Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Facing the enthusiastic greeting of the three-stars lieutenant-general of the federation, a polite smile appeared on Zhang Lisheng’s face. He quickly walked up to Menger and took the initiative to extend his hand. “General Ford, it’s my honor to meet you. You’re in charge of an amazing battleship.”
“Doctor,” Menger held the young man’s hand and smiled condescendingly, “Speaking of this, I’d like to express my gratitude to you. The reason Mammoth can become so amazing today is all because of you. If it’s not for Wizard Li’s gold, perhaps it would not have been full of Steel Warriors. The engine group would also…”
Before the federation general could finish his words, a projection of a young man wearing a military cap flashed on the right side parallel to his line of sight and reported loudly, “General, the ‘nest’ has given the instructions to take off.”
“Since our guests have arrived, let’s take off early then,” Menger looked at the wrist and said solemnly. “Major Bord, reply the ‘nest’ that Mammoth will take off in three minutes and head straight to the New York military base on Earth. Tell all of the staff on the podium to prepare. The countdown for taking off begins now.”
“Yes, General!”;
“Yes, General!”;
“Yes, Sir!”
A dazzling fleet of hundreds of human projections flashed across the federation lieutenant general. Amidst the neat and solemn reply, the engine group of the space carrier mothership began to warm up.
At the same time, the countdown rang through every corner of the Sky Fortress. “Attention, please, everyone. Attention, please, everyone. Mammoth is taking off soon. Mammoth is taking off soon… 99, 98, 87…”
In an instant, countless holes cracked open on the metal deck that was as wide as a city and revealed spiraling staircases. Tens of thousands of federal soldiers working in the open air quickly evacuated in an orderly fashion, and countless of the silver metal racks fixed with the Steel Warriors gradually sank into the cabin as well.
Within a minute and a half, the crowded deck became empty, leaving only thousands of barbettes shining in the sun.
At this time, the countdown had finally come to an end. The engine group that had completed the warm-up preparations began to provide sufficient kinetic energy to the tens of thousands of substantially inverted propellers at the bottom of the mothership.
In just a short span of three to five seconds, those propellers that started to spin at high speed, giving off a deafening buzzing sound, produced a large thrust force and set off countless of sandpits over the sky. It forcefully dragged the steel fortress slowly into the air heading into the distance at a speed that was getting faster.
After traversing the vast desert, crossing the world’s fence, and trekking on the Earth for another six to seven hours, the Mammoth finally arrived in the sky over New York City at night in a calm and tranquil manner.
Being concealed by the dark night sky, the mothership did not have a trace of brilliance at all as it floated in the air thousands of meters high like a ghost. The adjutant routinely reported, “Sir General, we have entered New York’s airspace.”
Menger looked around at the podium that gave off an airy feeling. The initially transparent walls were now showing the vast night sky around the mothership. He ordered, “Enable the ‘Eagle Eye’ system.”
Immediately, the image of the wall around the podium began to change rapidly. A few seconds later, the bird’s eye view of a quarter of the New York metropolitan area illuminated with a faint red light began to appear clearly in front of the general.”
“Doctor, the last time I came, half of the skyscrapers in Manhattan were still lit with neon lights, but now, it’s completely dark and had lost its vitality,” The federation general fell into a moment of silence before telling the black-haired young man watching the long flight course of the Mammoth with interest who had been standing beside him without warning.
“Is that so, general?” The young man took out his mobile phone from Hardstone pocket and looked at the time before shrugging and casually answering. “It’s already 10.40pm at night, and the streets are bleak…” Before he could finish his words, he was suddenly interrupted by the sudden emergence of the projection of an officer’s head. “Sir, an Atlantis battleship formation is found at eleven o’clock 50 kilometers ahead in front, asking us to identify ourselves.”
“Detect the number of battleship formation,” Menger’s expression changed. No longer giving any attention to the black-haired young man, he ordered coldly.
After more than ten seconds, the officer’s head appeared again as he reported, “General, it’s a C-class formation. The main ship is a planet-based air destroyer, and there are four auxiliary ships… They have asked us to identify ourselves again and even issued an orange warning.”
“Orange warning?” The federation general’s expression turned colder as he asked. “How ridiculous! did those Atlanteans identify themselves?”
“No, sir!”
“Then, it’s obvious that they’re provoking us!” Menger smiled stiffly. “Mothership, stop advancing. Charge and fill in the bullets of the barbettes at Zone B and C. Intimidate the other party with one round of attack in the direction of ten and twelve o’clock. Launch the mechanical warriors of the first and second columns and get into a floating attack array. Issue a red warning to the Atlanteans fleet!”
