The competition finally ended, and those who had won one or two fights were asked to stay back. Seliana was lucky to face a weak opponent, or she wouldn’t be among the people asked to wait behind.
"Those who aren’t among those chosen should leave," Grace said firmly, giving the crowd at the back a sharp glance. They took the hint and left with disappointed looks, not curious enough to anger Madam Grace. Once the spectators had gone, Grace turned to the remaining hundred people with a serious expression.
"This mission is a suicide mission—so might die, and others will survive long enough for a different group to join them... Sigh... I’ll give you a day to say goodbye to your family and friends. After that, return here with your belongings. You can go, but space users should stay behind."
Grace’s words made the crowd grow solemn. Naturally, they were scared of the unknown, but it was better than staying back and doing nothing while the breathfordge finally goes out.
The crowd dispersed, leaving ten people behind. Grace turned to them, her expression serious. "You all have an important task to carry out." She paused to ensure she had their full attention, then continued.
"You’re supposed to send out news if the surface air is breathable and any other information we should know about the surface, using this." Grace took out a bottle with markings that contained an animal hide inside.
"No matter which dungeon you find, write your words on the hide and send it through a warp gate. My people and I will send scouts every ten days to search for your news," Grace explained. This was the only way they had discovered to get news about the surface—if the air were still poisoned, she would need to make more suits.
But if it was breathable yet still dangerous, she was ready to move everyone to the surface—humans like them had to keep existing, and they would need to build a stronghold to survive.
"Madam Grace, we understand." The ten space users responded in unison, feeling the weight and significance of this mission.
"Alright, you can go back and say goodbye to your loved one." Grace waved at them and left quickly, with Dean and the three middle-aged people following behind.
⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙⸙
In the hos of those chosen, so were filled with family, while others were empty, but all were filled with the sa conflicting emotions.
Those with families were full of hope and longing to see them again, sharing their final al together as they said goodbye.
So with tears and hugs as they planned to spend their last day with family and friends, knowing they might not get to see them again.
Those who stayed alone felt fear, relief, and resignation—they had no one to mourn them when they were gone, and they only had to face the difficulties ahead.
anwhile, at Eva’s house, a hundred non-combatants stood, attentively listening to Leo’s words and Grace, who had just returned with Eva and the rest.
"Mom, are those the people who’ll be staying in my space?" Eva whispered, glancing curiously at the crowd.
She wasn’t surprised to see them, already aware that her mother had planned to send people who would be in charge of building the stronghold and setting up the machinery to prepare for Oasis City’s residents to move in.
Grace made all this preparation based on blind faith and Eva’s available space.
Ever since Eva advanced in her ranks, the ti she could stay in the space before being evicted increased from one day to three days—Grace saw endless possibilities with this improvent.
"Yes, your dad chose and poisoned them so they could never reveal your space—if they try, they’ll die." Grace raised her voice so the crowd could hear.
They lowered their heads under Grace’s sharp glance—they rembered how Leo explained the fairyland called Eva’s space to them.
But before their evil thoughts could take root, they were suppressed by the poison Leo injected into them—now they dared not entertain any thoughts but to focus on the task they were chosen for.
"Those in charge of planting food crops, step aside and select a leader who will oversee your work and report to him," Leo ordered as he pointed at Blaine, who stood silently in the front row.
Eva was surprised to see a familiar face and scanned the crowd for the chef. When she found him, she waved with a smile, but instead of greeting her warmly, he quickly ducked and hid his face in the crowd.
’Huh? Maybe he didn’t see ,’ she thought, unaware that the chef was traumatized by the sight of her. He had been forced to cook at dishes until his wrist was sore and his hands had lost feeling.
He had been so happy during this period of her absence, who knew Blaine would suddenly drag him here to follow the young masters on their surface expedition.
"Those responsible for building the stronghold, along with the scientists, will do the sa. You’ll answer to Blaine, who in turn answers to my daughter..." Leo laid out the rules for maintaining order in Eva’s space and the punishnts for anyone who neglected their duties.
They were given oxygen masks that would be refilled with air from Eva space and used every three days when the space ejects them.
They didn’t need suits like the dungeon explorers because they had no reason to fight or take part in anything dangerous, except for preparing enough food and building a stronghold after the surface is considered habitable for humans.
Once Leo finished briefing them, he turned to Eva and spoke softly, his tone gentler than the cold indifference he had shown earlier.
"Eva, take them into your space and let them get familiar with it. If anyone disobeys, you have full right to cast them out and let them fend for themselves."
"Hmm..." Eva nodded at his words and turned to the frightened crowd.
"Everyone should hold onto soone. I need to take you all in together," Eva ordered; she didn’t want to go around touching strangers to bring them into her space.
Everyone followed her words, so with curious expressions, others skeptical of the whole fairyland Leo explained, feeling he was exaggerating.
Eva walked toward Blaine and placed a hand on his shoulder, and instantly, the crowd of a hundred people disappeared.
Eva didn’t follow them right away, but held her parents’ hands and brought them into her space.
Inside the crowd, everyone was frozen in shock; they couldn’t believe their eyes, and so exaggeratedly rubbed their eyes to wake themselves up from this incredulous dream.
There were so many tall, lively trees, unlike the ones they were lucky to co across, and they weren’t as green as these.
"Sniff...hhh..." Their collective behavior of sniffing the air and taking deep breaths was so creepy that Eva’s arms broke out in goosebumps.
"Mom, I don’t rember you reacting so strongly the first ti you entered my space," Eva muttered as she rubbed her arm with a worried expression, wondering if these people’s brains had been broken from shock.
"Dear, I could control my reaction better, or I would be like your dad now," Grace pointed toward Leo.
Crouching down, Leo gathered a handful of sand and sniffed it. "No impurities... this is the finest soil I’ve ever co across. We could grow enough to fill an entire granary with grain." His voice trembled with excitent as he imagined the prosperous days ahead
"Dad, you can take a sack of soil back if you want," Eva offered, noticing he liked the soil here.
I’ll be taking you up on your offer, but I take three sacks—I need to grow so herbs," Leo responded with an elated smile, already planning which herb seeds to plant first.
User Comments
0 comments from readers