The outpost looked calmer on the surface, but Ravi had learned quickly calm meant nothing. Calm was the silence before glass shattered.
He leaned against a cracked wall, chewing the last bite of stale bread he'd bought with 50 hard-earned Coins. It tasted like cardboard dipped in regret. Across the plaza, merchants bickered over prices while scavengers displayed broken gadgets as if they were priceless relics.
But what caught Ravi's eye wasn't the market. It was the shadows.
He noticed it in the way people grouped. Some stuck close to their families, holding hands even when walking. Others formed tight cliques, whispering in corners, glancing around with sharp suspicion. A few loners sat apart entirely, clutching their weapons like lifelines.
The scenarios weren't just killing people. They were killing trust.
Ravi muttered under his breath, "Welcome to the apocalypse where paranoia's the new currency."
The system didn't help.
Not long after he finished eating, glowing text unfurled across the plaza.
[Sub-Scenario: Test of Trust]Objective: Form a temporary party of three players.]Reward: Bonus Coins (variable by contribution).Failure: Party members unable to complete scenario together will face penalties.
Immediately, chaos.
"Form a group with me!" one woman shouted, waving frantically."No, come with us—we already have two, we just need one more!""Stay away from them, they'll stab you in the back!"
The plaza exploded into a marketplace of desperation. Survivors scrambled to secure alliances, shouting promises, bargaining with future loyalty as if it were something they could afford to sell.
Ravi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ah yes, forced group projects. Just like college, but with more blood."
He scanned the crowd. Already, some groups had solidified people clinging to friends they knew from before the world cracked. Others hastily agreed to form alliances with strangers, their eyes darting with mistrust even as they shook hands.
And then there were people like him. Alone. Watching. Waiting.
He knew how this had gone last time. He remembered the betrayal. The knife in the back when the timer hit its last seconds. Trust had gotten him killed.
Not again.
As if summoned by the thought, a familiar voice spoke from behind him.
"You don't like crowds."
Ravi turned. Arjun stood there, bow slung casually across his shoulder, face calm as always.
Ravi smirked. "Oh look, the human shadow returns. What, decided to grace me with actual conversation?"
"I need a third," Arjun said simply. "For the party."
Ravi raised a brow. "And you thought, 'Hey, the guy with the rusty pipe and a bad attitude—he's my pick'?"
Arjun didn't flinch. "You survived longer than most. That counts."
Ravi studied him. Those steady eyes gave nothing away. Trustworthy? Maybe. Dangerous? Absolutely.
Before he could answer, another voice cut in. A wiry man with jittery movements stepped forward, clutching a chipped machete. His grin was too wide, teeth yellowed.
"Hey, I'll join too," the man said quickly. "We can make three. Perfect."
Arjun's expression didn't change. But Ravi felt it the shift. The unease.
This man was too eager. Too hungry.
"Name?" Ravi asked flatly.
The man licked his lips. "Karan."
Ravi's eyes narrowed. He remembered a Karan from before another life, another timeline. A scavenger who stole from his allies the moment their backs were turned.
And here he was again.
The system's timer ticked in the corner of his vision:[Party formation ends in 5 minutes.]
Ravi had seconds to choose. Ally with Arjun and this stranger? Refuse and risk the penalty?
His mind raced. Trust no one that was the lesson. But complete isolation wasn't an option either.
Finally, he exhaled. "Fine. I'm in. But let's be clear " He jabbed a finger at Karan. "If you so much as blink wrong, I'll feed you to the next monster myself."
Karan laughed nervously, holding up his hands. "Hey, hey, relax. We're all friends here, right?"
Arjun's bowstring twanged softly as he tested the draw. His voice was quiet, but it carried steel."We'll see."
The system chimed.
[Party Formed: Ravi Sharma, Arjun Varma, Karan Mehta.][Test of Trust begins in 10 minutes.]
Around them, other groups solidified. Some looked relieved. Others already argued, the seeds of betrayal sprouting before the test even began.
Ravi leaned on his pipe, gaze fixed on the glowing countdown. His stomach twisted not with fear, but with bitter anticipation.
Trust no one. That was the rule.
But this test would force him to break it.
And in this world, breaking rules got you killed.