3rd Person View | Christian's PoV
The east wing of the school was quiet.
Most of the bodies had been moved outside. The sharp scent of disinfectant the med students had scavenged from the health center drafted through open windows.
Christian sat near one of those windows, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. The light slanted across his face, brightening the room's dull brown.
Scout lay asleep on the cot beside him, her breathing shallow. She hadn't stirred since Solution brought her in. He'd draped his own jacket over her shoulders. It looked comically large, but it kept her warm.
Christian exhaled slowly. Just yesterday, this place was ordinary. Now it carried multiple roles: a safehaven, a clinic, and a graveyard.
He leaned back, rubbing at the back of his neck. His speech still echoed in his head, and he bounced between feeling pride and exhaustion.
He hadn't meant to become "the leader." It just happened. People needed someone to follow, and he'd been the first to speak with enough certainty to sound like a plan. And once you start sounding like a plan, people stop looking for a better one.
He wasn't sure if that terrified or humbled him more.
He looked back at Scout. The thought of Solution leaving her here while he marched straight into the city somewhat annoyed him. Christian envied that kind of focus, but also hated it. His father had been the same way, only ever focusing on what came next, and he resented him for it.
A soft knock at the door broke his thoughts.
Anna stepped in—a short, tired-looking girl with dark hair tied in a messy bun, her hands clutching a clipboard scavenged from the admin office. She wore round glasses, and her expression was apologetic before she even spoke.
"Report?" he asked.
"Yeah." She walked closer, flipping through her notes. "The cafeteria staff and a few volunteers went through all the storage rooms. We've got enough food for maybe a week, two if we ration aggressively."
"Perishables?"
She nodded. "Most of it. A lot of the freezers went out when the power glitched, and the backup generators aren't stable. We're drying and salting what we can, but it's… not much."
Christian leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. The paint had started peeling in long strips, curling toward the floor.
"A week," he repeated. "That's generous."
"Water's okay for now," Anna added. "We filled every container we could find. If it doesn't rain, though…"
He waved a hand. "One crisis at a time."
She hesitated before speaking. "Christian, what's the plan? Your speech was amazing, but people are still nervous. Half of them don't know if their families are alive because we can't get cell service, and the other half keep asking when we're leaving. Not to mention, everyone saw that explosion earlier, near the gym. They want to know what happened."
He didn't answer right away.
He looked out the window again. The red shimmer from the barrier was gone, but the air still had a strange density.
"Leaving isn't an option until we know what's waiting out there," he said finally. "We keep them fed and busy, which in turn keeps them calm. Doing so will drastically increase our odds of surviving until we can figure something else out.
As for the explosion, send a few scouts. Keep their party small. I want confirmation of what caused it. My guess is Solution."
"You think he fought something?"
"I think he ended something, and I want to know what."
Anna nodded, scribbling notes. "Understood. And what's the plan after a week passes?"
He smiled faintly. "After a week, we hope our friend comes back with answers. Maybe some supplies, too."
She followed his gaze toward the horizon. "You really think he'll make it?"
Christian thought for a long moment. Solution was an enigma to him. Despite his limited interactions, Christian could tell he was brilliant.
"He'll make it," he said. "But when he does, he'll bring trouble with him."
Anna frowned. "Trouble?"
"I think he's the type who finds the truth no matter how ugly it is." He gave Anna a sidelong glance. "The world's already breaking. What happens when he finds out why? Do you really think people will accept that truth?"
Anna didn't reply. She just nodded once, quietly, and slipped back out into the hall, the door clicking softly shut behind her.
Christian sat there a while longer, listening to the faint sounds of movement outside. He let the weight of the situation press down enough to remind him he was still a human.
He was about to stand when a soft chime echoed through the room. A notification window blinked into his view.
[CONDITIONS MET]
You have fulfilled the criteria for establishing a Designated Safe Zone!
A Safe Zone protects inhabitants from unauthorized aggression and monsters, providing them a boost in stats. Would you like to create one now?
[YES] [NO]
Christian blinked. "Now?" He hesitated a moment before selecting YES.
The system window expanded, lines of golden light crawling outward, tracing through walls, floors, and the roof.
The information flared against the expanded system window:
SAFE ZONE ESTABLISHED: Academy Grounds
Level: 2
Manager: Christian Rivera
Population: 217 Registered Members
Defensive Integrity: 41% (Moderate)
Quality of Life: Poor (Improving)
Morale Index: 63 / 100
Energy Reserves: 12%
Current Status: Peaceful
Special Note: As Manager, you may oversee development, assign roles, and fortify structures. Safe Zones attract stability and attention.
A smaller red warning blinked beneath it:
WARNING: Safe Zones draw hostility. Monster activity may increase proportionally to Safe Zone growth. Prepare defenses in the event of a monster attack.
Christian watched as a faint golden shimmer of a dome surrounded the entire school.
Outside the window, a few nearby students froze mid-task, staring upward. One of them pointed. Another started clapping. All of them had received the notification that they were now residing in a safe-zone.
He sat back down slowly, staring at the status window hovering in front of him. "Manager," he murmured. It felt wrong and right.
Scout stirred on the cot beside him, mumbling something under her breath before settling again. Christian closed the window, the glow vanishing. The weight of leadership settled heavier on his shoulders.
His thoughts slipped elsewhere—years back, to a kitchen table and a man who smelled like expensive cologne.
His father.
He hadn't been home much. Work always came first. Contracts, business trips—which meant long weeks away—but when he was home, he made sure every word with his son counted. By Christian's recollection, his father never lectured him; rather, he spoke with a calm weight that stayed long after he left again.
Christian could still hear him, sitting across that old table, saying the one line that never left him:
"Never be afraid to be wrong, son. Being a man isn't about being right all the time, with no room for error; It's more about showing up. It's about fighting when it's easier not to. And when people are looking for someone to follow, I expect you to lead. Even if you're scared. Especially if you're scared."
To a young Christian, it sounded like advice for another life. Now, in the light of a dying world, it felt like a prophecy. "Alright, Dad," he muttered. "I'm showing up. And I'll keep them safe. All of them."
Christian straightened, glancing out the window one last time. "Okay, Solution. You find out what fractured the world, and I'll keep what's left of it standing. We'll work together."
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◆ System Notice: [Designated Safe Zone]
Safe Zones stabilize surrounding corruption and shield registered players from certain siege attacks.
Resource sustainability directly impacts zone level and morale. Managers may assign roles, distribute resources, and fortify structures.
Note: The stronger the light, the more it attracts what thrives in darkness.
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