Day: 4
Time: 06:00 AM
The morning brought no freshness, only a mist that clung to the camp like a heavy blanket. Chris McLean (Lvl 25) stood on the dock, the crackle of his megaphone jolting everyone from their slumber.
"Good morning, victims! I hope everyone is well-rested, because we're starting today with a little morning jog! Twenty kilometers around the lake! Last one back cleans the communal bathrooms!" Chris grinned, concealing the true intent of the day.
Ezekiel (Lvl 20) set off with a stone-faced expression. Beside him, the members of the Killer Bass grumbled as they scrambled into motion. Courtney (Lvl 10) immediately reached for her rulebook.
"Twenty kilometers? This is excessive! The body's glycogen stores are at their lowest right now!" the girl complained, but Zeke only nodded.
"Just run beside me, Courtney. I'll watch your pace, eh."
The Exhausting Run
During the run, Zeke stayed close to Courtney and Eva (Lvl 20). He watched as Gwen (Lvl 15), on the Screaming Gophers' side, ate up the kilometers alone but with incredible willpower. Gwen's movement wasn't elegant, but it possessed a raw, primal strength that awakened the same respect in Zeke he had felt before.
"This girl... she doesn't complain. She just does it. Tough, eh."
When they finally returned to camp, the contestants collapsed to the ground, panting. But Chris allowed no respite.
"Great job! Now, everyone to the kitchen! Chef Hatchet has prepared a true royal feast for you!"
The Trap Closes
An astounding amount of food awaited them in the kitchen. Roasted chickens, mountains of pasta, and pastries. Owen (Lvl 10) nearly fell into a trance at the sight, and the others—starved from the run—began to stuff themselves mindlessly.
Courtney ate as well, but Zeke remained cautious. His Intelligence (180), which he had learned to observe from Courtney, whispered that this was too good to be true.
Once everyone was finished, leaning back in their chairs in a near-comatose state from their full stomachs, Chris stepped into the kitchen. His face glowed with malice.
"I hope you enjoyed your meal! Because now begins the real challenge: The Awake-A-Thon!" He clapped his hands. "The last one to stay awake wins immunity for their team! The rule is simple: if you fall asleep, you're out. The party lasts until only one person is standing!"
A dead silence fell over the kitchen. Shock and despair flickered across the contestants' faces. To stay awake with a full stomach after a twenty-kilometer run... this was true torture.
The Trial of the Night
The hours passed like lead weights. Sitting on the logs in the center of camp, everyone fought their own demons. Justin (Lvl 5) was out within the first few hours, unwilling to let dark circles ruin his beauty.
Duncan (Lvl 15), using his 170 Intelligence, tried to stay awake by telling stories, but his eyes drifted shut more and more frequently.
By the 40th hour, Courtney leaned against Zeke's shoulder.
"Ezekiel... I can't..." she whispered before falling into a deep sleep. Zeke didn't move. He let her rest within his protective aura.
Across the fire, Gwen was still holding on. The girl stared into the flames with dark-circled eyes.
Zeke watched her. There was something about her that reminded him of the wolves back on the farm: she would hold out until the very end, no matter the cost. A strange feeling—a small crush—began to bloom in Zeke's heart. "Gwen... you really are different, eh."
The Silent War
Chris began to get bored, so he sent in his secret weapon: Chef Hatchet (Lvl 50). Chef began a ritual of psychological torment. He told the most boring stories, handed out hot tea, and hummed softly.
When Chef stood before Zeke, he swung a massive sandbag to startle the boy with the rush of air and noise. However, to avoid waking the sleeping Courtney on his shoulder, Zeke caught the bag with one hand, motionless. The impact was immense, but Zeke's arm didn't flinch.
Chef Hatchet stopped. The Lvl 50 strength vibrated in the boy's palm. He looked deep into Ezekiel's eyes and saw something found only on battlefields: an unbreakable will. Chef slowly nodded. He said nothing, but respect was clear in his gaze.
[Reputation Increase: Chef Hatchet (Respect +1)]
The Shadow of the Thief
While everyone struggled for survival, Zeke noticed Heather. Taking advantage of the exhaustion, she crept toward the cabins and stole Eva's (Lvl 20) MP3 player. Zeke knew that if Eva flew into a rage, it would lead to the team's downfall.
He activated [Shadow Dash] and materialized behind Heather.
"Give it back, eh," he whispered. Startled, Heather dropped the player, and Zeke caught it before it hit the ground.
By the 90th hour, only Zeke and Gwen remained. Gwen's face looked like marble. Zeke saw that the girl was burning through her final reserves.
Suddenly, Gwen's head fell forward. Zeke didn't wait for her to hit the ground; he was there in a flash, catching her before she could strike her head on the log.
He gently laid her on the grass and—though they were opponents—draped his own sweater over her.
"You're incredible, Gwen. A true warrior, eh."
Chris kicked a stone in frustration.
