The atmosphere is tense, everybody is quiet and their spirit is low, probably because they are tired and thinking about going back might have demoralized them,

“How about we follow these arrows first? To see where it will lead us?”, Jeremy suggests.

“But these arrows look tricky and quite complicated, with so many arrows it means that there will be a lot of twists and turns, if we go, could we find the way back to the hall again?”, Clara said worriedly. Her worry is valid since it will be much easier to go back to the hall since they can still remember the route, but if they decide to go on, they might not be able to go back to the original place again. So without saying anything they have a tacit understanding that they indeed have to go back first, so they took their heavy foot to step forward and go back to the original positions. Their heart went heavy as they took the steps one after another, but Diane didn’t seem too happy about their energy, Clara also nodded in agreement, “Yeah, what if other people also have already noticed it and we couldn’t get ahold of the cards”, she said worriedly.

Kayla couldn’t refute that and also got worried herself, she looked at Aaron and he seemed to also agree, so they couldn’t help but fasten their steps, only Jeremy was bothered by it,

“What is with the hurry? I am very hungry”, Jeremy wailed, Kayla looked at him and could only smile, the way he was pouting was really cute for her. The moment they arrived, there was already no one there, the empty place made the mood become eerie and haunted, they could sense the air going cold and the wind surging around, lightly blowing their hair around.

“Looks like everyone has decided to look for the keys”, Aaron said. The cards are still scattered everywhere on the ground, when Kayla picks one of the card from the floor and looks at it, the contains of the cards are indeed different, the numbers are the same, but the instructions on the back are completely different, each one of them have a different instruction on the back of the card.

“Let's take as many as we can, No! Let's pick all of them”, Jeremy is getting excited, but Kayla doesn't seem to agree with him, “All of them? Are you implying that we should search for all of them?”, Kayla asked shocked. Jeremy seems to realize his own mistake and find his word pretty ridiculous, so he replies with a pout, “We.. we could distribute it to other people when we saw them?”

Diane nodded her head in agreement, “If these people didn't notice this clue then we have to go back here to collect it, better to take it with us now and distribute it along the way. If this hallway is connected, then we might be lucky enough to find them and give it to them”. It is not that Kayla didn't want to take the card with her, but having something more than what other people have is always not a good thing, especially in this dire situation, she just didn't wish to put an unnecessary burden to herself. Yet she couldn’t deny that these cards were absolutely important if they wanted to find all the keys and get out of here, and they couldn't possibly do it by themself, they needed help from others.

“Now that I think about it, if the starting point is here, wouldn't it be useless if we took these cards?”, Jeremy stated and all of them went silent, Kayla silently took a look at the card she was holding and frown,

“I remember that the first arrow is not left, it is right, and now it has one additional row”, Kayla said and all of them circled up to take a look, Aaron also nodded, “Indeed, it has changed— that means this place is not the starting point, we could go anywhere we want and then find the shortest paths to find the next key”

Kayla looks at the card with amazement in her eyes, she had never thought that it would be this advanced, a small and thin card like this is a tablet? Kayla wouldn't have thought that something like this would exist, it is like she is being trapped inside a sci-fi movie.

“Then what are you all waiting for? Let’s hurry and pick them all up”, Diane excitedly exclaims, Kayla looks at her with a bitter smile, on her face, there are hundreds of these cards lying around, even if the card will be a good clue and make it easier for them to find the next key, they still need to search and choose from hundreds of cards as their next clue, that is a lot of possibilities to choose, and considering that they still didn't know what is waiting ahead of them, it will be very risky. What Kayla wishes right now is just to find the other as soon as possible and distribute all of these cards, so when she sees Diane's excitement, she can't understand the excitement in it.

After picking it up and counting it, there were a total of two hundred and forty-five cards in their hand, with the original number of three hundred and sixteen, assuming that every number has its own clue, then they are missing seventy-one cards. Even the number written on the cards has gotten lower, that means people already started to found the keys.

“Let’s decide who will be the one to take these cards”, Aaron stated and Clara tilted her head in confusion, “Why don't we divide it?”, she asked,

“It will be bad if we come into a different opinion, better to let one person manage these cards and we will hear whatever that person said, no matter if we encounter the undesirable or a favorable place, we won't blame them”, Aaron reasoned. That is actually a very good approach, putting all the their trust into one person, a very stupid yet brilliant idea, because that way they don't have to quarrel about whose judgments and decisions are better, but this person has to be able to think quick-witted and observant, they have to act for the sake of the group, not for one personal gain, and furthermore, someone they could really trust.

