Preemptive Strike II

This colossal transport plane was the latest stealth carrier jointly developed by Victoria Corporation and Bromm Company. Though impressive, it lacked the terrifying cloaking capabilities of the Giant's Dagger fighter. The dagger's stealth technology was otherworldly, almost alien—so advanced it defied imagination.

By contrast, this stealth transport, dubbed the "Fat Pig," looked far more terrestrial, resembling a conventional Earth-bound cargo aircraft.

Upon receiving orders from the command center, the pilot opened the rear cargo hatch.

A shadow emerged. Once the hatch swung wide, the grinning Stray Dog appeared on screen, equipped with an unusual apparatus on his back. He glanced over his fellow mech warriors inside the cabin and chuckled, "Let's seize this military base… Oh, and our squad needs a name. How about 'Tough Guys'? That fits us—we're all tough as nails… Tough Guys, charge!"

The dozen or so mech warriors inside roared with excitement: "Tough Guys, charge!"

Stray Dog was the first to leap from the hatch, diving like a soaring bird from ten thousand meters in the clear blue sky, hurtling swiftly toward the earth.

Behind him, the mech warriors began their own leaps from the cargo bay.

Each bore a similarly shaped box-like device on their backs—strangely fascinating.

As their descent accelerated, at an altitude of one thousand meters above the military base, Stray Dog's targeting assist system locked onto the armored vehicles below. Suddenly, twin folded metal wings sprung from his box, and two nozzle-like thrusters at its base ignited with a thunderous roar, spewing twin blue flames.

Instantly, Stray Dog executed a sharp course correction.

At this height, the blaring alarms inside the base signaled radar detection. Several surface-to-air missile launchers swiveled and locked onto the intruders.

Yet each mech warrior was equipped with individual flight units, darting chaotically through the air at breathtaking speed.

Missiles launched in rapid succession.

But the moment the missiles fired, Stray Dog's targeting system locked onto them. His chest armor flared open as he unleashed a volley of miniature missiles.

Over the comms, Stray Dog commanded, "I'll cover you—descend quickly!"

"Understood…"

"Tough Guys! Tough Guys! Tough Guys!" The squad rapidly descended toward the ground.

All the incoming missiles were effortlessly intercepted and destroyed by Stray Dog's precision counterattack.

The first mech warrior to land gazed at the nearby missile launch vehicles, momentarily stunned. "Oh my god… so many missiles…"

"Stop gawking! Our mission is to destroy those command vehicles—move, move!" Snatching up an enhanced assault rifle, the mech soldier dashed forward.

The others landed swiftly and charged their targets. Alliance soldiers, clutching rifles, opened fire on the descending mech warriors.

Yet their bullets bounced harmlessly off the warriors' armor.

The mech warriors, however, were a different breed. Their armor integrated weapon targeting assistance, and their marksmanship was supernatural. They quickly approached a missile command vehicle, flung open its door, and bellowed inside, "Everyone out! All of you, get out! Rebels will be executed on sight!"

Stray Dog landed amid the chaos, watching his Tough Guys squad seize one missile command vehicle after another, a faint smile crossing his lips. "Gather all prisoners on the open ground…"

"Roger!" a mech warrior barked. Facing a group of surrendered Alliance soldiers, he shouted, "Hands up over your heads! Move to the assembly point, now! Or I'll send you straight to hell!"

Stray Dog looked on with satisfaction as his squad rounded up the Alliance troops in the missile base like a pack of shepherd dogs corralling a massive flock.

Then, Stray Dog contacted command: "Reporting to command center: missile base secured."

"Copy that…" Rice was still reeling from earlier shocks, now further stunned by how swiftly the missile base fell. This base was the most perilous target; neither armored vehicles nor fighters could enter its radar perimeter without triggering a missile salvo. That was why Xiao Feng had conceived the idea of equipping the mech warriors with personal flight units—to swiftly penetrate the missile base and seize command vehicles.

Rice shook his head, acknowledging Xiao Feng's strategy had succeeded once more. He picked up his communicator and ordered, "Fat Pig Two, commence deployment…"

Meanwhile, another Fat Pig stealth transport slowly descended from the clouds, lowering altitude until reaching jump height. Its rear hatch opened, and a multitude of X Legion soldiers sprinted out, leaping into the sky.

Lin and Thunder Eye shouted wildly, clearly reveling in the rush of freefall, though they wouldn't simply land unassisted.

Countless white parachutes blossomed across the sky. Stray Dog watched them with a triumphant grin.

Minutes later, all the X Legion soldiers had touched down.

They were no ordinary infantry—they were Brada's missile troops.

As for Lin and Thunder Eye, their mission was to reprogram the missile control systems. After landing, Thunder Eye shed his parachute and charged toward a missile command vehicle. Lin followed closely; while his role might be minor in the assault, he had received identical orders from Xiao Feng and K: protect Thunder Eye at all costs.

Once inside the command vehicle, Thunder Eye unpacked three computers from his chest backpack.

Lin assisted in installing the machines and integrating them with the command vehicle's systems. Thunder Eye cracked his knuckles. "Lin, count down from ten…"

Lin smirked, "If you're full of hot air, you'll be dead."