《Unlimited Revamp for the Pawn》 Chapter 1 - First Things First There''s an ongoing celebration at the grand hall, but here I am wandering around the castle''s corridors. After more than a decade of fighting along with the team, Markus had been crowned king, and with his ascension, the promise of peace seemed within reach or my retirement atleast. I checked my phone, the screen lit up and flooded with notifications about the coronation. A crooked smile tugged at my lips. After years of struggle and sacrifice, perhaps I should step down and live somewhere else. But considering how I''ve been treated in the group so far, I think probable absence wouldn''t have much impact. My name is Liam. Once, I was just another laborer working for a construction company. Markus, the owner''s son, had hired me straight out of college. I finished engineering back then. But the economy was in dire shape, and office jobs were hard to get unless you have backing. Construction work wasn''t glamorous, but the pay was decent. Then the disaster came, or as we call it, the Millennial Chasm. The earth shook, the waters ebbed violently, and the behavior of all living creatures became unhinged. Animals in both land and sea, insects, and even people mutated into horrifying forms, driven by agression. Just when all seemed lost, the towers descended from heaven. A beacon that can both attack monsters and defend its inhabitants, inside and outside a specific perimeter of the structure. As I wandered aimlessly inside the castle''s dimly lit halls, I stumbled upon an arcanely sealed room. The revelry outside felt distant, almost unreal. I wasn''t in the mood to celebrate. The light pulsed faintly, a murmur can be heard as it moves in a circular fashion. Curiosity got the better of me, and I reached out to touch it. A sharp spark erupted, injuring my hand. My personal scroll, a black clothe-like parchment etched with golden letters, got released from my palm like flowing water. I smirked. It only took a single point from a thousand of my health points. It still hurts like paper cut, though. I''d faced worse in my years as a tanker, the initiator, walking into countless caves and battles (mostly involuntarily). Markus and the others relied on me to draw the enemy''s attention while they finished the job with their weapons. I pressed my hand against the seal again, bracing myself as it began to drain my health. My body trembled under the strain, but I endured. The scroll floated beside me, its numbers reducing greatly in seconds 834... 790... 472... The seal''s resistance was stronger than I''d anticipated. Fireworks exploded in the distance, their laughter and cheers are a stark contrast in this grueling task I''m in --- 241... 160... 50... You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. I was on the verge of retreating to grab a healing mist to recover, when the seal finally shattered with a deafening crack and fell like glass on the carpeted floor. The door creaked open, revealing an eerie room. I stepped inside, and choked on the dust that accumulated in my throat. The walls were lined with stone tablets, each inscribed with the names of countries and, beneath them, the names of individuals ranked in some unknown order. My heart raced as I scanned the tablets. Argentina, Bhutan, Greece... They were arranged alphabetically. Then I found ours. My eyes widened, and a lump formed in my throat, like pebble. Liam Loq, Rank 1. Rank 1? What does that even mean? I scanned the rest of the names. Markus was ranked tenth. My mind raced with questions, but before I could make sense of it, my vision blurred. My head spiralled, and I collapsed on the floor. I felt a warm familiar scent of rustic liquid forming under me. "I knew there was a rat," a voice sneered. Markus stepped into the room, his shadow looming over me. "Kammi reported the seal had been broken. Did you really think you could take this from me?" He knelt down, his eyes cold and calculating. "In this world, I''m the hero. You''re just an extra I can step on to." Darkness crept in, and my eyes closed as I stared on Markus'' menacing smile. ???????????????????????????????? A deafening honk shattered the air. "WATCH WHERE YOU''RE GOING, DUMBASS!" a male voice roared. Instinctively, I swerved the vehicle I was driving, narrowly avoiding a collision - only to crash into an electrical pole. The impact shook me and hurt my back. My e-bike dropped to its side, smoke coming out of the basted headlights. "These e-vehicle drivers are cancers on the road!" a man in a shiny white SUV shouted as he rolled the window down, his alphanumeric plate ID - AAA 0000 - gleaming under the sunlight. He glared at me, hurling curses as he sped off. I blinked, confused and shaken. He''d been trying to overtake on the wrong side of the lane, yet I was the one getting yelled at. My heart pounded erratically as I checked myself for injuries. Nothing broken I suppose, but my mind was racing. Where am I? This wasn''t the tower castle. And Markus - that traitor! Where is he!? I stumbled out of the e-bike, waving away the smoke from my face. The world around me felt... different, but distinctly familiar. My eyes landed on an electronic billboard flashing a message: "2028: SVERN Activation in Europe" My stomach dropped. 