Chapter 2: What's up With This Island? (2)

The room remained enveloped in darkness until Anom swung the door open, allowing a sliver of light to illuminate the interior. As his eyes adjusted, he took in the scene before him.

To the left, he spotted an array of camping equipment and digging tools neatly arranged, suggesting their use in archaeological expeditions. On the right, containers and stacks of paper caught his attention.

The containers held an assortment of rock pieces, likely collected as samples from the ruins. Anom approached them, observing the intricate patterns and designs adorning the papers, which seemed to be related to the enigmatic ruins.

His gaze swept across the room, and he noticed a barely discernible door nestled within the back wall. Constructed from the same material as the wall itself, it blended seamlessly, making it challenging to spot.

Intrigued, Anom closed the distance and gently pushed the door. It yielded without resistance, indicating that it wasn't locked.

'How careless,' Anom thought as he observed the room. Inside, there were three containers of different sizes, all locked. With deft precision, Anom swiftly picked the locks using his blade.

His attention was drawn to the largest box on the left. It stood at waist height with four feet on each side. Opening the lid, Anom eagerly delved into its contents.

The box revealed an organized arrangement of tiles and fragments from the ancient walls, adorned with intricate carvings and patterns resembling those found on the island. It became apparent that the sheets of paper he had seen earlier were drawn based on these artifacts.

Turning his focus to the second box on the right, Anom approached it. This box was slightly smaller, measuring two feet in height and three feet on each side. With anticipation, he unlocked it to uncover…

"Breasts!? What the… Oh…" Anom exclaimed in frustration as he initially mistook the broken statue for something inappropriate. However, upon closer inspection of the entire box, he realized that it was a fragmented statue of a woman, split into three pieces.

The first piece, which caught Anom off guard, was the torso fragment above the waist, missing its head. The sculpture of a dress, appearing more like it had been worn than meticulously carved, failed to conceal the oddly exaggerated breasts. Their size was unusually large compared to the statue's proportions.

The second piece was the head, its features obscured by damage. The carved hair cascaded towards the back, gathered at a damaged spot that indicated the presence of a ponytail. However, like the rest of the missing pieces, the ponytail had suffered significant damage.

Anom couldn't help but think, 'Who had the time and patience to intricately carve a ponytail? What an arduous task.' His attention then shifted to the third and final piece.

It was an arm, exquisitely carved to the point that if it were not made of white rock, it could easily be mistaken for a real limb.

Curiosity piqued, Anom moved towards the third container, eager to discover its contents.

The final box was a mere six-inch cube. As soon as Anom opened it, a sense of triumph surged through his mind, whispering, 'Haha, mission accomplished. Now I can make my way back.'

Ever since he had set foot on this island, a nagging uneasiness had plagued him. Now that his objective was fulfilled, his thoughts shifted to the pressing matter of escape.

Rising to his feet, Anom exited the room, stopping once he reached the area with the assortment of tools. His gaze settled on a scraper-like implement, small in size yet sharp. With a calculated motion, he pressed the blade against the side of his neck, causing a substantial but shallow cut. Blood began to trickle from the wound. He swiftly covered it with his palm, allowing the self-inflicted injury to start healing.

Advancing towards the wall, Anom assumed a crouched position, leaning against it and feigning weakness as if struggling to stand upright.

Within moments, the sound of approaching footsteps reached his ears.

Thud!

With a resounding step, a burly man entered the room, his face unmasked unlike the other guards. His sharp eyes swept across the surroundings until they locked onto the sight of the opened rear door.

Only then did his emotionless face change slightly. He dashed into the room, his gaze fixated on the three boxes, only to discover the smallest one empty.

Exiting the room, he confronted Anom in a harsh, demanding tone, "What happened here!?"

Anom, feigning weakness, pointed shakily in the direction of the camp and stammered, "He… the… thief… there-" Before he could complete his sentence, his body wavered, and he tumbled forward towards the man.

'Now catch me, lower me down gently, and get lost; I need to make my escape,' Anom thought as he descended.

To his surprise, the man swiftly evaded the falling Anom and sprinted out of the room.

Thwadk!

'Bastard!' Anom silently cursed, his body recoiling in pain as he lay on the floor.

"What happened, Vice Leader?" someone outside inquired upon seeing the man emerge.

"I have no time to waste. Jeno, swiftly take the individual inside to the camp medic. Inform the others to prevent anyone from leaving the camp premises," the man commanded.

He was actually their vice leader.

"Yes, sir."

Observing the vice leader hastening toward the camp, Jeno, the man assigned to assist, entered the storage room.

He spotted his comrade lying on the floor, his neck bleeding, and seemingly unconscious.

'This poison is quite potent,' Jeno contemplated as he approached Anom.

With caution, he lifted Anom's body and positioned it over his shoulder, preparing to transport him back to camp. He couldn't help but feel the weight of his friend.

Just as Jeno was about to step out of the room, Anom, who appeared unconscious, abruptly opened his eyes. His expression turned tense as a recollection flashed in his mind. He had made an error while deceiving the vice leader.

Seizing the opportunity, Anom swiftly clutched the side of the door and exerted force.

