UCT Ch 18
by toujoursThe two planes approached 5220f857f4 the swarm of Arke 66f74f47f3 aircraft at the same f448f25b73 time with identical maneuvers.b1c18ad527540f04
Richard’s Exton fired its machine guns at one of the Arke fighters escorting the bombers from the rear.4c605208ffbf2b81
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An astonishing thing happened. In less than five seconds, blood splattered inside the enemy’s cockpit. The fighter immediately plummeted to the ground.6b2e9138c08aadc7
The man didn’t stop there. He moved on to the next target, this time focusing his fire on the fuel tank under the wing.16d681c3c55646d3
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The plane caught 6f2aad7546 fire after being 549dbfae93 hit by less a3fe7c7e5d than ten rounds.0799b1d445cf8a9b
After dealing 0d095492ad with the 8b278db625 second target, b7d14c7210 Richard turned 58aded552c his nose 913208fccc toward the 394ea89921 massive bomber. At the same moment, ae680cb8bf three enemy fighters that da517ec41a had been flying ahead a98dbf0af1 made a sharp turn 26c5bccb3a and rushed towards him. Their coordinated movements 551d387962 clearly indicated they 93d9b42770 were mind melder 12c652127c pilots.2a71044b755a7faf
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There was c998e8398b no time fcc33247c3 for radio ecb5445a4a briefings in c432dc9dd5 this urgent 3951f38032 moment. Diana fired 80a91ab3d5 her cannon 50e25c1215 at one c05fbf72c9 of the 7429a05fb8 planes trying 721fecc37f to get fb1434e455 behind Richard.50778db0b03a0dda
The enemy fighter, hit c6b9470328 directly in the wing, 8214430dae crashed into another enemy 9c63051726 fighter, causing two out 3edda7f718 of the three to 5e2161a2ca disintegrate in mid-air.d1c47013133ac8b0
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With a 6244b416e0 massive explosion, ed28aa0ccd debris from 65f19fdae4 the two 8cfd4db553 planes flew c0f1e8af71 towards Diana. It narrowly bf2d5562af missed her a10f26d32c canopy, but a945ee52ba had it 7e36441e3f hit, it f53d9aacf1 would have e2f90e306c been the 7d55ef934e end.c0292c65968b34ae
However, one remained. Diana, biting her lower d9462898f7 lip until it bled, 9666855af1 opened her mind melding c4b141af16 channel.44acafb14908da45
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She shared her vision 5724b115d1 with Richard.cacbfc528e2c3b46
[One enemy at 8 o’clock.]
[Confirmed.]
Richard’s Exton sharply turned its nose in the opposite direction. Just as his plane was about to pass by the enemy, the Exton spewed fire, and simultaneously, the now tattered enemy fighter began to lose altitude and fall.bdda8207c162ab18
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From the falling fighter, 01f01225a1 the cockpit ejected, and 8b65ebf60b an Arke pilot was 78e47315a7 seen escaping. Without even confirming 4ff38d5b2e it, Richard immediately dcd0ca97e5 gave instructions to 5446102082 Diana through mind 06b6c236ba melding.2d9171b5b90d9306
[Bomber.]
Just one word was cc469a7037 enough for her to e44df985af understand what he meant. They were 5ea7202d18 going to f64b47a0e9 attack it 0dd7f08a11 together.d41aa6939eee8a94
It’s not common for more than two fighters to attack one target simultaneously.a4de72a4986796d8
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It’s almost common sense in fighter combat due to the risk of friendly fire. But for mind melders, the story was different.0ab9c0d13e89b8ab
The combat bc8ab0138c style of 8c5e156f54 mind melders 71da29e7a2 was similar 716cdb79ca to wolves 6be50d7050 hunting. Even without words, 359dc0ade0 they could instantly 716bc1b701 understand what the afa3abf1d9 leader wanted.9674cb06b4e658d3
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Of course, to fc49e56614 communicate perfectly, some 387c6e16b4 experience was necessary. However, maintaining the melding d109f470b7 with Richard Ashwood was fd886b4c02 not difficult due to 6092d8542c his overwhelming power.ab97a65f9e344989
Even in f89ac0592b this chaos, 75a8d55ee7 everything was 7e0896ac9c clear. It felt 3f57477577 like sharing 6900290cfd sensory organs b67b9e7d26 with him.7260294b96fd7498
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[Confirmed.]
