Tomohiko Kuroiwa rubbed the hilt of his monomolecular samurai sword with his fingertips, and looked at his subordinates with cold eyes, contrary to his previous image of a good old man who had worked hard in the company for many years.
There is no other reason. For a company employee who is gradually losing the favor of Saburo Arasaka due to successive failures, Kuroiwa's current attitude towards his subordinates is considered normal.
If other Arasaka executives who were accustomed to smooth sailing encountered the same failure as him, their reactions would probably be more intense and unpredictable.
Looking at the company's stronghold on the holographic sand table that was under attack and asking for support, Heiyan's face was expressionless, but his body was trembling slightly.
The Mad Max world was the first world he found for the company. He was responsible for almost all the bases and related plans and personnel in it. It could even be said that it was the confidant force he had cultivated in advance for his future advancement in the company's board of directors. But now that Saburo no longer trusts himself, where does he have the extra manpower and resources to make up for the loopholes blasted by the empire?
Considering the series of negative impacts that the loss of the Beluga aircraft carrier had on the company after the defeat of Arasaka, Kuroiwa Tomohiko had no complaints about Saburo relegating himself to the sidelines.
After all, even if we put aside the astonishing political value of the Beluga, as a heavy aircraft carrier with a cost of hundreds of millions of euros, she is still the most important maritime force of Arasaka Company after the end of the Fourth Corporate War, serving as a deterrent to Night City. and even the role of the entire New America.
Now that the Beluga is damaged in the world of District 9, it has become a company asset that is wandering outside and may never be recovered. What impact this will have on the future of Arasaka Company, Kuroiwa Tomohiko cannot even imagine.
As the saying goes, good things never come in pairs and misfortunes never come singly. When the company was still licking the wounds caused by the war, those formidable enemies actually came from another world. This was something he had not expected.
Although I don’t know why the enemy’s expeditionary legion seems to be technologically underdeveloped, under the opponent’s rapid offensive, the company lost half of its sphere of influence in just one week, and the losses in personnel and materials were even more numerous. number.
It is foreseeable that if he cannot successfully stop the enemy in the Mad Max world and submit a satisfactory answer to Saburo Arasaka, the impeachment of the company's board of directors will be a minor matter, and the most serious result will be Saburo's complete loss of trust in him!
Thinking of this, Tomohiko Kuroiwa frowned. The huge disparity in power between the enemy and ourselves made him, who had always regarded himself as a "strategist," feel helpless.
Judging from the paper data observed by satellites, the weapons used by the enemy are not advanced. Compared with the company's technology and smart weapons, they are still decades behind. The opponent's army does not have any prosthetics or other modifications. Technology that enhances the combat effectiveness of individual soldiers.
What makes Kuroiwa Tomohiko feel helpless and even panicked is the staggering number of imperial troops and the high degree of organization and discipline of the soldiers - the former is a fundamental gap that the company cannot close in a short time, while the latter is something that the company's mercenaries cannot achieve even in their lifetime. training level.
All signs indicate to him the fact that Arasaka Company may have really hit the wall this time.
This time, the company's enemy is no longer another company, but a country with an unknown population, an unknown political system, and an unknown comprehensive strength.
A similar scene reminded Kuroiwa of the armed confrontation between the company and the New United States of America outside Night City many years ago. At that time, the United States was at its peak. If it were not for the obstruction of a number of giant companies such as Military Technology, the Arasaka family alone would have wanted to confront the United States. It's a bit of a fool's errand.
"Sir Black Rock, we have just lost contact with Australia's No. 3 base, and the intelligent system is counting the losses..."
After hearing the report from his subordinates, Heiyan raised his hand impatiently and interrupted: "Does intelligence still need to be counted? Base No. 3 has been completely destroyed by those cannons! If there is no good strategy against the enemy, those cannons will The shells will hit our heads soon!"
Looking at another company base on the holographic sand table that was having a fierce exchange of fire with the Imperial Army, Heiyan, who gradually calmed down, realized that this was a good opportunity to encircle the point and provide reinforcements. As long as this opportunity could be used to give the enemy a head-on blow, then what would happen next The direction of the war will also become clear.
"Call all the people and tell the director of Base 5 that no matter what method he uses, he must persist until reinforcements arrive!"
...
While Tomohiko Kuroiwa was busy organizing reinforcements, the battle outside Base 5 had entered a fierce stage, with Arasaka and Imperial soldiers dying every second. With more advanced weapons and defensive facilities built in advance, Arasaka's casualties were smaller than those of the Empire.
