Erwin felt the weight of the rifle in his hands, a weapon that is now his only tool to eliminate the enemy and survive, although at first it was hard for him to accept it, he has begun to consider the idea of killing as something necessary.
It's curious how the environment can influence a person's mind, if those around you normalize death and even glorify it, it's almost inevitable that you end up being swept away by that current, it's human nature, the instinct of a social animal that seeks to adapt so as not to fall behind.
Although Erwin has managed to convince himself that killing on the battlefield is a matter of survival, deep down he still harbors a small hope: that the British flee quickly enough to avoid confrontation.
But that idea is unrealistic, British tanks, such as the «Matilda» or the «Crusader» advance at an exasperating slowness in the desert, at just over ten kilometers per hour.
Many of them can't even keep moving due to engine overheating, and end up abandoned in the middle of nowhere.
During the march, Erwin observed the remains of British tanks and vehicles that German engineers have pushed aside.
He was surprised to see that many are intact, even with ammunition still inside, why didn't they destroy them? The answer comes from Trigger, who explained to him that it's a British tactic to slow down the German advance.
"We don't have compatible ammunition for those tanks, and driving them is impossible, for us, they're a nuisance," said Trigger with an ironic smile, Erwin nodded, understanding the logic behind that apparent generosity.
The German army, confirmed by a light armored division with dozens of vehicles, continued to advance at full speed, Rommel's plane continued to fly over the area, urging the troops on the ground to keep up the pace.
Five hours later, they caught up with a group of British who have decided to face the pursuit, they have set up a defensive line with about thirty tanks and the ruins of an uninhabited village, the tactic is simple: stop the enemy while the rest of their forces retreat.
"Prepare for battle!" ordered the baker, everyone grabbed their rifles, crouched, and advanced in sync.
Erwin saw a dozen German tanks ahead, most have veered off the path, scattering, they have occupied favorable ground aiming their cannons in the same direction.
The British army did not fire, obviously, they wait for the German army to attack first to take advantage of their defensive position.
But this time, the Germans did not fall into the trap, it's evident that they have learned the lesson, their tanks are inferior to the British, so they opted for a different strategy: deploying 88 mm anti-aircraft guns.
Boom!
The 88-millimeter anti-aircraft guns roared, generating a wave of heat, with a loud bang, the British tanks were destroyed one after another, and the bunkers were blown to pieces, making the British unable to resist.
The 88 mm guns were relentless, it pierced the armor of the Matilda tanks as if it were paper, leaving basketball-sized holes in them.
"Congratulations, boy, now the battle has become easier thanks to you," said Trigger beside him.
Erwin felt a chill realizing that in a way, the chaos in front of them is partly his responsibility, the miserable screams and desperate cries of the British are his fault.
In a matter of minutes, the British defensive line crumbled, half of the tanks have been destroyed, and the remaining crews fled in panic, but there is no other choice: staying means becoming an easy target for German artillery, and trying to escape in a "Matilda" tank is a fantasy; their slowness condemns them.
"Forward!" The German officer, standing on the tank, made a gesture with his hand, and the German army advanced towards the British army like a tidal wave.
Just like before, Erwin followed the tanks, holding the rifle in his hands, but this time fear did not paralyze him as before, the previous experience has made him somewhat familiar with the chaos of combat.
British bullets and shells rained down on the German tanks, but without the Matildas, their resistance capacity is minimal.
Most of the shots bounce harmlessly off the German armor, the tanks advanced steadily, stopping occasionally to fire, each time they do, the cannon's recoil shakes the entire structure.
"Follow me!" Trigger ordered Erwin, who didn't know what was going on, but decided to follow him anyway.
Trigger ran quickly and hid behind a mound with a quick roll, placed the rifle on the mound and aimed, the movements integrated into one, and Erwin, who was following him, was dazzled watching him with admiration.
Several bullets whizzed past Erwin's head, so he shook his head and hurried to lie down to take cover.
While aiming, Trigger said to Erwin beside him: "Remember, we are snipers, we don't need to charge at the enemy like the others, we have to stay at a distance."
Bang!
Suddenly, Trigger moved his finger and fired, immediately after he got up, changed position, aimed once more, and fired.
Erwin watched him repeat this process over and over again, each shot hit the target, something practically impossible on the battlefield where most shots are cover fire and very few hit the mark.
'He's like a killer machine, efficient and lethal...' Erwin thought realizing that if he wants to survive, he must learn to keep up with this damn John Wick.