Break Through (Part 1)

The drop point for the adventurers was a small town, about 500 meters away from the Arnhem Bridge. The distance might only be 500 meters, but on the Dutch road that the Allies planned to break through, which was only 63 miles in total, every meter towards Arnhem would require a substantial amount of bloodshed.

The adventurers probably landed here primarily due to the city's manipulations because every adventurer who survived landed within this range.

He cautiously opened the front door, and the barrage in the sky was still ongoing, with paratroopers occasionally dropping in from the sky.

Despite being the last one to jump from the C-47, Keanu was the first one to land. His landing speed was too high, plummeting over 200 meters without a parachute, a rare occurrence in those days.

A few German soldiers, who had seen him land, were running towards the house with their guns at the ready.

"Hey."

Keanu suddenly appeared, grinning, from the stables next to the house. The stunned German soldiers turned around to face him, but the bullets sprayed by the spirit gun had already hit them. The fire attribute damage inflicted by the spirit gun ignited blazes on their bodies. Wailing, they tried to extinguish the flames but ultimately fell to the ground, succumbing to their injuries.

"Cool," Keanu remarked, filled with satisfaction at using the gun in real combat for the first time.

The gun performed remarkably, unlike anything he had experienced. These soldiers, with HP only around 50 each, posed no real challenge.

Compared to the strong individual combat power in the Van Helsing mission world, the World War era utilized sheer numbers to overpower and create lethal threats.

At this time, the commonly employed weapon by the German soldiers was the MP40, Schmeisser submachine gun. The weapon was acclaimed for its accuracy, high reliability in ammunition supply, resistance to misfiring, and easy control. The bullet damage is 12, with a muzzle kinetic energy bonus of 5. However, its drawbacks included a slower firing rate and a magazine capacity of only 32 rounds.

Infinite ammo wasn't just about saving money on bullets, it had a colossal advantage of not needing to reload, thereby providing a tremendous benefit in intense battles. Often, skilled shooters during one-on-one combats would calculate the opponent's remaining bullets based on the shots fired. They'd then aim to strike when the opponent was reloading. But facing a weapon with limitless ammo? It was equivalent to walking to their death once they thought they had a strategic advantage. The only thought before death was, "Why do they still have bullets?"

Dealing with German soldiers, whose equipment level was nowhere near that of the adventurers, was predominantly a foregone conclusion. But one gun was not enough against a swarm of enemy troops.

After eliminating a few German soldiers, Keanu quickly moved north, taking cover behind a low wall. German soldiers occasionally popped out along the way but were swiftly eliminated by Keanu. With his current reaction speed, ordinary several German soldiers couldn't pose a threat to him.

Along the way, he attempted to pick up a Schmeisser submachine gun, but was promptly informed: "Non-mission reward items can be used but cannot be carried back to Infinity City."

Ahead was a machine gun post, intermittently spitting flame at the sky. Three German soldiers clad in helmets were firing madly into the air, while another four or five were patrolling nearby. Keanu watched as an adventurer descended from the sky directly into the heavy gunfire of the ground-to-air machine guns. He was shredded into particles, spraying a bloody rain that painted the sky.

"God bless you," Keanu muttered, shaking his head solemnly.

Another paratrooper descended near them. The soldiers desperately swiveled their guns, aiming to cut him down as well. Just as it seemed his fate was sealed, an object flew in from somewhere close.

One of the soldiers recognized it and began to panic.

Bang!

The grenade exploded, turning the position into a ball of fire and smoke. The soldiers, seven or eight of them, were instantly converted into ash.

Keanu strolled up to the smoldering position, pulled a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it using the still-raging fire. Taking a deep puff, he nodded to himself. Good cigarette.

A paratrooper who escaped death by a whisker landed nearby. He quickly hit the ground rolling and cutting the parachute straps with a flick of his dagger. He seemed decent.

"You owe me one," Keanu called out to the man.

"I saw that," replied the man, "And I promise I'll pay you back!"

Keanu was taken aback when he recognized the voice. The woman he'd met when he first arrived in the city stood before him.

