บท 26: Escaping Safe Zone
"Uhm… Uncle. How about—"
"Shh..." Gin shushed as he stopped himself from moving.
"Huh? Oh! Gin, this thing are we—"
"Quiet down for a second."
Jasmin instantly shut her mouth at Gin's order before she looks at how strange does his actions are.
As the two of them shut their mouths up, the room became silent. As seconds went by, Jasmin became to form doubts inside her head and focused herself hearing as she knew something is happening.
Then, she heard a screech.
Although it was just a low screech, the two inside heard it. They knew that something like that wasn't supposed to be heard inside the safe zone.
'N-no way... why are they here...?' Jasmin thought inwardly as her mind began to think various things.
Gin, who is already geared up, saw Jasmin stand in her place like a statue. He could see her hands are shaking from nervousness.
"Oy, focus. Bring the back quickly. We're leaving." Gin spoke in an impassive voice but he saw that she was still not moving, instead, she faced Gin and asked with fear on her face.
"I-is it the m—"
But before she could even continue, Gin interjected, "Stop. We are not sure if it is the monsters. So, don't have weird thoughts about it."
Gin paused while giving a faint smile on his face, "I'm here kid so you don't need to worry."
Seeing his smile, Jasmin calmed down a bit and regain a little of her senses. She let out a breath before putting the bag on her back. The two nodded at each other before they quickly go towards the door.
As Gin was about to twist the doorknob and leave, a loud shout was heard outside of their door.
"Ahhhh! Why are they here?! Aren't we supposed to be safe?!"
The two flinched. Gin quickly twist the doorknob but instead of instantly going outside, he peeked his head and saw that people are running towards the opposite side of the safe zone.
The two quickly gets out of the place and their expression turned hard. A gasp could be heard from Jasmin as she looked entrance of the safe zone. She saw many wolf-like monsters pouring in like streaming water.
Her eyes quivered while her legs were shaking. Her mind couldn't think straight but only a question keep appearing inside her head.
'Isn't this supposed to be a safe zone?'
As she thought of that thing, her breathing became ragged while she watches the monsters but ended when a certain someone smacks her head, regaining her senses instantly. She looked back and saw it was Gin's hand.
"Didn't I tell you to focus?" Gin spoke sternly, "If we focus, we can think about finding solutions. If we can think, we can escape from this."
Gin paused as he continued with a threatening voice, "If you show this kind of action again, I'll leave you."
Weirdly enough, instead of being angry, Jasmin looked at Gin's confident gaze, which calms her a little. She let out another breath before asking, "W-what about the people?"
Having asked a question, Gin looked at the people at the far side of the cave where people are running away or else they'll be eaten.
All those facades he did was to not show Jasmin his nervousness. His hands, which are placed at the back, are also shaking but he is slowly becoming numb to it all. He is forcing himself to do it and calm down but he just can't stop his shaking hands.
"Leave them be and run."
"B-but Gin… maybe—"
Gin quickly scoffed and interrupted, "What, save them? How funny for you to think that way. We are not a hero, Jasmin. Really funny acting all innocent like that."
Gin paused, "Inside your mind, you also want them to be the bait for us to safely escape, right? Really funny."
Hearing his accurate reasoning, Jasmin bit her lips as she couldn't retort a little from Gin. She bows her head and completely agreed with what he said.
She wanted to be the bait but at the same time, save at least some people. But, if by chance she saves them and does not save her back, then she will feel like she was used and be the bait instead. It was either her or the people.
What's the point of being a hero if you'll just die at the end?
'Everything... this man said is right... I can't even argue with him.' Jasmin said inwardly.
"Then, please… let's go." Jasmin mumble but Gin clearly heard it.
He nodded and go first inside his room instead of going. Inside his room, he nocks an arrow and shoots it near to the wall where he carved the sign earlier.
"I'm done. I'm sure they will come to find us." Gin spoke, reassuring Jasmin.
Hearing the words of Gin, Jasmin could see that no trace of happiness when he said those words, even though it is a good thing. Only a cold expression is placed.
Seeing it, Jasmin nodded but a question appeared on her mind, which bothered her a little bit. She mused, 'Find? To only shoot an arrow? How does that two connect?'
She knew who Gin is mentioning even if he didn't say anything. She also remained quiet and didn't dare to leak her thoughts out on Gin.
The two runs towards the other side of the safe zone with Jasmin on the front and Gin on the back, amidst the chaos. They're running so hard that they hit people but they didn't mind it as all of them are trying to survive the monsters.
As they run, Gin took a quick glance at his back every three seconds to see if the monsters are still far away. Luckily, the monsters are still far, busy eating the other people who are unlucky enough to escape. It was a disgusting sight to watch as they keep eating anyone they see.
