Chapter 80
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Night of the Empire (4)
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The movements of the 8th Assault Mage Infantry Battalion were far quicker and more covert than during their first deployment.
The two sentries dozing off at the guard post guarding the north gate of the armory were sent off to the land of dreams from which they would never return, spewing blood from their necks.
The same went for the others stationed at the nearby watchtowers.
"Ah, when will my discharge come~."
"Sergeant, isn't that a person?"
"What?"
"Guh, gahk...!!"
A reaper descended from the sky, ending lives with a dagger. The soldiers, who had been killing time with idle chatter, became cold corpses without even being able to let out a proper scream.
Swift. And sharp.
This was the 1st Platoon, the one with the most overwhelming combat power even within the 1st Company. The knife fighting techniques taught directly by the war hero Claude were something the unprepared Sovye Empire's forces could not handle.
In an instant, after subduing the area around the north gate, the 1st Platoon members opened the tightly shut north gate.
As soon as they did, the shabbily dressed personnel waiting in the surrounding undergrowth swarmed into the armory.
"Good work. Leave the ground control to us from now on."
"We will proceed towards the barracks. Be mindful of friendly fire."
"I will make sure to inform my subordinates as well."
The commander of the 3rd Mobile Battalion added with a grin towards Claude Raine.
"It is a great honor to be operating alongside the Hero of Quornen, the Butcher of Thunder."
"...Let's all have a drink together once we finish safely."
Claude Raine threw a short remark and passed by the mobile battalion commander. There was no time for idle chatter during an actual operation.
Capturing the barracks.
Although no gunfire could be heard yet, the armory would soon be turned into a mess. Before the awakened ants could swarm, we had to cut off their lives.
At that moment.
The 3rd Platoon, perched on the roof of a two-story concrete building that stood out even among the armory's structures, was waiting for the 1st Platoon's arrival.
3rd Platoon Leader Erwin Rus peeked his head through the railing, then checked the condition of the platoon members who had landed in the backyard instead of the roof. It was fortunate that he was accompanied by Platoon Sergeant Randallman.
Proceed right and join with the 1st Platoon.
Understood.
Having relayed the command with a pre-arranged hand signal, they moved covertly towards the barracks' main gate.
Since the 3rd Platoon was the last to descend, the fact that no gunfire had been heard yet meant the other platoons were performing their operations exceptionally well.
'I hope subduing the barracks is simple too, but it's probably going to be tough.'
Soon, the 1st Platoon appeared in front of the barracks. Confirming the signal that they were ready to enter by extending a fist, Erwin ordered his platoon members to follow him.
Leading the way, he carefully opened the rooftop door and descended the stairs below.
When he safely reached the second-floor hallway without any incident, Erwin's eyes met perfectly with a man who appeared from a corner.
"...?"
His eyes, which had been half-closed as if he had just woken up, widened. Before the man could open his mouth to shout, Erwin's pistol spewed fire.
Taang─!!
A sharp gunshot echoed throughout the entire building.
"Damn it, they got me...!! Everyone, move out!!"
Since it was already done, they had no choice but to deploy as is. At Erwin's shout, the 3rd Platoon quickly scattered into the hallway.
"Breach!"
Hearing the gunshot, the 1st Platoon also kicked open the main gate and charged into the barracks.
In an instant, the building, which had been filled with nothing but a peaceful silence, was filled with merciless gunfire and screams.
"Huff... Hah! Hahh!! 2nd, 2nd Company... The south gate has been captured."
I warmly welcomed Lumia, who returned panting. Since communication equipment wasn't sufficiently developed yet, the adjutants had no choice but to run around personally.
She must have run quite hard, as her forehead was beaded with sweat and her face was flushed red. I handed her a water bottle, and she chugged it down.
"Phu, phahh─!!"
"Good work."
"I checked on the way, and it looks like the 2nd and 4th Platoons have also completed the seizure of the armory."
"It's going smoothly for now."
Indeed, the gunfire that had been incessantly heard from the direction of the barracks was gradually dying down, and the personnel of the deployed mobile battalion were quickly spreading out, having already neutralized most of the ground facilities.
'So now, the underground is the key.'
According to the intelligence obtained by Soni Chepelin, the Rimansk Armory was originally an armory that produced personal firearms.
