Principle, Method, Conclusion

On the muddy road leading to Changjiu Farm. Sitting in the back of the truck, wrapped up in a fur coat like a rice dumpling, Yin Fang had not stopped chattering the entire way. "That's impossible! The Academy's emblem? Appearing at a community college in some no-name town? Are you sure you're not pulling my leg?" Chu Guang gave a faint smile. "If I were joking, I would've made you go alone." "..." Yin Fang stared at him speechlessly, having no desire to keep talking. Chu Guang, however, was quite keen on chatting with him. There was no helping it; Qingquan City was far too isolated. Chu Guang's knowledge of the outside world relied almost entirely on hearsay combined with his own imagination. Chu Guang was just as curious about why something belonging to the Academy would turn up in such an unremarkable college. According to Yin Fang, it was at least a thousand kilometers from here to Hesitant Marsh, placing it far beyond the Academy's sphere of influence. Although Qingquan City had been one of the major cities in the southern urban cluster of River Valley Province, that was back during the Era of Prosperity. "Actually, I've always been curious—what kind of organization is the Academy, really?" Yin Fang shook his head. "To fully explain that, I'm afraid it would take a day and a night." "Then hit the key points. Pick what I'm interested in." Rendered speechless by this willful demand, Yin Fang opened his mouth, only to swallow a mouthful of freezing northwesterly wind before coughing awkwardly. After clearing his throat several times, he said, "How should I put it... The Academy isn't nearly as mysterious as you outsiders imagine. It's more like a colossal library. In fact, right up until the end of the Era of Prosperity, it was merely a loose academic organization." Chu Guang looked at him with great interest. "Yet your people's actions don't seem loose at all, nor innocent, and even less like an academic organization." "Well, obviously. I said that was before the Era of Prosperity ended. It's already the 211th year of the Wasteland Era now." Two hundred years. Throughout human history, plenty of feudal dynasties hadn't lasted that long, let alone a mere academic institution. Yin Fang squinted toward the southwest and continued, "I've only heard a little myself. In the early years of the Wasteland Era, the Academy took on part of the post-war reconstruction work, mainly centered around technological fields. That included taking over certain experimental facilities and scientific instruments, as well as restoring damaged data and lost technology." "Sounds like a magnificent undertaking," Chu Guang commented. Yin Fang sighed softly. "It was. And to this day, we still haven't finished the job. The world changed too quickly. Supposedly, long ago, the Academy's influence spanned the entire Central Continent, and our expedition teams could go wherever they pleased. But good times don't last. Places beyond Hesitant Marsh could no longer tolerate the Academy's people. To everyone else, we looked like fat sheep ripe for the slaughter." Hearing the phrase 'fat sheep,' Chu Guang instinctively glanced at the fellow's right arm. To be fair, that arm alone was worth at least 10,000 CR—and that was a friend's discount. Chu Guang felt one couldn't really blame others; even an upright man like himself would feel a twinge of temptation, wouldn't he? "Speaking of which, what kind of place is Hesitant Marsh?" Yin Fang answered briefly, "A vast marshland the size of an entire province. The weather there goes haywire every single day, and the mutants run rampant around the clock... In short, you wouldn't like it." "I never said I wanted to go. Just curious." Chu Guang looked ahead and patted the roof of the cab, signaling the driver to pull over. "Right up ahead. We're here." After stepping out of the truck, Chu Guang drew the war hammer strapped to his back. The four players accompanying them decisively raised their weapons and moved to the front to assume escort duties. It was a lineup of two Strength-types and two Perception-types: the two Strength-types led the way, while the two Perception-types followed behind, illuminating targets. Each of the four carried an LD-47 assault rifle, providing ample firepower and a reassuring sense of security. With firepower well in hand, Chu Guang didn't need to add to their volley. Holding his hammer, he simply needed to deploy his shield when necessary and keep both himself and the NPC beside him safe. This section of the city was eerily deserted. Due to the blizzard, virtually no mutants roamed the streets. After dispatching a few gnawers lurking in the shadows, the group smoothly arrived at the target area marked on the map. It was a community college. From the outside, it looked fairly plain, scarcely