Chapter 96 (1/2)

The position for the last place quickly changed and a different volunteer was targeted. There was bound to be someone lagging behind when running as a group. Naturally, the attacks thrown to these targets motivated the entire group to increase their pace in an attempt to avoid being targeted.

“Huk, huk!”

Soon enough, there was a stench of sweetness in the volunteers’ breath. The manufactured crystals fueling the defensive coats fueled had run dry long ago. Now they were just ugly, c.u.mbersome objects soaked completely by the rain. White steam started to emanate from the runners, as the coat was repeatedly drenched by the rain and dried by the trainees’ body temperatures.

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EDN: The “stench of sweetness” refers to a common Korean saying about peoples’ breath after exercising. When you engage in high-intensity exercise (e.g. fat-burning exercises or in this case, long, intense running), your body burns fat, producing a byproduct called acetone that gets exhaled through your mouth. Acetone has a tell-tale fruity smell, but mixed in with sweat and high body temperature from exercise, it can get pretty nasty. It’s also a main component in nail polish, so you may recognize someone’s breath as smelling like nail polish. Source 1. Source 2.

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One of the most difficult trials for humans is to repeat an action without a goal. They run on and on without knowing when they can stop. They drop their pace when they run out of stamina, only to be targeted by the North Bears’ clubs within mere moments. The runners sent glances at Rivelia, who stood at Isaac’s side like a statue, for a.s.sistance. But she remained unmoving. Little by little, hostility began to possess the eyes of the volunteers.

“Ha! They really are smart.”

Isaac had lost interest in the run he ordered at the volunteers in the morning, sending intermittent glances once in a while. But when lunch was approaching, he decided to look at how the volunteers were doing, only to find out the volunteers were cheating.

Although they were all agents of Central, their specialties varied greatly. Some were ‘brawns’ who used their physical prowess to get the job done, while others were ‘brains,’ who used magic for combat. Obviously, it was the brains who grew more exhausted as the time went by.

Isaac’s exercise naturally bore down hard on the brains, but they used the fact that the North Bears only targeted the person at the end of the line. They switched places every half lap. A strategy to help one another and survive as a whole with minimal casualties instead of going at it alone.

It’s something that would never have happened in his old world, where selfishness was the cornerstone of human civilization, but it was natural in this world.

It was uncertain if this was orchestrated by the senior agents or if it was a silent agreement among everyone. But one thing was certain. Isaac wouldn’t be having much fun out of the runs.

“It’d be so much more tasteful if I got to empty a magazine right about now…”

Rivelia flinched when she heard Isaac’s disappointed mutter.

“I guess we should have our lunch.”

“Shall I bring it here?”

Rizzly, who had been standing by for some time, immediately asked as if he’d been waiting for this moment. Isaac looked at the dark, gloomy skies as he answered.

“Bring their food here as well and place it in front of the stage. Let’s wrap this up.”

Rizzly immediately blew his whistle and the volunteers began congregating to the front of the stage with the sigh of relief knowing that it was over.

Isaac smoked his cigarette while looking down on the volunteers, who were drenched and covered in mud. By the time Isaac finished his cigarette, the North Bears arrived, carrying a couple of tables, a container full of rations, and utensils.

“Hm? No need for a tent. Utensils too. Just put the food down for now.”

The North Bears questioned Isaac’s order in their heads but did as was told. Even as rain poured down on them, the volunteers couldn’t help gulping antic.i.p.ation as they watched the food being arranged on the table.

Rain wasn’t even an issue. They were used to eating in the rain during training led by the College’s instructors.

“Preparations have been completed.”

Rizzly said to Isaac, and Isaac stood up from his chair.

“Everyone, it’s time for your meal. You can’t fight on an empty stomach right?”

“…”

Isaac smiled and stepped down from the stage, walking toward the tables with the food. Rizzly rushed over to hold an umbrella over Isaac.

“I swear, the Campus always outdoes themselves when it comes to food.”

Isaac looked down on the table, filled with salads that had been garnished with a myriad of dressings, meat, soup, and a variety of desserts. Nodding with satisfaction, Isaac kicked the table over.

Clang!

The volunteers looked helplessly as their food mixed with the muddied water. Isaac returned to his sofa as if nothing had happened, and spoke down onto the volunteers as if he’d done them a favour.

“Go ahead, eat. I’m sure you’re all starving.”

“…”

“Ah, as a note, this isn’t just a one-off bullying on my part. From now on, you may only eat what has been dropped onto the floor. So go ahead, eat.”

“T, this is a violation of human rights!”

One of the volunteers stepped up to complain with his fists shaking in anger. Isaac nodded as he replied.

“That’s right. I will not treat you guys as human beings. You are all but toys for me to play with. But that’s better than being target practices for me right? You can give up now if you don’t like being treated like toys.”

“…”

The volunteers were dumbstruck, blankly looking at Isaac. They couldn’t come up with a counterargument when Isaac was so up front with his explanation.

Isaac smiled warmly toward the volunteers and continued.

“Now that the simplest method is off the table, I will do whatever it takes to kill you lot, physically and mentally. All you need to do is survive. Such simple training.”

“…”

While the rest of the volunteers were left stunned, a man stepped up.

“I have a question.”

“Hm? You’re still here? I thought you’d given up? Don’t you know you’re priority target number 1?”

Kainen was rattled for a moment, but he clenched his teeth and stared directly at Isaac as he asked.

“What is the goal of this training?”

Isaac took out a cigarette in response to Kainen’s question and announced to the volunteers.

“Ah. Have I not told you? This training is to turn all of you into dogs that will obey my every order, no matter how much you despise and wish to kill me.”

“…”

Every aspect of the explanation greatly infringed upon human rights. Kainen glared at Isaac before answering.

“Know that I will never become your dog, no matter what you try.”

Kainen boldly stepped forward and sat onto the muddy ground and without hesitation started picking up the muddied food by hand.

“… Ha! Aren’t you a vicious one.”

“I have to survive if I am to restore my family’s glory.”

Kainen said as he spat pebbles from his mouth. Isaac watched Kainen with keen interest.

Most students who had enrolled into College had lived a good life. Having been insulted like this or experiencing such starvation that they’d eat off the ground would be beyond their imagination.

But Isaac never suspected Kainen, one who lived such a life, would step forward. He wasn’t sure if it was fueled by his hatred toward him or his determination to restore his family’s glory, but thanks to him, one of Isaac’s plans had been foiled from the beginning.

Isaac’s plan was to eat away at the volunteer’s pride by forcing them to give up or resist until tomorrow and submit out of starvation. But with Kainen stepping forward with his goal of bringing back his family as justification, others would join him using their own reasons.

There was a significant difference between one who questioned why they had to do something and one who did something with a goal in mind.

“Well, this is just the beginning.”

Isaac’s declaration that he’d kill them wasn’t a bluff. Nor was he lying about treating them as toys, not humans.

Isaac’s physical challenges didn’t put any of the trainees’ situations into consideration. In fact, it was more of a hunt rather than training. Isaac ordered the trainees to hide in the forest, and the North Bears were sent to find them. At first, the trainees resisted the North Bears’ efforts well with their remaining stamina. But it grew increasingly impossible as time pa.s.sed by.

First of all, they were limited in what they could eat and drink. Not only did Isaac throw all the food onto the ground as he’d announced, he started reducing the number of meals. From 3 meals a day to 2, then 1, then 3 every 2 days, 2 and then 1. Even the most prideful of the volunteers succ.u.mbed to the starvation and joined with the others to eat off the ground.

Isaac saw these people eating the cleanest food on the ground, so he started scattering the food thinly onto the ground or stomping it deep into the mud.