2028? That couldn''t be right. It was supposed to be 2043. Had I... traveled back in time? I turned to inspect the e-bike. My breath hitched. It was the same model I''d owned in 2026, the one I''d abandoned when the first waves of the Millennial Chasm hit. Memories flooded back - the long rides, the storms, the girls I avoided, the money I''d saved up to buy it. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around the fallen bike, tears streaming down my pathetic face. It had been my faithful companion, and here it was, I''m holding it again, only for it to break down. "Look, Mom, that guy''s crying," a little boy said, pointing at me. He held a bright red balloon, his eyes wide with curiosity. His mother shot me a disapproving glance. "Don''t look at him," she scolded, tugging his shirt. "And don''t ever act like that crackhead on the street." I ignored them, my mind racing. If this was really 2028, then I had a chance - a chance to change everything. I pulled out my phone, hands trembling, and dialed my parents'' number. They picked up after a few rings. "Liam? What''s wrong?" my mom asked, her voice tinged with worry. I could barely speak through my sobbing. "Mom, I - I just needed to hear your voice," I choked out. My parents exchanged concerned murmurs on the other end, urging me to come home immediately. My sibling asked what the problem is about. But I couldn''t say it, not yet. "Mom," I said, finally regaining a bit of composure. "remember the island you were planning to sell to Uncle Jimmy?" "Yes," she replied, clearly confused. "Why are you asking about that now?" "Don''t sell it," I insisted, my tone firm and mad. "No matter what happens, keep it. Please, Mom. Trust me." There was a pause. She''s clearly undecided, but she didn''t question me further. "Alright, Liam. We''ll keep it. Just... come home soon, okay?" I hung up, my chest tight with emotion. That island was crucial. In the future, one of the highest towers would emerge there - a sanctuary from terror this world would face. But Uncle Jimmy, who''d claimed the land as his own, had barred us from entering. Even as he is my mom''s flesh and blood, he didn''t let us in. Without a place to seek refuge, my family had perished during the disaster. This time, things would be different. I wiped my tears and took a deep breath. The world didn''t know what was coming, but I do. And I wasn''t going to let history repeat itself. I''d have to handle a lot of things. Blood is Thick The sun is about to set, casting the city in a mellow glow of apartment lights and street signs. I stood at the edge of Second Street, staring at the remains of my e-bike. I''m pretty sure it''s salvageable. I rang my friend, Raymond, a batchmate from the university. "Hey, can you pick me up? My e-bike''s had a rough night," I said, trying to keep my voice light. "On my way," came the reply, and within minutes, my friend pulled up with this pickup. He helped me load the e-bike into the trunk, and we drove to the repair shop in comfortable silence. Raymond had a tanker ability like mine, but he had crowd control, which enabled him to roundup the enemies using chains and pull them in a single spot. But he perished after a cave raid in New Zealand after he was recruited. His family was so distraught and I wasn''t able to hear much about them after his passing. After dropping off the bike, he took me home, waving off my thanks with a grin. I''ll remind him to remain in the country for the meantime and strengthen himself once the monster wave starts. "I''ll catch up with you soon," I promised as he drove off. He jokingly went for a hug, which I took seriously and gave him a squeeze. He looked at me quizzically. When I walked through the front door, my mom greeted me but she glanced back at the house, as if telling me something. I stepped into the living room, my mood soured. There, sitting on the sofa chair with a can of soda in hand, was Uncle Jimmy, acting like he owns the place "Liam," my mom said softly, slightly apologetic. I''m relieved I made the call earlier, or else Uncle would''ve dragged her to the lawyer''s office. Uncle Jimmy looked at me, his expression a mix of sternness and thinly veiled irritation. He forced a smile. "Your mom told me you''re against selling the island. Mind telling me why?" I took a seat across from him, my jaw tightening. The island is handed down to my mother as a gift, but Uncle Jimmy is itching to convert it into a beach resort, but his offer was laughably low - barely a fraction of its actual value. He knew we were in a tight spot financially, and he''s intimidating me to give up. "I have plans for it," I said, keeping my voice steady. "And your offer isn''t even close to what it''s worth." My father and other siblings are in the other room, but they are averse to conflicts. He snorted and he tried masking the smirk on his face by taking a slow sip of his soda. "Plans, huh, how cute? Do you have the money to make those plans happen?" I clenched my fists under the table, my nails digging into my palms. He was right about one thing: the legal complications of