Chapter 60 Red Valley
A ring of mountains several hundred meters high enclosed a central plain.
The plain was long and slightly curved, mostly covered in snow, with only a small portion occupied by sprawling barracks. Intersecting dirt paths ran between the buildings, displaying a peculiar crimson hue.
The soil here was an acidic red earth rich in iron, giving this valley its name—Red Valley. Stationed here was Commander Haigert’s corps.
Among the five theater sectors, the Second Theater currently enjoyed the best strategic posture, though it had also witnessed the most brutal fighting and heaviest casualties.
The most effective combat unit in the Second Theater was Haigert’s corps. That he had risen to corps commander in just over a decade proved his exceptional military talent.
Red Valley was fortified like an iron fortress under Haigert’s design, with a fifty-kilometer radius kept under tight surveillance.
Recon Knights within his corps kept their eyes scanning the surroundings, frequently glancing up at the sky.
Suddenly, a dull cannon blast echoed from the northeast—a signal gun used for warnings.
The blast reverberated continuously through the valley.
Upon hearing the signal, the quiet valley erupted into activity. Soldiers poured out of their barracks, followed by suits of armor rushing to defensive positions.
Haigert emerged from his command post, looking noticeably more haggard than when he left Peines months ago, with dark circles under his eyes.
“Which sentry post issued the warning?” Haigert shouted, turning to his staff.
Seconds later, Haigert’s chief adjutant ran out from the communications room.
“Post Seventeen, Commander!” the adjutant reported, handing over a paper slip.
Scanning the paper, Haigert’s expression shifted from surprise to a mix of relief and concern. The report stated that Sentries at Post Seventeen had spotted a bird-like flying object far larger than any natural bird.
Crumpling the paper, Haigert walked straight into the communications room.
The room was a long, narrow building with two rows of communication gear lining the walls.
Over twenty Psions managed communications with various sectors. Haigert walked toward his personal Psion.
Seeing Haigert approach, the Psion immediately picked up his metal comms headset, knowing what his commander needed.
“Contact Squad 105. Ask if they are approaching,” Haigert ordered, hands folded behind his back with fingers tightly intertwined, revealing his inner tension.
The Psion put on the headset without a word.
After ten minutes, he looked up, announcing excitedly, “Contact established! Squad 105 is just seventy kilometers away!”
Haigert exhaled a long breath. He considered canceling the alarm, but decided to keep his forces on alert for safety.
Seventy kilometers was a short distance, well within his fifty-kilometer sentry network. Less than three hours later, the large column from Polmo arrived at the outskirts of Red Valley.
It was an impressive column, matching Haigert’s corps in size, though looking somewhat disheveled.
Most eye-catching were the numerous sleds—assembled from door panels and iron strips—each packed with passengers.
This had been Richie’s idea.
Richie possessed unmatched experience in guiding civilians through danger, having accumulated expertise when escorting the Rose Society girls from Morena, and later guiding them and his family to Peines.
The materials for the sleds had been salvaged from Crete’s ruins, which contained abundant supplies. The foot-deep snow from half a month of snowfall provided a smooth surface for the sleds.
Squad 105 led the column at the front.
Crossing a ridge, they encountered a line of armor waiting ahead, led by a heavy suit in deep crimson with thick, reinforced plating.
“We’ve been waiting for you! Why isn’t that little guy coming down from above?” Haigert greeted Squad 105.
“Let him stay up there. Ever since entering Wonka, a tail has been following us that we couldn’t shake off. Luckily, he’s up there providing real-time scouting and navigation,” Dana replied. As Richie’s master and a long-time acquaintance of Haigert, she held full authority to answer.
“Follow me. Barracks and food are prepared for you—get some rest first,” Haigert offered warmly. “Over dinner, I want to hear about your journey, especially the battle at Crete.”
Haigert secretly hoped Squad 105 would hand over their armor recording devices, though he couldn’t ask directly, as he wasn’t their direct superior.
The Crete battle had drawn attention from Allied High Command, and accessing recording devices left permanent access logs he preferred to avoid.
Guided by Commander Haigert, the evacuees from Polmo entered Red Valley without hindrance.
The moment Crete fell, Randy had contacted Haigert, making him the first general to learn of Crete’s capture.
Accommodating six thousand evacuees required significant food and housing, but Haigert welcomed the addition. In wartime, every commander desired greater troop strength, and six thousand evacuees exceeded his corps size.
His only slight regret was the high proportion of ordinary infantry, which were useful for static defense or holding ground, but less effective in mobile warfare.
What truly delighted Haigert was the addition of over a hundred knights. He had long sought to form an assault corps, having recruited Richie earlier to build a prototype squad before the war interrupted them.
Though he built an assault corps framework around that prototype, its performance lagged behind Harney’s squad.
Thinking of Harney’s squad brought Haigert a pang of regret—only four had survived the campaign, all bearing severe injuries.
Yet seeing these knights from Polmo, who had crossed two war zones and captured Crete, Haigert realized they surpassed his envisioned assault corps.
He didn’t expect to retain everyone, knowing Internal Security knights wouldn’t obey him, but keeping them for a month or two would allow his assault corps to take shape.
Retaining Squad 105 as well would make his force truly formidable.
Cooking smoke rose gently against the setting sun as Red Valley settled into a peaceful evening.
Suddenly, a dark shape broke through the cloud layer above.
Richie dove straight down, leveling off fifty meters above the ground.
From above, he resembled a bird or an angel, though the Yaksha’s fierce silhouette invoked images of a demon.
Gliding around Red Valley as crowds gathered to watch, Richie felt a surge of excitement from the high-altitude perspective.
Spotting Haigert below, Richie caught a look of envy in his eyes, feeling immense satisfaction. When the flight armor was first created, Haigert had dismissed it with mockery.
Dropping to five meters, Richie executed a sharp turn and stood upright, using air resistance to slow down before landing gently as a wind vortex cushioned his touchdown.
“That suit looks far better than your original one,” Haigert called out. He recognized the Yaksha design, a suit he respected, and felt eager to inspect its recording device.
“Is there anything good to eat? Bring me something warm. I’ve been chewing dried meat for days and lost all taste,” Richie grumbled.
Haigert laughed; Richie certainly didn’t treat him like a stranger.
Though supplies were tight during war, hot beef stew offered a welcome feast for the weary travelers.
Squad 105, Yiluo, and his research team dined alongside Haigert. While Haigert treated Yiluo and Trisli with great courtesy, both maintained a polite distance.
“How are Harney and the others?” Richie asked during dinner.
“He survived, though he lost his right eye and a leg,” Haigert sighed. “Silva survived as well, though severely wounded, and two others returned.”
Out of fifteen who went to the front, only five remained alive, including Richie.
Seeing Richie fall silent, Haigert clapped his back: “Don’t be overly sentimental—that’s a knight’s fate.”
Haigert passed over a cup of strong liquor. Richie took a sip, feeling a burning sensation down his throat that helped dispel his gloom.
“Let’s talk about better news,” Haigert added a piece of beef to Richie’s plate. “Harney received a promotion to squadron commander once his injuries heal, Silva remains his second-in-command, and the other two were promoted to squad leaders.”
“So Squad Tribe no longer exists?” Richie remarked quietly, feeling happy for the survivors yet saddened by those lost.
Harney’s promotion reminded him of Squad 105: would there come a day when Squad 105 ceased to exist as well?
If Harney could command a squadron, Calli, Merlin, and Dana possessed the merit to lead corps or brigades.
“Interested in taking a squadron command yourself?” Haigert offered.
“Not interested. I’m not management material,” Richie replied, taking another sip.
Haigert didn’t press the matter, knowing Richie excelled at ideas and combat rather than administrative command.
“Offering a squadron command right away—your authority must have grown!” Lina remarked, catching the underlying meaning.
Haigert smiled: “My corps suffered heavy losses, so I requested replacements. High Command responded by granting me the title of Acting Corps Commander.”
Lina and Robin understood the strategic implications immediately: an Acting Corps Commander could absorb and reorganize rescued units into a new corps, granting Haigert a fast track to full corps command.
Within Red Valley’s outer perimeter lay a dedicated compound prepared for Squad 105, enclosed by a wall for privacy.
The central barracks included an underground room—a feature Haigert had specifically arranged based on his prior knowledge of Squad 105’s habits.
That evening, the female knights gathered in the underground space.
Randy brought out a special box containing improved metallic vibrating plugs—an upgraded design derived from the tail plug.
Every woman in Squad 105—the three sisters, Rosa, Margaret, Merlin, Randy, Lina, and Nora—received one.
While those who had experienced the sensation before handled it better, the first-timers gasped as the high-frequency vibrations surged through their bodies, leaving them trembling on the floor.
Richie entered the underground room to find the women in various states of sensory overload.
Merlin and Randy leaned against the wall with trembling legs, while Lina and Nora stood upright, savoring the intense sensations.
“I need to relieve myself again,” Richie looked toward Lina.
Lina smiled, turning to present her hips. Richie pressed forward, entering her rear passage.
The intense vibration from the metallic plug inside amplified the sensation, overwhelming both of them as Richie released warm fluid directly into her.
Switching between Lina, Merlin, and Nora, Richie experienced an unforgettable night of pleasure.
Positioning the three women together, Richie penetrated each sequentially, filling their bodies with fluid and seed.
When he entered Nora, her natural, exquisite physical response brought him to the absolute peak of ecstasy. Her compact, elastic passage wrapped tightly around his shaft, delivering a sensation of pure, unmatched bliss that surpassed all others.
As the night deepened, the underground room echoed with soft gasps and intense passion, marking a night of complete release and shared intimacy among Squad 105.