The next morning, Kai woke up feeling refreshed. After a small breakfast, he left Victor's shack and made his way to the Prospector Saloon.
As soon as he arrived, he heard raised voices from inside, clearly an argument. Curious, he stepped in to check it out.
Inside, he saw Trudy—the saloon's owner—facing off against a rough-looking man.
"I'm done being nice," the man snarled. "If you don't hand Ringo over soon, I'm getting my friends, and we're burning this town to the ground. Got it?"
With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out, leaving Trudy behind with a frustrated expression.
Kai approached her, and upon noticing him, Trudy sighed and said, "Welcome back."
Kai nodded before asking, "I overheard your argument. What was that all about?"
Trudy sat at the bar, rubbing her temples before replying, "Looks like our little town got dragged into the middle of something we wanted no part of."
She exhaled before continuing. "About a week ago, this trader, Ringo, came into town—survivor of an attack, he says. Some bad men are after him, and he needed a place to hide. We figured he was just in shock, so we let him lay low. Didn't think anyone would actually come looking for him."
Kai folded his arms. "Where is Ringo now?"
"He's holed up at the abandoned gas station up the hill," Trudy answered, nodding toward the north.
Kai took a moment to think. The situation was clear—some gang wanted Ringo dead, and now Goodsprings was caught in the middle of it.
"I see," Kai said, watching as Trudy went back to work. Without wasting any more time, he turned and left the saloon, heading toward the gas station up the hill.
Kai arrived at the gas station and cautiously stepped inside. As soon as he did, he froze.
A pistol was aimed directly at him.
"That's close enough," the man said, his grip steady. "Who are you, and what do you want with me?"
Kai raised his hands slightly, keeping his tone calm. "I'm not an enemy, if that's what you're asking."
The man studied him for a moment before lowering his weapon with a sigh. "Sorry about the gun. You just caught me off guard, that's all." He turned away and walked toward a shelf, setting his pistol down briefly.
Kai took the opportunity to ask, "Did you know there's a man named Joe Cobb looking for you?"
At the mention of the name, Ringo scoffed. "Yeah. He doesn't look very tough, though. I hear he's afraid I'll shoot him down from one of the windows when I see him—and he's right." He reloaded his pistol with practiced ease before adding, "I'll have a much bigger problem once his friends show up. There's no way I could handle all of them in a gunfight."
Kai folded his arms. "What are you going to do about them?"
"For now? I'm still laying low," Ringo admitted.
Kai nodded, considering his options before offering, "You need a hired gun. I'm available."
Ringo raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "All I've got left on me are a handful of caps, but if you get me out of this, I'll make sure the Crimson Caravan pays you back. You've got my word."
Kai thought for a moment before responding. "Consider it done."
With that, he turned and left the gas station, making his way toward the weapon shop next to the Prospector Saloon.
Kai spent the day preparing for what was to come.
At the weapon shop, he purchased a silenced 9mm pistol and sold off some useless junk.
With his gear in order, he used the excuse of hunting geckos and coyotes to scout the area, carefully noting where Joe Cobb and his men were camped outside the town. Using his binoculars, he studied their movements, counting their numbers and identifying weak points.
As the sun set and night took over, Kai returned to his shack, had dinner, and mentally steeled himself for what he was about to do.
At midnight, he stepped out, his silenced pistol holstered and a combat knife secured to his side. This was the perfect opportunity—eliminate the gang before they could attack the town.
Moving like a shadow, Kai approached the camp. He raised his binoculars one last time and confirmed what he had hoped for—only one guard was awake, keeping watch while the rest were asleep.
Perfect.
Kai took a deep breath and silently drew his silenced 9mm. Taking careful aim, he steadied his hands, exhaled, and pulled the trigger.
Pfft!
The guard collapsed instantly, a clean shot to the head.
For a moment, Kai's hands trembled. His heartbeat hammered against his chest. This was his first kill—and the realization of it made him feel sick.
But there was no time for hesitation.
He forced himself to calm down, gripping his knife tightly as he entered the tents. One by one, he silently ended their lives, careful to ensure none of them made a sound.
By the time it was over, the entire gang lay dead.
Kai looted everything they had—caps, ammo, and weapons—before he stumbled outside.
The stench of blood filled the air.
His stomach churned.
He barely made it a few steps before doubling over and vomiting.
Minutes passed before he finally regained his composure. Wiping his mouth, he took one last look at the lifeless camp.
Then, without a word, he turned and began making his way back toward the gas station.
Kai arrived at the gas station, exhausted but victorious.
As he pushed the door open, Ringo—who had been asleep—woke up startled, immediately grabbing his pistol and aiming it at the intruder.
"You scared the crap out of me," Ringo muttered, lowering his gun once he recognized Kai.
Kai, still catching his breath, simply stated, "Joe Cobb and his gang are dead."
Ringo's eyes widened in shock.
"Really? That's... wow. I wasn't expecting you to handle it all on your own." He let out a deep sigh of relief before reaching into his pocket. "Here, take this."
He handed Kai a handful of bottle caps.
Kai looked down at the payment before raising an eyebrow. "Seems a little light for the work I did."
Ringo scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "It's all I've got on me right now. But if you ever make your way to the Crimson Caravan's main camp in New Vegas, I'll make sure you get the rest."
Kai nodded in acknowledgment before turning toward the door.
"See you around, Ringo."
Without another word, he left the gas station and made his way back to his shack.
Once inside, he collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion finally taking over.
Tonight, he would sleep deeply—his first real step in this new world had been taken.
Kai slowly woke up, lying on his dirty bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
The events of last night were still fresh in his mind— the blood, the silence after the last body fell.
He let out a deep sigh, pushing those thoughts away before sitting up.
After cooking a small breakfast, he donned his Bounty Hunter Duster and Desperado Hat, then began packing his belongings. It was time to move on.
But before leaving, he made a quick stop at Doc Mitchell's house to say goodbye.
With his farewells done, Kai headed to the saloon.
As he entered, he saw Trudy and Sunny talking at the bar. Deciding to approach, Trudy turned toward him and spoke.
"Word around town is that Joe Cobb and his Powder Gangers were killed by geckos."
Kai raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "Wow. That's unexpected."
Trudy, however, took a step closer and, in a hushed voice, asked, "It was you, wasn't it?"
Kai kept his expression neutral. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Trudy smirked knowingly. "Oh, I see. Well, thanks anyway."
Her eyes flickered to the bag on his shoulder, and she asked, "Are you going after the man who shot you?"
Kai nodded. "Yeah."
Trudy's face softened. "Be careful out there. If you ever need anything, Goodsprings will always be here for you."
Sunny chimed in, "Yeah, stay safe, Kai."
Kai nodded in appreciation, then turned and stepped out of the saloon.
His next destination was Primm.