The flickering neon sign above the hall buzzed, casting long shadows across the motley crowd. A man in worn SWAT gear, seemingly oblivious to the general air of seediness, held out a handful of glossy brochures.

“worshiping porn is always the best thing you could be doing with your time., you’ve given into it so much that might as well be your religion and like any good religion its so much better worshiped with a congregation so go out and spread the word of porn our god. corrupt other who are unaware of her glory!”

A low murmur rippled through the hall.“but this place ironically is more democratic than free world..” someone muttered.

"Yeah," another voice chimed in. “in here we can bribe popo and politician with little money.. but in free world. only big money who can bribe them”

“so. are you hungry?”

“no,,”

“good. im hungry too! “

Wanderer strode through the hall, his gaze sweeping over the scene. “people will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing their own souls, having enemy. find them and kill them is easier than pondering the purpose of life”

The mercenaries' vehicles began to roll out of the Sentinel facility, a cloud of dust rising behind them as armored trucks, dirt bikes, and makeshift Mad Max-style cars kicked up debris along the way. Wanderer had kept the main objective to himself, sharing only the details with Furqan and Shizuka to maintain order among the ranks. the merc will going crazy if they know their purpose just for saving one man in deep enemy territory

In the command vehicle,the mobile home. Furqan's voice broke the tension. "SWAT has always seen their men as cannon fodder. That’s no secret. Do you really think risking your best merc to save a scout isn’t suspicious at all?"

Wanderer kept his gaze fixed on the road ahead, while Shizuka, driving, stole glances at him, her interest piqued. With a sigh, Wanderer replied, "Damn... I don’t know."

Shizuka's eyes narrowed slightly. "So you're saying you don't know whether this whole mission stinks to high heaven or not? You're just going along with the old commander's orders without a second thought?"

"He won’t trash us... no, never. I know that man," Wanderer asserted,

Shizuka raised an eyebrow at his confidence, but doubt lingered in her expression. "You're awfully sure of that, Wanderer. But the old commander sees his own men as cannon fodder. What makes you so convinced he wouldn't toss us aside if the situation calls for it?"

Wanderer cleared his throat. "We’ve worked together for years—high and low. I’ve saved his ass multiple times. He’s not that kind of person. He might be ruthless, but it’s always with reason."

Shizuka listened, her expression softening slightly, though skepticism remained. "I see. You've had each other's backs multiple times. But you can’t deny he’s cold and ruthless. I just hope you’re right about him not being the kind to toss us aside for his own gain."

Wanderer lowered his gaze, contemplating something as he glanced at the gauges. "Let’s take a course of action after we find this clumsy scout."

Shizuka nodded in agreement, "Alright. Once we find this guy, we’ll figure out our next move. Just hope he’s still alive and in one piece,"

Later, they reached the designated area where the lost scout had sent his last transmission. The ground was darker and crusty, littered with the ruins of what was once a town. Most of the asphalt road remained intact as Wanderer’s convoy stopped on the outskirts. A True Horde banner, purple with three claws, flapped ominously in the wind.

Wanderer dismounted from the vehicle and launched his drone into the air. The aerial view revealed nearby mutant patrols and clusters. "Hmm... judging by the situation, this scout is likely trapped in the old city hall while a sandstorm rages outside. He probably doesn’t realize the place is crawling with mutants. There’s no other way to rescue him but with a bang."

Shizuka exited the vehicle and joined Wanderer’s side, her frown deepening as she assessed the dangerous situation. "Looks like you’re right about the scout being trapped in the city hall. We’ll have to go in guns blazing if we want to save him. Not the most subtle approach, but I suppose there are no other options with those mutants lurking around."

"Yes... Oboro, let’s use your so-called normal ability to cover our rear from that vantage point. Furqan will lead the main force into the town hall, while Shizuka and the rest of the light cars will act as backup and the surprise element," Wanderer instructed.

