The atmosphere in Climate City was palpably tense. The tank’s abrupt appearance on the northern streets was akin to a wild beast intruding upon a quiet village, provoking a frenzy of chaos and panic. Its immense, intimidating structure, crafted from layers of robust steel, moved like a colossus amidst the ant-like swarm of Nazi soldiers.

Their firearms crackled against the tank’s exterior like harmless raindrops, unable to breach its impenetrable shell. Inside the behemoth, Luis gripped the controls tightly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. The roar of the engine and the cacophony outside made him yell,

“Ooh, my god!! Senor Alan.. did I do it right!! Which way should we go!!!”

Alan, eyes fixed on their route, replied reassuringly, “You’re handling it excellently, Luis. Keep your course straight and head towards the south!”

Luis gulped, nodding. “Yes, Se?or!”

Simultaneously, Alan didn’t waste a second. He clambered into the gunner’s seat, aiming the tank-mounted machine gun. With every pull of the trigger, a barrage of bullets rained down on the soldiers.

TARATATATA TARATTATA

Yet, for all his determination, Alan’s unfamiliarity with [Big firearms] was evident. His shots occasionally missed their mark or caused less damage than they might have in the hands of an expert. The on-screen indicators blinked:

[Shooting: Inflicts 62 damage]

[Shooting: Inflicts 58 damage]

[Shooting: Inflicts 63 damage]

The tank’s acquisition had tilted the scales in their favor. Alan’s recent skill upgrade, combined with Luis’s [Piloting (Expert)], was the cocktail of success that had enabled this getaway.

[You have three attribute points to distribute]

[Intelligence: C-] +1 [C- >C]

[Science (Expert)]

[Rarity: Unique]

[More effective in science-related tasks]

[Prerequisites: Intelligence C]

[Cost: 1500 survival points and 1x Rank D reward]

Utilizing his freshly boosted intelligence and science skills, Alan managed to sync with the tank’s system more seamlessly, further optimizing their escape. With Luis at the helm, they bulldozed through the city’s defenses.

The dashboard clocked ten minutes, during which Alan’s relentless assault incapacitated over three dozen soldiers, with ten confirmed fatalities. This brief battle had substantially boosted his XP and reward points.

But their triumph was short-lived. The tank’s daunting presence and slower pace gave their pursuers time to strategize. Through the dim streetlights, Luis spotted an obstruction.

“Se?or Alan!” he called out frantically. “They’ve erected a barricade!”

Squinting, Alan discerned the shadowy silhouettes of several cars parked haphazardly across the road, forming an intimidating blockade. The very sight threatened to crush their spirits.

Drawing a deep breath, Alan murmured, trying to keep his voice steady, “Don’t worry. Calm down.”

With urgency coloring every move, Alan quickly maneuvered toward the tank’s control panel, hoping to harness powerful cannon. The weight of the situation rested heavily on his shoulders, but as he attempted to activate it, a cold digital prompt flashed, dashing his hopes:

[You don’t have the necessary skill needed to activate the weapon]

Alan gritted his teeth in frustration. He was painfully aware that an expert in [Big firearm] would have no problem firing that cannon. Still, he wasn’t one to give up easily. Pulling from his recently upgraded knowledge, Alan attempted to bridge the gap with his [Science] skill, hoping to exploit a loophole or override.

Yet again, his attempts were thwarted. The unyielding interface shot back:

[Your (Science) skill fails in activating the target]

Time was running out, and the mounting tension made every second feel like an eternity. Surveying the barricade, a determined spark ignited in Alan’s eyes. “Luis!” he commanded with authority, “Ram it! Just plow straight through!”

The engine roared in response, gears grinding and metal screeching as the tank charged towards the blockade. Its massive weight collided with the vehicles, making the tank jolt and tilt dramatically as it clambered over.

“We… we made it through, Se?or Alan!” Luis exclaimed, astonishment evident in his voice.

Their momentary relief was overshadowed by the groaning protests coming from the tank. Damage from the rough passage over the barricade was evident, as disconcerting noises emanated from the undercarriage. The vehicle’s already reduced speed plummeted further. 𝗈𝑣𝑙xt.𝗰𝒪𝓶

Desperation tinged Luis’s voice as he called out, “”What should we do Senor!!”

