Infinity, The Arcade Age

With his silhouette flickering in the moonlight, Qin Ming vaulted over a boulder, having finally dealt with his pursuers. He arrived at the rendezvous point, only to find it deserted.

Pausing to scan his surroundings, his gaze shifted toward a nearby tree.

"Back already? Why are you hiding in a tree? It's windy and cold up there."

At his words, a glimmer of hesitation flashed in Twin-Guns' eyes as she crouched among the foliage. She had her twin pistols trained on him but, after a moment's thought, holstered them and gracefully jumped to the ground.

By the time she landed, a warm, friendly smile had appeared on her face.

"Just being cautious," she said lightly. "I'm just a gunner—my close-combat skills are terrible. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Oh, is that so? Can't argue with caution—saves lives, after all."

Qin Ming mirrored her smile, his demeanor suddenly that of a genial older brother.

The two exchanged hollow smiles for a moment, their eyes subtly scanning their surroundings. Finally, Twin-Guns broke the silence.

"What about Air Cannon and Hawkeye? Weren't they with you? Where are they now?"

Qin Ming's expression hardened for just a fraction of a second before he smiled again. "What about Tank? He left with you, didn't he? Where did he go?"

The air grew still as they stared at each other, both refusing to answer. After a long pause, they simultaneously shrugged and changed the subject.

"Where are the protagonists? What's taking them so long to return?"

"Probably ran into a boss or something."

"Speaking of bosses, the ones in this mission are pretty tough. What do you say we team up?"

"A couple of gunners? My summons are all dead."

"No worries—we've got two protagonists as tanks. And if the opportunity arises, why not take out the protagonists too? They count as bosses, after all."

Their whispered conversation was cut short by the sound of rustling from the woods. Both fell silent and turned toward the noise.

Emerging from the underbrush were Ranger Labelle and Priest Aludo, returning from their mission to burn the orcs' supplies.

The two protagonists looked worse for wear, sporting fresh injuries that spoke of a tough fight.

Now reunited, the group of four was conspicuously missing three members. The protagonists immediately inquired about the others.

Twin-Guns deflected the question with a casual excuse, claiming one of them had died and the others fled when things got tough.

Labelle and Aludo, uninterested in the fates of their expendable "allies," accepted the explanation without probing further. They were far more concerned about what lay ahead.

Leading the group under cover of night, the protagonists brought them to Blackstone Town's walls.

After signaling the guards, a basket was lowered, and the group ascended to the ramparts. They were finally inside the city and were soon summoned by the town mayor.

The mayor, alarmed by the distant fires at the orc camp, had been eager to meet those responsible. When Qin Ming's group claimed credit for the attack, he was especially keen to hear from the famous Priest and Ranger.

Unlike Qin Ming and Twin-Guns, the protagonists were well-known in this world. As local legends, their reputations earned them significant respect. Upon learning that the pair had destroyed the orcs' siege weapons and burned their supplies, the mayor was filled with hope.

Labelle and Aludo confidently assured him that the orc army, now crippled, would soon retreat.

But events quickly took an unexpected turn.

Rather than withdraw, the orc army, enraged and desperate, launched an all-out assault on the city.

Without food and siege engines, they decided to overwhelm the town through brute force.

By the time the fires at their camp were still smoldering, the orcs had abandoned it, advancing en masse under the cover of night.

They discarded their ladders when necessary, climbing the walls with their bare hands, their brute strength compensating for the lack of tools.

Horrified by the sea of orcs surging toward the city, the previously relieved defenders scrambled to prepare for battle.

Qin Ming, standing before the mayor, exchanged a grim glance with Twin-Guns. Without a word, they split up, each running to reinforce a weak point on the wall.

On the left flank, an orc snarled as it gripped a ladder in its teeth, climbing furiously toward the parapet. As its head rose above the wall, it was met with the barrel of Qin Ming's revolver.

Bang!

The shot punched a hole clean through the orc's skull, sending its lifeless body tumbling backward, knocking over several of its comrades below.

Qin Ming leaned over the wall, grabbed the ladder, and heaved it to the side. The orcs clinging to it shrieked as they fell, crashing into the horde below.

But for every ladder he toppled, more were raised. Some orcs ignored the ladders entirely, scaling the walls with their bare hands.

Drawing his shield and flanged mace, Qin Ming charged into the melee.

Orc soldiers, screaming war cries, clashed with the city's defenders. Amidst the chaos, elite units—orc squad leaders—stood out, wielding massive hammers that crushed anyone in their path.

These elite orcs, however, quickly drew Qin Ming's attention. His revolver barked repeatedly, each shot finding its mark and dropping another squad leader.

Yet the sheer number of orcs was overwhelming. No matter how many he killed, more poured onto the wall.

As the defenders began to falter and the orcs breached the defenses, Qin Ming's frustration boiled over.

Holstering his pistol, he clenched his fists.

Flames erupted from his arms, roaring upward like living creatures.

With a deep growl, Qin Ming activated his skill.

(Chapter End)