This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 178 Your idea is good, I’ll consider it for the next update.

Chapter 178: Chapter 178 Your idea is good, I’ll consider it for the next update.

Official website:

[Alpha 0.81 version update: Added "Scientific Expedition Team Mission"]

[Scientific Expedition Team Mission: The Shelter No. 404 Scientific Expedition Team has been established, targeting the relics of pre-war civilization! As the leader of the Scientific Expedition Team, Yin Fang will intermittently publish "Scientific Survey" missions, place exploration beacons on the map, and give rewards or hidden tasks based on the research-type relic clues provided by players.]

[Yin Fang: It wasn’t me who betrayed the Academy, but the Academy that betrayed me. The mistake will be corrected. I will find out what exactly happened two hundred years ago and locate the last hope of human civilization—the No.0 Shelter!]

[Tips from Ah Guang: When an NPC needs something, a yellow question mark will appear over their icon on the map. Repeating meaningless dialogues will not trigger hidden missions but will only lower the NPC’s favorability. Additionally, you don’t have to initiate missions through dialogue; you can also receive missions via VM.]

Tail: "Throne! (｀∀´)Ψ"

Quit smoking: "Shocking! Alpha 0.81 version is out! The planner is awesome!"

Night Ten: "Smoking Quitting Brother, stop it. One bootlicker like Fang Chang is enough for Ah Guang. You’re making me sad. (funny emoji)"

Fang Chang: "Buzz off, when have I ever licked boots? (angry)"

Teng Teng:

Fang Chang: "?"

Chu Guang, who had been lurking on the screen after posting the announcement, finally couldn’t help but laugh out loud when he saw this.

He could testify that Brother Fang Chang definitely hadn’t bootlicked; at most, he just understood things better. There were lots of bad ideas in his own new folder, all borrowed from him.

After lurking for a while, Chu Guang felt his eyelids start to fight each other. Glancing at the time, he realized it wasn’t early anymore. He yawned, stood up, and went to sleep.

That night.

He had a very long dream. He dreamed he was walking by the lake with a guy named Doctor Principle, followed by a little brother.

Although he didn’t see the face clearly, Chu Guang felt it must be Yin Fang.

The realization of this point also made Chu Guang very speechless; why were there no busty women in the dream he had today?

This dream seemed quite irrational.

The lake was shrouded in fog, the road was very long, and the lake itself was as broad as the sea, its rippling water shimmering without end.

The moonlight was clear, the air still and serene.

After walking for a long time, a voice suddenly came from beside him.

"What year is it now?"

Chu Guang was about to answer, but Yin Fang, Doctor Principle’s number one bootlicker, beat him to it.

"It’s the year 2340!"

Doctor Principle beside him nodded, then suddenly spoke with emotion,

"2340, huh..."

"It’s been too long."

The dream dissipated.

Waking up, Chu Guang lay on his back looking at the ceiling, blinking his eyes calmly.

With sweat all over his back, as if he had been fished out of the water, Chu Guang even suspected that someone had thrown him into the lake for a bath while he was asleep.

The sheets and clothes were completely soaked.

There was no doubt that every time this happened, he definitely leveled up.

"Damn it... Next time I’ll just sleep in a cultivation chamber too."

Chu Guang seriously suspected that when players leveled up, they too were covered in sweat, but since they were in cultivation chambers, all their waste was flushed away.

It seems his recent training had paid off.

Chu Guang rolled out of bed, his bones crackling with a series of snaps, his eyes clearer than ever, as if he had drunk a whole case of taurine drinks.

After moving his limbs around a bit, Chu Guang quickly adapted to his new body and went to the residents’ hall, where he used the medical equipment to check himself.

[

ID: Chu Guang

Gene Sequence: Administrator (Stage 2)

Level: LV.11→LV.12

——Basic Attributes——

Strength: 16→17

Agility: 11

Constitution: 14

Perception: 12

Intelligence: 12→13

]

"Two attribute points increased this time?"

Chu Guang checked again and confirmed he had only gone up one level, yet both Strength and Intelligence had each grown by one attribute point.

"It seems that the growth of ’physical functions’ with the ’progress of gene sequence development’ isn’t completely linear."

"Unfortunately, the pattern within remains a mystery."

As Chu Guang pondered over the medical report, light footsteps approached, and Boss Xia, who had just gotten out of bed, yawned and walked in from the neighboring corridor.

Upon noticing the bedsheets slung over Chu Guang’s shoulder, she paused, a strange expression crossing her face.

"Why do you change your sheets every day?"

Chu Guang casually replied,

"Not every day."

Xia Yan’s gaze inadvertently drifted downwards, catching sight of the sweat-drenched clothes and bulging muscles. To be honest, this was nothing unusual, but it was just her luck that it paired with that quite striking face.

