"Come over here! There are still some empty tents—you can go inside and rest while waiting for the fourth mission start!"
"Has anyone not received a blanket yet?"
"If you need water, you can take as much as you want from here!"
"Does anyone need medicine?"
Shaden stood still, watching a scene that felt unfamiliar in a world that had been destroyed. People were generously providing resting places, food, water, and medicine without expecting anything in return. No matter how he looked at it, Shaden still couldn't believe it, even though he saw it with his own eyes.
"It's so peaceful! People who would normally kill each other just for a place to stay are now helping one another. No one is pointing weapons, and no one is acting superior or looking down on anyone else."
Shaden turned his head toward Leah, who seemed mesmerized by what she was seeing.
"Leah, do you still remember what I told you before we came here?"
That question made Leah look at him, but she stayed silent and didn't respond right away.
"Do you doubt what I said? You must be thinking, 'Why resist their rise in power? Aren't these people here kind and generous?' Isn't that right?"
From Leah's surprised expression and the way her face turned red with embarrassment, Shaden knew his guess had hit the mark.
"I understand why you're confused, Leah. But I still can't let you or Tery casually eat the food from here without knowing the truth. So please, just be a little patient. Besides, we still have supplies stored in the pocket, right? That gives us time to investigate where they're getting all this food and equipment."
"Ah! Of course, I trust you, Shad! It's just… I was amazed by how these people are sharing their food and shelter with others without expecting anything in return. It's something that was rare even before the world ended."
Shaden nodded and patted Leah's shoulder once.
"Exactly. That's what makes it all the more suspicious. For now, we just need to pretend we're survivors in need of help. A resting place should be fine. But don't eat or drink anything, not even a sip! Can you hold back?"
Leah and Tery nodded in unison.
At that moment, two people approached them with friendly smiles.
"Did you also come from the city center?" one of them asked.
Shaden nodded. "We heard that this place offers a spot to rest. That's why we came here."
"That's right! You can rest here for a while before the fourth mission is announced. But at the moment, all the tents are occupied by people who arrived earlier. So if you'd like, you can rest in the gazebo over there to the left!"
Shaden glanced toward where the woman pointed. His suspicion grew stronger. The people welcoming survivors looked far too clean. There were only smudges of dirt or dust on them—not bloodstains like the ones on him and the other survivors.
After agreeing to the suggestion, Shaden, Leah, and Tery followed them toward the gazebo. There, a few people were already lying down—some even sleeping on the grass.
"It's incredibly peaceful," Tery commented as she sat in the gazebo.
The two people who had guided them left, saying they'd return with some snacks. Shaden didn't refuse, knowing it would seem suspicious for a survivor to turn down food in a time like this.
"What are those people doing?"
Shaden turned when he heard Leah's question. In the direction she was pointing, many people appeared to be farming.
"Could they be growing their own food?" Leah asked again.
But the reality wasn't as she thought. Land tainted with monster aura would no longer be fertile. Even if something grew, it would be poisonous—deadly to the human body.
So the answer was already clear to Shaden. No wonder the people here were so generous and willing to support others.
Even so, Shaden couldn't voice his assumption carelessly. No one would believe him. Worse, if he acted recklessly and exposed everything, he would suffer the most. Not even Leah might believe what he said.
"There's somewhere I need to go. Stay here and remember what I told you—don't eat or drink anything they offer, not even a bite. Can I count on you?"
Tery and Leah nodded. "Don't worry. We'll remember."
Shaden looked at both of them. Right now, he was most concerned about Leah, whose humanity made her vulnerable. Her strong sense of justice likely made her admire the current peace. Shaden feared that she might be swayed by the kindness shown by these people. Because if they ate or drank even a little, there would be no turning back.
"I'll watch over her. Don't worry!"
He was slightly startled when Tery whispered to him. Apparently, she had realized Shaden's hesitation in leaving them was because of Leah.
Shaden smiled. "Now I feel at ease," he whispered back.
Then Shaden said goodbye once more before truly leaving.
*
"It should be here, right?"
Shaden looked around for the object he was searching for.
From what he had glimpsed earlier in the western area, Shaden remembered an item that could help him survive there. If memory served, it was located near a lake not far from Central Park.
His footsteps paced back and forth as he searched for the exact spot. Luckily, he was alone. Before the world collapsed, this lake had been a favorite among many for its scenic night views. People often confessed their feelings to their lovers here.
