When the alarm sounded at the internment camp, Rayan, who had already sprinted to the port, heard it and immediately realized his escape had been discovered.
There was no time to waste. He had to get on a ship as fast as possible.
At the port, three or four ships were docked. He had no way of knowing which one was heading to Paradis Island. But after a moment of careful observation, he noticed several people wearing armbands carrying barrels from a nearby warehouse onto one of the ships.
The armbands marked them as "Honorary Marleyans." In reality, even if Honorary Marleyans joined the army, they were only assigned the dirtiest and most exhausting tasks. On the battlefield, they were used as cannon fodder. In extreme cases, they would be injected with spinal fluid and turned into mindless Titans, slaughtering enemies and allies alike without distinction.
Among all the Honorary Marleyans, only the families of the "Warriors" who held the power of the Nine Titans lived slightly better lives. But even they were constantly monitored by the Marleyan military. If a Warrior showed the slightest sign of betrayal, their entire family would be executed immediately.
They were nothing more than hostages to keep the Warriors in line.
The irony was painful. The Eldians were branded as devils, yet the Marleyans relied on their power to conquer other nations, making the Eldians' reputation sink even lower. Redemption was a dream they could never reach.
Rayan tried to act casual as he moved, but he was already extremely tense. His appearance was too distinct. If the news from the internment camp reached the port, the soldiers would recognize and capture him instantly.
He had to find the right ship quickly.
"I say, how many are we loading this time?"
"Heard it is over thirty."
"Sigh, all our people."
"Shhh Are you crazy? If the Marleyans hear you, we are dead. Straight back to the internment camp, branded devils."
"Yeah yeah, devils, all devils..."
Two soldiers wearing armbands carried barrels onto the ship while whispering nervously. Overhearing their conversation, Rayan immediately confirmed this was the ship he needed. However, after noticing several Marleyan soldiers standing guard near the gangway, he hesitated for a moment, then turned and ran toward the cargo hold.
Unlike the ships, the cargo hold was completely unguarded. After all, this was a military port. Who would dare steal anything here? The thought alone was laughable.
Rayan easily slipped into the warehouse. Moments earlier, he had seen the two Eldians carrying barrels from this place. Seizing the opportunity while they were gone, he ran to the corner of the warehouse, opened a wooden barrel, and quickly peeked inside.
It was filled with black bread.
Without hesitation, he shoved the barrel over, spilling the bread onto the ground. He then used other barrels to block the sightline and dragged the empty one to the front. Swiftly, he climbed inside and closed the lid.
Thanks to his small, thin body, he managed to curl up tightly within the barrel.
Before long, he heard footsteps approaching and stopping right in front of him. Because he had positioned the barrel he hid in at the front, the two workers immediately picked it up.
"Why is this one so heavy?"
"Yeah, I thought so too."
"Should we open it and check?"
Inside the barrel, Rayan gripped the pistol hidden in his pocket, his nerves taut as steel wire.
"Forget it. If the Marleyans catch us, they will think we are trying to steal food. You know how it is. No reasoning, just a whipping. And if we talk back, it is straight to the internment camp."
"Yeah... you are right."
The two grumbled as they carried the barrel onto the ship and placed it into the lowest storage compartment.
Just then, Rayan heard a sudden commotion outside.
"Anyone see a kid around here? Teenager, military uniform?"
"A kid? I think I saw someone earlier but he vanished in an instant."
"That is him The bastard is hiding somewhere in the port. Damn it he killed Major General Moustafa's son. The Major General is furious Search Search Search"
"Yes sir"
The chaotic clamor outside grew louder, and Rayan's heart pounded against his chest like a drum. If the ship did not set sail soon, he would be discovered.
He understood all too well what fate awaited him if caught. The boy he killed was a major general's son. They would not just execute him. They would torture him until death seemed a mercy.
There was nothing he could do now but pray that the search parties would not tear apart the ship's storage hold.
Voices shouted. Heavy boots pounded the dock. Doors were flung open and slammed shut. Soldiers cursed and barked orders, but no one had found him yet.
Finally, a group of soldiers stormed onto the ship and began searching from the bridge downward.
"Hey, I told you there is no kid on my ship," a gruff voice said. It sounded like the captain. "I have been standing at the hatch the whole time. Unless that kid can fly, there is no way he slipped past me."
"You cannot be sure," a soldier grunted.
The soldiers reached the storage room, looking at the twenty or so barrels stacked neatly.
"These are..." one muttered suspiciously.
"Food," the captain snapped. "We are heading to paradise tomorrow. Need supplies for the journey."
The soldier nodded but reached out and tugged at the lid of a barrel. It fell with a loud thud, sending canned meat scattering across the floor.
"Ouch"
The captain looked furious.
"I told you it is food. Now look what you have done. We have to pick all that up You think you can do whatever you want because you serve Major General Moustafa Let me tell you something My direct superior is Commander Kaff of the Navy"
The guard glared at the mess on the ground, then sighed.
"This ship is heading to paradise tomorrow?"
"Yeah," the captain said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "That brat must have a death wish if he wants to sneak onto this ship. You want to become a devil too?"
The soldier nodded, said nothing, and left the storage hold with his men.
"Ptooey Damn mutts barking because of who they serve," the captain spat once they were gone. He muttered a few more curses and ordered the crew to clean up the mess before returning to the deck.
Curled up tightly in the barrel, Rayan finally let out a long breath of relief.
But fear still gripped his heart.
The barrel that was overturned had been the one right next to him. If they had chosen just a little differently, he would have been exposed.
Even with the pistol hidden in his pocket, he stood no chance against multiple armed soldiers. One gunshot would have alerted everyone at the port.
He would have died before even stepping onto the ocean.
For now, he was safe. He had survived this ordeal.
All that remained was to endure the night. If the ship could set sail tomorrow as planned, his chances of survival would grow much higher.
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