The crowd fell dead quiet. No one moved a muscle, no one could.
The Second Tier E-Rank Z-Streamer that stepped onto the platform stood in place, frozen from fear. He turned pale and the blood drained from his face.
STEP.
STEP.
The red-haired Z-Streamer's footsteps echoed throughout the temple halls. Its sound alone pierced into everyone like a dagger.
Standing still, Min-ho watched as he walked closer to the remaining Second Tier Z-Streamer, who was practically made of stone.
He flinched when the red-hair's hand reached out for him. But he did not move still. The red-hair placed his hand on the Second Tier's shoulder.
"You don't have to worry," he said, then turned his gaze to the crowd. "I don't appreciate needless bloodshed."
He let go of the Second Tier's shoulder, then he walked toward the edge of the elevated platform, his hands behind him.
"You are all aware of the way things work in the Z-Tower. Groups are formed, with the strongest leading the charge. Most times these leaders are Second Tiers."
Min-ho listened carefully, his fear giving way to intrigue.
"Well things will be slightly different from now on. For one, it will be mandatory for every single high ranking Z-Streamer here to join my team. Refusal is not an option."
Gasps and silent murmurs floated into the air, Min-ho said nothing, he continued to listen quietly while weighing his options.
"If I discover that one of you is a Second Tier E-Rank and did not join my team, then you will be nothing more than a threat to me and so, I will immediately do away with you."
The murmurs grew ever so slightly, but not to the degree that Gun-hee would perceive annoying.
"Now, for those of you lower than Second Tier, you are free to choose whether to join my team or not. But if you do, you will be provided with protection and free coins on a daily basis."
The murmurs grew once more, this time the words swaying across the crowd were seemingly in favor of Gun-hee.
Noticing the sudden change in attitude toward Gun-hee, Min-ho frowned, as he felt disgust for everyone. How quickly they had forgotten what this Z-Streamer had just done.
Min-ho on the other hand was not buying any of it. And he wasn't going to join Gun-hee's team even if he handed him a billion coins on the spot.
"But in order to join my team, you will have to have something to offer."
The course of the murmurs once again changed direction in disfavor of Gun-hee.
Min-ho couldn't help but grimace.
'Thought so.'
"Either you will be willing to partake in a Nightshade streaming with me, or have an Affinity that will have some form of value to me."
"Nightshade streaming?"
"Does he know what he's asking?"
"He is handsome though."
"If he wants a Nightshade stream to protect me, then I don't see why not."
The murmurs proceeded, the bulk of their conversation aimed at the Nightshade streaming and barely on the Affinity aspect.
Just about having enough of this, Min-ho wanted to be anywhere but here.
"So let me get this straight!" Min-ho yelled, quieting the crowd and drawing everyone's attention toward him.
Gun-hee turned his sights to Min-ho, and though he had thought his fear for the man had waned, staring directly into his blue eyes reaffirmed one thing in Min-ho — this man could still do away with him in the blink of an eye.
Trying to keep it together, Min-ho spoke up, albeit with a little more respect than he initially intended.
"You said that we aren't forced to join you if we aren't Second Tier E-Ranks right?" Min-ho asked.
Gun-hee stared at him for a second too long, before he finally spoke.
"That is correct," Gun-hee affirmed.
"Then there's no reason for me to be here," Min-ho said, forcing every ounce of his will into moving his legs.
Unfortunately, everyone saw the hesitation in him, right before his strength kicked in and he began to walk out of the crowd.
'This is a circus and I want no part in any of it,' Min-ho thought, as he rose a hand to his bleeding mouth.
The pain he had completely forgotten, as he was so consumed by fear.
'Fucking bastard,' Min-ho thought, as his heart rate began to spike due to the only sound present being his footsteps, echoing across the massive hall.
Also, he could feel everyone's eyes on him, which made him more than uncomfortable.
Not too long after he began to walk away, the sound of another pair of legs reverberated throughout the hall, pausing Min-ho for a second.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Savior likewise walking away from the fury of people.
After Savior, her friend followed. And after her friend, another Z-Streamer began to walk away.
One by one, Z-Streamers left the massive crowd, each of them scattering toward their own destination in the temple.
But Savior, her friend and a few others were following Min-ho.
He didn't know what to make of it, but he didn't care at the moment. His thoughts were fixated on Gun-hee.
"Yes you may all leave." Gun-hee spoke, freezing everyone in place. "But if I discover one of you leaving is a Second Tier... you won't be surviving this Tower for long."
Gun-hee said, his words like sharp steel slicing into those walking away.
There seemed to be a hint of ire in his words, which was mostly directed toward Min-ho.
He didn't even need to turn around, because he could already feel Gun-hee's gaze on him.
'I hope I didn't just make an enemy today.' Min-ho thought, as he finally exited the main hall of the temple for an equally massive hallway.