Chapter 482: Compensation

Obviously nothing happened, so why does this item seem to have evolved on its own?

Moreover… this disaster also faintly exudes an unusual aura.

All disasters before the plague, including the plague itself, were isolated; compared to this sky‑covering flood, they really count as mild.

Why… did it suddenly change?

After Cheng Shuili finished looking at the prediction, she pondered this question for a long time.

After thinking it over, the only major recent event was the server merger.

But the server merger isn't next Monday; it's the Monday after next. According to normal logic, next week should still be a regular week.

Cheng Shuili originally trusted every system notification implicitly.

But after meeting Beichen and her group in Chenhuan, Cheng Shuili realized something anew.

That the system can also have problems.

Just like the instance on the rest day, and the betting and cheering systems in the two full‑server instances that Zhinü mentioned, which never went live……

Cheng Shuili suddenly realized something.

That even the system is not omniscient and omnipotent.

Just like when she first obtained the shop employee certificate and used it to recycle others' vehicles, interfacing with different systems would yield different quotes.

Some systems want to earn more game coin per single recycle, while others are willing to pursue "thin profit, high volume."

These all mean that these systems are more human‑like than she imagined, and also that game coin might have greater uses—she just hasn't discovered them yet.

And the fact that the system is too human‑like practically means infinite possibilities.

People change orders from morning to evening; maybe the system will too.

If the server merge weren't the Monday after next but next Monday, all the anomalies would make sense.

Thinking this through, Cheng Shuili opened Xinxue's chat window, urging her to speed up preparations, preferably finishing before Monday.

Xinxue's side, though unclear why, merely replied wearily: "I'll just pull a few all‑nighters."

Cheng Shuili laughed and comforted her with a few words; just as they were getting into the conversation, Zhinü's voice finally sounded.

The conclusion of this instance has arrived.

"Hello, players. I'm sorry to disturb you at this time, but you should have seen the afternoon server‑wide announcement: this instance arrangement has a serious problem—an extremely high‑difficulty instance that shouldn't appear now has taken this week's instance slot."

Earlier, players in the regional channel knew that Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji and Qing Qing's kiss ended the instance, and that they two had saved many people—but—

"What? What do you mean by a major problem with the instance arrangement?"

"So the abnormal problem they mentioned earlier is this kind of problem? No, wait… such a big thing, and they just brushed it off with those four words 'abnormal problem'???"

"Hold on, let me think… does it mean this week's instance shouldn't have been this difficult? Did the system mess up?"

"So does ending the instance mean they just dismantled it? Because they took apart the instance, they saved so many people—what a violent solution… they're way too capable, right?"

"What are we discussing? The point should be—since the error is the system's fault, the system should issue compensation, right? Is it easy for me to still be alive?"

"What about the dead? Those who died because of your mistake—!! Are our human lives not lives?!!"

"Suddenly I feel the system is terrifying… Do they have feelings? Do they care how many of us die?"

"Zhinü! Come out! Give us an explanation! What are the names of the dead? How did they die? What is the compensation? Dare you make it public!"

"I'm freezing all over. What kind of world are we in? Aren't the systems the rule‑makers? How can they still make mistakes?"

"When feudal dynasties couldn't survive, they could still rebel—what can we do now?"

Zhinü's remarks stirred a huge uproar in all major region channels.

For a moment, all kinds of speculation filled the major region channels, but no matter what the speculation, every player was expressing the same thing.

They demanded fairness!

Such a demand is reasonable, after all this is a life‑threatening game; if it's not fair at all……

The players' doubts quickly coalesced into a single voice, demanding the system give a concrete explanation and clarification.

Silence.

A long silence.

This had never happened before.

Zhinü's voice was like a fixed procedure—announcing matters, answering doubts; although tinged with emotion, she remained aloft.

But now, facing the furious players, that omnipresent voice actually disappeared.

This silence was more unsettling than any answer.

Just as speculation in the regional channel intensified, nearly turning into a larger panic, Zhinü's voice finally rang out again.

This time, her tone was no longer the programmed‑enthusiastic broadcast; instead it revealed an unusual… calm, even icy.

"Regarding this abnormal instance incident, the situation is indeed true."

"According to statistics, across the entire server, the total number of players who died due to this abnormality is: person."

A precise number down to the ones place.

Ice‑cold, like a frost‑quenched dagger stabbing into the heart of every living player.

Over 340,000 people… died just because of a single mistake.

The channel instantly fell dead silent, even the scrolling stopped.

The impact of that number was too huge, even overwhelming anger.

Zhinü's voice continued steadily, as if reading a report unrelated to her:

"For players who participated in the instance and survived, they will additionally receive one special rest‑day food item with the instance conclusion!"

"For players who died inside the instance…… the departed are gone; may the survivors look to the future."

"The above compensation will be distributed within one hour."

"Details of the situation will not be disclosed; this announcement ends here."

The words fell away, and then there was no sound.

The channel stayed silent, but this silence was utterly different from before—a silence laden with helplessness and chill spread out.

The compensation plan was perfunctory, and the details were refused to be disclosed.

So... is that it?

A player asked a question in the regional channel, and the tone was full of absurdity.

They killed over 300,000 people and only compensate with one meal? Who would care about a single meal?

That's over 300,000 people! What does over 300,000 even mean? Our Long Guo region, even after the server merge, only has 220,000!

During the server merge test, they showed the player count—it was Friday, and the whole world still had over 900,000. In other words, one Instance on Saturday killed a third of all humanity.

If you don't like the compensation, don't eat it—but don't waste it either; I suggest you send the food to me.