Chapter 12
If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again
The ending of the announcement brought with it a surreal calm, like that before a storm. Everyone knew this was no longer a game, people could die, the question was who was next.
Maybe some had already discovered this cold fact before those around them because Deer was sure that he saw the gazes in their eyes were different to before.
Even though not a lot was said but Deer knew he had to focus. From what he could tell, surviving would only be the first part, being able to become more powerful was key. At least he knew now that there was a direction to this chaos.
Why he had been chosen or how he had been summoned didn't matter to him. What was important was how he could survive and get back to his family.
"ATTENTION, ATTENTION, THE FIRST EXPEDITION WILL START SOON. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO FORM A PARTY OF FIVE AND SELECT A CAPTAIN. THOSE FAILING TO FORM A PARTY WILL BE RANDOMLY ALLOCATED BASED ON YOUR ABILITIES."
Startled by this announcement, Deer momentarily paused. Would it be better to quickly sound out some of the people next to him and form a party or wait.
While he was deciding, there were people and groups slowly forming up, from up high the clearing looked like an ants nest as one group formed into much larger groups. It was clear that some people had already adapted to the situation and were slowly taking the lead as they were more assertive or clearly professed confidence, forming small parties and splitting them up.
Deer had his own opinion, it was a good idea to party up first but at the same time he knew it was also dangerous as many of these people here were strangers from different parts of life. Why would someone risk their lives and place their faith on a stranger who may eventually compete or kill them just to survive.
A herd mentality. Although it was true to say that it might work, there was also the risk of partnering up with people who had ill formed intentions or hidden agendas. It was hard to tell who would survive at the end and who would be sacrificed. The scary part was those where hiding behind with a malicious intent, it was clear that a group could only be as strong as the people in the group, it was horrifying to protect from a dagger at the side.
Although he didn't have a rich experience in dealing with people, Deer could instinctively grasp some of the likely power plays at work. He was cautious and wary and for a good reason, there was no second chances here.
However he wasn't alone, there were also some people like Deer who were either undecided or even clearly declined any designs of forming a group. He could even see one guy straight up meditating on the floor.
'What's up with these people, are they really not worried?' he couldn't help but be slightly stupefied. Honestly speaking, for Deer other than the danger of partying together with strangers and being ordered around, he was more confident in the fairness that the system hinted at for those who didn't form parties of their own.
It was clear the end goal was to groom each and every person here, for whatever reason, the last line of the announcement had caught his attention: "randomly allocated based on your abilities".
After a moment he decided to get closer to the groups to see how the parties were being formed. Even though he had more or less decided, waiting for himself to be assigned to a group by the system. It wouldn't hurt to hear what the others were saying.
"Murphy, listen to me there is no need for us to split up into groups, even though that person said we needed to from group of five aren't we all going to the same place, so let's keep things as it is before making it more uncomfortable for everyone."
"D'lise are you listening to what you are saying I think we should vote on it, I wouldn't trust anything that we have been told without a pinch of salt, who knows if everything we have been told is true", waving his hands as he was speaking, Murphy seemed to show a face full of irritation.
Nearby to these two groups, Deer could see the small crowd gathered at the side. Unlike the others the guy who he supposed was Murphy seemed to have his own opinion. Seeing what else he could learn Deer pretended to walk past calmly.
"Minton say something", struggling to make her point, the lady in red could only helplessly shake the guy next to her. "Actually he has a point D'lise, although we are all from the same place it is hard to trust everyone without first working together, I rather join a group with me, you, Alton, Saatchi and Murphy but that would leave the other team..."
"Thats exactly what I mean, everyone has their own preference but I am sure we can all agree that we want the same thing and that is to stay alive! It's better if we are honest now and can divide the teams into two so both have higher chance of surviving, that should be it, not like you've said, I'm sorry."
Thinking it over, Deer knew it might not be such a bad idea to be allocated, he could see why they had banded together. As they said they were all from the same place, but would a bond like that really keep them together or when they were in a dangerous situation. It was easy to make the decision now but there was danger in that too.
