Chapter 891 - This Game Is Too Realistic

Chapter 891: Mirage The grand hall was a sight to behold, bathed in resplendent gold... Armors forged from pure gold were hung upon life-sized marble statues, gleaming in the dim light. A vibrant red carpet stretched down from the top of the hall, cascading down the final marble steps until it reached the base, and then extending along a rising marble platform, melding with the distant horizon. From a bird's-eye view, the entire hall resembled a grand sword laid flat on the ground. Its majestic and overwhelming presence perfectly aligned with the Vilante people's unique aesthetic of grandiose structures. Beneath the marble steps stood a throng of jubilant onlookers. They lined the sides of the platform, clutching bouquets of flowers, seemingly in celebration of something grand. A sudden gust of wind swept the petals from their hands, and the intoxicating fragrance momentarily clouded Kande's vision. Who am I? Why am I standing here? He glanced down at his chest, where an array of medals shimmered like a wall of honor. The sheer volume of accolades felt both familiar and strange, inducing a mix of unease and trepidation. Just then, memories flooded his mind like a refreshing stream, and the unease in his heart suddenly gave way to clarity. He was a hero of the Vilante! Conqueror of Centaurus! A butcher whose name struck fear among alien races! He had rendered meritorious service to the corps, expanding their territories. The 500th planet of the corps had been formally named after him! And the name people cheered was his very own— "Kande!!" "Well done!!" "Long live the corps! Long live the Marshal! Long live Kande!!!" "The Marshal is watching over me!!" The cheers from the crowd lifted his spirits, his steps growing more assured as he proceeded forward, ascending step by step towards the pinnacle of the grand hall. As he expected, the esteemed Marshal was seated on the stone throne at the end. His authoritative face was softened with benevolence. Kande's eyes welled with emotion as he kneeled on one knee upon the stone steps, bowing his head. At that moment, a dignified voice reverberated from directly ahead. "...Kande, your loyalty and bravery have secured our final victory." "Now, I appoint you as the Corps Leader." "Henceforth, you shall be the 100th Corps Leader." "...I hope you do not indulge in past glories and victories but lead our people to continue progressing in this universe!" His heart swelled with excitement and gratitude, and he raised his head to accept the appointment. As per the procedure, he would receive accolades from the Marshal, bask in the glory, and return to the people to receive their cheers and review. However, just then, an unfamiliar memory abruptly surged into his mind. His heart skipped a beat, and he spoke out impulsively under a strong urge. "Honorable Marshal, I have a matter to report... Your soldiers are absolutely loyal to you, yet there are some parasites within our logistics, who betray us. While we shed blood and tears, they stab us from behind. I hope you can address this and punish these traitors, giving justice to the soldiers." The Marshal's eyes flashed with a sharp light, akin to an indomitable spear. Yet Kande felt not a hint of coldness from that gleam, but a warmth reminiscent of the afternoon sun. "They will be punished." The solemn promise shattered all intrigue and conspiracy like a mighty hammer. Kande had no doubt the words had turned into reality, imagining those guilty figures pleading for mercy and lifeless bodies piling up. He felt relief, as if avenging a great grievance. After expressing gratitude to the Marshal, he remembered the cheering crowd and spoke again. "Honorable Marshal, we have conquered 500 worlds, yet most of our people still live in poverty. Our victories owe much to their support; perhaps we should share the spoils with them." Having voiced his request, he pressed his forehead to the ground, anxiously awaiting the Marshal's response. He felt he might be asking for too much. After all, taking resources from vested interests is never easy. Yet, the Marshal seemed in good spirits today, or perhaps his concerns mirrored the Marshal's own. The authoritative, indisputable voice once again acknowledged him. "You are right, these spoils rightfully belong to them. From now on, they shall lead prosperous lives." As soon as those words fell, the people outside the hall seemed to gain new garments and more radiant expressions. The golden furnishings inside the hall continued to glitter, including the vibrant red carpet... their spoils were undiminished by sharing. Seated on the throne, the Marshal was akin to a deity whose words became reality. Much like a living, wish-granting machine. Kande brimmed with excitement and pressed his forehead to the ground again, another thought crossing his mind. "I have one more humble request..." The Marshal showed no signs of impatience, his voice gentle as he continued. "Tell me, my most loyal warrior." Kande swallowed hard, hastily responding. "That battle was not an easy one... many brothers fell, and some were left disabled. Though they can no longer serve the corps, their lives shouldn't end here. I wish to request a habitable planet to settle them and their families." The Marshal nodded and readily agreed. "I permit it. Use the 500th world you conquered for us to settle those brave children. The other 499 systems will provide inexhaustible resources... it will become