CH 7: Wood Cutting Simulator

"Without rules, there is no order."

Especially for players who are enthusiastic about causing trouble, there can be no room for leniency.

【Shelter Resident Handbook Version 1.0】

【1. The commands of the manager are above all else, and all residents of the shelter must obey unconditionally.】

【2. For violators, the manager reserves the right to use "forced hibernation" and "detention" as final measures. (Game Note: Forced hibernation is equivalent to forced removal from the game, detention means banning login permissions.)】

【3. The manager has the ultimate interpretative authority over all the above terms.】

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

After reading the note behind the second item in the Shelter Resident Handbook, the players understand thoroughly that the NPC in front of them is not just an NPC, but also has the authority of a GM, who can "ban" individuals who affect the gaming experience of others.

For now, with fewer people, there are only these three rules, but if there are areas that need to be supplemented later, Chu Guang will consider releasing version 2.0 or even version 20.0.
For example, rules governing player-player and player-NPC interactions, as well as prohibitions within the game, etc.

Before the A-test, there was a round of closed beta testing, and half of the original intention was for this.

The space in the shelter is not large. There are about twenty rooms, but each is very small, filled to the brim with four incubation pods.

The previous manager seemed to be afraid that he wouldn't work and would just sit here eating, so he cleaned up the entire B1 floor, leaving nothing good for him.

Chu Guang didn't stay in the shelter for too long. After explaining the rules, he took the four people and Little Seven out to the outside world via the elevator.

These four closed beta players were obedient enough, giving him, the manager, face. They were just a bit too curious.

From the moment they set foot on the ground, they were like Liu Laolao entering the Grand View Garden, touching and looking around, wanting to touch everything.

Every cell in their bodies was restless!

The elevator stopped.

Looking at the sunlight shining through the broken windows, the four players once again marveled at what they hadn't seen before.

"Oh..."

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

"This is amazing!"

"Sunlight shines through the cracks in the concrete ruins, illuminating the grass sprouting from the floor, visible dust floating in the beam of light... Every frame is art, every second is burning money!"

“Damn, brother ample time is so poetic”

"Amazing! Is this the handiwork of a god?"

"..."

A group of inexperienced people…

Chu Guang found it somewhat amusing, but he could also understand. He pretended not to hear anything and carried out his duty as an NPC, leading them out of the nursing home.

Seeing the equipment on the ground, Chu Guang turned around to face them.

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

"We are currently in the northern suburbs of Clear Spring Valley, far from the nuclear crater. Unless we encounter 'Glowing rain' or visible radioactive clouds, there's no need to worry too much about excessive gamma radiation."

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

"The first thing we need to do now is to repair this nursing home under our feet and establish an outpost on this wasteland."

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

"I'll give you a task. Pick up the axe on the ground and go outside to chop some wood."

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

"Don't go too far, and if you encounter any strange creatures, don't act rashly and retreat immediately."

"What are you waiting for?! Move!"

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

To his surprise, these players were even more obedient than he had expected, picking up the axe and going to work promptly. Their movements were swift, as if they couldn't wait for him to finish speaking, afraid that delaying themselves would impede their work.

"Master, are these guys really okay?" Little Seven, who was following beside him, expressed his concern. It always felt to him that these clone people's heads weren't quite right.

"That's why I brought you out with me," Chu Guang looked up at the nursing home behind him, paused for a moment, and continued, "Go to the window on the third floor to the north and keep an eye on them. If they encounter any problems or go too far, let me know."

As for himself, he needed to check on the rewards for completing the task.

The trash can next to Chu Guang didn't move.

After a while, Little Seven spoke softly.

"...Master."

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I don't have legs."

The trash can, which could move, circled around Chu Guang's legs, demonstrating its method of movement. It was obvious to Chu Guang at this moment that this guy rolled around on four pairs of casters.

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

Sighing, Chu Guang squatted down and hoisted it onto his shoulder.

Goodness.

It's pretty heavy.

...

Ka ka—

Bang!

The tree, as thick as a thigh, slowly fell down, crashing to the ground, making a dull sound.

"I feel like this doesn't look like a wasteland."

"Then what does it look like?"

"More like Forest... I'm talking about 'The Forest.' I don't know if you guys have played it, but in that game, you chop trees and then build houses."

"The ultimate co-op game. Of course, I've played it. Not only played it, but I've also built a house in the sky. But building houses there is much simpler. Just a click of the mouse, unlike here... Damn, this axe is pretty heavy."

"Speaking of the setting, I actually think this feels quite realistic. I remember watching a documentary about returning to Chernobyl. Forty years without human interference, and it turned into a new ecosystem. Buildings covered with vines, trees growing taller than houses... This game's setting is two hundred years after a nuclear war, right? It's not impossible. I even feel the situation in the city might be even more exaggerated."

Looking at the mess behind him, White horse wiped his sweat and clicked his tongue.

Two hours later…

Although their efficiency was not high, and the tree trunks left behind looked as if they had bit on by dogs, they had still cut down a dozen pine trees the size of a human thigh and countless smaller ones.

