“Hurhur, four-eyes, how kind of you to gather up all the food for me! Now, there’s none of your business here. Scram out of the way!”

  Facing the rude Park Insu, Kwan Minhwoo was not happy at all. What’s this? Treating him as a soft persimmon?

  “Oi! Apologize! How can you be so rude to CEO Kwan!”

  “Yeah! Wait—Stop right there! What do you think you’re doing?!”

  The two lackeys quickly jumped out to block the way, but the predator sneered and wanted to push them out of the way.

  “Madaraka! What am I doing? That’s what I should be asking you! Why are you hogging all the food?! Give it here, or don’t blame me for not being polite!”

  That threat made both lackeys weak inside and out. The earlier display of supernatural power did leave a shadow in their hearts.

  But the smart never rely on muscles to deter their foe. Instead, schemers like relying on…

  “Now, now. Baewoo. Minho. Don’t be rude.”

  Kwan Minhwoo stepped forward to fill in the gap and flashed a friendly smile to the predator and his hunting dog.

  “Mr. Park. Mr. Han. Please don’t misunderstand. I believe everybody here is civilized men. Why talk with fists when we can all be friends? Here.”

  Two bottles of water got handed forward.

  “You two look thirsty. Have some water first. Everything else can be slowly discussed.”

  Though Park Insu acted rash, he still haven’t fallen to the point of hitting a smiling face.

  “Hurhur, four-eyes, at least you know your place.”

  Kwan Minhwoo simply smiled back and watched the two men gurgle down the water.

  Seeing they were about done, Kwan Minhwoo took the chance to ask, “So? Did you two find anything interesting out there?”

  Park Insu briefly paused, but he acted like nothing happened and screwed the bottle cap back on. “No, there’s nothing but sand and rocks.”

  “Oh really?”

  Kwan Minhwoo didn’t believe it, but he didn’t push for an answer.

  Instead, he beckoned for his lackey. “Minho, why don’t you hurry up and go get a share of supplies for Mr. Park and Mr. Han?”

  “Ah? Oh. On it, boss!”

  But this command only made Park Insu sneer. “Heh. You think you can send us off by giving us a little of what should be ours?”

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  To this, Kwan Minhwoo only smirked.

  “No, no. Mr. Park. Things cannot be said like that. Everybody here is just trying to survive, and survival supplies like these should not belong to any single group or person.”

  “I believe a centralized distribution system will ensure fairness for everyone. That’s why I took on the responsibility to oversee its distribution. To ensure everybody gets what they deserve...”

  “Bah! What high-sounding words. Really treating all of us like idiots?”

  Yu Zhiye, quietly enjoying the show, turned to see the grumbling scruffy uncle sitting his butt down right down beside him.

  “...That four-eye is just using this as an excuse to hoard what originally should belong to us. And he still expects us to be grateful? Sheesh. Society is really getting worse and worse every year.”

  Yu Zhiye stared at the man, wondering why he popped his bubble of personal space.

  Jack read his face like a book and chuckled.

  “Haha. Steve, don’t act so distant. It’s rare to find somebody good to chat with in a place like this.”

  Yu Zhiye coolly shot back. “I’m not a good person.”

  “Yeah? Good or bad, am I not able to tell? Think I’ll avoid you just because of your little speech earlier?”

  “I just wanted to say, you said nothing wrong, bud. Those bureaucrats always look for ways to exploit you. Just don’t let em’, take a stand, and they’ll learn to set some ground rules.”

  What he said really hit home in Yu Zhiye’s heart, but the last part…

  It’s only day one. Everybody was still trying to figure things out, push for their own agendas…

  They haven’t yet truly banded together and wouldn’t bother oppressing a little shrimp like him too hard.

  But once the ground rules of this survival game get hammered down, the oppression will likely get worse over time.

  What this Jack said was comfort at best.

  Why come to comfort him? Was there any other agenda? More importantly…

  “Aren’t you afraid they’ll oust you for associating with me?”

  Jack shrugged. “Why would I be afraid? I have two hands and two feet. It’s not like I can’t live on my own!”

  The confidence was there. That was good. Where did it come from?

  Yu Zhiye didn’t bothered thinking too much about it. “Well… you do you.”

  “Yeah?” Jack grinned. Not rejecting? That counts as accepting!

  Thus, neither man moved from their spots. A party of one became a party of two eating melon seeds and watching the drama unfold.

  Not even an incense stick’s of time passed and the four-eyes had somehow convinced a party to his side, even dragging the spectating baldie’s team into the water as well.

  “...I can see that you want to hoard supplies from the rest of us. Now, that’s not good, don’t you agree, Mr. Kim?”

  “Bah! Quit sowing discord, four-eyes! Nobody here is dumb enough to fall for that disgusting smile of yours!”

  “Ohoho. I must agree with Brother Tae. Mr. Kwan, if you want to cooperate, this really isn’t how you show sincerity.”

  “Bah! What sincerity? CEO Kwan is only doing this for everyone’s good!”

  “Yeah! Boss Kwan’s only doing it for the greater good!

  “Bullshit greater good! I think it’s more likely you have some ulterior motive!”

  The drama was really quite interesting.

  What was even more interesting was the fact that others, like that Miss Yoona, didn’t step in to mediate.

  Clearly, the wind was already blowing in a general direction.

  Now, it was just a matter of making the pie bigger and distributing the slices.

  And once the pie was ready to eat, there will always be those who can’t wait to jump out to get a share…

  “Sir Kwan, is there my share over here?”

  The glamorous lady in red floated over to pick her side. And apparently, beauties are always welcomed everywhere.

  “Of course! There is always Miss Yoona’s share by my side.”

  “Miss Yoona, why are you sticking with that four-eyes that can’t even lift his own weight! Come, join us instead!”

  “Ohoho, Miss Yoona, you should listen to Brother Tae. Only we can guarantee your safety!”

  “Madaraka! Don’t listen to them! Isn’t there still me?! Follow me and I won’t treat you unkindly!”

  “A beautiful woman like Miss Yoona deserves better than that! Only a talented man like CEO Kwan is worthy!”

  Once again, arguments broke out. This time for a different kind of pie.

  But everything still came down to the same origin.

  Hoarding: The root of all conflicts. At the same time... the root of all power.