Tiger Tuan'er stood by the window in her silk pajamas, her gaze distant and unfocused. The weight of the past few days had clearly taken its toll on her.
"Hey, Tuan'er, let's eat something," Rice Noodles said gently, breaking the silence.
Sighing, Tuan'er sat across from her. On the table, only two bottles of water and a couple of stale pieces of bread lay between them.
"This is all we have left," Tuan'er muttered, her voice tinged with exhaustion.
Rice Noodles sighed in frustration. "Why hasn't the supply truck come yet? Something must've happened."
"Maybe there are monsters or worse on the road," Tuan'er responded, her tone grim. "Just an hour ago, I saw a massive black spider."
Rice Noodles' face paled. "Don't say things like that, Tuan'er!"
Tuan'er's delicate features were etched with concern. "I'm not lying. We can't pretend everything is fine anymore."
Rice Noodles frowned, nervously twisting her hair. "If that thing attacks our dorm, what will we do?"
Tuan'er sighed. "Na Zi could probably handle it, she fought off a group of snakes earlier. But when I checked her dorm, everyone was gone."
"Then what do we do?" Rice Noodles said, her voice shaky. "Maybe we should send Mina a message, ask if we can stay with them. I'd rather be sweeping floors there than stuck here."
Tuan'er shook her head. "We haven't awakened our abilities. We're just liabilities to them."
"I wish I had awakened my talent," Rice Noodles lamented, staring down at the meager rations.
They were interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Who's there?" Tuan'er called, cautiously standing up.
"It's Mina," came the familiar voice from outside.
Relief washed over Tuan'er as she rushed to open the door. Mina stood there, flanked by four other girls. "Come in, come in," Tuan'er said eagerly, motioning them inside.
Mina surveyed the barren table and smiled softly. "Is this all you're eating?"
Tuan'er felt a flush of embarrassment. "It's... all we have left."
"Well, clear the table," Mina said kindly, "I brought some food."
Tuan'er's and Rice Noodles' eyes widened as Mina pulled out a feast from her storage ring: rice, braised pork, and several other savory dishes.
"Go ahead, help yourselves," Mina said with a smile.
Rice Noodles didn't need to be told twice. She eagerly filled her plate with rice and pork, her face lighting up. "It's so good! I haven't had anything like this in days."
Tuan'er took a bite of the tender braised pork, tears of gratitude welling in her eyes. "Mina, thank you so much."
"It's nothing," Mina replied with a smile. "One of our team members made it."
Tuan'er and Rice Noodles exchanged glances, the tension of the past days melting away as they ate. Between bites, Rice Noodles asked, "Sister Mina, can we stay with you? We'll sweep, wash clothes, anything."
Mina raised an eyebrow. "Do either of you know how to farm?"
Rice Noodles nodded eagerly. "I do! I grew up on a farm, helping my parents."
Mina exchanged glances with her team. It seemed they had found a useful skill in Rice Noodles.
Ruoruo, one of the other girls, giggled. "You? A farm girl? You really can't judge by appearances."
Rice Noodles laughed. "I may dress differently now, but I used to be covered in dirt back then."
The conversation continued with light banter, and as the girls shared their meal, the mood in the room lifted. They felt hope for the first time in days.
Mina stood up. "Once you're done, come to my dorm. We'll talk more."
"Of course, thank you again," Tuan'er said sincerely, her mind already racing with thoughts of how she could contribute.
As Mina and her group left, Rice Noodles smiled with renewed determination. "We might actually have a chance here."
Tuan'er nodded, her own resolve hardening. If she had to learn how to farm or do anything else, she would—anything to be part of Mina's team and survive this nightmare together.