This New Map Is Freaking Awesome!

If one were to trek the three-thousand-kilometer journey on foot, it would probably take nearly half a year. And that wasn't even factoring in the hardships and perils along the way. Yet by air, in under four hours, the "Orca" transport plane reached Yunjian Province and brought Ideal City into view. Standing by the cabin porthole, Brother Mole widened his eyes in utter disbelief, murmuring "Holy mother of God..." over and over. Beside him, Fang Chang and Shu Yu were doing the exact same thing. The only difference was that neither of them uttered a word—they simply stared with eyes wide open. Before arriving here, Fang Chang had drawn upon pre-war footage of Qingquan City and referenced Boulder City's defensive structures, imagining countless possibilities. Yet at this very moment— Every single one of those assumptions crumbled. Towering skyscrapers stood like soaring obelisks, densely clustered together into a vast, sprawling steel jungle. They grew taller from the periphery toward the center, piercing deep into the clouds until their pinnacles were lost from sight. In the very center, encircled by these concrete and steel peaks, stood a majestic "tower." A pitch-black metallic hull, sharp and distinct contours—every detail revealed that it was not poured from concrete, but forged from an unimaginably sturdy alloy. Its colossal volume rivaled at least a hundred of the surrounding skyscrapers combined. Reaching into the heavens, it made the entire sea of clouds look like its canopy of branches and leaves. Brother Mole couldn't help but say, "...This looks more cyberpunk than actual cyberpunk." Fang Chang's Adam's apple bobbed, and he nodded slowly. "...Yeah." "Those buildings over there... are they all accessible interiors? Not just flat skybox textures?" "...Has this game ever used flat skyboxes?" Brother Mole stood silent by the window for a long, long time without speaking, until all his overwhelmed emotions coalesced into a soft exhale. "...Fucking legendary." The further forward they flew, the more they felt the encroaching sense of oppression, as well as the sheer prosperity and grandeur of this mega-city. Ribbon-like skyways linked tower to tower, crisscrossing densely like a spiderweb. Tiny black specks darted through the gaps between buildings—cargo drones as well as hovering craft cruising along fixed routes. The layout and design of this city bore a subtle resemblance to the images Fang Chang had seen of downtown Qingquan City. He had heard that Boulder City was modeled after Ideal City. However, in a fundamental departure from Boulder City, Ideal City possessed no such thing as a Great Wall—nor did it need one. Even the shortest skyscraper here loomed far higher than the walls of Boulder City. The outer skyscrapers were linked into a continuous barrier, their sheer exterior facades rising like impassable precipices. Atop the buildings were electromagnetic accelerators of the same type seen on the Pioneer, fully capable of intercepting any incoming supersonic missiles or even artillery shells. The entire city seemed elevated, raised tens of meters above the open plains. Nearby lay the mouth of the Tianshui River where it met the sea, with massive pipes sunk into the riverbed to extract freshwater resources. Fractured elevated highways and dilapidated, rotting ruins came to an abrupt halt half a kilometer from Ideal City. The sheer exterior walls of the skyscrapers formed a stark, unmistakable dividing line, segregating ruin from prosperity, chaos from civilization... The "Orca" transport plane slowly approached the edge of the city, appearing as minuscule as a ladybug alighting on a pyramid. "We've arrived. Prepare for landing!" The pilot announced over the comms from the cockpit, reminding the passengers in the back to return to their seats and buckle up. He then switched from horizontal flight mode to VTOL mode, following the guidance of the ground lights as he descended toward a helipad atop one of the skyscrapers. The cabin door opened. Fang Chang and Brother Mole followed closely behind Shu Yu, walking out of the aircraft. The moment they stepped onto the landing pad, a barrage of camera flashes clicked and strobed beside the apron, dazzling the two Agility-type players so much they could barely keep their eyes open. Reporters clutched voice-recording pens, followed by lighting drones hovering in tow. Catching sight of the three emerging from the craft, those excited faces paid no heed to the howling winds buffeting the rooftop, swarming toward the landing pad in a chaotic rush. "Are you survivors from River Valley Province?" "Blue jackets? Vault dwellers? Which vault are you from?" "Hey, look over here, friend! I heard you're conducting secret experiments, is that true? Can you tell us what the experiment is?" "Incredible... Your nutritional condition looks great, seemingly much better than other survivor settlements! How much meat do you eat a day?" "We heard you're at war with the Legion? Where have they pushed to? How far are they from the East Coast?" "Just how big are the Weilantes' noses?! Could you tell us?!" "Dammit—stop pushing! My shoe!" Most