The Meta Answer Is a Chef?!

Hanging up the call with Li De, Chu Guang felt that life really wasn't easy for him. His neighbors from afar were marching westward for a grand ideal, their faces brimming with the radiant confidence and faith of civilized folk, and they were so materially flush that they could practically eat one bowl and throw another away for every meal. Meanwhile on his end, not only did he have to budget every scrap of supplies meticulously, but he also had to figure out how to keep the players happy with limited resources. No matter how tight things were, whenever he got his hands on something good, he would use it to boost everyone's morale. Even after coming this far, there were still little brats on the forum obsessing over the two bricks he used to build walls, analyzing how to stop the "middleman" from pocketing the price difference. Didn't their consciences ache at all? The weak had no say. In truth, Chu Guang knew very well that even with a shelter as a bargaining chip, the room for negotiation between him and the people aboard the Pioneer was exceedingly slim. Li De in particular was far harder to fool than their Captain Lu, and his bottom line was much more elusive, offering no openings whatsoever. But there was no other way; Chu Guang didn't have a choice. It was rare to cross paths with a bunch of wealthy tycoons out on an excursion who happened to acknowledge the bluecoat on his back. No matter how tough the wool was to pluck, he had to grit his teeth and shear as much as he could. After all, this time it was friends who arrived. What if jackals came next time? When that time came, even if he couldn't win, he would have no choice but to fight head-on. Barring any surprises, today's labor should yield 1,200 CR. Factoring in the 600 CR meal allowance, that totaled 1,800 CR—enough to trade for six assault rifles. These people were quite decent. They had agreed on 600 CR a day, and even though breakfast hadn't been eaten with them, they still paid out the money. Once the cooperation concluded, the weapons shop would update with new gear in the 300- and 400-silver-coin tiers, including automatic rifles, submachine guns, and weapon modification sights. That would be perfect for upgrading the loadouts of players who had already reached Levels 6 to 8. For a brighter tomorrow and the new update. Hopefully his little players would work hard! ... Before getting on the phone with Li De, Chu Guang had taken two Perception-type players near the mutant nest and located the signal tower mentioned in the *Guard's Diary* and *Bloodhand Diary*. It turned out the equipment had merely tripped a breaker. Though the components were somewhat aged, they weren't completely broken. The backup power still had half its charge left. Without a second word, he threw the breaker back on, and power immediately returned to the signal tower. Looking at the full signal bars restored on his VM, a smile appeared on Chu Guang's face. The signal coverage directly extended to ten kilometers away, now enveloping the entire northern outskirts of Qingquan City. Now his little players no longer needed to worry about poor VM signal reception. As long as they weren't buried beneath rubble or straying too far, he could track their situations anytime, anywhere, and assign them quests. Splendid. After finishing the call with Li De, Chu Guang borrowed the liaison office's phone to contact Old Luka. Old Luka respectfully reported the day's situation from the other end of the line. "Master, as per your orders, I used the 600 CR meal allowance to purchase one hundred kilograms of potatoes, one hundred kilograms of corn, and seasonings like salt, soy sauce, and pepper. But Li De just told me that if they use their trucks to transport the goods over to us, they'll charge a freight fee of one CR per one hundred kilograms..." Good grief. Someone was throwing a little fit. Chu Guang chuckled and said, "It's fine. We won't use their trucks." The outpost now had ten covered wagons and over a hundred Strength-type players. Hauling dozens of tons of cargo back would be a breeze. Rotations occurred every three days. When the new shift went over, the returning shift could haul the supplies back. As for the goods traded today, they were mainly meant for the players' meals. Although they had brought along some leftover ram horn potatoes, green wheat, and jerky when setting off, that food would only last a few days. Other players would rotate in later anyway, and by then there would be no need to carry dry rations over. Luka: "Master, I noticed that the starch... seems even cheaper? One CR can get a kilogram, and it looks edible too." Chu Guang sighed. "Eating only carbs will make you constipated. That stuff isn't meant to be eaten as a staple meal." Old Luka didn't quite understand. In his mind, being able to fill one's belly was a