READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 123: Don’t Hold Back
After revealing the plan to blow up the nearby omen base, the entire team turned ecstatic, even though some would have to go through with the task. However, one of them was already waiting to hear the idea, and as soon as he saw Frost turn to him, he started smiling proudly. Nitro was thrilled to cause more destruction, and since he couldn’t contain his excitement, he interrupted Frost in the middle of his sentence to immediately start gloating and cheering.
–I knew it! Finally, I get to shine a-...– Nitro exclaimed in delight, raising his grenade launcher to thank the kind deities above who granted him his wish. But right as he boasted joyfully, Frost shot his dream down when he shoved him down and dismissed him. Nitro tried to compose himself, but he then noticed Frost wasn’t even looking at him in the first place and froze in shame.
–No, not you… Tricky is carrying the bomb. That should be enough to destroy their base, right?– Frost responded annoyedly before turning to Tricky, shifting everyone’s attention to her, and leaving Nitro completely puzzled for a second. He turned around as well to see Tricky stealing his spotlight, but he could only watch indignantly as she tried to focus. She was caught off guard by everyone’s eyes being on her all of a sudden, but with Frost asking her a question, she ignored everyone else to just look at him and answer.
–Y-yes… I mean, I’m not sure yet… It isn’t finished, but it can probably cause enough destruction to scare off the omens. It does need to be set up, and it takes some time, and-...– Tricky replied apprehensively, slightly embarrassed to talk about her invention in front of everyone, especially with Frost’s expectant eyes staring so closely. She turned nervous and lost faith fast as everyone stared dubiously, but luckily, Frost stepped in after taking her word for granted, even though she tried to argue.
–Yea, I know. EchoForce is coming with you… They should provide enough protection for you to plant that bomb, right?– Frost affirmed, fully convinced of Tricky’s word, just like he was already set on the rookies accompanying her. But even though he just assigned them an objective out of the blue, none of them protested, not even Ace or Chappy, though they tried. Chappy was actually delighted to help Tricky, as he was now giving her a proper look for the first time, which brought some strong emotions to his eyes. He was so excited that Tricky awkwardly nodded at him after only a glance and chose to look at the other rookies.
–Dude, chill out… You are risking your life for a girl…– Ace whispered to Chappy after bumping his elbow against his arm to stop him from staring at Tricky so intently. But even with his warning, Chappy remained completely fascinated by the sight of Tricky as she assumed the task and got ready, fixing her hair and strapping her backpack tight to get moving.
–I know, this is why I became a soldier!– Chappy replied enthusiastically, letting out a little squeak of glee, which made Ace crack up but stopped him from insisting since there was no point in preventing Chappy’s obsession over one of their superiors. But as the rookies gathered around Tricky, they stepped back next to the Heartaches, where they were glad to see Panda and Saint approaching eagerly to join them.
–Well, I guess we’ll have more time to bond…– Panda quipped with a slightly sarcastic tone but with a seemingly earnest smile that the rookies appreciated. His mere presence inspired some confidence and provided comfort, sparking adoration visible in their faces. However, as they walked over to their group, Frost stopped Panda and Saint by extending his arm in front of them, catching them off guard and concerning the rookies.
–No, I need you with our squad, you too, Saint…– Frost declared obstinately, receiving immediate resentment from the rookies. But with both Saint and Panda freezing after hearing his order, they had to look back at him and the rest of the squad to make sure they were hearing him correctly. Even the rest of Crisis appeared to be a little befuddled, but only Tricky seemed genuinely upset since she wouldn’t have Panda by her side. But since no one said anything to argue, Panda himself broke the silence to try to reason with Frost, despite him already pulling him back.
–But Tricky is going to be busy with the bomb. She can’t lead the rookies by herself… No offense… But I have to be there, or they’ll just get shot…– Panda disputed with a bit of confusion and increasing outrage, though he managed to remain sensible enough to compel Frost, who did not yield to his plea one bit, not even turning around. Even though everyone but him agreed with Panda, instead of granting him his wish, Frost just listened silently and waited for him to finish his argument to casually dismiss him and look straight at someone else who wasn’t even fully paying attention.
–That’s why I’m letting Cookie handle it…– Frost responded nonchalantly as he pointed at Cookie, who was staying next to Candy and Nitro, almost distancing himself from the rookies. But once he was actually assigned to be in charge of the group, he immediately ran over to Panda with excitement.
–Finally! See, I told you I deserved to be in charge of the squad…– Cookie exclaimed with an eager but insolent grin, mocking Panda as he walked with high spirits over to the rookies, who were a bit apprehensive of having him in charge, though they couldn’t help but crack up. Panda complied and didn’t seem to worry much, even smiling for a brief moment before Frost approached EchoForce.
