Chapter 26 Escape Begins

Since the operation plan had already been determined, the long-term cultivated discipline made the Federation soldiers immediately stop all arguments. The two Major Combat Staff, the two Captain officers, and Colonel Pete automatically became the commanders of this temporary unit according to their ranks. More than two hundred Federation soldiers were divided into five squads. Among them, the third, fourth, and fifth squads were composed of soldiers from the Army Armored Division, who had rich experience in Mecha operation. The second squad was entirely composed of Land-based Air Force personnel. Although these pilots had been exposed to Mechas, their level was only limited to making Mechas move. However, due to the special training requirements for pilots, they had all received survival training behind enemy lines. They didn't have much problem in marching on foot and weapons use, at least qualifying as competent infantry. The first squad was the general reserve team personally commanded by the Colonel, composed of the best soldiers, with relatively better physical conditions and combat qualities.

Tian Xingjian still led the second platoon, first squad of the Special Reconnaissance Company with ten Warrior Pioneers, one Antenna, and one Anger. He also served as the general commander of the entire mixed strike team. Weapons and food were evenly distributed to everyone's hands. This was a difficult journey, and everyone silently sorted out their gear. Under Pete's arrangement, everyone gathered in the carriage for a pre-action meeting.

To make a team have clear goals, decisive actions, obedience to commands, and high morale, pre-battle mobilization and action plans were necessary.

Tian Xingjian stood in the middle of the carriage and started his first speech in a real war. For him, this was a real test. Opposite him was a hastily assembled team of two hundred Federation soldiers who had just been rescued a few days ago and were already almost mindless zombies. He had to turn this chaotic bunch of Federation people back into qualified Federation soldiers from the identity of prisoners of war.

"Dear Federation comrades, I think we are ready to escape."

This sentence triggered a burst of laughter. Normally, the first sentence in the Federation Army's pre-battle mobilization speech was: We are ready for victory.

This Fatty unscrupulously altered this sentence.

"Yes, I am not ashamed. Escape! Today, what I am going to tell you is not some bullshit about all of humanity or the Federation. I want to speak my true thoughts, the thoughts of a coward!"

"Do you know? Since the enemy invasion, I have escaped twenty-one times. This time, I will lead you on my twenty-second extreme wild run. This will be a journey full of excitement, danger, and bloodshed. We will become a group of primitives, using the few broken guns in our hands to fight against Mechas and fighters in the wilderness. Do you feel terrified? Those with weak hearts can leave, but before this movie ends, outside is an abyss, with no way out. However, since we can't tear up the movie tickets, you can choose to tear yourself apart. Put the gun to your head, pull the trigger, and before you feel pain, you'll be dead. The benefit of doing this is that you won't have to endure the prisoner's camp again."

A dead silence fell

"If no one leaves, then we will all participate in this game together. We stand on a cliff, with no one to rely on but ourselves and our companions by our sides. This is a game called Speed of Life and Death. In this game, those with weak wills will be eliminated. Those who don't obey orders will be eliminated. Those who give up on themselves will be eliminated. Even those with bad luck will be eliminated. I don't know how many of us will ultimately win this game, but I am sure it can't be everyone. The opportunity is equal, everyone has the right to survive. This right is completely equal among us, regardless of rank. To escape, we must unite. We must treat the people around us as part of our own body. Maybe, the person you pull on the cliff will block a bullet heading towards your head later in the journey."

The entire carriage was silent, only Tian Xingjian's voice echoed

"I just said that I am a coward, that's true. I rarely have the opportunity to face my inner self with so many people together. I hate war because I love life. Of course, you can understand it as being scared of death. Since I was six years old, I lost my parents. They died in a spaceship crash. I lived alone. Fortunately, my parents' legacy spared me from selling art. I am afraid of death. Since I lost my parents, I would turn on all the lights at night. Only light can dispel fear, a fear that has accompanied me for sixteen years, until now. It's not that I became brave, but like you, I have no way to escape. I don't want to be a deserter and be shamefully executed. That's why I came. I don't want to leave my friends behind, so I stayed. I don't want to let my life be taken by my opponents, so I stand here talking with you. Everyone's life is only once, no one can take it away. Life always belongs to us. But some things are more valuable than life, like family, love, friendship. I often think, if my parents could come back to life, I'd willingly exchange my life for it."

