Chapter 146: Bomb victims and unexpected casualties
Chapter 146: The Explosion-Slayer and Unexpected Casualties
”I swear… this is the most delicious noodles I’ve eaten since I left my hometown!”
”So delicious!! Is this really made with our noodles?”
”It’s a flavor that’s not in the seasoning packet! Incredible, how did
they do that?” “What on earth did they put in the soup? Damn, why is the soup so delicious… I want another bowl!”
”Hot, hot, hot, hiss… it’s burning me to death!”
”What are you doing?”
”Queueing up!”
”You’re not getting out of the car?”
”No hurry, I’ll get another bowl, hehe!”
A group of NPCs in gray coats squatted beside the camp and slurped noodles. They looked so funny that the players next to them were dumbfounded.
”Is it really that delicious?”
”It seems… okay?”
”After all, it’s the skill of the scrambled egg guy, and it’s a stable batch when it works normally!”
”It smells so good~~ I miss Boss Crow’s roasted mushrooms.”
Seeing the NPCs eating so deliciously, the players felt that the noodles in their hands smelled even better.
Old Luca counted the money, a total of 80CR, and his wrinkled face was full of joy.
Selling 20 sets of meals not only solved the problem of food for the players, but also made a small profit. Two more people lined up not far away, maybe he could make 100CR from this morning’s meal.
If the adults knew about this, they would be very happy!
He couldn’t wait to tell his master this good news!
At this time, Lu Yang, wearing power armor, and Chief Li of the Logistics Department were getting off the elevator of the Pioneer.
Looking at the crew members squatting at the entrance of the camp in blue coats slurping noodles, they were both stunned.
Lu Yang walked over and asked.
”What are you eating?”
The Marine soldier squatting on the ground immediately stood up, holding the bowl in his right hand, and reported at attention.
”Captain, we are eating noodles!”
”What kind of noodles is this?”
”I don’t know, but it’s really delicious! I suggest you try it too. It’s only 4CR, very cheap, and the quantity is not small.”
4CR a bowl?
Lu Yang looked confused and didn’t quite understand. Li De, who was standing next to him, understood something and twitched his eyebrows.
But he didn’t say anything.
It’s harmless to do some small business. He is not stingy enough to restrict the employees from spending money.
As long as it doesn’t delay the main business.
But these guys are really dogs… Usually they are not willing to go out on field work, but today they all went to line up next to the elevator.
Li De glared at several old acquaintances from the logistics department who were squatting on the ground, and left without saying a word.
…
Around 9 o’clock in the morning, a heavy snowstorm suddenly hit the outpost base.
The north wind was blowing, and it almost blew off the roof of the granary.
Fortunately, Chu Guang borrowed a bottle of foam spray from Luo Hua and reinforced the roof of the granary, which was considered to be a rescue of the crumbling granary.
Looking at Chu Guang, who was blown into a snowman and came in from outside the barracks, Luo Hua said helplessly and sympathetically.
”To be honest… the conditions here are too simple. Don’t you have some production tools or something in the shelter?”
Chu Guang patted the snow hanging on his body, and put the bottle of foam spray at the door of the barracks, saying nonchalantly.
”I guess the budget ran out when the shelter was halfway built… Are you feeling better?”
”Much better… Did I say something weird last night?” Luo Hua said nervously.
He was self-aware of his mouth. He couldn’t control it at ordinary times, and he was even more out of control when he drank.
Of course, Chu Guang would not tell him that he had marked more than 200 key points on the VM, so he made up a story to perfunctorily.
”No, you just told me the story of your bionic partner in your hometown-”
”Okay, okay, please don’t say it anymore.” Luo Hua hurriedly stopped Chu Guang from continuing, and glanced at Ai Si next to him.
Seeing that she didn’t look at this side at all, he breathed a sigh of relief.
There is not much space on the Pioneer, and he doesn’t want his private affairs to be reported back and become a laughing stock among his colleagues.
Huh?
Chu Guang looked at him in surprise.
Really?
Chu Guang, who had not taken it seriously, suddenly became curious.
At this time, Ai Si raised his head.
”The captain will come over soon. When we contacted each other just now, I told him about your drunkenness. You’d better think about how to explain it to him.”
”What do you mean by drunkenness? I called it socializing!” Luo Hua tried to quibble, using all the words Chu Guang taught him.
Ai Si was slightly stunned, calmed down, and said expressionlessly.
”You can explain it to the captain.”
Hearing this, Luo Hua suddenly shut up like a deflated ball.
Chu Guang patted his shoulder comfortingly and gave him a friendly smile.
”Don’t worry, my friend, I will explain it for you!”
Luo Hua looked over with a touched face.
