SURVIVAL 18: TRAP

We swam to the second flag with the letter T written on it.

"Here we are," Aeith points to the beautiful coral reefs. We were inside a small cave with coral reefs of different colors and sizes.

Author says that several coral reefs are a sign of an enemy’s base. There are two small shining golden flags stuck in the sand with coral reefs surrounding them. Those are the two flags worth 30 points each. Wait, where is their biggest flag with 70 points?

"We’re missing the other one," I stated as we looked for it.

"Yeah," realization of Fifth. “We’re not yet done here.”

"How's that? Do we find it first?" Fourth asked.

"Ah, finally!" Fifth got the two small flags stuck in the sand. We decided to let him keep it until we finish the task. But where is the big one?

I swam to the left side of the cave. I can only see more coral reefs over here.

"'Argh!” someone wailed. It was Fourth. I swam back and was surprised at what I saw.

The whole members of the gold team... they are here at their own base instead of ours. My gaze turned upwards when Fourth and Aeith swam up because their glass bubbles had burst, but there’s no octopus ink here.

"What are you guys doing here?" Fifth interrogated them while holding the two small golden flags.

"Why? Is it bad to hang out at our base?” Sectwen's reply with a sarcastic tone.

"Isn't this your base, and you should be targeting ours?" Sixth questioned.

"Ah, is that so? We actually got the big one. Here," Fifzen showed us the big silver flag he was carrying. "Can you just tell us where the little ones are?" he added, and he smirked.

They also got our silver flag, but where are our two small silver flags? Aren’t they supposed to look for it where they found the two small ones?

"We're just here to get the flags." Fifth replied in a serious tone.

"Really?" Sectwen seems doubtful. "You’ll tell us, or we'll blow those bubbles on your head?" She threatens us.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Author gave it to us," she showed us a long sharp needle. "Didn't I ask earlier how we can play when there are only six of us and nine of you? His answer was 'In this game, there is nothing unfair', so he gave this to us to make the fight fair. This thing shatters the bubble, and that's why we're here! “

So, this was the solution Author came up with. Sectwen must have used the needle to burst Fourth’s and Aeith’s.

"That's ours," Fifzen and Sixzen warned Fifth to return to them the small golden flags we got.

If they can’t claim our two small silver flags, they’ll just steal the flags that we got from them to secure their win. What a smart move.

I am surprised when Fifzen and Sixzen grabbed me and held me with force to stay still. Fifzen took the needle from Sectwen and faced it in front of my glass bubble.

"All right,” Fifzen composed himself. “Will you tell us where your flags are, or will I blow this out of Second’s head?" Fifzen threatened us.

"O-Oh, all right, all right. Where's our base?" Fifth is confused.

The only goal of the game is to find the opponent's base and take the flags in it, so we don't know where our base is. We were just surprised why the gold team is here at their base.

"You should’ve known," Fifzen replied.

I saw something flashing that caught my eye on the right side of the cave. I squinted my eyes to see it clearly. If I’m correct, it is gold in color.

"Me, I know where the two flags are!"my courageous answer made the gold team’s heads turn to me.

“Keep watching Second with a needle while swimming." Sectwen commands Fifzen and Thirtwen. "You two, just keep an eye on our base," she ordered Sixzen and Aeizen. "Ninezen, come with us.”

I winked at Fifth and Sixth. I paused as we passed on the right side out of the small cave, where I saw the flashing object. I stared at it as I stared alternately at Fifth to catch his guard. In a matter of seconds, he got what I meant.

"Ah!" I squirm in pain.

"What's wrong?" Sectwen asked.

"I sprained my legs," I lied.

Fifzen released my arms and supported me to stand up properly. Fifzen is holding both of my arms from my back, Thirtwen is holding the needle in front of my glass bubble, Sectwen is leading them the way, and Ninezen is at the back of Fifzen.

Looks like Sixth got a gist of what I am planning. She immediately picked up the big golden flag on the right corner side of the cave, then swam away. Fifth pulled Fifzen and Thirtwen away from me. He held my right arm, and we swam away too.

Fifth, Sixth, and I swam faster. Sixth gave the flag to Fifth to secure it. Fifth was holding the largest golden flag hidden on the side. I turned around, and the three of them followed. We just kept swimming. We were only about 40 meters away. I can already see the red ribbon attached to the two sticks stuck in the sand, the finish line. Just a little and-

"Hey! You can't escape us!" someone yelled.

"Sixth!" Fifth calls her and throws the big golden flag at her, which she immediately catches. "I’ll slow them down!”

Fifth rushed into slowing down Fifzen and Sixzen. I saw Sectwen continue to swim to chase us.

"You won't get to the finish line!" I gasped when Sectwen shouted.

We ignored her and just continued to swim. I turned around and saw Sectwen hold Sixth’s hair and pierce her glass bubble.

"Haha! I told you,” She is mocking us.

I came back to help Sixth.

“Leave her alone!” I shouted, but Sectwen just sneered.

Sixth handed me the flag. I grabbed it out of confusion.

“No! Sixth!” I thought we were going to swim together to reach the finish line. "What do you want, Sectwen? You weren't like this before?!" I confronted her.

She snickered. "Before? Ah! Of course, I used to." She even pointed herself. "The old me is gone. But now I know what my real life is. The reason I joined this game was that I wanted to live in a fair world. To claim what I deserved, you all must die! “

She started swimming to chase me. Are her memories back?

"You're not paying attention.” She said.

She surprised me by trying to pierce my bubble. I hit her with the flagstick.

"You b*tch-aw!" she cursed. “Sh*tty teammates!”

I ignored her and swam. 25 meters left. Oh no! I couldn’t help but sneer at the pain I felt. I saw Sixzen is behind me. Sectwen has backup. Fifth was not able to stop Sixzen because he also faced Fifzen.

"I'm sorry, Second. By the way, we've already completed your three silver flags, and you?" She looked at me holding a large gold flag. "Looks like we're the winner, goodbye!" Then she swam under me.

I writhed in pain when Sixzen wounded my foot with a rough and sharp rock while I was swimming. She injured me to buy time.

I forgot about the excruciating pain and continued swimming. Sixzen turned to me grinning. 15 meters... I'm a bit ahead of Sixzen. It looks like carrying the three flags slow her down.

12 meters...

"Argh!" I groaned.

Sixzen slapped me with a flagstick on my shoulder.

10 meters...

She was about to punch me when I pulled away, so she released the two flags. I just kept swimming. She also swam to retrieve the flags and became more aggressive.

7 meters...

When I got close, she grabbed my left foot and bit it, so I twisted in pain again. I called her when I saw that she had no more glass bubbles. Then I saw that she was holding a needle. Sectwen must have given it to her to burst mine, but was not able to.

"Sixzen!”

She turned around. Then I spit in her eyes. I swam too fast.

5 meters...

"Whaaa!" she screamed in pain.

I’m sorry, Sixzen! She must be feeling her eyes ache badly as if her eyes had been soaked in salty water. She chased after me while squinting her eyes. She pulled my legs again.

"Argh!" I grunted.

I felt a slight hint of pain in my ankle. Sixzen must have sprained my ankle. I bit my lower lip. I should finish this game and reach the finish line no matter what. I’m so near yet the finish line feels so far.

1 meter

Here I come…