Strawberries

Hui Ying (a small Bimbo shorty)

That damn Zhi Qiao betrayed us at the last moment and struck us from behind. But let him enjoy his spoils; it won't be for long.

We tried storming this mini-fortress several times, but those bastards set up traps and maintained constant guard. As a result, we couldn't capture idol even after teaming up with another group. Judging by the trends and their access to various bonuses and a cultivation room, things were not looking good for us.

At the start of the third week, Elder Mei gathered us all this morning, and we stood in our teams. "Today, I have a little surprise for you and perhaps some motivation. Don't worry, it's a good one" she said.

As a result, each of us received 300 grams of a fruit called strawberries, while the idol holders received 1 kg each.

"Such an amount of strawberries will be distributed once a week immediately after the selection of the leading team. A little advice: eat them in small portions, just before active skill training or cultivation. Also, you are now allowed to visit a specific part of the garden where strawberries grow. It's a small clearing hidden among the trees, not the main plantation, but you can pick them only if they are ripe. I also advise you to go there only when your participant amulet is active" she said and left.

At first, we didn't understand the purpose of all this. Out of curiosity, people didn't listen and started eating the strawberries right away. I tried one too. It was incredibly delicious, but why eat it before training was unclear. As a result, some ate all their strawberries at once, and some even sold them to other students. I bought some too; with my decent financial resources, I could afford it. The only thing I didn't understand was about the training and why eat before it. But remembering that they don't joke around here, I decided to follow the advice.

Regarding the mini-fortress assault and idol retrieval, my team and I decided to hold off and think things through, since a frontal attack wouldn't yield any results. As a result, I'm heading to the river to practice the movement skill Lin Qing gave us. Eating strawberries along the way, I slowly reached the designated spot and began training.

After some time, I was struck by confusion: previously, each new aspect of the skill required long contemplation or several failed attempts to grasp. Now, it felt like enlightenment. I noticed that what used to be difficult to understand had become elementary. What previously took ten attempts to achieve now took only one or two. Incredible effect from these berries! It's a pity it didn't last long, only about three or four hours, but as a result, I mastered in three hours what usually takes a week. And it was all thanks to these wonderful berries!

Now it's clear why we were advised to consume them before training. Unbelievable!

I quickly ran back to where our group was staying. I had to find out how much it helped them. While running, I noticed that even the elements I had already mastered were performed better and more efficiently, purely intuitively, even though I hadn't focused on them during my practice. Miracle berries!

Upon arriving at the gathering spot, I found our team actively discussing this effect. So, it wasn't a coincidence!

"Alright, those with intact amulets, let's go pick more strawberries from the area we're allowed to use" I said. As soon as I voiced this idea, everyone went silent, and I saw the fire of greed ignite in their eyes. If we had an unlimited supply of berries, our cultivation would be effortless.

Someone off to the side said "Imagine the effect if we cultivated under the influence of these berries! Especially in that room with the enhanced energy field!" We all turned towards the direction of the mini-fortress.

"If we don't take them down in a week or two, we won't catch up before the team reformation" everyone's faces grew serious.

"We'll deal with that later. Let's get the strawberries now; I wouldn't be surprised if we're late and they're already gone."

We ran towards the clearing. When we arrived, we saw the strawberries—a small patch surrounded by bushes and trees. Yes, there was enough here to last us a month. One thing was unsettling: the bushes, trees, and surroundings made the clearing visible only up close. From a distance, even just twenty meters away, it was hidden from view.

"Suspicious" I said, and my team halted in their tracks.

"What exactly?" asked one of the team members.

"Well, think about it. They gave us a little bit of strawberries, and we discovered their amazing properties. Now we come to a clearing with plenty of strawberries. Isn't it too easy?"

"So what if it's easy?" another one asked.

"If they wanted to give us so many, they would have done so from the start. What's the point of giving us a small amount, making us come here, and trying to pick more? What's the logic?"

