Chapter 871 - This Game Is Too Realistic

Chapter 871: The Difference Between a Big Win and a Small Win On the western side of Boro Sea, aboard the bridge of the cruiser "Harpoon." Led by Li Minghui, a group of officers stood in front of the control panel, fixating on the vivid radar signals on the screen. The legion's airships made no effort to conceal themselves, nor did they have any reason to. After all, with such a massive target floating in the sky, unless someone was too far away or incredibly nearsighted, there was no need for radar—the naked eye would suffice. "Four airships... quite a show of force," remarked the adjutant next to Li Minghui, unable to keep a smirk from his face as he watched the ever-pulsing waves on the screen. Next to them, the ship's captain clenched his fists instinctively, resting his hands on the control panel. "This is blatant provocation—they sailed right past us!" "...If only the Haiya was still operational." "You've said that so many times now—I'm getting calluses in my ears." Recovering and repairing a sunken battleship would cost just as much as constructing a new one. Currently, the South Sea Alliance couldn't bear such a hefty expense, and the representative council would never approve a proposal that offered no benefit to its citizens. In fact, even Li Minghui himself saw no need to rebuild a ship like the Haiya. With the advent of a new era, such obsolete vessels were destined for obsolescence, much like the "Iron Airship" they competed against. "It doesn't matter," said Li Minghui calmly, arms uncrossing as he adjusted the officer's cap on his head. "...Since the Academy says they'll handle it, let's leave it to them." ... At the same time, in another world. [Battle Report Update: Major Victory in Akale County!] [Attacking Forces: Southern Legion's 36th, 37th Divisions, West Sail Port's Seventh Air Squadron.] [Participating Forces: 24,000 combat personnel (excluding over 5,000 cloned soldiers).] [Combat Equipment: One Iron Airship, 104 Firecross self-propelled artillery, 88 Conqueror V tanks, 220 Beasts wheeled infantry vehicles, 45 Greyhound reconnaissance vehicles, and a total of 500 armored personnel carriers and support vehicles. Twenty Dagger propeller planes, two Sabre jet fighters, several exoskeletons, and ballistic armors.] —— [Defending Forces: Death Legion, Burning Legion, Goblin Legion; Boro Kingdom's 3rd and 11th Divisions; Kangalon Port's First Mechanized Infantry Division, Tiger Army Expeditionary Armored Regiment, and Panther Army Expeditionary Armored Regiment.] [Participating Forces: 47,000 combat personnel] [Combat Equipment: 120 Chimera armored vehicles, 99 Conqueror X heavy tanks, 42 155mm artillery, 20 88mm mortars, 5,000 exoskeletons and powered armors, 3,000 transport animals, 4,100 bicycles and human-powered tricycles. Two Thunder fighter jets.] —— [Battle Outcome: Defending Forces Victory!] [Southern Legion's 36th Division annihilated! 6,710 personnel captured! Including Division Leader Wolf Van and seven Batalion Commanders, dozens of Centurions. 37th Division withdrew to the vicinity of Lion State! Armored units lost more than half, support forces heavily damaged! Captured 52 self-propelled artillery, 27 infantry vehicles, roughly 300 assorted transport vehicles, nearly 4,000 exoskeletons and unpowered ballistic armors, 17,000 light weapons, and millions of various caliber ammunitions!] [Rating: S (Epic Victory!)] The "Wasteland OL" forum was as lively as ever. Ever since the launch of the new expansion pack "Southern Invasion," the official website had been periodically updating players on significant battles' reports. Even though not all players joined the volunteer forces, because several renowned legions participated in the combat, most players stayed keenly interested in the battle's progress. Despite the fact that most players had never even set foot in Boro Province. Quit Smoking: "Elder Brother Fang is awesome!!!" Tail: "Ohhh! So impressive!" Fang Chang: "Standard ops, don't overhype... ahem, not bragging, this performance was indeed decent. Of course, it's mainly because everyone played well. (pushes glasses)" Collect Junk Lvl 99: "666!" Force It's Hard: "Full score for this brag. (Cunning)" Admittedly, this was the most skillful fight they had managed recently. It was also the most triumphant. While they had secured some local victories before, it hadn't stopped the legion's front line from advancing like a hot knife through butter, with Boro's land army being completely dominated. But this time was different; their allies suddenly lifted their spirits. Although the opposing side had underestimated them, capturing the opportunity and maximizing its potential was also their skill. Even if Fang Chang modestly refrained from boasting, his actions spoke otherwise, causing a pandemonium among his comrades. Skim the Edges: "Dang! We were the main force, right!" Owe the Big Eyes: "This is too much! We fought the tough battles, and you get all the glory! (Angry)" Night Ten: "It's not like we took all the credit. We captured the Legion Leader of the 36th