"Soldiers!! To the gate!!"
I was still in Chris's tent when there are loud shoutings sounded around us, followed by a lot of running footsteps.
"What is happening outside?" Chris also was curious, but mostly concerned. In this kind of place and time, it means there's something bad happening, something really bad. Suddenly, Barry opened the curtain and whispered.
"It's them. I already got the instruction, we need to move the civilians back into the buildings."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
There were several explosions outside. The tanks were effective in delaying the mobs. The tremors and vibrations were shaking the tents.
The outpost was built within hospital areas. This hospital was an old building but had a strategic position. It had huge parking lots and gardens making it an ideal place to install tents and store equipment. This also allowed an easier starting point for evacuating the civilians out of Paris.
However, because of this very reason that most civilians would rather sleep on the tents outside of the building while waiting for their turn to be brought onto safety outside of Paris. They were scared of the possibility that their turn would pass them and be given to others, filling the tents outside the buildings. This, in turn, would lead to heavy casualty if the genmas planned to raid the outpost.
Although the officers already warned them of the risk of staying outdoors. The civilian wouldn't merely accept what they believed themself. This would also lead the others to just follow those people's actions, leading to a chain reaction over and over again. Almost 70% of the saved civilians would choose to stay outside rather than inside. Now, what we need to do is evacuate these people into the buildings.
Chris's and my case was a special case because of the status that Barry's and Chris's had. They voluntarily chose to stay outside because their job was a police officer back in Raccoon City, although they were suspended. By staying outside, they would have an extra eye to monitor the situation and help when there's an emergency.
While in my case, children were the first priority to be moved outside of Paris as soon as possible.
"Edward, I don't know if it's hard for you but I need your help to evacuate the children. Remember don't make them too panic to move." Barry asked. He was also asked to help the children move into the hospital building, but the situation back in the children's tents was too sensitive.
Any single thing that happened today would lead to a psychological problem when they grew up, they shouldn't make it even worst than this. They would end in depression or become numb enough and turn into a sociopath. It was pretty rare to find a kid like Edward, Barry thought.
"Okay, I understand. See you later." Chris and Barry just nodded. I didn't wait for their answer and just run to my previous tent. The nurses were calming the crying children. The nurses were already informed of what was going on outside, but moving more than 20 children in one go was kinda hard, there were only two nurses and one doctor currently assigned in this tent.
I looked around. To do my plan, it required any kids that were tough enough and didn't cry at the moment. There was a girl, that looked younger than me just sitting there with long brunette hair and a white dress. I walked to her side and said, "Hello."
The girl turned her head and asked, "Who are you?" She tilted her head sideways while her finger was on her lips. My... My eyes!! It's too cute!!
"I...Uuuh... I'm Edward. We were asked to go inside, do you want to come?" I pointed at the hospital building outside the tent.
"Mm... Okay. I'm Lara." She nodded, the nurse already asked the children to move earlier, so I didn't need to explain. But somehow the name gave me an idea of who she might be. No way. Right? It would be just too much of a coincidence. Ignoring it, I then told her something.
"But, we have to hold hand."
"Why?" She tilted her head again. Kuhh... Is it my 8 years old heart? Or that I'm slowly turning into a pedophile?
"It was so the bad guy wouldn't catch us. You also need to hold another friend's hand."
"Ohh I get it." She then reached another girl's hand and asked them to come with us while also telling the girl to hold another kid's hand. It keeps repeating until we formed a line like a train. The nurse watching finally breathes a sigh of relief. They then lead us into the building.
"Do you live here Lara?" I asked her while walking.
"No, I was visiting granny. It was her anniversary. There was a party and a huge cake and then I become snow white and then..." Lara suddenly talked so much about her experience. It seemed that she didn't understand the calamity befalling us right now. What a bright kid.
Walking into the building wasn't that hard, but with the occasional vibration and loud noises, it makes the children slowing down occasionally.
After we arrived on the second floor, we were assigned to an auditorium. It was where doctors would hold a meeting when there were difficult medical cases, so there was a lot of table and chairs stacked up near the windows. The windows were nailed with boards and the unused table, so it was dark and dim inside the room if there was no electricity. The only source of light was the neon light installed in every room and corridor. Although the electricity was down, the generator in this building seemed to be in good condition.
Now, all I need to do is start making a plan and leave this place.
"Regina, how many genmas are we fighting now?"
