Campbell Brian was a Lifer from America. He had been accepted into Field of Meat with 9 comrades and came into the mission 26 days ago.
20 days passed since they had been captured and he was the only survivor. His party was the first to attempt Field of Meat.
Lloyd’s team had thought that they would be the first, but they were wrong.
The world was large and there was a huge population. Talented Lifers all claimed that they were the best, but competition was fierce.
According to Campbell, 20 Lifers died in the meat locker instead of 15, and 9 people died outside while fighting the cannibals.
Though he lived, there were 30 people including himself – exactly 3 parties. Including Lloyd’s party, 4 had fallen for the cannibals’ trap.
“Are you saying that the cannibals learned while fighting with your party?”
“That’s right. It must have been their first time battling with Lifers because we were dominant at first, but they became more cunning with time. That’s how this happened.”
They had not just been captured. They had taken a few hundred down with them.
“It seems they have the intellect of a 4 or 5 year old. You said that you were captured with an electric net? That’s an item that the party before you had.”
Campbell had spoken with the dying Lifers and found out the details of how they fought with the cannibals and how they were captured.
It was to help him survive. It was precious information that could not be traded for money.
“They were clumsy with the 2nd party, but the 3rd was different.”
The 3rd party had been caught when they fell into a hole in the ground. Not all of them fell in but the outcome was obvious because their power had been divided.
“They become more intelligent as they fight, and we just happened to be the 4th party.”
“Why did they keep you alive? Not just for a day or two, but for dozens?”
Carlyle tossed a question sharply. Lifers were meat to cannibals. It was definite for them to eat him but to keep him alive? Something did not make sense.
“There are 2 things. Their intention is to dry me out slowly since I killed hundreds of their kin and I am helping them a little in order to stay alive.”
“Help?”
“If you stay alive, you will find out. It’s a bother to say anymore.”
Campbell changed the subject as though they would find out even if he did not tell them.
It could be that he did not want to tell them. It was a way to stay alive even for a little bit longer. The second he shared it, he would become useless to the cannibals.
Carlyle did not ask further either. In this state, he was going to end up being eaten by the cannibals. The only difference was in whether it would be faster or slower.
“Ke ke! Those guys are lucky. I’m sure they’ll have quit by now?”
Carlyle thought of Cha Jun Sung. He had resented them when they quit, but he was now envious. Had that not saved their lives?
“Who do you mean?”
“We also came in as a full party, but 2 people left because there was friction. I’m pretty sure they gave up and went back.”
“Those are some lucky people.”
“They’re outstanding Lifers. They’re the best that I’ve seen so far.”
“What makes you say that?”
“They have each spent more than 10,000 points on their equipment alone. It also looked like the one who seems to be the leader has gone through body modification.”
Campbell’s eyes widened with surprise. The more points someone accumulated meant that they had completed that many missions.
At that rate, it was appropriate to call him the best. Though it could not be reversed now, they would have been of great help if they had not left.
“Whew! What a waste. But what use is it since they’re not here?”
“That’s right.”
He could not help but wish they were there. If Cha Jun Sung or another party did not come in to save them, they would not last more than a few days.
Kwa kwa kwa kwang!
While they were waiting to die, they heard an explosion that shook the base. This kind of power had to have come from outside.
It was an explosion that could not be made with a gun, but with something like a claymore or grenade. Even a fever shot was far from a bomb because it was something that only let out heat.
“They didn’t leave? They infiltrated the base!”
“No way!”
“Can they make it alive? I don’t want to die like Hicks! We’re here! Save us!”
The color returned to Lloyd’s gloomy face.
The heavens had thrown them a lifeline. There was no way of knowing if that lifeline would be of use to them at the moment, but they would think about that later.
‘2 people came?’
Campbell’s eyes narrowed. He had been conscious when dragged in, so he knew how dangerous it was outside. It was a problem from the entrance.
There were dozens of sentry guarding the entry. He guaranteed that if they killed those cannibals, they would raise an emergency and make the situation complication. They needed to lure the cannibals away if they wanted to move freely.
It was not 100% certain, but that was how Campbell had seen it.
Please!
Tsk tsk!
Campbell clucked his tongue at Smith and Jamie who were screaming.
Unlike Special Forces officers, they started Life Mission as regular people. He did not know of their skills, but they showed their weak mentality in extreme situations.
Lloyd’s team was equally scared. The difference from Smith’s team was that they did not want to become pathetic if there was nothing they could do, so they had just given up.
“It would be great if the luck you people are counting on reaches all the way here.”
Campbell had never seen Cha Jun Sung, but he wanted him to come as soon as possible. As he said before, at least one person dies every half day.