This Game is Too Real

   On the bustling street.

   Stopping in front of a different stall, Chen Yutong curiously picked up a mushroom and looked at it for a long time, but he didn't see any clues, and leaned closer to his nose.

   However, her actions caused Yaya's misunderstanding, and she quickly got up to stop her. "This mushroom is not for eating."

   "I know... just smell."

  Chen Yutong of course knew that this mushroom was inedible.

  The round red umbrella and the flat and short white pole, with round white spots on the umbrella, are highly poisonous no matter how you look at them.

   And what makes her even more strange is that this thing feels like rubber to the touch, and it smells a special fragrance.

   Seeing the confused expression on her face, Yaya smiled embarrassedly and explained patiently.

   "This is a rubber mushroom. It was picked up outside the forest in the Elm District. Survivors nearby usually make it into brooches, buttons or cards."

   "Unbelievable... Mushrooms can actually produce rubber!" The curiosity in Chen Yutong's eyes grew stronger.

"I heard that a factory has recently started to use it to refine rubber. Although there is still a gap between the quality and performance of our Dillat rubber, the output is quite amazing, and it is not difficult to cultivate artificially. Besides, we have a lot of tire rubber here from this thing."

   "It's amazing... I've never seen this kind of mushroom in the Wandering Swamp." Chen Yutong said with emotion. Of course.

   Maybe even if you happen to see it, no one will notice.

  The Exploration Brigade has a clear goal for every attendance, and when they are not on duty, they are also very busy, and it is impossible to have time to hang out.

   "Humph." The corners of his mouth cocked smugly. This credit was inducted into the Hall of Fame long ago.

   In fact, this achievement is indeed worthy of praise. She is the most enthusiastic about collecting mushroom illustrations on the entire server. If it wasn't for this accidental discovery, the rubber output value of the alliance would definitely not grow as amazingly as the output value of steel.

   "If you are interested, just buy it and study it," Lao Bai smiled, looked at Yaya and continued, "How much?"

   "5 silver coins!"

   took the silver coin from Lao Bai, his eyes narrowed into crescents with a smile, and he even enthusiastically helped the embarrassed Chen Yutong put on his homemade mushroom hairpin.

  The color matching of red and white is simply versatile. Don’t put the light brown hair on the temples, there is no sense of incongruity, but it adds a bit of playfulness.

   Looking at himself in the mirror, Chen Yutong touched his hair and temples embarrassedly, always feeling that it didn't match his temperament.

   "Would it be a little unsuitable for me?"

   "How come?" Lao Bai said with a smile, "It would be strange for a girl your age to not dress up."

   "This gentleman is very good at talking!"

   Boss Crow squeezed his eyebrows, and Chen Yutong, who was standing beside him, coughed slightly embarrassedly.

   "I can't be considered a girl at my age..." But.

   She really likes this gift.

   Whether it is research value or aesthetic sense, it has hit the point of interest in her heart. Not even just the gift itself.

   Including the process of picking and choosing on the street, and the charming smile when the proprietress puts on accessories for her…

   Whether it was fourteen years in the survivors' colony or ten years in the academy, she had never experienced such indescribable leisure and satisfaction.

   Originally, she just wanted to come here to see.

   At this moment, it was the first time that I felt like I wanted to fit in here. I really want to share this joy with my former teammates...

   Jiang Xuezhou would be more suitable for such brightly colored accessories than himself. The index finger touched the outline of the hairpin, Chen Yutong said embarrassedly.

   "It cost you money."

   Old Bai, who was walking beside him, said with a smile.

   "It's okay, it's only 5 silver coins, not to mention spending money."

  Although the manager didn't give him the task funds, he didn't have to worry about this little money.

   Going back 10,000 steps, the crawler they got from the Beacon Squad is more than this amount of money, and helping her integrate into the life here is what she should do.

  Chen Yutong lowered his head and thought for a while, then suddenly said. "Here...where should I go if I want to work?"

   Lao Bai recalled the next.

"The city hall has a registration and employment office. After filling in the information, it will help you arrange available jobs as soon as possible. The sub-district office can also inquire about vacant positions nearby... Don't worry about your ability. ."