"You... should put on some clothes."

Her face suddenly flushed red, and Boss Xia turned her head and walked away.

Chu Guang didn’t bother with her and, taking advantage of the lull before the players’ peak login time, hummed a tune and went down to B2 for a shower. After changing into clean clothes, he casually tossed the bedsheets into the washing machine.

The shower area had communal washing machines available, scientifically sterilized and with automatic drying, very convenient, costing only 1 silver coin per use. Alternatively, one could go to the lakeside, which was free, albeit with the risk of having to help fishermen bait their spots, but that wasn’t a big issue.

After washing up, Chu Guang returned to the Manager’s Office to sit and rest a bit before going back up, but before the chair even warmed, he saw Yin Fang push the door open and enter.

"Have your residents gone mad? They were waiting outside my door early in the morning! Wherever I go, they follow, even more exaggerated than yesterday!"

While speaking, Yin Fang anxiously glanced behind him, relieved to see that those residents of the refuge hadn’t followed him in.

Seeing his inexperienced appearance, Chu Guang smiled and poured him a cup of hot water.

"Relax, they’re all excited after hearing you’re planning to establish an exploratory group. Isn’t that good news? Trust me, just find something for them to do, and they’ll naturally disperse... Here, drink some hot water."

Yin Fang took the cup and shook his head.

"But I don’t need that many people! Four, at most eight is the absolute maximum!"

The current leads were scarce, maybe more people would be needed later, but certainly not at the beginning.

"I know, you don’t have to hire them all, but you should at least pick a few reliable-looking ones. There’s a level code on the player roster I gave you; generally, the higher the level, the more reliable the player." Chu Guang shared some of his life experience.

This was something he had summarized through constant trial and error.

Yin Fang sighed and said, "I don’t know how you set up this level system, and I’m not sure how reliable this ’reliable’ really is. Frankly, you should have an occupational assessment system, otherwise how would I know if they are better at chopping trees or picking up trash?"

Chu Guang’s eyes lit up as he said,

"Good idea, we could integrate that into the next update."

"...?"

Update?

Yin Fang was confused but didn’t dwell on it too much.

After all, it wasn’t the first time he didn’t understand the made-up phrases that occasionally popped out of the Manager’s mouth.

"Anyway, keep a tight reign on your residents. I’m actually worried their brains have gone bad. Also, to start work as soon as possible, I need some data."

Chu Guang looked at him and said, "No problem, what data do you need, where is it located, we can help you retrieve it."

Yin Fang: "Doctor Principle’s recordings are related to three locations, the Grand Canyon, Shelter No.117, and New House Community College."

Chu Guang: "We’re clearing the entrance to Shelter No.117, and New House Community College is?"

Yin Fang: "That’s where we found that video tape, and also where Doctor Principle woke up!"

"Is there anything worth investigating there?"

In Chu Guang’s memory, that place seemed to have been thoroughly scavenged.

After all, according to the narration in that video, over a thousand survivors once lived in that community college.

Things like tables, wooden stools, and even the books from the library had been burned for fuel two hundred years ago, like the aftermath of a locust plague.

Yin Fang shook his head and said, "Unfortunately, the level of destruction there is too high, it’s very hard to find any valuable clues. However, even so, the location itself is still an important clue."

Chu Guang: "How so?"

"This brings up the workflow of our prospectors!"

Confidence shone on Yin Fang’s face as he continued,

"A common knowledge from before the war, any scientific research institute cannot exist independently without society’s support. A research facility might manage hundreds of projects, which could be backed by thousands of funding sources and involve tens of thousands of researchers. The outcomes produced wouldn’t be stored in just one place. If we can find just one lead, it might be possible to follow the vine to the melon and find everything we’re looking for."

"Some electronics might be damaged due to EMP or lack of maintenance, but many critical records are preserved on paper. The polymer materials used in making that paper and the anti-oxidation ink can last not just two hundred, but even two thousand years!"

Is this what an expert looks like?

After listening to Yin Fang’s statement, Chu Guang nodded in approval.

Indeed, when it comes to archaeology, the people from the Academy really know their stuff. Others may just pick up trash, fumbling and pretending to understand incomprehensible documents, but they truly know how to utilize those files.

Many people think of scientific research too simply, as if it’s just like copying homework; thinking that with blueprints in hand, they could replicate anything. But in reality, a blueprint isn’t just one paper; it could be many fragments, and many things that look identical on a macro scale could be entirely different on a micro scale.

Unless there is a systematic understanding of this work, archaeology is not something one can just casually conduct.

How great it would be to get more people from the Academy to work here.

Wouldn’t the research points just soar?

