In the vast white space, many prisoners secretly observed their surroundings and one another from the corners of their eyes.
With narrowed eyes, they gazed at all angles. They couldn't find any hidden devices but knew they were being watched.
Soon, their eyes fell on the guards and those in lab coats, trying to pick out as much information as they could.
Smart people already knew the battle had begun.
This was also a battlefield. Everyone was a potential enemy to themselves. And unbeknownst to Bain, many had been sizing him up from the moment he was strapped in.
"Line Up!"
The order was given. And in full nudity, some prisoners strolled with slight grins, others moved provocatively, and some acted like perfect nobles, with auras affirming their superior beliefs.
Just within this single moment, their actions already gave off a little about their personalities. Although for some others, it was hard for the guards to determine what personas they had.
Some were too tricky to read.
Cold.
Bain's toes curled, feeling the chill from the floors.
With everyone in line, the lead guard raised his icy voice once more. "Step on the podium. Move only when instructed."
Bain did as was told, keeping his hands apart at shoulder length. And standing as instructed, he knew they had captured his full body image from all angles.
That is, If one had a scar on his inner thigh, maybe a front image won't show it, but with their legs and hands also spread apart, their below shots would capture it perfectly.
Nothing could be hidden from them. And it took less than a second to do.
"Next!"
Bain stepped down on the other side, following the line of people now heading to dress up in the attires laid for him.
[Ban Ratnier]
The nameplate confirmed it all. But even without it, he could still recognize the attire. It was the military recruit attire he wore when they took him away.
Bain held it, noticing there were no blood stains on it.
When he was brought in, his attire was as though he was pushed into a pool of blood.
Scrutinizing further, he also noticed his recruit sewed-in-badge and any other things meaningful to Oven Country had been ripped off.
It was clear they didn't want anything to do with him.
.
Bain grabbed his uniform hard, thinking of the 'difficulty mode' he was starting with.
Entering the Mainland wearing this would only garner hatred from others.
What prisoners liked Defenders? Wasn't this asking for him to be killed on the spot?
(***The military and groups of armed forces were called Defenders.)
'At least they left me with my military boots to keep him running just fine.' Bain thought, smiling optimistically.
Military boots were sturdy and could last for more than a decade with good care. But from the many scary stories he heard about Mainland 01, he felt his boots might not last as long as he thought.
'It's better than nothing. Who knows if finding good boots like these will come easy in the Mainland? This much is already good.'
Besides the boots, he also had his pair of socks, his belt, green tank top, camouflage pants, and his green jacket, which he got from his late brother.
The jacket had no military symbols or signs belonging to Oven country, looking like an ordinary jacket. But the style and patterns it was sewn in were all as per standard military designs.
As fast as he could, Bain wore his attire. 'Once in the Mainland, I have to get new pants.'
The green military camouflage pants he had on were very irritating in the eyes of criminals. People might want to beat him up because of this.
For now, his jacket and everything else would stay.
.
~Brrrmmmm~
A massive aircraft, similar to a small spaceship, quickly took off with 491 male and female prisoners.
Yes! Amongst the 500 judged by the Absolute Court, these were the bunch deemed guilty.
In the aircraft's vast open space, all prisoners sat strapped into the seats along the walls and columns.
Bain was still drawn into his thoughts when he heard a familiar voice echo out.
"So…We meet again!"
Kaizu!!
Bain was taken aback, seeing the youngster on the left.
Had he been sitting beside him all this time? (?^?)
Bain tightened his lips, not knowing why he couldn't speak. In the end, he coughed to relieve his awkwardness. But at that moment, Kaizu's eyes turned crescent.
Something about the youngster's aura changed as the corners of his mouth ticked upwards.
His eyes started at Bain like a hunter watching his prey. And when Bain turned to face him, his expression returned normal.
"Kaizu, aren't you nervous about entering the Mainland?"
"Nervous… Maybe?" He responded slyly, though Bain thought his weirdness came from his nervousness.
