North City Gate Control Center
"Did you hear something?"
The soldier in the military cap looked up at the tall soldier standing nearby, then glanced at the ceiling. "It sounded like it came from upstairs?"
"What sound?"
The tall soldier frowned slightly, looked up as well, then teased the soldier in the cap. "Did you spend two days with your wife during your last leave and wear yourself out? Are you so weak you're hearing things now?"
Though he joked, he still pulled out the communicator on his chest and quickly asked, "B05, respond if you receive this. This is D01. Is there anything unusual in your assigned area?"
The communicator's connection indicator remained lit, but no reply came through.
The tall soldier's smile froze. He pressed the communication button tightly and asked again, "Repeat, this is D01. B05, is there anything unusual in your assigned area?"
Still, no one replied through the communicator.
The smile on his face vanished completely, replaced by a deep frown.
Then he swiftly changed channels. "B03, B02, B01, C05."
Despite calling out one channel after another, he received no response through his communicator.
The empty corridor was eerily quiet. All composure vanished from the tall soldier's face as he switched channels again and again, repeating his calls, the creases between his brows growing deeper.
Not until he switched to C03 did faint static finally come through. But before he could speak, a sharp roar rang out from the communicator. "Enemy—"
The voice cut off before finishing.
But he understood that word.
He immediately pressed the broadcast button. Retreating toward the control platform behind him, he shouted without hesitation, "Area C is under enemy attack! Area C is under enemy attack!"
Then he pressed a button on the platform. Amid the grinding of machinery, heavy