Lillian's face was filled with despair. She didn't know Sylas, but she could guess that he didn't have good intentions in buying her. Once she left with him, her fate would likely be grim. However, it seemed everyone agreed to sell her. After all, a hundred pounds of grain was deemed far more valuable than Lillian.
Everyone's silence indicated their tacit agreement with Sylas' proposal.
Sylas looked at them and sneered, "Speak up. Do you agree or not?"
"We agree. We all agree," a woman spoke up first. She disliked Lillian because Lillian was prettier and younger, and her husband often stared at Lillian. She was eager to see Lillian leave and was thrilled at the idea of getting a hundred pounds of grain in return.
"We agree too," several other women quickly chimed in. Beauty, in many situations, could be a fault. Lillian's attractiveness made her a target of envy.
The men, although reluctant, were intimidated by Sylas' gun and didn't dare to oppose him. The middle-aged man, conceding, said quietly, "We agree, but you have to keep your word and give us a hundred pounds of grain."
"I always keep my word," Sylas replied with a smile. He then added, "Wait here. I'll go get the grain."
Sylas intentionally gave them some time to talk by leaving to fetch the grain. As soon as Sylas was gone, the group began to speak. Without Sylas' oppressive presence, they found their voices again.
The young man who liked Lillian immediately said, "Actually, his gun might be fake. Why don't we try to take it from him when he returns?"
"We have more people, and he's alone. We can succeed," the young man insisted. His words stirred the group, but the middle-aged leader immediately opposed the idea.
"How can you be sure it's a fake gun? What if it's real? What if we can't take it from him?" he asked. "A gun with a dozen bullets could kill many of us. Is it worth risking our lives for one woman?"
"Besides, he's agreed to give us a hundred pounds of grain. We aren't losing out," he continued. "And Lillian, this might be your chance. He knows your name, so he must be a fan. He won't harm you. If you leave with him, you might even get to eat well."
Everyone knew Lillian was an internet celebrity, so it wasn't surprising that one of her fans might recognize her. Lillian, however, sneered at this reasoning. She didn't believe such a comforting lie. She knew she had no idea what fate awaited her once she was taken away.
Yet, Lillian didn't have the courage to commit suicide. Not everyone has the bravery for that.
"Lillian, don't overthink it. This might be a good thing for you," one woman said with a tone full of schadenfreude.
"Exactly, we want to go with him, but he doesn't want us," another woman added sarcastically.
Other women also joined in, each trying to sound more supportive than the last, but none of them genuinely cared about Lillian's well-being.
Lillian listened, her face ashen.
With a click, the door opened, and Sylas appeared in the doorway. He placed a bag of grain at the entrance. It was a hundred-pound bag of grain, enough to excite everyone. Even though there were many people, a hundred pounds of grain could make porridge for several days. Perhaps, in a few days, the national rescue would arrive. They were all waiting for the country's rescue efforts.
Sylas didn't come inside but looked at Lillian and said calmly, "Lillian, come with me."
Lillian hesitated, afraid and unwilling to follow. However, the two women next to her pulled her up and urged, "Lillian, go on. Why are you still here?"
"Yeah, a hundred pounds of grain for you; you've got the better deal."
Lillian couldn't help but laugh at this. How was she getting the better deal being sold for a hundred pounds of grain? She couldn't understand such logic.
The others didn't give Lillian a chance to protest and quickly escorted her to the door. Lillian, feeling helpless and without resisting, kept her head down and trembled, unable to face Sylas.
"Come with me," Sylas said simply, taking her hand and leading her away.
Lillian hesitated but thought about how the people in the room treated her. She gave a bitter smile and decided to follow Sylas.
Once outside, Sylas spoke softly, "Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."
His words comforted Lillian somewhat, but she still asked, "Why are you taking me? What do you want?"
Her voice was melodious, and Sylas suddenly realized who she was. Her distinctive voice was unmistakable. She was the internet celebrity known for the phrase, "Can you do it?"
Now it made sense to Sylas who Lillian was.