The Renowned "Death Corps"

Outside Changjiu Farm. About twenty people and six two-headed oxen laden with goods stood halted. The man at the front appeared to be a traveling merchant. A few mercenaries accompanied the caravan, while the rest, their hands and feet bound in shackles, were likely slaves. Staring blankly at the scene before him, Sun Shiqi’s eyes were filled with utter stupefaction. He almost thought he was hallucinating. "Is this... the northern outskirts?" Barbed wire was wrapped around man-high wooden fences, behind which lay crisscrossing streets and orderly brick-and-timber cottages. Pedestrians bustled to and fro: playing children, peddling street vendors, and elderly farmers heading off to work in the fields. Most of the local residents wore jackets made of hyena hide, but with the weather warming up recently, many had tied them around their waists, and some of the wealthier ones had already changed into cloth clothing. Lifting his gaze farther out, he saw towering concrete walls and watchtowers, manned by soldiers wearing black uniforms with rifles slung over their backs. Gazing at the thriving small town before him, Sun Shiqi pulled out his map and checked repeatedly to ensure he hadn't taken a wrong turn. Yet that only made it harder to believe his own eyes. "Bizarre..." Sun Shiqi muttered incessantly under his breath. "Where the hell did such a massive survivor settlement spring up from?" Before winter set in last year, he had visited this place twice. Back then, he was still a penniless traveling merchant scraping by on the wasteland with a single two-headed ox. Trading with the Blue Coats in the park had earned him a modest fortune. With that initial capital, he seized upon the historic opportunity presented by the ongoing turmoil in the River Valley Province. He sold slaves from Red River Town south to Jinchuan Province, then bought grain and two-headed oxen from the farm owners there to haul back to Garbage City and Red River Town, gradually growing his operation to its current scale. Recently, the slaveholders of Red River Town had taken up arms against their old patrons, locked in vicious combat over the garbage heaps. Returning fresh from Jinchuan Province, Sun Shiqi had immediately sniffed out an opportunity to get rich. Without a second thought, he traded his grain and surplus livestock for slaves and ore, intending to head to Boulder City to procure a batch of "good stuff." Yet what baffled Sun Shiqi was his memory of this place when he visited last year. It had been completely desolate, with weeds and shrubs choking the dirt mounds and mud pits. Worse, a bunch of cold-blooded monsters had lived right beside the highway leaving the city. Where had this village of a thousand people and endless farmland come from? Two guards with slung rifles stood at the village entrance. Sun Shiqi stared blankly at them. The two guards clearly noticed his gaze and looked right back at him. The mercenary beside Sun Shiqi coughed softly and lowered his voice in warning. "Boss, you'd better not stare at them for too long... I'm afraid we won't be able to protect you." There were only four of them. Under no circumstances could they be a match for these people. Snapping back to his senses, Sun Shiqi instantly realized his discourtesy. Hurriedly putting on an apologetic smile, he stepped forward to clear up any misunderstanding. "Friends, we are traveling merchants from Red River Town. May I ask... where is this?" "Changjiu Farm." The guard on duty pointed practicedly to the sign hanging over the entrance, having seemingly answered this question countless times already. "This is the west gate, the village where locals live. If you're here to trade, head next door to the north gate. There's a trading post and an inn over there." Sun Shiqi offered his thanks and hurriedly led his caravan away, backtracking a short distance along their approach to skirt around to the north gate where they belonged. Compared to the village they had seen earlier, the situation here was even more astonishing. Not only were the streets wider, but the intersecting roads were paved with concrete. The inns, taverns, and post stations lining the street appeared newly built and properly constructed. Sun Shiqi walked toward the inn closest to the trading post. The building was plenty spacious, complete with an ox shed in the backyard for tethering livestock. Moreover, several people loitering by the doorway looked distinctly out of place with their surroundings—clearly traveling merchants who, like him, had come to do business. The sign by the inn's door bore the scribbled word "Highway," likely short for Highway Inn. Seeing the group approaching, the waiter standing at the entrance warmly helped lead their two-headed oxen into the shed. "Are you here to eat or stay the night, sir?" "Stay the night." Sun Shiqi tossed the