"If it's as you say, wouldn't having more people be better? Why did you choose only a few of us to act?"
"That's true in some respects, but the more people there are, the lower the quality. Besides, we still don't know what the other side is after. If we casually shared our private thoughts with others, it would be easy to cause misunderstandings. You understand that, right? Compared to adults, young people are completely untrustworthy. Looking at the few of us, don't you see why? To make sure the plan goes smoothly, we need to be around the same age and able to keep one another in check. Different occupations, different ways of thinking, and different experiences will help us complete our task. My goal is clear: to keep all my companions alive. As for everyone else, sorry, my abilities are limited, and I can't guarantee their survival. I might help some people who need it, depending on the circumstances, but only if doing so won't threaten our own survival.
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"There are many things I can't argue with, but I still think it's wrong to deceive other people just so we can survive..."
"No, you're wrong, Freya. Keeping ourselves alive is the only way forward. If we all die for the sake of a little humanity, who will make what happened here known to the world? Who will pray for those who died? Only us. Only those of us who have recognized the danger and want to keep living can survive and do what no one else can. This place is completely different from the real world we know. In fact, I've noticed some strange things, and I think you should know about them."
"You should have realized by now that we're no longer being given water or food. The food each person has will last at most until tomorrow. The day after that, everyone will have to eat fruit or fish. But how many people here can get food on their own? Of the 340 people, probably only half can find food for themselves. When that time comes, everyone's attitude will change. No one will feel sorry for the weak. Within ten days, the number of people will drop by around 200. Most will die from a mental breakdown or lack of food. Thirty days later, there may be only around 100 left. Those people will have survived by trampling over the weak. They'll have almost no humanity left. Want to bet? If the expedition team doesn't find water and food, the evil in humanity will emerge on this island tomorrow!"
"Do you see why having fewer people is better? We won't have to worry about finding enough food and water. I can find enough to feed you. Even if all the fruit on the island is eaten, the animals are turned into barbecue, and every fish is caught, I can still keep the five of us alive. I've only learned a little about the island, but if nothing unexpected happens, I can find a way to provide enough food and water for a whole year. That's one guarantee I can offer you as your companion."
Ellis worked hard to translate Zhi's words for the other three. They listened closely, often looking surprised, but soon accepted the reality of their situation. Once Ellis had finished, Zhi patted her shoulder. "Get a good rest tonight. We'll start tomorrow morning." Then he turned and walked away, feeling the pressure. Some of what he'd just said had been bravado. If his calculations were right, it wouldn't be difficult to feed five people. But if the island turned out to be worse than he expected, no one could say what would happen...
Zhi found a shady spot on the beach to rest. He hadn't slept all night, and he still had to work on the underground shelter tonight. At most, he'd get three or four hours of rest before then. He needed to sleep now so he'd be ready for what came next.
The place where Zhi was resting was easy to spot. Ellis and the others soon found him, but they didn't want to wake him.
Ellis said to Freya, "He's the best wilderness survival expert I've ever met. If we follow him, I'm sure we'll survive. Don't you think so, Freya?"
Freya adjusted her glasses. "Calling him a wilderness survival expert is selling him short. If things really are as he says, he'll become someone who can change other people's fate..."
Ellis nodded. "Yes, and we're among the people whose fate he's changed..."
The island's third night...
When Zhi woke, it was ten at night. If his stomach hadn't growled, he might have slept for a few more hours. Most of the people on the beach were talking about something, but Zhi couldn't tell what. The language barrier could be a real problem. Still, he knew one thing for sure: the expedition team hadn't returned to the beach, and none of his companions were nearby. It was the perfect time for him to act.
First, Zhi had to deal with his hunger. That was easy for him. He could get whatever he wanted to eat, whether fruit or even meat.
An hour later, at eleven sharp, Zhi was strolling along the beach. Some people had already run out of food, and they were trying to catch fish by the shore to fill their stomachs. It wasn't easy. Even in shallow water, creatures prowled at night that could easily kill a person.
"Zhi, something's happened!" A shout from behind abruptly pulled Zhi out of his thoughts. He turned and saw Ellis running toward him.
To hide his surprise, Zhi asked casually, "What happened?"
Ellis stopped to catch her breath. "Someone found that the bodies we buried had been dug up. They've all got new wounds, too—something sharp pierced them right through the chest. It looks like you were right: there are definitely creatures on this island besides humans. Oh, and one of the bodies is missing. Lots of people looked for it, but they couldn't find even a trace!"
Zhi had thought it would be something serious. He hadn't expected anyone to discover what he'd done last night so soon. He almost laughed, but this would make it easier for Ellis and the others to believe him.
Zhi pretended to be shocked. "I didn't expect them to act so soon. Ellis, I'll go take a look myself. You should get some rest tonight. Tomorrow, you must find a place that can serve as a base. Don't worry too much about this. It's still hidden in the shadows, so we just need to do what we're supposed to."
Ellis seemed calmer after hearing Zhi's words. She nodded, then started chatting with him. They talked for about half an hour before she went to rest. Zhi was already sick of the pointless conversation; it was a waste of his time. What he needed to do now was make sure the underground shelter's final stage was completed.
Late that night, after making sure no one was around, Zhi entered the forest and slowly made his way to his destination. Now that the bodies had been discovered, there could still be people wandering around the forest.
"I didn't expect them to find the bodies so soon. I'll have to finish the next step quickly. There are still too many people on the island. They're in the way!"
"Wait, why would anyone find the bodies? Ellis said the dead had no other relatives on the island. So who would go to the bodies for no reason? No, that doesn't make sense. No one would go there for no reason. Could someone have gone there for a specific purpose?"
"If I look at it that way, it makes sense. Someone went there for a reason and dug up the bodies. They found something wrong and told the others."
"Ordinary people couldn't tell whether the soil covering a body had been disturbed. The only way this could have come to light was if someone dug up the bodies."
"Who would go to look at the bodies for no reason? Could someone else have thought the same way I did? No, that's impossible. If they had the same idea as me, they wouldn't have told anyone. That means the person who found the bodies had some other motive. I can't figure out what it is yet, but I know what to do next. Forget looking for a base tomorrow. First, I need to find out who discovered this."
"Things are getting more interesting. I didn't expect the other side to show their hand so soon!"
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