"I can never imagine the scene of trampling on life. When I finally arrived at the prisoner camp, I was shocked and furious. This anger is indescribable. I almost vomited my bile. Vomiting and thinking, I absolutely don't want to be the corpse on the pile of corpses. Anyone who wants to kill me must pay the most expensive price. I can imagine how you were tortured and humiliated in that environment, and the scars left in your heart. Peace has already left this country that had been peaceful for over three hundred years. Now, there's no escape."

"Since there's no way to escape, then we don't flee. Since the enemy wants war, we will give them war and bring them death. We would rather die fighting than be lambs waiting to be slaughtered."

"So, my twenty-second escape will no longer be called an escape. It has a nice name: Fight for Survival!"

Some people started to laugh.

"If I eventually inevitably die, please inscribe on my tombstone: A coward who dared to survive in a desperate situation. He spent his life fighting for survival, he is a model of a coward."

Everyone laughed, a kind of carefree laugh without a burden, light and joyful. The inscription on this tombstone was not only for Tian Xingjian but also for everyone here.

Tian Xingjian also smiled and finally said, "Go ahead, dear Federation Heroes. There's no turning back, no choices. Tighten your grip on your guns and kill any enemy that stands in your way. The game has begun."

The centipede activated again. This machine, already obscured by the tunnel's dirt, angled upwards, breaking through the hardened ground layer, and entered the highway tunnel. This tunnel would be blown up after the team's departure to block any pursuit from the west.

The team's actions were orderly and swift. Soon, this temporarily mixed strike team composed of different military branches was ready to set off. Everyone was quietly waiting.

[Antenna] was activated. Three minutes later, communication with the Federation's front command was established. With the transmission of documents completed, Tian Xingjian gave the order. Amid the huge explosions of the tunnel, the team embarked on their no-return journey.

This was a team awakened from a nightmare; everyone felt light-hearted. They said, "Let's go, buddies. We come from hell, and we will march towards heaven."

Soon, they left the highway and dove into the dense forest of the mountainous area.

The start of the march was not smooth.

The original jungle of Miloke Star was damp and oppressive, with an extremely dense and impenetrable canopy. The ground was covered with fallen leaves from various plants. A type of serrated grass caused significant trouble for everyone. A slight carelessness could lead to a cut on one's legs, as these ubiquitous grasses were scattered all over the place.

Tian Xingjian ordered [Anger] to lead the way. This team's largest mecha had four strong mechanical legs and two auxiliary mechanical legs, along with four mechanical arms, resembling a giant crab.

[Anger] executed the path-clearing order well. Wherever this crab passed, smaller trees and plants were cleared away, creating a temporary path for the infantry. The two mechanical arms kept removing the grasses along the way, significantly speeding up the team's march.

Torick led a squad of Warrior Pioneers on both sides of the team to protect the entire team and the [Antenna] in the middle.

[Antenna]'s holographic scanning tensely searched the sky. The Imperial Army would not ignore the communication signals from their strategic belly. Soon, UAVs and fighter jets would fly over. [Antenna] had to issue warnings before the enemy discovered them to buy time to hide; otherwise, a few incendiary missiles could wipe out half of the people here.

The Federation frontline command had already replied, agreeing to dispatch troops to assist and requested that this escaping team get as close as possible to the Federation's air force control area to strive for air support. Rashid's earlier report had mentioned the situation of the prisoner of war camp and provided recorded reality from the battlefield recorder, attracting the high attention of the Federation's top brass, including the Command Department and the President's office. The Miloke Resistance Army's frontline command was instructed to find ways to assist this team out. Once the prisoner of war camp situation was exposed, the Federation would win a significant victory in international public opinion, gaining more sympathy and aid, possibly even drawing direct intervention from major powers against the Gazalin Empire's military actions.

As for Tian Xingjian's submitted battle situation simulation, the front command's Combat Staff Department only signed a receipt file without providing any specific evaluations or replies. This news disappointed everyone in the escaping team. Regardless of the varying opinions within the team about the simulation, this was a message they risked their lives to deliver. Every person hoped it could aid the Federation.

Half an hour passed. After traveling only six to seven kilometers from the tunnel, this was already the team's maximum speed in mountain terrain. Finally, [Antenna] raised its mechanical arm, signifying the enemy's appearance.

"Everyone hide!"

Almost simultaneously with Tian Xingjian's order, the team, arranged like a long snake, immediately scattered and dove into the dense jungle. The mechas, centered around [Antenna], sought cover under thick trees and disguised themselves using [Antenna]'s anti-metal scanning system.

A few minutes later, the roar of fighter jets echoed from the sky.