This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 241: We offer two win-win solutions; whichever you choose, you’ll make a killing.

Chapter 241: Chapter 241: We offer two win-win solutions; whichever you choose, you’ll make a killing.

"...Unbelievable."

"Is this the same place we visited last time?"

Following the guard’s steps from the moment they entered the southern entrance of Linghu Wetland Park, a look of astonishment never left Mr. Lister’s face.

A straight cement path under their feet stretched all the way from the park’s southern gate into the fortress in the forest.

The road seemed to have been freshly laid.

But there was nothing particularly surprising about that.

Simply leveling the ground slightly and applying a layer of cement is something any slightly organized survivor settlement could manage, if they chose to.

However, for a survivor settlement of barely a hundred people, this was indeed surprising.

Mr. Lister suddenly spoke up,

"When did we last visit?"

The guard walking beside Mr. Lister hesitated for a moment before responding,

"...I think it was October."

Last year, winter came early, and it had been getting progressively colder since October. By November, the roads from Giant Stone City to the "North Suburb" were completely impassable.

Thinking this, Mr. Lister fell into contemplation.

These Blue Jackets had cut down more than a third of the trees in Linghu Wetland Park in less than three months.

What exactly were they planning to do?

Just as Mr. Lister was puzzled, the scene in front of them suddenly opened up.

At the end of the cement road, there was a row of brick and timber structured houses, roughly numbering over a hundred.

And this was just at the southern entrance.

Looking towards the east, there were two villages situated there. To the north was even more impressive, probably a market, with rows of bustling stalls, crowded streets, and people bustling about; there were easily more than a couple hundred people there.

This was no mere survivor settlement of a hundred people.

At least five hundred... no, it could well be over a thousand.

The look of astonishment on Mr. Lister’s face intensified.

For a moment, he even doubted whether he had really been to this place before.

Walking in the commercial team, a guard carrying two rifles on his back whispered to a bald-headed man next to him.

"I remember last time we came here, weren’t there just bare wooden stumps?"

"It’s only been one winter, how many houses have they built?"

"When did so many people get here!"

"And not just houses... they’ve renovated the concrete walls too, now that shooting platform could hold quite a number of people."

The original walls, made from building debris, had been replaced with sturdy concrete ones, and the smooth walls even had a layer of white lime plaster.

Additionally, those Blue Jackets had also widened the originally narrow gate.

What was once a narrow road that could only accommodate two ox carts side by side had now become a four-lane road, capable of accommodating four vehicles abreast.

Dressed in uniform black coats, guards carrying rifles stood meticulously at the gate. Residents in various outfits hustled by the gate, some in fur clothing, others in Blue Jackets, and yet others in more avant-garde attire, looking oddly attractive but they couldn’t think of any other way to describe them.

It seemed these refuge residents had adapted to surface life and had taken in quite a number of Wasteland Wanderers into their settlement.

This place might not be considered developed, as they saw no streetlights on the roads. Yet compared to those settlements that turned pitch dark at night, they had their own public lighting system—half reliant on torches, half on coal lamps.

Not a single person looked pale, hard to imagine they had just endured a harsh winter. An ample supply of resources left most people hopeful about future life; everything here was so orderly.

Mr. Lister suddenly thought of the shanty area at the gate of Giant Stone City.

Houses built along the boundary wall, yet the differences between the two were stark.

"It’s hard to imagine they achieved all this in just one winter."

Mr. Lister, his Adam’s apple bobbing, continued with a tone of amazement,

"Bon Dragon, remember? The refuge we visited before. They had to leave because they ran out of supplies and built homes on the surface, also about five to six hundred people, but it seemed the same every year when we passed by."

The man walking beside Mr. Lister, with a mechanical prosthesis replacing his right arm and eye, took a careful look around and spoke in a stilted tone,

"Of course I remember, sir. However, I believe that being able to remain unchanged in this world is also a special skill."

He was Mr. Lister’s old partner, having traveled to many places with him, having seen more survivor settlements than he could count on both hands.

Yet the number of old clients they could do business with year after year were few.

Many might be there in the autumn and by the time spring came, there was no knowing where they had gone.

Like the old mayor of Bet Street.

Before winter was even over, he had been unceremoniously kicked out of his warm home, humbly rolling into Giant Stone City.

He was one of the luckier ones.

Those less fortunate might end up in a Mutant’s stomach, thrown into a boiling pot by Looters, or worse, eaten alive by Variants—such incidents occurred yearly, too commonplace to even make the news.

