The sailors vied to take photos with Bai Mu, each giving him a thumbs-up. Stephen exclaimed, "Bai, you're a miracle!"
Bai Mu, unsure how to respond, simply smiled.
His mind was elsewhere. He felt these people were too real, unlike the mechanically behaving NPCs in video games.
In other words, he felt these were living, breathing people.
But it was just an intuition; he couldn't discern their reality, just as he couldn't distinguish the world from its illusions.
If everything was flawlessly disguised, wouldn't this be a real world in his eyes?
After a long photo session, Bai Mu boarded a lifeboat and reached the deck of the rescue ship.
Darkness fell. The rescue team conducted evidence collection and searches on the stranded cruise ship, sending out signals and locating it before returning to port in the night.
Bai Mu was given a private room. He shaved in the shower, took a bath, and his face, young and sculpted, was reflected in the mirror.
He confirmed it again; it was his face at twenty, the age when he was at his best, most vibrant and energetic.
And within that young body lay a dormant soul, a lonely soul that had survived ten years in the apocalypse.
He changed into clean clothes and cut his hair short.
Everyone on the ship was very welcoming. The captain invited him to the captain's cabin for a detailed discussion, asking him about the specific details of the sinking.
Bai Mu vaguely responded that he had been on the island since he was conscious, and he had evaded those questions. Stephen had translated for him anyway, and he didn't know what the captain and Stephen had actually said. In the end, when they saw him off, the bearded captain took off his hat and hugged him.
He spent the next three days on the ship.
Eating, sleeping, exercising, and interacting with people.
Stephen would interview him whenever he had free time, like a persistent leech, constantly asking him questions, while he buried himself in his pen writing his article.
Bai Mu didn't dislike the overly enthusiastic middle-aged reporter. He hadn't had such a simple exchange with anyone in a long time; in fact, he somewhat enjoyed it.
Most of the time, Stephen asked questions and offered his opinions, while he remained silent, occasionally replying with a few words, sipping hot coffee or milk.
He liked the feeling of chatting with peaceful people in a peaceful environment.
This seemingly commonplace, seemingly worthless activity was a rare moment of relaxation for him.
He spent three peaceful days on the ship, now in his twenty-eighth day of writing the script.
That day, Bai Mu leaned against the railing, the boundless blue sky above him. Wearing sunglasses, he felt the sea breeze. He had adapted to life on the ship; the people here were kind, a group of people living in peacetime.
He had communicated with some people through Stephen. Some showed him family photos of their wives, children, and happy families; others drank with him late at night and offered him a cigarette.
It felt like a dreamlike ascent to heaven. If asked what kind of life Bai Mu desired, he would say it was a simple life like this.
Furthermore, through Stephen, he learned about his own background.
To his surprise, he wasn't someone whose identity couldn't be found.
His resume was clearly available on the ship's computer, showing he was an international student from country Z, with records of his primary, middle, high school, and university education.
The information revealed he was an orphan, without parents or relatives, and had achieved this through his own hard work.
His job was as an electronics programmer, working for a company in country S affiliated with country Z. His resume showed he had only moved to country S less than two months prior, coming here solely for study, and would soon return home.
This trip was a long-awaited vacation; after completing a project, he decided to relax, but unexpectedly, he was stranded on that deserted island.
Stephen believed it was his advanced knowledge and skills that enabled him to repair the broken ship's walkie-talkie.
Bai Mu offered no explanation, perfectly playing the role Stephen envisioned, remaining silent about his past and how he arrived on the island.
He knew his presence there was due to an incomprehensible, powerful force.
However, he secretly used his computer and the internet for extensive searching and verification.
He found numerous entertainment works he had never encountered or heard of before; objectively, massive amounts of data and news were updated daily.
There was a strong possibility that this was a real world, and the people he faced were real.
He tried registering an anonymous account and posting about himself and "Endless Paradise" on a forum. He posted, but found no trace of it.
After several attempts, he realized he couldn't reveal anything about "Endless Paradise."
Even when he tried to subtly discuss "Paradise" with Stephen, his words were filtered out by an invisible force.
During these attempts, no warnings appeared, as if Paradise didn't care about his actions because he couldn't possibly break the rules.
Thus, he clearly understood his situation, but he didn't feel depressed or frustrated. He calmly considered and observed everything.
For him, his exact circumstances weren't important; what he could decide was how to cope. How to survive in this situation was his most pressing concern.
And in the end, he handled it very well.
Before him lay a modern harbor.
The rescue ship had docked. After 25 days on the island and another 3 days at sea, he had arrived in human society.
The place where the cruise ship wrecked wasn't far from modern society; he had arrived in a new human city.
At the harbor, a group of reporters were already waiting. The shipwreck had left dozens missing, causing a huge uproar in society, and Bai Mu was the only survivor found by the rescue team.
Media outlets and organizations from all sides were waiting to interview this lucky man, hoping to bring exclusive news.
As soon as Bai Mu disembarked, he was greeted by flashing cameras. Stephen helped Bai Mu deal with the reporters, but they still managed to delay him considerably.
He eventually followed Stephen and got into a Time Weekly van.
The streets were bustling with traffic, skyscrapers stood side by side, and men and women in all sorts of clothes walked by.
Bai Mu saw a little girl being led hand in hand by her parents as they walked down the street, and he felt a sense of warmth and peace that existed only in his memory.
