Chapter 816 - This Game Is Too Realistic

Chapter 816: People Create Gods in Their Own Image While tragic events are commonplace in the wasteland, in places where players are active, an entirely different scene unfolds. The "PVP" arena of Camp 101. Two "Glory II Experimental Models" power armors are locked in a fierce grapple, brilliant sparks flying as steel clashes against steel! As the only arena in the Alliance where both skill and life are on the line, it is a battlefield meant exclusively for players. Generally speaking, unless you want to spar with close friends, true veterans seldom come here to waste time. However, the occasional introduction of experimental equipment in the arena, with participants rewarded with bounty and contribution points regardless of the match's outcome, makes the facility particularly popular among the newcomers below Tier 3. At this moment, the two contenders wrestling in the arena are top prospects among the rookies! The competitor with a red identifier is [Born in Summer] from the Abstract Legion, while the one with a blue identifier is [Tiger of Litang] from the Climbers Legion. The experimental model II version of the Glory armor has its frontal armor replaced by ceramic steel, sacrificing mobility for enhanced front armor. Consequently, neither side can do significant damage to the other with explosive rounds. After emptying their magazines, both sides reached a silent consensus. Drawing their combat knives and axes to the roaring cheers of the audience, they entered a more intimate and familiar melee stage. The atmosphere of the entire battle rose to a fever pitch alongside the adrenaline-pumping combat. "Go, Summer!!!" "Smash him! Hit him on the head!" "Abstract Legion rules!!!" "Woahhh!" "Come on, Tiger! Can you do it or not?" "Damn you——" The noise from the spectators was relentless, mirroring the frenetic energy within the arena. Amidst their heated clash, the red and blue sides are hollering across the communication channel incessantly. Initially, Born in Summer took the upper hand, forcefully pressing down on Tiger of Litang. However, their aggressive offense led to a loss of balance in the cumbersome Glory II model. Born in Summer stumbled into Tiger of Litang's chest, giving the latter an opportunity to counter with a barrage of ax swings. Had that ax been a thermal cutting ax, hunched over the Tiger's chest, Born in Summer might have ended up like a scorched chicken. Meanwhile, his combat knife would have struggled to pierce the ceramic steel frontal armor. Alas, battlefields do not entertain "what ifs." Although the combat prowess of the Abstract Legion pales in comparison to the Climbers Legion—who emerged victorious in the battle for Heaven—duels and group battles are two entirely separate concepts. Because not a single teammate can be relied upon, the four high-ups of the Abstract Legion possess extensive survival experience on the battlefield and a keen ability to adapt to circumstances. A fleeting reversal window appeared! At the critical moment when the ax swung toward his back for a second time, Born in Summer seized the opportunity as his opponent shifted focus. Raising both arms and pushing off the ground, he flipped Tiger of Litang, who was pinned on top of him, over his head! "Damn it—!" To the audience's gasps, Tiger bellowed in frustration, flipping head over heels behind Born in Summer and landing heavily on his back. "Boom!!" Dust billowed. Dazed and disoriented, Tiger attempted to scramble up, only to find Born in Summer's combat knife pressed into the gap between his helmet and shoulder plate, a firm hand clasping his head. Panting heavily, Born in Summer sneered victoriously, applying pressure on the helmet. "Don't move, stay still!" "@#%!" Tiger of Litang ground his teeth in frustration, wriggling a few times to no avail, ultimately resigning himself. According to PK rules, if any side loses the ability to resist, the PK ends. The victor gains a bonus reward. Once the verdict is in, any continued conflict will be considered a violation and penalized. These rules are primarily designed to minimize equipment wear. Although the power armors used in the arena are simplified and modified versions, for instance, nuclear batteries swapped for hydrogen batteries sufficient only for one battle, the remaining components still hold significant value. Right as the verdict was confirmed, a line of text flashed across the large screen. [Match Over, Red Team Wins] [Victor ID: Born in Summer] A chorus of enthusiastic cheers erupted in the spectator area outside the arena, especially from those players who placed winning bets, fervently expressing their excitement. Standing amidst the raucous crowd, Outlaw applauded, a sage-like smile framing his face as he offered his critique. "Not bad, not bad. Reminds me of a third of my glory days in the arena." Beside him, [Awake and Tired] rolled his eyes. "Stop bragging! And what's the point of comparing yourself to newcomers when you're so