Chapter 7: Chapter 6 - The Journey
Two days later, at the purification zone of the Luhansk region.
The Hunter and Isabel arrived at the city Borova which had recently been rebuilt and elevated back from a town to city after the purification tower was fully built. The people who had previously evacuated, return to their home and repopulate the city.
The Hunter and Isabel made a stop here to simply fuel up their armored jeep before continuing their journey to Kiev, a major green zone city which was the first to be purified, before continue to the west until they enter the yellow zone where the Griffin and KCCO are rumored to be sighted, especially near the Romania and Moldova border.
Suddenly, the Hunter was interrupted from his musing by Isabel who asked, "Should we stop by and find a place to eat?" She asked with a little embarrassed look because of how intensely the Hunter stared back at her.
The Hunter had long given up trying to comprehend how a Doll looked and acted so human. Like, if his senses cannot detect it's a Doll, he would never be able to tell it's one and assume she is a human.
Her synthetic skin feels real and warm, she can get bored and tired, she gets hungry and sleepy, she has dreams and goals for her future. If that's not a human, he didn't know what is. The only difference is her inside is made of metal and she is made from a factory.
After staring enough at the Doll, he gave her a nod before he put down the book about the third world war he was reading about.
After receiving a yes, Isabel excitedly finds a place to park before she leads him to a place to eat which she learns from a digital advertisement which was aimed at Dolls, allowing them to receive the advertisement wirelessly simply by walking by the area.
Her excitement is easily understood as during the days of journey, they had been eating dry tasteless rations bars only because there was nowhere to stop by. It's a miracle they even found a populated city in this newly established purification zone when most if not all the settlements they encountered were abandoned or walled off.
After the armored jeep was parked, Isabel left her gun in the jeep to not attract attention and it was really unwieldy anyway in such an urban area. Instead, she had a sidearm in the right holster by her waist and hidden under her inconspicuous civilian fabric coat instead of the default one she previously wore.
"Here is the shop! They serve creamy beef stew with fresh bread." Isabel excitedly share the details with him while leading him to a small and newly refurbished restaurant.
When she open the door, a bell rang which caused him to winced a little but remain unnoticed by anyone but himself.
Then waitress dressed in casual clothes with a pouched apron walked up to them. He could immediately identify the waitress to be a Doll because she have the distinct smell and the very faint sound of machinery inside her that normally no one could detect but he could hear people talk from across a town if he focused enough.
"Our signature creamy beef stew with side of fresh bread for you. What about you, mister…" The waitress Doll look a little spooked by the Hunter due to the presence he exude and his choice of outfit that look intimidating to the average people.
"The same." The Hunter answered because he is also curious about the food as he never see the need to partake in meals since he have no biological need for sustenance. However, he does partake in some of the baked goods The Doll made for him and Little Violet.
"What about the drinks?" The waitress asked again while skillfully scribble down the order.
"Coffee." Isabel said while the Hunter ordered, "Your best tea." His reason for tea being his beverage of choice is because most often than not, the beverage aside from alcohol spiked with Healing Blood he found in Yharnam is tea which apparently were the drink of choice before people get addicted to the blood spiked alcohol.
The Hunter then took off the cloth mask that had constantly stay on his face in preparation for his meal. This action caused Isabel to look a little wide eyed as her mouth form a circle in amazement. He seen her reaction and gave her a raised eyebrow.
"Is my face that interesting?" He asked. Curious what the Doll were thinking about. But she turned her eyes away instead with her face reddened.
"Yes." She replied guiltily before she explain. "I seen you keep the mask on and never took them off even while eating." She said and paused due to some hesitation but under his curious stare, she open her mouth again continue, "Well, I thought probably because you didn't look good. That's why you hide your face. But…" She paused again and glance at his face before looking away a few times. "I just didn't expect you are actually good looking."
"Thank you." He expressed his gratitude for the praise with a nod.
After that conversation, she never open her mouth to speak again. Mainly because she was too embarrassed to talk. Unlike her previous owners. He was never the one to rely on her for anything aside for simple tasks and she is grateful for that because afraid to be rely on. She is afraid to give out advice only to fail those who she helped again.
