Chapter 7

Max and Sera approached the C-shaped building's entrance cautiously, their footsteps echoing faintly on the concrete floor. Max held his M416 tight, scanning every corner, while Sera followed closely behind with her UMP9. The tension was palpable, and every sound seemed amplified—the soft hum of the wind outside, the distant gunfire, and the faint creak of the building's metal frame.

"Stay close, and keep your ears sharp," Max whispered, his voice calm but focused.

They stepped inside, and the environment changed immediately. The narrow hallways of the building created an oppressive atmosphere. Fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting shadows that danced across the walls. Every few seconds, faint footsteps could be heard from above, signaling that another squad was nearby, searching for loot or preparing to ambush.

Max raised his hand, signaling Sera to stop. "I hear them. They're upstairs," he whispered.

Sera nodded, her grip tightening on her weapon. "What's the plan?"

Max smirked. "Simple. We take them by surprise. Follow my lead."

He crouched and moved silently up the staircase, his footsteps barely making a sound. Sera mirrored his movements, her heart pounding as they ascended. As they reached the second floor, Max peeked around the corner. He spotted a player looting near a window, completely unaware of their presence.

Max gestured to Sera to stay back. He aimed his M416, holding his breath, and fired a precise burst. The gun's recoil jolted his hands slightly, but the bullets found their mark.

Kill Feed:

Max (M416) knocked out Team 12 Player 3.

The player crumpled to the ground, their loot spilling out.

The sound of the gunfire immediately alerted the rest of the squad. Footsteps thundered in the hallway, growing louder as the enemies rushed toward their fallen teammate.

"Get ready!" Max barked.

Sera took cover behind a stack of crates, peeking out cautiously. Two enemies rounded the corner, guns blazing. Bullets ricocheted off the walls, sending sparks flying.

Max ducked into a nearby room, reloading his M416 with practiced precision. "Sera, suppress them! I'll flank!"

Sera nodded and leaned out, firing her UMP9 in controlled bursts. The weapon's recoil pushed against her hands, but she managed to keep her aim steady. The enemies were forced to take cover, giving Max the opening he needed.

While Sera kept the enemies pinned, Max slipped out through another doorway and circled around. He moved quickly but quietly, using the sound of gunfire to mask his footsteps.

As he reached the hallway behind the enemies, he spotted one of them reloading. Without hesitation, Max fired a single shot, then quickly adjusted his aim and fired again.

Kill Feed:

Max (M416) killed Team 12 Player 2.

The last enemy turned, realizing too late that they were being flanked. Max fired a short burst, and the enemy dropped.

Kill Feed:

Max (M416) killed Team 12 Player 1.

"All clear!" Max called out.

Sera emerged from cover, letting out a sigh of relief. "Damn, Max. That was intense. You flanked them like a pro."

Max shrugged, reloading his gun. "Experience. They were too focused on you to notice me sneaking around."

Before they could celebrate, a loud explosion rocked the building. The sound of shattering glass and crumbling debris filled the air.

"Grenade!" Sera yelled, diving for cover.

Another squad had arrived, and they weren't wasting any time. Bullets tore through the walls as the new attackers opened fire.

Max pulled Sera behind a doorway. "They're trying to corner us. We can't stay here."

"What do we do?" Sera asked, panic creeping into her voice.

Max's mind raced as he assessed the situation. "We'll use their aggression against them. Follow me."

He led Sera through a series of rooms, staying out of sight. The sound of footsteps and gunfire echoed through the building as the enemies searched for them.

Max stopped in a storage room and picked up a frag grenade from the ground. "Here's the plan. I'll throw this to flush them out. When they move, we take them down."

Sera nodded, gripping her UMP9 tightly.

Max pulled the pin and lobbed the grenade into the hallway. The explosion was deafening, and the sound of scrambling footsteps followed immediately after.

"They're moving!" Max shouted.

As the enemies ran for cover, Max and Sera stepped into the hallway and opened fire. Max's M416 roared, its muzzle flash lighting up the corridor. Sera's UMP9 rattled in her hands as she fired in controlled bursts.

One enemy fell almost instantly, but the others returned fire. Max darted back into cover, narrowly avoiding a spray of bullets.

His health bar on the HUD dropped slightly, and a red warning flashed. "I'm hit," he muttered, quickly pulling out a bandage. He wrapped it around his arm, and his health bar slowly began to refill.

Sera's chat was exploding with comments:

"Use the bandages, Sera! Don't die!"

"Max is insane! Did you see that grenade play?"

"This game is way too realistic. I can feel the intensity just watching!"

Sera took a deep breath and applied a bandage as well. "Max, these guys are good. They're pushing hard."

Max smirked. "Let them come. They're making a mistake."

He peeked out and fired a quick burst, forcing the enemies to retreat. Then he noticed something: the enemies were grouped tightly together, moving as a unit.

Max's eyes lit up. "They're too close to each other. Time to punish them."

He switched to his grenade launcher attachment and fired into the hallway. The grenade exploded in the middle of the enemy squad, sending debris flying.

Kill Feed:

Max (M416) killed Team 14 Player 2.

Max (M416) killed Team 14 Player 3.

The last player tried to retreat, but Sera was ready. She stepped out and fired a precise burst from her UMP9, dropping the final enemy.

Kill Feed:

Sera (UMP9) killed Team 14 Player 1.

The building fell silent once more, save for the distant sound of gunfire from other parts of the map.

Sera leaned against the wall, catching her breath. "That... was insane. How do you stay so calm during fights like this?"

Max reloaded his gun and grinned. They made too many mistakes—sticking together like that was their downfall."

Her chat exploded again:

"Max is a genius! That grenade launcher play was perfect!" "Sera, you're getting better!

Keep it up!"

"This game is giving me adrenaline just watching it."

Sera chuckled and looked at Max. "I think my fans are starting to like you more than me."

Max shrugged. "Let's just focus on surviving. The game's not over yet."