To Get Rich, First Chop Trees

Without rules, nothing can be accomplished.

Especially for players who are keen on causing trouble, you can't be soft-hearted.

[Shelter Resident Handbook v1.0]

[1. The Manager's orders are paramount. All residents of the Shelter must obey unconditionally.]

[2. For violating residents, the Manager reserves the final right to use "Forced Hibernation" and "Confinement." (Note: Forced Hibernation is equivalent to being forcibly kicked out of the game. Confinement is equivalent to a login ban.)]

[3. The Manager has the final right of interpretation for all the above terms.]

Being kicked out of the game for violations is no longer a power that ordinary NPCs possess.

Seeing the note after the second rule in the Shelter Resident Handbook, the players completely understood. The NPC in front of them was not just an NPC but also had some GM permissions, capable of "banning" those who affected other players' gaming experience.

There aren't many people now, so for the time being, there are only these three rules. If there are places that need to be added later, Chu Guang will consider releasing version 2.0, or even version 20.0.

For example, rules for interaction between players, between players and "NPCs," and prohibited actions within the game, etc.

One of the reasons for doing a Closed Beta before the Alpha Test was precisely for this.

The space inside the Shelter isn't large. Although there seem to be many rooms, about twenty, each one is actually very small, packed full with four Cultivation Pods.

The previous Manager seemed deeply afraid that he wouldn't work and would just sit here and eat away at the resources, so they moved the entire B1 Level clean, leaving him absolutely nothing good.

Chu Guang didn't stay in the Shelter for too long. After explaining the rules, he took the four people and Xiao Qi and stepped onto the elevator leading to the outside.

These four Closed Beta players were quite obedient and gave him, the Manager, face. It was just that their curiosity was a bit too excessive.

From the moment their feet touched the ground, they were like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden, touching and looking everywhere along the way, wanting to touch everything.

Not a single cell in their entire bodies could stay still!

The elevator stopped.

Looking at the sunlight that shone through the broken windows and onto the area in front of the elevator, the four players once again let out gasps of amazement, as if they had never seen the world before.

"Holy crap..."

"This light! This wall! This, this, this..."

"This is too awesome!"

"Sunlight passes through the gaps in the concrete ruins, shining on the small grass pushing through the floor. Visible dust motes float in the beams of light... Every frame is art, every second is burning money!"

"Awesome! Brother Ri is the cultured one!"

"Get lost, call me Brother Fang!"

"Okay, Brother Lairi."

"..."

A bunch of guys who have never seen the world...

Chu Guang found it a bit amusing but could also understand. He pretended not to hear anything and fulfilled his duty as an NPC, leading them outside the Sanatorium.

Looking at the tools placed on the ground, Chu Guang turned to face them.

"As you can see before you, the nuclear war ended two hundred years ago."

"The place we are in now is located in the northern outer suburbs of Clearwater City, far from the nuclear crater. Unless you encounter 'Glowing Rain' or visible radioactive clouds, you don't need to worry too much about excessive Gamma Value."

"The Shelter cannot protect us forever, and our civilization cannot hide beneath the ruins forever. Remember, we are the vanguard returning to the surface. Behind us are thousands of people waiting for our good news. There is no time to delay."

"The first thing we need to do now is repair this Sanatorium beneath our feet and establish an Outpost on this ruin."

"It will become our Bridgehead for returning to the surface."

"I'm giving you a task: pick up the axes on the ground and go outside to chop some wood."

"Before winter comes, we need to stockpile enough fuel, and also repair these broken walls around us."

"Remember not to go too far. If you encounter Mutants, do not act rashly. Retreat immediately."

"Move out!"

Chu Guang originally thought he would need to spend some time explaining.

Unexpectedly, these players were even more obedient than he imagined, picking up their axes and going out to work without delay.

Their swift actions were as if they couldn't wait for him to finish speaking, afraid of delaying their work.

"Master, are these guys really okay?" Xiao Qi, who was following along, expressed its concern. It always felt that these clones were a bit abnormal in the head.

"That's why I asked you to come along too," Chu Guang looked up at the Sanatorium behind him, paused for a moment, and continued, "Go to the window on the north side of the third floor and watch. If they encounter trouble, or go too far, remind me."

As for himself, he had to first check the reward for completing the task.

The moving wastepaper basket, circling around Chu Guang's calf, demonstrated its method of movement. Only then did Chu Guang notice that this guy had always been sliding around on four pairs of wheels.

The moving trash can circled Chu Guang's calf, demonstrating its mode of locomotion. Only then did Chu Guang notice that the thing had been sliding around on four pairs of wheels the entire time.

"...Alright, I'll carry you up."

He sighed.

Chu Guang squatted down and hoisted it onto his shoulder.

Well, I'll be.

It was quite heavy.

Crack, crack—

Thud!

A tree as thick as a thigh slowly fell, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

"I don't think this feels like a wasteland."

"Then what does it feel like?"

"More like a forest... I mean The Forest. I don't know if you guys have played it, but in that game, you cut down trees like this and then build houses."

"A god-tier co-op game, of course I've played it, and not just played it, I even built my house in the sky. But building houses there was much simpler, just a click of the mouse, unlike here... Damn it, this axe is really heavy."

"Speaking of the setting, I actually think this is quite realistic. I remember watching a documentary before about returning to Chernobyl. Forty years without human disturbance, and it evolved into a new ecosystem. Buildings were covered in vines, and trees grew taller than houses... This game's setting is two hundred years after the wasteland, so it's not impossible. I even feel like the situation in the city will be even more exaggerated than here."

Looking at the mess behind him, Old Bai wiped his sweat and clicked his tongue.

