Chapter 264: Prison Break! Smoke but No Injuries! Lottery for Escape!
The night sky over Segudos City was far more radiant than Earth's. Brilliant stars shimmered across the heavens, casting dazzling light that painted the cosmos with a dreamlike beauty.
But aside from its stunning celestial display, the capital of the Eridanus II colony was woefully backward in most other aspects. Public infrastructure and commercial zones lagged far behind those of other colonies.
Even basic lighting was in critically short supply—let alone things like nightclubs or bars. And if any did exist, they were rundown, like saloons straight out of the 19th-century Wild West.
On this dust-choked planet, every available resource had to be poured into survival and the military. Anything else was seen as a gross extravagance.
As early as two centuries ago, 70% of the resources mined from the Eridanus II system were shipped off to Reach, Earth, and Mars.
Once the resources were exhausted and the colony plunged into rebellion and warfare, the human government abandoned both its mining operations and security efforts in the system. This allowed it to fall into the hands of rebel forces.
Over the following decades, the Eridanus II system developed into the main rear base of the United Rebel Front, commonly known as "The Line."
Under the leadership of Robert Watts, the movement grew rapidly. "The Line" established an efficient intelligence network, communications systems, and amassed a formidable arsenal.
Among all rebel factions, The Line was the most dominant force!
As for Robert Watts himself—the rebel leader—he had once been a colonel in the UNSC. A highly decorated commander, he had shed blood and earned merit in service to the UNSC.
He was born on Mars' Inner Ring and grew up in the Eridanus system's Third Ring. After graduating, he joined the Marine Corps and rose through the ranks with distinction.
A man born into privilege and blessed with talent, Robert was on track to rise into the highest echelons of power.
By all logic, there was no reason for him to give up fame and fortune to throw in with the rebels.
He could've been living it up in the grand halls of power, rubbing elbows with the elite, basking in adoration and glory.
But after witnessing firsthand the corruption, greed, and inhumane practices rotting the UNSC from within, Robert decided to "start his own business."
And as it turns out, when someone with his pedigree walks away from power, it's not to fail—it's to build something even greater.
Especially when that "business" happens to be a high-yield, no-cap-on-returns enterprise like rebellion!
After fleeing to the distant outer colonies, Robert spent over a decade painstakingly building a separatist alliance—eventually becoming its supreme leader.
With this power base in hand, he secured funding and rapidly expanded, eventually "going public" as the top dog among the rebel factions—the Grand Master of The Line!
In the past, the UNSC had even diverted part of its military budget to develop the Spartan-II program, solely to eliminate this troublesome rebel leader.
Because Robert Watts was basically born to lead rebellions—so much so that even UNSC infantry wanted to follow him.
Now that The Line was officially established, it had begun shaking the very foundations of the UNSC and UEG. Large numbers of rank-and-file soldiers and civilians had defected to join the rebels.
Sure, life on Eridanus II was rough. But compared to being exploited and drained by corrupt officials, at least here they weren't subject to soul-crushing oppression.
At least for now, morale among The Line's ranks remained high—they genuinely believed they could change the world.
…
At this moment, several kilometers from the orbital elevator platform, in a warehouse district—
These massive warehouses had once been used to transport and store goods and resources. But after the resource veins dried up, The Line converted them into military outposts.
That said, the base was nothing fancy. The outer defenses were just aging chain-link fences—without even live electricity.
Watchposts and the command center inside were equally crude. No auto-turrets, no proper artillery, and the anti-air defenses were a joke—relics from a bygone century.
Of course, the base was so neglected for a reason: The rebels didn't see the point in wasting precious resources on trivial defenses.
After all, when you're in the rebellion business, any day could be the day the UNSC fleet shows up. And if your base is too fancy, it just becomes the enemy's prize.
Better to pour all your funding into the fleet—that's the real weapon of revolution. That's what keeps you alive.
Inside one of the larger warehouses on base—
Thousands of passengers, along with some of the Neptune crew, were being held hostage.
Many of these hostages were unlucky nobodies—no VIPs coming to pay their ransom, no strategic value to offer.
People like that would either be used as mobile targets for rebel rookies to practice on—or left behind as manual labor.
At present, the warehouse was filled with the sounds of sobbing and despair. The captives had fallen into hopelessness—some were crying so hard they passed out on the spot.
These pampered elites had once lived lives of luxury: fine dining, cruise ships, and world travel.
Now they were crammed into filthy cages, breathing foul air, suffering from alternating bouts of stifling heat and bone-deep chill.