heaven, the center of a flourishing world." Kande was filled with elation, yet a new question soon arose in his mind. What about the other 499 worlds? What would they become? He knew that continuing to press would likely test anyone's patience... even the great and benevolent Marshal. But he couldn't suppress the urge to ask his inner question. For a voice from beyond told him everything he wished for could be realized in this world. This was a universe created for him— Just as he was about to speak, everything before him blurred. Kande startled and stood up abruptly. Wait— Give me just one more minute! The warmth surrounding his brain was gradually replaced by the chill of the air as he snapped open his eyes, the golden hall having vanished, leaving only the familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling above. "You finally woke up." A raspy voice came from beside him. He turned to see his superior, Daniel, sitting next to him. Sitting up in bed, Kande glanced around before looking at his chest to find the uniform adorned with medals had become nothing more than a thin shirt. His brain felt like a sponge soaked with water. He pressed a hand against his sweaty brow, tapping it firmly. "…Where are we?" Daniel lit a cigarette, exhaling smoke as he succinctly replied. "The Marshal's armory, the Wasp's Nest." Sluggish memories crept back into his mind, and Kande finally recalled what happened before he lost his memory. "Damn… I inhaled the powder after vaporizing serpent oil." Daniel sighed deeply. "You inhaled a massive dose of hallucinogens. I thought you'd never wake up." Kande immediately asked. "What about the others?" Daniel replied. "Talan is in the room next to yours, also unconscious. As for the others, we've placed them in the Cartanode prison, including the gang members and the stowaway laborers from the Poraan Province." Kande nodded, suddenly remembering the bottles of substances he found in the warehouse, and shot a look at Daniel. "I found some things in the warehouse…" Before he could finish, a calloused hand pressed over his mouth. "Whatever you found, the fire has already burned it away." Kande was taken aback. "…Fire?" Withdrawing his hand from Kande's mouth, Daniel retrieved a cigarette from the pack, offering it to him. "With an explosion that big, a fire is only natural." That casual remark dissipated like smoke under the fluorescent light. Kande's Adam's apple bobbed as he contemplated saying something, but in the end, he remained silent. Kande understood Daniel’s gaze—it was both a warning and a reminder. Against higher-dimensional forces, their efforts and schemes were as fragile as ants; with a mere flick of a finger, they could be crushed. For some reason, Kande was reminded of the bizarre dream he just experienced, a touch of bitterness creeping into his heart. Reality and dream seemed completely inverted. For a brief moment, he even entertained the thought of staying forever within that dream. If only he didn't have to wake up... "By the way, how are you feeling?" Hearing his superior’s concerned inquiry, Kande lifted his head in a daze. "Feeling about what?" "The serpent oil, you’ve taken in quite a bit, haven't you?" Daniel tapped his cigarette into the ashtray and locked eyes with Kande. "I heard that stuff causes hallucinations…those who get hooked eventually fall into delusion, babbling nonsense in the end." Kande shook his head. "I'm fine… maybe because it's my first time." "That's good." Daniel patted his shoulder with a smile. "I've heard that those with strong beliefs are unaffected by serpent oil. I'd hate to lose a teammate right at the start of our plan. It's good that you're alright." Strong beliefs, huh... Kande let out a weak smile. In the past, he would have nodded without hesitation, yet now, he wasn’t even confident enough to admit such a thing. “…So, since this involves the military, should we continue the investigation?” "Of course," Daniel replied nonchalantly. "We still haven't found evidence of the Union's involvement." Kande couldn’t help but ask. “…What if there isn’t any?” Daniel stubbed his cigarette into the ashtray, crushing it paper-thin, much like his furrowed brow brimming with frustration. "Then we'll have to fabricate it." … Meanwhile, on the Wasteland OL website. Without ways to directly contact the big players, Talan resorted to shotgun messaging, hoping someone would respond so he could strike up a conversation with whoever replied. “Big bro, help! I can’t log back in. QAQ” Fang Chang: “What happened? (sweating emoji)” Talan Raider: “I seem to have inhaled some hallucinogenic substance and got booted from the server. (crying emoji)” Fang Chang: “Emmm… generally, an overload of pain can cause a disconnect from the server, and hallucinations should be a trigger too. I remember in the earlier versions, someone got disconnected from mistakenly eating poisonous mushrooms, but they managed to reconnect after the toxin wore off.” Fang Chang figured that the game hadn’t fully implemented “hallucinatory experiences,” opting instead to replace them with unconsciousness to save computing power. Hearing Fang Chang’s explanation, Talan felt much relieved. “Oh, I see. I thought I was done for.” Fang Chang: “It’s not that serious. You’re over level 30, right? Even for intelligence-build players, your constitution attribute should be more than triple that of an average person, so you should be fine after some rest.” Considering the problem rather