selling inherited property meant we couldn''t easily sell it to anyone outside the family, unless the heirs agree and sign unanimously. "Sorry, Uncle Jimmy," I said firmly. "We''re not selling." My voice flat and final His smile vanished, replaced by a look of disdain. "You''re a nuisance, you know that?" he spat, standing up abruptly. He didn''t even bother to clean up the soda he spilled on the floor as he stormed out, expecting us to clean up the mess he made ourselves. I picked up a rag and a bucket to clear the spill Uncle Jimmy had left, my mind raced. We are at the Chasm''s door, I would''ve just agreed to sell it and take it back once I got my ability from the tower back. I could force Uncle Jimmy to give up the island, but that''s a more jackass move compared to what he did in the past. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "I''m heading out," I told my mom, grabbing my jacket. "I need to clear my head." I lied. The towers might descend tonight since SVERN in Europe has been activated. That''s when the strange occurrences happened right after. I''m unsure if they have something to do with it. "Where are you going?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry. She might be thinking that I have lost my mind. If I tell her now what would happen, she might not believe me. "Just for a walk. I''ll be back later," I said. In truth, I was heading to the island, alone. I might have to spend all the cash I have to reach my destination, but I know it will be all worth. ???????????????????? Even though our family owns the island, reaching it is no simple feat. The journey demands a grueling three-hour commute by bus and boat - a chance I''m willing to make in order to get a new skill. This time, I''m determined to unlock a different ability. The last time, the tower from the construction office bestowed high health points , but now, through this new tower, I hope to awaken a finisher-type power or perhaps something arcane. My heart pounds with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. The journey is long, but I used the time to prepare. On my phone, I''ve meticulously documented the major events of the next ten years, rewriting and refining details as memories resurface. One thing is clear: I must avoid Markus'' team at all costs. To throw them off their path, I''ll bait them into making different choices, ensuring their missions fail and Markus never ascends as a tower king. The only question is how. For my family, I have a separate plan. I need to bring them here, by hook or by crook, to this island, and reveal the potential skills they could awaken. If all of us become favored humans, our chances of survival - and success - will increase exponentially. The skies above are heavy and gray, devoid of stars or the moon. It might rain soon, so I need to hurry. At the port, the locals eye me with surprise as I step off the bus. My phone buzzes incessantly in my pocket, and when I check it, social media is ablaze with reports of mysterious bright orbs in the sky and crevices appearing on land. Trending hashtags like #sinkholes and #localburj dominate the newsfeeds. The so-called sinkholes are actually caves, their sudden appearances sparking confusion and fear. While some investigate, most dismiss the sightings as hoaxes, as there are regions without towers and caves. The #localburj hashtag, I suspect, refers to the towers. I wonder if anyone has already been gifted with abilities. Finally, we arrive at the island. I gesture to the boater to await my text message, but as he departs, I notice the tattoo on his arm - a tiger biting a sword. My stomach tightens. That symbol is associated with a notorious terrorist group. It''s no wonder our family has avoided surveying this land; the fear of abduction or worse death, has kept us away. But now, there''s no turning back. As I step onto the island, a swirl of golden dust fills the air, coalescing into the shape of a dove. The sight is mesmerizing, a reminder of the tower''s otherworldly nature. The dove ascends, and from above, a radiant golden orb emerges. Slowly, the tower materializes, its base forming first, rising majestically until its peak emerges. The tower is a marvel to behold. Its stone body is adorned with intricate carvings and embedded with crystals and gems that shimmer faintly in the dim light. The massive door, ten times the height of an average person, is sealed with an arcane symbol etched deep into its surface. At the very top, an eternally rotating shard crackles with energy, ready to unleash streaks of lightning against any creature foolish enough to venture within a five-kilometer radius. I take a deep breath, offering a silent prayer. This is it! The moment I''ve been waiting for. I place my hands on the tower, expecting the familiar surge of heat that signals successful bestowment of powers. But nothing happens. I wait, my palms pressed against the cold stone, but the warmth never comes. Dread washes over me. No. This can''t be happening. I wave my hands frantically, as I''ve done countless times before. My life as a tanker flashed before my eyes. Then, as if in response to my desperation, my personal black scroll materializes