Chapter 4: No Mercy, Only Points

Class prefect quick ask: [Wetin happen?] Her message sharp, as if she fit waka reach chief house. But class beauty no reply. Group chat quiet, blue tick no show. People dey bite nail.

Someone yan with envy, "Class beauty get most points now, so we dey safe."

One boy try form hard guy, "As long as she dey win, we dey safe. Nothing fit happen to us."

"Yes, I go stick close to class beauty, wait for am to carry us go back. But some go suffer."

He look me with side eye. I bow head, dey chop roasted yam. Yam no get pepper, no get oil. Heart heavy, but hunger no dey hear story. System only give us one boiled yam per meal—no reach at all. Some dey complain, "Na only yam, yam, yam. Person no be goat o!"

I chop slow, hide small for pocket. A cold wind sweep through abandoned shrine, dust blow, candle fall for corner. We sleep hungry and cold. Some shiver, some cough, others dey roll for mat. Old shrine floor rough, mosquito bite.

Next day, system voice wake us: [Currently 29 surviving strategy players. Bonus pool: 20 million.]

"Wetin be this? Why e remain one less?"

People jump, dey look round. Panic for face. "Who disappear?"

I open group chat, see class beauty desperate messages:

[Save me—E dey pain me well—]

[The male lead na madman. We just sleep together, he cut my arms and legs, put me inside big vase.]

[Help—help—. Come save me, ah ah ah—.]

Last photo na class beauty, limbs chopped, blood and tears, beauty mark for neck dug out, flies buzz, eyes wide with anger. Some people cover phone, others vomit.

Class beauty don die. Reality hit, even shrine spirit go pity us. People dey call God, some vow say dem no go love again for this life.

I feel like person dey choke me, hands and feet cold, chills spread all over. My throat tight, chest dey pain, body dey vibrate. E be like my blood stop to flow.

Somebody scream out, "Jesus! Ah!"

The scream echo, everybody join. Girls dey hug dey sob, boys no fit hold tears. Some dey pray, others dey curse system. "Male lead? Na monster be that!" One shake head, "No be human kill am. Na juju!"

"No be this supposed to be easy raid? System! Abeg, let me go, I wan go house!"

System voice cold: [All strategy players, life countdown don begin. Please start your raid as soon as possible.]

In confusion, class prefect stand for altar, shout, "Make una calm down! Make we reason like people wey get sense."

Her voice hard, echo bounce for wall. Everybody look up. "We still get 29 people. Even if male lead bad, we still get chance."

Only then classmates quiet down. Sniffles reduce, some sit down, wipe face. "You notice am? Raid bonus don increase."

Class monitor count, "Bonus dey increase every time person die?"

Class prefect nod, "Yes o. System want make we fight. Na survival of the sharpest. Remember, we gats stick together, no panic. If we scatter, na wahala. This 20 million fit split—no be everybody wan leave here with money?"

A girl ask, "So if we do am well, all of us fit go house with money?"

"So... wetin we go do now?"

Class prefect clear throat, "Make we try reach chief’s son, but this time, slow and steady. If you no fit near am, you no go collect point."

"Yesterday, I waka round chief’s residence, hear say them dey find maidservants and guards. Only small space dey. To make am fair, make we draw lots to pick who go."

People dey shift, dey exchange look. Some dey pray make dem no pick, others dey wish for luck.