Above the clouds, a uniquely shaped aircraft took off from the airport on the edge of Ideal City and flew towards the River Valley Province.
It has two pairs of wings and a total of four engines, two in front and two in the back, symmetrically distributed at the four corners of the fuselage, spraying pale blue plasma plumes to the rear.
This transport aircraft is a civilian improvement of the "Orca" transport aircraft, with a longer fuselage, increased cargo hold capacity, and an additional pair of plasma engines.
Because it is for civilian use, the offensive name "Orca" has also become the relatively milder "Blue Whale".
From the appearance, this aircraft looks like an advanced version of a four-engine tilt-rotor aircraft, with a lighter structure, more stable power, and less affected by airflow plasma engines replacing traditional propellers.
Like the Orca transport aircraft, it can switch between horizontal and vertical flight modes, and can even perform "lateral translation" maneuvers that the Orca transport aircraft cannot do.
Just like a quadcopter drone.
However, most passengers on the plane will curse after experiencing it.
The plane was designed by a subsidiary of Silver Wing Group, and more than a hundred companies participated in its production. Currently, only one has been completed and has been put into service from Yunjian Province to Hegu Province.
The deeds of the Pioneer have influenced the current mainstream thinking of Ideal City to a certain extent, and the "influence expansion" proposal put forward by Wu Changnian at the Council was successfully passed.
In the future, enterprises will not only operate the Yunjian Province, but will also project their vision beyond the Yunjian Province and explore the future path together with the survivor settlements in various places.
They will not return to the post-war reconstruction committee era and unconditionally support the survivor settlements like the predecessors of the "Production Department", but they will not regard those settlements as non-existent air as they did in the past before this moment.
The birth of the Alliance has proved that the wastelanders are not all incurable troubles.
And this flight to Hegu Province is one of the products of the proposal submitted by Wu Changnian.
His speech at the press conference that day inspired many people, and that is why the tickets for this first flight were sold out almost immediately after they were posted.
If it weren't for Li Shuyue's help in buying reserved tickets for business travel through Ruyue Group, the four members of the "Niu Ma Squad" would probably have to stay in Ideal City for a while longer...
"Damn! Bad luck today!"
Looking at the cards Fang Chang showed on the table. Ye Shiyi leaned back in his chair with a gloomy face.
There are a total of 240 seats in the cabin. In addition to the front and rear cabins, there is also an entertainment room with a bar where android waiters can serve drinks.
Before the plane lands, passengers can get off their seats and move around at will, but in case of emergency, they need to follow the captain's arrangement and return to their seats, or sit in the nearest safety seat.
In order to kill the boring commuting time, the four people sat at the table in the entertainment room and played blackjack at Fang Chang's suggestion.
Looking at Ye Shi, who looked uncomfortable, Fang Chang smiled faintly.
"Your cards are written on your face. It's not easy to beat you."
"But--"
"You want to say that your expression is actually fake, right?"
Seeing through what he wanted to say, Fang Chang continued with a smile, "But have you ever considered that the deliberate disguise itself has exposed your intentions."
"Oh, no, no, no... this bastard has too many tricks!" Ye Shi sighed and pushed the chair away, "Let's just play Landlord."
He thought that the perception attribute could help him dominate the poker table, but in the end he could only bully Lao Bai who didn't know much about the rules of blackjack, and he never won against Fang Chang once.
Looking at Ye Shi who gave up, Fang Chang said with a smile.
"If you are not good at disguising your emotions, you can learn from Kuang Feng... that kind of facial paralysis is more difficult to deal with, especially since he is good at math."
Kuang Feng coughed lightly.
"Not facial paralysis... It's just that winning or losing doesn't matter with this kind of thing, and there are rules to follow. I'm not surprised to get bad cards or good cards."
Ye Shi suddenly raised his head.
"Speaking of which, I've always been quite curious."
Lao Bai, who had lost all his points early, said with a smile.
"What are you curious about?"
Ye Shi glanced at Kuang Feng.
"Why do you think a physics expert like Kuang Feng would also play games?"
Fang Chang said with a smile.
"What's so strange about this? Everyone has a hobby."
Kuang Feng coughed lightly.
"... Not a big shot, I'm just more interested in what I'm interested in."
Ye Shi couldn't help but complain when he heard this.
"It's better to listen to your words than to talk to you."
