A Day in the Rear

On the bustling street. Stopping before a rather peculiar stall, Chen Yutong curiously picked up a mushroom and inspected it for a long while. Unable to discern anything unusual, she brought it beneath her nose. However, her motion caused Yaya to misunderstand, and the stall owner hastily rose to stop her. "That mushroom isn't meant to be eaten!" "I know... I was just smelling it." Chen Yutong naturally knew the mushroom was inedible. With its round red cap, flat, stubby white stalk, and round white spots dotting the cap, it looked like a deadly poisonous variety no matter how one looked at it. What puzzled her even more was that it felt just like rubber to the touch, though it gave off a peculiar fragrance. Seeing the bewildered expression on her face, Yaya gave an embarrassed smile and patiently explained, "This is a rubber mushroom! Found in the forests of Yumu District. Nearby survivors usually make brooches, buttons, or hairpins out of them." "Incredible... A mushroom can actually produce rubber!" The curiosity in Chen Yutong's eyes grew even more intense. "I heard a factory recently started refining rubber from it. While its quality and performance still lag a bit behind our Dilatant rubber, the yield is quite astonishing, and artificial cultivation isn't very difficult either. Aside from Kamu trees, a lot of the tire rubber around here comes from this stuff." "Amazing... I never saw this kind of mushroom in the Wandering Marsh," Chen Yutong said with feeling. Naturally. Even if someone had stumbled across one by chance, no one would have paid it any mind. Every mission of an exploration squad had a clear objective, and when off duty, they were equally busy; no one had the time to wander around aimlessly. "Heh-heh." Yaya curled her lips upward proudly. This accomplishment had been recorded in the Hall of Fame long ago. In truth, the achievement truly deserved praise. On the entire server, she was the most enthusiastic about collecting mushroom compendium entries. If not for this accidental discovery, the Alliance's rubber output certainly would not have grown at such a staggering rate, rivaling its steel output. "If you're interested, why not buy it to study?" Lao Bai chuckled, looking at Yaya. "How much?" "Five silver coins!" Taking the silver coins from Lao Bai's hand, Yaya's eyes curved into crescents of laughter. She even enthusiastically helped the somewhat self-conscious Chen Yutong pin the homemade mushroom hairpin into her hair. The red-and-white color scheme was practically universal. Fastened against her light brown hair, it did not clash in the slightest; instead, it added a lively, playful charm. Looking at herself in the mirror, Chen Yutong touched her hair with a finger, feeling slightly embarrassed and sensing that it did not quite suit her temperament. "Does it... look a bit unfitting on me?" "How could it?" Lao Bai said with a smile. "It would actually be strange for a girl your age not to dress up." "This gentleman is quite a smooth talker!" Boss Yaya playfully raised her eyebrows. Standing beside him, Chen Yutong let out an embarrassed little cough. "At my age, I can hardly be called a girl anymore..." Still. She truly liked the gift. Whether in terms of research value or aesthetic charm, it struck a chord with her interests. In fact, it was not merely the gift itself. It was the process of browsing and picking things out on the street, and the shopkeeper's charming smile as she fastened the accessory for her by hand... Neither in the survivor settlement for twelve years nor at the Academy for ten had she ever experienced this indescribable leisure and contentment. Originally, she had only intended to visit and take a look. Yet at this moment, for the very first time, a desire to integrate into this place welled up within her. She truly wished she could share this joy with her former teammates... As for Xuezhou, she would probably look much better in such brightly colored accessories than herself. Tracing the outline of the hairpin with her index finger, Chen Yutong said apologetically, "You spent too much on me." Walking beside her, Lao Bai smiled. "Don't worry about it. It's just five silver coins, hardly an expense." Although the Administrator had not given him mission funding, he had no reason to pinch pennies over such pocket change. To take a step back, the tracked vehicle they had acquired from the Beacon Squad was worth far more than this, and helping her settle into life here was his duty anyway. Chen Yutong lowered her head in thought for a moment before suddenly speaking up. "Where... should someone go if they want to find work here?" Lao Bai thought back for a moment. "City Hall has an employment registration office. After you fill out your information, they'll arrange a suitable job for you as quickly as