This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 558 "The Battle of Faith

Chapter 558: Chapter 558 "The Battle of Faith

Beneath the Boulder Military Industrial Building.

Looking up at the sky, Killer Dagger stood like a baboon and said with a pained expression,

"Damn it! Why can’t I take the plane!"

Standing by his side, All the Good Names Were Taken by Dogs glanced at his hands that resembled excavator shovels and said with a teasing smirk,

"With those two chunks of iron on you, bringing you along means two fewer people can fit. You’d dismantle the plane just scratching your head, so you might as well save it."

Kidney Fighter patted him on the shoulder.

"That’s right, save it."

Killer Dagger said with a pained face,

"I want to take this damn thing off."

He was now starting to understand the pain of Variant players.

Not to mention the ugliness, just the fact that he couldn’t use conventional weapons was enough to make him miserable.

If he had known, he should have followed Mosquito’s example and installed a spine with more slots, attaching two giant fists as an additional Mechanical Prosthesis, rather than directly replacing his original arms.

That would have been much more reasonable.

"Rich people..."

"You’re really good at wasting things."

Kidney Fighter and All the Good Names Were Taken by Dogs looked enviously at the guy.

Upgrading Mechanical Prostheses wasn’t free; depending on the situation, it could amount to one-third, or even half, of the total cost.

Killer Dagger smiled sheepishly.

"Don’t worry, I can sell it second-hand, heh heh."

Kidney Fighter rolled his eyes, puncturing his self-comfort,

"Who the hell would buy this thing!"

Not wanting to dwell on this regret-filled issue, Killer Dagger changed the subject,

"Speaking of which, why didn’t you leave with the plane?"

Kidney Fighter sighed.

"Well, I’m keeping you company."

"Good brother!"

Moved, Killer Dagger raised his hand, intending to slap Old Kidney Brother’s shoulder, but the latter dodged with a cold sweat,

"Holy shit! Are you trying to kill me?"

All the Good Names Were Taken by Dogs laughed heartily, "Hahaha!"

After preparations were complete, twelve trucks headed majestically towards the eastern gate of Giant Stone City, taking the road beneath the overpass out of the city.

On the other side, two Viper Transport planes also left the apron, their engines blasting plasma feather streams like two dragonflies flying one after the other towards the south.

Sitting by the airplane window, Chen Yutong gazed out, spellbound by the shrinking giant wall and the high-rise ruins beyond the wall.

A few players in the same plane were looking at Ms. Chen’s figure and started joking over their comms channel, referencing ’Animal Planet’,

"Spring has arrived."

"Life is reawakening."

"It’s the breeding season for the animals again."

"The male sea turtle is mounting—"

"Shut up."

Knowing they couldn’t argue, Old White simply muted the most rambunctious ones.

Everyone was quiet for a while.

But it didn’t take long for a few restless guys to start chattering privately again.

"Heh heh, who would have thought, Old White with the bushy eyebrows can’t contain his loneliness either," Night Ten smacked his lips and said with a mischievous smile.

Wild Wind looked at him helplessly,

"She’s someone else’s girl, why are you so excited?"

"I’m just looking out for our brother," Night Ten chuckled and turned his gaze to Fang Chang, "Speaking of which, where’s your Dolly? Why didn’t she see you off?"

Fang Chang coughed.

"I spared her from walking me to the door... you worry too much, better focus on yourself."

Night Ten paused, but quickly regained his composure and laughed,

"What do I have to worry about... I never do CP (Character Pairing) when playing Game."

Seeing the young man’s earnest appearance, Fang Chang chuckled and suddenly, with a meaningful look, said,

"Don’t feel embarrassed, having a partner these days isn’t anything unusual."

Such as himself; he never showed off his love in public. It was just that his close friends in the group were too enthusiastic, and the official website got wind of it.

Night Ten scratched his head,

"Actually, it’s not that common... Language is a problem to start with, and then there’s culture and habits."

He didn’t know what others thought, but he always felt that dating an NPC felt weird.

In a single-player game maybe it was okay.

