Reeling The Net, Phase 4 Ends

After that town was occupied, the 2 Army Groups Anastasia forms part of occupied the resource gathering location to the south. That resource gathering location was also immediately south of the first town which all 4 Army Groups would siege together. Despite the losses the Army Groups north of the others suffered, they immediately moved to the next town after a few days. But they left a third of their auxiliary units to deal with the town’s fortification and management of the surrendered civilians.

A week later, with preparations complete from the north and south of the third town, the siege commenced. Anastasia led her people in the vanguard, as this was the 2 Army Groups in the south’s role, since they also had the most elite soldier units from the 4 Army Groups and suffered the less before that moment.

The occupation of the town was tedious but without major, significant losses. Anastasia couldn’t participate as she had done before. Her cultivation base proved unhelpful as it could have possibly been. But that didn’t stop her from becoming one of the most significant leading figures in the army, not just the Army Groups sent to the northwest.

As the third town was occupied, the Army Groups rested for another week before resuming their own, distinctive targets. The Army Groups up north were to occupy another 2 resource gathering locations, and the ones Anastasia comprised of had to deal with another town for themselves.

In comparison, the Army Groups sent to the southwest suffered the least, and only faced 2 towns placed far from each other. They were also rapidly occupied in the beginning, where the enemy wasn’t prepared. As for the dozen oversized villages they occupied, those couldn’t be fortified like the Army Groups up north had to suffer after a couple of weeks.

The Army Groups down south had a long journey to the fourth town, with the central western fort having already prepared a few tens of millions of soldier units across the road. They had to go south a couple of days, then east a few more days. It wasn’t bound to be peaceful, and the special operation’s troops were prepared. They trained like hell for reasons like these, but they still suffered a bit.

Nevertheless, 2 weeks later, the enemy had lost another town and 2 other resource gathering locations. As for the ‘goods’ hidden within, they weren’t moved away, at least not everything. While a lot of the good stuff was moved elsewhere, the special, delicate things remained in those settlements, perhaps with the hopes that the settlements would somehow stop the advancing Army Groups and keep their most valued treasures.

After the fourth town was taken, the Army Groups down south marched north to meet with the fifth town which they’d cooperate with the Army Groups up north to occupy, once again becoming the vanguard leading the siege.

The fifth town was taken, with the expected increase in losses, be it soldier units, armored vehicles, or arsenals. Nevertheless, after 2 weeks, the 4 Army Groups finally joined, like those sent to the southwest had, and marched south again, passing by the fourth town, and moving east from there.

This path led them to the easternmost fort, with a town beside it westwards, and another north of it. A resource gathering location was just north of the latter town. Only those were left before the Army Groups could receive their well-deserved rest and establish their fortification around the enemy’s Medium City.

The sixth town was a difficult process. This one and the seventh were too close to the easternmost fort and Small City. The enemy also had a couple of months to prepare their fortification according to the information of the southerners to combat them and counteract their strongest points while taking advantage of their weakest points.

However, when the siege began, the enemy learned they hadn’t understood the south’s army strength. Despite the Army Groups showing the advantages and disadvantages, be it those sent into their territory’s southwest or northwest, they were always ‘weaker’ when dealing in particular ways with certain methods. However, when the sixth town’s was besieged, those weaknesses disappeared.

The 4 Army Groups gobbled the sixth town despite losing a vast quantity of soldier units compared to before. Instead of losing their soldier units like grass flooded by a broken dam, they exchanged the enemy’s lives with their tanks and helicopters. Although half the cultivators operating them were turned into rubble and jelly blood glued everywhere, the sixth town was occupied without much disaster on the south’s side, but the remaining enemy cultivators fled to the Medium City.

As the siege finished, they had to remain in that defensive position while being constantly assaulted from 3 different points. The easternmost fort, town up north, and the Medium City’s military units. It wasn’t a joke to think the enemy prepared to drown them in that town.

However, the enemy didn’t dare launch an actual all-out assault on the sixth town, leaving it in ruins as only 30% of it was turned into desolate, lifeless, flat ground. The rest was the fortifications made to secure the soldier units’ numbers. Despite the tightness within those fortifications, after digging for a month, 3 Army Groups assaulted the unsuspecting seventh town without the enemy realizing until it was half-taken away from their command.

The tunnel’s depth was over 100 km, the enemy couldn’t realize what was happening with Heian Ciemnosc’s dark array formations left behind, although the Army Groups had been tight on time to use them before they were wasted. Nevertheless, it all paid off. After a month, with the enemy dividing their forces to counterattack them, the seventh town was taken!

