time to come here?" Alphonse stood up and went forward to shake hands amicably.