Amongst the many, he and Kaizu might be the only ones this young. Some were 200, others 50, 60 and even 130.
Unlike them, he and Kaizu were going when their lives were beginning. So how can this not be a blow to someone with prospects and hope for a promising future?
He, Bain, was sentenced to 310 years on the Mainland.
.
The current human body dies at 380~400, with some rare people dying at 410.
At the rate of cell regrowth and mutation humans now possess, hardly anyone died naturally before 380… Maybe once in a thousand years or so.
With a sentence of 310 years on the mainland, he would be allowed to leave the place by 326.
By then, most of his life would be over. — Of course, that's if he managed to survive till then. After all, those who enter the Mainland don't live for long.
From what he knew, true criminals took the place as a haven. Chaos reigned, murders ruled, and psychopaths did their worst, not worrying about being caught.
The death sentence was made void, creating this Mainland not only to keep the criminals busy but also to let them kill each other, giving them a taste of their own medicine.
Over the years, the criminals who enter never want to leave.
Home sweet home. They loved such a violent place. And even though some innocent people might find themselves in the Mainland, most of its residents were utter scum of society.
That's why at 16 and 18 years old, even if they were true criminals, how could their experience outway the many fierce people here?
Whether it was the prisoners aboard this ship or those on the Mainland, Bain felt he and Kaizu would have a tougher time surviving. Who knows, Kaizu might be more helpless than he was.
Helpless?
Kaizu chuckled in amusement, lazily turning attention to a very strong but pot-bellied man on the far end. He nodded, and several others beside the man nodded too.
No one saw their little actions.
…
~Brrrmmm~~~The aircraft flew across the waters at a steady pace. And throughout the flight, no one was permitted to stand. Suppose you feel like taking a piss, too bad. Do it in your pants!The aircraft danced chaotically until Bain, and the others felt its abrupt descent.Wow!Those flying the aircraft didn't even tell them to brace themselves.The aircraft descended at an incredible speed, giving the illusion they were about to crash. And while in this illusionary state, a bright light quickly engulfed the scene.It was now that many realized the walls they were leaning on were see-through. And now with the outer surface of the ship moving upward like a shuttered window, many could see the outside world via the transparent walls they were leaning against."Look! That's the famous 'Cotton Cloud' Waters surrounding the Mainland!" Someone exclaimed.Bain knew a thing or 2 about these Cotton Cloud waters.In this world called Blue Sails, the waters were vastly different depending on wh
In the overly massive Control room, more than 900 men and women sat or stood by, watching the chaotic scenes via the monitors.The room was vast, with spring ceilings of open space 3 stories high.The Space was Hexagonal, with its front 3 out of 6 sides having nothing transparent wall screens to see the outside world while flying.The back wall had several elevators and doors leading into the space, while the last 2 side walls were floor-to-ceiling monitors showing hundreds of images.The Captain smoked his pipe, looking at the many images projected on the wall monitors. "There... Enlarge.""Yes, Captain,'' replied one of the men, enlarging the image as instructed.Seeing it, the Captain smacked his belly in delight. "Look at how these scallywags run about. Fear, greed for survival, thrilled, expectation, excitement... It's all on their faces!"The Captain seemed to be paying attention to a few. These should be the ones with the highest kill counts this time. Soon, Bain's image was en
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!All remaining prisoners were shot dead.The Captain tugged on the tip of his hat, masking the discerning trace of malice in his eyes. And very subtly, he headed into his office space overseeing the Control.Click.He locked the door and reached for the phone on his desk.[Is it done?] A rich but cold voice sounded out from the other end."Affirmative, sir... The kid is off the ship. Now, he's Mainland property."[And what about the rat?]The Captain thought of one of the prisoners he shot during the mass shooting.During the final shooting round, they killed the last few remaining prisoners aboard. But that wasn't when he killed the rat.During the first shooting round, he and his crew targeted non-lethal body parts, causing many of the prisoners to leave the ship hastily. But amidst the chaos, he killed the rat before the bastard could make it out of the aircraft. Even the crew members didn't know of his actions.To keep the matter confidential, he had to limi