young fellow a dinar as a tip, instructed the mercenaries to watch the goods in the shed until his return, and then stepped inside alone. The interior looked just as spacious as the outside, the wooden staircase and flooring still carrying the scent of the forest. Rows of wooden tables filled the first floor, the kitchen clattered busily in the back, and a few patrons were slurping noodles in a corner, smelling surprisingly appetizing. The old man seated behind the counter looked up, a reassuring smile creasing his wrinkle-covered face. "Welcome, traveler from afar. Lodging or dining?" Sun Shiqi stared at him for a moment before sudden surprise flickered in his eyes. "You're... Hooker from Highway Town?!" The old man glanced at him in surprise. "You know me?" Sun Shiqi smiled and said, "Of course I do! Did you forget? I bought resin from you last year... But how did you end up opening a shop here? Where are your people?" "This shop is a partnership run by the folks from our town. As for the cam trees... those were the days." A hint of nostalgia clouded his murky eyes, though Old Hooker certainly wouldn't agree to go back to planting trees again. Those cam trees had already been transplanted to the plantation area to the west, where a few young lads from their old town were tending them on his behalf. He, Night Owl, and Night Owl's father had partnered to open this inn. Night Owl was supposed to be in the shop as well, but the young man couldn't sit still and insisted on joining the army. Recently, it seemed he had been transferred to Yuanxi Town on duty. Sun Shiqi looked around and felt the place was decent enough, plus the shopkeeper was an acquaintance—even if the old man didn't remember him in the slightest. "We'll stay one night for now... How do I pay?" "Ten silver coins a night; meals are separate." "Silver coins?" Sun Shiqi blinked. "Do you not take dinars or credits?" "Those work too, but you'll have to take them to the trading post or the bank to exchange them for silver coins. From here all the way to Yuanxi Town is the domain of Lord Administrator; we wouldn't dare offend that respected lord. Being able to open a shop here is thanks to his grace, not to mention he is our benefactor." Seeing Sun Shiqi's awkwardness, Old Hooker chuckled. "No need to rush the payment. Just settle the bill before you leave." Changjiu Farm had been open to outsiders for less than a month, so naturally, no guest arrived with silver coins in their pockets. A kilogram of two-headed ox meat went for seven to eight silver coins, and a single two-headed ox weighed at least 1,200 jin. Whether sold to the farm or the slaughterhouse, it would fetch quite a sum. Hooker wasn't at all worried about them being unable to pay; if they really couldn't, he could even help introduce a buyer. Sun Shiqi glanced at the menu on the counter, getting a rough idea of the local prices. "Give me five rooms." Opening his ledger, Old Hooker looked outside. "Five rooms? Aren't there over forty people out there?" Sun Shiqi answered offhandedly, "Those are my slaves." "Slaves, eh... Well, they certainly aren't fit to stay in the inn." Old Hooker checked off several adjacent room numbers in the ledger. "Your rooms are at the very end of the second-floor hallway. And as a friendly reminder: slavery is prohibited in the northern outskirts." Sun Shiqi started, his expression instantly growing tense. "Prohibited? Wait... how come I never heard about this?" If slavery was banned here, he might have to adjust his itinerary. "It's normal not to have heard, considering it's your first time here. Territory run by the Blue Coats always has a few odd rules. But don't worry too much. It only bans harboring slaves, illegal detention, violence, and illicit human trafficking. Did you notice the trading post next door? You can board your slaves there for five silver coins per person per day. Contact is forbidden during boarding, and you can take them with you when you leave." "Of course, I'd recommend selling them directly to the trading post. They offer decent prices, though they won't force you if you don't want to sell. But don't say I didn't warn you: this place doesn't recognize slavery, only 'limited ownership.' So you'd best not wander the streets with slaves, don't try taking them into the city, and definitely don't whip or beat them with clubs. If the guards see it, they won't just fine you—they might lock you up for a couple of days." Slaves purchased by the trading post would be sent to the prisoner-of-war camp under supervision for a time, though their status was not that of POWs, but "supervised persons." Once they earned enough money through labor to redeem themselves, learned at least one trade skill, and could recite the Basic Law proficiently, they would quickly regain their status as free citizens—or even obtain household registration, getting placed