«You touched the Creator?!!»
Water sources – a crucial geographical factor.
A water source is an extremely, extremely important geographical factor.
For any city to be successfully established and thrive, it must have access to water. He Fang was fortunate to have an excellent starting geographical condition. Back when “Ruins Without Restart” was first released, each player could only randomly spawn on a single map. Unlucky players could end up in a desert—a literal hellish start—where just digging a well would be a massive undertaking.
However, that level of misfortune was rare. Generally, players would at least have access to a river. After all, even in reality, no one would choose to build a city in the middle of a barren desert.
In He Fang’s case, the mountains in his territory didn’t have any rivers, but they did have numerous streams. Where these streams ultimately flowed, he wasn’t sure.
However, streams themselves were not living entities, so they could exist within the Nightmare Beast Forest. But any living creature that entered the forest would be parasitized, meaning there was no need to worry about outsiders following the streams into the city.
For anyone trapped in the vast and endless Nightmare Beast Forest, finding a way out would require extensive exploration and trial and error. But what if there was already a pre-existing, unchanging path—the streams?
Streams had fixed directions, meaning one wouldn’t get lost. As long as the branching paths were memorized, one could navigate out. Moreover, if the streams within the Nightmare Beast Forest eventually converged into a river, then—boats could be used!
This was practically a natural highway!
Because of the city’s needs, He Fang had always been focused on constructing land routes. It had never occurred to him that there was also a water route available!
And if they could truly use the waterway to reach the outside of the Nightmare Beast Forest, then if they planned to establish a new city nearby, having a water source would be an incredible advantage.
What an opportunity!
So how could someone capable of discovering such an oversight be labeled as lacking intelligence? He Fang stared at Guo Miaofeng, utterly baffled by his supposedly “low intelligence” trait.
“I can take you to see for yourself,” Guo Miaofeng said, seemingly noticing He Fang’s surprised expression. He couldn’t help but puff up with a bit of pride. “After you’ve checked it out, if you think it’s feasible to follow the streams to find the boundary, I can continue exploring and bring back a perfectly detailed map for you, City Lord.”
He Fang blinked. “You’re going alone?”
“Ah, yes, I’ll go by myself.” Guo Miaofeng saw nothing wrong with this plan. “If we take the water route, there shouldn’t be as many Revival Nightmare Plants as in the forest, so the journey should be much faster.”
“You’re planning to go in alone? By car?” He Fang pressed further. Did Guo Miaofeng already have a strategy?
“I’ll swim or walk. The Revival Nightmare Plants are too densely packed and the terrain is uneven—driving a car would be impractical and disorienting. Walking is the best option.” Guo Miaofeng analyzed the situation seriously.
“Walking?” He Fang’s voice rose in disbelief. He then asked, “And what will you eat?”
“I can bring some dry rations, pots, and bowls. I could also catch fish from the river.”
After saying this, the two of them suddenly fell into silence, staring at each other.
“If I’m not mistaken,” He Fang deliberately slowed down his speech, “there shouldn’t be any fish in the rivers inside the Nightmare Beast Forest.”
“…” Guo Miaofeng, only now realizing the flaw in his plan, started turning red, his expression growing increasingly awkward.
At this point, He Fang had to admit—Guo Miaofeng’s intelligence was indeed a little concerning.
He Fang sighed.
Though he found the idea of a water route promising, he still decided to personally inspect the situation.
Since the city had never needed boats before, the concept of them simply didn’t exist. That was why, in Guo Miaofeng’s mind, the only options for traveling along the water were walking along the shore or swimming.
On He Fang’s map, the streams in the mountains appeared minuscule—just a barely visible blue line among the green mountains. Because of this, he had always assumed they were mere creeks. However, maps and reality often differed. Without seeing the actual body of water himself, there was no way to be certain.
“Are we leaving now?” Guo Miaofeng asked, a little surprised. “City Lord, shouldn’t we make some preparations first?”
He Fang was puzzled. “What do we need to prepare?”
“Mountaineering gear, protective clothing… or, if you think of this as a little expedition, maybe some simple cooking utensils?”
He Fang frowned in confusion. “I’m not going on a picnic.”
“But since we’re going anyway, why not take the chance to enjoy the scenery? More importantly, considering the time, by the time we arrive, it’ll probably be nightfall. The mountains might not look that big on the map, but in reality, they cover a vast area.”
