Chapter 20: No Mission Again

The two Sky Graspers took off vertically to form a two-plane formation, with Mula Flaga in the lead and Li Boyong as the wingman providing cover.

Li Boyong paid special attention to the System and found that no missions had been triggered.

Tsk, what exactly is the triggering mechanism for this three-no System's missions? Other people's missions and rewards come in waves, and in no time the protagonist can go around showing off and slapping faces.

As a result, it's already OP2, and the rewards can't be exchanged for skills, and now even missions aren't triggering.

Does your three-no System have a weekend or something?

No missions when I'm slacking off?

Li Boyong complained about the System daily, then followed Mula Flaga to support the resistance army with a clear mind.

Because they wasted quite a bit of time communicating and discussing whether to support with the Archangel, the Sky Graspers couldn't immediately capture the specific location of the resistance convoy after taking off, and the poor communication environment caused by the N-Jammer made it impossible for them to contact the resistance convoy, so the two had to search along the general direction.

This situation resulted in the Sky Grasper formation finding the resistance convoy from afar, and the convoy there had also discovered the ZAFT BuCUE formation.

Watching the convoy launch an attack on the BuCUE formation only to suffer heavy casualties, Mula Flaga said anxiously, "Tsk, too late. That uncle couldn't persuade his subordinates back?"

"Looks like it. What do we do?" Li Boyong looked at the convoy entangled with the BuCUEs and couldn't help but frown. "This way, even providing fire support is difficult. Do these guys really understand what a guerrilla force is?"

"No choice, we can't just watch them be slaughtered by the BuCUEs. Fire support, intimidation is enough, try not to hit the resistance army." After Mula Flaga sent the specific coordinates to the Strike, he suddenly entered the battlefield.

"Alright." Li Boyong shrugged and followed.

"Tsk, the Archangel's carrier-based aircraft, really annoying!"

The two Sky Graspers breaking into the battlefield attracted the attention of the ZAFT forces. Because the mission this time was to burn down the resistance town and material reserves, the three BuCUEs that sortied were all carrying rocket launcher equipment, which was slightly weak against air targets without railguns.

Unfortunately, the Sky Graspers' attacks, due to concerns about the resistance convoy, also failed to produce any results.

"Everyone who isn't dead, retreat."

Saibu, the leader of the Dawn Desert, saw the support arrive and tried to command his subordinates, who had suffered heavy casualties, to retreat. If they were entangled with the BuCUEs like this, the fighter jets couldn't provide support. If they could open up some distance at this time, there would still be a chance to retreat.

Unfortunately, those resistance fighters who had killed until their eyes were red had come to pursue the ZAFT forces with the mentality of perishing together, and they didn't listen to Saibu's command at all.

Soon, the armed vehicles that were entangled with the BuCUEs were easily destroyed by the BuCUEs, and only a few survivors began to retreat.

Although it was a pity that they couldn't save those resistance fighters, Mula Flaga and Li Boyong didn't have to be overly cautious when firing.

The two used the elevation limit of the rocket launchers, chose a good angle, and launched a dive attack.

The three BuCUEs could only maneuver to evade the Sky Graspers' attacks, occasionally attempting to jump up and attack with rockets when the Sky Graspers broke away. Unfortunately, this level of attack was easily avoided.

"Tsk, prepare to retreat. If we continue to be entangled by the fighter jets, the Strike will come."

Seeing the situation on the battlefield, the Desert Tiger quickly realized that something was wrong and issued a retreat order to his subordinates.

Unfortunately, no matter how fast the BuCUEs were, they weren't faster than the Sky Graspers. Unable to counterattack, they were tightly entangled and could not retreat smoothly.

"Don't think you can walk away unscathed after making such a scene!"

Mula Flaga seemed to be a bit agitated because of the tragic state of the resistance army, and he fired with some anger.

Li Boyong, while providing cover, checked his remaining fuel.

From departing the Archangel to searching for the resistance army, the remaining fuel of the two Sky Graspers was very close to the limit for returning.

Li Boyong had to speak up to remind him, "Major, if we drag this out, it will be our turn to be unable to return."

Although the three ZAFT BuCUEs had been suppressed by Mula Flaga, they hadn't suffered any fatal blows due to their flexible mobility. Dragging it out would instead be disadvantageous to their side.

"I know, but the retreating resistance army hasn't run far, and if we can drag it out until the Strike arrives, we might be able to keep these BuCUEs."

Mula Flaga certainly knew this, but the retreating resistance army had basically lost their vehicles. If the Sky Graspers returned now, it would be hard to guarantee that the ZAFT forces wouldn't casually finish off those resistance fighters before retreating.

Li Boyong was silent. Although the Desert Tiger was benevolent to civilians, he would not show mercy to those who dared to resist.

It was precisely in this stalemate that the Strike, having departed from the Archangel, arrived in a flash.

"I'll provide cover for the resistance army. The Captain said for the Major and the Second Lieutenant to return first." Kira Yamato relayed Murrue Ramius's order to Li Boyong and Mula Flaga.

"No choice." Mula Flaga had no choice but to maneuver the Sky Grasper to return.

Li Boyong also turned toward the Archangel, but before leaving, he reminded Kira Yamato, "It's best if you can shoot down the enemy, but if you can't, don't force it. Prioritize covering the resistance army's retreat."

"Understood." Kira Yamato responded.

Soon, the Strike with the Aile Striker entered the battlefield and launched an attack on the BuCUEs with its beam rifle, but it always missed the target.

Kira Yamato immediately sensed the slight deviation. In the time it took to land and take off again, he completed the change in the Strike's heat flow settings in the cockpit. After taking off, the Strike's shooting became significantly more accurate.

"Is the fuel exhausted?" The Desert Tiger, hiding on a sand dune observing the battlefield, also saw the Sky Graspers leave and saw the Strike rushing into the BuCUEs' encirclement with great momentum. He couldn't control his desire to take a risk, "Kafenduo, let me pilot the BuCUE."

He wanted to keep the Strike in this desert and also wanted to confirm his guess about the Strike's pilot through combat.

Temporarily and quickly changing the ground pressure and heat flow settings of the machine on the battlefield—this kind of operation was not something the so-called Natural pilot in the intelligence reports could do.

The designated BuCUE pilot immediately broke away from the Strike and headed toward the sand dune where the Desert Tiger was hiding, while the other two went all out to drag down the Strike.

Once the Desert Tiger switched to the BuCUE and joined the battle, the BuCUE formation seemed to have the leadership of an alpha wolf, using tacit linked combat to suppress the Strike.

The Strike, which had been at ease, became very passive under the siege of the BuCUEs, having to rely on its Phase Shift Armor to withstand the BuCUEs' attacks.

"Damn it, how can I die in a place like this!"

A strong desire to survive caused Kira Yamato to trigger the SEED again. The Strike's mobility became even more agile, making it very difficult for the BuCUE formation to predict its landing point.

After temporarily breaking away from the siege, the Strike continuously adopted methods unimaginable to ordinary people, such as throwing its shield to smash the BuCUEs and kicking up sandstorms, injuring two BuCUEs and shooting down one, including the BuCUE piloted by the Desert Tiger himself.

"No choice, retreat, Daguza."

The ZAFT side was unable to continue fighting, and the Desert Tiger decisively led the remnants to retreat. ===== CHAPTER 21 =====