Chapter 125: Skull Fangs HQ

Elaine raised an eyebrow. "You mean the woman you impregnated? What a mess you are."

She shook her head, though there was a hint of amusement in her expression.

They walked side by side, searching for a suitable place to continue their conversation, eventually settling into a quiet restaurant. Ordering some food and drinks, they decided to spend the afternoon there before moving out.

"Is she fine? How about the baby?" Gideon asked as the waiter placed a colorful mocktail in front of him.

The fruits–that didn’t even look like one as he wondered for a while what the fuck was that–were harvested from aberrants, and he noticed that one of the ’fruit’--that looked more like a lump–in the garnish had a tiny face. He chose to ignore it.

"She and the baby are fine. It’s too early to tell much, though. The fetus is only about a week old, but it’s best if she avoids any extreme physical activity," Elaine explained.

She took a sip of her drink before adding, "Sex included. Though I’m more worried about Delilah. Have you talked to her?"

"She knows," Gideon replied, swirling his drink thoughtfully. "But she doesn’t know about the pregnancy."

Elaine simply nodded, unsurprised, which made him suspicious that Delilah had told her everything since they were friends. Nevertheless, it was better not to delve deeper, since she could tell Jade or Delilah about this... he knows women love gossip more than anything.

"Then what do you think is a good schedule for our first time? The earlier the better?" he asked with a grin, nearly causing her to choke on her drink.

"You’re insane," she said, wiping her lips as she gave him a disbelieving look. "Are you seriously planning to build a harem in a post-apocalyptic world?"

"Of course. Is there something wrong with that?"

"People say men are greedy, but your greed is truly limitless," she sighed. "Honestly, you can do it anytime. It’s not like intimacy is considered sacred anymore."

Gideon narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you religious?"

Elaine nodded. "Many people are, though ’religious’ isn’t quite the right word. Belief in God has become a pillar of resistance in a world like this. Personally, I don’t follow any specific religion."

He nodded in understanding. Faith could offer hope and stability when everything else had collapsed.

"But it’s surprising that a beautiful woman like you is still a virgin," he teased. "Do you release all that pent-up energy into your manga?"

Gideon had never actually read any of her works, though he considered commissioning the mercenary guild to gather her entire collection once his schedule became less hectic.

Elaine gave him a look that clearly said, Are you serious? Still, she cleared her throat and answered calmly. "You could say that. I’ve been busy most of my life—medical school, then the military doctor program."

She paused to take another sip of her drink. "I simply didn’t have time for a relationship."

"Well, now you do," Gideon replied with a playful grin. "Why don’t we have some fun?"

She rolled her eyes but allowed a faint smile to appear, and the conversation continued naturally until evening approached.

They needed to depart at three in the afternoon, as it would take approximately three hours to reach their destination: a massive natural depression in the middle of the desert that served as the bandits’ headquarters.

The location was cleverly concealed. Surrounded by towering rock formations, it remained hidden from both human patrols and aberrants which he didn’t want to ask how and why she knew this place in the first place.

The walls were sturdy enough to support simple structures, and the layered ground provided stable footing for movement within the base.

Although the depression was deep, it wasn’t so deep that visibility was compromised; the entire area was well lit, making the bottom clearly visible from above.

"Not bad," Gideon murmured as he observed the site through his binoculars. "I thought they’d be living in a dumpster."

Elaine chuckled softly beside him. "Well, the boss certainly has a sense of style, or perhaps he’s just edgy. Still, this place isn’t as stable as it looks. With the right placement of explosives, we could collapse sections of the surrounding rock and let nature do the rest."

They lay prone atop one of the rocky outcrops, carefully observing the movements within the base through their binoculars, silently preparing for the operation ahead.

Suddenly, several vehicles approached through the narrow gaps between the surrounding rocks. There were three in total: two jeeps and an open truck covered with a worn sheet.

They stopped near the edge of the depression, and a group of men quickly began unloading wooden crates, carrying them down into the hidden base.

"I wonder where they get all of those supplies," Gideon murmured as he observed the scene through his binoculars.

"From the south or the east," Elaine replied calmly. "I’ve heard that those parts of the continent weren’t affected as severely, especially the eastern regions."

She shifted slightly beside him, keeping her gaze fixed on the activity below. "Even though they’re bandits, they operate more like an organized crime syndicate. They have extensive connections. In fact, the Mercenary Guild officially considers them competitors. The Skull Fangs can provide goods and services that the guild cannot."

"Such as?" Gideon asked, though he already suspected the answer.

Elaine gestured subtly toward the truck. Gideon refocused his binoculars, and his suspicion was confirmed. The figures being forced out of the vehicle were not cargo but people—men, women, and even a child—lined up and herded like livestock. Slaves.

A surge of anger rose within him, but it was quickly accompanied by another realization. These people were not only victims in need of rescue; they were also potential residents for his Safe Zone.

Counting carefully, he noted there were fifteen of them: eight men, six women, and one child.

Gideon lowered his binoculars and stood, quietly releasing the safety on his firearm. "Let’s do it, Elaine. We’ll eliminate them and take everything of value, then free those slaves."

Elaine rose beside him, a faint smile forming on her lips. "So, you’re excited to wipe out a group of people."

"A group of bandits," he corrected with a smirk. "And since this is my first time exterminating an entire group, please be a kind teacher."

She laughed softly. "Alright, my new student. Let’s disable their solar thermal system and move in under the cover of darkness."

Reaching into her pocket, Elaine retrieved two black cylindrical metal tubes along with a pair of suppressors.

"Ah, so that’s what you ordered from the blacksmith," Gideon said, examining one of the devices.

"Exactly," she replied. "Their bullets sucks, but they’re excellent at crafting attachments like these."

Gideon nodded in approval as they fitted the suppressors onto their rifles. Moving carefully across the rocky terrain, they relocated to another vantage point that provided a clear line of sight to the Skull Fangs’ solar thermal panels. They waited patiently, ensuring that the captives had been locked inside their cages before making their move.

After roughly fifteen minutes, Elaine steadied her aim and fired several suppressed shots. The panels shattered almost instantly, and within seconds, the entire base was plunged into darkness. Confused murmurs and shouts echoed from below as the bandits struggled to understand what had happened.

Elaine lowered her rifle, a glint of excitement in her eyes. "It’s time for the show," she said softly.