Gaju - One

Chapter 11 - Second Stage

While Gaju and Tian were cleaning up and tidying up Gaju's belongings in the suitcase, a 'beep' was heard from the bracelet in their hands. A sign that a notification has just been sent by the Manager to all Candidates.

The two 10-year-old children looked at each other and then each opened their mini computer that was used on the wrist.

Soon a red text message was seen on the hollogram screen floating above their bracelet.

"Consideration to all Candidates."

"The current "program has reached the second stage. All Candidates are requested to pay attention to the system changes made to this second stage."

"New regulations are in place for the second stage for all Candidates on the Island."

"From today, the soulmate system is already effectively in place for all Candidates."

"There is no more test system for Candidates that is conducted every 2 months as in the previous preparation period."

"There is no longer any reward in the form of a genetic serum to aid the evolution of brain intelligence or physical abilities for Candidates."

"There is no longer a classroom system and its teachers."

"Library, Laboratory and all Training Facilities are now freely open to all Candidates without any restrictions."

"Out of the food and drink that Canteen still provides, all the needs and training for the Candidates are the responsibility of each."

"Candidates are also encouraged to conduct self-study and research themselves to meet the needs of the knowledge they are interested in."

"There will be no more ranking or value system to be used to rank Candidates."

"The second stage of the Program will have the same duration as the first preparatory stage for two years."

"Over the next two years, the Candidate takes full responsibility for her own safety and security on the Island."

"Examination in the form of elimination will be carried out in two years using the format of combat between teams. Where the team members are the soulmate of each Candidate. The enemy will be determined at random."

"Notifications done."

Gaju and Tian fell silent for a while after reading the announcement they had just received.

Shortly afterwards Tian glanced at Gaju and said quietly, "what do you think?"

Gaju remained silent. He was thinking. Now he realized that his memories of the voice of men saying that they would all kill each other and leave only a few survivors, were coming true.

Indeed, from the announcement was not seen or read clearly, but for people like Gaju and Tian, they both immediately guessed where the direction of the Program on this Island took them.

They were directed to kill each other.

"The program and the Island are very cruel. We are required to kill each other in order to survive," Gaju said slowly after thinking for a while and answered Tian's question.

Tian just lowered his head. He knows it. He had already caught the implicit message from the notification earlier. But Tian was convinced that most of their comrades might not be aware of it.

"How did you know?" tian asked as he lowered his head.

"I knew right away, just as you knew what they meant" replied Gaju.

Tian speechless. The figure of Gaju who is now sitting on the floor of his room between scattered clothes and two pieces of his suitcase was seen covered in dark fog again. Tian can't guess Gaju's character or actions.

How mysterious this boy in front of him was.

Tian sighed then asked in a soft voice towards Gaju, "if you think, what should we do?" ask Tian.

Gaju smiled, "shouldn't you be the strategist? it should be you who decides what our plan is, ", replied Gaju.

Tian lowered his head and did not dare to look towards Gaju. For some reason, in front of this little boy, Tian's ability as a Strategist was lost as impregnated as the earth.

The two of them were still silent among the scattered pile of clothes. Both boys are geniuses. They realized that in accordance with the announcement from the Manager earlier from this moment on, they both inevitably bound themselves alive and dead, in the true sense. Not a figure of speech.

Gaju watched all of Tian's movements and tried to analyze what the genius girl in front of him was planning.

Although they were both 'soulmates' but Gaju did not believe in that concept at all or anything in this world other than himself.

For the past two years, Gaju has been living alone. With or without Tian. It didn't matter to him that they were just soulmates who were mere pretenses.

They will stay together, do activities together and take elimination exams together. But it was only a partner, not a real soulmate where Gaju had to entrust his life to Tian.

Gaju wouldn't do that.

Tian himself looked worried. He had other thoughts with Gaju. He knew that he had to become a Gaju soulmate. Because Gaju was the only Candidate he could not predict. Gaju is the 'x' factor that moves beyond its analysis.

But on the other hand, Tian realized that he felt something else while with Gaju. Everything looks unpredictable, unpredictable. And for a strategist like himself who does focus his advantages to predict everything. Gaju is very interesting.

"Shirt, do you trust me?" tian asked slowly breaking the silence between them.

Gaju shook his head in response.

Tian smiled bitterly but did not ask Gaju the reason at all.

"What do I do to make you believe me?" ask Tian.

"Nothing and can't. I was always alone. Since I can remember something and since we arrived on this Island. I don't know the word 'believe'. There is no one I trust except myself" Gaju said.

"But we have to be soulmates?" refute Tian.

Gaju smiled, "you're the smartest candidate on the Island. You should know we can pretend, right?" answer Gaju.

"I'd rather we be partners" said Gaju, "ayo. There's still a lot to clean and clean, right?" continued.

Tian simply fell silent and went back to work with Gaju. Actually he was confused too. Back when he was looking for Gaju on the beach, Gaju looks very happy when he welcomes his hand.

Yesterday when Tian told him about his frequent attention to Gaju and asked if Gaju would be his soulmate, Gaju also nodded his head.

And this time, the third time Tian asked Gaju the same thing and Tian got a different answer.

Tian was eager to split the head of the boy in front of him and see what he was thinking. How could Tian get different answers to the same question and be asked on different occasions?

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