Being able to maintain the status quo was indeed a great skill in the wasteland.

"That’s true," Mr. Lister said with a smile, "But as partners, I must admit I prefer doing business with people who have ambition."

How else could he prosper?

Mr. Lister still remembered, the last time he traded with the people here, that man had traded 20 kilograms of Blue Umbrella Mushrooms and 12 deer skins for a 10KW wood-fired generator, a KV-1 Exoskeleton, four bolt-action pipe rifles, and 120 rounds of ammunition from him.

That had been the last trade he made before winter.

Even though that man’s slick talking made him earn less than he could have, the profit from that trade was still a considerable sum.

Later, Mr. Lister used the money earned to buy twelve slaves from a merchant in Red River Town stuck in Giant Stone City, sending them to a Kham Tree Plantation in the south he was co-running with a business partner, while the roads were still passable before the heavy snow set in.

Thinking of this, Mr. Lister’s heart heated with excitement.

This time he had brought quite a few good items.

He wondered how much he could earn from this trip!

The commercial team stopped at the southern gate.

Some players nearby, there to complete quests, quickly noticed them, casting curious glances their way.

"Who are those people?"

"A commercial team?"

"Damn, I recognize these people!"

"Great news, Boss Xia’s store can finally restock!"

As the players were sizing up these people, the guards within the commercial team were also nervously observing the ones in blue jackets.

"Damn... there are actually two Awakeners among them?"

"Are you sure?!"

"No mistake! My special ability is to sense the presence of Awakeners... That strong presence is unmistakable!"

Pang Long, standing beside Mr. Lister, also furrowed his brows slightly.

Noticing the change in his reliable subordinate’s expression, Mr. Lister glanced at him and asked.

"What’s wrong?"

"These people are much stronger than you anticipated," Pang Long said quietly, "Those wearing the refuge uniforms... I saw at least four Awakeners among them, and at least fifteen people showing signs of awakening. Their strength might not match mine, but their overall combat power is stronger than ours."

Mr. Lister looked at Pang Long, surprised. Though it sounded far-fetched, he trusted his subordinate’s judgment.

"We need to avoid conflict with them as much as possible... Keep an eye on our people later, and don’t let them wander off."

Pang Long nodded.

"Alright."

Mr. Lister instructed Pang Long to wait at the entrance with his subordinates while he himself followed the guard in the exoskeleton inside.

No survivor settlement would ever allow a group of armed outsiders to saunter into their homes.

No matter how familiar they were with each other.

However, Mr. Lister was quite confident in his ability to assess people, especially clients he had cooperated with before.

Who could only trade once and who could be long-term partners—he could tell at a glance. It was this sharp vision that had kept him alive thus far.

Liuding, who was leading the way, had not interacted much with him along the route, quiet as if merely a tool.

Escorting this guest from Giant Stone City, they reached the reception room.

As instructed by the Manager, Liuding served him a cup of tea, then said,

"The Manager is still on his way back, it might take about half an hour for him to arrive. I hope you don’t mind waiting a bit."

Unlike his previous impatient demeanor here, Mr. Lister’s face hosted a pleasant smile as he politely said,

"No rush, I have plenty of time. We didn’t make an appointment in advance, so I apologize for the intrusion!"

Remembering the Manager’s instructions, Liuding politely said,

"How could it be a bother? The Manager specifically told me you’re a distinguished guest and instructed me to treat you well."

"If there’s anything you need, just let me know. I’ll assist within the permitted limit," he added.

Mr. Lister courteously declined,

"No need, you’re too kind!"

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while.

Liuding, not adept at handling such situations and having to deal with the security team’s matters, soon left after instructing the servants to take care of this long-distance visitor.

Time ticked by slowly.

Soon, thirty minutes had passed.

Just as Mr. Lister checked his pocket watch for the sixth time, he finally heard footsteps outside.

The timing was incredibly precise, almost to the second.

So much so that Mr. Lister couldn’t help but internally remark about the man’s punctuality!

The door to the reception room opened.

A man clad in dark blue power armor strode in energetically.

Seeing Mr. Lister sitting in the reception room, Chu Guang’s face lit up with a pleasing smile as he said,

"Long time no see! Mr. Lister."

"Indeed, an entire winter has passed. I’m delighted to see you again! I hope my abrupt visit hasn’t caused any inconvenience."

Rising from his chair, Mr. Lister’s gaze was unavoidably drawn to the power armor on Chu Guang.

