Eyeing an Old Friend's Gold Coins Is Downright Dishonorable

If Professor Yang had posted it, hardly anyone would have believed it. However, it was a completely different story coming from the server's top-ranking grinders. Seeing that Jieyan had derailed the thread, Ye Shi hurried to clarify. “Ahem, it wasn’t that extreme... Even though we captured several Grade-E personnel, we didn't run into anyone trying to intercept us the entire way.” Fang Chang: “Looks like they don’t want to escalate things either.” Commander Spring: “After all, an Enterprise transport was shot down. Neither side probably wants to acknowledge it.” Jieyan: “Wait, here's the real question: what about the plane? Did you fix it?” Ye Shi: “I was just about to bring that up! Only one of the plane’s engines is broken; the other is perfectly fine. I was thinking it'd be such a waste to just leave it behind, so why not haul it back...” Fang Chang: “Hauling it back sounds great, but with the size of an Orca transport, how do you plan to pull that off?” Ye Shi: “Isn’t that why I’m asking you to brainstorm something? (Funny)” Killing Dagger: “That’s the gold we finally managed to loot from the old geezer! Please, bro!” Kidney Warrior: “Holy crap, so the Enterprise is the old geezer you were talking about.” Killing Dagger: “Hahaha, details, details!” “...Do you think I'm Doraemon?” Looking at the forum thread on his computer monitor, Fang Chang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Ye Shi: “Hurry up! It's not like you've been doing anything lately anyway. You’ve been completely MIA. (Funny)” Fang Chang rolled his eyes and typed back on his keyboard. “Piss off, I've been busy as hell.” During his time in Ideal City, he hadn't just been wandering around aimlessly. Instead, he had enrolled in an adult continuing education course at Yunjian University, using his studies to learn about Ideal City while fleshing out the operational details of the business plan for Changyue Company. This was the first true private-sector commercial cooperation between the Alliance and the Enterprise, and it would dictate how far the two powers could take their economic and trade relations in the future. To that end, he had spent considerable effort studying the Enterprise’s regulations and business models to avoid stumbling into obvious pitfalls. Just like what Li Shuyue had done during her time in the Alliance. Truth be told, hardcore gamer though he was, this was the first time he had ever invested so much emotional energy into a game. What astonished him even more was the development team behind Wasteland OL. They had designed such an astonishingly rich depth of content for a single survivor settlement that even after spending an entire month studying it, he felt he had barely scratched the surface. Long ago, he had begun wondering if the developers of Wasteland OL were extraterrestrial beings. Otherwise, there was simply no way to explain the cutting-edge AI, the hyper-realistic VR technology, and their global logistics delivery capability. And Ah Guang... Was he truly the Ah Guang he once knew? “Forget it, now isn't the time to ponder this... I need to figure out a way to haul that plane back first.” Massaging the bridge of his nose, Fang Chang gripped the mouse again and opened the map in the official website’s compendium, scrolling over to the approximate area of the crash site. Lacking reference landmarks, the Burning Corps had been unable to pinpoint their exact coordinates, only managing to circle a rough vicinity. Still, there was no need to worry about being unable to locate the transport. Even without drones or binoculars, a target that large could easily be tracked via the VM Ye Shi had left behind. If this were in Yunjian Province, they could have spent Cr to hire a private military company or a salvage crew to recover it. But out in the wasteland thousands of kilometers away... Wait. It wasn't entirely desolate wasteland. Fang Chang’s gaze suddenly landed on the Great Rift Valley, his eyes instantly lighting up with excitement as he typed away. “Doesn’t the Great Rift Valley have Genesis City and Endpoint City? We should be able to find mercenaries there willing to work for pay. Hell, maybe they could ship it directly to the Xizhou City industrial zone... Speaking of which, didn't Brother Edge go there? Why don’t you ask him?” Brother Edge: “Uh, ask me what? (Awkward)” Well, well. Lurking on the thread, were we? Seeing his reaction, however, Fang Chang had a bad feeling and typed out a confirmation. “Don't tell me you only went there