The cafeteria was enveloped in an eerie silence. Hundreds of survivors sat frozen, their eyes glued to the holographic screens projected from their Ark Bracelets.

The soft blue glow illuminated their stunned faces, and even the sounds of eating had come to a halt. It felt as though time had stopped the moment the silver symbol of the Ark appeared before them.

Gradually, words began to emerge beneath the symbol, one line at a time.

-----

[ARK EMERGENCY SURVIVAL BROADCAST]

Attention survivors within Apex City.

A secure survival shelter known as the Noah Ark has officially opened.

Current Status: Operational.

Food, medical treatment, shelter, electricity, and protected residential zones are available. All survivors seeking refuge may proceed toward the designated Ark coordinates.

-------

As this message unfolded, a three-dimensional digital map emerged on screen. Roads, collapsed highways, blocked streets, and safe routes glowed in blue lines while dangerous infected zones were marked in ominous red. The map spanned a significant area of Apex City, leading directly to the hidden location of the Ark.

Many survivors widened their eyes at the sight of familiar roads and districts they once traversed daily before everything changed.

The message continued.

-------

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

All survivors entering the Ark must pass through mandatory screening and quarantine procedures.

Infected individuals will be denied entry immediately.

All weapons, dangerous substances, and unstable materials will be confiscated upon arrival.

Violent behavior inside the Ark will not be tolerated.

Another line appeared shortly after.

PRIORITY ENTRY CONDITIONS:

Priority will be given to:

- Young and physically capable individuals.

- Engineers, researchers, medical workers, teachers, agricultural specialists, mechanics, programmers, and skilled labor personnel.

- Military personnel and police officers willing to join combat divisions.

- Survivors with useful technical or survival skills.

Children, elderly individuals, and injured civilians can still apply for entry, but the processing priority may vary based on the current capacity of the Ark. The final line appeared slowly afterward: those who reach the Ark and pass the screening process will be accepted as Ark Citizens.

Survive. Adapt. Live.

--------

For nearly five seconds, silence enveloped the cafeteria as everyone absorbed what they had just read. Some glanced back at the map while others stared blankly at the message, unsure if they were truly reading it correctly.

Then, chaos erupted, the cafeteria exploded into noise.

"What the hell?!"

"They released the Ark’s location?!"

"Is this real?"

"Oh my god... people outside can see this too?!"

"Doesn’t that mean..."

Voices overlapped in a cacophony of panic, excitement, confusion, and hope. The calm atmosphere from earlier vanished entirely. Chairs scraped loudly across the floor as survivors hurriedly opened communication menus on their bracelets.

A middle-aged woman suddenly stood up from her table with trembling hands.

"My daughter..." she whispered desperately. "My daughter is still outside..."

Without hesitation, she began trying to make a call.

That single action ignited a spark throughout the cafeteria.

People suddenly realized something crucial: if the internet was still functioning, then communication was possible.

The realization hit everyone almost simultaneously. Survivors throughout the cafeteria began making frantic calls, some reaching out to family members while others scoured social media feeds or emergency broadcasts in search of someone still alive. The once orderly cafeteria devolved into chaos.

"Pick up... please pick up..."

"Dad! Can you hear me?!"

"I’m alive! I’m inside the Ark!"

"Come here! Follow the map!"

Some calls connected successfully while others failed completely. Tears streamed down faces as some survivors heard familiar voices on the other end; others stared in despair at repeated failed connection attempts, their expressions growing pale.

A young man near the back dropped his bracelet onto the table after several unsuccessful tries, his shoulders shaking quietly while those around him avoided eye contact. Nearby, another woman cried openly as she spoke through her bracelet, desperately trying to explain how to navigate using the holographic map.

The atmosphere became overwhelming very quickly.

Even Professor Albert and his companions looked shaken by it all. Albert stared at the broadcast for several moments before adjusting his glasses slowly; his expression had turned serious.

