NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 365: An Unusual Atmosphere
Jeremy had a restful night in his hotel room, and by 8:00 the next morning, he woke up feeling refreshed.
The first thing he did upon waking was check the various traps, tools, and protective arrays he had set up around the room. Once he confirmed that nothing unusual had occurred during his sleep, he let out a relieved sigh.
"It looks like my initial concerns were a bit unnecessary," he thought to himself. "Since I won't be assigned any tasks over the next week, I might as well take the opportunity to familiarize myself with Capital."
With that decision made, Jeremy left the hotel and wandered out onto the streets of Capital.
The area around his hotel wasn't particularly lively, but it was remarkably safe. As he walked, Jeremy couldn't help but notice the cold, indifferent expressions on the faces of the pedestrians around him. When some of them noticed him, a few seemed to become visibly nervous, while others would quickly avert their gaze and walk away at a faster pace.
Jeremy found their reactions puzzling.
"What's going on here? Is everyone in Capital really this shy? Do they get nervous just from seeing strangers?" he muttered to himself.
However, Jeremy couldn't bring himself to believe such an explanation.
Compared to Moonlight City, Capital was a vast metropolis. In larger cities, people generally weren't as curious about strangers. The indifference of the people here felt odd to Jeremy—too odd to be normal.
After wandering the streets for a while, Jeremy found himself in front of a small bakery. The window display was filled with a variety of fresh-baked goods, and Jeremy began to browse.
While pretending to casually examine the pastries, he struck up a conversation with the bakery owner.
"Which one of your breads is the best? I just arrived in Capital yesterday. Can you recommend something?" he asked, attempting to sound casual.
The bakery owner, without a word, shot Jeremy a cold glance. He didn't respond verbally but instead gestured with a finger toward one of the loaves on display.
"You're recommending this one as the best? I feel like you're being a bit rude. After all, I'm your customer!" Jeremy's tone was starting to show signs of irritation.
The bakery owner furrowed his brow.
"You're right, you are a customer," he replied flatly, "but that doesn't mean I need to talk to you too much. People like you, strangers, don't last long around here."
The bakery owner's words left Jeremy shocked and slightly taken aback. However, after a moment of reflection, he started to understand why the man had spoken to him in such a manner.
Not long ago, Capital had called in elite forces from other cities, pulling them all in for one purpose: to protect the city. These newcomers, mostly players of the Apocalypse Game, were now living among Capital's residents, many of them strangers who didn't have the same approach to social interaction as regular citizens. These players were accustomed to fighting monsters, not engaging in polite exchanges with civilians.
Given that these new arrivals were all Apocalypse Game players, it made sense that the residents of Capital might feel some level of resentment or distrust towards them. After all, these outsiders were part of a war, one in which their lives were expendable for the sake of the city's protection. So, Jeremy could understand the underlying reasons for the coldness directed at him.
Yet, understanding the reasoning didn't mean he accepted the bakery owner's dismissive attitude.
"Even if people like us, strangers, don't last long, we're still fighting to protect you. Don't you think you should be grateful?" Jeremy muttered to himself, feeling a knot form in his stomach.
Though Jeremy had encountered some deeply unpleasant and even morally corrupt players in the Apocalypse Game, the vast majority were simply trying to fight monsters and keep the world safe. Were these players not sacrificing themselves to protect ordinary people like the residents of Capital?
The bakery owner, hearing Jeremy's words, showed a brief flicker of emotion on his face. His expression grew somewhat complicated as he took a moment to carefully consider his response. Finally, after a long pause, he spoke again.
"You're not dying to protect us," the owner said slowly, his tone colder than before. "You and your comrades are only fighting to protect the elites of Capital. If we weren't residents of this city, we wouldn't get any of that protection. So, no, we don't owe you anything."
After finishing his sentence, the bakery owner quickly packed up a loaf of bread and handed it to Jeremy without another word.
"Take this bread and go. I won't take your money. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't continue talking to me," he said, his voice growing sharper.
Jeremy stood there, momentarily stunned. The owner had effectively dismissed him, making it clear he was not welcome.
With a heavy heart and a growing sense of unease, Jeremy left the bakery. His mood had soured significantly, and he couldn't shake the feeling that things in Capital were much worse than he had anticipated.
The atmosphere here was tense, a storm brewing beneath the surface. Not only was there a power struggle among the city's elites, but the growing rift between the ruling class and the ordinary citizens was becoming impossible to ignore.
"It looks like the Federation and the military didn't bring us here just to deal with monsters," Jeremy muttered under his breath. "Maybe soon, I'll have to face off with the people of Capital too."
As the reality of the situation set in, Jeremy began to wonder if the conflict he'd come to fight wasn't just with the creatures of the Apocalypse Game, but with the people he was trying to protect as well.
The thought of such a situation unfolding weighed heavily on Jeremy's mind, making him feel even more downcast and uneasy. He walked along the street for another half hour, trying to clear his head, but the tension in his chest wouldn't dissipate. Continue your adventure with empire
When his emotions began to settle somewhat, Jeremy suddenly realized that he had walked right up to the front of a military camp.
