This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 170: The Doctor and the Bounty Hunter

Chapter 170: Chapter 170: The Doctor and the Bounty Hunter

[Worldwide Announcement: The numerical adjustment of the LD-47 rifle has been completed and is now available on the shelves of the Outpost Base weapon shop. Players who won the earlier lottery, please see Boss Xia to collect your equipment. The semi-automatic precision shooter version of the LD-47 will be available tomorrow, so stay tuned.]

Word had spread that the weapon shop had stocked up on new weapons.

Players around Outpost Base had flocked to check it out, but it didn’t take long for most of them to disperse.

The weapon itself wasn’t expensive, priced at 200 Silver Coins apiece—merely twice as expensive as an iron pipe rifle. However, the ammo was prohibitively expensive.

At 1 Silver Coin per round, a 30-round magazine would cost 30 silvers, something that newbies who had just entered the Game couldn’t afford.

Moreover, unlike the Sickle Assault Rifle and the iron pipe rifle, which had extremely simple bolt structures, theoretically accepting any correctly calibrated bullets, whether they were rolled or punched, and could even use Black Powder when out of Smokeless Gunpowder, the same couldn’t be said for the LD-47.

Staring at the shop’s shelves, the new players heaved sighs of disappointment.

"Damn! That’s too expensive!"

"Alas, better level up quickly."

"True, you need a higher level to take on tasks with better rewards. It’s too hard to afford such automatic weapons in the early stages!"

Chu Guang hadn’t stayed at Outpost Base the entire time. Around two in the afternoon, he caught a truck ride over to Changjiu Farm.

By the time he arrived at the farm, numerous small-time players had already returned from Elm District with their prey, turning them in for Work at Old Luka’s.

Food had been scarce at Changjiu Farm recently, and the bounty for hunting tasks was very high.

The basic bounty for a Hyena had risen from 5 Silver Coins to 8, and the Snow Wolf, with even more valuable fur, had jumped from 10 silvers to 15, higher than the Reindeer seen in the North Suburb of Qingquan City some time ago!

In addition, there was the opportunity to earn regional prestige.

Several life-skilled players who were eager to set up workshops and weren’t particularly short on cash were directly camping at the entrance to Elm District, paying a high price to buy prey from Hunter Players, and then delivering them to the warehouse on their behalf to complete the tasks, effectively buying prestige and Contribution with money.

From Elm District to Changjiu Farm was at least ten kilometers, saving those Hunter Players the time of traveling back and forth and allowing them to focus more on the Work of hunting itself.

As long as the price was right, why fuss over a small decrease in Contribution or regional prestige?

Most combat professional players didn’t need regional prestige anyway; earning Contribution Points was sufficient for them.

By noon, fifteen Mutant Snow Wolves and twenty-one mutated hyenas were now hanging from the wooden racks at the entrance of the warehouse.

The former averaged just over forty kilograms, and the latter were generally about thirty kilograms, with a meat yield rate of roughly 40% each. Altogether, this amounted to nearly five hundred kilograms of fresh meat.

At this rate, it would likely take less than two days before Elm District’s game would be completely hunted out by these players.

Luka at the warehouse entrance was frantically busy.

Upon seeing the Manager arrive, he quickly approached and said,

"Sir, we need to hire two butchers to process these catches!"

"You can post the Work on VM, look for two residents of the refuge to take it."

"The task has been posted... but," Luka said embarrassingly, "no one’s signed up. I’ve raised the hourly pay from 1 Silver Coin to 2, yet there’s still little interest."

Each task and position carries a baseline value, for instance, the butcher’s hourly wage is 1 Silver Coin, followed by a commission based on the amount of game processed. NPCs set task rewards according to this baseline value and can adjust it based on urgency. Old Luka’s authority allowed him to double this baseline.

Yet even then, no one had applied for the job...

Upon hearing this, Chu Guang instantly grasped where the problem lay.

The majority of Alpha 0.8 version players were in Novice Village—that is, at Outpost Base.

