Chapter 69: The Mexican
Hola! Luis Pena here, the man of many talents. please, grab a seat and hear my story of tacos, trials, and triumphs!
I was born in San Mateo, Mexico, and raised by the most incredible mother. She had this way of making life feel like a fiesta, even when the pot was more hole than metal. We were poor, but rich in laughter. Before she passed away, she whispered her dream into my ear, "Be someone great, Luisito."
I knew what I had to do – become the Mexican Superman!
So, I crossed the border into America, eager to follow my dream. No, I didn't fly or wear a cape (I tried, but it got caught in the fence), but I arrived, and the fun began.
First stop: the world of fast food. Imagine me, a boy from San Mateo, flipping burgers like a pro! Then came the nights, filled with deliveries. My trusty bike and I became a legendary duo, cruising the city like Batman and Robin – only hungrier.
Weekends were reserved for Tio Juan, my uncle, and our handyman adventures. We'd fix everything – sometimes even the things that weren't broken. He also taught me skills as a way to survive. I was not proud of it but my uncle believe I am pretty talented.
You see, my life was a non-stop action show, and I was the star, working 120 hours a week with tacos and tools in hand. Through laughter, sweat, and an unimaginable amount of coffee, I never lost sight of my mother's dream for me.
Then the Alien arrived, and the world suddenly went insane. Being invited to the crazy game, I dream of my mother talking to me from her grave "It's time to do something great"
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"Let me see your stat Luis," said the guy that Luis has come to respect
[Luis Pena, Male, 25 years]
[Level 12: 9150/10000]
[HP: 180/180]
[Stamina: 100%]
[Survival Points: 2950]
[Strength: F+]
[Agility: E]
[Endurance: E]
[Perception: E]
[Intelligence: F]
[Spirit: F-]
[Two attribute points to distribute]
[D rank reward x1, F rank reward x 3]
[Common Skill: Medium firearm (Basic), Dagger Weapon (Basic)]
[Uncommon Skill: Cooking (Basic), Repair (Basic), Piloting (Basic), Steal (Basic), Lock Picking (Basic)]
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"Dios mio! Señor Alan, I can't believe it—I'm at level 12!" Luis exclaimed, his face beaming with a mix of surprise and pride.
Alan shot him a stern look, trying to quell the excitement. "Like I've told you, Luis, keep your voice down. We're not alone here and--"
But before he could finish, a resounding crash echoed through the dilapidated building they were hiding in. Dust and debris cascaded from the ceiling. The unmistakable sound of boots approached—Nazi soldiers were coming to secure the building.
Panicking, Luis's eyes darted around the room. "I'm so sorry, Señor Alan. What have I done? How do we get out of this?"
Alan took a deep, steadying breath and fixed Luis with a determined gaze. "There's a way out, but I need your absolute trust. Can you give me that?"
Luis, despite his fears, nodded vigorously. "Yes, Alan! Just tell me what to do."
A minute after, the dozens of Nazi soldiers in the area finally found and chase after the two running figures. "Stop!! surrender! or we'll open fire!"
It was actually part of the game scenario for the Nazi soldiers to give out the option for surrender. it was Day One, after all hence the first mission was aptly named [Escape capture]. But Alan wasn't about to let them be captured, not if he could help it.
"Stay close and follow my lead!" Alan ordered, pulling Luis behind him as they sprinted down a narrow corridor. As they moved, Alan fired shots behind them to deter their pursuers.
Alan's knowledge of the area was both a blessing and a curse. While he led them through alleyways, behind dilapidated walls, and under low-hanging structures, it only reinforced just how deep they were in enemy territory. As he calculated their position and considered their options, he knew the safest refuge - the player outpost - was three perilous miles to the south. And that route was teeming with enemy soldiers on high alert, making it nearly impossible to pass undetected.
He stopped suddenly, causing Luis to nearly bump into him. Pointing to a stout building ahead, Alan whispered, "That's where we need to go, Luis."
Luis squinted through the dim light, trying to understand Alan's choice. The building was fortified with guards patrolling every corner. The mere thought of approaching it made his heart race. He looked at Alan, his eyes filled with hesitation, ready to voice his dissent.
But Alan, sensing Luis's trepidation, gripped his shoulder firmly. "Listen to me, if we stay here, it's over. We'll be sitting ducks. But if we take a chance on that building," he nodded towards the looming structure, "we might just pull off something incredible."
The weight of Alan's words bore down on Luis. Memories of his mother's words echoed in his mind, urging him to be great. Swallowing his fear, he nodded. "Okay. Let's do it."
As they approached, Alan took the lead, expertly dispatching soldiers with precision shots. Meanwhile, Luis, gripping his Steyr AUG—known for its accuracy and ease of use—tried to contribute to shooting some of the soldiers.
Unfortunatly none hit the mark, still, they successfully forced several soldiers to take cover, buying them precious seconds.
"Quick, to the door!" Alan shouted over the cacophony of gunfire. Their mad dash was met with retaliatory fire, bullets whizzing past, and some finding their mark.
[Shooting: Received 42 damage]
[Shooting: Received 39 damage]
Wounded but alive, they burst into the building, quickly barricading the entrance. Their health points meters had dwindled to the halfway mark, and the metallic tang of virtual blood filled the air.
Luis's breathing was ragged, panic evident in his eyes as he realized more enemy soldiers could be lurking within the vast, hangar-like building.
Alan quickly rummaged through his inventory, pulling out medical gauze. He bandaged their wounds efficiently, pausing only to instruct Luis, "Guard that entrance and buy us some time. Just three minutes, Luis. Can you do that?"
Luis, clutching his weapon, nodded resolutely and can only see Alan's back as he dashed inside battling soldiers lurking in the shadows.
Footsteps grew louder and shadows danced behind the door, Luis braced himself, using every ounce of strength to keep the impending threat at bay.
Minutes felt like hours. Each second dragged, with Luis's muscles screaming in protest. Doubt began to cloud his mind. What if Alan had abandoned him? What if this was some cruel test of loyalty? Luis's hands were slick with sweat as he fought to maintain his grip on the door.
Suddenly, the door was wrenched open, propelling Luis backward. He looked up, dazed, to see a group of soldiers, their guns trained on him. The weight of impending doom bore down on him. "No!" he screamed in desperation.
But before the soldiers could pull their triggers, a hail of gunfire rained down on them, leaving them incapacitated. Alan, gun still smoking, reached out his hand, pulling Luis to his feet. "Quick, this way! it's here!" he shouted, leading Luis deeper into the hangar at the back.
"What is it? What's here?" he stammered.
Luis's heart raced as they reached the back of the hangar, he was stunned to see what Alan really brought him here for.
"Trust me on this, Luis," Alan urged. "Use your rank reward now. Upgrade your skill."
Luis, still shaken, quickly accessed his character's stats.
[Upgrade]
[Choose a skill to upgrade]
[Piloting (Basic)] x 2
Without hesitation, he upgraded his skill.
[You gained proficiency in [Piloting] - Basic to Novice to Expert]
[Cost: 1500 survival points, 1x Rank D reward, and 1x Rank E reward]
[Giving the ability to drive advanced-level transports]
Moments later, the entire hangar began to shake. The deafening roar of approaching soldiers was replaced by a powerful mechanical hum. The colossal hangar doors bulged inwards, until, with an explosive crash, they were blown apart.
Emerging from the dust and debris was a monstrous steel behemoth - a tank. Alan, grinning broadly, clapped Luis on the back. "Fantastic job! Now, get us the hell out of here!"
The engine roared to life, and with a newfound determination, Luis steered the tank breakthrough the Nazi encirclement.
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