novelraw Chapter 126: Attack!
Chapter 126: Attack!
They moved carefully down the rocky slope, the descent steep and shrouded in darkness. Despite the lack of light, Gideon could see far more clearly than any ordinary human, his enhanced vision allowing him to navigate the terrain with ease.
Elaine seemed equally unbothered by the conditions, her movements steady and confident as she followed alongside him.
From within the bandits’ headquarters, a mixture of panicked and irritated voices echoed through the night.
"The hell?! It died again?"
"Didn’t we already replace it with a better version?!"
"Fuck! Where is the mechanic? Tell them to fix it!"
The confusion was understandable. Gideon recalled a power outage in his old city; the rage people felt was something new he had seen.
It was oddly fascinating that even after the collapse of modern society—after phones and the internet had vanished—people still reacted to inconvenience in much the same way.
Still, his attention returned to Elaine. "Do you need night vision goggles? I can get you a pair," he whispered as they paused behind a large rock near the surface.
She nodded silently.
Gideon accessed the system, and a familiar prompt appeared before him.
[Two NVGs (Military Grade): 5,000 Love Coins]
[Do you want to purchase it?]
He confirmed the purchase, and the goggles materialized in his hands. Handing one to Elaine, he watched as she quickly secured it over her eyes. After adjusting the fit, she gave a small nod of approval.
"We’ll move down now," she whispered. "If you see any men, eliminate them quietly."
"Understood, ma’am," Gideon replied with a faint smirk.
They descended the depression using a set of poorly constructed man-made stairs. The steps were uneven and riddled with holes, threatening to produce noise with every misstep.
Fortunately, the members of the Skull Fangs were far louder than anything they could produce, their complaints and curses echoing through the darkness as they scrambled to address the sudden blackout.
Gideon soon spotted three men climbing the stairs toward them, grumbling loudly about the situation.
"This is bullshit. I’m not fixing that thing again."
"Yeah, I swear, if it breaks one more time, I’m done with this place."
Their voices were laced with irritation, peppered with curses Gideon had never even heard before.
He exchanged a glance with Elaine. No words were necessary.
In perfect coordination, they raised their suppressed rifles and fired. The shots were swift and precise. The men collapsed instantly, never realizing what had happened.
Elaine lowered her weapon and leaned slightly closer, her voice barely audible. "Thirty-seven more men... also, we will need more coordinated attacks so we won’t waste our bullets, I will give you orders if you don’t mind."
Gideon glanced at her, impressed. She had been counting their numbers since they first arrived. The precision was both reassuring and unsettling.
"Of course, you are the captain in this ambush attack. Just don’t forget to leave me some men."
Elaine chuckled and they continued moving deeper into the base, keeping low and close to the shadows cast by the surrounding structures. Gideon followed Elaine’s lead, watching how she navigated the terrain with confidence, once again amazed by it.
She moved with purpose, pausing only to assess their surroundings before signaling him forward. It was clear to him that this was not her first operation of this kind.
’There is no way she was only a military doctor,’ he thought.
Two bandits appeared ahead, grumbling loudly about the sudden blackout. Before Gideon could react, Elaine raised her hand, signaling him to hold. She stepped forward and fired two suppressed shots.
Both men collapsed instantly, never realizing what had happened. She then gestured for Gideon to move the bodies aside, ensuring the path remained clear.
"Thirty-five," she whispered, her tone calm as if she were merely keeping track of inventory.
They advanced toward a cluster of small buildings that seemed to function as sleeping quarters. A man stumbled out, still half-asleep and confused by the darkness. Gideon instinctively raised his weapon, but Elaine was faster.
She closed the distance and struck the man with a swift kick to the abdomen, silencing him before finishing the job with a suppressed shot.
Near the storage area, three more bandits were attempting to organize crates. Elaine signaled a coordinated approach, pointing to two targets before indicating that Gideon should handle the third.