He asked Stephen for a cigarette. The metal lighter sparked, igniting a flame. He took a deep drag, surveying his surroundings with complex emotions.
"Bai, you seem a little unhappy. Is it because of those reporters? Or are you thinking about the other passengers on the cruise ship?"
"I understand how you feel. Being the only survivor isn't necessarily something to be happy about."
"You're right, Stephen." Bai Mu exhaled a smoke ring. "It's not something to be happy about."-+ Bai Mu was taken to a high-security hotel, where security personnel in bulletproof vests and carrying firearms stood guard at the entrance.
The moment he was discovered, he became a celebrity in the public eye; news about him spread across the internet within hours.
Stephen's photos, as exclusive material, were uploaded to Time magazine's website, with more revelations to be published in the next newspaper and news outlet.
As a rising star, the media executives invited him to the hotel, ostensibly to allow him to rest and calm down, but Bai Mu knew they were preventing the release of firsthand information and keeping public attention firmly on their social media platforms.
Traffic equals money; traffic equals resources.
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Bai Mu, as the center of the traffic, naturally receives such attention.
Furthermore, due to the heavy casualties in this disaster, the authorities need to collect evidence and interrogate him before the investigation is fully concluded.
Over the past three days, Bai Mu has memorized the name and life story of every passenger on the cruise ship.
He found no bodies on the island or around the shipwreck, which is abnormal in itself. He has reason to believe that these people don't exist at all, but are merely a fabricated "background" created by the amusement park.
However, the public and media seem oblivious to these oddities.
This made him understand more deeply how mysterious Paradise was.
He carefully set the most important things for himself at the moment:
—test the rules, figure out the rules, and survive according to the rules.
Thirty days had passed. Bai Mu stood on the hotel terrace, overlooking the street below.
Steve had contacted him that morning, saying he wanted to conduct another round of interviews with him, and several police officers wanted to meet with him.
But time was running out. There was a clock in Bai Mu's mind that had no physical form. The main task of surviving for thirty days would be completed in at most an hour.
Thirty days ago, he appeared on that deserted island with nothing, and now, thirty days later, he was standing in a VIP suite on the twenty-sixth floor of a luxury hotel, enjoying steak, red wine, and cigarettes.
He scrutinized the steak on the bone china plate before him, visual information catching his eye:
[Name: Dry-Aged Filet Mignon]
[Type: Food]
[Quality: Rare]
[Note: This is a top-grade steak that most people will never have the chance to enjoy in their lifetime. It's not just a steak; the cooking method, the chef, and even the plate on which it's served all represent wealth and luxury.]
He picked up his knife and fork, placing the steak between his lips and teeth to savor it. It was very tender, juicy, and paired with a black pepper sauce. Delicious
; for him, it was simply delicious.
The deadline finally arrived; the thirty-day period was over.
Bai Mu had timed it perfectly, and he sat alone in his room.
Footsteps sounded outside the door; Stephen had come again.
"Bai! Are you awake?"
Before Bai Mu could respond to the reporter he had only known for five days, a voice reached his ears.
"Main quest completed. You have finished the script and will be automatically teleported to the community."
As soon as the words were spoken, the world seemed to be paused.
Everything was still, all external sounds vanished.
A flash of white light obscured his vision.
It was instantaneous; when he could see clearly again, he found himself no longer in the suite of that luxury hotel.
He was in a one-bedroom room, much like a typical hotel single room, about thirty square meters, with a bed, a desk, and a bathroom separated by glass.
There was basic furniture, including a water heater, hairdryer, shower head, and induction cooker. Even a gas stove, cutting board, and knife were provided—it was practically a move-in ready single room. The only problem was that Bai Mu couldn't find any windows.
It was a sealed room, with no angle offering a view of the outside world.
Subjectively speaking, it was just a flash of white light, and he was here. His clothes had changed; he had been wearing the new clothes the rescue fleet had given him, but now he was back to his initial attire on the island:
a brightly colored short-sleeved shirt and shorts. The difference was that his clothes were now dry, not soaked with seawater.
The thirty days he had spent on the island and on the rescue ship felt like a dream.
No, it should be said that this room he's in, and everything he's experiencing right now, feels more like a dream—a scene utterly illogical, like something out of a dream.
[Script "Survival on a Deserted Island" is complete, rewards are being calculated.]
[Hidden quest "The Island from Which Escape Is Impossible" detected, complete, rating increased, 1 roulette spin awarded.
] [Hidden quest "Headline News" detected, complete, rating increased, 1 roulette spin awarded.]
[Current script completion: 100%]
[Items/Equipment Obtained: None.]
[Skills Obtained: None.]
[Bloodline Obtained: None.]
[Title Obtained: Survival Master.]
[Title Obtained: Walking Headline] [
Your script's overall rating is: S, and the points and community time earned are 150% of the original.]
[You have earned 300 points and 108 hours of community time.]
[Community menu unlocked.]
A screen resembling an electronic display appeared before Bai Mu's eyes, flashing with a barrage of information.
This virtual screen, like a game menu, presented a futuristic, sci-fi feel. Compared to his time on the island, this menu allowed him to see his attribute values more intuitively.
In the lower right corner of the menu was a countdown.
Remaining community time: 107:58:12. Every second ticked away, giving him a subtle sense of urgency.
His attribute panel remained unchanged from what he saw on the island; the only difference was the two titles he had acquired.
