Early November.
Winter has arrived on the East Coast. Although it didn't snow like last year, the low sky was still covered with thick clouds.
For the residents of Ideal City, today is undoubtedly a sad day.
Their hero didn't return home in the end.
After waiting for so long, the result was just like this.
Many people couldn't accept it.
Press conference.
The spacious venue was crowded with reporters from various media.
Although Wu Changnian, deputy director of the General Management Department, had just gotten off the plane not long ago, the relevant news had already spread all over the city two days ago. So much so that while he was still taking a nap in the sky, people on the ground had already arranged his itinerary after landing.
While there was still some time before the press conference officially started, everyone at the scene whispered to each other.
"We spent billions and fought a local war for this... and this is the result?"
"I don't know what the Council thinks."
"What can we think? By the time our people arrived, they were already dead, and it was months ago."
"Ah."
"Actually, what I care more about is the Enlightenment Society..."
"Indeed, replacing people's memories... It sounds creepy."
"Is that really the organization of the blue jackets?"
"I hope there won't be those guys in the shelter in Yunjian Province."
"We shouldn't pin our hopes on wishful thinking. The Council should do something to ensure that there are no such guys around us!"
The whispers are getting louder and louder.
People are not only concerned about the fact that the Pioneer has nothing to gain, but also that tens of billions of investments have gone down the drain, and billions of budgets have been lost for this.
Most people are more concerned about the terrifying Enlightenment Society.
If the fruits of today's labor may be usurped one day in the future, then creating more value is meaningless.
No one can accept that when you go home after get off work one day, you will see a pair of strange eyes, and you can't accept a group of little ghosts hiding in the dark to replace you.
More than 5,000 kilometers, it's not too far, there is always a way to get there.
At the same time, in the preparation room next to the press conference site, Wu Changnian, who had just got off the plane and transferred here, walked towards the site without drinking a sip of water.
Chasing beside him with documents, his office secretary persuaded him earnestly.
"... At least sit down and rest for a while!"
"No need, I have rested long enough on the plane, from the Great Desert, to the Lion Kingdom, to the Dawn City, and then here. There is another meeting of the Board of Directors in the afternoon, and I must first get the press conference done... This is the task assigned to me by the Board of Directors." Wu Changnian opened the holographic computer pen, glanced at today's schedule, and couldn't help but feel a tingling scalp.
He is just a deputy, and it is really beyond his expectation to be so busy.
But -
Being busy suddenly may not be a bad thing.
This is a good omen. Perhaps it won't be long before he can make further progress in his career.
Thinking of this, the slightly tired face became energetic again. Although he just went up for a walk, he was a tough guy who had been on the battlefield.
"The reporters outside look aggressive. I'm afraid they won't let you off easily." The secretary beside him smiled bitterly and made the final persuasion, but he pushed it away.
"Then let them come!"
The door opened and the lights flickered.
Wu Changnian had just walked to the front desk and hadn't spoken yet when a series of interview drones came over and lined up in front of him in an arc, followed by a barrage of questions.
"Mr. Wu Changnian, how do you evaluate this rescue operation?"
"Deputy Minister Wu, we spent countless resources to build the Pioneer, sent the best personnel to the wilderness, and finally found nothing... Do you think this is a waste of resources?"
"Does the board of directors have anything to say about this?"
"Will the decline in the share price of Silver Wing Group affect the change of its board seats?"
"I heard that only one person was rescued, and that person happened to be the eldest son of the CEO of Silver Wing Group and a member of the company's highest council. I want to know if there is bias in the rescue work."
"Should we increase our interference in the shelter forces--"
"Enough! Quiet!"
The loud voice suddenly broke out, instantly calming the whole audience, and the hustle and bustle of the press conference site suddenly quieted for a few seconds.
Looking at the scene that stopped making noise and the confused faces, Wu Changnian took a deep breath, slowed down his speed and tone and continued to speak.