Following her lead, Gideon fired at his assigned target while Elaine eliminated the remaining two. The entire exchange lasted only a few seconds.
"Thirty-two," she counted softly.
As they moved closer to the center of the base, the cages holding the slaves came into view. Two guards stood watch, distracted by the ongoing confusion caused by the blackout.
Elaine reacted without hesitation. She steadied her rifle and fired two suppressed shots, dropping both men instantly.
The captives panicked as the guards’ blood splashed against the metal bars and even onto their faces. Several of the men began shaking the cage violently, hoping to force it open with sheer desperation. The women, on the other hand, looked ready to scream.
Gideon reacted immediately. He rushed to the cage and gently covered the mouth of one of the women, lowering his voice to a whisper. "We’re here to help you. Don’t make any noise."
Although they clearly did not understand the full situation, the sincerity in his tone was enough. One by one, the captives began to calm down. The rattling of the cage stopped, and the tension in their expressions slowly eased.
Elaine stepped forward, her demeanor composed and direct. "Do you know which building belongs to the boss? A fat woman, short, with a face that looks like a pig?"
The captives shook their heads at first. They had only just arrived and knew little about the place. However, one of the women suddenly seemed to recall something. She hesitated before speaking, her voice trembling.
"I-I saw her... the fat woman. She walked toward that building, the biggest one. I couldn’t point out that place to you, I can’t see clearly. Maybe she’s the one you’re looking for?"
Elaine gave a small nod of approval. "Good girl. Stay here and keep quiet. We’ll come back to free you."
She then turned her attention to Gideon. "It’s the tallest building, located on the lower level of this depression. Can you see it?"
Gideon followed her gaze and looked down. The structure stood out immediately. Not only was it the tallest, but it was also the most well-maintained, far more refined than the other makeshift buildings surrounding it.
It was exactly the kind of place a leader would claim for themselves. The sight almost reminded him of a boss arena in a game, and for a fleeting moment, he could practically imagine dramatic music playing in the background.
"Yes," he replied, a faint smirk forming on his lips. "Let’s move."
With their objective now clear, the two of them prepared to advance toward the heart of the Skull Fangs’ stronghold.
They started to move and pass what appeared to be the mechanical area when a low hum suddenly echoed through the compound.
Gideon’s eyes widened slightly as the backup generator roared to life. The lights flickered once before flooding the entire depression with harsh illumination, instantly stripping away the cover of darkness.
Shouts erupted from every direction as they realized the dead body on the ground.
"Intruders!"
"Find them!"
Bandits began pouring out of the surrounding buildings, their confusion quickly giving way to organized resistance.
Gideon instinctively scanned the area, searching for possible escape routes and vantage points, but before he could finish assessing the situation, Elaine suddenly pushed him toward the back of the generator building.
He almost protested, ready to move back to her side, but the look she gave him stopped him cold. Her eyes were firm and unwavering, silently commanding him to stay where he was. Gideon clenched his jaw and remained hidden, realizing that this was part of her plan.
Within moments, Elaine was surrounded by members of the Skull Fangs. Armed men formed a tight circle around her, their weapons raised and ready.
He could only wait and see for her next order. But still, the anxiety was real.
The tension in the air thickened as the crowd suddenly parted, making way for a figure approaching from the center.
The boss emerged with a smug expression. She carried a folded fan, tapping it against the back of her palm as she studied Elaine with clear amusement.
"Well, well, well, of course it’s you," she said with a theatrical sigh.
Elaine didn’t miss a beat. "Well, well, well, of course it’s piggy," she shot back with an even more wicked grin.
A few of the surrounding bandits let out stifled laughs, but the boss’s sharp glare silenced them instantly. The amusement on her face faded, replaced by a cold, calculating expression.
"Catch this skinny bitch," she ordered, her voice dripping with malice. "Don’t kill her. I want to have some fun with her first. Death is far too easy for someone like her."