[Title: Survival Master]
[Title Level: B]
[Effect: Reduces the rate of hunger and stamina loss; your health and stamina have an additional 20% cap.]
[Acquisition Condition: Complete any survival scenario while in a healthy and energetic state.]
...
[Title: Walking Headline]
[Title Level: Unique]
[Effect: When you equip this title, you will greatly attract the attention of certain humanoid scenario characters, with a chance of being mistaken for a media personality.]
[Acquisition Condition: ???]
After checking the effects, Bai Mu equipped the [Survival Master] title to his attribute bar. On the panel, his health and stamina visibly increased by one-fifth instantly.
This was also directly reflected in his own body.
You can clearly feel that his energy has "increased," like the feeling of having taken a comfortable afternoon nap.
"It's starting to feel more and more like playing a video game." Bai Mu clenched his fist.-+ Bai Mu noticed the "Unique" tier of the title "Walking Headline.
" "Is this a special title I possess alone?"
Its function wasn't as obvious as "Survival Master," and it wouldn't be useful for the time being, but Bai Mu could foresee the scenarios where he would use it. It
would probably provide him with some privileges that his basic status in the amusement park couldn't enjoy when he was working through certain scenarios.
"This 'Unique' tier... it feels like something like 'Personalized Customization.'"
Unable to verify it for the time being, Bai Mu put it out of his mind and went to study other things.
He had 300 points, a reward he had just received for completing a scenario.
These points were like currency in a game; he found two shops in the menu where he could use them.
There was an online store selling the most basic everyday items, like a supermarket shopping list, with everything from food and electronics to household goods.
It resembled an online shopping platform before the apocalypse, and the prices were much cheaper than he expected.
A case of 30 250ml cartons of pure milk cost only "1 point," and a 1kg piece of beef tenderloin also cost "1 point."
These everyday items were very cheap, and even electronic products like televisions and computers were priced under 5 points.
"So it seems the points are actually quite valuable."
"One point has a purchasing power of roughly 500 to 2000 yuan. Buying a carton of milk with points is an absolute rip-off."
At the highest possible exchange rate, Bai Mu, with 300 points, is like a rich kid with 600,000 yuan in his hands in this daily shopping mall.
He can buy almost any daily necessities he wants without having to worry about spending money. Unfortunately, the mall only sells everyday items.
Although the goods are diverse, even including certain indescribable personal items, there are no large items or weapons like "guns," "gunpowder," "tanks," "engines," or "cars."
All he could find were everyday necessities; there were no restricted items, not even books. At most, he could buy a kitchen knife. There were no living creatures.
Whether it was flowers, plants, cats, or dogs, he couldn't find anything alive in the shop.
Aside from that, it was practically everything.
In the upper right corner of the community shop, there was a note:
"Any items purchased in this shop are for use within the community only."
Based on all the information he had, it wasn't hard to deduce the operating rules of "Endless Paradise."
It seemed that Bai Mu needed to participate in the paradise's "scripts" repeatedly to gain "community time."
The community was like a safe zone; within it, he felt relatively safe, able to rest and clear his mind.
When his community time runs out, it means his rest time is over. Since Paradise can bring him from the rescue ship to the community in an instant, it can naturally bring him to another place in an instant as well.
When the countdown ends, the player will likely have to enter the next unknown scenario.
So the question is, when he dies in the scenario, does it mean that he himself dies?
If it were a video game, the answer would be obvious; the death of a character wouldn't prevent the player from opening the game again; the player would simply have to start over and try again.
But would Paradise give him another chance?
It's an uncertain answer, but Bai Mu is more inclined to believe that dying in the scenario means he's truly dead.
He had already completed one playthrough, and the sensory experiences within it were identical to those in the real world. His attribute panel displayed a player ID: K8107. It was clear this wasn't a game solely for him.
He wasn't the only one, nor the exception, but rather a "test subject" for observation.
When scientists conduct experiments with mice, if they accidentally kill one, they never try to revive it; they simply take a new one from the breeding box.
But perhaps within the playthrough, there exist precious items that can serve as "get-out-of-jail-free cards" and "resurrection tokens."
He remembered perishing in the explosion along with a group of zombies, yet Paradise had managed to restore him from that near-death state, demonstrating its power to bring the dying back to health.
This was a place full of unknowns and mysteries; he hadn't yet figured out the rules of survival within Paradise. His priority wasn't to fantasize about the distant future, but to be extremely cautious and vigilant in facing anything he might encounter.
"No time to lose, let's start by buying some items,"
Bai Mu thought, selecting a set of fitness equipment. The entire set was added to his shopping cart, accumulating 12 points.
The equipment included treadmills, rowing machines, dumbbells, barbells, cable machines, parallel bars, jump ropes, hand grips, and more.
The moment he clicked "buy," a notification popped up on the menu, indicating the item had arrived and been delivered to the warehouse.
In the community menu, there was a warehouse section with 100 empty slots, like a game backpack. He tried to retrieve these items to the "community."
Then, the fitness equipment magically appeared in his room, making his small 30-square-meter room feel cramped.
He discovered he could use points to expand his room, but this was much more expensive—10 points were needed to expand just one square meter. He didn't use this feature extravagantly; he simply pushed the bed into a corner, making room for the exercise equipment.
He examined the structure and markings of the equipment, finding no trademarks for any particular company. They were brand new, of excellent quality, and made with top-grade steel, but the manufacturer was nowhere to be found. Bai Mu tacitly assumed they were directly "created" by Paradise.
