Chapter 95:Atttack I
Chapter 95: 95:Atttack I
The amber warning lights continued flashing across Green Sector Checkpoint Eight.
Their rhythmic glow washed over the compound in waves, painting the concrete walls in alternating shades of gold and shadow.
Outside, the checkpoint had transformed completely. The relaxed atmosphere from only a few hours earlier had vanished.
Military vehicles rolled toward predetermined defensive positions, engineers unfolded portable barricades and heavy-caliber anti-beast cannons emerged from armored bunkers built into the walls.
Searchlights swept continuously over the darkness beyond the perimeter. Nobody shouted or ran around aimlessly.
Every contractor, every soldier, every medic moved with disciplined purpose. Years of drills had turned emergency response into instinct.
Silver stood at the window, watching everything unfold. His expression remained calm but his mind did not.
’They’re too organized, which means they’ve prepared for this before’
That was both reassuring, and unsettling. Because organizations only developed procedures after paying for them in blood.
Ravenna joined him.
"...Should we go outside?"
Silver shook his head.
"Not yet. The announcement specifically told civilian contractors to stay put."
She folded her arms.
"And if the situation changes?"
"We adapt," he answered without hesitation."But until then... we stay out of the professionals’ way."
She smiled faintly.
"I was hoping you’d say that."
He looked at her.
"You disagree?"
"No."
She leaned against the wall.
"I’ve spent enough time around arrogant contractors. The kind who hear ’emergency’ and immediately think they’re the heroes."
Silver gave a quiet chuckle.
"Those people usually become casualties."
She nodded.
"Exactly."
A sharp knock echoed through the corridor; three quick knocks then two.
Silver immediately opened the door. Outside stood one of the checkpoint officers, behind him, several soldiers were moving from room to room.
"Contractors."
The officer spoke briskly but politely.
"We’re relocating civilians to reinforced shelters as a precaution."
Silver nodded.
"Understood."
"Bring only essential equipment. You may need to move quickly."
"We’ll be downstairs in two minutes."
The officer gave a grateful nod before moving to the next room.
The moment the door closed, Ravenna picked up her backpack. Silver did the same, he paused, then quietly reached beneath the bed.
His rifle case.
He slung it over one shoulder, his sidearm followed then sword, then medical pouch, then emergency rations and to finish, the tracking modules. Everything had its place.
Ravenna watched him for a moment.
"...You’re very organized."
Silver smiled.
"If you pack the same way every time... You never forget anything."
She looked down at her own bag.
"...I usually just throw everything inside."
He laughed.
"I noticed."
She made a face.
"...Don’t start."
"I wasn’t."
"You were thinking it."
"I absolutely was, can’t help it."
She sighed dramatically.
"I hate that you’ve started to know me."
Five minutes later, the corridor filled with people leaving their rooms; families, independent contractors, and travelling merchants.
Most remained surprisingly calm, a few children looked frightened, clutching tightly to their parents.
Silver’s eyes naturally swept over the crowd, automatically assessing. There were too many people and only one stairwell, in addition to a narrow corridor.
If panic started... someone would get hurt.
It happened sooner than he expected, a loud metallic boom echoed somewhere outside. It wasn’t close but loud enough to shake the building.
The lights flickered and someone screamed. Instantly, the carefully controlled crowd began pushing toward the staircase.
A mother stumbled and an elderly contractor nearly lost his balance. Fear spread through the corridor with frightening speed.
Silver moved before he consciously decided to.
"Stop!"
His voice cut cleanly through the panic. It wasn’t loud, it didn’t need to be, but it carried; years of command naturally slipped into his tone.
"Nobody run!"
Several heads turned instinctively.
"If you push now, the stairs become the danger."
The movement slowed, only slightly. Silver continued.
"Parents, keep your children beside the wall. Single file, then you’ll move faster."
"You."
He pointed toward two broad-shouldered contractors.
"Help the older civilians."
Both men blinked then immediately nodded.
"Right!"
"You two."
He pointed toward another pair.
"Don’t let anyone bunch together at the stairs."
Without realizing it, people started listening unconsciously without knowing who he was since his instructions made sense.
Panic hated clarity and leadership provided it. Within seconds, the crowd reorganized itself. The corridor that had nearly descended into chaos became orderly once more.
Even Ravenna looked at him with surprise.
"...You’ve done this before."
Silver paused.
"...Something similar."
She could tell there was more behind that answer but chose not to ask.
They reached the ground floor. Outside, the checkpoint had become a fortress.
Massive armored shutters sealed portions of the compound, emergency floodlights illuminated every roofto,p and contractors wearing insignias Silver didn’t recognize moved rapidly between firing positions.
A loudspeaker echoed again.
*All civilians proceed to Shelter Three.
Military personnel maintain operational readiness.*
Silver looked toward the walls. Something felt... Wrong. He couldn’t explain it since everything appeared normal.
He slowly crouched and pressed one hand against the concrete.
Ravenna noticed.
"...Silver?"
He frowned.
"...Do you feel that?"
She knelt beside him. At first, nothing, then... very faintly the ground vibrated. It was rhythmic and deep as though something unimaginably large was moving beneath the earth.
Her face slowly paled.
"That’s..."
Silver nodded.
"...Underground."
The vibration grew stronger, but just enough that loose pebbles began dancing across the pavement.
Nearby soldiers noticed as well. One immediately shouted.
"Ground movement!"
Instantly, every veteran contractor reacted with speed.
"Evacuate the open square!"
"Get everyone away from the center!"
"Move!"
Silver grabbed Ravenna’s wrist.
"We’re leaving."
She nodded without any argument. The two sprinted toward the nearest reinforced shelter.
Around them, checkpoint personnel directed civilians with astonishing efficiency.
Children were lifted onto transport vehicles, medics escorted the injured and heavy contractors formed protective lines without waiting for orders.
Silver couldn’t help but admire it.
’This... this is how professionals respond’
There was no wasted motion or confusion, only discipline. Then, the vibrations completely stopped.
An eerie silence settled over the checkpoint, even the insects outside seemed to vanish.
Silver froze. His instincts told him that something was terribly wrong, it was too quiet.
A veteran captain standing atop an armored vehicle suddenly roared, "Everyone down!"
The words had barely left his mouth, when the earth beneath the lodging district... Exploded.
A deafening BOOOOOOM!
Concrete, steel and dust filled the air. Entire sections of roadway were thrown into the air as something colossal burst upward from beneath the checkpoint.
The reinforced lodging building where Silver and Ravenna had slept less than an hour ago... Disappeared in an instant.
The shockwave hurled dozens of people off their feet.
Silver instinctively pulled Ravenna down behind a concrete barrier as fragments of buildings rained from the sky.
The dust cloud swallowed everything. Nobody could see. Nobody knew what had emerged.
Only one thing was certain, whatever had come out... was enormous.
Then, from somewhere inside the choking cloud... Two colossal crimson eyes slowly opened.