《Parallel Universe the world where animals are the dominant species》 Ch 1. Nightmare Have you ever wondered what it feels like if humans became the main prey of other creatures? That nightmare has now become my reality. My name is Elio, and this is the story of how I got trapped in this terrifying world. On June 20, 2028, it was one of the days I had been looking forward to the most. My classmates and I were going camping to celebrate our graduation. Initially, my parents didn''t allow me to go, but our homeroom teacher assured them that he would take full responsibility. Eventually, I got their permission. The day was as bright as usual. We boarded the school bus headed for the camping site. Inside the bus, my classmates were singing and joking around cheerfully. I sat in the second row near the window, enjoying the view of green trees along the road. "Elio!" called Frey, my friend sitting next to me. I turned to face him. "Check out this news," he said, handing me his phone. "It says there''s a strange case in Porsiana City. I told you, aliens are real!" I read the news with a frown. It was about a murder at a slaughterhouse in Porsiana. The workers were found dead in gruesome conditions, their heads crushed by a heavy object. Some of them had vanished without a trace. The CCTV footage even captured a large creature with a bull''s head attacking them. "Maybe it''s just a crazy person wearing a bull mask," I commented after reading the article. "No way! A crazy person wouldn''t be that tall. That''s definitely an alien!" Frey replied enthusiastically. I ignored his ramblings and returned my gaze to the scenery outside the window. But then, something strange caught my eye. Amidst the trees, I saw a peculiar figure standing still as if watching us. When I tried to focus on it, I noticed a pair of glowing eyes staring coldly back at me-like the eyes of a beast. "What was that?" I muttered softly. "Frey, did you see that too? Was that a person wearing a dog mask or... a dog standing like a human?" Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Frey frowned and then laughed. "So, you''re starting to believe in aliens now, huh?" I sighed, convincing myself that what I saw was just my imagination, influenced by the creepy news. Suddenly, the bus came to an abrupt stop. The driver announced that there was a mechanical issue, and he would need some time to fix it. Our homeroom teacher told us to stay calm. "Sir, can we step out for a moment? I need to use the bathroom," shouted one of the students from the back. "Alright, but don''t wander too far into the woods," replied the teacher. A few students got off the bus and headed into the forest. Frey turned to me and said, "Come on, Elio. Get some fresh air!" "Seriously? After what I just saw?" I asked incredulously. "Even better! If we meet an alien, I can finally prove they''re real!" he replied eagerly. I just sighed and let him go on his own. Moments later, a girl named Jessica approached me. "Elio, you saw it too, didn''t you?" she asked quietly. "You mean the dog-headed figure?" "Yeah, I saw two. One had a Labrador''s head, and the other looked like a Golden Retriever," she replied with a trembling voice. Her face was pale, and fear was evident in her eyes. "But... but they''re not ordinary dogs. They... they walk like humans." Before I could ask her more, a scream echoed from the forest. "RUN! GET OUT OF THE WOODS NOW!" Jessica and I turned to see our classmates running back to the bus in a panic. "What''s going on?" asked our teacher. "Dog-headed creatures! They''re coming towards us!" one of the students shouted. The teacher immediately instructed everyone to get back on the bus. I glanced into the dense forest. There, two tall, fur-covered creatures emerged, carrying large ropes as if preparing to capture their prey. Now I could see them clearly. They were dogs with human-like bodies. One of them threw a rope, catching a student who hadn''t managed to board the bus. Our teacher ran to help the student, but he was no match for the creature''s strength. Suddenly, the other creature attacked the teacher with a large wooden plank, crushing his head completely. Horrified screams erupted inside the bus. Some students begged the driver to start the bus, but he had already fled along with a few students who hadn''t boarded yet. The panic escalated as the creatures approached the bus door. The students inside scrambled to hide as the creature began to climb aboard. My tears started to flow, and my heart pounded faster with each step the creature took. It threw something into the bus-a small object that released thick smoke. My vision blurred, and the next thing I knew, everything went black. If only I had listened to my parents, maybe none of this would have happened. Ch 2. The Game Begin "I want to find my lost dog," I cried to my parents. "We''ll look for it tomorrow. It''s already night. Let''s go home first," my father replied. "I''m sure someone will find it and contact us since we''ve distributed so many missing dog flyers," he added gently. Reluctantly, we went home, though our hearts were heavy with sadness, not knowing where my dog was. In the quiet night, just as I was falling asleep, I woke up to the sound of a loud scream coming from outside. I immediately checked through my bedroom window. Outside, I saw several black silhouettes with ears resembling those of dogs or cats, forcibly capturing and dragging someone away. "What is that?" I muttered, trying to get a clearer view of what was happening outside. One of the silhouettes turned and stared directly at me, its gaze sharp as if our eyes truly met. Terrified, I quickly closed my bedroom curtains, my body trembling, and cold sweat dripping profusely. "It saw me... I need to tell my parents," I thought, running out of my room. But just as I stepped out of my room, I heard a loud crash as something broke through the window beneath my room. "That silhouette entered my house!" "And I can''t hear anything from my parents'' room," I murmured anxiously. Quickly, I ran to my parents'' room and tried to open the door. As the door swung open, what I saw froze me in place: the floor and walls were covered in blood, and my parents lay lifeless, their bodies horribly disfigured. I was paralyzed with fear, unable to scream or move, as if something was binding me. The silhouette turned and looked at me. In the dim light of the room, I finally saw its true form. It was my dog, a German Shepherd, the one that had gone missing a few days ago. I recognized it by its brown and black fur on its muzzle and back. "I''m confused, my emotions all over the place. On one hand, I found my dog. On the other hand, my parents were killed by it." "Why... Why did you do this? We loved you so much," I asked, my voice trembling with fear. Upon hearing my question, the black silhouette lunged at me and bit my head with incredible force. "ARGHHH..." I screamed. "It was just a nightmare," I muttered quietly, drenched in sweat and trembling. Looking around curiously, I asked, "Where am I, exactly?" "Finally, you''re awake. Did you know? You''ve been asleep for seven hours since you were brought here," said a man in his 30s with glasses, walking toward me. "You must be really unlucky, huh? As soon as you''re brought here, you''re thrown straight into their game," he continued. Curious, I asked, "They? Who are ''they''? And where is this place?" I started to notice my surroundings: red brick walls, a large wooden door in front of me, and another tightly closed wooden door behind me. Torches in the corners lit the room, and the sound of dogs barking echoed from outside. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. "We''re now in a world that makes no sense," the man explained. "Look at those two people over there; they were also kidnapped and forced into this game." "Damn it... damn it..." muttered a disheveled man in the corner, wearing torn clothes. "Why, God? I followed all their orders. Why was I chosen too?" cried a man in a white shirt, clutching his head. "Let me introduce myself," the man said. "My name is Aldiano. The man in the corner is Marlo, and the one in the white shirt is Walter. And what''s your name?" "I-I''m Elio," I replied, still confused. "Alright, Elio. Listen carefully because I won''t explain it twice. We''re in a place called Doghaven, ruled by dog-like creatures that walk like humans. In this game, we call them ''kobolds,''" he explained firmly. "We''re all participants in a survival game called ''Hunt and Survive.''" "In this game, we''re given two hours to run as far as possible into the forest and survive while avoiding the hunting dogs chasing us." "That''s the essence of the ''Hunt and Survive'' game," Aldiano explained calmly. Still bewildered, I asked, "Have you seen anyone my age here?" "Unfortunately, Elio, I haven''t seen anyone but you brought here. They might be in another room," Aldiano replied, handing me a glass of dark-colored water. "What is this? Why does it look like black tea?" I asked. "Just drink it. You''ll understand soon," Aldiano replied with a smile. Without thinking, I drank the water. Its bitterness almost made me