possible. You can also check nearby vacancies at the subdistrict office... With your abilities, there's no need to worry. The Scientific Expedition will probably be fighting over you." "I'm not that capable... I'm only a Level-E prospector." "We don't care about status; we care more about competence." Looking at the slightly self-conscious Chen Yutong, Lao Bai offered an encouraging look. "I believe you'll do great!" "Then... I'll give it a try." Chen Yutong hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Like Jiang Xuezhou, her specialty lay in AI and information technology, though she considered her professional level far inferior to Little Jiang's. Otherwise, she would not have failed to become a researcher for so long. Lao Bai, however, did not seem to care about that at all. Throughout the rest of their walk, he did not mention work again, merely taking her from shop to shop to pick out daily essentials. Things like changes of clothes, washcloths, and even bedding for sleep. Though he had initially planned to buy only a few items, Lao Bai figured he might as well get everything in one trip, and before they knew it, a substantial pile had accumulated. Just like that, evening crept in. Looking at the assortment of bags in his hands, Lao Bai suddenly realized that having just arrived at the Alliance, she did not even have a place to stay yet. He said with a touch of awkwardness, "Sorry... I just remembered you don't have a place to stay." "It's fine." Chen Yutong could not help bursting into a soft laugh, smiling gently. "I forgot about it too..." Bringing her to his own place would be rather inconvenient. On one hand, he essentially used it as a warehouse without even a bed; on the other, he did not want to cause any misunderstandings. And so, carrying the bags and luggage they had bought, Lao Bai brought her to the Highway Town Inn, not far from the trading post. Unlike his last visit, the inn's lobby felt somewhat expanded, with quite a few more tables inside. He had heard that to solve the lodging shortage, the proprietor had bought out the warehouse adjacent to the inn and renovated it into a somewhat higher-end five-story apartment building, catering to traveling merchants who had certain standards for their living conditions. Supposedly, this had been sponsored by a guest from Ideal City, while the designer hired was a resident of Shelter 404. In a sense, this inn was like a piece of amber; though not long formed, it had witnessed the Alliance's growth. From the small wooden shack originally used to resettle the residents of Highway Town, it had expanded to over a thousand square meters today, yet the warmth of everyday life remained unchanged. Traveling merchants and survivors heading north and south would choose to rest their feet here, clinking glasses and exchanging rumors and intelligence brought from afar. However, it was only early evening, still a while before peak hours, and only a scattered few were seated in the lobby dining. From the moment she stepped across the threshold, Chen Yutong looked around with curiosity. At the Academy, there were no such facilities as inns, let alone the concept of "an inn lobby turning into a tavern at night." Fearing that wastelanders might covet their bionic prostheses, exploration squads on duty almost never stayed in survivor settlements outside the jurisdiction of the Science Committee, preferring to sleep in vehicles or spread bedrolls on cave floors. "Back from the front line?" Seeing Lao Bai step over the threshold into the lobby, old Hooker sitting behind the counter asked with a smile. "Just returned... Set me up with a room in the back courtyard, single occupancy." Old Hooker looked at him in surprise. "Well now, you're quite well-informed! I was just about to tell you about it, and you beat me to it." Lao Bai smiled without saying a word. Naturally, he would not mention that they had a place called the official website forum. Usually, while they shared frontline battle reports on the forum, lifestyle-class players were sharing developments in the rear. Such matters could be found with a casual search on the official forum. Pulling out a dog-eared ledger from beneath the counter, old Hooker laid it open. "I need to register... Is it for this lady?" "Yes." Unfamiliar with the local customs, Chen Yutong nodded with a slight hint of nervousness. Though not naturally shy or introverted, she instinctively spoke far less in an unfamiliar environment. Just as old Hooker was about to ask with a smile if she had any preferences for her lodging, Lao Bai spoke first. "Just pick a quiet, clean room for her, please." "Alright! The ones by the corner are the most spacious. Long-term or short-term lease?" "Long-term. Put the deposit on my tab." "No problem!" After inquiring about the guest's name and origin, old