I couldn’t move my shoulder even the slightest bit.

It was a mystery how I became one of the “main revolters.” The gang really thought too highly of me, that I had the power and strength to start a riot. A couple others and I were brought into the Central Base. Each of us was tied tightly on a wooden cross.

As I looked across to the people being tied, they were all full grown demons, at least a foot or two taller than me. I was no more than a pikachu next to the group of gigantic “Alolan Exeggutors.”

The sun was burning hot above my head, and I could hear my hair sizzling and over-cooked. The ropes were biting into my wrists and body. I was never hanged like this before, and it was plainly torture.

Especially when there was no water.

My tongue was dry like sandpaper, and my lips cracked terribly. This feeling really reminded me of my first day appearing on the continent. The thirst was unbearable.

So what was the gang’s big plan?

Just to leave us cooking under the sun, until we dried up?

In the first day or two, everyone was hanging there soundlessly. Until the third day, groans started here and there. I was mainly too dizzy to think much about my fate as time went on, until tonight when a soft hand touched my face.

And the cool and nourishing water ran down my throat and woke up my whole being. The water was sweeter than wild honey.

“Drink it slow.” Her voice was soft.

A beautiful face with doll-like eyes appeared in front of me. I tried to recall her name while in a daze, and finally remembered.

“MeiMei…….?”

She smiled, “Long time no see.”

“Why are you here?” I uttered.

“I am here all along, but I don’t expect you to be here though.”

I was mainly confused, but worried, “You should hurry and go, before getting caught by the gang. Those bastards are heartless and savage.”

MeiMei giggled lightly and her beauty shone like the moonlight.

“Oh, I thought you were an average girl, but indeed you are. Maybe that’s how you got yourself in this situation?”

She brushed her hair with the back of the hand, and walked a few steps to lay her eyes on me again.

“We are friends, aren’t we? I took a steam bun from you, and now I am here to feed you the last meal.”

LAST MEAL?

What was that for?

She took out some sweet bread, and split a small piece for me. I didn’t open my mouth. From my facial expressions, she could tell I was super confused.

“Oh, of course. You don’t know about this, but tomorrow morning all you will be moved to different bases, and skinned alive in front of all the slaves. Your skin will hang up high in the air until it completely dries up, and your flesh will be chopped to small pieces and thrown into the corpse hole to rot.”

So this was the gang’s big plan?

That way it will silence the slaves for some period of time, so they wouldn’t start another riot again. It was one of the many ways the gang manipulated their “puppets.”

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“Aren’t we all slaves? Why does it have to be this way?”

“Yes, you are right. We are all slaves.” She chuckled, “But some of us decide to control fate in our hands, but others spin around mindlessly like houseflies over compost, just like you. What you put yourself into is no more than a mindless housefly will do.”

MeiMei saw that I have no interest in eating the piece of bread, so she threw it away into the dirt. Oh, what a waste of food. She must have forgotten how hungry she was when we rode the prison carriage into the Underground.

“How do you know all of this?” I asked.

She always had this charming grin on her pretty face, luring and dangerous, which resembled a poisonous cobra snake.

“I became one of Headman Daoba’s women not long after arrival. Oh, that sick old man really likes young women, especially beautiful girls. I am so glad he’s gone now. He did promise to take me with him, but I was too naive to even believe it. Never trust a word from a man’s mouth. All are nothing but lies.”

She was Daoba’s woman, no wonder she knows so much.

“That night when you sneaked into here, I was just right behind you.” MeiMei got closer to my face, “So tell me, why were you hiding so long in Zen’s tent?”

I stuttered, and was surprised that she knew about it all along. Plus I was not expecting such a question from her, as if something weird was going on between me and that Iceberg.

What was worse is the fact I was here to enjoy my last bit of time to be alive, and she was here to be curious about something so ridiculous. Still, I was thankful that she did not tell on my back. Otherwise, it could have been worse than that.

“He was just helping me.” I murmured.

Her expression showed a big question mark, and definitely didn’t trust a single word from my mouth.

“Did you know him for a long time?”

I shook my head.

“Hmm…….” MeiMei laid her forefinger on her chin, “Then why did he save you?”

Why?

How the hell did I know why?

He was just a cold-face being who doesn’t want others to discover there was a freaking girl in his tent? What a weirdo……..

She got even closer, and examined me carefully with those doll eyes, “You are not that pretty at all. Zen wouldn’t have such a low taste.”

Jeez, why would I care what kind of girls he likes, especially since I was tied to a cross waiting for tomorrow’s skinning ceremony?

MeiMei must have a huge crush on Zen, for she looked and treated me like her rival. What was so likable about that Iceberg? He always had a bronze mask on and cold-tempered. You couldn’t even tell what his appearance was. Fine, even if he was not good looking, he should at least be a warm hearted person to attract girls. He was none of those.

MeiMei continued, “Oh, you probably have never seen him fight, every move is so clean cut and agile. Shrewd and right to the point where others don’t even have a chance to attack. Such a mysterious and strong man! I wonder what is behind that mask, perhaps a very handsome face. At least his eyes are mesmerizing enough to look at, just like the ocean. Too bad he’s not interested in me, but at least Dax is.”

She was indeed heads over heels over that Iceberg.

“Then who is the new headman?” I asked.

She chuckled wildly, “Why would that matter when you are about to die?”

“I just want to know where Zen is?”

“So there is something going on between you two.”

I almost rolled my eyeballs over how her brain works, “It’s not what you think. He’s not even my friend. I just want to find out if he’s still alive or dead.”

“He’s locked up now. Dax seems to want to play around for a bit, before getting rid of him. He’s a strong guy, but sometimes too proud of himself that falls through the trap.”

“You guys really poisoned him!?”

“Hehe……..only if that actually works. He did indeed drink the poison, but nothing happened afterwards, not even a slightest faint. Zen is a weird guy. I have never known of someone who is resistant to deadly poisons. Daoba did announce the new headman before leaving, and this announcement was what put Zen in his situation. Most of the bros are Dax’s followers. He only came here not long ago. No matter how strong he is, he can’t outnumber the gang.”

So Zen was indeed the new headman, and that was the reason Dax was holding the announcement back. He must be waiting for a chance to secretly swap the title under his own name without others noticing.

“But you like him, don't you? Why don’t you help him then?”

“I am interested in him, but he’s not interested in me. I would never waste my time on one-sided love.”

That was not love.

It was plain selfishness.

If I ever fell in love with someone, I would give everything I could to make the person happy. Even if he didn’t love me back, that was all right. It would be painful, but at least he would be fine.

I knew Zen must be in trouble, otherwise he would be in the Central Base now. I was all tied up, there was nothing I could do either.

MeiMei finally left after a few minutes of silence.