Famine 109: BBQ Slow-Roasted Pulled Pork Sandwich

“Waaahaha!!”

Splash!

Qiu Youqing, with Gu Yingying in her arms, lay flat on an inflatable tube, speeding down the chute—an arc of water burst around them, spraying high into the air.

The cool, damp wind swept across her face, tickling her skin, so cold it made her shiver all over—a happiness almost too much to bear.

“So comfy!! So this is a water slide!”

“Isn’t it great?” Yang Ying called out with a loud laugh. Blessed with agility, she was a speed-type enhancer with extraordinary balance; she didn’t even need an inflatable, half-squatting on a surfboard, gliding neck and neck alongside them.

The horizontal space in the cavern wasn’t huge, but the vertical drop had been expanded to dizzying heights—dozens of meters high. Dozens of interwoven water slides crossed and tangled above them, forming a labyrinth of three-dimensional tracks, making the experience richer and more varied.
One slide might drop you into a pool, or toss you onto another slide entirely. The feeling was like an adventure, full of thrills and surprises.

All around, delighted screams echoed through the cave.

Gu Yingying laughed, shrinking into Qiu Youqing’s embrace, while Qiu Youqing, brimming over with excitement, arched her body up to shield her from the wind.
Gu Yingying reached out, and with a flick of her fingers, conjured a slender wand out of thin air, waving it lightly.

Jingle!

At the tip, a string of golden light shot out, trailing behind them in a line as they sped downward, glittering along the glass slide like a line of fairy lights from a storybook.

It was Gu Yingying’s enhancement skill, an aura that originally boosted her allies’ speed.

The people coming behind shot into the golden specks with cries of surprise: “Whoa, gold coins! If you hit gold coins, you speed up!!”

“I didn’t know you could play like this!” All around, players laughed in delight.

Everyone let loose with their own skills, and for a while, the sky-high tangle of slides glittered with countless dazzling lights.

A particularly skillful player dashed up the glowing edge, unfurling luminous blade-wings in midair. Once deadly blades, now they exploded like fireworks overhead, scattering resplendent flashes as he dove in a graceful arc, free-falling into a pool below.

“Nice!”
“Beautiful!!”

A burst of cheers broke out.

“Ten points!!” Qiu Youqing hollered at the top of her lungs.

The scene was wild and chaotic.

Si Zhiyan lounged in the pool atop the park, coffee ice in hand, shaking his head with a laugh.

Even he had to admit: the intertwining lights and labyrinthine slides were truly more spectacular than he could have imagined.

The guests here were all famine-game players with physical upgrades—nothing like ordinary humans. He’d known this from the start, and so hadn’t set too many safety limits, letting everyone play as they liked.

But even he hadn’t expected they’d pull off so many creative tricks; even Si Zhiyan found himself thoroughly entertained.

While the Famine Game had brought all manner of changes to human ecology and power—so different from the old days—not all these changes were bad.

In fact, the maze of slides came about more by necessity than design.

Si Zhiyan had pushed the limits of [Silver Ring Alliance’s artifact], expanding the park as far as it could stretch—this was it.
Side-to-side expansion was limited; only the upward space was really vast.

So in the end, there were just a few pools, but an abundance of slides, maximizing vertical complexity.

He hadn’t imagined it would work so perfectly.

He’d already consulted with other players and learned: in these underground caves, lateral caves were densely packed, but vertical alignment was quite sparse—the difference was significant.

Si Zhiyan guessed the artifact keeping them sealed was conceptual in nature, meant to confine everything within from “contact with the surface.”

Only thus could it produce this result: limited restrictions on terrain change, but no matter how you expanded, the isolated space would never reconnect to the outside world.

An interesting artifact indeed. Once the Silver Ring Alliance was dealt with, if he could get it into his own hands, maybe he could carve out a world of his own… It might even be useful for solving the issue of the [Eye]…

Yes, he had to seize it.
Si Zhiyan pondered.

Of course, not the whole park was so lively.

Elsewhere, calm reigned.

Shen Dongming reclined in a cool pool, the water up to his chin, his entire body soothed by the clear, fresh currents. Only his head floated above, and he let out a deep sigh of pleasure.

This was a large, tranquil pool, dotted with rubbery toy salted fish. Many older players had gathered here, talking in low voices or just lying still to rest, a relaxed and easy atmosphere.

This was Si Zhiyan’s specially prepared “Salted Fish Rest Pool.”
No surfing here, no slides—just forty lounging pods, each ergonomically designed so you could sprawl in the water for as long as you liked.

Sinking into the seat, jets of water would massage your pressure points and muscles, with buttons to adjust the strength as you pleased.

Under the hydromassage, Shen Dongming’s tired and tense muscles slowly relaxed and softened, melting into comfort, every bone in his body slackening.

