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墨書 Inktalez
After confirming that the Parasite Beast was dead, the girl with a blank stare burst into tears, leaving the men around her in a mix of laughter and disbelief. The young man with an Afro lay in the sand pit, gasping for breath, never expecting that death was so close to him.
Freyr calmly responded, "This place is no longer safe. We need to hurry to the oasis, which is marked as the Rally Point on the map. There, we might have a chance of survival." Following his words, those who were moved by what they had just heard exchanged glances, and after a while, one person symbolically stepped forward.
One of the men clapped his hands loudly to rally everyone's spirits. "We should unite. From now on, let's avoid going off alone."
"Until we establish decision-making authority, we hope everyone can affirm the standards set. Raise your hand to indicate your choice; the minority will follow the majority. Whether we act as a team or go our separate ways will depend on this vote."
At that moment, a man's voice came from another side. He was sitting cross-legged on the ground, large drops of sweat rolling down his forehead, his face pale like a porcelain doll. Flanking him were two tall and strong men who had their arms draped over each other's shoulders, appearing to be very close friends.
These two men held different weapons in their hands, and everyone was captivated by their luxurious appearance. One weapon was a modified Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle, said to have such precision that an excellent Special Forces operative could kill an enemy from a kilometer away without revealing their position. The other man carried a uniquely shaped submachine gun with a white finish; its magazine had a silver skull engraved on it.
The skull symbolized a fervent weapon expert; it represented modified weapons handled by the equipment department. Both weapons had increased magazine capacities, and every round was loaded with Deadly Poison ammunition—undoubtedly lethal to humans and even more devastating to insects. No cell could survive under the influence of such potent toxins.
With the Parasite Beast now dead, those still shaken returned to sit near the tents. They held a brief meeting. The new recruits, who had previously been at odds with one another, now gathered together after experiencing the recent events. They raised their hands to vote on the earlier topic with calm expressions.
"Those who think we should split up and try our luck can raise their hands. I respect each of your choices, but this concerns everyone's safety. You wouldn't want to lose your lives over a meaningless test, would you? This place is far from what you imagine; there are creatures here beyond just the Parasite Beast—predators at the top of the food chain that are much more terrifying than humans."
Nosty spoke slowly, and everyone turned in surprise toward the man sitting cross-legged. They were astonished but felt compelled to listen; his words seemed etched into their subconscious. They looked around wide-eyed during the silent meeting, no one daring to interrupt.
As they observed this unusual man flanked by two burly bodyguards, some began to feel hesitant about their choices. Finally, someone stood up—Freyr recognized him as the young man with an Afro who had bravely faced off against the Parasite Beast and nearly sacrificed himself in battle. Now he stood among them like a hero; even without any formal recognition, most were willing to follow such a leader.
The Afro-haired young man raised an eyebrow and said, "Splitting up is not wise. We need to move together; it's better for a group of over twenty people to travel together than for just a few individuals to venture out alone."
"Before we proceed, let's report all the weapons everyone has, as well as our food and water reserves. We don't know what changes may occur while traversing this desert. We might have to stay here for another night, so we need to conserve our food and water. I think it would be best to distribute the supplies based on labor, giving more to those warriors who can fight effectively, while leaving some for those who are currently weaker. What do you think of this approach?"
Freyr hesitated for a moment, glancing at the actions of those around him. Some people seemed to agree with his reasoning, while a group displayed signs of unease. These individuals lacked the ability to protect themselves and understood the significance of water in the desert—it represented their chance of survival.
Suddenly, Nosty’s voice rang out again: "You're right about needing to leave the desert as a team, but I cannot agree with your plan to gather resources afterward. Water and food are vital lifelines for everyone. Abandoning the weaker members is morally indefensible; judging right from wrong in such a situation yields no results. However, it does reveal flaws in your character."