vomit. Shortly after, my head began to ache, and I started hearing the barking of dogs outside. "HUNT SURVIVE! HUNT SURVIVE! HUNT SURVIVE!" terrifying chants echoed, followed by shouts of "KILL THEM! KILL THEM!" At that moment, I finally understood the meaning behind the barking. "Do you understand now? That''s the purpose of the drink," Aldiano said with a smile. "Why can I understand what they''re saying? There''s no technology that lets us understand dogs," I asked in disbelief. "Better get ready because the game is about to start," Aldiano replied. "How can you stay so calm?" I asked, confused. Without answering, Aldiano stood in front of the large wooden door, joined by Marlo and Walter, who looked terrified. A loud bell rang, nearly rupturing my eardrums. The wooden door slowly lifted, and sunlight began to shine into the room. The sunlight pierced my eyes, forcing me to squint as I slowly stepped out. As my vision cleared, I found myself standing in a vast arena surrounded by towering walls filled with spectators. The spectators weren''t human. Everywhere I looked, they were dogs acting like humans. Other doors opened, each room holding four people. None of the others were familiar to me. As I observed my surroundings, I realized where I was. This was a coliseum. With a curious expression, I examined my surroundings. Suddenly, a loud voice boomed. "WELCOME, ESTEEMED AUDIENCE!" "IT IS MY HONOR TO BE YOUR HOST TODAY," announced an Anatolian Shepherd dog on a podium, holding a microphone. The audience erupted into cheers, chanting, "HUNT SURVIVE! HUNT SURVIVE!" "NOW THEN, LET ME EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THIS GAME TO THESE HUMANS," the host continued. "THIS GAME WAS CREATED OUT OF OUR KINDNESS TOWARD YOU. UNLIKE YOU HUMANS, WHO SHOW NO COMPASSION." "TODAY, JUNE 21ST, IS THE DATE WHEN HUMANS CELEBRATE THE ''YULIN FESTIVAL,'' WHERE THOUSANDS OF OUR KIND ARE SLAUGHTERED FOR FOOD." "BUT HERE, WE ARE NOT LIKE THOSE LOWLY CREATURES WHO KILL WITHOUT GIVING A FIGHTING CHANCE." "OUT OF OUR KINDNESS, WE CREATED THIS GAME TO LET YOU FIGHT AND ESCAPE WHILE BEING HUNTED BY ASPIRING ''GUARDIAN DOGS'' STARTING THEIR CAREERS. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SHOW THEIR SKILLS IN FRONT OF THIS AUDIENCE," the host declared proudly. "I WILL NOW EXPLAIN THE RULES OF THIS GAME: 1. ALL PARTICIPANTS HAVE 30 MINUTES TO RUN AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. 2. PARTICIPANTS MAY HIDE AS LONG AS THEY REMAIN UNDISCOVERED. 3. AFTER 30 MINUTES, THE ASPIRING ''GUARDIAN DOGS'' WILL BEGIN THEIR HUNT. 4. THE ASPIRING ''GUARDIAN DOGS'' MAY KILL OR TORTURE ANY HUMANS THEY FIND. 5. POINTS WILL BE AWARDED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF HUMANS KILLED. 6. THE TIME LIMIT IS 1 HALF HOURS. IF THERE ARE ANY SURVIVORS, THEY WILL BE RELEASED FROM THIS COUNTRY." "I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND, HUMANS. MAY LUCK BE ON YOUR SIDE. YOU MAY LEAVE ONCE THE LARGE GATE OPENS." "What is this? We''re being forced to survive without a choice," I thought in panic. "From his words, they seem confident there will be no survivors. What should I do? How can I survive this?" My body trembled violently, my heart raced, and my mind was filled with dread over what was about to happen. "Come on, we just have to survive for an hour and a half. That means there''s still a chance!" Aldiano said, slapping my back hard. The blow was strong enough to make me stumble, but the pain snapped me out of my panic, even if temporarily. I stared at Aldiano in confusion, unable to understand how he remained calm in such a dire situation. A trumpet sounded, and the massive gate in front of us slowly opened, revealing a path leading into a dense forest illuminated by sunlight. The spectators'' cheers grew louder, their chants echoing throughout the arena. All I could do was stare helplessly at the gate now fully open, signaling either death or hope. "I have to survive, no matter what!" I resolved. "THE HUNT AND SURVIVE GAME HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN!" Ch 3. Echoes of Death Without realizing it, we had been running for more than ten minutes, and our bodies had reached their limits. "Let me rest for a moment..." said Marlo, leaning against a nearby tree to catch his breath. Even I, being younger, felt exhausted. Let alone Mr. Marlo, who was older-I was sure he couldn''t run any further. "Old man, we don''t have time to rest. If we want to survive, we''d better find a hiding spot and run as far as possible," Walter said, his face turning pale. "I can''t run anymore. If you want to leave me behind, I won''t stop you..." Marlo replied, sitting down against the tree and clutching his jacket pocket tightly. "If that''s what you want, then I''m sorry, but I can''t wait for you. I don''t want to die," Walter said before running off, leaving us behind. "Wait... Walter, we can''t leave Mr. Marlo!" I shouted. "You too, run as far as you can. Don''t worry about me," said Marlo, resigned. I could only stand frozen, watching Marlo sitting there helplessly, holding a photo tightly in his hand. "Is the person in the photo someone important to you?" "Yes... This is my daughter, Clara," he replied with a smile as he gazed at the photo. The photo showed a little girl, about five or six years old, smiling brightly while holding a flower. I sat beside Marlo and asked about his daughter. "She''s a beautiful and cheerful child... How is she doing now?" "She''s living with my parents now. I promised to come home this year to celebrate her birthday and see her," Marlo said. He then shared that he was a single parent, trying to raise his daughter after his wife left him for another man due to financial troubles. "I haven''t seen her in two years, and I really want to hug her and tell her I''ll never leave her again," Marlo said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I feel like I''ve failed as a father for not being able to make my only child happy." "If only I hadn''t accepted that job offer and had gone home earlier to see my daughter, I wouldn''t have been trapped here," he said, blaming himself. Feeling sorry for him, I tried to encourage him. " Mr. Marlo, let''s fight together to get out of here safely!" "As long as you''re alive, you''ll have the chance to meet your daughter again," I said, trying to lift his spirits. After staring at his daughter''s photo for a few minutes, a glimmer of determination returned to Marlo''s eyes. "You''re right. Let''s find a safe place to hide and not waste any more time. And please, just call me Marlo¡ªno need for ''Mr.'' We''re all in this fight for survival together," Marlo said as he prepared to move. "Alright... Marlo. I''ll try to get used to it," I responded, trying to sound natural. As we began running again, the sky gradually darkened, and it seemed like heavy rain was imminent. Ignoring it, we continued running as far as we could, searching for a safe place to hide. "Where could Aldiano have gone after leaving us?" I wondered. --- 20 minutes earlier: After the gate opened, without realizing it, we kept running in the direction Aldiano had gone. "Why are you following me?" Aldiano asked, running ahead of us. "I believe you have a plan to survive this, as you''re the only one who seems calm in a situation like this," I replied. "Wouldn''t our chances of survival be greater if we worked together?" Walter said. "So, we''re forming a team," Walter added. With an annoyed expression, Aldiano responded, "In a situation like this, being in a group will only get us killed faster." This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. "Our opponents are tracking dogs with a sense of smell 40 to 60 times more sensitive than humans." "If we stay in a group, our scent will accumulate in one place, making it easier for them to follow our trail." "So, I suggest we split up," Aldiano said, clearly unhappy with our presence. "But we could fight back if they manage to catch up to us, as long as we''re together," Walter countered, his face showing fear at the idea of splitting up. I remained silent, knowing that both of them had valid points. "Fight back? Are you crazy? They''ll definitely be armed to hunt us down, and they can run as fast as normal dogs." "So, the chance of fighting back and surviving is less than 10%," Aldiano said in frustration. "Do you have any advice for us to survive, Aldiano?" I asked, growing increasingly confused about our direction. "If you want to survive, head into that mangrove forest. According to the weather forecast, heavy rain is expected today." "The rain will make it harder for the tracking dogs to follow our scent since the mangrove forest has a variety of smells and is muddy, which can erase our trail and body odor." "And be careful with the mud when it rains-it''ll be even more dangerous," Aldiano advised. "Alright, let''s split up. Good luck," Aldiano said, leaving us. "Stop, Aldiano!!" Marlo shouted. We stopped at Marlo''s shout. "You''re planning to save yourself with that tool, aren''t you?" Marlo asked. Not understanding what he meant, I looked at Aldiano. "What tool?" Aldiano asked. "Don''t play dumb! You stole the ''Mole