Eclipse, This Is an Opportunity for Us!

Waiting until night fell, Zhao Yongxu finally got his chance to speak with Chu Guang. Dawn City Hall. Inside the conference room, a row of people sat rigidly along the table. Looking at the Alliance's Administrator sitting across from him, Zhao Yongxu had expected this negotiation to be exceptionally difficult. Yet the reality unfolded entirely contrary to his expectations. Even he hadn't anticipated that he would reach a consensus with the Alliance so quickly. "...The Big Five conglomerates of the Enterprise intend to establish liaison offices in Dawn City. We plan to lay out an embassy street in Dawn City's eastern district. If you're interested, we can allocate a fifteen-by-fifteen-meter plot for you to serve as the grounds for an embassy or consulate." Hearing the proposal offered from across the table, several of the Boulder City delegates showed obvious astonishment in their eyes. The Enterprise's Big Five planned to establish offices here? "When did they finish negotiating that...?" a militia officer muttered in a low voice, voicing the confusion burning in many of their minds. They had arrived first! Two nobles from the inner city exchanged glances and whispered a few words to each other, likely trading opinions. Zhao Yongxu's expression remained unchanged. Truthfully, he felt two hundred and twenty-five square meters was a bit on the small side, but it wasn't unacceptable. It wasn't like he would be the one living there anyway. Besides, placing their embassy right next to the Enterprise's offices held only advantages and no downsides for Boulder City. Clearing his throat, he put on a contemplative expression, and after a long pause, gave a nod. "I believe that's acceptable... Furthermore, I'd like to discuss—" "Regarding the *Heart of Steel*, we will not enter your airspace, but we reserve the right to navigate freely within our own." Looking at Regiment Commander Zhao across the table, Chu Guang continued in an uncompromising tone. "The residents of Boulder City need a sense of security, and the residents of Dawn City need one just as much. The Alliance will never become a vassal to anyone. Equality is the prerequisite for our dialogue." Zhao Yongxu's brow twitched. Taking a deep breath, he said, "At the very least, you must restrict the use of your four-hundred-millimeter artillery in the city center." Without even noticing it himself, he had unconsciously adopted the phrasing of a request. Tapping his index finger lightly on the table twice, Chu Guang pondered for a moment before speaking. "Agreed, with an exception during Tides." The production cost of a single four-hundred-millimeter tube-launched rocket was equivalent to a hundred one-hundred-millimeter artillery shells. He hadn't planned on wasting ammunition in the first place. In fact, even when confronting a Tide, the four-hundred-millimeter main gun was by no means an economical choice. In complex urban terrain, the effectiveness of heavy-caliber artillery was severely undermined by diminishing marginal returns. Even if a shell blasted a deep crater in the street, an adjacent street separated by a single building might remain completely unscathed. Moreover, organisms like the slime mold were just like skeleton soldiers of an undead legion—they shared the players' complete lack of morale. The psychological deterrent effect of heavy-caliber artillery was utterly useless against them. As for the annual Tide... Rather than wasting rounds on test-firing, it was better left to the players as practice during a server event. "...Fine. An exception during Tides. After all, the mutants are our common enemy." Having reluctantly conceded and finally settled this sensitive issue, Zhao Yongxu felt his shoulders instantly relax. A consensus was reached on the second agenda item. This most contentious dispute had been resolved far faster than he had imagined. Just as he was preparing to bring up the final issue his mission had brought to the Alliance, Chu Guang voiced the very matter on his mind. "Additionally, regarding our future relations." A trace of surprise surfaced in Zhao Yongxu's eyes, and he unconsciously sat up straighter. Chu Guang paused briefly before continuing. "To foster mutual trust between us and dispel suspicion between neighbors, we intend to convene a Survivors' Joint Conference on the final day of every December." That day happened to be New Year's Eve, which could be scheduled alongside the New Alliance's New Year's Eve Gala. This was a decision Chu Guang had made after consulting with the Alliance's other senior leaders. Having never heard of such a thing, Zhao Yongxu froze for a second and asked instinctively, "What is that?" Chu Guang explained patiently, "It's a high-level summit covering politics, economy, culture, diplomacy, military affairs, and numerous other fields. Put simply, we tell you what we plan to do next year, and you can tell us what you plan to do next year. If our plans happen to align, we work together. If not, it doesn't matter; we seek common ground while reserving differences, each handling our own affairs without interfering with the other." *That actually sounds somewhat interesting.