Chapter 64: ONE-SIDED SLAUGHTER

Vroom... The car sped fast along the trail that was starting to slope upward. Whoosh... The night wind blew hard—blowing leaves swirling around the car. Crunch... Tree branches scraped the car’s body—creating an ear-piercing sound. Kai sat in the driver’s seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. KREK! His knuckles turned white. His eyes stared straight ahead—sharp, full of burning anger. Beside him, a black bag lay—the bag he always carried when traveling. Inside it, a gun, a knife, rope, and some other equipment.

HAAAH... Kai let out a long breath. His breath was heavy—full of anger he couldn’t hold back anymore. He pressed the gas pedal deeper. Vroom... The car sped faster—its engine roared like a wounded beast.

The trail started winding—getting narrower, steeper. Pine trees on both sides started closing in—like giant hands trying to block his path. Crunch... Tree branches scraped the car’s body—leaving long scratches on its black paint. CRACK! Some branches broke—flying to the side. Vroom... The car kept speeding—not caring about the scratches filling its body.

In the distance, Kai could see lights—cabins scattered along the road toward the peak. Hmm... He furrowed his brow. On the map earlier, there were five cabins he had to pass before reaching the topmost cabin—where the tower was. Cabin number 7 was where they were camping. Cabins 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1—he had to pass them all. And at each cabin—there might be guards.

But—

Vroom... Kai slowed his car. Hmm... The road ahead was getting narrower—only wide enough for one person to walk. Crunch... The trees around it grew denser—creating a narrow natural tunnel. The car wouldn’t be able to pass. Impossible.

Hff... Kai stopped his car at the roadside. Clack! He turned off the engine. Clack! The door opened. Tap... tap... tap... He got out—carrying his black bag. SWOOSH! He opened the bag—checking its contents once more. Gun. Knife. Rope. Everything was complete. CLACK! He closed the bag—hanging it on his shoulder.

Hmm... Kai stared at the rising trail in front of him. He had to walk from here. He had to pass those cabins—one by one. Hff... He took a deep breath. Haaah... Then he started walking. Tap... tap... tap... His footsteps were quick—firm. No hesitation. No fear. Only burning anger—and determination to save them.

Tap... tap... tap... Kai walked along the trail. Crunch... crunch... His footsteps on the dry leaves. Whoosh... The night wind blew—carrying the scent of earth and trees. Chirp... chirp... The sound of crickets was heard from the bushes. In the distance, he could see lights—cabin number 6.

He slowed his steps. Hmm... He observed the cabin from a distance. The cabin looked the same as theirs—pine wood, tin roof, terrace with wooden chairs. But there was something different. Hmm... There were several men standing on the terrace—wearing dark clothes. Guards.

Kai counted. One. Two. Three. Four. Hmm... Four guards. They stood casually—some smoking, some talking in soft voices. One of them—a fat man with a thick beard—was laughing. Ha ha ha... His laughter was heavy—disturbing the night’s silence.

Hff... Kai observed them for a moment. He didn’t want to attract attention—didn’t want to make noise. He had to pass them without a sound. Without a trace.

He crouched down. Tap... tap... He crawled slowly—using the trees and bushes as cover. Crunch... Occasionally he stepped on a dry branch—but the sound was covered by the wind. Whoosh... The wind kept blowing—covering his footsteps.

Hmm... He was getting closer. He could hear their voices now—slowly.

"...boss said don’t let anyone through..."

"Yeah, yeah. We’ve been guarding since earlier. No one’s passed."

"Good. If anyone passes—just finish them."

"Relax. No one dares come here. This place is haunted."

Ha ha ha! Their laughter was heard again.

Kai furrowed his brow. Hmm... He kept crawling—passing cabin number 6 from the back. Crunch... He stopped behind a large tree—right behind the cabin.

Hff... He peeked. The guards were still standing on the terrace—unaware of his presence. Hmm... Kai observed them once more. Four guards. They weren’t too alert—maybe because they thought this place was safe. Maybe because they didn’t expect anyone would dare to infiltrate.

Hff... Kai took a breath. He waited—waiting for the right moment. Hmm... One of the guards walked to the side—leaving his position. Maybe to the toilet. Maybe just wanting to smoke elsewhere. Hmm... Kai saw an opening.

Tap... tap... tap... He moved quickly—passing behind the cabin. Crunch... He stepped on grass—but his sound wasn’t heard. Tap... tap... He kept moving—getting away from cabin number 6.

Hff... He stopped behind a tree—catching his breath. He had passed the first cabin. Without a sound. Without a trace. But there were still four more cabins.

Tap... tap... tap... Kai kept walking. The trail was getting steeper—getting narrower. Crunch... The trees around it grew denser—creating a dark natural tunnel. Whoosh... The night wind blew—carrying an increasingly strong scent. The scent of... firewood? Hmm... Someone was lighting a campfire.

In the distance, he could see lights—cabin number 5. Hmm... Kai observed from a distance. The cabin looked the same—but this time, there were no guards on the terrace. Hmm... Strange. He furrowed his brow.

