LOSS System: Last Store Standing

Elias didn’t let go. Instead, he pulled Jack back.

“What are you getting the submachine gun for?”

Jack struggled against his grip.

“I’m going to save that calf!”

“You can save it,” Elias said. “But only if you can guarantee that you’ll kill every last Ashen Hyena.”

Jack stared at him in disbelief.

“Why? I’m not trying to kill them. I just want to drive them away.”

“And then what?” Elias asked.

Jack had no answer. His attention remained fixed on the scene in the distance.

The adult elk was still trying to reach the calf. It knocked aside two Ashen Hyenas in succession, but one of them tore open its hind leg in the process. More hyenas quickly filled the gap and forced the elk back again.

The calf lay in the sand, repeatedly struggling to get up, only to be knocked down each time.

Jack grew even more desperate.

“Can’t we save it first and worry about the rest later?”

“They need to survive too,” Elias said grimly. “If you drive them away, they’ll just look for other prey. It could be the remaining Ashback Elk, or the Dustchucks, the Gray-Eared Jump Hares, or even us.”

“But we can’t just do nothing.”

“What exactly are we supposed to do?” Henry walked over without taking his eyes off the pack. “The strong prey on the weak. That’s how nature works.”

Jack instinctively glanced beneath the canopy.

Everyone else had already tightened their grips on their weapons, watching the Ashen Hyenas tensely. The Gray-Eared Jump Hares had hidden behind the wooden crates and supplies, while the Dustchucks crowded together, no longer daring to approach the pit.

Henry continued, “Even if you save this one, what about the next? And the one after that?”

Jack opened his mouth, but no answer came.

“Jack, humanity’s destruction of the natural ecosystem is a major reason the world ended up like this. Do you really want to make the same mistake again?”

Jack turned back toward the distant struggle, his hands clenched into fists.

“So we can only stand here and watch?”

Elias remained silent for a moment.

Then he released Jack and said nothing more.

Jack watched the calf continue struggling and finally abandoned the thought of saving it. He knew Elias and Henry were right. Even if he managed to save the calf, the chain of consequences caused by his interference was not something he could bear.

In the distance, the injured adult elk charged toward the calf again. It lowered its head and knocked aside the Ashen Hyena blocking its path, only to be surrounded by the others. One clamped its jaws around the elk’s injured hind leg, while two more slammed into its shoulder and flank.

The elk staggered several steps and nearly collapsed. It had no choice but to turn and drive them back with its antlers.

But more Ashen Hyenas quickly filled the gap, once again placing themselves between the adult and the calf.

The calf struggled to its feet and called urgently toward the adult. Farther away, deep calls came from the retreating herd.

Dragging its injured hind leg, the adult elk paced in place for a moment. It tried taking several steps forward, but the Ashen Hyenas surrounding the calf immediately lowered their bodies, ready to attack again.

The elk finally stopped trying.

It turned and limped after the herd already disappearing into the distance.

Without the adult’s protection, the calf was soon completely surrounded. It tried several times to stand, but the Ashen Hyena holding its hind leg refused to let go. Another lunged onto the calf and knocked it down again.

Its cries grew weaker.

At last, one of the larger Ashen Hyenas clamped its jaws around the side of the calf’s neck. The calf’s legs struggled several times before gradually going still.

The surrounding Ashen Hyenas didn’t immediately rush in to fight over the kill. Several remained beside the prey, while others spread out and watched the retreating elk and the people beneath the canopy.

The rest crossed the hoof-marked sand and headed toward the pit. They lowered their heads and drank deeply, while the heavy scent of blood on their bodies continued drifting through the hot wind.

Even after the hunt ended, the Ashen Hyenas kept their distance from the trading post. They didn’t approach the canopy or attack the Dustchucks and Gray-Eared Jump Hares hiding nearby. They simply guarded their prey, drank from the pit, and rested.

After some time, the Ashen Hyenas beside the calf gradually rose.

Once the others had regrouped after drinking, two of them took hold of the calf and dragged it toward the depths of the wasteland.

The rest of the pack spread out around them and followed.

The largest Ashen Hyena walked at the front. It turned its head toward the people beneath the canopy and watched them for a moment before letting out a low call.

The pack continued into the wasteland.

