"Captain Scout, are you sure that woman W will keep her word?"
A Rhodes Island operator, codename Thumbtack, spoke hesitantly beside him.
Scout gave a wry smile.
"W and I go back a long way."
Even as he said that, he let out a quiet sigh.
"And besides, I don't really have a choice…"
Scout was a veteran operator of Rhodes Island. This time, he had led an elite recon team deep into Chernobog to rescue the Doctor. But once inside, the sudden emergence of both Reunion and Sarkaz mercenary forces left him despairing. Rhodes Island had sent only a limited number of personnel. A direct clash would mean annihilation.
That was when Scout made a deal with W, one of the Sarkaz mercenary leaders.
In short, he would assassinate W's boss leader of the Sarkaz mercenaries and in return, she would let the Doctor go.
A suicidal mission, no doubt.
"If my guess is right, the Doctor won't even be able to walk properly after emerging from that coffin. He'll only slow Amiya and the others down. If W doesn't keep her word, the Doctor might not make it out alive…"
Scout had already made up his mind.
"I believe the Doctor can bring hope to the infected no, to all of Terra. And for that, I'm willing to sacrifice myself."
He looked around at his teammates.
"This assassination is almost certain death. I won't force any of you to come with me. If you leave now, you might still have a chance to return to Rhodes Island."
"What are you talking about, Captain Scout?"
Thumbtack chuckled softly.
"We're here because we believe in you. And we believe in Rhodes Island. Don't ruin the mood with that kind of talk."
"Everyone…"
Scout looked at the resolute expressions on the faces of his squad and nodded solemnly.
Then, raising his sniper rifle, he peered through the scope toward the distant Sarkaz boss.
"The target is still surrounded by guards. A clean shot seems unlikely. We'll need to get closer. Proceed with Plan D."
"Wait! Hold on, Captain Scout!"
Thumbtack, peering through his binoculars, suddenly shouted.
"That guy... I think I see the Doctor!"
"Huh? The Doctor's here?"
According to their original extraction plan, the Doctor wasn't supposed to pass through this area.
Suspicious, Scout and the others turned to look where Thumbtack was pointing.
There, in the middle of the street, was a man in a black coat the signature outfit of the Rhodes Island Doctor. He ducked under a Sarkaz mercenary's cleaver with an almost theatrical spin, then landed a brutal kick straight into the man's groin. Without stopping, he let out a roar and lunged toward a group of other mercenaries.
"Run! Run for your lives! This guy's immortal!"
"He's a devil! If he gets close, no matter what you do, he'll kick you in the crotch!"
"He's terrifying! Someone stop him!"
Thanks to Spartan Wrath, Jay's health constantly regenerated. The Sarkaz mercenaries simply couldn't bring him down.
And because of the Family-Crushing Kick's 100% groin-targeting accuracy, even shield bearers weren't safe. Once they got close, they were doomed.
To the average male Sarkaz mercenary, getting stabbed or sliced was fine. Those injuries could be healed. Scars were even seen as badges of honor.
But getting your eggs smashed?
That left nothing. No legacy. No glory. Only pain.
Now, in front of Jay, the entire formation of Sarkaz mercenaries was collapsing in terror.
Behind him, Rhodes Island operators rushed after the Doctor, making quick work of any enemy left writhing on the ground from crotch trauma.
"That... that's the Doctor? He's soloing an entire unit of Sarkaz mercenaries?"
"This isn't how the Doctor was described in the reports…"
"Holy crap, I just saw him land another kick! My stomach hurts just watching!"
From the rooftops, Rhodes Island operators whether familiar with the Doctor or not were all stunned.
Thumbtack turned to Scout, his face a mask of disbelief.
"Captain Scout... the Doctor didn't slow them down. He completely dismantled the enemy…"
"Yeah… I see that…"
Scout mumbled softly, then suddenly lost his composure.
"Doctor! What in Terra's name are you doing?!"
…
But as an elite veteran, Scout quickly calmed down.
Through his sniper scope, he realized something: the Doctor's rampage had drawn most of the mercenaries away from their leader, leaving a critical opening.
"A perfect chance for an assassination…"
With the boss's guard down, Scout was confident he could take him out cleanly and silently.
He still didn't fully understand what was happening, but taking out the Sarkaz leader could only benefit Rhodes Island.
"Everyone, follow my lead!"
After a round of chaos, Scout's team regrouped in the sewers with Jay, Amiya, and the rest of the rescue squad.
Or rather, they didn't "rescue" the Doctor at all.
The Sarkaz mercenaries had proactively backed off and… "made peace."
After all, they were just paid swords. They weren't fighting for home or country. No amount of Lungmen currency was worth risking their family jewels.
Of course, Rhodes Island wouldn't know that for some time.
But starting today, an infamous legend would begin to circulate within the Sarkaz mercenary ranks.
The legend of the Egg-Smasher Doctor. A nightmare given human form.
Somewhere in Chernobog…
"Report, Leader Talulah. A group from Rhodes Island appeared in the area. They rescued the Doctor and drove off the mercenaries and our forces. They're heading out of the city now."
"Rhodes Island? What are they doing here at a time like this…"
Talulah's cold gaze gleamed with a dangerous light.
"If they dared come here… they'd better not expect to leave alive."