Chapter 247: with translation of chapter title: ，

Looking at the mixed-unit force of about a thousand that arrived together with the Krieg convoy, Leon couldn't help but sigh as Andre approached him:

"Major, I didn't expect you to be speaking the truth; you really do have a bit of influence here."

"Haha! I'm just taking my old subordinates for a leisurely walk!" Andre laughed heartily.

As the two spoke, the Mammoth and several armored transport vehicles opened their hatches, unloading the Krieg 087th Regiment's combat battalion.

Over five hundred Krieg troops swiftly moved into action, silently coordinating with the mixed unit of veterans, sheriffs, and UNSC Army infantry to temporarily defend this district of the holiday hotel.

The Krieg troops' standard equipment is powered by a small cold-fusion reactor, with helmets being custom-made TPS-IV (4) light powered armor, and laser rifles nicknamed 'Hellfire'.

This is a heavy-firepower combat battalion; besides the Mammoth and two siege tanks, it also has thirty heavy infantry.

Their equipment looks even more rugged, featuring CMC-700 powered armor equipped with a rotary Gauss machine gun, small missiles, and a grenade launcher.

Almost instantly, the scattered believers were killed, the district regained stability, and the panicked fleeing people found a rallying point, flocking to the defense line of the Krieg and mixed unit.

Meanwhile, the Krieg battalion commander, holding a small-caliber bolt pistol, with a small Chain Sword at his waist and a yellow-painted helmet, left the Mammoth and walked toward Leon, Ada, and Andre at the hotel's main entrance.

Seeing the commander approach, Leon said, "Thank you, the 087th Regiment, for responding to our request for support."

The silent commander responded with a slight nod.

Leon knew that getting a nod from the Krieg was already good, and he then solemnly analyzed the situation for everyone present:

"However, the current situation clearly cannot be resolved by a mop-up operation; the number of believers far exceeds our estimates."

"Therefore, I propose that, while trying to minimize civilian casualties, we attempt to sabotage the believers' mad plan and kill the confirmed traitor, former Public Security Bureau chief, Fei ersi tuoluo ni."

"The problem is," Ada, with furrowed brows, worried: "We can't lock onto Fei ersi's movements, nor are we sure what their radical approach actually is."

Andre, aware that his current status is that of a civilian, put away his hearty smile and chose not to join the discussion.

"This is simple." Leon pulled out his phone, called up a 3D hologram of the metropolitan area, and pointed to the central District 01 to explain to everyone:

"Phelps is very likely in District 01, and I guess the so-called radical method is that bunch of lunatics wanting to lay out some kind of summoning ritual diagram, then using the lives of District 01's ten million residents as sacrifices to summon some evil god."

???

Summoning ritual?

Evil god sacrifice?

Andre widened his eyes to show his utter confusion.

If this disturbance were caused by extraterrestrial beings, Andre could still understand, but such supernatural beings as evil gods are far beyond the old major's comprehension.

As for Leon, who was explaining things to everyone, he dared to assert that District 01 was the believers' target because he had dealt with far too many events related to 'gods,' making his experience in this area second to none within Umbrella.

At this moment, Leon again took out the business card he always carried and smiled at Andre:

"Major, we're now in a special situation; the main force of the Krieg 087th Regiment is stretched thin, and UNSC can't believe it, so we hope you can gather the remaining resistance forces and try to sweep out the scum causing chaos in the metropolis."

"Of course." Andre, no longer dazed as before, but after taking back the business card, said somewhat conflictedly:

"Just... Leon, young man, I and my old subordinates need more intelligence support."

"No problem." Leon turned to look at Ada beside him and said, "Ada, you help the major better distinguish normal civilians from scum."

"Good." Ada had no objection.

"Captain." Leon again looked at the ever-silent Krieg battalion commander and continued his proposal:

"Just as I said earlier, only by going to District 01 to kill Phelps D'Roni and destroy the scum's summoning ritual can we achieve the goal of buying time."

"Otherwise"

"before reinforcements arrive, the 270 million compatriots of Arcadia could all die an unnatural death."

"" Hearing Leon's words, the commander nodded without hesitation and turned to walk toward the Mammoth.

Furthermore, the commander seemed to use the internal helmet comms to issue orders, with more than half of the Krieg troops returning to their armored vehicles, while fifty Krieg remained in place.

