Chapter 208: Contacting the Main System

The three base leaders pondered for a moment. After some discussion, they finally made a decision.

“The instigating suspect has been located. We’ll split into two groups. Shi Zhile and Wei Zhan will search for the Advanced System. The other team will take tranquilizer guns to capture the suspect. Whether they’re the one or not, bring them back to the base alive.”

Ms. He scanned the chat logs. “Should we do something about the disaster outside?”

The ocean is vast, so the water level wouldn’t rise immediately. But if this rain continued, the wheat we planted would be flooded and die.

Not everyone had enough to eat as it was. If this harvest were truly lost, the morale they had worked so hard to build would likely collapse.

Shi Zhile was silent for a moment, then asked her system, “If I use up my wishes, can I stop this disaster?”

The system replied, “Logically, yes. The disaster is spreading throughout the entire game. With my current energy, plus all the energy inside the Energy Ball, I could probably stop the disaster. However, the energy consumption would be immense. My power relies on the Energy Ball. If the Energy Ball runs out of energy, I will have to enter hibernation.”

Shi Zhile relayed what the system said. After a brief discussion, they easily deduced the conspiracy behind this disaster.

The base’s development depended on the Wish System. If the Wish System went into hibernation, it couldn’t use the energy from the Energy Ball.

Then the disaster could continue unabated. As long as no food could be grown, the players would revolt over the lack of resources.

Plundering, riots, infighting, and slaughter would break out once again. The already small number of players in the game would be cut in half. In the end, the starving players’ target would unanimously become Shi Zhile.

Whether she handed over her supplies or not, she would be besieged.

At that point, whether Shi Zhile killed the players or the players killed Shi Zhile, the ultimate beneficiary would be Jiang Yuxing, who was pulling the strings.

The three base leaders unanimously decided not to waste the wishes.

They were limited to three wishes per day, and the waiting list for wishes already stretched a month out.

Every wish on the list was related to the base’s development, arranged in order of urgency.

After sending all the players back to their positions, the two teams set out toward their targets.

Shi Zhile and Wei Zhan followed the direction provided by the system. They used an off-road vehicle where the roads were wide and traveled on foot through overgrown areas.

After more than two months, the two of them finally found the player with the system in a stone cave behind a waterfall.

He was a fair-skinned, chubby man in his early twenties.

When they found him, he was eating hot pot around a stove, a chubby dog lying at his feet.

Seeing them suddenly appear, he grew wary, but he still couldn’t bear to put down his chopsticks.

“You are…”

Shi Zhile: “We’re from Huaxia Base.”

XiaoFatty thought for a moment, then took out two more plates of sliced lamb. “Want to eat with me? You guys standing there is kind of stressing me out.”

Shi Zhile and Wei Zhan exchanged a look and sat down on either side of him.

XiaoFatty took out two sets of disposable tableware, handed them to the pair, and scooped a large piece of meat into his own bowl.

He blew on it to cool it down, then wolfed it down in one bite. After swallowing, he scooped up another mouthful with his chopsticks.

“Let me guess. You must be Shi Zhile.”

Wei Zhan was about to make a move but was stopped by Shi Zhile.

‘He has a system. I don’t know what kind, but a system’s power isn’t something an ordinary person can withstand.’

“I am Shi Zhile. You should know why I’m looking for you. Since we both know what’s going on, there’s no need for you to resist.”

XiaoFatty’s eyes showed his reluctance. “Um… Shi Zhi… no! Sister Shi, can you wait until I finish this meal before you kill me? I can eat this when I get out, too, but we don’t have scenery like this in the interstellar alliance. Besides, my chances to get food are limited, and I really can’t bear to part with this hot pot base.”

One hot pot base had used up one of his opportunities to get food.

As everyone knows, one block of hot pot base can be used to cook endless ingredients. This was his first time having it, so he was cherishing it and couldn’t bear to let it go to waste.

Shi Zhile lowered her gaze, a brow raised slightly.

‘An interstellar person!’

‘What a pleasant surprise!’

‘Chances to get food? Could it be that his system is food-related?’

She called out to her system in her mind, “Can you detect what kind of system he has?”

“Yes. I just infiltrated his system. I can confirm for you that he is bound to a Food System.”

“As the name implies, the Food System is all about fine cuisine. These types of systems usually bind to extreme foodies and gain energy when the host consumes food. I’ve detected that its energy is very low. It’s clearly been stolen.”

“Can it still provide food with so little energy?”

“It can, but because its energy was stolen, the food it provides is rather limited in variety and frequency. Furthermore, because the host consumes too little, its energy can’t be replenished. It’s trapped in a vicious cycle and can only enter hibernation to ensure it isn’t formatted due to a lack of energy.”

“Host, you two stall this fatty. Don’t let him get suspicious. I’m going to use his Food System to contact the main system. Buy me more time.”

“Okay.”

Shi Zhile sent a message to Wei Zhan.

While Shi Zhile was quiet, XiaoFatty dumped all the sliced lamb into the hot pot and started scarfing it down like crazy.

It made even Wei Zhan hungry just watching.

Shi Zhile picked up her chopsticks. The next second, XiaoFatty started eating even faster.

A slight smile touched Shi Zhile’s lips. “Mr. Wen at our base makes the most incredible fried fish. Would you like to try some?”

XiaoFatty: “Yes! You’re not going to kill me?”

“We Huaxia people have an old saying: Even in death, one should be a well-fed ghost. We also have another saying: Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? If you’re a friend, not only will we not kill you, but we will also welcome you with fine wine and good food. If you’re an enemy, we’ll also let you eat your fill… your fill of ‘peanuts’.”

At that moment, XiaoFatty was genuinely moved.

‘Huaxia people are so friendly! They even treat their enemies to peanuts. And goodness knows, fried peanuts tossed in sugar are delicious.’

“I’m a friend! An absolutely good friend! Really, believe me. Three months ago, I even cussed out Xi Nan right in front of his subordinate. Actually, it wasn’t just three months ago—I cuss him out every day when I think about how he trashed my Food System.”

“You guys have no idea what a fucking idiot he is. That Wish System you have? That same fucking idiot gave it to you…”

XiaoFatty spoke as he ate, spraying spittle into the hot pot and successfully killing Wei Zhan’s appetite.

Shi Zhile started another stove on her side and began to eat hot pot with Wei Zhan as well.

Compared to XiaoFatty’s monotonous ingredients, Shi Zhile’s selection was far more varied.

There were all sorts of mushrooms, green vegetables, fish fillets, various meats, and beef tendons—she had everything.

XiaoFatty stared, dumbfounded.

As an ultimate foodie, being born in an interstellar society was his personal tragedy. Even though he had a Food System, his lack of knowledge about food meant his way of eating was still monotonous.

Shi Zhile placed a mushroom dripping with broth into her mouth and nodded in satisfaction.

“The unique aroma of the mushroom, mixed with the bold flavor of the hot pot base, just bursts with juice with every bite. The beef tendon is soft, chewy, and springy—the texture is absolutely top-notch.”