This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 246: Paying the Highest Respect to These Honorable People

Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Paying the Highest Respect to These Honorable People

Riding a "motorcycle," the great rat led a group of smaller rats and shortly after their departure, a pioneering team composed of five hundred refugees had already relocated from the temporary refuge to Long Endurance Farm.

Approximately 1,500 refugees were still staying at the temporary refuge.

Now that winter was coming to an end, the snow was gradually melting and seeping into the soil. They couldn’t possibly stay forever in the crowded, unsafe, and unsanitary building, especially with spring approaching when it could easily become a breeding ground for germs.

Walking at the forefront of the refugee lines, Jiu Li found Luka waiting at the east gate and shook his hand.

"We were delayed on the way, sorry to have kept you waiting."

Luka replied warmly.

"It’s alright, the journey here is treacherous with the snow. Seeing you arrive safely is a relief."

After exchanging brief pleasantries, Jiu Li got straight to the point.

"Where do we start? Here, or somewhere else?"

Their camp from the previous year at the east gate had been destroyed by a blizzard, and remnants of it were still faintly visible on the ground.

Old Luka looked at Jiu Li and said,

"The Manager has instructed that your home will be at the west gate. Right now, the most urgent task is to resolve housing issues. Bricks, cement, and timber have already been delivered to the site, and specialists will guide you on construction. Once the houses are built, spring farming tasks will be allocated to you."

"Land will be distributed by household, with each couple constituting one household getting ten acres, and an additional acre for every child in the household. Individuals over sixteen who are unmarried will receive three acres each, and upon marrying, will be re-allotted ten acres when they establish a new household."

"The land is collectively owned by Long Endurance Farm, and cannot be transferred or leased. Inspections will occur quarterly, and violations will result in expulsion from residence and confiscation of the land."

"For the first three years, we will provide you with seeds and fertilizers, and you only need to hand over half of your harvest as compensation. After three years, as long as the land isn’t abandoned, the land allotted to each household will be entirely your responsibility to farm, and you will only need to hand over twenty percent of the produce, the rest you may keep or sell to the granary."

The refugees murmured among themselves, all wearing expressions of excitement.

"They’re providing seeds?"

"And fertilizers!"

"Only half of the harvest?... This is unbelievable."

Even Luka himself found it incredible.

In Wasteland, allowing farmers to keep twenty percent of their produce was already generous.

Yet the Manager was not only permitting them to keep half, but he had also generously offered to provide seeds, fertilizers, and professional guidance for the first three years.

"The reason refugees are refugees is because they are rootless. Producing food from the land is one aspect, but we also need to bind them to us with land and labor, preventing them from deserting over trivial matters."

"Each household managing ten acres, and with five hundred farming households, they could cultivate five thousand acres. These five thousand acres could not only provide more than adequate living for these families but could also feed thousands more, allowing other refugees to focus on production in factories."

"The remaining 25,000 acres will be part-managed by the collective farm, primarily cultivated by prisoners of war. Another portion will be managed by residents of the refuge, with the produced grain being purchased by a centralized granary."

These were the exact words of the Manager.

Luka didn’t fully understand, but he gained a new appreciation for the Manager’s kindness.

He genuinely hoped these unfortunate people could have better lives.

Such benevolence was extremely rare in Wasteland.

Having settled Jiu Li’s side and provided them with tools and building materials, Luka left the remaining tasks to the foreman and guards, and returned alone to the farm.

Inside the office, Wrench, the captain of the guard team, was waiting for him.

Presently, Long Endurance Farm was understaffed, especially in logistical roles.

Besides their regular duties, the guard team occasionally had to handle communications with the refugees.

This, too, was as per the Manager’s instruction.

It was a temporary solution, pending future reforms.

For the refugees, a crisp black uniform and a high-caliber rifle on their backs were far more persuasive at any time than a piece of paper filled with words.

To put it plainly.

Literacy education was still at its initial stage; most people barely recognized a few characters, and a lengthy ordinance was hard for them to remember.

