Chapter 10, Dead End

Mike shook his head and said, "Ultimately, you are still a civilian. If you were my soldier, I would not let you leave." Tang Long wanted to say something more, but Mike firmly stopped him: "You have done well enough. Goodbye, Captain Tang Long. I hope we can meet again."

The correspondent looked at Mike with some surprise and stammered, "Colonel, we, we... have not received any response from Major General Fashir"

I know. "Fashal did not even look at him, crossing his arms over his shoulders, he said.

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Before he could finish speaking, suddenly, the throat of a creature below swelled, and then its mouth opened wide, spraying a thick stream of green liquid directly onto the hovering transport aircraft. The immense impact caused the aircraft to tilt sharply, emitting a piercing warning sound, as the pilot desperately grasped the side lever and pulled upward. Others also began to spray this liquid, and the transport aircraft flew erratically like a butterfly caught in the rain, becoming increasingly difficult to control. The immense impact caused the aircraft to tilt sharply, emitting a piercing warning sound, as the pilot desperately grasped the side lever and pulled upward. Others also began to spray this liquid, and the transport aircraft flew erratically like a butterfly caught in the rain, becoming increasingly difficult to control. Suddenly, the central audio system issued a warning: "Attention, pressure dropping, seal chamber leaking, attention, seal chamber leaking!"

"Yes, Major," the correspondent's face turned pale, and he stammered, "We... we have been trying to contact... but the radio remains silent... there is no response..."

"Commander, why haven't you taken off your protective suit yet?" the transport aircraft pilot inquired. Tang Long was still wearing the protective suit while seated in the cockpit, making the already small cockpit feel exceptionally cramped

"If," Mike said, with a heavy heart, "if they attack again, will our robots be able to withstand it?"

"This is impossible," Fashir murmured, bewildered. "They cannot appear without any warning; this, this is impossible!"

The transport aircraft carrying the wounded soldiers took off from the ground, soaring into the sky with a roar

Have you tried other channels

"The current situation is dire," Mike said, looking at all his officers. "We do not know what kind of attacks we will face next."

Tang Long looked at the grenade in Mike's hand. Blood flowed from Mike's head down to his chest, yet his eyes remained so clear. "Tang Long," he suddenly asked, "do you have any family?" Tang Long shook his head

"General!" Suddenly, a terrified voice came from the observation post, as if something dreadful had occurred. "General, behind us, behind us!" he shouted desperately, as if losing his mind, "The fleet, it's the fleet, behind us, they are behind us!"

Mike took a breath and suddenly asked, "Will they attack again?"

"You can take a look for yourself," Mike's voice was somewhat hoarse as he handed the binoculars to Tang Long. Tang Long took the binoculars and gazed at the sky. It was supposed to be the anchorage of Fashier's fleet, but now, there was nothing, just an empty sky. Fashier and his crew had left the high orbit, yet they did not appear in the low orbit; they had simply vanished, as if they had never been there at all, leaving the people on the ground waiting for the slaughter by unknown ferocious creatures. Tang Long's heart felt as if it had fallen into a freezer.

These were giant armed machines emerging from the base for rescue operations. A terrifying weapon created by humanity, standing three meters tall, bipedal, operated by one driver, one fire control officer, and one communicator. Its left arm is equipped with a rapid-fire cannon, while its right arm features a six-barreled machine gun, serving as the main assault force in close combat. At this moment, twelve armed robots slowly advanced, occasionally spewing flames from their massive mechanical arms, forming a powerful firepower net. The soldier bees were caught off guard by this sudden attack, rushing towards the giant robots, but were suppressed by the artillery fire, screaming and frantically jumping around, at a loss, before being blown to pieces. At this moment, twelve armed robots slowly advanced, occasionally spewing flames from their massive mechanical arms, forming a powerful firepower net. The soldier bees were caught off guard by this sudden attack, rushing towards the giant robots, but were suppressed by the artillery fire, screaming and frantically jumping around, at a loss, before being blown to pieces.