"You have more questions than the bullets that graze my head. I know you want to ask a lot of questions. Captain Lujan's video will answer some of your confusion. We will upload the recording to the endpoint cloud and save it in the museum for everyone to view... Before that, listen to me first!"
He paused, and his tone was a little low.
"Today... I want to tell you a sad story."
"A group of brave young men embarked on an expedition with their ideals. They traveled through plains, forests, mountains and deserts, not to find wealth, nor for land or conquest... but for a legend that has been passed down among us, an ideal that we have repeatedly passed on for a century but no one has verified."
"Our civilization has stagnated. We are afraid of the risks in the wasteland. We fantasize that an omnipotent savior lives in the hibernation capsule of Shelter No. 0, waiting for the great kingdom of heaven to run to our feet... If no one goes there to take a look, we will never give up that naive idea."
"I want to say that he did an amazing thing. Even if he might have guessed that the ending would not be perfect at the beginning, he still did what he thought he should do. And he had no regrets until the end. So if you ask me if I will feel regret or regret, my answer is no."
"Never!"
His voice was firm and his eyes were like torches.
The man standing here at this moment does not look like a man in his forties or fifties. Even the wrinkles on his face have regained the youthful glow.
"Even if only one person is saved, even if no one is saved, this rescue is by no means meaningless to us."
"Credit is more valuable than gold. We kept our promise and will not abandon any resident who is stranded outside. We showed our uncompromising determination to those who doubted us. We gained precious friendships during the journey..."
"More importantly, our courage!"
Looking at the drones in front of him, he saw faces through them, and the prosperous city outside the floor-to-ceiling windows in the distance.
"We are worthy of our ancestors. The residents of Shelter No. 6 and the Zhiyuan Colonial Ship will be proud of our choice."
"We are worthy of being the descendants of heroes!"
Applause broke out at the scene.
At first it was a drizzle, and then it was a storm.
Even the reporter who was prepared to ask difficult questions at the beginning was infected by the atmosphere and couldn't help but clasping his hands.
At least the applause at this moment was not for someone at the scene, but for himself.
In the lounge not far away, Ye Shi clapped his hands, and while he was feeling emotional, he couldn't help but say something sour.
"Hey, that's really nice."
He remembered clearly that those guys backed down more than once. At least in his opinion, if the managers hadn't withstood the pressure and promised to end the war within the year, today's press conference might have announced the "disappearance" of the Pioneer.
By the way, he came to Ideal City with the help of Deputy Minister Wu.
Not only him, but also Old White, Kuangfeng, Mole, etc.
Fang Chang, who was standing aside, smiled, patted Ye Shi's shoulder and said.
"You like to sing the opposite tune, others are the deputy ministers of Ideal City, representing Ideal City and the Council. He doesn't say that, you tell me how to say it."
Ye Shi thought for a while and tried to find a fault.
"At least emphasize our role more."
"Our role does not need any verbal emphasis. Someone will remember our favor. Things that need to be emphasized repeatedly are not so important," Fang Chang patted his shoulder, then looked at his two good brothers, Lao Bai and Kuang Feng, smiled and said, "Follow me, I will show you my achievements in the past few months."
The group walked into the elevator and came to the observation deck on the top floor of the building.
Ye Shi looked around and saw nothing, and teased this guy.
"Don't tell me that your achievements in the past few months are this rooftop."
Fang Chang did not speak, looked at the time on his watch, and then cast his eyes on the Council Building in the center of Ideal City.
"Over there."
As soon as the voice fell, the gorgeous light and shadow gathered on the wall of the building into a bucket full of fried chicken and a large cup of black drink.
This is not a new thing for the real world with close cultural exchanges, but it is new enough for the residents of Ideal City.
Lines of advertising slogans flashed across the screen.
[KFC's first store is open! Exotic delicacies are waiting for you! ]
[Store address: ...]
At first, Ye Shi couldn't understand what was written on it. After opening the VM to translate it, he almost laughed out loud.
