Chapter 773.2: Attack: North Island!

Had their opponents been the New Alliance’s first-generation jet aircraft, the Lofty Cloud, or a mass-produced swarm of propeller aircraft, their primitive machines might still have been able to put up a fight.

But that was clearly impossible. The New Alliance wasn’t a faction that allowed their technology to remain stagnant.

At the same time Chalas finally realized the Southern Sea New Alliance’s strategic intentions, a hundred nautical miles from North Island, an enormous submarine slowly surfaced upon the sea, revealing its majestic silhouette amid the surging waves.

It resembled a colossal whale rising from the depths. Only what erupted from its towering bow was not a column of seawater but planes, launched one after another into the sky.

After two L-10 Thunderbolt fighters and two P-2 Lightning attack fighters were launched from the catapults, they rapidly formed an arrowhead combat formation in the air and roared toward the skies above North Island.

The former was a joint creation of Goblin Technologies and the New Alliance Scientific Expedition Team, while the latter represented the culmination of a century and a half of technological development by Boulder Town Arms Industry!

Both used compact controlled-fusion reactors and plasma thrusters as their power sources and engines. Their energy systems left the North Island Federation’s LB-1 completely in the dust!

In fact, the New Alliance had previously developed an underwater-launch jet specifically for the Conch submarine carrier.

Unfortunately, nearly all the prototypes had crashed during training, and the problems preventing mass production had not been resolved in time. Regrettably, it could not make an appearance in that battle.

Sitting inside the cockpit of his Thunderbolt, Falling Feather took a deep breath and quickly swept his eyes across the radar display. As he watched the red dots appear on the radar, his gaze gradually sharpened. He flicked open the switches for the missile radar and seeker with his left index finger, then rested his left hand on the throttle. “Enemy aircraft detected! All units, disengage weapon safeties. You are cleared to engage!”

A unified response came through the communications channel.

“Roger!”

Four pale-blue plasma trails pierced the sky like daggers. After breaking through layer after layer of cloud, they soon intertwined with four burning streaks of flame.

Following an exchange of beyond-visual-range missiles, the two sides quickly entered close-range combat. Streams of tracer fire danced wildly through the air, mingling with the bright white flashes of decoy flares like fireworks blooming across a clear sky.

There had never been any suspense in the battle. The North Island Federation’s hastily assembled air force consisted almost entirely of rookies, both in terms of personnel and equipment. After exhausting their missiles and entering a dogfight against the New Alliance’s experienced pilots, they were toyed with completely.

One LB-1 had its wing severed by gunfire and transformed into a blazing meteor as it fell toward the sea.

Ignoring the pilot who ejected and parachuted away, Falling Feather flew directly into North Island’s defensive airspace. The instant he swept past at low altitude, he launched a missile carrying an EMP warhead toward the radar emission source!

The raging pulse current instantly disabled the radar’s internal electronics. North Island’s air defenses were suddenly left half-blind, and their previously fierce anti-aircraft fire immediately lost its accuracy.

The two P-2 Lightning attack fighters launched a total of eight air-to-ground missiles, destroying every launcher whose coordinates had been exposed. That included both the surface-to-air missile launchers and the anti-ship missile silos!

The Southern Sea New Alliance’s main fleet advanced toward the waters off North Island. Two destroyers raised their naval guns and, guided by drones, began bombarding North Island’s military harbor and the barracks nearby.

By then, North Island’s air defenses existed in name only, while its ground resistance was also teetering on the verge of collapse.

Had the Federation possessed even a single destroyer nearby, the surprise attack would never have proceeded so smoothly, much less allowed New Alliance aircraft to approach within 50 kilometers of the island.

Shame, there were no “ifs” on the battlefield. Victory and defeat had already been decided during a single moment of distraction by one side.

The soldiers and security forces stationed on North Island rapidly assembled.

Clearly, Chalas understood exactly what the New Alliance would do after securing air superiority. Before their fleet could return to defend the island, he had to delay the New Alliance at any cost!

