Even an RNG God Has an Off Day

"Holy crap! Why the hell is it second-hand?!" Near the Daybreak City military barracks, right beside the armory. Commander Spring finally laid eyes on his grand prize from the draw, and he was struck utterly dumb on the spot. The thick, burly cannon barrel gave off a grim, chilling metallic sheen. Yet no matter how one looked at it, it seemed to have been repainted. And not just the cannon barrel—every other part of the exoskeleton was the same. Though it had clearly undergone repairs, unmistakable shrapnel scars and bullet gouges still pitted the pitch-black frame. The battery module and ammo rack had obviously been swapped out, and the helmet didn't even match the original specs; it looked like a replacement crudely machined from aluminum alloy. Good grief! This wasn't just second-hand. It was a heavily overhauled, battle-damaged edition! The moment that realization hit, Commander Spring's triumphant mood evaporated completely. The sole comfort keeping him from weeping was that the 120mm mortar and its autoloader mechanism still functioned. Thank goodness for small mercies; otherwise, he would have had to drag a lackey along just to reload for him. That would have made the whole thing entirely redundant. Seeing the look of utter despair on Brother Spring's face, the surrounding players who had gathered around to soak in some of his lucky aura instantly burst into raucous laughter. "Bwahahaha!" "I'm dying!" "My condolences, Brother Spring! That nerf bat swung straight at your face after all!" "Wuuu, thank you, dev team! Finally, this lucky bastard gets taken down a peg!" "#%@&!" Flushed red with fury, Brother Spring unleashed a string of curses, grabbed Battlefield Atmosphere Group and Old Hei—both of whom were practically suffering internal injuries from holding in their laughter—and dragged them out into the forest to test-fire the gun. Although the marauders of Xizhou City had been dealt with, a vast number of mutant species still roamed the forest. These mutants bred at an alarming rate and frequently migrated in from other regions. Normally, when large groups of people were around, the beasts wouldn't dare approach and would deliberately keep their distance. Yet the moment they spotted someone straggling alone, they would creep forward, biding their time for an ambush. The First Corps and Second Corps conducted regular patrols to prevent mutant attacks on the survivors working the construction sites and the loggers clearing timber. However, relying on just two corps to safeguard five or six thousand people was obviously not enough. Early that morning, the quartermaster had posted a flood of hunting quests, encompassing virtually every mutant creature that could possibly exist around Daybreak City. This included yaoguai, multipeds, mutated brown bears, Deathclaws, split-claw crabs, battleship shrimp, black water snakes, and more. On one hand, hunting served to cull their populations. On the other, it bagged game to spice up everyone's rations. One of the New Alliance's greatest contributions to the wasteland was undoubtedly bringing over cooking techniques from another world. Many mutant beasts that had previously been considered inedible or downright foul now turned into delicacies. There was still wild game to be caught near Daybreak City. Over by Dawn City, larger mutants had already been hunted to near extinction. After trekking through the woods for a while, I'm the Darkest suddenly halted, raising his right hand to signal his teammates to stop. Commander Spring perked up excitedly at the gesture. "What's up?" I'm the Darkest closed his eyes, furrowed his brow, listened intently for a few moments, and whispered: "About five hundred meters out... slightly to the east. Probably a yaoguai." Commander Spring couldn't resist griping, "What do you mean, 'probably'? You're an Awakened! Can't you ping the coordinates with a little more precision?" "Dammit! I'm not a radar station!" I'm the Darkest muttered under his breath. Commander Spring turned to Battlefield Atmosphere Group. "Battlefield Guy, go scout it out. Remember, don't engage. Wait until I lay down a barrage before you charge in." Battlefield Atmosphere Group looked at him with sheer exasperation. "A barrage? For one freakin' yaoguai? Do we really need to bring out artillery?" Would the quest payout even cover the ammunition cost? A 120mm mortar shell had to cost more than an 88mm one. "What do you know! It's called being prudent!" Commander Spring proclaimed with righteous conviction. Battlefield Atmosphere Group rolled his eyes, shouldered his rifle, and crept forward to scout. Commander Spring planted both hands firmly on the ground, drove the stabilizer legs deep into the dirt, thrust his rear backward, and cranked the cannon barrel up high into the air. Watching from the side, I'm the Darkest wore an utterly bizarre expression. He couldn't tell if it was just his imagination, but the guy looked suspiciously