058. Invasion

  "At 3:11 AM, Frost-Pted Republic President Mai Dewei announced from the Twin Paces: The gover does nhe legitimacy of the Grant Republid will open humanitarian corridors to shelter and guide former Principality officials into the try."

  "At 3:19 AM, Frost-Pted Republiounced 210 embargo policies against the Principality of Grant and imposed eis, including a 25% additional tariff on 20 expricultural products from Grant."

  "At 3:44 AM, the Modessa Republiouhe severance of diplomatic retions with the Grant Republic."

  "At 3:51 AM, the White Crystal Republiouhe severance of diplomatic retions with the Grant Republic."

  "As of now, uhe persistent diplomatic efforts of the Frost-Pted Republic, 29 tries worldwide have refused the legitimacy of the Grant Republic's gover, with only three tries aowledging it."

  "These tries are the Red Arrow Empire, Zhengxu Democratic Republid Tianhuan Kingdom."

  "At 4:32 AM, an order from the Twin Paces called for the mobilization of 20,000 Law IV agents, upgrading to military equipment, heading south to the Frost-Grant border to carry out military operations."

  "Operation Code Name: White Twilight."

  "At 5:12 AM, the capital of the Grant Republic, Silspia, was hit by 422 'Queen' missiles, killing 122 civilians and injuring 2,012."

  "At 5:14 AM, Frost-Pted Republic’s 22nd Airborne Division and 24th Meized Armor Division arrived at the Frost-Grant border. Ag Defense Minister Yamari stated: This is to maintain regional pead prevent unwful elements from crossing the border into the Frost-Pted Republic, causing unnecessary disruption to civilian life."

  "At 5:54 AM, Silspia's power system was hacked, causing ane-scale bckout."

  "At 5:55 AM, the Frost-Pted Republic deployed 12 Z-13 'Seagull' fighter jets, taking advantage of the situation to bomb 14 hospitals, uies, power pnts, and airports over the capital."

  "At 6:01 AM, the Frost-Pted Republic Air Fornouhe Grant Republic’s air force has been pletely destroyed."

  "At 6:08 AM, the Grant Republiouhat the Silspia Fusioer was damaged and is undergoing emergency repairs."

  "At 6:18 AM, Tianhuan Kurama Private Security Corporation expressed willio provide 300 elite meraries to the Grant Republic."

  "At 6:22 AM, the Red Arrow Empire requested that the GTB anization send an iigative team to the Abyss Humanitariaer to iigate allegations of anti-human experiments."

  "At 7:03 AM, the Law IV's First bat Regiment crossed the Golba Mountains and ihe legally reized territory of the Grant Republic."

  "At 7:07 AM, the interim president of the Grant Republic, Xislong, delivered a speech: This is a shameless act of aggression. We will drive the Frost-Pted ghosts out of our nd. No one will ever ensve our people again. As long as Bermudes has one soldier left, we will resist to the end. Long live Grant, long live the Republic."

  Thump-thump-thump—

  Large rotorcraft carrying Law IV female agents cut through the sky of the Outnd. The red-bck horizon was level with them as light music pyed on the radio. The female agents chatted and ughed, creating a lively atmosphere.

  "Gina, look at this! This is the test military-grade prosthetic, it's amazing. I love this thing."

  A female agent boasted, showing off her impnted prosthetic module. Without moving, she projected a hologram, crossing her fingers and swaying her hips. The hologram moved with her, making it hard to tell ho.

  "Get outta here, Chu Qi. With that frame of yours, how many Grant hicks you kill?" sneered Gina, a one-eyed female agent. "I’ve killed three regur soldiers of the Rose Army. How many have you fought?"

  "What’s the differehe Rose Army is just for fun. The regur soldiers' men are so lousy they 't even fend off a bunch of Rose Army weaklings." Chu Qi scoffed, puffing out her chest to show off her impnts, arrogantly saying, "Look at this—'Ostrich' syic eleic muscles. I flip a car with one hand. Grant people? Just a bunch of farmers. I’ll sughter them."

  "Heh, wan? I kill at least 100 of them."

  "I’d love to. If you lose, give me that handsome guy you pyed with st time."

  "Then I want you to buy me a month’s worth of coffee."

  They joked about their ins, families, gender-based humor, and Grant’s tobacd food. Some even looked at Grant’s tourist maps, discussing where to fiertai spots. The agents chatted and ughed as if the war was nothing serious.

  From the start, victory was theirs.

  Gina was ughing and drinking her hot coffee, chatting with colleagues, when she suddenly caught a glimpse of an unusual figure out of the er of her eye. It was ae agent with green hair and sharp antennae oemples for enhanced brainwaves. Her gold-green eyes were focused on the operations manual, not iing with anyone. Occasionally, she would lower her head to check her ons and gear. pared to her rexed colleagues, her expression was incredibly serious.

  "Hey."

  Gina walked over, leaned against the wall, and greeted the elite agent:

  "I haven’t seen you before. Where are you from?"

  The elite agent ignored her, still engrossed in the operations manual. Gina grew ied, took a sip of coffee, and teased:

  "What’s the point of looking at those? They don’t even have tanks and fighter jets. We’ve got two airborne divisions and meized armor behind us."

  The elite agent gnced up at her and said coolly:

  "That’s because a powerful try stands behind you. It has nothing to do with you."

  "You’re really iing. How did you bee ae?" Gina sneered. "Oh, are you from some backwater town, scared to die otlefield? Don’t worry. It’s just a y. What’s there to fear? We’re only going to suppress a bunch of hicks, liberate the oppressed women. Nothing to be scared of."

  The elite agent casually replied:

  "Have you ever died?"

  "—Huh?"

  "Fag death, or seeing your soul separate from your body, watg each cell, each drop of blood slowly drain from your body, starving until you’re dizzy."

  "Shoving everything you see into your mouth, just to fill your stomach, but still powerless, watg your loved oarve to death right in front of you."

  "Your once delicate little sister saying, 'Sister, I see buns, cream bread, and milk,' before her head tilts, hitting the crete, rotting uhe scorg sun."

  The elite agent’s vivid descriptio chills down Gina’s spine.

  "You..." Gina’s lips twitched.

  The elite agent crossed her legs, turned a page, and calmly said:

  "I’ve died before."

  Gina thought this person was insane. She was about to say something when she suddenly noticed the elite agent's eyes glowing faintly with a ghostly blue light.

  AnnouA big thank you to [Masiko] for joining my Patreon! Your support means a lot to me.

  FAL