Chapter 4: Hidden Attributes and Contribution Points
Upon the high platform, Li Wei withdrew his Divine Might once he saw the players settling in. He glanced at the still-trembling Mia beside him and signaled through the spiritual link, "Go on. Tell them about this world. Let them know what they are fighting for."
Mia took a deep breath. Though she was still a bit afraid of this group of "lunatics," with the support of the deity, she mustered her courage and began to recite the grand background story as Lord Deity had instructed.
"Ahem... there are still some things I need to tell you."
Mia pointed toward the gray sky outside the temple gates and the faint sound of crashing waves in the distance. Though her voice was youthful, she tried her best to sound serious:
"As you can see, during that 'God War' long ago, the earth shattered. Today, the Land of the Forsaken Gods beneath our feet is merely a few isolated islands floating upon the endless 'Black Sea'."
"We are abandoned orphans. Aside from these few broken islands, most of the world's living beings are concentrated on the distant far shore—the Radiance Continent. There, the protection of the True Gods exists, while we..."
The little cat-girl's ears drooped, and a hint of genuine sorrow and fear flickered in her eyes. "We can only struggle to survive under the erosion of evil forces. The passage to the Divine Realm is locked, and the gods cannot descend. This place... is a land of despair."
This was a lot of information to process.
The players exchanged looks and quickly distilled the key points in their minds:
Map Environment: Island survival. Surrounded by the sea, and there are monsters in the water.
World Layout: Abandoned starter village vs. distant high-level map (Radiance Continent).
Main Objective: Follow our boss (the Evil God) to survive in this wasteland, then counter-attack the True Gods' territory?
"But!" Mia's tone suddenly shifted, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she turned toward the dark figure on the platform. "Our Great Lord is different! He has awakened from an eternal slumber. He will reunite the shattered archipelagos. He will bring us... new life!"
"Nice! I give this plot a perfect score!" Chen Feng led the applause. "It's a bit cliché, but I'm a sucker for this 'Wasteland Savior' setting!"
"Stop talking, it's getting dark!" Wang Kai (What Canned Food I Say) pushed up his non-existent glasses and pointed at the quest log countdown. "Let's get to work!"
"Just do it!"
Lei Gang (Online Nickname) let out a roar and charged straight toward a massive broken stone pillar in the center of the plaza. The pillar was at least two meters long; an ordinary person wouldn't be able to budge it.
"Up!"
Lei Gang let out a low grunt, his muscles bulging. To everyone's surprise, he actually managed to staggeringly lift the pillar and drag it a short distance.
"Holy crap! It actually moves!" Lei Gang looked at his hands in pleasant surprise. "This sense of power! This physical feedback! It's incredible!"
"I'll try too!"
Chen Feng jumped on the spot and actually leaped over a meter high, nearly hitting his head on a piece of broken wall above.
"Whoa! Agility too? I've practiced parkour in real life, but I feel as light as a swallow here!"
Wang Kai analyzed calmly from the side: "As expected. Although the attribute panel isn't open yet, it seems the game uses some kind of scanning technology to replicate or even enhance our real-life traits. Gang Zi, you're in charge of moving heavy objects. Husky, you handle clearing the high-altitude debris. Everyone else, follow me to clear the rubble. Play to your strengths to maximize efficiency!"
"We'll listen to you, Brother Canned Food!"
Under the simple coordination of "What Canned Food I Say," the originally chaotic players quickly split into several groups and began working with great enthusiasm.
However, this high-intensity labor lasted for only half an hour.
*Grumble...*
An awkward sound came from Lei Gang's stomach. Then, as if it were contagious, the other players' stomachs began to growl as well.
"Ouch, why am I suddenly so hungry?" Lei Gang put down a stone, feeling his limbs go weak. "I was fine just now. How did I get so drained after just moving a few bricks?"
"I'm hungry too..." Chen Feng clutched his stomach, his face turning pale. "And this hunger is real. It feels like my stomach is on fire. I don't even have the strength to lift my hand."
Wang Kai thought for a moment. "Since it claims to be fully realistic, there must be mechanics for hunger, rest, and so on."
"Holy shit! This game has a hunger System?"
"This is too real, isn't it? Working consumes energy, and if energy is low, your status drops?"
"Devs! Where's the food? Where's my newbie gift pack?"
The players began to protest.
On the platform, Li Wei looked at the group of players howling with hunger below, a "just as planned" smile curling his lips.
"Hungry? It's only right that you're hungry."
