Chapter 48.2
Inside the car, the electronic voice warned about incorrect routing and speeding, but neither of them paid attention.
The scenery outside the window transformed into cityscape. Lu Fenghan’s personal terminal buzzed with incoming messages. As soon as he answered, Vincent wasted no time in bombarding them with updates.
“The Space Force is engaging with the rebels, but two military starports have been destroyed, slowing down the launch of starships!
“Your hunch is spot on, Commander. General Nie has ordered additional troop deployment to defend Leto, but less than 60% of the requested reinforcements have arrived!
“What’s even more infuriating is that General Nie requested upgraded weaponry for the local garrisons in Leto. However, the person in charge, a staunch supporter of the doves, have been dragging his feet on the distribution. As a result, seventy percent of the weapons are still sitting in warehouses, and the local garrison troops are stuck using outdated gear from several years ago! How are we supposed to fight with that? Engage in hand-to-hand combat?”
Vincent continued without pause, “The most terrifying aspect is that we know how many starships are out there in space. A single radar sweep reveals the exact number. But what we don’t know is how many rebels have already infiltrated Leto before this.”
He paused for a second. “Especially considering that a four-star Alliance General was escorting them.”
Saying those words out loud still sound surreal to him.
It was so surreal that it felt like a dream, yet even dreams weren’t this ludicrous!
He still couldn’t fathom why Klimo would betray the Alliance and usher in the rebels!
Lu Fenghan added, “And then there are the space pirates. With Leto hosting such a grand event, they’re bound to want a piece of the action.”
Vincent’s mind raced. “Those pirates have been quiet lately, almost like they’ve gone into hibernation. Could it be that they’ve—”
“Either infiltrated Leto or are causing trouble on the primary planets of certain star systems,” Lu Fenghan cut in, his jawline tense. He then informed Vincent, “To elevate the defense level of the capital star’s defense system to S-class, I used my access key.”
Vincent’s eyes widened. “Commander, your access hasn’t been revoked? You’ve been dead for so long!”
In truth, Lu Fenghan had the same question in mind.
The Expeditionary Force never officially announced his death, but most people had already assumed he was dead.
The fact that his access still worked could only mean that Nie Huaiting, perhaps out of a one-in-a-million stroke of luck, believed he was still alive. Or perhaps he kept his identity intact as a tribute.
Regardless of the reason, it granted him convenience in times of emergency.
After cutting off communication, the hovercar continued toward the launch tower.
Civilians were nowhere to be seen on the streets, replaced by craters and charred remains caused by explosions. The Alliance had enjoyed too many years of peace, and now, faced with turmoil, countless people were panicking.
Lu Fenghan felt a sense of frustration building up in his chest.
For so many years, the Expeditionary Force had stood firm on the front lines of the Southern Cross Region, ready for battle, sacrificing countless lives and never taking a step back, all to keep the flames of war at bay.
Yet, as fate would have it, step by step, the entire Alliance was dragged into the quagmire of war.
Lu Fenghan explained to Qi Yan, “Leto is in complete chaos right now. It’s the perfect opportunity to strike while the iron is hot. If I were the rebels, I would take advantage of the confusion to go after something I’ve always wanted.”
Qi Yan responded quickly, “The source architecture of the military starship’s central control system?”
“Exactly. If the space pirates arrived in Leto ahead of time, they might have already made their move.”
“The launch tower—”
“The launch tower is just a decoy,” Lu Fenghan recalled something Nie Huaiting had mentioned long ago, “There’s a safe in the underground of the launch tower. The source architecture of the central control system is in Leto. General Nie distrusts Klimo, so it’s very likely that he would keep the central control system there, safe from anyone’s reach.”
After the hovercar had traversed a long stretch of road through the streets, Lu Fenghan prepared to turn the car back onto the road. As he approached the turn, he suddenly caught sight of a figure out of the corner of his eye. He slammed on the brakes, opened the car door, and addressed the bewildered person, “Get in.”
It wasn’t until Xavier got into the car that he realized, “Why are you here? Didn’t all the civilians evacuate?”
Lu Fenghan didn’t answer, only asked, “Why aren’t you taking shelter?”
Xavier couldn’t help but answer honestly, “I was heading to Diamond Sky Plaza for the celebration, but then the security robots started evacuating everyone rapidly. I didn’t go to the shelter. I’m a senior this year, and I’ll be joining the military right after graduation. I thought I’d go back to school to see if I could help out. I didn’t expect the road to be blocked. Now, Leto… it’s too chaotic.”
Amidst the incessant blare of alarms echoing outside, a sense of disbelief washed over him. “How did the rebels suddenly attack? They appeared out of nowhere like ghosts. And today is the Alliance’s foundation day.”
Yes, today was still the Alliance’s foundation day.
Unfortunately, no one could answer his question.
