Kingrat suddenly lunged, its claws scraping across the ground and sending sparks flying through the debris.

  Rin felt the floor tremble under the impact.

  No time to think.

  Instinct and calculation moved at the same time.

  He grabbed Ha-joon by the arm and pulled him behind a collapsed pillar.

  “Now,” Rin whispered.

  With a precise motion, he triggered the unstable block of concrete he had noticed earlier.

  Kingrat roared in surprise as part of the structure collapsed, one of its legs caught beneath the falling weight. The cracked pillar slowed it just enough for Mi-sun’s group and Dae-hyun to sprint toward the tunnel exit.

  Rin’s heart pounded violently.

  Every second mattered.

  Kingrat rose in fury, roaring as it slammed its claws into the walls and scattered debris. The tunnel shook. Dust rained from the ceiling.

  “We need to push it farther!” Rin shouted to Ha-joon, grabbing a rusted strip of metal and hurling it across the tunnel.

  Kingrat pivoted instantly toward the noise.

  It was risky.

  Extremely risky.

  But it worked.

  The beast charged toward the sound, granting Rin and the others a precious window.

  “Over here!” Dae-hyun yelled from the tunnel entrance.

  They ran.

  Sliding on dust and rubble as Kingrat’s roars thundered behind them, each step shaking the ground.

  Rin glanced back.

  The concrete block had delayed it—

  But not for long.

  He spotted another cracked pillar, positioned close enough to draw the creature’s attention.

  An idea formed.

  “Ha-joon—pretend to fall!” Rin shouted.

  The boy obeyed, collapsing heavily onto the ground.

  Kingrat, fixated on its “prey,” lunged forward.

  Rin moved at the exact moment.

  He dislodged a chain of debris that brought down the weakened pillar.

  Kingrat howled, partially crushed beneath the collapse, momentarily unable to pursue.

  “We… bought time!” Rin gasped.

  But the System did not wait.

  A cold notification appeared before him.

  [ALERT: KINGRAT CANNOT BE ELIMINATED.]

  [OBJECTIVE: EVALUATE SURVIVAL CAPABILITIES.]

  [Time Remaining: 62h 48m]

  Rin grimaced.

  No victory.

  Just a reprieve.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “You okay?” he asked quickly, scanning the others.

  “Yeah… I think…” Mi-sun muttered, trembling but steady.

  Rin clenched his jaw.

  This was only the beginning.

  The real game had just started.

  And he knew one thing:

  To survive, he would have to be faster. Smarter.

  And above all—

  Ready for anything.

  Rin stood slowly, still catching his breath.

  Kingrat was trapped—but not defeated.

  The tunnel trembled under the creature’s rage.

  They couldn’t hold here long.

  “We can’t stay,” Rin said sharply. “We need a secure position. Now.”

  He scanned the area.

  Unstable side tunnels twisted left and right. One likely led toward an exit.

  The other—into the unknown.

  “Left,” Ha-joon murmured. “I saw markings on the walls. Might be a path.”

  “We don’t have a choice,” Rin said. “Left. Everyone.”

  They ran.

  The ground still shaking with each distant roar of Kingrat.

  Debris fell around them.

  Adrenaline drove Rin forward. His body—normally frail—reacted with precision, weaving through rubble, ducking falling fragments.

  Then—

  A metallic crash echoed behind them.

  Kingrat wasn’t fully trapped.

  It had broken free—partially.

  And it was moving.

  Rin spotted an old security gate embedded in the tunnel wall.

  “There!” he shouted. “If we block it behind us, we gain time!”

  Dae-hyun and Mi-sun shoved the heavy metal grille into place while Rin threw one last piece of debris into the corridor to delay the beast.

  Kingrat arrived just as the gate slammed down, creating a temporary barrier.

  They ran again.

  Their harsh breathing mixing with the distant fury of Kingrat behind the metal.

  Rin moved forward cautiously now, evaluating every shadow.

  Every sound.

  Every step could reveal danger—or shelter.

  “Where now?” Ha-joon panted.

