Chapter 4 Test of humanity (2)

"Mom, I want to go home," 

"Mom is here, sweetie. Everything will be fine,"

A heavy tension settled over the crowd, thick and suffocating. Panic surged like wildfire. People scattered, clutching their phones, desperate for a lifeline, frantically dialing numbers that no longer worked. The grim realization spread quickly: they were trapped, and there was no escape.

Among the chaos, a man from the special police force tightened his grip on his daughter's hand. "Everyone, stay calm! I'm from the special police. We're trained for situations like this. I just got word the military is mobilizing."

A cold, mocking voice cut through the air like a blade. "Funny you should say that," Verismon sneered, his tone dripping with amusement. "This is happening worldwide. If you think someone's coming to save you, let me show you something."

Suddenly, a massive screen flickered to life, revealing scenes of unspeakable carnage—people fighting, killing, blood soaking the streets. Chaos, pure and unfiltered.

"Can't we just get out of here?" a voice pleaded, hope cracking at the edges.

"Throw yourself into the fire and burn alive if you think that's an escape," Verismon mocked.

The crowd erupted in confusion and fear, the rising frustration quickly turning to aggression. Shouts rang out, fists flew, and the once-ordered mass devolved into a frantic, violent mob.

Tilus watched it all unfold, his mind racing, clutching the journal that had guided him thus far. He knew there was a way out—if they could keep their heads. "HEY! William, Jasmine, Leon, Ben! Over here!" he shouted, gathering his friends.

Their faces were pale, eyes wide with fear and confusion as they rushed over. "What now?" Jasmine asked, panic evident in her voice.

"We have one hour. We're splitting into two groups. Group 1: Me, Jasmine, and William. Group 2: Leon and Ben."

"Are you insane? That's suicide!" Leon exclaimed.

"No, it's not. The condition for this stage is simple—'kill one infected living being.' It doesn't have to be human. We need to find insects or small animals. Avoid people at all costs," Tilus explained with a calm he didn't feel.

Reluctantly, they nodded and split off. Tilus, William, and Jasmine quickly found an ant nest. The ants were slightly larger than normal, their tails glowing an eerie red. Without hesitation, Tilus crushed one underfoot.

[You have killed an ant.] [You are the first to commit a murder. 100 coins have been added as a reward.]

William and Jasmine followed suit, killing a few of the infected ants. They had passed this stage, but Tilus's mind was elsewhere, scanning the area. He recognized the Turtle Tower in the distance and cursed the loss of his supplies back in Ho Chi Minh City. This mean he are now in the North of the country far away from his city in the South

Tilus noticed a beehive nearby, its inhabitants not yellow but red—a sign of their infection. Without hesitation, he throw a few rock at it until it hit the ground into a nearby fire.

[You have killed a large number of infected living beings. Coins are being calculated.]

William shot him a puzzled glance. "Why did you do that?"

"Bees can be dangerous," Tilus replied coolly.

Jasmine looked at him, eyebrows raised. "You're surprisingly calm through all of this."

Tilus shrugged, trying to conceal the storm of anxiety brewing inside. "Maybe I'm just used to chaos."

As they regrouped, Tilus saw something that made his heart skip a beat—a woman defending an elderly grandmother from an attacker. It was exactly like the scene described in the journal. Violet, the Phantom Reaper, was in danger.

"Hold on, Jasmine," I said firmly, gripping her arm before she could rush in. I could see the panic in her eyes, but I couldn't let her act recklessly. Violet wasn't weak—far from it—but unarmed, she was clearly struggling to fend off the man's relentless, violent assault.

Violet. The name alone sent a jolt through me. She was the Violet from the journal. The one who would one day be feared across the land as the Phantom Reaper—a ruthless, decisive figure who would eliminate anyone standing in her way. But that was in the future. Right now, she was vulnerable, far from the cold and calculated killer she would become.

His mind raced, weighing the consequences. Tilus know he couldn't let her die—not here, not now. It would throw everything into chaos, ruin my plans before they even began. Without thinking, He sprang into action.

He charged forward, slamming into the attacker with my full weight. He staggered, his grip loosening as the knife clattered to the ground. For a second, I thought I'd won, but the man quickly regained his balance, his eyes narrowing in fury.

"EVERYONE, LISTEN UP!" Tilus shouted, his voice cutting through the noise. "I know a way out of this stage without anyone having to kill each other!"

Faces turned toward him—some filled with fear, others with a flicker of hope. The chaos quieted, if only for a moment, as people listened.

"The condition to pass this stage is to kill a living being. It doesn't have to be human," Tilus continued, urgency in his voice. "There are insects and small animals around if you look carefully. Kill one of them, and you can clear the stage."

A few in the crowd looked skeptical, but Tilus pressed on. "I've already received the notification after killing an insect, and so have my friends. If you head to the north side, there's an ant nest. That's your way out."

Slowly, the crowd began to stir, some hesitantly searching the ground for anything small enough to kill. Tilus discreetly pulled out a small container with a few ants he had collected earlier and handed it to Violet and the elderly woman. "Kill the ant," he instructed. They hesitated but did as he said, clearing the stage.

But Verismon wasn't finished with him yet.

"Well, well, well," Verismon's voice echoed again, laced with sinister amusement. "We have a little savior in our midst. How boring. You've spoiled my fun, Tilus. Let's make things more… interesting."

Dread crept over Tilus as Verismon's voice took on a darker tone.

"From this moment, the time limit for this trial will be shortened," Verismon announced. "You now have five minutes left to kill a living being and clear the stage. Oh, and one more thing—if anyone manages to kill Tilus, you will all pass the stage instantly. No need to hunt for insects. Just one quick death, and you're free."

A deadly silence fell over the crowd. Panic began to resurface, but this time, it was focused on Tilus. Eyes turned toward him—some wide with fear, others sharp with murderous intent.

But his words were swallowed by the fear and desperation thickening the air. Whispers flickered back and forth among the crowd:

"Hey, what if we could—"

"Yeah, why not? If we had more people—"

"But do we have to? We could just kill the insects!"

"You idiots, we only got 5 minutes left!"

Some hesitated, torn between gratitude and the overwhelming desire to survive. But others had already made up their minds. The crowd began advancing toward him, their eyes glinting with a desperate resolve.

Tilus's mind raced. He couldn't fight them all, and trying would only fuel Verismon's twisted game. Each step they took felt heavier, the weight of their survival instinct pressing on him. He needed to act quickly.

"Listen to me!" Tilus pleaded. "There's still a way out for all of us. Run to the ant nest now—there's enough for everyone!"

The crowd hesitated, but Verismon's cruel laughter cut through the air. "Tick-tock, Tilus. Time is running out."

The tension in the air thickened, the crowd edging closer, some still weighing their options. But one man didn't hesitate—the same man who had attacked the grandmother earlier. His eyes gleamed with cold determination as he shoved through the crowd, knife in hand.

"You think you're a hero? Let's see how long that lasts," the man sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

Tilus's heart pounded as the man lunged, the knife flashing in the dim light. He barely dodged the first strike, but the man kept coming, each swing more frantic and uncoordinated than the last. Tilus knew he couldn't keep dodging forever.

"You'll regret this," Tilus muttered, bracing himself for the next attack.