Bain shivered, quickly leaving the scene and heading for the nearby hills and bushy terrain. And in a blink of an eye, he had already moved a great distance, rustling past several bushes, trees, and open fields with tall stalks of wheat a few feet taller than he.~Bang!His heart skipped. Not good!"Come out, boy… We know you're in there." Said a deep and playful voice belonging to the burly lead figure amidst his gang of ruffians.They stopped leisurely, snickering and jesting at Bain's unfortunate situation.Hehehehe~"Boss, I reckon he has wet himself.""Pff!~ What sort of criminal would wet himself from a gunshot?" A man they called fatty, couldn't help mocking."Heh… A newbie like him won't be able to survive a day out in these parts," another added.He had seen a close-up on Bain back in town, feeling the boy should be one of those scaredy-cat criminals.One could find all sorts of criminals on the Mainland.There were those bold and hot-tempered, those who always used others as
The popular tunes from the night crickets and the low rustling leaves were the only sounds that resounded in Bain's ear.One boy with a sharp stone in his grasp, stared at the many circling him. 'I'm almost at my wit's end.'Bain quickly caught himself from falling, looking at the person the rest referred to as Boss.The gang of miscreants wore boots, baggy pants, and different styled tops. Some wore tank tops, others wore light jackets, some stuck to tee-shirts, and others went shirtless.He stared at them in scrutiny, realizing that no one was pointing a weapon at him. This was an important hint!'It's either they deem me so worthless that they don't bother raising their pistols at me… Or they need to capture me intact.'Come to think of it, why did they chase after him so much when he never offended them? In any case, he felt his thinking was smart.'I'm valuable.'Bain concluded, finding leverage over the situation. And the one they called boss, slowly lit a cigarette amidst the t
Mmm~~~Bain moaned softly as nature's quiet sounds registered in his brain.Where am I?He opened his eyes abruptly, examining the strange wooden cabin he found himself in.Hiss!~~He had a headache.'What happened? I remember that he was surrounded with no way out... But then someone... Someone… Someone!'Bain was about to spring up when a calm voice echoed out."I see you're up."Who?Bain quickly turned his attention to the cabin door. And there he was… The silver-haired stranger!With unhurried steps, the man stepped into the cabin in full farming attire with a hoe in his hand and a basket of wheat on his back."Easy boy... You don't have enough strength in you." The silver-haired man said, slowly putting his hoe and basket.Bain placed his hand on the mat he rested on, trying to pull himself up and lean against the wall.With a skeptical look, he gazed at the good-looking man who was now taking out the many stalks of wheat from his basket."Relax."The man gave him a brief yet la
That red mark…Bain's eyes glowed with a fiery light.The thin piece of paper was sticking out from underneath several books. He could see particular characters and symbols that, wouldn't you know it, belonged to none other than the Absolutes!Them again? Bain's interest was more than piqued.What did they want from the Silver-haired man? Though the man looked trustworthy, the Absolute court was another matter.Bain carefully moved his hands, still keeping his head stiffly facing the man.Could he do it? Would he eventually succeed?~Tack. Tack. Tack. Tack.The flames once again danced underneath the heated pot.The space was obviously hot. But when the Silver-haired man spoke, it suddenly grew heavy and frosty."Mainland 01… Violence, murder, chaos, and freedom to do whatever criminals want… That's what you ordinary folks think. However, you're all forgetting one simple fact. Even in Hell itself, there are rules."~Pang!The Silver-haired man swung his blade once more, giving the ill
Bain listened attentively.The silver-haired man referred to himself as Ryu.From his tale, he used to be an ordinary worker, that is until his newly wedded wife betrayed him. And the finishing blow that broke him was when she married another, bringing her lover and her greedy family into the house.Yes… Her lover was with his good friend.Ultimately, the woman managed to secure all his savings and all he had ever worked for.They say revenge was a painful dish served best when cold. But in his case, he decided to turn up the heat on his betrayers.He drugged them, tied them together in the basement, waited for them to wake, and gave them a piece of his mind before setting up a gimmick designed to blow the house up 10 minutes later.Sadly, because the buildings on his street were built too close to each other, his revenge act led to the burning of 2 neighboring homes.It resulted in the death of a neighbor's newly born children and the death of another neighbor's son playing in a room
