Christian Chronicles (Complete) - 12

The seventh section

describes a rout, a complete collapse, perfectly capturing the situation. The Imperial Guard retreated like a tidal wave towards the second line, enduring relentless fire from the Federal Army.

Once they reached the second line, two kilometers away, the Imperial Guard was a man of deathly pallor,

barely recovered from their shock. Christian, through the Zaku's fluorescent light, could see his own soldiers escaping from burning vehicles, their bodies still writhing in agony. Many had severed hands and feet; the scene was utterly horrific.

"Quickly replenish ammunition!"

"Medics! Where are the medics? I've been shot!"

"Ouch... Ouch..."

"Quickly fix the malfunctioning parts!"

"Call the air force for support! Are they all dead? Where did they all go?"

On the Self-Defense Forces' side, cries and screams echoed everywhere.

On the Federation Forces' side, there was almost constant cheering and celebration. After a series of defeats, such a clear-cut victory was all too rare.

Watching through binoculars as our forces successfully captured the first line of defense, Stewart ordered, "Coordination with the air force to continue bombarding the Self-Defense Forces. Artillery will provide one hour of artillery cover on the enemy positions. Each division will evacuate prisoners and wounded, replenish ammunition and fuel, and continue the attack."

Christian's squadron, though losing two Zakus, suffered no casualties.

Due to the Zaku's massive size, casualties were rare unless the fusion engine and cockpit were hit precisely.

An hour later, the Federation forces attacked again, breaching the second line of defense and forcing the Self-Defense Forces to retreat several kilometers once more.

The entire 18th Division had suffered nearly a third of its men killed or wounded, and its combat effectiveness had been reduced by more than half.

At this point, Christian was dispatched to reinforce the right flank. Although the situation there was already dire, due to the strict orders of Division Commander Martina, troops had to be reluctantly sent. This included one Zaku, five tanks, and fifteen other vehicles.

The reason for sending Christian was that after two battles, the entire squadron had lost three Zakus; apart from the squadron leader's, only Christian's remained intact.

When the support unit arrived, the scene it witnessed was utterly hopeless.

Federal helicopters circled overhead like vultures, randomly seeking prey to attack, while the overwhelming tide of Type 61 tanks on the ground almost completely obscured everything. The surviving Self-Defense Forces were almost entirely fleeing with their backs to the enemy. The enemy's numbers were nearly ten to one.

In this moment of utter defeat, a red Tiger tank was covering the retreat of the Self-Defense Forces. With agile movements, it dodged through the enemy's hail of bullets, repeatedly destroying enemy Type 61 tanks with its electric whip.

The commander leading the support troops ordered, "All units, fire at will to cover our retreat!"

Christian charged forward, simultaneously drawing the attention of the helicopters in the air. Dozens of missiles were fired from different angles and directions, with some helicopters even engaging in close-range machine gun fire.

Christian alertly fired heat decoys; although the enemy fire was dense, the battlefield was littered with other targets and burning debris, making the missiles less accurate. Dodging the enemy attacks, Christian approached the Federation forces from the flank. Zaku raised his 120mm machine gun and emptied an entire magazine into the enemy ranks.

Then, while reloading, he had Zaku crouch and sprint.

Thanks to Christian's fierce attack, coupled with subsequent reinforcements, the Federation forces were forced to divert their fire. This small unit was, in a sense, a drop in the ocean compared to the overall battle. Although it couldn't change the overall situation, it saved many Self-Defense Force soldiers from certain death.

Martina seized the opportunity, using the Tiger's Finger machine gun to continuously fire, managing to shake off the enemy pursuit and escape danger in time.

"Run!" Christian and Martina took turns providing cover. As they retreated to cover the retreating army, the Federal Army's pursuers closed in, raining down shells on the Self-Defense Force soldiers.

The Self-Defense Force soldiers finally managed to shake off the Federal Army's pursuit, and the two sides maintained a distance of one or two kilometers, exchanging fire continuously. Even more serious was the almost relentless air support and artillery fire from the Federal Army.

Christian looked around. Besides the division commander's Tiger, only three damaged Zaku helicopters remained, loaded onto transport trucks. The remaining survivors probably numbered less than a thousand.

"What do we do now, Division Commander?"

the mature, red-haired division commander asked with a wry smile. "You'll be my wingman for now."

The escort troops didn't even dare to stop. Christian and Martina, in their Zaku and Tiger helicopters, walked while retrieving ammunition from supply trucks to deal with the persistent helicopter formations in the sky.

It wasn't until three hours after nightfall that the Federation forces ceased their advance. Repair and resupply operations began, allowing the escort troops to pause.

Martina left the cockpit first, tears welling in her eyes, and said, "You can continue as my orderly!"

"Understood! But what about the original orderly?"

"She was shot and killed in the command vehicle." Martina's tone was strong and calm, but she couldn't hide the indelible sorrow on her beautiful face.

Following Martina, Christian roughly understood the division's current dire situation from her conversations with the other officers. After a day of fierce fighting, the Federation forces had severely damaged the 18th Division, raising its casualty rate to nearly half and reducing its combat effectiveness by almost 75 percent.

The entire 18th Division was split in two, and the Federation forces cut through the middle, creating a 20-kilometer-wide breach in the Protectorate's lines, penetrating more than 20 kilometers into the enemy territory.

Martina requested reinforcements and the rapid replenishment of lost personnel and equipment.

She worked until late into the night before finally preparing for bed.

Since her personal command vehicle had been destroyed, Christian obtained a regular tent from the reinforcements and prepared dinner.

"Commander, you've really worked hard. There are only four hours left until dawn, not enough time to sleep at all."

"We can sleep in a little later tomorrow, no problem. The Federation won't attack, at least not on a large scale."

"Why?"

"Our division has been split in two and has no ability to fight back. The Federation won't care about us tomorrow; they will continue to break through to the south until they cut us off. I'm afraid the entire left flank, four or five divisions, nearly 100,000 men, will be surrounded by the Federation."

Christian's face turned pale with fright after hearing this.

"But don't worry, Her Majesty Kislia has decided to cease hostilities and will arrange our breakout as soon as possible."

The next day, Martina was busy directing the deployment. Just as she had said the day before, since the 18th Division had been driven off the Federation's offensive axis, it hadn't been subjected to any large-scale attacks all day.

Now, the remaining 5,000 soldiers of the 18th Division were defending a front several kilometers wide. The engineers were busy repairing damaged vehicles and zaku, and also digging trenches to hold their ground. Yesterday's battle had killed or wounded half of the soldiers, and a large number of officers had also perished.

Standing on the shoulders of the zaku, one could see the Federation forces in the distance, continuing to swarm in after the breakthrough, their numbers astonishing, like locusts.

Christian hadn't bathed for days and hadn't been sleeping well at night. Alim wasn't there, nor were his familiar companions. Surrounded by unfamiliar surroundings, he felt unbearably lonely.

The signs of low morale were everywhere: fearful faces, pessimistic conversations, and people waiting blankly like the dead. Waiting for battle and death.

One thing was certain: soon his army would be surrounded by the enemy. Besides the monthly rations, the army also had a welfare department that could purchase necessities and even portable weapons and ammunition. But the welfare department's supplies had long been looted.

Christian returned to Zaku and looked at his two treasure chests.

