But sometimes, human strength can’t contend with the times.
Ye Qing only said this one sentence, then fell silent, his trembling back gradually calming down.
Chu Yunsheng knew very well that this was Ye Qing’s first time facing death directly, his first encounter with real war. Fear and anxiety were normal reactions, and the fact that he had held up until now was already commendable.
But he might become even more exceptional.
Because with his talent, he would soon adapt to this war.
The next day, Chu Yunsheng received his appointment, becoming the captain of the newly arrived warship squad at the fifth stronghold. The base commander reorganized the teams within the base: Ye Qing’s team was designated as the first squad, Chu Yunsheng’s new team as the second squad, and there were also the third and fourth squads responsible for security and logistics, respectively.
Chu Yunsheng’s second squad consisted of thirty mechas and two small warships, not a particularly large force.
The absolute control of the second squad was handed over to Chu Yunsheng, but instead of meeting his soldiers immediately after receiving his appointment, he went straight to the mecha repair station within the fifth stronghold.
The mechas of both the first and second squads were neatly arranged there, with most of them already repaired.
“Junior Chu!”
Wu Ke, his face smeared with engine oil, suddenly crawled out from under a mecha. Upon seeing Chu Yunsheng, he was almost moved to tears.
But just as he was about to rush over and beg for rescue from this hellhole, his gaze shifted, and he noticed the second squad insignia on Chu Yunsheng’s chest.
Wu Ke: “…You’re just as bad. I guess I’ll continue working.”
Chu Yunsheng promptly stopped him: “Senior Wu, since you’re here, take a look at this.”
He opened the newly issued military internal smart device, and a holographic screen popped up, divided into several sections, displaying a set of mecha structural analysis diagrams.
Wu Ke was stunned: “This is…”
Chu Yunsheng ignored the surprised glances from the surrounding mechanics and mecha warriors and continued, “These are mecha modification plans. Without using expensive materials, we can retrofit these mechas on-site to reduce their weight and transform them into high-defense, high-assault new mechas.”
“Falcon Star is crucial. Once the first batch of h617s is officially deployed on the front lines, the Federation will prepare to counterattack and reclaim Falcon Star and its affiliated planets.”
“Even if reinforcements from other military districts arrive, they will lack assault units capable of breaking through Falcon Star’s port blockade. We have one week, which is enough time for the first and second squads to become such units. Senior Wu, Ye Qing and I will assist you.”
Wu Ke was stunned, his mouth agape, and he said, “Why do we need to form such an assault unit? These units suffer heavy casualties; to put it bluntly, they’re suicide squads!”
Hearing Wu Ke’s words, many soldiers around showed expressions of agreement, but some had thoughtful looks, their brows furrowed.
Chu Yunsheng closed the smart device and gave Wu Ke a faint glance, “Whether we want to or not, we will become an assault unit. If we are unprepared, a week from now on the battlefield, we might not even be an assault unit; we could just be the suicide squad you mentioned.”
Wu Ke immediately caught on, “You mean… we will definitely be assigned the task to pave the way on Falcon Star?”
He cursed, “Damn it!”
“The position of the fifth stronghold and the configuration of our units make us the most suitable for this task.”
Chu Yunsheng’s expression remained cold. He slightly tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the soldiers from the second squad on the periphery: “Follow my instructions, adhere to my training, and in a week, we will return.”
The brutality of war never bends to individual will.
The fact that the fifth stronghold was about to be thrown into the flames of real combat, although not explicitly stated in the original plot, was clear to Chu Yunsheng.
After analyzing various factors, it wasn’t difficult to reach this conclusion.
Upon learning this news, neither Chu Yunsheng nor Ye Qing considered immediately transferring away from the fifth stronghold to a relatively peaceful place.
Initially, the news was somewhat unsettling, but any signs of despair or thoughts of escape were quickly worn away by the relentless and brutal training that followed.
The camp was filled with wails of agony.
Every day before dawn, Chu Yunsheng would sound the base’s alarm.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Combat training, mecha battles, simulated command exercises… Chu Yunsheng implemented his previously stated belief that getting beaten up helps one grow. Using both giving and receiving beatings as the foundation of the training, he worked the soldiers of both squads to the point of utter exhaustion.
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The latter was not something that could be achieved overnight.
Soldiers from the outer rim star systems had never lacked perseverance and valor.
No matter how grueling the training was, despite the cursing and complaints, no one ever truly stopped for a second or cut corners in the slightest. As Chu Yunsheng said, they had things they wanted to protect, so they couldn’t retreat and remained exceptionally resolute.
At the same time, all the mechanics worked as if their lives depended on it, starting the preliminary modifications on the mechas.
