When Ye Yuan woke up, Mu Bai had already heated the last Beef Hotpot Canned Food.
“Eat well this morning. We’re entering a Slaughter Station soon,” Mu Bai said as she handed over a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks.
Eating food she prepared herself did provide special effects, but they were not sure how long they would be inside.
Beef Hotpot Canned Food was the safest option to guarantee their physical stamina.
“Has the announcement refreshed?”
Ye Yuan asked, instantly becoming alert.
“Yes. The Slaughter Station requires a reduction in the number of people, but it also established a Collective Task…”
Mu Bai explained her thoughts.
‘If our positions are scattered after we enter, we naturally won’t fear anyone. But if we all appear in the same venue, the two of us girls will easily be seen as easy targets. That would be a bit dangerous.’
Entering meant a chaotic battle.
Even with two guns, safety wasn’t guaranteed.
There was also the possibility that too many people would be eliminated at the start, making it impossible to complete the task.
Therefore, it was necessary for someone to stand up and integrate the Players to form a temporary alliance.
They didn’t need to maintain absolute authority; they just needed to stop the Players from fighting amongst themselves at the very beginning.
Mu Bai told Ye Yuan all of her plans.
Ye Yuan remained silent for a long time before asking, “Can they be trusted?”
“For this purpose, they are the most suitable candidates,” Mu Bai explained.
“At least Su Wan is trustworthy. Resources inside the Train cannot be plundered at a Slaughter Station, so they have no reason to make an enemy of us…”
If there was a point of failure, it was only whether the other party was willing to take on such a troublesome chore.
Integrating the strength of the Players would certainly meet resistance, and they would become a thorn in the side of some people.
However, there were benefits, such as the “Contribution Value” mentioned in the announcement and a certain amount of prestige among the Player group.
The latter might seem useless for now, but the former provided tangible benefits.
If Su Wan and her partner really lost their nerve, it would only be a waste of 1 or 2 Train Coins.
Keeping the Golden Desert Eagle in their hands was better than giving it to an unknown enemy.
Those two had seen Ye Yuan’s combat power, so even if they had petty thoughts, they would have to weigh the consequences.
While eating, Mu Bai opened the System Interface.
The Chat Room was bustling with activity for the first time in a while.
— Chatroom c0721 (1,997) —
“What is this Collective Task? It wants to reduce our numbers but also wants us to do a task. What if too many people die and the task can’t be completed?”
“I suggest everyone avoids attacking each other after entering the Station. We can fight however we want after the Collective Task is finished, otherwise no one will make it back!”
“I don’t want to live anyway. What does it have to do with me? Might as well all be buried together.”
“People like you will be the first to die once we get in. Who’s afraid of who?”
“Everyone, look at me. I’m announcing something. I have a Level 2 Train. Listen to me once we’re inside. I will ensure as many of us stay alive as possible until the task is finished!”
“Heh, idiot. How did a brain like yours upgrade to Level 2? There are nearly 2,000 people. How are you going to convince them?”
It was heated in every sense of the word, and the atmosphere was thick with hostility.
Unfortunately, there were very few meaningful posts.
After finishing breakfast, Mu Bai filtered through the supplies she would bring into the Station.
With [Portable Space], she no longer had to worry about weight issues.
Although it was best to carry a backpack to hide this ability, she didn’t need to put that many things inside.
3 cubic meters was larger than she had imagined; the space was ample.
Mu Bai prepared to spend the night in the Station.
To better utilize her [Cooking Expert] talent, she brought some cookware, semi-finished ingredients, and seasonings.
Bedding for the night was also an issue, so she packed that as well.
She had nearly 100 rounds left for the Beretta.
Except for the spare magazines, she placed everything into the storage space to be retrieved whenever needed.
Mu Bai felt more and more that the [Portable Space] talent, although a support type, was incredibly practical.
Once everything was ready, she sat on the bed with her eyes closed, taking deep breaths to adjust her state of mind.
A few minutes later, the station broadcast finally rang out.
[The Train is about to arrive at the station. The destination is a Slaughter Station. Station type — Zombie Apocalypse. Difficulty Level: 5. Stop duration: ??]
[This station will be entered collectively by Players from the same Chat Room. The entry point is the Survivor Camp.]
[Collective Task: Act as a non-official survivor organization and help the military escort a “key figure” to the Underground Research Institute. This person must be delivered safely, otherwise all Players will lose the chance to return to the Train!]
[After the task ends, the Train System will distribute Train Coin rewards based on Contribution Value. The Players who survive until the end will receive one opportunity to merge teams!]
[If you do not enter the station within 5 minutes after the Train stops, the Train will self-destruct immediately.]
Mu Bai opened her eyes, her gaze burning with intensity.
She had guessed correctly, and there was an unexpected surprise.
‘Helping the military… there should be a reward, right? Being a high-ranking member of the Player group will yield even more benefits!’
Before the Train reached the station, Mu Bai opened her private messages.
After a bit of thought, she didn’t contact Su Wan first.
Instead, she found Tang Shifu.
Mu Bai: “Master Tang, do you have guns?”
Tang Shifu: “No QAQ. Guns are too hard to get. I regret trading that Beretta to you so easily now.”
Mu Bai: “Mm… Let’s not talk about that for now. Once we’re inside, prioritize meeting up with us. The four of us being together will definitely be safer!”
Tang Shifu: “Mhm, let’s report our locations to each other after we go in!”
Mu Bai: “At that time, a team consisting of a couple might come forward to integrate the Player group… It’s best if they stand up. If they’re nowhere to be found or if they fail, we will prioritize escaping the initial area. Don’t get caught in a brawl with over a thousand people!”
Tang Shifu: “Are you trying to be the boss behind the scenes?”
Mu Bai: “I’m creating an opportunity for us to complete the Collective Task safely.”
Tang Shifu: “Understood. OK.”
After closing the chat with Tang Shifu, Mu Bai finally messaged Su Wan.
Mu Bai: “Are you there?”
Su Wan: “I’m here, I’m here! What is it, Mu Bai?”
Mu Bai: “After entering the Station, I need you to find a high point and quickly attract everyone’s attention. Use the deterrent power of the Golden Desert Eagle to integrate the Players… As the leaders of the survivors, you’ll definitely get the most rewards for completing the task. What do you think?”
Su Wan: “That feels a bit risky…”
Mu Bai: “I can’t force you to do it, so I’m just giving you a choice. If you can successfully cooperate with me, I will make sure you stay ahead of the other Players every step of the way… You can take a look at my current Train level and trust me.”
Su Wan: “!”
Su Wan: “Mu Bai, how did you do it? 20 kilograms of silver and 10 Train Coins… Is it that easy to gather?”
Mu Bai: “Cooperate with me, and I will tell you everything. Even if my experience can’t be replicated, you’ll get more information about higher levels.”
Su Wan: “We will definitely cooperate fully!”
She closed the private message and then the System Interface.
Everything was ready.
Mu Bai knew her plan was too simple, but before entering the Station, this was all she knew and all she could do.
She could only try her best.
If she wanted to keep surviving in this game… she also needed to constantly learn through trial and error and grow.
This was a necessary step.
“Mu Bai.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t think too much. I’m here.”
Ye Yuan leaned down, pulled the Little White-Haired One’s head into a hug, and took a deep breath.
At worst, they would die together.
During those two days when they ran out of food, she had already prepared herself for death.
Mu Bai thought Ye Yuan was saying she could protect her, so she happily accepted the comfort and leaned into the embrace.
Having been a “Power Bank” for so long, she was already used to hugging Ye Yuan.
“Mhm, I trust you,” Mu Bai said with a smile after they broke the embrace.