So hungry, so hungry…
The first time, the feeling of hunger was caused by that unfamiliar voice deep in her heart, which then made her body feel hungry, and afterward she came to the self-realization of "I'm so hungry."
"This might be… the pollution of the Black Mirror Vortex." Wu Sansheng's face showed hesitation. She only knew that when the Black Mirror Vortex appeared on the Shattered Mirror Continent, it would affect the creatures there. She had never been to a vortex like this and wasn't very familiar with it, so… could there also be pollution inside the Black Mirror Vortex? Pollution generated by "plastic"… this kind of pollution would make people constantly feel hungry, forcing them to eat in large amounts. But in this world's food shops everything was plastic, with nothing truly edible at all, so if one wanted to survive… they had to eat plastic!
Of course, an ordinary body couldn't possibly eat plastic, so this gave rise to hospital services for "modification" and "emptying the stomach."
Yet no matter what kind of pollution it was, there had to be a source. What was the source of this city's pollution? The pollution of the Black Mirror Vortex… did it have a source? Wu Sansheng always remained calm, but no matter how calm she was, she could not conjure answers to these questions out of thin air.
The Black Mirror Vortex causes pollution on the Shattered Mirror Continent, and the continent's way of dealing with it is to eliminate the vortex: if it contains evil intent, it is destroyed outright; if it is a communicable ghost or creature, it is recruited under control; and if recruitment is impossible and the vortex's pollution is especially harmful to the continent, it must also be destroyed.
By the same logic—they would have to destroy this city?
"Can I… have a biscuit?" Mu Anqi looked helpless, pressing her stomach, unable to bear it any longer.
"What's the problem? If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have any stock at all." Fang Xunjiu waved his hand, admiring Mu Anqi's initiative. He knew that when he had just felt hunger, he would have nearly chewed his own tongue to fill his stomach.
Xia Yun and the others also said it was fine, and only then did Mu Anqi take out a biscuit and eat it in big bites. She was truly starving—this hunger came suddenly and fiercely, and Mu Anqi had never been this hungry before.
But the moment she pulled out the biscuit and started eating, all the sea creatures waiting in line at the hospital froze: "Th-That… what is that? Is that… food? How… how did food suddenly appear in her hands?!"
"There's still food left? Oh my god, I really want to try a bite too! It's been so, so long since I've eaten anything outside the shop!"
The sea creatures waiting in line grew restless. They fixed their gaze on the biscuit in Mu Anqi's hands, their eyes gradually turning blood red. To them, that biscuit was probably as tempting as billions in wealth.
Mu Anqi quickly finished the biscuit.
"Ah, it's gone…"
"Never mind, I've already been modified anyway."
"True, my digestive system has been fully altered—eating it wouldn't have helped even if I had…"
The sea creatures reluctantly withdrew their gaze. Even though they had been so excited just moments ago, not a single fish or bird rushed forward to snatch the food. They simply watched Mu Anqi eat with an intensely longing gaze—a gaze that was extremely complex, filled with emotions like "desire," "envy," and "nostalgia." Once Mu Anqi finished, they comforted themselves, thought no more of it, and continued waiting in line for modification.
Wu Sansheng quietly observed and noticed that most of the sea creatures whose bodies hadn't been visibly modified into plastic had especially vivid and lively emotions, whereas those whose bodies were partially modified into plastic or metal appeared much more indifferent. Hmm, perhaps "emotionally deficient" would be a suitable description.
"Modification…"
Mu Anqi and Fang Xunjiu then walked into the newcomer examination room. The moment they entered, Mu Anqi froze—not because the examiner was a "person" pieced together from metal and plastic, but because there was an "old acquaintance" inside the room.
It was the missing mermaid girl.
Mermaid Junxi had never been this unlucky before; she had only taken on an ordinary game job. In her previous work, she had only sung a little and enticed some players, just enough to get by and earn a basic salary.
The language of the merfolk was very peculiar, and the ghosts and monsters of Taiyin couldn't understand it. So even if she sang nonsense, as long as the rhythm and melody were correct, the ghosts and monsters of Taiyin couldn't tell the difference.
For example: "I really want to get off work~ really want to get off work~ it would be nice if I didn't have to work~ and still had money~" or "Why isn't it over yet~ why isn't it finished~ working so much every day~ how long do I have to be busy~ I~ want to eat now~"
Anyway, the ghosts and monsters couldn't understand, and neither could the players. Slacking off like this was completely fine. In the past, she had even sneaked in complaints about the stingy game planner while singing, and had never been caught.
Until this time.
The mermaid girl thought: maybe this is karma.
