Chapter 7: Beach's Lure
The transition from the city's cracked asphalt to the Beach was like stepping into a fever dream, the air thick with ocean salt and the sour tang of cheap liquor.
The sprawling complex glittered under artificial lights, a hollow mockery of a resort, its neon glow pulsing to the rhythm of relentless electronic music that clashed with the distant crash of waves.
Kirito's boots sank into the soft sand, each step a reminder of the unstable ground beneath their fragile alliance.
His t-shirt clung to his skin, damp with sweat, the Visa Clock's red pulse casting faint shadows across his wrist, its ticking a cold, constant pressure against his veins.
"This place is a trap dressed up as a party. Like a loot box with a bomb inside," he thought, his inner sarcasm sharp but fraying under the weight of the crowd's fervent energy.
He glanced at his team—Arisu, clutching his sketchbook like a lifeline; Usagi, her posture rigid, eyes scanning for threats; Kuina, her cigarette smoke curling like a defiant signal in the neon haze.
They blended into the throng, the crowd's cheers a feverish chant that drowned out the ocean's rhythm.
On a makeshift stage, bathed in pulsing neon, stood a man with long hair and sunglasses, his ornate pendant glinting like a beacon of control.
Hatter raised his hands, and the crowd erupted, their zeal a suffocating wave that made Kirito's skin crawl.
"Hatter. Showman, cult leader, card hoarder. This guy's ego is a bigger threat than the games," Kirito thought, his fingers tightening around his phone, its screen hidden in his palm.
[SYSTEM: SCOUTING PUZZLE ACTIVE: BEACH LAYOUT CONFIRMED. KEY AREAS: MAIN STAGE, CENTRAL HOTEL, ARMORY, HIDDEN VAULT.]
Hatter's voice boomed, amplified by crackling speakers, each word dripping with charisma.
"We are the survivors! The chosen! We will conquer the Borderland together! To stay, you contribute! You obey! You surrender your cards to me!"
Arisu's grip on his sketchbook tightened, his lips moving silently, his voice barely audible over the crowd.
"No… no more cults. No more leaders. Reset."
Kirito leaned toward Usagi, his voice low, trying to mask his unease with a quip.
"Meal ticket? Did he say 'metal chicken'? What, they got a pet rooster running this show?"
Kuina elbowed him, her grin flashing as she stifled a laugh.
"He said meal ticket, idiot. Pay attention."
Kirito shot her a mock-wounded look, his heart still racing.
"Oh. That's somehow worse."
[SYSTEM: ACTIVATE SKILL: LIE DETECTOR (COST: 50 SP). TARGET: HATTER'S CORE INTENT. SCANNING…]
[SYSTEM: LIE DETECTOR ALERT: CORE INTENT IS NOT SURVIVAL, BUT ACCUMULATION AND CONTROL. HIGH-LEVEL DECEIT CONFIRMED. TOTAL SP: 130.]
The System's revelation hit like a cold wave, confirming Kirito's gut instinct—Hatter wasn't a savior; he was a collector, hoarding cards and loyalty.
"This guy's playing Monopoly with our lives," Kirito thought, his jaw tightening.
"Okay, new plan," he whispered, his voice tight but steady.
"We play the long game. Blend in. We're spies now."
The music pulsed louder, masking their words as they melted deeper into the crowd, the ocean's salt stinging their noses, now laced with the sharp edge of danger.
The Beach's main stage was a chaotic altar, its neon lights casting oppressive heat across the sand, the crowd's chants a hypnotic rhythm that threatened to swallow their resolve.
Kirito's phone hummed faintly, its glow hidden as he angled it away from prying eyes.
[SYSTEM: ACTIVATE SKILL: LIE DETECTOR (COST: 50 SP). TARGET: BEACH COMMAND STRUCTURE. SCANNING…]
"I need the chain of command. Hatter's the face, but who's the muscle?"
[SYSTEM: LIE DETECTOR ALERT: KEY INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED. TOTAL SP: 80.]
Usagi's eyes flicked across the crowd, her voice low and clipped.
"They're complacent. Like they're in a trance. I don't trust a single one."
Arisu, sketching the stage's layout with trembling hands, muttered, his voice thick with unease.
"It's a machine. Every smile, every cheer—it's programmed."
Kuina's cigarette flared as she exhaled, her grin sharp but her eyes wary.
"Relax, kids. This party's a trap, we know it. But free drinks, right?"
Her quip cut through the tension, a spark of levity that grounded them, her smoke curling like a defiant banner in the neon glow.
Kirito's gaze locked onto a figure near the west gate—a massive man, his rifle glinting, his arms gleaming with sweat under the stage lights.
Aguni. His presence was a wall, his cold eyes sweeping the crowd, lingering on their group for a heartbeat too long.
"That's the enforcer. Hatter's charisma, Aguni's fear. Classic good cop, bad cop," Kirito thought, his pulse quickening.
"We've got the layout," he said, his voice low.
"They've locked this place down. No games inside, just waiting for the next suit. We play nice, gather info. Our move is the first game they throw at us."
They slipped away from the stage, the crowd's chants fading as they moved toward the central hotel, its looming shadow a stark contrast to the Beach's false vibrance.
A distant neon sign hummed—5♥, its glow a foreboding pulse against the night.
The hotel's top-floor lounge was a shadowed refuge, its cracked windows letting in the cool night air, a faint reprieve from the Beach's stifling energy.
The 5♥ sign's hum drifted up from a lower floor, an ominous serenade that set Kirito's nerves on edge.
Usagi leaned against a wall, her scar catching the dim starlight, her voice low.
"Five of Hearts. That's trouble."
[SYSTEM: QUERY: INITIATE 'GAME STRATEGY' PUZZLE? (COST: 0 SP).]
[SYSTEM: PUZZLE INITIATED: GENERATES OPTIMAL STRATEGY FOR 5♥ CARD TYPE. PROCESSING…]
Arisu's pencil scratched furiously, his voice tight.
"Reset. Reset the game, reset the rules."
Usagi slapped the table, her tone sharp.
"Plan or die! We stop obsessing over Hatter's cult and focus on the game. Kirito, what's your foresight say?"
[SYSTEM: PUZZLE COMPLETED. STRATEGY RENDERED: 'SOCIAL DEDUCTIVE LOGIC.' FOCUS ON IDENTIFYING THE TRAITOR.]
Kirito's grin was tight, his eyes flicking to the neon glow below.
"It's a heart game. It's about people. Specifically, betrayal. A witch hunt. We stick together, trust only each other. We're not cultists yet, so let's not act like traitors."
The team nodded, their resolve a fragile shield against the Beach's allure.
The neon hum softened, a deceptive lull, as their footsteps echoed down the stairwell, drawn toward the 5♥ arena, its pulse a dangerous heartbeat in the night.
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