[Haji’s Team]
Chuck clicked his tongue, his face clearly displaying his irritability. He glanced up as something thick dripped down onto his cheek.
"Damn it," he hissed, clicking his tongue again as he followed the group. "Hey, are you sure this is the right path?"
No one answered him, which only made him more irritated.
"Why are we moving so slowly?" he complained again. "We’re not going anywhere at this pace."
"Didn’t you read the manual?" Scarlet looked back at him. "Or at least, didn’t you listen back at the camp?"
Chuck was a last-minute addition, and they hadn’t had time to brief him. They trusted that he’d read the manual. After all, this guy had traveled with Atlas and Lola for most of the time.
He frowned. "I did, but all I’m saying is we could’ve moved a little—"
"Backs on the wall!"
Before anyone could think, they obeyed Haji’s sharp command. Everyone pressed their backs against the wall, Scarlet stretching her arm across Chuck’s chest and forcefully pinning him back.
"Ack—!"
Chuck’s breath hitched as three massive arrows flew past him in the blink of an eye. One narrowly grazed the tip of his long nose, the rush of air brushing his skin.
"What the... fuck?" he gasped, his chest rising and falling heavily against Scarlet’s arm.
"You didn’t read the manual, Chuck," she hissed, her eyes burning. "Otherwise, you’d know these underground paths are rigged with traps."
He paled, wide eyes shifting to her.
"Tsk." Scarlet clicked her tongue. "This is why I like working alone."
She turned to one of the members and jerked her chin. "Watch him. And make sure he understands that if he dies, this group isn’t stopping."
With that, Scarlet pushed off the wall the moment she saw Haji—who was leading, with another member right behind him—move forward. She followed stealthily, stepping exactly where Haji stepped.
"Stop stalling," she warned under her breath, glancing over her shoulder at Chuck.
He gulped and nodded quickly, pulling the bag he was dragging to his arms.
Meanwhile, Haji moved carefully, holding his flashlight ahead. His focus was entirely on the tunnel, ignoring everything behind him.
"There’s only one trap here before we reach our next point," he said quietly, though everyone heard him clearly. "Be careful. There are more arrows on the second one—from what I know. Focus."
The group reacted differently. Scarlet and the others nodded in understanding. As for Chuck, he still hadn’t recovered from nearly dying seconds ago.
As they moved, Haji scanned every corner with each step. His grandfather had worked on these tunnels when Haji was a child, and Haji had helped him more than once. Because of that, he knew there were markings left behind.
Markings that warned of nearby traps, and markings only he knew about.
Another step, and Haji spotted a familiar marking etched above.
"Stay on the wall!" he shouted. "Don’t follow me!"
As he moved ahead, everyone else flattened themselves against the wall. Scarlet took a deep breath and turned her head toward Chuck.
Chuck was hugging a massive backpack.
"Put that down," she said. "There’ll be more arrows here."
She’d just seen him almost die. One wrong movement, one bulge out of place, and it could become a death sentence for all of them.
"Huh?" Chuck blanked, still shaken.
"Put it down," she repeated. "Now."


I didn’t want to be here in the first place!
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