This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 198: Comprehensive Upgrade of Battle System

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Comprehensive Upgrade of Battle System

Outside the Central State Aerospace Ecological Experimental Base, pine trees laden with accumulated snow stretched from the edge of the enclosing wall all the way to the abandoned town at the bottom of the gentle slope.

The tallest buildings here were no more than three stories high, and most were single-level residences with garages and swimming pools. Occasionally, one could glimpse a few homes with unique designs, likely belonging to research personnel from the nearby experimental base.

However, regardless of who these places once belonged to, they were now thoroughly abandoned.

Frozen vines had crawled from the front yard into the houses, while bushes had grown in the dusty garages. The roots of the vegetation had penetrated the concrete paths and the enclosing walls, and lush trees filled the forgotten corners, even growing out of some wooden house rooftops.

Occasionally, a creaking noise could be heard downstairs—either Eaters had knocked something over again or it was just mice...

The roof of a semi-collapsed duplex villa.

There, Night Ten, lying prone in the snow, took a deep breath and gently adjusted the knob on the sniper scope with his index finger.

The pine forest on the slope perfectly obscured the rooftops of the outermost buildings of the research base.

With his right eye pressed to the scope, he could only make out the vague figures near the checkpoint through the gaps between the branches and the snow.

The Looters were right in front of him.

Less than five hundred meters away.

The Looter patrol had searched the town once before, but not thoroughly, thus they had not discovered the two people hiding on the rooftop.

"Can you see anyone?" Fang Chang, lying next to the chimney with a monocular, squinted his left eye and asked.

"I can see them, but it’s a bit challenging to take the shot."

"Ten o’clock direction, do you see that machine gun by the third-floor window?"

"I can see the sandbag and tripod... The head is blocked by the branches, but shooting through them shouldn’t be too difficult."

"Okay, he’s yours then. Remember, wait for him to fire first and aim an inch above the muzzle flash."

"Understood."

Night Ten took his eye off the sniper scope and glanced at the VM lying on the back slope of the roof.

When the brightness was set to the lowest, only a faint light was visible when facing it directly, so there was no need to worry about revealing their position.

Extremely useful.

After calculating the distance on the virtual map, he lightly tapped the screen with his index finger, switching to the task bar.

[Time before the battle starts: 31min 21s.]

[Mission: Reach the sniping point (completed), Reward: War points +10]

[Mission: Mark high-threat targets on VM map (in progress).]

[Mission: Provide cover for the squad attacking from the east after the battle starts (not started).]

[Violation Conditions: Firing before receiving orders and revealing your position will result in the deduction of all battlefield points and a 14-day ban.]

[Violation Conditions: Refusing to follow orders once will result in a deduction of 50 battlefield points, a second warning will result in 100 points deducted, the third time...]

Quite a few missions.

Night Ten mentally calculated that if he could complete all the side missions, he could earn a total of about 270 silver coins and 430 contribution points.

If he was lucky and dropped a few additional tubes or machine gunners, he might even reach 400 silver.

Isn’t this a lot more exciting than "Plug-in V" and "Old Six Summoning"?

If only the sound effects for hitting the target could be enhanced.

For instance, the grip could shake a bit when hitting the target.

"...Hang in there, boss."

"Once we’ve saved up enough money, I’ll get you God Equip!"

Not far away, a group of players dressed in light-colored hunting gear was advancing towards the direction of the experimental base, moving along the ruins at the edge of the town.

The mud smeared on the bayonets concealed the cold glint in the snow, but it couldn’t hide the murderous aura radiating from the forest of gun banners.

The enemy’s position was ahead!

Pairs of eyes hidden in the darkness twinkled with excitement, and their high-spirited will to fight even seemed to calm the howling north wind.

A great battle was on the verge of breaking out!

...

At the same time, over twenty kilometers away at Brown Farmhouse, a sentry carrying an iron pipe rifle was patrolling along the enclosing wall built from trash.

Different from the usual sparse activity, the farmhouse was rather lively today.

A farmhouse-style mansion.

About a dozen people were sitting in the spacious living room. Each person had a heavy expression on their face, as if dark clouds heavy with water.

Around a round wooden table sat an old-fashioned radio, its static interference and the host’s slick tone discordantly contrasting with the atmosphere in the room, yet somehow fitting the occasion.

"This is the Voice of Giant Stone City, I am your beloved radio host Mr. Hauser, and now I bring you the latest situation in the North Suburb."