blessing, and what was eaten didn't really matter. But since his master had spoken, he naturally wouldn't talk back. "Understood... Right, Master, I noticed that the people from the east seem very interested in the food we eat. They're even willing to spend money on it." "Oh?" Chu Guang followed up with interest. "They came to your camp to buy food?" Luka nodded. "Yes. I wasn't sure how much to charge them, but I didn't want to cause trouble, so I gave them a serving. I charged one CR each for mashed ram horn potatoes and fish soup." Chu Guang stroked his chin. "Estimate the cost of one serving... excluding labor, just raw materials." Luka: "It's not expensive at all. The mashed ram horn potatoes run about two or three copper coins, and the fish soup is cheaper, around two copper coins. But the fish we brought along is almost gone. We'll probably cook other dishes tomorrow." "If those people come by again tomorrow, promote the 2 CR and 4 CR set meals to them. The 2 CR set is two hundred grams of mashed potatoes, and the 4 CR set comes with a meat dish in addition to the mashed potatoes... Actually, forget it, I won't fix the menu. Let the production occupation players who cook figure out what to make each day. I'll issue them a quest shortly. In any case, price them according to those two tiers." Luka said respectfully, "As you command, Master." ... Official Website: [Xiaoyu's Friendly Reminder: Because the Administrator repaired the shelter's antenna, the outpost's signal coverage has expanded to ten kilometers!] [Today's Recommended Menu: Savory Mashed Potatoes with Meat, Fish Stew with Pine Nuts.] Whenever it was time for everyone to log off, the forum would become lively beyond measure. Fang Chang: "I'm back! To cut to the chase: the new area unlocked in the expansion is virtually identical to what was shown in the promo CG!" Spare the Life Under the Blade: "Yep, I can testify! Other games make you search for similarities between gameplay graphics and promo footage, but here you search for differences... and the damn thing is, I can't even find any! Can you guys understand what it feels like to step right into a game's CG?" Mole on the Run from the Canyon: "Damn it! I don't get it at all! I wanna haul bricks in the new map too, waah waah waah! T.T" Old Bai: "To be honest, high-tech brick-hauling actually feels pretty fun. The experience is slightly better than hauling bricks near the outpost. (Grin)" Battlefield Hype Group: "Bro, spill it already! What's the process over there like?" Fang Chang: "Let me explain. First, we followed the Pioneer crew to the operational camp they built for us, moved into little two-story worksite cubicles, and then Brother Scrambled Eggs cooked us lunch for the first time in ages. Nothing much to say about all that. The main event was the afternoon! We followed two power armors north to an abandoned town!" Fang Chang: "The place is basically like a suburban-rural fringe. The building density is even lower than around Ling Lake Wetland Park, mainly consisting of detached houses with a few high-rises. After penetrating roughly eight hundred meters into the urban area, we reached an abandoned community clinic. It's a brand-new map! We never scavenged this far before!" Fang Chang: "The floors inside the clinic had a thick layer of dust. I did some basic exploration on the first floor and found it had already been looted—more than once, in fact. Not sure if there are other survivors nearby. Our 'worksite' was in the B1 underground parking garage, which held a huge amount of relatively well-preserved vehicle wreckage, as well as gnawer corpses!" Fang Chang: "My guess is a fight broke out earlier! Unfortunately, the battle was already over when we arrived. Two power armors were patrolling the parking garage with two robo-dogs, and our job was using the cutting tools they issued us to dismantle valuable parts from the scrap vehicles!" Fang Chang: "The whole process was actually quite therapeutic, and dismantling cars with those was way faster than using axes and saws! We used manual hydraulic presses to rough-compress the disassembled doors, hoods, and parts, then dragged them to the heavy truck parked at the entrance of the urban district. There was an NPC engineer traveling with the truck operating more specialized equipment to compress the scrap a second time before loading the metal blocks onto the truck." Fang Chang: "By the way, the NPCs there weigh the scrap, and the salvaged amount is recorded in the VM's quest log. It works out to roughly one silver coin per one hundred kilograms." Elven King Fugui: "Wait, isn't that a huge rip-off? The outpost's scrap recycling quest is the same price, right? I remember it was one silver coin for one hundred kilograms of scrap steel." Old Bai: "It's different. For the outpost's recycling quest, you have to scavenge junk from