to turn in a quest?” Brother Edge: “Uh... what else? Did I miss a side quest? (Awkward)” Even without the awkward emoji, Fang Chang could practically feel the embarrassment radiating through the screen and couldn't help facepalming. Wasn't exploring the surroundings before pushing the main quest standard operating procedure when entering a new map? Who just turns in a quest and leaves without looking around! Just as his headache was mounting, his gaze drifted toward the western intersection between Sunset Province and the Great Rift Valley on the map. If memory served, he recalled seeing a post by In Debt God or someone else mentioning a continuous stretch of nuclear craters and ancient battlefields spanning over a hundred kilometers there. Many scavengers combed the area for scrap, even forming nomadic settlements that moved wherever the scavenging took them. Many scavenger groups used the money earned from scrap to upgrade their equipment, possessing not only trucks, bulldozers, and forklifts, but even cranes, along with crude, handcrafted 'power armor' and 'exoskeletons.' And that wasn't even the crucial part. The most crucial part was that those scavengers accepted silver coins! The Death Corps had even purchased supplies from them! A plan instantly formed in Fang Chang's mind, and he tapped out a reply in the thread. “You guys can send a few people over to the vicinity of the Great Rift Valley to look for one of those scavenger settlements. Spend some silver coins to hire a crew to dismantle the plane into parts and haul them back to River Valley Province... Pay them a bit extra, and they might even deliver it right to our doorstep.” Brother Edge: “Holy shit?! Would that actually work?” Fang Chang: “As long as the pay is right, why wouldn't it? Besides, scavenging is their profession. Leave professional work to the professionals—makes total sense to me.” Jieyan: “Brilliant!” Ye Shi: “666!” In Debt God: “Damn, wasn't that map explored by us in the first place?” Construction Site Boy and Bricks: “@Brother Edge” Roller Washing Machine: “Damn, where's my corps commander? He was just in the thread a second ago.” Brother Mole: “Hahahahaha!” ... While the players were discussing how to haul the massive aircraft back, Chu Guang, who was lurking on the forums, stared at the screen with an utterly dumbfounded expression. Good grief. How many times had he been left flabbergasted today? After a long while, Chu Guang finally couldn't help letting out an exclamation. “...These guys are bloody geniuses.” Conscience speaking. Eyeing an old friend's gold coins was downright dishonorable. Yeah, truly dishonorable. It didn't quite fit his public persona, but since the players had already devised a plan, he would just let them run with it. Issuing an explicit quest would be redundant. “Master, your expression looks so weird,” Xiao Qi said, resting her chin on her hands from her perch on the rim of the pen holder as she observed his face with curiosity. “You're seeing things.” Chu Guang gave a light cough and immediately straightened his face into a serious expression before continuing. “Tell Jiu Li, the castellan of Daybreak City, to get ready. Once the parts cross the Tianshui River, have him buy them from the players with ‘pleasant surprise.’” Xiao Qi nodded with great enthusiasm. “Understood, Master! But... how do you buy something with ‘pleasant surprise’?” Chu Guang patiently explained. “Just act pleasantly surprised when handing over the money... Look at classic RPGs for reference. In short, make the players realize they've accomplished something extraordinary, and ensure they know that as long as they contribute to the Alliance, the Alliance will never shortchange their rewards.” In essence, it was about encouraging players to uncover 'Easter eggs' outside regular quests on their own. After all, with the player cap surpassing ten thousand following the unlocking of Level B6, relying solely on the quest system to guide the player base forward was becoming unsustainable. The clever players needed to take initiative and learn self-management. Just like right now. Chu Guang had long wanted to import those long-range heavy aircraft from the Enterprise, but the Enterprise had maintained an extremely cautious stance toward the matter, showing none of the generosity they had displayed when selling the Seagull drones or the No. 60 railgun. Chu Guang understood their caution, of course. To the various major factions across the wasteland, 'projection capability' was an asset far more sensitive than any dangerous