blogombal 032 Kassel College Crisis Exercise
032 Kassel College Crisis Exercise
"Target location: coordinates γ-7 on the back mountain, speed 12 kilometers per hour, moving towards the main building of the academy." The voice of Wan Boqian, the intelligence team leader, came through the radio. She was crouching behind the observation post cover, holding a rangefinder. "Expected to enter the main building's perimeter in fifteen minutes. Repeat, γ-7, speed and direction stable."
"Case number red, proceed with the execution."
Caesar immediately gave the orders: "Pincer Team One, deploy on the left flank, I will lead. Pincer Team Two, deploy on the right flank, Chu Zihang will lead. Alternate cover, do not engage the target, maintain a distance of more than thirty meters. Your mission is not to attack it, but to make it watch you."
"Engineering team, use the existing terrain to set up obstacles. Limit its movement speed and steer it along the predetermined path."
"Fire team, move to higher ground and wait for it to come into range before firing. Don't waste ammunition."
"The intelligence team continues to report positions and guides the engineering team and the Dragon King's direction."
"The assault team is behind me, waiting at the window."
Caesar turned around to face the twenty-nine men.
"quick."
Eight men followed Caesar and spread out in an arc to the left flank, each five meters apart. All of them carried large alloy shields, each weighing twenty-two kilograms.
Chu Zihang led the pincer-shaped second team to deploy to the right flank, leaving the open space between the two flanks for the fire support and assault teams behind them.
"The obstacle path on the left wing has been marked," Wan Boqian said in the headset. "Caesar, there is a natural cliff forty meters ahead of you. I suggest you keep moving between the cliff and the target."
"receive."
"Right wing, be aware that the ground structure ahead is weak, with multiple cracks. The cracks will widen when targets pass through, so be careful to avoid them. Chu Zihang, I suggest moving along the edges of the cracks and not stepping on the crack lines."
"receive."
Wan Boqian continued, "Based on the current speed and direction, the target is most likely to pass through the C-31 route. It is recommended that the fire support team move to the high ground on the left, and the assault team retreat to the second pre-set position."
"Fire support group relocated," Susie confirmed.
Susie led her four-person fire support team out of the open area, carrying modified heavy crossbows, and ran towards the low hill on the left.
The engineering team was busy at the front of both wings.
First-year student Qi Lan held a topographical map in one hand and hammered metal stakes into the ground with the other, repeatedly counting: "Position one in position, position two meters to the left. Position three! Where's position three?"
"here!"
"Quick! It moves one step every eight seconds, calculate how many steps are left!"
The engineering team's task is to restrict the Dragon King's movement. Within the framework of the Red Case, speed is the most dangerous variable. The faster it goes, the higher the frequency of the seismic waves, and the smaller the escape route for the pincer movement. Qi Lan must use every means to suppress this variable.
"There's a crack about 30 meters ahead for the first team, about 1.5 meters wide. They should go around it," Wan Boqian said.
Caesar gestured, and one team shifted five meters to the right.
"Second team, the right flank will receive the first direct hit in thirty seconds."
"Window of opportunity!"
"Received." Susie adjusted her aim.
The fire support team's mission is to disrupt the Dragon King during the window of opportunity, creating a chance for the assault team.
Susie pulled the trigger, and the crossbow rang out with a "bang." The alchemical arrow flew out at subsonic speed, striking the right side of the King of Earth and Mountains' torso.
The arrow exploded on the surface of the scales, bursting into a burst of blue-white sparks.
The three men beside him also opened fire at the same time, and four arrows hit his torso and forelegs from different angles.
"The scales are harder than expected, and we failed to penetrate their defenses," Wan Boqian said quickly. "We suggest shifting the attack target to the gaps between the scales, to the area with dense dark red patterns."
"Received." Susie adjusted her aim.
The fifth arrow struck a dark red area with dense markings at the base of the thigh.
This time it's different.
The arrow embedded itself about two centimeters into the gap in the scales, then exploded. The shockwave propagated inward along the gap, and the dark red light brightened for a fleeting moment.
The king of the earth and mountains stopped in his tracks.
"It has noticed you," Caesar said.
"I know." Susie was already loading her sixth round.
The Dragon King stomped his foot.
The entire ground undulates, spreading outwards from its base.
The pincer-shaped second team was the first to be attacked. Chu Zihang reacted the fastest, slamming his shield into the ground and pressing his hands on the shield handle to anchor himself.
"Right Wing Number Four is down!" someone shouted.
