Chapter 222

Seeing Jessica frantically shaking her head and making "oyster oyster" sounds while holding the Firearms Arts, Nana, having finished adjusting the WA2000, sighed:

"However, this is still within the range of spell-extended projectiles... It might be a bit difficult, but that's only true for regular Firearms Operator."

"You have to understand that the standard range of Leithanien's large-scale magical arrays is at least twenty kilometers. If large Firearms Arts didn't have that range, how could they be called 'sorcerer killers' by the Columbia army, which lacks capital ships?"

"After all, in the past, before large Firearms Arts were widely used in the army, the only thing that could fight against the magic-based corps was the cannons of warships."

"Admittedly, shooting at 10 kilometers per hour at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour while moving against a stationary target might be a bit beyond your skill level... but Jessica, you've been focusing on practicing Firearms Arts shooting for the past year, not just small and medium-sized pistols and rifles, but you've also mastered shooting heavy sniper rifles, haven't you?"

As she spoke, Nana patted her junior, who had served as her stand-in many times. In Nana's opinion, Jessica might just lack experience... and a bit of determination.

"I read the Blacksteel Team's training reports every week. Jessica, your performance is outstanding. You are no longer just an 'ordinary Firearms Operator '."

"Although your main focus in Originium Arts is combat in high-pressure environments, that doesn't prevent you from performing precision sniping missions... After all, if you were wielding such a large gun, thirty years ago, Jessica the Fourth Emperor War, you would have been a proud caster hunter."

With her ears drooping and neck hunched, Jessica blushed slightly as she felt the warmth of the fingertips tracing the cat ears down her head to her cheek and protested:

"Well... I just thought its name sounded similar to Nana- senpai's sidearm, so I impulsively placed an order... but when it arrived, I realized it was completely different."

"They're definitely not the same thing. Jessica, your gun is better than mine. The M200 Intervention... I've had my eye on it at the Scar Market..."

Before Nana could finish speaking, Jessica, hearing the slight envy in Nana's tone, pushed the rifle in her hand directly in front of Nana:

"Then... then let Nana- senpai use this heavy gun... I really lack confidence..."

Looking at the crying cat's head with drooping ears, Nana sighed:

"But I can't monitor the entire fleet by myself. Since you lack confidence in your skills, then hopefully this high-precision Firearms Arts can make up for it... Final confirmation, report on equipment status."

"I'm using a WA2000, with a fixed 8x to 16x optical sight, low-light night vision spell, 300 Magnum ammunition with anti-material artillery spell, a total of five magazines, thirty-five rounds of ammunition."

"As you can see, to ensure sufficient range, I will use extremely powerful enhancement spells, so I will not fire unless it is an extremely dangerous situation involving military forces... You are the primary executor of this mission, and I will assist you as the Number Two marksman in observation and firing."

"Awooo--"

As if realizing she had no way out with her last sigh, Jessica took out the items she needed from the gun case, then, with tears streaming down her face, spread Jessica city camouflage thermal blanket on the roof of the vehicle, unfolded the bipod, and placed her brand-new sand-colored rifle on the weapon case that was serving as a sandbag.

"This is... the M200 intervention rifle, using a quick-release 5.5x to 22x zoom optical sight, which can be equipped with either low-light or thermal infrared capabilities..."

"Use infrared."

"... Yes, it's already set to infrared night vision and thermal imaging mode... and the ammunition is.408 competition rounds... with added magic... I'll use anti-materiel as well?"

"No,.408 ammunition is specifically designed for long-range soft target attacks... a regular range extender spell will suffice. At a distance of ten kilometers, coupled with your integrated silencer, even the sonar operators on the other side, who specialize in sound detection, won't be able to hear a sound."

"... I do know that... but the sound of the Exploration Vehicle driving on the ground..."

Seeing Jessica's worried expression, Nana nodded seriously.

"Therefore, our primary objective is to destroy their surface and underground sonar, as well as any possible loudspeakers..."

"A loudspeaker? Is it some kind of... electronic radio device?"

