Chapter 15
A sacrifice for survival.
Jun Shutong soon ended the meeting, keeping only Lu Li behind.
After taking Lu Li to her office, Jun Shutong asked, "Whatever you couldn't say in the meeting room earlier, you can say it now, right?"
Lu Li nodded and sat down across from Jun Shutong.
"Sister Jun, what we can confirm now is that the Magical Beast in the Arcade feeds on human emotional energy. The fact that Yellow Hair and the other guy survived after being locked up for a day proves it."
"That Magical Beast didn't kill them, but it restricted their freedom. It must have been absorbing their fear and despair, so those should be what it feeds on."
Listening to Lu Li's analysis, Jun Shutong nodded in agreement. "Huang Jiafei and the other guy coming back safely is enough to prove your earlier analysis was right. I completely agree with your assessment."
Seeing the delight on Jun Shutong's face, however, Lu Li threw cold water on her hopes.
"Sister Jun, don't celebrate too soon. Just as people need three meals a day, that Magical Beast won't be satisfied with feeding just once. It'll definitely look for food again."
Jun Shutong's expression darkened. This was what worried her most, too.
What if that Magical Beast grew hungry again and attacked the Camp directly to spread panic?
"So..." Lu Li looked at Jun Shutong hesitantly. He was debating whether to tell her what he really thought, but he was also worried that his words would disgust her.
Jun Shutong noticed Lu Li's reservations and reassured him outright. "Feel free to speak your mind. Whether you're right or wrong, I won't blame you."
At that, Lu Li steeled himself and said, "Sister Jun, do you know about the sacrifices humans offered to their gods in ancient times?"
Jun Shutong's pupils contracted at his words. Lu Li had all but spelled it out.
"You mean..."
There was a barely perceptible tremor in Jun Shutong's voice.
"Here's my plan. We should send two people to walk around the Arcade every day. If that Magical Beast really is hungry, it'll treat the people we send the same way it treated Yellow Hair and the other guy."
"Yellow Hair and the other guy have already proved that it won't kill people outright. At worst, they'll suffer a little. But compared with the entire Camp being attacked, I think that's a price worth paying."
Jun Shutong's face was livid. "You're helping that Magical Beast keep us like livestock."
"In fact, we're already being kept like livestock." Lu Li spread his hands and stated an even crueler truth.
They were simply fortunate that Mimikyu didn't feed on life energy. Otherwise, not a single person in the Camp would survive.
"Besides, this might not be such a bad thing for us. After all, if we're being kept like livestock, that means we have value. And in this apocalypse, having value is the only reason we get to stay alive."
Lu Li's words were cold-blooded and cruel, but Jun Shutong had to admit that he was right.
They couldn't even leave the mall right now. And perhaps one day, those rat Magical Beasts downstairs would come running up, or the Magical Beasts from the Aquarium would come over.
Either way, utter catastrophe awaited them.
But now there was an opportunity before them: offer two people each day to please that Ghost Magical Beast. And this sacrifice wouldn't even cost their lives.
From a leader's perspective, Lu Li's proposal was the right choice. Cruel though it was, it would at least improve the Camp's chances of survival.
Torn by an intense inner struggle, Jun Shutong furrowed her brows. After thinking for a moment, she finally gritted her teeth and made her decision.
"So what should we do?" Jun Shutong looked up at Lu Li, her gaze resolute.
Lu Li said, "Here's what we'll do..."
After working out the details with Lu Li, Jun Shutong gathered everyone in the Camp.
Facing everyone's questioning gazes, Jun Shutong took a deep breath and forced herself to speak. "Everyone, we now face an incredibly difficult choice."
Jun Shutong recounted the situation with Mimikyu and Lu Li's plan.
"So I've decided to send two people to the Arcade every day. And as the people proposing this plan, Lu Li and I will go first."
"In other words, Lu Li and I will head to the Arcade shortly to meet that Magical Beast. Ideally, we'll be able to communicate with it. If not, we'll be the first to make a sacrifice for this plan."
At those words, Fatty Lei shot to his feet and protested urgently, "Wait! Sister Jun, I agree with this plan, but we absolutely can't let you go yourself!"
"That's right! Officer Jun, you're in charge of the Camp. What will we do if something happens to you?"
"Exactly! Any of us can go, but you can't! You're the one holding us all together!"
"Will that Ghost Magical Beast really just lock us up for a day? It won't eat us?"
"Yellow Hair and the other guy both came back alive. Doesn't that answer your question?"
The crowd immediately erupted into a cacophony. Jun Shutong's brows knitted tightly as she watched the chaotic scene, a headache building.
"Quiet!" Jun Shutong shouted.
Every voice fell silent at once.
Watching this, Lu Li looked at Jun Shutong with appreciation. In some respects, she had truly won these people's hearts, which was a good thing.
"I made this decision, so naturally, I have to lead by example!"
"In a moment, everyone will draw lots to decide the order in which you'll go to the Arcade. For the sake of fairness, everyone must participate at least once."
Jun Shutong paused here, then added, "Lu Li and I will go first, but from then on, neither of us will be on the sacrifice list."
Everyone turned to look at Lu Li. Their eyes held curiosity and doubt, but above all, confusion.
They didn't understand why Lu Li, who had joined the Camp later than they had, should receive such privileges.
"Because from today onward, Lu Li will be my deputy. He's a graduate student, and he's done extensive research into those Magical Beasts. He's the brains of our Camp, so naturally, he deserves certain privileges."
"What's more, if this plan succeeds, it will mean the Camp becomes even safer, because we'll gain the protection of a Ghost Magical Beast. And all of that will be thanks to Lu Li's research."
"So, who's in favor, and who's against?"
After speaking, Jun Shutong swept a sharp gaze over the crowd, her expression making it clear that anyone who dared step forward would be opposing her.
The crowd began murmuring again, but no matter
what these people thought, not one of them was willing to step forward.
Seeing this, Jun Shutong nodded in satisfaction.
"In that case, come draw your lots." As she spoke, Jun Shutong took out a box she had prepared beforehand.
Fatty Lei went first. He drew number sixteen.
With Fatty Lei taking the lead, the others began lining up one after another to draw their lots.
Excluding Lu Li and Jun Shutong, there were thirty-six people in the Camp. Divided into pairs, that made eighteen groups.
Fatty Lei was in the sixteenth group, meaning his turn wouldn't come for another fifteen days. That was actually a good thing.
Once everyone had finished drawing lots, Jun Shutong added, "Before being offered as a sacrifice, everyone will be allowed a full meal, so we can avoid a repeat of what happened to Yellow Hair."
The gloom on everyone's faces finally lifted a little. In this apocalypse, where they never knew when their next meal would come, being able to eat their fill made even going hungry for a day and a night afterward seem a little easier to accept.
Even so, everyone still felt uneasy. After all, their fear of Ghost Magical Beasts had already seeped into their bones.