Unlike most surprise attacks, Li Wei did not choose to strike at night. Instead, he launched his operation in broad daylight.
As the Night Raven tore across the sky toward the Holy Lord Church's headquarters in the City of Flowers-the Holy Spirit Church-its shadow swept over the streets with a thunderous roar. People instinctively looked up and saw a strange dark shape flash past overhead. Then...
It crashed straight into the Holy Spirit Church.
"What happened?"
The Cront soldiers on guard were startled.
"Was that an attack?"
"Is the Empire attacking?"
"Was that a shell?!"
People did learn from experience, after all. The Empire had figured out Cront's way of fighting, and Cront had gained some understanding of the Empire's combat methods. Though they had yet to fully analyze and summarize them, they at least knew what the Empire liked to do most: begin a battle with a round of shelling to crush all resistance in the enemy positions, follow it with aerial bombing by airships, then advance on the ground with mecha and infantry.
And right now, there was no telling whether this signaled an Imperial attack!
"Beeeep-!"
A piercing alarm soon rang out. The Cront soldiers grew tense and hurried back to camp to prepare for a possible Imperial assault.
As for that strange dark shape, well, Cront had no idea the Empire had built flying mecha. They thought it was a stray shell!
Meanwhile, the Night Raven had already smashed through the glass and charged into the Holy Spirit Church.
"Pool shot!"
The magnificent stained glass, decorated with images praising the Holy Spirit, shattered. The massive black steel mecha flew through it, then blasted searing jets of air from beneath its body to counter its momentum. With a thud, it slammed onto the ground, shattering the pristine,