This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 484: A Day in the Life of the Rear

Chapter 484: Chapter 484: A Day in the Life of the Rear

Bustling on the busy street.

Stopping in front of a distinct stall, Chen Yutong curiously picked up a mushroom and examined it for quite a while but couldn’t discern anything special, so she leaned in closer to smell it.

However, her action led to a misunderstanding by Crow, who quickly stood up to stop her.

"This mushroom isn’t for eating."

"I know... just smelling it."

Chen Yutong of course knew this mushroom wasn’t edible.

With its round, bright red cap and short, flat white stem, adorned with circular white spots, it looked extremely toxic no matter how one saw it.

Moreover, what made her more curious was that it felt like rubber when squeezed, and it had a distinctively fragrant scent.

Seeing the puzzled expression on her face, Crow, somewhat embarrassed, smiled and patiently explained.

"These are Rubber Mushrooms, found in the woods of the Elm District. The nearby survivors usually make them into brooches, buttons, or hairpins."

"Incredible... A mushroom that produces rubber!" Chen Yutong’s curiosity intensified.

"I heard that a factory recently started extracting rubber from it. Although the quality isn’t up to par with our Dilat rubber, the yield is quite impressive, and it’s not hard to cultivate. Besides the Cam Tree, much of the rubber for our tires is sourced from this."

"Amazing... I’ve never seen such mushrooms in the Wandering Swamp," Chen Yutong remarked with admiration.

Of course.

Even if she had seen them by chance, it’s unlikely anyone would have noticed.

Each outing of the Exploration Team had a clear objective, and when not on a mission, they were too busy to wander around.

"Hehe," Crow bragged with a proud smirk.

This achievement had long been recorded in the Hall of Fame.

Indeed, this achievement was praiseworthy; she was the most enthusiastic about collecting mushrooms on the entire server. If not for this accidental discovery, the Alliance’s rubber output would never have increased as dramatically as steel.

"If you’re interested, why not buy it and study it?" Old White said with a smile, turning to Crow, "How much?"

"5 silver coins!"

Accepting the silver coins from Old White, Crow’s eyes crinkled into crescents, even enthusiastically helping a shy Chen Yutong to put on the mushroom hairpin she made.

The red and white color scheme was truly versatile, perfectly matching her light brown hair without any sense of dissonance, instead adding a lively and playful touch.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Chen Yutong awkwardly touched her hairpin, feeling it didn’t quite suit her.

"Does it look a bit off for me?"

"Why would it?" Old White said with a smile, "For a girl your age, it would be strange not to dress up."

"You sure have a way with words!"

Crow Boss teasingly squeezed his eyebrows, and standing beside them, Chen Yutong coughed lightly in embarrassment.

"I can hardly be considered a girl at my age..."

But.

She really liked this gift.

It struck her interest both in terms of research value and aesthetics.

And it wasn’t just the gift itself.

Including the process of choosing it on the street, and the charming smile of the shop owner when she personally put the accessory on her...

Neither in her twelve years at the Survivor Settlement nor during her ten years at the Academy had she ever experienced this kind of indescribable leisure and satisfaction.

Originally, she just wanted to come here to take a look.

Now, for the first time, she felt a desire to integrate into this place.

She wished she could share this joy with her former teammates...

For Xue Zhou, these brightly colored accessories would probably suit him even better.

Touching the outline of the hairpin, Chen Yutong said a bit embarrassedly.

"Letting you pay for this..."

Walking beside her, Old White smiled and said.

"It’s nothing, just 5 silver coins, it’s not really spending much."

Although Manager hadn’t provided him with a budget for missions, he didn’t need to quibble over such a small amount of money.

Moreover, even if they had taken a tracked vehicle from the Beacon team, it cost far more than this, helping her integrate into life here was simply what he ought to do.

Chen Yutong, head bowed in thought for a moment, suddenly asked.

"If one wants to work here... where should they go?"

Old White replied after recalling.

