"Fuck! Not a loss my ass! I lost my shirt on this!"
On the official forum.
When seeing Brother Edge and a bunch of armchair gamers desperately insisting that this "clutch 1-for-1 trade" was not a loss at all, [Neighbor Old Wang] couldn't hold back anymore and leaped out.
Seizing the opportunity, a certain forum mascot took the lead in taunting the crowd.
Proud Grandpa What Can You Do: "LMAO! Ten against one and you still ended up with one dead and one injured? Do you even know how to play the game? If I were you, I'd smash that helmet and go to sleep. Sucking this hard, what the hell are you even playing? Of course, this game doesn't exist at all anyway. Go ahead and keep fabricating stories out of thin air, I'll just treat it as comedy."
Elaina: "Adding a piece of trivia: the closed beta helmet is loaned to you by the game company. After all, you didn't even pay for shipping, and they never asked you to buy game time. If you smash it, you'll probably get hit with a lawyer's letter. (Funny face)"
Edge Slacker: "Cough cough, sorry about that, Old Wang. I admit my command slipped up a bit this time. Who knew that mutant would play dirty? It even had a tripwire mine—completely devoid of martial virtue! But don't worry, I've got their tricks figured out now. Next time will definitely be rock solid!"
Neighbor Old Wang: "Like hell I'd believe you! If I ever get in your cursed clown car again, I'm a dog!"
Midnight Chicken Slaughter: "It really was a loss, we lost out big time. One Goblin Rocket costs 5 silver coins, while the base quest reward is only 10 silver coins. The 5 silver reward for killing a mutant goes into the team prize pool, which only comes out to 5 copper coins per person."
Edge Slacker: "Didn't we give that 5 silver reward to you?! I clearly landed a shot too, okay!"
Midnight Chicken Slaughter: "No, I just wanted to complain. That rocket was useless as shit. A direct hit didn't even kill it, and I still had to charge up with an axe to finish it off."
WC Really Has Mosquitoes: "Fuck! You blew up a fucking mutant, why didn't you go blow up a split-claw crab? The official database states that mutants have a Constitution of 30 or higher, with an unknown cap. Do you even know what 30 Constitution means?! Even a Constitution-type player grinding to Level 20 might not have stats that high! Be reasonable, bro. If my rocket hadn't blown it to near death, would you even have had the chance to run up and finish it off?"
Midnight Chicken Slaughter: "Weakling!"
WC Really Has Mosquitoes: "Fuck!! Just you wait, take me along on this quest next time! (Angry)"
Elaina: "Never mind, I'm kind of scared. I was going to say I'd go check it out once I respawn tomorrow... but I think I'll pass. (Funny face)"
Ye Shi: "Don't wuss out, Old Na. I remember you being super brave. (Funny face)"
Elaina: "Call me Old Na again and I'm holding a grudge! (#｀皿′)"
7:00 PM, Shelter 404's resident hall.
Having finished dinner, Chu Guang sat before his computer and browsed the forum as usual to see what his little players were chatting about.
To lurk more efficiently—or rather, to review his imperial memorials—Chu Guang had asked Xiao Qi to compile a spreadsheet tracking the hottest forum topics between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM each evening.
This window was generally when the closed beta players were most active on the official website.
Unsurprisingly, "The Mutant Tribe of 76th Street" dominated the top of the trending list, firmly occupying first place.
This was the first clash between the outpost and the mutant tribe of 76th Street.
Previously, most players' impressions of mutants came only from the pictures and textual lore in the official database, along with fan theories dreamt up by netizens based on that information.
Although on the surface, a ten-on-one fight ending like this looked somewhat embarrassing, Chu Guang knew very well that achieving this result was actually quite commendable.
First of all, the players who participated had an average level of LV5, which only placed them in the outpost's second echelon. Neither their levels nor their combat experience were top-tier, so suffering a bit of a setback was only natural.
Secondly, those green-skinned muscleheads were notoriously tough.
Their extraordinary regenerative ability and resistance made them virtually immune to all poisons. Furthermore, their digestive systems rivaled those of mutant hyenas; driven by extreme hunger, they could even stomach the rotting flesh of Gnawers.
