Chapter 485 Daily life in the rear
Chapter 485 Daily life in the rear area On
the bustling street.
Stopping in front of a unique stall, Chen Yutong curiously picked up a mushroom and looked at it for a long time. She really couldn’t see anything, so she put it close to her nose.
However, her action caused Yaya to misunderstand, and she quickly stood up to stop her.
”This mushroom is not for eating.”
”I know… just smell it.”
Chen Yutong certainly knew that this mushroom was not edible.
The round red umbrella and the short flat white stem, with round white spots on the umbrella, are poisonous species no matter how you look at it.
What’s more strange to her is that this thing feels like rubber when you pinch it, but it smells special. Seeing
the confused expression on her face, Yaya smiled embarrassedly and explained patiently.
”This is a rubber mushroom. It was picked up in the forest of the Elm District. The survivors nearby usually make it into brooches, buttons or hairpins.”
”Incredible… Mushrooms can actually produce rubber!” The curiosity in Chen Yutong’s eyes became stronger.
”I heard that a factory recently started to use it to refine rubber. Although the quality is still a little different from our Dilat rubber, the yield is quite amazing, and it is not difficult to cultivate artificially. In addition to the Kamu tree, the rubber for many tires here is provided by this thing.”
”Amazing… I have never seen this kind of mushroom in the Wandering Swamp.” Chen Yutong said with emotion.
Of course.
Maybe no one would pay attention to it even if they saw it by chance.
Every time the exploration team goes out, they have a clear goal, and when they are not on duty, they are also very busy and there is no time to wander around.
”Hehe.” Yaya raised the corner of her mouth proudly.
This achievement was recorded in the Hall of Fame a long time ago.
In fact, this achievement is indeed worthy of praise. She is the most enthusiastic about collecting mushroom illustrations in the entire server. If it were not for this accidental discovery, the rubber output value of the alliance would definitely not have grown as amazingly as the steel output value.
”If you are interested, buy it and study it,” Lao Bai smiled, looked at Ya Ya and said, “How much?”
”5 silver coins!”
After taking the silver coin from Lao Bai, Ya Ya’s eyes narrowed into crescents, and even enthusiastically helped Chen Yutong, who was a little embarrassed, to put on its homemade mushroom hairpin. The
red and white color combination is simply versatile. There is no sense of disobedience when it is pinned on the light brown hair, but it adds a bit of liveliness and playfulness.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Chen Yutong touched her hair with her fingers a little embarrassedly, always feeling that it didn’t match her temperament.
”Would it be a bit unsuitable for me?”
”Why?” Lao Bai said with a smile, “It would be strange for a girl of your age not to dress up.”
”This gentleman is very talkative!”
Boss Ya squeezed his eyebrows mischievously, and Chen Yutong, who was standing next to him, coughed lightly embarrassedly.
”I can’t be considered a girl at my age…”
However.
She really likes this gift.
Whether it is research value or aesthetics, it hits the point of interest in her heart.
It’s not even just the gift itself.
Including the process of choosing on the street, and the charming smile of the boss lady when she put the accessories on her…
Whether in the twelve years in the survivor settlement or the ten years in the academy, she has never experienced such an indescribable leisure and satisfaction.
Originally, she just wanted to come here to take a look.
But now, for the first time, she felt like integrating into this place.
I really want to share this joy with my former teammates…
Xuezhou should be more suitable for such colorful accessories than me.
Touching the outline of the hairpin with her index finger, Chen Yutong said unkindly.
”I’m sorry to make you spend money.”
Lao Bai, who was walking next to him, smiled and said.
”It’s okay, it’s just 5 silver coins, it’s not a big deal.”
Although the manager didn’t give him the mission funds, he didn’t have to worry about this little money. Even
if they took a step back, the tracked vehicle they got from the Beacon Team cost more than this money, and it was also their responsibility to help her integrate into life here.
Chen Yutong lowered her head and thought for a while, and suddenly spoke.
”Here… where should I go if I want to work?”
Lao Bai recalled.
”There is an employment registration office at the city hall. After you fill in the information, we will help you arrange a job as soon as possible. The street office can also check nearby vacancies… Don’t worry about your ability. The scientific expedition team will probably be scrambling for people.”
