Early November.
Winter had arrived on the East Coast. Though it hadn't snowed yet like it did the previous year, thick clouds hung low across the gloomy sky.
For the residents of Ideal City, today was without a doubt a sorrowful day.
Their heroes had not returned home in the end.
After so much lingering waiting, this was the outcome they received.
Many found it impossible to accept.
At the press conference venue.
The spacious hall was packed, reporters from various media outlets gathered together.
Although Wu Changnian, Deputy Minister of the General Management Department, had stepped off his flight not long ago, rumors had already flooded the city two days prior. Consequently, while he had still been dozing in midair, the people on the ground had already scheduled his entire itinerary upon landing.
Taking advantage of the few minutes before the press conference officially began, the attendees began whispering amongst themselves.
"We spent billions and fought a localized war for this... and this is the result we get?"
"I don't know what the Council was thinking."
"What could they think? By the time our people arrived, they were already dead—and months ago at that."
"Sigh."
"Honestly, what bothers me even more is that Enlightenment Society..."
"True. Replacing people's memories... it gives me goosebumps just hearing about it."
"Is that really an organization made up of blue jackets?"
"I just hope none of those people are hiding in the shelters across Yunjian Province."
"We shouldn't leave our hopes to mere wishes. The Council needs to do something to ensure none of those bastards are around us!"
The murmuring grew louder and louder.
What people cared about wasn't just that the Pioneer had achieved nothing, or that tens of billions in investments had gone down the drain along with billions more added to the budget.
Most were even more unnerved by the chilling implications of the Enlightenment Society.
If the fruits of today's labor could be usurped some day in the future, then creating any amount of value became meaningless.
No one could accept coming home from work one day only to face an unfamiliar gaze, much less accept a bunch of shadows lurking in the dark, stealthily replacing them.
Over five thousand kilometers—not terribly far, really. If someone wanted to cross it, they could always find a way.
Meanwhile, in the prep room beside the press conference hall, Wu Changnian, who had just transferred by car straight from his flight, hadn't even had a sip of water before striding toward the stage.
Chasing after him with a stack of documents, his office secretary urged him earnestly,
"...At least sit down and rest for a bit, sir!"
"No need. I rested plenty on the plane—from the Great Desert, to the Lion Kingdom, to Dawn City, and back here. There's a Council meeting this afternoon; I have to wrap things up here at the press conference first... This is the task the Council entrusted to me." Wu Changnian clicked open his holographic computer pen, glancing at the day's itinerary, his scalp prickling slightly.
He was only a deputy minister; being this busy truly exceeded his expectations.
However—
Suddenly becoming so busy wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
It was a good omen; perhaps before long, he could take another step up in his career.
At that thought, his slightly fatigued face brightened with renewed vigor. Even if he had only gone to make an appearance, he was now, after all, a tough figure who had seen the battlefield.
"The reporters outside look aggressive. I'm afraid they won't go easy on you," the secretary said with a wry smile, making one last attempt at dissuasion, only to be pushed aside.
"Let them come!"
The doors swung open amidst flashing lights.
Just as Wu Changnian stepped onto the podium and before he could speak, interview drones darted forward, arraying themselves into a neat arc before him. A barrage of clamoring questions immediately followed.
"Mr. Wu Changnian, how do you evaluate this rescue operation?"
"Deputy Minister Wu, we expended countless resources building the Pioneer and sent our finest personnel into the wilderness, only to find nothing in the end... Do you consider this a waste of resources?"
"Does the Council have nothing to say about this?"
"Will the dip in Silverwing Group's stock price affect its seat on the Council?"
"I heard only one person was rescued, and that person happens to be the eldest son of Silverwing Group's CEO and Supreme Council member. I'd like to know if there was bias in the rescue effort."
"Should we increase our intervention in the shelter factions—"
"Enough! Quiet!"
A booming roar erupted, instantly stunning the entire hall. The clamor of the press conference went dead silent for several seconds.
