Gamers Are Fierce-Chapter 652 - 650: Targeted
Since their vehicle didn't require much maintenance, Dusk Knight followed some pixelated NPCs and parked in the designated area.
"Want something to eat?" Li Ang jumped down from the machine gun position and said to his companions. "I heard on the broadcast that the buffet in the rest area is completely free. They have exotic local dishes like Stir-fried Bounty Hunter Crab, Steamed Facehugger, Radiation Roach Sashimi, and Braised Spiky Snake Eggs. It would be a real shame to pass by and not try them." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
"...Let's skip that kind of food." With a twitch in the corner of her eye, Sunset Gold Smelter took some compressed biscuits and mineral water from her inventory. "I'll just eat the rations I brought," she said.
Generally speaking, when undertaking missions that span a long period, players tend to eat their own food and avoid consuming items from the scripted world to minimize potential threats. (There's no shortage of things like knockout drops and hallucinogens in scripted worlds. A moment of carelessness can lead to an unexpected setback, not to mention the possibility of losing combat effectiveness due to issues with the local food and water, or an upset stomach after eating.)
Items stored in the inventory have an infinite shelf-life. Theoretically, anything from roasted duck rumps and honey-glazed mini-burgers to date and millet congee could be kept inside. However, to save storage slots and for convenience, many players choose compressed food or instant bento boxes. There are also restaurants in the main square that specialize in making these dishes. Some players with life-system skills can even use extraordinary ingredients to create special meals. Eating these can temporarily increase attribute points, Sanity Values, and provide a range of buffs. Correspondingly, these dishes are sold at extortionate prices. Anyone can make a rough calculation based on the foot traffic to see that a restaurant's daily turnover is in no way inferior to other shops offering forging or medical services.
To some extent, Li Ang was fairly scrupulous; he at least didn't disguise insects as normal ingredients to sell to restaurants—mainly because creating insects was energy-draining and not very profitable.
"Bounty Hunter Crab from the Half-Life world, known for its elastic flesh and delicate, juicy texture. You can clearly feel the meat rebound in your mouth when you bite into it," Li Ang stood by the buffet table, holding a plate and tasting, while muttering to himself. "The ring of teeth at the bottom of the Bounty Hunter Crab has been removed. The severed limbs taste similar to crab claws but are shell-less and chewier. The 'brain matter' at the very center of the Bounty Hunter Crab is a reddish-white, semi-translucent, jelly-like liquid, which tastes cool and delicate, similar to crab roe but with less of a fishy odor. Wow, this is amazing! Truly authentic. My rating for this dish is... four stars. The only reason it's not five is that the sauce is too strong, tending to overpower the main ingredients."
"Are you filming 'A Bite of Another World' or 'A Connoisseur's Guide to Exotic Alien Cuisine'?" Miss Chai, hidden within Li Ang, couldn't help but mutter softly. "It looks so disgusting... Is it really that good?"
"It's alright, similar to stir-fried bullfrog from a restaurant, maybe even a bit tastier," Li Ang said casually, pulling a crab claw from his mouth. "After all, I'm the youngest top-class chef in history; I naturally have to taste new and exotic ingredients. Too bad this world is entirely made of data, and nothing can be taken away. Otherwise, I'd pack up all the ingredients from this buffet, take them back to the real world, and study them to see if I could cultivate new species. Whether as biological weapons to fill an arsenal or as ingredients for opening a restaurant, I imagine it would be most excellent."
Most racers were busy repairing their vehicles, and not many were eating in the buffet area. At a glance, there were only Saber, wrapped in a blue blanket, and an adorable, chibi version of Saber in a lion costume. The teammates of these two were Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus from the Type-Moon world and Devil May Cry Nero. The first three shared identical facial features, while Devil May Cry Nero had the same distinctive cowlick as the three Sabers.
Li Ang passed by the two Sabers, who were munching on the buffet, with an unperturbed expression. Such a strong Psychic Response... This level of Energy fluctuation is what's observed even after suppression and limitations have been applied. The original Saber might be even stronger. Combined with her character's innate riding skill, this team looks like a strong contender for the top three.
Sensing something, Saber, who had been engrossed in her meal, looked up and frowned at Li Ang's departing figure.
"What's wrong? What is it?" the adorable Saber in the lion costume asked her other self, her voice muffled as she held a giant, anime-style bone with meat on it.
"It's nothing." Saber shook her head, withdrawing her gaze from Li Ang's back. "I just sense an unpleasant aura from that person. Somewhat like… the World's Evil?"
"The black mud from the Holy Grail?" The Saber in the lion costume nodded thoughtfully. As another version of Altria Pendragon from 'Fate/Tiger Colosseum,' she shared memories with her original self and knew what the World's Evil was. "Should we target them later, then?" she asked, chewing on the large bone in a cute tone. "That person seems to be a newcomer to the race, right? Maybe we could destroy their vehicle during the item stage, to prevent him from showcasing his individual abilities in the carnage stage. Any threat must be eliminated in advance; only then can we return to our world and see Shirou."
"...We'll discuss it later." Had she been the Saber from the original works—typically serious, earnest, and resolute—she probably wouldn't have targeted a newcomer to the competition. But people change. After learning they were game characters and spending over a decade in Central City, everyone had changed somewhat.
Li Ang wasn't bothered that some racers were already targeting him. While strolling through the repair area, he observed other competitive teams. After making his rounds, he returned to the Striker armored car and greeted his three teammates.
"I just scouted around," Li Ang said, spreading his hands. "Judging by Energy fluctuations alone, the strongest team is undoubtedly Kratos's Chaos Twin Blades. Below them are Dark Bloodline's Weather Knights, Saber, Cloud, Master Chief... These game characters are formidable. Their combat experience is even richer than ours as players, not to mention they've participated in numerous, even dozens, of Death Race events. Our current lead is largely because those powerful teams didn't go all out in the speed-focused segment of the race. Their strengths lie in the upcoming item and carnage segments."
"Mm," Sunset Gold Smelter nodded. "In the item race, there are special items like Sparks, Piranha Plant, and Boomerang that can be picked up to remotely attack other vehicles. Besides special items, teams can also use the machine guns, cannons, and missiles originally equipped on their vehicles for attacks. Racers can also use their own abilities for defense—strictly for defense, that is. Directly attacking other vehicles with superhuman powers is not permitted."
"For defense, leave it to me." The Witch folded her arms, stating indifferently, "Blocking bullets and shells shouldn't be a problem."
"Then we'll rely on you." Sunset Gold Smelter breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Maintaining predictive sight consumed Spirit Power Value. Moreover, he still needed to act as the team's navigator, observing the track and reporting road conditions to the driver, Dusk Knight, in advance.
While the team was discussing this, the Chaos Twin Blades team, who had arrived at the rest area earliest, completed their mandatory twenty-minute break. As the green light illuminated, their flat combat vehicle, adorned with giant fangs, stormed out of the rest area and onto the second segment of the track.