He approached—carefully. Tap... tap... He walked slowly—checking the surroundings. Crunch... No sound. No movement. Just silence. Hmm... Too quiet. Kai didn’t like this.

He peeked from behind a tree. Hmm... Cabin number 5 looked empty. No guards on the terrace. No lights inside. Hmm... Maybe they were patrolling the area. Maybe they were sleeping.

Hff... Kai decided not to wait. He moved quickly—Tap... tap... tap...—passing cabin number 5. Crunch... He made it. No obstacles.

Hff... He caught his breath. Two cabins passed. Three more to go.

Tap... tap... tap... Kai kept walking. The trail was getting steeper—getting more winding. Crunch... Occasionally he had to hold onto a tree—so he wouldn’t slip. Whoosh... The night wind grew stronger—carrying an increasingly cold scent. Hmm... Kai could feel the mountain air piercing his skin.

In the distance, he could see lights—cabin number 4. Hmm... Kai observed. This time, there were two guards—standing in front of the door. Hmm... They were talking in soft voices. One of them—a thin man in a leather jacket—was smoking. Hff... His cigarette smoke billowed into the night air.

Kai approached—carefully. Tap... tap... He crouched behind a bush—observing them. Hmm... Two guards. They weren’t too alert—one of them even yawned. Haaah... The thin man yawned widely—covering his mouth with his hand.

"I’m sleepy," he said.

"Be patient. We’ll be replaced soon."

"Replaced? When? We’ve been here three hours."

"Boss said wait until morning."

Hff... The thin man sighed. He threw his cigarette butt to the ground. Clack... Then he stepped on it. Crunch...

Kai waited. Hmm... Not long after—one of the guards walked to the side—maybe to the toilet. Hmm... Kai saw an opening. Tap... tap... tap... He moved quickly—passing cabin number 4 from the back. Crunch... He made it. No one saw him.

Hff... He caught his breath. Three cabins passed. Two more to go.

Tap... tap... tap... Kai kept walking. The trail was now very narrow—only wide enough for one person. Crunch... The trees around it grew denser—like a natural wall. Whoosh... The night wind blew—carrying an increasingly strong scent. The scent of... blood?

Hmm... Kai furrowed his brow. He quickened his steps. Tap... tap... tap...

In the distance, he could see lights—cabin number 3. Hmm... Kai stopped. His eyes widened.

In front of cabin number 3—there were several men. Hmm... Kai counted. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Hmm... Six guards. They stood alertly—some holding weapons. One of them—a large man with a tattoo on his neck—was talking to another man. His voice was heavy—full of authority.

"...we have to move fast. Boss said the target is close."

"Yeah. We have to be ready."

"Don’t be careless. That man isn’t ordinary. He managed to kill our men at the shop."

HAAH! Kai clenched his fists. KREK! They were waiting for him. They knew he would come.

Hff... Kai took a breath. He couldn’t avoid them—too many. He had to pass them. He had to fight.

Hmm... He observed the surroundings. Hmm... There were several large trees near the cabin—he could use them as cover. There were also some large rocks—he could use them as weapons. There were some empty drums—maybe containing fuel. Hmm... Kai observed the drums. Fuel. Hmm... He had an idea.

He reached for his gun—but didn’t pull it out. He didn’t want to make noise—not yet. He wanted to defeat them quietly. One by one. Without a sound.

He waited—waiting for the right moment. Hmm... One of the guards walked to the side—leaving his group. Hmm... Kai moved quickly. Tap... tap... tap... He approached that guard from behind.

GRAB! His hand grabbed the guard’s neck. KREK! He twisted—THUD! The guard fell—not moving. Hmm... Kai dragged his body behind a tree. Crunch...

One.

Tap... tap... tap... He moved to the next guard—who was smoking beside the cabin. GRAB! KREK! THUD! The guard fell. Kai dragged him behind a bush. Crunch...

Two.

Tap... tap... tap... He approached the third guard—who was checking his weapon. GRAB! KREK! THUD! Three.

Tap... tap... tap... The fourth guard—who was talking to the tattooed man. GRAB! KREK! THUD! Four.

But—

HAAAH! The tattooed man turned. His eyes widened. "HEY!"

HAAH! Kai turned. He locked eyes with the tattooed man—and the fifth guard. Hmm... They had noticed him. Damn.

"INTRUDER!" the tattooed man shouted. His voice echoed in the night’s silence.

HAAAH! The fifth guard immediately raised his weapon—a gun. CLICK! He cocked the trigger. CLICK!

TAP! TAP! TAP! Kai moved quickly. He jumped to the side—BANG! The bullet flew—passing his ear. Hff... Kai rolled—grabbing a large rock nearby. THUD! He lifted the rock—heavy, but he was strong.

BANG! BANG! BANG! The bullets hit the ground around him—creating small sparks. Hff... Kai threw the rock—THWACK! The rock hit the fifth guard’s head. THUD! The guard fell—not moving.

HAAH! The tattooed man raised his hand—pulling a gun from inside his jacket. CLICK! He cocked the trigger. "WHO ARE YOU?!"

