The silence that descended upon the Highland camp was so thick it felt physical. The camera drones hovered in the air like silent, mechanical vultures, their lenses twitching as they captured every micro-expression in the standoff between the defiant heiress and the bewildered CEO.
Director Zhao, a veteran of a dozen reality shows, stepped forward with a flourish. He knew a gold-mine of a scene when he saw one, and the ratings for the live stream were currently breaking every record in the network's history. "Ahem! Since President Chen is here in person, we shall proceed with the 'Sponsor's Reward' for the most productive camp of the first twenty-four hours. This is a game-changer, folks! President Chen, if you would do the honors?"
A crew member in a production vest hurried forward, carrying a black case. As Chen Shao flipped the latches, the contents were revealed: a high-grade portable water filtration system, a thermal emergency blanket, a kit of medical-grade antibiotics, and a set of professional-grade steel cooking pots. On an island where every resource was a struggle, this wasn't just a prize; it was the difference between surviving in misery and thriving in comfort.
Chen Shao's hand hovered over the handle of the case. Deep within his subconscious, the artifact's influence was screaming at him. His mind, conditioned by years of subtle manipulation, was trying to conjure the "correct" narrative: Wang Bai was delicate and needed protection; Chen Ying was greedy and already had enough. The "logical" choice in his warped mind was to hand the prize to the Wang Bai's camp "to balance the scales of fairness."
But the "Clarity" radiating from the Heart-Protecting Pendant on Chen Ying's neck was like a solvent, slowly dissolving the sticky, dark layers of brainwashing. Every time he moved to call for Wang Bai, his eyes were drawn back to Chen Ying's feet. The blood on her white socks had dried into a dark, crusty brown. She wasn't begging. she wasn't crying. She was simply standing there, looking at him with detached curiosity.
"This reward," Chen Shao began, his voice sounding hollower and less stable than it had ten minutes ago, "is strictly for productivity."
Down at the bottom of the hill, Wang Bai's eyes widened with a flash of triumph. She didn't wait to be called. She began to scramble up the trail, her face fixed in a humble, expectant smile that she had practiced a thousand times. She was so certain of her influence over the Chen family that she had already reached out her hand before she even reached the clearing.
"Brother Shao, you don't have to make a big speech," Wang Bai said softly, her voice breathless as she stepped into the camp. "We all know Yingying already has so much because she won the map. I'll make sure to share these medicines and the clean water with everyone on the island, I promise. I don't want anyone to suffer."
It was a masterclass in the "White Lotus" technique—claiming the prize before it was even officially awarded, while simultaneously painting herself as the selfless savior of the group.
Chen Ying let out a short, sharp laugh that contained zero warmth. "Share? Xiao Bai, you haven't even touched a piece of firewood since the boat docked. You want to 'share' the medicine provided by my family's company? You should probably start by sharing the workload before you start playing at being a philanthropist."
"Yingying, please don't be like that," Wang Bai whispered, her lower lip trembling as she looked at Chen Shao. "I'm just thinking of the team's health... Rui-ge is so sick..."
Chen Shao looked at Wang Bai. He looked at the tears he used to find so heart-wrenching, but now, they just looked... damp. Then he looked at the massive, butchered boar and the rows of drying meat. He looked at the exhausted but proud faces of Yang Zixuan and Wu Haoran, who had positioned themselves behind Chen Ying like a wall of silent, human support.
The fog in his mind cleared even though just for a second. *Who actually did the work?* he asked himself. *Who is actually surviving?*
"The productivity and leadership of this camp are undeniable," Chen Shao said, his voice suddenly regaining its CEO authority. He turned his body away from Wang Bai and pushed the heavy case toward his sister.
The humble smile on Wang Bai's face froze. It didn't just fade; it shattered like glass under a hammer.
"The prize goes to the Highland Camp," Chen Shao announced.
The live-stream chat exploded.
[User 'DramaLover': OH MY GOD! THE BROTHER ACTUALLY CHOSE HIS SISTER?! IS THE SUN RISING IN THE WEST?!]
[User 'TeaTime': Did you see Wang Bai's face? She looked like she was hit by a truck! Absolute cinema!]
[User 'LogicFirst': Finally! The CEO actually has eyes! You can't give a 'productivity' prize to the only person on the island who has done ZERO work. Common sense wins!]
Suddenly, Wang Bai's artifact pulsed with a violent crimson light. A wave of dark mental energy rolled off her, desperate to re-assert control over her primary puppet. Chen Shao's face went deathly pale, and he swayed on his feet, his hand flying to his temple as he let out a muffled groan. "I... I have a sudden headache. Director, perhaps we should conclude this."
"Director, President Chen isn't feeling well!" Wang Bai said, her voice turning sharp and frantic as she tried to grab his arm to lead him away—to get him away from Chen Ying. "He must be dehydrated from the climb. We should take him back to the yacht immediately."
Chen Ying stepped in between them, her presence as immovable as the mountain itself.
"If he's dehydrated, he should stay by the freshwater spring," Chen Ying said, her voice like a velvet-covered blade. She looked at her brother, seeing the struggle behind his eyes. For the first time, a flicker of the old affection she had for him tried to surface, but she suppressed it. He had been a puppet, yes, but he had still hurt her. He would have to earn his way back. "President Chen, stay and have some wild mint tea. Yaya gathered it this morning. It's excellent for... clearing the mind and settling the nerves."
[System: Ding! Target 'Wang Bai' is losing her grip on the Primary Puppet. 50 Points Earned!]
[Account Balance: 142 Points.]