Death

*Sniff *Ahem Liam cleared his throat, "Alright, it's time to rest. We'll be finishing the mission tomorrow," Liam spoke, encouraging Stuart to return to sleep.

"Alright, got it!" Stuart exclaimed with a little jump. "Goodnight, Liam."

"Goodnight to you too. Oh, and make sure to have Harry take the second watch."

"Sure thing," Stuart replied before heading back to the tents.

Liam stayed seated, his eyes fixed on the dark sky luminated by the stars, and softly said, "I truly miss you."

***

Morning arrived, and Liam emerged from his tent to find everyone already gathered and prepared for breakfast. After a quick rinse of his mouth, he joined them by the fireplace to share the morning meal.

"Good morning," he greeted.

"Morning," came the replies from around the circle.

Emily handed him a plate, and unlike the previous morning, everything seemed normal. After a few hours, they resumed their journey and found themselves nearing Tyler City.

"Look! The city!" Emily exclaimed, pointing to the horizon. As they drew closer, they began to see other travelers and merchants on futuristic vehicles, making their way towards the city.

Tyler City stood as a bastion of humanity, its towering walls serving as protection against the waves of monsters that had plagued the world for centuries. People patrolled the walls, keeping watch over the surrounding lands.

Centuries had passed since the apocalypse, and new civilizations had arisen from the ashes. Upon entering the city gates, Liam noticed a diverse array of inhabitants. Some were demi-humans, with animal-like features such as ears, tails, and noses. Others were unusually tall compared to the average person. Racial and cultural differences were evident, even in their clothing.

In this city, a fusion of medieval and futuristic fantasies intertwined, creating a unique and vibrant tapestry of life.

"Thank goodness the mission is nearly finished. I can't wait to have a shower!" Mary exclaimed.

As they continued their conversation while walking, little did they know they were under surveillance.

"zzt The targets have entered the city and appear to be heading toward the Ji mansion. Over! zzzt"

"zzt Understood. Divide the team in half; have one group follow them and the other return to the mansion. The attack will take place there. Over."

"Okay, zzzt."

The man who had been tailing the group then communicated with the other team members, all of whom were discreetly observing Liam's group.

"The team leader wants us to return to the mansion. Members 2 and 3, keep following them and provide updates. Ensure nothing goes awry. Member 4, you're coming with me to the mansion."

"""Yes, sir!"""

*

Unaware of the unfolding scenes, Liam and his group arrived at an expansive estate, a grand residence known as the Ji Estate—home to the family that had issued their mission.

After passing through the gates following an inspection, they entered the mansion. A welcoming butler led them towards the family's patriarch.

"The master is inside. Please wait a moment," the butler informed them before knocking on the door.

"Come in," a rough voice granted them entry.

Upon stepping into the room, Liam was struck by the room's exquisite decor and the carefully placed artifacts on shelves. A small gathering had already assembled. Two individuals were seated on a couch, flanked by two standing figures who appeared to be personal guards. What caught Liam's attention most were the individuals with distinct dog ears and tails.

"Well, if it isn't the group that accepted the mission! Please, have a seat," a man in his 40s (Lookwise), clearly the family head of the Ironweave clan, greeted them from the couch. His earthy demeanor added a sense of authority.

Seated on his right was an elderly man who shared similar demihuman traits.

Liam, serving as the group's representative, took a seat on the couch while the others stood behind him. Although Stuart was the group's leader, they recognized that Liam possessed the adeptness for effective communication—a skill not particularly in Stuart's wheelhouse.

"Hello, sir. As per the mission's requirements, we have successfully completed the task," Liam began, producing a box from his spatial pouch.

"Here is the gem."

A pleased smile graced the face of Ji, the family head, as he opened the box and laid eyes upon a dark, bluish-grey ruby-like gem. Passing the gem to the man beside him, Ji remarked, "Check this to confirm its authenticity."

The other man examined the stone closely. "Hmm, it's authentic."

"Hahaha~ Excellent work, well done!" Ji's genuine happiness was palpable. Unbeknownst to Liam and his group, the significance of the gem went beyond their understanding. It was perhaps better this way—not meddling in matters that were beyond their concern was the wisest course of action.

"It appears I haven't properly introduced this individual," Ji continued. "This is Mr. Acrom, an appraiser. I had him here to assess my artifacts."

"Hello," Liam courteously greeted Mr. Acrom, though inwardly, his impatience grew. 'Why is he telling me all this? I don't give a shit about your artifacts. Just pay us our fee, and we can be on our way. This is such a waste of time.'

