"Do you have any idea how many people you could've saved if you spoke up about this?" Rein scoffed in vexation after hearing Steve's plan.
"How can you say that when I'm currently telling our fearless lead—AHHhhH!" The Asian man argued, leading her to push him to the ground, "Yoooooo, this is the definition of abuse!"
The short-haired brunette smiled wryly after hearing his assertion. While it was logical, they were holding real guns they were shooting people with.
"If this were real life, most of us would have died because you didn't want to draw attention to yourself." Rein scoffed, rolling her eyes, "We're fighting, so stop acting like a defenseless—gah!
I'm fucking sorry, okay? I'm just frustrated that you're talented but treat everything like a game. No, my bad behavior isn't your fault… gah!
Whatever, I'm wrong! Now fuck off; I don't want to look at you!"
Brad grinned, looking at the flustered brunette, struggling to live up to her own standards. "Let's just put the plan into action, guys."
Everyone sobered up and nodded after a deep breath.
═─┈─═
An ex-special forces soldier grinned widely. It had been two hours, and there were only around 250 Immortals left to their 100 soldiers.
It was a far cry from the original 5-to-1 disparity, and the soldiers still had more experience.
Still, they didn't lose focus—they were special forces soldiers, after all.
Bang! Bang! Ratatatat! Bang-bang-bang! Ratatatat! Ratatatat!
"Jacob?" He called out, hearing multiple weapons discharging, "Do you read, Jacob!?"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Ratatatat! Bang! Bang! Ratatatat! Bang!
"Nick, we got a serious—GaHHhhHHhHh!"
"Jacob! What's going on?"
Bang! Bang-bang-bang! Bang-bang! Ratatatat!
"GahhHHhhhh! This hurts like a motherfucker!"
"Wait, don't tell me—"
Bang-bang-bang!
When the man turned, he saw all the soldiers guarding their ammo on the ground groaning. He immediately tried to yell for backup but got shot in the kneecap multiple times.
"Spread out!" Rein ordered, lowering her gun, "Brad, you're on the left flank. Sammy, find and heal as many as possible and post them in this area.
Do not let anyone reload. We'll wait to strike once they're all out of bullets!"
"Yes, mam!" Sammy yelled back, following Brad's nod.
"Larkin, you're in charge of our supply depot." She continued, "MOVE!"
"Yes, mom!" Larkin yelled back dramatically, running into the distance.
"Get down!" Brad yelled.
Ratatatat! Ratatatat! Click! Click! Ratatatat! Click!
"Now!" Rein yelled, jumping up and aiming at the ponytail-wearing brunette, making a break for the ammo crate.
Bang!
"GAH!" The female soldier screamed, getting shot in her Achilles Heel.
"One down, this is how we'll do it!" Rein yelled, building the morale of her group.
The next thirty minutes turned into a bloodbath, with the trained soldiers using organized tactics to reload their weapons and the Immortals fighting back with guerilla warfare.
While it initially started in the soldier's favor their weapons shot full auto with a minimum of three-round-burst. As a result, they ran out of ammo every time they struck the Immortals.
Everyone realized that the emperor gave the soldiers the SMGs to represent stronger techniques. While they were quick to kill, they required more Qi and quickly made the wielder vulnerable.
As a result, before long ten soldiers with only half a clip of ammo were up against a hundred Immortals with full clips.
"Time's up!" Kaze announced abruptly, "Winner—the Immortals!"
Both the soldiers and Immortals were equally stunned by the announcement.
"I'm not sure why anyone is bothered right now." He chuckled mockingly, rolling his eyes, "Does no one feel like a victor after using military issued weapons like paintball guns?"
His words took a second to sink in. However, after only a moment's pause, Larkin yelled, and the area erupted in battle cries.
"Novelties aside, the real winner is Immortal Skye." Kaze boomed, "You just learned that no matter who fights us, how much experience they have, or how powerful their skills they may be—we will still claim victory!"
Rein looked at Steve with an ecstatic expression and met his gentle smile. She immediately turned bright red and turned away, pouting with a pounding heart. Steve turned in the opposite direction, scratching his cheek.
"Just bang already!" Larkin grinned, walking up and hooking them both in a side hug and pulling them close.
—One man cried much louder than any of the wounded that day.
═─┈─═─┈─═─┈─═─┈─═
-
Golden light radiated around Martha, and her major wounds healed instantly. Not only that—
"Is your technique adding blood into my body?" She asked in shock, feeling a warm feeling in her anemic body.