Since then, while the Army Groups sent to the southwest sent a third of their numbers around the forts to keep them in check, the others remained in the other settlements as time passed. On the other hand, in the north, around the Small City. The enemy kept sending smallish assault groups to harass the Army Groups as they spread throughout the Medium City’s west, south, and east, even encamping between the occupied settlements to keep the enemy in check.

As for the Medium City using their massive arsenal to take the 4 Army Groups down, they didn’t dare test the south’s determination to graze an entire Medium City to the ground level. They really didn’t want to. Besides, the enemy proved that their Farsighted realm cultivators were kicking as hard and fast as ever possible. Thus, despite having another hidden organization in between the Solovin Sect and the Borrowed Heart Academy, they didn’t dare confront the south’s Farsighted realm cultivators since it was the Crimsonbreaking Faction meddling between them.

Several months passed before the Army Groups could build a solid defensive position against the enemy, especially in the north, where the harassing never stopped, but continued with rapid military units stepping out of their turtle shells.

It wasn’t know why, and even less understood, but it remained the same. The enemy kept sending 1,000,000-strong groups outside their Medium City, while the forts kept their soldier units to themselves. It was humiliating as they had once thought, for decades, that they’ll be the ones attacking. Yet, all northern forces were pushed to only defend in their brand-new forts and Medium City, with nothing else pertaining to them.

As for the southerner’s response all this long? They had become used to annihilating those groups over the months, daily, and sometimes more than once. The enemy either spread or attacked one sole point. But with the guiding systems installed, even those on the other side, 500,000 km or slightly more from the east to the west in the north, could send a barrage of firepower or shells to support each other.

The bullets and shelling would arrive from a few seconds to a couple of minutes at most, depending on the strong winds up above and if the ammunition needed to use gravity array formations. Nevertheless, it was basically a slaughterhouse. If the Army Groups in the north were to get paid overall by kill, they’d become rich by the time that Heian Ciemnosc returned.

This remained as a stalemate for more than a couple of years… But, on the other hand, the south’s navy formed blockades and patrols everywhere that, more often than not, became slower. Additionally, 2 ports had been built facing the north at both land sections’ northern oceanic riverbanks. Well, they were used more now than ever, and the center had formed a 4-way blockade, all with just 1 Fleet’s warships.

If the enemy was aware of the magnitude of the southerner’s navy strength before, now, they were afraid of what it represented. It made even undetectable branches and swimming fish thousands of kilometers underneath detectable. But that was just how things were. As for keeping the forts and Medium City checked, their naval bombardment and barrage never stopped, exposing how deadly they were.

Nevertheless, by the time that the first year passed since the start of the war, the intelligence gathered exposed the enemy’s numbers and their situation. Meanwhile, as the years passed… They longed to see the supreme commander they almost forgot after a couple of years of endlessly fighting the same way yet never letting their guard down.

… Pfwuop!!

“Huh?” An Army Group’s vice commander doing the daily reading of reports in the morning from the previous day frowned. He looked behind him after making sure nothing weird was coming from the north, the Medium city, only to widen his eyes to their utmost ever. He babbled nonstop before finally uttering some consistent words, “Supreme commander! You’re back! What- how- supreme commander!”

Step, step. Indeed, it was Heian Ciemnosc, who grinned wildly as if he had played a prank on the vice commander. However, it wasn’t because of that. Heian Ciemnosc felt exhilarated after teleporting from so far away. It felt… omnipresent!

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“...” The vice commander looked at Heian Ciemnosc, baffled as to why he was feeling enchanted by Heian Ciemnosc’s visage. It wasn’t suddenly turning gay, or charmed by Heian Ciemnosc’s unique handsomeness, one in the world. It felt as if… he couldn’t help but positively look at this supreme commander, whom he already admires. What was this sensation?!

Coupled with his ginormous Spirit Sense, Heian Ciemnosc felt thrilled and in a really good mood. He looked at the vice commander and placed his hand on his shoulder before continuing forwards. The vice commander was astounded for half a day before rushing to use his medallion to inform the commanding assistant.

Heian Ciemnosc continued walking forth until half the soldier units noticed him. However, they didn’t dare to leave their posts and looked at Heian Ciemnosc from afar, feeling their blood boiling as it happened. Like this, a few hundred thousand pairs of eyes landed at Heian Ciemnosc without blinking, and a little someone walked away from the fortifications with the vice commander’s absentminded permission.

“Father!” Anastasia scurried from the fortifications and was observed in jealousy by her soldier units and comrades. She didn’t care and rapidly arrived before Heian Ciemnosc. Evans stayed behind, looking at everything around as he felt numerous eyes descend upon him. On the other hand, Heian Ciemnosc also felt those people lock onto his body.

