Chapter 0008: Granary

Nearby, a red-haired youth, with fists like the wind, plunged into the crowd to snatch a water pouch and drank from it greedily, resembling a tiger or wolf

At this moment, someone in front shouted: "Hit him, the food belongs to our Clean Water Oasis"

No, it is not that three hours ago we arrived at this place, which should have been a vast oasis. Those evildoers captured many children and herded them in batches into buildings for confinement, leaving everyone at a loss as to what to do.

Indeed! If we are to live, we shall live together; if we are to die, we shall die together. What is so remarkable about the Lemon Oasis? Let us fight to the end

Time flows drop by drop, never slowing down or speeding up due to human circumstances. The small granary bears the weight of cruelty and misfortune, making it impossible to remain unaffected. Lin Xisuo's face was pale; what happens when food becomes scarce, when one finds oneself in a desperate situation? Those star pirates are truly despicable, just thinking about it sends chills down the spine

Lin Xisuo was filled with confusion and questioned within himself: "Hasn't humanity established an interstellar civilization spanning three major galaxies? Why is there still such barbarism and cruelty? Why do space pirates not spare such a barren planet as Tuhuan Star? It is truly despicable"

The cold door slammed shut once again, and food lay on the ground, but no one spared it a glance. Instead, they glared at each other, knowing that to survive, they would have to step over the bodies of others to escape. A tense atmosphere pervaded the storeroom.

Lin Xisuo touched the wall with his hand and discovered that it was made of stone. The ground was also very hard, making the chances of escape zero. With so many high-tech products from the star pirates, it was possible that this place was already under surveillance. He sighed, squinted his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep, which lasted for ten hours. The door creaked open.

I, we also do not know what happened, the spaceship descended from the sky and launched an attack without any explanation. They only captured the children, while the adults dared to resist - the pictures - the books, all... all died

Lin Xisuo stretched his waist slightly and felt that his injury was not as serious as he had imagined. Hidden in the darkness, he furrowed his brows and began to ponder, murmuring to himself: "It would be one thing if the star pirates were merely plundering wealth, but why have they captured so many for so many years? What could be the reason? It is evident that they would not engage in unprofitable activities; there must be something fishy going on."

At this moment, a strange thought surged into my mind, and I murmured to myself: "Could it be that they intend to cultivate a new generation of space pirates? Is that why they are so scheming and going to great lengths to conduct a selection based on the survival of the fittest? Hmm, it is quite possible!"

Everyone's mood is rather low, with the shadow of death looming overhead, which is why few engage in conversation. This silence continues until the main door opens once more, signaling its end

"Are you okay?" A timid voice came from behind. After the glow stick fell to the ground, I could see the surrounding scene clearly: there were many people, all of them quite young.

A dozen or so youths exerted all their efforts to stir up trouble, hoping to create some chaos; however, they were unsuccessful, as most people merely watched coldly. The two major oases united are far stronger than a scattered group, especially with two formidable leaders at the helm, making it truly difficult to see any chance of victory.

Thank you, it seems that you brought me in. Those star pirates were quite ruthless, they actually used a stun gun on me twice

Lin Xisuo shook his head, coughed violently, and spat out a mouthful of filthy blood, feeling considerably better

Uh, it hurts so much, where am I? I don't know how long it has been. Lin Xisuo shook his head, trying to sit up, but felt weak all over; even bending down was an extremely difficult task.

Lin Xisuo nodded slightly, considering this to be a rather clever approach. The two major oases presented a united front, which meant that each member of the group could receive a share of food and water, sufficient to maintain the most basic level of survival.

The power switch suddenly turned on, and the surroundings lit up. Someone at the door shouted: "Eat, drink, you only have one meal a day. If you want to fill your stomach, go and grab it."

The blue-eyed youth was the one who made a scene while seizing food, and the children of Lemon Oasis looked up to him. The most conspicuous figure in Pure Water Oasis was the red-haired boy who had obtained the water pouch. According to the interstellar calendar, one is considered truly adult at the age of twenty-three, but that is primarily to complete necessary education. On Earth Ring Star, individuals over the age of sixteen can live together or even form families with mutual consent from both families, and there are many who mature even earlier.

Ignoring the astonished gazes of those around him, Lin Xi swayed unsteadily to a dark corner, which appeared to be an old storage room, a musty odor wafting through the air. He had encountered even more unpleasant smells before, so he leaned against the wall and sat down, carefully extracting a green leaf from the collar of his clothing and placing it into his mouth

Some children were still in a daze, while others had already pounced on the food. There were at least several hundred people in the granary, ranging from five or six years old to fifteen or sixteen. The food was only enough to satisfy about thirty people, making a scramble for it an inevitable outcome

At this moment, many children are left bruised and battered, with most of the younger ones feeling hungry. Of course, with the realization that they must compete for survival, the next time will be even more brutal. How many will survive, thirty or twenty? Lin Xisuo cannot know, only feeling that life here is so insignificant, and must continue according to the rules set by the star pirates, otherwise there is no hope whatsoever

In my heart, I thought: "Who knows when this torment will end? I must be mentally prepared for a long period of hunger! Water is scarce, but honey mushroom spores can quench thirst. For now, the only plan is to take it one step at a time! Compared to the oasis, Sunken Ship Village is still quite inferior. Just look at these young people before me, tall and strong; my own stature can only be considered average."

Lin Xisuo struggled to sit up, and a little boy picked up the glow stick and shook it vigorously, finally bringing a glimmer of light to the darkness

"Tsk tsk, perhaps the strategy of the star pirates is indeed effective, allowing some minor creatures to stand out," Lin Xisuo thought while observing from the shadows.

