This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 412: Solar Eclipse, This is an Opportunity for Us!

Chapter 412: Chapter 412: Solar Eclipse, This is an Opportunity for Us!

After waiting until dark, Zhao Yongxu finally got the opportunity to talk with Chu Guang.

City of Dawn Town Hall.

In the conference room, a group of people were sitting upright around the conference table.

Looking at the Alliance Managers sitting across the conference table, Zhao Yongxu had thought that this negotiation would be very tough, but the actual situation surprised him.

Even he had not anticipated that he would come to an understanding with the Alliance so quickly.

"The five major corporations plan to set up offices in the City of Dawn, and we plan to lay out an Embassy Street in the East District. If you’re interested, we can allocate a 50X50 plot for your consulate," came the proposal from the other side.

The envoys of Giant Stone City noticeably showed surprise in their eyes.

The five major corporations planned to establish offices here?

"When did they settle this..." A Militia Group officer muttered quietly, speaking the confusion many people felt.

They were the first to arrive!

Two nobles from the Inner City exchanged glances and whispered to each other, probably exchanging opinions.

Zhao Yongxu’s expression remained unchanged.

To be honest, he thought 250 square meters was a bit small, but it wasn’t unacceptable.

After all, he wasn’t the one living there.

Moreover, placing the consulate next to the corporate offices could only be beneficial for Giant Stone City, not detrimental.

Clearing his throat, he put on a pensive expression. After a long pause, he nodded his head.

"I think that’s workable... Also, I would like to discuss—"

"Regarding the Iron Heart, we won’t enter your airspace, but we retain our right to freely navigate in our own airspace," Chu Guang continued with an uncompromising tone.

"The residents of Giant Stone City need a sense of security, and the residents of the City of Dawn do as well. The Alliance will not become subordinate to anyone; equality is the premise of our dialogue."

Zhao Yongxu’s brow twitched, and he took a deep breath before saying,

"At the very least, you must limit the use of 400mm cannons in the city center."

Even he didn’t realize that he had involuntarily used a pleading phrasing.

Tapping his index finger lightly on the table twice, Chu Guang pondered for a moment before saying.

"That’s possible, but not during the Tide."

A 400mm barrel-fired rocket cost as much as 100 units of 100mm shells; he had no intention of wasting ammunition.

In fact, even when facing the Tide, the 400mm main cannon was far from an economical choice.

In the complex urban terrain, the power of large-caliber cannons was severely limited by diminishing returns—blowing a huge crater in the street might not affect a storefront on the other side of a building.

And slime mold, like the undead skeleton soldiers and players, didn’t understand the concept of morale; the psychological deterrent effect of heavy caliber artillery was completely ineffective.

The annual Tide.

Rather than using it for tests, it was better to leave it as an in-game event for the players to practice.

"...Alright, we’ll make an exception during the Tide since Variants are a common enemy to us all."

Having made a reluctant concession on this sensitive issue, Zhao Yongxu felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.

The second topic had also reached a consensus.

This issue, where the disagreements were most severe, had come to an understanding faster than he had imagined.

Just as he was about to bring up the last issue of his mission to the Alliance, Chu Guang spoke the very words he was thinking.

"Moreover, regarding our future relationship."

A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and Zhao Yongxu straightened up involuntarily.

Chu Guang paused for a moment and continued,

"To foster trust between us and to eliminate suspicions among neighbors, we plan to convene an annual United Federation of Survivors meeting on the last day of December each year."

That day happened to be the eve of New Year’s Day, which could be scheduled alongside the New Alliance’s New Year’s Eve party.

This was a decision made by Chu Guang and the other senior members of the Alliance after consultation.

Zhao Yongxu, who had never heard of such a thing, paused briefly and asked subconsciously,

"What is that?"

