"How can you sell this to us? I will file a complaint!"
"You want us to eat plastic? Do you consider us fools?"
"What kind of monster are you? Is there no justice now?!"
But the man simply laughed, the sound chillingly nonchalant.
"Well, now you know," he said. Then his smile twisted cruelly. "From today onward, twenty grams of gold will be exchanged for this kind of rice. If you want to buy, stay. If not... leave the base."
His words dropped like stones.
Everyone felt their hearts sink into a cold, merciless abyss.
For a moment, no one spoke, and the atmosphere remained painfully tight.
Maxi's chest rose and fell rapidly; she wanted to continue arguing, to scream, to expose these people for what they were.
But Moona quickly shook her head and tugged her away before she could escalate things further.
The others in line hesitated, glancing uncertainly at one another, but they ultimately stayed. Some looked resigned, others terrified, and others simply numb.
