There weren't any beer nuts to be found among the grimy seats of the arena. Instead, the black market's specialty of freshly squeezed human blood juice and salted popcorn was the hottest snack available for the spectators. Today, nearly everyone who could come had turned up to watch the spectacle. It had been ages since there had been such a huge, thrilling live event held in these depths.
Picking the one and only S-tier mercenary team out of several elite squads drew plenty of C and B teams who wanted to observe the high-level tactics. The whole arena was packed shoulder to shoulder with sweating, anxious bodies. Of course, everyone had come prepared this time. They were wearing sturdy shields and heavy bulletproof vests to guard against a repeat of the last bloody incident.
At the start of the match, everyone still had to strip off their own weapons and gear. Then they were shoved into a new "map" that took up most of the wide arena floor. This one had more cover provided by rusted sheet metal and crates, promising more intense gunfights. There were even crates containing grenades and other powerful explosives scattered throughout the silt.
When the match officially began with a sharp whistle, Jing Shu and her group were placed at the map's jagged edge. Jing Shu had already checked the vicinity with a bug, and there wasn't even a single vest to be found nearby, let alone functional guns. There's no question the organizers had done this on purpose to handicap them. Jing Shu and the others had to start scavenging for small gun parts and discarded armor in the dirt.
"To make this experience extra intense, we have added real traps; there will be blasts, shifting quicksand, and more. This isn't just a killing contest, it's a survival game." The host was saying this through the speakers when the ground itself started to shudder with a low, deep vibration. Cracks spidered across the concrete arena floor. Outside the thick walls, the sky rumbled like thunder. The noise was so huge it registered even in the deep underground.
"Oh, check out how real that effect is, and what an intense setup! They're trying to make the mercs inside panic and feel the pressure. It's only a minute into the match and these people are too steady; we have got to spice things up!"
Before the host could finish his sentence, the shaking got much worse. The arena itself began to tremble violently. Screams started to cut through the air as the audience clutched the rusted railings.
"Hey, stay calm, gentlemen. This damned quake is back, but don't panic. We get a few of these every single day. This one seems a bit strong, but it's only around a four or five. It isn't enough to have to run; give it a few minutes. Now let's turn our attention back to the field. These A-tier mercs haven't been affected at all."
The words hadn't even left his mouth before the cracks in the floor widened and exploded open with a spray of dust. The very center of the arena collapsed in a single instant. It swallowed several heavily armed mercenaries whole, leaving no trace of them behind. Jing Shu and her group, who had been at the very edge of the map, got lucky and kept a few breaths as they balanced on the tilting ground.
"Holy shit, pull out!" Jing Shu shouted, her voice strained against the noise. She'd heard the deep rumbling and knew serious trouble was coming, so she'd warned the others to get ready to move. She never expected the earthquake epicenter wouldn't be located right under the black market arena.
The collapse spread through the earth like a cancer. What had been a spectacular show turned into a real, lethal disaster. The crowd thought it was part of the high-tech show at first, but this was the real thing.
"My god, match terminated! Everyone evacuate! This is a real earthquake!" The host screamed in a total panic, then he bolted from the stage. In sudden disasters, your own life comes first.
"Help, help!"
"Jesus, don't push me!"
"You just trampled my dad to death! Move, move!"
"Oh my god, run! The arena's center has been swallowed! It's terrifying!"
The packed arena floor and tiers descended into absolute chaos. As the quake worsened, people frantically tried to get out of the tunnels. A deadly stampede was unavoidable. The narrow exits jammed with bodies, and nobody could get through the crush.
The merc teams inside the cage were hit the worst. More than half the people were swallowed by the opening ground without mercy. The few survivors were so panic-stricken they tried to flee, but all three exits were blocked by the crowd. People were pressed so tightly together that no one could move.
Jing Shu quickly pulled on her heavy padded coat and her bulletproof vest. She slung her inseparable, heavy luggage onto her back and prepared to move. The arena had caved inward. The collapse was spreading outward toward the lower spectator rings, so the crowd of onlookers would be swallowed soon enough.
She'd planned to toss a rope up to the nobles' area on the upper floors. But the nobles had already sealed their section with thick bulletproof glass. They'd cut off any passage and sealed the arena's escape routes to protect their own level.
The scene was the worst kind of chaos. Gunshots, screams, high-pitched wails, and the thunderous roar of the quake all mixed together into a wall of sound.
Some mercenaries, trying to force a quick exit from the pit, opened fire on the crowd blocking the way. That only made things worse. It turned the fallen bodies into obstacles underfoot for those trying to run.
Snake Spirit flicked his tongue and snatched the host, who hadn't escaped the crush, out of the press of people. "This guy tried another exit; I've pulled him back. Xiao Hei, tell him to get us out safely," he said.
Xiao Hei grabbed the host by his collar and translated in a vicious tone. He was clearly shaken by the tremors.
The host nearly cried as he answered. "God, there really is no other way, except the nobles' trash chute. We can climb up it to the surface, but it's risky. It might be collapsed already. If you're going, move now."
So the group followed the host toward the arena's dark trash chute. They moved quietly and remained wary. The nobles dumped their garbage down that chute from the upper tier; it was sorted and sometimes turned into processed food or sold cheap to the residents of the slums.
Everyone but Jing Shu only carried their most valuables and key supplies. They'd left their bedding and extra clothes in the rental house in the market. Jing Shu, who never left her room without all her gear, had everything on her person each day.
"My food is all in the house! I can't get it out, damn it!" Monkey cursed, panic sharpening his voice.
"Good thing I'm strong. I always carry my luggage," Tank said, his tone shaking slightly with relief.
"We'll be left with nothing. No shelter, no food," Ling Ling said sadly as she began to climb the trash chute.
Jing Shu tied a long string to her heavy bags and hauled them up the chute in a row. If it weren't for her ridiculous strength, she couldn't have pulled those few hundred kilos of gear. To make things worse, Xiao Dou was perched on top of the luggage. The hen was casually incubating her eggs, totally oblivious to the danger surrounding her.
The chute was slick with grease and oil. It was full of bugs and stank of rot, but they had to climb fast. Even down there, they could hear the screams and chaos echoing from the arena. The narrow channel shuddered violently now and then, threatening a total collapse at any second.
Luckily, they escaped to the surface before the underground black market completely caved in.
They hadn't even had time to breathe when dozens of black barrels of guns were shoved into their faces. People ringed them, waiting at the top like predators in the dark.
"Looks like some A-tier mercs finally made it out. If they're useless, we can use them to fight our matches," someone said.