Zack's POV
[Attention, Survivors.]
[As you adjust to your new bodies, here is your status update.]
What? Another status update? We have already seen it before, why repeat it?
A screen popped up in front of me.
But, it was not mine…
It was Ambrose's.
My breath hitched. So, we can see the status update of the person we switched with?
This is sick.
I scanned the screen. His stats are different from mine. His role is an Analyst and survival rate of 95%. But, his unyielding shield, the one he used to survive the last challenge in Trial 2 is now only 50%. All of Ambrose's stats laid bare before me.
But then, my gaze locked onto the most crucial part: Weaknesses - None.
Who the hell does not have a weakness?
That is impossible. Either he was truly invincible or the system was hiding something and Ambrose is not who he seems he is.
But he saved Arya and Ellie before? So, what is his true motive?
Across the room, Ambrose, trapped in my body, was watching me closely. He was unreadable at first, but then, a slow smirk stretched across his lips.
If Ambrose had no weaknesses, that meant he was the most dangerous one here because he doesn't have anything to lose.
I swallowed. The others were watching their own screen, processing their discoveries.
The system was revealing the vulnerabilities of the bodies we now inhabited. Which meant that everyone else could see the weaknesses of the person whose body they were currently inside.
This is not good.
Arya, no, Mark in Arya's body, was stiff, his jaw clenched as he read whatever was displayed before him. Ellie in Anna's body had gone pale, gripping her arms tightly. Meanwhile, Nicole in Ellie's body was eerily silent, but her eyes glimmered with something between shock and revelation.
Then, I turned my gaze toward the person who unsettled me the most right now.
Anna—inside Nicole's body.
Her lips curled into a delighted smile. A satisfied one.
What did she see?
"Fascinating," she muttered, running a hand through Nicole's hair as she stared at her screen.
[Survivors, this is your only chance to learn the weaknesses of your fellow survivors. Use the information wisely.]
A heavy sigh left my lips.
The system just exploited us.
They were trying to pit us against each other.
[Timer starts now.]
[Goodluck.]
[45:00…44:59…44:58…]
The numbers ticked down, but no one moved. The revelation kept everyone frozen in place.
Then, Anna took a step forward. "You know we should test something."
Her voice dripped with amusement, but her eyes gleamed with calculation.
Ellie stiffened. "Test what?"
Anna tilted her head, examining her own former body like it was a puzzle. "Pain."
The word sent a ripple of unease through the group.
"What?" Mark's voice was sharp, suspicious.
Anna, still in Nicole's body, lifted her hand in mock innocence. "Relax, I'm not saying anything extreme. But, we don't know how this swap actually works beyond stats. What if something happens to the body, but the mind doesn't register it?"
My stomach twisted. I could really tell where she was going with this. She wants to know if the body gets hurt, will the person originally inside that body gets hurt too.
"We are not hurting each other," Arya snapped. "That's exactly what the system wants."
Anna chuckled. "Oh, Arya. It's just a theory. But, come on, are you telling me that none of you are curious?"
No one spoke.
Then, Nicole trapped in Ellie's body, spoke. "It makes sense."
Anna smirked. "Glad you agree."
Before anyone could stop Nicole, she grabbed a small pocket knife from the belt strapped to Anna—her original body. With a quick motion, she grabbed Ellie's hands, and dragged the tip of the knife lightly across her palm.
Ellie held her breath and close her eyes.
Anna in Nicole's body, gasped and clutched her hand.
There was blood in Ellie's hand but she didn't feel any pain, but the original owner of the body did.
Everyone froze.
"Oh," Anna breathed, staring down at the unmarked hand of Nicole's body. "That's interesting."
A sickening realization settled over us.
The pain transferred.
I swallowed hard. This changes everything.
I scanned the room, Jake is leaning on the table, standing, Arya is beside her, with her arms crossed and I was standing next to them. Clark, Nicole, Ellie and Mark are sitting, on the table, while Anna is standing a few feet away from all of us.
"Come on, let just all sit down and talk this through," I said, as I pulled the chair beside me so Arya could sit and pulled the chair in front of me and sat down.