Though it was termed a simple modification, Dr. Chu’s definition of simple was far from ordinary.
When all sixty-plus mechas were fully modified and passed inspection, the attack order had already been issued to the fifth stronghold.
The Federation’s frontline forces had fully assembled.
The first batch of h617 pheromone stripping agents was deployed to the outer rim star systems, granting all alphas absolute resistance to omega heat periods.
The order for a full-scale counterattack spread throughout the outer rim star systems. In the star regions near Falcon Star, large-scale forces appeared, with countless warships floating in the deep, boundless space, their silvery metallic glow shining brighter and more dazzling than the stars.
“The Seventeenth Army of the Federation has assembled and reached the designated location!”
“The Twenty-Ninth Army of the Federation has assembled and reached the designated location!”
“The Federation’s Heavy Artillery Regiment has reached the designated location…”
One report and command after another were rapidly transmitted, flowing through the starry sky.
The tense atmosphere was palpable.
Chu Yunsheng and Ye Qing’s two squads, aboard the warships of the fifth stronghold, had already reached the monitoring blind spot outside Falcon Star as per the orders.
This was the night hemisphere of Falcon Star.
The calm and steady voice of the frontline commander came through the communication channel: “Falcon Star’s A2 port is the largest military port. Previously, to protect Falcon Star, the Federation deployed powerful monitoring and mecha sensing devices at A2.”
“These devices can detect any unregistered mechas approaching the port and initiate an attack. The attack method is set to diffuse laser cannons, which are highly intense. No model of mecha can withstand the laser cannons for more than a minute and they are currently the Federation’s most powerful heavy weapon against mechas.”
“Of course, warships cannot break through this blockade unscathed either.”
“Due to previous strategic errors on Falcon Star, these devices and weapons will now be used against us…”
The commander’s tone carried a hint of self-mockery and a sigh, but his speech gradually quickened.
“If we don’t destroy these devices, our fleet cannot land, and a forced landing would result in heavy casualties. Our plan is to use the two squads from your fifth stronghold, the three squads from the thirteenth stronghold, and the Federation’s Heavy Artillery Regiment as the assault units to break through A2’s heavy weapon blockade and open the port.”
The commander continued, “The electromagnetic interference equipment provided to you will grant you thirty seconds of camouflage time as you approach the port.”
“After thirty seconds, your camouflage will be detected by the monitoring devices. From detection to weapon activation, there will be approximately ten seconds. In total, you will have just over forty seconds.”
“Entering the port and destroying these devices is your mission.”
The stern voice quietly echoed in the mecha cockpit.
Chu Yunsheng pushed the mecha’s control lever and calmly said, “Received.”
“Received.”
Ye Qing’s voice carried the same steadiness.
Responses began to come in one after another over the communication channel, and an invisible string was slowly being pulled tight.
The warship cautiously approached the distant Falcon Star, with mechas already positioned in the launch channels, ready to burst out at any moment.
The dense darkness shrouded the night hemisphere of Falcon Star.
The military base under the Empire’s occupation was brightly lit, with patrols passing one after another at key strongholds.
Outside the atmosphere, the warship’s hatch silently opened, and the mechas, like knights descending in the night, utilized the pull of gravity to slice through the thin atmosphere, rapidly descending amidst the sparks of friction.
Chu Yunsheng noticed countless red dots frantically flashing on the monitoring screen. An invisible energy wave enveloped the entire mecha, blocking the invisible detection beams shooting towards them.
The camouflage took shape, and the countdown to the camouflage breaking sounded faster and faster.
“Beep! Beep! Beep…”
Amidst the relentless urging, over a hundred mechas extended their wings and glided down using the airflow, landing heavily on the soil of Falcon Star.
This commotion immediately caught the attention of the sentries at the A2 port.
“What is that?”
“The monitoring devices aren’t responding!”
Chu Yunsheng immediately discarded the extra weight and activated the overload mode. His cold voice rang out quickly and steadily, “Second squad, Plan C, attack!”
The synchronized removal of the extra weight was accompanied by the roar of engines.
Dozens of mechas formed an eerie formation, like a sharp and fearless blade, charging straight towards the port’s patrol team and protective wall.
“What the!”
“Enemy attack—!”
Chaos erupted instantly.
The distant Federation Heavy Artillery Regiment finally opened fire from outer space, aiming and striking precisely to avoid the allied squads that had entered the battlefield.
Chu Yunsheng and Ye Qing split up, with Chu Yunsheng tasked with destroying the heavy weapon devices about to be activated, while Ye Qing aimed to dismantle the monitoring devices and open the port before the Imperial forces within the base could react, allowing the Federation troops to enter.
