“It's been a long time since I’ve seen a situation this chaotic.”

Crunch, crunch. The sound of footsteps on snow echoed.

The sound of four people stepping on snow at the same time was far from subtle. However, the explosions erupting from the ongoing battles around CAL EXPO were so deafening that it completely masked the sound of their movement. Thanks to that, the four members—half of Dagger Team—managed to advance undetected.

The scene unfolding before them was nothing short of hell itself, too chaotic to summarize. To put it simply, the reinforcements of the enemy alliance, consisting of around three battalions, were being annihilated. It was inevitable—700 shadows moved like an unstoppable hurricane.

The only reason the Russian forces were still holding out after several minutes was due to continuous artillery support from the battery stationed at Martyr Airfield. The bombardment was essentially Danger Close.

“I don’t know if we should be thankful that no nukes have been hit yet, or just grateful that the enemy is eating away at themselves with friendly fire.”

“They’re clearly not in their right minds.”

Then came another remark.

“In any case, it’s problematic if we can’t fit the nuclear warheads into our packs. Moving 300 kg isn’t impossible, but I’m not sure if our backpacks can withstand that.”

“Sometimes, when I look at you, I forget that humans aren’t supposed to carry nuclear warheads.”

“It’s not exactly free weights, so yeah, it’s a bit heavy.”

Logan added with a subtle expression.

Their goal was clear. Given the relatively mild weather—meaning it was only good as long as there wasn’t a blizzard—they intended to grab the warheads and haul them back to their base, dumping any resisting enemy soldiers into the Styx along the way.

A few Blackhawks were on standby at Travis Air Force Base, ready to fly them out the moment they secured the two warheads and moved to safety.

“Or there might be a transport vehicle nearby; it’d be easier if we could just commandeer that.”

“We’ll see when we get there. Given the roads, walking might actually be faster.”

This was also why Dagger Team was split into two groups.

Four were assigned to retrieve the warheads, while the other five conducted reconnaissance. Lorentina and Logan, with their superhuman strength, were critical members of the former group, as the average person couldn’t hope to carry such weight. Unfortunately, the rookie, currently infected by HISAV, was classified as a Fallen Operator.

───Boom!

“That’s the 21st bombardment?”

“Yes. Look, people are flying through the air.”

Two square kilometers wasn’t exactly small, but it wasn’t vast either.

Thus, there wasn’t a need to conserve shells, leading to repeated artillery requests. The disparity in average firepower between the Shadows and the Russian army was stark due to skills—so, artillery was the enemy’s sole reliable advantage.

The player count dropped from 700 to 600, then 500, and eventually to 400. Meanwhile, the enemy reinforcements, after 35 minutes of combat, were reduced to one-third. The situation wasn’t favorable for either side.

In just a few more minutes, the latter would be in complete ruin.

Clang!

Amid the clamor, an anchor fired and hooked onto a rooftop. Two members, excluding Logan and Lorentina, climbed up to secure sniper positions while the remaining pair hid behind a building, using a SUAV to survey the enemy stronghold and racetrack on the east side of CAL EXPO.

Some soldiers were enthusiastically firing mortars, while others fortified their positions with remote-controlled machine guns mounted on mobile units. However, what stood out the most was the sight of engineers breaking up the ice over a frozen lake with drills and cranes.

It seemed both warheads had sunk into the lake and frozen over, which explained the scene.

“Are we in position? Report your SITREP.”

“…One warhead appears to have been retrieved. There’s a round metal object behind the crane.”

Just as they reported.

Glancing over, the target was immediately visible.

The nuclear warhead looked something like… a large metal sphere, almost like a watermelon. Though it could destroy everything around it with the correct procedures, it had already crashed to the ground, leaving its stability questionable.

In any case, it implied that the ongoing excavation was for the second warhead. It would be problematic if they took too long, yet a rushed approach might mean having to break through the ice with a jackhammer. Hence, they chose to wait.

And after some time—

“…Confirmed second warhead. Initiating infiltration now. Recon team, pack up and move to the extraction point.”

“Roger.”

Two storms armed with shield-piercing rounds and thermite ammo struck the racetrack.

With a pulse flash, every enemy within cover or vehicle met their demise. Each pull of the trigger sent searing hot bullets through armor and walls like a hot knife through butter, mowing down enemies one by one. The defense line was shattered in no time.

The rest of the outpost soldiers who tried to assess the situation ended up with their heads blown apart by the snipers, while drivers attempting to start their vehicles met death in their seats.

By the time they reached the worksite, the frozen lake was littered with more than a dozen new corpses.

And then—

“Ungh…!”

“Whew, this is pretty heavy. 300 kg, was it?”

“It’s probably not that exact, but… damn, we need a vehicle.”

“Quit whining. Let’s move.”

The backpacks groaned under the strain.

Metal cables reinforced the strap connections, so snapping wasn’t a concern, but the sheer weight significantly slowed their pace. It was only due to their superhuman strength that carrying it was even possible.

But—

───Ping!

“Damn it, get down!”

“Ugh, Marcus! The Shadows are firing on us!”

“They must’ve thought we were enemies. Just neutralize them and get out as fast as you can. Staying here won’t help.”

“Roger, moving out…!”

