New Year

At the north gate. Beneath a spacious canopy stood a long table, flanked by two braziers where charcoal fires burned brightly. Clad in his blue power armor, Chu Guang stood under the shelter, looking out at the little players bustling about the market with an affectionate, fatherly smile on his face. Not bad. Drawing a pie and letting the players bake it themselves—this really was what a game planner was supposed to do. Chu Guang had originally thought organizing this celebration would consume a significant portion of their stockpile, but now it seemed his worries had been entirely unnecessary. The little players had clearly read his event announcement several times over; they had even approached it from the perspective of the game's lore, digging out the underlying intent he'd been too embarrassed to explicitly write into the copy. Wasteland Gourmet, after all. Naturally, one had to use "authentic" wasteland ingredients. Otherwise, how could you have the gall to claim your dish was "the purest taste of the wasteland"? Crispy cave cricket meat, deep-fried mutant cockroach legs, leeches squirming in the pot, and glowing bloodsucker steaks—bring them all on! Of course, Chu Guang wouldn't touch any of it himself. He didn't have infinite extra lives. It was far better to stick to something healthy and hygienic. The competition featured three awards in total: One for the delicacy chosen by the wastelanders, one for the delicacy favored by the players, and one for the recognition of the esteemed Administrator. The three awards had different judging criteria and different panels of judges, but the prizes were largely identical: Namely, a massive amount of event points! A limited-edition title! And induction into the Hall of Fame to shine brilliantly across the forum! As with previous events, completing missions during the event awarded points, which could be exchanged for event-limited rewards and New Year red packets—which were, in reality, just a lottery under a different name. Prizes included, but were not limited to, a first prize of 666 silver coins, as well as a grand prize—a carbon nanotube bulletproof vest valued at 6,666 silver coins. The item had never been stocked in the NPC shop, and Chu Guang had pulled the price entirely out of thin air; regardless, even if he had added another zero, no one would likely have argued. Besides the raffle, what interested the players most was naturally the limited title and the chance to enter the Hall of Fame. Moreover, according to the Administrator himself, whoever won the title of "Wasteland Gourmet" would have their dish featured on the menu of this year's New Year's Eve gala banquet. For lifestyle players, this temptation was simply irresistible. In their race to compete for the title, virtually all seasonings in the warehouse except salt were bought out. It reached the point where Chu Guang had to make a temporary adjustment to his event strategy: removing seasonings from the warehouse shelves and making them rewards for completing daily missions instead. Thanks to this, the completion rate of daily active tasks over the past few days had been remarkably gratifying, and as the Administrator, he had reaped a healthy sum of reward points from the system. To meet the players' culinary demands, Chu Guang had dumped nearly all his points into basic blind boxes over the past few days, acquiring quite a few high-yield crop seeds in the process. It could be considered an unexpected bonus. Looking at the wooden placard on the table, Xia Yan turned to Chu Guang with a puzzled expression. "What is a 'judge' supposed to be?" She had never heard such a strange term before. After a moment's thought, Chu Guang explained: "Simply put, take a stroll around the north gate, grab whatever looks good, and if it tastes great, give it a thumbs-up." Of course, Yaya had to taste it first. As a Perception-type player, her talent was Toxin Intuition; she could spot inedible things at a single glance. Furthermore, her Constitution stat was not high, so if she ate something and was fine, practically anyone else could eat it too. Yaya was thrilled to be appointed as the "food taster." Chu Guang still remembered how that little player had thumped her chest, assuring him she would do everything in her power to preserve the festival's order and practically begging him to entrust this "glorious yet arduous" task to her. "Ohhh, so that's it." Xia Yan nodded in dazed understanding. To sum it up... she could just take whatever food