Earl pulled out his night vision goggles, waiting for the hunter on the other side to step into his ambush zone. The area was open, with scattered low shrubs—not exactly hidden, but enough to conceal someone.
Through the goggles, a red dot suddenly appeared.
"They're here!" Earl whispered, letting out a soft whistle.
But then, a second dot appeared, followed by a third. Within three seconds, six red dots emerged in the darkness. Earl's breath caught slightly. He stared at the screen, his grip on the gun tightening. These people weren't rushing in; they were using the shrubs for cover, inching closer—experienced hunters.
Damn, there were too many of them.
Slowly, he adjusted his aim, searching for the right angle to shoot. His eyes scanned the screen, noticing their formation was spread out—they were deliberately avoiding becoming easy targets for an ambush. A flicker of unease crossed Earl's mind.
Earnest held his breath, his heartbeat racing uncontrollably. He turned to look at Dr. Chan, whose eyes mirrored the same tension and anticipation. In the darkness, faint rustling sounds grew louder, like dangerous beasts creeping closer.
Earnest took a deep breath and shouted,"Don't shoot! We're on the same side!"
His voice echoed in the night, carrying a mix of hope and unease. Meanwhile, Earl melted into the shadows behind the trees.
The figures stopped twenty meters away, crouching low and swiftly taking combat positions. Lee, the leader, looked cold but not angry, while Jack behind him couldn't hold back, yelling through the shrubs:
"You bastard! Who are you? Why did you kill our target?"
Earnest's heart sank.
This was another hunting team—unlike Earl, the lone wolf, these were cooperative hunters, potentially even more dangerous. He strained his eyes, trying to see through the darkness. Sure enough, several shadows emerged, moving silently like ghosts.
Under the faint moonlight, the occasional glint of metal blades flashed, like the fangs of predators. Earl frowned deeply, his finger still tightly on the trigger. He knew their equipment was no worse than his. If a fight broke out, the situation would spiral out of control. And if the patrol team was alerted, his chances of escape would plummet.
He hesitated, while the hunters began to encircle them.
Earnest and Dr. Chan exchanged a glance, understanding each other without words. Earl was just using them; if things went south, he would escape without hesitation. If they fell into the hands of these hunters, their fate would be worse than death.
Their only chance was to turn these two groups against each other.
Earnest suppressed his pounding heart and shouted,"Don't shoot! We're hunters too! There are three of us!"
In the darkness, a deep voice suddenly called out,"Earl, are you in there? Who are you with?"
Earl's heart skipped a beat, his lips dry. He licked them but didn't answer immediately. He recognized the voice—it was Lee, one of his competitors.
On the surface, they maintained a"friendly" relationship, but now, if things escalated, was it worth it? More importantly—there were too many of them. Could he still get out unscathed?
The night was heavy, the air suffocating.
"Earl, was that your M70 just now?" Lee's voice carried a probing tone, still hidden behind the shrubs."Let's forget about this—after all, we're brothers, right? Come out. It's not good for anyone to start a fight this early."
His words sounded warm, but his body remained low and hidden, his gun aimed at Earnest's direction.
Earl squinted slightly, hesitating. He knew his advantage had quietly disappeared. Instead of holding out, it might be better to negotiate. But… his prey couldn't be given up for nothing.
Finally, he spoke,"Lee, is that you?"
The wind blew the clouds away, moonlight spilling over six figures emerging from the shrubs, silently closing in.
Knives flashed briefly in the night.
Their expressions were cold, their movements steady, like beasts smelling blood. They formed a circle, trapping Earnest and Dr. Chan in a corner, their eyes scanning them as if assessing the value of these"prey."
The air seemed frozen, silent as death.
Earnest swallowed hard, his palms damp with sweat. He knew their situation hadn't improved—it had become even more dangerous.
Far away, Chairman Park watched the scene unfold on the monitor, frowning slightly. He sighed inwardly: This nephew, hesitant and indecisive, too soft-hearted—he's not cut out for greatness.
Earl took a deep breath, adjusting his breathing, a faint smile on his face.
"It's me, Lee," he said calmly, though his finger remained firmly on the trigger.
The shadows didn't relax immediately, still inching closer until the distance between them shrank to less than ten meters. Under the moonlight, their faces finally became clear.
Lee, medium build, slightly thin, with pale skin and glasses. His eyes always carried a mocking, playful look. He stood at the front, holding a modified M1932 pistol, its barrel pointed downward. His hunting outfit was slightly worn, with a satellite camera on his chest—a standard for these hunters.
Behind him were five other young hunters, similarly dressed, each equipped with sharp knives or light firearms, their bodies stained with blood and killing intent.
Earnest held his breath, a primal sense of danger gripping his heart. He instantly recognized that these people weren't ordinary soldiers or bounty hunters—they were hunters like Earl. The kind who treated killing as a game, ignoring laws and human life, driven by madness.
From the shadows of the trees, Lee stepped out. His pace was slow, but it carried an undeniable weight of authority. His gaze swept from Earnest to Dr. Chan, a faint smile playing on his lips. It wasn't clear if he was sizing them up as prey or calculating their worth.
Earl appeared next, lazily emerging from behind a tree. His gun hung loosely, its barrel barely pointing at the ground. Behind him, a group of similarly dressed hunters revealed themselves one by one, their cold smiles scanning the scene as if evaluating the thrill of the hunt.
"Well, Earl, I knew it was you," Lee said, his voice quiet but cutting through the tension like a blade."I thought you'd be staying home tonight."
Earl snorted, curling his lips in disdain."Miss out on such prime prey? Not a chance. The mayor himself promised my dad this quarantine zone is my leveling-up ground."
Jack let out a mocking laugh, his tone dripping with sarcasm."Heard you spent a whole week puking after using a chainsaw on someone last time?"
The air grew taut. Earl's eyes darkened, his finger instinctively brushing the trigger."What did you just say?"
Jack stared back, his gaze sharp as a blade, his lips twitching as if holding back anger. The only sound was the chirping of night insects echoing in the silence.
Lee's voice broke the tension again."Earl, who are they?" His tone was still casual, but the pressure in his words was unmistakable.
Earl licked his lips, realizing he had crossed a line he shouldn't have. He cleared his throat, forcing a casual tone."They're mine!"
"Oh, so you're saying we wasted an entire day chasing for nothing?"
"As long as the target isn't dead, the rules allow competition," Earl shrugged, his tone indifferent.
Lee's expression finally hardened."You're playing fast and loose with the rules, Earl."
Before the words had fully settled, Jack suddenly revved his chainsaw. The metallic buzz was piercing, like steel scraping bone. He stepped forward, his voice low and guttural, as if dragged from the depths of his throat."If you dare steal my target again… I promise your face will look just as bad as tonight's trophies."
Earl's smile froze, his finger tightening on the trigger, the barrel of his gun lifting slightly. The air seemed to thicken with the scent of gunpowder, ready to ignite at any moment.