of the crowd gathered here were journalists. The residents of Ideal City were brimming with curiosity about an ally three thousand kilometers away. Discussions regarding the Alliance had already dominated the trending charts across various communication communities on the Endpoint Cloud days ago. Every media outlet was ravenous for first-hand material. Even a single sentence in response would do. Fortunately, guards clad in exoskeletons held the line at the edge of the landing pad, blocking the agitated mob. Otherwise, given their sheer fanaticism, they might have overturned the plane and sent it tumbling off the rooftop. "Holy crap... People here are this trendy? They even have reporters!" Brother Mole widened his eyes in shock. Were those live streamers broadcasting too? He knew a little bit of the Human Alliance language, but the noise here was simply deafening, and on top of that, the East Coast dialect differed slightly from the inland tongue. He couldn't decipher what they were chattering about at all. One could only say that this game was ridiculously realistic in the most bizarre ways. Fang Chang shot him a sidelong glance and grumbled, "...Isn't that completely normal? Even a backwater like Boulder City had a Mr. House." "Where are your black stockings? Hurry up and put them on." "Fuck off!" While the two "bodyguards" were muttering curses at each other under their breath, a man dressed in formal attire with slicked-back hair approached the three, flanked by an entourage. Although Shu Yu was baffled by the overwhelming enthusiasm of the crowd, he was nonetheless a man of experience. Suppressing the tension in his chest, he adopted the poise expected of an ambassador and looked toward the representative who had come to receive him. "...Welcome to Ideal City, my friends from southern River Valley Province. I am Wu Changnian, Deputy Director of Enterprise Comprehensive Management and a shareholder of the Ideal Group." With that, Wu Changnian offered a genial smile and extended his right hand. Shu Yu took his hand, gave it a firm shake, and politely introduced himself. "I am Shu Yu, Ambassador of the Alliance. On behalf of the Alliance and our Administrator, I convey our sincerest gratitude and warmest greetings. Thanks to your helping hand, we are able to continue our battle against evil." "You are too kind. Barbarism is our shared enemy, the enemy of civilization itself. Whether it be mutants, the Legion, or xenobeasts... one day, we will purge every last one of them from this planet!" He gripped Shu Yu's hand tightly, conveying unyielding resolve through that firm grasp. Releasing his hand, Wu Changnian returned to a cheerful smile. "...However, that is a long-term plan. For myself, I hope you have a delightful afternoon. I will be serving as your guide for this visit, so please feel free to ask me anything that puzzles you." Withdrawing his hand, Shu Yu smiled. "Then I won't stand on ceremony. By the way, might I ask who your highest-ranking administrative officer is? If possible, I would like to arrange a meeting." An expression of regret surfaced on Wu Changnian's face. "Highest administrator... While I would be more than happy to introduce you, unfortunately, we have no such position. As this is your first visit, you may not be familiar with our ways: we practice decentralized governance." Shu Yu froze for a moment. "...Decentralized?" He had never heard such a peculiar term. Wu Changnian nodded, a touch of pride rising within his radiant smile. "Indeed. Two hundred years ago, when our civilization faced existential peril, the residents of Vault 6 passed their trial and voted unanimously to open the vault doors and save more people." "The crew of the colony ship The Ideal resolved to answer the determination of Vault 6's dwellers. Abandoning their plans to colonize a distant world, they altered course to return to their dying homeworld, intentionally grounding themselves in the very center of this city." Hearing this, Fang Chang, standing behind Shu Yu, showed a stunned expression and instinctively looked toward the heart of Ideal City. Behind layers upon layers of towering skyscrapers, that pitch-black, cloud-wreathed mega-tower... Was actually a colony ship?! Holy shit, that thing is massive... Just as he was quietly calculating how many aircraft carriers stitched together it would take to match that sheer volume, the man continued. "...Utilizing the equipment and resources within the colony ship and the vault, we overcame one challenge after another." "Through everyone's concerted efforts, time and again, we forged miracles once thought impossible." "This was a monumental endeavor achieved by all, and so we decided to vest power in everyone. Anyone willing to contribute to this city may consider themselves its master." Shu Yu was thoroughly bewildered. After a long daze, he said, "Then... you must at least have a Chairman of the Board?" That everyone was a master of this city was something he could grasp; the Administrator had often told him that the Alliance was built collectively by all survivors and belonged to all who contributed to it. Yet the Alliance at least had a leader—someone