The hour was upon us.
The young man with the punk hairstyle wasn't smiling anymore.
He had lived all his life as a rich gangster, fighting small gangs. So naturally, he was more arrogant than those nobles who only relied on their family guards and their mouths to intimidate people.
That was the main reason he could forcibly take charge of the noble faction.
He simply exchanged fists with anyone who disagreed with his rise to power. Then he instructed the gangsters under him to keep oppressing the commoners.
Sure, some people died, but he didn't care. He saw them as disposable pawns to be used as he wished.
Then the director made that announcement about offering up the base.
The punk noble felt this was his chance to step onto a bigger stage.
At first, he didn't want to wait a week—he wanted to kill the director immediately. Why should he listen to a commoner when he could just seize control?
But then, the director visited him for a private discussion.
The punk noble welcomed him with open arms, though his eyes never strayed from the man's neck. He was already planning how he would stab a knife into the director's chest—until he felt it.
A deep, sudden fear.
And with that fear came hallucinations—madness-tinged voices.
These voices were thick with despair and chaos.
The punk noble froze. Why were the voices he usually heard suddenly so excited? And why did he feel such a deep sense of fear toward the director?
It was like someone was holding a gun to his head… and the finger on the trigger was twitching.
Every second felt like it brought him closer to death. One wrong move and the trigger would be pulled—then his brains would explode.
"I hope you sincerely wait for the appointed time," the director said with a kind smile, patting his shoulder.
The punk noble's forehead was now oozing sweat. He nodded repeatedly.
He might have been a scumbag in every aspect, but he was also more afraid of the strong than most.
"I wish you luck in the battle," the director added before leaving.
The punk noble sighed in relief, and the chaotic voices calmed—though the fear lingered. And the excitement.
It seemed they wanted to kill the director very badly. His blood still boiled at the mere thought of it.
But for now, he obeyed the director's words and told his gangsters to stand down.
Instead, they would party all day in the Entertainment Sector—drinking alcohol and playing with girls.
It was a sweet life, and they didn't want to give it up. So, they had to win the battle.
The punk noble licked his lips at the thought of the bloodshed to come in two days.
---
The day of the battle was thick with tension from the moment the sun rose.
There were no words spoken—only grim faces set with determination.
The nobles radiated a bloodthirsty aura at the thought of teaching those poor bastards a lesson.
The survivors outside the base were also preparing for their struggle for a better life.
Zhao Feng was practically vibrating with excitement at the thought of spilling blood.
Meanwhile, the six people in the neutral party were studying the door.
They had tried to escape before the battle.
It was smooth sailing to the gate—no one was guarding the entrance. They were neutral observers today, so they had abandoned their duties.
But even with that opportunity, they couldn't escape.
The survivors outside the base looked at them like hungry wolves. Their gazes were hostile, and the way they gripped their makeshift weapons made the six tense.
Eventually, they retreated back inside.
The hallways and buildings were empty. Everyone else had gathered together, rallying themselves for war.
The six were now free to explore.
"I think we should find a place to hide," Yi Zheng said.
"I was hoping we could stay and watch the battle," Shae Harris replied.
"You can stay here and get dragged into it, or you can follow us," Yi Zheng said flatly.
"So where do we hide?" Ming Jun asked.
"We split up and hide in different places," Yi Zheng answered.
"Then how will we meet up later?" Mori Aoi frowned.
"We'll each pick a hiding spot and meet at the school gate for thirty minutes. Anyone who reaches the gate should stay nearby and wait for the rest," Yi Zheng said.
"Hiss, why do I feel like you're trying to ditch us again?" Shae Harris glared.
"Why do we have to separate?" Mori Aoi asked, still uneasy.
"It's impossible to properly hide as a group—especially when we're this many," Yi Zheng explained.
"Why don't we tell each other our hiding spots?" Wei Zhi suggested.
"Then if we don't find you in time, we can come search for you," Noi Karn added.
"Old man Yi, you go first," Shae Harris said.
Yi Zheng looked at the five of them staring expectantly.
Damn leeches.
Why were they working so hard for this?
Eventually, he sighed and headed for the cafeteria, squeezing himself into a cupboard under the serving booth.
Once they were sure he wasn't trying to trick them, the others exchanged hiding spots.
Shae Harris said she'd hide in the garbage dump and insisted on staying with Noi Karn.
After all, he was blind, and they didn't think he'd be safe alone.
Noi Karn wrinkled his nose, but Shae Harris assured him there was a hidden furnace there—she'd found it while tossing trash for fun.
He finally relented.
Ming Jun chose the inventory room, hiding behind a heavy shelf stacked with boxes.
Mori Aoi said she'd hide in the kitchen.