"The city hall has an employment registration office, fill in your information and they will help you find a suitable job quickly. The street office can also look up nearby vacancies... with your capabilities, you shouldn’t worry, the scientific research team would probably be eager to have you."

"I’m not that remarkable... I’m just an E-level Explorer."

"We value ability over status," seeing Chen Yutong’s slightly embarrassed expression, Old White gave her an encouraging look, "I believe you can certainly do well!"

"Well... I’ll give it a try then," Chen Yutong hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Her specialty, like Jiang Xuezhou, was in AI and information technology, though she felt her skills were far inferior to Xiao Jiang’s.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been unable to become a researcher.

However, Old White didn’t seem to care about this at all; throughout their walk, he never mentioned work again, simply accompanying her to buy various necessities for life.

Such as clothes for changing, towels for washing, even bedding for sleeping.

Although initially only planning to buy a little, Old White decided it was better to buy everything at once, and before they knew it, they had bought a pile of items.

And thus, time unknowingly reached the evening.

With big and small bags in hand, Old White suddenly remembered—she had just arrived at the Alliance and didn’t have a place to live.

He said, somewhat awkwardly.

"Sorry... I just remembered you have no place to stay."

"No problem." Chen Yutong laughed out loud, smiling, "I had forgotten too..."

There were some inconveniences to bringing someone to his own home.

On the one hand, it primarily served as his storage, not even having a bed, and on the other hand, he was worried about being misunderstood.

Thus, Old White, carrying the big and small baggage he had bought, took her to a motel not far from the trading station.

Unlike the last time he was here, the lobby of the motel seemed to have expanded in size, and there were considerably more tables.

It was said that to address the problem of room shortages, the motel owner had simply bought the warehouse adjacent to the motel and converted it into a slightly more upscale five-story apartment, catering to traders who had specific residential requirements.

It was rumored that the renovation was sponsored by a guest from Ideal City, and the designer hired was a resident of Shelter No. 404.

In a way, the motel was like a piece of amber; although it hadn’t formed long ago, it had witnessed the growth of the Alliance.

It had developed from a small wooden hut originally intended for the residents of Highway Town to a building now measuring thousands of square meters, the only constant being its lively, bustling atmosphere.

Merchants and survivors traveling from north to south would choose to stay here, sharing rumors and intelligence from afar as they clinked glasses.

But it was only early evening now, and it was still a while before the lively hours, so only a scattered few people eating were sitting in the lobby.

From the moment she walked into the lobby, Chen Yutong curiously looked around.

In the Academy, there was no such thing as a motel or the concept that "the motel’s lobby becomes a bar at night."

Worried about being targeted by Wasteland Wanderers for bionic prosthetics, the Exploration teams seldom stayed in Survivor Settlements outside of the committee’s jurisdiction, preferring to sleep in their vehicles or spread out in caves.

"Coming down from the front line?" Old Huck, sitting behind the bar, asked as he saw Old White stepping through the doorway.

"Just got back... Open a room for me in the back, for one person."

Old Huck looked at him with a face full of surprise.

"Gee, you’re well-informed. I was just about to introduce it to you, but you already knew."

Old White smiled and said nothing.

Of course, he wouldn’t mention that they had something called the "official forum."

In the forum, they shared updates on the front line, while lifestyle players shared changes from the rear.

This sort of information could easily be found with a quick search on the official forum.

Old Huck pulled a worn ledger from under the counter and spread it open on the countertop.

"I need to make a record... Is this lady staying?"

"Yes." Chen Yutong, unfamiliar with the local rules, nodded her head slightly nervously.

Although she wasn’t naturally shy, she still instinctively spoke less in unfamiliar environments.

Old Huck was about to ask her smilingly what she required of the room when Old White interjected first.

"Could you help find a quiet and clean room, please?"

"Alright, the few rooms around the corner are the most spacious. Long-term or short-term?"

"Long-term, and put the deposit on my account."

"No problem!"

After asking for the guest’s name and origin, Old Huck skillfully wrote down a couple of notes.

Upon learning she came from the Wandering Swamp, the old man showed a flicker of surprise on his face, but didn’t ask further and took out two room keys with tags and placed them on the table.