   "I'm not...no...I'm such a powerful person...I'm just an E-class prospector."

   "We don't care about identity, we care more about ability." Looking at Chen Yutong, who had a slightly embarrassed expression, Lao Bai gave her an encouraging look, "I believe you can do it well!"

   "Then... I'll try it." Chen Yutong hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

   Her major is the same as Jiang Xuezhou in AI and information technology, but she feels that her professional level is much inferior to Jiang Xuezhou.

   Otherwise, it would not have been impossible to become a researcher forever.

   But Lao Bai didn't seem to care about this at all. He didn't mention work at all along the way. He just took her everywhere to buy things and choose some things that he needed in life.

   Such as a change of clothes, such as a washcloth, or even a bedding for sleeping.

  Although I only planned to buy a little at the beginning, Lao Bai thought that he could buy it all at one time, so he bought a bunch of them unknowingly.

  The time has come to evening.

   Looking at the large and small bags in her hands, Lao Bai suddenly remembered that she had just arrived in the Alliance and didn't have a place to live.

   he said slightly embarrassed.

   "Sorry...I just remembered that you don't have a place to live."

   "It's fine." Chen Yutong couldn't help but snorted and said with a smile,

   "I also forgot..."

   It is somewhat inconvenient to bring people into your own home.

   On the one hand, he basically used it as a warehouse, and he didn't even have a bed. On the other hand, he was afraid of misunderstandings.

   So, Lao Bai carried the large and small bags he bought and took her to the Road Town Hotel not far from the trading station.

   Unlike the last time I came here, the lobby area of ​​this hotel feels wider and there are a lot more tables outside.

I heard that in order to solve the problem of tight housing supply, the boss here simply bought the warehouse next to the hotel and changed it into a lower-grade four-story apartment for those who have certain needs for living environment. peddler.

   It is said that this was sponsored by a guest from Ideal City, and the hired designer was a resident of Vault 404.

   In a sense, this inn is like a piece of amber. Although it was formed not long ago, it has witnessed the growth of the alliance.

  From the original big wooden house reserved for the residents of the highway town, it has grown to thousands of square meters, but the only thing that has remained unchanged is the smell of fireworks here.

  Travelers and survivors from south to north will choose to rest here, and chat with rumors and information brought from afar between cups and cups.

   But it's just evening, and it's still a while before the lively time. There are only a few people eating in the lobby.

   From the moment he entered the lobby, Chen Yutong looked around curiously.

  There is no such facility as a hotel in the college, and there is no concept of "the lobby of the hotel is a beer hall at night".

  Because of the fear of being remembered by the wastelanders as bionic prosthetics, the expedition brigade on duty would hardly stay in the settlement of survivors outside the jurisdiction of the Science and Technology Commission, preferring to sleep in a car or make a floor in a cave.

   "Coming from the front?" Looking at Old Bai who walked over the threshold and entered the hotel lobby, the old man Hook sitting in front of the bar asked with a smile.

   "Just came back... Open a room for me in the backyard, live alone." Old Hook looked at him in surprise.

   "Hey, you are well informed. I was just going to introduce you, but you knew it first." Lao Bai smiled and said nothing.

   Of course he wouldn't say that they have a place called "Official Website Forum".

   Usually they share the battle situation on the front line on the forum, and the professional players in life are also sharing the changes ahead.

   This kind of thing can be found by just searching on the official website forum.

   Pulled out a rolled-up account book from the counter, and Old Hook spread it out on the counter. "I have to do a registration...is this lady staying?"

   "Yes." Chen Yutong, who was not familiar with the rules here, nodded nervously.

  Although she is not an introverted and shy person, in an unfamiliar environment, she subconsciously speaks a lot less.

   Old Hook was about to ask her with a smile if she had any requirements for the accommodation, when Old Bai, who was standing beside him, spoke first.

   "Please help me find a quieter and cleaner room." "Okay, which ones are the most spacious on the corner, long-term or short-term?"

   "Long-term lease, the deposit will be charged to my account." "No problem!"

   asked the guest's name and origin, and Old Hook skillfully wrote two strokes in the notebook.