The deep blue paint, streamlined shell—it exuded a strong sense of security just by looking at it.

A flash of unmistakable envy appeared in Mr. Lister’s eyes.

Power armor!

And it was even a pre-war model!

This gear was precious, able to ensure the wearer’s safety even under the most extreme conditions.

He had always wanted a suit, but sadly, with the backward industrial capabilities on Wasteland, producing it was not feasible.

Even Ideal City couldn’t procure such items.

In the militia groups of Giant Stone City, there were limited numbers of power armor, but those were strategic reserves; even if damaged, they wouldn’t appear on the market. Some larger mercenary groups or military contractors might have one or two suits, but those were treasured and used as such.

Catching the fleeting envy in Mr. Lister’s eyes, Chu Guang smiled inwardly, though his face showed nothing.

Having been an NPC for so long and with past sales experience, he had sufficient control over his expressions.

"How could it be a bother? Seeing you here, I know the North suburb of Qingquan city is about to liven up."

Hearing Chu Guang’s jocular remark, Mr. Lister chuckled and said,

"Not to boast, but we are certainly one of the earliest commercial teams to set off from Giant Stone City! Absolutely the first batch heading north! While our competitors were still planning where to make their fortune, we had already scouted the route and loaded the goods onto the double-headed cows."

Chu Guang asked with interest,

"Oh? What good stuff did you bring this time?"

Just waiting for this question!

Mr. Lister’s heart leapt. Unassumingly, he took out a tablet and handed it to Chu Guang.

"As before, here’s the list of goods!"

"The first five pages are what we brought with us; the marked items in the back we didn’t bring, but if you’re interested, we can find a way to get them for you!"

Chu Guang took the tablet, swiping his finger across the screen, quickly flipping through it.

Different from the last list he saw focusing on daily necessities, this time Mr. Lister’s commercial team had brought weapons and KV-1 exoskeletons.

"Things like assault rifles, hand grenades, rocket launchers, and the like, the new industrial area has long been able to produce them independently.

Moreover, this fellow is quite dishonest; what he sells are cheap goods assembled from the cast-off receiver cases and barrels from Giant Stone City Military Factory.

Now, even newbies seldom use weapons of that plain ’vintage Wasteland’ variety.

Seeing Mr. Lister’s eager face, Chu Guang felt a slight stir in his heart, and asked casually in an indifferent tone.

’Why is the list all about weapons? Don’t you have anything else?’

Mr. Lister was stunned.

Chu Guang’s reaction was unexpected.

Initially, he thought these Blue Jacket guys would be interested in his weapons.

After all, the last time he was here, he managed to trade twelve high-quality deerskins for just four cheap guns.

However, no matter how Chu Guang tried to interpret Mr. Lister’s expression, it was hard to associate it with ’interest.’

’We carry weapons because they sell well. With the current unstable situation in River Valley Province, with the Chewing Bone Tribe followers looting everywhere, and the scent of gunpowder in the air wherever you go, what could be in higher demand than weapons?’

Seeing Chu Guang still uninterested, Mr. Lister tried every trick in the book to make a sale.

’I genuinely recommend the Male Peak X-2 Assault Rifle from the list! It is the epitome of light firearms technology from the Giant Stone City Military Factory! If it hadn’t been for an entire winter’s stockpile, even I wouldn’t have been able to get my hands on so many.’

’Considering you’re a frequent customer, I can offer you a discount. Only 300 chips each, with it, you will have the most powerful firepower in the North Suburb! If you’re not sure what to choose, you can’t go wrong with this!’

Chu Guang almost laughed upon hearing Mr. Lister’s pitch.

If it weren’t because he had seen the corporate ’Black Swan’ G9 Assault Rifle, he would have almost believed this guy’s nonsense.

’The crystallization of technology,’ indeed.

This thing was just copied from corporate standard-issue weapons.

Although his LD-series weapons also drew inspiration from the AK gun family, at least they borrowed from another world, which by a roundabout calculation, barely counts as independent research.

’You seem a bit slow on the uptake for business opportunities,’ Chu Guang said with a smile, speaking lightly to Mr. Lister, ’Honestly, if it had been before winter, I might have reluctantly bought a couple, but we don’t need them anymore.’

’Not needed?! How could they not be needed?’

Mr. Lister looked at Chu Guang in shock, speaking rapidly.

