Chapter 40: The Forgotten Ruins

After his shift, August joined the line of workers collecting their weekly pay.

The usual chatter of tired workers filled the room.

As he waited, August couldn't shake his growing concern for Derrick. His friend's unexplained absence for two consecutive days was unlike him, and a nagging feeling told August that something was off.

Just then, he overheard one of the supervisors grumbling near the front of the room. "Where the hell is that Derrick guy? Missing two days without a single word—do people just think they can come and go as they please?"

Another supervisor chimed in, clearly annoyed. "This is a factory, not a free-for-all. Might as well let him go if he's going to start slacking off."