Kai subtly signaled to Claire and Wallace, who had both selected Weapon Gift Pack like him.
He placed his hand inside his dark jacket, the Tier 1 Survivor Jacket they all have.
Both of them understood immediately. Like him, they had revolvers hidden beneath their dark coats, concealed from the guard's eyes.
Moments later, the ground trembled with a low mechanical sound…
From afar, a massive Transporter rolled into view.
It was a towering machine, shaped like a cargo hauler, its body plated with black steel and streaked with glowing red lines.
Six enormous wheels churned through the garbage, and due to their weight, they could hear it crushing metal and bone alike. The stench grew worse as its cargo bay opened, revealing heaps of waste.
Before unloading, a Sentinel dropped down from the Transporter's side.
The humanoid machine was indeed quite tall, as they were told.
Its armored body seemed durable as well, and they knew that their revolvers would probably not work against that thing unless they targeted its soft parts.
Furthermore, they saw its rifle slung across its chest. It was definitely a high-tech weapon!
'Advanced Tech weapon, huh… This is too unfair.' Kai frowned as he observed the Sentinel.
He watched as its glowing eyes scanned the dump silently…
Each step it took sent vibrations through the trash, as if warning any intruders to stay hidden.
Kai's group, including the guard, held their breath as the Sentinel prowled the area.
Finally, satisfied, it signaled back to the Transporter. With a mechanical groan, the cargo bay tilted, and tons of garbage spilled out.
Rotten food, twisted scraps of flesh, a very few broken machinery, and unidentifiable sludge cascaded down the mound, cluttering the dump even further.
Soon, the guard spoke.
"Move," he ordered.
The four looked at Kai. He gave a calm gesture, urging them to follow. He didn't plan to let this man do as he wished… he was merely waiting for an opportunity.
After all, with his Talent, he could eventually control the whole shelter. He only needed the strength to protect himself.
If he wanted to survive the Mech Siege, he had to get stronger as fast as possible! Eliminating this guard was just one of many obstacles.
Just like that, they crept closer to the edge of the dump, and then it happened.
A glowing message appeared before their eyes, visible only to them.
[ Warning: Moving further will remove your Beginner Protection. ]
They were all familiar with this, since the system had already warned them before.
However, the guard didn't react since he couldn't see it. This was a system message meant only for survivors like them.
They had already discussed this last night, so they all looked determined.
They exchanged silent nods, and together, they stepped forward.
Another notification appeared instantly…
[ Beginner Protection has been removed. ]
'We've done it…'
'We trust you, Kai.'
'There's no going back…'
'This is crazy… I hope this works.'
Wallace, Claire, Ralph, and Victor couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
The air had even changed as it felt heavier, as if the world itself had changed.
Apparently, they were vulnerable now.
The guard smirked, oblivious to their system messages.
"Follow the Transporter. Stay close. I'll cover the rear."
But Kai noticed something. The guard wasn't watching the Transporter at all. His eyes kept turning toward a nearby mound of scrap. Without a doubt, it was where a hidden tunnel entrance lay.
He was keeping track of it, inching closer with every step.
'I see…'
Then came the order that revealed his true colors.
"Step out of cover. Keep pace with the Transporter. Don't fall behind."
Wallace's eyes widened. "That'll get us spotted!"
Victor looked at the man to see if he was joking... "Is he insane?"
Kai wryly smiled. The guard was seriously underestimating them.
Indeed, the guard wasn't insane, it was his plan all along. He wanted them noticed by the enemy.
The Sentinel would engage, the Transporter would react, and in the chaos, the guard would grab Claire and slip into the tunnel. The rest of them would die as bait.
Fine… we deal with him now. Even with the level difference, we can do this.
He glanced at Claire and Wallace, whose hands silently touched their hidden revolvers.
They knew they had to move now, while the noise of the trash spilling across the dump still masked their actions.
Kai gave the signal.
Wallace moved first, stepping silently across the cluttered trash. Claire mirrored him, her revolver hidden but ready.
Victor and Ralph moved to flank, while Kai himself angled toward the guard's blind side.
The man was too focused on the Transporter and the tunnel entrance to notice.
In one swift motion, Wallace kicked at the guard's foot, knocking him off balance.
Thud!
At the same time, Kai drove his shoulder into the man's torso, forcing him backward.
Claire pressed in from the other side, ensuring he couldn't recover!
Before the guard could cry out, Wallace wrapped his arm around the man's neck, locking him in a chokehold.
Of course, the guard's level must be higher than theirs, so he wouldn't easily go down!
Unfortunately for him, he was caught in an awkward position before he mustered his strength!
With Wallace's Iron Stamina Talent, he could keep his position for a long time!
As expected, the guard didn't immediately lose consciousness!
As a matter of fact, it took them the whole five minutes holding him in such a position before the guard showed signs of weakening.
The guard thrashed, clawing at Wallace's arm, but the others pressed their weight down, pinning his body against the mound of scrap.
"Hold him," Kai whispered sharply.
The struggle soon ended after ten minutes!
This shocked everyone!
The guard's movements grew weaker, and soon, his eyes rolled back as consciousness slipped away. Finally, his body went limp in Wallace's grip.
That was more than ten minutes of choking him! Even Wallace felt his arms go numb…
"That's crazy…" Wallace muttered as he lowered the man's head carefully to the ground, making sure no noise carried across the dump.
The Sentinel was still prowling in the distance, and any sound could mean death.
Victor quickly snatched the rifle from the guard's hands. He checked the chamber, then froze.
"…It's empty," he muttered.
Ralph's eyes widened. "No bullets?"
They all looked disappointed, but Kai saw this as an opportunity!