BXBX NOVEL Chapter 204: How many? [1/2]
For the next few missions, 2nd A tweaked the runs for maximum efficiency. There were many factors that contributed to the 2nd A's breakneck pace.
First, Yvonne continued to add blessed rounds to our ammunition. They also began referring to the blessed rounds as "Sacreds". Throughout the night, her side was able to create an additional 200 blessed rounds.
That should have been 200,000 souls, but Yvonne made a suggestion.
"Limitless, since these were made with {Rewind}, we will only charge 200 souls for each Sacred. However, if the 2nd Amendment requires recruits, Golden Wick will be your first resource pool."
I had no reason to refuse, so I accepted the new prices and the additional clause.
Second, after the Fifth Zone, Addison arrived with the floodlights and barbed wire. This added utility to the 2nd Amendment's defensive capabilities. The squad members divided the equipment as their {Auto} and added the defensive wiring before the fighting began.
With the additional lighting, there was no need for tracers. Thus, Scott went back to using armor-piercing rounds. Surprise attacks were greatly reduced as visibility improved, reducing the overall difficulty of each zone.
The barbed wire was placed in large circles around our kill zones, rogue zombies now get stuck on the wire when they tried to sneak past me or Angela. These two items turned most of the fights into turkey shoots.
Third, after the ninth siren, Cynthia brought three more {Honey Traps} for 50,000 souls each. The team decided that Angela would carry two of them, while Warren would carry the last soulgear.
These last changes reduced the tension so much that the bastards even started chatting while dropping zombies like clay targets. One of the most interesting discussions they had was about their {Fates}.
"If everyone doesn't mind, would you like to share our {Fates}? I have nothing against the Formless, I am just curious and I think everyone is bored, right?" Claire asked, obviously looking for something to pass the time.
Almost anything was better than listening to zombie groans and gunfire for hours. Everyone responded positively, so the exchange began. They began to discuss over the noise.
"Since everyone agreed, I will start. My {Fate} is called {Paladin}. I am part English, so I wanted to be like the crusaders in the Middle Ages. It is up to level 3 and has {Serenity} and {Purge}."
Claire called up a white battle robe, then continued.
"{Paladin} makes my body move more fluidly and I can purify things I touch. {Serenity} calms my mind, while {Purge} removes curses. Who wants to go next?"
'Hmm. Claire's {Fate} family was worthy of its name, if raised properly, she would be a fighter specializing in killing undead.'
Since I lost my shit in the last battle, there was some awkwardness between me and the team, so I didn't join in, and just listened.
It was an open secret, but {Fates} were a person's deepest regrets. Granted, to become a reaper, one had to die first, but most people would not share their {Fates} without showing deep trust.
Bearing such weakness was not done to those with whom one did not have a particularly strong bond. When no one immediately jumped after her, Claire quietly cried for some reason. But then someone came to her aid.
"I'll go!" Angela shouted as she fired the 629 competitor. The racist Korean grabbed her spiked mace and slammed it to the ground.
"My {fate} called {Lady of War}, I wanted to be warrior! Meet my baby. Baby gives me {Crushing Blow} so I hit very hard. {Armor Platting} made me tough! Oppa you go next!"
"Hmm. Give me a moment. My {Fate} is called {Disable}, you all already know that I am Formless. The next {Fates} are {Maim} and {Disarm}," Joshua said between firing sniper rounds.
"My {Fates} all take away my opponent's ability to fight. {Disable} is for the mind, {Maim} is for the body, while {Disarm} is a kind of tranquilizer. I wanted to be able to stop someone without killing them."
When we all heard Joshua's words, we felt they carried an immense weight. How much did he regret killing someone to create a {Fate} based on non-lethal force.
Feeling the awkward atmosphere, a few minutes passed before the next person shared.
"Well, you all already know that I'm from Kentucky, I'm also Formless. I don't have a fancy story. I just wanted to blow shit up. {Fate} is {Detonate}, the next ones are {Shrapnel} and {Fuse}. They are exactly what they sound like."
This was why I loved Rednecks. They were incredibly simple, but without any pretense or deception. Mike, who was in the middle of reloading, kept the ball rolling.
"I guess I'll go next. I died to a suicide bomber in Libya in 2019. My Formless {Fate} is called {Pierce}. Its next levels are {Throw} and {Ripple}. I can turn anything into a spear, {Throw} knocks back what I have stabbed, {Ripple} creates shockwaves that come from my target."
"..."
It was easy to understand the reason for a Reaper's {Fate} when you learned how that Reaper died. Of course, hearing such information was extremely strange, to say the least. But as if spurred on by what they had heard, Santiago shared his story as well.
"Mine is also an everyday story, amigos. Sucked a lighthouse after a drug cartel raid on the border. {Fate} is {Immolate}, I can use my body as a fire starter without burning myself. {Ablaze} and {Wildfire} make the flame spread farther and faster".
Despite Santiago's attempt to lighten the mood, many could see from his story what he was trying to burn.
"I'm the last, huh? Well, I died in a shootout between street pharmacists. My {Fate} is called {Discern}, gut feeling is 100% right. Never let a nigga down, not once. Since I died anyway. I can see three seconds into the future with {Predict}, lastly {Forecast} gives me a vague fortune for a person or object."