Laws meant little to them compared to a direct order from a Manager in power armor.

This provided a greater sense of security than anything else.

At least in Qingquan City, the people of Wasteland acknowledged this authority.

"The transport route to Elm District has been restored, though our transportation and human resources are presently strained, we can only ensure a supply of 500 to 800 logs per day to the farm—this is under the condition that it does not affect the pioneering work."

"The Manager has said that pioneering work is the top priority. I will arrange for the lumber to be handled and delivered to the farm—just hand it over to me upon arrival."

Luka paused for a moment, his tone serious as he continued.

"Additionally, the brick factory has prioritized its output for Long Endurance Farm; we need to build at least five hundred houses by the end of the month and ensure that the farm’s three shared dormitories are completed to completely relocate the refugees from the temporary shelter."

Wrench hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Is that enough time?"

They still needed to prepare for spring plowing, and it might be hard to spare many workers.

Yet Luka’s response surprised him.

"At first, I also thought this task might be difficult to complete, but the diligence of the residents of the refuge exceeded our expectations... The pioneering tasks trusted to them have already completed one-fifth, and the remaining tasks will most likely be finished in a week."

"The Manager said that if the situation is optimistic, they could manage to reclaim an additional ten thousand acres by the 20th."

"Considering the ten thousand acres that the prisoners are working on, completing the 30,000-acre reclamation task before spring plowing is entirely feasible."

"This way, the labor saved can be fully utilized in building houses, speeding up the refugees’ resettlement."

Saying this, Luka unrolled a bluepribt.

It depicted a brick and timber structured house, very square and plain-looking, but it included all necessary designs.

"This is a row house designed by the residents of the refuge, thirty-six square meters per household, with a brick-timber hybrid structure. The required building materials are not extensive, and both insulation and safety are quite reliable."

Wrench stared at the blueprint for a while, and although he didn’t fully understand it, he intuitively felt that this type of house would use far fewer bricks and cement than those inside the farm.

After a long while, he couldn’t help but remark,

"To show the highest respect and gratitude to these honorable people."

Luka nodded with the same sentiment.

"We really should thank them. They have given so much."

War, Heaven disaster, famine, disease...

Even compared to the hardest days of the past, this year’s winter undoubtedly qualifies as hell mode.

Without those Blue Jackets, not to mention the refugees from abroad, hardly anyone in the "North Suburb" could have survived this winter.

This winter, not a single person died of hunger, and we even had a prosperous New Year.

It was almost unimaginable.

Of course, for Luka himself, his gratitude was much simpler.

If it were not for the Manager’s chip, he would probably have died under a guard’s gun long ago.

He didn’t understand many profound truths, and to this day, he didn’t grasp what the Manager meant when he told him, "Stand up, don’t kneel."

Luka only knew one thing—his life was saved by him.

That meant his life belonged to him.

...

Night.

The Commercial Team heading to Giant Stone City settled in an abandoned office building.

They cleared the Eaters from the lobby to the corridor and arrived on the second floor.

A tripwire was tied at the exit of the emergency passage, and the Caravan guard responsible for escorting Qian Lai and others back to Giant Stone City approached Xu Shun and Fang Chang to speak.

"This is our safe house on the edge of the fourth ring road. We’ll rest here tonight and continue our journey at dawn."

His name was Luo Guang. He had been working under List for five to six years and was considered a veteran in the team.

The other two guards had been working for two years; one with a submachine gun named Wang Zhong and the other with a bandage around his right arm named Kaia—Fang Chang had gotten this info from Xu Shun.

Before arriving here, the group had encountered an ambush by a group of Looters, and poor Kaia had been unfortunately shot in the right arm.

Those Goblins hiding in the ruins always managed to emerge unexpectedly and open fire without a word, not disguising their naked aggression.

Everyone present wore a frightened expression, except for one person who looked ordinary, as if nothing had happened.

That person was Fang Chang.

Isn’t encountering Bandits a common sense in RPG Games when running a business?

The production team provides you with guns, naturally expecting you to use them.

