This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 108: The Nomads from the Wilderness

Chapter 108: Chapter 108: The Nomads from the Wilderness

As Chu Guang stepped into Factory 81, he felt the temperature around him rise significantly, making him feel somewhat overheated despite wearing a deerskin coat.

He looked up and saw, at the very center of the workshop, two furnaces, one large and one small.

These furnaces were cast from molds and lined with refractory materials such as silica, serving as the acidic furnace lining.

The blast furnace, equipped with a blower, was responsible for heating the scrap steel inside to 1300 degrees, melting it into molten iron, while the other furnace, raised on a concrete base with six air inlets, was in charge of converting the 1300-degree molten iron into qualified steel by blowing.

This process did not require reheating.

The heat released during the oxidation process was sufficient to raise the temperature of the steel in the furnace from 1300 degrees to 1600-1700 degrees. A certain proportion of chromium was added, and after the steelmaking was completed, the molten steel was poured from the converter into molds made of refractory material and repeatedly rolled by a pair of rollers.

For the sake of convenience, many pulleys and hoists had been installed on the ceiling, most of which were made from materials dismantled from old tire factories, and their quality was still very reliable.

Currently, Factory 81 was still just a small workshop that lacked the means to precisely measure the carbon content in the converter. The technical principle used was merely an improved version of a mid-nineteenth-century acidic bottom-blown converter steelmaking method based on "modern" experience.

Chu Guang, not very knowledgeable about steelmaking, intuitively felt that this setup was far more professional than the primitive blast furnace Old White had created.

Especially the pair of rollers, and the simple electric motor made from copper wire next to them, even he, a layman, thought it looked feasible.

At least it seemed more credible than manually hammering.

It just seemed to lack a stamping machine; seamless steel pipes couldn’t be produced, but with a bit of effort, that shouldn’t be a big problem!

Brother Levin quickly closed the workshop door and brought the Manager to their workbench, showing the results of their recent work.

"20mm curved armor, tailored to your measurements! This detachable steel plate can perfectly integrate with the front of your KV-1 Exoskeleton, providing a greater angle of armor for critical areas like your heart, to avoid fatal injuries. Additionally, as you requested, we designed this armor with two special keels, so even if the armor is completely destroyed, it can be quickly dismantled and replaced!"

"Based on our performance tests, this steel plate can perfectly defend against rifle and pistol bullets of various calibers, such as 5mm, 7mm, and 9mm, fired from any distance! Just by donning it on your chest, even amidst a barrage of bullets, you could retreat calmly!"

Chu Guang lifted the curved steel plate and estimated its weight to be around fifty to sixty kilograms.

That was just one piece of armor.

If a similar curved steel plate were to be attached to his back as well, the total weight of the upper body armor would probably be around a hundred kilograms.

Without an exoskeleton, wearing this wouldn’t be easy. Even full medieval plate armor weighed only about 25-30 kilograms, and including the tack, it was hard to exceed 45 kilograms.

And this was just a breastplate.

"What about the other parts?"

Brother Ciso immediately interjected from the side.

"They’re all here! Besides the front armor, we’ve also designed corresponding rear armor for you, as well as bulletproof linings to protect the torso! But for your safety, we still don’t recommend you stand on the frontline of the battlefield. After all, such conspicuous armor will definitely become the enemy’s primary target."

Chu Guang smiled.

What a joke.

If even you can think of that, wouldn’t I have considered it?

For now, Chu Guang would only join the fray to secure a kill and show the players a "cutscene" when victory was virtually assured.

As for leading a charge, how could he steal the players’ thunder?

He just needed to pick the right moment to blow the whistle.

However, this set of armor looked like not only he could use it, but it would also be quite useful for the Meat Mountain Big Steamed Bun and Trash Lord.

Both of their panel attributes were pretty good, with initial strength values nearing 10. A few levels up, and they could definitely handle it.

Since they had the polydactyl debuff and struggled with operating complex machines or working in livelihood roles suited for "Game" players, they were naturally suited to serve as tanks.

A huge white bear or a Lizard man clad in heavy armor charging forth—just imagining that scene was enough to be astonishing.

