Apartment 0390, Apartment Blok G2

1620, 1 April 2025

Corporal Stuart looked into the jumbo-sized soup pot on the stove before taking a deep breath. "Again, our dinner today is diesel soup with white bread and bacon."

Private Able shrugged his shoulders before tucking a large quantity of sautéed onions, into the soup that was nearly simmering. "Well, we can't waste soup leftover from breakfast and lunch."

"I know," Corporal Stuart replied briefly.

Diesel soup was an accumulation of soup leftover from a previous meal, then warmed and added with water, spices, and some new ingredients.

Within a few days, the soup accumulation would release oil with a color like diesel. So veterans would call it diesel soup.

"Well, hot stove-cooked food is much better than MRE." Corporal Stuart muttered before walking into a corner of the room, and watching the activity on the streets.

After Tuscan Region's authority declared martial law a few days ago, almost every room in the apartment block, especially those facing at the intersection and on the 2nd floor and above, had been converted into machine gun nests complete with shooters and grenadiers.

Various blockades and barricades were also built, to herd the invaders who made it into the city, to the machine gun crews who were ready to cut them down.

TF Amethyst was trying its best so that the battle did not enter Magwurt City, but that did not mean preparations for the worst were not held in advance.

Simulations using the collapse of the defense at city walls as the scenario were also carried out, as real as possible by involving Magwurt City's residents.

Some of the evacuation drills to emergency shelters were even held without prior notification. In the first practice the results were chaotic, but starting from the second drill Magwurt City's residents began to know what to do if a warning alarm was heard.

The storage in each emergency shelter was also filled with dry food, MRE, pickles, and sweets packed in glass, canned food, and medicines. Multi-fuel generators were also placed at every emergency shelter, along with a large amount of fuel.

Simulations, when the electricity supply from solar power plants was cut off were also practiced, especially by a team of paramedics who would operate the medic room. Meanwhile, training in providing first aid, operating field radios, and car driving were provided to Tuscan Guard's personnel.

In short, all efforts that could be made to prepare for the worst, were done wholeheartedly by TF Amethyst, with assistance from Magwurt City's authority.

Even so, Magwurt City's residents did not get the impression that they were in a state of martial law. Apart from the various simulations that had been carried out, the activities in Magwurt City were carried out as any other day. There was also no shortage of food, something that generally occurred when martial law was implemented.

Private Naam, one of a dozen Tuscan Guard deployed to Corporal Stuart's machine gun squad, was busy cleaning PERC 889, the squad-level unit radio he was responsible for, when a notification came in. Without delay he switched on the speaker.

[Miwa Control to all units, be advised, the Northern Coalition cavalry's elements just established a blockade, 5 km on the four cardinal directions of Magwurt City.]

[Repeat, the Northern Coalition's cavalry elements have just established a blockade, 5 km on the four cardinal directions of Magwurt City.]

[All units please increase the alertness, versus contact may break at any time, Miwa Control over and out.]

Corporal Stuart looked at GCG and Tuscan Guard personnel in the room before speaking.

"You have heard what you have to hear. So there is no more alcohol, juju weed, or other rubbish. From this very moment, we will apply full military discipline."

"" "" Sir! "" ""

All GCG and Tuscan Guard personnel in the room answered calmly but steadily.

- - - - -

Hangar A2, Harley Quinn MOA

1700, 1 April 2025

Since two days ago, 19 units of C-130J Super Hercules had been neatly parked in front of Hangar A2. Within each Hercules several palettes were neatly arranged, consisting of:

28 logistics pallets

8 units LAV Mortar

8 units LAV Shorad

1 unit LAV Command

1 unit LAV Recovery

1 unit LAV Logistic

Next to the hangar door, 87 members of Task Force Passer sat chatting. While inside the hangar, Major Jansen and two Lieutenants were busy rereading Fort Cambia's assault plans.

When Vex entered the hangar, Major Jansen asked him. "Sir, do we have the green?"

"Yes, within an hour the Northern Coalition's main elements will reach Magwurt City. Their cavalry elements have even started to block the highway around the city."

"Understood."

Major Jansen smiled cheerfully, then signaling to TF Passer personnel that the departure was about to begin.

