On my second playthrough, they were full of malice towards me.

The captain didn't say anything more, but the team members all knew what was going on.

If, as the scavengers claim, it is indeed an unprecedented mecha weapon that can transform, once they obtain such a weapon, analyze its structural data, and upload it to Kyle Technology, everyone's employee level could be promoted several times, and they might even leap to management. They would no longer have to be explorers licking blood off the edge like they are now.

Once the decision was made, the Salvation Society—or rather, the explorer team from Kyle Technology—immediately sprang into action. They took a group of thugs as guides, and the convoy restarted, speeding towards the village of Cano.

It took the explorer team about four hours to finally catch a glimpse of Kano Village. The reason it took so long was that they encountered many monsters along the way.

These turbid monsters are strange; they always appear in small swarms, and their frequency and density far exceed what is expected in normal wastelands.

Fortunately, Kyle Technology mastered the "branding" technology of the old world, which allowed them to upgrade their weapons to brand-new branded weapons, enabling them to successfully avoid and kill the monsters blocking their way each time.

The number of monsters in the wilderness has suddenly increased, and they all seem to be moving in one direction. This is theoretically an abnormal phenomenon that needs to be reported.

But now everyone on the exploration team is focused on the new weapon in Kano Village. Even the usually composed captain has overlooked this and simply continues onward.

After all, they were all gold prospectors sent by the company to the "Old World," and no one could resist such temptation in the face of glittering gold.

As they drove through the breached gate of Kano Village, the captain could roughly deduce what had happened by looking through the large hole that had been blown open.

It seems that this group of thugs attacked the village of Kano, but were instead driven away by the youths inside.

Unlike the thugs, the captain didn't try to hide anything; instead, he allowed the exploration team's convoy to drive in openly.

Because of Kyle Technology's strategy, the "Salvation Society" image created by the company has a good reputation and prestige in Zero Dream, and most villages and settlements do not harbor hostility towards them.

But as they drove deeper into the village, the captain's brows furrowed even more.

because

What about people?

Where have all the people here gone?

Their convoy had driven into the village's largest square, but throughout the entire process, they hadn't seen a single villager. Even after bringing out their exploration equipment and scanning within a five-kilometer radius, they found no biosignals.

Could it be that the villagers all fled because they were afraid the thugs would return to retaliate?

The captain immediately thought of this possibility. He was a little discouraged at first, but he quickly cheered up.

Although they came up empty-handed, this also suggests another point: the young man wielding the special weapon was probably not as strong as the thugs claimed, and it was very likely that they were exaggerating the value of the information.

After all, if the other side really had the strength, why would they abandon the village?

Building a village in the wasteland is extremely costly.

They would never abandon their village and flee unless they were forced into a desperate situation.

The fact that their target was weak was good news for them; at least they were safe. If all else failed, they could simply spend more time searching for clues in the village and continue tracking the young man based on those leads.

Just as the captain finished making his plans, a voice suddenly trembled with excitement from the other side.

"Captain! Quick! Come here right now!!!"

One of the exploration team members ran out of a cellar, waving excitedly as if he were about to jump up from the ground, clearly having discovered something valuable.

The rest of the exploration team rushed over and followed them down into the cellar. Here were the three stories that the village chief's grandson had told Liao Ji, along with the corresponding murals.

"Captain. The Origin of the World! These murals actually contain information about the origin of Zero Dream!"

Chapter 207 Natural Disaster

The team members who first discovered the cellar and murals were gesticulating wildly and somewhat incoherently.

"Machine servant, young scientist, King of Turbid Calamity, witch, oh my god!" The other team members, by the light of the fire, also saw the contents of the mural and all showed the same shocked expression.

Kyle Technology has been collecting knowledge and intelligence in Zero Dream for many years through the "Salvation Society" in order to better understand and master this world.

However, it's safe to say that the knowledge they've accumulated over the years is probably not as valuable as these few murals.

"No, how could that be? Kano Village isn't a special place, so why would something like this happen?"

The captain muttered to himself in disbelief, while a member of the exploration team next to him, wearing glasses and responsible for academic matters, immediately offered a possibility.

"Captain, have you forgotten? According to the analysis of the company's research department, the existence of Zero Dream is very similar to that of a game. It has a certain triggering mechanism. The natives here are like NPCs. When certain conditions are met, the corresponding content will be automatically triggered!"

"Wait, so you mean..."

The researcher adjusted his glasses and said, "That's right, Captain. That young man wielding the special weapon is very likely an explorer from the real world, just like us!"

"And he clearly accomplished something, which caused the ordinary villagers of Kano Village to suddenly connect to the subconscious of the 'Zero Dream' system, becoming advanced natives and giving the young man a corresponding response! It's these murals!"

hiss

The captain, who came to this conclusion, gasped.

They were only able to barely achieve the prestige of a "Salvation Society" by having the entire "Kel Technology" as their backing and support.

Even with the prestige of the Salvation Society, it wasn't enough to make the local natives truly treat them honestly, let alone trigger anything related to the origin of the world.