Basic survival rule number six.

He didn’t find it strange at all, instead, he thought that the attackers were too weak.

"Safe house?"

Xu Shun looked around at the mold in the corner and the fungal mat formed by the variants, feeling nowhere was safe here.

Standing by, Qian Lai gave a wry smile and said,

"Don’t worry, the Eaters won’t jump out of the ground, and even if there is a small hatchery on the roof, it won’t suddenly produce a lot. If used properly, the Eaters wandering in the corridors can actually provide us cover."

At least a hundred Eaters were in the lobby; they had only killed a dozen when they came up, leaving a bunch still.

If Looters intended to ambush them, they would have to clear the Eaters from the lobby to the emergency passage just like them.

Even if the Looters executed the Eaters in melee combat without firing a shot, the sound of heavy objects falling would still be heard by those on the second floor.

As long as someone was stationed near the emergency passage exit as a lookout, their safety was almost guaranteed.

Qian Lai patiently explained to the two novices, "It’s dangerous to light a fire here; we probably have to spend the night in the dark. Did you bring any food?"

Xu Shun replied,

"We did."

Qian Lai nodded.

"That’s good; there’s no place here for you to cook."

The Commercial Team’s ration was nutrient paste, and although they also had hard, frozen bread, nobody wanted to eat it.

Xu Shun took out a warm bun from his chest, then reached into his backpack and pulled out some pickles from a can. He sliced the bun open with a Small Blade, poured some pickles on it, and took a bite.

The surrounding guards looked on curiously, whispering quietly,

"How is this bread white?"

"Strange food."

"I’ve seen it in their market... but it’s expensively sold, one piece for four chips!"

Hearing this, the other two guards showed surprised expressions and looked at Xu Shun with envy, as if seeing a wealthy man.

A meal for four chips!

That was extravagantly luxurious!

Fang Chang ate a dumpling, quickly finished, and then went to sit by the window. He pulled out a small notebook from his pocket, glanced at it in the weak moonlight outside.

It was filled with tiny writing about everything he had seen on the journey, which he planned to update on the Forum after logging off.

The situation inside Qingquan City was starkly different from the "North Suburb."

They had been attacked by Looters at least twice on their way.

The first time was five people, wildly shooting at them with pipe rifles. However, three were quickly eliminated, and the two others fled.

The second time, more people came—twelve in total, a squad size of ten.

Kaia, sitting by the wall, treated his wound with alcohol, cursing quietly.

"These fucking dogs! They bully the weak and fear the strong."

Xu Shun asked him,

"How can there be so many Looters?"

Kaia muttered, "They’re everywhere. Those empty buildings, any window could be hiding a pair of eyes, watching us. They probably had their eyes on us from the moment we entered the city."

Xu Shun suddenly became vigilant and said,

"What if they surround us..."

Kaia laughed,

"Relax, buddy, not all Looters end up like the Chew-bone Tribe, just like not all cancer cells turn into tumors. At least a third of the Looters were once mercenaries, either they killed their employers, or they harmed their teammates. Unable to return to Giant Stone City and lacking the courage to start a new life, they simply decided to become bandits. How capable do you expect such scum to be?"

Sitting nearby, Wang Zhong interjected, "Our luck has been pretty good; we’ve only encountered the small-time players. If we dealt with the big ones, it would be troublesome."

Xu Shun: "...What do you mean?"

"It’s just that," using tweezers to pull out a bullet, Kaia held it in front of him and grinned, showing his teeth. "Steel pellet, about 6mm... Thank God it’s not a lead bullet; my arm would’ve been ruined."

Wang Zhong joked with a laugh,

"Wouldn’t that be a perfect chance to get a mechanical arm?"

Kaia rolled his eyes,

"Give me a break, I can’t afford that."

Such expensive equipment was not something he could even dream of affording.

Like most others here, List was temporarily employed, with only a few becoming core employees who committed their lives to working for the caravan—this was also their motivation to strive.

