WHEN A BOOK BECOMES THE STRONGEST WEAPON

2. The collapse of caste

"Do we really have to gather there? Wouldn't it be better if we went to the police station instead? After all, this isn’t something we can handle on our own. What happened earlier was..."

"Enough! Even if nothing makes sense, we just need to survive the best we can. Haven’t we already been given skills to help us make it through the next mission?"

Shaden glanced at the two people talking to each other. They were from his school and were now walking toward the Department of Education to prepare for the second mission.

What they said was true. After surviving the first mission, everyone was given the chance to choose two rewards. One reward consisted of a weapon, and the other was the choice of a sponsor who would later share their powers with the selected human.

Each person was given three sponsor options. Shaden himself was offered three influential figures—people whose names were known for their discoveries or accomplishments during their lifetime.

"So, who did you choose? I think that in times like this, what we need most is our brain. Every mission seems to require problem-solving using logic," said one of them.

The other responded, "But don’t we also need physical strength and martial skills? We might end up fighting creatures even more vicious and terrifying than the rats from earlier."

Shaden didn’t join in the conversation. His attention was fixed on his status window, displaying his name, age, stamina, strength, intelligence, and the special skill he had chosen.

He was the only person who held the key to what was really happening, so Shaden knew what would come next. The skill he selected as a reward was high-speed movement, because the next mission would demand it.

“We’re here,” one of them said.

Their steps came to a halt. For a moment, they stared at the tall building in front of them. It looked nothing like they remembered—almost half of it was destroyed.

“Let’s go in!” said another.

Shaden moved in silence. Even though the world had changed so drastically, he still couldn’t blend in with the other survivors. He had lived too long in isolation and had lost the ability to socialize.

But that didn’t matter anymore. The only thing that mattered now was finding a way to survive.

Inside the building, filled with shattered desks, destroyed equipment, and splattered blood everywhere, Shaden stood off to the side of the room. He was stunned by the sight of people gathering here—people in different uniforms, some even appearing to be high-ranking officials, including police officers.

In a world where wealth had once determined someone’s status, all of that vanished because of the appearance of strange creatures that threw the world into chaos. Should Shaden be thankful for this broken world? Because in this shattered place, his status as a criminal’s son no longer existed.

Ah, suddenly he remembered his father. Had his father managed to survive? Or had he died with the rest of humanity? Even though the events came from a book his father had written, it didn’t mean his father could recall everything he had written. That book had existed for a long time.

"Hey! Don’t you want to join the others?"

Shaden was startled. He turned to see a woman in a typical office uniform smiling at him. There was blood on the blazer she wore.

"I... I don’t know anyone here," Shaden replied softly.

The woman chuckled lightly—a reaction that didn’t really suit the current atmosphere where everyone feared death.

"Most people here don’t know each other either, you know? They’re just trying to gather useful information for the second mission, because if they fail, it’s their lives on the line."

"I see..."

But Shaden still wasn’t interested in joining. He was afraid people would find him strange if he suddenly approached them. So rather than moving toward the center of the room where most people had gathered, he chose to sit at the edge and watch everyone else.

To his surprise, the woman sat next to him.

"Do you see that man over there?" she suddenly asked.

Shaden followed her gaze, and the finger she hesitantly raised toward a tall man speaking with several others in the center of the room.

"Before all this happened, he was my boss. About thirty minutes before the incident, when I had just arrived at the office, he yelled at me because I refused to take over his work. He screamed at me, insulted my background in front of everyone. But after the incident, he crawled to me, begging me to bring him somewhere safe. Even someone like him, who was once arrogant, is now struggling to gather information just to survive." Then she turned to Shaden with a faint smile. "Isn’t life full of irony? In this room, everyone has lost what they used to be proud of. Even the money they chased after their whole lives became useless in an instant."

Shaden continued staring at the man. He was struck by what the woman had said. She was right—no matter how much money they had, it couldn’t save them now. The only currency that mattered now was coins.

Because if they survived the second mission, there would be a situation where those coins would determine their lives.

"Am I talking too much? You’re not responding at all," the woman asked with an awkward laugh.

Shaden snapped out of his thoughts, quickly shaking his head.

"N-no! It’s just... I’m not used to talking to other people."

At first, the woman looked surprised. Then she offered a faint, bittersweet smile.

"I understand," she replied softly.

They fell silent for a moment, just watching the others in the room. Then the woman spoke again.

"Would you like to team up with me for the second mission?" she asked.

Shaden was slightly interested in the offer. He needed a partner for the second mission anyway.

"Why me?" he asked. It seemed odd for this woman to suddenly approach him, share personal stories, and now ask to work together. Shaden needed to be sure she was someone trustworthy. At the very least, he needed someone who wouldn’t stab him in the back.

The woman murmured softly, "I’m not sure. To me, you just seemed more trustworthy than anyone else here. Not that I think I’m better than them, but most of the people here still haven’t adapted to what’s happening."

Shaden was about to ask another question when a loud shriek echoed—a disturbing animal cry.

Then a large-bodied monkey appeared in the middle of the room, startling everyone as they scrambled away.

[In five minutes, the second mission will begin. Choose a team of four to undertake this mission. The reward from the previous mission may become a powerful weapon or a useless piece of junk. So choose teammates who will be useful to ensure survival. Decide now!]

Just a second after the monkey’s announcement, everyone rushed to find someone they believed could save them. Some even casually mentioned their skills and which sponsor they had chosen.

Shaden remained still, standing next to the woman.

"If you agree to team up with me, I’ll bring two more people. I promise they’re trustworthy and useful for the second mission," the woman said.

Shaden thought for a moment, then nodded.

Soon after, the woman returned with two more people—a woman and a man.

"These are my juniors from the office. They survived with me. The woman’s name is Ely, and the man is Judy. Oh, and I’m Leah. Let’s do our best to survive together as a team!"

The first handshake Shaden had received since being labeled a criminal’s son happened in a world that had already fallen apart. He returned the handshake. "Shaden. You can call me Shad," he said.

With that, they became the team that would take on the second mission together.

"Ah, the special skill I have—"

"No! You don’t need to say it," Shaden interrupted Ely.

She looked surprised, glancing at Leah and Judy.

"You just need to use it at the right moment. I believe you’re all smart enough to read the situation well. That’s why I won’t share what skill I have either. We just need to do the best we can."

Though hesitant at first, all three of them nodded at what Shaden said.

"I’ll remember your words. But if you ever change your mind and want to know my skill, feel free to ask anytime. At least for me, I’ll tell you if you need to know," Leah added.

Shaden nodded with a slight smile. It might sound sentimental, but even though they had only just met, he hoped the people standing with him now could survive for as long as possible.

Now, it was time for them to face a reality where failure meant there was no way back.

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