Inside the Refrigerator Shelter.
The lights shone on everyone's faces, illuminating their regretful expressions.
If they had known the two were this strong, they should not have acted so arrogantly before.
Under Zhang Meng's passionate speech and the pair's intermittently displayed fists,
the survivors sincerely came to recognize their mistakes, one after another.
They all apologized to Li Cang, their faces bearing varying degrees of guilt and remorse.
An apology meeting began.
Though everyone knew they were acting, they also knew Li Cang knew they were acting.
But they had to go through this ritual. Only after doing so could everyone move forward with what came next.
Only then could they pretend the matter had passed and continue working together.
It could be said that "hypocrisy" was a necessary human skill. It ensured that large-scale cooperation among people could continue.
Though everyone hated it and considered it a derogatory term,
it was precisely something indispensable.
If everyone were blunt, there would be no lubricant. Cooperation could never proceed smoothly, and people would clash with one another.
The first to step forward and apologize was old Thomson.
He was an elder with considerable prestige among the players.
The traces of time were etched across his face, and his eyes gleamed with an exceptionally sincere light.
But Li Cang knew this man had once brutally killed his two sons simply because they had taken his food.
He walked up to Li Cang and gave him a deep bow.
"Great Li Cang, I apologize for our previous disrespect." Old Thomson's voice was hoarse yet powerful. "We did not realize your sacrifices and efforts. We saw only the result and overlooked the process."
Li Cang looked at Tom, and a wave of disgust rose in his heart.
Still, he smiled and nodded, accepting Tom's