Chapter Sixty-Five: The Commencement of the Breakout Operation

"Assault Team Ten, assemble." There was no need for a verbal reply—Zhuang Xiaosi answered Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s question with her actions. The moment she landed, she broadcasted the assembly order to all the mecha girls.

Those engaged in battle on the perimeter, holding back the demons, began to shrink their defensive lines. Energy output was reduced to the bare minimum, and even the heavily damaged mecha girls struggled to their feet and gathered at Zhuang Xiaosi’s position.

Command among the mecha girls was passed according to factory serial numbers. Experiment Ten had aimed to push the limits of mecha girl mobility—combining high-speed movement with rapid assault. That was the origin of Assault Team Ten. Their specialty was breaking through encirclements, excelling at close-quarters combat over ranged engagements, which also meant their casualty rate was higher than other types.

By protocol, command of the assault team should belong to mecha girl 10-0, the prototype, then pass to 10-1, 10-2, and so on. Yet, the one issuing orders now was Zhuang Xiaosi, number 10-4. This meant her predecessors were no longer present.

Perhaps they fell in earlier battles. Perhaps they had just been shot down by the turret-class demon. Or perhaps they had been reassigned to other support roles. All were possible, though given how long ago the Tenth Experiment had taken place—at least a decade or more—the odds favored the latter options. So much can happen in ten years.

Regardless, the command of the entire assault team now fell to Zhuang Xiaosi. At her order, all the mecha girls quickly gathered around her. It was now clear that more than half were significantly damaged, and nearly a third were so depleted of energy they could barely move under their own power.

After confirming that no one was missing, Zhuang Xiaosi issued her orders: "All Valkyries, break through in the direction of the base. Those with heavy weaponry, form the outer ring—don’t let a single enemy approach. Melee units with sufficient energy, take up the second line and eliminate any foes that slip through the barrage. The rest, support those with little energy and keep together in the center. Stay close. Follow me."

With her instructions delivered, Zhuang Xiaosi led the way toward the base. The mecha girls fell in behind her, forming an orderly assault formation as commanded.

"Xiaosi, what should I do?" Zhuang Xiaoyuan asked as she kept pace at Zhuang Xiaosi’s side, glancing at the disciplined ranks behind them.

"Give me the energy recharge devices," Zhuang Xiaosi replied, pointing at the dozen or so energy packs in Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s hands, ignoring her question.

"All of them? What are you planning to do?" Zhuang Xiaoyuan asked, but handed over the devices without hesitation.

"I’ll break open the path ahead. It looks like all your armaments are heavy firepower. Once I've cleared the way, I’ll need you to hold the line and lead them out. Can you do that, Zhuang Xiaoyuan?" As she spoke, Zhuang Xiaosi stowed the energy packs into her reserve transfer unit, feeling the rush as her energy reserves surged.

She didn’t notice it herself, but even though she had just denied Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s offer of friendship, the word had left a mark in her heart. For now, although Zhuang Xiaoyuan was a newcomer, Zhuang Xiaosi trusted her more than the longtime comrades whose serial numbers followed her own—a phenomenon unheard of among mecha girls, who were supposed to rely solely on logic.

"Don’t worry, I’ll keep them right behind you," Zhuang Xiaoyuan replied with a faint smile. The displeasure she’d felt after being rebuffed earlier faded away. She might protest, but her actions spoke for themselves. In Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s eyes, Zhuang Xiaosi was a perfect example of this contradiction.

"Then let’s begin. My Dance of Lightning." With her words to Zhuang Xiaoyuan complete, the vanguard of the team was already clashing with the foremost demons. Zhuang Xiaosi activated the beam sabers on her wrists, and energy blades sprang to life along the wings at her back.

In the blink of an eye, Zhuang Xiaosi vanished from Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s sight. Several general-class demons, charging in from ahead, were suddenly carved into thirds as they ran—their hidden core crystals shattered to dust.

Looking farther ahead, all that could be seen was a streak of white, zigzagging like lightning among the enemy ranks. Wherever the white lightning flashed, demons were cleaved into three parts, their core crystals destroyed beyond doubt.

Though she’d expected Zhuang Xiaosi to be formidable, Zhuang Xiaoyuan had never witnessed her in full force. No wonder she had claimed all the energy packs—at this speed and intensity, the energy drain must be tremendous.

"Impressive as always, Xiaosi. I can’t let your hard-won path go to waste. Everyone, stay close—advance!" Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s eyes shone with fierce determination. If Zhuang Xiaosi had already set the pace, she had no intention of falling behind.

She’d always thought Wen Hui’s competitive streak was too much, but now, under the force of Zhuang Xiaosi’s unstoppable assault, her own was ignited as well.

Her thrusters blazed brighter, and the Gatling gun in her hands began to spin and whine as it powered up. The Dragoon floating cannons orbiting her body opened fire first, unleashing a dazzling barrage. Crimson laser beams stitched a web of death to either side, eradicating the demons converging on the flanks of the path Zhuang Xiaosi had carved.

Her Gatling gun finished spinning up, and blinding muzzle flashes erupted as a storm of bullets tore through the passage ahead. Several demons that had rushed into the corridor were shredded into fragments in an instant.

Ratatatata, pew pew pew—gunfire erupted from behind as well. The assault team was numerous; with Zhuang Xiaosi forging ahead alone and Zhuang Xiaoyuan holding the breach, the rest of the mecha girls had to fend off the enemies closing in from the rear on their own.