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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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“Heh, so… that’s how it is.”
Yegor Ivanov, a senior inspector from the Imperial General Directorate of Intelligence, murmured as he watched the two airships ascend and escape. Even with the facility’s self-destruct sequence initiated, they had failed to catch the rats.
“I’ve been thoroughly outplayed.”
“What should we do now?”
Major Karl Schumann emerged from a secret exit far north of the former Lymansk Armory, a secret passage connected to the underground facility. Briefcases filled with Mutant research data were tucked under his arms.
He wasn’t alone. Behind him were researchers carrying similar bags. The high-level personnel had evacuated as soon as the attack began.
In other words… although the facility was destroyed, not a single piece of the Mutant research was lost.
“Nothing changes. Major Karl Schumann, you will continue your research as before.”
The Empire had an abundance of military bases. The former Emperor had left many abandoned facilities, so it wouldn’t be a problem for Major Karl and his research team to find a new nest.
“The problem is that they know what we’re experimenting on.”
“Frankly, which nation wouldn’t have done something similar? Even the so-called liberal Amelian Federation has its own grim urban legends.”
“That’s not the point. The problem is that this information has become a card that can be used to pressure the Empire.”
It wasn’t about international sanctions or condemnation. The real threat was providing a ‘justification’ for the Western Liberal Alliance.
War was ultimately a battle of justifications. No matter how absurd the reason, there had never been a war between nations without a cause. And the near-completion of the Mutant, the Soldat project… was a soft spot, ripe for the picking by those detestable ‘Liberal Alliance’ bastards.
“The General Directorate of Intelligence will be busy for a while.”
Yegor Ivanov said and turned his head. When he’d arrived at the armory, there had been about half a dozen robed figures, but now only one remained behind him.
“What’s your name?”
“…Vladimir, Vladimir Maclean.”
Yegor placed a rough hand on Vladimir Maclean’s shoulder and handed him a glittering badge. A yellow dagger wrapped in a red ribbon. The emblem of the General Directorate of Intelligence.
“Congratulations, comrade. From this moment on, you are Lieutenant Vladimir Maclean of the 3rd Division, General Directorate of Intelligence.”
As the hood covering Vladimir’s face fell back, his dull black hair was revealed. His unfocused gaze fixed on the badge.
“Lieutenant Vladimir Maclean. You have a mountain of work to do for the General Directorate of Intelligence.”
“…I will dedicate my life to the Emperor and the Empire.”
“A good attitude. We’ll discuss the details after we return to the Directorate.”
Just one survivor this time. Yegor Ivanov clicked his tongue and walked away. They had been handpicked from the second-tier recruits, but the result was far from satisfactory.
However, instead of blaming the useless intelligence officer candidates, it was more important to think about how to respond to Ukraine’s propaganda war. And about that giant flying balloon, and the information about the unit led by the blond Ukrainian officer.
They had to gather that information quickly.
They had stabbed him in the back. First, he had to stitch up the wound and hide it. The great brown bear would reveal its fury right after that.
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At the airfield constructed behind the barracks of the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion, two airships settled into the hangar against the backdrop of the slowly rising morning sun. The airship doors opened, and people began to disembark.
The first to emerge were the emergency casualties. At a glance, more than thirty stretchers were quickly moved out of the airship. Under the command of Platoon Leader Bell Meyer, the personnel who had assisted with the landing also gathered to move the wounded to the battalion barracks.
Among them were a not-insignificant number of stretchers covered with a white sheet up to the head. As each stretcher passed, the gathered personnel bowed their heads in solemn respect. Following the emergency personnel were the combat troops.
Their disheveled hair and dirt-streaked faces were a testament to the fierce battle they had just fought.
Fatigue was etched around their eyes. Their lips were parched. Looking more like beggars than soldiers, they finally let out a sigh of relief and burst into laughter as their feet touched the ground.
And the last to disembark were the leaders who had planned and commanded the operation. Lieutenant Colonel Sony Zeppelin, followed by the staff officers and company commanders, emerged.
Operation Night of the Empire.
The first overseas military operation conducted since the founding of the Ukrainian Duchy, and the first official operation of the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion under Archmage Sony Zeppelin, had come to an end.
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The operation was a success. The Pearl of Premonition was recovered, and both airships returned safely. That alone was a tremendous achievement, but what was even more surprising was that it wasn’t all.