After using the equipment, he confirmed that the products in the community store were genuine and effective, exactly as described.
At this point, his attention turned to another store—
the "Script Store," a special shop with a 108-hour countdown, just like his community time.-+ Judging solely by quantity, the items sold in the script shop are pitifully few compared to those in the community store.
However, the variety is completely different; the things you can buy here are fundamentally different from the everyday items sold in the community store.
[Product Name: Guam Rail (Male/Female)]
[Product Price: 50 Points]
[Product Rating: Average]
[Product Quantity: 18/18]
[Note: A healthy, live Guam Rail, bought in pairs (male and female), will produce eggs on its own, provided you know how to raise them.]
The script shop surprisingly sells live animals, and the most crucial part is that the items purchased here seem to be usable in the next script. Unlike the community shop, there's no "for community use only" warning. This
means that the items in the script shop are the things that might actually be valuable for his survival.
However, the prices are incredibly high.
Although Bai Mu doesn't have other players' completion records to refer to, judging from his first "Desert Island Survival" script, his beginner script is already flawless.
It's impossible for every player participating in Desert Island Survival to be able to repair the boat's walkie-talkie and contact the outside world like he did.
Judging from the "unique" attribute of his final title, "Walking Headline," he might very well be the only player among all those cast into the scenario to successfully contact the rescue fleet, reach the human world, and be interviewed by the media.
Despite his outstanding performance, his points remained a paltry 300.
Buying six Guam rails would wipe out his entire fortune.
Assuming a Guam rail weighs one kilogram, its total value is 50 points per kilogram, while in the community store, one point can buy five kilograms of frozen chicken, averaging 0.2 points per kilogram.
The price difference is 250 times, comparable to the difference between iron and gold.
"50 points for a chicken? That's too extravagant!" Bai Mu clicked his tongue in amazement and quickly moved on to the next item.
[Item Name: Whiskey]
[Price: 10 points]
[Rating: Average]
[Quantity: 1/1]
[Note: A rare, vintage bottle of whiskey, a collector's item from a captain.]
Bai Mu could see the picture of the item; he immediately recognized it as the same bottle of spirits he had found in the captain's cabin.
The items in the script shop seemed to be randomly selected from things he had seen or come into contact with while participating in the scriptwriting.
The shop only displayed five items to him: besides the rail and the whiskey, the other three were a "ship's walkie-talkie," a "sailor's uniform," and a "Times magazine model photo album."
The items are priced at 100 points, 30 points, and 5 points respectively.
Except for the Guam rail, all other items are sold individually.
With Bai Mu's current financial resources, he could easily clear the shop out, but the problem is, he doesn't see the value of these items to him.
He has no intention of buying anything for the time being. Of course, he understands that money unspent is worthless, and he needs to think things through carefully before using his points.
However, besides these items, he has another interactive element: a roulette wheel in the script shop. He has two remaining spins, obtained from the two hidden missions he completed.
The roulette wheel had dozens of prizes of various sizes. He found all the items displayed in the shop, including firearms; he even saw the pistol the hotel security guards carried.
Some options were unknown, only showing him "???".
"This must be a completely luck-based roulette wheel," Bai Mu thought, his finger hovering over the button.
The items in the script shop all came from the roulette wheel's selections, but the wheel encompassed much more—things Bai Mu had seen before and things he'd never seen before.
The most extravagant thing he saw was a car—the black van Stephen had driven him in when they landed.
A chicken costs 50 points, so you can imagine the value of this car. To buy it with real points, you'd need at least tens of thousands—it's simply out of reach.
"If completing a hidden mission grants a chance to spin the roulette wheel, then the value of those hidden missions is incredibly high. It seems we need to dig out as many hidden missions as possible in the future scripts." "
But the premise is that this roulette wheel can't be too unfair. Let's try it out first; it's free anyway, might as well spin."
[Spin the roulette wheel?]
[Yes/No.]
"Yes."
The roulette wheel with dozens of options started spinning. Its rotation was completely random and not controlled by Bai Mu.
The pointer swept across each option, and what Bai Mu wanted most was, of course, the pistol.
In the apocalypse, firearms were the weapons he used most often—pistols, hunting rifles, rifles, sniper rifles... he had handled all kinds of firearms and had combat experience with them.
Given the materials and tools, he could modify guns and manufacture bullets himself.
Firearms were his closest companions. In the past, when he slept, he always kept three guns by his side: one in the most conspicuous place, one under his pillow, and the third hidden in his right hand.
He usually kept his right hand in his pocket. Early in the apocalypse, he had been on the run with a group of survivors who, harboring ill intentions, thought that kicking away the rifle beside him would leave him unarmed.
But he immediately retrieved his second gun from under his pillow and pulled the trigger with his left hand.
At the same time, he aimed the muzzle of his right-hand pistol at the lurking figure behind him and shot them in the head.
Whether man or woman, anyone who harbored ill
will towards him was fair game; he treated everyone equally, regardless of gender or age.
If you don't make a move, then we can coexist peacefully. I gladly accept your idea of an equal exchange. But if you harbor ill intentions towards me, then don't expect me to be ruthless. This is Bai Mu's philosophy of life.
Without a gun in his hand, he always felt a little insecure. He looked at the roulette wheel expectantly, but unfortunately, his first draw didn't go as planned; the pointer finally stopped at a narrow position.