Looking at the hushed venue and the stunned faces, Wu Changnian took a deep breath, slowing his pace and tone as he continued:
"You have more questions than the bullets that flew past my head. I know there is much you want to ask. Captain Lu Yang's recording will answer some of your doubts. We will upload that recording to the Endpoint Cloud and preserve it in the museum for everyone to access... But before that, listen to me first!"
Pausing, his tone took on a touch of solemn gravity.
"Today... I want to tell a sorrowful story.
"A group of brave young men set out on an expedition with an ideal in their hearts. They crossed mountains and rivers, traversed plains, forests, ranges, and deserts—not to seek riches, nor for land or conquest... but for a legend that has circulated among us, an ideal we have recited for a century yet never verified.
"Our civilization has stagnated. We fear the risks of the wasteland, fantasizing that an omnipotent savior rests in a hibernation pod inside Shelter 0, waiting for a magnificent paradise to come deliver itself to our feet... If no one had gone there to see for themselves, we would never have let go of that childish fantasy.
"I want to say that he did something magnificent. Even if he might have guessed from the start that the ending wouldn't be perfect, he still did what he believed he had to do. And right until the end, he had no regrets. So if you ask me whether I feel regret, whether I feel remorse, my answer is no.
"Never!"
His voice was resolute, his eyes burning like torches.
Standing there at this moment, he didn't look like a man in his forties or fifties; even the crisscrossing wrinkles on his face radiated a youthful vigor once more.
"Even if only one person was brought back, even if not a single person had been rescued, this operation would never have been meaningless to us.
"Credit is more precious than gold. We honored our promise, never abandoning any citizen stranded abroad. To those who doubted us, we demonstrated our uncompromising resolve, and on this journey, we forged invaluable friendships...
"And more importantly—our bravery!"
Looking at the drones before him, he saw through their lenses the faces of the people, and farther beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the prosperous metropolis outside.
"We have not failed our ancestors. The residents of Vault 6 and the Zhiyuan colony ship will be proud of our choice.
"We are worthy of being descendants of heroes!"
Applause rang out across the hall.
At first it was a gentle drizzle, then swelled into a raging tempest.
Even the reporters who had come armed with thorny questions were swept up in the atmosphere, instinctively clapping their hands together.
At least at this moment, the applause was not for someone on stage, but for themselves.
In a lounge not far away, Ye Shi clapped his hands. Amid his stirred feelings, he couldn't help a very human bit of sour banter:
"Man, he sure talks pretty."
He remembered clearly how those people had tried to back out more than once. In his view, if the Administrator hadn't withstood the pressure and promised to end the war within the year, today's press conference might well have been announcing that the Pioneer was "missing."
By the way, he had hitched a ride to Ideal City on Deputy Minister Wu's flight.
Not just him, but Lao Bai, Kuang Feng, Mole, and the others as well.
Standing beside him, Fang Chang smiled and patted his young buddy Ye Shi on the shoulder.
"You just love being a contrarian. The guy is a deputy minister of Ideal City; he represents Ideal City, represents the Council. If he doesn't say it like that, tell me how he should say it."
Ye Shi thought for a moment, trying hard to find a flaw.
"He could at least emphasize our role a bit more."
"Our role needs no verbal emphasis. People will remember our favor; the things that need constant emphasizing are usually the least important," Fang Chang said, patting his shoulder before turning to his good brothers Lao Bai and Kuang Feng with a smile. "Follow me. Let me show you what I've achieved these past few months."
The group stepped into an elevator and rode up to the observation deck on the building's top floor.
Ye Shi glanced left and right, saw nothing, and teased him, "Don't tell me your achievement of these past few months is just this rooftop."
Fang Chang didn't reply. Checking the time on his wristwatch, he cast his gaze toward the Council Building right at the center of Ideal City.
"Over there."
No sooner had his voice fallen than dazzling light and shadows converged across the facade of the building, forming a bucket brimming with fried chicken and a large cup of black soda.
In the real world where cultural exchange was seamless, this was nothing new, but to the residents of Ideal City, it was novel enough.
Lines of advertising text flashed across the display:
[The first Kendaji store is officially open! Exotic delicacies await your visit!]