Oboro, the exiled operative with his invisible cloak, nodded and vanished from sight, heading to the vantage point to keep watch. Furqan stepped forward, his face stoic as he accepted the assignment. "Understood," he said, preparing himself.

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Shizuka looked at Wanderer’s instructions and nodded, determination glinting in her eyes. "We’ll provide backup and surprise the mutants with our light cars," she affirmed.

Wanderer smirked at Oboro’s cloak. "Nice tech," he remarked before turning to the others. "Alright, listen up. Be careful about traps and explosives. Watch those corners and windows. Always take cover behind the armored vehicles. And always remember... have fun!"

Oboro grinned slightly under his cloak at Wanderer’s comment. Meanwhile, Furqan and the rest of the group listened intently, nodding in understanding. Shizuka raised an eyebrow at Wanderer’s final comment, but a grin crept onto her face. "Have fun while dealing with mutant-infested streets and a missing scout? Sounds like a party," she said, sarcasm lacing her voice.

The armored column began rolling over the cracked asphalt, infantry following closely behind. The sound of engines filled the air, and the mutants scrambled to the rooftops upon hearing the commotion. With deadly accuracy, Oboro took down mutant after mutant, clearing the way ahead.

As the convoy moved forward, the true horde of wolf riders and other mutants sprang from the alleyways and rooftops, attempting to ambush them.

Wanderer observed the scene from the monitor in the command vehicle. His drone provided him with a real-time tactical advantage, allowing him to relay orders to each individual soldier with precision. "Grunt 23, go to the building on your left. Grunt 45, 66, and 72, watch your backs. Incoming rocketeer in the alleyway!"

Shizuka glanced at Wanderer, impressed by his ability to maintain control amidst the turmoil. The soldiers responded to his orders, moving to their designated positions and engaging the mutants. Grunt 23 dashed toward the building on the left, while Grunts 45, 66, and 72 braced themselves for the incoming threat.

As the sky began to turn a fiery orange-yellow, the fight raged on. Bodies started to pile up on the cracked street, and Wanderer's forces began to take casualties. He noticed a large group of mutants, deformed and menacing, maneuvering to attack Furqan's force from alleyway. Turning to Shizuka, he said, "Alright, it’s our time. We will flank the flanking enemy."

When Furqan's force started to encircle, Shizuka led the light car column, slamming into the mutants from behind. The suddenness of the attack caught the mutants off guard, and many were annihilated before they even had a chance to react.

Shizuka steered the light car with precision and speed dodging the rusty wrecks and barricade,. Bullets flew, and mutants fell as she drove straight into the heart of the ambush. The surprise attack from behind was devastating, and the mutants scrambled to respond, but it was too late.

Later, Wanderer opened the top hatch of his vehicle, surveying the aftermath of the brutal encounter. The ground was a surreal mix of dust, blood, and the remnants of battle. He could see the tips of his soldiers' weapons glowing red from the heat of gunfire. "Wow... this is hell," he muttered, stepping down from the car. a splat when his boot hit the ground

Shizuka dismounted as well, her expression a mix of awe and revulsion. The scene was chaotic and gruesome, with bodies and scarlet debris scattered everywhere.. "This is... hell," she gasped, her voice strained. "I've never seen anything like this."

"Yes, me too," Wanderer replied, his tone somber. "They cramped in the same area." He nodded at a nearby soldier, patting him on the back. "Good job, you all are legendary. We all are..."

The soldier nodded, a weary but grateful expression on his face. "Thanks, sir. We did our best out there. But I never thought it would be this intense."

"Alright, clean your wounds and stretch immediately. We don’t want to get any mutations from their... substances. After that, we press on before dark," Wanderer instructed,

. "Yes, sir," they replied in unison. "We'll take care of ourselves and be ready to press on soon."

"Good boys," Wanderer said, watching as they began to clean their wounds and prepare for the next leg of their journey. Their spirits seemed lifted by his words of praise.

