Liam had received the quest to kill 15 guards, but that was no easy task. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight them face to face, so he decided to use a different approach to take them out.
He quietly made his way to the training ground, his eyes scanning the area for any guards. He spotted a few, but they were standing close to each other, making it impossible for him to strike without alerting the others. So, he waited, biding his time until they went back to their posts.
Earlier, when Liam was eating with the others, he had taken a sharp-edged stone weapon from Joon Ho. The weight of it in his hand was reassuring since he wasn't unarmed against them.
'Still though, this isn't enough to kill someone. I need to find something else.'
As he waited, he noticed two guards taking the injured bodies of the hostages—those who had fought and gotten hurt while battling for food—somewhere. Liam's eyes narrowed as he watched them head in the same direction as the well. He silently followed them, making sure to keep a safe distance and blend into the shadows.
The guards were chatting casually, completely unaware of the danger lurking behind them. Liam's heart pounded in his chest, but he kept his steps light and his breathing steady. He couldn't afford to make a single noise.
As they reached the well, the guards dumped the bodies unceremoniously and turned to leave. Liam saw his chance. He gripped the stone weapon tightly and lunged forward, striking the first guard in the back of the neck. The guard crumpled to the ground without a sound.
[+100 XP]
The second guard turned around, his eyes widening in shock. But Liam was already on him, striking him down before he could react. Both guards lay motionless on the ground, their lives snuffed out in an instant.
[+100 XP]
Liam took a deep breath, his heart still racing from the adrenaline. He looked down at the bodies as a grim satisfaction settled in his chest.
Liam quickly looted all the items from the guards' bodies. He found a few low-grade pills and daggers. The guards had swords as their primary weapons, but Liam knew taking them would be too obvious and visible, so he left them behind.
He thought about discarding the stone weapon but remembered it wasn't his, so he tucked it into his pocket, planning to return it to Joon Ho later.
Looking at the dead bodies of the guards, an idea struck him. He stripped them naked and tossed their bodies into the well, ensuring no trace of his deed remained.
"Fuck yeah," Liam muttered, feeling a rush of satisfaction. He then asked the system, "Hey, do I have something like an inventory where I can store this shit?"
The system took a while to respond but finally said, [You will have to unlock the inventory.]
"Goddammit, I knew that would be the case," Liam grumbled. "How much will it cost?"
[Unlocking the inventory will cost 1000 XP.]
"Fucking hell," Liam sighed and unlocked the inventory. It had space to store 10 individual items. He added the two pairs of clothes and the two daggers into the inventory.
Current XP: 400 XP
With the inventory sorted, Liam took a deep breath and looked around, making sure that no one had noticed his actions. Satisfied that he was still in the clear, he melted back into the shadows, his mind already planning his next move.
'Two down, thirteen to go.'
Liam hid himself behind a tree nestled between two large boulders and fixed his eyes on the well. He waited patiently as his heart pounded with anticipation. He knew he had to be careful; attacking when there were too many guards would be suicidal.
'I want to finish this quest as soon as possible.'
"But… I don't think that's possible. Killing 15 guards in a night is… I don't know. I am definitely asking to be killed here." he muttered to himself.
The first pair of guards approached the well, dragging the lifeless bodies of hostages behind them. Liam watched as they dumped the bodies into the well, their laughter echoing in the quiet night.
He gripped his dagger tightly as he prepared to strike.
As the guards turned to leave, Liam lunged from his hiding spot. He moved swiftly and silently, his dagger glinting in the moonlight. He struck the first guard in the back of the neck, the blade slicing through flesh and bone with ease. The guard crumpled to the ground, a gurgled cry escaping his lips as blood sprayed from the wound.
[+100 XP]
The second guard turned around after hearing the noise. His eyes widening in shock upon seeing the dead body, but before he could react, Liam plunged the dagger into the guard's chest. He twisted the blade, feeling the warm rush of blood over his hand. The guard's mouth opened in a silent scream, his body convulsing as Liam yanked the dagger out, leaving a gaping hole in its wake.
[+100 XP]
Liam quickly looted the bodies and added their items to his inventory. He stripped them of their clothes and tossed their naked corpses into the well, the splash echoing ominously in the darkness.
'These pills will come in handy.'
He returned to his hiding spot, his breath was coming in ragged gasps as he waited for the next opportunity. It wasn't long before another pair of guards approached, their voices low as they discussed the day's events. Liam's heart raced as he prepared to strike again.
He waited until the guards were close enough, then sprang into action. He tackled the first guard from behind, wrapping his arm around the guard's neck and pulling him into a chokehold. The guard struggled, his hands clawing at Liam's arm, but Liam held firm.
Liam had no time to take out the dagger, but that wasn't an issue.
Liam didn't loose his grip until the guard's face turned purple, and his eyes bulged as he gasped for air. With a final, desperate gurgle, the guard went limp, and his body slumped to the ground.
[+100 XP]
The second guard, alerted by the commotion, turned to face Liam, and drew his sword. But Liam didn't hesitate. He had been in a similar situation and he was trained in combat.
He charged forward, ducking under the guard's swing and driving his dagger up into the guard's chin. The blade pierced through the soft tissue, embedding itself deep into the guard's skull. The guard's body convulsed violently before collapsing to the ground, his lifeless eyes staring up at the night sky.
[+100 XP]
'Four more down, nine to go.'
Liam was exhausted and gasped for air as he looked at the two dead bodies. He was about to pick them up and toss them into the well, but suddenly, a searing pain shot through his leg. He glanced down and saw a dagger embedded in his thigh as blood already soaked through his pants.
"Fuck!" he cursed as he gritted his teeth against the pain. He looked up and saw seven guards surrounding him, their faces twisted in anger and surprise.
"Well, well, well," one of the guards sneered as a cruel smile spread across his face. "Look what we have here. A little rat trying to play hero."
Liam's heart pounded in his chest as he realized he was cornered. He gripped his dagger tightly, his mind racing with possibilities. But with seven guards against him, injured and exhausted, the odds were not in his favor.
"You're fucked now, kid," another guard chuckled, his voice laced with malice. "You should have stayed in your hole."
[You in a deep ship, bruv.]