"What is the Commander thinking..." he muttered under his breath. "Releasing the Ark’s location like this... doesn’t he understand how dangerous it is?"

James frowned deeply as he studied the floating map. "He definitely understands," he replied after a moment’s pause. "Someone capable of building this place wouldn’t overlook something so obvious."

Selene crossed her arms lightly, her gaze locked on the message. "But Professor Albert is right," she said calmly. "This place is essentially paradise compared to the outside world. Once people find out it exists, they’ll come, no matter what."

Rose nodded slowly this time, her earlier humor fading. "And not all of them will be desperate civilians," she added quietly. "There will definitely be dangerous people too."

Albert exhaled slowly and leaned back in his chair. "Exactly. Criminals, gangs, armed groups... even desperate survivors can pose a threat once panic sets in. If large crowds gather around the Ark, things could spiral out of control very quickly."

A heavy silence settled over the table as they all acknowledged that possibility.

The Ark was safe. It offered food, shelter, electricity, medicine, security, and advanced technology far beyond anything left outside. To survivors trapped in the apocalypse, this place would seem like heaven.

And humans... Humans were capable of terrible things when survival was at stake.

Just as Albert was about to speak again, Rose suddenly narrowed her eyes while scrolling through the information once more.

"Wait," she said abruptly.

The others turned their attention to her.

Rose pointed at the lower section of the broadcast. "Look closely."

Albert frowned slightly before reading through the details again with the others. A few moments later, James’s expression shifted faintly.

"The broadcast range..." he murmured.

Selene caught on too. "It’s limited."

Rose nodded eagerly. "Exactly! The information wasn’t released globally." She gestured toward one of the smaller details on the holographic display. "See? It specifically states that the emergency signal is restricted to Apex City network coverage only."

Albert’s eyes widened slightly behind his glasses as he re-read the information carefully.

It was true.

The broadcast hadn’t been sent across the country or even across the province, only within Apex City itself.

James still frowned but his expression softened a bit compared to earlier. "That reduces some risk," he admitted. "But it’s still dangerous; Apex City originally had tens of millions of residents."

"And many are still alive," Selene added quietly.

James nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Once enough people learn about this place, movement toward the Ark will begin immediately. Some will be ordinary survivors... but some won’t."

His gaze drifted slowly across the cafeteria while chaos reigned around them.

"This place is basically the last stable sanctuary in the city," he continued calmly. "Food, shelter, electricity, protection... people will kill for something like this now."

The others fell silent at his words because James wasn’t wrong.

Outside the Ark, civilization had already crumbled; society no longer existed and laws held little weight anymore. Fear and desperation were beginning to overshadow reason among people.

Yet...

At the same time, none of them could genuinely say that releasing the information was wrong. Outside the Ark, countless people were still fighting to survive, families, children, friends, and loved ones. There were individuals hiding in the shadows, lacking food, medicine, or any glimmer of hope.

After a long silence, Albert let out a soft sigh. "Maybe..." he began slowly, "maybe this is just the reality we’re facing now. Dangerous or not... people deserve a chance to survive."

Selene lowered her gaze slightly but nodded in agreement.

Rose leaned back in her chair and rubbed her forehead lightly. "Honestly..." she murmured, "I don’t even know what the right answer is anymore."

James quietly stared at the glowing screen on his bracelet. After several long moments of contemplation, he finally spoke up.

"Maybe the Commander understands all of this better than we do," he said calmly. "This Ark didn’t survive by chance."

The others turned their attention toward him as he continued softly, "If he chose to release the information despite knowing the risks... then he’s likely already prepared for what comes next."

Silence enveloped the table once more. Around them, the cafeteria buzzed with chaos as survivors desperately tried to reach their loved ones outside the Ark; hope and fear intertwined beneath the harsh glow of artificial lights.

And somewhere beyond the walls of the Ark... across the ruined streets of Apex City... phones began lighting up one after another with that same silver symbol.