This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 573: We Never Shortchange Those Who Help Us

Chapter 573: Chapter 573: We Never Shortchange Those Who Help Us

"Wasteland OL" Official Website.

Player Exchange Forum.

Players active in Town Of Hope started their own thread to share the intelligence they’d gathered in their settlement, debating fervently among themselves.

Since the hot topics on the forum presently are mostly related to the recently liberated Giant Stone City and the incoming Tide, this thread wasn’t very popular; it consisted mainly of conversations between a few players from Burning Corps.

However, there’s a silver lining to having fewer people.

Most were discussing strategies and plot lines, with almost no one veering off-topic.

Fang Chang said, "In the Wasteland Era year 44, the Production Department signed the ’Province of Yúnjiānxíng Revival Act’, confiscating all research institutes belonging to the Technology Department in this province, which included facilities related to the ’Perfect Life Form’ project."

"Due to long-standing tensions, the negotiation process was too crude, evolving from peaceful integration to armed conflict, causing some DNA-unstable subjects to escape. Some of them fled inland, while others moved along the coast... These records are all detailed in the library of Grand Canyon, and I remember that they were included in the official setting collection on the website a few months ago."

"Here’s a reasonable guess: the researchers who fled to the wasteland didn’t give up on their mission. After braving mountains and rivers to reach Brocade River Province, they found Singular Point City after the War Construction Committee announced its dissolution in Wasteland Era year 45, where they reached a cooperation with the local residents and continued their research on Perfect Life Forms, turning a small portion or even the majority of the survivors into Mutants."

"And now the Qi Tribe is the descendant of those survivors from 150 years ago."

After Fang Chang made a simple arrangement of the intelligence Old White had collected from the pastor, he shared his speculation. Upon hearing his theory, some of the players were immediately stunned.

Night Ten exclaimed, "Holy shit... Have the residents of Singular Point City lost their minds?!"

Killer Dagger remarked, "Choosing to turn into Mutants, seriously..."

Wild Wind pondered, "It might not be madness. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. Imagine you’re a billionaire, and standing in front of you is... or rather, a group of top scholars with various prestigious titles. They tell you that they’re researching technology that can reverse cellular aging. However, a vile force is after their still immature research findings. If you provide them sanctuary and sponsor their research, not just you but all of humanity could benefit from this new and marvelous technology."

Fang Chang said, "Actually, your example isn’t quite accurate. The ’Perfect Life Form’ was a much more enticing prospect than merely halting cell aging. Moreover, at that time, the survivors had just broken away from the protection of the War Construction Committee, facing severe tests of survival in reality... What you have standing before you are not only scholars with top titles but also scholars persecuted by ’traitors,’ who may have brought along some Black Boxes. By sponsoring them, you’d reap material rewards, and morally you’d be on the high ground, supported by everyone, even if you took a small detour along the way. (side-eye)"

Even though the root cause of the crisis was the imbalance between responsibility and obligation as well as the disparity between reality and ideals, the Production Department’s plan was just a prescient prediction of the crisis, and indeed, the military operations in Province of Yúnjiānxíng were the match that ignited the fuse.

In the eyes of the vast majority of survivors at that time, the people of the Production Department were traitors, and Ideal City had betrayed its ideals.

A group of researchers, persecuted by the Production Department yet not forgetting their mission, carried the halo of tragic heroes.

At the very moment the War Construction Committee crumbled, whether they went to Singular Point City or Giant Stone City, they would certainly be welcomed by the local residents.

In those times of despair, those who still led everyone forward typically harbored a glimmer of idealism in their hearts.

Night Ten said, "But, Mutants... that’s clearly not that kind of technology! (laughter and crying)"

Fang Chang replied, "Not yet at least. Don’t forget, whether it’s Mutants or clones that grow at eight times the normal rate, they’re all byproducts of the ’Perfect Life Form.’ Even though these byproducts aren’t perfect enough yet, they’re still much more perfect than the original life forms on this planet. When a surefire investment opportunity presents itself before you, what reason do you have to refuse? (side-eye)"

Wild Wind: "The starting point for Singular Point City was a bit better than Giant Stone City. At least, Brocade River City didn’t have the ’Mutated slime fungus’ and wasn’t hit by nuclear strikes. Even though its industrialization can’t match Giant Stone City, there’s no severe survival crisis, and food isn’t scarce... I think that might also be why those researchers chose Singular Point City as their new base."

Old White: "And then some of the residents were tempted by the Perfect Life Form and offered themselves up, turning into mutants?"

Fang Chang: "Based on the intelligence you gathered from that pastor, it’s mostly true. Plus, it’s likely that later on, for some reason, they phased out the original residents and fitted those newly made mutants, who were born without genitals, with them."