Without much thought, Lin Xisuo's expression changed dramatically, and his entire body suddenly curled up like a shrimp as he began to cough violently, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth

"Hmm? There are breathing sounds around, and it seems there are quite a few of them." Lin Xi Su touched his body and found that the dagger was still there. Feeling somewhat relieved, he pulled out a soft glow stick from his sleeve and threw it out.

He leaned his body into the shadows, closed his eyes, and continued to pursue the great endeavor of sleep. The injuries caused by the stun gun had mostly healed, thanks to the genetic adjustments that provided him with a robust physique; otherwise, after two shots, how could he still be alive

It seems that the children's backgrounds are quite complex, as they do not come from the same oasis. Taking advantage of the chaos, I had something to eat

Fortunately, the star pirates did not regard the youth highly, and without a thorough search, he managed to find an opportunity. The sunken ship village possesses a complete educational system, and Lin Xisuo, influenced by it, has a relatively high IQ. He is well aware that continuing to compete in this manner marks the beginning of a bloody conflict, which could even leave psychological scars. Before reaching adulthood, human beings have relatively fragile minds; when tainted by negative influences, they can become utterly unreasonable.

There has already been one experience with oral administration, and it takes five hours for the full effect of the medication to manifest. It is important to understand that medical blades are not a panacea; at most, they enhance resistance and immunity and can curb internal bleeding. In the case of fractures or penetrating injuries, no amount of blades will be effective.

"Sunken Ship Village," Lin Xi said. Xisuo responded very succinctly, and then did not wish to engage in further conversation. Although the bones had not fractured with the book, there was a faint pain in the internal organs that needed to be addressed promptly

The gate slammed shut with a loud "bang" once again, but Lin Xi Su did not take action; it was not that he could not seize the opportunity, but rather that it was unnecessary.

Hello, is this the Star Pirate Ship? Lin Xisuo asked softly

Silence, profound silence, everyone held their breath in unison, when suddenly someone shouted, and the chaotic battle began

Why is it said that it is unnecessary? Because the clothing's lining contains concentrated food, the left sleeve hides five mushroom spores, and the right sleeve conceals half a kilogram of water bladders. Even in the desert, with these measures and a strong survival instinct, one can survive for about ten days.

Indeed, it is a case of humans devouring one another, attacking and consuming each other like primitive creatures. Although such events have not yet occurred, it is not difficult to imagine what such a scene would be like

Is the Star Thief Gang the Red Storm? To have such a miserable experience on my first journey through the desert is truly unfortunate

The blonde girl nodded and said, "Those bad people told us to carry you in. By the way, I am Mana from Lemon Oasis, what is your name"

After five hours, a sudden commotion arose as the people of Lemon Oasis and Purified Water Oasis reached a consensus to firmly guard the gates, preventing other forces or individuals from approaching

Eating, you little rascals are quite restrained, while other places are already in turmoil. The schedule has been moved up, so the game pace is accelerated. One hundred people, and only when one hundred survivors are born will you be allowed to enter the next stage. If no candidates are decided within forty-eight hours, you all will have to die.

The youth of the oasis are numerous and quickly form groups. On the planet of Tuhuan, where strength is revered, it is difficult to survive without a good physique as one grows up. Therefore, under the deliberate training of the adults, these "little ones" are not lacking in skills.

As soon as the words were spoken, chaos erupted in the warehouse, and the two major oases that had previously gathered with the *illustrated* books also became restless. Together, they numbered more than one hundred, and it had become inevitable that they would take opposing sides

Upon mentioning the word "death," sobbing sounds immediately arose around. Lin Xisuo often traversed the underground caverns and had exceptional eyesight. He vaguely saw that the speaker was a blonde girl, approximately fourteen or fifteen years old, with very fair skin

Suddenly, I saw the blonde girl named Mana trembling in the Lemon Oasis team. It was hard to see her clearly in the darkness, but now under the light, I found her very beautiful. The girl tightly held the hand of the blue-eyed boy, resembling a young couple.

The sounds of crying, cursing, and noise were mixed together, and it took approximately forty-five minutes for the battle to finally subside

The Clean Water Oasis stands aside, the Lemon Oasis is not to be trifled with, brothers, follow me

At this moment, Lin Xisuo said with a bitter smile: "Just by looking at me, you can tell! I've been seriously injured; how much better can I get? What exactly happened?"

Over the past five years, Lin Xisuo's life can be described as exceptionally difficult. At times, he appears very indifferent, while at other times, he is extremely diplomatic. All of this serves as a protective facade, enabling him to continue surviving in this world. He does not take the initiative to bully others, yet he does not allow anyone to bully him either

Hmph, you are being unfair. Why do you have to block the main entrance? How domineering! Step aside and clear the way.

Lin Xisuo is being so cautious out of concern for sand bandits. With numerous merchant caravans in the desert, it naturally gives rise to lurking thieves waiting for an opportunity. Unexpectedly, they encountered star pirates. Sand bandits only commit their misdeeds on the Tuhuan Star, and when their numbers are few, they are not difficult to deal with. In contrast, star pirates roam and wreak havoc across various star domains; while their nature is similar, their strength is not on the same scale.

A youth with striking blue eyes delivered a series of elbow strikes, knocking down several individuals. Following this, he executed a shoulder throw, sending one person flying. With firm steps, he advanced forward, picked up a piece of bread, placed it in his mouth, and reached for another piece.