This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 154: Eternal Friends

Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Eternal Friends

"...Forget it, just consider it eating a piece of candy."

The sounds of gunfire not far away had gradually subsided, and Chu Guang, who was observing the battlefield through a small drone, tossed the unwrapped radiation-diminishing pill into his mouth.

Even with his constitution, there was no real need for it, but without eating one, he always felt uneasy.

Because the players’ performance was so impressive, Chu Guang never found the right moment to join in until the end.

But that was a good thing.

Chu Guang was very satisfied with the growth of the small players.

The difference between fighting against Variants and team battles was quite significant.

After this battle, even the players from the Alpha 0.6 version could take off their rookie hats, and many veteran players had advanced to being old soldiers who had experienced three battles.

Moreover, they were all able to "survive."

With this experience, Chu Guang believed they would be even more courageous next time.

Besides, it must be said, the Army’s combat power was indeed very strong.

Anti-tank rockets whizzed through the air over the positions, fragment grenades were launched from grenade launchers, and a machine gun was mounted behind the defense works.

It was fortunate that Trash King had charged in first, otherwise, twenty or so more lives might have been lost.

After the machine gun ceased fire, the battle was essentially over.

The players quickly tore a hole in the eastern side of the Army’s second line of defense, aiding the advance of the allied power armor through the Army’s defenses.

The only regret was that Trash King did not survive; a cluster grenade blasted him into the sky in the trenches.

The steam boiler burst as well, boiling water hissed up into the air, dispersing into fireworks through the mist.

It was quite a spectacle.

Outside the battlefield, Chu Guang, who was observing, was stunned and quickly recorded it.

Putting this in a promotional PV with a one-second clip wouldn’t be too much, right?

Forget strength, coolness is everything!

...

The battle at the front had come to an end.

Next to the burning trench.

A player stepped forward, trying to pick up the pipe rifle on the ground.

At that moment, a Clone lying face up suddenly opened his eyes, struggled to stand up, and bit into the player’s thigh, startling the player who immediately kicked him away.

"Damn! Are you a freaking dog or what? Put your hands up! Move again and I shoot—"

Bang!

A gunshot rang out from the side, blowing the head off the half-burnt Clone.

The player was dumbfounded as a soldier wearing an exoskeleton passed by him and patted his shoulder.

"They are all pitiful people; giving them a quick end is better."

The player stared blankly at the retreating figure, not understanding what he was talking about, then glared at the corpse on the ground, swearing under his breath.

Damn!

silver coins turned into 5 copper coins!

What a freaking loss!

The clean-up of the battlefield went relatively smoothly.

These Clone infantry had no intention of surviving—the ones who were stunned by explosions and woke up would charge with a howl, only to be shot dead.

Initially, the players planned to take prisoners alive.

After all, live captives were more valuable, and there was a certain discomfort in slaughtering those who laid down their weapons—it could be done, but it wasn’t necessary.

However, the players soon realized that these people weren’t normal at all.

Whether it was incomplete AI programming or just the design, these Clones were like Eaters with guns, so the players stopped holding back. They would finish off even those who couldn’t move with a stab or an axe chop, to prevent any surprises during the search.

As for those Army centurions and millennia leaders in dark blue coats, although many showed desperate resistance, when they realized the situation was hopeless, those trapped in the trenches eventually threw down their weapons and raised their hands to surrender.

Compared to the lower-ranking frontline officers who resisted to the end, Centurion Vanus, who acted as the commander, surrendered even more straightforwardly.

He hadn’t run at all, sitting quietly in the temporary command post, pouring himself half a cup of cloudy wine, waiting for the Pioneer’s power armor to come searching.

In this heavy snowfall, where could he run to?

Without supplies and no guards following, he couldn’t possibly cross the hundreds of kilometers to the Expeditionary Army headquarters.

Not to mention drones were flying overhead. Without thermal insulation, even the mist from his breath could be seen clearly, let alone him, a large man.

As soon as he stepped out of the command post, he would light up like a lamp.

Rather than having his head pushed into the snow by the pursuers, it would be more dignified to wait here and surrender.

