Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

It only took a second before everything felt overwhelming because aside from the loud music, the lights were also going wild and blaring along with fire blowing up wildly on the stage, and some fireworks—and even guns—were firing off at almost the same time.

There was no system of some sort to the way they went up but somehow, it just blends it all together.

However, right at this fucking moment, while everything was focused on the display, I felt a set of eyes staring me down and a surge of killing intent washed over me though I was able to shrug it off just as quickly.

And right when I turned to its source, I saw a familiar-looking person that had bandages covering one side of his face—mainly his eye—and he was making his way towards us on the viewing platform.

It's just that no one besides me saw him coming so I released copious amounts of killing intent to get everybody's attention.

Like clockwork, everyone else's gaze landed on me but once they followed my line of sight, the realization came quickly as their expression changed.

Sally was the first one to speak up, "What are you doing here, kid? With that injury of yours, you need to rest up—"

Benjamin cut her off before momentarily glancing at me and then turning to the newlywed couple, "I came here bearing gifts—"

Mauro suddenly cut him off as he looked at him with a dark expression, "If you came here with a salve to fix broken bones, put it in the pile but if not, you should distance yourself away from me as far as possible."

As soon as he said that, the air around us just felt a little heavier but all Benjamin did was look at Mauro without saying anything.

Mauro continued, "You went too far. I know what you did to my men—especially my guy you crippled—doesn't equate to a death sentence and is allowed in the rules of this place but as I said, you went too fucking far. We rough each other a bit in these games but you know you're a fucking asshole if you did something permanent."

Benjamin let out a faint smirk, "Then my eye—"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR FUCKING EYE! YOU FUCKED SOMEONE UP AND YOU GOT FUCKED TOO! MISERABLY! YOU'RE FUCKING LUCKY I'M ON THIS PLATFORM RIGHT NOW OR I'LL FUCKING SEND A BLOOD FIGHT AND SOME FLOWERS YOUR WAY!!! I—"

"Hey, calm down. This night was supposed to be fun and memorable," Elsa interjected as she turned to Benjamin, "As for you, we gladly thank you for the gift you brought but it seemed that your presence here is making my husband upset. Please, you can just leave it where you are standing right now and we'll put it on the pile, thank you."

At this point, no one was speaking a word as we were all just staring at Benjamin but he just let out another smirk as he took out a small box from his coat and placed it in front of his feet. After that, he just turned around and started to walk back but he stopped and glanced at me from the side.

"Right… Don't ever think I forgot about you, we have some unfinished business."

As soon as he said that, everyone that heard it became quiet but I didn't know why I found this threat so fucking amusing.

I accidentally let out a short chuckle but it did relieve the bit of tension surrounding everyone.

"You laugh? Keep underestimating people and you'll end up—"

I cut him off, "End up what? Like you? First of all, you underestimated me when you went for me earlier and furthermore, you kept overestimating yourself. And you're gonna try to get even with one eye. As Mrs. Sally said, you need to fucking rest up or— let's just leave it at that."

At this moment, I thought the conversation was over but Benjamin completely turned around before he ripped off the bandages covering his face.

The covered part of his face was still bloodied and swollen and it seemed like his eye was about to pop out because of the weird stitches on the side. However, his breathing still looked normal after the fact, and if what Annie said earlier was true, he was getting through his injury with willpower alone because any sort of medicine to somehow reduce the pain doesn't work on him.

'Or he's already used to it…'

For a moment there, I thought he was about to summon black flames and burn me alive as he cried blood but all he did was a poor attempt— well, let's say a 'decent' attempt at intimidation, for normal folks

"Who said I only had one eye? Look, I can see you perfectly," Benjamin snickered as he threw the bandages over the railing and stared at me for a few seconds.

He eventually made his way back to his spot when he was about to receive a mouthful from Mrs. Sally, and it was at this moment when the opening for the main event concluded.

It seemed like Mr. Cuervo knew what was happening on our side but he couldn't do much because he was on the stage below. However, it suddenly caused a frenzy—especially among the men—when a familiar little guy was brought up the stage.

The little guy looked like the piglet that got oiled before but I doubt it was still the same one because chances are, it was already one of its successors.

Tatiana was already shaking her head in amusement while Quinn was already rolling her eyes over her head.

"He brought that shitty game again?!"

"What are you talking about? That game's fun! I met Cynthia there."

"Uh-huh. I'm sitting this one out."

There was already a mix of reactions from everyone on the platforms but I saw a faint smirk hidden on Mr. Cuervo's face.

[Not so fast, you fucking hornballs. I know that your blood will rush to something else when the game starts but I'll make sure you also clench your fucking asscheeks for this. You thought we'd do the same thing over and over?]

Everyone was a little confused at this point but it only took a few seconds before something much more dangerous was brought up from the podium and even I would be very~ careful when in front of such a beast.

The creature was also a being that could provide such high-quality meat but it would be a pain in the ass to fucking catch it.

With that said, some of the women who were already changing into their skimpy outfits paused because this fucker's tusks could kill a grown man in fucking seconds.

[Let me tell you a story. I have this family of pigs that had a certain tradition of participating in one of the games so they could be hugged by beautiful women but there was a certain incident that almost made them extinct…]

'The Tatiana incident…'

[In which case, for the sake of this game's continuity, I employed… let's say a bodyguard of some sorts to protect their 'legacy' and in return, they would once again give us the entertainment that we lost long ago but back with more… wildness.]

At this moment, a cute little piglet with a bell tied to its neck was being accompanied by a huge-ass boar with bloody tusks on each end of its mouth, and the two of them were walking at the center of the play area side by side.

However, there was one element that was replaced with another.

Last time, the piglet and everyone else that participated was covered in oil but this time, since the play area got too bloody with the previous game, the flooring was now covered in mud and there were certain areas where little puddles formed and areas that had an uneven footing.

Furthermore, sprinklers were being turned on at certain intervals, designed to either distract the participants or even muddy up the playing field.

At this point, the number of players that wanted to participate decreased by more than half but a scan of what seemed to be the bodyguard was displayed on the screen. There seemed to be a few items stuck in its stomach and I could already guess what they were based on the shape.

[If you can't see properly, let's just say that boar's diet had three gold coins this morning and among the pot that we would all put wagers on—after the main house takes it cut, of course—I'll also add in 250 kilograms each of Pig and Wild Boar meat packed and ready for whichever purpose it may serve for as long as you win the game.]

[And how do you win?]

Mr. Cuervo took a long pause as he lit a cigar that he took from his coat pocket and he snickered amusedly before he looked at the camera.

[Easy, just bring them to me, and yeah, don't die.]