in factories or allocated farmland. This usually didn't take long. Three to four months if fast, a year at most if slow. Old Hooker didn't understand why Lord Administrator went through such troublesome procedures, but thinking carefully, it was quite clever. Most wasteland traveling merchants dealt in the slave trade; an outright ban wouldn't work, as people could simply choose not to come here. Buying them and releasing them immediately would invite loopholes, like people selling themselves or selling off their wives and children. Channeling rather than blocking, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and centralized supervision was a workable compromise that at least kept slave-bearing merchants from bypassing this place. Sun Shiqi had already found it strange when he heard the word "Administrator" earlier, and hearing "Blue Coats" confirmed his suspicion. He asked in disbelief, "This place... is the territory of Shelter 404?" "Of course," Old Hooker tossed the keys onto the counter, giving him an odd look. "Seems you really haven't been around these parts in a long time." After handing him the keys, Old Hooker offered a few more words of advice: avoid heading into the city these days if possible, as a Tide was raging. Coming through the entrance earlier, Sun Shiqi had indeed heard from other merchants that travel within Qingquan City was treacherous these days. Arriving at the backyard entrance, Sun Shiqi saw one of his mercenaries talking with another merchant. Seeing his employer emerge, the mercenary immediately pointed toward him. "Our boss is right there. Talk to him; I can't call the shots." Before Sun Shiqi could ask, the merchant stepped up warmly and said with a friendly smile, "Hello! My name is Zhou Nan, a merchant from Hope Town." Across the wasteland, settlements named Hope, Dawn, Beauty, or Tomorrow numbered in the dozens if not hundreds; hearing just the name told Sun Shiqi nothing of where he hailed from. Judging by his attire and accent, though, he was likely from south of Jinchuan. "Sun Shiqi, from the east... Is there something I can help you with?" Sun Shiqi looked at him and said. Zhou Nan continued, "We plan to head to Boulder City, but a Tide is raging there right now. I brought six guards, and counting two friends I just found, rounding up fifteen men won't be a problem. We're planning to band together for the trip. If you're heading that way too, we can travel together." Sun Shiqi asked, "When do you depart?" Zhou Nan answered, "In three days. Or earlier, if we get enough people." Sun Shiqi pondered for a moment, not accepting right away. The state of Qingquan City's northern outskirts exceeded his expectations. Although its population wasn't as large or prosperous as Boulder City's, the potential displayed here was staggering. For a traveling merchant, striking it rich was the same anywhere. He planned to explore this place first before deciding whether to continue on to Boulder City. He had come to purchase weapons. If he could buy what he wanted right here, why travel twenty more kilometers? Especially while braving the risks of the Tide. "I think I'll look around first before deciding." Not surprised by his response, the merchant named Zhou Nan gave a helpless shrug. "Fair enough, friend. I'll probably be around for the next three days anyway. If you're interested, you can find me at the inn next door... just give them my name." Sun Shiqi nodded. "All right. I'm staying at the Highway Inn. We can have dinner together tonight." After parting ways, Sun Shiqi wasted no time. Tossing the keys to the mercenary who had been with him the longest, he told him to take the less valuable bundles up to the rooms, then took the remaining men and goods over to the trading post next door. Like the inn on the street beside it, this trading post had only recently opened for business. A few shelter residents were here as well, poking their heads about inquisitively and wandering around, wearing their VMs while asking people bewildering questions. Sun Shiqi recognized them at a glance—they were the very same crowd from the park, their expressions and mannerisms practically cast from the exact same mold. Although there was a language barrier, the locals treated them with considerable respect, and those Blue Coats were quite polite, even if some looked a bit dazed. Without wasting time on people he couldn't communicate with, Sun Shiqi headed straight for the stall closest to the entrance. The trader on duty here was a good-looking young woman. Compared to dealing with weather-beaten old codgers, he much preferred young women. First, it was easy on the eyes; second, they were easier to swindle. Stopping in front of the stall, Sun Shiqi whistled as he looked at the girl. "I've got a batch of goods, but I'd like to see what you have first." The trader looked up at him. "From Red