Running Out of NPCs

After seeing Chu Guang off, Li De returned to the Pioneer. Mulling it over, he finally entered a line of recommendation on the electronic application form that he deemed fitting: "This is an ideal waystation. They produce no local specialties, but one can purchase delicious food at cheap prices and sleep without fear of having one's throat slit in the night. If anyone intends to travel to the provinces further west, stopping here is safer than anywhere else. I stake my credit score on my word: they are trustworthy." At the bottom were the digital signatures of dozens of other crew members from the Pioneer. This encrypted message would be transmitted to the Silverwing Group board of directors, who would issue a reply within three days. Li De figured there shouldn't be much of a problem. After all, even Captain Lu had signed it. The sacrifices they had made in this battle earned those blue coats their well-deserved respect. As for setting up factories... To be frank, over this entire journey, this was the first time Li De had ever heard such a fanciful request. Would any bank really be willing to issue a loan for such a high-risk project? Hard to say. Either way, that was beyond his power to influence. The Pioneer hadn't come here to develop markets, and he couldn't summon a dozen merchant caravans with a single phone call. Li De had advised Chu Guang that whenever Enterprise merchant caravans passed by their doorstep, he could approach them himself to discuss such cooperation, though he shouldn't get his hopes up. After all, doing business on the wasteland was already fraught with peril. Opening a factory in River Valley Province—a place entirely outside Enterprise control... How would those caravans repatriate their profits? And who could guarantee their interests? These were questions worthy of serious thought, not matters that could be settled with mere cleverness. Yet the very questions that Li De considered so weighty weren't problems at all in Chu Guang's eyes. Whether a deal could be struck was one thing; having the opportunity to negotiate was another. Besides, if things truly unfolded as Li De described, receiving the title of "Permanent Enterprise Partner" would prompt a great number of Enterprise caravans to include them on their trade routes. Even if they couldn't build factories, opening a waystation and running a barbecue stall would still bring in money. By then, CR wouldn't just be useless paper. Once passing merchant caravans grew frequent, why worry that no one would take an interest in this market? A massive flow of caravans was a market in its own right. Shelter 404's greatest advantage over Boulder City was that it lay closer to the northern outskirts and enjoyed far more convenient transit. Whether serving as a trading junction for Enterprise caravans traveling between the central and western territories, or as a commercial hub linking outside merchants with the local traders of Qingquan City, it promised substantial revenue for the outpost. An epic buff for production players! Simply fantastic. ... At the outpost's north gate, torches flickered in the falling snow. It was midnight wasteland time, which meant noon back in the real world. Aside from a few production players lingering in the living quarters, most players had logged off to eat lunch. No one could stay online twenty-four hours a day anyway. Even if a player's physical body in the real world could endure it, their clone in the game still needed to shut its eyes and rest. Otherwise, a "Fatigue Debuff" would appear on their VM, directly crippling their work efficiency the following day. Clad in his Type 5 police light exoskeleton, Chu Guang walked back from the north. Wrench, patrolling near the gate, caught sight of him and immediately stepped forward with a salute. "My Lord, you've returned." Chu Guang gave a slight nod. "Mm. What about the spoils?" Wrench reported, "Half have been unloaded, and the rest are still on the trucks! There's just too much stuff. Old Luka said he'll find some men tomorrow to build a new warehouse dedicated to storing all the arms and munitions." Chu Guang nodded in approval. Munitions certainly needed to be kept separate from other supplies. As the outpost accumulated more resources in the future, distinct warehouses would be built for each category, with dedicated personnel hired to oversee them. Thinking of this, Chu Guang couldn't help but sigh inwardly. They were running out of NPCs. If only Old Charlie's literacy class could pick up the pace. If Shelter 404 secured the title of Permanent Enterprise Partner, Enterprise caravans would definitely pass through come next spring. When that time came, he would need far more hands on deck. Chu Guang began to wonder whether he ought to set up a literacy class at the nomad camp as well. Without an education, it was difficult to assign them proper work. Passing through the outpost gates, Chu Guang noticed that the lights in the weapon shop were still on. A figure leaning on a crutch stood in the doorway. Seeing Chu Guang approach from the north gate, Xia Yan, her cheeks flushed red from the cold, finally let out a sigh of relief. She hobbled forward on her crutch. "You're finally back. I was about to post a quest to send people looking for you." Glancing at the VM strapped to her arm, Chu Guang teased, "I'm gratified to see you're getting so proficient with that." Xia Yan raised an eyebrow and was about to speak when a voice drifted over from the direction of the sanatorium. "Wuuu, Master!" A wastebasket-shaped robot zipped toward Chu Guang, happily circling his shins several times. "Master, you're finally back! That electronic pulse outside was super, super big earlier! Xiao Qi was so worried about you!" Chu Guang gently patted Xiao Qi's head and smiled. "Don't worry, that sort of thing has little effect on me. What about you? Are you alright?" Xiao Qi chimed, "Xiao Qi is fine! An EMP of that level