straightforward, Fang Chang didn’t continue the conversation after his reply. With Fang Chang’s advice in mind, Talan decided to catch some sleep. However, having grown accustomed to dreaming through the helmet, he found himself unable to drift off and instead donned the helmet once more. After staring into the pitch-black void for a few hours, a glimmer of light finally penetrated the darkness. Delighted, Talan immediately opened his eyes and found himself back in the world of Wasteland OL. “You’re awake?” Talan, now sitting up in bed, glanced to the side to find his partner Kande smoking on a chair. “What happened?” Kande’s expression was somewhat grim and, after a long silence, he finally began to speak. “An accident happened. The evidence we worked so hard to collect has all been burned.” “Burned?!” Talan's eyes widened. “What happened?! I don’t recall there being a fire.” Kande's expression grew increasingly complex, and he remained tight-lipped for a long time. Taking a deep breath, Talan organized his thoughts, and an idea crossed his mind. “…By the way, what did you see?” Kande didn’t hide anything and answered succinctly. "Victory." Talan: “Victory?” “We, having conquered 500 star systems, finally ushered in a grand era for the Vilante. The Marshal led us to establish a true utopia…” Kande seemed reluctant to dwell on the dream, brushing it off with a vague answer. But Talan caught on to the gist, and he was briefly astonished. Wow. Clearing just 500 star systems for a victory?! These guys had it really tough! … With all the evidence turned to ashes and the investigation stalled, Talan resolved to break through with the still-living witnesses. According to Kande’s account, the garrison team that arrived post-explosion had taken everyone found at the scene to Cartanode prison, charging them with arson. With “guide” Daniel’s assistance, Talan made his way back to Cartanode prison. The smuggled laborers from Poraan Province were crammed into group cells, while the gang members from the Hyena Gang and Iron Hand Gang received single cells. While passing one of the “dormitory” cells, a laborer from Poraan Province pressed his face against the bars, pleading with Talan walking down the corridor. “Sir, we're just workers, we don't know anything… please, let us go.” “Yeah… those thugs forced us into it.” “We were deceived! We didn’t know what we were doing…” “Wuwuwu… I just want to go home.” Looking at their pitiable faces, Kande felt an overwhelming sense of disgust. Everyone lies, including himself. However, these people seemed incapable of uttering a single truth. They were natural liars, spewing deception, distorting facts, as if sprouting falsehoods habitually. This was just his perception, while the “Union spy” beside him evidently held a different view. The guy didn’t even realize how much he had given away through the little details of his actions and words. “…Don’t worry, everyone, as long as you cooperate, the garrison team will ensure you’re treated fairly.” Hearing a response to their pleas, the prisoners behind the bars were visibly grateful. One burly, prominent-featured man thumped his chest, displaying defiance against the purported evil forces. “Rest assured, Sir! We’ll answer whatever you ask! We won’t hide the slightest thing!” “That’s good.” Talan nodded with a smile, drawing out a small notebook, and asked. “Where are you all from? Which state in the Poraan Province?” The group hastily responded. “I’m from Serpent State!” “Me too!” “I’m from Wolf State…” Talan listened intently. Serpent State appeared the most mentioned, followed by Wolf State, and lastly Lion and Dog State. The latter two were held by the Southern Corps, while Serpent and Wolf State remained under Poraan’s control. “Who sent you here?” Upon this query, the crowd exchanged glances, and eventually, the man with bushy brows spoke with reluctance. “Sir, I can't speak for others, but for Serpent State... it was Shaluk’s idea. Every household must send out a strong man, whether to the front or to earn money overseas…it’s him who decided where we go, we had no say.” “That’s true!” “Serpent State is really like that!” “Let’s take that at face value for now.” Talan made a note in his book before addressing the others. “What about those of you from Wolf State?” After questioning them, the responses from these laborers indicated that most were dispatched by local warlords seeking extra income. Typically, these warlords would give them a sum of currency from Poraan as settling-in funds, keeping the earned denars for themselves. The whole setup seemed familiar to Talan, likely borrowed from Lassie. Mammoth State from Poraan had pioneered labor export, so it was only natural for other states to follow suit. Whether they were forced was unanimously claimed, but he could only treat this as a unilateral statement for now. After addressing all points of confusion, Talan had another question and asked them. “What did you see after inhaling serpent oil?” The group hesitated briefly before giving a surprisingly varied array of responses. "I saw lots and lots of houses, the kind that don't leak!" "There was a cart that went really fast, and I made tons of money driving it." "I saw Mr. Zaide! He put a medal on me and said he'd make me a general!" "Ahem... hehe, I saw some really big and white... schoolgirls." Listening to these varied accounts, Talan was momentarily at a loss whether to laugh or cry, but duly noted the key points in his little