caught her eye? Eat and drink for free without spending a single coin? Wasn't that just incredible?! Sitting behind the long table, Xiaoyu looked slightly uneasy. Sneaking a glance at Big Brother Chu, she spoke in a timid, quiet voice: "But... is it really okay if we don't pay?" To be honest, the question was rather redundant. Why would judges pay for food? Not charging an entry fee was generous enough! Not to mention that simply entering earned event points; even the lowest consolation prize was more than enough to cover the meal. Chu Guang had originally intended to answer like that, but seeing Xiaoyu's guilty little face, he swallowed his words and changed his tone. Being a scumbag developer was something he could carry on his own shoulders. He couldn't corrupt a child. "This is part of the festival, and the shelter will cover the event's expenses... You can think of it as already paid for." He paused for a beat. Looking at the bewildered Xiaoyu, Chu Guang smiled gently and added, "Just remember to say thank you before you taste their food." "It'll make their day." Boss Xia, standing nearby with arms crossed, nodded as well in half-understanding. Got it. It wasn't free dining. It was dining on the public dime. ... The New Year's culinary competition was in full swing. To secure the limited title, both lifestyle players and combat players gave it everything they had. The event continued until the final day of December. It turned out to be a rare sunny day. The howling north wind and blizzards were at the end of their tether, and the harsh winter seemed to be drawing to a close. Everything pointed toward dawn's approach; victory was right before their eyes! To welcome the impending Wasteland Era Year 212, the outpost base was decked in festive lanterns and streamers, brimming with lively cheer. Red paper was pasted beside doorways, and strips of bright crimson cloth and ribbons fluttered outside many houses. To heighten the festive atmosphere, Chu Guang had even issued a quest for the woodworking shed to craft more than forty lanterns, strung all the way from the plaza in front of the sanatorium down to the market at the north gate. At dusk, the forty-odd lanterns were lit. Their hazy, warm glow, paired with the blazing torches, infused the bustling outpost with an even richer festive hue. Chu Guang realized that his little players were absolute geniuses. In the span of just one week, despite scarce resources, they had shockingly unlocked over a hundred recipes. Some of their wildly creative brainstorms even left him clicking his tongue in marvel. Take Tengteng, for example. Supposedly drawing inspiration from nomads, she enlisted the help of the Qiu sisters—Qiu Cao and Qiu Ye—to simmer devil moth pupae down into insect gelatin, creating something akin to sandworm jelly. Crystal-clear, milky-white, and soft, it tasted just like fruit jelly; unless someone brought it up, no one would ever associate it with devil moths. Without any suspense, this delicacy swept the "Most Popular Wasteland Delicacy Among Players" award. After all, compared to Lao Na's salt-and-pepper charcoal-grilled mantis legs or various "real-world delicacies" that bore no relation to the wasteland, this dish cleverly struck a balance between the two. What's more, its flavor and texture were genuinely pleasant, placing it squarely in the "True Neutral" category. The only pity was the lack of chili sauce, which would have made it even tastier. However, not everyone was satisfied with the outcome. Especially those who had come "just that close" to winning... "Fuck! Why aren't I the Wasteland Gourmet?! It clearly tastes so good!" "Exactly!" "This is outrageous!" The award judging had ended at noon, and now was time for the festival proper. Refusing to admit defeat, Mole on the Run from the Canyon, Elven King Fugui, and Lao Na grilled up all their remaining mantis legs, determined to vindicate themselves through flavor. Unfortunately, foot traffic at their stall remained sparse, with almost nobody stopping by. Even after verifying it wasn't poisonous, Yaya still shook her head like a rattle-drum. "Sorry, visceral revulsion. I literally cannot stomach this kind of gourmet dish!" The kindhearted and lovely Miss Tengteng leaned in for a look, intending to buy a bit to comfort them. But as she prepared to pay, she couldn't help asking in a tiny whisper: "Say... is this really free of horsehair worms?" Hearing that, Brother Mole felt like salt had been rubbed into an open wound. He