This time, the Army Group's operation was on a massive scale, almost completely severing all contact between the Reunion Movement and the Guerrillas.
"Ivan, do you think it's necessary to deploy half an Army Group just to clear out a rebellious armed force?"
Theresa used branches and Originium Arts to build a small shelter. Xing Chen, as an injured person, could stay in the shelter with Alina, enjoying the warmth of the magic unit.
The remaining three could only try to spend the night in the freezing Northern ice plain (no fires allowed).
"I don't think it's that serious," Ivan replied based on his experience. "The Army Group is much larger than you imagine. We (shieldguards), along with the Imperial Vanguards, Battle Mages, and long-range artillery, are just conventional frontline troops. Besides these, there are also high-speed fleets and elite units, which are very troublesome to deploy."
"When I cleared out Guerrillas on the western front, it was usually a basic combat unit, including a certain number of infantry, shieldguards, vanguards, mages, and support artillery. In short, it's a complete system, but not in large numbers."
"Then you mean the Ursus Empire might be in big trouble?"
"At least, general basic combat units are no longer enough to resolve battles. Moreover, we don't know where the battleship units and elite units have gone. The people clearing you out might just be a peripheral reconnaissance unit of a combat cluster."
"Then, Talulah, what do you think?"
"Me? I think Ivan has a point. Patriot and his shieldguard equipment are already very old. As long as someone can hold him back, by stacking Vanguards and Battle Mages, combined with some long-range artillery, it wouldn't be a problem to deal with the remaining slow-moving shieldguards in a field battle—after all, from Ursus's perspective, losing a large number of conventional troops is much more valuable than sacrificing a small number of elite troops."
Ivan nodded. The material and time cost of training a shieldguard might far exceed that of ten ordinary soldiers. Just a set of armor with maximum physical and spell resistance is not cheap.
Imperial Vanguards are similar, and combat experience is even rarer than assembly-line armor.
The troops hidden in Chernobog in the story were only a very small part of an Army Group, perhaps a few basic combat units, small in number and incomplete in system, yet they caused a lot of trouble for the Reunion Movement.
Xing Chen lay in his sleeping bag, pondering what kind of unexpected situation would require mobilizing half an Army Group.
Only another legion can contend with a legion.
But where would a second Army Group come from on the ice plain now?
It couldn't be that the army had rebelled, could it? He would definitely have received news of that in advance.
Ugh, a headache. Never mind, time to rest.
The next morning, Xing Chen was woken by a commotion.
It turned out to be a Guerrilla shieldguard who had become separated from his main force and stumbled upon the five.
The shieldguard's armor was severely damaged. There were several circular holes in his heavy shield, likely caused by the impact of some kind of high-velocity rod-shaped object, some even completely penetrating the shield.
The body armor also had numerous curved grooves and scratches, as if metal objects had scraped past at high speed.
This was different from the common armor damage seen on Terra.
Mages' Originium Arts are generally energy attacks, and artillery usually causes explosive splash damage.
"How are the Guerrillas doing?"
Ivan helped the other party remove his armor, Theresa made a pot of gruel for him, and Talulah pulled him aside to ask what had happened.
"The Guerrillas haven't suffered heavy losses. Most of them have retreated to strongholds on the ice plain."
After gulping down a bowl of gruel, the shieldguard asked Theresa for another serving.
"...Thank you," the shieldguard replied to Talulah's questions while eating.
Xing Chen was assigned to look after Alina, but he also pricked up his ears to listen to the conversation outside.
"Did the Ursus army not pursue you?"
"No, those monsters made of Originium and ferro-iron suddenly appeared and then charged in, firing strange weapons at the Ursus army formation. We took the opportunity to retreat."
"Monsters made of Originium and ferro-iron? Can you describe them in more detail?"
"Hmm... they're a bit like armored vehicles, but with thicker protection, stronger firepower... and more squarish."
"Does it also have a very large sloped front?" Theresa glanced at Xing Chen, who made an OK gesture.
"How did you know? Were you also attacked by those monsters?"
Aren't those tanks? Xing Chen and Theresa thought.
It's strange for Earth's tanks to appear on Terra, but isn't it strange for Xing Chen to appear on Terra?
"What about the drivers inside?"
"That's the strangest part—because there's absolutely no one inside."
Xing Chen could understand unmanned mechs. But unmanned Earth tanks... there are no Originium circuits, so Lao Pu shouldn't be able to control them.
And besides being unmanned, these battle vehicles would gradually disappear soon after being destroyed.
It sounds a bit like Subspace contamination, but the people of Ursus have also acquired fragments of evil demons, which indicates that Subspace constructs can still be preserved for a period after death.
Xing Chen's brain was working at high speed, his spoon suspended in mid-air, until Alina spoke, pulling him back to reality.
"Sir, are you... having some difficulties?"
"Ah, sorry, I forgot about you."
"It's okay. I want to know, how is Patriot now?"
"He's fine. We'll meet soon."
The gruel in his hand was no longer as hot. Xing Chen scooped a spoonful and brought it to Alina's mouth.
It was a bit like feeding animals at a wildlife park, but Alina was much cuter than those less obedient animals.
"Alina, how are you now?"
After settling the shieldguard, Talulah and Theresa entered the tent to check on the condition of their respective loved ones.
No matter how you looked at it, Alina was more seriously injured, but as soon as Talulah entered the tent, she stood up to greet her.
Meanwhile, Xing Chen was still holding a bowl, sitting on the ground, completely lacking energy.
Should he have reversed that just now?
Never mind, what's done is done.
"Oh, by the way, Theresa, did you ask the shieldguard what the tank looked like?"
"I did. He even agreed to let me directly read the images from his mind. Do you want to see?"
"I need to see it so I know who to look for."
Xing Chen nodded, and Theresa directly projected it into the air using the Legacy of Civilization.
Anyway, once they met Patriot, his identity couldn't be kept secret.
"Dome-shaped turret, flat hull, large sloped armor—a bit like the Northern Country's vehicles."
Xing Chen remembered that during a previous meeting, the Northern Country had an Originium testing ground in the eastern region, where abnormal light phenomena had also occurred.
Currently, the Northern Country and the Eastern Country have a cooperative relationship, but such confidential facilities would certainly not be easily accessible to others.
Perhaps he could ask someone for help to inquire.