Fang Chang looked at Kuang Feng with interest.
"Speaking of which, what is the topic you are researching?"
He has also learned some knowledge about artificial intelligence recently, although he has only read the general part.
He doesn't really understand what university physics professors are researching, but if Kuang Feng's research field happens to be related to algorithms, he can just talk about his discoveries in the game.
Kuang Feng thought for a while and suddenly changed the subject.
"Didn't we agree not to talk about reality in the game?"
Hearing this, Ye Shi couldn't help but spit.
"Damn! We've known each other for so many years and you're still using this trick! I'll go to Jinling to fuck you some other day."
Kuang Feng smiled.
"Sure, I'll take you around when you come."
Fang Chang squinted at Ye Shiyi.
"...Don't listen to this kid's nonsense. He was clamoring to come to Shanghai to play with me two years ago. I haven't seen him since I became a college student from a high school student."
After being delayed for so long, Ye Shi felt a little embarrassed and scratched the back of his head to explain.
"Hehe...I just want to wait for an opportunity to get together. When the time comes, I'll ask Lao Bai and Kuang Feng to go together. It'll be more fun with more people. What's the point of me going alone?"
Fang Chang rolled his eyes.
"Forget it, let's meet in the game."
Speaking of which...
Actually, there's another person.
I also said that I would go to Shanghai to play with him.
Fang Chang couldn't help but think of a guy who played the game of eating chicken and stealing vegetables.
He couldn't figure out why the guy who worked in sales went to make games.
He had never seen him express such thoughts before...
Just as the four of them were chatting, a well-dressed man was talking to a group of young people who looked like tourists in front of a long table not far from the bar in the entertainment room with a slick voice.
"...You mean Qingquan City? What a coincidence, I grew up in Qingquan City since I was a child, and no one knows it better than me."
"Really?" A young man in his early twenties looked at the man in surprise, and continued quickly, "Are you a resident of the Alliance?"
"Alliance? Ah...you mean that," the man was stunned and said impatiently, "When I left home to travel, there was no Alliance. The only real survivor settlement in the entire Qingquan City was Giant Stone City. Other small villages are not worthy of being called settlements."
His name is Jixiu, the second son of the president of Giant Stone City Bank. In his early years, he was entrusted by his father to a local merchant who was familiar with him and sent to Ideal City to see the world.
In the blink of an eye, it has been almost five years.
When he was in Giant Stone City, he was a famous playboy in the city. Even the nobles in the inner city would give him some face because his father could help make money and his mother's family had a high status.
Not to mention the residents of the outer city. No matter what bad things he did, no one would bother him. He had done a lot of bullying.
However, when he arrived in Ideal City, it was a completely different story. No one took his father, the president of the Giant Stone City Bank, seriously. The chips in his pocket could not even be directly exchanged for Cr.
Fortunately, his father sent him some money from time to time, otherwise he, a nobleman, might have to work in a fast food restaurant.
Ideal City is indeed prosperous, and there are many times more people than Giant Stone City, but staying in a room of dozens of square meters and fighting a group of sand withers on the endpoint cloud all day is not the life he wants.
Those idiots.
If anyone dared to disrespect him in Giant Stone City, he would definitely find them and shoot them.
If it weren't for the long journey, his father didn't give him a chance, and he couldn't save up the money for the trip, he would have wanted to go home long ago!
Of course, the reason why he missed home was not entirely because he missed the freedom there, but more because he wanted to do something to prove that he was not as those idiots on the endpoint cloud said - he was a good-for-nothing waste except for having a good father.
Especially recently, the resolution recently issued by the Enterprise Council gave him hope. Ideal City even opened flights to the River Valley Province!
He planned to use this favorable wind to revitalize his hometown!
Feeling that the atmosphere was almost in place, Ji Xiu cleared his throat vigorously and continued in an inspiring tone.
"...Friends, we are ushering in an era full of opportunities! Have you listened to the speech of Deputy Minister Wu at the press conference? From now on, the enterprise will expand its business scope more radically and proactively, and as the first stop of the enterprise's overseas business - Qingquan City in the River Valley Province, the Giant Stone City with a population of more than 500,000 is undoubtedly the most potential market!"
However -
To his surprise, those young people did not react after listening to his words.
At least there was no excitement and longing that he expected.
"Wu...you mean that old man?"
"He's not old, okay?"
