After waking up from a coma, Shen Rui raised his head and saw a woman in a white coat standing in the ward. She had rare long white hair.
He then looked at his left hand and found that the rolled up sleeve was full of flesh-red wrinkles, like something rotten.
Seeing this scene, his pupils shrank slightly and he held his breath involuntarily.
Standing outside the window of the ward to watch the excitement, a few players who had not yet logged off were communicating in low voices without thinking it was a big deal...
“Is this someone from the enterprise?”
"You are all so sick."
"I guess he was bitten by a nibbler on the way here just like that Bucky."
"...Good guy, Qilin Arm?"
"It looks pretty cool."
"Gan, where can I get this thing?"
"What do you want to do?"
"It's a complete set. Do you even need to ask? Hehe, it would be great if it could release tens of meters of tentacles like the original version of Hunting!"
"Damn it, you have such a heavy taste!"
Fortunately, the wounded in the ward couldn't hear or understand what the idiots outside the ward were saying.
Otherwise, the blood pressure that was finally lowered would become full again.
Looking at the tablet in her hand, Heya's eyes flashed with excitement and curiosity, and she spoke quickly.
"The erosion rate is 11%. The mutant slime mold has replaced your left arm. Fortunately, it is only the left arm. Your symptoms are relatively mild. I injected you with an inhibitor that can prevent the slime mold from spreading further... and prevent it from replacing you. 's brain."
"Can it be cured?"
Although he was full of doubts about the medical conditions here, when he heard the word "inhibitor", the man lying on the hospital bed still had hope in his eyes, as if he was grasping a life-saving straw.
No one wants to have something on their body that does not belong to them, especially something that is still alive.
However, Heya's next words immediately made his mood fall into the abyss.
"It can't be cured."
"Each brood adopts a different evolutionary strategy, and we have no idea about the situation in Yongdong City."
"You have two choices now, replace the bionic prosthetic body, or... wait until we return to your place and see if there is a doctor who can help you."
Heya actually hoped that he would choose the former, because it meant that she could get an interesting sample.
Recently, the New Alliance obtained a batch of bionic prosthetics from Boulder City, and the quality is pretty good.
However, the man lying on the hospital bed did not think twice and chose the latter without hesitation. "...No, thank you."
With a smile, Shen Rui placed the weight on the back of his head back on the pillow.
Even if he had to change his bionic prosthetic body, he would not change it outside Ideal City.
At this time, the door of the hospital opened, and the commando officers hurried in accompanied by Chu Guang.
"How are things going here?"
Before Heya could answer, Yun Song immediately walked up to Shen Rui, who had just woken up, and asked with a serious and eager expression.
"Are you feeling better? Do you feel any discomfort? Or allergic reactions or something like that?"
Shen Rui stared at his left hand for a while, then glanced at his right hand, which had not changed at all, as if he was comparing it.
“I feel much better than yesterday, but it’s like there’s a part of me that doesn’t belong to me.”
"What about the others?" Yun Song asked.
“I don’t feel much else, except that my left hand is still a little uncomfortable, but it’s nothing serious. I even have the confidence to return to the battlefield!
Upon hearing this, Chu Guang quickly persuaded.
"That's okay, your injuries are just fine, you still have to recover!"
How can you make a duck fly when it reaches your mouth?
Can I and specific drugs have the same price?
According to the agreement he negotiated with the captain of the corporate commando, when the corporate caravan passes by next month, the expenses of these wounded will be settled.
Compared with these destitute soldiers who still have to take care of their tasks, the caravans that return home with full cargo are naturally more well-oiled.
Although Heya felt strange and didn't understand why Chu Guang wanted to leave these baggage behind, she still nodded in agreement after seeing the hint in his eyes.
"This is what I also suggest. Stabilizing the disease requires inhibitors, and producing inhibitors requires slime mold fruiting bodies as raw materials."
"We have only had one patient here before, so we don't have many pre-made stocks. Without enough medicine, it may be difficult to rely on your own immunity to prevent the slime mold from continuing to invade."
Yun Song had a solemn expression on his face.
"Is there no specific medicine that can cure it?"
"Not yet." Heya shook her head, "In fact, I only started researching this thing this year... There is no such thing in the shelter where I was born."
"I suggest letting them stay here for observation for a while. Maybe they can make some progress."
At present, this is the best way.
