Chapter 8

【Active Substance Extractor User Manual:】

【1. Active substances are the primary materials for synthesizing clones, including but not limited to minerals required by the human body, 20 common amino acids, and 2 rare amino acids, etc.】

【2. The raw material for the active substance extractor is animal corpses, with the most efficient extraction from mammals in the class Mammalia of the phylum Chordata, achieving up to 90% efficiency. The efficiency for non-mammals is lower, and for invertebrates, it is the lowest, below 10%.】

【3. Extraction efficiency is also related to the degree of decay.】

As the task of recruiting players was completed, the rewards and the manual were credited to his account.

Inside Shelter 404.

Chu Guang looked at the manual projected onto his retina by the system while examining the iron box that resembled a coffin next to the conveyor belt.

According to the manual, this device is used to produce the raw materials for "synthetic clones" — that is, "active substances."

In simple terms, it functions similarly to a corpse recycling system?

However, according to the manual, the bodies of different species also seem to be within the scope of recycling.

After roughly understanding how to use it, Chu Guang used a cart he found outside to drag it onto the elevator and returned to the surface with it.

He didn't want to bring corpses into the shelter.

As for power,

There will always be a way.

The elevator slowly ascended, stopped, and opened the door.

Just as he was dragging the cart out of the elevator, Xiao Qi's voice came from upstairs almost simultaneously.

"Master!"

"What's wrong?"

"It seems there's a situation with your players... A large black bird is attacking them! On the north side of the sanatorium!"

A large black bird?

Chu Guang was initially stunned, then his expression changed, and he immediately dropped the cart and rushed towards the sanatorium.

...

"Damn, Brother Ye is awesome."

"That forward roll to dodge was pretty cool!"

"Get lost, I was scared out of my wits! Don't just stand there, come and help me!"

In the forest north of the sanatorium.

A black bird stood on a tree branch ten meters high, its sharp eyes fixed on the group of players on the ground.

Its legs were slightly bent, and its kite-sized wings were folded back, ready to launch at any moment.

After hearing the commotion from Ye Shi, the other three players immediately put down their work and ran over with their axes.

Perhaps seeing the large group on the ground, the black bird did not immediately launch a second dive but stayed in a place out of reach, waiting for an opportunity.

Kuang Feng crouched down, picked up a black feather from the ground, and examined it.

"It looks a bit like a crow."

"Do crows get this big?!" Ye Shiyi glanced at the scratch marks on the nearby tree and said with lingering fear as he backed away.

"This thing is probably a mutant... a result of gamma rays or something else. I saw the setting on the official website," Fang Chang said, keeping a cautious eye on it without relaxing for a moment.

Ye Shi: "There are settings on the official website?! Isn't it just a reservation page?"

Kuang Feng: "That was a few days ago... The official website updated new features yesterday. Didn't you see it?"

"Let's not talk nonsense. What should we do now? Just stand here and wait?" Ye Shi took another nervous step back.

Kuang Feng was now the closest to the bird.

The four players and the bird were in a standoff.

At this moment, a whistling sound cut through the air above their heads, heading straight for the large bird.

"Chirp!"

The stone didn't hit it, but it startled the bird, which flapped its wings and flew to another branch.

When it finally stabilized on the branch, it saw the person on the ground pick up another stone and throw it at it.

The bird was thoroughly enraged.

It was the first time it had encountered such audacity in its territory.

Its bent legs suddenly exerted force, and it leaped from the branch like a cannonball, diving straight at Chu Guang.

Its sharp claws extended, like open hooks.

However, no matter how many brains it had, it couldn't understand the hint of mockery in Chu Guang's smile.

Chu Guang discarded the stone and skillfully grabbed a steel pipe stuck in the ground, thrusting the sharp end forward.

In a flash, there was no time to dodge.

Although the bird flapped its wings in alarm when it saw Chu Guang pick up something unfamiliar, the inertia made it impossible to pull away in time.

The pipe pierced its chest like a javelin.

"Chirp—!"

A piercing cry echoed through the forest.

Blood-stained feathers scattered.

Watching the struggling bird fly away, Chu Guang silently approached and picked up the bloody pipe from the ground.

"This isn't a crow."

"Its scientific name is a falcon... about two hundred years ago."

