Meat that could be eaten outside of the city was rare. Humanity had essentially done away with the majority of its farmland, along with cows and other livestock, because those things were now grown in laboratories. The same was true for most food, which was produced inside massive agricultural towers capable of supplying enormous quantities year-round. Since energy was no longer a real concern, growing food this way cost virtually nothing and produced food that was considered healthier than crops grown in fields constantly sprayed with chemicals.
As a result, farmers were quickly pushed out of business. Governments no longer needed them, as traditional farming cost money while the new vertical farms generated massive profits. Farmers also owned large amounts of land that governments and corporations had long wanted to acquire. Subsidies disappeared almost overnight, and with consumers buying cheaper and supposedly better food elsewhere, many farmers were forced to sell their land at dirt-cheap prices and seek work in other industries.
A few farmers managed to survive by catering to conspiracy theorists who believed governments were poisoning food supplies. However, these groups were small and could not support many producers. Overall, humanity had abandoned a huge portion of its naturally grown food supply. In the new farming towers, humans often never came within thirty meters of the produce before it reached consumers.
The livestock that survived were mostly maintained by wealthy individuals. Owning naturally raised animals had become a status symbol, allowing rich people to boast about eating authentic meat. Because of this, naturally grown meat was rare and expensive. It was therefore not surprising that Tom nearly lost his mind at the sight of real ham.
"I bought some in the shop," Arin said as he showed the bowl filled with ham cubes. "Mana-dense meat is ridiculously expensive, but normal grown meat isn't too bad." The sight alone was enough to make Tom stare at the bowl like it contained treasure. The smell drifting from the pan only made things worse.
"Tell me how expensive, because then I'm treating myself to a steak tonight," Tom said excitedly while watching Arin eat his omelet. His eyes never left the bowl. It was almost painful to watch someone else enjoy meat after so long. Even Bill was looking interested now.
"One large wooden coin," Arin replied between mouthfuls. He glanced toward the kilogram of meat he had purchased and nodded in satisfaction. The price was steep, but he considered it worth every coin. After all, good food was one of the few luxuries left.
"That is expensive, but it is so worth it," Tom declared immediately. He was already planning his evening meal in great detail. The idea of eating an actual steak was enough to make him grin. Nobody present blamed him for it.
An hour later, the improvised stove had burned down into a pile of glowing coals. Breakfast was finished, and everyone had cleaned their pans and plates using the water they had brought with them. The pleasant smell of cooked food slowly faded from the clearing. Reality soon returned as work awaited them.
"Right, let's go," Arin said as he stood up. Looking around, he noticed several of the family's younger members gathering nearby after being attracted by the smell of cooking meat. One by one they joined the group. It was honestly frightening how much food they consumed every day.
The kilogram of ham had only been enough for four people. That did not even account for the eggs and vegetables consumed alongside it. Fortunately, the family produced most of its vegetables and eggs themselves. Meat, however, remained painfully expensive.
"Hey, have you guys heard about that secret realm in Brussels?" Bertho asked as they began walking toward the portal. They were heading there to relieve their parents, who had spent the night fighting. Night shifts were particularly dangerous because the corrupted creatures were difficult to see in the darkness. Often only their glowing eyes gave away their position.
"No, tell me about it. It sounds interesting," Tom replied while patting his stomach contentedly. The breakfast had put him in an excellent mood. News from outside the forest was always welcome. Everyone quietly listened.
"Well, a company rented a bunch of old handmade boats," Bertho began. "They use them to ferry people to an island in the river running through Brussels. People pay a lot of money for access, and they've developed a mature system for controlling the number of participants. Because of that, they're killing absurd numbers of creatures every day."
The operation had become extremely popular. Around five thousand people visited the island daily to fight monsters and earn rewards. According to reports, everything had been going smoothly for quite some time. There were plenty of injuries but no deaths.
"That changed yesterday," Bertho continued grimly. "A corrupted tiger burst out of the secret realm. Rumor says it was Stage 1. Twenty people died, and another five hundred suffered serious injuries before it was finally brought down."
"Wait, you're serious?" Bill shouted. His reaction matched what everyone else was thinking. Twenty deaths was a massive number in the current era. The mood instantly grew heavier.
"Dead serious," Bertho answered. "The portal is still producing creatures, which means there are probably more threats of that level waiting inside. Nobody knows how many. That's what makes it scary."
"That's unnerving," Arin admitted. He frowned as he thought about his own family members. The possibility of losing someone suddenly felt much more real. Until now, the secret realm had almost seemed manageable.
"Do they have any details about the battle?" he asked after a moment. If stronger creatures existed, understanding how they fought would be important. Information often saved lives. The family valued reports almost as much as weapons.
"No official battle report yet," Bertho replied. "Most of the people fighting there were civilians. The military was busy dealing with other corrupted creatures emerging from the portal when the tiger rushed out. They weren't in position to stop it immediately."
"It sounds like the tiger only counted as one spawn slot in the eyes of the realm," Bertho continued. "Which means a stronger creature doesn't necessarily reduce the number of weaker ones. That's not exactly reassuring." Several people grimaced at that possibility.
"That sucks," Arin muttered. "I take it the media is going crazy?" He already knew about the project through his father, who knew, who was responsible for the company's creation. From what he understood, the investors were probably thrilled despite the casualties.
"Oh, they're absolutely losing their minds," Bertho replied. "The media has been trapped in cities for months with very little exciting news. Something like this is the biggest story they've had in ages. They're covering every detail they can get."
"Not that it will change much," he added. "The contracts are apparently watertight. Everyone signed willingly. The company behind the operation seems legally protected."
"That was always going to happen," Arin said with a shrug. Then a small smile appeared on his face. "Still, it's a shame about the phones. Normally we would have had footage of the whole thing. Watching a corrupted tiger fight hundreds of people would have been incredible."
Several members of the group nodded enthusiastically. The thought horrified them, but it fascinated them as well. They were young, after all, and stories of dangerous battles naturally captured their imaginations. Even now, they found themselves wondering what a Stage 1 creature truly looked like.
As the conversation faded, the youths gradually spread out across the forest. Their destination was the secret realm, where another shift was waiting to be relieved. The work never stopped, and the corrupted creatures certainly weren't going to wait for them. With bows in hand and arrows at their sides, they disappeared into the trees, ready for another day guarding the forest.