Kai's gaze lingered on his teammates.
He had already understood the opportunity the moment Victor revealed the rifle was empty. If the guards of Haven‑45 were bluffing with weapons that couldn't fire, then the balance of power had already shifted.
With three real revolvers hidden among them, his group had the means to challenge the shelter's false authority.
Well, he could even increase the number of their revolvers with his Weapon Gift Pack!
But he didn't mention it yet. The Transporter was still rumbling nearby, and the Sentinel's glowing eyes started looking around the dump.
Now that their Beginner Protection was gone, one mistake could mean death. For now, silence was needed…
However, this silence was broken by the faint metallic thuds of the Sentinel moving across the garbage hills.
Thud… Thud…
Its heavy steps could be heard as it scanned for disturbances. For a moment, Kai thought it had noticed them.
The Sentinel actually paused with its sensors sweeping the area. But then it turned away, following another sound deeper in the dump.
The group exhaled quietly, relief washing over them.
Then, suddenly, the system chimed in their vision.
[ Congratulations! First Kill Achieved. ]
[ Experience Points distributed among all participants. ]
[ +30 Experience Points ]
[ Reminder: EXP distribution is based on participation. Minimal contribution yields reduced gains. ]
The five froze.
Claire's eyes widened as he read the message.
"He… died?" She said this as softly as possible while looking at the man sprawled on the trash.
Wallace wryly smiled as they certainly aimed to eliminate the guy. Still, confirming the kill made him feel a little numb…
The guard hadn't just lost consciousness, he was truly gone.
Victor clenched his fists. "It's necessary…"
This was everyone's first kill, and it was even a human, not an A.I. Machine in this Apocalypse.
Kai could understand everyone's reaction to this matter, but their current situation didn't allow them to be sentimental about this. They would be the ones getting killed if they acted weakly.
Nonetheless, the system wasn't finished yet.
[ Reminder: Killing fellow humans yields extremely low experience points. Survivors are advised to focus on the true enemy. ]
'Ohhh…' Kai and the others gently nodded after getting the same notification.
Of course, none of them had leveled up, but it didn't matter.
They learned how to get experience points and confirmed that fighting each other was not a good option. After all, experience points distribution was nerfed if they turn against humans.
The system had made its stance clear… Human lives weren't meant to be the path to strength. The real war was against the machines.
The group exchanged glances, confirming that they all understood the message.
Unfortunately, as they planned to loot the guard and see his items, the Sentinel started moving…
'No… Let's move!' Kai signaled with his hands as he pointed at the area filled with barbed wires and scrap metal where they could hide.
The five quickly moved away, crouching low as Kai led them toward the cover.
They also slowed their breaths as they nervously looked at the Sentinel's movement.
Thud… Thud…
Soon, the machine stopped.
Its eyes locked onto the corpse of the fallen guard.
For a moment, Kai thought it would simply ignore the body. But instead, the Sentinel bent down, scanning the corpse thoroughly as if it were searching for something.
The group was confused as they watched from their hiding spot.
After several seconds, the Sentinel's sensors pulsed red.
Without hesitation, it raised its weapon, but not to fire, but to act as a blade. In one swift motion, it beheaded the guard.
Ssaakk!
Claire covered her mouth as she saw this.
The others then realized that it was trying to make sure that the guard was indeed dead.
For a moment, they considered attacking. However, Kai shook his head.
"Not yet," he whispered.
The Sentinel's weapon was not simple. One wrong move and they would all be cut down.
Then came the most shocking part. The Sentinel seemed to be planning to explore the garbage dump even further, but an alarm from the Transported halted its movement.
Then, it picked up the severed head, holding it like evidence, and marched back to the Transporter.
It was as if its time had run out!
Just like that, the massive machine accepted the head into its cargo bay. And soon, the Transporter rumbled away, leaving the dump once again.
Everyone was stunned.
"What… was that?" Ralph whispered, his voice trembling.
"They took the head…" Claire muttered, her eyes wide. "Why?"
Victor clenched his fists. "Do they… collect human heads or something?"
"That's scary… Maybe they planned to study its brain? Look into its memories or something? Haha… That would be terrible…" Wallace laughed as he said this.
However, the group exchanged uneasy glances…
Realizing how messed up it was, Wallace shook his head.
"No way, right?" Wallace said.
"I don't think the A.I. machines would have such technology. Yeah… don't suggest something that terrifying," Victor said, shaking his head.
Kai, on the other hand, also hoped the head wouldn't be used for that purpose. Still, it proved how little they truly knew about the A.I. Army.
"Sshh~ They might still be here..." Claire reminded them to lower their voice.
Then, after several tense minutes of watching and listening, they finally confirmed there were no enemies nearby.
Only then did the group ease their shoulders, letting out the breath they had been holding.
"Alright, listen…" Kai said suddenly, drawing their attention.
"That guard's rifle was empty, right? No bullets. If he was bluffing, then maybe all the guards in Haven‑45 are the same. Maybe their authority is built on fear, not strength. What do you think?"