This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 604: Those Who Survived

Chapter 604: Chapter 604: Those Who Survived

The spacious square, at its entrance, was home to an enclosing wall made of a hodgepodge of steel plates and wooden stakes—the hefty doors were firmly shut, with the watchtowers on both sides empty and deserted.

The mutants stationed here had retreated in haste; some equipment wasn’t even taken away and was simply thrown onto the enclosing wall.

More than twenty Chimera armored cars were lined up outside the wall, with more than a dozen players carrying dynamite packs jogging forward, placing the high explosives at the base of the wall corners.

Watching his comrades retreat from the wall, Edge Shoveling, standing among the troops, shouted a command through the communication channel.

"Detonate!"

Instantly, a player tightly gripped the detonator in hand, and then a series of orange-red flames erupted along the edge of the enclosing wall.

The shabby gatehouse, as well as the wall made of piled-up garbage, were blown away in an instant.

"Advance!"

The leaders of the various army corps issued their orders.

Rows of Chimera armored cars started their engines; surrounded by a group of players wielding rifles, they marched boldly into the sinful camp.

Poking his head out from the gun tower, Mole ordered loudly over the communication channel while holding the hatch.

"Search every corner carefully, don’t let any mutant escape! No surrender will be accepted, and no quarter given!"

The response came back through the communication channel in unison.

"Roger that!"

Not just the Skeleton Corps.

The Jungle Corps was no different.

Leading the way was Brother Killing Chicken, who resembled a demon crawling out of hell, his steel shell smeared with minced flesh and blood, and the chainsaw embedded in his left arm whirring madly.

Not counting the headcount from the Chimera armored cars, he probably had the highest kill count of the operation.

After all, from day one, he was already blasting away at those green-skinned beasts here, much earlier than any other army corps.

Besides him, the player with the second-highest kill count was Pick up trash 99 level.

The pervasive gray fog provided excellent cover for him, skilled in close combat; if not for the mutants’ tough, thick skin and some of the cybernetically enhanced mutant warriors being melee experts themselves, his kill count would have gone even higher.

Upon entering the den, everyone cautiously moved forward.

Although they were now inside the Qi Tribe’s stronghold, no one was complacent.

One reason was that not all the green-skinned beasts were dead—occasionally, a lone wolf would leap out; the other reason was the shocking sights that pierced the bottom line of human decency, making everyone grit their teeth in anger.

This was the old site of the resident settlement during the three-year war.

Two centuries ago, it had temporarily housed hundreds of thousands, if not more.

But now it had turned into hell...

Looking at the preserved goods hanging from the wooden racks, the human skins being dried, along with countless bone artifacts, Tranquility felt his stomach churn.

He hadn’t been playing the Game for very long, but he had witnessed the war in Luo Xia Province, feeling he had seen some brutal scenes.

However, the pure evil before him made those look insignificant in comparison.

The people of Vellante, although dehumanizing other races, rarely killed just for the sake of killing.

The mutants were entirely different.

In their eyes, old humans were no more than livestock; not only would they casually toss captives into boiling oil, but they would also craft their bones into utensils and developed a series of blood sacrifice cultures to prove their superior lineage and legitimize their dominion.

To them, the screams of their prey were the most delightful sounds; for this reason, they had borrowed a number of anti-human tortures from old human history.

Seeing a body that had been nailed to a stone bed and gutted, the newcomer couldn’t help but retch.

"...%￥#@! Are these still humans?"

Pick up trash 99 level managed to maintain a relatively normal expression, although he was also shocked by the scenes before him and was unable to speak, he only experienced facial muscle spasms without succumbing to retching.

Sighing, Difficult for the strong, who was following nearby, said,

"If these photos were to be uploaded to the official site, they’d be all blurred out."

With a subtle expression, Brother Fu Gui gave a light cough.

"Based on previous experience, they might not even get uploaded at all."

Previous experience, indeed.

Tranquility quickly turned his head to look at him, dumbfounded,

"Holy crap, brother, what on earth have you been storing in your album?"

Brother Fu Gui coughed.

"A secret."

In all honesty, he hadn’t stored any morbid curiosity photos; his album mainly contained his own heroic combat poses and moments of spectacular kills—well, considering his fighting style, some footage might indeed qualify as R18G.

But that was beside the point.

In any case, according to the rules set by the game operators, certain overly morbid photos wouldn’t sync to offline accounts.

The game operators explained that the dreams created by players using virtual reality headsets have a protective mechanism that desensitizes the senses. Specifically, even players who faint at the sight of blood in real life would only feel disgusted when splashed with blood in the game.

