As the sight before them unfolded, the silence slowly turns into a humming noise from the crowd, confused by the unusual place they were led to.

Even if it’s still a kilometer away from the entrance gate, the distance is seemingly to be insignificant compared to the scale of the entire mining site.

Nonetheless, this morning everything seems to be normal besides the enormous crater before their eyes. Like how the food distribution usually occurred at the South District’s Grand Park, right before the gate of the inner wall. The epitome of South District.

The officials quickly arrange several stands where they list the citizens that come this morning to evenly distribute the food supply. All that’s needed, is an ID Card for them to be able to line up in the food distribution queue.

For that same reason, Zack stands further back behind the massive crowd piling up in front, squeezing their way through the tight quota. Observing from afar.

Little by little, the space between the convoy trucks and the crowd behind is filled with humans lining up in several separate rows.

“Your ID first, sir.” Said them when a man is about to pass the stand nonchalantly. He seems to be in a hurry.

“Ah, my bad. Here.”

The officer harshly grabbed it and read it.

“B-Class, to the front row, sir.”

“T-Thank you!”

The man quickly walks away half running and almost stumbles on his feet. Then, the next person comes forward calmly.

“ID Card, ma’am.”

“Sigh… seriously? You’re still asking me this kind of thing?”

When the officer took a closer look at her ID Card, both of his eyes widened out of guilt. “A-Class…!? Pardon my impudence ma’am! Please, go this way! We will guide you so that you can also take it right away.”

“That’s more like it. You lower beings should pay more attention to such crucial differences here. Talk about time efficiency!”

“Our apologies, ma’am.”

Another officer then comes and accompanies her all the way to a certain truck, with seemingly convenient furnishings from the outside.

“Hey! What’s that about? Why did she can enter and get the supply so easily?!”

A man suddenly raised his voice among the crowd behind. Not even a second, like a falling domino, his frustration spread to the remaining crowd which is already agitated by what they’d seen. Despite all the ruckus that happened, Zack is still observing in silence.

Throughout the colony, citizenship is divided into three main categories, or called class, from A to C classes that are written on each ID Card under their basic information.

The civil recording is based on three aspects. Economic capability, academic achievement, and birthright. The more they excel in those aspects, the more privilege they can get as well as in social relationships.            

However, at the end of the day, there’s still no guarantee that everyone lined up would eventually receive it if it’s already evenly distributed. And what they see today, is just a small example of how the system works.

On the other hand…

“Y’all never give up, do you?!”

“Ack!”

The man collapsed to the ground as the officer beat him up relentlessly with a baton. With torn clothes, bruised body, and fragile legs, he looks miserable.

“How many times do I have to tell you?! There’s no way in hell rats like y’all can easily get away and bring back home the supplies as you please!”

“F-Forgive me! H-Have mercy, puh-please!”

“As if I’d accept it! Know your place damn, rats! Consider yourself lucky to be spared as The Unlisted by us people here!”

Amongst them, a certain number of the population is called The Unlisted. As the name implies, those are people who don’t have their names documented properly by the government nor have physical ID Cards, since to get one, people have to expense a significant amount of their money.

The same goes for their rights and privilege.

Something that’s called the marginal community, is said to be the flaw of society. That’s why the cruel beating still keeps on going until the man doesn’t show any sign of movement. Only god knows if he’s breathing or not at this point.

“Move it.”

Driven by the pent-up vexation, Zack suddenly passed through both the officer and the stand. Nonchalantly walks away with an unnerving aura tailing him.

Catching a glimpse of the intruder, the officer shifts his attention to Zack, swinging the baton high above his head from behind without even hesitating.

“You bastard! Whom the hell permits you to pass through?!”

TACK!

A loud sound came from the hard impact against Zack’s nape.

Both hands on the pockets, standing firmly with his body straight, Zack glances sideways as he resists the opposing’s force downward. Unmoved, with a bone-chilling stare in his grey eyes.

“And whom the f*ck lets you control my life as you please?”

“Guh! You damned rats, just scram already!”

The officer haphazardly swings the baton from all directions toward Zack, as if a drunkard gaping at a beautiful lady. Not even able to stand steadily to chase him off.

Disgustingly miserable.

Zack calmly dodges all the incoming strikes directed to cripple his body. Silently observing the tempered officer with his hands in his pocket. Not even breaking a sweat despite how hard the officer is trying to get at him.

Like a snake hoping to devour the playful hawk high above. What an ironic comedy of life.

“Mind telling me what’s happening here?”

The moment a voice caught their ears, the officer halted all of his movements. Not far from there, a man with a fine appearance and neat black hair is emitting a suppressive atmosphere.

But of course, Zack use this chance to hit the officer’s face gently for some reason.

“H-hey! You dare to hit back the offi- Ack!”

“Would you mind your own manner on this occasion?”

Ding!

“Gah!”

The sense of brotherhood is spreading through the air all of a sudden. 

The most unfortunate incident in the history of mankind just happened to the poor officer. Even from a glance, everyone in the vicinity could feel how painful it is when the officer got kicked in the crotch by his superior, with the eggs cracking one or two.

Even Zack was a bit cringing upon seeing it.

But as the famous saying goes, karma is a b*tch…

At least that helps Zack let off some steam before resignedly being taken away to the further back rows.

Things settled down quickly. Both the officer and his superior walk away from the place where Zack stood before, heading to the truck convoy. From afar, as the last person of what seemed to be an A-Class citizen stepped out from a certain luxurious truck, another person with a big and tall figure appeared from the inside.

Black uniform under a dark coat, resolute stare on his eyes, short grey hair swayed gently, with a firm footing of dominance the moment he stepped outside.

The two from earlier immediately greet that person with much respect as soon they stand face to face.

Not even dare to raise their face against his.

“It’s an honor to meet you this morning, Lieutenant Kruger.”