Chương 23: Operation Crystal
[Repair completed…] [Visual Sensors: Online]
[Enemy detection…]
[Configuring the suit]
[Augmented movement, Heightened Reflexes, Sensors and Thermal vision active]
[Cess going into passive mode]…[Overriding the Autonomous AI].
Casual to battle-readied, the suit changed mode the moment dots appeared on the radar. All gathered around the convenience store, 05 rushed without care for cover. 'I need them safe,' gun ready to fire, he took to the roofs and jumped.
[Wire-frame Engaged], stood atop the store, he stared downwards. None had made it inside, a faint moment of relief. Around six were posited and ready to strike. Three at the back and three at the front.
[Notice: Grapple Hook – Active], a cross circled the next building across. It indicated a vantage point with view on the enemies. 'Who knew,' a single press of a button had wires shooting out the arms. The same place where Cess materialized in holographic form. It pulled with force equal to ripping an arm out. Supported by the suit, he grappled across and crouched on the same building the IG-4 used. The bodies of the defeated laid in their blood.
Focused on the matter at hand, the sights were placed on one of the three at the front. 'I'll need to kill them quickly. They'll most likely coordinate with the back and rush in at the same time.' Just as he thought, one of the fighters took out what seemed to be a grenade. Pulling the pin, *pfft,* it dropped to the floor. *BOOM,* the other two died. Not losing any time, he leaped and landed. The wireframe pinged across and showed data on the remainder. Startled by the explosion, the trio rushed in with guns blazing to only fall. Three bullets and three splatters of blood on the walls close to the register. Dark beyond belief, none saw the bodies fall nor the blood.
"I'm here," he vaulted inside to check on the children. They were all bunched up and curled, some hugged the bag tightly.
"S-sir Hero?" asked the elder girl.
"Yes, I'm back," quick to pull away from the vending machines, "-let's go," he said sharply. Unable to refute, they did as was told. Backpack on, he used the night as cover to run to the evacuation point.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Julia and Kiera arrived at the outpost after a few minutes. Panting, Miles stood menacingly with his team.
"You had to go and disobey orders," said with relief, "-take the truck," he pointed to the back. "Corporal Julia and Private first-class Kiera, you're tasked in the rescue of hostages. The orders came from the Second Lieutenant," spun without another word said, Mile's squad moved to Point B.
"That went surprisingly well," said Julia as the others marched away.
"Yeah, I know," panted Kiera, "-I thought we'd be shot down."
"Don't waste time, let's move," urged the Corporal. Sticking to roads on the North-West, away from Point B, the truck was on way to the meeting point.
[Time: 19:05] displayed on the bottom right, '-we're here,' slid down onto the main road. He helped the children get across safely. One by one, they crossed the death-pit and arrived on the other side.
"Why are we here?" asked the elder boy, "-are we going to be ok?"
"Yeah, we'll be fine," replied 05 with a smile, "-look," he pointed at a pair of headlights speeding towards them.
Screeched to a stop, the figure of a truck rumbled as if a grumpy old man. "Get in," said Julia through the passenger window.
"Is everyone here?" asked Keira.
[Warning: Danger] [Hostile forces detected 0.4 klicks to the South-West]
'What are the AN-C forces doing?' startled by the warning, "-go without me."
[Warning: Danger] [Hostile forces ready to fire], silhouettes were seen standing in one of the buildings occupied by the AN-C.
"What about you?"
"GO YOU IDIOT!" he screamed, a projectile approach steadfast, *BANG,* he flew across to end against a barrier.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK, GO, GO," urged Julia.
"WHAT ABOUT HIM?"
"JUST GO," yelled Julia, panic ensued. A barrage of bullets riddled the truck, the bulletproof top suffered dents.
Multiple warning flashed across the display, blood flowed from the forehead. The truck accelerated away in slow motion; the attack came from friendly forces. Barely conscious, '-go, make it to safety.'