Walking past the group Deer realised that though such a thing might not be true for everyone here, it was normal, rather than face uncertainty, people would always come together looking for simple things they had in common. But on the other hand this could also be one of the reasons why parties split in the end.
As he was thinking Deer was interrupted by a sudden touch on his shoulders as slim fingers tapped down. "Hey did you want to join our party?"
Checking behind him he could see a young man who had ran up to get his attention. Slightly handsome, he had blonde hair and a thin figure, "hmm", Deer answered back in a noncommittal response as the guy pointed at his group.
Three people, plus the guy who ran up to Deer, if he were to include himself it would make five. The three at back looked pretty bizarre, a young girl who seemed a bit timid, a middle-aged man in a business suit and what seemed to be his assistant.
'Didn't these people think of changing clothes or was their 'rooms' different to his?', the question rang in his head as he looked at the guy right in front of him. He didn't seem to be much older than him but it was clear that he was someone who was used to being positive.
Trying to find a way to decline politely, Deer could only feel helpless as he wouldn't take no for an answer. 'There doesn't seem to be much time left before we get teleported either, I should stall him' keeping such an idea in his head, Deer began to ignore him and resolutely walked away, paying no attention to the shouts behind.
"THE FIRST EXPEDITION WILL BEGIN NOW, YOU WILL BE TELEPORTED BACK IN THREE DAYS."
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
The ending of the announcement brought with it a surreal calm, like that before a storm. Everyone knew this was no longer a game, people could die, the question was who was next.
Maybe some had already discovered this cold fact before those around them because Deer was sure that he saw the gazes in their eyes were different to before.
Even though not a lot was said but Deer knew he had to focus. From what he could tell, surviving would only be the first part, being able to become more powerful was key. At least he knew now that there was a direction to this chaos.
Why he had been chosen or how he had been summoned didn't matter to him. What was important was how he could survive and get back to his family.
"ATTENTION, ATTENTION, THE FIRST EXPEDITION WILL START SOON. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO FORM A PARTY OF FIVE AND SELECT A CAPTAIN. THOSE FAILING TO FORM A PARTY WILL BE RANDOMLY ALLOCATED BASED ON YOUR ABILITIES."
Startled by this announcement, Deer momentarily paused. Would it be better to quickly sound out some of the people next to him and form a party or wait.
While he was deciding, there were people and groups slowly forming up, from up high the clearing looked like an ants nest as one group formed into much larger groups. It was clear that some people had already adapted to the situation and were slowly taking the lead as they were more assertive or clearly professed confidence, forming small parties and splitting them up.
Deer had his own opinion, it was a good idea to party up first but at the same time he knew it was also dangerous as many of these people here were strangers from different parts of life. Why would someone risk their lives and place their faith on a stranger who may eventually compete or kill them just to survive.
A herd mentality. Although it was true to say that it might work, there was also the risk of partnering up with people who had ill formed intentions or hidden agendas. It was hard to tell who would survive at the end and who would be sacrificed. The scary part was those where hiding behind with a malicious intent, it was clear that a group could only be as strong as the people in the group, it was horrifying to protect from a dagger at the side.
Although he didn't have a rich experience in dealing with people, Deer could instinctively grasp some of the likely power plays at work. He was cautious and wary and for a good reason, there was no second chances here.
However he wasn't alone, there were also some people like Deer who were either undecided or even clearly declined any designs of forming a group. He could even see one guy straight up meditating on the floor.
'What's up with these people, are they really not worried?' he couldn't help but be slightly stupefied. Honestly speaking, for Deer other than the danger of partying together with strangers and being ordered around, he was more confident in the fairness that the system hinted at for those who didn't form parties of their own.
It was clear the end goal was to groom each and every person here, for whatever reason, the last line of the announcement had caught his attention: "randomly allocated based on your abilities".
After a moment he decided to get closer to the groups to see how the parties were being formed. Even though he had more or less decided, waiting for himself to be assigned to a group by the system. It wouldn't hurt to hear what the others were saying.
