Doomsday Wonderland

“This is my plan. We should put all the water droplets we found in the main hall. After we have confirmed that there are no water droplets in the cubicles, we should come back here and split the cubicles into eight zones. Everyone should take a zone and search systematically. Doing this will ensure that we will not miss any possible spots because we can search more thoroughly in this manner.”

Once Number 42’s voice disappeared from the room, no one in the chamber spoke.

“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you people speaking?” Number 42 seemed puzzled.

“Elder Brother 42, your plan sounds a little too simple,” Number 44 commented.

“I’m not intelligent, so I can only think of this stupid idea,” Number 42 didn’t sound too happy. “But, this method should work, right?” he asked.

“Yes, it will work, but there is a flaw,” the voice that answered him sounded emotionless, just like its expressionless owner. “You’ve forgotten a point. If there really isn’t enough water droplets for everyone, and we’re going to put our water droplets together in the main hall, it will be problematic when we need to distribute the water droplets among us,” Number 47 said monotonously.

He was right. Regardless of the circumstances, no one would willingly contribute to the collective.

Number 42 thought for a moment and replied, “If that’s the case, it can be solved easily. We can record the number of water droplets each of has. As these things are like rubber balls, we can even write our numbers on it. We can place them in eight piles. If we can’t find enough water droplets, in the end, we will absorb the number of water droplets we found initially, and no one else can touch them except the owner. To prevent anyone from secretly hiding a water drop, we will have to absorb the water droplets one by one with everyone witnessing. A person can only absorb the water droplets which have their corresponding number. Most importantly, once we place all the water droplets in the main hall, no one is allowed to leave. It should be fine with this. If we do find additional water droplets, we can write our numbers on them and bring it around with us instead of returning to the main hall.”

Lin Sanjiu wanted to retort, but she immediately realized that the idea wasn’t too bad.

Number 42’s suggestion seemed to cover all the possible problems. Since none of them could tell if their water droplets were pure or contaminated, it was totally unbeneficial for anyone to steal another person’s water droplet or replace their water droplets. Even if a person already knew a method to differentiate the water droplets, it would be hard to find an opportunity due to the various restrictions such as the number labeling and being unable to go to the main hall.

Everyone seemed to be thinking of the same thing. Soon, people started to voice their support for Number 42’s plan. After everyone had agreed, Number 42 let out a sigh of relief, “Alright then. Of course, our main focus should still be on finding more water droplets.”

Once everyone decided on the plan, Lin Sanjiu could feel that the atmosphere in the room became tenser. Everyone seemed to move a lot faster between the cubicles. In just a few minutes, she saw several seeds move past her. She even heard someone from the cubicle above arguing quietly about the ownership of the water droplet there. It wasn’t rocket science. If there really weren’t enough water droplets for everyone, the number of water droplet a person possessed would be critical to their survival.

Harry would not allow any seeds back to the surface. The fate of a seed which could not germinate was also unknown. With these hidden corners, all eight people in the chamber emptied all the cubicles very quickly.

After they checked that there weren’t any water droplets remaining, all of them gathered at the door of the chamber. Number 43, 44, 45, 46 and 48 were carrying large bags. Lin Sanjiu and two other people were empty-handed because they obviously had other means of keeping their items.

“It is so convenient to have Special Items that can do that,” someone commented.

At that moment, Lin Sanjiu felt the same sinking feeling like before. As it was too dark, Lin Sanjiu could only see the numbered tags hanging from everyone’s chest, so she couldn’t figure out why she had such a feeling.

Feeling a growing sense of suspicion, Lin Sanjiu followed the group through the narrow passageway again.

The width of the passageway was only wide enough for one or two people. The passageway was tight for the eight of them. With the characters from Lin Sanjiu’s hallucinations, she couldn’t help feeling quite troubled. After she finally reached the door to the main hall with some difficulty, Lin Sanjiu looked up and saw a short man with a blurry face standing beside the door’s sign. Somehow, she knew that he was Septimus, though she had not seen the person in his own form before.

Once she walked out of the passageway, Septimus seemed to be smiling at her as he leaned against the door.

“What is he going to tell me this time?”

“Is everyone here?” Number 42’s steadfast voice interrupted Lin Sanjiu’s unpredictable anxiety, “Don’t be anxious. We will do this systematically according to our number.”

