Chapter 417.1: Granddaddy Said I'll Pick, I Didn't Say I'll Pick At Random

The morning sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains, landing on a pair of embroidered eyebrows and a prominent nose bridge.

Ample Time's eyelashes fluttered as he half-opened his eyes, only to meet a pair of bright ones staring back at him.

Caught, those eyes didn't look away but blinked playfully.

"You sleep so quietly! You don’t even make a sound..." Her voice rang in his ears.

Even my pranks get no reaction...

A relaxed smile spread across Ample Time’s sleepy face as he reached out to tousle her fluffy green hair. "... When did you wake up?"

"An hour before you." Dori, propping her pale chin with both hands and lying on the soft bed, gently swung her feet, enjoying the warmth above her head. Her eyelashes fluttered lazily.

She relished the closeness she was feeling.

Only he didn't mind the smell of machine oil on her left arm, or her slightly distorted left eye.

"Speaking of which, the food here is so cheap... Five large meat buns for just six silver coins... I bought some milk too! Do you prefer your milk hot or cold?"

"Hmm... It’s better warmed up a bit."

"Got it." A strand of green hair fluttered as she left the bedroom swiftly.

Watching her light-footed figure, Ample Time's lips curved into a grin.

That was his house in Dawn City, a two-story cottage.

The property was about 200 square meters, with a front yard of over 100 square meters, not far from Linghu Wetland Park.

As players' contribution levels rose, they could buy more land. Early gamers mostly settled near the park, while those who joined after the Beta version preferred homes to the north, where the air was filled with festivity and closer to NPCs and city save points.

Before Dori, Ample Time used the house mainly as a storage space, so it had little furniture. Dori was the one who cleaned it up.

Including the succulent on the windowsill and the flowers in the pot, which they bought at the market on the night of the festival... Everything was new.

Ample Time got dressed and stood before the mirror. After a while, he headed to the dining room, where Dori was already seated at the table.

She held a meat bun so large she could barely hold, taking a bite with a blissful expression. The buns were huge, as players needed large portions, and a typical person could be nearly full with a single bun.

The four buns on the table were obviously left for him.

"Haven’t you eaten yet?" Ample Time pulled out a chair and sat opposite her.

"I was waiting for you." Dori’s response came naturally as she swallowed her food, her voice cheerful. "Speaking of which, are you going out today?"

"No missions today, I planned to take a day off," Ample Time smiled, looking at her, "Is there anywhere you’d like to go? I can come along."

He planned to spend the whole day with her.

"Really?!" Dori's eyes brightened with surprise, but soon, she picked up on something unusual in his gaze and her head drooped in gloom.

Ample Time paused, about to ask if she felt unwell.

Dori stared at the half-eaten bun in her hand and whispered, "You... You’re going away again, aren’t you?”

Surprised by her keen intuition, Ample Time’s throat tightened as he nodded lightly. "Yeah."

He had finally decided to check out the East Coast.

He lived once in real life, but it was the wasteland. His ability to respawn was proof that it wasn’t entirely like reality.

He didn’t expect to persuade Light to risk his job by changing the game’s settings or hacking it for him. But as a professional gamer facing a problem within the game, he would use in-game methods to solve it. Before going online, he reread the game lore from the database multiple times, and signs pointed to Ideal City on the East Coast having advanced AI technology.

Based on Shelter 101's situation, it seemed theoretically possible to transfer consciousness onto a circuit board!

He had never thought of turning Dori into an AI. Virtual life was still life. She might not have a physical body in reality, at least for the time being, but she was indeed a living person.

A resident of the virtual world... She had the right to decide how she wanted to live.

However, it was still a tragic world.

If... If it was possible... If she ever met with an accident, and he couldn't protect her in time, he hoped that at least her data could be preserved on the server, not to be erased.

And maybe one day, when Wasteland Online officially goes into public Beta and opened up globally...

He would find the game company!

Even if it cost all his money, he would buy her data!

He had said he would show her his world, not just the New Alliance.

However, Ample Time didn't share these thoughts with Dori. Partly because he didn't know where to start, and partly because of the regulations written in the Player’s Handbook.