Without delay, TF Passer personnel approached the long table where weapons, equipment, and parachutes were neatly arranged. With the assistance from Logistic & Support Group personnel, TF Passer members put on their equipment and parachutes. After that, officers and NCO conducted a final check.

At the same time the Hercules crew warm-up each Hercules' engine, while the ground crew carries out final checks.

Before long, every Loadmaster gave a signal that their Hercules were ready to board. TF Passer personnel then walked into Hercules like walking in a park.

Vex accompanied Major Jansen who walked last, and just before Major Jansen boarded the Hercules, he stretched out his hand.

"Major, good luck and always remember the doctrine of personnel over equipment."

"Sir!"

Major Jansen fully understood the message that Vex wanted to convey.

Recent reconnaissance showed that there were still 8,000 defenders at Fort Cambia. While TF Passer's only able to carry limited ammunition. Therefore, if the operation was not possible to continue, he must immediately break-contact and rush to the extraction point, where Osprey from FOC South 860 would pick TF Passer personnel up.

Major Jansen then tightly gripped Vex's hand before boarding the Hercules.

Before long, one by one the Hercules moved toward the runway, took a take-off run before taking off, and sped south at full speed.

- - - - -

West Wall of Magwurt City

2000, 1 April 2025

General Khartoum looked coldly at the giant encampment several kilometers before him.

The Northern Coalition had deliberately placed their main force in the west of Magwurt City, while the other three sides were guarded by a small number of light cavalry. Their intention to lure out Tuscan Guard was clear, but General Khartoum ignored it.

Maine Rattel who was standing beside General Khartoum took a deep breath before saying.

"We should have followed your advice. We obeyed TF Amethyst too much. As a result, we were surrounded by over 100,000 invaders."

"No." A faint smile spread across General Khartoum's lips. "We made the right decision by following TF Amethyst's plan."

Maine Rattel immediately turned to General Khartoum, and looked at the old general with a questioning look.

Previously, General Khartoum had proposed a small but repetitive assault to slow down the Northern Coalition convoy and erode their numbers, but this proposal was rejected by Lt. Col. Slane.

Of course General Khartoum didn't just give up. However, one night he secretly left with Lt. Col. Slane, and after that his stance changed completely.

Now, General Khartoum wholeheartedly supports every step taken by TF Amethyst, even though these steps could not be accepted by common sense.

"Khartoum, my friend, it is still not too late to raise Tuscan Guard's morale, by attacking the light cavalry blocking the eastern route. Our cavalry can make a blitz to wipe them out before returning to the city."

"Maine, it's an ideal plan if we were fighting alone, but it's ridiculous when we were fighting alongside TF Amethyst."

"I hope your change of attitude wasn't because they were threatening you secretly."

"Well, they don't have to do something stupid like that." General Khartoum then turned to Maine Rattel before asking. "How about you? Why did you cancel your protest to Amethyst Merchant?"

"Kukh!"

Maine Rattel's face changed drastically as if she were forced to drink a spoonful of vinegar.

Initially, she wanted to protest that the participation right of 18% was too small for Tuscan Region's deposit. She also wanted to file a complaint, because Amethyst Merchant gave her the position of chief advisor but they never asked for her advice. She was only asked to sit down every time a meeting was held.

But then, slowly but surely her attitude changed.

"Well, in short I now realize there are many things that I need to learn. The annual salary they give is also higher than the annual salary I received when Region Tuscan was still prosperous."

Maine Rattel took a deep breath before continuing.

"However, for the operation against the Northern Coalition, if they take a wrong step then Tuscan Region will be destroyed."

"Don't worry about it."

General Khartoum smiled as he saw how TF Amethyst personnel were calmly manning the city walls, while Tuscan Guard personnel who were accompanying them looked a little nervous.

"Maine, soon you will realize that the primitive monkeys who invaded here, made a fatal mistake by concentrating their strength in one location when facing TF Amethyst."

A smile full of a confident rose on General Khartoum's lips, while the question mark on Maine Rattel's face thickened. Given that a smile should not have bloomed when a massive enemy just arrived in front of their nose.

*****