Survival of the Poorest

My thin clothes could barely block out the cold, so I had to keep moving to stay warm. Thankfully, I found a blanket in the trash someone had tossed after getting off their flight.As time went on, the hunger grew intense. At 8 p.m., I wandered over to a bakery. The leftover bread behind the glass display case was giving off a warm, buttery smell.My stomach let out a loud growl.Relying on my broke-girl instincts, I figured this was the hour when the bakery would start marking things down.Sure enough, the bread that was originally 30 dollars cost 15 dollars. However, that still was not good enough. I knew that close to closing time, the discounts would be even lower, maybe even free.Every dollar I saved was another chance to survive. So, I sat in a chair across from the bakery, resting with my eyes half-closed.Just then, someone used the public game broadcast and anonymously posted, [Come to the bakery in Section A on Level 3! Everything is half off!]"Half-off bread?!""It

The airport was strangely quiet that day, because not a single flight got delayed. I guessed the system had finally patched whatever loophole I had been exploiting.All day, I wandered around like a regular traveler, drifting through every shop that offered free samples.Of course, I ate without buying anything. I watched the staff's faces as I sampled my way through the counters. Once they realized I was only eating and not purchasing, I slipped away immediately.That was how I got through the entire day.I used my last meal voucher for dinner, and it replenished my hunger bar. However, my energy level dropped even lower that day, so I refused to sleep in a chair. Instead, I slipped into a dim service corridor and headed for the little treasure I found earlier: an old maintenance room with its door barely closed.The place was stuffed with junk, but once you shut the door, it became your own little hideaway.I had just walked into the maintenance room and had not even closed the

I quickly ran to the next location. Still, there was nothing. Someone had cleared out the four spots where I had hidden the crackers. Dozens of bags of life-saving crackers and bread had vanished without a trace overnight.What should have been a guaranteed win had been completely flipped upside down. To pinpoint all the locations in one night and quietly clear them out was not something an ordinary player could pull off.My mind raced as I wondered who it could possibly be. I mumbled, "Who's been watching me this whole time?"My mood instantly hit rock bottom. Eventually, I swallowed my pride and went looking for free samples again.However, as more players competed for them, the stores had become wise and hidden all their sample foods. Even the condiment station at the cafe was empty, and the staff had also kept all the sugar packets.The trash cans became a hotly contested territory, with many players still willing to risk illness by digging through garbage for food. By the tim

I took the cracker he offered, stepped back, and asked, "Can I still join you guys now?""Player 66, it's too late." Omari smiled, looking all innocent and friendly. "This game was never about going solo from the start. Players can only survive by teaming up and stealing resources from other players. You have no money and no food; you have zero value to us."Right then, the system suddenly issued an announcement. "Welcome to Day Five, players! To increase the gameplay's excitement level, all water fountains throughout the airport will be shut off starting today. Water sources in restrooms have been contaminated and are not drinkable."Players could not hold back and started raging in the public chat.[Increase the excitement level? Screw you!][No water? With three days left?! Are you trying to kill us?]Omari's team also started getting restless, their fear overshadowing the brief joy of getting food. After all, water was an even more critical commodity than food.Yet, Omari di

Player 48 turned and quickly exchanged glances with his teammates."Alright." Player 48 finally decided and extended his hand to me. "Melanie, welcome aboard. I'm Steve Johnson. This is Kyle Rivers, Chase Walker, Dennis Porter, Sam Sullivan, and Tyler Morrison. The rule for joining our team is: absolutely no betraying your teammates."I nodded. "Looking forward to working together."I traded water for food within the team.However, when the dawn of day six arrived, it brought no hope at all–only deeper despair.I went to the security checkpoint alone, hoping to score more water. However, I saw five security guards stationed there, watching the trash bins like hawks.It seemed that the system had blocked off this route as well. Just like that, the last stable water source was gone.Some players who had endured thirst the entire previous day finally drank from the bathroom faucets. Yet, the virus instantly knocked them down, and they were eliminated.Right then, the airport annou