Chu Guang patiently explained,

"It’s a high-level summit covering a wide range of fields including politics, economy, culture, foreign affairs, military, and so on. In simple terms, we tell you what we plan to do next year. You can also tell us what you plan to do next year. If our plans coincide, we can work together on them. If not, that’s fine too—we can agree to differ and each do our own thing without interfering with each other."

This sounded interesting, didn’t it?

And if I don’t tell you what I plan to do, couldn’t I get insider information from the Alliance for free?

Zhao Yongxu stroked his chin, thinking slyly.

He didn’t understand political matters well, but from a military perspective, the value of intelligence was unquestionable.

Though he couldn’t make the decision, he believed the city lord would gladly accept this offer.

With that thought in mind, Zhao Yongxu nodded graciously and said with a smile,

"This is a good idea! I will convey it to the city lord."

Chu Guang smiled faintly.

He could roughly guess what the man was thinking, but he wasn’t particularly concerned.

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes..."

Zhao Yongxu opened his mouth to speak but suddenly realized there was nothing more to say.

The issues he had brought were only three in total.

The consulate issue had been settled.

For safety issues, the Alliance promised not to use 400mm cannons within the district unless necessary.

Though it was a platitude, hoping for them to concede further was unrealistic. Even he, who supported a tough stance against the Alliance, couldn’t think of a better negotiation outcome.

Regarding long-term relations, both parties had established a long-term communication mechanism. The proposal from this manager was clearly better than the one he had brought from Duron.

Suddenly, Zhao Yongxu felt slightly confused.

It was as if he had been seen through.

Could this guy read minds?

Swallowing back the "yes" he had blurted out, Zhao Yongxu changed his response.

"...No, that’s it."

"It looks like we’ve reached a consensus."

Chu Guang nodded, closed the notebook with only a few lines written in it, and then looked towards a servant standing by.

The servant promptly understood and stepped forward to distribute a letter to each of the six people sitting opposite the conference table.

Zhao Yongxu furrowed his brows as he looked at the letter in his hand.

"What’s this?"

"A banquet invitation."

"A banquet?"

Chu Guang smirked slightly, watching Zhao Yongxu’s bewildered expression, and said,

"It’s a custom of our shelter, regardless of the outcome of the discussions, we can’t let our guests leave on an empty stomach. There’s a dinner this evening at six o’clock in the Alliance banquet hall. If you’re not in a hurry, feel free to dine with us before heading back."

The several messengers sitting at the conference table exchanged surprised glances and whispered amongst themselves briefly.

Especially for the nobles from the Inner City, this was indeed a novel experience for them.

"A banquet? The survivors from the ’North Suburb’ actually hold banquets?"

"What’s so strange about that? What I’m curious about is what they’ll serve at the banquet."

"Grilled lizard tails, perhaps?"

"Heh..."

Banquets were not uncommon in Giant Stone City, where bored nobles often whiled away their time with such events, whether it be to celebrate a birthday, to show off a rare and expensive collectible, or even for a bottle of wine.

However, an official banquet held for diplomatic purposes was a new experience for them.

After all, up until a few months ago, they didn’t even have a formal department for external affairs, and all matters related to the outside world were left to the town hall of the Outer City to handle.

Zhao Yongxu was not overly concerned about what he would be eating later; he was more focused on another issue.

"Will representatives from the corporations also attend?" he asked seriously.

"Of course, this was prepared for them," Chu Guang paused, feeling that his directness might have been a tad indelicate, so he naturally added, "If you had let us know in advance, we would have prepared the same for you."

However, Colonel Zhao sitting opposite him didn’t seem to care about such minor details.

His eyes shone brightly without a moment’s hesitation, and he immediately replied,

"We will attend!"

It wasn’t just him.

The two military officers and three nobles from the Inner City seated beside him had equally eager expressions.

Observing their excited countenances, Chu Guang fell into contemplation.

It seemed he had underestimated how much the nouveau riche from North Africa aspired to the lifestyle of Paris.

A strategic oversight.

Had he known, he would’ve charged a fee.

...

