Calamity Nano Base

"Who's talking?"

Cheng Shaofeng had barely formed the thought before a response echoed in his mind.

"Master, I am Smart Butler Zero of the Calamity Nano Base. The base has now been stationed in your head and can display its functions through retinal projection. Would you like to view them?"

"Display?"

Everything had been blurry in the dim Dungeon, but Cheng Shaofeng's vision suddenly brightened.

It truly brightened.

A layer of azure interface overlaid the dark Dungeon.

Just like the cutting-edge AR technology in science fiction movies.

Even with his eyes closed, he could see a clear image projected onto his eyelids.

Calamity Nano Base

Energy: 0.1% (replenishing energy; source: biological energy)

Available Robots: Low-Level Nano Engineers (basic construction robots with extremely low energy consumption; can use resources to construct certain infrastructure)

Available Base Functions: Nano Construction, Quantum Surfing, Clone Projection, Information Editor

Constructible Buildings: Clone Production Pod, Loot Generator, Attribute Conversion Tower

Clones Stored in Base: 3

"All currently available base functions have been displayed. Is there anything you need me to do, Master?"

Cheng Shaofeng was still somewhat dazed, but in his current situation, this unknown Nano Base was clearly the only thing he could rely on.

He rubbed his stomach.

"The ones who captured me were probably Raiders from the wasteland. They don't look very polite. I need to get out of here. Can you use the Robots to dig a tunnel so I can escape?"

Zero said, "The operation you described can be carried out, but the base's energy level is too low to support excavation to a safe location."

Cheng Shaofeng said, "Then tell me what you can do with this tiny bit of juice."

Seeing the red energy bar flashing at 0.1%, Cheng Shaofeng wanted nothing more than to plug a cable into his head and charge it straight to 100%.

Unable to recharge that nearly empty red energy bar, Cheng Shaofeng felt as though ants were crawling all over him.

So uncomfortable!

Zero said, "At present, Quantum Surfing, Clone Projection, and the Information Editor are three operations with extremely low energy consumption."

"Quantum Surfing: through the quantum entanglement state between you and the network, the base can assist you in connecting to the last website where your internet signal remained. After connecting once, that quantum signal source can be locked. The system has detected that the last website you visited was—Baidu Tieba."

After thinking for a moment, Cheng Shaofeng remembered.

Before coming here, he had copied someone else's build from Diablo III Bar and had been planning to make a new character to try it out.

"So you mean I can chat nonsense on Earth's forums right now?"

Zero said, "Yes."

Cheng Shaofeng's mouth twitched slightly. "Okay, okay. What a boring feature. Then what about Clone Projection and the Information Editor?"

Zero said, "The base's Clone Projection technology allows you to summon human consciousnesses from Earth into the base's Clone bodies. You possess the highest rule authority over the Clones. It is recommended that you use the Information Editor to feed them information and make them believe they are playing a game, allowing them to better realize the value of the Clones."

"Holy shit!? A Combination Technique? Summoning players?"

At last, Cheng Shaofeng understood the functions currently available to the Calamity Nano Base.

Summon people from Earth and make them work for him!

Players were the most curious, most hardworking, bravest, and most shameless group of people in the world!

If he told them they had transmigrated, they might hold themselves back.

But if it was a game... then players would be an endless crop of leeks, ready to be harvested forever!

"Thank goodness... the last site I was on was Tieba, not some late-night study site. Otherwise, what would be the point of summoning so many teachers? Have a good time before dying?"

He needed powerful teammates to rescue him!

And that was how the earlier scene on Tieba had come about.

Trapped in another world, locked in a dark room, about to receive the tender ministrations of a Green Skin Brute. Experts, hurry over and save me!

He had chosen the strongest group of people on Tieba.

Clear-minded, logical, rich in game experience, and full of both clever tricks and ruthless tactics.

Through conversations and sign-ups on Tieba, he had narrowed it down to three people.

African Thin Dog, Ghost Face Demon Fox, and Lin Tang.

They were all highly active members of the forum.

They had experience with more than one game and were proficient in all kinds of survival games, with exceptionally high overall gaming ability.

"Oh, right. Where are our three Clones? Are they in my head too?"

Zero said, "No. They are buried where you found the watch."

Cheng Shaofeng said, "...All right. At least they aren't trapped here like me."

"I hope they can get me out of here." Cheng Shaofeng sighed and muttered to himself.

"No one is coming to save you. Give up on that."

A man's hoarse voice suddenly came from beside him.

Cheng Shaofeng's hairs stood on end. When he had been thrown into this Dungeon, there had been no one around him—only several corpses, tortured beyond recognition.

"Who!?"

"Delivery!"

"Oh, coming."

Pu Shenqi hung up the phone and went out to collect his package.

He had just been chatting with a designer from Penguin Games, asking whether any company had developed a 100% virtual reality game yet.

The designer's answer had been philosophical: "Funny you should ask. We're looking for one too."

Pu Shenqi took a large cube-shaped box the size of a basketball from the courier.

He opened it and found a black helmet inside.

It took him three seconds to realize what it was.

"Holy shit? It's already here??? I only filled out the information an hour ago!"

Unbelievable!

Forget next-day delivery—this was same-hour delivery!

He carried it inside, plugged in the power and network cable, then put it on.

His vision went dark, then brightened again. Everything was hazy, with only one line of text clearly visible in the center:

"Apocalypse OL closed beta version. Waiting for other players to log in: 1/3."

He still could not log in. They had to wait until all three people were present.

He took off the helmet and opened the group chat as quickly as possible.

Ghost Face Demon Fox: "Heh~ They really sent me a helmet, and there wasn't even a delivery charge. This is getting more and more interesting."

Lin Tang: "Fuck? I thought I'd be the first one to get it."

"By the way, weren't there three closed beta slots? Who did Brother Shao give the other one to?"

African Thin Dog: "Me, me, me! I've got it here. This is fucking weird. Lin Tang, you're in Guangzhou, right? I'm in Kyoto, and Hu Da's in the northeast. Yet we all got our helmets within an hour. What the...?"

Shadow Night God: "That's nothing. They probably stocked them in advance. You're all in cities, right? Then one-hour delivery is perfectly normal. But there really wasn't a delivery fee?"

All three gave affirmative answers.

Shadow Night God pondered briefly, then typed a line: "I see. Another new scam. Scammers are keeping up with the times. There's probably some paid feature inside the helmet. You three have already fallen into the scammer's trap."

After remaining silent for a moment, Pu Shenqi created a small group chat with Ghost Face Demon Fox and Lin Tang.

"Whether it's a scam or not, we'll find out when the three of us log in together."

Lin Tang said, "Fine, but let's make a deal. If it isn't fun, you two have to help me test mods."

Ghost Face Demon Fox said, "Interesting, interesting. See you online."

The three put on their black helmets simultaneously in different cities.

Azure signal lights flickered.

The images and sensations before them were like a mirror struck by something sharp. From a single point, dozens of spiderweb cracks spread outward, then with a bang, the mirror shattered into countless fragments that fell into the void.

In absolute darkness, their five senses slowly reassembled.

The next moment.

Within the dark brown earth of a garbage dump.

Smack!

Three hands burst from the ground.