RPAGF Chapter 19 Drawing Lots
Chapter 19 Drawing Lots
Soon someone brought over a stack of papers and a box, and placed them on the table.
Because the number of people had decreased, Liao Qian first drew out a few blank slips to match the current number of people, and then stirred the remaining slips of paper in the box.
"let's start."
This was a method devised to alleviate the core conflict in the control room. Except for children of similar age and the elderly, everyone else, regardless of gender, had to come and draw lots.
After opening the slip of paper, if there is a red mark in the center, it means you have won the lottery. There are six such slips in total.
Liao Qian was about to draw lots when someone called out to him.
"Wait a minute, you're last to draw," the man called out. "You just opened the slip of paper, didn't you? How can we be sure you won't cheat? We know all about your methods."
Liao Qian sneered, "Fine, you go first then?"
Li Wenlin swallowed hard: "I'll go first, I refuse to believe I'm that unlucky."
He fiddled with it for a long time, until everyone around him got annoyed, before finally taking out a piece of paper.
"Open it and take a look," Liao Qian said.
"What's the rush?" Li Wenlin said, then reluctantly opened the note.
There was a red mark clearly drawn on it.
"Looks like the first person to win the lottery has appeared," Wang Hong said, leaning over to take a look.
Li Wenlin's eyes widened in disbelief as he threw the paper on the ground: "Impossible! How could I possibly win!"
He pointed at Liao Qian: "Was it you? Was it you who did this? You just want me dead because you don't like me!"
Liao Qian retorted, "You drew the lot yourself, don't blame me. You should think about how to survive out there!"
"No, no, that's not it..." Li Wenlin squatted on the ground, clutching his head. The shock was so great that he was in a daze.
With the first unlucky person caught, there would be one less person to sign, which eased the psychological pressure on everyone, and they all went to get their slips of paper.
In the end, four boys and two girls were selected: Li Wenlin, Zhang Xun, Pan Zhixue, Hong Pengyun, Quan Anyi, and Zhang Manyu.
Their faces were ashen, and their expressions were filled with despair.
Zhang Manyu, in particular, immediately closed the slip of paper after opening it, trying to secretly exchange the winning slip with the blank paper that Liao Qian had taken out earlier when no one was paying attention, but Wang Hong discovered her.
Wang Hong didn't hold back and slapped her across the face: "Trying to do something under my nose? You've got some nerve!"
Zhang Manyu was slapped to the ground, covering her face and sobbing, "How could I possibly escape the monsters outside! You're trying to force me to my death!"
"What's all the fuss about? Miao Yin can go out, why can't you? You were chatting with her quite well yesterday. If you're such good friends, what's wrong with going out and keeping her company?" Wang Hong kicked her.
"Why should I go and keep that vixen company!"
Zhang Manyu's warm and peaceful facade was completely shattered, and she crawled on the ground with a ferocious expression, constantly grabbing other people's trouser legs, trying to beg them to exchange their signatures.
But every time she took a step forward, the people around her avoided her as if she were a plague, afraid of having even the slightest connection with her.
She looked around in despair until she saw Liao Qian, and her eyes, which had been filled with extreme fear, suddenly shone with hope.
She threw herself at Liao Qian's feet, clinging to her as if grasping at the last straw on the edge of a cliff, and pleaded humbly, "Sister Liao, look at me! I've been sickly since I was little, I can't even run fast. If I go out, I'll just die! Please, have mercy and switch places with me, okay? Just this once!"
"Don't dwell on the rules; it's unfair to others," Liao Qian refused without hesitation.
Upon hearing this, the last glimmer of hope in Zhang Manyu's eyes was extinguished. She could no longer endure the pain and burst out with curses: "You viper, how could you be so heartless! Lin Yaozong was willing to die for us, why can't you, as his fiancée, do the same!"
Upon hearing that taboo name, Liao Qian kicked her away, his expression furious: "I told you not to mention him again!"
"Why can't I mention it! I'm going to mention it! You two are hypocrites! If Lin Yaozong hadn't insisted on saving people, where would all these people in the control room have come from! We have no food because of you two! You forced so many people to go to the amusement park to their deaths! That damned Lin Yaozong can't even rest in peace after death, now he wants to harm me too!" Zhang Manyu cried hysterically.
"Enough!" Liao Qian couldn't hold back any longer. "He saved your life. Without him, you would have died out there long ago!"
"Then I'm going to die anyway! I should never have brought me back in the first place, instead of letting me suffer hunger and mistreatment in this wretched place every day!" She threw a tantrum on the ground.
"Stop arguing!" Yan's father came out; he couldn't stand it anymore.
"What kind of crazy behavior is this? Don't think you can get away with signing this way. Get out of here right now, or you'll be in big trouble if you attract the monsters outside!"
"Pah! You're no better! A domestic abuser, beating your son and your wife! What right do you have to talk to me like that! You deserve to die in the mouth of a monster!"
"Who are you to talk about my family affairs? What are you all standing there for? Throw this crazy woman out right now!" Yan's father ordered.
So those who didn't win the lottery gathered around.
They said apologetically, "We're sorry, but there's nothing we can do about it. You just had bad luck. Consider it for our survival, and please get out of here."
Finally realizing that she had no way to deny it, Zhang Manyu sobbed in despair, then rushed in and grabbed a utility knife.
"You want me to leave? Fine, but you'd better give me some means to save my life. This one's mine!"
The remaining five people immediately realized what was happening and ran to the toolbox, stuffing all the usable weapons into their pockets.
"You've taken everything usable. What will happen to the rest of us if you die out there?!" someone protested.
"I don't care about you! I'm not leaving until you give me my weapon! Go ahead and kill me if you dare!" Zhang Manyu shouted.
The others echoed this sentiment.
"You guys are pretty good at business." Wang Hong clapped his hands. "Since that's the case, take it. Don't make it seem like we're trying to force you to your death. I'm waiting for you to bring the food back."
Liao Qian took out a few bags and straps and threw them to them: "Take these and pack the food in them to bring back."
Zhang Manyu, carrying the bag, glared at her fiercely with bloodshot eyes.
And so this six-person team, completely incapable of fighting, set off.
To prevent them from deserting, the remaining people intentionally or unintentionally stood behind them.
Liao Qian opened the door as always.
She slowly opened a crack, and Hong Pengyun leaned closer, cautiously peering out through the crack.
"There seems to be nothing outside," he said softly.
"No bodies either?" Liao Qian asked.
Hong Pengyun shook his head.
"What the hell are you muttering about!" Wang Hong yanked open the door and kicked the man out.
Then he forcefully pushed the rest of the people out and closed the door.
"What's wrong with you now!" Liao Qian cursed.
“I should be asking you the same thing. Blocking the main door and not moving an inch, what can you possibly see with just this crack? What if that monster rushes in? Can you stop it?”
"Just wait patiently. If they come back, it means everything is alright outside. If they don't come back, it won't do you any good even if you see them die!" Wang Hong said nonchalantly.
He was clearly in a better mood after not winning the lottery. He casually grabbed a chair and crossed his legs.
Behind him, Yan Shuzhou sat leaning against the wall, the light casting a huge shadow on him. He looked gloomy, and the crumpled paper in his hand was torn to shreds.