Chapter 980 - This Game Is Too Realistic

Chapter 980: The Endgame Crisis Returns? "Ruins OL" Official Forum. Today, the buzz was as lively as ever. Players who had received the expansion rewards eagerly shared their experiences on the forum. As expected, gripes about goblin tech products took over the trending topics. After all, the customers of other brands, including "Boulder Military Industries," hadn't logged off yet. Any complaints would have to wait their turn. Chief of Africa: "Damn it! Mosquito, your stuff is way too problematic!" Nascent Soul Master: "The promised explosive thruster just blew up the moment I pressed the button?! (Confused)" Serial Offender: "Hahaha, an explosive thruster sounds about right!" Brave Piggy: "What a scam! My brother's thing got blown up because of you! (Angry)" Brave Bull: "Screw you! My name is Bull!" A Person with Thoughts: "How are there still players cursing? Wasn't there supposed to be a player selection? How did you choose these people, Guang?!" Tyrant Warrior Blackened: "Quick, give me his helmet!!! (Screaming)" Elena: "First time playing this game, huh? Goblin tech products are like that. You'll get used to it. (Wry smile)" Elf King Fugui: "You're wronging Mosquito; he's given you the best. If you can't handle it, just uncheck the 'Player Product Reward Pool' option. (Wry smile)" Since a few versions ago, players were allowed to DIY their gear and list it for sale in the system shop, but it was only recently added to the expansion's prize pool. Of course, considering players' creativity doesn't always lead to positive outcomes, including your gear in the prize pool was not mandatory. Checking the option would adjust the odds accordingly for those participating in the draw. "Ruins OL" has always been very user-friendly in this regard. As for those who can't afford to play… Then just don't. Mosquito's skin is thick as a city wall; this level of backlash is nothing to him. Amidst the newcomers' verbal attacks on Mosquito, a sensational thread suddenly caught everyone's attention. Night Ten: "Big News!!! The Orion-class missile cruiser might've been hijacked! A hundred thousand neutron missiles are poised to strike!!" Tail: "What??!" Quit Smoking: "What the heck?!" Springwater Commander: "Cough… Missile cruiser? South Sea Alliance? And what's with a hundred thousand neutron missiles?" The thread immediately caused a sensation upon posting! Though the forum was never short of clickbait titles, Night Ten wasn't just any clickbaiter. Due to often revealing inside information, he was jokingly considered Guang's 'illegitimate child,' implying a degree of credibility, though its extent might vary. Because of this, even the disgruntled "consumer rights" players were sidetracked by this eye-catching news, not to mention Mosquito, who'd been lying low, suddenly resurfacing. WC Real Mosquito: "What the hell?! Who the hell is messing with our alliance now?" Chief of Africa: "Roar! Let's get 'em! (Angry)" As usual, Night Ten posted briefly to snag the spot, letting the thread grow over a hundred replies, stirring everyone's curiosity before slowly revealing the full story. "…We captured a disciple of the Enlightenment Society in Avent City, a resident of Vault 68. From probing his memories, we gleaned that their hijacking of the academy's research ship aimed to reach the Orion-class missile cruiser in geosynchronous orbit." Springwater Commander: "Two questions: aren't they at the Lagrange point space station? Why need the academy's research ship? And the academy has so many ships, why not first control that 'toilet' in geosynchronous orbit?" Fang Chang: "The first is easy to explain. Being at the Lagrange point space station doesn't mean they can travel between it and geosynchronous orbit. They might not even exist physically; perhaps they're merely data on a hard drive or server." Sisi: "'Digital ghosts,' perhaps?" Meat Mountain Bun: "Eek… that's pretty scary. (Afraid)" Springwater Commander: "What about the second one?" Fang Chang: "There might be many explanations. I lean toward the academy having tried but failed due to insufficient conditions, thus shelving the issue. Honestly, interpreting the results retrospectively isn't that meaningful." Escaped Mole in the Canyon: "I think it's pointless