outside the wetland park and haul it back. Just leaving the park is at least a kilometer. Heading into residential underground parking garages is even more of a hassle—setting aside how far you have to carry it, gnawers frequently launch ambush attacks." Fang Chang: "Exactly. Besides, our base doesn't have those cutters; dismantling car doors and hoods takes quite a bit of time. On top of that, this quest awards event points—around one point per one hundred kilograms." Ye Shi: "Strength-type players just got an epic buff! Speaking of which, I found something hilarious. While Brother Mosquito and I were squatting in the camp eating our boxed meals, an NPC ran over and traded instant noodles for our lunches. (Funny)" Drum Washing Machine: "Holy crap?! The AI is that smart?" Neighbor Old Wang: "What do the NPC instant noodles taste like? Any good?" Ye Shi: "Good my ass. It's basically a boiling water hodgepodge with a packet of dried veggies mixed into some noodles. I feel totally scammed. It's alright as a novelty, but their stuff doesn't keep you full. I was starving by four in the afternoon anyway. (Funny)" WC Really Has Mosquitoes: "I have to chime in on this. I really feel bad for the NPCs on the Pioneer—living in dire straits, unable to get a decent hot meal." Elaina: "You two just eat too much. Certified gluttons. (Funny)" Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes: "Now that Brother Ye Shi mentions it, I remember Pioneer NPCs coming over to our place for food tonight as well. I saw Old Luka taking money from them—one slip of paper per person. No idea how much it was worth." Big Eye in Debt: "!? The meta answer is actually chef?!" Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes: "What are you talking about? It's not like the cash went to me. (Rolls eyes)" Makka Pakka: "By the way, what use does that paper have? Can it buy stuff? I haven't seen any NPC shop that accepts it." Ye Shi: "Beats me. Seems like only Boss Crow has one so far. Wonder if she figured it out. Maybe we should go ask her sometime? (Funny)" Elaina: "Boss Crow: Where are your manners? (Funny)" ... North gate of the outpost. Looking at the deserted market, Yaya, who had finished stewing a pot of mushroom soup, let out a sigh. This was already her third sigh within an hour. Usually at this hour, a lively crowd would already be packed deep before her stall. Today, everyone had headed off to explore the new map, leaving the market with more sellers manning stalls than buyers. Just a moment ago, two players had been chatting nearby until the conversation turned into: "There's barely anyone at the market today," "Let's go shitpost on the forums!" "Let's go!" And then... The two of them really left. Yaya suddenly felt that those nuisances who clamored to buy Gust Mushrooms, demanded to watch her stew herself in an iron pot, or begged her to pelt them with mushrooms weren't so annoying after all. "It's so quiet today..." Maybe she should just pack up? Running quests was fine, but running a stall with so few people was utterly boring. She might as well check out the official website and watch the hilarious netizens brag. At this hour, dawn was approaching in reality as well, and many people had logged off. The official website was bound to be bustling. The big shots who went to blaze a trail in the new map had probably published guides already, so there would likely be some interesting things to read. Just as Yaya was thinking this, a pair of clear, large eyes had somehow appeared before her stall, blinking curiously as they stared at the large pot. Mushrooms, venison, and various herbs floated in the pot, sending up a rich, mouthwatering aroma. Qiu Ye swallowed a traitorous gulp of saliva, her eyes filled with longing. Surprised and delighted to see her first little customer of the day, Yaya hurried to greet her. "Would you like a bowl?" Qiu Ye blushed. She nodded sheepishly, then shook her head, stammering in imperfect pronunciation, "N-no need." Eh? Yaya's expression grew even more delighted, like someone discovering a new continent. This NPC could actually talk! Seizing the opportunity, she quickly pressed on. "Mushroom soup is 50% off today! Want to buy a bowl?" Qiu Ye blinked, unable to understand this sentence. She knew very few words, all picked up while running stalls with her older sister. Those bluecoats always spoke obscure words, but with high-frequency terms paired with body language, one could still guess the meaning. This manner of communication was somewhat like interacting with other nomads they met on their travels. Some people from very distant lands seemingly spoke the same language, but it sounded noticeably different. At times like this, one had to rely on intuition. Yaya picked up a wooden bowl, ladled a steaming portion of mushroom soup for the little girl, and said gently with a sweet smile, "Oh