can't affect Xiao Qi at all!" Oh? Sounds like you're pretty tough, then. Chu Guang rubbed its round head, only to end up with a hand full of soot. It seemed high time to find an opportunity to give it a bath. Watching Chu Guang preoccupied with his robotic pet, Xia Yan rolled her eyes and cleared her throat to remind him she was still standing there. "What on earth happened to the north? That... was that really a nuclear explosion?" Chu Guang scooped up a handful of snow from the weapon shop's doorstep to wash the soot from his hand. "A small nuke, roughly ten tons of yield. Nothing to worry about." Xia Yan froze. "...The Legion?" "Yeah, a thousand-man unit led by a chiliarch named Vannus. Supposedly, when Lu Yang and his men tracked him down, the fellow poured himself a glass of red wine and casually asked if Lu Yang wanted to join him for a drink. Over two thousand clone light infantry... their blood practically filled the trenches. But however you slice it, their gear belongs to us now." Seeing the smile on Chu Guang's face, Xia Yan said with concern, "I can't shake the feeling you're being far too optimistic." "In what regard?" "In every regard," Xia Yan sighed. "A year ago, the Legion's expeditionary force was battling the people of the Great Rift Valley in the north, boasting an army of a million men... and the actual number wasn't far off. Do you realize what that means? They have countless units like this thousand-man cohort." Chu Guang raised a hand to cut her off. "You mean to say we shouldn't have gotten involved in this war, right?" Xia Yan nodded with a grave expression. "Meddling in affairs between the Legion and the Enterprise isn't wise. If the Legion discovers that your interference cost them a thousand-man unit, put yourself in their commander's shoes—what would you do?" "Me?" Chu Guang smiled faintly. "That depends on what I'm busy with. If the frontline is hard-pressed, I'd set this annoyance aside for the moment and deal with it once my hands are free." Xia Yan stared at him in disbelief. "Since you know that, then why did you—" "So do you think their campaign is going smoothly?" Chu Guang said flatly. "If things were truly going so well, they wouldn't have fled south to desert. It simply means they can no longer sustain that war and decided to plunder whatever they could before retreating." Xia Yan replied, "...That's only an ideal analysis. Those people are marauders; they don't think everything through so carefully." Chu Guang chuckled. "I know. I'm looking at it precisely from their perspective. Have you ever considered what would have happened if this force hadn't caught the Pioneer?" Xia Yan hesitated. "...Hadn't caught it?" Did that have anything to do with what they were discussing? She looked puzzled. Chu Guang nodded. "Yes. Whether waging war or negotiating contracts, you must always prepare two plans. Things rarely go as smoothly as you hope. In the optimistic scenario, they intercept the Pioneer, solving their supply issues for two thousand men by shearing the fat sheep directly." Pausing briefly, he continued, "In reality, they were a step too late. If the Pioneer hadn't broken down in the northern outskirts of Qingquan City, they most likely would have missed that fat sheep entirely. With only five light trucks, the supplies they carried were nowhere near enough to survive the harsh winter, and trekking hundreds of kilometers back through heavy snow was out of the question... What do you think they would have done then? Stood in the snow in silence? Or cursed at the tire tracks in the dirt?" Xia Yan sank into deep thought, her brow furrowing. Evidently, this surpassed the scope of a minor mercenary's thinking. She had only considered that attacking the Legion might invite retaliation, never realizing that provoking them or not led to the exact same outcome. Watching her rack her brains, Chu Guang said leisurely, "Since they dared to set out before winter, they had to have prepared a backup plan. Put simply, raiding the survivors of northern Qingquan City was always on their contingency list. So what difference does it make whether we provoke them or not? They were already prepared to provoke us." In truth, even if the Legion had successfully seized the Pioneer, that second scenario remained entirely plausible. Being organized did not mean being disciplined. Just as the Enterprise characterized them, the so-called Legion was nothing more than an organized band of marauders. From the moment they set out, this war had been preordained. Still, it was gratifying that this lazy little employee of his now knew to share her boss's burdens. A fine development indeed. It seemed his training was bearing fruit. Patting her shoulder, Chu Guang gave her an approving look. "Remember this: lying low is merely an expedient measure; room for development is always carved out through battle. If you can't wrap your head around it, don't worry about it. It's not your job to fret over this anyway. Why not focus on happier things? A huge batch of weapons, pension payouts, a complimentary industrial machine tool, and the title of Permanent Enterprise Partner... These assets will keep us well-supplied for a long time to come." Chu Guang felt brimming with confidence about the future. As long as he built up his foundation, neither the Legion, nor the Enterprise, nor the Academy would pose any threat to him. Once the fires of industry were kindled, paired with limitless production capacity and infinite vitality, his players would be invincible! ... The rest of the night passed in silence. Chu Guang had a long dream. He dreamt he was a machine gunner crouched inside a pillbox, facing a million-strong Legion clone army. Artillery roared around him, and warplanes screamed as they dove from the sky. Meanwhile, the players who were supposed to be charging out in front were all crowding behind him, chattering and nagging non-stop: "Raise the barrel a bit higher!" "Burst fire! Don't you know how to burst fire? Aim before you shoot!" "Can't you hold down the trigger? Who are you saving bullets for!" "Gunner, move five meters to the left! Man, watching you makes me anxious!"