”I’m not that great… I’m just an E-level explorer.”
”We don’t value identity, but ability,” Lao Bai looked at Chen Yutong, who was a little embarrassed, and gave her an encouraging look, “I believe you can do it!”
”Then… I’ll try.” Chen Yutong hesitated for a moment and nodded.
Her major is AI and information technology, just like Jiang Xuezhou, but she feels that her professional level is much inferior to Xiao Jiang.
Otherwise, she would not have been unable to become a researcher.
However, Lao Bai didn’t seem to care about this at all. He never mentioned work along the way. He just took her everywhere to buy and pick out some things she needed in life.
For example, clothes for changing, towels for washing, and even bedding for sleeping.
Although he only planned to buy a little at first, Lao Bai thought he might as well buy them all at once, so he bought a lot without realizing it.
In this way, time passed unknowingly until the evening.
Looking at the large and small bags in his hands, Lao Bai suddenly remembered that she had just arrived at the Alliance and had no place to live.
He said with a little embarrassment.
”Sorry… I just remembered that you have no place to live.”
”It’s okay.” Chen Yutong couldn’t help but chuckled and smiled, “I forgot…”
It was somewhat inconvenient to bring someone to his own home.
On the one hand, he basically used the place as a warehouse, without even a bed, and on the other hand, he was afraid that people would misunderstand.
So, Lao Bai carried the large and small bags he bought and took her to the Highway Town Hotel not far from the trading post.
Unlike the last time I came here, the lobby area of this hotel seemed to be wider, and there were many more tables inside.
I heard that in order to solve the problem of tight housing supply, the boss here simply bought the warehouse next to the hotel and turned it into a five-story apartment with a slightly higher grade, providing it to those merchants who have certain needs for living environment.
It is said that this was sponsored by a guest from Ideal City, and the designer hired was a resident of Shelter No. 404.
In a sense, this hotel is like a piece of amber. Although it was formed not long ago, it has witnessed the growth of the alliance.
From the original small wooden house left for the residents of Highway Town to settle down, it has now developed into thousands of square meters. The only thing that remains unchanged is the atmosphere of fireworks here.
Merchants and survivors from all over the country will choose to rest here, and talk about rumors and information brought from afar while drinking.
But it’s just evening now, and there’s still a while before the bustle. There are only a few people sitting in the lobby for dinner.
From the moment he walked into the lobby, Chen Yutong looked around curiously.
There is no such facility as a hotel in the college, and there is no concept of “the lobby of the hotel is a beer hall at night.”
Because they were worried about being noticed by the wastelanders for their bionic prostheses, the exploration teams on duty would hardly stay in the survivors’ settlements outside the jurisdiction of the Science and Technology Committee, and would rather sleep in the car or on the floor in the cave.
”Come down from the front?” Looking at Old White who walked over the threshold and into the hotel lobby, the old man Hook, who was sitting behind the bar, asked with a smile.
”Just came back… open a room in the backyard for me, for one person.”
Old Hook looked at him in surprise.
”Hey, you are well-informed. I was just about to introduce it to you, but you knew it first.”
Old White smiled and said nothing.
Of course he wouldn’t say that they have a place called “Official Forum”.
Usually they share the battle situation on the front line on the forum, and the professional players of life also share the changes in the rear.
This kind of thing can be found by searching the official forum.
Old Hook took out a curled account book from under the counter and spread it on the counter.
”I have to register… Is this lady staying here?”
”Yes.” Chen Yutong, who was not familiar with the rules here, nodded slightly nervously.
Although she was not an introvert or shy person, she subconsciously spoke less in an unfamiliar environment. Just
as Old Hook was about to ask her with a smile if she had any requirements for the accommodation environment, Old White, who was standing next to her, spoke first.
”Please help me pick a quiet and clean room.”
”Okay, the rooms at the corner are the most spacious. Long-term or short-term?”
”Long-term, the deposit will be put on my account.”
”No problem!”
After asking the guest’s name and origin, Old Hook skillfully wrote two strokes on the notebook.