protested with indignant grief: "Where do you think all these horsehair worms come from?! It's not like every mantis has them!" Elven King Fugui chimed in, "Yeah! They're fried to a crisp! And didn't she confirm they're not toxic?" Elaina: "Fuck! Do you know how hard it was to hunt these down in the dead of winter?!" "Sorry, sorry, I-I won't ask..." Tengteng hurriedly pulled out her VM. Although she didn't know why she was apologizing, she paid for a portion anyway. Unable to watch any longer, Ye Shi walked over, patted Elaina on the shoulder, and sighed. "Give it a rest, Lao Na. Let's just drop it. Stop struggling." Elaina said in indignant rage, "Piss off! I'm not logging off until everything's sold out!" Ye Shi silently released his grip. Good lord. So he was ready to pull an all-nighter... ... The award for the delicacy most approved by the players had been captured by Tengteng in one fell swoop. Meanwhile, the delicacy recognized by Boss Xia, Xiaoyu, Yin Fang, Heya, the guards, the warehouse keepers, and the rest of the NPC crowd was Yaya's "mushroom cloud cake." Even as the food tester, she had entered the competition herself. Whipping egg whites using eggs bought from the Frost Spear Clan mixed with white sugar, Yaya had cleverly piped the meringue through a round piping tip into petite mushroom caps, ringing them with shaved chocolate. The finished cake looked remarkably like a mushroom cloud, with the surrounding chocolate shavings forming a nuclear crater. If one stretched the definition, it could barely pass as wasteland-themed fare. Truth be told, in Chu Guang's view, this was an outright gimmick. The chocolate, sugar, and eggs were all purchased, and far from cheap. Even though Chu Guang had repeatedly stressed that he wanted cheap and tasty food, the NPCs had all been conquered by the taste of chocolate, showing zero interest in authentic wasteland fare. Looking at Xiaoyu's shining eyes, Chu Guang couldn't bring himself to cast a veto, so he kept his silence. Fortunately, he had anticipated that the voting might stray, which was why he had added a third award: "Most Approved Delicacy by the Administrator." This award would be presented by him personally. The dish that won this prize was the Ox and Horse Squad's "split-claw crab patty." Mixing 400 grams of split-claw crab meat with 450 grams of green wheat flour, along with 10 grams of salt, a pinch of buffalo grass powder, and freshly squeezed whiteberry juice yielded a full kilogram of seasoned split-claw crab mince. Patties formed from this minced meat were devoid of green wheat's oxalic acidity while preserving the flavor of the crab; their deliciousness was beyond doubt. Filling, generous in portion, and easy to preserve, Chu Guang awarded the prize to its inventors without hesitation. Because it was a collaborative effort, head chef Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes' name would be featured on the main page of the Hall of Fame, while the other contributors would be listed on a sub-page. The other members had no objections to this arrangement; after all, their names had already entered the Hall of Fame long ago. Giving this rare opportunity to Brother Scrambled Eggs had been their own joint decision from the start. Standing at the base's north gate, clad in his power armor, Chu Guang announced the final results in a resonant voice, then raised his cup toward the crowd at the festival. "Celebrate the final day of the old year!" "Let us toast to the coming year's bountiful harvest!" He had intended to say much more, but seeing the little players' faces brimming with excitement, Chu Guang suddenly felt that giving a lengthy speech right now would be superfluous. Better to leave the time to them. He would quietly play his part as a dashing, handsome NPC. As his words fell, cheers instantly erupted across the north gate market as wooden cups were hoisted high into the air. "Awoooo!" "Planner-god is awesome!" "Sob sob, I finally don't have to eat takeout alone this New Year's!" "Don't kid yourself, bro. Once you take off your helmet, you still gotta eat." "All right, shut up, say any more and the tears are gonna fall." There were around five hundred players who chose to celebrate the holiday in the game, and practically all of them were gathered here. As for the other three hundred, they were either busy in real life or spending time with family, and probably wouldn't log on until after noon tomorrow. Beyond the players, the NPCs attending the festivities were also