NOVGO.NET Chapter 20 Survivors camp.
Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Survivors camp.
As the elevator finally reached the top, Luna and Kai stepped inside. Just before the doors closed, Luna leaned toward Kai, her lips barely moving as she whispered into his ear.
"Don’t you dare tell them anything. Just follow my lead. Whatever they ask you, the answer is simple—you don’t know. Understood?"
Kai nodded immediately, feeling a little relieved. At least with Luna around, he wasn’t the one everyone was paying attention to anymore.
The metal elevator slowly climbed until it reached the top of the massive wall before coming to a stop. The doors slid open with a loud metallic groan.
The moment they stepped out, rows of heavily armed soldiers greeted them.
Luna frowned.
"Why are there so many armed people? We aren’t a threat."
She tried sounding reasonable as she looked at the two officers who had escorted them inside the elevator, but it was almost as though she was talking to empty air. Neither of them acknowledged her existence.
That alone irritated her.
First, she was usually the one ignoring people, not the other way around.
Second, she absolutely hated cocky men. They irritated her to no end.
"Okay... somehow the Leviathan seems like the better option than this place," Kai muttered under his breath.
The nearest soldiers immediately raised their rifles.
"You don’t whisper around here," one of them barked. "It’s against the rules. Speak where everyone can hear you."
He gestured forward.
"Move. The search is compulsory. It’s protocol."
Luna scoffed.
She wanted to argue, but there wasn’t any point.
It wasn’t like she planned to stay here.
Once she raided every bunker inside this so-called safe zone, gathered the companions she needed, and restocked her Apocalypse Coins, she would disappear.
She had no intention of living under dictators who treated survivors like livestock waiting for slaughter.
"Drop all your weapons."
Luna’s eyes narrowed.
That was one thing she absolutely hated.
Why would she willingly walk into a place full of strangers without anything to defend herself?
"And why exactly should I do that?"
She asked the question without fear, staring directly at the officer who had given the order.
The soldiers silently studied her.
Dressed completely in black, expensive accessories hanging from her neck and ears, she looked like some spoiled rich girl who had wandered into the apocalypse by accident.
Only her eyes betrayed the truth.
Cold.
Calculating.
Dangerous.
"Trust the government."
The commanding officer spoke with complete confidence.
Maybe another survivor would have believed those words.
Luna almost laughed.
In her previous life, trusting those same authorities had led countless people to their deaths.
She wasn’t stupid enough to repeat history.
"Well..."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Have you earned my trust?"
The officers exchanged confused looks.
Before the atmosphere became even more tense, Kai hurriedly spoke.
"She... she’s usually like this."
He forced out an awkward smile.
"And I’d advise all of you not to annoy her."
He wasn’t trying to threaten them.
He was trying to save their lives.
Luna had no intention of killing anyone...
At least not until her objectives were complete.
Ignoring everyone around her, she communicated with her system.
Have you secured the target locations?
The familiar mechanical chime echoed inside her mind.
[Yes, Host. All target locations have been confirmed.]
[The individuals you’re searching for are currently living in the survivor quarters.]
Luna frowned.
A survivor camp.
Thousands of unwashed bodies packed together in one place.
Just imagining it was disgusting.
Still...
She didn’t have a choice.
She needed those men.
Once she gathered all of them, raiding the military bunkers would become significantly easier.
"Fine."
She sighed dramatically.
"I’ll surrender my weapons."
The soldiers visibly relaxed.
Luna reached into one of her pockets and casually pulled out four razor-sharp daggers before placing them on the inspection table.
Then she unzipped her backpack.
Two shotguns.
Several loaded magazines.
Extra ammunition.
One after another, she laid everything down.
Ironically, none of those weapons even came from her System Space.
They were simply spare equipment she’d picked up along the way.
If the military wanted them...
They could keep them.
For now.
She would simply come back later and reclaim every single one.
Kai stared at her in disbelief.
He hadn’t known Luna for very long.
But one thing he had already learned...
Luna never surrendered.
If she appeared to give up, it only meant she had already thought several moves ahead.
"Dude."
One of the soldiers nudged Kai with a grin.
"You think too highly of her."
He laughed.
"She’s just a girl. What exactly can she do?"
Luna swallowed her irritation.
She memorized his face.
His voice.
His build.
The huge muscular man had unknowingly carved his own name onto her death list.
After everything was over...
He would personally meet his maker.
Kai swallowed nervously.
"Don’t say that."
"The last person who underestimated her died a horrible death."
He hadn’t witnessed it himself.
But Luna had shown him the security footage.
Even remembering it sent chills down his spine.
Instead of taking his warning seriously...
The entire group burst into laughter.
"What?"
The muscular soldier laughed.
