The dark clouds ahead loomed ominously. After two grueling days of driving, the Glasgow Gang finally reached their destination—Mandel City.
It was still afternoon, but the sky had darkened unnaturally. Signs of human habitation began to emerge along the roadside: makeshift houses, scattered remnants of settlements, and abandoned villages that had long succumbed to time and disaster.
Dilapidated structures lined the horizon, their roofs caved in, walls crumbling, and streets eerily silent. From a distance, the remnants of civilization resembled the ghost towns often seen in horror films. Mandel City must have once thrived; the sheer number of ruined villages along the way suggested a past prosperity now lost to history.
Yoren gazed silently out the window, his thoughts heavy. The dim light and ruined landscape painted a picture of despair.
"It takes generations to build a home, yet a single catastrophe can erase it all," he murmured.
Kate, focused on the road, remained expressionless. "There's nothing we can do. Once a natural disaster strikes, the land becomes uninhabitable. Mandel City has already fallen. If its people wanted to survive, they had no choice but to abandon it."
Yoren sighed. "I get it, but seeing it with my own eyes... it's different."
Vina patted his shoulder. "First time entering a place this dangerous, huh? Don't overthink it. Just stay focused. We're almost there."
Yoren nodded. "Yeah."
The road began to incline, flanked by towering, leafless trees. The convoy pressed forward, accelerating as they climbed a long, winding hill.
Five minutes later, the terrain leveled off. Kate pulled over to the side of the road, and the other two vehicles followed suit.
Vina was the first to step out. When Yoren finally exited the car, holding Snowsant's hand, the sight before him stole his breath away.
"This is..."
"Mandel City," Kate confirmed.
At the foot of the hill, the ruined metropolis sprawled before them.
Endless streets crisscrossed through the desolation. Buildings of all shapes and sizes stood in eerie silence, some barely clinging to their former structures. A long-dried river split the city into north and south, its bed now filled with rubble and decay.
Even from this distance, Yoren could make out the remnants of schools, parks, hospitals, and commercial centers. High-rise buildings once bustling with life now stood hollow and lifeless. The cold wind swept through the streets, whispering the remnants of a forgotten past.
Mandel City wasn't just big—it was immense.
Kate, sensing his awe, spoke in a solemn tone. "Twenty-seven years ago, this was the largest trade hub in northern Ursus. Being close to Kjerag, Mandel City served as a key transit point for goods from the Holy Mountain of Kalan. The surrounding land was rich in minerals and resources. The economy here surpassed most inland cities, and as the city grew, it attracted merchants from all over."
Yoren absorbed her words. "That's incredible."
"More than that. The foreign population eventually outnumbered the Ursus natives. Over time, Mandel became a melting pot of cultures, even passing laws unique to this city alone."
A special administrative zone of sorts. A border city that carved out its own identity. But all of that had been reduced to nothing.
Vina stood quietly, staring at the ruins with an unreadable expression. Without a word, she pulled a small metal case from the trunk and set it on the ground.
Yoren, curious, stepped closer. "Vina, what's that?"
She opened the case and began distributing arc-shaped metal masks. "These are air shields. They'll protect you from Originium infection. Keep them on at all times. If you must remove them, don't exceed three minutes."
Yoren examined the shield in his hands. It was sturdier than a regular mask, unable to fold, but breathable. When he spoke through it, his voice carried through clearly.
After securing his own, he reached for another and knelt beside Snowsant. "Here, let me put this on you."
Snowsant shook her head. "I don't need it."
Yoren hesitated before remembering—Snowsant was already infected.
Vina finished handing out the masks and reached for another container, pulling out a small bottle. "Everyone, take one. This will inhibit Originium particles from merging with your blood. There are mild side effects, but it's better than contracting mineral disease."
Yoren took a pill, eyeing it warily. "Side effects?"
"Weakness, dizziness, chest tightness due to increased heart strain. But you have to take it. That's an order."
Yoren nodded and swallowed the pill.
The pill had a hint of fruit that came through his senses briefly before it went down.
Vina's expression was grave as she ensured everyone took their dose. She wasn't willing to lose another comrade to mineral disease.
Finally, she pulled a small syringe from the bottom of the case.
"This is a mineralogy inhibitor. I paid a fortune for it in Columbia. It's our last resort if someone gets infected."
She held it up for everyone to see, her voice turning steely. "Our protective measures aren't foolproof. These masks and pills help, but they won't guarantee our safety. You need to understand what I'm about to tell you."
The team fell silent, eyes locked on her.
"If you're infected, you have five minutes before the Originium particles merge with your blood. Inject this before that happens. It's cutting-edge biotech—it will instantly coagulate your blood, forcing your body into dormancy while the drug separates the Originium. The success rate is 80%."
Yoren started to speak, but Vina cut him off. "But—there's a catch. If five minutes pass, the infection becomes irreversible. This won't work anymore. At that point, you'll have to accept the consequences."
The weight of her words sank in.
She exhaled and continued. "One more thing. If a healthy person is injected with this, it'll cause massive damage to their blood cells. So be rational. Be decisive. Make the right call. Do you understand?"
"Understood!" The group responded in unison.
Vina's grip on the syringe tightened. Her gaze swept over them.
"And one last thing. This—" she lifted the syringe higher, "—is the only one we have."
Yoren had never seen Vina with such a complicated look on her face before.
It was the look of someone forcing themselves to stay composed, suppressing the anxiety brewing beneath the surface.
Vina stepped forward and handed him a syringe.
"Yoren, I'm entrusting this to you."
Yoren blinked, surprised. "Me? Why?"
