The Empire's Way of Fighting

?!

A massive enemy force was surrounding this place?

The news exploded through the stronghold like a thunderclap.

In an instant, the suspicious, furious, and terrified gazes of nearly every Resistance Army soldier turned in unison toward Leon, Mike, and Maggie.

The air was thick with the smoke of distrust, more choking than the battle about to arrive.

"It was them! They must have led them here!"

"They'd barely been here when the enemy showed up! How could that be a coincidence?!"

"These so-called 'Imperial agents' are National Guard bait!"

Agitated accusations rose one after another. Many soldiers even instinctively shifted their gun barrels slightly toward Leon and the others.

It was hardly surprising. Through twenty years of brutal struggle, betrayal, infiltration, and traps had been nightmares they faced every day.

The arrival of Leon's group and the enemy raid aligned too perfectly in time. It was difficult not to connect the two.

It was entirely possible that these three had exposed this forward resistance stronghold on their way here, or through some unknown means.

A brief, gunpowder-laced argument was on the verge of erupting.

Several emotional young soldiers surrounded them, their faces a mix of fury at being betrayed and despair at facing a dead end.

"Calm down! Everyone, calm down!" Nikolai tried to control the situation, but his voice was swallowed by the clamor.

At that moment, Leon stepped forward. His voice was not loud, yet it carried a calm that pierced through the chaos and reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Arguing is meaningless!"

He spoke with absolute certainty, meeting those hostile stares openly. "We're standing here with weapons in hand, facing the enemy alongside you. That is our position.

"We are absolutely not Human Traitors. That word does not exist in the Imperial Investigation Department's dictionary."

Then he