“Hey Eli!” A four-eyed tall and lean Chinese guy jerks from the hallway. He was holding books of who knows what and walks towards me. “Pretty nervous huh?” He asks noticing how I quivered when I tried to waved my right hand in reply. “More like excited, but yeah I can’t really get past through this little nervousness.” Little? I actually lied. To be honest I’m completely nervous right now. May hands are freezing like ice, my chest weaving in exaggeration, toes curling, and I actually feel like peeing right now. Oh dear god please help me.

“That’s why I really admire you Eli, you’re so vivid for a girl.”—“ Hey!!”I tried glaring but I think I failed. “Was that even a compliment?” I laughed a little.

“Just when did I ever said bad things about you?” He furrowed his attractively thick brows. “Don’t tell me I’ve actually been offending you whenever I praise how a big-eater you are, how you never really comb your hair, how you sweat a lot during training, or how you snore—“”Hey! That’s too much! And since when did I even snore?” He’s basically just joking, I know, since this is his way of making me feel relaxed and it’s actually working. “One time, during intellect class, you dozed and actually snored.”—“Hey I didn’t” I smacked his left arm with little force but he acted like it hurts so much and even stepped back a little. “By the way, Congrats for for being the top trainee! Whatever that mission is, it’ll probably just a piece of cake right?”—“Probably, if it wasn’t this sudden. I mean it wasn’t even 12 hours since I took my oath and I’m off to work already.”—“Something must have been really urgent for them to send newly recognized man-slayer on field.”—“Hey don’t call me that. Killing isn’t my purpose.”—“Yeah I know I know. You’re with all this to combat and ward with rectitude thing. Well, just be careful then. The world out there is pretty dangerous than what you actually think it is.” He seriously stared then transferred his gaze to the floor. “If you don’t kill first, you lose.” His tone was a bit different than I actually know of him but he quickly reverted back to his usual low but nosy tone that made me question myself if I’m just mishearing things. “I mean you should take care of yourself out there. It’s not like here where everyone knows you, kay?” With a pat on my head, he left but looked back so quickly when I called him. "Thanks Sicheng!" He smiled widely.

I’m tired as hell. I haven’t even had enough sleep. I was awake all night already thinking what awaits outside Quartz and this debut mission. When I say outside, I mean outside this home-based facility of Quartz. And when I say home-based, I mean Dranus John Welch’s own property. Dranus who leads us all in Quartz, alongside Taiga, Jin, and Uncle Tom. And yes, Uncle Tom is my uncle slash father another slash for only family. My parents died from car accident so Uncle Tom took me in and brought me here in Quartz so I never really knew who my parents were. Also, I never really knew what life was outside Quartz, wanna know why?

Well, basically based on Intel Class, our homeland is divided in two social class, we have the Saffron, which obviously is the class of rich people that reeks money. They’re all so rich that their population is just a mere 15% percent of the whole nation’s. Miss Jin said it’s planned to be petty in number so they wouldn’t fight over and compete against each other. The lesser they are, the easier it is for them to unite. It is to make them get along and have the one same interest which is the destruction of the Weeds. Weeds, the second class, literally just like a weed. They’re the poor ones and in contrast with rich, they reek hunger and lack of almost every necessity like food and shelter.

They weren’t just divided in terms of status but as well as in geography. Weeds aren’t allowed to enter in the first-class division in any way. In short, they weren’t given the leisure for improvement. You’ll be born and die as a Weed. That’s the rotten system this nation has. My uncle even said that the life out there with the Weeds couldn’t be more miserable than it already is right now.

If you’re wondering, yes I am a Weed so do is my Uncle. Everyone here is a Weed except for some special persons, like Dranus and Taiga. They’re both Saffrons but it’s their different philosophy that got them here and recruit Weeds to battle this rotten system.

Also based from Intel class, Quartz has already been working for years even before Uncle Tom brought me here. It’s a battle against the government that has been recognized by the nation as one of its greatest fight. Michael Quartz, who started this movement along with all the Weeds and also this facility fought against the Prolocutor, Martin Von Sprouse. The Quartz lost, and it is our late Chief Michael who passed away during the war. Some of the outstanding leaders of Quartz were also caught and publicly executed in front of every Weed. And that was when the Weeds lost it. The last hope that Michael Quartz ignited was drowned by grief and fear of the government.

Years passed and the Quartz went silent. The Prolocutor would be a fool for thinking Quartz’s has already died but he isn’t. That’s why he even tripled the guards and patrols in the Weeds. Any disputable act would lead any Weed to death not even considering age. And another brilliant defense he made was his guards and patrols that consist of Weeds themselves. Survival of the fittest is playing and every Weeds lost it while those Saffrons up there every greed they have.

Uncle Tom’s stories and Intel Classes from Jin was pretty much enough for all of us to share the same vision as the late Quartz. We won’t be indifferent with the Saffrons and let humanity die. This system has already broken too much lives and the Quartz’s time has come again.

“Hi Eli! Congrats for being the top quarter of your class!” A senior greeted me, name’s Hale. She was a once a top quarter too, like me. And women barely get a top.

Supposedly, when a Weed gets recruited his entire existence gets changed. First, fake deaths, oath of alliance and all other necessary things. Which just means, we aren’t using all our real names here, they’re all made up. Then there comes the dreaded training, 50% physical 50% intellect. The physical training consists mostly to improve our agility skills. We get to learn a lot of martial arts and judo’s my favorite by the way. After the foundation of strength comes the fatal one, using weapons. And the class isn’t limited to guns. We learned using swords, knives and daggers, axes, arrows, and other offensive weapons. The last one though is the hardest, the intellect classes. There’s just too much information that we need to familiarize every day and that’s not freaking easy if you’re asking. Memorizing names, faces, routes, and even formulas. We were even taught Saffron culture. Tux and heels, wines, dances and even music.

Despite the dreadful suffering, I made it and even topped everyone. Secrets? I don’t know, it just feels like doing those things were just really my thing. Like I didn’t even force it to myself. Guess I’m just really meant to be in here.

“Come, sit here Eli.” It’s only 6:30 in the morning and almost every quarter has already arrived. I just really can’t believe I’m right here, sitting alongside senior quarters. It gives me the nicest creeps ever. Systematically, when a trainee graduates, he won’t be working right away, it’ll take some time for him to get designated, depending on skills and evaluation, some goes to the intel department, some on the management team, while others get to work on field. Though when a graduate ranks first he’s immediately designated to be on field just like me. —“Eli, where’s Taeyong?”

Geez, I almost forgot. Yes I ranked first but guess what? Another one also ranked first. Simply speaking, we both ranked first and he’s named Taeyong Lee.