Chapter 23

“Huff… Huff….”

Arna, who had barely managed to get a lighter, headed back to the camp, dragging her worn-out body.

I ended up using far too much energy today unintentionally. And it’s only the first day.

Still, if I go a little further, there will be等候ng meat waiting for me. Juicy pork belly, chewy scallops, and finally, boiled spinach.

With just that thought in mind, Arna pushed herself as hard as she could to take another step forward.

I’m almost there now….

If I just get past these bushes….

“Why are you so late? We’ve been waiting for quite a while.”

Surprisingly, by the time she arrived, the barbecue party had already begun.

Sizzle.

On the giant spoon, the pork belly was cooking to a perfect golden brown, scallops cooking together, and even kimchi sizzling in the oil.

It was exactly the scene Arna had anticipated.

“….”

However, Arna couldn’t take her seat. She stood still, lighter in hand.

“Just sit down already. I’ve got the meat just right.”

“…What the heck is that fire?”

There was something that needed to be addressed before starting the party. Arna pointed to the campfire burning fiercely beneath the spoon.

Clearly, just moments ago, there hadn’t been any fire, which is why she had struggled to find a lighter. But now, all her efforts seemed to be mocked as Shin Yoon-seong casually poked at the campfire.

“This fire? Don’t be shocked. Prometheus was just here.”

“Cut the cr*p already…!”

Crack!

Arna threw the lighter at Shin Yoon-seong’s shoulder with all her might.

*

After a long first day of training, it was now the second day.

There wasn’t much difference on the second day. The routine was still the same: roaming the island in search of food, catching supply boxes dropped from the sky with the giant spoon.

Of course, the students weren’t just standing by watching the spoon go wild. They had their eyes on the supplies and were planning to snatch them for themselves.

But they didn’t dare to come close when Arna was around.

“Ahh! It’s Arna! Run!”

“Why is Arna guarding that spoon anyway?”

Even the most daring ones who charged forward driven by hunger were quickly dealt with by Arna.

My hero, indeed.

“Huff huff…”

“You’ve worked hard. Have a drink.”

I offered Arna a hip flask as she returned. It looked like a canteen, a stainless-steel bottle.

Glug glug.

“Pfft…!”

But Arna spat it out immediately, and the air was filled with the smell of alcohol.

“Tsk tsk. A lady throwing up food, how uncultured.”

“Keh, keh…! Are you joking? That’s alcohol!”

“That’s correct. It was in the box we just got. How’s the taste?”

“EEEK…! Giving me alcohol in broad daylight, what were you thinking?”

Arna shoved the hip flask into my chest.

Considering my stress-relief intentions, why can’t she appreciate my thoughtfulness?

I took a sip from the bottle.

“Pfft…!”

I spat it out immediately before it even reached my throat. Now I understood why Arna had spat it out right away.

This is some hardcore liquor. It’s beyond drinkable without mixing. It must be over 50 degrees. Did they give this to start fires?

“Hey!”

“What is it? Lunch is starting right now.”

“Kyaa! Not lunch! Why am I fighting alone?! You just hide behind me all day long!”

“Didn’t we agree on this anyway? I handle supplies and cooking, and you’re responsible for the fighting.”

“I never heard any such agreement!”

“Did we? Well, if you can’t manage this, cancel the contract.”

I pointed at the supplies stacked nearby. All the boxes collected by the spoon were there.

It’s not something Arna could easily do—snatching supply drops quicker than anyone.

“If you leave, I won’t stop you.”

“Urgh…”

Arna knew how advantageous my spoon was in this training. We always get the supplies before others.

“If you decide to leave, I’ll give you a decent severance package. Appreciating your efforts and all.”

“Ugh…! Fine! I’ll go shower and come back. You finish the lunch preparation…”

In the end, Arna gave up.

Arna grabbed grooming supplies from the box and headed somewhere far. She probably went to the nearby stream.

“What a fuss.”

Still, even if she talks like this, I have benefitted from her quite a bit.

If I were alone, I wouldn’t have made it this far. All my supplies would have been taken, and even the number on my shirt would be gone.

