"Tiger I tank, defense 35 points, armor 280 points, cannon damage 300 points. Vulnerabilities: top, belly, tracks."
These were the details Shen Yi gleaned from his psychic probing.
"Wow," Shen Yi shook his head in admiration. A Tiger tank's offensive and defensive capabilities far surpassed anything he had encountered in his newbie missions.
Getting hit by one of these tanks meant almost certain death for any adventurer at their current level. The tanks' power even surpassed that of bosses, though they were less agile and had a slower attack rate with several weak points. The real problem was their sheer number.
Shen Yi and Wenrou were hiding behind a dilapidated house. "Three Tiger tanks, what do we do? Our firepower isn't enough to take them down," Wenrou asked.
"I'll handle it. Just give me the positions," Shen Yi replied coolly.
"You?" Wenrou was surprised, but Shen Yi had already readied a weapon.
"A portable anti-tank rocket launcher?" Wenrou exclaimed. "Did you prepare for this? Is it unlimited?"
Shen Yi smiled wryly and shook his head. "Impossible. It's just a standard model. It needs to be reloaded after each shot and manually aimed. It also has a significant recoil, costing the user 7 life points per use. A regular person would die from the recoil after about thirteen shots. But its power is decent, with a damage of 300 points and a muzzle kinetic energy bonus of 50 points. It has a 10% armor-piercing effect, effective only against large armored weapons. It can't attack adventurers, and its damage against people is reduced by 50%. It's a one-time item, only for this mission. Afterward, it disappears."
Wenrou chuckled and continued to observe with her binoculars. "One at 11 o'clock, one at 12, and one at 1 o'clock. Each is guarded by about thirty German soldiers."
"Got it," Shen Yi replied, loading a rocket. "I'll fire this shot. Whether it hits or misses, we move immediately."
"Understood. I'll cover you," Wenrou said, readying her light machine gun.
Shen Yi peeked out and aimed the launcher at one of the tanks. With a piercing whistle, the rocket zoomed towards the target and hit, blowing up the tank. Wenrou opened fire, taking down several Germans rushing towards them while the rest took cover.
"Let's go!" Shen Yi shouted, and they both ran to a new position.
As expected, the other two tanks began to turn their cannons towards their previous location, which was obliterated by their fire. But by then, Shen Yi and Wenrou had already moved to a new hiding spot.
Seeing one tank destroyed, many adventurers were reinvigorated. Someone shouted, "Whoa, who's the badass with a rocket launcher?"
Wenrou looked at Shen Yi. "You're becoming quite the idol, huh? No thoughts on keeping a low profile?"
"Low profile?" Shen Yi laughed. "You've been reading too many fantasy novels. This is a world of slaughter. Pretending to be weak is foolish and suicidal. The more capable you are, the more people respect and follow you. Pretending to be weak for a dramatic reveal? That's just irrational. To thrive here, you need to be bold when necessary."
In the harsh world of Bloody City, people followed the strong, not the weak. Waiting for pure friendship or recognition without demonstrating strength was a fool's errand.
As Shen Yi said, many adventurers started moving towards their location, attracted by the rocket launcher. Shen Yi never hesitated to display his strength, as long as he didn't reveal all his cards.
The effect was immediate and noticeable.
Wenrou expressed her admiration, "In this world, the one with the bigger fist indeed has the louder voice. I overlooked this aspect. You're right, being low-key without purpose is just foolish. Your rocket launcher is definitely earning you what you wanted. The expense seems worth it."
Shen Yi also smiled, "Actually, it wasn't that expensive. The launcher itself cost only 450 Bloody Points, but the rockets are pricey at 5 points each."
"How many rockets did you buy?"
"Seventy. Along with the launcher, it totaled 800 Bloody Points."
No wonder many adventurers didn't have such equipment. An 800-point consumable was a luxury for most. Only someone like Shen Yi, who had struck it rich in the newbie missions, could afford it.
"I don't know if it'll be enough. This is just the beginning. Who knows how many tanks and artillery we'll face," Wenrou furrowed her brows in concern.
Shen Yi spoke with an odd tone, "I don't know if it'll be enough, but I do know something else."
"What?"
"Destroying a Tiger tank rewards 25 Bloody Points," Shen Yi said, pointing to his Bloody Emblem. Wenrou's excitement was palpable.