The 20mm steel plate was enough to allow these monsters to reach the enemy’s cover before their armor could be shredded by light weapons.

Chu Guang checked the other protective gear including the helmet, which basically covered more than 90% of his front and 100% of his vital areas.

With the Nitrogen-Powered Hammer, he didn’t need to charge under fierce gunfire. It was enough for him to guard against sneak attacks at critical times.

"The total weight of the armor is 220 kg, over by 20 kg, but it’s not a big problem," Chu Guang set down the protective gear and looked at the two players. "May I try it?"

Brother Ciso and Brother Levin nodded in unison, their expressions filled with excitement.

"Of course! We’ve been ready!"

"Please do give it a try!"

What’s the point of making equipment if you don’t test it?

Speaking of which, Brother Ciso and Brother Levin, struggling under the weight, carried the hundred-kilogram breastplate and set it on a wooden stake that served as a target, then quickly moved aside to avoid stray bullets.

Chu Guang estimated the distance to be about thirty meters, then pulled out a 10mm caliber silver revolver from his waist and fired a shot at the breastplate.

Bang—!

The explosive sound echoed through the factory, and the muzzle flash burst forth like lightning. The breastplate hanging on the wooden stake seemed as if it had been struck by lightning, falling backwards along with the stake.

He didn’t expect the gun to be so powerful!

The two players widened their eyes and rushed over to see. When they saw the bullet lodged in the steel plate, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"It penetrated, but didn’t go all the way through!"

"The bullet’s construction is solid, it didn’t even fragment. Although the bullet is flattened... Ow, that’s hot." Brother Levin touched the bullet and immediately withdrew his finger as if electrocuted.

It wasn’t painful, but it seemed to blister.

Walking over to inspect the piece of armor lying on the ground, Chu Guang nodded in satisfaction.

"You’ve done very well. It seems your steel factory is on the right track. The reward for completing the task has been credited to Enterprise Account No. 81 of the Steel Factory, totaling 200 silver coins!"

"In addition, for your exceptional individual performance, I will award you an additional 20 silver coins and 200 contribution points on behalf of the Manager."

After hearing the Manager’s words, the faces of the two players immediately lit up with joy and excitement.

They didn’t expect there to be extra rewards for completing this task!

"Thank you, Lord Manager!!"

"We will certainly continue to work hard! We’ll make Steel Factory No. 81 shine bigger and stronger!"

"Good, that’s the spirit!" Chu Guang cleared his throat, his expression stern as he continued seriously, "Next, I have two more important tasks to assign to you."

"Currently, the Outpost Base lacks heavy armor and seamless steel required for producing gun barrels. I need you to produce 10 sets of breastplates weighing less than 30 kg each, designed so that standard-sized Residents of the refuge can wear them, primarily aimed at Strength Type Residents."

"In addition, I need you to produce 10 pieces of 7mm caliber seamless steel tubes, capable of withstanding the chamber pressure generated when firing rifle bullets."

"The specific details and rewards for the tasks have been updated in your VMs; please check them in time."

After hearing this, Brother Ciso and Brother Levin immediately stood up straight, their morale high as they shouted.

"Guaranteed to complete the tasks!"

Very good.

Chu Guang nodded satisfactorily and finally instructed the two men with a few words about "pay attention to production safety."

Then, he put on the fully protective exoskeleton and, carrying a large hammer, left what seemed like a furnace of a steel factory.

Outside the factory.

The heavy snow briefly paused, and the sky in the distance gradually darkened.

It was now the NPCs’ rest time, and the weapon shop at the Outpost Base had already closed its doors.

With today’s daily wage in hand, Xia Yan, limping with a cane, curiously strolled to the North Gate Market.

Looking at the stalls filled with a variety of commodities, her eyes widened in surprise.

Of course, the players were even more surprised.

They had never seen Boss Xia leave her weapon shop, let alone wander the North Gate Market.

"Damn, the weapon shop owner came out?"

"Awesome! NPCs can now buy players’ items!?"

"Wait, hasn’t the Manager always been buying? I’ve seen him sneak over here to eat long ago!"