[Store Address: ...]
At first, Ye Shi couldn't understand what was written. When he pulled open his VM translator, he nearly burst out laughing.
"Pfft! Kendaji? Really? How old is that meme?"
"Pretty damn old," Kuang Feng chimed in with a dry remark.
"Haha, goes to show I'm not young anymore," Fang Chang laughed cheerfully.
Lao Bai chuckled and teased, "Damn, are you really planning to port everything from the real world into the wasteland?"
"It's just complementary advantages," Fang Chang said, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his index finger. "Fried chicken and cola are just testing the waters. Next come mantou, steamed buns, jianbing, dumplings, and pre-packaged meals. The proposal includes fast-food brands like 'Mr. Xiaomi' and others. We plan to build a cultural value-added matrix of Alliance foods here in Ideal City.
"All we need to do is manage the standards and quality control. The actual operation of the stores can be done through franchises in partnership with local food and catering companies, producing and selling right on site... For now, this cooperation model suits us best."
After all, the Alliance couldn't send too many employees to Enterprise territory; on one hand, integrating into local society was difficult, and on the other, they might be seen as taking local jobs.
Supplying only the concepts and ideas was the plan Fang Chang had settled on from the start. As long as "fried chicken" bore the Alliance's label, the moment Ideal City residents thought of that crisp, golden delicacy, they would head straight to stores certified by an Alliance company.
If operations went well, Changyue Group would open up a substantial market worth tens of billions for Niuma Group in Ideal City.
And once that market opened up and Ideal City residents embraced Dawn City's culture, lifestyle players could also come to Ideal City to open shops.
Everyone would benefit; it was a win-win without question.
Listening to the business blueprint Fang Chang described, Ye Shi was utterly bewildered. He scratched the back of his head for ages without understanding a bit of it, so he simply gave up.
To play a game to this level—among all the people he knew, Brother Fang Chang was one of a kind.
Admitting he wasn't cut out for business, he simply lay flat.
Having finished talking about Niuma Group's future business plans, Fang Chang suddenly turned his gaze to Ye Shi and asked with interest, "Right, Lao Bai mentioned you met an Academy researcher recently? What's the deal there?"
He had always been intrigued by that Academy nestled in the marsh.
Rumor had it they possessed even more black tech than the Enterprise, though very little ever leaked onto the wasteland.
According to the official lore, if one truly wanted to purchase top-tier gear, prying open the Academy's doors seemed like a must.
Perhaps Ye Shi could serve as a breakthrough.
Yet faced with those gossipy eyes, Ye Shi was entirely baffled. "What deal?"
Patting Ye Shi's shoulder, Lao Bai grinned at Fang Chang. "You underestimate this guy. Not just an Academy researcher—even an old lady from the Enterprise took an interest in him."
Recalling the little incident on the plane, Kuang Feng gave a subtle nod. "Though I think there's a difference... maybe she just wants to adopt a godson."
Ye Shi: "???"
Fang Chang looked at Ye Shi in surprise. "Holy crap, man, that's not cool... keeping secrets from your dear old dad."
"Piss off! I don't even know what you guys are talking about. I... I never thought about dating an NPC anyway!"
Seeing that Fang Chang's grinning face showed he hadn't taken his explanation seriously at all, Ye Shi, his face turning red with fluster, hurriedly dropped this baffling topic and redirected his fire at the jerk himself:
"Tch, stop talking about me. When are you heading back?"
Fang Chang answered plainly, "I'm heading back with you guys in a bit."
Ye Shi froze, looking at him in disbelief. "Just leaving like that?"
Fang Chang looked at him strangely. "Yeah, what else?"
"Nothing," Ye Shi scratched his head. "I'm just a bit surprised."
Roughly guessing what surprised him, Fang Chang smiled. "Things here have been arranged properly. The actual operations of Changyue Group are handled by professional managers; there isn't much we need to worry about. This cooperative venture is more of a test run anyway. Over the past century, Ideal City has never had direct commercial cooperation over such vast distances, which is why I spent extra time here."