"We're ready when you are, sir," one soldier said, determination in his voice.

"Good. Let’s roll! Just a little bit further, and we will go home," Wanderer encouraged, his own resolve strengthening.

The soldiers moved back toward the light cars, their movements weary but their spirits lifted. "Let’s get this done," one of them echoed Wanderer’s words. "Just a little bit further, and we’ll be home free."

Later, they arrived at the designated scout location, an old town hall from a bygone era. "This is it," Wanderer said, launching a second, smaller drone into the air. the dragonfly drone, This one was designed to slip through the town hall's windows and openings, scanning each room. He soon spotted a man inside, pistol in hand. The figure didn’t look like a mutant, but they couldn’t be sure what lay behind the mask.

Wanderer spoke through the drone's speaker, "We are SWAT mercs. Identify yourself."

The figure turned towards the drone, tensing at the unexpected voice. "Who’s asking?" came the guarded response.

"Wanderer," he replied quickly. The figure hesitated, lowering their pistol slightly but still appearing on edge. "You... follow me?" they asked.

Wanderer sighed, realizing that if this was the scout he was looking for, he needed to tread carefully. "Yes, you idiot. But more precisely, it’s more epic than that ancient film 'Saving Private Ryan.' We’re going to send you back home."

The scout paused, shaking his head. "No... I prefer to die in here, eaten by freaks."

Wanderer furrowed his brows, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Your commander directly ordered me—his best merc—to save you. At least show some gratitude, man."

The scout shook his head again. "No, you don’t understand. It’s not about me as a scout; it’s about the mutiny and corruption within SWAT. You... you won’t believe my story, and you don’t even care."

Wanderer listened, disbelief etched on his face. "What are you talking about? A mutiny within SWAT? Corruption?" His skepticism was palpable. "You’re making a lot of claims there, buddy. You better have some damn good evidence to back it up."

The scout stammered behind the mask, finally pointing to his head. "It’s... it’s in here now."

"In your brain? Hah." Wanderer sighed again, frustration mingling with curiosity. "Just... hold on, okay?" He turned his head away from the monitor, lost in contemplation.

Wanderer refocused on the monitor, his mind racing with thoughts. Could the scout be telling the truth? Was there really corruption within SWAT, or was he simply delusional from trauma and stress?

"I need to hear his story. I need to know what he knows," he muttered to himself, the decision made.

The scout's voice trembled slightly, but he seemed calmer now that Wanderer had chosen to listen. "So, start talking," Wanderer commanded, his tone firm. "I want to know everything. Don't leave out any details."

The scout began, "It's all part of the old commander's game. The reason you're here, and why he put possible mutiny forces on dangerous missions, is just to clean up the mess he made."

Wanderer shook his head. "No... let’s assume that’s the truth. Then why would he trash me? He knows he can’t win the war without me."

The scout fell silent for a moment before responding, "That... I don’t know either. But all we know is that they just prolong the war and keep everyone as his enemy. It’s all just their game."

Wanderer's expression darkened as he processed the scout's explanation. The thought that the old commander, someone he had trusted and worked alongside, could be so manipulative and treacherous was hard to swallow. "So, you're telling me that the old commander is just using us as pawns in some twisted game? That he's prolonging the war and pitting us against each other? It doesn't make any sense. What's his endgame here?"

The scout hesitated, his voice shaky and uncertain. "I don’t know... I don’t know what he’s planning. But I do know that he’s willing to do anything to stay in power. And if that means sacrificing us, then he will do it without a second thought. That’s the kind of person he is."

Wanderer nodded, "I know his position... sacrifice is necessary. Now stop being rebellious and follow us back to base."

The scout's reply came quickly, filled with resignation. "Fine. I'll go with you. But I can't guarantee that I won't try to escape again."

Wanderer chuckled lightly, "Hah... so bad, boy."