The Germans' sixth wave of assault was finally repelled.
In this battle, Shen Yi's wild performance was an eye-opener for everyone.
"You're freaking insane!" Hong Lang pointed at Shen Yi's nose and cursed, then shook his head, adding, "But I like your madness."
Shen Yi lay atop a sandbag, humming in response, dismissive of Hong Lang's comments.
Jin Gang asked him, "How many uses of your bulletproof gear do you have left?"
"Three," Shen Yi replied. His recent frenzy had led to him being shot seven or eight times, effectively 'dying' that many times. He then chuckled, "One Stuka bomber for a hundred bloody points."
"Holy cow!" Hong Lang punched the ground, creating a large crater.
Wen Rou suddenly sat up. "Can your anti-tank gun shoot (down) planes?"
"Of course, but there aren't many rockets left," Shen Yi replied with a smile. He pinched Wen Rou's cheek. "Didn't expect you to be such a little money-grubber, getting all excited about bloody points."
Wen Rou glared at Shen Yi with a 'killer' look, then softly said, "Thank you for saving me just now."
Seeing Shen Yi taking bullets for her and then rushing out to fight the German planes made Wen Rou feel secretly pleased.
"You're welcome," Shen Yi responded.
Silence suddenly fell over the scene as Jin Gang and Hong Lang both stopped talking, creating an eerie quiet.
Wen Rou, puzzled, looked at them and found them staring at her chest.
She glanced down, her face reddening instantly.
Wen Rou's clothes had several bullet holes from when she was shot, one near her chest. In the heat of battle, nobody had paid attention to this. But now, as things calmed down, the sight of her partly exposed through the torn fabric had captivated the two men.
"A bunch of perverts," Wen Rou said with a mix of embarrassment and anger, tightening her clothes and kicking both men.
Hong Lang, nursing his kicked leg, grumbled, "That guy was just touching your boobs, and you didn't scold him. Ah, life's unfair."
Wen Rou retorted in embarrassment and anger, "He was trying to save me, that's different!"
Jin Gang immediately added, "Oh? Now that you mention it, I remember Shen Yi's healing technique requires direct contact with the wound. So, if you get hurt again, and it's in an... inappropriate place..."
Everyone fell silent.
Shen Yi was also stunned.
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and then he exclaimed, "Damn, now I know why this skill is called Shameless Healing. It must've been invented by a pervert. Its purpose isn't what we originally thought; it's all a lie! Its real purpose is to pick up girls!"
Who in the world can legitimately and legally undress an unfamiliar woman without worrying about harassment charges?
The answer is simple: a doctor.
The adventurer who invented Shameless Healing was an absolute lecher, a man obsessed with women's bodies. He specially developed this skill that requires close contact for healing, not to save mental energy, but to flirt and legitimately handle women. In some specific worlds, like ancient China, where women had strict physical contact restrictions, and in many dynasties where a single touch meant a commitment to marry, this healing technique would have allowed its user to thrive in many worlds.
It could even garner support from certain female factions.
It was hard to believe that the inventor of this healing technique's initial purpose was not self-healing, but to pick up women. Had it not been for the name "Shameless Healing," Shen Yi would never have believed such an adventurer could exist in the brutal world of the Bloody City.
But one had to admit, it was an incredibly imaginative and practical method for wooing women.
Speaking of his attitude towards women, Shen Yi was not prudish, nor was he one to turn away from a woman's advances. However, the idea of deliberately cultivating a skill solely for the convenience of seducing women was something he couldn't bring himself to do. Realizing this, Shen Yi couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and disbelief.
Indeed, the skill was excellent, but it seemed overly shameless.
Hong Lang and Jin Gang looked at Shen Yi with envy, wishing they could possess such a skill.
"How come I don't have a skill like that," lamented Hong Lang.
