Ye Shu left the deck in haste, intent on stockpiling supplies. Her first stop was the nearest restaurant, where she chose a seat beneath the skylight. On the wall-mounted TV, the news was droning on: [According to the Survival Channel, the island nation of Dongying is set for its fifth water release tomorrow…] A little girl nearby was feeding seagulls with bread. The ocean wind stung Ye Shu's cheeks; perhaps it was her imagination, but there lingered a foul, sticky scent that curled uneasily in her nostrils.

The Royal, as expected from the world’s top luxury liner, delivered food within minutes—attentive waiters bearing exquisite dishes. The mere aroma set her stomach to rumbling.

But as Ye Shu regarded the seafood arrayed before her, the sense of unease deepened.

She called a waiter over. "Could you give me the simplest bowl of ramen?"

Just moments before, she'd swear she saw a tentacle of octopus on her plate twitch. But with a second glance, nothing looked amiss.

The waiter soon brought her ramen instead, though it too arrived crowned with neatly sliced, gleaming sashimi.

As Ye Shu picked up a pinkish fillet, she noticed a thread of inky, red-black blood streaked across the flesh. Instantly, the image of her body being carved apart by the male apparition flooded her mind. Her appetite vanished.

Better not to risk it—caution was safest.

"Ye Shu? Is that actually you?"

A familiar male voice called from behind. She looked up to see her cousin, Ye Jun, infamous for their childhood rivalry.

"Who would've thought someone like you would get chosen!"

"No wonder you’re a cuckoo’s chick in another’s nest—too cowardly even to eat sashimi. You could never present yourself in polite company."

"Tsk, tsk. I can’t imagine how you have the gall to fight with cousin over your identity. If I were you, I’d have given up long ago."

"Lucky for you, a free vacation on a cruise. Cheap shot."

Ye Shu massaged her tightening temples before slapping her cousin square in the face.

"I was an infant when the mistake happened. Do you really think you can pin it on me?"

"Your face hurt my hand."

Ye Jun clutched his swelling cheek in disbelief, unable to find words as he stared across at the girl. Was this truly the meek Ye Shu he remembered?

It took him a long moment to regain his composure.

"Alright, Ye Shu, you dare hit me… Just wait, I’ll tell cousin—see if he doesn’t deal with you! Just wait!"

Ye Shu ignored Ye Jun's bluster and strode out of the restaurant. Arrogant, overconfident rookies like him were always the first to fall—hardly worth her effort.

She headed for the nearest supermarket and spent every last bit of her starting funds: five cases of purified water, ten packs of soda crackers, five packs of hot dogs, five crates of instant rice, three crates of instant noodles, a case of canned fruit, assorted chocolates and candies. She tossed two watermelon knives, gloves, rope, lighters, and other tools into her cart as well.

On the eightieth floor, she finally secured an inflatable life raft.

Ye Shu found a secluded nook to store her goods in the ring space.

Passing a pharmacy, she picked up antibiotics, bandages, anti-inflammatories, and two neglected hazmat suits.

She wandered the ship all afternoon, noticing nothing out of the ordinary. On the contrary, the passengers were thoroughly enjoying their rare escape, basking in the luxury of the journey.

The tickets aboard The Royal cost a fortune, yet almost every restaurant and bar was gratis—only the supermarket charged anything. Everyone aboard was either wealthy or well-connected; none cared about the expense.

[To all passengers of The Royal, this is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard! Tonight, there will be a party on deck—with ladies, red wine, pool and hot tub. I look forward to your presence!]

Ye Shu could not help but frown. The captain’s voice, she thought, was far too young.

Suddenly, a heavy hand landed on her shoulder.

She turned: a woman behind her, grumbling under her breath. From the moment she’d entered the game, Ye Shu had gained her character’s memories—this woman was her nominal mother.

"Shushu? Why haven’t you been answering my calls? I’ve been looking everywhere for you."

"Sorry, Mom. The ship’s so big, I got lost… and my phone died…"

The lies came easily, her face even showing a touch of panic, as if fearing her mother’s anger.

Following her mother back to their quarters, Ye Shu was surprised by the size; their rooms were more like a suite, with private bedrooms and bathrooms for each person.

She had no intention of joining the evening party—just a token appearance. The dance floor, packed with writhing bodies and blaring music, only induced a headache.

She made her way to the deck for air.

Out there, darkness swallowed the horizon in all directions. The much-lauded floating city of The Royal seemed pitifully small.

This time, she wouldn’t passively await disaster in her cabin. With the survival period extended, the first few days of the game were typically safe.

Decks 1 through 10 were reserved for the crew; above that, most spaces were for passenger leisure—her destination lay below the 10th deck.

Ye Shu took the elevator straight down to deck one. Every level hosted its own party, so no one paid her any mind.

Industrial containers crowded the floor. Inside, the catch from the sea—destined for the cruise’s eateries—lay neatly stacked.

Ye Shu approached. She needed to confirm if those seafood supplies… were truly tainted.

What she’d witnessed in the restaurant was surely no hallucination. Tracing the cause inevitably led to the ship's stores.

"What are you doing? Miss, passengers aren’t allowed on this deck."

A crewman’s voice halted her before she could touch a container.

Just as she was about to explain, the middle-aged sailor smiled sheepishly. "You must’ve gotten lost—lots of guests have wandered down here today. This area’s for supplies; no one usually comes by."

Ye Shu offered no retort, allowing the man to escort her back to the elevator.

"Clang—"

A metallic crash rang out, swallowed almost instantly by the noise of revelers and crashing waves.

Upon her return, Ye Shu caught sight of her mother enjoying a platter of sashimi—blood at the corner of her lips, her gaze strangely glazed.

Ye Shu masked her shock with practiced calm.

"Shu’er! Come and eat! The fish was caught just now—the flavor is heavenly!"

"Call your father to join us; doesn’t he love sashimi? There’s plenty more."

"Mother dearest, I already filled up at the party. You’re right, it was delicious! Goodnight, Mom."

She even faked a little burp, skirting the issue of fetching her father.

Since boarding, her father had shut himself in and ignored all of her mother’s pleas.

"Alright, then, go on," her mother said, devouring another bite of fish, lips glistening, eyes smoldering with unsated hunger.

On the table, a dozen empty plates towered. With Father absent, all this had been eaten by the woman before her—her mother, always refined, devoted hours to exercise, and generally stuck to slimming meals…