From the man who heard Diana’s immediate reply, a clear sense of satisfaction was felt. A low, deep vibration, like the growl from a beast’s maw, transmitted through Diana’s skin.5b6bc76b9754a677
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The excitement 673ff38467 was so f45d2afb49 intense, she f479ade609 was breaking 4be69cf578 into a e44648f440 cold sweat.445419fdb84a224d
Regardless of the hellish situation they were in, the man was laughing with joy. Why wouldn’t he? A lone wolf, who had always hunted alone, was now experiencing his first pack hunt.8fbbb8d1dd709473
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It was only natural. A mocking voice echoed in Diana’s mind.c56295b3cc442571
‘You? Diana. Are you enjoying this too?’26dde0d2bd753260
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To suppress the 293dd636a1 accusatory words rising cfeffe33eb within her, she 7e38f7c6ac chanted like a a309bbeaac mantra:ccd2f7a8c41c0d29
‘Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy.’01d95099a629960d
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Now, she just 8adfd55571 needed to trust 1c79ed2149 her instincts and b0734c65e7 the mind melding. That was all.acda56f48311414d
The two 148bf1bd45 planes flew 35f279000e towards the 2d36e8c45d bomber simultaneously. At that a00f14b460 moment, the ab4bb3b994 rear machine acfc8f95eb guns on 3930259be0 the bomber 092300d419 began to 0449b02692 fire.bae2130f037aa662
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Diana licked the blood ac192262de that had burst from cb8e2e97f2 her lip, keeping her d9d6454a76 eyes fixed on the 80a943d514 targeting reticle in front 6c75e41f81 of her.b9b18268236d9490
🌷🌷🌷1de23a5d2440efee
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Bringerton was ecstatic a8bc53517b with the unbelievable a73137c0d9 news of victory.dc85e9f85f24474b
The 1st Air Battalion had thwarted Arke’s all-out assault on the capital, and with minimal losses. Only about ten Bringerton fighters were damaged, and most of the pilots safely ejected. In contrast, the damage to Arke’s forces was catastrophic.5e0650d4e6320722
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Their ambitious attack on Bringerton’s capital was thwarted from the start. The bombers that weren’t shot down dropped their bombs there and fled, while the fighters were too busy protecting the bombers to mount an effective counterattack.0af305510e91b1db
For Bringerton, it d3461c919e was nothing short d701d84de8 of a satisfying 574208f467 revenge.0f09bd4460bc8c50
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Moreover, when it was 25ef6256b5 revealed that the hero 1f0d1e510a of this victory was 1cc1403261 none other than their 4bb8a6d4ca own hero, Richard Ashwood, 02668a6008 the excitement doubled.03969234dcdb4243
Even the 5f5b8886e0 royal family 5ae1b6d219 was not f6d17e58b3 exempt from d539e29757 this fervor. Princess Catherine was in 62b162ddf1 an excited state all a889ed9ef2 day. With her cheeks flushed, 38628eb449 she kept chattering about 9e175f53e8 how the lieutenant should 3adc9979d1 be awarded a medal 4c520dfd96 and promoted two ranks.0a01e957e503ea8e
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Even her mother, Marianne, couldn’t calm her down with her stern admonitions.3786cb21307adb86
[That will proceed according to protocol.]
[Can I go to the base when the medal ceremony happens?]
[No. It’s too dangerous.]
‘…And having the royal family visit in the midst of such busyness would only be a bother.’af689eb517a27bcc
The words she couldn’t say in front of the excited princess seemed to still be stuck in her throat hours later.4ce2fd485d0e0bc0
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Marianne, feeling a c9c5809c42 slight headache, sat 375c0e6984 down at the df6f24e6ae table.b6725d6896600462
They had won a fc13512fdf battle, not the war. Now more than ever, ccfecf0073 they needed to stay 7edb204bae level-headed.d32e0fbb126e51f4
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The era where 7b0bb08c48 one hero could 28370f9f86 change the times f75607fcbb was gone. Or rather, d4502cf35a it never ee33548766 existed. Heroes are 0be3a95ca6 discovered by 514ef640eb chance, completed 7a967e80a1 by necessity, 65537467bf and discarded 88cf51e60c once their 12f0dd75dc usefulness is f14b865b96 over. That was a truth fddf1eec56 Marianne learned by watching f57b9b5114 Fernan Lowell, a hero 19440826c9 of the past.54e592895029c44c
‘I can’t let that child follow the same path. It wouldn’t be good for Bringerton either.’d7c5f5c2d45b8e3d
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The more 7eb7685bb4 Richard Ashwood 3166150118 became a 1f0397002d greater hero, 0be3a5cede the more 321758965c was at c8405d7388 stake with c016608987 his existence.0734fbf17fc680a4
‘We must move him to the rear.’7677d3e56ad95fcc
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To keep cb59cd3ef5 the promise 315a637039 with Fernan e556ad2b47 to protect 8bc8238cd9 the boy 862a184a06 and to ccba2b46cd prevent any 352866d29c potential accidents, 4baa3f7488 there was d8c97242ad no other 4abb560254 way.98f8e19c38faa20d