One chest contained canned goods, biscuits, instant noodles, and mineral water. Another box contained money, beer, cigarettes, pornographic magazines, and a set of Federal Army uniforms, along with some other items.

With these, it would last at least ten days to two weeks. Christian dared not imagine what would happen after that.

That day, his air force brethren broke through the Federal encirclement and urgently resupplyed the 18th Division with some equipment and two battalions of soldiers. In doing so, they lost over a dozen Top fighters and two large transport planes.

That evening, as Christian prepared dinner for Martina, seeing his worried expression, the beautiful division commander immediately comforted him, saying, "Although we are currently completely cut off by the Federal Army, our army is ready. Tomorrow, we will coordinate with the adjacent divisions to launch an attack and break out."

Christian greatly admired this beautiful division commander. Not only was she an outstanding pilot, but she also cherished her soldiers, cared for her subordinates, and possessed a sharp and intelligent mind.

"Get some rest, we'll fight our way out tomorrow."

The next day, before dawn, the two armies engaged in a fierce air battle. Hundreds of fighter jets chased and tore each other apart in the high sky, repeatedly traversing the clouds. Crimson machine guns rained down on the sky like raindrops. The battle continued relentlessly, yet no victor emerged.

Regardless, from dawn onwards, the Self-Defense Force launched a fifteen-minute artillery bombardment of the Federal Army's positions. During this time, the Federal Army responded swiftly, attacking the Self-Defense Force's artillery positions and assembled troops with even more intense firepower.

Through the comms screen, Christian could see Martina waiting silently, enduring the baptism of enemy fire.

Once the artillery barrage ended, she took the lead, piloting her red Tiger mobile combat vehicle into the enemy lines. Christian followed closely beside her, with the remaining soldiers of the 18th Division behind them.

Major General Stewart of the Union Army, in charge of this front, had made prior preparations for the Self-Defense Forces' breakout.

Three lines of fire were established: the first was only manned for reconnaissance and surveillance, while the second was where the main force was located. Most of the Self-Defense Forces' shells landed on the sparsely manned first line, with the exception of the 18th Division, whose pre-battle reconnaissance led to redirecting the fire to the second line.

After the artillery duel ended, the Federation forces immediately deployed their second-line troops to the first. By the time they reached their positions, the Self-Defense Forces had already arrived.

Martina's Tiger tank skillfully dodged the enemy's hail of bullets and accurately counterattacked with its finger-mounted machine guns, hitting its target with unerring precision.

The initial phase of the battle went smoothly; Christian destroyed several Type 61 tanks and successfully captured the enemy positions. However, unlike before, the Federation forces did not retreat.

Tank crews who had escaped from the burning tanks continued their attack on the Self-Defense Forces' Zaku tanks with anti-tank missiles. The Union infantry held every position fiercely, persisting until the Self-Defense Forces threw grenades into the trenches, but they did not cease their resistance, continuing their hand-to-hand combat.

Although the Self-Defense Forces were victorious, everyone was deeply shaken by the enemy's valiant fighting.

In fact, the Self-Defense Forces also launched a rescue operation from the outer perimeter of the encirclement, attempting to break through the encirclement from both inside and outside. However, under the desperate resistance of the Union Army, only the 18th Division failed to breach the first line of defense.

Martina addressed her subordinates, saying, "Since only we have successfully broken through the enemy lines, the other units will switch to supporting our advance. Continue the assault on the second line."

The 18th Division then attacked the more heavily fortified second line. Due to emergency repairs to their damaged Zaku tanks and the reinforcements airdropped the previous day, they currently have nine Zaku tanks and dozens of armored vehicles. Facing a Federation force nearly half their size, stubbornly holding their fortified positions, the battle was far from easy.

Particularly alarming was the Federation's new tactic: burying some weapons and equipment underground about 200 meters in front of the front line, leaving only breathing holes. After the escort troops passed, they would suddenly burst out, launching a pincer attack from both the front and rear.

It was a baptism of blood and fire, and after suffering heavy casualties, the Federation forces were finally annihilated.

However, for the Zaku, the cost of capturing two fronts was the complete destruction of three aircraft and damage to three others. Of the original 6,000-plus troops, a third were killed or wounded.

The 18th Division was essentially rendered ineffective, but fortunately, reinforcements arrived in time, with an entire regiment in the first wave.

Thanks to the valiant air force, the ground troops in Christian and other areas were spared the continuous air raids by the Federation forces that had occurred before. Having just replenished their ammunition and preparing to launch an attack on the third front, he saw, from the other side of the horizon, a cloud of dust rising as a massive army advanced in his direction.

Martina shouted, "Watch out! The enemy reserves have launched a counterattack!"

Soon after, from the dust cloud, the green-painted Zaku appeared—an eighteen-meter-tall steel giant unique to the Self-Defense Force.

A cheer erupted from the Self-Defense Force's communication channels.

"Reinforcements have finally arrived!"

"We're saved!"

"Thank God!"

Christian, remembering the Zaku kidnapped in Odessa, felt a chill of dread. He sensed the intense killing intent emanating from the Zaku before him.

Martina yelled, "All units, be alert! Reinforcements can't arrive this quickly. These Zaku are suspicious. Stay on high alert!"

At the same time, the Zaku in front opened fire, targeting the Self-Defense Force soldiers who were supposed to be their comrades. And from behind them came fire several times more ferociously. The caliber was believed to exceed 180 mm, even destroying a Zaku belonging to the 18th Division.

Christian was surrounded by cries of agony and despair, fireballs from exploding mobile suits, tanks, and troop carriers appearing around him.

The army that appeared before him could now be clearly seen in its composition. At the forefront were nine Zakus, but instead of the Self-Defense Forces' insignia, the Federation's crescent and star emblem was painted on their shoulders. Following the Zakus was a new type of massive tank with a humanoid upper body, carrying 180 or 240 mm caliber cannons on its shoulders. After that were densely packed Type 61 tank carriers.

Christian controlled Zaku to dodge urgently, and in the instant he dodged, a volley of 120mm machine gun fire struck the spot where he had been standing.

He then made Zaku roll on the ground like a human, dodging the hail of enemy artillery fire. Along his path, the Self-Defense Force vehicles frantically reversed to avoid collisions.

The Federation forces already outnumbered the Self-Defense Force, and with their mobile fighters, this greatly damaged the Self-Defense Force's morale, compounded by the heavy casualties they had already suffered under the intense enemy fire. The outcome of the battle was decided from the start. The Self

-Defense Force had no time to spare; units fled in droves, the situation utterly one-sided.

On average, for every shot fired by the Royal Navy at the Federation forces, the Federation would fire four or five shots in return.

After Christian regained his footing, he realized there were no more of his own Zakus around him. Three Federation Zakus attacked from three sides, one firing several guns, the other two wielding electric axes.

"How cunning! Using our Zakus!"

Christian grumbled, drawing his electric axe to meet the attack. The two axes clashed, creating a shower of sparks.

Although he was now one against three, the Federation pilots weren't as skilled as him, and he held his own against two opponents. The problem was that another Zaku, firing from the side, was sniping from the side.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, the machine gun in the Zaku's hand was hit by a bullet and exploded.

Next, Martina's Tiger descended from the sky, whipping the Federation Zaku away. The bullet had been fired by her Tiger.

"Run!" Behind Martina, three more Federation Zaku were in pursuit.