But no, he always carry himself confidently although he look clueless most of the time.
She still remembers when he asked her about the history of the world from the year twenty twenties to the First Collapse and the World War Three. He seems a little fixated to the year twenty twenties and the event of the First Collapse. They even stop by a few former major city to find books related to those topic in the library eventhough she said he can read most on internet.
He is clueless when it come to the daily life and common sense. However, when it come to battle. He is a totally different person. Like a predator that won thousands of battles. After seeing those, she even wonder why he bought her, a Tactical Doll. Instead of more suitable caretaker, butler or even bodyguard Dolls that suit his need more than her.
After spending an hour eating a hearty breakfast, Isabel paid for the meal because he hand her a good portion of his wealth he accumulated for his mercenary job to use on their expenses since she is the one managing the supplies as she is more knowledgeable than him in the value of the market and currency as evidently a few had scammed him to pay more than what he should because he is clueless on the product value and he didn't care since to him, those papers look equally worthless.
After that, they get back on their jeep and hit the road once again. They will drive continuously until they reach their destination which according to Isabel, should take another 14-15 hours provided there is no obstacle along the way.
———
Around the fifth or sixth hours of the drive, they pass through a newer purification zone and pass by an area where a purification tower is still being built near Kirovohrad, at the city Oleksandriya after crossing the Dnipro river from Kremenchuk.
The Hunter is the first to react as he could hear the sound of a loud gunshot. But after they got closer, Isabel could gear it up too and said it sounded like a gunshot from an auto turret that usually defends an outpost or settlement from ELID.
"Let's stop by and check." The Hunter said as he put down the book he was reading and took his weapon from the Messenger. As for Isabel, such sights do not surprise her anymore as she nods and drives towards the direction of the sound.
A while later, they encounter a well fortified town that is under siege by a number of ELID which isn't much but the town seems to not have adequate weaponry to take down those ELID as they take the shot without any issue and simply fell down which they climb back up and march toward the walls again.
Isabel wondered what his actions would be. Typically, most profit driven mercenaries will steer clear from trouble unless they are hired to help.
As if reading her thoughts, the Hunter looks at her with a huff as if feeling offended by her thoughts before he gets off the jeep.
"Just stay here and help." The Hunter said while pointing at her sniper rifle at the back seat and the turret mount.
Isabel nods and immediately gets a hold of her M82A1 anti-materiel rifle before she gets on the gun turret mount and sets her sniper rifle on the roof with the bipod.
As for the Hunter, he ran directly to the town a few hundred meters ahead through the clearing. But before he arrived, two shots already popped off and hit their mark when two ELID had their head burst open like a rotten watermelon.
He also noticed the people behind the wall start to peek their head out to investigate their generous helper.
When he was just a few meters away, the revolver on his left hand drew out and swiftly aimed at the head of an ELID before he pulled the trigger and…
*BOOM!*
The explosion went off and in a near instant, the bullet hit the ELID in the head as intended and the head exploded even more violently than the bullet Isabel shot which earned her a frown as she is aware of the non-standard bullets that he used. But she had no idea they were this powerful.
Regardless, once he announced his presence on the battlefield with the gunshot. Those remaining dozens of ELID rushed over at him but he deployed his improved Saw Cleaver and beheaded the next one that rushed toward him after killing the previous one.
His Saw Cleaver, enhanced with his blood infused with Arcane Power, grants his weapon unparalleled sharpness that can cut steel like butter and immense durability which made it near unbreakable and longer lasting for an uninterrupted Hunt.
Then a group of five rapidly approaches him but he remains calm while the people behind the wall are screaming loudly to warn him.
He first retreated back when those ELID almost got to pounce him. Then cause a few of them to stumble and fall. He lifted his cleaver up and slammed it down at the pile of three and bisected them on various angles before he sensed another two trying to sneak up on him while he was dealing with their friends. However before their hands could lay themselves on him, he vanished into a silvery mist a few steps back and he lifted his revolver up and shot at the two in quick succession and blasted their heads apart with ease.