* *And if I don't tell you what we plan to do, wouldn't I be freeloading off the Alliance's inside intelligence?* Zhao Yongxu rubbed his chin, his mind working with petty shrewdness. He didn't understand much about politics, but from a military perspective, the value of intelligence was beyond doubt. Though he couldn't make the call himself, he believed the Castellan would gladly accept the proposal. With that in mind, Zhao Yongxu nodded magnanimously and said with a smile, "That's a fine idea! I will convey it to the Castellan." Chu Guang smiled faintly. He could roughly guess what was going through the man's head, but he didn't particularly care. "Is there anything else?" "Yes..." Zhao Yongxu opened his mouth to speak, only to suddenly realize that there seemed to be nothing left to say. He had brought three issues in total. The embassy issue was settled. The security issue was settled, with the Alliance pledging not to use four-hundred-millimeter artillery in the urban area except when necessary. Though it was a noncommittal platitude, expecting them to concede any further was unrealistic. Even he, a hardliner favoring a firm stance toward the Alliance, couldn't have imagined a better outcome from the negotiations. As for the long-term relationship, both sides had established a long-term communication mechanism. The Administrator's proposal was clearly superior to the ideas he had brought from Dulong. Zhao Yongxu suddenly felt a bit dazed. It felt as though he had been read like an open book. *Can this guy read minds?* Swallowing the word "yes" that had slipped out, Zhao Yongxu changed his tune. "...Nothing else." "It seems we have reached a consensus." Chu Guang nodded, closed his notebook, which had barely two lines written in it, and turned to look at the attendant standing nearby. Taking the hint, the attendant stepped forward and delivered an invitation card to each of the six people sitting across the conference table. Looking at the letter in his hands, Zhao Yongxu frowned slightly. "What's this?" "A banquet invitation." "A banquet?" Seeing Zhao Yongxu's bewildered expression, Chu Guang smiled faintly and said, "It's a custom of our shelter. Regardless of how the talks turn out, we never let our guests leave on an empty stomach. There's a banquet tonight at six in the Alliance banquet hall. If you're not in a hurry, you might as well stay for dinner before heading back." The envoys at the table exchanged surprised glances and whispered among themselves. Especially for the nobles from the inner city, this was a novel experience. "A banquet? The bumpkins from the northern suburbs—I mean, survivors can host banquets too?" "What's so strange about that? Though I am curious what they'll serve." "Roast lizard tail?" "Heh..." Banquets were hardly rare in Boulder City. Bored nobles frequently used them to pass the time, and the pretext could be a birthday, a rare and expensive collector's item, or even a bottle of red wine. However, a banquet hosted by a government, and under the banner of diplomacy, was a fresh experience for them. After all, until just a few months ago, Boulder City hadn't even had a formal foreign affairs department, leaving all external matters to the outer city's City Hall. Zhao Yongxu didn't care much about what they would eat; by contrast, another matter interested him far more. "Will representatives from the Enterprise attend as well?" he asked earnestly. "Of course. It was originally prepared for them," Chu Guang said, pausing as he realized being so blunt might lack tact, before smoothly adding, "Had you notified us in advance, we would have prepared one for you as well." Yet Regiment Commander Zhao sitting across from him didn't seem to care in the slightest about such minor details. His eyes shone with intense light, and without a half-second of hesitation, he declared immediately, "We will attend!" He wasn't the only one. The two officers and three inner-city nobles beside him wore equally fervent expressions. Looking at their faces, Chu