Kill the Sun Chapter 3 - 3 – Protecting Oneself

One by one, residents emerged from their crumbling dwellings, slowly waking to the day.

Despite the early hour, the sun blazed overhead as it always did, casting a harsh light across the pathways.

Nick remained stationary, gripping his placard and observing the crowd with a sense of detachment.

More than half of the people visible were clearly suffering from malnutrition, while the rest were painfully thin. Only the most successful traders possessed any noticeable body fat.

Even with the constant sunlight, nearly every face was unnaturally pale, and several individuals moved through the streets with dark, sunken circles beneath their eyes.

Watching them, Nick could sense the palpable tension and restlessness radiating from the masses.

He was well aware that this specific day was the most perilous of the month, driven by the sheer desperation of the populace.

It was the month’s most hated day.

The time that everyone lived in fear of.

Still, Nick didn't move, continuing to display his sign as he waited.

His teacher, Albert, had promised him that he would eventually secure a position as a Zephyx Extractor within the Dregs. The only requirement was that he stay visible.

Albert was a formidable Zephyx Extractor whom Nick had encountered two years prior. Their relationship had begun right after Nick was jolted awake by a sharp slap from the man.

Because of the strange way Nick had acquired his hidden strength, Albert had decided to take him under his wing for several months, recognizing his immense potential.

About a year had passed since Albert’s departure. His final instructions to Nick were to remain in plain sight to find employment. He claimed that eventually, someone looking for Zephyx Extractors would show up.

This was the sole reason Nick was perched in the market square with his sign.

While the rest of the world trembled at the date, to Nick, it felt like any other mundane afternoon.

Dozens of people walked past him, and he caught many of them casting calculating looks in his direction.

Nevertheless, no one dared to bother him.

A great number of citizens appeared terrified, glancing around with twitchy movements, yet others remained perfectly composed.

Those who were calm all wore identical small pins on their clothing, depicting a pair of crossed spears.

This emblem belonged to the Insurance Gang, a dominant criminal organization that controlled the Dregs from the shadows.

The wearers weren't actually gangsters; they were ordinary people who had paid the Insurance Gang to handle the day’s grim necessities on their behalf.

BANG!

Without warning, a blonde-haired man was struck, and a trio of attackers immediately swarmed him.

The victim curled into a ball like a shrimp, clutching something to his chest with iron resolve.

The three assailants rained blows down on the defenseless man, though they were careful to avoid fracturing his bones.

"Give us your credits!" one of the attackers barked.

The man on the pavement remained silent, refusing to loosen his grip on his money.

The trio ground their teeth in frustration.

Murder was strictly forbidden, and spilling blood was likewise prohibited.

However, the city authorities wouldn't lift a finger if they merely broke a few limbs.

Despite their violence, these three weren't mindless killers who wanted the man dead.

If they took his credits and left him with broken bones, they would effectively be sentencing him to death in the long run anyway.

One man grabbed the victim by his blonde hair and yanked with all his might, but the man on the ground wouldn't surrender his savings.

Even as clumps of hair were ripped from his scalp, he didn't let go.

Two of the muggers looked at their companion with expressions of mounting irritation.

The third man inhaled deeply and took a firm hold of the victim’s head.

BANG!

He slammed the man’s skull against the hard ground, knocking him unconscious instantly.

Miraculously, no blood was drawn, and the blonde man continued to breathe.

The move had been incredibly reckless.

If the man had died or if valuable blood had been wasted, the city would have executed the attacker on the spot.

Another member of the group knelt down and pried a small bundle of paper currency from the unconscious man's fingers.

After a quick count, he gave a nod to his partners.

He then passed the entire stack to one of his friends, who immediately burst into tears.

The sobbing man embraced his two companions, bowing repeatedly to show his profound gratitude.

His friends simply reassured him that it was alright.

The man who had been crying hurried away from the center of the market, rushing into the arms of a woman waiting at the edge.

She was also weeping uncontrollably.

After a moment, the man pulled away and knelt, gesturing for someone to come closer.

Two young girls, neither older than eight, appeared from behind the woman and threw their arms around him.

"I have enough for you now," the man whispered, his voice trembling.

Only a handful of bystanders actually watched the scene. Most were so accustomed to such sights that they didn't give it a second thought.

The crowd in the market simply stepped around the unconscious body in the street, treating the man as if he were nothing more than a pile of trash.

Nick witnessed the entire ordeal but made no move to help.

What would be the point?

Resources were scarce, and it was every person's responsibility to look out for themselves.

As the hours ticked by, more robberies occurred, but Nick simply stayed put.

Finally, the moment arrived.

At approximately 2:00 pm, the chaos subsided, and a heavy silence fell over the people.

The marketplace was now packed to capacity.

All commerce had ceased; no one was buying or selling.

Every soul was waiting for the same inevitable event.

Two minutes later, a sound like a massive swarm of buzzing insects drifted from a nearby street, growing louder by the second.

Eventually, five individuals emerged from an alleyway, flanked by clouds of enormous mosquitoes.

The five were dressed in red uniforms bearing the crest of Crimson Fungus City, marking them as official government employees. Each carried several large sacks and wore a black gasmask to hide their features.

As these city agents moved through the area, several mosquitoes detached from the swarm to fly into the houses they passed.

They were hunting for anyone attempting to hide.

After a short time, the insects would exit the buildings and rejoin the five agents as others moved on to investigate different homes.

Suddenly, an entire cluster of mosquitoes dove into one particular house.

"AAAAAHHHH!"

A blood-curdling shriek erupted from the building, but it was quickly muffled until it stopped entirely.

The swarm flew back out seconds later, with some of the insects ascending into the sky to depart.

However, within moments, fresh mosquitoes arrived to take the place of those that had left.

After roughly five minutes, the five agents reached the mouth of the marketplace.

For a long while, the five officials remained completely silent.