Chapter 69: Battle of the Forward Base


    The elevator took us on a long journey up the tunnel. Nobody spoke in the elevator, each entertaining their own thoughts. What I couldn''t understand was why Zhang Xingxing and the others were caught so easily. Furthermore, they had been caught before I could even receive any news. I did not know if Dondon was able to receive an update from them.


    The thought of Dondon reminded me that mymunication channel was still filled with static. I kept the channel open, trying to see if I could receive Dondon''s message after leaving the cave system. Three hourster, we reached the surface. The iron door opened, and five armed Liyates stood in a row before us.


    Team Leader Kalun took the leading position. When he saw us, he stepped forth and said, "Boss, everything is ready. Please inspect the men at the public square."


    Giorno nodded expressionlessly before leading us to the public square.


    "Canyue, Canyue, can you hear me?" Dondon''s voice came clearly from themunication channel.


    I coughed into themunicator as a reply.


    "I am hiding on the top floor of a tall building to the side. I have a clear vision of you. Don''t say anything to me. We''ll maintain contact," Dondon said.


    Hearing that Dondon was safe, my anxious heart was somewhat pacified. After about 10 minutes of walking, a massive opening appeared before me. The square was filled with members of the Brotherhood. The perimeter within 300 meters of the square was sealed off by armed individuals.


    I followed Giorno into the square and stepped onto a tform. A total of 150 burly Liyates stood before me. They were each armed to the teeth, their green hair drifting about in the wind. Five tanks that each looked like an egg were parked in the square. Above us, ten air defense drones hovered in a row. Even farther away, three massive transport ships were waiting. Everything was ready.


    "Warriors of the Brotherhood, today is a special yet important day for all of us. We are on the eve of carrying out an epoch-marking mission. The moment this mission starts, we are no longer a mere organization. Our goal? A stronger super empire," said Giorno from the tform.


    The thugs below the tform all roared fanatically upon hearing his words.


    "Today, I will take you somewhere you have never dared to dream of approaching. The Imperial College. There are countless riches waiting for us, and endless energy is there for the taking. The fall of the Imperial College will be the start of the rise of the Brotherhood!" Giorno continued his speech.


    An even louder cheer broke out from the crowd.


    ''Looks like this Giorno is quite good at stirring up public sentiment. He has sessfully whipped these thugs into a frenzy,'' I remarked inwardly.


    Giornomanded, "Everyone, take the transport ships to our appointed gathering point. Kalun, Kamo, and Edo, lead your men and attack as the main army with me. Aaron and Asa, take your men and neutralize the cannons andser towers around the college. Take out the surrounding patrols while you''re at it. Remember this. After entering, I do not wish to see a single Eternal warrior or policeman. Allbat personnel should be killed without mercy."


    The thugs answered loudly. With the arrangements made, everyone boarded the transport ships. With 10 burly guards, Giorno walked down the tform with me in tow. Kalun and the other two main army leaders were there waiting for us.


    "Kalun, spread my order. Nobody is allowed to enter the college''s final floor. Kill any who vites this order with extreme prejudice,"manded Giorno.


    Kalun immediately spread the order to everyone with hismunicator.


    "Great explorer, take this. Things will get messy during the battle. Keep in touch with this," said Giorno as he handed amunicator to me.


    I epted themunicator and hung it beside my ear before testing it out.


    "We will be boarding the ship heading to the college soon. Giorno, can you hear me?" I asked through themunicator.


    "Crystal clear," replied Giorno.


    Dondon''s confirmation also came from my suit''smunicator. Yes, my words were actually meant for Dondon, informing him of our imminent attack on the college. A small transportation shipnded before us. Giorno brought me, his personal guards, and the three leaders into the ship.


    ''Dondon will have to think of a way to go to the Imperial College,'' I thought.


    The ship took off and started flying toward the Imperial College. The threerger transportation ships followed behind us.


    I couldn''t keep my mind calm, ''We''re finally going to the Imperial College. I wonder how Xingxing and the others are. I hope they''re safe.''


