Chapter 403: You want fairness? I'll give you fairness

Stay calm, everyone isn't targeting you; it's just that our journey has been incredibly tough, plus we've been hungry for many days, and seeing many people eliminated makes it inevitable that some pent-up negative emotions build up.

Thank you, Number Ten, you're a good person.

We're comrades, it's only right; I'm Xu Ce.

Lu Yang.

The two returned each other's salute with a friendly smile.

Jiang Dahai hesitated, then pulled a grasshopper from his pocket: 'Just caught, it's yours cheap; this thing is high in protein, my advice is to eat it slowly—have the legs at noon, the wings at night, and if you can't hold out tomorrow, eat the body.'

Lu Yang only took the berries, but he was still grateful to the two and willing to offer help in this situation.

This is also the only one among the three groups willing to reach out a helping hand and provide assistance to him.

He will keep this gratitude in his heart.

But there are also cold remarks in the team.

I advise you to leave as soon as possible; this isn't a place for you privileged elites, aristocratic kids playing house!

Number Ten, say less!

'Say less? Why should I say less? He's just a backdoor entrant; his very presence is the biggest mockery of all our hard work!'

Tu Hongwei's temper flared; he angrily stood up and approached Lu Yang: 'I'm telling you, kid; I don't care what background you have or who you know—here you're nothing!'

You can't even find food or drink, yet you rely on others' handouts; someone like you doesn't deserve to stay on this island!

And there's more!

He turned and pointed at Xu Ce: 'These berry bushes are the ones I found; if you want to do a favor, be a good person—I won't stop you—but please don't use my share!'

Xu Ce also grew angry: 'What do you mean by that? The berry bushes are yours you found, but who found yesterday's sparrow? Didn't you eat it, huh?'

Jiang Dahai saw his teammates arguing, wanted to mediate, but couldn't stop them at all.

After finally calming down, he saw Lu Yang had already silently left alone.

Those berries that sparked the conflict were also left where they were by him.

Tu Hongwei, you've gone too far!

Xu Ce shoved Tu Hongwei hard: 'We're comrades; helping each other is natural, yet you quibble over a handful of berries and speak so harshly!'

Tu Hongwei pointed at the ground angrily: 'I'm stating a fact! Taking them is guilty; not taking them is what a real man does!'

Xu Ce: 'He said when he landed yesterday, before Lao Mao confiscated his watch, that his company and regiment were gone; do you think he voluntarily came to this godforsaken place to be ostracized by people, squeezed by instructors, and endure this inhuman existence?'

'Jiang Dahai, if it were you, would you willingly come to this godforsaken place?'

'I wouldn't come even if it meant death! But, since we're here...'

Tu Hongwei's chest still heaved, but he eventually swallowed those harsh words.

He grabbed the berries from the ground and stormed off.

Xu Ce asked him: 'What are you going to do?'

Tu Hongwei spat angrily: 'Find that kid and bring him back, divide our rations with him—then our three groups can starve and be eliminated together; would that work?'

Xu Ce and Jiang Dahai exchanged a glance, really finding it both laughable and exasperating.

They both knew this guy was all sharp tongue but soft heart.

He speaks fiercely, but deep down he still cares about his comrades and companions.

But Lu Yang still refused their kindness, insisting he could survive on this island by his own abilities.

Tu Hongwei eventually also generously said that if they truly couldn't find food or suitable shelter, they could come to him.

The next day at dawn, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

After a day of training, Tu Hongwei, weak-limbed and sore in the waist and back, went to the side to relieve himself.

Suddenly, his pupils widened like an earthquake; on the nearby bushes that should have been laden with berries, there was nothing at all.

'How could this be, how could this be?'

'Where are the fruits?'

'Where did the fruits go?'

Tu Hongwei's head felt like it had exploded.

These things directly concern whether our three groups can withstand the upcoming training.

Now they've all vanished without a trace; to him it's like the sky has fallen, so he quickly woke Xu Ce and the other two.

Upon hearing this, the two were also shocked, faces full of disbelief; they didn't even sleep, rushing off in different directions to look for any clues.

Tu Hongwei walked along a small path forward, when he suddenly saw a figure sitting on a stone opposite, watching the sunrise, tossing a wild fruit about the size of his fist into his mouth.

He approached and saw Lu Yang's face clearly; Tu Hongwei's head felt like it had been struck by thunder.

He didn't want to think badly of him, but the 'ugly reality' lay before him, indisputable.