[Congratulations, you have won the prize "Solar Panel" in the roulette draw.]
[Name: Solar Panel]
[Type: Item]
[Quality: Common]
[Note: A working solar panel can be used in various scenarios. It can collect energy and convert it into electricity under sufficient sunlight, making it very user-friendly, even for beginners.]-+ "A solar panel... I think I saw it on the rescue ship."
Bai Mu found his roulette prize in his inventory backpack. Like a game character, he had an inventory that didn't take up much space or weight.
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He took out the solar panel, which was about the size of his bed. Its black, reflective surface reflected the white ceiling light.
Bai Mu glanced at it briefly and then put it away.
Without sunlight, this thing was purely decorative.
For now, it's just gathering dust in my backpack like junk, but it might come in handy someday, since it's a prize drawn from a roulette wheel and can be brought into the game.
Imagine if he had a solar panel as beginner gear in the "Survival on a Desert Island" scenario—that would be pretty good.
Even if it can't generate electricity, its material and smooth surface have many uses; it can be disassembled and used as a weapon, or used as a shield or skateboard in a pinch.
Okay, since I drew this thing, I should comfort myself that it might come in handy someday.
For now, let it gather dust in my backpack.
Bai Mu stood up, went to the restroom, rinsed the sweat from his palms to wash away the bad luck, and started the second round of the lottery.
The roulette wheel spun again, and after dozens of spins, the pointer pointed to a golden "???" area.
[Congratulations, you have won the prize "Police Officer's ID" in the roulette lottery.]
[Name: Police Officer's ID]
[Type: Item]
[Quality: Rare]
[Note: Raise your hands, immediately turn your back to me, squat against the wall, and do not make any deliberate movements, otherwise I have the right to empty the magazine!] Bai
Mu retrieved the identification document from the items—a small, dark green booklet—into his palm. He hadn't seen this document in the script, but given more time, Stephen would take him to meet some officials investigating the shipwreck.
He opened the booklet; it contained a detailed photograph and identification number of a white investigator—a perfectly valid official document in that country.
This item was unusually classified as "rare." The last thing he'd seen deemed "rare" by the amusement park was the filet mignon cooked at a high-end hotel.
"What's the use of this?"
Bai Mu examined the document over and over. Judging from the item's level, he had drawn a rare item. He estimated that if this thing appeared in the "Script Shop," it would be worth at least 200 points, after all, it was a rare item.
It was probably far inferior to the car and the pistol, but Bai Mu was sure he hadn't lost out by drawing it.
Whether he had made a profit or not was unclear, but like the solar panel, it was useless. Bai Mu casually tossed it into his inventory to gather dust.
He picked up the dumbbell and started exercising in this small space while planning how to use his points.
Based on the 108-hour time limit, he had four and a half days left in his safe time. The community time for completing the "Desert Island Survival" challenge was originally only three days, but after achieving an S-rank rating, he received an extra day and a half to rest.
He mentally calculated his daily food needs and made nutritional plans.
The community store thoughtfully provided nutritionally balanced "fitness meals" at very low prices; one point could buy ten well-balanced meals, including vegetable salads, chicken breast, and potatoes as a staple.
Bai Mu used two points to buy twenty fitness meals. Water was provided free of charge; there was a tap.
"Air," "electricity," "water," and even this space—he could enjoy all of these without paying any extra money.
Or rather, the price of these items was already included in the "community time" rewards.
While exercising, Bai Mu's gaze shifted to the door near the bed.
Yes, there was a door in his room leading to the outside.
It was a completely sealed door; he couldn't see outside, nor could he hear any sound from outside.
Since he arrived in the room, apart from the noise he made, the surroundings had remained absolutely silent.
What was outside?
He couldn't help but ponder this question. It was a door with a crank handle; he was familiar with this style of door. In the center of the cylindrical lock was a button. Pressing it meant the door was locked and couldn't be opened from the outside, even with a key.
Pressing it again would return it to its original position, allowing the person inside to leave at any time.
Bai Mu remembered a number on his attribute panel:
"K8107." This was his player number. He wasn't the only player; the place he was in was called a "community" by the amusement park. Since it was a "community," it should possess the attributes of a "community"—a
social place where groups of people lived together. He believed there was a high probability he would encounter other players outside.
He was in a world like a video game, and as a novice, one of the best ways to survive was to find guides left by others.
He felt he needed to go out and explore, even if it meant taking some risks.
But before that, he needed to anticipate all possibilities and how he would deal with them.
He always preferred to make thorough plans in his mind before taking action.
After two hours of training, he took his food out of his inventory.
The community store's fitness meals included a 500g can of chicken breast, a 500g can of boiled potatoes, and a 150g can of vegetable salad.
They were ready to eat straight from the can, or could be heated up. Bai Mu, saving himself the trouble, simply broke them open and popped them into his mouth.
They were almost tasteless, but very filling, healthy, and perfect for replenishing energy and protein after a workout.
While Bai Mu was eating, a notification popped up—he had received an email.
The community menu had an email function and a friends function, but he had zero friends. Who sent this email?
Bai Mu opened the email and saw the sender's name: —Community Administrator.
"Hello, I'm the community administrator.
We're delighted to welcome another new player who has successfully completed the tutorial. As the community administrator, I have certain administrative privileges granted by the park, which allows me to send this email even though we're not friends.