He waved his hand gently, utilizing the [Illusion Manifestation] authority remaining within his Godhead.
*Hum!* In a corner of the Temple Plaza, the air distorted, and a crude wooden shack "spawned" out of thin air. A crooked sign hung on it—[Gods Favored Supply Station].
"Want food? Then trade your piety for it."
Li Wei projected an "Exchange List" into the minds of all the players.
[Gods Favored Supply Station (Soft Opening)]
[Low-quality Black Bread (Half a loaf)]: Exchange Price: 5 Contribution Points. Limit of 5 pieces per person per day.
(Note: Hard as a rock, but in the Land of the Forsaken Gods, this is life-saving rations.)
[Turbid Clear Water (One cup)]: Exchange Price: 2 Contribution Points. You may also choose to boil water yourselves.
"What? 5 contribution points for half a piece of bread?"
Chen Feng's eyes widened. "We've been busting our asses moving bricks for half the day, and the quest isn't even finished yet. Where are we supposed to get contribution points? Isn't this just forcing us to pay? Where's the top-up entrance?"
"There is no top-up entrance," Wang Kai analyzed calmly. "The game doesn't seem to have a microtransaction System yet. The only currency is contribution points earned through labor."
"But we don't have the strength to work now! This is a death loop!" Lei Gang wailed.
Seeing that the timing was right, Li Wei timely threw out a "Newbie Benefit."
[Ding! Given that the brave warriors have just arrived, the deity grants a special grace: Wage Advance Service.]
[Each player may advance 10 contribution points to purchase initial supplies. This amount will be automatically deducted from subsequent quest rewards.]
Meanwhile, to soothe the emotions of these "leeks" and to leave a hint for future economic reforms, Li Wei added an inconspicuous gray note in the corner of the quest panel:
(Note: The contribution point exchange System is a temporary rationing System for the 'Early Stage of Revival' in the Land of the Forsaken Gods. Once the territory's productivity is restored and the Power Of Faith is abundant, the deity will consider opening a freer trading market and currency System. Current hardships are for future prosperity.)
Although the text was small, it was still discovered by the sharp-eyed Wang Kai.
"It seems the devs know the current prices are unreasonable," Wang Kaisaid, pointing at the line of text. "This is likely a method to limit our early development speed. Once we can farm and hunt for ourselves, this rigid exchange System will probably be canceled or upgraded."
"Who cares about the future! I want to eat now!" Chen Feng didn't care about any of that and charged straight for the wooden shack. "Long live Lord Deity! Conscientious devs! I want a loan! Give me two pieces of black bread! I'm starving to death!"
The players swarmed forward, scrambling toward the wooden shack to exchange their newly borrowed "fortune" for bread and water.
Chen Feng took the black bread, which was like a brick, and took a tentative bite.
*Crunch!*
"Ow, my teeth!" He yelled, clutching his cheek. "Is this thing made of stone?"
"Don't rush, you have to soak it in water." A player with the ID 'I Will Teach You How To Behave' was very experienced; he broke the bread into pieces, threw them into his cup, and stirred them into a paste. "The presentation is a bit poor, but this wheat aroma... it's incredible! It's definitely natural, non-polluted rye!"
He took a large gulp of the bread paste, a look of intoxication appearing on his face as the long-lost feeling of fullness instantly dispelled his physical fatigue. "Though it's coarse, that grain sweetness... the texture is too real!"
"Damn, top-tier quality!"
Seeing this, the other players followed suit. For a time, the sounds of chewing and swallowing echoed across the Temple Plaza. Even though it was the lowest quality food, the players still ate with amazement.
"Man, this game can actually simulate taste and fullness. It's amazing."
*Cough*... it's just a bit hard to eat, makes you choke."
"Full of food and drink, let's keep working!"
Li Wei watched this scene, his heart blooming with joy. He had just used the [Matter Manifestation] authority, consuming a tiny bit of Power Of Faith to conjure this batch of black bread.
A simple calculation: the Power Of Faith generated by one player's high-intensity labor for half an hour was enough to manifest 10 loaves of black bread. Yet, he only paid the players the wage of 1 loaf.
That was a 90% profit margin!
"Is this the power of capital?" Li Wei marveled internally. "As long as I keep them moving, I can get stronger while lying down."
"As for the future..." Li Wei glanced at the note, the corners of his mouth turning up. "Once you can grow your own grain, I'll collect a 'Tithe' from you. Regardless, the right of interpretation belongs to this god."