Chapter 380: That Airship Should Be Quite Valuable, Right? (1/2)

Eighty kilometers east of Ruigu City.

The campground of the corporate expedition team.

The rolling muffled thunder floating in the distance caused the soldiers from the east coast to stop what they were doing and stop and look to the west.

"What's that sound?"

"It's thundering?"

"It's not like..."

"It sounded like something exploded."

"It's strange. When I was in Dawn City, I specifically inquired with the caravans coming from the west, but I didn't hear that there was a war going on nearby."

The soldiers whispered.

In the center of the camp, at the entrance of the tent.

Standing next to captain Yun Song, logistics officer Heding looked slightly nervous. He often travels around and is extremely sensitive to danger.

He knew very well that the sound was definitely not thunder or anything.

"That was a nuclear bomb just now?"

Yun Song's brows wrinkled slightly.

"Not sure."

There is actually nothing terrible about nuclear bombs. They are just cost-effective weapons. There are many more powerful weapons in the wasteland.

What really concerned him was the power contained in that voice.

According to his experience, the yield of its explosion is at least ten meters.

Regardless of whether it was a nuclear weapon or not, the power was enough to make them wary.

However, the strange thing is that according to the intelligence they investigated in Dawn City, there should be no other regional powers from Qingquan City to the east until Luoxia Province.

At most, there are only a few scattered small settlements of survivors.

Although the number of people is not small, they obviously do not have the ability to manufacture such weapons.

Hedin whispered.

"I suggest changing the direction of travel. Before entering Luoxia Province, we should try our best to avoid participating in regional conflicts..."

Yunsong thought for a while and nodded.

"Um."

…

Northwest side of Ruigu City.

The camp directly below the Heart of Steel.

Rachel, who was sitting in the tent, looked as gloomy as the clouds outside the tent.

Especially when he heard that Vito, the most powerful hunter in his account, died on the battlefield, and died in humiliation under the enemy's artillery, he clenched his fists angrily.

"These bugs are hiding in hiding..."

When he caught those guys, he vowed to torture them with the most cruel punishment until they shed the last drop of blood and breathed their last breath.

At this time, the door curtain opened.

The guard who entered the tent gave a military salute, interrupting his thoughts.

"Sir, the officers from the staff are outside."

Upon hearing this, Rachel's expression froze slightly, and after three to five seconds, she slowly spoke.

"Invite him in."

"yes!"

Watching the guard turn and leave, Rachel, who had been thinking for a long time, sighed softly and slowly relaxed her tense shoulders.

The parachute was not found.

The half-dead corporate employee also escaped.

Not only that, but he also lost two marine squadrons and a reconnaissance team composed of three awakened ones.

At this time, the staff department sent someone over, and it was obvious what they planned to do.

The door curtain opened again.

An officer in a crisp uniform walked in from outside.

Rachel noticed that he had just met the man in front of him during the day.

However, what was different from what he saw during the day was that the expression and demeanor on this officer's face was obviously much more serious.

Knowing that the person in front of her was probably here to hold him to account, Rachel didn't speak and kept her mouth shut quietly, waiting for him to speak.

However, to Rachel's surprise, he did not wait to be demoted.

Instead, I heard an unexpected arrangement...

"General McClung has appointed you as land combat commander. We will deploy more troops to the ground tomorrow morning."

"Until the deployment order is revoked, this force will be under your full command."

Hearing what the officer in front of him said, obvious surprise suddenly appeared in Rachel's eyes.

Seemingly seeing his surprise, the staff officer continued.

"According to the judgment of the staff department, the enterprise employees we are chasing are suspected to have merged with the enterprise's reinforcements. There are various signs that the unknown armed forces who ambushed our patrol tonight are from the enterprise!"

"The losses of the 29th and 31st Marines are not yours, it is our lack of regional intelligence that led to this accident."

"Captain McClun asks you to behave well, wash away this shame with the blood of your enemies, and avenge the brothers who died tonight!"

The surprised look disappeared from her eyes, Rachel took a deep breath and said seriously.

"I will."

"Use your actions to prove it. The captain is waiting for your news."

After saying these words, the staff officer turned around and left the camp without stopping.

He stared straight at the tent door curtain.

Rachel clenched her fists and slowly released them, her eyes flashing with fighting intent as she chewed the words over and over again.

It seemed like he was going to bite it into pieces and swallow it.

"I will!"

…

The boiling mountain fire burned all night and gradually extinguished as the night faded.

However, the Legion's anger did not subside. The destruction of the two marines put the Heart of Steel on the highest level of alert.

And the thunder-like sound of the cannon also kept the survivors throughout Ruigu City sleepless all night.