An hourly wage of 1 Silver Coin, plus Contribution Points, was attractive for new players under LV5, but for older players who had just weathered a wave of expansion packs, it seemed a bit paltry.

Especially since butchering required a certain threshold of skill, not everyone could handle the knife as adeptly as Old Brother Fried Eggs, swiftly and neatly doing the job.

"No worries, if no players are willing to take the Work, we can turn to the refugees from outside. I plan to visit the Refugee Camp later, follow me over there."

Although skeptical about the refugees, upon hearing the Manager’s decision, Luka simply nodded his respect and replied,

"Yes, sir."

As Chu Guang, accompanied by Old Luka and two guards, made their way towards the eastern gate, the situation within the Refugee Camp was far from optimistic.

Observing the old man curled up in a makeshift shelter, looking sickly and coughing intermittently, Jiu Li’s expression was laden with solemnity.

This was the fourth case he’d seen today.

Even though he was not a doctor, he could tell the old man’s condition was dire.

"They’ve caught an illness, possibly typhus," said the thin man standing next to Jiu Li, warning, "It’ll be troublesome if we don’t deal with it quickly."

His name was Nine Searches, Jiu Li’s brother and also his right-hand man.

He had originally been known as Li, but when his elder brother was granted a family name by the local lord, he too changed his name, embracing the culture of the locals.

Jiu Li fell silent, and after a long while, spoke.

"We can’t just drive them out of here."

"We have no choice. We have no medicine, no doctor, and they simply won’t make it through; they’re as good as dead," argued Nine Searches, trying to persuade him. "We lost half our people to get here! Are we supposed to do this for a few old men with one foot in the grave—"

"Who the hell are you saying is in the grave?"

An enraged voice came from the side.

A burly man emerged from the crowd, grabbing Nine Searches by the collar and glaring at him with a forceful question.

"What do you plan to do with my father? I’m right here, and I’d like to see who dares to take him away!"

His name was Sun Cheng, a butcher from a small village in the central part of River Valley Province with a population of a hundred.

Due to looting by the Looters, he was forced to leave his home and abandoned his burned-down homestead, braving the cold winter to migrate south in search of a chance to survive.

Like many others here, they had joined this group en route. And to get here, they had suffered not insignificant losses, just like these people.

In light of the bowl of hot porridge last night, he had surrendered his gun, persuaded by Jiu Li.

Sun Cheng had originally thought it was all worth it.

However, just now, while gathering firewood outside, he heard that a crowd had gathered at his doorstep.

Guessing that something bad was happening, Sun Cheng wasted no time, dropping his work and hurrying over.

Ironically, just as he arrived, he heard Nine Searches’ words, instantly boiling with rage, almost wanting to tear the person before him to pieces.

Nine Searches remained silent, expressionless, allowing Sun Cheng to hold him, though his right hand had already touched the dagger in his pocket.

Just as the confrontation was heating up, several people stood up from the crowd.

Some stood behind Nine Searches, others behind Sun Cheng, as both groups glared at each other.

The atmosphere was tense and explosive!

Clearly, Nine Searches had more backers, with nearly everyone around them on his side.

Knowing that a conflict would mean a disadvantage for his side, Sun Cheng released his grip on Nine Searches’ collar, squinting his eyes at Jiu Li.

"I get it now; you plan to throw us away after using us."

Jiu Li stared back at him.

"I never said that."

"Never said that?" Sun Cheng gave a cold laugh. "You know very well what was said just now, and the people around heard it too. Do I need to repeat it?"

Jiu Li calmly met his gaze and said,

"I apologize for my brother’s thoughtless words. I never said we would abandon anyone, nor do I intend to. Now, we have sick people. To prevent the epidemic from spreading, we must separate the sick from the healthy. It was unity that got us here, wasn’t it?"

"Unity? You call trying to throw out my father while I’m not around unity? Have you forgotten who covered you when we crossed the snowy fields? I see clearly now; you only care about yourselves!" Sun Cheng lifted his chin, staring him down, "Let me make this clear: my father isn’t going anywhere, and I will take care of him myself. If you want to take him away, you’ll have to step over my dead body."