radiating sheer delight and happiness. So a celebration could be this joyous! So this was what a holiday was! Life seemed to carry fresh hope, and though they didn't realize it, a sense of cultural belonging was quietly taking root in their hearts. Chu Guang brought out the last few casks of red wine from the stockpile and poured a small cup for everyone. Though the supply was wiped out, Chu Guang didn't feel the slightest pang of regret. For one, he had resolved to drink less in this life, avoiding alcohol whenever possible. For another, the wine had been looted from Old Leech's cellar anyway, so running out hardly mattered. There would be new wine next year. "Cheers! *Hic*—" Boss Xia raised her cup excitedly, downed it in a single gulp, and stumbled over with a flushed face to ask Chu Guang if there was more—a textbook definition of someone who loved drinking despite having zero tolerance. Sitting by the brazier, Xiaoyu sipped her milk in tiny mouthfuls, watching Xia Yan with slight concern, worried she might drink herself unconscious again like last time. Yin Fang stared at his cup for a while, gave it a sniff, drank it down with a furrowed brow, and then muttered to himself as he returned to the shelter to continue his research. Heya, on the other hand, drained her cup in one go without a flicker of change in her expression, standing there watching the lively players and wastelanders with keen interest. For someone who had grown up in a vault, everything here was thoroughly captivating— Whether it was DNA or culture. Having handed his own cup to Boss Xia, Chu Guang looked at the empty cup in Heya's hand with a faint look of surprise. "I didn't expect you to have such a surprisingly high tolerance." Heya saw nothing strange about it and replied matter-of-factly: "After all, my liver, stomach, and... are bionic organs. I can choose to selectively absorb it, or not absorb it at all." Chu Guang: "..." Fine. What a waste of good wine. The outpost base wasn't the only place celebrating the New Year. After announcing the start of the festivities, Chu Guang had posted a quest via the VM, selecting a few little players to head to the temporary shelter at the abandoned department store to bring New Year greetings to the refugees there. It wasn't a massive shipment— Roughly 300 kilograms of crab patties. Though each person would only receive a modest 200-gram crab patty, it was split-claw crab meat after all. He believed this New Year's gift from Shelter 404 would bring them a touch of warmth. ... "Damn it, why won't bear paw braised catfish soup work?!" The celebration was already in its second half. Guarding a pot of pitch-black, rapidly cooling fish soup, Tail squatted on the ground in deep dejection, tracing circles in the snow with a twig. Sisi comforted her from the side. "I don't think there's anything wrong with the dish itself; it's probably an issue with the cooking method... By the way, why is the stewed soup black? Wasn't it white before?" "Please don't focus on minor details." "No... I think it's better to figure that out." Having wolfed down all the grilled mantis legs while no one was looking to pretend they had sold out, Elaina happened to wander over. Catching sight of that dark-cuisine concoction stuffed with a bear paw and fish head, he couldn't resist gloating: "Don't tell me you guys stewed Rourou?" Tail glared at him indignantly. "How could you! Rourou can speak!" Besides, that was her mount! One she had painstakingly tamed. Sisi, seated next to Tail, sighed and said helplessly, "It's not Rourou's paw, but it does have something to do with Rourou. In short, Tail used Rourou as bait to lure a hibernating brown bear out of its cave. Ermmm... the situation was a bit chaotic back then, so I won't go into details." Elaina scratched the back of his head. "Uh, as curious as I am about the details, maybe I shouldn't ask?" The players nearby who overheard cast sympathetic looks at Rourou, who looked like he was about to burst into tears. "Wait a second! Explain it clearly! Everyone's completely getting the wrong idea!" Ignoring her teammates' bickering, Tail continued to grumble: "Damn it, the taste wasn't even bad!" Sisi patted her shoulder. "There, there, don't be sad... Oh, looks like a quest popped up, and it seems to be a hidden quest. Tail-tail, wanna come?" At the mention of a hidden quest, Tail bounced up in an instant, her eyes sparkling. "Yes!" An affectionate, fatherly smile appeared on Sisi's face. This kid was way too easy to coax.