Early morning hours.

The unrest is far from subsided.

The Iron Heart airship continued to deliver arms to the ground, and the deployment scale had reached a whole thousand-man team, and the position fortifications under construction were being constructed according to the standards of three thousand-man teams.

Dozens of Marine detachments were sent to the eastern suburbs to search for the three girls who raised two bears and the mortar positions that fired at their patrol last night.

According to the report of the soldiers who escaped back, they were attacked by at least a hundred-man team equipped with highly mechanized exoskeletons.

No doubt.

That was the reinforcement of the enterprise!

But General McClane was not worried. Even if it was the reinforcement of the enterprise, what?

Just a group of weak guys.

Just to catch them all in one fell swoop!

At the same time, under the instruction of the airship staff, Marine Commander Rachel began to send "armed lobbyists" to the surrounding areas.

With the residual power of last night's shot, it was just right to convey General McClane's intention to the survivors' settlements nearby-

Either surrender.

Or perish!

...

On the other side, in the eastern part of Ruigu City. In the mountainous area about five kilometers away from the center of the explosion, more than 20 players of the Storm Corps were resting.

It was not yet completely light at this moment, and there was a gray glimmer in the distance.

Although some people suggested that they could camp a little further away, Brother Quanshui said that the seemingly dangerous place was the safest.

After dawn, the Corps would most likely send people to search eastward, but the focus of the search would most likely not be near the explosion area.

What's more, the terrain here is high and the vision is wide.

Even if they encounter a situation, they can be transferred in time.

After more than 30 hours of forced marching, they had a fight with the patrol team of the Corps after finishing the work. Even if people are made of iron and can withstand it, their equipment can't stand it.

Most players' exoskeletons have run out of power.

Fortunately, the truck at the tail is equipped with a firewood generator.

The unloaded exoskeletons lined up next to the truck.

Kakarot took a few strength players to the nearby forest to cut trees, and a few agility players helped everyone prepare food.

Rourou took Teddy, who would never wake up again, to a nearby mountain, intending to find a place where scavengers could not reach him and bury him.

Weiwei and Zhimahu also accompanied her.

Although Sisi wanted to follow, she was too seriously injured and had to stay in the camp.

She found a corner where no one was around, and used the medical tools in the car to perform a small operation on herself and removed the bullet stuck in her body.

Because she was not very skilled in the operation, the ground was covered with blood, but fortunately, after fiddling with it for a while, she still gained something.

"Done!"

Looking at the deformed bullet clamped in the tweezers, Sisi let out a long sigh and threw it into the aluminum box casually, intending to keep it as a souvenir.

Although the recovery speed of physical players is much faster than that of ordinary people, it is not as fast as the mutants' "wounds heal at a speed visible to the naked eye".

Simple bandaging and suturing can make the wound heal faster. Sisi estimated that she would be able to fight side by side with her partners by this time tomorrow.

After sewing up the wound, she opened a box of new bandages and put them on. She admired her masterpiece with satisfaction and then returned to the truck.

Breakfast was still a while away. Kakarot and his team had just returned with firewood for the stove and generator.

The other players sat in a circle, most of them yawning exhaustedly.

Only the old man standing in the middle, the fountain, was telling everyone about his battle plan with a spirited look on his face.

"... Airships can store a lot of supplies, but their supplies are not unlimited after all! A force of thousands of people, not to mention how much food they have to eat every day, the shit alone can fill a truck!"

I yelled the most: "Fuck, can you not mention this before dinner?"

Commander Fountain said with a smile.

"Just an example!"

"The Iron Heart has dropped its anchor chain. If they plan to stay for months, they will definitely collect supplies on the spot and try to get supplies from the local area - whether it is by paying dinars or forcing them by force."

"And this is an opportunity for us!"

Looking at the players with a sharp eye, he continued.

"We need to distinguish who are the ones who are bribed by them and who are the ones who are coerced by them, and then win over the part that can be won over!"

Sisi thought for a while and said.

"But how many survivor settlements dare to resist the Legion?"

The commander of the fountain said with a smile.

"We don't need them to resist with a clear banner, we can fight the hard battle."

"We just need them to provide us with a little help within their ability!"

Even if it's just to tell them the location of the Legion patrol.

Even if it's just to remind them when the convoy to collect supplies will come.

A trace of realization appeared in the eyes of the battlefield guy.

"I understand. Guerrilla warfare, right?"

"Correct!"

The Fountain Commander nodded approvingly and continued.

"The Legion's people will most likely go to the nearby survivor settlements during the day, so we will do the opposite and go at night!"

"After everyone finishes their meal, log off and recover. We will continue to discuss the specific combat plan in the group."

