Evening Game

Chapter 20

Bang.

The sniper roared loudly, sending a bullet traveling at around the speed of sound right through the air. From the gate to the bottom end of Hokisa was a distance of roughly one kilometer, so it took around three seconds for the first bullet to land on Mason. The game had reduced the speed of bullets to allow physical weapons a chance, but Mason was clearly unprepared. The first strike didn't kill him but threw him to his back. By the time he fell, a second bullet was already unleashed toward him.

The second bullet threw him to the side, while one of the two people that accompanied them brought out an energy sword and stood before him, protecting him from other attacks.

"Ck."

Chione clicked her tongue and rolled down the bridge, using the bridge's stone side wall to cover them. They moved from the bridge to a building further up Hokisa, moving into cover. The gate was located on the northeast of Hokisa, while they were in the southwest, probably the furthest point from Mason's group. Chione's sniper was too heavy for her to fire while carrying it, so she put it down and slowly moved out of cover. She then cocked her gun, preparing it for her next shot.

Mason had gotten up, the two guards spreading out while guarding their surroundings as Calista helped him up. She pulled the trigger, sending another bullet, but this time the target wasn't Mason. She took out the guard standing on the east. The one left of him, standing a bit lower and closer to Hokisa, heard their friend's groan and rushed to help. Chione turned the sniper and fired at the exposed Mason.

But Calista intercepted it, a bright green energy ax appearing in her hand.

"What the..."

Ethan let out a moan. Her movement was fast, as expected of her agility build. The energy ax was lighter as well.

"Let's go."

"Roger."

Chione fired one last shot, managing to hit and kill one of the guards. The guard let out one last angry scream and disappeared into the sky. Calista looked around and pointed toward them, and the remaining three rushed into Hokisa.

"Wait for them to get into the village, then we cross the bridge."

The three disappeared into Hokisa, their bodies covered by the wooden buildings that formed the village. Ethan and Chione ran back across the bridge. By the time they went to the middle point, they immediately stopped and duck down. They saw one of the guards about to cross. Chione quickly brought her sniper forward and fired.

The shot hits the guard's head, dealing significant damage. The guard immediately turned into shards and disappeared.

Chione saw bullets heading toward her and ducked down, the bullets flying right above her. The air became silent all of a sudden. They crossed the bridge and hid behind a wooden house. Right after the bridge was an intersection that connected the bridge to the middle and eastern roads.

"I'll watch the bridge, you watch the roads."

"Roger."

Chione swiftly moved back, taking cover behind a wooden house that occupied the southern side of their position. She switched the sniper for her handgun, while Ethan watched the northern bridge for crossers. Similar to the south bridge, the northern one had a small space between the bridge's side wall that acted as a safety barrier with the next house, giving a small space where Calista and Mason would be exposed had they crossed. The space was too small for Chione to get an accurate shot through. The second she fired they would already be behind cover, so Ethan took the task of watching that side.

Ethan waited for their appearance, but there was nothing. Chione now was hidden behind a different building, unseeable from Ethan's position. She hadn't fired a shot yet, meaning they were still far.