Shelter 101...
It seems like a long time ago since I last visited Dr. Method.
Chu Guang thought for a moment and said, feeling a little nostalgic.
"It's a hard place to describe."
Alyssa was slightly stunned.
"It's hard to describe, I mean..."
Seeing the longing and yearning in her eyes, Chu Guang probably guessed that Pa Yin must have boasted to her, so he thought for a moment and said.
"Most of the other shelters store survivors, some technology, some plan... but what's stored there is the memory of the Prosperous Era."
Alyssa's eyes really brightened up, and she couldn't help but clench her two little fists.
"The 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 felt sorry for her, he still poured cold water on her.
"It's just a memory of the prosperous era. It may not be as beautiful as you imagined. 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 grave."
Chu Guang nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, there is no difference between that place and a grave for people outside, but it may not be the case for them."
Chu Guang didn't quite understand what Dr. Method said before, but after coming into contact with so many AIs of different styles, he understood it a little.
For AI, there is actually not much difference between 1 second and a century. Of course, they knew that Shelter 101 was destined to fall into a deep sleep one day in the future. After all, it was not a difficult outcome to predict, but they did not care much.
Even the sun has a lifespan.
What about a person or a civilization that turned into a bubble?
They had already experienced a life that was better and longer than everyone else in that never-ending dream, and they had no nostalgia for the outside world.
From a personal perspective, even if it was virtual, there was nothing to regret. Their mission was to live well according to their own ideas.
As for the shelter, its meaning of existence was to record their memories, thoughts, interpersonal relationships, lifestyles, and everything about that era, leaving them for the future as some kind of revelation.
Chu Guang rarely told others that there was such a good place in the alliance. It was not a good idea for the living to indulge in the kingdom of the dead.
In a sense, it was a more toxic poison than the ideal of the ideal city. Even he had 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 if I could go to that era and take a look."
Perhaps she felt that her idea was a bit naive, so she smiled embarrassedly and continued in a low voice.
"This way, we know where to go."
She is not the only one.
The workers' union members occasionally feel confused.
They have overthrown the feudal landlords and gained a bright future, but no one can tell them where they will go in the future.
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 nice if I could go to that era and 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 build the camp they keep on the surface into a university."
Alyssa looked at him blankly.
"... University?"
Chu Guang nodded.
"Well, you can understand that it is 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."
Watching the blank eyes gradually turn 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 in your life, 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 this 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, she nodded her chin vigorously as if she had made up her mind, 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, the little girl who was about the same age as her completed in just three days, and also pointed out the places where she did not do well meticulously.
This also includes the time to understand the content of the work.
This is incredible to Alyssa.
However, after seeing those magical mathematical tools and methods, all the disbelief turned into conviction.
That is knowledge that you will never understand in your life in Boulder City.
She hopes to learn that knowledge back and help everyone here.
Maybe it's just like what the manager said.
In this process, maybe I will slowly find the way to the future.
"Xiaoyu... She is a special case. She happens to be good at mathematics, but she did grow into what she is now after studying in Camp 101."
Looking at the eyes that rekindled expectations and desires, 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 ask you if I don't understand... He won't give me any life advice anymore."
When she said this, Alyssa glanced at him shyly and continued in a low voice.
"...When I can't make up my mind, 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, you have to make the decision yourself."
The eyes full of expectation smiled instantly.
Nodding vigorously, Alyssa said happily.
"Yes! 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 because you are here, I may need your help for something——"
"No problem! Please leave it to me!"
Looking at the energetic Alyssa, Chu Guang smiled and handed her the document in his hand.
Taking the document, Alyssa flipped through it roughly.
"What is this?"
"New Year's Eve event, we will select the most popular recipes every year. This is... a tradition of our shelter. In order to promote communication between residents of the shelter and survivors outside the shelter, we started to add the "most popular food among wastelanders" option last year, so we need several judges."
This year's judges were selected by voting on the official website. Each settlement will select several judges, and the players who are active in the local area will vote.
Fearing that this guy would get arrogant, Chu Guang was embarrassed to say that her popularity in the official forum was relatively high.
However, Alyssa did not ask him why he asked her to be a judge, just taking it as trust. After understanding 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 else 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 get off 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 affection.
Rather than 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.
Interested in other people's wives all day long!
If you are so curious, go find one yourself!
"Oh, ho, ho... How could the reporter from Survivor Daily miss such an interesting thing!"
Hanging the handbag on the hanger at the door, Dolly had a mischievous smile on her face and poked 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 looked very excited, Fang Chang made a helpless expression and said.
"... Of course, how can I rest assured that my dear reporter will go to such a far place alone."
Looking at the rare embarrassed look on the bad guy's face, Dolly proudly curled up the corners of her lips slightly, and her heart was as sweet as honey.
Suddenly thinking of what she heard from her colleagues these days, she said with some emotion.
"But then again, a lot of things seem to have happened in Boulder City recently."
Whether it's 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, had never expected.
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 expectation 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 her feelings 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 with a guilty conscience, looking at the plates of indescribable things on the long table.
"So you still failed?"
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 had a reward of 200 silver coins! And it was also labeled as risky.
But she was not panicked at all.
It's just moving the things in the kitchen out. This is much safer than testing the new model!
She took it without hesitation.
Guigui, who was standing aside, spread her hands helplessly.
"There's nothing we can do. Since we didn't buy those spices, we can only use other things instead."
"Sorry!"
Looking at Feng Qing who bowed her head to apologize, Guigui hurriedly comforted her.
