Sieging Cities and Seizing Strongholds

When the air raid stopped, the air was thick with the smell of smoke and blood. Flames crackled as they devoured the dead branches, while shattered corpses mixed with scorched earth and covered the surroundings. The grass and trees here would surely grow even more luxuriantly next year.

Inside a bunker, Theodore hugged his weapon. When he felt the vibrations above his head fade away, some color finally returned to his face.

"The bombing's over, squad leader. We survived."

Theodore kept shouting because everyone's eardrums had been rattled half-deaf. No one could hear a soft voice.

The people hiding in the bunker were a Jewish State infantry squad. Apart from the squad leader and deputy squad leader, everyone else was a conscripted militia member or a civilian forcibly drafted into service.

It was their first time on a battlefield, and they had immediately encountered a bombardment of this scale. Forget the ordinary soldiers—even the squad leader, a veteran of seven years, had gone pale. After the bombing stopped, he remained dazed for a long while before his consciousness seemed to return to his body.

"The bombing's over. The bombing is over."

The squad leader's eyes widened. He felt over his body, confirming that no parts were missing before finally breathing a sigh of relief.

"Squad leader, I'll go out and take a look first. If those bastards from the Jieko Group launch an attack, I'll kill eight or ten of them!"

Theodore's voice was feverish. He was the most devout believer in Judaism among them. While the others had been forcibly drafted, he had volunteered for the army, determined to punish the evil heretics of the Jieko Group.

"Get back here. Do you want to die?"

The squad leader grabbed Theodore and snapped irritably.

"Rather than live a wretched life,