“Hmm…”

While Arna was gone, I decided to check my smartwatch.

[Survivors: 376/499]

Already over a hundred people have dropped out in one day. At this rate, how many will survive on the last day? Probably fewer than 50.

Furthermore, the supply quantities will decrease over time. The competition will only get fiercer.

Arna must stay by my side until the end if I’m to survive. I need to feed her well and take proper care of her.

“Hey! Shin Yoon-seong!”

As I was about to prepare lunch, a female student appeared from between the trees.

It was Baek Joo-hee, her face caked with thick makeup. She was the girl Arna said she missed last night.

“Oh! You’re still alive! I’m so relieved! I was really worried about you….”

What is this? Did we ever have a conversation to the point that you’re acting so familiar? Besides, she was the one who chased me to d*ath with my spoon last night, wasn’t she?

“Ahem, by the way, I don’t see Arna. Aren’t you guys together? Have you two split up?”

Baek Joo-hee pretended to look for Arna while subtly glancing at our pile of supplies.

It was clear that with her teammates Sang-hoon Lee and Han Ba-ram gone, she was trying to latch onto me now.

Just in time too, because I do have a good amount of supplies.

“What do you actually want?”

“Oh, stop being so defensive. I won’t do anything really.”

Thud. Baek Joo-hee took a step forward.

I raised the giant spoon as a warning to stop her from coming closer.

“Why are you scaring me like that…? I’m not here to fight….”

“Speak your mind. Or else I’ll smash your pot with this spoon.”

“….”

Baek Joo-hee closed her mouth. Then, abandoning her fake kindness act, she revealed her true intentions.

“Alright, I’ll stop pretending. How about this—since you’re alone too, why don’t we team up for the rest of the training?”

“No thanks.”

“Huh…?”

She didn’t expect me to reject her outright and started jumping around in place.

“What! Why not? Wouldn’t it be better together than alone? Let’s help each other and survive!”

Help each other?

I could give her these supplies. But there’s nothing she could offer me in return.

She has neither Arna’s combat skills nor survival skills. She only knows how to do makeup.

Still, if she insists on coming along…

“Give me thirteen reasons why I should team up with you.”

“Eh? Do I really have to give thirteen reasons?”

“If not, forget it.”

“Alright! I’ll say it!”

And, uh, so, Baek Joo-hee started desperately making up reasons, straining her limited brain.

“First, I’m pretty?”

“Are you delusional?”

“And I’ve got a great figure? I’m full of charm? Being around me will make your strength boom!”

“You’re totally insane.”

“What then?”

She started getting angry herself, probably realizing how ridiculous she sounded. If she had just come straight out and said she was hungry, I might have thrown her a bun.

“Alright, then let me give you something else!”

“Something else?”

“Hehehe.”

Squish—

Out of nowhere, Baek Joo-hee started unzipping her jacket, down to her chest. Soon, her white cleavage was brazenly exposed.

“I’ll let you have a feel….”

Sweet whispers.

Baek Joo-hee leaned forward, trying her best to push up her chest. But despite her efforts, it wasn’t nearly enough to compete with the ‘boob monster’.

Her battle skills are lacking, and so are her assets…

This was the first moment I actually felt sorry for Baek Joo-hee.

“Does it feel good? You’ve probably been wanting it quite a bit, right? I’ll satisfy you….”

“Just once, huh?”

“Eh? So, twice…?”

“Two? What’s the difference if it’s two or three?”

“Alright! Three! I’ll give you three! I can’t give more than that!”

What’s the difference between three or four? It’s not like they wear out.

Anyway.

I’ve had my fun with her. It’s time to send her on her way.

I need to prepare lunch. If I don’t, Arna will absolutely throw a tantrum. I can’t waste any more time.

“I still decline.”

“Then how many times should I give?”

“It doesn’t matter how many times. I was taught not to eat food that smells like dog pee. It’ll probably give me stomach trouble.”

“What the hell!”

CRACK!

Did the “dog pee” trigger her?

Baek Joo-hee pulled out her hidden weapon—a whip.