Bullets flew, but the two began to run through the chaos. Their enhanced bodies sprinted while carrying the 300-kg warhead, melting through the cumbersome snow as they ran.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Rapier killed one Shadow per shot, displaying a chilling efficiency that sent even hardened opponents tumbling to the ground.

“Feels like we’ve shot about a million dollars’ worth of rounds.”

“I’m at $1.22 million. Never fired this many mini-thermite rounds before. My fingers are trembling.”

But it was a justified expense.

With around 100 rounds, they eliminated at least 70 players, and by then, Lorentina and Logan, visibly strained, reached the building near Marcus and Rapier’s position, signaling for them to rappel down.

As the two descended the ropes, Dagger Team began their exit from the battlefield.

"Who the hell shot at the neutral NPCs first?!"

"Seriously, what strength… it’s dizzying."

Meanwhile, the players left behind faced the consequences of having recklessly fired on Dagger Team.

It was just another day in this world.

“Sir, let’s settle this with rock-paper-scissors!”

“Get lost.”

Meanwhile, CAL EXPO, now a desolate mess, and the few remaining players—170 or so—were left, with only a few minutes left on the Fallen Operator duration.

Despite the odds, the players hesitated.

-[Alert: All allied vital signs at zero.]

“Didn’t we send around 30 people?”

“They’ve all been shredded.”

“We even sent security with the demolition team!”

“That’s why the building is in pieces now.”

Indeed, the trade expo building was history.

The former expo center, comprising eight small buildings arranged like pinwheels, was down to seven. Around 30 people had perished amid the ruins.

The story was clear. The demolition team’s C4 was stolen, their comms seized, and they were tied up while the Fallen Operators evacuated to other buildings. The explosives detonated, erasing the team from the map.

And so, they had reached this point.

“If we stay any longer, we’re going to suffer heavy losses. Only those interested in Russian loot should stick around for farming.”

“I came here with 20 people; only five are left… this is insane.”

As more players shook their heads, the knowledge that the neutral NPC had successfully retrieved the warheads provided some solace.

Nevertheless, the sight of allies dropping like flies, or disappearing due to stray artillery, or collapsing like brittle reeds against a deadly kick, was more than enough to break their morale.

As players and teams began leaving CAL EXPO, only bodies, scattered gear, and cratered ground from shellfire remained.

Yet some players stayed—about 30 of them, true models of perseverance.

“Let’s settle this with rock-paper-scissors, Sir!”

“It’s only three minutes. Do you still want to go?”

“Oh, please….”

Then, a muffled laugh came from within.

After a brief exchange of words, a voice continued:

“Let’s do this: if you can withstand three hits, I’ll give you my life.”

“Wh-what? Really?”

“It’s virtual reality. You just have to endure it!”

“I accept the challenge!”

Of course, Harmony and Dice refrained from mentioning that this was the fifth time this challenge had been issued.

Thus, two players entered. Meanwhile, Harmony stood ready with a detonator in case her friends outside attempted anything foolish.

The viewers were in an uproar.

-Fifth and sixth victims incoming
-This isn’t a deal; it’s an execution!
-Might as well give them motorcycle helmets lol
-This is insane lol
-How strong can a flick be?

The two removed their Opscore helmets and bravely sat down.

Yu Jin removed his gloves, revealing slender fingers. The two players seemed to relax slightly, watching him flex his fingers in preparation. Only those who had experienced it knew what was coming.

The finger approached.

Shields were off.

And—

───Smack!

“…Eh? Wait, what? Huh?!”

An unpleasant cracking sound followed.

After the ominous impact and shattering sound, one player, unable to make a sound, was immediately respawned for 24 hours.

Even Yu Jin, who delivered the flick, was speechless for a moment.

“Of all things, I’m doing this in virtual reality.”

“It’s a good thing this wasn’t my idea or Dice’s.”

“Um… can I just leave now?”

A voice whimpered pathetically.

The avatar’s delicate, feminine appearance added to the plea, but they had already forgotten what they’d agreed to out of fear.

They had accepted the challenge.

“All actions have causes and consequences. Your challenge is the cause, and I am merely delivering the effect. With ten seconds left, I’ll send you off peacefully.”

“W-wait! Spare me! I won’t come back, ever—!”

“Accept the consequence.”

And with a light tap—

The trembling player was sent off.

At the same moment, Icarus Gear announced in a mechanical tone:

-[Alert: HISAV neutralized. Icarus Operator status reinstated.]

-[Alert: Hostile Operator signal lost. Fallen Operator alert lifted.]

“…What?”

“I never said I’d hit the other one as hard.”

Yu Jin gave the stunned player—who was likely a “he”—a friendly pat on the shoulder and smiled.

“We’re closed for business, so feel free to leave.”

“Oh, uh… thank you?”

“This one’s definitely out of it,” Harmony said.

“If I were in that chair, I’d be out too.”

And with that, Yu Jin and the other seven former Fallen Operators slipped out through a pre-set fast rope by the window.

Barely ten seconds later—

───Boom!

“Where’d they all go?”

“Hey! Hub, where’s Zodiac? Wasn’t he with you?”

“…Got flicked to death.”

“What did you just say?”

As the realization set in, their faces twisted with disbelief. But such is the nature of truth—often hard to swallow.

With legendary moments left behind, the events in Sacramento were finally drawing to a close.