When he learned that she came from the Wandering Swamp, the old man’s face showed a hint of surprise, but he didn’t ask much. He took out two keys with house numbers and threw them on the table.
Old White gave both keys to Chen Yutong.
Looking at the two with a smile, Old Hook put his arm on the counter and continued.
”Just leave your luggage here. I’ll have the waiter take it to your room. Would you like to eat something? Today’s recommended dishes are mutant rhino ribs and garlic roasted potatoes.”
”Mutated rhino ribs?!”
Chen Yutong suddenly realized that her voice was a little loud when she was halfway through her words. Although no one was paying attention to this side, she still felt embarrassed and lowered her voice and whispered.
”Mutated rhino… can it be eaten?”
There are many alien species in the Wandering Swamp, but she has never heard of anyone eating those things.
Ordinary survivors do not have the ability to hunt alien species. The major survivor settlements follow the teachings of the Science Committee and will not include them in the diet, and there are not enough spices to cover their taste. The academy that pays attention to nutritional content will not eat these things. However,
she did hear the captain mention once that the meat of some alien species is more delicious than it looks, but there are some risks when eating it.
Old Hook laughed and said proudly.
”Of course, you will know after staying here for a long time. There are no alien species that cannot be eaten, only people who don’t know how to eat them.”
They didn’t eat many alien species before.
But since the 404 shelter was unsealed, as the residents of the shelter developed various methods of processing food, the monsters and cracked crabs within a radius of dozens of miles were almost eaten to extinction by them.
”Don’t listen to his bragging, there are still many things that can’t be eaten.”
Looking at Chen Yutong swallowing his saliva, Lao Bai coughed lightly and picked up the menu on the counter.
”Cream mashed potatoes, two-headed beef stewed with matsutake mushrooms, mapo tofu, fish-flavored pork shreds… and rice, let’s take these first.”
This guy couldn’t move his legs when he heard about eating.
But it was time for dinner, and he felt a little hungry.
”You didn’t order any recommended dishes.”
Old Hook complained, glanced at the menu, and sent it to the kitchen through the small window covered with a curtain next to it.
Then he looked at Lao Bai.
”Would you like something to drink?”
Before Lao Bai could speak, Chen Yutong said with anticipation.
”Do you have coke and vodka?”
”Coke and vodka? Of course we do…”
Looking at this expectant girl, Old Hook was slightly stunned, and suddenly understood something, then a very understanding smile appeared on his face, “Oh, that… I roughly understand what you mean, the guest wants to try our special cocktails, right?”
”Special cocktails?” Chen Yutong asked blankly.
”Yes, it’s very popular recently… It’s also the way of drinking that the residents of the shelter are thinking about.”
Looking at Chen Yutong’s expectant expression, Old White remembered that he had promised to buy her a drink before, so he coughed lightly and said.
”Let’s have a drink.”
Old Hook smiled slightly.
”Okay!”
After ordering a beer for himself, Old White took Chen Yutong to sit at the wooden table near the bar.
Looking at the waiter who sent the luggage to the room, Chen Yutong thought about today’s expenses, looked at Old White and said embarrassedly.
”Today… Thank you. When I find a job and earn G points – I mean silver coins, I will pay you back.”
Looking at the embarrassed Chen Yutong, Old White smiled and said.
”Don’t say that. It’s not worth it for such a small amount of money.”
It was rare for him to meet an NPC friend with whom he could chat for a long time. Besides, he had lured the person to the Alliance. Of course, he couldn’t just leave him here and ignore him.
And he always felt that she was very similar to him.
Although their original intentions and processes were completely different, they were both the kind of people who paid more attention to the “meaning of life” than to life itself.
Perhaps that was why they could chat so well.
Even a week ago, they were still fighting for different positions on the battlefield.
At this time, Lisa came over with a plate of food.
She was wearing a waitress dress designed by Teng Teng Hut, and a white headband on her light brown hair.
After a period of adaptation, the little girl has become accustomed to life here, and the smile on her face is much more cheerful than when she first came here.
”Sir, you ordered beer and sleepy black tea.”