The 8th Battalion had not only retrieved the stolen artifact but also witnessed the horrific products of the ‘Mutant’ experiment. They had secured the testimonies of the 1st and 2nd Companies, who had directly engaged the Mutants, as well as the Mutants’ tissue samples and important evidence from the warehouse.
He had expected to just break even, but this? He had hit the jackpot. And they had even shaken off the madman who had gone all-in after losing.
It was a result worthy of a celebratory toast, but the faces of the officers gathered in the staff room were grim. Every great achievement came with a price.
Thirty-five casualties. Ten seriously wounded, six killed in action. A total of 350 troops from the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion and the 3rd Mobile Battalion had been deployed.
Most of the casualties were from the 8th Battalion, which had only 120 men. It was to be expected, as they had been the first to deploy and had infiltrated the underground facility. Sony Zeppelin sighed heavily at the unfortunate sacrifice.
“Still… you all did well. If it weren’t for the company commanders, there would have been even more casualties.”
“I agree,” added Chief of Staff Joseph.
He looked at the three lieutenants, their heads bowed, and said, “I briefly analyzed the Mutant’s biological tissue on the way back. It has a high resistance to physical attacks, including bullets. The fact that you managed to end this with so few casualties is a testament to your exceptional skills.”
No one present could deny it. Who would have thought that the Empire had created a monster immune to even the latest weapons? It was then that Lieutenant Nikolai Hilbert of the 2nd Company cautiously raised his hand.
“That’s not it.”
“Hmm?”
“The success of this operation was solely due to the contributions of 1st Company Commander Enoch Levandal and his 1st Platoon Leader, Claude Rain. If it weren’t for their swift response, our company would have been annihilated on the spot.”
“……Captain Nikolai?”
Enoch Levandal looked at him in surprise. Nikolai continued with a determined gaze, “I am still lacking. I felt it even more so during this operation. I need more real combat experience and more training.”
“I felt the same,” added Lieutenant Luna Aile, the 3rd Company Commander.
“Our lack of experience in facility infiltration and indoor combat made it difficult to respond to unexpected situations. I believe we need to improve in this area.”
What were they trying to achieve by saying this? Enoch Levandal was bewildered.
“Hmm, I understand the intentions of both company commanders. Indeed, despite encountering two Mutants, the 1st Company had no casualties. It’s a remarkable achievement,” Sony Zeppelin replied, nodding.
“Regardless of the outcome of the operation, the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion will now resume its training schedule. We’ll also increase the number of personnel from 160 to include reserves.”
The 8th Battalion was small for an Assault Magic Infantry Battalion. Excluding the support personnel of the staff office, only about 120 were deployed in combat.
However, recruiting new soldiers, retraining officers and non-commissioned officers, and conducting additional training, as Lieutenant Luna Aile had suggested, would be incredibly time-consuming.
As the commander of the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion, but also the commander of the Special Operations Brigade and an Archmage, Sony Zeppelin couldn’t be tied down to just the battalion.
Why was the Pearl of Premonition so important in the first place? She had to be actively involved in the airship project with Count Ferdinand Ludwig of the Reinhardt Empire.
She also had to discuss the future of the nation with Duke Orlando Luce III, while continuing to purge the ‘disloyal factions’ within the military. There was no time to waste on battalion training. Therefore, Sony Zeppelin had originally planned to appoint a competent individual as ‘deputy battalion commander’ to oversee the training and act as her proxy after this operation.
“Chief of Staff Joseph?”
“I have no objections. I also have a lot to discuss with Lieutenant Enoch Levandal.”
“Any objections from the staff office?”
“Our staff office is already swamped. We don’t have the luxury of clinging to such titles.”
“Then let’s assume everyone agrees.”
Sony Zeppelin approached Enoch Levandal. As if sensing something, a look of bewilderment crossed the blond lieutenant’s face.
“As of this moment, I appoint Enoch Levandal ‘Captain’ as the deputy commander of the 8th Assault Magic Infantry Battalion.”
“What? No, what are you saying…?”
“Congratulations, Captain. You’re making history in the Ukrainian army again.”
Clap, clap, clap, clap.
Starting with the satisfied applause of Lieutenant Nikolai, the heavy silence that had filled the commander’s office was soon replaced by the sound of applause.
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