According to the system's map, Kandah Town was nearly three thousand kilometers away, most likely the gathering place Jhon had seen the day before. Jhon had already transformed from his previous state, and after reaching level 10 in all his attributes, he could feel a tremendous boost in his abilities.
In just under ten minutes, Jhon had run two kilometers without feeling fatigued, a stark contrast to the past when even walking a hundred meters would leave him exhausted. This newfound strength was something he couldn't help but appreciate.
Suddenly, the sound of gunshots and roaring engines snapped him to attention. He quickly ducked behind some bushes, his instincts kicking in.
Gunfire, explosions, and the sounds of vehicles filled the air. It felt as if he had been transported into a warzone, straight out of a movie.
Looking ahead, Jhon saw three vehicles speeding toward him. The closest one was already near him, and about four to five hundred meters behind it, two more vehicles were in hot pursuit. One of the following cars had a large-caliber machine gun mounted on top, firing bursts of bullets.
Jhon, staying low and hidden, analyzed the situation. The fleeing car was being chased by a group that appeared to be heavily armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. As the vehicles passed, Jhon realized the situation was far more serious than he'd anticipated.
"Are you sure this is just a low-level mission?" Jhon asked, speaking to the system's assistant. "This looks like something far beyond basic."
The system's voice responded, calm as ever. "Host, the missions assigned are tailored to your current capabilities. While there are many anti-government factions in Kandah Town, there are also government forces engaging them. Your task is to rescue your target before the government forces are completely wiped out. If you fail to do so, the mission will be deemed unsuccessful."
"Why does it feel like the odds are stacked against me?" Jhon muttered under his breath. "I'm just one person, and I only have an AK-47. This seems like a suicide mission."
The assistant continued, "This mission is designed for your level of skill, Host. If you abandon it, a ten-fold penalty will be applied. Similarly, if the mission fails due to any personal reasons, the penalty will be the same."
Jhon gritted his teeth. "Fine. I'll take the challenge. But I better get a damn good reward for this."
With a deep breath, Jhon quickly resumed his pace toward Kandah Town, the distant sounds of chaos urging him forward.
---
Inside Kandah Town's makeshift hospital, the situation was dire. The facility, surrounded by barbed wire, had become a temporary refuge for those injured during the ongoing attack. Gunfire rang out intermittently, leaving everyone inside on edge, yet not a sound escaped from the patients or staff, aside from the occasional muffled groan of pain.
In one of the operating rooms, Dr. Jennifer Aniston was performing an emergency surgery on a government soldier, her hands steady despite the chaos outside. The nurse by her side rushed over with a concerned look.
"Doctor, we're out of blood plasma," the nurse said urgently.
Dr. Aniston didn't respond verbally but continued stitching up the soldier's wounds, her concentration unwavering. The town had been attacked by anti-government militants the previous day, and since then, injured civilians and soldiers had been flooding the hospital, putting a strain on its already limited resources.
"The patient is stable," Dr. Aniston said quietly once the soldier's wounds were closed. "He'll survive, but he needs blood."
As she stood back from the operating table, the exhaustion of the long hours weighed heavily on her. Her platinum blonde hair was matted to her face, and her blue eyes, though still sharp, showed signs of deep fatigue.
Stepping outside the operating room, two soldiers approached, their faces tight with anxiety. They spoke in the local language, their concern palpable.
Dr. Aniston reassured them. "The surgery was a success. Commander Sam will be unconscious for a while, but he will recover."
The soldiers nodded in relief but remained tense. "Doctor, the situation outside is getting worse. Those insurgents are too heavily armed. We're down to less than two hundred men defending this position, and we've already lost nearly half of them. The second team we sent for reinforcements hasn't reported back yet."
The gravity of the situation hit Dr. Aniston hard as she looked out at the injured civilians and soldiers, realizing the hospital couldn't treat them all. The sense of helplessness was overwhelming.
"How much longer do we have?" she asked, her voice strained.
The soldier's expression darkened. "We don't know. All we can do is fight, but we're running out of options."
Before Dr. Aniston could respond, a figure darted through the hospital's entrance, moving with incredible speed and precision. He grabbed the rifles from the two soldiers before they could react and swiftly disarmed them.