Chapter 129: First Batch

“This is bullshit!” someone shouted, seeing people moving towards the back.

The person who shouted was the man who wanted to cause a riot after the base fell into disrepair. Whether in real life or a simulation, this man liked to rile up a crowd.

Ivan watched him, not afraid of what he might try to do. As long as he tried to step forward, Ivan would cripple him. They may want people for the base, but they are not desperate.

“If what you saw had been real, do you think you would be left alive? Any of you?”

Ivan’s voice was steady and flat. He did not beat around the bush and pretend to be a good person.

“If anything that happened in the simulation happened in real life, you would have died.”

He turned to Cassia to tell her to continue letting people in. As soon as he turned, someone lunged. Ivan drew his knife. The knife slashed through the man’s neck. He turned to the other standing there, horrified.

“Leave,” he said evenly.

Not wanting to die, the failures ran out of the office, forgetting about the person who died. Ivan dragged his body and threw it outside. The entire time, he was muttering to himself that he would need to come back to clean the blood off the floor.

“Why are you all still standing there?” Ivan asked when he saw the few people staring at him.

They quickly shook their heads and walked in. Ivan followed behind them, closing the door after he entered.

“You have spent a year in a virtual world,” he addressed the 15 as soon as he closed the door. “You should know that killing someone is a kindness. We don’t need people who will betray us.”

“You all are the first batch that we’ve recruited. I hope you will act the same way you did in the virtual world.”

Tilting his head to the side, he motioned for them to all stand in one place.

“The base you saw in the simulation is not the base you’ll be going to. This one is so much better.”

Before anyone could query, he placed the sigil on the teleport node. A few seconds later, they were transported to the base.

He took a deep breath. No matter how many times he did that, it never got old. The air in the office is filtered, but it’s not as pure as what he gets in the base.

“Mika, Fernando, you can take it from here.” Cassia waved at the two men who were standing near the teleportation circle.

Turning to the newcomers, she said, “This is Mika and Fernando.” She gestured to each. “They will take you on a tour of the base. Don’t wander off. You’ll learn about dorm rules and such while they take you on your tour.”

Seeing their dazed expressions, Cassia wasn’t sure they heard anything she said. She shook her head and left with Ivan. He was still thinking about how about going back to the office to get the blood off the floor.

Meanwhile, Mika and Fernando were walking with the dazed. They walked slowly, allowing themselves the time to look at the base. The square, where they were currently walking, could be used for training and leisurely walks.

“Before we go inside,” Mika started. “Remember, this is only a tour. You do not touch anything. We’ll show you a few places in the base. Then send you off to your rooms. I’m sure you are all tired.”

Fernando touched an almost invisible panel on the wall, and the doors opened. Everyone walked in. They did not go directly to the bedrooms; they showed them other places.

They were able to see the medical bay and the hydroponics bay. They wanted them to know that they have enough to sustain them for a while. Plus, even though they had not joined yet, there wasn’t really a way for them to leave.

Unless the person who let them out had a sigil.

Finally, they led them to their room. All 15 people would be staying in the commons. It was similar to a dorm. There were a few beds in each room, and the kitchen and bathroom were shared.

“So, what do you all think?” Fernando asked offhandedly. He never expected them to answer. He was simply asking to make them feel included.

“There are clothes on the bed in the rooms. You can go in and choose for yourself. They are one size fits all. Things for your daily needs are in there, too.”

“You can relax for the next few days. When we have more people, there will be an initiation. Nothing to worry about.”

“Question,” a man spoke up, “You mentioned, during the tour, that there are private rooms. How do we get those?”

“You need to make merit. You work, take care of, and fight for the base. You will get points. Those points are then used to decide whether you can move up.”

Mika looked at the man. He appeared to be military. The way he stood was too much like a soldier. He wasn’t as malnourished as the others either.

Whatever his endgame, it wasn’t Mika’s concern; he would just report it to those who could do something about it.

“Does anyone else have questions?”

Another person stepped forward. “Are the jobs here different than the ones in the simulation? I want to know if I could go back to working in logistics.”

The woman said it as though she had worked in their logistics department before. However, it was understandable. They had lived a year in a simulation and didn’t realize it.

“Everyone is welcome to apply for whatever job they so please. We won’t restrict people from working.” Fernando said, crossing his arms. “Just take the time to rest. Wait a few days, then decide what you want to do.”

Mika and Fernando left, leaving the 15 people to their own devices. They could take their time to figure out how the base works.

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