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 inedible.
The round red umbrella and the short and flat white stem, with round white spots on the umbrella, are poisonous species no matter how you look at it.
What made her even more surprised was that this thing felt like rubber when she pinched it, but it smelled special.
Seeing the confused expression on her face, Yaya smiled embarrassedly and explained patiently.
"This is a rubber mushroom. I found it in the forest of the Elm District. Survivors nearby usually make it into brooches, buttons or hairpins."
"Incredible... Mushrooms can actually produce rubber!" Chen Yutong's curiosity 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 even if you see it by chance, no one will pay attention.
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.
"Huh." Ya Ya raised the corner of his 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 weren't for this unexpected discovery, the rubber output value of the alliance would definitely not have increased as dramatically 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 coins 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 pinned on the light brown hair, but it adds a bit of lively and playful feeling.
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 frowned mischievously, and Chen Yutong, who was standing next to him, coughed lightly in embarrassment.
"I can't be considered a girl at my age..."
However.
She really likes this gift.
Whether in terms of research value or aesthetics, it hits the point of interest in her heart.
Even more than the gift itself.
Including the process of picking and choosing on the street, and the charming smile of the boss lady when she put the accessories on her personally...
Whether in the twelve years in the survivor settlement or the ten years in the academy, she has never experienced such indescribable leisure and satisfaction.
Originally, she just wanted to come here to take a look.
But at this moment, she felt like integrating into this place for the first time.
I really want to share this joy with my former teammates...
If it were Xuezhou, he would be more suitable for such colorful accessories than herself.
Chen Yutong touched the outline of the hairpin with her index finger and said uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry for making you spend money."
Lao Bai, who was walking beside 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 haggle over such a small amount of money.
Even if they took a step back, the tracked vehicle they got from the Beacon Team cost more than this amount of money, and it was also their responsibility to help her integrate into the life here.
Chen Yutong lowered her head and thought for a while, then suddenly spoke.
"Here... where should I go if I want to work?"
Lao Bai recalled.
"There is an employment registration office in 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 gave Chen Yutong an encouraging look at her slightly embarrassed expression, "I believe you can do it well!"
"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, change of clothes, 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 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 hand, 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 too..."
It was somewhat inconvenient to bring someone to his own home.
On the one hand, he basically regarded 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, which is provided to those merchants who have certain living environment requirements.
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, and 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.
However, it is just evening now, and there is still a while before the bustle, and 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 are no such facilities as hotels in the academy, and there is no concept of "the lobby of the hotel becomes a beer hall at night".
Because of the fear of being remembered by the wastelanders for their bionic prostheses, the exploration team on duty will 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 Hooker sitting behind the bar asked with a smile.
"Just came back... Open a room in the backyard for me, for one person."
Old Hooker 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 would not 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 life players also share the changes in the rear.
This kind of thing can be found by searching the official forum.
Old Hook pulled out a curled account book from under the counter and spread it out on the counter.
"I need 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 introverted and shy person, she subconsciously spoke less in an unfamiliar environment.
Old Hook was about to ask her with a smile if she had any requirements for the accommodation environment, but Old Bai, who was standing next to her, spoke first.
"Please help me pick a quieter and cleaner room."
"Okay, the rooms at the corner are the most spacious. Long-term or short-term rental?"
"Long-term rental, the deposit will be recorded in my account."
"No problem!"
After asking the guest's name and origin, Old Hook skillfully wrote two strokes on the book.
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, and 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 Hooker put his arm on the counter and continued.
"Just leave your luggage here. I'll ask the waiter to 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?!"
Halfway through her words, Chen Yutong suddenly realized that her voice was a bit loud. Although no one was paying attention to this side, she still lowered her voice and whispered embarrassedly.
"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 recipes, and there are not enough spices to cover their taste. And the academy that focuses on 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."
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 cannot 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 are the only one who doesn't order the 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 Old White.
"Would you like something to drink?"
Before Old White could speak, Chen Yutong asked expectantly.
"Do you have Coke and vodka?"
"Coke and vodka? Of course..."
Looking at this expectant girl, Old Hook was slightly stunned, and suddenly understood something, and then a very understanding smile appeared on his face, "Oh, that... I roughly understand what you mean, the guest wants to try our special cocktail, right?"
"Special cocktail?" 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 and said.
"Let's have a drink."
Old Hook smiled slightly.
"Okay!"
After ordering a beer for himself, Lao Bai 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 and looked at Lao Bai and said embarrassedly.