As for why the Empire did not directly use artillery to reduce Base 5 to rubble like other bases, the main reason is that Base 5 is located on the surface rather than underground, and Arasaka Company has deployed a large number of solar power generation and wireless devices outside Base 5. transmission device.
Therefore, the commander of the expeditionary force believes that the base is likely to be responsible for the energy supply of Arasaka Company in this world, and has a very high occupation value. And even if it is just for the purpose of testing the enemy's true combat power, this opportunity for a fair contest should not be missed.
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Listening to the distant and near sounds of artillery around him, the imperial general in the rear command post looked calm. However, when the latest intelligence was handed to him, the general's eyebrows slightly raised. It was obvious that he was attracted by the intelligence. The content in it aroused interest.
"Having lost so many strongholds, are you still able to organize a counterattack? Your Majesty's hunch is indeed correct. You must not underestimate these guys at any time."
Thanks to the 24-hour accurate intelligence provided by the Stars Group, the Imperial Expeditionary Force's sense of smell and efficiency in military operations are always slightly better than those of the Arasaka Company. This is also the last time the Imperial Army has been able to dominate the Australian continent in recent days. main reason.
This time, the imperial army only took a little longer, and the opponent reacted and began to plan a counterattack. This was enough to prove that the enemy's senior officials were not fools who did not understand strategy. If the two sides fight under completely equal conditions, it is probably still unknown who will win.
"It's a pity that I see every move you make."
The imperial commander who did not intend to continue wasting time on Base No. 5 waved his hand and issued an order for a quick victory to the troops fighting bravely inside and outside the base. He also released the firing authority of the large-caliber artillery, allowing the frontline troops to use it at will. Strike the enemy with whatever firepower they see fit.
...
"Bang bang bang bang..."
In the corridor of the central building of Base 5, dozens of well-equipped imperial soldiers formed a solid steel defense line on the spot, using assault rifles and machine guns in their hands to constantly greet enemies deep in the corridor who wanted to break out.
"Hush, hush, hush! Boom, boom, boom!"
After a breathtaking whistling sound and explosion sound passed by, the face of the imperial second lieutenant in charge of the defense line changed, and he quickly shouted to his companions who were still firing non-stop: "There are mechanical soldiers coming! Prepare for heavy firepower!"
Before the lieutenant finished speaking, a bipedal combat mech with the Arasaka logo appeared at the end of the corridor. On the shoulders of the mecha, two multiple rocket launchers were still firing rockets near the defense line. The explosions close to the wall made the already riddled building structure even more shaky.
The hands of the mecha are two kinetic energy cannons that use electromagnetic acceleration tracks. The extremely penetrating cannon shells easily penetrated the bunkers built by the imperial soldiers with sandbags and gravel, and the armored soldiers behind them were killed. The soldiers were beaten into pools of bloody mud.
"boom!
! "
After a short period of suppression, the imperial soldiers equipped with many individual anti-tank weapons quickly looked for opportunities to kill the mecha. However, the heavy casualties prevented every survivor from celebrating the victory with a smile, even just a slight smile.
It is no exaggeration to say that the Imperial Army has lost at least two companies of troops in this heavily defended and densely packed building, and this number is increasing rapidly.
Some of them were chopped into pieces by Arasaka ninjas with monomolecular samurai swords, some stepped on laser or poison gas mines, and some encountered the powerful Arasaka mecha in the narrow corridor just like before.
Considering that the strength of the Arasaka Company is by no means comparable to that of the empire's previous opponents, Edward has already anticipated this situation - when the casualties of the imperial army are greater or even much greater than the enemies they face, can they still hold on? rifles, fighting to the last moment for their Emperor.
A few minutes later, the Imperial squad that received the order to retreat took the bodies of their comrades out of the building, allowing the fierce artillery fire from ten thousand meters away to turn the entire building into powder, along with those terrible enemies.
Looking at the blazing flames in the ruins and the prosthetic ninjas who were standing up from the flames, looking like devils because their flesh and blood were burned out, the eyes of the imperial soldiers were confused and panicked, but in the end, there was nothing but confusion in their eyes. It represents nothing but unyielding loyalty and perseverance.
"Stars above! Long live His Majesty the Emperor! May the Empire be victorious!"
Amid roars and shouts like a tsunami, a new round of fighting began.
