The Monster is Coming

Chapter 360 Test Operations, Brainstorming

The negotiations over the division of land on the clock tower concluded amidst heavy rain.

Wei Shan became the absolute ruler of the city without lifting a finger.

He believed that in dealing with this group of scum who feared power but not morality, the deterrent force was far more effective than the lure of benefits.

Although the leaders of the seven major gangs were unwilling, they dared not even utter a hint of rebellion.

The fate of the Gear Gang leader is right before our eyes; that still-dripping lump of iron is the punishment he will face for "refusing."

They might have the confidence to fight other gangs, but they were powerless against Wei Shan.

Their combat power, far exceeding that of this world, rendered all their schemes and tricks futile.

Next, he only needs to use the seven leaders to spread a net to harvest fear points.

But before that, he must first understand the city's resources.

For example, what is the daily resource output of each area of ​​the city, and how much of the residents' basic consumption can this output support?

Only by clearly understanding this calculation can he accurately determine the scale of reward distribution for the "Courage Challenge".

……

Two days later.

A brand new building rose up in the heart of New Cassini, replacing the original clock tower.

The building's shape resembles a cloud of mist gathering on the ground, with a faint purple light flowing across its surface.

From afar, it resembles a lurking purple behemoth; up close, it looks more like a virtual scene generated by holographic projection.

From a high altitude, it looks like an open purple eye.

The building is protected by an invisible force, keeping rain and dust out.

The gang members who used to roam this area have disappeared, replaced by guards in uniform.

Nearby residents peeked cautiously out from behind the ruins.

Their eyes reflected the strangely shaped building, and they whispered amongst themselves, filled with doubt and uncertainty.

"What the hell is that? Where did the clock tower go?"

In the crowd, an old woman with a missing front tooth clutched a tattered scarf, her wrinkled face showing confusion.

She had never seen such a bizarre building.

The flowing, ethereal purple patterns on the building's surface seemed to move like living things, as if they were not products of this era.

Beside the old woman, several ragged children huddled behind an abandoned private aircraft, their dirty little faces filled with curiosity.

The oldest boy suddenly pointed at the building and exclaimed in surprise:

"Look, the light on this thing is moving."

As the finger pointed in the direction of the building, the fog on the building's surface seemed to expand and contract like breathing, revealing many blurry outlines within.

It was as if countless trapped souls were trying to break through the barrier.

The most timid girl was about to cry, but the old woman tightly covered her mouth, glanced warily at the guards outside the building, and dragged the little girl into the shadows.

"Stay away, everyone. This is no good."

Just as nearby residents were wondering about the sudden appearance of the new building, broadcasts suddenly blared throughout the various districts of New Cassini.

The voice of the Wild Wolf Gang leader carried clearly to every corner of the city:
"Residents of New Cassini, we have some great news to announce: the city center tower has been demolished, and we have built a 'Nightmare Trial Grounds' here, which is now open to all residents. As long as you have the courage to enter the trial grounds and take on the challenge, you can obtain clean water and plenty of food."

"Completing the first-tier challenge will earn you a 500ml bottle of purified water and two bags of food. Completing the second-tier challenge will earn you a three-day supply of compressed biscuits. The third-tier and above challenges... In addition, you will also receive some basic daily necessities after completing the challenge..."

The broadcast repeated itself over and over, and the city, which had been lifeless due to a lack of resources, suddenly came to life.

Meanwhile, notices were plastered all over the city's streets and alleys, covering broken walls and abandoned streetlights.

The announcement was written in bright red ink.

The above is the same content as the broadcast, with the challenge level and corresponding reward marked next to it.

At the very bottom, there is a line of small print:
"No matter what you have done in the past, as long as you step into the trial grounds, you will have an equal opportunity."

Many residents peeked out from the ruins where they were hiding to check the contents of the notices posted nearby, but their eyes were full of hesitation.

The reason is simple: the thugs who run this city are not trustworthy at all.

Suddenly launching some kind of courage challenge—who knows what evil conspiracy lies behind it?

Perhaps they wanted to lure them away to conduct some kind of horrific experiment.

Distrustful rhetoric permeates the city.

"Ha, a challenge of courage? They probably just want to lure us in and turn us into animal feed. These thugs have taken over all the city's resources. We've already done this much, and they still want to take advantage of us!"

