Nicholas finally stopped a good distance from the Valley of Darkness.
The truck rolled to a halt and the engine rumbled softly beneath him. He sat there for a moment, staring at the darkness ahead.
He had no plan of going into the Valley.
Even though the creatures weren't the main danger, that didn't mean they were weak by any standard.
The Valley was their home for centuries and they had adapted to it and now thrived in it… And anything that could survive in a place like this was not something to take lightly.
Besides, he also didn't want to be completely enveloped by darkness, he still needed light to see so he could carry out his plan.
Once he was parked in a sweet spot—close enough that he could still see without artificial light—he finally exited the truck, but he did not rush to begin hunting.
Instead, he opened the back storage and began rearranging the items inside. He took stock of everything to make sure he knew exactly what he had.
If he ever got back into a situation like the one with the mutant, he didn't want to be fumbling around in the dark like before.
Once he was done with that, he climbed back into the back seat of the truck and simply sat back with the door on his left was open.
He opened the box with leftover food—still hot, thanks to the technology of this world—but didn't immediately dive into it.
Instead, he began pouring out scraps from plates he had already eaten not too far from the door. He even poured out some of the grain-like food that he hadn't touched.
He wasn't really bothered by the waste since he still had the Nutrition Pills, and he could afford to waste a little food if it got him what he wanted.
He turned toward the truck—which was still running—after all he was never going to turn it off in a place like this ever… You never know when you had to run.
"Use your sensors," he ordered. "Inform me when any creature gets close. If anything above D Grade approaches, take off immediately no need to warn me."
[Command accepted]
Nicholas reached into a compartment and pulled out a small container.
He opened it and removed one of the two items fixed inside and placed a single earbud into his right ear. Then he replaced the container back in its place.
"Connect to the comms," he said. "Speak to me only through it."
[Command accepted]
Then he reached back into the second box—not the one with the medical supplies—and pulled out the largest item in there.
A net gun.
It was a beautiful piece of equipment with a black synthetic rifle-style stock and an ergonomic pistol grip.
It used a trigger mechanism with a vertical foregrip for stable handling and the central black receiver connected to a distinctive silver-coloured multi-pronged muzzle assembly designed to rapidly deploy a weighted capture net. A red fabric pouch held the folded net, with mesh panels for secure attachment.
He placed it on his lap, the net pointed out then he placed a plate of food just beside it, hiding the majority of the part that was on his right.
He turned his head outward, his eyes scanning the darkness beyond the truck.
His hand reached into the plate with his left hand, his right hand now resting on the trigger of the net gun.
He began taking small bites of the meat in his left hand, chewed it a few times them swallow.
Then he took another bit but instead of chewing and swallowing he simply spat it out.
Then he continued the motion of swallowing one piece and spitting the other out to the ground just outside the door of the truck.
The scraps hit the dirt with soft thuds allowing the scent of warm meat to drift into the darkness.
And then he waited.
Five minutes later, a notification came through the comm.
[Rank F Dark Rat approaching]
Nicholas didn't move.
Before long, the dark rat came into view… It was small, black with its eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.
It sniffed the air, twitched its nose, and scurried toward the scraps.
'Perfect.' Nicholas thought with a small smile, but he did not make a move.
Before long, several dark rats gathered around the scattered food. They ate greedily, fighting over the scraps he had either spat out or purposely poured from one of the bowls.
More notifications on rats and other rodents came in but they weren't what he wanted… So, he waited.
More than an hour later, he received a different notification.
[Rank E Dark Serpent approaching]
Nicholas tensed slightly and his right hand was about to release the trigger of the net and reach for the handgun next to it.
But he paused. 'No… Not yet.'
So, he stayed in place. While it was larger than the rats and far more dangerous… it wasn't what he was waiting for.
'The truck should inform me if it comes too close… Hmmm I don't think I gave that order?'
He wanted to ask the truck, but the sound of his voice would also scare the rodents away and that would ruin his plan.
So, he stayed silent.
The serpent slithered past, uninterested in the scraps as it lounged at one of the rats.
The targeted rat couldn't even react before the snake's fang bit into it and the snake poison was injected into its body.
*SHHHHHEEEEEEIIIIIIKK*
The rats scattered at the sound of their captured bredren and immediately scattered.
Thankfully the snake did not stay around for long as well… The moment the rat went still, it grabbed it pray and skedaddled.
And within a few minutes that it was gone, the rats were back.
Finally, an hour later, he received the notification he had been waiting for.
[Rank E Dark Cat approaching]
Nicholas smiled.
Like all cats, these were patient stalkers.
Even though this part of the valley was their registered territory, it had taken several hours for one to appear. Even with their prey all around them.
But he didn't immediately spring his trap.
Dark Cats had incredible reflexes and supernatural paranoia. The moment he missed the first time; he wouldn't get another chance today.
They would vanish into the darkness and never return for several days to this spot especially not towards wherever they saw the truck so he waited longer, hoping more would appear.
Thankfully, it didn't take long… With the first Dark Cat ripping through its prey, the scent of blood and the lack of predator immediately drew several more.
Nicholas could hear the sound of slaughter all around the truck.
The tearing of flesh, crunching of bones and low growls of predators fighting over food was unsettling but there was not a single change in Nicholas's posture.
His eyes patiently scanned the darkness for several minutes until his gaze finally settled on the perfect target.
It was in the perfect position… right in the trajectory of the net gun, facing away from him as it feasted on its prey.
'One...' His finger hovered over the trigger.
'Two...' The cat was still oblivious, completely focused on the meal in front of it.
'Three.' He pulled the trigger.