Destined sacrifices are often the most tragic. Every soldier on these battleships knew it was the final moments of their lives. From the ship captain to the cook, everyone knew.
Yet, they went about their duties as usual. The captain calmly observed the enemy's cruiser, issuing commands to various departments. The cook in the kitchen continued preparing dinner, cursing rudely for the lack of seasoning, as if it was just another day. Since the day they arrived in the Newton Star System through the space jump point, these lonely soldiers in space had long stopped regarding their own lives as significant.
The mixed formation of the Federation Fighter Group and cruiser was even more relentless than the fleeing enemy. Kill! The fighter squadron crazily sprayed firepower at the Imperial Fighters dodging erratically, destroying one Imperial Fighter after another under the strong attack of the formation.
The mixed formation finally broke through the enemy fighter group, annihilating most of the Imperial Fighters. A few squads continued to pursue the enemy, preventing them from reorganizing. The remaining cruisers and fighter groups launched a full assault on the Imperial Battleship group.
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Gutierrez and his soldiers found the Fourth Group Commander, his face covered in blood. A portion of the beast-shaped mechas had already broken into the Fourth Group's position. Less than a hundred Federation Mechas were desperately assisting the Fourth Group in resisting. The frail commander, whom Gutierrez dubbed "Sick Chicken," was clinging to an Energy Cannon, firing wildly. His bloodshot eyes radiated ferocity.
The mechas breaching the position were the Mythical Army's beast-shaped mechas [Demon Tiger]. A battalion of [Demon Tigers] had broken into an infantry position with only one company of mecha assisting in defense. The result was predictable.
It was complete slaughter. These [Demon Tigers] were too fast, darting through the infantry, their claws and weapons alternating to create a bloody storm. The Federation soldiers stood no chance against the full-speed [Demon Tigers], and the Federation Mechas assisting in defense couldn't fire recklessly among their own troops. The soldiers of the Fourth Group couldn't spread out, a single shot would leave the mechas unharmed, but the soldiers would be doomed.
Following [Demon Tigers] continued to pour into the trenches. Behind these [Demon Tigers], more Imperial Soldiers were charging forward. If these [Demon Tigers] weren't driven back, the entire D1 High Ground would be lost!
A soldier who was caught up close by a [Demon Tiger] unhesitatingly pulled the pin on a Fusion Hand Grenade. He was blown to pieces, but the grenade only made the [Demon Tiger]'s energy shield flicker.
However, this grenade, which was ineffective against the mechas, ignited a counter-assault among the Fourth Group's soldiers. The soldiers at the front lines, unable to shake off the [Demon Tigers]' attacks, picked up Fusion Hand Grenades and ammo boxes. A whole company of warriors ended their lives amidst a frenzy of explosions, halting the [Demon Tigers]' charge.
With nothing more to hold them back, the soldiers at the rear began organizing energy cannon fire. The Federation Mechas finally unleashed their firepower unrestrainedly through tears.
The "Sick Chicken" held the Energy Cannon and led the remaining battalion of soldiers to fiercely fire at the Imperial Mechas at the front lines. The deafening sound of cannons and the cries of battle pierced the sky!
Gutierrez tore off his shirt, wielding a mixed auto-cannon. Seeing the "Sick Chicken," he felt sincere admiration. This frail guy was just as manly as his own two-meter frame! Dreaming of being his savior, Gutierrez spat at himself bitterly. Was this kind of hero in need of saving?
A sudden reinforcement of a battalion from the Third Group temporarily held off the enemy's attack on the Fourth Group's position. Yet, as more mechas and Imperial Soldiers poured into the position, the entire position began to falter again.
"Fire! Artillery, fire on the Fourth Group's position!" A Federation communication soldier, curled in a corner, was frantically yelling into a military phone. The Fourth Group Commander, firing with his head held high, turned and shouted, "Tell them to hurry! Indiscriminate rapid-fire!"
Damn it! Gutierrez was stunned. This "Sick Chicken" had gone from fighting cock to mad chicken, now calling for indiscriminate artillery fire on the position! It was mutual destruction!
A loud explosion, and a shell accurately landed on the position. An unfortunate [Demon Tiger] was directly hit, its already red energy shield was shattered. The Fourth Group Commander and his soldiers simultaneously threw down their weapons and scattered like birds, their agility surpassing even the [Demon Tigers]!
"To hell with it, run!" Gutierrez, not being a fool, had already been leading his soldiers in a strategic retreat. As soon as the first signal shell landed, this two-meter-tall hero was running faster than a rabbit, tumbling and rolling down the sloped back of the position. After running nearly 100 meters, the entire Fourth Group's position was engulfed in continuous explosions.
Gutierrez grabbed the "Sick Chicken" Fourth Group Commander by the collar and roared, "You damned chicken, are you intentionally trying to get me killed?"
The Fourth Group Commander rolled his eyes and said, "If I didn't call for artillery cover, the Fourth Group's position would be lost. The enemy would charge into your Third Group's position next. Is this how you repay the Fourth Group's sacrificial rescue?"
Gutierrez was enraged to the point of collapse, yelling, "Bullshit, it was me who saved you!"
"Nonsense, the Fourth Group saved you guys..."
Amidst the overwhelming artillery fire, the two vastly different-sized colonels argued without inhibition, surrounded by a crowd of amused Federation soldiers.
Before the Federation's self-propelled artillery was suppressed by the enemy, reinforcements quickly surged forward. This time, it was a fully assembled armored division, the Sixteenth Armored Division of the Leray Federation Air Marine Corps transferred from Kato's High Ridge Jungle.
This was one of the last two armored divisions remaining under Admiral Blatt.
The Sixteenth Armored Division swiftly broke into the position. Due to the artillery cover, the Imperial Army lost the chance to maintain their hold on the breakthrough position and couldn't expand the breach to the flanks. When the commander of the Sixteenth Division's Special Reconnaissance Group, Nadal, led a group of Warrior Pioneers Mechas onto the position, it had already been reclaimed by the two mecha groups that arrived first.
After the 201st fully mechanized infantry division handed over the defense of the position to the Sixteenth Armored Division, they withdrew. Their casualty rate had exceeded 60%, but they were the only infantry division among the three stationed at D1 High Ground with survivors who could withdraw.
The combat units of the preceding two divisions had all perished! Including two division commanders who personally charged the front lines! Only the logistical units of the divisions remained, still at the rear temporary base, asking everyone they saw, "Have you seen our division? How is the fight at the front line?"