Wasteland Echoer

Crusted Federation, Binglin City, Strategic Regiment Residential Accommodation Area, Room "-318".

After listening to the melodious and melodious music on the "old days radio", it took a while for Duck and Wulfya to feel relieved.

Although, Dark still vaguely remembers the music mentioned by "Echoer" that can neutralize "sadness" and reduce the chance of human mental breakdown.

But it is a sequential monster after all. Once mental strength cannot be consumed, physical strength will be consumed to a great extent.

In short, this is a process of equivalent exchange, and a price must be paid to achieve the goal, just like the physics principle that "energy will not be generated out of thin air, let alone disappear out of thin air, it will only be converted from one form to another." .

After resting for a while, when the fatigue in her body, as if she had experienced a difficult battle, gradually eased, and listening to the "gurgling" sound in her stomach, Wofya stood up with a smile, stretched out, and lifted up Sleeve, look at the old "K-01 military multi-purpose watch" produced by the Federal Mayan City Strategic Materials Factory on the wrist to check the time.

"It's half past eleven, and it's half an hour before twelve o'clock, Duck." Wulfya said in his trademark rich voice:

"Let's have something to eat later. The material supply in Binglin City is the most abundant in the entire Federation. Here, as long as you have 'Federal Military Coupons' and 'New Rubles', you can buy anything. There is neither a limited supply nor a Those tickets with complicated procedures can be described as a paradise for goods."

"What's there to eat? Let's not forget biscuits made of cockroaches, canned maggots, nutritious meals like snot, canned rat meat for lunch, cold insects, tentacles of dark forest octopus, or long, tasteless food. A big piece of food." Duck said speechlessly, counting the "delicious" and nutritious foods he had eaten on his fingers.

"Of course it's not that, Duck. You guys need to know that this is the capital. Although there have been a lot of 'unintentional wave's recently, the highways and railway lines are still under our control. Even if people in other cities and strongholds starve to death, the capital The supply of supplies can be guaranteed. If you don’t believe it, just ask someone on the street, let alone eating, you have never seen those weird foods." Wofya explained.

It is not difficult to hear the spontaneous pride in his tone and tone, as well as his helplessness about the allocation of federal resources.

"In that case, Wulfya, take me there, I'm so hungry that I can't wait any longer." Dark urged.

The series of things he had just experienced, including the dream, had basically exhausted his energy. Wrapped up by the extreme hunger, he actually shed tears of disappointment.

From the corner of the mouth!

…

The corridors in the accommodation area of ​​the strategic base are as dark as caves without sunlight. Even if there are electric lights that have not been extinguished all year round, the light they emit is still limited.

Dak and Wulfya quickly walked up the stairs and left the dim accommodation area, feeling the brightness and warmth they had not seen for a long time.

This is the first time Dak has seen the daytime in Binglin City. I don’t know whether it is for psychological reasons or other reasons, but the sky here seems to be much clearer and clearer than that in Mayang City.

Christmas is approaching, January of the New Lunar Calendar, in the temperate continental climate, should have been very cold, more than minus 20 degrees Celsius, but judging from the physical sensation, Duck estimated that it would only be one or two degrees below zero today, which is rare warmth.

Walking out of the clean, meticulous and oppressive military-controlled area, the two came to the bustling and lively area.

As its name suggests, the entire area has been designated as a centralized commercial area by the federal government. Just after noon, there are noisy shouts, bargains, and chatter, plus the whistles of mechanical chariots, steam locomotives, and trams passing by. A picture with abundant "fireworks" is constructed.

This place is very different from the military control area. Due to military control, especially to prevent the invasion of "unintentional people" and the infiltration of the lost, the military control area is full of light and dark sentries. The streets are clean and fresh, with rare dirt and dirty water. Everything is very neat and orderly. . After all, "viruses" are easy to breed in dirty places. Even if vaccines against "viruses" are now common, and medicines to eliminate viruses and reverse mutations are not rare, humans infected with them will be affected to a greater or lesser extent.

Part of his heart was damaged and he lost the ability to move. He died groaning in pain within half a year.

Some suffered mental shock, were tortured by hallucinations, and most of them committed suicide.

The rest may have some physical mutations, such as enlargement, muscle knotting, or the growth of indescribable tentacles, bone blades, carapace, and multiple animal limbs.

There are also those who have gained extraordinary power and successfully unlocked the skills to use magic source power. Some even have better luck and can be directly recognized by the sequence card and become "professionals".

However, as the "virus" intensifies its mental erosion, or the abuse of magic power leads to mental breakdown, they who are classified as superpowers will slowly transform into "lost people".

Even if they can maintain coexistence with the "viral force", these people will be more or less discriminated against by "normal" humans and suffer a lot of inconvenience in their lives.

After all, no one knows exactly where the “unintentional virus” originated, and its true impact has never been fully understood. The "lost ones" will become "unintentional people" after their mental power completely disappears. Human beings may also be infected with the "virus" unknowingly and quickly mutate into "unintentional people".