It was incredibly coincidental that right after he decided to register, he actually won the ticket to Ideal City. Such a coincidence made him wonder if it was destiny.

Maybe his idea could really be realized...

Dori asked in a low voice, “When are you going?”

“Tomorrow.”

"Are you going to the frontlines?"

Noticing the mist forming in her bright eyes, Ample Time quickly explained, "It’s not the frontlines. It’s a very safe place. I’m going to Ideal City."

"Ideal City?" Dori asked softly, slightly stunned, "The one on the East Coast?"

She had heard of the place.

It was extremely prosperous, a cacophony of lights and desires. Even the inner city nobles longed to visit at least once, driven by a fervent desire.

Ample Time nodded lightly. "Yes, it's an official assignment."

"That’s so far." Dori's expression was a bit downcast, she murmured softly, "I heard it’s over 3,000 kilometers away."

"We’re not walking there, 3,000 kilometers by plane is very quick. It’s faster than if we walked over to Boulder Town." Ample Time chuckled.

Dori asked softly, "When will you be back?"

"I don’t know yet. Maybe a few days, maybe a week, or even a month, but it won’t be longer than two months," Ample Time sighed, a trace of sorrow in his eyes. "And after I return, I probably won’t stay long before I have to fight again."

Dori didn’t speak, silently taking another bite of her bun.

Silence lingered between them.

Just as Ample Time hesitated on how to explain, Dori suddenly spoke up. "Go ahead, although I'll miss you, I don’t want to hold you back. You must have struggled a lot before telling me this, right?"

Ample Time was momentarily stunned, surprised by the girl's insight.

Seeing his reaction, Dori curved her lips up slightly, pleased, and continued in a pleasant voice, "It seems you still don’t know me well. I’m not the kind to cling to you all day. I’m a journalist, I have my job!"

Hah? Didn’t you resign?!

Ample Time chose to keep silent, not pointing out the trivial details.

With a playful tone, Dori continued, "Go on, it would be a shame to miss such an opportunity. Go out and see more. I hear Ideal City is much more bustling than Boulder Town. If you see something new, you must tell me when you get back. Oh, right, don’t forget to take lots of photos, I’ll use them for my reports!"

𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

After she spoke, her pleasant voice suddenly dropped a few decibels. "Right, although I’m letting you leave me for a little while, I won’t allow you to fall for someone else."

Watching Dori switch from feigning nonchalance to sudden insecurity and vigilance, Ample Time couldn’t help but smile wryly. "Am I that kind of person?"

He admitted to enjoying the exotic dances at Night Queen Bar previously, but that was purely out of curiosity and to gather information.

He could swear to their doggy game planner, Light, aside from some vain boasting, he had never done anything illegal.

Dori hummed softly, pretending to be indifferent as she took another bite of her bun. "Who knows? Do your good brothers know that beneath your gentle and refined appearance lies a heart as wild as a beast?"

"HUH?!" Ample Time almost spit out his drink at her comment.

What kind of analogy was that?

Watching him cough and wipe his mouth, Dori grinned in delight. "Anyway, if you really wrong me, I’ll...”

Dropping the tissue from her hand, Ample Time glared fiercely at the mischievous figure.

"You’ll what?"

Flaunting a mouthful of pearly white teeth, she bit into her bun with exaggeration. "I’ll bite you!"

...

In the distant west where there were endless sand dunes.

Sandstorms blotted out the sun, pushing two people and a camel across the boundless desert.

The howling wind had been relentless, and although the noisy dust eventually settled, the torment for the two travelers was far from over.

With the dust curtain gone, the fierce sun baked the earth, seemingly determined to dry out every bit of moisture from the gravel.

Unable to go further, Cowley collapsed onto the scorching desert sand.

Hearing the noise behind him, Pangolin turned laboriously and staggered back. He reached down to pull Cowley up. "Hey, wake up..."

No response came after calling for a long time. It seemed Cowley might have suffered a heatstroke.

Looking at the man lying half-dead on the ground, Pangolin didn’t know what to do for a moment.

If that guy died, all his efforts over the past week would have been in vain.

What to do?

Should I do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?