Chapter 23: Part (3): Besieged

Seeing that figure, the guards’ morale instantly surged, and their shooting became more accurate.

The Valkyrie’s gaze swept coldly across the battlefield, then she raised her right arm.

Her armored arm unfolded, revealing an integrated missile launcher—

Target locked.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—several small missiles trailed white smoke as they shot out, striking multiple raider vehicles with precision.

Boom—boom—boom—the violent explosions rang out in succession. The previously arrogant marauders were instantly blown to pieces, blood and metal shards flying everywhere.

The remaining wanderers saw this and immediately turned their vehicles, trying to flee the scene.

But Seraphina’s support troops had already maneuvered in coordination with the separated guard units to encircle them.

“Surrender, or die.” The queen’s voice rang out coldly from the armored vehicle’s speakers, pronouncing their sentence.

However, the raiders had no intention of surrendering.

“To death! [Eisenberg]!” The bald man thrust his middle finger at her from the car window.

One call, a hundred responses.

They roared and drove their vehicles straight toward the encirclement…

Some even ignited explosives inside their vehicles, intending to die together with their enemies.

Seraphina didn’t waste words. She adjusted her engine slightly and leapt forward, heading straight toward the nearest enemy vehicle.

The Valkyrie’s power systems fully engaged, her strides so fast they left deep craters on the ground; her movements became a blur.

Bang—!

The scrap metal at her fingertips was no more than paper. She tore open the car door, dragging the driver along with the seat, and threw him tens of meters away onto a sand mound.

The man somersaulted several times in the air, landing with a heavy thud—and then he was motionless.

“Retreat! Retreat! This is not a human… not a human being!”

The raiders scattered. Their previous arrogance instantly turned into fear.

Some abandoned their vehicles outright, running in bloodied, desperate haste across the sand.

“—Target confirmed.”

“—Valkyrie-class exoskeleton armor.”

A voice suddenly came over the communication channel, making her frown.

A public channel?

The signal jamming should still be in effect…

Then, just as the thought crossed her mind, three massive figures rose from behind distant dunes.

Three different models of powered armor charged toward the Valkyrie’s position.

Their surfaces bore the emblem of the Purification Sanctuary, and each exuded a terrifying presence equal to the Valkyrie’s.

“Trap?” she responded calmly to the voice over the channel.

The guard captain’s voice trembled: “Your Majesty… did we… walk into a trap?”

The three divine agents led more Sanctuary troops from all directions, joining forces with the wanderers.

Their equipment and organization were far superior to the initial ambush.

The earlier raid had only been a decoy.

“First meeting,” the leading divine agent continued over the public channel, “the real hunt begins now…”

“Interesting.” The Valkyrie interlocked her fingers, flexing her armored joints with the metallic sound of friction. “It’s been a long time since anyone dared to challenge me like this…”

Just as the divine agents prepared to launch a full assault, the sound of helicopter rotors rumbled across the sky…

A heavily armed helicopter was flying in from the direction of Eisenberg—

Its Vulcan cannon already warming up, the barrel faintly glowing red with danger. The short wings carried rocket pods, ready to fire…

A true master of the skies had arrived.

The appearance of such an overwhelmingly powerful air unit froze the atmosphere once again; even the divine agents hesitated in their charge.

“First meeting—”

“Meeting gift.”

She raised her arm, giving the middle finger while the rocket pod on her shoulder opened its hatch, targeting the divine agents stranded halfway along the road.

“Like it?”

…

Inside Eisenberg’s monitoring station, alarms blared, making heads ache.

Indicator lights flashed wildly, bathing the entire command room in red…

“General! A large number of targets detected outside the southern gate!” The communications officer’s voice trembled. “Initial estimate… over four thousand!”

The stationed chief officer looked up sharply, face ashen.

He was a veteran in his fifties, a scar running from temple to jaw—a souvenir from a beast horde attack five years ago.

“Four thousand?” He strode quickly to the monitor, his boots thudding on the floor. “Zoom in.”

