Two kilometers. Vincent would have covered that distance alone in just under 30 minutes. But with Luminova in tow, it might take longer, especially given her lack of experience with rough terrain and her recent ordeal.
Vincent led the way, his senses heightened and his eyes scanning the dense forest around them.
"Keep close and follow my steps," Vincent instructed quietly, making sure Luminova was just a step behind him. He could tell she was nervous, her eyes darting around, trying to take in everything.
As they walked, Vincent pointed out tracks on the ground and broken twigs—signs that people had recently passed through this area.
"Bandits likely use this path regularly. We need to be extra careful," he explained, his voice barely a whisper.
Luminova nodded, her grip on the small handgun Vincent had given her tightening. She was clearly out of her comfort zone, but there was a determination in her eyes. She wasn't going to let her fear control her.
After what felt like an hour, Vincent stopped suddenly, holding up his hand for Luminova to halt.
"There's the camp," he whispered, nodding towards a clearing ahead where smoke curled up between the trees.
From their hidden vantage point behind thick bushes, they could see the outlines of several makeshift tents and hear the low murmur of voices. Vincent counted the figures moving around the camp and there were approximately thirty visible from their position, possibly more inside the tents or out of sight.
"That's the camp!" Luminova inadvertently raised her voice.
Vincent quickly placed his hand over her mouth, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign that her outburst had been heard. After a moment, satisfied they hadn't attracted attention, he slowly removed his hand.
"Sorry," Luminova whispered, her face flushing with embarrassment. She took a deep breath, then continued in a much lower tone, "I remember now... The layout, everything. I saw where they took my master."
Vincent nodded, his expression turning serious. "Good, that's valuable information. Tell me everything you can remember."
Luminova closed her eyes, focusing. "There's a larger tent, slightly apart from the others, heavily guarded. That's when I last saw her. They had other prisoners, too, but she was separated from them."
"Thanks for the information," Vincent said.
"Wait…what are you doing?"
"I'm going to save your master and the rest of the prisoners," Vincent declared.
"Sir…are you out of your mind? There are a lot of them and you're just one person!" Luminova's voice was filled with worry, her hands clutching the fabric of her dress tightly.
"Don't worry…this isn't the first time I encountered such a situation," Vincent said confidently. "Besides, their weapons are primitive. There is no way they can match the firepower I have. Just trust me. Stay here and wait for me."
Vincent reassured Luminova with a nod, indicating that he would handle the situation. Seconds later, he walked near the campsite and once he was out of sight from Luminova. He opened his system and acquired a silencer for his pistol that cost about 50 gold coins.
He fitted it to his M17 handgun, making sure it was securely attached.
With the silencer in place, Vincent crept closer to the camp. He utilized the cover of the thick bushes and the dimming light to mask his approach.
As he neared the perimeter of the camp, he could hear the low chatter of the bandits and the crackle of their campfires. He paused, surveying the layout of the camp with careful eyes. The guards were lax, confident that they had control around their campsite.
He walked around and found what seemed to be the main entrance. There he saw two guards, one sleeping on a chair and the other resting his back against the pole of a wooden fence, seemingly on alert but not fully focused on his surroundings. Vincent knew this was his moment to act. He needed to disable them quietly to avoid raising an alarm.
Carefully, he vaulted over the wooden fence, landing with barely a sound on the soft earth on the other side. The awake guard was still oblivious to his presence. Vincent moved like a shadow, closing the distance between them rapidly.
In one fluid motion, he drew his tactical knife and slit the throat of the standing guard. The man choked, unable to scream, as he crumpled to the ground. Vincent caught the body before it could hit the ground too loudly, lowering it gently.
Then, turning his attention to the sleeping guard, Vincent approached him. Without hesitation, he covered the man's mouth with one hand to muffle any potential noise, and with the other, he slit his throat. The guard's body jerked once before growing still under Vincent's firm hold.
With both guards silently neutralized, Vincent wiped his blade on the grass and sheathed it. He scanned the area quickly to ensure no one had noticed. Satisfied that the perimeter was still secure, he proceeded deeper into the camp. He used the tents for covers and encountered five bandits towards him from different directions.
Reacting swiftly, Vincent raised his silenced M17 handgun. Within the span of just three seconds, he fired five shots, headshotting them.
The quiet thuds of their bodies hitting the ground were barely audible, drowned out by the crackling of the nearby campfire. Vincent quickly dragged the bodies into the shadows of the tents, ensuring they were out of sight to avoid immediate detection.
With the immediate threat neutralized, Vincent took a moment to survey his surroundings. He was deep inside the enemy camp now.
Inside the tent, he found six women, all naked and huddled together. Their bodies bore visible bruises and scars—clear signs of physical abuse.
Vincent's jaw clenched as he took in the horrific scene. Anger boiled within him, but he suppressed it, focusing on the task at hand. The women cowered as he entered, fearing he was another tormentor to continue their nightmare.
"I'm here to help, not hurt," He spoke softly, trying to reassure them.
As he assessed their condition, he noticed the tent flap rustled slightly. Instincts honed by years of combat snapped him to attention. He drew his pistol and turned toward the entrance just as three bandits stumbled in, laughing raucously, unaware of the change in their fortune.
The first bandit, catching sight of Vincent, barely had time to register surprise before Vincent fired. The silenced M17 muffled the sound to a soft cough as the bullet struck the bandit squarely in the forehead. The man's laughter cut off as he dropped to the ground.
Without pausing, Vincent shifted his aim to the second bandit, who was now reaching for his weapon. Another soft report from the M17 and the second man fell, a clean shot to the head. The third, momentarily frozen by the swift and silent deaths of his companions, barely managed to squeak out a sound before Vincent's third bullet silenced him permanently.
With all three bandits down, Vincent quickly moved to the bodies, kicking away their weapons and checking their pulses to ensure there were no surprises. He then turned back to the terrified women, who had watched the swift justice rendered on their abusers.
"You're safe now," he reassured them. "But I need to leave you here for a while as I will find the princess."
After saying that, Vincent exited the tent and turned his sights to the largest tent. It must be where the princess is and the ringleader who orchestrated this.