Chapter 64: Desperate Survivors

In the twelfth district of the lower nest, over thirty thousand soldiers commanded by the Poison Spike congregated here, all that remained from the chaotic dimensional teleportation assault. 

After the Poison Spike invoked a ritual to unleash interference, communications faltered. Yet, the survivors remained buoyed by a newfound sense of hope, liberated from the fear of enemies emerging from dark corners. 

"Now is the time! Retreat!" 

"Execute the wounded; leave the enemy with no opportunity for interrogation!" 

Under the officers' directives, the survivors scrambled chaotically. Some were ordered to retreat while others were forced to stay behind and execute the injured. 

As the majority surged out of the streets towards the twelfth district's exit, those left behind to deal with the wounded grew impatient. They abandoned the notion of a quick execution with rifles and opted for their only available weapon—the incendiary grenade.

Once the injured had been dealt with, the retreat was anything but orderly. Some soldiers were deceived into taking a path opposite to the escape route, while certain officers were misled by their own men, left behind to provide cover. 

Nevertheless, they managed to leave the twelfth district, traversing the path leading from the lower to the upper nest. As the hope of escape drew nearer, smiles gradually appeared on the soldiers' faces.

Until, suddenly, a reconnaissance drone hovered ominously overhead.

"Aircraft! Aircraft!"

"We're done for!"

Panic erupted within the ranks until someone shouted through a megaphone, "The teleportation has been disrupted; they can't pursue us immediately!"

This voice soothed many, prompting the survivors to press onward.

They soon reached a clearing. 

Initially, those at the front halted, followed by those on either side. The soldiers at the rear, bewildered by the apparent folly of their companions, were finally alerted when they caught sight of energy rifts forming behind them. 

Numerous enemy forces materialized around the thirty thousand survivors—some alarmingly close, others farther away. Regardless of their proximity, they effectively sealed off any route of escape.

As Eiken led his regiment through the teleportation, he beheld the throng of survivors clustered together. They seemed utterly convinced that no further reinforcements would arrive, now standing frozen in a state of despair and fear, unsure of how to react.

"They look like a bunch of refugees," Duncan remarked over the communications channel.

"It appears we've only eliminated the vanguard so far; if their main forces arrive next, we'll be in for a tough fight."

"We'll deal with that when it comes. For now, let's take care of the immediate threat."

Listening to his comrades in the tank, Duncan gave the gunner a subtle nudge, signaling him to fire. 

The gunner nodded, aimed at the enemy, and unleashed the round.

As the shell flew beneath the drone generating a gravity shield, the shield momentarily flickered off, allowing the projectile to breach and explode amidst the enemy ranks. 

This was swiftly followed by fire from other tanks, with all newly arrived regiments joining the onslaught. 

Eiken realized that this battle resembled nothing short of a slaughter; the thirty thousand foes stood no chance, unable to find cover, either pierced by infantry-fired lasers or obliterated by artillery shells.

Once the execution concluded, Duncan's regiment, along with others, teleported back to the lower nest for regrouping.

…

Within the fortress, 

Having ceased charging the teleportation device, Qin Mo took a brief rest before conferring with Klein on their next steps. 

While they deliberated, Gray barged into the room, shoving a captive ahead of him and kicking him to his knees. 

"I've captured an enemy deserter," Gray announced. "He might provide us with valuable intelligence." 

Qin Mo immediately approached the captive, scrutinizing him carefully. 

The prisoner was a soldier from the Talon II planetary defense force, as indicated by the tag on his chest. His face bore a multitude of scars, evidently old wounds, marring his features. 

"Don't kill me…" he pleaded, kneeling at Qin Mo's feet. "I'll tell you whatever you wish to know." 

"You may be willing to tell me, but I find it hard to believe," Qin Mo replied, dismissing the words of a suspected heretic, even if they were true. 

"How shall we handle him?" Gray inquired. 

"I simply need him alive," Qin Mo replied, turning to retrieve a teleportation protection device from a nearby box, modifying it slightly before placing it on the captive.

As the dimensional teleportation commenced, the captive was sent into the dimensional corridor, collapsing onto the floor as he emerged on the other side. 

The device merely shielded his body, failing to safeguard his consciousness; although his vital signs persisted, he would remain forever in a state of unconsciousness. 

This was precisely what Qin Mo desired. He promptly fashioned a new device on the spot, connecting it to the captive's brain.

"So, we can access his memories now?" Gray asked. 

"Clever," Qin Mo said, adjusting the settings on the device before donning the powered armor helmet, commanding the air, "Read his mind."

This command was directed towards the main control intelligence. 

"What information do you wish to obtain?" the main control intelligence queried after swiftly processing the captive's memories. 

"What do you think I want to know?" Qin Mo retorted. 

"According to the retrieved data, Talon II is an industrial world where the faith of the Master of Wisdom has been prevalent for the past one hundred twenty years. David is the bishop of this sect." 

"No further information, such as population statistics, has been acquired since this captive is merely an ordinary soldier, privy only to details regarding the Master of Wisdom's sect." 

Upon hearing the main control intelligence's report, Qin Mo pondered briefly before asking, "What is the current situation on Talon III? Surely, they don't have the Master of Wisdom's sect there as well?" 

"There is no information on Talon III within the captive's mind." 

"Provide me with military intelligence." 

"Understood. Based on the data retrieved from the captive's mind, they participated in combat only as vanguards, with the objective of annihilating both us and the planetary defense forces of the Talon nest. Note: this objective is based solely on the captive's self-assessment upon receiving orders and is for reference only." 

After absorbing the military details, Qin Mo removed the powered armor helmet and took a seat, contemplating before addressing Klein, "Heresy has thrived on Talon II for some time now. Our star system is undeniably cursed; one rebel after another." 

"Oh, Emperor, how long must we endure this?" Klein lamented helplessly. 

Qin Mo remained silent. 

He could only hope that no heresy festered on the third planet of Talon, at least that no faith-based aberrations or similar monstrosities emerged. Otherwise, an interminable star-system-wide battle royale would commence, and it would be a truly relentless endeavor.

Yet Qin Mo would not place his hopes in prayers or luck; he resolved to study a weapon of extermination caliber to ultimately put an end to the ceaseless wars within the Talon star system.