The banquet hall of the Alliance was located in the center of the main district of City of Dawn, in the central area of the former Changjiu Farm, just one street away from the town hall and the save point for players.

The square building was completely constructed from concrete, and even though it appeared to be marble, it was actually just coated with a layer of milky white plaster.

The five-meter high archway was tall enough to allow a Death Claw to enter, with a gear emblem hung above the door, which was part of the alliance flag, as well as the most frequently awarded medal by the Alliance Army.

The simple yet grand aesthetic of the exterior shared a certain congruity with the weapons of the Alliance, but the interior decoration was an entirely different universe, not at all vague like the LD-47 machinery casing.

Tilework by masons reflected the dome’s several brilliantly splendid chandeliers, with a few marble sculptures placed in the corners.

These decorations, scavenged from the Wasteland and re-polished and waxed, looked as good as new.

The spacious main banquet hall, if fully set with long tables, could accommodate a thousand diners at once.

This building and the Alliance’s town hall nearly started construction at the same time, but it wasn’t until recently that it was completed, and it had only been used for the first time just last night.

The banquet decorations prepared especially for the celebration of Triumph had not yet been dismantled.

Upon receiving the invitation to host guests, the banquet department’s staff immediately gathered to bring in 12 round tables, removing most of the long tables designed for communal dining and leaving only two rows against the wall for buffet-style beverages, desserts, and cold platters.

The band that had just performed at last night’s celebration was called back to play the same pieces once more.

Sitting in front of a round table,

a corpulent noble looked at the menu in his hands and touched the back of his head in surprise.

"These ’Blue Jackets’ sure are particular."

He had initially thought that the food of these country bumpkins from the "North Suburb" would be as shabby as the fly-ridden taverns outside of Giant Stone City, but to his astonishment, it was quite the opposite.

The dinner offerings were varied and diverse.

Appetizers included sliced chicken, thinly cut Double-headed Cow meat, and shredded cucumber with minced garlic, to name a few.

Hot dishes featured squirrel fish, braised pork meatballs in brown sauce, roast duck...

...And a dozen innovative dishes that aroused curiosity, such as salt-baked lantern fish, braised Battleship Shrimp, Split-claw Crab Meat Pie, creamed potato with ram’s horn, Monster rib steak, and more.

The variety was dazzling to the eye.

Beyond these were freshly baked desserts, cloud-shaped pastries decorated with chocolate crumbs, small cakes with the scent of butter, and seemingly unremarkable cookies that held hidden surprises...

Standing beside a long table at one side of the hall, Sid’s eyes widened in amazement.

What astonished him was not the array of dishes but the bottle of red wine on the table.

At that moment, an unfamiliar voice came from beside him.

"Judging by the gold embossing on the bottle, this red wine should be from the Gloire vineyard on the Barren Peninsula. Its price is at least triple the weight in gold. Red wines and dairy products from the West Coast, like the slaves that region is known for, rarely make it across the desert to the eastern side of the continent... I suspect this is from General McLennan’s collection."

Sid turned to see a somewhat familiar-looking man standing beside him, yet he could not recall where he had seen him.

Raising an eyebrow, Sid asked,

"And you are?"

"List, chairman of the List Trading Company. Here is my business card." List introduced himself smoothly and handed over his card.

After taking the card, Sid glanced at it, and recognition flashed in his eyes.

He seemed to have heard the name before, rumored to be a merchant who made a small fortune dealing with the Alliance and gained noble status.

Acquiring noble status in Jushi Inner City was not difficult; one simply needed to pay enough and buy a room in one of the inner buildings to add one’s name to the "residents’ registry."

However, obtaining noble status didn’t mean one could blend into their circles.

These nouveau-riche who paid their way in were very different from the established nobles and had no access to the power core of Giant Stone City.

Moreover, judging by this fellow’s appearance, he probably hadn’t stayed in the mansions of the Inner City for more than a few days.