Caught off guard, Jeno stumbled backward, losing his balance and falling. Taking advantage of the moment, Anom slipped off Jeno's shoulder, nimbly rolling on the floor before regaining his footing.

Jeno quickly regained his stability, but before he could react, Anom lunged toward him, his right hand gripping Jeno's neck in a lock. Simultaneously, Anom's left hand, holding his blade, aimed for the unfortunate man's shoulder.

"AHH!" Jeno's muffled scream echoed as the grip on his neck tightened, rendering him unable to vocalize his agony.

"I'm glad you didn't opt for a princess carry," Anom remarked, maintaining his hold on Jeno's neck.

The struggle persisted for a few moments until Jeno's movements ceased, succumbing to unconsciousness.

Huffing with relief, Anom released his grip and lowered the guard to the floor.

Swiftly getting back on his feet, he dashed outside, surveying his surroundings. He noticed that the guard stationed at the door had already been taken away.

Realizing that his original plan to be carried back to the camp and make his escape had been compromised, Anom understood the need for a change in strategy. He could no longer rely on the same approach.

…

The vice leader's mind raced as he approached the camp, filled with anger and a determination to discover the audacious thief. However, a sudden realization halted his steps. He paused and retraced the events in his mind.

The memory of the empty box flashed before his eyes, followed by the sight of his subordinate collapsing after informing him about the thief. Recalling how he had hurriedly rushed outside, disregarding his junior's condition, a peculiar detail emerged—the distinct sound of impact when his subordinate fell.

The vice leader's brow furrowed as he pondered the unusual sound. Amidst the thud of the body hitting the ground, there were additional noises, solid and distinct. It wasn't the typical sound of a gun or a flashlight hitting the floor. Rather, it resembled the impact of a dense object, akin to a stone striking the ground.

"… Stone! Damn it!" the vice leader exclaimed, his realization dawning upon him. He swiftly turned on his heel, racing back toward the center.

…

Meanwhile, Anom continued his sprint, covering a considerable distance until he reached the guard post situated a few hundred feet from the entrance to the ruins.

Two sentries stood there, their gazes fixed on Anom. He halted a few steps away from them, bending over, placing his hands on his knees, and exaggerating his panting.

Curiosity etched on his face, one of the guards stepped forward and questioned, "What happened back there? Did you guys blow something up for fun? You should have invited us."

Anom locked his eyes on the oblivious guard, frustrated by his casual attitude toward the gravity of the situation.

"No… hah… a thief broke into storage… hah… the vice leader has ordered one of you to go and help him," Anom managed to utter between breaths.

"Well, let's go. Let me see the thief who dared to steal under our noses," the guard declared, his excitement palpable as he set off toward the camp.

Seizing the opportunity, Anom discreetly stepped aside, giving the impression he intended to follow. However, as he turned around, his true intentions took shape.

The remaining guard observed their departure, momentarily lowering his guard. Just as he relaxed, Anom swiftly reversed his course, sprinting towards the unsuspecting sentry. Catching him off guard, Anom delivered a forceful punch to the guard's face before he could react.

"AAH!" The guard's pained cry reverberated through the air, catching the attention of his companion. The guard at the front spun around, only to witness his comrade clutching his bleeding nose, while Anom, arms raised in a mock pursuit, raced towards him.

Reacting swiftly, the vigilant guard raised his gun, preparing to take action. However, before he could respond, Anom closed the distance. He seized the guard's arm, diverting its aim, while simultaneously striking his nose with a powerful punch.

The guard, disoriented by the blow to his head, lost his grip on the gun, which Anom swiftly seized. Moving behind the guard, he swung the weapon, forcefully striking the back of the guard's head. Wide-eyed, the guard emitted a silent scream, but before he could crumple to the ground, Anom exerted a powerful push, hurtling him toward his companion.

In the midst of the chaos, the previously dazed guard regained his composure, pointing his gun forward. With alarm in his voice, he shouted as he witnessed his partner's falling body hurtling toward him.

Thud! Unable to evade in time, the guard's head collided forcefully with his partner's, eliciting another cry of pain.

Capitalizing on the opportunity, Anom swiftly maneuvered behind the remaining guard, slashing his blade across the back of the guard's neck, leaving a gash. Without pausing, he delivered a forceful kick, causing the guard to stumble and collapse onto his unconscious comrade.

Returning his blade to its sheath, Anom glanced towards the camp before pivoting and sprinting toward the entrance of the ruins.

Moments later, the sound of footsteps echoed as the vice leader and two additional guards arrived, alerted by the commotion and giving chase without hesitation.

…

Anom approached the entrance with caution, his experience as a seasoned thief urging him to exercise prudence. Having encountered various ruins during his travels, he understood the perils that lay within. Ancient civilizations often devised intricate traps that posed challenges even to modern-day archaeologists and grave robbers.

Glancing back at the approaching figures, Anom could discern three men, including the vice leader, swiftly closing the distance. Realizing that time was of the essence, he took a deep breath, steeled his resolve, and directed his gaze towards the entrance.

Without a backward glance, Anom made his decision and stepped into the darkness of the ruins, determined to confront whatever dangers lay ahead.