Just before Raven and the others arrived...
Inside the cave, the atmosphere was still lively even though the flashlights and cell phone lights were beginning to dim. Some students sat crowded together, while others curled up with swollen eyes from crying. The occasional sound of sobbing could be heard, mixed with the sound of water dripping from the damp cave walls. The air felt stuffy, making it difficult to breathe.
In one corner, Theo, Kyle, Lisa, Karin, Rahel, Hana, and Kevin sat in a circle. The small light from the cell phone in the middle of them cast gloomy shadows on their faces.
"Hey, Theo..." Karin's voice was soft but firm, her eyes staring at Theo's face, which looked quite tired.
"Don't push yourself too hard. You've been pacing back and forth this whole time, aren't you tired?"
Hana nodded in agreement, her fingers intertwined.
"Yes, you've helped the others a lot, so please... just rest for a moment."
Theo chuckled softly, a laugh that sounded more like a gasp for breath. He leaned his back against the cave wall.
"I'm fine," he said, though his voice was hoarse.
"If I just sit still, it feels even heavier. At least if I move around, they get a little calmer… or at least feel better."
Lisa sighed deeply, her tone half annoyed, half worried.
"Oh my gosh, Theo. You're just too good for your own good."
Theo just smiled slightly, a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Kevin, who had been silent with his hands clenched on his knees, finally spoke up. His voice was slightly higher than the others.
"But listen, Theo... don't you think about yourself at all?"
He stared straight at Theo, his eyes tense.
"If you collapse, who will be the leader? Who will make the decisions? We've already lost enough people, so we can't lose you too."
His words were followed by a brief silence that enveloped their small circle. Even the sound of dripping water seemed clearer than before.
Theo was silent for a few seconds, then looked down.
"...I know," he muttered softly. "I just... don't want to see everyone give up hope."
"Hmph, I understand what you mean... but you're still pushing yourself too hard." Kevin replied.
Karin snorted, "Kevin, haven't you just been sitting there this whole time? Why are you suddenly busy criticizing Theo?"
"I'm just worried about Theo!" Kevin replied, somewhat defensively.
The atmosphere began to heat up, until Hana spoke up. "Come on, don't argue. Our situation is bad enough. Do you guys want to make it worse?" Her gaze pierced both of them, silencing Kevin, while Karin just looked down.
Lisa moved a little closer to Karin and whispered softly, "Now you're the one acting like a child, Karin."
Karin just grumbled softly, clearly not wanting to prolong the argument.
Rahel, who had been listening all this time, finally spoke up. Her voice was calmer but serious.
"I think Theo is right, we can't just stay silent. But Kevin is also right, if something happens to Theo, it will make the others uneasy and the situation will get worse."
She looked at them one by one. "So, how about we share the tasks? Don't let one person carry all the burden."
"Share the tasks?" asked Lisa, turning her head.
"Yes," Rahel nodded.
"Some of us will guard the others, some will monitor the situation, some will be ready if something happens. This world... I'm not sure it's exactly like what I read, but at least I know one thing: this world is dangerous. We can't let our guard down, especially if we're relying on just one person to take care of everything."
Kevin looked at her doubtfully. "The novels you've read... are they really related to our current situation?"
Rahel raised her eyebrows, then smiled slightly. "Isn't it obvious, Kevin? I already explained about the world of Murim."
"Yes, I heard you," Kevin nodded slowly, then added hesitantly.
"But... considering Leon's words too, this is the real world. I don't think I'm wrong in thinking that the structure of society or the system of civilization could be different from the novels."
Rahel looked at Kevin patiently. "I know you're worried. But precisely because our lives are at stake, every little piece of information is important. Whether it's from books, experience, or intuition, all of it could be decisive."
Kevin sighed. "Well... you're not wrong."
Lisa chimed in with a worried look.
"But the world is full of murder and slaughter, Murim... isn't it a bit of an exaggeration to call it 'the world'? I'm afraid we won't be able to survive."
Karin nodded, her face gloomy. "Can we survive here?"
"Of course we can." Rahel immediately replied, this time with a firm voice. Her blue eyes sparkled in the dim light of the flashlight.
"This world is dangerous, but that doesn't mean we can't survive. I'm sure we can get through it... as long as we support each other."
Karin looked at Rahel, her face stunned, then sighed. "You're right, hel. I think I was worrying too much about that."
"Yes," Rahel smiled slightly.
"We have to stay calm. As long as we're together, we can do this."
Those words made their circle feel warmer for a moment, even though anxiety still lingered.
Then Kyle, who had been silent until then, spoke up. "By the way... aren't Raven and the others taking a little long?"
Several people immediately turned their heads. Lisa quickly reprimanded him, her tone anxious. "Kyle, don't say that. You're just making us all more worried."
"Eh, I didn't mean..." Kyle panicked, defending himself.
But Hana was already silent, her head bowed. Her hands clenched the fabric of her pants, her face unable to hide her growing anxiety.
Kevin glanced at her briefly. There was a strange look on his face, a mixture of jealousy and anxiety beginning to merge.
Theo, Rahel, and Karin also felt uneasy about Kyle's recent remark. The atmosphere, which had been improving, fell back into tension.
In the midst of the silence, a student suddenly spoke up loudly.
"Hey, has anyone seen Nayla and Anna? They haven't shown up yet."
Several people immediately turned their heads.
"They said they were going out for a bit... to find a place to relieve themselves,"
another replied hesitantly. "Yeah, they went out for a bit, but why aren't they back yet? It's been more than ten minutes and they haven't been seen since."
Lisa's face immediately turned pale. "What? How come they're not back yet?"
"Let's check around the cave again," said Karin, her voice tense.
Theo immediately stood up. "Then, Kyle, Kevin, and I will—"
"No need," someone quickly interrupted.
"Someone already went out to check on them."
Hana hurriedly interjected, trying to calm the situation.
"Maybe they're just looking for the way. It's dark outside at night, so it's natural that they're having trouble finding their way."
However, her words had not yet eased the anxiety when the sound of footsteps was heard from outside the cave.
All conversation stopped immediately.
The longer it went on, the clearer the footsteps became. But contrary to their expectations, it wasn't just two or three people coming. From the darkness, torchlight appeared, followed by many heavy footsteps.
Several students stood up reflexively, their hearts pounding. There was a momentary hope that it might be Raven's group, or Nayla and Anna returning.
But from the darkness, torchlight appeared.
The figures that entered the cave instantly turned the students' faces pale. It wasn't Raven, it wasn't their friends, but a group of men with cruel faces, carrying weapons. And in the middle of them, Nayla and Anna were being dragged along with cold swords pressed against their necks.
"Nayla...?" someone's voice caught in their throat.
The students inside the cave held their breath. Their hearts pounded, the air seemed to freeze. The bandits' sly smiles confirmed one thing: they had just found easy prey.
Nayla and Anna were pushed forward until they fell, their bodies shaking violently. Their breathing was ragged, their eyes red and wet, whether from crying or from fear piercing their hearts. The long knives pressed against their necks were close enough that a drop of blood was already visible on their thin skin.