Without exaggeration, they were even better adapted to this wasteland planet's environment than the mutant creatures. At least in earlier years, both mutant creatures and survivors had been battered mercilessly by harsh winters; only these green-skinned muscleheads, who had popped up out of nowhere, had left their footprints across the entire wasteland planet.
Some said they were victims of biological weapons, others claimed they had willingly embraced evolution, and still others asserted that they were biological weapons themselves.
The more credible rumor was that their ancestors came from a shelter of unknown designation. Unable to endure the early, despair-inducing winters, they were forced to undergo incomplete genetic modification technology.
In fact, aside from being hideous, the genetics of these green-skinned muscleheads were remarkably robust. Not only did they boast extraordinary adaptability to the wasteland environment, able to live long-term in irradiated areas while maintaining genetic stability, but they also possessed "iron stomachs" capable of digesting practically any food.
Given a few thousand years to develop, they might very well have replaced old humanity as "new humans" and become the new masters of this planet.
However, the mutants were not without weaknesses.
Their enormous size forced them to live in taller, larger structures, and their utilization of pre-war civilizational heritage was far lower than that of humans. Thick fingers and an underdeveloped cerebellum made it difficult for them to use their joints with the same agility and coordination as humans; crafting precision instruments would require immense effort—which was practically impossible given their tribal culture.
Even some marauders could craft their own pipe rifles, but for mutants, stuffing black powder into a jar to make a tripwire mine was practically the pinnacle of their tech tree.
If they possessed firearms, they had undoubtedly plundered them from other humans. Most of the time, guns deteriorated in their hands just as quickly as their ammunition ran out. Pursuing primal violence and melee slaughter, they preferred tearing opponents apart with axes, saws, and cleavers, draping their intestines over their armor to terrorize surviving enemies.
To them, this was the most time-efficient method of killing.
Furthermore, although they possessed almost abnormal regenerative power, the head remained their weakness.
Even if their chests could withstand continuous fire from a 7mm rifle and rapidly repair damaged muscle tissue, internal organs, and bones through "unscientific" resilience and recovery, it was far harder to scoop spilled brain matter back into their skulls.
Thus, even if many mutants went bare-chested, they would still wear heavy helmets on their heads. If conditions permitted, they would also hang car doors, billboards, or vehicle armor plates across their chests to protect the heart and lungs, which were less easily repaired.
Chu Guang noticed that Brother Fang Chang had compiled a summary post gathering the discussions among the players who took part in today's battle, providing a comprehensive analysis of the mutant's strengths and weaknesses. It served as a relatively solid guide for players planning to challenge the mutant tribe on 76th Street.
"Conclusion first: this quest is quite difficult for players below LV5! Based on the stat sheet provided on the official website, this mutant would be at least equivalent to a Level 20 mob in other MMORPGs. A group of Level 5 players challenging a Level 20 monster is clearly punching far above their weight, so taking casualties is completely normal."
"However, Wasteland OL is somewhat different from other MMORPGs. Attributes don't function as directly as in other games; it's much closer to D&D rules. That is to say, as long as you roll high enough consecutive checks, an absurd feat like a goblin slaying a dragon isn't entirely impossible."
"I suspect the developers placed the mutant tribe near the outpost—which acts as our starter village—to test whether asymmetric combat affects player experience. After all, in a realistic wasteland, danger doesn't stay away just because you are weak. If my analysis is correct, then congratulations, everyone, we've taken another huge step toward open beta! Our players have proven through practical experience that level suppression isn't absolute, and high-level monsters aren't invincible! Even if we can't see their health bars!"
"Of course, having said that, if you lack sufficient confidence in your abilities, it's best to be cautious about accepting this quest."
"However, opportunity always accompanies risk. If we can conquer the mutant tribe, the rewards should be very generous."
"This game has a ton of hidden mechanics. If you're interested, I recommend pondering them more!"
...
The next day.
