From cannon fodder to sweeping across thousands of stars.

Chapter 257 Aspiring Young Man Franklin
After the communication ended, Amber suddenly realized that she had just set up a terrible flag.

But now that the words have been said, it is too late to say anything at this time. It is better for the troops to be fully prepared to deal with the brutal urban street fighting that will follow.

Thinking of the two street battles he experienced on the Robert IV, Amber felt that the normal fight on the Rubion V could no longer be carried out this time. He had to find a way to reduce the intensity of the battle and reduce the casualties suffered by the troops during the city attack.

This is why Amber sent a special operations team of the teaching team to infiltrate Ptolemaic City in the past two days.

In fact, other forces of the coalition have also tried infiltration by small groups and makeup reconnaissance methods before, hoping to understand the situation of the remaining imperial soldiers in Ptolemy City.

However, due to reasons such as personnel quality and operational planning arrangements, little results were achieved.

On the contrary, many scouts were killed, and the remaining imperial soldiers in the city became more vigilant.

At present, Atlas, the special operations team that has successfully penetrated into Ptolemaic City through the underground sewage treatment network, has also arrived at the end of this 'sewer journey', Check Point_6.

The underground sewage treatment network maintenance diagram in their hands did not contain any errors. At least there was a large manhole cover above their heads.

When everyone relied on willpower and oral stimulants with water bags built into the exoskeleton to patiently wait until 2 a.m. in the sewer, Banninger decided to take the next step.

After receiving Baninger's order, the vanguard immediately began to interfere with the camera.

The fiber optic probe in 'fisheye' mode provides almost a 360° omnidirectional field of view at this angle.

The vanguard zoomed in on the footage and finally confirmed that it was a surveillance camera facing an alley.

The vanguard quickly reported the situation in a low voice over the communication channel, and Baninger did not hesitate for long.

The picture captured by the fiber optic probe was immediately displayed on the tactical visor of the vanguard.

"As you command, Lieutenant."

"Disrupt the camera and let's get out of here."

"Lieutenant, there is an alley outside the exit. It is a dead end inside, with residential buildings on both sides. No suspicious targets have been found yet. The surveillance camera at the alley may capture us, but it can be interfered with. Please give instructions on the next step."

Therefore, the 'vanguard' could only use a multi-function launcher to drive a penetrating expansion-type fixing bolt to the edge of the manhole cover, and then use the carbon fiber rope to slowly hoist himself up.

Red marks symbolizing 'suspicious signals' appeared on the screen one after another, but quickly disappeared one by one as the analysis module operated.

He took out a fiber optic probe from his arm armor and carefully extended it half a centimeter from the drainage hole of the manhole cover.

When the other teammates looked at the vanguard, he looked like a corpse fished out of the water and hung to the edge of the manhole cover.

This will fix the fixing bolt, which can be used later if the team leaves from here.

In the end, only a red mark remained at the entrance of the alley.

After confirming this, the vanguard sent the fiber optic probe outside again, this time extending a full five centimeters.

The vanguard controlled the small antenna array to rotate flexibly in a circle. The nearby electromagnetic wave signals were quickly captured and quickly analyzed through the 'electromagnetic spectrum analysis module' built into the combat exoskeleton.

Immediately afterwards, the front section of the fiber optic probe opened like the ribs of an umbrella, and the extremely thin metal wires formed an 'antenna array'.

Since this large manhole cover is usually used for drainage or to allow spider-type maintenance robots to pass, there are no stairs for human use.

This wireless surveillance camera installed in the city hall is only a civilian product.

The biggest advantages are the high self-sustainability of solar power and the flexibility of wireless deployment.

The vanguard looked carefully at the screen in the tactical visor. Outside the manhole cover was a small alley between buildings. In the dead of night, no one else was found in this alley.

But the disadvantages are also obvious. Wireless transmission equipment is more susceptible to interference than wired transmission equipment.

Although the Ptolemaic City Hall also considered the situation of being interfered by criminals, the anti-interference type specially selected can basically resist conventional interference.

But this thing is still for civilian use after all. When faced with professional military interference equipment, its anti-interference ability is almost the same as none.

After a few seconds, the vanguard completed the interference.

Then he opened the manhole cover, climbed out, and quickly reached the shadow of the building wall on the right.

The low-visibility matte-painted exoskeleton already has a certain concealment effect at night, and now that it is hidden in the shadow of the building, the effect is even better.

Even if someone were passing by the alley at this moment and turned around to take a look, they would not find a heavily armed soldier aiming a gun at him deep in the alley.