"Shut it," Shen Yi retorted irritably, "Today's over, and the Germans probably won't attack tonight. We just need to hold out for three more days, then we can all return to the city. Everyone's going to earn a hefty sum of bloody points, at least five thousand five hundred. Once back in the Bloody City, you can play around with as many women as you want."
Hong Lang just shrugged his shoulders.
Three days, only three more days.
But would these three days be easy?
Today, even bombers had joined the fray.
In the coming days, planes, tanks, and artillery, along with massive waves of German troops, were expected. How could the half-battalion and the adventurers hold out?
Hong Lang sighed, lying down without saying a word.
The German assaults that followed grew even more ferocious.
Each wave was stronger than the last.
Tanks appeared in dozens, and the number of planes in the sky increased to seven or eight, sometimes even over ten. The attacking forces surged in whole companies and battalions. Repelling one enemy attack only led to a larger-scale assault a few hours later. The 2nd Airborne Battalion was running critically low on weapons and ammunition, with battlefield scavenged supplies insufficient for their needs. Some soldiers even resorted to close combat and suicide attacks, occasionally rushing under enemy tanks with explosives.
The 2nd Airborne Battalion's casualties rapidly increased, and even Shen Yi couldn't save many.
Their situation worsened, and the adventurers weren't faring much better. Most of their bulletproof gear was depleted, leaving them to rely on physical resilience and Shen Yi's healing.
Wen Rou's Kevlar vest was destroyed from continuous attacks and was now unusable. Luckily, Shen Yi had brought an extra, which he gave to her.
Moreover, rocket ammunition was nearly depleted. Despite Shen Yi's efforts to conserve, using them only when absolutely necessary, it was hard to withstand the relentless assaults of tanks, artillery, and planes.
The need for rocket launchers was immense, but the ammunition was limited.
The other adventurers were also running low on bullets. Apart from four sniper rifles with ammunition, two 62mm caliber Gatling guns were out of ammo. The two adventurers wielding them resorted to using scavenged weapons from the battlefield. However, on the eighth day of fighting, these two adventurers were killed in a barrage from tanks and artillery.
Of the original 21 adventurers, only 17 remained, one severely injured, four riddled with bullets, and more than two-thirds without functional bulletproof gear.
The adventurers began to feel the shadow of death looming over them. With ammunition depleted and protective gear ineffective, their melee skills were ineffective in this mass warfare. The enemy was growing stronger, closing the gap. The adventurers' abilities were no longer significantly different from regular soldiers.
Severe shortages of weapons and ammunition forced some adventurers to use the grey-box rewards they had earned – the Schmeisser submachine guns redeemable for bloody points.
Some began to regret accepting this optional mission, cursing Shen Yi for leading them to their deaths, wishing they were back in the city enjoying life.
On the ninth day of fighting, two more adventurers died.
One of them was Ah Sheng, a big boy from Hong Kong.
He was hit by a German tank, the 300 points of high damage blowing him to pieces.
He could have survived, but his death was due to a cowardly, obese man who retreated in fear during the battle. As he fled, he ran towards Ah Sheng and another adventurer's hiding spot, drawing the attention of a German tank. A single shell from that tank killed both Ah Sheng and the other adventurer.
Ironically, the fat man who had brought them this deadly misfortune only suffered minor concussions.
This incident left all the adventurers and soldiers of the 2nd Airborne Battalion in deep sorrow and anger.
After the battle, the fat man was tied up.
An adventurer angrily pressed a gun against the fat man's head, shouting, "You coward, I've disliked you from the start. Useless, scared, and even retreating in battle! Why didn't the Germans just bomb you to death! But it's fine, if they won't kill you, I will. It'll save us all from more trouble!"
"No, please! I didn't want this!" the fat man cried, kneeling in terror. "Don't kill me, you'll lose your team reward qualification!"
"You're right about that. So, I won't kill you. I'll just break your legs, tie you up, and leave you for the Germans," the adventurer sneered, aiming at the fat man's thigh. Suddenly, a hand reached out, pushing the gun upwards, and a burst of bullets flew past the fat man's face, terrifying him further.
