Depth

The Exploration Bureau's canteen.

The canteen, which once had more than 20 windows and a large number of private rooms, now only has one window open, and it no longer offers real-time menu items; you have to order from a menu.

Moreover, there are often no detectives cooking here, and guests need to go to the kitchen to cook the dishes themselves.

Less than half an hour later, Luo Di, wearing an apron, came out carrying four dishes, all steaming hot.

twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts

Boiled beef

Shredded pork with green peppers

Mapo Tofu,

There was also a bowl of winter melon and sliced pork soup.

"It's so delicious!"

You Zhen's small eyes widened suddenly. Because of the chili peppers, she felt hotter and hotter as she ate, and even took off her barrel-shaped robe.

"Holy crap! Fellow countryman, have you ever been a chef?" Yu Ze was also stunned when he tasted Luo Di's cooking for the first time. "This tastes more authentic than several Sichuan restaurants in the capital."

Luo Di just smiled slightly. He quite liked the feeling of being praised, which was somewhat similar to being watched by the audience in Fighting Arena.

"It's alright. Since I live alone, I usually have to cook for myself, and I occasionally learn from online videos."

Yu Ze looked completely bewildered. "Not ordering takeout? I order takeout every day in the capital... Asking me to buy groceries and cook is like asking me to kill myself."

Luo Di didn't say much and started eating.

You Zhen seemed to be enjoying the meal, so she took several bottles of beer from the kitchen, poured herself a full glass, and then poured one for the two young newcomers as well.

As the alcohol took effect, You Zhen's movements became increasingly exaggerated; she even took off her shoes and socks, placing her size 37 feet on the table.

"Hey, are you two born and raised in Federated States or did you immigrate here from elsewhere?"

"I was born in Jupiter City," Luo Di said quite frankly.

Yu Ze simply smiled faintly and did not answer, glossing over the question by drinking.

You Zhen began to speak to herself, "I wasn't born here, but outside, in my country."

However, I underwent special training within the country from birth, and by the age of seven, I had mastered conventional medical procedures and basic combat skills. Then, I was recommended by the country as an elite immigrant and came directly to this special country on the island, where I settled in the capital.

Then came the relentless training, day and night, with virtually no breaks.

From a very young age, I was instilled with the idea that exploring every nook and cranny was the ultimate goal. So when I actually managed to enter the Exploration Bureau through my own efforts, I was overjoyed and even woke up laughing for several days in a row.

Moreover, life within the Exploration Bureau isn't that tiring. I can rest, do things I enjoy, and there are great mentors to guide me in learning.

But... this happiness didn't last long.

As you can see now, I have withdrawn from headquarters and am remaining in the Nexus for an extended period.

Yu Ze asked with a smile, "Isn't You Zhen a specialist in providing treatment to injured and fear-ridden agents in the Nexus?"

"Nonsense! The real doctors are all at headquarters. Only a very small number of agents have returned to the Nexus. I may sound like a resident doctor in the Nexus, but in reality, I'm just a deserter."

But I was indeed a deserter; I was afraid of corners, afraid to go into them.

Suddenly, a whole bottle of beer went down my throat, and my face flushed.

"Six months ago, my exploration team encountered monsters during a corner exploration. I watched helplessly as my comrades, with whom I had spent every day, were killed one by one, right in front of me."

As a member of the Medical Support Department, I couldn't do anything and was eventually pushed out of the pit by the team leader.

I was completely consumed by fear, and all I knew was how to run away.

Moreover, someone as useless as me actually escaped back to safety and survived. Meanwhile, all my teammates who dared to face their fears were dead.

Since then, I have stopped exploring the corners, and the Exploration Bureau has agreed to let me stay on this Nexus.

Actually, I was originally planning to submit my resignation application in a month. But then I met you two, and coincidentally, I was assigned to guide you through the newcomer experience.

Thinking it was the last time he would obey the Exploration Bureau's orders, he agreed.

The outcome wasn't too bad. Six months later, when I returned to the corner, I wasn't affected by fear... even though we unexpectedly encountered a monster.

"Once the headquarters makes the arrangements, we'll set off together! I'm not afraid of anything anymore. I'm going to kill those monsters, chop them into strips, and use them as fertilizer to feed my plants."

Gulp gulp gulp~ Another bottle of beer down the drain, you can almost see the beer gushing up from You Zhen's throat.

After exchanging a glance with Yu Ze, Luo Di stood up and said, "Miss You Zhen, that's enough for tonight. We'll take you home."

"It's okay~ have another drink with me, I'm free today anyway... burp"

Snap!

A Yellow Talisman with You Zhen's head already pasted on it was placed on the table, and Zhen's forehead slammed directly onto the table, followed by snoring.

Yu Ze took out a special bell from his sleeve and shook it in his hand.

Ding ding ding~ You Zhen, who was asleep, suddenly got up and followed behind the two like a zombie.

When she woke up the next day, she was already in her own room. Recalling her drunken confession the night before and imagining the scene of being taken back to the room by the two newlyweds, she blushed slightly.

After quickly washing off the lingering smell of alcohol, I changed into a new outfit, stood before the wall displaying group photos, and bowed deeply.

"Captain, I'm going to the corner again! And I've met two really strong newbies. This time I'll definitely go to a deeper area. I'll try to become stronger and help you get revenge."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

While Luo Di was watering the flowers on the windowsill, he received an order to go to the [Seam].

This time, however, the purpose is not exploration, but a journey.

Teams need to travel from the "Shallow Layer" to the Exploration Bureau headquarters located in the "Mid-Shallow Layer".

During his three-day break, Luo Di also learned an important concept about corners.

[depth].

This is fundamentally different from "distance" on Earth; it's not that you can get to a place simply by walking a certain distance.

The depth of the corner is "vertical", "uncertain", and "random".

Moving between corner areas requires finding the hidden "Connection Port," much like the internal platforms of a train station.

However, simply finding the Connection Port is not enough; the most important thing is to meet the "deep conditions."

Otherwise, even if you enter the Connection Port, you can only move to other areas at the same depth, and you cannot go deep into the corner.

Take the previous Corner Experience as an example,

The train station that Luo Di and his friends were heading to had four platforms.

Follow the usual procedure to buy Train Ticket, enter the station, proceed to Platform 4, and board the train.

You can indeed leave the train station area, but the depth will not change; you will only go to a corner area that is also located in the Shallow Layer.

To achieve a deeper level of exploration, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive exploration of the region and infer relevant information.

Or perhaps a special Train Ticket was purchased through some means when the ticket was sold.

Or you might find different Train Ticket on a single passenger.

Even causing disturbances at train stations and being taken away in police cars, etc.

This condition is not fixed; it is random.

Even in the same corner area, the conditions for in-depth exploration will change depending on the arrival of different groups of people, so a comprehensive exploration and speculation are necessary.

Only when the [conditions] are met can we go deeper.

The monsters located in the deeper levels are "very familiar" with the corners and can even use their control over fear and their special abilities to influence the Corner Space to a certain extent, quickly find the conditions, and thus achieve rapid transfer between depths.

For example, the clown was able to travel from the depths to the Shallow Layer. While Luo Di and his friends were still exploring the train station, the green train, which they had attracted by unknown means, had already departed from platform two.

When Yu Ze and Luo Di arrived at the plaza area where Feng was located, similar to the last time, You Zhen had already changed into her combat uniform and was doing basic stretching.

However, there was no further explanation this time.

After exchanging glances to confirm their identities, the shackles connected the three men's wrists together, and they walked together into the gap that was hundreds of meters high.