That night, all was silent. The brightly lit DC declared that humanity had broken the laws of nature, filling the mysterious and tranquil darkness with lively clamor.
Outside DC, the Zeon DC base stood ready for battle. Dopp Fighters circled in the sky, Zaku II squads patrolled back and forth on the ground, searchlights turned the area around the base into daylight, and the dark muzzles of heavy firepower points were poised to strike.
"The chances aren't great," Yang Hui frowned as he observed the DC base through binoculars.
Just earlier that day, Revil had already ordered the Federal Army to press forward with overwhelming force. Even the MS units, which weren't fully prepared yet, had been deployed, directly threatening Zeon's defensive lines. The Luna had even led the 12th Independent Technical Squad in a strike on the Orlando base, completely destroying it within half an hour. The air units Kycilia Zabi had sent ahead as reinforcements were also decimated.
The DC base had indeed dispatched reinforcements to support the front lines, but not many. The DC base still maintained tight defenses, like a hedgehog armed to the teeth, leaving no opening to exploit.
"Major, look at the three o'clock direction!"
Yang Hui quickly looked over and saw the DC base's main gate open once again. Two more battalions of Zaku IIs, surrounded by Magella Attack Tanks, Dopp Fighters, and even Hover Trucks, were heading toward the front lines.
"It seems Revil is really going all out. The pressure on the front lines is so great—how many reinforcement batches is this?" Yang Hui asked Jung.
"The fifth batch, and the numbers are even fewer than the last time," Jung replied.
"Hmm..."
"Major, could it be that DC doesn't have any more troops to send to the front lines?"
"Hard to say." Yang Hui shook his head. He now felt that the commander of the DC base was a tough opponent. During the previous attacks on the Charlotte Hub Station, Raleigh Airport, and the Bus Factory, preparations had been made in advance, preventing them from destroying these three strategic locations. Moreover, they had never been fooled by Yang Hui's sabotage operations. No matter how intense the fighting outside became, the DC base always retained sufficient defensive forces.
Furthermore, although their ammunition was still enough to support a surprise attack on the DC base... they were all lightly armed. They had no Super Mega Particle Cannon, no 230mm Cannon. The most powerful weapon they had was the 280mm Rocket Launcher they had seized from Zeon.
In other words, they couldn't launch a preemptive attack with the Super Mega Particle Cannon and 230mm Cannon to cause chaos like they had on the Middle Eastern front. They only had their nine Mobile Suits to charge through the base's defenses together.
"Major, maybe... we should give up?" Jung suggested. He truly didn't have high hopes for this operation. With their strength, they could succeed by forcing their way in, but there was a high probability of casualties.
Casualties were the last thing they could accept. Each of the nine was a brother who had entrusted their lives to one another, having fought side by side through countless difficult battles and survived countless life-and-death challenges. Even if it meant giving up the credit for taking the DC base, they would rather not see their brothers fall in battle.
"Hmm... Alright, Jung. Take Travis, George, Russ, and Fort with you and circle around to the north side of the base. Launch a feint attack—don't focus on how many enemies you eliminate. Just lure the garrison forces out and then retreat immediately. I'll take the remaining men and find an opportunity to charge in," Yang Hui said.
"Understood."
"Move out, and everyone stay safe."
"Yes!" x8
...
At the command center of the DC base, Kycilia Zabi had stayed there without leaving after resting for a while. She was well aware of the pressure on the front lines, but she insisted on retaining sufficient defensive forces, staying at the DC base to wait for the enemy to take the bait. She firmly believed that the elusive Federation Mobile Suit Squad would definitely come here. She had made complete preparations, just waiting for the fish to swim into her net.
"Woo~ Woo~ Woo~"
At that moment, the alarm of the DC base sounded. Instead of feeling tense, Kycilia Zabi smiled happily. This time, she had won the confrontation.
"Lady Kycilia, Federation Mobile Suits detected, 500 meters north of the base, approaching rapidly!"
"North? How many?" Kycilia Zabi asked.
"Five units!"
"Five units? Where are the other four? Have you located their positions?"
"Not detected!"
"Five units... Heh, still using this trick, Federation commander. This time, you will definitely die here!" Kycilia Zabi grinned, seeing through the obvious decoy tactic. She immediately ordered, "All defense forces, launch an attack! If the enemy retreats, pursue for 1 kilometer, then disperse and surround the base from the opposite direction!"
"Yes!"
"Order the Midnight Fenrir Squad and the Bloodthirsty Hound Squad to proceed to S00 and R03 respectively. The three squads of the Magatsuchi Squadron will spread out horizontally to block the enemy's retreat."
"Yes!"
"Lady Kycilia, the transport plane is ready. Please leave with Lord Garma." Kycilia Zabi's adjutant requested. Kycilia Zabi's strategy was simple: turn the enemy's plan against them by deploying all her forces, creating the illusion that the enemy's feint had succeeded and that the base was left defenseless.
