Chapter 216 - 141: This is a Gift! The Pressure from Chen Chong! You Have No Right to Question

Chapter 216: Chapter 141: This is a Gift! The Pressure from Chen Chong! You Have No Right to Question

Day was breaking. Harsh sunlight pierced the morning mist and spilled onto the ground...

Figures began to appear, one after another, in the once-empty Central Square.

Early risers and sleeping students alike were roused by a deliberate commotion and hurried over.

Dragged from their beds at the crack of dawn, everyone was seething with anger.

If not for the fact that the people shouting below were all carrying knives and clubs—and in no small number—someone would have surely lost their temper and started a fight by now.

Although no one dared to lash out, their faces were etched with clear displeasure as they stepped into the Central Square.

However, when their gazes swept over the three large, steaming pots below the high platform, the resentment on their faces vanished instantly. In its place was raw, naked greed.

All eyes were glued to the chunks of meat tumbling in the pots. Throats bobbed, and they couldn’t stop swallowing, their mouths watering uncontrollably.

The rich aroma of meat wafted on the wind, making everyone want to rush forward and snatch some for themselves.

It had been half a month since they were transported to this jungle. The survivors had all mastered at least a few survival skills—enough to find food and avoid starvation. But not starving was a far cry from having a full stomach.

The Primitive Jungle may have been vast, but not vast enough to feed so many hungry mouths from the school.

Lacking sufficient stamina and courage, most people were confined to searching for resources within a few kilometers of the school.

After all, the deeper one ventured, the longer the journey, making it highly unlikely they could return by nightfall.

The jungle was fraught with peril at night; ordinary students simply couldn’t afford to take such risks.

Only a few of the bolder teams dared to explore farther out, but their hauls were often disappointing...

As a result, no matter how abundant the resources were within a few kilometers of the school, they couldn’t withstand so many people scouring the area day after day.

As the days went by, most people at the school could find just enough to eat to keep from starving, but they were still plagued by a constant, gnawing hunger.

The teams that could eat their fill were a tiny minority.

One look at the sallow, emaciated faces in the crowd was proof enough.

Now, seeing the chunks of meat stewing in those three large pots, how could they possibly hold back?

If Chen Chong and his group on the high platform didn’t look so intimidating, the crowd would have swarmed them in a mad scramble for the food by now...

As more and more people gathered, the once-spacious Central Square soon became impenetrably packed.

People sat or stood in a seemingly disorganized mass, but a closer look revealed they were all clustered in small groups of four, five, or even a dozen.

Clearly, these were the small survival teams that had spontaneously formed over the past half-month as people banded together for mutual protection.

The larger teams even had twenty to thirty members.

One team numbered over fifty, its ranks still swelling as more people entered the Central Square. This was, unmistakably, the Survival Association, led by Sima.

As the largest faction in the school, and one that was wary of Zhong Fang and Chen Chong, they had come despite their reservations. They wanted to see what Chen Chong was really up to.

"President, you don’t think they’re trying to poach our members, do you?"

Sima’s expression was grim. "Let’s just wait and see..."

Time ticked by, second by second, and a clamor of discussion began to rise from every corner of the square.

"Woken up before the sun’s even all the way up. What the hell do they want? I didn’t get nearly enough sleep!"

"Tell me about it! A few of us were up till midnight trying to catch a civet. I’m so tired I can barely keep my eyes open!"

"Same here. We got back earlier, but we caught over twenty wild birds in our traps. Just plucking and cleaning them took hours. With so little rest, I’m going to be useless all day!"

"Are they giving a speech? A few days ago, the student council—no, the Survival Association, that’s what they’re called now—didn’t they... You don’t think these guys are trying to pull the same stunt as Sima and recruit us, do you?"

"Damn! If they try that crap, I’m finding some rotten eggs. That Sima guy is a total bullshitter. He talks about providing food, but he’s really just trying to scam people out of their Cards. I heard two or three hundred people scrambled to join, but in less than three days, half of them had stormed off, cursing him out!"

"If he tries to bullshit me... I don’t have any rotten eggs, but I’ve still got last night’s shit in a plastic bag. I’ll just chuck it right at him!"

"I’d advise you not to look for trouble. See those guys on the platform? That one’s probably the president of the Fishing Club, right? Don’t underestimate those fishermen just because they hang out by the river all day. They’re vicious fighters. Back in the day, even the Fighting Club wouldn’t mess with them!"

"And that pretty girl... isn’t she the president of the Swordsmanship Club?"

"The Fighting Club guys are here too? How did they all end up on the same side?"

"Who’s that handsome guy in the middle with the long saber? Looks like he’s the leader of this whole crew."

"Who knows. I couldn’t care less. That meat in the pot, though... it smells so good. I just want one bite."

"So hungry... I need food..."

The Central Square was now completely packed. The members of the Fishing Club and the others who had gone out to notify the entire school had also returned one by one.

Nearly a hundred armed members formed a circle below the high platform, facing the crowd.

It was unclear if they were there to stop people from rushing the stage for the meat, or simply as a show of force.

"Chen Chong, just about everyone from the school is here. I’d estimate less than a tenth are missing." Zhong Fang said in a low voice, glancing up at the sky.