Chapter 1198: Chapter 8-18: The First Life-or-Death Battle
The Karachi River surged eastward in the night, the roar of the waves echoing far away in the silent night.
The hills on both sides were lonely, and the cold light of Cangwei No.1 Star cast on the treetops and water surface, a blue hue that made the winter on Canglang Star especially cold.
On the riverside, on a piece of flat land five or six square kilometers wide halfway up a camel-shaped mountain, fifteen Chuckna Transport Mechas formed a circle, with the front and rear hatches open and connected end to end, creating a makeshift camp.
Above the camp, a steel frame was set up, covered with a camouflage net. The dense tree crowns thoroughly concealed the camp.
Around the high peaks and low slopes, anti-detection interference devices half a meter long with camouflage-painted metal shells silently operated. Two [Thousand-Mile Ear] electronic mechas were separated to the left and right of the campsite, and outside, twenty [Taixing] mechas were stationed in the dark corners, silently.
"Salute!"
Outside the dark camp, a loud command and a series of footsteps were heard.
"Marshal!"
As two guards stood at attention and saluted at the barrack entrance, in the brightly lit Transport Mecha cabin, Boswell, Milan, and six other researchers who were busy at their workstations stopped their work and turned to look at the door.
Li Cunxin walked briskly into the cabin.
"Marshal Li...." Seeing Li Cunxin’s expression, Boswell’s heart sank: "What’s the...."
"We must leave here immediately." Li Cunxin glanced around, and as he spoke, the other mechanics in the cabin had already gathered around. Everyone silently watched him.
"Unexpectedly, for this mecha test, I brought everyone to what turned out to be a dead end." The Old Marshal’s decades-straightened body seemed slightly hunched, his facial wrinkles seemed much deeper: "This is Chuckna’s responsibility. Now, we can only try our best to break through, hoping to find a way out for everyone."
"Old Li," Milan’s sculpture-like fingers gently released, and a component clattered softly onto the makeshift workstation: "How much time do we have left?"
The girl gently held Boswell’s arm, lowered her pretty face, and said softly: "Our work is not yet complete."
The officers at the door, the soldiers, and the researchers crowding into the cabin silently watched the girl, as pure and lovable as a fawn, all harboring the same silent sigh.
In the distance, the artillery fire seemed to intensify at that moment.
The mountains shook, and the jungle surrounding the camp trembled slightly in the wind, amidst the intense shelling and explosions.
Li Cunxin felt a slight sting in his eyes.
The girl and her teacher had been working day and night on developing the new mecha since arriving in Chuckna from Leray. In peaceful times, she should have been walking on the green grass of the university campus, in a quiet library, in a mall, in a cinema....
But now, because of the Chuckna Military Department, these most precious scientists of the Alliance were facing massacre by the Jiepeng people. Even....
It must be known that the Alliance would never allow any researcher to fall into enemy hands. They held the key for the Federation to counter the Binart 12th Generation Mecha, and if any technology were leaked, the entire Alliance would pay a heavy price. The battle is fierce, the situation is dire. The Alliance doesn’t even have the time to conduct similar research.
This test was a secret, a secret that must be upheld at all costs.
"Time’s up. This camp must be evacuated first." Li Cunxin mustered the strength to pull a weak smile from his mouth: "Don’t worry, with Old Li here, we’ll manage to fight our way out somehow. It won’t be long before our reinforcements arrive."
Facing the crowd’s gaze, the old man’s throat felt a bit dry, and he lowered his eyes: "Our Armored Group has already moved toward Hot Spring Town in advance. Perhaps we’ll break through before dawn. The second line of defense troops are also preparing to withdraw. We’ve prepared a unit to block the enemy on the third line of defense; no matter what, we must hold them off until we break through."
He licked his lips, not having much confidence in these words that couldn’t even fool a three-year-old.
"Everyone, get ready. We leave here in five minutes." Li Cunxin said softly.
The researchers’ gaze lingered on the Old Marshal and the officers’ dreary faces behind him briefly, then finally drew back. These scientists from different countries did not ask further questions. They silently turned and left, each returning to their cabins to pack up.
Although they were scholars without the strength to even truss a chicken, they were also warriors baptized by war. In this chaotic world, there were no ivory towers of peace and tranquility, and life blossoms only amidst blood and fire. This, they all understood. They didn’t want to burden the Old Marshal further; if there’s blame, it’s only on being born in this era.
Li Cunxin walked out of the cabin, with Boswell and Milan, holding onto him, quietly following behind.
"Is there no hope?" The three stopped under a giant eucalyptus tree, and Boswell, looking at the silent Li Cunxin, asked calmly: "Tell the truth."
Li Cunxin shook his graying head, sighed, and said to Boswell: "Hopes of breaking through are slim. Hot Spring Town is guarded by two Jiepeng Armored Groups, and even putting all of our mechas together now, we only have one group. Among them, many are light mechs from local garrison units along the way."