"Murphy, listen to me there is no need for us to split up into groups, even though that person said we needed to from group of five aren't we all going to the same place, so let's keep things as it is before making it more uncomfortable for everyone."
"D'lise are you listening to what you are saying I think we should vote on it, I wouldn't trust anything that we have been told without a pinch of salt, who knows if everything we have been told is true", waving his hands as he was speaking, Murphy seemed to show a face full of irritation.
Nearby to these two groups, Deer could see the small crowd gathered at the side. Unlike the others the guy who he supposed was Murphy seemed to have his own opinion. Seeing what else he could learn Deer pretended to walk past calmly.
"Minton say something", struggling to make her point, the lady in red could only helplessly shake the guy next to her. "Actually he has a point D'lise, although we are all from the same place it is hard to trust everyone without first working together, I rather join a group with me, you, Alton, Saatchi and Murphy but that would leave the other team..."
"Thats exactly what I mean, everyone has their own preference but I am sure we can all agree that we want the same thing and that is to stay alive! It's better if we are honest now and can divide the teams into two so both have higher chance of surviving, that should be it, not like you've said, I'm sorry."
Thinking it over, Deer knew it might not be such a bad idea to be allocated, he could see why they had banded together. As they said they were all from the same place, but would a bond like that really keep them together or when they were in a dangerous situation. It was easy to make the decision now but there was danger in that too.
Walking past the group Deer realised that though such a thing might not be true for everyone here, it was normal, rather than face uncertainty, people would always come together looking for simple things they had in common. But on the other hand this could also be one of the reasons why parties split in the end.
As he was thinking Deer was interrupted by a sudden touch on his shoulders as slim fingers tapped down. "Hey did you want to join our party?"
Checking behind him he could see a young man who had ran up to get his attention. Slightly handsome, he had blonde hair and a thin figure, "hmm", Deer answered back in a noncommittal response as the guy pointed at his group.
Three people, plus the guy who ran up to Deer, if he were to include himself it would make five. The three at back looked pretty bizarre, a young girl who seemed a bit timid, a middle-aged man in a business suit and what seemed to be his assistant.
'Didn't these people think of changing clothes or was their 'rooms' different to his?', the question rang in his head as he looked at the guy right in front of him. He didn't seem to be much older than him but it was clear that he was someone who was used to being positive.
Trying to find a way to decline politely, Deer could only feel helpless as he wouldn't take no for an answer. 'There doesn't seem to be much time left before we get teleported either, I should stall him' keeping such an idea in his head, Deer began to ignore him and resolutely walked away, paying no attention to the shouts behind.
"THE FIRST EXPEDITION WILL BEGIN NOW, YOU WILL BE TELEPORTED BACK IN THREE DAYS."
The ending of the announcement brought with it a surreal calm, like that before a storm. Everyone knew this was no longer a game, people could die, the question was who was next.Maybe some had already discovered this cold fact before those around them because Deer was sure that he saw the gazes in their eyes were different to before.Even though not a lot was said but Deer knew he had to focus. From what he could tell, surviving would only be the first part, being able to become more powerful was key. At least he knew now that there was a direction to this chaos.Why he had been chosen or how he had been summoned didn't matter to him. What was important was how he could survive and get back to his family."ATTENTION, ATTENTION, THE FIRST EXPEDITION WILL START SOON. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO FORM A PARTY OF FIVE AND SELECT A CAPTAIN. THOSE FAILING TO FORM A PARTY WILL BE RANDOMLY ALLOCATED BASED ON YOUR ABILITIES."Startled by this announcement, Deer momentarily paused. Would it be better to quickly sound out some of the people next to him and form a party or wait.While he was deciding, there were people and groups slowly forming up, from up high the clearing looked like an ants nest as one group formed into much larger groups. It was clear that some people had already adapted to the situation and were slowly taking the lead as they were more assertive or clearly professed confidence, forming small parties and splitting them up.Deer had his own opinion, it was a good idea to party up first but at the same time he knew it was also dangerous as many of these people here were strangers from different parts of life. Why would someone risk their lives and place their