The heavy steps of the Sentinels shook the garbage field. At the same time, the chains rattled as the captives strapped to their mechanical bodies swayed helplessly.
Clank… Clank…
The Hound prowled ahead with its claws scraping against the ground as it scanned for enemies.
Kai didn't hesitate when he saw what was happening. He raised his hand, not for another collapse, but for something different.
"Smoke!" he commanded.
Immediately, survivors pulled the small canisters from the Stealth Gift Pack. Pins were yanked, and thick plumes of gray smoke erupted across the battlefield. The haze spread quickly, swallowing the Sentinels and the Hound in a choking fog.
"Good..."
Soon, their optics started overworking as they struggled to adjust. For a moment, the machines halted, scanning wildly with their vision disrupted.
The survivors then disappeared into the haze, with their silhouettes slowly vanishing. Thanks to their camouflage suits from the same pack, they blended even further into the fog.
Kai also crouched with his revolver ready.
"Stay hidden. Let them reach the trap."
Just like that, the Sentinels advanced blindly. The Hound seemed to have better detection ability as it moved forward, with the Sentinels following behind.
'I guess highly advanced sensors weren't a priority for the Sentinels,' Kai mused. Since they were mass‑produced, it wasn't surprising that most of their parts were lacking. It was already impressive that they were all equipped with energy rifles.
Nonetheless, the second part of the plan was soon initiated.
Over the past two days, the survivors had prepared not just the shelter but also the battlefield. Using the fire starter from the Survival Tools Gift Pack, they had arranged piles of flammable debris like plastic scraps, oil‑soaked rags, and broken wood.
Now, as the machines stumbled into one of those spots, a survivor hurled a flaming torch.
Whoosh!
The fire caught instantly, creating a wall of flame. The Sentinels staggered and their captives shrieked as heat touched their bodies.
The Hound, the first to enter the trap, tried to leap back with its claws scraping against the burning ground. But the blaze spread fast, wrapping around its mechanical frame.
Suddenly, the battlefield was filled with smoke and fire.
Kai then reminded the group. "Hold position! Let the fire do the work!"
The machines thrashed with their optics glowing through the haze.
One Sentinel tried to raise its rifle, but flames engulfed its arm, melting plastic and warping metal. After some time, its legs began sinking into softened ground, trapped as the fire consumed the debris beneath it.
The other two Sentinels at the back managed to escape. Still, they tumbled onto their backs, crushing the unlucky captives strapped to them. Yet in the chaos, some chains and wires loosened, freeing other captives.
Kai couldn't see this through the wall of fire, but he knew their advance had been stopped.
The Hound, however, was strong. It forced its way out of the flames, its armor scorched but intact.
Victor turned toward two members of the Resource Gatherer Team.
"Now!"
They carried the crude but powerful devices he had built himself, large taser‑like weapons improvised from scavenged parts, powered by batteries and a power bank from the Energy Gift Pack.
The Hound charged forward, intent on tearing them apart, but the two survivors didn't care! Their devices were already sparking with raw electricity.
Thud! Thud!
The tasers slammed into the Hound's mechanical frame.
Bzzzt!
Electricity surged, frying circuits and crawling across its body. The machine convulsed violently, its claws twitching.
"Hahaha! Is it really working? That looks good, man...." Wallace said as he saw this happen.
"Awesome! Victor, you have to make more of those!" Claire said excitedly.
The others were ready to shoot with their revolvers raised. They were prepared to fire if the tasers failed. But they didn't.
"If I have the materials, I can make more," Victor said, proud that his Mechanic Talent had proven useful in the siege. Of course, this wouldn't have been possible without Kai's batteries and power bank, but still, Victor had shown his worth.
Just like that, only the three Sentinels remained.
Clank… Clank…
One of the Sentinels, still stuck, tried to move but failed to escape the pit of fire. Its rifle was gone, melted in the blaze, but its massive arms swung wildly.
Half of its body managed to push forward as it tried to break free. The two Resource Gatherers rushed in again with their taser‑like weapons. They slammed the devices into the Sentinel's head, electricity surging up its frame.
Bazzz!
The machine convulsed with sparks bursting from its joints.
But this time, the devices couldn't handle the strain.
Pop!
The tasers overloaded, and smoke started pouring out from their casings.
"Aahhh!"
The survivors dropped them, afraid of being electrocuted, but the damage was already done.
"I guess I have to make some changes…" Victor muttered after seeing that the weapon was only usable a couple of times.
Nonetheless, the other two Sentinels, still at the edge of the blaze, were soon able to stand up, and they tried to move forward.
They then started scanning for targets, but the haze distorted their vision. One lifted its massive leg, stepping into the burning debris.
Crunch…
The ground beneath it gave way, softened by fire and melted plastic. The Sentinel missed its footing, and its balance was messed up!
With a heavy crash, it toppled sideways into the flames.
The second Sentinel also attempted to adjust, but its sensors were sluggish.
It stepped forward, only to sink knee‑deep into the molten garbage.
Just like that, the blaze wrapped around its frame, consuming its armor.
Kai watched from cover in disbelief.
"They're dumber than I thought…" he muttered.