Though the instant noodles were tempting, there was no scramble to grab them.
Despite the sound of swallowing, everyone remained composed, no one charging forward.
Instead, their eyes, unwilling to look away, turned towards a man in the crowd who appeared small but possessed muscular arms.
Under their gazes, the muscular man stepped forward, taking chopsticks and bowls from other survivors.
Then, under their watchful eyes, he filled his own bowl to the brim with instant noodles, including plenty of eggs and sausages.
After he had a full bowl, he ladled himself a bowl of soup.
With each word he spoke, he carried his noodles to a side table and began to devour them.
Once the muscular man had taken his noodles, the restless survivors surged forward, grabbing bowls and chopsticks, fearing they would get less if they were late.
Soon, a large iron pot of instant noodles was cleared out.
The survivors ate their noodles, sweating profusely. Though the noodles were hot, they couldn't resist their enthusiasm, or the fact that they hadn't eaten a warm meal in days.
Despite the heat, they ate loudly, the sounds of smacking lips rising and falling, never ceasing.
After they had eaten their fill, they sat on the ground, all their gazes falling on the muscular man.
The muscular man was gnawing on a bag of duck legs. Seeing their attention on him, he stopped chewing. "Those old folks and that pregnant woman, let them starve. Don't waste food. As for those few young people—"
The muscular man tore off a piece of duck leg, chewing it forcefully. "The girl with short hair and an oval face is mine. The rest of you take whoever you like. If you don't like anyone, do as you please."
After he finished speaking, the muscular man added, "This is the apocalypse. Don't be picky. It's better to have something to play with than nothing at all. So, don't be too rigid about gender."
With that, the muscular man, still chewing his duck leg, stood up and headed towards the adjacent hut where Bai Heqing and the others were confined.
Upon entering the hut, the muscular man's eyes fixed on Bai Heqing. He walked over, grabbed her, and began to drag her out.
Seeing this, Bai Yuling immediately tried to stand up, but the muscular man kicked him in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Yuling."
"Let go of my sister."
Two voices spoke simultaneously, one from Bai Heqing, the other from Bai Yuling.
The muscular man, with a duck leg still in his mouth, was grabbed by Bai Heqing, who struggled to break free and tried to run towards Bai Yuling. Before she could get far, the muscular man seized her by the neck and pulled her back.
With Bai Heqing in his grasp, the muscular man unceremoniously slammed her head onto the table.
Bai Heqing was practically thrown onto the table with brutal force by the muscular man, making a loud thud.
The impact knocked Bai Heqing unconscious.
After subduing Bai Heqing, the muscular man looked at Bai Yuling, who was struggling to get up. "Keep your eyes wide open and watch how I toy with your sister."
Bai Yuling attempted to unleash his ability to attack the muscular man, but he found that his powers were gone.
The muscular man seemed to sense his thoughts, grinning widely and revealing duck meat stuck between his teeth. "Don't bother. I'm your bane. Wherever I am, your abilities are useless."
With that said, the muscular man glanced at the survivors outside, who were eager to participate. "If you want someone, come in and take them out."
Finally, the muscular man added, "This kid stays. I want him to watch his sister being played with. And when his sister wakes up, I want her to see her brother beneath me."