too. Just tell us what to do next." Fang Chang: "How should I know? I'm not an admin. Anyway, the next expansion might be space-related, maybe… that's about it. (Side glance)" Quit Smoking: "Damn! Your analysis is way too cursory!" Indebted Big Eyes: "The planners were taking notes then slammed the pen down in frustration. (Wry smile)" Young Man with Bricks on Site: "Guang: Bro, you're making things difficult for me. (Wry smile)" Thunder God Professor Yang: "Watching helplessly as you turn 'Ruins OL' into 'Space OL' breaks my heart." Tyrant Warrior Blackened: "Ahhh, let the server explode already!" Night Ten: "'Starry Sky OL,' initiate! (Wry smile)" Tail: "Whoa! Meat Boat, launch!" Meat Boat: "Our boat only sails in the sea! (Laugh-Cry)" Sisi: "Seems like Coral City's housing prices might surge if the deep sea can fend off neutron missiles." Howling Sesame Paste: "I think if they're called torpedoes... it's a bit iffy. (Helpless)" "…" The thread quickly went off-topic. And showed no sign of returning to its original discussion. Sitting in the shelter, Chu Guang glanced at a few game groups, finding that veteran players indeed shifted their focus, though none had any good ideas. It's understandable when you think about it. A hundred thousand neutron bombs are a threat that surpasses the capabilities of any wasteland survivor faction. Watching the lines of information flickering on the holographic screen, Chu Guang furrowed his brows, spinning the pen in his hand. "This isn't easy to handle…" … Elsewhere. The sewers of Avent City. Flashlight beams flickered across moss-covered brick walls, startling the mice lurking under the heap of garbage. As they navigated pathways marked on the VM map towards their target, Feng Qing and Gui Gui kept up a lighthearted chat. "Emmm... So you're saying a hundred thousand neutron bombs are aimed right at us at this very moment?" "That's what the forum says." "Yikes… sounds like we're in a tough spot." "Yup, quite the predicament." After delivering the "criminal" to the guards with some comrades from the Combustion Corps, the two checked their injuries briefly before donning new gear to return to the sewers. They aimed to complete a task interrupted by earlier troubles. Though both were injured, it wasn't to the extent that they couldn't move. Yet the thought of so much devastation looming overhead left Gui Gui feeling deflated. It felt akin to the world ending while still having to clock in at the office. "...Damn it! So why are we still doing this crappy task!" She vented, kicking a rock that clattered against the sewer's metal grating. Feng Qing eyed Gui Gui curiously. "As for why… it's for 1,000 silver coins, of course. That's 1,000 silver coins!" Seeing someone so unfazed about the world's end, Gui Gui laughed ruefully. "But... if the world ends, what's the point of silver coins?" Feng Qing: "To put it bluntly, at least you can exchange them for money." "Huh, I suppose that's true." Gui Gui scratched her head, momentarily at a loss for words. At the very least, the "Silver Exchange" hadn't shown any major fluctuations; some mysterious buyers were still secretly stocking up. And buying even more, it seemed. Feng Qing patted Gui Gui's shoulder cheerfully. "Relax, relax, if the sky falls, the taller ones catch it. No point in us worrying here." "Your attitude is too good," Gui Gui sighed, suddenly wondering aloud, "Hey, do you think the game designers bit off more than they could chew and plan to reset the servers this way… and then go public?" "Hard to say." After pondering briefly, Feng Qing replied, "But I think… when the time comes, I might give my helmet to someone who needs it." Gui Gui was taken aback, as if scared by Feng Qing’s words. "Damn, I just praised your attitude, and now you're talking about quitting?" Feng Qing chuckled as she spoke. “It’s not exactly AFK, though it might seem that way in the end…” After pondering for a moment, she unexpectedly spoke in a rare serious tone. “I just think… when familiar people disappear, and the world after a reset no longer carries their traces or continuity, wouldn’t it be better to let them and everything about this world live on in my memory? In any case, for me, this chapter of the story has already concluded. It’s that kind of feeling.” Though