"Thank you for today. When I find a job and earn G points - I mean silver coins, I will pay you back."
Looking at the embarrassed Chen Yutong, Lao Bai smiled and said.
"Don't say such things, it's not worth this little money."
It's rare to meet an NPC friend who can chat for a long time, and she was brought to the alliance by him, so of course he can't just leave her here and ignore her.
And he always feels that she is very similar to him.
Although the original intention and process are completely different, both of them are the kind of people who pay more attention to the "meaning of life" than living itself.
Maybe that's why they can chat so casually.
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 waiter's long dress designed by Teng Teng Hut, and a white headband tied on her light brown hair.
After a period of adaptation, the little girl has become accustomed to the life here, and the smile on her face is much brighter than when she first came here.
"Sir, you ordered beer and sleepy black tea."
Hearing the last 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 with an exaggerated reaction blankly, holding the plate in her hand, and said a little panicked.
"I don't know... I heard that it was a resident of a shelter? That... Is there anything wrong with this name?"
"No, no, sorry, I heard it wrong..."
Even if there is a problem with this, it's not easy to explain.
Under the suspicious gaze of Chen Yutong and Lisa, Lao Bai reached out and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
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 slightly and turned around with the plate in her arms.
In stark contrast to Lao Bai's reaction, Chen Yutong seemed 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 a 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 added with tea polyphenols?"
"It has nothing to do with tea... Anyway, this is the vodka and cola I told you about. You should drink it slowly. This thing is suitable for beginners only because it is easy to drink. After all, its base wine is strong liquor. Drinking too much will make you 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 jokingly.
"To be honest, I really can't imagine your life there... Your technology should be stronger than that of enterprises, right? But it feels like a monk with strict discipline to me."
"Monk?" Chen Yutong was slightly stunned. He had never heard of this word.
"Servant of God, priest, or ascetic? In short, it means something similar." Lao Bai tried to explain it using words in human language.
"Ascetic..."
Putting down the wine glass in his hand, Chen Yutong pinched his chin and thought seriously for a moment, and answered rigorously.
"It may be difficult before entering the academy, but life in the academy is not hard, 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, only a few special things need to be ordered."
Lao Bai nodded in understanding.
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 are definitely not 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 strict 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, to do everything possible to recover the legacy of the prosperous era before the resources are exhausted!
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 reach that point, the human civilization in this game world may only have one 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.
Touching the wine glass lightly with his index finger, Chen Yutong sorted out the fragments in the corner of his memory while mumbling his memories.
"...The academy is very taboo about waste and meaningless use of resources. According to the calculation results of Dr. Conclusion, at 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 slightly.
"He is the most intelligent, knowledgeable and far-sighted person on this planet."
Old White said casually without caring.
"Did he calculate the year when the nuclear winter would end?"
Chen Yutong was slightly stunned.
"Then... I'm not sure."
Old White clinked glasses with her and said with a grin.
"Really? It seems that your doctor is not omnipotent. I think it's better not to think too much. Things two centuries later will be discussed two centuries later. People living in the present should take good care of people in the present. I think this is enough."
Perhaps Chen Yutong remembered something, and he suddenly stopped talking after opening his mouth, and nodded thoughtfully.
"Maybe you are right."
The sumptuous 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.
And the 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 is a girl who has not experienced much in the world and can't 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 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 feeling that was difficult to express - the world needed him.
He could see with his own eyes the changes his efforts had brought to the world and the prosperity that the alliance that belonged to all of them had brought.
Everything here was not his credit, but everything was inseparable from their brave fighting and life and death on the front line.
This was the daily life he guarded!
Old White's thoughts could not help but drift away, thinking about what this place would look like many years later.
At this time, he suddenly noticed that Lisa, who had 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 spoken fluently before, suddenly became stuttering after mentioning that name.
"He..."
Old White's eyes were a little subtle.
This guy seemed to be dissatisfied with Kolwe's "favor" recently, and hooked up with a beautiful reporter from Triumph City.
Of course, this was probably just the guy's boasting 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, Lao Bai drank 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, Lao Bai still had a headache.
How glorious can this undercover job be.
The key is that he can't tell the inside story that is too sensitive!
There is no way.
I can only make it up.
Seeing the curious eyes around him, Lao Bai sighed in his heart and started talking.
"Speaking of the victory at Oasis No. 3, we have to mention Hill No. 330, and speaking of Hill No. 330, we have to start with a bowl of chicken soup that came as a timely help..."