Now, the place was a dead lake, soon to be used in one of the missions—but not yet. That's why Shaden dared to come alone; the mission here hadn't been activated.
CRACK
Shaden froze when his foot stepped on something that made a sound. A moment later, a smile spread across his face.
"There it is!" he said.
He took a step back and crouched down. His hand dug through the dirt he had stepped on earlier. Before long, he found a glowing, elongated box.
[Scythe Left Behind by the Archangel Michael – its entity has weakened over time due to the changing eras and long abandonment. The box will open once you solve the riddle it contains.]
"State the riddle," Shaden said.
[You are trapped in a room with four doors. You must choose one to escape. Above each door, a sign reads:
Door 1: "Behind this door is fire that will burn anything instantly."
Door 2: "Behind this door is a Dragon King who just lost his child to humans."
Door 3: "Behind this door is a murderer who hasn't eaten in five years."
Door 4: "Behind this door is a lethal gas trap that activates when the door is opened."
Only one door is safe. Which door will you choose?]**
Shaden scoffed. "Of course, door number 3! What human could survive without food for five years? That murderer must've already been killed by starvation."
Shortly after giving his answer, the box opened.
"Foolish! Who even makes riddles like this? A riddle like that would only work against someone like Rust." Suddenly, he remembered that pathetic human who had died so easily.
Ignoring the memory, Shaden took out the scythe he had obtained.
"So light! No wonder weapons from the Archangel are on a different level. Good thing no one found it before me."
To avoid raising suspicion, he covered up the dirt he had disturbed and stored the scythe in his pocket.
Shaden walked alone toward the west. Along the way, he saw many people resembling beggars sitting by roadsides or storefronts. But they weren't asking for money—they were pleading for help to survive.
Shaden turned away, avoiding them. Surviving in this ruined world wasn't easy. Even with his book, Shaden still had to guess what might happen if he did something that hadn't been written. So if these people couldn't survive on their own strength, death was their only fate.
When Shaden returned to the western zone, he was shocked to see that the peaceful atmosphere had turned chaotic. People had gathered, surrounding something.
He pushed through the crowd until he reached the front—and was shocked to find Tery unconscious, lying in Leah's arms.
"What happened?!" Shaden asked in alarm.
Leah looked up. Her eyes were wet as she called his name.
"Shad, they accused us of murder—and Tery got hurt trying to protect me!"
Shaden checked Tery's pulse and sighed in relief. Thankfully, she was still alive, and even more thankfully, her condition wasn't due to eating or drinking anything from this place.
"Look! That man is one of their accomplices!"
The crowd stirred again as Shaden appeared alongside Tery and Leah, who were now labeled as murderers.
"Do you have any proof that my companions killed the person you mentioned?" Shaden asked coldly.
Most of those standing at the front were the same people who had welcomed them earlier.
"Everyone saw those two women stab the survivor we sent to deliver blankets. We welcomed you with open arms and provided for you freely, but in return, you murdered one of our own. Murderers like you must pay with your lives!"
Shaden threw down a pouch containing a barrier-forming spell to shield them from the incoming attacks.
"Tell me quickly what happened, Leah! We don't have much time—this shield won't last if too many people keep attacking it!" Shaden urged.
Outside the barrier, the mob continued pounding, trying to break through.
Shaden pulled out the scythe he had found, simultaneously boosting his agility and strength using his coins.
"Tery and I did as you said—we refused to eat or drink anything they gave us. We turned down the food politely, but they insisted we eat, even watching us. Tery got upset and shouted at the person who brought the food. But then, that person stabbed their own throat with a dagger and screamed that we tried to kill them."
Leah's breathing was uneven, suggesting she, too, was injured.
"I tried to fight off the people who came to attack us, but one of them snuck up behind me with a sword. Tery jumped in the way and got injured. She lost a lot of blood, Shad. What do we do?!"
Shaden leaned toward the wounded Tery and opened his pocket, searching for medicine to save her.
"Damn it! So expensive!" he muttered. The cost was a quarter of all the coins he had—but he had no other choice.
"Give this to Tery. Do your best to protect her while I fight them off."
Leah was stunned. "What?! You're going to fight them alone?!"
"There's no other way! Just protect yourself and Tery—don't worry about me!"
**