Rayana took approximately ten minutes to come to terms with their current situation. During this time, Noah sat beside her, observing her without interrupting her thoughts. He noticed a few twitches on her face, suggesting that she might be an introvert who isn't fond of socializing and could potentially have facial paralysis.
Despite his carefree demeanor, Noah is actually quite observant and can discern who is genuine with him. It amused him to think that, for Rayana, the most challenging aspect of their situation might be having to work with a group of people rather than being transported to an unknown location.
While Rayana may not remember them, everyone on the student council was familiar with her. They had attempted to recruit her due to her exceptional talents, but she had managed to evade their efforts.
Noah and the others truly admired Rayana's accomplishments. She was intelligent, had skipped grades, and had earned a scholarship. She had already completed her first degree and was currently pursuing a second, putting her ahead of them academically. All six of them, ranging in age from 18 to 20, attended the same school. Amelia and Ethan were on the verge of graduation, while Lucy, Jake, and Noah had one more year remaining. However, their graduation plans were now on hold due to their current predicament.
When Rayana finally sat up, Lucy informed everyone and called for a gathering. They had planned to reassess their situation after Rayana regained consciousness, to share their perspectives with her and listen to her thoughts. They also wanted to inquire if she had noticed anything unusual since she had been in a different location from them.
"Different experience?" Rayana questioned.
"Like how that evil thing got slammed directly into my face?" Rayana's subsequent question silenced everyone. They had been in this place for a day, yet everyone seemed to have overlooked the bump on her forehead.
Everyone gave an awkward laugh, showing signs of apology for not noticing her injury.
"I apologize, Rayana. I was looking after you, but I also didn't notice," Noah apologized with an innocent face, making it hard for others to be angry at him, except for Rayana, who ignored him.
After a sigh, Rayana acknowledged everyone's apology, knowing that they weren't apologizing just because of the bump.
Rayana quickly grasped how they had ended up in their current predicament after each person recounted their experiences, starting with the appearance of the Antikythera mechanism.
They promptly shared their findings so far.
However, in the middle of their explanation, Rayana couldn't help but think, 'See? This is a prime example of curiosity killing the cat.'
There were trustworthy people in their families who could have helped secure the artifact for themselves without alerting people like Will and had professionals retrieve the Antikythera.
By doing so, they could have avoided a lot of misfortune. Instead, they decided to do it themselves, which caused arguments and put themselves and a civilian in a precarious situation.
If they managed to go back, this experience could serve as a great lesson to hone their abilities. But somehow, Rayana had a feeling that this plan was not realistic at the moment.
Rayana's thoughts suddenly came back to the old couple. The last scene she saw before losing consciousness bothered her so much. She knew that even if she let them know that everything was fine, they would still be watching. Rayana decided not to inform everyone about her thoughts, as it might lessen their determination to survive.
Rayana then looked at Will and the rest, who didn't seem to have any problems. They might have already realized that going back was impossible. But that doesn't they don't have any complicated feelings of this matter.
They sure had good control over their facial expressions. To think that Rayana was able to read hints of seriousness in their faces made her feel proud of herself.
Rayana continued analyzing their situation without letting others notice, as she listened to the discussion. Will seemed to have noticed but had no idea how far Rayana's conclusions had gone.
Amelia and Lucy had informed everyone how they plan yo utilized their knowledge of botany and entomology to ensure their sustenance while they worked on their escape plan. Though they had some reluctance of consuming an unknown and weird food they still had identified edible plants and insects within the dome, relying on their understanding of which species were safe to consume. They also intended to establish daily foraging routines, gathering food while being cautious not to deplete their resources.
As part of their survival strategy, they planned to implement a rationing system to effectively manage their food supply. They would divide the food into daily portions, ensuring everyone had enough to eat while also ensuring the food lasted as long as possible.
Furthermore, they both explained that everyone needed to be aware of certain general rules when considering insects as a food source. For instance, brightly colored insects are often poisonous and should be avoided, while insects that are pests to crops are typically safe to eat.
They would also search for insects known to be edible, such as certain species of ants, beetles, and crickets. These insects are rich in protein and are commonly consumed in many cultures around the world.
Additionally, they would observe the insects' behavior and habitat. Insects that reside in clean, unpolluted environments are generally safer to consume than those found in potentially contaminated areas.
Finally, they would conduct a simple cooking test. Insects that are safe to eat typically do not undergo significant color changes when cooked. Cooking not only enhances the palatability of the insects but also eliminates any potential pathogens.
Will and the others were shocked, particularly Will and Max, while the rest of the group maintained control over their facial expressions.
Max's raised eyebrows and silent clapping were noticeable signs of surprise. Will, on the other hand, appeared frozen but blinked inwardly, indicating that he found their explanation to be unexpected.
"Aren't they a bit too ready for survival at this point? What have they been learning in school?" Will wanted to ask, perplexed by their precise plan, while feeling a bit conflicted.
Ethan and Jake also shared their contributions thus far. Eventually, the conversation naturally turned to the murals. Since they were unable to read the text, everyone had to rely on interpreting the scenes depicted in the murals to gain a better understanding of their situation.
Eventually, Rayana also wore a deadpan expression and couldn't help but wonder if they had secretly plotted everything from the beginning. However, after observing their excited expressions, as if they had accomplished something incredible, she dismissed the idea. "I guess having a circle of friends with common interests has its advantages," Rayana concluded in her thoughts.
Although it still felt strange, everyone appeared capable and had their own areas of expertise. "What a peculiar group," Rayana thought, deciding to be even more vigilant.