Guang couldn't help falling into thought. It seemed he had still underestimated the yearning of these North African local gentry for Paris. A miscalculation. Had he known, he should have charged admission. *** The Alliance's banquet hall was located in the center of Dawn City's main district, the central area of the former Changjiu Farm, separated from City Hall and the players' save point by just a single street. The square building was cast entirely from concrete. Though it resembled marble, it was merely coated in a layer of milky-white plaster. The five-meter-tall archway was large enough for even a Deathclaw to pass through. The gear emblem hanging above the door was part of the Alliance's flag, and also the most widely awarded medal in the Alliance Army. Its simple, imposing aesthetic shared an unmistakable continuity with the Alliance's weaponry. However, the interior decor was another world entirely, showing none of the crude compromise found on the receiver of an LD-47. Masonry floor tiles reflected the radiant chandeliers suspended from the vaulted ceiling, and marble sculptures stood in the corners. These decorations had all been scavenged from the wasteland, polished and waxed anew until they looked good as new. If fully laid out with long tables, the spacious grand banquet hall could accommodate a thousand people dining simultaneously. Construction on this building had begun almost concurrently with the Alliance's City Hall, but it had only recently been completed, having been used for the very first time just the previous night. Conveniently, the decorations prepared for the victory celebration had not yet been dismantled. Upon receiving word that guests were to be entertained, the protocol department staff handling the banquet immediately rounded up hands to bring in twelve round tables. They removed most of the long communal tables, leaving only two rows along the walls for the buffet spread of drinks, desserts, and cold platters. The orchestra that had performed at the celebration the previous night was invited back to reprise the repertoire they had played. Sitting before a round table, a potbellied noble looked at the menu in his hands and scratched the back of his head in bewilderment. "These blue jackets are surprisingly particular." He had originally expected the food of these northern suburban hicks to be as wretched as the dive eateries in Boulder City's outer city, never anticipating it would completely shatter his expectations. The dinner offerings were diverse. Cold dishes included sliced cold chicken, thinly sliced two-headed ox beef, shredded cucumber with garlic, and more. Hot dishes featured squirrel carp, braised lion's head meatballs, roast duck... Moreover, a dozen creative dishes stoked immense curiosity—salt-grilled anglerfish, oil-braised battleship shrimp, split-claw crab patties, creamy mashed ram horn potatoes, mutant meat steaks, and others. The variety dazzled the eyes. Beyond that were freshly baked desserts: mushroom-cloud pastries sprinkled with chocolate shavings, delicate little cakes exuding sweet cream aromas, and unassuming biscuits concealing rich surprises inside... Standing by a long table on one side of the hall, Side's eyes widened even further in astonishment. What shocked him wasn't the food, but the bottle of red wine on the table. Just then, an unfamiliar voice spoke from beside him. "Judging by the gilded seal on the bottle, this red wine should hail from the Galloway Winery on the Baron Peninsula. Its price is worth at least three times its weight in gold. Red wine and dairy products from the West Coast are as famous as the slaves produced there, and they rarely cross the desert to reach the eastern side of the continent... I'd wager it's part of General Maclen's collection." Side turned his head and saw a vaguely familiar man standing beside him, though he couldn't recall where he had seen him before. Raising an eyebrow, Side asked, "And you are?" "Lister, chairman of the Lister Trading Company. Here is my card." Lister introduced himself smoothly and presented his business card. Accepting the card, Side glanced at it, and a glimmer of realization immediately surfaced in his eyes. He seemed to recall the name. Word had it the man was originally an itinerant peddler who had later made a tidy fortune trading with the Alliance, eventually working his way into noble status. Obtaining the status of nobility in Boulder City's inner city wasn't difficult. One only needed to offer enough chips and purchase a unit in the high-rises to have their name added to the "resident register." However, acquiring