"A commander who knowingly leads troops into a death trap despite warnings from experts faces severe consequences," Cao Cao began, his voice dripping with icy menace.
"Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 92 covers dereliction of duty, while Article 133 deals with conduct unbecoming an officer. Both can lead to court-martial, resulting in punishments ranging from reprimands to loss of rank, fines, imprisonment, or even a dishonorable discharge. The severity depends on the offense and the court's judgment."
He leaned closer, his eyes narrowed. "According to the chain of command, only we three know about the... suicide mission you sent those soldiers on, despite my warnings. I wonder what the High Command would say about that?"
Cao Cao's words made the two commanders break into a cold sweat. They knew that what he said was true, and they had clearly offended him. They didn't expect Cao Cao to do them any favors by keeping quiet about the situation.
Then, a wicked thought crossed their minds. If Cao Cao stood alone against them, would anyone believe him? If they allowed those soldiers to perish in that accursed town, with no witnesses left alive, who could testify against them in court?
"Fine," one commander sneered. "Play the hero, then. But remember, any fallout is yours to bear. Consider this a personal mission, not an official military operation. No compensation from the army. Since you want to play the hero so much, Yellow Monkey, go for it.
But getting clearance from higher-ups won't be a quick process, will it?"
Cao Cao's fury ignited. "You...! You...!" He gritted his teeth, fists clenching, but quickly stormed out of the command room, the laughter of his loathed adversaries echoing in his ears. His priority now: contacting the higher command.
Unknown to the two commanders, a wicked grin split Cao Cao's face as he clenched his left hand. When it opened, a low-level gemstone – a Suggestive runestone – glinted in the light. He'd used this cheap trinket, purchased from a mage's market, to nudge the commanders towards a particularly insidious course of action.
He'd activated it while reciting the legalities of a court-martial, gambling that these were the kind of men who would readily sacrifice others for their own gain. After all, Cao Cao had encountered his fair share of such self-serving individuals during his time in the Three Kingdoms era.
—
The trapped US soldiers fought a desperate battle to defend their makeshift fort. The intensity of the fight had reached a fever pitch. Their numbers dwindled with each fallen comrade, making every remaining bullet count as their ammunition dwindled.
The soldiers clad in power armor shifted to high-intensity mode, their movements swift and precise as they cut down the relentless horde of undead flooding the fortified position.
Despite their commendable teamwork, coordinating attacks and defenses to hold back the seemingly endless wave, the burden grew heavier with each passing moment. Every shot had to be a bullseye, every movement calculated to conserve energy within their power armor suits. The drain on their reserves became increasingly unbearable as the energy level dipped below 50%.
They knew high-intensity combat wouldn't be sustainable for much longer, risking a complete power armor shutdown. Yet, the undead horde pressed on, fueled by a mindless hunger that showed no sign of abating.
Strained voices crackled through the helmet comms. "Thompson! How much rifle ammo do you have upstairs?" a soldier in power armor barked. Joel was his name that his friend called him.
"Two mags!" came the panicked reply.
"Two mags each? Great, that'll buy us some time!"
"No!" Thompson corrected urgently. "The entire squad only has two mags left... and now only one!"
Joel cursed under his breath. Reality slammed down hard.