I imagine you have many questions about your future and your current location. If you're curious about these things, you can come to our community activity center to have a face-to-face conversation with me."
You are welcome to visit anytime.
—A gentle evening breeze blows.-+ "Gentle Evening Breeze" was the sender's name. The sender's avatar was an animated character wearing a white hat and a single eyeglass, resembling a magician.
His name was followed by his serial number: K0103, much smaller than Bai Mu's K8107.
"So there really is a player community,"
Bai Mu confirmed his suspicions after receiving the email from the "community administrator. "
He didn't immediately reply to "Gentle Evening Breeze," but instead imitated the sender's avatar and community name, partially disguising his identity.
On his interface, his community name was changed to "Bai," and his avatar was the default panda head.
This avatar gave a first impression of being harmless, and Bai Mu devised a new "persona" for himself.
He created a detailed background setting for himself and wrote it down on a piece of paper.
In short, he concealed his ten years of survival experience in the apocalypse, simplifying his persona to that of a sophomore majoring in software engineering at university.
This wasn't entirely a lie; ten years ago, when he first entered university, far from home, he was indeed studying software engineering. Back
then, everyone told him that internet jobs were high-paying and lucrative, and that studying the internet was the best way for the poor to get ahead.
Unfortunately, he didn't finish university before the world underwent a dramatic change.
A significant portion of his fabricated resume was true; in fact, one could argue that if you removed the terrifying and lonely ten years he later experienced, the person described on the resume would be him.
Ten years ago, he was a taciturn, unskilled rural college student who had come from the countryside to study in the city, barely proficient in using a computer or mobile phone.
In his subsequent interactions with Wanfeng Qingguo, Bai Mu decided to maintain this persona. She was clearly testing him; revealing his true self at this point would put him at a disadvantage. It was better to disguise himself as she expected.
He adjusted his thinking to reflect his state ten years ago, fully immersing himself in her situation and personality, making decisions and choices according to her thoughts and perspectives.
"If he were a simple, unassuming college student who had never experienced the hardships of surviving on a desert island, he couldn't possibly have had it as easy as I have."
"The ordeal of searching for food and water, the loneliness and helplessness of being all alone—all of these would greatly weaken his psychological defenses, making him yearn for communication with others."
"When he survives thirty days, only to find himself not back in his familiar city, but in a cramped and oppressive little room, he would definitely feel even more uneasy and fearful."
"In this situation, if someone claiming to be a community administrator sends him an email, how should he reply?"
Bai Mu did push-ups while imagining himself as that anxious and uneasy college student.
"Even I spent so much effort, so it's even less likely he could have repaired the boat's walkie-talkie and contacted the rescue team. The sender of this email must be the only person he's been able to communicate with for the past thirty days."
"He'll see this person as a support, anxiously inquiring about his situation, and perhaps even telling him everything he's experienced and can't understand." "
Between the lines, he should also express his longing for his family and hometown."
"But try not to mention specific place names or names. He should maintain a certain level of vigilance, contacting the person tentatively and vaguely."
"Because of the fear of the unknown, he won't immediately leave the room for the so-called common areas. He'll treat this oppressive little room as his shell, the only safe and orderly place he's reached in thirty days. He won't easily leave, even if he feels oppressed."
"That's right, that's it. He'll communicate with other players online first, and only after establishing a basic level of trust will he step out that door and go outside."
Within minutes, Bai Mu finalized his "self's" behavior pattern.
Facing the mirror, he controlled his expression, concealing the indifference of someone who had seen it all. He widened the corners of his mouth and eyes, enriching his expressions, and memorized the movements of his muscles.
To fit this persona, he also bought a complete set of clothes and equipment at the mall.
After ruffling his hair, covering his muscular body with a loose long-sleeved shirt, and putting on a pair of silly black-rimmed glasses, he instantly transformed into an innocent college student who had escaped from the ivory tower.
The main reason was that Paradise had adjusted his physical age to be too young, so his first impression was that he was naive and ignorant of the ways of the world.
Bai Mu suddenly remembered many years ago when he took a bus to a big city to study; he looked roughly the same back then.
He smiled silently, sat down, and started editing the email.
After the other party sent him an email, he received their email address. Paradise's social system was very sophisticated; before he could reply, the other party could only send him this one email.
Only when both parties were willing to communicate could they open a channel of communication.
"Hello, Mr. Community Administrator."
Bai Mu began his first sentence with the most polite manner. When someone feels that their status is inferior to that of another, they will instinctively add a respectful title; of course, this was something he deliberately added.
"Excuse me, what exactly is Endless Paradise?"
"I was just on a deserted island, and suddenly I'm here."
"I don't know how I got here. I really want to go home. Can you tell me how to get home?"
Bai Mu's first email contained only this much content.
It clearly showed "his" unease, anxiety, and ignorance, perhaps to make the other party lower their guard.
If the other party quickly replied to his questions, it meant that he probably had some responsibility as an administrator, and Bai Mu would continue the conversation to see if he could extract more information.
If the other party ignored Bai Mu's reply, or waited for a while before replying, then there were two possibilities.
First, he had something to gain from this so-called newcomer, so he was deliberately amplifying the other party's anxiety.
Secondly, he maintained a nonchalant attitude towards this newcomer, treating it as a routine matter, asking casually.
Bai Mu considered 15 to 30 minutes to be a valid reply time. If
it exceeded 30 minutes, then he would have to reconsider the other party's attitude.
