For a long while, Pang Pangzi traded a pack of compressed biscuits for some news.

Pang Tong's expression was grim—far from what he'd hoped. He'd once thought that finding a government shelter would save them all, but he’d forgotten just how many people lived in this country. He spoke hesitantly: “Ye Nüxia, the central shelter… it’s at full capacity. The survivors outside have waited for days with no word from the officials. They’re only allowed to camp at the foot of the mountain, and the luckier ones are stuck on fishing boats at least sheltered from the rain and wind…”

Ye Shu gazed out the glass window at the patchwork of boats, rain lashing ceaselessly. The tents at the mountain's foot looked far less safe than the decks of those fishing boats. If you caught a cold in this downpour, with no medicine on hand… wasn’t that just a different kind of death sentence?

So, all those boats circling outside were regular people who hadn’t made it into the government shelter. Getting inside required more than just showing up.

Ye Shu frowned. The shelter was full… Which meant even with supplies, getting in was next to impossible. Camping at the foot of the mountain was all that remained. She didn’t care about much else, but this Tanchuan Basin was prone to earthquakes, and with torrential rain, landslides and flash floods were common place.

Staying outside wasn’t safe at all.

But leaving to look for another hill didn’t seem feasible either. After all, Mount Qixia was the highest in all of Tanchuan. If this place was flooded, those other places would fare no better. She had to find a way in… Human strength was no match for a flash flood at least she would hold out until the final moment of this game.

“Ye Nüxia… what should we do?”

After learning the shelter was full, Pang Pangzi couldn’t help but worry. But when he saw Ye Shu’s unruffled face, his nerves settled a little.

“We’ll stay on the fishing boat tonight. See how things play out.”

As long as there were no massive mudslides or floods, this boat would serve as her safe house.

Even though it wasn’t yet night, the sky was already shrouded in darkness.

Only a few lamps were lit on the boat, but among all the fishing boats clustered together, their little haven shone clearly.

Looking closer, one could see, bobbing on the water, not just inflatable rafts or motorboats, but makeshift patchwork vessels—some cobbled together from plastic basins, some from old wooden doors lashed with bottles for buoyancy, survivors barely shielded by trembling umbrellas, huddling against the downpour… Compared to that, Pang Pangzi felt lucky to have thrown his lot in with a true powerhouse—not only did he have food to eat, he even got to sleep soundly. It was blissful, really!

All the cookware they’d bought before had been swept away by the floodwaters. Ye Shu could only make do, prying open a few boxes of self-heating meals for dinner. Afterward, she popped open a can, sitting atop a folding bunk and scooping out sweet, syrupy canned yellow peaches—Pang Pangzi’s mouth watered just watching. He cast a resentful glance at his own belly, suppressing his hunger.

Though the rain cut off most scents, outside, people could still catch whiffs of her cooking.

“Do I smell instant noodles—or have I lost my mind?”

“Oh my god, that’s braised pork—I swear! Having all those supplies must be amazing.”

“It’s been two days since I ran out of food. The hunger was bad enough, but now these smells are killing me! How about we just steal that boat? I can’t take it anymore.”

“I thought I was doing okay, eating cold instant noodles. But someone over there has rice… That’s yellow braised chicken I’m smelling… Damn, I can’t remember the last time I had a decent meal.”

The other survivors all fixed their eyes on Ye Shu’s boat.

Undeniably, they’d all escaped under threat, most not even managing to pack appliances, and even if they had, they couldn’t waste their last drops of diesel—maybe just boiling some water for warmth if they were lucky.

“Ye Nüxia, let me handle the patrols—you take a break.”

Pang Pangzi shoveled the last grains of rice into his mouth, dutifully donning his raincoat before heading to the deck to patrol, ensuring that their rain-covered supplies remained dry.

He made a circuit, finding nothing amiss, and returned to the cockpit.