River Town?" A fleeting look of surprise crossed Sun Shiqi's face. "Indeed. How did you know?" The trader gave a faint smile. "A guess. The slaves behind you couldn't possibly be people you caught yourself, could they?" Sun Shiqi coughed dryly twice. "How could that be..." Apparently realizing her joke fell flat, the trader cut the chatter and expertly held out a tablet. "You're here to buy weapons, right? Everything's listed on here. I strongly recommend the LD-47 assault rifle, priced at only 200 silver coins. It performs exceptionally well whether in jungles, deserts, or swamps. Its 7x50mm full-power rounds provide firepower comparable to a machine gun; even a deathclaw would steer clear upon seeing it... though I'd recommend you both take a step back." "In addition, we offer the stronger and lighter KV-1 exoskeleton, No. 81 Steel Mill's 20mm Light Lance, and Goblin Technology's 88mm mortar. For major clients, we also provide 'Death Screamer' rockets and the larger-caliber 37mm Heavy Lance." Browsing through the tablet, Sun Shiqi asked casually, "How does one become a major client of yours?" The trader smiled and said, "Have a deposit of one million silver coins in the bank, and they'll issue you a black VM. It stores and verifies your identity. As long as you wear it yourself and there is signal coverage, you can use it to pay." It sounded somewhat like Boulder City's bank cards. Sun Shiqi flipped through the inventory list and silently calculated the numbers. A slave was worth around 1,000 silver coins. An LD-47 cost only 200 silver coins, and a single 7mm round cost 1 silver coin. In other words, one slave could be traded for at least five assault rifles! Whereas in Boulder City, although weapons were cheap—a Drone assault rifle was only 150 chips—the price of slaves was equally low. Based on his past experience, one slave could trade for two or three rifles at most. The same went for ores. The two tons of copper ore he brought, along with the various bags of sulfur, tin, nickel, tungsten, molybdenum, and other rare ores, would fetch 2,000 to 3,000 chips at best in Boulder City. Yet here, they could trade for at least 8,000 silver coins! Working out the math, Sun Shiqi held his breath, his eyes practically turning the color of silver coins... even though he had never seen what a silver coin looked like. "I have twenty slaves here, plus cargo loaded across six oxen. Name your price." The trader smiled and asked, "Are the oxen for sale as well?" Sun Shiqi quickly replied, "Those aren't for sale." What a joke. If he sold the oxen, was he supposed to haul the goods back on his own two legs? Even if their offered price was indeed tempting. The trader at the stall quickly summoned two trading post employees, who took the slaves' temperatures, inspected their teeth, fingers, and toes, and weighed them. The goods underwent the same process. After thorough inspection and weighing, the trader handed him a quotation slip. The total came to 29,724 silver coins—a whole thousand higher than Sun Shiqi's own estimate, which thrilled him to no end. "I need one hundred rifles and nine thousand rounds of ammunition. Settle the remainder in silver coins..." Returning the tablet to the trader, Sun Shiqi said with fervent eyes, "How long until I see my goods?" Once this shipment of arms capable of outfitting a hundred-man force reached Red River Town, the slaveholders there would treat him like a savior! He was already itching to make a second trip! "By tomorrow evening. If things move fast, tomorrow morning." The trader glanced with slight regret at the two-headed oxen behind him and spoke up. "Actually, sir, if you're coming from Red River Town, you might want to consider our 'Electric Mule.'" Sun Shiqi paused. "Electric Mule? What's that?" The trader smiled faintly as she introduced it. "A light truck manufactured in the Northern Outskirts Industrial Zone. It has a rated payload of 1.8 tons, but overloading it by two or three times is no problem at all. Equipped with rubber tracks, it can even cross a one-meter-wide ditch with ease. It costs only 50,000 silver coins—high quality at a great price. Although it can't enter the city proper, running across the wilderness is effortless. We use this model ourselves." "Fifty thousand?!" Sun Shiqi's eyes widened. "I don't have that kind of money." Fifty slaves for a single vehicle? And that counts as high quality at a great price?! The trader said with a beaming smile, "It's ten percent off right now. If you're willing to sell those six two-headed oxen, you'll definitely have enough." Ore in Red River Town was far cheaper than slaves; blue tickets started at a minimum denomination of one ton, meaning transportation made up most of the cost. If he could haul goods by truck, dealing in ore would be far more profitable than the slave trade! And there was no risk of a revolt... Still, Sun