And this mysterious young man's prestige was higher than that of the entire "Salvation Society" combined.

Who exactly is the other party?

Which organization in reality is it?

How did he manage to gain such high prestige within Dream Zero?

The exploration team members inside the cellar took several deep breaths to catch their breath. Several of the younger members were eager to speak, but the experienced captain preemptively silenced them all.

“Abandon the tracking target, Kuka, immediately sample the mural. Martin, activate the company's emergency communication device. Alder, Rosen, Simon, and the rest of you, go outside and keep watch.”

After the captain's words, some teammates hesitated.

Abandon the pursuit?

If such a valuable young man could be recruited by them, this team member couldn't even imagine what kind of generous rewards the company would give them. They probably wouldn't have to worry about money for the rest of their lives.

"Captain, are we really done?"

"This matter is beyond our level; it's something for the company's top executives to consider. Martin, if I remember correctly, after this expedition, you'll be granted a two-week leave from the company to go back and marry your pregnant fiancée, right?"

The young man named Martin scratched his head sheepishly, his face filled with anticipation for a happy future.

That's why the captain sternly rebuked him: "You might earn enough to buy a house by taking this risk, but there's a much greater chance you'll die here! What, do you want your wife and children to be widows?"

"And you, Simon, I know your mother urgently needs money for medical treatment. It's okay, after this is over, if the bonus is not enough, I will lend it to you. And you, Bush, your sister has been admitted to Kyle University and needs a lot of tuition fees. We have done a great job this time, I will help you apply to the leaders to see if we can apply for a subsidy for your sister."

"Team captain!" Many team members were speechless.

“Old, Kuka, and you guys, I know you all have mortgages and car loans, families to support, and you're all short of money. Of course, if you weren't short of money, who would do this kind of work where you risk your life for money!”

"But what we have now, these murals, is already incredibly lucky, and it meets the company's contractual agreement with us, so I will not take any more risks. Moreover, I sincerely hope that after this exploration, everyone will resign from the company, take this money, find an ordinary job in Dream City, and live a down-to-earth life."

After the captain's earnest words, the members of the exploration team fell silent. Many of them nodded, dispelling their greed. They really didn't need to ask for too much anymore. Once they finished this big job, they could finally go home.

"Wow, no wonder he's the captain, he's got more experience than us!"

"Their experience is something we can't compare to."

"Indeed, what's the use of making a lot of money if you're not alive to spend it?"

"I've made up my mind! I'll listen to the captain, resign as soon as I leave, and go back to my hometown to get married!"

"Haha, remember to invite a few of your comrades to the wedding!"

With the situation resolved, the atmosphere within the exploration team became more relaxed. Just as they were preparing to each perform their duties and finish this last job...

The middle-aged captain suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Because at that moment, he realized something very strange.

There was no one in the village.

He had previously thought that the young man was not strong enough and was afraid that the thugs would come back to retaliate, but now that he saw these murals, how could someone who has the ability to trigger such confidential world information still be afraid of mere scavenging thugs?

Then why?

Why do young people want to leave?

Even bringing along the entire village of Kano?

An ominous premonition rose rapidly from the captain's heart, making him so uneasy that he even wanted to call his team members to take out the "logout device" as a precaution.

but

It was clearly too late.

The people in the cellar suddenly noticed that the murals were trembling; no, the entire wall and floor were shaking.

what?

Before anyone could react, the tremor suddenly intensified several times over. At the same time, the pointers on the turbidity detectors at their waists began to swing wildly as if they had broken down.

Screams and chaos from the scavengers left outside reached the cellar. Gusts of red wind blew in from the cellar entrance. The moment the wind touched a person's skin, the team member screamed in agony. Dark red lines of turbidity appeared on his skin, causing his blood vessels to swell and burst, drawing blood.

When the team members guarding outside rushed over, those inside the cellar could only faintly hear two words being shouted from the chaotic crowd on the ground and from their team members in a desperate voice.

Two words that plunged them into an icy abyss.

"Natural disaster."

"A natural disaster has struck!!"

Chapter 208 Repentance and Atonement

KEL Technology.

Landing module number 39.

Inside the futuristic, silver-gray oval building, a stark contrast exists: a scene resembling an insect nest, with countless "eggs" neatly arranged inside, flashing with a dim light.

These capsules, resembling "insect eggs," are none other than the landing pods of Zero Dream.

Through the capsule walls, you can see employees dressed in Kyle Technology uniforms.

The liquid inside the landing module soaked and enveloped their entire bodies. From their heads and limbs, one could also see many complex wiring ports with tubes inserted into them, connecting them to the landing module.

Whether it's the liquid or the connector tube, it's all for the purpose of better logging into Zero Dream and increasing the synchronization rate with Zero Dream, in other words, enhancing the sense of immersion.

The stronger the sense of immersion, the better you can manipulate your body and exert your power within the Zero Dream, just like you need a good internet connection to play a game.