For the group outside the gates, the sight of the shelter’s walls was almost surreal.

They had been walking for days, nerves stretched thin, unsure if they would find shelter or another ruin.

At first, many of them hesitated, afraid that approaching might trigger automated defenses or worse... another squad of Sentinels.

Henry, Nadia, and Enzo stood at the front. Unlike the others, they weren’t born in this world. They were Foreign Survivors, transmigrated into the apocalypse from different lives, forced to adapt quickly or die in this world.

Henry had once been a soldier in his original world...

His instincts kept the group alive during ambushes, and his tactical sense made him their natural leader. He carried a battered rifle across his back, but his watchful eyes were his true weapon. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Nadia had been a medic before the apocalypse claimed her old life.

She was calm under pressure, resourceful, and had saved more than a few of their companions with improvised treatments. Her pack was filled not with food but with bandages, herbs, and salvaged medical kits. She was the heart of the group, the one who kept them alive as long as they were still breathing.

But Enzo was different. He was a mechanic by trade, and he had a knack for machines and systems. In this world, that skill had become invaluable. He could strip down broken drones, rewire circuits, and even repair damaged weapons. His hands were always stained with grease, but he was a core member of this small group.

Together, the three had kept their ragged band alive through the Grid Region’s shelter’s collapse. They had watched shelters fall one by one, overwhelmed by A.I. raids or consumed by famine. When the three of the shelters they tried to stay in crumbled, they made the choice to move west, hoping for something better.

Now, standing before an impressive shelter, they realized this place was different. The walls were intact, the guards disciplined, and there seemed to be some immovable cloaked warriors guarding the gates...

This was a ruined shelter...

They immediately felt that this could be a shelter owned by Top Survivors. They had seen the Survivor Leaderboard and monitored it daily.

Right now, they knew the names of all the Top 20 Survivors. Perhaps, if there was one of them in this shelter, it would be in their best interest to join this shelter at all costs.

Henry glanced at Nadia and Enzo. "This is it. If they’re human, we try our chance. We can’t keep wandering."

Nadia nodded while clutching her pack tighter. "We need a roof over our heads before nightfall. The children won’t last another day outside."

Enzo exhaled as he scanned the defenses. "They’re organized. If we follow them, we might be allowed in."

With that, Henry looked at the oldest survivor in their group. Since the three of them were only mid-twenties, he allowed Johan to step forward and lead the conversation.

Soon, Johan raised his hands to show he wasn’t a threat.

His voice carried across the dust. "We’re survivors. Some of us are merchants. We came from shelters farther east... the Grid Region."

Thankfully, after informing them of their situation, the humans within the shelter understood their situation...

And when the gates finally creaked open, relief washed over them.

Finally, after a few weeks of journey, they saw the possibility of rest, food, and safety...

As they entered the shelter and felt relieved, they realized something horrifying.

The guards who had stood unmoving at the entrance, cloaked, armored, and silent, were not ordinary men!

As Henry’s sharp eyes adjusted, he caught the faint sign of metal beneath the fabric. The way they stood, perfectly still, without even the subtle shifts of breathing, was unnatural.

Nadia froze, her hand tightening on her weapon.

’Machines...’

The thought struck her like a blade. In this world, machines were enemies. Every shelter they had seen fall had been torn apart by Sentinels, Tyrants, and many other machines under A.I. control. To see them here, guarding the gates, was like staring into the jaws of death.

Enzo’s gaze then turned to the massive artillery positioned near the walls. It was several meters long with its barrel pointing to the hill.

He had seen weapons like that before... but only in the hands of the A.I. Army.

’Shit... This place... it’s already conquered. The humans here are probably machines wearing skins, disguises to lure us in.

The group wavered as their steps slowed. Some of the children noticed the nervousness of the adults and knew that something was wrong.

The survivors exchanged nervous glances...

Henry’s instincts screamed at him.

’This is a trap. We’ll be captured, turned into slaves, or worse... meat shields for their war machines.’

His hand hovered near his rifle, though he knew firing now would mean death.

Nadia’s heart pounded. ’If they’re machines, then every smile, every word from the guards is just programming. We walked straight into their nest.’

Enzo looked around... ’We could still escape. The gate isn’t fully closed yet. If we use our Gene Skills, we might break through before they lock us in.’

He glanced at Henry and Nadia, silently calculating the odds.

The tension was suffocating. The survivors who had followed them looked equally terrified, some already shifting their weight as if ready to bolt.

And then, footsteps approached.

Claire arrived, her presence was different from all the other ’Survivors’.

As soon as she arrived, she immediately noticed their pale faces. The way the newcomers stared at the cloaked figures by the gate was unmistakable.

Their eyes were locked on the Sentinels, the machines outfitted in Survivor Gear, standing guard with weapons and armor.

’Oh no...’

She immediately realized what was going on!

"Ahem!" Claire cleared her throat, to get their attention. "Don’t be scared. I’m Claire. If some of you are Foreign Survivors, you should see my name in the Leaderboard. I’ve fallen to Rank 5 right now, though."

She said this with a laugh to ease their tension.

As expected, three of them recognized her name.

At the same time, the rest of the group turned toward Henry, Nadia, and Enzo.

Claire, realizing that they were Foreign Survivors, smiled faintly while gesturing toward the unmoving figures. "The Sentinels you’re seeing are under our control. They’re not enemies. They’re ours."