Division, sniped 52 self-propelled artillery, and crippled the 37th Division's support unit... Pretty good if you ask me. (Cunning)" Owe the Big Eyes: "@#%!" Gale: "You're a little too mean-spirited showing off like this. (Side-eye)" Meadow Escaped Mole: "Something's not right, feels like your Burning Legion is always sneaking around behind, picking up scraps and aiming for MVP! Where's the conscience!" Elf King Wealthy: "Exactly! I'm siding with Big Eyes on this one; it's too much!" Irena: "Manual cunning." Dino Warrior: "Fight!! (Excited)" Overwhelmed by the accusations, perhaps Fang Chang felt guilty and quietly withdrew. But Night Ten was full of energy, debating with ten others about the MVP status over hundreds of comments. Meanwhile, the casual players watched the drama, chiming in occasionally, stirring things up. Fortunately, the developer imposed "fair law enforcement," ensuring no loudmouths skewed the outcome. After the battle score was settled, Death Legion edged out to claim the MVP of the entire battle. After all, they annihilated an entire division, and although the division leader was captured by Burning Legion, the credit was more like a convenient bonus. As for the other division, the credit mainly went to the NPC forces. Old Bai and Fang Chang had no objections to this result. In fact, they welcomed giving other legions a chance, preferring not to hoard all the benefits, becoming subject to cries of needing a "nerf." As the top-tier legion across the server, the elite among the elite, they didn't really care about the scoring highs and lows of a couple of battles. Especially Fang Chang himself. Compared to a few local victories and rewards, he stood to gain far more from the overall victory of the war. Not just him; the shareholders of Bayue Corporation and other players with professions indirectly benefiting did as well. The conversation quickly shifted from a single battle's outcome to the implications of the war's victory. It concerned a province with a population of over a hundred million. And it was foreseeable that, following the end of the war, the place would likely experience a baby boom, similar to the River Valley Province, with another exponential population growth. These people would need food, clothing, shelter, education, hospitals, and transport vehicles along with associated infrastructure. And they would generate wealth far exceeding the demand once their needs were met. Especially given the local people's diligence and good credit conditions, as long as they had aspirations, banks would be willing to lend them money to overcome barriers and share in the profits as the pie grew. An ancient feudal empire was facing a new era. They wouldn't even need to hinge on external opportunities like the Mammoth Nation because they were the wasteland's biggest opportunity, rivaling even the space elevator under construction. The latter was a torch burning in the sky, and they would become the light on earth. Grabbing these opportunities was surprisingly simple. They didn't even need Abusack to be overly clever; just being a sensible individual was enough. Watching Fang Chang transition from talking about agriculture to infrastructure, and then from infrastructure to future space colonization, captivated both players and onlookers, as if they were witnessing an elaborate fantasy unfold. However, skepticism lingered among some. Professor Yang, known as the "Lord of Thunder and Lightning," voiced his doubts: "I don't mean to throw a wet blanket, but it seems to me you're envisioning things going a bit too smoothly." Fang Chang replied, "Honestly, I've thought the same more than once. But we can't rely on intuition alone to determine the course of events." When they needed a strong leader to unite the disjointed Boro people, they quickly found a Rasi. Rasi had the skills for warfare but lacked the diplomatic skills, so soon after they found someone like Abusack, who could strike a balance. In that regard, things did seem a bit overly smooth. Yet, sometimes he couldn't help but consider that perhaps, this was the choice of the Boro people themselves. There was indeed a latent force within them. Although not strong, it was ready to emerge when the time was right. Contrary to previous times, Professor Yang had his own perspective. "I'm not just going on intuition. I think the legion's idea of turning livestock into resources made sense. Their internal differences were just too significant. They've hit a tipping point, leading to unraveling." "You want to turn livestock straight into people, skipping intermediate steps—it seems as daunting as turning stone into gold. Haha, though I'm just an observer, so maybe the game really can work miracles. (cunning smile)" Fang Chang: "You can be annoying sometimes, can't you dream a little? (side-eye)" Professor Yang: "I'm a realist and a pragmatist. In my view, a stock that can't short is one that can't sustain long-term growth, so it's crucial to step out before it collapses. You, being in finance, should understand my point." "Even if you provide the best facilities and