Chapter 3
【Game System: Surviving Players 187】
Volcanic ash had completely covered the surface, painting the entire world in deathly gray. Looking down from Sky City's observation deck, the earth resembled a giant shroud, with occasional flashes of light marking the final struggles of ability users.
【World Channel】 had completely exploded:
【Player088-Peter】: Viktor you beast! Why won't you save people when you have a sky city!
【Player201-Sarah】: You're just a selfish demon! Give us the shelter coordinates right now!
【Player154-Jenny】: Viktor! I curse your whole family to die! You'll get what's coming to you!
【Player199-Robert】: Brothers, stop begging this bastard! Let's unite and find his location, then blast his doghouse with our abilities!
【Player071-Eric】: @Everyone Viktor thinks he's safe hiding in the sky? My 【Neural Infiltration】 can control all creatures! As soon as I find a way to the sky city, I'll make him kneel and beg!
I watched these curses coldly, taking a sip of red wine.
Anger makes people lose reason, and enemies who've lost reason are the best tools to exploit.
【Player071-Eric】: @All Survivors I propose forming a suicide squad! Brothers with reconnaissance abilities like 【Instant Teleportation】【Flight】【X-Ray Vision】 step forward! We must find this bastard!
【Player088-Peter】: Count me in! My 【Instant Teleportation】 can search quickly!
【Player154-Jenny】: My 【Lightning Dominion】 specializes in electrocuting scum like this!
【Player201-Sarah】: And my 【Penetrating Vision】! I can see through any hiding!
In just ten minutes, Eric had gathered over twenty ability users to form a search alliance. They began scouring through the toxic ash, trying to find clues leading to the sky.
Watching these fools' futile efforts, I decided to give them a little "hope."
【Player099-Viktor】: Enough.
【World Channel】 instantly fell silent.
【Player099-Viktor】: I admit it. I did know the type of apocalypse in advance. And I admit I built a sky city to escape disaster.
【Player071-Eric】: Fuck you Viktor! It's too late to apologize now!
【Player099-Viktor】: But you're wrong about one thing. I didn't just prepare a shelter for myself.
【Player088-Peter】: What do you mean?
【Player099-Viktor】: There are four top-tier bunkers on the surface. Each can perfectly withstand volcanic ash and high temperatures, with sufficient oxygen and food inside.
【World Channel】 fell silent again as everyone waited for more.
【Player099-Viktor】: Coordinates as follows: 40.7589°N, 74.0060°W. 51.5074°N, 0.1278°W. 33.8688°S, 151.2093°E. 35.6762°N, 139.6503°E.
【Player201-Sarah】: Really?! You actually prepared shelters?!
【Player099-Viktor】: However, each bunker can accommodate a maximum of 15 people. First come, first served. Auto-seals when full.
As soon as I finished speaking, 【World Channel】 completely exploded:
【Player088-Peter】: The first coordinates are closest to me! That's mine!
【Player154-Jenny】: Bullshit! Whoever gets there first!
【Player199-Robert】: Brothers, weren't we just talking about uniting to find Viktor? Now how...
【Player071-Eric】: Fuck unity! Survival first! I'm going to the fourth coordinates!
Instantly, the previously united ability user alliance crumbled. Everyone frantically rushed toward the nearest coordinates.
I pulled up satellite surveillance, watching the battle royales playing out simultaneously in four directions.
【40.7589°N Surveillance Feed】
【Player088-Peter】 arrived first at the New York coordinates, but 【Player154-Jenny】 followed closely behind.
"I found this first! Get lost!" Peter roared.
"First come, first served! You haven't gone in yet!" Jenny's hands crackled with lightning.
The two fought at the bunker entrance, 【Instant Teleportation】 versus 【Lightning Dominion】. More players were approaching, the air thick with killing intent.
【33.8688°S Surveillance Feed】
The Sydney coordinates were even bloodier. Seven ability users arrived simultaneously, starting a melee over the 15 spots.
"I have 【Steel Body】! None of you can compete with me!"
"【Flame Control】 burn you all!"
"【Frost Dominion】 freeze everything!"
Ability lights flashed in the toxic ash as blood splattered on the bunker doors.
【World Channel】
【Player201-Sarah】: Damn! There are already 6 people here! 9 spots left!
【Player077-Jack】: I killed three people to get a spot! Viktor you bastard, why didn't you build more!
【Player154-Jenny】: Hahaha! I'm in! You wastes can wait outside to die!
【Player133-John】: No! The door closed! I was just one step away! Please open the door! I'll do anything!
【System Alert: Player133-John has died】
【System Alert: Player098-Andrew has died】
【System Alert: Player167-Lisa has died】
I sat elegantly on the sofa, as if watching an entertaining gladiator show. Without deploying a single soldier, using just four fake coordinates, I made these ability users who had just threatened to kill me tear each other apart.
Human greed and selfishness are more terrifying than any weapon.
Three hours later, all four bunkers were full. 60 lucky ones hid in "safe" shelters while the remaining 127 players died in despair in the toxic ash.
【World Channel】
【Player088-Peter】: Hahaha! I survived! Viktor, you're a bastard, but thanks for the bunker!
【Player154-Jenny】: The facilities in here are great! Food, water, air purification system!
【Player201-Sarah】: Viktor, I was wrong to curse you earlier! You actually do have a conscience!
【Player077-Jack】: Brothers, let's open champagne to celebrate! We survived!
Watching these fools celebrating in their "shelters," I smiled with cruel coldness.
【Game System: Surviving Players 60】
Just then, my private channel received a message.
【Player071-Eric】: Viktor, we need to talk.
I opened the private chat.
【Player071-Eric】: I know you're still angry about me and Sera, but that's all in the past. Now we're both survivors, we should let bygones be bygones.
【Player099-Viktor】: What do you want to say?
【Player071-Eric】: I want to know where exactly your sky city is. If there are more dangerous apocalypses later, maybe we can cooperate. After all, we were once the best partners, weren't we?
Looking at Eric's hypocritical words, I remembered his face full of betrayal from reality.
【Player099-Viktor】: Cooperation? Interesting.
【Player071-Eric】: Yes! Just like before! I have the strongest ability, you have the most resources. Together we'd be absolutely invincible!
【Player071-Eric】: By the way, my bunker is really safe now, and Sera is here too. We're already planning our next move.
I pulled up surveillance of the Tokyo coordinates. Eric sat in the bunker's command center, surrounded by 14 other ability users. Sera nestled beside him as they raised champagne glasses in victory gestures at the camera.
【Player071-Eric】: Viktor? You still there? Give me an answer!
I didn't reply, but slowly walked to the control panel.
There, a red button waited.
The button was labeled: "Bunker Self-Destruct System."
My finger hovered above the button as I watched the celebrating faces in the surveillance feed.
Three hours ago, they were cursing me, threatening to flay me alive.
Now they thought they were safe.
Thought they could survive to the end.
Thought I would actually prepare shelters for enemies.
A cold smile tugged at my lips.
Foolish lambs, welcome to true hell.