As he was first in the batch, he took out a palm-sized pouch and took out his water droplets one after the other. He placed them neatly in one row on the ground. Next, he passed a piece of paper and a pen to Number 43 so that he could do the recording and labeling. Number 42 found a total of 26 water droplets so his serial number was 1-26.

After everyone saw the record and verified that there were no mistakes, Number 43 placed his water droplets a few steps away from Number 42’s stash. Number 44 did the recording for him. They did this sequentially until Lin Sanjiu’s turn. There were already seven stashes on the ground, and the water droplets have been labeled from 1 to 194.

The first water droplet that Lin Sanjiu placed on the ground was the 195th water droplet. This was also her [Harry’s Farmer Pocket Dimension Water Droplet 1]. Compared with the others, she only had an average number of water droplets. She had 24 water droplets. In all, the eight people collected a total of 218 water droplets.

After the last serial number had been written on the water droplet, everyone had unsightly expressions on their faces.

218 was certainly very far from 320. Furthermore, the number of water droplets in the hall was inclusive of the contaminated water droplets.

“Harry,” This time Number 42 raised a question. His face was very serious. “I have a question. Are these 320 pure water droplets for the eight of us here?”

The others only realized the possible loophole in Harry’s statement. This caused an uproar. Amidst the commotion, Harry answered, “Of course.”

“What happened to the previous batch of seeds?”

“The germination process is different for each batch, so I told you that 320 pure water droplets are enough. This is specifically for this batch from Number 42 to Number 49. The requirements for the previous and next batch might not be just 40 water droplet. By the way, you guys have to hurry up. The next batch of seeds are already waiting.”

Everyone let out a sigh of relief at that moment.

If there were sufficient water droplets, they could always take their time to solve the other problems.

“Also, how are the seeds from the other batches now? Are there any batches with seeds which did not germinate? What would happen if a seed cannot germinate?” These question quickly caught everyone’s attention.

“The seed stage will only last for ten days. During this time, a person’s vitality doesn’t change. After ten days, if a seed is unable to germinate, it will remain in the soil. As time passes, the seed will gradually lose it vitality and finally become fertilizer for the soil bed. As the requirements are different for each batch, in the previous batch, one seed died. All seeds germinated the batch before.”

Everyone’s face suddenly turned pale. Lin Sanjiu frowned slightly.

“Harry’s explanation sure is detailed this time…”

“Don’t worry, everyone,” Number 45 laughed bitterly, “Since there are enough pure water droplets for us all. I am certain we can all germinate. The batch before the previous managed to do it.”

Everyone nodded. Some of them muttered some words while others remained quiet. The ‘seeds’ returned to the chamber with the cubicles with this heavy atmosphere in the air. Number 42 stood in the empty space in front of the cubicles. He clapped his hands and raised his voice.

“Everyone, please stop moving inward. Please switch off your torches… Yes, just like that.” Number 42 spoke in the dark, “Alright. Now everyone can see each other’s numbered tag. Everyone is here, right?”

As the space was very tight and there was no light, everyone was disoriented for a little while.

“Where’s Number 48?”

“Don’t push me.”

“I’m Number 44.”

After some time of non-stop noise due to the chaos, Number 42 had no choice but to check the name tags one by one to make sure that there were eight people.

“Alright, everyone is here. There is no one outside. Does anyone have any questions?”

“Since this is Number 42’s plan, he is probably being a little more careful than before because he is afraid that there might be a slip-up.” Lin Sanjiu thought to herself. She already looked around and was sure that all the numbered tags were around. No one else had any question so they were quickly assigned to the various zones and each of them started searching around the cubicles in their assigned zones.

Half an hour passed quickly, yet there was only silence apart from the footsteps in the chambers and an occasional whisper. No one managed to find any water droplets. Lin Sanjiu searched her zone extremely thoroughly. She knocked on every inch of the walls within her zone and checked for hollow spaces. She did not miss any corner, crevice or tiny little spot. She checked them all. However, she didn’t see a single water droplet.

Feelings of hopelessness, disappointment, restlessness, and apprehension. Like a drop of ink diffusing in water, these feelings infected every single one of them. No one wanted to say anything. No one found a single water droplet even after an hour.