In fact, being parasitized by mutant slime mold is not entirely a bad thing. Thinking optimistically, at least the recovery ability and metabolic speed will be stronger, and the pain sense will be weakened.
It is equivalent to a part of the body's tissues and has a toughness comparable to that of mutants.
Alternatively, it can also be understood as a "biological prosthesis" with self-healing capabilities.
It's just that using living creatures as prosthetics is psychologically unacceptable for most people to leave the ward.
Yun Song stopped, looked at Chu Guang aside, and said with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"The wounded are sorry for your trouble."
"It's not a hassle, it's just a matter of effort."
Chu Guang smiled, paused for a moment, and continued, "Speaking of which, I didn't ask when we were eating just now. Did something happen on the Pioneer?"
Hearing this question, Yunsong fell silent, seeming to be hesitating whether to tell the situation.
Seeing his reaction, Chu Guang could guess that this was probably not a secret that could not be revealed in principle, so he continued.
"The crew of the Trailblazer are our valued partners, and it's important to us that our residents want to know they are safe."
Looking at the serious expression of the manager in front of him, Yunsong was silent for a while and sighed softly.
"To be honest, our Pioneer did encounter some trouble when it went deep into the desert. They released the 'migratory birds' and sent the last message to the enterprise, and then lost contact."
"After hearing the news that they were in trouble, we immediately sent reinforcements to the west and searched for their signals along the way. But unfortunately, nothing was gained. They seemed to have disappeared...
"We speculate that there are two possibilities. One is that their communication equipment encountered a failure, and the other is that there is strong signal interference in the local area.
No matter what the situation is, it seems that the only way to gain new harvests is to continue westward and go deep into the desert."
It spans thousands of kilometers from Luoxia Province to the easternmost coast of the mainland, and spans multiple giant city clusters and ancient battlefields along the way.
Without the support of satellites and communication networks, it would be difficult for the information launched from the Pioneer to be directly transmitted back to Ideal City.
Outer space, as part of the ancient battlefield, is now covered by irregularly moving orbital debris groups and automatic weapons. It is almost impossible to launch satellites and operate them stably.
This is why even if most survivor forces have the technology to launch satellites, they rarely use it.
As for the "Migratory Bird" system, it is a one-time communication tool designed by the company for traveling merchants and traveling teams.
It is characterized by its lightweight size and simple launch method. It is equivalent to a cheap long-endurance drone that can circle the planet in low orbit.
While avoiding ground radar searches, bring the stored information back to Ideal City's communication range and release it.
Chu Guang had heard about this system from Luo Hua before, and even thought about introducing one.
However, since the "migratory bird" was set to only fly to the ideal city, and there was no precedent for this system to be exported to other survivor forces, he gave up after asking.
"Can you tell us what the trouble is?" Chu Guang felt that the person in front of him should know something about the inside story.
And this was indeed the case, and Yun Song's next sentence confirmed his suspicion.
"Legion!"
There was a hint of gloom in Yunsong's eyes.
"Those guys with swollen nose bridges are like crows with carrion in their mouths. They want to take a bite of everything they see. Our theory is that the survivors or caravans in Luoxia Province saw our land fortress.
, leaked the news to the Legion.
Speaking of this, the leader of the commando couldn't help but curse.
"It's been like this every time for 200 years. Only when we decide to find that Vault 0 will they be interested in that Vault 0."
"What's in that shelter?" Chu Guang couldn't help but curiously asked.
Although he didn't expect the top soldier in front of him to answer his questions, even Lu Yang, the top officer of the Pioneer, couldn't answer his questions, but he wanted to hear other people's opinions.
Yunsong shook his head.
"I don't know, maybe it's a super weapon, maybe it's an unfinished technology, I don't know who said it, but there is a treasure that can revive civilization... Actually, let me tell you, maybe this has been a weapon from the beginning.
A scam that spreads lies."
"This kind of thing has happened before. A treasure that was regarded as a treasure by a group of wastelanders turned out to be just a water purifier. Life in Ideal City is actually good enough, so what if we don't go to that shelter?
What? Even in the most affluent era, it was just three meals a day."
Although his belief in reinforcing friendly forces has not wavered at all, he obviously does not believe the rumors about the shelter.
This story has been told for 200 years.
Expecting a shelter to solve all problems would have prevented the world from becoming like this in the first place.