Before this, most cooperation between the Enterprise and the outside world had been indirect.
For example, Enterprise corporations partnered with merchants in Yunjian Province to trade for the resources Ideal City needed, while Yunjian merchants carried Ideal City products farther away to trade for what they needed.
This was undoubtedly a major change.
As for what impact it would have on the future, that remained to be seen.
By the way, just a few days ago, Fang Chang had completed several courses at Yunjian University.
Though it was only introductory knowledge, it was plenty for him to digest for a long time.
When he had the chance in the future, he would return for further studies and try to earn that diploma.
"Li Shuyue, the CEO of Ruyue Group, is also full of confidence about this. She likewise believes this will become a historic moment... After more than a century, Ideal City's direct business has finally expanded outside Yunjian Province again, and its residents have at last stepped out of this fortress and onto the wasteland once more. From what she said, she's quite grateful to us."
Kuang Feng remarked with feeling, "Sounds a bit like the beginning of a new story."
Fang Chang smiled. "Doesn't it?"
Because of an expedition, stagnant history had begun to move forward again, and every one of them was a witness to this moment. In the distant future, when people reminisced about that early patch version, they would surely remember the names of participants like them.
Ye Shi suddenly gave a sly chuckle. "Right, I almost forgot to ask: what's your relationship with that Li Shuyue?"
Fang Chang rolled his eyes. "No relationship at all... And I'm warning you, don't go gossiping around, especially over there. Your bro is a married man."
Ye Shi: "Damn! You're this principled even in a game?!"
"You don't understand," Fang Chang shook his head and murmured pensively. "True devotion is precious precisely because it only happens once."
"Bleeeergh!"
While Ye Shi leaned against the wall pretending to gag, Fang Chang turned toward Lao Bai, who was watching them with an amused smile.
"Right, Lao Bai, what mission did the Administrator give us this time?"
Lao Bai grinned. "A thousand cubic meters of helium-3, waiting for us to recover in some research facility in Jinchuan Province."
Fang Chang inhaled sharply. "How much is that...?"
"Going by real-world energy consumption, assuming third-generation fusion tech is unlocked, a thousand cubic meters of helium-3 would cover Earth's consumption for a whole year. As for in-game," Kuang Feng pondered for a moment and shrugged, "at the Alliance's current consumption rate, it's probably enough to last until the servers shut down."
Even for Ideal City, annual energy consumption likely didn't exceed that figure.
One could imagine what an astronomical fortune that was!
"Until servers shut down is a bit much," Fang Chang chuckled after his surprise, glancing toward the sky. "Our destination is up there."
"Quit joking around. How long do you plan to rest?" Patting his buddy's shoulder, Lao Bai smiled. "The Administrator gave us plenty of time. Wrapping it up within six months won't be an issue."
"How long to rest?" Fang Chang paused slightly. "Didn't I say I'm heading back with you guys—"
Ye Shi rolled his eyes. "You sure? You're not going to spend time with your Dolly once you're back?"
A rare blush touched Fang Chang's usually calm face. He coughed softly in embarrassment and looked aside. "Give me a few days..."
Seeing Fang Chang suddenly act all shy and sheepish, Ye Shi felt goosebumps erupt all over his body, craning his neck toward the sky in theatrical agony.
"Curse you... I really want to chuck this bastard off the rooftop!"
Seeing Ye Shi contorted with envy and jealousy, Lao Bai burst out laughing and gave him a hearty smack on the shoulder.
Standing nearby, Kuang Feng gave the kid a sideways glance. "...Didn't you bring it up yourself?"
...
A week had passed since the "Shelter 0" incident.
Over five thousand kilometers away in the Great Desert, those who hadn't evacuated were still busy clearing the battlefield and wrapping up loose ends.
Although some fast-moving players had already returned to the Alliance—some even heading as far as the easternmost tip of the Mid-Continent—Chu Guang, as Administrator, had not yet left.
There was still a mountain of matters awaiting his handling here.
In the previous battle, the Alliance had captured a full 120 Enlightenment Society disciples. These people would be brought back to Dawn City to stand trial in the courts there.
