Night fell, and Heaven's Punishment Squad and the First Army put their long-planned operation into motion...
After Kendi met up with Heaven's Punishment Squad, he said to Kate, "I have a bad feeling about this plan."
Kate stood atop a high-rise, gazing at Big Beard's house. "This mission is risky, but the payoff is worth it. Whether it's proving our abilities to the President or making the Dark Sea Throne's first appearance, both are extremely important to us. We need to show the Dark Sea Throne's power and presence. Otherwise, even if we take down the Iron Anchor Gang, the people in the Slums still won't accept us."
Kendi lit a cigar. "I know, but something still feels wrong. I'll have a few of our best people provide cover from a distance."
Kate frowned. "I hope nothing goes wrong with this plan."
The clock struck three. Jenny, York, and Joe successfully slipped into Big Beard's house. Their smooth progress made Kate and Kendi feel certain that this mission wouldn't be as simple as planned.
Jenny, York, and Joe realized something was off, too. They halted and hid. They had barely found cover when they heard members of the Iron Anchor Gang surrounding Big Beard's house with torches. Big Beard stood in the yard, a cigar between his teeth. "Friends, come out. I know all about your plan. Don't bother resisting."
Kendi said furiously, "Some bastard leaked the plan! We have to hurry and rescue them!"
Kate stopped Kendi. "Don't act yet. This is too strange! They just snuck in and haven't made a move, and the First Army doesn't know about their plan. It couldn't have been leaked!"
Kendi slowly calmed down and thought it over. "Could someone else be making a move against the Iron Anchor Gang tonight?"
Kate was thrown by the situation, too. "Let's wait and see. I hope Jenny and the others hold their ground."
In the yard, Jenny, York, and Joe were hiding in a tree. Jenny signaled for the others to stay calm and not give themselves away. The situation wasn't in their favor, but they still had a chance to turn it around!
Big Beard said coldly, "If you won't come out, then don't blame me for forgetting our past friendship. Search!"
The people around them closed in, step by step. Just then, several people wearing red hats came out. "Caro, don't get worked up. We from the Red Hat are here to discuss something with you!"
Caro sneered. "You call sneaking into my house to search it a discussion?"
Kate and Kendi breathed a sigh of relief. Kendi swore, "Those bastards! Good thing they haven't made a move yet, or we'd have fallen for it!"
Kate smiled. "Captain Kendi, do you think the First Army has enough firepower to wipe out the people down there?"
Kendi grinned. "With our new equipment, that's not a problem!"
Kate turned to Donahue beside her. "Take out the Red Hat and Big Beard first."
Donahue nodded. "Killing him with this Hextech Rifle is letting him off easy!"
In the yard, Big Beard cursed, "The Red Hat has gone too far! You're practically shitting on my head!"
The Red Hat leader said, "Boss Caro, we're just checking your house's defenses for you—and borrowing a little money while we're at it."
Big Beard slapped him across the face. "Bullshit! If I don't chop you all to pieces today, how am I supposed to survive in Bilgewater?"
Just then, Kendi gave the order. "Fire!"
Donahue fired. The bullet pierced Caro's skull and sank into the dirt. Caro's body slowly crumpled to the ground, the expression on his face unchanged even in death! The Iron Anchor Gang members roared, "Those bastards have a sniper! Take them out first!"
The Iron Anchor Gang members drew their knives and set upon the Red Hat. Before the Red Hat could finish explaining, its members had been hacked into a bloody pulp.
Hearing the gunshot, the First Army put on their Sea Monster masks and raised the Dark Sea Throne's flag. Jiang Chuan had used Bilgewater's emblem from the game for the flag; it was instantly recognizable.
A hundred men sprang into action. After taking out Big Beard, Donahue set the Hextech Rifle aside and picked up his Mauser Gun to snipe at the people below. To Donahue, they were no different from dead fish that happened to move.
The First Army split into ten squads and closed in on the Iron Anchor Gang from five directions. It didn't take long for the Iron Anchor Gang to notice the unusual force. By the time they did, grenades and machine-gun fire were already coming their way. There was no denying that machine guns and grenades were devastating weapons. They were far more effective in a crowd than those single-shot guns. Many in the First Army envied the men who had been issued machine guns. What good were grenades compared to a machine gun? Its sweep was like cutting wheat—one burst took down a whole swath! Now that was a weapon for a real man!
The First Army's assault and firepower were beyond anything this ragtag bunch from the Iron Anchor Gang could match. Half an hour later, not a single member of the gang remained. Malzi took off his mask and laughed. "This machine gun is awesome! One sweep takes out a whole bunch! Damn, that's exciting!"
Bruno smirked. "Give me a break. Without our grenades covering you, do you think you'd have had it so easy? They would've shot you dead ages ago!"
Malzi scoffed. "Oh, give it a rest. If you're jealous, just say so. Don't make excuses."
Bruno looked at the machine gun in Malzi's hands and said nothing. He'd witnessed its power himself. There was no way it fired only six hundred rounds a minute. The smoking, red-hot barrel alone showed that its rate of fire was several levels above his Mauser Gun. Judging by the fight, getting hit meant almost certain death. The bullets used in the machine guns this time had all been specially made; they tore enormous holes in the body. Anyone hit couldn't possibly get back up and keep fighting.
Kendi, Kate, and Donahue arrived at the battlefield. Bruno reported, "Sir, the operation took thirty-two minutes. No one was killed. One person suffered a minor injury. Report complete!"
Jenny, York, and Joe stood behind Kate without a word. Kate nodded and smiled. "You did an excellent job on this mission. You didn't let Big Beard's bluff draw you out. We'll have a better meal when we get back!"
Kendi looked at Bruno in confusion. "How did anyone get hurt?"
Bruno said, "Sir, he twisted his ankle while climbing over a wall..."
Kendi shouted, his face dark with anger. "What the hell? He twisted his ankle climbing a wall? When we get back, everyone is getting extra training! We won this time purely through overwhelming firepower. It took a hundred men with weapons this good more than thirty minutes to take down a little gang! What are you even good for? You had no sense of teamwork. If you'd been facing enemies with the same equipment, you'd all have died a hundred times over! The point of our training isn't to overwhelm the enemy with firepower! It's to rely on our own hands! Get everyone in formation!"
Bruno stood at attention. "Yes, sir!"
"Formation!"
At the order, everyone stopped what they were doing, picked up their guns, and lined up in front of Kendi.
Kendi looked at them. "I'm very dissatisfied with this operation. It's as if all our daily training was for nothing. You threw everything I taught you about coordinated combat out the window. During the fight, someone even twisted his ankle climbing a wall! Have you forgotten how you trained? Every squad was completely undisciplined! Some of you even abandoned your teammates and fought on your own! Did you think this was a game? Also, from now on, all spoils of war, no matter how small or large the battle, must be turned in. No one is allowed to keep anything for themselves! Understood? You're no longer street thugs. You're soldiers, and soldiers have to act like soldiers! Did you understand what I said?"
"Yes, sir!"
Kendi nodded. "Now, everyone, clean up the battlefield!"
The First Army began stacking the Iron Anchor Gang's corpses together, and piled all the spoils of war to one side.
Beneath the moonlight, the Dark Sea Throne's flag fluttered gently. By tomorrow, all of Bilgewater would know that a powerful gang had risen in the Slums: the Dark Sea Throne!
Before you continue