This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 254: Qin Shi Huang touches an electric door, Wins Mahjong

Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Qin Shi Huang touches an electric door, Wins Mahjong

Giant Stone City’s bars weren’t limited to just the "Night Queen."

While Luo Bo was dreaming about dominating the night of Giant Stone City, cheers for the good stuff from the North Suburb were echoing in the Pirate Bay Tavern down another street.

"Spiritual Water?! Fuck, in this dead of winter, where did you get all these great things from?"

The man sitting at the bar, looking at the bottles and jars on the shelves, showed a face filled with envy and desire.

His name was Ant, the leader of the Red Rocket Mercenary Group, with around forty to fifty men under his command, and including himself, there were six Awakeners.

If it were outside Giant Stone City, with such strength, he wouldn’t be an emperor, but it would be more than enough to be a rich landowner like Old Leech.

But here, he was merely a mercenary chief.

There were too many similar cases, and no one would take the trouble to remember the name of a mercenary group and exactly how many people they had.

Because it was meaningless; they might be gone tomorrow, or they might have switched their coats and started another line of work.

The bartender in front of him seemed not to have heard his question at all and kept calmly wiping glasses while speaking in an unhurried tone.

"200 chips."

Ant’s eyes bulged as he blurted out.

"200 chips?! For that tiny 200-milliliter bottle? Are you guys crazy for money?!"

The bartender glanced at him, his expression unchanged.

"This is the undiluted good stuff. Extracting these 200 milliliters of essence requires at least one kilogram of Spirit Leaf. You wouldn’t be foolish enough to chug this bottle in one go."

A safe intake was below 20 milliliters. Many mercenaries would mix it into alcohol or directly dilute it with water.

Typically, mixing 20 milliliters of concentrated Spiritual Water with 200 milliliters of pure water could make a bottle of Spiritual Water with the best effect, providing two hours of fearlessness.

These two hours were critical.

After all, most battles ended within half an hour; two hours of this good state was more than enough to help them immensely.

He hadn’t expected that they would still have this kind of undiluted good stuff here.

Surprise flickered across Ant’s face.

If the price was one chip per milliliter, it wasn’t excessive, especially during winter, when it was hard to get a lot of Spirit Leaf.

"Give me five bottles!"

The bartender skillfully turned around, took five bottles from the shelf, and placed them on the table.

"That’ll be 1000."

Without a second word, Ant slapped a bag of chips onto the table.

"It’s all here... Fuck, the money didn’t even get warm in my pocket before it landed in yours. You better get me some good work!"

"Winter’s already over; do you still worry about not having work?"

The bartender smiled faintly, opened the bag to have a look, then put the chips in a drawer under the counter.

After a moment of thought, he continued.

"There’s going to be a fight in Red River Town, and I heard the price they’re offering is not bad, a six-month contract of 300 red and blue tickets, whether it’s men or women shipped to the south could make money, if you can’t find a buyer, you can also bring them here, are you interested?"

"Got anything closer?" Taking the Spiritual Water from the table, Ant lit a cigarette for himself, "Six months is too long, at the beginning of the year I just want a short-term job."

If things went fast, in two to three weeks, if slow, in two months, commercial teams from the enterprises would come here.

This year he planned to try his luck in the Province of Yúnjiānxíng.

Not just to make money, but also to get himself and his brothers some bionic prosthetics, a couple of reliable pieces of equipment.

He’d heard that things were heating up in Yunjian Province, fighting fiercely against the Mutants. If he could mix in there for a couple of years, maybe he could return home clothed in silk and retire.

No one could be a mercenary all their life.

Neither could Awakeners.

Watching the man sitting in front of the bar, the bartender said thoughtfully.

"Then you’ll just have to wait for the Tide."

Ant raised his eyebrows.

"Will there be one this year?"

"I don’t know, but the chances are high," the bartender shrugged and continued, "It’s been a tough winter. Not only the animals need to find food, but those decaying things need to gnaw on something too. With all that snow last month, I would find it strange if nothing happened when spring arrives."

The Tide.

Ant licked the corner of his mouth, a flicker of excitement passing through his eyes.

What an opportunity!

Whenever the "Tide" arises, the big shots of Giant Stone City would throw out loads of chips, mobilizing those temporary workers to the front line.

Mercenaries battle-hardened like them wouldn’t die in the mouths of the Variants as easily as those Cannon Fodders.