notebook. Houses, money, power, women... They seemed to have seen a lot, but the key themes remained consistent. It appeared that everyone saw different things after inhaling serpent oil. As for its addictive nature, that was evident as well. Their greed when recounting those dreams was clear; they were longing for another dose to return to that alluring, surreal paradise. Talan was now certain that Aguang had indeed created this 'hallucinogenic experience' but perhaps, to avoid making it too realistic and causing effects similar to 'serpent oil,' it hadn't been fully implemented. Of course, that was just an immature hypothesis from a regular player like him. Perhaps Aguang had simply chosen the lazy route. Looking at Kande, who was on yet another cigarette, Talan shook his notebook in his hand. "…Does the testimony implicating Poraan Province's warlord prove Union involvement?" "That's a stretch." Kande flicked his ash, speaking concisely, "We need stronger evidence." He couldn't openly say that such evidence was irrelevant and he was waiting for someone to slip up. Moreover, he was beginning to doubt whether his actions were justified. And if not, what had driven his past self to the battlefield? He longed to see the Marshal again. He suddenly realized, more than wishing upon the Marshal, he wanted to discuss his inner turmoil with him... Seeing the taciturn Kande, Talan sighed with resignation. These people were really difficult to handle. It’s not like they're truly conducting an investigation but rather slinging mud, why can't they just fabricate some half-baked clues and refine them? "…Then we'll just keep investigating. I have a hunch we're getting closer to the big catch." "Yeah, keep going." Kande impatiently waved the hand holding the cigarette, ending the conversation. The two continued along the corridor, led by the warden, to the deeper cells where they encountered Mors, who was held separately. This man, exuding a chilling aura, sat nonchalantly in the corner of his cell. Upon seeing Talan and Kande at the door, a pleased smile finally appeared on his face. Just as he expected, his skill had been recognized by the Enlightenment Society. His previous life-risking efforts had not been in vain... "Did I pass your test?" Mors asked with a grin, fully aware of the answer. Cold laughter echoed in Kande's heart, mocking this small, clueless ant. Yet, he quickly realized he too might be another ant within a different cage, and those truly powerful figures might look upon him as he did Mors right now, causing that internal sneer to waver. Talan, however, perfectly embraced the role of an Enlightenment Society associate, and smiled as he nodded to the expectant Mors. "Congratulations, Mr. Mors. You have proven your ability. From now on, you officially join us as an initiate." Recruiting Mors into the Enlightenment Society was an idea Talan had cleared with his 'guide,' Daniel. While Daniel had some reservations, he eventually agreed after Talan’s persuasion. Mors let out a sigh of relief. When he first entered the prison, he had been anxious, but now all his anxieties vanished. He had no clear understanding of what being an initiate entailed, but he knew he finally had a backing. "By the way, about my guys..." Talan looked at Kande, who cleared his throat and stated formally. "The garrison will drop charges and accusations against them. After all, it was just an abandoned factory, and the deceased were merely fugitives. No damage was done to the settlement." Mors' face lit up with a radiant smile. He would walk out of Cartanode Prison unscathed, with his crew intact. Undoubtedly, come tomorrow, his name would become legendary throughout the entire Blackwater Alley! "Thank you..." "Don't mention it, we still need your help… A fire ruined the evidence we had, but thankfully, the witnesses are all in prison. We're planning to go directly to Tony to end this puzzle." Mors cracked his neck with a sickening crunch, his smile slowly turning vicious. "That’s what I wanted, I’ve been itching to meet him." Talan appreciated the ferocity in Mors and gave him a nod of approval. "Good… by the way, what did you dream about when you were knocked out?" Dream about? Mors hesitated, confusion clouding his eyes. Noticing his silence, Talan chuckled and gave him a hint. "Typically, we see the things we desire most, like Mr. Kande and I saw a… uh, a golden era for those of noble blood." He initially wanted to say a Golden Era for the Vilante, but realized that might sound odd from someone of alien descent, so he cleverly framed it into something all-encompassing. After all, no Vilante would deny their own noble lineage, and he wasn't required to elucidate further. Kande, as expected, didn’t refute. And with Talan’s prompt, Mors’ muddled eyes gradually cleared up. His Adam's apple bobbled, and he forced a peculiar smile. "Naturally, to become a legend in Blackwater Alley… I'm dreaming of being on top of everyone else." Kande let out a sardonic chuckle. "Simple as that." "Nothing wrong with that; simple people are easier to satisfy, and becoming a legend in Blackwater Alley is much simpler than conquering 500 star systems." Talan placed a comforting hand on his partner's shoulder and then addressed Mors, "Just listen to us, and we'll make your dreams come true." With that, he tossed a set of keys to Mors. "Now, go release your companions, and make sure not to open the wrong cell." Mors nodded respectfully. "At your command." (To be continued…)