"Pfft! KFC is okay, but there are so many old jokes."
"It's really old jokes." Kuangfeng couldn't help but complain.
"Haha, it means I'm not young anymore." Fang Chang smiled happily.
Lao Bai smiled and teased.
"Good fellow, you are going to move everything in reality into the wasteland."
"It's just complementary advantages," Fang Chang touched his nose with his index finger and continued, "Fried chicken and cola are just the first step to test the waters, followed by steamed buns, buns, pancakes, dumplings and pre-prepared dishes, etc. The plan includes a number of fast food brands such as 'Mr. Xiaomi'. We plan to let these foods from the alliance form a matrix with cultural added value in Ideal City."
"And we only need to do a good job of standards and quality control. For specific store operations, we can cooperate with other food and catering companies in the form of franchising, and produce and sell locally... At present, this cooperation model is the most suitable for us."
After all, the alliance cannot send too many employees to the enterprise. One is the problem of difficulty in integrating into the local society, and the other is that it may take away local job opportunities.
Only providing concepts and creativity is the plan that Fang Chang determined at the beginning. As long as the "fried chicken" is labeled with the alliance, the residents of Ideal City will immediately recognize the stores certified by the alliance company when they think of the crispy and delicious taste.
If the operation goes well, Changyue Group will open up a considerable market worth tens of billions for Niuma Group in Ideal City.
Once the market is opened, the residents of Ideal City will accept the culture of Dawn City, and some professional life players can also go to Ideal City to open stores.
Everyone can benefit from it, which is undoubtedly a win-win situation.
Ye Shi was confused by the business blueprint described by Fang Chang. He scratched his head for a long time but couldn't figure it out, so he simply gave up.
Among all the people he knew, Brother Fang Chang was the only one who could play the game to this extent.
He thought he was not good at this, so he just lay down.
After talking about the future business plan of Niuma Group, Fang Chang suddenly set his eyes on Ye Shi and asked with interest.
"By the way, I heard from Lao Bai that you recently met a researcher from the college? What's the situation?"
He has always been interested in the college in the swamp.
It is said that there are more black technologies there than enterprises, but they rarely flow into the wasteland.
According to the official settings, if you really want to buy top-level equipment, it seems that you still have to find a way to pry open the door of the academy.
Maybe Ye Shi can be a breakthrough.
However, looking at those gossipy eyes, Ye Shi was confused.
"What's going on."
Patting Ye Shi on the shoulder, Lao Bai smiled at Fang Chang.
"You underestimate this guy. Not only the researchers of the academy, but even the grandmothers of the company are interested in him."
Thinking of the little episode that happened on the plane, Kuangfeng nodded subtly.
"But I think there is still a little difference... Maybe he just wants to adopt a godson."
Ye Shi: "???"
Fang Chang looked at Ye Shi in surprise.
"Fuck, you are such a bad boy... You didn't tell your dad anything."
"Get lost! I don't know what you are talking about. I... I never thought of dating an NPC."
Seeing that Fang Chang's smiling face didn't seem like he had listened to his explanation, Ye Shi, with a red face, hurriedly ended this inexplicable topic and then turned his attention to the bastard himself.
"Tsk, don't talk about me, when are you going back?"
Fang Chang said bluntly.
"I'll go back with you guys later."
Ye Shi was stunned and looked at this guy in disbelief.
"Just leaving like that?"
Fang Chang looked at him strangely.
"Yeah, what else?"
"Nothing," Ye Shi scratched the back of his head, "I'm just a little surprised."
Probably guessing what he was surprised about, Fang Chang smiled and said.
"Things here have been arranged properly. The specific operations of Changyue Group are handled by professional managers, so there is not much for us to worry about. This cooperation plan is more of a test. After all, in the past century or so, Ideal City has never had direct commercial cooperation across such a long distance, so I spent a little more time."