’Even without the Blood Hand Clan, the entire North Suburb is far from safe! My friend, you might not know, a group calling themselves the Looters claiming to be Chewing Bone is pushing towards the North suburb of Qingquan City. These people are different from the Blood Hand Clan; they not only inherited the army’s equipment but are also numerous and strong. Do you think you can chase them off with just a few iron pipe rifles?’

Watching Mr. Lister desperately trying to sell him on the idea, Chu Guang found it somewhat amusing.

It seems Giant Stone City is unaware of what’s happening in the North Suburbs.

Of course, it might just be that Mr. Lister doesn’t know.

Xiao Qi had been tuning into ’Voice of Giant Stone City’ broadcasts recently, mining the chatterbox host’s useless chatter for useful information.

It seems that they indeed were unaware that the Black Snake led thousand team had already been defeated by Chu Guang.

This thought made Chu Guang continue.

’Come with me.’

’After you’ve seen our stuff, you’ll know why I’m not interested in the items on your list.’

...

Western Entrance of the Outpost Base.

With doubtful thoughts, Mr. Lister followed Chu Guang here.

Calling over a nearby guard, Chu Guang received an LD-47 Assault Rifle from him and handed it to Mr. Lister.

’LD-47, Sickle Assault Rifle, 7mm caliber. We use this to deal with Looters, Mutants, and even those Eaters and Crawlers covered in sticky fungi, even a Tyrant.’

Mr. Lister took the rifle from Chu Guang, examining it for a while before looking up at Chu Guang with surprised eyes.

’So, these are made by you guys?’

Chu Guang nodded.

’Yes.’

Mr. Lister thought for a moment before giving his assessment.

’The structure looks pretty simple, there aren’t many visible parts, and even the stock is made of wood.’

Chu Guang said nonchalantly.

’Simplicity doesn’t stop it from being effective. Want to try it out?’

Mr. Lister looked at him and asked.

’Can I?’

Without much ado, Chu Guang handed him a loaded magazine and gestured for him to proceed.

’Please.’

Not being shy, Mr. Lister attached the magazine, turned off the safety, and aimed at a target a hundred meters away before pulling the trigger.

The massive recoil hit his shoulder, making him sway.

However, having ventured around the Wasteland for so many years, he was somewhat skilled.

He quickly adjusted to the weapon’s recoil, firing another few shots, accurately hitting the center rings seven and eight.

’Great gun!’

Mr. Lister’s eyes lit up as he swept the target with another volley.

Not until the magazine was empty did Mr. Lister reluctantly return the rifle to Chu Guang.

’That’s a good gun!’

’The only downside is that it’s a bit hard to handle! But its firepower and strength are indeed fierce; mercenaries will probably love it.’

’But such weapons, you guys don’t have many, right?’

Not many?

Chu Guang laughed.

’I’m not sure whether it’s a lot, but we still have a bunch of rifles like this in the warehouse. Not only that, but we also designed specialized interchangeable parts for it. Swap on a barrel and drum, and it becomes a light machine gun; remove the barrel, and it turns into a submachine gun.’

’Even though these aren’t anything technologically groundbreaking, they are absolutely reliable. We’ve tested burying them in snow, throwing them into mud pits, and submerging them in water, and they still fire normally after being taken out, without any impact on their power.’

A warehouse full?!

Mr. Lister swallowed and couldn’t help but say.

’A warehouse full? You’ve been making guns all winter?’

Chu Guang gave a faint smile and said,

"You haven’t been here in a long time, so feeling unfamiliar with this place is quite normal."

More than unfamiliar.

Mr. Lister felt as though he had come to the wrong place!

Seeing Mr. Lister so surprised that he was at a loss for words, Chu Guang paused for a moment, then continued in a conversational tone.

"The changes in the ’North Suburb’ aren’t limited to just this small piece of land under your feet. Five kilometers north from here is our new Industrial Zone, where the industrial goods produced are enough to supply the entire consumption of the survivor settlement in the ’North Suburb.’ The rifle in your hands, and the bullets that were just fired, were all produced there."

"Besides the industrial area, we have an agricultural district. Another five kilometers north from the industrial area is our granary in the ’North Suburb’! There, thousands of acres of farmland being reclaimed will soon become the largest food production base in the ’North Suburb,’ solving the food problem for at least thirty thousand people."

"Mr. Lister, times have changed. Now it’s the year 212 of the Wasteland Era; we should learn to look forward, shouldn’t we?"

Although these words were somewhat exaggerated, there was actually nothing wrong with them.

After all, that was exactly Chu Guang’s plan.

