Chapter 72: Chapter72- I don't want to die!
Just as I was deep in my thoughts, a soft ping echoed in the room.
Startled, I looked up to see a virtual window materialize in front of me, illuminating the brightly lit room with its soft glow.
It displayed a message:
Quest: [Betrayal or Loyalty?]
Your companions are about to be in danger very soon.
What will you choose to do?
Will you aid them or flee?
[Note: Their adversary is insanely overpowered.]
Reward: Decides if you'll rescue them or not.
"Damn it!"
I carefully analyzed the quest and realized it's a test of my morality.
The quest warns that my companions will face danger, which means it's likely true.
The key question here is whether I should help them or not.
Initially, I would have chosen to help them, but considering the opponent is extremely powerful, I have no option but to prioritize my own safety over others and stay away from them.
For a second, I considered reaching out to others to warn them about the imminent danger.
But then I realized that if I did, and they survived the danger later on, they might become suspicious of me.
They would likely question how I knew about the danger beforehand and could even accuse me of being involved in causing it.
Even if they didn't immediately suspect me, they would still wonder why I didn't warn them sooner.
If I had alerted them an hour or two ago, they wouldn't have to worry about the danger at all.
After weighing all my options, I've chosen to keep my distance from them and not tell them about the danger they're about to encounter.
But, there's another issue...
When the danger arrives, Zeras will definitely command everyone to go to the dangerous location.
Let's say I choose not to go.
Even if one of them survives, it could be a problem for me.
Since I've decided to stay away, if I follow this order, the survivor will likely tell Marcus that I didn't come to help our group.
This will make him suspicious of me.
In the worst case, Marcus might decide to expel me or even accuse me of colluding with the rebels, assuming I knowingly neglected my teammates in their time of need.
That's why I have to decide whether to help them or not?
After careful consideration, only one risky idea came to mind.
For that to succeed, the opponent must lower their guard.
If they don't, my chances of success are pretty minimal.
Just as I pondered over this, my radio suddenly echoed with a frantic voice, gasping for help, "Please, someone help me! I don't want to die. They... they will kill me!"
Then, the radio abruptly went silent.
The voice belonged to Aeron, who was clearly terrified and stuttering as he spoke.
Zeras, speaking from the other end of the radio, called out urgently, "Aeron, Aeron, can you hear me? Aeron!"
Aeron's voice came back, sounding panicked, "Yes, leader, please help me! The Terror gang is going to kill me!"
Zeras tried to reassure him, "Aeron, Aeron, stay calm. Wa-wait for us to get there. How many of them are there?"
But Aeron remained silent, and the radio fell silent again.
Zeras commanded urgently, "Everyone, move towards Aeron's location! And wait, Michael, aren't you with him?"
"Dang it," I muttered, "Yeah, I might be nearby."
Zeras questioned, "What do you mean by 'might be'? Weren't you two working together?"
I anticipated this confrontation. "Yeah, we were initially, but Aeron complained that our food collection was too slow. So, we decided to split up and each go in different directions to gather more resources."
I was truthful about Aeron complaining about our slow food collection.
However, the part about us deciding to split up was a lie; I gave him the order myself.
Since he wasn't around, mixing some lies with the truth wouldn't hurt.
Zeras turned towards me with anger and exclaimed, "Are you foolish? Who gave you permission to separate? Did I authorize it? You acted independently and now look at the outcome. Aeron is in danger because of your reckless choice to split up. It's entirely your fault. If you hadn't separated, he wouldn't have encountered the rebels. What qualifies you to be a lieutenant? You don't even deserve"
I yelled in frustration, unable to contain my anger, "Shut up! What the fuck are you even talking about? It's all because of me? Are you even thinking straight? Think logically before you speak. What kind of leader divides his group into three knowing that rebels could attack any one of them? You made that call. Now, when I do the same thing, you call me dumb and an idiot? If you think my decision was wrong, then what about your half-ass decision?"
He went silent right after I said those words.
At first, I didn't intend to insult him, but when he blamed everything on me like that, it was too much.
I couldn't hold back anymore and I lashed out at him.
