Chapter 555 The Taste of Blood
Chapter 555 The Taste of Blood
Shelter No. 101…
It seems like it was a long time ago since I last visited Dr. Method.
Chu Guang thought for a moment and said, feeling a faint sense of nostalgia.
”It’s a place that’s hard to describe.”
Alyssa was slightly stunned.
”It’s hard to describe means…”
Seeing the longing and yearning in her eyes, Chu Guang probably guessed that Pai must have boasted to her about something, so he thought for a moment and said.
”Most of the things stored in other shelters are survivors, some technology, some plan… But what is stored there is the memory of the Prosperous Era.”
Alyssa’s eyes really brightened up, and she couldn’t help but clench her two small fists.
”Prosperous Era!”
That legendary great era!
She had only seen a few words about that era in some books and picture books!
Looking at her longing eyes, Chu Guang probably guessed what she was thinking. Although he couldn’t bear it, he still poured a basin of cold water on her.
”It’s just a memory of the prosperous era. It may not be as beautiful as you imagine. The prerequisite for entering Shelter 101 is to give up your physical body, otherwise you can only take a brief glimpse like sitting in a sightseeing car.”
”Give up your physical body…”
”It means to die physically.”
Alyssa held her breath involuntarily.
After a long time, she said stiffly.
”It sounds… like a tomb.”
Chu Guang nodded in agreement.
”Indeed, it is no different from a tomb to people outside, but it may not be the case for them.”
Chu Guang didn’t quite understand what Dr. Method said before, but after contacting so many AIs of different styles, he understood a little.
For AI, there is actually not much difference between 1 second and a century. Of course, they know that Shelter 101 is destined to fall into a complete sleep one day in the future. After all, this is not a very difficult outcome, but they don’t care much.
Even the sun has a lifespan.
What about a person or a civilization that turns into a bubble?
They have experienced a better and longer life than everyone else in that never-ending dream, and they have no nostalgia for the outside world.
From a personal perspective, even if it is virtual, there is nothing to regret. Their mission is to live well according to their own ideas.
As for the shelter, the meaning of its existence is to record their memories, thoughts, interpersonal relationships, lifestyles, and everything about that era, leaving it for the future as a kind of revelation.
Chu Guang rarely told others that there is such a good place in the alliance. It is not a good idea for the living to indulge in the kingdom of the dead.
In a sense, it is an ideal and more toxic poison than the ideal city. Even he has thought of staying there.
Although it was only a moment…
Alyssa was silent for a while.
”Actually, I haven’t thought about living there, but sometimes I think… it would be nice to go to that era and take a look.”
Maybe she also felt that her idea was a bit naive, she smiled embarrassedly and continued in a low voice.
”In this way, we know where to go.”
It’s not just her.
The members of the Workers’ Union occasionally feel confused.
They have overthrown those feudal landlords and gained a bright future, but where they will go in the future, no one can tell them.
Although everyone has reached a consensus to do well in the present, it is impossible not to consider the future at all. It would be great
if I could go to that era to take a look.
She has fantasized about this more than once.
Seeing the confusion in Alyssa’s eyes, Chu Guang thought for a moment.
”I don’t think that may be the answer, and we may not be going to a certain era in the past, but some of the knowledge and experience there are indeed worth referring to.”
”So I have communicated with the manager of Shelter No. 101, and I plan to turn their camp on the surface into a university.”
Alyssa looked at him blankly.
”… University?”
Chu Guang nodded.
”Well, you can understand it as a school. But unlike other full-time schools in the alliance, people there not only learn what we have already mastered, but also explore the future and the past.”
Seeing that the blank eyes gradually turned into a look of understanding, Chu Guang continued in a gentle tone.
”It’s normal for you to feel confused. You are now at the age when you are most curious, and you have the courage to pursue your ideals regardless of everything. But these are not enough. You need to see more things, understand the world, understand natural science, and then summarize your own experience and methods to find the answer… In the process of exploration, you will naturally know where you want to go.”