“My cousin went to collect trash near the energy station just two days ago and got his leg broken by thugs from the Iron Hand Gang. Now they’re suddenly offering us water and food. They’re probably trying to lure us in and drain our blood for research.”

"Perhaps it's some gang of thugs who want to get organ transplants, and this is a process of selecting matching candidates."

Several children huddled at the edge of the bulletin board, staring longingly at the bread and water bottle drawings on it.

But he was roughly pulled back by the adults behind him.

A mother sternly rebuked her son for having such ideas, her voice trembling slightly:

"Don't believe this stuff. When have those gangsters ever shown any kindness?"

……

Clean water and food are their greatest luxuries these days.

But they simply didn't believe such a good thing could happen.

After all, in this city, kindness is always the most expensive scam.

The Iron Hand gang once set up a "free porridge" stall in the city, but all the people who drank the porridge were arrested the next day and taken to the energy mining area outside the city. Their ankles were shackled, and they were forced to become slaves until they died.

With so many of these tricks, the eight major gangs have long since lost their credibility.

However, as the broadcast was repeated again and again, some people who had already fallen into despair began to waver.

Near the Nightmare Trial Grounds, a hunched old man silently squeezed through the crowd and took faltering steps toward the building.

"grandfather!"

The little girl behind him cried and tried to chase after him, but the neighbor held her tightly.

The old man turned around at that moment.

Her face, gaunt from excessive hunger, had prominent cheekbones and deep-set eyes. A fleeting tenderness flashed in her eyes as she looked at her granddaughter.

His chapped lips moved, but no sound came out; he simply raised his hand and waved to the girl.

His hands were covered in frostbite and cracks, and black mud left over from digging through the ruins was embedded in his fingernails.

When she turned back, the tenderness in her eyes was completely replaced by resolute determination.

He looked at the building with flowing purple light patterns not far away, as if it were his last straw.

His Adam's apple bobbed laboriously, and the cramping in his stomach reminded him that his body had reached its limit.

The last half of the compressed biscuit in the house was given to my granddaughter yesterday, and now we're almost out of drinking water, along with the dirty water.

In this city occupied by villains, only two fates await them.

They would either be killed by stray bullets in a gang shootout or slowly rot from hunger and disease.

His cloudy eyes swept over the faces along the way, some fearful and some hesitant, and he knew that these people, like him, were all calculating something.

Is starving to death more painful, or is the despair that entering that eerie building might bring more painful?

But for this old man, whose body is mostly buried in the ground, there was no choice; the answer was right under his feet.

He took a deep breath, his withered chest rising and falling slightly, and then walked step by step, resolutely towards the Nightmare Trial Grounds.

The shoes splashed mud as they stepped into the puddles, making the nearby onlookers tense.

When the old man arrived in front of the building, he glanced at the armed guards at the entrance and then looked down at the table behind them piled with water and food.

Without further hesitation, he steeled his resolve and stepped inside.

Under the watchful eyes of the onlookers, the old man's figure gradually disappeared into the building entrance shrouded in purple mist.

The onlookers held their breath, staring intently at the eerie building.

Time passed, but the onlookers did not leave, still waiting for the old man to return.

One minute, two minutes... one hour.

The old man did not return for a long time.

The crowd began to stir, and whispers spread like a tide.

At that moment, a man with a limp spat hard on the ground:
"I knew it. That old guy must have been dismantled into pieces. What good could those bastards possibly do?"

On the other side, the little girl stared blankly, her tiny hands unconsciously clutching the neighbor's tattered clothes, and whispered:

Will Grandpa come back?

A sense of oppression filled the air.

Some people began to retreat silently, the purple building in their eyes looking like a monster that devoured life.

Several young people, their eyes red, picked up pebbles from the ground, wanting to vent their anger by throwing them at the building, but ultimately held back.

This behavior could very well make them wish they were dead.

"Let's go, let's all go. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world." A middle-aged woman shook her head with a look of regret.

Just as the crowd was about to disperse, a ripple suddenly appeared on the surface of the building.

The purple mist churned violently, forming a vortex-like channel.

The onlookers retreated in alarm, only to see a hunched figure emerge from the building.

