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