weapon. Dangerous mutants could be dispatched with the cutting-edge weapons of civilization, but the only thing that could truly provide civilization with a sense of security was sheer distance. In this era, a wasteland teeming with mutants and a low Earth orbit congested with debris had become the most ideal moats. That was why Chu Guang had only ever asked Yi Chuan once whether they could import an Orca transport plane with an operational range exceeding three thousand kilometers. After receiving a polite refusal, he had tactfully never brought it up again. Yet to his utter surprise, the prize he had coveted without success had fallen into his hands through such an unexpected maneuver by his players. This was an unexpected windfall indeed. Once the Alliance’s researchers digested the plasma propulsion technology, he would select a portion of the foundational tech that wasn't overly advanced for the real world and share it on the forum. Plasma propulsion was primarily applied in aerospace, so these technologies would undoubtedly provide a massive boost to real-world space exploration. As for the method, it would remain the same as before. The chips on the table would never be monopolized by any single party. Only mutual benefit across all who participated—directly or indirectly—in the game constituted a true win-win, and smart people would naturally recognize the tacit understanding behind it. A fatherly, benevolent smile touched the corners of Chu Guang’s mouth. Not bad at all. Designing this system made him a bona fide genius! Just then, a voice like wind chimes drifted over from the pen holder. “Master.” In high spirits, Chu Guang replied airily, “What is it?” “Nothing, I just think you look really handsome when you smile!” Xiao Qi stroked her chin like an insightful little adult, giving him a firm, bright-eyed thumbs-up. Chu Guang laughed heartily. “Naturally.” Then again, had this little bot been laying on the flattery a bit thick lately? When had that started again...? ... Wisps of sparks drifted upward from the campfire. Sitting cross-legged before the fire, Lao Bai suddenly opened his eyes. Kuang Feng, sitting opposite him, was poking at the embers with a dry branch. Hearing him stir, he casually asked, “Awake?” “Yeah.” “Good timing. I’m logging off to grab a bite to eat.” Tossing the branch into the flames, Kuang Feng brushed the dust off his hands and added, as if remembering something, “Right, someone’s tailing us. About five kilometers back.” Lao Bai turned solemn. “Can you confirm their numbers?” Kuang Feng replied offhandedly, “One tracked vehicle. Still the same group; they haven’t left.” “Got it. Go log off and rest,” Lao Bai nodded. “Oh, by the way, I posted tomorrow’s schedule in the group chat. Take a look when you have a moment.” Kuang Feng flashed an OK sign, crossed his arms over his chest, leaned back against the boulder behind him, and closed his eyes to log off. Taking turns keeping night watch was standard practice for Wasteland OL players, and veteran players in particular had long mastered the art of logging in and out like clockwork. To the Academy personnel, however, the spectacle was bafflingly novel. From Zhao Xiao’s perspective, a patrol of returning soldiers walked up to the fire. Practically the moment their rears touched the dirt, another soldier sitting by the fire stood up, dusted off his trousers, and strode off in the direction the patrol had just arrived from. The entire handover was seamless. Far from showing any opening, the whole transition took less than thirty seconds! Watching those disciplined soldiers, Zhao Xiao swallowed hard against the stone pillar he was leaning against and muttered under his breath, “Are these guys robots...?” Beside him, Chen Yutong said nothing, though her eyes were equally brimming with astonishment. After observing them for so long, the thing that impressed her most about these soldiers claiming to hail from the Alliance was their discipline. Then again... Could the ability to fall asleep in seconds and the uncanny synchronization of waking up simultaneously really be achieved through training? She actually found herself envying the skill. At that same moment, roughly five kilometers away from the Burning Corps camp, a tracked vehicle sat quietly on the reverse slope of a hill. Sitting in the rear compartment, Jiang Xuezhou kept her eyes lightly closed, her brow knitting slightly. Noticing the shift in her expression, the squadmate beside her asked urgently, “Well? Is there an opening?” “None...” Jiang Xuezhou gave a slight shake