Not only that, they could also make a killing in the process!

This money was even easier to earn than what the commercial teams made, after all, the risk of engaging in open warfare with the Variants was far less than the chances of getting shot in a cold-blooded skirmish with Looters.

"Give me ten more bottles!"

Ant had already prepared himself for a big fight.

If this year’s Tide were to come.

These highly sought-after supplies would definitely increase in price—stocking up now while there was a "discount" could never be wrong.

The bartender’s face broke into a pleased smile as he calmly accepted the chips Ant handed over and then fetched ten bottles of Spiritual Water to place on the table.

"I’ve always had an eye for people."

"You look like someone who’s going to make a fortune!"

...

[Task: Market Expansion]

[Content: The products from Vine Cottage are all the rage in the Inner City of Giant Stone City. To enrich the spiritual lives of the people in the Wasteland, we need to develop more products that even the average person can afford. This would not only bring in foreign exchange for us but also reduce our industrial costs...]

[Reward: ...]

[Posted by: Xia Yan]

The new industrial district’s chemical plant.

Many players scrolled through this task in their task bar.

Although it spun a long story, the meaning was actually easy to understand—

’Shelter No. 404 needs more polyamide to produce stockings of various colors and transparencies, so get to producing.’

However, the focus wasn’t the content of the task, not even the generous rewards, but the one who posted the task.

This name...

Was it really not a bug?

"Holy shit? Boss Xia has this hobby?!"

A player standing next to the production line exclaimed with surprise as if they’d discovered an Easter egg in the Game.

However, it didn’t take long for people to realize that things might not be so simple.

"Hang on, doesn’t the tone of this task description sound like the Manager?"

"Indeed, Boss Xia never talks so much when posting tasks."

"!!! Holy crap, why do I feel even more excited now?!"

"Who cares, brothers, let’s just do it, power to us!"

"OK, OK!"

"Roar, black stockings will conquer the Wasteland!"

"I have to ask, you planning on wearing them on your heads?"

The raw materials for producing polyamide could mostly be found in NPC warehouses, and those that couldn’t be found could be ordered through the Warehouse Manager, or players could ask for help by posting on the Forum.

The number of players making reservations kept growing, and even more came to watch the hustle and bustle; occasionally, some high-level big shots would make an appearance.

Despite the backward production conditions and rather old-fashioned production methods, the small-time chemical engineers were busy as can be. Everyone actively shared their opinions and discussed production methods more suitable for the Wasteland.

While the chemical industry was seriously saturated in the real world, in the Game, they were all rare talents, the big shots in the eyes of players and Waste Land Wanderers.

Whether they were life-skilled players or combat professional players, they all had to admit it.

Cooking and housekeeping, that I can do too.

But this, if I were to do it, I might not actually be capable.

In fact, not only did the players who received the task at the chemical plant get excited, but the "wealth legends" of the Ox-and-Horse Team and Vine Cottage also tantalized every player who read the strategy posts— even the Backseat Drivers.

An endless stream of ideas surfaced on the Forum and were brought into the Game by a group of players with immense hands-on ability.

Take Mosquito, for example.

This guy could never sit still.

Especially after his "Crack Claw Crab Repellent Mines" were critiqued on the Forum, he was determined to come up with something useful.

To speak plainly, he really did succeed.

He created removable steel plates specifically designed for the KV-1 Exoskeleton, perfectly defending against bullets targeted at the chest.

Among various bulletproof materials, steel plates are always the most cost-effective option. The only disadvantages are their weight and the possibility that ricochet shards might hurt the soldier’s chin and wrists.

However, for an Exoskeleton, this wasn’t a problem at all. A little clever design could distribute most of the weight onto the skeleton framework. The issue of shard ricochet could be resolved with a design akin to a collar.

This type of "rigid individual armor" might not be of great significance in the wars of the 21st century, but in the alley-centric warfare of the Wasteland, it could be extremely effective.

Especially when dealing with Looters, no one could predict from which direction the attack would come, nor could they predict what weapons the enemy held in their hands.

Many mercenaries would weld steel plates onto their KV-1 exoskeletons, but generally there were no standards, and they did it purely based on their own experience.

Maybe these standardized, detachable parts could really sell like hotcakes?

Not just the Mosquitoes.

The entire industrial sector was looking for ways to profit from the "New Map".