"Ah, no need to apologize. I think your failure to buy them 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?"
Guigui scratched the back of his head.
"Think of other ways. If it doesn't work, just make something to get by. Anyway, as long as you participate, there will be mysterious gifts."
Feng Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
Cooking is not something that combat professional players like them are good at, especially since she knows nothing about cooking.
It was indeed a bit too much to challenge the difficult ingredients of the centaur right at the beginning.
Feng Qing's eyes fell on the supplies piled in the corner of the kitchen. Looking at the pile of black lumps, she couldn't help but ask curiously.
"What are those? Are they also edible?"
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 it and quickly stopped her.
"Wait! That can't be eaten, it's charcoal!"
Feng Qing was stunned.
"Wood, charcoal?"
"Well! The leader originally planned to use charcoal grilling. Someone told him that the fragrance released by burning wood can also cover up the fishy smell of some food, but later it failed."
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?
Looking in her direction, Gui Gui said quickly.
"Ah, that's sulfur, and there's saltpeter or something next to it."
Putting down the sulfur in his hand silently, Feng Qing looked at Gui Gui with a subtle expression.
"I say... is he really going to cook?"
"Uh, maybe?"
Gui Gui, who was originally very sure, looked away with a subtle expression, and 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 he would be locked up in a small dark room again.
But it's rare that he is so interested in food.
Feng Qing looked at the white crystals in the bucket beside him.
"What about those?"
"Ah, those are white sugar! Boss Mosquito's last attempt! He planned to use sweetness to cover up the smell of meat, but in the end everyone went to the toilet."
Another memory that he didn't want to recall, Gui Gui's face showed a regretful expression.
But this bucket of sugar is probably the only thing in the kitchen that can be stuffed directly into the mouth.
Staring blankly at the bucket of sugar, Feng Qing said with a 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 stench of the centipede.
I'm afraid the spices used are more expensive than meat!
Staring at the bucket of sugar for a long time, Feng Qing's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Why don't we just use this sugar to make some simple food!"
Gui Gui was stunned.
"Just use white sugar? Then... what can we make?"
Candy?
It seems that the taste is a bit monotonous.
Looking at her confused girlfriend, Feng Qing raised the corners of her mouth proudly.
"Marshmallow!"
Although she has never made it, she heard that the principle is very simple.
As long as the sugar is heated and melted into syrup, the heating chamber is rotated continuously, and the syrup is ejected from small holes under the action of centrifugal force, it can solidify into sweet sugar threads in the air.
Hearing these three words, Gui Gui's eyes suddenly lit up.
"What a good idea! This is much better than the centaur stewed vermicelli!"
"Uh... what kind of strange food is that?"
"The inspiration comes from snail noodles... Anyway, it's settled! I'll go to the mosquito boss and ask him to make a cotton candy machine!"
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this idea was great, and Gui Gui clenched his fists excitedly.
The mosquito boss should be moved to tears!
His hands-on ability finally came in handy in a normal place!
Cheer up, brother!
Seeing that his 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 shining eyes, looking at Gui Gui who tilted her head, "I will introduce her 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 we 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, and 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 Gui Gui who was busy packing up not far away.
"Ah, pour them all out," Gui Gui said without looking back, "Mosquito said that the materials in the kitchen are no longer needed, so we should help him deal with them while we are cleaning the kitchen."
"This stupid leader is so wasteful."
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 pale yellow liquid suddenly burst into flames.
Fortunately, the reflex nerves of the agility system are well developed.
Seeing that the situation was not right, she shuddered and ducked down, and the fragments raised by the explosion almost brushed her head and flew out.
"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 doomed.
A violent explosion suddenly sounded in the originally calm station, and the flames and smoke drilled out of the kitchen window together.
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.
Finally, it turned out to be a false alarm.
After learning that it was the Goblin Corps that made the noise, the logistics officer did not ask any more questions, but asked his subordinates to send a ticket to a certain Corps Commander with a gloomy face.
This kind of thing is not the first time.
Looking at the string of dazzling zeros, Mosquito signed the ticket with tears in his eyes.
But fortunately, no one was hurt.
Those charcoal and 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 will be a big loss...
[Task: vacate 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.
Apart from the chefs who make scrambled eggs with tomatoes, most people don't expect to win the first prize with their unconventional ideas.
This kind of festival activity is just for fun. Although there are many people who team up to kill monsters and materials, most people participate with a playful attitude.
Because of the active players, the Stone City, which has been deserted for more than half a month, has finally regained some of its former liveliness because of the approaching festival.
In this way, it is finally the night of New Year's Eve.
The decorated streets are full of lights and colors. Survivors have taken to the streets one after another, and many shops that have been closed for more than half a month have 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 Giant Stone Military Industrial Building, looking at the colorful flames in the night sky, Yin Bosi smiled and clapped his hands.
"Not bad... It's rare for me to see such a unique show."
In the name of hunting aliens, he quietly cleared out the predator tribes around the Giant Stone City, and then vigorously cleaned up the gang forces in the slums.
So far, the performance of this new shareholder has exceeded his expectations. He has not been so surprised by an organism for a long time.
Originally, he thought that the chaos in the Giant Stone City would at least make Qingquan City turbulent for five or six years, but now it seems that this good show has completely ended 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 slums have been cleaned up and most of the factories in the city have resumed production, the state of emergency may be lifted soon.
Perhaps this celebration is the opportunity.
However, Yin Bosi was not disappointed, but even more excited.
Under that peaceful and tranquil scene, he could already smell the smell of blood...