who could unite the scattered survivors, lead the charge when hardship struck, and mediate when conflicts arose. But having no one at the helm at all was beyond his comprehension. He had no desire to judge how others chose to live, but he couldn't very well greet every single resident, could he? "Of course we do. It's just that there are as many Board Chairmen here as there are enterprises, corresponding one-to-one just like administrators to vaults. I know you must be perplexed right now, but worry not—we anticipated this situation..." Resting a hand on Shu Yu's shoulder, Wu Changnian offered a friendly smile. "I will provide itinerary recommendations to assist you throughout this visit. That includes a speech before the Supreme Council, a live broadcast on the Endpoint Cloud, and galas held for shareholders across various conglomerates... As for the specific format and scheduling, we can discuss and decide together." "Then you have my thanks." Hearing this, Shu Yu breathed a sigh of relief, though a headache throbbed behind his temples. The Lord of Boulder City never showed his face, but at least there was a City Hall where one could find people to negotiate with. Here, however, good grief—there wasn't even a city lord or a city hall. Fortunately, he had prepared before coming here, having gathered rumors about Ideal City in advance. Listening to Mr. Wu's introduction to the enterprises and Ideal City, a strategy gradually formed in Shu Yu's mind. First, he needed to determine the "political stances" of the different conglomerates and identify the faction most inclined toward friendly ties with the Alliance. Then, he would persuade or win over shareholders of that faction as much as possible, while ensuring that the opposing factions wouldn't break off relations entirely. As things stood, the Silverwing Group was the Alliance's natural ally, the Changge Group was a direct beneficiary of war, and the Ideal Group was a client ripe for courtship. As for the Kangmao Group... he wasn't sure what their endgame was. Meanwhile, the Endpoint Group seemed to be natural opponents—after all, their Endpoint Cloud and smart technologies were virtually useless outside Ideal City. Framing these tasks, it felt a bit like what the Administrator had described to him as "attracting investment and business." The paths to achieve this currently appeared twofold: delivering a public address before the Council, and communicating directly with key power brokers at shareholder galas. With his thoughts sorted out, what needed to be done next was clear. His gaze fell upon Fang Chang behind him, and Shu Yu felt a sudden spark of inspiration. A cheerful look surfaced on his face. "...Furthermore, please allow me to introduce the two gentlemen behind me." Saying this, he gestured to Fang Chang, beckoning him forward, then lightly patted Fang Chang on the shoulder. "This is our hero. He comes from the Burning Corps." Hearing this, Wu Changnian paused in surprise, his face quickly showing astonishment. "The Burning Corps? Is he the one from that day—" Fang Chang understood what he meant and was already sweating over how to explain this awkward dilemma. Yet beside him, Shu Yu gave an unhurried, confident smile, holding his shoulder to reassure him that he had it covered. "Indeed, it is him." "His name is Fang Chang!" The instant those words fell, The entire landing pad erupted into an uproar! ... On the official forums. Brother Battlefield, having logged off early, was colorfully recounting how he had cleverly navigated danger through sheer wits and valor, successfully wheedling heavyweight intel from an unscrupulous merchant. Yet aside from Tail's "Ooooh, so awesome!" and Tengteng's shy cheering, not many people seemed all that interested. The Golden Lizard Kingdom was simply too far from the Alliance. While it sounded like a vast territory with a sizable population, the game's lore barely mentioned it. In contrast, players were far more concerned with when he would rise to become the fifth Legion Commander, or at least visit Triumph Castle in the west to see what the Legion's homeland looked like. The only one truly showing him warmth was Lao Bai, who reminded him to visit home when he had time and remember to save his game. Perhaps out of sympathy, or perhaps because the post was genuinely well-written, the elusive dog planner Ah Guang made an unprecedented appearance. Though he didn't leave a comment, he gave it a like and pinned it as a featured post. The "Featured" badge gave Battlefield Guy the drive to keep updating. Yet just as he was pulling out all the stops to embellish his tale, an "evaluation review" suddenly surfaced on the forum, instantly stealing the spotlight. *New Map Review! A Utopia Hidden in a Corner of the Wasteland!