Xavier quickly collected himself and asked Qi Yan, “Where are you going now?”
At that moment, Lu Fenghan’s personal terminal rang again. After he activated the voice command, a virtual screen appeared in mid-air.
On the screen was the person who had been standing on the Diamond Sky Plaza’s rostrum not long ago.
Xavier’s eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth agape. He thought he was hallucinating, but his body instinctively reacted with the Alliance’s military salute. “General Nie!”
Nie Huaiting returned the salute, then turned his gaze to Lu Fenghan. “Not dead?”
Lu Fenghan responded succinctly, “Not dead.”
After using his own authority to activate the S-level defense, he knew Nie Huaiting would find him.
Nie Huaiting: “Where are you now?”
“On the way to the launch tower.”
“Hmm,” Nie Huaiting commanded solemnly, “The source architecture is inside. Remember, once you get it, immediately return to the front line. If you can’t take it with you, destroy it yourself!”
Lu Fenghan lifted his gaze, meeting Nie Huaiting’s eyes without a hint of cloudiness. “Leto can’t be held?”
Xavier, bewildered, was startled by the question.
Nie Huaiting gave a definitive answer, “Most likely not. I fear being caught in a crossfire, so I’ve kept the Expeditionary Force at the front line. If the Central Army were fully garrisoned, they could still withstand today’s rebel attack.”
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.
Not only were fewer troops actually deployed, but the weapons were also inadequate.
Lu Fenghan didn’t say more. “You’re only seventy years old. You have decades of good life ahead of you, don’t die.”
Nie Huaiting didn’t have time for further conversation. “Right.”
He ended the call immediately after speaking.
Xavier blinked slowly. “Just now… Was that really General Nie? Can’t Leto really hold on? You, you, you are—”
Lu Fenghan didn’t answer any questions. Instead, he asked him, “You’re from the First Military Academy, with good grades?”
Xavier’s attention was immediately redirected. “Pretty good.”
“What about combat simulations?”
Xavier proudly stated, “Top of the class this year!”
“Okay.” Lu Fenghan turned to Qi Yan, “Can you see the situation around the launch tower?”
Qi Yan navigated through Leto’s surveillance system, swiftly locating the monitoring point near the launch tower and projecting the view into the air.
Lu Fenghan switched the hovercar to semi-automatic mode and invited Xavier to watch.
Five armored vehicles stood guard near the launch tower, their occupants engaged in a fierce firefight with the tower’s regular garrison. The enemy’s aggression was evident, while the garrison was struggling to hold their ground.
Xavier: “These garrison soldiers definitely didn’t pass the combat training class at school! Use your left fist to hit his temple! Hit him!”
Lu Fenghan: “Guarding the launch tower is a fruitless job, but these few people have held out for so long, which is already commendable.”
Qi Yan: “I found something good.”
Lu Fenghan looked up. “What is it?”
“There’s a small hidden artillery position near the launch tower, probably a backup plan. But I checked the ammunition quantity, there are only five rounds.” Qi Yan asked Lu Fenghan, “Where should I aim?”
Lu Fenghan: “Target their armored vehicles.”
Qi Yan swiftly inputted commands, and on the surveillance screen, three bombs dropped among the five armored vehicles. As a precaution, the fourth and fifth bombs followed immediately, completely obliterating the armored vehicles.
Several enemies, caught off guard by the unexpected attack, gathered to defend themselves, giving the garrison at the launch tower a moment’s respite.
Lu Fenghan: “When the time comes, I’ll drive straight over. Xavier, you grab a gun and take out those people while they’re distracted.”
“Yes!” Xavier replied, then realized, “But I don’t have a gun!”
“The guns on the ground are yours, you just have to pick them up, got it?”
“Got it! Thriftiness is a virtue!”
Xavier stared at the surveillance footage, noting the positions of the scattered guns on the ground.
All the people lying on the ground were either severely injured or dead. He began to pray that he could find a gun with more ammunition.
Lu Fenghan drove the black hovercar, forcefully plunging into the midst of the battle. With a sudden, jarring screech of brakes, he brought the vehicle to a halt. Xavier, thrown forward by the abrupt deceleration, flung open the car door and, with a long, agile reach, snatched two guns from the chaos. In a single, seamless motion, he closed the door.
“Don’t be afraid to pull the trigger,” Lu Fenghan instructed. “This car is made of liquid composite metal. Once it comes off, it can be used as a shield.”
After hearing Lu Fenghan’s words, Xavier exclaimed, “Qi Yan, you’re too extravagant! Really too extravagant! I can’t even afford a square centimeter of liquid composite metal!”
At that moment, Lu Fenghan manipulated the control lever, causing the entire car to sway, adjusting the angle. Xavier, with both hands steady, focused his aim and pulled the trigger. With a “bang,” a shot rang out, hitting the target in the head!