A seemingly casual email reply had already involved many layers of psychological maneuvering between Bai Mu and the other party.
The other party's reply was even faster than he expected; almost a minute after sending the email, "Evening Breeze" sent a long message.-+ "I completely understand your confusion and anxiety about your current situation. Perhaps I can give you some information to help you understand your current predicament." "
Below are some general rules about the park summarized by the community players. As a member of the community, you have the right to this information. If you want to know more details, you can still find me in the public area within 65 hours." "
First: My predecessors, the previous community administrators, convened a meeting with some players to share information. It's almost certain that before arriving at the park, we all faced certain death. Some were climbing mountains to push their limits, and some's last memory was a car accident."
"In our final moments, we all heard the same voice, and were then forcibly placed into a beginner's scenario. It's certain that without the intervention of Paradise's power, you would have died somewhere in reality. You should have a clear understanding of this by now." "
Secondly: From the past to the present, at least to the best of my knowledge, I haven't received any information about a single player safely leaving Paradise. Perhaps some have left without leaving any clues, but it's more likely that once you arrive at Paradise, your life, soul, and everything else are bound to it. You must strictly abide by Paradise's rules to survive."
"You can think of Paradise as a place like heaven and hell manipulated by gods. You're dead now, so it's best to put the question of whether you can go home out of your mind. Although it's cruel, I must tell you it's almost impossible. All you can do is accept reality." "
Third: You've completed the tutorial. In Paradise, the core element is the tutorial itself. You must understand that as long as you're alive, you must continuously act out Paradise's tutorial." "
However, you don't need to worry while in the community. You are absolutely safe until your community time runs out. No one, not even any force, can bypass Paradise's rules and harm you." "
Since you were able to complete the tutorial, you should be capable of understanding what I've just said."
"That's all I can tell you for now. I'll send you my coordinates. If you feel that the information I've relayed has gained your trust, you're welcome to come find me in the public area, and we can discuss it face-to-face."
"—Community Administrator: Evening Breeze."
Bai Mu finished reading the email. Evening Breeze seemed sincere, but what she was telling him was all trivial stuff.
With careful thought, he could arrive at roughly the same conclusion.
However, she was considerate of the "newcomer's" feelings, offering some psychological comfort.
"This person really wants to gain my trust and talk to me face-to-face."
Bai Mu deduced Evening Breeze's intentions from the words.
He didn't believe the other person's intentions were purely good. He believed there were kind-hearted people in the world who enjoyed helping others, but he didn't believe he'd be lucky enough to encounter such a person right away, especially among a pre-selected group.
The most useful information in the email was that all players in Endless Paradise faced certain death before even arriving there.
Who would encounter such a death sentence?
A terminally ill patient?
An adventurer who enjoys extreme sports?
A biker who loves speeding on the highway?
Or, like him, a survivor trapped in a horde of zombies, forced to detonate a bomb and perish together with the zombies?
Regardless of the reason, Bai Mu didn't think the other person was someone to be trifled with, especially since this person had obtained the title of "Community Manager," certified by the amusement park.
In this place that relies entirely on rules and ability, the fact that someone could become a Community Manager in itself indicated that they were no ordinary person.
He didn't believe that Wanfeng Qingguo was helping him out of kindness, nor did he believe that Wanfeng Qingguo was providing him with guidance under the amusement park's rules, using the identity of a "Community Manager."
"If the community administrator's responsibility is to take care of newbies, then he should have emailed me when I first arrived."
"He has his own motives. What does he want from me?"
"As a new player just entering the park, the only two things he could possibly want from me are community time and points."
"I completed the tutorial, even if it was a messy finish, so I should have at least some basic community time and points."
"His eagerness to meet me most likely stems from his desire to acquire my community time and points before I run out."
"Community time and points are likely the only tradable currency in the community, and probably the only one with value."
"The reason he wants to communicate with me face-to-face is because that way he's more likely to persuade me to spend money with him."
"A newcomer who doesn't know anything is just a silly little lamb in his eyes, especially after I sent that email that showed obvious anxiety and unease, he became even more aggressive." "
This shows that he sees me as an extremely easy prey to hook. He thinks there's a high probability of making money off me, so he's investing more effort."
Bai Mu analyzed Wanfeng Qingguo's intentions accurately and calmly, but this wasn't necessarily malicious. Judging from Wanfeng Qingguo's behavior, Bai Mu was even more certain of one thing:
—The rules of the amusement park could never be violated, and the other party had no chance to bypass the amusement park as an intermediary to directly profit from him.
If he could do that, he wouldn't need to go to such lengths with a newbie.
"He can only obtain all my community time and points with my consent."
"And this transaction must be witnessed by Paradise as an intermediary." "
Even the community administrator has to go through so much trouble to communicate with a newbie like me, which confirms another statement: within the community, my safety is directly guaranteed by Paradise, but only before my community time runs out."
"Perhaps it can be understood this way: community time is each player's life countdown; when the time runs out, the player must go to the script to 'work' in order to earn their life."
"And 'working' involves participating in scenarios that carry the risk of death. Players can't predict what level of danger the amusement park will place them in. Therefore, acquiring time through trading with other players becomes a highly desirable and safe transaction."
"He has to offer something that might tempt me before we can even make a deal." Bai Mu nodded. "Let's go out and meet him. Let's see what he's up to."-+ After changing his clothes, Bai Mu checked the last details in front of the mirror.