like a Blastoise. The mere thought triggered his notoriously low funny bone, and he nearly snorted out loud. "Pfft—hahaha..." Commander Spring ignored him entirely, his eyes glued to the VM he had set on the ground. After a brief wait, a line of text popped up on the display. Battlefield Atmosphere Group: [It's a yaoguai. Fully grown, looks to be six or seven hundred kilos.] Along with the message, the monster's exact coordinates were marked on the digital map. Seeing the ping, Commander Spring was instantly invigorated. He adjusted the barrel on his back and muttered excitedly to himself: "Bearing 32 degrees north-northeast, direct distance 671 meters—fire!" As the command left his lips, the thick, heavy tube let out a thunderous thump. A massive shell arced high into the sky before hurtling downward. Before the first had even landed or its detonation echoed back, Brother Spring followed up with two more rapid shots. Boom—! The shells slammed down in close succession. Three deafening blasts ripped through the woods as furious bursts of flame blossomed amid the trees. Before the yaoguai could even comprehend what was happening, it was swallowed whole by flying shrapnel and roaring fire. "Holy crap..." I'm the Darkest gasped beside him, eyes wide with astonishment. Even across five hundred meters, though they couldn't see the direct blast, he could clearly feel the shockwave rattling the entire surrounding forest. Feeling the ground rumble and the warm gust of wind sweeping over them, Commander Spring felt a surge of exhilaration. That firepower! It was utterly badass! "If only I had brought a drone! Damn it, I'm an Intelligence-type! How could I forget to bring a drone along?!" A barrage of cursing crackled over the comm channel. "...Fuck! Could you give a heads-up before you shoot?! Good thing I hauled ass, or I would've been wiped out right alongside it!" Commander Spring: "Hahahaha! Bro, isn't this gear insane? Sit tight, I'm coming over to check the kill radius!" Battlefield Atmosphere Group: "??? Did you even hear a word I just said?!" Retracting the stabilizer stakes from the soil, Brother Spring scooped up his VM and jogged eagerly toward the impact site. Judging by the shrapnel embedded in the surrounding trees, a single shell had a lethal radius of nearly thirty meters! The yaoguai near ground zero hadn't just lost an arm—it had been riddled with shrapnel like a sieve, dead as dead could be! Battlefield Atmosphere Group walked over, looked at the carcass, and realized they wouldn't even need to deliver a coup de grâce. Clicking his tongue, he felt genuine amazement—and a sudden pang of envy. That destructive power was undeniably impressive! ... While the three players were busy field-testing their new gear in the forest, the Camp 101 delegation, heading out from the southern outskirts of Xizhou City, happened to catch the thunderous explosions rolling across the woods. "What was that sound just now?" A man in his fifties lifted his head, surprise written across his face. His name was Butan, an environmental engineer whose expertise extended to water conservancy and hydraulic infrastructure. Upon hearing that the New Alliance intended to construct a dam in Sixin District to control the chronic flooding of Xizhou Lake, he had immediately volunteered to join this visiting delegation. If the flooding of Xizhou Lake could be resolved, the vast expanse of black soil to the lake's northeast could be cleared and cultivated into fertile farmland. He had harbored this dream for a very long time. Unfortunately, back then, Xizhou City had been splintered into over a hundred disparate survivor communities, incapable of uniting. Later, the Bone Chewer tribe swept into the area, putting the entire notion on permanent hold. Now, Xizhou had finally welcomed a visionary leader who shared the exact same foresight regarding the untamed waters of Xizhou Lake. Butan could hardly contain his excitement. "Sounds like an explosion..." another engineer, an electrical engineer named Yuan Feng, murmured with a frown. "An explosion?" "Hasn't the war ended?" A ripple of murmurs spread through the delegation as they exchanged apprehensive glances. Seeing this, Lü Bei stepped forward at once to reassure them. "Please, there is no need to worry. That may be our soldiers... or perhaps hunters tracking game. While the marauders have been eliminated, there are still plenty of mutant beasts lurking in the area! Rest assured, our troops will do everything in their power to guarantee your safety!" Craning her neck to peer south, Pai asked curiously, "Why would anyone hunt with artillery? Shouldn't they use hunting rifles?" Lü Bei scratched his head, at a loss for how to answer. Pai continued with rising excitement, "Can I go take a look?" "No, you may not," Butan scolded in a low, firm voice before Lü Bei could reply. "The forest is far too dangerous, and we are not here on a picnic." "Alright... I understand," Pai replied, sticking