high-leveled!" Outlaw chuckled mischievously. "Just talking about the past me in the same phase, you know? I wasn't a veteran back when I ruled the arena!" Awake and Tired quipped, "You only won a few times, how does that make you a ruler of the arena!" Outlaw replied, "Doesn't matter! My win rate is high!" Awake and Tired exclaimed, "@#%!" Stopping mid-clap, [I'm the First to Die] sighed, looking helplessly at the pair. "...If you have time to argue, why not join the arena yourselves?" Due to some players' bizarre antics, player's spectator zones have been segregated from the NPC's spectator zones since Beta 0.6. The former is mainly open to idle players coming for a show, while the latter's audience primarily includes Camp 101's researchers, engineers, and students. As a result, the NPC's spectator section is far quieter than the players'. Not only do you need headphones to hear the combat sounds, but the exchange of thoughts also leans more academic. "The hardness of ceramic steel has exceeded expectations..." "Indeed... Surviving ten consecutive hits from explosive rounds, and it even withstood a 350mm penetration portable anti-armor round." "This thing resembles a walking tank..." "The failure of the anti-armor round to penetrate might be due to the layered armor, not solely the ceramic steel's merit." "Not necessarily, verifying this requires dismantling the armor cladding around the impact point." "I'm pondering what kind of individual weapon could destroy this thing from the front..." "Do you think it's too early to consider this?" "Not at all, technological diffusion is inevitable. I'm sure the Legion is already pondering this. We have to anticipate their solutions and devise countermeasures before they do." In a corner of the spectator zone, Summer Salt sat with headphones on, gazing thoughtfully at the notebook in her hands. As the designer of the entire armor set, her focus wasn't on a specific module but rather the overall design. Since before the Alliance's existence, she has been crafting equipment for the players, understanding their combat style better than anyone here, and knowing how to maximize their advantage in specific combat scenarios. And this is exactly what Chu Guang once explained to her, as "a unique and irreplaceable talent only she possesses." Once she embraced this, she no longer found herself at a loss about not having "awakened talents" or "finding her existential value." From observing the recent match, a new inspiration was already forming in her mind. However, that vague inspiration was still abstract in her head. She needed some time to organize it into a concrete idea and integrate it into the existing design plan. "...Sorry, I need a bit more time. Could you wait a little longer? Ten minutes... uh, maybe half an hour, but no more than an hour!" Clutching her messy fiery red hair, Summer Salt lifted her head from the screen, apologetically gazing at the woman sitting across from her, Alisa, with a pleading look. Due to their similar fields, Alisa and Xiao Yu were close, leading her to also become good friends with Summer Salt. However, recently, Xiao Yu and Pai Yi were busy with projects related to the trading floor in Dawn City. So these days, it's just the two of them going to the cafeteria together. Spotting Summer Salt's troubled expression, Alisa smiled gently and responded with a soft voice. "No worries, I'm not that hungry anyway." "Thank you!" Leaving this note of gratitude, Summer Salt dove back into her brainstorming work. Sitting across from Summer Salt, Alisa did not interrupt her thoughts. Instead, she quietly enjoyed her rich coffee while perusing the unfinished book in her hands. Her choice of this spot wasn't due to a fascination with the power armor battles; it was simply because the coffee here was free and unlimited, occasionally accompanied by leftover cookies and pastries from the previous day’s canteen offerings. Since resigning from her position with the Boulder City Crisis Committee, Alisa had embraced a simple life, with about 1000 silver coins sufficing for her monthly expenses. Thanks to scholarships from the Alliance's education department and Boulder City's local authorities, she could effortlessly pursue her thirst for knowledge here after everything had settled. Though her lifestyle wasn’t exactly stringent, because the money wasn't earned by her own hands, she practiced frugality, especially in non-essential expenditures. She believed the esteemed manager wouldn’t mind a young girl without financial independence taking a small advantage here and there. Moreover, she didn't intend to freeload indefinitely. Once she had mastered enough knowledge, she planned to repay the aid extended to her and Boulder City by applying her newfound skills. In the past, she had been weak, understanding many things without grasping the underlying reasons. But things were different now. After a full year of study, she was no longer the person she once was... "Excuse me, are you Ms. Alisa?" Hearing