Chapter 50. I don’t trust you

Chapter 50: 50. I don’t trust you Drrr Drrr— The distant rattle of gunfire clawed at Ado’s fading consciousness, dragging him back from the edge of death. A shaky breath escaped his dry lips as he peeled open his heavy eyelids. The only thing he could see above was a cracked, dust-caked ceiling. Where the hell was he? How long had he been out? He didn’t know. All he knew was this: he was dying. He tried to move, but his limbs betrayed him. They felt numb and useless. His senses were dulled too as if wrapped in cotton. His tongue was coated with a bitter taste, lips cracked and parched, nostrils clogged. The only sense that hadn’t failed him was his hearing. Gunfire rang out again, closer now. No, his hearing was clearing. He could pick up more. Amid the chaos, a twisted laugh echoed like something unhinged. Screams followed. Someone was having fun. "Fucking move!! Damn it!" Ado groaned, trying to twitch a finger, but nothing happen. Rage boiled in his belly, helpless and burning. That poisonous gas... he’d dodged most of it, used every bit of his martial arts instincts to keep from inhaling it fully but it had still sunk into his system, corroding him from the inside. Then there was hunger. Two and a half days of unconsciousness had left him hollow. Empty. Damn that brat... he thought bitterly. That little bastard... the one who made the team leader pop his suicide trump card. If his body could move, he’d tear him apart. Slowly. No. He’d do worse. He’d humiliate him. Break him. Shove him down and make him scream into the dirt. Fuck him in the asshole until he cried for mercy—no charm skills needed, just raw, cruel dominance. A good creampie in the rectum to shatter his pride. Then finish him off in a brutal way. The thought should’ve given him satisfaction. Instead, a tear leaked from his eye. Am I... paralyzed? he wondered. A wave of panic surged through his chest. No. No. Anything but that. Death was better. Then all of a sudden, he heard footsteps. Heavy boots thudding against the floor, drawing closer. More than one. Three? No, four or five. He strained his eyes, but his neck wouldn’t turn. He was a sitting duck. The boots stopped. A loud bang! as a door was kicked open. "Back off. I’ll handle this one alone." A woman’s voice cut through the air. Ado’s blood ran cold. Was this how he’d die? Helpless, gunned down by a chick? She stepped into view. Just barely, he could make out jiggling breasts swinging above him, framed by wild blonde hair. But there was something...familiar about her. His thoughts clouded. Her hand touched his forehead, surprisingly gentle. Without a word, she hoisted him up like a ragdoll and slung him over her shoulder. His head lolled uselessly, his face buried against her back as she walked. The others followed. Moments later, he was dumped onto something flat and metallic. A low grumble of an engine starting shook the floor beneath him. A truck. Was she here to kill him? No, she would’ve killed him already if she meant to. Still, his strength ebbed fast. Darkness clawed at his mind again. Who the hell was she...? And then, he was gone. ** Meanwhile... In what was once Tokyo, now reduced to ruin and rot, three shadows moved—Shin, cold and calculated, Lilian, jumpy but loyal, and the dwarf girl, her eyes burning with raw survival instinct. They were hunting for more players, but not charging in blindly to their enemies. And just far from them, another duo was on the move: Yuki and Ayaka. Yuki stood tall like a walking embodiment of chaos and glared at Aya. "Move your ass, kid!" she barked. "We’re going hunting!" Ayaka bowed politely. "Yes... ma’am." Wrong answer. Yuki’s temper flared. She grabbed the girl by the collar and lifted her with one hand, her feet dangling. "I hate your stupid little act!" she spat. "That polite, innocent crap doesn’t fly in the apocalypse. You think you can smile your way into people’s hearts and gut them while they sleep?! You think I trust you, just because you look like some porcelain doll?!" Ayaka gasped, choking as Yuki’s grip tightened. "I don’t trust you. " she continued. "You think I didn’t notice? A kid like you, walking around with 20K coins? You’re either hiding something or someone else’s pet. Either way, I’ll cut you open if you get too close." Her system pinged red with a red Warning: PvP Rules Active in Safe Zone and Yuki hissed, immediately letting go. Ayaka collapsed in a heap, clutching her throat, tears streaking down her cheeks. Yuki turned away, lacing her boots with practiced ease. "Stop sniveling. I’m not your mommy. Dry your eyes, or I’ll rip them out for you. You wanna be my pupil? Prove you’re worth the fucking time." With that, she stormed out the door. Ayaka sat for a moment, trembling—then wiped her tears with the back of her hand. No more weakness. She didn’t have parents anymore. No one to spoil her. A piece of whatever innocence she had left inside her snapped and fell away. She stood. No more crying. She followed Yuki out, her small fists clenched, eyes wide with something new. Something dangerous. Yuki locked the door behind her, smirking when she saw the girl keeping up. "Good," she said. Ayaka sprinted to her side. Then ran ahead. "I’m not weak anymore!" she declared, voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. "I want to be strong. For onii-chan. I want to kill those who hurt him. And I want to learn from you." Yuki raised an eyebrow. Then chuckled darkly. "You think just wanting it is enough?" She leaned close. "Wanting it gets you nowhere, kid. Blood gets you there. Blood, and pain. But hey—let’s see what you’ve got." She turned her back and walked off. Ayaka nodded, fierce determination in her eyes. "Hoi!" The two walked until they stepped out of the safe zone. Eyes followed them, other players, opportunists. Some knew who the girl was. Ryan’s daughter. The walking goldmine. But no one dared make a move. Because of her. Yuki. Messing with her was suicide. Yuki glanced around and scoffed. "Bunch of cowards. Can’t even grow a pair." Then—RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT! A rattle of machine-gun fire echoed in the distance. Yuki grinned. "Sounds like someone’s throwing a party." She looked at Ayaka with a wild spark in her eyes. "Let’s crash it. You’re taking down the gun nut." Ayaka blinked. "Alone?!" "Duh. It’s your trial, remember? Kill the lunatic, and you graduate." Yuki cracked her neck, striding forward. "Let’s go already. I’m getting hungry here." Ayaka could only shiver. How the hell was she supposed to kill someone with a machine gun? But she was determined to show her usefulness. She’d do it! TBC