By comparison, Sid was more concerned about those "real nobles" from corporate backgrounds.

Unfortunately, those people were currently busy flaunting their dining with the Alliance Managers at a round table, showing no intention of leaving their seats.

Standing there until his legs nearly went numb, he did not get the chance for a one-on-one conversation with them.

Were the meals really that good?

Sid couldn’t help frowning as he glanced at the round tables in the distance.

To think they were so interested in a country bumpkin’s food.

For a moment, he felt his illusions about Ideal City starting to shatter.

It seems it’s just that...

Having read the indifference on the face of the person in front of him, List just smiled but said nothing.

As a businessman, he didn’t care at all what these snobbish fools thought of him.

After all, everyone viewed each other more or less the same.

"With representatives from the five major conglomerates dispatched here, it seems something big is about to happen in River Valley Province."

"Hmm-hmm."

Sid hummed through his nose.

Was there really a need to deliberately mention something so obvious that even a Scavenger could see it?

After a moment’s hesitation, List continued.

"I just heard some news that the companies are planning to invest in factories here."

"Invest and build factories?" Sid looked at him in surprise and chuckled lightly, "and then they transport the produced goods to Ideal City 3000 kilometers away? What doesn’t that place have?"

List spoke patiently.

"There are many forms of interests, and many means to achieve goals. I can’t guess what agreements Manager Sir has reached with the distant Ideal City, but it’s clear that the companies are not going through all this trouble just to practice charity."

"Oh?"

Sid’s eyes flashed with a hint of interest, and although his attitude still showed nonchalance, it was clear he was now intrigued.

Seizing the moment, List continued.

"Expeditions to Luo Xia Province are almost set in stone. Only by removing the Army’s outpost east of the Great Desert can we eradicate all trouble for good. After that, to prevent the Army from making a resurgence, the companies will certainly join forces with the Alliance and send troops to the desert to solidify the fruits of victory."

"...I’ve heard that those Man-made Oasis surrounded by forbidden zones of life are like islands in the ocean, where the soil flows with milk and honey, and there are no Variant disturbances."

Real interest finally lit up in Sid’s eyes, no longer masking the allure in his expression.

"Can you elaborate on that?"

"Of course," seeing his eagerness, List smiled and patted the arm of the old Noble, whispering, "... I’m just as new to these stories as you are. If you’re interested, we can have a good chat."

And as List, all the while spinning the pie in the sky sketched by Chu Guang for himself, started walking with Sid towards the table where the envoys from Giant Stone City were sitting, at the round table of the corporate representatives not far away, everyone was sitting at the table, wolfing down Delicacies.

Wu Mu stared in amazement, fiddling with the preserved egg with minced garlic on his plate with a fork, and exclaimed in wonder.

"These eggs... Exactly what kind of animal laid them?"

They taste just like jelly!

As a senior salesperson from the Chang Ge Group, Wu Mu had been to many places and sampled many exotic Foods.

Yet this particular type of Food was something he had never encountered before.

Chu Guang, sitting beside him, smiled and said.

"Actually, it’s just a common duck egg, but it’s been processed through a special technique. We call it... a preserved egg."

Li Changkong thoughtfully stroked his chin and took a piece with a fork, smelled it, then popped it into his mouth.

"Such a unique texture, and all from a duck egg... Would you mind revealing the process?"

Chu Guang’s expression became a bit subtle.

The recipe itself wasn’t much of a secret.

It was just that revealing it might affect everyone’s appetite.

"I’m not quite sure of the details."

The representative from Ideal Group nodded and didn’t press further, continuing to savor another delicacy from a different plate.

Sitting to the right of Chu Guang, Yi Chuan wiped his hands with a napkin, speaking wistfully.

"...Now I finally understand why that guy Li De specifically mentioned the Food here in his application."

The plate of sautéed Battleship Shrimp which had just been full was now empty, save for a pile of shrimp shells.

Incomprehensible!

