Free Web NovelChapter 78: An Unlikely Alliance (2)
The moon cast a pale glow over the dense forest as Shinon perched on a sturdy tree branch, his eyes scanning the bandit camp in the clearing below. He adjusted the small radio earpiece in his ear, ensuring a clear connection with Selena waiting on the ground.
Since Shinon could easily infiltrate the base using shadowmancy, they decided it would be best for Shinon to help Selena enter the compound first. Once she was inside, he would make his way towards her.
"Selena, do you copy?" Shinon whispered into the radio, his voice barely audible. A soft crackle followed, indicating the connection was established.
"Loud and clear, Shinon," came Selena’s hushed response. She was positioned at the edge of the forest, ready to make her move once Shinon provided the necessary information.
Unbeknownst to her, Shinon’s map revealed valuable details about the bandit camp’s layout and sentry positions.
"Wait for my signal," he said, analysing the movement of nearby bandits. "Alright, you’re good to go."
Shinon silently observed Selena cautiously approaching the camp, blending into the darkness with her all-black attire. Her footsteps were light and deliberate, showing it wasn’t Selena’s first time sneaking around an enemy base.
As Selena reached the edge of the camp, Shinon’s voice crackled through the earpiece again. "Three guards to your left. Wait for them to pass."
Selena crouched behind a bush, her eyes focused on the approaching figures. She waited patiently, her breath steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. The guards walked by, unaware of her presence, and disappeared into the camp. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
"Clear. Proceed," Shinon’s voice guided her.
With the map in front of him, he knew the exact paths to safely lead her towards their target without alerting the bandits.
Selena moved swiftly and silently, following Shinon’s directions as he guided her through the labyrinthine camp. He expertly pointed out hidden pitfalls, traps, and blind spots.
Had it not been for the map the system had provided him, it would’ve been much more troublesome to search their way through the enemy camp.
As Selena neared their destination, Shinon’s heart quickened. He had a different objective, one that Selena couldn’t be involved in, and he would act on it as soon as Selena was busy with her work.
"Selena, there’s a small tent up ahead. That’s where we’ll find the information we need," Shinon whispered in her earpiece.
Selena nodded subtly, her eyes fixed on the target tent. She readied to gather the crucial intel to aid them in their mission against the bandits. Once they had the info, they could launch a sneak attack on the bandits and deal with them.
As Selena disappeared into the tent, Shinon remained on the treetop, his gaze shifting towards the starlit sky.
"I hope I don’t regret this..." He mumbled and jumped from the tree, disappearing into the darkness below.
He was about to enter and attack the guards when the system assigned him the second part of the chain quest he had accepted yesterday.
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You have been assigned a surprise chain quest!
[Frenemies]
Step 2: Incapacitate the guards without taking their lives.
Condition for failure: Killing any bandit.
Punishment for failure: Domination will be reduced by 10%.
Reward for success: +30 Domination.
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’It isn’t like I was planning on killing them in the first place, but ok.’
Shinon’s eyes scanned the surroundings, taking note of the bandits patrolling the perimeter. He had studied their routines, their patterns, and now it was time to exploit them.
The first guard, a burly man with a scruffy beard, stood near a stack of crates, his back turned to Shinon. Shinon melded with the darkness like a phantom, utilising his shadowmancer abilities to blend seamlessly into the night.
With a swift and precise strike to the back of his head, Shinon rendered the guard unconscious, his body slumping to the ground soundlessly.
After hiding the man, Shinon made his way deeper into the camp, his senses heightened, attuned to the slightest sound or movement.
He acted like a ghost, a whisper in the night, as he employed his extensive knowledge of martial arts to subdue his adversaries without causing lasting harm.
The second guard, a wiry man with a scar on his cheek, patrolled near a row of tents. Shinon’s form shifted, his movements fluid and deliberate, as he glided behind the unsuspecting bandit.
Back by shadow enhancement, Shinon silently slipped behind him and covered his mouth with his hand before delivering a swift blow to the back of the guard’s neck, knocking him unconscious.
Shinon’s focus remained unyielding as he continued his calculated assault. He manoeuvred through the camp, avoiding well-lit areas and moving with shadowed swiftness.
His shadowmancer abilities aided him, allowing him to appear and disappear at will, leaving no trace of his presence behind.
The pattern repeated as Shinon systematically subdued each guard he encountered, his movements executed with lethal grace. Now the only guards left were stationed around the massive tent in the middle, where their leader was staying.
As he approached the central tent, he noticed a group of three guards standing outside. They were alert and watching their surroundings, so Shinon had to be careful. He waited patiently in the shadows, watching them closely.
"Shinon, I’m about done here." Selena’s hushed voice echoed in Shinon’s ears.
"So am I," he replied. "Once you’re done, leave through the same path and make your way towards the settlement. I’ll meet you there."
"Wait, what? That wasn’t the plan-" freewebnoveℓ.com
"For once, just do as I say, over and out," Shinon yanked the earpiece and threw it inside his shadow storage. "Now we wait for them to separate."
"Hey, I can’t reach anyone from the west gate," One of the guards mumbled. "You, go and check it out. Make sure everything is alright."
"On it!" the third guard replied and walked away.
Shinon saw his chance and quickly slipped behind the other guards. He covered their mouths and knocked them out before they could make a sound.
The third guard turned around, his firearm in his hand. But before he could press the trigger, a shadowy tentacle shot towards him, knocking the weapon out of his hand.
The guard saw red and was about to yell when Shinon materialised behind him and forced him into a sleeper hold, and soon enough, the man fell to the ground, unconscious like the rest of them.
"Now, it’s time to greet your boss."