It appears these fifty Krieg are preparing to assist the mixed unit in dealing with the believers.

Seeing this, Leon also followed the commander toward the Mammoth, after all the Krieg needed this 'expert' to provide intelligence assistance.

Watching Leon's back, Ada raised her voice in a smile and said, "Hey, rookie, don't die."

Upon hearing that.

Leon lifted his left hand and waved it, then turned his back to Ada and said, "Don't worry, I won't give up the travel allowance the company gave me."

His words fell.

Leon had already entered the Mammoth with the commander; after the hatch closed, it continued to clear the way for the whole convoy, driving toward central District 01.

Seeing the convoy move away.

Ada returned to her cold demeanor and said to Andre, "Major, I suggest we first seize the Public Security Bureau in District 04 to obtain more ammunition and equipment."

"Good! I and my old subordinates also want to give those guys a lesson!" Andre gladly accepted Ada's suggestion.

———————

Soon after.

On the outer main road of District 01, the Krieg convoy maintaining a steady speed was gradually approaching the metropolis's central area.

Moreover, District 01 did not appear very chaotic; compared to other metropolitan areas, its traffic conditions were good, so there was no need for the Mammoth to clear a path by crushing, or rather the streets appeared very.

Spacious and desolate.

There were no pedestrians rushing about, nor any believers forcing people to drink thick soup.

Even the streetlights and building lights were extinguished, leaving only the convoy's illumination lamps, and in the center of District 01, a flickering greenish light, like a 'light pillar' reaching straight to the sky.

Inside the driver's cabin at the front of the Mammoth mobile fortress.

Leon, wearing the simple armor provided by the battalion and a Hellfire rifle, observed the outside situation with an extremely solemn expression.

The deathly quiet of District 01 indicates that the believers have either completed the ritual or are about to.

In similar events he had handled before, the most victims sacrificed numbered a few hundred or a few thousand, summoning the so-called evil god.

And now.

It is difficult to estimate.

This time's evil god is certainly not the usual "rotten fish, bad shrimp".

"Beep! Beep!"

At that moment, the rapid alarm forced Leon to focus on the far end of the street, where he vaguely saw the UNSC troops standing ready.

"Ri——whoosh!!"

The 200mm Gauss cannon mounted atop the Mammoth instantly bombarded that UNSC troop.

A blue‑light projectile arced over the ground, flashing across the black street, striking a Scorpion main battle tank whose exterior was covered in rotting mold.

"Boom—!"

One shot destroyed the Scorpion, and the explosion even reached the UNSC soldiers stationed nearby.

But after the blast, the soldiers quickly got back up and, wielding their weapons, launched a counterattack against Krig's convoy.

A close look at these soldiers revealed skin exposed beneath their clothing and armor, oozing slime and completely rotting.

Some of them had abdominal skin fused with armor and clothing, with gaping openings that exposed writhing intestines.

Above and below the gash grew fang‑like bone tissue, as if an extra mouth had formed on the abdomen.

In such a corrupted state, how could one still see that they were once soldiers protecting humanity?

"Ding—! Dang—!"

A hail of Shellless Pulse Ammo struck the Mammoth's outer armor with a clanging sound.

Two siege tanks behind accelerated, moving to the sides of the Mammoth and using their main guns to bombard the now‑rebellious UNSC troops.

"Tap tap tap!"

Krigs stationed on the Mammoth's roof, operating fixed machine guns, also sprayed high‑energy beams onto the rebels' positions.

Armored personnel carriers without large‑caliber cannons chose to stop, opened their hatches for the Krigs to exit, and coordinated with the tanks and the Mammoth to advance.

At the same time, the Mammoth opened its rear hatch, moving slowly forward while unloading the already‑ready battalion commander and the Krigs.

In an instant.

The black street was filled with red and blue trajectories, flashing with the glare of guns and cannons.

Explosions and the whine of various projectiles intertwined, and the buildings along the street began to sprout countless holes from the fierce battle.

The two sides were vastly mismatched; Krig's side fielded fewer than five hundred troops, while the rebels seemed endless.

Even though Krig's combat battalion wielded fierce firepower, tearing and destroying successive rebel defensive lines, the rebels kept reappearing ahead.