[Warning: Suit in critical condition] [Auto-Repair: Engaged]
[Damage report: -90% Back-armor]…[Front Armor: Offline] [-34% Leg armor]
[Visual Sensors: Offline]
[Thermal Vision: Disabled]
[Wire-frame: Offline]
[Energy-conversion: Offline]
[All systems Shut-down]…[Rerouting to Celestial Nerves]
[Rebooting Central System]…[Energy Usage: Low]
[Host condition: Optimal]
[Multiple Frequencies detected…]
[Error – Encrypted] [Beginning Decoding]
[Successfully decoded] [Launching Scouring program…]
[Scouring Program completed…] [Summarizing]
[Infiltration complete].
[Autonomous Ai in Control] [Cess -> Active mode]
"What a mess," said Cess. "The suit isn't that sturdy."
"T-tell me that twice," coughed the host.
"Not my fault you decided to stand before an RPG, are you insane?"
"It was the only way to give them a chance."
"You do realize that it was a soldier from the ANC that fired."
"I t-think so," he breathed heavy, "-Cess, could you take-over, I'm tired."
"Fine, sleep, I'll take over."
[Swapping Host: Cess]
In the distance, the truck cut inside towards the outpost. Keira took the outer road.
"M-ma'am," called a soft voice from the back.
"What is it darling?" turned Julia with a frightened expression.
"I-is it n-normal for b-big brother to be sleeping?" she asked innocently.
"What do you mean sleeping?" as the scenery changed, she glanced over the shoulder to a full stop. Her mouth dropped and expression rigid.
"What is it?" asked Keira throwing glances at her friend. No response came, "-answer me damn it," she focused on driving until a clear straightaway.
"What has you in shock?" she finally turned, "-oh god…" She faced forwards, "-we better continue," the expression turned gloomy.
"Brother, wake up, Mr. Hero said we're going to safety," said another innocent voice.
"He's like Rusty,"
"Rusty slept a lot of time, do you think brother will wake up?"
"I don't know, maybe he's tired," warm hands gently patted his head. "W-why is his head wet, brother, you know that getting wet at night is bad, you'll catch a cold. Hey, big sister, tell him, tell him."
"Y-yes, i-it's b-bad," faint whimpering masked by sniffles, she tried hard to keep calm.
"Big sister, did you catch a cold too?
"Those bastards," mumbled Julia through gritted teeth. "Those shots came from the U3-TR."
"I know, the AN-C standard issued rifle," replied Keira through gritted teeth.
Time showed 19:45; Mile's squad was taken to point C via transport. There, they were met by the Second Lieutenant who waited with his platoon. Four squads of ten well-trained soldiers with ranks above Private. Sworn to secrecy, tonight's operation began. The advance unit of the armored division 030 arrived with two tanks. The latter was escorted by two squads each in gun-mounted Hummers. Opposed to getting out and giving a courteous hello, the mission began.
Named Crystal, the operation involved the slaughter of the North-East of Town Yell. Mortars were readied, the tanks would circle to flank the enemy as well as cutting their retreat. From there on, on the signal, they would fire without care; inhabitants or no, the orders were to kill on sight. After 30% of the town was destroyed, Platoon 332 under the Second Lieutenant would move in to kill and clean any survivors. As for the four squads that came with the armored division, their mission was to head to point B and circle around. A full pincer attack, a battle-hardened strategy. Connected to a single encrypted channel; Crystal began at 20:00.
Mortars destroyed buildings as well as open paths for Platoon 332. The low-echo of explosion from shells had the night flicker. Complete devastation, the attack continued till 20:30.
"Unit 504, confirming 30% destruction of the target."
"Unit 505, confirming 25% destruction of the target."
"Acknowledged, Unit 504 will move to the north and eliminate any survivors. Unit 505, move South and await further orders."
The channel swapped, "-Platoon 332, begin the clean-up operation. Leave no survivors."