Fortunately, Ji was perceptive enough to recognize the lack of interest evident in the group's demeanor.

"Alright, hand me the stamp, and I'll sign it," Ji said, retrieving his pen.

Liam produced the stamp from the mission hall, outlining the mission's requirements. 'Just 1000 more system coins, and I can finally afford that potion,' Liam thought with a surge of excitement.

The mission stamp from the mission hall represented a formal contract. The mission issuer provided the reward money to the mission hall, and upon completion, the mercenaries obtained a signature confirming the mission's fulfillment, enabling them to collect their reward. This time, the reward amounted to 1000 system coins, distributed among the group members, with each receiving 200 coins.

As Ji prepared to sign the paper,

Phhooot!!!*

A gunshot rang out, a bullet piercing through Ji's head and striking Acrom as well. Both men succumbed instantly, their blood and brain matter seeping slowly from the gunshot wounds without splattering. The event unfolded so rapidly that even the guards had no time to react.

Clank! The shattering of windows filled the air, as two figures clad in black entered the room.

Bang! The sound of the door bursting open followed, as another pair of men, also dressed in black, stormed into the room.

The guards swiftly aimed their weapons at the intruders coming through the window, while Liam's group engaged the assailants who had entered through the door. The clash of weapons echoed in the room, highlighting that guns were more suited for assassinations than direct combat. In this world, people possessed powers that allowed them to evade bullets, rendering guns less effective in head-on battles.

Despite the guards' efforts, the assassins managed to eliminate them, and Liam noticed one of them eyeing the box containing the gem. Reacting swiftly, Liam seized the box.

'They must be after the gem,' Liam realized. It became apparent that these assassins were targeting anyone associated with the gem, intending to erase all traces.

"You're here for this, aren't you?" Liam challenged, revealing the box.

However, the assassins paid little heed to his words and focused on attacking Stuart's group, ultimately eliminating them.

'FUCK!!!' Guilt gripped Liam's heart as he witnessed his newfound companions' deaths. Despite their short time together, he felt a pang of regret. Yet, he remained resolute.

Though they had spent a month together, the post-apocalyptic environment had eroded trust among survivors. Liam's main priority was his own survival—centuries of yearning for recovery from a wound had made him single-minded. The world after the apocalypse simply made it difficult to place faith in others.

Unseen by the assassins, Liam discreetly removed the gem from its container and threw the box out of the window. The assassins reacted swiftly, leaping after the falling box.

With the gem clutched in his hand and an unnoticed teleportation scroll retrieved from his pouch for emergencies, Liam attempted to activate it. Yet, just as he began to tear the scroll, a sword pierced through his back.

With a swift withdrawal, the blade was pulled from Liam's back, the wound gushing crimson blood as he struggled to breathe.

"Ugh... blegh... phlat..." Liam's words were accompanied by the expulsion of blood as he found himself unable to keep down the vomit rising in his throat.

Thud.

His body fell to the ground, face-down, a pool of blood forming around him.

Liam's vision grew hazy and unfocused, his eyes drooping.

'ha...Is this how it ends? After centuries of suffering... alone... Ah, damn it. When did everything start to go wrong... Fuck... Mom, Dad, I'm sorry I turned out to be such a useless son...I am sorry Eri...' His thoughts were quiet and resigned, a lifetime of regret weighing on his fading consciousness.

"Boss!"

"What?"

"The box is empty!"

"Damn it! This guy must have tried to deceive us. Search his body!"

"Yes!"

'Hey, I'm not a corpse yet... hehe... Am I headed to heaven or hell? Maybe hell.' Even in the face of death, Liam couldn't help but inject a touch of humor, reflecting on happier moments, like those shared with Eri.

"Boss!"

"Now what?"

"The gem is melting and being absorbed into his hand!"

"What? Fuck!" The leader of the assassins rushed over, attempting to pry the gem from Liam's hand.

'Melted?... Ah, damn it, my consciousness is slipping...' Liam faintly registered a sensation, as if his hand had been severed, must be by the assassins...but his awareness was fading fast and couldn't afford it any concern..

'Ha...'

Finally, exhaustion overcame him, and his vision faded into nothingness.

*

Then as if abruptly jolted back into consciousness, Liam's vision restarted, a hazy blur enveloping his sight. Scenes from his college days emerged, filling his mind.

*TAK

A sudden punch landed squarely on his face, causing him to stagger and tumble backward, his hand reaching instinctively for support.

"OW! FUCK!"