Chapter 202: Inside The Tent
The moment Myles and his group stepped back into their tent, the noise from outside softened into a distant blur of hurried footsteps, shouted orders, and clashing preparations. But the shift in atmosphere remained impossible to ignore as the tension followed them inside like a lingering weight pressing against their chests.
The situation had clearly worsened, not only because of the incoming battle, but also because of what had just happened between Myles and Michael.
They had all seen it.
Michael didn’t trust Myles anymore. What started as suspicion had already crossed into a sharper feeling, something that hovered dangerously close to open hostility, and that alone made the air inside the tent feel heavier than before.
George let out a slow sigh as he ran a hand to ruffle his hair, his expression tightening with visible annoyance.
"I don’t understand what’s going on in that guy’s head," he said. "Didn’t he want us to help him deal with Red?"
"Yeah," Ethan added immediately, his brows furrowing as frustration crept into his voice. "Now he’s acting like he hates us."
Kade crossed his arms, his posture more composed, but his eyes sharp as he thought it through.
"He wants to know our secret and he’s paranoid," he said. His gaze shifted briefly toward the tent’s opening, where the chaotic movement of the camp could still be seen outside. "I can see it in his eyes. He wants power to kill Red, but at the same time, he doesn’t trust anyone who looks stronger than him. That kind of mindset doesn’t just appear out of nowhere."
George exhaled again, this time slower, as if trying to push away his irritation.
"Yeah... I get it," he admitted. "But that doesn’t mean he gets to act like that toward us. We have our own secrets too. It’s not like they’re sharing everything with us either."
Kade gave a small shrug, his tone turning more indifferent. "Like I said, he’s too paranoid. In a world like this... people don’t stay sane for long."
A faint scoff cut through the conversation.
"Hmph. Someone who is not strong enough cannot lead."
Lilian’s voice carried a quiet coldness as she stood near the edge of the tent, her gaze fixed outward through the narrow slit where the restless movement of the camp reflected faintly in her eyes. She didn’t try to soften her words, nor did she show any concern about how they might take them. To her, it was nothing more than a simple truth.
Her words lingered in the air heavier than expected.
The others shifted slightly. Their expressions turned uncomfortable as the meaning settled in their mind with heavier meaning than they wanted to admit. It wasn’t just Michael those words applied to. If they were placed in his position, carrying the burden of leading a camp while dealing with betrayal like Red’s, none of them could confidently say they would do better.
That realization stung.
But Myles didn’t react.
He remained calm, his expression steady as if the conversation had already moved past something irrelevant in his mind.
"This isn’t the time to dwell on that," he thought, his focus already shifting toward the far more pressing danger approaching them.
A monster that stood on the same level... or worse... than the black mutated creature that had killed Nadine.
That alone erased any room for sympathy for anyone else in his heart.
"When the time comes, we separate from them," Myles said, his voice cutting through the lingering silence.
The sudden shift in his tone drew everyone’s attention as his expression turned colder, sharper than before.
Clara frowned slightly. Confusion showed on her face.
"What do you mean?" she asked. "Like... we’re not going to help them if things get bad?"
Myles shook his head calmly. "We help them," he said, his voice steady. "As much as we can."
He paused for a brief moment before continuing, his tone firm but not exactly harsh. "But we don’t throw our lives away for them."
The meaning settled immediately.
"We can’t afford to play heroes. You all remember that black mutated monster, right?" he added with a quiet exhale.
The reaction came instantly.
Their expressions tightened. Some of them winced, while others looked away for a split second as the memory resurfaced vividly in their minds.
That overwhelming presence, that absolute difference in power, and the helplessness they had felt back then still lingered clearly.
Myles gave a small nod, confirming what they were already thinking.
"This time, based on Lilian and Seraphina’s information, Red will become something even worse."
Silence followed his words, heavier than before.
Then, one by one, they nodded.
There was no argument or hesitation, because they all understood the reality of their situation. This wasn’t about courage or ideals anymore. It was about survival.
Even someone like Lilian, a being clearly far beyond them, had no obligation to help, and the fact that she stood with them at all was something they couldn’t take for granted.
Myles looked at each of them in turn, his gaze steady and unwavering.
"Prepare yourselves," he said. "This fight will be worse than before."
His voice remained calm, but it carried a quiet weight that settled into them.
"But we’re not the same as before either," he continued, stepping slightly forward as his presence sharpened. "We’re stronger now. Much stronger."
There was something in the way he said it, something subtle but undeniable that spread through the group like a steady warmth pushing back against the fear.
"Don’t let fear control you. We must fight with the intention of killing that thing."
The tension inside the tent didn’t disappear, but it changed. It became steadier, more controlled, as the unease in their expressions gradually gave way to focus and determination.
Lilian watched everything in silence. Her eyes resting on Myles for a moment longer than usual as she observed the shift he created without effort.
A faint curve touched her lips, forming a small but genuine smile.
He had grown. And he was still growing. This is good.
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