people, you can't dispel the inherent shadows within—they are who they are. Everyone has their limitations; that's theirs and yours." With those cryptic words, Professor Yang, much like a cocky peer, vanished into the silence. People didn't pay much attention as usual. After all, he had spouted nonsense countless times before without ever being right. As for Fang Chang, though he pondered for a while, he ultimately didn't place much importance on it. He was aware of what Professor Yang had said, but it wasn't the core issue. This war wasn't just about the destiny of the Boro people; it also concerned the fate of the Wilant people. Should the Southern Legion suffer defeat, its collapse would be nearly certain. Truth be told, they had long been looking to divide; the Eastern Legion might even be rooting for their defeat, restrained only by internal power checks. At that point, the Southern Legion's colonies would inevitably witness a wave of liberation movements. The suppressed local forces would be unleashed as the Southern Legion weakened. But this could be beneficial for the Wilant people. So long as they engage in thorough self-reflection, understanding the complexities of their own and others' history, they too have a chance to enter a new era. Even if, as Professor Yang suggested, not all Boro people board the ship to the new world, at least a portion of the Wilant people might make it aboard. That wouldn’t be a loss. In other words, their efforts wouldn't be in vain. As long as they could win. Eventually, it would be just a matter of deciding whether they achieved a big or small win... ... Since the legion's relentless advance into Lion State, panic gripped the capital city of Tiandu. Especially after hearing about the devastation in Lion City, residents were in fear, worried that the same inferno might descend upon them. However, worry was futile—what was destined to come would come, and life had to go on as usual. In fact, upon deeper reflection, there was nothing much to fear. Although a major commissioner fled, the Supreme Leader remained, giving them little reason for apprehension. Amidst these turbulent times, two pieces of good news suddenly emerged. One was the great victory in Akale County; the other was the announcement of the results of the national exam. The latter, in particular, held significant importance for most ordinary survivors, offering a chance to change their family's fortunes. In some ways, the exam results drew even more attention from locals than the Akale victory. On the streets of Tiandu, newspaper boys darted through the lanes, shouting as they went. "Big news, big news!! Akale County Victory! Tiandu City Exam Results Announced!" Hearing the cries, people gathered to pool money and buy a paper. The new edition of the "Survivor's Daily" wasn’t expensive, and city dwellers could afford it. However, as the exam was over, they were reluctant to spend on "useless" matters. The newspaper boy, a local, was accustomed to this. Knowing a group might buy only one paper, he swiftly proceeded to the next street. After all, with a dense population, quick feet would ensure some sales. "Ah! My son's not on the list!" "What a loss, I told you the boy’s destiny was in farming—wasted so much money." "You shouldn't blindly buy old papers; look for useful books!" "But... what books are useful?" "The question maker, Commissioner Kabaha, used to work at the Royal Printing House, now Tiandu's first printing factory. You didn't think to ask the employees what he liked?" "If only I'd known a few days ago—why didn't you tell me earlier!" "I heard it from my neighbor... an underhanded fellow, keeping it secret." "Did his son make the list?" "Nonsense! Such a cunning man, there's no way his son made the cut! I knew it!" After a heated discussion with no one on the list, people felt both heartache and slight comfort. At least their children weren't the only ones off the list; their neighbors' kids didn’t make it either. Soon, rumors spread, claiming the exam had little to do with commoners. The slots were predetermined; officers' children took some while intellectuals' children claimed others, leaving only scraps for civilians. While partially true, this wasn't entirely accurate. Commissioner Kabaha ensured fairness rigorously, establishing a question-setting committee and a grading committee, implementing a double-blind policy, and requiring no one to leave the floating palace until results were released. Neither the exam's creators nor graders could manipulate the process, leaving no room for bribery. As for bribing Commissioner Kabaha himself, that was unthinkable; he even brazenly criticized Abusack. Approaching him would be futile compared to going directly to Abusack. Nonetheless, despite Kabaha’s efforts, the mess left by the old empire couldn’t be completely cleared. Educational resources were inherently unequal. In Tiandu city, literate and numerate people comprised mainly former nobility or servants, businessmen, or accounting clerks. Their sons received education. Even though the Union language is easy to learn and math