Wild Wind: "I heard that the earliest mutants didn’t have reproductive organs to prevent DNA from spreading... Re-adding what was taken out shouldn’t be too hard for those researchers."

Quit Smoking: "But why would they do that..."

Wild Wind: "Who knows? Maybe the initial residents of Singular Point City lacked vision. (Side-eye)"

Fang Chang: "Actually, it’s pretty easy to understand from a different perspective. Let’s say someone promised your grandfather that the Perfect Life Form would definitely be complete in twenty years, turning everyone into the more perfect New Humans, and you took this to heart. You take over your grandfather’s duties, and as you start to look more and more like him, the promise remains unfulfilled."

"At the same time, the gathering place is full of powerful eunuchs throwing temper tantrums every day. They claim their sacrifices and commitments have been a scam and demand to be turned back, yet you and your sponsored scholars are powerless. This is an unfinished technology, after all, no one has visited the future to see how far it is to the end, so you can only fulfill their other demands... At the very least, put their genitals back."

"Everyone keeps saying the technology is almost finished, and you start to believe it too, promising that everything will get better once the final piece of the puzzle is in place."

"Then new problems arise. One day, the gathering place fills with mutants who had never spent a day as humans. They find they can knock out those weedy, weak intellectuals with a single punch, they not only live longer but hardly ever get sick, it’s just their looks are a bit unwelcome... You can let your imagination take it from there, what this would mean in the Wasteland at that time."

"Once over 99% of the gathering place consists of the new generation of mutants, along with Old Humans who have joined them out of a reverence for violence, the era of the Old Humans is over."

"Only a handful of radicals will remember where they came from and where they’re heading, keeping alive the old plans, continuing to complete the ’Perfect Life Form’ that no one knows when will be finished. But most mutants will see themselves as having already achieved the most perfect form, and what needs to be done now is expand the mutants’ living space in this world, turning the Old Humans completely into livestock for breeding."

"A portion of the Old Humans will pledge loyalty to them or collaborate with them, seeking to become part of the mutants and a chance to survive in the new world."

Wild Wind: "From this angle, the mutants and the Torch Church’s routes and programs are practically indistinguishable..."

Night Ten: "No wonder they can piss in the same pot..."

Old White: "By the way, Fang Chang, how did your talk go with the captain of the Pine Cone Farm commercial team?"

Fang Chang: "That thing? It’s all settled... He’s agreed to cooperate with our investigation in the gathering place. In exchange, we just need to take his family with us when we withdraw."

Quit Smoking: "666!"

Kidney Fighter: "Awesome! Brother Fang Chang, truly the most realistically tough guy on the server! (Sarcastic)"

Fang Chang: "Scram!"

Night Ten: "But still, why does it seem like all these crooked merchants are rushing to get out?"

Wild Wind: "Isn’t it obvious? Before, they smelled something burning, but now the fire’s already reached their eyebrows. (Side-eye)"

...

In the viewing room of Shelter No. 404.

Chu Guang, leaning on the couch, finished reading the posts on the forum and reorganized the intelligence gathered by the front-line players for a second time.

Just at that moment, the Alliance Biological Research Institute completed their analysis of the genetically modified mutant’s corpse, and Heya personally brought the analysis report over.

"The analysis results are out. There is a genetic connection between the mutants of Brocade River City and those from the area around Clear Spring City... Most mutants in this area likely spread from there."

Heya took a seat on the couch opposite Chu Guang, stretched out her index finger lightly through the air to push the pale blue window in front of him.

"Here are the detailed analysis results."

Chu Guang tapped to open the pale blue holographic window with his index finger and quickly scanned it.

The dense data and various graphs on it were beyond his knowledge domain, but he trusted Heya’s expertise.

"What about the Great Desert?"

Heya spoke concisely.

"According to the samples sent from Pioneer City... there’s a very low correlation between them. I’m inclined to believe they are branches with different origins."

"Different origins of branches mean..."

"To put it simply, their ancestors were mutants born from different research facilities and each has made some improvements upon the original basis. I remember there were also institutes conducting ’Perfect Life Form’ research on the West Coast. The Army’s clones are by-products of that type of research facility, right?"

As she spoke, a hint of emotion surfaced on Heya’s face, and she continued.

"To be honest... I’m actually quite surprised that during that special period of scarce resources, those technicians were still able to use the limited devices to produce such outstanding research results."

Perfect Life Form, as a technology pinnacle isolated from human civilization’s "Viewrange" during the Prosperity Epoch, was an academic summit which the scholars continuously climbed but never achieved, even with the rich DNA sample banks provided by the colonized planets, research still progressed slowly.

One can imagine how astonishingly difficult this grand project was.

Yet, in the early Wasteland Era — that most despairing era, various settlements still retained the ability to explore new technologies and make some unexpected improvements upon existing achievements.

