The two of them moved through the broken streets at a steady pace. The chaos they had left behind slowly faded, replaced by the dull sound of their footsteps against cracked concrete. Smoke still lingered in the air behind them, but ahead, the path was quiet.
Conner was the first to break the silence.
"You know," he said, glancing at Reever's back, "I still don't understand why you left him alive."
Reever did not respond immediately.
"He could have been useful," Conner continued, his words coming faster now. "He had a team. Thirty people. We are just two. And you didn't even loot them. The chests were right there. Why leave all of that behind?"
Reever stopped walking.
Conner almost collided with him.
Reever turned slowly, the faint reflection of the ruined city glinting across his helmet. He looked directly at Conner, his presence suddenly heavier than before.
"Let me tell you something," he said calmly. "This is a game. And suffering is what sharpens resolve. If you start being kind to everyone, you will be betrayed. Stabbed when you least expect it."
He took a step closer.
"I am not stupid enough to trust people just because they smile or beg. I will tell you this for free. I do not trust you completely either."
Conner stiffened.
"I…"
"No need to explain yourself," Reever cut in. His voice remained steady, almost cold. "I know you had your reasons for joining me. I don't care what they are."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"But understand this clearly. The moment you even think about betraying me, I will end you. No hesitation."
Conner swallowed.
"I let you join me not because I needed help," Reever went on. "And not because I felt weak. I was curious. I wanted to see how a legacy kid fares in a world like this. How strong you really are."
Silence settled between them.
After a moment, Conner exhaled and gave a short nod.
"Thanks for being honest," he said quietly.
Then, after a brief hesitation, he asked again, "But still… why didn't you take the loot?"
Reever turned away and resumed walking.
"Those players were weak," he replied after a while. "Chillie already stripped them of anything useful. He had full control over them. There was nothing worth taking."
As he spoke, a weapon materialized in his hand.
A large red assault rifle appeared, glowing faintly as if heat still clung to its surface. It was nearly the size of an AK, heavy and solid. Reever ran his fingers along its frame, then lifted it and fired a single shot into the distance.
A red beam burst forward, slicing through the air before vanishing.
Conner's eyes widened.
"That thing is insane."
"It is decent," Reever replied as he checked the weapon's information.
He studied it carefully, reading through the details once, then again.
[ Red Rider – Uncommon Rank ]
Forged by Red Rider in the bowels of a volcano.
Firing Range: 500 meters
Damage Output: Capable of destroying anything below Rare rank.
Upgradeable Option: Present
Upgrade Limit: 3 times
First Upgrade Effect:
Weapon can be used by all classes.
No class restriction required.
Skills: None
Status: Droppable
Note: Once upgraded to a higher rank, the weapon will become bound to the player.]
He fell silent, scanning the stats again as if making sure he was not mistaken.
"This thing is better than my weapon in several ways," he admitted quietly.
Conner stared at the rifle with open admiration.
"Bot 067," he said suddenly, his tone shifting. "I detect a crowd ahead. Just around the corner."
Reever immediately unsummoned the weapon.
"We move carefully," he said.
They slowed their pace, staying close to the ruined walls.
"Chillie mentioned something before," Conner added. "About an entrance to the spider ant colony."
"I remember," Reever replied. "Which means we are close."
Conner frowned as he looked around. "Don't you think these creatures were made in this facility? The cockroach-headed porcupines. The spider ants. None of this feels natural."
Reever's steps slowed.
"They had a purpose," he said after thinking for a moment. "But I don't care what it was. What matters is this. These creatures did not escape on their own."
He turned his head slightly toward Conner.
"Someone released them. Someone is controlling them. Even if we kill the king and the queen, remember this. There is someone standing behind all of it."
Conner nodded, the weight of those words settling in.
They moved forward quietly until the space ahead opened into a massive chamber.
A huge hole had been torn through one of the walls, jagged and uneven, as if something had clawed its way out from within. Spider ants moved in and out of the opening in steady numbers.
No common ants were present.
Only soldiers.
"That confirms it," Reever whispered. "A king rules this place."
From deeper inside the chamber, larger figures could be seen. Rook and bishop spider ants moved slowly, dragging large webbed sacks behind them.
Conner narrowed his eyes.
"What do you think is inside those bags?"
Reever watched them for a long moment.
"Prey," he answered. "Players too. The king marks them. The rooks and bishops maintain the connection."
Conner clenched his fists.
Reever glanced at him, then smiled faintly beneath his helmet.
"Time to see your skill," he said.
Before Conner could react, Reever grabbed him and threw him straight out of their hiding spot and into the open.