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bullets flew in all directions, as more and more people stepped out from the door to shoot at the sons of bitches who dared escape their Casino.What a drag. Leorio rolled to the side, behind an old overturned, rusted truck with its parts burrows under the ground and its skeleton wheel facing the skies.The truck has been here for ages and no one ever thought of taking it away.There were old bullet holes in it, and because of Leorio, new bullet holes poured on the poor broken-down body like crazy.Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Leorio raised his head, putting 2 hands on the rusted vehicle and shooting away like crazy. "Bloody hell, Eragon, just get to the fucking van already!" "I'm on it, I'm on it, asshole!"Bang! Bang! "Maybe if you'd like down a bit, my fucking legs will move faster." Bang! Bang! "Hey guys… we got company at 9 O'clock." Bang! Bang! Leorio and Eragon, who had just shot down a driver and were about to enter the van, saw a window hastily open on t
Tap. The trio jumped down from the vents, with Leorio grumbling to the skies. Way to go asshole! Now, they're only left with 3 fucking minutes to go.Can you believe that guy? Sure, the news was thrilling, but they were at a fucking crossroads here and had no time for stories.Standing by the door, Bain double-checked the dagger hidden under his sleeves. It was a dagger from the Fatso they left in the room. He also grabbed a few others from those Eragon killed. Leorio looked at Gray again, a hidden perplexity brooding in his mind. It was odd. He labeled Gray as strange in his mind. "You said you killed before?" "Hmhm," Gray nodded. "I killed a person in Mainland." "And you had no reaction?" Gray scratches his head in confusion, "Should I?" "_"Odd.Eragon, who heard this, also felt Gray was odd. He had Innocence, but would an ordinary person treat a pile of courses like they were daisies? "Gray Ratnier… you sure are one weird kid…. It's clear," Leorio moved his ears away
A few minutes later, Eragon was on all fours with veins popping from his neck when going over what just happened to him right now. It had already been a few minutes in their company but Eragon had to admit he felt the need to throttle the one leading them through the vent. "Run it through me one more time. Just now exactly did you know my plans?"As a person who prides himself on being one of the smartest in this hell hole, don't they know that their actions alone had slapped him in the face? He wasn't arrogantly saying he was the most intelligent man in the Mainland. But okay, can you at least give him some credit for evading several forces here and there? Do you think it's easy to know his plans and counterattack them without him realizing it? Eragon was annoyed, knowing he had walked into a trap. Seeing as the duo didn't want to give him a straight answer, he couldn't help rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Can you at least tell me who you belong to?"What organization was he
Dammit!The unit leader's eyes turned red with rage when he understood his dilemma.Who was it that betrayed them?"No use thinking so much." The target chuckled, slowly rising to his feet once more. "Well, my time here is done. And according to your watch, you only have 5 seconds left...How pitiful."WHAT?The leader and the others screamed in their bellies in fear, trying their best to reach the target and take him with them when they met their maker.Like a spell, after the target's cursed words, their breathing grew 10 times heavier and their chests suddenly grew stiff.Like fish out of water, they struggled for air as much as they could to no avail. But it was no use. Death was imminent.1, 2, 3... Dead. A dreadful silence now engulfed the scene with the men and women no longer moving.The target shrugged, no longer concerning himself with the dead bodies in the room.Baahahahahahah~He laughed when looking at the disc in his hand. Great! He was finally able to take his disc b