This was indeed no easy feat.

"Indeed, if we ignore the negative impacts caused by the imperfect technology, the work they did was indeed quite astonishing."

Looking at Heya who was full of contemplation, Chu Guang suddenly thought of something and continued to speak.

"By the way, the Alliance’s Army collected some interesting clues in the south, which might have some connections with Shelter No.117—"

Before he could finish, Heya suddenly stood up from the couch, her hands bracing on the coffee table.

"Where is she!?"

Caught off guard by her sudden reaction, Chu Guang paused in bewilderment.

"She..."

"Karen!" Staring intently at him, Heya excitedly said, "My mentor! Where is she!?"

"Cough... Don’t get too excited."

Watching Heya nearly poke her nose into his face, Chu Guang gently coughed, signaling her to calm down.

Finally realizing her own gaffe, Heya’s cheeks flushed red, and she quickly sat back down on the couch, resting her fist on her lips as she gave a light cough.

"Sorry."

"No problem, I understand."

After all, waking up after nearly twenty years to find everything had changed, Professor Karen was probably her only kin in this world.

According to the news from Shelter No. 401, the professor was most likely still alive and had gone south with the people of the Torch.

Chu Guang also had many questions about this.

Looking at Xiao Qi, he said.

"Xiao Qi, could you make two cups of black tea for us, please?"

Xiao Qi pouted, her expression somewhat displeased, but upon hearing Chu Guang’s command, she still obediently responded.

"Sure, master."

A moment later, X-16 walked in with a graceful step, placed two cups of black tea on the table, politely nodded her head, and then elegantly exited the viewing room.

Watching Heya gradually calm down, Chu Guang slowly began to speak.

"I don’t have specific information about your mentor here, but residents of my shelter were active in a place called Town Of Hope in Brocade River Province. They investigated and found that twenty years ago, a group of residents of the refuge had come to the settlement and traded some materials for medicine from them."

"That town has only one clinic. The doctor working at the clinic, who is now the town’s pastor, still has some recollections of those people... According to his memories, those residents of the refuge stayed in the town for a while, bought a lot of supplies, and even inquired about Singular Point City."

"Singular Point City..." Heya murmured the word softly, her eyes filled with bewilderment.

Chu Guang looked into her eyes and asked.

"Didn’t your mentor ever mention that place to you?"

Heya shook her head.

"No..."

"So it is..." Chu Guang pondered for a moment, then continued, "Since that’s the case, I’m more inclined to believe that they’ve gathered clues about Singular Point City from the Wasteland and, after learning about events from a century and a half ago, they proactively made contact with the ’Qi’ Tribe."

Unless there was a special mission to carry out, most of the Blue Jackets tended to make contact with survivors on the surface, some of whom may even have visited Giant Stone City, only to become disappointed with the arrogant nobles and leave of their own accord.

Singular Point City was also in the planning blueprint of the War Construction Committee as a settlement, and they indeed had a reason to try their luck further south.

Heya muttered to herself.

"What in the world... does she want to do."

"I don’t know, but according to the results of our investigation, twenty years ago was precisely the initial point in time when the ’Qi’ Tribe showed signs of aggression. I’m more inclined to believe that the residents of Shelter No. 117 reached some kind of agreement with them from that time... back then, there probably wasn’t any church, and a torch was just a torch."

Looking at the misty steam rising from the teacup, and at Heya who was silently immersed in the fog, Chu Guang sighed softly and continued.

"I’ve promised to share with you any clues we collect about Shelter No. 117, but I hope you won’t take it too hard."

"Okay..." Heya slowly nodded, but her perplexed expression laid bare the emotions in her heart.

In her memory, her mentor was a very kind person, benevolent, capable, and brave, like a mother to her.

She tried to understand what Professor Karen was doing, yet the closer she got to the truth, the more she felt as if she had plunged into a thick fog.

Cooperating with mutants...

What on earth do they want to do?

Wasn’t the agreement to rebuild a beautiful new world on the surface after the gates opened?

Heya vaguely remembered what her mentor had once told her.

One day in the future, she would have a very long dream, but she needn’t worry – when she awoke from that brief dream, when she opened her eyes again, outside would be a peaceful and fertile land.

Now, it seemed that the crisis that overthrew Shelter No. 117 had been determined from that moment, and her mentor had decided from the start to leave her behind.

"I... wish I hadn’t fallen asleep at that time."

Her fingers clenched tightly around the teacup, Heya gazed unwaveringly at the shimmering surface of the water in the cup, looking at the reflection of eyes that also glinted.

Seeing her downcast eyelids, Chu Guang offered a gentle word of comfort.

"Perhaps... but on the other hand, this might actually be the best arrangement."

He sometimes thought the same.

If only he could have journeyed here earlier.

