New Gods of North America.

Chapter 626 Choice
The two monks who came to reinforce the cathedral didn't have much field experience, and were even not very proficient in using firearms, but their physical fitness was actually quite good, and their fighting spirit was quite tenacious.
After all, once someone has shown the courage to face evil gods without flinching in action, it is unrealistic to expect them to be afraid of ordinary bad guys.

The battle quickly reached a stalemate. Although Wayne's side took a few hits at the beginning, they successfully circled around to the corner.

Using the simple lines of the "camera" that could be shifted, he could aim accurately with almost every shot after dismounting. He wasn't too afraid of being hit by bullets when he peeked out, which made the other side afraid to continue to approach quickly. The monk who fell off his horse grabbed his lever-action rifle and quickly joined the battle, helping to deal with the enemy on the other side with random bullets during the intervals.

But as the saying goes, "even a novice can defeat a master with a flurry of punches," bolt-action rifles inherently have a low rate of fire and a limited magazine capacity of only a few rounds, so even the most accurate shots cannot create suppressive fire.

There was no other cover near the intersection, and the enemy was attacking from both the left and right sides simultaneously. Wayne didn't like being riddled with bullets, so he could only fight and retreat slowly. For two shots, in order to gain the upper hand, he chose to "just hit the target" rather than aim for consecutive headshots, in order to wear down the enemy's offensive as quickly as possible.

Those guys who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere didn't retreat quickly; the streets were filled with the constant banging of bullets, and stray bullets occasionally sparked in the darkness.

The monk still on horseback was busy in a different way. He was managing three horses by himself, and the injured one was particularly difficult to pull. "This can't go on. There are still companions waiting for emergency treatment over there. If we get there too late, their lives may be in danger."

As soon as he finished speaking, the horse beneath him went limp. Although it quickly straightened up and stopped jumping around after being calmed down, it was unclear where it had been injured.

"The horses can't get hurt anymore. Take them and hide in that alley."

Wayne shot and knocked down a psychopath across the street who was still distributing weapons from a sack. After pulling his head back, he pointed towards the back of the road upon hearing this.
As he reloaded, he estimated the number of bullets remaining, then whispered to the fallen monk, "Step back first, that gun is almost out of bullets."

Once they reached the narrow alley between the two warehouses, the situation improved slightly. The number of people on the other side had decreased, and without showing their faces, they had no visibility. The line of fire could only be squeezed at the corner of the alley entrance.
The initial "bang bang bang bang" attack from both sides quickly turned into a back-and-forth "you bang once, I bang once".

Wayne knew that once blood was drawn, and both sides lost their tempers, the confrontation would often escalate to a fierce, life-or-death struggle.

So after a few rounds, during a lull in the shooting, he had the monk controlling the horse retrieve some high explosives from his saddlebag, ignite them, and throw them out, giving the people around the corner a little surprise.

"Bam—"

As it turns out, sometimes potent medicine is more effective and deterrent than precise medical treatment; after the explosion, the enemy barely even bothered to stick their guns in anymore.
The minimalist-lined "lens" of vision drifted out to take a look. Wayne swiftly took down a guy who seemed to be holding the line amidst the lingering smoke. The monk who had just fallen from his horse also popped up, and his lever-action rifle fired wildly through the smoke and dust.

The situation completely reversed at this point, and Wayne's side launched a counterattack.
The last few guys on the other side probably hadn't encountered a scene of "watermelons split open and soup splashing everywhere" much. One of the guys who was originally in charge at the back turned his back to the audience and started leaving, while others were pulling their injured teammates to retreat together.

Wayne mentally gave the former a thumbs up, then shot the man in the knee, marking him first and deciding to catch him later when he had time.

Sensing that the enemy's fighting spirit had completely crumbled, Wayne retreated into the alley. As he tried to recall the location from which the fireworks had risen, his gaze fell upon the two horses that had collapsed in the alley.
The monk holding the lever-action rifle noticed Wayne's pause and shifted his gaze from the groaning figures lying on the ground near and far to the same spot as Wayne:
“Mr. Wayne, your purification ability is more effective at removing the curse of ‘Koyatl’. You go and provide support first, and we will take care of the aftermath here.”