larger than the high school not far away. Standing before the laboratory building, Yin Fang looked up, glanced around, and shook his head. "I don't think the Academy would be interested in an inconsequential target like this. You most likely made a wasted trip." Hearing this, Chu Guang smiled nonchalantly. "We're already at the door. Whether it's a wasted trip or not, won't we know once we go inside and see?" Leaving those words behind, Chu Guang led the players inward. Seeing that he was about to be left behind, Yin Fang had no choice but to brace himself, stepping into the gloomy laboratory building. The floor was strewn with shattered tiles, rubble, and freshly spent casings; an intense battle had clearly broken out here a little over an hour ago. Glancing at the Crawler with its split-open skull lying on the ground, Yin Fang clicked his tongue and involuntarily hurried his steps to keep closer. In the Academy's scientific expeditions, crude business like fighting was typically left to Class-E and Class-F personnel, or even synthetics and drones. What Class-D personnel needed were independent analytical skills and sharp minds. Even if they were required to master survival skills, the focus was strictly on basic survival—such as foundational first aid. Yin Fang had grave doubts about these people's combat prowess. Seeing that the Administrator was still holding nothing but a hammer in his hands, that sense of unreliability only grew stronger. "Could you lend me a gun? I can protect myself." "You're a VIP. Just stay behind me and behave." "A VIP?" "Tch, how am I supposed to explain that to you?" As they made idle conversation, the group reached their destination. Clad in heavy armor, Commander Spring stood before them, respectfully placing his right fist over his chest in a military salute. "Respected Lord Administrator, before your arrival, we successfully purged all mutants from the entire ground-floor lobby for you." "Well done." Chu Guang nodded approvingly. "Lead the way." "Yes, sir!" Basking in the Administrator's nod of approval, Commander Spring cheerfully stepped forward to guide them. Chu Guang ordered two players to guard the entrance, while the other two followed him and Yin Fang as they ventured down toward the basement. The corridor was narrow. Yet once they passed through, the space opened up dramatically. Seeing ten hibernation pods arranged across the basement, Yin Fang froze as if turned to stone. Snapping back to his senses, he lunged forward without a word, rushing up to the nearest hibernation pod and staring fixedly at it. "There's no mistaking it... The style of this incubation pod, it's practically identical!" Yin Fang muttered under his breath, his hands groping across the dust-covered pod hatch, looking as though he wanted to throw his whole body onto it. The players looked at each other, trading bewildered glances, and whispered among themselves. "What's this doctor doing?" "No idea... Maybe some weird fetish?" "Got it. The new NPC's hobby is hibernation pods!" "Damn, what a boss! I'm gonna post about this on the forums in a bit. Heh, wonder if I can get it stickied." Chu Guang: "..." Who the hell would sticky a pointless thread like that? Clearing his throat softly, Chu Guang looked at the entranced Yin Fang and asked, "Identical to what?" "Identical to the model used by the Academy... What in the world? Why would a hibernation pod of this model appear in River Valley Province?" With utter disbelief written across his face, Yin Fang finally pulled away from the pod and looked earnestly at Chu Guang. "Where's the box? The one you mentioned with the Academy's emblem." Chu Guang took the box—the quest item in the players' eyes—from the player beside him and handed it to Yin Fang. "Here... What exactly is this thing?" "A data storage black box!" Yin Fang lightly tapped the surface with his knuckle, speaking excitedly. "The outer material can effectively shield against neutron radiation and electromagnetic pulses generated by nuclear blasts. On top of that, it should be filled with inert gas to protect the graphene circuit boards... I'm guessing it's most likely a holographic recording or an audio log. We'll know once we open it." Without waiting for Chu Guang's approval, a blade extended from beneath Yin Fang's right wrist, lightly scoring across the surface of the box. A miraculous scene unfolded. The instant the outer material was sliced open, the layer of black coating covering the box dispersed like sand blowing away in the wind, revealing the silver casing beneath. Carefully feeling along the edges of the box, Yin Fang quickly found a faint seam and popped it open. Commander Spring couldn't help glancing at Battlefield Hype Group, muttering under his breath, "Why the hell didn't it budge when I tried prying it open for ages?" "Isn't that obvious?" Before Battlefield Hype Group could answer, I'm the Darkest chimed in. "Since when can players use quest items themselves?" The two paused. *Makes total sense. Completely unarguable.