I took a deep breath and left that place.
Tonight I have a mission to finish and even if the shot wasn't as loud as I thought it would be, there is always the small chance that someone noticed and was coming this way.
I moved away from the crime scene. When a got to a house farther from there, I planned my next steps. Killing the dogs in a direct fight like when I killed the fat guy was difficult because they have at least 2 people with them all the time. Trying to kill them directly was the same as battling a group of three.
Even if I manage to kill it fast, I have to escape, depending on if the partners have a power, it could be difficult to leave them behind. And even if I win the commotion of a fight is not something from what I could hide so easily, so there would be more people that would notice and join the battle.
Because of this, I must take a different approach for the dogs to kill the dogs, and of course, there was a method simple enough and I wouldn't need to fight head-on with them. Checking the shop, I decided to set a trap for them. Is possible that there are more than just the 2 dogs I saw before, so I should leave traps all around the usual patrol area.
I browsed around the shop to buy food as bait, I didn't need a lot of it, enough to hide poison inside and the dogs to eat it fast without noticing it. Unfortunately, there was not cooked stuff, it would have way better since after you cook meat it became more fragrant and would attract the beast's attention faster, but raw meat would do the trick.
Afterward, I looked for poisons. There were different types and I had no idea about the difference between them. Under the recommendation of the system, I chose one that should kill a normal dog in less than five minutes. A normal person can resist this poison for about a day, but would die anyway without the antidote.
The one I bought had the same price as the acid I bought for the bolts, 5 capsules for 10 system points, and the meat was a normal raw beef. I put the glove I had left and cut the piece of meat into five pieces, then using the same knife I made a little pocket to put the poison inside. The house where I was currently hiding at should be on the route back for one of the dogs so I carefully went outside. I put a capsule inside the pocket and crushed it for it to free the poison on the meat. I left the meat on the grass and looked along the street for any sign of movements.
I used the chance to cross the street and move to another place. I don't think they discovered the fat guy yet, but when they do, this place is going to be a mess and I don't want to be here when that happens.
The Stealth upgrade proved his worth multiple time that night, there was this time that I went into a backyard where the guys were leaving, but as I jump the noise was so low that none of them noticed it.
I was trying to go around the mansion to leave traps in the patrol routes and try to understand a little more of the layout.
From what I could before most of the searching parties went towards the west, so moving in the other direction should help me find fewer people and move around easier.
While I was moving and thought about Stealth I decided to not make the same mistake again and just ask the system about his abilities.
'System what are the advantages of ambush?'
[The precision and damage from attacks directed to weak-points are enhanced according to the Skill Level, and stealth skill level. When preparing for an ambush there is also a synergy effect with stealth. To apply the bonuses the objective can't be aware of the user's presence. At High levels ambush could apply additional effects]
If the bonus depends on the level does that means that level 0 gives no bonus?
'Then why is there a level 0?'
[The level 0 doesn't give bonuses, but it gives the user the opportunity to use skill points to level it up. Also, the level 0 means that the skill unlock requirements are already fulfilled but the user lack some experience to get to level 1. There are more hidden level 0 skills, but the user hasn't used them before so it's not necessary for the user to see them like the ones unlocked].
It makes some sense, but it's still weird… unless.
'Is there a way to follow the progress of the skills?'
[Not in the trial version].
That makes sense now, probably in the upgraded version, I will be able to see the requirements and the progression I currently have in the different skills.
'What about Dodge, Firearms and Damage Resistance?'
[Dodge Increases body flexibility and reaction time in battle. Firearms improve accuracy and reload time, Damage resistance makes the skin tougher, this reduces incoming damage, at higher levels it also protects from internal injuries].
Most of the skills were what I expected, the second part of damage resistance surprised me, but I already decided to focus on the speed path, so it's a no for now.
About Lv. 0 skill I didn't think too much about them. I still want to hold to those 2 skill points, using them to level up dodge and ambush was enticing, but I already had a plan in mind and want to avoid fighting, unless there is no other option.
If I'm not wrong, there should be about two hours left till the sunrise. Thinking of the mansion as the center I currently was in the north of it laying out the second trap. After I left the piece of meat in a similar place for a dog to find it easily, I kept moving and surrounded the house. Since the patrols were looking for me at the west moving around was easier than before, there was just a couple of guards around but no dogs.
I was at the east now, just behind the house. I wanted to go there, but I had a bad feeling about it so decided not to. I didn't have to wait too long for me to have a chance and even If I am not going inside I threw a piece of poisoned meat to the place I think is the backyard of the mansion.
I left the other piece of meat in the place I was currently standing because I know that they were going to check here after I do what I'm planning.
I prepared 2 smoke bombs that were for the second part of my plan. The smoke bombs were not some kind of sophisticated device, even I could make them when I was in high school. Both cost 5 system points together.
Why fill a place with smoke? For Chaos. It came to me when I saw the tired guards that had to go wake up to search for me. I want to keep it this way and spread it to the mansion too. I have three days to deal with this, and dealing with tired people lacking sleep, is going to be easier than if they are resting well. Therefore, for today and tomorrow, I plan to harass them and not give them the chance to sleep.
If I manage to take out most of the dogs even if they go all out to look for me their chances are going to be almost zero, and I can take short naps while Rose watches over me.
About spending this way my points, if I manage to kill Jamie and complete the hunting mission is going to be worth it.
After I threw both bombs I moved fast toward the south, the smoke started to come from the mansion so when the guards saw the smoke they moved fast to see what was happening and help. I took my chance and run away towards the south. I left the last piece of meat near the "guard post".
[Congratulations on killing an F-Ranked Beast, 5 points rewarded]
After a few minutes, I could hear the commotion near. Most of them thought that the mansion was on fire, so everyone went back.
If I have to guess one of the dogs found the meat on his way back. I would love to see everyone moving around, but this was a good chance to leave for now.