Meanwhile, those floating outside cast envious glances at Pudgy Pang’s round frame. Anyone who could gain weight in this heat, in such rain, must have plenty of food… From the size of that boat, it seemed no one else lingered aboard but Pudgy Pang. Some considered making a move.

But they soon recalled that anyone who could gather so many supplies and even secure barrels of fuel wasn’t someone to trifle with. Their thoughts of robbery faded quickly.

On a battered little trawler not far away, Ye Tianxiang gazed covetously at the only speck of light in the darkness.

It was his first time being dragged into this game. The initial allowance the game gave him wasn’t nearly enough, so in desperation he’d holed up in a shared basement—only to find himself among veterans from past rounds. Ye Tianxiang promised them a share of the “dividends” upon clearing the game. Thus, the Bàtiān Squad was born.

The basement was cool, and for a time, their little group lived well enough. But the torrential rain shattered that false peace. Caught off guard, Ye Tianxiang and company scrambled for higher ground, snagging a battered fishing boat along the way—tiny and half-broken, but just enough for a few brothers.

The flash floods claimed a couple of teammates. Later, they followed other survivors by chance to Mount Qixia, but by then, all shelter spots were taken, and their boat was stuck at the foot of the mountain, unable to go further as more and more desperate people arrived.

Three days passed, and their supplies dwindled to nothing…

If only he could befriend the owner of the big fishing boat… He wouldn’t have to hide out here. Ye Tianxiang, now awakened to fire powers, decided to proactively approach the boat’s owner, confident they’d recognize his worth and recruit him.

That boat was more than big enough to accommodate his little crew.

The thought of bowing and scraping made Ye Tianxiang seethe inside. He’d grown up with a silver spoon, never having to beg for anything in his life—he could only hope the boat’s owner would appreciate his talents.

Far off in the darkness, Ye Shu, inside the control room, sneezed loudly.

She rubbed her itchy nose and pulled her blanket higher around her shoulders, brewing herself a mug of cola and ginger tea. The warmth seeped back into her skin.

That night, the routine stayed the same: Pang Pangzi stood watch through the first half, while Ye Shu took the latter.

Dawn crept by; another day had passed.

……

Ye Shu awoke to a commotion.

It was eight in the morning—dull gray light outside. Plastic sheeting stretched over the deck, but the rain still pounded, and above it, voices quarreled, shrill and insistent.

Ye Shu heard a familiar voice.

“Fat Bro… come on, let us aboard…”

“I’m the young master of the Ye Group… and I’ve awakened fire-type powers…”

“Work with me, you’ll never regret it!”

Ye Tianxiang faced Pang, who blocked him at the top of the stairs with his bulk, his expression warm but eyes glinting with malice when no one could see. Underneath, he fumed. How dare this damn fat man bar his way?

Just a watchdog—did he really think so highly of himself?

They were all players, but in Ye Tianxiang’s eyes, anyone who hadn’t awakened powers was just a weakling. Useless.

The fellow in front of him had a shifty look, clearly up to no good, probably only after their supplies. Naturally, Pang Pangzi wasn’t going to let Ye Tianxiang onto the boat, refusing sternly: “No way! Boss said no one steps onto her turf. Even if you’re a powered one, you’ll have to wait until she’s awake. I’ll report first—then we’ll see.”

Ye Tianxiang gritted his teeth, veins pulsing at his temple: “Fat Bro, then go tell your boss I want to cooperate with her!”

He figured anyone who could control such a big fishing boat had to be a survivor of the first game—a powerhouse. Best not to offend such a person; better to join her.

“You say jump, I’m supposed to ask how high? You think I don’t need my pride?”

Pang Tong retorted coldly, unmoving as a mountain.

Ye Shu had never seen Ye Tianxiang so stymied, and the satisfaction in her heart was indescribable. Once she’d watched long enough, she stepped out from the shadows.

“Someone like you will never set foot on this boat. You and your crew can get lost.”

Ye Tianxiang stared, eyes wide with shock: “Ye Shu! What are you doing here?”