"Where are you from?" the driver, an old man in his 60s who had picked up Mike, asked as the car moved at an average speed of 50 km/h. "What brought you to this ruthless town?" he added, glancing at Mike, who was filled with aggression and silence.
"Hahaha..." the driver laughed after noticing Mike's refusal to speak. "There's no place in the world where you can find peace; only the people choose it!" He continued talking, but Mike remained silent. The driver picked up a newspaper and handed it to Mike, but Mike didn't care to look at it.
"The national security teams are looking for you as the most wanted here. What are you going to do?" the old man continued, changing lanes to the left and bringing the car to a stop.
Mike opened his mouth to speak, but the words were hard to find, and nothing came out. He closed his mouth again.
"Ooh, I know! Is it revenge or what do you want, young man?" the driver asked. For the first time, Mike managed to respond, "Justice!" he said wisely. The old man leaned back in his seat, having knelt forward for a moment, and whispered, "Justice!"
There was a brief silence before the old man looked at Mike and asked, "What will you do about it?"
"I'm just going to live my life. Justice is hard-earned here in Zora. I'm looking for a better life in another country," Mike replied. The driver took a deep breath, then picked up a gun and pointed it forward. He cocked the gun and placed it on the steering wheel.
"You're going to face many obstacles. Sometimes, you have to accept losses and move on with your life. The bad things become memories, while the best things are forgotten. You'll take this bushy shortcut until you reach the school. The police have camped out and are conducting thorough checks everywhere. You can only pass through places they aren't watching. Make sure you go through the school ahead or rest there for a bit; they won't suspect you being on school grounds. But beware, there's a lot of danger ahead, including a desert of about 300 kilometers to the river separating this country from the next." He sighed, staring out the windshield as if seeing something.
"This small gun has only 12 bullets, and you'll face millions. Let God be with you."
Mike dashed out, stood, and looked around before turning back to the old man. He stretched out his hand and was handed the gun. "I appreciate your offer," he said, quickly walking away at a brisk pace.
He walked through hills and valleys, encountering beautiful places with stunning scenery, vibrant birds, and animals, but also facing dangerous situations in bushy forests and thick grasses. A cheetah nearly attacked him while he rested against a tree one night, and a python chased him through a grassland during the day. Yes, he had trained enough, but it seemed the animals were more ferocious! He tried to tie up the cheetah with ropes, but that was useless. As for the snake, he had knives but couldn't cut it, and it pursued him relentlessly for a meal. Luckily, he survived and reached the riverbank.
He traveled for days and nights, about two weeks, until he spotted a school ahead. He settled down for a moment, looking at the school with little hope. Each day, his energy dwindled, leaving him weaker than the day before.
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐥
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(Coming today)
Add to Library to be updated soon.