Before I finally set out to conquer a new location, I decided to spend some time in the city of Aofeadale.
I needed to replenish my supplies and take a break. In this city, you could find shops and taverns on narrow streets, where vendors were shouting out prices and the smell of fresh food and the muffled sounds of music were coming from every tavern.
I stopped at a small restaurant-shop that the locals called "the place for travelers."
Here you could not only buy food for the future, but also try real dishes, albeit virtual, but surprisingly realistic in taste.
I remembered how just a day earlier, when my parents were staying overnight at my place, Katzu unexpectedly joined them.
It was already in the late afternoon, at the large family table. Between conversations about writing and plans for the future, my brother leaned towards me and revealed a little secret:
—From the fifteenth level, you can access food and restaurants in Log Apofis. Now you can not only eat dry rations or drink elixirs, but also enjoy a full-fledged virtual kitchen.
I just snorted at the time, thinking it was another one of his lies. But now, as I stood in line at the counter, I saw a system window and realized that my brother was telling the truth.
The names of dishes flashed before my eyes, from simple soups and crispy bread to exquisite sweets that were clearly more expensive.
Everything looked so appetizing that I even started salivating, even though I knew perfectly well that my body was actually sitting in the real world.
—What I didn't expect from the game was that the virtual food would look and smell so real...
I said with a slight smile, looking at the invisible Fritte, who was looking at the menu with the eyes of a hungry dog.
This mechanic was not implemented by the developers of Log Apofis by chance. They wanted players not to spend endless time looking for food in wild locations.
Whether it was dark swamps, endless forests or desert lands, where every minute could cost a life. Therefore, starting from level 15, everyone had access to a full-fledged food system.
Players could buy food at special restaurants and shops that looked like giant orange pumpkins, bright domed buildings that glowed softly from the inside.
When a player entered one of these "pumpkins," they entered a cozy dining room where they could choose from a menu, buy takeout, or even order a festive meal for a group.
When I tried this mechanic for the first time, I couldn't hide my surprise.
—How does this work?
I whispered to myself, but Fritte just looked at me in confusion. I felt the hot broth I had just tasted filling my virtual stomach with warmth.
It turned out that the Log Apofis's food system is directly connected to neuroimpulses that are sent directly to the player's brain.
When the character ate, the simulation of the taste and texture of food was so realistic that the nervous system recorded satiety, as if it had happened in reality.
The developers called this phenomenon virtual hunger. It worked on a simple principle:
While you are in the game and your character is full, the brain receives a signal that "the body is fed." You feel light and can even forget about eating in the real world.
But as soon as the helmet is removed, this illusion is dispelled. The real stomach makes itself known, and the person feels hungry as if they hadn't eaten at all.
Thus, food in the game had a dual purpose. On the one hand, it provided temporary buffs such as increased speed, resistance, or regeneration.
On the other hand, it created an illusion of a real meal, allowing players to immerse themselves deeper into the world and even use virtual nourishment to avoid distractions during long journeys. I chuckled, recalling Katzu's words:
"Imagine, you can be on a diet in reality, but in the game there are pies, meat and sweets without any consequences. Only after leaving the VR you still have to go to the kitchen."
Indeed, there was a certain paradox: virtual satiety helped to feel comfortable, but the real body still demanded real food.
Having bought some food at the local shop-restaurant, I carefully put them in the inventory and adjusted the belt, feeling the pleasant weight of the reserves in the interface.
I had already made plans for the near future: to go to the mountain-ant hill, where, according to rumors, monsters with unique crafting materials lived. This was a chance not only to level up and hone combat skills, but also to get rare ingredients to strengthen weapons.
I smiled, finally having the opportunity to grow without unnecessary haste, step by step strengthening my advantage.
However, as soon as I stepped out of the shop, the system gave me a notification:
[New private message]
The sender's name was flashing with a familiar nickname: Akaha (Aka-32).
"I've become stronger! And I've arrived in Aofeadail. Where are you? Let's meet!"
I didn't expect Aka-32 to reach this city so quickly. At first, I even re-read the line, as if I couldn't believe my eyes: "Already in Aofeadale."
With a small smile on my lips, I typed a response:
"Listen, if you're already here, go to the restaurant shop, which looks like a large yellow pumpkin. I'll be waiting for you right outside the entrance."
I looked around. The restaurant really stood out among the other buildings. Its bright yellow walls, with rounded, almost carved windows, reminded me of fairy-tale houses.
A decorative green "wicker-vine" stuck out of the roof, as if the house itself had been carved out of a giant pumpkin.
A crowd of players and NPCs were slowly moving around the street, and I settled at the entrance, waiting. My fingers were slightly trembling with anticipation: seeing a friend after so many events, and in a new city, it was like a small celebration.
I wonder how much she changed in this game?