Famine 66: Cola Chicken Wings

If Anderson could be considered someone who kept his brilliance hidden and was beyond envy, then seeing Li Xuan land a secure, lifelong position at the farm made the other players restless. More and more would wander furtively around the farm, hoping for some new development.

At last, when the hiring sign was put up, the long-waiting crowd was instantly abuzz, and before anyone knew it, a long line had formed in front of the farm.

Room and board included! Even two hundred credits a week could be saved up—it was truly a generous offer for service players.

The first young man to knock on the door, trembling as he peered in, was Yun Zhong.

“Brother Li must find it tough cooking on his own. I can help him with things like setting up tables, doing a bit of cleaning…” Yun Zhong scratched his head, a little embarrassed, and spoke softly. “In the team before, I always handled those chores, and I’m really quick and nimble!”

He hurried to add, “Besides, I count as a qualified player too. If anyone stirs up trouble, I… I can help you keep the peace!”

Si Zhiyan readily accepted.

This round of recruitment selected the best among the applicants, and in total, Yun Zhong and two others were hired, tasked with the daily cleaning and order maintenance across the farm’s facilities. With two days off on rotation each week, there were enough hands to go around. Labor costs added up to six thousand credits a day.

With this, Si Zhiyan was finally free from daily management and chores.

With more helpers in the kitchen, Li Xuan’s burden was greatly eased. He promptly wrote out recipes for steamed buns and beef noodles on a blackboard and hung it up for the helpers to follow.

Now, he could devote himself to researching and creating new dishes. After all, the farm’s ingredients were plentiful. Li Xuan had simply never had the time to experiment before, having to cook for over a hundred people every day.

Stroking his chin, Li Xuan mused, “Now that the farm owner’s brought in cola… Of course, it has to be this.”

With practiced ease, Cola Chicken Wings were soon ready!

Whenever he created a new dish, Li Xuan would let Si Zhiyan, the boss, have the first taste. It was up to him to decide whether it would be added to the menu.

When the dish reached Si Zhiyan’s table, the chicken wings were still piping hot from the pot.

The chicken wings, each plump and tempting, were thoroughly coated in a deep-brown, glistening sauce. The syrup stretched into delicate threads as the wings, sticky and slick, clung together invitingly. Si Zhiyan took a pair of chopsticks, picked up a wing, and bit through the silky, sauce-covered skin—the steaming juices burst out, mingling with the sweet and salty sauce, rolling across his tongue. Eaten with a mouthful of rice, he nearly wanted to gnaw every bit from the bones.

“Delicious,” Si Zhiyan pronounced with certainty, nodding. “Let’s add it to the regular menu.”

“Will do!” Li Xuan replied cheerfully. “It’s a perfect choice, and quick to make, too.”

Word that the canteen now offered a new stir-fry station and Cola Chicken Wings soon spread, and once again, players lined up in droves—not one wanted to miss out.

This time, though, there were more helpers in the kitchen, and Cola Chicken Wings weren’t difficult to prepare—the dish was well within everyone’s reach. With no need to limit portions, every player had their fill of good food, which was a delight in and of itself.

In this way, Si Zhiyan settled into days filled with tasting new dishes, feasting and drinking, and cuddling rabbits, with no need to lift a finger.

What a life of decadence!

Cradling a bowl of tomato-braised beef over rice, Si Zhiyan reclined in the little courtyard by the lake outside the farm owner’s cabin, watching the water ripple, savoring his leisure.

How comfortable—life was truly sweet.

At present, farm profits stood at 160,000 credits a day. To be honest, it wasn’t quite enough to buy those top-tier city-defense items.

Si Zhiyan was determined to let every player eat their fill daily, especially the struggling service players, so basic foods were priced very low—naturally, this kept revenues down. After all, no matter how big an eater someone was, in a day they could only manage three or four meals—only so many credits could be earned.

Now, though, with access to so many well-off qualified players, Si Zhiyan sensed an opportunity: perhaps average spending per customer could still be raised a notch.

It would be a waste not to bring in some luxury spending from them.

Thus, entertainment activities sprang up.

Previously, before the world transition, the lakeside fishing game and self-service barbecue, both previously bottlenecked, were now put into operation. Yun Zhong handled order maintenance, leading the other two staff in cleaning up after guests finished.

Fishing! Angling! At the front was the fishing game, right behind was the barbecue stall—your catch could be grilled and eaten on the spot!

In the dreary world of famine, the fishing game became unimaginably popular the moment it launched.

There was fun, there was food—how could there be such a wonderful thing in this world!!

Many service players, caught up in the fishing game, played with great enthusiasm and even became addicted. They’d crowd at the entrance, waiting for nighttime fishing, then dash en masse to the fishing platform as soon as it opened, credits in hand.