a voice from the side, Alisa realized her fingertips had been resting on the corner of the next page for ten minutes without turning it. The passages that had flashed through her mind could easily fill a book. Realizing she'd zoned out, she blushed slightly, clearing her throat and adjusting her posture before looking up at the staff member standing by her table. "It’s me... Is there something you need?" The staff member smiled and said, "There's a gentleman at the entrance claiming to be a friend of yours. He said he needs to discuss something with you." During equipment testing phases, only authorized residents of the shelter or active or enrolled personnel could enter the arena to spectate. But Camp 101 itself was quite open, allowing entry with a simple registration at the gate. Hearing it was a friend, the first person Alisa thought of was Mr. Joy. His child was also undergoing advanced studies at Camp 101; sometimes when visiting his child, he would also check in on her. "I understand." Without much thought, Alisa closed her open book and looked at Summer Salt across from her. "I'm stepping out for a moment." Busily engaged with her screen, Summer Salt nodded rapidly, too absorbed to even glance away. "Mhm! Safe journey! Ah wait, remember to come back for dinner!" "Of course, I wouldn’t leave you to dine alone... I'll be back soon." Amused by Summer Boss's flustered state, Alisa couldn't help but smile. Not wanting to keep Mr. Joy waiting, she wasted no time, rising from her seat and exiting the arena's spectators section. Meanwhile, outside the arena, two men—one tall, one short—stood in line, one behind the other. Compared to the taller man at the front, the shorter one was evidently younger, possibly even a minor. As a result, lacking experience, his confidence and composure were much thinner than those of the man in front. "...Mr. Zaid, is this really okay?" The younger man glanced tensely towards the entrance, lowering his voice to speak, unable to hold back. Zaid had just lied to the staff at the door; they were not truly friends of Ms. Alisa and hadn't even met the lady. While Mr. Zaid had deftly deceived the inexperienced young staff member with smooth talk and perfect manners—so much so that the latter didn’t even ask for names before fetching the lady—the lie wouldn't hold for long. He was very concerned that when the lady saw their unfamiliar faces, she'd call over the guards... Zaid glanced at his uneasy companion, speaking softly but firmly. "Relax, we're not doing anything wrong. Once we explain, an apology will suffice." Seeing the nervous demeanor, Zaid paused briefly before continuing. "People accomplishing big things don't bother with trivialities. With her capability and ambition, she won't be petty about something like this. But you, looking all suspicious—I worry the guards might just toss you out." The young man's name was Wasa, also of the Serpent Tribe, who joined not long after Zaid arrived in Dawn City. At Zaid's words, Wasa eventually stopped glancing around, though his face still showed traces of nervousness. “But… could we not have set up a formal meeting, like through a letter, instead?” “You think I haven’t tried?” Responding with a rhetorical question, Zaid calmly continued, “We don’t have time to wait. The window is closing; as external and internal pressures mount, the Empire can’t hold out much longer. We need the Alliance’s support, and to achieve that, we must contact its manager.” After implementing a suggestion from a shelter resident to rename the Equality Society to the Family Society, Zaid indeed managed to gather more members and sponsorships. Many residents of Vault 404, impressed by the idea of society members treating each other like family and promoting equality and mutual assistance, came forward with financial support, not expecting anything in return. Nonetheless, their organization, still in its fledgling state, was in no position to compete with the League formed by the residents of Port Gallon. The two were not of comparable scales; the latter not only had the support of Fry Port residents but also the backing of the behemoth company, Hundred Continents. Zaid had intended to be patient—some things couldn’t be rushed. After all, he'd once poured tea for the elders at early morning stalls just to meet someone influential; waiting a few months in Dawn City wouldn’t trouble him. However, recent events were unsettling. Firstly, Lacey’s unfolding events surpassed his expectations, as the Dawn City edition of the Survivor Daily reported on the revival achievements in Mammoth State. Secondly, the Empire, in its ridiculousness, exceeded his predictions, committing almost every conceivable mistake and racing blindly down the wrong path. A normally intellectual leader would not make such entirely counterproductive decisions. Yet, the Mad Dromedary managed this spectacularly. Completing a flawless exam paper is difficult, but achieving a wholly incorrect one is similarly