It was the same old man who had just entered the building.

He stood trembling at the doorway, his face frozen in extreme terror, as if he had experienced unspeakable horror inside the building.

During this time, her chapped lips trembled incessantly, but she couldn't make a sound.

As he tried to take a step, his legs suddenly twitched uncontrollably, almost causing him to kneel down.

Just then, the guard standing outside the building stepped forward and glanced at the glowing numbers on the old man's arm that were slowly fading away.

He then picked up a well-sealed bottle of purified water and two bags of grain wrapped in tin foil from the table behind him.

"Complete the first-level challenge, and the reward will be given in full." With that, the guard with a domineering expression handed the reward to the old man.

The old man's pupils suddenly contracted as he stared at the bottle of water, so clear it reflected his image, and he made a "hoarse" sound in his throat.

He reached out with trembling hands, then clutched the water and food tightly to his chest.

The rustling sound of tin foil rubbing against his chest was exceptionally clear in the deathly silence.

The old man's hunched back seemed to straighten slightly because of the weight in his arms, and the lingering fear on his face was gradually covered by an unbelievable ecstasy.

"Is...is it still alright?" the old man managed to squeeze out in a hoarse voice, pointing tremblingly to the interior of the building behind him.

The guard nodded:

"If you want to continue the challenge, you can continue at any time."

Upon hearing this, the old man's face first lit up with joy, then he shook his head violently, grabbed the water and biscuits, and turned to leave.

His steps were still unsteady, but urgent, as if he were afraid that the guards behind him would change their minds.

As he passed through the crowd, the water bottle in his arms reflected the shocked or greedy faces of the people near the street.

Someone instinctively reached out to snatch it, but the old man stumbled and dodged.

He clutched the things in his arms tightly and ran towards his granddaughter.

When the little girl ran into his arms, he immediately stuffed the water bottle and biscuits into her hands, while he turned his back to the strangers, his hunched body like a simple wall, wary of anyone coming to snatch them from behind.

"Eat quickly, my little one, eat quickly."

He shakily tore open the cookie foil, and a fragrant aroma of grains and oils instantly filled the air.

The aroma was amplified infinitely by a hungry sense of smell, making even the air seem sweet.

The little girl, already starving, took a big bite with tears in her eyes. Crumbs of the biscuit fell onto her clothes, which the old man quickly picked up with his withered fingers and put into his mouth.

He let his granddaughter drink the 500 ml of purified water while he only took two sips before tightening the cap.

As the water slid down his parched throat, it carried a slightly sweet and cool sensation, causing him to squint his eyes involuntarily.

For the first time in three months, he tasted water that wasn't mixed with mud and rust.

The woman next door was hiding not far away, holding her child. The child was so hungry that he kept gnawing on his fingers, his eyes fixed on the biscuits in the old woman's arms.

The old man hesitated for a moment, then broke the remaining half of the biscuit in half and handed one piece over:
"Put it under the baby's head."

The woman was stunned for a moment, her hands trembling as she took the biscuit. She thanked him repeatedly and then turned around and stuffed it into her child's mouth.

The soft sounds of chewing continued, like pebbles thrown into a lake, creating ripples among the onlookers.

Someone subconsciously swallowed, the sound of their Adam's apple bobbing clearly audible in the silence.

Someone stared intently at the half-full bottle of water, their eyes brimming with longing.

The old man stuffed the last bite of the biscuit into his mouth, wiped the crumbs from his granddaughter's mouth, turned around to show everyone that the biscuits in the foil were all gone, and only then did he dare to lead the child deeper into the ruins.

His back was still hunched, but thanks to the strength he gained from the food, his steps were noticeably more steady.

The crowd that remained in place erupted into chaos like dry tinder being ignited.

"He really got it."

"That water looks so clean, I really want to drink it."

"The first-level challenge can fill our stomachs, should we give it a try?"

The whispers grew louder, and the fear and doubt from before, in the face of the real food, were gradually melting away like ice and snow under the sun.

But at this point, no one dared to continue trying.

They feared the old man was just bait, that the villains wanted to use temporary gains as bait to lure more people into this eerie building.

How could those bastards who manage the city possibly actually distribute resources to everyone?

They couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation at all.