Before this, most of the cooperation between enterprises and the outside world would be carried out indirectly.
For example, the company cooperated with the merchants in Yunjian Province to trade the resources needed by Ideal City, and the merchants in Yunjian Province took the products of Ideal City to further places in exchange for what they needed.
This is undoubtedly a major change.
As for what impact it will have on the future, it is still unknown.
By the way, just a few days ago, Fang Chang had completed the courses of Yunjian University.
Although it was just some superficial knowledge, it was enough for him to digest for a long time.
If he has the opportunity in the future, he will come back for further studies and strive to get the diploma.
"Li Shuyue, CEO of Ruyue Group, is also full of confidence in this. She also believes that this will be a historic moment... After more than a century, Ideal City's direct business has expanded beyond Yunjian Province again, and the residents here have finally left this fortress and stepped back into the wasteland. From what she said, she is quite grateful to us."
Kuangfeng said with emotion.
"It sounds a bit like the beginning of a new story."
Fang Chang smiled.
"Is it?"
Because of an expedition, the stagnant history began to move forward, and each of them was a witness to this moment. In the distant future, when people miss that old version, they will surely remember the names of the participants.
Ye Shi suddenly laughed slyly.
"By the way, I almost forgot to ask, what is the relationship between that Li Shuyue and you."
Fang Chang rolled his eyes.
"No relationship... And I warn you, don't talk nonsense everywhere, especially don't talk nonsense over there, I'm a married man."
Ye Shi: "Damn! You are so particular in the game!"
"You don't understand," Fang Chang shook his head and said faintly, "The reason why sincerity is precious is that it only happens once."
"Ugh!"
Just as Ye Shi was leaning against the wall to vomit, Fang Chang looked at Lao Bai who was looking at them with a smile on his face.
"By the way, Lao Bai, what task did the manager give us this time?"
Lao Bai said with a grin.
"One thousand cubic meters of helium-3 is waiting for us to recycle in a research institute in Jinchuan Province."
Fang Chang took a breath.
"How much is that..."
"According to the energy consumption in the real world, assuming that the third-generation fusion technology is unlocked, one thousand cubic meters of helium-3 is enough for the earth to consume for a year. As for the game," Kuangfeng thought for a while and shrugged, "Based on the energy consumption level of the alliance, it is estimated that it will be enough to shut down the service."
Even in the ideal city, the energy consumption in a year should not exceed this number.
You can imagine how huge this wealth is!
"It's too much to shut down the service," Fang Chang smiled in surprise, looking up at the sky, "Our end is there."
"Don't talk nonsense, how long do you plan to rest?" Patting his buddy on the shoulder, Lao Bai smiled and said, "The manager has given us plenty of time, and it will be done within half a year."
"How long will it take?" Fang Chang was slightly stunned, "Didn't I say that I will go back with you this time-"
Ye Shi rolled his eyes.
"Are you sure? You won't accompany your Dolly when you go back?"
The usually calm face showed a few morning glows, Fang Chang coughed lightly and looked to the side.
"Wait for me for a few days..."
Looking at Fang Chang who suddenly became "shy", Ye Shi felt goose bumps all over his body, and turned his face to the sky with an uncomfortable look.
"Damn it... I really want to throw this guy off the rooftop!"
Looking at Ye Shi, who was twisted by envy, jealousy and hatred, Lao Bai laughed heartily and patted him on the shoulder.
Kuang Feng, who was standing next to him, glanced at the boy.
"... Didn't you have to bring this up yourself?"
...
It has been a week since the "Shelter No. 0" incident.
Across the desert more than 5,000 kilometers away, the people who have not yet evacuated are still busy cleaning up the battlefield and finishing up.
Although some fast-running small players have returned to the alliance in advance, and some have even run to the easternmost part of the Central Continent, Chu Guang, as the manager, has not left yet.
There are still a lot of things waiting for him to deal with here.