"According to unreliable sources, a Looter faction known as the Chewing Bone Tribe is expanding and gaining strength in places we can’t see. This is definitely not an exaggeration, their power is strong, certainly much stronger than those cowards hiding in the ruins."

"These Looters have not only absorbed remnants of the Army but have also taken over some of their equipment. Right now, they are actively recruiting mercenaries in the central part of River Valley Province... It seems they are aiming to establish a nation of Looters."

"If they continue to move south, make no mistake, not a single country bumpkin in the North suburb of Qingquan City will survive, and the Militia Group will not waste a single bullet on those who haven’t paid their taxes. If you happen to be in the North Suburb and don’t want to stand by helplessly as your wives and daughters are taken away to the pastures, the Voice of Giant Stone City radio station highly recommends the Hotel Wind From Afar!"

"That’s the generous Mr. Leighton, who has specially set up a super five-star hotel for the refugees, located on the edge of the outer wall of Giant Stone City. Although it’s on the outside, legally, it still belongs to the territory of Giant Stone City. The Militia Group will not ignore anything that happens there... You only need one chip to stay there for a whole day."

In response to the voice on the radio,

those sitting around the round table only replied with silence.

One chip might only be an hour’s salary for legal citizens living in Giant Stone City, or the price of a bottle of watered-down beer.

But for them, it would require a kilogram of food or even more valuable junk to exchange for.

As if fed up with the wordless silence, a muscular middle-aged man wearing a hunter’s hat slowly began to speak.

"The Chewing Bone Tribe is growing in strength. We should join forces! The Morning Wind Community can send out twenty hunters."

Seeing someone take the lead, the fat man nearby relaxed, wiping the sweat from his round forehead with a handkerchief, and responded,

"We can contribute nine..." Seeing all eyes at the table turn to him, he quickly added, "I know it might seem too few, but that’s all we have."

"Tsk tsk, listen to that—Red Train Station, bursting with fat, only has nine men," a burly man with a burn scar on his face sneered mockingly, "If all your men are dead, we can lend a hand."

A flicker of anger crossed the fat man’s face, but, intimidated by the fact that this guy was no good, he merely narrowed his eyes dangerously and refrained from speaking.

Red Train Station, which normally accommodated traders coming from Red River Town to Qingquan City to do business, indeed had a couple more chips in his pocket compared to the paupers sitting there.

Despite that, in this hellish weather, those chips didn’t give him much sense of security, not even enough for a single mission by the Militia Group’s planes.

The station owner glared at the scarred man, his thoughts dark and vicious.

Just wait!

Once this winter passes, I’ll invite mercenaries to pay a visit to your home!

The atmosphere in the living room was a bit stiff.

Mr. Brown was puffing clouds of smoke, looking rather irritated.

Although he knew these neighbors could hardly be counted on, he didn’t expect that, at such a crucial moment, they would still be quibbling over who could spare an extra couple of people.

Hopeless!

At that moment, a lean-faced man who had been silent the whole time, sitting at the corner of the round table, suddenly spoke up.

"It’s useless, we simply can’t match those people. Their numbers are like locusts... they have swept from the central part to the south."

Seeing that everyone, including Brown, turned to look at him, the man paused for a moment and continued,

"I have a relative from Stone Monument Town, about thirty kilometers from here. A few days ago, he fled to my place and said that over a hundred Looters invaded their town. Those who resisted were either shot into sieves or hanged at their doorsteps. The rest were either captured for hard labor or tortured on the ground until they nearly suffocated."

"At that time, he hid in the ruins, watching the fire burning right before his nose, pretending to be a corpse, not daring to move an inch. He was lucky to survive."

The atmosphere in the living room grew even stiffer.

Perhaps in an attempt to lighten the mood, an older survivor gently exhaled and whispered,

"Hard labor... at least they weren’t eaten. It seems these people still have some civility."

"I haven’t finished yet... The elderly and children were all beheaded," the lean man softly swallowed, his expression numb as he continued, "They only want those able-bodied enough to work and those able to bear children."

The flames in the fireplace burned fiercely.

Bright firelight flickered in the living room, yet the air was chillingly cold.

"Enough!"

Mr. Brown slammed the table, and the ash trembled from the corner of his mouth, falling beside his boots.

He plucked the half-burned cigarette from his lips and crushed it in the ashtray, casting a somber glance at those present, before he slowly continued.

