Tactical Victory

After passing through the massive chaos triggered by the pocket watch, Lin Jie and William finally stepped into the core area of the Gremlin nest.

The space here opened up, revealing an underground cavity formed by a combination of natural limestone caves and artificial pipes.

The thick scent of machine oil and metal in the air was almost palpable, and the "clanging" noise generated by the collision and friction of parts gathered here into a chaotic symphony full of industrial aesthetics.

Before their eyes lay a breathtaking spectacle.

A "Mechanical Shrine" over ten meters tall, constructed haphazardly from scrap metal, clockwork gears, steam pipes, and various industrial waste, occupied the center of the entire cavern.

The Gremlins were climbing up and down this "shrine" tirelessly, embedding the "sacred relics" they had stolen from the surface world one by one into this massive creation.

They were not building anything useful; rather, they were conducting a pure "sacrificial ritual" to industry and machinery.

At the very top of the shrine sat a Gremlin nearly twice the size of its kin.

Its fur possessed a deeper hue, and instead of holding parts like the others, it gripped a small hammer made of gears and linkages, tapping rhythmically against a brass plate as if conducting this grand construction.

Without a doubt, it was the "Artisan Leader" of this group of Gremlins and the final target of this mission.

"There are too many of them." The voice of Sergeant William carried a note of gravity.

He estimated that there were at least thirty Gremlins active on the shrine.

Once discovered and surrounded, even an elite hunter like him would be torn to shreds in an instant.

"That is why we cannot attack the leader directly." Lin Jie's gaze swept calmly across the cavern, quickly analyzing the terrain and the distribution of the enemies. "Attacking it head-on would only make us the target of every Gremlin here. We need to clip its wings first and create a larger distraction."

He pointed to an area on the left side of the shrine.

There, a few Gremlins—seemingly a "material processing" squad—were gathered around several dismantled alarm clocks, gleefully pulling out the springs and mainsprings.

"Sergeant William, do you see them? Those enemies are relatively isolated, the furthest from the core of the shrine, and their attention is entirely on those 'toys.' We can start with them."

A brand-new "lure and hunt" tactic quickly took shape in Lin Jie's mind.

"My plan is this," Lin Jie said in a low voice, speaking quickly to William. "I will use their hatred of order to lure them again. But this time, the target of my lure is not the entire group, but only that squad."

"I will peel them away from the main force and lead them toward the narrow passage we came from. That is where your marksmanship will be needed."

William immediately understood Lin Jie's intent.

This was a plan with extremely high risk but equally high reward.

It required the lure to have precise calculation skills and the sniper to have absolute confidence and marksmanship.

If any link in the chain failed, they could face the siege of the entire tribe.

"Are you sure about this?" William looked at Lin Jie, his eyes devoid of doubt, holding only the final confirmation of a partner.

Lin Jie smiled. He took another "small prop" from his pocket—a delicate silver music box for ladies, which he had bought on a whim during his previous shopping trip due to some intuition.

"Let us hope that the 'lullaby' discovered by the unfortunate Mr. Billy's grandfather can work its magic here once again."

The plan was immediately put into execution.

Lin Jie wound the music box, and a crisp, pleasant melody of Greensleeves drifted through the air.

He did not expose himself immediately, instead tossing the playing music box into an inconspicuous side path behind the "material processing" squad.

Though the music was not loud, in an environment filled with chaotic noise, that unique "sense of harmony" was like a needle, piercing precisely into the perception of those Gremlins.

Sure enough, the few Gremlins that had been dismantling the alarm clocks stopped their movements simultaneously.

The crystal lenses on their faces snapped toward the direction of the music, emitting an extremely irritable and restless "buzzing" sound.

After hesitating for a moment, they seemed unable to tolerate the tawdry tune that defiled their sacred work, and they truly abandoned their "toys," forming a combat squad and charging aggressively toward that side path!

They had been successfully peeled away from the main force!

"They've taken the bait!" Lin Jie whispered, then immediately retreated with William into another pre-set passage that formed a crossfire with the side path.

This location was far enough away to effectively reduce the influence of the mechanical curse, serving as a hunting ground specifically prepared for that Gremlin squad.

The white-stained Gremlins charged angrily into the side path, and they soon discovered the small silver box emitting the hateful sound.

Just as they prepared to swarm it and tear this "heresy" into pieces, a deadly tongue of flame suddenly erupted from the darkness on their flank!

Sergeant William finally displayed the terrifying true strength of a legendary veteran and a master marksman.

He did not use his Colt Revolver, but instead pulled a Winchester M1873 lever-action rifle from his back.

This weapon was known as "the gun that conquered the West" for its high rate of fire and reliability.

In William's hands, it became a precise scythe reaping lives.

William's shooting stance was as steady as a mountain.

He did not aim in the traditional sense; every movement—pulling the lever to eject the shell, chambering a new round, and pulling the trigger—was as smooth and fluid as a single motion.

This was no longer mere shooting technique; it was a killing instinct already fused into his blood and marrow.

"Bang!"

The first bullet precisely pierced the crystal lens on a Gremlin's head.

The little creature didn't even have time to let out a cry before it collapsed straight to the ground.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Immediately following were continuous, rhythmic shots fired without pause!

The muzzle of William's rifle seemed enchanted, with every bullet fired precisely seeking out those white figures moving at high speeds through the narrow corridor.

He did not waste a single round; every gunshot was inevitably accompanied by a Gremlin falling to the ground.

Lin Jie was only responsible for one thing on the side—keeping the beam of the carbide lamp firmly locked onto that area, creating a clear and bright field of fire for William.

This was synergy.

One was responsible for luring and assisting, drawing the enemy into the trap.

The other was responsible for damage and hunting, clearing threats with the most reliable firepower.

In less than ten seconds, that combat squad composed of Gremlins had been cleanly and thoroughly annihilated by Sergeant William alone with a single lever-action rifle!

When the last Gremlin fell, the entire underground cavity plunged into a moment of silence.

The main force of Gremlins in the distance also sensed the anomaly here, and countless crystal lenses turned toward this direction, emitting a vigilant hum.

But before they could organize an effective counterattack, Lin Jie and William had already retreated silently back into the deeper darkness after delivering the fatal blow, leaving no traces behind.

They had succeeded.

They had achieved a perfect "tactical victory" at the minimum cost.

After confirming they were safe, William slowly lowered the rifle that was still emitting wisps of smoke.

He turned his head to look at the panting young man beside him.

A smile appeared on his face.

"Kid, you were born for this line of work."