While he let them do that, when Anastasia walked towards him, Heian Ciemnosc blocked any Spirit Sense moving his way. His Farsighted realm ‘small’ stage was already seen through. No enemy could be allowed to see him with his daughter in a moment of reunion. Several years have passed, and Anastasia had long left her young girlishness behind.

She stood with her back straight before Heian Ciemnosc, looking at him with widened eyes and with her chin slightly lifted. She seemed impassive, but she only endured 3 seconds before her eyes watered, and she lunged her face onto his abdomen.

Thud. “Wahaa! Father, you’re finally back!” Anastasia exclaimed as she pulled Heian Ciemnosc closer to her wet face. She cleaned her face on his new, strange, dark clothes for a minute, ‘berating’ him before finally retreating. She looked up, holding his left hand with her right one, and asked, “Dad, what’s your cultivation base? I felt your aura soar just now. What is it?”

“Mm,” Heian Ciemnosc looked down at his daughter, placing his right hand on her left shoulder. Indeed, someone so close to nature and the 4 Elements could only be his, ah. But before Heian Ciemnosc answered, Anastasia looked at the worm under his left armpit and jolted her eyes further open, ignoring her father’s prudish moment. “Dad… what is this? New pet? Alejandro has a rival now, huh?”

“Let me! Let me touch it, aww. It looks so adorable~!” Anastasia projected her arms forward, placing her fingers together while moving them towards the worm’s head. Heian Ciemnosc was stunned. Halonso let Anastasia pick him up, looking up at her face as she held him under her left armpit. Finally, Halonso blinked and looked further up at Heian Ciemnosc.

“Father, your offspring is really admirable! The first to share your blood and flesh. How wondrous!” The worm spoke, causing Anastasia not much surprise. However, the worm’s words left her flabbergasted, to say the least. “!”

“Anastasia, this is Halonso. He’s an old acquaintance. He isn’t a pet, but you can treat him like one,” Heian Ciemnosc casually spoke, gesturing towards the acquiescent, meek, thin and shrewd eyes. Anastasia felt it was too much since he was her father’s acquaintance, but she didn’t doubt Heian Ciemnosc’s words after seeing the worm’s reaction.

“Halonso, huh? Tell me, why did you call my Father, Father?” Anastasia picked the worm up her armpit and asked him. Halonso blinked and meekly said as he stared at her, “He created me! Aaah, girl. There are many things you must know. It’s not my business to say, so just focus on this little strife and then we can talk. I’m sure F-... your Father will tell you everything, ha!”

“Hmm, I see… Father?” Anastasia pouted before looking up at Heian Ciemnosc, who looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. She couldn’t help but blush. What in the hell happened on his trip? But she didn’t bother him to ask. She felt contented, her daddy seemed more loving after leaving for long. Did he miss their family? She misses her mothers, too. She can understand…

“We’ll speak after a little. For now, you’re still busy. Your cultivation has improved really well. You’re already above me. Your Mothers will be very proud to see it when we return,” Heian Ciemnosc flicked the softie before him and said. Anastasia smiled nonetheless.

Anastasia had reached the Light realm 9th stage in just a few years. She didn’t have her father’s stupidly absurd cultivation efficiency, but she didn’t need astronomical amounts of pure energy refinement to advance. Heian Ciemnosc looked ahead and stared at the Medium City. Anastasia turned around and backtracked to stand beside him.

She didn’t know why, but she felt as if something happened within the Medium City. Then, she looked below at their northern gates, but despite the time for another enemy group to come out having arrived, the gates remained unmoved.

‘Hmm, Father became stronger… he must have reached the Farsighted realm medium stage at the very least.’ Anastasia pondered after feeling that strange sensation. But then, as she remembered something after the excitement of her father’s return, she jolted upwards and excitedly requested, “Father, Father, Father! The next incursion, can I form part of it? Pleeeease?!”

“Of course not,” Heian Ciemnosc unhesitatingly turned her down. He looked at her after grinning towards the Medium City and went on, “You form part of these Army Groups unit. You can’t move around just because you want. The numbers are already thin. If it weren’t for the fortifications and the number of arsenal pieces installed everywhere, would they not annihilate everyone outside their defensive positions?”

“Mnn, alright. I understand,” Anastasia lowered her head and nodded slightly sadly. Halonso blinked and opened and closed his mouth, making squishy noises before saying after Heian Ciemnosc didn’t stop him with a particular glare. “Girl, don’t you belong to a moving organization in space? You’ll participate in many missions the size of this if you want to, I’m sure. Don’t overthink now and save your blood thirst for the future. Learn here and now, and grow later, ha?”

“Heh, Little Halonso, you’re really intelligent for a Fauna. What type are you? I've never seen a worm like you before. Trust me, Dad and Mom Mei taught me many pieces of knowledge,” Anastasia tickled Halonso’s belly, but Halonso opened his mouth and sadly looked at the empty void in the distance.

