Apocalypse: System of lotteries

In the gentle warmth of the morning sun, upon awakening and standing on the rooftop facing east, Ming stretched his body languidly towards the rising sun. As he turned his gaze to the home's northern, he was suddenly struck by the uncanny sensation that a pair of eyes was intently watching him.

Although his home atop the hill was still far from the border, the sensation felt real. He promptly picked up his binoculars and scanned the northern boundary but found no anomalies—beyond the edge lay only suburbs, hills, and forests.

"Could it truly be an illusion?" Ming pondered, slowly lowering the binoculars.

Your Foodie opened its eyes, looking at you, who was holding binoculars. It wanted to tell you it was hungry, was time to eat, and had a delightful dream the night before, filled with rivers, mountains, and meat...

Da Vinci awoke, pushing aside the squirrel's tail, finding it quite suitable as a blanket. You see, Bill, the Useless guy, was nowhere to be found.

Out of curiosity, Ming raised his binoculars once more and peered toward the mount peak of Alan but saw no trace of the three giant crabs. He presumed the duo had already ventured off to the regional map, wishing them a prosperous journey and hoping they'd return with valuable treasures.

Subsequently, he prepared a simple breakfast of steamed crab, roast pigeon, sweet and sour fish, and snake soup made from two serpents. While dining, he perused the world chat channel:

"Our division has begun constructing a fortress. Yesterday's shared monster was too formidable, resulting in even more casualties than our first encounter. We plan to pool everyone's resources to build a formidable stronghold."

"That's a reasonable idea. How do you plan to go about it?"

"Does your area lack strong players? As long as there are a few capable individuals, it's quite simple. I would suggest that you concentrate all the equipment on a select few. That's how our region operates."

"..."

As he read, Ming contemplated the merits of building a fortress. For now, all shared bosses were humanoid and unable to fly. Constructing a tall, sturdy defense would allow people to attack from an elevated position, reducing unnecessary casualties. The downside was a lack of flexibility, and if a monster were to descend within the fortress, it could result in a one-sided bloodbath.

Pooling area resources to create an elite squad was also a viable strategy, offering greater flexibility. However, if these individuals faced unexpected challenges in regional maps or personal copies, the region could suffer a crippling blow. After all, if these top-tier players focused solely on defending their territory, it would result in another form of internal conflict.

Combining both approaches could prove effective, but it would require absolute unity in thought and resource allocation.

"Our area is attempting a similar strategy, creating a small team with the best weapons and equipment. All high-quality resources are concentrated on them. However, many worry that they may become difficult to control as they grow stronger."

"You mean difficult to control, which is a normal concern."

"Every region is researching this issue lately. Last night, Special Warfare Division Two shared their experience and proposed a solution, but it does not apply to most areas."

"..."

After finishing their meal, Ming stood up, ready to venture through the "Terrifying Hospital" copy. But he decided not to bring his frogs along, as he planned to return shortly to collect resources from the regional map.

As he descended the hill and headed toward the division center, he encountered David. He found it curious to see David looking downcast, considering his recent abundance of wealth and companionship.

How rare and how delightful.

"Good morning!" they greeted each other.

"What's been troubling you?" Ming glanced at David. "Your complexion looks rather sallow."

"..."

David waved dismissively. "Don't mock me; I'm feeling a bit down right now."

Ming smiled. "Well, I'm in quite a good mood today."

David sighed heavily. "Tell me, do appearances matter when you love someone?"

"..."

Ming looked at David, patted him on the shoulder, and pointed to a layer of dust on the ground without saying a word.

...

The two walked toward the area center, remaining silent throughout the journey. At that moment, two women passed by them, greeted Ming, and cast a glance at David before quickly walking away, whispering: "See? It's that 'soil man.' After Hecate kissed him, her mouth was full of mud balls."

"Keep it down; don't let anyone hear."

"I'm curious about how the mud balls formed."

"I want to know if Hecate choked on them?"

...

Ming turned to look at  David, who approached and handed him a piece of refined gold. "Don't ask me about that."

Ming stored the gold in his inventory and, with a sympathetic and regretful expression, patted David's shoulder. "It's quite a romantic memory~."

"..."

David brushed the hand off his shoulder. "If you can't offer comfort, then don't speak." He then changed the subject: "Last night, after discussions, we decided on two things: one, to build a fortress; and two, to form an elite 10-person team and allocate the region's high-quality resources to them."

"Sounds good. At the very least, it's a plan," Ming nodded in agreement.

He knew David wasn't just here to talk about his heartbreak. As a representative of area 109, David must have had other matters to discuss. So Ming asked, "Is there anything you need my help with?"

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Everyone thinks you're already quite strong, so you're not among those ten. We hope you won't take offense," David said straightforwardly, knowing there was no need to beat around the bush when discussing serious matters.

"I understand," Ming nodded.

No one can guarantee he won't encounter accidents in regional maps or personal copies, so balance is the most appropriate approach for the current situation—a fact not difficult to comprehend.

David added, "But everyone wants me to tell you that if you need anything, just speak up, and they'll do their best to accommodate you."

"Alright," Ming continued walking forward.

"Although everyone has jointly established the 10-person team, you are still the spiritual pillar of our area 109," David said before adding, "You might not know this, but some people in our division have started praying, hoping for your safe and smooth journeys, and wishing you the best of luck in everything."

"Thank them on my behalf."

"I've found a new business opportunity from this matter, but I'll need your cooperation."

"Go on."

"I want to create and sell statues of you for people to worship so that they can ensure their safety."

"..."

Ming stopped in their tracks and looked at the earnest, earthy-faced David. He realized the term "profiteer" could no longer describe him.