* "...It is a mega-metropolis. No city in the real world can even begin to compare. Though its surface area is less than half of Shanghai's, its towers over five hundred meters tall probably outnumber all of Earth's combined by several times over." "Conservatively estimated, at least several million—if not tens of millions—live there..." In his post, Fang Chang briefly detailed what he had seen upon arriving in Ideal City. Furthermore, he described the daily life of the locals across four basic aspects: clothing, food, housing, and transportation. First was clothing. The residents' sartorial styles were remarkably diverse; designing one's own clothing with virtual modeling tools and selling the meshes had even become a trend. Yet rather than flashy colors, they favored sophisticated minimalism to showcase their individuality. The most common colors worn were silver, white, gray, and black, followed by brown, blue, and beige. There was a reason for this. According to their guide, Wu Changnian, they spent all day bathed in multicolored holographic light. If their outfits were too garish, they would end up looking like "hologram people." This was one of the most fascinating aspects of Ideal City: almost every skyscraper's facade served as leasable holographic display space, and outside of public transit corridors, anyone could freely operate holographic equipment within legal limits. Naturally, this resulted in considerable light pollution. On twenty-first-century Earth, people needed vibrant clothing to stand out in a crowd; here, conversely, people required subdued attire to distinguish flesh and blood from the kaleidoscope of neon. Next came food. Thanks to relative abundance, the public sought healthy diets and simple preparation methods that preserved the ingredients' natural nutrients. Rather than a culinary philosophy, it was treated more like a scientific regimen. High society savored top-tier ingredients, ordinary citizens opted for mass-produced industrial fare, and the financially strapped lower classes relied on "nutrient meals" concocted from synthetic starches, proteins, and sugars. For this very reason, many Enterprise employees took a keen interest in the Alliance's distinct food culture and the very concept of "culinary art." One could virtually never find xenobeast meat in Ideal City. All wasteland foodstuffs underwent rigorous customs inspections to eliminate the influx of harmful genetic material. Housing was equally intriguing: the higher one's status in Ideal City, the higher up they lived. Thus, to gauge someone's status, asking what floor they lived on and whether their home had windows was more than enough. Furthermore, while the streets of Ideal City were congested, its transportation was remarkably convenient. Most people relied on rail transit crisscrossing between towers or hailed cabs via wearable smart devices, while a minority owned maglev cars that could whisk them to any corner of the city with ease. Naturally, this was strictly limited to Ideal City. Those maglev cars required specialized infrastructure to operate; out on the wasteland, they were forced to roll on wheels. Beyond the four basic necessities of food, clothing, shelter, and transport, the locals possessed a fifth essential absent among ordinary wastelanders—information. Indeed, information here was an absolute necessity, as vital as the air they breathed. Fang Chang gave special mention to this in his review: "...In the real world, living without a smartphone is inconvenient, but you won't die from it. Here, however, without a smart device, survival is quite literally impossible. From navigation and commuting to purchasing groceries online, everything is tied to a single personal ID, which means there are virtually no undocumented stowaways... though perhaps I just haven't spotted them." "Smart devices produced by the Endpoint Group and bionic prosthetics engineered by the Kangmao Group have permeated every corner of this society." "It's Cyberpunk 2277, a hive-city utopia perched atop ruins, the heir to the Era of Prosperity, the lucky bastards blessed by the Great Horned Deer God (lol)... In short, every frame we saw from the sky down to the landing pad screamed that the developers were burning through budget." "More details are still being explored... On that note, I owe Brother Ye Shi an apology: the NPCs seem to think I'm the lone survivor of the Burning Corps." Typing this part, Fang Chang, seated before his computer, genuinely felt a bit embarrassed. Things had gotten wildly out of hand back then. As he left the helipad, his pants were nearly torn off by those ravenous reporters. Thank goodness they stayed on. Whether it was rule number one or something else in the Player Handbook, it clearly stated: public removal of pants (or skirts) is strictly forbidden. In any case, through his desperate resistance and the guards' intervention, he managed to preserve his dignity and avoid having embarrassing photos snapped by the mischievous Brother Mole. All signs pointed to the citizens of Ideal City being even wilder than Boulder City's. Or perhaps "open-minded" was a more fitting term than "wild." That fellow Wu Changnian had even joked with him, saying that if he hit the bars tonight, plenty of people would gladly sleep with him—though he warned Fang Chang not to take their sweet talk to heart, and above all, to be careful not to get filmed and posted onto the Endpoint Cloud. People who collected "trophies" liked to flaunt them; he might very well end up trending on hot searches by tomorrow