Thud—thud, thud—bang!
Beneath scattered chunks of rubble, a tightly shut basement door was pushed open from below.
Stones sprayed aside as a head emerged through the doorway. He looked up at the silent night, then at the ruins around him, his eyes widening slightly.
"What happened? What happened out there?" someone below asked anxiously. "Don't block the doorway! What's going on?"
The man's body swayed as someone below apparently shoved him.
"Stop pushing!" He planted a hand beside the opening, hauled himself out of the basement, and rolled into the rubble.
"Let me see, let me see." Another man poked his head out. He swept his gaze over the scene. "Holy shit. The whole city collapsed."
"What?" The people below immediately grew anxious. "Quit blocking the way!"
"Coming, coming." The second man braced himself and climbed out.
One after another, people emerged from the opening and stared at the barren desolation around them.
"Dear God. It really all collapsed."
"What happened? A massive earthquake?"
"If it was an earthquake, we'd have been buried down there too. Looks like it only swept away the buildings aboveground."
"Maybe it was the aftermath of some kind of battle?"
"A battle? Have you been reading too many novels?"
"So what the hell happened?"
"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?"
A noisy argument broke out in the crowd.
"A lot of people must've died. The whole city collapsed."
"What are you talking about? The residents moved out ages ago. That's why we came here."
"The residents left, but what about the patrols in the Inner City and Outer City?"
"Didn't you hear the alarm? The people in the Outer City went into the air-raid shelters when it sounded."
"Holy shit. You're telling me a disaster this big didn't kill anyone? Does that