Project Nova October <ENG>

Chapter Three: The Civilization

Underground B7R

Floor 20th, District N1

08.24 A.M.

29th October, 2034

-Present Day-

I looked outside my room, wondering if the Titans still roam the Upper Earth. It's been a year after B7R completely functional. The smells of metals, people shits, unhygienic iron road; it's like steampunk city. I held the rail outside and looked down below, we dug so deep that U-B7R has 70 stairs. The first 40 stairs are for residential area. 50-60 are for workers, and 70 for miners. The B7R has 24 districts, from N1, N2, N3, SE1, SE2, SE3, and so on. 1 is the nearest to the center stairs, while 3 is the farthest.

I feel like there's no other place I could go.

I feel so small down here.

The situation there was so... hot, literally.

Yuko was still in my room, she's been in comatose state for 4 years.

Yes, 4 years of comatose and still alive.

Why would I save her? Because she's been given a second chance, something that I got but not for Flank....

I received word that Flank and I declared M.I.A., after that, I was saved by some fishermen. Flank's still missing and really, I can't forget that day. The day I lost my brother.

Now, I work as a miner. Not an easy job, but the money is good.

After we evacuated, the army around the world form together humanitarian defense called HPLH, short for Humanity Protector's Last Hope. The detail is classified but they conduct research on Titan body and go out to the Upper Earth. The Upper Earth is the surface, now infested with Titans. Everyone wants to go to the surface, because their curiosity to see what the surface has become really high.

For me, working to get some money already satisfying enough.

Sometimes, I wonder if Flank still alive, I wonder if the Titans already gone. What will happen? Can we go back to the surface? What if the surface already barren-wasted-land? Too many things to think.

My phone rang, I took off my shirt (because it's so hot) and then pick it up.

"Ryse! Get down here real fast! You're needed here!"

"Sure thing Gordon, what's up?"

"That damn new kid broke the drill, again! Do you have any idea about how many drills he broke?"

"Uhm... 10, too much for newbie?"

"That damn too much for everyone, now get your ass over here!"

I hung up my phone.

I sighed, wondering why there's still a person like that, but I guess every person is unique.

"That new kid surely cause too much trouble for Gordon."

I threw my shirt to my room, and head down to the central lift.

Elevators and stairs take time, miners have special permission to use the lift, pretty cool, huh?

No?

Okay.

I wiped my sweat off, drank my milk, and walk to the lift. I met Linda on the way.

"Hey Linda, how's it going on the surface?" I yell at her as she descend from Upper Earth.

Linda Grass, a HPLH Lab Researcher, she led a team of researcher to research Titans anatomy. She need to keep her mouth shut about Upper Earth (in case you think "Why wouldn't you or someone else ask her about the surface?").