The time for idling had vanished with the last of the warmth. If the building's defenses weren't bolstered, they would be vulnerable to more than just the cold. People had to go out, dig traps, and build walls; the necessity of it hung in the frigid air like a death sentence that couldn't be stayed any longer.
Across the hall, the administration had already begun the grim task of counting heads and slashing rations. The math was simple and cruel: if you didn't go out and work, you had better be rich enough to buy your own way. Otherwise, you would just have to sit in the dark and wait to starve to death.
Amidst the chaos, the dorm supervisors finished their census. It didn't take long for the gossip to find its targets once they identified the two missing souls.
One was indeed Cheng Long, Tang Yuan's husband.
The other was a surprise—a wealthy woman in her fifties who had arrived for the auction with deep pockets and high expectations. Nobody had expected Cheng Long to get involved with a rich older woman, let alone start an affair and sneak out for some "wilderness fun" in the middle of a collapsing world.
"I knew Cheng Long hadn't been around at night these past few days," someone whispered loud enough for the whole room to hear.
"And he has been eating all kinds of good food lately too," another added with a sharp, mocking laugh. "Turns out he became some rich lady's pretty boy."
A group of women gathered near Tang Yuan, their expressions a mix of false pity and poorly hidden glee. "Tang Yuan, your Cheng Long really is... sigh, I don't even know what to say anymore. Things ended up like this. Anyway, my condolences."
"He was perfectly fine one moment, then suddenly gone," another remarked, though her eyes danced with the thrill of the scandal.
Tang Yuan's face turned a muddy, dark shade of bruised ego. Her eyes were rimmed with a raw, stinging red—partly from the sudden sting of betrayal, and partly from a cold, calculating fury. She didn't cry. Instead, she shot a secret, lingering glance at Lan Shao, who stood nearby with an expression as blank as a stone wall. She gritted her teeth so hard her jaw ached. Maybe from now on, Lan Shao will be my only way up.
"What are you all staring at?" she suddenly screamed, her voice cracking the tension. "Do you all have enough virtual currency to buy food? Why aren't you signing up to build walls already? Some people died because they deserved it. The rest of us still have to keep living!"
With that final, jagged outburst, she turned on her heel and hurried toward the registration desk. If she got there early, she might be able to leverage her connection to Lan Shao to snag an easier assignment. If she waited, she would be out in the muck digging pits until her hands bled.
The crowd broke apart, spurred by the same realization. Registering now meant a guaranteed breakfast, and for most, their virtual wallets were as empty as their stomachs. Some still had wages tied up in the electric grid system, but in this climate, everyone hoarded their credits like they were lifeblood.
Jun Bao really was an old fox. He had read the room perfectly, twisting their fear and hunger until they were practically begging to do the hard labor he needed.
As the room emptied, Jin Baba shuffled over to Jing Shu, his shoulders slumped and a low grumble vibrating in his chest. "Hey, Jing Shu, can you help me out with something?"
"No."
Jing Shu didn't even look up as she adjusted her sleeve. She turned to Xiao Liu, her voice flat. "Let's go to the cafeteria."
"Hey hey hey, wait a second!" Jin Baba scurried to get in her line of sight, his hands held up in a pleading gesture. "It's just a small favor. My piglets ran out of feed these past few days. Can you spare some worm patties? I only found out recently that pig feed was originally made using your worm patties... I will pay for it, okay? I know you don't lack money, so just tell me what it will take for you to give me some."
He looked genuinely desperate. In the far corner of the area, Lan Shao was busy scrubbing the pig pen, his movements sluggish as he tried to coax the sows to drink some lukewarm water. Neither pig looked energetic; their skin was dull, and they barely acknowledged the water.
When Lan Shao heard the conversation, he raised his head, his gaze meeting Jing Shu's with a complex, unreadable weight.
Jing Shu stopped. She tilted her head, a slow spark of interest lighting her eyes. "How about this. I will cover food for your two pigs until we are rescued. Once they give birth later, give me one piglet."
