Chapter 196
Chapter 196
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: Trap (1)
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After confirming the zombie doll Oliver had brought, Jonathan and his team, along with Oliver, headed toward the Y District barrier.
It was a place no civilians without city permission could even approach, but in Landa, there was always a loophole somewhere.
Jonathan had used the connections Pinkman had built up over time to persuade the city defense forces. They got inside without much hassle.
"What if something goes wrong?"
"We're not involved."
After exchanging greetings with the barrier manager, the group passed by numerous soldiers and heavy weapons as they entered Y District proper.
The interior of Y District was as eerie as it had appeared in the footage.
You could really feel that this was a lawless zone officially abandoned by the city.
"Alright, let's go over the operation one more time. Please bear with me keeping it brief for quick discussion."
Oliver nodded as if it was no problem.
Jonathan pulled a small map from his pocket.
It was a Y District map made in-house by the Pinkman office, with the target location—the temple—marked in red ink.
"Here's the barrier, and here's where the auction items are gathered. As you can see, the distance is shorter than you'd think."
Everyone focused on the map.
"So the plan is simple. Hit the warehouse with overwhelming firepower, seize control of the fight, rush inside fast, grab the stolen goods, and get out as quick as possible. Time limit is 20 minutes... Everyone got it?"
Everyone nodded. Jonathan had explained beforehand that going over 20 minutes could bring enemy reinforcements or Y District scavengers looking for easy prey, putting them at risk.
In other words, it was a race against time.
"But not all the auction items are there, right? What if they dump or hide the rest quick?"
The muscular middle-aged brute named Bear asked the question.
True to his size, he was wrapped head to toe in much thicker, tougher protective gear than the other Pinkmen.
Like the others, it was fitted with magic stones, channeling mana in real time.
"Valid point, but we have to recover what we can first. Being too cautious might mean finding nothing. They could slip up in the panic. We've got eyes on the Landa black market and nearby ports, so we might pick up a lead."
Bear nodded, convinced. He didn't know all the details, but Jonathan's words rang true.
From his experience in this line of work, sometimes brute force with solid skills beat overthinking.
Jonathan went over the plan again.
"I'll notify you via the comms devices in your ears as time ticks down. Owl will alert you to any surprises—she's monitoring a few hundred meters around the warehouse."
Owl was the woman who had welcomed Oliver at the safehouse.
Jonathan's sole female subordinate, she handled support by monitoring the surroundings in real time with small golems and magic gear, relaying info to the team.
"Plus, Brook's providing live sniper support, so no worries. He gripes a lot, but his aim's top-notch. Just hold for 20 minutes, and we're golden. Any questions?"
No one had questions; it was the same rundown as before.
The goal was clear, the plan straightforward.
At Jonathan's signal to move out, Oliver asked the sniper and the corpse cannon—the new zombie doll—to head to their assigned spots, just in case.
"Help out when I give the signal."
"Kyahahaha..."
"......Grrrrr."
Step. Step. Step.
Led by Jonathan, the group moved cautiously toward the target.
Thanks to Owl outside Y District guiding them via comms along safe routes, they encountered no issues en route.
She'd redirect them just in time if someone was ahead, without wasteful detours, getting them to the objective in minimal time, safely.
Clench!
Jonathan raised a fist, halting at the alley mouth.
Oliver peeked out and spotted the ruined temple in the distance.
Same as the footage: ragged gang members and mutants chained up.
'About thirty... Some have exceptional life force... Definitely tougher than other districts.'
Oliver thought it over while extracting emotions with both hands, prepping two black magics at once.
One was Targeting, exponentially boosting accuracy. The other, black darts loaded with Wrath Boom.
No better combo for ambushing a crowd, he figured.
Once ready, Oliver cast Targeting first, scattering it over the enemies.
The black magic emotion morphed into smoky black wisps, darting to targets and shifting into black dartboards.
"Huh? What's this?"
"?! Ambush! Get up, you fucks!!"
A dog-like snouted gang member barked the alert. Quicker on the uptake than thugs from other districts.
He even sniffed the air and pointed straight at Oliver... too late, though.
"Over there. Right ther— Huh?"
Before the dog-snout could finish, Wrath Boom-loaded black darts swarmed him like hornets—not one, but twenty.
These Y District gangs were a cut above, sure, but overwhelming firepower made the difference negligible.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM—!!
