Chapter 57

"The mission before us leads through certain death to ultimate victory." ——Gao Shun May 27, 1072, 1:35 p.m. Lungmen Upper District, Armory While Yato and her squad were skirmishing with the Snowdemon Squad, the Gendarmerie led by Sergei was launching a fierce assault on the armory. Due to the armory's unique tactical value, the Gendarmerie had been forbidden from deploying heavy weapons. This restriction, compounded by Talulah's flawed directives, had once again cost the Gendarmerie dearly in lives. Furthermore, the final communications from the Third Strike Group had confirmed that Lungmen forces had captured all of their 203mm heavy artillery pieces. Having fought continuous, grueling battles for two days and two nights, the Gendarmerie remained on the front lines. The prolonged engagement had left them utterly exhausted, their combat effectiveness steadily waning.