Even though they were shelter residents, the Alliance would not treat them leniently because of where they came from; in terms of sentencing, they would be treated equally alongside any other captives.
However, deciding which laws to use as a standard and determining the sentencing details for different ranks still required discussion between Alliance legal scholars and the general public.
Yet one thing would not change.
Even if they had been victims deceived by the Enlightenment Society, they still had to answer for having acted as accomplices to evil.
They would be sentenced to more than ten years of imprisonment, undergoing reform through labor during their sentences while performing mandatory community service for welfare institutions like Refugee Homes and Workers' Schools. They would assist rescued wasteland survivors in medical and educational fields, with sentences eligible for reduction based on good conduct.
If they made extraordinary contributions during their sentence, their penalties could likewise be reduced.
Punishment was a means, not the end. The knowledge, skills, and experience possessed by shelter residents were a valuable asset—also part of the legacy left behind by the Human Alliance.
Those who were stubbornly incorrigible had already perished on the battlefield, while these captives who had wavered in the face of death were, in Chu Guang's view, worth giving a chance at redemption.
Aside from settling these hundred-plus prisoners, there was one more important matter to resolve before returning home.
Namely, the airship anchored beside the camp.
Although the buffer airbags and parachutes had mitigated the airship's descent speed and impact with the ground, the craft's structural integrity hadn't escaped unscathed.
Especially the wings on either side.
When detonating the outer armor to shed weight, the connection joints between the wings and the hull were damaged, causing them to snap during the fall.
Even with the antigravity units operating normally, the machine couldn't go anywhere.
Fortunately, the five base vehicles could fabricate parts needed to repair the airship's wings and propeller engines; after a week of work, repairs were nearly complete.
By comparison, the Arbiter's condition was far more miserable.
Though Chu Guang hadn't asked, one could tell just from Captain Adria's grim expression that things were utterly dire.
Over the past two days, players intending to return aboard the Heart of Steel had been roaming the vicinity, building the Alliance's outpost in the Great Desert while scouting for traces of the Enlightenment Society.
However, they found no leads on the Enlightenment Society; instead, they uncovered quite a few mutant nests hidden among the ruins.
As a result, another 160 or so rescued survivors were brought into the Alliance camp.
Adding them to those from before, the number of survivors in the camp approached three hundred.
What brought mixed feelings was that this might only be the tip of the iceberg in this hellscape; in places the Alliance had yet to tread, who knew how many similar tragedies remained...
...
Near the Industrial Building.
A sharply defined concrete slab stood on the steps of the building's main entrance. Across the upright face of the slab, lines of names familiar to Chu Guang were engraved.
The Enterprise had taken the personal effects left behind by their employees in the wreckage of the Pioneer.
Before departing on their return journey, the man named Yun Song had led his 26th Strike Team to fetch a concrete slab from nearby to serve as a monument, carving the names of the Pioneer's crew upon it as a memorial.
A sturdier, more beautiful monument was still being crafted; it wouldn't arrive from Ideal City to the Alliance—and from the Alliance to this place—until next month.
Over the past few days, Chu Guang came here every day to look at those familiar names and the place where they had fought.
In truth, he had always remembered them.
Luo Hua, who looked refined, was actually a drunkard, yet he never refused a bowl of tasty mushroom soup. The reticent beauty bodyguard Ai Si loved fluffy things... like Rou Rou, and was even willing to spend money on it.
Yuan Hao, the water truck driver, loved steamed buns; he once bought more than fifty at a time to share with his colleagues, marking the beginning of the Alliance's "light industry." Li De, the logistics chief, was a shrewd old fox, but he had always paid fair wages by the book... and so many other interesting people.
To earn more Cr from them, Fang Chang and Brother Mole had written quite a few strategy guides, which Chu Guang had sometimes secretly peeked at to learn a trick or two.
As for Lu Yang.
He was a man with a fierce sense of justice; his decisiveness, courage, and kindness were deeply impressive, even enviable.
Unfortunately...
Many were no longer here.
