Without wasting any time before someone else would discover the bloody scene first, Earl took a quick shower and left the hotel in a hurry, only carrying the entry pass along with him.
Indeed, just as the old man had mentioned, there was a car waiting downstairs at the hotel, which was supposed to take him to his destination.
The driver, who also seemed to be a middle-aged man, often darted skeptical glances at him from time to time through the front mirror of the car, but while washing up, Earl had made sure to clean every nook and cranny of his body so that he wouldn't reek of blood.
However, with so many questions still left unanswered about this new world he was stuck in, it had started to weigh heavily on Earl's mind that he shouldn't have killed him off so soon out of rage.
In fact, no matter how hard he tried to contemplate, Earl couldn't think why he was supposed to enroll in an academy when the world was supposedly about to end through an approaching apocalypse.
It all felt confusing, but the most jaw-dropping discoveries were still awaiting.
As the car approached his destination, his gaze fell on the chain of run-down, burnt skyscraper buildings, standing on both sides of the highway like a haunting reminder of the catastrophe that had happened following the asteroid crash.
It was easy to get an idea of how the 60% population was wiped off due to blazing flames that must've spread like wildfire. The burnt buildings that stood still carried a haunting impression of the uncertain future awaiting them, but then a scene following the aftermath almost broke his heart into bits.
There was a huge queue of small children and older women, lining up on the side of the road for some food and water, which was being supplied by the military trucks.
Just looking at the small children felt agonizing as if he was going through a horror documentary. Most of the children were covered in bandages and huge red burnt scars, to the extent most of them even had an arm or leg missing!
Lining up on the queue the poor children were crying and begging for some water, while the older women were trying to push them aside inhumanly just to secure the ration for themselves. As if the example of survival of the fittest was right in front of his eyes.
Just from one glance, it was clear to anticipate how precious these basic amenities like food and water were to them right now, while they were battling a massive catastrophe.
There was no sign of young teenagers like him anywhere around, which made Earl assume, perhaps the young new adults like him within the remaining 40% of this world were supposed to enroll in the Academy, where they would have to go through rigorous training and get stronger, just to protect these helpless children from the approaching apocalypse, who had nowhere to go.
For a second, he felt his situation was extremely relatable to those poor children, since he was well-aware of the pain of suddenly loosing everything at once!
"We have arrived." The driver's cold scowl flinched him hard when Earl realized the car had stopped in front of a giant wall, almost located at the outskirts of the town.
Wondering if it was a joke, Earl blankly gazed at the cemented wall a few times before averting his gaze at the driver, who seemed keen to throw him out of the car.
"T-This is just a wall."
"This is the entrance."
"What?"
Earl rolled his orbs skeptically at his answer, pondering if he was actually messing with him.
But keeping a stern demeanor, the man pointed at the white envelope in his hand and uttered in a cold grunt, "You're carrying an entry pass to the Academy, yet you don't even know how to get in there? Did you really pass the entrance exam on your own accord?"
Earl gritted his teeth, struggling to keep a calm facade while cursing out aloud in his mind, 'How the fuck am I supposed to know about the norms of this world when my soul suddenly decided to wake up in this stranger's body in this doomed world? Wow…this is frustrating beyond limit!'
"Alright, I…will go on my way now." With a small nod while pretending to act calm, Earl walked out and marched towards that wall in slow, confused steps whereas the car soon disappeared out of his sight, leaving him all alone.
For a few times he tried reading the paper tucked inside the white envelope, hoping there would be any clue how to enter the Academy across the wall.
However, there were no hints, but rather an identity card of him that stated his name and age with a clear photo.
The stranger's name was Pearl Milton, and he was only 19 years old. So in comparison to his 35 year old self in the real world, Earl got the divine second chance to wake up practically in a young kid's body.
For a few seconds he kept glancing around the wall, hoping for any secret passage through which he might reach the Academy. Though, failing in all possible attempts to think of a way, while pondering if he should go back, he mistakenly rested his right palm on the surface of the wall.
But all of a sudden, a loud 'creak' sound came from the wall out of the blue, emanating a circular golden halo with some ancient drawings carved on the surface where he had touched.
"SELENIO!"
An unexpected, unknown voice came through following that creaking sound, before the wall partitioned into two parts, leading to an opening in the middle.
The newly opened route was narrow and dark, but soon upon walking Earl found himself standing in front of giant metal gates of a building, which should be close enough to call a magnificent castle!
Nervously looking behind when Earl realized the secret passage opened earlier had also disappeared, there was no choice of turning back anymore. There were no guards at the metal gate to check upon him, but heading in a few steps ahead, all of a sudden, his right foot got stuck in a small hole that was dug in the front yard, halting his motion.
SWOOSH! SPLASHH!!
Before Earl could figure out what was happening, several buckets of filthy mop water were splashed on him one by one by a few young boys and girls of around his age, who suddenly appeared out of the blue in front of him, as if they had teleported.
Blocking his way ahead, they were laughing their heads off to watch Earl completely soaked by that smelly, filthy mop water.
Since waking up in this new world, Earl was already getting accustomed to finding out the craziest things possible, so watching that bunch of young kids suddenly emerge out of the blue didn't startle him much.
But at that moment, the crowd of youngsters divided into two parts, and a strikingly handsome, tall young man marched towards him in slow, steady steps. He seemed to be in his early 20s, with shiny silver hair wafting with the spring breeze.
However, a fact that baffled Earl the most was that the moment he met his deep, beautiful amber red eyes, an unusual faint pain emerged across his chest, filling him up with a sense of nostalgia as if he must have met this gorgeous guy before!
But where? In his past life, did he even come across someone as beautiful as him? If he did, there was no way he could've forgotten such a gorgeous young man's face in a lifetime!
"So…you're that bitch you sneaked in here by selling yourself to the higher-ups, huh?"
The admiration Earl had felt momentarily towards this silver-haired boy quickly disappeared in thin air the moment he cussed him out ruthlessly, with profound disgust in his tone.
Before Earl could charge back at him for this sudden insult, when he marched a step closer, all of a sudden, his steps froze, making him retreat a few steps behind when he sensed a strong, intoxicating scent emanating from that guy!
Is this kind of scent what it was called…pheromones? Something the animals emit to attract their mate pairs?
But just breathing into that scent for a second sent painful shivers running down his spine, as Earl hurriedly tried to cover his nose. But observing his body language, the silver-haired guy scorned at him, "Serves you right getting welcomed with filthy mop water. I knew…smelly water would suit a dirty mutt like you the most!"
"W-Who the heck are you calling dirty?"
Unable to stand those blatant insults thrown at him by that boy who seemed practically young enough to be his son, Earl gritted his jaw before he howled at him, "What gives you the right to say that, you arrogant punk!? Is this how you young people treat your elders these days?"