Seemingly realizing that he was off-topic, Yun Song stopped talking about his views on the rumor and changed the topic back.
"That's a long way off. No matter what the legend is, I want to wipe the butts of the brothers on the Pioneer. If they can continue, we will help them. If they suffer heavy losses, we will take them home.
."
"Now that the West Coast beasts are feeling itchy again, let's settle the old and new accounts together!"
When he said this, Yun Song had a trace of obvious hatred in his eyes.
Chu Guang couldn't help but think in his heart.
It seems that the relationship between the company and the legion is indeed not very harmonious, and not only do they dislike each other, but there is probably some historical grudge involved.
He has no intention of getting involved in the conflict between the two "fallen empires", but selling favors to the company can obviously get more benefits.
Both the enterprise and the legion are far enough away from here, and the possibility of being directly taken over by the other party is very small.
After all, Qingquan City is not the Great Rift Valley. Giant cities covered by slime mold are not uncommon in the wasteland. No one would send an expeditionary force to pick up a rotten stone.
Therefore, Chu Guang only thought for two seconds before speaking in a generous tone.
"Our friends' troubles are our troubles. If there is anything we can do to help, please let me know."
Yun Song glanced at Chu Guang gratefully.
"I was just going to talk about this! We have consumed too much ammunition along the way and need to replenish bullets urgently, as well as anti-armor light and heavy weapons. We are not very picky about the latter, as long as the infantry can carry more, it is easy to operate, and
Having a certain accuracy and range is enough!"
A smile appeared on Chu Guang's face.
"It's easy to say. The most indispensable thing we have here is weapons, but bullets... I'm afraid it's a bit troublesome."
"Is it because the caliber doesn't match?" Yun Song frowned.
"Well, our rifle uses 7mm full-power bullets. The length of the shell and the primer cap cannot match your G9 'Black Swan'. It's too late to open a new production line now, unless you are willing to stay here.
Let’s start again in the first half of a month.” “Half a month... this is too long.” Yun Song’s expression was confused.
"This is already the fastest situation. Building a new production line requires a lot of preparation, especially to produce brand-new products."
Looking at Yun Song who was deep in thought, Chu Guang put forward his own idea in an empathetic manner.
"So, I have a suggestion here. You can try our LD-47 rifle."
Yunsong was stunned for a moment.
"LD-47"
Chu Guang nodded.
"Well, that is a weapon that has been tested in actual combat. We just used it to win a victory. Although the opponent was not a legion, they were puppet troops using legion standard equipment under the guidance of legion officers."
"Although this equipment is not very accurate, has a simple receiver structure, and has few installable accessories, it has sufficient firepower and a low failure rate. It performs well in the desert environment. Many caravans from the west like our weapons very much.
."
Yun Song frowned and said: "But... our aim assist plug-in is only compatible with the G⑨ assault rifle. Using non-standard equipment may have a considerable impact on the soldiers' combat effectiveness."
Hearing this, Chu Guang looked helpless.
Wouldn’t these people be able to fight if they didn’t cheat?
But think about it.
The self-aiming wall mount is turned on every day, but one day it is suddenly blocked. Anyone can see the difference in level between the front and back.
Regarding the concerns of the commando captain in front of him, Chu Guang said patiently.
"Combat effectiveness does not necessarily have to be reflected in weapon accuracy. Firepower advantage is also an advantage. Now you can get logistical supplies from us, and you don't have to save ammunition. In fact, combat effectiveness will not be affected."
"In addition, this is just a backup option. In addition to temporarily using our weapons, you can also keep some logistics personnel with us.
Help us build the G9 Black Swan’s assault rifle ammunition production line.
"Although our industrial base here is lagging behind, we are rich in resources and there is no problem in producing a few bullets. When bullets with matching specifications are supplied, we will immediately send an armed transport team to your coordinates, and then you can change
It’s no problem to go back to the original equipment!”
After hearing Chu Guang's suggestion, Yun Song was obviously stunned.
It wasn't because his proposal was too whimsical, but because they didn't expect their allies to be so considerate.
Not only did he lend them his own weapons, but he was also willing to open a factory for them. Once new bullets were produced, he would immediately send them there.
What kind of magical teammate is this!
"Thank you!" Yun Song said with a grateful face, "You are so generous!"
Although Hedin was in charge of logistics, he could not think of any reason to reject the manager's proposal.