As a high-ranking officer with complete military education, his value was far greater than that of ordinary Clone soldiers and those small Slave Owners who led Clone soldiers into battle. The Army permitted them to surrender to the enemy after their forces suffered over 90% casualties.

Although he would be demoted a level, as long as he could survive, there was still a chance.

The corporate folks rarely slaughtered prisoners of war, and Lu Yang indeed hadn’t done anything to him. He just had someone cuff him and take him back with those surrendering Centurions.

The logistics personnel built a temporary prison out of foam material in an open snowy field, which even had plastic water heating pipes installed, connected to a small wood-burning stove.

If they got too cold, they could go outside and gather firewood to burn themselves.

However, correspondingly, once they were locked up, the corporate people would take their coats, leaving them only a shirt and trousers.

With heavy snow swirling outside, even freeing a hand could result in it freezing, let alone trying to escape.

Without a cold-proof coat, it’s feared that one might not even make it a kilometer before freezing to death in the snow.

Compared to those prisoners, Chu Guang was more interested in the equipment they left behind.

The gear of these Clone light infantry was poor; only a few had assault rifles, most had semi-automatics or even bolt-action rifles.

However, what’s commendable is that they managed to standardize the weapon styles and bullet calibers.

Unlike Chu Guang’s players, some were holding 9mm, some 7mm, and there were those with the 5mm revolvers; if the distance increased, the bullets might hit anywhere but the target.

It appeared that this group of Looters calling themselves an Army had some capable logistics, likely backed by industry, but the exact level was hard to judge.

Besides the conventional weapons, the players also scavenged ten 12mm caliber machine guns and nearly 100 unutilized, Iron Fist-looking anti-tank rocket launchers that resembled the "Iron Fist."

These anti-tank rockets were light, weighing less than 5 kilograms, with around 200 grams of propellant stuffed inside the slender metal tubes, meant to be fired and discarded, single-use.

The rocket’s front warhead was a 155mm-diameter cylindrical chamber capped with an aerodynamic cone to reduce air resistance, nearly 1 kilogram of TNT mixed with black gold explosives capable of penetrating 200mm of homogeneous armor... if it struck directly.

Whether it was about killing infantry or countering light armor, these things were cheap and effective, certainly much better than the Mutants’ black powder bombs.

The only drawback was the slow launch speed of the weapon, with a dismal range of just 50 meters, and poor accuracy since it lacked sight, requiring the user to feel for the target using the rocket’s profile.

But despite all these flaws, Chu Guang was delighted.

A rocket launcher more reliable than a Goblin rocket, wouldn’t selling it for 50 silver coins in the weapon shop be reasonable?

Such a weapon would surely find a use against things like Crack Claw Crabs!

Besides the rocket launchers, there were also grenade launchers, though to be honest, they were somewhat underwhelming, being merely grenade projectors with average power. However, those leftover shrapnel grenades were excellent items that Chu Guang planned to hand over to Boss Xia for handling.

In theory, Pioneer should have its share of these spoils of war.

However, the employees from Pioneer didn’t care for these old-fashioned armaments at all. If taken, they would only serve as scrap metal and would require the effort to collect, so they generously left everything to Chu Guang and his group.

Apart from weapons, what surprised Chu Guang the most were the 5 light trucks.

These trucks were outfitted with wood-gasifier engines, where one could simply insert a piece of wood into the feeder to start it up, seemingly tailor-made for the Wasteland environment.

Moreover, to navigate rugged terrain, the 5 light trucks were designed with very large tires. Although even the biggest of tires would struggle to drive into the city, they could manage a run in the wilderness.

At least the journey from Outpost Base to Action Camp would no longer require the players to run on foot.

Clearing the battlefield took some time.

Chu Guang found a few players who could drive and, after getting used to the truck’s operations, drove the light trucks to an open space with sparse vegetation, waiting for the players to collect spoils of war and their comrades’ corpses.

Luckily, he had the foresight to have players bring woven bags, or these younger players would have had to make more than a dozen trips before they could load their scavenged spoils onto the vehicles.