Everyone’s heart sank with every passing second. The whispering conversations they could hear at the beginning had stopped long ago.

“But are there really no water droplets around?” Lin Sanjiu wondered.

“Number 44!” A furious voice broke the stuffy silence. Lin Sanjiu listened hard and realized that it was Number 43. “What are you hiding?”

“What’s wrong?” Number 45, the girl, immediately responded.

“Don’t come over. This is mine!” Number 44 protested loudly.

Despite that, Number 43’s accusatory voice rang out distinctly, “This bastard found a water droplet, but he didn’t want to inform anyone!”

The chamber instantly buzzed with a tumultuous commotion. Everyone, including Lin Sanjiu, rushed to Number 44’s zone. As the various light sources wavered in the darkness, Number 43 crouched at the opening of one of the cubicles with an irate expression. He was preventing Number 44 from coming in.

“Look! Isn’t that a water droplet?”

Yes. 

When everyone saw that clear, shiny ball, almost everyone gasped. For a moment, everyone forgot that they had to be angry.

Finally, there is a new water droplet!

“Since you found it, it’s yours. Why didn’t you inform us?” Naturally, someone pointed that out. “How did you find it?”

Number 44’s fair face was now beet red. He stuttered and mumbled but couldn’t answer even after a while.

“I know why he didn’t inform us,” Lin Sanjiu laughed dryly. Her hatred for Number 44 shot up further, “He doesn’t want us to know so he can search for more water droplets for himself.”

“You bastard!” Someone in their group couldn’t hold back their anger.

Number 44’s face turned even redder but his expression suddenly turned sour, “So what? Since I found it, it is mine. It is up to me when I want to tell you guys. Anyway, there are 320 water droplets. There are enough water droplets for all of us. Why are all of you so anxious?”

Number 43 was already infuriated. After hearing his words, Number 43 attacked immediately without saying a word. Noticing that the two of them were really going to fight, Number 42 climbed down from one of the cubicles at the far side and ran to stop them. Due to the confusion, Number 43 landed a few blows on him.

“Quick! Tell everyone how you found those water droplets.” At that moment, even Number 42’s solemn face seemed to twist slightly with anger. “If you don’t speak, we will distribute all your water droplet in the main hall! I think no one would disagree!”

Knowing that he had evidently stirred the ire of the entire group, Number 44 had no choice but to reluctantly concede. Raising a corner of his lip, he retorted, “I found this after digging into the bottom of the cubicle. So what? You are all eyeing what I have… If you guys are so capable, why don’t you find a way to distinguish between the pure and contaminated water droplets!”

Lin Sanjiu held one of the other cubicles nearby. She was climbing, and she couldn’t really see what was going on. After Number 43 said those words, she got a little closer and saw that the bottom of the cubicle he was in had been dug into recently.

At that moment, no one wanted to spend any time dealing with Number 44. After they left him with a few warnings, they returned to their own zones. As it was difficult to climb between the cubicles, none of them wanted to waste any time. Even Number 43 who was fuming, suppressed his anger and walked away.

When Lin Sanjiu returned to the first cubicle in her zone, she quickly kicked the soil under her feet. Even though Number 44 was irksome, the method he found worked. Consequently, each of them found more water droplets consecutively. This shook up the atmosphere in the room. However, Lin Sanjiu found nothing even after she searched through a more than a dozen cubicles.

“I can’t do this. I need to take a break.”

Lin Sanjiu watched as another one of the characters in her hallucination climbed into her cubicle. Lin Sanjiu couldn’t help sitting down and bundling herself up. She watched as her name tag slipped from her chest and fell to the floor of the cubicle. “With my current energy, I should be able to last until I find all the water droplets, right?” she asked with a raspy voice.

It had been almost a month since Lin Sanjiu arrived on Meat Elysium. The only food she had eaten in that time was the small piece of bread when she first came. Even though their bodies wouldn’t grow weak due to malnutrition during the seed stage, moving around requires metabolic energy. Lin Sanjiu’s legs felt weak after searching for the water droplets for some time.

“Harry’s Farm,” Silvan’s golden hair, like sunshine itself, shimmered in the dark. When he smiled, it was as if he could light up any space. “It’s Harry’s Farm.”

Lin Sanjiu wanted to howl in frustration. ” Why won’t anyone give me a clearer hint?! ”