Apocalypse Transmigration - The Card Captor System

When Leo next opened his eyes, he found himself inside a dimly lit steel container.

Groaning softly, he rubbed the back of his neck. A dull throbbing pain still lingered where he had been struck.

He slowly looked around.

The container was packed with children.

Hundreds of them.

Some had already awakened and sat huddled together, their small bodies trembling with fear. Others still lay unconscious on the cold metal floor.

Leo’s heart tightened.

Even he couldn’t stop his own hands from trembling.

He had no idea where they had been taken... or what awaited them.

Just then, he felt movement beside him.

Turning his head, he saw Lia slowly opening her eyes.

She blinked groggily several times before her blurry vision finally focused on Leo.

The next instant, she threw herself into his arms.

”Waaah...”

”Big Brother Leo...”

”What... what’s going to happen to us?”

”Are those bad people going to kill us?”

Her sobbing soon woke Selena as well.

Although Leo was terrified himself, he refused to let it show.

He hugged Lia tightly and gently patted her back.

”Don’t worry.”

”Don’t cry.”

”I’m here.”

”I’ll protect you.”

”I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Hearing those familiar words, Lia gradually calmed down.

She wiped away her tears with her tiny hands and nodded obediently.

Ever since they had met at the orphanage, Leo had always protected her.

Whenever the older children bullied her, he was the first to stand in front of her.

Whenever delicious food was handed out, he always gave her the larger portion.

Whenever she got hurt, he was the one who comforted her.

To Lia...

Leo wasn’t simply an older brother.

He was the safest place in the world.

Suddenly—

Bwooooom!

A loud horn echoed outside the container.

Moments later, the entire container shook violently.

About twenty minutes later...

The heavy steel doors slowly swung open.

Bright light flooded inside.

The men from the orphanage entered one after another.

Their cold gazes swept across the frightened children.

The atmosphere instantly became suffocating.

One of the men walked directly toward Leo.

Without saying a word—

Bang!

His boot slammed into Leo’s chest.

Leo was sent flying backward before crashing heavily against the steel wall.

Pain shot through his entire body.

The man sneered.

”So...”

”You’re the fierce little brat, aren’t you?”

Leo slowly raised his head.

His pupils immediately contracted.

The man was gripping Lia by her hair.

Tears streamed down the little girl’s face as she cried in pain.

Leo immediately climbed to his feet and rushed forward.

The man calmly drew a knife and pressed the cold blade against Lia’s cheek.

”Stop.”

”If you take even one more step...”

The knife slowly slid across her delicate skin before stopping just beneath her eye.

”...I’ll personally carve every inch of skin off this little girl’s face.”

A sinister smile spread across his lips.

”You wouldn’t want that to happen...”

”...just because you decided to play the hero again.”

Leo froze.

His fists trembled violently.

After several long seconds...

He slowly lowered them.

”...Let her go.”

”I’ll do whatever you say.”

”Just don’t hurt her.”

The man laughed.

”Good.”

”Remember your own words.”

”Don’t blame me later.”

With that, he released Lia and walked out of the container.

The moment he left, Leo rushed over and tightly hugged the trembling little girl.

”It’s okay.”

”You’re safe.”

”I won’t let them hurt you.”

”I promise.”

Lia buried her face against his chest and cried.

Selena quietly knelt beside them, gently comforting her until she finally calmed down.

...

Five hours later...

The container doors opened once again.

Rows of armed men entered and began forcing the children outside.

Only after stepping out did Leo realize where they had been all this time.

They had been transported aboard an enormous cargo ship.

The sky above was pitch black.

Night had already fallen.

After every child had disembarked, they were herded into several large transport trucks.

Remembering the earlier threat, Leo didn’t resist this time.

Silently, he held Lia’s hand and climbed into one of the trucks alongside Selena.

As soon as everyone was seated, each child was handed a simple meal.

A bottle of water.

And a small box of plain white rice.

The children had gone hungry for hours.

Without a single complaint, they quietly finished every grain.

The trucks soon began moving.

Leo had no idea how long they had been traveling.

At some point, Lia fell asleep with her head resting on his lap.

Gradually...

The temperature inside the truck continued to drop.

Leo could feel Lia shivering in her sleep.

Without hesitation, he took off his own T-shirt and carefully wrapped it around her small body.

He silently endured the cold himself.

Eventually, the truck came to a halt.

The rear doors swung open.

One by one, the children climbed down.

The instant Leo stepped outside, an icy gust of wind struck his face.

He instinctively shivered.

Looking around, he finally understood why the temperature had dropped so dramatically.

They were standing inside a vast valley hidden deep within a mountain range.

Towering snow-capped peaks surrounded them on every side.

Their white summits disappeared into the night sky.

Straight ahead stood an enormous black steel gate.

It stretched dozens of meters into the air like the entrance to a fortress.

Carved into the stone above it were three enormous words.

HALL OF MERCENARIES

Soon, the children were herded through the massive gates.

The moment they stepped inside, Leo couldn’t help but look around.

The Hall of Mercenaries was far larger than he had imagined.

Rows of sturdy wooden buildings stretched across the valley, their roofs blanketed with fresh snow. Stone pathways connected every structure, while towering watchtowers stood at strategic points, overlooking the entire compound.

Despite the freezing weather, the place was anything but quiet.

On the training grounds, countless youths and adults practiced relentlessly.

Some sparred with swords.

Others fired bows at distant targets.

Several groups trained hand-to-hand, their fists and feet colliding with loud thuds that echoed across the valley.

The air was filled with the sounds of shouting, clashing steel, and disciplined commands.

No one laughed.

No one chatted.

Everyone wore serious expressions as they trained with unwavering focus.

Soon, Leo and the other children were led into a vast wooden hall.

At the far end of the room sat an elderly man upon a throne-like chair carved from dark wood.

His long gray hair was tied neatly behind his back, while a well-groomed goatee rested against his chest.

He appeared to be around sixty or seventy years old.

Yet despite his age, his back remained perfectly straight, and his broad frame radiated vitality.

His sharp eyes swept across the children.

Many instinctively lowered their heads, unable to meet his gaze.

An oppressive silence filled the hall.

Then the old man finally spoke.

”Welcome...”

”...to the Hall of Mercenaries.”

His calm voice echoed throughout the hall.

”You may address me as the Grand Elder.”

”From this day onward...”

”...this place will be your new home.”

”Tonight, you will be taken to your respective dormitories to rest.”

”But beginning tomorrow...”

”...your true lives will begin.”

”You will obey every rule.”

”You will complete every task assigned to you.”

”Those who follow the rules...”

”...will continue living.”

He paused briefly.

A faint smile slowly appeared on his aged face.

”But those who fail...”

”...need not ask what awaits them.”

”You will experience it for yourselves.”

His smile widened ever so slightly.

”In fact...”

”I sincerely hope some of you fail.”

”So you can become examples...”

”...for everyone else.”

The hall fell deathly silent.

Not a single child dared to breathe too loudly.

The Grand Elder slowly leaned back in his chair before waving his hand dismissively.

”You are all dismissed.”

Immediately, several instructors stepped forward and began escorting the frightened children toward their assigned dormitories.

As Leo followed the crowd, he couldn’t shake the feeling that...

The nightmare had only just begun.