Upon recognizing Keanu, she exclaimed, "It's you!" Before she could continue her sentence, a loud whistling sound filled her ears and terror flooded her face. "Get down!" she shouted, lunging toward Keanu.

An explosion threw a cloud of dust into the sky as the world around them shook. An airborne piece of shrapnel, intended for Keanu, buried itself into the cratered ground. The woman was coated in a fine layer of dust, pressing Keanu into the ground beneath her.

He laughed, "I guess we're even now. You sure do pay quickly."

Shaking her head, she looked at Keanu, "No, I still owe you one."

"Really?" Being pressed under her, Keanu was far from uncomfortable. However, their cozy moment came to an end when she got up, dusting herself off. "On my first day, I realized the way of this place, and that's when I understood how lucky I was. Had I been paired with someone else, I would have been left penniless. It's thanks to you that I know about the non-hostility rule in this city. That's why, I still owe you, and I'm sorry I accused you of blackmail before."

"In that case, you owe me twice."

"How so?"

"The rooftop of the newcomer's apartment..."

Rolling her eyes she replied, "You really must stop assuming things! Fine, I did want to take your gun back then, but not to leave you alone; we were going to complete the mission together. I just happened to believe I was a better shot than you."

He gave a small chuckle, "So, you're quite the marksman I take it?"

"Of course." She replied, beaming with pride as she extended her hand, "I'm Kitty. And you are?"

Taking her hand, he could feel how soft and delicate it was, "I'm Keanu. It's nice to meet you again, and I apologize for being overly cautious the last time."

"Caution is the key to a long life, especially in this place," Kitty shot back, not phased by his apology.

By now, most of the paratroopers had landed, while a few unlucky souls were still drifting in the sky. The incoming fire from the anti-aircraft guns was reduced, while ground-based gunfire increased. Bodies were strewn everywhere, German and ally forces alike. Trees, rooftops, and even the church's bell tower served as unfortunate resting places for those who weren't able to land successfully, becoming sitting ducks for the German soldiers. "Didn't see you on the plane, were you on a different one?" Keanu asked, advancing towards the north while returning fire.

"Yes," Kitty responded loudly. In her hand, she held a Type 95 light machine gun—the standard equipment for the infantry. She led the charge, her gun spitting fiery flashes, cutting down any enemy that dared to cross their path.

"Damn it," muttered Keanu.

"What's wrong?" Kitty asked, looking back at him.

"Nothing," Keanu replied grumpily. "You also chose to breach from the north?"

"Yep, heading to seize the Arnhem bridge."

"I tried rallying everyone on my plane to break through from the north. I figured that there's strength in numbers. But what I didn't anticipate was the City arranging for two separate planes, thereby splintering the group and sending a portion of people off to the south. It seems like the City aims to keep us spread," Keanu grumbled, frustration evident.

Surprise registered on Kitty's face as she turned to look at Keanu, "You intended to gather everyone to seize the bridge?"

"Yes, but I failed. How many were on your plane?"

"23."

"If even one-third of them decided to head north, I'd be content," Keanu grumbled.

Upon reaching a shelter, they surveyed their surroundings despite the hailstorm of bullets. Many adventurers had already landed. They wielded heavy machine guns; the moment they touched the ground, these cylinders of mayhem spewed deadly fire.

Kitty casually pulled out infrared telescopes from her emblem and began scanning the area, "Quite a few folks are breaching towards the north as you suggested. It seems your call had its effect. The number choosing north outnumbers those heading south."

"You carried telescopes?" Keanu asked curiously.

"That's not all," she replied and pulled out a thermal imaging periscope—a much-needed tool for the night battle. This gadget could locate enemies hiding even in the darkest corners without needing its user to take any risks, impressing Keanu tremendously.

"You've thought this out more thoroughly than I did," acknowledged Keanu, slightly taken aback.

"That's normal, considering that I'm a professional. Never thought I'd return to my roots this way."

"You were a soldier?" Keanu asked, surprised. He hadn't realized that Kitty had been a combative force before she arrived at Infinity City.

"Police officer, and served in the military."