Hearing the latter word, Lao Bai, who was drinking water, almost spit out a mouthful of tea, and coughed dryly for a long time before he recovered.
”Who gave this name?!”
Lisa looked at Lao Bai, who had an exaggerated reaction, blankly, holding the plate in her hand, and said a little flustered.
”I don’t know… I heard it was a resident of a shelter? Um… Is there something wrong with this name?”
”No, no, sorry, I heard it wrong…”
Even if there is a problem, it is not easy to explain.
Under the puzzled gaze of Chen Yutong and Lisa, Lao Bai reached out and took the napkin to wipe his mouth.
In fact, you can guess it without asking.
The tail is not here.
It can only be a mosquito.
Seeing that the two did not need her help, Lisa leaned forward slightly, then turned around and got busy with the plate.
In stark contrast to Lao Bai’s reaction, Chen Yutong seemed to be very interested in the name of this special cocktail. She stared at the crystal clear cup curiously, and put her nose close to it to smell it.
”Is this drinkable wine? Incredible…”
The word “incredible” is probably the word she said the most today.
”But why is it called sleepy black tea? Is it because of the tea polyphenols?”
”It has nothing to do with tea… Anyway, this is what I told you about vodka mixed with cola. You should drink it slowly. This thing is suitable for beginners only because it is easy to drink. After all, its base liquor is strong liquor. If you drink too much, you will get drunk.”
Looking at Ms. Chen who was about to take a sip to taste it, Lao Bai reminded her seriously.
Chen Yutong took a sip and frowned slightly.
”Special taste.”
It’s a bit strange.
Take another sip.
Looking at Chen Yutong who was tasting like a chicken pecking at rice, Lao Bai took a sip of beer and said teasingly.
”To be honest, I really can’t imagine the life there… Your technology should be stronger than that of enterprises, right? But it gives me the feeling of a monk with strict discipline.”
”Monk?” Chen Yutong was slightly stunned. He had never heard of this word.
”God’s servant, priest, or ascetic? Anyway, similar meaning.” Lao Bai tried to explain it with words in human language.
”A monk…”
Putting down the wine glass in his hand, Chen Yutong pinched his chin and thought seriously for a moment, then answered rigorously.
”It may be difficult before entering the academy, but life in the academy is not hard at all, on the contrary, it is very rich.”
Lao Bai asked curiously.
”Where is it reflected?”
Chen Yutong thought for a while and said.
”At least in my impression, the supply of food and consumer goods has never been lacking, and only a few special things need to be ordered.”
Lao Bai nodded knowingly.
Think about it.
After all, the academy also controls the largest number of black boxes in the entire wasteland.
In addition to black boxes, they also have no shortage of production technology and methods.
The primary and secondary industries are completely supplied by the survivor settlements under the Science and Technology Committee, and the materials are distributed under the overall planning of the Academy’s Foreign Affairs Department, with a high degree of concentration on scientific researchers.
At least the researchers in the academy will never be poor.
After listening to Chen Yutong’s words, Lao Bai suddenly realized that this academy did not seem to be as “fragile” as he imagined. It
was even stronger than he imagined.
They have a complete organizational structure and talent selection system. Every individual who can enter this huge and tight organization is undoubtedly an expert. The
abundant material supply allows them to focus on the work at hand. The G score limits the proportion of wealth that individuals possess in society to a certain extent, while the K score ensures that every gear in the system can work in the right place and in the right way.
Those survivors who failed to become researchers or whose majors are not suitable may have a hard time, but this is a system designed by researchers after all. The first priority is of course to meet the needs of researchers, which is also unavoidable.
This organization not only has a clear structure, but also has a clear action program and goal – that is, before the resources are exhausted, do everything possible to recover the legacy of the prosperous era!
After this goal is achieved, they will go to a more distant world to open up new territories and continue the fire of civilization.
Although this ideal sounds grand, Lao Bai always feels that if they really get to that step, the human civilization in this game world may only have one scientific research ship left.
He doesn’t understand those big principles.
But he knows that people who use matches to light cigarettes today may switch to lighters tomorrow, but they will never want to quit smoking unless it is a critical day.
