Chapter 34 2011 Medals from Viz
For several days, Red would wake up for a little while, then fall back asleep again. She had a fever during the first night, but thankfully, it only lasted until morning. That alone made Kyra feel much calmer and more certain that Red was going to survive.
Kyra took care of Red the entire time she recovered. Whenever Red was awake, Kyra would give her water and strange foods she had never tasted before. Real food. Fruit.
Red still had no idea where it came from. Kyra only reassured her that it was safe to eat.
At first, Red’s stomach reacted badly because she’d spent her entire life surviving on porridge, but little by little, her body began to adjust to it.
By the fourth day after the battle against the Tyrannosaurus robot, things had remained strangely quiet.
The place Aamon brought her to seemed relatively safe, though Red still got nervous whenever the Assassins gathered nearby. There were a lot of them, but most of the time they disappeared into the forest, leaving Red alone with Kyra during the day.
At least now, Red knew more about Kyra.
Kyra had worked as a medic back on Earth, overseeing Ingos at a hospital in the city where she lived. She was twenty-three years old and had only been working there for about a year. Before graduating from college, she worked part-time at a public library.
After arriving on Ohm’s ship during the opening of Savage Glory, Kyra had been saved by Aamon.
Later, when she received the Support Medic classification, Aamon invited her to join the Assassins as their support member. Kyra accepted immediately because she knew sticking with the Assassins gave her the best chance to survive aboard Ohm’s ship.
Since then, she’d followed them everywhere.
Kyra also always carried a medical bag filled with tools and supplies she brought from Earth. She never let it out of her sight. That was the only reason she’d even been able to treat Red properly.
Most Support Medics hadn’t carried anything useful with them at all.
“I want to see Kit,” Red said quietly.
She leaned against a large boulder while carefully adjusting her injured arm. The throbbing pain still hadn’t disappeared.
Red hated staying hidden in some unfamiliar part of the forest while knowing nothing about what was happening outside. More than anything, she worried about Kit.
Still, Red tried convincing herself that Kit was probably safe with the Metaphysics, just like Kyra was safe with the Assassins.
Hopefully.
“I’ll ask Aamon if you can see her,” Kyra replied gently. “But you’re still not fully recovered, Red.”
Red sighed heavily. “Because of my arm.”
Kyra nodded. “You need proper treatment from an Ingo. And for that, we’d have to return to After Domini.”
“When are we going back?” Red asked.
Kyra looked frustrated. “I asked Aamon the same thing, but he never gives me a clear answer. Things have been quiet lately, but I know people out there are still suffering.”
That thought lingered in Red’s mind.
Back in After Domini, people could at least buy food and supplies if they survived long enough. But out here in the wilderness, how were people supposed to survive?
Even now, Red still found herself amazed by the fruit Kyra kept feeding her. Real food with color, texture, taste—things she’d never experienced before.
“The food you gave me…” Red looked at her curiously. “Who brought it?”
“Aamon and the others.” Kyra glanced at her briefly. “Some kind of fruit. I’m not sure what it is either. Aamon said it was safe. And honestly? It tastes amazing.”
Red smiled faintly. “Better than anything I ever imagined.”
Kyra laughed softly. “Aamon takes really good care of you, even if he acts cold all the time.”
Red lowered her eyes. “Really?”
Warmth slowly spread through her chest.
So Aamon had been taking care of her this entire time, too.
Red didn’t know how to thank him properly.
But at the same time, she remembered Call’s warning about the Assassins—they always had their own agenda.
And this wasn’t Earth anymore.
This was Ohm’s ship.
A place where everyone would eventually be forced to destroy each other just to survive.
Suddenly, a loud buzzing noise echoed through the sky.
Red and Kyra both looked up immediately.
A massive holographic screen appeared overhead, revealing Viz’s face. Her hairstyle was different from the last time she appeared during the opening announcement of Savage Glory.
Both girls froze.
“Congratulations to the warriors who successfully survived the second stage of Savage Glory,” Viz announced coldly.
Red and Kyra stared upward, almost holding their breath.
Somewhere out there, every surviving human was probably doing the exact same thing.
“But I require truly powerful warriors to become pioneers on planet Minerva,” Viz continued calmly. “Therefore, every experience will shape and strengthen you. You will continue facing new trials that demand survival. And Jurassic is the perfect environment to cultivate your abilities.”
Red immediately turned toward Kyra. “What does she mean? She’s not sending us back to After Domini?” Red hissed angrily. “That’s insane.”
Kyra stared at the hologram in disbelief. “Oh God…”
Viz smiled faintly.
“For every participant, we have prepared medals for the warriors. Exactly 2,011 medals. No more. No less. Those who obtain medals will return to After Domini.”
Kyra’s expression changed instantly. “What kind of medals?”
“For participants who receive specially marked medals, Aurum and Uho have prepared additional rewards.” Viz’s smile remained cold. “Enjoy yourselves.”
Then the hologram vanished.
Silence immediately fell between Red and Kyra.
“Enjoy yourselves?” Red snapped furiously. “That machine is completely insane. She treats human lives like entertainment.”
But Kyra wasn’t focused on Viz’s cruelty anymore.
“If there are only 2,011 medals…” Kyra whispered slowly. “Then what happens to everyone else?”
Red’s expression darkened.
“Will they get eliminated?” Kyra continued quietly. “Like the others back when we first boarded Ohm’s ship?”
Red shook her head slowly. “I don’t know.”
“I need to talk to Aamon.” Kyra pressed a hand against her forehead. “He told me before that badly injured humans would probably be placed into hibernation. Honestly… that might be better.”
“But?” Red asked carefully.
Kyra swallowed hard. “If people don’t know hibernation is even an option… then survival instincts will take over. Humans will start killing each other for those medals.”
“And Viz specifically said there are only 2,011 of them.”
Kyra nodded grimly. “Imagine how many people are going to fight over them.”
Viz was terrifyingly smart.
She never directly ordered humans to kill one another.
Instead, she designed rules that would naturally push them toward violence.
Fear.
Competition.
Survival.
Humans wouldn’t unite against Ohm’s ship under those conditions. They’d turn against each other first.
“You’re right,” Red muttered quietly. “And there’s no way we can stop it.”
Kyra bit her lip anxiously. “Whether we like it or not, we need to find one of those medals and stay hidden. I just don’t know how long this is going to last.”
But Red’s thoughts immediately drifted back to Kit.
Was she okay?
No matter what happened, Red realized she needed to talk to Aamon.
She had to find Kit as soon as possible.