Fashel inwardly cursed his bad luck and could only urgently order all fleet units to swiftly disengage from their original orbits and return to a higher orbit with more tactical advantages. The unidentified fleet that appeared at this moment could only be the armed forces of the Os Alliance; if Fashel was not mistaken, it should be the fleet of Rear Admiral Anji. The situation was extremely unfavorable. Fashel had wasted a significant amount of precious time maneuvering between low and high orbits, making it impossible to organize a defense. By the time Anji's fleet appeared, Fashel no longer had the time to launch a surprise attack to gain the upper hand, just as he had done when he served as an advisor to the fleet in the Red Matrix.

However, after contacting Mike, Fashir had no choice but to provide some support to that loyal Marine veteran; otherwise, the ground search operations could not be effectively carried out. In the end, weighing the pros and cons, Fashir had to steel himself, set up numerous observation posts, and then decided to maneuver to a low orbit. This would take some time, but before their second communication time arrived, Fashir's massive high-speed warship should appear above Mike and the others. He had a bad feeling, sensing that something was amiss, yet he ultimately issued the order to change course. This would take some time, but before their second communication time arrived, Fashir's massive high-speed warship should appear above Mike and the others. He had a bad feeling, sensing that something was amiss, yet he ultimately issued the order to change course.

"What?" Fashier's face suddenly turned bright red, then pale white. "Why was there no warning?"

Quickly, Mike regained the calmness of a soldier, which, in Tang Long's view, was even somewhat cold. He convened a brief meeting

The transport aircraft flew along the surface of the star, searching for traces of the fleet. Soon, they left the command center's line of sight. Tang Long looked down; the planet's surface was desolate and barren, devoid of any signs of life. It was hard to discern that such fierce creatures were hidden beneath this calm exterior. Tang Long was unaware of how many secrets lay concealed beneath this small planet; perhaps contact with these unknown beings could alter the fate of humanity. He recalled the words of the first astronaut to set foot on the moon: a small step for an individual may be a giant leap for mankind.

"General, the enemy ships have begun to move," the observation post reported

Do you understand women? I can only regret that I will never know the thoughts of women until death.

Then let's resolve it on the battleship the driver said solemnly

General, I am transmitting the image to you. I have never seen anything like this before

That is not a soldier bee. It is a new species. It also has a shell, but lacks limbs, possessing only a long body that resembles a centipede, yet without legs. They writhe on the ground with their bodies, and their heads are extraordinarily large. The outline of their heads is very distinct, revealing a huge mouth that seems to be dripping with slime, along with small red eyes that appear very malicious. The arrival of the transport aircraft clearly startled them; they all raised their bodies, twisting their heads like frightened snakes, gazing at the human aircraft in the sky. The outline of their heads is very distinct, revealing a huge mouth that seems to be dripping with slime, along with small red eyes that appear very malicious. The arrival of the transport aircraft clearly startled them; they all raised their bodies, twisting their heads like frightened snakes, gazing at the human aircraft in the sky. What type could this be? Tang Long looked on in astonishment; it was evident that the types of these creatures were very diverse, not limited to worker bees and soldier bees. What variety is this, and what purpose does it serve? Tang Long could not ascertain.

Fashel once suggested to Li Fa that the fleet from Li Fa's Red Matrix Galaxy maintain pressure on the borders of the Os Alliance to restrain Os's armed forces, allowing the C Group fleet to operate without concerns. However, this suggestion was outright rejected by Li Fa. Li Fa was unwilling to take any provocative actions, fearing that it would further escalate the situation. Seeing that he could not persuade Li Fa, Fashel had no choice but to carry this concern with him as he executed his mission. Li Fa was unwilling to take any provocative actions, fearing that it would further escalate the situation. Seeing that he could not persuade Li Fa, Fashel had no choice but to carry this concern with him as he executed his mission

Mike listened intently, his face lighting up with excitement. Another explosion sounded, followed by another; at first, they were sparse, but soon they came in rapid succession, dense like the onset of a heavy rain. Tang Long also heard the dull thud of machine guns, pouring down around them like raindrops. The ground trembled as if some enormous creature were moving beneath it.

