Chương 5: Chapter 5: Facing the Consequences
Kade stood frozen under Newt's sharp gaze, the weight of what he'd done settling heavily on his shoulders. He had expected to slip back into the Glade unnoticed, but now, standing face-to-face with one of the Glade's leaders, there was no escaping the consequences of his reckless decision.
Newt stepped closer, his brow furrowed with a mix of anger and concern. "Bloody hell, Greenie. You really went into the Maze. Are you completely mental?"
Kade's throat felt dry, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say. The adrenaline from his run had left him shaky, and the reality of the situation was finally sinking in. "I had to," Kade muttered, his voice barely audible.
Newt crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "You had to? What, the walls closing weren't enough of a reason to stay put?"
Kade's mind raced for a way to explain, but there was no easy way to justify his actions. He couldn't exactly tell Newt about the system pushing him to explore the Maze, or how it had forced him into dangerous tasks with rewards. Not without sounding insane.
"I—I needed to see what was out there," Kade finally said, half-truths spilling from his lips. "To understand how we're going to get out of here."
Newt's expression softened slightly, but the tension in his stance remained. "We all want to understand the Maze, but that doesn't mean we run out into it like bloody fools. You could've been killed out there." His voice wavered on the last sentence, revealing the fear behind his anger. "Do you know how many we've lost to that bloody place?"
Kade lowered his head, guilt washing over him. He had seen first-hand how deadly the Maze could be, especially after his narrow escape from the Griever. But the system had given him no choice. It had driven him to risk everything for the promise of strength and survival. Yet, standing before Newt now, he realized how selfish it had been.
"I'm sorry," Kade said quietly, his voice sincere. "I didn't mean to make things harder for you guys."
Newt exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. He seemed torn between his frustration and the instinct to protect the newcomers like Kade. "You're not the first Greenie to do something stupid," Newt finally said, his tone softening slightly. "But don't make it a habit, alright?"
Kade nodded, grateful that Newt hadn't completely chewed him out. Still, the Glader's words weighed heavily on him. The last thing he wanted was to cause more trouble for the people already trapped in this nightmare.
But before Kade could say anything more, another voice rang out across the Glade, cutting through the tension like a blade.
"What's going on here?" Alby, the Glade's leader, approached with a stern expression, his dark eyes locking onto Kade. Behind him was Minho, who wore a look of disbelief that only made Kade feel smaller.
Newt turned to face Alby, but his stance remained protective, standing slightly in front of Kade. "Greenie here took a little run in the Maze. Just got back."
Kade winced at the casual way Newt said it, but there was no point hiding the truth now.
Alby's expression darkened immediately, and his gaze shifted to Kade, eyes filled with disappointment and anger. "You went into the Maze? Without permission? Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"I'm sorry," Kade repeated, feeling the weight of his mistake pressing down on him even more heavily under Alby's scrutiny.
"Sorry doesn't mean a damn thing if you get yourself killed," Alby snapped, stepping closer. "You think this is a game, Greenie? That you can just run into the Maze whenever you feel like it?"
Kade swallowed hard, knowing there was no good way to answer. He could feel the eyes of the other Gladers around him, some of them now gathering nearby, drawn to the commotion. He had drawn attention to himself in the worst possible way.
Minho spoke up next, his voice more controlled but no less stern. "You're lucky to be standing here right now. The Maze isn't some place to explore for fun. What were you thinking, running out there alone?"
Kade felt the pressure building, but before he could try to explain, something unexpected happened. A familiar notification appeared in his vision.
---
**[System task: Survive confrontation with the Gladers. Penalty for failure: 10 system points deducted.]**
---
The penalty wasn't as severe as some of the previous ones, but the system had a way of tightening its grip when he least expected it. He had no choice but to navigate this situation carefully.
"I know I messed up," Kade began, his voice steady but low. "But I wasn't doing it for fun. I went in because I thought I could find something useful—anything that might help us get out of here."
There was a pause as the Gladers absorbed his words. Some of them exchanged glances, and Kade could see the mix of emotions in their eyes—fear, curiosity, suspicion. But no one spoke yet.
Alby, however, wasn't convinced. "You thought you'd just wander in and find a way out? You're a Greenie. You don't even know the half of what's in that Maze."
"I didn't go in blind," Kade said, feeling a surge of confidence from the system urging him forward. "I've been paying attention. I know how dangerous it is. And I wasn't trying to act like a hero. But we're all stuck here, and I'm just trying to find a way to help."
Alby's eyes narrowed, but Minho raised a hand, cutting off Alby before he could speak again. "Hold up," Minho said, his voice thoughtful. "You made it back alive. That's more than a lot of Greenies can say. How'd you manage that?"
Kade hesitated. He couldn't tell them about the system directly—at least, not yet. But he also couldn't brush off Minho's question. "I just... followed my instincts," Kade said cautiously. "I stayed quiet, stuck to the shadows. I knew if I ran, the Griever would've spotted me."
Minho studied him for a moment, his sharp eyes narrowing in thought. Then, unexpectedly, he nodded. "Smart. Most Greenies freeze up or panic when they see a Griever. You kept your cool."
Kade didn't know how to respond. The compliment felt out of place after the scolding he'd just received, but Minho wasn't finished.
"That doesn't mean you're off the hook," Minho added, crossing his arms. "But you've got guts, Greenie. Maybe too much for your own good, but guts nonetheless."
Alby still looked angry, but Minho's words seemed to soften the tension in the air. "This isn't how we do things here," Alby said, his voice calmer but no less firm. "You don't run into the Maze without clearance. I don't care what your instincts tell you. We have rules for a reason."
Kade nodded, knowing that arguing wouldn't help his case. "I understand."
Alby glanced at Newt, then back at Kade. "You'll spend the next week on extra duties. Cleaning, hauling—whatever we need done. And if you even think about going near that Maze again without permission, we'll throw you in the Slammer. Understood?"
"Yes," Kade replied quickly. The last thing he wanted was to end up in the Slammer, a makeshift jail where Gladers were sent to be punished.
Alby gave him one final hard look before turning away. "Get some sleep, Greenie. You'll need it."
As Alby and the others dispersed, Newt lingered for a moment, his expression unreadable. "You got lucky, mate," he said quietly. "Don't push it again."
Kade nodded, grateful that Newt had been somewhat forgiving, but the weight of his actions still pressed heavily on him. As the Gladers returned to their evening routines, Kade felt the eyes of a few lingering on him. They had seen something in him tonight—something dangerous, perhaps, but also something they couldn't quite understand.
---
Later, as Kade lay in his bunk, staring up at the wooden ceiling of the Homestead, the system's notification appeared again.
---
**[System task complete. Penalty avoided.]**
**[User's reputation among the Gladers has shifted. Status: Neutral to Suspicious.]**
**[New skill unlocked: Enhanced Perception Lv. 1.]**
---
Kade sighed, the events of the night replaying in his mind. The system was relentless, constantly pushing him to the edge, demanding more from him than he was ready to give. And now, he had put a target on his back. The Gladers would be watching him closely from now on, wary of his unpredictable behaviour.
But as the adrenaline faded and exhaustion set in, Kade couldn't help but wonder what the system had in store for him next. It was clear that he wasn't just any Greenie. The system had chosen him for a reason—though whether it was to survive or to change the fate of the Glade, he still didn't know.
One thing was certain: his journey had only just begun. And with each passing day, the Maze seemed to pull him deeper into its mystery.
Kade closed his eyes,
his mind already drifting toward the next challenge.
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