He didn’t have much energy to fool around, but found lying here let him fully unwind; his chapped skin soaked up the restore of the water over days of dryness.

He lay there, eyes half closed, looking up at the shifting lights overhead, listening to the shrieks and laughter of Qiu and the other children echoing, and couldn’t help but smile.

“Hey!” Lin Yanqing, surrounded by several familiar kids, came bustling back in high spirits after a full round of play.

“Dongming, you’ve got to try this wild spinning slide—it’s like a washing machine, you’ll love it.”

“I’m good here.”

“Suit yourself.”
Lin Yanqing didn’t press, just crouched by the edge and leaned over to kiss him on the forehead, smiling,
“There’s a fish therapy pool next door—little fish will nibble on your feet and legs, tickling your skin. It’s fun. Try it later?”

“That actually sounds interesting,” Shen Dongming said. “Come find me when you’re tired, and we’ll go together.”

“Then you just wait there, lazybones!” Lin Yanqing laughed heartily, flashed an ‘OK’ sign, and dashed off with the children again.

Shen Dongming watched his wife’s retreating back, lips curving upward involuntarily.

……
…

The entire morning passed in wild delight for Qiu Youqing and her friends.

Someone—no one was quite sure who—finally found the entrance to the next level, hidden at the very top of the cave! It took several slide runs and even a few detours onto reverse slides to reach the entrance.

Everyone exclaimed at the trick, then scrambled to keep up, rushing after the trailblazer.

But just as they squeezed through, a huge wave slapped them right back.

—Because the second level was a massive, man-made surfing pool!

Artificial swells, more than two meters high, sent everyone tumbling and screaming in glee.

The first floor turned out to be the gentle intro—the higher you went, the crazier it got: rafting, caving, and other adventures.

There were even rumors that someone had glimpsed the spectral blue shape of a massive whale…

Qiu Youqing was swept along the floating river, surfing every bend, so busy laughing that her throat went hoarse.
It was a colossal adventure park—every spot packed with fun.

But as for the third-level entrance—lunchtime came and no one had found it.

Only when the aromas wafted up from the food festival did Qiu Youqing and the others snap out of it—

“Ah, it’s time to eat!”

She hastily rounded up her friends, and together with Gu Yingying, hauled the still-reluctant Yang Ying downstairs.

The food festival’s stalls were set up on a mezzanine above the first floor.

A dozen booths lined the street, their mingled aromas drifting in the air.

The convenience store offered rice balls, volcanic rock-grilled sausages, and various oden sets. The barbecue stand had enormous lamb skewers, crispy wings, and exquisitely roasted mushrooms, and there were even roadside steak vendors, with burgers and hot dogs sizzling on the grill…

After seven years of nothing but nutrient paste and roasted potatoes, Qiu Youqing still wasn’t used to the farm canteen’s daily bounty—she never ate a meal without feeling almost ecstatic.
Now, standing among the food stalls, she was simply stunned, unable to take it all in.

“This… is this really real…? It smells so good…”
Her voice practically floated.

Yang Ying and Gu Yingying nodded wildly, and the other players looked much the same.

Since the place wasn’t huge, everyone had to queue for their meals.
Those waiting watched longingly; those eating dug in with gusto.

After a while it was finally their turn, and they quickly claimed a table.

Qiu Youqing wandered down the row of food stalls, overwhelmed by choices—she wanted to eat everything.

Until suddenly she spotted one dish that made her eyes light up. Her mind was made up in an instant.

Ten minutes later, she returned to the table carrying a BBQ slow-roasted pulled pork sandwich, a serving of cheesy bolognese king oyster mushrooms, a basket of breaded chicken bites, and a medium Coke.

The burger’s filling was rich with juices from slow-cooked pork, stuffed so full both hands could barely hold it. It took all her effort to compress the sandwich together enough for a single bite.

—Instantly, salty and sweet juices burst in her mouth!

Whatever pork the farm used, it was the perfect fat ratio, showing off the full potential of slow roasting; the tangy-sweet black pepper sauce soaked every fiber of meat, blending perfectly with its flavor—rich, savory, gourmand. A hint of aromatic cooking wine added fragrance without a trace of gaminess.
The bun was toasted in butter, the crust crisp and caramelized, the insides tender and airy with a mellow buttery scent. When you bit down, the crispy crust, the juices, and that sweet-savory barbecue sauce all soaked into the bread—the combination of rich carbs and mouthfuls of pork was heaven.

—It was too delicious!

How could anything taste this good?!

Qiu Youqing’s cheeks bulged with happiness, tears of joy filling her eyes.

A sip of ice-cold Coke—fizzy sweetness shooting straight to her brain!