Hooker jotted down a few notes in the ledger with practiced ease. Upon learning that she came from the Wandering Marsh, a flicker of surprise crossed the old man's face, but he did not pry further, taking out two keys tagged with room numbers and tossing them onto the counter. Lao Bai handed both keys to Chen Yutong. Beaming at the two of them, old Hooker leaned his arms on the counter and continued, "You can leave the luggage here; I'll have a waiter carry it up to the room for you. Would you two like something to eat? Today's specials are mutant rhino ribs and garlic roasted potatoes." "Mutant rhino ribs?!" Halfway through the phrase, Chen Yutong suddenly realized her voice was a bit too loud. Though no one was paying attention to them, she lowered her voice in embarrassment and whispered, "Mutant rhinos... are edible?" There were plenty of mutants in the Wandering Marsh, but she had never heard of anyone eating them. Ordinary survivors lacked the capability to hunt mutants, and the various survivor settlements adhered to the Science Committee's teachings by excluding them from their diets, lacking sufficient spices to mask their foul taste anyway. As for the Academy, which prioritized nutritional components, they were even less likely to consume such things. However, she had once heard her squad leader mention that certain mutants possessed meat far more delicious than their appearance suggested, though eating them carried some risk. Old Hooker laughed heartily, saying with immense pride, "Of course they are! Once you've stayed here long enough, you'll learn that there are no inedible mutants, only people who don't know how to cook them." In the past, they had not eaten many of these mutants either. Ever since Shelter 404 unsealed, however, the shelter residents had developed various culinary methods, and within a radius of dozens of li, youkai and split-claw crabs had nearly been eaten to extinction. "Don't listen to his boasting; there are still plenty of things you can't eat." Seeing Chen Yutong swallow hard, Lao Bai gave a light cough and picked up the menu from the counter. "Mashed potatoes with cream, matsutake mushroom stewed two-headed beef, Mapo tofu, fish-fragrant shredded pork... and rice. Let's start with those." This girl's feet were glued to the floor the moment she heard about food. Then again, it was indeed dinner time, and he was feeling a bit hungry himself. "You didn't order a single special," old Hooker grumbled playfully, glanced over the order, and passed the slip through a curtained hatch to the kitchen. Then he looked at Lao Bai. "Care for something to drink?" Before Lao Bai could speak, Chen Yutong asked expectantly, "Do you have cola and vodka?" "Cola and vodka? Of course we do..." Looking at the eager girl, old Hooker was briefly taken aback before a look of understanding dawned on his face, accompanied by a knowing smile. "Ah, that! I see what you mean. You want to try our specialty cocktail, don't you?" "Specialty cocktail?" Chen Yutong asked blankly. "That's right, it's been all the rage lately... another concoction dreamed up by the shelter residents." Seeing Chen Yutong's expectant expression, Lao Bai remembered he had promised earlier to treat her to a drink. He cleared his throat and said, "Bring one of those, then." Old Hooker smiled. "Right away!" Ordering himself a mug of beer, Lao Bai led Chen Yutong to a wooden table near the counter. Watching the waiter carry the luggage toward the rooms, Chen Yutong thought of today's expenses and turned to Lao Bai with an embarrassed expression. "Today... thank you. Once I find a job and earn G-points—I mean silver coins—I'll pay you back." Looking at the self-conscious Chen Yutong, Lao Bai smiled and said, "Don't say such things. It's really not worth worrying over." It was rare to find an NPC friend he could talk with for hours, and since he was the one who had brought her to the Alliance, he could hardly just abandon her here. Besides, he always felt she was very much like him. Though their motivations and journeys were completely different, both belonged to the sort of people who cared more about the "meaning of living" than simply staying alive. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that they hit it off so well in conversation. Even though, just a week ago, they had been killing each other on the battlefield for opposing sides. Just then, Lisa approached carrying a tray. She wore a waitress dress designed by Teng Teng's Cottage, with a white ribbon tied in her light brown hair. After a period of adjustment, the young girl had grown accustomed to life here, and her smile was far brighter than when she had first arrived. "Sir, your beer and Sleeping Black Tea." Hearing that last term, Lao Bai, who was sipping water, nearly spat it all out. He choked into a fit of coughing, taking a long while to recover. "Which genius coined that name?!" Lisa looked at Lao Bai's exaggerated reaction in bewilderment, clutching her tray, slightly flustered. "I don't know... I heard it was some shelter resident? Um... is there something wrong with the name?" "No, no, my apologies. I misheard..." Even if something was wrong with it, it was hardly easy to explain. Under the puzzled gazes of Chen Yutong and Lisa, Lao Bai flusteredly reached for a napkin and wiped his mouth. In fact, one could guess without asking. Tail was not here. It could only be Mosquito. Seeing that the two did not need any further assistance, Lisa gave a slight bow, turned with her tray, and went back to work. Unlike Lao Bai's reaction, Chen Yutong seemed quite intrigued by the specialty cocktail's name. She stared curiously at the crystal-clear glass and leaned in to sniff it. "This is an alcoholic beverage fit for drinking? Incredible..." "Incredible" was probably her most frequently used word today. "But why is it called Sleeping Black Tea? Did they add tea polyphenols to it?" "It has nothing to do with tea... Anyway, this is the vodka mixed with cola I told you about. Take it easy while drinking it. It's only suitable for beginners because it goes down easily, but the base is still hard liquor. Drink too much, and it'll hit you hard." Watching Ms. Chen prepare to take a sip, Lao Bai gave her an earnest warning. Chen Yutong took a small sip and furrowed her brows slightly. "A peculiar flavor." A bit strange. She took another sip. Watching Chen Yutong sample it like a pecking chick, Lao Bai took a drink of beer and teased, "To be honest, I really can't imagine life over where you're from... Your technology ought to be more advanced than the Enterprise's, right? But you give me the impression of strictly disciplined monks." "Monks?" Chen Yutong paused, unfamiliar with the word. "Servants of God, priests, or ascetics? Something along those lines," Lao Bai explained, trying to use terms from the Human Alliance language. "Ascetics, you say..." Setting down her glass, Chen Yutong rested her chin in thought for a moment before answering with precision, "Before entering the Academy, it might indeed be difficult. But life inside the Academy is actually not harsh at all; on the contrary, it is quite prosperous." Lao Bai asked curiously, "In what way?" Chen Yutong thought for a moment. "At least in my memory, the supply of food and consumer goods has never run short. Only a few special items require custom orders." Lao Bai nodded in understanding. Thinking about it, that made sense. After all, the Academy possessed the largest number of black boxes in the entire wasteland. And besides black boxes, they lacked neither production techniques nor methods. Primary and secondary industries were fully supplied by survivor settlements under the Science Committee, and resources were distributed under the overall planning of the Academy's Department of Foreign Affairs, heavily concentrated toward scientific researchers. At the very least, the researchers of the Academy would never be poor. After hearing Chen Yutong's words, Lao Bai suddenly realized that this Academy was not quite as "fragile" as he had imagined. In fact, it was sturdier than he thought. They had a complete organizational structure and talent selection system. Every single individual capable of entering this vast, tight-knit organization was undoubtedly an expert. Abundant material supplies allowed them to focus on their work. G-points limited the proportion of wealth individuals could hold in society to a certain extent, while K-points ensured that every cog in the system operated in the appropriate position and in the appropriate manner. Survivors who failed to become researchers or possessed mismatched specialties might indeed have it rough, but this was a system designed by researchers after all; its first priority was naturally to satisfy researchers' needs, which could hardly be helped. This organization not only possessed a clear framework, but also a definitive program of action and goal—namely, to recover every possible legacy of the Era of Prosperity before resources ran dry! And once that goal was achieved, they would venture to more distant worlds to expand frontiers and keep the flame of civilization alive. Though this ideal sounded magnificent, Lao Bai always felt that if they truly reached that stage, human civilization in this game world would probably have nothing left but a single science ship. He did not understand grand principles. Yet he knew that a man lighting a cigarette with matches today might switch to a lighter tomorrow, but unless a momentous day arrived, he would never think to quit smoking altogether. Lightly tapping the rim of the glass with her index finger, Chen Yutong sorted through