Among the rebels were many fully corrupted believers, as well as residents forced into corruption.

Krig's combat battalion was locked in a brutal fight against the rebel UNSC and hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people.

Nevertheless, the Krigs kept pushing forward, forcibly breaching the rebels' lines, surrounded on all sides, and gradually approaching the central area that housed the mysterious light column.

This death‑defying assault by the Krigs also allowed Leon, who was in the cockpit, to successfully observe the details of the light column.

The large plaza, originally meant for holding events and celebrating festivals, was now painted with words and symbols that seemed to use blood as pigment.

Nearly a thousand black‑robed believers, keeping about three meters apart, formed a circle around the symbols and recited prayers in an unknown language, creating the strange "light column" phenomenon.

Seeing this.

Leon told a Krig responsible for communications, "Notify the battalion commander to mobilize heavy artillery and bombard the plaza!"

The Krig communicator nodded in response.

Leon immediately turned away from the cockpit, intending to join the outside fighting force, and opened his helmet comms to remind the Krig battalion commander:

"Captain! I've identified the primary target: those black‑robed guys! Eliminating them should disrupt the summoning ritual! I've also called in artillery; watch the danger zone!"

After speaking, Leon left the cockpit, went to the upper deck of the Mammoth, and prepared to head toward the massive internal maintenance bay below.

The vehicle suddenly jolted violently, making Leon unable to keep his balance; his center of gravity shifted and he fell head‑first down.

!!

Fortunately, Leon, accustomed to dangerous missions, reacted swiftly, adjusting his body and using his back to absorb the impact.

"Thud!"

Leon crashed heavily onto the metal deck of the maintenance bay.

Before he could get up, the Mammoth seemed to be pulled off the ground by some force, and its massive hull began to roll.

The shift left Leon's body uncontrolled, colliding within the huge maintenance bay, and he could only curl his head and body to minimize injury.

Outside the Mammoth.

On the main road just one intersection away from the plaza.

The battalion commander led the Krigs, together with the sole remaining siege tank and two armored personnel carriers, to assault the rebel position guarding the intersection.

The Mammoth, which had been shielding them from attack, now seemed kicked aside by an invisible giant, its rolling hull charging toward the street behind.

"Boom—rumble—!"

Its body slammed downward onto the ground,

skidding a distance until it finally collided with a street‑side apartment building and stopped.

Only the former director, Fei Si Tuoluo Ni, could destroy the Mammoth—a mobile fortress—in a single blow.

"Heh."

Fei Si stood at the center of the rebel line, lowering his right hand linked to a curved blade, gazing at the smoke‑billowing Mammoth, and muttered disdainfully:

"Just a pretentious big bug; no one can stop the arrival of my lord."

"Boom—! Boom—!"

As Fei Si muttered, a dense barrage from the 087th Regiment's garrison began a covering bombardment of the plaza.

However, the earth‑shaking explosions did not occur on the plaza; they were nullified by a green‑glowing Spiritual Energy shield.

"Boom! Boom!"

Next, the siege tanks and the guns of two armored personnel carriers; moreover, the small missiles and grenades fired by the heavily armed Krieg; as well as the Gauss spike rounds and high-energy beams, were all blocked by the Spiritual Energy barrier.

Instead, the rebels, taking advantage of the gap protected by the barrier, used anti-tank weapons and successfully destroyed the Krieg's last three armored units.

Thus it can be seen, the Spiritual Energy contained within Fei'ersi's body, because of the "My Lord" that has not yet appeared, actually reached a level beyond ordinary people's ability to contend.

But the Krieg didn't care at all.

Seeing that long-range attacks were ineffective, the battalion commander drew his Chain Sword and swung it forward, accompanied by the unique "beep-beep!" whistle, and was the first to launch the charge.

The remaining Krieg also drew their Chain Swords and various melee weapons, fearlessly followed their battalion commander, and launched a death charge toward the rebels' and Fei'ersi's position.

"."

The rebels who heard the whistle, even though they were corrupted and depraved, still felt fear.

"What are you afraid of!" Fei'ersi, noticing that the rebels' morale was somewhat low, roared furiously:

"You all have the Blessing of My Lord! What's more, I am here too! What is there to be afraid of?? Ah! Kill this bunch of mute heretics!"

"For... for My Lord!"

(End of chapter)