When First Company's tide of steel crushed the last token resistance and reached the area Commissar Walter had held, the sight that greeted them took every player by surprise.
They had actually organized a welcoming ceremony.
The ceremony was extremely simple. Two ranks of soldiers lined a freshly cleared passage that still smelled of machine oil and rust. Their standard-issue flak armor was battered, many of their helmets were covered in dents and scratches, and the Lasguns in their hands looked like antiques salvaged from a scrap heap.
More obviously, these soldiers were poorly trained. Many stood crookedly, and beneath the chests they struggled to puff out, their exhaustion and malnutrition were impossible to hide. They stood in stark contrast to the Death Seekers of First Company, who marched steadily down the center of the passage in Carapace Armor.
There were no colorful flags, no military band, only two ranks of battered survivors struggling to hold their posture.
Yet organizing a welcoming ceremony under such desperate circumstances had already far exceeded the players' expectations. This was also their first time taking part in anything like it since entering the game, and they were quite interested.
The players curiously studied the sallow, emaciated soldiers on either side, whispering among themselves as they followed the armored vehicles slowly forward. There was no contempt in their eyes, only pure curiosity. Clearly, they regarded this as a special game scenario arranged by NPCs.
When Assassin led the company to the end of the passage, Commissar Walter stood waiting, his posture erect. Assassin was just about to step forward and greet this familiar NPC when Walter suddenly drew a deep breath and shouted with all his strength:
"Salute the Death Seekers!"
At that ringing shout, every soldier and officer around them, including Walter himself, snapped