The atmosphere became deadlocked.

Just as both parties were at an impasse, a hesitant voice suddenly interjected.

"Your father has infections from frostbite, but with timely treatment, there’s still hope to save him, otherwise, I fear amputation might be necessary."

Both Jiu Li and Sun Cheng instinctively turned toward the source of the voice and saw a young man in his twenties step out of the crowd.

He wasn’t tall, nor particularly robust, with slightly curly hair sticking to his forehead, bearing a slightly haggard appearance.

Jiu Li didn’t have a strong memory of him, presumably, he was someone who had joined their group along the way.

"Do you have knowledge of medicine?"

The young man nodded.

"A little, although what I mainly understand is..." he paused, "You could consider it surgery."

Sun Cheng grabbed his shoulder, speaking eagerly.

"Can you cure my father?"

"Yes," the young man swallowed, nodding hesitantly, "but I need you to help me prepare some things... then, I need to treat his inflamed wounds first. Can you carry him over to me? This place is not suitable for surgery."

Jiu Li glanced at his brother, signaling with his eyes.

"I have a stretcher over there, go get it."

Nine Searches reluctantly complied with his brother’s request and turned to leave.

The tension at the scene somewhat eased.

Seeing that his father had hope of being saved, Sun Cheng, who had previously been ready to fight, also calmed down.

A group of people hustled back and forth and carried the old man to where the young man lived. As they set down the stretcher, Jiu Li looked at the young man and asked,

"What’s your name?"

"Yin Fang."

"I don’t remember you. When did you join the team?"

"It’s been a while, probably around the central part of River Valley Province. The snow wasn’t so heavy then." Looking at the old man’s leg with frostbitten, inflamed wounds, Yin Fang clicked his tongue, "To have held on until now is really a stroke of luck... Could you all step outside, please? I need a quiet environment."

Jiu Li nodded and led his brother outside the shelter.

Although Sun Cheng was anxious about his father, he still complied with the doctor’s request and stepped out of the shelter.

Although the tension had subsided, the atmosphere between the two was still somewhat uneasy.

Jiu Li was about to mediate when a familiar face from the same hometown approached.

"The Manager is looking for you at the entrance; it seems he has something to discuss with you."

Hearing that the lord of this place was seeking him, Jiu Li immediately nodded,

"I’ll be right there."

...

The entrance of the Refugee Camp.

Jiu Li once again saw the leader of the place.

Just like yesterday, he wore a blue exoskeleton, his back bearing a warhammer and a rifle with an absurdly long barrel, giving off an exceptional aura.

Jiu Li revised his estimation of him.

Perhaps not even a charge, let alone the men behind him, was necessary. Just he alone could easily dispatch all of them.

At least he himself stood no chance against him.

It was a good thing that there had been no misunderstanding last night.

"How is everyone settling in?"

"Thanks to your grace, sir," Jiu Li said with a slight bow, respectfully speaking, "we have found shelter for everyone, assuring that each person has a place to live. No one has frozen to death, nor starved to death, and even the most troublesome children slept soundly... Last night was probably the most peaceful we’ve had in a while."

The words were truly comforting to hear.

Chu Guang felt he was beginning to understand the pleasures of those on the Pioneer.

Smiling faintly, Chu Guang didn’t say much but looked around.

"I’m glad you’re adapting well. But... there’s something odd about the atmosphere here?"

Jiu Li smiled wryly and said, "There was a conflict just now... You know, not all of us come from the same Survivor Base, and many joined our group along the way. With a larger number, frictions are inevitable. Please trust me, I can handle it well."

Chu Guang nodded.

He wasn’t too keen on bothering with the issues of the refugees; moreover, this might not entirely be a bad thing for him.

As long as they adhered to the laws he had established and averted any bloodshed, that was all that mattered.

Without further concern, Chu Guang said to Jiu Li,

"I need two Butchers to process some freshly hunted game. Do you have anyone here who knows how to Slaughter?"

