Unfortunate Encounter (2)

"Did you see the look on that bald guy's face when we took his stuff?" One of the raiders chuckled, taking a swig from a bottle of whiskey.

"Yeah, and that pretty girl we captured too. She's going to fetch a high price at the market," another raider replied, smirking.

The group erupted into laughter, raising their bottles in a mock toast. The air smelled of smoke and alcohol, and gunfire could be heard in the distance.

"Sounds like the other groups are having some fun, too," one of the raiders said, standing up and stretching. "Maybe we should join in."

The others nodded in agreement, grabbing their weapons and following their comrade towards the source of the noise. They moved quickly and silently, their boots crunching on the dry leaves and twigs on the forest floor.

As they drew closer, they saw another group of survivors added to their ever-growing list of slaves. They didn't care much about the men, but when it came to women, they couldn't keep their lustful eyes off them.

The raiders grinned, eager for some action. However, before they could do much, something weird happened. The gunshots raining in the distance halted entirely.

"What is going on?" The red-haired raider questioned.

"Stop pressuring your two brain cells." The leader of the group waved his hand in the air. "They probably ran out of targets to shoot."

But one of the raiders suddenly stopped laughing and peered into the darkness.

"Hey, did you guys hear that?" he said, frowning.

The others fell silent, listening intently. But all they heard was the crackling of the fire around the settlement and the distant moans of the zombies.

"Relax, it's probably just the wind," one of them said, rolling his eyes.

But the first raider wasn't convinced. He slowly stands up and scans the campsite's perimeter, his hand hovering over his weapon. Suddenly, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, moving quickly.

Before the raiders could react, the shadow slashed through their throats with a sharp blade, spraying blood everywhere. The raiders gurgle and gasp, their eyes widening in shock and horror.

The figure moved on, dispatching each of the raiders with quick and deadly strikes. Within seconds, the campsite was silent and still, except for the crackling of the fire.

The figure stepped into the light, revealing himself to be Shinon, his eyes dark and his face twisted in rage. He surveyed the carnage around him, his chest heaving with exertion.

"I can't believe I trusted the likes of you before," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Two groups down, two more to go."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind a trail of blood and the smouldering remains of the raiders.

Shinon cautiously approached the captives, his sword ready in case the remaining raiders found him. As he drew closer, he could see the look of relief and gratitude on the faces of the survivors. They were tied up but not gagged, so Shinon motioned for them to stay silent as he worked to free them.

Shinon sliced through the ropes that bound the captives' hands and feet with quick, precise movements. As they were freed, the survivors hugged each other tightly, some crying with relief.

"It's not safe to leave yet, as more raiders are scattered all over," Shinon warned them. "It'd be better if all of you hid somewhere safe and waited for me to clear the area-"

"Bravo, bravo!" a man exclaimed, his voice deep and rough. "I must say, I didn't expect such a brave rescue mission from a loner like yourself, Shinon."

Shinon turned around once he heard someone call his name. The man was tall and burly, with a shaved head and a thick, bushy beard that covered most of his face. He had piercing blue eyes and a scar that ran from his forehead to his cheek, giving him a menacing appearance.

He wore a sleeveless leather vest, revealing a multitude of tattoos covering his arms and chest, and carried a large machete on his belt. As he clapped, a wicked grin spread across his face, revealing yellowed, crooked teeth.

And the man wasn't alone. Seven people were standing behind him, five of whom were carrying guns, while the rest had swords and machetes.

Shinon tensed, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "How do you know my name?"

The raider leader chuckled. "Oh, we know a lot about you, Shinon. You're quite the legend among the survivors out here. Selena talked a lot about you, you know, especially after you left our settlement."

Shinon had never mentioned anything about his past to the group he had just rescued, and he certainly hadn't said anything about being a part of the raider's settlement.

Technically, he was never accepted as one of them, but the people behind him did not know that. The rescued settlers looked at Shinon with wary eyes, unsure what to make of the situation.

"I'm glad I did before you revealed your true colours."

"Oh, come on, Shinon. The world isn't a black-and-white place anymore." The man replied while pointing at the destruction around him. "All of this is so that our settlement can live on. Unfortunately for the weaklings, this world isn't a place for them anymore-"

"Funny to see bastards like you talk about strength." Shinon scoffed. "Drop the guns, and I'll show you what true strength looks like."

The raider leader smirked, "You're in no position to make threats, Shinon. You're outnumbered and outgunned. But I'll make you a deal.

You can take the rescued settlers with you and leave this place. In exchange, you'll leave behind any supplies and weapons you brought with you... especially that sword of yours."

"Sorry, bud, this sword is way above your pay grade." Shinon turned towards the rescued and whispered, "When I shoot, start running. Do not turn back at any cost."

"Tsk tsk, you and your godforsaken morals..." The leader shook his head in disappointment. "Guess we'll have to-"

Bang~

Shinon watched as the raider leader fell to the ground, the shadow pistol in his hand still smoking. The other raiders looked on in shock and confusion as their leader lay motionless.

"You fucking talk too much."