“Sergeant, where are we going?” Arthur uncomfortably asked, afraid that Layla would take him to a dark and quiet place to finish him off.

“The colonel wants to talk with you,” she said while walking, not sparing him a glance.

“Huh? Didn’t you say you wanted to talk to me? Why does the colonel want to talk to me now?” He got confused.

“We are keeping this a secret. Don't let anyone else know you are meeting Colonel Samson,” she explained why she lied in front of the other recruits.

“What does the colonel want with me?” Arthur got curious.

“You will know when we get there,” she ignored his question.

After going through a few buildings and making some detours to make sure no one followed them, Arthur and Layla arrived in front of a seemingly ordinary door.

Arthur looked at the door in suspicion, “Is this really the Colonel’s office? Don't tell me it's an empty warehouse and she plans to take revenge for what I did?” his insecurity resurfaced.

Layla knocked a few times before entering, “What are you waiting for, come in before someone sees you,” she looked back at the hesitating Arthur.

Arthur nervously entered the room, but his suspicion was unfounded. Colonel Samson Monroe was already waiting for him inside.

“Colonel,” he greeted the man.

“Private Arthur, do you know why you are here?” Samson asked.

“No, sir. Wait... are you suspecting that I’m a spy as well?” Arthur panicked and forgot to keep his politeness in front of the colonel, which caused the man to laugh.

“No, Arthur. I already cleared that up with Sergeant Hawkins. You are clear from any suspicion. I already asked my man to do some digging about your background, and I’m surprised that you were telling the truth,” the colonel reassured him.

“On behalf of this city, I’m asking for your forgiveness, Arthur... We had let you live in such conditions,” the colonel bowed.

After The apocalypse, the world was in chaos, and people were forced to try their best to survive. The government fell within a month, and it took almost two years for a new city governed by sects to be established. At that time, they made an orphanage for those who lost their parents during the Apocalypse, but it seemed that no one ever found the young Arthur or cared enough to admit him to the orphanage. By the time Arthur learned about the orphanage, the admissions were already closed, and he was refused by all of them!

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Of course, it was not just Arthur who ended up like that, but he was one of the lucky ones to survive but also unlucky enough that no one would take or raise him.

“No, sir, It's not your fault.” He said politely.

“Tell me, Arthur, do you resent this city?” Samson questioned with a serious face.

“I will be lying if I say I don’t, but I’m old enough to understand that the one who took my parents away was not this city, but the spirit beasts, and the reason I’m alive today is because of this city and the people who protect it. So, I think I do resent this city but am grateful as well,” Arthur said, whether it was lip service or his true feeling, not even Arthur himself knew.

The Colonel nodded in approval of Arthur's answer, “Now that I know where you are standing, let’s get to the reason I called you here. While you are clear of suspicion, the other members of 4th squad are not. There is a spy among the recruits, and members of your squad are the prime suspects!” The man said.

“What? How do we know there is a spy among the new recruits? And how is this related to me?” Arthur asked.

“We caught another spy a week ago, and after some very gentle persuasion, he told us that there would be another spy among the new recruits, but he died before we could ask who the spy is or which faction they belong to,” Samson said lightly while pouring tea. He then gestured at Arthur, asking if he wanted some, which he refused silently.

“As for you, the reason I called you here is because I want you to find the spy,” he added.

“Me? Why me, sir?” He asked again.

“Well, originally, I tasked Sergeant Hawkins here to find the spy, but it seems she actually went ahead and assumed you are the spy and practically announced to everyone in your squad that she knows there is a spy among you. Ordinary members might not get it, but the spy will surely be wary not to expose himself,” Samson said as he glanced at Layla, who shrunk under his gaze.

“And we already know that you have no affiliation with any group and have been in this city from before the Apocalypse. Also, you will be living with the other recruits, so you are the perfect candidate to find the spy among you,” he concluded.

“Can’t you do a background check on them as well, like you did for me, sir?” Arthur suggested.

“We did, but unlike you, they either come from outside the city, had been traveling around, or belong to a powerful family, so there is a big hole in what we could gather about them,” Samson refuted his suggestion.

“Now this will be your first mission: find the spy among the new recruits, but be careful, don't let others know there is a spy among you. It will make it harder for you to find the spy.” The Colonel commanded.

With no other choice, Arthur agreed to the man's request, “Sir, yes, sir!”

“Now, do you have any other questions before I send you off?” Colonel Samson Monroe asked.

“Do I have a deadline to find this spy?” he asked.

“It would be best that we found the spy before your training ends, but after Sergeant Hawkins' blunder, it would be hard to find the spy by then, so I will make sure that the 4th squad members stay together after the training ends. But remember, you need to find the spy as fast as possible before they can do any harm to our city! Do you understand, Private?”

“Yes, sir,” Arthur replied before asking again, “Sir, why would anyone send a spy? Are we at war? Isn’t Dusk and Ives family our ally? Why are we defending against them as well?”