"Warden, if this continues, things aren't looking good for Shen Yue, is it? It seems like she might die!"
"What makes you think she'll die?"
"Isn't it obvious? Aside from Shen Yue's team, the other teams, whether wolves or whatever, have pretty much all been hunted down by now, right?
Tomorrow when the game is nearing its end, all of these incapacitated people will be converted into monetary values.
And Shen Yue's current team will fight violently amongst each other for resource distribution. In the ensuing chaos, someone is bound to injure Shen Yue. Then they'll realize she doesn't actually have any special protected status - she'll be done for!" The assistant was extremely excited. If Shen Yue died, wouldn't he get to witness the legendary power to transcend time and space?
But a voice refuted the assistant's words, tinged with a hint of chilliness and filled with caution towards Shen Yue. "You're wrong. She won't die. And what she wants exceeds what she has now."
"But it looks to me like there are people on her team who don't submit to her! There have already been two incidents, right? Shen Yue is really naïve if she thinks she can form a team with these desperate criminals. Hahahaha, warden, why did you hit me?!"
"I'm not even going to justify your stupidity with a response. Think about Shen Yue's methods when she was recruiting Mo Aman and the others. Compared to back then, how is Shen Yue now?"
With this reminder, the assistant made a sound of realization. "I feel like Shen Yue hasn't tried as hard with the later recruits. She must have gotten arrogant because she thought she had helpers. A cocky army is bound to lose!"
"Are you an idiot? How did you even get this job? I get sick just listening to half a sentence from you."
"Warden, don't you remember? During the interview, you scared everyone else unconscious. I was the only one left conscious so you picked me."
Warden: ...Forget it. Not worth my time.
"But why is Shen Yue doing this deliberately? I don't get it." The assistant prattled on fearlessly under the warden's terrifying aura. Reckless, yet not completely oblivious.
The warden paid the assistant no more mind, his gaze fixed on the screen where Shen Yue's line of sight happened to fall upon a pinhole camera, looking as though she was making eye contact.
Was this just coincidence?
"Don't you feel Shen Yue's methods resemble Ci Shengxiang's?"
The assistant was rummaging through the cabinet for snacks. He replied amidst the rummaging, "Huh? They seem alike? I can't really tell." Warden, want some potato chips?"
Unsurprisingly, the assistant received no response.
He could only hug the potato chips and crunched away as he retook his seat. His gaze inadvertently fell upon the viewer count for Shen Yue's interface. He was suddenly shocked.
The number, compared to the first day, had risen far too drastically!
Damn! And the profit income has so many zeros! Crazy!
Rich dude, are you for real spending 2 million to ask Shen Yue's zodiac sign?
"Warden, are these tycoons idiots?"
The warden rolled his eyes. "Are you an idiot? Haven't you seen rich men chase stars?"
The assistant nodded honestly. "I have not."
...
Shen Yue showed no reaction to the youth's desperate plea, even indifference.
Her gaze was cast afar. No one knew what she was looking at, nor what she wanted.
"What's your life worth? Even if I save you, how will you guarantee not betraying me in the future?"
Shen Yue's indifferent words seemed a rejection, yet caused the youth's eyes to brighten.
As long as he could prove his value, prove he would never betray her, Shen Yue would save him and he could live.
But how could he prove it?
Seeing Shen Yue about to leave, the youth panicked.
Where he currently was could be described as standing on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by hands trying to push him off. Shen Yue was the only one with a rope he had to grab hold of.
He called out to Shen Yue's retreating back, "I'll do anything you ask. I absolutely won't betray you. I'll listen to you forever. Please save me..."
"Empty words mean nothing. You have to prove it to me. If you can't even think of a way to prove yourself, it would seem you lack sufficient worth for me to lend a hand."
Shen Yue left without hesitation. It was now meal time and she had to go get food.
Man's got to eat. Missing one meal leaves the stomach rumbling. Most critically, going hungry would affect her ability to think.
But Shen Yue knew that even though she'd left, there were still more than one pair of eyes on her.
The words she had just said would soon spread amongst the desperately struggling prey. Then the prey would struggle, hesitate, waver, and eventually, make the only choice.
"Boss, Zuo Yikongjie just said there's an updated dinner menu today with pudding."
Shen Yue's eyes moved. "Then I want two puddings."
"I'll go grab them! Do you want to take your medication first?"
Shen Yue nodded. Mo Aman promptly took out prepared medication for Shen Yue.
Zuo Yikongjie's meals definitely contained mind-altering drugs. If she didn't take the "antidote" ahead of time that could counteract it, the psychiatric medication would soon take effect.
Soon, Mo Aman brought over two puddings and a disposable spoon. Shen Yue took one and ate it in small bites. Even under these circumstances she seemed able to maintain her manners. It was both deterrence as well as restraint.
After the meal, darkness had also gradually descended. Shen Yue's team brazenly started a fire at their campsite.
Hiding one's tracks under the cover of darkness would have been ideal, but the smooth progress during the day had lulled most people into lowering their guard. Although they didn't consider themselves a collective, they subconsciously felt the area they were confined in was absolutely safe.
In other words, they had started trusting Shen Yue's decisions, without even realizing it themselves.
In the early morning hours when Shen Yue hadn't slept, she went over to where the spoils of war were stockpiled.
Upon seeing the visitor was Shen Yue, the guard unconsciously lowered his head. "Boss, still not resting this late?"
"Mm, I brought some medication over. Some people were too heavy-handed today. Don't want the wolves dying overnight and causing trouble."
Hearing the wolves might die, the guard on night duty instantly grew nervous. "Then boss, take a careful look at those wolves. As you know, I worked hard today. At least one of those wolves must belong to me!"
As he spoke, his gaze fell upon the medication in Shen Yue's hands.
It did appear to be external injury medication, there were even suture needles and thread to stitch wounds. It wasn't strange for Shen Yue who had stayed in Cell Block #6 to know how to use these things.
The guard on duty smiled, though he knew Shen Yue probably couldn't see it. "Boss, it's so dark out here right now. Can you see clearly?"
Just as the last word left his mouth, Shen Yue took out a flashlight and suddenly shone it on his face.
The beam of light abruptly splitting the darkness traced out contours in chiaroscuro. Shen Yue's refined features gradually clarified between light and shadow. There wasn't a single ripple in her eyes as she calmly stated.
"Doesn't matter. I have a flashlight."
