There was another reason: the next horror movie confrontation would be against the rest of the squad. Although everyone had made various preparations, in life, fortune can turn on a dime—who could be certain they wouldn't die? Thus, any meaningful training over the remaining few days seemed unlikely; instead, quietly enjoying life was the desire occupying everyone’s mind.

Spending fifty Reward Points, they had the "Main God" transform the basement space into a true, created environment, complete with sunrise and sunset, wind and rain. In this setting, save for a single, somewhat jarring staircase leading upstairs, everything else was identical to the original space.

On the sixth day, everyone agreed to have an outdoor barbecue in Zheng Zha’s basement that morning. Previously, to prepare the venue, Zheng Zha had stayed up late with Luo Li watching scenic footage of the Alps, finally creating a perfect replica of that landscape. The area spanned nearly a hundred kilometers, featuring not only small snow-capped mountains but also stretches of verdant alpine meadows and a small stream. From what the two of them observed, this was truly an untouched, pollution-free resort. In the real world, a place like this would have long been trampled flat by countless tourists, leaving no chance for such lush meadows and a flowing stream to remain.

The next day, as planned, everyone gathered at Zheng Zha’s house that morning. The four men and five women chatted happily as they walked toward the basement.

They each carried some ingredients and seasonings, along with charcoal and a few small bowls and plates. Everyone had decided on a barbecue cookout there.

The main course was to be grilled fish. Zheng Zha had specially stocked the small stream with many different freshwater species, and since the group’s goal was pure leisure, fishing and grilling were part of that relaxation.

Upon entering the basement, everyone gasped in amazement. The entrance led onto a very gentle upward slope. The ground was covered in thick, ten-centimeter-deep meadow grass that felt incredibly soft and comfortable underfoot. Looking up, they saw an unbroken expanse of undulating green waves; such greenery instantly brightened their moods. Gazing further, there were snow-white peaks against a blue sky.

Golden sunlight adorned the scene, making it look like paradise.

After exiting the tunnel, looking down, they saw a forest at the foot of the slope, shrouded in mist, making it seem like an ethereal realm. Looking up revealed snow and ice, and a small stream was visible not far away.

The clear water flowed as smoothly as a mirror, with fish occasionally leaping out, splashing water everywhere. “It’s so beautiful!” Zhan Lan was the first to praise it, followed by the stunning woman and the girl-next-door with the braided pigtails, who also exclaimed in wonder. They exchanged smiles, then, pulling Luo Li and Zhao Yingkong along, they playfully ran towards the stream. The five women each possessed a distinct beauty, which this stunning environment seemed to amplify; even the relatively plainer girl-next-door looked exceptionally delicate and charming.

The five girls laughed and frolicked by the stream, drinking directly from the water, all looking wonderfully happy. Even Zhao Yingkong’s face held a rare smile. Before long, the girls returned, while Zheng Zha and the others began setting up iron stands, blankets, and other tools around a grassy mound. They first dug a firebreak, then excavated a deeper pit to bury the charcoal, laying an iron grate over it. Next, they dug another identical pit for charcoal, over which they placed a large pot.

“Alright, girls, let’s go mushroom picking! Wahahaha!” Cheng Xiao chuckled lewdly, but his greeting was met with hard blows from several girls, Zhao Yingkong’s punch being the hardest—it landed just beside his liver, scattering his intended embrace into oblivion.

Cheng Xiao’s resilience, however, was formidable. Knocked to the ground, he dry-heaved a few times before scrambling back up, still laughing, “Truly gentle, good women! Even hitting people looks so cute.” “Don’t think so,” the other men muttered, wiping sweat from their brows. After completely setting up the area, they each grabbed a fishing rod and headed to the stream. Zheng Zha then pulled a small box from his pocket, saying, “Hahaha! Five Reward Points for a box of super fishing bait! The description says any fish will love it, hahaha!” As soon as the small box was opened, a wonderfully rich aroma wafted out, causing everyone’s stomachs to rumble instantly. They all looked around, and the four men burst into laughter. This fish bait was clearly extraordinary; inside was a thick paste solidified like white condensed milk. Though the box was small—only palm-sized—the amount of white paste inside seemed more than enough for fishing.