”Thank you, you are such a good person!”
Chu Guang said with a smile.
”You’re welcome. After all, you’ve helped me a lot… Well, I mean, I’ll have to trouble you to contact your section chief in the future.” It’s
great to work with such a simple-minded young man.
Luo Hua didn’t notice it at all, and said with a smile: “I dare not say trouble, that’s my job! If you have any trouble in the future, as long as I can help, please feel free to come to me!”
Chu Guang: “Sure!”
Ai Si: “…”
…
The blizzard lasted for more than an hour and only stopped a little before half past ten. At this time, a group of people came to the north gate of the wetland park.
Lu Yang, wearing a power armor, led four marines to the north gate of the outpost, followed by a four-legged mechanical dog carrying a large box.
The configuration was different from the last time.
In addition to the power armor that Captain Lu was wearing, only two of the four Marines he brought were wearing power armor and holding powerful Gauss rifles.
As for the other two, they were wearing light mechanical exoskeletons. One held a small and light assault rifle, and the other held a light machine gun.
In addition to the supplies placed on the mechanical dog, they all carried large and heavy backpacks behind them, and it seemed that they were ready for a long journey.
Chu Guang issued the task through VM, and brought four small players holding iron pipe rifles to meet the allies.
Looking at Chu Guang who was coming towards him, Lu Yang smiled and said.
”…We met two mutant brown bears on the way here, which delayed us for a while.”
”You are so lucky to meet two at the same time.”
Where are the bears?
Don’t these people recycle their prey?
Chu Guang glanced at these people and didn’t see any shadow of the bears.
Thinking of this, he reached out and clicked a few times on the VM, and sent a message to Xiao Qi, asking him to help edit the task and send two perception players to follow the group’s footprints to the north to see if they can find the two mutant brown bears.
The weight of mutant brown bears can reach more than 1,000 kilograms, which are all meat in Chu Guang’s eyes.
There was a blizzard just now.
If we are lucky, we should be able to find them.
”Maybe a male and a female,” Lu Yang smiled heartily, looking at the fully armed Chu Guang and asked, “It seems that you are ready?”
Chu Guang smiled faintly and said.
”We are ready at any time.”
Lu Yang: “The same for us! Then please lead the way!”
Chu Guang nodded and gestured to the four little players behind him who were already impatient.
”Let’s go!”
…
The players have never been to the edge of the Fifth Ring Road, but Chu Guang has been there a few times, but that was in autumn, and snowy days are completely different.
But it doesn’t matter. There are a lot of scavengers on Bet Street who make a living by the resources along the Fifth Ring Road.
Chu Guang took his men to Bet Street and found Yu Xiong, the captain of the guard. He planned to borrow a clever young man from him to help.
After listening to Chu Guang’s words, Yu Xiong immediately said,
”It just snowed heavily. Yu Hu happened to be at home. How about I ask him to help you? He is familiar with the Fifth Ring Road.”
”No, we only need a guide. Let him stay at home in this horrible weather. There is nothing good to do along the Fifth Ring Road.”
Yu Xiong smiled and said.
”Okay, if you need anything, just tell me. I will definitely help you solve it!”
After saying goodbye to Yu Xiong, Chu Guang walked out with the young man from the guard team. When walking outside the town, he casually asked,
”What’s your name?”
The young man obviously saw him when he stepped into the castle. He said respectfully with a look of awe on his face.
”Zhao Yang, sir.”
This name is interesting.
”Who is Zhao Shu to your family?”
Zhao Yang was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said, “He is my brother!”
Chu Guang nodded, ended the greetings and talked about business.
”Your job will be to serve as our guide in a while. Do a good job. I will give you 5 silver coins after the task is completed.” The salary of
NPCs is much lower than that of players. The guards on Bet Street only earn 60 silver coins a month, which is only 2 silver coins a day.
Hearing that there is a reward of 5 silver coins for a trip to the Fifth Ring Road, Zhao Yang was immediately excited and patted his chest and promised.
”Don’t worry, sir, I will do my best to do the work you give me!”
Chu Guang smiled.
”Then I look forward to your performance.”
After meeting with Captain Lu Yang and his group, Zhao Yang was shocked and almost speechless when he saw the three power armors and two shiny exoskeletons.
Of course, he didn’t know what the Pioneer was, nor did he know what the enterprise was. He only knew that the neighbors in the wetland park actually had power armor? !
In addition to being shocked, he couldn’t help but sigh.
It seems that the old mayor did not lose unjustly.
With this equipment, not to mention the Blood Hand Clan, I’m afraid there won’t be any rivals in the entire northern suburbs of Qingquan City.