The calendar was born in the field, not imagined out of thin air while lying on the straw mat. At least in his opinion, the process of exploration is more important than the answer.
Alyssa lowered her head.
After a moment, as if she had made up her mind, she nodded her chin vigorously and raised her head again to look at Chu Guang.
”That little fish… became so powerful after studying in the school built in Shelter No. 101, right?”
”If possible, I want to go there too!”
The work that she needed to work overtime for a week or two to complete was checked by the little girl who was about the same age as her in just three days, and she also pointed out the places where she did not do well meticulously.
This also counted the time to understand the content of the work.
This was simply incredible to Alyssa.
But after seeing those magical mathematical tools and methods, all the disbelief turned into conviction.
That was knowledge that she would never understand in her lifetime in Boulder City.
She hoped to learn that knowledge back and help everyone here.
Maybe it was just like what the manager said.
In this process, maybe she would slowly find the way to the future.
”Xiaoyu…she is a special case. She happens to be good at math, but she did grow into what she is now after studying at Camp 101.”
Looking at the eyes that rekindled expectation and desire, Chu Guang said seriously.
”As for studying at Camp 101, you should discuss it with your father.”
”I’ve actually asked my father. My father said that I’m an independent adult. He told me to think about things on my own in the future and to ask you if I don’t understand… He won’t give me any life advice anymore.”
At this point, Alyssa glanced at him shyly and continued in a low voice.
”…When I’m undecided, can I ask you for advice?”
Although he didn’t think he could help, looking at the expectation flashing in his eyes, Chu Guang couldn’t say those unkind words.
”Yes, but I can only give you my advice. In the end, it’s up to you to make the decision.”
The eyes full of expectation smiled instantly.
Alyssa nodded vigorously and said happily.
”Yeah! Thank you!”
Looking at this polite little girl, Chu Guang smiled and said.
”You’re welcome.”
Thinking of tomorrow’s things, he picked up a document from the table.
”Just in time for you to be here, I may need your help with something——”
”No problem! Please leave it to me!”
Looking at the energetic Alyssa, Chu Guang smiled and handed her the document in his hand.
After taking the document, Alyssa flipped through it roughly.
”What is this?”
”New Year’s Eve event, every year we will select the most popular recipes. This is… a tradition of our shelter. In order to promote communication between residents of the shelter and survivors outside the shelter, last year we added the ‘most popular food among wastelanders’ option, so we need a few judges.”
This year’s judges were selected by voting on the official website. Each settlement will select a few judges, and the players who are active in the local area will vote.
Afraid that this guy would get arrogant, Chu Guang was embarrassed to say that her popularity in the official forum was relatively high.
But Alyssa didn’t ask him why he asked her to be a judge, just taking it as trust. After learning about the content of the event, her eyes suddenly shone.
”Well! I will starve for a whole day in advance to make room in my stomach!”
Facing the “death-ready” eyes, Chu Guang coughed lightly.
”You don’t have to work so hard…”
…
It’s not just Alyssa who was selected as a judge for the New Year’s Eve event. Someone seems to have received more votes than her.
And it’s much higher!
A single-family house by Linghu Lake.
Dolly, who just got home from work, was surprised when she heard Fang Chang’s explanation.
”Eh? Let me be a judge?”
”Well… Of course, this is just an invitation. If you are not interested, you can turn it down.”
After telling Dolly about the New Year’s Eve event, Fang Chang’s expression was slightly embarrassed.
This year’s New Year’s Eve event was selected by the players themselves. He never thought that his good brothers would vote for his wife one by one.
People who know him know that he is a person who doesn’t like to show off his love.
Instead of showing off everywhere, he prefers to live quietly in his own world of two, but he can’t stand a group of bad friends asking about his private life every day.
These bastards.
They are interested in other people’s wives all day long!
If you are so curious, go find one yourself!
”Oh, ho, ho… Such an interesting thing, how could the reporter from the Survivor Daily miss it!”