Chu Guang felt his demands were not high; it would be quite good enough if he could develop a complete set of technologies related to the industrial preparation and room-temperature storage of metallic hydrogen, among other things.

This stuff could be used for bombs or batteries, incredibly handy.

According to Yin Fang’s words, he planned to start his investigation from four aspects: the academic staff archives of the New Residence Community University, related research projects, cooperating institutions, and sources of funding.

This might take a bit of time.

But there should be some gains.

After staying in the Manager’s Office for a while, Yin Fang saw that the players gathered outside had dispersed and hurriedly left.

Before heading to the surface, Chu Guang glanced at the reward page of the Administrator System and unexpectedly discovered he could draw lots again.

A total of 111 reward points, a very auspicious number.

Chu Guang pondered briefly and clicked on the advanced, intermediate, and basic blind boxes.

Perhaps because he had bad luck before, the prizes this time were surprisingly good.

The basic blind box revealed a pack of salt-roasted Little Fish, a snack he had never seen before. The intermediate blind box yielded an adrenaline shot, painless injection type, one shot to go berserk.

The advanced blind box went even further, yielding an SSR--a "Hummingbird" drone!

Now Chu Guang had two cameras to use!

"Master."

Xiao Qi edged up to Chu Guang’s leg, lifting its camera, gazing at him with a longing expression.

Chu Guang originally wanted to keep the drone for his use, but that voice was just too pitiful.

This little guy, who knows where it stole a voice pack from, was just too good!

"Alright, alright, it’s yours."

Patting the round metallic head of the little guy, Chu Guang picked it up from the ground, smiling as he said,

"Let’s go."

"It’s almost daylight; let’s take a stroll outside."

...

In fact, it wasn’t almost daylight outside; it was already bright. It’s just that Chu Guang had been leaving the house a bit late recently; leaving before eight o’clock was considered fairly early for him.

It wasn’t because Chu Guang was not diligent but because his little players were too hard-working, logging on and punching in every day, even more proactive than going to work.

Chu Guang hadn’t even come up with a name for the heavy industry base sandwiched between the Outpost Base and Changjiu Farm, but his diligent little players had already reclaimed the abandoned tire factory from the Variants.

The bodies of mutant rats and cockroaches piled up like small hills, and those newbies wielding cold weapons had gone on a killing frenzy.

The conquests of Shelter No. 117 and the Greenhouse Ruins were also progressing steadily.

Especially the former, where players had even evolved a whole new set of team rules that even Chu Guang found profoundly shocking.

Indeed, third-rate planners escape from players, second-rate planners farm players, and first-rate planners not only farm but also cultivate them.

As a top-tier planner proficient in human nature, Chu Guang could not only facilitate the farming of players by each other but also inspire them to do so spontaneously.

"How nice."

Everyone’s making a killing.

A world where no one loses is just too wonderful!

Upon entering the elevator.

As soon as Chu Guang reached the surface, the new Warehouse Manager trained by Old Luka came up to greet him respectfully.

"My Lord, a Messenger from Brown Farm has arrived."

Chu Guang remembered that this middle-aged man’s name was Guoba, once a Slave from Brown Farm, later entered the dungeons of the Blood Hand Clan. Since the name was too cost-inefficient in grain to pronounce, he casually changed it to a more locally integrated one, calling him Guo Niu.

As for the other Warehouse Manager, he was called Guo Ma.

"A messenger from Brown Farm? What do they want?"

Guo Niu replied respectfully.

"The messenger brought 5,000 kilograms of jerusalem artichokes and 5,000 kilograms of Chinese cabbage, stating that they are tribute from Mr. Brown to you, and also the messenger indicated that they truly have no more."

They truly have no more?

Chu Guang was briefly stunned by this statement, perplexed, and didn’t understand what it meant at the moment.

He didn’t remember asking for it.

But to be fair, this unseen Mr. Brown was quite generous. A full ten tons of food, just like that, it seemed he wasn’t just any common fat cat.

Chu Guang thought.

Maybe he could even borrow some more.

"Did the messenger say anything else?"

Guo Niu nodded and continued.

"The messenger also mentioned they hope your Residents could restrain a bit... for several consecutive days, they’ve heard gunshots and explosions coming from the direction of the Garden Street Metro Station, which is less than a kilometer from Brown Farm. His exact words were, if this is meant as a joke, it’s not funny at all."

Upon hearing this, Chu Guang’s expression became somewhat complex.

Upon hearing about the explosion, he immediately guessed that it must have been the Moles and the Mosquitoes. They had caused quite a commotion at the entrance to Shelter No.117, scaring the people from Brown Farm.

But then again, it made sense.