The industrial products produced in the future would not only supply the entire survivor settlement of the ’North Suburb’ but would also be sold to even more distant places.

So, this was not pie in the sky.

Chu Guang was merely outlining a blueprint for the future.

Mr. Lister swallowed hard, still unable to recover from what Chu Guang had just said.

Industrial Zone?

’North Suburb’?

Relying on those illiterate country bumpkins?

Mr. Lister simply couldn’t imagine how, in the current state of the ’North Suburb,’ any point could meet the conditions for developing industry.

Relying on those refugees with mixed and uneducated qualities?

Do they even know what industry is?

Do they understand what standardization is?

Or perhaps relying on those "Blue Jackets" who complain loudly about working after just a little labor, clamoring to restore a 2-hour work system?

However, Mr. Lister had to admit one thing: the Blue Jackets here did indeed look a bit special. Apart from wearing a blue jacket, they didn’t have the slightest appearance of residents of a refuge.

Seeing Mr. Lister’s skeptical face was completely within Chu Guang’s expectations.

After all, such things sounded somewhat incredible.

A sharp businessman like him wouldn’t be convinced by a few mere words.

"There’s still a little time before it gets completely dark. If you’re interested, I could take you for a visit."

Hearing Chu Guang’s invitation, Mr. Lister hesitated.

"Wouldn’t that be presumptuous?"

"How could it be?" Chu Guang smiled faintly, "It’s not as if it’s anything secretive."

Seeing Chu Guang say so, Mr. Lister didn’t hesitate at all and immediately responded.

"Please, do take me for a visit!"

If coming here before had meant Mr. Lister was simply looking to make a quick profit from the unstable situation in River Valley Province by offloading cheap stockpiled weapons and making some money from these local rich men of the ’North Suburb’.

Now, he had transcended those petty profits.

A young and potentially powerful force was rising from this wild land! And its leader was not only decisive and capable but also full of ambition.

Mr. Lister smelled a huge business opportunity!

His intuition told him that if he could grasp this chance, regardless of this guy’s success or failure, he would be able to earn an unimaginable fortune!

This was far beyond twelve deer skins and a sack of mushrooms!

...

His expectations were not disappointed, as Chu Guang quickly brought him to the Industrial Zone five kilometers away.

Although night had fallen, the area was still brightly lit, and production was still ongoing.

Getting out of the car at the entrance to the Industrial Zone, Mr. Lister was quickly stunned by what he saw.

Everything here was much more shocking than what he had seen at Linghu Wetland Park!

Tall chimneys jutted from the roofs of the factories, emitting plumes of smoke continuously, while goods and raw materials were piled into heaps in the warehouses.

Every so often, people would push carts, transporting goods from one workshop to another, or from one factory to another.

Especially after visiting the production workshops for the LD-47 machine casing and bullets, astonishment was written all over Mr. Lister’s face.

The stamping equipment connected to the conveyors was printing out parts one after another, just like a printer.

Although similar equipment was not uncommon in the factories of Giant Stone City, it was hard to imagine that they had developed all this in just one winter.

Had these industrial equipment and production methods fallen from heaven?!

Mr. Lister suddenly thought of the Pioneer he had passed earlier on the road in the north suburb of Qingquan City.

There was only one explanation.

They had received corporate sponsorship!

"...This place was originally a nest of the Blood Hand Clan, but later we took care of those annoying guys and sent them where they belonged."

"Then, we transformed the entire factory, melting the scavenged junk into steel, aluminum, or other alloys, and using them to make weapons, produce machinery, and create anything else that could help us rebuild our homeland."

"Although the facilities here aren’t as good as those in Giant Stone City, we have things Giant Stone City doesn’t have. For example, convenient transportation, and cheap labor and raw material costs."

"This place will soon prosper, and it will definitely not lose to any survivor settlement in River Valley Province. Now is the best window of opportunity to enter, I’m only telling you this because you’re an old friend. Investing in us now, is definitely a profitable business."

"If you miss it, you might have to wait many years."

Watching his confident expression, although Mr. Lister’s intuition told him this guy was probably bluffing him, he still inexplicably opened his mouth.

"How can I invest?"

Finally, the moment he had been waiting for!

A pleased smile appeared on Chu Guang’s face.

"It’s simple, we have two win-win plans."

"Whether you choose to contribute money, effort, or both, I can assure you, it will be a profitable deal!"

-

(I shouldn’t have made a flag... still 2K short, cracking up.)

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