Era 2137, Germany, Walthem Sector, Second Space Station, Keon City.
Burgrade screamed loudly at Joseph. He knew it was useless, but he still screamed hysterically with all his might. He had already been hit by two bullets. Even more terrifying was that the enemy did not seem intended to let him go. His Iron Cross 2nd Class had fallen to the ground, left forever in the center of the battlefield. That Iron Cross had been personally awarded to him by the Supreme Governor of the Fourth German Reich. Of course, that Governor was no longer in power, having transferred authority to the new Chancellor of the German Federal Empire. Regardless, Burgrade cherished that Iron Cross 2nd Class; after all, it was a symbol of his brave combat and the glory of his life. Moreover, this Iron Cross was an extraordinary award. Although it was just a medal, it was virtually impossible for a supreme national leader to personally award it to a low-ranking soldier, especially since it was of the lowest class.
Burgrade lay prone in agony, trying hard to reach the Iron Cross, but it was clearly too far from his body. He couldn't reach it at all, yet he desperately tried to pick it up. Joseph rushed over from behind him with his gun, grabbed his hand, and forcibly pulled him back. "Are you out of your f***ing mind?!" Joseph yelled continuously in anger, then dragged him towards the cover he was using. The cover Burgrade had originally used could no longer hold up; that hard steel plate appeared exceptionally frail under the destruction of laser rounds, collapsing like a thin sheet of paper after a few seconds. The enemy machine guns were firing continuously from vantage points, with laser rounds whistling past them. Joseph raised his assault rifle and fired back at the enemy. Burgrade knew that Joseph's marksmanship was among the best in the team. It was a pity he had chosen an assault rifle; if Joseph were holding an M1S-8P mid-range sniper rifle right now, he could have accurately sniped the enemy gunner on the roof over a thousand meters away. But unfortunately, that was just a "what if."
Burgrade was shocked. How could they have found their newly established base with such speed? Fifteen minutes ago, they were drinking black tea and coffee in the underground conference room, and he was still chewing on half a sandwich left over from lunch. But now, their base had been blown to smithereens by the enemy. These damn militants deserved to die! Burgrade cursed furiously in his heart, though he knew this wouldn't cause any harm to the enemy. He roared behind him, calling the names of his two other companions, while simultaneously raising his signal gun and rushing toward the roof. He loaded a round and fired a shot into the air. He was pleased that he could still possess such explosive power despite being hit by two bullets. Of course, he couldn't smile now; at this moment, he was exposed to the enemy's hail of bullets. His leg was hit by another laser round. Fortunately, Joseph reacted quickly and dragged him into cover. Supported by a mixture of a second shot of enhanced adrenaline and various drugs, he didn't feel too much pain, and the bleeding stopped quickly. However, they still couldn't escape. He wasn't sure if his companions had seen the signal flare he fired; after all, there was dust everywhere, and small mushroom clouds kicked up from the ground from time to time.
At this moment, Joseph couldn't think that much anymore. He grabbed Burgrade's arm, dragged him downstairs, and jumped into the basement. He understood that it was impossible for his companions to come and save them. Joseph closed his eyes. He didn't want the enemy to capture them because they knew that if the Secret Police of the Solar System Federal Committee were caught, there would be absolutely no good ending. It would be better to end it themselves right here. He slowly raised his pistol and aimed it at Burgrade. The moment he pulled the trigger, a massive airflow blasted them away. The two of them were lifted into the air. Flying in mid-air, they felt only a wave of heat wash over them before they were slammed heavily onto the ground, losing consciousness a few seconds later.
At this moment, in the darkness, that pair of sharp, hawk-like eyes was staring tightly at the direction of the explosion, his hand slowly releasing the switch of the detonator.