But this was an MMORPG!

Especially one that was still in testing, theoretically, the development team was collecting player data all the time. Maybe while you were being tender behind closed doors in the game, it was being broadcast live on a big screen in a meeting room.

The mere thought that there might be countless developers watching his intimate moments made his toes curl, and he couldn’t help but feel a newfound respect for Big Eyes Brother.

"How did he manage to stand up under those circumstances?!"

"That’s simply impossible!"

"But you are wrong," said Fang Chang with a faint smile, observing the bewildered Night Ten, and continued speaking, "In the face of love, those problems you mentioned are not issues at all."

Night Ten asked quietly.

"Even if it was live streamed—"

"Ahem! The development team wouldn’t spy on players’ private lives... I asked Ah Guang, and that’s what he told me." Night Ten had only gotten halfway through his sentence when Fang Chang hurriedly interrupted him.

Good grief.

All that buildup, and he nearly trapped himself.

Seeing Fang Chang’s embarrassed expression, Night Ten chuckled in immediate understanding.

"I believe you!"

Ignoring the boy’s mischievous grin, Fang Chang cleared his throat and resumed speaking with restored calm.

"Anyway, there’s nothing strange about dating an NPC. Especially for Residents of the refuge, who inherently have an attractiveness buff for most Waste Land Wanderers. Plus, Waste Land Wanderers tend to be more passionate and unrestrained in nature, so it’s perfectly normal for some players, who don’t usually stand out, to suddenly have partners."

Night Ten frowned as he looked at him.

"What exactly are you trying to say..."

Wild Wind suddenly interjected.

"I’ve heard that Teng Teng has quite a few pursuers."

Night Ten blinked.

Before a second had passed, his face turned apple red.

"Wait a minute... what does this have to do with Teng Teng?! How did the topic suddenly jump to—"

"Not only is she beautiful, but she’s also wealthy."

Ignoring Night Ten’s incoherence, Fang Chang gave Wild Wind a well-done glance and continued speaking with a smile that suggested his trump card had been revealed.

"It wouldn’t be surprising if she got married all of a sudden."

Wild Wind couldn’t suppress his laughter.

"Ha ha, you’re so bad."

Fang Chang winked at him.

"So are you."

Quit smoking: "Ha ha ha!"

The cabin was filled with joyful ambiance.

Just a few seconds ago, Night Ten couldn’t stop talking, but now he sat contemplating the wilderness outside the cabin, mouth shut.

Seeing Night Ten mute himself, Quit smoking, who had laughed enough, coughed twice and turned to say a few words in Night Ten’s defense.

"Hey, you guys just love picking on little brother Night Ten. Even I, an honest man, can’t stand to watch!"

Fang Chang and Wild Wind subtly shifted their gaze.

"It’s just idle boasting."

"Exactly! This kid hasn’t missed a chance to tease me either..."

But speaking of which, Fang Chang was quite surprised.

He hadn’t expected the guy to actually be a virgin...

For Viper, an eight-hundred-kilometer journey was just two hours, and the group of good brothers had plenty to talk and laugh about during the flight, making the trip not boring at all.

Around two o’clock in the afternoon.

On the mist-enshrouded horizon, the outline of Brocade River City was beginning to emerge.

Clusters of concrete buildings stood on a lush plain, fringed by rolling hills and forests.

Brocade River City lacked the high-density and centralized clusters of buildings like Qingquan City, only a few districts featured towering skyscrapers, while most of the city resembled the layout of a modern metropolis—a prominent center surrounded by an unremarkable sea of concrete boxes.

"What a massive city..."

"It feels even bigger than the cities in real life!"

"Isn’t that obvious? Before the Wasteland Era, there was the Prosperity Epoch, and according to the official website’s description of the Prosperity Epoch, we haven’t even seen a hint of it in reality."

Looking toward Brocade River City, Fang Chang pulled up the game’s map on his VM, compared it with the real-world terrain, and confirmed the approximate locations of various mission coordinates.

At that moment, the NPC pilot sitting in the co-pilot’s seat suddenly spoke up.

