Monsters Are Coming-Chapter 1097 - 295: Distribution of Five Million Qualifications

Because of this, even if it's just delivering a meal at noon every day, he wants to persist.

Even though the food at Mom's work is pretty good, even though she always says:

"Don't bother."

He still stubbornly wants to do it.

This is the only way he can repay her.

He came to the refrigerator and started to get busy.

In the fridge were ingredients prepared last night: delicious green peppers cultivated by the Green Wood Clan, chicken breast, a few plump mushrooms, and a small handful of fresh green celery.

Ning Shu's actions in making lunch aren't fast, but they are steady.

The chicken breast is sliced into even thin strips, marinated with cooking wine, soy sauce, and starch, and set aside.

The green peppers are seeded and sliced into thin strips, mushrooms are sliced, and celery is cut diagonally into small sections.

After the pot is heated, a bit of oil is poured in, minced garlic is sautéed until fragrant, and the chicken strips are slid into the pot and stir-fried until they change color. Then vegetables are added, stir-fried over high heat, and finally drizzled with a spoonful of "Sea Crystal" imported from Fish Harbor City for added flavor.

He originally thought of buying cheap seafood exported from Fish Harbor City, but considering the recent severe ocean pollution issue, he abandoned that idea.

A pleasant aroma quickly filled the entire kitchen. He curled his lips up in a smile, looking down at the plate.

Mom's favorite dish: refreshing, not greasy, and pairs well with rice.

The stir-fried dish was carefully packed into a thermal lunch box, and he also ladled a bowl of yam and pork rib soup made in the morning, its color clear and bright, with a few goji berries floating on top.

Finally, he shaped two rice balls and placed them in the corner of the bento box.

Mom, when busy, occasionally forgets to eat; the rice balls can be eaten in a couple of bites any time.

After tidying up, he picked up the lunch box and pushed open the door.

The noontime sun was a bit glaring, causing him to squint as he stepped toward the taxi stand.

Along the way, the newly paved asphalt road glistened black, with just-planted street trees whose trunks were wrapped with support frames, their tender green leaves swaying in the wind.

Ahead, several brand-new glass curtain wall buildings had sprung up, reflecting dazzling sunlight like giant mirrors, reflecting this city in transformation.

Yet behind this bright and shiny façade, vast areas of old shadows still lingered.

Scattered along the roadside were old tin shacks, with walls commonly marked with the word "demolish," some already partially taken apart, twisted steel plates piling by the side, exposing rusty skeletons.

The roar of excavators came from not far away, accompanied by the clash of rebar and concrete, and above the incomplete high-rises, construction robots were busy amid the dust.

The street-corner stalls remained lively, with seasonal fruits and vegetables imported from the Green Wood Clan piled high on the fruit carts, and the stall owner deftly weighing them while shouting to customers.

Not far away, steam rose from the breakfast stall's steamers, and freshly steamed buns were swiftly packed into plastic bags and handed to the rushing passersby.

A few students in school uniforms ran past him, laughing, their backpacks bouncing on their backs.

Compared with the outside world, the isolation zone he was in undoubtedly had more of a vibrant atmosphere.

He had been to the outside world three times.

Everywhere there were robots and various 3D neon billboards, and many restaurants even had robotic chefs.

To say the food wasn't tasty isn't right either; the food made by robots was exceedingly delicious.

But it always felt like there was a lack of atmosphere, maybe it was just a psychological effect on his part.

Walking slowly along the sidewalk, he passed a square under construction, with the barricade displaying renderings of a "new city center." Yet on the other side of the barricade was still a skeleton of rebar and cement, with cranes slowly moving, hoisting bundles of steel to greater heights.

In the noise of the new and the old alternating, the city is growing at a speed visible to the naked eye, and every time he goes out, he can see different scenes.

After the isolation is completely lifted, one can expect that soon, the ruins of the past will become a thing of the past.

By then, the ancient spirit retained by the city will also dissipate with the progress of the times.

Without thinking much, he arrived at the taxi stand and pressed the "call" button on the column.

Before long, a free unmanned vehicle came from a distance and stopped in front of the stand.

This is one of the benefits provided by the Human Clan Federation to the residents of the isolation zone, allowing free use of unmanned vehicles configured throughout the city at various stations.

After the car door automatically opened, Ning Shu entered the back seat and entered Mom's workplace address on the screen map behind the driver's seat.

Instantly, the car door automatically closed, and a synthesized electronic voice sounded:

"Location confirmed; proceeding to the destination."

The vehicle gradually accelerated, and Ning Shu sat inside, watching the scenery outside, caught up in his thoughts.

He once stumbled upon a forum post in Monster World.

The title was "The Gears of Time, the Evolution of Agricultural Civilization to the Frontiers of the Virtual Era."

In the post, the author detailed the turning points of each historical phase.

For example, the spice trade of the Age of Exploration, the steam engine of the Industrial Revolution, the internet boom of the twentieth century... and in the last few boldened sentences, the author asserted with certainty: Today's era, the new frontier capable of devouring all hot money and ambition, is "Monster World."

Within the Earth Alliance, many races are positioning themselves for the future of Monster World.

Recently, he had also seen in many news articles players exchanging sacrificial power for cash to buy homes outright in the city.

The real estate prices were already cheap, so it seemed nothing extraordinary.

There were many similar cases in earlier games as well.

But alarmingly, many players spent sacrificial power to go to Eclipse City for life extension surgery.

The cost of life extension surgery was very expensive, initially having nothing to do with ordinary people.