before me. The familiar inscription glows faintly, and my thousand-point HP comes into view. My skill, my power, hasn''t changed. Even in this rewritten past, my power remains the same. Desperate Times Desperate Measures I dropped to my knees and screamed - a loud, desperate sound of helplessness. I had aimed for something different, something greater, but now it''s all for nothing. I am stuck as a tanker - in the last and in the present time. Why was I back in the past if nothing in this timeline would change? The question pesters me, which I know will never be answered. The thought filled me with a seething hatred. I grabbed the parchment with both hands, desperate to tear it in two. The inscriptions meant nothing now. They were just meaningless words and numbers I took time to understand and interpret. Useless. All of it, useless! I pulled harder, my muscles screaming in protest, my chest burning as if it were being torn apart from the inside. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the anger, the betrayal that consumed me. I had already died once. What difference did it make if I perish again now? With a final effort, I ripped the scroll in half. For a moment, there was silence. Then the pain hit - a searing, all-consuming agony that felt like my soul was being ripped apart. I coughed, blood and bile spilling from my lips, my body too weak to stand. I vomited my dinner that night. My head felt like it was being crushed between two boulders, my throat scorched as if I had swallowed burning coals. Was this my punishment? For my ingratitude, for my defiance? If so, then let it end. Please, just let it end. I squinted my eyes. I won''t shed a tear over this. But it didn''t end. The pain dragged on, an eternity of suffering condensed into a single, unending moment. Why was it taking so long? Why couldn''t I just die!? Above me, the tower''s light dimmed, its once-brilliant glow fading into darkness. The scroll, now in pieces, began to vaporize, its fragments dissolving into a charred powder that floated upward, disappearing into the evening sky. ???????????? I woke up to the sun''s scorching heat burning my face. My body was drenched in a mix of sweat and dried blood, the metallic tang of iron clinging to my skin. I think I look like a mess. I took a whiff of my shirt and nearly gagged. The stench was unbearable, as if I hadn''t bathed in days - or maybe I hadn''t. The situation I''m in is enough to show that I have survived. I pulled myself upright, my muscles screaming in protest. The tower loomed above me, its light restored, glowing faintly as if nothing had happened. My scroll, which I had torn apart in a fit of rage the night before, was gone. I guess I was no longer favored - if I ever was. The memory of the excruciating pain I''d endured flashed through my mind, a stark reminder of the consequences of my actions. Out of habit, I waved my hand upward, and to my surprise, the scroll reappeared - whole and pristine, as if it had never been torn. I growled under my breath, my fingers twitching with the urge to tear it apart again. But the ordeal from last night was a brutal lesson: the scroll was not something to be trifled with. I was stuck with this cursed thing, a high-HP human with no other advantages. But something was different. At the bottom of the scroll, an unfamiliar word was inscribed, followed by the number 1. 1... What does it mean? Was it counting how many times I''d destroyed the scroll? If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. My eyes darted to my stats, and my heart sank. My HP is now 10. What? WHAT?! Was this some kind of sick joke? The torture last night wasn''t enough, and now they''d stripped me of the only skill I had? I kicked the dirt in frustration, falling back onto my butt. I checked my stats again, my hands trembling. HP - 10 MP - 0 Dexterity - 0 Speed - 0 Accuracy - 0 Intelligence - 0 Strength - 0 Skill Points Available - 1010 My breath hitched. Skill points this many? I had never seen this before. In the past, I hadn''t earned any because I hadn''t done the killing. But now, I have over a thousand points to allocate. Was this some kind of reset feature, like in a game? And there was an extra 20 points, too. I placed a hand over my mouth, disbelief washing over me. But my celebration was short-lived. A group of men emerged from the treeline, their faces painted and rifles slung over their shoulders. They wore dark suits and clothe hats, their movements deliberate and menacing. "There was only supposed to be a tip about a man here. Didn''t expect to see a building," one of them muttered. Two of them immediately pointed their guns at me. I pretended not to understand their actions, my mind racing. What should I do? If I make a move, I''m dead. Should I allocate my skill points now? They started shouting, their voices sharp and commanding, as they closed in on me. There was no time to think. I hid my scroll just as the tallest man forced me to my knees, pressing the cold barrel of his rifle against my cheek. The others rummaged through my bag and inspected my phone, while a few approached the tower, poking at its gems with a machete. "These are real diamonds," one