out her tongue and dragging out her syllables. The figure clad in a white cloak standing beside them had not uttered a single word from beginning to end. The shadow of the hood concealed its facial features, and its completely flat, shapeless frame gave away no hint of gender. Walking alongside the group, Fang Chang had been quietly observing this peculiar NPC. This NPC gave him a profoundly abnormal impression. It was entirely unlike the rest of the delegation. He had watched with his own eyes as this figure stepped out from behind that mysterious door. Just then, Ye Shi spoke up from beside him. "I have a feeling that thing might not even be human." Kuang Feng remarked, "...Good thing it can't understand what you're saying." Lao Bai nodded in strong agreement. "I used to think the language barrier was a nuisance, but now I realize having that lore barrier is a blessing. Otherwise, we'd be in for a heap of trouble." Fang Chang agreed, "Indeed." The more lifelike the AI, the pettier they could be, and most players had zero self-awareness when running their mouths. Culture was like a photograph; slapping on a filter wasn't a bad thing. It kept everyone happy and avoided unnecessary friction. Ye Shi said, "Damn, I was just making a casual comment... Aren't you guys being a little too cautious around NPCs?!" "Can't help it," Fang Chang sighed, wearing a tragic expression. "Who told this game to be so ridiculously realistic? Our future fortunes in life depend on it." Lao Bai gave a helpless shrug. "...Never mind our fortunes. Just losing favorability from a failed hidden quest is painful enough." Sequence level represented combat power, and contribution level represented social standing. However, seasoned veteran players all understood that both were merely superficial; the true deciding factor in this game was the hidden 'favorability rating.' This favorability could be viewed as a form of 'recognition.' Especially with faction leaders—high favorability constantly unlocked quests tied to the main storyline. And the rewards from those quests far outstripped ordinary missions. Why else would so many players shower the Administrator with elaborate titles and heap praise on him in every conceivable way? Was it because they had nothing better to do? Of course not! It was just a game, not real life, and there was real money to be made. Flattery wasn't beneath them! As the group chatted, a squad approached from the path ahead. A suit of azure-blue power armor strode toward them, escorted by over a dozen Guards Corps soldiers. Spotting the Administrator, Lü Bei's eyes lit up, and he hurried forward in excitement. "Lord Administrator!" Ever since taking part in the airborne operation, he had been training recruits for the Third Corps behind enemy lines. Once the fighting ceased, he had rushed without pause to escort Wang Zhong to Camp 101. Now that the mission was complete, he could finally return to his lord's side. Looking at the youth whose face was stamped with unyielding loyalty, Chu Guang cracked open his helmet faceplate, offered a warm nod, and then turned his gaze toward the representatives from Camp 101. The visiting delegation consisted of six people in total. For a settlement with a total population of merely two to three hundred, this was a substantial contingent. It was obvious that they placed immense value on their relationship with the New Alliance. Naturally, what truly delighted Chu Guang was the wealth of knowledge these people possessed. That was far more thrilling to him than any black box. Just as the elderly man in the lead was about to speak, Pai took a step forward, brought her index finger to her brow, and rendered a crisp salute. "Respected Administrator, sir! We come from Camp 101. My name is Pai, the representative of this visiting delegation!" She had spent all of last night drafting this line. It would have been a terrible shame not to deliver it. Watching her posture, Chu Guang felt a flicker of surprise. He had seen that military salute before—in the historical archives of Shelter 117. If memory served... Wasn't that the salute of the Human Alliance Fleet? With that in mind, Chu Guang cracked a half-joking smile. "A pleasure to meet you, recruit of the Fleet. However, our ships are long gone. The final mission entrusted to you by the organization is to rebuild our homeland and await the day we set sail once more." Seeing players pull all sorts of theatrical performance art on a daily basis had long desensitized him to eccentric antics. Yet to his surprise, the girl squared her shoulders and answered in a crisp, resounding voice: "Sir, yes, sir! Mission guaranteed to be accomplished!" Huh? Their wavelengths actually clicked? Seeing Pai 'horsing around,' Butan looked at Chu Guang with trepidation and said apologetically, "Respected Administrator, please forgive her impudence." Chu Guang let out a hearty chuckle. "Do not be so tense. You are not my soldiers, and this is not a time of