The Dark King

by Steffen Schmidt

  Dudian was not happy. Because he had seen the Hunters, he came to the outside of the giant wall and witnessed the ruins of everything. He had seen the bloody bodies everywhere and he understood the perennial fighting nature of Hunters. He understood why Fernando had looked down at him with cold eyes. Because in their eyes the life of others were meaningless... Hunters were used to kill. They were nurtured to kill...

  "He is our consortium's Hunter." Dudian noted the medal on youth's chest and felt relieved a bit. If it was a Hunter from other consortiums, then they would be 'silenced' if they were exposed.

  Dudian and the other were observing the Hunter. He had noticed the burning marks on ground not far from the building. There was a trace of joy in his eyes. He went close to the circle and felt the bursts of warmness coming out of ashes. It seems the fire was extinguished not very long time ago.

  He glanced at the bodies of the undead on the ground. His eyes were puzzled a bit with disappointment. But he suddenly thought of something and his eyes lit again. He looked around and soon focused on a nearby building. He quickly rushed in.

  "He's aware," Mason said.

  Zach looked at Dudian, and said, "Dean, he knows that we can do it. It's okay. Will he rob us?"

  Dudian's mind was amazed by the keen observation of the Hunter, but he also felt the gap between themselves and the Hunters. With a single glance, the Hunter had instantly determined their whereabouts which meant that he was a seasoned veteran. He glanced at Zach and shook his head: "He should not. After all they hunt after tens of thousands of undeads. He would look with disdain the amount we have acquired."

  As they heard this, Zach and the other two were relieved.

  At this time, the door was opened and the Hunter appeared inside. There was a trace of surprise on his face. It seems he didn't expect that the people who used flames to kill the undead were actually children.

  Chapter 59: Undead' level hunt

  ?"You are the new graduates from the Scavenger training camp." The black uniformed youth commented as he glanced at the room and saw the charred skulls on the ground. When he saw the appearance of the cracked skulls he began to check out Dudian and the other three with great interest: "Is it your first time? Or have you been scavenging for some time now? You can kill these level '4' undeads. Moreover you know to collect 'cold crystals' from their skulls. A little mean it is."

  Dudian was staring at him. He felt his scalp tingling as if a predator was looking at a prey. His heart sank as he whispered to explain, "We are from the newest batch of Scavengers that joined the consortium. Mr Hunter, it so happened that we were forced to separate ourselves from our main force by the undeads. Inadvertently we thought of this approach and were successful at killing these monsters."

  The youth focused on Dudian. He was easily able to see that the boy was the core of this four man group. He smiled and said. "Don't worry. I'm happy that the consortium was able to recruit smart fellows such as you guys. I was hurt and now I need to bandage my wound. Make a spot and get me some fire."

  Dudian glanced at his right arm, nodded and said to Zach, "You prepare the fire while I find some clean cloth for Mr Hunter."

  Mason, Sham and Zach were excited as it was the first time they were so close to a Hunter. They immediately got busy as they heard Dudian's words. It was as if helping the Hunter would be the same as achieving a glory in war.

  The Hunter was going to the enter the next room when he said: "No! Those things are infected with radiation and germs. How can I use them for bandage? I have a first aid kit in my backpack. You seem like a smart kid, get me the kit". The Hunter went into the living room and sat down. He didn't care about skulls on the ground. Instead he used he feet to swept the skulls to vacate a place. He put down the backpack and said to Mason: "Open the backpack and find the gauze that's inside".

  Macon nodded and was about open the backpack when hunter saw that his gloves were stained. He frowned: "Bastard, take off your gloves! Do you want to dirty my backpack?"

  Mason was scared and his face turned red. He quickly took off his gloves, opened the backpack and pulled out the gauze: "Mr Hunter you have disinfectant in here. You should first use it to disinfect the injury."

  "Are you going to teach me?" The hunter sneered and said "There is knife and bottle there. Do you see them? The bottle is alcohol. You have been taught about first aid knowledge, right?"