Old White handed both keys to Chen Yutong.

Smiling at the two, Old Huck, resting his arm on the counter, continued speaking.

"You can leave your luggage here; I’ll have the servants bring it to your room. Would you two like to eat something? Today’s specials are Variant Rhino Ribs and Roasted Garlic Potatoes."

"Variant Rhino Ribs?!"

Halfway through speaking, Chen Yutong suddenly realized her voice was a bit loud. Although no one was paying attention to them, she still felt embarrassed and lowered her voice, whispering,

"Variant rhino... is it edible?"

There were many Variants in the Wandering Swamp, but she had never heard of anyone eating them.

Most survivors lacked the ability to hunt Variants, major Survivor Settlements adhered to the committee’s teachings by not incorporating them into their diets, and there weren’t enough spices to mask their flavors. The nutrition-focused Academy definitely didn’t eat them either.

However, she had heard the team captain mention once that some Variants’ meat tasted better than it looked, although there were some risks associated with eating it.

Old Huck laughed heartily, a proud look on his face.

"Of course it is, stay here long enough and you’ll learn. There are no Variants you can’t eat, only people who don’t know how."

Previously, many Variants were off limits.

But ever since Shelter No. 404 was declassified, with the refuge’s residents developing various methods to process ingredients, monsters and Crack Claw Crabs in the surrounding area were almost hunted to extinction by them.

"Don’t listen to his boasting; there’s still plenty you can’t eat."

Watching Chen Yutong swallow her saliva, Old White coughed lightly and picked up the menu from the counter.

"Creamy mashed potatoes, tender mushroom stew with Double-headed cow meat, Sichuan mapo tofu, Yu Xiang pork...and rice, that’ll do for now."

Food always rooted this guy to the spot.

But it happened to be dinner time, and he was feeling a bit hungry himself.

"You’re not ordering any of the specials?"

Old Huck commented while glancing at the menu and then passing it through the small window covered by a curtain to the kitchen.

He then looked at Old White.

"Would you like something to drink?"

Before Old White could respond, Chen Yutong eagerly said,

"Do you have cola and vodka?"

"Cola and vodka? Of course..."

Seeing the expectant look on the young woman’s face, Old Huck was briefly taken aback before understanding dawned on him, and a knowing smile appeared on his face, "Oh, that... I think I get what you mean. You want to try one of our special cocktails, right?"

"Special cocktail?" Chen Yutong asked in perplexity.

"Yes, it’s quite popular recently... It’s also a concoction pondered by the residents of the shelter."

Seeing Chen Yutong’s look of anticipation, Old White remembered he had previously promised to treat her to a drink, so he cleared his throat and said,

"Let’s have one."

Old Huck smiled slightly.

"Alright!"

After ordering a draft beer for himself, Old White sat down with Chen Yutong at a wooden table near the bar.

Watching the servant take the luggage to the room, Chen Yutong thought about the expenses of the day and said embarrassingly to Old White,

"Today... thank you. Once I find a job and earn some G points—I mean silver coins, I will repay you."

Seeing the embarrassed Chen Yutong, Old White chuckled and said,

"Don’t mention it, it’s not much money."

It was rare to meet an NPC friend with whom one could talk for a long time, especially one he had personally persuaded to join the Alliance. Of course, he wasn’t about to leave her in the lurch.

Moreover, he always felt she was somewhat like him.

Although their initial intentions and processes were utterly different, they both belonged to the type of people who cared more about "the meaning of living" rather than just being alive.

Perhaps that was why they were able to converse in fits and starts so well.

Even though just a week ago, they had been fighting on the battlefield for different beliefs.

At this moment, Lisa approached carrying a tray.

She was dressed in a waitressing gown designed by Vine Cottage, her light brown hair tied up with a white headband.

After some time of adjustment, the young girl had acclimated to life here, and her smile was much brighter than when she first arrived.

"Sir, your ordered beer and Drowsy Red Tea."

