On the hillside, the grass stretched out lush and fragrant.

Bai Youwei sat in her wheelchair, watching the distant plume of black smoke gradually fade, a cold smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

The game had only just begun. If they thought she could be defeated so easily, they were very much mistaken…

……

She waited on the hillside for a while until Shen Mo, Yu Chaohui, Tan Xiao, and A’Long returned together.

The rabbit perched on Shen Mo’s shoulder. Halfway up the slope, it hopped down and bounded back to Bai Youwei’s side in a series of leaps.

Tan Xiao led the way up the hillside, strutting with a triumphant air. “Let’s see them strut around now! No food, no water — have fun going hungry! Ha ha ha ha! …”

Bai Youwei wore a faint smile. She took out the food she’d prepared in advance and handed it to Tan Xiao:

“You must all be hungry too, right? Head back to camp and eat. Here — Teacher Cheng made these earlier. Take them to camp and divide them up with A’Shalina and the others.”

Tan Xiao’s mouth was already watering. He took a long, eager sniff. “Wow~ big steamed buns, and eggs and grilled sausages! Teacher Cheng keeps getting better and better!”

He turned around and called out to everyone: “Come on! Let’s head back to camp for lunch!”

Yu Chaohui was a little uneasy and frowned. “Is that really enough? They must have brought their own food into the game too…”

Tan Xiao waved a hand dismissively. “It’ll be fine! Even if they did, it won’t last them long. Knowing my brother’s appetite, whatever he brought would barely last him one meal!”

Bai Youwei said lightly: “It’s fine. As for the food they brought, I’ve made other arrangements.”

“Hear that? Weiwei has it covered — let’s go, let’s go, time to eat~!” Tan Xiao hooked his arm around Yu Chaohui and walked off, regardless of whether he was willing.

A’Long followed along behind.

Only Bai Youwei and Shen Mo remained on the hillside.

Shen Mo glanced at the retreating figures of their companions and asked Bai Youwei: “Aren’t you going to eat?”

Bai Youwei gave him a sweet smile. “Teacher Cheng made me a private meal — I already ate. You go ahead. I’ll keep watch here, and if I spot any movement from them, I’ll call you all.”

Shen Mo looked at the rabbit in her arms — that was reassurance enough — and raised a hand to gently ruffle the top of her head. “I’ll be back up shortly,” he said.

Bai Youwei blinked her wide, innocent eyes, as well-behaved as the rabbit in her lap. She scrunched her nose ever so slightly and let out a sweet little “Mm~”

“Always so coquettish,” Shen Mo said with a smile, giving her cheek a gentle pinch before he turned and walked away.

Bai Youwei touched the cheek he had pinched, watching Shen Mo’s departing figure, warmth spreading softly through her chest.

After a while, she looked back down at the rabbit in her arms. “Did you see that?” she murmured. “Men need to be coaxed too.”

The fluffy rabbit stared blankly at her.

“Never mind, you wouldn’t understand anyway.” Bai Youwei settled comfortably into a better position, crossing her legs, narrowing her eyes as she gazed into the distance, and murmuring softly: “That thing should be back by now…”

……

After a little longer, a rustling sound came from below the hillside.

Bai Youwei looked up. A severed hand was scrambling rapidly up the slope.

It wore a green knitted mitten, with all manner of weeds and green leaves stuck into it, making it look, at first glance, like a small crawling plant.

Bai Youwei released the rabbit and moved to the edge of the slope to meet it.

“Did you complete the mission?” she asked.

The hand raised a single finger and made a “nodding” gesture toward her.

Bai Youwei said coolly: “Give me the middle finger one more time and see if I don’t step on you.”

The hand trembled, quickly lowered the offending finger, and switched to pointing its index finger in a “nodding” motion. Then it flopped to the ground and rubbed itself against the slope, dislodging a small flower from its back, which it held up toward Bai Youwei as an offering.

Bai Youwei bent down and picked up the flower, then said mildly: “All right, no need to flatter me. You did well this time. How about, once the game ends, I’ll reward you with ten bottles of nail polish?”

The hand leaped on the spot twice, overjoyed.

Bai Youwei smiled, then looked out toward the northern forest.

—

A gust of wind blew past, lifting her long hair and white dress. At some point the flower in her hand had fallen. She glanced down at it, then raised her foot and pressed down — crushing it beneath her heel, just as she would crush the people on the other side.

—