23 Let the crackdown start!

As the two Generals received the chilling news, their expressions changed from composed to disturbed. The worst-case scenario had just happened.

General Sho leaned on the handrails and let out a deep sigh. "So, Lieutenant General… what should we do now?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

Albert covered his face in disappointment. "Yeah… I didn't expect this," he said, his voice laced with regret. "Looks like they were clearly expecting us."

"So it was all a trap, huh?" Sho muttered, his arms crossed in contemplation.

"This can escalate into a hostage situation," Albert said, voicing his concern.

The two men exchanged a worried glance, unsure of how to proceed. They knew that any misstep could result in dire consequences, not just for themselves, but for the entire military operation.

Albert put his hand on his forehead and leaned on the rails. He tapped the rails as he pondered hard. "So… What should we do, Lieutenant General?"

Sho took a deep breath before replying, "Yeah… I don't know. I really just got a little ahead of myself earlier. Was it the lack of sleep? Was it because I didn't finish drinking my tea? Was it because I didn't give it much thought? Was it because of my lapse in judgment that allowed them to go because of a child's determination? Was it because of my emotions or feelings at the time? I don't know, General… I don't know…"

Albert started to chuckle, but it felt painful to hear. "Well… if it were a trap set for us, we would've already had contact with their forces directly. This situation is still salvageable if we move correctly," he said, his voice quavering with a mix of anger, fear, sadness, and self-hatred.

"I… I don't know, Sho… I knew I shouldn't have sent them… I've made a mistake… I've endangered them… hahaha! Why have I done such a mistake! Saving lives, that's what the Military Police do. This is happening again… why… not again. It's because of me, my foolish judgments, I am not fit to lead! It's because of me that they all died!!!!" Albert slammed the rails and cursed out loud.

Anger slowly turned into sorrow, and General Sho saw his friend leaning on the handrails, trembling with an indescribable look. He was covering his face, hiding his tears, and was facing a complete meltdown.

General Sho didn't want to see his friend hurt again, not again. Sho sighed and stepped forward. "Hey, Albert, let's make a deal," he said, trying to soothe his friend's pain.

Albert continued to be frustrated, pulling his hair in anger and slowly curling in pain. "Huh? What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"I don't want to see you crying again, I don't want you to be hurt again, I don't want you to experience what happened in the front line, so just smile, and I'll handle this, don't worry." Sho threw a thumbs up and a wink.

Albert's face lit up, and he remembered his childhood, where he and General Sho had forged a friendship that had lasted through battlefields and strategic war rooms over the course of their lives. After everything they had experienced and witnessed in the front lines, Sho never wanted any of his friends to suffer again, not anymore.

Albert sobbed, and with determination, he faced the consequences of his actions. "No, it's my mistake. I should be responsible," he said.

"It's alright. Just smile. I got this," General Sho replied with a reassuring smile.

As General Sho walked over to his officers, he yelled out an absolute order. "All who are prepared...move out!"

Soldiers and Royal Police hopped into jeeps, with those who couldn't enter in time left behind. In the end, they left with only one thousand troops and officers; the rest would follow suit. As the jeeps started rolling, the sound of the engines zooming through the city sounded like thunder roaring. The mission was on, and they had no time to waste.

"Let the crackdown start!" General Sho ordered.

Albert, realizing his mistake, punched himself and sought to do his job right. At the last minute, he was able to get his composure back and dashed to board one of the jeeps, grabbing onto one of the jeeps and moving out with the rest. Although it took a hot minute, the clock struck twelve, and the operation resumed.

End of chapter 21