Gloves'' from those dogs, didn''t you?" Marlo accused, pointing to Aldiano''s pocket. "So you''re the one who stole it? That''s why I was accused and forced into this game!" Walter said angrily, ready to confront Aldiano. Aldiano, realizing he couldn''t deny it anymore, pulled out the ''Mole Gloves'' from his pocket. "What''s that? Isn''t it just a glove that have claws like a mole?" I asked, confused. "It''s one of the advanced tools in this world," Walter replied. "''Mole Gloves'' are gloves that make it easier to dig through the ground like a mole. They''re used to dig tunnels while we were under the control of those dogs," Marlo explained. "Don''t tell me you plan to take it from me," Aldiano said cynically. Without thinking, Walter charged at Aldiano in anger. However, Aldiano dodged easily and twisted Walter''s arm behind his back. "Let go! It hurts..." Walter cried, begging to be released. "Don''t think you can defeat me, even three against one," Aldiano said. From his movements, both Marlo and I could tell Aldiano wasn''t an ordinary person. We were powerless to do anything. "You''d better leave now, or you''ll all die when the ''Guardian Dogs'' catch up," Aldiano said, letting go of Walter''s arm. We could only stand there helplessly as Aldiano walked away into the mangrove forest. "Damn it, he''s the reason I''m in this mess," Walter cried, clutching his aching arm. "We have no choice. Let''s head into the forest as far as we can. If Aldiano''s suggestion is right, our chances of survival will increase," Mr. Marlo said, starting to walk into the forest. We had no other choice but to follow him. --- ''DUM! DUM! DUM!'' The loud sound of drums echoed throughout the forest, signaling that the ''Guardian Dogs'' had begun hunting us. Fear consumed us all, and our hearts raced in sync with the relentless drumming. Unable to stay still, we began running as fast as we could, ignoring the exhaustion that was eating away at our bodies. "Danger! Danger! Danger!" That thought kept looping in my head. ''BOOM!'' ''BOOM!'' Just seconds after the drums sounded, we heard the first explosion of fireworks, followed quickly by another. "Why are they lighting fireworks in the morning? What does it mean?" I asked, confused. "It''s likely a signal for the number of players who have died. Every time you hear the fireworks, it means one player has been killed," Marlo replied as he ran behind me. "So, the fireworks went off twice. That means two people have died already?" "The drums only started a few minutes ago, and people are already dead. This is too dangerous," I thought anxiously. ''BOOM!'' "Another firework? That''s too quick." "Should I keep running or find a place to hide? My mind is in chaos every time I hear the fireworks." "There are 17 players left," said Marlo. "Seventeen?" I asked, startled. "When we left the hiding spot, I noticed five doors were open, and one room had four players. So, there were a total of 20 people, including us," Marlo explained. "Twenty players... so how many ''Guardian Dogs'' are chasing us?" I wondered. "If there are more of them, it won''t be long before they catch up to us." "Can we rest for a moment?" asked Marlo, already exhausted. Terrified and confused, I hesitated. But seeing Marlo wanting to stop made me fear staying in one place for too long. "If we stop for too long, they''ll catch up to us," I said in panic. "I also want to keep running, but my body can''t take it anymore. If I push myself, I might collapse," Marlo replied, gasping for breath. ''BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!'' The sound of fireworks exploded again, signaling that three more players had just died. "Three explosions at the same time... that means those three were hiding together," Marlo said. "We need to move quickly, Marlo," I urged, with growing fear in my voice. Without realizing it, the rain began to pour heavily, drenching us in an instant. Seeing Marlo struggling and gasping for air, I remembered the advice my father once gave me. "Calm yourself when you''re in a dire situation. Take a deep breath, count to five in your mind, and exhale while focusing on your steps." I tried my father''s advice, attempting to calm myself even if just for a moment. "Thank you, Dad," I muttered, feeling slightly more composed. I started observing my surroundings and recalled what Aldiano had said earlier. "The rain makes the ground slippery and muddy, very dangerous." "But this heavy rain might make it harder for the tracking dogs to follow our scent since the rain and mud would wash it away." "But that doesn''t mean they won''t be able to follow our trail," I thought. Suddenly, Marlo slipped and fell behind me. "Are you okay?" I asked, trying to help him up. "It''s too slippery to walk, but I''m fine. Let''s keep going," Marlo replied, struggling to stand. Watching him move slowly, his body covered in mud, I realized something important. "Marlo, let''s hide here. We don''t need to go any farther. I have an idea," I said with full confidence. Ch 4. Hide or Die Heavy rain poured over the forest, shrouded in a thin mist. The muddy ground was slippery beneath our feet, while the sound of raindrops and rustling leaves filled the air, mixing with the scent of wet soil. The cold air began to bite my wet body. I started to share an idea with Marlo so we wouldn''t have to run anymore. "I have a plan, please trust me!" I insisted. "Do you think your plan will work? And I''m sure the ''Guardian Dogs'' will be here in a matter of seconds," Marlo responded. "Running won''t save us because the ''Guardian Dogs'' are as fast as dogs," I explained. "So, it''s better if we hide here and conserve our energy." Marlo began to think and seemed resigned. "If you''re so sure, then I''ll put my life in your hands. I hope your idea works well." "First, let''s cover ourselves with mud," I said, starting to smear mud on my body. Marlo, confused, began doing the same. The forest was silent, filled only with the sound of raindrops falling on the leaves. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed on the muddy ground, breaking the silence and making us glance at each other warily. "Damn!! They''re here," I yelled in my mind. We hastened the process of covering ourselves in mud, and I quickly instructed Marlo to follow me. "Hide here, Marlo." I led Marlo to crouch and hide in the bushes. The bushes were only about three meters high. "Are you sure they won''t find us?" whispered Marlo. I looked at Marlo and nodded, indicating that I was confident our plan would work. A few minutes later, we both glanced in the same direction as the sound of footsteps grew closer. The closer the footsteps came, the faster our hearts beat. All we could do was close our mouths and hold our breath. The footsteps stepped and stopped right in front of us. Time seemed to stretch on, with the sound of rain breaking the silence around us. After a while, we saw the footsteps move away from us. We stood frozen, not moving, even though the footsteps were no longer there. The silence began to fade as Marlo said, "We made it past them, thank goodness. I thought we were going to die." I smiled and replied, "Yeah, thank goodness we survived thanks to the condition of this forest." "This forest condition?" Marlo asked. "We''re in a mangrove forest, which has a complex and strong aroma because of the muddy soil mixed with decaying organic matter and methane gas released by the decomposition process," I explained. "That''s why I suggested covering our bodies with mud so our scent gets mixed, and the plants we''re hiding behind are also important for masking our scent." "These plants?" Marlo said, looking around at the plants surrounding us. "Yeah, these are Chromolaena odorata plants, which also have a distinct odor, making them a perfect hiding spot," I added. "Turns out, you''re pretty smart to know all that," Marlo complimented. "I have to thank what I learned in school. I never thought it would be useful in a situation like this," I replied proudly. "So, do we have to keep hiding here?" Marlo asked, looking around. "We don''t even know how far the ''Guardian Dogs'' have gone," I responded. Should we stay here or find another place to hide? This started to make me uncertain, because a wrong decision could cost us our lives. But if we stayed here, the ''Guardian Dogs'' would eventually find us, because I was sure they could still smell us, even with the other odors masking it. "Yeah, you''re right, I can''t underestimate a dog''s sense of smell," I thought. "Let''s go, find a new place to hide!" I whispered, creeping out of our hiding spot. "So, where should we go?" Marlo asked. "We need to move against the wind to avoid their scent," I said. We began walking against the wind, staying alert to our surroundings, fearing the ''Guardian Dogs'' might still be nearby. After walking for a few minutes, the sound of firecracker explosions started to echo again, one after another. "About five more explosions, that means there are only nine people left. Where are the other seven, including us?" "Are Aldiano and Walter still alive?" I thought. Without stopping to think about the number of players still alive, we started to slow our pace due to the heavy rain, which worsened our vision ahead, and the wet mud that made it harder for us to move. "Is it just me, or does the mud here seem to be getting deeper?" I asked Marlo while noticing the mud starting to cover my feet. "I think it''s dangerous if we keep walking straight ahead because of this mud," Marlo replied. I wasn''t fully focused on what Marlo was saying when suddenly I slipped and fell, but luckily, I managed to grab a branch from a nearby tree. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Marlo, startled by my fall, quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me up. "It turns out this is a mud pit, and we don''t know if it''s safe to cross," Marlo said. "Yeah, it''s better we avoid going forward. I''m sure the ''Guardian Dog'' will avoid it too," I responded, while scanning the area. "Let''s explore the pit from the sides and move slowly because it''s very slippery." After a while, we continued following the edge of the pit. Suddenly, we saw someone running in the distance. Quickly, Marlo and I hid and observed who it was. "It''s Walter!" Marlo said. After examining closely, it indeed looked like Walter, and he seemed to be running in a hurry. "Is he being chased?" I thought. Before I could process the thought, I saw a dog-headed figure chasing him with a sword in hand. "Trouble! Walter is in danger! We have to help him!" Marlo exclaimed. "We can''t help him, we''ll probably die if we do," I replied, filled with hesitation. Is there a way to help? There must be a way; I have to think of something to save Walter too. On the other side, Walter thought, "Why did he find me?" "I have to run as far as I can, I''m not ready to die." I had been running as fast as I could, but after taking a short break and looking back, I saw the dog-headed figure still chasing me leisurely. "Dammit, how is he still chasing me? I''ve run as fast as I can," I complained. Panic started to set in, and I wanted to run again when suddenly I heard voices calling out. I looked to see Elio and Marlo waving their hands at me. "Walter, run this way!!" They shouted loudly. What are they thinking? Didn''t they see the dog behind me? I thought, panicked. Without thinking any further, I started running toward them, hoping to escape all of this. I was running quickly, but I tripped and fell because of the slippery mangrove tree roots. I saw a sword flying from behind me and striking a tree in front of me. "Dammit, if I hadn''t fallen, that sword would''ve hit my back. Looks like God is still watching over me," I muttered, standing up and looking behind me. The dog was now running at full speed toward me, and immediately, I started running as fast as I could to put some distance between us. "Dammit... he''s starting to chase me!" I said, surprised to see that Elio and Marlo were no longer in front of me. "Where did they go? Didn''t they tell me to run toward them? Where are they?" "Did they see the dog behind me, and they ran when I fell?" In a panic and frustration, not caring about anything else, I kept running. Suddenly, I was pushed aside by Marlo, who was hiding behind a tree. As I fell, I saw the dog leap over us and try to attack me from behind. Fortunately, Marlo quickly pushed me, and the dog passed over us. I saw the dog fall into the mud pit and struggle to get out. It kept trying but was sinking deeper into the mud. Elio ran over to us and looked at the dog struggling in the pit. "Take that, you damn dog! Die in that mud!" I shouted, flipping the bird toward the dog. As we started to calm down, thinking we were safe, the dog suddenly pulled a whistle from his pocket and blew it loudly, making it echo through the forest. "He''s calling for his friends. We need to run fast," Elio said, trying to grab my and Marlo''s sleeves. I, Elio, after hearing the whistle, didn''t hesitate and quickly grabbed Walter and Marlo to move away from the area. "His friends will be here soon. We need to run as far as we can," I said. "Should we hide in the same place as before?" Marlo asked, looking uneasy. "Did you find a hiding place? Then we''ll hide there," Walter added. "No, if we hide there again, they''ll find us," I replied. We kept running, and before we knew it, the rain had started to ease, and a light fog began to form around us. Before the fog got thick, we started scanning the area for a temporary hiding spot. I noticed a hole in the ground between the mangrove tree roots, big enough for three people to hide in. "Over there! Under the mangrove tree roots!" I shouted. We hurriedly hid under the tree roots, hoping not to be found. A few minutes passed, and we heard two footsteps running past us. "Is it safe now?" Walter asked. "It looks like they''ve gone far," Marlo replied, looking out. "Then we need to leave before they realize we''re here," I said. "Wouldn''t it be safer to stay here?" Walter asked anxiously. "If we stay in one place, they''ll realize we''re here because our scent will linger, and they''ll know we''re not elsewhere," I explained, eager to leave. "No! I''m staying here. Since they didn''t find us here, this place is safer than out there," Walter replied. "Believe me, those creatures are dogs, which means they have sharp senses of smell," Marlo said, trying to reassure Walter. But Walter still didn''t want to leave the hiding place and said, "Even though they are dogs, their sense of smell has drastically declined because they have started using other senses." "That''s proven since they couldn''t find us here even though they passed by us, so it''s clear that it''s safer here," Walter explained. Not knowing what else to do, I decided to urge Marlo to hurry and leave the area before they came back. "Maybe it would be safer if we were alone because the smell would blend with the mud and the mangrove trees'' scent, rather than the three of us being here," I said, pulling on Marlo''s arm. Marlo and I reluctantly started to leave Walter behind, hoping he would be safe there. Meanwhile, Walter watched as Marlo and Elio left him alone. "I''ll be safe here and make it home safely," I thought to myself. As I reflected, I started murmuring, "Dad, Mom, I''m sorry for leaving home and for being a burden to you." "Even though you''re getting older, you still try to repay my debts, while I keep spending your money on my own pleasure. If I make it back home safely, I promise I''ll change," I murmured, clutching the necklace around my neck. Suddenly, while I was thinking about my parents, I heard footsteps directly above me. I started sweating cold and kept praying they wouldn''t find me. After just a few seconds of silence, two eyes stared at me from outside my hiding place. "They found me here," I thought, tears starting to fall. In an instant, two hands grabbed me and pulled me out of my hiding place. I fought back, but I was too weak to resist. With tears streaming down and fear overwhelming me, I began pleading with them, "Please let me go, I promise I''ll do anything if you just don''t kill me." The two ''Guardian Dogs'' looked at each other and whispered something. "If you want to live, how about you act like our brethren from the human world?" one of the Guardian Dogs said. "Brethren? Do they mean dogs?" I thought. Then, I began crawling and crying like a dog, kneeling and posing like a dog begging for mercy. "Hahaha, it''s actually quite similar when you act like this," laughed both Guardian Dogs. "But it''s a pity. Even though our brethren have acted well and begged for mercy in the human world, you humans still treated them cruelly," the Guardian Dog in front of me said coldly. My gaze froze on him. Slowly, he raised his sword high, the dim light in the forest reflecting its sharp gleam. My body trembled violently, but the fear mixed with something much more painful-deep regret. In my mind, my father and mother''s faces appeared clearly. Father, with deeper furrows on his forehead, and Mother, gazing at me with sorrowful eyes. "Walter, how long do we have to bear all this? Your debts... the loan sharks are threatening to take our house!" Dad''s voice echoed, as if it were coming back into my ears. At that moment, I had only laughed lightly, brushing off their worries without a second thought. "Don''t worry, Dad. This time I''ll win big, I''ll definitely pay it all back. Even more," I had said, but now those words felt empty, full of the deceit I had realized too late. I had destroyed them. I kept gambling, kept draining our family''s savings for my empty ambitions. They didn''t deserve this suffering. "I''m sorry, Dad. Mom..." I whispered faintly. Tears kept streaming down. I clutched the necklace around my neck tightly, my fingers trembling. "God, if I could get one more chance... I swear I''ll change. I''ll make amends." But that prayer felt hollow in my mind. I knew my time was up. The Guardian Dog in front of me showed no hesitation. With swift movement, his sword swung, cutting through the air with a sharp sound. I closed my eyes, accepting my fate-the price for my own foolishness. Then, everything went dark. In the distance, the sound of fireworks echoed in the clear night sky. The