"There seems to be some situation near the landing site."

Sensing that work was on its way, everyone stopped their jesting and grew serious.

"Let me take a look."

Moving to the left side of the cabin, Old White looked towards Dusty Town, tapping his helmet with his index finger.

The helmet of the power armor came with a zoom function, which made it easy to see clearly at this distance even without binoculars.

After staring in the direction of Dusty Town for a while, Old White’s brows slowly furrowed.

"Armed militants discovered near Dusty Town, about a hundred-strong unit... too many obstructions to confirm the exact number," declared Wild Wind with a serious demeanor.

"Should we send out a drone?"

Old White nodded.

"Better safe than sorry, let’s send a drone to have a look first."

Without any unnecessary chat, Wild Wind quickly opened the drone backpack, pulled out a Y-1 Firefly drone with folding rotors, and threw it out of the cabin like a paper airplane.

Riding on momentum for a while, the drone unfolded its dual sets of rotors and rushed toward the target airspace.

As Wild Wind operated the drone towards its destination above, Old White continued with a firm command.

"Two kilometers north of Dusty Town lies an abandoned logging site. One group land with me on the open space south of the logging site and proceed to Dusty Town on foot."

"The second group will wait in the air, safety off on weapons, ready to provide support at any time."

The pilot in the front seat made a gesture.

"Received!"

Two Vipers split paths in the sky; one descended in altitude, flying toward the ground, while the other continued towards Dusty Town.

At the same time, several kilometers away, Dusty Town was bustling with activity, with a mass of people standing densely packed outside the towering gate.

They were feverishly excited, some carrying farming tools, others armed with rifles, clamoring at the people inside the gate.

A preacher wearing a long robe stood at the front of the crowd, looking down arrogantly at the survivors behind the wall.

After letting the mood brew for a moment,

he raised his hand to signal his followers to stop their shouting. Then, facing the closed gate, he spoke in a solemn and loud voice,

"Surrender."

"Kneel before the Saint Heir and pray for the forgiveness of Sky Fire. This is your last chance."

"Otherwise, all of you will be demoted to servitude, your descendants toiling under the scorching sun for all their days, their labor not ceasing even after death."

"I’ll give you two minutes to consider."

After dropping this ultimatum, he quickly turned and retreated into the crowd behind him, letting the believers beside him continue to demand entry.

He had done his part in playing the tough guy; evidently, he didn’t want to expose himself too long under the enemy’s guns.

Watching those fierce-looking individuals outside the gate, the residents of the town simultaneously bore expressions of fear on their faces.

But as afraid as they were,

the thought that three divine beings resided in their town settled their hearts. Clutching the tools in their hands, they prepared for battle behind the meter-high wall.

To hell with the Torch!

To hell with the Saint Heir!

The invincible true gods stood behind them, having hunted numerous covetous jackals and hyenas.

They already had their own protectors and had no faith in those untouchable entities!

Dressed in an exoskeleton specialized for "Hunters" from the Claw of Death, Pick up trash 99 level stood at the window on the third floor of the town hall, squinting his eyes as he eyed the crowd outside the town, considering how to resolve the situation with the least casualties.

It was too bad that the Rat Brothers’ combat power was terrible in direct combat; they were only good for sneak attacks. That newbie from the Agile system wasn’t too useless, but he wasn’t particularly strong either.

As for the survivors in the town, if two of them died, their morale would likely crumble, and in the end, he’d probably have to rely on his own strength to carry the fight.

But there was a hundred-man team standing outside...

Complicated!

Standing next to Lord of the Trash, the town’s gray-haired mayor swallowed his spit and nervously murmured a reminder,

"My lord... there are too many of them. If it really comes to a fight, we might be at a disadvantage."

His name was Qin Baitian, elected mayor by the residents of Dusty Town and also the Grey Prophet of the Big Horn Rat Religion.

Truth be told, he didn’t really understand what the Big Horn Rat Religion or the Grey Prophet truly meant, but he had really never seen talking rats and the Claw of Death before, so he immediately believed.