Among them, one stood out. He was now the de facto leader of the service player settlement, but showed little of that responsibility—still easygoing, well-connected, always chasing the next bit of fun.

“Old Li! Come on! Stand next to me! Tonight, we’re going to catch that thing for sure!” Wu Jing called exuberantly, shouting as he snagged a spot at the fishing station.

Li Xuan, eyes crinkling with amusement, bid farewell to Li Cui’e and her daughter: “If you want any shellfish or chicken to eat, just take it from the table.”

Taking care not to attract attention, he tapped Wu Jing on the small of his back and said, “Go on, have your fun.”

Wu Jing blushed, embarrassed. “Tongtong’s still here!”

Li Yutong, unbothered, swung his hand and piped up, “Uncle Li! I want to eat the Deep-Sea Fish King! Brother Yun Zhong and Uncle Lin caught it once—Shengsheng said it was super fresh, the best!”

“Alright, you got it,” Li Xuan replied with a smile.

Snap! Wu Jing slapped the start button.

Buzz—

In an instant, the lake before the platform turned crystal clear. Countless fish swam to and fro: brilliantly colored, varied in size, and some so strange they looked as if they’d swum straight out of a video game.
Chief among the oddities was a certain blue giant fish, several meters long, at the very top of the pond’s food chain. This fish seemed almost magical, able to teleport short distances.

A single speargun was no match for it—it took teamwork, wits, and courage to bring it down.

The players gave it a straightforward and fearsome name: Deep-Sea Fish King.

…Even though this was clearly just a pond.

Because of how difficult it was to catch the Deep-Sea Fish King, Si Zhiyan set up a photo wall at the entrance. Any team that caught the Fish King could pose for a commemorative snapshot, and have their photo added to the wall.

So far, only Yun Zhong and Lin Qiushui were on that wall.
Lin Qiushui, along with the children, posed gleefully with the fish, radiating delight.

The blacksmith rolled up his sleeves, rotating the wheel of the harpoon gun, utterly focused.

Li Xuan, grinning at the side, was also holding back his own excitement.

Soon enough, the Deep-Sea Fish King appeared. After a few exchanges, Li Xuan feinted left and right, blocking its escape, and Wu Jing lunged forward—one shot, and nailed it!

Days spent practicing had not been in vain.

[Dun dun dun dun~]
[Congratulations! Players at Fishing Stations 3 and 4 have successfully caught the Deep-Sea Fish King!]

A special broadcast announcement rang out.

With a tremendous splash, a fish several meters long was hauled from the lake by harpoon.

“Whoa!”
“Who caught the Fish King?”
“Amazing!”
“I’ve never seen the Fish King caught before today!”
Those eating barbecued fish nearby all gathered around, eager for a look.

“Uncle Li!” Li Yutong leapt to her feet, pressing both hands to the table, eyes shining with pride, and shouted, “It was my uncle!”

“Yeah!!” Wu Jing and Li Xuan held up the giant fish, posing for photos. Wu Jing stood with his hands on his hips, radiating triumph, while Li Xuan, bashful and proud, shot a grin at his beloved and stepdaughter.

That side bustled with noise, brimming with lively cheer—shouts and laughter echoed everywhere.

In contrast, away from the barbecue area, the fishing station was much quieter. Some half-dozed in the sun, others whispered in conversation, a scattering of fishing rods set up along the bank.

Splash. The hush was interrupted by water lapping. Tang Qinghuai landed a fish, unhooked it, and placed it in the creel.

“Another one. Third fish,” Tang Qinghuai announced, stretching lazily as he slapped Li Xize on the shoulder. “Senior brother, keep it up.”

Li Xize grumbled as he bit his nails, eyes glued to his float. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll manage. Bait your own hook already.”

He had only two fish in his creel.

Tang Qinghuai stood up, clearly satisfied with his senior’s anxious display.

He baited his hook and started calculating.

His mother was arriving tomorrow, and today’s fishing was good—there’d be a decent haul. In a bit, he’d go grill a couple of fish with his senior and eat them together. The rest, he could pay a few extra credits for and take home—keep them overnight, then make his mother fish soup when she visited.

Perfect.

Tang Qinghuai snapped his fingers, content.

How wonderful—every day held something to look forward to.

The fishing game flourished with energy, but Si Zhiyan, though pleased, quickly noticed a fundamental limitation.

The farm’s guests were no ordinary patrons. Besides service players, there were many qualified players whose combat ability was far beyond the norm. For them, the fishing game was little more than child’s play. Most just watched or tried it once for novelty—it didn’t really hook them.

The harpoon guns moved slower than their own hands; as for the Deep-Sea Fish King, if not for the game’s rule mandating harpoons, they could finish it with a single shot themselves.

Only veteran types like Lin Qiushui would bother playing with their kids.