Then, allow the enemy to enter the DC base, only to surround them inside it.
Thus, the DC base was used by Kycilia Zabi as bait, completely exposing it to enemy attacks. It was no longer appropriate for Kycilia Zabi and Garma Zabi to remain in such a dangerous place.
"Hmm, let's go." Kycilia Zabi had no intention of adhering to notions like "a general must face danger alongside the soldiers" or "since they are staying here, I must stay to boost morale." She understood the principle that a wise person does not stand under a crumbling wall. Victory in this operation was already assured, but if she were to sacrifice herself in the process, the loss would be too great.
...
South of the DC base, Yang Hui saw that Jung and the others' feint operation had been very successful. Just as he was about to order the assault, he noticed a transport plane taking off from the DC base at that moment, causing him to halt immediately.
"Major, what's wrong?"
"Something's off!" At the critical moment, Yang Hui realized a problem he had overlooked. "Why were the base's defenses lured out so easily?"
"This..."
"It's a trap!"
"Hmm... Yu, Blog, Fred, you stay here. I'll go in alone..."
"That's too dangerous, Major! Please allow us to accompany you!"
"That's right, Major. Even if it's the gates of hell, we'll go with you!"
"Get lost! I'm keeping you here as my backup!" Yang Hui cursed. "If I get surrounded, you're my hidden trump card—you'll tear open a gap from the outside to help me break through!"
"...But..."
"Follow orders!"
"Under...understood." x3
As soon as the words fell, Yang Hui charged out in Unit 01 like a tiger descending the mountain. In the blink of an eye, he closed in on the DC base. Machine gun fire swept across, taking out all the searchlights, while two grenades were hurled at the nearest heavy weapon emplacements. After destroying them, he leaped into the base's interior and began a massacre.
"Hah, as expected of a Zeon commander—such a generous bait, I'll gladly take it!"
Moving at high speed, his machine gun swept continuously, leaving devastation in its wake. Everything that entered Yang Hui's line of sight—whether war chariots, fighter jets, armored vehicles, or people—was torn apart by the roaring storm of metal.
"Command center...found it!" Spotting the command center's location, Yang Hui didn't hesitate. He drew his Beam Saber and thrust it inside, then swept it horizontally, turning the command center into a dark trench.
Pulling the saber back, explosions erupted, flames and thick smoke, wreckage and debris becoming the backdrop.
"Next..."
Beep beep beep...
The Mobile Suit's alarm sounded. Unit 01 leaped backward, and the next moment, several rockets landed where it had just stood.
Unit 01 landed, raising its gun toward the direction the rockets had come from. Without firing immediately, Yang Hui saw exactly what he expected—he was surrounded.
"These emblems..." Scanning the circle of Zaku IIs surrounding him, each bore a unique emblem on its right shoulder, all of which he recognized. "...Midnight Fenrir Squad, Bloodthirsty Hound Squad, and...the Magatsukia Squadron. Hah, no wonder this is so tough. So it's you, Kycilia Zabi."
After clashing from afar for so long, Yang Hui finally knew who his opponent was: Kycilia Zabi, Zeon Army's foremost tactician.
The two sides stood in a stalemate, neither firing the first shot, both tacitly waiting for something.
Just then, a broadcast played openly: "Federation pilot, surrender. I'll give you one chance."
"Hah." Yang Hui sneered, opening his own broadcast to reply to Kycilia Zabi. "Surrender? After I've killed so many Zeon soldiers, you'd let me go?"
"We each serve our own side. For a warrior, dying on the battlefield is the best choice. And falling to an outstanding pilot like you is their honor. Now, step forward, Federation pilot. Let me see your face!"
"Hah, Kycilia Zabi, have you forgotten? My subordinates aren't here."
"Once I have you, won't they...come along too?"
"Hahahaha, it seems you've studied me, Kycilia Zabi."
"Naturally. Understanding your opponent is a commander's first lesson. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to lure you out. So, surrender or die—you have only one chance, Federation pilot."
"Surrender or die? Hah...I choose a third option!"
Boom boom boom boom...
At that moment, violent explosions erupted from both the north and south. The returning troops that had just formed an encirclement network saw two massive gaps torn open in their lines.
"You bastard!" Kycilia Zabi had been speaking with Yang Hui all this time to buy time, waiting for the outer encirclement to complete.
Little did she know that Yang Hui was also stalling, waiting for the moment when the encirclement was fully formed—when the enemy was at their most confident and relaxed. "What a pity, Kycilia Zabi. The fish you hooked turned out to be a shark!"
"Kill him!" Kycilia Zabi, though furious, remained confident. The outer encirclement didn't matter—even if it couldn't hold the enemy mobile suits, it only needed to delay them. Her elite forces would eliminate Yang Hui in the meantime, then turn to destroy the remaining enemies.
But soon, Kycilia Zabi's confident expression froze on her face. All her confidence shattered like broken glass, piercing straight into her heart.
(End of Chapter)