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Chapter 116: Strike One
Jacob's declaration to stop holding back meant abandoning the careful, surgical approach they had been using. No more small raids on peripheral targets. No more avoiding civilian casualties at all costs. They were going straight for Bishop's throat, and anyone who got in the way would be destroyed."The underground facility," Jacob said, pulling up the detailed maps they had compiled during weeks of surveillance. "That is Bishop's nerve center. Everything runs through there. We hit it hard enough, we cripple his entire operation.""We tried infiltrating that facility before," Carl reminded him. "Nearly got trapped and killed. Bishop has it defended like a fortress.""Which is why we are not infiltrating," Jacob replied. "We are assaulting. Full force, maximum violence, overwhelming firepower. We go in through the front door and kill everything that moves."Leo looked shocked. "Sir, there could be hundreds of people in that facility. Guards, yes, but also civilian staff, technicians, a
Chapter 115: Assassination Campaign
The Noble Council meeting descended into shouting matches and accusations that threatened to become physical violence. Jacob's security team moved to extract Anna before the situation deteriorated further, but the political damage was already done. Half the council believed her evidence, half thought she was lying, and that division meant neither side could take unified action against Bishop."That went poorly," Anna said with bitter understatement as they escaped through a side entrance while council members continued arguing."You got half of them," Jacob replied, trying to find the positive angle. "That is more support than we had before. Some of those families control significant resources that can help us."But Anna knew the real result of her public revelation. She had forced Bishop's hand without achieving the overwhelming support needed to stop him. Now the conspiracy would accelerate its timeline while she had fewer allies than hoped.Back at their operations center, Roseline
Chapter 114: Political Warfare
The sealed doors trapped Jacob's team in the maintenance corridor for seventeen minutes before Carl managed to breach one using a shaped charge from their demo supplies. They escaped through smoke and chaos, but the close call made one thing brutally clear—Bishop was anticipating their tactics and setting counters."We cannot keep fighting this way," Anna said during the emergency debrief after they returned to base. "Every raid we attempt, he is one step ahead. We are losing people and accomplishing nothing."Jacob knew she was right. Two more operatives had been killed during the escape from Bishop's trap, bringing their casualties to ten in just three days. At this rate, they would run out of fighters before the invasion even began."We need a different approach," Jacob admitted, studying the intelligence reports that showed Bishop's network remained largely intact despite their best efforts. "Military action alone will not stop this conspiracy. We need to attack it politically."A
Chapter 113: Covert Operations
Seventy-two hours. Three days until Argo's invasion force launched its attack on a city that had no idea what was coming. Jacob stared at the maps spread across the operations table, his mind racing through scenarios that all ended badly."We cannot fight a conventional war," Jacob said, addressing the assembled group of Carl's surviving warriors, Leo's intelligence operatives, and Anna's growing network of contacts. "Argo has superior numbers, better equipment, and internal support from compromised officials. Meeting them head-on means annihilation.""So we do not meet them head-on," Roseline said from where she leaned against the wall, cleaning her weapons with the casual efficiency of someone who had killed more people than most soldiers even met. "We hit them where they are vulnerable. Make them afraid of the shadows."Carl nodded agreement despite his injuries. "Small unit tactics. Strike and fade. Target their logistics and command structure rather than engaging their main force
Chapter 112: Carl's Arrival
The Eastern Defense Force's commitment to send troops gave Jacob and Anna their first real hope since learning about the conspiracy's scope. Captain Chen Wei promised two battalions—approximately eight hundred soldiers—could reach Seron within five days. It was not the army they needed, but it was something."Five days," Jacob muttered, studying deployment maps. "That gives us three days before the invasion to integrate them into defensive positions. Assuming Bishop does not accelerate his timeline when he learns we have reinforcements coming."Anna was still processing the revelation about her family connection to the Eastern Defense Force's command structure. "Captain Chen Wei said my mother's family were founding members of their alliance. Why did no one ever tell me this?""Your mother probably did not know herself," Leo suggested. "Guardian families often hid their heritage to protect their children from being targeted. Better to appear as ordinary civilians than advertise mystic
Chapter 111: Calling Allies
The words hung in the air like a death sentence. The Himulan Sect was under attack. Jacob's entire strategy had depended on those warriors arriving to bolster Seron's defenses, and now they were fighting for their own survival against an Argo assault that had been carefully timed to eliminate his most powerful allies before the invasion even began."Casualties?" Jacob asked, his voice tight with controlled emotion.Leo relayed the question to Carl, then listened to the response with growing despair. "Heavy fighting at the main temple compound. Multiple breaches in the outer defenses. Carl estimates at least two battalions of Argo regulars supported by armor and air cover. The Sect is holding but cannot disengage to come to our aid."Jacob slammed his fist on the table, the tactical maps jumping from the impact. Verons Heis had outmaneuvered them completely. While Jacob had been planning to summon reinforcements, Argo had already moved to neutralize those reinforcements before they cou
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