Afro exploded in anger, directing his ire at Nosty, who was sitting cross-legged with his arms around his knees. "What do you propose then? In the worst-case scenario, most of us might survive, but that would inevitably lead to situations like what just happened. Everyone saw the outcome; if I had hesitated even slightly, that Giant Bug would have devoured me. If I hadn’t prioritized my safety over that woman’s, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. So logically, I deserve some reward for my efforts—at least enough food and water to sustain me."
"Everyone needs to calm down," Freyr interjected. "We're discussing how to survive and escape, not settling personal grievances. Surviving is more important than anything else. If we get a chance to fight once we're out of here, so be it."
His simple statement struck a nerve, causing many to turn their attention toward Freyr. Even Goatee, who had seemed indifferent before, showed signs of losing his composure. It was clear he was one of those who had attacked the Parasite Beast. Afro glanced at him but swallowed back his words.
"We need to focus on how to survive," Freyr continued. "Let's distribute the weapons fairly; any bullets that can be used should go to those skilled with firearms. Those without combat abilities should stay in the middle of our formation, with people on both the front and back keeping watch at all times. As for your food and water concerns—let's set those aside for now. We're all walking the same path; our suffering is relative. If anyone can't hold on, I'll share my water with you."
As soon as he finished speaking, many felt their worries ease somewhat. However, they were unaware that this was just the beginning; resentment flickered in some people's eyes—an emotion that went unnoticed by anyone, including Freyr himself, who couldn't remain vigilant at all times. Nevertheless, his priority was still to lead everyone to safety.
The Explosive-Haired Man clearly respected Freyr's stance and nodded slowly with an air of generosity. "It seems you have a point; not abandoning anyone is commendable... This is good. Our methods may differ, but we share the same goal: to survive and escape this desert together. Let's cooperate; I agree to your terms."
Feeling the pressure lift slightly, Freyr took a deep breath and replied calmly, "So we are friends in this desert." He then noticed a group of unfriendly faces behind Duan Shuai staring at him with deep-seated resentment in their eyes, sending a chill down his spine.
In truth, Freyr had already sensed hostility from many within the group. Rather than hoarding food and water individually, he preferred an approach that contradicted survival-of-the-fittest principles. Duan Shuai's plan emphasized strong individuals protecting the weak but required payment from them—a protection fee—otherwise they would lose that safeguard.
From a moral standpoint, this was akin to taking advantage of others' misfortunes; these people were no different from robbers. What was worse was their demand for essential water from their companions' supplies. Yet everyone was smart enough not to escalate tensions openly; instead, subtle actions would undoubtedly continue behind the scenes. In this death-laden desert—with conspiracies brewing among them—the journey of over twenty kilometers appeared daunting.
Amidst heated arguments among the group, some decided to traverse the most dangerous areas for training purposes and courage-building while others favored safer shortcuts—routes that consumed less time but were still relatively secure compared to extremely perilous paths. Only a minority believed in taking completely safe detours that would add five to eight kilometers to their journey; though rugged and challenging terrain awaited them, it offered better chances for mutual support and survival.
Both the Conservatives and the stubborn Radicals held differing opinions, arguing back and forth until it all came to nothing. No matter which path they chose, the ultimate outcome could only be known by taking a step forward; their discussions would lead nowhere. Instead, they would exhaust themselves with endless debate, drinking up the water meant for their journey, ultimately dying of thirst.
Looking around, it didn’t seem likely anyone would notice them. At least Cousins had the courage to bring them here, suggesting he had a foolproof plan to ensure his own safety in case of danger or death.
Freyr remained silent amidst the intense arguments. He knew that further debate would only incite more panic and drain their energy. After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke up, “We can’t drag this out any longer. We need to move forward to figure out our next steps.”
The other voices fell silent once more. Some people stood up from the ground, brushing off dust and organizing their belongings in their packs. It seemed they no longer had any objections to his words. These individuals had given up on fantasies; initially, only a few stood up, but soon most followed suit. Seeing this, even those who remained seated were moved.
(Let’s go… The road ahead is still long…)
(But so what? Fearlessness in the face of danger is a warrior's duty. They are a group unafraid of sacrifice, great adventurers…)
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