These hideous Variants could actually be cooked into something so delicious by these people.

Before setting off, he had been worried about not being accustomed to the local Food, which might cause stomach troubles, so he had brought two boxes of freeze-dried foods and two packs of stomach medicine.

Now it seemed, at least the first concern could be dismissed.

Sitting on the opposite side of the round table, Yun Yi remained quiet, continuously popping biscuits into her mouth, her eyes filled with surprise and amazement.

That glowing expression on her face, who knows what she had tasted?

While Yi Chuan waited for the next course after having his plate switched out, he looked towards Chu Guang and asked, "Do you guys always eat this well, every day?"

"Of course not, we only bring out these items when we’re hosting esteemed guests. Though the ingredients of these Foods are not really expensive stuff, you’ll see them in many restaurants," Chu Guang replied, pausing for a moment before adding with a smile. "If you’re interested in our everyday diet, you might consider visiting North Street in the City of Dawn, where there are plenty of special snacks."

Wu Mu chimed in excitedly.

"I know! You’re talking about buns and dumplings, right?"

"Those are one of our breakfast options."

Chu Guang nodded and smiled, suddenly remembering something, he asked.

"By the way, where are those two from Kang Mao Group?"

Not sure whether to address the two as gentlemen or ladies, he simply omitted the title.

Yi Chuan’s expression became a bit enigmatic upon hearing Chu Guang’s question about the duo.

"They... You don’t really have to worry about them. Their code does not contain any malevolent elements; they’re just a bit too eager."

Wu Mu, too, laughed heartily and added.

"That’s right, don’t mind those two synthetic beings. Their core code hasn’t had a misdemeanor to date; you can rest assured on that."

That bright, neat row of teeth reminded Chu Guang somewhat of toothpaste commercials.

"I see, that puts my mind at ease."

Chu Guang smiled and nodded, gently swiping his finger across the VM screen twice, subtly signaling to Xiao Qi to keep an eye on the two.

It wasn’t out of distrust for his allies.

Just a precaution.

There were synthetic beings active within Alliance territory, like Old Brown’s daughter and wife, or Tianqin from Shelter 101.

However, these synthetics all shared one common trait: their autonomy was not high, and they did not actively participate in human society.

Unless, of course, it was at the command of their owners.

Chu Guang was slightly concerned by Yi Chuan’s facial expression and couldn’t help but be curious about what the two synthetics were planning.

While he pondered this, Frost and Solar Eclipse, draped in Silver Cloaks, were currently strolling the most bustling North Street of Dawn City.

During the height of summer, their conservative attire stood out, and the passerby frequently cast them curious glances.

Frost was also observing the passersby and maintained a silent conversation with Solar Eclipse, who was walking alongside him, through the communication channel.

"Look, these poor humans, their clothes are like dust on a computer case, their health like blinking warning lights... Solar Eclipse, this is an opportunity for us. We’ll give them a life where food comes without calling and clothes without reaching."

There was no change on that expressionless face, but the electrons hopping on the chip were pulsing with excitement.

After pondering for half a second, Solar Eclipse’s pupils flickered slightly before he responded.

"Your thinking is correct, but we do not control the means of production, nor do we have the capacity to produce... What should we do?"

Frost replied, "First, we need to win this war and gain control over the Man-made Oasis in the desert; then we can provide them with food."

Solar Eclipse said, "The plan has omissions. According to available intelligence, the closest Man-made Oasis to us houses nearly a million people, and the probability of surplus food production is low."

Frost acknowledged, "Understood, the plan needs refinement."

The two continued to exchange profound topics while observing the nearby streets.

This place’s prosperity was not even one ten-thousandth of that of Ideal City, but precisely because of this, it was better suited for implementing their plan than Ideal City.

As long as they could make the people here more satisfied than those in Ideal City in a shorter time and with lower costs, they would have ample evidence to prove they were the optimal solution among the numerous alternatives for reviving civilization.

However...

