CHAPTER 381: CHAPTER 380: TAKING ADVANTAGE AND PLAYING THE INNOCENT

Nobody wants to be forced offline right at the beginning of the game, but when the situation is out of their control, they can only accept their fate.

Soon, they pushed one person forward as a representative to negotiate with Yun Ran.

"We’ll leave, and you can have the Magic Artifacts on Reef Island, but the boat is ours!"

As they spoke these words, they themselves felt somewhat guilty.

They couldn’t find the Magic Artifacts on this island immediately; strictly speaking, these weren’t theirs to give away, but the boat was ready...

However, Yun Ran, now full and satisfied, was exceptionally easy to talk to, not minding at all that she might be at a disadvantage.

"Fine, the boat is yours!"

The ones who were feeling guilty at first were taken aback by Yun Ran’s straightforward agreement.

They suddenly felt a bit foolish, like they were playing the clown.

For someone of their caliber, this feeling was remarkably unpleasant, so when they replied, their tone carried a hint of emotion.

"Since Lady Yun has agreed, then we’ll take our leave!"

Xin Fu was watching this person’s emotional changes throughout the process, and he almost burst into laughter as they left.

What does it mean to take advantage of someone and then act coy? This was a perfect example.

However, since Yun Ran herself didn’t show the slightest bit of dissatisfaction, he didn’t feel it appropriate to point it out first.

"Without a boat, it’s at least five kilometers to the nearest small island. We’re not in a hurry today; let’s stay on the island tonight."

Those with a boat can easily decide which island to go to.

But for people like Yun Ran who have to swim without a boat, there is only one way to go, so there’s no need to rush.

The remaining people, taking a hint from Wen Ge, immediately stepped forward to speak, "Let’s find a place to rest for the night."

With so many rocky outcrops on the reef, a safe and flat area is needed for resting at night.

If not, they would have to clear a space themselves.

Any place with obvious signs of being wetted by seawater was eliminated first, as such locations might flood during high tide and are unsuitable.

Although the other three descendants of the noble family had been up to no good from the start,

Now that they were firmly under Yun Ran’s control, they became the best labor force.

Under Xin Fu’s guidance and supervision, they quickly cleared a spot suitable for resting.

Not far away, parachute materials discarded by others were haphazardly placed, now serving as a useful tool for them to use when settling down for the night.

After a good meal and swimming for so long, even the strongest people would feel tired.

Yun Ran waved her hand, and immediately two more Little Papermen flew out; now, she had four Little Papermen.

"I’m going to take a nap, you guys keep watch!"

Even though Xin Fu was now her potential little brother, aside from her Little Papermen, Yun Ran still didn’t trust anyone else.

The Little Papermen immediately stood tall and firm like soldiers receiving orders: "Yes, master!"

Having said that, the Little Papermen flew to positions in mid-air, each guarding one of the four cardinal directions, east, south, west, and north, their demeanor majestic as if one could hold off thousands.

The other few, seeing two more Little Papermen appear, were already a bit taken aback.

Now watching the Little Papermen even able to stand guard, they suddenly felt that their past selves were ridiculously naive.

Just like when they used to mock the sisters in their family, despite the family providing such excellent resources for training,

Their sisters seemed always preoccupied only with vying for affection and material goods—utterly lacking in class.

Looking back, they realize that from the start, the resources they received were different.

They were trained as the main pillars of their families, with resources fully tilted in their favor.

As for those sisters, from a young age, they were educated by elders to be tactful and considerate, to always think of the family first, and to stay loyal to their natal family even after marriage...

Now they understand that the so-called gender differences have always been nothing but a passive stance.

Just like Yun Ran now, the resources in her hands, and many others they have not even heard of, make them, at this moment, seem more like those women they once scoffed at for their lack of class.

This realization troubled them.

As the beneficiaries of privilege, they had always been aware of this differential treatment.

At this moment, when such treatment is applied to them, they experience a mixture of frustration, discomfort, and strong resentment, which they have no choice but to swallow down...

The one who could accept this the most was Xin Fu. Despite his capabilities, resources were not freely given to him; he fought hard to earn them.

Thus, he genuinely could not empathize with being ’in another’s shoes.’

Watching Yun Ran resting, he attempted to calculate, just like Yun Ran did, where the Qi Fortune was strongest on the island.

The people who took the boat, by whatever means they had, the sharks did not follow them when they left.

Instead, they continued to circle around Reef Island, seemingly ’Waiting for a rabbit to jump into the trap.’

The other three, due to the gauze, could not stray far.

But with Yun Ran resting and Xin Fu busy with Divination, the three of them, now at the bottom of the team hierarchy, naturally huddled together for warmth.

They squeezed into a makeshift windbreak shelter fashioned from parachutes, hiding the camera equipment on them, communicating with eyes and gestures like crickets.

One of them gestured: [What should we do? We are being watched so closely; it’s unlikely we’ll complete our original task!]

[What can we do! We probably can’t even take on Xin Fu, so we can only take it one step at a time.]

[Let’s just rest while we can. Who knows if Yun Ran will make us do hard labor again once she’s rested.]

[I’ve had it with her. Those people before posed no challenge to us; what’s the point of robbing them blind!

Yet she had to pretend to be generous, gave up the boat, and now we have to continue swimming to the next island, so annoying!]

...

They had endured many grievances and shocks. Now, at last, having the chance to vent out their frustrations, they did it to their heart’s content.

However, what frustrated them was that they could only "cricket" quietly, not daring to make a sound, fearing Yun Ran might hear them.

Sigh, they had never felt so aggrieved at any point in their lives...

Xin Fu, at the moment, was entirely absorbed in Divination, his method quite different from Yun Ran’s simple incantations that pinpointed three places.

He used numerous auxiliary tools, and it took him over half an hour to only manage a rough estimate.

Just as he intended to pinpoint an exact location, a sudden, intense suffocating sensation rushed towards him.