of her head, her tone grave. “Their patrol routes are extremely tricky... Their field of view blankets every area within eight hundred meters. There are virtually no blind spots!” And they had drones, too! Even though those soldiers seemed to think they were well hidden, she had spotted them from the air: quadcopter drones perched among the surrounding rock piles, acting like stationary surveillance cameras. Combined with the roving patrols outside, approaching their camp without alerting them was practically impossible. From the driver’s seat, Lao Song couldn't help chiming in, “They have to change shifts eventually, right?” Jiang Xuezhou nodded. “They do... They just rotated guards a moment ago, but the entire process took less than half a minute.” Silence fell over the compartment. Neither Song Changfeng nor Zheng Hao looked pleased. They had originally intended to look for an opportunity to rescue their captured teammates, but now it seemed there was no chance. Jiang Xuezhou looked up toward Zheng Hao, who was smoking in the passenger seat. “Captain, what do we do?” Zheng Hao remained quiet for a moment before speaking. “Keep tailing them.” The squad exchanged glances, saying nothing. Lao Song nodded and fell silent as well. Apart from waiting for an opportunity, they had no better alternatives. Yet... Would that opportunity ever come? ... After relieving Kuang Feng of guard duty, Lao Bai sought out a player who had just logged in and instructed him, “Take two brothers and head out ahead of us. Make a trip toward the nuclear crater area in northwestern River Valley Province, locate the scavenger camps there, and ask if they're willing to take on a massive job.” Having read Ye Shi’s thread before logging on, the player immediately grasped Lao Bai’s intent, grinning as he nodded. “Understood!” The three players temporarily detached from the unit, heading down the fork toward the southeast. Feeling his stomach rumble, Lao Bai sat back down by the campfire to prepare a late-night meal. They had salvaged plenty of supplies from the transport plane without wasting a scrap. With ample food and freshwater, there was no need to pinch pennies. Setting up an iron plate and a trivet over the fire, Lao Bai practicedly tore open plastic packaging, dumping the rice, mineral water, and braised pork into a metal mess tin before slapping the lid on and placing it atop the iron plate. Before long, bubbles began gurgling along the edges of the tin. Reaching out to lift the tin off the heat, Lao Bai cracked the lid for a look and nodded in satisfaction. A simple meal of braised pork over rice was ready. A rich, savory aroma immediately wafted out. Not far away, the two captives who were still awake swallowed hard, their eyes instinctively straying in this direction. Noticing this, Lao Bai gave an understanding smile, tossed two more tins onto the iron plate, and once they were piping hot, carried them over to the pair. “Hungry?” Zhao Xiao stared at him tensely, remaining silent. Beside him, Chen Yutong was just as tense, but seeing that his expression was far from menacing, she couldn't help nodding sheepishly. Lao Bai smiled and handed each captive a meal tin, including the stubborn young man. Accepting the food, Chen Yutong lowered her head in embarrassment. “Thank you...” “Don't mention it. Eat slowly, watch out for the heat,” Lao Bai replied casually before sitting down across from them. Unable to endure her gnawing hunger any longer, Chen Yutong eagerly opened the tin. Though the food looked peculiarly unfamiliar, she followed Lao Bai's earlier example, scooping up a spoonful of sauce-drenched rice with her spoon. The instant the spoon entered her mouth, a strange light flashed in her eyes. The flavor... was odd. She took another bite. Determined to understand what was happening to her taste buds, she shoved another spoonful into her mouth, followed by another, and another. As her cheeks worked rhythmically, the tension on her face gradually dissolved, replaced by mounting astonishment. This... What kind of extraordinary technology was this?! Had they scavenged this from some pre-war ruin?? Seeing that the young man remained motionless, Lao Bai chuckled teasingly, “Go ahead and eat. It isn't poisoned. We wouldn't waste something like that on you two.” Staring at the tin in his hands, Zhao Xiao, who had remained quiet all this time, suddenly said in a low voice, “I killed one of your men... Don't you hate me?” Chen Yutong whipped her head toward the tactless blockhead, her sauce-flecked face plastered with shock as if shouting, *Do you have a death wish?!