Many curious onlookers headed toward the old man's residence, eager to ask him what he had experienced inside.

……

Meanwhile, Wei Shan, working behind the scenes, was also observing the reactions of the city's residents.

The bastards who had been recruited had previously done nothing right, which slowed down the initial progress of his plan.

However, this problem will likely be solved as the number of participants increases. The old man's participation in the challenge just now didn't give him many fright points, which amounted to less than 0.01 sacrificial power.

After all, the amount of fright points gained is related to the target's health.

But once the quantity increases, the accumulated benefits will be quite substantial.

As for the supply of rewards, there is no need to worry.

Although the city is dilapidated, its technological foundation remains intact.

The invasion of the End-Dharma Clan destroyed the buildings on the surface, but did not completely destroy the energy stations buried deep underground.

And those water purification plants and weapons workshops that were fought over by gangs could be put back into operation with a little repair.

In the past, resource shortages were caused by the fragmentation and infighting among eight major gangs.

No one was willing to put in the effort to repair the facilities, since it was easier to steal what was already there than to build it slowly, and they were also afraid that the facilities they had worked so hard to repair would be stolen by other gangs.

Things are different now; the gang members he recruited are now all laborers.

Anyone who dares to slack off will be made to experience a fate worse than death.

He has already given orders to the eight major gangs to repair the second pipeline at the East District water purification station within a week.

They also ordered the Wild Wolf Gang to fully restore the abandoned farm in the south of the city.

It used to be the city's protein supply center. It was mostly destroyed when the End-of-Day Tribe invaded, but it can be restored and put back into use to restart the breeding program.

As for the land in the north of the city that had been ravaged by artillery fire, it was assigned to the Poison Scorpion Gang for reclamation.

The crops will be replanted to supplement the subsequent distribution of reward resources.

He ordered the Scorpion Gang members to till the land and clear away all the rubble and metal debris.

In order to enable the land to quickly produce grain, he also spent his sacrificial power to purchase half a ton of spiritual soil from the trading house and had the Poison Scorpion Gang spread it evenly in the fields.

It's unclear how long the spiritual soil can be used in this world with its scarce spiritual energy.

It probably can't be used infinitely like in Monster World; it will most likely become a consumable.

Food production is one of Wei Shan's biggest concerns.

Only when residents see a stable food source will they rely more on challenge rewards and willingly enter the Nightmare Illusion to provide them with a continuous stream of fright points.

The initial investments are already in place. If the members of the Poison Scorpion Gang can't grow any food, they'll all be refined into sacrificial energy.

The bones were all offered as a sacrifice to Brother Di Zhao, to completely erase him.

The city is now back to normal operation.

He believed that once order was established, productivity would take off on its own.

The problem of resource shortages will still exist in the future, but residents of the city can meet their daily needs by challenging the Nightmare Trials.

After that, he will open several more Nightmare Trials in other parts of the city.

There's no need to worry about excessive mental energy consumption when it's active, as mental energy is only consumed once the target enters the scene.

The stronger the goal, the more mental energy is consumed.

The creatures in this small world are generally pitifully weak, and their mental energy consumption is enough to cover their expenses.

As for distance, the rules have always ignored distance.

He can keep the nightmare scene active in the current area whenever he wants.

Once the number of people increases, he will have to replenish his mental energy from time to time, and his mental energy will be constantly being deducted.

However, the more mental energy is consumed, the more fright points are gained.

With hopes for the future, Wei Shan began to frequently wander around the city, secretly listening to their discussions about the Nightmare Trials.

The next three days.

The attitude of city residents toward the Nightmare Trials has changed somewhat.

However, the vast majority remained skeptical, believing that there must be an undiscovered conspiracy involved.

Even if food is mixed with some unknown toxin, it can cause people to die in agony.

That day, Wei Shan arrived near the water purification station in the eastern part of the city.

The pipeline repair work here is already showing initial results, and several Iron Hand gang members are squatting under a makeshift shed chatting.

In the nearby ruins, two scavengers were talking in hushed tones, their conversation revolving around the Nightmare Trial Grounds:
"Old Wang's son went in yesterday. When he came out, he was holding two bags of biscuits. It seems like he can really get supplies. It's just that the building is really scary. Luckily, he didn't die."