  “Follow the wall markings,” Rin replied. “They indicate… something. Maybe safety. Maybe a trap.”

  Dae-hyun carried Young-mi carefully. She groaned with every jolt.

  “Don’t worry…” she whispered weakly. “I’ve survived worse…”

  Mi-sun led the way, alert to the slightest sound.

  Ha-joon mirrored her movements despite his fear.

  They finally stopped at a junction.

  Two tunnels.

  One descended into a narrow but seemingly stable passage.

  The other plunged into complete darkness, choked with debris.

  Rin studied both.

  “The narrow passage is safer for Young-mi and Dae-hyun,” he said. “But slower. The dark tunnel might be faster… but dangerous.”

  “We take the narrow one,” Dae-hyun muttered. “I can’t move faster carrying her.”

  “Fine,” Rin said. “Mi-sun, Ha-joon—stay with me. We’ll reassess if needed.”

  Ha-joon hesitated.

  “And Jin-woo? He ran off alone…”

  Rin didn’t answer immediately.

  Jin-woo was unpredictable.

  But he had survived so far.

  Probably by luck.

  For now, they had to focus on those still here.

  They descended the narrow passage.

  Each step made the old concrete creak.

  The walls were damp. Small fragments fell from above.

  Rin analyzed every echo.

  Any reflection could signal a hidden creature.

  “I don’t think I can survive if it stays like this…” Ha-joon muttered, breathless.

  “You’ll learn,” Rin replied quietly. “You always learn in situations like this.”

  An acrid smell drifted through the tunnel.

  Rin frowned.

  Kingrat wasn’t far.

  The creature had resumed its patrol after breaking the gate. Even if it wasn’t directly pursuing them, its territory was expanding.

  “Stay quiet,” Mi-sun whispered sharply. “Any noise could expose us.”

  They continued forward.

  Adrenaline dulling fear.

  Rin memorized everything:

  Cracks in the concrete.

  Unstable surfaces.

  Potential choke points.

  Places to hide—or build another trap.

  After several minutes, they reached a small, semi-collapsed chamber.

  Rusting furniture suggested it had once been a workshop.

  Not comfortable.

  But defensible enough.

  Dae-hyun gently lowered Young-mi against a stable wall.

  “We can breathe here…” he muttered. “Young-mi, how are you?”

  “I’ll survive… for now,” she said with a faint smile.

  Rin turned toward the tunnel entrance.

  The distant sounds of debris suggested Kingrat had moved away.

  But this wasn’t safety.

  It wasn’t random.

  Kingrat didn’t attack blindly.

  “Ha-joon,” Rin said softly, “stay focused. Observe everything. Sounds. Movements. Even dust in the air. Everything is information.”

  The boy nodded, steadier now.

  “And Mi-sun… be ready if Kingrat returns.”

  She gave a silent nod.

  A brief calm settled.

  But it was deceptive.

  [Time Remaining: 62h 15m]

  “We need a long-term plan,” Rin murmured. “We can’t just hide. Every second matters. And Kingrat is only the beginning.”

  Dae-hyun rubbed his hands nervously.

  “And the others… Jin-woo… he’s alone. Isn’t that dangerous?”

  “Yes,” Rin replied. “But it was his choice. We can’t control him. We control only our immediate actions.”

  “And if we run into another… monster?” Ha-joon asked.

  “Then we adapt,” Rin answered calmly. “We observe. We analyze. We act. Every mistake costs.”

  The tunnel felt tighter now.

  Shadows shifting along damp walls.

  But for the first time—

  Rin felt something close to control.

  As much as control was possible here.

  A faint crack echoed in the distance.

  Mi-sun turned sharply.

  Rin listened.

  Not Kingrat.

  Too light.

  Too fast.

  “We have company,” Rin murmured. “Get ready.”

  As the group prepared themselves, Rin thought briefly of Jin-woo—alone somewhere in the ruins.

  Alive.

  For now.

  Every decision.

  Every movement.

  Every breath.

  Could decide their fate.

  The survival game had just entered a new phase.