Wei Zhi also chose the kitchen after glancing at her.
They noticed her nervous expression—close to tears at the thought of being alone—and decided not to comment.
The truth was, Mori Aoi was scared.
And Wei Zhi was even worse. His cowardice had been hidden so far thanks to Shae Harris's leadership and Ming Jun's follow-ups, but now he had no one to hide behind.
Or he would have, if not for the girl trailing behind him with her head down.
He was quietly relieved—hiding could be terrifying depending on the seeker.
---
Wei Zhi slowed his pace until he was walking shoulder to shoulder with her.
She was startled and looked up.
She hadn't been this close to anyone in a while and didn't expect to lock eyes with him. She quickly looked away.
Wei Zhi, embarrassed, turned his head as well.
Both had bangs covering their eyes, but the breeze from outside lifted the hair just enough for their eyes to meet directly for a split second.
"Where should we hide?" Wei Zhi asked after clearing his throat.
Come to think of it, this was the first time he'd spoken to her when it was just the two of them.
"The kitchen has a cupboard that's pretty big," she said.
"Oh."
He still didn't know how to hold a conversation. Shae Harris was usually the one to start and maintain them. He was too cautious to speak much, so all he could manage was a quiet "oh."
They walked in silence to the kitchen, a whole person's distance between them, both facing slightly away.
But it felt nice. Neither of them had done something like this before—walking beside someone without being insulted or looked down on.
Eventually, they reached the kitchen. The cupboard was indeed large enough for two thin people to squeeze inside, but Wei Zhi still found it too exposed.
"Um… well, there's something else," Mori Aoi said, noticing his expression.
She knelt down, pressing on the back of the cupboard until it slid away, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside were expensive snacks and food.
Wei Zhi raised an eyebrow at her.
"It's not mine," she stammered, waving her arms.
"Then whose is it?" Wei Zhi asked.
"The head cook. She was here back when this was still a normal school. I noticed how protective she was about this cupboard and… happened to sneak a peek once."
"Have you been secretly stuffing your face?" Wei Zhi asked—not angrily, but with a playful tone. He didn't realize he was teasing her.
"No… no… I didn't even know it was full of food! She always hid it from us and… and…" Mori Aoi's voice wavered, her eyes turning red.
"It's okay. I believe you," Wei Zhi said quickly, realizing he might have gone too far.
"Re… really?" she asked, blinking through damp eyes.
"Yes."
She sighed in relief and gave him a small smile.
Wei Zhi found he couldn't stand to look at her smiling, so he turned away. A faint dot of red bloomed on the tip of his right ear.
"Let's push this stuff out fast and get inside," he said, bending down to move the food.
Mori Aoi hurried to help.
---
Meanwhile, Ming Jun crouched behind his chosen shelf in the inventory room.
The boxes stacked on it were heavy enough to discourage anyone from moving them, and there was just enough space for one person to hide.
Through the small gaps, he watched the empty aisles outside.
---
Shae Harris had told the truth about the old incinerator.
It was probably here before the school was built, left untouched because it led nowhere and was surrounded by trash.
She'd found it by accident while running after a missed shot.
She has tripped on the door while running over to check her shot
At the far end of the garbage dump, under a few bags of trash, was a small rectangular door leading to the underground box.
She jumped in first, then held the door for Noi Karn.
"Need any help?" she asked.
He shook his head and stepped in.
She closed the latch, and they both sat on the cement floor—Shae Harris playing her video games, Noi Karn listening to music.
---
Wei Zhi and Mori Aoi sat in their cupboard, knees up, pressed lightly together. Neither dared breathe too loudly.
One hand rested on the floor. The other supported their heads on their knees.
Unknowingly, their fingers inched toward each other until their fingertips touched.
It felt better that way.
Less lonely and scary
---
Midnight.
Jae-Hyun watched as both sides entered the field where the battle would take place.
Oddly enough, the space accommodated everyone—likely because the chaotic humans would go on a rampage, killing people, only to be killed by him.
This kept the base population in check.
The two sides now stood opposite each other. Jae-Hyun didn't see the third party.
He knew the school gate had been opened minutes before midnight, so what were they waiting for?
The third party was hidden in one of the buildings, watching.
Kim Ji-Hoon told their leader it would be better to wait until the others exhausted themselves, then swoop in and crush the weaker side.
The leader agreed with a wicked grin, his eyes glinting.
Fight… fight… fight.
Wear yourselves down until you can't stand. Then you'll just be pigs waiting for slaughter.
Jae-Hyun eventually sensed another killing intent somewhere off the field. The third party.
Well… he didn't care who won today, as long as the base stayed "functional."
The tension finally broke when someone made the first move.