Upon hearing that last term, Old White, who was drinking water, nearly spewed it out and coughed for a long time before he recovered.

"Who came up with that name?!"

Lisa looked bewilderedly at the exaggerated reaction of Old White, holding the tray slightly panicked as she said,

"I don’t know... I heard it’s some refuge resident? Um... is there something wrong with the name?"

"Not at all, sorry, I misheard..."

Even if there were problems, it wouldn’t be easy to explain.

Under the puzzled looks of Chen Yutong and Lisa, Old White awkwardly reached for a napkin to wipe his mouth.

He didn’t need to ask to guess—

The tail wasn’t here.

It could only be Mosquito.

Seeing that neither of them required her assistance, Lisa leaned slightly and turned to leave with the tray.

Unlike Old White’s reaction, Chen Yutong seemed very interested in the name of the special cocktail, staring curiously at the crystal-clear glass and leaning in to smell it.

"Is this drinkable alcohol? Incredible..."

"Incredible" was probably the word she had said the most today.

"But why is it called Drowsy Red Tea? Did you add polyphenols from tea?"

"It has nothing to do with tea... Anyway, this is the vodka with cola I mentioned to you. Just take it easy when you drink; it’s only suitable for beginners because it’s easy to sip, but its base is still a strong liquor, and drinking too much can get you tipsy."

Watching Ms. Chen about to take a sip to taste it, Old White seriously cautioned her.

Chen Yutong took a small sip and slightly furrowed her brow.

"A peculiar taste."

A bit weird.

Taste another sip.

Watching Chen Yutong sipping lightly like a chick pecking at grains, Old White took a sip of beer and teasingly said,

"To tell you the truth, I really can’t imagine the lifestyle over there... Your technology must be stronger than ours, right? But to me, it feels like you live under strict monastic rules."

"Monks?" Chen Yutong paused slightly, unfamiliar with the word.

"Servants of God, pastors, or maybe ascetics? Something along those lines," Old White tried to explain using terms from United Human language.

"Ascetics, huh..."

Putting down her cocktail, Chen Yutong tapped her chin and thought for a moment before answering seriously,

"It might indeed be tough before entering the academy, but life at the academy isn’t harsh; on the contrary, it’s quite affluent."

Old White asked curiously,

"How so?"

Chen Yutong thought for a moment and said,

"At least in my memory, there was never a shortage of food and consumer goods, only a few special items had to be ordered."

Old White nodded in understanding.

That made sense.

After all, the academy controlled the largest number of Black Boxes on the Wasteland.

Besides the Black Boxes, they lacked neither production technology nor methods.

Both primary and secondary industries were completely supplied by the settlements under the Science Committee, with resources distributed by the academy’s External Affairs Department, highly concentrated towards the researchers.

The researchers of the academy were definitely not poor.

After hearing Chen Yutong’s words, Old White suddenly realized that the academy wasn’t as "weak" as he had imagined.

It was even stronger than he had thought.

They had a complete organizational structure and talent selection system; every individual who gained entry into this vast and rigorous organization was undoubtedly an expert.

The abundant supply of materials allowed them to focus on their work. G points, to some extent, limited the proportion of wealth an individual could possess in society, while K points ensured that every gear in the system worked in the right place in the proper way.

Those who couldn’t become researchers or whose skills didn’t match probably had it tough, but after all, this was a system designed by researchers. The first priority was naturally to meet the researchers’ needs; it was just the way things were.

Not only did this organization have a clear structure, but it even had a clear action plan and goals—to recover as much of the Prosperity Epoch’s legacy as possible before resources were exhausted!

After achieving this goal, they would move on to worlds far away to expand the territory and perpetuate the flame of civilization.

Although this ideal sounded grand, Old White always felt that if they managed to reach that stage, the only remnant of human civilization in this game world would probably be a research ship.

He didn’t quite understand those grand principles.

But he knew that someone who lit a cigarette with a match today might switch to a lighter tomorrow, but wouldn’t think about quitting smoking unless it was absolutely necessary.