There was still a problem: "satisfaction" is an abstract concept, and the "prosperity" it breeds is even harder to define with a fixed algorithm.

Therefore, observation was the first step before forming a complete plan.

Just then, as the two made their way through the bustling streets, a strange group of three people and a bear suddenly approached them.

Riding on Meat Meat’s shoulders, Tail’s eyes instantly lit up, spotting the two in the crowd.

"Wow! Si Si! Unseen NPCs, eh!"

"Their skin looks so cool," exclaimed Meat Meat, equally surprised.

A little confused, Frost stopped and looked at the white bear in front of him.

Although he didn’t understand what the bear had just said, he wondered—

"Why is the bear talking?"

"Eh!? Isn’t it common knowledge that white bears can talk?"

The shocked expression didn’t look feigned at all,

Causing even Solar Eclipse to pause for a moment. For an instant, he even doubted whether the information in the database was faulty.

Seeing Tail’s certain expression, Frost pondered for a moment before nodding.

"I see... It’s common knowledge that white bears talk in the River Valley Province."

Strange knowledge.

But it could serve as a reference.

"Let’s put Meat Meat aside for now. It looks like you’re searching for something. Do you have any problems? Does Tail need to help?"

Tail looked at them expectantly, her eyes shimmering with the glint of a Task Master.

A quest!

A hidden quest!!

Frost paused for a moment, unable to decipher the human’s facial expression in front of him or understand the strange syntax, and could only try asking.

"Do you need help?"

Tail’s head shook like a rattle.

"NoNoNo, it’s you who needs help! Don’t be shy, just tell Tail!"

Frost: "?"

Si Si’s expression turned a bit subtle.

She had a feeling...

That this android wasn’t as smart as her Ah Wei.

"Could it be that the NPC code isn’t done yet?" Sesame Paste looked at Si Si with uncertainty.

Their conversation wasn’t on the same wavelength.

After contemplating for a moment, Si Si nodded.

"Yes, that possibility cannot be ruled out."

After all, it was the beta testing phase; even if some things didn’t make sense, it was understandable.

NPCs would occasionally say confusing things, either from using the wrong syntax on the player’s side or because the NPC’s programming wasn’t fully compiled.

In most cases, both issues arose simultaneously.

Unsure what they discussed, but a shy expression suddenly appeared on Tail’s face.

"Can I ask you to try on a maid outfit for Si Si to look at?"

Seeing her good friend repeatedly toeing the line of the Player’s Handbook, Si Si knew she couldn’t just sit by and do nothing.

Sighing, she dragged Tail away from the bemused android and apologized deeply.

"I’m sorry, my Ah Wei caused you trouble."

And without heeding Tail’s protests, Si Si and Sesame Paste tacitly strapped her to the bear’s back.

Even with her face buried in the bear’s fluffy fur, the sound of protest couldn’t be stopped.

"Dammit, why prevent—"

"Harassing NPCs can get you banned, Ah Wei. Do you want to be locked up just like Mosquito for something like this?"

Hearing this, the voice that was brave a second ago finally softened.

"Wu... stingy."

"Fine, I’ll wear it for you."

"!!!"

Staring blankly at the group as they walked away, Frost’s pupils flashed with a string of sporadic data.

After a while, he pondered and looked down.

"So, the element for this revival of civilization... is a maid outfit?"

Solar Eclipse shifted his gaze slowly toward Frost.

"...I think we need to carefully consider the reliability of the information before drawing any conclusions."

"That makes sense; we should collect more samples, instead of unilaterally trusting one side’s opinion... but this can be a clue."

With a flicker in his pupils, Frost nodded, as the circuit board hidden within his chest boiled with a zealous current.

"Solar Eclipse, this is an opportunity for us."

Solar Eclipse paused for many seconds, dazedly nodding slowly.

"Alright..."

—

(Thank you to "Kang kang Poor Ghost" for the alliance leader reward!!!)