number of humans left was now only eight. Ch 5. The End of The Game After running several meters away from Walter, our steps halted when we heard the sound of fireworks exploding very close by. Marlo and I exchanged confused glances. Our minds began analyzing the sound. "Is it just me, or does the fireworks sound really close?" I asked, trying to confirm. Marlo glanced behind us. "That sound came from the direction we just left," he said softly. We fell silent for a moment, our eyes filled with unspoken fear. And then, the realization struck us. "It''s from where Walter was hiding," we exclaimed simultaneously, our voices trembling. "Could it be that Walter..." Marlo paused for a moment, his voice barely a whisper, "has been killed?" I froze. The thought cut through me like a sharp dagger. But I tried to think clearly. "We''d better move away from here first. If the situation allows, we can come back to check on Walter." Marlo nodded slowly, his expression heavy. "I hope he''s okay..." We quickly moved away from the area, our footsteps leading us out of the mangrove forest. But what awaited us outside was no better. In front of us lay an open shoreline, with murky water rushing rapidly due to the rain. "We can''t cross this," Marlo said, shaking his head. "It''s too dangerous." "Then we have to go back into the forest?" I asked, frustration lacing my voice. Marlo let out a heavy sigh. "We have no choice. We''ll have to circle back through the forest." I gritted my teeth, trying to suppress the fear creeping back in. "Alright. Let''s just hope we don''t run into them..." Before I could finish my sentence, three more fireworks explosions echoed in the air, louder and even closer. "Why does it always sound like this, so close!" I shouted in panic, my eyes darting around, searching for the source. The tension grew as we spotted something in the distance. A black shadow peeked from behind a tree, its eyes glaring sharply in our direction. "Marlo!" I exclaimed. "Someone''s watching us!" Without thinking twice, we started running as fast as we could, trying to distance ourselves from the shadow that continued to observe us. "Why isn''t it attacking us?" I asked, gasping for breath. "Could it be another participant like us?" "Maybe," Marlo replied, panting, "or maybe it''s just toying with us." We kept running until we finally stopped, our bodies exhausted and our heavy breaths hanging in the air. "It seems like it''s not following us," Marlo said, trying to calm himself. "But I don''t know if that''s luck or not..." I was about to respond when my eyes caught something on a tree. "Marlo, look at that!" I pointed to red liquid dripping from the tree trunk. He approached to take a closer look. "This... is blood," he murmured. "Still fresh." I was stunned. "Blood? Does that mean someone died here?" Marlo looked at me with a face as pale as mine. "This is where we separated from Walter..." Without hesitation, we ran toward Walter''s hiding spot. But what we found shattered our hearts. Walter''s lifeless body lay on the ground, his head severed and nowhere to be found. My legs grew weak, and my body trembled violently. "This can''t be..." I murmured, my voice barely audible. The sight made me nauseous, and I vomited on the spot. I saw Marlo standing frozen, his face pale, staring at Walter''s incomplete body. Tears welled up in my eyes. "This is my fault," I whispered, my voice filled with regret. "Why didn''t I force him to come with us? Why did I leave him?" Marlo remained silent, but I knew he was grappling with the same guilt. The oppressive silence was finally broken by a loud voice echoing in the air: "TIME REMAINING: 10 MINUTES. SURVIVING PLAYERS: 5." I wiped my tears, trying to steady myself. We didn''t have the luxury to wallow in guilt. "Let''s go," Marlo said as he helped me stand. "Ten minutes may seem short, but in this situation, it feels like an eternity." "Should we hide or run?" he asked. I thought hard. "Hiding is too dangerous. The Guardian Dogs will grow more aggressive." This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "But running is risky too," he replied. "If we encounter them, we''ll be done for." Suddenly, I remembered something. "The firework explosion earlier... if it marked Walter''s death, the next explosions would signal the deaths of other players." "You mean, they''re no longer in this area?" Marlo asked. I nodded. "Most likely, they''re moving to another area. The safest place is outside the forest, near the starting point where we entered the Colosseum." "Then we need to run there," Marlo concluded. We began running again, but it felt as though fate was playing tricks on us. As we passed a tree, we came face-to-face with one of the Guardian Dogs, leaning casually against it, wearing a hoodie. "Marlo, run!" I yelled in panic. But the farther we ran, the worse it became. Another Guardian Dog appeared ahead of us, staring at us with sharp eyes. The first Guardian Dog immediately chased after us, forcing us to change direction. Our steps were frantic, driven by the panic coursing through us. "Damn it! How are they finding us so quickly?!" Marlo exclaimed, his breaths ragged. "They''re in front and behind us! Where can we run?!" I shouted back, nearly out of breath from fear. There was no time to think. My legs kept moving, hoping to get as far away as possible. A loud voice boomed in the air, causing my steps to falter for a moment. "TIME REMAINING: 5 MINUTES. SURVIVING PLAYERS: 5." The announcement wasn''t just a warning-it was a grim reminder of how close death was. But we had no choice but to keep running until we unknowingly returned to the large mud pit. "Damn it... we''re back here?!"Marlo stopped for a moment, his expression growing more panicked. "What should do we do now?" I asked, my voice trembling, despair beginning to take hold. He looked at the mud in front of him, then turned to me with a determined gaze. "There''s only one way..." Before I could ask, Marlo pushed me into the mud. I fell, my body sinking partially into it. "What are you doing, Marlo?!" I yelled in panic, trying to pull myself out. "Grab onto that tree root!" he ordered firmly. "Hide among the roots, and don''t make a sound, no matter what happens." "But-" "Trust me! I''ll draw them away from you!" he said. His face was tense, but he managed a faint smile. "I need to survive for my daughter. And you need to survive too." His words pierced my heart. Reluctantly, I reached for the mangrove tree root, pulling myself toward the hiding spot he mentioned. Meanwhile, he turned away, facing the danger with a courage that shattered my heart. "HEY! YOU STUPID DOGS! COME AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!!" he shouted loudly, his voice echoing through the forest. I could only bite my lip, holding back the sobs threatening to escape, watching his figure run off, leaving me behind. --- The mud kept pulling my body downward, but I held tightly to the tree root, trying to stay calm. Every second felt like an hour, with only the sound of insects and my pounding heart breaking the silence. Suddenly, the sound of fireworks echoed again. "BOOM!" One explosion that pierced my chest like a dagger. My thoughts immediately turned to Marlo. "Could it be... he''s..." I murmured, my voice choking. I mustered all my strength to get out of the mud. My hands trembled, my body filthy, but I didn''t care. "Marlo... please be okay..." I managed to crawl out and gasped for air at the edge of the pit. But before I could stand, a foot appeared right in front of me. The tip of a blade pointed at my face, freezing me in place. "Don''t ever lift your head if you want to live," a cold voice echoed. My body trembled violently. My heart pounded, but I didn''t dare move. "I hope you obey, because your life depends on it," the voice continued. But the next sentence left me stunned. "Elio, I''m glad you''re still alive... my best friend." I stammered. "How... do you know my name?" "It''s me, Lucky." I paused for a moment. "Lucky...?" I murmured, almost in disbelief. "That''s... impossible. Lucky is..." "Your pet dog," he replied calmly. His words hit me like a massive wave. Tears nearly spilled from my eyes. "Lucky?! How could... how could you be here?" "Please, don''t lift your head," he said firmly. "We''re being watched by cameras. They can''t hear us, but they can see our movements." I kept my head lowered, even though my heart was filled with questions. "I''ll explain later. But one thing you need to know: I won''t let you die here." As strange and unbelievable as the situation was, hearing Lucky''s voice gave me hope. For the first time in a long while, I didn''t feel alone. Lucky continued, "When this game is over, you''ll be taken out of this country. But not to be freed. They''ll send you to Hogmar, the land ruled by the Porcusian race." I swallowed hard. "What do you mean? What are the Porcusians?" "The pig race," he answered. "But don''t worry, I have a plan. Once you''re free, run to Mount Olympus. Many survivors are hiding and building a base there. You''ll be safe with them." I fell silent, trying to process all the new information he had just shared. "I''ll protect you, Elio. You have to survive." I could only nod slowly, my mind swirling with confusion and the faint glimmer of newfound hope. Drums echoed, shaking the forest, growing louder and more threatening. DUM DUM DUM "TIME IS UP FOR THE 4 SURVIVING PLAYERS. