Alex, still uneasy about their strategy, exits the secure fenced-in area alongside Linus. he thinks, glancing toward the direction the two women had gone.


    Around them, other examinees are leaving as well, moving quickly but avoiding eye contact. The atmosphere is tense, with no one willing to draw attention to themselves. They soon split up, deciding to go in different directions.


    Alex takes a moment to look back at the fenced-in area, scanning for any signs of pursuit.


    Instead of walking, Alex and Linus pick up their pace, jogging toward the first location marked on their devices. The landscape around them is desolate—burnt grass, sparse trees, and no signs of life. No animals, no structures, nothing but the vast, dry savannah.


    When they finally reach the first marked point on the western side of the examination area, Alex notices nothing immediately visible. He zooms in on his device until it won’t zoom further, following the directions precisely. As he steps forward, his foot hits something solid, hidden in the tall grass.


    Kneeling down, Alex uncovers a small metal chest. He opens it to find an assortment of unfamiliar sauces inside. The labels and brands are foreign to him, but he recognizes some of the contents—ketchup, a brown pepper sauce, soy sauce, and others he can’t identify by sight alone. “Not bad! Linus, I found our bounty—just a bunch of sauces, but it’s something. Let’s move on.”


    Linus nods in approval as Alex packs the sauces into his backpack. The two quickly resume their journey to the next marked location.


    Linus glances at his device and remarks, “Looks like our two girlies made it to their first point too. It was closer than ours, sure, but they’re already heading to their second spot. If they keep this pace, we’ll meet them at the last point in the northwest.”


    Alex feels a wave of relief.


    Linus suddenly breaks the tension with an unexpected comment. “That taller woman—what’s her name again? She’s exactly my type. If I pass, I might ask her out.”


    Alex blinks in surprise. “Patricia? I guess she could be your type, if you’re into women with a rougher edge.”


    Linus shrugs with a small grin, unbothered by Alex’s remark.


    As they approach their second point, Linus suddenly raises his hand, signaling Alex to stop and stay silent. Alex halts immediately, scanning the surroundings but unsure of what Linus has noticed.


    Without explanation, Linus pulls out his pistols and fires several shots into the brush ahead.


    A flurry of birds erupts from the bushes, scattering into the sky. Alex watches, stunned.


    They move cautiously toward the area where Linus fired and quickly locate his targets: two dead birds lying in the grass. They’re not large, but they look edible.


    “What are these things? Do you know the species?” Alex asks, kneeling to get a closer look.


    “Are you not from this continent, Alex? This is a simple Juta bird,” Linus responds, looking mildly surprised. “Can’t believe you don’t know them. Anyway, they’re edible… I’ve even seen some restaurants serve dishes made from them. But I’m not just after the birds.”


    Linus begins searching the area until his eyes catch something up a dried tree. Quickly, he climbs it and comes back down holding five eggs, each with strange black dots that make them look exotic to Alex.


    “Jackpot!” Linus exclaims. “Juta eggs are delicious. Just some oil and salt, and you’ve got tasty scrambled Juta eggs. I ate tons of these during survival training.”


    Alex nods, genuinely pleased.


    As they move toward their next point, Alex checks the mobile device while deep in thought. Shalnark is already at his second location, moving at an inhuman speed. Alex notes. Meanwhile, Eirini and Patricia are making steady progress, about halfway to their second spot.


    Alex and Linus continue without needing to alter their route. Everything is going better than planned, especially with the extra bounty of poultry and eggs. When they reach their second location, Alex freezes in surprise. A small lake stretches out before them, reflecting the vast savannah sky. Their devices point toward the water, suggesting there’s no hidden crate—just the lake itself.


    “Looks like we’re going fishing,” Alex says. “But I suck at it. I’ve got next to no experience.”


    “Don’t worry,” Linus reassures him. “I’ve got this covered. I’ve trained for situations like this, and I even brought a net. Let me dive in first to check for any dangers. You keep an eye on the mobile devices and watch out for enemies.”


    While Linus wades into the lake with practiced caution, Alex scouts the surrounding area. Alex reasons.


    Finding a patch of tall grass, Alex lies down, using the cover to observe his device. He notices Shalnark has already reached his third location. Meanwhile, Eirini and Patricia seem to have slowed down, which makes Alex uneasy.


    After 20 minutes of quiet observation, Alex begins to doze off slightly when his instincts snap him awake. He spots movement—three examinees approaching quickly.


    Thinking fast, Alex grabs a stone he picked up earlier and hurls it into the lake, creating a loud splash. Linus, startled, looks toward Alex, who holds up three fingers and then points in the direction of the incoming group.


    Linus, clearly annoyed but quick to act, leaves the water and ducks behind one of the many trees growing near the lake. Both men stay hidden, waiting to see what the newcomers will do.


    Alex squints, taking a closer look at the approaching group. He sees one fairly average-looking woman and a man with a gymnast’s build, dressed in typical athletic gear. But what draws his attention is the petite woman among them. he realizes.


    Before Alex can decide, Melody shouts, her voice surprisingly loud for someone so small. “We don’t intend to fight you! We just want to fish as well! If we keep this up, we’re both wasting time!”


    Alex glances toward Linus’s position and signals him to “stay down,” preparing for the worst. Steeling himself, Alex reveals his position.


    “Okay! As long as you don’t attack me, I won’t attack either!” Alex yells back.


    As he steps forward, his mind races. He grimaces at the memory of Melody’s tragic tale.


    Melody shouts again, her voice steady but still loud for someone so petite. “We don’t want to fight! How about this? You and your comrade stay at the front part of the lake to fish, and we’ll move to the far end. That way, we’re not in each other’s way.”


    Alex looks back towards Linus, preparing for the worst. he thinks, weighing his options. Finally, Alex steps forward, deciding to take the risk.


    “Alright, fine!” Alex yells back. “As long as you stick to your end, we’ll stay here. No funny business!”


    His tone is firm but cautious as he studies Melody and her group.


    Alex nods toward Linus, giving him a sign that they’ll stay put for now. Linus emerges from his hiding spot reluctantly, still eyeing the newcomers with suspicion. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Melody and her team hold true to their word, moving to the far end of the lake. Alex watches them carefully as Linus resumes fishing, his grip tight on his pistols just in case.


    Alex thinks, though his guard never lowers entirely.


    Linus, after some time, returns from the lake carrying two small fish. Their strange violet color catches Alex’s attention, but otherwise, they look fresh and healthy.


    “No use,” Linus grumbles. “I couldn’t catch more. These two were the only ones big enough to be worth it. Let’s leave.”


    Alex nods and adds, “Yeah, let’s go. But something’s not right—Eirini and Patricia haven’t reached their second spot yet. I think something’s happened. What should we do? Head toward them or go straight to the third spot?”


    Linus considers for a moment. “Let’s head toward them. If something’s wrong, they might need help. We can skip the last point or hit it later if there’s time. We’ve already spent nearly two hours here with the fishing—better not risk losing them now.”


    “Agreed,” Alex says, nodding. He casts a final glance at Melody and her group before the two set off.


    Ten minutes into their trek, Alex checks his device again. Eirini and Patricia haven’t moved much. His grip tightens on the device as his thoughts race.