Shaking her head, Nana glanced at the spot Jessica had left for her with the thermal blanket, then shifted her position and sat down. Although sitting directly on the cool deck wouldn't make Nana, whose body temperature was currently extremely high, feel cold, sitting on the soft cushion was definitely much more comfortable than the hard deck.

With the WA2000 mounted on the arm and positioned in a seated position facing the target Landship, Nana framed them in the scope:

"It's not an electronic device, but some kind of magical early warning system that requires warlocks to stand guard... It's an old-fashioned device that second-generation Landship used to prevent night attacks... Look at the top of the bridge on the other side, where those metal antennas are separated from the bridge, aren't there several sets of horn-like things? Those are honest radio horns... The monitoring warlocks will convert the collected sound waves into images and text... The louder the noise, the greater the fluctuation. That thing is even said to be the prototype of a sonar probe."

"Ah... is that so?"

Unlike Nana, Jessica, who lacked confidence, adopted a prone position to hold her gun. The large 2.2-inch Victoria -sized optical lens gave Jessica a clearer view... She quickly spotted the location of the old-fashioned warning device that Nana had pointed out.

But how do we attack?

According to the sniping theory Jessica learned, the best way to snipe at long range and preserve oneself is to conceal the sound of the attack within the complex battlefield environment.

Although the atmosphere around Chernobog is tense, war hasn't broken out there yet...

Today is a sunny day, with the clear light of the Twin Moons shining on the earth. The summer night breeze is not cold; if you exclude the bumps from the high-speed driving, it could even be described as gentle.

Without battlefield cover or any usable environment, wouldn't firing a shot immediately alert the enemy?!

Recalling the high-speed warship's main gun that had been aimed at her and her group from afar ten days ago, Jessica couldn't help but tremble.

Am I really going to have to snipe that thing?!

Using a.408 sniper rifle to snipe at Landship's main gun with a caliber of 800 mm or more?

That won't do, I'll die!

Seeing Jessica start shaking her head again, Nana speechlessly raised her gun and aimed at the row of old-fashioned microphones:

"I've got my sights on the loudspeaker... Jessica, did you see that Ursus sentry in the bridge, lost in thought with his teacup in hand?"

"Ah... um... (two) 0 ba wuling jiu liu... should we aim at him?"

"No need. Move your gun three degrees to the left and aim at the third breathing warning light from the left along the outer corridor of the bridge..."

Following Nana's instructions, Jessica's body began to move instinctively, a result of her past training.

Feline girl's gaze swept over the distance calculation provided by the sights, and the mil adjustment was automatically adjusted to the correct position by the laser rangefinder... Just to be on the safe side, Jessica picked up the accompanying binoculars and calculated it herself before giving a definitive answer:

"Aiming complete."

"Range extension spell charge level three, activate silencer for active noise reduction and muzzle flash countermeasures. I'll fire first... You await orders."

"Understood. Range-extending spell measurement three, active noise reduction of the silencer and corresponding measures for muzzle flash have been confirmed. Awaiting orders."

The words had barely left her lips when a soft gunshot rang out beside her, sending chills down Jessica's spine... Nana's WA2000 had opened fire.

As Firearms Operator, Jessica immediately recognized it as a range-extending spell of level 5 or higher... It didn't look like Etch Rounds barrel; it was like a small-caliber army cannon... a 155mm cannon firing a storm.

Even the thermal blankets they were using were being lifted up. Jessica bit her lip and tried her best to keep her weapon steady in the strong wind, trying to keep the sights from changing their aim as much as possible.

In Nana's vision, black bullets, accompanied by anti-materiel storms and distorting light, swept towards the antenna array of the Ursus warship... Nana's statement that Jessica was the protagonist of this mission was probably not just modesty.

After all, the target was a radio speaker, but the effect of the strike was to sever the entire electronic mast of the warship from its base. This result made Nana frown.

"... Nana?"

"It's alright. Although it's a bit off-center, the first objective has been achieved: confirming that the recording equipment has been damaged..."

"Um, I mean, someone went to check."

"Isn't this just common sense...?"

Seeing a question mark appear in the scope as someone opened the window and peered up, only to see nothing, Nana reluctantly put on her coat, grabbed a flashlight, and prepared to push open the armored door outside the bridge. After estimating the ammunition parameters Jessica had given her, Nana gave the order to fire.

