Forty-five minutes after the end of the "Spatial Tremor," at the command center of the "Frost" Fortress.
Row after row of black screens lit up again, and the various devices gradually resumed operation.
General Lebedev snatched up the communicator on the command desk, took a deep breath, and tried dialing a code.
He had not held out much hope.
Yet the communicator was answered after only two rings.
Lebedev froze for a moment, then shut his eyes. Not a trace of emotion could be heard in his voice.
"How are things?"
On the other end, Lieutenant General "Plan One" immediately replied, his voice tinged with confusion.
"General, something is strange."
Lebedev's brows knitted together, and his tone turned three degrees colder.
"I need a battle report, not your personal feelings, Lieutenant General."
"Yes, sir!"
The lieutenant general's voice immediately became clear and forceful.
"General, the Fifth Group Army has not retreated a single step, in accordance with your orders."
"But we have not encountered the enemy."
"Even the monsters that had been entangled with the 22nd Division on the right flank withdrew on their own more than twenty minutes ago."
Lebedev tightened his grip on the communicator, even suspecting that he had heard wrong.
"Are you certain?"
"I am absolutely certain!"
The lieutenant general's voice was decisive, and he added, "But they have not truly left."
"I sent reconnaissance vehicles forward to observe. They reported that the monsters were still gathered at the edge of the gray fog, seemingly... surrounding something."
"But there are simply too many monsters there, and visibility is poor. The reconnaissance team did not dare venture too deep."
Lebedev rubbed his wrinkled temples. "What about the drones?"
"They are all broken, General," the lieutenant general replied.
Lebedev ordered, "Establish the data link as soon as possible.