"General, it's not the fleet... I... my God! I don't know what that is! It's too strange... too, too..." The excited and incoherent words came from the observation post, and Fashir suspected that this soldier had been so frightened that he was starting to babble.

Mike tore the communicator away and shouted into the microphone: "This is Major Mike, we are under attack, the situation is critical, the situation is dire. Repeat, we are under attack, please respond, please respond!" All that came through the microphone was the noise of electronic interference. Mike, in a frenzy, rushed out of the monitoring room and burst out of the command center. Tang Long followed closely behind. He saw Mike looking despondently at the sky, blood streaming from his head, staining his helmet red, making it difficult for Tang Long to discern his expression. Mike rushed out of the monitoring room and burst out of the command center. Tang Long followed closely behind. He saw Mike looking despondently at the sky, blood streaming from his head, staining his helmet red, making it difficult for Tang Long to discern his expression.

Where is it, I can't see! Tang Long fumbled around, unsure which button to press. The driver, summoning all his strength, pressed a red button on Tang Long's seat. A burst of red flames shot out from the seat. The sunroof opened, and Tang Long was ejected out. The driver tilted his head and collapsed in the cockpit. The transport aircraft crashed to the ground with a loud bang, resulting in an explosion. A massive shockwave, accompanied by intense heat, struck Tang Long, who had been ejected, and the powerful shockwave caused him to lose consciousness. The parachute opened with a whoosh, the seat's braking mechanism ignited again, slowing the descent, and the soft landing airbags deployed, protecting Tang Long. At that moment, Tang Long was completely unaware, plunged into a deep unconsciousness.

"Quick, put on the protective suit! Quick, put on the protective suit!" Tang Long screamed. But it was already too late; the transport aircraft was corroded in various places, and the air burst through the cracks under the pressure in the cabin. In no time, there was no air left inside the transport aircraft. The pilot struggled and said painfully, "Hurry, Lieutenant... eject... eject..."

"What?" Tang Long asked, looking down at hetushucomcom. Perhaps they had discovered the attacking soldier bees again. The transport aircraft flew a little lower, and Tang Long saw many creatures moving. His heart stirred as he contemplated how to notify Mike to be on guard. The transport aircraft descended further, hovering above those creatures. Tang Long observed closely, sensing something was amiss, and furrowed his brow. His heart stirred again as he considered how to alert Mike to be vigilant. The transport aircraft flew even lower, circling above those creatures. Tang Long scrutinized them, feeling that something was not right, and frowned.

"I suggest," a captain hesitated to say, "Major Mike should board the transport plane..." Everyone expressed their agreement. Mike frowned and said, "I should spank you until your backside is bruised. When have I ever left everyone behind? Don't say such insulting things about my character."

No," Mike said, "We are retreating. The casualties are extremely severe. Immediately rescue the wounded, form a circular defense, maintain vigilance during movement, and we will return to the command post.

"It's stuck," Tang Long said, "Damn it, I can't get it off."

The left-wing fleet is moving to the left, detaching from the main fleet!" He commanded again. A plan gradually formed in Fashier's mind. Initially, he had mobilized high-speed warships to adopt a more flexible and maneuverable tactical strike against the enemy. His intention was to have the central group of warships advance to the enemy's defensive front, and then deliver a fierce yet brief bombardment against the enemy. This strike would entice the enemy's flanks to contract towards the center, and then, utilizing the speed of the high-speed warships, quickly disengage, continuing to lure the enemy into pursuit. Subsequently, the left-wing fleet would break through the enemy's already contracted flanks and maneuver to their rear, launching an attack from the enemy's most vulnerable rear.

No quantum wave interference detected

"Sir," the driver suddenly said, "there are some things below."