“He’s a Space Devouring Worm, the first and only one of his kind,” Heian Ciemnosc said, directly baptizing Halonso’s species, or Race, as Anastasia lifted her eyebrows and looked at Halonso. Heian Ciemnosc also looked at him and added, “But he’s working on fixing that problem. Go back, your nanny arrived. I’ll go start things.”

“Hum!” Anastasia looked at her father’s back as he casually took Halonso from her hands and teased her with Etherea. But then, after stomping her lithe feet, she tilted her head slightly to the left and thought, ‘Wait… How could Father know she’s been treating me like a little girl whenever it is only the two of us? Huh??’

WHOOOOOOOOSHHH~~~!

On the other hand, Heian Ciemnosc walked away as a small dot rapidly turned into a humongous shadow preceding over the land. However, the soldier units weren’t surprised or scared, recognizing the owner of that shadow as it came onto the ground. Heian Ciemnosc looked at Alejandro, with a few guests on his metal-like back, looking joyous.

Roaaaaarrr~~...

“Hm, there, there,” Heian Ciemnosc softly spoke while caressing Alejandro’s chin. He could directly land on the ground, or he might tear chunks apart everywhere in a 20 km radius. They were too close to the fortifications. Alejandro wagged his tail as Heian Ciemnosc added, “Go play with Evans. He’s been bad and needs to be taught a lesson. Can you do that for me?”

Blub, blup, gurgle. Alejandro nodded, looking down at Heian Ciemnosc with meek eyes before turning his body away, led by his nose, with his guests already down his back. Heian Ciemnosc bid him farewell with his darkest eyes before setting them on someone else.

“Supreme commander, welcome back,” Etherea bowed before Heian Ciemnosc, separating their bodies by a few feet. Heian Ciemnosc nodded, and she straightened her back. She looked at him before shaking her head, helpless. “Sir, you’ve become so strong I can’t see through your cultivation base or aura when you’re not purposely hiding it from me.”

“Mn, you’ve grown, too,” Heian Ciemnosc said as he flickered a strand of hair on her right profile. Etherea had broken into the Farsighted realm medium stage, and Molto, bowing behind her, was at the Central Formation 4th stage. Etherea had recently advanced, and her cultivation base was at its early level, with her stabilization complete but her solidification barely finished.

“Supreme commander,” feeling his caress, the commanding assistant felt as if a warm breeze kept her safe. She didn’t think, and only enjoyed it without losing her mind. At this point, Heian Ciemnosc looked at Molto before nudging towards his commanding assistant, “Brief me.”

Step, step, step. Heian Ciemnosc walked away, with Molto following half a step behind him with her head low, but only slightly, as if she was only demonstrating her status with him. Etherea walked beside Heian Ciemnosc and started, her professional voice innately sounded, “We discovered the enemy’s military forces. They amounted to 3 billion soldier units before the start of the war.”

“Losses,” Heian Ciemnosc added. Etherea didn’t blink as she elaborated, “They have suffered 300 million casualties from those defending the key settlements we occupied, and more sent out every day during these years. 800 million are spread in the Northeastern territory, 200 million inside a fort each, with 600 million in their Medium City, and 200 million in the Northwestern territory.”

“?” Heian Ciemnosc lightly frowned, but Etherea wasn’t slow to clear his doubts, “The remaining 400,000,000 enemy soldier units’ missing state is being investigated. We fear an assault has been planned. We have a couple of options to choose how to proceed from here. We couldn’t decide without you, supreme commander, and chose to dwindle the enemy’s forces and plan a ready mobilization if the enemy shows at our rear.”

“Their current numbers amount to about 2.3 billion soldier units, while we have lost tens of millions, but we have filled our fallen troops accordingly. The navy has lost some of their assault units for now, however.” Etherea concluded. She didn’t need to explain it wouldn’t be a problem since the enemy’s navy was exterminated long ago.

“Good, then start it now,” Heian Ciemnosc said 3 seconds after Etherea finished speaking. He looked at the tail behind them and Molto before returning his darkest eyes to Etherea, whose eyes were sparkling and slightly nervous.

“Is it a confirmation?” Asked Etherea. Heian Ciemnosc wordlessly nodded at her and added, “Well, don’t you want to see if your plans work as well as mine would? Reel it, take it, and phase 5 will be on the move.”

“Yes, supreme commander!” Etherea stopped and loudly yelled, saluting him before bowing her head towards him. This was her time, her opportunity!

“Ah, about suffering an attack in our territories, should we make any moves?” Etherea asked after becoming more relaxed. Heian Ciemnosc grinned at her worries as their tail caught up.

…