He'd dialed back the power to avoid damaging the auction goods, but the blasts still ravaged the temple grounds, kicking up dust clouds lethal to people.
Beep!
"Twenty minutes starts now."
Jonathan activated the timer on his combat suit and charged.
The other Pinkmen followed.
All mana users, their physical prowess shone—they were at the warehouse in no time.
That was when—
"Weak-ass outsiders?!"
"Ballsy enough to come here?!"
Dozens of Y District gangs who survived the barrage burst through the dust.
"Turn those corpses into target practi—"
-Bang!!
One leaping from the dust ate a bullet mid-air and dropped.
Precisely, from a purple magic circle in the air.
Brook—the eye-tattooed Pinkman with Owl—firing support, popping off three more shots.
Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!
Three more barrage survivors crumpled, making the rest hesitate.
"Hyah—!!!!"
Bear, suited head to toe, unleashed bear-like strength, swinging his axe.
One massive magic bag over his shoulder meant no dual axes—his specialty—but still murderous.
Splitting four grown men at once.
A literal bear.
The charging gangs flinched instinctively, and Jonathan's crew exploited the gap, pushing in.
"Mow 'em down."
Bang—!!
Jonathan gunned down multiples with his revolver, drew twin blades, and dove into their ranks.
Bear and the rest poured through the breaches, shattering their lines.
Soon, the Y gangs lost the initiative and started fleeing.
Jonathan entered the temple interior with his order. Oliver replied he'd understood, as agreed.
Now, just keep high firepower on any approaching enemies until Jonathan emerged.
As two Pinkmen with SMGs joined—swapping close-range weapons—Oliver focused his eyes, scanning around.
Sure enough, crowds nearby.
Most unrelated to the fight, but some scavenged for pickings, others approached glowing with excitement, anger, or glee.
A few watched with interest and curiosity.
'...Interest? Curiosity?'
Oliver directed his black mage sight—spread wide—toward those emotions.
About a kilometer out. Another black mage, not amateur. Numbers—
Owl's voice from afar snapped Oliver back.
Jonathan's followed.
Ogreman.
Oliver had gotten the rundown from Jonathan right before the op.
One of Y District's prime threats: 3-4 meter mutant.
Like living tanks—could smash buildings barehanded; needed military heavy weapons to even dent their defense.
Impossible with standard gear. But Jonathan stayed cool, calling Oliver.
Can you hold? Oliver answered.
Chat over, Oliver focused his eyes.
As Owl said, enemies from both sides. Left emitted massive life force—twenty times a normal human.
Oliver hit the right path's midpoint first with black magic.
Grudge Trap from hate, grudge, rage emotions; Wrath Boom-loaded minions; hate bullet-stuffed minions, etc.
One Pinkman watching Oliver prep asked,
"Wouldn't it be better to use 'that' you're preparing?"
"Saving it. I figure aces are best kept in reserve. Ideal if you never need it."
Oliver replied from hard-won combat experience.
Thankfully, the Pinkmen didn't press.
"Prep done. I'll take the opposite side—you two hold here."
The Pinkmen gripped their guns tighter, acknowledged.
Oliver dashed to the left path.
Set Grudge Traps like before, spawned support minions.
Just finished when comms buzzed.
"Over there!!"
Y District gangs appeared from both temple sides.
Right flank: few mutants, but numbers.
As Owl said, armed with Y District homemade guns and bomb spears.
Not a big issue. "Homemade" didn't mean quality.
Some gems, but mostly trash.
"Shoot 'em t—"
-Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!!
Two Pinkmen holding off hordes proved it.
Superior fire rate and accuracy.
Despite numbers, Y gangs outgunned—odd situation.
More than that—pointless numbers just upped casualties.
"Fuck!! Rush and hack 'em!!"
One yelled. Eyes wild, they charged with machetes, scythes, axes.
That was more threatening.
Fast runners narrowing gap even under fire, then hitting Oliver's Grudge Traps.
Camouflaged traps glowed black, boiled like lava, exploded.
KABOOM!!
Volcanic blast shredded vanguard legs.
Followers faltered.
Oliver's pre-placed minions swarmed the panicked foes, self-destructing.
Hate bullet minions unleashed Hate Bullets in barrages.
Quick-thinking Pinkmen synced fire, mopping up fast.
"This side's smooth! Black mage, how's yours!?"
Oliver eyed the ogreman shrugging off Wrath Boom and Hate Bullets, replied,
"Uh... Not going so well."