... Enraged, Chu Guang spun the gun around and sprayed an entire magazine, mowing them all down—sparing only the one with the biggest chest because he couldn't bring himself to do it. And then... He woke up. "Damn it... have to wash the sheets again." Drenched in sweat, Chu Guang climbed out of bed in the early morning, feeling as though he had spent the entire night doing push-ups. Every single cell in his body felt swollen and charged. Accustomed to growing physically in his sleep, Chu Guang calmly headed down to Floor B2 for a shower, then returned to the resident hall to run an inspection on himself. Just as he anticipated. He had leveled up again. [ID: Chu Guang] [Gene Sequence: Administrator (Phase 2)] [Level: LV.10 → LV.11] —Basic Attributes— [Strength: 16] [Agility: 11] [Constitution: 13 → 14] [Perception: 12] [Intelligence: 12] "Must have leeched some exp off the players." His Constitution had increased by one point, boosting his metabolic capacity and physical resilience. For someone like Chu Guang who couldn't respawn, this attribute was immensely useful. Staring at the medical report, Chu Guang stroked his chin with interest and muttered to himself, "Still, only one level from such a major battle? Seems my exp-leeching technique needs some work." The advancement criteria for the Administrator sequence were vague, unlike other classes whose leveling requirements could be deduced straightforwardly from their descriptions. Setting aside the matter of levels for now, Chu Guang sat down before his computer and opened the official website. He had intended to check what the players thought of last night's grand battle, but a single glance revealed that over a hundred players were already deep into withdrawal. "Aaaah, without Boss Crow's mushroom soup, I'm gonna die!" "I can't dance holding hands with the little figurine anymore!" "Without Xiaoyu saying good morning and telling me to stay safe, I don't even have the drive to work! My boss chewed me out today, and I actually glared back at him. He looked terrified. Should I start polishing my resume?" "Dammit! I really want to blow something up! I just got my hands on the recipe for RDX and was planning to try it out." "Why not try it in reality?" "Piss off, you trying to get me killed?!" "Hour 12 of being unable to log in. I now truly understand the agony of brother Makka Pakka and brother Jieyan. It hurts so much I can barely breathe." "Wuuu, Daddy Dev, I beg you, let me back in!" Chu Guang: "..." Damn! It's only been a few days locked out, is that really necessary? He hadn't expected their addiction to run this deep. Chu Guang had originally thought giving them a few days off would let them unwind in reality. It seemed he had overthought things; these little players were more eager to clock in than he was. Especially brother Jieyan. Sorrow flowed like a river through his posts. According to his own account, after logging off yesterday, he had slept wearing the helmet for the entire second half of the night. Could anyone even sleep like that? Recalling discussions in the Bull and Horse group, Chu Guang vaguely remembered that while wearing the helmet, open eyes or shut, the countdown timer and login restriction notice remained visible. Chu Guang didn't entirely understand how the helmet functioned either. He only hoped they wouldn't ruin their health, that they would live properly while unable to log in, and not cause trouble for society. As for the login issue, Chu Guang was honestly more anxious than they were. Over a quarter of the "server's" player base couldn't log in. If this happened at a studio like Tencent or NetEase, the complaints wouldn't settle down without tens of thousands of complimentary tokens. Thank goodness it was still in closed beta. Ah Guang: "Don't panic, everyone. We've been working overtime for 48 hours straight on emergency repairs. All players unable to log in due to the bug will receive compensation! Additionally, players who died during today's battlefield mission will receive an exclusive limited medal! The auction for battle spoils will also be conducted online; once you log in, you can claim your items normally, so there's no need to worry about missing out on gear division due to death!" Jieyan: "Brother Guang!! Wuuu, please, tell your programmers to hurry up!" Ye Shi: "As long as I can join the auction, I'm good! I want to bid on a sight! Red dot sights are the GOAT!" Tail: "Give Tail 5 silver coins, and nothing happened to Tail! Give Tail 10 silver coins, and Tail will help with damage control! (｀▽′)Ψ" Sisi: "Tail, you didn't even die. What are you butting in for?" Tail: "!! Unforgivable! Has Sisi already been bought off by the evil devs?! Spread the word, Sisi is compromised!" Sisi: "???" ... At the same time, at the prison adjacent to the operational camp. Clad in a padded cotton jacket, Yuan Hao shut off the off-road vehicle's engine, set a basket of potatoes down by the door, and called out coldly, "Food's here." The prison door opened. Watching Vannus emerge, Yuan Hao instinctively rested his right hand on the pistol at his hip, watching his every move with caution. Noticing the guard's vigilance, Vannus said nothing. He simply lifted the basket of potatoes, turned, and went back inside. Watching the door shut, and remembering the blue coats and his fellow countrymen who had died agonizing deaths in the battle, Yuan Hao spat on the threshold and returned to his vehicle, cursing under his breath. "Scum, the lot of them." In his eyes, there was no need to show these people any courtesy. They shouldn't even be permitted to stay in a heated cell; they ought to be cast out into the snow to freeze into blocks of ice in the biting wind! Even feeding them potatoes was far too generous!