Chapter 479: Volume 5, Chapter 72: Are They Dead?_2
Seeing the sharp gaze in the Duke’s narrow eyes, all the generals present felt a shiver in their hearts! The words of Duke Victor carried deep meaning. The Howard family could manipulate Gazalin so effortlessly, mainly because of the formidable tactics of this old man.
This sentence represented a reason—a reason for post-autumn reckoning to eliminate dissidents! This old man seemed to have no regard for the immediate crisis; his vision had already moved on to the future.
"Has the sniper been caught?" Duke Victor slowly walked up to Stephen, staring at his pale face.
"We have dispatched two infantry regiments for a thorough search," Ritter said. "We have also sent mech units to track the sniper at the suspected location. There’s no way he can escape!"
Duke Victor nodded and sighed. "Now, all eyes are focused on our Howard family. We can’t afford to lose this battle. The deceased are gone, but we are still alive, and the Howard family will not fall so easily." He turned around to face the generals, "Since everyone is watching us, it’s time to play all our cards at once to turn this around!"
"Yes, sir!" the generals responded. Duke Victor was definitely someone who knew when to hold and when to fold. At this moment, if the Howard family still thought about conserving their strength, they would only meet their demise. The Duke understood this clearly.
It was time to throw the forces of the 39th Division and the Howard family’s power into Jiacuo. By stabilizing the battle situation, the observing nobles would naturally make their choice. Although the Howard family might suffer greater losses, as long as they won this battle, there would be many opportunities in the future!
"Have the base’s medical personnel been gathered?" Duke Victor turned to Ritter and asked.
"Yes, Father," Ritter responded. "As per your instructions, all medical personnel have been gathered and closely monitored since the first moment." The generals exchanged glances, puzzled by why the Duke had confined the doctors.
"How is the Prince’s condition now?" Duke Victor asked, his eyes sharp as he looked at the generals.
The sudden and odd question baffled the generals, completely unable to understand the Duke’s shifting thoughts. One quick-thinking Vice Admiral responded respectfully, "The doctors are now rescuing Prince Stephen."
Duke Victor nodded. "Announce that Prince Stephen is under assassination attempt and tell everyone he is being rescued. As long as the warriors are uncertain about the Prince’s death, we still have a chance! Remember, the Prince is not dead! Until this battle is over, that’s a truth you cannot question!"
After speaking, Duke Victor no longer looked at Stephen and turned away, marching towards the door. "Assemble the troops, I will personally address the 39th Division!"
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Five Independent Army soldiers, bent over, sprinted along the right side of the third street of Jiacuo City through the ruins. To the east, the enemy’s energy machine gun was roaring non-stop. Energy bullets densely swept the ruins, making a sizzling sound, kicking up small clouds of dust.
"Boom!" At a distant intersection, an energy bullet suddenly blasted a large hole in the road. Concrete blocks flew into the air, falling like hailstones on two Feiyang Mechas behind a bombed building, clanking loudly.
"Spit!" The leading Corporal spat, stopping by a large piece of concrete wall. He signaled covertly, and the soldiers huddled behind him one by one. One soldier slowly peeked out to see the situation beyond the wall, but was grabbed down by the Corporal, who cursed, "Idiot, are you tired of living?"
The soldier placed his gun horizontally on his leg, adjusted his dislodged helmet from the wall, and slumped down against the wall. He muttered, "Sooner or later, we’re all dead anyway."
"Shut the hell up!" the Corporal growled, carefully observing the path of the machine gun bullets. "If you’re going to die, at least wait until the reinforcements arrive. Then, I won’t stop you from dying ten times over."
"Reinforcements?" the soldier didn’t dare retort, but glared at another soldier who was smirking beside him. He whispered, "An entire battalion and three mechs, now only a few of us are left. By the time reinforcements arrive, I’d already be done for a week!"
"What are you saying?" the Corporal glanced back, then listened intently. "Why does it sound like the enemy’s firing is getting weaker?"
"Stephen is dead!" the soldier at the end, who carried a communicator and wore a headset, suddenly shouted.
"What?" Everyone, including the Corporal, stared in disbelief at the communications soldier.
"Stephen is dead!" The soldier’s eyes were bright as he looked at everyone. "SkyNet captured the footage, and it was the commander of the Nineteen Division who shot him in the head! The footage has been sent to all mechs. The Regiment Commander of our regiment personally announced the news!"
"Shot in the head?" The Corporal and the soldiers looked at one another, "One’s in the east and another in the west, they couldn’t possibly meet!"
"That fatty parachuted to the southeast of JIacuo, sneaking all the way in through the defense line!" The communications soldier, while listening, spoke incoherently with excitement: "He is incredible, ran over two hundred kilometers with just a gun, and killed Stephen right after getting in!"
A dead silence. The Corporal shook his head, seemingly struggling to digest this unbelievable news, but suddenly his eyes froze.
From the west and south, infantry dressed in Independent Army uniforms appeared one by one, then in squads, as if a movie theater had just let out. As more joined, they surged forward, led by dozens of mechs.
In the distance, a resounding charge horn echoed through the heavens and earth.
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One after another, Stephen Group’s soldiers climbed every hill surrounding the Christers Base under the urging of officers. They bent over, forming a skirmish line, carefully combing through every forest, hill, and bush.
Hundreds of mechs participated in this search.
Unlike the infantry who combed through areas repeatedly, several mecha teams spread out in planned areas in the mountains, forming precise blockades. Other mecha warriors fanned out in all directions at high speed, using their speed to prevent the target’s escape.
From the air, the dense infantry and mechs traversing the mountains formed a huge, all-encompassing fishing net!
Orders from above were strict. If the target is not found in one day, the search continues for one day. If not found in a year, the search continues for a year!
The soldiers were somewhat frustrated: Who exactly is this sniper being searched for? What does he look like? Did he infiltrate from outside, or is he one of the people in this base? Without knowing these characteristics, what good would this mountain search do?
No one’s heart was in the search. They only secretly passed the same question among themselves: "Is Stephen already dead?"
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