Bab 40: Two Front Conflict
The engines roared beneath us as Task Force Phoenix split from Hitman Squadron, our jets cutting through the cold morning air toward the southern facility. This was it—a coordinated strike that could finally break Zaitsev's hold on his operations. But even with all the planning, the tension hung in the air like a thick fog. We were attacking two critical locations at once, a gamble that could either cripple Zaitsev's recovery or lead us into an ambush.
"Phoenix, we're approaching the southern facility," I said, my voice steady but focused. "Hitman, you've got the underground lab. Let's make sure neither of these places are still standing by the time we're done."
Monarch's calm, cold voice crackled over the comms from miles away. "Hitman's on it. We'll clear the lab and update you when we've breached. Don't hold back."
I nodded, glancing at the radar as we neared the southern facility. It was heavily fortified—Zaitsev had clearly been preparing for the possibility of an attack. Drones were already swarming around the perimeter, and the ground defenses were lighting up on the radar like a Christmas tree.
"Viper, Echo, Blaze, Raven," I called out, shifting into the tactical mindset we had honed over the last few months. "You know the drill. Drones first, then we hit the production lines. We can't let Zaitsev rebuild his fleet."
"Copy that," Viper replied, his voice as calm and cool as ever. "Engaging now."
New Mission: Strike the Southern Drone Facility
Objective: Destroy the drone production lines at Zaitsev's southern facility and prevent his fleet from being rebuilt.
Threat Level: High
Reward: XP: 50,000, Zaitsev's Drone Production Disabled
Failure Penalty: Zaitsev's Recovery Accelerates
As we descended toward the facility, the drones surged toward us, their sleek forms glinting in the sunlight. These weren't the same drones we had encountered before. They were faster, more agile, and more aggressive, likely upgrades from Zaitsev's previous models.
"Drones incoming," Rook called out, her voice tight with focus. "Let's clear them out."
Viper and Echo were the first to engage, their jets diving into the swarm with deadly precision. Missiles streaked through the air, tearing through the enemy formations as the drones scattered to evade the incoming fire.
"I've got lock," Viper said, firing off a burst of missiles that slammed into the lead drone, turning it into a ball of fire and debris. "That's one down."
Echo followed close behind, her jet weaving through the chaos as she targeted the drones' weak spots. Her tactical prowess in these situations had become second nature by now, and I watched as she surgically dismantled the drones one by one.
"Echo here, drones are thinning out," she said, her voice calm but with a hint of satisfaction.
Blaze and Raven joined the fray, their jets cutting through the sky like predators. Blaze had grown into his role over the last few missions, his movements more confident and his aim sharper. Raven, as always, was relentless, her missiles finding their marks with deadly accuracy.
"These drones are tougher than before," Blaze muttered, firing off another round. "Zaitsev's not making this easy."
"They're faster, too," Raven added, her voice clipped. "But not fast enough."
As the last of the drones fell from the sky, the southern facility loomed ahead, its production lines still churning out more machines. We couldn't let it continue. If Zaitsev managed to rebuild his drone fleet here, we'd be facing an endless wave of reinforcements.
"We're clear," I said, locking onto the facility's main structure. "Rook, take point with me. Viper, Echo, cover us from the air. Blaze, Raven, provide support."
New Objective: Destroy the Drone Production Lines
Objective: Take out the key production facilities inside the southern complex to prevent further drone reinforcements.
Reward: XP: 30,000, Drone Production Halted
Failure Penalty: Mission Delayed
We moved in fast, dodging the remaining ground defenses as we made our approach. The facility's anti-aircraft systems were still active, firing bursts of flak and missiles in a desperate attempt to keep us at bay. But we had the advantage now—the drones were gone, and the facility was vulnerable.
"Rook, hit the power cores," I ordered, lining up my shot. "Let's take out those lines before they can finish another batch of drones."
"Copy," she replied, already locking onto the exposed power systems. "Missiles away."
The explosions that followed rocked the facility, flames and debris spilling into the air as the power cores erupted. The production lines sputtered and ground to a halt, their intricate assembly machines now nothing more than wreckage. One by one, the facility's critical systems went offline, and the facility itself began to collapse under the weight of its own destruction.
"We've got it," Rook called out, her voice triumphant. "Production's down."
I fired off my last round of missiles, watching as the final section of the facility erupted in a blaze of fire. "Good work. That's one less drone factory for Zaitsev to rely on."
Objective Complete: Drone Production Lines Destroyed
Reward: XP: 30,000, Drone Production Halted
As the facility burned behind us, we pulled up, regrouping at a safe distance. The drones had been neutralized, and the production lines were offline. We had dealt a serious blow to Zaitsev's efforts to rebuild his fleet.
But it wasn't over yet.
"Phoenix, this is Monarch," came the calm, collected voice of Hitman's leader. "We're inside the underground lab. Looks like Zaitsev's been working on something new."
"Something new?" I asked, my stomach tightening with anticipation.
"Can't say for sure yet," Monarch replied. "But whatever it is, it's advanced. Some kind of experimental AI. We're moving to disable it now, but it's well-protected."
My mind raced. Zaitsev's drones had always been his main weapon, but if he was developing something even more advanced—some kind of next-gen AI—this war could escalate in ways we weren't prepared for.
"Do what you can," I said, knowing that Monarch would handle it. "We'll regroup after the mission."
New Objective: Investigate Zaitsev's AI Advancements
Objective: Support Hitman Squadron in disabling Zaitsev's experimental AI systems inside the underground lab.
Reward: XP: 40,000, Zaitsev's New AI Disrupted
Failure Penalty: AI Reinforcements Deployed
As we circled back toward the rendezvous point, I couldn't help but feel that we were on the edge of something bigger. We had hit Zaitsev hard today—taken out a key drone production facility, and Hitman was about to uncover something critical in the underground lab. But I knew Zaitsev wasn't finished. He never was.
"Think this is the end of it?" Blaze asked, his voice hopeful but uncertain.
I shook my head, even though he couldn't see me. "Not by a long shot. But we've got the upper hand now. We just need to keep pushing."
Rook's voice cut through the comms, filled with determination. "We're getting closer to the heart of his operations. Sooner or later, we're going to find him."
"We better hope it's sooner," I muttered, my gaze fixed on the horizon. "Because the longer Zaitsev has to regroup, the more dangerous he becomes."
The clouds were thickening, storming ahead like a metaphor for what was coming. We had Zaitsev on the run, but we all knew it—he wasn't done yet. This war was about to get even more intense.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone