TF Amethyst

Normally, when digging an underground tunnel the digger had to make checkpoints on the surface. This checkpoint was needed to ensure the tunnel didn't go in the wrong way. However, Battle Group A managed to dig their tunnel without utilizing checkpoints.

The key for their success was the precise layout drew by Count Issak. It accurately explained on what distance before the tunnel had to climb or turn, how big the angle or elevation, and for how far before it had to become flat again.   

To prevent the deviation in direction the slave workers used super precise compass. As for to ensure the tunnel's floor didn't go downward or upward unintentionally, they adopted a method that was used by stone mason to ensure floor of a building was flat and had zero degree. In short, it was a precise job that required precise planning and supervising. 

Fortunately, when he was young Count Issak had a dream to become a Maester of Architecture. Even if in the end he had to give up on his dream and entered military to full fill his father request, the essentials skill and knowledge regarding architecture were still deeply buried in his mind. 

In the preparation phase, Count Issak even conducted an aerial surveillance with a few Riders to obtain the real scale of the underground tunnel from above. Therefore, Count Issak's heart was filled with joy and pride as he walked the underground tunnel while holding a big scroll. He was hardly able to hide his smile. 

'This is indeed not the first massive tunnel used by Makai Guards in an offensive. But I'm sure this is the longest,' Count Issak muttered as he arrived in a gentle slope. 

Wasting no time, he accelerated his steps. A few minutes later, he arrived at the end of the tunnel, which only a half meter below the surface. There, under the light of a small candle, a number of Brigadiers wearing light-weight body armor and Captains in black outfit were already waiting for him.

"Open the small door," Count Issak calmly ordered. While he was still on his way, he had got the permission to launch the attack. So he didn't need to wait anymore.

Four assault troops immediately took down two wooden blocks and planks that supported the ceiling. Then, they gently made 1x1 meter hole, before stacking sandbags below it to form steps. 

After one of assault troops confirmed that the surface was safe, Count Issak then peeked and checked the surrounding. A wide smile bloomed in his lips, as he saw a high water tower in the distance. 

The exit missed the designated point a few dozen meters, but it was still in the flat, dark, and quiet field as planned. Count Issak then went back to the tunnel. After signaling that the exit could be widened, he then laid the big scroll in his hand into tunnel's floor. 

Without delay, four Captains in black outfit immediately kneeled around the scroll. Every single officer in the assault troop had memorized Levsait's layout as if it was their backyard. However, it would be better if someone gave them a good situational awareness in the starting point.

"This is the location of our actual exit," Count Issak said as he pointed a location on the layout. "Now, let's see if the four of you do your homework properly."

The four Captains in the black outfit nodded in unison, then pointed their objective in the layout and explained their mission alternately. 

"This building is maintenance facility for iron carriages, two hundred meters to the east from here, and the place where we will set up our command post.

TF Amethyst has working hours 24 hours a day, so some of their personnel will still be working over there. My company will capture this building cleanly and eliminated every TF Amethyst's personnel."

"Depot for ammunition, spare part, and fuel, 2 km to the north. My company will kill what we can kill, burn what we can burn, and then establish our first ring perimeter."

"Parking lot for iron carriages, 2 km to the east. Sweep clean burn clean, and then set up perimeter."

"Kitchen, mess hall, recreation facility, and a two-floor barracks with two-floor bunker, 2 km to the south. Kill any resistance and lock the rest.”

"Good." Count Issak nodded in satisfaction. "This exit is our way in and retreat, so we will guard it with everything we have until all of assault troops safely passed it.

As long we hold their personnel in the barrack, TF Amethyst will not use their artillery on us."

""""Aye Sir.""""

The four Captains replied calmly. At the same time, the exit hole was already widened up to 10x6 meters. The four Captains then led their company to their objective. Each company was 200-man strong. All of them wore black outfit and they moved silently under the cover of darkness.

Count Issak then looked at three Brigadiers before him. "Your turn."

One of the Brigadiers immediately replied, "TF Amethyst's first responder will came from west. It will need time to gather enough people and launched proper respond. So they will send scout to assess the situation first.

We will utilize our numbers to ambush and eliminate their scout, and then stall their main unit as long as possible."

"Good." Count Issak nodded in satisfaction. "The longer you stall them, the more we have time to expand our area of control to south and north, and link up with assault troops that attack Buriek Guard Area and Tuscan Guard's area."

"""Aye Sir."""

The three Brigadiers then led their troops to their objective. Each brigade was consisted of 3600 swordsmen and bowmen, so it would take a while before all of these assault troops exited the tunnel.

However, Count Issak calmly watched them and didn't urge them to move faster. A moment later, he already gave final brief to the next batch of Brigadier.

Slowly but surely, each batch of the assault troops exited the tunnel and went to their objective. The exit was located in the assembly field in the middle of Logistic and Support Area, so they could easily spread over undetected.

---

Captain Dakko calmly led his company, approaching the backyard of the maintenance building through a dark field. When he saw two people sitting and playing a card game near a rear door of the building, he immediately signaled his men to stop and kneel. Then, he asked four bowmen to eliminate their first two targets.

Swish! Swish! Sw-swish!!

Four arrows flew from the dark field and accurately pierced the necks of two men who having fun playing cards, two arrows for each neck. 

There were no screams or shouts. There was only a light thud, gurgling, and muffled sound as the arrows' victims fell to the ground. Captain Dakko then calmly approached them. As the two were in their dying breath, he stabbed them in their heart and then checked the rank on their collar.

"A captain and a major." A smile immediately bloomed on Captain Dakko's lips. "We have a good start. This two must be the first officers’ casualties for TF Amethyst."

Without delay, Captain Dakko then ordered half of his men to set a security perimeter. Meanwhile, he led the other half to attack the maintenance building both from front and rear door simultaneously.

All of the mechanics were busy. After losing more than twenty mechanics in the Black Eagle incident in Davy Jones, the schedule for ground vehicle maintenance became very tight. Only one mechanic who coincidentally stood near the door realized that a number of men in black outfits suddenly entered the building.

At first, he thought that these guys were Tuscan Guard's personnel who played a prank on them. However, they already nocked an arrow on their double-curve bow. Moreover, their eyes were thick with killing intent.

"Who are you guys?" 

The mechanic asked the men in black, but the answer he got was a flight of two arrows right into his heart. He dropped to the ground almost in an instant.

As for the other mechanics, they realized the assault a few seconds later, but it was too late. The assault troops who got the role as a spear tip were elite archer specialized in close combat. Their technique was called instinctive shooting, which basically was shooting without needing to aim first. 

It was an extremely fast archery technique, as the archer's body and mind would be able to answer his or her will to put an arrow to any point up to 50 meters in reflex. When it was combined with a compact 40-pound double-curve bow, these archers became remarkably deadly in close combat. Their motto was 'In 30 meter arrow warfare, anyone who tries to aim will die first.'

Therefore, in a few breaths of time, most mechanics in the maintenance building fell to the floor after 2-3 arrows pierced their vitals. Unfortunately, none of them managed to grab the radio and warned other personnel in the area.

As the assault troops dragged and piled up the mechanics' body into a corner, Captain Dakko grabbed his crystal communicator.

"Ser Count, this is Dakko, first company, do you copy?"

[I read you, go ahead.]

"We managed to secure the building without any loss. We also killed a field officer and middle-rank officer in the process."

[Very good] Count Issak let out a satisfied chuckle for a moment before continuing, [I will go over there with my staff and crystal communication team.]

"Understood, Ser."

As he put back his crystal communicator to his shoulder, Captain Dakko muttered, 'Finally, we have our chance to rule the battlefield.'

*****