of them said, a man in his 40s with a greedy smirk in his eyes. He tried to pry one loose, but the tower''s surface barely scratched. "How did you know about this pillar, kid?" the leader asked, his voice low and dangerous. He scrutinized me, his eyes narrowing as if trying to piece together why I was here. "This is my family''s land," I replied, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at me. I wondered if I should act now, but I wasn''t sure how the changes to my stats would affect me. The leader didn''t respond. Instead, he turned and signaled one of his men. The subordinate pressed his finger to the trigger, but before he could fire, I swatted the rifle upward. The shot rang out, hitting one of their own. Chaos erupted as they all turned their weapons on me. But I was faster - too fast for them to track. I grabbed a machete from one of them and moved it like a phantom, cutting them down one by one. A bullet grazed my arm, but the pain was nothing compared to what I''d endured last night. Soon, only the leader remained. "Stay away from me, you monster!" he screamed, emptying his magazine in a desperate barrage. But I dodged every shot, my movements precise and calculated. With a swift throw, I sent the machete flying into his stomach. He collapsed, his lifeless body hitting the ground. I opened my scroll, checking the changes I''d made in the heat of the moment: HP - 515 Speed - 505 I sighed. I should''ve distributed my points more evenly, but I didn''t have the liberty to deliberate it more. Compared to the monsters and creatures from the caves, these men were nothing. I stepped into the tower, the familiar scenery enveloping me. The world inside was vast and surreal - a castle surrounded by ancient-looking houses, a shimmering lake, a lush mountain, and a terrain teeming with plants and animals. The air was clean, the sky clear. It was like stepping into a time, older than ours. I walked further in, turning around to see where I stepped out from. It''s a similar tower within this world. Not all towers were the same - their markings and heights varied on earth - but they all shared one thing: the tower of the earth and from this world are the same. It''s like your porting in and out of the same pillar. The castle and villages were empty, as if waiting for inhabitants. I made my way to the castle''s control room, the heart of the tower. The room was brightly lit, filled with dials and knobs. A rectangular basin of water served as a screen, displaying the island and the tower outside. The bodies of the terrorists were still strewn around the base, and I noticed a boat approaching the scene. I zoomed in and checked that it''s the same guy who accompanied me here. I smirked. They''d meet the same fate. The crystal atop the tower whirred to life, gathering energy. The boater looked up, confusion etched on his face. I turned the knob, and a bolt of lightning flashed down, obliterating him and the corpses in an instant. It may seem cruel, but these people have done far more worse. There''s no reason to keep them alive or bother myself from burying them. No mercy to those who doesn''t show compassion. Chapter 4 - Hopping the Gravy Train Now me and my family can enjoy the island in peace. It''s almost night time again and my family must be worried sick about me. I pulled out my phone and was about to message them, but the signal is unavailable. I forgot that I am still at the early stages of the Chasm. In the past, we have Moonlink and installed the Internet inside the tower''s realm through a gap below the entrance using an wireless extender. The signal wasn''t stable, but we can''t leave the doors open just because of our phone addiction. I wonder if I could do something now that might the Internet connection better inside the tower. But before that, I need to bring my family here before the full force of the disaster comes in. How do I convince them, though? My father works as a tuktuk driver and my mom is a retired office worker. My oldest brother works as a tech support in the city. I work in construction and the other two are still studying. The youngest brother wouldn''t be too hard to convince. But my sister would need me to provide a research paper and a PebblePoint presentation if I need her to come. Moreover, she has a boyfriend, so the stuggle would be so real. What I need is... Money... Humans all throughout history has been scrambling for resources and the means to get them. Almost six thousand years later, the need remains the same. Previously, Markus and the team earn money buy selling the carcass of the monsters they have killed. But since the corpses are in bad shape, the profit amounts to nothing at all. I often criticize Marcus for using guns and bombs to deal with the creatures, but he said they are most effective in dealing with the monsters. Kammi''s magic wasn''t enough to finish them off, so the modern weapons are still the best way for them. That''s how most of the world were doing at that time. There''s no monster in the island yet. Perhaps no cave has opened as it might have sensed that a tower has appeared in this island. And no one in the present knows the monetarial value of the