Mike was sweating. The space inside the truck was large, but with all the slaves inside, it felt cramped and suffocating. The air was heavy and uncomfortable, and it reminded him of that small room.
And the worst part… that girl was sitting right next to him.
"You owe me an explanation."
"What?" Mike asked.
"He came to save you. I deserve to know what happened to him."
Mike didn't know what to say. Guilt filled his chest. He had thought James had betrayed him… but in the end, James had saved his life.
"He saved me," Mike finally said.
The girl simply looked at him without saying anything.
"Ja—088 stepped in front of me and saved me," Mike continued quietly. "If that bullet had to hit someone… it should have been me."
For a moment, there was an awkward silence.
Then the girl finally spoke.
"Then live for him."
Mike looked at her in shock but said nothing.
"He saved you," she continued. "The least
you can do is live for him… and remember him."
Suddenly, the truck stopped.
The back doors opened. It was 175.
"Get out. We've arrived."
Mike jumped down from the truck, and the first thing he saw was the massive wall of the city.
Years ago, when Elxis had been created, walls were built around the entire country for "security." But the truth was different. The walls had been built so no one could easily escape Elxis.
Now, after the earthquake, parts of the wall were damaged. Cracks ran across its surface, and some sections were half-collapsed.
But it was still impossible for someone to pass through it.
175 and a few others brought a large box filled with clothes.
"I want everyone to wear these."
Without asking questions, the slaves began taking clothes from the box. Mike grabbed a pair of pants and a simple shirt.
For the first time, he removed the gray clothes with the number on them and put on normal clothes.
When he finished dressing, he glanced at the girl, who was still changing.
"What are you looking at?"
she said suddenly.
Mike immediately turned his head away, with his face turning red.
"Nothing."
Once everyone had changed, 175 stepped forward and spoke loudly.
"Today is our only chance to escape this place. And to do that, we must pass through those walls."
He paused for a moment.
"And for that to happen, we must work together, because today… we will blow up the walls."
Mike's eyes widened.
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