So they went into a complete silence for a few minutes, before Kayla decided to break the ice, “How about.. you become that person?”, Kayla carefully said and looked at him deeply, Aaron had never thought that he would be the one to get the ball, so he is a little taken aback, all of their gazes has fallen upon him, wanting to know what his decisions are. But Diana seems to have another thought,

“I think rather than him, you are much more suitable for this job”, Diane suddenly pointed to Kayla, she was shocked to be suddenly pointed out, and looks at her questioningly, Clara also nodded her head excitedly, “I also agreed”

Aaron also silently nodded his head, “Yeah, I think you are much more suitable for this job, we believe in you”, he said with a very serious tone and nodded undoubtedly, Jeremy also expressed his approval. Kayla stood there bewildered, she couldn’t understand why she suddenly become the center of attention when they were just talking about choosing Aaron as their leader.

Kayla immediately rejected that idea, “No. That is not possible, I don’t think I am suitable to make any decision”

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“If you asked me, you are the best candidate, Aaron looks like he didn’t care about anything else except himself, Clara always be the first one to panic and this guy has the worst luck”, Diane reprimanded her, but Kayla still couldn’t except her words,

“How about yourself then?”, Kayla asked back, Diane's lips curled up in a smile, “Do you truly believe that my temper could lead you all to safety?”, Kayla become silent and Diane continued, “That is why someone as kind and considerate as you are much more suitable. Furthermore, you could quickly calm yourself down and think of a way out, I think nobody is more suitable for this except you”

Kayla suddenly looks at her, her words are very reasonable, but Kayla still can’t find herself to accept this heavy responsibility herself. Seeing their hopeful eyes directed at her, she could only let out a heavy sigh and nodded, “I will try my best, but don’t get your hopes too high up, I won’t be responsible for it”

They all silently cheer and give all the cards for Kayla to take care of it, Kayla couldn’t help but squint her eyes, ‘Why do I feel like I am being cheated right now?’

Kayla carefully took a look at the card while sitting down on the floor, but since it was too many, her small hands couldn't possibly be able to handle all of it, so she divided it into three stacks and scanned it one by one, the more she saw it the more she could feel her head burning, ‘Should I just lay it all on the floor, that will be much easier right?’

They suddenly heard footsteps coming from one of the alleyways, Aaron was the first one to notice which direction it was coming from and told Kayla to put away all the card, Diane also quickly helped her and shoved it into her pocket. Kayla finally realized why Aaron was so nervous, because the moment she heard the voice, Kayla also couldn't help but feel her heart dropping.

Claire comes out from the dark alleyway they come out before and still with that smug smile on her face, but anger is clearly written in her eyes. “So here is where you are running off to”, she spitefully said. Kayla could feel that those words were directed at her, she is a little confused, ‘How did I offend her again?’

When the person behind Claire steps in front of her, they finally know why they suddenly came back here of their own volition, it turns out that they have found something interesting on their way, a black dangerous item, a gun.

“Now, should we have an attentive and thorough talk?”, Claire clasped her hands together in enthusiasm, her arrogance was beyond repair, their face turned sour, and look at her with a disgusted expression, but Claire just smiled at their reaction.

“What is with the sour face? Isn't it much better to have more buddies in this situation? If you could just kindly cooperate, would we even have to do something like this?— That is why I already told you to choose your friend wisely isn't it, Aaron?”, she pouted her lips and smiled seductively, “If you come back to me now, I will gladly accept you back”

Aaron scowled, “If you wanted to do it the harsh way, then we will gladly cooperate, I will see how you will get away with it!”, Kayla was stunned by his words, they had a gun in their hand, if things go wrong they would get badly injured and even death, so she could only look at Aaron struck dumb and cold sweat has started dropping from her forehead.

Diane also stepped up and looks at them without any hint of fear, Claire who saw their gestures greeted her teeth and told her man to shoot, Kayla's heart skipped a beat and Jeremy launched on her and pinned her to the ground, trying to cover her and Clara, the sound of a gun being fired was clear and loud, Kayla couldn't help but closed her eyes tightly, but the next thing she heard is not Aaron or Diane screaming in pain, it is the opposite, she hears Claire shouting loudly with a terrified expression.