Watching players carry the spoils onto the trucks, Chu Guang suddenly felt a sense of fortune.

But he knew that laughing out loud at this moment would be somewhat inappropriate.

Even for the sake of condolence payments, he had to keep a heavy expression.

At the very least, keep a straight face.

Just then, Lu Yang, clad in power armor, approached him.

Mud and blood sullied his armor, making him look quite a mess, but he was unharmed.

Lifting his faceplate, Lu Yang looked at Chu Guang and said with a sincere tone,

"Brother, thank you. If it wasn’t for your support, this battle might not have ended so smoothly."

"We are allies; it’s only right to support each other. Besides, they killed our people, and we had to avenge them personally."

Pausing, Chu Guang looked at him and continued,

"How are your casualties?"

When it came to casualties, Lu Yang’s expression grew heavy, and he said in a low voice,

"We lost three, and four are critically injured..."

The crew on Pioneer totaled no more than a hundred; losing three was a severe reduction in numbers.

The last time such severe casualties occurred was when they had just left Province of Yúnjiānxíng and fought a Mutant tribe.

No one expected the tribe’s leader to be an ultra-Mutant, which they finally eradicated using two tactical nuclear bombs.

Drawing in a breath of frosty air, Lu Yang stared at Chu Guang and asked,

"And you?"

"We lost 117, and we have not yet tallied the seriously injured."

Hearing this number, Lu Yang’s heart felt like it skipped a beat, with any small comfort of victorious joy he might have felt being completely dissipated by this sobering figure.

He didn’t know how many people were in Shelter No. 404, but he guessed it wouldn’t exceed a thousand.

Such heavy losses would be a catastrophic blow for many small and medium-sized Survivor Settlements.

Lu Yang couldn’t imagine the kind of pressure this man in front of him was bearing at the moment, and how he would face the families of the deceased residents afterward.

Behind that number, there were 117 families...

"We will do our best to treat the injured... I’m very sorry for those who have passed away."

Chu Guang remained silent.

To be honest, he felt a bit reluctant to deceive this guy any longer.

If an NPC had died, he’d probably feel sad for a while, but if it were a player... they would come back to life after three days.

The players themselves didn’t feel much, their excitement almost bursting into song as they scavenged the spoils of war.

Yet, this guy in front of him clearly took it to heart.

"Before they came here, they were prepared. Before we set out, I told them to take guns and woven bags. If they couldn’t carry the enemy’s bodies, then they should carry their own."

After a pause, Chu Guang continued.

"So, there’s no need to feel bad for us, everyone dies eventually. They were prepared before coming here."

Chu Guang’s intention in saying this was actually to comfort his righteous partner.

However, to Chu Guang’s surprise, after he finished saying this, the expression on the big brother’s face became even heavier, and there was a touch of sadness.

After taking a deep breath, Lu Yang calmed himself down and looked at Chu Guang.

"There’s something I want to ask your opinion on."

Chuang Guang looked at him and asked,

"What is it?"

Lu Yang spoke earnestly,

"I plan to submit a request to the board of the Silver Wing Group to grant you the title of ’Permanent Corporate Partner’... This isn’t just my own idea, but the collective will of all the members of the Pioneer."

Chu Guang was slightly taken aback and hesitated a bit.

"What does ’Permanent Corporate Partner’ mean?"

Lu Yang explained,

"It’s a form of certification and recognition... Of course, I need to seek your opinion."

Opinion?

Of course, Chu Guang had no objections.

Even though they were thousands of kilometers away, who would complain about having too many friends?

Without hesitation, Chu Guang gladly accepted Captain Lu’s proposal.

"I have no objections. From the moment you helped us deal with the Mutant tribe, you have been our partners."

Hearing this, Lu Yang’s face finally showed a sincere smile.

"I’m glad you think so."

"But this title shouldn’t just symbolize partnership; it should have some practical benefits... Let’s talk while we walk."

...

Five trucks crawled through the wilderness.

An off-road vehicle with a snow plow and welded machine guns led the way, escorting their allies back to Outpost Base with their spoils of war.

