In Yu Jing's view, the seven people present, including himself, were completely different in every aspect. The last three to arrive were a stern-faced middle-aged woman, a corpulent man in his twenties, and an elderly man in his sixties with graying hair but a robust and sturdy build.
"A fat guy too? What exactly are the testers' selection criteria? Aren't the subjects supposed to be as similar as possible?"
A voice came through the monitor beneath them as the seven took their seats.
"All seven testers have arrived. Tonight's test will begin at 8:00 PM. You now have two hours to eat and communicate with each other. To avoid interference with the test, our staff will not interact with you during this period. You may choose to leave before the test begins."
"But once the test starts, every tester must remain until it ends. Now it's your eating time—please enjoy."
As the voice finished, the thin membrane covering the sumptuous dishes on the table automatically dissolved.
The hungry fat man, unable to restrain himself, began eating ravenously, showing no concern for manners. The quantity of food before him was enough to feed fourteen people—more than sufficient to fill his stomach.
"Two hours until the test begins. Fill your stomachs to about seventy percent full. Prefer light foods."
Yu Jing restrained himself and carefully selected some light dishes. The outcome of this test was tied to his mother's survival, after all.
What puzzled Yu Jing was that the girl who had been sitting quietly in the corner had not come to eat but instead took out an apple from her pocket and was quietly nibbling on it by herself.
For some reason—perhaps due to their similar age—Yu Jing found himself unusually curious about this girl.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Yu Jing asked deliberately.
But the girl didn't respond. She just lowered her head and took small bites of her apple.
"Alright then."
Yu Jing shrugged helplessly and was about to turn away when the girl suddenly looked up. Her eyes, clear and pure like water, caught Yu Jing off guard for a moment.
Her face was as white and smooth as polished jade, a small pale pink mouth gently set beneath a high, well-defined nose. Two delicate eyes framed her face symmetrically, and her short hair, cut to ear length, made her appear even more petite.
"Help me serve some food—nothing greasy, just a small half bowl will do."
Her voice sounded soft and gentle at first, but there was a faint chill beneath the surface.
Yu Jing couldn't easily refuse. Reluctantly, he picked some dishes he thought appropriate and handed them to the girl behind him, seizing the chance to ask her name.
"My name is Yu Jing. May I know yours?"
The girl accepted the bowl and chopsticks but didn't answer immediately. She turned her head and quietly ate in the corner by herself.
"Yu Xiaoxiao."
Only after finishing her food did she respond to Yu Jing.
"Yu Xiaoxiao…" Yu Jing muttered the name under his breath, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. The name sounded "interesting," fitting somehow with the girl's somewhat strange personality.
"Yu Jing… You look like an ordinary person, right?" Yu Xiaoxiao whispered. Since everyone else at the table was still dining, her low voice was only audible to Yu Jing.
"Ordinary?" Yu Jing was slightly confused, not sure what she meant.
"You didn't look at me with disgust like the other men. And the way you served me food just now… you don't seem like a bad person. You still have a chance to leave here. If you want to live, leave now."
"Live? What are you talking about?" Yu Jing was completely lost by her words.
But this time Yu Jing's question went unanswered. Yu Xiaoxiao turned her body slightly and sat motionless in the corner.
"Weird person…" Yu Jing didn't take her seriously, turned away, and filled his stomach to about seventy percent before putting down his chopsticks.
"That fat guy really knows how to eat."
Yu Jing noticed that except for the fat man, the others all seemed to resist the temptation of the delicious food in front of them. Yet the fat man was nearly devouring everything in sight.
At that moment, the man sprawled in his seat lifted his shirt over his swollen belly and began patting it absentmindedly, as if completely unaware of those around him.
"How did this guy even get selected as a tester?"
Yu Jing scrutinized the fat man, who was so stuffed he could barely move, his mind filled with doubts.
Three minutes after everyone had set down their chopsticks, the table before them swiftly retracted the remaining dishes and plates into its surface.
The entire table was made from a special material about ten centimeters thick. How it managed to store the plates inside was a mystery, but moments later, its surface reappeared spotless and clean, without a trace of grease or food stains.
"No wonder it's a research facility," remarked a white-collar man wearing glasses in admiration.
"The broadcast just said the upcoming tests might not be done together, but since we're all strangers here, introducing ourselves could ease some of the tension. After all, we're testers who passed the screening and ended up here—maybe we'll have to work together eventually," the white-collar man suggested, showing his knack for social interaction.
"My name is—"
Before he could finish, the stern middle-aged woman sitting nearby immediately interrupted him. "There's no need for that. From what I understand, someone here will win a prize of 3.5 million yuan. If your real name leaks out, anyone who sees your face could track you down with a little effort."
"Security in an A-level city district might not pose a deadly threat, but I'm guessing most of us came here because we're short on money—probably all ordinary people from lower-tier counties. If you suddenly get 3.5 million yuan, you'd become a target in any small county."
The middle-aged woman's harsh tone and strict expression made it clear she had been suspicious of everyone from the moment they entered the research facility.
Her words weren't wrong. The security in C-level Pingxiang County, where Yu Jing came from, was indeed problematic.
However, Yu Jing didn't take things as seriously as the woman seemed to. He had already shared some personal information with Jiang Tian and Yu Xiaoxiao earlier.
Although he wasn't entirely sure if Jiang Tian was truthful, he felt confident that Yu Xiaoxiao's name was genuine.
Because of the woman's words, even before the test had begun, the atmosphere had already turned sour.