Chapter 16
Evan used the same method to pack Shen Yuzhe and the others into transport boxes and brought them back home.
Although fate was still in the hands of others, the fact that they could return to a familiar and relatively safe environment at this moment brought great relief to everyone.
Clearly, compared to those pitiful starving little people, they were still in a relatively “fortunate” position.
That night, Evan rewarded them with plenty of food, mostly fresh and delicious delicacies, including Shen Yuzhe’s favorite creamy chicken shreds and slices of sweet melon.
Excitedly, they gathered around, eager to feast, looking as if they had survived a disaster and were now celebrating their good fortune. Only Shen Yuzhe was sitting on the side, feeling uneasy and lacking in appetite.
However, Evan wasn’t surprised by his behavior, considering that Shen Yuzhe had nearly died on the field. It was normal for him to be a bit down and unenthusiastic for a while.
Evan instructed Mina to take good care of Shen Yuzhe. Taking the opportunity, Mina pleaded, “Master, you won’t take us there again, right?”
While Evan enjoyed the dependency of the little people on him, he wouldn’t change his decision for these “toys.”
Furthermore, compared to Zoe, he believed he was already quite kind to these little things.
“I’ve already joined the club. I’ll take you to participate in an event at least once a month. Instead of thinking about how to escape, you should focus on exercising your bodies, especially Johnny and Jay. The next time you’re drawn, you might not be as lucky as Blake.” Evan said coldly.
The group knew the outcome already, but hearing this reality from Evan’s own mouth made them resentful and angry, though their anger wouldn’t make them open Evan’s palm and escape from there. It couldn’t.
After Evan left, Johnny continued grumbling, yet he didn’t forget to indulge in the available food. At least he could ensure he wasn’t hungry for a day.
Shen Yuzhe managed to force down a couple of bites, but his throat hurt too much to continue. He retreated to his room to rest.
Due to the aftermath of being strangled, he couldn’t speak for several days. His teammates had wanted to ask him about the details of the match that day, but seeing his condition, they refrained from doing so.
Lying in a daze for several days, Shen Yuzhe had been plagued by nightmares for the past few nights.
In his dreams, he saw scenes from the match that day. He dreamt of You Li leaving him behind, of searching everywhere for rice, growing frantic…
On this late night, Shen Yuzhe had another nightmare. He dreamt of Mal lunging at him to strangle him, while Kai stood not far away, looking at the scene with an expressionless face. He struggled to speak, calling Kai “brother,” begging for help, but Kai turned and walked away, indifferent…
Shen Yuzhe woke up in a start, sitting on the bed, hugging his knees, his eyes moist, his forehead covered in sweat, and his heart still racing.
His mind felt foggy, and he could no longer distinguish between real memories and dreams.
He shook his head, thinking of going out to clear his mind. However, when he opened the door, he found Jay outside.
“…You’re not asleep?” Shen Yuzhe asked. His voice was still slightly hoarse, but much better than before.
“Mhm,” Jay replied succinctly, keeping his head turned to continue looking out the window.
Shen Yuzhe walked over, sat cross-legged beside him, and they sat in silence for a while. Shen Yuzhe couldn’t help but furrow his brows and ask, “Do you dream?”
Jay glanced at him. “Rarely.”
Shen Yuzhe: “Rarely means you still do, right?”
Jay: “Mhm.”
Shen Yuzhe: “What do you usually dream about?”
Jay: “Killing.”
Shen Yuzhe: “…”
“Killing many people,” Jay looked at his own hand, clenching his fist. “My hands covered in blood, then I wake up…”
Shen Yuzhe listened with a mix of shock and fear. Could it be that Jay was a former murderer? However, he quickly connected a crucial point and asked, “What kind of people are you killing?”
Jay: “All sorts.”
Seeing that Jay didn’t understand the question, Shen Yuzhe explained in more detail, “I mean, when you’re killing, what’s the environment like around you? Is it similar to the environment we’re in now? Are there any reference points, like plants or buildings…”
Jay paused. “What do you mean?”
Shen Yuzhe sighed. “To put it simply, have you ever suspected that you used to be a giant?”
Jay furrowed his brows, carefully trying to recall the details of his dreams. But he couldn’t remember. He had never paid attention to those details. “I don’t know…”
Shen Yuzhe looked around — Evan had placed them in a room.
“Sometimes, this perspective and environment make me feel unfamiliar. I feel like I shouldn’t be like this.” He whispered and then lowered his gaze. “However, this feeling is baseless. It might just be my imagination.”
Jay didn’t respond immediately. Shen Yuzhe’s words had stirred something in him, causing him to seriously consider this question for the first time.
The two sat in silence for a while. Suddenly, Jay spoke up, “Do you still want to go there?”
Shen Yuzhe knew where he was referring to — Zoe’s club.
“If I say I want to, would you find it strange?” He wanted to find an opportunity to interact with Kai and confirm his suspicions.
Jay: “Not strange. I want to go too. Only when Evan takes us out do we have a chance to escape.”
Shen Yuzhe nodded. That was one reason. It seemed that Jay, like him, hadn’t given up on the idea of escaping.
