ATIGIBTC Chapter 2

«The bastard who tricked the Creator»

!!!Slight disturbing scene!!!

“Do you have anything else to say?” He Fang assumed that the man was likely from the unexpanded areas, possibly bringing important news about the outside world.

The man’s gaze appeared dazed, staring directly at him. He Fang turned back in disappointment, figuring that the mission must have been completed with no follow-up storyline, which explained why the man remained motionless.
Could he really just be an ordinary thief?

“Don’t steal anymore. You can go into the city and find a job. If you keep stealing, the police will catch you,” He Fang earnestly told the NPC.

“The city… is it safe?” The man suddenly asked in a quiet voice.

“It’s safe.” He Fang’s city’s crime rate was zero… at least until the radish thief came to steal radishes.

“Can I… stay here?” The man’s voice was hesitant, yet he still asked.

As soon as the man finished speaking, a sharp, inhuman screech suddenly came from behind them. Both He Fang and the man turned around.

On the prongs of a farmer’s pitchfork was a fat black rat, struggling in pain but not yet dead. The farmer, with his simple and honest demeanor, looked at the rat impaled on the fork with a surprised expression, as if he hadn’t expected this outcome.

He Fang: “…” Was it really necessary to make it this detailed?

The sudden scene was startling. For a moment, He Fang thought accepting the man might have brought a curse.

Turning back, He Fang asked again, “Do you want to stay?”

“Yes.” The man’s eyes briefly showed a flash of fear, his gaze focusing on something behind He Fang.

Perplexed, He Fang turned around again, only to see the farmer, who was earnestly at work, seemingly trying to remove the rat from the pitchfork. But with too much force, he ended up splitting the rat in two. Blood splattered everywhere.

He Fang sucked in a breath, his scalp tingling. He wasn’t quite used to how overly realistic the game’s updates had suddenly become.

At that moment, the simple farmer unexpectedly uttered, “Despicable thief, get out of my farmland!”

Though the farmer’s words sounded harsh, his tone was soft and gentle, as if afraid of scaring someone.

He Fang was stunned. Did NPCs now come with voice acting? However, the delivery felt half-hearted. How could a soft and gentle tone drive away a thief? It should have been an angry shout paired with a raised pitchfork to really intimidate the thief.

He Fang completely treated the farmer’s words as part of the storyline. Clicking his tongue, he turned back and continued his conversation with the radish thief: “My city doesn’t need thieves.”

“I’m not a thief! I’m a mercenary. I can train scouting teams, teach them how to eliminate Nightmare Beasts, identify Revived Nightmare Plants, and detect Nightmare Beast seeds!” The man spoke loudly and anxiously, trying to prove his worth, as if afraid He Fang wouldn’t hear him.

He Fang rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

He opened the man’s attribute panel.

After seeing the man’s stats, He Fang frowned deeply.

All the man’s stats were reduced to one point, essentially hanging on by a thread. Even at full strength, his stats would still be vastly inferior to those of an ordinary farmer nearby—let alone the newborn children in He Fang’s city, who far surpassed him. With stats this low, he wouldn’t even qualify to enter the talent market.

Still, this was the first mission NPC He Fang had encountered since 〈〈Ruins Without Restart〉〉 went online. Moreover… He Fang glanced at the man’s pale face and felt a twinge of pity.

He suspected that this NPC was a task-sharing type, meant only to relay information rather than serve as labor. If that were the case, his stats probably didn’t matter much.

He Fang opened the city panel. He vaguely remembered that the city should still have capacity.

Huh?

The city was full?

The previously green, free-flowing status of the city had suddenly turned red and congested. He Fang was puzzled. How had a flood of new residents poured in within just a few minutes?

What were the odds of such perfect timing?

It seemed likely that this man wouldn’t have a place to stay.

“I can accept you, but there are no vacant houses left,” He Fang said. As soon as he finished, he saw the light of hope in the man’s eyes fade away. Feeling both impressed by the game’s realism and a little guilty, he added, “But you should be able to rent a place. Do you have any gold coins left?”

“Yes,” the man said, anxiously patting himself down as if trying to scrounge up more money.

“In that case, rent a room for now and find some work nearby.” He Fang turned and gestured for the man to follow him as he walked toward the city. “I’ll take you to the Civil Affairs Hall to register first. It should be easy to find a job.”

So far, He Fang hadn’t encountered a single resident who moved into the city and failed to find employment.

The deeper they went into the city, the wider the man’s eyes grew. He seemed to forget his frail, exhausted body, even though he was so weak he could collapse at any moment.

This was a city.

A real city, built above ground.

It was like a precious image lingering from a century-old city. The people walking along the wide streets wore light, elegant clothing, uniquely designed and without the need for heavy armor for protection. Sleek, beautiful vehicles drove along the spacious roads. Dazzling sunlight illuminated the city in a scene of serenity and peace—just like a dream the man might have had of the world before the apocalypse.