Looking at the subtitles intermittently appearing on his VM, Fang Chang pondered for a long while, then continued writing in his notebook by the moonlight.

"Mercenary is a common job in Giant Stone City, mostly taken up by the poor."

"At the same time, a severely oversaturated private armed market has led to extreme internal strife within the mercenary industry. Most mercenaries must risk their lives for meager earnings to sustain themselves, which is one of the roots of the turmoil in Qingquan City..."

"One of them, at least."

He closed the notebook.

Fang Chang was about to log off, but suddenly he felt an undisclosed intuition,

as if he was being watched.

He tucked the pen into his pocket and his hand involuntarily reached for the mechanical composite bow resting against the wall.

After his Awakening, he had seven points in Perception.

Although not high compared to Perception-type players, it was 140% of the intuition of an average person.

Moreover, combined with the experience accrued in battle, his actual perception of danger was not weaker than that of low-level Perception-type newbies.

Noticing his action, Luo Guang gave him an inquiring look.

"Did you notice something?"

Fang Chang couldn’t understand what he was asking, but guessing from his expression, he silently nodded.

Three guards and Xu Shun next to him immediately became alert and gripped their weapons tighter, while Qian Lai moved to a safer spot.

He was aware of his own combat power and believed that there was no need for him to act himself, as these people could handle the Looters easily.

Everyone quietly remained on guard.

But at that moment, Fang Chang acted.

He lifted the mechanical composite bow, an explosive arrow nocked on the string. After silently counting down, he cleanly shot it towards a window across the hallway.

The arrow traversed tens of meters, and the moment it left the window, it burst into a flash of fire. Steel pellets encased in cardboard whizzed out, soon followed by a pitiful wail and the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground outside.

"Enemy attack!"

"It’s the Looters!"

Kaia pursued the window opposite, while the other two kept their eyes on the hallway and the emergency door.

Without using the elevator, that was the only route up.

Hearing the gunfire, Looters downstairs immediately charged up.

Standing at the entrance of the hallway, Luo Guang held his submachine gun and unleashed a burst of fire at the incoming Looters, killing two on the spot. Another narrowly escaped behind cover and attempted to return fire, but before he could fire twice, an arrow pierced his forehead, and his pupils dilated as he fell backward.

Xu Shun had just aimed and was ready to shoot, but Fang Chang had already put away his compound bow.

The fight was over.

"There are still three small fries who didn’t come up!"

Standing by the window, Kaia raised his rifle and fired two shots at the fleeing figures. Seeing they were out of range, he withdrew his rifle and spit in disdain,

"Damn, let those dogs get away!"

Carefully approaching the emergency exit, Luo Guang confirmed the Looters had retreated, then crouched down to check the bodies.

"...Probably the same group we encountered during the day; they’ve been following us."

Kaia couldn’t help but curse.

"What are these idiots trying to do?"

Wang Zhong jokingly said, "Maybe they were light-headed with hunger."

The group chuckled lightly.

Although it was a narrow escape, it still made everyone’s nerves tighten.

Luo Guang patted Kaia’s shoulder,

"We still have a journey tomorrow; should reach Giant Stone City by noon. I’ll sleep for a while and then take over your shift in the latter half of the night."

Kaia gave him a reassuring look.

"Alright, boss."

Fang Chang returned to the window seat, and after confirming that the crisis was over, he casually glanced at his notebook, then stuffed it back into his pocket, closed his eyes to prepare to sleep, and planned to log off.

Xu Shun sat down next to Fang Chang.

The manager had, of course, instructed him that while his resident was sleeping, he must ensure to stand guard throughout the night and not let anyone approach.

Luo Guang glanced at Fang Chang, who had closed his eyes, and then at Xu Shun sitting beside him, and quietly asked,

"Is he asleep?"

Xu Shun nodded and said,

"Yes."

According to the arrangement, Fang Chang would take over his shift around 3 a.m., during which time he wouldn’t wake up.

"The envy of mental resilience," Luo Guang grinned slightly and continued quietly, "I just wanted to tell him that those two arrows were beautifully shot."