As the federal three-stars lieutenant general gave out his orders, the hundreds of side-mounted propellers on the rear side of the mothership immediately came to a halt. A hole cracked open on the metal deck shrouded in darkness as iron frames supporting the steel giants began to rise.
Not long after they appeared in the howling winds at high altitude, the hollow eyes of the Steel Warriors bound on the giant metal brackets began to glow in a cold blue light as they started to run swiftly out of the mothership.
In mid-air, these ‘big iron men’ suddenly shot out mid-air, these ‘big iron men’ from their entire body, turning into a dazzling torch that ignited the night sky and supported their falling bodies. Hovering at the front of the Sky Fortress, they began to form an attacking formation that was eager to attack.
At the same time, the two dense barbettes appearing on the mothership began to shoot out countless artillery fire, turning the dark night sky in the distance into a sea of red fire.
“T-This is too ‘radical’! Don’t tell me that General Menger is going to fight the Atlanteans?” Watching all of this from the wall images around him, Zhang Lisheng was alarmed by the unexpected radical attitude of the federation three-stars general. With his mouth agape, he mumbled.
At once, he started to feel that he had been framed and could not help but secretly clenched his fist.
Fortunately, Alison who had been by the young man’s side began to explain promptly, “Doctor, according to the agreement between the White House and the Atlantis, the airspace of metropolitan cities with populations exceeding one million people, such as New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, is exclusive to the federation. No matter what point of view it is, with the location Mammoth is in now, we have no obligation to identify ourselves to the Atlanteans. Instead, the approaching alien battleships should inform us of their designation. What they’re doing now is just a blatant provocation. Even if a military conflict had arisen, the main responsibility would not lie on the Mammoth.”
Zhang Lisheng immediately felt relieved and relaxed, but he could not help but say. “Even so, General Menger’s reaction is too… too…”
“General Menger is a well-known War Hawk general in the federal army. The Mammoth that he’s commanding now can have an intra-planet battle with the Atlanteans B-class fleet. With all aspects prevail, how can he bow to those aliens then? Don’t worry, doctor. The commander of the alien fleet is no idiot. As long as the Sky Fortress doesn’t fly out of the airspace of New York City, they will never take the initiative to atta…” When the female major was confidently comforting the young man, she suddenly saw thousands of dazzling light balls flashing in the dark sky that had been illuminated into red color in the middle of the two seas of fire on the wall image in front.
The female major’s expression immediately changed unwittingly. “Oh, looks like we’re in trouble, doctor. The captain of the Atlantean fleet in front is either a tough guy who is much bolder than General Menger or a plain idiot.”
“I think it should be the latter, Major Alison. Who would abandon the warship and choose to let his soldiers fight the enemy’s oppressive firepower by individual soldier battle tactic if it’s not a brainless fool…” Zhang Lisheng said in bafflement. He who had seen the Atlantean’s individual soldier battle tactic before knew very well that those light groups that suddenly appeared were the scene created by the aliens flying in formations with the help of the light stone’s power.
After that, he snapped back to reality and smiled as he shrugged without restraint, without giving a care about Menger who was just standing not far away. “However, no matter how idiot the commander of the enemy is, General Menger is now facing an inevitable, crucial decision. ”
“There’s nothing to choose from, Dr.” Standing on the high platform, the expressionless federation general heard the black-haired young man’s words and replied stiffly. With a resolute tone, he ordered, “Mothership, continue to hover. All barbettes, prepare for recharging and reloading. Send a war alert to the Atlantis fleet. Mechanical fighters of columns three, four, five, and six will launch and rise to the air to get into an attacking array. Once the aliens launch an attack, immediately respond with a full force. Remember, we must let the Atlantean fleet open fire first.”
The instant the commander’s order was given, the hundreds of professional soldiers on the entire podium of the Sky Fortress began to solemnly carry out their duties to meet the enemy’s attack.
They knew very well that perhaps the lives of the people in the United States or even the entire Earth would soon take a significant turn and that they would become creators of the new history. At once, their hearts were filled with apprehension and uneasiness.
Time seemed to have frozen as it flowed slowly second by second. When the heartbeat of the soldiers accelerated to its highest limit as the light groups sped up their approach, an unexpected scene happened again. The Atlantean battleships and their individual soldier formations suddenly came to a slow halt at the edge of New York City.
“General, the enemy had stopped their operation by the warning issued by our party,” More than ten seconds later, amid a low cheer, the image of the adjutant appeared before Menger as it reported in a dry yet relieved voice.
“We’ll continue to hover if the aliens don’t move away,” The federation general also seemed to have felt relief as a hint of barely noticeable relief expression appeared on his iron-like face. however, he continued to order loudly, “Stop making any contact with them and let us see who has more patience.”