Before long, the gray-white and dark brown figures disappeared once more into the rolling heat haze. Only the trail left by the calf’s body remained, stretching from the pit into the distance.

The people beneath the canopy didn’t begin to relax until the final Ashen Hyena had vanished.

The Dustchucks were still crowded near the wooden crates and made no attempt to return to the pit. The Gray-Eared Jump Hares hiding behind the supplies merely poked their heads out, staring warily in the direction the pack had gone.

Jack remained where he was, following the drag marks with his eyes.

For a long time, he said nothing.

Then he turned and walked toward the convenience store without a word.

Megan quickly followed.

They returned to the second floor one after the other. Jack sat down on the couch with his head lowered and remained silent.

Seeing him like this hurt Megan. She sat beside him and gently wrapped her arms around him.

Jack allowed her to hold him. After a while, he quietly asked, “Am I being childish?”

Megan cupped his face in her hands and turned him toward her.

“Jack, you’re not childish. You’re just too kind.”

Jack gave a self-mocking smile.

“But I almost got everyone killed because of that kindness.”

“Then you need to protect them even more carefully,” Megan said. “Remember what I told you this morning? With great power comes great responsibility.”

Jack looked at her without speaking.

“You’re already doing better than you think,” Megan continued softly. “You’ve given us, the Dustchucks, the Gray-Eared Jump Hares, and those Ashback Elk a chance to survive. The refugees too.”

She paused.

“You know, seeing you like this hurts me too.”

Jack stared at her.

Only then did he suddenly realize that, without him noticing, Megan had become the person who affected him more than anyone else.

Whenever she felt lost or helpless, it hurt him too. When she smiled, his own mood somehow improved with hers. When someone harassed or threatened her, he felt a fury so intense that it almost seemed unfamiliar to him.

Jack had never stopped to think about why.

Or perhaps he had simply refused to think about it in that way.

But now Megan had openly admitted that his pain hurt her too.

Jack could no longer dismiss everything between them as simple friendship.

Looking at Megan so close beside him, he reached out and gently placed his hand over hers.

Megan paused but didn’t pull away.

“I’m sorry, Megan.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Jack.” She shook her head.

“I’m apologizing because I’ve been an idiot.”

Megan looked at him in surprise.

Jack fell silent for a moment before continuing.

“When you hid in your room and cried, it hurt me too. When you finally pulled yourself together, I was happy with you. And when Derek harassed and threatened you, I couldn’t even control my anger.”

His voice gradually softened.

“Just now, you said it hurt you to see me like this. That was when I finally realized I’ve been hurting for you all along too.”

“I should have understood what all of this meant a long time ago. It shouldn’t have taken me until now.”

Jack took her hand and met her eyes.

“Megan, I like you.”

Megan looked at him, her gaze gradually softening.

After a moment, she reached out and pulled him into her arms again.

“I like you too.”

Jack went still for a moment before slowly raising his arms and holding her.

Neither of them said anything else. They simply remained in each other’s arms, and this time, neither was the first to let go.

Neither of them knew how much time had passed before they finally separated.

A hint of shyness remained on Megan’s face, but her eyes never left Jack.

Jack smiled gently and leaned down to kiss her softly.

“We should go back downstairs,” he said. “Elias and the others are probably worried.”

Megan nodded.

They remained upstairs for a little while longer before walking down together, hand in hand.

When they returned beneath the canopy, Elias, Henry, and the others were still nearby.

Elias looked at Jack.

“You all right?”

Jack nodded.

“I’m fine. I’ve had time to calm down.”

He looked at Elias, then turned toward Henry.

“Thank you for stopping me. I lost my head back there.”

Henry shook his head.

“That was a natural reaction. No one blames you.”

“Even so, I almost made a serious mistake,” Jack said. “You were right. Some consequences are more than I can bear.”

Elias reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

“What matters is that you understand that now.”

Jack nodded and was about to respond when Cass suddenly spoke.

“So, what’s going on with you two?”

Jack blinked, then looked down at their joined hands.

He turned toward Megan.

She didn’t let go. She simply watched him quietly.

Jack quickly made his decision and stepped forward with her.

“Actually, there’s something I want to tell everyone.”

Every pair of eyes immediately turned toward him.

Jack tightened his grip on Megan’s hand.

“Megan and I are officially together now.”