The subtle trembling of the earth went unnoticed as Sands strode forward, gun in hand, unaware of the newcomers' intentions. He hesitated before issuing his command.
"Stop right there! Raise your hands and identify yourselves!!"
The gun failed to provoke a reaction; not a flinch, not even a twitch. However, the group halted in their tracks, heeding the man in the front, possibly their leader's hand signal.
The recovered soldiers flanked Sands, armed and ready, bracing for another potential skirmish.
The red-haired man, removing his hood, stepped forward, attempting to diffuse the tense atmosphere that Sands had created.
He raised both hands in a gesture of surrender and pleaded, "Please! We're only seeking help! We're a group of wanderers from the South! We had no idea there was a base here."
Sands found such claims difficult to swallow.
The Wanderers—a faction of survivors who traversed the ravaged Earth, scavenging for food and refuge. Initially comprising individuals seeking survival, they now roamed in pursuit of awakened heroes, hoping to recruit them for protection. These groups routinely clashed, fighting over essential resources. Some even resorted to lethal methods against their rivals.
There was even a notion they lived by. Every Wanderer for himself.
'Regardless, I can't afford to lower my guard,' Sands thought, tightening his grip on his weapon.
"My name is Crimson Thorn," he said, flashing a smile revealing sharp teeth. "We don't seek trouble. We're just looking for help."
Koul Libb, short-tempered and among Crimson's loyal followers, scoffed inwardly at their charade. Despite his skepticism, he recognized the need to disarm the enemy's suspicion, keeping his disdain concealed.
'Here we go again…'
Crimson gestured, and his group removed their hoods. All teenagers—boys, girls, and even children who should have been in middle school—stood there, clad in tattered, dirt-stained clothes. Their youthful appearance was stained by the harsh world and the battles they'd endured, in a world now defined by survival of the fittest.
To an outsider, they appeared as a mere bunch of youngsters thrown together. Particularly, the ones leading the pack projected a troublesome aura. A single glance was enough to discern that the older ones spelled trouble.
Especially, the figure behind Crimson, with bangs concealing his eyes and half of his face, his clenched jaw, pierced lips, looked like he was in a bad mood.
"Oh, please don't mind him," Crimson reassured. "His name is Ember. He just has a bad case of mood swings; he means no harm."
Sands eased his trembling hand slightly. These youngsters didn't seem like the typical wanderers he should be on guard against.
In recent times, wanderers attacked any group that appeared vulnerable, where the strong preyed on the weak. The survival of a group without adults was nothing short of a miracle.
"Where are your parents? How did you manage to get here? Who informed you about the base?" Sands inquired, knowing that he couldn't hope for a positive answer, seeing the state they were in.
Crimson smiled, "Oh, we're orphans; we were part of an orphanage before this."
That explanation was somewhat believable. Sands lowered his gun.
"What led you here? Are you unaware that the military no longer aids wanderers?"
"Yes, it seems you've misunderstood our intent," Crimson said, his smile unwavering. "We didn't come seeking food or shelter. Frankly, we have plenty. We came here looking for a friend ."
Sands eyed him suspiciously, "A what?"
"Well," Crimson replied, pointing his index finger. "One of us is missing, you see, and we know for sure that he came in this direction."
Black leaves and roots appeared below Sands, as did with everyone else behind him. but too focused on the man in from of him, Sands didn't notice it.
Sands was about say turn back, stating it was a territory under the army, 'no way their friend would dare come here,' to these tenagers. But stopped himself.
The atmosphere around him changed, and so did the tone of crimson.
'Good. Now everything is set.' Crimson thought.
"I'm positive he's inside your base, searching for something that belongs to us. If only you'd let us in on your own. We don't have to kill you."
Sands jerked back, The audacity of the lad in front of him was almost staggering. Almost. The glint of amusement in his eyes vanished. "...You."
The subtle rumbling beneath the sand, growing more persistent each time, finally reached the Sands' ears. But it was too late.
Black vines began to emerge from the ground, coiling around its target like serpents, leaves made of darkness grabbed him. Sands winced before he could react, losing his sense of gravity and tumbling to the ground.
"Wh…!" Sands grunted.
Now ensnared in vines from head to toe, Sands caught a glimpse, his vision capturing a woman materializing behind Crimson—a woman he knew all too well.
The last expression of horror etched across his face as a black vine covered his widened eyes, plunging him into darkness.
***
["Fine, I'll do it. But…] Zeff's reply was cut short.
He had a better understanding of matters (plans that didn't court death ) and often surpassed Kai's. His perspective and thoughts delved deeper than what Kai could process.
So at times like this, anything Zeff did didn't make sense to Kai in the short term.
Before Kai could question the meaning behind Zeff's words, a message hovered before him.
