CEO Kim gritted his teeth as the crowd suddenly blocked his view and he had no clear sight of the last person to enter the dome. What if this new person was an important business partner proposing an interdimensional gaming device? He should be first in line for such an opportunity! Yet, the mass of people was too dense for him to push past. Bitterly, he could only sit back and observe.
Unbeknownst to CEO Kim, the little lost lamb stood in front of the door, dumbfounded before so much hostile energy. He looked ready to bolt the other way, yet behind him were only the great doors that had been closed shut. A metal bolt fell on the other side of the doors right then, locking them in, the sound deafening as it rang through the dome.
The young man swallowed, eyes shifting nervously from one person to another. His Adam's apple trembled and as the mass stared at him silently, he cautiously took a step back - hitting a dead end.
When one of the herd broke free and walked towards him with brisk steps filled with authority, the youth appeared to be ready to try and climb the walls. When there were only a few steps of distance between them, the young man tightly closed his eyes, shoulders drawn up in self-defence, back pressing against the metal doors.
"P-please, don't hurt me-" Even the voice was clear like water flowing down the stream, stroking at the hearts of people, making them feel soft and gentle.
Sergeant Kruger stopped before the young man, brows knitted as his cold eyes washed over the new recruit of the dome. When he cleared his throat, the young man jumped in fright.
Sergeant Kruger's frown only deepened. Such fragile creatures were more equipped for desk jobs, maybe be a model or an actor, but in a possible warfare practice? There must have been a mistake. He would talk to the upper management after the briefing. But for now, it was better to get the shorter man to safety and shelter. Serve and protect were words to live by!
"You do not belong here," sergeant Kruger loomed over the youth, the air around them heavy with authority. He was at least a head taller than the other, and twice as wide, built with pure muscle and strength. Before such a beast, it was only natural that the younger man would shrink further away, distancing himself as much as possible.
Seeing the frightful display, sergeant Kruger relaxed a bit. He was not trying to be oppressing. But war was war, and those who should stay home had no business wandering out in the middle of the warzone. "Are you alone?"
The young man blinked his eyes open then, gentle green clashing with sharp ocean blue. Still, the young man's stance was wary, like cornered prey and sergeant Kruger was the big bad wolf. With hesitancy, the young man nodded.
"The military takes care of our civilians." Sergeant Kruger glanced at his men as if challenging one of them to oppose him - they all stood still as statues. Kruger had trained them well. Turning back to the younger man, his eyes softened a fraction. "You may join us for the time being."
'What the fuck, what are we, chopped meat?!' The surrounding people cried in their hearts, but were too mesmerised by the scene to break it with their wails of injustice.
"State your name." Sergeant Kruger commanded habitually, holding in his smile as the younger man flinched like a frightened rabbit.
The youth blinked, twice, then his soft lips finally parted.
"Um, R-Ruan An… Just… just call me An." Ruan An's cheeks flushed, his eyes dropping to his feet when sergeant Kruger's wide, serious lips relaxed.
"Sergeant Vincent Kruger, at your service." When the green eyes blinked even wider, Kruger couldn't help but offer Ruan An a small smile of encouragement. "You may call me Sergeant Kruger, or just Kruger."
"Kruger." Ruan An offered him a small smile that would send ships crashing to shore.
[Briefing commencing...]
Vincent Kruger had heard enough. Without hesitation, he offered his hand, worn and calloused from war to the younger man. Soft and delicate fingers brushed over his own, and sergeant Kruger felt like he had overstepped some invisible boundary. Discreetly, he let the hand fall away, guiding the youth to walk before him towards his team instead. "No time for chit-chat. This way."
Ruan An nodded shyly, letting the sergeant guide him to the den of wolves.
In the middle of the crowd, upon witnessing the scene, a certain model kicked his feet wrapped in skin-tight leather, ready to jump and scratch at the youth, but he was quickly subdued by Mo Yang.
"Senior-"
"Let me pluck that little white lotus bitch to pieces!" From a tall and elegant beauty, senior Wu was quick to turn into a clawing and hissing cat that Mo Yang had to pull by the fur.
"Senior, the briefing starts now."
"I don't care about some fucking briefing, I had my eyes on that buzzcut beef jerky first!"
Mo Yang only sighed in his heart as he half carried his senior back to their little group of C-listers.
[Welcome to the annual 2023rd survival championship.]
S-survival game? The mass erupted into a wave of murmur. Sure now that they were being pranked. Perhaps they were kidnapped to film a reality TV show - this was just a lawsuit waiting to happen!
"What is this fucking bullshit?! I will sue you, just wait and see! This is kidnapping!" The beady-eyed office worker from CEO Kim's team, Kevin, barked, gaining a wave of cheers and sentiments. Elevated by the cheers of the people, Kevin already calculated the possible compensation he could receive from this. If all went well, he would no longer have to work as an office rat for a fucking Kim!
Meanwhile, the mechanical voice droned on, not caring about his words or threats.
[We have chosen the best suitable players across the multiverse here to compete in an infinite amount of scenarios. All of you have shown great potential for amassing generous amounts of killing intent. Based on your potential, you have been ranked accordingly from F to A. S-rank will be decided once scenario 1 has been completed.]
"What the fuck - killing intent?"
"Do you think we are stupid enough to believe we are in some kind of a fucking novel? You crazy fucker!"
The crowd only grew louder, with some already banging at the glass walls, demanding to be freed.
CEO Kim's brow quirked at the sudden revelation, an amused smile pulling at his lips. A survival championship? Multiverse? Even if this was only a very convincing prank, his intrigue had been raised.
Unlike Kevin and his supporters, CEO Kim had enough money that some measly lawsuit and compensation meant nothing to him. But if such a survival setting could be created, owning a large percentage of such an advanced technology - that was where the real money lied. Even if it couldn't be used for games, just the possibility of it being used in warfare - the thought alone fueled the greed that burned in his heart.
[Ranking will commence shortly.]
"I want to see your manager!" The beady-eyed office rat screeched, face already red with annoyance. His threats blatantly ignored. "Who is in charge here? If you don't let us go now, I will-"
His voice died in a gurgle as crimson pooled beneath his feet, a puddle of blood stark against the pure white tiles. One of the silver branches had impaled him through his yapping, lousy mouth, stabbing straight down through his entire body and organs in one precise, silent motion, skewering him like a writhing fish.
Pungent smell of blood and excrement oozed into the open. The branch had punctured his bowels, the viscous intestinal mucus bleeding into the scarlet pool below.
A tranquil silence befell the dome. Only the steady dribble of crimson could be heard.
The crowd that had rallied and cheered the man on stood frozen. Colour drained from their bodies, their ghastly faces twisting with horror. Some folded in two, vomiting the little acid that lined their empty stomachs once the smell reached them.
Even when there was nothing left but the burning acid eating away at their throats, they gagged on, as if they could vomit their intestines out as well. Others had collapsed on their knees, hugging themselves, mumbling prayers under their breath, trying to drown out the gurgling cries of the dying man.
Sergeant Kruger quickly moved his body to shield Ruan An from the brutal scene. Failing to see the gleam in the youth's eyes or the small smile that curved on his lips as he watched the pitiful body twitch and squirm.