Humans used to play Mobile Legends through the screen. It is now 4050 and it is no longer a game but a sport. Players are handpicked to enter the arenas as they strive to work as a team to destroy turrets and bring their team to victory.
Neo Cultur...
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10 pm came rolling around and we showed up at Johnny's office. I had arrived wearing sweatshirt and sweatpants; my outfit looking like I had just come out of bed. Hansol had picked me up prior and I noticed that there were already people waiting for both of us.
Ten, Johnny, Jeno—
"Jeno?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He wasn't in the meeting that afternoon and I wondered how he got dragged into this.
"Johnny asked me to come," Jeno said, shrugging. The Gamemaster nodded.
"We need all our best people, Nabi. We don't know what'll happen," Johnny told me and I guessed that made sense. "We might be asked to do things and it's always good to have backup."
"How do we travel to this... black arena?" Ten asked, obviously impatient. "Why are we standing here, waiting for time to pass?"
"Patience, Ten," Johnny said and I saw him reach for his phone. He texted something to someone and then told us to leave our phones behind. "Once we reach, they'll check us for devices."
We followed his orders.
"Why does it seem like you've been to black arenas before?" Hansol asked, placing his phone on the table. Jeno snorted.
"Johnny used to play in black arenas before he was scouted as a full-time player. That suit over there," Jeno pointed at the suit that was stuck to the wall. "He played X-borg."
"I thought that suit was once for Legend games—" I began, Johnny shaking his head.
"I dominated black arenas before I became a player. I simply got my skills from the underground before I became a player," he quipped. "That's why I know how scary it is."
"How do we get there?" Jaehyun asked just as someone knocked on the door and we looked up to see a very wide-eyed Mark Lee. "What are you doing here?"
Mark cleared his throat. He was wearing a black shirt and black pants and I noticed two flashlights stuck to either side of his belt.
"Are you sure you are doing this?" Mark asked and Johnny nodded.
Did Mark know what was going on?
"Everyone, meet my underground contact." Johnny motioned to Mark. My jaw dropped opened.
"When you said your contact found out—"
"That's me, yes," Mark butted in, glancing at his watch. It felt weird to have someone as innocent-looking and saint-like like Mark Lee to be the contact of a very dangerous place. It just showed that we never really knew what other people's lives were like. "We have to go. It's a long way there."
Mark clicked open a flashlight and Johnny nodded, ushering us out of the study. Jaehyun, Jeno, Ten, Hansol, and I followed Mark as Johnny kept a close distance behind.
Much to my surprise, we did not leave the center.
Mark brought us to the study dome, the place where all the control center students would have their lectures and exams. He did not stop there, pushing through the bushes behind the dome and we stood in front of a den.
It was dirty and the sound of rushing water could be heard, Mark holding the flashlight high above his head.
"How did you become an underground contact?" Hansol asked, his voice echoing through the den.
"My family is in debt," Mark said, sneaking a look at Hansol. "Between us and no one else, understand?"
Young and sweet Mark Lee was gone. This was the Mark Lee that knew how to survive. He began to tell us that his family was in debt and he had no other way but to scout out players when his father (an ex-player) had challenged the players in the arena.
The same way Yangyang did for a hefty sum of money, he lost and was now serving the underground games. Mark was helping him to finally pay them off as a guide for people who were trying to seek black arenas.
As we passed the den, Mark stopped in front of a man-hole on the ground. It was massive.
He heaved the piece of metal up before dropping it on the ground with a clang. It wasn't long before we were climbing down a rusty metal steel ladder down and were greeted by a maze of the underground.
"ETA," Mark began. "One hour and thirty minutes."
"What?" Ten echoed. "One hour and thirty minutes to reach the black arena?"
Mark nodded, dusting himself off. "We have no time to lose. Let's go."
We followed Mark blindly but the fact that Johnny was close behind seemed to give us a tad bit of comfort. I don't know how long we had walked but my legs were aching after a long while. My sneakers were wet from the water and it smelled like sewage.
As we went deeper into the underground, we finally began to hear cheering.
"We're close," Mark announced. "My responsibility ends here."
"Thank you, Mark," Johnny said from behind us. "I got it from here. Head back to the center before they find out. If anyone asks for us..."
"I'll cover for you guys," Mark said, giving us a nod. He took two steps forward when he looked back and I could see how worried he was. "Bring him back. Yangyang, I mean."
Mark paused.
"I'll keep you guys in my prayers."
Upon entering the black arena, I could already see people taking money out of their wallets. Red painted the arena ground and I realized that it might as well be blood.
"Players?" a voice drawled out. He was huge person made out of muscle and smelled of raw meat. "Players in a black arena? The last one did not last very long."
"Where is he?" Johnny asked, stepping forward. Eyes went onto Johnny and I knew they recognized him. Johnny wasn't lying when he said he used to play in black arenas. "Where is the child?"
"Chained up," the man replied and when he spoke, I noticed that his tongue was similar to a snake. He was not fully human. In fact, most of the people weren't. They were aliens. "Chained up against the wall."
"Johnny, Johnny, Johnny. Johnny Suh, champion from the junkyard. Junkyard Johnny," another voice cut through and Johnny flickered his eyes over to the alien. "Has the professional life been treating you well?"
"I'm not here for small talk, Oagoth," Johnny snapped. "Where is the child?"
"Here for the young brave one, are you? Sadly, he's not in very good condition."
"Just tell us where he is, you ugly creature," Ten hissed from behind Johnny.
Oagoth, the mutant alien gave him an amused glance.
"Very well. I will not tell you. I will show you," Oagoth waved a bulky hand in the air and I saw cuts on his arms that had healed. "Maybe if luck is on your side, you lot may not end up the same way."