"Uh...that's right, but I didn't pay attention to what he said."
"By the way, where is Boulder City?"
"Aren't we going to Dawn City?"
"I think I bought the right ticket."
A group of people were talking and laughing, not taking his words to heart at all. Obviously, they were just here for tourism and were not very interested in business matters.
Ji Xiu's eyebrows twitched, but he still didn't give up and tried to make a final effort.
"Yes, we will get off the plane in Dawn City, but when it comes to the Valley Province, we have to mention Boulder City. It may be the only civilized pure land in the southern part of the entire Valley Province. After arriving in Dawn City, we can hire a team of mercenaries to escort us to--"
A taller young man coughed, interrupting his increasingly loud voice.
"The Enterprise Exit Office has reminded us that we must be cautious when leaving Yunjian Province. The commandos cannot receive our distress signals. If it is not necessary, it is best not to leave the area actually controlled by the Alliance."
A young girl wearing glasses nodded and said with a worried look.
"Indeed, I heard that... River Valley Province is the birthplace of Death Claws. Those guys with horns on their heads can even tear power armor apart with one claw."
"That's probably an exaggeration... But will we encounter wild Death Claws?"
"I don't know, but you can visit Death Claws in Shelter No. 79! I heard that there is also the first one born in the legend!"
"Death Claws are actually artificially made!?"
"Did you just know about this?"
"You guys go, I plan to stay in Dawn City for a few days... I heard there will be a celebration in three days."
"Can I meet the legendary manager?"
"Haha, stop being a fangirl, I don't have time to see a tourist like you."
The men and women chatted and laughed, and the topic unconsciously turned to the Alliance again.
Looking at these stubborn guys, Jixiu clenched his fists and black lines appeared on his forehead.
Damn...
These guys!
Why don't they listen to him at all!
Taking a deep breath, Jixiu suppressed the anger in his heart and told himself to stay calm and not act on impulse.
Most of those who can buy tickets for the first flight are rich people.
Either they are rich, their families are rich, or they are simply traveling for business.
If he can get Cr from these guys and invest in local industries in Boulder City, his plan will be much smoother.
He has already thought about it.
The problem of Boulder City is the stagnation of development caused by class solidification. The lazy survivors found that no matter how hard they worked, they could not become nobles. If they did some business, they would risk being skinned by looters, so they became poorer in frustration.
The solution to the problem is very simple.
As long as we build another outer city outside the outer city and turn the original "outer city" into the "middle city", wouldn't the problem be solved?
Not only that, he also intends to learn from the advanced financial experience of Ideal City.
However, this card must be used as the finale trump card and cannot be played at the beginning.
There may be a lot of resistance in the inner city, and he will be spanked by his father if he does it in the outer city, but if it is outside the giant wall, there will be no problem.
A digital currency based on credit issuance!
Those unsophisticated people will definitely be shocked by his genius idea!
However, what troubled Ji Xiu was that these rich kids from Ideal City were not interested in what he said, and those businessmen who were dozing with neural connection devices were too lazy to pay attention to him.
Looking around the lounge for a while, he soon noticed the four guys playing cards in the corner, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he walked over there.
At the same time, Ye Shi, who had just drawn a good hand, was thinking about how to manage his facial expression, and at this moment, a strange voice suddenly came from the side.
"... Hello, I'm glad to take the same flight with you. My name is Ji Xiu, the second son of the president of Boulder City Bank." In order to make his chat not seem awkward, he cast his eyes on the paper on the table and asked curiously, "What are you playing? Can you take me with you?"
"Poker... wait for the next round."
Not bothering to pay attention to this passerby NPC who came from nowhere, Ye Shi stared at Fang Chang who was about to look at the cards, intending to read the flaws from his face, and then use the good cards in his hand to get back the field.
However, to his disappointment, Fang Chang did not look at the cards, but cast his eyes on the man who talked to them.
The second son of the president of Boulder City Bank?
That is...
Alyssa's brother?
Fang Chang's expression was slightly surprised.
This is too much of a coincidence...
But then again, since he hadn't been to Boulder City for so long, he almost forgot the NPC who had asked him to find a cat.
"My name is Fang Chang... They are my friends." Out of politeness, Fang Chang introduced himself, and then introduced Ye Shi and his companions one by one.
Ji Xiu stared at Fang Chang for a while, chewing on the name over and over again, always thinking that he had heard it somewhere, but couldn't remember it for a while.