"Um, not sure."

We pondered over it, for some time.

"What I find interesting" said another "is that we've been here for about an hour and we are alone here. I doubt other teams didn't test the berries properties. So where are they?"

"True" someone else agreed, looking at the strawberries, which seemed to mock us, shimmering in the setting sun and enticing us with their aroma.

"Hmmm, maybe it's silly, but let's check what's happening at the mini-fortress."

We ran back to the fortress at full speed. To our surprise, the scene was odd: one of the students stood at the entrance, nervously looking around and pacing back and forth.

"Hmm, where's the other guard? They usually stand in pairs at the entrance."

"Maybe it's a silly idea, guys, but I think we should storm the fortress right now!" The thought struck me as to why we were given the strawberry patch, why it remained untouched, and why there was only one nervous student standing guard.

"Charge!" I shouted and ran at him. As a result, we quickly knocked him and later another guard out. The fortress was empty. We grabbed the idol from its storage room and dashed out.

"How did you know they wouldn't be there? Who would leave the idol unattended for long?"

"Later, we'll discuss everything later. Right now, we need to hide it, and we need to hide it well so no one can find it even if they try."

We found a specific spot, buried the idol deep underground, and made sure there were no signs anyone had been there recently.

Returning to the strawberry patch, we looked at the clearing again.

"Looks like we're the last ones here. Other teams figured it out and came here first to gather strawberries. Whatever happened, the strawberries are still here, but the teams are gone. That's why the fortress was empty."

"I don't know what happened here, but whatever it was, it kept the strawberries intact and even untouched while taking out the other teams."

"So what do we do? Go back?"

"Are you stupid? Of course, we'll try too. First, if others went through it, so should we. Second, we won't die here?"

"Then why did they say to bring the active protective amulet?"

"That, I don't know. Luckily, we all have ours with us, so we'll find out."

"You go and try to pick a few berries" I pointed at one of the team members.

"Uh, why me?" guy didn't seem too keen on going forward.

"Cuz I say so! Thanks to you and your partner, everyone was punished for two days, and I for four. Believe me, from now on, in any unclear situation, you're the first one to go. Don't worry, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger or stranger, depends on your luck."

Muttering something unintelligible, guy approached the strawberries. As he got close, he walked just a step away from them and turned back to us.

"Seems like nothing's wrong" he said.

"Pick the berry, don't just stand there"

Turning back to the strawberries, he reached out and picked one. Nothing happened. He turned to us, sweating but with a huge grin on his face.

"It's all clear, we can pick them" he waved. As I pondered why nothing strange had happened, we watched no-name freeze and stop moving.

"Hey, you alright?" I asked, but got no response. I decided to approach and check, but as soon as I tried to move, I realized I couldn't budge at all. It felt like I was bound by something invisible. Then everything went dark. Not that I lost consciousness, but it literally turned dark. I felt my arms pressed to my sides, then I was jerked and carried away.

After some time, I figured we were all hung somewhere, likely close to some bees I could hear buzzing nearby. I wanted to scream and thrash, but couldn't. The most I could manage were faint moans, which my teammates also emitted. Judging by the sounds, other teams were here too. Occasionally, someone would moan louder, but I didn't know why until something stung my shoulder. Then came the agony: my shoulder burned, then my arm and eventually my body. When I thought it might ease, I was stung in the stomach, and it started all over again.

After what felt like an eternity, my amulet activated and teleported me. That sensation is unforgettable. When I reappeared in the hall we called the "Resurrection Hall," I could finally take a deep breath. At least I tried to, as the effects of the bee stings still lingered, affecting my chest.

"What the fuck was that?" I said, eyes wide with horror. Looking around, I saw Mei sitting at a table, writing something. She looked up.

"You're stronger than the others" she said, pointing to the ground. About ten people lay unconscious at her feet.

"Don't worry, they are alive, just a little weak and unconscious."