Around three in the afternoon, Chu Guang, along with Night Ten and the spoils of their hunt, returned to the surface outpost of Shelter No. 404.
The expedition had yielded good results: two mutated hyenas, lean yet each weighing forty to fifty kilograms. As a primary source of meat for the survivors in the wasteland, mutated hyenas were the most economical game. They offered ten times the meat of mutated rats, and their packs of three to five made them readily available. Most importantly, they carried a relatively low risk of food poisoning.
However, without firearms, it was challenging for scavengers to defeat such pack-hunting creatures with just melee weapons.
"Two mutated hyenas…and one piece of good news, along with one bad one." Chu Guang tossed the game at the front entrance of the shelter's infirmary, addressing the players who had gathered.
Old White was the first to inquire, "What's the good news?"
Chu Guang replied, "The good news is that we found an unfinished construction site northeast of the Wetland Park, heading north along the elevated road. There, we discovered a large amount of construction-grade limestone, likely desulfurized, and some abandoned wheelbarrows that, with a little repair, could be put to use."
A look of joy flashed across Old White's face as he clenched his fist in excitement. This solved his pressing need for materials to produce calcium carbonate cement—and it was already processed!
Standing beside him, Fang Chang sensed the situation wasn't so simple. "And the bad news?"
Chu Guang continued, "At the eastern gate of the Wetland Park, heading down 76th Street, we encountered a camp of mutants. There are about twenty of them, possibly more."
The three players exchanged glances, not entirely grasping the gravity of the situation. Noticing their confusion, Night Ten hastily explained, "Mutants are a hostile force! They're formidable in battle, and most importantly—they're cannibals. We must proceed with caution!"
Chu Guang nodded. "That's about right."
Instead of fear, a gleam of eagerness appeared in the players' eyes. But Chu Guang quickly dampened their enthusiasm.
"These mutants aren't something we can handle right now; their levels are likely above ten. Rushing in would be pointless and would only expose our position."
"From now on, everyone is prohibited from approaching 76th Street or exiting through the Wetland Park's eastern gate until the threat is neutralized!"
The players, mostly obedient, reluctantly restrained their curiosity. Though intrigued by what the mutants looked like, they dared not disobey orders, especially since the Administrator, who held GM privileges, had spoken.
They knew the consequences—getting locked up was a minor issue, but losing hard-earned goodwill? That was unbearable.
After a quick inspection of the morning's labor, Chu Guang turned his attention to processing the freshly hunted game. Though he'd eaten this type of meat before, it was usually from the barbeque stands on Bet Street—he'd never prepared it himself.
He had heard that fresh game needed to be bled immediately; otherwise, the meat would spoil quickly. Yet the specifics of how to bleed it, or what to do afterward, were a mystery to him.
Over the past five months, he had mainly scavenged for tokens; hunting wasn't his forte. Hunting was too dangerous for a lone wanderer, after all.
So, he made an incision on the game's main artery but felt he hadn't done it thoroughly enough.
Just then, Kuang Feng approached him. "Honored Administrator."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Could I have some of the blood from the game?"
"Blood? What do you need that for?" Chu Guang inquired.
Kuang Feng explained, "I'd like to test a theory."
Without further question, Chu Guang took his short knife, hacked off one of the mutated hyena's forelimbs, and handed it to him.
"Take it."
"Thank you!"
Kuang Feng received the limb and walked away mysteriously. Though curious, Chu Guang didn't pry.
Around dusk, all the players returned to the infirmary. Seeing the expression on Old White's face, Chu Guang could tell that today's efforts had been fruitful.
He was about to ask for details when Old White excitedly announced, "Honored Administrator, under your wise guidance, the cement kiln at the outpost is nearly complete! Once the cement dries tomorrow, we can start our first trial batch!"
"Well done," Chu Guang nodded approvingly. "Thanks to you all, we're one step closer to achieving the great goal of reviving the Union of Humanity! Keep up the good work—the organization will remember your contributions."
Chu Guang found himself growing more adept at making promises. But the players didn't seem to mind, clearly finding joy in their role of rebuilding their home.
After all, isn't that the charm of a sandbox game? Seeing one's home improve bit by bit is part of the fun. The chance to experience this groundbreaking immersive VR technology is a privilege in itself.
Chu Guang was happy to see the players enjoying themselves, even if he couldn't provide them with real rewards. For now, he could only offer them promises and virtual rewards.
…
Upon logging off, excitement erupted in the Nioma Club.
Some late-night owls had even shifted their schedules to daytime. Brother Quit Smoking, once notorious for staying up until dawn, now slept promptly at 10 p.m., waking up at 5 a.m. to watch the admins' latest antics.
Night Ten: [Mutants! New faction update! The Administrator encountered a mutant settlement on 76th Street! Mutants confirmed as hostile!]
Night Ten's message ignited a flurry of speculation among the group members.
[Mutants?! What do they look like?]
[Why hasn't the website updated yet?]
[Awesome! Hostile factions confirmed! Beta must be near!]
[Damn, I want to play so bad!]
The chat exploded with messages.
Night Ten continued typing, [Not sure what they look like; I didn't see them myself! But don't worry, the official site will update the info on mutants soon. I'm waiting on news too!]
Quit Smoking: [What about the other three? Why are you the only one online today?]
Night Ten: [Not sure! Old White's busy with cement, Kuang Feng has class, and Fang Chang…he's always a bit mysterious.]
(Group Leader has muted Night Ten for one hour.)
Old White: [Try calling me "Old Lurker" again! (rage)]
Stop the Knife: [Haha, well-deserved mute!]
Real Mosquito Here: [Excited... Just a few more days until I can join the test!]
Tomato Scramble: [+1 (mischievous.jpg)]
Quit Smoking: [Ugh! Can someone mute these smug testers too? Unbearable! I was the first to sign up! T_T]
Though some users, like "Mightier Than My Pride," still doubted the legitimacy of a fully immersive VR game, others believed and eagerly anticipated the public test.