With a particularly formidable neighbor living next-door who had nothing but guns and abundant ammunition, they had cleared all three directions—east, south, and north—in just a month, except for the west side which was bordered by a lake with nothing to shoot at.

Now this neighbor had brought people to his door, firing guns and setting off bombs every day, clearly not in celebration of the New Year.

Anyone would panic.

However, Chu Guang truly hadn’t anticipated the farm owner being so faint-hearted, dragging food to his doorstep to beg for mercy.

Seeing that the Manager had not spoken, Guo Niu asked cautiously,

"Sir, the messenger from Brown Farm is in the reception room. Do you need me to take you to meet him?"

Coming back to his senses, Chu Guang looked at Guo Niu.

"There’s no need for that. Tell him to relay a message to the farm owner of Brown Farm for me, and say thank you for their generous donation. Also, our residents did not intend to disturb them, they are merely conducting... uh, combat exercises against Variants there."

After a pause, Chu Guang continued,

"The exercises will end within a week. Tell them not to overthink it or worry too much. Shelter No.404 is the preserver of order in this region, and we look forward to engaging in fair and friendly trade with them."

"Moreover, treat those messengers to lunch before letting them return. They have generously donated so much food to us; it is only right to show our gratitude."

Guo Niu nodded respectfully.

"As you command, sir."

...

Reception room.

Liu Jiuyue paced back and forth in the room, a look of worry on his face.

Mr. Brown had lost sleep last night and thrown a tremendous tantrum, making the lives of their servants uneasy.

Early in the morning, his boss Liu Zhengyue called him over, instructing him to lead the covered cart team to Linghu Wetland Park, four kilometers away, to present the supplies on the carts to the lord there.

Liu Jiuyue checked the cargo on the carts and was genuinely shocked to find a total of 20,000 kilograms.

He knew that the premature cold spell had caused the farm to produce one less season’s worth of grain. Not only had the serfs’ meals been reduced to one a day, but the rations for the servants like himself had been cut back time and again, with not a drop of oil in the mix.

He wondered if the master wasn’t concerned about running out of food for the winter by giving away so much to the neighbors.

But this was not something for a servant to fret over.

At that moment, the door opened.

Guo Niu, who had received him, entered from outside.

Liu Jiuyue recognized the man; he remembered him as a serf who used to harvest wheat on the farm. But now he could only pretend not to know him, plastering a smile on his face to greet him,

"Sir, have you met with the Manager?"

Guo Niu showed no favoritism because of their "fellow townsman" status and replied with a businesslike attitude,

"The Manager is already aware of your requests and expresses his gratitude for Mr. Brown’s generous donation. The exercises at Garden Street Metro Station will conclude within a week. He said it is not directed at you all, so you should not worry too much. Additionally, to prevent accidental harm, he hopes that your people will stay away during the exercise period for their own good."

Liu Jiuyue looked bewildered.

"Exercises?"

"Yes, the Manager mentioned that those are combat exercises against Variants," Guo Niu repeated, unable to explain the term further than what the Manager had said.

Liu Jiuyue nodded, still confused.

So the gunfire near Garden Street Metro Station would continue for a week?

Yet whatever was happening there was not targeted at them, and they should not worry.

Regardless, he had received a response, and his mission was deemed complete; he could go back and report. He only hoped that this response would satisfy Mr. Brown, after all, that man’s temper was terrifying.

"Thank you for listening to our requests. I will convey this to Mr. Brown," Liu Jiuyue said respectfully.

Guo Niu nodded and added,

"Also, the Manager instructed me to offer you lunch before you leave, should you not be in a hurry. The roads will be safer at noon."

Liu Jiuyue did not decline.

On the one hand, as the receptionist had said, the roads would indeed be safer at noon than in the morning. On the other hand, getting a meal before leaving was surely more comfortable than traveling on an empty stomach.

Before setting off, he had eaten nothing, stuffing only a piece of hard, cold, barley bread into his pocket, as tough as stone. The water in the flask hanging from his waist had long gone cold, and the fact that it hadn’t frozen was a stroke of luck.

"Thank you!"

Looking at the man in front of him, who was so meek and submissive, Guo Niu suddenly felt pity.

Back on the farm, they, the serfs, envied those servants who attended to the farm owner’s family because only those servants were considered human beings, whereas the serfs were seen as animals.

Even the female workers who did laundry and the cobblers who polished the owner’s shoes were of much higher status than them. They could live in wooden or brick houses, eat two hot meals a day, and if they made a mistake, they received just a beating instead of being dragged away because they were old or disabled.

But now, he felt that this man, who once stood high above him, seemed like a pitiful creature.

Perhaps, in this world, only the Manager could liberate them.

"You’re welcome."

Guo Niu paused, then repeated the Manager’s words,

"The Manager said, it’s the proper etiquette."

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