Despite Jessica's Nana claims of lack of confidence, once Nana took charge of timing the firing, Jessica's shooting consistency became impeccable.

If the.5 extended-range missile fired by Nana could directly destroy the fragile top mast of the Landship with its storm-force winds, then the.408 sniper missile fired with an extended-range.3, even if it didn't hit directly, would be enough to cause an absent-minded Ursus crew member to 'accidentally fall to their death' by creating turbulent air currents along its path.

Although they were ten kilometers apart, Nana and Jessica couldn't hear it. But as the entire Landship gradually lit up a few seconds after the person landed, and a crowd began to gather around the railings, Nana tapped her earpiece:

"This is Medic. We have confirmed that the sonar system of the Nobles' Army's Landship has been neutralized. Huang, you can begin full speed ahead now."

As soon as Nana finished speaking, a slight tug came from the half-zipped jacket, clearly Jessica's anxious call.

"... Well, we only destroyed one set of working sonar receivers... The real sonar post should be the one with the central walking mechanism inserted into the ground!"

"I know, but directly attacking the sonar system that Ursus will install in the future, which is located on the ground, would be too conspicuous... It would directly expose our tactical objectives."

"And now, although you can't hear it, you can see it, right? Soldiers running around on the side of the high-speed warship... With such chaotic internal noise, the enemy can't hear external sounds... Right now, their night sonar is just a bunch of noise."

As she spoke, Nana glanced at her watch, then set up her sniper rifle again, while Jessica continued to press for answers:

"So, does this mean we deliberately murdered that crew member? And what about the obvious damage to the mast...?"

"I gave the order, and I take responsibility... If the other party has any objections to their death, they can blame their superiors for trying to prevent us from entering Chernobog."

"This is clearly a military act, Jessica, don't have any psychological barriers. Without the direct impact of the projectiles, it's difficult for Ursus to determine whether the antenna damage and the crew's fall were due to an attack or an accident."

"Based on my understanding of them, unless there is clear evidence such as bullet holes or bullets left on the Landship, this incident will probably be attributed to the bad luck of the deceased and the equipment... It's quite normal for small meteorites to occasionally fall on Landship and kill one or two people."

Despite saying that, seeing that the Ursus ships did not sound the alarm, but instead sent military police to drive the crew back to their cabins... Nana lowered the muzzle of her gun, which had been pointing in that direction.

As the Exploration Vehicle drove completely out of the Third Army's defense range, Nana quickly made the sign of the cross in a place where the two could not see her.

"After all, even Amiya was mentally prepared, so I thought I didn't need to emphasize it to you again... The unlucky guy who got caught in the scope this time was a soldier. He wasn't entirely innocent. After all, I would do anything to protect the Doctor... This is not a joke. I'm prepared to take someone's life, even at the cost of my own... Whether it's the enemy or my own life, I've put it all on the table."

"Jessica, you may point your gun at even more difficult targets in the future. All I can teach you is to think about what you want before you act, what you can give up... and what you are willing to pay for it..."

"If you feel uncomfortable, then just 'follow orders'... You're Mercenaries, and if you really want to hold someone accountable, you're not the one primarily responsible... Unless being asked to fire a shot would make you cry, then... just continue to follow orders."

"At least you'll still obey my orders... right?"

Seeing Nana give her a wry smile under the Twin Moons, Jessica opened her mouth slightly... but said nothing.

To be honest, Jessica didn't feel any regret for the Ursus soldier who died unjustly on duty. It was Nana's rather somber conversation that left Jessica somewhat bewildered.

Am I the kind of person who can't distinguish between what's important and what's not, and who lacks a stance?

Jessica knew that wasn't the case, of course... Although she didn't think the Nobles' Army soldiers were inherently evil, the positions of both sides were clear. Since the other side wanted to stop their actions, being eliminated as an obstacle was unavoidable.

Jessica has witnessed a wide range of human nature during her Mercenaries career at Blacksteel... Everyone wants a legitimate reason to act, wants to be a good person... But how many good people are there who are enemies?

