An anti-tank team had set up a firing position on the rooftop of a restaurant. Their target was the Ice Cream Monster, which was currently rampaging through the poppy fields with reckless abandon.
The United States military had moved with unusual speed and decisiveness during this operation. Their orders were clear: eliminate the monster before the Sword Bureau's superheroes arrived, thus rendering their intervention unnecessary. The regular Army grunts were only meant to be cleanup crews.
In truth, even though the Sword Bureau's initial response had been delayed due to a lack of nearby stationed personnel, the superheroes had already arrived on the scene by this point.
The reason they had not yet engaged was simple: they were being deliberately held back by bureaucratic obstruction.
Compared to the destruction of vast swathes of poppy crops, the casualties caused by the monster's rampage were considered negligible. But if those poppy fields were completely annihilated, the United States' covert revenue stream would be slashed by at least a third. To certain powerful individuals, that was an unforgivable outcome.
Aside from the two hundred billion dollars in annual tribute paid by the vampire covens to ensure the legal existence of their Vampire Empire remained unchallenged by the U.S. government, the largest share of clandestine income came from these very poppy fields in Afghanistan. The money-laundering operations were mere pocket change by comparison.
The first company to arrive had already been routed, utterly combat ineffective. These Army grunts were the third wave of reinforcements.
The "Falcon" anti-tank missile system consisted of two components: the sighting unit and the launch tube.
The power supply and cooling modules attached to the launch tube were responsible for energizing the missile's electronics and cooling its infrared seeker head prior to launch.
The Falcon's seeker utilized a 320x320 mercury cadmium telluride staring focal plane array for imaging. The high-resolution capabilities of the seeker were critically dependent on low-temperature conditions. At ambient temperatures, it would simply lose its ability to lock onto a target.
While Stark Industries' technology was indeed formidable, the compact cooling module could only function for a maximum of four minutes. If the missile was activated but not fired within that four-minute window, the expensive piece of ordnance, worth as much as a luxury sedan, would be rendered completely useless.
"Stay calm! Stay calm!"
The anti-tank team leader wiped a sheen of cold sweat from his forehead. He barked the order, but faced with a monster that could tear apart an infantry fighting vehicle like a tin toy, who could truly remain calm?
In fact, several other anti-tank teams had already deserted their posts. Only they remained holding the line.
BOOM!
The Ice Cream Monster landed squarely between two infantry fighting vehicles, the shockwave alone flipping both vehicles onto their sides.
"You humans are truly amusing. Do you really value this stuff so highly?"
The Ice Cream Monster clutched a few mangled poppy pods in its fist, a cruel grin spreading across its face.
"Now! That's our shot!"
The team leader swiftly activated the missile, using the sight's targeting reticle to lock onto the Ice Cream Monster. The system automatically transmitted the target data to the missile.
"Come on, come on! Work, baby!"
The seeker head did not cool instantaneously. Even with the advanced Falcon missile, the process required at least fifteen seconds.
"Beep..."
The steady tone confirming a successful lock was like heavenly music to the anti-tank team's ears.
"Fire!"
The missile's launch motor ignited, ejecting the projectile from the tube before quickly cutting out. After the missile had traveled several meters, its flight motor engaged, a brilliant tail flame erupting as it propelled the missile to rapid acceleration.
Following the attack trajectory calculated by its onboard computer, the missile climbed at an eighteen-degree angle. Upon reaching its apex, the seeker head activated. The guidance system employed algorithms to compare each frame of infrared imagery with the pre-stored target profile, distinguishing the Ice Cream Monster's heat signature from a chaotic background of other thermal sources. The control fins adjusted continuously, correcting the missile's flight attitude and bearing as it plunged downward like a meteor.
BOOM!
The violent explosion obliterated the two disabled infantry fighting vehicles, the blast radius extending wide.
"And here they are, still using weapons from the old Stark Industries stockpile."
Zodhiss commented idly, one hand gently stroking Esdeath's leg, which was draped comfortably across his own, while opening his mouth to accept a small pastry offered by Tifa.
He appeared to be simply enjoying an ocean view with his two companions. What else would one do on a luxury yacht stretching over a hundred meters long?
Incidentally, Zodhiss was also fishing at the moment.
"We're about to make a massive profit. The abysmal performance of the U.S. Army this time has finally convinced the President and the bigwigs in Congress to authorize funding for upgrading their weapons systems. I've already seen Urd preparing the price quotations."
The Black Queen reported. As the senior executive assistant for a colossal conglomerate dealing in arms, pharmaceuticals, materials, and energy, Urd would naturally not overlook matters related to the arms trade. She was sharp enough to deduce from U.S. military movements that a major operation was brewing in Afghanistan.
Following the trail of breadcrumbs, she had confirmed her suspicions. Many people were more than willing to do her a favor and share their information channels.
Urd was proving to be exceptionally capable, more than earning the steady raises Zodhiss had been granting her.
Of course, much of her smooth operation was thanks to Pepper Potts. With her prior experience, Pepper had accumulated a considerable network of contacts. Rumor had it, however, that Tony Stark was still stubbornly trying to lure Pepper back to his side.
"Just twenty minutes ago, U.S. forces in Afghanistan requested urgent reinforcements. A mechanized brigade from the Big Red One and an attack helicopter battalion have already begun assembling."
The Black Queen was currently monitoring all information flowing through the United States. The moment the Americans made a move, she relayed the intel directly to Zodhiss.
"They won't hold out for long."
Zodhiss noticed his fishing bobber twitch. With lightning speed, he yanked the rod, hauling a large fish out of the water.
The Sword Bureau's superheroes were currently being stalled by a variety of manufactured excuses. Unfortunately for the bureaucrats, they would soon discover that even a Demon-level monster was beyond the capacity of conventional modern weaponry to handle.
At the same time, Zodhiss had directed the Ice Cream Monster to destroy a massive marijuana plantation hidden deep in the desert. The value of the destroyed crop was estimated at a staggering twenty-five billion dollars.
The Taliban were beside themselves with fury because that plantation belonged to them!
Now even the Taliban were forced to redirect their firepower. If that monster continued its unchecked rampage, everyone would suffer catastrophic losses!
Most of the Taliban's rank and file were waiting for their pay. Without money, the Taliban leadership would likely suffer an "accidental" and fatal shooting within a day.
A compacted sphere of ice cream shot through the air with terrifying velocity, striking an advancing AMX-VCI infantry fighting vehicle.
It punched through the front armor of the antiquated vehicle as if it were made of cardboard and then detonated violently.
The infantry carrier burst open like a tin can. The ammunition stored inside cooked off in a chain reaction, bullets igniting and spraying wildly in every direction like deadly fireworks. Thick black smoke billowed from the burning wreckage.
"Rat-tat-tat-tat!"
Every soldier switched their rifles to full auto, pouring frantic fire toward the Ice Cream Monster.
An HK19 grenade launcher coughed out its deep, rhythmic thumping. Propellant burned, lobbing high-explosive grenades in an arcing trajectory.
BOOM!
/-\
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