He Fang looked at Guo Miaofeng and suddenly remembered—NPCs needed to sleep at night!
Since time passed differently inside and outside the game, He Fang, as a player, could roam indefinitely without concern. But NPCs couldn’t.
“Ah… then maybe we should wait until tomorrow? Leave in the morning and return by night?” He Fang suggested.
“Going now isn’t a problem either. The mountain’s night scenery is quite beautiful. There are also people living there, and the water plant is located in the mountains. If you’re not comfortable with outdoor camping, you could stay at someone’s house or at the water plant.” Guo Miaofeng’s words gave He Fang something to consider.
“How long would it take to prepare for departure?” He Fang asked.
“Everything’s ready. If you don’t mind sharing a tent with me, we won’t need to prepare anything too complicated.”
The moment Guo Miaofeng finished speaking, the atmosphere froze.
The sun was shining brightly, yet for some reason, the air around them felt icy cold. Guo Miaofeng had always prided himself on his sturdy constitution, but at this moment, he felt as if he was about to freeze solid.
He Fang also felt like something was off. The NPCs, who had just been quietly discussing matters, had all fallen into an eerie silence. The entire scene seemed frozen in place—only he could move.
Confused, He Fang wondered, Did my internet disconnect?
He checked his connection, but everything was stable. The network was strong and the data was running smoothly. Then why weren’t the NPCs reacting?
Another bug?
Is this game just too big to be properly optimized? Bugs seemed to pop up every other day.
—
Guo Miaofeng had never imagined that one day, the Creator would seek him out personally.
Everything the Creator did was to provide them with a better future—to develop their city, to care for its every detail, to expand its land. The Creator had built this massive city, shaping every little aspect of it. In many ways, their work overlapped significantly with that of the Land and Resources Bureau.
The Creator had already done their job. Despite the Bureau’s official status, in reality, they were just handling the trivial matters.
Yet every citizen carried out their duties with dedication. They knew their responsibilities and understood what needed to be done. Even if one person wasn’t there, someone else would step in to ensure the work was completed.
Guo Miaofeng still vividly remembered a time when he and his predecessor watched in awe as the Creator performed a miracle. His predecessor had told him, “Do you see that? The Creator is expanding our land again. We will have more friends, greater opportunities, and a brighter future.”
Guo Miaofeng never knew what others thought, but as he watched the barren land transform bit by bit into a thriving city under the Creator’s efforts, he was filled with immense pride.
Standing on the land shaped by the Creator, he felt deeply moved. He had always loved documenting every detail, down to the precise location of a single tree. Every small corner of this city was proof of the Creator’s hard work.
He had visited the Creator’s museum many times. The Creator possessed an extraordinary way of thinking—meticulous and cautious. Time and time again, the city had faced crises, yet the Creator always managed to neutralize them before they could take root.
Guo Miaofeng often wondered—could he, too, one day be like the Creator? Could he predict dangers in advance? Could he, in some small way, offer even the tiniest bit of help to the Creator, who had given so much for this city?
He wasn’t particularly smart. He didn’t know how to understand everything like the Creator did, nor did he have the same brilliant ideas. But his predecessors had told him—some things, if you keep doing them repeatedly and if you persist, one day, you will see results.
His predecessors had once given him an example from the Meteorological Bureau. The forecasters there could now accurately predict the weather, but it had taken countless calculations and observations to reach that level.
As long as he understood the city well enough—down to every blade of grass and every tree—one day, he might be able to help the Creator.
Guo Miaofeng felt that he probably wouldn’t have the chance to truly assist the Creator, but at the very least, he hoped he could pass down the wisdom and efforts of his predecessors to someone even smarter, ensuring that their legacy wouldn’t end with him.
So, when Guo Miaofeng first saw He Fang, he thought, for a split second, that he was hallucinating due to his deep admiration for the Creator.
He often visited the City Lord’s Museum just to look at the Creator’s statue. Even though it was just a sculpture, it was enough to make people feel how thin and fragile the Creator’s figure was. But now, seeing that same figure in his office, hunched over looking at photos, appearing so frail from behind—it seemed like he could shatter at a single touch.
Guo Miaofeng sat in the driver’s seat. In the passenger seat was the very person he had always hoped to meet in real life. From his angle, the young man looked soft and small, forming a stark contrast with himself.