Therefore, at least the environmental management in the military control zone is very strict. No one wants the empire's strong and brave [soldiers] to turn into enemies in an instant.

The entire street in the Burning Area is decorated with lights and colorful decorations. Christmas trees are placed at the entrances of shops. The various decorations on them shine in the sunlight, and the small hanging lights have not yet been lit.

Children in traditional Cruze costumes walked happily to the streets with burning sticks and small fireworks, running towards the red Christmas hut on Piazza Santo Puneni at the junction of the Scorching District, the Ice Dragon District, the Administrative District and the North Shore District. .

Due to the holiday, the federal government has relaxed restrictions on old-style transportation. Rows of white and red horse-drawn carriages decorated with Christmas appearances drove past the crowd, arousing cheers.

Rehearsals for the holiday event that will take place three days later have been going on in the past few days. Santa Clauses wearing bulky and heavy costumes and riding a sleigh pulled by an elk follow the carriage, scattering candies along the way and being chased by children.

This scene is just like the city before the New Yuan Dynasty described in countless materials and books. Human beings immersed in the cheerful festive atmosphere seem to have forgotten their depression, pain and sadness, as if the "Unintentional Man Virus" has never appeared.

Suddenly, the clear bells of St. Ivan's Cathedral rang in the capital, and the melodious "melody" quickly expanded outward and spread throughout the capital.

A few minutes later, a strange movement began to appear in the crowd. Many humans wearing neat formal attire and clean bishop's clothing ran towards the church.

"What are they doing?" Duck asked after observing this anomaly.

"You should be participating in today's 'Sacrifice Ceremony'. Three days later, the 'Sacrifice for All Creatures' ceremony will be held in the church to praise all things in the world, praise nature, and convey human beings' determination to repent to the gods. Today is the prelude to the ceremony, the Pope The Lord will appear in person and offer sacrifices to the statues of No. 2: Lord of the Night, No. 13: Goddess of Light, No. 8: Lord of Hope, No. 80: King of Beasts and No. 28: God of the Forest. , pray devoutly, and be baptized under the 'witness' of the gods, hoping that the gods will appear to protect the world, end the wasteland, or receive blessings." Wofya explained.

"I think if those gods knew that they could be worshiped like this, they would probably laugh out of their dreams. Wulfya, I have always thought that even if the sequential gods exist, they are just more powerful lost ones. They do not listen to the prayers of believers. , they are just a group of arrogant people sleeping in the realm of light." Dak said with a sneer.

"You are right." Wulfya agreed:

"Until now, there is no precise historical data to prove that anyone has seen the sequential gods with their own eyes. Even the sporadic texts and fragments of ancient pages cannot accurately describe the appearance of the gods. At most...' covered by an indescribable mist Wrapped', 'The body is as strong as a monster', 'Twisted limbs are waving wantonly' and other ambiguous descriptions. Reading these words, there is always a feeling that the person who has seen the gods has gone crazy."

"Maybe..." Dark thought:

“Madness is a passport to the realm of the gods.”

"Okay, let's not talk about it, Duck. Since I invite you out for a feast this time, you can't eat those common things. I believe that even if you eat those 'weird things' every day, in Mayan City , you will also be able to eat classic Crusaders and Putoan-style dishes. There is nothing new about mashed potatoes, bread, bread, sausages, bacon, cereal or milk, only food from the east. The mysterious feeling that makes people yearn for it." Wulfya said with his hands crossed on his chest and glanced at Duck.

"Food from the east?" Dark's eyes flashed with surprise, "Interesting."

"I remember that the people of the Fire Empire were proficient in handling all kinds of strange ingredients. Their chefs were good at cooking all kinds of food and were proficient in various production methods and techniques. Even rotten tree roots and animal offal can be processed flawlessly , turned into a plate of delicious food that can’t suppress the desire.”

"That's right, it's food from Khitanlis." Wulfya gave a thumbs up, praising Dark's extensive knowledge and strong memory.

Immediately, he pulled Duck through the streets that smelled of putrid smell, food aroma and pungent gasoline smell. He habitually held down the "Northern Bear" pistol with one hand and stepped on the scattered snow while introducing road:

"An Oriental restaurant has been open all year round on the Shuishui Street in the Burning Area. His grandfather was a merchant who traded with us a hundred years ago. Later, the road to the East gradually became difficult, so they simply settled here and sold food in copper pots. A mixture of various mysterious foods. Duck, don’t be surprised by their ingredients later, otherwise you will be laughed at.”

The two of them moved forward, passing through streets with sparse crowds, and then towards densely populated areas.

Finally, an oriental-style restaurant appeared in front of the two of them.

Straightening his back and looking up, Wulfya took out his broad palm and pointed upward.

Looking up, Duck doubtfully read the German text under the simple-style signboard:

"hot pot."