Zoom!
The convoy roared across the red sand at eighty kilometers an hour, racing toward the jagged gray mountains. Every soldier was glued to their scopes and windows, scanning every shadow, every rock pile, every distant ridge. It felt like a deadly game of hide-and-seek—moving like mice sneaking through a cat's hunting ground.
Luckily, nothing attacked.
The sky bled red as the sun sank in the west. Night was coming again. The soldiers' faces said it all: exhaustion mixed with that quiet dread that only survivors understand.
"Camp here," Uncle ordered.
They stopped beside a massive, twelve-meter-wide pillar of rock that rose straight up like a natural wall, shielding them from the open desert behind. Trucks rolled into its shadow. Soldiers jumped out and moved like a well-oiled machine—unrolling coils of razor wire thirty meters out, leaving only two narrow escape lanes in case hell broke loose. Others dug trenches and piled up low sand ridges, building another curtain between the camp and both the desert and the looming mountains. In the center, tents rose fast.
By the time the sky turned deep blue and the stars came out, five moons hung in a perfect line—one huge moon in front, four smaller ones trailing behind like ducklings. Soft lamps glowed inside the big tents. Sentries climbed the fresh ridges, eyes sharp on the darkness.
Uncle gave the nod. Truck doors slammed open.
Whoosh! Bam!
Students and the three professors stumbled out into the cool night air.
Uncle didn't even glance at them. He disappeared into his own tent, leaving the silver-haired young woman to handle the newbies.
***
Moments earlier…
The skinny young man stepped down last, tilting his head back to stare at the impossible sky.
*Guess I'll have to become an astronaut now if I want to visit those moons,* he joked to himself, trying to quiet the beast growling in his stomach.
Tap.
Someone tugged the sleeve of his uniform.
It was the cute girl with the generous chest. She stood there holding out a small plastic-wrapped chocolate bar.
He froze, then instantly grabbed her hand and pushed it down out of sight.
"What the hell are you doing?" he hissed, glancing around. Everyone else was busy staring at the moons—good.
"Aren't you hungry?" she whispered, worry in her eyes.
"Are you stupid?" His voice stayed low but sharp. "If you have food, you eat it in secret. You never show it to anyone. Ever."
Her lips parted, but no words came.
He kept going, colder now. "Listen. This isn't Earth anymore. Crack that pretty skull open and think before you act. Or are you really too dumb to survive?"
"I just—"
Her eyes filled fast. Tears welled up, spilled over. She shoved the chocolate hard against his chest with a small, angry fist and turned away, walking fast.
The skinny young man sighed.
*I'm just a weak nobody. Better to push away anyone who'll slow me down.*
He looked at the ground. The little brown bar had fallen into the sand. After a second's hesitation, he crouched, picked it up, and slipped it into his pocket.
He headed toward the boys' tent and passed a pitch-black tent that swallowed every bit of moonlight, no matter how bright the moons above. Soldiers stood guard and patrolled the camp in steady patterns. He also noted the two wide exits on either side.
*Given how little we know about this world, it makes sense they aren't worried about us running away right now. Those heavily curtained sections must face whatever dangers they expect. And we're camped much closer to the mountains than to the red desert.*
*That explains why the truck stopped so suddenly earlier. They were avoiding something out there in the sands. Judging by how worn-out the soldiers look, they've been searching that ruined city for a long time. Maybe our arrival finally completes whatever mission brought them there.*
*Then there's the sheep fairy—she doesn't look like she belongs on a battlefield at all. And that old soldier, probably the captain.*
*So the sheep fairy must be important for reasons beyond just keeping the "herd" calm. She's eager to learn about everyone, to earn our trust and attention. The old man's only job seems to be keeping her safe. I'll call him the guard dog.*
*The sheep fairy and the guard dog.* A faint smirk tugged at the young man's lips.
*If I were just a little stronger—just strong enough to fight and run—my best move would be to grab the sheep fairy as a hostage. She'd be the perfect shield against the guard dog's bite.*
*But knowing this world is far more dangerous and mysterious than I thought, ordinary strength wouldn't be nearly enough to handle these people.*
All these dark thoughts raced through the mind of someone who looked completely harmless: an ordinary, skinny guy with a calm, kind face—the sort of person you'd never suspect could bite.
***
Meanwhile…
The students were being led by the silver-haired woman toward the tents. Every sway of her hips and every casual flick of her hair sent a ripple of excitement through the boys, who couldn't take their eyes off her. Boys and girls were separated into different tents. To many of the students, it really did feel like camping in another world.
The two professors—both men—helped the boys settle into their tents, while the young female professor took care of the girls. The silver-haired woman watched everyone disappear inside, then ordered a few soldiers to stand guard before heading to her own private tent.
She had seen the pretty young girl suddenly turn and run off, tears shining on her cheeks. She had seen the boy bend down, pick something up from the ground, then stand there alone before walking away.
In that moment, a faint silver flash had crossed her eyes—like a thought moving faster than light. A trace of disappointment and irritation had flickered across her face.
"What a coward," she muttered under her breath.
Yet now, as she walked toward her own tent, she suddenly stopped only a few steps away, as though something had just clicked. A slight curve appeared on her lips—like she had finally discovered what she had been looking for all this time—before her expression smoothly returned to the usual calm, innocent demeanor of a gentle young woman.