Chapter 9: The Hope of the Real World (Part 1)

The five individuals underwent physical repairs that lasted more than two hours. In fact, the others had completed their repairs within about an hour, but Zheng Zha's recovery took the longest. When his body was finally restored, the light illuminating him suddenly shifted, changing from a sunlight-like glow to a green hue. Only Zheng Zha himself gained a vague understanding—this was likely the "Lord God" repairing his nearly collapsing genes.

What exactly was the state of unlocking the genetic constraint? Even now, Zheng Zha couldn't fully describe it. In that state, countless pieces of information instinctively flooded his mind. Though he had only been able to use the unlocked genetic constraint during combat, that alone was extraordinary. At the very least, he survived after unlocking it. If he could employ this state in other scenarios—like when strategizing or conducting analysis—then he could potentially become an invincible superhuman.

Hovering in midair, Zheng Zha looked down at the people below. Zhang Jie laughed the loudest, holding a blushing, classically beautiful woman in his arms as he exclaimed,"Damn, we cheated death! But it was worth it—1,000 points just for participating in a horror movie, 500 points for each alien killed, plus 1,000 points for completing the mission and one D-level bonus storyline! Damn, it's true what they say: fortune favors the bold. I'll take these life-and-death experiences any day! Hahaha!"

Chu Xuan, who seemed to have just checked his own rewards with the "Lord God," said after a moment of silence,"Repairing my body cost 107 points. Is it usually this much?"

Zhang Jie shook his head."Simple repairs like fixing minor injuries are cheap. But if you're critically injured and don't even know which parts need fixing, the restoration function kicks in and fully repairs your body. That's a lot more expensive. You're lucky—107 points isn't too bad. I had to spend over 200 points to get fully restored."

Zhan Lan stood off to the side, her face gloomy as she lamented,"I spent over 400 points on repairs! Now I've only got around 1,600 points left—and that's including the 100-point explanation bonus for newbies. Ugh, fixing myself cost so much... The only consolation is the D-level storyline bonus."

Zhang Jie laughed heartily."Be content! For a horror movie where the plot was altered, the typical result is a total party wipeout. We managed to survive with five people—that's a miracle. You think bonus storylines are handed out for free? It's all thanks to Zheng Zha. Without him, we'd all be alien chow by now."

At the mention of "queen," the expressions of the four other survivors darkened as if recalling a traumatic experience—like being chased down an alley by a vicious dog, only to still get bitten. Zheng Zha would later describe it as feeling a chilling emptiness in their hearts.

Still, surviving was what mattered most. Finally, Zheng Zha had a chance to close his eyes and connect with the "Lord God." As soon as he established the connection, a series of reward numbers poured into his mind: 1,000 points for the movie, 1,000 points for killing two aliens, 3,000 points for killing the queen, plus 1,000 points for completing the mission and one D-level bonus storyline. That alone totaled 6,000 points. Additionally, there was a note about "surpassing the genetic threshold..." but beyond those words, there was no explanation, leaving Zheng Zha puzzled.

Six thousand points! And the D-level storyline bonus was another valuable prize. Zheng Zha felt a rush of excitement, but when he checked his remaining points, he froze. Only 4,170 points were left. He recalled having 276 points left over after his last redemption, and adding 6,000 points meant he had spent over 2,000 on restoring his body. This realization made him chuckle bitterly. It was a grim reminder of just how severe his injuries had been—severe enough that even the "Lord God" required such a high cost to save him. Thinking back on it sent shivers down his spine.

No matter what, being alive and having 4,000 points left brought an undeniable sense of security and fulfillment. Zheng Zha dismissed his connection with the "Lord God," relaxing his mind. He lay quietly in the green glow, resting until, over an hour later, he descended to the ground.

As soon as he landed, Zhang Jie pulled him into a hearty bear hug. When Zhang Jie let go, Lori immediately ran over, crying as she flung herself at him. As soon as she embraced him, the young girl bit his shoulder, her tears flowing uncontrollably onto him.

For someone deeply in love, moments of overwhelming joy and sorrow were inevitable. Lori's reaction exemplified this, especially given her age. At only 15 or 16—a high school freshman or sophomore—facing life and death was far beyond her emotional capacity.

Zhan Lan initially opened her arms, seemingly intending to rush over and cry too. But when she saw the expressions on Zheng Zha and Lori's faces, she lowered her arms slowly and stood silently, a faint smile on her lips.

Zhang Jie suddenly laughed loudly."Alright, alright, you two can get cozy later! Hahaha! Folks, I'll be off now. If there's anything to discuss, let's do it tomorrow. This experience was too intense. I'll have my wife cook us a feast to help us recover from the shock..." With that, he picked up the classical beauty by her waist, ignoring her shy protests, and carried her off toward their room, leaving the others staring in surprise.

Zheng Zha shook his head helplessly."You all know how to create your rooms, right? Just imagine their size and design. No one can enter without your permission. As for how to use the reward points... let's talk about it tomorrow. If we had heavy weapons during Alien 1, we might not have suffered such severe losses. Chu Xuan is better at this than I am, so we'll plan our strategy for future horror movies together."

With that, he picked up Lori in a similar fashion. The young girl yelped in surprise before wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Laughing heartily, Zheng Zha carried her toward his room. As he walked away, Chu Xuan's voice unexpectedly called out from behind him.

"This time... thanks."

"No need to thank me. If you hadn't saved me with your gun at the end, we might all be dead. Let's just call it teamwork. Hahaha..."

Without looking back, Zheng Zha responded cheerfully and disappeared into his room, leaving behind three silent figures on the plaza: Chu Xuan, Zero, and Zhan Lan, who gazed intently at his departing figure.