In the previous battle, the alliance captured as many as 120 disciples of the Enlightenment Society. These people will be taken back to Dawn City and tried by the court there.
Although they are residents of the shelter, the Alliance will not show leniency because of where they come from, and will treat them the same as other captives in terms of punishment.
It's just that which law to use as the criterion and the details of sentencing for people of different levels need to be discussed by the Alliance's legal workers and the public.
But one thing will not change.
Even if they are also victims deceived by the Enlightenment, they still need to be responsible for becoming accomplices of the devil.
They will be sentenced to more than ten years in prison and undergo labor reform during their imprisonment. At the same time, they will undertake voluntary work in welfare institutions such as refugee homes and workers' schools, and help survivors rescued in the wasteland in the fields of medical care and education. Their sentences can be reduced depending on their performance during their imprisonment.
If they have made special contributions during their imprisonment, their criminal responsibility can also be reduced.
Punishment is only a means, not an end. The knowledge, skills and experience mastered by the residents of the shelter are a valuable asset, which is also the legacy left by the Human Alliance.
The stubborn ones had died on the battlefield, and Chu Guang felt that it was worth giving these captives who wavered in the face of death a chance to reform.
In addition to the placement of more than 100 captives, there was another important matter that had to be resolved before returning home.
That was the airship anchored next to the camp.
Although the cushioning airbags and parachutes slowed down the speed of the airship's fall and the impact of hitting the ground, they did have an impact on the structure of the airship.
Especially the wings on both sides.
When the external armor was blown up to reduce weight, the connection between the wing and the airship was damaged, causing it to break during the fall.
Even if the anti-gravity device was working properly, this guy couldn't go anywhere.
Fortunately, the five base vehicles could process and repair the parts needed for the airship's wings and propeller engines, and they had been repaired almost this week.
In comparison, the situation of the Arbiter was much more miserable.
Although Chu Guang didn't ask, just by looking at Captain Adria's face, one could guess that the situation must be terrible.
In the past two days, the players who planned to go back with the Iron Heart have been wandering around, building the Alliance's outpost in the Great Desert while searching for traces of the Enlightenment Society.
However, they did not find any clues about the Enlightenment Society, but instead found a lot of mutant nests hidden in the ruins.
As a result, there were nearly 160 more rescued survivors in the Alliance camp.
Including those before, the number of survivors in the camp has reached nearly 300.
What makes people feel complicated is that this may be just the tip of the iceberg of this hell. There are countless similar tragedies in places where the Alliance has not yet set foot...
...
Near the Industrial Building.
A sharp-edged concrete slab stands on the steps of the main entrance of the building. On the steep slab, there are lines of names familiar to Chu Guang.
The enterprise took away the relics left by the employees in the wreckage of the Pioneer.
Before setting off for the return voyage, the man named Yunsong brought his 26th commando and found a piece of concrete from nearby as a stone tablet, and engraved the names of the Pioneer crew members on it as a memorial.
A more solid and beautiful monument is still in the making, and it will take until next month to be sent from Ideal City to the Alliance, and then sent here by the Alliance.
In recent days, Chu Guang comes here every day to see those familiar names and the places where they once fought.
In fact, he has always remembered it.
Luo Hua, who looks gentle, is actually a drunkard, but he will not refuse the delicious mushroom soup. The beautiful bodyguard Ai Si, who speaks very little, likes furry things... such as meat, and she is even willing to spend money for it.
Yuan Hao, the water truck driver, likes to eat buns. He bought more than 50 at a time and distributed them to his colleagues. That was the beginning of the "light industry" of the Alliance. Li De, the chief of logistics, is a cunning old man, but he still paid the remuneration very regularly... There are many interesting people.
In order to earn more Cr from them, Fang Chang and Mole Brother wrote a lot of strategies, and Chu Guang would sometimes secretly take a look and learn from them.
As for Lu Yang.
He is a man with a strong sense of justice. His decisiveness, bravery and kindness are impressive and enviable.
