Chapter 20: Her Determination

“You’re a fast learner, aren’t you?” Stacy mused, “nothing’s certain. Do you know Zalen?” Nelly raked her brain. “The vice president?” She confirmed. “Yes, that one. Just a while ago, his cousin’s brain was blown off in a bar,” Stacy said.

Nelly felt a shiver down her spine. How could she say something this scary so casually? “Who did it? For what reason?” Nelly questioned.

“A rookie of the enemy gang. They don’t need a reason to kill someone. The reason can be as simple as because they are bored. As for that case, I guess he did it to prove his loyalty,” Stacy shrugged. Her every word made Nelly more and more nervous. “That’s terrifying! How did you survive through these? What should I do?” Nelly felt like she finally understood the severity of the situation for the first time since arriving in that town.

“That’s for you to figure out,” Stacy’s answer made her feel even more helpless. How’d she know? She had never been in such a situation before.

“No wonder my brother worries so much,” she mumbled. Then, her pleading eyes found Stacy. “Tell me, what’s the wisest thing to do in this situation?”

Stacy shrugged. “Different people make different choices. Sometimes, it feels like pure luck if a person survives. I won’t help anyone decide. The weight of life is too heavy to carry.”

“At least, give me some advice. What would you do in my situation?” Nelly realized that she had no idea of this new world at all. Any choices she made would almost equate to stupidity. She’d need to be immensely lucky to survive.

“I’d learn to fight and surround myself with people who would protect me. There are two kinds of people who are safer for you to choose. The first would be someone who’d protect you unconditionally, even if it costs their lives. This kind of person is hard to come by and harder to detect. Everyone shows their true color in the face of danger. Thus, rule number one.”

“Do not trust anyone,” Nelly echoed. “Right,” Stacy nodded approvingly.

“What’s the next type?” Nelly cued Stacy to continue her explanation.

“Someone who needs you,” Stacy said. “Someone.. who needs me?” Nelly’s brow furrowed. “There must be something they need from you. It’s the reality of this world. Everyone uses each other. Get used to it,” Stacy explained.

“Something they need from me.. like what?” Nelly’s voice is small, almost like she’s talking to herself.

“Say you’re in a maze and you know the way. In order to get out of the maze, people around you need to keep you alive, at least until you show them out. Or sometimes it’s because you know a secret, or you have a skill they really need,” Stacy raised her brow at her last phrase, “which one do you think applies to you here?”

Nelly suddenly sat up straight. “Oh!” Stacy almost thought she saw a light bulb at the side of her head light up. “That’s why you said those things you said in the warehouse,” Nelly’s eyes shone as she exclaimed, like a scientist having a breakthrough in an experiment.

“You think I should use my medical skills to negotiate with them to let me stay here?” Nelly was a little too excited as she asked for confirmation. “But.. isn’t this the most dangerous place?” Her voice faded out at the end of the question.

Stacy smiled as she tapped Nelly’s shoulder. “Every choice has its own dangers. That’s for you to figure out what your choice would be,” as she said those words, she stood and limped to the door.

Nelly was still trying to process her words when she was at the door. “Hold on, where are you going?” Stacy turned and grinned. She shook the empty bottle in her hand. “I’m out. Back to work! You can stay here if you want. Like I said earlier, make yourself at home,” Stacy said when she left.

Alone in the empty room, Nelly was deep in thought. The conversation with Stacy was eye-opening. Before she arrived at the clubhouse, she was still mourning her mother’s death. She pretended nothing was happening and went with the flow.

Meeting up with Neil after all those years, the feeling was undescribable. She had limited memory of her brother. Her parents parted ways when she was around four years old. She has almost forgotten that she had a brother.

The gap was one thing, the interaction’s another. They grew up in different worlds. She followed her mother from a young age, living in the city and working hard in her studies like any other normal children, or at least those considered normal in their world.

Her brother, however, followed their father. She hadn’t asked him the details of his life all those years they were apart. Judging from the place he’s currently in, it seemed impossible he grew up in peace like she did.

Neil’s an attentive brother. He tried his best to provide comfortable accommodation, asking her if she’d need anything and making sure that she’s safe. Other than the slight connection of blood relation, they had nothing in common. To put their situation in words, they were like two strangers who looked alike trying their best to communicate.

Talking to Stacy made her realize the real situation she’s in. She thought she felt that way because she’s still not familiar with the change of her surroundings. ‘Everything would be alright once I settled down,’ she used to tell herself. It wasn’t the case. There’s much more problems she had to consider. They were life-threatening problems.

At that moment, she understood that she’s all alone in a very dangerous world. She had to do something in order to survive.

Determined, she left the room and headed downstairs. There were many people in that area. She had the strong urge to hide herself but she braced herself and moved forward. She had one destination in mind.