At the same time the aerial battle was decided, four small Viper transport aircraft parked inside the cargo bay of the Conch submarine carrier were carried one after another onto the upper deck by elevators.

That steep flight deck was the greatest visual difference between the Conch submarine carrier and the Dolphin cargo submarine.

In addition to its spacious internal structure and catapult rails for carrier aircraft, the top of the former had been converted into a deck suitable for conventional aircraft takeoffs and landings.

24 heavy infantrymen wearing the New Alliance-made Ethereal exoframes had already assembled beside the Vipers. They carried not only automatic weapons such as light and heavy machine guns, but also vicious individual anti-materiel weapons such as the 37mm Lance.

Although only two squads had assembled there, no one would dare underestimate their firepower! They were made up of the New Alliance’s best-equipped force and possessed the strongest individual combat capabilities, the Burning Corps!

On Ten Peaks Mountain or the Guardian Manor Plains, their force of barely more than 20 soldiers would have been more than capable of annihilating a 1,000-strong Mutant Human unit!

Waves crashed against the hull as white foam washed over the proudly raised bow. Wearing his Dragon Cavalry, Old White walked before his brothers and opened his helmet visor before shouting loudly, “Our brothers in the air force have already taken control of the skies above the enemy! Now it’s our turn to cut the firewood out from beneath their cauldron! Our objective is the airfield at the center of North Island! We need to ensure that the runway remains intact. Suppress anything that points a gun at you!”

“Remember to control the engagement zone! Do not harm civilians!”

“Yes, sir!”

Roars brimming with morale echoed across the deck, while excitement burned in the eyes of every player.

Meeting those gazes blazing with fighting spirit, Old White closed his helmet visor and swept his right hand forward decisively. “GO!”

The moment the order was issued, agile figures rapidly boarded the Vipers that stood ready for departure.

Pale-blue plasma trails erupted from the engine nozzles once the order to take off was given, carrying the streamlined aircraft away from the deck. Skimming just above the crests of the waves, they sped toward North Island.

At the same time, North Island was shrouded in smoke, with thick black columns rising everywhere.

The southern side of the island had suffered particularly badly. The entire stretch of land from the military harbor to the edge of the settlement looked as though it had been plowed by bulldozers, leaving nothing but devastated, broken ground.

The 150mm naval guns had thoroughly swept the entire area. Even the nearby shipyard had been struck by two stray shells, which blasted open its domed roof.

The four Vipers flew straight through the black smoke, piercing the defenses along North Island’s coastline like swords thrust into its belly.

Dazed and disoriented from the bombardment, the soldiers stationed there hurriedly emerged from their cover and raised their rifles to fire at the sky.

However, 7mm bullets were nowhere near enough to threaten the Vipers. With their anti-aircraft weapons gone, the marines could only watch helplessly as the aircraft sped toward the center of the island.

Leaning against the shattered ruins, a commander wearing an exoskeleton pulled out his radio and shouted into the communications channel in near despair. “... This is the southern coastal defense line! Enemy air forces have broken through over our position! Their target appears to be the airfield at the center of the island!”

“We can’t stop them!”

Chalas had only just withdrawn into the basement of the presidential palace under the protection of the marines and had not even caught his breath when the disastrous report arrived. When he heard that the New Alliance’s objective was not the presidential palace, he instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. However, before that relief could fully settle, his heart immediately leapt back into his throat.

The airfield! The New Alliance is targeting the airfield!

“No! We absolutely cannot let them take the airfield!” he roared, grabbing his confidant, the Marine Commander Lundy, who stood beside him. “Take your men over there! Forget about me! You must hold the airfield at all costs!”

If the New Alliance occupied the airfield, its transport aircraft would be able to land directly on the island. By then, even if the North Island Federation’s fleet returned to defend North Island, it would be too late. There would no longer be any harbor in the entire Southern Seas where the fleet could resupply.

With Chalas clutching his collar, Lundy felt hot sweat covering both his forehead and back. He couldn’t help but gasp, “But you...”