Martina ordered her subordinates, "All units retreat first, regroup."

The Imperial Guard fled in disarray, while the Federation relentlessly pursued, firing steadily and systematically. Martina and Christian, responsible for the rearguard, were riding Tiger and Zaku, respectively. Although they weren't fatally wounded, they were riddled with bullets from the small-caliber artillery.

From the eighth section until sunset, both sides repeatedly reinforced and fought for control. After the land was smeared with blood, and the battlefield was littered with burning, smoking debris and corpses, the Imperial Guard still hadn't broken through the encirclement.

After a full day of life-or-death fighting, the exhausted soldiers craved only sleep; even the fear of death had become numb.

Following the failed breakout, both armies began to rest and regroup. Outside the encirclement, the Self-Defense Forces attempted a rescue operation as quickly as possible. The Federation forces, meanwhile, reinforced their defenses and prepared to annihilate the Self-Defense Forces within the encirclement.

Due to the Federation's air superiority, the Self-Defense Forces, to avoid excessive losses, were forced to abandon their supply drops by aircraft and instead use unmanned HLVs to transport supplies from space. Under these circumstances, the wounded and the bodies of the fallen could not be evacuated.

The Federation forces tightened the encirclement step by step, cornering the Self-Defense Forces.

Five days passed in this manner, and Martina lost her former radiance, her expression serious and tinged with sorrow. Christian accompanied her as she inspected the battlefield.

Including the new recruits, fewer than two thousand soldiers remained in the 18th Division.

Soldiers, their eyes lifeless and like dead fish, were burying their fallen comrades in craters created by artillery fire. Bodies in green uniforms, their blood blackened, piled up in the craters. Just a short while ago they were living comrades; now they were nothing but stiff corpses.

Martina said, "Carefully confirm the location. When we retake this place, we must exhume the bodies and transport them back home."

It was military protocol, but the soldiers looked at Martina with questioning eyes.

Christian understood their thoughts, for he himself had the same doubts. Let's not even talk about whether the Imperial Guard can retake this place in the future. If everyone dies here, the only ones responsible for burying the bodies will be the Federal Army. And who will survive to go back and report where the bodies were buried?

Next, we continued to the medical camp. The white tents with blood-red crosses were safe from Federal attacks.

Standing far outside the tents, we could already hear the cries of the wounded soldiers.

"Help me!"

"Mommy..."

"It hurts so much! I'm going to die..."

Inside the tents lay a thousand people, three hundred of whom were seriously wounded Federal prisoners of war.

"Commander, please send us home! Aren't wounded soldiers supposed to have priority to return home?"

"Please."

"Waaah! Can we even make it back to the Third District alive?"

At this moment, Martina hardened her heart and ignored the wounded soldiers' pleas, only consulting with the military medic who was busy without a moment's rest. Because even if she reluctantly promised, she was actually powerless to send them away.

The military medic, covered in blood and smelling of foul odors, said, "There are no more bandages. Now we're using the soldiers' dirty uniforms to bandage them. The medicine is only for the seriously wounded, but it will only last for another day. We've run out of morphine, so we can't perform surgery under anesthesia."

Even more desperate than the wounded soldiers of the Self-Defense Forces were the wounded soldiers of the Federation Army. They received no treatment whatsoever, simply lying there waiting to die.

With the Self-Defense Forces lacking sufficient medicine and manpower to treat their wounded, they couldn't afford to waste medicine on prisoners.

Christian felt a chill run down his spine looking at their desperate eyes.

"We're about to die, but you Self-Defense Force beasts won't live much longer either," one of the still-speaking men cursed. His eyes were filled with resentment, and his wounds were swollen and stinking.

After leaving the medical camp, Martina muttered to herself, "Food is only rationed for one meal a day, and even with the most conserved ammunition, we only have enough for three days."

Then, tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at the sky, the place where everyone's hope lay.

Dozens of HLVs were descending, shot down one by one by Federal TIN fighters, while a few Self-Defense Force Top fighters fought desperately to escort them. Outside the encirclement, Federal anti-aircraft fire formed a net of fire, attempting to sever the Self-Defense Force's last lifeline.

One HLV after another exploded in mid-air or fell into Federal-controlled territory. In the end, only two fell into the hands of the Self-Defense Force within the encirclement. Everyone looked at the sky in disappointment.

"Bang!"

A gunshot rang out in the distance.

For the past few days, the Federal forces had been bombarding the Self-Defense Force with artillery and launching small-scale attacks, trying to kill as many as possible and deplete their ammunition in order to launch a general offensive.

The gunfire, so close and isolated, suggested that the Federal Army might have infiltrated the encirclement with special forces. With this question in mind, Martina, accompanied by several nearby soldiers, went to investigate.

What they found was not a Federal special forces unit, but a Federal prisoner with his hands bound behind his back, a bullet hole in his forehead from which blood and brain matter were still gushing. Beside him lay dozens of other helpless prisoners of war.

A group of enraged militia members were torturing these prisoners. And roared, "You bastards, are you trying to starve us all to death? You've captured so many HLVs, let's see who dies first!"

Martina's eyes flashed with anger as she shouted, "Stop it, all of you!"

"Since you're so angry, I'll let you fight the Federation forces to your heart's content. The military police will take them to the front lines and make them stay there for three days without leaving or changing shifts."

Faced with their division commander's rage, these men dared not utter a word of complaint.

Only the leader whispered, "Why should a division commander sympathize with these people? They are the murderers of our brothers."

"I'm not helping them, I'm upholding military discipline. You don't need to go to the front lines anymore. Tonight I'll convene a battlefield court-martial to try you." That night, after a brief interrogation, he was executed by firing squad. Although cruel and ruthless, in this hell where humanity and military discipline were on the verge of collapse, this was the only way.

Christian watched as Martina endured immense pressure. The 18th Division had been defeated, its members either dead, wounded, or captured. The survivors lacked food, fuel, ammunition, spare parts, and medicine. Even military discipline was faltering in this desperate situation.

Surrounded, their comrades were dwindling while the enemy was increasing; there was simply no hope in sight.

After they were alone, Christian asked Martina, who was studying a map, "Commander, will we be wiped out? Or... will we... will we choose to surrender?"

After witnessing so many scenes of the Self-Defense Forces abusing prisoners, Christian found it hard to imagine how the Federal Army would retaliate if they surrendered, but if they continued fighting like this, it was only a matter of time before they were all wiped out.

Martina frowned deeply, and after a sigh, said, "The military won't allow us to surrender. They can tolerate losing tens of thousands of troops within the encirclement, but they won't allow us to surrender as a unit to the Federation forces, because that would damage the morale of our entire army."

Christian's heart skipped a beat. Although he was confident in his driving skills, in the current situation, with the nest overturned, how could any egg remain intact? It seemed that this time, there was really no escape.

Knowing that the only outcome was death, how could one go on

? "Is the division commander afraid of death?"

"We won't die, there's still hope."

"But you said before that you would successfully break through, but you failed."

Martina remained silent.

Christian had faced death many times before, but none as certain as this. Even if he were lucky enough to survive, his death would come once the encirclement was cleared.

"I still have a girlfriend left in Odessa. I don't want our relationship to end like this." Thinking of Alim, left alone in Odessa, Christian felt a surge of tears.

Did Hans and Jacobson also die with such regrets?