"Keep moving! Don't stop!" Chu Zihang shouted.
The situation on the left flank was slightly better; the forty-meter distance significantly reduced the amplitude of the shockwave. Caesar didn't slow down: "Left flank is fine, keep it up. Firepower team, how's the effect?"
"The fifth shot was effective, embedding about two centimeters, but did not cause any substantial damage," Susie said. "The sixth shot was aimed at the same spot."
The sixth shot hit the same spot, and this time a dull sound came from the gaps in the scales, like a hammer striking thick rubber.
"A defensive response has been initiated at this location; the gap is narrowing. Change targets."
The Dragon King stomped his foot again toward the high ground where the fire support group was located.
The earthen slope on the high ground began to collapse, and rubble rolled down. Susie and the four members of the fire support team were forced to run to the side, carrying the crossbow and ammunition boxes.
"Fire support group moved! High ground lost!"
"One team, provide cover!"
The eight men on the left flank immediately adjusted their formation, moving towards the direction the fire support group had moved to, and using their shields to form a mobile wall to block the rubble rolling down from the high ground.
"Reduce the distance and raise the shields!" Caesar shouted.
"The window is expected to last twenty seconds," Wan Boqian told Lancelot.
It takes twelve seconds to get from the hiding spot to the Dragon King's body, but only eight seconds to attack.
Lancelot ran at breakneck speed, each step landing on the pauses in the vibrations. Five people followed behind him, in tight formation.
Twelve seconds later, they reached the Dragon King's body.
"Throw!" Lancelot roared.
Six alchemical spears flew towards the Dragon King's abdomen simultaneously, piercing its outer shell, and explosive runes began to flash.
"Retreat!" Everyone turned and ran.
The runes detonated simultaneously, blasting six holes open in the Dragon King's abdomen, from which magma gushed forth. The Dragon King let out a deep roar and, for the first time, stopped in its tracks.
"Effective strike! Abdominal armor breached!"
The pincers took advantage of the Dragon King's pause to complete their rotation.
The two shield bearers in Team One and the one shield bearer in Team Two were too exhausted, so the retreating support team brought in three backup personnel.
The medical team, consisting of three people, was positioned behind the safety line to receive the wounded as they were evacuated.
"Retreat! Retreat!"
The Dragon King was guided to the location pre-set by the engineering team.
Qi Lan crouched behind cover as the massive figure of the Dragon King slowly entered the center of the blast zone. The pincer team had retreated to a safe distance, the assault team regrouped, and the fire support team repositioned their weapons on the high ground.
"Detonate!" Qi Lan pressed the detonator.
Thirty-seven detonation points were detonated in a pre-set sequence, advancing from the periphery to the center, with all energy directed towards the same point: the King of Earth and Mountains.
The series of explosions blasted a three-meter-diameter hole in his chest, revealing dark red muscle tissue beneath. Something glowed deep within the hole—the Dragon King's core.
"Core exposed!" Wan Boqian's voice almost cracked. "Assault team, now!"
Lancelot led the assault team and charged forward again.
The pincer-shaped first and second teams pressed forward simultaneously, with the shield bearers rushing to the Dragon King's side to block the falling rocks and lava rain.
The assault team affixed twelve explosive runes to the exposed core area and then retreated. The moment the runes detonated, the Dragon King's entire body trembled.
"Effective strike! Core damaged! Dragon King's movements are slow!" Wan Boqian shouted in the public channel, "The pincer team can rotate—wait."
"Scatter! Everyone scatter!" Chu Zihang roared.
Everyone still on the edge of the collapse zone turned and ran at the same time.
Then the Dragon King's front legs landed.
The shockwave spread outwards from the point of impact, rendering all ground fortifications ineffective. Electronic equipment also malfunctioned, leaving only piercing noise on the radio.
"Blue Case! Execute Blue Case!" Chu Zihang roared.
He drew his Murasame sword, and the remaining members of the pincer-shaped teams, seeing their captain charge out, also threw down their shields and drew their respective weapons—hunting knives, short swords, and hand axes—and charged toward the Dragon King.
The Dragon King's energy is limited; every stomp, shockwave, and sweep consumes energy.
"Charge!" Qi Lan led the engineering team, wielding entrenching tools, and charged toward the center of the battlefield.
The intelligence team, medical team, and fire support team all abandoned their positions, and everyone grabbed the melee weapons at hand and rushed forward.
Faced with this frenzied attack, the Dragon King let out a mournful cry, exhausted his last bit of strength, and collapsed to the ground.