monsters and creatures yet, so I won''t be able to sell even if I caught one. The gems on the tower can be removed, the guy from earlier is just too weak to do it. However, I learned from experience that lessening the precious stones would reduce the tower''s firepower. And we can''t afford that, not if we want to survive. Should I sell the animals that I found here? Once, when we were trekking the mountains, I found a majestic bird with sea blue feathers and a long tail. It left a trail of gleaming blue aura anywhere it goes. But the existence would definitely freak people out so selling is not an option. Oh, I could look for a gemstone vein and harvest some minerals. But with my current stat, I can only work fast but I would be unable to dig too deep into the mountain. I should''ve placed some points on strength. But I wanted to have enough points just in case the terrorists successfully shot me, which was a needless worry because I was too quick for them. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I went out of the tower and called my parents. They were panicking and said they thought I got caught with something dangerous. They saw on social media that there pets behaving erratically and are attacking their owners. Most of which, are happening in Europe and in some parts of the Middle East and North Africa. I gulped. Sooner or later the crevices would open here and cause unfathomable damage and casualties. "I''m alright. I''ll be there soon. There''s something I need to tell you guys." They urged me to come home and that they''ll be waiting. "I know this is crazy, but, I need all of you to pack your stuff. We need to head somewhere safe." I told my mom that even if the mainstream media won''t report the truth, there''s a major problem going on and we will die if we remain the main land. She has a lot of questions and she begun to cry. But I reassured her that I have a plan. She puts down the phone and said she''ll make everything and everyone ready. There''s no more time. I guess I have to do the last resort. I returned to the castle and opened the treasure room. It would be much greater if there were gold or silver coins or even jewelry, but the treasure room is filled with armor, swords, spear, bows, shield and gemstones. The gemstones would fetch a high price, but the scroll is showing attributes of the stone that are quite useful, if one knows how to utilize them. I reached out for the white opal, the smallest one. I checked my scroll and the stone is said to add MP by 10 points. The other gemstones in the room have the ability to create shield, multiple fire blasts or even paralyze opponents. There are far too many of them for me to inspect one by one. This has been the most insignificant I found which is still expensive but not too eye catching. I took the opal and took another grueling commute way back home. I went straight to the pawn shop and showed the stone. The appraiser looks at me from head to toe and checked the opal again. "Where did you get this?" I thought that stone is inconspicuous enough, but I was wrong. "Family heirloom, someone in the family need immediate medical fund." I blurted out. I tapped the armrest by the window impatiently. He lets out a sigh and said. "The money here isn''t enough to cover the price. Would you like to come back later?" Is it worth that much? But I need to leave and get my family. I just need enough to buy some essentials and supplies. "Just give me everything you have right now. They won''t do the surgery unless we pay." I tried to sound pitiful, I have always have a knack for acting. His eyes lit up and smiled, as if he''s expecting my answer. He asked me to wait and brings out a box. I waited for him to finish, but he shoved the entire carton to me. "Oh and you can take anything displayed on the shelf here. Or you can take everything, whatever suits you. In fact" He opens the door and went straight to the entrance. "I resign. Enjoy!" He giddily left the shop and didn''t look back. I wonder if he''s crazy or if I''m crazy for not knowing the exact value of the opal. I opened the box and saw it''s filled with wads of cash. New and still wrapped from the bank. I looked at the display rack and saw various items, from electronics to jewelry. I packed everything and hurried home. Only to find them arguing amongst themselves. "Why should we leave? Where are we going?" My sister is so mad. They realized I have arrived. My dad acknowledged my presence and my mom is busy packing. I threw the carton of cash in the midst of them. When they opened it, their jaw fell on the floor. "Now, can we go?" I asked with the widest smile on my face. Chapter 5 - Probing in the Dark We split up to go to the mall and the grocery store separately to gather necessities for our sudden evacuation. I wanted everyone to stay together, but time was of the essence, so we agreed to meet at the bus stop in five hours. My mom, dad, and our eldest sibling headed to the grocery store since my mom knows best when it comes to preparing for an indefinite getaway. Meanwhile, my younger brother, my younger sister, her boyfriend Zild John, and I went to the mall. We''re fine with Zild, though we feel