Lifting his head to a Wasteland full of devastation, he always felt that by the time he opened his eyes, many irreversible things had already happened.

But at times he also wondered, would things definitely have been different if he had awoken earlier?

Perhaps they might have been even worse.

"You might be right..."

Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, Heya’s face broke into a bright smile again.

"I wish I could talk to her in person."

Chu Guang nodded solemnly.

"There will be a chance."

...

The night grew deeper, Jinhe City Urban Area.

Standing on the roof of an abandoned building, Jia En quietly gazed northward, his brow furrowed as if full of caterpillars.

Ogg had set out in the morning.

By all accounts, he should have been back by now.

Yet the north was deathly quiet, without the slightest stir.

A foreboding feeling couldn’t help but rise in his heart.

At that moment, a Mutant Sentinel came panting up the stairwell, kneeling with one knee ten steps behind him.

"Ogg, no news. Town Of Hope, a complete mess."

"They threw a party there, there are human bones, discarded weapons, and more than two hundred of our bodies."

Two hundred?

Jia En’s face showed astonishment, he turned his burly body to look at the kneeling sentinel.

"You sure? There were that many?"

The sentinel nodded his head like he was hammering garlic.

"There were, many brothers died... Oh, and I also found this huge casing."

As he spoke, the sentinel reached behind with his right hand and pulled out the casing he had seen on the battlefield, respectfully extending it forward.

Jia En picked up the large casing with two fingers and brought it close to his nose, his brows furrowing even more.

At that moment, a voice tinged with age came from the direction of the stairs.

"This isn’t from ’Iron Tower’; this was specifically designed against us."

Jia En looked towards the stairs and saw a stooped figure standing there.

That was the tribe’s high priest, Qi Gemo, the only elder he truly respected who stood on the side of the Secular faction. Compared to those old fools, he was one of the few who genuinely had the tribe’s interests at heart.

Seeing that Jia En had looked over, the old mutant continued in a slow drawl,

"They’re people from the Alliance; there shouldn’t be a mistake."

"These people came prepared; the ones stationed in Town of Hope are probably just a forward post. The ones you sent out haven’t returned, it’s likely more danger than good luck."

Jia En’s mouth twisted into a slight and cruel smile.

As if venting his anger prematurely, he scrunched the casing in his fingertips into a twisted scrap and discarded it on the ground.

"Whoever dares to oppose us, I will make them regret coming into this world!"

Gomo slowly nodded his head and said respectfully,

"I believe you possess that strength, but to be cautious, it’s best we discuss this with our allies."

"The northerners designed trouble for us; we also need to prepare more reliable weapons for our warriors."

His eyes showing a hint of wariness, Jia En slowly nodded,

"Hmm, indeed it’s a problem."

Though his body was all muscle, it hadn’t extended to his brain.

Since the northerners had already designed weapons especially for them, they had to figure out how to forge stronger armor.

Those who call themselves Torch were precisely the experts in this area.

If those people didn’t want to see their plans spoiled, they better figure out a solution.

...

The next morning, dawn broke.

The barriers at Town of Hope’s entrance had been dismantled, and a row of fully loaded trucks stood by the gate. Around twenty fully armed warriors stood to one side, ready to depart.

Among these warriors, half were wearing exoskeletons and led by Falling Feather. The other half were players from the Burning Corps, led by Brother Fang Chang.

The rest of the players returned to the border military base with Old White, as per the arrangement.

According to that NPC named Wu Wen Zhou, too many people might arouse suspicion; after all, the cargo in these six trucks was only worth roughly one million silver coins, hard to justify the hiring of such a luxurious mercenary group.

Apart from Xiaoyu who found the exoskeleton problematic to remove, the few players with Fang Chang left theirs with Old White to be carried back to the military base.

"...Don’t forget our deal." Approaching Fang Chang, Wu Wen Zhou’s gaze flickered as he lowered his voice to urgently remind him.

The mutants yesterday had scared him badly.

He was now starting to understand why his boss was so eager to leave that farm.

Fang Chang gave him a reassuring look and a radiant smile.

"Don’t worry, we’d never shortchange someone who’s helped us."

"I trust you guys... Honestly, it’d be great if you could expand your territory here; then we wouldn’t need to head north and leave our homes behind."

Leaving those words behind, Wu Wen Zhou turned back to the trucks, grabbed the walkie-talkie hanging on the central control, and yelled,

"Let’s move out!"

The vehicles started their engines.

Night Ten, who had climbed onto a truck, sat down beside Falling Feather. Suddenly he looked up toward the adjacent forest.

Noticing his action, Falling Feather asked with curiosity,

"What’s up?"

"...Nothing." Night Ten looked away from the woods and muttered, "I felt like someone was watching us just now."

But he did not sense any malicious intent.

Perhaps it was just an NPC from the town...