Xiao Honglu took a tiny dab of the white cream and coated his hook before casting it into the stream. “Are there many freshwater fish here? What kind?” Zheng Zha also cast his line, settling by the stream bank. “Don’t let this stream’s six-meter width fool you; it’s actually several meters deep. It only looks shallow because the water is so clear. It’s quite deep, really. If you can’t swim, I suggest you sit well away from this little creek. We have sweetfish, eel-like huā máng fish, large-finned fish, knife fish, mandarin perch—all very rare species. Since it costs no points, I naturally stocked up on a lot of them here. It flows from the stream down to a large lake, which also has freshwater fish. I heard that crocodile meat is actually incredibly tender; maybe we can try that sometime.”

Xiao Honglu sighed. “To be honest, I don’t really like eating fish. I always feel those bones are so annoying, easy to get stuck in the throat. Compared to something as troublesome as fish, I think insects taste wonderful. You all should try them sometime—things like bee larvae, or fried centipedes, or roasted tarantulas. These insects are all incredibly delicious.”

Zheng Zha and Zhang Heng instinctively rubbed their stomachs, but Cheng Xiao leaned in with great interest. He laughed, “An insect platter? I’ve been eating those for ages. My mom used to prepare these insects for me, always saying the more poisonous, the better, and the more nutritious, haha! We should definitely compare notes sometime?” Xiao Honglu nodded enthusiastically. Just then, his fishing rod suddenly dipped sharply, and the line rapidly pulled out against the current. Zhang Heng reacted quickly, grabbing the rod and pulling back with force.

Zheng Zha stepped over to help secure the rod, laughing, “This line is made of high-tensile glass fiber; don’t talk about a fish, even a whale couldn’t snap it! Hahaha, here it comes!” With a combined effort, they pulled a large, yellow, eel-like creature from the water. Zheng Zha seemed to have studied the fish species yesterday, as he immediately exclaimed, “Hahaha, a great start! This is the huā máng yú, known as the Eel King! The description says its flavor is incomparably delicious, and it has none of those tiny bones you mentioned. This should satisfy your wish, right!?” Before Xiao Honglu could reply, Zhang Heng’s rod tightened again. He quickly yanked it, and a large, flat, thick fish was hauled out of the water. The bait redeemed from the "Main God" was incredibly potent; in less than ten minutes, the bucket behind them was overflowing with fish, forcing them to release some. It was still early before noon, and the women hadn’t returned yet, so the four men lay on the grass, chatting sporadically while smoking. The gentle breeze and the lazy sunshine overhead would make anyone sleepy in this environment, or at least prompt a short nap.

“So, the government didn’t just recruit widely from the army, but specifically from special forces units, augmented by individuals with special abilities?” Zheng Zha took a drag of his cigarette and asked casually.

Cheng Xiao was also lying on the grass, smoking. “That’s right. That was an instruction left behind by Colonel Chu Xuan. Honestly, I was extremely shocked when I first entered this place because Chu Xuan was already dead! Do you know what an exceptional person Colonel Chu Xuan was? Powerful; I couldn't match him in any combat aspect except close-quarters grappling. And his indescribable intellect, or perhaps something else—he was someone I admired.”

Zheng Zha fell silent for a moment before murmuring, “Are you from that base too? Otherwise, how would you know Colonel Chu Xuan?” Cheng Xiao replied with a smile, “He was my uncle’s colleague; he was a military industrial research scientist. That’s why I accompanied my uncle to the base’s perimeter as a child and happened to meet Colonel Chu Xuan. He was the ultimate recluse. While he wasn’t overtly rude, his detachment kept everyone outside of his way of life. In short, he was my idol.”

Zheng Zha sighed, saying no more. Faint birdsong drifted from the surroundings. He hadn't felt such leisure in a long time.

Jumping to