So, we were all on the table.
Jake-Arya-Me-Clark-Nicole-Ellie-Mark
But, Anna is still standing in front of us.
She ran her hand down her borrowed face and let out a low chuckle.
We were all watching her, waiting for her next move.
"Why do you all look at me like that?" she said. "You're all thinking it, are you?"
No one answered.
I looked over the timer and we only have 30 minutes left.
[30:00…29:59…28:58…]
Anna's nail dug into her palm, making Nicole twitch from the pain.
"Let me guess. Anna's cruel. Anna's manipulative. Anna's heartless," her lips curled. "Am I missing anything?" she let out a mocking laugh.
Ellie took a deep breath, I can see that she's tensed but, she didn't reply.
Her gaze flicked over to me.
"You," she pointed. "The doctor. Always watching, always analyzing, always thinking. But never acting until you have all the answers." Her smile sharpened. "I bet you tell yourself it's just strategy, right? But deep down, you hesitate because you're scared of making the wrong call."
I swallowed hard and clenched my jaw. Why do this girl acts like she knows me so well?
Anna laughed under her breath. "Cowards and thinkers, same breed."
She turned next to Arya, tilting her head.
"And you," she mused. "The leader type. The 'moral one.'" She made air quotes. "You act like you want to protect everyone, but I see it in your eyes."
Arya's gaze darkened, her eyes staring at Anna. If looks could kill, Anna would be chopped into pieces.
"You're calculating," Anna continued. "You weigh risks. And when the time comes—when it's them or you, you'll choose you."
Arya's fists clenched, "You don't know anything about me."
Anna smirked. She probably hit a nerve.
She turned to Jake.
Jake, who hadn't moved, his face unreadable.
"Haven't figured you out yet," she admitted, eyes narrowing. "You're steady, but something about you feels… unbreakable. Which means if something finally cracks you, it's going to be big."
Jake exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself.
Anna shivered.
Next, she locked eyes with Mark.
"And you…" she dragged out. "The quiet one. The one who watches, but doesn't speak much." She tilted her head. "You don't like to draw attention to yourself, do you? That tells me one of two things—you're either a follower or a snake waiting for the right moment to strike."
Mark inhaled sharply, but didn't correct her.
Anna let out a soft, mocking laugh.
Then, her gaze landed on Ellie.
Ellie, who was trembling ever so slightly.
Anna's smirk faltered for half a second.
"You…" she trailed off. Then, something uglier twisted in her expression. "You remind me of someone I used to know."
Ellie's breath caught.
Anna's fingers curled into a fist, like she remembered something from her past that caused her tremendous pain. "Someone weak."
Ellie did not let her speak. "That's bold for someone who has a fear of not being enough."
"Well, here's what I think. I think you have spent most of your life proving you're the smartest one in the room because you believe that's the only thing that makes you worth something," she laughed mockingly.
"You act like you're untouchable just because you have this overclock ability on level 3, but deep down you still craves validation, still fears rejection, and still wonders if you'll ever be enough. Maybe, that's why Clark chose Nicole over you. That's right, you think I didn't notice?" Ellie smirked.
I didn't know Ellie could be like this. Maybe what Anna said about her being weak really did struck a nerve. And what about this overclock? What is that?
I leaned on Arya and whispered. "What's overclock?"
Arya leaned on without removing her eyes on Anna, and said, "Well, in terms of computer, it's like tweaking the hardware like the processer and graphics card to perform better than their set factory standards. So, I think she has this ability of performing at a higher level than we typically do, like smarter and able to comprehend things much faster than us."
Hmm. Maybe that's why Clark and Nicole stood by her side despite of her attitude.
If Ellie said something more, Anna will probably do something to prove a point.
And guess what? she did.
She picked up the pocket knife, and dragged the tip of it on her palm, marking an X. The blood is dripping down on the floor and Nicole is clutching her hand, as Clark comforts her.
[20:00…19:59…19:58…]
Damn. We only have 20 minutes. I have to do something.