Kingdom of Corrosion
Chapter 938 - 407: Bandit Gang

Chapter 938: Chapter 407: Bandit Gang

Shana became the first person in Shadow to become a mother, having acquired a brood of six newly hatched wild chicks a few days ago. The six chicks have now grown fluffy and are very adorable. While wild chicks are not usually affectionate, Shana’s constant companionship and hand-feeding have made them especially fond of following her around, and they are not afraid of Lin Wu and others.

To combat the heat, two waterproof cloths were pulled up at the rear of the vehicle to create a canopy, moving the indoor coal stove kitchen and dining area outside. However, meals could only be enjoyed in the morning and evening. In the afternoons, they could seek some refuge, using commercial or homemade fans to fan themselves while sweating.

On Day 48, a seven-meter rope ladder was crafted. Lin Wu grabbed the rope and climbed down, entering the arch-shaped steel frame under the railway bridge, a place that could be described as paradise compared to the bridge deck. The archway is nearly 5 meters wide, which is close to the width of the railway bridge deck, but only one and a half meters wide and high. One couldn’t stand, only sit or lie down.

But this was not an exclusive cooling spot for Lin Wu. Because the area under the bridge was limited, the ten people at the railway bridge base divided into three groups and took turns to go down to cool off from 9 AM to 6 PM. Cooling off was a must and not for fun, as on day 46, three people had heatstroke and on day 47, five people suffered heatstroke. Among them, the fool, Lin Meng, suffered severe heatstroke and had to be carted to the waterfall, where he was thrown into the downstream water and soaked for an hour to recover.

Why not go to the waterfall to cool off? Walking 5 kilometers back and forth under the scorching sun was not a good option.

Maya sat in the shade canopy sweating profusely with Shana, calculating the stock of supplies. Currently, food was sufficient to support a 180-day challenge, and water should not be an issue. Considering winter’s harsh cold, there was a slight gap in coal supplies, but not huge. The bigger gap was in the fuel for electricity; considering the shelf life of diesel and gasoline, collecting it in autumn wouldn’t be too late. Basic medical supplies were well-stocked. Firearms were in good condition, but there was a significant shortage of bullets for both rifles and pistols.

Theoretically, if nothing unexpected happens, the team could easily complete the 180-day challenge task. Theoretically, players who had survived until now generally did not face too much pressure to survive.

Of course, Dawn would not allow players to be without pressure, thus began issuing daily tasks. Daily tasks refresh every day, not limited by time. After completing one task, only then could a player take on a second task, and the tasks were issued based on the current region of the player. Completing tasks would earn points, which had two functions, already explained. Suppose you need Serum, but Hardcore Mode doesn’t have it; you can use points to generate tasks. The more points you invest, the lower the difficulty of the task.

Another straightforward function is that each task earns 1% of the total game points, which affects the total points distribution related to wealth.

At 8 AM on Day 50, the first batch of tasks was released, with five tasks in the railway bridge area. First task: Deliver 100 kilograms of coal to the abandoned logging site in the mountains. Total distance 10 kilometers, altitude difference 400 meters. It’s difficult enough transporting it, let alone burning it yourself. Difficulty S-level.

Second task: Travel to a less-than-truckload freight car to find a specific item. Difficulty S-level.

Third task: Kill 50 zombies, and in a team situation, based on the last killer. Difficulty A-level.

Fourth task: Donate 50 boxes of instant noodles, about 10% of the base’s total instant noodles, Difficulty E-level.

Fifth task: Lose 5 kilograms of weight, Difficulty ?-level.

Each task included detailed descriptions and rationalizations, such as ensuring production, caring for children, being a pioneer, being generous, and cutting back on expenses.

Upon reviewing the tasks, there was a wail across the railway bridge. Although Dawn seemed to give five options, in reality, there was only one option, which was to lose weight. Those who had used the restroom before 8 AM were the most miserable, and those who drank three cups of water before 8 AM were the luckiest.

Xiao Wen and Xiao Wu were obviously beguiled by Dawn, and they were not curious about the so-called tasks, nor did they inquire; they were only curious about player behaviors.

Why not eat? To lose weight. Why lose weight? Because the task requires it. Oh...

Very perfunctory, perhaps also a way for Dawn to protect its CPU from being overtaxed by player activities with NPCs, which could lead to crashes.

Lin Wu, without a doubt, was once again the lucky one. At four in the morning, he moved to the canopy to sleep, tolerating his hunger in his sleep. At seven in the morning, when he was responsible for breakfast, he boiled water again, making two pots of tea, the kind where a bit of tea leaves are thrown into a large pot. Originally planning to discard the remaining tea as it felt wasteful and he was hungry yet refrained from eating instant noodles, he impulsively drank half a pot of water.

At eight o’clock, his weight was 70 kilograms, and by nine o’clock, after using the restroom, his weight had decreased to 68 kilograms. Lin Meng, on the other hand, envied the wicked receiving good fortune; she went to the restroom before eight o’clock, ate two packs of instant noodles and a bunch of wild vegetables, reaching a weight of 75 kilograms, which remained the same by nine in the morning.

As some rejoiced, others were sorrowful. Everyone’s starting point was different, and so were their talents, which only set the upper limit of their achievements. Effort and methods were the basic elements to achieving goals.

Maya began devilish training, mentioning beforehand that she needed two tires, so she dragged two tires along in the scorching sun, making sure to stay hydrated step by step toward the Herbivore’s home, occasionally doing a set of push-ups or performing a sequence of punches along the way, earning embarrassed looks from everyone. But despite all calculations, Maya never anticipated that the Herbivore’s family would be having a feast at noon: succulent capybara meat. As the saying goes, two hours of hard practice are inferior to skipping one meal.