Hello, Major. A voice came through Mike's communication channel, "The giant armed robot has completed its warm-up and is now on its way to provide support"

From the depths of his heart, Fashir did not wish to maneuver his fleet into a low orbit around the planet. He was always concerned about the threat posed by the Os Alliance. The fleet of the Os Alliance could potentially advance into this region at any moment; if that were to happen, his fleet would be left vulnerable in low orbit, subject to attack. It is a military axiom that fleets in low-altitude orbits are at a significant geographical disadvantage. According to intelligence from the fleet of the Red Matrix Galaxy, the Os Alliance has dispatched a fleet to replace the one that was annihilated, with the flagship "Angel's Wing" and Vice Admiral Anji as the supreme commander, to fill the power vacuum along the Os Alliance's borders. Vice Admiral Anji's reputation is quite formidable; many of the classic battles studied by Fashir during his time in school were conducted by this legendary general. If you are his ally, he will provide you with the strongest and most reliable support; however, if you are his enemy, he will deliver the most terrifying blows. No one wishes to be an enemy of such a person

"She will be proud of you," said Tang Long

Suddenly, a whistling sound erupted, followed by a tremendous explosion that rang in Tang Long's ears, causing them to buzz incessantly. Tang Long initially thought a grenade had exploded, only to realize he was unharmed. Looking at Mike, he saw the grenade still firmly gripped in his hand

At present, the only course of action is to establish contact with Major General Fashir. We are unaware of what has transpired with the fleet, and it may also be quite dire. Mike continued, while Tu Shu pressed a piece of gauze against his head.

At this moment, Fashier also encountered trouble, significant trouble

Meanwhile, Fashir, who was unaware of everything happening on the ground, was also somewhat hesitant.

"I am so glad to hear your voice," Mike said joyfully, "like the voice of heaven; we almost made it there."

Fashir commanded with composure, and no one noticed his anxiety. His Marines were still anxiously awaiting his support, unable to see the fleet and unaware of what might happen. However, Fashir considered himself someone who understood the importance of trade-offs; for the greater good, he had to sacrifice local interests. He reassured himself, thinking that perhaps they were in no danger at all, simply strolling around that small planet, wandering aimlessly, doing nothing. Nevertheless, Fashir remained very concerned for those Marines; it was merely his intuition, a latent awareness. Until now, his intuition had been remarkably accurate.

"Damn it!" the driver cursed, "We're about to lose control, prepare for an emergency landing, prepare for an emergency landing!" Tang Long watched in horror as the green liquid clinging to the windshield began to corrode the high-strength fiberglass.

Received, Commander. The messenger closed the communication channel, and Tang Long heard their heavy footsteps as they moved, reminiscent of ancient dinosaurs

The three-dimensional images were soon transmitted in. The screen displayed numerous enormous spaceships

Everyone nodded in agreement. Tang Long tried to unfasten his protective suit, but it seemed to be stuck, and he could not get it off no matter what.

The quantum wave interference has disappeared at a distance of fifteen thousand miles from our position. The observation post continued to report. At the same time, a three-dimensional image was transmitted, and everyone in the command room saw large groups of ships slowly emerging. Angel's Wing, the flagship of Anji's fleet. Fashier thought nervously and suddenly commanded: "Fleet assemble, tight formation"

What? Mike could hardly believe his ears, "It is already time to make contact."

"Commander," the transport aircraft pilot said, "let's fly a bit higher; these things look..."

"We are saved, Tang Long, we are saved!" Mike suddenly revealed a hint of a smile and said, "It is a giant armed robot!"

In the three-dimensional imagery, Admiral Anji's fleet is gradually converging, with the right wing moving towards the center. However, the left wing is expanding outward, creating an asymmetrical formation. It is as beautiful as an angel extending one wing while folding the other. Clearly, Admiral Anji has seen through his ruse; upon discovering that Fashier's left wing has vanished, he immediately adopts an unconventional and equally creative defensive posture. Fashier cannot help but admire Admiral Anji's talent, as he easily sees through Fashier's minor tricks, rendering the threat of Fashier's fleet nonexistent. Fashier mistakenly believes that there are no such talents within the Dorrus Alliance, apart from himself.