Another channel swap, "-Unit 303 to 307, disperse across town and kill on sight."
The night continued with the sound of destruction. Guns being fired, people being killed.
"Lieutenant Rashford," in came a transmission from a secret channel.
"Status?"
"The hostages managed to escape. The truck is headed to the outpost."
"Roger, leave them be. We're evacuating after the Armored division arrives. We'll call a strike. Have everyone move to Point C."
"Yes sir."
Julia and Keira arrived at an outpost in chaos. The medical bay was dismantled. A plethora of supply trucks were parked. One by one, the men took to their trucks and drove.
"What's happening?" asked Julia who jumped out to call onto a comrade.
"Orders from the top, we're evacuating to Point C. This place is about to be destroyed."
"What do you mean destroyed?" she urged.
"No time to get into details, Operation Crystal is already underway. Get as far as you can, it's going to get messy," said the officer with numerous bags.
"Before you go, what of the medical staff, are they here?"
"They were the first to leave," not staying around, he bolted off to a soon to be full truck.
'Did we come here for nothing?' she dropped to her knees, '-what is happening?'
"Are you ok?" approached Keira, "-what happened?"
"I don't know," she shook her head, "-I don't know. What is the brass thinking? They said the place is going to be destroyed, what does that even mean?"
"Don't you get it?" paused Keira, "-they're planning to destroy the town. Town Yell is more of a hindrance than boon. The operation tonight is to completely block off access to the south-west of academy city. No town means no refuge, no refuge means that IG-4 has to back off to the East. Strategically, it's the best move, we'll have pushed back their forces."
"Strategically the best move?" yelled Julia, "-are you serious, ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?"
"CALM DOWN,"
"NO SHUT UP," she stood with anger, "-are you telling me their actions are justifiable. Do you know the severity of what this entails? War-crimes, and a lot of it. We need to contact headquarters before this happens."
"Julia, I understand how you feel."
"No, you don't, we were fired upon by our own forces. Do you think we'll be left alive? They shot at civilians, fucking civilians, and children no less."
"What do we do next?"
"I don't know how much this extends. If we continue to stick around here, we'll be killed one way or the other. Let's go to the refuge, that's the only way we can safeguard the survival of the children," scurried back in the truck, they drove as fast as they could.
"This is savagery beyond belief," whispered one of Miles's men.
"Are you sure this is ok?" asked another, the sight displayed before was of utter annihilation. A full-on strike without care of hostages or not. As for the enemy, many reports of their surrender came through the open channels. The lieutenant ordered the intelligence officers to ignore the messages and keep quiet.
'People are being killed,' thought Miles as the faint sound of bullets reached outwards. A heavy mist of despair strolled; '-the devil has foiled our hearts. It's war, there's nothing we can do about it.'
A black figure stood atop an antenna. It watched as the scene unfolded before his eyes. War-crimes on full display, the pretense of war. The pain of war, the reality of the destruction it brought.
"Watch 05, this is the reason you're here. To put an end to this senseless carnage. Humanity was once held by the devil of war. Now, it's our turn to help them; war must not be allowed to fester any longer."
[Notice: Suit 23% operational]
[Status: Recording Video] [Capturing Sound]
'Speak, Lieutenant, continue to voice your ideals loudly. I've infiltrated your communication line, there's nowhere to hide,' smiled Cess.
"Second Lieutenant," in came another transmission.
"Status unit 04?"
"There are civilians in sector 32, what should we do?"
"Any injured?"
"Many, sir, many are heavily injured, what should we do?"
"Free them from their misery."
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
Frostysyrup
Frostysyrup Took me 2h30 minute to write this chapter. What the f***, I'm getting old, I swear. Normally takes 1h30 to write The Wielder of Death Magic.
War is too complicated I want to cry ;-;
If anyone is interested in seeing the map, head over to Frosty.syrup on insta. I got a picture of the map there lol... YEAH I'M A WRITER NOT ARTIST LOOOOOOL
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