Dolly hung her handbag on the hanger at the door, with a mischievous smile on her face, poking Fang Chang’s arm with her index finger.
”Dear Mr. Fang Chang will definitely not let me go alone, right?”
Seeing that she seemed to have no intention of refusing, but instead looked very interested, Fang Chang made a helpless expression and said.
”… Of course, how can I trust my dear reporter to go to such a far place alone.”
Seeing the rare embarrassed look on the bad guy’s face, Dolly proudly raised the corners of her lips slightly, and her heart felt as sweet as eating honey.
Suddenly thinking of what she heard from her colleagues these days, she said with some emotion.
”But then again, it seems that a lot of things have happened in Boulder City recently.”
Whether it is inside or outside the giant wall.
The alliance actually sent troops to wipe out the gangs in the slums, which was something she, a reporter, did not expect.
Fang Chang nodded.
”Well, a lot of things did happen. Although it’s still called Boulder City, it’s probably completely different from the Boulder City you’re familiar with.”
”It’s a good time to go back and take a look!” Dolly couldn’t help but have a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
The inner city has completely disappeared.
What will it look like there?
Looking at the twinkling light in those eyes, Fang Chang could feel the emotions in her heart, and reached out to touch the fluffy emerald green hair.
”Yeah.”
”Let’s go shopping together when we get back.”
…
Boulder City.
In a kitchen at the Alliance Army’s garrison, Feng Qing said guiltily, looking at the plates of indescribable things on the long table.
”So did you fail again?”
After returning that day, the market was blocked, and she ran to Dawn City again, but still didn’t buy the things on the list.
Although Mosquito didn’t blame her, she was still embarrassed and stayed in Dawn City until today before returning to Boulder City.
Then she received a new task – to vacate the kitchen rented by the Goblin Corps.
Her best friend Guigui also received the task with her.
For some reason, this apparently simple errand task actually had a reward of 200 silver coins! And it was also labeled as risky.
But she was not panicked at all.
It was just moving things out of the kitchen, which was much safer than testing a new model!
She took it up without hesitation.
Gui Gui, who was standing aside, spread her hands helplessly.
”There’s nothing we can do, because we didn’t buy those spices, so we can only use other things instead.”
”I’m sorry!”
Looking at Feng Qing who bowed her head to apologize, Gui Gui quickly comforted her.
”Ah, no need to apologize. I think your failure to buy it has reduced our losses. I’ve said it before, cooking with centipedes is definitely not feasible!”
Feng Qing said hesitantly.
”But… what about the New Year’s Eve event?”
Gui Gui scratched the back of his head.
”Think of other ways. If it doesn’t work, just make something casually to get by. Anyway, as long as you participate, there will be mysterious gifts.”
Feng Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
Originally, cooking was not something that combat professional players like them were good at, especially since she knew nothing about cooking. It
was really too much to challenge the difficult ingredients like centipedes right away.
Her eyes fell on the supplies piled in the corner of the kitchen. Looking at the pile of black blocks, Feng Qing couldn’t help but ask curiously.
”What are those? Are they edible too?”
As she said that, she walked over and reached out to pick up a piece.
Just as she was about to taste it, Gui Gui next to her saw this and quickly stopped her.
”Wait! That can’t be eaten, it’s charcoal!”
Feng Qing was stunned.
”Wood, charcoal?”
”Yeah! The leader originally planned to use charcoal grilling. Someone told him that the aroma released by burning wood could also cover up the stench of some food, but it failed later.”
From Gui Gui’s expression, Feng Qing could probably imagine the situation at that time. He looked at another sack full of yellow lumps.
”Then… what about those?”
Egg yolks?
Gui Gui said quickly, looking in her direction.
”Ah, that’s sulfur, and there’s saltpeter or something next to it.”
Silently putting down the sulfur in his hand, Feng Qing looked at Gui Gui with a subtle expression.
”I said… is he really going to cook?”
