Chapter 19: The Devil in the Smoke

"Tsk."

As Renault led his men to flank the attackers, intending to catch them off guard, they discovered that these individuals were already prepared. Several soldiers had already turned their guns and sought cover, swiftly reacting to the threat.

"It seems these guys have noticed the commotion at the entrance. Keep your heads down."

But he couldn't afford for these soldiers to realize they only had some half-broken Dolls and himself, having taken the back route.

If they did, these soldiers might abandon their defense and launch an immediate counterattack or attempt to break free.

At that point, whether the remaining Griffin members were overrun or his own dolls suffered damages, it wouldn't yield the desired outcome.

"Throw all your grenades; I'll count to three..."

"...three!"

"Eh!?"

M1 Garand barely had time to process Renault's words before the latter counted to three.

He promised to count to three! Who does that?

Renault wouldn't wait for the doll's actions.

He promptly tossed out the two grenades, a flashbang, and two smoke bombs strapped to his body!

Several figures followed suit in haste. Unlatching the safety on grenades and flashbangs alike, they hurled them out.

"Careful!"

As the projectiles rained down like a deity scattering flowers, the attackers barely had time to react before the flashbang detonated with a resounding bang.

The confined space amplified the shock bomb's effectiveness. Whoever designed it had envisioned such an environment.

Unfortunately, these soldiers wore full-coverage helmets, shielding them not just from debris but also from the shockwaves.

Only a few grenades that landed later and a handful of ordinary-looking smoke bombs posed any real threat.

While the shock bombs failed to harm the soldiers and the grenade fragments were deflected by sturdy bunkers, the explosive smoke bombs tipped the scales.

After several inconspicuous explosions, thick white smoke enveloped the passage. The soldiers' whereabouts were entirely obscured.

Even with Griffin Base's air circulation system at full blast, it would take several minutes for the dense, large-particle smoke to dissipate.

"And... which one of you tossed out a signal flare?"

A few trails of red smoke mingled with the white, growing denser. Apparently, several dolls had deployed not only smoke bombs but also signal flares.

"Never mind; just stay put and watch this spot. If any enemies emerge, hold them off."

After looking at the embarassed BM59 and M1911, Renault set down his assault rifle and retrieved the two axes from Simonov's back.

"I can't see a thing!"

"Shut it! Don't panic!"

In the smoke-filled haze, the soldiers struggled to spot the enemy using thermal imaging. Unfortunately, the smoke bombs had released too much heat energy, rendering their field of vision hazy and obscuring the enemy's location.

Unbeknownst to them, Renault, wielding two short axes, had already stepped into the smog.

Unlike the soldiers, Renault appeared unaffected by the smoke, strolling leisurely amidst the thick haze.

As the soldiers' nerves frayed, Renault's footsteps echoed ominously in the smoke-laden passage.

The approaching footsteps quickened their pulses. The rhythmic thuds seemed to beat against their chests, hastening their heartbeats.

"Open fire!"

As the footsteps drew nearer, the soldiers, already on edge, spotted two round bright spots with flickering red shadows in their field of vision. At the command, they unleashed a volley of bullets without hesitation.

However, the bright spots seemed to blend into the red smoke, disappearing from view as the crimson hue intensified!

"He's alone."

Not only did the two red dots vanish, but even the previously distinct footsteps fell silent. Unfortunately, amid the smoke, it was impossible to confirm whether the adversary had been eliminated.

The designated soldiers cautiously advanced to check, finding no figures in the passage, only the shattered remains of their comrades.

"No! No hits!"

"What!? He's... ahhhh!" Just as the soldiers turned to report, screams erupted from behind them!

But when they wheeled around, all they saw were the shattered remains of their colleagues, their helmets crushed.

"He's already upon us! Scatter!"

...

Even as screams echoed from the soldiers in the corridor, the Griffin personnel barricaded in the main control center faced their own ordeal. Smoke billowed from the blasted doorway, choking those without protective gear.

Thankfully, the main control room's air circulation system remained functional, channeling fresh air through the vents. This prevented a few survivors from succumbing to friendly fire.

"Cough! What in blazes is happening! Miss Helian! Is this the support you mentioned!?"

"Cough! It seems so! At least, the other side has managed to hold them off!"

Helian's situation seemed promising, but whether the reinforcements hailed from headquarters or from that guy Renault in the nearby stronghold remained uncertain.

Chances were it was Renault. After all, headquarters likely remained oblivious to the situation here.

"Listen to that; doesn't sound like mere containment to me. The attackers' screams are music to my ears!"

The screams emanating from the smoke were akin to a celestial melody. Nothing was more gratifying than the enemy's anguish.

"Um, seventeen screams in total. How many attackers did we face just now?"

Ignoring her colleagues' puzzled expressions, Helian silently tallied the screams until the last one faded away, totaling 17 screams of death.

As the screams subsided, the sound of footsteps approached from outside the main control room...

A tall figure, clad in motorcycle protective gear, a red glow flickering behind the gas mask's lens, brandishing a pair of bloodied hatchets, gradually materialized before Helian and her comrades.