Guo Miaofeng felt a little uneasy. He knew he wasn’t very smart and had no idea how to say something interesting to make the Creator happy.
Earlier, when he had first met the Creator, he had blurted out everything about his predecessors without thinking—he just wanted the Creator to know how loyal they had all been. But now…
What could he do to make the Creator feel a little happier?
“Could you wait here for a moment, City Lord? I’ll go to the supermarket to buy some food for the trip up the mountain.”
After getting permission, Guo Miaofeng practically fled from the car at lightning speed.
He went straight to the dry goods section and looked at the various rations.
Compressed biscuits tasted pretty good—he wondered if the Creator would like them. Better to get a few of each flavor, just in case. These things had a long shelf life, so even if the Creator didn’t eat them, he could finish them later himself.
But just eating compressed biscuits might be too bland, so he added some scallion crackers, chocolate biscuits… Oh, wait, he already had chocolate-flavored compressed biscuits—no need to double up. He grabbed some beef jerky too—it was good for snacking. And finally, a pack of bottled water.
With his hands full, Guo Miaofeng went to check out. The supermarket owner was a hunched old man with a white beard. When he saw what Guo Miaofeng was buying, he lifted his cloudy eyes and glared at him.
Guo Miaofeng immediately stiffened, feeling inexplicably guilty. “Uh… I-I’d like to pay.”
The supermarket owner glanced at the shopping basket filled with biscuits, then stood up and slowly made his way into the store. His back was so bent it looked like even walking was difficult. Yet, without saying a word, he grabbed two of the largest shopping bags and headed toward the instant food section.
He picked out a variety of popular instant meals, along with countless drinks, filling an entire bag to the brim. Then, trembling slightly, he made his way back to the counter.
Under Guo Miaofeng’s puzzled gaze, the old man silently began scanning his purchases, his raspy voice announcing the total.
After paying, Guo Miaofeng grabbed his bag and turned to leave—only to be smacked hard on the back of his head by the trembling old man.
Despite his frail appearance, the old man’s movements were unexpectedly swift.
He opened his nearly toothless mouth and barked, “Take all of this with you!”
Guo Miaofeng looked at the extra bag of food in confusion. “But I didn’t buy these…”
The old man, clearly annoyed, smacked Guo Miaofeng’s arm again—hard. “Is this for you? This is for the Creator! You’ve got thick skin and strong bones—you can eat whatever you want! But now you’re taking the Creator up the mountain—do you expect him to eat wild grass and gnaw on dry rations like you?”
Guo Miaofeng froze for a moment, glancing at the biscuits in his hand and then at the two massive bags of food the old shopkeeper had packed. Suddenly, he understood.
“Boss, ring these up for me. I’ll buy them all,” Guo Miaofeng immediately returned to the counter.
“Buy, buy, buy! Do you think you need to buy things for the Creator? This is my offering to the Creator!” The old shopkeeper looked frail, but his voice was unexpectedly full of vigor.
Guo Miaofeng felt a little wronged. “But I’m the one taking the Creator up the mountain. I’m supposed to take care of him. If I just give him your food, then what am I even here for?”
“Why are you so stubborn?!” The shopkeeper slammed his fist on the counter, fuming. “I told you to take them, so take them! It’s all for the Creator!”
When Guo Miaofeng walked out of the supermarket carrying three bulging plastic bags, He Fang visibly paused. “Is it all food?”
“Yeah,” Guo Miaofeng replied gloomily.
“Do you really eat that much?” He Fang’s eyes were full of surprise.
“I eat a bit… but not that much.” Guo Miaofeng answered honestly.
He Fang let out a soft chuckle.
Guo Miaofeng wasn’t sure what he had said to make He Fang laugh, but for some reason, he felt like he must’ve done something foolish—his predecessors always laughed at him like this. His ears reddening slightly, he stuffed the food into the back seat and returned to the driver’s seat to start the car.
As they drove toward the outskirts of the city, Guo Miaofeng suddenly noticed a roadside vendor drop something onto the street. The vendor bent down to pick it up. Guo Miaofeng instinctively slowed the car to a stop.
However, instead of picking up the item and moving aside, the vendor lingered, shifting left and right in front of the car.
Frowning in confusion, Guo Miaofeng got out and asked, “Did something roll under the car? I can drive forward a bit if you need.”
But before he could react, the vendor suddenly grabbed his arm, gripping it tightly. His expression was dark and serious as he muttered, “Buy a tent!”