With a sudden thrust, the light blade sliced through the night sky like a crescent moon, directly disabling two of the patrol team’s mechas.
The Empire’s mecha technology was inferior to the Federation’s, but the Empire had more people and mass-produced mechas, often leading to protracted wars of attrition with the Federation.
However, in a direct confrontation, the Empire’s mechas could not withstand the Federation’s, especially the newly modified assault mechas from the fifth stronghold by Chu Yunsheng.
“Don’t get bogged down in the fight!”
Chu Yunsheng reminded everyone, “Head to the weapon control center!”
The patrol team was quickly breached, and Chu Yunsheng led the second squad in a rapid charge, smashing through the metal wall and leaping inside.
Dozens of mechas sprinted forward madly, with the Imperial forces at the port rushing to intercept them. Another dozen mechas were held back.
The alarm blared through the night sky of the port.
The previously dim lights all turned on, illuminating everything as if it were daylight, leaving nothing hidden.
The light blade in Chu Yunsheng’s hand never stopped, and his mecha swiftly dodged and weaved, avoiding long-range artillery fire and the mechas trying to engage him.
To save time, his light blade targeted only the cockpits and central sensing chips. These relatively unsophisticated mechas and foot soldiers couldn’t significantly delay his progress.
When he was still a hundred meters away from the weapon control center, the final elongated “beep” sounded, and the camouflage on his mecha completely shattered!
Chu Yunsheng immediately saw the heavy laser cannons surrounding the entire port rapidly moving to aim.
From aiming to firing, there were only a few seconds.
Just a few seconds left.
The cannon on the back of Chu Yunsheng’s mecha crashed to the ground, the side wings opened, and the engine roared like thunder.
Using the impact from an attacking mecha, Chu Yunsheng performed a mid-air side kick, spinning and generating a powerful airflow. His mechanical leg stepped on the enemy mecha’s shoulder, propelling him forward in an instant glide.
“Captain Chu! There’s not enough time!”
A tearing shout echoed through the communication channel.
Chu Yunsheng said, “It’s enough.”
Before the words had even faded, his mecha, accompanied by a thunderous roar, crashed into the weapon control center with a near-suicidal force, blowing the entire metal structure apart, sending the roof flying and the walls caving in.
“Boom—!”
A deafening explosion reverberated like an earthquake.
Everyone experienced a moment of ear-ringing and disorientation.
Amidst the disorientation, the one who should have been most dazed, Ye Qing, remained resolute and calm as he stormed into the monitoring room, using his alloy fist to smash row after row of monitoring devices.
He operated the mechanical hand to press the access button, quickly inputting the Federation’s secondary password.
The blockade of A2 port slowly began to lift.
In the atmosphere above the port, the dense silhouettes of warships gradually appeared.
Large beads of sweat rolled down Ye Qing’s cheeks as he maneuvered his mecha to sprint out. He slammed the communication channel’s microphone hard: “Chu Yunsheng!”
“Chu Yunsheng!”
“Chu Yunsheng!”
The pounding echoes snapped all the assault unit members back to their senses.
While clearing out the Imperial forces, everyone turned their gaze towards the exploded weapon control center. The blockade’s artillery fire on the port’s perimeter had ceased rotating, but it was only a few centimeters away from accurately locking onto each target.
Just a few centimeters, and these hundreds of people would have died here.
The communication channel was silent, except for Ye Qing’s seemingly unconscious shouts.
Ye Qing’s breathing grew increasingly labored, but he had no concept of Chu Yunsheng dying. He didn’t even know why he was calling out to him, but the moment he stopped, he felt as if he would suffocate.
However, his shouting abruptly ceased.
On the screen in front of his mecha, a dust-covered, somewhat disheveled figure appeared.
Lower the hoist rope.
Chu Yunsheng signaled to Ye Qing’s mecha with a hand gesture.
The mecha quickly lowered its head, and the hoist rope descended, swiftly bringing Chu Yunsheng into the cockpit.
As soon as he steadied himself, before Chu Yunsheng could sit in the co-pilot seat, his uniform collar was grabbed forcefully.
Chu Yunsheng, seeing this, thought Ye Qing was going to bite him. But to his surprise, Ye Qing suddenly paused and pressed a light kiss, tinged with the taste of gunpowder and rust, on his lips.
“Be good and watch your Gege perform.”
Ye Qing said.
Chu Yunsheng took off his helmet and smoothly replied, “Alright, my dear Gege.”
The author has something to say:
Chu Yunsheng: The same dear brother.
Since when Ye Qing is gege! Who was calling Chu-ge before!
🤣🤣🤣 Even I was confused,