Even though the crew of the Pioneer hated fieldwork, when Li De asked them, "Who’s willing to escort our heroes home?" nearly everyone volunteered eagerly, willing to participate in the operation.

Even the marines who were injured.

During the battle, these residents of the shelter earned the respect of every member of the Pioneer with their bravery.

They might be poor and backward, but they were not weak.

They were warriors who could fight with the weapons in their hands to defend their dignity!

Such people deserve respect wherever they are.

Instead of returning to Outpost Base immediately, Chu Guang followed Lu Yang to the Action Camp first, where they met Li De who had been waiting for a long time.

The two have been communicating through holographic images and seeing each other face-to-face again after many days unexpectedly made Chu Guang feel a sense of kinship.

Of course, what surprised Chu Guang even more was the 180-degree change in attitude.

Previously when he had come here, this guy hadn’t even come down to greet him and only instructed his subordinates to entertain him.

But now, this department head actually took the initiative to come forward and shake his hand.

"I apologize for my earlier mistrust and prejudice. You are real warriors, and your bravery has impressed us all. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us; without you, the outcome of this war could have been uncertain."

Having witnessed the battle through the drone, Li De had a completely different perspective. In his view, had the Army surrounded their armored units, it would have been Lu Yang and his squad who were cut off and surrounded.

Besides the power armor cutting a bloodied path out, it was uncertain how many of the lightly protected exoskeleton infantry would have survived.

This battle also made him determined to more than double the stockpile of ammo and design a new light fixed-wing aircraft with a larger payload.

If they continued westward, encountering the Army’s people again was only a matter of time.

After shaking his hand and letting go, Chu Guang nodded and spoke.

"I will convey your praise to my residents. In addition, I’d like to understand some details regarding the title of ’Permanent Corporate Partner’."

Li De, knowing Chu Guang would ask about this, nodded and made a welcoming gesture.

"That’s exactly what I was intending to discuss with you. Let’s talk inside!"

...

Inside the barracks.

Based on Li De’s account, Chu Guang gained a general understanding of the title "Permanent Corporate Partner."

The so-called "Permanent Corporate Partner" is essentially an enhanced version of a "trade whitelist."

It is well known that although the Company is located in the distant Province of Yúnjiānxíng, its trading map extends far beyond just that small locality. Even on the West Coast of Central Continent, one can see people conducting business under their banner.

If disputes arose, the Company couldn’t possibly fly over thousands of kilometers just to seek revenge.

Thus, to prevent issues before they arise, the Company introduced the "trade whitelist" system.

If a Commercial Team doing business with a whitelisted Survivor Settlement is looted by local survivors, an insurance company will compensate the team for their losses after an agent investigates the situation. However, for settlements not on the whitelist, no compensation would be provided.

As a result, the majority of Commercial Teams from the Company, especially those carrying high-quality goods, would prefer to trade with those regular Survivor Bases on the "whitelist." Only a few small teams would take the risk to gamble and do business with unregistered Survivor Settlements.

Giant Stone City, for example, is on the trade whitelist.

For decades, Commercial Teams from the Company conducted business in Giant Stone City, where their legal rights were secured, enabling them to purchase high-technology products.

Places like Bet Street and Brown Farms, however, are only contacted by Red River Town’s slave traders and third or fourth-tier Commercial Teams from Giant Stone City. Commercial Teams from the Company wouldn’t even consider trading with them or staying at their settlements.

After all, if there were any problems, their insurance wouldn’t cover it!

To get on the whitelist, an employee at Level A or above must apply to the Company headquarters and vouch with their credibility score.

Beyond that, they must submit an inspection report of more than 30 pages and stay in the locality for at least 60 days to ensure the accuracy of the investigation.

The Company employs staff dedicated to this task, who often earn a handsome salary, because if they successfully develop a market for the Company, for the next ten years, the Company will grant them a commission based on the trade volume and may honor outstanding contributors with an exemplary employee award or even include them in the management tier.

At the same time, the Survivor Settlements that obtain the guarantee will be recognized by the Company as civilized and will have more Commercial Teams including them in their trade routes.