Hesitating for a second at this time is a distrust of allies and a failure to live up to this generosity!
Chu Guang was a little embarrassed, especially when he heard him praising his generosity.
"I said, you don't have to be so polite," Chu Guang smiled and continued, "If you need it, our soldiers can even squat in the same trench with you!
There has been no war during this period, and many players have been frustrated. It would be nice to go out and hang out with old friends from the alliance.
Earning some pension money can also support the construction of the rear area, which is good for everyone.
However, perhaps because he was too generous, Yun Song was still embarrassed to accept it in the end and shook his head.
"That's unnecessary. This is a grudge between us and the legion. If those people know that you are participating in this war, it might cause you trouble."
After a pause, he continued in a solemn tone.
"I will explain the production of weapons to the logistics staff. However, we cannot let you do such a big favor for us in vain."
"Although we encountered a lot of troubles on the way to the River Valley Province, we also seized a lot of loot as a blessing in disguise. In addition,
When we set off, we also brought some trading items to exchange for supplies."
"I'll give you a list. If you like anything, just pick it!"
It’s okay to pick though.
Is there such a good thing?
Chu Guang's face showed an expression of joy.
However, he was not carried away by the joy, and he still understood the principle of long-lasting water.
The presence of Hedin would definitely prevent such obviously unreasonable conditions.
What he has to do is to make the transaction rules more beneficial to the alliance on the basis of win-win.
"Then wouldn't it be a big disadvantage for you? We are not the kind of people who take advantage of our friends."
Chu Guang paused for a moment and suggested.
"Let's do this. Based on our own needs, I will evaluate a reasonable price for your goods and convert them into silver coins for you. You can use the silver coins you get to buy the supplies you need in our market."
"If you get any more loot in the future, you can continue to send it to us to sell."
Upon hearing Chu Guang's proposal, Yun Song readily agreed without hesitation.
"no problem!"
It is undoubtedly not cost-effective to send a ton of dry food from Ideal City to the 26th Commando Team.
And that kind of banknotes only have some purchasing power in a few coastal provinces, but in the central part of the continent, they are not even as useful as the dinars of the Legion.
After all, the latter is made of gold.
For enterprises, there are two solutions.
One is to carry the production line on your body, so that no matter where you go, you can eat food from your hometown, drink pure coffee and tea, and at the same time "show off" the light of civilization to the barbarians in the west.
The Pioneer is a product born based on this concept.
Not only were they looking for a shelter, Lu Yang and others also never hesitated to lend a helping hand to the wastelanders along the way. While traveling, they were also earning reputation for the company and opening up trade routes.
However, even for a company that owns an ideal city, it is not easy to build a nuclear-powered land-based fortress.
This kind of thing is only used by my own son.
As for the big-headed soldiers like Yun Song, they naturally have no use for such good things.
So there is another solution - outsourcing logistics to a "trustworthy" trader.
Before the expedition sets off, in addition to preparing ammunition and basic supplies for the expedition, the company will also allocate a budget to the expedition to purchase some trade goods in the local market.
These trade goods usually have the characteristics of "high added value", such as specific antibiotics that are effective in one shot, bionic prosthetics that can perfectly replace original limbs, and some high-tech products that cannot be produced in most survivor settlements in the wasteland.
.
The merchants accompanying the army are responsible for managing these goods, exchanging as much ammunition, daily necessities and consumer goods as possible with the survivor settlements passing along the way. They are also responsible for cooperating with the captain to ensure the morale of the team.
Especially the latter is important.
Although in most cases, the professional soldiers of the company are more polite and "qualified" than the mercenaries, but that is only based on filling their stomachs.
If you don't spend the military pay in your hands, but you deal with it with a pile of waste paper and a nutritional ointment, then it's hard to say who the gun will be pointed at.
Of course, in exchange for risking their lives, companies also provide many benefits to merchants.
The expedition team's habitat is part of the "efficiency". While ensuring that the mission can be successfully completed, it also provides shelter for the accompanying merchants and his own goods.
This is better than any insurance.
Soldiers armed to the teeth with high-tech equipment are almost invincible as long as they don't encounter "existences beyond recognition".
And even if they encounter one, they have the highest survival rate!
Therefore, the banks in Ideal City will be more willing to grant loans with lower interest rates to these traveling merchants who have traveled far away.