Gin breathes and calms his mind as he looks at the place where he lived for a week, 'I trust you Nash and Kisha. I know you two will figure it out.'
"Hahahahaha!"
Suddenly, Gin could hear a crazed laugh from somewhere and moved his head towards it. What he saw is the bastard which is really familiar to him, doing something unbelievable.
'T-this crazy guy...' Gin inwardly said with disbelief as he saw the man killing everyone when they are near him or his line of sight.
Gin saw Fritz widely smiling as he do those vicious things. As he does it, Gin could see he also steals the goods he could get from them. Who knows what his men are also doing?
"Hmm… Uncle, what are you—"
"Eyes forward and just run." Gin spoke coldly, "Don't mind me."
Hearing the warn of Gin, she silently followed but Gin is just making sure Jasmin couldn't see what Fritz is doing. Maybe in the future, he can, but not this time.
'He...'
Gin is no different from him when he decided to leave the people inside, but killing an innocent is a no-go. Of course, if he was threatened, he would do bad things but the situation he sees now is entirely different.
'He is killing them like… It's natural. At least let them live and struggle for themselves, you bastard…'
Already at another hole, Jasmin was stoped as he saw Gin's hand use his hands to do it. Jasmin waited as she looks at the hole they will enter but Gin looked back, turning half of his body around to look at Fritz, and to his surprise, he also saw Fritz eyeing him.
The two glared at each other. On Fritz's side, Fritz just smiled wider than the last time now that he found who stole his supposed to be guy from him. But, he was far away to catch him so he just watch Gin with a smile.
[Truth Eyes-See Through- has been activated]
Gin smiled back at him but in a cold one before he activated his attribute, which surprised Fritz a little, who stepped back as he watches Gin's eyes attentively.
"Boss, what are you—"
Luke, who is beside Fitz, stops talking as he moved his gaze towards where Fritz is looking.
What Luke saw is a yellowed eyed man, facing them with a cold smile. Then, that said man raised his left middle finger to Fritz and his group before they started to run inside of the other side of the safe zone.
Receiving that kind of reply, Fritz only chuckle but Luke was different. He was surprised as he saw a familiar face and body at the front of the man.
"Jasmin…?"
…
After some time, Gin, together with Jasmin, is running a straight line after he shot another arrow. Gin was now on the front, taking the lead to move but they only turned into another hole when Gin shot something at the wall.
Seeing how focused Gin is, Jasmin didn't dare disturb him but that's earlier. Now, the fatigue she's been accumulating is showing and the tiredness of her legs was visible as it was slowly shaking. She had been calling Gin for a minute now.
"G-Gin!" Jasmin shouted at the best of her voice with a pant.
As they run, Jasmin couldn't believe what she is seeing as she saw Gin's eyes glowing yellow. She mused, 'Uncle's eyes are glowing... it must be his attribute.'
Finally, Gin took a break from running as he heard a shout from his side, moving his head there only to see Jasmin panting. Before talking to her, Gin checks the tutorial time and saw it was an hour now since they'd been running, coming to the conclusion that Jasmin was tired.
"Uhm… Uncle your eyes are glowing a little bit…" Jasmin spoke in a low voice which made Gin flinched.
Because of his focus, Gin didn't notice his eyes are still activating. He quickly removes it after a few seconds.
The eyes he was using is his see-through ability. From the training he had with O, he unlocks another skill of his ability but only a measly ten meters is available.
Unlike last week where he absolutely gets tired really fast by just using his eyes for killing three monsters, Gin could use it with ease this time and it was now straight an hour, which produces great results.
'At least, I'm not getting tired when using these eyes. The only problem is... my soul is leaking. If only it if fixed.' Gin wished inwardly but he couldn't get more as O was doing its best to help.
Still, Gin wanted to use it more, at the same time, converse it in case of emergency.
"You seem tired. Let's rest first." Gin spoke as he wiped the sweat formed on the bridge of his nose.
Jasmin nodded and sits down in a space between two holes. One is enough for a few people to enter like a cave, while the other is not like that as it seems to be connected to other holes.
She placed the bag on the ground, opening it to get a portion of food. While getting food inside, she looks up and saw Gin, who is still standing and watching the holes from everywhere.
'This uncle… we've already run an hour… but he still careful,' Jasmin mused, 'Geez, as if they're fast enough to come here.'
She called, "Uncle, come eat beside me."
Gin turned around as he is called before answering, "Eat first then we'll go right away. Besides, I'm full."
