Monster - Chapter 70
Chapter 70: Team Members
The alarm on her phone went off at five a.m. Lin Sandie opened her eyes to a snow-white wall. The one-meter-wide bed she lay on was pushed flush against it. It had been nearly a week since she arrived in Disorder Land, but because the 'Scorpion' had yet to fully fuse with her body, her entire back was in constant, severe pain. She couldn't sleep on her back, so she had grown accustomed to curling up.
After turning off the alarm, Lin Sandie saw several more messages from Lou. For some reason, Lou was constantly reporting every little detail of her experiences in Disorder Land, which allowed Lin Sandie to learn a great deal about the outside world even while confined within the Rose Society.
Of course, Lou hadn't called once all week, nor had Lin Sandie replied to any messages. The two shared a natural, unspoken understanding. Although their communications were encrypted thanks to Yan Ting's phone, Lin Sandie was likely surrounded by surveillance systems, and the physical actions of taking calls or replying to messages would be impossible to conceal.
She sat up in bed. Before her was a room of less than ten square meters, containing only a bed, a wardrobe, and a washstand. There were no windows and no toilet. To relieve herself, she had to go to the public restroom in the floor's common area, and she could only bathe in the large public bathhouse.
In the center of the ceiling was an embedded grille. Besides broadcasting announcements at irregular intervals, it also housed a red indicator light that never went out—a constant reminder to the room's occupant that they were being watched.
This was the treatment afforded to the Rose Society's lowest-ranking probationary members.
Lin Sandie sat on the bed and pulled up the left sleeve of her pajamas, revealing a frail arm. A band of dark gold circuitry wrapped around it, running up from her wrist. It had grown automatically after she entered Disorder Land and could project a dark green screen displaying her items and points. It could also store small objects. Currently, Lin Sandie's points and items both read zero.
But Lin Sandie wasn't checking the screen now. After pulling up her sleeve, she retrieved a transparent box from under her pillow. Inside were several portable syringes filled with a pale green liquid. It was a suppressant for the antibodies her body produced in reaction to the 'Scorpion,' helping her system adapt. Without regular injections, the pain from the 'Scorpion' was enough to drive a person insane.
Biting her lip, she injected herself with the "painkiller." Lin Sandie sat on the bed for a long while, recovering, before slowly getting to her feet.
After washing up at the basin, Lin Sandie walked to the wardrobe. Inside hung several identical black suits—the standard uniform for probationary members. She casually took one out and began to change.
The suit was a symbol of the Rose Society. Apparently due to the president's personal preference, the suits worn by members were custom-made. They had excellent elasticity and breathability, ensuring that even strenuous movement wouldn't be restricted.
The injuries she had sustained during the "performance" had been treated by the Rose Society and were no longer a serious problem. Though scars remained where she had been wounded, the cuts had mostly healed. At the very least, they no longer affected her daily life.
She changed into a clean white shirt, knotted her black tie, and fastened the brown shoulder holster. With a blank expression, Lin Sandie tied up her hair, put on the gold-rimmed glasses she always kept with her, and slipped on the black suit jacket. Only then did she use her key card to open the door and head for the shooting range.
This was a daily requirement for every probationary member—two hours of shooting practice first thing in the morning. At half-past seven, Lin Sandie dragged her numb arm toward the common area.
Before entering the common area, she requested another map of Disorder Land from the front desk. The Rose Society gave probationary members fitted with the 'Scorpion' one week to recuperate before sending them out on reconnaissance missions. That meant Lin Sandie could leave today.
According to the information previously sent to her screen, she would be led by a second-level member today, forming a four-person team with two other probationary members for a reconnaissance or hunting mission.
She ordered eggs, bread, and coffee for breakfast. Lin Sandie ate while studying the map, waiting for her team leader and companions.
It was nearly eight o'clock. Lin Sandie was looking down at a list when she heard footsteps stop beside her.
"Lin Sandie?" a rough, deep male voice asked.
Lin Sandie looked up to see a tall, powerfully built man, at least 1.9 meters tall. He had dark skin, and the bulging muscles beneath his dark gray suit made him look like a bear. He wore sunglasses and had his hair in dreadlocks; he was of a different race than her.
"I'm Mike, your new team leader." Seeing Lin Sandie look up and confirming she was his team member, Mike extended a hand to her.
"Hello. I'm Lin Sandie," she said, quickly rising to shake his hand.
Just then, Lin Sandie noticed a young woman standing beside Mike. Her shoulder-length black hair was down, and she wore the same black suit of a probationary member. She was slightly shorter than Lin Sandie and was currently glaring at her resentfully.
Smack. Lin Sandie had just finished shaking Mike's hand and was about to greet the young woman when the latter suddenly raised her hand and slapped her across the face. A fiery red mark instantly appeared on Lin Sandie's cheek.
"Homewrecker!" the young woman spat.
"Yan Zhi! Watch your attitude!" Mike warned.
Smack! Lin Sandie raised her hand and slapped her right back. The blow stunned everyone present. Even a cheerful-looking teenager walking toward them from a short distance away stopped in his tracks.
Yan Zhi. Lin Sandie had never met her, but she knew who she was: Yan Ting's paternal half-sister. She was thirteen years younger than Yan Ting, who had doted on her.
"You… you…" It was Yan Zhi who looked utterly incredulous. She stared at Lin Sandie, shocked that this guilty homewrecker would dare to strike back. On top of that, she had caused her sister's death. It was this suspicion that had driven Yan Zhi to follow her to Disorder Land, determined to uncover the truth.
