"Get up! You bunch of useless idiots! Trash! Vermin!"
A piercing electric sound jolted everyone awake from their slumber, but when they opened their eyes, they were met not with the familiar ceiling of the Newcomer's Prison, but with a blue sky and white clouds.
To be precise, it was a simulated blue sky and white clouds created by the prison.
"Those lazy bugs who are still not awake can go die! I won't repeat myself. The place you're currently in is the Forbidden Zone, where the Floor Battle will take place. There are 1,000 pinhole cameras installed throughout the Forbidden Zone, monitoring your every move. Of course, when it comes to private activities like using the bathroom, we'll blur it out. Ah, damn it, why the hell did you hit me?"
The voice in the earpiece paused for a moment, and after two minutes, the voice resumed, "The Floor Battle will last for three days. Even if you manage to kill the Werewolves before the three days are up, you cannot exit the game. So, you trash, deceive to your heart's content. Only those who survive until the end are the winners."
"Oh, by the way, if some big shots take a liking to you, the prison will provide you with guards to ensure the safety of the merchandise. That's all. Over."
With the final word spoken, the earpiece returned to silence.
Shen Yue looked at the clothes she was wearing, a black jumpsuit that was convenient for movement but quite ugly.
Surrounded by trees and grass, with firm soil beneath her feet, this place should be the original ecosystem of the deserted island.
Shen Yue surveyed her surroundings, then decided to climb a tree first. Being up on a tree would provide a broader view, making it easier for her to find Number 14 and roughly determine her current location.
However, Shen Yue overestimated her abilities. She hadn't evolved the ability to climb trees in her previous life as a miserable young lady, nor had she ever climbed a tree before.
As a result, Shen Yue would take a few steps up a tree trunk and then slide back down, only to start climbing again.
After repeating this meaningless action nearly twenty times, a voice suddenly came from another tree near Shen Yue, "Are you an idiot? Can't climb up and don't know how to try a different approach?"
Shen Yue turned her head and saw a woman of ordinary appearance who hadn't shown any signs of abnormality on the tree earlier. She was now looking at Shen Yue.
Shen Yue recognized her as the unconventional assassin, Mo Aman, whom she had encountered on her first day in the Newcomer's Prison.
Mo Aman was skilled in disguise and often appeared by the enemy's side in an identity they wouldn't suspect, then carried out high-profile assassination operations. She was an extremely contradictory killer.
Naturally, her current reminder to Shen Yue wasn't genuine concern for her foolish behavior. In the Floor Battle with an extremely low survival rate, no one would emit such unfounded kindness.
Shen Yue looked at Mo Aman without any surprised expression and simply said, "So, it's you."
Mo Aman was actually surprised. She pointed at herself and asked, "You know me?"
"You're the person who talked to me on my first day in the Newcomer's Prison."
Mo Aman was truly shocked this time. She realized that the person she had spoken to earlier and the person she was interacting with today were completely different. She wondered how Shen Yue was able to distinguish between them.
Very few people could identify the real her when she was imitating different individuals.
Mo Aman suddenly regretted her earlier judgment. She had thought Shen Yue was just a pampered rich girl who couldn't even climb a tree. But now, she felt as if a snake had wrapped itself around her with its cold, sinister gaze. Her instincts as an assassin were sharp and sensitive.
"You, you noticed me from the beginning," Mo Aman spoke with certainty, not as a question.
If we assume that Shen Yue had known about her presence all along, and then we review the entire process from Shen Yue waking up to starting to climb the tree, Mo Aman suddenly had an awakening. Perhaps all her "awkwardness" was just a bait for Shen Yue to lure her out of hiding.
"Yes, I noticed you, but instead of attacking me, you hid in the tree. So, I guessed that you weren't a wolf and wanted to team up with you," Shen Yue replied calmly, seemingly unaware of the impending danger.
Mo Aman calmly held the poison needle in her hand, looking down at Shen Yue from a higher vantage point, showing no signs of relaxation. "How can you judge that I'm not a wolf just because I didn't harm you? What if I was hiding in the tree to observe if you had any accomplices? What if I was waiting for the best moment to strike?"
"Let's make a fifty-fifty judgment. I want to take a gamble. If you're a wolf, I'll die. If you're not, then we can discuss cooperation. After all, with my physical strength, it's impossible for me to escape from your grasp without the presence of the 14th person," Shen Yue replied calmly, contemplating the situation.
Upon hearing Shen Yue's words, Mo Aman was momentarily surprised. Although she had known that Shen Yue had already climbed to the 9th floor of the 8th building during her probation period, she didn't expect this person to be so reckless, willing to stake her own life.
"What benefits do I have in cooperating with you? You know very well that you're useless on your own. You need someone to protect you until you find the 14th person, and once you find them, I'll be discarded. This kind of deal cannot be established without appropriate rewards," Mo Aman stated, with no hint of panic.
Shen Yue remained composed and didn't answer Mo Aman's words. She had heard this kind of rhetoric too many times and could easily understand the intention behind it without even thinking.
"Mo Aman, in my eyes, your willingness to expose yourself from the moment you spoke is already an answer to me," Shen Yue said calmly, gaining the upper hand in her confrontation with Mo Aman.
Mo Aman couldn't fathom why things had turned out this way. Logically and in terms of strength, Shen Yue should have been the one afraid of her. But strangely, it was Mo Aman who felt a tremor of fear towards Shen Yue. She was the one being controlled.
The current Shen Yue was no longer the same as the one who first arrived at the newcomers' building.
Shen Yue's value as a tool was even higher than Mo Aman had anticipated.
"Hah, Shen Yue, you're quite impressive," Mo Aman remarked.
At this moment, Shen Yue became modest. "No, it's just that I've been lucky. If you're willing to follow me, my luck will also protect you."
Mo Aman jumped down from the tree and approached Shen Yue. "Only the weak expect the blessings of luck."
Shen Yue didn't respond directly but asked, "Can you teach me how to climb trees? I want to get to a higher place and take note of the terrain."
Mo Aman nodded and pointed to the tree behind Shen Yue. "The one you just picked is not good for climbing. Try this one instead, and I'll demonstrate for you."
Shen Yue nodded and, after watching Mo Aman's demonstration, successfully replicated each of her movements and climbed to the top of the tree.
However, the tree wasn't tall enough to see the entire forbidden area; only some distant scenery could be seen.
At that moment, Mo Aman watched as Shen Yue agilely climbed to her side and lightly pushed her. Shen Yue fell towards the ground unprepared.
But in the last moment, Mo Aman reached out and caught Shen Yue, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, my hand slipped."
Shen Yue wasn't angry or scared. She just looked at Mo Aman as if she had already understood everything about her. "There's no need to test me. I am an ant that you can easily crush. Your current uneasiness stems from your lack of confidence. If you want to use me, you must not be afraid but control me."
Mo Aman looked at Shen Yue and suddenly grabbed her. "Then, for the next three days, please stay by my side."
At this moment, Mo Aman was convinced that she had found the treasure that would ensure her survival. She believed that she was the truly lucky one!