However, once detached from the "dream," the protection mechanism ceased to function.

The Wasteland, after all, was not a harmonious society.

For the mental and physical health of the players, and to prevent them from becoming increasingly frightened after logging off, the Game operators not only censored photos synced offline, but also restricted access to certain images based on the viewer’s age.

Not far from the "slaughterhouse" was a massive department store.

Its structure resembled a cruise ship sailing on land—twelve stories high with a floor space of one hundred thousand square meters and a total built area exceeding one million. The surrounding traffic routes were extensive, and from its grand and imposing outline, one could glimpse its past splendor.

However, its builders probably never imagined that, more than two hundred years later, their masterpiece would be used as a "livestock pen" for a group of green-skinned beasts to corral humans.

The moment one crossed the threshold of the northern main entrance of the department store, a pungent stench of decay assaulted their noses. Gnome King Riches, walking ahead, couldn’t help but frown.

He had just thought to complain with a comment like "What’s that awful stench," when a whistling gust swept in from the side.

Gnome King Riches’s body jolted, and he instinctively ducked, narrowly avoiding a table that flew past his helmet and shattered against the wall.

The lurking mutants, enraged by their failed ambush, bellowed furiously and charged toward the main entrance, hefting their broad-bladed bone-chopping knives in hand.

Elena raised her PU-9 submachine gun half an inch and unleashed a burst of shots at the mutant’s chest.

The half-naked mutant’s chest bloomed with a spray of blood, and after barely two steps, it collapsed heavily to the ground without a sound.

"Damn, an ambush!" Brother Fu Gui cursed as he got up from the ground, dusting himself off, only to realize he had smeared black mud on his armor.

He instinctively sniffed at his fingers, his expression suddenly rigid as he flung his hand aside, looking at the black mud on his breastplate with an expression of disgust.

Now, there was no need to ask what that stench was.

"There must be quite a few people locked up here... Are you okay?" Elena asked with a strange expression as she watched Brother Fu Gui searching for something.

"I’m fine, I’m fine, I’ve cleaned up..." Finally finding a yellowed, tattered cloth, Brother Fu Gui wiped off the black mud and turned to Old Na with a cough, asking, "What the hell is this place?"

"It’s obvious, the Qi Tribe’s pasture."

Elena efficiently changed her magazine and glanced upward at the spacious arched dome where the escalators had been transformed into sturdy wooden ladders.

Not only that, the mutants had created a makeshift lift tower with iron chains and pulleys, installed beside the escalator.

It seemed to be used for transporting goods, as there were bottles, cans, and moldy wooden boxes piled on it.

For the time being, ignoring the upper floors, the players who had entered the first-floor hall moved past the open space in front of the door and explored the nearest shopping arcade.

Shortly after, they witnessed a scene they would never forget.

The shopfronts’ glass display windows had been replaced with barriers made of iron bars, behind which were gaunt figures and a set of numb eyes.

Mostly disheveled and sunken-eyed, they were unrecognizable as humans unless one looked closely.

Seeing the soldiers standing in front of the bars, the people caged within uniformly displayed a frightened demeanor, retreating backward like animals.

Those at the back seemed to have been stepped on, emitting soft cries.

"Don’t be afraid! We’re not mutants; we’re here to rescue you," the Gnome King Riches hastily spoke in broken Human Alliance speech, trying to calm these people. However, they showed no reaction, becoming even more panicked.

Watching the flustered Gnome King Riches, Elena sighed and put a complicated expression on her face, resting her hand on his shoulder.

"Don’t bother, these people... might not understand Human Alliance speech."

Gnome King Riches froze.

"Not understanding means..."

"They are probably not captured but were born here," Elena paused, then added her speculation, "...most likely descendants of Singular Point City residents."

Gnome King Riches looked incredulously at her and then again at the prison beside him; his Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbed in his throat.

It was hard to imagine that these people, living like livestock, once had a history as glorious as that of Giant Stone City.

Between adjacent storefronts, there were troughs full of dark green sludge, directly across from the nutrient paste synthesizers.

Judging by the mottled rust, this machine had been in use for some years, and from its appearance and model, it was likely an outdated one from the Giant Stone City Industrial Zone.

The prison was not very sturdy.

Gnome King Riches grabbed a rusted iron bar, which creaked under his grip with minimal effort. His exoskeleton slightly exerted force, and he tore it down.