And they'd only been here for less than half a day—and already many were on the brink of a breakdown.
But in stark contrast to the suffering around them, Alex, Rita, and Cage remained calm and composed.
During their time in captivity, they had already studied the rebels' shift rotations and patrol patterns.
And right now—was the shift change window!
In no time, fifteen fully armed rebels marched in to replace the outgoing guards and resume patrol.
As soon as the door sealed shut behind them, Alex turned to Rita and Cage and said:
"You two handle the first floor. I'll take the second. Move fast—we can't let them sound the alarm."
This was their one shot. If they missed tonight or failed the mission, making contact with the forward base would become nearly impossible!
"Understood," Rita and Cage replied in unison.
With the escape plan in place, Alex stepped up to the metal bars. Under the stunned gazes of the other captives, she wrenched the bars open with her bare hands, letting Rita and Cage slip out.
She followed right behind.
The other captives were dumbfounded. How could someone so strong end up in captivity? With strength like that, she could've torn those soldiers on the Neptune apart by herself!
Seeing this, a few other hostages began inching toward the gap in the bars, hoping to slip through and make a run for it.
But before they could get close, Alex slammed the bars shut again—shocking the rest into silence.
Her clear "every man for themselves" move left many frustrated. Someone was about to shout for the guards, to report the escape attempt.
But after a moment's hesitation, they kept quiet—terrified that Alex might double back and kill them on the spot. What if these three were UNSC special ops, here undercover?
These upper-crust folks might be shameless, but they weren't stupid. If they were going to snitch, they'd wait until the coast was clear.
Besides, the place was crawling with soldiers. Even if those three escaped, the rebels could still recapture them.
If they were really just bailing on everyone else, there'd be plenty of time to raise the alarm afterward.
Down below, Rita and Cage dropped to the first floor with a thud, drawing attention from both hostages and off-duty rebels.
The moment a rebel saw a prisoner on the loose, he instinctively reached for his weapon to shoot—
Crack!
But with a crisp snap, Rita shattered the man's spine. He dropped dead on the spot.
One after another, sickening crunches rang out as Rita and Cage—both surgically enhanced—killed rebel soldiers with ease.
No hesitation. No mercy. In less than ten seconds, every rebel on the first floor was down.
Hearing the commotion below, the second-floor guards raised their rifles and leaned over the railing—only to have their necks snapped one by one by Alex, who had flanked them from behind.
As a Spartan-II, Alex possessed strength and durability far beyond human limits. She could tear through unarmored soldiers like paper.
And with a power suit? She'd be a mini Astartes!
In under fifteen seconds, all fifteen rebels on shift lay dead where they stood.
"Are these guys Spartan-I agents? Their skills are terrifying!"
"Help has finally arrived! We're saved!"
…
The dazed hostages erupted in cheers.
They should've known. A luxury cruise ship like the Neptune had to have at least one UNSC agent on board. They paid taxes, didn't they? That money sure wasn't for feeding traitorous Marines!
Soon, the captives began rattling their cages and shouting:
"Please! Let us out!"
"You were sent by the UNSC to rescue us, right?!"
"You're definitely undercover agents, aren't you? Our fleet's here too, right?!"
Most of the captives were desperate to follow Alex's group—even if it meant risking exposure. Anything was better than staying behind.
Rita, in the middle of scavenging weapons and ammo, was about to turn and snap at them—ready to explain that she was not UNSC, but a Conglomerate agent.
But before she could speak—
William Cage stepped forward and said:
"Everyone, please keep quiet. Don't alert the rebels outside."
As soon as he spoke, the crowd immediately fell silent, obediently listening to Cage.
"For your safety, I suggest you all stay here. Otherwise, you might interfere with our mission."
"That's right—we're UNSC agents, and we're heading out to contact the fleet for backup. I promise you, once they arrive, every single one of you will be rescued safely."
"So I hope all of you will cooperate with our operation. This is our only chance to get out of here!"
As expected, William Cage's words quickly won over the crowd. The moment they heard UNSC reinforcements were coming, hope lit up in their eyes.
Many passengers, who had been teetering on the edge of a breakdown, burst into tears of joy. At last, they were going to be saved.
Of course, Cage hadn't made this promise out of some sudden burst of compassion.
He knew all too well that if he didn't say something reassuring, these hostages would start screaming and shouting, attracting the rebels and jeopardizing their mission.
After all, that's just human nature: it's not about having little, it's about being treated unequally.
If people find out they have no hope of surviving, there's no telling what they might do. If they're doomed anyway, they might as well take everyone down with them.
