Arranged by UDF high command, Maine's squad met with Rita Frataski, the legendary warrior known as the "Full Metal Bitch," in a briefing room.
Rita, dressed in standard UDF combat gear, stood tall and sharp, her eyes sweeping over the members of Maine's squad and their distinctive equipment.
"General Briggs said you could help us win this war," Rita said bluntly, her tone tinged with obvious skepticism. "But I haven't seen your equipment on any unit roster."
Maine responded smoothly in a synthesized voice: "We use independently developed technology. Our track record proves its value."
"The results are indeed impressive." Rita's gaze fell on Cage. "Especially you, Private. Reports indicate that your performance in recent battles has been completely different."
Cage stood ramrod straight: "I learned everything under the guidance of Captain Maine and my teammates."
Rita turned her gaze to Dorio: "I've heard you're very good at fighting."
Dorio nodded slightly: "Does it need to be verified?"
——
On the training field, Dorio and Rita stood facing each other.
Rita launched the first attack; her movements were swift and precise, clearly the result of honed combat skills.
Dorio calmly parried and dodged, each counterattack perfectly timed.
The two moved quickly across the field, their fists and feet clashing with dull thuds.
"Your strength is beyond that of ordinary people," Rita said, panting, after one exchange of blows.
"Your skills are superb," Dorio replied.
The match lasted for five minutes and ended in a draw.
Rita wiped the sweat from her brow, her gaze towards the members of Maine's team now filled with less doubt and more approval.
"Now, can you tell me your true purpose?" Rita asked.
After a moment's consideration, Maine decided to reveal information only in limited quantities: "We need to capture a special mimic individual, codenamed Alpha."
Rita's pupils contracted slightly: "You also know about Alpha?" She paused for a moment, as if making up her mind, "It seems it's time to share some information."
In Rita's account, she died in a previous battle and was stained with Alpha's blood, thus gaining the ability to loop through time.
She used this ability to repeatedly repeat the same day, accumulating rich combat experience, until she was seriously injured and received a blood transfusion, losing the ability to reset time.
"Alpha's blood is the key," Rita explained, "but once you receive foreign blood, this ability will disappear. I'm just an ordinary person who remembers everything now."
Cage stared at Rita in shock: "So you know..."
"I know about every cycle, I know about every death." A hint of pain flashed in Rita's eyes. "But now I can only watch time pass by, powerless to do anything about it."
Maine pieced together the new information: "In other words, the ability to reset time can be transferred or taken away."
"Based on my previous explorations," Rita walked to the tactical map and pointed to the location of Paris, "the core of the mimics, 'Omega,' is very likely hidden somewhere beneath the Louvre."
Alpha is its protector and also the vessel for its reset ability.
Dorio questioned, "Why wasn't this information given to the UDF leadership before?"
"I've tried," Rita said with a wry smile, "but without my ability to cycle, I simply couldn't break through the mimics's defenses to reach Paris. Besides, that's too far-fetched a claim; the higher-ups don't believe it."
Maine's crimson optical lens moved across the map, rapidly calculating various possibilities. After a moment, he made a decision:
"We changed our strategy. No longer confined ourselves to defense and testing in the beach area. Taking advantage of the endless opportunities provided by the loop, we pushed inland, with Paris as our target."
He turned to his team: "The new operational plan is divided into three phases. The first phase is to quickly establish an advantage on the beachhead and ensure Cage's survival. The second phase is to advance towards Paris, gathering intelligence along the way and testing the strength of the simulated defenses. The third phase is to locate and penetrate the Louvre area."
Rita stared at Maine: "Can you really do it?"
"We have opportunities for trial and error through a cycle, technological equipment that is ahead of its time, and now we have your intelligence," Maine replied. "The only question is, are you willing to join us?"
Rita looked at Cage, then at the members of Maine's team, and finally nodded firmly: "I will provide everything I know. It's time to end this war."
Cage took a deep breath, feeling the heavy responsibility on his shoulders. Now he was fighting not just for himself, but for humanity to win this war.
Dorio checked her boxing gloves: "The street fighting environment in Paris will be more complex, and we need to adjust our tactics."
Rebecca excitedly wiped the plasma bombardment cannon: "Finally, we can blow up something somewhere else."
Sasha and Lucy began packing their gear in preparation for the long march.
David then asked Rita in detail about the simulated defenses in the Paris area as she remembered them.
Looking at the newly marked map, Maine knew they were about to embark on a journey full of unknowns.
But with Rita's intelligence and assistance, they saw for the first time a real glimmer of hope to break the cycle.
Hunting down Alpha, searching for Omega, and ending this endless cycle of time—that's their next goal.
——
After thorough preparation, Maine's squad began their advance toward Paris.
Two Iron Guards led the way, followed closely by the team members in modified UDF armored vehicles. Cage and Rita were also in the convoy.
Rebecca's plasma bombardment cannon was mounted on top of one of the vehicles.
"Maintain formation and watch out for ambush points along the way," Maine's voice echoed in the convoy's communication channel.
Their chosen route was based on Rita's memories and Lucy's reconnaissance data, aiming to avoid areas heavily defended by mimics forces.
However, the mimics resistance remains fierce.
Shortly after leaving the beachhead area, the convoy encountered its first organized ambush.
Dozens of mimics emerged from the ruins on both sides of the road, attempting to cut off the convoy.
"Leave the left side to me," Valerie said calmly.
The neural-connected Iron Guardian's explosive gun fired precisely, eliminating the mimics that tried to approach one by one.
The right-wing mimics were suppressed by Jackie's Iron Guards with automatic cannon fire.
Rebecca's plasma cannon roared, and a stream of blazing white energy evaporated the roadblock in front of her along with the mimics behind it.
"Roadblock cleared, proceed!" she reported.
The closer they got to Paris, the fiercer the resistance became.
mimics began to employ more sophisticated tactics, including setting traps and organizing simultaneous attacks from multiple directions.
"They are learning our movement patterns," Rita observed the battle. "Omega is adjusting its defensive strategy."