Although Zoe’s club was cruel and terrifying, it housed many of their kind. Perhaps they might find teammates who wanted to escape together there… like Kai.
As Shen Yuzhe thought of this, he felt a bit disheartened. He asked Jay, “Can you teach me how to fight?”
After that match, Shen Yuzhe had clearly realized his lack of strength. His survival through several close calls seemed to be more about luck. No wonder his red team teammates initially looked down on him.
Shen Yuzhe understood that the goddess of luck wouldn’t always favor him. If things continued like this, he might not have the survival skills to make it to a successful escape.
Jay scratched his head. Shen Yuzhe’s request caught him off guard and made him feel a bit cold. However, he was the kind of person who appeared cold but was warm-hearted. He quickly agreed, “Alright.”
The next afternoon, with Jay’s help, Shen Yuzhe began learning combat techniques.
Jay: “When he attacks like that, remember to use your guard, yes, don’t dodge…”
He threw a punch, and Shen Yuzhe was pushed back several steps.
Jay: “…”
Mina looked worried. “Jay, go a bit easier!”
Gritting his teeth, Shen Yuzhe got up. “Again.”
Jay threw another punch, and this time, Shen Yuzhe ended up sitting on the ground.
Johnny laughed heartily from the side. “Blake, you’re not cut out for this, give up!”
“Is my stance correct?” Shen Yuzhe wiped his sweat and caught his breath, then got up from the ground.
“Correct,” Jay frowned, “but you’re too weak, and your stance is unstable.”
Shen Yuzhe: “What should I do then?”
Jay: “How about trying to do a hundred push-ups every day?”
Shen Yuzhe: “Okay.”
Jay circled around him. “And eat a bit more every day.”
Shen Yuzhe: “… Alright.”
In the following days, Shen Yuzhe not only worked hard to train his body but also obediently ate his meals.
However, after more than half a month, his strength hadn’t significantly improved. He still couldn’t block even one of Jay’s punches. Jay was almost at a loss, suggesting he shouldn’t confront opponents head-on and should focus on running instead, trying to run faster.
Johnny was still in the mood to enjoy the spectacle, occasionally exchanging moves with Jay to demonstrate for Shen Yuzhe. But he didn’t have much faith that Shen Yuzhe would get stronger.
On this day, after Shen Yuzhe and Jay finished practicing, Shen Yuzhe, sweaty and tired, sat on the ground to rest. Curiously, he asked Jay, “How did you learn to fight?”
In theory, Jay had also lost his memory only a year and a half ago. Their starting points were roughly the same, and their abilities in various aspects were comparable.
Jay chewed on a blade of grass. “I don’t know, it’s like I was born with it.”
Shen Yuzhe was puzzled. Could it be a matter of race?
— Wait, Kai was also like them, with black hair and eyes. When Kai had held him back, he couldn’t move at all.
Shen Yuzhe found it hard to believe. He got up from the ground. “Let’s do it again.”
Jay: “…”
Seeing his determination, Jay was moved. He thought of a set of combat techniques that would suit Shen Yuzhe based on his body size and reaction time.
Every event that happened inside the box was captured by Evan through the cameras, leaving him thoroughly satisfied.
It seemed the people at the club were right. Only by creating some survival pressure for these little people could they become more energetic!
A month flew by in the blink of an eye, and it was time for the monthly visit to Zoe’s club.
Although Zoe’s activities were held every week, Evan only took them there once a month.
The little people reluctantly climbed into the transport boxes, with only Shen Yuzhe secretly looking forward to seeing Kai as soon as possible.
At the club, the game was once again the familiar food-snatching game. Zoe and his members had just started experiencing the fun of team games, so they naturally had several rounds of it.
After four weeks of consecutive food-snatching matches, since the total amount of food was always less than the population’s demand, no one was picky about “compressed food” anymore. Having something to eat was considered lucky, and even the once “normal food” became a great blessing in contrast to hunger.
As a result, the intensity of the matches increased with each round, as contestants fought madly for the chance to receive the “food reward” for the next week.
In the crowd, Shen Yuzhe spotted Kai. He noticed that Kai had also become a bit thin, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache.
However, during this game, neither Shen Yuzhe nor Kai were selected. Among Evan’s group, Jay was the unlucky one to be chosen.
Shen Yuzhe had confidence in Jay’s abilities, and he breathed a slight sigh of relief.
However, he noticed that the mini people in Jay’s team weren’t welcoming him. Shen Yuzhe was puzzled. Jay was much stronger than him, yet they still held hostility towards Jay?
But he quickly figured it out. These people knew they were here to “play.” Even if they lost, their owner would take them away, and they wouldn’t be punished by hunger. They simply didn’t believe Jay would give his all for their well-being.
Understanding this, a sense of uncontrollable anger surged within Shen Yuzhe. This anger wasn’t directed at the little people like himself, but at Zoe, who had designed such a cruel game. It was Zoe’s unequal distribution of resources that led to the mini people fighting and resenting each other. The flames of rage spread through Shen Yuzhe’s veins and limbs. He clenched his fists, feeling an urge to blow up this place!
