In the vast white space, many prisoners secretly observed their surroundings and one another from the corners of their eyes.
With narrowed eyes, they gazed at all angles. They couldn't find any hidden devices but knew they were being watched.
Soon, their eyes fell on the guards and those in lab coats, trying to pick out as much information as they could.
Smart people already knew the battle had begun.
This was also a battlefield. Everyone was a potential enemy to themselves. And unbeknownst to Bain, many had been sizing him up from the moment he was strapped in.
"Line Up!"
The order was given. And in full nudity, some prisoners strolled with slight grins, others moved provocatively, and some acted like perfect nobles, with auras affirming their superior beliefs.
Just within this single moment, their actions already gave off a little about their personalities. Although for some others, it was hard for the guards to determine what personas they had.
Some were too tricky to read.
Cold.
Bain's toes curled, feeling the chill from the floors.
With everyone in line, the lead guard raised his icy voice once more. "Step on the podium. Move only when instructed."
Bain did as was told, keeping his hands apart at shoulder length. And standing as instructed, he knew they had captured his full body image from all angles.
That is, If one had a scar on his inner thigh, maybe a front image won't show it, but with their legs and hands also spread apart, their below shots would capture it perfectly.
Nothing could be hidden from them. And it took less than a second to do.
"Next!"
Bain stepped down on the other side, following the line of people now heading to dress up in the attires laid for him.
[Ban Ratnier]
The nameplate confirmed it all. But even without it, he could still recognize the attire. It was the military recruit attire he wore when they took him away.
Bain held it, noticing there were no blood stains on it.
When he was brought in, his attire was as though he was pushed into a pool of blood.
Scrutinizing further, he also noticed his recruit sewed-in-badge and any other things meaningful to Oven Country had been ripped off.
It was clear they didn't want anything to do with him.
.
Bain grabbed his uniform hard, thinking of the 'difficulty mode' he was starting with.
Entering the Mainland wearing this would only garner hatred from others.
What prisoners liked Defenders? Wasn't this asking for him to be killed on the spot?
(***The military and groups of armed forces were called Defenders.)
'At least they left me with my military boots to keep him running just fine.' Bain thought, smiling optimistically.
Military boots were sturdy and could last for more than a decade with good care. But from the many scary stories he heard about Mainland 01, he felt his boots might not last as long as he thought.
'It's better than nothing. Who knows if finding good boots like these will come easy in the Mainland? This much is already good.'
Besides the boots, he also had his pair of socks, his belt, green tank top, camouflage pants, and his green jacket, which he got from his late brother.
The jacket had no military symbols or signs belonging to Oven country, looking like an ordinary jacket. But the style and patterns it was sewn in were all as per standard military designs.
As fast as he could, Bain wore his attire. 'Once in the Mainland, I have to get new pants.'
The green military camouflage pants he had on were very irritating in the eyes of criminals. People might want to beat him up because of this.
For now, his jacket and everything else would stay.
.
~Brrrmmmm~
A massive aircraft, similar to a small spaceship, quickly took off with 491 male and female prisoners.
Yes! Amongst the 500 judged by the Absolute Court, these were the bunch deemed guilty.
In the aircraft's vast open space, all prisoners sat strapped into the seats along the walls and columns.
Bain was still drawn into his thoughts when he heard a familiar voice echo out.
"So…We meet again!"
Kaizu!!
Bain was taken aback, seeing the youngster on the left.
Had he been sitting beside him all this time? (?^?)
Bain tightened his lips, not knowing why he couldn't speak. In the end, he coughed to relieve his awkwardness. But at that moment, Kaizu's eyes turned crescent.
Something about the youngster's aura changed as the corners of his mouth ticked upwards.
His eyes started at Bain like a hunter watching his prey. And when Bain turned to face him, his expression returned normal.
"Kaizu, aren't you nervous about entering the Mainland?"
"Nervous… Maybe?" He responded slyly, though Bain thought his weirdness came from his nervousness.
Amongst the many, he and Kaizu might be the only ones this young. Some were 200, others 50, 60 and even 130.
Unlike them, he and Kaizu were going when their lives were beginning. So how can this not be a blow to someone with prospects and hope for a promising future?
He, Bain, was sentenced to 310 years on the Mainland.
.
The current human body dies at 380~400, with some rare people dying at 410.
At the rate of cell regrowth and mutation humans now possess, hardly anyone died naturally before 380… Maybe once in a thousand years or so.
With a sentence of 310 years on the mainland, he would be allowed to leave the place by 326.
By then, most of his life would be over. — Of course, that's if he managed to survive till then. After all, those who enter the Mainland don't live for long.
From what he knew, true criminals took the place as a haven. Chaos reigned, murders ruled, and psychopaths did their worst, not worrying about being caught.
The death sentence was made void, creating this Mainland not only to keep the criminals busy but also to let them kill each other, giving them a taste of their own medicine.
Over the years, the criminals who enter never want to leave.
Home sweet home. They loved such a violent place. And even though some innocent people might find themselves in the Mainland, most of its residents were utter scum of society.
That's why at 16 and 18 years old, even if they were true criminals, how could their experience outway the many fierce people here?
Whether it was the prisoners aboard this ship or those on the Mainland, Bain felt he and Kaizu would have a tougher time surviving. Who knows, Kaizu might be more helpless than he was.
Helpless?
Kaizu chuckled in amusement, lazily turning attention to a very strong but pot-bellied man on the far end. He nodded, and several others beside the man nodded too.
No one saw their little actions.
…