Apocalyptic Wasteland Simulator

As Chen Pingchuan repeated the motion, the barbell plates clanged together with a series of dull, powerful thuds. The entire squat rack trembled slightly under his explosive force, seeming as if it might collapse at any moment. Before long, his clothes were soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to his back and chest and outlining the sharp contours of his muscles.

For the next several days, Chen Pingchuan trained with frantic intensity. Although he couldn't see his own stats, he could feel an explosive power building within him.

HUFF... HUFF... HUFF...

Chen Pingchuan ran wildly inside the spherical hypergravity chamber, his mind racing along with his feet. Why hasn't the nuclear explosion happened yet? When will the Insect Race discover the lab? How should I spend the coming days? The deadline has passed. If I teleport from the bank vault's location now, will I still end up within the Divine Tree Domain?

These questions had no fixed answers for him.

After exhausting the last ounce of his strength, Chen Pingchuan slowly ground to a halt and walked toward the entrance of the gravity chamber.

Outside, Porcupine and Great Fierce Bear stood idly, gesturing at each other. For some reason, the two burly men had hit it off surprisingly well and spent far more time together than with anyone else.

Seeing Chen Pingchuan emerge from the training room, Great Fierce Bear was the first to greet him.

"Boss, lunch is ready. But Dr. Liu said the base is running low on food and asked you to figure something out."

In the dining hall, the atmosphere was so tense it felt suffocating. Everyone wore a thoughtful expression, silently hunched over their food. Chen Pingchuan's gaze swept across the room, noting the pitifully small portions on everyone's plates.

These ability users, while not literally capable of devouring a whole cow at every meal, had considerable appetites. Even when supplemented with high-energy foods, they required a substantial amount of meat, fiber, fruits, and vegetables to sustain their high-intensity training and combat needs.

"Is it that serious?" Chen Pingchuan's brow furrowed deeply as he fixed his sharp gaze on Liu Yaowu.

Liu Yaowu met his eyes and nodded slightly, a hint of helpless amusement in his expression that seemed to say, "You really don't have a clue, do you?"

He cleared his throat and began to explain.

"Previously, the laboratory was stocked with a large amount of food. We had a lot of researchers back then, and supplies were consumed quickly. Later, as the experiments wound down, the higher-ups gradually cut personnel to protect the project's secrets, until finally, I was the only one left working here."

"The remaining supplies would have been enough for me to last half a year alone."

Hearing this, Chen Pingchuan instantly understood the meaning behind Liu Yaowu's expression. The food crisis was entirely the fault of the pack of gluttons he had brought with him.

He gave a wry smile and pressed on, "So, is there any way to get more food now?"

Liu Yaowu shrugged helplessly. "I've checked the external surveillance. It's been completely overrun by a sea of insects. There's no way through."

"Based on my understanding of the people in charge, there's something strange going on. The higher-ups haven't used their ultimate weapon to cleanse this area, which is highly illogical."

Just as Liu Yaowu was about to say more, an alarm suddenly blared, its shrill cry piercing the silence like a sharp blade and shattering the tense atmosphere in the dining hall.

"WARNING! WARNING! UNIDENTIFIED LIFEFORMS ARE STRIKING THE LABORATORY'S EXTERIOR DOOR."

"WARNING! WARNING! UNIDENTIFIED LIFEFORMS ARE STRIKING THE LABORATORY'S EXTERIOR DOOR."

"WARNING! WARNING! UNIDENTIFIED LIFEFORMS ARE STRIKING THE LABORATORY'S EXTERIOR DOOR."

"ENGAGE INTRUDERS? PLEASE CONFIRM! PLEASE CONFIRM! PLEASE CONFIRM!"

Liu Yaowu shot up from his seat and shouted toward the ceiling, "Display the external surveillance feed."

In the next second, a screen lit up, showing a dense swarm of giant Corpse Worms surging forward like a black tide. This time, the Corpse Worms came in various forms—some had ferocious fangs that gleamed coldly, while others spewed a viscous mucus that sizzled on contact with the ground, corroding it and leaving behind smoking pits.

"Activate the defense systems!" Liu Yaowu roared, his voice booming.

Instantly, laser cannons and electromagnetic shields roared to life, weaving a dazzling web of firepower outside the laboratory. The Insect Race, however, seemed oblivious to their own mortality, charging the defensive line in relentless waves.

Luckily, the creatures' low intelligence prevented them from finding the inconspicuous entrance to the semicircular laboratory. Even so, their numbers were overwhelming, an endless black tide. The defenses, with weapons firing until they practically smoked, were on the verge of being destroyed by the onslaught of Corpse Worms. Once that happened, the entire exterior of the laboratory would be defenseless.

"Boss, if this doesn't work, let's just go out there and fight those damned bugs!"

"We should do it while we still have the strength!"

Porcupine and Great Fierce Bear strode to Chen Pingchuan's side, their faces set with grim determination, muscles tensed as if about to explode.

"Shouldn't we just try to break out?" Lu Jiaojiao's first thought was to flee. She wasn't married yet; she didn't want to die here.

"Break out how? It's crawling with giant Corpse Worms out there. How many do you think you can kill?" Lilia, who for some reason had always found Lu Jiaojiao irritating, couldn't resist a chance to mock her.

Over the past few days, the group had come to understand their new boss's personality. When Chen Pingchuan spoke, everyone had to listen. When he was silent, they were free to say whatever they wanted. He was surprisingly easy-going and approachable.

"Charging out is impossible, but if we stay here, we'll run out of food. Looks like we're doomed this time," Wei Hao mumbled, chewing on a bamboo toothpick. Among the group, he was the most relaxed; his past experiences had left him with no fear of death.

Chen Pingchuan's expression suddenly turned cold. His gaze, like a pair of frozen stars, swept over the others. He took a deep breath and said in a low, stern voice, "What are you all panicking for? Do you think I'm already dead?"

At his words, everyone fell silent. It was clear the boss was angry.

"I recall the laboratory has several more layers of defense, correct?" Chen Pingchuan's gaze shifted to Liu Yaowu.

Playing his part, Liu Yaowu responded, "That's right. The lab's standard defenses can hold off an eighth-level practitioner for three days. There are thirteen internal defense lines. Based on the abilities of these Corpse Worms, they should hold for about a week."

"If we're lucky, maybe even a month."

Liu Yaowu's estimate was based on data and logical inference. After all, reality wasn't a game. The corpses of the slain giant Corpse Worms would obstruct the path of those behind them. Once the bodies piled up to a certain point, it would become difficult for the swarm to continue its assault.