"Civilian role?"

Kitty gave Keanu an exasperated look, "Fieldwork, I was on the SWAT team. Female division. What about you?"

Keanu sighed. A murderer fighting beside a cop, what an ironic twist of fate! He replied, "Engineer. I specialize in precision mechanics."

At that moment, their surroundings were a mere splash of light and exploding fire. The adventures were hitting the Germans hard after landing. Many adventurers showed off their unique skills now that they were on the ground.

One adventurer didn't even need a firearm. Displaying an uncanny speed, he charged straight into the German lines. A few boundings put him right next to a German soldier, and with a sweep of his blade which was purchased from the City—sliced open the soldier's throat.

Another adventurer detested dodging. He brandished a six-barrel flamethrower and shot wildly at the German lines. Bullets hit his body but only created flashes of white light—he must have been wearing a bulletproof item. His flamethrower, however, was unstoppable, clearing any German in its way. Some soldiers hid behind a wall and shot at him. But, with a slight turn, a burst of bullets tore through the wall, shredding the soldiers to dust.

Then there was the guy with a bow and arrow. Every arrow had an explosive effect, causing mass explosions and a spectacular flash of fire on impact.

Although the number of adventurers was smaller compared to the German soldiers, they were undoubtedly stronger.

Keanu and Kitty moved steadily towards the German lines along with the other adventurers. A large number of adventurers flooded from all sides. Given their firepower, the Germans had no chance against the adventurers.

"Impressive, if it weren't for your mobilization, the guys on your plane wouldn't have moved towards the north together. The adventurers who went south are really unfortunate," Kitty admitted.

Keanu shook his head, "It's not that simple. If the German line of defense was such a pushover, it wouldn't be considered a mission."

"What do you mean?"

Keanu pointed to a few overconfident adventurers in front of him, "They're almost dead."

As soon as Keanu's words fell, the first to face trouble was a macho man who was rampaging around like Rambo, relying on the weaponry in his hands, his Gatling gun throwing fire like a beacon, attracting all the gunfire from the Germans.

Boom! Boom!

A series of explosions resounded. The 150mm caliber artillery was showing its might.

The brazen bloke with the flamethrower was blown to bits by a barrage of artillery fire. His bullet-proof device stood no chance against the artillery's power. Massive craters formed on the ground, and any remnants of his body were but dust in the wind.

"It's a shame, that was a good weapon," Keanu and Kitty said simultaneously, exchanging glances before bursting into laughter.

In a collaborative attack scenario, the adventurers' weapons would become ordinary after their death, losing all their effects and thus having no usable value.

Such heavy firepower could suppress enemies effectively given the right situation. But the macho man overestimated himself. With a bulletproof device and a killer weapon in hand, he viewed the regular German soldiers as effortless targets. The outcome? He became a sitting duck who was blown away with ease.

"That chap was at least a private first class. With a bulletproof device, a Gatling gun, and an unlimited ammunition box... all gone now," Keanu muttered.

"That's a shame, my standard light machine gun doesn't have an unlimited ammunition box. I just couldn't afford it," Kitty sighed.

Following the macho man's demise, a series of unfortunate events befell a few more adventurers.

The guy who rushed the fastest, thinking he could show off his moves like Neo, was the second after Rambo to bite the dust. Despite his swiftness, the German bullets still outraced him. The hail of bullets wove a lethal web in the air. The ghostlike figure paused in mid-air, only for his entire body to erupt in a fountain of blood instantly.

Next was the adventurer armed with explosive arrows.

Although careful, taking shelter and occasionally shooting like an elf, he was outmatched by the German weaponry.

A Tiger tank roared in, its gun barrel swiveled and blasted a huge ball of fire towards the archer.

The low brick parapet, together with the body of the adventurer, vaporized in an instant.

Following this, Rambo, Neo, and the Elf—all annihilated. The bold group of adventurers had turned tail at the sight of one Tiger tank after another. Just like that, from invincible heroes, they turned into a terrified bunch, all fleeing helter-skelter.

From being a hero to a deserter, it can sometimes be a matter of seconds.