The photos Hopkin shot for Bright has become hugely sensational.
For one, Bright has good specs himself, and military uniform is very eye-catching on him; for two, he’s already a popular topic of discussion, being an enemy of Old Veteran, and yet wearing the same military uniform as him. This contrast pushes his already popular public discourse even higher up.
The show preview showed that Old Veteran has killed his family, so what is their actual relationship?
Someone even came up with the plot of him being adopted by the Old Veteran before discovering the truth, so a revenge plot of an adopted son killing the adoptive father.
As people’s curiosity are piqued, the third episode airs.
Overnight, the number of his fans and anti-fans shoots up massively. Some are praising and falling in love with his face and story, some are derogatory towards him saying how he has acted out all this drama and purposefully got the military involved for attention.
Ococo hasn’t expected this sudden popularity of Bright, and is in a bit of a panic. She goes to discuss with Bright immediately when she learned about the news.
“Is this a bad thing?” Bright is thinking cautiously.
Ococo has a serious look, “this is dangerous. If the situation goes on like this, you will end up in the dumps immediately.”
“What does the show say?” Bright asks.
“What do you expect? They only need you to be popular, whether famous or infamous.” Ococo is furious when she mentions this. She has already looked for the Director, yet that person didn’t seem to care at all. He told the production group to arrange for Bright and Old Veteran Neil to appear on those talk shows for resolving conflict that housewives love after the fourth episode finishes, and warns her not to interfere.
Ococo is worried, and says while biting her fingernails, “it’s one thing to gain popularity engaging yourself with the discourse around the chip, but smearing and tainting the image of the military is a whole other thing. We really can’t end up on the wrong side of the military, or you’ll just be dead quick. We must have a delicate balancing act. My original plan is to guide the public debate in the direction of the welfare and life of discharged Veterans. The discussion around the chip has always been around and so has the chip. It’s not like it’ll be banned because of you.”
Bright has a spark of an idea. If it is really possible to make a change…
Ococo appears to have read his mind and sarcastically remarks, “without even considering the whole industry around the production and sales chain of the chip, we’ll just talk about the recall of the current chips. Soldiers retraining, losses from being unable to execute orders, PTSD treatment costs, insurance, etc. Those are big expenses. How much of a recession will this cause?”
Bright knows she’s right, and takes back his unrealistic idea in his mind, listening quietly to his agent’s analysis.
“We can’t give those higher-ups and the audience the image of you being a troublemaker, or they’ll never consider you when good chances pop up.” Ococo has bitten through her fingernails and blood is oozing out, yet she does not seem aware. Her lips become blood red, showing an almost seductive image, like a vampire who has never seen the light of day in some ancient castle. She lowers her voice and says to Bright, “the best way to deal with this is to end the topic quickly. Find some way to kill Old Veteran next episode. It’ll be worse for you the longer this goes on.”
Bright knows Ococo is taking the risk of becoming an enemy of the show, yet he is reminded of what Hopkin said earlier, “I’ll give you an advice. Try to keep Old Veteran alive.”
Bright has two options in front of him.
One tells him to kill, one tells him to protect.
In his subconscious he believes in Ococo more. Her nervousness and concern does not appear fake. The young lady shows emotions other than numb unresponsiveness when she’s not taking her pills. It makes Bright feel comforted knowing she is concerned about him.
But Hopkin’s suggestion is more fitting to his desires. He doesn’t want to kill. Besides the Shithead who he loathes to death, he hasn’t wanted to murder anyone up to now, even though he knows his hands will be tainted eventually.
“Coco, I hope it isn’t too much trouble, but I’ll need some time to think over it.”
Bright thanks Ococo respectfully. She bites her lips, before putting on a cold face on purpose, “that’s all I have to say. It’s up to you to listen or not.”
Exploding in popularity is very impactful among the contestants as well. At the start of the fourth episode, Bright is picked on again and nobody is willing to talk to him nor go near him. They look at him from far away with either looks of honest jealousy or looks of malice. Even his roommate got pressured and moved to another dormitory room.
Old Veteran’s situation is the entire opposite to Bright. Everyone is treating him as usual. Dismissal, disdain, or maybe an extra bit of resignation seeing how lucky he was.
“Do figure out who your master is, ginge.”
When Ronald just took one look at Bright, he is immediately warned by number 56, Piers. The ginger explained himself immediately, “I’m just perplexed why even though Old Veteran also became popular he wasn’t targeted.”
Number 56 hmphs, “because nobody believes that old fart can live for long. Number 199 is a strong contender though. There’s only one champion.”
“Ah, I never thought about that.”
“Dumbass, the only thing of worth you have is that hole of yours.”
His ass pinched violently for a while. With how strong the force was his skin is probably bruised. Ronald endures the pain and puts on a smile of ingratiation, “I’ll listen well and learn properly.”
“Good to know. Avoid number 199; someone will be handling him soon.”
Ronald’s expression changes. He guesses cautiously, “it’s Beauty and the Beast? Since the festival, they’ve looked at him with hate.”
Piers uses his finger to poke that spot of the ginger over the fabric, making his face a bit paler, then remarks in disdain, “they’re just clowns; what’s really scary, hoho…” He puts his tongue out, licking Ronald’s face from bottom to top, satisfied at how scared and obedient he is, then spats out two words slowly, “the Wolves.”
Bright swallows the little note he received.
When the show was distributing supplies, someone knocks into him, stuffing this little piece of information into his hands.
There’s a saying that goes ‘a fierce tiger is afraid of a pack of wolves,’ a pack of wolves who are both bloodthirsty and united against the outside makes all the predators in nature shudder in fear. Under their coordinated attacks, even if it was the king of the jungles, it’ll still have to make a tactical retreat.
There’s also this group of people in the contestants who form an impregnable team. They’re known as ‘the Wolves,’ led by the ‘Alpha,’ every one of their members has a wolf nickname.
They’re one of the existences you don’t want to cross the most across all the contestants. Not just because they’re all healthy, strong young adults, they’re also very cooperative with each other and highly trained and in sync with each other. If you get on the wrong side of one of them all the others will turn on you. It feels almost like ‘one for all, all for one.’ Some people think they all knew each other before joining the show.
Bright has got their attention due to Old Veteran advancing. In the competition of the top 50, Old Veteran occupied one of those 50 spots, so someone has to be eliminated in his place. The one who was eliminated happened to be a member of ‘the Wolves.’ One of the current wolves is deeply emotionally attached to their sacrificed companion, so he treats Bright as an enemy, and has publicly announced he will kill him for revenge.
“Fourth episode, first points race, start!”
Bright changes his normal pace of a senior-like ‘walk in the park,’ and shoots out like an arrow as soon as he hears the starting signal. He’s the first one to enter the dense jungles.
Then, several silhouettes follow close behind, disappearing amongst the sea of green.
Number 56 Piers narrows his eyes, saying in his mind, run faster, Bright. I hope I can still see you tomorrow.