  Mason quickly nodded and immediately poured the bottle of alcohol on the knife while Zach lit the torch and burned it. Mason said: "Mr. Hunter you should reveal the wound so that I can use the alcohol to disinfect it and then remove it."

  "I will do it myself." The youth grabbed the second bottle. He used his thumb and flicked the cap as it flew out. He loosened his arm and poured the alcohol on top. There were bursts of convulsions on his facial expressions because of the sudden pain but he still held back firmly.

  Dudian and the other saw his wound. It was made by sharp claw marks and were deep enough to see the bone. His skin had been festering but because of youth's firm grip it had not entered the blood stream yet.

  The youth caught the red-hot knife and cut off the festering flesh from the wound. Blood spat out just like rain showering. He gritted his teeth and kept silent thorough the whole process.

  This made Dudian extremely shocked "Is this the quality of Hunters? Even the soldiers who were baptized in many battlefields won't have such a strong willpower, right?"

  As he removed the festered flesh the Hunter let Mason to help him bandage his arm. In a short amount of time, his right arm was wrapped in layers of gauze. The youth wiped the sweat from his forehead. He spat and leaned against the wall while he was slowly breathing.

  Dudian looked at him and asked quietly. "Mr Hunter, isn't 8th area has been swept clean? How can there be so many undeads? Did they migrate from the other nearby areas?"?"Do not question me!" The youth spoke in an unhappy tone as he slowly closed his eyes.

  Dudian was startled, and immediately shut up his mouth.

  A few minutes later, the youth opened his eyes, "I'm hungry. Give me food and water."

  Mason was standing next to him hesitated as he said, "Mr Hunter, it is our food. If you eat it, we..."

  The youth looked at Mason with cold eyes as he said, "Don't you want to give me?"

  Mason was scared. "I don't mean we won't. But, just..."

  "Here is my food Mr Hunter. Mason is a bit not sensible. Please don't mind him." Sham quickly interjected and handed out his backpack. He took out all the dry rations and water before he presented it to the youth.

  Mason and Zach's faces slightly changed. Although they admired Hunters but it was different went it came to their own interests. They looked at Dudian who nodded back to them meaning that they should acquiesce.

  Their mood slumped but they didn't dare to show the pain.

  The youth looked at Sham: "Little guy, you are sensible." Then, grabbed the dry rations that was handed over to eat. He stuttered up as he stretched his other hand: "Water."

  Sham quickly handed him.

  He drank the water and throw aside the empty bag. He continued to sit and rest for a while. Later on he slowly got up and did few subtle motions with his right arm. He revealed a pleased smile as it seemed that the injury was stabilized. He looked at four of them. His eyes narrowed and pointed to Mason: "Little guy, follow me."

  Mason surprised a moment, "To where to?"

  "You will get to know." the youth laughed.

  Mason hesitated and said: "Sir but I have the task ..."

  "If I said follow me then FOLLOW me. Why so much nonsense?" The Hunter frowned as he spoke impatiently.

  Mason was frightened as he aware that there was something bad coming up. He looked at Dudian.

  Dudian also felt a trace of unusual acting by the youth and responded, "Mr Hunter, we have great respect towards you. But we have our own tasks and if it is not completed we will be expelled by the consortium, I hope you can understand the situation which
we are in. However, we are willing to assist and serve you as long as we can be of any service to you."

  "Well, so the little guy is able to speak. I now need your help! As I see your feelings for each another are so good then all of you should come along. It will be better with all of you." The youth impatiently waved his hand.

  Dudian's face changed slightly, and he said, "What can you tell us?" He had said kind words because he thought the Hunter would then deny their help out of pity. After all, how can a Scavenger help a Hunter? And if a Hunter need their help it would not have been an ordinary problem in the first place. The Hunter's task was nothing but to hunt down monsters!

