Cole felt a second dagger pierce his chest. The pain was so intense it felt like his flesh and muscles tore apart. He grunted, releasing the arrow in a haphazard direction. The woman was already upon him, her fist connecting with his chin with brutal force.
He fell to the ground, rolling to gain distance, one hand clutching his bow and the other reaching for the dagger's hilt. Swiftly, he pulled it from his neck. The woman was relentless, rushing to close the gap before he could recover.
He attempted to swing his weapon at her, but she was too quick. With an agile move, she sidestepped and landed a kick, sending his dagger flying. It landed nearby but out of his immediate reach.
The woman hovered over him, clutching the knife in Cole's chest. As she twisted it, a sharp, searing pain coursed through him. He could sense the tear in his muscles, and as they attempted to mend through his natural healing ability, the pain intensified.
He gritted his teeth, locking eyes with the woman. An eerie smile played on her face.
"Where are they?" she hissed, saliva dripping from her toothless grin. "What have you done?"
In a desperate move, Cole aimed a punch at her, but she swiftly intercepted, using her knee to pin his arm down.
“I swear I’ll slit your throat out if you don’t start talking.” She had murder in her eyes. Cole sensed she wouldn't kill him immediately, not while she believed he held valuable information. Mustering every ounce of strength, he replied, "I’m not sure where they are." It wasn’t a particularly subtle response, but it was enough to keep her interest piqued. Her grip on the knife tightened, causing him to reflexively jerk his hand, which made him drop his bow.
"Where are they?!" she demanded, landing another punch on his face, the new pain intertwining with the old one.
"At the camp!" he bluffed. He could feel his neck healing, and an idea began to form in his mind. Testing his arm, he realized it was regaining its mobility. If only he could seize the moment...
Punch!
“Where are they?!”
Punch!
“I’ll fucking kill you, you pig!”
Punch!
Using all his might, Cole swiftly rolled to the side, throwing the woman off balance. This gave him enough time to pull his own knife from his pocket and drive it into her shoulder with a forceful twist. She uttered a sharp scream, recoiling and inadvertently pulling the dagger from Cole’s chest as she retreated.
“I’ll kill you!” She screamed in a high-pitched voice. She was acting like a rabid dog.
Cole quickly got his bow from the ground and notched an arrow. Without hesitation, he released it, striking her thigh. He swiftly let loose two more arrows - one found its mark in her belly and another in her shoulder. Yet, despite being filled with arrows, she continued her frantic charge toward him.
“Shit!” He muttered as he grabbed his knife once again. This woman was in some kind of battlelust superior to the ones he saw Sun Tie enter. She wasn’t going to stop.
“I’m going to fucking kill you! Where are my boys!?” As she screamed, she lunged with her dagger towards Cole's shoulder. He deflected it with his arm and retaliated, aiming his knife towards her midsection.
With agility, the woman evaded his strike, but Cole managed to grasp her. He drove his knee into her abdomen. She retched on the spot, almost puking, as her dagger slipped. Cole landed another kick, sending her sprawling to the ground, riddled with arrows and wracked with pain.
“Stop! Stop this nonsense! I have no idea what they are! Stop this and we can part ways.”
“They were here…” She muttered under her breath, hatred spilling in the form of saliva. She slowly got up. Cole had now his bow raised again and an arrow ready to strike.
“Stop, miss.” She didn’t.
The arrow found its mark in her heart, and she crumpled. Cautiously, Cole approached her, each step deliberate, trying to be sure if she was truly defeated.
But she sprang to her feet in a burst of almost supernatural speed, seizing Cole in a fierce grip and toppling them both to the ground. The two grappled intensely: grunts, punches, and kicks exchanged in a blur. She spat curses at him, attempting to bite at his face with the ferocity of a rabid beast. In the heat of their close-quarters struggle, Cole struggled to land a blow with his knife to her torso.
They tumbled over a slope, descending rapidly, their bodies battered by branches, rocks, and entwining vines. When their chaotic descent finally ceased, the woman was on top of Cole. Desperately, he searched for his knife, spotting it within arm's reach. As he seized it, she lunged, her face inches from his, aiming for his forehead.
The sickening crunch echoed loudly in his ears, yet he managed to drive the knife deep into her abdomen. She clutched the hilt with both hands, unleashing a scream more piercing than any Cole had ever witnessed. But he acted swiftly, wresting the knife from her grasp.
She collapsed beside him, but as he struggled to his feet, so did she.
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"Why won't you stay down?!" Cole yelled, but she was already charging towards him.
Without hesitation, Cole stood firm. As she neared, he sidestepped, and, in a swift motion, he slit the woman’s throat. Deep and clean.
She collapsed once more, a haunting gurgle escaping her lips. Though her eyes still blazed with murderous intent, she struggled to speak, producing no comprehensible sound. She embodied pure madness, and Cole had ended her torment.
While sympathy filled Cole's heart, there was no room for regret. It was she or him, and he would make it all over again if necessary.
[You have gained a level]
You have received 1 basic skill point, 1 class skill point, and 1 stat point.
[You have slayed Human Rogue (Earth) - Level 08]
You have earned a new title!
[True Survivor]: Eliminate a member of your own species and planet.
+5 Vitality
- Mission Updates -
Kill 1 human enemy (1/1). Reward: EXP and a Common Loot box.
Kill 5 Earth different hostile life forms (2/5): Reward: EXP and an Uncommon Treasure Chest.
Kill 15 enemies (8/15). Reward EXP and Uncommon Treasure Chest.
She was two levels ahead of me and had a Rogue class. That may explain why I hadn’t noticed her. Maybe an advanced stealth technique?
Cole studied the woman more closely. Her eyes were lifeless and as dark as the night sky. Her pale skin contrasted sharply with her short, sparse hair. Age marks marred her face, suggesting a life possibly ravaged by substance abuse.
Her death was undeniably tragic. However, Cole couldn't afford to be weighed down by guilt. It wasn't his first kill and likely wouldn't be his last. Given her references to "her boys," Cole inspected her possessions quickly before continuing his mission.
He noticed a loot box nearby. He'd inspect that later. Among the strange woman’s belongings, he found matches, two men's t-shirts, a chunk of cheese, and, oddly enough, a cold beer. Cole wasn't one to pass on such an opportunity. He added everything to his inventory and retrieved the two daggers the woman had lost during their confrontation.
[Twin Daggers] - Common
+3 AGI
+3 LUC
Effect: Throws are faster.
Description: These are simple twin daggers. Always razor-sharp, they're the trusty choice for rogues or anyone acquainted with assassination.
Cole stashed his knife in his inventory and secured the twin daggers to his belt. He felt more at ease with these weapons by his side. Turning his attention to the chest beside the fallen woman, he found two potions inside:
[Common mana potion]
[Common healing potion]
While not the best loot he'd found, it would be undoubtedly helpful. Before moving on, he took one final look through the woman's possessions. Using his [Identify] skill on her hooded cloak, he discerned its properties:
[Stealth Cloak]
+3 AGI
Effect: Amplifies stealth abilities.
Description: A novice assassin's cloak. Merge seamlessly with the shadows.
Cole hesitated about striping the clothes of a dead woman, but the harsh reality of the apocalypse dictated otherwise. He quickly finished his search, removing her cloak and looking inside her pockets, and discovered a piece of paper tucked inside. As he examined it, regret tugged at him.
It was a photo. The woman, appearing in her thirties, stood between two smiling kids clutching toys. One was taller and slim, the other shorter and stout. The background showed a Christmas celebration—a happy family.
No more.