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Chapter 59
Chapter 59
Gu Nanyan's words left Song Ze feeling utterly ashamed, his face flushed red as he struggled to speak.0
Teacher Qi played the peacemaker, pulling Song Ze aside and quietly admonishing him: "Song Ze, don't go too far. Nanyan really did save everyone, you should be grateful."0
Song Ze stubbornly retorted, still unconvinced: "I just hate her savior complex. If she could ride a tiger, why didn't she come earlier?"0
"Are you even a man? Have you no shame?" Sister Sa couldn't bear it anymore and turned to berate Song Ze, "Why should Nanyan help you? Does she owe you anything?"0
The others also cast disapproving glances, feeling Song Ze was being unreasonable.0
Unable to withstand the gazes of everyone, Song Ze retreated to a corner, fuming and sulking.0
Gu Nanyan's arrival transformed the group's morale. Everyone seemed to have found a leader, gathering around her to listen to her instructions.0
Under Gu Nanyan's guidance, the group found 53 grass balls the next day.0
Seeing so many grass balls, everyone was overjoyed.0
"We found 50 today, if we find 50 more tomorrow, and considering things aren't expensive in the store, we can live quite well with these grass balls."0
Gu Nanyan frowned: "Don't be too optimistic. There are no more grass balls left. I've searched the entire center of the island, only the edges remain unsearched, which I had left for you. Now it seems there aren't many grass balls at the edges either. These 60 plus the 200 I have make a total of 260 grass balls."0
"That should be enough," Teacher Qi spoke up. "Didn't you say things in the store were very cheap? A pack of compressed biscuits only costs one grass ball. If we're frugal, 260 grass balls should suffice."0
Gu Nanyan remained silent, intuiting that things wouldn't be so simple.0
Sure enough, when everyone arrived at the store, they found that prices had skyrocketed by 30 times. A pack of compressed biscuits that originally cost 1 grass ball now cost 30.0
The grass balls they had would only be enough to buy 8 packs of compressed biscuits.0
Seeing this, the online audience was outraged.0
[This is too much! Why the price hike? They're trying to kill them!]0
[Waaah, things were just getting better, and now the store pulls this stunt. What are they trying to do?]0
"What are we trying to do? Kill them off, of course," Meng Li sat on the sofa, her long legs crossed, her gaze sinister. She wouldn't let them have it easy. She wanted them to kill each other!0
Just then, news came from the island: "Boss Meng, over half of the surveillance cameras on the island have malfunctioned."0
Meng Li frowned: "How did they break down?"0
"It might be due to rain, or animals trampling them."0
Meng Li massaged her temples, a thoughtful look crossing her eyes. Something wasn't right. The island's surveillance cameras were top-of-the-line products, waterproof and crush-resistant, with powerful batteries that could last 30 days without issue. How could they malfunction, and so many at that?0
Meng Li ordered: "Have the drones fly lower, try to get closer to them. And keep a close eye on Gu Nanyan."0
Although she had no evidence, Meng Li suspected Gu Nanyan was up to something. These past few days, she had been wandering aimlessly around the island, but wherever she went, surveillance cameras malfunctioned.0
Hmph, this woman was clever indeed.0
But no matter how capable she was, it was useless. Food would soon be scarce. Let's see how she handles that.0
Meng Li's eyes gleamed with malice as she issued another order: "Poison the waters around the island. With no fish, let's see how they survive."0
Due to the price increase, the group didn't buy compressed biscuits, but instead spent a large sum on a simple water filter that could remove impurities from water.0
Gu Nanyan knew where to find fresh water, which they could filter and then boil to drink.0
This solved their water problem. As for food, they could fish and eat wild fruits.0
The group brought the filter to the seaside, only to find a mass of dead fish floating belly-up on the water's surface.0
"How could this happen?"0
Everyone ran over in shock.0
The online audience was equally stunned.0
[What's going on? Why are all the fish dead?]0
[They've been poisoned. Damn, the show producers are ruthless. They're trying to kill the contestants!]0
[This is too evil. Waaah, what are they going to do now?]0
Some viewers couldn't control their emotions and began to cry.0
The entire internet was discussing how they would survive, if they could last 30 days.0
[I've lost hope, truly lost hope. If it were me, I definitely couldn't survive.]0
[Waaah, this is too sad. Heavens, why are they doing this to them?]0
Compared to the online audience, the islanders were even more devastated.0
Everyone's eyes were red-rimmed. The hot-tempered Song Ze clenched his fists and punched a tree trunk hard.0
Others collapsed on the ground, their faces blank with despair.0
Gu Nanyan quietly observed the scene, then wordlessly turned and walked away. She called for her tiger and rode off on its back.0
[Where is she going?]0
[What is Gu Nanyan up to?]0
Everyone was puzzled.0
The islanders also noticed Gu Nanyan's departure. Yang Tongtong chased after her: "Sister Gu, where are you going?"0
But a person couldn't outrun a tiger, and Gu Nanyan quickly disappeared from sight.0
Yang Tongtong turned back bewildered, looking at the others, "Where did Sister Gu go?"0
"Damn it!" Song Ze punched the tree again, shouting, "She abandoned us! She definitely abandoned us, thinking we're a burden!"0
"Impossible." Sister Twin retorted, "Nanyan isn't that kind of person."0
"Hmph." Song Ze's expression turned grim. "Do you really know her? Don't forget, she stayed in a room at the island's center for a month. She can survive on breakfast alone. I admit, she's helped us a lot, but now she's out of options too. There are no more grass balls, no more fish. She can barely take care of herself, how can she help us?"0
Everyone fell silent. If it were them, they'd abandon dead weight too. At a time like this, being able to take care of oneself was already impressive.0
Sister Twin still couldn't believe it. She shook her head: "It can't be. I believe in Nanyan. She'd never abandon us."0
"Heh, want to make a bet?" Song Ze sneered. "I bet she won't come back. If I win, you give me your share of compressed biscuits."0
Sister Twin's face changed.0
Younger Twin held her sister's hand, glaring at Song Ze: "Have you gone mad?"0
Song Ze was indeed close to losing his mind. He was really at his wit's end.0
The online audience was also debating.0
[Will Gu Nanyan abandon them?]0
[I don't think so. Gu Nanyan doesn't seem like that kind of person.]0
[I admit she's a good person, but the current situation is really tough. She's just one person with limited abilities.]0
[Sigh.]0
Just as everyone was sighing in despair, Gu Nanyan suddenly returned.0
Like a queen, she sat atop her tiger, looking down at everyone from her high perch. "Follow me," she commanded.0
Everyone instinctively followed Gu Nanyan to a cave where more than ten large duffel bags were placed.0
"Carry these bags and come with me."0
"What are these?" everyone asked curiously.0
Gu Nanyan replied: "You'll know soon enough."0
Panting and sweating, the group lugged these bags back to the store.0
Gu Nanyan spoke first: "Are the prices still the same? 30 grass balls for a pack of compressed biscuits?"0
"That's right," the man in black mocked. "What, thinking of finding more grass balls? Heh, keep dreaming."0
They had only placed 1000 grass balls on the island in total. 460 had already been found, and the remaining ones had mostly been destroyed by animals. There simply weren't any left.0
Gu Nanyan ignored the man in black and instructed the contestants, "Bring the things over and open them."0
Teacher Qi, Zhou Qinian, and others struggled to bring the enormous packages into the store and unzipped them.0
Inside were neatly arranged grass balls - a total of 3000!0