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL." "YOU WILL BE FREED FROM THIS COUNTRY. I HOPE THE PLAYERS WILL RETURN TO THE COLOSSEUM TO CLAIM THEIR FREEDOM." "IF YOU DO NOT RETURN, YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED REBELS AND WILL BE EXECUTED WHEN WE FIND YOU." "ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU AND TO THE ''GUARDIAN DOGS'' WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR HUNTING EXCELLENCE." "I need to go to that Colosseum," I said, my voice hoarse with overwhelming emotions. "Yes, I''ll help you, and we''ll meet again later. But before that..." Lucky replied in a serious tone. "I''m sorry," he continued softly. "I have to kick and hit you because we''re being watched by camera." "It''s okay," I replied, trying to smile despite the heaviness in my heart. "I''m glad to see you here." With that, Lucky began hitting me with the sheath of his sword and kicked me once. It hurt quite a bit, but i tried to endure it, letting out a faint groan. "I''m sorry, Elio. Let''s meet again later," said Lucky, and without giving me a chance to speak further, he left me. In pain, I slowly stood up and began walking toward the Colosseum. My steps were slow, my body felt heavy, and my heart was filled with a sense of uncertainty. Suddenly, my view stopped. In front of my eyes, Marlo''s body lay motionless, headless. His right hand still tightly gripped the photo of his daughter, as if he wanted to ensure that the only memory left remained with him. I couldn''t hold myself back. My sobs broke out, as if I could no longer bear the weight of it all. "I''m sorry, Marlo," I cried, my voice hoarse, tears flowing without stopping. "This is all my fault. If only I could do something... Maybe you wouldn''t have to sacrifice yourself like this." I wiped away the tears that kept flowing, unable to stop feeling the deep sadness. "I''m sorry, Marlo," I muttered again, this time with a lower voice, full of regret. After crying for a while, I slowly calmed myself, trying to control the tumultuous emotions. "I won''t be a coward anymore," I said softly, my eyes filled with determination. "I will try my best to save the people around me. " I wiped my face and carefully tucked Marlo''s photo of his daughter into my pocket. "Rest in peace, Marlo. I''ll get out of this world, and I''ll tell your heroic story to your daughter. I promise." With slow steps, I stood up and continued my journey toward the Colosseum. The photo stayed in my pocket, a silent promise to a father who was willing to sacrifice everything for others. Ch 6. A World Without Hope Frey slowly opened his eyes. His head felt heavy, and his mind was still blurry. As his vision cleared, he saw many people lying on the ground, some beginning to stir, including familiar faces. "Where am I?" I muttered, trying to sit up. The room was vast and dark, illuminated only by dim lights hanging from the ceiling. There were no windows, just cold earthen walls that added to the oppressive atmosphere. I turned to the side and saw Darren, one of my classmates, lying with his glasses slightly askew on his face. I gently tapped his shoulder. "Darren, wake up!" Darren blinked and sat up hastily, adjusting his glasses immediately. His face looked panicked. "Frey, where is this? Are we still being chased by that dog-headed creature?" I tried to lighten the mood. "Maybe we''ve been abducted by aliens for experiments?" I joked with a grin. Darren shot me a sharp look. "Frey, seriously! This isn''t the time for jokes." I just shrugged and helped Darren to his feet. "Come on, let''s wake the others. We need to figure out what''s going on." Together, we began waking up the others. One by one, they regained consciousness, though most of them were confused and frightened. When most of the group was awake, I realized someone I knew was missing. "Elio..." I whispered, my eyes scanning the room. "Where''s Elio?" Darren, who was helping another friend stand up, turned to me. "I don''t see him. Maybe he''s in another room?" A growing sense of worry and confusion washed over me. Just then, a girl approached me. "Frey, are you looking for Elio?" asked Jessica. "Yeah, have you seen him?" Jessica shook her head slightly. "The last time I saw him, he was on the bus with us... before that dog-headed creature attacked." Our conversation was interrupted by one of our friends shouting, "Hey, why are these collars around our necks?" I turned and touched my neck. Sure enough, a cold metal collar encircled it. At the back of the collar was a small green light. Everyone started trying to remove theirs, but the collars were too strong. As they struggled with them, the creaking sound of a large door echoed, silencing everyone. From the doorway emerged a portly man with a smug expression on his face, followed by two tall and muscular men. His gaze swept over the room, as if assessing each of us. "So this is today''s catch?" he muttered, then chuckled. "Finally, some fresh young faces." "What do you mean?!" one of Frey''s friends shouted. "Let us go right now, or my family will come looking for me!" The portly man only laughed. "Your family? Hah, do you really think anyone will find you here?" He stepped closer, his tone growing sharper. "Forget your previous lives. Here, you are slaves. And for the young ladies who know how to please me, your lives could become much easier." "Disgusting! Who would be willing to serve you?!" shouted one of the women from my class. The man stopped laughing. His expression turned cold as he pulled out a small device from his pocket and pressed a button on it. The girl''s collar turned red, emitting a beeping sound that grew faster. "BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!" "What is this?!" The girl frantically tried to remove her collar. The next moment, a loud explosion echoed through the room. The girl''s head burst, leaving blood splattered across the floor and walls. Horrified screams filled the room. Some people backed into the corners, trying to stay as far away from the man as possible. "Anyone who disobeys me will meet the same fate," the man said coldly, putting the device back in his pocket. "Now, follow me." With fear still gripping us, we had no choice but to obey and follow him out of the room. I felt Jessica''s grip on my arm tighten. "We have to stick together," I whispered to Jessica, though I struggled to hide the fear twisting in my chest. We walked down a long, dark corridor. Small lights on the ceiling provided minimal illumination. The air in the hallway felt damp and suffocating. After several minutes of walking, we arrived at a wide-open area. The sight before us left everyone silent. It was a massive mine filled with workers. The light from torches and dim lamps illuminated the tired faces of the laborers, who stared at us sharply. There was a mixture of curiosity and suspicion in their eyes-perhaps they hadn''t seen young faces like ours in a long time. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "From now on, you will work in this mine. Remember this well-every move you make is being watched. Don''t even think about rebelling, or you''ll regret it," said the portly man who had brought us here. His voice was cold and menacing. Before we could protest, two of his subordinates approached, carrying trays with glasses filled with a thick, black liquid. "Drink this. Now," one of them ordered sternly. I stared at the glass hesitantly. "What is this?" Jessica whispered softly beside me. I could only shake my head, clueless. Reluctantly, we all drank the liquid. It tasted bitter and strange as it slid down my throat. My head throbbed for a moment, but the dizziness soon faded. "Good," the portly man said with a sinister smile. "Now you''re ready to work. Listen to my subordinate; he will explain your tasks." A burly man with a deep voice stepped forward. "You will use two main tools: the ''Mole Gloves,'' which let you dig through soil like a mole, and the ''Ox Bangle,'' which grants you extra strength to lift heavy objects. "Ox Bangle" was a circular bracelet featuring a bull head motif on the front, adorned with simple decorative lines and a vertical element on top as an additional ornament. And "Mole Gloves" resembled mole claws with sharp tips for digging, thick palms, and a simple wrist cuff for comfort. Use them according to your assigned tasks. And remember, do not try to steal any crystals or use these tools against us. The punishment is death." We were left speechless, silently accepting our fate and the tools without asking too many questions. With heavy hearts, we began walking toward the tunnels that had been prepared for us. Along the way, Jasper''s eyes filled with tears, his face tight with anxiety. "Why has this happened to us?" he muttered, his voice trembling with sadness. I gently patted his shoulder. "Jasper, don''t worry. We''ll be okay as long as we help