Chapter 89 A World War II Army Dropped from Orbit? The Death Korps of Krieg Is Questioned

Thunderous orbital bombardment descended like divine punishment.

The once-dense tides of zombies and mutated creatures were completely eradicated.

All that remained were enormous craters, scorched earth glowing red from the heat, and charred limbs and chunks of flesh.

Countless orbital-drop pods descended like a meteor shower.

The Foundation’s Mobile Task Forces emerged like gods descending upon the mortal world.

Wearing MTF-I tactical exoskeletons, the highly trained operators charged out of their pods under the protection of KF60 main battle tanks, AMV7 infantry fighting vehicles, and Hunter mine-resistant vehicles.

Their overwhelming firepower instantly eliminated the surrounding horde.

The JTF soldiers defending New York’s crumbling lines stared at the scene in astonishment.

Then they erupted into cheers and immediately joined the elite orbital-assault force in battle.

However, only a small portion of the front line witnessed that inspiring scene.

The two MTF regiments deployed from the Retribution numbered only slightly more than two thousand operators.

Spread across such an enormous battlefield, they could cover only a tiny area.

Most JTF soldiers, Division agents, S.H.I.E.L.D. units, trapped New Yorkers, and survivors from the infected zones witnessed something far stranger.

Large numbers of orbital-drop pods fell into regions that had received no preliminary bombardment whatsoever.

Small drop pods weighing more than a ton—and vehicle pods weighing dozens of tons—slammed directly into the zombie hordes and masses of mutated creatures.

When the pod doors opened, a bizarre orbital infantry force emerged.

Their appearance was utterly different from that of the Foundation’s Mobile Task Forces.

They wore plasteel helmets resembling those of Prussian soldiers from the world wars, with gas masks completely concealing their faces.

Heavy gray military greatcoats covered their bodies, reinforced by tightly secured plasteel shoulder armor.

Thick trousers, wrapped leggings, and heavy military boots completed their uniforms.

Compared to modern weapons, their firearms appeared larger, rougher, and more primitive.

Each rifle was also fitted with a massive forty-five-centimeter serrated bayonet.

The army’s appearance was so strange that many observers immediately questioned its combat effectiveness.

“Jesus! What’s with these guys?”

“Why do our orbital reinforcements look like a bunch of World War II antiques who traveled through time?”

“What the fuck? Can these guys actually fight?”

“They dropped that entire unit right in front of the horde! They’re finished!”

“Are there any more reinforcements coming? I’ll bet you fifty cents they won’t last five minutes before those monsters overwhelm them.”

“Can the orbital guns at least support them? This is insane! Is this really the army the Foundation sent to save us?”

Nobody on this Earth recognized the army.

They did not know that the Death Korps of Krieg’s thick greatcoats provided exceptional insulation and waterproofing while also offering effective protection against biochemical gases.

Their plasteel helmets incorporated ventilation and filtration systems.

Combined with their gas masks, the equipment protected them against numerous chemical agents and viral contaminants.

The clumsy-looking, oversized rifles they carried were the renowned Lucius-pattern No. 98 lasguns.

The equipment worn by these soldiers was far more advanced than anything possessed by conventional armies on Earth.

They resembled soldiers from the world wars, but their tactical doctrine and combat capabilities had been forged in an interstellar age.

Their antiquated-looking equipment was not backward at all.

Its technological sophistication exceeded the comprehension of present-day humanity.

Nevertheless, the Death Korps’ first appearance was greeted almost entirely with doubt.

Complaints and insults flooded the radio channels until they reached JTF high command.

S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA, and the leaders of various countries were equally dumbfounded.

The Foundation’s immense orbital fleet, indisputable spaceborne capabilities, and terrifying orbital bombardments had initially inspired awe.

Now, deep skepticism emerged.

Was this army truly humanity’s salvation?

While other factions waited eagerly to see the Foundation humiliate itself, the newly deployed Death Korps required only a few minutes to prove its strength.

The instant their orbital pods opened, the Krieg soldiers who had landed inside or beside the horde raised their Lucius lasguns.

Heavy serrated bayonets and entrenching shovels stabbed through zombies and Hunters that had rushed forward expecting an easy meal.

The creatures were hacked apart into mangled flesh.

Each Lucius-pattern No. 98 lasgun power pack held only enough energy for twenty-five shots.

Its batteries required frequent replacement and lengthy recharging, limiting the weapon’s sustained rate of fire.

However, every shot possessed power comparable to a 12.7-millimeter heavy-caliber round.

That destructive force more than compensated for its shortcomings.

Every Krieg soldier was an expert in bayonet fighting and close combat.

Using their practiced techniques, they cut through the surrounding zombies and mutated creatures as effortlessly as chopping vegetables.

Once the immediate area had been cleared, they instantly formed combat formations.

The basic Krieg infantry unit consisted of ten soldiers led by a veteran squad commander.

Each squad brought its weapons to bear and methodically exterminated every infected creature in the surrounding area.

The voices questioning the Death Korps quickly disappeared.

JTF soldiers stared blankly as the terrifying army assembled with the precision of a perfectly calibrated machine.

Was this the true strength of orbital infantry?

How had the Foundation trained such a monstrous legion?

After clearing the immediate area of zombies and biochemical creatures, the deployed Krieg units rapidly assembled.

Like an executioner’s axe descending upon the horde, they launched their first organized offensive.

The Death Korps formed their standard skirmish lines and advanced in absolute silence.

Before them stood armies of parasitized soldiers—Blackwatch personnel and troops originating from various human military units.

Behind those soldiers came an apparently endless mechanical army forged from twisted flesh and the technological achievements of Stark Industries.

A brutal battle was about to begin.

One hundred thousand Krieg soldiers and the Foundation’s other orbital-deployed Mobile Task Forces would face tens of millions of enemies.

They would also have to destroy three biochemical hives that continued producing mutated creatures without end.

Even powerful organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA had considered victory in such a battle impossible.

This would be the Death Korps of Krieg’s first engagement after descending upon Earth.

It would also become a battle that shocked the entire world.

An army of the dead was about to fight another army of the dead.

Their merciless confrontation would begin in the next moment.