As he said this, he cast his eyes on Sisi who was standing beside him and said with a smile.

"Good brother, could you please keep a lookout for me?"

Si Si smiled.

"It's a small matter, don't bother me. Awei and I will help take care of it."

She had just been lying in the truck for a while, and her fatigue level had gone down. She was not very sleepy now. She would just wait for Tails and the others to come back later and sleep for a while.

Quan Shui fisted and said with a smile.

"Yeah! Please then!"

…

Most of the players who arrived in Ruigu City with Brother Quanshui were full-time players.

Even if there are a few who are not full-time, they all have relatively free time. Otherwise, it would be impossible to perform long-distance operations for more than thirty hours in a row.

After a good meal, everyone agreed on a time to go online, then found a place to lie down out of the way and logged out of the game.

As for the equipment and game characters, Si Si helped look after them.

Everyone in the White Bear Knights is originally a member of the Storm Troops, and they are all teammates who have played together several versions ago. Naturally, there is no issue of trust or distrust.

After going offline.

Commander Quanshui gathered all the members in the Storm Corps guild group and divided the more than 20 team members who arrived first with him into three groups.

Group A is mainly composed of agility and perception players, and is responsible for investigating the nearby terrain. Group B is mainly composed of players who can simply communicate with NPCs, and is responsible for collecting information on nearby survivor settlements.

As for Group C, it consists of the battlefield atmosphere group and several other players who like guns. They continue to move west and are responsible for searching and attacking the legion's patrols.

How many people are killed is not the key.

Mainly through frequent harassment, strategically disrupt the enemy's line of sight, causing them to misjudge their own position and number.

As for the task of searching for the entrance to Shelter 79, Quan Shui planned to leave it to Taiwei and the others after it came online.

On the one hand, he felt that Taili seemed to be very interested in things like treasure hunting, and on the other hand, considering that they did not bring high-end equipment, high-frequency mobile combat would be more difficult.

There are two completely different ways to play in this game, wearing an exoskeleton and not wearing an exoskeleton.

It has nothing to do with ability, it's purely a question of suitability.

…

When the morning sun shines on the land of the River Valley Province, Boulder City, which is far away on the edge of the Third Ring Road in Qingquan City, is peaceful and peaceful at the moment.

No matter how powerful the 400mm main gun is, the shock wave will never reach here.

unless--

Someone is going to add fuel to the fire.

"Extra!"

Newsboys running around the streets of Boulder City, carrying canvas bags, delivered temporarily printed newspapers to pubs and grocery stores that cooperated with "Survivor Daily", and also stuffed them into customers' windows and doors. seam.

The temporarily printed newspaper only has one page.

The photos printed on the newspaper are a continuation of the headlines from the newspaper issue that just came out in the morning.

Huge craters were imprinted in the mountain col, and a devastating shock wave swept across the entire forest. The fiery red flames were like boiling mushroom clouds.

Below the photo, there is an intriguing line of text——

[Heart of Steel’s 400mm main gun! Just six shots are enough to level the entire outer city! 】

This is of course an exaggerated metaphor.

However, after such a comparison, people who had no idea about its power suddenly realized how terrifying this thing was.

Gray Squirrel Clothing Store.

Seal was sitting behind the counter with his chair tilted up, his hairy arms resting on his tall belly, and he was holding a still warm newspaper in his hand.

The reason why he ordered the "Daily Survivor" was simple. He mainly wanted to read the advertisements and learn about the latest fashion styles in Dawn City.

However, the news occasionally published on it also interested him.

Although Mr. House's broadcast is stimulating, the guy's voice is like a spiritual leaf, which only has the effect of refreshing, but has no nutrition other than that.

The "Daily Survivor" is different. It has a variety of news. In addition to what happened in Boulder City, it occasionally reports news from the outside world.

"...Ruigu City, I seem to have heard of it somewhere."

Hearing Siel's low murmur, his old friend Robbo, who was selecting something in his store, replied casually.

"Of course you have heard of it. It is the southeast corner of the River Valley Province and the west gate of the southern corridor. Most of the caravans passing through Boulder City will pass there."

"Yes, that's right there!"

There was a hint of surprise in Sil's eyes, and he sat up straight in his chair, "It's really strange that the Legion actually went there... Shouldn't they be looking for trouble in the Great Rift Valley in the north?"

"Legion?!"

The index finger that was rubbing the "artwork" stopped. Robbo looked away from the legs of the mannequin, looked back at Schier who was sitting behind the counter, and couldn't help but ask.

"What nonsense are you talking about, what are the Legion doing here?"

