I Woke Up 120 Years After The Apocalypse-Chapter 23: Stupid Ambush

The Vulkans began their return to Vulkania without losing a single smile.

Akram was fully satisfied—so satisfied with his deal that he almost laughed in a diabolical way.

"They didn’t like it..." Elliot said, chuckling as well.

"Oh no, they really didn’t like it at all... Bwahahaha!" Baron burst out laughing, unable to contain himself.

Yashyn walked behind the small group, humming loudly to himself.

"Hey, Akram..." he began.

"Hm? Something wrong, Yashyn?" Akram replied, letting his laughter fade.

"You do realize he’s not gonna let this slide, right? And that he’ll very likely try to kill you, yeah lil’ bud?"

Akram shrugged.

"I know. It’s already planned, but I’ve got a good margin before he tries anything," Akram replied casually.

"Zarod, sure. But his buddies..." Yashyn added, glancing over his shoulder, wary.

"Is there a problem?" Elliot asked, concerned.

"No-no, nothing..." Yashyn let it go, refocusing on the road.

Halfway through, the Vulkans reached a narrow passage and entered what looked like the dried bed of an old coastline.

Above them, hills loomed, turning them into nearly perfect targets. Too perfect.

Yashyn completely dropped his relaxed attitude. He was clearly on guard now.

Baron quickly followed suit, tension setting in.

"What’s going on, guys? Why are you scanning everywhere like that?" Elliot asked innocently, not fully understanding what was happening.

"Akram, slow the pace a bit, will you?" Yashyn said in an unusually serious tone.

"There’s movement on the hills above."

Akram stopped immediately and went on alert as well.

"We keep moving like nothing’s wrong. Don’t show a single sign of suspicion," Yashyn ordered, the veteran speaking.

Akram discreetly armed his portable crossbow, hiding his prosthetic behind his back. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Elliot, carrying the bag full of Scrips, repositioned himself strategically in the middle of the group.

The tension didn’t ease. They all knew they were being watched, and they all waited for the enemy ambush that could come at any moment.

"Yashyn, shouldn’t we hide there?" Akram whispered, nodding toward a nearby mound of earth.

"No. We keep going," Yashyn replied sharply, head down.

"If they rain arrows on us, we’re one hundred percent dead!" Akram growled, barely containing his frustration.

"Don’t worry about that. We keep going, I’m telling you," Yashyn continued, calm and cold.

Akram didn’t insist. Even if he thought he was right, he knew Yashyn’s instinct and experience were more reliable indicators than his own intelligence, at least for now.

The people positioned above them were not just anyone.

Koard the Vicious and Vipin the Simple, along with their men, moved in sync, waiting for the perfect moment to ambush the group.

"Zarod shit himself... He should’ve killed them when they were inside. What a joke!" the Simple growled.

"We agree, Vipin. Can you stop repeating the same thing forty times now?!" Koard snapped, clearly annoyed by his fellow bandit.

"Yashyn or not, we can take ’em easy, I’m telling you!" Vipin shouted, completely ignoring him.

"Oh for fuck’s sake, just shut your— whatever."

Koard refocused on his targets, checking his crossbow and blades.

"We’re almost at the objective... Prepare the signal," he said, a wide grin forming on his jackal-like face.

You’re gonna pay for the burns on my arm, you little bastard... Koard thought, ready for revenge.

At the same time, the exchanges resumed among the Vulkans.

"Akram, Baron, on my signal you fire your explosive stuff at the surrounding hills. And don’t be shy—throw everything," Yashyn murmured, preparing for combat.

Both Vulkans nodded, readying their ammunition.

It was only after a few minutes that the first signal sounded.

A long horn blast echoed, stopping the group dead in its tracks.

Moments later, a landslide erupted in the middle of the coastline, forcing the Vulkans to retreat before being buried.

The ambush had begun.

Suddenly, the hidden shooters revealed themselves, bolts aimed at their enemies, ready to fire.

Two shadows burst out of the foliage and landed directly on the rubble above.

Koard and Vipin, in person.

"Oh fuck, that was cool, right?" Vipin said, thrilled by his entrance.

"Yeah Vipin, super cool... God, this guy’s so dumb," Koard spat.

"What did you say?"

"No-no, nothing."

The Vulkans spread out, loosening their formation to reduce the chance of getting hit by an arrow, never taking their eyes off the two Sand Bandit leaders.

"Those two assholes were there during the bandit attack. They’re high-ranking," Baron murmured.

"Yeah, not surprising. Was obvious some of them would disobey the other idiot. We stepped on them too hard," Yashyn replied, unsurprised.

"So we’re not negotiating then! Uh... We’re killing them, right Koard?" Vipin asked, suddenly less confident.

"Yes, that’s right Vipin. We’re just killing them. No need to talk," Koard replied, on the verge of burnout.

"Yeah okay... that’s it... okay..."

"We’re here to kill you. That’s all," Vipin finished, drawing his hammer.

Yashyn didn’t waste a second and shouted:

"NOW!"

Baron and Akram aimed their weapons—the arm for Akram—toward the surrounding hills.

The barrage of fire that followed was so intense that the explosions completely drowned out the screams of the bandits being slaughtered by Vulkan firepower.

Some bolts still managed to be fired, missing their target—at least, that’s what Akram thought.

"Shit..." a voice groaned from the group.

Akram instantly turned toward the sound, dread filling his eyes as he feared the worst.

He saw Baron clutching his side, blood-soaked. He had been hit by a stray bolt amid the chaos.

"Fuck! Baron, Baron, are you okay?!" Akram shouted, rushing toward the scout.

"I’m fine, it’s just—" Baron cut himself off before vomiting blood.

This is bad... fuck... Akram thought as he looked at the wound.

Elliot rushed over as well, applying first aid to the old scout.

The two bandit leaders watched the scene, stunned.

"Fuck, the little bastards... They planned everything... WE KILL THEM NOW!! KOARD!!" Vipin roared, hammer in hand, shaking with impatience.

"Yeah yeah, fuck... Shut your mouth already," Koard muttered under his breath, readying his twin knives.

"YOU THERE!" he shouted, pointing his blade straight at Akram.

"I’m gonna massacre you. You’re gonna pay this time, you little bitch!"

With those kind words, both leaders charged at full speed toward the disorganized Vulkan group, weaving between rocks with terrifying agility.

Yashyn stepped between them and Baron, standing beside Akram.

"I’ll take both of them. Cover me, lil’ bud," Yashyn said.

"No."

"Do it right— huh?" Yashyn replied, confused.

"I can handle the one who wants me," Akram said firmly.

"You sure about that, lil’ bud?" Yashyn asked, surprised.

"Certain. I survived without you. I’ll keep surviving," Akram finished.

Yashyn said nothing more. He simply smiled beneath his mask and stepped aside, leaving the field to his boss.

As expected, Vipin charged straight at Yashyn, slamming his hammer down and engaging him in combat.

Koard did the same, screaming with rage, his pupils swallowed by darkness and frustration.

His strikes caught Akram off guard.

He was fast. Far too fast.

His blades sliced into the young Vulkan.