”Well, maybe?” With
the same subtle expression, he looked away. Gui Gui, who was very sure at first, suddenly couldn’t make up his mind. “Anyway, fortunately… he probably gave up.”
She thought this might not be a bad thing.
What Lao Na made was at most strange, but what Boss Mosquito made was to the extent that people would be sent away, and then they would be locked up in a small dark room.
But it was rare for him to be so interested in food.
Feng Qing looked at the white crystals in the bucket beside him.
”Where are those?”
”Ah, those are white sugar! Mosquito Boss’s last attempt! He planned to use sweetness to cover up the stink of meat, but in the end everyone went to the toilet.”
It was another memory that he didn’t want to recall, and Gui Gui’s face showed a regretful expression.
However, this bucket of white sugar is probably the only thing in the whole kitchen that can be stuffed directly into the mouth.
Feng Qing stared at the bucket of white sugar blankly and said with heartache.
”It’s a pity to waste so much sugar.”
”Really?” Gui Gui sighed, folded his arms and said, “I’ve wanted to complain for a long time, that guy is simply wasting food.”
Use spices to cover up the stink of the centipede.
I’m afraid the spices used are more expensive than meat!
Staring at the bucket of white sugar for a long time, Feng Qing’s eyes suddenly lit up.
”Why don’t we just use these sugars to make some simple food!”
Gui Gui was stunned.
”Just use white sugar? Then… what can you make?”
Candy?
It seems that the taste is a bit monotonous.
Looking at her confused girlfriend, Feng Qing raised her lips proudly.
”Marshmallow!”
Although she had never made it, she heard that the principle was very simple.
Just heat the sugar to melt it into syrup, rotate the heating chamber continuously, and let the syrup spray out from very small holes under the action of centrifugal force, and it will solidify into sweet sugar threads in the air.
Hearing these three words, Gui Gui’s eyes lit up.
”What a good idea! This is much better than the centaur stewed vermicelli!”
”Uh… what kind of weird food is that?”
”The inspiration comes from snail noodles… Anyway, it’s settled! I’ll go find Boss Mosquito and ask him to make a marshmallow machine!”
The more she thought about it, the more she felt that this idea was great, and Gui Gui clenched her fists excitedly.
Boss Mosquito should be so moved that he would cry!
His hands-on ability finally came in handy in a normal place!
Cheers, brother!
Seeing that her suggestion seemed to be of great use, Feng Qing smiled embarrassedly.
”Hey, I want to make more and send some to Ganju and the others.”
”Ganju?”
”Yeah! A very cute child, very well behaved and sensible! I promised her that I would visit her when I am free,” Feng Qing said with sparkling eyes, looking at Guigui who tilted her head, “I will introduce them to you tomorrow!”
”Yeah! Looking forward to it!”
The two worked together to move out the most dangerous sacks and barrels first.
Soon there were only some glassware such as beakers and conical flasks in the kitchen, and some bottles and jars on the shelves.
Taking a glass bottle from the shelf, Feng Qing opened the bottle cap and sniffed it, frowning.
”The smell of kerosene.”
Why do you use kerosene to cook?
In addition to kerosene, there are some white particles the size of a fingernail in the glass bottle.
She couldn’t decide whether there were any marks on the bottle, what was in it.
”Do you still want these things? If not, I’ll pour them out.” Gently shaking the glass bottle in her hand, Feng Qing shouted to Guigui who was busy packing up not far away.
”Ah, let’s pour it all out,” Gui Gui said casually without looking back, “Mosquito said that he didn’t want any of the ingredients in the kitchen, so he asked us to help him get rid of them while we were cleaning the kitchen.”
”This stupid leader is such a waste.”
Feng Qing shook her head, unscrewed the bottle cap, poured the contents of the bottle into the sink, and turned on the faucet to flush them away.
However, almost at the moment she turned on the faucet, the pool of light yellow liquid suddenly burst into flames with a hissing sound.