Lin Sandie watched the red finger marks appear on Yan Zhi's fair skin, then raised her hand and slapped her a second time, hard, in the exact same spot.
This prompted Mike, who was still trying to figure out how to mediate, to quickly step between them, preventing the fight from escalating.
"You… you!" Frightened by Lin Sandie's icy glare, Yan Zhi clutched her face and took a step back.
"I'll be right there, I just need to return my tray," Lin Sandie said to Mike, no longer looking at Yan Zhi. As if nothing had happened, she picked up her tray and walked toward the return station as normal.
"My… my parents have never even hit me…" Yan Zhi mumbled, clutching her stinging cheek, so aggrieved she was on the verge of tears.
"You shouldn't have struck first," Mike said, his head aching. He felt like Kang Yi had assigned him two extremely difficult team members.
"Team leader, I'm here! What's going on?" a boy of about fifteen or sixteen with blond hair walked over, looking utterly confused.
This was the third member of the team: Xiang Nan.
"It's nothing. Do you have a 'Scorpion' installed?" Mike asked. Xiang Nan seemed too cheerful for someone who had one.
"Of course," Xiang Nan replied cheerfully, looking like a simple, sunny teenager. He turned and lifted his hair to reveal the top of the 'Scorpion' on the back of his neck.
From a short distance away, however, Lin Sandie saw things differently. Taking the opportunity while returning her tray, she let her glasses slide down her nose and glanced up at her teammates.
Both Mike and the boy had already turned into monsters, though it didn't look like they had harmed any humans.
Yan Zhi, however, was still human, and it didn't seem like she had a Scorpion installed.
When Lin Sandie returned, Mike had already positioned himself between her and Yan Zhi. He was beginning to have doubts about Lin Sandie's personality. The file he'd received had described her as sharp, cautious, restrained, and dignified. While Yan Zhi may have deserved it, slapping another woman twice hardly seemed restrained or dignified.
"I'm Xiang Nan," he said to Lin Sandie with a smile.
"Hello," Lin Sandie replied. One of her cheeks was still red and swollen from the slap.
"I got you an ice pack for the swelling. Here." Xiang Nan produced a white ice pack from his screen and handed it to Lin Sandie with a fawning smile. ^o^
"You have points?" Lin Sandie asked, surprised, as she took the ice pack.
"Alright, save the chatter for your own time. First, listen to the plan for today's route." Mike cut them off, gesturing for everyone to sit at one of the common area tables. Xiang Nan made a face at Yan Zhi, who was glaring daggers at him, and sat down beside Lin Sandie.
"Today, we're heading to Taiyin Village, over three hundred kilometers from base camp. Five years ago, everyone in that village was wiped out by monsterization. A lot of time has passed since then, and many exploration teams have been through, so it should be mostly safe. Still, we can go see if there's anything left to scavenge and give you all some exploration experience. The mission has been assigned; you can check it on your screens."
Lin Sandie opened her screen and saw the Rose Society mission displayed:
Mission 1.
Task: Hunt any three targets from the list, or one A-rank or higher target.
Assessment: Uncertain.
Time Limit: Four months.
Description: Failure to complete this mission within the time limit will result in termination.
Rewards: 1. 30% of the target's point value from the list. 2. Full membership in the Rose Society.
Mission 2.
Task: Explore Taiyin Village.
Assessment: C-Rank.
Description: 30% probability of uncertain factors.
Rewards: 300 points. If uncertain factors arise, bonus points will be awarded based on the actual situation.
"That's a pretty high probability for uncertain factors… Oh, by the way, Sandie, 'uncertain factors' just means there's a good chance of something unexpected happening," Xiang Nan kindly explained.
"Are we driving there?" Lin Sandie asked.
"Yes," Mike answered.
"Over three hundred kilometers… so that's a seven or eight-hour drive?" Xiang Nan asked. "Outside, three hundred kilometers might only take four or five hours, but that's with highways. Disorder Land doesn't have convenient road networks like that, so the travel time is doubled."
"Taiyin Village is on the side of a mountain, so it might take even longer," Mike added, making a more precise calculation. "We'll be spending the night there. Do any of you know how to drive?"
"I can! But I don't have a license," Xiang Nan answered, once again the first to speak.
"I can," Lin Sandie replied.
"I have a license, but I've never actually driven," Yan Zhi answered cooperatively, though her expression was still sour.
"Alright, got it. Xiang Nan, take Lin Sandie to the supply department and get the gear for an overnight trip. Yan Zhi, you're with me to prep the vehicle. Bring the supplies to Gate 301 in C-Block. We'll depart from the southwest gate." Mike assigned the tasks methodically. "I'll explain everything else on the road."
"Got it! This way, Sandie."
Lin Sandie got up and followed the enthusiastic Xiang Nan, who turned slightly and deliberately slowed his pace to walk beside her.
"Xiang Nan, how long have you been here?" Lin Sandie asked, noticing how comfortable he seemed.
"A little over a month. You can just call me Xiao Nan, Sister Sandie. You kind of remind me of my own sister," Xiang Nan said cheerfully.
Lin Sandie nodded, outwardly and inwardly unmoved. She simply continued walking with Xiang Nan, passing through the panes of morning light that streamed in through the glass.
What's Lou doing right now? Lin Sandie wondered out of boredom.
"Taiyin Village, huh?" Lou murmured, looking down at the information displayed on the red phone in her hand. "Since you're so eager to get back to Lin Sandie, we might as well go find her. I'm getting bored wandering around here alone, anyway."
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