"This place is our homeland. We have lived here generation after generation. Run? Where can we run to? We have no escape, only one path of desperate battle—"

"It’s only you who has no escape, given that you own such a large farm."

The scarred man who previously mocked the station’s owner, pointed out his pretty words sharply, pressing aggressively,

Mr. Brown’s face stiffened, his complexion turning the color of liver as he glared at the man and said,

"What do you mean I have no escape? I can easily take my chips and go to Giant Stone City. There, my life would be a hundred times more comfortable than it is now. Is that what you wish for me to do?"

"Go to Giant Stone City, like the town leader of Bet Street?" the scarred man squinted his eyes, scoffing, "I’ve heard he’s not doing so well these past two months... Don’t you have an alliance with him? When they were getting beaten up by Blue Jacket, why didn’t you help them?"

Brown’s face darkened.

At that moment, someone suddenly said,

"Why don’t we seek help from those Blue Jackets? They even dealt with the Blood Hand Clan, and they previously had a fight with the Army. Maybe they can handle those Looters..."

Before Brown could speak, someone nearby replied with a mocking tone,

"Those Blue Jackets? They have no obligation to help us. When it comes to life and death, they will be the first to hide in their rat holes, lock the door, and remain untouched, hiding away for decades to come. Isn’t that what they did two centuries ago? I’ve heard about it."

The station owner spoke nervously,

"Then please ask Giant Stone City to take action..."

The man with the hunter’s hat shook his head,

"We have no money left."

"Then give them food!"

As pairs of eyes sharply turned towards him, Brown replied with anger to the unrealistic desires in the eyes of these pitiful wretches,

"Food? Where is there any food left? The warehouse only has seeds for next spring’s planting left. We can’t possibly eat grass for an entire year."

"So, what exactly are we supposed to do? This won’t work, that won’t work, are we just supposed to argue here?"

"I have no objections to fleeing. Anyway, life can hardly go on like this. I’m interested in finding a place down south where we can grow crops before the spring of next year."

"Let’s vote by show of hands. Those in favor of escaping—"

At this moment, a series of thuds came from the door, interrupting the chaotic arguing in the living room.

Fighting down his rising anger, Mr. Brown took a deep breath and said,

"Come in."

The visitor was named Liu Zhengyue, the chief of his security.

Shaking off the snow at the door, Liu Zhengyue entered the warm house.

"Sir, our neighbor has sent you a letter..."

Mr. Brown looked at him and asked,

"What does the letter say?"

Liu Zhengyue glanced at the people in front of the table, then looked at Mr. Brown and said in a low voice,

"Sir, should I read it here?"

Mr. Brown’s face showed a flash of impatience, but perhaps feeling that it wasn’t appropriate for so many to hear, he still gestured for Liu to hand over the letter with a patient wave.

He took the letter.

Tore open the envelope.

Pulled out the letter paper, Mr. Brown scanned it briefly, and a trace of surprise crossed his face, soon replaced by suspicion and seriousness.

The middle-aged man wearing a hunter’s hat asked,

"What does the letter say?"

"An invitation from the neighbor, nothing much. It has nothing to do with you..." Mr. Brown replied offhandedly, while carefully folding the letter and sliding it into his pocket.

Those sitting around the wooden table exchanged distrustful glances.

Of course, they didn’t believe a word of the old fox’s mumbo-jumbo, but this was his territory, and if he didn’t intend to say more, there was no way they could force him.

"Alright, break it up. We’ve been discussing from dinner time till now. If you still want to argue, please find another place, not here... it’s annoying just to look at you all."

The master of the house had given the order to disperse, and although the guests in the living room were dissatisfied with his attitude, they couldn’t well linger and cause further trouble, so they got up and left with discontented expressions.

Outside the house, the snow was flying thickly.

But it was not colder than inside the house.

A line of people headed towards the exterior of the farm.

The gaunt man rubbed his shoulders with his hands and, casting a glance at the others, lowered his voice and said,

"I’ll say it again, we’re no match for the Chewing Bone Tribe... Escaping is our only option. The other survivors in the central part of River Valley Province did the same."

The older survivor asked,

"Where did they go?"

Everyone paused, exchanged glances, and someone who was informed spoke up,

"I’ve heard some refugees... it seems they went to Long Endurance Farm, a bit north of here?"

"A bit north? Long Endurance Farm?"

"Yeah, that farm is apparently the territory of those Blue Jackets. They helped a company against the Army, and the company built them a city in the wilderness... that’s what I heard."