“…?” Guo Miaofeng was completely baffled. He already had a tent in his trunk, one that was more than enough for two people. Why buy another one? “I already have one.”
The vendor’s face immediately turned ominous, as if Guo Miaofeng had committed some grave offense. Lowering his voice, he threatened, “You’d better buy a tent.”
A chill ran down Guo Miaofeng’s spine. Swallowing hard, he stammered, “O-Okay, I’ll buy a tent.”
The vendor’s face instantly brightened, and he loudly proclaimed, “Great! Come take a look! My tents are the best—sturdy, warm, windproof, mosquito-proof. And hey, why not get a full set with a mattress and blankets too?”
“It’s hot right now. We probably won’t need such heavy bedding,” Guo Miaofeng hesitated.
But when he met the vendor’s eerily sharp gaze, he choked on his words. After a long pause, he tentatively asked, “Then… I’ll just buy everything?”
“Great, great!” The vendor beamed, his expression turning oddly meaningful. “The mountain isn’t as comfortable as the city, you know. It gets cold at night. If someone’s body is weak, they might get sick after just one night.”
Only then did Guo Miaofeng snap to attention. Oh, right. The Creator’s body… It really didn’t seem all that strong.
Everyone was certainly considerate.
He Fang watched as the once-roomy car steadily filled up with supplies after multiple stops. Glancing at the nearly packed back seat, he finally asked, “Do you always bring this much stuff when you travel?”
“I used to travel alone. Now there are two of us. I don’t even know if this is enough,” Guo Miaofeng admitted, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. The mountain road was almost eerily empty—his was the only car on the path. Normally, he would see at least a few more vehicles around here.
Was the road cleared because everyone knew the City Lord was going up the mountain?
Sure enough, everyone else seemed to know much better than he did how to take care of the Creator. There was so much he still needed to learn.
He Fang’s expression was a little strange. He understood that Guo Miaofeng wanted to bring extra supplies to make him more comfortable, but… wasn’t this a bit excessive? There was even a grill—wasn’t this supposed to be a mission, not a picnic?
He Fang turned to look out the window. The scenery outside was breathtaking. He had grown up in a big city and had never been to a place like this before. Views like this were something he had only ever seen in video games, yet now they were right before his eyes, real and vivid.
The map had made the area look large, but it wasn’t until they actually drove into the mountain that he truly grasped the vastness of it. No wonder this place was so rich in resources—it was large enough to easily sustain an entire city.
If they wanted to build a settlement outside the Nightmare Beast Forest, aside from a water source, would they also need to find another mountain range? In the game, resources would regenerate over time, but if expansion outpaced that regeneration, even an abundant supply wouldn’t be enough.
How much untapped potential lies beyond the Nightmare Beast Forest?
He Fang casually tapped the map, studying the streams that flowed through the mountains. There were many streams, but they followed no discernible pattern. This mountain range wasn’t their source; the water must have originated beyond the Nightmare Beast Forest.
The external water supply should be abundant, right? But since mobile cities couldn’t remain in one place indefinitely and had to keep moving… would they travel along river routes? Was it possible they might even spot a mobile city right outside the Nightmare Beast Forest?
No… that was unlikely. After all, mobile cities always avoided the Nightmare Beast Forest.
The mountain had only one ring road, which led to the water treatment plant and the sewage plant. It hadn’t looked that long on the map, but the journey to the nearest stream had already taken four hours. By now, night had fallen.
“This stream is very small—actually, it’s the smallest one in the entire mountain,” Guo Miaofeng explained to He Fang. “But it has never run dry and continues flowing steadily. It does enter the Nightmare Beast Forest at some point, but we can’t be sure if it extends beyond it. Given how small it is, it might not.”
As the sun set, the lush green mountains were bathed in a golden glow from the evening sky. Unable to resist, He Fang took a photo.
“This place is naturally beautiful. Some couples even come here for dates,” Guo Miaofeng continued. “Not far from here, this small stream gathers into a little pool. The water is crystal clear and not very big. On hot summer days, people sometimes swim in it. But I wouldn’t really recommend it.”
“Hm? Why not?” He Fang turned back to ask.
“Because there are a lot of mosquitoes in the mountains. Also, since many farmers raise free-range poultry up here, the pool tends to attract chickens and ducks. The water is clean because it’s a flowing source, but the area around it… isn’t so clean.”
