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Chapter 36: A Chaotic Scene
"Why are there gunshots outside?" Vi and Caitlyn were in the basement, able to clearly hear the "rat-tat-tat" sounds coming from upstairs.
"It's a heavy machine gun..." Caitlyn accurately deduced. "Right upstairs, modified; it's got heavy firepower... And in the distance, there are explosions? What's happening?"
"Hey!" Vi banged on the door, shouting loudly, "What's going on? Powder! Justin! Do you need help?" Amidst the crackling gunfire outside, Justin and Jinx each wielded a heavy machine gun, barely able to hear her shouts at all. Besides that, there were other sporadic gunshots and explosions. "It sounds like two heavy machine guns are exchanging fire with dozens of light rifles." Caitlyn didn't mention that she could tell the other guns were Piltover standard issue, meaning enforcers were involved.
"Dozens of them? Powder's in danger!" Vi got anxious, taking a few steps back before charging forward, slamming the door hard. "Don't do that! It's an iron door, very sturdy!" Caitlyn tried to stop her, but Vi seemed out of control, repeatedly and forcefully ramming the steel door, creating heavy thuds. Again and again, again and again... Caitlyn bit her lip, her eyes filled with a look of distress. Each time Vi collided with the iron door, Caitlyn's heart would skip a beat.
Suddenly, Caitlyn took off her top and joined Vi, slamming into it together! "You..." Vi pressed against the wall, looking at her in surprise. Caitlyn simply returned a helpless smile. "…Thank you!"
Things were looking dire. Justin's setup was originally designed to deal with Silco's forces, but these well-trained enforcers were not like the ragtag fighters from the undercity. Their organizational skills and combat experience meant that Justin's arrangements didn't quite work as intended. Moreover, for some reason, they seemed very urgent. Rather than hold their ground, waiting for reinforcements, they were pushing forward under heavy fire, leaving Justin and Jinx no time to reposition.
Justin feigned emptying his ammo, pretending to run out. The enemy was extremely cautious, not daring to reveal themselves, slowly advancing through cover. They used to charge when the firing stopped... they were able to time his reloading... Justin sighed heavily, preparing to resume firing, but he suddenly heard other noises. "What's that noise..." Justin listened carefully, discovering a series of thudding sounds coming from the basement. So what did Jinx lock in there... Justin shook his head, he couldn't worry about that now, he needed to keep shooting.
But wait! Something else was off! Justin raised his head abruptly, shocked to find a chainsaw cutting through the ceiling! Those enforcers had climbed onto the roof! "Jinx! Activate the mechanism, we're leaving!"
"Now? Leave..." Jinx's eyes showed a hint of reluctance; this had been their home for five years... If they left now, they might never return. "Don't hesitate, go!" Justin declared decisively, activating the mechanism, which could continue suppressing the area around the café for five more minutes. They had to leave quickly!
"Bang, bang, bang!" Justin pulled out a pistol and fired continuously at the ceiling. However, the bullets lacked the power to stop anything from cutting through. "Jinx, you go first!" Justin unsheathed a longsword, preparing to strike when the enforcers jumped down. If they both ran at once, the enforcers could shoot them in the back. "No! Use this!" Jinx tossed him a round object. Upon catching it, Justin exclaimed, "A proximity mine? Nice!" He quickly set up the mine, then he and Jinx grabbed their essential weapons and dashed toward the back door. As they passed the basement, they suddenly heard a bang—the door had been busted open.
"Vi?" Justin was dumbfounded. What was Vi doing in the basement? Wait, there was someone else with her, leaning together... wearing an enforcer's uniform? What was going on? "Justin? Powder! Are you okay?" Vi scrambled to her feet, her shoulder already swollen from constant banging. Jinx, behaving like a startled rabbit, hid behind Justin and even raised her gun. "Justin, be careful! They're the bad guys!"
"That's your sister, Vi!" Justin said, smacking Jinx lightly on the head. "You locked her in the basement these past few days?" "But she brought enforcers with her!" Jinx, acting like a wronged child, protested. "My situation isn't important," Vi quickly said. "What's going on here? Who are those people outside?" "Enforcers, apparently. Not sure why they found us." "It might be because of me," Caitlyn admitted. It made sense, considering her status as the daughter of a councilor, the enforcers would respond in force.
"And who on earth are you?" "She's the enforcer who was pursuing me earlier..." "Oh." Justin raised his gun, almost ready to shoot. "Wait!" Vi hurriedly stopped him. "Things are a bit complicated..." "Maybe we can talk about it after we leave." Three minutes had already passed, the suppressive fire was nearing its end, and the ceiling was almost sawed through.
"Let me just go talk to them," Caitlyn volunteered, "They're probably here for me." "Um..." Justin frowned. He didn't know who this enforcer was; she looked like she might try to escape. "Alright, go ahead." Justin finally decided to give her a chance. Caitlyn nodded, giving Vi a reassuring look, and headed straight for the door. "Wait! No!" Justin's mind was still in overdrive, struggling to process everything. He forgot to warn Caitlyn...
"There are mines ahead!" "What did you say?" The gunfire was too loud; Caitlyn didn't catch his words, turning her head as she stepped on something... "..." Caitlyn's expression changed to one of dismay. She asked awkwardly, "What did you say was ahead?" "Mines..." Justin was stunned, Vi was stunned, and Jinx was laughing gleefully. The enforcers who had just cut through the ceiling were just as surprised; looking down, they shouted, "Caitlyn? What are you doing? Come up quickly, we'll get you out of here!" "I, uh..."
The enforcers outside also rushed in, coming face to face with Jinx and the others, guns drawn simultaneously.