  The youth's eyes narrowed and a trace of hostility flashed past. He thought of something and the hostility in his eyes quickly dissipated. He had a smile on his face as he said: "Nothing important. I have found precious materials. I alone won't be enough to carry so I want the four of you to come help me out to retrieve it back to the giant wall. Rest assured, I will inform the leaders of consortium about your help and half of the goods will be yours!"

  Hearing this, Mason, Zach and Sham were surprised. Mason asked: "Mr Hunter is this really all?"

  "You will not lie to us, right?" Zach was excited.

  Only Sham was puzzled as it seemed that there was something wrong. But he couldn't think of any reasons, all he could only do was to look back to Dudian.?Dudian knew that the Hunter was lying as he heard his words. The Hunters don't care about gold and what is more precious than gold? However, although they belonged to the same consortium, but he felt that messing with the youth won't result in anything good. Most likely they will be the ones instead to suffer. The only thing that they could do right now was to see how everything will turn out!

  Chapter 60: Bait

  Dudian and the other three followed behind the hunter and left the residential building. It didn't take long before they came to the distract where they departed with Scott and his group.

  Two undeads staggered out from the junction that they were facing. They seemed to feel the body heat exuding from Dudian and rest. They immediately turned around and run towards them in a pace which was accelerating as they moved.

  Dudian took out his dagger and stared at hunter's back. If he gave up on them to escape, he would urge Mason, Sham and Zach to run as fast as possible. Because they didn't have enough strength to face them on their own.

  However, the youth frowned as he saw two undeads. The next moment he took out a dagger which was placed at the edge of his pant's strap. He ran towards the undeads and was in front of them in matter of a few breathes. His body staggered and twisted as if he was a whirlwind. Puff! Puff! Two sounds echoed out as the heads of undeads were cut off from their bodies and fell to the ground.

  Dudian's pupils narrowed at the sight.

  He knew that hunter's job was to exterminate the monster but he didn't expect that they had such a strength. It was a one-sided slaughter!

  The youth dumped the blood off the dagger and inserted back onto its place. He looked back at Dudian and the other three. There was a faint smile on his face as he waved them to keep up.

  Dudian and the other three quickly caught up with him.

  Dudian noticed the dagger on hunter's belt was so sharp that their dagger should have to be called a butter knife in comparison to it. He estimated that hunter's blade was made from a better steel. On the other hand his dagger was almost useless after cutting up few dozen undead necks. Most of the blade was just a bare metal now. Only the place close to the dagger's hilt was sharp enough to cut something.

  "The thing in their heads ..." Dudian just wanted to bend over to collect the crystals when youth noticed him and lightly shouted: "Do not delay time. Hurry up."

  Dudian frowned slightly but still gave up on gathering the dark blue balls. However he fixed the location of the heads in his mind so that if he has the opportunity he would come back to collect them. After all, this thing was not much in hunter's eyes but for them it was a great fortune.

  As they continued they met more and more scattered undeads. But the hunter didn't let Dudian and the other three to take action. On each encounter he took the initiative to behead the undeads. He was much faster than undeads and apparently his close combats skills were over the top. His skills were so good that the undeads didn't have a chance to touch his body let alone hurt him.

  Dudian followed in silence, watching and studying the hunter's action. In this era where cold weapons were used, the techniques and traditions of combat practices have been perfected. Dudian was mesmerized by the martial arts shown by the hunter. He used the knife so perfectly as if he was mowing a grass field with a scythe. His actions were neat and perfect. He wasn't affected at all even though he had an arm injury.

  Is this the result of life and death situations that he has gone through?

  "Mr Hunter. Will you save Scott and rest? They should not be far away from here... ..." Mason bravely asked. Along the way the youth had sheltered them from undeads. So they had come to feel that the hunter's nature was not bad. A good impression of him had gradually burst out in their hearts. His previous actions has long been automatically ignored.

  The hunter replied: "Who do you think I am? Do you thing I work for health care organization?"

  Mason was stunned. At this point, the youth's face changed as he looked towards a street. Dudian noted that hunter was looking at the place where they had fled from. Also it was the first place where they had met undeads!

