System: Ordinary Schoolboy's Level-Up

SEVEN

The discovery of the possible tunnel changed everything. The grey soup tasted the same. The pickaxe was just as heavy. But now, every swing has a purpose. They were not just mining crystonium. They were mining for their freedom.

They needed a plan. A good one. Robert knew it had to be perfect. One mistake, and the Wardens would kill them.

That night in their cell, they whispered.

"The tunnel is small," Leo said. "We will have to crawl. We don't know how long it is. And we don't even know where it goes."

"It leads out," Garret said firmly. "It has to."

"We need to be sure this tunnel is something we can get out from, very quickly," Robert said. "When the time comes, we will not need to start worrying about it."

Garret nodded. "The stones are loose. I can make a tool. A strong lever from a piece of metal. I saw a broken machine part near the west wall. I can try to get it."

"Good," Robert said. "Leo, you keep watching the Wardens' patterns with me. I think we have to find the best time to run. A time when they would be most distracted."

"What about the other workers?" Leo asked quietly. "Should we tell them?"

Robert and Garret were silent. It was a hard question.

"If we tell everyone, it will spice up trouble," Garret said. "The Wardens will know in seconds."

"But we can't just leave them all here," Leo argued.

Robert thought about it. His mind was carefully scrolling through the thought, weighing the risks. "We can't save everyone," he said finally. "Not on the first try. If we get out, we can find help. We can tell someone about this place. That is how we save others."

It was a cold decision, but it was logical. Leo looked unhappy, but he nodded, wondering how Robert could think easily in just a short time.

The next day, they put the first part of the plan into action. Garret, using his strength, managed to snatch the broken metal lever from the west wall. He hid it in a new crack, closer to the scattered stones.

Robert and Leo refined their timing. They found the perfect moment. It was during the shift change. For exactly three minutes and twenty seconds, the Wardens were busy moving groups of workers in and out. The guard near their section was pulled away to help. It was their best chance.

They began to practice in their heads. They did it over and over again.

The buzzer for shift change sounds. Robert creates a distraction near the main gate. Garret and Leo run to the wall. Garret uses the lever to pry the stones open. They climb in. Robert follows.

It was simple. But simple plans were the best.

....

Days passed. They got ready. Finally, they decided to try the following day.

That night, Robert could not sleep. He lay on the stone floor, looking into the darkness. He thought about Kingston University. The clean lecture halls. The quiet library. It felt like a story he had read once a long time ago.

He was not that soft a student anymore. He was harder. Stronger. He had wounds and colourful stats on his hands with a fire in his heart. He would not trade this new strength for anything. But he still wanted to go home.

The gong sounded, too soon. It was time.

They ate their grey soup in silence. Their eyes made contact with one another's, crossing the table. After feeding, they were fully prepared.

They walked to the cavern. The pickaxes felt lighter today. This was the last day they would ever swing them. One way or another.

Robert watched the large clock on the wall. It counted down the minutes until the shift changed.

His mouth was dry. His hands were cold. He was scared. But he was ready. The clock ticked down. Five minutes. Four. Three.

Then, the worst possible thing happened. A loud, new alarm rang through the cavern. It was a sound they had never heard before. Red lights flashed from the ceiling.

All the workers stopped and looked up, confused.

The Wardens moved quickly. They did not follow their normal paths. They ran to the main gate and formed a tight line. Their energy rods were raised, but the shift change was cancelled. No one was moving.

Their plan got ruined. "What's happening?" Leo whispered, his face pale.

Robert watched the main gate. It was opening very slowly. Someone new was coming in.