Chapter 2

The day of the hike in my last life, it was a hundred and four degrees.

The sun beat down until my throat felt like it was on fire, and all I could do was keep swallowing.

At the supply station, Ezra and the others turned and went inside to buy water and bread.

I was stunned. "I thought we agreed—no food, no drinks?"

Bertha pressed her lips into a little smile. "We said no bringing our own water or food. When did anyone say we couldn't buy any?"

I asked, "But we left our phones at the base. What are you going to pay with?"

Like a magic trick, they all pulled out their wallets.

"With cash, obviously. Renee, don't tell me you didn't bring any?"

"Then I guess you'll just have to watch us eat and drink."

At the time, I still thought they were joking with me.

Until Ezra walked over, twisted a bottle open, and held it out in front of me.

I reached for it, and he yanked it back, his face full of mockery.

"You didn't actually think I'd let you drink my water, did you? We agreed. Everyone looks after themselves."

I stared at him, shaking with disbelief and fury.

"What are you saying? You want me to die of thirst?"

Bertha lifted her bottle, took a few sips, and unhurriedly wiped the drops from the corner of her mouth.

"Renee, we're doing this for your own good. Consider it a free lesson so you learn to think ahead next time."

"See, we all remembered to bring cash. You're the only one who didn't. So whose fault is that?"

I tried to go to the shop owner for help, but they dragged and hauled me out of the store.

The owner came out after us, uneasy, and Ezra pretended to hug me, using it to clamp a hand over my mouth.

Bertha waved at the owner, her voice sweet as syrup.

"We're just messing with her. You think we'd really leave her with no water? I even bought two bottles!"

She shoved a bottle of water into my hand, and the owner smiled and went back inside, reassured.

Ezra pushed me forward with his hand over my mouth, and after two turns in the trail, he snatched the water out of my hand and poured the whole bottle onto the ground.

"We agreed—you fend for yourself. Don't even think about cheating."

I grabbed for it in desperation and came away with an empty bottle.

Their careless laughter rang in my ears all over again, and the burning of my scorched skin came rushing back.

I took a few deep breaths and made myself calm down.

I opened my laptop and anonymously messaged someone who took odd, off-the-books jobs on one of those shady forums.

【Steal four wallets—can you do it?】

The reply came instantly. 【Ten grand. If the price works, transfer it now and send me the time and place.】

Once everything was arranged, I opened the group chat.

Ezra, Bertha, and the rest were all posting "Can't wait for tomorrow."

I let out a soft laugh and typed, "I can't wait either."

The chat instantly filled with a flood of laughing reaction stickers.

I put my phone on silent, packed my cash, and rolled over to sleep.

The next day, we gathered at the base of the mountain.

It was a bleak, undeveloped peak, the kind almost no one came to unless they wanted to test their endurance.

At the storage point below, Ezra took out his phone and waved it at us, exactly like last life.

"Phones go in too, so no one gets desperate and cheats with a payment app!"

Bertha giggled and fished out her own phone.

"No idea who's going to crack first. Definitely not me, though."

Bernice and Desmond made faces and handed their phones over to Ezra too.

Behind them, a person in a cap was drawing closer.

I stepped up beside Ezra and pulled out my phone.

While everyone's attention was on me, that person's hands moved smoothly and lifted something out of their pockets.

Ezra didn't notice a thing. He took my phone and smiled, satisfied.

"I thought you'd give me trouble about it."

I shrugged. "We agreed on this. Why would I make trouble?"