Then Lu Yuan took out a piece of chocolate from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Shan.

"Let's eat something to tide us over!"

As they were talking, a noise suddenly came from outside. Xiaoshan quickly stuffed the chocolate into her pocket and looked outside with a slightly nervous expression.

Lu Yuan gently pulled back the tent flap and glanced outside.

Zhou Chen stood timidly outside, her big eyes blinking as she looked inside.

"Uncle Lu, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, a rumbling sound came from his lower abdomen.

Are you hungry too?

Zhou Chen nodded.

"Alright! Is anyone else hungry?"

Lu Yuan walked out of the tent and began to check each tent one by one. Apart from the few newcomers and Sun Zhe and his group, everyone else said they were a little hungry.

"Sigh! The living conditions here are really tough, and there are surveillance cameras everywhere! We can't even keep a piece of good food for too long!"

Lu Yuan secretly pondered how to take the food out of the dimensional space without being discovered by the people outside.

However, for now, they haven't started working on the construction site, and their movements are restricted. It's practically impossible for them to exchange food, because everyone is now on the same starting line, and it's very difficult to get food. No one else would exchange it.

"Damn it! If only there were a market! Then I could go in and exchange some food without worry!"

Lu Yuan secretly took out a small amount of marinated beef jerky and pork jerky from his dimensional space and slipped them into each person's tent. Of course, the amount for each person was very small; if it were too much, it would definitely arouse their suspicion.

Lu Yuan wasn't worried about them exposing his dimensional space; rather, he was worried that someone with ulterior motives would discover his secret through them. This secret couldn't be told to anyone for the time being. Lu Yuan had been guarding this secret for several years, and although he had almost been discovered many times, he was still doing well.

Xiao Shan was holding a pig's trotter and taking big bites, her face covered in grease. Lu Yuan smiled and helped her wipe the grease off her face.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you!"

"Oh dear, I'm so hungry! I haven't had a proper meal all day! I'm almost starving to death!" Xiao Shan mumbled, her mouth stuffed full of pig's trotters.

Lu Yuan gently patted her back.

"By the way! Where did you get this pig's trotter? Hmm, why do you seem like a Doraemon? Tell me! Do you have a magic pocket?"

Lu Yuan burst into laughter: "Hey! To be honest, I'm actually Doraemon! What do you think?"

"Come on! Doraemon is way better looking than you!"

Xiao Shan, having eaten and drunk her fill, lay in Lu Yuan's arms chatting, and reached out to touch the scar on Lu Yuan's forehead.

Why hasn't this scar disappeared for so long?

Lu Yuan also reached out and touched the scar on his forehead. He also felt very strange. This scar had been with him for a long time, but it had not healed yet. Moreover, he couldn't even remember how many golden fruits he had eaten.

"It's probably something I kept from when I was a child!"

"That's not right! I remember you didn't have this before! Why does the scar on your head seem to be getting more and more noticeable lately?"

"Maybe...maybe it's because I've gotten lighter in color recently!"

"Tch! Don't give me that!"

The two chatted, and soon Xiaoshan's snoring could be heard. Lu Yuan gently placed her on the edge of the bed, and then he also snuggled into the blanket and fell asleep.

The next morning, Lu Yuan was awakened by a loud whistle.

"Gather! Everyone, gather!"

Lu Yuan gently patted Xiao Shan's bottom, and she reluctantly turned over.

"What's wrong? Go back to sleep!"

"Ugh! I can't sleep any longer! I'd better get up quickly! Otherwise, the patrol team will come to inspect the tents soon!"

Lu Yuan knew from Gu Wenzhong's previous lecture that everyone who was neither sick nor disabled had to work on the construction site, without exception. Even the team leader had to go to the fields. Every time they went out to work, there would be an inspection team in the camp to check them.

The patrol team was mainly responsible for taking away some contraband and handling some disputes in the camp. However, Lu Yuan knew that these people would not simply confiscate contraband; they would definitely take away the good stuff as well.

Lu Yuan felt as if they had entered a prison, where everyone's every word and action was restricted, leaving no room for freedom. However, those who could come here were not sick or disabled, because they had already been screened out upon arrival. This was a cold-blooded world; they wanted laborers, not refugees. Once the project here was completed, they would definitely push these laborers out again.

This place is only a temporary safe haven; as for comfort, that's simply out of the question.

Xiao Shan reluctantly got up. Having been used to sleeping in late, getting up at four in the morning was really too difficult for her. Even Lu Yuan found it a bit hard to accept. He and Xiao Shan had been chatting quite late last night, and he didn't expect to be woken up to go to work before he had slept for very long.

After getting dressed, Lu Yuan led everyone to the open space from yesterday. The spotlights overhead were on 24 hours a day, and Lu Yuan was so blinded by the bright light that he could hardly open his eyes.

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