Shiqi kept his wits about him. He couldn't sink his entire net worth into a vehicle; after all, he was a merchant, not a teamster. Besides, the truck probably ran on electricity, didn't it? He didn't know what electricity cost here, but in Red River Town, it was anything but cheap. "Next time, perhaps... I need to save some capital for business." The trader showed a hint of disappointment, but said nothing more, handing him seven hundred-denomination bills and twenty-four silver coins. "Here is your change of 724 silver coins; please check it... The truck was just a small suggestion of mine; the choice is entirely yours, of course." What a shame. Selling trucks brought the highest profit margins. Word was that an Electric Mule cost less than 12,000 to produce. The sheet-metal body and wooden cargo bed were cheap; half the cost lay in the batteries and motor. Selling one would net her a commission equal to two months of basic pay. Sun Shiqi tucked the money away and was about to leave when a commotion suddenly erupted outside the trading post. Two bands of mercenaries had broken into an argument. They were numerous—about a dozen on each side—hurling vile curses, red-faced and swollen-necked, with some even rolling up their sleeves, looking ready to brawl. Listening to their shouting, it seemed to stem from some grudge outside. This sort of thing was common. Everyone served different masters; they might drink and brag together yesterday, only to clash with weapons somewhere on the wasteland tomorrow. In most cases, people acted as if nothing had happened once a contract ended, yet it was inevitable that someone would get heated over a slain comrade or a lover. The fuse might be nothing more than a glance or a taunting remark. These men were still somewhat rational: despite their blustering and aggressive posture, no one had drawn a gun. Still, whether they could remain that rational was anyone's guess. The four mercenaries Sun Shiqi brought consciously stepped in front of their employer—not out of professional integrity, but because only by delivering their boss safely back to Red River Town could they collect the rest of their payment from the merchant firm. "...A fight again? That's already the second one this month." The young woman behind the stall didn't seem worried about trouble brewing. Her accustomed calm made Sun Shiqi take a second look at her. "How do you usually handle this?" The trader answered nonchalantly, "If anyone draws a gun, they're in big trouble. If it's just a fistfight, the guards toss them in a cell to cool off for a couple of days and slap them with a fine." "What if they can't pay?" "The brick kiln, the cement plant, the flour mill, or the fields next door—there are plenty of jobs here. There's always work they can do." Sun Shiqi suddenly found the girl rather interesting. "What's your name?" "Shuanghe." "Shuanghe? That's a good name... What time do you get off work? You've told me so much, I'd like to treat you to a meal." Shuanghe replied with a smile, "Bribing us will get you locked up too, you know. I hear it starts at three years." Sun Shiqi laughed awkwardly. "Never mind, then." He admitted he had wanted to get better acquainted with her; even if he couldn't get discounts, he could at least glean information ordinary folk didn't know. Doing business, after all, was about profiting off information asymmetry. Judging from her attitude, however, she clearly had no interest in him and had astutely detected his underlying intent. Frankly, such professional integrity was astonishing. Recalling the innkeeper's attitude, Sun Shiqi made a mental note of a key clue. The Administrator of Shelter 404 held formidable control over this place. The local residents respected and thanked him from the bottom of their hearts, obeyed the laws he established, and took pride in maintaining order. Barring major upheaval, this control would last at least ten to twenty years, until this generation grew old and their children came of age. To be honest, Sun Shiqi wasn't too surprised by the attitude and behavior of these people. In the rise and fall of almost any survivor settlement, one could usually find a glorious beginning; even a godforsaken place like Red River Town hadn't become a slaveholders' paradise overnight. What truly stunned him was that the man—Chu Guang was his name, right?