However, those locked inside merely trembled as they watched the opened fence, showing no other response and no indication of any intention to escape.

"How to handle these people will probably be a headache for Ah Guang," Elena looked around and said, "For now, let’s report back to the headquarters."

After a long silence, Gnome King Riches spoke hesitantly.

"How about sending them to Pioneer City?"

"That’s one option," Elena made a helpless expression and shrugged, "but I think... where to send them might not necessarily be the best choice."

Damn these beasts.

He cursed inwardly, but there was nothing he could do about things that had happened for decades or even hundreds of years.

This place had been hell for a very long time.

And who knew how many similar hells existed on the Wasteland.

If the Wasteland itself isn’t ended, an even more brutal Hell will emerge time and again, and past tragedies will be replayed over and over.

Yet, how to put an end to such a Wasteland, frankly, he had not the slightest clue.

Perhaps...

The all-powerful Manager must have a complete plan in mind.

As an outsider, it was perhaps better to set aside the cruel core and simply enjoy the Game itself.

At the very least, the daily life of the Alliance was still filled with joy.

...

However, what Elena did not know was that the all-powerful Manager didn’t have any good solutions either.

A considerable portion of the population within the Qi Tribe had been born in the breeding farms of the Mutants, with only a minority being Waste Land Wanderers captured from the outside and slaves voluntarily contributed by the nearby plantations.

It is well-known that a person’s worldview is gradually formed during the development of their brain. Only those raised within a society can transform from a biological human to a social human.

The survivors here, though, were more like humans raised by animals.

The Dark Stone Tribe they had previously encountered in the Great Desert also had a number of people in a similar situation, but the proportion was far less than that of the Qi Tribe.

Based on existing isolated examples in reality, these biological humans would take as much as ten or even more years to learn something as simple as eating with their hands, not to mention learning a skill to support themselves.

The Alliance was not in a position to magically increase its population by ten thousand dependents; this was not a problem that could be solved by sending them to Pioneer City.

Not to mention that most of these survivors were Nago addicts.

It wasn’t a good idea to remove a large number of survivors carrying the Nago mycelium from the area, especially under the current circumstances.

Standing on the bridge, Chu Guang fell into deep thought.

Just then, Vanus suddenly spoke up beside him.

"How about using the Mind Interference Device?"

Seeing that Chu Guang did not respond, Vanus paused for a moment and continued to analyze.

"Since they are Nago addicts, theoretically they should be affected by the Mind Interference Device when they enter God’s state. If we use this brainwashing tool correctly, perhaps we could reintegrate them into normal society."

After hearing his analysis, Chu Guang let out a slight sigh and said.

"Using the Mind Interference Device on humans is something that has never been done in the Alliance. We have continued the practices of the Human Alliance Era, restricting it only to drive away dangerous species on other planets. It’s not that I lack adaptability; rather, I am contemplating an issue... How do we ensure that the choices we make today do not plant seeds for greater problems in the future?"

Vanus was slightly taken aback.

"Such as?"

Chu Guang put it succinctly.

"For example, let me ask you the simplest question: how can a mentally ill person prove that they are not mentally ill?"

Vanus asked in a confused tone.

"Is that something that needs to be proved?"

Chu Guang continued.

"If we proceed with this, the future residents here will all face this very issue, and this might be the smallest of problems."

Although for him it was only a matter of saying the word, carrying out such an order was a systemic project.

Within this vast systematic project, too many components could cause the command to deviate from its original intention, creating a dystopia using "technology that should never have been applied to humans" from the start.

The Alliance’s sixth settlement could become a large mental institution, or even a dark Chapter in the Alliance’s history.

However, to be honest, Vanus’s idea did indeed tempt Chu Guang. At the very least, the Mind Interference Device could allow those survivors who lacked complete behavioral capabilities to engage in some simple labor to sustain themselves.

The only issue was that he needed a Manager who was perfect in morality and without personal desires to carry out his orders.

Regrettably, he himself was not that perfect person.

Just then, Frost, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up.

"How about letting me have a try?"

Solar Eclipse glanced at it expressionlessly, hinting that it should take back that potentially troublesome statement, but Frost showed no signs of retraction.

Chu Guang was mildly stunned, and an intrigued look suddenly surfaced in his eyes.

He had almost forgotten.

By his side was such a character!

But this involved the fates of tens of thousands, if not more, and it wasn’t something to be taken lightly or played around with.

To confirm its resolve, Chu Guang looked into its eyes with a serious tone.