It was just that the Vault manager didn't say how much he needed, and no one knew if what they got was enough.

"I have to admit that this game is too real... Whether it's the impact of the axe cutting a tree, or the flying sawdust and the sunlight filtering through the leaves, it reminds me of that game calle—"

"Alright, alright, stop talking about those things."

Interrupting Ample time's musings, Night Ten leaned on his axe, panting as he looked at the scattered branches and autumn leaves on the ground.

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

The physical abilities of the characters in the game were much stronger than their real-life counterparts.

In real life, Night Ten was the kind of guy whose body had been drained by nine years of compulsory education, but here in the wasteland, he could just about flex out two lumps of biceps.

Of course, the most impressive one was White Horse—also known as Lao Bai.

Even though his character didn't look particularly good, with a scruffy beard, his sleeves revealed solid muscles, radiating strength.

"If we're going to farm, I suggest we could burn the vegetation to create ash and turn it into the soil. By the time winter is over, it would be fertile land by spring... Of course, this depends on how realistic the game is. Otherwise, it's just a waste of effort."

"I've always wondered why White Horse looks so muscular, like he's been working out, while I struggle to even hold an axe."

Level 8 Gale panted heavily.

His character was probably the closest to his real-life physical condition. After a short while of exercise, he was already out of breath.

"Each character probably has different attributes... although I'm not sure how this is determined," Ample time scratched the back of his head, pondering for a moment before speaking, "But I do have a theory."

"What theory?"

The three other players were quite interested in his findings.

Those who had been in the Bull and Horse Club for a while knew that this guy was a member of several single-player game strategy groups and had the largest Steam game library in the group.

Whether it was FPS, RPG, or SLG, there was no genre he hadn't played.

"You probably noticed that we woke up from a silver tank. Considering the game's theme, there are two possibilities. One, we were put into cryosleep before the war and woke up now. Two, we are all clones."

"Personally, I think the latter setting is more convenient. It would easily explain the issue of respawning, as they could just recreate a body using DNA stored in the incubation pods."

Seeing the players looking at each other, Ample time continued.

"I suspect that later on, there will be attribute panels and level systems. The differences in our physical abilities might be foreshadowing for this!"

"I'm really looking forward to the developers creating a unique game system. For instance, combining DNA and profession systems to distinguish between strength-type and agility-type players, establishing different attribute growth curves. This would ensure both freedom and rich gameplay."

"It's a pity that the characters are random. It would be great if we could choose our initial attributes."

After talking for a while, Ample time finally stopped.

"Enough chit-chat. When I log off, I'll talk to Light about this."

He remembered that Light had said he was the planner of the game. Directly talking to the planner about these issues would definitely be more effective than them discussing blindly here.

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

"What do you think the size of this map is?"

"No idea."

"If I kept walking in one direction..."

Looking at the eager Night Ten, Level 8 Gale, leaning on his axe and resting, hesitated before saying.

"It's probably an invisible wall, or maybe a plot kill... But either way, I suggest you don't do it."

"Remember? The manager told us not to stray too far from the nursing home."

"Damn it, he's just an NPC. Are you going to listen to him?"

"But he can log us off and even revoke our beta qualifications," Level 8 Gale reminded.

Ample time also chimed in.

"Yes, and I suspect, given the intelligence of the NPCs in this game, there might be a hidden affection system. You might notice that its attitude towards each player isn't exactly the same. There must be some hidden algorithm behind this."

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

Hearing this, even the most rebellious Night Ten calmed down.

There was no choice.

The implication was too strong.

Anyone could see the potential value behind this game.

A fully immersive virtual reality…

Once this technology emerged, it would revolutionize not only the entertainment industry but also the way people lived.

Even for those who didn't like playing games, who would refuse to have an extra 12 to 8 hours a day?

According to the Light Brother in the group, time spent in the game world was equivalent to sleeping in the real world.

This meant that even if you stayed in the game all night, it wouldn't affect your work the next day!

It's hard to imagine that a game destined to shake the world was conducting its closed beta so "casually" and quietly.

Does the company not need to make money?

But no matter what, since this opportunity had come to them, none of them wanted to give it up easily.

Just as Night Ten dismissed the idea of exploring the map's boundaries and prepared to continue chopping wood, a strong sense of crisis suddenly engulfed him.

His limbs went cold.

Cold sweat seeped from his back.

He didn't know where this sense of danger came from, but he felt as if he had seen his tragic death—

His legs went soft, and he stumbled backward. This stumble saved him from the shadow descending from the sky.

Rip—!

Wood chips flew.

Three half-foot wide claw marks were left on the tree trunk next to him!

"Caaw—!"

A shriek like a ghost's wail!

The large bird that had dived down missed its target and, using the rebound force from kicking the pine tree, flapped its wings to regain height and disappeared among the treetops.

Looking at the fallen black feathers, Night Ten sat on the ground in shock, instinctively touching his head.

What the hell was that??

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