Jiu Li immediately nodded, "Yes, sir, we happen to have a Butcher here. If you need him, I can take you to him right now."

"Hmm, lead the way."

Chu Guang followed Jiu Li, and soon they arrived in front of a shelter.

A burly man stood at the doorway of the shelter. Seeing Chu Guang following Jiu Li, a hint of fear instinctively showed in his eyes, thinking they had come to trouble him.

However, to his surprise, Jiu Li, with whom he had had a conflict, didn’t bring up the recent events. As if nothing had happened, he casually introduced him to the nearby Manager.

"...This is the Butcher I mentioned to you. His name is Sun Cheng, and he comes from the central part of the River Valley Province. His father’s leg is frostbitten and is being treated inside the shelter. If you could provide a room for them, I believe he would be very willing to work for you."

Chu Guang looked surprised.

"You have a doctor?"

Jiu Li hesitated before saying,

"The one treating his father’s frostbite is named Yin Fang; we met him on the way. I am not certain if he’s a doctor, but he’s the only one here who knows medicine, so we had to leave it to him."

Chu Guang didn’t speak, merely nodded thoughtfully.

Interesting.

I’ll have a chat with him later.

Setting aside the matter of the doctor for now, Chu Guang turned his attention to the man called Sun Cheng in front of him.

"I have some work that needs a butcher to slaughter the game we hunt. I’ll pay you two silver coins a day, plus a place to live. Are you interested in this job?"

Sun Cheng was momentarily startled before he eagerly nodded his head.

"I’m willing to serve you, sir."

Chu Guang nodded and looked over to Luka.

"Leave it to you."

...

Meanwhile, at the northern part of Changjiu Farm, about a kilometer away,

a few men carrying guns were crouching beside a half-collapsed building, holding monoculars and looking toward the survivor base to the south.

The group of refugees they were tracking had pitched camp on the east side of that survivor base. The situation was messy—if it were just a group of refugees, they would be manageable, but now, it was not just the refugees; there was also the survivor base that had taken them in.

This was a bit more complicated.

"I see an enclosing wall and watchtowers... Damn, the people there have quite a few weapons."

"Let me have a look."

Taking the monocular from his comrade, the man with a goatee closed one eye and peered towards the survivor base.

After observing for a while, his expression became increasingly grave.

"The enclosing wall is at least three meters high, and the soldiers standing guard all have the same model guns... these folks are tough to handle."

His name was Eugene, a mercenary who also took on bounty hunter’s work from time to time.

Like now.

"What should we do?"

Upon hearing his comrade’s question, Eugene thought for a moment and said,

"Let’s try negotiating with them first. After all, we’re only after one person; if we can avoid conflict, that would certainly be best."

The others nodded as well, agreeing to the idea.

However, what they didn’t know was that, as they sneakily observed Changjiu Farm, a few players had already set their sights on them from not far away.

Edge Shoveling: "What are those people up to?"

Construction Youth with Brick: "Not sure."

Debt Giant Eye: "Refugees? That doesn’t fit either, didn’t we confiscate their guns last night?"

Edge Shoveling: "emmm... Maybe they’re not the same group?"

Not the same group?

Which means...

Monsters?

The three novice players exchanged glances, their faces slowly turning malevolent as they looked back towards those few men, as if seeing walking silver coins and contribution points.

For some reason, Eugene suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Just then, a hunting dog led by a nearby mercenary suddenly started barking furiously in one direction.

The mercenary turned sharply, swinging his gun toward that side.

"Who’s there!"

Hearing that fierce shout, the three novice players quickly hid behind their cover.

Almost at the same time, however, a volley of bullets swept over the mound in front of them.

"Damn! They open fire without even a greeting?"

"Looters! Definitely looters!"

"MMP! Whoever the fuck it is, they made the first move, let’s get ’em!"

-

(If there’s any typo, remind me, and I looked twice and my eyes are blurry. If there’s still any I missed, I’ll fix it after I wake up this afternoon.)

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