[From the amount of energy, far too many, Sir. Unless there is reinforcement from outside, this outpost would collapse sooner or later.]
"Do you have any plan in mind?"
[There's only two, Sir. Either you face them head-on or Snipe the strong one from the rooftops.]
I was seriously thinking about the plan given. Facing them head-on, although it was much simpler, the risk was too many. There was a possibility of being surrounded and it would waste so much energy to stay on the battlefield in the long run. The second plan was much better, although it wouldn't change things in the short term. I could snipe out the dangerous one like Genma Ogre's while staying safe. Let's use the first plan when the barricade was breached.
I watched the situation inside the room. Once the nurses and doctors are being busied by the kids, I snuck out of the room unnoticed. The destination was the highest floor, the rooftops were accessible through the emergency staircase.
While I was walking through the corridor. There was an empty room filled with soldiers uniforms and equipment. It was moved earlier when the tents on the parking lot were occupied by the ignorant civilians.
Too bad I couldn't see any firearms or ammunition. I glanced at the table near the door, there was a gas mask that was used by special forces.
I took it and wear it while climbing onto the rooftops. Once outside, I pull down my jacket's hoodie and brought out the FR F2 in my spatial pocket. I reinforced every equipment I had on me.
---
The rooftops were only equipped with wired railings, so it was easy to just prone and aim from here. I spread the bipods and looked for a target. The first one to eliminate was the Genma ogres. They were big enough to face a tank face on, and also several of them were jumping from building to building looking for the soldiers assigned there.
Looking at their orderly and planned movement, there must be a higher rank Genma commanding them right now.
BANG! Katcha.
An ogre that was still in the midst of leaping was shot on his head. It fell 20 meters down on a group of charging Genma, crushing them. Seeing that it still wiggling I followed up with another shot to finish it.
BANG! Katcha. BANG! Kacha. BANG! Kacha...
I didn't stop shooting and reloading. The soldiers on the barricade were amazed at watching ogres falling one after another. They also followed their own shooting. This was a defensive war, no matter what, they would not let anyone off the Genma breach this barricade.
The amount of Genma was endless, but we have tanks and heavy machine guns. Unless there was a problem with the radios and no message was exchanged between outposts, there is a chance to survive this predicament. Hope was all they need to keep fighting.
EXP keeps flowing on the screen beside me. Under it was another screen listing my character information.
[Edward Kavka]
[Level 10 - Mercenary]
[STR - 14]
[DEX - 21]
[CON - 10]
[INT - 9]
[Unused stat points - 5]
[Main Power: Reinforcement]
[Special Ability: Reinforced Body, Permanent Reinforcement, Personal Assistant, Eagle Eye]
"Regina, from now on distributing every single point I have into INT until I got 21 points."
[Affirmative. What do I assign the rest after, sir.]
"I will leave it to your choice."
First, what I need is mental power to keep up with my use of reinforcement. I can't allow myself to pass out in the middle of battle.
"Ammunition! We need ammunition!"
"Form two squad to relief the pressure on the north side!"
"Medic! We need a medic!"
"The south barricade was almost besieged, Jonathan goes with the medic team and supports them."
"Where's the ammunition!? Faster! Faster! Faster!"
Command after the command was being shouted by each battalion officer. This was a crucial battle. Bit by bit the pressure from the Genma was crushing them. Bullets after bullets were being sprayed toward them. However, it didn't stop them. Slowly, bit by bit, the distance was getting closer. And when the shootings stop, that will be the end of them.
Every soldier here, all of them already expected the impending doom. However, their job was buying time, not winning it.
I almost ran out of magazine clip, this wasn't ending well, and I need more experience.
Bang! Kacha. Bang! Kacha. Bang! Kacha...
<+350 EXP>
<+350 EXP>
<+350 EXP>
[Distributing stats to INT]
I need more seven more to go. With the rise in INT, I felt refreshed.
"Regina. How many times I could use reinforcement before I collapse?"
[With the raise of INT stats, there was room to use it more. 10 would be the limit, for now, Sir. Any more than that would weaken your body. Then after another 5 times, it will endanger your life.]
"What if I got leveled up again, and distribute it all into INT?"
[Your mental power would be expanded so that you could do more, sir.]
"How long would it be until the soldiers' ammunition ran out?"
[Another 30 minutes, Sir.]
I smiled, so wide it might reach my ear.
Good! The stage was set and I have my own Army. Thus, lets begun the endless grinding!
"REINFORCE!"