Two months later. April 26th, 2024.

The Blackwatch and the United States Forces had fought major battle after battle, conquering cities of China from the undead. So far, casualties are high with Blackwatch suffering eight hundred while the United States Forces five hundred. Yet they still pressed on.

The Joint Force arrived in the city of Tianjin, just 140 kilometers away from Beijing. They are getting closer.

Meanwhile, at the Joint Force Command Center in Tianjin. Richard was checking his system.

[User: Richard Gonzales

Health: 500/500

Age:22

Available Skill Points: 0

Level: 64 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Skills: Weapon Proficiency Level 3, Melee Proficiency Level 3, Driving Proficiency Level 2, Tactical Mastery Level 3, Pilot Mastery Level 3. Vitality Level 3, Enhanced Perception Level 2.

Experience points: 21,516,248,112/25,761,235,790

Gold balance: 6,025,616,411,511]

"Six trillion gold coins huh?" Richard read his gold balance. It was indeed in six trillion gold coins. The reason why the Blackwatch has been able to push deeper into the territory of China is that all the losses are replaceable. Tanks, Aircraft, and even troops. Of course, he is cautious not to show this power to their partner, the United States as he doesn’t want to be scrutinized.

As he was in thought, Mark stepped forward.

"Sir, enemy movement detected. The numbers are 15 Goliaths, 231 Alpha Hunters, 200 Juggernauts, 50 Hydra, 80 Cerberus, 1,000 Flyers, 5 Alpha Gryphons, and four Lin Feng’s associates."

Hearing that report, Richard raised a brow. "That’s quite a number Lin Feng is throwing at us. Does he want to end this war here in Tianjin?"

"If he would do that, he would have joined the advancing forces. But according to our intelligence, Lin Feng was not seen among their ranks," Mark responded, tapping on the digital map displayed on the large screen in front of them. The map showed real-time movements, with the enemy forces highlighted in red as they approached Tianjin.

"Then it’s a diversion," Richard concluded, his mind racing through the possibilities. "He’s trying to draw us out, make us commit here so he can hit us elsewhere. Or perhaps, he’s testing our defenses before making his real move."

Mark nodded, "It’s possible, sir. Our scouts have reported that the enemy forces seem to be moving with more coordination than before. It’s as if they’re being directly commanded."

Richard leaned back in his chair, pondering their next move. "Prepare our defenses. I want the HIMARS and artillery units on standby to strike as soon as the enemy is within range. Deploy drones for continuous surveillance. We need to keep an eye on their movements at all times."

"Understood, sir. And what about our reserves?" Mark inquired, referring to the additional forces held back for emergency deployment.

"Keep them ready but hidden. We’ll only deploy them if absolutely necessary. I don’t want Lin Feng to know the full extent of our capabilities," Richard ordered. "Also, inform the United States Forces’ commanders about the situation. We need to coordinate our defense to withstand this assault."

As Mark went to carry out his orders, Richard turned his attention back to his system. With a few taps, he began reallocating resources, ensuring that frontline units had all they needed for the imminent battle. Despite the overwhelming numbers they were about to face, Richard felt a surge of confidence. The battles they had fought had honed their tactics and teamwork, and every victory brought them closer to their ultimate goal.

***

In the city of Tianjin, above the sky, 1,000 Flyers were flying in formation, quickly becoming the focal point of the city’s defenses. As they descended upon Tianjin with menacing speed, the Blackwatch and the United States forces’ anti-air defenses, primarily the Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) systems, sprang into action. These highly sophisticated defense mechanisms, designed to track and destroy incoming aerial threats, began firing at an intense rate, sending a storm of bullets toward the incoming Flyers.

The sky was ablaze with the light of tracer rounds, each burst from the C-RAM systems creating a deadly barrier against the invading Flyers. The precision of these systems was unmatched, tracking the fast-moving targets with unerring accuracy. However, the Flyers darted through the sky with unnerving agility, dodging the barrage of bullets with surprising finesse. Their objective was clear: to breach the defenses and wreak havoc among the ground forces.

Despite the ferocity of the anti-air barrage, several Flyers managed to penetrate the defensive perimeter, swooping down towards the troops with their talons outstretched. Soldiers scrambled for cover, firing their rifles and machine guns at the descending threats. The situation escalated quickly as the Flyers, undeterred by the gunfire, grabbed soldiers with their powerful talons, attempting to carry them off into the sky.

The battle was chaotic, with the ground forces struggling to repel the aerial attackers. The C-RAM and mobile anti-air units continued to fire relentlessly, bringing down several Flyers in spectacular explosions. Yet, the persistence of the Flyers proved challenging, their numbers and agility allowing them to pose a significant threat despite the intense defensive fire.

Not even attack helicopters such as the Apache and the drones were immune to the challenges posed by the Flyers. They’d swarmed around the helicopter and used their sharp talons to scratch the body, creating dents and attempting to break through. Pilots performed evasive maneuvers, desperately trying to shake off the aggressive Flyers. Despite their best efforts, it was just futile. Helicopters crashed and exploded upon impact.

Due to that, the Blackwatch has decided to ground all aircraft except from Fighter Jets and Gunships to minimize the risk of losing more aerial assets to the Flyers. This tactical shift forced a change in their approach to the battle. The ground forces intensified their use of anti-aircraft weapons, deploying more mobile anti-air units equipped with surface-to-air missiles and heavy machine guns specifically designed to engage low-flying targets.

The streets of Tianjin turned into a battleground, with Blackwatch and United States forces setting up defensive positions around key points of the city. Barricades and improvised explosive devices were placed strategically to slow down the advance of the ground enemy forces, while sharpshooters took up positions in high buildings to provide cover for their comrades below.

Meanwhile, Richard and Graves, along with ten special forces, stood behind them, all wearing the Titan’s Guard Mark II.

"It’s time boys," Richard said.