war. There is no need to salute me." With that, he dropped his playful demeanor and extended his right hand solemnly. "My name is Chu Guang. My friends often call me Dawn. Please, feel at ease." Staring at the massive armored hand before him, the old man blinked in surprise, then reached out and shook it gently. "Butan, environmental engineer of Camp 101. Hearing that you intend to regulate the lake waters, I took the initiative to volunteer. Standing beside me is Pai; she is the student of our camp's most knowledgeable archivist..." And not just Pai. Butan introduced every accompanying member, including the cloaked, taciturn bodyguard. However, he offered little detail regarding that figure, only mentioning that its name was Lyra and that its duty was to ensure everyone's safety. Chu Guang didn't dwell on it. After hearing the old man's self-introduction, his eyes shone with keen interest. "So to speak, you are a specialist in water conservancy?" Butan smiled modestly. "I would not dare call myself a specialist, but hydraulic engineering does fall squarely within my field of expertise. I previously reviewed the historical archives on Xizhou Lake; it was an artificial body created as part of the Mid-Continent environmental terraforming initiative during the Human Alliance era..." The moment the conversation touched upon his domain, Butan could hardly stop. He launched into an exhaustive lecture, tracing everything from the project's origins to the very founding of Xizhou City. Seeing that he could go on indefinitely, Chu Guang quickly found an opening to steer the conversation back. "We can delve deeper into this! However, this is hardly the place for an extended discussion. Please, follow me back to camp first!" "We have prepared a temporary rest area for you. Tomorrow, I will accompany you to Dawn City, and we can discuss the particulars in detail along the way!" Butan nodded eagerly. "Splendid!" The group resumed their march. Throughout the journey back, Pai bustled around Chu Guang, her large eyes brimming with curiosity. Or more accurately, she buzzed around the power armor he wore. "Is this the legendary power armor?" "It is," Chu Guang replied in a gentle tone. "Doesn't wearing such a gigantic hunk of iron all the time get exhausting?" Without waiting for an answer, Pai piped up excitedly, "When you take it off, could I touch it?" This girl seemed to possess boundless energy, thoroughly fascinated by everything she saw. Chu Guang found her neither annoying nor burdensome; instead, he grew curious about her areas of expertise. "I hear your teacher is quite remarkable?" "Of course! My master manages all the archives of our entire camp! He knows everything!" Pai declared proudly, puffing out her chest. Chu Guang nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "And what about you?" "I'm super capable too, of course! But unlike my master, my primary focus is mechanics..." As she spoke, a sudden thought struck her. She darted over to the cloaked bodyguard, rummaged through the backpack on its back, and retrieved a small doll. The doll was tiny, barely two palm-widths tall, dressed in a white one-piece suit with blue stripes. Its golden hair and blue eyes were clearly modeled after her own, yet its facial contours held a distinct, delicate grace, radiating a soft, gentle aura. Offering it generously with both hands, Pai said in a melodious voice, "For you! This is a gift from Ambassador Pai. May our relations remain peaceful and friendly!" Listening from the side, Butan felt dark lines trace across his forehead. He pinched the bridge of his nose, nursing a headache. While an exchange of diplomatic gifts was indeed protocol, this was hardly the time or place for it. Looking at Pai's earnest, formal demeanor and the doll in her hands, Chu Guang's lips curled into an amused smile. He was about to politely accept the sentiment while declining the toy. Yet right at that instant, Xiao Qi's voice abruptly whispered into his ear. 'Wuuu, Master~' The sudden, coquettish whine sent a wave of goosebumps rippling down Chu Guang's arms. Yikes! Where on earth did this unit download that voice pack from?! Just as he was about to ask what it was plotting, Xiao Qi whined pitifully, 'Can you give it to me, please?!' Chu Guang froze for a second. What do you want this thing for? Seeing the expectant gleam in Pai's eyes and unable to resist Xiao Qi's pleading, Chu Guang ultimately reached out and accepted the doll. "Thank you." A radiant smile broke across Pai's face. "You're very welcome! Time was short, so I didn't have time to prepare another gift. Please don't take offense!" Courtesy demanded reciprocity. He could tell that this doll held genuine sentimental value for her. After a moment's consideration, Chu Guang waved a hand toward the sky. A fist-sized Hummingbird drone drifted downward, settling smoothly onto his gauntlet before folding in its cicada-thin rotor blades. Staring at the silver-white metallic