Chapter 3

The current batch of special training trainees, upon passing the assessment, were assigned to the Bermuda Star Region Military District.

Tian Kaiwen remained in the special training unit for another half-year. After comprehensively mastering mechanical maintenance knowledge, he was preferentially recommended by the colonel to his old acquaintance, the chief of logistics general staff of the Atlantis Star Region Military District. Subsequently, Tian Kaiwen joined the 1st Squad of the Logistics Squadron of the 3rd Armored Battalion of the 5th Armored Division in the Galileo Galaxy, which belonged to the Atlantis Star Region, and became a newly enlisted corporal.

At the outset, Tian Kaiwen was rather smug. After all, he had emerged from the special training unit. Moreover, having undergone special training in both the scout battalion and the mechanical maintenance battalion, and with the colonel's recommendation, he directly became a corporal, one rank higher than other privates who graduated from the special training unit. After being assigned to the company, the squad leader of the 1st Squad of the Logistics Squadron was also merely a corporal.

However, his good fortune ended there...

Three days after Tian Kaiwen reported for duty, the Gacharin Empire launched a full-scale invasion of the Atlantis Star Region of the Leray Democratic Federation, and war broke out. Within half a year, the four colonized planets in the Galileo Galaxy successfully fell. He retreated with the remnants of the 5th Division to Milock II, only to be encircled by the Newton Front Army of the imperial forces and the pursuing Galileo Front Army. After finally managing to board a vessel of the 9th Division, he was dispatched by a command from the High Command to Milock Star to participate in its defense.

The imperial forces managed to land on Milock Star within a week.

Then, this portly fellow, who was considered by his superiors to have a knack for fleeing, was sent to this advanced position to assist in mecha maintenance.

And then the imperial forces launched an attack.

He didn't even have time to catch his breath!

At present, Tian Kaiwen could only focus on fleeing for his life.

Running on two human legs in a race against mechas, Tian Kaiwen was filled with anger and fear. Even if he ran at top speed, he could only manage around 20 kilometers per hour, which was a classic case of the tortoise and the horse compared to mechas. The only consolation was that, due to their large size, mechas had difficulty navigating through the jungle. And survival in the jungle and eluding the enemy were among Tian Kaiwen's forests. Moreover, he was merely a logistics maintenance soldier. Who would be interested in specifically hunting him down?

Climbing up a large tree, Tian Kaiwen carefully observed the situation on the battlefield. If those twelve multi-legged federal land combat mechas, resembling cockroaches, could break away from the battlefield, Tian Kaiwen wouldn't mind following them in secret and withdrawing together. Of course, a smooth retreat would be ideal. If they encountered a small number of enemy troops, at least he could rely on this not-inconsiderable force. If they met a large number of enemies, Tian Kaiwen would vanish without a trace, like a tiny star beside the sun.

The focus of the battle converged on the hillock that Tian Kaiwen had just left. Two federal [Honor 15] land combat mechas had rushed towards the hillock first. The following imperial [Holy Armor 22] single-soldier mechas of a squadron were like a swarm of frenzied bees. Some formed a skirmish line and continuously charged at the two [Honor 15], while others activated their high-speed propulsion rockets and made a detour around the hillock, completely disregarding the fact that being in the air for an extended period would make them easy targets for the [Honor 15].

The federal forces were in a precarious situation. Unable to break free from the enemy's entanglement in the front and with the high ground in the rear about to be controlled, the battle was on the verge of being lost. Only by seizing control of the small hillock and relying on this defensive point could most of the mechas break away from the battle.

There was complete silence in the headset.

"Damn it! Let's fight. We're going up on 2119. Brothers, take care of our mothers for us."

A [Honor 15] closest to the hillock forcibly broke away from the battlefield without cover and dashed towards the top of the hillock.

The exposed L9-2119 immediately became the target of everyone's attack. In just a few hundred meters, its defensive shield turned red, indicating extreme danger.

"2119, you son of a bitch, get back here."

"Fire! Fire!"

"Let's go, guys. We can't let 2119 die before us."

"There are no cowards in the Leray Federation."

"Boys, are we warriors?"

"We are!"

And!

"We always have been!!"

All the federal [Honor 15] mechas let out a resounding roar. They simultaneously charged out of the position. The rotary energy autocannons on top of the mechas are fired at full capacity. At the same time, their energy-defensive shields rapidly turned light red. This meant that to cover 2119, these machines unhesitatingly adjusted the energy valve to the maximum for attack, completely sacrificing their protective shields that were crucial for survival.

"Ha, ha, this is really damn exciting. Take this, Gacharin bitches."

"Little imperial fleas, let me teach you a lesson."

"This missile is for your mother, and this one is for your father."

The imperial forces were caught off guard by the suddenly intensified firepower of the federal forces. The twelve charging red mechas were like twelve killing gods leaping out of hell, their bodies glowing red, brandishing deadly scythes, and the missiles they launched were like a dense meteor shower.

"L9- 2108, fire at the dense enemy area in the 1 o'clock direction!"

"L9-2117, advance!"

"L9-2121, advance!"

"L9-2119, keep going! Guys, we're almost there."

"L9- 2110, advance!"

"L9: 2111, screw you, 2119. That place is mine."

"L9- 2106, charge up there. Don't fall behind those bastards."

"L9 - 2133, advance."

"L9-2129, brothers, let's go."

"L9 - 2101, advance!"

Tian Kaiwen, perched on the tree, trembled uncontrollably. Goosebumps instantly covered his skin. He himself didn't know whether this was due to excitement or fear. He only knew that he would never forget the scene before him. A [Honor 15] with its defensive shield reduced to red was charging frantically towards the hill, while two other mechas that had given up their defensive energy were desperately intercepting the swarming imperial mechas. Nine other mechas that had also sacrificed their defensive energy were pouring out overdriven firepower while approaching the hill, drawing the enemy's fire.

"Advance! [Honor 15]!"

The twelve [Honor 15] land combat mechas played a resounding charge with their intense firepower and flowing blood, a charge that echoed to the sky.

The sudden counterattack of the [Honor 15] land combat mechas caught the imperial forces off guard. Although they had an advantage in numbers, they were all single-soldier mechas. Apart from their agility, these machines had no advantage whatsoever against medium-sized machines. One directly hitting missile or two energy cannon shots could easily destroy a [Holy Armor 22].

Watching one [Holy Armor 22] after another explode into fireballs under the frenzied firepower coverage of the federal forces, the firepower advantage that the imperial forces had initially enjoyed due to their numerical superiority was gradually slipping away. Now the ratio of the number of mechas on both sides has reached 5:1. That is to say, there were only about sixty imperial single-soldier mechas left with attack capabilities, and after a long-time battle, the five light-weight missiles that each [Holy Armor 22] could carry had been almost exhausted. The battlefield reserve firepower had dropped to a very dangerous level. Without missiles, relying on the two onboard machine guns could only tickle the federal [Honor 15].

The life-for-life combat style of the [Honor 15] struck fear into the hearts of the imperial forces. The losses were increasing rapidly, and one imperial single-soldier machine after another, in a panic, was hit. Panic was spreading uncontrollably among the imperial forces. The imperial forces within the firepower coverage of the federal forces didn't even dare to raise their heads and were scrambling to find bomb craters or obstacles to hide behind.

War is a very strange thing.