Hearing such a down-to-earth answer, He Fang felt a bit awkward. This game’s level of realism was a little too much—so much so that he was beginning to feel like he was in the real world.
“But I haven’t been bitten by any mosquitoes,” He Fang said, just as he happened to glance up and see a mosquito land on Guo Miaofeng’s neck. A moment later, it was squashed into oblivion. He Fang’s expression froze for two seconds before he said, “Maybe it’s because you’re next to me. You must be more attractive to mosquitoes.”
Guo Miaofeng chuckled a little foolishly. “City Lord, please wait a moment. I’ll go prepare dinner.”
In the game, He Fang didn’t actually need to eat, but the idea of being able to taste food in the game intrigued him. The thought of Guo Miaofeng grilling meat under the open sky, combined with such stunning scenery, made it seem like a pretty nice experience.
However, he then watched in silence as Guo Miaofeng took out a camping lantern, unpacked the giant bag of supermarket food, and meticulously followed the instructions on each package step by step.
He Fang: “…”
The supermarkets in the city were modeled after images and scans He Fang had uploaded from the real world. He had even painstakingly added detailed packaging and product photos for foods he had personally eaten before, which was why things like “cola” existed in this game world.
As he saw Guo Miaofeng pull out a self-heating hotpot and self-heating rice from a plastic bag and then casually place some drinks in the stream to chill, He Fang’s mouth twitched slightly.
He felt a certain sense of accomplishment in having developed his city to such a level of modern convenience. Still, these NPCs clearly didn’t understand the joy of outdoor cooking.
Then again, he had never actually gone camping himself.
“You’re not eating any of these?” He Fang asked when he noticed Guo Miaofeng munching on a compressed biscuit.
“No.” That food was for the Creator. If the supermarket owner found out he had eaten it, he would definitely be furious.
“You don’t like it?” He Fang tilted his head slightly.
“I’m just used to it.” Guo Miaofeng, unable to lie and afraid He Fang might keep asking, stuffed two large pieces of biscuit into his mouth at once. He ended up choking and had to gulp down several mouthfuls of water.
Watching Guo Miaofeng devour the dry biscuits like a starving man, He Fang couldn’t help but wonder—did this guy love compressed biscuits that much?
That night, He Fang lay inside the tent, unable to sleep. He checked the time and decided to log out directly from inside the tent, planning to adjust the in-game time before logging back in.
The moment he went offline, the quiet forest stirred. Several figures lurked in the shadows, secretly observing the campsite.
“Confirmed—they’re not sleeping in the same tent!”
“The tent placement is excellent. The Creator won’t be cold!”
“Did you light the scentless, colorless insect repellent around the Creator? Oh, you did? Good, that earlier reminder was the right call! This man is seriously too dense—bringing the Creator into the deep mountains without making any preparations. Unforgivable!”
“Hiss—damn mosquito bit me!”
“Light some insect repellent for ourselves too. Be careful not to let the Creator see the firelight.”
Inside his tent, Guo Miaofeng suddenly remembered something.
Earlier that day, he had mentioned sleeping in the same tent as the Creator, and after that, everyone had gone silent.
Did that mean they didn’t want him to share a tent with the Creator?
Why?
Were they afraid he would move too much in his sleep and crush the Creator? But if that were the case, he would rather stay up all night than let the Creator sleep uncomfortably! They were seriously underestimating him!
He turned over, stewing in his frustration. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He couldn’t sleep.
—
Over the next few days, He Fang followed Guo Miaofeng around the mountain, mapping out the streams and getting a better understanding of the area. The exploration took longer than expected since NPCs needed to rest at night. Eventually, they managed to survey all the water sources.
Guo Miaofeng was undeniably a meticulous and detail-oriented man. No matter what He Fang asked, he could always provide a thorough answer—whether it was about the distribution of vegetation or the history of its growth and development. Meanwhile, He Fang had searched the internet for information about streams, boldly analyzing and predicting which one would most likely merge into a river.
In the end, He Fang stood beside one of the streams, gazing at the black, looming expanse of the Nightmare Beast Forest just a short distance away.
“When I was considering the water plant, I specifically studied the flow direction of every stream before deciding on its location. These streams may look intricate and tangled, but in reality, they are just branches of a few larger ones.” He Fang turned to his walking encyclopedia and said.
“That’s right,” Guo Miaofeng agreed.
