5 • Countdown to Chaos

Wild animals in a cage—that was the description that would best fit the current scenario. Nearly everyone present gave off the air of a predator stalking their prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Yet for some reason, none of them made a move. It was almost as if they had all found themselves in a scenario where they had all made some sort of agreement without even talking with each other.

Yet their intentions were clear to each and every one of them; that was the shared capability of people who had all once gone through an apocalypse.

"So, what is this grand plan of yours?" Ji-Hoon asked as he slowly turned around to face Min-joon, wanting to see if the coward could actually think outside the box in their current scenario, or at least that is what it appeared he was doing.

In actuality, the reason Ji-Hoon had decided to team up with someone who was an obvious threat to him was, "The apocalypse will be descending any moment now. It's obvious he is also planning to get rid of me during the initial chaos. So I can't just walk away from him like I was initially planning. If I do that, then I could be prone to a surprise attack. I can only hope the gift the system mentioned I received earlier will help me against the odds."

Min-joon leaned in, his voice low but confident, as he addressed Ji-Hoon. "I'm sure you already know why everyone's gathered here. They want to get all the food in that serving area," he said, while turning his gaze toward the guarded section of the cafeteria. "But they haven't made their move yet because the staff are holding knives. Everyone's hoping to take advantage of the initial chaos of when the apocalypse decends to catch them off guard, and get rid of them."

Ji-Hoon raised an eyebrow, considering Min-joon's words carefully. "And what's your plan in all this?"

A smirk appeard at the corners of Min-joon's lips as he replied, "Teamwork." He gestured toward the men behind him, who grinned smugly in response. "We'll work together," Min-joon continued, his voice brimming with confidence. "That way, we'll be able to get more than the guys who want to do this solo."

Ji-Hoon narrowed his gaze, his yellow eyes glowing slightly as he gazed at Min-joon coldly. "So, this teamwork of yours, how exactly is it going to work?"

As he spoke, Seo-Yeon gently pulled down his arm and whispered in his ear, "Oppa, you aren't really thinking of working with him, right?"

Ji-Hoon maintained his stoic demeanor, his expression calm. "Calm down," he murmured back to Seo-Yeon. "You don't have to worry, this won't last long."

Min-joon grinned confidently, his gaze meeting Ji-Hoon's without hesitation. "It's simple," he began, his voice carrying a hint of excitement. "We'll divide into teams, some of us distract the staff and try to hold off the other students, one of us will then make a move for the food. With proper coordination, we'll have the upper hand."

Ji-Hoon listened intently, though his expression remained guarded. "And what about the risks?" he pressed, his tone steady.

Min-joon waved off the concern with a dismissive gesture. "There's always risk in any plan," he replied casually. "But with our skills and numbers, we'll minimize it. Besides, it's better than going it alone and getting caught off guard."

Seo-Yeon shot Ji-Hoon a worried glance, but he held her hand to reassure her before turning back to Min-joon. Ji-Hoon arched an eyebrow, his skepticism clearly in his voice as he questioned, "And who exactly will be the one to go for the food?"

A confident smile spread across Min-joon's face as he replied, "That would be me." Using his right thumb to point at himself.

"Oh really," Ji-Hoon responded, his tone still filled with doubt.

Min-joon's smile widened as he asked, "Do you have a problem with that?"

Ji-Hoon returned the smiled then said. "I'm not the leader, so I don't call the shots," he remarked, his voice calm. "Please, make sure you grab enough for the rest of us." His words held a hint of sarcasm, implying he didn't actually trust Min-joon to follow through.

Min-joon narrowed his gaze, leaning in slightly as he said, "Don't worry, you're in good hands." He the nodded, his expression confident as he added. "All that's left now is to wait,"

They all then turned their gazes toward a massive blue system window with a timer, it seemed to materialize out of nowhere. It loomed over them, a reminder of the impending chaos about to unfold.

For a moment, silence engulfed the cafeteria as they watched the timer tick down, each second bringing them closer to the apocalypse.

[00:05]

[00:04]

[00:03]

[00:02]

[00:01]

[00:00]

[System notice! Planet number: ET-75578 his been chosen to nurture divine seeds!]

[A trial is in order!]

[The trial will now begin!]

[System notice! The trial master has decided to make an announcement!]