In the mercenaries of Giant Stone City, if one had a choice, few would use bows and crossbows. After all, these weapons provided unstable output and were much harder to maintain than guns.

Only some awakeners, considering their own limits, would choose weapons that better utilized their physical advantages.

However, most of them primarily used thrown weapons.

Such as flying knives, javelins, and hand grenades, which were the most common.

Although not as perceptive as Team Leader Han Long, Luo Guang could confidently assert that this sleeping expert was indeed an awakener!

Xu Shun nodded and said,

"I’ll pass it on after he wakes up."

Luo Guang made an ’okay’ gesture with his hand, then covered his face with his hat, leaned against the wall, and soon began to snore.

The room quieted down.

It was as if the previous battle had never happened.

Xu Shun glanced at the VM.

There was no signal here, only the short-range signal emitted from Fang Chang’s device was detectable.

"The edge of the fourth Ring... If we can get to Giant Stone City tomorrow, the position here should be right in the middle."

Xu Shun muttered to himself and made a mark on the map.

This area could serve as a signal relay station, and commercial teams traveling from "North Suburb" to Giant Stone City could also stop here.

However, with looters active in the area, caution was essential.

...

The night passed without incident.

The following morning, the group continued on their way.

As they drew nearer to Giant Stone City, Fang Chang unconsciously quickened his pace, his excitement difficult to articulate.

Always living in the official setting collection of Giant Stone City!

The largest survivor settlement in Qingquan City!

Soon, he would see with his own eyes the surprises the game development team had prepared for the players!

Turning around a street corner and standing on a straight twelve-lane overpass, Fang Chang’s excitement was gradually replaced by awe.

A towering wall, as tall as twenty stories, stood like a dam between two skyscrapers reaching straight into the clouds.

The imposing presence of the giant structure was overwhelming.

Even from a kilometer away, it was palpable!

"Seeing that giant wall is the same as seeing Giant Stone City. The rest of the journey should be much easier," Qian Lai’s face showed a relieved smile, "Finally, there’s a warm mattress to sleep on, and you guys can stay at my place, which although small, is definitely better than a hotel!"

Also stunned by the scene before him, Xu Shun couldn’t help but speak out,

"How much cement is that?"

Qian Lai laughed and said,

"Who knows, and it’s not all cement inside; it might be mixed with some rubbish or discarded concrete blocks; it has some history. This giant wall was mainly built to withstand the threats from Variants and ’Tides’, but truth be told, the Tides haven’t threatened the foundations of Giant Stone City’s walls for a long time."

Xu Shun: "Incredible!"

"Indeed incredible, but I heard this settlement was built mimicking Ideal City... though it’s not up to the same standard."

Saying this, Qian Lai squinted his eyes looking into the distance, paused for a moment, and his gaze toward the giant wall held a touch of longing.

"I hope to visit Ideal City someday."

Xu Shun: "...Ideal City?"

Qian Lai: "Yeah, our boss went there once and said it’s the closest thing to a pre-war society on this entire wasteland... although I’d bet he doesn’t really know what pre-war society was like."

Xu Shun didn’t quite understand.

For someone like him who grew up in "North Suburb," the pre-war was a vague concept.

He had only heard that in that era, people had endless honey and milk, and even drank bottled clean water only to throw the bottles away.

While the cans and glass bottles they collected from the wasteland, which were treasures to them, were considered trash that no one wanted in that age, utterly ignored by people.

Instead, those daunting skyscrapers were treasures they hunted for.

Everything about the Prosperity Epoch seemed completely reversed from this era.

By now, Fang Chang was no longer paying attention to the subtitles; he put on the earphones provided by the manager, excitedly snapped several photos of Giant Stone City.

Although he was out of communication range, and the photos couldn’t be sent back, it didn’t matter.

He could save them in the VM’s album for now!

After all, this was an opportunity he had exchanged for with 250 silver coins; he couldn’t waste it.

Once he got back, he would need to make a good story with these photos!