Chapter 7 - Miscalculation
Rour glanced back at the Captain. His body was still lying there, motionless.
The helicopter that had been approaching the man moments ago, was now retreating, swerving away to avoid the falling barrels.
"The helicopter's leaving. Damn it. That man will die if they don't rescue him immediately. He's losing too much blood."
"Why are you guys still here?!" Leo almost tumbled to a sudden stop, nearly losing his balance as he spotted his comrades. "Move! Everyone else is already retreating!"
"Fall back!"
"Don't let more people die!"
"Save yourselves!"
The blaring of loudspeakers filled the air, layering commands over the chaos.
"Save as many lives as possible!"
Life is precious.
The phrase stood beneath the official state insignia. The one doctrine that Neo Schao had drilled into its people, the one truth they were taught to never forget.
Their ancestors had suffered through the wars of the past. It had claimed countless innocent lives.
Their loss leaving scars and grieves too deep to ever fade.
And so, when the Elder Eliteers built Neo Schao for the survivors, they established an unshakable tenet—nothing was more valuable than life itself.
Rour straightened. His thoughts racing. His gaze flickered between Slick Nick, the blood-drenched Captain, and the tide of Patrioteers retreating in unison.
His fists clenched before he grabbed Leo by the collar, pulling him closer with a scowl.
"You remember what I told the Commander earlier, right?!"
Leo blinked, startled.
"Answer me!" Rour demanded, shaking him.
Leo stammered, "T-The Weak Spot! The Weak Spot is inside the nostrils!"
"Both nostrils," Rour emphasized, his gaze sharp. His eyes burned with intensity, "And the tongue. Right on the tongue."
Leo swallowed hard.
"Tell the Patrioteer in charge of the missile section. Have them load the highest dose of anesthetic they can fit and fire simultaneously at all three points. Can you do that?"
Rour shook him once more. "Don't let your guard down, Leo. You're the fastest runner in our Squad. I'm counting on you."
Something in Leo's expression shifted. The hesitation melted away, replaced by a jolt of adrenaline that shot through Leo's veins.
He nodded firmly with newfound determination, "Understood!"
"Go!" Rour barked, sending him off in a sprint.
Rour wasted no time. He approached two unfamiliar Patrioteers, asked them to help him bring his injured comrade to the medical camp.
"Could you help me get him to the medical camp?"
The two hesitated only a moment before nodding. Together, they lifted Slick Nick and hurried off.
Tee, who had been witnessing everything, stepped forward. "Rour! Where are you going?!"
"You go ahead. I'll catch up," Rour said, already moving.
But Tee followed him.
Rour noticed and shoved him back. "No, Tee! Help Nick instead. This is too dangerous!"
Tee ignored the warning, grabbing Rour's arm to pull him away. "You're insane! What the hell are you doing running into that?!"
"Get away, damn it! I have to help someone! He's still alive!"
Tee frowned, still chasing after him. Rour knew he had no time to argue.
He focused only on reaching the Captain before it was too late.
They ran against the tide of fleeing soldiers, stumbling each time the ground trembled beneath them. Every step felt like a battle against gravity itself.
Reaching the Captain, he dropped to his knees beside him and pressed two fingers against his carotid artery again.
A pulse. Weak, but steady.
"He's still alive," he scanned the battlefield, looking for the fastest escape route.
And then his gaze flicked to the southwest—toward the hills where he had briefly taken shelter with Slick Nick. An open space, clear of debris.
"Let's get him up there. That's our best shot!"
"I don't think he's gonna make it, Rour," Tee muttered, grimacing at the amount of blood.
Meanwhile, Rour shook her head.
"He's still alive," he repeated, insisted. "The helicopter was going to take him, but it pulled back because of that damn creature. We have to get him there ourselves."
Tee sighed before gripping the Captain beneath his arms. Locking him in place.
"Alright."
Rour lifted his legs.
They hurriedly tried to adjust their pace and moved as quickly as they could,.
But the ground quaked once more, made their feet tip over.
Three of them fell together.. The Captain slipping from their grasp.
Tee cursed. Rour's breath caught as she checked the Captain again. Still alive. Still breathing.
"Are you hurt?" Rour asked Tee breathlessly.
"Nah. I'm good."
Rour scrambled back to his feet. "Then I ask for your backup. Take him so that he can be evacuated by the Medicineer immediately. I'll slow that thing down."
"What?!" Tee gaped at him. "What the hell are you talking about?! Are you insane?!"
But Rour wasn't listening anymore. He was already running toward the monster.
He took cover behind a mound of rocks, raising his gun.
The monster loomed ahead.
Its mouth opened and closed. Revealing a flickering tongue—short, reptilian, darting like a snake's.
It was still difficult for him to target his tongue. So, he aimed for the nostrils.
Rour didn't hesitate. His hand swiftly changed his ammunition to special anesthetic ammunition.
Fired.
The first shot struck—its body recoiled.
A second shot to the same nostril—its eyes widened, posture wavering.
Three more shots to the opposite nostril—the monster let out an enraged roar from its throat.
It stopped moving forward.
"Rour!"
His commander's voice rang in her earpiece.
"Commander!" Rour called. "The tongue!"
"What?"
"The tongue! It's like a reptile's. I'm not sure, maybe more like a snake—but short! Very short! I think you should target those three spots! Aim for the nostrils and tongue all at once!"
"Got it! Where are you positioned? Save yourself first," the Commander ordered.
"Is everything ready?"
"They are loading the anesthetic into the injector. One minute—no, I'll make it less than that."
"Understood."
After getting that confirmation, Rour prepared to leave her hiding spot.
But something was wrong.
The battlefield had emptied. The other Patrioteers had retreated far beyond the danger zone.
He was completely alone.
A realization hit him, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.
For the first time, fear clenched his chest. He rushed to run away.
The monster's howls rang in her ears, but he didn't dare look back. He just run and run.
Until the monster's foot slammed into the ground, sending a violent tremor that made the earth beneath him heave, throwing him off balance.
Rour fell forward.
Pain instantly exploded as her chin smashed into jagged rock.
Before he could get up and dodge, something massive crashed beside him. A barbels, striking right next to his prone body. It was probably less than a meter away. But it was enough to make his body jerk upwards.
Rour's breath hitched. Panic clawed at his throat.
He didn't realize his current position was already too close to the mindless monster.
He had no time to think, instinct took over. He rolled away from the giant barbels.
His hands rested on the ground and pushed his body up.
No hesitation, he ran. He sprinted.
He already had no time to look back just to ascertain how much danger lurked behind him.
But a split second of miscalculation cost him everything.
BBBAAAAKKKKK!!!
The monster's barbel lashed out, striking his left side with the force of a battering ram.
A sickening crackof his ribs echoed in his ears.
His body lifted off the ground, flung through the air, then colliding with unyielding rock.
Darkness swallowed him whole.
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