the fragments in the corners of her memory, murmuring reminiscently, "...The Academy strictly taboos waste and the meaningless use of resources. According to Dr. Conclusion's calculations, at the current rate of resource consumption on this planet, the legacy of the Era of Prosperity can sustain humanity for two centuries at most before running out." As she spoke those words, an instinctive twinge of guilt surfaced in her heart. Yet upon hearing her words, Lao Bai merely smiled. "He can even calculate that?" Chen Yutong nodded gently. "He is the wisest, most learned, and most far-sighted person on this planet." Lao Bai remarked offhandedly, "Then did he calculate which year the nuclear winter will end?" Chen Yutong froze for a moment. "That... I'm not sure." Lao Bai clinked his mug against her glass, grinning. "See? Seems your doctor isn't omnipotent either. I think it's better not to overthink things. Let people two centuries from now worry about matters two centuries later. Those living in the present should simply take good care of those around them right now—I think that's plenty." Perhaps reminded of something, Chen Yutong, who had just opened her mouth, checked her words and nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps you are right." The sumptuous food was soon served. Chen Yutong, who had looked so solemn a moment ago, was quickly drawn by the stewed meat wafting an intoxicating aroma. And the mashed potatoes beside it. "Wh-what is this?! Why is it so yummmmy!" Supporting her chin with her left hand, her voice distorted with excitement. "Mashed potatoes... We used to mix them with hyena fat and ram horn potatoes, but now that conditions have improved, it seems they've switched to real potatoes and cream." She was an inexperienced young woman after all, unable to resist the temptation of delicious food. Watching Chen Yutong devour the meal, Lao Bai could not help smiling gently. Seeing that she could already use chopsticks skillfully without needing his assistance, he shifted his gaze toward the far end of the lobby. Outside the doors, the night grew deeper, and the inn's lobby became livelier. Watching the rising clamor of voices and the overflowing foam of beer, Lao Bai's lips curved into a smile, and he took a contented swig of his beer. Whenever he sat here, his heart felt extraordinarily full. Though it was a virtual life, he could distinctly sense an indescribable feeling—this world needed him. With his own eyes, he could see the changes his efforts brought to this world, the prosperity brought to the Alliance that belonged to them all. None of this was his achievement alone, yet every bit of it was inseparable from their courageous battles and life-or-death struggles on the front line. This was the everyday life he protected! Lao Bai's thoughts drifted into the distance, imagining what this place would look like many years from now. Just then, he noticed that Lisa, having served the final dish on the wooden table, had not walked away. Instead, she stood nearby, hesitating as if wanting to speak. Vaguely guessing what it was about, he said in a gentle tone, "Is something the matter?" The young girl gave a small nod, gathering her courage to ask, "Um, Pangolin... is he doing alright?" Having spoken so fluently before, she suddenly began to stutter upon mentioning that name. "Him..." Lao Bai's expression turned somewhat subtle. Lately, that guy did not seem satisfied with Korwei's "favor" and had hooked up with some beautiful reporter from Triumph City. Of course, that was mostly boasting born from being teased into a corner. After all, in the eyes of the vast majority of Wilante, other races were merely cattle. Unless that beauty had exceptionally peculiar tastes, she would never look favorably upon a "native." Unable to bear seeing disappointment taint that lovely face, Lao Bai took a sip of beer and, fueled by the alcohol, began to spin a yarn. "He's very brave and a great help to us. Thanks to him, the battle is progressing very smoothly. If things go fast... you should be able to see him before the end of the year." Without doubting his words in the slightest, a gleam of hope blossomed in Lisa's eyes. "Could you tell me a little more about him?" Though he had expected to hear this question, Lao Bai still felt a massive headache coming on. How glamorous could an undercover agent's job really be? More importantly, he could hardly talk about sensitive insider details! There was no choice. He would just have to make things up. Seeing pairs of curious eyes around the room drifting in their direction, Lao Bai sighed softly in his heart and opened the floodgates of conversation. "Speaking of the great victory at Oasis No. 3, one cannot avoid mentioning Hill 330. And speaking of Hill 330, one must begin with a timely bowl of chicken soup..."