With her index finger lightly touching the wine glass, Chen Yutong sorted out the fragments in the corner of her memory while mumbling her memories.
”…The academy is very averse to waste and the meaningless use of resources. According to the calculations of Dr. Conclusion, with the current rate of resource consumption on this planet, the legacy of the prosperous era will not be enough to support two centuries at most.”
When she said this, she suddenly instinctively felt a little guilty.
However, after hearing her words, Lao Bai smiled.
”He can calculate this?”
Chen Yutong nodded lightly.
”He is the most intelligent, knowledgeable and far-sighted person on this planet.”
Lao Bai said casually without caring.
”Then did he calculate which year the nuclear winter would end?”
Chen Yutong was slightly stunned.
”Then… I’m not sure.”
Lao Bai clinked his glasses with hers and said with a grin.
”Is that so? It seems that your doctor is not omnipotent. I think it’s better not to think too much. Things that will happen two centuries later can be discussed two centuries later. People who live in the present should take good care of people in the present. I think that’s enough.”
Perhaps she remembered something, Chen Yutong, who had just opened her mouth, suddenly stopped talking and nodded thoughtfully.
”Maybe you are right.”
The rich food was soon served on the table.
Chen Yutong, who had a deep face just now, was soon attracted by the stewed meat with an intoxicating aroma.
There was also mashed potatoes next to it.
”What is this?! Why is it so good!” She held her chin with her left hand, and her voice was distorted with excitement.
”Mashed potatoes… We used to make it with oil boiled from hyena fat and mixed with lamb horns. Now that conditions are better, it seems that we have changed to potatoes and cream.”
After all, she was a girl who was not very experienced in the world and could not resist the temptation of delicious food.
Looking at Chen Yutong who was eating voraciously, Lao Bai couldn’t help but smile. Seeing that she was able to use chopsticks skillfully without his help, he cast his eyes to the lobby in the distance.
The night outside the door gradually deepened, and the lobby of the hotel became lively.
Looking at the gradually boiling voices and the overflowing beer foam, Lao Bai couldn’t help but curl up a smile and drank a sip of beer with satisfaction.
Whenever he sat here, his heart was extremely fulfilled.
Although it was a virtual life, he could clearly feel the unspeakable feeling-the world needed him.
He could see with his own eyes the changes his efforts brought to the world and the prosperity brought to the alliance that belonged to all of them.
Everything here is not his credit, but everything is inseparable from their brave fighting and life and death on the front line.
This is his daily protection!
Lao Bai’s thoughts couldn’t help but drift away, thinking about what this place would look like many years later.
At this time, he suddenly noticed that Lisa, who brought the last dish to the wooden table, did not leave, but stood beside him, hesitant to speak.
Guessing something vaguely, he said in a gentle tone.
”What’s the matter?”
The little girl nodded gently and asked with courage.
”Um, Pangolin… Is he okay?”
She, who had been speaking fluently before, suddenly stuttered after mentioning that name.
”He…”
Old White’s eyes were a little subtle.
This guy seems to be dissatisfied with Korway’s “favor” recently, and has hooked up with a beautiful reporter from Triumph City.
Of course, this is probably just a boast made by that guy because he was teased.
After all, in the eyes of most Willant people, other races are animals. Unless the beauty has a unique taste, she would never favor a “native”.
Unable to bear to see that lovely face stained with disappointment, Old White took a sip of beer and talked nonsense under the influence of alcohol.
”He is very brave and a good helper for us. Thanks to him, the war is going smoothly. If it’s fast… you should be able to see him before the end of the year.”
Without doubting what he said, Lisa’s eyes were full of hope.
”Can you tell me more about him?”
Although he expected to hear this, Old White still felt a headache.
How glorious can this undercover job be.
The key is that he can’t talk about such sensitive inside information!
There is no other way.
He can only make it up.
Seeing the curious eyes around him all looking at this side, Lao Bai sighed in his heart and opened the conversation.
”Speaking of the victory of Oasis No. 3, we have to mention Hill No. 330, and when talking about Hill No. 330, we have to start with a bowl of chicken soup that came as a timely help…”
(End of this chapter)
