Chapter 64: Market Place (last)

Without hesitation, we sprang into action, seeking cover behind nearby debris. We exchanged tense glances, our unspoken agreement cementing our course of action.

We had no choice, we had to fight back.

The situation escalated quickly, and a firefight ensued. As the sound of gunfire filled the air, the noise attracted more and more zombies, creating chaos for both groups.

"Boss, those zombies are being attracted to the gun fire!" One of his lackeys said

"Sh*t, hurry up and retreat!"

Realizing the dire circumstances, I immediately came up with a plan, "Rex! Follow them, the rest, let's retreat first. " I said to Rex with the binocular.

I knew that we couldn't afford to stay here any longer, as the zombies would soon overwhelm us. We had to focus on survival, rather than engaging in a futile battle. We managed to disengage from the skirmish and regroup at the city's entrance.

We had escaped, but we had also made enemies.

We made it back to our camp, under the cover of night. We were exhausted, wounded, and grieving. We had lost one of our own, and some of us had been injured. But we had also inflicted more damage on the enemy than they had on us. They were not very good at shooting, and we had taken advantage of that.

We gathered around the campfire, trying to warm ourselves and lift our spirits. Roger spoke up, his voice somber. "We lost one of our own, and some got hurt. But you know what? Those guys weren't exactly sharpshooters, so they suffered more casualties than we did."

I looked at him, and nodded. He was right, we had killed more of them than they had of us. But it was still a bitter victory, and it did not ease the pain of losing a friend.

I turned to Rex, who had just arrived at the camp. He had followed the enemy group, and had found out where their base was. I asked him, with a concerned expression, "Did you make it back alright?"

He nodded, and said, "Yeah, I'm back. We found their base, and let me tell you, they're a bunch of bloodthirsty savages."

I raised my eyebrows, and said, "Damn, really?"

He nodded grimly, and said, "Yeah, it's bad. They're not just fighters; they enjoy torturing people. They even resort to unspeakable acts against women and children."

I felt a surge of anger, and my face hardened. I asked him, "What about their equipment?"

He said, "They've ransacked the police station and the military rescue base. They're armed to the teeth."

I narrowed my eyes, and contemplated the situation. I asked him, "Do you think we can defeat them?"

He exchanged a knowing look with Roger, before answering, "No doubt about it! They might have fancy weapons, but when it comes to real combat experience, they're nothing. Just a bunch of clueless civilians."

A glint of determination appeared in my eyes and smirk. I said, "Alright, then. We'll head back to base and rally more people. Tonight, under the cover of darkness, we'll strike them."

I had made up my mind. We had to take them down, before they could harm anyone else. We had to avenge our fallen comrade, and protect our town. We had to show them who we were, and what we could do.

With newfound resolve, I announced our plan to return to our base, gather more people, and launch a raid on the enemy's base under the cover of darkness. The following morning, we set off for our base, unaware that we were being trailed by an unknown presence.

Little did we know, Sam, a member of the enemy group we had encountered, had tracked us to our base. Fueled by revenge, he gathered his own group and set out to raid our town.

Sam, wiping blood from his cheek, spoke urgently to Ho, the seasoned boss of their clandestine operation.

Sam: "Boss, we've finally pinned down those conniving bastards who blindsided us during the hit at the marketplace."

Ho, his eyes narrowing with determination: "Really? Where are these rats hiding?"

Sam: "They've set up camp in a nondescript small town a mere few kilometers from the marketplace. It's a cunning choice—a perfect hideout to evade any prying eyes and stay off the grid."

Ho, his lips curling into a menacing grin: "Alright, Sam! You took a beating from those lowlifes, didn't you? Gather some of our sharpest men, and let's make them pay dearly for what they did to us!"

Sam, his grin mirroring Ho's intensity: "Haha, you got it, Boss! Those sorry excuses for thugs are about to regret the day they crossed paths with us. We'll ensure they won't dare pull such a stunt again."

The next day, Sam and his crew set off towards Souta's town, armed and ready for action.

Sam and his group arrived at the town, storming every house and firing their guns in the air, creating an atmosphere of terror.

"HAHAHAHAHA!! COME OUT YOU FCKING COWARDS!!!" Sam shouted, hoping to draw out his enemies.

As Sam's group continued their search, their frustration grew. They found no signs of human presence. The town seemed deserted. Growing impatient, Sam decided to confront the mystery head-on, shooting open the door of the school and demanding their hidden foes to reveal themselves.

"Come on, you pussies! Show yourselves! We know you're here!" Sam yelled, pointing his gun at every corner.

Minutes turned into hours, yet their search yielded no results, then because of the gun shots hordes of zombies came to them.

"What the hell? Did they trick us into a fake base? Goddamit!" Sam cursed, feeling like he had wasted his time.

Disheartened, Sam reluctantly ordered his group to retreat, returning to their base under the cover of night. However, upon their arrival, they were met with a shocking sight.

"What the hell? Why aren't the lights on? We have generators with us, so why?" Sam wondered, feeling a sense of dread. He then turned on the light, and gasped. They were greeted by the sight of their comrades' lifeless bodies, riddled with bullet holes and blood.

Sam's face turned red with anger as he shouted, "Who are you?! Where's my boss?"

He then saw Souta sitting on their throne, where his leader should be sitting. Souta was holding something on his hand, and a gun in the other.

Souta raised his hands defensively and said, "Hey, don't shoot, don't shoot."

Then, to Sam's horror, he saw what is on his other hand, it was his boss head! And Souta casually tossed his boss's head toward them.

"You looking for him?" Souta asked, a hint of mischief in his voice.

"You little shit! What have you done!? Kill him!" Sam roared, his hands trembling with rage.

Souta shrugged, a sly smile forming on his face. "Why not ask him?" he suggested, raising his hand.

"In hell, that is," Souta calmly responded, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Without a moment's hesitation, Souta's group opened fire, retaliating against Sam and his group. A chaotic gunfight erupted, and the odds were in Souta's favor. He had planned this ambush all along, waiting for the right moment to strike. He had used the town as a decoy, and had sneaked into Sam's base while they were away. He had killed their guards, and had taken their weapons and supplies, in case Sam's group tried to escape. He had left no room for error.

The encounter ended swiftly, leaving Sam defeated and desperate. He was the last one standing, surrounded by his enemies. He dropped his gun, and fell to his knees, begging for mercy.

"Please, please, don't kill me! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Sam pleaded, tears streaming down his face.

Souta walked up to him, and looked him in the eye. He felt no pity, only contempt.

"Sorry? Sorry for what? For trying to kill us? For taking our friends and family away from us?" Souta asked, his voice cold and harsh.

Sam had no answer. He knew he had done wrong, but he had followed his boss's orders. He had thought they were the stronger ones, the ones who could survive in this cruel world. He had thought they were the heroes, and the others were the villains. He had thought wrong.

Souta shook his head, and unshed his katana, "Any last words?" He asked

"Wait! I could be a better man! Please! Please don't ki—" Souta then sliced his head as he begged

Reflecting on the events that unfolded, Souta sighed, realizing the consequences of Sam's ill-fated pursuit of revenge.

"What a shame," he murmured to himself, contemplating the path they had chosen in this unforgiving world. He wondered if there was a better way, a way to live in peace and harmony, without violence and hatred. He wondered if there was hope for humanity, or if they were doomed to repeat their mistakes.

He wondered, but he did not know.