I’ll have to tell everyone about this big news later!
With the help of the guide, the group entered the Fifth Ring Road smoothly and didn’t waste too much time on crossing the ruins.
The skyscrapers that towered into the sky were like tombstones, and it was impossible to count how many floors there were at a glance. The streets were full of landed maglev cars and construction waste. The cracked roads revealed the buried pipelines and maglev roadbeds. The east-west streets even turned into forests, and the shadows were covered with vegetation and moss… But now all of this was covered with ice and snow.
The four little players looked at everything in front of them, and their faces showed stunned expressions.
Makabazi: “Damn… have you played The Last of Us?”
Canyon Escape Mole: “To be honest, this is much more shocking than that.”
Midnight Killer: “2077 The Last of Us version?”
Elf King Fugui: “Yes, it has a taste.”
The exploration team of the Pioneer had a clear goal. With the help of Zhao Yang, they quickly followed a rugged alley to the punctuation area on the map.
The first floor of the office building is a bank, and the sign hanging at the door can barely recognize a few words. Chu Guang suddenly became curious whether there is still gold in the vault of this bank, so he secretly used VM to send a side quest to the four little players.
[Side quest: Find the bank vault]
[Reward: 10 silver coins]
”It’s right here.”
Comparing the AR image in the field of vision, Lu Yang tapped the side of the helmet with his index finger, and then looked at Chu Guang next to him.
”According to the intelligence we calculated, the carbon dioxide collector should be somewhere between the 20th and 30th floors.”
Chu Guang: “How do you plan to get up there?”
”Go to the 20th floor area through the safe passage, and then start pushing up floor by floor from there. If we’re lucky, we should be able to find it.” ”
Is there no way to investigate from the outside? I have a drone.”
”It’s not that simple, that thing is not an air conditioner outdoor unit,” a Marine next to him interrupted with a smile, “You’ll have to find it after you go in.”
”Yes,” Lu Yang nodded, looked at Chu Guang and asked, “Would you like to come together? Or you can wait for us downstairs.”
”Then I’ll wait for you guys… By the way, if it’s convenient, can you help us clear out the aliens on one floor? Let’s see if there are any blueprints or building structure diagrams or something like that.”
”No problem, but I don’t think we need to count on that.”
Captain Lu Yang smiled and gestured to his teammates.
The big box behind the mechanical dog unfolded, and two quadcopters with gun barrels hanging from them flew out with murderous intent, followed by three power armors and two light infantrymen who rushed in together.
Intensive gunfire rang out, and the orange-yellow trajectory almost lit up the space of the first floor lobby. The gnawers wandering in the ruins were torn to pieces before they could react. It
was a completely one-sided massacre!
The four little players looked at it with envy, and the iron tube rifles in their hands suddenly lost their appeal.
”That drone is too powerful.”
”The group of gnawers fell down with a roar.”
”I really want to get a set.”
Listening to the conversation of the four little players, Chu Guang smiled knowingly.
Don’t say you want it, I want it too.
Just bear with it.
Work hard, maybe after two versions, you will have everything.
…
Chu Guang discovered that the Marines on the Pioneer were not only strong in street fighting, but also strong in attacking buildings.
Of course, a large part of the reason was the equipment.
An exoskeleton could suppress the gun without recoil, and the power armor might have auxiliary aiming. With the support firepower of the drone, Chu Guang felt that if he was given a complete set, he might not be invincible.
However, even with the powerful firepower, it still took most of the day to advance from the 20th floor to the 30th floor.
The aliens within the Fifth Ring Line are not just the Gnawers.
They were attacked by the Crawlers from the 20th floor.
In addition, there is a kind of alien called “Martyr”. It has a tumor full of spores on its back. It usually stays still like a plant, and its vision and hearing are very ordinary. However, once they are targeted by them, they will immediately rush up and explode.
If the physical fitness is less than 10 points, there is a high probability of poisoning, coma, or even corruption by slime molds when inhaling spores. Even if your physical fitness is above 10 points, you should not inhale too much, after all, everything has a dose.
Of course, you will be fine if you wear a gas mask.
Just don’t get blown up.
On the other side, Chu Guang’s little players found a facility that looked like a vault in the deepest part of the first-floor hall.
However, the alloy door had been opened, and there was only a pile of unclaimed banknotes inside, and there was no trace of gold.
It can be seen that in the early years of the Wasteland Era, precious metals such as gold were still relatively valuable. Until later, everyone found that this thing could not be eaten, and it was not rare at all, and it was gradually marginalized.
The players wandered around in the hall, and they were somewhat unwilling to find anything good. Chu Guang found a sturdy place to sit and quietly waited for the battle upstairs to end. They
waited from noon to three o’clock in the afternoon, and Lu Yang finally brought people down from the building.