faith on a stranger who may eventually compete or kill them just to survive.A herd mentality. Although it was true to say that it might work, there was also the risk of partnering up with people who had ill formed intentions or hidden agendas. It was hard to tell who would survive at the end and who would be sacrificed. The scary part was those where hiding behind with a malicious intent, it was clear that a group could only be as strong as the people in the group, it was horrifying to protect from a dagger at the side.Although he didn't have a rich experience in dealing with people, Deer could instinctively grasp some of the likely power plays at work. He was cautious and wary and for a good reason, there was no second chances here.However he wasn't alone, there were also some people like Deer who were either undecided or even clearly declined any designs of forming a group. He could even see one guy straight up meditating on the floor.'What's up with these people, are they really not worried?' he couldn't help but be slightly stupefied. Honestly speaking, for Deer other than the danger of partying together with strangers and being ordered around, he was more confident in the fairness that the system hinted at for those who didn't form parties of their own.It was clear the end goal was to groom each and every person here, for whatever reason, the last line of the announcement had caught his attention: "randomly allocated based on your abilities".After a moment he decided to get closer to the groups to see how the parties were being formed. Even though he had more or less decided, waiting for himself to be assigned to a group by the system. It wouldn't hurt to hear what the others were saying."Murphy, listen to me there is no need for us to split up into groups, even though that person said we needed to from group of five aren't we all going to the same place, so let's keep things as it is before making it more uncomfortable for everyone.""D'lise are you listening to what you are saying I think we should vote on it, I wouldn't trust anything that we have been told without a pinch of salt, who knows if everything we have been told is true", waving his hands as he was speaking, Murphy seemed to show a face full of irritation.Nearby to these two groups, Deer could see the small crowd gathered at the side. Unlike the others the guy who he supposed was Murphy seemed to have his own opinion. Seeing what else he could learn Deer pretended to walk past calmly."Minton say something", struggling to make her point, the lady in red could only helplessly shake the guy next to her. "Actually he has a point D'lise, although we are all from the same place it is hard to trust everyone without first working together, I rather join a group with me, you, Alton, Saatchi and Murphy but that would leave the other team...""Thats exactly what I mean, everyone has their own preference but I am sure we can all agree that we want the same thing and that is to stay alive! It's better if we are honest now and can divide the teams into two so both have higher chance of surviving, that should be it, not like you've said, I'm sorry."Thinking it over, Deer knew it might not be such a bad idea to be allocated, he could see why they had banded together. As they said they were all from the same place, but would a bond like that really keep them together or when they were in a dangerous situation. It was easy to make the decision now but there was danger in that too.Walking past the group Deer realised that though such a thing might not be true for everyone here, it was normal, rather than face uncertainty, people would always come together looking for simple things they had in common. But on the other hand this could also be one of the reasons why parties split in the end.As he was thinking Deer was interrupted by a sudden touch on his shoulders as slim fingers tapped down. "Hey did you want to join our party?"Checking behind him he could see a young man who had ran up to get his attention. Slightly handsome, he had blonde hair and a thin figure, "hmm", Deer answered back in a noncommittal response as the guy pointed at his group.Three people, plus the guy who ran up to Deer, if he were to include himself it would make five. The three at back looked pretty bizarre, a young girl who seemed a bit timid, a middle-aged man in a business suit and what seemed to be his assistant.'Didn't these people think of changing clothes or was their 'rooms' different to his?', the question rang in his head as he looked at the guy right in front of him. He didn't seem to be much older than him but it was clear that he was someone who was used to being positive.Trying to find a way to decline politely, Deer could only feel helpless as he wouldn't take no for an answer. 'There doesn't seem to be much time left before we get teleported either, I should stall him' keeping such an idea in his head, Deer began to ignore him and resolutely walked away, paying no attention to the shouts behind."THE FIRST EXPEDITION WILL BEGIN NOW, YOU WILL BE TELEPORTED BACK IN THREE DAYS."
