Byrne's words left Selena speechless. She had to admit he was right.
Marcus hiding ten batteries in the ore crate was like bait on a hook. Even knowing the risks, no candidate could resist the temptation. In this vast wasteland, ten crystal batteries meant sustained power and the ability to reach Blackstone City far ahead of the others.
By comparison, what was hidden in that heavy metal box? Weapons? Classified documents? Whatever it was, it wasn't worth the risk of prying.
Watching the silent Selena, Byrne continued:
"Given how ruthless Marcus is, if he's bold enough to hide a secret in the ore crate, he definitely has a contingency. For all we know, this metal box has a tracking device. Anyone who gets clever might be silenced before they even see the gates of Blackstone City."
Selena took a deep breath. "I understand. Whatever is in this box, we act like we never saw it. We finish the test and survive first."
Survive. Heh, so that's what he meant. You're something else, Marcus.
Thinking of this, Byrne cautioned her again:
"Exactly. Right now, these ten spare batteries are our greatest advantage, but they could also make us a target. If other groups find out we have more than them, they'll fight to the death to take them. We have to keep this secret hidden. Do not expose it unless absolutely necessary."
Byrne reached in and pulled out two batteries. "We can swap that faulty battery now with one from the rucksack. With these two from the crate, three batteries a day will be plenty."
After backing away from the crate, the two worked together to restore the metal panel. Pushing the hovering box, they stepped back into the swirling sands.
After walking for about two hours, Byrne glanced at the sky. The sun was dipping toward the horizon, and the temperature was beginning to plummet.
"We need to find a place to camp soon. Once it gets dark, traveling through the desert becomes too dangerous."
They eventually found a high, leeward slope. They pitched their individual tents and started a small fire; a basic camp was complete. Selena pulled two cans of nutritional porridge from her pack, cracked them open, and set them by the fire to heat.
Simultaneously, Byrne wasn't idle. He took his entrenching shovel and dug a shallow trench, about forearm-deep, around the perimeter of the camp. At night, this served as a basic defense and a primitive warning system against small desert predators.
As the light faded, the campfire's glow pushed back the surrounding gloom. By the time Byrne finished his work and returned to the fire, the porridge was warm.
"I didn't expect you to know so many wilderness survival tricks."
After their time together, Selena's attitude toward Byrne had thawed considerably; she was no longer as cold as she had been at the start.
Byrne accepted the porridge, replying casually, "It's nothing. You have to learn a bit of everything to make a living in the Lower District." He pulled the lid back, blew on it, and took a sip. The texture was like rice paste, but without the grain aroma. It wasn't "good," but compared to corpse-starch bread and low-grade pickles, it was a luxury.
Byrne finished quickly, but he noticed Selena's portion was almost untouched. She was just holding it, staring into the flickering flames, lost in thought.
"Not hungry, or not to your taste?" Byrne asked.
Selena snapped out of it, shook her head, and took a small sip. "No, I'm just not used to it. I've never eaten anything like this before." She quickly added, "But as long as it fills the stomach, it's fine. This isn't the time to be picky."
Byrne set aside his empty can to use as a water container and tossed a few more sticks onto the fire. "I saw you staring at the flames. Something on your mind?"
Selena shook her head. "No. I was just wondering if other groups would camp near here. What do you think, Byrne?"
"It's possible. Based on the departure order, the groups behind us should be catching up if they haven't stopped."
Suddenly, Byrne's brow furrowed. He detected a faint sound of footsteps. "Who's there?"
Seeing Byrne stand up and glare toward the left, Selena followed his gaze. However, she saw nothing but the pitch-black night and heard only the wind. "Did you find something?"
Byrne didn't look back. "Selena, stay here and guard the crate. I'm going to check it out. I'll be right back."
"Alright. I'll wait for you."
Byrne grabbed his shovel in one hand and a torch in the other, heading into the dark. He walked several hundred meters, the faint sounds becoming clearer. He slowed down, lowering the torch to his side to avoid silhouetting himself.
The heightened perception from NZT-48 was now working at its peak. The subtle friction of clothing, the sound of breathing, and even the light clink of gear reached his ears through the wind.
Finally, Byrne locked onto the location, staring at a dune a hundred meters ahead. "Stop hiding. Come out."
After a brief silence, footsteps echoed from behind the dune. Two figures emerged.
By the light of the torch, Byrne saw a man and a woman—the candidates from Group 20, who had started right after them. The man looked scrawny and the woman timid; both gripped shovels, watching Byrne with intense wariness.
"You... don't come any closer!" The man shielded the woman, shouting at Byrne.
Byrne stopped and lowered his shovel, mocking them lightly. "Relax, I didn't come here to get rough. But staring at my camp from the dark isn't a very polite habit."
The man swallowed hard, clearly surprised by Byrne's reaction. He hesitated, then blurted out, "We weren't! We were just looking for a place to camp and happened to pass by."
Happened to pass by?
Byrne scoffed. "Don't lie. Do people 'pass by' by circling behind a dune and muffling their footsteps? You were planning to wait until we were off-guard to steal our crate and batteries, weren't you?"
The pair's expressions shifted instantly. The woman shrank back, avoiding Byrne's eyes. The man's face flushed red as he tried to argue. "Don't go accusing people! We were just—"
He cut himself off, staring in horror. The shovel in Byrne's hand had suddenly been replaced by a handgun. The dark muzzle was pointed directly at him.
Byrne sneered. "You know Marcus' rules. Stealing batteries and breaking crates is allowed. But did you forget? Before you try to take someone else's things, you'd better weigh whether you actually have the ability."
The man's face went paper-white. He shook his head frantically. "No! We wouldn't dare! We... we were only doing it because we were coerced!"
Coerced?
Byrne froze for a split second, and then the realization hit him like a physical blow. He ignored the two in front of him and spun around, sprinting back toward the camp.
Dammit! I was careless.
There was a loophole in the rules.