Chapter Ten: You Deserve to Die

The sky was darkening. On the island, the night was illuminated only by a few dim streetlights, leaving the small woods plunged into total darkness.

They passed through the woods and arrived in front of two single-story structures. The exterior walls were made of cement, allowing them to blend seamlessly into the shadows. Had it not been for a single lamp hanging by the door, they would have hardly noticed the buildings at all.

The two teams were assigned to separate rooms by the staff. The toilets were shared, temporarily constructed outside the houses.

Shen Li walked into the room and took a look around. Some of the wooden boards intended for assembling the bed frames were leaning against the walls, while others were strewn carelessly on the floor. A thick layer of dust coated the entire room. Aside from one intact wooden table and two chairs with missing legs, the only other furniture consisted of a small locker for each person. There was nothing else.

Their luggage had been confiscated before they arrived on the island; they were each given only a backpack containing daily necessities and clothing. Shen Li was not surprised; the living conditions were no different from her previous life. In fact, compared to what was to come in the later stages of the recording, this environment was considered luxurious—at least they could still see the sun when they woke up in the morning.

"Let’s put the beds together, everyone. It’s getting late," Shen Li suggested. Bai Qiuya and Ji Beishu had no objections.

There were four sets of bed boards, one for each person. Ji Beishu and Shen Li took charge of assembling the frames, while Bai Qiuya handled the lighter tasks.

"Where is Qiao Le?" No sooner had the words left Ji Beishu’s lips than Qiao Le came running in, looking furious. "You wouldn't believe it—they’ve gone too far! I just went out to get our backpacks and saw that the beds in the next room were already set up, and the place was spotless!"

Looking at their own room in comparison...

"This is outrageous!" Before the show, Ji Beishu had specifically watched the previous seasons and had been mentally prepared, but he muttered, "This season is even worse. There was never such blatant discrimination before. Did we offend them? It makes me so angry!"

As soon as he finished speaking, both Bai Qiuya and Qiao Le turned their gaze toward Shen Li, who was intently studying the bed assembly. Qiao Le tapped Ji Beishu’s arm and whispered, "Do you know who the investor for this show is?"

Ji Beishu fell silent for a moment before realization dawned on him. "Are you saying Pei Wenxuan is targeting her intentionally, and we’re being dragged down with her?"

"What else could it be?" Qiao Le stood with her hands on her hips, exhaling a frustrated breath. "It’s such bad luck to be in the same season as her!" She stomped her foot and pulled Bai Qiuya to the other side of the room, far away from Shen Li. "Qiuya, let’s sleep over here. Don’t go near her; we’ll only get into trouble!"

Bai Qiuya looked at Qiao Le, then turned to look at the busy Shen Li. She bit her lip, her expression complex. The image of falling into the sea that afternoon was still fresh in her mind.

At that moment, Shen Li had reached out and pulled her up like a guardian deity. If it weren't for Shen Li, she might have died in the ocean, and it would have been nearly impossible for them to win the game today.

If they had lost... she dared not imagine how much worse the production team would have treated them. After all, the people the show wanted to promote were the "top-tier" team; they were merely stepping stones.

In truth, Shen Li had turned their inevitable defeat into a win, yet now they were isolating her. Was this really right?

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Qiao Le noticed Bai Qiuya’s hesitation. "You aren't pitying her, are you? She used public opinion to drive a living soul to death! Even though I didn't particularly like Pei Wantian, that was still a life. Shen Li doesn't deserve sympathy!"

She turned Bai Qiuya’s head back. "Listen to me and keep working!"

Bai Qiuya sighed weakly and eventually chose to follow Qiao Le’s lead. Ji Beishu hesitated for a moment before walking over to help Shen Li with the bed boards. The atmosphere in the room was suffocatingly cold.

When the last board was set, the first bed was finally finished. Shen Li used her sleeve to wipe away the sweat dripping down her face. Suddenly, a tissue was offered to her. She looked up and met Ji Beishu’s gaze.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I still hate you; I just did it while I was at it," Ji Beishu added quickly, as if afraid of being associated with her.

Shen Li smiled faintly and accepted the tissue. "Thank you."

It wasn't that she hadn't felt the awkwardness or didn't know what they were whispering about behind her back. She had heard those words far too many times in her previous life. Even without trying to listen, she knew exactly what they were saying.

*"A murderer doesn't deserve sympathy."*

*"Why should we be dragged down because of her!"*

*"Shen Li, just give up. If you admit you're crazy, you can go to a mental institution and be taken care of—at least there, you'll be among your own kind, ha ha ha."*

*"You deserve to die for killing Wantian!"*

*"Every day you remain alive is an insult to life itself!"*

*"Just go die already!"*

...

She remembered every single word those people had said to her. Back then, she truly believed she deserved to die. She knew she could use her skills to turn the tide, but what was the point of winning?

No one wanted her to survive.

And how could she prove that Pei Wantian’s death had nothing to do with her?

At that time, she had fallen into a trap of deep self-doubt, consumed by mental exhaustion every day, with no energy left to save herself. Or rather, she no longer wanted to.

But heaven had given her a chance to start over, which meant that the one who deserved to die was not her, but those who had harmed her without knowing the truth.

The suppressed anger and hatred in Shen Li’s heart burned fiercely, though she appeared calm on the surface.

When the last bed was finally assembled and Bai Qiuya and Qiao Le returned from their showers, Shen Li took her clothes and headed to the washroom. The makeshift facility didn't even have hot water, but fortunately, it was summer, and a cold shower was refreshing.

As she stepped out, she collided with someone, causing her to freeze in her tracks. Every horrific memory from before her death flooded back into her mind.

Her eyes turned red, and she clenched her fists so tightly in an attempt to suppress an outburst that her whole body began to tremble.

A visceral, physiological fear made her legs shake uncontrollably. She hated this feeling of helplessness! Yet, her trembling body reminded her that, deep down, she was terrified of this man.

Pei Wenxuan gave a cold, twisted laugh. He looked Shen Li up and down, and upon seeing her fearful reaction, he stepped closer. "What? Did you realize I’m here for your life, and now you’re scared?"

His handsome, square-jawed face twisted into a mask of angry malice. His bloodshot eyes were filled with murderous intent as he grabbed Shen Li by her slender throat and squeezed. "You’re scared now? Why weren't you scared when you killed my sister!" he roared.

The washroom doors were all open, and there was no one around. It seemed Pei Wenxuan had intentionally cleared the area.

"Cough, cough!" Shen Li’s face flushed red, but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she looked at Pei Wenxuan with calm detachment.

She hadn't done it, so why should she be afraid? Her smile widened, bright and beautiful.

Pei Wenxuan, furious, squeezed harder. "How dare you live so well? You don't deserve it! I’m going to make you pay with your life for my sister!"

Shen Li squeezed out two words with a glint of unyielding light in her eyes: "Fine. I’ll... wait... for... you."

"You!" Pei Wenxuan squeezed so hard the veins in his arm bulged. Shen Li’s body went limp from lack of oxygen, and her consciousness began to blur.

Suddenly, a vague figure entered her field of vision—a tall man, operating a virtual screen.

He walked closer and stood beside Pei Wenxuan. "Mr. Pei, if I were to record the process of you committing murder, do you think that would make a good headline?"