Both sides in the battle immediately understood the identity of the newcomer. Soon, the black hovercar came under continuous gunfire.
The muffled sounds reverberated inside the car.
Xavier sighed as he fired. “This hovercar is amazing, and so is the liquid composite metal!”
He only opened a crack in the car window, just enough for the gun barrel to stick out. And he noticed that Lu Fenghan seemed to have countless pairs of eyes. Every adjustment of the car’s angle provided him with the perfect shooting position.
Xavier felt a sense of exhilaration as if he were being covered by a big shot!
They were like hiding in a mobile fortress, effortlessly harvesting the lives of their enemies. It wasn’t until all the enemies were dead that Xavier finally put down the gun.
But Lu Fenghan didn’t rush to get out of the car.
Qi Yan: “The garrison at the launch tower is fine.”
Only then was the car door opened.
Although Lu Fenghan and the others had just helped deal with the enemies, the garrison did not rush forward, still maintaining a sense of caution.
Lu Fenghan didn’t approach either, just stated, “Under orders from superiors, we are here to retrieve an item.”
With that said, he immediately strode towards the launch tower.
The wounded garrison soldiers, too injured to engage in further combat, exchanged glances, offering neither resistance nor questions.
Firstly, with the implementation of fully automated launch systems, their presence at the tower was primarily to handle unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, if the newcomers’ objective was the launch system itself, their visit would be in vain.
Secondly, as mere foot soldiers, they were kept in the dark regarding any sensitive items stored within the facility. If this was indeed an order from their superiors, it would fall under the category of classified military information, inaccessible to them.
Lu Fenghan moved with urgency, explaining as they walked, “There’s only about ten minutes left between the shutdown and reactivation of the capital star’s defense grid. The armored vehicles we just eliminated were part of a small reconnaissance team. The rebels likely don’t know the exact location of the source architecture, so they’ll be sending people to multiple suspected sites. Now that we’ve wiped out one team, reinforcements are bound to come. We need to be quick. Get what we need and get out.”
Circling around to the back of the launch tower, Lu Fenghan pressed his personal terminal against the tower’s surface. Three seconds later, a series of glowing blue characters appeared on the metallic surface. Once Lu Fenghan verified his authorization, a door just large enough for one person materialized in front of the trio.
Lu Fenghan motioned for Xavier to enter first, with Qi Yan in the middle and himself taking up the rear.
As soon as they stood in place, the door closed in an instant, and the three found themselves rapidly descending on a metal platform. It was only then that Xavier realized it was an elevator.
In just ten seconds, the elevator stopped, and Lu Fenghan strode forward, using the key sent by Nie Huaiting to open the safe. From inside, he retrieved a briefcase, then turned around and retraced their steps.
Back in the hovercar, Lu Fenghan pulled the control lever, and immediately, the car’s console beeped with a “You are speeding” warning. Lu Fenghan ignored it and headed straight for Leto’s starport.
Xavier gripped his gun, opened his mouth, itching to ask Lu Fenghan if he was the legendary figure from their school’s history. However, for some reason, the question caught in his throat.
After pondering for a while, he finally asked, “Shouldn’t we go help?”
Lu Fenghan’s response was almost callous. “Help with what?”
Xavier was taken aback by the question.
Lu Fenghan spoke bluntly, “Today’s situation was predetermined long ago, back when the Expeditionary Force suffered their first major defeat. It wasn’t the work of one person, nor can it be changed by one person. It’s a chain of events, one step leading to another, gradually leading to today. Everyone involved was innocent, yet everyone was also a catalyst.”
Xavier felt lost.
His education at the First Military Academy taught him to fight when faced with battle, but now he realized that in the current chaotic situation, even fighting was futile.
“So… so are we just going to let Leto fall? What will the Alliance do?”
“What do we have to defend it with?” Lu Fenghan leaned on the window sill, his voice trailing off abruptly. “If Leto falls, so be it. Wherever the people of the Alliance are, that’s where the Alliance is. If we lose today, we’ll just reclaim it tomorrow.”
At that moment, Vincent’s communication came through again.
Lu Fenghan’s heart sank a little, sensing something ominous.
He answered, “Speak.”
Vincent had lost all composure and restraint, his voice tense as a taut string. “Commander, the latest news! General Nie Huaiting is critically injured. Before being taken into the treatment pod, he issued a full army alert, demanding the immediate capture of former Four-Star General Hodgkin!”
Lu Fenghan repeated slowly, “Hodgkin.”
The one who never took sides between the hawks and doves, considered by the military as a neutral representative, a soft touch, a bystander.
Because of his almost nonexistent presence, if Lu Fenghan hadn’t seen him at the Diamond Sky Plaza, he might not have remembered what Hodgkin looked like.
Vincent’s voice choked with rage. “The charge is treason against the Alliance. Commander, it was him who opened the gates of Leto and the entire Alliance for the rebels!”
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