isn't hard, they started from a significantly higher baseline. Even civilian sons couldn’t outperform them, nor could those of the old-gruff soldiers. Even Abusack himself once worked as a "gray wolf" on the docks, let alone other officers, some of whom farmed or did carpentry, never touching books. Still, a few civilian children were selected. Especially in the prep school selection, where the proportion of civilian children far exceeded those in the 16-and-over bachelor's category. These children were true prodigies, like the naturally math-sensitive Little Fish. They had an innate intuition for language and numbers. While others pondered for hours, they figured things out in minutes, even excelling and building on what they learned in fields that interested them. With minimal cultivation, they could become distinguished or even eminent figures in any given field. The benefit of having such a large population is evident. From the hundreds of households on Beite Street, with help from the shelter, only one Little Fish was born. In the bustling city of Tiandu, with its millions of inhabitants, the number of talented individuals naturally reflected this vast population. Even Abusack himself might not realize that he was sitting on a massive gold mine beneath him—a mine that Fang Chang coveted greatly. To the legion, exploiting these talents as mere iron ore was a colossal waste. Yet, discussing such distant matters was premature; the locals were delighting in the most primordial joy of all. After all, to be selected in the exam promised a change in destiny, an occurrence as rare as manna from heaven. Occasionally, exclamations of joy echoed through the streets, and some even fainted from sheer happiness, sparking a stir among onlookers. "Haha! My youngest son got in!" An elderly man in a short-sleeved shirt, his face beaming with excitement, likely had a family of four or five. Indeed, his name was Roetz, a neighbor in the vicinity. His eldest son, 35 or 36, was already settled with a family, while his youngest, barely twelve, was just old enough for prep school enrollment. When he registered his youngest, he did it without much hope, yet the boy surprisingly passed the exam. Truly, luck had shone upon them! Upon hearing this, the surrounding people were filled with envy and jealousy, but they maintained their compliments: "Congratulations, old man! Your son is now a part of the Supreme Leader's circle!" "When will my family have such fortune?" A man, also in a short-sleeve shirt, sighed, lamenting his own son's lack of achievement. This self-deprecating muttering, overheard by others, elicited a mocking laugh. "You? Roetz's family, at least, resides in Tiandu; their ancestors had splendor. And you, a mere mud-stomper, expect royal benefits?" Flushed with anger, the man reached out to grab the heckler's collar. "You! Why am I not worthy?" The man clutching the collar also turned red, feeling his pride wounded publicly, and shoved back. "How dare you pick a fight with me, you ignorant fool!" "I'll show you—!" Their verbal feud quickly escalated into physical blows, their pent-up frustrations of their son's failures seemingly fueling each strike. Bystanders quickly intervened to separate them. Even the jubilant old man stepped in. "Hey, hey, what are you doing? Let go of each other! Is there no regard for order?" His intervention was indeed on point, and those who disagreed were the real issue. However, the authoritative tone betraying a newfound sense of importance was undeniable, as if already seated on a ruler's chair. The crowd saw nothing wrong with this stance; instead, they applauded. As the saying goes, a tiger can't give birth to a dog-like son. With Roetz's righteousness, surely young Roetz would grow to be an honest official. The two bullies no longer dared to utter a sound; the elder's face still commanded respect. At this moment, a man in long sleeves pushed his way through the crowd, showering Roetz with flatteries before eagerly inquiring: "Old man, how old is your son? Has he married? How many wives—" Not waiting for him to finish, Roetz, with visible disdain, pushed him aside. "Get lost! If my son is to marry, it'll be with someone educated. What do you think you are!" In a different setting, he might have agreed, given the man's apparent standing. Even if it were only a pre-arranged engagement, his son wouldn't lose out. But with the neighbors elevating him so high, he unconsciously saw himself as someone of significance. Listeners found no fault, instead echoing the sentiment, advising that the youngest son's marriage should be chosen with care. The long-sleeved man's face turned from red to white but said nothing. With a scornful glance at the boisterous commoners, he turned on his heel and left. Similar scenes played out across Tiandu, adding a dose of levity to the otherwise solemn atmosphere. Watching the noisy crowd, young Geir wore an expression of disdain. It was just an exam, after all. Look at how thrilled they were. His father was Commander Piklly, under the "Tiger King" Duawata. While Duawata's influence