"Because you won't be fighting on the frontlines. If things go south in the city, you'll be in a safe place assisting us. It makes sense for you to keep it."
"I… I understand."
Her reasoning was sound. As an ordinary person, Yoren was of little use in a fight. Keeping the syringe with him ensured that someone outside the battle had access to it. Even so, holding something this important made him uneasy.
Vina met his eyes, her tone firm.
"Remember, if any of us show symptoms of infection, don't hesitate. Inject them immediately and get them to safety. Any one of us, Yoren. No exceptions."
She turned away before he could respond, shifting her attention to ACE.
"Brother ACE, I'm sorry, but this syringe is rare. If things go bad, I can only use it for my own people. I need to be clear about that upfront."
ACE nodded, his expression unreadable. "I understand. We Death Squad operatives take responsibility for our own. We won't ask for anything beyond the agreed commission. You have my word."
Yoren carefully pocketed the syringe before glancing at Kate beside him. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Kate, how much is ACE's commission for this job?"
Kate simply held up two fingers.
Yoren frowned. "Just say it. I have no idea what that means."
Kate smirked. "After this mission, we owe them 20% of all the Originium we recover."
Yoren considered that for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure how much profit they'd make from this operation, but taking 20% off the top sounded fair. Instead of a fixed sum, the Death Squad's payment was tied directly to their success—meaning no payout if they failed. A business model like that was bound to keep all parties motivated.
Vina gave the order for several large metal containers to be pulled from the truck. Yoren guessed they were specialized transport cases for the Originium they were after.
Once everything was prepared, Vina turned to him and Kate.
"Kate, you and Yoren stay here. Find a secure spot to hide the vehicles and make sure they're well camouflaged. Looks like we arrived first, so I'll take a team inside to scout the area. When you're done, contact us over the communicator."
"Understood."
Yoren knew the vehicles were critical. Without them, there'd be no way to transport the Originium back.
He watched as Vina and the others disappeared into the ruins, a growing unease settling in his gut. Something about this mission felt wrong.
Kate patted his shoulder. "Snap out of it. We need to clear an area in this dead forest for the vehicles. Go gather some dry grass and branches for cover."
"Got it."
The natural disaster had left all the surrounding trees lifeless, so finding dead branches was easy. Before long, Yoren had collected a sizable pile.
Kate reappeared, a battle axe resting on her shoulder. "All done on my end."
Yoren stacked the branches while making conversation. "Kate, is Vina always this cautious?"
Kate leaned against the truck, lighting a cigarette. "Nope. She only gets this careful when we're dealing with Originium zones. If this were Victoria, she'd probably be out drinking the night before a fight with some rival gang."
Yoren raised an eyebrow. "Really? Shouldn't humans be a bigger threat than mineral disease? A gang war can kill you instantly. Oripathy… takes time."
Kate exhaled a long plume of smoke. "That's true for most people. They're more afraid of the battle in front of them than the sickness creeping through their veins. But the Glasgow gang sees it differently."
"How so?"
"Because you can fight people. You can outthink them, outshoot them. But Oripathy? No matter how strong you are, you can't win against it. That's why this mission matters. We can kill any enemy, wipe out any opposition… but we can't fight the disease."
Yoren hesitated. "You think we can take down any enemy? With just the people we have here?"
Kate smirked. "You don't believe me, do you?"
Yoren chuckled. "Not really."
Kate took another drag from her cigarette. "Well, guess I'll have to prove it to you."
"How? You're not gonna beat me up, are you? Alright, alright, I get it! I believe you!"
Kate grinned. "Relax. I don't hit my own people."
"Then what's your plan?"
Kate blew out another smoke ring. "We've got a perfect test subject right over there."
A snap echoed through the air—the sharp sound of a branch breaking underfoot.
Yoren's instincts kicked in, and he turned quickly.
A group of men had approached within fifteen meters, moving silently. At least thirty of them, all wearing black coats. Their broad builds and heavy boots gave them away—Ursus.
Yoren's stomach dropped. In the middle of a dead city, deep in the wilderness, this wasn't a coincidence.
"Who… are you?" he asked cautiously.
The tallest among them, towering over two meters, stepped forward. He removed his hat, revealing a deep scar across his forehead—and a pair of bear ears.
"Looks like someone got here before us."
Yoren's pulse quickened. "Are you… Ursus military?"
Kate clapped him on the shoulder. "Relax, kid. They're not military. Probably just the biggest local gang near Mandel City."
The Ursus leader's gaze darkened. The scar on his forehead looked even more menacing as he furrowed his brow.
"This Originium mine is massive. Big enough that if we get what we need before the army shows up, we'll be set for the next six months. Since there's more than enough to go around, I'd rather avoid unnecessary friction."
Then his tone shifted, cold and dangerous.
"But, boy… what you said just now really pissed me off. Before we get to business, I think it's important that you understand the power of Ursus."
Yoren felt sweat bead on his forehead. He leaned toward Kate and whispered, "Stall them. I'll contact Vina."
Kate scoffed. "No need for that."
"Why not?!"
Yoren assumed Kate wanted to avoid a direct fight. There were too many of them, and they were all hardened Ursus men. Even if they called Vina back, their odds weren't great. The best plan should have been to delay, slip away, and regroup later.
But as Yoren debated escape routes, Kate casually stepped forward.
Under the watchful eyes of the Ursus thugs, she flicked her cigarette…
…and let it land directly on the scarred man's face.
An arrogant smirk played on her lips as she spoke.
"Is the power of Ursus just standing there looking tough?"
Silence.
Tension crackled in the air, thick enough to suffocate.
Yoren's mind went blank.
Is Kate out of her damn mind?!