Chu Guang was both relieved and grateful for this.

Relieved that these little players were improving in their understanding of the version, which meant he could save himself a great deal of micromanagement and devote more energy to strategic decisions.

As for feeling grateful, it was because the pioneering work had come to an end in the past two days, so he could comfortably wrap up the expansion pack, reward those diligent little players, and then make plans for the next season’s plowing.

Otherwise, if everyone ran off to shear the neighbor’s wool, no one would be left to farm the land...

...

"Shit, I’m finally back!!!"

At the North Gate of Changjiu Farm.

A Commercial Team laden with goods stopped at the unloading point. Qian Duo found List and handed over the ledger to his boss, and List then found Luka to start valuing the goods and discussing what to ultimately trade for them.

Looking at the newly cultivated fields to the west, the fleeing Brother Mole from the canyon was so surprised that his jaw dropped.

"...Hell, the map’s been updated?!"

He had only been out for half a month.

And yet, on his return, everything had already changed so much!

Not just the tens of thousands of acres of cultivated land, but also the bright yellow corn cobs spread out to dry on the Open Space by the North Gate.

Holy moly.

A rough count of the corn, and it would be at least tens of tons!

This was too surprising!

Makabazi, walking out of the granary, saw Brother Mole looking like a refugee, with an equally surprised expression on his face.

"Holy fuck, Mole?! Did you run off to escape famine or what?"

The fleeing Brother Mole from the canyon rolled his eyes.

"Get lost, I became like this because I was out scouting the map for you guys."

Makabazi looked at him strangely and continued to ask.

"Why did your trip take so long this time? I remember it took at most half a week for one trip, right?"

Even that lucky bastard Fang Chang has made a second trip to Giant Stone City!

A two-week round trip is way too slow!

The fleeing Brother Mole helplessly said, "The initial plan was to return in a week, but who could predict what would happen on the road. It would have taken another two or three days to get here; this was already quite fast!"

Makabazi, astonished, said, "What on earth did you all encounter? Dead Claws?"

The fleeing Brother Mole said, "No, what we encountered was much more thrilling than Variants, there’s been a fight in Red River Town."

Makabazi: "A fight? With who?"

"Who else? The only shit-stirrers in River Valley Province are those from the Chewing Bone Tribe. Before I left, I heard an NPC from the Commercial Team say that two thousand-team units of the Snake Tribe had already blocked the passages to the north and west of Red River Town, and it’s said a third thousand-team is on the way to cut off the east as well."

"Of course, Red River Town isn’t showing any weakness either. Some mine owners and business leaders joined hands, hired more than twenty Mercenary Groups, and trained a large number of Soldiers, claiming to have an army of ten thousand... but honestly, I don’t think they even have half that number."

"For safety, we had to detour south... getting through a Survivor Settlement called Garbage City and then turning back toward the northwest... just like this."

Mole drew a "V" in the air with his index finger, their return trip looked roughly like this on the map.

However, compared to his journey, Makabazi was clearly more curious about something else.

"Wait a minute! What place is Garbage City?"

Could it be a hidden map?!

"Well, how should I put it? A Survivor Base that’s neither too big nor too small. I’ll draw it on the Forum later, but it feels much smaller than Giant Stone City, and it’s even further from here than Red River Town."

At this point, Mole chuckled.

"That’s what surprised me the most. I didn’t expect the Game’s map to be even bigger than I had imagined! Some background Survivor Settlements have already been implemented in the game."

"I have a bold hypothesis that the background maps of Ideal City and so on might have already been updated in the game, it’s just that some parts are not finished yet, so the planners haven’t made a big deal of it."

If this hypothesis is correct, if you head east from here, you might really be able to reach the legendary Ideal City.

The only problem is that you can’t save the game along the way, there’s no VM signal, and as strangers in a strange land, the idea of making it there on foot is a bit fanciful.

Listening to Mole tell tales of distant places, Makabazi had an envious look on his face.

Just then, the Manager clad in power armor came walking over from the direction of Changjiu Farm’s North Gate.

"Hard work!"

Seeing Brother Mole, who now looked the part of a refugee, Chu Guang settled his task and added after him,

"Go take a shower when you get back."

That smell is just too much!

Brother Mole, somewhat embarrassed, scratched his head, probably aware that his own scent was likely intolerable at the moment, so he decisively went to wait for the bus at the south gate.

