The battle over, they sat on the ground. Just as Number 0 had said, they needed some time to rest. Even if the death-seeking legionnaires ignored hunger and thirst in their minds,
their bodies were still only mortal.
Grenadier 19 removed the armor from his shoulder. His arm felt somewhat tired.
None of them removed their masks. They simply held their guns and recovered their strength, since there were two thin tubes inside the hoses attached to their masks.
One connected to the respirator regulator on their chests, which consisted of a particle filter and an electrically powered fan. The respirator efficiently blew purified air into their masks.
Even if the filter was damaged, it would not allow any toxic particles to mix into the already purified circulating air.
The other thin tube connected to the built-in water reservoir in the regulator. The soldiers could drink directly from it.
The water was mixed with dissolved stimulants and nutrient tablets, ensuring that the Krieg soldiers could retain their combat ability even in extreme environments.
They did not light any fires for warmth; their heavy greatcoats provided sufficient insulation.
"We're already this deep. We can't contact command. Do we continue with the original battle plan?"
"Keep advancing until death."
Grenadier 19 answered the other grenadier's question, but he vaguely felt that quite a few people in their squad would survive. Was that Number 0's fault?
That was not quite right, either. At the very least, they had killed more of The Emperor's enemies. That counted as reducing their sins somewhat. In that case, perhaps they ought to thank Number 0 for allowing them to fight for so long.
"Perhaps we're the first squad to reach this deep into the tunnel system."
"Those traitors certainly looked shocked."
"Number 0, do you have any...