a little sorry for him because our sister can be quite bossy. Still, he happily goes along with her demands, I guess he''s truly smitten. While we were looking for wires, cables, and plugs (the tower and the castle itself generate energy that can be converted into electricity), my sister asked if Zild could come with us during the evacuation. I thought for a moment and replied, "Does he want to?" "Aren''t we all in danger?" she countered. If I had a girlfriend, I''d probably bring her along too, but I wasn''t sure if it was the right decision. Suddenly, I felt a hard slap on my shoulder, and my vision went dark as someone covered my eyes. The person, with small, cold hands, giggled and said, "Guess who?" I had the immediate urge to pull the hands away, it was definitely a girl. "Tyson?" I teased, using an overly masculine name to mess with her. She removed her hands, and I turned to face the intruder. "Ash," we said in unison, then laughed. She''s a former coworker from Sandwich Queen, the fast-food chain where I used to work. Her eyes widened as she glanced at the items in our cart. "Why are you buying so much? Are you moving to a new house?" she asked. I casually replied that it was for renovations, and my sister, Fae, backed me up. Meanwhile, my younger brother, Neil, and Zild were double-checking with the staff to ensure the appliances were in good working condition. "You didn''t keep in touch. I was wondering what happened," Ash pouted, twirling her long, wavy hair. I shrugged innocently and explained that I''d lost my phone and couldn''t reach her. Just then, my brother Neil and Zild returned, handing me the remaining cash, still a thick stack. Ash''s eyes widened like saucers. I casually tucked the money back into my bag. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Ash grabbed my hand, her grip firm. "You know, there''s a cafe nearby. Why don''t we catch up and rest for a bit?" she urged, almost pulling me along. Fae shot her a stink eye, and Zild gently reminded her to be kind. "Maybe next time. It was nice seeing you," I said, prying her hand off mine. I hurried away with my siblings in tow. They gave me a quizzical look. Neil caught up to me, grinning. "She''s pretty, though. Don''t you like her?" he asked. Neil''s always been into girls and is relentless in pursuing them, so he couldn''t understand why I avoided her like a plague. We hailed a taxi, and I finally explained, "I dated her for a bit, but during our relationship, she asked if she could sleep over at her ex-boyfriend''s house." They all groaned in unison, finally understanding my reluctance. Zild already had his bag of necessities slung over his shoulder, making it clear he was coming with us. I couldn''t help but wonder if our parents would be okay with it. Before I could dwell on it further, my phone rang. It was mom. I answered, hoping they were already at the meeting point. "Hello?" "Li-li-am," Mom''s voice cracked, trembling on the edge of tears. "People are¡­ people are just dropping dead." She gasped for breath, likely from running. In the background, I could hear Barry, our eldest brother, shouting for everyone to move. Screams and shrieks pierced the air. My stomach dropped. I immediately told the taxi driver to stop and leaped out of the vehicle. Turning to Fae and Neil, I instructed them to take the next bus and not wait for us. They nodded, their faces pale but determined. Without another word, I sprinted toward the store, leaving them behind in a blur. I''d explain my unnatural speed later. The scene ahead was chaos. A small building was being swallowed by what looked like a sinkhole, the ground crumbling as if the earth itself had turned against us. People ran in every direction, cars and motorbikes jammed together, horns blaring in a futile attempt to clear the way. Police officers and traffic enforcers shouted for calm, but their pale faces betrayed their own fear. Some bystanders stood filming the stampede, seemingly oblivious to the danger. As much as I wanted to help, my parents and brother were waiting for me. I couldn''t afford to stop. I finally caught sight of the store, but before I could reach it, a rabid rodent lunged at me. I dodged midair and kicked it away, sending it slamming into a tree. Its body splattered against the trunk lik blood and innards splashing onto my shoe. The poison from the crevices was creeping to the surface, affecting small animals first. The creatures from the caves hadn''t shown themselves yet, but I knew they were coming. They were probably climbing out of the depths right now. I shuddered, remembering all those creatures from the depths. The world is unprepared for such disaster. Good thing they won''t all arrive in a swift manner. But it also indicated that these monsters are intelligent as well. They would check and monitor before exploring the over world. I checked my phone''s tracker and followed the pin marking Mom''s location. My heart sank when I realized they were in the worst possible place, the underground tunnel. Why of all places would they have to go there? That place is closer to the sewers and that''s where they are breeding underground. I shouldn''t have left them alone.