"I'm useless. A man should shed blood without shedding tears."

"It's shameful for a grown man to be crying." Christian wiped the tears from his face.

Having been tempered by war, Christian understood that death wasn't just being blown into cosmic dust in the blast zone; it could be instantaneous, painless, and even appear heroic and glorious. Death could be as cruel, dark, and painful as the corpses he saw in the shell craters today, or the prisoners of war killed by the Federation forces.

Having witnessed the deaths of two comrades and close friends, he understood how his parents, Yoko, Lisna, and Irim would feel if he were to die in battle.

"I'm sorry! It's all my fault as their commander. I promise you, I will get you out of here, I promise!"

Martina felt a pang of heartache facing the seventeen-year-old Christian, who was barely an adult, and stroked his head to comfort him. Naturally, they shared a passionate kiss, Christian feeling the soft warmth of Martina's lips.

Martina let Christian sleep side by side in her bed that night. Although they both felt the atmosphere and the sexual urge, they didn't take it any further. Besides the difference in class and age, the days of fighting had left them both quite dirty from lack of bathing.

This one-night intimacy turned them into a brief romantic relationship.

Looking back, Martina felt she had been too impulsive and out of control. Faced with the injured and suffering boy, she unconsciously wanted to embrace him with maternal instinct.

Under normal circumstances, with her chief of staff and other staff members by her side, and given her high-ranking position, she would never have acted so impulsively. But when the command vehicle was hit, almost everyone around her was dead. She had to do everything herself, bearing the pressure of directly commanding regimental and battalion-level officers and piloting mobile warfare units, as well as the responsibility of leading her men to safety. All these circumstances and pressures left her breathless, and it was at this moment that Christian appeared before her.

For Christian, the women by his side had always been his pillars of support. With Alim absent, Martina had conveniently taken her place. It wasn't that he was unfaithful; it was simply a natural progression of circumstances.

The two, who had sparked a romance, were secretly courting each other. Although both were soldiers, their responsibilities were vastly different. As a lowly soldier, Christian could only watch Martina single-handedly solve the various problems facing an entire division.

Now, the situation had changed further. The 18th Division, originally intended as the spearhead of the breakout, was on the front line of the attack. However, after its failure, Federation forces gradually amassed ahead to block it. Since the Lieutenant General's defeat, the Lieutenant General had changed direction, shifting its forces westward, intending to launch a new breakout from the Federation's weakest point. The Federation, naturally, would not stand idly by and adjusted its troop deployment accordingly.

On the tenth day of the siege, both sides advanced and retreated. The Self-Defense Force fled westward, attempting to detour and rejoin their allies. The main force of the Federation Army was redeployed from east to west.

The 18th Division was now the rearguard of the Self-Defense Force, facing a relatively weaker Federation army, and a land breakout was no longer possible.

In this desperate situation, Martina devised the only way to break out. Currently, our army was defending along a small river, and the 18th Division had been reduced to only a thousand men. Although the enemy forces on the front were only two thousand five hundred to three thousand, a frontal assault was impossible.

Therefore, she decided to bury the division's only two remaining mobile suits, her own Tiger and Christian's Zaku, in the muddy ground by the river. Then abandon the positions and wait for the Federal Army to occupy them. Then launch a pincer attack to break through the enemy's defenses in one fell swoop. Next, retreat by air, because advancing another hundred kilometers by land to rendezvous with friendly forces is hopeless and will inevitably be blocked by the Federal Army.

The reason the Self-Defense Forces cannot retreat by air is not only because the Federal Army has air superiority, but also because the Federal Army will use artillery and anti-aircraft weapons to attack aircraft landing within the encirclement. Therefore, unless they break through to a certain distance beyond the Federal Army's defenses, it is impossible to escape by air.

After burying the tiger and Zaku, Martina and Christian saluted the soldiers responsible for the burial, then watched the ragged soldiers, whose only remaining hope was this escape plan, depart.

Left alone in enemy territory, Martina and Christian inevitably felt uneasy. If they were discovered by the Federation forces, they would face certain death under enemy siege. Even if they weren't discovered, whether they could successfully launch a pincer attack was uncertain.

Twelve hours after the Imperial Guard's retreat, the Federation forces finally advanced and occupied the other side of the river.

Several hours later, Martina and Christian, who had remained undetected by the enemy, breathed a sigh of relief. They left the cockpit and climbed out of the underground cave, using binoculars to observe their surroundings.

The Federal Army had erected a pontoon bridge across the river, which, while not wide, was too narrow for vehicles to cross directly.

Ten soldiers were stationed on the pontoon bridge, and Federal artillery and anti-aircraft units had already crossed the river.

Christian said, "It's a bit like the Trojan Horse now."

Martina replied, "Whatever, there are still twelve hours until the appointed time. We'll attack the Federation artillery first, then deal with the anti-aircraft vehicles."

Martina and Christian returned to the underground cave where Zaku and the tiger were buried.

At this moment, Martina's face flushed slightly, and she said shyly, "Let's take this opportunity to take a shower first. We have time anyway. We can exert our strength after a good rest."

Christian felt a flutter of excitement, like a deer pounding in his heart, at Martina's unexpectedly bold action. Although they couldn't start a fire, they could use the cool water from the mobile suits to get hot enough water for a bath.

As Martina undressed, she said, "Right now, we don't have enough parts, and maintenance isn't going well, so the machine's performance is dropping significantly. In that case, tomorrow... will we succeed?"

"We'll definitely succeed!" Christian hugged the much older and higher-ranking beauty from behind.

"Let me shower first, okay? I don't want to do it all dirty," Martina whispered shyly.

Martina tied up her long, slightly wavy red hair, then unzipped her coat and took it off. Still wearing a tank top, her fair arms were exposed.

Next, she removed her military boots, socks, and tight-fitting trousers. She was left only in a pair of purple panties.

Martina was an older, sexy, and alluring beauty; her breasts, prominent and alluring, were revealed beneath her tank top. Her waist was slender and graceful, and her legs were long and supple.

To the stunned Christian, she simply smiled awkwardly, offering no resistance as he continued to admire her.

Finally, Martina removed her tank top, revealing dazzlingly white breasts. The semi-transparent bra made her appear even more seductive and alluring, making it difficult for anyone to resist.

Next, with her back to Christian, she began to remove her bra. Then, in one swift motion, she removed the panties she had worn for two or three days, which still carried a strong feminine scent.

A fair, rosy-white female body, radiating mature charm, was completely exposed before Christian's eyes. Her smooth, white back was breathtakingly sculpted, and her perfectly rounded, snowy buttocks were incredibly alluring.

Martina tested the water temperature, exclaiming how hot it was as she stepped into the pool, until only her shoulders were exposed. The pool had been dug out with Zaku's fingers and then filled with hot water, large enough to comfortably hold two people.

Martina excitedly cried out how comfortable it felt, then scooped up hot water with both hands and splashed it on her face and shoulders. A few glistening water droplets adorned her alabaster-white body.

Martina said softly, "Christian, if we manage to retreat successfully tomorrow, our relationship will end here."

"Why?" Christian asked, though he already knew the answer, or rather, he hoped for the opposite of what he truly wanted.