Tapping the glass lightly with her index finger, Chen Yutong sorted through the fragments of her memories while murmuring.

"The Academy is very taboo about waste and the meaningless use of resources. According to the calculations of Conclusion Doctor, based on the current rate of resource consumption on this planet, the legacy of Prosperity Epoch would last at most another two centuries."

As she spoke these words, a slight sense of guilt suddenly emerged instinctively in her heart.

Yet upon hearing her words, Old White just smiled.

"He could calculate that?"

Chen Yutong nodded gently.

"He’s the most wise, learned, and far-sighted person on this planet."

Old White casually commented.

"Did he calculate when the nuclear winter will end then?"

Chen Yutong paused slightly.

"That... I’m not sure."

Old White clinked his glass against hers, pulling a smile and said,

"See? Looks like your doctor isn’t omnipotent after all. I think it’s better not to think too much. Let’s talk about two centuries later when it comes; people living in the present should just take care of the present. I think that’s enough."

Maybe reminded of something, Chen Yutong who had just opened her mouth suddenly stopped speaking, thoughtfully nodding her head.

"Maybe you are right."

The sumptuous delicacies were soon served on the table.

Chen Yutong, who had just been solemn-faced, was quickly captivated by the intoxicating aroma of the stewed meat.

And the mashed potatoes beside it.

"What, what is this?! Why is it so delicious!" Holding her chin with her left hand, her voice became excitedly distorted.

"Mashed potatoes... before we used to make them with Hyena fat boiled oil and horned potatoes, but now that conditions have improved, it seems they’ve switched to potatoes and butter."

Ultimately, she was a young girl with little world experience who couldn’t resist the temptation of delicious food.

Watching Chen Yutong devour the food, Old White couldn’t help but smile warmly, seeing that she could use chopsticks proficiently without his help, he shifted his gaze towards the distant hall.

The night out the door gradually deepened, and the hotel lobby became lively.

Looking at the increasingly fervent sounds of people and the effervescent beer froth, Old White’s lips curled into a satisfied smile as he gulped down a beer.

Whenever he sat here, his heart felt immensely fulfilled.

Although it was a virtual life, he could clearly feel that indescribable feeling—this world needed him.

He could see with his own eyes the changes his efforts brought to the world, the prosperity they brought to their common alliance.

Everything here was not his sole doing, but all of it wouldn’t have been possible without their brave and life-risking fights at the forefront.

This was the everyday he protected!

Old White’s thoughts drifted, wondering what this place would look like many years later.

At that moment, he suddenly noticed that Lisa, who had served the last dish, didn’t leave but stood hesitantly by the side.

Intuitively guessing something, he said in a mild tone,

"Is there something?"

The young girl nodded timidly, gathering her courage to ask.

"That, how is Pangolin doing?"

Her speech, which had been fluent before, suddenly became stammering.

"He, well..."

Old White’s look became subtly complex.

The guy lately seemed not satisfied with Coleway’s "favor," having hooked up with some beauty journalist from Triumph City.

Of course, that was mostly the guy bluffing out of embarrassment.

After all, in the eyes of most Weilante People, other races were just livestock. Unless that beauty had a peculiar taste, it wouldn’t make sense for her to fancy a "native."

Not bearing to see that cute face tainted with disappointment, Old White took a sip of beer and, buoyed by the alcohol, bluffed,

"He’s brave, a great help to us, thanks to him the battle is progressing smoothly. If things go quickly... you might see him before the end of the year."

Lisa’s eyes sparkled with hope, without a shred of doubt in his words.

"Could you tell me more about him?"

Although he expected this request, Old White still got a headache.

That undercover job wasn’t all that glamorous.

And the sensitive inside information he couldn’t just share.

No choice.

He had to make up stories.

Seeing the curious eyes all around them turning their way, Old White inwardly sighed and opened his hypothetical can of worms.

"When talking about the great victory at Oasis No.3, you can’t help but mention No. 330 high ground, and speaking of No. 330 high ground, one must start from a bowl of timely chicken soup..."

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