บท 212: To the beach

In the dark night of Tokyo, an eerie silence enveloped the empty streets. The wind whispered softly, carrying a sense of abandonment and loneliness. The world seemed still, as if time had ceased to flow.

The car advanced stealthily, its lights turned off, adding an aura of mystery and clandestinity to its passage. The muffled sound of the tires on the deserted asphalt resonated in the air, breaking the reigning stillness.

Shadows lengthened and intertwined on the facades of buildings, forming a somber backdrop that concealed the secrets and memories of a city that once thrived with life. Storefronts remained dark, showing no sign of activity or customers.

The once bustling and vibrant streets now lay deserted. Traffic lights blinked in an endless cycle, with no one to obey their commands. Park benches stood empty, devoid of children's laughter or couples strolling hand in hand.

Darkness spread like a shroud over the buildings, covering their shapes and erasing any trace of life. Solitary street lamps faintly illuminated the landscape, creating dancing shadows that seemed to come alive in the darkness.

The silence was overwhelming, occasionally interrupted by the distant wail of a siren or the echo of the winter wind. The lone footsteps of the driver echoed inside the car, reminding him of the absence of company in this desolate world.

Tokyo, once teeming with activity and vitality, now found itself immersed in a state of supernatural quietude. The city had become a surreal stage, where streets and buildings seemed to patiently await the return of life and human activity.

In the dark night of Tokyo, the world appeared suspended in limbo, as if abandoned by those who once inhabited it. The car continued its solitary journey, a silent witness to the stillness that enveloped the city, while the echo of its engine faded into emptiness.

...

On a rainy and gloomy day, Jacob, Usagi, Kurabe, and Airisu sought refuge under an old, worn-out building in the middle of a desolate city. The monotonous sound of rain hitting the ground and the empty buildings created a melancholic and subdued atmosphere.

"Have you noticed how quickly the buildings are covered in vegetation?" Jacob kept a record of this and couldn't help but mention it.

"Maybe it's because of a Tokyo without people..." Arisu muttered with a subdued voice.

"Could be, but not at this rate... Normally, this vegetation spread would have appeared after a year without humans. Under normal circumstances, that would have happened." Jacob walked toward the mirror and pointed out, "But when we arrived here, it didn't seem like a year had passed, only a few weeks, and that's too fast."

"And what do we gain from that?" Arisu asked suddenly.

"A new understanding, it means that time is perceived differently in this place. It doesn't mean we'll age faster, but this place is being consumed by time." Jacob understood this better than anyone else; it meant that food would spoil much more quickly.

"How many cards do they have in that place you mentioned?" Kurabe was interested in winning all the games.

"I don't know, but the cards with a difficulty of ten might be the last ones to be obtained." Jacob didn't have an answer for this question.

"If we all gather, we might find out more about that. Besides, sooner or later, we'll complete the games as they keep appearing." Usagi was confident about that.

"We have nothing more than to dream about that."

...

"We'll leave the car here, remember the location; it will be very important if things go wrong." Jacob hid the car key under a stone and after informing everyone of the location, they took their belongings and walked.

"Don't you trust those people?" Karabe believed they were Jacob's friends.

"We can't trust anyone so easily." Usagi responded to Kurabe's question.

The beach was not far after all.

"Remember this..." Jacob explained to everyone what he had learned from Aguni.

The Beach is governed by a system of ranks. Each resident is assigned a number indicating their status within the organization; the lower the number, the higher the rank. Those with the highest ranks (1-9) form the Executives, and no. 1 holds the position of the Beach's leader.

As people die, one's rank increases. People who bring new or many cards can ascend in rank.

They also have control over all firearms. However, the Martial Sect is actually a method for Aguni, secretly allied with Hatter, to keep the more violent residents in check.

"Alright, let's visit our friends." Jacob smiled, this time carrying two pistols and a knife.

The others only carried knives; after all, carrying more firearms could lead to them being confiscated by the men in that place. But being a friend of Aguni, that might change. According to Aguni, there were two factions within the beach, and he controlled one of them, the Militants.

But the creator of the beach managed the other, making things a bit complicated. The Idealists shared the same opinion as Hatter. They make the rules of the Beach and decide who plays in the games. In secret, two of the members were Borderlands citizens who participate in the Face cards.

The Militants shared the same opinion as Aguni. They have control over all firearms and are ready to enforce and kill any traitor to the Idealists. Aguni, who is Hatter's friend, is in charge of the group to ensure that violent members do not get out of control. Knowing this, Jacob will decide whether he can act in one of the two sides, as the situation may get out of control sooner or later.