morning. Shu Yu had also warned him not to wander around carelessly. They had arrived aboard an Enterprise aircraft as representatives of the Alliance's image. If he allowed himself to be corrupted by the Enterprise's sugar-coated bullets, Shu Yu would relieve him of duty immediately and report the misconduct to the Administrator. Fang Chang felt the warning was completely unnecessary. He wasn't some hot-headed kid like Ye Shi; he had built his own wealth from scratch to achieve financial freedom and retired as a landlord before thirty. How could he possibly fail such a trivial test? Besides, his heart already belonged to someone. Even if she was technically a 2D waifu... She felt so utterly real that he felt his conscience would torment him if he betrayed those feelings, even if no one else ever judged him. The moment he pressed enter, hundreds of replies flooded the thread within seconds. Compared to Battlefield Guy's rumors, the players were naturally far more interested in the new map—and whether that bastard Fang Chang had crossdressed yet. Tail: "Ooooh! Pass it on: Fang Chang and Ye Shi are the same person!" Tengteng: "Another weird ship has joined the fleet." Ye Shi: "Fuck! Fang Chang, you inhumane bastard! And what the hell is with the ship?! QAQ" Tengteng: "Hmm... actually, Kuang Feng feels like a better fit." Sisi: "Professor x Student? (Side-eye)" Tengteng: "Damn, Sisi knows her stuff!!!" Sisi: "Ahem, I know nothing, Ah Wei taught me." Tail: "!!! Huh? Sisi wants to be the student? Then... let's hear you call me Teacher Tail first! (///ω///)" Kuang Feng: "...Take this to private chat, please." Sisi: "Sorry, Teacher, my bad." Fang Chang: "You can't blame me for this. Under those circumstances, I couldn't exactly deny it, could I? (Awkward)" WC Really Has Mosquitoes: "Hahahahaha! I'm dying laughing!" Elaina: "Some people are dead, yet they live; others are alive, yet they have died. (Funny face)" Elven King Fugui: "My condolences to Brother Ye Shi. (Funny face)" Fang Chang: "Cough, anyway, that's the basic rundown. Getting to Ideal City isn't easy right now—entry clearance is way stricter than Boulder City. We registered as diplomatic personnel, so we can't work, can't participate in the securities market, can't do business, etc... Probably because the quest system hasn't been implemented yet. As for photos, we can't upload them back just yet, so I'll let Mole draw them for you." Runaway Mole in the Canyon: "That city is freaking gargantuan, how the hell am I supposed to draw it?! And damn, you type way too fast! I was only halfway done when you posted! (Angry)" Fang Chang: "(Smirking face)" Battlefield Atmosphere Group: "Fuck! Is anyone still listening to me?! (Furious)" Commander Spring: "Good brother, we're all waiting for your coordinates." Construction Boy and Bricks: "Exactly! You're the absolute worst spy ever. It's been half a month and you haven't even found the enemy's front lines. Put him before the firing squad." I'm the Darkest: "Too disgraceful! Half a month and you haven't even become a Marshal!" Battlefield Atmosphere Group: "@#$%!" Watching the lively chatter among his little players beneath the thread, Chu Guang smiled faintly before his computer screen. Of course someone was listening. How could he possibly overlook such critical intelligence? Unlike the players, Rather than the novelties of Yunjian Province, Ideal City, or the vast explorable content of the new map, Chu Guang cared far more about "Pangolin's" post. How to tailor strategies to open up the Ideal City market and milk it without drawing ire was a question for the lifestyle-class players to ponder. As the Administrator, Chu Guang needed to focus on grand strategic deployment. If that intelligence held true, the situation was far graver than he had anticipated. "...The supply line running from the Bugra Free State to the Falcon Kingdom actually has the tacit consent of the Golden Lizard Kingdom." "Is this the Academy's will, or the Golden Lizard Dynasty's own unilateral choice?" Resting his eyes on the map of Sunset Province, Chu Guang sank into deep contemplation from the sofa. The Legion was stationed on the distant West Coast, separated by over ten thousand kilometers. With no railways and no paved highways, their supply lines had to either traverse tundras and marshes vast enough to dwarf Earth's Siberia, or cross the "Great Desert" littered with the wreckage of space elevators. Though the Falcon Kingdom could furnish a portion of their supplies, the economic foundation of such a "classical militarist" kingdom was frail. Supplying a military titan far mightier than itself was practically impossible on its own. Considering the Legion's debuffs in logistical efficiency, the Alliance actually held strong odds of victory. It was precisely because of this that Chu Guang had made so many forward-looking arrangements for post-war victory. Yet now, the situation had shifted entirely: the Legion was actually obtaining supplies from the Bugra Free State. That was no feudal kingdom, but an industrialized commercial city-state. As a vassal of the Great Rift Valley, its industrial capacity was on par with Boulder City's, and