As if fueled by an unholy energy, all four mutants responded with fervor to the scientist's order. Their expressions turned ecstatic, fueled by a shared determination to fulfill their mission at any cost. The team recognized the imminent danger and rushed to intercept them, but the mutants were relentless and their combined strength proved overwhelming.
In the chaos, Marcus was thrown into the wall with great force, and Milo crashed to the floor. Two of the mutants successfully broke through the encirclement and sprinted down the corridor toward the other room.
Amid this chaos, one player stood ready to confront the mutants head-on. Despite a broken arm that rendered him incapable of wielding his hammer, Lieutenant Marsh possessed a plan. A determined grin spread across his face as he retrieved a grenade and, with sheer determination, pulled its pin with his teeth.
"Come to me, you freak!!" he shouted defiantly.
Marsh didn't throw the grenade immediately; he held onto it, ensuring the timer would allow for maximum impact. With sheer determination and courage, he charged forward and grappled with the mutants, holding them close as the grenade's timer ticked down.
KABOOMMM!!!
"MARSH!!" Alan shouten.
The deafening explosion filled the chamber as the grenade detonated, and a collective gasp of shock and fear escaped from the onlookers. With his Radiation HP penalty, Marsh's life instantly ended in that fiery explosion. However, his sacrifice was not in vain. The blast had hurled one of the mutants back, leaving it half-dead and vulnerable.
Amid the smoke and chaos, Vicky, who had been nearby, acted swiftly. She drove her sword into the mutant's head with precision, delivering a fatal blow.
[You have killed the Mutant]
The other mutant continued its relentless charge down the corridor, its determination unwavering despite the injuries it had sustained. Alan, determined to stop it at all costs, lunged forward with a reckless [Lunge Strike], aiming to strike at its vulnerable back.
BAAAMM!!!
The mutant retaliated with a brutal heavy strike to Alan's head, inflicting significant damage.
[Lethal Strike: Received 64 damage]
[HP: 72/200]
The force of the blow sent pain throbbing through Alan's head, leaving him in critical condition. He hastily applied [Medicated Gauze] to tend to his injuries, all the while keeping an intense gaze fixed on the mutant as it continued its relentless advance.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Dylan and his two remaining US military soldiers sprang into action, determined to halt the mutant's progress.
"Stop right there, you motherf***er!!" Dylan shouted, his voice laced with fury.
A barrage of bullets rained down upon the mutant, but rather than faltering, it only grew more enraged. With overwhelming power, it struck one of the soldiers with its foot, crushing him beneath its weight, and then dispatched another with a powerful arm strike. Both soldiers had succumbed to level 5 radiation, yet they bravely sacrificed their lives in their unwavering commitment to their orders.
Sergeant Dylan himself was not spared, struck hard and left unconscious on the floor. His high endurance was the only thing that saved him from a fatal blow.
ROOAAR!!
The mutant, wounded and nearing the end of its health, channeled its last reserves of strength into a frenzied effort focused on igniting the deadly bomb. The situation had reached its most critical juncture.
Kenny stood alone, his heart pounding in his chest as he continued to pull the trigger of his handgun. Each shot reverberated through the chamber, the echoes mixing with his desperate cries.
BAM!! BAM!! BAM!!
"Die!! Die!!" Kenny's voice was filled with a mix of fear, anger, and determination. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he struggled to keep his aim steady. The mutant, wounded and enraged, refused to yield, drawing ever closer to its sinister goal with each relentless step.
Alan, ever the stalwart leader, had readied himself to charge once more, to throw himself into the fray with reckless abandon. But fate had other plans. He watched in astonishment as a dark cloud, like an ominous shroud, materialized between Kenny and the mutant. The air grew heavy and charged with an otherworldly presence.
A young girl's voice, soft and yet commanding, pierced the tense atmosphere.
"You trying to hurt Izzie's friend?! Bad person!!"
The smoke guardian had arrived, summoned by the mysterious girl, and it wasted no time in taking action. It moved with unnatural grace, effectively blocking the mutant's advance, its smoky form coalescing to form a formidable barrier.
The mutant, in its dying throes, struggled against the guardian's resistance, but it was too late. Its life force waned, and with a final shudder, it succumbed to its injuries.
[You have killed the Mutant]
In this critical moment, with the mutant vanquished, Alan swiftly shifted his attention to the gravely wounded Sergeant Dylan. The air was thick with tension as Alan applied his [First Aid] skill, working diligently to tend to the soldier's injuries.
Dylan, weakened and disoriented, mustered the strength to ask, "Did… we get... him…"
A soft but reassuring smile crossed Alan's face as he replied, "Yes, we did, Sergeant... We did." The relief in his voice was palpable, a testament to the unwavering bond that had formed among the survivors in the face of such dire circumstances.
As Alan tended to Sergeant Dylan's injuries, he felt the ever-increasing weight of the radiation penalty. His vision began to blur, and a sense of weakness overcame him. Another notification blared in his Gamelink, indicating the severity of the radiation exposure.
[You have been exposed to 500 Rad]
[Radiation level four: Max HP -50% & Stamina -50%]
[128/150]
It became clear that those without gas masks were rapidly approaching level five radiation, a state that would render them incapable of fighting or even fleeing the contaminated area. The urgency of the situation pressed heavily upon Alan's shoulders.
In a moment of relief, Kenny's voice broke through the tension. He delivered good news, assuaging their fears.
"Alan, I have successfully disarmed the ignition," Kenny announced, his words carrying a note of triumph. "Even if the tank was breached, only this area will be affected by the radiation."
The moment was punctuated by another notification, which brought a sense of accomplishment.
[You successfully locate and stop the Nazi Dirty Bomb]
[You have completed D level quest]
[You received D rank reward x1]
[You received 2000 survival points, 2000 XP]
With the immediate threat of the dirty bomb neutralized, and the fact that both Kenny and Izzie's level and endurance were too low, Alan quickly directed them to help carry the wounded Sergeant Dylan out of the factory to safety, away from the encroaching radiation.
However, as Alan raced back into the other room, he was welcomed by Milo's anguished screams.
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