* In that brief moment of distraction, an azure light converged, and a holographic bust materialized out of thin air in the room. Chu Guang and the players showed little reaction, but Yin Fang froze, his eyes widening so far they seemed ready to pop out of their sockets. "Principle?!" "Principle?" Hearing Yin Fang muttering as if possessed, Chu Guang asked in confusion, "What principle?" "Principle, Method, Conclusion... The three doctors who founded the Post-War Reconstruction Academy. Their statues stand at the Academy's entrance." Yin Fang swallowed hard, his eyes filled with disbelief as he continued, "The one before you is Dr. Principle. The Academy's laser rifle is named after him! I'm certain I'm not mistaken—it's him, and in his youth, no less. But why would his relics be here? That's not how Academy history records it at all... I don't understand." Chu Guang: "..." *What a coincidence.* Chu Guang was tempted to say he didn't understand either. Yet just as he was about to speak, the holographic figure hovering in midair began speaking in a self-narrating tone. "We have exited the pods and are feeling well. "It is currently the second year of the Wasteland Era. The one responsible for receiving us is Battalion Commander Zhao Weisheng of the 111th Orbital Airborne Division. As planned, we have successfully rendezvoused with the military. Though we arrived a bit late... fortunately, they did not give up, faithfully waiting here for us for two years. "According to the plan, our next step under military escort will be heading to the northern Great Rift Valley. That is the energy storage center for the central region, holding enough metallic hydrogen for us to rebuild the central region twice over. At present, the Great Rift Valley has been secured by the 111th Orbital Airborne Division. "According to the intel provided by Commander Zhao, the Post-War Reconstruction Committee has already commenced operations. All we need to do now is report there, regroup with the others, carry out our respective duties, and begin reconstruction. "The only trouble right now is that the Fourth Company escorting us took in over a thousand civilians who failed to reach shelters in time—an unforeseen development that has left our supplies nearly exhausted. Compounding that, the abysmal road conditions and weather mean we can only rely on our own two feet. "Not only that, Commander Zhao wants to bring those survivors along. To be blunt, they are a burden and will only introduce more variables to the mission. I cannot judge whether his act of kindness is right, for put in his shoes, I would likely have made the same choice. "Regardless, departing from here is non-negotiable. The tasks before us are piled as high as a mountain; we have no time to lose. Yet what makes me uneasy is the lingering feeling that things will not go this smoothly... Has the war truly ended? Frankly, I am at a loss. "My respected mentor once taught me that one must always prepare for two eventualities. Things will not always unfold as smoothly as we anticipate." The man in the hologram glanced up, then looked straight ahead, forcing an optimistic smile onto his impassive face. "Hey, listen—whoever found this recording. "If you are currently standing in a thriving utopia, breathing the sweet scent of peace, please deliver this to a museum for me. This is invaluable data; perhaps you'll even find my name in an exhibition hall. I can guarantee the museum will pay you a handsome sum—you have my word on that. If they try to stiff you, smash this box right in front of them. Haha." The man chuckled heartily, though a hint of loneliness suddenly crept onto his face. "But if Plan B has come to pass, and we are unfortunate enough to live in a miserable world, then that proves... we have most likely failed. "I am deeply sorry—both to my mentor and to those who placed their trust in me, yielding this chance to travel into the future to me. This last remaining task is the only small thing I can still do for you. "Please take this recording to the northern outskirts of Qingquan City and find Vault 117. It should be beneath Huayuan Street Subway Station. I don't know the exact location; you may have to search for it. "The Administrator there is an acquaintance of mine. I once entrusted him with a briefcase containing some quite useful items. If Plan B is in effect, I probably won't have the chance to retrieve it. Go take it; my old friend will hand it over once he sees this recording. "Remember the passcode for the briefcase: X1179. "Enter it wrong three times in a row, and you will walk away with nothing."