"Is she going to stab me with one of those little dagers?"
He spread both arms dramatically.
"We have all her weapons."
"She’s completely at our mercy."
If that’s what they believed...
Then so be it.
Luna only needed five days.
Five days to study the entire safe zone.
Five days to map every bunker.
Five days to secure supplies, gather her future companions, earn enough Apocalypse Coins, and replace the amphibious vehicle the sea monsters had destroyed.
After that...
She was gone.
"So don’t be scared, buddy."
Another soldier stepped forward.
He was even taller and broader than the first.
His gaze shamelessly wandered across Luna’s body.
"I can’t wait to have her."
"You bitches need a real man to warm your bed."
"And lucky for you..."
He smirked.
"I’m available."
The remaining soldiers laughed loudly.
"Oh, she’ll be begging before the night’s over."
"Imagine her squirming all night."
"Maybe we’ll let everyone take turns."
Their disgusting laughter echoed across the checkpoint.
Luna simply looked past them.
Beyond the walls.
The floodwaters that had swallowed entire cities were slowly retreating.
Large patches of land had begun to reappear.
Above them...
The sun burned brighter than ever before.
Almost unnaturally bright.
It looked enormous.
Her eyes narrowed.
Phase Two...
It was beginning.
The world was about to become even more dangerous.
"That’s right."
A slow smile spread across her face.
"I’ll be waiting."
She chuckled softly.
"Let’s see which one of us survives."
The soldiers laughed with her, completely misunderstanding her words.
After the scanners confirmed she wasn’t carrying any hidden weapons, the massive metal gates slowly creaked open.
Kai surrendered his own weapons before quickly catching up to Luna.
As they walked away, one of the soldiers shouted after him.
"See you later!"
"I hope you’re not her boyfriend."
"Because we’re definitely taking her."
Kai clenched his fists.
He wanted to turn around.
Wanted to punch every single one of them.
Instead, he continued walking.
The gates closed behind them.
"What was that?" Kai whispered furiously.
"They kept insulting you!"
"You should’ve beaten them up right there!"
Luna laughed quietly.
"One thing you should never do, Kai Blackwood..."
She kept walking.
"...is act on impulse."
She glanced at him.
"If I’d attacked them, what would’ve happened?"
"We would’ve been denied entry."
"No supplies."
"No bunker access."
"No companions."
"And with almost no Apocalypse Coins left..."
She folded her arms.
"How exactly were we supposed to replace the amphibious vehicle?"
"Or have you already forgotten the sea monster dragged ours away?"
Kai fell silent.
She wasn’t wrong.
She rarely was.
"Don’t worry about me."
Her voice softened slightly.
"I know exactly what I’m doing."
Kai let out a long sigh.
"Sometimes..."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"I honestly think you’re slowly turning into a robot."
The enormous gates finally opened completely.
Warm sunlight poured through the entrance.
Unfortunately...
It also carried something else.
A horrible smell.
Rotten food.
Sweat.
Dirty clothes.
Thousands of people packed together.
"Eww..."
Luna wrinkled her nose.
"Disgusting."
"I actually miss fresh air."
"I can’t believe I’m saying that."
Rows upon rows of tents stretched across the enormous compound.
People moved everywhere.
Children cried.
Adults argued over food.
Medical staff rushed between patients.
Even though the place looked organized...
There wasn’t any happiness.
Only exhaustion.
Fear.
And control.
It felt less like a safe zone...
And more like a prison disguised as salvation.
Just as Luna prepared to continue walking—
"Oh my God!"
A familiar female voice screamed.
"Luna!"
"You’re alive!"
Another voice immediately followed.
"Chris! Come quickly!"
Luna froze.
Her expression darkened.
Bonnie.
Chris.
And...
Simon.
All three stood several meters away, staring at her with complete disbelief.
How...
How had those three managed to survive all the devastation?
Unfortunately...
She wasn’t interested in finding out.
Before either side could speak further, another guard approached carrying a pile of worn-out clothes.
"You two."
He tossed the dirty bundle toward Luna and Kai.
"Change into these immediately."
The clothes landed at Luna’s feet.
She looked down once.
Then kicked them aside.
"We aren’t wearing that."
Her calm voice echoed across the area.
The surrounding soldiers immediately turned toward her.
"This isn’t some slave camp."
She stepped forward confidently.
"So kindly move aside."
Kai followed right behind her without hesitation.
Not even breaking a sweat.
The guards stared in disbelief.
"Looks like we’ve got a new troublemaker."
One of them cracked his knuckles.
"Someone who clearly needs to learn some manners."
Luna smiled.
A cold...
Beautiful...
Dangerous smile.
If only they knew.
The lessons they planned to teach her...
Would soon become the lessons she forced them to learn instead.