challenging. “...Can Ms. Alisa really connect us to the Alliance's manager?” Wasa looked at Zaid in disbelief, doubt clouding his face. But Zaid, disinclined to explain further, remained indifferent, watching the entrance and stating plainly. “Whether it works or not, we have to try.” Though he spoke lightly, he had substantial confidence in the potential success of the endeavor. Like that mouse fellow who authored "Red Earth," Zaid had also studied the materials documenting the significant transformations in Boulder City, delving much deeper in his view—without a shadow of a doubt. While the former focused on the cultural aspects, Zaid dissected the core of the power transition between the old and new regimes during Boulder City’s transformative period. Final victory seldom goes to idealists; those who overthrew the inner-city aristocrats were experts at mastering human nature. Especially Alisa—she was anything but simple! Not only was she the daughter of the former Boulder City Bank president, Melvin, but she was also a member of the Crisis Response Committee established by the Workers’ Union and the Militia! That committee was a big deal. Today’s upper echelon of Boulder City's local authorities was largely inherited from that committee. Be it the town hall or the militia! To emerge unscathed through the shift of power between the old and new, preserving both herself and her family, showcased this woman's formidable skills! More importantly— Zaid learned that during the committee’s tenure, Alisa led the confiscation of inner-city aristocrats' assets and managed the Boulder City Bank’s bankruptcy restructuring! That was a strategic masterstroke, the move he admired the most. By completing those tasks, she effectively severed ties with the past! Moving forward, her political adversaries couldn't use her origins to attack her! Moreover, the blemishes originally marking her reputation had now transformed into a dazzling badge of honor! Successfully executing the asset consolidation and gaining the trust of other Crisis Committee members by taking on this responsibility demonstrated her formidable capabilities and deep cunning! On the surface, she seemed to have lost all her assets, but in reality, she had acquired something far more substantial—power. Even though she chose to withdraw from the core power structure of Boulder City after everything settled, Zaid saw it as nothing less than a strategic retreat for future advancement. By attending the highest academy in the Alliance for further study, she not only bore the Alliance's insignia but also gained an additional aura compared to her colleagues in the Crisis Committee. If she chose to advance, she could move from the heart of power in the small pond of Boulder City to the core of the entire Alliance. Conversely, even with a retreat, her Alliance insignia and accolades from Boulder City's transformative era would allow her to effortlessly surpass her former peers! Furthermore, she reportedly maintained a strong connection with the Alliance's manager. Zaid had heard this from a rumor, claiming that Alisa frequently corresponded with the Alliance's manager. Although it was just a boast from a drunken patron in a Boulder City tavern, the reactions from the other listeners hinted it might hold some truth. If that were indeed the case, the future potential of Ms. Alisa would be even harder to underestimate! Though Zaid wasn't well-versed in the Alliance's power structure, he compared it to the imperial court he was familiar with. Trying to envisage being the emperor of the Empire, he contemplated that he wouldn't refuse such a competent woman who could bring abundant resources to the royal family. As long as she wasn't too old or beyond childbearing age. This thought brought a confident smile to Zaid's face. His current task was to demonstrate his worth to Ms. Alisa, proving he was a worthy investment. If he could secure an alliance with the potential future empress of the Alliance, it would greatly benefit not only his Family Society but also any new nation they might establish in the Pallor province. Lost in thought, his anticipated figure appeared at the entrance of the arena. However, when Zaid confirmed the person's identity as Alisa, he was dumbfounded, frozen in place with his mouth agape, incapable of uttering a word. She looked only about fifteen or sixteen years old, utterly shattering his preconceived image of a shrewd, calculating queen. This girl... Could she really be the Alisa he had in mind? Could there have been a mistake?! All his plans suddenly scrambled, Zaid watched her approach in bewilderment, until she, accompanied by an arena staff member, drew near. Faced with this unfamiliar man and his timid companion behind, Alisa was visibly displeased, her elegantly shaped brows knitting slightly. The introductory deceit had already soured her initial impression of him to zero. "I don't know you, nor do I recall anyone sharing my name here." "I need an explanation." To be continued...