"Yeeeeeee~p." Kiera smiled amusedly, "Well, kinda. I'm infusing water into your body with a sub-technique, and then the base technique is multiplying your red blood cells."
"I-I've never even heard of such a thing." The cultivator stuttered, clenching and releasing her hands in disbelief.
"Sucks to suck, doesn't it?" The slang riddler smiled cutely, turning to walk away.
"Is Kaze from the Sky Plane?" Martha asked bitterly, her curiosity burning a hole through her, "I have a Soul Contract against divulging your secrets."
"Noooooooooo~pe." Kiera smiled, stopping and turning back, "Kazey's legit from where you're standing. I'm pretty sure he was born like… a hundred miles from this spot, tops."
The cultivator's eyes widened in shock. "T-Then who taught him?"
"Look, broad—I'm not answering shit." The fiery teen declared sassily, "I wouldn't give you a muffin to steal it from you. While I'd love to see your depleted gaze, I have respect for muffins."
Martha's eyes glazed over. While she didn't know what a [muffin] was, she knew it was petty and insignificant. "Does that mean you were lying about him being from this plane?"
"No, that's true—100%." Kiera replied, "We're not in cahoots with you freaks whatsoever. Kazey just wants to live here in peace, and ya'll are fucking it up like Covid at a birthday party."
The cultivator could only smile wryly, watching the teen walk away. "None of this makes sense. Who are you, Kaze?"
"You did good, noob nuggets." Kiera walked up to the cabinet members with a complex expression. "If you didn't use up all your Qi, that strudel would be charcoal.
She kept you on the ropes by always sensing you and never letting you cultivate. That's why she's alive, and you're not. Do you understand?"
"Can we kill her tomorrow?" Sage asked with a lifeless voice. She had been healed [three] times that day and owed Kiera a corresponding number of [life debts].
"No~pe." Kiera smacked, "You only had one shot and you spent half your Qi making a death rocket you whooshed into dead space. You were an idiot who didn't come close—so don't complain."
The redhead scoffed and gritted her teeth. She hated the pink-haired teen so much. "I'm just asking."
She felt she was going insane between the training, punishment, and ridicule.
"Scoff about it tomorrow." Kiera replied sassily, "Everyone else, relax as much as possible. While Evalyn proves that you'll get over wound trauma as you practice, recovering your mental health will help you with Qi control.
There's a massage service in the Underground Bizzare now. Not that anyone here needs one except Sage, anyway."
Jake and Veronica both sighed a breath of relief when she rescinded her massage statement. However, they blushed when they thought about the underlying message.
Kylie also blushed, noticing the lack of qualifier regarding sex with Kaze. A lethal glance from the teen indicated that she wasn't okay with it but acknowledged her placement.
Only Sage was aggrieved and stood up viciously, turning and stomping out of the Sanctuary.
"Nighty~night, love birds!" Kiera said, blowing a kiss to Veronica and Jake as she walked back to Martha to lock her up again.
"That woman…." Veronica chuckled in amazement, watching her skip through a rift.
"It's… kinda impossible to hate her, isn't it?" Jake smiled in amazement.
"If you're on her good side." Kylie said with a wry smile.
They all turned to the gate where the redhead had just exited and shuddered.
═─┈─═─┈─═─┈─═─┈─═
-
"Immortals!" The Ice General yelled boldly.
"YES, MAM!" They yelled in unison.
"Heal everyone before you eat supper." Evalyn said, "They may still be uncertain trash, but they did well today. Take notes if there is anyone that seems worthy of redemption, starting with those that recognized the vital weaknesses of Qi scarcity.
We'll be picking this back up at 8 am tomorrow. Everyone gets some extra rest—you'll need it."
"YES, MAM!"
Thousands of battered bodies lay on the ground groaning. However, when they heard her warmer tone that indicated that there was room for formal redemption, their hearts lit up with passion.
Combined with the extra sleep the next day and healing, they now knew she was helping them.
Everyone's opinion of the Ice General shifted in an instant. She had somehow forged their hatred and resentment into respect in only one statement.
Their morale to train ignited and their determination skyrocketed. However, the same wasn't true of their leader, whose fearless front crumbled the minute she looked away.
While Lainwright Military Base appeared normal, it was anything but, and if Evalyn didn't play her cards right the entire operation would go down in flames.
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