This Game Is Too Realistic-Chapter 586.1: This Is Too Extreme

The dead city lay sleeping under a yellow-gray dusk, the drifting radioactive dust blurring the sunset.

Rows of towering buildings stood like gravestones, their hollow windows showing no sign of life, no trace of the past bustle of traffic or flashing neon lights.

The breath he exhaled condensed into white frost upon the visor of his protective suit.

At that moment, Yore finally understood why, before he went up to the surface, his senior had warned him again and again to wear full protective gear. He also finally realized why the 1,000 cubic units of nuclear fuel had been delivered.

His throat bobbed as he forced out a few words. "... Nuclear winter?"

Zhao Feiyu glanced up at the sky before sighing, "It’s not just radioactive dust blocking us, but orbital debris as well... Just half a year ago, our space elevator collapsed, and I only learned about it yesterday."

The radioactive dust at the edge of the atmosphere, along with debris scattered through near-Earth orbit, blocked much of the sunlight reaching the ground.

And not only that, industrial scale, energy usage, methods of production, everything had been forced back to the Prosperity Era, or even earlier.

That was not a simple matter of energy balance. The planet’s ecosystem had already adapted to the production rhythms of the Prosperity Era, and now everything had been brutally reversed.

No one knew how long it would take for the planet to readjust, especially when it was so heavily buried in dust.

Perhaps humanity should adapt to these violent changes instead.

Ironically, the Mutant Slime Mold’s activity was not hindered by radiation. Instead, global cooling had shrunk its activity range.

Thanks to that, the Federation could shift more military strength to the front, and the war finally saw a glimmer of victory.

Zhao Feiyu simply relayed what he knew, and the situation in Brocade Lake Municipality.

"The Federation is planning to establish a more efficient reconstruction agency, hoping to restore production as soon as possible, while also tackling the humanitarian disaster triggered by climate issues."

"Brocade Lake Municipality’s refugee camp will be reclassified as a settlement. Some researchers and engineers will assist the locals who couldn’t reach the shelters with rebuilding work... Our jurisdiction has been transferred from the Central Wartime Research Institute to the local administration. Next, we’ll probably focus on disease prevention and improvements in pharmaceutical production methods."

"Personally I think this is a good thing, but it also means reconstruction will be a long-term effort, lasting 10 or even 20 years... It’s going to be tough work." Zhao Feiyu smiled, trying to ease the heavy mood. But when he saw no trace of a smile behind Yore’s protective mask, he reined it in.

"... It’s difficult, but I still believe things will get better."

Seeing Yore remain silent, he paused, then looked into the distance and sighed, "I have a few tickets to the future. Alright, no riddles, they’re 50-year hibernation pods. The Federation wants to thank us for our work. The anti radiation formula saved many lives, so did the de-radiation one... Our job is done, we can go to the future and enjoy life."

Yore revealed a bitter smile. "And then what?"

Zhao Feiyu’s expression faltered, then he smiled again. "Then... nothing, really. But 50 years later, when everything is back to normal, one good sleep and all the unpleasantness is over. Isn’t that great? Of course, not everything will be rosy. These days, three years makes up a generation. Talking with youngsters a dozen generations later might leave a gap bigger than between man and dog."

"You believe that?" Yore cut in, staring at him.

Zhao Feiyu fell silent.

That question didn’t need an answer.

No one had counted the dead, directly or indirectly, but just looking at those abandoned towers, one could imagine the number had to be astronomical.

Back to the Prosperity Era?

If it were so easy, why would the Shelter plans include century-long hibernation facilities?

Seeing his senior’s silence, Yore asked again, "What about you? What will you do?"

Zhao Feiyu sighed, "I plan to stay..."

Yore didn’t speak, just listened quietly.

"Though things are terrible, many people need my research. And in this era, I still have family and friends. I can’t drag them all to the future. A human life is only so long. I want to spend the rest of mine with them."

He paused, then looked at Yore before speaking again. "It may sound selfish, but I hope you’ll go."

"Because I’m more of a loner?" Yore asked bluntly.

"No, not for that," Zhao Feiyu said with a bitter smile. "Alright, I’ll be honest, the Federation wants us to send some researchers to the future. As you can see, this crisis won’t end quickly. If 50 years later it’s over, great. If not... then at least someone must carry our work forward."

Yore was silent for a long time before sighing, "Then I’ll go and see that beautiful new world for you."

...

In the end, Yore chose the future.

He didn’t even know why he made the decision.

Perhaps he still clung to some fantasy of the world 50 years later. Perhaps it was pure despair he was feeling.

It didn’t matter which era, as long as it wasn’t now.

If future people might need him, and present people needed someone to go for the sake of their children, then he would go.

After all, he had no descendants.

His ties with his parents were faint.

His generation was like that. Valuing self-realization and spiritual resonance over blood or tradition.

With his mind resolved, he lay calmly into the pod, beginning a one-way journey through time, like countless other voyagers to the future.

Yet even with such preparation, what happened next went beyond his expectations.

It was also beyond Chu Guang’s, who watched silently by the side.

When Yore awoke again, it was not 50 years later, but nearly 200.

"2320..." Little Seven, perched on Chu Guang’s shoulder, widened its eyes and gasped softly. "So he slept a full 191 years?! Holy shit!" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"191 years into the Wasteland Era... The Torch Church had just come out of Shelter 117 then," Chu Guang muttered, glancing at Little Seven. "Didn’t you already see this whole memory? Why are you still surprised?"

Little Seven froze, then turned its gaze away awkwardly. "Eh-heh... It’s to build suspense, you know."

Chu Guang’s eyelids started to twitch. "..."

Suspense my ass...

"Alright, alright, don’t mind the details. It’s almost over... Wuwuwu, I wish I could stay with Master a little longer."

"Aren’t you with me every day?"

"That’s different!"

"How?"

"Of course it’s different! One is outside, the other is inside... how do I put it?" After a moment of thought, Little Seven’s eyes lit up, and it smiled shyly. "It’s like Master entered my body... Hehe."

"...?"

The frozen scene began to move again.

Little Seven had pressed play on its own.

Yore sat up from the pod, looking around in confusion. After a brief exchange with the staff nearby, he learned he had slept nearly 200 years. His expression twisted with a mix of emotions.

No one could uphold a promise beyond their own lifespan, much less a group of people.

He should have known, yet the reality still caught him off guard.

The 50 year cryo-term... The promised pension and honors... All of it had vanished with the Federation.

They had entered a new era.

Those of the present generation called it the Wasteland Era.

In truth, after the Federation, another body had been founded, the Post-War Reconstruction Committee. His senior had once worked for it.

The staff of the institution handed Yore his senior’s notes, where he found a letter left for him.