"Are you sure? This is not an easy task. You can think of those survivors as infants possessing the strength of adults, and you’re the nanny for everyone. You have to plan their daily work, living habits, cultural education, and all other aspects—even down to their eating and toileting—making sure they live as humanly as possible with limited resources."

Chu Guang couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination, but it seemed to him that the eyes of this bionic person were growing more excited.

Despite him describing what was clearly a troublesome task.

Could this guy possibly be a masochist...

With that odd thought in mind, Chu Guang cleared his throat and continued in a stern voice.

"...Anyway, at the initial stage, you need to at least get them to the point of self-sufficiency, and ultimately enable them and their descendants to fully integrate into our society. During this period, we will give you some aid, but honestly, we’re quite poor ourselves, and I’m afraid we won’t be able to give you much."

"Have you thought this through—"

"I have thought it through!"

Eagerly answering Chu Guang’s question, Frost looked at him with determined eyes, and placed his right fist against his chest in a clumsy representation of the Alliance salute.

"I have always longed to use my knowledge and experience to help the sufferers on the Wasteland, and now the opportunity is right in front of me... I can feel it!"

Chu Guang stared back intently.

"Felt what?"

Gripping the fist that was against his chest, Frost spoke out passionately.

"The intellectual plug-in... is burning!"

His voice carried a slight tremble, like that of a song, and the rising inflection at the end held tones of devotion and sanctity.

However, Chu Guang listened with a befuddled expression.

What the hell does the intellectual plug-in burning mean?

Forget it.

Don’t worry about that for now.

From the Bionic’s eyes, Chu Guang indeed felt its unwavering sincerity and determination.

That pity for the sufferers on the Wasteland was as steadfast as that of Yibers, the madman who feared not the chaos of the world.

Moreover, as a Bionic, it had no material desires, nor did it have any moral flaws.

It was the perfect candidate to execute this task that human Managers would find impossible!

At least it was worth a try!

Vanus cast a worried glance at Chu Guang. Although it had been his idea, he always felt this Bionic wasn’t very reliable.

However, Chu Guang’s attention was entirely on those enthusiastic eyes, blatantly ignoring the advisor standing beside him.

"Then I leave it in your hands!"

"Uh-huh!" Staring intently at Chu Guang, Frost said with full vigor, "Leave it to me!"

Eclipse, standing behind it, held his forehead.

This guy seems to have forgotten that he’s here as a representative of the Kang Mao Group...

It feels like things are getting complicated.

...

Night.

The Captain’s quarters.

Xiao Qi, sitting on the edge of the pencil holder on the desk, dangled his pencil-thick legs and spoke somewhat unhappily.

"Master."

Chu Guang, who was dealing with official business, shifted his gaze from the tablet in his hands to look at it, speaking in a gentle tone.

"What’s up?"

Xiao Qi muttered.

"Although Xiao Qi is only an assistant AI, I can still be of much help..."

Seeing through its thoughts in an instant, Chu Guang couldn’t help but smile and reached out to rub its little head with his index finger.

"I understand that you want to help me, and I believe in your ability, but this isn’t within your job scope. And... you represent me."

"Huh?" Xiao Qi tilted its head, not quite understanding.

Glancing at the draft plan for the Alliance’s sixth settlement that was in progress, Chu Guang smiled faintly.

"The Alliance needs to unify all survivors who can be unified, but this must be done based on their actual circumstances. For those survivors who choose progress on their own, we will give them enough freedom to develop autonomously, and let them bring the fruits of progress into our society, but as for the special case of Singular Point City, we have no choice but to manage them in a completely opposite way to prevent them from impacting our society."

"This is not just a problem of ten thousand people. Haiye Province still has large areas of parishes that need liberation, and when the time comes, the pressure we will have to bear might be several times, or even dozens of times higher than it is now."

"Although it’s a bit unfair to say, if Frost messes up, then it will be the responsibility of the Kang Mao Group and even the business sector, and the Bionic’s ability to participate in public affairs would be questioned, right? I tend to think that some people on the council, within the bounds of what’s possible, will not stand by idly."

To put it bluntly, it was their forefathers who created this mess!

If it hadn’t been for that accident half a century ago, we wouldn’t have all these problems today.

Xiao Qi nodded, seemingly grasping the concept.

"So are you arranging this to conveniently shift the blame later?"

This guy doesn’t get it at all...

But I suppose some people will interpret it that way.

Chu Guang laughed and shook his head, unconcerned.

"If I really wanted to shift the blame."

"I wouldn’t have bothered with these troublesome matters right from the start."