"That's it? Ezekiel is the last one? Fine, the Killer Bass win!"
[Quest Completed: The Sleepless Sovereign]
* Reward: 50,000 Gold
* Saving Eva's Item: 150,000 Gold
* Affection for Gwen: +10%
In the morning, when Eva woke up and began to rage, Zeke stepped up and handed her the player. Eva's eyes widened. No one had ever done anything like this for her. The girl nodded silently, and Zeke knew: Eva was now his living shield.
[System Message: Gold Balance – 326,010]
The sun was already high over the camp, but for the members of the Screaming Gophers, everything was darker than the night.
The defeat in the Awake-A-Thon left deep scars. Chris (Lvl 25), with a mocking grin, announced the news: someone was leaving tonight.
Ezekiel (Lvl 20) sat on the edge of the dock, ostensibly fishing, but in reality, he was using his [Supernatural Senses]. He could clearly hear every word of the arguments filtering out from the Gophers' cabin.
Heather (Lvl 15) was fuming.
"Owen was the first one to fall asleep!" Leshawna (Lvl 15) shouted. "How are we not voting him off?"
Heather only snorted contemptuously. Owen (Lvl 10), with his 150 Luck, somehow always escaped public wrath; he was currently munching on a massive stack of maple syrup pancakes in the background, and anyone who looked at him simply found it impossible to stay angry. This Luck stat was truly broken.
"At least Owen was useful during the run," Heather cut in. "But Noah? Noah fell asleep ten minutes after Owen and spent the whole time reading! He did nothing for the team."
The other half of the team, however, pointed at Justin (Lvl 5). Justin, with his 250 Charisma, had practically bewitched Lindsay (Lvl 10) and Beth, but it turned out he had cheated during the challenge: he had taped painted eyes to the back of his sunglasses to make it look like he was awake.
Zeke and Izzy: The Shadow Analysis
Suddenly, someone stepped quietly beside Zeke. It was Izzy (Lvl 25).
"The idol is cracking, Zeke-y!" the girl whispered, hanging upside down from the dock railing. "The mirror-boy (Justin) shines too much, the book-boy (Noah) knows too much! And Heather doesn't like competition!"
Zeke monitored the probabilities through the System.
[System Calculation: Elimination Probabilities]
* Noah: 55% (Due to uselessness)
* Justin: 45% (Due to cheating and threatening charisma)
"Noah's intelligence (180) could be dangerous later, eh," Zeke remarked quietly. "If he leaves, the Gophers lose their brain. If Justin goes, they lose their 'shield' who drew all the attention."
The Bonfire Ceremony
The evening was cool. The Gophers sat tensely on the logs. Chris held the marshmallows in his hand.
"Gwen, Trent, Leshawna, Owen..." Chris tossed the life-saving sweets one by one.
Finally, only two remained: Noah, staring bored at his fingernails, and Justin, still posing as if on a magazine cover, though a small bead of sweat on his forehead indicated his 250 Charisma might be failing him now.
"The final marshmallow goes to..." Chris paused, enjoying the agony. "...Justin!"
Noah's eyes widened.
"Seriously?" the genius (180 IQ) asked. "You're picking a guy who cheated with painted eyes over someone who... you know what? Never mind. This place is a mental asylum."
As Noah headed toward the Boat of Losers, Zeke watched from the darkness. He felt the "Stomach" of the Island stir again. With every departure of a player who wasn't just a "sacrificial lamb" (like Beth) but someone with valuable stats (like Noah), the island's energy began to warp.
[System Notification!]
* Noah (Lvl 5) removed.
* Island Corruption Level: 2.1% (+0.6% increase).
* Danger: Logical balance disrupted in the Gophers' team.
Zeke felt Heather (Lvl 15) lean back with satisfaction. Noah was the only one who could have seen through her future plans, and now she was rid of him for good.
The Night Visitor
Zeke was heading toward his own cabin when Gwen (Lvl 15) stepped out from the trees. She was still wearing Zeke's sweater, which he had draped over her at the end of the Awake-A-Thon.
"This... I think you'll want this back," Gwen said, a blush visible even in the dark. "Why did you do it? We're on different teams. If Chris sees, we'll both get in trouble."
Zeke took the garment. His hand brushed Gwen's for a moment. The girl's skin was cold, but her gaze no longer reflected her usual cynicism.
"Because you fought to the end too, eh. On the farm, we learned: you have to respect warriors, regardless of which stable they sleep in," Zeke replied calmly.
Gwen smiled—a real, tiny smile.
"Thanks, Ezekiel. But watch your back. Heather is angry that you stole her show."
[Gwen Affection Level: +5%]
[Courtney Observation: Detected!]
Zeke turned and saw Courtney (Lvl 10) watching them from the Bass cabin window in the dark. Her 180 Intelligence immediately began generating scenarios: Alliance? Betrayal? Romance? A small spark of jealousy ignited in the girl's eyes.