Tang Long understood what he was referring to and said, "Perhaps, I also hope they grow tired of it."

"I won't either," Mike said, saluting Tang Long before turning to leave. Tang Long watched as Mike's slender and upright figure gradually disappeared into the distance, his eyes becoming somewhat blurred. Tang Long understood that the history of humanity is always ruthless; however, this ruthless history is always written by those flesh-and-blood individuals with emotions, by those who dare to sacrifice, who are brave, and who act even when they know it is futile.

Tang Long was at a loss for words. Mike silently observed Tang Long for a while, unable to discern an answer, and began searching for the grenade safety he had discarded. The grenade was still tightly gripped in his hand. They had once again narrowly escaped death, and it was truly uncertain how long such good fortune could last

"General," a staff officer said cautiously, "a dense formation is prone to being targeted."

Fashel is currently in no mood to appreciate these. In front of him is the armed fleet of the Dorrus Alliance, and behind him is some terrifying non-human fleet. Perhaps this beautiful ship also possesses deadly destructive capabilities. At this moment, Fashel feels that he has been driven to a dead end

The messenger said, "Sir, shall we continue the pursuit?"

The facts always prove that Fashier is an exceptionally capable commander with considerable foresight. When the C Group's high-speed fleet was moving towards the planet's low orbit, a distant observation station suddenly issued a message: "Quantum wave interference detected, with significant mass, estimated to be the fleet."

"I will definitely do so," Tang Long said, "I will not give up on you"

We have tried all methods

They appear smooth, elegant, and exude a mysterious blue sheen. The radiance pulsates as if it possesses life, with the massive ships gently closing like three shells, resembling unopened roses, so beautiful that they reach the highest realm of the fusion of aesthetics and machinery. These ships resemble unparalleled works of art, embodying a beauty unimaginable to any human artist, evoking a sense of inexplicable awe and reverence, while also instilling a profound sense of inferiority. They are not products of humanity, but rather creations of technology that surpass humanity by hundreds or thousands of times! These ships resemble unparalleled works of art, embodying a beauty unimaginable to any human artist, evoking a sense of inexplicable awe and reverence, while also instilling a profound sense of inferiority. They are not products of humanity, but rather creations of technology that surpass humanity by hundreds or thousands of times! They are the pinnacle crystallization of the combination of aesthetics and mechanical technology!

Fashel nodded, and Tang Long knew that once Mike released his grip, the grenade would explode, leading to their mutual destruction along with these creatures

***

The towering spire of the base finally came into view for Tang Long and the others. Mike and his team collectively let out a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of safety for the first time. The giant armed robots provided cover for these battered soldiers as they entered the command center. As soon as Mike entered the monitoring room, he immediately issued an order: "Quick, contact the fleet, we are facing an emergency, hurry!"

Mike smiled and said, "I also have some regrets, and that is my lovely little daughter, who is four years old. Unfortunately, she will not be able to see her father."

"Commander," the communications officer of the giant robot said solemnly, "Heaven will not accept you; you can only descend into Hell."

Mike personally escorted Tang Long to the transport plane. In a moment of impulse, Tang Long said, "I will stay."

Tang Long smiled. These giant robot pilots are all highly educated engineers, who always speak in a serious manner, much like machines, yet they do not lack a sense of humor

"All the transport aircraft are with the fleet, only one spare is in the hangar." Fashir looked at everyone and said word by word: "I suggest we let all the injured board, under the command of Tang Long, to search for Fashir's fleet. Does anyone have any objections?" Everyone knew that Mike had left the chance of survival to the injured and Tang Long; as long as they left this place, they would be much safer, after all, the soldier bees could not attack aircraft.