His thinking was simple and straightforward: whoever could keep the townspeople safe, he and the residents would recognize as their god.

Initially, Qin Baitian was incredibly devout to the Big Horn Rat Religion, but now it seemed like all the surrounding settlements were turning to The Torch Church.

They were not only ostracized by surrounding survivor settlements, but now trouble had knocked on their door.

Embarrassing as it was to admit, seeing such a display made him somewhat inclined to back down.

If only the Great Antler God could co-govern this land with the Torch-carrying Saint Heir, he wouldn’t mind adding an extra stick of incense in the temple.

But Junk Lord had no intention of showing any weakness, nor did he pick up on the Town Mayor’s wavering thoughts, he cursed while staring out the window,

"I’m not blind... Damn it, how can Town Of Hope have so many people?"

"I’m afraid it’s not just Town Of Hope... Some unfamiliar faces are likely from other settlements."

Glancing cautiously at the Lizard next to him, Qin Baitian continued to speak cautiously and diplomatically,

"My lord, making enemies of all the survivors is not a good idea, especially since I’ve heard they’ve even co-opted the local mutant tribes. Those green-skinned guys are even more formidable; perhaps we should still talk to them?"

Geez!

They even hooked up with the mutants!

These people must not be allowed to remain!

A glint of murderous intent flashed in Junk Lord’s eyes, and at almost the same moment, a "whoosh" of a breaking sound flew over the small town.

Before anyone could react, an explosion of firelight burst on the roof of the town’s windmill, followed by thick smoke that enveloped the windmill.

Screams echoed through the streets, interspersed with the cries of babies, and nearby residents hurriedly carried buckets to extinguish the fire, while the morale of the militiamen behind the low wall began to waver.

Artillery!

These lunatics have brought out the artillery!

One could faintly hear the sound of artillery in the distance, but could not see from where the shells were coming. This uncertainty spontaneously bred panic in everyone’s heart.

"Time’s up."

Buttoning up his rolled-up sleeves, the missionary, after taking his eyes off his wristwatch, looked toward the small town now plunged into chaos.

A hint of viciousness that was difficult to detect flashed through his calm pupils, and a piercingly cold smile formed at the corners of his mouth.

"You’re courting death."

This was the last settlement in Brocade River City that had yet to be incorporated into the diocese, and he would not allow a blemish to remain on the map presented to the Bishop.

If these ignorant yokels stubbornly refused to embrace the glorious evolution—

Then let them die!

Watching the windmill he had built being blown apart, Junk Lord, observing from the third floor, was instantly enraged, and he bellowed out the window,

"Damn it all!"

"Fire!"

He didn’t even need to give the order.

The religious zealots outside the low wall had already initiated their assault, using hillocks and tree trunks for cover, and firing their rifles toward Dusty Town.

The survivors of the town were no less defiant, using the one-meter-high wall for cover, resting their rifles on top of the wall for a sweeping fire, or shooting through loopholes.

Thanks to the weapons stockpiled from trade with the Alliance by the previous Town Mayor, they had automatic rifles such as the LD-47 and even two Maxim guns, their firepower no weaker than that of the religious zealots.

The only disadvantage was probably the enemy’s supporting fire.

Distant explosions occasionally rippled through the air, accompanied by the whizzing sound of shells piercing the sky, blossoming into bursts of sparks above the town.

Though lacking precision and causing little harm to the militiamen near the short wall, the impact on the morale of the survivors in the town was undoubtedly devastating.

The houses being destroyed by the shells were their homes, built brick by brick, and potentially housing their own families!

But at that moment, aside from fighting, they had no other choice.

After all, looking at the crazed look in the eyes of those fanatics outside, even if they surrendered, it was clear that they would not be spared.

The sound of gunfire filled the town, and the battle had just begun when it reached a fever pitch.

The armed militants, while not having undergone strict training, fought unexpectedly bravely, and their morale was exceptionally high.

Garbage King always felt something was off.