"Our statuses are too different. If I were a man and you were a woman, it wouldn't matter. But what will people say about an older female officer and a seventeen-year-old soldier being intimate? They'll say a lot of hurtful things, and it will affect our futures. Most importantly, don't you have a girlfriend in Odessa? I don't like being a third party, even if I've become one without realizing it," Martina said with a wry smile.

"Thank you so much for being by my side during these limited days. In the little time we have left, could you please love me with all your heart? Don't treat me like your superior; just think of me as a woman whose heart is a little lonely and restless." ********************************************************************** Completed 2005/12/15 Proofread 2005/12/16 Chapter

Nine Watching Martina's bathing posture, as beautiful as a lotus emerging from the water, Christian forgot all his worries.

After taking off all his clothes, he also stepped into the pool, the scalding hot water invigorating him.

Christian approached Martina from behind, kissing her fair, smooth neck.

"Ah..." Martina let out a soft, passionate moan.

Christian felt a surge of desire rising within him as he listened, and boldly began to wash Martina's upper body with his hands, his hands naturally drawn to her two full breasts.

Martina felt a surge of electric pleasure coursing through her body, and turned to kiss Christian's face. Their tongues intertwined in a deep, passionate kiss.

Christian stretched out his thigh, parted Martina's legs, and rubbed them from back to front against the location of his beautiful teacher's vulva.

At the same time, Martina felt something thick and strong pressing against her buttocks. She naturally reached back and groped, grasping the hot and thick serpent with her slender, jade-like hand.

Martina and Christian began to caress each other passionately, yearning for solace in each other's bodies.

When they faced each other, Christian buried his head deep in Martina's full, mountain-like breasts, rubbing his face against them, sucking with his lips, and licking with his tongue.

Following the natural progression of their passion, Christian grasped Martina's fleshy buttocks, lifted her smooth, white thighs, and thrust his penis into her.

Martina's body was already overflowing with desire, and with the warm water in the pool, it was easy to penetrate her completely.

"Oh..." Martina let out a soft moan of satisfaction.

At this point, the two, their bodies intertwined, paused for a moment.

Martina, panting heavily, said, "I haven't had sex in years since I broke up with my last lover. Life in the army is so lonely."

"Even if we're separated, I won't forget you, Commander."

"Don't call me Commander, call me by my name—Martina. Come on! Thrust into me properly, don't stop."

Martina encouraged Christian by stroking his face.

As the saying goes, it's hardest to resist the kindness of a beautiful woman. Christian, encouraged by these words, mounted his horse and began thrusting vigorously.

"Ahhhhhh..." Martina's seductive moans of pleasure echoed in the underground cave.

His young, strong body pounded inside her like a wild horse, bringing wave after wave of sensual stimulation.

Christian carried Martina to the muddy ground by the pool, and she clung to him like an octopus. Her hands were around his neck, her legs around his back, and in moments of excitement, she unconsciously bit his shoulder with her pearly white teeth.

Martina lost count of how many orgasms she experienced; she only knew that after each climax, Christian finally ejaculated inside her, then slowly thrust in and out for a while before finally stopping.

After the passion subsided, they remained in their intertwined position, Martina, her long hair flowing freely, sitting in Christian's lap.

Still savoring the lingering emotions, Martina said with a heavy heart, "If only time could stand still at this moment."

But surrounded by enemy forces, Martina and her men's lives were in grave danger. If they couldn't break through soon, death would be imminent. Two days, three days, or four days—it would be a matter of time before the Federation forces cleared the encirclement.

Even with his beloved in his arms, Christian worried about whether Risna, left behind in space, would be persecuted again, and whether Yoko was alright. What would happen to Alim, all alone, if he were to die here?

If they succeeded in breaking through, the moment of parting with Martina would arrive; if they failed, they would both die together sooner or later.

Thinking of this, he involuntarily hugged Martina tightly in his arms.

Time silently passed, and whether they wanted to or not, they could no longer continue their tender intimacy.

Finally, the older Martina said helplessly, "Get up! Let's take a nap for a few hours and rest. Then it'll be time to launch the attack."

This was a rare last chance to sleep before the battle. For Christian, although he could sleep, he didn't like dreaming while sleeping, because on the battlefield, even if he dreamed, it would only be a nightmare.

After falling asleep and having a nightmare, Christian woke up in a cold sweat. But this was just another nightmare, back in reality.

Martina's image appeared on the screen and said to Christian, "It's starting! I'll go out first."

Is it finally coming? Christian thought to himself.

Martina's personal red Tiger instantly sprang into action, bursting through the earthen burrow and leaping onto the ground, with Christian's Zaku close behind.

"Whoa!" The Federation troops guarding the pontoon bridge, faced with the sudden emergence of two mobile suits, were startled and fled in disarray.

The Tiger and Zaku raced across the vast grassland, with convoys of Federation supply trucks appearing ahead. They had no time to react to the enemy's mobile suits suddenly appearing behind them.

Martina and Christian's target was not them; ignoring the enemy troops, they continued advancing until a Federation self-propelled artillery unit appeared.

Thirty self-propelled guns of varying calibers, ranging from 155mm to 205mm, were parked nearby, along with piles of shells.

Martina didn't hesitate to fire her Tiger Finger machine gun; a barrage of bullets struck the pile of shells, instantly triggering a massive explosion.

The powerful blast immediately destroyed the remaining five self-propelled guns. Christian used Zaku's machine gun to destroy the rest one by one. The Federation artillerymen abandoned their guns and fled.

Attacked from behind, the Federation forces were thrown into chaos. Simultaneously, the last remaining troops of the 18th Division broke out of their positions and launched a counterattack. The 175mm cannons of the Majera tanks roared like thunder in the wind.

Tank guns clashed back and forth, the battlefield filled with the smoke and deafening roar of explosions.

A Federal Army Type 61 tank, having just deflected a shell fired head-on, locked its gun on a Majera tank belonging to the Self-Defense Forces, ready to fire at any moment.

Then, an electric heat whip descended from the sky, striking the turret and blasting the tank in two.

The tanks' weak points were their top and rear armor; Martina's continuous attacks from above and rear destroyed several more tanks. Christian then targeted the Federation's anti-aircraft units, destroying their anti-aircraft missiles and 40mm anti-aircraft guns one by one.

Despite their numerical superiority, the Federation forces, caught in a pincer attack, quickly crumbled, with units retreating from the rear and flanks.

The Imperial Guard finally breached the enemy's weakest point, with tanks leading the way, followed by armored vehicles, and at the rear, troop transports laden with wounded soldiers.

Meanwhile, squadrons of Top fighter jets escorted the transport planes, breaking through the Federation's air blockade and landing behind the enemy lines.

Martina, her eyes brimming with tears of excitement, shouted through the communication channel, "All units, advance at full speed! As long as you board the transport planes, you'll return alive!"

Christian's excitement was no less than his division commander's; the encirclement, which had lasted for more than ten days, was finally coming to an end. At this point, less than a third of the

original survivors remained within the encirclement. The Self-Defense Forces on the left and right flanks of the 18th Division also abandoned their original positions and surged towards the gap.

The Federation forces, of course, would not let them go easily. While urgently scrambling more TIN-type fighters to intercept them, the Federation forces on the left and right sides of the gap immediately launched a counterattack, attempting to close the gap in the encirclement once again.

Martina and Christian, as the rearguard, continued fighting the Federal forces and advanced towards the river where they had previously laid an ambush.