On his journey, he fought countless battles, leveling up once, but since he couldn’t find a save point anywhere, he was more than a little anxious.

Chu Guang looked at the materials the Commercial Team was unloading.

Aside from the rifles List had gotten from him, there was a batch of goods that belonged to him, which List was selling on commission, splitting the profits 80/20.

This batch of weapons had been traded for nearly fifty tons of mineral resources, twenty tons of worm gel and worm powder for improving soil fertility, and twenty-five Double-headed Cows.

List, accompanied by the apprentice of Qian Duo, walked over to Chu Guang.

"Nearly seventy percent of these goods are yours, and I plan to settle the remaining thirty percent with rifles and make another trip to Red River Town to exchange for raw materials."

Although exchanging for Spirit Leaf was also a good option, as it’s easier to turn into chips, the Commercial Team that went to Giant Stone City hadn’t returned.

He couldn’t just let his team sit around idle.

Taking advantage of Qian Lai not being back yet, he planned to make another trip to Red River Town to exchange for resources that were scarce in Changjiu Farm.

It would be the same to settle with Spirit Leaf later, and he could exchange for even more than now!

After hearing List’s plans, Chu Guang nodded and continued,

"Once the delivery of materials is complete at the Warehouse, I’ll give you a list. Aside from rifles, we have other good stuff for sale."

List raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?"

Chu Guang said with a slight smile,

"Death Whistle Rockets, Hell Breath Motorcycles, 88mm mortars, 20mm Cavalry Guns anti-tank rifles, and various kinds of ammunition... They’ve all been tested in battle. We’ve used them to brutally beat the Looters to the north, and they’re all ready to do it again."

"You can tell our friends in Red River Town that they can trust us completely. Chewing Bone Tribe is a problem for everyone, and we’ll support their war with real action."

Selling rifles and bullets isn’t as profitable as selling Artillery; the former can be produced by hand, while the latter isn’t something a few small workshops can easily craft.

The 37mm "Heavy Cavalry Gun" was already developed, and its power was way beyond the 20mm "Cavalry Gun," with over 70mm of penetration at a hundred meters—more than enough for light and medium armor!

And it’s not just the products of Factory 81; Goblin Technology’s products are equally powerful. The accuracy of the rockets went from a one-kilometer error in the early days to within two hundred meters now.

To further improve their power and accuracy, they had to be tested on the Battlefield.

Without a doubt, Red River Town was an excellent weapon testing ground. The hundred-kilometer distance between them made direct conflicts unlikely, and the Chewing Bone Tribe was a common enemy to all Survivor Settlements in River Valley Province.

Since someone was willing to pay for the armaments industry of Shelter No. 404, Chu Guang certainly wouldn’t miss the opportunity to open up a market for his factory.

Not to mention that this buyer also had a lot of human resources and mines at their disposal.

Who knows, maybe in the course of the war, he would end up buying Red River Town.

Hearing that Chu Guang had so many good items, List’s eyes lit up, and a pleasant smile spread across his face.

"With your promise, the Mine Owners of Red River Town will be overjoyed! They’ve been tormented enough by those Barbarians with their Armored Pickup Trucks, and your anti-armor experience and weapons will definitely come in handy!"

Chu Guang replied with a slight smile,

"It’s not just about providing weapons; we also offer well-trained Soldiers and Instructors. If they need it, we can even sign a long-term Mercenary contract."

List said excitedly,

"I’ll ask them for you, there shouldn’t be a problem!"

The people of Shelter No. 404 had once defeated the Snake Tribe, and word of it had already spread.

From List’s perspective, he naturally hoped the war would last as long as possible, as that was the only way he could earn more chips.

Hearing List’s promise, a pleased smile appeared on Chu Guang’s face.

"I’ll send two ten-man teams with you right away."

The front line was a bit stretched, but with the Sleep Cabin as a save point, it wasn’t a big problem—if someone died, just replace them.

It was better to tie the Snake Clan down in Red River Town than to face both the Snake Clan and the Ya Clan at the same time.

And that’s not all.

The players received their missions, the people of Red River Town gained safety, and he acquired resources from Red River Town.

If the cooperation went well, and he played his cards right, Shelter No. 404 might even establish a permanent military base there in the future.

This round was more than a win-win.

It was like Qin Shi Huang encountering an electric gate—a complete sweep!

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