Having spent the night in an incubation pod, [Edge Slacker]'s leg injury had almost completely healed. Tying a homemade bandage around his thigh, he was full of vitality as he dragged a group of teammates out once again.
The team consisted of the same people as yesterday, except this time, [Neighbor Old Wang], who was waiting out his respawn cooldown, was replaced by [WC Really Has Mosquitoes].
To wipe away his previous shame, Brother Mosquito had really gone all out this time, bringing along a large, half-person-tall crate and having a Strength-type player carry it.
The crew set out aggressively from the east gate, marching toward 76th Street with murderous intent.
Although Chu Guang had reasonably increased the raid quest's payout considering the mutants' strength, carrying so much gear... could they really recoup their costs?
Other players were commenting as well.
"Has Mosquito lost his mind?"
"Holy crap, a crate that big—does he think gunpowder grows on trees?"
"Too hardcore!"
Ye Shi glanced around at his teammates.
"To tell you the truth, I kind of want to go take a look."
Neither Kuangfeng nor Old Bai paid him any mind. Only Fang Chang cast him a sidelong glance and said pragmatically,
"To tell you the truth, we'd better hurry up and clear the 'greenhouse ruins' first. How long have we been dragging this out?"
Although they were curious about what was packed inside Mosquito's crate, clearing their dungeon and putting in the work was clearly the priority right now.
After equipping their "anti-moth gear," Fang Chang and his group set off from the east gate as well.
The greenhouse ruins were right at the entrance of 76th Street, so both groups shared the same path.
After taking a look from above through a drone, Chu Guang handed control of the drone back to Xiao Qi and headed to Boss Xia's weapon shop.
Ever since upgrading to the new workbench, Boss Xia no longer had to handcraft cartridge cases. Placing cut-to-shape rough blanks into the mold and activating the stamping module with a punch, a brand-new cartridge case was stamped into shape.
However, stamping cartridge cases was only the first step in ammunition manufacturing. To produce a bullet that packed enough punch, performed reliably, and wouldn't jam, one still had to go through a tedious series of processes.
To improve efficiency, Xia Yan had hired two female workers from the nomad camp at a daily wage of two silver coins each, meals included but without lodging.
One was responsible for using specialized tools to load propellant and primers into the casings. The other was tasked with seating lead bullets onto the charged casings.
Xia Yan operated the specialized apparatus on the workbench herself, machining bullets and casings, crimping the bases of charged cartridges, and canneluring the seated bullets to guarantee an airtight seal between bullet and casing.
Once all steps were complete, the cartridges still needed to be washed with water to flush away microscopic metal shavings on the casings' surface.
These invisible metal shavings had a decent chance of causing jams and degrading firing accuracy.
Even after going through so many processes, bullets produced this way still couldn't compare to products from a dedicated assembly line.
Yet for the players, these stamped cartridges were already far more pleasant than the rolled casings Boss Xia had previously produced through "low-speed stamping" with a small awl.
At least the casings showed no pitted dents. They no longer had to worry about crouching down mid-fight to pry out a jammed shell casing.
"Need something?"
Watching Chu Guang walk toward her, Xia Yan set a full basket of freshly processed cartridge cases onto the wooden table beside her.
These bullet components were enough to keep the two inexperienced employees in the adjacent room busy for quite a while.
Chu Guang looked at her and asked,
"How much ammunition do we have in stock right now?"
Xia Yan replied,
"There are thirty-five hundred rolled cartridges left. As for stamped rounds, counting what you hauled back from Bet Street plus what I made this week, there are over ten thousand in total."
Chu Guang's expression showed slight surprise.
"That many?"
Flicking the bangs from her forehead, Xia Yan's lips curled into a smirk, looking quite pleased with herself.
"A lot? It's all right. This workbench is pretty efficient. Once you get the hang of it, production is much faster than before. Besides making ammo, I used spare materials to replicate four 7mm pipe rifles. They might not match the ones you bought from the Boulder City merchant, but they work fine. I do have to warn you, though: at our current rate of consumption, our copper reserves in the warehouse might run dry by the end of next month."
Although her warning was serious, Chu Guang wasn't particularly concerned.
