_I admit! It was impulsive of me! But I can't help it—blame it on my "Toxic Instinct" skill. Any toxic item literally glows green in my sight, driving my obsessive-compulsive tendencies mad!_
What the…?
Chu Guang blinked, stunned for a moment, then uttered in disbelief, "You can detect poison with the naked eye? That's incredible!"
Still, what exactly defines "toxic" here? Is there a threshold for dosage? And how does this ability even trigger?
Unable to comprehend it, Chu Guang set his questions aside for the moment and continued reading the post.
_According to the manager's instructions, I initially started gathering mushrooms and berries in the forest. Thanks to my skill, I could identify the poisonous ones right away, so my efficiency was pretty high. I'd filled several plastic buckets in no time._
_Once I'd cleared the nearby area, I thought I'd venture a bit further. Eventually, I stumbled upon a spot that looked like an abandoned parking lot, overgrown with mushrooms. I was gathering them when I noticed a towering concrete pipe, something that resembled a sewer entrance, with a massive green glow radiating from within!_
_I didn't think too much at the time and figured with my poison detection skill, I could just avoid any harmful ones and keep going._
_I glanced around and saw no monsters lurking nearby, so I walked over, poked my head in, and had a quick look inside. I swear, it was just a quick look!_
_And that's when the horror happened!_
_Something meaty… I don't even know what it was, just that it hit me square in the face. I couldn't breathe, couldn't see, and before I knew it, I was paralyzed, as though something had swallowed me whole._
_There was no pain, but the feeling was awful! Almost as soon as I lost consciousness, I suddenly woke up in reality, like a nightmare fading away._
_At first, I thought I'd disconnected. I hurriedly put my helmet back on to reconnect, but all I saw was "Connection Lost" and then "Login Restricted." No matter how I tried, I couldn't get back in. Ugh._
Fantastic!
Talk about a wasted opportunity…
Chu Guang was speechless as he finished reading. This player truly had guts, using their face to scout bushes. He himself wouldn't have dared such a reckless act.
Below the post, other users were equally unforgiving. Some had access to the beta and merely watched the show unfold, but many others, still waiting for their chance to play, condemned the player's wastefulness.
After all, the resurrection cooldown was at least three days!
Wasting it like this was three days of game time down the drain!
Wouldn't that time be better spent elsewhere?
**User Comments:**
NightTen: _"Lost your head, eh? Headless senior? (smirk)"_
QuitSmoking: _"What the…? Really? If you can't play properly, give your slot to someone who actually wants it! T.T"_
BigEyeDebt: _"Impulsive is an understatement—this was just a waste! Let me play instead!"_
Irena: _"Keep us posted! How did it feel to get eaten? (grin)"_
AllGoodNamesGone: _"Now I'm curious! Brother, step aside and let's chat. (wink)"_
The thread quickly derailed. Originally a plea for help, no one seemed concerned about solving the player's issue.
Eventually, fed up with no response from the game devs and facing relentless teasing, the poster ended up battling it out in the comments.
This player had quite the sharp tongue—definitely an experienced roaster.
Chu Guang decided he'd had enough and locked the thread, then sent the player a private message.
"Hello, I'm the developer of Wasteland OL. We've noted your feedback. According to the game's rules, death incurs a 72-hour cooldown before you can revive. Please be patient until the cooldown ends, after which you can log back in."
YaYa: _"Three days? Can't you reduce it to one day? I'll pay! Name your price!"_
Chu Guang: _"It's not about money."_
YaYa: _"Can't you make an exception? Please, Mr. Developer, I didn't mean to! Can I add you on QQ? It's easier to chat there."_
Chu Guang: _"Rules are rules. I can't help you there."_
YaYa: _"Really? No exception? (pleading)"_
Unmoved, Chu Guang typed:
"Another thing to mention, in addition to the cooldown, the first death also deducts 500 Contribution Points."
YaYa: _"I lose points, too? But I don't even have that much…"_
Chu Guang: _"Herein lies the problem. You only have 30 points from your gathering tasks—not enough to cover the death penalty."_
YaYa: _"What happens if I can't pay? (nervous)"_
Chu Guang: _"Your reputation among NPCs is affected, lowering your likability."_
YaYa: _"Lower likability? Please, no! QAQ"_
Now, she was afraid?
Too late for regrets.
"Clearly, you fail to grasp the gravity of your actions. Imagine this: your character is entrusted with the mission of restoring civilization. As an elite chosen to aid the surface's recovery, you've contributed nothing but caused trouble instead. Don't you feel even a twinge of guilt?"
Wasting even a single "freebie" contribution point…
Isn't that shameful?
YaYa: _"But… it's just a game…"_
"You're right; it is a game, but it's not solely yours," Chu Guang typed firmly. "Surely you've played escape-room games?"
YaYa: _"I… have…"_
Chu Guang: _"This is like a 30-player game. Imagine 29 players focused on the mission, only for one person to slack off while holding a critical role. You understand how frustrating that would be for the others, right?"_
Not that it was actually that extreme. A newbie dying wasn't the end of the world, but Chu Guang felt that without some stern feedback, players wouldn't learn.
They had to be taught a lesson!
Maybe he'd gone too far, though, as YaYa soon typed out frantic apologies, nearly in tears.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It's my fault! QAQ"
A string of apologies filled the chat, making Chu Guang feel slightly guilty himself.
Am I… guilt-tripping them?
Oh well… doesn't matter.
Chu Guang: _"No need to apologize to me. I'm merely explaining the penalty system. If you'd like, share this information in your post. I'll unlock it shortly."_
He continued, _"Let me emphasize, Wasteland OL is designed as a hardcore game. In the initial stages, it won't have many casual elements. This is a decision we made when designing the game's framework. If you can't handle it, consider trying a different game, or wait until the public release when more content will be available."_
YaYa: _"No, I want to play! I'd die without my headset! QAQ"_
YaYa: _"Developer, I accept the penalty. How can I regain the lost likability? Will apologizing after resurrection help? QAQ"_
Chu Guang: _"It might help, but don't expect miracles. The NPC system operates with a lawful-neutral alignment, basing opinions on actions that benefit the Shelter. To redeem yourself, prove your worth instead of acting recklessly."_
YaYa: _"Understood. Um, can I make a small suggestion?"_
Chu Guang: _"Go ahead."_
YaYa: _"Could you add some premium gifts, like the ones in other games, to boost likability? I'd totally buy them!"_
Chu Guang sighed, typing with a dark line across his forehead.
"We're a proper company; money isn't a solution to everything!"
When you're gone, what good is money?
Can it reach you across dimensions?
Sitting at her computer, YaYa froze, her fingers halting as her mind struggled to process.
A "proper company"…
Isn't that just another term for a money pit?
Isn't free-to-play more dubious?