Re: Apocalypse Game

Under the mounting pressure from the other three servers, Captain Carter swiftly made a decision. She ordered her units to head directly to the western wall, deploying them to guard the two western garrisons immediately. There was no time to waste; they needed to familiarize themselves with the terrain and make preparations for the upcoming night battle, which was less than 10 hours away.

With this directive, Captain Carter granted Alan the task to continue defending the old garrison, She granted him full authority to handpick players from the Wolverine unit who were deemed most suited for the task and to redirect the remaining players to bolster the defenses of the western walls.

Alan took charge, leading the Wolverines on a 30-mile journey that lasted for two hours toward the destination.

Fort Sterling stood as an ancient relic, a testament to the tens of thousands of Roman and Britannian lives that had once intersected within its walls. Perched atop a hill, it featured double-layered stone walls that reached a formidable height of 5 meters, and the presence of a rocky mountain as a natural backdrop further fortified its defenses. The citadel within the garrison added an extra layer of protection, making it a formidable fortress in its prime.

Historically, the Romans had chosen to abandon this garrison when they decided to colonize the southern part of the island and concentrate their efforts on cultivating the land. This shift in strategy led them to establish a new border with the construction of the wall, leaving Fort Sterling behind.

In Alan's previous life, he had ventured past this location during his reconnaissance missions into undead territory. At that time, the garrison had been in a state of disrepair, but he had learned from his experiences that several other servers had successfully utilized the fort as a strategic base for defense.

As Fort Sterling came into view, Alan was greeted by a lively scene. The garrison bustled with activity, with over a thousand players stationed there, hard at work guarding and fortifying the premises.

"The Wolverines are back!" someone shouted, setting off a wave of excitement among the gathered players.

"That's Alan!" someone pointed out as they recognized him.

Dozens of players who had previously been occupied with digging trenches outside the walls rushed over to welcome him with keen interest.

The massive, reinforced 8-meter tall wooden gate swung open with a creak, revealing a bustling scene within the garrison. Alan spotted familiar faces among the crowd, including Sergeant Dylan, who had been one of his trusted officers. Dylan's boisterous voice carried over the commotion.

"Alan!! You crazy bastard! you still alive? What the heck happened to your arm?!" Sergeant Dylan exclaimed his emotions a mix of excitement and concern. He was accompanied by a group of squad leaders who shared the same mixture of emotions.

"Where are the others? What happened?"

"Don't worry," Alan reassured them, "the battle was won!"

They inquired about what happened, however with only 8 hours remaining before the next wave of undead hordes would arrive, Alan Briefly explained and acted quickly.

His first order of business was to conduct a thorough inspection of the garrison's defenses. He rode along the perimeter, closely examining the walls and trenches. It was evident that there was still much work to be done. Some sections of the walls were damaged from the previous night's battle, and there were gaps in the fortifications that needed immediate attention.

Alan gathered all the officers and militia leaders in the hall, calling for an urgent meeting. He needed to assess the garrison's current status, discuss their plans for the impending battle, and coordinate their efforts to ensure the survival of everyone within Fort Sterling.

As Alan addressed the gathered officers, he received an overview of their current player count and the situation at hand. Out of the 2,800 New York players still actively participating in the game, 800 were already stationed at the walls under Captain Carter's command. The 1,800 players currently assembled in the fort faced a critical decision, as an additional 200 players were unaccounted for, likely engaged in their own quests and activities.

Alan took the responsibility of sharing the directive they had received from Captain Carter, which required them to provide 2,000 players to reinforce the western walls. This meant that out of the 1,800 present, 1,200 needed to depart immediately to fulfill this obligation.

"Captain Carter has put me in charge of selecting the players for this task," Alan explained, addressing the officers and leaders who had gathered. 

Among the officers, Lieutenant Sanderson of the Charlie Company shared his concerns about the formidable undead hordes that had besieged the fortress during the previous night. "There were more than 3,000 undead that attacked us all night," he reported. "We suffered a few casualties. I'm not convinced that 600 players will be enough to defend this place."

Lieutenant Steel of the Alpha Company echoed Sanderson's sentiments, emphasizing the importance of their defense.

Alan nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging the valid concerns raised by his fellow officers. However, he maintained his belief in the need to guard the fort for as long as possible. After a moment of consideration, he made his decision.

"That's my decision," Alan declared. "Please follow the orders and depart right away."

For the 200 players he selected to remain within the fort, he chose the Charlie Company, consisting of experienced military members. These fighters were battle-tested and capable of defending the garrison effectively. As for the other 200, Alan opted for non-military personnel, including crafters, support units, and individuals with limited battle experience. 

With the decisions made, Alan's orders were clear, and the selected players began preparing for their departure to reinforce the western walls, while those remaining in the fort organized themselves for the impending battle.

As the clock counted down with just six hours remaining before the next wave of undead hordes arrived, the fort was abuzz with activity as 1,200 players prepared to depart for the western walls. With their departure, the previously bustling fort was now left empty, and a sense of coldness permeated the air.

Facing the players who remained behind, Alan rose to his feet and addressed them with determination. "We have 6 hours left. Let's do our best!"

All the fighters set aside their weapons momentarily, replacing them with shovels as they began digging additional trenches to fortify their defenses. The urgency of the situation pushed them to work tirelessly.

Alan had his own plans for the remaining hours. He intended to collaborate with the crafting teams within the fort. Inside the citadel's halls, a hundred players were diligently engaged in the project assigned to them.

During Bill's return with Alan's [spatial ring] the previous day, they had successfully utilized the [Metal Furnace] they had created earlier. By collecting [common] weapons and armor dropped by the undead, they had managed to restart the manufacturing of weapons and armor, using the resources at hand.

Shamus, Gus, and Marie were among those who had prepared dozens of sets of gear, awaiting Alan's craftsmanship. With a focused effort, Alan began his work.

[You have successfully crafted an item]

[Your (Science - Master) allows you to successfully create an uncommon item]

[Your Inventor Jobclass allows you to successfully create a higher quality item]

[Name: Metal Sword]

[Name: Metal Shield]

[Name: Metal Armor]

Despite the challenging task of working with just one arm, Alan persevered and managed to complete 200 sets of gear intended for the Charlie units. These sets would be crucial for the soldiers assigned to protect the fort.

With only two hours remaining on the clock, Alan made his way to the special engineering team, a group of skilled engineers who were tasked with creating unique weapons and equipment.

"How's your work going here?" Alan inquired.

Johnny, the engineer in charge of weapon creation, responded, "We've collected enough materials, but we still need more testing to ensure they don't blow up prematurely."

Alan nodded in understanding. "You have two hours to make several prototypes. Do your best."

With the limited time he had left, Alan approached Neymar, the Indian-American engineer, with a pressing request. "I need a new arm, any solution?"

Neymar chuckled in response, "In two hours? Are you serious?"

Alan replied, "I don't need anything fancy, any idea will do."

As Neymar pondered for a moment, his eyes lit up with an unexpected idea. "Actually, the military has something in supply that's not being used," he explained. "With this, we don't have to make complicated machinery; you can just pull and swing!"

It was an unexpected item enough to amuse Alan "Alright, that will do. Make it for me!"

Just as the item was finished, a notification appeared in the game link, delivering a message 

[The source of darkness has arrived in Britannia Land].

#####

Author Note

The item created on his arm is the hint to the classic movie that inspired this arc. Can you take a guess?