A flash of white light passed, and the Players who had just been sent back to the rear command node by their own side regrouped amid a storm of curses.
"Damn it, didn't they say that after the firing tables evolved, the artillery would hit wherever you aimed?"
"Yeah, so why did it land on our own people again? Is Fourth Squad putting on an act at our expense?"
"Forget it. We'll settle the score with them later. We've already taken the position, so let's kill the Genestealers first!" One Player waved his hand, displaying a practical attitude.
Everyone thought that made sense. This was no time for infighting. They reorganized their formation and charged back into the first defensive position. Fortunately, the Genestealers entrenched there had also been blasted sky-high by the previous indiscriminate barrage. The first position was now completely empty, and the Players smoothly recaptured it.
Just as they were preparing to use the position as a foothold and advance forward, the howl of artillery shells came from overhead once more.
All the Players tensed up instinctively and ducked their heads into the trenches they had just captured. This time, however, the shells did not fall on them. Instead, they landed accurately in the second Genestealer position over a hundred meters away, raising continuous bursts of fire and clouds of smoke.
"Whew, good thing they didn't land on our heads this time."
"If they landed on us again, I'd seriously start wondering whether they were doing it on purpose."
"Brothers operating the Wyverns later, remember this: mortars don't strike the target the instant you fire them. Shells need time to travel, so account for that time!"
Meanwhile, in the command post deep within the factory, Kyle watched the temporary positions he had planned collapse amid a sea