As EO mercenaries whose main combat power is retired veterans, they displayed excellent combat skills.
Although they didn't have many people, under the cover of armored vehicles and helicopters, they occupied nearly one-third of the urban area of Roanapur in just a little more than half an hour.
They didn't encounter any resistance. The gangs and police who used to act tyrannically in the city ran faster than rabbits when they saw them, making the colonel leading the team this time feel like he had exerted all his strength only to punch into cotton.
"A gang is still a gang, can't compare with a regular army." The colonel bit a cigar, thinking with disdain.
But at this moment, his walkie-talkie rang.
"Colonel, our helicopter squad encountered flying units of unknown forces, about a dozen helicopters."
"Then what are you reporting for? Guide the ground air-defense unit, shoot them down." The colonel said.
"But those helicopters aren't carrying any weapons, there are no mounts on their bodies either. Just under each helicopter is hanging a container, like transport aircraft, they seem to be delivering something into the city… wait, those helicopters dropped the containers, and they're blocking the only path for our ground troops."
"Trying to block our advance with containers? How naïve!" The colonel sneered.
"After all, they're just a bunch of gangsters, with no urban warfare experience at all. Hmph, tell the ground troops to give them a good lesson, let the armored vehicles tow away all those containers."
"Received."
———
"Quite the big scene." On the balcony, Aiden looked at the rumbling armored vehicles and the following infantry, and sighed.
"Are they the ones coming after your people?" Behind him, Roberta was picking weapons from the boxes Aiden used to store firearms, and asked.
"Uh, seems like not. Their insignia… hiss, I don't think I've seen it before."
Aiden's understanding of EO only came from a search on Baidu, and that too was out of interest after watching Black Lagoon.
So, when he saw those mercenaries, Aiden also felt unfamiliar.
Roberta paused what she was doing, and looked at Aiden with confusion.
If Aiden had said those people were coming after him, she would've armed herself without a word and prepared for battle.
But hearing Aiden say he wasn't sure, she hesitated.
If it were before, she wouldn't have thought like this, just eliminate all enemies. But now it's different. She has to think about the Lovelace family, and can't keep making more enemies.
Thinking of this, she walked over to Aiden, but didn't put down the weapon in her hands, still shouldering an RPK light machine gun.
———
[Inner city. Moscow Hotel.]
Balalaika sat at her desk, with a serious expression, receiving a message through a phone call.
On the sofa in front of her, Triad's Mr. Chang and Shenhua also looked serious while staring at her.
"Balalaika, the local gang organizations have gathered their members. What are you planning to do?"
Balalaika said a few words into the phone, then spoke to him, "No arrangements. I don't expect those scumbags to do anything. As long as they don't make trouble, that's enough."
She meant it, and not just for the small Roanapur gangs, this was also a warning to Mr. Chang, don't let your people act recklessly.
Mr. Chang, of course, understood the meaning behind her words. But he wasn't angry. Because he knew, if it came to personal combat, Balalaika definitely wasn't his match, but her subordinates' combat ability far exceeded that of his men, who had never experienced war. So he just nodded.
At this moment, they heard the sound of helicopters rumbling overhead.
The adjutant behind Balalaika immediately shouted, "Captain, please head to the basement immediately, I fear they're about to bomb us."
Balalaika was about to nod when the office door was suddenly kicked open. One of her men rushed in shouting, "Captain! A dozen helicopters flew over, all carrying containers!"
"Not enemy gunships?" the adjutant asked in shock.
"No." The man shook his head.
Just then, Balalaika's phone sounded again.
"Captain, some unknown helicopters dropped containers in the middle of the streets. The mercenaries are preparing to tow them away using armored vehicles."
"Keep observing."
"Yes."
After hanging up the phone, Balalaika fell into thought. She couldn't figure out how the situation had developed to this point.
This suddenly appearing mercenary unit, and those helicopters not belonging to them. None of this was picked up by their intel.
"Aiden, just what kind of people have you provoked?" Balalaika pinched her brow, muttering.
