Chapter 106

Summer glanced around, noticing that everyone seemed to have changed completely, losing their usual energy and vitality.

She wondered what they had been through that day.

Their faces were filled with fatigue and weariness, looking so exhausted they couldn't even speak.

Those who were previously restless and complaining now appeared lifeless.

It seemed that Ken's assignments were far from easy and straightforward tasks.

Ken was supervising them closely, giving them no chance to slack off, likely leaving them with barely any time to catch their breath.

After a day of such hard work, they must have been close to their physical limits.

With tired and strained expressions, they didn't say a word and went straight to cook dinner.

They made the usual thin gruel with sweet potato slices, just enough to stave off hunger.

Summer and Logan finished cooking around the same time.

As they sat down to eat, Mike came in to make his meal.

The guys seemed to be in slightly better shape than the girls, but not by much.

They were also too tired to talk, their faces equally strained as they went about their tasks.

None of the six spoke, so Summer and Logan remained silent as well.

No matter what they said, it would only seem like rubbing salt into their wounds, so it was best to stay quiet.

While they were eating in silence, Sophia walked into the kitchen.

She paused, looking at Grace, then at Mike.

Grace was already eating and hadn't saved her any food.

Mike was busy cooking and, like Grace, ignored Sophia without a word or a glance her way, clearly not making any food for her.

Sophia stood there, looking bewildered and lost.

The exhaustion and sorrow on her face were even more pronounced than the others, like a delicate flower battered by a storm.

After a moment of silence, Lily spoke up, "You left right after lunch without a word, so we didn't get a chance to tell you. We're officially splitting up. The remaining food is yours, so you'll have to fend for yourself from now on. During our partnership, it's hard to say who gained more or less, so when it comes to food, everyone will cover their own work."

They had shared lunch because they hadn't finished the morning meal, so they just reheated it with some water.

Sophia, in her foul mood, had eaten quickly and left.

The rest of them were too tired to argue or fight, so they simply divided the remaining food and parted ways.

Without Sophia around, they had set her share aside.

Hearing this, Summer instinctively glanced at Sophia.

It was a quick look, and she immediately returned her attention to her meal.

She couldn't see Sophia's expression clearly, but she could imagine she was on the verge of breaking down.

Now, with seven people left, the girls grouped together, and the boys did the same, effectively isolating Sophia.

Henry had left, and now, with Ken pushing them hard with heavy labor, her situation had worsened.

To make matters worse, Grace and the others showed no regard for their past friendship, completely ignoring her predicament and choosing not to live with her anymore.

How could she survive on her own?

The remaining food meant that everyone would work to earn their share, but Sophia had done the least amount of work and earned the least, so she owed the most.

Henry, Charlie, and Gabe had been sent away for labor re-education for months.

When it was time to harvest in the fall, they wouldn't be back, and Sophia would have to face this on her own.

With no food left, if she couldn't cover her work, she wouldn't get anything to eat.

Her throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, swollen and aching.

Sophia lowered her head, her eyes quickly welling up with tears, which soon streamed down her face, along her nose, and into her lips.

If Henry were here, she wouldn't cry so much.

Even if she was slightly unhappy or sad, Henry would quickly come to comfort her.

But now, no one in this room cared about her feelings or her tears, not even her survival.

How could they be such a group of people?

She felt as if she had fallen into a bottomless abyss, surrounded by bone-chilling cold.

In this dark place, these people had once again shown her the cruel side of the world.

She didn't ask anything more, preserving her dignity.

She didn't let herself sob aloud, took a step back, then turned and left.

Once out of the camp's courtyard, she couldn't hold it in any longer.

She walked some distance away, found a random spot to sit, and buried her head in her hands, crying bitterly.

She hated this world.

Hated this twisted world that brought only disappointment and despair.