sphere, Pai's eyes went wide with shock. "Could... could that be a Hummingbird?!" A relic of the Human Alliance era! Thanks to its compact, lightweight design, its ability to navigate confined spaces effortlessly, and its 360-degree blind-spot-free recording, it was said that countless people in that bygone era used them for live broadcasting. "Seems I've met a connoisseur." Chu Guang chuckled and placed the sleek metallic sphere into her hands. Among the high-tier blind boxes, Hummingbird drones were one of the rare non-weapon prizes. As for this particular unit, it was a prize he had drawn from a blind box just last night—and he had scored two of them in one go. Giving it away as a diplomatic gift cost him nothing. Every Hummingbird operating over the New Alliance's airspace had defensive safeguards installed. Even if forced down or captured, hostile forces could not seize control. These safety protocols were embedded directly into the operating system's kernel logic, ensuring that within the New Alliance's signal coverage, the drones would never stray into restricted zones or be turned against the alliance. Gifting a drone was far more appropriate than handing over weapons. Cradling the Hummingbird like a precious treasure, Pai showered him with repeated thanks before running off to fiddle with her new toy. Staring at the doll in his hand, Chu Guang wore an utterly bizarre expression, but ultimately shoved it into his backpack. The nearby players caught sight of the exchange and began whispering among themselves. "What was that doll?" "A figurine?" "Holy crap, the Administrator has that kind of hobby?!" "Spread the word, this is breaking news!" Kuang Feng, who hadn't joined the chatter, cleared his throat dryly. "...I think you'd better keep your voices down. Other NPCs might not understand our language, but faction leaders seem to understand just fine." Ye Shi clamped his mouth shut instantly. ... Upon returning to camp, the two parties formally exchanged gifts. The official offering from Camp 101 was a holographic computer pen. Once powered on, the port's holographic projection module emitted an azure beam of light, unfurling a pale blue holographic screen within the beam. Butan personally demonstrated the operating procedures to Chu Guang. Even Chu Guang, who had seen his fair share of high-tech gear, found his horizons broadened and gladly accepted the gift. Ever since the Pioneer had first arrived, he had longed for a portable holographic computer, but the opportunity had never presented itself. Now, that wish was finally fulfilled. With Camp 101 displaying its technological prowess, Chu Guang did not skimp either, offering a generous return gift. The bounty included one hundred crab patties, one hundred bottles of Nuka-Cola, ten bags of coffee beans, an assortment of pastries and delicacies, as well as ten bolts of devil silk and ten bolts of devil cloth. Aside from spirit leaves and nutrient paste, Chu Guang packed virtually every signature local product into the gift package, piling an entire truck bed full. For a survivor settlement of merely two to three hundred people, this was undeniably an immense treasure trove. When the delegation saw the truck laden with goods, every single member wore a look of stunned disbelief. "This... isn't this far too valuable?" Butan stammered, feeling somewhat overwhelmed. Chu Guang smiled reassuringly. "These are commonplace goods in the New Alliance, nowhere near as precious as you imagine. Please, accept them." For a first meeting, one naturally had to give generously. How else could one deliver a proper sense of awe? As for the underlying purpose, it was to showcase the New Alliance's flourishing culture and material abundance! And its utility? Immense! Without dangling real benefits, how could one entice people to work willingly? To facilitate trade and daily interaction, Chu Guang concluded the meeting by handing Butan one hundred one-hundred-yuan paper bills. Looking at the old man's bewildered face, Chu Guang explained patiently, "In the New Alliance, anyone purchasing goods must pay, even the Administrator. You may treat these silver coin notes as your operational expense fund." Though confused about how to use them, Butan nodded respectfully. "Thank you for your generous consideration." Once the delegation was properly settled, Chu Guang returned to his command tent. Yin Fang followed him inside. Noticing that no one else was around, Yin Fang stepped forward and lowered his voice. "That Lyra is a bionic android." Hearing those words, Chu Guang paused slightly. "A bionic android?" Yin Fang nodded with absolute gravity. "Trust me, my eyes don't lie." As a frontline surveyor for the Academy, he possessed absolute confidence in his keen vision and instincts. The moment they met, his gaze had locked onto that figure. Surprise flickered across Chu Guang's face. In all his time on the wasteland, he had heard countless rumors regarding androids, but this was the