Chapter 21: Drop Zone Delta
The sky roared.
Zayn blinked against the sudden light as his boots slammed into metal. The evac chopper spun upward, blades kicking up wind and dust, and then it was gone—leaving the four of them alone atop a high-altitude cargo platform. Below them, chaos reigned.
A new match had begun.
\[New Game Mode: Survival Rush – 50 Players / Live Battlefield]
\[You Have Joined as Squad #11]
\[Last Team Standing Wins]
\[Bonus Objective: Locate Hidden Data Chip in Zone Delta]
Zayn's HUD glowed with a fresh overlay—kill counter, minimap, and a ping system. Around them, players were already dropping in—wingsuits flaring, tracer fire lighting the sky. Explosions echoed from a nearby hilltop.
Max grinned. "Now *this* feels like Free Fire."
Iris checked her loadout, tightening the strap on her sniper rifle. "Combat rules apply. No respawn this time."
Kira adjusted her goggles. "Zone Delta has a hidden vault. Whoever gets there first wins more than just the match."
Zayn nodded. His fingers closed around his standard AR—freshly issued, no attachments yet. "We land, we loot, we survive."
\[Auto-Drop Countdown: 00:03… 00:02… 00:01…]
The floor vanished beneath them.
Wind howled past their ears as they fell into open sky. The island stretched out below—urban ruins, winding rivers, broken highways, and burning wreckage. Zone Delta was marked with a bright red beacon, flaring above a ruined outpost.
Zayn angled his descent. "East side. Between the water tower and the rail yard."
They dropped low, wingsuits flaring at the last second.
Landing was rough—boots skidding across gravel and dust. Max hit the ground behind Zayn with a laugh. "Best part of the game, every time."
\[Weapons Nearby: M1014 Shotgun, G18 Pistol, Level 2 Vest]
Zayn grabbed the shotgun and vest. "Clear the warehouse."
They kicked in the door. Dust swirled. Inside, loot was scattered—medkits, ammo, frag grenades. Iris snagged a scope and mounted it onto her rifle.
Then the comms flared.
\[Enemy Squad Detected – West Side Rooftops]
"Snipers!" Iris shouted, diving behind cover.
The first bullet shattered a pipe above them. Steam burst into the room. Zayn rolled out and took aim—his shotgun roared, forcing the rooftop enemy back.
Max flanked left, tossing a grenade. It exploded with a thunderous crack—two enemy players went down in a flash of light and data.
\[Kill Confirmed: Squad #2 – 2 Eliminated]
\[Zone Shrink in 01:30]
Kira covered their backs. "Zone's shrinking fast. We need to move before we get pinned."
Zayn looted the downed enemies quickly—scoring a Level 3 backpack and a silenced MP5. "To the water tower. Vault's just beyond it."
The team sprinted through alleyways, jumping fences and ducking into cover as gunfire echoed across the map. In the distance, they could hear the growl of a monster truck—another squad coming in hot.
"We've got company," Max warned.
Zayn spotted the vehicle. "Split! Ambush formation!"
They scattered.
The truck rumbled through, gunners opening fire. Zayn slid behind a burnt car, popped up, and fired—his MP5 humming with precise bursts.
Kira used a flare grenade, blinding the driver.
Iris picked off the gunner from afar. "One down!"
The truck flipped as the driver lost control—metal screeched, wheels spun in the air, and the whole thing exploded.
\[Squad #9 Eliminated – Vehicle Destroyed]
Zayn wiped sweat from his brow. "Good work. Vault's just ahead."
They climbed the slope to the vault building—an old, half-collapsed bunker surrounded by crates. Zayn approached the sealed door.
\[System Lock: Data Chip Required]
He frowned. "It's not a standard vault…"
Suddenly—gunfire erupted from the trees.
Ambush.
Squad #6 emerged, guns blazing. Zayn took a hit to the vest, stumbled back. Max fired in return, laying down suppression.
Kira flanked low, using smoke cover.
Iris picked off two from the rear. "I've got overwatch!"
Zayn reloaded. "Push now!"
They surged forward—bullets flying. Zayn's shotgun thundered point-blank. One enemy dropped. Then another.
Max finished the last one with a katana strike, smooth and clean.
\[Squad #6 Eliminated – Data Chip Acquired]
The chip glowed in Zayn's hand.
\[Objective Complete: Vault Unlocked]
He inserted the chip.
The vault doors hissed open—revealing a compact server core glowing with strange symbols. This wasn't just loot.
Kira stared. "That's not supposed to be here. That's an encrypted system node."
\[System Override: Hidden Storyline Triggered]
\[New Mission: Discover the Secret of the Core Server]
\[Do Not Let It Fall Into Enemy Hands]
Before they could react, a voice crackled through the system.
"…You found it. Good. But you're not the only ones watching now."
Zayn's stomach dropped. The voice was familiar. Cold. Digital.
It was the same voice that whispered to him back in the Hollow Nexus.
"Who is that?" Iris asked.
But Zayn already knew. "The real enemy."
The battle had just begun.
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**Author's Note:**
Thank you so much for reading Chapter 21! I hope you're enjoying the mix of survival gameplay and mystery. The story will keep evolving, with even more intense Free Fire-style battles and deeper secrets behind the game world. If you're having fun with Zayn and the squad, please keep reading and share your thoughts. Your support means a lot!