THE PURGE OF NANG-HOC

"The temple's floors were slick with blood when we finished in the sanctum. The monks didn't beg for mercy - they fought with knives and their bare hands. One young monk lunged at me with just a rusty kitchen knife, her eyes showing only purpose, no fear. I hesitated. My squad sister didn't - her shotgun roared. Only later did I understand: we hadn't extinguished the Bright Path at Nang-Hoc. We'd ignited it into a blinding, vengeful flame."

• BKD-378, Jade Domain Trooper, survivor of the final assault on Nang-Hoc,
  Day 24 of The Thaw, 31 AP

While the temple of Nang-Hoc was not a strategic asset of the Neo-Cong rebellion, the Neo-Cong warriors garrisoned there had sworn an oath to defend the monks of the Bright Path that lived within its walls.

The monks of the Bright Path had little involvement in the Neo-Cong's armed rebellion up to this point, although they did provide spiritual guidance for the insurrection against the Jade Domain.

The Neo-Cong defenders and the monks that called Nang-Hoc their home had a close bond, the Neo-Cong warriors having sworn an oath to defend the temple with their lives.

A regiment of Jade Domain Troopers has been ordered to take the temple and leave none of the defenders alive. The orders come from the Jade Domain's high command are followed without question or hesitation.

The attack is carried out in waves, across the open rice paddies. The flooded fields offer no cover for the advancing Troopers.

Even though each attack wave is gunned down and wiped out...

...another wave is quickly sent into the attack, and the carnage begins anew.

Jade Domain battle controllers co-ordinate each attack from the front - and make inviting targets for Neo-Cong snipers.

Despite of their horrific losses, the Jade Domain sends one wave after another. In each attack, some of the defenders fall, and each attack makes it a little closer to the temple's gate...

After several bloody assaults, the Jade Troopers finally reach the defensive wall and breach the gate to the temple's courtyard.

The last of the Neo-Cong defenders are overwhelmed in brutal close combat. Having just witnessed hundreds of their sisters die, the Jade Troopers are in no mood to take prisoners. No quarters are asked or given.

The battle quickly moves inside of the temple. Some of the monks are trained fighters and organise a resistance that costs the Jade Troopers many more lives...

...but there are too few of them to hold back the tide of Troopers attacking the temple.

Deep inside the temple, in the central library, monks gather what holy scripture they can, to save at least some of their ancient texts.

They make their escape through a secret tunnel that runs underneath the rice paddies, all the way into the nearby jungle.

But they are closely pursued by Jade Troopers that have discovered the tunnel entrance.

As the monks exit the tunnel, they are greeted by a mysterious woman in white robes, with an ominous chrome collar around her neck - an Emissary of the Prime AI

Moments later, the pursuing Jade Troopers appear and begin to round up the surviving monks...

The Emissary, blue lightning crackling from sophisticated digit devices on her hands, intervenes...

Shortly after, when a Neo-Cong relief force approaches, the monks decide to join their ranks as warriors.