"Safety."

"Copy that, others start taking action, be careful to stay hidden!"

As Baninger lowered his voice and gave the order, the members of the special operations team climbed up one by one with the help of the carbon fiber rope left by the vanguard.

After climbing out of the well, they quickly hid in the shadow of the building.

Under the cold moonlight, this seemingly deserted alley actually contained more than a dozen armed personnel wearing combat exoskeletons.

When the last team member at the back climbed out of the well and put the manhole cover back on. Several team members took out compressed cans filled with 'deodorant', opened them and threw them to the ground.

A fresh smell accompanied by a faint puff of smoke instantly filled the alley, and then dissipated in the air within a short time.

The strong sewage smell of the special operations team who came out of the smoke was reduced by 8% after being treated with 'deodorizer'.

Although there is still some smell when you smell it up close, at least it is not strong enough to cause a 'commotion' among the citizens or alert the remnants of the empire.

Just when the special operations team completed the 'deodorization' and planned to leave the alley and infiltrate to a relatively safe location under the cover of night.

The vanguard who had reached the entrance of the alley found that the pickup had picked up a burst of footsteps, and the tactical mask immediately showed a 'wavy' indicator mark in the corresponding direction.

"Someone's coming, retreat into the shadows."

The vanguard said calmly on the communication channel, raising the lowered muzzle of the gun and pointing it at the alley, and at the same time, he carefully retreated towards the rear.

Although the combat exoskeleton on his body is thick and has additional armor plates, it is not heavy on its feet.

With the cooperation of exquisite electromagnetic joints and magnetic levitation shock-absorbing devices on the soles of the feet (which were previously closed underwater), coupled with the special training of the teaching team on weekdays.

The vanguard wearing the 'Crocodile A1 ver.Human' exoskeleton controlled the sound of retreating footsteps below 20 decibels - which is not much different from the sound of ordinary people walking slowly in shoes.

After hearing his words, other people in the alley stopped their progress and quickly hid in the shadow of the building.

Then he also pointed the electromagnetic rifle in his hand at the entrance of the alley.

Soon, several young people wearing various styles of clothing rushed into the alley. After walking a certain distance inside, they all bent down and propped up their knees and began to breathe heavily.

"It could be civilians, don't fire just yet."

Baninger's voice rang out in the communication channel, and the members of the special operations team also pointed their guns slightly downward on standby.

"It's a good thing you ran fast, otherwise you would have been discovered by the imperial patrol!"

"Yeah, I was really scared to death just now. By the way, did Frank and the others run in the other direction?"

"Yes, I saw them running in the other direction. We will meet them at the predetermined location later."

While everyone was talking, a young man sat down on the ground. After a strenuous exercise, he naturally began to breathe heavily, and then he smelled the strange smell in the air.

"Eh? Do you smell anything?"

"It seems a little smelly?"

"Does it smell like a sewer? Isn't there such a big manhole cover over there? I was really surprised~"

A boy who showed disdain for his companion's fuss retreated towards the wall, intending to lean against it and rest for a while.

Little did he know, a heavily armed soldier was standing behind him at the moment.

Just when he was about to hit the person behind him, a pair of big hands stretched out from the darkness covered his mouth and placed a dagger on his neck.

Before the other young people even realized what was happening, they saw several 'water ghost'-like guys suddenly rush out from the shadows.

Then covered their mouths and pinned them against the wall before the first syllable of the scream could be heard from their mouths.

"If you don't want to die, don't move or make a sound."

A voice without any emotion sounded in the ears of these young people.

The young people who had never seen such a scene were frightened. After hearing this, they all nodded like chickens pecking at rice.

After the special operations team placed a temporary surveillance probe at the entrance of the alley, they dragged the young people back to the depths of the alley.

The vanguard looked at the young man in front of him who had gradually calmed down, and spoke in a changed voice through the loudspeaker of his tactical visor.

"I will slowly release my hand. If you dare to scream, the dagger on your neck will be thrust in without hesitation. Do you understand?"

The young man nodded cooperatively, and after looking at him for a few seconds, the vanguard slowly released his hand covering his mouth.

When the nasal cavity breathed air without restraint again, the young man finally discovered that the 'strange smell' they just smelled seemed to be emanating from the armed men in front of him.

Before he could think any more, the evil-looking armed man in front of him spoke again.

"Name?"

"Franklin Abraham."

"Profession?"

"Associate graduate of Lubion University, intern at the Galaxy Autonomous Government Senate."

(End of this chapter)