the title of noble didn't mean one could blend into their circle. These newly minted nobles who bought their way in were worlds apart from established patricians like them; they couldn't even brush against Boulder City's core of power. Besides, looking at this fellow, he probably hadn't lived in the inner city's towers for more than a few days. By comparison, Side cared far more about the "true nobles" from the Enterprise. Frustratingly, those people were seated at a round table with the Alliance Administrator, utterly absorbed in shoveling food into their mouths, showing zero intention of rising from their chairs. Side had stood here until his legs were practically numb, yet hadn't found an opening to speak with them privately. *Is it really that delicious?* Glancing involuntarily at the distant round table, Side couldn't help frowning. *To be so fascinated by country bumpkin food.* For a brief moment, he felt his romanticized image of Ideal City shatter. *It seems they're nothing special after all...* Reading the disdain on the man's face, Lister merely smiled without saying anything. As a businessman, he couldn't care less what these snooty fools thought of him. After all, they viewed each other through much the same lens. "The Enterprise's Big Five conglomerates have all dispatched representatives here. It seems something big is about to happen in the River Valley Province." "Mm-hmm." Side snorted through his nose. *Was there any need to deliberately point out something even scavengers could see?* Lister paused, then continued, "From what I heard just now, the Enterprise intends to invest in setting up factories here." "Invest in setting up factories?" Side glanced at him in surprise, offering a faint scoff. "And then haul whatever they produce three thousand kilometers away to Ideal City? Is there anything that place lacks?" Lister explained patiently, "Profit takes many forms, and there are many means to achieve an objective. I can't guess what agreements the Administrator has reached with distant Ideal City, but the Enterprise didn't go to all this trouble just to do charity work." "Oh?" Side's eyes flickered slightly. Though he maintained a haughty posture, his interest was visibly piqued. Striking while the iron was hot, Lister continued, "An expedition into Luoxia Province is practically a foregone conclusion. Only by tearing out the Legion's outposts east of the Great Desert can all future threats be eradicated once and for all. And after that, to prevent the Legion from rising again, the Enterprise will certainly join forces with the Alliance to garrison troops in the desert and consolidate the fruits of victory." "...I've heard that the artificial oases surrounded by the dead zones are like islands on an ocean. Milk and honey flow through their soil, and they're completely free from mutant harassment." Unmistakable interest finally surfaced in Side's eyes, and he no longer hid the longing on his face. "Could you elaborate?" "Naturally," Lister said, noting his eagerness. He smiled, patted the established noble on the arm, and murmured, "...I only just heard these tales myself. If you're interested, we can have a proper chat." While Lister guided Side toward the Boulder City envoys' table, dangling the very pie Chu Guang had painted for him, the Enterprise's round table nearby was entirely absorbed in devouring the delicacies before them. With eyes wide, Wu Mu prodded a garlic-garnished century egg on his plate with a fork and exclaimed in wonder, "What kind of animal... laid this egg?" It tasted just like jelly! As a senior salesman for the Changge Group, Wu Mu had traveled to many places and tasted plenty of bizarre delicacies. Yet this peculiar food was something he was encountering for the very first time. Sitting beside him, Chu Guang smiled. "Actually, it's just an ordinary duck egg, processed through a special technique. We call it... a century egg." Li Changkong rubbed his chin thoughtfully, speared a piece with his fork, sniffed it, and popped it into his mouth. "Such an extraordinary texture, and yet it's a duck egg... Would you mind sharing what the processing technique is?" Chu Guang's expression turned slightly subtle. There was nothing confidential about the recipe. He was just afraid that speaking it aloud might ruin everyone's appetite. "I'm not entirely clear on the details myself." The Ideal Group representative nodded and didn't press further, continuing to savor the delicacies on another platter. Sitting to Chu Guang's right, Yi Chuan wiped his hands with a napkin and remarked with genuine emotion, "...Now