well, there aren't any customers today anyway. Since you're so cute, this bowl is on me." "Drink it while it's hot." Looking at the bowl suddenly thrust into her hands, the little girl was at a total loss, her anxious look resembling that of someone caught doing something bad. In her panic, a few more words tumbled out. Her mouth worked as she stammered, "I... I don't have money..." Yaya smiled gently, waved an index finger softly, and mixed clumsy game language with Mandarin. "No money. My treat." This time, the little girl seemed to understand that the bowl of mushroom soup was free, though an embarrassed expression still lingered on her face. Looking at the steaming soup in her hands, she ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of delicious food. Raising the bowl and blowing on it gently, she gulped it all down. Watching her guest drink the soup in hearty gulps, a maternal smile surfaced on Yaya's face. Indeed. Compared to silver coins or whatever else, this was the sense of satisfaction she was after. "Drink slowly. Want another bowl? Big sister will add extra meat for you." Having finished the soup and set down the bowl, Qiu Ye looked bashful. After a moment of hesitation, the little girl rummaged through her pockets and stealthily set a necklace on the table. Strung upon it were a few very pretty stones. "I found these on my travels and made an amulet... For you." Leaving behind those unintelligible words and the handmade necklace, the little girl turned and pattered away before Yaya could ladle more soup. Yaya paused slightly, set down the ladle, and picked up the necklace from the table. Hmm... A quest item? It didn't seem to grant any stats, looking like ordinary quartz no matter how she examined it. Even so, Yaya happily pocketed the necklace. Just then, an unfamiliar guest arrived at the north gate market. With a furtive look on his face, the customer glanced around in all directions after entering the market, seemingly searching for something. When his gaze landed on the mushroom soup stall, his eyes instantly lit up. Walking over, he pointed at the pot, yanked open his wallet, pulled out a banknote, and slapped it on the table. "I want to buy a bowl. How much?" Why were only NPCs showing up today? Looking closer, wasn't this the liaison office's quartermaster? Staring at the 100 CR banknote on the table and listening to the gibberish she couldn't understand in the slightest, Yaya was caught between laughter and tears. What in the world? Is he here to buy the whole pot again? Just as Yaya was at a loss, a towering silhouette suddenly appeared beside her stall, coming to her rescue. "Haha, my friend, I've been looking for you for ages! So here you are! I just borrowed your phone earlier. By the way, that paper won't spend here; you need a special kind of coin in our parts. Consider this pot of soup my treat." Chu Guang smoothly took the banknote from the table and swiped his index finger across his VM. Hearing a *ding* from her VM, Yaya hastily raised her arm to take a look, and her mouth dropped open wide enough to fit a goose egg. 100 silver??? Ahhh! Isn't this way too much?! Seeing Chu Guang pocket the banknote, Luo Hua was dumbfounded as well. Wait a second... Didn't you say it was your treat? Give me back my money! "You haven't eaten yet either, right? Come with me. I've prepared good wine and good food." As he spoke, Chu Guang lifted the entire pot of mushroom soup. It smelled pretty fragrant. It should help pour a couple more bottles down this guy's throat. "Alcohol? You have alcohol here?" Luo Hua's face lit up with surprise and delight, instantly tossing the banknote out of his mind. Chu Guang looked at him quizzically. "You don't?" Luo Hua looked a bit embarrassed and chuckled sheepishly. "We do have ethanol, but we can't very well drink industrial alcohol, can we? Besides, the captain doesn't let us drink, saying alcohol impairs judgment..." Chu Guang adopted a thoughtful look. "Then wouldn't buying you a drink violate your discipline...?" Luo Hua darted a quick look around. Seeing that none of the killjoys were present, he waved his hand dismissively in a hurry. "No problem, no problem! I'm happy to share a couple of drinks with you. This counts as part of official business!" Seeing the impatient look on his face, Chu Guang smiled knowingly and patted his far-from-sturdy shoulder. "My friend, how can you call this official business? We're off the clock now. We should say... let us toast to friendship!" Delight spread across Luo Hua's brows as he nodded vigorously. "Right, right, right! Let us toast to friendship!" Watching the two men walk off into the distance, a dazed Yaya finally snapped out of the shock of receiving a hundred silver coins. She shot up from her stool like a spring. "W-wait a minute!" "Lord Administrator, I have another one here too!!!"