'Getting up this early, you're also here waiting to watch the sunrise?'

'Want some? Just picked, still pretty sweet.'

Without a word, Tu Hongwei grabbed his hand, angrily seized Lu Yang's collar and demanded: 'You gave it to me to my face, yet you acted high and mighty and refused; behind our backs, you sneaked out while we slept to pick them!'

'You thief, you little thief, I'm blind as a bat for taking you as a comrade!'

Tu Hongwei clung to his clothes, but Lu Yang shoved him away for no apparent reason.

'Are you crazy?'

'You dare to push me!!'

Fuming, Tu Hongwei swung a punch straight at him.

But the next second, he took a punch from Lu Yang, then, off-balance, his feet left the ground and he collapsed.

He tried to get up, but his back was pressed down hard and his arms were locked; struggling was useless.

'You bastard, stealing stuff and still hitting people!'

I didn't steal anything!

It was you who stole them; these berries on the ground are the evidence!

Lu Yang glanced at the scattered berries on the ground and immediately understood what was going on.

He explained that he had found them in a patch of forest on the west side of the island, but Tu Hongwei simply didn't believe him.

Lu Yang knew there was some misunderstanding, so he let go of his hand, but he didn't expect this guy to still come; forced into a corner, Lu Yang could only use a big slap to help him calm down.

Not long after, Bai Yuan rushed over upon hearing the news: "Fighting? I dare anyone to fight! To break the rules right under my nose—you've got some guts!"

Lu Yang saw the instructor approaching with people from afar, immediately released his hand and stood at attention: "Report, we weren't fighting; we were just practicing grappling combat!"

Xu Ce arrived at the scene and immediately tried to persuade the enraged Tu Hongwei, pulling him back to keep him from acting impulsively.

Bai Yuan narrowed his eyes, stepped forward, and asked: "Really just a practice bout?"

Lu Yang: "Yes, just a practice bout."

I'm asking him, not you—shut your mouth.

Yes!

Bai Yuan watched Tu Hongwei's mouth corner slightly swollen; obviously he hadn't expected that the elite he had personally selected would actually suffer a loss at Lu Yang's hands?

But thinking about it, Lu Yang had just arrived on the island yesterday and still had plenty of stamina, whereas Tu Hongwei had been hungry for days and was weak in his limbs.

Even suffering a loss without having beaten Lu Yang is barely reasonable.

"Number Ten, tell me, what exactly were you arguing about earlier?"

Tu Hongwei's eyes were full of anger, his face still smeared with dirt, yet he remained silent.

Bai Yuan could feel his substantive anger, lowering his voice to speak close to his ear.

"As long as you give a reason, I can let him go; I know you dislike him, and I also think having him here is unfair to you."

"If you want justice, I can give it to you now; just say he stole your supplies, that his conduct is problematic, and I can publicly embarrass him and drive him away."

"Even afterward, I could reward you with two bottles of mineral water and a loaf of bread—this deal is quite worthwhile."

Hearing this, Xu Ce quickly gave him a look, signaling him not to fall for it!

He saw the berries fallen on the ground and immediately understood what had happened.

But from the size and color of the berries, it was obvious they weren't the ones they had discarded.

In other words, Tu Hongwei misunderstood Lu Yang; the instructor was deliberately using him as a pawn, coaxing him to frame a comrade.

Jiang Dahai looked at the berries on the ground, swallowed, appearing as if he wanted to speak but held back, yet in the end he still withdrew.

Lu Yang stared at the scene, feeling a sense of unease, as if something was off.

He felt that this desert island survival was not as simple as it seemed on the surface; Bai Yuan and Lao Mao seemed to have buried a hidden thread in this survival training, constantly hinting at something subtly.

But so far, no one has been able to firmly grasp that hidden thread.

Lu Yang carefully recalled Bai Yuan's words when introducing him upon landing on the island the day before.

After repeated contemplation, he felt like he'd been enlightened, found the crux, and finally understood the instructors' intentions......

"Come on, what's there to hesitate about? Speak up louder."

Bai Yuan leaned his ear in, even giving Lu Yang a provocative cold smile from that side.

But the smile curling at Lu Yang's lips and the flash of light in his eyes made Bai Yuan's heart skip a beat, as if he'd been seen through.

At that moment, Tu Hongwei, skewered over the fire, felt his throat roll, slowly raised his hand to take off his cap, and shouted at him: "Bai Yuan, I fuck your grandpa!"

Bai Yuan's smile froze on his face: "????"