“If it were up to you, would you explore from the upstream or the downstream?” He Fang asked.
“Me? Wouldn’t it be the same either way? In the end, the goal is to find the boundary of the Nightmare Beast Forest, right?” Guo Miaofeng wanted to provide a more precise answer, but after thinking it over, he couldn’t come up with anything else.
He Fang glanced at Guo Miaofeng. He had to admit that although this guy wasn’t the sharpest, he made up for it with diligence and incredible attention to detail—he could even remember exactly where certain rocks were located.
“Guo Miaofeng,” He Fang suddenly said, “I’ve found a method I want to try. Would you be willing to lead an expedition?”
“Sure!” Guo Miaofeng agreed without hesitation. From the very beginning, he had felt that he was the right person for He Fang’s exploration efforts. “Where should I start?”
He Fang had examined all the streams, but in the end, he chose this one—the same stream where he had initially decided to build the water plant and wastewater treatment facility. It was close to the border.
“This one. Go downstream.” He Fang’s decision was carefully thought out. “This entire area is a vast mountain range. If we go further upstream, we’re likely to run into glaciers. You once mentioned that the Nightmare Beast Forest has normal weather, which means it also has a natural water cycle. If the streams originate from melting glaciers, they would eventually gather into a larger river or lake downstream. If we want to find a new location for a city and open trade routes, where would be the best place to do that?”
Guo Miaofeng might not grasp complex concepts easily, but when it came to maps and cities, he was diligent enough to be called an expert. He pondered for a moment before answering, “Well… anywhere with water.”
He Fang gave Guo Miaofeng a strange look. Guo Miaofeng blinked at him, looking like a guilty puppy unsure if it had done something wrong.
He Fang rubbed his temples. This had to be an information gap issue. The people in the city probably had no concept of glaciers. He guessed that at least half of what he had just said had gone over Guo Miaofeng’s head. With a sigh, he patiently explained,
“Glaciers are perpetually cold and unsuitable for human habitation. People wouldn’t consider settling there. Plus, the rugged mountain terrain makes construction difficult. Even though we are surrounded by the Nightmare Beast Forest, the forest itself doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a city within it. It could just be a massive stretch of wilderness. If we head further upstream, it might still be just mountains, whereas downstream is more likely to be where civilization develops. So, we go downstream.”
“I see,” Guo Miaofeng said, chuckling sheepishly.
“The part of the Nightmare Beast Forest that I uncovered turned out to be a city. That means it’s likely that moving further in the same direction could lead to another city. The reason the Nightmare Beast Forest is so vast might be because it’s actually made up of countless interconnected cities.” He Fang continued his reasoning.
“Why couldn’t it just be a massive jungle?” Guo Miaofeng asked.
“I won’t rule out that possibility, but I think the chances of it being a true primeval jungle are low. Even though the forests here are lush and the streams are abundant, the average humidity in the city isn’t particularly high.”
He Fang was basing his conclusion on real-world humidity levels. The city’s humidity was comparable to that of cities bordering a desert. Additionally, judging by the species of trees in the surrounding forests, He Fang speculated that the city was likely in an arid, hot region. If that were the case, then there was a good chance that a desert existed beyond the Nightmare Beast Forest, marking its outer boundary.
“Humidity?” Guo Miaofeng understood the concept but lacked any concrete data on it.
“You don’t need to understand. As long as I know, that’s enough,” He Fang said, standing under the sunlight. For the sake of this beautiful game, he had been continuously learning. “I’m the City Lord. I have to make decisions, so of course, I need to know a lot more than you all do.”
There was a hint of pride in He Fang’s expression. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, casting dappled shadows, but to Guo Miaofeng, it seemed as if the light was trying its best to kiss He Fang’s face. It was as if even the sun itself favored him.
The Creator—he really did seem to know everything. He was their true god.
Although He Fang looked confident and proud, deep down, he wasn’t entirely sure of himself.
All this knowledge, all these comparisons—he had gathered them from searching the internet, tirelessly sifting through information to get the data he needed. Ever since he started playing “Ruins Without Restart”, his search skills had skyrocketed. Now, he could effortlessly find those “unspeakable” websites and dig up resources with just the right keywords.
“The reason I chose this particular stream is because it carries the city’s wastewater. Since there are so many streams, to ensure you don’t lose track of the one you should be following, you only need to test the water quality. If you detect elements of city wastewater, then you’ll know you’re on the right path,” He Fang said with a smile.