"...When I saw Luo Hua, I actually thought that misfortune had already befallen you all, that this rescue might yield no results. But I still told my companions that our friends were in danger, and we had to go bring them back.
"We crossed deserts, traversed valleys, marched twenty-five hundred kilometers, and defeated a formidable enemy thought to be invincible... only, in the end, we still failed to bring you home.
"For a brief moment, I thought about killing those captives to avenge you. Even if those disciples weren't the killers, they were accomplices. But then I quickly realized: if you were still alive, you would surely stop me, telling me this isn't vengeance, but pure venting of anger—pointless and ugly..."
Letting out a soft sigh, Chu Guang placed a bouquet of wildflowers before the monument.
"The right choice is always the hardest. If we don't correct the mistakes that have happened and are happening, the Wasteland Era will never end.
"You were a group of magnificent adventurers.
"Thank you for having come."
The Heart of Steel was repaired and would embark on its return journey tomorrow.
Still, I will come back to visit you.
Pulling his gaze back from the tall concrete monument, Chu Guang turned and walked down the steps. Just then, a rustle came from nearby.
Chu Guang paused and glanced over to see Rama standing there.
He remembered this brave girl; when everyone else had remained silent, she had been the first to step forward and provide many critical clues.
Seeing the expression on her face that indicated she had something to say, Chu Guang spoke in a gentle tone:
"Is something the matter?"
Rama hesitated for a moment, but the resolve in her eyes didn't waver. Biting her lower lip, she remained silent and dropped to one knee on the ground.
Chu Guang sighed.
He really wasn't used to survivors kneeling at the drop of a hat.
"Stand up and speak."
Hearing the tone that brooked no refusal, Rama quietly stood up. After a brief silence, she spoke slowly:
"Respected Administrator, I... want to stay."
Roughly guessing her concerns, Chu Guang said patiently:
"Going to the Alliance means starting a new life. There are many survivors just like you there; people won't care about your past."
"I believe you, but... I still want to stay here," Rama murmured after a long pause. "There are still many people here who haven't been saved."
Chu Guang looked at her with surprise, not expecting her to have such resolve.
His gaze grew serious, and he asked again in an earnest tone:
"Have you thought this through?"
Rama nodded firmly.
"Yes... This isn't an impulse; I've thought about it for a long time. I am deeply grateful to you for saving us. If possible, we want to do something as well."
After seeing those girls the Alliance had rescued from mutant nests, and thinking about the countless other mutant tribes like "Blackstone" across this wasteland, the idea of staying had taken root in her heart.
Even though fighting wouldn't be easy, no one was born an Awakened; without taking the first step, one would forever remain sheep in a pen.
In fact, this wasn't just her idea.
It was shared by quite a few rescued survivors.
Their thoughts were simpler: rather than heading to an unknown place to start a new life, it was better to begin right on the ground beneath their feet.
There was plenty of fresh water here, sources of food, and already-built shelters. Even if they didn't become warriors, they could tend crops or raise insects. Although living here came with danger, where on this wasteland was truly safe?
At least here, they wouldn't have to face the strange, judging looks of strangers...
Surprise turned into approval. Chu Guang nodded at her, speaking with gratification:
"I'm glad you think that way. I'll leave behind some weapons—enough for you to protect yourselves. We will also leave some people behind to operate alongside you, and send supply shipments periodically. If you run into trouble you can't handle, you can ask for their help. Though they have their own missions, they'll be more than happy to tackle challenges outside of them.
"Also, if the tools on the Pioneer are still usable, salvage and repurpose them. Still being able to help others after retirement—that man would feel gratified... Just remember to come sweep this grave once in a while and say thank you to him."
Rama nodded and said respectfully:
"I will keep your teachings in mind."
"Hardly teachings, just suggestions."
Chu Guang cast his gaze toward the stone monument not far away.
He had harbored a similar thought earlier.
The Enterprise honored those brave people in their own way, and the Alliance would likewise honor those comrades in its own way...
"From this day forward.
"This place shall be Pioneer City."
Chapter 513