They were Jinhua sows—a breed that was nearly extinct in the current world. Jing Shu had black pigs at home, and the meat was top-tier, but Jinhua ham was a legendary delicacy she hadn't had the chance to properly savor yet. She wouldn't complain about adding more to her collection; no one ever complained about having too many good things, just like they didn't complain about too much money.
"No way, that's way too unfair for me," Jin Baba blurted out, rejecting the deal instantly.
"Then forget it." Jing Shu didn't waste another second. She began walking away with Xiao Liu trailing behind her.
"I will think of another solution!" Jin Baba shouted after her, stomping his foot on the cold floor. He looked back at the listless, shivering pigs and muttered to himself, "I refuse to believe there isn't any other food around."
Lan Shao's voice came out weak, raspy from the dry air. "We have tried feeding them other stuff these past two days, but they barely eat. Maybe they are used to eating worm patties now."
"They have been spoiled rotten!" Jin Baba waved his arm dismissively and stormed off toward the stairs. He was going to find his uncle and demand a solution. He had been in a foul mood for days—no milk, no snacks, nothing but those pathetic little biscuits and steamed buns that were so cloyingly sweet they made his throat itch. "Sigh... when are we finally going to be rescued?"
"Boss, this situation doesn't look too good," Xiao Liu whispered as they navigated the crowded hallway.
"It's way worse than just 'not good,'" Jing Shu replied, her voice low.
They reached the second floor of the New World building. Boss Lü had performed a hasty transformation, turning the entire expansive floor into a massive cafeteria. It was a scene of organized desperation. People stood in long, winding lines behind serving windows where workers scooped portions and others scribbled records.
It didn't matter if you were a multimillionaire who had dropped a fortune at the auction or a service worker who had spent their life cleaning floors; everyone held their bowls with the same trembling anticipation. Jun Bao and Boss Lü had clearly reached an accord, and the result was a grim leveling of the social playing field.
The cafeteria ladies were the new queens of the building. If one of their hands shook a little too much while serving, the recipient was left with a nearly empty bowl.
"Can I get a little more?" a young man asked, staring down at a half-portion of thick, black mush.
"That's enough. Move along," the lady snapped, her eyes hard. "The rules say outside workers only get half a bowl! Keep complaining and we will revoke your work qualifications."
The young man shrank back, his face pale as he scurried away with his meager prize.
Behind him, a middle-aged man in a heavy down jacket tried a different approach. He had slicked his hair back into a polished, oily pompadour that looked ridiculous in the dim, flickering light. He flashed a practiced, greasy smile. "Beautiful lady, I would like to buy six bowls. Just put it on my tab. Here is my identification."
The cafeteria lady didn't even blink. She looked at him with pure, unadulterated disdain. "Buy your big-headed ghost. Everyone is limited to one bowl maximum right now. Take it or leave."
The man's smile faltered, then collapsed into a submissive grin. "Yes yes yes," he muttered, bending his back as he humbly offered his bowl.
She filled it with a heavy thud of the ladle, and he moved on to the recorder without another word. In this room, the dragons had to coil up, and the tigers had to lie down. Wealth, villas, and former titles were worthless if you hadn't brought your own supplies.
The air in the cafeteria was heavy with the smell of the "breakfast"—a pungent, earthy odor that made Jing Shu's stomach turn. It was a black mush of random, boiled-down ingredients. During the first two days, there had been variety, and she had managed to fake a few bites to blend in. But this stuff... this was different.
Xiao Liu leaned in close, her voice barely a breath. "I heard from the drivers that Li Yuetian already took his men everywhere searching for bugs and any living creatures they could find. They chopped everything up and threw it into the pot together because Jun Bao said the situation might get bad, so they have to conserve as much food as possible."
Jing Shu's eyes narrowed. So this was the secret ingredient. She suddenly realized why some of her own bugs had started disappearing from the villa's outskirts lately. Li Yuetian must have been hunting them down. She would have to find a better way to hide her stock; if they were this desperate, they would tear the villa apart if they knew what she was keeping.
"I also heard Boss Lü has already started secretly hiding food supplies," Xiao Liu added, her eyes darting around to ensure no one was listening. "He doesn't dare openly resist the government, but in this kind of situation, everyone is definitely going to stash away extra food. The question is just how much food Boss Lü still has left."