Kayla also looked up to see that the one lying down on the floor was her friend, she couldn't access what was happening and looked at the scene in front of her with bafflement. Kayla slowly got up and stood beside Diane, “What just happened?”, Kayla asked, Diane's brows also furrowed and her eyes were fixated on the people in front of her,

“The gun.. backfires on him”, she unhurriedly explained, that person actually didn't really want to kill them, he just put an aim at their feet just to scare them, but because of that, the gun was pointed directly at his face. Instead of firing like usual, the gun shoots backward and immediately k*lls him on the spot.

No one dares to say anything, the atmosphere becomes very heavy and tense, Claire and her other friends already fall down on the floor from the shock. Aaron also held his breath and slowly walked up to them, he didn't really believe what he was seeing right now, he slowly took one step after another, Kayla also brave herself and took a step forward, when the whiff of blood smell reached her nose, that is when she froze on her spot. From the place she stood, she could see the blood flowing out from that person's body, it didn't feel like a fake setting, so she couldn't help but take a couple of steps backward, her eyes red and it was hard for her to breathe.

When she bumps into something, she turns to find Diane standing behind her, she taps her shoulder, “Don’t panic! Aaron, what is the status?”, Diane asked

Aaron turned to look at them and decided to retreat, “This is your idea, right? You are the one who has to take responsibility and clean up your mess”, he said coldly and walked away, Claire finally snapped out of it and scream, “You couldn't leave me alone!! Come back!!”, she cries out, but Aaron already pushed all of them towards one of the alleyway and quickly disappear into the night.

They keep on walking and fasten up their steps without having any intention of stopping, their phone battery had almost run out and they had to save it for now, so when Clara couldn't run anymore, she asked them to stop and take a rest first, they have been walking and running without any direction, they didn't even know where they are right now.

“Let’s find a safe place for now, we need the rest”, Aaron stated, they all agreed and decided to choose a room that was considered safe, they went into a room, inside was a storage room used to store wine, the temperature is a little cold, but this is the only place they could find right now, they all gathered at the farthest corner of the room, the temperature there is not that cold and it is hard to be found, so they could know if someone else has entered, yet the other party couldn't see them.

They still couldn't pull themself up from the shock they just encountered, all of them sit on the ground with a thud, nobody could believe what they were seeing,

“Shouldn't this be just a normal test? Why does somebody die? A person died!!”, Clara sobbed and howled loudly, Diane had to cover her mouth with her hands, telling her to lower her voice. Kayla also sense a terrible fear in her heart, she started to wonder if she would be able to go home after all of this, tears couldn't help but swell in her eyes, she suddenly remember what her mother has told her before leaving,

‘You must remember one thing. Never takes anything as a joke, you must focus and take any information you see as much as you can, it is alright if you fail, just don’t get hurt’

Her heart suddenly went cold, ‘Could it be that Mom knows something about this place?’

“Say, your friend isn't the type of person to make jokes right? Are they pranking us right now?!”, Jeremy suddenly asked, Aaron shook his head, “She could do something like that, but the whole thing is too real to be called fake, even if she wanted to do it, she didn't have any resources to do so”, seeing Kayla lost in thought, Aaron got worried and asked her what she is thinking,

“The people that got taken away before.. Could their fate also..”, Kayla didn't dare to continue her words,

“Don’t think too much, the more you think about it, the more you can't think straight, we need to pull ourselves together and pass this test first, everything else could be discussed later”, Diane cut in and reassured her.

“How could we be calm about it, someone just died!! I wanted it to stop!”, Clara cries, Kayla puts her arms around her shoulder and pats her, slowly whispering, “She is right, we can’t solve the problem if we get caught up by emotions now, we needs to stay calm and think of a way to get out of here”, there are a lot of question stuck into her mind, but she couldn't think of that right now, because the more she thought about it, the more her head hurts.

Even though they didn't want to fall asleep at this time, they had to rest to restore their energy, it was already so late and their body couldn't lie, they were tired and their whole body were sore, so they decided to take turns in guarding, since Kayla couldn't fall asleep, she decides to guard first with Aaron, hoping that nothing will come out again.

TO BE CONTINUED…