Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Salute to Marcus
Editor: Noodletown Translations
(Today is Mother’s Day, wishing all mothers good health.)
“Beautiful!” Black uncharacteristically praised Mu Fan.
While Mu Fan was single-handedly annihilating four mechas, the Fourth Guard encountered unprecedented fire suppression. The military couldn’t understand how the Broken Axe Pirate Group possessed so many standard mechas! Reaper directly deployed more than twenty of them nearby.
In the sky, our three RX33s couldn’t mount an effective attack after the four destroyers from the Broken Axe Star Thief Group joined the battlefield, and even one was destroyed by the enemy, prompting the other two to hurriedly return to the ground.
Having lost air combat firepower, the two RX-16 Sword and Shield Mechas on the ground, cooperating with five RX-25 Artillery Mechas, faced more than twenty adventurous Reaper Mechas from the enemy!
...
These were adventurous-grade mechas; who exactly was the regular army? Hopeless thoughts crept into the minds of the two RX-16 Mechanical Masters. Carey glanced at his energy reserves, smiled wryly, and said into the voice channel, “I have 20% energy reserves left. We might not make it out today.” He was the Mechanical Master of the first RX-16 in the warehouse earlier. Seeing the radar refresh with more than twenty red dots, he prepared himself for the possibility of returning to the earth.
“I have 30% left. If we die, we’ll die together! Killing one is enough; killing two is a profit!” Another Mechanical Master was stirred into a heroic spirit; he might as well die gloriously on the battlefield, raising his shield and firing.
Behind them, the dispersed RX-25 continued to fire from their muzzles. If this place couldn’t be defended, this base would fall.
It’s a disgrace to think of a base being captured by a bunch of Star Thieves! As death and war loomed, the Federation soldiers showed the qualities expected of a warrior. No one retreated, and no one fled.
More than twenty Reapers split into two groups, one suppressing firepower while the other advanced. Once these Reaper Mechas got close, their specially reinforced cutting blades would be a nightmare for our mechas.
Inside the mountain, the Major watched the synchronized broadcast, gritting his teeth. “Councilman, I am incompetent. Today, perhaps I’ll die here alongside my brothers.” He tucked a pistol loaded with glorious bullets into his pocket and turned to give an order, “Inform the Councilman that the Fourth Guard is preparing to counterattack!”
“Damn it!” The Loga Star Councilman slammed the table upon hearing from his confidant. “Didn’t Wen Yu just order the army to attack? Quick, contact him!! District No. 2!!”
“Report, we are temporarily unable to contact Councilman Wen Yu. Currently, we can only communicate normally with the Fourth Guard; the backup channel will activate in five minutes.”
“Hold on for me!” The generous and death-defying voices of his men echoed in his ears, causing the Councilman’s eyes to redden. Who was it? Who reignited the flames of war on this war-torn planet? The explosions of energy shields and ammunition were still resounding in the mansion, and he was helplessly suppressed here, so unwilling!
…
Mu Fan was informed by Black that he needed to return to the previous warehouse location, but he didn’t need to go up the mountain, just proceed along the road at the base, approximately thirty kilometers away.
Thus, Mu Fan controlled the RX-16, picked up the Heavy Shield, and left Jiahe Avenue without any unnecessary movements. After witnessing that military mecha’s mighty visage take down four mechas and walk away silently, quite a few people were moved to tears. These people, who had lingered at death’s door for so long, exuberantly vented their post-disaster survival joy and then, with reverent eyes, watched the heavy mecha leave on the screen. Wayne, too, sighed deeply at his luck.
However, amidst the life-and-death ordeal, people seemed to forget about Mu Fan; in times of such self-preoccupation, no one paid much attention to his survival.
As Mu Fan piloted the mecha, running in reverse, he noticed that the number of Star Thieves around had diminished significantly, as if retreating in an orderly fashion, and then the voice collector transmitted the sound of fierce artillery fire from not far away.
When he circled around to an open view area, Mu Fan saw the battle scene on the hillside in the combat screen.
“The Star Thief firepower is so strong.” Mu Fan felt somewhat apologetic for snatching a military mecha, but he couldn’t help at the moment; he needed to rush to the first district!
Yet sometimes, the more you try not to think about something, the quicker it comes your way!
When the flight monitor captured the appearance of another military mecha on the ground, the Star Thieves quickly identified it as the same military mecha reported to have advanced to the central district earlier. Why had it returned now?
Perhaps it didn’t want to watch its comrades die? A group of Star Thieves burst into laughter on the Near-Earth Guard Ship.
“Eh!”
With the sound, the Star Thieves all stopped laughing and respectfully turned, bowing, “Deputy Leader!”
“What is it?”
“Another military mecha has appeared, seeming to want to rescue the besieged on the hillside alone.”
“What’s so funny, instruct the Reaper to send a team to eliminate it swiftly. Then, prepare to deploy Thunder Slash.” The voice carried a sinister undertone, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, causing one of the Star Thieves to shudder and quickly reply, yes, the Deputy Leader’s Thunder Slash is deploying? The show is about to begin, and the Star Thieves exchanged excited glances, quickly conducting inspection checks.
The Star Thieves really misjudged Mu Fan. Black’s guiding route led here; the road wasn’t as badly destroyed by High Explosive Bombs, allowing him to continue along the street.
When Mu Fan’s RX-16 appeared at the foot of the mountain, the military personnel also noticed him.
“How did our mecha rush to the bottom? Is this… that mecha without the mounted guns?” Hesitant for a moment, the Major quickly identified Mu Fan’s mecha, deeply impressed by its noncompliance! If not for its bravery in combat, he would have scolded it directly.
“Who is the Mechanical Master of this mecha? Why has it appeared at the foot again, connect me!”
“Report, sir! System identifies the mecha pilot as Sergeant Marcus! Voice is currently in silent mode, unable to connect.”
“What is this boy trying to do, charging forward when we’re already struggling to hold!” Seeing that a Reaper severely damaged one RX-16 within two short minutes of exchange, the Major was furious.
“If we survive this battle, I’ll court-martial him!”
“Major, four Reapers have split off to intercept him.” The adjutant suddenly reported.
On the screen, four Reapers separated from the main force and surrounded the advancing RX-16. The onlookers seemed to see the fate of this mecha without any artillery support or any ranged firepower. Nevertheless, at this moment, that mecha raised its Great Sword, lifted its Heavy Shield, and charged towards the enemy like a valiant knight launching its final gallant and majestic assault.
The youngsters of the Federation army were remarkable.
True warriors! Watching this silent mecha march to its death with gallant abandon, the Major’s eyes grew moist, before firming with resolve. He raised his right hand in a standard salute, shouting loudly, “Salute to Marcus!”
“Salute to Marcus!”
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PS: Thanks to book friends “leoland88” and “Poetry and Painting, Ren Xiaowei” for the 10-coin reward!