They had no more time to waste.dropping to the floor, Leorio carefully used 2 pins from the fat man's pockets and touched several parts as though he were working under a car."It's done," Leorio commented, dusting off his body as he took to his feet.Bain seemed to know what he wanted to do, already putting his hands on the bed's headrest.With the signal from Leorio, Bain pulled the headrest as slowly as he could."That's good enough for now. Any more and we'll be alerting the guards again."Yeah," Bain said, quickly taking his hands off the headrest.On another close inspection, he saw an open vent finally revealed.So that's it!Could it be the escape vent was there for the coroners in case something truly out of control happened?'I see. So its design is the same as an emergency door, another way for them to leave the room. After all, there might be a situation where the enemy is just outside their door trying to bring in.'Bain wasn't so sure about where the hidden passage led to
The world was never fair and equal from the start. Slow were the bottom feeders and above stops those meant to trample on them. In an enormous space filled with old-fashioned computers and equipment, several people punched their keyboards tirelessly. Some were dogs and others "Ma'am." An expressionless scar-face man spoke. "I think you should take a look at this.""Oh?"Madam Sure, who was on her way to see one of the big bosses in another room, moved her enticing across to the scar-face man on with interest. "What's got you so hot and bothered?" Tightening her red long, sharp nails on his chin, she narrowed her gaze dangerously. "It better be good."The man didn't flinch, showing that those who could have stations on this floor weren't your ordinary sort of people. "Forgive me for my insolence, ma'am, but someone has activated the signal.""So what? Don't you know the protocol to follow if a guest does that?""Yes, I do. However, this situation is different. The button was indeed
The room was rectangular and significantly better than the room Bain slept in last night. Red carpets covered the floors, giving an elegant touch to the already vast and ornate room. Attached along the walls were a multitude of wall lights that brightened the scene to life. The bed was the largest he has seen since arriving, and the tv, though covered with visible cracks across it's screen, was still better than the average tvs in this hell hole. Bain looked around but didn't see any windows or visible exits apart from the door they came in from. So how were they going to do it? There was an unexpected knock on the door, causing Bain to jolt like a cat out of water.Who?One of the casino guards in a black suit calmly walked and stared at them expressionlessly. His stare was so intense that Bain felt he had been stripped of all thoughts. However, Bain didn't panic, but followed Leorio's lead and massaged the chubby pig's belly. When the duo looked at the man, they acted like fr
Target locked. Follow his lead? Sure. Bain quickly followed behind Leorio, having a vague clue what he planned. Looking at the stage again, there were 5 individual narrow walkways that shot from the main stage towards the advance, as though they were elevated runway platforms. There, build dancers could stand out against the others, dancers up close to the audience members. Already, several bold dancers were moved out to showcase themselves. Smile. Smile. Smile... No matter how embarrassing it was, Bain kept an inviting smile, hoping the torture would soon end. "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah, baby! Now, this is what I'm talking about! Some fine ass boys wag their tails for me!" "Hehehehehe~... Boss, it seems they like you. They're all over you like starved b**ches in heat." "Pfft~. You say they are like b**ches in heat, but I say they already 'ARE' b**ches wanting the touch of a man. Lucky boss. He's got both of them fighting for his attention." The men seated beside the chubby ma
Dance?Bain didn't think he was a great performer.But seeing the many guards pointing their weapons at them, how dare anyone oppose the idea? Augh~He smiled wryly and adjusted his Tutu while being dragged away by Leorio. He, Bain, never knew there would be a day he became a showgirl... Or in this case, a show boy. Leorio was taking this matter quite well. And just like that, Bain found himself dancing out towards the stage, with his legs kicking as high as they could. He didn't know the moves, only following everyone's lead. Leorio leaned closer, whispering into his ears. And soon, the duo nodded at each other tactfully. No one knew about their little conversation. And out in the audience, where many ruffians, thugs, mobs, and other elite organizations... Just as one would expect from the Mainland. The room was layered with smoke from the never-ending stream of cigars and cigarettes getting lit. Large lights pointed to the stage, illuminating the poor unfortunate souls who c