"There's even a military camp here?" Jeremy thought to himself, surprised. "It seems the military has really pulled in a lot of forces from other cities in the Federation. The existing military camps in Capital are already overcrowded, and now they have to make do with temporary camps."
As he observed the camp, Jeremy continued walking forward. It wasn't long before two armed guards stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"Who are you? You can't go any further! This is a military camp!" one of the guards barked, his tone stern and aggressive.
Jeremy remained calm. He simply reached into his pocket and pulled out his identification pass, holding it up for the guards to see.
"I know this is a military camp. I'm an Apocalypse Game player. I've been given an urgent directive from the Federation's high command and the military headquarters. I'm here on official orders. I need to enter the camp to prepare for upcoming operations."
His explanation was clear and irrefutable. Everyone knew that the Federation's high command had called in numerous Apocalypse Game players from all over, and most were expected to play crucial roles in the upcoming operations. After examining Jeremy's pass and seeing no reason to doubt his words, the guards finally stepped aside, allowing him to pass.
Jeremy entered the camp, but his initial impression was far from what he expected. From the outside, the camp seemed quite large, but once inside, the space felt cramped and disorganized. There were piles of supplies everywhere, stacked haphazardly, creating a sense of chaos rather than military discipline.
Much of the stockpile consisted of fuel, vehicle parts, and weapons scattered carelessly across the camp.
"Such precious resources just lying around like this? Isn't that a bit careless? No wonder the defenses here in Capital are so weak," Jeremy muttered to himself, unable to hold back his thoughts.
He had expected the military camps in Capital to be far more structured and formidable compared to the ones in Moonlight City, but what he saw was the complete opposite. It was as if the soldiers here didn't care for any order or discipline. The messiness made him uneasy, and he couldn't help but think that this level of disorder was an indication of how poorly prepared Capital might be for any real threat.
Before Jeremy could move much further into the camp, one of the soldiers noticed him.
"Who are you? How did you get in here? Didn't the guards stop you?" the soldier demanded, a sharp edge to his voice.
Jeremy didn't waste time on small talk. He simply showed the soldier his pass once again, hoping that would put an end to the questioning.
"So what if you're an Apocalypse Game player?" the soldier scoffed, glancing at the pass before dismissing it. "You think you're going to defeat the monsters around Capital? You can't even get rid of them! If you were able to clear out the monsters quickly, we wouldn't be stuck here guarding this place all the time!"
The soldier's words were harsh and laced with bitterness. Jeremy, who had expected some level of gratitude for their sacrifices, was taken aback by the open hostility. He couldn't help but wonder what the soldiers in Capital thought of the Apocalypse Game players. Did they truly see them as expendable tools for the Federation, rather than allies in a larger war?
Jeremy had not expected such deep resentment from the soldier toward Apocalypse Game players. The hostility was almost palpable.
"If you think all Apocalypse Game players are so incompetent, then why don't you join the game yourself?" Jeremy shot back without hesitation, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I bet with your confidence, your strength must be superior to most Apocalypse Game players, right?"
The soldier, furious at the insult, immediately drew his handgun. Jeremy's eyes narrowed, his gaze cold and unwavering.
For Jeremy, the soldier posed no real threat. He possessed the rare and powerful talent of The King of Time and Space. With this ability, he could easily dodge any attack, even without lifting a finger to fight back. The King of Time and Space granted him a teleportation-like skill, allowing him to instantly escape from harm's way.
Normally, Jeremy would have retaliated swiftly, perhaps incapacitating the soldier with a single move. But today, he chose not to. He had only just arrived in Capital, and this was a military camp. Engaging in a confrontation here would likely lead to serious complications. For now, he preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Just as the tension between the two escalated, a commanding voice cut through the air.
"What are you doing?! Put that gun down immediately! Didn't I tell you that the firearm is for monsters, not humans? Why are you pointing it at a person?"
A middle-aged man, exuding authority, hurried over to stand beside Jeremy and the soldier. The soldier, still seething with anger, quickly holstered his weapon at the man's command. However, it was clear from the soldier's expression that he was still far from satisfied with the situation.
The middle-aged man turned his attention to Jeremy. His eyes were firm, yet polite. "Whoever you are, I would advise you to leave immediately. This is a military camp, and even with a pass, you're not allowed to stay here for long."
Jeremy nodded indifferently, his face expressionless.
He had no intention of sticking around any longer. The state of the camp and the soldiers' lack of professionalism had already left him disappointed. He doubted that these soldiers would be of any help in the upcoming operations. The military here in Capital seemed more chaotic than he had imagined, and Jeremy had no intention of wasting any more time in this environment.
Without a word, he turned and walked away from the camp, his mind already shifting to other places he could explore. There was still much he didn't understand about Capital, and he was eager to see more, to get a better sense of what was truly happening here.