Light in the dark

Usagi looked at Jacob, waiting for what he was about to say. If he had a plan, she should listen to it and then give her opinion. In this case, she knew that moving together with him would benefit her greatly, and she didn't feel uncomfortable in his presence either.

'If anomalies arise along the way, it would be beneficial for Usagi to know how to use a shotgun, not only for her safety but also to cover my back if necessary. Just the fact that she carries a weapon in her hands is oppressive, making others think twice before entertaining threatening thoughts,' Jacob thought silently while looking at Usagi.

After considering that there are many variations in this world, people would be a problem in a place where laws, rules, and power ceased to have weight. This world was perfect for everyone to act as they pleased, and although Jacob was clear on that, he needed to consider other possibilities beyond what was happening in this place.

Something strange was silently unfolding, and Jacob was getting more excited each time. He couldn't wait to find out what these games were and how they could shape the future of all the illogical ideas in his mind.

"Well, I don't need to tell you what could happen if there are other people besides us, equally confused," Jacob looked at Usagi, waiting for her response. He had high expectations for this girl, so he carefully considered her words.

Usagi nodded and responded with a serious look, "In case there are other people in this place who have been here longer than us, as you mentioned, they should be a danger we need to watch out for."

"Exactly!" Jacob nodded and said, "We know how twisted people can be in our modern society. What do you think they can do in this lawless place?"

Usagi looked into Jacob's mysterious eyes, felt what he wanted to say, and immediately understood. There was no need to remind her of how horrible people could be. They didn't consider anything and could be so selfish that they only cared about their own safety.

She knew that from now on, she should reserve her trust in people to a limited number. They didn't know what was happening, and now working together with Jacob seemed to be her only option. That, or working alone without anyone's help.

There was no doubt that both Jacob and she could act alone and fend for themselves. But now they had formed a bond of trust, and both seemed to have the same plans.

The cold wind whipped against their bodies, making them feel the activity around them. Indeed, this was a real world, but its nature seemed to have changed dramatically, leaving everyone with thoughts of doubt, and each person acted differently.

Jacob was calm, possessed great leadership skills, and knew how to focus his mind on topics that truly aroused his curiosity and desire to learn. This world, of course, triggered his survival instincts, so he had to give his all.

When Jacob took the shotgun from Usagi's hands, he began removing the cartridges from the chamber with multiple movements of the bolt. The cartridges fell to the ground one after another, and after a moment, the shotgun ran out of ammunition.

Jacob quickly picked up the cartridges from the floor and started his simple explanation for Usagi to learn how to use the weapon. "Operating this firearm is truly simple. When aiming, you should position it on your shoulder and have a clear view of the terrain."

As Jacob said this, he showed her the perfect position to handle the shotgun and proceeded to explain how the internal mechanism worked. "The bolt-action shotgun functions through a manually operated system by the shooter. After firing a cartridge, the shooter lifts the bolt and pulls it back."

Crack!

When Jacob pulled the bolt back, he pulled the trigger and then pulled the bolt back again. "With this movement, you eject the spent cartridge and prepare the next one. Then, the shooter pushes the bolt forward and down so that the cartridge is loaded and ready to be fired."

Usagi stood to the side and listened to Jacob's clear explanation. She observed all his movements and quickly grasped the basics to consider. Just when she thought the explanation was over, she heard the following words from him.

"This is a hunting shotgun with a capacity of eight cartridges. Remember to keep track of the number of cartridges when shooting." Jacob then looked at Usagi in silence, handed her the shotgun without ammunition, and asked her to handle it.

"Give it a try..."

"Can it really be as easy as you say?" Usagi muttered with a somewhat puzzled expression.

Jacob smiled, took a step forward, and said, "There's nothing to be ashamed of. If you don't remember something I just said, I can explain it again."

"Okay, then first..." Usagi lifted the shotgun and placed it on her shoulder, aiming forward with her head slightly inclined toward the body of the weapon.

'Did she understand everything I said?'

'It seems that she thinks I'll consider her foolish if she doesn't perform the simple things I explained a moment ago. She has at least some pride...'

Jacob's initial thoughts were quite simple. He looked at Usagi's position, and although it was awkward, she imitated his movements quite well, which impressed him to some extent within common standards.