She was too overwhelmed even to swallow, gesturing desperately to her friends: “Guys, this is so, so good! You have to try!!”

Yang Ying, for once, was quiet—her mouth full of sausage, she only managed a thumbs-up.

Gu Yingying clutched a bowl of lamb soup with shredded flatbread, little flowers nearly blooming on her cheeks: “Hehe… this soup is amazing… and the bread’s so fragrant…”
“It’d be perfect if it had a bit of cilantro…”

Everyone laughed together.

“Mm…!” Qiu Youqing craned her neck to finally swallow her enormous bite, clearing just enough space in her mouth to speak.

“Hurry! Eat up! As soon as we’re finished, we’ll set out to find the third floor’s entrance!” she declared, waving a fist for emphasis.

“Yes—!” came the enthusiastic reply!

But alas, the elusive grand prize was not so easy to find after all.

The children played and ate all day, utterly spent with joy.

But still, they found no clue to the third entrance.

Not just them—despite trying all afternoon, not a single guest discovered the third floor’s gate on the very first day.

Hmph, as if he’d let them clear it so easily. Si Zhiyan folded his arms and smiled.

This park was meant to last for days.

He had expected this, and reserved several days’ worth of tickets for the children—there was always tomorrow to come back for another try.

Yet, by the time the park closed for the night and it was time to climb out, everyone was nearly wiped out. It seemed people had forgotten what it was like to walk without buoyancy—now, gravity punished them, and they staggered everywhere off-balance.

Even Lin Yanqing could barely walk straight.

That was when Shen Dongming, well-rested all day, took center stage. He shook his head, summoned up his enhancer powers, and created a stream of fine sand, scooping everyone up and ferrying them home in groups.

Qiu Youqing lay atop the sandfall, weakly doling out praise: “Ah—thank you, Teacher Shen, you’re always reliable, wuuu—”

Shen Dongming laughed. “Come off it. I know you kids. When you need something, it’s ‘Teacher Shen,’ when you don’t it’s ‘Old Shen, the pedant.’ Heaven only knows what you call me behind my back.”
“If tomorrow you remember to save some strength to walk home on your own, I’ll thank the gods!”

Everyone burst into laughter. Qiu Youqing scratched her head sheepishly but quickly grinned, rolling over to snuggle up with Gu Yingying in a big group hug.

All the famine game, all the brush-with-death quests, all the scorching deserts and molten lava, all the days of scraping by on one meal at a time…

It all felt like a lifetime ago.

This place no longer seemed like a cave, but an otherworldly paradise, a Peach Blossom Spring of timeless peace in the mountains.

It made you long for tomorrow.

To eat even more delicious things—tomorrow, she wanted to try the barbecue. To drink more wonderful drinks—that strawberry-orange mocktail was amazing. And the hidden entrance to the third level of the water park—she had to find it…

Ah, if only things could stay just like this… If only the thirty days would never end…

Wrapped in these happy, giddy dreams, Qiu Youqing, exhausted, leaned against her sisters-in-arms, the little group of youths clinging together as they drifted into a deep, sound sleep.

She never dreamed another nightmare.
Not once.

……
…

Just like that—in the blink of an eye, the thirty-day countdown ended.

On the other side, Qi Zhi, accompanied by Wang Jinyu and others, awaited outside the sealed zone.

Last time, Wang Jinyu had suffered public humiliation, thoroughly disgraced, and he’d never been able to swallow it down.

This time, they came spoiling for revenge, dragging with them countless players:
Silver Ring Alliance core members, newly recruited allies, organizations both friend and rival alike…

Thousands had gathered, surging through the passageways.

The narrow tunnel was only ten meters wide, barely over two meters high, now clogged with a suffocating throng. The air was stuffy and stifling.

Dehydration ran so deep here that no one dared sweat, let alone shed a tear—urine itself was worth money. Yet now, in the heat, people were forced to sweat—and each bead meant water to be replaced, each drop so precious, that grumbling bubbled beneath the surface, though none dared voice complaint.

For Qi Zhi stood in the crowd’s center, cigarette between her lips.

Her bearing was elegant and poised, but no one dared meet her gaze; she lounged lazily against the wall, and those around could only stare in awe at her slender ankles, not daring even to draw breath.

Wang Jinyu stood at the very front, beaming with confidence, no sign left of the pathetic mess he’d been at Qi Zhi’s feet.

He had finally shaken off those nightmare memories, revived like the venomous snake from before, brimming with malice.

Lowering his brows, Wang Jinyu sneered in a chilling voice:

“Everyone, be sure to prepare yourselves. In ten minutes, the [Jar] will open.”

“Open your eyes wide, and watch closely…”

“To see the fate of those who dared defy the Silver Ring Alliance!”