Shen Mo drove around Hangzhou city, making a big circle and encountering some more residents along the way.

The information they gathered was largely the same as what they’d first heard from Brother Fei’s group.

In short, people who hadn’t waited for rescue had nowhere to go, so they stayed in the urban area. The food and water here could temporarily sustain their lives, as long as they were careful enough not to approach game areas while collecting supplies.

How long this precarious survival could last, no one knew.

Seeing it was almost noon, Shen Mo picked a shady spot and stopped the car to prepare lunch.

Bai Youwei reminded him again: “My loquats.”

Shen·Food Procurement Officer·Mo: “…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You go pick for Weiwei. I’ll make lunch.” Teacher Cheng skillfully built the fire and set up the pot, muttering in a low voice, “Don’t loquats fruit in May or June? How are there still some in August…”

Bai Youwei said with a grin, “The dolls first appeared in May. Maybe time has stopped and we just don’t know it?”

Shen Mo glanced at her. “The lotus pods you ate ripen in July and August.”

“Then it’s related to the fog?” Bai Youwei casually guessed. “There’s no fog near Taihu, so time is normal.”

These guesses couldn’t be verified—just casual conversation.

Shen Mo picked up his backpack and left.

He left decisively and returned quickly. When he appeared before Bai Youwei again, his bag was already filled with golden loquats.

The meal was also ready.

White rice, mung bean soup, sweet pumpkin, roasted sausage, and a vinegar-pickled cucumber dish Teacher Cheng had made on the spot.

Very simple, plain fare, but the colors were bright. Under the big tree’s shade, they set up a small table. Several people sat in a circle. Inexplicably, it had the feeling of home, and their appetites opened up.

“Oh my, Old Cheng, your mung bean soup is so good~” Tan Xiao praised as he drank. “Even without ice, it’s refreshingly cool.”

Cheng Weicai smiled. “It’s because Weiwei put mint leaves in it.”

Tan Xiao turned to look at Bai Youwei. “Weiwei, you can cook too?”

“No.” Bai Youwei picked up a soft, tender piece of pumpkin, saying breezily, “But for smart people, everything is easy once you get it—nothing’s difficult.”

Tan Xiao thought for a moment, held his bowl and moved closer, humbly asking: “Is there any way to make people smarter?”

Bai Youwei: “Read more, use your brain more.”

“That won’t work. My head hurts whenever I read books!”

“Heh, then you’re hopeless.”

“Isn’t there… some way to get smarter without using your brain?”

“There is.”

Tan Xiao’s eyes widened. He moved even closer and asked: “What?”

Bai Youwei pointed with her chopsticks toward the fog in the city center. “Enter the maze~ The maze can enhance people’s physical abilities. Maybe it can boost your IQ too.”

Tan Xiao pondered for a while. “Now that you mention it… after entering the maze last time, my memory does seem to have improved a little.”

“Mm, I have this feeling too…” Teacher Cheng said hesitantly. “I thought it was because my body got younger, so my memory improved.”

Shen Mo looked at them and said, “The maze’s enhancement of our bodies doesn’t seem balanced. For me personally, the biggest change is in strength, then speed, jumping ability, instantaneous reaction, endurance… Thinking should have improved somewhat too, but not noticeably.”

Bai Youwei concluded: “This shows that growing a brain is much harder than growing muscles.”

Shen Mo: “…”

Why did that sound so much like an insult?

Over there, Teacher Cheng sighed emotionally: “In that case, taking that child into the maze once is good too. In the future, even without items, he’ll have the ability to support himself.”

“That’s not right~” Bai Youwei held up an index finger and waved it. “Teacher Cheng, I’m not taking him into the maze to do charity. I genuinely want him to join us.”