each other and stick together. We can get through this," I said with a reassuring smile. Noticing how downcast the rest of the group looked, I tried to lift their spirits. "Hey, everyone, listen! We might be trapped in this place, but we have to believe that we can survive. As long as we stay united, I''m sure we''ll find a way out. Remember, our spirit can''t be caged, no matter how strong the walls are!" I said with determination. My words began to change the mood. Some of them slowly smiled, and Darren, our class president, joined in. "Frey''s right. We''ve been through a lot together, and this isn''t the end. Let''s show that we''re stronger than this situation." Little by little, my friends'' spirits began to return. However, the atmosphere shifted when an older worker barked at us. "Hey, new kids! How long are you going to stand there? Get that rock out of here!" Darren looked confused, staring at a large rock that was bigger than his body. "How are we supposed to lift this?" he asked hesitantly. The older man scoffed. "You''ve got the ''Ox Bangle,'' don''t you? Use it! You, the one with glasses, lift it now!" Darren hesitated, so I stepped in. "Mind if I give it a try, Darren?" I asked. After he handed over the tool, I put it on and tried lifting the rock. To my surprise, the seemingly impossible weight lifted with ease. "What?!" The others were shocked, including Darren. "How are you able to lift that?" "It''s because of the ''Ox Bangle.'' This tool gives you the strength of an ox," the older man explained. "As for the ''Mole Gloves,'' they''re for digging through the soil like a mole. Now, start working unless you want to face punishment!" After returning the ''Ox Bangle'' to Darren, I approached the older man. "Sir, may I know your name?" "Victor," he answered curtly. "But if you''ve got time to ask questions, you''d better use it to work." Before I could respond, the atmosphere in the mine began to heat up. Some senior workers started harassing the girls in our group. The girls looked scared and tried to move away, but the men kept closing in, their behavior increasingly disrespectful. I took a deep breath, realizing this wasn''t a situation I could ignore, while my other friends could only lower their heads, too scared to intervene. With my heart pounding, I stepped forward. "Excuse me, sir, could you please let them go?" I asked politely. One of the men glared at me. "Who do you think you are, telling us what to do?" I kept my smile, trying to calm the situation. "I understand, but my friends are already scared. Please give them some space. I''m sure we can find another way to deal with this." The man scoffed, then sneered, "Oh, so we have a hero here, huh? Do you even know how stressful it is to work in this place? No one here cares about rules or manners!" Victor, who had been watching from a distance, sighed heavily, as if he already knew this would end badly. I stood my ground, even though my knees were trembling slightly. "I don''t want to fight anyone. I just want all of us to stay safe here."I don¡¯t want trouble. I just want everyone to be safe." The man sneered coldly, and without another word, he suddenly punched me hard in the stomach. I gasped, feeling a sharp pain spread through my body. It didn''t stop there. Two of his friends joined in, throwing punches and kicks at me. I tried to protect my head with my arms, but the pain was relentless and overwhelming. Jessica, who attempted to intervene, was also struck and fell near Victor. "Stop it, you three!" Victor shouted firmly, stepping between them and me, who was still sprawled on the ground. However, the three men only looked at him with disdain. One of them laughed mockingly and said, "Old man, do you think you can stop us? This isn''t your business." Victor stood his ground. "I''m just reminding you, if you cause trouble, you know who will step in. Do you want to face the overseer?" His words made the three men hesitate for a moment, but only for a few seconds before one of them sneered. "We''re not afraid. If the overseer comes, we''ll just say it''s the new kid''s fault for starting the trouble." The commotion eventually caught the attention of one of the overseers, a tall man who had been standing next to the portly man. He approached with a cold, intimidating gaze. "What''s going on here?" the overseer asked, his voice sharp and commanding. One of the men tried to speak, but Victor quickly cut him off. "These three challenged the new kid to a game. Isn''t that within the rules? They wanted to test who''s stronger." The three men were stunned by his statement. "What? We never said that!" one of them protested loudly. The overseer glared at them before turning to look at me, still battered and bruised. A faint smile crossed his face. "Interesting. In that case, the three of you and this kid will play. Get ready for the ''Tiles of Fate.''" The three men looked panicked and terrified. I, still clueless about what "Tiles of Fate" was, could only stand there, limping, as tension consumed me. "What kind of game is this?" I wondered, trying to calm the growing fear inside me. Ch 7. Behind the Scenes of the Game I was now in the room called the mining clinic to receive treatment for the injuries caused by those three workers. The room looked more like an old warehouse than a medical facility. Flickering neon lights cast a grim and oppressive atmosphere. The smell of antiseptic mixed with a sharp metallic scent, and the beds were nothing more than rusted iron frames with thin mattresses. The medical equipment looked outdated, some even dusty and seemingly rarely used. "Does it still hurt?" Jessica asked as she cleaned the wound on my arm. "It''s a bit better now, thank you," I replied softly. "But... can this place really be called a medical clinic? From its condition, it''s more like an abandoned warehouse," I muttered while observing the dust and grime-filled room. Jessica opened an old drawer and took out a few bottles of medicine. "At least there''s still some antiseptic we can use," she said, trying to stay optimistic. Suddenly, she held up a small bottle with a faded label. "Look at this, Frey. It says ''Biodine,'' and it''s marked ''Made in UNA.'' Are we actually in UNA?" she asked, confused. I moved closer, examining the bottle closely. "How did something like this end up here? And look, it says it was produced in 1980," I pointed at the nearly faded label. Jessica furrowed her brow. "Why is such an old medicine still here?" We both fell silent, trying to make sense of the situation. But the sound of approaching footsteps from the door broke the quiet. "Are you finished?" asked someone, who turned out to be the overseer. He looked at us with sharp eyes. "Yes, we''re done," I said as I stood up. "Thank you for helping me, Mr...," I hesitated, unsure what to call him. "Just call me Shade. But if the head overseer is around, pretend I never introduced myself," he said mysteriously. "Alright... But can I ask you something? What is the ''Tiles of Fate'' game?" I asked curiously. Shade looked at me for a moment before answering, "You''ll find out when the game begins. It''ll start 30 minutes after the ''Hunt and Survive'' game is over." He continued, "You''re expected to join the other workers after your treatment. The ''Hunt and Survive'' game will start soon, and you''re all required to watch. Think of it as a break." After giving his instructions, Shade left us. "''Hunt and Survive''? What''s that?" Jessica asked anxiously. "Why are there so many strange games?" "It''s better if we head out and join the others. They''re probably worried," I said, trying to calm Jessica. We left the clinic and saw many workers, along with our friends, already gathered in a large open area. Most of them sat on the ground, waiting for something. "There they are!" Jessica said, waving her hand. "How are you feeling, Frey?" Darren asked, concerned. "I''m sorry I couldn''t help you earlier." "Forgive us too," said one of the girls I had saved, followed by two others who also apologized. I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Ah, it''s nothing serious. I can still eat three big plates of rice." Jessica immediately interjected, "Are you sure they''d give you that much?" "It''s just a figure of speech," I replied with a small laugh. We all laughed together, easing the tension that had lingered earlier. Darren then said, "Come on, let''s join the others." As I rejoined the group, I felt grateful for their concern for me. Suddenly, a projector turned on, displaying an image on the mine wall. What appeared on the screen left us all stunned. There, we saw a group of animals, mostly dogs, behaving like humans. Some sat, some cheered, and others waved banners covered in unfamiliar symbols we had never seen before. The most baffling part was that we could understand what they were saying. "How can we understand their language? Did they learn human speech?" Darren asked, confused. "Then where are we? And why are there animals acting like humans?" Jessica added. We exchanged glances, trying to comprehend this bizarre situation. But what puzzled us even more was how the other workers seemed to treat it as normal. "Just enjoy the show," said Victor, who suddenly appeared beside us. "What does all this mean, Mr. Victor?" I asked urgently. "Mr.? There''s no need to add that to my name. Just call me Victor," he replied. Victor took a deep breath before answering, "We''re now in Doghaven, a nation ruled by the Canidra-dogs that behave like humans. You can understand their language because of the drink you had consumed when you first arrived here." "That black drink?" I recalled the strange liquid we had consumed. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Yes, that''s why you can understand them. But don''t ask too many questions. Just focus on the show that''s about to begin," said Victor as he sipped something from his flask. I still had so many questions, but Victor just shook his head and said, "Figure it out for yourself. For now, just watch the game." A voice from a speaker echoed across the area: "WELCOME, ESTEEMED AUDIENCE!" "I AM THOMAS, YOUR HOST FOR TONIGHT''S EVENT." The voice belonged to an Anatolian Shepherd dog standing on a podium, holding a microphone. His face was clearly displayed on the projector screen, radiating confidence. As I watched the opening of the "Hunt and Survive" game, I was still struggling to process everything. But my confusion turned into shock when the camera focused on the players entering the arena. Among them, I saw someone I knew all too well-Elio. "Elio? That''s Elio, right? Why is he there?" I shouted in disbelief. My friends were equally stunned, and chaos erupted among us. Some of the workers nearby began to notice our commotion. Victor, who had been sitting calmly, said, "So, your friend is in there. Looks like he''s had a stroke of bad luck." I turned to Victor, still panicking. "Why is Elio there? Why isn''t he with us here?" I demanded, my voice trembling with emotion. A worker suddenly yelled from behind, "Can you keep it down? Whether your friend is in there or not, you''d better just pray he survives." "Exactly," another worker chimed in. "It''s not just your friend in there. We have people we know in that arena too." I lowered my head, trying to control myself and avoid escalating the situation. Despite my restless heart, I could only follow their advice-watch and hope that Elio would be okay. Victor gently patted my shoulder. "Pray for Elio, just as I''m praying for my brother, Marlo," he said, pointing at the screen where a middle-aged man stood near Elio. I turned to him, shocked by his words. "Marlo... is your brother?" I asked, needing confirmation. Victor nodded slowly, his eyes still fixed on the screen. "Yes. This isn''t the time to explain everything. What''s important now is that we pray for their safety," he said, his voice low and tinged with worry he tried to mask. I could only nod slightly, unsure of what to say. This revelation came amid chaos that had already left my mind in turmoil. Though I didn''t know Marlo personally, I could feel the weight of Victor''s emotions. We remained glued to the screen, watching with hearts full of anxiety. The game''s rules, which allowed the Guardian Dogs to harm or even kill the players, made every passing second feel suffocating. All I could do now was hope that Elio-and perhaps Marlo-would survive. The projector screen then split into 20 sections, each showing a camera following an individual player. My focus immediately shifted to the screen displaying Elio. The tension grew as another screen showed a man with glasses pulling something out of his pocket-Mole Gloves. "There he is! So he''s the one who stole the Mole Gloves! Some workers forced to play because of him are so unlucky," one worker muttered angrily. "How did he smuggle that in without getting caught?" another worker asked, equally furious. A small uproar began among the workers, blaming the man with glasses for the current situation. Suddenly, the sound of loud drums reverberated, signaling the movement of the Guardian Dogs. I could barely breathe as the camera zoomed in on one of the hooded Guardian Dogs moving slowly toward Elio''s hiding spot. "Elio, do something quickly! That thing''s heading your way!" I whispered, almost unconsciously. Jessica, sitting beside me, gripped my sleeve tightly. She looked terrified, even closing her eyes tightly in fear. The creature finally stopped right in front of the place where Elio and Marlo were hiding. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might explode. Everyone around us fell silent, holding their breath. But after what felt like an eternity, the creature moved on, unaware of their presence. "Oh my god, I thought he was going to get caught!" Darren exclaimed with relief. "Yeah, my heart almost jumped out of my chest," I replied. "But I''m sure Elio will survive. He''s always tough in critical situations." Victor chuckled softly. "Hahaha, I didn''t expect Marlo to survive thanks to your friend. That kid''s amazing," he said, nodding in approval. I could only mumble, "What can I do? All I can do is watch my friend fight in this life-and-death game." Jessica turned to me, trying to calm me down. "Frey, let''s just keep praying for Elio''s safety." I nodded, attempting to steady my emotions. Darren and the others seemed to agree. There was nothing else we could do but hope. The tension eased slightly when the screen showed Elio and Marlo cleverly saving someone by using the situation to trap one of the Guardian Dogs in a mud pit. Spontaneous cheers erupted from the workers, including us. "That was incredible! They managed to save that person and escape!" one of the workers exclaimed enthusiastically. I smiled faintly, though my heart was still far from calm. "I''m sure Elio will make it to the end," I thought, trying to reassure myself. The brief relief was abruptly shattered when we saw the person saved by Elio and Marlo become a victim, losing their life at the hands of the creature. The tension escalated as the game timer ticked down to five minutes, with only five players remaining, shown across the five active screens. I watched as the remaining players hid in various ways. One woman concealed herself among a pile of corpses, a burly man climbed a tree and hid among the branches, and the man with glasses dug into the ground to bury himself. Only Elio and Marlo kept running, trying to evade the relentless Guardian Dogs. "Why doesn''t Elio just hide until the time runs out?" Darren asked anxiously. "They''re hunting dogs; their sense of smell is incredibly sharp. With only five players left, they''ll search more thoroughly," I explained, my eyes glued to the screen. The tension reached its peak as two Guardian Dogs began chasing Elio and Marlo. But what shocked us all was when Marlo suddenly pushed Elio into a mud pit, diverting the Guardian Dogs'' attention toward himself. On the screen, we saw Marlo sprinting with all his strength, trying to escape the creatures. But his run came to an end when he was cornered by three Guardian Dogs. His expression was one of resignation as he collapsed to the ground, clutching a photo tightly in his hand. He gazed at the photo with deep sorrow, tears streaming down his face. In mere seconds, one of the Guardian Dogs slashed him, ending everything. I turned to look at Victor, whose face was a mix of grief and fury. Losing his brother was clearly a devastating blow. Now only four players remained on the screen. On Elio''s screen, he was shown struggling to climb out of the mud pit, only to freeze as the hooded Guardian Dog appeared and blocked his path. "Is Elio going to die too?" I wondered, holding my breath. My body felt weak, unable to utter a single word. Suddenly, the sound of loud drums echoed, signaling the game''s end. Yet the tension didn''t ease. The hooded Guardian Dog remained in front of Elio, pointing its sword at him. Moments later, instead of killing him, the creature struck Elio hard. "The game''s over! Why is it still hitting him?" I shouted angrily. "That''s normal. They''re hunting dogs. Failing to kill their prey must have frustrated them," one of the workers said calmly. I clenched my fists. "Even so, that''s unacceptable!" "The important thing is that Elio is still alive," Darren said in a relieved tone. "Thank goodness our prayers were answered." I shared his relief, knowing that Elio had survived. However, the mood grew somber again as I watched Victor walk away, his face heavy with sorrow. Losing his brother was a heartbreaking loss for him, and I didn''t know what to say to comfort him. Though my heart ached for Marlo''s death, I was grateful Elio was still alive. The sudden sound of a door opening interrupted my thoughts. Shade the overseer entered the area with firm steps, delivering an announcement. "Players registered for the Tiles of Fate game, please prepare yourselves," he said in a monotone voice. I froze. The relief I had just felt vanished in an instant. I remembered that I was one of the participants forced to join the next game. Cheers erupted from the workers around us. They seemed excited, as if watching these deadly games was the entertainment they eagerly awaited. My heart began pounding once more. Fear and anxiety crept in again.