The first robot completed its assignment. The airship possessed a specialized mechanism that allowed it to slide forward two hundred meters upon landing, dissipating the force of the descent to ensure the vessel's structural integrity.

The moment its slide ceased, the second robot activated a protective shield and extracted the individuals inside. The prisoner was a middle-aged man whose face was etched with panic; despite his efforts to remain composed, the sight of gleaming blades and the imposing robots seizing him immediately inspired dread.

No one had time to attend to him; the third and fourth robots moved instantly—some dismantling the airship, others scanning it—proceeding with methodical efficiency. The maximum time allotted from the airship's halt to its detonation was three minutes.

At the two-and-a-half-minute mark, Ziye began recalling the robots in stages. Last year, her desire for more assets had resulted in them being caught in the airship's explosion before she could withdraw them, destroying not only the desired materials but even the robotic arms themselves.

This time, she timed it perfectly: the moment she recalled the last robot, the airship erupted in flames! Ziye lay prone far away, waiting for the fire to subside until the entire airship was nothing more than charred residue.

She ordered the robots to secure the acquired goods, not even taking a moment to inspect them herself, instead focusing her gaze nervously on the sky. Cannons roared, and plumes of smoke billowed!

The battleship's advantages were now fully realized. It employed heavy missiles and its superior altitude allowed for easy maneuvering and evasion; Red Hair's shifts in position were cumbersome, making him a difficult target.

The battleship concentrated its bombardment where Red Hair was located, and the results were strikingly effective. Red Hair clearly recognized this situation.

He kept only the robots for artillery operations while ordering all personnel to evacuate. Simultaneously, the Old Dog increased its firepower, forcing the battleship to pivot and engage the other flank, thereby alleviating some of the pressure on Red Hair's position.

Explosions erupted everywhere. Ziye pressed herself tightly against the grass, her eyes fixed on the light-screen held by Little Sprout.

Any single heavy missile strike could obliterate a person into dust. Everyone scattered across the vast grassland; the sheer size of the plain made random firing a wasteful use of missiles, so the warship focused its firepower on the Silver Talisman Hotel, an excellent target.

"Everyone in the hotel, evacuate immediately!" Ziye shouted to Yin Xun as she tracked the trajectory of an incoming missile. She looked up at the hotel just as the airship shot out from within its structure, scattering in all directions.

The next second, with a deafening "Boom," the missile struck the eighteenth floor of the hotel. Thick smoke poured out of the Silver Talisman Hotel, followed by its collapse.

In less than a minute, the entire structure was reduced to ash, sending dust clouds soaring around them, a sight that made the heart leap into the throat. For the first time, Ziye experienced the raw intensity of a battlefield.

Watching the incessant explosions, her blood boiled with fervor, an urge to rush in and contribute rising within her. Yet, simultaneously, she felt an overwhelming sense of peril—no matter where one stood, escape from the artillery barrage seemed impossible, leaving only the sensation of sweat soaking the nape of her neck amidst the smoke and gunpowder.

She watched helplessly as the Silver Talisman Hotel was destroyed, offering silent prayers for the safety of everyone inside; the mountain was struck until it crumbled, yet she possessed no means to intervene. The supercomputer on the rooftop was also turned to ash.

Deprived of data, the monitoring personnel could no longer guide any operations. Ziye grew anxious and turned to Little Sprout, "Try to see if you can establish a network connection?" Little Sprout projected a light-screen a few inches wide and began its work.

Ziye watched the screen intently. Amidst the fierce exchange of heavy firepower between the opposing sides, a dark streak suddenly shot across the light-screen like a meteor.

She paused slightly and murmured, "Lock onto that object, see what it is?" Little Sprout immediately locked on and magnified the image. Ziye saw that it was, in fact, An Junlie’s mech, X007.

She realized she had been so occupied that she hadn't noticed where An Junlie had gone. Was he going to provide assistance?

She looked up at the heavy drones circling overhead—there had been twenty, but now most were destroyed. She only had ten remaining in her own stores, so she commanded, "Deploy all available drones to assist." The interstellar battleship was preoccupied dealing with Red Hair and the Old Dog.

The drones’ firepower was minor, barely equivalent to itching. The battleship’s commander, confident in his thick armor, initially ignored them, not anticipating that one of the drones carried a mech among them.

When the mech reached 5000 meters from the battleship, it deployed its laser cannon and began a sustained bombardment focused precisely on the fractures caused by the previous artillery strikes! The laser cannon utilized radio frequency crystals, making it lightweight and easily portable, with recoil that could be minimal or negligible.

By the time the battleship crew noticed the intense glare of eight different colored beams flashing, it was already too late. The mech, coordinating with the artillery rounds, literally peeled open the battleship!

At the moment of explosion, a blinding ring of light erupted. An Junlie piloted the mech away stealthily, leaving only the drones behind to salvage the wreckage.

The fierce battle finally drew to a close. Everyone stared at the sky through binoculars or gazed blankly at the screens, falling into a complete, stunned silence for three full seconds, completely unable to believe their eyes!

"We succeeded! We succeeded!" The excited voice of a monitoring officer crackled over the airwaves.

Across the grassland and mountains, a wave of jubilation broke out, shouts echoing to the heavens. Success!

Tears of emotion welled in everyone's eyes. Operation 69, meticulously planned for years, had finally succeeded!

This meant freedom was finally within their grasp! Most fortunately, the evacuation of personnel from the Silver Talisman Hotel had been swift, resulting in zero fatalities.

The mountain artillery crew suffered only five injuries, one of whom was crushed by falling debris from the collapse. With the hotel gone, everyone pitched in to erect tents on the grassland, seeking out the 'dead pervert' to heal their wounds.

Due to her slight frame, Ziye had no opportunity to assist with the heavy labor. She settled down a distance away, allowing Little Sprout to tally the remaining robots and drones.

She had brought only a few robots personally, but since she manufactured 90% of them, Little Sprout’s records provided immediate data: 104 units lost in the initial assault. She was unaware of the drones deployed by others, but only two of her own drones survived.

Ziye spread her limbs and lay back on the grass, listening to Little Sprout’s report, letting out a soft sigh. Regardless of the heavy losses, victory was what mattered.

The pale purple sky quickly returned to its pristine clarity as the smoke and dust dispersed, making the brutal combat seem like a story from a past life. No more heavy missiles rained down.

Those preparing for further evacuation now stood down. People gathered, caught their breath, and then began to disperse across the plains, searching for wild rabbits, lambs, and yaks—anything edible—to grill on the spot, enjoying a picnic while gazing at the sky and the lake.

As for clearing the battlefield, that was work reserved for the robots. About twenty minutes later, An Junlie quietly returned to Ziye’s side.

He was uninjured, though his face showed visible fatigue. Ziye sat up and looked at him; he returned her gaze.

They exchanged a knowing smile, a silent understanding passing between them. Red Hair and the others had also seen the nickel-colored mech earlier.

They understood what had transpired but chose not to comment, instead fixing their gazes squarely on the pair.