IMUC-CHAPTER 18: GRAND FIREWORKS OF WAR

"Step!"

With relentless speed, Kyle raced forward, his burden secured on his back, maneuvering through a maze of parked military vehicles as he sprinted towards the iron fence on the edge of the base.

"Don't let him escape! Chase him!"

A relentless pursuit of over twenty German soldiers trailed behind, firing their guns as a storm of bullets descended upon the vehicles that served as temporary cover.

Thanks to Kyle's well-built physique, enhanced by an array of physical Ability Cards, and the small size of the girl he carried, it seemed as if he had a doll-like backpack, posing no hindrance to his movements.

Darting past a barrage of bullets, Kyle crouched behind a civilian off-road vehicle. At that very moment, the girl on his back emitted a soft "Hmm" sound, rousing from her previous state of unconsciousness.

"What… what's happening?" The girl opened her eyes, immediately sensing that something was amiss. Bound by ropes once more, she found herself tethered to a muscular man, clinging to his back like an octopus.

"You're awake," Kyle replied, panting and feeling a sharp pang in his left shoulder. Under the strain of relentless combat, his body glistened with sweat, and his battle suit had grown damp with perspiration, allowing both of them to feel each other's body heat.

"What do we do now?" The girl's face flushed as she recognized Kyle and asked in a feeble voice.

"We're escaping," Kyle responded, his left shoulder throbbing as he gingerly touched the wound. Warm, viscous liquid seeped through his battle suit, staining his palm crimson.

"You're injured." The girl exclaimed with a surprised expression etched on her face.

"It's just a minor injury," Kyle replied in a hushed tone.

He had likely been hit when he broke through the rear compartment of the vehicle earlier, but due to his body being in a tightly stretched state of excitement, he hadn't noticed it.

"What should we do now?" The girl's voice trembled with a hint of tears, as she finally realized the danger they were in.

"Don't worry, I made a promise to save you, and I don't intend to break it." Kyle looked up behind him, estimating the distance to Warehouse No. 2. Several bullets whizzed past him, creating sparks as they hit the nearby vehicles.

Kyle suddenly smiled. "We should be far enough from the center of the base now."

"We're in this situation, and you're still laughing."

The girl bit her lip in frustration, her delicate hands firmly pressing against Kyle's wounded left shoulder, preventing the blood from flowing out.

"Don't worry, with my body, it won't be…"

Before Kyle could finish his sentence, he suddenly became aware of something and quickly lunged sideways. The next moment, the spot where he had been standing was blasted black by a hand grenade, obliterating half of the vehicle's rear end.

"It seems they're getting angry. They're willing to destroy the base's military vehicles and supplies just to kill us."

Kyle calmly assessed the situation. Despite his injury, it hadn't hampered his mobility. With nimble and astute maneuvers, he utilized the military vehicles as cover, evading successive volleys of gunfire, and continuing their breakout.

Kyle chuckled suddenly. "We should be far enough from the center of the base by now."

"Once again, why are you laughing in this situation." The girl's voice trembled with a hint of reproach as she bit her lip. Her fragile hands maintained their firm pressure against Kyle's wounded left shoulder, staunching the blood flow.

"Have you ever seen fireworks?" Kyle asked, his words puzzlingly cryptic.

"Huh?" Confusion etched across the girl's face. She watched as Kyle's right hand delved into his pocket, retrieving an object resembling a remote control.

"This is the grand fireworks display that unfolds amidst war," Kyle concluded, pressing the button on the remote control in his hand.

Simultaneously, outside the entrance of Warehouse No. 2 within the German military base…

Scores of German soldiers had congregated, creating a chaotic scene of scattered corpses, smoke grenades, discarded firearms, helmets, and other debris. The aftermath of their confrontation with the hornets and the American infiltrators painted a grim picture.

"Our commander, Leo, was discovered dead in the warehouse's basement."

"No trace of the intruders has been found."

Several soldiers emerged from Warehouse No. 2, reporting the situation. The officers exchanged bewildered glances, struggling to comprehend how their base had been invaded and subjected to significant damage without their awareness.

"Damn it! Reinforce our troops and conduct a thorough search of the entire base!" The second-in-command of this base barked in frustration.

At that moment, a panicked soldier burst out of Warehouse No. 2, shouting, "Run! Run for your lives!"

"What's happening now?!" The officers demanded in unison.

"They've planted a timed bomb inside—"

Before the soldier could finish his sentence, something occurred…

And there was no continuation.

The timed bomb corresponding to the remote control will activate immediately under the remote control. That timed bomb was set up by Kyle as soon as he infiltrated the warehouse. It wasn't a powerful bomb, but its blast radius was enough to engulf the size of the entire building.

"And that building happened to be an ammunition storage warehouse."

"Boom!"

A deafening explosion reverberated, followed by a cascading series of blasts that merged together, each eruption intensifying the explosive force.

From Kyle's perspective on the outskirts of the large base, the dazzling burst of flames instantly enveloped the central area of the base. The dust wave generated rose outward at a visible speed.

Kyle, carrying the girl, quickly dove under a vehicle. A gust of airwaves roared, painfully vibrating his eardrums, and the vehicle's window glass shattered from the flying debris.

When the dust settled, Kyle climbed up from under the wrecked vehicle. Along with the girl, he looked towards the rear, only to see the central area of the base flattened, engulfed in roaring flames that turned the night sky crimson.

The grand fireworks unfurling amidst the chaos of war truly lived up to their name.

The German soldiers, who had been relentlessly pursuing Kyle, stood in stunned disbelief. Some sank to their knees, their mournful cries merging with the chaos that surrounded them.

"Let's seize this opportunity. Let's go." Kyle drew deep breaths, lifting the girl as he took tentative steps forward. Yet, he stumbled, nearly collapsing to the ground.

His strength began to fade, his physical functions declining, and his consciousness and vision gradually blurred.

"What's wrong with you?" the girl asked worriedly. In her eyes, considering the amount of blood Kyle had lost after being shot, it was already incredible that he had lasted this long.

"I'm fine," Kyle replied, biting his tongue to stimulate his nerves, trying to regain his composure as he slowly moved towards the barbed wire fence ten meters away.

"Damn it, they're over there!"

"Avenge our comrades! We can't let him get away!"

From a short distance behind, the surviving German soldiers cursed and shouted, continuing their pursuit of Kyle and the girl.

"If we continue like this, they will catch up to us! Untie me, let me go and stall them," The girl insisted, determination in her voice as she made up her mind.

"Enough of that nonsense. With your petite frame, you wouldn't even delay them for half a second," Kyle said with a bitter smile, contemplating their current predicament.

If it came down to life and death, he would have to abandon the girl and employ his stealthy teleportation to secure his escape.

But was it truly a matter of life and death at this moment?

Kyle sighed. His condition was deteriorating rapidly, and without prompt medical attention, his life could be in jeopardy.

"In that case…" Kyle was about to suggest something when a large group of familiar figures suddenly materialized ahead, causing his eyes to widen. "This is…!"

"Target the ones in the front and eliminate the rest! Kill them all!" The African American leader of the group coldly commanded.

"Da-da-da!"

The sound of dense gunfire filled the air, yet every shot missed Kyle's body, instead finding their mark on the German soldiers who pursued him from behind.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, the group of German soldiers was swiftly eradicated.

"You finally arrived, Fury," Kyle breathed a sigh of relief the moment he saw Fury appear, he knew the life-threatening crisis had been averted.

"From this point forward, leave the follow-up tasks to us," Fury, leading the troops, stepped forward to support Kyle, his dark face displaying a row of gleaming white teeth.

(End of this chapter)