  Dudian seemed to feel the ground under his foot faintly tremble. As if a tall building in the distance had collapsed. Afterwards he heard a soft roar.

  The youth's eyes narrowed and a trace of bloodthirst flashed past. He glanced at the buildings around them and soon his eyes locked onto the top of the office building in the vicinity. This building has long been covered with moss and vegetation, the windows had dilapidated. There was a smile on his face as he said to Dudian and the rest: "You wait here. You must not leave without my orders!"

  Dudian face changed as he said: "What about you?

  "I have something to do. I'll come back immediately." The hunter said in a serious and cold tone: "Do not forget, without my order you are not allowed to leave. I will be ruthless towards anyone who leaves without permission!" His eyes swept over the four: "Don't forget my words. Even if you go back to the consortium, I'll find you and I'll skin you alive!"

  Finished, he looked back at the previous location, sneered and quickly left. He was like a nimble black cat. The first moment he was in front of them and the next he went into office building and disappeared from the four's eyesight.

  "This, this ... Mason was frozen, "he just went away?"

  Dudian looked at the hunter's back as he disappeared from their sight. There was an emission of unknown feeling in his heart. He suddenly thought of the bow and arrows on the youth's back.

  Tall building, bow and arrows ......

  His pupil suddenly shrank. Archers use ambushes. Are they being used as bait by the hunter? What he wants to lure?

  "Run!" As he thought of the possibility, Dudian suddenly roared. He quickly ran towards another office building, taking advantage of the time while it would take the hunter to reach the top of the building. They must escape from this place as soon as possible or else will be shot by the hunter on the spot!

  He was not confident enough that hunter wouldn't shot them in case of an undead attack.

  Mason, Sham and Zach were stunned and puzzled. They had trusted him for long time so their bodies subconsciously followed behind Dudian. As he caught up, Mason asked in hurry: "Dean what happened? Why are we running? If he knows... If he knows we... ..."

  Dudian had a bit of favor in his heart as he previously saw the hunter kill the undeads to protect them. But that good impression had gone away as of now. He replied in cold tone: "We are likely being used by him as a bait. He is trying to lure out his prey!"

  "What bait?" Mason, Sham and Zach were shocked. Soon they tho
ught of the possibility and shuddered.

  Dudian went into the building. He breathed gently and looked back at Mason and the rest : "We gotta get to the other side. We must not let him find us!"

  Zach's face was ugly as he said: "Even if we escaped him now after we get to the giant wall he won't let us live in peace!"

  Dudian answered in cold tone: "Then we will kill him!"

  Mason, Sham and Zach hesitated as they heard Dudian.

  Mason could not help but say: "Kill him? My God, do you know what you are talking about? He is a hunter! We can't kill him... ...Even if we somehow kill him, then this is a big crime! "

  "Dean, are you sure?" Sham turned pale: "If you guessed wrong... If he just let us stand there to get a bit of private time... Then we ..."

  Dudian was a bit startled. He didn't think about the possibility of the hunter to take leak or shit. But... how can he bet on that?

  There is only one chance to live. If his speculation was right, continuing to stay there was the same as waiting for their death! The hunter killed the undeads very easily. Obviously if he was using them to lure out something then it has to be some kind of monster which was extremely terrorizing. Basically they would be doomed and would not be able to escape!

  Although there are many other possibilities, but this is the best he could think of at the moment... in case he was wrong... then he was wrong!

  Dudian thought of the desert assessment three years ago. He had killed the alchemist, Rosyard. He had a bit of hesitation in his heart but settled up in a moment. They had to leave the area. Even if his thinking was wrong, then he will still have a choice. That is, to kill the hunter!

  "We have already left that place! Whether my speculation was right or wrong, it doesn't matter now! We have to kill him anyway! Otherwise we will be suppressed by him or even die in his hands!" Dudian eyes were cold as he resolutely said.

  Mason looked at his eyes with some hesitation. After all, anyone who is involved in the action to kill the hunter is a murderer. 'Murderer' is a heavy word for people such as them.