The Safe Zone felt colder than expected. It wasn't about the temperature; it was the silence. Every cough and footstep echoed longer than it should. The survivors had arrived just hours ago, but the cracked parking structure felt like it was closing in on them.
Aron leaned against a steel pillar, his eyes scanning the blue holographic rules flickering on the far wall.
*-----------------------------------------------------*
[SAFE ZONE PROTOCOLS – ACTIVE]
- No hostile actions permitted
- Killing disabled
- Trade terminals unlocked
- Personal storage enabled
- Zone integrity: 92%
*---------------------------------------------------*
Above the display, a weak light flickered like a failing star. Somewhere below, something metallic creaked in the wind.
Dan leaned against the wall nearby, chewing a protein bar as if it were made of rubber. "You think those things can find us here?"
"Doubt it," Aron murmured. "The system wouldn't call this a Safe Zone if it wasn't." He wasn't entirely convinced.
*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
[New Feature Unlocked: SYSTEM TERMINAL]
Access granted: CHAT | TRADE | PRIVATE LOGS | SURVIVOR BULLETIN
*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
Aron glanced at the kiosk glowing in the corner. He stood slowly, walked over, and tapped the surface.
A new menu popped up.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
[SURVIVOR CHAT – LOCAL CHANNEL]
@Hunter74: don't sleep near exits. learned that the hard way.
@Yui: has anyone seen a terminal crash before reboot? mine glitched.
@??? (Anonymous): if you see flickering stars in the fog, don't look up. Don't ever look up.
@Greg: Group 11 is now following Greg. Central authority in effect. Respect the chain.
*------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
He winced at that last message.
"Respect the chain," huh?
Across the room, Greg stood near the main cache box from the checkpoint mission, arms crossed to block others from accessing it.
"We need centralized distribution," Greg declared. "Someone has to make tough calls."
Orochi stepped forward, blade still sheathed but hand resting on the hilt. "We're not starving yet. You want to lead? Fine. You don't get to hoard food."
Greg sneered but stepped back.
One by one, the survivors collected their shares—ration packs, bottled water, a few bandages.
Aron waited until the end. He took only a stale ration and a bottle of murky electrolyte drink.
He wanted to avoid attention.
He didn't deserve it.
Not when everyone else had fought and bled while he froze.
*------------------------------------------------------*
[Side Mission Available – Scavenger Shift]
Objective: Retrieve 3 intact containers from Lower Deck Level -2
Reward: +5 EXP | Random Supply Drop
Failure: None
Accept Mission? [Y/N]
*------------------------------------------------------*
He tapped Y.
An hour later, he stood at the stairwell leading down into the lower levels, armed only with a weak flashlight and his dull Basic Sword.
Dan caught up beside him, wide-eyed but trying to look brave. "You sure about this?" Greg said "We should rotate in pairs."
"Then we'll be the pair," Sarah said, stepping out of the shadows with a pipe over her shoulder.
Aron blinked. "You're coming?"
She shrugged. "I don't like waiting around. Besides, you two would probably fall into a trapdoor and die."
"Fair," Dan muttered.
Descending into Level -2 felt like entering a sunken ruin.
The air grew damp. The lights blinked less often. Graffiti covered the concrete; some of it was old, while some looked new. Strange glyphs glowed faintly near doorframes.
Dan stumbled. "This place gives me horror movie vibes."
Aron spotted the first crate tucked behind a rusted sedan. He whispered, "Container. Marked intact."
He moved to open it while Sarah watched the stairwell.
Inside: A box of emergency flares. Mostly expired. Still counted.
*---------------------------------------*
[1/3 Containers Recovered]
*---------------------------------------*
They ventured deeper. No monsters. But sounds trailed them—dripping water, shuffling gravel, distant moans. Nothing close. Not yet.
The second container sat behind a vending machine. Aron lifted the lid.
Empty.
Then something clicked.
Inside the base of the vending machine was a false compartment, hidden under a loose grate.
He tugged it free and found a sealed pack of energy bars.
*----------------------------------------*
[2/3 Containers Recovered]
*---------------------------------------*
Dan gave him a thumbs up. "Nice eyes, man."
Aron didn't reply. His pulse was steady, but his eyes scanned every corner.
The last crate sat just before the stairwell leading back up. Sarah opened it.
More water. A pack of duct tape. A strange metal tag etched with three unreadable lines.
*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*
[3/3 Containers Recovered]
[MISSION COMPLETE – Scavenger Shift]
Reward:
+5 EXP
+Item: Rust-Covered Tag (Unknown Function)
[EXP UPDATED: 40/500]
*--------------------------------------------------------------------*
Back upstairs, the others rested. No new attacks. No signs of monsters. A fragile calm settled over the group.
Aron sat near the system terminal again. He opened the chat menu but typed nothing.
He watched the cursor blink.
He thought about saying something—about the glyphs, the noises, the strange flickering from the deeper levels.
Instead, he just stared.
And then—
*---------------------------------------------*
[HIDDEN OBJECTIVE PROGRESS: 24%]
[Constellation "The Mirror Watcher" is observing you.]
*---------------------------------------------*
He closed the menu.
Whatever The Mirror Watcher was, it wasn't the first constellation to notice him. And it wouldn't be the last.