He made sure he looked like a naive college student, a shy, unsophisticated boy from the countryside. This outfit briefly reminded him of his school days.
In his mind, he made the final additions to his "persona," explaining how he came to the amusement park.
A college student longing to go home wouldn't intentionally seek death; his death should be an accident. The world is full of unpredictable accidents, and he chose the most common one as his "method of death"—a car accident after an all-nighter at an internet cafe. This should be an answer that wouldn't easily arouse suspicion.
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"If the administrator asks me how I got to the amusement park, I'll tell him I only remember seeing very bright car lights after leaving the internet cafe, and then when I regained consciousness, I was on that deserted island."
"He has more information than I do, so I need to obscure my background and experiences as much as possible."
"I can tell him about what happened inside the script, but it depends on whether he's sincerely interested in making a deal with me."
Bai Mu prepared himself mentally and stood in front of the door.
He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.
In an instant, bright sunlight shone on his face, and he was startled for a moment.
A gentle breeze blew in his face, and looking up, he saw blue sky and white clouds. Looking into the distance, he could actually see the azure sea, with waves rolling up white foam—it was a scene straight out of a grand seaside hotel.
He was in a place about six stories high, overlooking the beach.
After he left his room, a key card-like item automatically appeared in his palm, with his player number "K8107" written on it.
This strange view made him feel even more the wonder of the amusement park. While in the room, he couldn't hear any sound from the outside world at all; he thought he was in a completely enclosed capsule tunnel, but outside was a beach and a blue sky.
It was as if the door had transported him across an extremely long spatial distance; he hadn't stepped outside, but rather been teleported to another, independent space.
"You have arrived at the community public area,"
a notification from Paradise sounded in his ears.
Bai Mu saw scattered groups of people moving around in the downstairs area.
It was much more lively than he had expected. Downstairs was a commercial district; he saw burger shops, salad bars, and coffee shops, as well as some signs whose purpose he couldn't discern. The doors were closed and black, and he had no idea what was inside.
On the beach, people were sunbathing under parasols, seemingly enjoying sunbathing and drinking juice.
Bai Mu even found some women dressed provocatively, wearing daring bikinis that revealed their fair skin and slender, long legs.
Each one was a beauty, with delicate features and unique characteristics. Besides those in swimsuits, there were also those in cute and glamorous dresses. Bai Mu also noticed some unusual features in their appearances.
For example, some women had fluffy animal ears on their heads, and others had small, black and white tails sticking up behind them. This wasn't just simple decoration; Bai Mu saw a woman with a long tail hook her arm around a visitor's and, with a beaming smile, lead him into a room under a pink sign.
These women held up signs with clearly marked prices: "Fast food, one hour of community time per session" or "10 points per session." Their actions and expressions made it clear what they were doing.
Women with unusual features charged significantly more, asking for "one hour and thirty minutes of community time per session" or "15 points per session."
He scanned the list, and the woman charging the most was asking for "ten hours of community time per session, no points accepted."
This woman wasn't as attractive as her competitors, but she was quickly approached, talked to, and then taken to a room.
Bai Mu keenly sensed that making a deal with her would yield some extra benefit, perhaps directly impacting the player and making them effective in the game's storyline.
"It's like dual cultivation; sleeping with her might grant attribute boosts or something."
"So, community time can indeed be traded and circulated among players."
"Are those with abnormal characteristics players who have acquired 'bloodlines'?" Bai Mu wondered. "Bloodlines can change their physical characteristics, so can they also change their gender? Or even their very nature as human beings?"
"Like... a human turning into a zombie?"
Bai Mu silently observed this strange and novel scene. He put on the hoodie's hood and walked towards the coordinates sent by "Gentle Evening Breeze."
The park thoughtfully provided him with navigation; in his eyes, a beacon pointed to where he wanted to go.
His gaze swept over the bizarre figures. In a few minutes, he saw at least a hundred people, and at least a third of them possessed strange features.
Some had mechanical arms, some wore robes like medieval witches and carried brooms, and others were accompanied by small, grotesque creatures resembling dinosaurs.
A motley crew, utterly bizarre.
"I remember someone calling this cosplay, but they probably didn't use costumes and props to create the appearance. These things are probably rewards they received in the script." "
Looking at it that way, the desert island survival game I just finished was really just a beginner-level game. If you add supernatural elements, like ghosts and monsters, it won't be so easy to finish it."
"I still need to be careful."
Bai Mu became even more vigilant. He ignored all the "players" who brushed past him and went alone to the coordinate point of "Evening Breeze".
It was a quiet and leisurely drink shop by the beach. A smiling man in a suit sat behind a small white round table. He had already ordered two azure cocktails, the lemon slices and ice cubes glistening in the sunlight.
The man appeared unremarkable and approachable. He seemed perfectly normal, without any obvious alterations. If one had to compare him to a real estate agent, his demeanor was somewhat like that of a salesman. However, in Bai Mu's eyes, who had seen many "abnormal" people, the man seemed quite special.
The final point of the cursor was to the empty seat, and Bai Mu sat down opposite the man.
"Hello, I'm Wanfeng Qingguo. You can call me Wanfeng; that's what my friends call me." The man crossed his arms and pushed a glass of cocktail across from Bai Mu. "What should I call you?"
"Bai, Mr. Wanfeng... you can just call me Bai." Bai Mu kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with the community manager, but carefully observed him through the gleaming glass.