The calorie count marked on the ingredient list is 500 kilocalories. Whether you eat it dry or throw it in a pot to make a mush, it’ll fill your stomach.

As for the lollipop, although it’s not low in calories, it doesn’t provide any sense of fullness.

However, for Brian Carter, who was so poor he was about to gnaw on tree bark, this was already pretty good.

Seriously, this system is just too damn stingy. Is it afraid he’ll eat too much or what, just giving him this little bit of stuff to get by.

Standing next to the delivery chute, Brian Carter stuffed the food into his backpack, then picked up the slip of paper that had come out on the conveyor belt and unfolded it for a look.

There were some words written on it, in the language of this world.

【…What creature in this world is more suitable to be a leek than a player?

Not only do they have a strong sense of curiosity, but they’re always full of enthusiasm, facing difficulties head-on and never despairing at the predicament before them. Of course, the most, most, most important thing is, they can even consider problems from the operator’s perspective and help the operator harvest themselves!

Packaging this device as a game—I'm simply a genius!

—First Administrator of Shelter 404; (Please place this note in the fifth beginner blind box, this is an Easter egg I left for my successor!)】

Brian Carter: "…"

Honestly, not only did he not feel the slightest bit of surprise at finding this Easter egg, he was even a little speechless.

But…

What does “device” mean?

"Xiao Qi."

"What is it, Master?"

"Do you know the first administrator?"

"I don’t. My main program was only activated when you entered the shelter. According to the records in the shelter’s database, the previous administrator handed over operational authority more than a century ago."

Brian Carter continued to ask.

"Specifically, which year?"

Little Henry replied.

"January 1st, 2157."

The war ended in 2129, and human civilization entered the Wasteland Era. 2157 is the 28th year of the Wasteland Era.

From now…

183 years ago!

Brian Carter had always been sensitive to numbers since childhood, especially with this kind of key information—once he remembered it, he basically wouldn’t forget it.

"So, the first administrator 183 years ago invented this device that can project consciousness from a parallel world into a clone, and packaged it as a game, but for some reason it was never used, right?"

Maybe it was because of nuclear winter.

Or maybe for some other reason, the shelter never met the activation conditions.

Either way, someone from a hundred years ago—no matter how you think about it—should already be dead.

Little Henry said,

"That should be the case."

"What’s his name? That first administrator."

Brian Carter suddenly became a bit curious about his identity.

Someone who comes up with those mischievous settings isn’t necessarily a genius, but someone who could invent such awesome black technology single-handedly after the decline of civilization—genius isn’t even enough to describe him.

Projecting the consciousness of a parallel world into this dimension, and then putting it into a clone as a vessel.

Brian Carter couldn’t imagine how this was even possible.

Technology beyond comprehension—for him, it was no different from magic.

"I don’t know either. There’s no detailed information about him in the known database. Maybe it was deleted?"

"Forget it… asking you is pointless."

Brian Carter was a little disappointed, but not discouraged.

Currently, only the B1 level of the shelter had been unlocked.

As the missions continued, the secrets buried in this shelter would one day be fully revealed to him.

Casually stuffing the slip of paper into the computer desk drawer, Brian Carter tightened the backpack on his shoulders.

Noticing his movement, Little Henry, who was squatting in the corner, asked,

"Master, are you leaving?"

That flat, emotionless voice sounded rather pitiful.

"Yeah, the players won’t log in for another three days. There’s no point in staying here, might as well go back and prepare."

This crappy place is called a shelter, but there’s not even food or water.

Brian Carter only had half a palm-sized biscuit and half a bottle of water left, plus the compressed biscuits and lollipop he just exchanged for with reward points.

This bit of supplies wouldn’t last him three days.

He had a simple little nest in a nearby survivor settlement, with some supplies and useful tools stored inside.

Brian Carter planned to go back and tidy up, and slowly bring over whatever he could.

From now on, this would be his new base.

"Oh right, Little Henry."

"What is it, Master?"

"I need you to do me a favor."

After a pause, Brian Carter continued,

"Our official website is too basic. I need you to add a forum function, as well as data and illustrated guide features. Can you do that?"

Simply put, he wanted players to better understand this “game.”

Trying to lure people in with just words was a bit too hard—at the very least, he had to put on a good front.

"Of course, you have editing permissions for the official website. Aside from the game reservation page, you can add subpages or modify existing pages."

"Great, I’ll leave it to you then."

"Leave it to me!"