Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Loga Falls (Part 2)
Editor: Noodletown Translations
As several orange streaks of light tore through the sky, the military’s delayed counterattack finally began. However, with six main anti-aircraft bases destroyed, only sporadic gunfire remained. To truly combat, the Federation’s interstellar destroyer must take off as soon as possible.
The Planet Councilman stared blankly at the orbital bombardment descending from the sky and then felt a tremor underfoot, as aftershocks had already reached the city center. This marked the first direct assault on Loga Star’s Administrative District since its establishment thirty years ago.
“This is war! This is war! How dare these Star Thieves declare war with the Federation government! Do they have a death wish?” His eyes were bloodshot, and his furious roar echoed through the entire mansion. “Activate the backup network immediately, contact Major General Hobart quickly, and tell those idiots that if they’re any later, everyone will die!”
“Yes!” The secretary didn’t dare to make a sound and quickly ran off.
Inside a mountain sixty-five kilometers from No.1 City Zone, a middle-aged man with a golden star on his shoulder was also in a rage. As the highest-ranking officer stationed on this planet, he watched helplessly as a group of Star Thieves brazenly launched attacks over the city!
“Who betrayed the military secrets? If I find out, I’ll skin him alive!” A shiver ran down the backs of the staff and officers behind him.
“Has the direct line to the Councilman been fixed? Have we contacted the other base commanders? Are you all pigs? Why aren’t we counterattacking yet!”
“General, we haven’t contacted the Councilman yet. Other bases are also out of contact. The backup channel system will take another fifteen minutes to activate,” the chief of staff explained, wiping the sweat from his forehead and looking down.
“Prepare the Mecha Army at HQ and launch immediately! We can’t wait any longer,” the general ordered, slamming a fist onto the command table.
…
Within a matter of minutes, No.1 City Zone and No.2 City Zone on Loga Star had turned into hell on earth. These twin cities, once the brightest jewels on this planet, had now fallen into a sea of fire, with wailing crowds scattered everywhere. After the buildings in the city were plowed by explosives, the sight was dismal, yet the Star Thieves’ means were far from exhausted.
When the first Armed Mecha of the military appeared in the crowd’s view, people saw the dawn of hope. But almost instantly, fiery tongues emerged from all directions. The close-combat mecha RX-16, holding a heavy Alloy Shield, was forced back step by step by the sudden surge of firepower. The Energy Shield rapidly depleted, and the entire mecha body lasted barely more than ten seconds under focused fire before exploding. The fallen, heavily damaged mech was riddled with holes.
“Enemy attack!” The subsequent mech units quickly dispersed to find cover. We were ambushed while the enemy remained hidden!
Things went off to a bad start. How did these Star Thieves smuggle mechas into the city! Damn it! The few appeared military mechas’ pilots were chilled to the core, as even the ground firepower overwhelmed them. Were these truly Star Thieves?
In the center of No.2 City Zone, inside a restaurant, the fat man, Uncle Wu, and Gaoling Sen and his daughter were hiding in a private room, inside the Luyun Restaurant! The fat man only discovered after arriving that it had protection surpassing his family’s estate. After saying the words Mu Fan had told him, “For the New Guardian Association!” to the Walt family’s people at the entrance, the group was allowed to enter and could now see the apocalyptic scenery in the city through thick bulletproof glass.
Gaoling Sen was filled with fear. Was today the day he’d meet his end? That kid had actually predicted correctly. It seemed inevitable that they’d be captured alive, and then what? He was anxious and restless.
Shelly, beside him, had changed into a white blouse and black skirt. She no longer carried the stunning elegance from the banquet and looked pitiful and scared. She could imagine what fate awaited if they truly fell into the Star Thieves’ hands. Was this place really safe? She glanced at her unfamiliar cousin sitting nearby.
The fat man, however, showed an extraordinary calm that surpassed everyone. Perhaps it was because his father was still commanding the family, or maybe because of the information Mu Fan had confided to him the previous night. Or it was because he had no chance to fear now. Harry’s face was full of determination. With no one else to rely on, he could only depend on himself here.
Mu Fan, where are you now?
Desperation was spreading among the crowd. The most central area of Loga Star had been completely cut off from the world. Loga, had it really fallen today?
…
Mu Fan had already successfully evaded four Star Thief squads. He was now hiding in a shadow under a broken wall as a five-man team passed on the other side. This squad was not like the Star Thieves he had seen before. He noticed these Star Thieves, disguised as tourists, were scattered and purposefully sabotaging the city. Their shooting at civilians was likely because the civilians blocked their path, and they feared someone might shoot back.
Mu Fan noticed that during their advance, these people would occasionally communicate via voice messages with their left arms held up.
Their accents were strange, and Mu Fan’s keen ears picked up one Star Thief saying, “Ninth target point confirmed eliminated, the surrounding area is clear, no mistakes, waiting for the next instruction.”
“Received, proceed to the eighth target point,” he heard, sensing the group gradually moving away.
Quietly recounting his current position, Mu Fan learned from Black’s feedback that he was close to the warehouse, only two hundred meters away in a straight line. Black had reactivated the surveillance system of this warehouse through a loophole in the independent power supply system, telling Mu Fan that the army was preparing to launch mechas into battle.
Therefore, time was urgent. Within this crisscrossed fire zone, Mu Fan had to dash out!
Dark Breath empowered him, and Mu Fan was unaware that under continuous life-and-death pressure, he had surpassed the first level of this Martial Arts Skill and was moving toward the second.
Letting out a breath of stale air, Mu Fan leaned against the wall, gripping the top with both hands. With muscles tensed, he used only the strength of his arms to lift himself silently and steadily into a handstand before flipping to the other side.
Continuously updating safe zones with his perception, Mu Fan leapt onto a building five meters away, crouching and peering ahead—two hundred meters!
Breathing in, breathing out, scanning the street below, Mu Fan’s gaze suddenly narrowed at a moment. His legs pushed off forcefully, leaping directly from the rooftop. He had to cross the street in three seconds, his entire body soaring through the air, light and silent.
Suddenly detecting a yellow danger zone, a Star Thief emerged from behind a newsstand, possibly just having finished relieving himself, and was now directly under Mu Fan’s path.
He was about to look up!
In midair, Mu Fan forcibly twisted his body, his right hand slicing through the air. As his body rotated, the matte blade tip carried the invitation of the Death God, the Black Blade Dagger burying into the head of the armed Star Thief below.
Killed instantly!
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PS: Thanks to the book friend “Bazan yi ge ta” for the 100 coin reward! Thanks to book friends “Shi qing hua yi, Ren Xiaowei” and “Xiao xue jiang zhi” for the 20 coin reward!