Liam, Amy and Claire were taking a look at the scene in front of them.
Each trying their best to come out with either a reason, or at least a guess.
And up till now only Liam had come out with something that seemed reasonable.
From his point of view, he suggested that each of the bodies were from the same group, and they had all decided to gang up against a single individual.
But unfortunately for them, it turned out the individual was way too strong for them to handle, even for the six of them, and as result, they were all beaten up mercilessly by the individual.
"Okay, I understand they might have encountered a formidable individual, and that this individual is responsible for their current predicament,"
Claire interjected, her brow furrowed in thought.
"But why would they leave the gold coins?"
No sooner had she uttered the words than Liam and Amy spun towards her, their faces etched with profound confusion.
The very reason they were working together was for these coins, which served as a crucial 'passport' to complete their assessment.
The second assessment comprised two distinct tasks: first, locating the exit; and second, accumulating a minimum of five golden coins within forty-eight hours.
Failure to meet either of these criteria – finding the exit but lacking the required coins, or possessing the coins but failing to reach the exit within the time limit – would result in automatic disqualification.
These thoughts raced through their minds as they processed Claire's startling observation, making them intensely curious.
Driven by a desire to verify Claire's claim, they began moving towards her.
Upon reaching the scene, they fanned out, meticulously scanning the battleground, hoping to swiftly ascertain whether they were in any immediate danger.
Claire stood precisely where Fai and Johnson lay, while Amy and Liam remained a little further back, close together, their attention drawn to Keal's unconscious form.
Up until this moment, none of them had noticed anything particularly unusual – that is, until Claire's last remark.
"What do you mean?" Amy asked, her voice laced with curiosity as she turned to Claire for an explanation.
"I mean, there's someone here who still has their golden coins on them," Claire replied, her gaze fixed on Johnson's pockets, from which four shiny coins had clearly spilled.
"What the... there really are golden coins!" Amy exclaimed, her voice a mix of disbelief and excitement.
"But why would they just leave something like this?"
"Maybe they forgot," Claire offered, scratching her head, though even she didn't sound convinced by her own suggestion.
Amy and Liam exchanged a glance, then turned to Claire, their expressions clearly conveying, "Seriously?" The golden coins were an essential component for passing the assessment; not possessing them meant immediate disqualification. So forgetting wasn't even a choice, or an option in the picture.
Yet, here was an individual who had evidently single-handedly defeated an entire group and, inexplicably, left their valuable coins untouched.
Seeing their reaction, Claire immediately shrugged. "What? I'm just saying, it's not like I was there or anything," she said, attempting to defend her flimsy reasoning.
"Should we take them?" Amy asked, her eyes riveted to the gleaming metallic pieces.
If she could just acquire these coins, all she'd need to do was find the exit within the time limit, and she would have successfully passed the assessment. So yes, it would be right to say in this moment that the temptation was tempting.
"I guess it should be alright," Liam mused, his gaze fixed on Amy.
"I mean, it's not like the person who defeated them needed it anyway, if not they wouldn't have left it here." In the end, Liam found himself unable to contradict Amy's alluring presence.
If anything, he wanted to remain in her good graces, hoping that once this ordeal was over, he might finally have a chance with her, and perhaps, just perhaps, he wouldn't be rejected.
"Really? Aww, thank you!" Amy cooed, giving Liam a soft, puppy-dog eyed look. Her plan had worked; the coins were as good as hers. "You're such a gentleman," she continued to flatter him, causing his face to flush a deep red.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, young lady!" Claire interjected, her hands outstretched, firmly blocking Amy, who had already begun to move towards the coins.
"And you," she said, her finger now pointing at Liam. "I don't recall anyone appointing you as the leader of this group, so don't just go around making decisions like you're the captain of this whole damn situation!" She paused, her eyes narrowing.
"And if anyone should have these coins, it's me! I saw them first! So, what exactly do you think you're doing?"
Claire had reached her limit.
She was acutely aware of Amy's manipulative tactics—using her beauty to charm Liam into agreeing with her every whim, and it was clearly working, as Liam would readily acquiesce without a second thought.
Witnessing this had fueled a simmering rage within her, a fury that had now finally erupted. She was clearly incensed; Amy was pushing boundaries too far, at least in Claire's estimation.
"And Liam, I can't believe you've become so utterly blind that you can't even think straight," she continued, her gaze now fixed on Amy, and it was far from a pleasant look.
"But I won't blame you; it's not your fault."
"What do you mean?" Liam interjected, his eyebrows furrowed in a frown.
He didn't appreciate Claire's implication.
"Don't you find this suspicious?" Claire pressed on. "There are unconscious bodies everywhere, and it turns out they still have their coins."
"Does that make any sense? I mean, while finding the exit is part of this assessment, you also have to remember that the coins are a crucial requirement."
She was trying to highlight a significant point, but the others seemed to be missing it entirely.
********
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