"Move out!"
Alex gave Cage a nod of approval. The guy was sharp—he knew exactly how to calm this restless group of hostages.
What she feared most was that once they left, these passengers might turn around and rat them out to the rebels.
Without wasting any more time, Alex, Cage, and Rita geared up and swiftly left the warehouse-prison.
Outside the large warehouse.
Armed and suited in protective gear, the three of them rushed toward the military base's command center.
But they hadn't gone far before nearby surveillance systems picked up their movement.
In an instant, a shrill alarm blared across the entire military base—their cover was blown, and rebel forces would soon close in on them.
Still, Alex wasn't fazed. They were already very close to the command center—barely a hundred meters away. With a quick sprint, they'd be there in no time.
Once they were within 50 meters of the command center, Alex ordered the group to stop. After a quick scan of the surroundings, she noticed a large number of rebel troops closing in.
After a moment of thought, she turned to Rita and gave the order:
"Rita, you're going to draw the soldiers' attention. Cage and I will sneak into the command center. Stall them as long as you can."
Rita was easily the best fighter among the three of them.
After all, she had made a name for herself at a young age in the Edge of Tomorrow (003) world, earning the title of "Battle Angel." Her combat prowess and physical strength were exceptional.
That made her the obvious choice for the critical cover role.
"Got it."
Rita didn't waste a single breath on unnecessary words. She immediately got ready to rush out and divert the enemy.
Before she left, Alex added a few more instructions: "Focus on stalling—avoid direct confrontation if you can. They've got the numbers."
"And above all, don't risk your life going head-to-head with them. Stay alive."
As the team leader, Alex didn't want to see any of her squad sacrificed. Especially not someone as promising as Rita.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Rita's reply was short and firm. After receiving the command, she sprang into action and darted toward the command center.
The line of rebel soldiers guarding the entrance were visibly stunned to see Rita appear alone. It was as if she didn't take them seriously at all.
The rebel captain stepped forward and shouted a warning, demanding she drop her weapon and surrender.
But before he could finish his sentence, Rita opened fire. A few rounds struck the captain in the arm, making him cry out in pain through gritted teeth.
Seeing that she refused to play nice, he snapped and shouted furiously, "Kill that bitch!!"
Suddenly, the air filled with rapid gunfire.
Using their tactical helmet systems, the rebels quickly locked onto Rita's position and unleashed a barrage of armor-piercing rounds.
Explosions and smoke erupted around her as bullets slammed into the ground and walls.
"Cease fire!"
The rebel captain ordered a halt and sent two men to check the body. No way they were wasting that much ammo just to kill one person—they needed confirmation.
The assigned soldiers moved out quickly, while the others reloaded and stayed on alert.
RATATAT!
Just then, a fresh burst of gunfire echoed out.
The two soldiers who had gone to inspect the site were gunned down by Rita.
Wounded but still standing, she charged out with astonishing speed, unleashing suppressive fire with her MA5B rifle and mowing down the rebels in front of her.
She was a product of brutal military training, and it showed—her marksmanship was near perfect. Even with a rifle, she could hit whatever she aimed at with ease.
But notably, Rita wasn't going for lethal shots. She was only wounding the rebels.
Not because she was worried about provoking them—but because each injured enemy would tie up at least one or two comrades in the chaos. The more wounded, the more time she could buy for Alex.
Click!
Her magazine ran dry. But within a second, she had swapped it out and resumed firing, holding the enemy at bay with overwhelming firepower.
"What the hell is this…?!"
The rebel captain was in total disbelief. This was a textbook case of "all smoke, no kill"—even with all their firepower, they couldn't bring her down.
A ricochet struck him in the chest. Though it didn't hit any vital organs, it was enough to take him out of the fight completely.
Rita kept firing, dodging bullets with lightning-fast movements, her figure practically a blur on the battlefield.
After wounding more than ten rebel soldiers, she finally ducked into cover and shifted to a hit-and-run strategy, using guerrilla tactics to cause even more chaos.
Thankfully, she had brought more than a dozen magazines. That would be enough to buy Alex and Cage the time they needed.
Meanwhile, Alex and Cage had already taken advantage of the chaos and slipped into the command center undetected. There, they quickly located the communications terminal.
Using the base's comms tower, they began transmitting emergency support requests to the front-line bases on Shield World and prosperity.
As soon as they saw the message had been successfully sent, Alex finally exhaled in relief.
They'd done it.
They'd gotten through and called for backup.
(Show your support and read more chapters on my Patreon: [email protected]/psychopet. Thank you for your support!)