The movements of the 8th Assault Magical Infantry Battalion were far more swift and stealthy compared to their first deployment.
The two sentries dozing off at the guard post responsible for the north gate of the military compound woke up only to find themselves spilling bl**d from their necks, departing for a dreamland they would never return from.
It was the same for those on duty at the nearby watchtower.
“Ah, when will this deployment end~?”
“Sir, is that… a person?”
“What?”
“Gack, guh…!!”
From the sky, d*ath descended in the form of a reaper wielding a dagger, swiftly claiming lives. The soldiers, who had been idly chatting away, didn’t even have time to scream before turning into cold corpses.
Swift. And sharp.
This was the First Platoon of the Third Platoon, renowned for its overwhelming combat prowess. The kn*fe-fighting techniques personally taught by war hero Claude Rain were far beyond what the unprepared Soviet Empire forces could handle.
In no time, the First Platoon subdued the area around the north gate and opened it.
As soon as they did, raggedly dressed personnel waiting in the surrounding bushes rushed into the compound.
“Good job. From now on, leave ground control to us.”
“We will proceed toward the barracks. Beware of our allies’ positions.”
“I’ll make sure to pass that along to my men.”
The battalion commander of the 3rd Mobile Battalion smiled faintly at Claude Rain and added,
“The hero of Quaernnen, the Butcher of Thunder, it’s an honor to be on the same operation with you.”
“…If we all survive, let’s celebrate then.”
Claude Rain tossed out a casual remark as he brushed past the mobile battalion commander. There was no time for idle chatter during actual combat.
Seizing the barracks.
Though gunshots haven’t yet been heard, the military compound will soon turn into a battlefield. Before the awakened ants swarm, their lives must be cut short.
At that moment.
On the rooftop of a particularly noticeable two-story concrete building within the compound, the Third Platoon waited for the arrival of the First Platoon.
Erwin Ruth, the platoon leader of the Third Platoon, peeked through the railing and confirmed the status of the platoon members who had landed in the backyard, thankfully accompanied by Randall, the deputy platoon sergeant.
「Proceed to the right and rendezvous with the First Platoon.」
「Understood.」
He signaled orders using pre-arranged hand signals, and they moved stealthily toward the barracks entrance.
Since the Third Platoon was the last to descend, the absence of gunfire so far meant that the other platoons were executing the mission flawlessly.
‘It’d be nice if taking over the barracks is just as easy, but I doubt it.’
Soon enough, the First Platoon appeared in front of the barracks. After confirming the signal indicating readiness to enter—a raised fist—Erwin ordered his subordinates to follow him.
Carefully opening the rooftop door, Erwin led the way down the stairs.
They reached the second-floor corridor without incident when Erwin suddenly locked eyes with a man emerging from a corner.
“…?”
Still half-asleep, the man’s bleary eyes widened. Before he could open his mouth to shout, Erwin’s pistol fired.
Bang─!!
The sharp sound of gunfire echoed throughout the building.
“d*mn it, that was a shock…!! Everyone, move!!”
With the deed already done, there was no choice but to press forward. At Erwin’s command, the Third Platoon quickly dispersed down the hallway.
“Charge!”
Hearing the gunfire, the First Platoon similarly burst through the main entrance into the barracks.
The peaceful silence that had settled over the building was almost instantly replaced by merciless gunshots and screams.
*
“Huff… Huff! Huff! Second Platoon… the south gate has been secured.”
I greeted Lumina, who returned panting heavily. With communication equipment still underdeveloped, there was no choice but for officers to run back and forth.
She was drenched in sweat and her face was flushed red from running. As she gulped down water from the bottle I handed her, Lumina caught her breath.
“Pu, Puhaa─!!”
“Good work.”
“While passing by, I checked, and it seems the Second and Fourth Platoons have also successfully taken over the armory.”
“So far, everything is going smoothly.”
Indeed, the gunfire coming from the direction of the barracks was gradually dying down, and the personnel of the deployed mobile battalion had swiftly spread out, neutralizing most of the ground facilities.
