Chapter 25: Scavenging the Entire City for Supplies!

"So delicious! The buns made with pork from pigs raised at home are just so fragrant; the texture of the meat is fantastic!"

"And this flatbread—they say the flour was grown and milled right here. It really is different!"

Food is the foundation of the people; what could be more blissful than a delicious meal?

"Woooo, I'm so happy! This is truly a foodie's paradise!"

"In this game, you don't gain weight no matter how much you eat, and there are no negative side effects! I wish I could eat twenty meals a day!"

"Both dieters and foodies are crying with envy! Thank you, holographic gaming; my one and only stomach finally doesn't have to suffer!"

Today-Did-You-Eat, acting as the group's head chef, praised the food as well: "The seasoning is a bit lacking, but the quality of the ingredients themselves is more than enough for a snack. In our world, no amount of seasoning could necessarily replicate this taste."

If the street food is this good, what must the dishes in the inn be like? They must be even better!

The players began to look forward to it, and Today-Did-You-Eat was also very curious about the craftsmanship of this world's chefs.

They hadn't noticed why there was so little seasoning in the food, nor did they realize what a terrifying experience this small detail would eventually bring.

As they reached the entrance of the inn, Flying-Dragon-in-the-Sky frowned, "Has anyone seen my brother?"

Without anyone noticing, Dobby-Everyday-Happy had disappeared.

"I haven't."

"Me neither."

"It seems a few other players are missing, too?"

"Maybe they just wanted to wander around. Nothing should happen; this small town is full of yellow-named villagers who have no strength to truss a chicken and cannot attack."

Fair enough. The group entered the inn.

At that moment, Dobby-Everyday-Happy was walking around, holding a meat bun in one hand and a candied hawthorn stick in the other, eating as he went.

"This game is so realistic. You have to walk everywhere yourself since there's no fast travel, and you have to hunt for your own food, from processing ingredients to boiling water and cooking. It's exactly like real life."

Though his body didn't get tired, his mind inevitably grew bored. Constant combat and traveling were exhausting; now that they had finally unlocked a new town map, he wanted to see what kind of fun he could find!

A city! Dobby-Everyday-Happy looked at the residential houses and pondered.

In most online and single-player games, you can walk into houses right in front of the NPCs, ransacking chests and cupboards, digging three feet deep to take everything that isn't nailed down. This was the mainstream playstyle, and game developers usually encouraged it.

Therefore, Dobby-Everyday-Happy was accustomed to looting every house, not missing even a single bag or box by the roadside.

"So many houses! I should be able to scavenge quite a bit of loot!"

His eyes lit up. Players love scavenging and hoarding, even if the items are useless junk. He scanned his surroundings; there was no one nearby, and no patrolling guards.

"Yes! These are all my resource collection points! Here I come, loot!"

He quickly rushed to a house in the town. Since it was a small town, the courtyards and houses were not large, and the big iron locks on the doors were very obvious.

Dobby-Everyday-Happy was incredibly frustrated: "What the... there are locks!"

So it really was a "super realistic" game—locking the doors so you can't loot!

It completely blocked off a path for players to gather resources! Did they really have to be so meticulous in this kind of place?

"I refuse to believe every house is locked!" He checked them one by one, but without exception, they were all locked.

Su Qingyue was observing the players' actions and fell silent at the sight.

Is there a possibility that ancient people weren't stupid enough to leave their doors wide open for everyone to wander in? Public security is poor, there's no surveillance, and there are many thieves, you know?

After touring almost the entire town, Dobby-Everyday-Happy felt like a wilted eggplant. Dammit, they were all locked!

How about climbing over? Right, why didn't I think of that?

His eyes lit up. He randomly selected a low courtyard wall, jumped in place, and easily vaulted over.

Players gained attribute points upon leveling up; at level ten-plus, they were equivalent to the Qi-Refining stage, so they wouldn't struggle with a low wall.

After vaulting over, he was just about to rush into the house to loot when he felt something tugging at him.

"Who is it?" Dobby-Everyday-Happy frowned. He turned around to see a trembling old grandmother.

"Young man, what are you doing?"

The old woman was thin and pitiful, wearing ragged clothes. Her hair was completely white, and she looked so old that he was afraid she might draw her last breath at any moment.

Next to her was a five-year-old girl, just as thin and pitiful. Her clothes were thin, and only her cheeks had a bit of flesh; her eyes were clear and full of curiosity.

"Big brother, are you here to play with me?"

Dobby-Everyday-Happy froze, unable to answer them.

He didn't even dare to look into the little girl's clear eyes. How was he supposed to answer?

Should he say, "I'm here to ransack your house and take everything, whether it's useful or not?"

"Your house is my resource point, and I'm taking everything. What does it matter to me if you starve to death?"

Sorry, he was a human being; he couldn't say that.

In previous games, NPCs would show no reaction while players looted them, but in this game, the NPCs actually noticed!

Fifteen minutes ago, Dobby-Everyday-Happy thought the only things stopping him were the locks and the walls. Now he realized it was his conscience.

Given the realism of this game, he didn't doubt that this old woman and the young girl, who appeared to be living in poverty and hardship, would die shortly after he took all their supplies.

In such a realistic game, NPCs also need to survive.

Dobby-Everyday-Happy couldn't bring himself to do it. "Um, I... this is my first time in the city. I was just looking. Yes, just looking."

The old woman wasn't as naive as her five-year-old granddaughter. She roughly understood his intentions and sighed.

"Young man, I am old, but I am not blind. You... sigh, take whatever you want, just don't hurt me or the child."

Dobby-Everyday-Happy was speechless. He took out a candied hawthorn stick and handed it to the little girl. "Little one, why are you and your grandmother the only ones here? Where are your parents?"

The little girl happily took it. "Our city is often attacked by nearby magical beasts and wild animals. My mother, brother, sister, and grandfather were all killed."

Dobby-Everyday-Happy froze, feeling a pang of sadness. Her whole family was dead? No wonder the city was so small and dilapidated, and the pedestrians' expressions were so desperate and numb.

Was it because nearby magical beasts and wild animals attacked from time to time? How could people living such precarious lives have smiles on their faces?

What have I done? I was just about to steal everything here, taking away the supplies this old woman and a young girl relied on to survive.

I'm really not a human being!

"Oh, right, big brother, you asked me, and I answered. What about you? What do you do?" The little girl rested her chin on her hand, very curious.

She had never seen someone like Dobby-Everyday-Happy—clean, tall, and dressed in neat, colorful clothes.

Dobby-Everyday-Happy smiled. "Me? I'm a cultivator. You know, what everyone calls an immortal. Look!"

He reached out and used a skill. A ball of flame appeared out of thin air, its orange-red glow illuminating their faces.

The little girl was excited. "Wow, you really are an immortal!"

"I've heard that immortals help people like us. When they encounter places with magical beasts, they protect everyone. Is that true?"

"Of course! That's a given!" After all, it's for the experience points!

"Big brother is amazing!"

"There's more!" Dobby-Everyday-Happy grinned and stood up. "Where did your father go missing? I'll help you find him!"

Hmph, even if there are no experience points or quest rewards, so be it. This game is too realistic, giving a random NPC such a detailed and tragic life.

A man like me can't stand for this. I have to bring the girl's father back!