   When he learned that she was from the Wandering Swamp, a look of surprise appeared on the old man's face, but he didn't ask much, and took out two keys with house numbers and threw them on the table.

   Lao Bai gave both keys to Chen Yutong.

   looked at the two with a smile, and Old Hook continued with his arms on the counter.

   "Just leave your luggage here. I'll ask the waiter to take you to your room. If you two want something to eat? Today's recommended dishes are variant rhino rib and roasted potatoes with minced garlic."

   "Variant Rhino Ribs?!"

   Halfway through the words, Chen Yutong suddenly realized that his voice was a little loud. Although no one was paying attention, she still felt embarrassed to lower her voice and said loudly.

   "The mutant rhino... can you eat it?"

There are many alien species in the   Wandering Swamp, but she has never heard of people eating those things.

   Survivors with poor strength do not have the ability to hunt xenogeneic species, and major survivor settlements abide by the teachings of the Science Committee and will not incorporate them into recipes, nor do they have enough spices to mask their taste. And colleges that focus on nutrition are even less likely to eat these things.

   But she heard the captain mention it once, that the meat of some alien species is more delicious than its appearance, but there are some risks when eating it.

   Old Hook laughed and said proudly.

   "Of course you can, you'll know after staying here for a long time. There are no alien species that can't be eaten, only people who can't eat it."

   Before many xenomorphs, they didn't eat them either.

   But since Vault 404 was unsealed, as the residents of the Vault developed various food processing methods, the monsters and claw crabs within a radius of dozens of miles were almost eaten by them.

   "Don't listen to his bragging, there are still quite a few things you can't eat."

   Looking at Chen Yutong who was swallowing saliva, Lao Bai coughed and picked up the menu on the counter.

   "Creamy mashed potatoes, double-headed beef stewed with pine mushrooms, Mapo tofu, fish-flavored shredded pork...and rice, let's start with these."

   This guy can't move his legs when he hears eating.

   But it happened to be dinner time, and he felt a little hungry too. "You don't order the recommended dishes."

  Old Hook spit out a word, glanced at the menu, and sent it to the back kitchen through the large window covered with curtains.

   Then he looked at Lao Bai. "Would you like something to drink?"

   Before Lao Bai could speak, Chen Yutong said expectantly. "Any coke and vodka?"

   "Coke and vodka? Of course..."

Looking at this expectant girl, Old Hook was slightly stunned, suddenly understood something, and then showed a very understanding smile on his face, "Oh, that ah...I probably understand what you mean. , the guest wants to try our special cocktail, right?"

   "Special cocktails?" Chen Yutong asked blankly.

   "That's right, it's very popular lately... It's also a drink that the residents of the shelter are thinking about."

   Looking at Chen Yutong's expectant expression, Lao Bai remembered that he had promised her a drink before, so he coughed lightly and said.

   "Let's have a drink." Old Hook smiled.

"okay!"

   ordered a beer for himself, and Lao Bai took Chen Yutong to sit at the wooden table near the bar.

   Looking at the waiter who brought the luggage to the room, Chen Yutong thought of today's expenses, looked at Lao Bai and said embarrassedly.

   "Today...Thank you. When I get a job and earn G points - I mean silver, I'll pay you back."

   Looking at the embarrassed Chen Yutong, Lao Bai smiled and said. "Don't say such things, this amount of money is not worth it."

   It’s rare to meet an NPC friend who can talk for a long time, and he was kidnapped to the alliance by himself. Of course, he can’t just leave people here and ignore it.

   And he always felt that she was very similar to himself.

  Although the original intention and process are completely different, both of them are the kind of people who pay more attention to the "meaning of life" than life itself.

  Maybe this is why they were able to chat like this. Even a week ago, they were fighting for different positions on the battlefield. At this time, Lisa, who was carrying a dinner plate, came over.

   She was wearing a long waiter dress designed by Rattan House, and her light brown hair was tied with a white headband.

   After a period of adaptation, the little girl has become accustomed to the life here, and the smile on her face is much brighter than when she first came here.

   "Sir, you ordered beer and sleepy black tea."

