The night was deep, and the wind in the forest stirred the withered leaves, carrying a chill and a hint of murderous intent. The three of them moved along the forest path, their steps deliberately light, avoiding the fallen leaves and dry branches to prevent any unnecessary noise.
Dismas walked at the front, his figure melting into the shadows. His movements were light and precise, like a leopard accustomed to prowling in the dark. Caedmic followed closely behind, while Reynauld brought up the rear, constantly alert to their surroundings.
After they had traveled a little further, Dismas suddenly stopped, raising his hand slightly to signal the others to come closer. Then he crouched, squinting his eyes to peer towards the east, lowering his voice, "We're here. It should be right over there."
Caedmic followed his gaze and, through the gaps in the trees, he could faintly make out some distant flickering lights.
"It looks like our 'friends' weren't lying," Dismas muttered with a soft grunt, quickly scanning the surrounding terrain with a cunning glint in his eyes. "But they're not completely unprepared."
Reynauld stood behind him, his gaze steady. He spoke in a low voice, "Go on."
Dismas crouched lower, taking a piece of black cloth to wipe the barrel of his firearm before gesturing toward the forest ahead. "See those trees? At the roots near the camp, there are rope marks. That means they've set up an alarm trap." He paused, then tilted his chin toward the other side. "And over there, on the left, near the bushes, there are signs of footsteps, but no clear prints. That suggests they're hiding something—most likely a simple trap. Stepping on it would trigger something."
Caedmic furrowed his brow, his eyes reflecting surprise. He hadn't noticed those details at all, but Dismas seemed to be able to assess the possible ambush with just a glance.
Reynauld, however, didn't show any surprise. He clearly trusted Dismas' observational skills. He spoke in a low, measured tone, "What's their personnel situation? Can you see how many of them are there?"
Dismas nodded, his night vision allowing him to discern the enemy's positions clearly. His sharp eyes scanned the distant camp for a moment before he spoke softly, "They're not many. Only three."
Caedmic and Reynauld waited in silence, not disturbing him.
Dismas raised a hand to point in a direction. "One of them is patrolling the east side. Looks like a regular foot soldier, only carrying a knife. He's pacing back and forth, probably keeping watch on the outer perimeter."
He tilted his head slightly, pointing in another direction. "On the south side, near the hunter's cabin, there's a marksman checking the supplies. He's armed with a long-barrel matchlock rifle. If a fight breaks out, he'll be a long-range threat. And lastly—there's one near the campfire, sitting on a crate. Looks like an old soldier, probably the leader. He's wearing armor and sharpening a longsword." He paused, his eyes growing colder. "I didn't see a pistol on his waist, but he might have hidden it elsewhere. We should be cautious."
Reynauld nodded slightly, his voice calm yet firm, "If we charge head-on, the marksman will be the biggest problem. His range exceeds ours. We must avoid letting him take the first shot."
Caedmic frowned, thinking for a moment before asking in a low voice, "What if we deal with the patrolling guy first? He's on the perimeter. If we move quickly, we might not draw the others' attention."
Dismas smiled faintly, his lips curling up with amusement. "That's definitely possible. He's on the outer edge, with a blind spot. If we take care of him cleanly, it won't alert the camp." He paused, his eyes flashing with a dangerous sharpness. "I'll handle it."
Caedmic immediately realized that Dismas was suggesting he go alone.
Reynauld's voice was steady and commanding. "Alright. But it must be a clean kill. Don't give him a chance to sound the alarm."
Dismas stretched his wrist with a slight crack, his eyes gleaming with cold confidence. "Don't worry. I'll make sure it's handled quietly."
Caedmic asked softly, "And if you take him out, what's next?"
Dismas narrowed his eyes, pointing toward the center of the camp. "Once I'm back with you, I'll figure out how to put out the fire and create some confusion. If their light source goes out, we'll have the advantage."
Reynauld nodded, his voice firm. "If the fire goes out, I'll charge toward the old soldier to keep him occupied. You two take the opportunity to attack him."
Caedmic frowned, his mind racing. "Putting out the fire? Is that really safe?"
Dismas chuckled lightly, a hint of mockery in his tone. "Don't forget, I'm not a knight who charges head-on." He paused, his gaze flicking toward the distant flicker of light from the campfire. "It's not a big fire, and the wood doesn't look like much. It's probably just for warmth and basic lighting. If I can get close enough, I can toss some wet dirt on it, or kick over some burning logs to weaken the light."
Reynauld spoke in a low voice. "We'll overwhelm the old soldier together. But what about the marksman?"
Caedmic thought for a moment, then picked up the recently confiscated pistol, speaking slowly. "I'll take care of the marksman."
Dismas looked at Caedmic, his smile taking on a knowing edge. "You've fired a gun before, haven't you? Your first shot better not miss, my young employer."
Caedmic took a deep breath, gripping his matchlock tightly. "I'll give it a shot. Once you've put out the light, I'll fire. Even if I miss, I'll charge in and try to take him down."
Reynauld gave a firm nod.
Dismas laughed softly. "Then let's get moving!" With that, his figure melted into the darkness like a ghost, silently making his way toward the patrolling brigand on the east side.
Caedmic didn't choose to crouch behind the bushes with Reynauld and wait for Dismas to return. Instead, he sat down and began inspecting the pistol they had just acquired, preparing for the battle ahead.
The night was deep, and a hunt was about to begin.