    The ships flew over the rugged mountainous terrain before ascending higher into the sky. Up in the sky, I saw numerous cities,kes, forests, and other geographical features simr to what one would see on Blue. However, the life forms here were different. A type of blue nt covered the vast majority of the terrain. The only difference was that this did not haverge swathes of a blue sea like Blue.


    I could see manyrgekes that seemed to be in the process of drying, and dried rivers could be seen all around them. A that was rich in water ording to Nommo had been reduced to a state where water was so scarce.


    After flying for about five hours, the signal light on the ship started zing.


    "Boss, we''re approaching the college''s zone. The ships are entering stealth mode," reported Kalun.


    Giorno nodded. All the ships slowly turned transparent, as though some sort of projection technology had turned all of them invisible.


    "Since we have invisibility technology, why don''t wend at the very center of the college?" I asked.


    "Respected great explorer, this invisibility technology won''t be able to hide from the light wave scanners on the rail cannons andser towers. The moment we enter their attacking range, they will fire on us. At that time, we will lose both our ships and our lives," said Giorno.


    I stuck my tongue out and stopped talking.


    At this time, numerous ck buildings appeared on the horizon. As the ship approached, an imposing buildingplex appeared before my eyes. The entireplex was painted ck. The outer circle of theplex was surrounded by numerous small buildings, resulting in something simr to a city district.


    At the very middle of the district was an area surrounded by massive walls. Within the walled area, a ck pointed building shaped like a sawtooth stood tall. The building was tall enough to touch the clouds, and it looked solemn and majestic. The building was surrounded by three simrly shaped buildings of different heights. These buildings were considered the Imperial College''s core area.


    As the ship continued approaching, I could clearly see the many massive rail cannons andser towers surrounding the college. Looking at the imposingplex of armaments and strict security, I realized that a bitter battle wasing. At that thought, I stealthily turned off themunicator Giorno gave me.


    I hid in the corner and called Dondon when nobody was paying attention to me. "Dondon, calling for Dondon, can you hear me?"


    "I''m here. I sneaked into the armory of a transportation ship while they weren''t paying attention," said Dondon.


    "Well done. I''ll give you an important mission. Remember, do not try to fly over the walls while invisible. The cannons will strike you down. Remember, keep hiding and don''t take part in the battle. Wait until all the cannons andser towers are destroyed before entering the college. Look for Zhang Xingxing and the others. ording to a reliable source of information, the crew was imprisoned in the college after being captured."


    "What? The team leader and the others were captured?" Dondon was astonished.


    "Yes. The battle will start shortly. I need to maintainmunication with the Brotherhood so I''ll keep mymunication channel open. But to keep you hidden, I won''t be speaking to you. Just act ording to what I told you," I said.


    "Roger," Dondon gave a concise reply.


    Then, I turned on the Brotherhood''smunicator again. A series of voices immediately came from themunicator.


    "Reporting, the surveince drones have transmitted new recordings back. Please ept," a voice said urgently.


    I immediately stepped forth.


    "What happened?" I asked Giorno.


    For the very first time, a fretful expression appeared on Giorno''s face. "The surveince drones discovered that a police squad had been stationed at a forward base in front of the college."


    "Why is a police squad suddenly stationed there?" I asked.


    Giorno looked at me and said, "You''re a famous fugitive not among the captured. Do you think the empire is so stupid that they won''t take precautions against your attempt to save your people? However, this proves that there are important people in the college. If it''s not the emperor, then your friends are definitely here."


    "Boss, do we alter our assault?" asked Kalun.


    "No. Follow our original n. The teams in charge of attacking the main entrance will first focus on the forward base. Have all shipsnd 30 kilometers away from their respective targets. The teams in charge of attacking the walls can make their offensive arrangements themselves. As for the arrangements for our offensive, I''ll let you know shortly," said Giorno, disying the temperament of a calm leader in the face of chaos.


    As Giorno''smands were passed on, I checked my weapons before taking out myser gun and automatic rifle armed with tracking bullets. I knew very well that a bitter battle was unavoidable. Thus, I set my weapons to fatal mode.


    Energy remaining in my suit: 31 hours.