———
On the other side, EO mercenaries at every street intersection, under orders from their commanding officers, were preparing to open the containers blocking the streets using armored vehicles.
On one such street, as a few mercenaries were attaching hooks, suddenly a sound like air leaking came from inside a container, then—click—the mechanical lock on the container automatically opened, and the container door slammed down onto the ground.
The mercenaries who saw this were startled, raising their guns and backing up a few steps, staring at the pitch-black interior.
"You, go check it out." Because the sun had already set, the officer in the armored vehicle couldn't see clearly what was inside either, but he didn't want to go down himself, so he casually pointed at a soldier.
The chosen mercenary looked gloomy, but dared not refuse. He muttered complaints in his heart as he walked toward the container.
"Should be nothing…" he said, pulling out a flashlight.
But when he shone the light inside, he froze completely.
"M-Monster…"
The next second, fear overwhelmed him. He dropped the flashlight and turned to run, screaming loudly.
The officer was confused by the shout, "Monster? What monster, you—"
He hadn't finished when he saw a terrifying sight.
A large creature, like a skinned frog, burst out of the container. Its massive limbs helped it catch up to the fleeing mercenary in no time. Then, it raised sharp claws and tore the man to pieces in just a second.
"D-Damn it…" The officer in the armored vehicle couldn't believe his eyes. Even after years of fighting, he had never seen such a creature. His mind blanked briefly before he recovered and shouted, "Fire! Shoot, quickly!"
In truth, he didn't even need to say it. The EO mercenaries, also seeing such strange monsters for the first time, were already pulling the trigger.
But as the most cost-effective B.O.W. of the future, the Lickers had surprisingly high intelligence. They seemed to understand the power of bullets, so they didn't charge foolishly into gunfire. Instead, using their greatest advantage, mobility that ignored any terrain, they ran along surrounding buildings, attacking the terrified mercenaries from unimaginable angles.
In less than a minute, nearly half the squad was killed by the Lickers' claws.
Their counterattack only managed to kill a few, and even then, most of the damage came from an old Cold War-era armored vehicle supporting the infantry.
The heavy casualties broke the morale of the remaining soldiers completely. Some fled, while the rest rushed toward the armored vehicle, trying to get inside.
But the officer had already sealed himself inside and locked the doors.
The mercenaries who couldn't get in were filled with despair. They cursed loudly, and then died under the Lickers' assault.
Logically speaking, a mercenary army composed of retired veterans should be very powerful, with their rich combat experience.
But unfortunately, under Africa's excellent matching system, they had grown used to anti-insurgency operations there. When faced with hundreds of Lickers, they instantly collapsed. All across the city streets, fleeing mercenaries could be seen.
In contrast, the original residents hiding in Roanapur were much luckier. Years of experience had made them prepare solid shelters. Except for a few unlucky ones who opened doors out of curiosity, most were not attacked by the Lickers.
———
"Captain."
In Moscow Hotel, Balalaika answered the phone again.
"What's the situation outside now?" she asked, having heard the gunfire and explosions, but none seeming aimed at them.
"I... I'm not too sure either," her subordinate stammered. "The observers said the mercenaries seem to be under attack by monsters."
"Monsters?" Balalaika paused, then remembered something Aiden once said.
"Yes, they look like giant frogs, and they move really fast. Even when hit by dozens of bullets, they don't die." The subordinate's voice was full of fear.
"There's no such thing as an undying creature," Balalaika encouraged him. "Keep guarding. If those monsters come our way, use the fortifications to take them out. Don't forget what you learned in the army."
"Understood."
After hanging up, Balalaika looked at the confused Mr. Chang and Shenhua and said calmly, "Get ready. Looks like we'll be going into battle too."
Then she glanced at Shenhua, especially the sheath at her leg, and said, "You'd better bring a few guns."
"Why?" Shenhua asked in confusion.
"Because… the monsters we're facing may not even be killed by guns."
[🎉 Shoutout to Zekenation, Nefasturis, Dersbyth, Nick, Whitewolf, Flying_Dutchman for joining patreon. Thank you very much.🤗]
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y