Chapter 115 Section 18

The coolness of the night enveloped Decker, but he felt a sharper chill when the trees in the forest moved.At one point in the woods, there was something low, probably a squatting figure, moving cautiously behind clumps of bushes.But the movement wasn't near the trail, where Decker expected movement.In fact, what made him panic was that the figure had almost circled around the open space surrounded by trees, and was approaching the cabin on tiptoe, stooping.Decker thought horrified, I didn't see him, how did he get so close? Where are the others? He saw another figure near the first person, and the chill on his body became even stronger.This person did not seem to come around the edge of the clearing, but emerged from the depths of the woods. He seemed to come from the north, not the bridge from the west.The only explanation is that they found another way across the river.

But how did it go?I checked the river 100 yards north along the side of the road and they wouldn't drive any farther to stop.There are no logs on the river, no small bridges, and no big stones to step on to cross the river. When a third figure emerged from the woods at the edge of the clearing, Decker fought back a wave of nausea as he realized what had happened.After the group stopped, they were divided into two groups.One group followed the road south, blocking the exit of the trail and cutting off Decker's escape route, while the others headed north on foot.Decker didn't expect them to go in this direction.They followed the road to another house and crossed the river by the bridge there.Houses in this area are generally a quarter of a mile apart.It never occurred to Decker that Renata and her men would walk so far, in the dark, at such an urgent time.It took them so long to get to the clearing because they had been crawling a long way south through the dense woods, trying to move as slowly and as quietly as possible.There will be others coming out of the woods behind the cabin, and they will surround the cabin as best they can.

From behind Decker. From Beth's back. He imagined an enemy crawling up to her, startling both of them, but the killer reacted faster and shot Beth before she had a chance to defend herself.Decker wanted to get out of his hiding place and rush through the dark undergrowth to her to protect her, but he couldn't bring himself to give in to the urge.If he didn't understand the situation and acted before the time, he would not only put himself in danger, but also Beth in danger.The problem is, by the time he finds out what's going on, it may be too late. His hesitation saved him, for behind him, close at hand, a branch snapped with a snap, and a shoe crunched on pine needles on the ground.He felt his heart swell up to the opening of his throat, choking him.Little by little, he turned his head, struggling only a quarter of an inch at a time.Be careful.Torturing caution.There might be a gun aimed his way, but he didn't dare to risk turning around suddenly to see it.If he hadn't been spotted, a sudden back turn of his head would have given him away and made him a target.

Sweat beaded on his brow.Little by little, he saw the dark woods behind him.Another foot stepped lightly on the pine needles, making a crunching sound.His heart couldn't help tightening, his pulse beat faster and faster, and he felt dizzy for a while.He sees a figure ten feet away. Is it Renata?No.The man was too strong and his shoulders were too broad.It was a man with a rifle, his back turned to Decker.The man crouched down facing the cabin and disappeared uncomfortably into the bushes.Decker imagined what the man saw.Music was playing in the cabin.A light was on behind the closed curtains.As part of his preparations, Decker turned on timers for the lights and radio so that over the next hour, the lights would go out one by one and the radio would go off.This realistic stroke will convince Renata and her friends that their prey has fallen into a trap.

On the other side of the clearing, the three figures disappeared.It is estimated that they have dispersed and surrounded the cabin, preparing to attack at the same time.Are they going to wait for the lights to go out and wait until they think we're asleep, or are they going to slam grenades in the windows now and break in? Did they trip over Beth as they ran through the bushes? Decker's original plan was to block them all as they crossed the bridge and sneak down the trail, kill and wound a few, and fire at them from three directions simultaneously.Now, the only way he could think of to surprise them was to—

Slowly he crawled out of the hole, groping in front of him for anything that would make him make a noise.His movements were almost as slow as when he had just turned his head.He crept quietly through the narrow gap between two bushes, approaching the place where the figure lay down.The person's attention will be focused on the cabin.Others must be staring at the cabin too, not looking in that direction.He took hold of a hunting knife which he had bought from a gun shop and which had been lying beside the Winchester on the edge of the pit.He hadn't killed anyone with a knife in 12 years.He crawled through a few more bushes.

There, 5 feet ahead, the man was on one knee, holding a rifle, staring at the house. When we make big decisions, fate inevitably befalls us. Decker pounced on it without hesitation.He waved his left hand in front of the shooter, covering his nostrils and mouth, and the cotton glove muffled the man's voice.At the same time, Decker pulled him back on his back and stabbed him in the throat. Emotions themselves do not harm us, but our thoughts about them can do if they are not controlled. The man's body froze... a corpse.Decker silently lowered the body to the ground.The moonlight shone on the open throat of the dead man, and what seemed to be steam wafted from it.

Training controls our thoughts, and our thoughts control our emotions.