The operator’s fingers flew over the keyboard. As the image focused, everyone in the monitoring station gasped.

—A dense mass of people slowly approached from the distant hills, like a writhing shadow consuming everything in its path…

At the front were ragged refugees: frail old men leaning on canes, children crying for their mothers, even women carrying infants, teetering within the crowd.

But that was only the surface.

Behind them was the real armed force of the Purification Sanctuary—

Rocket launchers mounted on vehicles advanced stealthily under the cover of civilians.

Heavy mortars…

Anti-tank missiles…

Even several self-propelled guns…

All hidden behind the refugee tide, waiting for the optimal firing range…

Soldiers in Sanctuary uniforms used rifle butts and bayonets to push the innocent forward.

Any attempt to flee or collapse was met with ruthless force—or the person was kicked to the ground.

Human shields.

The most inhumane act on a battlefield.

“How dare they do this!” a young radar operator shouted.

If Eisenberg didn’t fire, their heavy artillery would tear the city apart.

If they did, innocent civilians would die.

An inescapable trap, a cruel curse…

“Damn it…” The stationed general felt dizzy, clenching his fists until his knuckles cracked. “These bastards!”

“What do we do, sir?” his aide asked anxiously. “If we open fire…”

Bang!

“I know! I of course know!” He slammed the table, veins bulging, shaking even the monitoring equipment on the wall.

“Connect me… to the Queen’s communication channel!”

The communications officer hurried to operate the equipment, then shook his head: “S-Sir… Her Majesty’s signal has been cut off.”

“What!?”

“All high-level channels have been jammed for the past five minutes, and cannot be connected…”

The general’s face darkened further, his graying beard looking even older in the dim light.

He understood what this meant…

The enemy’s preparations weren’t just in military strength—

—They had thoroughly studied the intelligence battle as well.

Eisenberg had been infiltrated deeper than expected…

“Then connect to the deputy command channel!”

“The deputy commander Evelyn’s signal is also—”

“All cut off, huh!!” he roared, echoing through the command room.

The young operators exchanged worried glances, secretly wiping sweat from their foreheads.

No one dared speak further…

At that moment, a communications soldier ran in holding a note:

“General! This is Her Majesty the Queen’s personal order!”

The general took it. On it were just two brief words, but written in flowing, unmistakable handwriting of Seraphina:

[Open Fire.]

“…”

The veteran officer stared at those two words, fingers trembling slightly.

“Sir?” the aide asked cautiously.

He closed his eyes, countless images flashing through his mind…

Seconds later, when he opened them, only resolute crimson remained in his gaze.

“Relay my orders…” His voice was low but decisive. “—All artillery positions, prepare to fire.”

“But… sir, those people—”

“Eisenberg has two hundred thousand! Two hundred thousand!” The general spun around, the scar on his face grotesque in the light. “Four thousand…”

“It’s not because we have many people… but because… because…”

He paused, choking back a sob.

“This is our home…”

“There are no civilians in war…”

“No… none!!!”

“Only the enemy!”

“—And us…”

The command room fell silent, only the hum of equipment filling the air.

“Artillery, listen to orders!” His voice rang throughout the room. “Use 155mm high-explosive shells! Instant detonation fuses!”

The communications officer froze. “Sir?”

“I said it! High-explosive! Instant detonation!” His eyes were frighteningly red from emotion.

“And…” The general clenched his fists tighter. “Tell the mortar unit to use large-caliber… 120mm direct-fire calibrated shells… maximum charge!!”

“One shot… solve it… detonate on contact…”

He glanced at the weapons specialist: “How many thermobaric rounds do we have in stock?”

“Uh… about twenty…”

“Load them all. Prioritize densely populated areas… don’t let the Sanctuary take advantage…”

“And,” the general turned to the communications soldier, voice slightly softer, “tell the front-line soldiers, after the battle… give everyone one week leave…”

“Executing the Queen’s orders… is also my order.”

“—Don’t let them near the walls…”

“Not a single one.”