‘Now, the underground facility is key.’
According to the intelligence gathered by Sony Chepelin, the Limansk military compound originally manufactured personal firearms.
However, the factory hadn’t been operational for several months.
The problem was that this period coincided roughly with the theft of the Pearl of Omen.
Thanks to the close relationship established with the Red October rebel group, they also obtained information about a convoy transporting an artifact suspected to be the object in question.
It was clear that the Soviet Empire was conducting special experiments involving that artifact in the underground facility of this installation.
“Lumina, notify them of the success of Phase One.”
“Understood.”
After catching her breath somewhat, she pulled out a small lantern from her pocket and transmitted the signal. Without flashlights, the method involved opening and closing the lid of the lit lantern.
Soon, five flashes of light came from the airship hovering like a shadow against the moon.
「All clear. Proceed with the operation.」
「Signal received clearly, communication ends.」
After exchanging signals, Lumina turned off the lantern’s flame and securely fastened it to the foredeck.
“Let’s move.”
The other platoon members might already have gathered at the assembly point. Urging the two of them along, we headed deeper into the compound.
The above-ground facilities of the Limansk military compound can be divided into three zones.
Zone A, where the north gate and barracks are located; Zone B, where the armory is situated; and Zone C, which houses the south gate and manufacturing processes. Of these, Zone C contains the access routes to the underground facilities.
There were precisely three such access points, each assigned to one company for entry.
Upon reaching the assembly point,
Fortunately, all thirty-nine members of the company were present and accounted for. Thanks to the nighttime assault, they managed to suppress the enemy before they could react.
But the real battle is about to begin.
By now, the gunshots must have alerted the troops stationed underground, who will undoubtedly respond immediately.
Not only barricades, but there is also the possibility of booby traps and various defensive installations set up.
If this place isn’t just an ordinary military compound but a secret research facility,
Given its location near the border and frequent conflicts, it’s highly likely that the Soviet Empire forces have fortified their defenses here.
“From now on, we’re heading underground. Stay alert at all times.”
“Yes, sir!”
“This time, the Fourth Platoon takes the lead. Let’s go.”
Sergeant Hilton Callia nodded and led her soldiers down the underground passage. Upon opening the rusted iron door, they entered what looked like a medieval dungeon.
The lighting wasn’t powered by magic or electricity but primitive candles.
“What do you see?”
“Can’t confirm the clock. We’ll continue moving forward.”
Led by Sergeant Hilton Callia, the Fourth Platoon ventured deeper into the darkness. Beyond the tunnel, they found a vast cavern.
But this was no ordinary cavern.
The unmistakable smell of bl**d permeated the air. Iron cages and human-sized birdcages were scattered about, stained with dried bl**d.
“sh*t, what is this?”
One soldier cursed at the horrifying sight, and Bella Meyer, who followed behind the Fourth Platoon, went pale and began retching.
“Ugh…!!”
“d*mn it! Second Platoon, fall back!”
As soon as Bella reacted, I quickly reorganized the ranks and rushed forward to inspect the facility.
Dozens of cells connected like animal pens, filled with emaciated corpses.
Others resembled victims mauled by wild beasts, their bodies crushed beyond recognition.
So this was the source of the foul stench we’d noticed earlier.
Even someone with a strong stomach like me felt increasingly uneasy at the scene.
Bella Meyer, of course, and others were visibly shocked and terrified.
The only calm person was Sergeant Claude, who drew his dagger and approached the most deteriorated corpse.
“…This body hasn’t been dead long, probably since yesterday. Moreover, these wounds aren’t from a wild beast.”
Suppressing the physiological revulsion, I sat beside Claude. The organs were torn apart, but something specific caught my eye.
Circular bite marks.
Not from tigers, lions, or even monsters. Instead of puncture wounds from sharp fangs, the skin had been torn by flat, square teeth.
The moment I realized the truth,
I couldn’t maintain my composure easily.
“Did you figure it out?”
“…Human experimentation.”
“Yeah.”
Claude stood up and said,
“These bastards were experimenting with mutants here.”