Another scavenger scoffed:
"It's definitely a trap..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the other party:
"So what if it's a trap? At least it can fill our stomachs temporarily. His child is starving. At least this will allow him to live a few more days."

When Wei Shan arrived at the breeding farm in the south of the city, he saw two women collecting algae that had been cleaned out of the sewage.

One of the women's voices was trembling with tears, and the tattered cloth bag in her hand was already half full.

“My man went into that building. If he doesn’t come out alive…”

As night fell, he arrived at the edge of the farmland north of the city.

The members of the Scorpion Gang were fertilizing the newly sprouted plants, and a number of residents had gathered on the ridge of the field.

The newly sprouted plants looked like delicious food to them, who were starving, but no one dared to step forward and snatch them.

The topics of conversation among those gathered were also related to the Nightmare Trial Grounds.

It indicates who took how much food and water from that building.

Information about the Nightmare Trials spread like wildfire throughout the city, becoming a central topic of conversation among residents in various regions.

In the following days, the ice of doubt began to melt away rapidly under the desire to survive.

At first, only those who were driven to the brink of despair dared to step into the Nightmare Trial Scene.

For example, scavengers who have run out of food, parents whose children have high fevers and urgently need clean water... When they emerge from the nightmare scenario, their faces are mostly still pale with shock, but the rewards they receive are real.

Every day, large crowds witness this scene.

These messages spread by word of mouth, attracting more people to join.

During this time, some people went to find those who had participated in the challenge and asked them for details.

While listening to their descriptions of the terrifying scenes in the hallucinations, this eager group also felt frightened, yet couldn't help but ask more questions:
"Will we really get the food? And will there be any problems with the food we get?"

By the 7th day, the number of people participating in the challenge began to grow rapidly.

Among the participants were more young people who were just trying it out, and neighbors who were encouraging each other.

Many people were so nervous that they kept rubbing their hands together, but no one was willing to leave the group.

When the first burly man to complete the third-stage challenge emerged from the distribution point carrying half a box of compressed biscuits, the expressions on the faces of the onlookers became quite interesting.

The sight of the burly man, starving and ravenous, placing the box of biscuits on the ground in front of the onlookers, sitting down and wolfing them down, drinking water and eating biscuits at the same time, was more convincing than any words.

The voices of doubt gradually subsided, replaced by increasingly frequent discussions.

By the 8th day, the line outside the nightmare scene had stretched from the building entrance to two streets away.

Even many people who were determined never to participate have begun to consider a question.

Instead of sitting at home and living off your savings, why not take a trip to the Nightmare Trial Grounds?

Even if you're terrified, at least you can get something to eat.

But if we don't go, we'll starve to death sooner or later.

The nightmare scene acted like a giant magnet, firmly drawing the city's residents' desire for survival to the past.

What were once whispers have gradually turned into open discussions.

There were many familiar faces in the queue.

Those gang members who once swaggered around the streets have now shed their malice and are now forced to participate in the Nightmare Trial challenge just for a bite to eat.

The addition of these former gang members lowered the guard of many hesitant city residents.

Even the toughest characters have to obediently line up to exchange for food, which shows that the rewards given by the Nightmare Trial Arena are indeed real.

What's even more unbelievable to the city's residents is that the sounds of fighting on the streets have completely disappeared.

The gunshots and brawls that used to rang out every few days have now been replaced by the clanging and banging of metal.

Seeing the members of the eight major gangs working together, no one was arguing or using weapons.

This scene felt both unfamiliar and eerie to the residents.

It's incomprehensible how villains who are usually mortal enemies and would risk their lives for profit could suddenly become so docile.

All of this seems to be related to the Nightmare Trial Grounds.

But they still couldn't figure out why.

From that day on, Wei Shan saw more and more people entering the purple building.

As doubts dwindled, the will to survive drove more and more people into the Nightmare Trial, hoping for a glimmer of hope.

Especially when they see someone around them go to participate in the challenge and return successfully to receive food and water, this impulse and desire will become even stronger.

On the morning of the 10th day, the second pipeline of the water purification station was officially put into operation, and the water supply began to increase.

Long queues have already formed outside the Nightmare Trial scene.

The line stretched from the entrance for three blocks, and the participants generally looked nervous, but they still followed the line closely.