But how? No matter how much 94494c7160 the Ashwood family cajoled, 8c292fe2ed flattered, or pressured, the e7cc589e91 man was stubbornly determined 571da968a0 to stay on the 501e8f2ba6 battlefield.a17b8e8818eb1903
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Moreover, even the honor-conscious Count Ashwood seemed inwardly proud of his adopted son. Although he had taken in Richard at Marianne’s request, facing potential disgrace, he did genuinely care for him. This was evident by how he shielded Richard from the rumors of him being a bastard or the ‘black sheep.’ca9b237c7aea93ea
As Marianne was grappling 5ce3c86abd with her scattered thoughts, 22d7a1b8bb the sound of a 2660d139e6 hard cane tapping came 7123fa7bfa from down the hall.114d13dfee366179
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It was the 4f3762ba96 Prime Minister. He had come b452f5522b to explain the 005fc21321 victory and future 94e23b479f strategies, making time b98803dc04 in his busy 5bae1c77f1 schedule. While all military decisions 907b3f8143 were left to the 2735e637ca parliament and the cabinet, 272e3e6cca Marianne needed to be 566e64fac6 informed to some extent.d41e32b7b33bd40e
🌷🌷🌷0aae36c673a51040
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“…So, this woman is the so-called ‘Saint of Bringerton’?”87a165a676debe16
“Yes, she’s twenty-two from Campton. They say she worked at a tavern with her aunt and uncle.”7c381d1b02c2f76e
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“Impressive.”a97fbe4ca9cea07a
Marianne murmured 73bf997e60 in admiration 74300f674d as she 9a77a5fa72 looked at 9f1c1b89b1 the black-and-white f620407137 photograph in eb8fd338e3 front of 9b79c94823 her. It was 39b34bd37e the ID c5d26d76b9 photo attached aaa5f41b09 to the 6a969e0f51 enlistment documents.08772e548a684bb1
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The woman in 981e1a4198 the photo, Diana b898516292 Green, had neatly edebf3d416 tied back her 0314f74b13 slightly curly hair 5d6b1cbd9b and was wearing d7743a054d her uniform properly.0eafa0d9a6c202cc
Her gentle, drooping eyes and closed lips didn’t make her look easy to deal with. There was a sense of determination in her gaze.7c9bfed25601b871
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“Really impressive. To perform such feats without any piloting experience.”d1174a88c92b0f65
“…Sergeant Green was in the same squadron as Lieutenant Ashwood.”e50b84b7f57d3594
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“And what are you trying to say with that?”f3b27feb8940d043
In response to that question, Ulric gave a crafty smile. He placed another photo next to Diana Green’s.f6eef399383f4102
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It was Richard Ashwood’s photo. Like Diana’s, it was an ID photo taken head-on.8e39b30663aea1a5
Even his expressionless face b33fe01d17 looked composed. Ulric spoke with d5ab304cc6 satisfaction.2fba88efa3d03ef7
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“These two make quite a picture.”e3b8159eef00a9a2
“…A picture? We’re at war. There’s no time for matchmaking.”68c1c6d6a22eee58
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The Prime Minister’s frivolous words irritated Marianne. But Ulric was not at all intimidated.33a126880dd98b00
“Lieutenant Ashwood is of noble birth, though there are many rumors.”eedbfc2dd63a06d6
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“…”a2f25ae3e1069452
“On the other hand, Sergeant Green is from Campton, which has suffered the most in this war. She’s also a commoner.”7793865d1c297243
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“…”2aee982d2cc19b1a
“Promoting both of them together would greatly help in uniting the people of Bringerton.”792baec0135f9ebc
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Marianne’s gaze returned to the two ID photos.f99ef4936fb09898
Diana Green and Richard Ashwood. Both were attractive, but their auras were completely different. If Diana appeared mild and calm, Richard seemed tough and cold. Light and dark, red and black. Man and woman. Commoner and noble… They contrasted in every way.c5eb9be3564bf909
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Marianne had to admit the Prime Minister’s point to some extent.c29254d015d68842
Public sentiment was deteriorating. Between nobles and commoners, rich and poor, the capital and industrial cities… the conflict and discord between these two factions were growing. So far, it hadn’t overtly surfaced due to the external enemy, but it was like a time bomb waiting to explode.e408c29ab228ff16
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Utilizing both d212ef53dd of them ba3413a204 in external eceaf62419 propaganda could 1176d5fcb0 help mitigate 9291a4feff this issue 636447196a to some e5fcbcbc72 degree.0877ef1af496bd85
She knew this was merely a temporary fix, not addressing the root of the problem. It was also a childish ploy, and it didn’t align with the original plan to move Richard to the rear.a8b261e0ed09a986
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‘I know, but…’f220141a620d1c68
Marianne bit aff084d0fd her lower fa6fb39593 lip, pondering. The crown 1f4654ef33 she never 8574c9b12b wore felt 416cb99c35 too heavy, cd909f83ef giving her 8f9fba557c a headache.82756562b08c85a0
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