He runs Queen of the Night, the most famous bar in Boulder City. It is not only the famous gold-selling cave, but also a gathering place for intelligence.

Not only the nobles in the inner city would come to him for fun, but the mercenaries who had made a fortune were also happy to contribute their chips to him.

Except for the White Shark at the Pirate Cove Bar, no one is better informed than him.

"Look at what happened this morning."

Seal handed the newspaper in his hand to his old friend along with the newspaper he had just delivered to the outside. "This photo is not fake after all, right?"

Taking the newspaper, Robbo glanced at it hastily, his eyes quickly widened into two chips.

"Heart of Steel?! Wait, I think I've heard of this guy!"

Sil looked at him strangely.

"Where did you hear that?"

With disbelief written all over his face, Luo Bo spoke quickly.

"The caravan from the west! Just two months ago! They said that the legion settled in the oasis where the sunset set, and there was a steel fortress floating above their heads... Damn, I thought that guy Bragging!”

The 400mm main gun that burns everything...

This caliber can squeeze someone in!

Luo Bo couldn't help but shrink his neck as he imagined that scene.

He really couldn't think further about the sight of this big ship flying to his door.

"Don't worry too much, the city lord will definitely not let it fly to us." Seeing this guy's exaggerated reaction, Sil's expression was a little weird, but he still said comfortingly.

"That's hard to say... Last year, I don't know if it was the legion or the enterprise, but they dropped a nuclear bomb in the northern Elm District. In the end, it was nothing." Luo Bo couldn't help but complain.

I hope someone can take care of this.

By the way, aren't there a group of nosy guys in the north?

Xizhou City is almost a hundred kilometers away from here, and Ruigu City may be a little further, but it's not too far away.

After all, there is a giant wall in Boulder City, and a large number of fixed weapons are installed on the giant wall, but those people have nothing, and they have planted a large field, so they can do something, right?

Compared to the annoying legion, of course the country bumpkins are cuter.

Luo Bo couldn't help but feel a trace of sadness on his face.

Can they win?

…

Robb is not alone in having similar concerns.

Almost the vast majority of wastelanders holding the "Daily Survivor" had almost the same idea as him.

Not everyone cares about the lives of those hillbillies in the northern suburbs.

But they would not be so naive as to think that the Heart of Steel's range was only a dozen kilometers away, and yet it just missed them.

At this moment, the city hall of Boulder City is very busy.

Du Long, the director of the city hall, has held three meetings in a row. He not only called in people from the bank, but also summoned the president of the "Daily Survivor" newspaper.

Although it can't be said that it was a mess, at least it was a panic.

Different from those ordinary residents.

They are not only worried about the safety of the survivor settlement, but also worried about the 200 million chips they just lent!

What is the concept of 200 million?

There are probably more than half a million residents in the outer city of Boulder City. Excluding mercenaries and businessmen, the per capita income is about 100 chips.

In other words, it would take all the workers in Boulder City three to four months to earn so much money even if they beat the screws and smoke!

Yes, the money is not in the hands of the alliance, but in the custody account of Boulder City Bank. But the problem is that the alliance has already taken these chips and placed orders with their factories and caravans!

Almost all factories in Boulder City are busy with loans, recruiting workers, and expanding production to get those 200 million chips.

The industrial fires are blazing, and there has never been such a grand occasion!

Whether it is Boulder City Bank or City Hall, they have already tasted a little bit of the sweetness, and they are unwilling to see the signs of "economic recovery" being snuffed out.

This kind of thing must never happen!

"That idiot Jaeger actually proposed to terminate the loan. How could such a big thing stop at the drop of a hat! Fortunately, Mr. Director is on my side..."

After a long day of meetings, Malvern returned to the mansion exhausted, handing the coat to his wife while complaining nonstop.

He worries every day so that the poor people who owe him money can repay the money smoothly.

The lady who took the coat gave him a kiss and comforted him softly.

"You may need to rest for a few days."

"Honey, I want to, but there are a lot of troubles..."

Malvin sighed and sat on the soft sofa.

At this moment, he suddenly noticed the newspaper on the coffee table, and his eyebrows, which had been relaxed for a while, suddenly knitted together again.

"Survivor Daily...has our family ordered this too?"

He stretched out his hand and rubbed the center of his brow. Malvin had a headache now that he saw the newspaper.

"I ordered it. I saw a lot of things I've never seen before, such as nutritional ointment. I heard it's food for wastelanders..." Sitting next to her father, Alyssa blinked curiously and said, "Can we get some? I want to see what it's like."

"You won't be interested in that stuff, that stuff is like... like fermented vomit, only a little better than unpalatable bark." Malvern pondered a vivid metaphor.