“I said forget about me!” Chalas roared furiously, cutting off his nonsense. He shoved Lundy toward the door and watched him stumble into the corridor before running toward the basement exit.

After the man’s back disappeared, Chalas turned a murderous gaze upon the soot-covered officers gathered there. “And the rest of you! Get out!”

No one dared provoke him. The officers who had only just sat down immediately rose again and shuffled out of the room, trembling as they left it to him.

The room fell silent.

Chalas steadied his breathing. It took a long while before he finally calmed down.

The entire room was abnormally quiet, as though he were the only person left in the world. He could hear his own breathing and even his heartbeat.

This seemed to be the end. His ambitions had been abruptly brought to an end before they had even begun.

But why? Why were those useless fools incapable of doing what he told them to do?!

He closed his eyes in pain and covered his deeply wrinkled face with both hands.

If the Laken had sunk the Reef according to plan, and the ambush fleet had likewise swallowed the Southern Sea New Alliance fleet as intended, then not only Peace Island, but Ring Island and even French Fry Harbor would have submitted beneath his feet!

After that, he would have sailed his warships into the harbors of Silvermoon Bay, conquered the Camel Kingdom, and continued advancing westward into the interior of the Poro Province! He would have sailed upstream along the Everflowing River until the front line reached West Sail Harbor, which was controlled by the Army!

He would have established an incomparably vast maritime empire! The young men of the Southern Seas would have been able to do anything they wished upon the wasteland!

However, those people insisted on opposing him! They simply refused to listen to his plan!

For a moment, a hallucination seemed to appear before his eyes. It was as though he were no longer curled up inside the presidential palace’s basement, but seated within the palace of the ruler of the world. However, the dreamlike scene lasted only an instant before rapidly collapsing like a soap bubble, dragging him back into the pitch-black abyss called reality.

Staring at the wavering light, a name suddenly came to mind. Perhaps that person was the only one who could save him. His throat tightened as he called out in a trembling voice. “Arzu?”

The room remained deathly silent.

That man was still the same as always, fond of disappearing at critical moments and refusing to respond no matter how loudly Chalas called, but things were different now.

In the past, Chalas had never placed his hopes in an outsider. Now, however, that man had become his only lifeline.

“Arzu!”

Faced with the wordless silence, fear began to rise within him, and he shouted again. “Arzu! Get out here!”

This time, the voice within the void finally responded. However, its weak and dispirited tone sent the faint hope Chalas had only just kindled plummeting back into the abyss.

“What meaning would there be... in my appearing?” Looking at the deranged Chalas, Arzu sighed slowly.

Seeing him act like an uninvolved observer, Chalas became completely enraged. “Don’t fucking stand there acting like this has nothing to do with you! You said we were allies! We rise together and fall together! Pull me up! Help me! Where are those biological weapons of yours?! Bring all of them out! I still have a fleet! As long as they return in time, we still have a chance! I haven’t lost yet!”

Arzu watched him silently, and a trace of pity suddenly appeared in his eyes.

This man had not been like this before. Or perhaps every human became equally ugly during the final moments of their life.

Back in the Brocade Lake Municipality, Arzu had attributed their defeat to the Sanctuary’s unreliability. He had blamed Luo Qian for giving up too early and had consequently concluded that imperfect divinity was inferior to humanity and that humanity should command the believers on earth in building their kingdom of heaven.

He had therefore presented the Chosen One with the necessity of constructing a Second Sanctuary.

Although most of the Pathfinders had opposed him, the merciful Chosen One had granted him the ability to use the Sanctuary while retaining his human identity.

During his missionary work in the Southern Seas, Arzu had always employed indirect control through puppets. He had used the power of the gods to support an earthly king, then manipulated the pieces upon the board through that man’s hands.

However, the result had been so profoundly disappointing...

“I never said that you had lost. But clearly, you already understand your own fate. You have even lost yourself within your delusional fantasies.” Looking at the hands reaching for his collar, only to pass futilely through it, Arzu smiled bitterly. His clouded pupils were filled with exhaustion. “... Chosen One above, your servant has done all that he could.”

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.