A moment later, Huang Shengjie realized he had returned to the community hall.
The big screen also displayed the earnings from this game.
[Now announcing the final visa time gains for Community 2 in ’One Word Breaks the Prison.’]
[#1 Qin Cheng: 84000]
[#4 Fu Yujun: 10000]
[#10 Zheng Chunhua: 84000]
[#11 Zhou Wanlin: 84000]
[#12 Lin Sizhi: 84000]
[#14 Huang Shengjie: 84000]
[According to community rules, 30% of the game’s net earnings will be allocated to the community development fund, and the remaining visa time will be credited to each player’s visa.]
Seeing the earnings numbers on the big screen, the players who were waiting in the hall finally relaxed.
"Great, everyone is safe, and the earnings this time are quite good.
"Hmm? Did we successfully recruit a new member? But in the game’s basic rules, it doesn’t seem to support recruitment, right?"
Ye Lin couldn’t help but feel surprised at this.
Huang Shengjie stretched, finally relaxing from the previous tension.
Meanwhile, Qin Cheng remained expressionless: "Everyone has worked hard, go back and rest for now.
"We’ll review the game and introduce the new member in the afternoon after the lunch break.
"Of course, before that, everyone please hand over the drugs you brought into the game. It’s good that they weren’t needed this time."
The other players took the drugs out of their pockets, and Qin Cheng unscrewed the bottles one by one to check the seals were intact and the counts were correct.
Fu Yujun seemed somewhat surprised; it was clear he didn’t know how the players of Community 2 brought drugs into the game.
But he didn’t ask much.
Qin Cheng put the drugs back into an empty medical box and said to Fu Yujun, "Uncle Fu, we’ll introduce you to everyone else in the afternoon. I’ll take you to your room to rest first."
Fu Yujun nodded, looking around at everyone and nodding in greeting.
The others responded with welcoming looks.
When he saw Lin Sizhi, Fu Yujun couldn’t help but take a few more glances, but for now, he didn’t say anything, just followed Qin Cheng back to his room on the second floor.
From now on, he was the new #4 player of Community 2.
...
In the afternoon, everyone gathered again in the hall.
"I’ve made tea for everyone."
As everyone took their seats, Zhou Wanlin had already prepared a full set of tea tables and utensils, completing the steps of rinsing the teapot, teacups, and washing the tea.
Once everyone was seated, she stood up and poured tea for everyone.
The community’s vending machines had various types of tea products, including black tea, green tea, white tea, Pu-erh, Dragon Well, and even milk tea; ready-made products could be purchased directly, or one could buy tea leaves.
Zhou Wanlin bought tea leaves and utensils and brewed the tea herself.
Compared to directly purchased ready-made products, the teacups seemed very small; just a sip and it was quickly finished, but for those who enjoyed tea tasting, this was the pace they preferred.
Huang Shengjie drank it in one gulp: "Hmm, not bad! This taste is much better than directly purchased tea leaves. I didn’t expect Sister Wanlin to know this skill."
Zhou Wanlin waved her hand modestly: "No, no, the tea leaves should be the same, and as for the brewing technique, people definitely can’t compare to machines.
"The ready-made products from vending machines are all in their best form by default. I’m self-aware of this."
Actually, there was no need for much explanation; players living in the community for a while would notice this.
Whether it was food, tea, or even cocktails, products from the vending machine, though more expensive, were always adjusted to the best tasting state.
If one purchased semi-finished products to process by themselves, the biggest advantage would definitely be the cost saving.
Qin Cheng sipped his tea slowly: "I don’t really think so.
"If there was an absolutely objective machine, capable of extreme quantification of details like temperature and quantity, then the vending machine’s products would surely score the highest.
"But the key issue is that people are subjective beings.
"The same sculpture, if machine-carved, no matter how perfect, it wouldn’t be worth mentioning. But if carved by people, even if ugly, it still possesses a unique charm.
"And those creations infused with emotion are something that cold machines can never achieve.
"This is something always lacking under this set of cold community rules: human warmth.
"Even if Sister Wanlin thinks her tea-making skills can’t reach the machine level, I still find this cup of tea more precious than anything from the vending machine."
Lin Sizhi nodded in agreement: "I agree."
Huang Shengjie was also delighted: "Right, Lawyer Lin, didn’t Tang Qing also brew tea in ’One Word Breaks the Prison’? How does his level compare with Sister Wanlin’s?"
Lin Sizhi thought carefully for a moment: "Slightly better."
Huang Shengjie turned to Zhou Wanlin with a smile: "So it seems that Sister Wanlin still has a lot of room for improvement, huh?
"Why not make this a regular part of our routine? Every meeting, Sister Wanlin can help with the tea brewing?
"It might be a bit of work, though."
Zhou Wanlin waved her hand: "Not at all; I enjoy it myself, and if everyone else likes it, I’m certainly willing."
Everyone savored the tea, and although it didn’t necessarily taste better than the ready-made products from the vending machine, in this atmosphere, it did have a different flavor.
Qin Cheng looked at Fu Yujun: "So, let’s first welcome our new member. Uncle Fu, why don’t you give us a brief introduction of yourself."
Fu Yujun nodded: "My name is Fu Yujun, I’m 51 years old, and I work as the head teacher at a high school, originating from Community 10.
"During the first phase, Community 10 wasn’t considered a Main Community, but it was above average and relatively advanced among Edge Communities, so part of the team structure and community building results were retained when entering the second phase."
Zhou Wanlin was somewhat surprised: "Also a high school teacher, really? You played your part so well, I thought you were a professor at some university."
Fu Yujun, still dressed neatly in a white shirt, looked gentle and refined, indeed more like a lecturer or professor at a university.
It was hard to associate him with a high school teacher, especially a tough and strict head teacher.
Ye Lin was curious: "Does that mean you were also a core player in Community 10?
"When transitioning from Phase One to Phase Two, the number of veteran players who could remain in the community was limited, the weaker the community, the fewer people who could stay.
"Since you stayed, it indicates your status in the original community wasn’t low either.
"Why did you decide to leave?"
Fu Yujun’s tone carried a hint of helplessness: "That’s a long story.
"Strictly speaking, I didn’t leave entirely voluntarily; it’s the result of being ’willingly persuaded.’"
"Community 10’s current situation involves a division into two factions based on drugs and community operation philosophy.
"Our internal conflict isn’t intense, certainly not life-and-death. In most cases, we can still reconcile our differences and work together for the community.
"But such conflicts inevitably accumulate and eventually resolve with one side’s departure.
"This time it’s a relatively dignified opportunity."
Zhang Yan pondered for a moment: "Sounds somewhat similar to my situation."