not the protagonist, this adventure had left her with no regrets. The world renewed after a reset wouldn’t simply end; the world wouldn’t halt because it’s missing a cog like her. It might even run more smoothly than before. She felt a strong premonition in her heart. The successors who take up the torch might run faster and go farther than they ever did! Among the vibrant newcomers, there might even be another girl named “Feng Qing.” Though a completely different person, she would be just as strong and brave. She would inherit her ID and surpass the mountains Feng Qing once only dreamed of climbing. Seeing Feng Qing’s gentle smile, Gui Gui sighed deeply and scratched the back of her head. “I get what you’re saying, even if my thoughts are entirely different… For me, meeting new friends and redoing old quests seems too troublesome.” After a brief pause, she turned to Feng Qing with a serious tone. “If that day really comes, I might very well do the same as you.” Feng Qing chuckled and patted her friend's shoulder. “Isn’t it too soon to talk about this? Let’s just earn those 1,000 silver coins first.” “Yeah!” Gui Gui nodded vigorously, her previously lackluster face now burning with renewed enthusiasm. Even if tomorrow was the world’s end, she would clear every task on her list! Otherwise, if the game really did “shut down,” wouldn’t the exotic nests in Avent City’s sewers be a lifelong regret? Guided by the VM map, the two navigated narrow corridors, dismantled a grating door, descended a well, and crossed a flooded area. They then climbed a metal ladder up to a high platform. The little mouse that had been scared off certainly ran quite a distance, managing to scurry beneath 17th Street. Perhaps the pipes there tasted sweeter? They continued into a winding corridor before emerging into a surprisingly open space. This area was utterly different from before. There was no sewer stench; the air felt surprisingly dry. Rather than brick and stone, the walls were made of a polymer material neither had ever seen. Before long, an escalator-like structure appeared in front of them, and judging by the scattered trash and tightly shuttered doors, this seemed to be an underground shopping street. Or something similar. “Is this… a pre-war civilization ruin?” Gui Gui’s voice brimmed with excitement, thrilled at the thought of a grand discovery just before the world’s end. Feng Qing was equally astounded, silently examining the surroundings with her flashlight, unable to articulate words for a long while. Gui Gui approached a shutter door, attempting to lift it, only to find it rusted shut. She gave up. Taking a few steps back to survey the layout, she couldn’t help but softly murmur. “So, did the Willant people build a sewer over the ruins?” Feng Qing thought for a moment before thoughtfully responding. “Maybe it wasn’t the Willant people who built it… Wasn’t this settlement initially not owned by them?” Gui Gui paused. “That seems right.” Feng Qing approached the dust-laden escalator, glanced at the pitch-black circular hall below, and continued. “Two centuries ago, the earliest survivors established a settlement named Avent City on the ruins. They salvaged whatever was possible and blocked off uninhabitable underground facilities to prevent mutations from nesting there. “After about half a century, maybe a bit longer, the Willant people took over the settlement. Most survivors in Avent City by then were born in the Wasteland Era and had forgotten about the areas their ancestors had locked away. “Although the Willant people inherited Avent City, they didn’t take over things even the locals had forgotten. They modified and expanded the original infrastructure. What was once new became old, and this place became a part of history.” Listening to Feng Qing’s analysis, Gui Gui rubbed her chin. “That explanation sounds quite reasonable.” Feng Qing laughed humbly, saying, “It’s just my guess, so take it with a grain of salt.” “Either way, this is definitely a relic of the Prosperity Era!” Gui Gui excitedly unpacked her reconnaissance drone, inserting a thumb-sized hard drive into her helmet. Sync complete! The tactical visor on her helmet now displayed the drone’s camera feed! “Let’s see what treasures the Prosperity Era left behind!” To be continued.