   Hearing the latter word, Lao Bai, who was drinking water, almost spit out a mouthful of tea, coughing and choking for a long time before rushing over.

   "Who got this name?!"

  Lisa stared blankly at the exaggerated Old Bai, holding the plate in her hand, and said in a slightly flustered voice.

   "I don't know...I heard that he is a resident of a certain shelter? Is there anything wrong with the name?" "No, sorry, I misheard..."

   This is not easy to explain even if there is a problem.

   As Chen Yutong and Lisa looked at him suspiciously, Lao Bai stretched out his hand, picked up the napkin and wiped his mouth. You can actually guess without asking.

  The tail is not here.

   That can only be mosquitoes.

   Seeing that there was no place for the two of them to help, Lisa leaned slightly and turned around with the dinner plate in her hands.

  The reaction of    is completely different from that of Lao Bai. Chen Yutong seemed to be very interested in the name of this special cocktail. He stared at the crystal clear glass curiously, and got his nose close to smell it.

   "Is this drinkable wine? Incredible..."

   Incredible is probably the word she has spoken the most today. "But why is it called sleepy black tea? Is it tea polyphenols added?"

"It has nothing to do with tea... In short, this is what I told you about vodka versus cola, you drink it a little more slowly, this thing is suitable for beginners, just because it tastes good, its base wine is spirits after all , if you drink too much, you'll get over it."

  Looking at Ms. Chen who was going to take a sip, Lao Bai reminded him seriously. Chen Yutong took a big sip and frowned slightly.

   "Strange taste." Kind of weird. Another bite.

  Looking at Chen Yutong, who seemed to have a taste of the chicken pecking at the rice, Lao Bai took a sip of beer and joked.

   "To be honest, I really can't imagine your life there... Your technology should be stronger than the enterprise, right? But it makes me feel like a monk with strict discipline."

   "Monk?" Chen Yutong was slightly stunned, having never heard of this term.

   "Servant of God, priest, or ascetic? In short, it means something similar." Lao Bai tried to explain it with the vocabulary in human connection.

   "Ascetic monk..."

   Put down the wine glass in his hand, Chen Yutong pinched his chin and thought for a moment, then answered rigorously. "It may indeed be difficult after entering the academy, but the life of the academy is not difficult, on the contrary, it is very rich."

   Lao Bai asked curiously. "Where is it reflected?" Chen Yutong thought for a while and said.

   "At least in my impression, the supply of food and consumer goods has never been short, and only a few special things need to be ordered."

   Lao Bai nodded clearly. Think about it too.

   After all, the academy has the largest number of black boxes in the entire wasteland. In addition to black boxes, they also lack production technologies and methods.

   And the living materials are completely supplied by the survivors' settlements under the banner of the Science and Technology Commission. The materials are distributed under the overall planning of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the college, and are highly concentrated to scientific researchers.

   At least the researchers at the academy will never be poor.

   After listening to Chen Yutong's words, Lao Bai suddenly realized that this academy was not as "weak" as he thought.

   Even stronger than he imagined.

   They have a complete organizational structure and talent selection system. Every individual who can enter this huge and rigorous organization is undoubtedly an expert.

Abundant material supplies allow them to focus on the work at hand, G-scores limit to a certain extent the proportion of wealth an individual can hold in society, while K-scores ensure that every cog in the system is in the right place with the right amount of money. way of working.

   Those survivors who have not been able to become researchers or whose majors are not appropriate may indeed be a little more difficult, but after all, this is a system designed by researchers, and the first priority is of course to meet the needs of researchers, which is also impossible.

  This organization not only has a clear structure, but even has a clear program of action and goals - that is, do everything possible to reclaim the legacy of the Prosperity Era before the resources are exhausted!

   And after this goal is completed, they will go to more distant worlds to expand their territories and continue the fire of civilization.

  Although this ideal sounds grand, Lao Bai always felt that if they really made it this far, there would be only one scientific research ship left in the human civilization in this game world.

   He doesn't quite understand those big truths.

   But he knew that the person who lit a cigarette with a match today might switch to a lighter tomorrow, but he would never want to quit smoking until the critical day.

