Apocalypse

The Uranus Mountains, viewed from low orbit, resemble a long, narrow, snow-white scar, a magnificent range that separates the first and fourth main continental plates on Turaxis II. Long rivers originating from glaciers rush and flow across the yellowish surface of this planet, nourishing cities, towns, fields, and herds of livestock.

In September, the battles across Turaxis ended in victory for the Terran Confederacy forces. With the support of the Fleets, a large number of aircraft were able to roam freely over the cities and positions of the Kel-Morian, forcing them to retreat underground and into the wilderness. City after city gradually returned to the control of the Confederacy forces.

The Fleets's main battleships monitored the geosynchronous orbit, and any Kel-Morian ship attempting to escape the planet would be shot down the moment it broke free of gravity. The Terran Confederacy's ground forces also gradually gained an overwhelming advantage.

The Kel-Morian are in retreat, and even towns are falling back into Marine hands—except for the Uranus Mountains.

The main force of the Haigolong Legion remains hidden among the mountains; they have hollowed out several mountains, and their bases are even deep underground. Large numbers of Haigolong squads lurk in the valleys, canyons, and snowfields between the mountains, ready to ambush any Terran Confederacy forces that dare to set foot in these areas.

To date, nearly three hundred Marines and their guides have died here, buried by the continuous snowstorms.

The Zulu Outpost is situated between two peaks on the edge of the Uranus Mountains, on a saddle-shaped ridge that stretches for seven miles. The ridge consists of fourteen interconnected hills of varying heights, the lowest of which is less than 300 feet above sea level.

Each hill was fortified with Plasteel walls, Bunker, and barbed wire, and each Bunker was connected by trenches and air-raid ditches that were fifteen to twenty feet deep and reinforced with wooden planks.

This is the garrison of the 1st and 5th Battalion of the 4th Brigade the 33rd Ground Assault Division, with a total of over a thousand personnel including engineers, radar operators, and artillerymen. Five miles from the Zulu Outpost, two army brigades are stationed, along with a starport capable of launching and landing near-ground and starfighters.

On a high point on the ridge stands a silver-gray command center, with eight anti-aircraft missile towers standing in four different directions around this high-rise building.

Augustus stood before the huge bronze-colored glass window of the command center office, gazing at the distant mountains. His brown military uniform was so neat and tidy that it looked as if it had just been ironed, and the gold bar on his right shoulder indicated that he was now a second lieutenant. An electronic clock on the wall showed that it was 9:00 a. m. on September 11.

Nearly a month has passed since Augustus last participated in battle. In that month, his Heaven's Devils, as an independent force, have swept away Kel-Morian sympathizers, anti- Confederacy forces, and small numbers of Haigolong squads that had broken away from the main force in about ten towns near Fort Howe.

The Heaven's Devils did not encounter fierce resistance; the greatest loss inflicted by the enemy was that one of them was slightly wounded.

In early September, Augustus's direct superior Warfield, became the commander of the 5th Battalion, and Augustus was promoted again to become a full-fledged officer. On September 5, another fraternal battalion took over Warfield's defense duties, and the 5th Battalion was transferred to the Zulu Outpost outside the Uranus Mountains.

From Augustus's perspective, the southern slope of the ridge was covered with dense coniferous forests, while the other slope was covered with bare, sparse shrubs. Standing on the ridge and looking in this direction, one could see a circular valley nestled among the Uranus Mountains.

The valley was covered with dense forest, and the 700-yard stretch of forest between the ridge and the valley had been cleared by space construction vehicles equipped with chainsaws, creating a minefield for laying anti-personnel mines.

A half-frozen river flowed from beneath the towering Ynoth, the mountain range whose peaks seemed to be shrouded in clouds and storms, accompanied by the tinkling sound of breaking ice. The mountain was extremely far from Augustus; he could only see a cloud-shrouded peak.

Augustus gazed upon this picturesque world, yet he felt no joy amidst its tranquil beauty. He disliked it; it was far from solid ground, damp and cold, and the seemingly beautiful glaciers were actually extremely dangerous.

Compared to this place, Augustus missed the always warm and pleasant Korhal much more. He had finally grown weary of the war and exhausted from dealing with battle after battle.

For nearly half a year, Augustus had been killing people. He gradually became numb to it and accustomed to all aspects of war.

But this is finally coming to an end.

Below the command center, Confederacy soldiers were retreating from Bunker and trenches, while engineering vehicles dismantled the Bunker, loading steel plates onto transport planes. Barracks and engineering stations rose into the air amidst the red plasma streams released by the base thrusters, and the command center beneath Augustus's feet also rose with a deafening roar.

"Put these on." Warfield, wearing a pair of black goggles, appeared behind Augustus and handed him another pair of the same style of goggles.

"Are you ready to look directly at a rising new sun?" Augustus asked, putting on his goggles.

"The explosion point is still far from us," Warfield said.

Augustus strained his eyes to look into the distance, staring at the summit of the main peak of the Uranus Mountains, but he could not see the nuclear bomb falling into the atmosphere from its geosynchronous orbit.

If he were close enough to the explosion, Augustus would have seen a thin white line that would split into dozens of even thinner white lines within a few seconds.

A single Apocalypse-class Nuclear Missile is enough to wipe an entire mountain range off the map.

In an instant, an intense white light appeared in the distance, and then the entire world was illuminated. Augustus could almost hear the shrill blast of a nuclear bomb passing through the atmosphere and the desperate cries of the Haigolong people.

The massive avalanche began; hundreds of snow-capped mountains seemed to leap, shaking off their accumulated snow. Then, intense light and heat engulfed everything, tearing apart the rain clouds and hurling them into the distance.

Like Odin's wrath, a thunderous roar followed the light.

The command center was brightly lit, with the walls painted white.

"Ynoth is the source of many rivers of Turaxis ..." Augustus told Warfield.

"That's irrelevant to the Confederacy," Warfield sighed. "There are over ten thousand elite Haigolong Legion in the Uranus Mountains. It could take years to retake them and wipe out all the Kel-Morian people, and our warriors will pay many times that price."

"As for cleaning up the pollution and radiation, that's the business of the Turaxis and their descendants. That's utter bullshit."

"This...is not my concern." Augustus looked at the world gradually darkening. The ridges, forests, and rivers had all disappeared, and even the sky had changed color, as if the dyes that colored the world had vanished.

Augustus could hardly imagine the scene of a thousand such nuclear bombs falling on Korhal.

"Look, even the last piece of pure land has fallen to the Confederacy. Can we take a break now, Major?"

"Not yet, son," Warfield said.

"The orders have been given; we're leaving for Meinhoff next week. Kel-Morian has been ravaging our land and homes for so long. Now, we must launch a counter-offensive and seize Kel-Morian's colonies!"

"I'm not going," Augustus.

"Before you leave Turaxis, you'd better go see your brother," Warfield sighed again.

"He's about to retire, just when we're about to win the war."

"Of course I will go see Arcturus," Augustus nodded.

"Do you know what your brother is going to do? None of us old subordinates understand it. He was supposed to become a general this year!" Warfield said, somewhat agitated.

"I don't know," Augustus, turning his face away.

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