Fortunately, the agility-type reflex nerves were well developed.
Seeing that the situation was not right, she ducked down with a start, and the fragments of the explosion almost flew over her head.
”What happened?!”
Seeing the bottle rolling on the ground, Gui Gui’s face changed instantly, and he said in shock.
”Sodium! Damn… I forgot!”
The explosion ignited the kerosene without any suspense, and the flames splashing from the pool ignited the shelf with bottles and jars not far away.
Under the action of high temperature, some bottles and jars began to undergo wonderful changes.
Looking at the shelf that began to have a chain reaction, Feng Qing swallowed his saliva and instinctively took a step back.
”That…?”
”It’s that sodium! Metallic sodium!”
”??? What is he doing with that thing in the kitchen?!”
”Who knows!!”
From the explosion of the first glass bottle, what will happen next seems to have been destined.
The originally calm station suddenly heard a violent explosion, and the flames and thick smoke drilled out of the kitchen window.
Fortunately, the power was not particularly strong and did not blow up the house.
Thinking that they were retaliated by gang members, the barracks immediately sounded the alarm, and a large number of fully armed soldiers rushed over.
In the end, it was discovered that it was a false alarm.
After learning that it was the Goblin Corps that made the noise, the logistics officer did not ask any more questions. He just had his men send a ticket to a certain Corps Commander with a gloomy face. This
was not the first time that this had happened.
Looking at the string of dazzling zeros, Mosquito signed the ticket with tears in his eyes.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
The charcoal, sugar and other things had been moved out in advance, and the two little players affected by the explosion were only slightly injured.
If you lie down for three days because of this little thing and miss the New Year’s Eve event, it would be a big loss…
[Task: Evacuate the kitchen used by the Goblin Corps (failed)]
…
The commotion in the player’s station was just a small episode. Most of the food prepared by the players was of a relatively normal type. After all, there were only a few ruthless people who risked their lives to develop new recipes.
Except for the big guys like Tomato Scrambled Eggs who are actually chefs in real life, ordinary people did not expect to win the first place by relying on their unconventional ideas.
This kind of festival activity is just for fun. Although there are many people who team up to kill monsters and get materials, most of them participate with a playful mentality.
Because of the activeness of the players, the deserted Boulder City for more than half a month has finally regained some of its former liveliness because of the approaching festival.
In this way, it was finally the night of New Year’s Eve.
The decorated streets were decorated with lights and colors. Survivors took to the streets one after another, and many shops that had been closed for more than half a month reopened their doors.
Since last week, the construction team has begun to pay some wages according to the minimum wage standard of the alliance, and the factory has started to pay wages with silver coins earlier.
Goods have “grown” from the shelves again. Although people’s wallets are not bulging, they can already buy some things.
Everything is getting better.
The night sky is lit up by colorful fireworks.
Not only the Iron Heart parked in Dawn City, but also the anti-aircraft guns on the giant wall began to release fireworks into the sky.
In front of the French window of the Boulder Military Industrial Building, looking at the colorful flames in the night sky, Ibers smiled and clapped his hands.
”Not bad, not bad… It’s rare for me to see such a unique and good show.”
In the name of hunting aliens, he quietly cleared out the predator tribes around Boulder City, and then vigorously slaughtered the gang forces in the slums.
So far, the performance of this new shareholder has exceeded his expectations. He hasn’t been so surprised by an organism for a long time.
Originally, he thought that the chaos in Boulder City would at least cause turmoil in Qingquan City for five or six years, but now it seems that this good show has come to an end in just one month.
The time bomb buried in the giant wall seemed to have been dismantled quietly without even starting the countdown.
Now that the reorganization of the slums has been completed, most of the factories in the city have resumed production, and perhaps the state of emergency will be lifted soon.
Maybe this celebration is the opportunity.
But Ibers was not disappointed, but even more excited.
Under that peace and tranquility, he could already faintly smell the smell of blood…
(End of this chapter)