However, for the past few months, the factory had not been in operation.
The problem was that the timing roughly coincided with when the Omen Pearl was stolen.
Thanks to having built a close relationship with the Red October, a regional rebel group, they had even obtained information that they had witnessed a convoy transporting what was presumed to be the problematic artifact.
The Sovye Empire bastards were definitely conducting a special experiment with that artifact underground in this facility.
"Lumia, inform them that the first phase of the operation is a success."
"Understood."
Having somewhat caught her breath, she took a small lantern from her pocket and held it up to send a signal. Since they didn't have a flashlight, she used the method of opening and closing the lid of the lit lantern.
Soon, the airship floating in the sky with the moon as its background also lit up its light five times.
Affirmative. Proceed with operation.
Message received, over.
After the series of signals, Lumia extinguished the lantern's light and firmly attached it to her chest.
"Let's move."
The other platoon members might have already gathered at the meeting spot. I urged the two of them and headed deeper into the armory.
The ground facilities of the Rimansk Armory could be divided into three areas.
Area A, where the north gate and barracks were located; Area B, where the armory was located; and Area C, where the south gate and manufacturing processes were located. Of these, the area where a passage to the underground facilities existed was Area C.
Even that was connected by exactly three passages, so each company was assigned to take one passage and enter.
When we arrived at the assembly point.
Fortunately, all thirty-nine members of the company were in good condition. Since it was a night assault, they had succeeded in subduing the enemy without giving them a chance to respond.
However, the real chaos was just beginning.
Since gunfire had rung out several times already, the troops stationed in the underground facilities would have immediately moved to respond.
It was fully possible that they would have deployed not only barricades but also all sorts of traps and defensive facilities, including booby traps, in the worst-case scenario.
If they were using it not as a simple armory but as a secret research facility.
Given the geographical characteristics of being adjacent to the border and having many disputes, it was highly likely that the Sovye Empire's forces had built defensive equipment.
"We will now enter the underground. Never let your guard down."
"Yes!"
"This time, the 4th Platoon will take the lead. Enter."
Sergeant Hilt Calia nodded and led her subordinates down into the underground passage. Opening the rusty, old iron door and entering, the sight was as if a medieval underground dungeon had been brought here directly.
The lighting was not magic or electricity, but the primitive form of candlelight.
What do you see?
Cannot secure visibility. Will proceed.
The 4th Platoon, led by Platoon Leader Hilt Calia, headed deeper into the darkness. When they crossed the end of the passage, a wide cavern opened up.
However, that was a place that could not simply be called a cavern.
The smell of blood was acutely noticeable. The iron prisons and human-sized cages placed here and there were stained with caked bloodstains.
"What the hell is this?"
A soldier spat out a curse at the horrific sight, and Bell Mayer, who had been following behind the 4th Platoon, turned pale and started to retch.
"Ugh...!!"
"Damn it! 2nd Platoon, fall back for now!"
As soon as Bell Mayer showed a reaction, I quickly rearranged the formation and rushed forward to inspect the problematic facility.
Dozens of prisons connected like animal cages, inside them were filled with desiccated corpses.
There were also corpses mutilated as if hunted by a wild beast. Some were so crushed they were unrecognizable.
The stench that had been felt since earlier was coming from here.
Even I, who had a relatively strong stomach, felt my mood unpleasantly turn.
Not just Bell Mayer, but the expressions of the others were also stained with shock and fear.
The only one who remained composed was, as expected, Sergeant Claude. He drew a dagger from his chest and approached the corpse in the worst condition.
"...A corpse that hasn't been dead long. At most, yesterday. And these wounds, they're not from a wild beast."
I sat next to Claude, trying to suppress the physiological disgust I felt. A gruesome state with organs torn apart. However, what truly captured my gaze was a clear mark.
It was a circular bite mark.
It wasn't from a tiger or a lion, nor even a monster. It wasn't a mark from sharp fangs that would leave a hollow, but a flat, square tooth had torn away the skin.
The moment I vaguely realized its identity.
I could no longer maintain my composure.
"Did you figure out what it is?"
"...It's human experimentation."
"That's right."
Claude stood up from his spot and said.
"These bastards, it seems they were experimenting with Mutants here."