–Take it seriously. I need all of those kids alive with the minimum of bullet holes in them, or I’ll put one in your brain, alright?– Frost demanded Cookie with a stern look and a threatening demeanor that seemed more spiteful than usual. Cookie was forced to nod affirmatively and respond immediately, but he still got distracted after finding himself standing next to Tricky.
–Sure... Um, we ready?– Cookie replied quickly, trying to hide his nervousness by turning to the rookies and Tricky in order to avoid eye contact with Frost. His response wasn’t enough to convince the latter, but it still assured that Cookie was going to take full responsibility for EchoForce, and if he failed to take care of them, there would be someone to blame, so he was satisfied.
On the other hand, Cookie could feel the pressure building, even when he wasn’t looking at Frost anymore, as he looked back at the four rookies he had to keep safe. He paid more attention to Tricky, who appeared to be carrying too much weight, so he tried carrying her toolbox for her. But at that moment, he took all of it in, and despite becoming stressed already, seeing his teammates appeared to calm him down a little, especially when Tricky reached for him to discuss the plan. And as they walked over to the side, Crisis stepped away as well to talk as a squad privately.
–So we’re going there alone? Are you sure?– Candy asked Frost worriedly while holding his arm with both hands to draw his attention since he was trying to peek at the omens ahead. The enemy seemed to be moving forward slowly, but it would take too long to clear the way. After a bit of insisting and the rest of the squad gathering around, Frost turned to Candy absentmindedly and proceeded to place one hand on both of hers in a comforting manner.
–Come on, we’ve been through worse…– Frost replied lightheartedly, but his reassuring expression while holding her hands made Candy smile and leave her worries behind. However, it only lasted a brief second as his response started a debate within the group, with Nitro being the first one to speak his mind.
–Well, it will be his first time, I guess… But I’m sure he can handle it, right?– Nitro asked teasingly but with genuine doubt as he turned to Saint, getting everyone else to stare at him as well. The latter was distracted looking over at the rookies, specifically Zoey, but he quickly turned around when he noticed Panda staring. But instead of being overwhelmed by the attention of the whole squad, he adopted a staunch demeanor and stared at everyone confidently.
–I can do it, I’ve learned plenty enough from you guys…– Saint replied with a firm and resolute voice, giving a bold but unwavering stare directly at Frost, who just nodded affirmatively but took a moment to appreciate his commitment. But as there was nothing else to say, and seeing everyone else standing around and chatting, Frost stepped back to address the entire team.
–Alright, everyone, get ready. We don’t have much time left…– Frost announced urgently after looking back and seeing the ravagers struggling to get up the pass. They had blocked the way with enough omen corpses that with the mud and constant rain flowing down, the ravagers had to stick close to the ground to be able to move properly, buying enough time for the team. But they were still in a hurry, so the three squads couldn’t use too much time in saying goodbye and wishing each other good luck, with Candy immediately approaching EchoForce, mainly to talk to her sister before she left.
–Be safe out there, okay?– Candy demanded Tricky in her usual caring, concerned, and affectionate nature, but she became more emotional as she held her hands while smiling thoughtfully, which Tricky reluctantly returned. She didn’t say anything in response; she only held her sister’s hands for a tender and warm moment to let Candy find reassurance. The latter tried to contain herself, and as she began tearing up, she quickly turned to Cookie, standing a couple of feet nearby, and without letting go of Tricky’s hands, she called him over urgently.
–I’ll rip your organs out and make you eat them while I watch you choke to death if you let anything happen to her…– Candy warned Cookie with an overly aggressive tone that showed up out of nowhere. Her eyes showed that she meant it, but Cookie couldn’t believe it at first, so he only laughed nervously. She couldn’t match Frost’s critically intimidating gaze, but it still worked as Cookie cowered to not provoke her by staring back.
–Damn, alright. Focus on killing some omens instead, we’ll be fine…– Cookie replied anxiously, but with a hint of playfulness. He continued nodding nervously until Candy stopped staring, and just as fast as she turned hostile and threatening, she went back to her sweet self with her sister, though some of that anger lingered.
–Blow them up, I know you can…– Candy whispered in Tricky’s ear with passion and admiration, but almost as much spite and bloodlust as Frost on a regular day, which her sister took as a compliment and laughed.
–We’ll see how deadly this bomb is... I might have overdone it– Tricky replied, both flattered and cocky but leaning more to the latter as she smiled gratefully, something that Candy wasn’t used to seeing but was glad to. Before leaving, they continued holding hands for a few more seconds, which caught the attention of Saint, who tried to approach his girlfriend and support her as well since she looked very tense.
–Scott, I don’t know if this is going to work… It sounds like there’s a whole army up there…– Zoey muttered sheepishly, despite being safe around everyone. She only found comfort in Scott’s arms as he hugged her and then held both of her hands to his chest. He briefly looked over to Candy and Tricky, and after seeing how encouraging and uplifting a simple gesture and a smile could be, he tried to replicate it by leaning down to face Zoey and giving her a big, heartening smile.