* However, Lao Bai didn't take it to heart. He simply continued eating, replying casually, “I wouldn't call it hate. He was a soldier. A seventeen- or eighteen-year-old kid couldn't beat him in a straight fight; he could've pounded you black and blue with his bare hands. What killed him was the war—you just happened to fire the bullet that hit him.” Of course, saying all that was easy because players could respawn. Had this happened in reality, he would likely have felt differently. At the thought, Lao Bai added half-jokingly, “Naturally, I'm the only one who looks at it that way. If someone else catches you next time, you won't be so lucky.” Zhao Xiao’s expression stiffened, a swirl of conflicting emotions surging within him. Chen Yutong quickly steered the conversation away from the heavy topic. “What kind of place... is the Alliance, really?” Though asked on a whim, it was a question she had harbored for a while. “That's a pretty abstract question,” Lao Bai pondered for a moment. “To the wastelanders, it's probably a place where they can huddle together for warmth.” Zhao Xiao looked up at him in surprise. “From the way you talk, you're not a wastelander?” “Vault Dweller.” Seeing their bewildered expressions, Lao Bai rubbed his stubble and chuckled. “It's normal if you think I don't look the part... The beard just grows too fast. If I shaved, I'd look more like one.” Zhao Xiao’s expression grew subtle. In his memory, Vault Dwellers looked nothing like this... even without a beard, he couldn't picture it. “Then... what about for you?” Chen Yutong pressed on. “What kind of place is the Alliance to a Vault Dweller?” “Me...?” Lao Bai gave it some serious thought before replying, “I can't speak for others, but for me, it's a place where I found a new lease on life.” Zhao Xiao: “A new lease on life?” Lao Bai adopted a conversational tone. “Yeah. It's been a while since I left the military. Civilian life after discharge was fine and all, but none of the skills and knowledge I'd spent years honing were of any use anymore. Looking back occasionally, it felt like a waste... But here, I rediscovered the purpose my subconscious was craving.” While seeking 'purpose' in a virtual world sounded strange, craving real combat in the real world would have been far stranger. If push came to shove, he would report back to his old unit without hesitation just like any other serviceman, using burning resolve to defend uncompromising lines. Yet if given the choice, he naturally wished for eternal peace, hoping he would never have to use those skills in reality for the rest of his life. Neither of them could fully grasp what he meant, particularly with so many unfamiliar terms sprinkled throughout his words. Chen Yutong furrowed her brow slightly. “Purpose?” “That's right, a reason for living,” Lao Bai smiled, his tone light and relaxed. “Beyond having a full belly and a roof over your head, a person needs to strive for something. The Alliance’s style happens to suit my tastes, and along with the other play—er, Vault Dwellers, watching our Alliance grow day by day is pretty fun.” *A pursuit beyond just having enough food and water.* *What an extravagant concept.* Staring at the spotless tin where not even a drop of gravy remained, Chen Yutong felt a swell of emotion and let out a self-deprecating chuckle. This was the wasteland. Just surviving was already hard enough... Seeing the two of them fall silent, Lao Bai continued in a bantering tone, “Don't just interrogate me—who's the prisoner here anyway? What about you guys? Let's chat.” Zhao Xiao grew wary. “Chat about what...?” Lao Bai smiled. “Whatever you like. Life, dreams, girls you fancy.” Once rapport was built, extracting intelligence became far easier. He was thoroughly well-versed in this routine. When capturing prisoners, they rarely went straight to interrogations. Instead, they would chat about home and family, reminding the captive that they weren't just a salaried soldier, but someone's friend, husband, or relative—just like their captors. Were it not for their differing allegiances, they might even have been friends. Appealing to emotion worked far better than torture; in the flow of casual conversation, a captive might let something slip before they even realized what they had done. Of course, this technique only worked on regular captives—especially lower-tier personnel. Professional covert operatives trained to resist interrogation were another story entirely. Then again, dealing with those wasn't their job anyway.