"Is that all the water there is in this place?" Jacob placed the last pack of water in this store on a cart and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The sun was too strong, and they were currently gathering food for the coming days.
In this world, food takes on crucial importance for both physical survival and emotional well-being. In an environment where death constantly lurks and resources are scarce, food becomes a symbol of hope, strength, and resilience.
First and foremost, food is a basic necessity for survival. In a world where they have to fight daily for their lives in deadly games and brutal confrontations, their energy and endurance depend on proper nourishment. Lack of food can lead to weakness, exhaustion, and ultimately, death. Therefore, obtaining food is a constant priority for the protagonists, who must find ways to secure their supply and avoid hunger.
In addition to its purely physical function, food also has an impact on people's emotional well-being, and Jacob feels it. In a world full of danger and violence, moments of tranquility and sharing a meal become a welcome break from constant tension and fear. Sitting down to share a meal with other survivors creates a sense of community and belonging, providing a temporary respite amidst chaos and uncertainty.
Food also becomes a symbol of normality in a chaotic world. Finding a place where there is enough food to meet everyone's needs becomes a constant goal and motivation for the characters. Food represents the possibility of a life beyond mere survival, a reminder that there is still something worth fighting for and living for.
However, there can be food shortages, and competition for resources becomes additional challenges, intensifying the sense of urgency and the feeling that any mistake or wrong decision can have deadly consequences.
"That's all the water there is in this store. We took half of it yesterday..." Usagi picked up a box of instant soups and placed it on another food cart. She actually thought that this was a lot of food, maybe even more than they could consume before it spoiled.
However, she knew it was better to have plenty of food in reserve than to have too little. Coming to this type of place is dangerous, especially if there are people hiding in any corner.
This is the second trip they've made, and all the canned food, which is a priority according to Jacob, had already been taken. Usagi, who believed things would change after a day, was proven wrong. There are people here, and everything she thought was impossible is happening, revealing people who shamelessly commit their worst atrocities.
"It seems like there isn't much human activity in this place, but maybe they're all sleeping," Usagi said as she pushed a cart full of food.
"For some reason, the games always start at night..." Jacob, this time carrying his rifle on his chest, making it hard for anyone to surprise him.
"Is there really a reason for that? Now that I think about it, maybe it's because of the orientation..." Usagi pondered for a moment and said, "This place is strange, so people wouldn't play the games during the day since they wouldn't find the game area. So, at night, with those lights as the only source, they are directed to that place, just like what they did to us."
Jacob understood Usagi's point, and in a few words, she was saying that this place was special and very effective at leading people to the game area. At night, anyone who was lost would be guided to the only place with light.
That administrator or external player who eliminated the players in the previous trial was someone really strong, skilled, and dangerous. It was highly likely that the man had a background as a combat-experienced soldier. Jacob, on the other hand, was skilled and had been in a war, but their experiences and abilities were quite different.
Crack!
At the same time, Jacob and Usagi, who were walking in silence, heard a distinct crunch that made them stop and instinctively turn their heads. What they saw left them extremely surprised.
"Is that a rabbit?" Usagi asked herself the question, speaking out loud.
"Haha... Oh God, there are animals." Jacob smiled upon seeing the rabbit.
The presence of animals meant that they were entering the city due to the absence of humans. It meant that the world outside this city was still normal.
"Should we hunt it?" Usagi, eager for food, wanted to catch it, but their current load prevented them from doing so. However, a throwing knife sliced through the rabbit's neck, killing it instantly.
Boom!
"Great, let's take that rabbit and have rabbit meat this evening." Jacob, who threw the knife, took a few steps forward and held the rabbit by its ears.
Today, they didn't plan to participate in any games since they still had eight days on their visas. They would rest and train for these last three days before participating in another game, as they had planned.
During this time, Jacob would strengthen the defenses of the building they were staying in and teach Usagi how to fight with knives and use weapons. She seemed emotionally detached, but in these days, Jacob understood that Usagi had suffered a lot. In one way or another, circumstances had led her to isolate herself from people, so he didn't want to press her too much about it.
Moreover, that was not something that should concern him too much since he had only known Usagi for two days. They weren't exactly close in that regard. However, there was no doubt that she was an incredibly strong and skilled ally, so he decided to fully trust her based on his initial observations and train her.
In this type of game, it's always good to have experience with some type of weapons and know where to strike when facing another person, so Jacob would teach her what little he knew to ensure her survival.