If I hold back now, he might continue insulting and blaming me, which could make others think everything that happened is all my fault.
I exclaimed again.
"Speak up! Why are you silent now?"
The others also stayed quiet and didn't say a single word.
I could guess their expressions given that they cared deeply about their leader.
Zeras stayed silent for a few minutes before he finally spoke, "I'm sorry... I apologize for putting all the blame on you. I know I made a mistake and had faults of my own, but I didn't admit it and instead tried to blame everything on you. I was just angry. I apologize again."
The tension in the group was palpable as Zeras finished his apology.
I said, "I understand your situation, so I accept your apology."
After hearing his words, I decided to let it go. There was no benefit in holding a grudge, and since the others admired him so much, they might harbor some resentment toward me if I didn't accept his apology.
Zeras muttered, "Thank you."
The others remained silent, unsure of how to react.
Finally, Liam, the lanky guy, stepped forward.
"It's good that you apologized, Zeras," Liam said cautiously. "But we need to focus on finding Aeron now. Blame won't help us save him."
Natalie, another member, nodded in agreement. "Liam's right. We can't afford to fight amongst ourselves. Aeron's life is at stake."
I, feeling the weight of their words, took a deep breath. "We need a plan. Zeras, you're still our leader. Guide us."
Zeras looked around, hearing the determination in everyone's voice.
He nodded slowly. "You're right. Let's put this behind us and focus on rescuing Aeron. Michael, you said you might be close to him. Go and check how many people there are, but don't start attacking without my permission. Everyone else, run as fast as you can and reach the destination before anything happens to Aeron."
Then, with a ringing sound, the radio went silent.
It seemed like that was the end of the conversation.
But now that I think about it, he made a smart decision by telling me to go check it out and not attack.
If he had just told me to rush in recklessly, I might have refused.
Now, I'll go, but I'll still keep a safe distance from the enemy.
Because, if I get spotted, I can use my dash skill to escape without getting caught.
Then, I dashed out of the room, but not before tossing Lee's radio onto his bed.
A "THUD" sound echoed as the radio landed.
The radio accidentally turned on, emitting no sound except for some random buzzing noises.
After I left the room and the building, something mysterious began to happen.
Lee's recorded tape started playing again, with his voice beginning to say some words...
"Hey, everyone, sorry, I wasn't finished. I have some very important news to share with you all.
I... I... I just saw on the television news that my virus is spreading. The first case has been registered, and the first victim has been infected by the virus.
I can't express how happy I am right now. Today's date will always be remembered in the history of humanitythe day the world changed.
Hahahaha.
I can't stop my happiness and, laugh...
Okay, let's stop for now.
I haven't mentioned today's date yet, right?
Let me announce it to you.
It's July 18, 2030, and the time is 4:30 a.m..."
***
I was moving carefully through the streets and houses since I didn't have Aeron's exact location.
Moving carefully seemed like the safer option, considering this could also be a trap.
Thinking about Aeron's predicament, I believe he's likely already dead, judging from Marcus's description of the rebels.
If they truly enjoy killing, they would have likely executed him by now.
That's why I'm taking my time and not feeling overly anxious.
As I stealthily moved through the bustling streets, staying alert, it took about 30 to 40 minutes before I noticed movement ahead, suggesting someone was nearby.
I proceeded cautiously and carefully, slowing my pace even more.
Peeking from the cover of an alley, I spotted figures dressed in black masks and clothes.
They were gathered near Hyun Su's family restaurant and the Hyosan police station, which were clearly marked on a nearby sign.
The rebels, all dressed alike in their black outfits and masks, were talking quietly among themselves.
Each one seemed ready for action, showing discipline in their movements.
But it was their leader who stood outa tall figure with a strong presence.
He wore a long, red cloak over his black clothes, and his Red mask was adorned with intricate designs of death.
I couldn't see everything clearly because I was far away and using binoculars instead of getting closer.
I used my appraisal skill on him, and a virtual screen appeared in front of me, which surprised me.
It became clear why he was considered overpowered.
**Name:** Mikey Salmon
**Height:** 6 feet
**Weight:** 180 pounds
...