first time he had encountered one in the flesh. "An android... is there an issue with that?" "No inherent issue, but caution is warranted," Yin Fang warned somberly. "If it is a companion-type android, it is largely harmless. But it clearly does not belong to that category." "If it is a combat android engineered as a weapon, depending on its specifications, it could be more lethal than a Deathclaw!" Disregarding specific variants and models, a Deathclaw and a suit of power armor occupied roughly the same combat tier on the wasteland. The former excelled in single combat and complex jungle terrain, while the latter possessed superior overall versatility and adaptability to any battlefield environment. Chu Guang nodded thoughtfully, taking the warning to heart. He saw no reason for Camp 101 to harbor hostility toward him, but an extra layer of prudence never hurt. Having delivered his warning, Yin Fang headed back to continue repairing the fuel rod. After shedding his power armor, Chu Guang was about to open his VM to review the progress of his currency recovery plan. Right at that moment, however, the backpack he had tossed casually onto the side table suddenly began to twitch, and a little doll crawled out from within. Startled, Chu Guang reacted instinctively, drawing the pistol tucked in his holster. "Wuuu, Master," the doll whimpered, staring at the gun barrel with a deeply aggrieved expression. "Are you going to kill Xiao Qi?" Hearing that familiar voice pack, Chu Guang lowered the barrel in utter bewilderment and glared at it. "What the hell are you?!" "I'm not a hell-thing, I'm Xiao Qi!" The doll perched on the tabletop, blinking innocently. Chu Guang: "..." Seeing that Chu Guang remained silent for a long time, Xiao Qi asked timidly, "Master, are you angry?" "No." Chu Guang let out a sigh, holstering his weapon. Pinching the bridge of his nose to gather his thoughts, he decided to begin with the most pressing question. "This doll... what is going on with it?" "It's a bionic robot! It's fitted with precision micro-motors and rare bionic control components. Aside from being small, it's practically indistinguishable from a real human!" Sitting atop the desk, the doll looked up at Chu Guang with radiant, sparkling eyes, chattering happily. Its lively, fluid facial expressions truly looked no different from an actual human being unless scrutinized under a magnifying glass. "...Of course, its original control software was vastly cruder than its hardware. It was merely running a rudimentary general-purpose AI template that couldn't even render nuanced facial expressions, so Xiao Qi simply overhauled its operating system from scratch!" "From now on, this body belongs to Xiao Qi! Master can treat it as Xiao Qi's real body! Hehehe." Watching the smug little doll, Chu Guang couldn't hide his astonishment. Come to think of it, even Yin Fang hadn't realized earlier that this doll was a bionic robot? That girl named Pai certainly had some real skill... Then again, Yin Fang's attention had likely been entirely consumed by Lyra at the time. Chu Guang stared intently at Xiao Qi and asked, "Can you confirm it's completely safe?" Hearing this, Xiao Qi boasted proudly, "Rest easy, Master! Xiao Qi not only inspected it twice over, but even rewrote the low-level motor control logic from the ground up! You can always trust Xiao Qi!" Chu Guang felt a wave of relief, though he soon felt a slight flush of embarrassment for suspecting a young girl of plotting against him. Clearing his throat lightly, he changed the subject. "...And what practical use does this have?" Xiao Qi puffed out her tiny chest, hands planted firmly on her hips. "Humph! It has huge uses! From now on, whenever Master goes on long journeys, you can carry Xiao Qi right beside you!" Most importantly, she finally had her own legs! No longer would she have to trouble Boss Xia just to climb a flight of stairs! "Even without that body, weren't you by my side all the same?" Chu Guang asked, looking quizzically at the doll on the table. His VM was perpetually networked with the shelter, and he rarely ventured outside the shelter's signal coverage. Whenever he needed her, she could manifest beside him at any moment. "That's completely different!" Xiao Qi shook her head like a rattle drum, speaking with absolute conviction. Though he couldn't fathom what made it so different, Chu Guang chose to take her word for it. In any case, it was merely a palm-sized trinket that posed no burden to carry, and in a pinch, it might even serve as a surprise trump card. Just then, footsteps sounded outside the tent, followed by Ma Ban's hurried voice. "Lord Administrator, a convoy has arrived outside our camp!" Chu Guang furrowed his brow. Rising and stepping toward the entrance, he pulled aside the tent flap and looked at Ma Ban. "Who are they?" Ma Ban spoke in a rapid, urgent tone: "They claim to hail from the Bugra Free State to the north, in the employ of the 'Flint' Group!"