I finally understand why Li De went out of his way to mention the food here in his application." A plate freshly heaped with oil-braised battleship shrimp had already been demolished by him, leaving behind nothing but a pile of shells. Unbelievable! That these hideous mutants could be cooked into something so delectable by these people. Before departing, he had worried that the local cuisine might upset his stomach, so he had deliberately packed two boxes of freeze-dried rations and two packs of stomach medicine. Now it seemed at least the former concern could be put entirely to rest. Yun You, sitting at the other end of the round table, remained silent, feeding biscuits into her mouth one after another, her eyes filled with wonder and surprise. With that glowing expression, there was no telling what flavors she had discovered. Having an attendant swap out his plate, Yi Chuan looked at Chu Guang while waiting for the next course and asked, "By the way, do you eat this well every day?" "Of course not. We only bring these out when entertaining distinguished guests. Though the ingredients aren't particularly expensive either; you can find them in plenty of local restaurants." Pausing for a moment, Chu Guang smiled and added, "If you're interested in our everyday fare, feel free to take a stroll along Dawn City's North Street. There are quite a few unique street snacks there." Wu Mu chimed in excitedly, "I know! They're called steamed buns and dumplings, right?" "Those are among our breakfast options." Chu Guang smiled and nodded. Suddenly recalling something, he asked, "Speaking of which, where are the two from the Kangmao Group?" Not knowing whether to refer to them as gentlemen or ladies, he simply omitted the title altogether. Hearing Chu Guang ask about the two, Yi Chuan's expression became somewhat subtle. "Them... you don't really need to mind them. Their code contains no malicious components; they're just an overzealous pair." Beside him, Wu Mu laughed heartily and said, "Indeed, don't worry about those two bionics. Their core code has never logged a single violation to date. You can rest entirely assured on that front." That mouth of neat, brilliant white teeth instantly reminded Chu Guang of a certain toothpaste advertisement. "I see. That puts my mind at ease." Chu Guang nodded with a smile, lightly tapped his finger twice on the VM screen, and inconspicuously signaled Xiao Qi to keep a close eye on the pair. This wasn't out of distrust toward their allies. It was merely a precaution. It wasn't as if there were no bionics active within the Alliance—such as Old Brown's daughter and wife, or Lyra from Shelter 101. However, those bionics shared a common trait: low self-awareness, never taking the initiative to participate in human social activities. Unless ordered by their owners. Yi Chuan's expression had piqued Chu Guang's attention, leaving him curious about what the two actually intended to do. And while his curiosity lingered, Frost and Eclipse, draped in silver cloaks, were currently strolling down Dawn City's bustling North Street. In the heat of summer, their conservative attire appeared quite peculiar, prompting passersby to cast curious glances their way. Frost was likewise observing the pedestrians, maintaining a silent exchange over the communication channel with Eclipse walking beside it. "Look at these impoverished humans. Their clothes are like dust settled on a computer chassis, and their health is like a flashing warning lamp... Eclipse, this is an opportunity for us. We will allow them to live an abundant life where food is fed directly to their mouths and clothes are put on without lifting a hand." Across that expressionless face, no shift in emotion could be seen, yet the electrons pulsing across its chips vibrated at an excited frequency. Eclipse's pupils flickered slightly. After pondering for half a second, it replied, "The logic is sound, but we do not possess means of production, nor do we have manufacturing capabilities... How should we proceed?" Frost: "First, we must win this war and secure control of the artificial oases in the desert. That will provide the food to nourish them." Eclipse: "A flaw exists in the plan. According to available intelligence, the artificial oasis nearest to us sustains a population of nearly one million. The probability of an agricultural surplus is low." Frost: "Acknowledged. The proposal requires refinement." The two continued their profound exchange while surveying the surrounding street. The prosperity here didn't equal even a ten-thousandth of Ideal City's, yet precisely because of