Unfortunately, there was no carbon dioxide collector they were looking for in this building. Although the air purification system in the building also has spare fusion batteries, the model and specifications do not match the fuel rods they need.
And the battery has little power left, only 8%.
Lu Yang felt a little heavy, but he was not discouraged.
In fact, he did not expect to find it on the first day. After all, he was familiar with the terrain nearby, which was a gain for him.
Although he vaguely guessed the result, Chu Guang still asked.
”How is the situation?”
”Not ideal, but my intuition tells me that it should be found nearby.”
Lu Yang sighed and looked at Chu Guang with an apologetic face.
”Trouble you to accompany us for so long, but in the end, we found nothing. By the way, this battery is what we found upstairs. Although the power is running low… If you need it, take it.”
There is such a good thing?
Chu Guang decisively accepted it and took the battery.
”It’s okay, I will definitely help you find what I promised.”
Please keep looking!
If they can find such good things every time, Chu Guang would like them to run more times in vain.
Lu Yang was about to say thank you, but at this moment, a shrill roar suddenly came from one side of the hall.
The martyr!
Lu Yang was startled and turned around to support, but he was still a step too late.
There was a loud bang!
There was no time to react!
A group of people quickly supported and rushed into the archive room where the explosion sounded.
The room was turned upside down, and all the cabinets were open, with almost no doors falling.
In front of the last standing cabinet, a resident of the shelter was lying crookedly, his body covered in blood and flesh, and his face could no longer be seen.
The air was as quiet as death.
No one expected that casualties would occur at this time.
The Marine soldier wearing an exoskeleton held a light machine gun in his hand, and his face under the helmet was full of shock.
”The martyr… Shit!”
”Impossible, I clearly swept here!”
Looking at the bloody body on the ground and the cabinet with the door blown away, Lu Yang’s Adam’s apple moved.
”Obviously, it was hidden in the cabinet… The moment the cabinet door was opened, it exploded.”
There was another dead silence.
Guilt was written on everyone’s face.
Especially Captain Lu Yang.
Turning to look at Chu Guang, he lowered his head slightly and said in a heavy tone.
”I’m sorry… I promised you that I would ensure your safety.”
Chu Guang didn’t speak and fell into a long silence.
After a long while, he sighed softly, his expression showing a little fatigue.
”People will die. The moment he came out of the shelter, he was ready to dedicate his life and loyalty to rebuilding our civilization. However, I didn’t expect… why it was him.”
Lu Yang: “He…” ”
He is a very cheerful and optimistic young man. He just got married last month,” Chu Guang looked aside with a melancholy look in his eyes, “I promised his wife that I would take him back.”
Several Marines looked at each other and silently looked away.
Lu Yang: “…Can I see her? I will apologize to her in person.”
”In what capacity? I believe she doesn’t want to see you. Your apology will not make her feel better, but will only make her more sad. Besides, I was the one who made the promise to her, and I need to face this matter after all… This is the fate of managers, you should understand.”
”I can understand, I also promised their families that I would let them return home with victory and honor…”
Putting his hand on Chu Guang’s shoulder, Lu Yang was silent for a while and continued.
”Although I know that this is not enough to make up for our mistakes, please at least let us pay his pension.”
”At least in terms of material, I hope his family can live better.”
Chu Guang remained silent. It
would be too vulgar to suddenly say a sum at this time, and it would also ruin the atmosphere.
He knew very well that even if he didn’t say anything, this captain who always kept his word would definitely contact his logistics chief after returning and let Li De come to discuss the pension with him.
At that time, as long as he didn’t make too excessive demands, everything should be negotiable.
For example, money.
For example…
open a few more trading products.
Chu Guang knew very well that it was not realistic to buy their means of production, but it should be no problem to use their modular workshop to help him make a few more useful machine tools?
They obviously have the ability to do it, but it is more troublesome.
Or it would be better to send an engineer to help them build two production lines.
Not too many, just to handle the two major products of cement and steel, which can at least solve more than 60% of the problems.
No, let’s think about this after we go back.
It’s better to think about sad things at this time.
Looking at the heavy-hearted manager and the silent NPCs around, the three dusty little players next to them looked at each other.
”What are they sad about?”
”Isn’t it just OB for three days… It’s not the first time that Makabazi has died. The last time was much more miserable than this time. This time at least he left a complete body. Uh, it should be considered a complete body.”
”But then again… OB at this time, I’m afraid he will miss the next shift change perfectly.”
”Fuck! When you say that, I suddenly feel a little sorry for him.”
(End of this chapter)
