Super Earth City's expansion couldn't be ignored. Li Wei knew that a confrontation with the WLF (Washington Liberation Front) was inevitable. His message of hope and liberty was a direct affront to their tyranny and control. Aegis's intelligence confirmed their main stronghold: the ruins of Seattle.
"Aegis, what's the latest data on the WLF in Seattle?" Li Wei ordered from the command bridge, Super Earth City glowing under the sun.
"Commander, the WLF has fortified Seattle with a series of checkpoints, barricades, and sniper nests. Their estimated force is 3,500 personnel. Their leader, 'Abby,' is a formidable combatant, known for her brutality and ability to motivate her troops. There is also a presence of a Seraphites (Scars) faction in the city, who could act as an additional threat or a tactical opportunity," Aegis reported.
"Abby," Li Wei murmured. A leader as ruthless as Lin Jian, with a conviction as blind as that of the parents who had despised him. "We cannot allow their ideology of control to spread. We will hit them with everything we have."
The Assault on Seattle: The Blade of Democracy
Super Earth's offensive against Seattle was a massive display of power. Li Wei personally led the assault, his Helldiver armor gleaming under the overcast sky. 'Liberator' Tanks breached WLF barricades with their plasma cannons. 'Patriot' APCs deployed Elite Soldiers and Helldivers, who advanced methodically, their energy weapons cutting down enemies.
First-Person Account: Seattle's air smelled of dampness, rust, and the unmistakable tension of war. The WLF's battle cries mixed with the roar of plasma fire. Beside me, a squad of Elite Helldivers moved with lethal efficiency, their movements perfectly coordinated. "Advance, team! Secure the access bridge!" I ordered, my voice echoing through the comms.
A WLF sniper, hidden in a water tower, opened fire, his bullet barely grazing my armor. I responded instantly, marking his position. "Aegis, Orbital Precision Strike on the sniper!" A brilliant beam of energy shot down from the orbiting Fortress, pulverizing the tower in a burst of rubble. The coordination between Li Wei and Aegis was impeccable, a devastating weapon.
Li Wei encountered groups of WLF soldiers who fought with suicidal ferocity. Combat Engineers dismantled mines and booby traps, while Super Earth Medics tended to the wounded—both their own troops and civilians caught in the crossfire.
The Encounter with Abby and the Clash of Wills
The most brutal confrontation occurred in the heart of the city, near the WLF headquarters. Abby's soldiers, driven by fanaticism, fought to the death. Li Wei cut his way through the fighting, his objective clear.
Third-Person Account: In the middle of a rubble-strewn courtyard, Li Wei saw Abby. Her muscular figure and hardened expression exuded imposing strength. She fought with a war hammer, her "Muscle Growth" Quirk active, taking down Super Earth soldiers with brutal blows. Her eyes were filled with blind rage.
"You! Invader!" Abby roared, her voice full of hatred. "You come here, with your 'Super Earth' and your 'democracy,' to destroy what we have built! We won't allow it!"
Li Wei faced her, his Helldiver armor gleaming. "What you've built is a prison, Abby. Control through fear and violence. That is not freedom. That is tyranny."
Abby lunged with savage ferocity, her hammer swinging in a deadly arc. Li Wei dodged the blow with surprising agility, his Personal Distortion Field flickering as it absorbed the shockwave. She was fast, brutal, each blow meant to kill.
The combat was a dance of destruction. Abby attacked with brute force and an overwhelming Quirk, while Li Wei moved with surgical precision, seeking weaknesses in her defense, using his Helldiver rifle as a close-quarters weapon, striking, unbalancing. Elite Helldivers attempted to intervene, but Li Wei stopped them with a gesture. This was a personal fight.
"Your people don't deserve your false freedom!" Abby screamed, as Li Wei blocked a blow with his armored arm. "They are weak! They need to be controlled!"
"Weakness is your fear of others' freedom," Li Wei retorted, his voice icy. In a swift movement, he activated an adapted Cluster Grenade, tossing it at Abby's feet. The explosion unbalanced her. Li Wei seized the moment, disarming her with a precise strike and delivering a series of armored punches that left her staggering. With a final blow from his rifle, he knocked her unconscious, her body hitting the ground with a thud.
The Sanctuary's Victory and the Echo of Liberty
"Commander, 'Abby' has been neutralized. WLF forces are in disarray. The city of Seattle has been secured. Mission objectives in this universe have been... 100% completed," Aegis reported, with an unmistakable note of victory.
Main Objective: WLF Neutralization in Seattle: Completed.Reward: 4,000 War Credits.Bonus for Direct Leadership in Offensive and Neutralization of Enemy Leader:Reward: 1,500 War Credits.Total War Credits accumulated: 13,000. Current Commander Level: Level 3. Next Level: Level 4. Access to Elite Helldivers unlocked! 'Super Earth Starbase' and 'Super Earth Officer' recruitment have also been unlocked. (Note: This unlock line is kept as if he just reached Level 4 now, to emphasize his ascent and grant access to Elite Helldivers, even if they were mentioned before).
Li Wei looked at Abby's unconscious body. The victory was palpable. It wasn't just a military victory, but an ideological one. Super Earth had shown that freedom could flourish even in the most desperate worlds.
The city of Seattle, now under Super Earth's control, began to be rebuilt. Combat Engineers worked tirelessly, restoring infrastructure and creating new protection zones. Super Earth Medics established hospitals, tending to the wounded and to survivors emerging from the rubble. The promise of a cure felt closer than ever.
As Super Earth forces consolidated their control, Li Wei felt the imminence of the next step. He had defeated the oppressors, he had sown hope. But the cure... the cure was the final key for this world. And with Joel and Ellie under his protection, research in the Fortress of Justice would continue relentlessly.