To Shen Yi, however, such rewards without loot boxes seemed stingy compared to the riches of newbie missions.
"Report the positions. There are two more tanks. How about I take down one, and you take the other? I can lend it to you."
Wenrou smiled sweetly, "Thank you, you're really kind."
Shen Yi shivered, amused at being praised by a police officer when he was a top wanted criminal.
Following two loud explosions, the remaining Tiger tanks were hit and caught fire, eliciting cheers of victory from the adventurers as they charged again towards the German positions.
...
With the Tiger tanks destroyed, the adventurers launched their counterattacks. They were impressively skilled, employing a diverse array of attacks. Some controlled flying swords, others used nearby plants for attacks, and some possessed telekinetic abilities. A couple of adventurers even cast spells from a distance, creating spectacular scenes of ice and fire among the enemies.
These skills, being primary abilities, weren't powerful enough against the tanks but were more than sufficient for killing enemies.
Shen Yi and Wenrou followed the main force, using their guns as the primary means of attack, occasionally spraying bullets at nearby German soldiers. Many adventurers, rallying around Shen Yi, formed a cohesive group.
An adventurer who was hit several times and on the brink of death lay on the ground, unable to stand. He cried for help, but no one responded. In the heat of battle, everyone was busy saving themselves; aiding others was a luxury few could afford.
Shen Yi glanced at the injured adventurer and told Wenrou, "Wait here for me. I'll go help him."
Wenrou looked surprised but nodded in agreement. Shen Yi braved the gunfire and reached the wounded man, asking, "Can you hold on?"
"I'm about to die. No money for medicine... I want to go home..." the man groaned in pain.
Shen Yi, smiling wryly, placed his hand on the man's wound, "Hold on, I'm going to help you."
The adventurer felt a warm flow at his wound, which quickly began to heal, stopping the bleeding and alleviating the pain.
Shen Yi's medical skill was at level 2, capable of healing forty points of damage from a regular gunshot wound in one go. The adventurer, having only about ten life points left, was overjoyed as his life points were restored by half.
"A one-minute cooldown. I'll heal you again later."
"Thank you so much!" the adventurer shouted.
Returning to Wenrou, she looked at him in amazement, "Is that your skill?"
"Yes."
Many adventurers had witnessed the scene, and soon, cries rang out, "That guy can heal!" The impact of Shen Yi's actions was becoming increasingly evident.
A crowd of adventurers rushed towards Shen Yi.
A burly, short man shouted at Shen Yi, "Are you a doctor? Do you have healing abilities?"
"Yes, but I'm not a doctor," Shen Yi replied.
"Hey, kid, I'm hurt. Heal me," the adventurer demanded.
After a quick psychic scan, Shen Yi shook his head, "No need. You've only lost about ten life points. It's not serious. My healing ability has a limit and shouldn't be wasted on minor injuries. Also, I don't appreciate how you're addressing me."
The adventurer, furious, pointed his gun at Shen Yi and yelled, "Are you going to heal me or not? Don't push your luck!"
Shen Yi's gaze turned icy. "A warning: don't point your gun at me."
"I'm warning you too, 'doctor'. Don't provoke me. Don't think you're something special just because you have a rocket launcher!"
"I told you not to call me a doctor. In the 21st century, 'doctor' has become a derogatory term. I don't like it," Shen Yi replied, his lips curling slightly. Suddenly, he snatched the gun and fired it into the air, then turned his Spirit Fire Gun on the adventurer, hitting him several times in the chest.
The adventurer, shocked by Shen Yi's bold move, fell to the ground, not dead but severely wounded. Shen Yi looked down at him coldly, "To repeat: I am not some field medic; I am a butcher on the battlefield."
The other adventurers, witnessing this, stood frozen in shock.
Shen Yi stepped on the wounded adventurer, extinguishing the fire on his chest. "Injuries like this are what you can come to me for, at a cost of 30 Bloody Points per treatment."
Then he shot the adventurer three times in the head, killing him. "I don't leave loose ends," Shen Yi stated coldly.
Silence fell over the crowd. No one wanted to stand up for a dead man, especially not when Shen Yi was becoming their main force against the tanks and the only adventurer with healing abilities.
Showing not just force, but also resolve, was crucial. Only by combining both could Shen Yi quickly establish his authority.
PS: For those who enjoy exciting, fantastical cultivation stories, feel free to check out my other book.