Global Collapse
Chapter 829 - 793: The - That Puts Mr. Green Most at Ease
Mr. Green felt that his life had lost all hope. Already quite unlucky, now he was forced to participate in that damned reality show.
He’d heard a bit about this world’s reality shows before, knowing how cruel entertainment programs could be for the lower-class people, where one false move could cost you your life.
When the guessing word instances were still around before, he wanted to take a moment to visit this world for observation and study, making his own guessing word instances more thrilling and exciting.
Unfortunately, he came to this world, but his identity changed from host to participant.
He was already on the pirate ship with no way to get off now.
Thinking of this, Mr. Green stayed close to Gu Mian, looking up at him with anticipation: "You’ll protect me, right?"
Gu Mian looked down and smiled at him, "Of course."
After all, Mr. Green was Xiao Hong’s old toy, a frequent guest tossed around by her. Gu Mian would definitely strive to protect her beloved toy.
With Gu Mian’s promise, Mr. Green breathed a sigh of relief.
This was the most reassuring episode for him with Gu Mian.
At this point, counting them, there were eight people in the car already.
Gu Mian looked at the few who had entered before them, noticing some clutching their number cards while others had them hanging on their chests.
"1111, 1112..." Gu Mian looked at their number cards, seemingly assigned in the order they boarded the compartment, with Mr. Green and him being the seventh and eighth to enter.
Gu Mian took Mr. Green to a quiet corner to sit down.
The compartment had no chairs or benches for people to rest. They could only sit on the ground. Moreover, the iron-skin compartment was quite stuffy without much ventilation, making it a bit warm inside; it would probably get even warmer when more people came.
But the lower-class inside didn’t mind; each face bore expressions of excitement and longing, with some whispering to each other.
"I heard we’re going to the Upper Class People’s place to canvass, but who knows how big and good their place is."
"I’m sure their place is full of food, and everyone has two beds to sleep on, one for the first half of the night and another for the second. Do you know what a bed is?"
"1119"
"1110"
Outside the sound of Upper Class People issuing number cards came again, and one by one, people streamed into the compartment, making the already small space feel a bit cramped.
Gu Mian gently protected Mr. Green, putting him in front to bravely shield against the enemies filling the compartment.
Mr. Green, squashed and deformed, coughed with a rattling sound.
"History always seems eerily similar," Gu Mian remarked.
The last time he came to Paradise World to participate in the Circus reality show, the scene on the bus was almost the same, though this time Mr. Green joined the party of being twisted and deformed.
Last time Lu Yi was the lofty Circus Director; this time, he’s become a prisoner.
"Save, save... me..." Mr. Green struggled to voice out.
Gu Mian finally pulled him out from the crowded throng.
He was simply too short, his head squeezed by others’ behinds, making his hair a mess.
"1150, that’s enough people, the rest can scram." Outside came the voice of an Upper-Class Person.
It seemed a truck only transported fifty lower-class people; any more would’ve been too much to fit.
Upon hearing the number was filled and the truck was about to depart, the people inside grew excited, exchanging discussions, expressing their anticipation for the Upper Class People’s residential area.
"I heard the winner of this reality show would have the chance to become an Upper-Class Person. Oh, imagine how wonderful life would be as an Upper-Class Person."
What a familiar twist.
Gu Mian remembered that Lu Yi’s reality show offered the same reward, but it was just a scam.
Just then a lower-class person spoke the words in Gu Mian’s heart.
"I heard the previous Circus reality show also offered the chance for the winner to become an Upper-Class Person, but later that show disappeared."
"It’s said that during that program, the Circus Director colluded with outsiders, killing many Upper-Class People, and later the show was terminated. Though I’m lower-class, I’ve heard a bit about it." The speaking lower-class person wore a slightly smug expression, "For this show, the person we’re judging is that Circus Director, Lu Yi."
The compartment was filled with various gasps and sounds of surprise.
"Our truck has fifty people, but I’ve seen many trucks drive into our living area; if each contains fifty, wouldn’t it require competing with hundreds to secure first place?"
"I saw in the flyers that the first stage is for us to canvass in the Upper Class People’s residential area, with several hundred people definitely not fitting in. They’ll probably split us into different parts, placing us into different Upper Class People’s residential areas..."
As the people inside the compartment were chattering about the upcoming reality show, they arrived at their destination.
The wheels screeched against the ground, emitting that piercing brake sound again.
The brakes were so sudden, with no consideration for the "passengers" inside.
Due to inertia, everyone stumbled forward. Luckily, Gu Mian had the foresight to put Mr. Green in front, cushioning himself. Mr. Green let out a painful groan, tears welling up in his eyes.
Next, Gu Mian heard the sound of the cab door opening and someone jumping down, dragging footsteps towards the back of the compartment.
With a "slash," the iron door of the compartment opened, and long-missed sunlight streamed in.
"Get out, you trash," the Upper Class Person who wouldn’t want to interact much with them said, leaving while brushing his sleeves as if something filthy clung to them.
The lower-class people descended the truck one by one, confused.
"Is this where the Upper Class People live? No, it doesn’t seem right."
"What should we do next? There’s not a single Upper-Class Person here."
"Look over there, there are other trucks, and people are getting off from the compartments."
Gu Mian also grasped Mr. Green and jumped off the truck.
What lay before them was a vast concrete ground, densely packed with various colored tents. These tents weren’t new; some had collapsed halfway, suggesting they’d been here for quite some time.
He looked around and saw four trucks parked in this open space, while far away stood a magnificent Upper-Class People’s residential area.
Gu Mian also spotted a card leaning to one side, with the words "Waiting Area" on it.
He understood.
The reality show would begin tomorrow; in the eyes of Upper-Class People, lower-class people were so disgraceful, hardly better than dried feces by the roadside.
They wouldn’t tolerate a pile of feces spending the night where they lived. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
So these lower-class people were just brought near the Upper-Class People’s residential area ahead of time but couldn’t enter until tomorrow when the show officially began.
However, the Upper-Class People clearly overestimated the lower-class people’s literacy.
The lower-class people mostly couldn’t read, making the card somewhat redundant.
But the spread of tents helped some lower-class people to understand.
Someone shouted, "The show starts tomorrow; looks like we’ll be spending the night here."
No one objected; excitedly or worriedly, they picked out their tents, curling up inside to ponder tomorrow’s reality show.
The number of tents was clearly insufficient; not every lower-class person had a place to stay.
Some weak, small lower-class people were driven elsewhere, some heading to the compartment to sleep. When the compartment couldn’t accommodate them, they nestled under the truck to sleep—at least there’s something overhead.
The unluckiest ones didn’t even secure a spot under the truck. They could only sleep on the open concrete ground.
Mr. Green originally belonged to the "weak, small" group, but by sticking with Gu Mian, he got a tent to rest in.
Gu Mian didn’t know what season it was in Paradise World now, but he knew the night temperatures were very low.
In the middle of the night, there was a heavy rain.
Nested inside the tent, Mr. Green was hit by the cold, sneezing loudly.
Gu Mian looked at shivering Mr. Green, pondered for a moment, then took out a green thing from his guitar bag, covering him: "This color suits you."
Mr. Green stared puzzled at the toy placed on him by Gu Mian: "What’s the use of putting a toy on me?"
"At least it seems like you’ve got something covering you."