Now that the forest area was open, Si Zhiyan conducted an inspection, then bought a [Wild Game Pack] and [Hunting Permit Card] from the shop, adding a [Barbecue Set] as well, placing it in a clearing at the center of the forest.

Thus, a new attraction, better suited to the warriors, was launched—

The Forest Hunting Ground.

Each team was limited to two subgroups, foraging mushrooms and hunting beasts in the woods—whatever you caught, you could eat. Tickets: 1,000 credits per person.

Expensive? Well, qualified players could afford it, after all.jpg

With this, even players from the Bone Ferry couldn’t stay away.

The Bone Ferry was now perched atop the Blackthorn Forest, a true sky city, accessible only by rope ladders—dangerous, yet with special equipment, safely manageable.

Amid the blood mist, the Bone Ferry hadn’t suffered any truly fierce attacks—just a few casualties, a handful of long-faced Ubume repelled, and order maintained. Nothing like the challenges the farm faced from the “Bone-Gnawing Fate Plate.”

Si Zhiyan wasn’t sure if this was due to the Bone Ferry’s favorable location or if the farm was being “specially taken care of,” but either way, it was for the best. After all, if every settlement had to face the Bone-Gnawing Fate Plate…

That’d be death itself.

Now that things had calmed down, Nie Du’s mind wandered to other matters.

His brothers and sisters had struggled with him for years, yet never enjoyed much—and it hardly seemed fair. In years past, when Nie Du was under the influence of the Pain Miracle, he’d never questioned this—survival was all that mattered.

But now, having found his emotions again, he couldn’t help but see how much his brothers and sisters had endured. He’d resumed weekly meetings with his leadership team, checked in with everyone, and began planning vacations for all—there was enough manpower at last, and with staggered time off, everyone could manage a visit to the farm for some well-deserved rest and relaxation.

The Bone Ferry community was delighted.

Especially Sha Tong. At the first meeting, he nearly wept, clutching Nie Du’s hand and saying it felt just like the days before the Bone Ferry’s founding, when everyone survived side by side. Sha Tong never really understood what had happened, but at last, the team leader they looked up to like a big brother was truly back!

Nie Du himself brought his trusted followers to the farm for a holiday. Zhong Manwen naturally went to dote on her son, while Nie Du, Sha Tong, and the new Captain’s Guard made a beeline for the Hunting Ground.

“Captain! Look! See what I got!” Sha Tong burst out of a bush, trench coat streaked with grass, laughing aloud.

He held a flintlock rifle in one hand, and in the other, a wild deer hung.

Liu Zhengchu whistled in admiration. “So big! Impressive!”

“Some luck you’ve got,” Nie Du snorted.

He stretched out a long, jet-black finger and gently stroked the raven on his shoulder.

The raven pressed close, nuzzling affectionately.

“Go,” Nie Du said, loosing it. “Find us something even bigger.”

Caw—

With a high-pitched cry, the raven soared aloft, gliding through canopy and shadow, its ebony feathers shining in the sunlight as it dipped and circled down.

Nie Du watched its flight, a smile creeping across his face.

The hardest times had passed.
No matter how bitter the days ahead, they could now steal a moment to savor life.

All of this was thanks to that god—

No, to be precise, to the farm owner.

Nie Du had once met the farm owner in person, expressing his deepest gratitude and deference, unsure how to repay such kindness. The farm owner’s expression had remained as calm as ever—he simply drank his coffee and said—

This is mutually beneficial, a fair exchange.

The forest hunting grounds and fishing game were both tremendous successes, packed every day, bringing in a daily turnover of fifty thousand credits. Now, the farm’s daily income had jumped straight to 210,000 credits.

Wonderful. Much better than before, Si Zhiyan thought with satisfaction.

In addition, the size of the farm settlement continued to grow. Si Zhiyan pondered—perhaps it was time to implement a unified management system.

He’d consider all this further once this current wave of new arrivals leveled off.

With the lure of the convenience store and the new games, over a hundred newcomers joined the farm every day.

It was a strong start, but at the current rate of growth, it was still not enough.

[Main Quest (IV): Survive]
[Quest Goals:]
[1. Recruit 2,000 new ‘hungry voters’ to the farm.]
[2. Acquire at least one new terrain bait, unlock a new map area, and increase farm integrity to 61%.]
[3. Survive the Eye of the Gods’ next wave of retaliatory attacks. Countdown: 15 days.]
[Quest duration: 15 days]
[Failure penalty: Complete oblivion]

Si Zhiyan quickly calculated—the current pace would at best bring in 1,600 new people by day fifteen. Not enough to complete the quest.

He would have to rescue all members of the Spring Grass Mercenary Company. That task would have to be entrusted to Zhong Yanqing.

As the deadline drew near, Si Zhiyan went to check Zhong Yanqing’s progress—only to discover a major issue.