“Let’s leave together.” Wayne felt that such a line sounded ominous. He looked at the horse he had ridden over, wondering if it was strong enough to carry three people at once. “Although they have already left, it’s not safe yet. We should avoid lingering here.”

The monk holding the lever-action rifle leaned against the wall and slid down to sit on the ground. "Right now, only Mr. Wayne's horse is still usable. The situation over there might be worse. We can't waste any more time."

“You’re injured.” Wayne observed the other’s movements, not using a question.

“It’s not too serious, we should still be able to protect ourselves.” The monk draped his lever-action rifle over his thigh, then tugged at the front of his robe and gestured slightly to Wayne. “We’re from the Church, they might not be that hostile towards us.”

Hmm... that's quite a convincing reason...

Another monk had already brought Wayne his horse over: "I'll stay and take care of him. If things go well, with so many warehouses nearby, we should be able to borrow a horse quickly, it won't take too long. If we can't find a horse, we'll leave as soon as possible."

Alright. Both horses are paralyzed; even if we force them to get up, they might not be able to run very far, and now is not the time for humility or sentimentality.

Wayne left them the bolt-action rifle and the saddlebags filled with bullets and high explosives, and took a first-aid kit. "Be careful," he said. "There might still be some of their men nearby. The sooner you leave, the better."

"Don't worry, the malice of evil spirits is often more cunning and pure than that of the living. We're not new recruits anymore."

"Be careful, and if necessary, shoot them on the spot."

Wayne emphasized it again, then quickly mounted his horse after surveying the surroundings with a minimalist, streamlined look.

He pulled out his pistol to avoid being delayed by others on the way, and also finished off some of the guys lying on the ground—he had limited bullets, so he ignored the guys who were just "groaning and whimpering," but he would smash the fingers of anyone who was lying down and trying to pick up a weapon.

Wayne was also curious about these guys' identities, but he had already considered this question beforehand.

They appeared with a dozen or so people, and they were carrying heavy loads and sticks, which doesn't fit the style of professionals like bounty hunters. It's more like the work of gangsters in the dock area.

Arresting people still requires interrogation, and what they say immediately might not be the truth. There's no time to waste on them right now, so we have to switch to another method of questioning.

For example, those who can do this kind of dirty work should be considered core members in the gang, at least the ones in charge of leading them should be. We'll have the intelligence team find out if any gang in the dock area has suddenly lost a lot of fighting power recently. It's easy to make up lies, but it's not so simple to turn people into real people. Some things can be kept from the authorities, but often can't fool your peers.

Otherwise, Wayne wouldn't have ordered someone to throw high explosives; he was just short on time and wanted to save trouble.

The same logic applies to deliberately leaving some wounded behind; people with special markings are usually easier to find. And don't blame Wayne for being ruthless; if it were in the West, criminals would definitely prefer to "live with wounds" rather than "reincarnate without pain."

The sound of horses' hooves gradually faded into the distance.

The lever-action rifle slipped from his thigh, and the hand that had been supporting the gun now braced itself on the ground. Another monk approached quickly with a first-aid kit. "Where are you hurt?"

"The external injuries don't seem too serious, but the position I fell in wasn't good. After relaxing a little, I started to feel very dizzy..."

"The bleeding isn't too bad..." His companion checked his injuries. "Let me bandage you up first."

“No need. Go see if there are any people outside who are worth saving. If not, go find Ma first…” The person speaking picked out a small bottle from the first aid kit, threw off the stopper, took a big gulp, and smelled the pungent odor inside after drinking it. “I’ll rest for a bit and then go help.”

"Let me help you go with me."

"It's taking up too much time... Let me sit for a while longer, it's alright."

“…Alright, you’re more professional than me when it comes to treatment.” The lever-action rifle was moved back to the other person’s side, followed by a tube of fireworks, a candle, and some medicine. “Don’t push yourself. Call me if you feel something’s wrong. But don’t put it too high.”

"understood……"

(End of this chapter)