Currently, Bet Street was firmly under Shelter 404's control.
If necessary, he could easily raise the scrap buyback prices and mobilize Bet Street's scavengers to venture deeper into the urban areas within the Fifth Ring Road to gather resources.
Beyond that, he could have Old Charlie organize local survivors into scavenging teams to scour perilous areas they would normally never approach, escorted by players.
"No need to worry about that. I'll arrange personnel to ramp up resource gathering."
Pausing briefly, Chu Guang continued,
"Also, I plan to train a squad of guards to maintain order at the outpost. I'll need around fifteen pipe rifles... ideally ready within a week. If the deadline is too tight, you can put bullet production on hold."
"Guards?" Xia Yan shot Chu Guang a strange look, quipping, "Who can fight better than those 'players' of yours?"
"It's not the same."
Chu Guang shook his head. He hadn't figured out how to explain the distinction between NPC guards and player guards, so he simply skipped the explanation.
"In short, having players do the same job indefinitely doesn't work. They don't work for us to earn money—they work for fun."
Guard duty at the front gate and perimeter patrols were usually handled by rookies; veteran players scoffed at such paltry rewards.
Currently, new version updates were being rolled out quickly, with a steady stream of newcomers arriving, so there was no fear of basic posts going unmanned.
However, if refugees kept pouring in, public security would soon become a major issue.
Expecting players to shoulder all law enforcement duties was frankly unrealistic; that wasn't their forte anyway.
Chu Guang intended to transfer a portion of survivors from the brick factory to form a permanent standing guard force with a fixed roster, maintaining order around the outpost.
Their weapons didn't need to be superior; being intimidating enough was sufficient.
At the same time, these NPCs would serve as a check on the players.
After all, no matter how keen Xiao Qi's vision was, she could only act as a tool for monitoring and adjudication. Her deterrent effect could hardly match a squad of guards carrying rifles and wearing armbands.
Once the player count expanded, these guards would definitely prove useful.
"Fun??" Xia Yan's eyes went wide, and she murmured, "What kind of fun is there in that?"
To think anyone could derive joy from work!
It made no sense whatsoever!
"You wouldn't understand. Just do as I say."
*How could I understand if you don't tell me?*
Xia Yan grumbled internally, but she wasn't about to talk back to her boss to his face, so she nodded obediently.
"Fine, fifteen rifles, right? It won't take a whole week. If I halt bullet production, I can get them done in three or four days. By the way, what caliber do you want? Bolt-action or revolving? Would the 7mm pipe rifles hanging on the wall work?"
"7mm caliber, bolt-action is fine. But I have some requirements regarding appearance."
Saying this, Chu Guang raised his arm and swiped his index finger across his VM screen, sending a blueprint downloaded from the internet to Xia Yan's VM.
Looking at the diagram on the screen, Xia Yan paused slightly, her face full of bewilderment.
A thick, elongated body, a heavy receiver and magazine, and a solid wooden stock.
While the design looked somewhat more aesthetically pleasing than the pipe rifles on the wall, brimming with a rugged sense of power, she couldn't for the life of her fathom the point of shaping a rifle like this.
Was it designed to be this heavy just so it could be swung as a club?
"I don't really get it... I won't even mention the rifle body, but is it really necessary to make the receiver so wide?"
Chu Guang said nonchalantly,
"It only looks thick on the outside. You can just think of those flashy, impractical parts as a 'skin designed for intimidation.' It's not difficult to machine anyway, nor will it consume much material. As for functional components including the barrel, receiver, springs, and firing pin, replicate them based on the rifles we bought from the Boulder City merchant."
"Fine..."
Xia Yan nodded helplessly.
Beneath the image was some text. Was that the weapon's name to be carved into the stock?
*Arbiter Type I?*
Sounded bizarre...
"Right, I leave it to you."
Having concluded his instructions, Chu Guang prepared to take his leave. Just then, the screen of the VM strapped to his arm lit up, popping up an instant message.
Without question, it was from Xiao Qi.
"Master, it looks like your players have run into trouble!"
Chapter 130