—had accomplished all this in a mere half a year. Even with a shelter's repository of knowledge and talent, pulling off such a monumental feat was by no means an easy task. Especially in the storm-tossed River Valley Province... He really wanted to meet him. Sun Shiqi couldn't help recalling their previous encounter, when that man traded dried meat with him for a jar of ants and a few pouches of arcade tokens. Just how had he snowballed that pitiful amount of assets into an entire survivor settlement? If he could, he would even want to take that man as his master. Yet he also knew that, as he was now, he might not even be granted an audience... The commotion inside the trading post drew the guards' attention. Five guards in black uniforms approached with clubs in hand, seemingly intent on warning these blind troublemakers. Yet the mercenaries, perhaps emboldened by their numbers, paid the guards no heed. What they failed to notice, however, was that the surrounding Blue Coats were eyeing them with glowing eyes. Their expressions and demeanor didn't look like mere spectators watching a show. They were practically egging them on to fight already. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Seeing that the mercenaries were about to come to blows, the merchants inside the trading post steered clear. Just then, however, a group of soldiers clad in grey greatcoats and steel helmets suddenly marched in from outside the trading post. Automatic rifles were slung across their backs, their entrenching shovels and bayonets hanging at their waists crusted with shocking streaks of blood, and gas masks covered their faces. The suffocating aura of slaughter radiating from them instantly suppressed the entire scene. And in that very moment, a thought suddenly crossed Sun Shiqi's mind. The arms shipment he bought was worth every penny! "The heroes are back!" Behind the stall, Shuanghe's eyes sparkled. Sun Shiqi saw the light of adoration in the young girl's eyes. "...Heroes?" "Mm!" Shuanghe nodded vigorously, offering no further explanation. Not far off, the mercenaries who had just been blustering and clamoring to fight suddenly fell mute as statues, eyeing the newcomers with dread, docile as lambs. The mercenary standing beside Sun Shiqi also showed a trace of dread upon seeing the soldiers in grey greatcoats, his expression gradually growing grim. "...The Death Corps." Sun Shiqi paused. Although he knew this bunch wasn't to be trifled with, this was the first time he had heard that name. "...The Death Corps?" "You just returned to Red River Town from the south, so you might not know..." another mercenary beside him whispered. "At Deer Head Mountain north of Red River Town, this bunch beat the Bone Chewer Tribe until they cried for their mamas." "I saw it with my own eyes; I was present for that battle too..." A bearded mercenary nodded, his eyes filled with shock. "Twenty of them chased over a hundred marauders all across the hills. That piercing whistle pursued them straight into the forest. According to the captured marauders, fighting them was an absolute nightmare..." "I heard every single one of them is an Awakened!" "Every damn one of them is a ruthless bastard!" "To think the Death Corps actually came from here..." Looking at the girl with sparkling eyes, and then at the imposing soldiers not far away, Sun Shiqi swallowed involuntarily. "Why did they return?" The mercenary beside him whispered, "Probably because of the Tide." "...Something big is probably about to happen soon." Stopping before the brawlers, Edge Slacker pulled off his gas mask, stared at the men, and said in accented Human Alliance lingua: "Heard someone's causing trouble here? You guys?" The twenty-odd mercenaries shook their heads in unison. The two burly men who had been the rowdiest gave embarrassed smiles and threw their arms over each other's shoulders, pretending to be great pals. "We're just fooling around." "Old friends catching up... reminiscing." Their arms were clearly still wrestling for dominance. The guard holding a club stared at the two troublemakers with a half-smile. "Reminiscing? How about changing venues?" "There's plenty of room at the guardhouse." The two mercenaries weren't afraid of the club in his hand. However, the soldiers in grey coats standing beside them were far too intimidating—the blood on their entrenching shovels clearly didn't look like an animal's... Just then, their employers finally rushed over from the inn, attempting to plead on their behalf, but the guards ignored them, not even sparing them a glance. According to public security regulations, gathering to incite trouble meant being hauled in for interrogation and registration; it was standard procedure. A first offense resulted in a warning, either spending a day in a cell or paying a 10-silver-coin fine; a second offense was a direct ten-day stint in solitary confinement plus a 100-silver-coin fine. With ten thousand ounces of reluctance in their hearts, the two troublemakers could only follow the guard team away. A task-completion pop-up flashed across his VM. Scooping up free EXP right after returning and getting to act badass to boot, Edge Slacker was in high spirits. Yet this good mood didn't last long. Greetings from old friends drifted over from the side. Battlefield Atmosphere Group: "Holy crap, Edge?!" Ye Shi: "Ehh?! You came back alive?!"