But it doesn't matter!
Those who can take this flight are all powerful people, maybe he has seen them in an advertisement.
With a sunny smile on his face, Ji Xiu stared at the young man in front of him with his eyes.
"I knew you were not an ordinary person the first time I saw you."
Fang Chang said with a smile.
"So you plan to tell me again what you just said to those people."
Because Ye Shi's card skills were too poor, he could even listen to those NPCs talking while playing cards with this kid. He didn't expect that this liar who sneaked into the flight would target him, and he didn't expect that he was the second son of the president of the Boulder City Bank.
If he didn't lie, then this identity is incredible.
"... Since you've heard it, I won't repeat it," Ji Xiu lowered his excited voice, "How about it? Are you interested in revitalizing Boulder City with me? The market there is not just 500,000 people, its influence is enough to cover the entire southern part of the River Valley Province, and even most of Jinchuan Province!"
Hearing this, Fang Chang's face floated with a smile that couldn't be suppressed.
Just as he was about to tease this guy euphemistically, he suddenly moved in his heart and made an interested expression on his face.
"Is that so... Then tell me, how do you plan to revitalize that Boulder City?"
Seeing Fang Chang's interested expression, Ji Xiu's face showed an unconcealable joy.
"It's very simple! No, it's not simple, but no one has discovered-"
"Shh." Fang Chang made a gesture to silence him, interrupted him, and then took out a business card and handed it to him.
"Don't talk about such important things on the plane... After you get off the plane, come to this address to find me."
After receiving the business card, Ji Xiu was stunned for a moment. He didn't look at the address line, and stared at Fang Chang with his eyes wide open.
"You... have been to Qingquan City?"
"What are you talking about? I have been there before, it's like my second home," Fang Chang said with a smile, looking at the confused young man, "Have you heard of Changyue Group? If you haven't heard of it, why would you want to fight?"
"Is that your company?!" Ji Xiu was shocked for a moment, but quickly came to his senses, "Wait, but I heard that it is a subsidiary of Ruyue Group--"
Of course he knows this company!
He specifically mentioned this matter in the last letter to his father!
Fang Chang coughed.
"Your understanding of equity is problematic... But putting that aside, aren't you curious about how the "chang" in Changyue Group came about?"
Changyue Group was jointly established by Niuma Group and Ruyue Group, but it was registered under the name of Ruyue Group because of qualification issues.
As for why he used his own name, Fang Chang was also puzzled, but he didn't care if his brothers had no objection.
After all, using cows and horses is not very nice.
Ji Xiu stared at him in disbelief.
"Could it be..."
Looking at Ji Xiu who obviously misunderstood something, Fang Chang smiled mysteriously, without any explanation, just pointed to the business card in his hand.
"Some things are not convenient to talk about in crowded places... Let's talk after we get off the plane."
Ji Xiu quickly stopped talking and nodded excitedly.
"Yes! That makes sense!"
Completely forgetting what happened at the card table, Fang Chang quickly talked about other things with this NPC, and the more he talked, the more he got involved, and the more he forgot himself.
When Ji Xiu heard that the man in front of him had the experience of studying at Yunjian University just like himself, he immediately grasped his hands excitedly, as if he had met him too late.
Ye Shi glanced at Lao Bai who was sitting next to him.
"... I finally know what Fang Chang meant by that sentence."
Lao Bai was stunned.
"Which sentence?"
"It's the sentence 'Write the cards in your hand on your face'." Glancing at the two cards on the table, Ye Shi sighed and put the cards on the table together, "These guys with many minds are too dirty, I really don't want to play this time... Let's play Landlord."
Kuang Feng nodded in agreement.
"I agree."
...
The flight from the East Coast to Dawn City was still floating in the sky, and the Iron Heart, which was returning from the Great Desert, had returned to the capital of the Alliance with the glory and flag of victory.
Chu Guang rested on the airship for a night, and at dawn the next day, he and his little players took the pod back to the surface.
Three days later, Dawn City will hold a grand celebration to celebrate the triumph of the expeditionary force.
Although the celebration has not officially started yet, the streets have been filled with a festive atmosphere in the past two days.
In order not to affect the normal life and work of the residents, and in order not to overdraw the joy of the celebration in advance, Chu Guang did not make a big fanfare when he came down from the sky, and even specifically told Luca and others not to pick him up.
