The Author's POV

"This place is fine"

Entering one of the abandoned buildings with Zack, I made sure to scan the perimeter to see if anybody was there before setting up camp.

After settling down, still standing, Zack looked at me in confusion as he asked.

"What do we do now?"

In all honesty, if not for everyone following his orders, Zack would've never have let someone like Ren order him around.

...he really was tempted to just leave and do as he wished, but since it would incur the wrath of the other team members, he decided against doing so.

Glancing at Zack from the corner of my eye and reading his thoughts, I briefly responded to him before turning my attention back towards the distance.

"Nothing yet, our turn has yet to come"

From the very beginning, I could tell he was dissatisfied with me. However, unfortunately for him, I really didn't care.

...in the first place, who told him that he had to do as I said?

Inwardly shaking my head and turning my attention back towards the city, I carefully observed the city from the building I was on. For now, everything was calm and quiet, however, I knew that things would soon change...

Placing my hand on my chin, squinting my eyes as I stared into the distance, I fell into deep thought.

According to my deduction, whoever was going to target Jin was not definitely not going to be the code holder.

With how skilled Jin was, sending their code holder to fight against him would be suicide and may prove to be fruitless.

Thus it was safe to assume that whoever was going to target Jin was definitely not going to be the code holder.

Preferably, I would hope that they send more than one person to pursue him as that would cut off a lot of possibilities, but even one was enough. Couldn't be too greedy.

...now, with that set, I needed to figure something out.

Was the code holder going to hide or was he/she going to blend with the rest just like what I had done with Arnold?

Thinking thus far, glancing at my watch, I immediately dialed a number.

Fortunately, we were allowed to communicate with each other during the game as both teams were given access to a communication device in the form of a watch. It couldn't do anything else apart from that, but it saved a lot of time.

"Jin can you hear me?"

...

-Swooosh!

Stealthily moving around the abandoned houses, Jin quietly scanned the perimeter. Thereafter, like a cat, Jin kept moving forward without making any sound. Fast and stealthily.

can you hear

top of one of the buildings,

voice, a slight frown appeared on Jin's

the screen of his smartwatch, Jin coldly

-Yes

I need you to expose yourself so that the other group is aware

Jin didn't respond immediately. Thereafter, understanding the intent behind

-Understood

[Alright perf-]

-Click!

watch, without giving a chance for Ren to respond, Jin quickly jumped higher until he was at the roof of the buildings. Thereafter, he jumped from

acted according to how others thought he

he was following Ren's plan, Jin would've originally done

match him in a

-Swoosh! -Swoosh!

felt an extremely repulsive feeling well inside of his body. His mind couldn't help but start drifting away from the trials as a result. Shortly after, recalling something, Jin's fist

think he was

of the Horton family,

"How repulsive"

the words that subconsciously came out of his mouth as

had he ever had someone order him around. Never. If not for the fact that the

his thoughts paused there, Ren's face appeared in Jin's mind. More specifically, the

that moment. Nor will he ever forget

where he truly felt powerless for the first time

Jin hated Ren, that moment back in Hollberg had taught

never be too conceited as there was always someone

just because he lost didn't mean he feared Ren. No, that innate pride that

a single

Pathetic.

as weak-willed as

"huuuu..."

escaped from his mouth, Jin accelerated as he

day in Hollberg, Jin had set his

Kevin, Amanda,

longer cared for

was too fixated on the idea of comparing himself

how was currently holding back and working with the others, something that he

"...How disgusting"

just himself repulsed him to the max. The only reason he was doing this was because

a bait help him in anyway shape

"Damn it"

he overbearingly moved around the infrastructures around him.

my job is to attract the attention of the others, that's