Alone

"Report, Squad 3 has completed the cleanup."

"No trace of the warden and his personal guard has been found."

With the final report over the headset, John's team confirmed that the NPCs in the cell area had been cleared.

The whole process didn't take too long, and there were no unexpected events.

These prison guards were all crouching in very ordinary positions, spreading out to carry out the sneak attacks.

Its powerful perspective makes it easy to clean.

"After all team members have finished cleaning, they will gather on the first floor."

Not long after, the four teams of Bald Eagles assembled on the first floor and conducted a brief check. All 12 members were unharmed.

Even the losses in combat readiness were not significant.

Anderson did not feel relieved after seeing that the cell area had been cleaned up.

"Why is this happening?" Anderson muttered to himself.

"The warden must already know John and his men's abilities, including their X-ray vision. Why then did he distribute his forces evenly across the cell area, giving us the opportunity to pick them off one by one?"

This was somewhat different from what Anderson had expected. He had thought the warden would use his numbers to launch a direct confrontation in the prison, thereby reducing the threat of the X-ray vision.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the chair, producing a soft tapping sound in the enclosed space.

There are only 27 NPCs in the prison map, including the warden, and this time 18 prison guards were dealt with.

Anderson silently calculated in his mind that all he could foresee now were a warden, his personal guard, three snipers, and the machine gunner who had appeared last time.

Although those eliminated were all ordinary prison guards, the fact that so many NPCs were dealt with at once was a significant weakening of the warden's combat strength.

After all four Bald Eagle squads had finished resting, John immediately scanned again.

Those red dots are not much different from their previous positions.

"Next, we'll head to the core area," John directed from the scene.

"There is an NPC signal source on the first floor of the administrative area, and there are 6 densely packed signal sources near the medical area on the second floor."

"Preliminary analysis suggests that the six densely packed signal sources likely consist of the warden and his personal guard, namely the warden, two shield bearers, and three riflemen."

"The individual NPC signal for an administrative district might be a machine gunner."

"The three signal sources in the elevator shaft suggest three snipers."

"At this point, the distribution of NPCs within the prison map is clear."

"Begin the battle!"

John's team then led the way and began advancing towards the administrative district.

Anderson watched John's analysis via live stream and couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Indeed, the current distribution is basically clear, and the next battle will only involve the warden and his six-man guard.

There were no other outside help.

"Never mind, maybe I'm overthinking it." Anderson pinched his temples, forcing himself to relax.

He simply couldn't understand how the remaining troops could defeat his Bald Eagle forces.

The opinions expressed in the live stream chat were surprisingly consistent.

"No way, they've already analyzed the guard ratio and their positions, so what's the point of playing anymore?"

"Huh? It's already over?"

"Yeah, yeah, I thought the Bald Eagle Association was sure to win, but I didn't expect it to be so easy."

"Separating those 18 prison guards was tantamount to handing them over."

"Humorous potato mine, don't make your John brother laugh."

"Now the prison can be considered completely explored. From now on, it'll be no different from those maps of Dam Zero."

"Yeah, yeah, maybe they only saw how powerful the warden was before, but they just hadn't seen this kind of new NPC mechanism before. Actually, there's not much difference."

Anderson glanced at the comments and thought they made sense, so he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

After this operation was successfully completed, he could now firmly hold the position of head of the Bald Eagle Association branch.

The thought alone excited him.

"No, no," Anderson shook his head, as if trying to shake off distracting thoughts. "We can't let our guard down so early."

Passing through the prison gate, the administrative area is very close.

John's team slowly advanced toward the signal source at the center of the first floor of the administrative building.

Even though he knew there was only one signal source there, the other three squads of Bald Eagles he led still spread out in tactical formation, holding off each other.

Only when you approach the open area on the first floor of the administrative building does the quiet prison gradually begin to produce rhythmic sounds.

The tight drumbeats rang in everyone's ears, growing clearer and more distinct as they advanced.

The drumbeats gradually became more frequent.

"What's that?" John saw the figure in the distance and immediately hid behind cover. "Hide!"

He gave a low shout across the entire channel, and everyone immediately reacted, taking cover behind the nearest cover.

That's... the warden?

After confirming the man's identity, John immediately activated his X-ray vision and rescanned the surrounding battlefield.

The signal remained unchanged.

The warden stood alone in the open space on the first floor of the administrative building.

He walked slowly with his hands behind his back.

Like an old man taking a leisurely stroll.

"This?" The brain-computer interface was working frantically within John's body, analyzing the situation for him while simultaneously suppressing the unease in his heart.

Anderson kept a close eye on the live stream, and when he saw that the lone signal source was actually the warden, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

What does this mean?

Is the warden alone?

In this large open space?

Countless ideas flashed through his mind, but he rejected them all.

The prison guards had already cleared the area, and the personal guards were on the second floor of the medical area, quite a distance away from him.

Is there anyone who can help him now?

Anyone alive inside the prison, whether an NPC or a player, will be able to see through the prison and have their location accurately pinpointed.

There was clearly no signal around him!

Wouldn't this be a great opportunity?

But why?

He also sent provocative messages to the Bald Eagle Association through players, yet he made such a foolish deployment?

"Did you see who that figure was?"

"That person looked like he was wearing a white mask and red gloves. Was he the warden?"

"Who else in this prison looks like this?"

"That's the warden! Holy crap! He's all alone in that open space?"

"He wants to take on twelve people at once? He's even more awesome than Ip Man!"

"Why waste words with him? Just rub him!"

John clearly thought so too.

Based on the various results of the brain-computer interface analysis and the support of discussions and analyses with Cole and Myers, he believes that there is no risk in taking action now.

Since the warden is the main threat and the main task within the prison.

Now is the perfect time and place.

Then there's no reason not to go.

"The first squad will flank from the left, the second squad will surround from the right, and the third squad will follow me in a frontal attack."

John immediately began giving instructions via the communications channel.

"Once the first and second squads are in position, report to me, and then follow my orders to move out simultaneously."

"Kill the warden!"