Many Commercial Teams, even those not belonging to the Company, will also refer to this list to some extent to gauge whether a trading partner is trustworthy.

After all, no one wants to waltz into a Looter’s trap or test another’s ethical boundaries with the goods in their pockets.

Trading with low-risk Survivor Bases makes it easier to borrow money from banks.

As for the title "Permanent Strategic Corporate Partner," its significance is extraordinary, surpassing the "trade whitelist" guaranteed by Level A employees, both in terms of influence and the difficulty of attainment.

First and foremost, the applicant must be at least the senior executive or a shareholder of a branch, or even the chairman of the branch itself.

Secondly, this branch must not be a small, insignificant company within the "Company"; it should hold at least one seat on the headquarters’ board of directors!

If the trade whitelist simply guarantees the credibility and safety of the trading party, the title of "Permanent Corporate Strategic Partner" seems more like a strong recommendation—

"These are high-quality clients we’ve encountered outside. We’re introducing them to you. They offered us a helping hand amidst danger, and they’re completely trustworthy. You can stay on their turf with peace of mind; they’ll provide you with food and shelter."

"At the same time, corporate commercial teams are prohibited from hostile actions against them, and armed mercenary companies are prohibited from targeting them. Technologies of class F and E, as well as related trade items, will no longer be restricted."

Giant Stone City had been trading with the Company for dozens of years and was merely on the whitelist. There wasn’t a survivor base in the entire Qingquan City that could claim the title of "Permanent Corporate Partner."

After all, it was indeed difficult.

In principle, as a "Scientific Expedition Team," the Pioneer had no authority to grant such a title to a survivor base far away from the Province of Yúnjiānxíng.

But the composition of this "scientific team" was simply too luxurious.

Even the drivers of the steam carts were C-class employees of the Company, and the office had many B-class and A-class employees. Li De, the head of the department, and Lu Yang, the captain of the marine corps, were higher-ups in the Silver Wing Group.

Most of the commercial teams that went to other provinces to do business, even the bosses, were at best B-class. There were only a few A-class individuals willing to leave Ideal City to roam the wilds.

With the influence of the Pioneer’s crewmembers, they indeed had the qualifications to submit the application, though it would still require some procedural handling.

Chu Guang was filled with interest in regard to the last point Li De mentioned.

"Do the E and F-class technologies include power armor?"

Initially, Chu Guang had not held out much hope, but to his surprise, Li De nodded.

"Of course, there is... However, I do not recommend it. The power armor of E-class technology uses chemical battery power, basically an enhanced version of exoskeletons. Few commercial teams would carry such heavy stuff, and most survivor bases tend to purchase power sources and process them on their own."

After a pause, Li De continued.

"I am eager to help you obtain this title. Thousands of corporate commercial teams pass through River Valley Province every year, and one of the two corridors to the west runs through the plains just north of Qingquan City. If you manage to accomplish this, it will be of great help to you in the future."

"However, the big problem right now is that your strength still needs improvement. I’ll have someone fix that machine tool for you later, but even so... it’s unlikely you will be able to offer anything that other commercial teams find interesting. Even if you become a permanent corporate partner, I cannot guarantee you’ll be more attractive than survivor bases listed on the ’trade whitelist.’"

To put it simply, the machine tool was more like a "staff." Its power depended not on itself but also on the "materials" used for the casting and the "person" who cast the spell.

However, after hearing Li De’s words, Chu Guang did not focus on the problem but instead became more interested.

"That’s okay, they can invest in factories here! Those E and F-class products can be produced right here and then sold to other parts of Qingquan City."

"We have an abundance of raw materials here. Piles of unprocessed trash are waiting to be dealt with. We also have quality labor, and we can even provide logistical support for their intra-province trade... This is certainly much easier than transporting products all the way from the East Coast!"

After listening to Chu Guang’s words, Li De was visibly surprised.

Ah...

Is that even possible?

-

(Thanks to the alliance master "Zìyóu 2" for the reward! Sorry for being late today; there was a small bug with WPS, but thankfully the manuscript was recovered. Still 10,000 words today! [4/30])