Looking up at the heavy snow in the sky, the man with the hunter’s hat suddenly said,

"I plan to make a trip up north, to those Blue Jackets’ park."

The station master looked at him in surprise.

"Now? It’s already dark..."

While Variants venturing out for food were scarce in winter, taking a trip to the north now, when would one walk back?

Although they were survivors of the "North Suburb," they hadn’t had much contact with the Blue Jackets; it wasn’t like they could just meet and assume to be taken in for the night.

"It’s not darkness that is scary, but the fear that the sun will never rise again."

Adam’s apple bobbing, the man with the hunter’s hat went on. "If we don’t want to end up as refugees, this might be our last hope."

...

Inside the residence on the farmstead.

Having seen the guests out, Mr. Brown turned and headed to the cloakroom, fetching his most cherished coat and draping it over himself, carefully adjusting the collar.

But soon, as if reminded of something, he snapped back to his senses, stuffed the coat back, and took out a less new one to wear.

At this moment, his wife approached, lightly placing her hand on his shoulder, speaking with a gentle voice.

"It’s so late, do you still need to go out?"

Mr. Brown replied perfunctorily,

"Our neighbor has invited me to watch a movie. I have to make the trip, at least let them know we’ve got nothing left for them to squeeze out of us."

The wife asked,

"Can’t we just not go?"

His fingers paused at the collar of his coat, and Mr. Brown was silent for a while, unusually restraining his bad temper.

"I don’t know."

"But I feel... that going might be better than not."

...

Central State Aerospace Ecology Experimental Base.

At the foot of the gentle slope, beside the road on the north side.

Two Looters wearing fur coats were throwing picked-up tree branches into the burning iron barrel to warm themselves by the flames.

Looking at the tiny sparks floating above the fire, the Looter with a Trench Stick hung at his waist couldn’t help but swear.

"This damned weather... Being a sentry out here is a death sentence."

The Looter next to him heard this and unconsciously glanced up at the sentry post on the slope.

"Shh, you better hope the captain doesn’t hear that."

"What difference does it make? He’s only allowed to sleep with women in a warm bed, and I can’t even grumble here?"

Remembering the woman he had met at the last survivor’s gathering point, he unconsciously licked his chapped lips.

Those breasts were really huge.

He still remembered that look of hers that fell from pain into despair.

Too bad, it was all because the boss went too far, and in the end, she didn’t make it. Her throat was hoarse from screaming before she stopped breathing.

"Why do I feel like it’s getting colder..."

"I’ll go pick up some more firewood."

Saying this, the Looter tightened the Ripper Rifle on his back and, stepping through the snow that reached his calves, walked into the nearby woods.

All around was darkness.

But that was no hindrance.

There were plenty of dry branches lying on the snow. He bent down and reached out his hand to grab one.

The cold touch in his palm made him pause for a moment.

Huh?

Why’s it hard?

Two gun barrels extended from the darkness, aimed straight at his forehead.

And what he was holding in his hand was not any firewood, but a mud-smeared bayonet, gleaming coldly.

Facing the man lying in the snow, his face slowly turned as white as the snow.

The caught player was also dumbfounded.

He had been lying in the snow just fine; who could have expected that this idiot would ignore all the tree branches and grab his gun barrel instead?

’Damn, what now?’

Edge Shoveling communicated with his teammate next to him with his eyes.

Debt Giant Eye was just as dumbfounded.

’Maybe... you wait for him to fire the first shot?’

Just then, from beside the fire by the road, a shout came.

"Xiu, what are you dawdling for?"

"I, I..."

The controlled Looter’s lips trembled, at a loss for words.

Hearing the shaking voice, the Looter behind immediately realized something was wrong, and instantly lifted his rifle, crouched, and pulled the bolt, shouting into the woods.

"Who’s there!"

Watching through a drone, Chu Guang knew the people in the woods couldn’t stay hidden anymore.

But it didn’t matter.

The discovered group was the feint team. Although this was a few minutes ahead of schedule, it didn’t affect the plan.

The time to test micro-operation had arrived!

Chu Guang stretched out his index finger and made a gestured in the air. The pre-compiled mission floating in the tactical goggles’ display immediately launched.

[Battle countdown: 0s]

[Mission: Free fire! (Released to: Team A—All Squads)]

[Mission: Bombard the target area! (Released to: Support Group)]

"Hit them hard!"

-

(The next Chapter will be released before 11 PM!)

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