it had acquired a vast stock of supplies originally meant for the Legion's expeditionary forces—ready-made matériel that could be immediately deployed! At this thought, Chu Guang broke out in a cold sweat. Thank goodness he had gone all-in back then, and thank goodness his players had pulled through and shot down the Heart of Steel. Had that airship slipped away to rejoin the main host, let alone the Lion Kingdom and Yun Song's detachment not surviving to this day, Griffin might already be holding a victory parade in Boulder City. "It seems the alliance among the desert kingdoms is far less united than Prince Kaliman claimed." Picking up a marker to draw a red circle on the map, Chu Guang sank into thought. Sitting on the desk, Xiao Qi tilted her head. "Master, did that Kaliman lie to you?" Chu Guang shook his head. "Not necessarily. How much could an envoy possibly know? Furthermore, this is the wasteland; information travels even slower than in the Middle Ages. River Valley Province itself is the crossroads for east-west trade across the continent, making a covert supply line disguised among merchant routes exceedingly difficult to detect." Intelligence work wasn't magic. One couldn't unravel such matters simply by dispatching a person or a mouse to take a peek; someone had to embed themselves deep inside the supply chain to parse the hidden threads step by step. The Alliance's investment in intelligence had never been meager, but establishing a network required time. Uncovering this lead was, honestly, partly a stroke of luck. And to unravel the entire supply chain, that merchant named Adan might prove to be a vital clue. That included the surviving Korwei. The blame for the defeat did not rest on his shoulders. Executing subordinates in petty wrath was the habit of feudal monarchs; as inhumane as the Legion was toward outsiders, it maintained strict protocols and internal regulations. Upon successfully returning to the Legion, far from being demoted, Korwei might well be promoted for his loyalty. His sole obstacle to advancement lay in belonging to the "Maclen faction," which might subject him to suppression by General Griffin. Whether he could climb the ranks depended on pedigree and personal ability—there was no guessing that from afar. With a slight stir in his thoughts, Chu Guang looked at Xiao Qi perched on the desk. "Issue a quest to our Pangolin... Have him maintain amicable relations with Korwei, and cultivate good relations with that merchant Adan without exposing his identity or motives." "We need to find out how much equipment is being shipped from the Bugra Free State into the Legion's hands, including the types, quantities, and values of these armaments... Ideally, secure hard evidence." "The trade between the Free State and the Legion might not be sanctioned by the Great Rift Valley. If we obtain decisive evidence, we could sever the Legion's eastern supply line without firing a single shot... But the prerequisite is that he must never be exposed or act in haste. What we need isn't a head or an invoice, but something far more damning!" Merchants could be bought. Yet in the merchant's eyes, the Alliance was not necessarily an attractive business partner. The difficulty of this quest was likely infernal. And truth be told, player levels were useless here. To motivate Brother Battlefield to work diligently, Chu Guang pondered for a moment before speaking: "Attach a suit of power armor as the ultimate quest reward—the kind with no contribution tier or level requirements." It had originally been a casual move on a broader chessboard; he hadn't expected it to bear much fruit. Yet to his surprise, this guy had actually pulled through. Armed only with broken Human Alliance speech and a fabricated identity, he had somehow maintained his undercover role. The guy was a real talent! He needed to ramp up the guy's sunk costs! Hearing this, Xiao Qi's eyes widened in surprise. "Power armor? But Master... there only seem to be two suits in the entire Alliance." One had been bought by Lao Bai. The other was Chu Guang's iconic blue power armor. Naturally, that suit could never be given away. To Xiao Qi's reminder, Chu Guang replied without hesitation: "There are only two *right now*. By the time he finishes the entire quest chain, I'll have at least ten suits." It was just gear worth a million silver coins. Pausing briefly, he added, "Also, summon Prince Kaliman. Have him await me in the reception room of Dawn City." Seeing that Chu Guang already had everything planned, Xiao Qi offered no further reminders and nodded enthusiastically. "Alright, Master! I've sent the summons!" "Well done." Rising from the sofa, Chu Guang picked up Xiao Qi, slipped her into his pocket, and walked toward the door of the reading room. The Alliance was still in its preparatory phase; until their supply lines were fully established, it was not yet time to go all-in. Right now, he was going to meet Prince Kaliman. He wanted to see what this desert native thought of his allies' betrayal. And while he was at it, seek a political solution to unravel this mess. Though it would likely be difficult, it was well worth an attempt...