chsdbacks Chapter 342 Pyrrhic Victory
Chapter 342 Pyrrhic Victory
The next second, accompanied by the flashing light of the special icon on its chest, a clear emerald green light, like jade, once again burst forth from the colossal giant's towering body, completely enveloping it.
But this time it wasn't for battle; rather, it receded like the tide, quickly receding and dissipating.
Along with its colossal, towering figure, it rapidly shrank in the light.
Ultimately, it returned to the original state, that black-haired youth wearing a green "10" jacket.
He landed back on the dusty, rubble-strewn ground, his steps faltering slightly. His face showed obvious fatigue, but even more so, a sense of relief at having completed his mission.
As the youth underwent another transformation, the brief silence on the battlefield was broken.
The surviving District 13 agents, supporting each other, slowly emerged from behind the bunker.
Their gazes were fixed on Tian Xiaoban with a complex mix of emotions: relief at surviving a disaster, awe of the immense power, and... an overwhelming, unyielding sorrow.
A better-equipped agent, clearly in command, took a deep breath, suppressing the pain in his body and his instinctive fear of the powerful creature, and stepped forward first.
He took off his tattered helmet, revealing a face stained with mud and blood, equally exhausted, but with a resolute gaze.
"Sir... On behalf of District 13 and all the survivors, I thank you for your... timely assistance. Without you, our sacrifices would have been far greater, and the mission would have been doomed to failure."
His voice was a little hoarse, with a slight tremor from surviving the ordeal, clearly indicating that he had a lot to say.
But as a well-trained agent, after a moment's hesitation, he suppressed his thoughts, offered his thanks in a serious manner, and gave Tian Xiaoban a solemn salute.
With this agent taking the lead, the other agents standing behind him, regardless of the severity of their injuries, as long as their arms could still move, silently and struggled to raise their hands and give Tian Xiaoban the most solemn military salute.
But with their brows furrowed, it was clear that the agents of District 13 had no heart to celebrate today's victory. Instead, they were immersed in grief, self-blame, and other negative emotions after experiencing such a devastating loss of personnel for the first time.
"Uh, don't say that... I just did what I was supposed to do. You guys... you guys are the really amazing ones."
The young man was somewhat at a loss for what to do in this situation.
He was clearly not used to such formal thanks, especially to the undisguised grief in the eyes of these soldiers who had just gone through a bloody battle. This made his little bit of pride in defeating a powerful enemy vanish instantly.
He quickly waved his hand, putting aside his usual playful thoughts, and his tone became serious as he replied, word by word.
As he spoke, his gaze inadvertently swept around, looking at the bodies that had been carried out and covered with rainproof tarpaulins, and his voice involuntarily lowered.
"I'm sorry... I should have tried to become..."
"There's no need to apologize. You've already done more than enough. Besides, we could all see that this device wasn't stable, and you took a huge risk by offering to help. We're so grateful to you, how could we possibly blame you?"
But before the young man could finish speaking, the captain, suppressing his grief, interrupted him firmly and affirmed everything the young man had done.
"Faced with such an irrational enemy, any support is invaluable. It's just... the price is too high."
He paused, his voice growing even lower, as he surveyed the neighborhood, now almost entirely reduced to ruins, and his comrades who lay forever silent. A wave of suffocating grief made him lower his gaze, concealing the mist welling in his eyes.
"..."
These words weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like a boulder.
After a brief exchange, the District 13 agents, who were still able to move freely, silently divided into several groups with the assistance of reinforcements who arrived later. They began to methodically clear the battlefield, treat the wounded, and collect the bodies of the fallen.
During this time, each time a familiar face was turned into a cold body, it would trigger a suppressed sob and a deeper silence.
Sadness, like a tangible fog, shrouds everyone's heart.
This also made them hate their own weakness and powerlessness even more, and they were determined that from now on, in order to avoid such a thing from happening again, they must train harder and do everything they could to enhance their own strength!
Meanwhile, the agents of District 13 were busy cleaning up the battlefield.
The young man touched his nose somewhat awkwardly, standing on the side of the street, looking a little out of place.
He wanted to help, but every time he got close, he was politely refused with the excuse, "You've done enough, please rest." He could only stand there like a helpless child, watching everything unfold with mixed feelings.
He has experienced battles, witnessed sacrifices, and even faced the crisis of cosmic annihilation...
Even so, witnessing such tragic sacrifices still weighs heavily on his heart every time he sees them.