Hedin is such a businessman, and this is not the first time he has cooperated with people from the enterprise.
However, it was the first time for him to go all the way west and penetrate deep into the hinterland of the Central Continent.
If nothing else, this was the one that impressed him the most. "I may have underestimated you, dear manager."
Holding a list in his hand, Hedin suddenly sighed when he handed it to Chu Guang.
"Is this a compliment?" Chu Guang asked with a smile.
"That's right. After all, we rarely use silver coins to do business. Seeing how happily you chatted with our captain, I should have been alert, but I didn't expect that I was still negligent."
Heding glanced at Chu Guang meaningfully, obviously knowing what he was thinking.
The new alliance does not have enough reserves. If they use silver coins to trade, it means that they may buy the goods they have at a "cheaper" price.
On the contrary, there will be a pile of inexplicable waste paper in their pockets.
He was not worried that those silver coins could not buy things, but he was worried that these local currencies could "only" buy things priced in silver coins in the new alliance.
Apparently his captain had not thought about what to do when they evacuated from here.
Can we still expect to exchange silver coins for taking them away?
In the end, you either take away a pile of waste paper, or you take away a pile of wood and ore that you don't know where to use.
or……
Stay and invest locally?
Chu Guang still had a happy smile on his face, and he didn't feel any embarrassment because Hedin had seen through his thoughts.
"Isn't this good for us?"
"Of course, I don't deny it."
Heding smiled lightly and said nothing more.
Although the other party was a little clever, he really had no reason to complain.
Whether it is from the standpoint of the logistics officer or from his own standpoint.
He risked his life and followed the soldiers of the enterprise to travel far away, not for charity.
But to make a fortune.
Since the other party was willing to solve a lot of logistical troubles for him, he also promised to give him a benefit.
Why should I expose it myself?
The next day, the streets of Boulder City were a little lively, with people gathering in groups and talking.
"Has the corporate delegation arrived in the northern suburbs?"
"real or fake?!"
"It must be true, there are photos!"
"Photo? Where?"
"It's in the newspaper! Go read it yourself!"
People from the enterprise have come to Qingquan City. This is big news.
Although they have never been to the East Coast, many people have heard about that ideal city.
Precisely because they have never been there, many people were filled with curiosity when they heard the news.
As for how this news spread, we have to start with the one that has been in the limelight recently.
A newspaper is not cheap for one chip.
But unlike other newspapers in Boulder City, this newspaper does not implement a reservation + mailbox delivery model, but is retailed in front of pubs, grocery stores, etc. Some poor people who cannot afford to buy newspapers can also stand at the door and read it.
, learn what’s new in the city.
Thanks to the cooperative taverns and shops, they have already received a benefit from the newspaper, so the shopkeepers will not drive away those who just want to see and buy.
After all, with so many people gathering together to discuss, it can make the entrance appear more lively.
These days, the economy is in recession and it is difficult to do small business. This feeling of being crowded with people is becoming increasingly rare.
Of course, compared to the ordinary people watching the excitement, W. was more surprised by the mayor of the city hall, Du Long, the president of the Boulder City Bank, Malvern, and a series of business bank bosses and factory owners such as Weijia.
Especially when they saw the photo on the headlines and the accompanying text, they were so shocked that they couldn't believe their eyes.
The corporate delegation arrived in the northern suburbs of Qingquan City!
The accompanying soldiers launched a joint operation with the Union Guards?
The top leader of the visiting delegation reiterated that the friendship with the alliance will last forever??
And extend my sincerest greetings to the managers of the alliance???
"That's nonsense!"
With his eyes widened like giant chips, Malvin stared at the newspaper in his hand, confusion written in capital letters on his face.
Unlike others, he is a person who has seen the world.
When I was young, I followed a caravan to the east coast and saw the prosperity of the ideal city.
It is the paradise closest to the era of prosperity in the entire wasteland.
In front of that majestic city, even the huge Stone City is as small as a slum.
The company has many friendly partners on the east coast, but at most they only provide some trade concessions and sell useful equipment. I have never heard of those arrogant guys taking such care of anyone.
Malvern swallowed, not knowing what expression to make, let alone how to describe his mood at this moment.
Admiration? Jealousy? Fear? Uneasiness?
Maybe both...
But most of it is still unbelievable.
He instinctively didn't believe the nonsense written in this newspaper, and he couldn't believe it at all.