In the past, she had to hold back and consider Ryan's reactions to everything. Now that they had spoken openly, everything felt lighter. For the first time in a long while, she truly felt at ease.
After bathing, Mary stood in the mindscape for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the neatly stacked ingredients.
There was grain, vegetables, and dried goods, but no fresh meat. She frowned slightly, then suddenly remembered the fish she had bought in the city.
She found them quickly. The fish were still alive, tails flicking, scales shining as if time had forgotten them. Boiling them would be too plain, and braising would leave a heavy smell. As she hesitated, a familiar memory surfaced.
Fish rice.
It was a dish her mother used to make when she was young, simple yet fragrant. The thought of it made her pause. Her mother had passed away when she was ten. Her father never remarried, and then the apocalypse came, sweeping everything away before she had time to grow up properly.
If she had transmigrated… then in this world, were her parents still together?
In 1982, she would have been only two and a half years old.
When she had the chance, she would go back and see them. At the very least, she would improve her mother's health, so her father wouldn't live with regret for the rest of his life. As for herself, she would simply watch over them from a distance.
Her hands never stopped moving while her thoughts wandered. She killed the fish cleanly, removed the scales and bones, and marinated the flesh until it absorbed the seasoning. She scooped out space-grown rice, cooked it, then fried the fish until both sides turned golden and fragrant.
She plated the rice, laid the fish on top, sprinkled scallions, and set aside a portion for Cleo before leaving the mindscape.
Ryan had been waiting for only a couple of minutes when Mary appeared. She carried two plates and set them down quickly. The scent of fish and rice spread instantly.
Ryan didn't even wait. He picked up his chopsticks and ate.
Watching him take big bites, Mary worried he might choke. "Eat slowly," she said. "There's no meat in the mindscape right now. I can't just bring out wild boar. This is the fish I bought in the city last time."
She subtly checked her surroundings as she spoke, making sure no one was watching, then sat down to eat as well. The rice grown in the mindscape was especially fragrant, and before they knew it, both plates were empty.
"I'll wake them up," Ryan said, standing. "You go cook porridge in the kitchen. Don't use your things."
Mary nodded and went to the kitchen, where she cooked a large pot of porridge.
Ryan woke Albert and William, explaining the situation briefly. He told them there were many women here and asked them to bring clothes, medical staff, and vehicles as soon as possible.
When the porridge was ready, Mary called everyone inside to eat. The hideout had little more than rice and flour. After searching around, she found a jar of salted duck eggs in a corner, just enough for everyone to have one.
Albert and William finished eating quickly and set off, promising to return in the afternoon.
The women came out one by one.
Seeing the steaming porridge, their eyes filled with gratitude.
From the conversations the night before, they already knew that this rescue had been accidental, born from a hunting trip gone wrong. If not for that, no one knew how much longer they would have been trapped.
When Miranda finally came over, her expression was full of disdain. "Give me two bowls," she said. "I'll feed Beverly."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and went inside, clearly unconcerned now that Ryan wasn't around.
Moments later, the sound of bowls shattering echoed through the room, followed by Miranda's sharp voice. "Beverly, I was kind enough to bring you porridge, and this is how you repay me? Fine, then. You deserve it."
A hoarse voice replied coldly, "Get lost. Don't pretend to be kind."
Mary immediately went inside. Broken bowls lay scattered on the floor. Beverly sat on the bed, eyes blazing with anger, while Miranda stood off to the side, arms crossed, her face full of contempt.
This didn't look like classmates reunited after hardship. It looked like enemies meeting again.
Mary sensed that there was more to this than she knew. She turned to Miranda and said calmly, "Go outside. I'll take care of her. She's not in a condition to be provoked."
Miranda snorted lightly, then turned and left without another word.
Beverly visibly relaxed when Miranda left the room. The tension in her shoulders eased, and she lay back down on the broken bed, breathing more steadily.
She was undeniably beautiful. Even wrapped in tattered clothes and lying on a creaking wooden frame, her delicate features and quiet temperament still stood out. It was the kind of beauty that time and hardship could not easily erase.
She lifted her gaze toward Mary. "Thank you… for saving me."
Mary sat down beside the bed. Thinking back to Miranda's earlier behavior, she felt increasingly certain that the two women shared more than a simple classmate relationship. She asked gently, "How did you end up here?"
Beverly's eyes reddened instantly. Tears welled up and slid down her cheeks as she spoke. "I received a note from a friend, asking me to wait at the park. I didn't suspect anything. As soon as I arrived, those people appeared. I didn't even have time to react before they knocked me unconscious."
Mary's heart sank. "So you were taken the moment you arrived… That means it was planned in advance." She paused, then added, "They used similar tricks on others, too."
She swallowed the rest of her words. The image of Miranda earlier, the way her eyes clung to Ryan like a starving wolf, flashed through her mind. It made Mary instinctively uncomfortable, but she chose not to voice her suspicions.
Beverly covered her face with trembling hands. "I don't know why this happened to me. These past days… they don't feel real. Like a nightmare I can't wake up from."
Mary took out a clean handkerchief and placed it in her hand. Her voice softened. "Don't cry. You're alive. That's what matters most. When you're safe again, go back and ask the person who left that note. Sometimes, the truth is closer than we think. As long as you're alive, there's nothing you can't face."
She hesitated for a moment, then added, "My name is Mary. If you need help in the future, go to Ashmoor County, to the steel factory compound. Look for me or my partner, Ryan."
She truly wanted to help Beverly. What this woman had endured was far beyond what anyone should have to bear.
Outside, after finishing his instructions to Albert and William, Ryan returned and immediately noticed Mary was nowhere in sight.
Miranda seized the moment and walked up to him. "Mr. Ryan, are you done? Can we leave today? This place is unbearable."
Ryan didn't hide his displeasure. "If you don't like it, no one's forcing you to eat here."
In his eyes, Miranda was already far beyond annoying. She was fully aware he had a wife, yet still hovered around him shamelessly. Once he chose someone, he chose for life. Other women simply did not exist to him.
He scanned the area again, his brows knitting together. "Wife? Where are you?" He asked aloud.
Mary heard him from inside and came out at once. "I was with Beverly for a bit. I'm getting her another bowl of porridge."
She ladled out a thicker portion and brought it inside. Supplies were limited. There were more than twenty people to feed, and she had already stretched what little rice they had as far as possible. She could only hope Albert and the others would return soon with help.
As for the traffickers lying unconscious nearby, Mary felt no sympathy. Missing a few meals wouldn't kill them.
Miranda watched the scene with barely concealed jealousy. Ryan hadn't spared her a single glance. In her mind, Mary is just no match for her. The bitterness twisted in her chest as a dangerous thought surfaced: if Mary could take care of Beverly, she could take care of her too.
Mary caught the look and felt a headache coming on. This girl was truly beyond reasoning. She shook her head with a sigh...