“Keep driving south, and don’t stop,” Alan ordered, a mix of determination and concern lacing his voice.

Alan repositioned himself, once more manning the tank’s machine gun. As he took aim, a hailstorm of bullets assaulted him. Their sluggish pace made them an easy target. Regardless, Alan was resolute. He ripped open a [Medicated Bandage], its medicinal properties helping him ignore the pain as he continued to fire back.

[Healing: 45 HP Recovered in 90 seconds]

[Shooting: Received 34 damage]

[Shooting: Received 31 damage]

[Healing: 45 HP Recovered in 90 seconds]

[Shooting: Received 36 damage]

[Shooting: Received 39 damage]

Even amidst the barrage, Alan persevered, expertly juggling his tasks. He’d shoot, take damage, heal, and then shoot again – a relentless cycle, fueled by sheer determination and the will to survive.

The cacophony of war continued to rage around them, but as minutes bled into each other, Alan’s relentless onslaught began to show results. With a dozen more Nazi soldiers taken out, a temporary lull settled on the battlefield. It was in this deceptive stillness that an eerie figure materialized before them.

Dressed in a full suit of imposing armor that gleamed under the city’s dim lights, the soldier stood out. A gas mask obscured his face, giving him an unsettling, faceless appearance. The distinctive red armband, emblematic of the SS rank, boldly marked his upper arm.

[SS Soldier]

[Type: Human]

[Rank: D]

[Remarks: A soldier born out of Nazi ingenuity and tempered in the flame of war]

The appearance of this foe was a significant deviation from Alan’s intel. This SS soldier was meant to be a final adversary, an end-game challenge. The fact that he was here now spoke volumes about the impact Alan and Luis had made, shaking the enemy’s strategy to its core.

The damaged tank groaned beneath them, its vulnerabilities painfully evident. Retreat wasn’t an option. Alan’s voice crackled through the internal comm, “Luis, no stopping. I’ll handle this.”

The soldier’s movements were uncanny. In a blur of motion, he managed to sidestep the rapid-fire from the machine gun, rendering Alan’s shots fruitless. His agility was unparalleled, darting around the tank at a breakneck pace. The space between them rapidly closed as, in a jaw-dropping display of raw strength, the SS soldier launched himself, covering the ten-meter gap to land on the tank, face-to-face with Alan.

The proximity would have been a disadvantage for many, but not for Alan. Years of experience had honed his instincts. Anticipating this move, he swiftly shifted his grip from the machine gun to his trusted [Sawed-off shotgun] and with a fluid motion, he fired.

BAAAAMMM!!!

The deafening sound echoed, and the digital readout flashed:

[Shooting: Lethal attack Inflicts 58 damage]

The force of the shot was undeniable, but how effective it was against such a formidable foe remained to be seen.

The SS soldier, despite being heavily armored, was staggered by the direct hit from Alan’s shotgun. The armor, while managing to absorb the majority of the blow, still reeled from the sheer force pushing him back into the ground. it bought them a precious few seconds, and in the chaos of the battlefield, every second counted.

“Keep moving!” Alan barked into the intercom, his voice edged with urgency.

Their target was tantalizingly close. About 300 meters away, the glow of the US players’ outpost beacon was faintly visible, a beacon of hope amidst the looming darkness. It was their sanctuary, and they had to get there.

But fate, it seemed, had one more curveball to throw at them. Another menacing silhouette emerged from the thick fog of war. Alan’s heart sank as he recognized the familiar red armband on another elite SS soldier, this one even more imposing than the last.

Time seemed to slow as the SS soldier, with an eerie calmness that juxtaposed the chaos around, unveiled an RPG rocket launcher. Before Alan could even react, the soldier had taken aim, targeting a vulnerable segment of the tank’s wheel assembly.

KABOOMM!!!

The resulting explosion was deafening. Smoke and flames erupted as the concussive blast tore through the tank’s wheel, effectively crippling the behemoth. The once formidable war machine now lay tilted and immobilized, its journey abruptly halted mere moments from salvation.

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