The Imperial Guard had already captured the pontoon bridge, and vehicles were passing through in single file. On the opposite bank, vertical takeoff and landing transport planes were parked, ready to evacuate the survivors.

In the sky, the two sides' fighter jets, like two flocks of fierce eagles, chased, attacked, and tore at each other.

The entire earth seemed to tremble.

The Federation forces wouldn't allow the Self-Defense Forces a leisurely retreat. Pursuers closed in from both sides, two steel torrents led by tanks slamming in like iron clamps. Shells and bullets rained down on the Self-Defense Forces, causing heavy casualties. At this moment, eight or nine out of ten Self-Defense Force soldiers were only concerned with escaping and had no time to retaliate.

Shells landing in the river created numerous water columns. Soldiers on the pontoon bridge were constantly being hit by bullets, and those who fell into the river had their blood staining the small river crimson.

"Martina, let's get back across the river quickly!" Christian shouted, dodging and fighting back against the armored torrent of the Federation forces.

At this point, Martina only needed to let the tiger jump across the river to ensure her safety. However, her responsibility as the division commander wouldn't allow her to abandon her subordinates and comrades. A steady stream of Self-Defense Force troops was still rushing towards them.

"Christian, you cross the bridge first, don't worry about me."

"But..."

Christian had experienced countless life-or-death situations during the battle. Judging from the size of the Federation forces, his experience told him that if they didn't retreat now, they would surely die.

On the battlefield, numbers equal strength; even two fists can't fight four hands. If one doesn't know when to advance and retreat, even the most skilled person will be overwhelmed by the enemy's numbers. And now was the time to retreat.

Martina couldn't bear to abandon her troops, and Christian couldn't leave her behind either. The two fought bravely amidst the chaos.

Another wave of bullets rained down on Christian's Zaku. At this point, even his superior skills and accurate instincts were useless, as enemy shells bombarded him in every direction he dodged.

"Boom!"

The Zaku's right leg slammed into the ground with a violent explosion.

Christian was jolted violently. He then opened the cockpit door, abandoned his beloved machine, and fled for his life.

Faced with such intense firepower, the injured and immobile Zaku was undoubtedly an easy target. Multiple Federation tanks simultaneously locked onto Christian's Zaku, firing over a dozen shells at once. The

Zaku was hit repeatedly, its fuselage bursting into flames and billowing thick smoke before engulfing the inferno with a deafening roar.

"Martina, it'll be too late if you don't leave now!" Christian shouted from the ground, but Martina inside the cockpit couldn't hear him.

Christian could see that the only escape route on the bridge was blocked by fire and wreckage from hit vehicles. The soldiers of the Imperial Guard abandoned their tanks and armored vehicles, jumping into the river and swimming to the other side.

Christian had no choice. He jumped into the icy river with the others, pushing aside the floating corpses, and swam towards the opposite bank, swallowing mouthfuls of bloody water in the process.

The Federation troops showed no mercy, machine-gunning the people on the river, bullets whizzing past Christian's head. Death could strike at any moment.

Martina's Tiger was also at its limit; poor maintenance had reduced its performance, and coupled with a bullet wound to its right shoulder and leg joint malfunctions, it could no longer move nimbly.

Floating in the river, Christian shouted, "Martina, get out!"

Martina remained inside the already smoking tiger. If she abandoned the plane now, the Federation forces would indiscriminately mow down the survivors in the river.

The tiger's fingers continued to spew flames as it fired machine gun shells at the enemy.

Christian finally stepped onto the opposite bank, soaked to the bone, just as more than four tank shells struck Martina's tiger.

"No! Martina!" Christian's mournful cry echoed through the air.

He could only watch helplessly as the tiger, riddled with bullets and engulfed in flames, fell into the river, completely immobilized.

"Martina... Martina..." Christian murmured to himself.

The other side of the riverbank was completely occupied by the Federation forces, and the breach briefly opened by the Self-Defense Forces was sealed off again. Simultaneously, the Federation forces bombarded the Self-Defense Forces on the other side with weapons of various calibers.

"Ugh..." Christian wiped away his tears and turned to flee. He hadn't seen Martina escape the tiger, and even if she were alive, with the current density of firepower, no one could swim across the river alive.

Under Martina's selfless protection, several thousand survivors, mainly from the 18th Division, managed to board transport planes alive. Under enemy air pressure, the transport planes took off amidst a hail of bullets, one of them carrying Christian, who was practically penniless.

"Why did this happen? We were so close to escaping together!" Christian shed tears of regret.

The other survivors on the same plane didn't blame his cowardice. Although they didn't cry out loud, their emotions were the same; they were among the lucky few who had survived the sacrifice of countless comrades.

Of the 100,000 Self-Defense Force soldiers within the encirclement, the remaining 15,000 surrendered to the Federation forces, and only 5,000 were rescued alive.

After this failed operation, the Self-Defense Force retreated from Polish territory towards Russia. The heavily damaged 18th Division was also transferred back to Odessa for reorganization, and of course, its commander had changed.

Although there was little hope, Christian still tried to confirm Martina's fate. According to the Antarctic Treaty, both sides would report lists of prisoners and enemy soldiers buried by their side.

After the operation, Christian checked the publicly released records of the Federal Army, but Martina's name was not among those captured or killed in action. This major was listed as a combat missing person in the official records of the Self-Defense Forces.

However, Christian understood that besides Martina's miraculous survival and escape from the Federal Army's pursuit, a more realistic possibility was that after his escape, her tiger exploded, and she had vanished without a trace.

After reuniting with Squadron Leader Schneider, Tilly, and Finney, he appeared outwardly normal, but his mind was empty, like a walking corpse. It wasn't

until he returned to the Odessa base and opened his room door again, seeing Alim's expression change from one of silent, lonely waiting to one of overjoyed tears of surprise, that Christian's heart began to stir again.

Alim rushed into Christian's arms, excitedly shouting, "You're finally back!"

Christian tenderly stroked Alim's back; he was holding a living, breathing person, no longer needing to rely on memories to imagine her. In that instant, Christian felt a powerful surge of tears and contentment.

Christian vowed to himself that he would never let Alim die like Hans, Jacobson, and Martina, and he would never allow Alim to become a sorrowful memory.

After returning to Odessa, Christian cherished every moment with Alim even more, especially after learning of her pregnancy.

The 18th Division, now commanded by a new division commander, was repeatedly deployed to the front lines, only to be recalled to Odessa for rest and replenishment whenever losses were too great. From April to September, Christian spent half his time on the battlefield and the other half with Alim.

In the past six months, Tilly and Finney not only survived by sheer luck, but also made significant progress, becoming as strong as Hans and Jacobson had been, and arguably even stronger. However, besides these two direct subordinates, Christian also lost many comrades in his battalion, requiring the unit to be replenished with a large number of new recruits.

Even without much affection for each other, witnessing so many comrades fall in battle was heartbreaking. He also developed the habit of not making new friends, to avoid the pain caused by their deaths.

Since Martina was classified as a combat missing person, she naturally didn't have a grave. To commemorate this brief lover, Christian planted a rose in his room and entrusted it to Alim to care for. Whenever he saw this red rose, he would think of Martina, a woman of unwavering courage and strength.

Section Ten, as recorded in many different versions of official history, shows that no significant large-scale battles occurred between the Federation and the Self-Defense Forces during these six months. Maintaining the existing front, both sides attacked each other with limited forces.