–I know, you’ll be fine. Just stick to these dummies, they’ll take the bullets for you– Scott replied in a reassuring, sympathetic, but lighthearted demeanor. His smile quickly turned witty, which made Zoey crack up and loosen up a bit. However, his joke was overheard by Chappy and Ace, who didn’t hesitate to interrupt despite seeing them having a close moment.
–What? No I’m not, I want to stay aliv-...!– Ace interjected, but he was shut up by Cookie, who dragged him and Chappy away. He stared at Scott and nodded approvingly before shifting his full attention to Tricky. With the rest of the rookies doing the same, they stepped aside to give Zoey and Scott more privacy, which they definitely took advantage of since they were running out of time.
–But seriously, just take deep breaths, and you’ll get through this, trust me…– Scott added with a caring tone, trying to clear the hair off her face since all the rain made it difficult for them to stare at each other up close. He was playful but fond and soothing enough for her to focus more on his words, but even when she believed him, she remained concerned by the threats he would have to face as well.
–How can you be so sure? Will you be okay?– Zoey asked curiously, starting to smile a bit to keep up the optimism, which was further reinforced by Scott almost immediately responding with a certain fearless grin. He did take a moment to think about it, but he only needed to glance at his teammates to find the answer he needed.
–They are going to keep me safe, I know it… Besides, they probably won’t let me do much since they want all the action, so I’ll be fine…– Scott replied earnestly and admiringly, with a thoughtful smile that prompted Zoey to give him another hug, now squeezing him tighter as they embraced for a long time. Before they would have to split up, Scott looked at Zoey one last time with doting eyes, which led to her leaning in for a loving kiss that stunned him.
While the couple enjoyed a last moment, the rookies moved up to the large rock in front, leaving them behind with the Heartaches after saying their goodbyes. However, Panda still had something to say and approached the squad while they were in the middle of forming a line. They had to block the area near the last set of destroyed omen bunkers, but as they listened to Zayn giving instructions, they all turned around when they heard Panda’s footsteps and didn’t hesitate to drop everything to hear him.
–Good luck with everything. Try not to get overwhelmed by the enemy, they tend to attack as a pack, but that’s their weakness. You just need to split them, it’ll be easy to take them out individually…– Panda advised nonchalantly while at the same time encouraging, although the Heartaches didn’t seem to need much motivation. They were all determined to do the task, even when they were all quite wounded, so they responded with grateful and supportive smiles. But Zayn, Agnus, and Kayden were more vocal, with the latter stepping forward to speak for all of them.
–Thanks for the advice. Good luck, too, seems like you need it more like we do…– Kayden replied with a rather monotone voice, but at least not sounding indifferent and showing genuine care in the form of a smirk. Agnus and Zayn followed up with their good luck wishes, but they kept it just as brief. Panda saluted them, but before he could return to his squad, the other Heartaches approached and took turns shaking his hand.
–I’m sure you’ll survive, it was crazy what you did back there…– Nolyn affirmed with admiration and enthusiasm after dapping Panda up, who was very flattered and cracked up but tried to play humble before talking to the next Heartache.
–Yea, try not to get killed. You are like the coolest black guy I’ve seen…– Ryu added with a genuine smile, though he still looked like he was teasing him, which threw Panda off and made him step back in confusion, though he still shook his hand gladly.
–Umm, thanks?– Panda replied hesitantly before giving up on saying anything and pensively waving back at the other Heartaches as they returned to the formation. He walked back to his squad, waving at the rookies as well, who were about to depart now that the ravagers from behind were getting dangerously close.
–Enough chit-chat. Let’s go! You all know what to do now. Stick together and try not to attract much attention, especially you guys…– Frost ordered, inspiring courage in each squad as he looked at every single member of the team, focusing more on the rookies, who were surprisingly calm and collected. Everyone nodded back and prepared to part ways, but before turning around, Frost had one last thing to say.
–Time is of the essence, so remember not to look back, or you’ll be distracted. Always keep an eye on the enemy and track where they are coming from. We’re surrounded by them, but we can still sneak past if we avoid their line of sight… And most importantly, give it your all. We are going to have to fight to live another night, so make sure to make them all suffer and don't hold back… But as always, have fun…– Frost added with a self-assured voice full of fortitude and purpose, sparking the same sentiment in everyone with a bit of wit to keep them entertained. His mini-speech was more uplifting for the rookies, but even his own teammates appeared to have needed to hear it since they were all preparing mentally for the battle they were about to face.
With those last words and a courageous grin, Frost gave the signal for the team to split up and begin moving. Despite the heavy rain and gloomy ambiance bringing the spirits down, each squad stayed fearless, motivated, and devoted to the cause. They now looked forward to the fight, focusing solely on their respective objectives. Not only were they proving their strength and resolve to survive the night, they were also looking for the chance to kill the most enemies possible. And as they would soon find out, what was to come would offer more than they could ever imagine.