Beyond the Walls

Ranking

Driving at night without headlights is dangerous and not recommended except if you are like Gabrielle and Alexa who wear a night vision spectacle on top of knowing the way like the back of their hands.

Behind them is the Jeep with three men riding.

Alexa looked in the rear mirror and the jeep was not far from them trailing.

“Gabe, what do you mean, he found you?”

Talking about early, Gabrielle did say that Apollo was not someone she personally knew. She didn’t know him until this guy came looking for her.

“Apollo, was waiting in the lobby of my residence and said he heard that I was investigating missing people records all over the outer walls. It was dangerous to talk outside so I invited him up to the room and apparently I left my plan ,sneaking out of the walls, open and for everyone to see just right at the table.”

“You got to fix your messy attitude, you are not a child anymore.”

Gabrielle pretended to not hear it.“ Seeing those plans, he decided to go with me. At all costs.”

“He is not dumb like Xian right? We have a lot on our plates now. We can’t afford to cater one more dumb person. Just kill me.” Alexa rolled her eyes at the thought.

“Apollo is the opposite. He already has knowledge about this world and practises martial arts so at least he can defend himself.”

“Hmm. Good to know, but why did he want to join?”

“He said his family member was missing… but the records show he has no immediate family.”

“Then why did you let him?”

“He has skills… and he knows things.”

“The name of his family, you got it right?”

“Of course. You think I am stupid?”

“Well… You brought a dumbass. Who knows, maybe that smart brain of yours is rotting…” Alexa said, shrugging her shoulders as she opened the window and let a dawning morning wind inside. Ignoring Gabrielle’s glare.

She laughed a little and continued. “So what is that person’s name?”

****

As usual, Lucas woke up faster than most of the players. He found himself in a dimly lit huge room. It was a much larger and spacious room than the previous room, they were all in.

In the middle front a hologram with nothing written on it is spinning round in a hypnotizing manner. Placed against the walls are beds with players on it. Three beds are placed on each side, the remaining four are placed on the back.

“Hey.”

Placed on the farthest bed on the right side, Lucas looked at his side and saw the silhouette of a woman coming at him.

Athena.

She sat in Lucas' bed and said. “I thought you decided to give up then but look at you, still alive.” Though she is smiling, her tone doesn’t exactly sound sincere.

“I have a family waiting outside… I promised her to come back.” Lucas answered and got a stare from Athena.

“So did that woman…”

“Woman?”

“...Remember when I told you were ‘No Hero’?” Athena didn’t answer Lucas' question, instead she made him remember when she laughed at him for wanting to save his companions during the second round.

“What is it you want to say?” There is a trace of coldness in Lucas' tone.

“Scratch that. You are someone who can never be and the farthest thing associated with a Hero. You are the most calculative and manipulative person I’ve ever met. ”

Lucas frowned at such strong opinions.

“Ughh!” A soft groaning came to the bed beside Lucas. It was Elijah waking up and soon everyone was starting to wake up one by one.

“Lucas? Lucas!!” Elijah called loudly and took off his blanket to come to Lucas.

“Man! I thought you died there!! How did you get out? AH! Thank goodness! You made it!” At his loud wailing he fastened up the waking of other players.

“Lucas, I am glad you made it.” Aaron came in too with a proud face.

“Isn’t he a man with so many miracles?” Athena said, patting Lucas’ blanket covered legs.

“Agreed.” Aaron answered and Elijah nodded. “...but how did you rank? Before entering the room, I swear there are only a few seconds left and you were still in 11th place.”

Athena smiled with meaning and expressed a second demotion. “I am also wondering about that too...”

‘What is her problem?’ Lucas thought.

*Ting

The room lighted up and the small illuminating hologram stop spinning and stayed still at

[Good Morning Players! Welcome to the Rest Zone! Please adhere to the Rules of the Rest Zone…

Players must stay within the Rest Zone until the start of the Next Round

Players are not allowed to Injure other Players during the duration of the Rest time.

Players are not allowed to Steal from other players during the duration of the Rest time.

Have a good rest! ]

As the robotic voice tells the updated rules, it displays the text on the hologram.

*Ting ting

The rules were set aside as another hologram pops out.

[Congratulations! You’ve passed the Game 3: Test of Strength!]

This time it was a woman’s voice that greeted them. It alerted everyone since hearing the woman’s voice means that the countdown for the next game will start.

“This fast!” Elijah said.

[...We will now commence the Player’s Ranking…]

‘Ranking?!’ Everyone gathered in the center part of the room to see the hologram with a compilation of videos being played. It was mostly players killing undead all throughout the games. There are lots of others, like showing Liam leading the group from level 1. Lucas was briefly seen behind him as they got through the roof deck of Round one. Elijah was featured as he ran desperately…

[...Points are given to players according to their displayed skills and strengths. Players will be ranked according to their accumulated points… The higher the ranking of the player the more benefits and advantages will be given for the next game…]

Lucas gives a quick scan on the surroundings and sees everyone is engrossed on the screen except for Liam. He is looking straight back at him. Lucas didn’t see him during the third game but in that amount of time, he sees that Liam accumulated cuts on him. On his eyebrow it seemed like a knife went past it, nearing his eye.

Lucas averted his eyes first and stared at the screen.

[Earning 10th place… ]

A man’s picture was displayed on the screen, then followed by videos of him. Sticking close to Liam and the left side of the formation on the first round.

[Player #10 landing on 151-200th place on the first Game… 6 points. Second game 35-45th place… 5points. Third Game, Second place…9 points…]

Videos of him are being shown like a movie trailer. In the hologram, as in sync, the video of him finishing each game coincides with the woman announcing his score.

Additional points are rewarded for displaying tenacity, strength and great endurance, player earns 7, 10 and 8 respectively. He also displayed a quick sense of danger, and loyal soldier qualities. Additional points of 9 and 8…]

The video first showed how he smashed undead’s head, him running and defending, then it switched to him, grabbing a man in his back and throwing it for the undead to get distracted as he runs away. He did it several times in different scenarios.

[... total of 62 points. Congratulations number 10!]

Everyone was more shocked at what they were seeing on the screen rather than the pointing system itself.

Lucas wondered if it was because of the grave deeds they witnessed on number 10 activities or were they actually scared of being exposed like that.

It didn’t have much time for them to dwell.

[For the 9th place…]

It was the same man who was with Lucas in the first few minutes at the start of the game 3. The outlander, like himself and also an immigrant.

In his video, he showed he always positions himself in the safest position of the group. He tends to hide and keep himself unnoticeably.

His total ranking on the game levels is 7, 5, 5 while his additional points are from Observant, Quick feet, Agility and Sharp witted. Earning a total of 74 points.

As the ranking went up, the more tension was felt in the air. Some players took each collar and tried to brawl after their sins and ways were revealed to the screen replay. All had their own way of survival. Ugly ways of survival.

‘Who has not sin up to this point?’ Lucas thought exhaling as the system moved to the next ranking.

He felt a strong intent to stare from not far and in Liam’s direction but chose to ignore it. He already knows the reason… that is because it’s already down to Top places but Lucas’ name has not been called yet.