"Is that the same thing? The Manager is the planner’s darling child! Besides, haven’t you heard the planner say? The code for other NPCs was based on his source code. Clearly, his AI evolved, and the other NPCs have become smarter too! Maybe in the future all NPCs will be able to buy our stuff!"

"Damn, now that you mention it, why does it feel like a nurturing game?"

"emmmm... Nurturing the Manager? That sounds about right. After all, he’s so smart now, at least half of that is thanks to us."

"..."

Sometimes, Chu Guang really wished his ears weren’t so sharp, or people would always misjudge him as being petty.

On my honor, isn’t he selfless enough?

People like him were almost extinct in the Wasteland!

"Here."

The sudden voice by his ear broke Chu Guang’s train of thought.

Turning his head, he saw Xia Yan, her elbow holding the cane, handing him a skewer of roasted deer leg meat with one hand.

"Last time you treated me to soup, this time I’m treating you to roasted deer leg!"

The act of holding the cane with her elbow while also holding the roasted deer meat was somewhat comical.

Chu Guang laughed and took the deer leg.

"Then I won’t be polite. But as your boss, I still have to remind you, you should spend your wages sparingly."

Xia Yan, biting into the meat, blinked her eyes.

"Spend sparingly? What’s that?"

"Don’t you have a habit of saving?"

"Saving?"

"Forget it," Chu Guang blew on the hot deer leg meat, gently tore off a small piece with his teeth, chewed it carefully, swallowed, and then spoke deliberately, "I never said anything."

Xia Yan: "?"

Having lived such comfortable days for so long, he had almost forgotten about that time on Bet Street.

The vast majority of people on the Wasteland lived day by day; the concept of saving was foreign to them.

Who knew when the chips saved up would end up in someone else’s pocket? Better to live each day happily.

At that moment, a player suddenly ran over from afar, shouting excitedly as he ran.

"A lot of people are coming from the north! They’re moving south along the city’s elevated roads, about fifty or sixty people... maybe sixty or seventy, and they’re leading a few camels and cows! Not sure what their identity is!"

The players at the market entrance immediately burst into discussion.

"Could it be a Commercial Team?"

"My giao, more merchants?!"

"Weren’t they supposed to be the last wave of the winter?"

"I don’t know, strictly speaking, the last time should have been the last one, but then there was another wave, wasn’t there? It’s not strange!"

Watching the busy ’players,’ Xia Yan glanced at the VM, saw no movement, then tilted her head to sneak a peek at Chu Guang’s expression. Noticing his look becoming increasingly solemn.

Even if she wasn’t skilled in reading expressions, she guessed that something bad must have happened.

So she quickly finished the half of the roasted deer leg in her hand and asked quietly, holding her cane,

"What happened?"

"Most likely nomads."

"Nomads?! What are they doing in Qingquan City this time? The snow has already fallen so heavily." Xia Yan looked shocked.

She had indeed heard rumors about nomads, although they weren’t very good ones.

"I don’t know, the snow came suddenly this year, more than a month earlier than usual. War, famine, tides... these aren’t unique to Qingquan City, the Central Continent isn’t just made up of River Valley Province."

The nomads on the Wasteland weren’t those who tend livestock, but those displaced persons who, having lost their homes and forced to wander, live by hunting and scavenging.

They usually signified disaster, chaos, and ill omen but weren’t as blatantly violent and plundering as Looters.

Maybe one day they’d find a suitable homeland, settle down permanently, and embark on a lawful path.

Or they might suddenly find a stash of weapons, become emboldened, cross the moral line, and veer completely towards the camp of chaotic evil.

Of course, the possibility of this was very small, like winning a lottery; maybe only one or two out of ten thousand chances would hit the jackpot.

Previously, Liu Zhengyue of Brown Farm had mistaken them for wanderitous nomads because of the large amount of jerky Chu Guang had brought to trade food.

It turns out he really encountered them this time...

"Go back and stay in the refuge."

If they continued to move forward, they’d certainly discover the brick factory in the northwest corner of Rhombus Lake Wetland Park.

Without further explanation to Xia Yan, Chu Guang looked at the players at the market entrance and raised his voice.

"Everyone, gather."

"Bring your weapons, and come with me to meet them!"