Unfortunately...
Many people are gone.
"...When I saw Luo Hua, I actually thought that you might have met with an accident, and this rescue might not have any results. But I still told my companions that our friends were in danger and we had to pick them up."
"We crossed the desert, crossed the valley, marched 2,500 kilometers, and defeated the powerful enemy that was considered invincible... It's a pity that we couldn't bring you back in the end."
"I once thought for a moment that I would kill those captives to avenge you, even if those disciples were not the murderers, they had been accomplices of the murderers. But I soon thought that if you were still alive, you would definitely stop me and tell me that this was not revenge, but pure venting of anger, meaningless and ugly..."
With a sigh, Chu Guang placed a bunch of wild flowers in front of the tombstone.
"The right choice is always the most difficult. If we don't correct the mistakes that have happened and are happening, the Wasteland Era will never end."
"You are a group of amazing adventurers."
"Thank you for coming."
The Heart of Steel has been repaired and will return tomorrow.
But I will come back to visit you.
Chu Guang turned his eyes away from the tall concrete monument and walked down the steps. Suddenly, there was a noise.
Chu Guang stopped and looked to the side. He saw Rama standing there.
He remembered this brave girl. When everyone was silent, she was the first to stand up and provide many important clues.
Seeing through the expression on her face that she wanted to say something, Chu Guang said in a gentle tone.
"What's the matter?"
Rama hesitated for a moment, but the firmness in her eyes did not change. She bit her lower lip, did not speak, and knelt on one knee on the ground.
Chu Guang sighed.
He was not used to the survivors doing this all the time.
"Get up and talk."
Hearing the tone that could not be refused, Rama stood up silently, and after a while, slowly spoke.
"Respected Administrator, I... want to stay."
Chu Guang said patiently, probably guessing her concerns.
"You can start a new life in the Alliance. There are many survivors like you there, and people won't care about your past."
"I believe you, but... I still want to stay here," Rama whispered after a long silence, "There are still many people who haven't been rescued here."
Chu Guang looked at her unexpectedly, and didn't expect her to be so aware.
His eyes gradually became serious, and he asked again in a serious tone.
"Have you thought about it?"
Rama nodded seriously.
"Well... This is not my sudden idea, I have thought about it for a long time. I am very grateful that you saved us, and if possible, we also want to do something."
After she saw the girls rescued from the mutant's nest by the Alliance, and after she thought of the countless mutant tribes like the "Black Stone" tribe in this wasteland, she had the idea of staying in her heart.
Even though fighting is not easy, no one is born an awakener. If you don't take the first step, you will always be a lamb in the sheepfold.
In fact, this is not her idea alone.
It is also the common idea of many rescued survivors.
Their ideas are more simple. Instead of going to an unknown place to start a new life, it is better to start from the land under your feet.
There is plenty of fresh water, food sources, and built houses here. Even if you don't become a warrior, you can take care of crops or raise insects. Although life here is accompanied by danger, where is safe in this wasteland?
At least here, they don't have to endure the strange eyes of strangers...
The surprised eyes turned into praise. Chu Guang looked at her and nodded, saying with relief.
"I'm glad you think so. I will leave you some weapons, enough for you to protect yourself. We will also leave some people to work with you, and we will send people to deliver supplies from time to time. If you encounter problems that you can't solve, you can seek their help. Although they have their own tasks, they will also be happy to complete some challenges outside of the task."
"In addition, if the tools on the Pioneer are still usable, they can be recycled. After retirement, they can still help others, and that person will feel gratified... Remember to come here occasionally to sweep the grave and say thank you to him."
Rama nodded and said respectfully.
"I will keep your teachings in mind."
"Not really, just a suggestion."
Chu Guang cast his eyes on the stone tablet not far away.
He had a similar idea before.
The enterprise commemorated those brave people in its own way, and the alliance will also commemorate those partners in its own way...
"From now on."
"This is Pioneer City."