However, a substantial change was quietly unfolding. The Federation developed its own mobile suits and, on September 18th, engaged the Self-Defense Forces in their first real combat engagement in District Seven.

This was the first time Federation mobile suits fought against Self-Defense Force mobile suits. Instead of being hidden in the darker side of history, the Federation secretly used units composed of captured Zaku.

The Federation's powerful industrial strength had already taken effect. The massive reconstruction of the space fleets on Zabulo and Luna II was nearing completion, and batches of mass-produced mobile suits, the GM, were preparing to leave the factories. Prior to this, the readily available and numerous tanks and aircraft had already given the Federation a favorable position in Europe.

Anticipating this, the Self-Defense Forces under Commander-in-Chief Kiel had developed new mobile suits for combat, the Dom and the Warrior, and reorganized the space fleets.

What had been a slow, flowing process of history accelerated dramatically in September, quickly becoming a torrent sweeping across the entire Earth.

Schneider played the battle footage from September 18th for his squadron members. A white mobile suit easily destroyed two Zakus with overwhelming armor and firepower.

Schneider said, "According to the report from Marshal of Red Comet, who participated in the battle, the Federation pilots' skills were not proficient; they won simply by relying on the superior performance of their mobile suits."

After watching the shocking footage, Christian Han lowered his head, pondering the gap between the two sides. The Zaku was originally a god-like figure in the Self-Defense Forces. Now, the enemy not only possessed mobile suits but also beam rifles more powerful than their own, while the Zakus were only equipped with 120mm machine guns.

In terms of armor and mobility, the Zaku is inferior to the Federation's new mobile suits. Facing enemies that mass-produce these machines in the future could be disastrous.

"Currently, we know this machine is called the Gundam, and there's another mass-produced version with unknown capabilities called the GM."

New information brings new worries. However, this doesn't apply to the sisters Tilly and Finney, who are excitedly discussing their newly purchased baby socks.

As soon as the meeting ended, the two sisters immediately went to Christian's side and excitedly said, "These are the baby socks we just bought."

"Does the captain like red or green? I like red, but Finnie likes green,"

Christian said with a wry smile. "Can you two not be more excited than the baby? Seeing you like this makes me feel like an irresponsible father."

"That's your problem, Captain. The baby is due in mid-December; how can we not prepare the necessary things in advance?"

"I beg you, there are still three whole months until now,"

Tilly protested. "But who knows if we can stay at the base for those three months?"

Regarding Alim's pregnancy, in retrospect, it must have been the result of their first unprotected sex—a truly direct and effective pregnancy.

Christian recalled how, when he returned from the hellish battlefields of Eastern Europe, Alim told him she was pregnant.

Alim initially wanted an abortion, but Christian insisted on giving birth. They argued for a month without reaching a final decision, until Christian had to return to the front lines, at which point Alim finally agreed to have the child.

When Christian asked her why she had changed her mind, Alim tearfully replied, "I'm afraid that if you don't come back, I'll have nothing left."

If Christian were to die in battle, for Alim, the child in her womb would be the only proof of their love.

In the six months or so that followed, their lives were filled with both joy and sorrow. The baby in Alim's womb gradually grew, and her belly was now quite prominent.

From a rational perspective, Christian understood that now was not the time for a child. Leaving aside whether he would survive the war, because Alim's true identity was that of a Federation soldier, they couldn't officially marry. He had only obtained a fake military dependent certificate through connections within the military, allowing her to reside within the base.

Soldiers' salaries aren't that high, and Alim isn't a formal family member, so she can't enjoy military benefits and has to support three people on her meager salary. She can only take it one step at a time.

What deeply moved Christian was that Squadron Leader Schneider lent him tens of thousands of Imperial Marks, interest-free and without a specified repayment date.

Christian was initially embarrassed to accept the money, but Schneider said he was old and didn't need that much money, so it was better than leaving it unused in the bank. Secondly, there were the two sisters under his command; although they bought many fancy but impractical things for the baby, there were still some practical items like clothes and a crib.

If Jacobson and Hans were still alive, they would surely laugh at him for his promiscuous relationships, but they would also do everything in their power to help him. But these two villains, who should have been invincible, died so young.

Add to that his brief and tragic relationship with Martina. After experiencing so much death, though the future seemed uncertain, Christian couldn't bring himself to kill the child living within Alim.

With his two childlike subordinates, Christian returned to his quarters, where Alim, her belly swollen, was knitting. According to the due date, the child would be born in the dead of winter, December.

"You're back?" Alim greeted Christian with a beaming smile. Although she already had a child, Alim wasn't quite ready to be a mother, neither physically nor mentally. She still had that beautiful, youthful face, and her hands and feet were still so slender and graceful.

Tilly, completely oblivious to any hint of shyness, affectionately stroked Alim's belly and said, "I told you this child would be a girl."

Finney retorted, "Kicking her mother's belly all the time, I think it's more like a mischievous boy."

Then, the two sisters, ignoring their parents, launched into a sisterly verbal battle.

Having a child had matured Alim somewhat; she was less jealous of Tilly and Finney being able to stay with Christian so often. With a slightly shy expression, Alim said, "Anna! The doctor said if you put your head against your belly, you should be able to hear the baby's heartbeat now. Do you want to hear it?"

Before Christian could answer, Tilly and Finney were already clamoring to hear.

"Don't call me Anna like everyone else, call me Christian."

"But who told you to look like a girl? Isn't the abbreviation Anna good enough?" Alim said with a slight smile.

Christian was determined to protect his current happiness, but the decision, besides God, wasn't made by a lowly soldier like him. It was made by the high-ranking officers in the army.

On the flagship of Reiber and the general, the general had already decided on the next objective: to launch a general offensive against the European Self-Defense Forces from multiple directions, forcing the enemy to retreat to the vicinity of Odessa. Major General Stewart was ordered to command one of the routes.

Starting in early October, Stewart and other Union forces from Europe deployed their troops in Ukraine, in southern Russia, launching a large-scale operation rarely seen on land. This could be considered a prelude to a much larger operation.

At this time, the commander of the European Self-Defense Forces was Markbe. Judging that the existing forces were insufficient to halt the Union operations on the plains, he decided to fortify Odessa, sabotaging Union supply lines as much as possible beforehand, and then counterattacking once the enemy was exhausted before the fortified defenses.

In a narrow sense, Odessa was a naval base that had existed for centuries, located near the Caspian Sea. Broadly speaking, this included its major bases in the surrounding area, the most important of which was the mining base in the north, a stronghold providing vital mineral resources to the Self-Defense Forces.

In October, multiple Federation army groups launched a relentless offensive, particularly the land fleets equipped with giant cannons, which resembled a pack of destructive armored dinosaurs. In response, the Self-Defense Forces continuously dispatched troops to harass and counterattack, sabotaging road and rail systems along the way and destroying various small and medium-sized cities.

Christian's 18th Division also participated in numerous sorties during this period.

The Federation forces finally halted in November, encountering the Self-Defense Forces' fortified defensive lines for a final resupply and rest.

The Federal Army also concentrated its forces across various locations, preparing for the final battle in Europe.

The Federal Army numbered three million, with tens of thousands of various combat vehicles, while the Federal Army alone numbered nine hundred thousand, including nine hundred mobile aircraft—a scale no less impressive than the week-long battles of the early stages of the war.

