Chapter 2
Recording #3821
"The brats are questioning about our alliance with the Civilized."
"Cannot say I am surprised to hear that."
"But then the foreigner said this "If the Civilized are as corrupted and vile as you say...then it will be a matter of time they eliminate our enemies along with us as they slander our names and purposes with their vile tongues."...you don't think...?"
...
...
"He may be on to something...Archimedes is known to have a silver tongue to make things more easier for him to go his way...if what that foreigner said is true...then we might be in for a surprise."
"So there's a chance that..."
"Yes...we may be expecting a betrayal from Archimedes..."
"Shall we attack them now?"
"No...let's not be rash about this...charging them without a plan is suicidal...however...it would be best that we send some of our best spies to watch them and give us information on their plans. If the spies find anything that hints of betrayal, we hit them with the element of surprise of our own."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Indeed..."
End of recording
(Dante's pov)
At the mess hall, I was eating meat with some of the kids when I saw the Badger come in the mess hall bruised...bloody lips...Black and blue eyes and some bruises around the face...Jesus...Volkov really did took his anger on him...
When the Badger sat next to me...I decided to treat his wounds...he starts to whimper a bit as his voice was a bit shakey.
"T-Thank you..." He whimpered.
"You're welcome." I smiled faintly.
"V-Volkov...he..."
"Shh...it's best not talk about him...I don't want him to come here and do it again to you." I muttered.
He nods slightly.
"What's your name?" I asked him.
"Anton..."
"Nice to meet you, Anton. My name is Dante." I said as I finished treating him.
"You're not from here are you?" He asked me curiously.
"No. I moved in with my ma and pa from another country...I was not aware of the chaos that was going to happen there...when the KSR approached me and my family that they would take me to safety...in exchange...they would make a soldier out of me...my pa and ma was worried...and scared...were the KSR going to kill us in sight if we refused? Were they going to take me away by force? So many things were in their minds that I was scared that I was going to lose my parents...so...without any options...I had to go to the KSR." I closed my eyes with a sigh.
"What do you think happened to your parents?" Anton asked me with worry.
"In the camp next us where the rest of our parents are...just can't believe they have to work to survive...just can't but wonder if I will ever them again." I opened my eyes with a neutral expression on my face.
"You will." I heard the quartermaster behind me."
I immediately jolted and turned around to see the quartermaster with an emotionless stare on her face.
"But if you were to ever see you your parents, then I suggest you behave like a loyal soldier for the KSR...do I make myself clear?" She narrows her eye at me.
I've heard some messed up stories that the KSR would capture people(or POWS) to put them in labor camps. They don't kill them but they sure love to make the people miserable there.
"Yes, quartermaster ma'am. " I saluted.
"Good..."
She then looks at the kids with me...
"That goes for all of you. Do I make myself clear?" She frowned.
"Yes quartermaster ma'am." They saluted.
She nods slightly and leaves us be...I watched her a bit so that I was sure she left cause I was concern she could be watching me and would plan to do something ridiculous...thankfully she wasn't the moment she left the mess hall...but you know what I saw outside of base? Pigs lined up to get roasted...yeah...they were not being treated as labor workers like how they were in the game...they were being treated like food...how are they being roasted you may ask? ...Simple...they put the pigs in a chamber, a soldier with a gas mask pours oil and some charcoal into the chamber and by the time the soldier closes the lid...the chamber starts to set the pigs on fire...the squeals of agony were faint but I could still hear them clear...Christ...Almost reminds me of how the Nazi gassed the Jewish people...
I quickly averted my stare from it to forget about that horrific scene I just saw...but then there's the meat I finished eating...was it from the pigs...or was it something else? No...stop thinking about it...the people who did the game already told us about it and said that we were eating meat from our fallen foes to survive...still...I can't help but feel disgusted of eating something that used to be alive...but then there's the...kitchen...from I hear from soldiers...the kitchen is where they take "Traitors" to be chopped up to pieces and cook them like food...seeing the kitchen had this feeling of dread as if the ghosts who were killed there were watching us or maybe haunt us...and yes...the food we are eating right now...came from the kitchen...I think I'm feeling sick...
A few hours later, we got to the training grounds to do some training (Exercising mostly.) as Volkov was motivating us with his megaphone to get moving. When that was over...Volkov would help us learn how to use a gun...it didn't go so well...whenever the kids would try to fire at the targets, they would always end up falling down from the recoil of the gun...thankfully no one was injured(not yet but so far so good.) cause that would be horrific if that happened. Me? Well...still using the adult mind I still have, I took a rifle and aimed it at the target in front of me and fired only to miss the bullseye but hit close to it(I blame the recoil of the gun and my small body.). This of course got the Quartermaster's attention.
"Private Dante." She said with authority.
I quickly put the rifle down on the shelf next to me and look at the Quartermaster with a salute.
"Yes, Ma'am?"
"Who taught you how to shoot at such a young age?" She asked with curiousity.
I should pick my words carefully. One wrong move and I'm done for.
"My Pa taught me how to hunt when I was 10. He taught me how to use a rifle and how I aim it, Ma'am."
She gave me the "Oh really?" look as she looked me in the eye for a bit while she nods slightly.
"I see...carry on." She orders me as I took my rifle back from the shelf and continued practicing my aim.
The quartermaster started observing me from a distance and it's clear that she's interested in me...she probably sees me as a soldier at heart but I don't know. Still...I didn't let that concern me as I focused on my aiming
Hours later, it was time for a break and I hear the kids talking about the factions...but they mostly talked about the Civilized and are starting to get worried about trusting the Civilized.
"Do the KSR even trust the Civilized?" A female squirrel said with concern.
"I hope not. Those cowards are the reason why this war started." A male dog frowned.
Huh...that's...something. so I decided to get in the conversation.
"If the Civilized are as corrupted and vile as you say...then it will be a matter of time they eliminate our enemies along with us as they slander our names and purposes with their vile tongues." I frowned hard.
The kids murmured agreeing what I just said...however I was not aware that Volkov was watching us the moment I turned around with a neutral expression on my face. He glared at me for a while as he left me and the kids be...he's going to tell the quartermaster on me...this can't be good...
