Based on what I've learned from Earth, relaxing isn't the same as sitting still and doing nothing. Relaxing means a change of pace, switching from one task to another, or focusing and making use of the energy that's barely been used.
The energy that makes us humans can be mental energy, physical energy, social energy, creative energy, and many more. Switching from one to another is what I would call the true form of relaxing.
This concept of relaxing is what led me to take a seat next to those who were still panting from exhaustion. I guessed that they were excessively physically exhausted, even to the point where they could barely move their mouths to respond to my suggestion earlier.
Clearly, they must have heard my words but were overly tired to respond or nod. After all, not only did they have to run for life for the first time in their life, but they also had to break through the limits of how much they could do so as a complete beginner.
'Let me confirm this first…' I was about to speak a word after I sat down but stopped because of a change of mind.
"If you guys can hear me and understand me, keep blinking until I say stop!" I shouted after getting back up. As for why I stood up, that's because I needed to check if they were going to be blinking or not.
Suddenly, everyone started blinking their eyes, just as I had presumed. They could hear me, but they were too tired to move a muscle. I could proceed with my plan to use their other energies in a way where they would still be productive even while resting.
As for why I wanted them to be productive even while they were so tired, that's because I was desperate.
Desperate because I had a feeling that these few trials of death that we had gone through were just the beginning. No, I was certain that the worst was about to come. That's why there was no time for us to waste!
"Alright, you guys can hear me. Good…" I muttered before sitting back down.
I told everyone what paranoid me, "There might be more people who are coming our way or at least planning to, to the town most likely…" This is what scares me the most.
"We're going to be surveilled in the future. I'm afraid it will be impossible for us to come back here if that happens. This means no more extra food for us, no growing stronger or better because of our inability to train under their watch… "
Time passed as I told everyone about what had been upsetting my sanity. My paranoid thoughts were revealed to them.
"If we don't figure out something… something of a method to avoid their eyes, we will forever become their playthings..." Were my last words.
As a finishing touch to my words that's needed to ignite their hearts, I added, "We won't be able to escape and be free to explore the world… if that happens…"
"I… Ha… What do you think we should do?" Hazel asked, pushing herself up to sit in order to engage in an eye-to-eye conversation with me. The others followed a second later, but those that had carried me earlier, they took a solid twenty or more seconds before they were able to finally sit up.
I remained silent until everyone had their eyes on me. When all eyes were on me, I said only one thing. I told them, "Follow my instructions. Nothing more nothing less…"
After telling them to just follow me strictly in the future instead of a whole detailed step-by-step instruction, they stood up, not to attack me, but to give me their eager nods. They were all willing to follow me with utmost precision and loyalty.
"What do we do now, Leader?" Brolee asked.
Hearing his question, I took a deep breath. I had a plan in mind that might be able to counter the enemy's surveillance, but I wasn't too confident about it, especially considering how difficult it would be to set it all up within the shortest possible time.
"We're going to move the insects from here to the town. Let's make the town their new home… This is the only way we can have enough food without having to do anything that'll make us look suspicious. As for training, we can just do it in the open. I'll make us do exercises that they might not have a clue of, after all. They'll think of us as crazy, but little would they know that we're growing stronger every day."
This was my plan, explained as short but detailed as possible. It was a feasible plan, but also a dangerous and desperate one. After all, proceeding with this plan, although it might not make us suspicious, it will anger our enemy, since things won't be going according to their plans.
It's a risk, but a risk that I'm willing to take. If the enemy gets triggered by the abundance of food, we might then have to face a worse outcome than if there was no extra food. They might get so annoyed by how their plans are being ruined, to the point they might just slaughter us immediately because they consider us as a failed project.
"We can only hope… Actually, there's a way…Sutow! Brolee! I'm giving you two an important task. Gather insects. Make sure they remain alive. If one of you does get bitten on the way, just eat a bit to avoid dying. After collecting a handful of them, I want the centipedes to pass through everyone… Oh, yeah, the rest of you… stand a few meters apart from each other on the path up. I'll take some bowls, and as soon as we have them, we'll use the bowls to put the centipedes in. These bowls will then be passed from Sutow to the next person, the next person will then climb a few meters to pass the bowl on to the following person, and this will continue until the bowl reaches the top, where I will be..."