More often than not, the conflict between the two sides can be simply reduced to 'different positions'.

To show that she shared Nana's stance, Jessica glanced disapprovingly at her fingers, which seemed content just holding onto Nana's hem.

Then, the girl mustered her courage and moved closer to feel Nana's body temperature. But even so, she could still sense Nana's slightly sad mood through her red alien Halo... Jessica thought for a moment, and finally, as if she were holding her own gun, she wrapped her arms around Nana's arm and rested her head on her senior's shoulder.

The Feline of Jessica's hair intertwined under the night sky... Nana truly felt Jessica's emotions... That clumsy hug, whether out of fear or emphasis, was the most direct expression. This insecure child had mustered courage to show Nana's side through such a direct action.

But... how long are you going to hold me like this? Qi

Although I also put down the III gun, didn't I say I would continue to monitor them?

With a sigh, since the fleet's movements in the distance weren't being monitored, Nana would allow this level of coquettishness... So the assassin looked towards the bright Twin Moons tonight: Five

"As expected of a tourist destination, the moonlight in Chernobog is just like in the travel brochures... Jessica, don't keep your face buried in me, look up, the moonlight is beautiful."

Had her persuasion worked? Jessica slowly raised her head, but when she met Nana's heterochromatic eyes, Jessica face instantly turned red, and she looked away.

The long-haired girl shyly began to tidy her hair, which had been ruffled by the wind.

"Yes... yes... if there's a chance next time, let's go to Siesta together... the nights there, the Twin Moons set on the calm, waveless sea, are beautiful too."

"Silly cat... Shouldn't you be saying the wind is gentle too?! Your classmates Su Sulo and Huang are practically confessing to the captain, Jessica, you little idiot, why haven't you even hit the track yet...?"

Seeing Franka, who was leaning against the edge of the flight control station and peeking out to watch the two people's backs for a long time, gritting her teeth like this, Franka Liskarm, who had been dragged over to eat cat food, felt utterly hopeless.

"So, we're out of the Ursus warship's patrol range now... Can we stop being idiots sticking our heads out on the top deck in the cold wind?"

Franka frowned at her partner's lack of romantic understanding and said:

"Liskarm... don't you care at all about Jessica... and the Captain's love life?!"

Regarding Franka's inappropriate matchmaking, Liskarm glanced back at the person who had started grinding their teeth:

"All I know is that if you keep gossiping like this, Huang might be ready to kill you."

Hearing Liskarm's reminder, Franka paused for a moment, and the fat fox turned around sharply, only to find Blaze and Amiya with Blaze covering her ears.

Clearly, even Huang Da Mao blushed awkwardly when his personal feelings were brought up. As for Amiya, even with her ears covered, her upright rabbit ears were a stark contrast to her droopy appearance during the day... she obviously perked up at the mention of gossip.

She's just a little girl, it's perfectly normal.

But Franka's furious, almost punchable expression made Franka chuckle sheepishly and raise her hands in surrender.

"Well, actually I also support you and the captain..."

"Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting in front of a child?!"

PS: Waaaaaaah!

This isn't some half-baked fake fish Takina; this is the real killer whale SAKANA↑

PSS: Watching the atmosphere gradually turn orange as the instigators... the nameless soldier, who had been shot and thrown overboard by Jessica and fell to his death, pointed to himself: What about me?

PS3: I already have a lot of ellipses, Jessica, a character who speaks in a disjointed manner, has even more... Should I give her some ellipses to help her quickly turn into DJ mode... Although she's still crying even in DJ mode, at least she speaks with more conviction.

PS4: By the way, the most confused one is actually Nana... She still has the self-awareness of being middle-aged, so she never even considered dating younger men... Also, everyone should remember who Nana thought of first after suspecting a hormonal problem and possibly going into heat...

6th Patriot's Gun: 246 Convergence

Perhaps the Nobles' Army was not on high alert due to being in the rear of the civil war, or perhaps the Third Army, with its lax discipline, was simply slow to react. Nana didn't need to risk attacking the ground-penetrating sonar system; the initial small chaos alone obscured the most dangerous part of the Exploration Vehicle's journey.