It was Shen Yi.
"What are you doing?" the adventurer yelled.
"You can't do this," Shen Yi said coldly. "We need every hand we can get right now."
"This fat guy is useless! He's only caused trouble, leading to the death of two of our men! Why keep him?" the adventurer shouted in anger.
In fact, aside from Shen Yi, everyone thought the fat man was useless, contributing nothing but setbacks.
"Still, he has a gun, and there are bullets in that gun," Shen Yi pointed out.
"That's because he barely ever shoots," the adventurer replied with a sneer.
"That's why he has value. Besides, he can create psychic energy armor, increasing our survival odds," Shen Yi said. Then, addressing the fat man, he added, "Of course, considering his mistakes, he can give up half his bloody points to the team after returning to the city."
This proposition made the adventurers hesitate.
The adventurer thought for a moment, then nodded, "Fine, but not half. All of it."
"Two-thirds," Shen Yi countered. "Don't be too harsh; leave him some hope. Let him keep the main mission's bloody points."
Everyone eventually nodded in agreement.
Jin Gang nudged the fat man with his gun. "Well, do you agree or not? Got nothing to say?"
The fat man shouted, "I agree! I agree! Just don't kill me, I'll give everyone my bloody points after we return!"
"First, distribute the 1,700 points you've already earned. There are 15 of us, so each gets 113 points now. After returning to the city, you'll give up the rest and sign an agreement to spare your life!"
The fat man had no choice but to agree.
Shen Yi suddenly said, "I won't take my share this time. Give my hundred or so bloody points to Hong Lang, Jin Gang, and Wen Rou."
Saying this, he turned and walked away, leaving everyone stunned.
Hong Lang, bewildered, asked Wen Rou, "Why's he suddenly so generous?"
Everyone was puzzled, except Jin Gang, who seemed to be thinking deeply.
Sitting on an abandoned tank in the middle of the battlefield, Shen Yi's eyes were half-closed, staring at the distant soldiers, his thoughts unknown.
Hong Lang approached and sat beside him, offering a cigarette. "Want one?"
Shen Yi took it and, thinking better of asking for a light, used his Linghuo gun to ignite it, burning half the cigarette in one go and taking a deep drag. "Strong!"
"Stronger than your gun, but not as strong as your heart," Hong Lang remarked.
"You guessed it?" Shen Yi asked without looking at him.
Hong Lang sighed. "It was actually Jin Gang who figured it out, but he only told me and Wen Rou."
"Jin Gang is no simple man," Shen Yi chuckled.
"He's an adventurer who's been through one newbie mission and four official ones. He's experienced," said Hong Lang. "I have to admit, Shen Yi, coming up with using the fat guy to lower the average contribution level is genius. Once this is over, you'll be rich again."
The real reward for this optional mission wasn't the 4,000 bloody points but the highest team reward based on contribution ratios. According to the rules of the Bloody City, the highest contributor in the team could earn special rewards, elevated one level for every ten percent above the average contribution ratio.
Due to Shen Yi's significant contributions in this battle, including the 2nd Airborne Battalion's operational contribution, his first place in the contribution ranking was almost certain. His healing skills, rocket launcher, and the strategy of delaying the enemy for three days to capture the bridge were likely to be counted in his contribution. Thus, after the mission's conclusion, as long as Shen Yi survived, he was expected to earn nearly half of the total contributions. However, Shen Yi wasn't satisfied just yet.
The existence of the fat man made Shen Yi realize an interesting fact – this was a person with almost zero contribution.
Since his contribution was negligible, the fat man's survival undoubtedly served to lower the contribution ratio of all surviving adventurers. If fewer people survived, this reduction in the average contribution ratio could be significant.
This was why Shen Yi didn't let the fat man die. His presence played a crucial role in the rewards Shen Yi might receive, potentially helping him break through an extra ten percent in the contribution ratio.