Kai didn’t answer. He moved quickly—TAP! TAP! TAP!—approaching the man. BANG! The bullet flew—but Kai had already dodged. Hff... He grabbed the man’s hand—GRAB!—twisting his wrist. KREK! The man screamed in pain—HAAAH!—and his gun fell. CLACK!

Kai didn’t wait. He kicked the man—THUD!—in the stomach. HAAH! The man staggered—THWACK!—hitting the cabin wall. CRACK! The cabin wood cracked.

Hff... Kai stood before the man. His eyes blazed—full of anger. HAAAH... haaah... His breath was panting—not from exhaustion, but from burning anger.

"You..." the man tried to get up—but Kai kicked him again. THUD! The man fell—not moving.

Hff... Kai wiped his hand. He looked at cabin number 3—now silent. Hmm... He picked up the fallen gun—CLACK!—and checked it. Hmm... Still had bullets. He stored it behind his jacket.

He looked up—toward the peak. Hmm... Cabins number 2 and 1 were still far. But he could see light in the distance—tower light. There. They were there.

Hff... Kai clenched his fists. KREK! He started walking again. Tap... tap... tap...

"Wait," he murmured, his voice cold. "I’m coming."

Tap... tap... tap... Kai kept walking. The trail was getting steeper—more winding. Crunch... Occasionally he had to crawl—because the path was too steep. Whoosh... The night wind grew stronger—carrying an increasingly cold scent. Hmm... Kai could feel the mountain air piercing his skin. But he didn’t care. He kept walking.

In the distance, he could see lights—cabin number 2. Hmm... Kai observed. The cabin was bigger than the others—maybe because of its higher position. In front of it—there were several guards. Hmm... Kai counted. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Hmm... Eight guards. More than at cabin number 3.

Hff... Kai observed them. They stood alertly—some holding long weapons. Hmm... One of them—a man with long hair—was talking to another man. His voice was soft—but Kai could hear it.

"...the target is close. Boss said we have to be ready."

"Yeah. We’re ready."

"Good. If he comes—just finish him. Don’t let him through."

Hff... Kai furrowed his brow. They were waiting for him. They knew he would come. Hmm... He observed the surroundings. Hmm... There were several large trees—he could use them as cover. There were some empty drums—same as at cabin number 3. Hmm... Kai observed the drums. Fuel. Hmm... He had an idea.

He reached for his gun. CLACK! He cocked the trigger. Hmm... He didn’t want to use the gun—but this time, he had no choice. Too many guards. He had to be efficient.

Hff... He took a breath. Haaah... Then he moved.

TAP! TAP! TAP! He ran—out of his hiding place. HAAH! The guards were startled. "HEY! SOMEONE’S HERE!"

BANG! BANG! BANG! Kai shot—three bullets flew. THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! Three guards fell. Hff... Kai rolled—dodging return fire. BANG! BANG! BANG! The bullets hit the ground around him.

Hff... Kai grabbed an empty drum nearby. THUD! He lifted the drum—heavy, but he was strong. HAAH! He threw the drum toward the crowd of guards. THWACK! The drum hit two guards—knocking them down.

BANG! BANG! Kai shot again—two bullets flew. THWACK! THWACK! Two guards fell.

Hff... Kai stood up. He looked at the remaining guards—three of them. They looked at him with wide eyes. Hmm... Kai stepped forward. Tap... tap... tap...

"W-WHO ARE YOU?!" one guard asked—his voice trembling.

Kai didn’t answer. He kept walking. Tap... tap... tap...

BANG! The guard shot—but Kai dodged. Hff... Kai grabbed the guard’s gun—GRAB!—twisting it. KREK! The guard screamed—HAAAH!—and his gun fell. CLACK!

THUD! Kai kicked the guard. THWACK! The guard fell.

The last two guards—they backed away. Tap... tap... tap... They were scared. Hmm... Kai stepped forward. Tap... tap... tap...

HAAAH! One guard ran—trying to escape. Hmm... Kai raised his gun. BANG! The bullet flew—THWACK! The guard fell.

The last guard—he stood in his place. His body was trembling. Hff... Kai stepped closer. Tap... tap... tap...

"D-don’t..." the guard backed away. Tap... tap... "Don’t kill me..."

Kai stopped in front of him. He looked at the guard—his eyes cold. Hff... He raised his gun. CLICK! He cocked the trigger.

"Where are they?" Kai asked, his voice flat.

The guard shook his head. "I-I don’t know..."

BANG! The bullet flew—passing the guard’s ear. HAAH! The guard screamed. THUD! He fell—holding his bleeding ear.

"Where are they?" Kai repeated.

The guard cried. Hiks... hiks... "At the tower! At the topmost cabin! It’s in the old tower!"

Hff... Kai nodded. He lowered his gun. CLACK! He stored it behind his jacket. Then he turned—walking toward cabin number 1. Tap... tap... tap...

Behind him—the guard was still crying. Hiks... hiks... But Kai didn’t care. He kept walking. Tap... tap... tap...

"Wait," he murmured, his voice cold. "I’m coming."