The four players stared at him, stunned by his fluid movements.

Damn!

So strong!!

However, they didn't know that for most survivors who could walk alone in the wasteland, this level of skill was just basic.

In these five months, Chu Guang hadn't learned much else but had mastered the art of throwing javelins, hitting targets within ten meters with precision.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have the chance to show off here.

"Falcon?! This big?" Kuang Feng was surprised, his perception of birds completely overturned.

Fang Chang swallowed.

"Because of the gamma rays?"

"Not just gamma rays. Viruses, bacteria, genetic weapons... various factors have led to what we see today. Of course, mutants are just one of the threats we face. In some situations, humans can be more dangerous."

Chu Guang looked up at the pine tree in front of the four players and continued.

"That falcon was probably nesting in this tree, which is why it didn't leave despite the large group."

Generally, birds rarely provoke larger ground animals; their diet mainly consists of mutated cockroaches, rats, or squirrels.

The bird had flown away but not far, likely waiting to die on a nearby tree.

This pointed pipe, though not very penetrative, has a natural bloodletting groove inside. Once it pierces the body, it's almost certain death.

Not to mention birds, even humans would find it hard to stitch such a wound.

Ye Shi lowered his head in shame.

"Sorry... I was focused on chopping wood and didn't notice."

"Don't apologize," Chu Guang looked up, "bird eggs are a good thing."

They would have a treat soon.

...

Chu Guang's judgment was quickly verified.

Under a crooked tree, he found the dead black bird.

He used a dagger to bleed it, removed the feathers, and threw it into an iron pot, placing it on a makeshift stove made of bricks. He stuffed dry branches and leaves under the stove and lit them with matches he had bought.

Smoke rose.

Before the water boiled, Chu Guang fished out the bird, skewered it on a steel rod, and placed it directly over the fire to roast.

He also roasted the bird eggs.

There was no salt or spices.

But even so, it was much better than the half-cooked green wheat porridge.

"Can we eat this thing?"

Looking at the "mutant" on the iron rack, Ye Shi instinctively felt repulsed, but the aroma kept tempting him, making him swallow his saliva.

There's actually food in the game!

For food lovers, this was an unexpected surprise.

And it made him feel that the hard work of the morning was worth it.

"Once it's cooked, you can eat it. I'll tell you what not to eat." Chu Guang slowly turned the roasting rack, ensuring every side of the food was evenly heated.

There are few opportunities to eat wild game in the wasteland.

Even when they occasionally catch something edible, it spoils quickly due to the lack of preservation methods.

Salt is a more scarce resource than electricity here.

For survivors in inland cities like Qingquan, using large amounts of salt to preserve food is impractical.

As for refrigerators, he had only heard that the mayor's castle had one, but he had never seen it.

Of course, survivors are not without solutions.

For example, the neighboring survivor base — Mr. Brown's farm — produces tobacco leaves rich in tar and aldehyde ketones, which can extend the shelf life of food for several months even without salt.

"Administrator, how much wood do we need?"

Waiting for the food to cook was a torture.

To distract themselves from the food, Fang Chang started a conversation.

Chu Guang casually replied to the question.

"Cut as much as you can."

The players looked at each other, lacking enthusiasm.

Chu Guang didn't pay much attention at first, but then he suddenly thought of something.

They are "players," outsiders.

Unlike himself, who has crossed over to this world, they can leave at any time and don't have the urgency of survival.

Even if he told them the importance of stockpiling wood, they wouldn't truly understand what it means.

Their status as players means they think differently. Even if they don't mind the effort, it's hard for them to sustain effort without a reward.

There must be a task.

And there must be a reward.

"Let me think..."

Chu Guang stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Suddenly, an idea came to him.

"At 4 PM, we'll tally today's results."

"For trees as thick as an arm, one meter is one contribution point. For trees as thick as a thigh, one meter is two contribution points—"

However, what Chu Guang didn't expect was that as soon as he finished speaking, the four players, holding their bowls, suddenly stood up.

"Administrator, I suddenly don't feel very hungry."

"Me too."

"Since there's still some time before the meal, I'll go chop a couple more trees!"

"I suddenly feel like chopping something!"

Chu Guang: "…?"

He hadn't even said what the contribution points could be used for yet…