But this karma was way too harsh. Even though she sang nonsense, her tune and tone were steady, and she had completed her work well! She was guilty, but not to this extent!—
The mermaid girl regretted it deeply. She couldn't understand why she hadn't charmed that demon player, which led the player to mercilessly unleash the "Devil's Whisper" on her. A singing mermaid, forced to perform singing and dancing—those flying kisses shocked the mermaid girl herself; she had never been this uninhibited before! Singing and dancing earned extra pay!—After the two performances, she was executed.
The mermaid girl decided to go on strike.
But the money was in place.
So the mermaid girl… went back into action.
B-but! Being executed the moment she appeared… she didn't even know how to explain that.
So there was a second round of extra pay.
The mermaid girl said she was fine now—what's one more headshot? Easy, simple! After all, it was in the illusion; earning a huge sum in just a few seconds wasn't amazing? Absolutely amazing!
…Then she was struck by divine punishment.
She never dreamed she would be swept into the suddenly appearing Black Mirror Vortex, becoming one of the first victims. Fortunately, the illusion inside this vortex made her feel somewhat at ease. Even though strange buildings made of plastic bottles, cans, and even paper drink cartons were everywhere, and the sea creatures here didn't seem very smart, at least it was underwater. As long as she could survive until rescue arrived—
She was hungry.
The mermaid girl didn't understand why she was hungry, but she was hungry.
And as time passed, she felt like she was going to starve to death.
Stumbling along, she had almost starved to death by the roadside. Only after finally catching a fish did she manage to make her way to the hospital.
But she hadn't been seated long before she saw the familiar demon squad.
"…" Tears quickly filled the mermaid girl's eyes. She looked at the female demon sorrowfully, afraid that this player would once again make her dance without warning. She was already very hungry and had no strength left.
Mu Anqi and the others were also surprised. This Black Mirror Vortex appeared in the game and perhaps happened to pull the mermaid girl in. No wonder her singing had abruptly stopped. Mu Anqi had wondered why it ended so suddenly when she first entered the illusion, thinking maybe she had overdone it with the previous headshot and the mermaid girl had held back—but it turned out…
This wasn't that game anymore. The mermaid girl was now also a victim, so Mu Anqi naturally wouldn't waste her blessings. As for communicating… at the very least, they would have to leave the hospital and find a place with no one around. She looked at the person pieced together from metal and plastic: "What is the newcomer check?"
"We test your physical condition to determine the pace and type of your modification. Then we mark you, making you an official member. That way, you can shop at the food stores and clothing stores for free."
Shop for what? Trash? Plastic? Mu Anqi looked at the metal-and-plastic person. Strangely, it seemed to have no malice at all; this idea and statement were its most sincere thoughts.
This city… is a garbage dump?
"Can we choose not to be marked?"
"Aren't you hungry?" The metal-and-plastic person tilted its head—a strange emotion for a mechanical being. In its unique tone, it continued: "You can choose to temporarily avoid being marked, to avoid modification. But eventually, you will accept it."
"Otherwise, you won't survive."
If you don't become part of the pollution, you cannot survive within it.
But if you truly accept the modification and merge with the pollution, are you really still "alive" then? In other words, at that point, are you really still you?
—Mu Anqi didn't voice the question. She felt that if she said it aloud, either this "person" wouldn't understand, or it would completely anger him.
They left the room, and the metal-and-plastic person didn't stop them. Perhaps in its "program," its task was only to answer questions for newcomers and, if they were willing, to examine and mark them.
Mu Anqi and the others also brought the mermaid girl along.
The mermaid girl looked like she was about to starve, and it was Xia Yun who helped her up. They found a small corner in the hospital, and Mu Anqi took a biscuit from her backpack to share with everyone, finally eating one herself.
After eating something, the mermaid girl finally revived. Her gaze at Mu Anqi was still slightly fearful, but under Wu Sansheng's questioning, she recounted everything that had happened to her in full.
"You just entered the Black Mirror Vortex, and you got hungry so soon?" Xia Yun asked, a little surprised.
"Aren't you?" the mermaid girl replied, puzzled. She rubbed her stomach. "I-I'm still a little hungry…"
"Food is limited. Surviving is enough." Wu Sansheng glanced at her, refusing to give her any more. After a moment of thought, she offered her own guess: "Maybe it's because she's a mermaid. This place is full of creatures that live near the ocean—sea fish, sea turtles, seabirds, and various whales. We even saw creatures like jellyfish in the hospital just now. Since she's a fish, the pollution affects her much faster."
"Because we're humans, if we don't actively interact with the local creatures or attract the attention of some entity… the extent of pollution is much lighter?" Xia Yun nodded. She rubbed her stomach; so far, she hadn't felt what Mu Anqi and the others were experiencing. But the Black Mirror Vortex certainly wouldn't leave them alone forever. Over time, even humans would be polluted.
—Even if they weren't, they would still get hungry. And both food and water were limited.