"I hate getting old"

Underneath the submachine gun was a type 3 grenade. He had barely managed to smuggle it in. It was an anti-tank hand grenade used during WW2 to destroy the Allies' tanks. The US had bombed the Japanese munitions manufacturing bases and so they were forced to make it out of cheap material.

This particular type 3 was a tear drop-like shape and was wrapped in a cloth bag made of hemp twine. The top was attached with a hemp tail to stabilise its flight and it was made with a very basic impact firing mechanism. It weighed over a kilo and was as big as a medium-sized conical flask.

On the pottery shelf, was a type 97 and type 98 grenade. These were the "non-grenades" that he smuggled along.

In the closing stages of WW2, Allied Strategic Bombing had destroyed most of the industries of Japan. In addition, Allied naval blockades and submarine warfare had reduced the transport of materials. So, Japan opted for inexpensive ceramic and porcelain materials in place of metals that were running low. The Japanese Navy Technical Bureau developed type 4 grenades which had terra cotta or porcelain fragmentation bodies.

Before Genji returned to Japan, he had hand-made two "pots" and put in fillings from the type 97 and type 98 grenades. These looked like porcelain gourds used for drinking and so made it easier to slip by. Genji had used the anti-tank grenade as a distraction for these two.

If his daughter found out that she had almost died from tipping over these delicate potteries, she would be ballistic!

Genji began setting up booby traps. He then loaded all his guns before entering the bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and took out anti-angina pills. Nitrates are the active key ingredient in those pills which widens the blood vessels to increase blood flow.

He couldn't risk a heart attack when he has reached the peak of his life. With trembling hands, he dropped them in his mouth and swallowed with a mouthful of water. This was what he was waiting for. The deities have finally called upon him.

Suddenly, he heard a high-pitch scream. He ran upstairs to take a look. He saw movement around a house on the opposite side of the street. He took aim and saw figures surrounding the house. He released his aim and walked back into the room. He came back out and put on his prescription glasses.

'I hate getting old.' He complained.

He aimed through the iron sights and steadied his breathing. A woman covered in blood ran out of the front door. Two people closed in on her. One of them grabbed her.

*Bang*

One went down and the other released her and looked toward the sound of the gunshot.

*Bang*

He went down with a bullet in his chest.

The lady had started up the car and was coming out of the driveway. Several figures came out from the shadows and converged to a white van.

Genji quickly ran back in the house. The lady drove off down the street. The white van lit up as its engine roared.

Genji came back with the anti-tank hand grenade and pulled the safety pin. He then hurled it ahead of time. The white van followed after her car until the type 3 grenade hit the windshield.

*Boom*

The grenade went off and combined with the ignition of the fuel tank created an explosion even larger than expected. A fiery red mushroom cloud burst out into the air and lit up the neighbourhood like fireworks.

The flash of the faux sun was not what residents first noticed. A deafening thunderclap rattled the windows and doors and shook random accessories of neighbouring houses followed by shots of debris and shrapnel into the walls of the closest houses.

Occupants screamed and ducked undercover. Despite the earlier gunshots, it took a while before somebody finally called the police. This is due to the bystander effect.

Several scorched limbs and body parts were scattered around the street. Genji was bathed in the blast wave which was so light that it gave him a gentle warm breeze.

The smell of burnt rubber and sickly scorched flesh filled his nostrils. He crinkled his nose yet he took a big breath, inhaling the glory he missed all those years ago.

Suddenly a middle-aged man with berserker's eyes rose in the air in front of him.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! *

He fell back down after being shot three times. Blood trailed behind as he hit the dirt. Genji was spooked that the old man had jumped a storey high.

'Are those the exosuits they've been talking about?'

Genji had heard about powersuits that could increase strength and accuracy but most were used for powerlifting heavy objects for logistical purposes. Militarised exoskeletons were still being developed for combat.

Genji postulated that they must be testing it in this black op mission. He adjusted his tactics as he accounted for their incredible strength and vitality.

*Boom*

One of the grenade-wire traps on the door handle of the backdoor had blown up. He went downstairs to see his door blown to bits and a few dead bodies. He tapped them in the head with his revolver.

Then he saw a parasite peeking from the blown-up backdoor. He shot with his revolver but he had already taken cover.

*Crash*

A parasite smashed the kitchen window. Genji turned behind and aimed but he was gone. He turned back to the backdoor and caught the guy peeking again. He fired another shot. Genji then picked up his smg and aimed at the wall beside the door.

*ratatatata*

Concrete in the walls exploded where the guy was standing and he jittered as bullet holes were punched into him. Genji was satisfied when he heard a thud as he hit the floor. He replaced the nearly empty magazine with a full one.

*Bwoom*

That was an explosion upstairs and was his last porcelain grenade trap.

***

Hikaru let go of the woman once his teammate's worm had exited the host body and entered the woman's ear.

After the first night of large-scale harvesting, Daichi had implemented a new step in their operation to tie up loose ends. They would take over one adult of the household who had some authority in the house to quit jobs and make excuses for the occupants of the house.

This was to avoid piling up missing person reports, suspected foul plays and assault as contacts in the police force have noted.

They got in the truck to deliver the load to Daichi's house. Along the way, a flash lighted up the sky and they heard a boom shortly after.

"The delivery can wait, let's make a stop there," Hikaru pointed at the source of the explosion in the distance to the driver next to him.