Even he found it disgusting, which should dispel his daughter's curiosity.

Alyssa: "Bark?"

"Well, if you are too lazy to take out a single chip, you can only chew that thing. But the nutritional ointment is cheap enough, usually only one kilogram is sold... What am I talking about?" Malvern touched the little The daughter's head said dotingly, "You don't need to understand this."

One of his two sons moved to the inner city, the other traveled to the east coast with a reliable caravan, and the other two daughters had already gotten married, so this was all they had left.

The lady frowned.

"...Don't bring that thing home."

"I know," Malvern said with a smile as he hugged Madam's shoulders, "I just want to educate our little daughter on some science..."

"Some unnecessary knowledge." Madam stared at her husband with a slightly reproachful tone, "You dote on Alyssa too much. I have never approved of her subscribing to that kind of newspaper. There are obviously so many books in the study room at home, why? I want to read the vulgar writing written by a bunch of wastelanders."

Malvern laughed dryly.

"I will persuade her."

He actually doesn't like "Daily Survivor" very much, mainly because he doesn't think those "non-professionals" can write anything of value.

Although his office had a subscription, he just asked his secretary to check it out for him.

But this time, the headline of "Daily Survivor" was beyond his expectation.

The Legion's airships have all arrived in the River Valley Province. If it weren't for that weirdo who came here from the next province to write an article, they would probably still be kept in the dark.

Just like the last time the Pioneer came here, one tactical nuclear bomb exploded, and their respected city lord belatedly sent someone over to take a look.

Alyssa stared into her father's eyes and suddenly spoke thoughtfully.

"...Actually, you know, we can't really be isolated from the wasteland. The prosperous ideal city is enviable, but we are not them after all."

Malvern looked at his daughter in surprise, surprised to hear such words from her mouth.

"Where did you hear this?"

"It's in the newspaper, but I think it makes sense."

Looking at his daughter looking up at him, Malvin thought for a moment and said.

"Yes, not only I know, but Dulong also knows, and even Yeager's... uncle who doesn't seem to be very smart also knows, but there are many, many complicated reasons, and this problem has been around for a long time."

Alyssa blinked.

"Since it has been around for a long time, why not start changing it now?"

After rubbing his daughter's little head, Malvin smiled amusedly and said in a gentle tone.

"Because of limited abilities, each generation has its own work. All dad can do is to help you live a slightly better life. You don't have to be like those wastelanders who sell their souls for tomorrow's lunch or for a bottle of wine. Water beer fight.”

He has no intention of breaking two centuries of tacit understanding.

The source of the prosperity of Boulder City is the same as that of Ideal City. After all, they are following the path of enterprises, but they have made some slight improvements.

They have a strong armed force, and like companies, they do not participate in the troubles in the wasteland. They only ensure that others do not come to cause trouble in their homes.

The entire southern part of the River Valley Province and even the survivor settlements in the neighboring Jinchuan Province regard them as role models, whether they are slave owners or merchants.

It’s like they’re looking up at the utopia of the East Coast.

But now, trouble has finally come to the door.

The legion's airship has flown to the doorstep. Those guys with swollen nose bridges are as brutal and rude as the rumors say, and they reveal their fangs unabashedly.

He had no doubt that those people would covet the prosperity of Boulder City.

Thinking of this, Malvern felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

Even the richest man in the city could not convince the great city lord to send troops to do something for everyone's benefit.

After all, to put it bluntly, he is just a beneficiary of the rules.

And that adult is the one who sets the rules.

That man who had lived for who knows how many years was colder, more stubborn, and more elusive than all the people he knew put together.

Malvern couldn't help but start to fantasize.

It would be great if there was some way to get the best of both worlds, to block that trouble for them, or to drive away the airship.

And at this moment, a best of both worlds... or a crazy idea suddenly popped up in his mind.

Since lending those blue coats a sum of money can save those factories that are on the verge of bankruptcy, why not lend them a sum of military funds and encourage them to fight?

That airship...

It should be quite valuable, right?

And with their good-natured personalities, after seeing the sallow and skinny local survivors, they certainly couldn't leave them alone, and then they would have to build roads and houses for them.

"Ruigu City, the west exit of the southern corridor... the potential there is much greater than that of Xizhou City."

As he muttered softly, Malvin's eyes became brighter and brighter, and he suddenly stood up from the sofa with an excited look.

"Dad?" Alyssa tilted her head, not understanding what was wrong with him.

Malvin laughed and was so happy that he wanted to pick up his daughter and give her a kiss.

"My Alyssa, you are so right, we do need a little change..."

"At least, you need to make some adjustments!"