The Federal Army's assembly and preliminary skirmishes took a full month. By this point, not only the generals on both sides, but even the lowest-ranking soldier on the front lines understood the immense scale of the impending war and its decisive impact on the overall situation.

At 6:00 AM on November 7th, the battle finally broke out. Thousands of Federation combat aircraft took off one after another. Besides the main force of fighters, attack aircraft, and transport planes, there were also support aircraft such as early warning aircraft, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, and aerial refueling aircraft.

Simultaneously, tens of thousands of artillery pieces fired simultaneously along the entire defensive line, releasing hundreds of thousands of shells, creating a scene of earth-shattering chaos.

Among them, Christian's 18th Division, as a reserve force, was ready to attack at any moment.

Watching the friendly forces take off one after another to meet the attack, Christian thought that with such a massive force, they would surely be able to successfully defend Odessa. However, he was unaware that compared to the nearly two thousand Self-Defense Force combat aircraft, the Federation forces outnumbered them by more than three times.

After sending Christian to the battlefield, Alim and the other family members took refuge in an underground air-raid shelter. She didn't pray for either side to win the war; she only hoped that Christian would return to her alive and healthy, and for the safety of the child in her womb.

Alim stroked her increasingly swollen belly, which was just over a month away from giving birth. The weather was getting colder, and the situation was becoming increasingly turbulent. Would this child, born in the midst of war, be happy in the future?

Soon, violent tremors came from the ground, and bombers dropped thousands of bombs, carrying out carpet bombing.

Intense aerial combat raged repeatedly, with planes exploding into fireballs in mid-air and others plummeting to the ground in plumes of black smoke, their engines destroyed and pilots killed. Thick black smoke dotted the flames of battle, and occasionally, pilots would eject, their pristine white parachutes unfurling.

Christian had witnessed all of this throughout the morning from his heavily fortified position. Beside his Zaku, a 40mm anti-aircraft gun had been firing continuously for the entire morning, the spent shell casings piling up into a small mountain.

This was the third Zaku Christian had piloted. And so far, he had destroyed an astonishing two hundred tanks.

To break through the Self-Defense Forces' fortified defenses, the Federal Army, in addition to a direct assault using sheer numbers, also deployed paratroopers and air cavalry divisions. This included the Wild Wolves' forces.

Even the Wild Wolves, accustomed to large-scale operations, rarely had the opportunity to conduct such a large-scale airborne assault. Throughout the Odessa theater, various paratroopers, air cavalry divisions, and special forces numbered over 100,000—equivalent to one-ninth of the Self-Defense Forces.

At noon, the 18th Division was ordered to clear out the Federal Army's airborne troops. For Christian, it was another encounter with that annoying fellow; for the Wild Wolves, it was a long-awaited moment of revenge.

The division the Wild Wolves were tasked with assisting had not only captured several bridges but also part of a city with a population of 500,000.

As usual, Wild Wolf, rifle in hand, led his men in a charge, exchanging fire with the Self-Defense Force infantry.

"Is this another of those damned fate's arrangements? The airbase where I lost an eye is only thirty kilometers away," Wild Wolf said casually, his gun accurately killing a Self-Defense Force soldier.

Meanwhile, Christian was ordered to attack a bridge. He, along with the Tilly and Finney sisters, waded across the river using a Zaku, then launched an attack from both ends of the bridge with their allies.

The Federal troops defending the bridge retaliated with missiles aimed at the vehicles.

Despite the vast disparity in strength, the Federal troops showed no signs of discouragement. Under Christian's fierce attack, most of the hundred-plus defenders were killed. The armored units of the Imperial Guard then quickly crossed the bridge and began their assault on the city, setting the stage for a brutal street battle.

Throughout the city's streets and alleys, infantry from both sides fought house to house, often engaging in hand-to-hand combat.

Wild Wolf also led a fierce counterattack, infiltrating enemy lines to conduct sniping and ambushes.

At this time, Christian's squad was assigned to support an infantry battalion. The battalion commander sat on Zaku's hand, discussing the upcoming battle plan with Christian.

"Bang!"

At the same time as the gunshot, the battalion commander's head exploded, blood and brain matter staining Christian.

If he were still a recruit, his legs would have been trembling with fear, but Christian was a seasoned veteran. He quickly retreated to the cockpit and closed the door.

"Bang!" The second shot struck the closed door.

"Found an interesting target! To meet again on the vast battlefield, kid, is it my good luck or your bad luck?" Wild Wolf sneered as he put away his sniper rifle. He didn't regret choosing to shoot the officer without even seeing his face; there would be plenty of opportunities for revenge.

Before Christian could give the order, Tilly and Finney realized the sniper fire was coming from the rooftop where Wild Wolf was, and immediately opened fire in that direction with their new 90mm machine guns.

Wild Wolf didn't foolishly descend the stairs step by step. He jumped into the hole he'd blown open earlier, landing on the next level. Using pre-installed steel cables, he slid down to the adjacent building via rollers and a hoist.

Behind him, bullets had already turned his previous spot into an inferno. The building, engulfed in flames, tilted and swayed before quickly collapsing.

Reaching safety, Wild Wolf took the fiber optic phone from the communications officer.

His adjutant, Inge, appeared on the fluorescent screen. Since the rape he'd committed against her, their relationship had been strained. Wild Wolf had no shortage of opportunities to get close to Kaori, but he'd also nearly been killed by Inge several times.

"My dear Inger, I've caught the guy who made me lose an eye, and now I need your help."

"Do you think I'm some woman you can order around at will? I don't have time for your personal vendetta. Go to hell!"

"You're getting more and more shrewish and unfeminine. Let me vent my anger with my milk."

"I'll shove a pistol into your mouth sooner or later and blow your dog mouth off." Inger unilaterally hung up.

Wild Wolf dialed again, and before Inger could hang up, he urgently said, "Enough with the jokes! Dealing with the elite of the Self-Defense Forces will save many of our soldiers, won't it? This isn't just about my personal vendetta, it's also about the greater good of the Federation."

Inger ultimately accepted Wild Wolf's proposal.

Next, Christian's squad, coordinated with artillery, launched an attack from the Guard to capture an area fortified by the Federation with tanks and infantry. First, they bombarded the area with artillery, then used Zaku's machine guns to mow down the remaining buildings. They then attacked with incendiary bombs, followed by infantry reinforcements.

After the initial barrage, most of the buildings in the area collapsed and burst into flames. Federation tanks scrambled out of the streets, fleeing to other areas.

At this point, the infantry battalion decided to change plans, boldly pursuing the Zaku as the vanguard.

"But there might be traps," Christian protested.

"You guys go ahead anyway," the incoming infantry battalion commander insisted.

This was quite frustrating for Christian, as the city was riddled with traps. There were traps for dealing with mobile suits, tanks, and infantry. For an infantry battalion, having a Zaku lead the charge was always safer than sending infantry.

A few bullets could kill an infantryman, and even if a Zaku was damaged, it wouldn't be completely destroyed.

Christian's objection wasn't just for the team's safety; losing a Zaku because of traps was far more costly than losing infantry.

"I'll lead the way. Tilly, you'll cover the rear. Finney will snipe."

With infantry at their feet and tanks behind them, Christian's squad advanced.

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