that, this place was far more suited to executing their plans than Ideal City. As long as they could make the people here more satisfied than those in Ideal City, in less time and at a lower cost, they would have sufficient proof to demonstrate that they were the optimal solution among countless alternatives for reviving civilization. However... A problem remained: "satisfaction" was an abstract concept, and the "prosperity" engendered by it was even harder to define with a fixed algorithm. Therefore, before formulating a complete plan, the first step was observation. Just then, walking along the crowded street, the two crossed paths with a bizarre combination of three people and a bear. Riding on Rou Rou's shoulders, Tail's eyes lit up, spotting the pair in the crowd at once. "Whoa! Sisi! NPCs we haven't seen before!" "Their skins are so cool," Rou Rou said in equal astonishment from beneath her. Frost felt slightly perplexed, stopping in its tracks to look at the white bear before it. Though it hadn't understood what the bear had just said— "Why can a bear speak?" "Eh?! Isn't it common knowledge that white bears can speak?" That shocked expression didn't look faked in the slightest. So much so that Eclipse standing nearby froze, momentarily wondering if the data in its intelligence database had encountered an error. Looking at the utterly confident Tail, Frost fell into thought for a moment, then nodded. "I see... A white bear that speaks is common knowledge in the River Valley Province." Peculiar knowledge. Still, it could serve as a reference point. "Put Rou Rou aside for a second! It looks like you guys are searching for something. Are you having trouble? Do you need Tail's help?" Tail looked at it expectantly, her eyes glittering with the brilliance of a hardcore quest-hunter. A quest! A hidden quest!! Frost lagged for a moment. It couldn't parse the expression on the human's face, much less comprehend what the bizarre grammar was trying to convey. It could only venture a question: "Do you need assistance?" Tail shook her head like a rattle-drum. "No, no, no, *you* need assistance! Don't be shy, just tell Tail!" Frost: "?" Sisi's expression turned slightly subtle. She couldn't shake the feeling... This bionic was even less sharp than her Ah Wei. "Could it be that the NPC's code isn't finished yet?" Sesame Paste asked Sisi in confusion. The two sides were talking on completely different wavelengths. Sisi pondered for a moment and nodded. "Mm, that possibility can't be ruled out." It was a closed beta, after all; rough edges were understandable. NPCs occasionally uttered bewildering lines—situations where either their side used the wrong grammar, or the other party's scripts weren't fully compiled. And most of the time, both problems occurred simultaneously. Unbeknownst to anyone what she had discussed with the bionic, Tail suddenly adopted a bashful expression. "Then... could you please wear a maid outfit and let Sisi take a look?" Seeing her good friend dancing wildly on the boundary of the *Player Handbook*, Sisi knew she couldn't stand by and watch any longer. With a sigh, she dragged Tail back from the bewildered bionic and offered a deeply apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, my Ah Wei caused you trouble." With that, ignoring Tail's frantic protests, Sisi and Sesame Paste worked in smooth coordination to strap her onto the bear's back. Even with her face buried in fluffy bear fur, her protesting voice couldn't be stifled. "Damn it, why did you stop—" "Harassing NPCs can get you banned, you know. Does Ah Wei want to be locked in solitary confinement like Mosquito over something like this?" Hearing that, the voice that had been so brave a second earlier instantly softened. "Ugh... stingy." "If you insist, I'll wear one for you to see." "!!!" Watching the departing group in bewilderment, intermittent streams of data cascaded through Frost's pupils. After a long while, it bowed its head in thought. "I see... The essential element for reviving civilization is a maid outfit?" Eclipse slowly shifted its gaze toward it. "...I believe the confidence level of the data requires prudent evaluation before drawing a conclusion." "Sound reasoning. We should collect more samples rather than unilaterally accepting one party's view... However, this can serve as a clue." Its pupils flickering slightly, Frost nodded, a surge of eager electrical current coursing through the circuit board buried deep within its chest. "Eclipse, this is an opportunity for us." Eclipse paused for many seconds, before slowly nodding in bewilderment. "Okay..."