The Iron Heart, flying the alliance flag, also quietly stopped at the edge of the Elm District and did not continue to advance in the direction of the settlement.
"Hahahaha, I'm finally home!" His feet finally stepped on the ground, Mosquito looked up to the sky and whistled, and walked happily towards the direction of the industrial zone.
The war is over!
The era of true goblin technology has finally arrived!
Compared to those equipments that are fast, easy to use, and cost-effective, he really prefers to make some more interesting inventions.
A few newbies stood at the edge of the wheat field, looking at the prosperous settlement in the distance, with surprised expressions on their faces.
"Is this Dawn City..."
"Shocked!"
"Too awesome..."
The houses are scattered and there is no sense of wasteland at all. The red brick walls are painted white, and there are many construction sites outside the city that are banging.
At this moment, the nearest to them is the Dawn City Railway Station.
The open space in front of the station has become a cargo distribution center, and there are endless merchants coming and going. The sound of shouting can be heard from a long distance. The huge wooden boxes almost fill the entire freight platform, and the carriages waiting for dispatch are lined up in front of the platform...
This itself is nothing to be surprised about.
In reality, any city is more prosperous than this.
But what is jaw-dropping is that just a year ago, this place was a wilderness covered with weeds. There were no houses at all, not to mention the endless farmland.
Every brick, every tile, every blade of grass and every tree here were built by the players who entered the game since Alpha 0.1, together with the NPCs.
The shock that came over me was much stronger than what I had seen in the photos...
I glanced at those ignorant guys and said with the darkest joke.
"Why do you look like you just got here?"
The outlaw scratched the back of his head.
"Well, it's indeed my first time here... My resurrection point is in Shelter No. 79, and I was sent to the front line as soon as I was born."
He still remembered clearly that not long after he arrived at the front line, he was fooled by those old players to be cannon fodder on the Legion's position.
Later, he accidentally learned from the forum that the pangolin was actually one of his own.
The person next to him who woke up and felt sleepy was the same, and nodded in shock.
"It's my first time home, too."
My darkest eyes lit up, and he hooked his hands around their shoulders, grinning.
"Beta0.4 version, right? Hahaha! Let's go, I'll take you to broaden your horizons."
The outlaw was alerted when he heard this.
"What are you going to do... I don't dare to do anything illegal."
Wake up and sleepy was also looking at this guy with the same alertness.
"+1! I was queuing up before the alliance! Don't mess with me!"
My darkest curled his lips.
"Tsk, who didn't queue up to come in... Don't worry, I'm just treating you to a bowl of ramen, what are you thinking about so early in the morning."
Oh.
It turned out to be noodles.
The two of them immediately showed a bored expression.
It was in vain!
Looking at those little players who were arm in arm and noisy, Chu Guang showed a fatherly smile on his face.
Although many players of Beta 0.4 have fought for the Alliance for many days and died countless times, they actually don't know what the Alliance is, and only think it is a setting of the game.
I believe that they will have a deeper understanding at this moment - it is a home formed by a group of people, and people fight for it not just for money and experience.
Of course, even if his little players have a new understanding of the Alliance's cause, he still hopes that they can play the game in a joyful way, without having to bear a series of overly heavy burdens such as "civilization revival" and "uniting the people who survived".
That's his job.
In addition to being the manager of the Alliance, he is also the game planner of "Wasteland OL".
In comparison, he still prefers his players to play this game in a relaxed mood.
After all, as he said, this is a casual game for fun.
Taking his eyes off the players, Chu Guang smiled and said.
"Let's go, it's time for us to go too."
Sitting on Chu Guang's shoulders, Xiao Qi, with his hands on his cheeks, has been looking at the expression on his face.
Seeing the subtle loneliness, Xiao Qi thought Chu Guang was feeling lonely because no one came to pick him up, so he encouraged him with a motivated tone.
"It's okay, master, Xiao Qi will always be with you!"
Chu Guang was stunned when he heard it, then laughed out loud, and gently touched its little head with his index finger.
"Well, thanks to you for accompanying me."
"Hehe."
Xiao Qi smiled with satisfaction and shook his legs happily.
Just when Chu Guang was thinking about whether to go to North Street for breakfast first, or go directly to the shelter for a physical examination, a familiar figure was walking towards this side from not far away...