The Torch Church had only spread to this area in the past six months; how had these neophyte "monks" been brainwashed to such an extent so quickly?

While thinking this, he soon witnessed an eerie scene unfold on the distant battlefield.

A believer of the Torch Church had his arm severed by machine gun fire; instead of rolling on the ground in agony, crying out for his parents, he remained silent, a sickly flush spreading across his dark face.

The pain seemed to have transformed into something else.

Noticing the abnormality in those people made Garbage King suddenly feel a chill run down his spine.

"Fuck! These lunatics are high on drugs!"

The voice of Difficult for the Strong came through the communications channel.

"Isn’t that obvious? That Nago! They’ve definitely all taken it!"

Garbage King was shocked.

"Fuck! Nago has that effect?!"

Difficult for the Strong: "Bullshit! Have you forgotten the ’God Travel’ state? Those charlatans have a way to make people delirious while still keeping their senses!"

In reality, there were similar examples, such as the widespread use of methamphetamine as a "battlefield stimulant" by the German army during World War II.

These junkies seemed to be even more extreme—drugged up and mixing their high with religion, achieving a zeal that was both physiological and spiritual.

Even if their intestines spilled out, those guys continued to fight fearlessly, just like when they just started up.

Garbage King felt this was troublesome.

Continuing in this vein, even if they managed to hold their position, the casualties would be heavy.

Just as Garbage King wrestled with the situation, the VM on his arm suddenly flickered, and a familiar voice came through.

"What’s going on over there? How did a fight break out?"

Old White!

Reinforcements had arrived!

A glimmer of hope shone in his amber pupils, hearing that reassuring voice, Garbage King cried out excitedly.

"Good brother! Hurry and lend a brother a hand!"

After a hiss of static, the voice on the communications channel became clearer.

"Don’t panic... What exactly is going on with those people?"

Garbage King said with a mix of laughter and tears.

"Who knows! They came at us, ranting about joining some glorious evolution. We refused, and then they opened fire!"

Old White: "Red names?"

Garbage King: "Of course! They swung first!"

Since they were red names, there was nothing to hesitate about.

Almost at the same moment, two rockets traced an arc in the sky before landing on the position just outside the fence door.

Flames from the explosion soared into the sky, engulfing a dozen militants pushing forward from their cover.

Then, rapid gunfire came from above; orange tracer rounds poured down like a sudden torrential rain onto the trees outside the fence door.

The tide of battle immediately turned!

Garbage King, standing by the window, excitedly clenched his fist and waved.

"Haha! Nicely done!"

Qin Baitian gazed in amazement at the lizard waving his fist out the window, then at the fiery inferno in the distance, his eyes shifting from fear to admiration.

"Great Antler God... oh no, I mean..."

This person truly was an avatar of the gods!

With that thought, he felt a twinge of guilt for the wavering of his faith earlier, and he bowed his head in reverence.

He had been blind.

He wished to make amends for his irreverent sin by serving this person for a lifetime!

Completely oblivious to the human expression changes next to him, Garbage King, still not fully satisfied, hooked his claws on the window sill and with a howl, leaped down.

His feet hit the pavement hard, creating two indentations in the smooth stone street. Crouching down, he scraped the ground with the tips of his hind claws, his amber pupils gleaming with bloodlust.

"The time for hunting has come!"

He was far too proficient at reaping heads!

He couldn’t let the Burning Corps brethren steal all the thunder!

Like a wild horse breaking free, Garbage King seized the opportunity to enter the fray, swiftly crossed over his own defensive position, howling as he burst through the wooden fence door, claws swinging as he charged towards the smoke-filled position.

In the span of a single breath, two thugs were torn apart by him.

Through the blur, seeing the whistling claws and the menacing face, the pastor in the gray robe’s initial shock shifted to bone-deep terror.

"Devil! The Devil!"

He screamed as he ran wildly backward.

Did the Great Antler God truly exist?!

For a moment, his faith, clear as diamond, started to waver ever so slightly.

But then again, where were the antlers of the Great Antler God?

Why hadn’t he seen them...

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