   The index finger lightly touched the wine glass, Chen Yutong murmured while sorting out the fragments of the memory corner.

   "・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ According to Dr. Conclusion's calculations, with the rate of resource consumption on this planet, the legacy of the Prosperity Era can last for at most two centuries."

   When she said these words, she suddenly felt a little guilt instinctively in her heart. However, after hearing her words, Lao Bai smiled.

   "Can he count this?" Chen Yutong nodded lightly.

   "He is the wisest, most learned, and most far-sighted person on the planet." Lao Bai said casually.

   "Then did he figure out which year the nuclear winter started?"

  Chen Yutong was slightly stunned.

   "Then...I don't know."

  Old Bai and her cupped a cup, grinned and said.

"Isn't it? It seems that your doctor is not omnipotent. I think it's better not to think too much. What will happen in two centuries will be discussed in two centuries. Those who live in the present should take good care of the people of the present. I think this Will suffice."

   may have remembered something. Chen Yutong, who had just opened his mouth, suddenly stopped the conversation and nodded thoughtfully.

   "Maybe you are right."

  The sumptuous food was served quickly.

   Chen Yutong, who had a deep face just now, was quickly attracted by the stewed meat with an intoxicating aroma, and the mashed potatoes next to it.

   "What, what is this?! Why is it so good!" She held her chin with her right hand, her excited voice distorted.

   "Mashed potatoes... In the past, we used hyena fat boiled oil and croissants to make them. Now that the conditions are good, it seems that we have replaced them with potatoes and cream."

   is a girl who has not yet experienced the world, and can't resist the temptation of delicious food.

  Looking at Chen Yutong, who was gobbling down, Lao Bai couldn't help but smile. Seeing that she was able to use chopsticks proficiently, she didn't need her own help, so she turned her attention to the lobby in the distance.

  The night outside the door gradually darkened, and the lobby of the hotel became lively.

   Looking at the gradually boiling voices and the overflowing beer foam, Lao Bai's mouth curled into a smile, and he took a sip of beer contentedly.

   Whenever he sits here, his heart is filled.

Although    is a virtual life, he can clearly feel the indescribable feeling that the world needs him.

   He could see with his eyes the change his efforts brought to the world and the prosperity to the alliance that belonged to them all.

   Everything here is not his credit, but everything is inseparable from their brave battles on the front line, life and death.

  Here is the daily routine he guards!

  Old Bai's thoughts couldn't help drifting away, thinking of what this place would look like in many years.

   At this time, he suddenly noticed that Lisa, who had brought the last dish to the wooden table, did not walk away, but stood beside her.

   vaguely guessed something, he said in a gentle tone. "What's matter?"

   The little girl nodded lightly and summoned up the courage to ask. "That, pangolin... is he okay?"

   She stuttered before she mentioned that name, but suddenly became smoother. "He..."

  Old Bai's eyes are a little subtle.

   This guy doesn't seem to be satisfied with Colway's "favorite" recently, and has hooked up with a certain beautiful reporter from Triumph City.

   Of course, this is mostly the bragging that the guy was making fun of.

   After all, in the eyes of the vast majority of Willantes, other races are livestock. Unless the beauty has unique tastes, there is no way to favor an "indigenous".

   couldn't bear to see that cute face stained with disappointment, Lao Bai took a sip of beer and said nonsense with the strength of the wine.

   "He's brave and a good helper for us. Thanks to him, the battle is going well. If it's fast...you should be able to see him before the end of the year."

   didn't doubt what he said at all, and Lisa's eyes shone with hope. "Can you tell me more about him?"

  Although I expected to hear this sentence, Old Bai still had a big headache. How glorious this undercover job can be.

   The key is that he is not good at telling the inside story that is too sensitive! no way. Can only make up.

   Seeing that the curious eyes around him were all aimed at this side, Lao Bai sighed in his heart and opened the chat box.

   "When it comes to Oasis No. 3 Victory, I have to mention Lowland No. 330, and when it comes to Lowland No. 330, I have to start from a bowl of chicken soup that delivers charcoal in the snow..."