"Once you aim, shoot and then reload..." Jacob said.

Usagi inexplicably became nervous under Jacob's indifferent gaze, so she wanted to finish this lesson quickly. She moved her left hand, pulled the forend back, and in doing so, pulled the trigger again, then pulled the forend back to chamber the next round.

When Jacob saw this, he nodded in satisfaction and then extended his hand naturally, slightly lowering the shotgun in Usagi's hands, and said, "Remember to hold the firearm at this height. It will mitigate the recoil, and the pain won't be too much."

Usagi froze for a moment as Jacob's hands approached her, but then she ignored it and focused on learning. Her mind was set on a goal, and she listened to the gentle words of her seemingly good teacher. With Jacob's explanations, Usagi began to familiarize herself with the use of the shotgun and then handed him the eight cartridges.

"Now, place the cartridges into the chamber one after another. When the last cartridge is in your hands, remember to reload the gun so it's ready to fire," Jacob reminded Usagi as he rested his hands under his chin.

Right now, Jacob was making good use of the time and preparing Usagi with at least the basic knowledge of using the shotgun. On the other hand, he was also eagerly awaiting the night to face his reasoning that the city comes to life during the night.

"This seems easier than everything else." After loading the first cartridge, Usagi continued to load the rest and then reloaded the gun to have it ready.

"Now, fire!" Jacob exclaimed.

Usagi turned her gaze towards Jacob with surprise. This was beyond her expectations, and she believed that firing now was unnecessary.

"[The buildings can serve as an echo, master!]"

"Ah... There won't be a problem. By the time others hear the shot, they won't know where it came from. The buildings will echo the sound," Jacob reassured Usagi, waiting for her to fire, and advised, "If you use it later, you should be aware of the recoil force so it doesn't catch you off guard."

"Familiarize myself with the recoil?" Usagi looked at Jacob, who was waiting for her to shoot, and then turned her head forward. She was still very surprised. "Still, I believe it's not a good idea..."

Jacob found this somewhat amusing and irritating at the same time. He was running out of words, but a part of him believed that once Usagi did it, the rest wouldn't be a big problem.

"Well, that's your choice. After all, people find it difficult to experience unknown things..."

Bang!

Without saying anything, Usagi pulled the trigger of the shotgun, and the pellets flew out of the barrel at high speed. Usagi's steady body moved slightly, her breathing became agitated due to the impact, and then she looked at Jacob with a serious expression.

"I'm not like the others..."

Meanwhile, Jacob looked at Usagi with surprised eyes, then smiled with satisfaction and softly applauded. "You did amazing. I'm truly surprised. I didn't think you would do it."

Usagi smiled faintly and lowered the shotgun with a bit of mental fatigue. She then said to Jacob, "I didn't think I would either, but now I know how strong the recoil is..."

"That's normal. It's your first time..."

Boom!

Just as Jacob was about to say some comforting words, a noise was heard in the distance, wiping the smile off their faces, and they both approached the small ledge on the rooftop.

The surroundings had darkened considerably, and it was only a matter of time before night fell completely. But in the distance, a loud sound followed by a light was heard.

A light amidst all the darkness...

There was light where there was none elsewhere...

"It seems like we know where to go now!" Usagi said with a serious look.

"This is truly something completely improbable, and if there's light, it means there are administrators behind all of this."

Usagi glanced at Jacob, knowing that there was no electricity in any of the surrounding buildings or cars. She had prepared for the night with flashlights. But if a light was now switched on, it meant that someone was behind this event they considered impossible.

"Let's go, Usagi!" Jacob took the loaded rifle from the ledge and then looked at Usagi with a cold expression.

"Yes!"

Both of them quickly left the rooftop and descended the stairs to the floor where their belongings were. They had discovered something completely new that could provide them with information about what was happening in this place.

...

While Usagi had her thoughts, Jacob had his own. This place was definitely being controlled by someone. It would be magical if it weren't, but he wasn't entirely sure either, as his intelligent assistant couldn't access anywhere in this place. It was as if the whole city was isolated.

Just thinking about it brought forth a strange excitement. What will be the value of his life? This is truly thrilling. If everyone is eager to live longer, there will definitely be more people from whom to extract information.