Chapter 36: Duel (1)

In the center of the East Camp, a dilapidated blackboard salvaged from who-knows-where leaned against a supply crate.

Crisscrossing lines of multicolored chalk sketched out a simple yet tense strategic overview on its surface.

“King and Feng have pinned almost their entire defensive focus on each other.”

Kobayashi Mirai’s gaze shifted slowly from the compressed blocks of color at the bottom of the board to the crimson and pure white icons dominating the center.

She tapped her knuckles against the hilt of her blade, and her long sword, Nagare-zakura, slid three inches from its scabbard.

The cold hilt pointed precisely at the markings representing the two major clubs.

“And we seem to have been completely ignored,” she said languidly.

“That might not be a bad thing, right?”

The one who responded was the man sitting beside her—Mirai’s Vice President, Lev Alder.

He didn’t even look up, his voice calm.

“When powerful beasts are tearing at each other’s throats, they never have time to worry about the small mice at their feet. And we small mice… can do exactly what we need to do.”

“Yeah,” Kobayashi Mirai softly agreed, seemingly speaking to Lev, yet also to herself.

“A blade that’s ignored…”

She looked toward the distant wind and snow, her voice as light as a sigh, “is often the most lethal.”

***

At the West Camp, the flag of King snapped loudly in the frigid wind.

“Damn it, we have to set this thing up again…”

Li Hao looked at the heavy roll of waterproof fabric in his hands, feeling like the last of his patience was about to be shattered by the Antarctic wind.

“If I knew it was going to be this much trouble, I would have just forfeited after the first phase ended,” Lin Yu grumbled in agreement.

He scanned the crimson gathering point before them—thirty uniform tents, looking like drops of blood on a white canvas, proclaiming King’s absolute dominance in this area.

Calculating one or two people per tent, that meant Alexander had at least thirty, and perhaps nearly fifty members under his command.

“That’s a lot of people,” he whispered.

“Even so,” Li Hao curled his lip, clumsily tugging at a support pole, “they don’t exactly need the two of us anyway…”

Before he could finish, a clear, cold female voice came from behind them:

“You two really are interesting. Are you planning to just use Creation to hide your way through this second phase?”

Fu Qiesi had appeared beside them at some point.

She still carried that sniper rifle on her back, her arms crossed.

Her red winter gear stood out vividly against the monotonous background.

They had no firearms, so it was obvious they hadn’t fought for any of the resource points provided by The School.

Yet, they lacked neither food nor the kerosene required for warmth.

Combining the information she had gathered, she quickly guessed the duo’s strategy.

“Pretty much,” Lin Yu admitted frankly, his hands never stopping their work.

Fu Qiesi raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Then why did you come back here of your own accord?”

“Because we’ve been staying in our tent and haven’t heard a single rumor.”

Lin Yu tightened the last guy wire and stood up to meet her gaze.

“It wasn’t until today that we realized everyone had grouped up by club. Since everyone else is doing it, we decided to come over.”

“A reasonable explanation.”

Fu Qiesi nodded slightly, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on her lips.

“However, Alexander wants to speak with you both privately. You two left the last club meeting before it ended; he’s always felt that was a shame.”

“Does this kind of meeting actually have a roll call for people leaving?”

“No, but your exit was just too obvious. It doesn’t matter now. Let’s go.”

“What? Are you kidding me?” Li Hao’s eyes widened.

“I am not kidding. You have been assigned to the Third Squad. After surveying the terrain for the past week and conducting reconnaissance over the last two days, we have a general understanding of each club’s distribution and the status of The School’s resource points. Fu Qiesi and I held a meeting yesterday and decided to seize those resource points. Your arrival perfectly makes up for our lack of manpower,” Alexander said bluntly.

“Hey, hey, Mr. President, the two of us don’t know how to do anything. Besides, my Divine Sense is Creation… there’s absolutely no need for us to go snatching resource points. I can guarantee that everyone here won’t starve to death.”

Li Hao had never imagined that Alexander calling them for a chat meant he was going to assign them a mission directly.

“We do not lack resources. Our goal is… to eliminate the others.”

‘Eliminate my ass,’ Lin Yu thought.

‘Can’t we just let everyone earn their credits in peace? Why does it have to be about hurting others without even benefiting yourself?’

“Shouldn’t you at least ask for our opinion?”

Li Hao spoke up.

“Like in a Chinese company—even if your boss is already planning to throw you under the bus, he’ll still say, ‘The company has an urgent task for you; are you willing to accept?'”

“Fine.”

Alexander looked up.

“The club has an urgent task for you right now. Are you willing to accept?”

Li Hao was stunned.

He only wanted to complain, but he hadn’t expected this blonde, wealthy, handsome guy who looked like a young Leonardo DiCaprio to actually ask that question.

“No, we aren’t. we just want to find a place to stay out the rest of the week peacefully,” Lin Yu said.

Li Hao froze even more.

It wasn’t just Li Hao; Fu Qiesi and everyone else present were stunned.

It was obvious that a refusal was not permitted in a situation like this.

“Then, Lin Yu, why exactly did you come here? Why did you even come to this school?”

Alexander turned toward him, his icy blue eyes projecting an air of condescending majesty.

“When you discovered that this school is filled with lunatics, and that you even have to risk your life for the purpose of God-Slaying, why didn’t you choose to leave? You’ve already met the Principal, right? Leaving this place only requires completing a bit of paperwork. The School would process your withdrawal, a God-thought User would erase your memories, and they would even fabricate a history for your time here.”

Alexander looked directly into Lin Yu’s eyes.

“Are you unaware of this?”

Lin Yu remained silent.

“You showed great reluctance during the last school mission and during this club activity. So why don’t you choose to drop out?”

Alexander asked.

The camp became exceptionally quiet.

As Alexander asked the question, he looked around, as if he wasn’t just asking Lin Yu, but everyone else as well.

“I don’t know,” Lin Yu said softly.

‘Yeah, why haven’t I dropped out?’

He had never come to this school for something like God-Slaying; he only thought he might have a chance to see his parents.

But now that The School had no news of them, why didn’t he just leave?

“You don’t know?”

Alexander frowned slightly.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to express, but you can choose to either quit or execute the mission. If you want to quit, it’s very simple; you just need to press the forfeit button right now.”

Alexander watched Lin Yu.

“I would actually be quite happy about that, because I truly have no need for a cowardly comrade, even if your Divine Sense is Regeneration, even if you are a so-called Student Evaluation Grade A.”

After saying that, Alexander ignored Lin Yu and looked at the others.

“Everyone, pay attention. Our operation officially begins. Eliminate as many members of the other clubs as possible. In this activity… King will prove everything.”

Alexander raised his hand.

Everyone followed suit and raised their hands, but no one spoke.

It was a silent vow.