“City Lord, what is that?” the man asked, pointing to the center of the city where a colossal male statue stood. Even as a stone sculpture, it radiated an unparalleled beauty. The figure had a face so perfect it seemed divine, exuding majesty and immense power. The closer the man got to it, the stronger the urge to kneel in reverence overtook him, as though his entire being—from body to soul—was compelled to submit in awe.

“Ah, that’s just a landmark,” the boy replied casually. “It’s mainly for daily quests or something. Doesn’t really have much use.”

The man only half-understood, his mind swirling with questions.

Where was this place?

Why did no one here seem to have any sense of crisis?

Everyone’s faces glowed with health, showing no signs of ever experiencing hunger, disaster, or hardship.

Could such a place truly exist in this post-apocalyptic world?

Or… had he arrived in paradise?

“You go inside and register.” The boy pointed at the grand, imposing building ahead. Since they’d made it this far, the boy figured he didn’t need to worry any longer. Checking the time, he added, “I’ve got things to do, so I’m off. Bye!”

And just like that, the boy vanished before the man’s eyes.

The man’s eyes widened in shock.

Vanished?

Was he…

A god?

The solemn and majestic Civil Affairs Hall loomed before him. In the man’s eyes, it was like the temple of a deity’s creation.

“This beggar came out of nowhere and was personally escorted by the Creator?”

Suddenly, the passersby who had previously ignored the man, brushing past him without a glance, now seemed to come alive. It was as if their souls had been filled, and they began to crowd around him.

“With stats like that? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I’m afraid a single flick of my fingernail could kill him.”

“I heard he shamelessly begged the Creator to let him stay. Someone this despicable clearly took advantage of the Creator’s kindness and compassion. Absolutely disgusting.”

“The quality of residents these days is going downhill fast. Trash like this dares to ask for the Creator’s personal escort? What’s wrong with the farmers outside? How did they fail to get rid of him and even let him talk to the Creator?”

As the chatter grew, a woman stepped out from the Civil Affairs Hall. She wore sleek black heels and a smart, casual blazer, her hair meticulously tied up at the back of her head. Walking towards the group, she called out, “Move aside! The Creator has instructed us to allow him to register.”

The sharp, professional woman narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized the man from head to toe, an electronic registration pad in her hand. Her expression of disdain was undisguised. “What’s your name? Are you male or female? Where’s your hometown? Where’s your household registration? What are you here for?”

The man was completely baffled by the barrage of questions. Other than his name and gender, he couldn’t answer a single thing.

“Tch.” The woman tapped her electronic pad with irritation. “A low-class drifter.”

The man stood frozen, not daring to move.

Though the people around him, dressed in light and unprotected clothing, showed no restraint in openly mocking him, the man keenly understood the power gap between himself and them.

His instincts told him that, compared to these people, he was nothing more than an ant.

An ant suddenly standing alongside gods was bound to be treated as an outcast.

“By the way, didn’t the Creator step on that radish field today?”

A sudden comment fell. Silence descended over the group.

“Ah, I just remembered I have something to do, so I won’t be joining you all for shopping today.”

“I have some code to write, so I’ll…”

“I’m still manning the store, so I…”

Everyone began to back away awkwardly, but the moment the tension broke, they all bolted in the direction the man had come from.

“Don’t you dare run! No one’s allowed to touch my radishes!”

“Only a fool would wait for you! Those are radishes touched by the Creator!”

“Ugh! You jerks! You’re taking advantage of the fact that I’m wearing high heels!”

The man stared blankly at the chaotic scene. Meanwhile, the high-and-mighty woman from the Civil Affairs Hall didn’t trouble him, despite her condescension. “Stop dawdling. Come register. I hope you’ll be able to contribute to the Creator’s greatness in the future.”

The man swallowed nervously.

—

A phone chimed with a notification. Emerging from the sensory simulation pod was a slender, frail boy. His sickly pale skin betrayed long days without sunlight. His soft, thin hair was uneven, as though he had clumsily cut it himself.

Despite his disheveled appearance, the boy’s delicate features carried an endearing charm, giving his unkempt state an oddly cute quality.

He Fang stood awkwardly in front of his phone. A strange number was displayed on the screen, but he ignored it, opening his food delivery app instead. The delivery person had already arrived downstairs.

He Fang dreaded any verbal interaction with the delivery person. He stared at his ringing phone in silence, waiting for the other side to hang up.

When the call finally ended, he let out a breath of relief.

Grabbing his phone, He Fang forwarded the same message he’d already sent multiple times: “You can just leave the delivery in the elevator. Once it’s there, please send me a message to let me know.”

Unexpectedly, the delivery person sent back a voice message. He Fang paused for a moment, then clicked play.

“Hello, I’m already on the elevator. I’ll be at your door shortly. Could you please come out and collect your delivery?”

Even through the phone’s audio, the person’s voice was low and gentle, with a velvety, slightly raspy tone that seemed kissed by the gods. The sound alone painted a mental image of a face that would captivate and charm anyone—a voice impossible to forget.

Yet He Fang’s expression gradually turned to one of terror.

It was that delivery driver again…

Why had this same delivery person been delivering his food for three days straight?

Had all the other delivery drivers vanished from existence?!

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