**[Progress: 10%]**
It didn't signify hope; this 'integration' demanded more time than Kai could afford.
His mental urgency, coupled with his circumstances and the current flow of events, exacerbated the situation. He yearned for time to accelerate, now that he'd obtained what he sought, yet time thwarted him.
"Dammit. This isn't progressing," Kai muttered, standing up. 'Hey! I thought you wanted to switch,' cursing inwardly.
Zeff remained unresponsive. Not intending to persist with this jest, Kai probed into his consciousness.
In the black expanse where Kai usually encountered Zeff on the other side of the mental mirror, there was emptiness.
True, due to their shared mind, Kai held a mental connection with his other self. However, Zeff wasn't obligated to aid him each time. Something like This had never happened before.
Ordinarily, Kai would be delighted at the idea of peace within his mind. Yet, the absence of support proved troublesome, particularly on a day like today.
The cause remained a mystery, but Kai lacked the luxury of time, being against him in his daily life.
The eerily dark and tranquil weapon chamber, mostly shrouded in covers, dust, and numerous sanctioned armaments, formed a perfect prison where Kai felt trapped.
'Of course, he had to abandon me at the worst possible moment.'
Kai recalled his purpose for being here.
To steal a device that could potentially aid in locating his family.
It was called 'Synchronized Yielding Lethal Photon High-Energy Interface', alias "SYLPHIE," an AI weapon system created by Dr. Harth, which had its research data secured in MB-35.
Apart from accumulating dust underground all these years, this device possessed a primary function crucial for data updates.
Zenith's Eye.
That drove Kai to this place.
Unlike other AIs, Sylphie could self-update by gathering global information. With access to military archives, she possessed extensive knowledge—a double-edged sword for her creators. If it fell into the wrong hands, societal structures could collapse in a day.
However risky, the benefits outweighed the risks. The fourth function, "Lethal photon emission," if utilized discreetly, could empower even economically disadvantaged nations in warfare.
On the other hand, Zenith's Eye was benign, containing information about all registered American civilians.
The only way to find his family was in that data.
Three months had passed since he commenced his quest for family in this desolate world. His frustration builds up daily, akin to a dam nearing capacity.
Now, as that bubble of uncertainty burst, a month ago, Kai had resorted to drastic measures to locate his family upon discovering information about Zenith's Eye. He resolved to infiltrate this hazardous location, disregarding the accompanying risks, clutching onto a hope he wasn't sure existed.
Their family residence was in ruins when he began searching after his escape. There was no turning back now, not after coming this far.
**[Progress: 15%]**
The message before him offered no relief. Nevertheless, he restrained himself and waited. He needed to remain in proximity to this 'box' until the integration concluded and extracted the data.
'Wait,' Kai thought, a sudden realization dawning upon him. 'I just need to keep this box near. I don't have to restrict myself to this room. The base's higher-ups must be aware of my location by now.
Anytime now, I'm sure, they're waiting outside that entrance, And Zeff isn't responding. People lack patience, so they will come inside, blazing guns. I have to go out alone.'
The weapon chamber remained silent until then, akin to a nighttime forest before two beasts intersected territories, a calm before the storm. A sound registered in Kai's ears. His keen instincts immediately felt its importance.
The intent to kill.
He could never mistake it—the bone-chilling sensation down his spine. The killing intent aimed at him was unmistakable. He had felt it numerous times before, never proven wrong.
Someone else was present here, Kai realized. Someone formidable, capable enough to conceal their presence from him. Even now, he couldn't sense anyone besides himself.
'Who would…' Kai's eyes widened abruptly as he considered the possibility.
Yes, there was one individual he knew capable of this.
Before his infiltration, Kai had calculated all potential threats during his execution plan. Yet, since his arrival, as many challenges as he faced, it hadn't been as impossible as he anticipated. So much so that despite his dire circumstances, he might claim it was moving smoothly. It became eerie as if something or 'someone' guided him here.
It all fell into place now.
Someone was aware of his arrival and had made his audacious scheme appear feasible enough for Kai to go to his ultimate destination with no escape. The armory.
'Zeff abandoning me at such a moment never occurred before either. I was confident he'd rescue me, as always. But now…'
Quickly, Kai grabbed a weapon that looked like a Napalm rifle, but different. Maybe an upgraded version.
Pointing in the direction In front of him, Kai said, "I know you're here. Stop hiding and show yourself."
Kai should have known this coming, yet he was ignorant until now.
The guy who could cause the most trouble for him inside the base. He never showed up to stop Kai directly. Until now, that is.
"Don Leo. Or was it, Commander Leo?" Kai said, a bead of sweat falling down his face.
***
If you find any mistakes in the chapter, please comment below so I can fix them as soon as possible.