Because the people at the front of the line have already received their rewards.

The figures carrying water and food brushed past them like a reassuring pill, calming their emotions.

Wei Shan stood atop the bell tower, watching the ever-growing queue, a smile hard to hide on his face.

The gains from fright points have already exceeded 1500 sacrificial points per day and are still growing rapidly.

This single Nightmare Trial building is no longer sufficient to meet the needs.

Next, he plans to build multiple Nightmare entrances in other areas to reduce travel time for residents in those areas.

This is also to allow more people to enter the dream he has woven, so that he can continuously generate fright points.

However, Wei Shan also discovered a problem during the operation.

He has only created ten horror scenarios so far.

The scenes are pieced together based on the culture, history, and strange tales of the small world.

From the fear of war brought by the return of the End-of-Day Clan, to the technological fear brought by the awakening of the Machine God, to the collapse of faith due to the corruption of the Source Tree... but once challenged, the effect will be weakened when challenged again in the same terrifying scenario.

Although the fear remains, the nightmare scenarios provide them with an experience indistinguishable from reality.

Even knowing the truth, one cannot resist the trembling in their heart.

However, each time the same scenario is challenged, the output of fright points will be reduced.

After many attempts, the challengers could even predict where the evil creature would suddenly appear in the scene.

This made Wei Shan realize that the nightmare scenario must flow like living water.

Using the same cultural symbols too often will affect the generation of fright points.

Just as the inhabitants of New Cassini dread the mention of the End-Dharma, an invading force that nearly destroyed their civilization, the wounds of which have yet to heal.

But when they are destroyed a hundred times by the End of the Law in the nightmare scenario, they will gradually become immune to this fear.

Therefore, updates are very important.

Just like making a game, you have to keep adding new content to give these challengers more and more complex horror experiences.

Secondly, the copies woven earlier will not be discarded after excessive use.

It can also be used in other cities in the Meteorite World.

The most important thing now is to expand the resource library.

Thinking about this, Wei Shan suddenly had the idea of ​​bringing his fellow villagers on board.

The idea spread like wildfire in my mind.

He couldn't hold on alone for long. Every day he had to come up with new nightmare scenarios, coordinate the gang's workforce, and observe the city's development... It felt like he had endless work to do every day.

If fellow villagers helped, the situation would be completely different.

There are plenty of players in the village who want to go for the summoner build, and he has now joined a chat group called "Summoner Reserve".

The villagers inside are struggling in different playstyles and styles.

But like him, they all share a dream of summoning.

They are all waiting for the summoning system to be perfected before changing the Star Pulse class change.

If they join, it will completely change the situation of working alone, and can also bring different perspectives and create unexpected terrifying ideas.

Secondly, it can also alleviate his operational pressure, allowing fellow villagers to take charge of meticulous work at every stage.

Various scattered ideas come together, like countless streams flowing into a river, always creating unexpected sparks.

A clash of ideas can also break through his limitations.

He's always focusing on the "survival crisis" theme, while his imaginative fellow villagers might approach it from other novel angles, enriching the horror content.

In this way, he won't get bogged down in the details and can free up his hands to grasp the big picture.

Which cities are worth expanding into? How to improve the conversion efficiency of fright points? How to make the whole system run more smoothly? The villagers each performed their duties and worked with him to refine this fright point business with their respective strengths.

The final product is far more comprehensive than what one person could achieve by working alone.

Ideally, this world could be developed like the Doomsday Small World, into a small world collectively maintained by a group of players.

To prevent other disruptive players from entering the game.

Under normal circumstances, it's unlikely that any player would intentionally come to cause trouble.

After all, setting up a teleportation array is no small feat.

The teleportation array he built could be protected by this group of like-minded fellow villagers, so there was no need to open it to irrelevant players.

Various thoughts surged in Wei Shan's mind.

But before he can do that, he has to pave the way first.

The current layout is equivalent to securing a portion of the territory in advance, which will give him a greater advantage in terms of future profits.

Once the city's layout is complete, he plans to find another city that still maintains civilized order.

Then find an agent in the city and try to operate the Nightmare Trial Grounds using the agent model to test the specific effects.

　Here's 8200 words~ There's a typhoon here, it's a bit scary outside.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)