One of the doors to Hide and Seek.
Opened soundlessly in the deathly still night.
Knov stepped out first.
He adjusted his glasses, their lenses catching the light.
Only after confirming there were no Chimera Ant patrols nearby did he signal the others.
Morel followed with his pipe over his shoulder, then Gon and Killua.
Luo Ye came out last, swinging a half-finished can of ice-cold cola in his hand.
They were in a small village on the outermost fringe of the East Gorteau Republic.
It should have been the hour when the villagers slept peacefully.
But the entire village was deathly quiet, without even a single dog barking.
The stench of blood hung so thick in the air it made them want to vomit.
As Gon walked along the muddy road, his foot struck something soft.
He looked down. It was a rag doll covered in dried blood.
The wooden door beside it stood wide open.
Several savage claw marks scored the door.
They had torn the thick wood to pieces.
Gon gritted his teeth and went inside.
The room was a complete wreck. The table, chairs, and stools had all been smashed to bits.
Huge patches of dark red blood spattered the walls.
But there were no bodies.
Not even a fragment of bone remained.
"They were all taken away."
Morel's gruff voice held barely restrained anger.
"This is their so-called 'selection.'"
"Like loading up piglets."
"They force every living person into the capital."
Killua shoved his hands into his pockets, digging his nails hard into his palms.
"They moved too fast... there must have been hundreds of people in this village, but there are barely any signs of resistance."
Gon said nothing.
He lowered his head, his golden eyes filled with a dangerous light on the verge