<h4>Chapter 318: 318-Everybody Stares At My Body</h4>


    <strong>Clementine:</strong>


    I had to wear the costume because when I tried toin, Ms. Lenora told me the train was about to arrive and they could not make a new one for me. As for my old one, it had already been torn to shreds.


    Once I put on the costume, I felt like I was not going on a mission to y the monsters, but a mission to do something reckless. As soon as I stepped out, I noticed Sebastian’s eyes widen in surprise. Mira and Renee also whistled.


    "Come on, guys," I groaned tiredly.


    "You got a banging body," Renee said, patting my back.


    When I arrived at the train station, I realized the others hade in a separate car this time. Because of the constant arguing and fighting between crusaders, I guessed it had been decided that for now all the squads would be kept separate.


    That was when I stepped onto the tform and my eyesnded on Oriana. She wore an all-ck bodysuit with ck leather pants. She did not look happy about it, especially when her gaze met mine. She was easy to read at this point. She liked my outfit more.


    However, the men around us gasped loudly.


    "So the hot one goes to the red team?" Jack joked, high-fiving Nate, while Joshua’s eyes swept over me from head to toe.


    I did not even want to look at my crusaders, but my eyesnded on them anyway. Zian had his eyebrows raised, his body leaned to the side, arms crossed over his chest as he chuckled and examined me.


    Then there were my mates, ex-mates. Their expressions were serious and their eyes were fixed on my face instead of my body like the others. Troy looked uneasy.


    The train arrived, and I mistakenly tried to step into the ck squad’s carriage until Mira pulled me back.


    "Watch out, you’re entering the wrong squad," Oriana hissed, trying to hit me with her shoulder. But Mira was quick to shove her instead, making Oriana trip and fall on her butt.


    "What is wrong with you?" Orianained.


    "Well, someone would think that after getting pped and humiliated so badly, you’d stay quiet. But I guess you’re just shameless like that," Renee remarked, taking me to the red carriage.


    "What did you just say?" I heard Oriana shout from her carriage, but the voices soon faded.


    Once I entered our carriage, I was surprised. Something felt different about it, but I couldn’t figure out what until the doors closed. Renee pointed at me to check under the bench.


    I reached down and touched the bottom. There was a bag. I pulled it out and noticed there were weapons inside.


    "What is that?" I asked Renee.


    "Ms. Lenora usually leaves something for us under there," she exined. "Sometimes there are refreshments, and this time, I guess it’s the weapons."


    "Nice," Mira said. "It’s good not to go rushing around trying to look for weapons right away."


    I was lost.


    "Does Miss Rue know about it?" I asked. The three of them shook their heads.


    "Maybe not. Ms. Lenora abuses her power sometimes, but I guess it’s for the better. It’s not like it hurts us," Sebastian added.


    "Anyway, we can share it with the rest of the squads," Mira suggested.


    I kept staring at the five knives, and a smile spread across my lips.


    "If it’s okay, I’ll keep two—well, one for me and one for someone else. Is that alright?" I asked, hoping they’d agree. I already knew I’d give one to Ian in a heartbeat.


    "Yeah, sure," they replied casually. They seemed so rxed about everything that it actually worried me for them.


    We arrived at the station, and it seemed like the train was already about to leave because it started making a loud noise. We had to get out immediately.


    Once we were outside, I caught the smell of something burning in the air. The atmosphere felt darker that day before my eyesnded on Zian. I noticed he was sneaking away, and I really didn’t want anyone to notice him. I wanted him gone so that Ian coulde back. Once he left, I was sure Ian would return.


    However, at this point, we had to go find the man. The problem was, the man could be anywhere.


    "We’re not supposed to find him. He’ll find us. Don’t worry," Yorick called as I rushed off with my squadmates.


    However, I didn’t stop to respond.


    "I’m pretty sure the red team will win this time," Jack remarked tiredly, probably hinting that I was in their team now.


    The confidence everyone had in me made me feel stronger again. So much had happened since the vacations began that my confidence had drained, but thankfully, I was starting to feel like myself again or even more than before.


    Whenever I was in the North, I felt like myself. I tried not to tell anyone because they would freak out, but part of me wanted to stay in the North now.


    "No, no, no, we don’t," I muttered, shaking my head and reminding myself not to think about it. That was what I was doing, fighting against my own awareness.


    We wandered around all day and fought a few fleshmingos. By the time we returned to the safe ce, the mansion in Fleshmingo Town, it seemed everyone else was already there.


    When I stepped inside, my eyes immediately searched for for Ian, but he wasn’t there. I knew if Zian had let him in, Ian would havee to find me. He was capable of it. So where was he?


    "Can I have a word with you?" Haiden’s voice startled me when he appeared suddenly from behind. I turned to him and noticed my squadmates quietly leaving the room.


    This time, we had decided to let each squad stay in one room together. But once he arrived, my squadmates were kind enough to give us a moment alone.


    In a soft and calm tone, Haiden urged, "I need your help."