Chapter 263 - 145: Ambush

Chapter 263: Chapter 145: Ambush

The sound was coming from the middle of the hilly slope he had been watching—a spot concealed by several large rocks and dense, dry bushes. The source was slightly more to the right than he had initially estimated, and closer to the top of the slope.

’So they couldn’t wait any longer?’ A cold glint flashed in Xu Mo’s eyes.

In a flash, Xu Mo made his decision. He shot up from the hollow into a half-crouch, his AK instantly aimed at an empty patch of ground slightly to the left of the sound’s source. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.

BANG!

The sharp crack of the rifle once again shattered the silence of the wasteland. The bullet tore into a clump of tall weeds, sending fragments of dry grass flying.

He was flushing them out.

If someone was hiding there, the shot, even if it missed, would be enough to startle them into a reaction.

As he fired, Xu Mo’s eyes swept over the area like a radar, taking in every detail around his muzzle’s direction.

The instant he fired, Xu Mo dove into a swift roll to his right, abandoning his position. He vanished behind another, lower patch of grass, the entire movement so fast it seemed to leave an afterimage.

In the split second he was diving, before his body even hit the ground—

WHIZZ—THWAP!

Less than half a meter to the left of where he had just been crouching, a small pit erupted in the dry ground, sending dirt and grassroots flying!

The shot had come from the hilly slope, but it was far more precise.

His opponent had taken the bait. And his reaction and aim were both incredibly sharp. If Xu Mo hadn’t moved so quickly, that shot would have found its mark.

However, that single shot also completely exposed the sniper’s exact location.

A rifle shot inevitably produces a muzzle flash. Even with a flash suppressor, to Xu Mo’s focused gaze, the instantaneous flicker and the faint puff of dust it kicked up were as clear as a lighthouse in the dark.

Xu Mo lay in his new cover, his heart beating with a steady rhythm, as if the close call from moments ago had never happened.

He now had a crystal-clear picture of his opponent’s hiding spot in his mind. It was midway up the slope and to the right, behind a waist-high, grayish-brown boulder. In front of the boulder was a camouflaged pile of dry grass that didn’t quite match its surroundings.

The man was an experienced ambusher. He knew how to use the terrain and camouflage, possessed a strong nerve, and was a crack shot. But unfortunately for him, he had run into Xu Mo, whose perception and reflexes were anything but normal.

Without hesitating, Xu Mo moved again. He didn’t trade shots this time. His opponent had the high ground and rock cover, giving them the advantage in a direct firefight. He needed to either close the distance or create a diversion.

Xu Mo crawled silently back to the SUV. Since the last shot had missed, the sniper’s attention was likely still focused on the area where he’d fired from and taken cover. They wouldn’t expect him to return to his vehicle.

Reaching the SUV, Xu Mo pulled two smoke grenades from his jacket. ’If I’d known I was walking into an ambush, I’d have brought high-explosive grenades instead.’

After pulling the pins, Xu Mo estimated the angle and distance, then hurled the first smoke grenade toward the front-left of the sniper’s rock. He immediately followed up with the second, tossing it in a slightly lower arc toward the rock’s front-right.

His arm strength was incredible. The two grenades traced perfect arcs through the air, landing exactly where he’d intended.

HISS—

HISS—

Thick, grayish-white smoke billowed instantly from the canisters, spreading rapidly. Carried by a faint breeze, it quickly formed an uneven smokescreen in front of the sniper’s position. While it didn’t completely obscure the rock, it severely obstructed the enemy’s line of sight and field of fire.

The moment the smoke began to rise, Xu Mo was on the move. He didn’t charge into the smoke. Instead, using the smoke and his vehicle for cover, he began to flank, moving quickly and silently in a zigzag pattern toward the side of the slope. He was going to circle around to his enemy’s side or rear!

Xu Mo’s speed was incredible. Unleashing the full power and agility of his Iron Bone Realm, he moved over the rugged slope as if it were level ground, all while expertly muffling his footsteps. His figure flickered in and out of sight among the shadows of rocks and bushes.

On the slope, shrouded in smoke, the sniper’s heart sank. He was wearing a homemade ghillie suit that let him blend in almost perfectly with the surrounding rocks and dead grass.

He hadn’t expected his target to be so fast and decisive. The accuracy and timing of those grenades had been perfect.

The smoke severely obstructed his aim, and he’d completely lost track of the target’s movements.

"Dammit, ran into a real pro..." the sniper spat. He knew the ambush had failed; the most important thing now was to get out. He carefully peeked out from behind the rock, trying to see what was happening beyond the smoke and figure out his target’s likely position and his own escape route.

Just as his eyes pierced a gap in the smoke, warily scanning the area downslope—

BANG!!

A gunshot erupted from behind a large boulder about thirty meters to his side and rear!

The sniper didn’t even have time to react before an immense, shattering pain erupted near his left shoulder blade. The force of the impact sent him stumbling forward. His vision went black, and his ears rang.

’How... is that... possible...? So fast...?’ That was his last coherent thought.

BANG! BANG!

Two more shots followed in quick succession. One struck him in the center of his back, the other shattered his spine at the neck.

The figure in the ghillie suit went completely rigid, then crumpled limply to the ground. The rifle in his hand—a modified model fitted with a scope—slipped from his grasp and clattered to the dirt, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

Xu Mo emerged from behind the boulder, AK-47 at the ready. A faint wisp of smoke still curled from its muzzle. His face was devoid of expression, his eyes terrifyingly calm.

Remaining vigilant, Xu Mo quickly approached the downed sniper. Only after confirming the man was dead did he crouch down and use his rifle’s muzzle to push aside the crude but effective ghillie suit.

Beneath it was a man in his thirties with coarse features and dark, weathered skin—the clear markings of someone who had spent a long time living in the wilds.

Blood gushed from the wounds on his left shoulder and back, soaking the earth beneath him. The fatal shots were the ones to the center of his back and his neck. At this range, the devastating power of the AK-47’s 7.62mm intermediate cartridge was more than enough to be lethal.

Xu Mo quickly searched the body. Besides the modified rifle and a few spent casings, he found a dented canteen, a few strips of dark jerky, a small pouch of salt, and a crude compass.

There were no obvious markings, no faction symbols. This was a typical wasteland hyena—a scavenger who roamed the wilds, preying on lone travelers and small groups.

His objective had been clear: Xu Mo’s vehicle and whatever valuable supplies it might contain.

Xu Mo stood and scanned his surroundings. Aside from the whistling wind, all was quiet.

Back at the SUV, Xu Mo inspected the damage. Aside from the bullet mark on the front brush guard, there was nothing else. Using the vehicle’s toolkit, he cleaned out the dent left by the bullet, then slapped a piece of camo duct tape from the car over the spot as a makeshift rust-proofing measure.

Once that was done, Xu Mo tossed the captured rifle and its remaining ammunition into the back of the SUV. He glanced at the sniper’s other belongings but left them untouched.

He had no intention of burying the body. In the apocalypse, this was a common fate.

Xu Mo got back into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

The engine roared to life once more. Xu Mo glanced in the rearview mirror; the ambusher’s body had already shrunk to an insignificant dot against the vast wasteland.

The apocalypse had taught him another lesson since he’d left Jiang City, and this one was bloody and direct.

The road ahead was long. And "lessons" like this were probably just the beginning.