“I won’t follow the wrong stream.” Guo Miaofeng’s response was firm and decisive. He was a little offended that He Fang would doubt his abilities.
“I know. I’m just making sure everything is as safe as possible,” He Fang reassured him with a grin. “I want all of you to leave safely and come back safely.”
In that instant, Guo Miaofeng could hear his own heartbeat quicken, though he didn’t understand why.
“I’ll have the research institute speed up their work on developing aircraft. When the time comes, you’ll travel by plane and mark the route along the way. Prioritize safety. The moment you notice your energy reserves dropping to half, no matter where you are, you must turn back immediately. Once you enter the Nightmare Beast Forest, there will be no way to communicate with the outside world. So, remember my words. As the expedition leader, I need you to bring back every single team member I entrust to you, safe and sound.” He Fang’s voice was firm, delivering his instructions word by word.
Guo Miaofeng wasn’t the sharpest and he tended to be straightforward. He didn’t overthink things or get lost in unnecessary complications. But for that very reason, when given a task, he stuck to it rigidly, never overstepping his bounds.
He Fang liked NPCs like Zhu Yan, who were always full of surprises. But he also valued NPCs like Guo Miaofeng—perhaps not the most remarkable, yet dependable and dedicated to completing their assigned duties.
With his unwavering determination, Guo Miaofeng proved to He Fang that he was a trustworthy Director of the Bureau of Land and Resources. And He Fang was willing to entrust this mission to him.
“In the meantime, go to the research institute and learn how to simulate flying an aircraft,” He Fang instructed. Then he paused for a moment.
“And then?” Guo Miaofeng, who had been meticulously writing down every word in his notebook, looked up in confusion, waiting for He Fang to continue.
“And then, during your breaks, go find the former directors of the Land and Resources Bureau. Tell them you’ve been entrusted with a very important mission by the City Lord,” He Fang said with a teasing smile.
“They’ll definitely be overjoyed to know that the City Lord has entrusted the Bureau of Land and Resources with such an important task!” Guo Miaofeng was excited at the thought of others learning about this.
“I think they’ll be happy for you,” He Fang replied.
Though He Fang wasn’t particularly skilled at socializing, in his ideal world, human interactions were simple and warm.
At the very least, within this game, he wanted to create a city filled with warmth.
“Let’s head down the mountain.” He Fang stretched lazily. “I’m pretty tired. A bit sleepy, too. I’ll take a quick nap in your car later.”
He had been running around the mountains for quite some time now. While there was no stamina system in the game, he could still mentally feel the exhaustion of trekking through the forest. Even though he could log out to refresh himself, he was still tired.
But logging out now wasn’t an option. If he did and Guo Miaofeng left, he’d be stranded in the mountains when he logged back in. How would he get down on his own then?
“Ah… alright.” Guo Miaofeng scratched his head. “You’ve worked hard, City Lord.”
Guo Miaofeng drove back along the endless highway, occasionally glancing at He Fang, who was dozing off in the passenger seat. Watching the Creator sleep so peacefully, he suddenly had a strange thought—if he were a little older, wouldn’t he be old enough to be the Creator’s father?
A boy of this age, carrying the weight of their town’s development… it must be exhausting.
The more Guo Miaofeng interacted with him, the more he felt an overwhelming sense of reverence toward the Creator. It wasn’t the distant admiration one feels when gazing at the moon. Instead, it was an undeniable, instinctive devotion to something so close, so real, that it demanded belief.
When they arrived at the government building, Guo Miaofeng had barely stepped out of the car before he was suddenly grabbed by someone at the entrance.
Then he was met with the furious faces of his colleagues.
“You reckless fool! You actually carried the Creator on your back in the mountains?!”
Guo Miaofeng blinked in confusion. “That place was dangerous. I was afraid the Creator might fall, so I carried him.”
“You touched the Creator’s leg?!”
“I wasn’t touching his leg! He fell, and I was checking to see if he had twisted his ankle!”
“And you… you even secretly kissed the Creator?!”
At this point, Guo Miaofeng was utterly baffled. “I didn’t! Why would I kiss the Creator?! You… you—”
As he stared at his colleagues, their eyes burning with jealousy to the point of irrationality, realization suddenly struck him.
“I didn’t—I really didn’t! You’re all just imagining things—oww!”
