I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun-Chapter 786: Washington D.C (8)

Potomac Event Center, also known as the John F. Kennedy Center.

It is located right next to the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and very close to the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which the Dagger Team crossed when they transported the Secretary of Defense last time.

However, if you were to overlay the map of Washington D.C. with the current power zones and the location of the Potomac Event Center, something different would become clear — specifically, the reason why the Dagger Team had to be sent to this particular area.

To explain briefly, the U.S. military, which had originally been operating around the White House and the Pentagon, was rapidly pushed northward and westward by the Black Eagle forces advancing from the south.

As a result, the U.S. military is now concentrated in the north and west, while the Black Eagle has taken control of the area around the White House. Between the two massive powers are former U.S. soldiers turned warlords, armed smugglers, and gangs.

However, the latter fact wasn't as important. What was more critical was that to collaborate with or make contact with the U.S. forces now occupying the north and west, the bridges over the Potomac River were essential.

Returning to the point, the Potomac Event Center is very close to the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and the Key Bridge.

In other words, if the Black Eagle were to occupy this place, the U.S. military stationed in Washington D.C. would experience the sensation of being cut in half, with the upper and lower halves of their forces operating separately.

"...I’m sure those overly perceptive bastards already know this without me saying it, which is probably why they got to the Potomac Event Center so quickly. Those kinds of bastards always have more than one intention behind a single action."

"And that’s why we’re here, right?"

"The youngest is always so optimistic, I like it."

And so, the Dagger Team arrived here.

There are three Icarus gears scattered around Washington D.C. One has been secured by the Dagger Team, one by the Syndicate, and now we're competing... well, not competing, it's actually ours to begin with, so how are we even competing?

The fact that the enemies put multiple intentions into their actions also means they came well-prepared. According to the latest confirmation before the operation began, the enemies had dispatched a battalion-sized force to this area.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t just mean they’ve sent combat troops. As mentioned earlier, they’re trying to sever the U.S. military’s backbone in the capital, and once they set up a forward base here, Icarus would be in serious trouble.

In simple terms, they’ve sent a combat battalion and a combat engineering company. That must have been quite an expense for Black Eagle.

And today, the Dagger Team faces Black Eagle head-on for the first time.

Of course, we weren’t planning on exchanging bullets with the enemies honorably. It seemed they weren’t thinking that way either.

—Kiiing!

"The fact that they’ve set up the medium machine gun turrets first... well, that was expected. Looks like they have an ADS too."

"There’s no one wandering outside. They set up the barriers first, and now they're finishing the work inside. Getting through will be pretty difficult."

"Are there any usable objects or people nearby?"

"None outside."

"Then there's nothing we can do."

"Should we just force our way through?"

"No, that doesn’t seem necessary... It doesn't seem like there’s no way around it."

At that moment, Owens shifted his gaze to the sky, and something caught his attention.

The Potomac Event Center was surrounded by dozens of pillars. The shape resembled that of an ancient Greek temple. The difference, however, was that they might be even sturdier.

But that didn’t matter much. Unlike their primary defense equipment like turrets, these pillars didn’t have ADS installed.

The Dagger Team had already secured the blueprint for the Potomac Event Center and analyzed the weaknesses of these reinforced concrete pillars. Though there was a risk of getting detected if we shot a pulse, we had a plan.

The next step was simple. We just needed to detonate a few of the pillars in the specified direction.

It wasn’t unusual to think that we could attach explosives to the turrets and use them to destroy the pillars, but the Dagger Team preferred a more refined approach.

We equipped a turret with an oxidizer sticky bomb launcher and launched it while others set up about 500g of C4 blocks under vehicles a little away from the entrance to distract Black Eagle’s attention.

This content is taken from freёnovelkiss.com.

The preparations were complete.

At the same time the bomb planted under the vehicle was detonated, we launched the sticky bomb.

—Kwoooong!

"Nice. They're distracted now. Pillar destruction in 10 seconds. Oxidizer adjustment complete."

"If it were a person, they’d probably see it coming and avoid it. But how about turrets and heavy equipment that are fixed in place and hard to move?"

"We’ll find out soon."

As predicted, a few seconds later, the reinforced concrete pillar, which had been shattered and was over several meters tall, began to lean and collapse.

The interior, as seen through the reconnaissance drone, erupted into chaos. Even the elite soldiers who had undergone extensive physical and mental modifications were overwhelmed by the violence of the terrain and the laws of physics.

Three pillars collapsed, each weighing tons, in less than a second, crashing toward the ground.

At the point where the pillars fell, naturally, there were defensive weapons, high-value equipment, and heavy machinery.

—Crunch.

"Wow."

"The forklift’s been turned into a bloody mess. I wonder if anyone can clean that up."

"The medium machine gun turrets and the ADS are destroyed. Should we move in?"

"Assault team moves to the front. Over to you, Logan."

"I figured this day would come, so I made sure to sharpen the shield sides. Let’s see if it works on these guys."

What a terrifying thing to say.

Taking advantage of Black Eagle’s temporary disarray, the assault team, with their explosive charges attached to the black, Phoenix-emblem-adorned gate, made their way inside.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

Normally, the moment the gate opened, heavy 50-caliber rounds or 40mm grenades would have flown in, but they had already been turned into scrap metal by divine retribution falling from the sky.

Black Eagle began to respond skillfully, but once the smoke grenades started exploding, their situation quickly became less favorable.

Before they could even activate their thermal imaging equipment, the smoke turned into flames.

"Damn, what the hell...!"

"Regroup and take position! Icarus Operators are entering the Potomac Event Center! Deploy UAVs!"

"The enemy’s firepower is extraordinary! They’re not using standard assault rifles or carbines—"

—Crash!

At that moment, one of the soldiers briefing the situation over the intercom had his entire head blown off. The shoulder epaulet had the insignia of a sergeant. He was an experienced elite soldier, but in an instant, his life was over.

The reason for this result wasn’t due to Dagger Team’s mysterious technology or anything like that. It was simply because we brought powerful weapons—specifically, something that could penetrate even NIJ level 4 or higher body armor.

There was no need for a lengthy explanation. It all came down to one word: 50-caliber armor-piercing rounds. What I had brought was an M107CQ, essentially a short-barreled Barrett. Of course, that wasn’t the only thing I had.

Currently, my tactical backpack contained about 10 box-type magazines stacked neatly.

Each magazine held 10 rounds, so theoretically, with one shot per person, I could vaporize an entire squad.

Of course, no one expected that ideal situation, but the firepower was definitely there.

—Vroom!

"Armored infantry in front... Are they even using a minigun now?"

"Youngest, blow it up."

"EMP, bind their movements!"

This is how it went.

There were crazy bastards shooting with a minigun that fired 7.62mm rounds at 4,000 rounds per minute. Those kinds of things were usually reserved for mutants.

But the problem with these bastards was that, despite ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) being deployed with those weapons, they still had a serious lack of awareness regarding the Icarus Operators. A well-placed EMP would at least halt them for a moment.

And sure enough, after some time...

—Crrrrrshh!

"Ugh!"

"That’s what I expected, those crazy bastards actually brought that terrifying weapon. Activate optical camouflage."

A blue light streaked through the air, and the wing of a seraphim-class drone, caught in the trajectory, shattered into pieces.

As I watched, Crow muttered to himself.

"I guess we should offer our condolences to the guys who took the Icarus gear."

Indeed, as he said.

—Boom!

"Where do you think you’re going so fast?"

"This, these crazy..."

Meanwhile, another vehicle moved in the opposite direction.

On top of it, Olivia in a wingsuit landed.