wasn't as potent as Abusack’s, he was still a significant figure in Tiandu. As for Kabaha, he was merely a “commissioner,” essentially just a dog in Abusack's kennel—and a disobedient one at that. Because of this, Geir never took the supposedly significant state examination seriously. So what if he didn’t pass? Even if he failed, he’d still become a commander one day! This disdain was shared among his lackeys, their eyes filled with contempt. "...A bunch of lowlifes, getting all worked up." "Exactly!" "As if high exam scores will dramatically change their lot." "Hey, didn’t you also take that exam, Geir?" Suddenly roped into the conversation, Geir nonchalantly responded. "Yeah, my dad signed me up, insisted I take it, so I went." The hangers-on exchanged glances. They, too, were coerced by their fathers, told it was another path to explore. Their fathers were merely lieutenants, without the assurances to guarantee them similar positions. Little did they expect that the son of a commander would also have to take the exam. "So, how did you find the questions?" one lackey dared to ask. Before he could finish, another quickly interrupted to flatter Geir. "Does that really need asking? For someone like Geir, those questions were a breeze!" "Absolutely!" Other lackeys chimed in, showering Geir with unreserved praise. Such compliments left Geir feeling buoyant. Truth be told, the exam had its challenges. Even after his father's hired tutor had drilled him for a week, there were several questions he couldn’t answer without resorting to guesswork. Yet, buoyed by his companions’ flattery, he had to keep up appearances. Even if he didn't want to boast, he had no choice. Otherwise, how could he maintain his standing on this street as a "son of a general"? "...Not too difficult, I suppose. I at least filled in every answer." To save face for both him and his father, he replied vaguely. But saying this brought him newfound confidence. After all, his father was a trusted aide of Duawata! Someone even Abusack had to court! How could a mere educational commissioner dare fail him! The hangers-on expressed shock hearing their leader filled in the difficult paper and, with renewed admiration, clamored to purchase a newspaper to see where he placed among the 200 successful candidates. Geir was curious himself, mentally ranking potential competitors. Abusack was childless, a bachelor. Duawata’s youngest son, at seventeen, would definitely be listed. And Negri's adopted nephew was eighteen, with the stepchild of his second wife just twelve and eligible only for prep school, not the university exams... Reckoning he’d comfortably make the top ten, Geir, brimming with overconfidence, directed his lackeys to stop a newspaper boy. He generously shoved a hundred Boro note into the bewildered boy’s hands. "Keep the change, it's a tip for you." The boy, unsure of why these guys seemed so generous, nodded thanks and scurried off to the next street, avoiding any potential trouble. Feeling pleased, Geir shook the newspaper, but upon flipping to the results page, his face fell with shock. His name wasn’t on the list. Not only was Geir's name absent, but so were the names of "Tiger King" Duawata's youngest son and "Leopard King" Negri's young nephew. Instead, the list was filled with names he'd never even heard of... Geir's face turned from red to ashen, resembling an enraged bull. How dare that old man! The lackeys who had been cheering alongside him now fell silent, nervously eyeing their leader, not daring to utter a word. They were cautious youth, acutely aware of the risks of offending the powerful and potentially making orphans of themselves. After a moment's pause, Geir took a deep breath and calmed himself. The list was printed for the whole city to see; his anger wouldn't change a thing. That wily old man! He had insulted everyone he could in one fell swoop. With a dismissive sneer, Geir crumpled the newspaper in his hand and tossed it to the roadside. "...Only idiots care about this stupid exam." Hearing their leader finally mock the exam, the gang felt a collective sense of relief. With Geir's cue, they were no longer at risk of saying the wrong thing and making a bad situation worse. But relief was short-lived as they realized the implication of Geir's words—by dismissing the exam as absurd, they also dismissed those who took it as fools. Ah, what now... should they deride the exam or not? "Boss is right..." "Ahem, the boss makes sense!" "Yeah, it's just something for the lower classes to worry over... nothing really significant." Some echoed their agreement ambiguously, while others hesitantly tried to provide some justification, yet none dared to highlight the flaw in Geir's statement. Geir, however, paid no mind, not even placing weight on their flattery, merely smirking coldly. Just wait and see. It wasn't just him who was embarrassed—it was everyone. If the list hadn't been published, there might have been a chance to salvage face. But with it splashed across the city's newspapers, there was no turning back. This was a big deal! To be continued...