While he is absorbed in his battle, Isabel took down a few on her own. Mainly those bulkier infected which are stronger on their body but their head remains a weakness which her high powered rifle can take down effectively. Even if she can't hit their heads as often as he likes her to, enough shots from her rifle can batter the ELID enough to cripple their limbs which the Hunter will finish off.
Well, she basically crippled most of the ELID and only three left standing which he swiftly dispatched before he finished off those crippled ones still trying to crawl towards him.
*Ding~* *Ding~*
The Hunter felt his mobile phone in his left breast pocket vibrate. He took it out and answered the call which turned out to be Isabel.
"I'm on my way with the jeep." She said after he answered the call and he gave a simple acknowledging hum before his focus went to the people walking out from the fortified town.
A weathered and elderly but still tough looking man flanked by four younger mens equipped with assault rifles stepped forward and approached the Hunter. He felt no malicious intentions from either of them. So, he relaxed and waited until they arrived.
Isabel arrived first on the jeep which caused them to look wary at the new arrival. But because he gestured that she was with him, they assumed she was the one assisted with the sniper rifle.
"Hello, benefactor. I am very grateful for your help to defend our town. However…" The elderly man said before he looked at the Hunter from top to bottom with an appraising look. "You are mercenary, right? Unfortunately, there is nothing we can offer as payment…"
"It's alright." The Hunter said and nodded. "I didn't help expecting to be rewarded." He explained.
After the Hunter said that, there is a visible look of shock on their face but the leader is more restrained with his expression. Merely raising an eyebrow before he spoked.
"That's a rare one. Most mercenaries wouldn't even bother to help unless they are being paid. But, you? You are different." The leader said before offering a handshake before he asked, "Are you perhaps a Bounty Hunter?" while his eyes narrowed with a glint.
The Hunter noticed the leader looked nervous and very wary of him. He could figure out the reason and it's because he is an experienced war veteran, a retired colonel apparently who returned to his roots. Which explains how and why he still leads his people despite his elderly visage and commanded such respect from his people.
The leader is wary of the aura that he has, the aura of a killer and his killing intent during the battle. It's something very understandable because the Hunter had slain quite a lot of Humans as he slain Beasts, especially in the Nightmare Frontier which is brimming with trapped Old Hunters.
"Bounty Hunter?" He wonders. "Is there any difference?" He asked as in his opinion, without understanding the context, Bounty Hunter is quite similar to Mercenary. The only difference is one focuses on hunting bounty while the other is more generalized.
Hearing his response, the leader frowned before he figured out something.
"I see. You must not be someone from around here. That's why you sounded a little clueless. Now that I think of it, your accent sounded like a British accent." The leader said before he replied to the previous question. "Yes, there is a difference. Mercenary is a more generalized and unregulated profession around the contaminated zones. Anyone can be a mercenary. But they often ended up turning towards banditry because they are very profit driven people that will do anything to earn money and what's more easier than raiding and hijacking helpless people for ransom or to steal their cargo." The leader sounded very angry and spoke from personal experience. "As for Bounty Hunters, they are more official. They have their own private organization which coordinates their members, manage the bounties and provide services to their members in their line of work. The same for PMC groups which have to register to the government for a license that makes them comply with the law and regulations."
Once the Hunter finished hearing the explanation from the leader, he thanked the man and turned around to leave only to be stopped.
"Why don't you join us, sir? Even if we couldn't afford to reward your help, we could at least host a celebration to appreciate your aid." The leader said but the Hunter shook his head.
"It is unnecessary. Besides, I have a place to go and I only stopped briefly to help." He said and the leader did not insist for them to stay and bid the Hunter and Isabel farewell and a thanks on behalf of everyone for coming to their aid.
After that, the two continue on their journey down the road on their armored jeep, deeper into the contaminated zones after a brief occurrence which spice up their boring and lengthy journey.
—————
If you enjoy my fic and wanted me to support my work and effort, feel free to support me on Patreon.
patreon.com/DaoistKittyKat
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone