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However, the assault took an unsettling turn. The defending soldiers at the border exhibited no signs of fear or desperation. They fought with mechanical precision, devoid of human emotion. The battlefield echoed with a chilling silence, devoid of shouts or groans of pain, punctuated only by the relentless sounds of battle.

This bizarre phenomenon stunned Cao Cao and the two US field commanders. It was their first encounter with such a thing. It\'s important to remember that this assault was the spearhead of the US reclamation campaign, meant to test the enemy\'s defenses. Other fronts remained fortified and on standby.

So, whatever they faced here is likely the Confederacy\'s new trick that needs to be recorded and documented for later use, providing insights for dealing with similar situations on other battlefields.

As for Cao Cao, despite his resurrection and enhanced strength from his lord\'s magic, he was no mage. This unnerving spectacle only solidified his suspicion: mages were behind it all.

"Troops," his voice boomed through the command center, "evacuate the town and establish a defensive perimeter. Automated emplacements are en route to bolster your positions. Hold your ground!" Cao Cao commanded before turning to the two US commanders.

""Gentlemen," he began, "with all due respect, I suggest we withdraw and gather more intel. There\'s something suspicious going on." Cao Cao suggested to the US commanders, but his words were met with disdain.

"You\'re just a CEO of a mercenary group! What do you know about real battlefield experience? Have you ever been in one!? Just do your job as a CEO and make money for your boss. Don\'t interfere!" one of the commanders retorted with disdain.

"Tch. Arrogant yellow monkey. Who does he think he is?" muttered one of the US commanders in disdain.

This was the last straw for Cao Cao tolerance for their idiocy. He left the command room, but nor before turning his head as he gave them a glare filled with deep-seated grudge before exiting.

Cao Cao made a beeline for his lord\'s lounge, seeking guidance in this baffling situation. Entering the lounge, he found Ragnar already present with his lord.

"Mr. Emberweave," he addressed his lord, a respectful shift from his usual "My Lord." "There\'s a disturbing development on the battlefield. I suspect mages are involved

Daniel rose immediately, accompanied by Ragnar, who came with Daniel solely for this reason. They hurried towards the command center, only to be met with frantic shouts upon arrival.

"Retreat! I said, retreat!" one US commander bellowed into his communicator.

"Negative, sir! Retreating path is compromised!" a soldier yelled back through the communicator.

Reaching the command center, Daniel and Ragnar focused on the live feeds from helmet cameras and various screens displaying the unfolding chaos.

The horrifying scene played out: Confederate soldiers, already slain, rose from the dead and attacked the advancing US troops like ravenous zombies. Even townsfolk succumbed to this undead fate, turning on the American forces.

Interestingly, the zombies ignored living soldiers, treating them no differently than their undead brethren. However, once a soldier fell to gunfire or fatal injury, they\'d seemingly die, only to rise again moments later, discarding their weapons as if robbed of the ability to wield them.

Surrounded by the undead, a group of US soldiers fought their way to a nearby building and quickly established a fortified position. Fortunately, several soldiers within the trapped group wore power armor, allowing them to swiftly set up defenses. These heavily armored warriors became the spearheads of their comrades\' desperate fight for survival.

One crucial limitation: the power armor\'s energy reserves were finite. Standard mode provided only 3 days of operation, while high-intensity mode halved that duration. Given their limited numbers, recklessness couldn\'t be an option. Protecting their comrades remained their top priority.

Daniel and Ragnar surveyed the scene, with Ragnar immediately delving into scrutiny. He noted numerous signs of the forbidden ritual, the one that transforms humans into sacrifices to enhance the chances of awakening as a mage.

This ritual not only heightens a mage\'s magical affinity but also amplifies their connection to their Origin Element, the degree of which is directly proportional to the number of sacrifices involved. The audacity of using an entire town as a sacrificial offering spoke volumes about the perpetrator\'s insanity.

Judging from the traces left behind, it was clear that whoever orchestrated this dark magic had long since fled the scene.

Regarding the undead, they were mere products of low-level necromancy spells. Their disregard for the living soldiers stemmed from a curse embedded within the soldiers themselves. Once these soldiers perished, they were immediately transformed into undead, a curse deeply rooted within the Confederacy\'s military ranks.

"Daniel... Whoever is responsible for this has dived headfirst into madness. You must remain vigilant," Ragnar warned after gathering sufficient information.

"What do you mean?" Daniel inquired, his concern growing evident.

To avoid the risk of sensitive information being overheard by other US army commanders, Ragnar conveyed the full extent of what he knew about the ritual and its consequences to Daniel through a telepathic message, ensuring secrecy amidst the chaos of the rescue efforts.

After hearing everything, Daniel nodded, contemplating how to resolve the situation.

Sending in a bombing run to clear the area crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Preserving the structures and facilities was crucial, and there could be survivors hiding in buildings. Moreover, bombing runs lacked precision. Should they opt for a cruise missile? Daniel pondered, realizing its similarity to a bombing run in terms of impact.

Turning to Cao Cao, Daniel made the decision to place his trust in the former warlord. He ushered Cao Cao into his study, accompanied by Ragnar, and briefed him on the dire circumstances.

Upon hearing the details and Daniel\'s concerns, Cao Cao responded with a confident smile. "Please rest assured, Mr. Emberweave. This presents a great opportunity for us to win the hearts of the people. Delegate this task to me," he said reassuringly.

As he spoke, the faces of the two idiotic commanders flashed through his mind. He has a perfect stage for those two clowns to dance upon!

— A few minute later —

Cao Cao stormed into the command center, seething with anger. He carried a communication device borrowed from the US communication officer outside. The fate of most of the US soldiers in the assault team are dire, they are trapped without hope of escape or retreat.

"Ah! Help! Help us. Please Send in reinforcements! Don\'t come near me! Arrrrgggghhhh!" The screams of agony and the gruesome sounds of flesh being torn apart echoed through the communication device. It was clear that the soldier on the other end had met a gruesome end at the hands of the undead horde.

In a fit of rage, Cao Cao slammed the communicator on the table in front of the two commanders.

"What the hell are you two doing!? Why haven\'t you sent a rescue party yet!? They\'re still alive! Three or four squads of power armor soldiers and some heavy weapons are enough to bring them back!" Cao Cao\'s voice thundered in the command center.

"They\'re a lost cause! Sending in a rescue party would just be feeding more soldiers to those undead! We don\'t even know the cause of this! It could be a bio-weapon used by the Confederacy! We can\'t risk the spread of any virus or symptoms!" One of the commanders retorted defensively.

Cao Cao\'s confidence was unwavering. "They won\'t spread!" he stated firmly.

"How can you be so sure!? You\'re a CEO, not a virology expert! You yellow monkey!" the same commander spat out, his anger palpable and difficult to control.

"Listen! I may not be a virology expert, but I\'ve already sent samples for analysis from the blood and flesh of those undead. Based on the data, I can confidently say that the virus won\'t spread. It only affects dead bodies, animating them upon death. If we neutralize the virus before the host dies, we can save them!" Cao Cao explained, presenting evidence on a tablet.

The data was fabricated of course; Cao Cao knew that this so-called virus was just a ruse for him to explain to the non magician. The actual "virus" was the undead curse that had been pre-casted on the victims, and it only activated when the victim died. It wouldn\'t spread like in the undead apocalypse movies.

After tossing the evidence (Fake) at the two commanders, they remained silent, exchanging looks with each other they seems to ignore Cao Cao completely. Cao Cao\'s anger boiled over as he spoke out.