As Shinon continued eliminating the remaining raiders, a growing number of survivors joined his cause, swelling the group's ranks. By the time he arrived at the location where Tim and Kira were being held, more than thirty people were following him.
Although Shinon had started his mission alone, he welcomed the additional support. Some survivors had combat skills and were adept at using weapons like machetes, which proved valuable during the fight.
Shinon was cautious about arming the survivors with guns, however. The noise would attract zombies from miles away, and the group was already large enough to draw unwanted attention. So, he decided to limit the use of firearms, preferring to arm the survivors with melee weapons instead.
Also, proper firearms were rare to come by, and Shinon didn't want to part with the few guns he had found. Therefore, arming the survivors with guns wasn't a wise idea.
As Shinon and the survivors moved through the settlement, he raised his fist to signal everyone to stop. They froze in place, waiting for his next move. Although they had arrived at the site, it seemed they were too late.
The place was completely empty.
Shinon used his heightened senses and listened for any movement or sound. Suddenly, he heard a muffled scream coming from nearby. He motioned for the group to follow him, and they quickly made their way towards the source of the noise.
As they approached the building, Shinon could hear the sound of frantic footsteps and muffled voices. He raised his fist again, signalling for everyone to stop. He crept forward, his senses on high alert.
Through the dark foliage of trees, Shinon saw Kira and the other survivors shoved into a truck, likely to be carried to the Phoenixes, where they'll likely sort them into various ranks and exploit the weak ones.
Once done, the raiders locked the truck from the outside and left, probably wondering where the rest of them were.
Shinon turned to the group of survivors and motioned for them to stay back. He didn't want anyone to get hurt, especially not the ones who had no idea how to fight or defend themselves.
"Rico, you'll come with me. The rest stay here and don't make any noise." Shinon warned the group before leaving with Rico.
Rico was a tall, muscular man with broad shoulders and a chiselled jawline. His tanned skin glistened in the sun, and his short, dark hair was neatly trimmed. His intense gaze was framed by thick eyebrows, and a faint scar above his left eyebrow hinted at his willingness to take risks.
Rico wore a black leather jacket that hugged his muscular frame and a tight-fitting white t-shirt that showed off his impressive biceps. He wore black cargo pants and heavy-duty boots that were scuffed from many battles.
He carried two gleaming machetes at his side, their blades long and sharp. The handles were wrapped in black leather and worn from frequent use. With the way he held them, it was clear that Rico was a skilled fighter who knew how to handle his weapons with deadly precision.
He was one of the people Shinon didn't regret making the acquaintance of, as Rico was a man who knew what he was getting into and took bullshit from no one.
"So, how will we do this?" Rico asked in his husky voice.
Shinon looked around, trying to assess the situation. "There are nine guards around the truck, four in front and five at the back, and the truck is locked from the outside. We need to take them out quietly and free the survivors without drawing any attention."
He reached down and picked up a stick, then drew a rough sketch of the area and the guards in the dirt.
"We must distract them first, then take them out simultaneously. I'll take the ones on the back, and you take the ones on the front. Move quickly and quietly, and don't hesitate to kill them."
Rico nodded, his eyes narrowing in determination. "Got it. Let's do this."
Shinon and Rico moved slowly towards the truck, keeping to the shadows and avoiding any noisy debris on the ground. As they got closer, they saw the guards sitting on the ground, their backs against the truck. They were laughing and joking, completely unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows.
Shinon raised his hand, beginning the countdown, and Rico brought the machetes forward. As soon as Shinon closed his fist, they rushed towards the truck.
The guard turned just in time to see Shinon approaching him and tried to reach for his gun, but it was too late. A moment later, four shadowy tentacles popped out of the darkness, grabbing the raiders by their necks and slamming them hard on the ground; their necks snapped in half.
The fifth raider tried to run through the tentacles, only to meet his end with Shinon's blade.
Rico was equally swift. He moved in closer to the truck. Four raiders appeared in front of him, brandishing weapons of their own. Rico didn't waste any time, charging towards them with both machetes held high. The raiders fanned out, forming a circle around him.
The first raider lunged forward, swinging his machete in a wide arc. Rico dodged to the side and brought one of his machetes down, slicing into the raider's arm.
The raider howled in pain, but Rico didn't give him a chance to recover. He spun around, the other machete in his other hand, and thrust it forward. The blade sank deep into the raider's chest, and he fell to the ground, dead.
The other raiders hesitated for a moment, then attacked in unison. Rico parried their blows, his machetes clanging against their weapons. He was quick and agile, dodging their attacks and striking back with deadly precision.
One of the raiders managed to get a lucky hit, grazing Rico's arm with his machete. Rico winced in pain, but he didn't slow down. He retaliated with a fierce attack, striking the raider's weapon and knocking it out of his hand.
The other two raiders backed away, but Rico didn't allow them to regroup. He advanced on them, his machetes flashing in the sunlight.
He sliced through one raider's neck with a swift movement, sending him tumbling to the ground. The last raider tried to flee, but Rico was too quick and caught up to him and plunged his machetes into the raider's back, ending his life.
"Fucking weaklings."
Rico stood there for a moment, catching his breath and surveying the scene. The four raiders lay dead at his feet, their blood staining the ground.
Shinon quickly grabbed the keys from the guard's belt and unlocked the truck.
"Let's go. We don't have much time," he whispered urgently to Rico.
Rico nodded and rushed to pull the gate open. The survivors inside the truck were huddled together, looking frightened and confused. But the moment they saw Rico, they ran outside, tears flowing down from many of their eyes.
It wasn't long before they witnessed a gruesome sight before them. All of the raiders were on the ground, dead. Their necks bent out of shape as blood poured out of their mouths.
"What happened here?"
Kira Asked Rico, who pointed towards Shinon with his eyebrows. "Ask him; I was in charge of the ones in front."
"Shinon... what are you doing here?" Kira asked, smiling from ear to ear.
"Long story. Let's regroup with the rest first." Shinon replied, heading towards the hiding place of the rest.