In this brutal, bloody world, maximizing one's gains was vital for survival. Mere hard work without strategic thinking was not enough. It's like doing business; you need not only to complete transactions but also maximize benefits and minimize costs.
In any world governed by rules, there are always exploitable loopholes.
These loopholes might not be obvious or even necessarily effective, but as the saying goes, attention to detail is the path to success. It's important to have a big-picture perspective, but details are equally crucial.
The difference between success and failure often lies in these small details.
Shen Yi recognized this key factor, which is why he preserved the fat man.
"Am I despicable?" Shen Yi asked Hong Lang.
Hong Lang chuckled, "In a world where the strong prey on the weak, benevolence doesn't work. The fat man is useless and you have no particular bond with him. If you were protecting him without any benefit, I'd say you wouldn't go far in the Bloody City. This world is no place for saints. As for now, I actually respect you more."
Shen Yi also smiled, "Since you say so, help me out later. Take the fat man to the back of the bridge and leave him with Frost. Keep him out of the fight."
"Worried others might target him?"
"Who knows. If Jin Gang figured it out, others will too, eventually. Jealousy is a dangerous thing. Some would rather have less for themselves than see you get more. They won't dare touch me, but they might go after the fat man. It's better not to give them the chance. Sometimes, people turn bad because you give them the opportunity to do so. Like if you leave your door open all the time, your neighbors are more likely to steal. Besides, the fat man is no use on the front lines and might cause more harm. Oh, and make him leave his gun and bullets; just give him a pistol."
"Okay," Hong Lang agreed. "By the way, where are you from?"
"W City. Why do you ask?"
"Just curious. W City, huh... Close to S City. I hear it's well-developed, nice environment. And the girls there have soft skin, right?"
"Something like that," Shen Yi replied indifferently. "And you? From Shaanxi?"
"Heh, you could tell. I'm from Xi'an," Hong Lang said, lying back on the tank. "It's not as nice as your place, but it's still home. Sadly, I might never see it again."
"Not necessarily. There are wish missions, you know."
"With my skills, do I look like someone who could reach Marshal rank?" Hong Lang laughed, a trace of sadness in his voice.
Shen Yi was about to speak, but Hong Lang gestured him to stop. "I know what you're going to say, but don't. I know what I'm capable of. I'm not much better than the fat man. Maybe I'll survive a few more rounds, but the end is the same. It's a death game. Maybe one in ten thousand can leave alive, but that person won't be me. If I had to bet on someone making it out, it would be you."
Hong Lang spoke earnestly and seriously.
Shen Yi paused, then threw away his cigarette. "Don't talk such nonsense. Life and death are destined; wealth and honor are in heaven's hands. Do your best and leave the rest to fate. No one's fated to live or die." He patted Hong Lang, "I say we can all make it out alive."
"You know how to comfort people," Hong Lang smiled. "If that's the case, I'll treat you to our local mutton stew when we get out. You'll like it. You might be from the south, but you're as tough as any northerner, just sometimes overthinking."
Shen Yi chuckled, "Alright, if we get out, I'll take you up on that mutton stew."
"Deal," Hong Lang nodded. He suddenly pulled out a notebook, wrote something down, and stuffed it into Shen Yi's pocket. "This is my family's address and names. Keep it in your Bloody Emblem, in a permanent space."
"You're well-prepared," Shen Yi said, taking the notebook.
"Help me out, brother. If I die and you make it out, visit my family. Check on my parents, see my sister..." Hong Lang said earnestly.
Shen Yi looked at Hong Lang, momentarily speechless.
He suddenly understood why Hong Lang was telling him all this.
He was giving his last words.
Realizing this, Shen Yi gave a bitter smile.
He lay back on the tank, soon falling into a deep sleep.
He didn't know how long he slept, but he awoke to a rising sun in the distance.
The tenth day had finally arrived.