"If this were in reality, we'd probably be rotting in jail."

They had been busy for about two hours.

Although the efficiency wasn't high, and the remaining stumps looked like they had been gnawed by a dog, they had still cut down about ten thigh-thick pine trees, and countless thinner ones.

However, the Manager hadn't said how much was needed, so no one was sure if this was enough.

"Honestly, this game is too realistic... Whether it's the dull thud of the axe hitting the tree, or the flying wood chips and the sunlight filtering through the leaves, it reminds me of—"

"Alright, alright, stop rambling."

Interrupting Fang Chang's lament, Night Ten leaned on his axe, looking at the scattered branches and autumn leaves on the ground, and panted.

"Since we can cut down trees, building houses and farming shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Their physical abilities in the game were much stronger than in reality.

In reality, Night Ten was the type whose body had been hollowed out by nine years of compulsory education, but here in the wasteland, he could barely squeeze out two lumps of biceps.

Of course, the most satisfying was Fleeting White Steed—that is, Old Bai.

Although his character didn't look great, with a full beard stubble, when he rolled up his sleeves, he was all muscle and looked strong.

"If we're going to farm, I suggest we start a fire. The ashes from the burnt vegetation can be tilled into the soil, and after winter passes, it will be fertile land in the spring... Of course, that's assuming this game is really that realistic, otherwise it's just wasted effort."

"Speaking of which, I've always wondered why Old Bai's muscles look so solid, like he's trained, while I can barely lift an axe."

Gale was panting heavily.

His character's physical fitness was probably the closest to reality among everyone. He was already exhausted after exercising for a short while.

"Each character's attributes definitely have differences... Although I don't know how this is determined." Abbot rubbed the back of his head and pondered for a moment. "But I do have a guess."

"What's your guess?"

The three players were quite interested in his discovery.

Anyone who had been in the Cattle and Horse Club for a while knew that this guy was a strategy guide member for several single-player games and had the most Steam game inventory in the group.

Whether it was FPS, RPG, or SLG, there wasn't a genre he didn't play.

"You should have also noticed that we woke up from a silver-white tank. Considering the theme of this game, there are two possible settings. One, we slept from before the war until now through cryo-hibernation technology. Two, we are all clones."

"Of course, I personally think the latter setting would be more convenient, because then the resurrection problem is also easily explained. A new body is simply synthesized using the DNA stored in the cultivation pod."

Looking at the players who were exchanging glances, Fang Chang continued.

"I estimate that attribute panels and leveling will be added later, and our differences in physical fitness are likely a foreshadowing of that!"

"I'm still looking forward to the development team creating a unique game mechanism, for example... combining DNA with a class system to differentiate between strength-type players and agility-type players, and setting different attribute growth curves. This would ensure freedom while also enriching the gameplay."

"It's a shame the characters are random. It would be great if we could decide our initial attributes ourselves."

Having talked himself dry, Fang Chang finally stopped.

"No more rambling, I'll find Brother Guang to chat with when I go offline later."

He remembered Brother Guang saying he was the game's planner. Talking to the planner directly about this issue would definitely be better than them discussing it blindly here.

At this moment, Night Ten, who was staring blankly into the distance, suddenly spoke.

"You guys, how big do you think this map is?"

"I don't know."

"What if I just keep walking in one direction..."

Looking at the eager Night Ten and Gale, who was resting nearby leaning on his axe, Gale hesitated before speaking.

"Most likely it's an invisible wall, or maybe a plot kill... but either way, I really advise you not to do it."

"Did you forget? The Manager told us not to go too far from the Sanatorium."

"Damn it, he's just an NPC, and you're listening to him?"

"But he can make us go offline, and he can even confiscate our Closed Beta qualifications," Gale reminded him.

Fang Chang also added a reminder from the side.

"Yes, and I speculate that given the intelligence level of the NPCs in this game, there might be hidden settings like favorability. You can actually notice that its attitude towards each player isn't exactly the same; there must be hidden algorithmic logic at play."

"Alright, alright, I won't try it, I won't try it."

Hearing this, even the most restless Night Ten settled down.

There was nothing else to do.

Those words were too impactful.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see the value hidden behind this game.

Completely immersive virtual reality...

Once this technology is released, it will have a revolutionary impact on the entertainment methods—and even lifestyles—of modern society!

Even if someone didn't want to play games, who would mind having 12 to 8 more hours in a day than others?

According to Brother Guang in the group, time spent in the game world is equivalent to sleeping in the real world.

In other words, even if you stay here all night, it won't affect your work the next day!

It's truly hard to imagine that such a game, destined to be a worldwide sensation, would have its Closed Beta conducted in such a "hasty" and even silent manner.

Doesn't that company need to make money?

But no matter what, since this opportunity had fallen into their hands, not a single person was willing to give it up easily.

Just as Night Ten dispelled the urge to explore the map's boundaries and was preparing to continue chopping trees obediently, a strong sense of impending danger suddenly enveloped his entire body.

His hands and feet turned cold.

Cold sweat seeped from his back.

He didn't know where that sense of danger came from, but it was as if he had foreseen his own tragic end—

His legs went weak, and Night Ten stumbled backward. However, it was precisely this stumble that allowed him to dodge the dark shadow descending from the sky.

Tear—!

Wood chips flew.

Three half-foot-wide claw marks were imprinted on the tree trunk beside him!

"Caw—!"

Like the howl of a vengeful spirit!

The large bird that swooped down missed its target. Using the recoil from kicking the pine tree, it flapped its wings, regained altitude, and disappeared into the treetops.

Looking at the fallen black feather, Night Ten, who was slumped on the ground, was completely dumbfounded. He instinctively touched his head.

What the hell?