"Uncle. We've been far at that place now. How about you take a rest so that you can take your energy back?" Jasmin suggested as she let out a faint smile.
"Hmm..." Gin thought for a moment and nodded as Jasmin's suggestion was not bad. He then sits down beside her.
"Here's your food uncle," Jasmin said as she gives a piece loaf of bread and a bottle of water.
"Thanks." Gin said as he received the food and eat them silently,
The two chew their food silently as they sit down and relax, until Jasmin speaks, saying, "Anyway, thank you uncle for saving me."
"You? Ah, that." Gin said as he drink the bottle first before he continued, "It's not really saving. I said you're important so... yeah, it's something like that."
Hearing it, Jasmin let out a warm smile on her face and said, "Really Uncle… Thank you."
'Hmm...' Gin mused, 'Oy, what's wrong with you? It felt like you're ready to say good—'
Tak!
Upon hearing it, Gin stopped and froze at the spot. The same could be said Jasmin too, worse it was coming from beside her. At the hole, they could hear careful footsteps but it was followed by low screeches, which is really not a person.
Screech!
The monster's screeches could be heard and it mixed, meaning it was not only one. It was slowly coming from the hole beside Jasmin.
"Uncle…"
Before Jasmin could speak, Gin gestures a shush sign before pointing to the hole beside him, where it is good to hide and enough for a few people to enter.
Gin didn't know whether it's safe to go inside but he doesn't have time to test the water. He could hear the screeches was increasing every second.
Seeing his signs, Jasmin quickly understood what Gin is implying before she slowly crawls into the said hole. Gin, on the other hand, stands up with no noise to give a space for Jasmin. While doing it, he nocks an arrow onto his bow.
Tak!
As Jasmin crawls, the sound of small ones could be heard which made Gin made worried. Although it is faint, he didn't know how strong the hearing of the monster is.
Tak!
After a few seconds later, Gin glance half of his head and saw Jasmin successfully enter and peek her head out. Not wasting more time, Gin quickly entered the hole as the sound was so near. As he entered, on that split second, monsters also entered the hole with a low screeching sound.
Slam.
As Gin entered, a slam Jasmin into the wall which made her caught off guard. He covered her mouth with his hands while watching the hole with a focused expression.
Jasmin, on the other hand, could feel Gin pressing his body into hers but it made her heart pound in there.
Screech!
The screech continued and Gin pressed Jasmin further, who is blushing slightly in the scary situation.
'Do I have to throw Jasmin now and just run for it?' Gin said inwardly but instantly discards it when he heard a sceam, far from their location.
It was then Gin could hear the steps of the monsters are getting away from the cave. Still, he didn't let his guard down so he counted for three minutes.
One second... Thirty seconds... One-Hundred and Five seconds...
Then, the three-minute counting reached and the monster's screeches were no more. He sighed in relief and moved his to look at Jasmin, who is now blushing while muffling under his hands.
Gin quickly removed his hands, thinking why the hell Jasmin is blushing. On the other hand, Jasmin does breathing trying to calm her beating heart.
After calming down, Jasmin looked at Gi and said with appreciation, "T-thank you...uncle."
She gives in and sits down at the edge of the cave, 'But... that's a quite unnecessary thing to do. Maybe he's just worried that I would make a mistake. Yes, it probably is.'
"Ah, yeah sure." Gin spoke as he also sits down before continuing, "Anyway, we're going to stay here for a while. I just don't know when are we going out."
Recollecting her composure, Jasmin nods. Then, the two breath on the ground and savor the quietness inside the cave, until Gin called Jasmin.
"Hey, Jasmin." Gin spoke, "I think we are really far away from that place which I'm glad, but... I think we are now placed in an even more dangerous situation."
Hearing it, Jasmin was slightly surprised and baffled before saying, "W-why is that?"
Gin took a breath before giving a wry smile on her, "I think we're on a place where monsters are probably roaming everywhere. It's probably the monsters at the start of the tutorial. Haha... we're really unlucky this time."
"Yeah…" Jasmin said in a low voice.
"Don't mind it. We are outside the zone so it's probably normal." Gin stated as it was a more logical reason, "Anyway, we're just going to rest here for an hour or so. I think it's not also good to stay here."
"Alright," Jasmin answered before she proceed to rest while leaning her head at the wall.
Seeing her, Gin also rests while resting his head on the wall, thinking inwardly, 'Sigh. So those bastard didn't only intend to steal but also... lure the monsters inside?'
Gin paused, 'But... why? Is it just for fun? Or is it something else...?'
Gin let it go on his mind before thinking another thought. He hold the bridge of his nose and mused inwardly, 'Are you already at the village, Nash?'
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