Chapter 527 Victory Day Celebration!
Chapter 527 Victory Day Celebration!
”…Hello, dear listeners, I am your dearest Mr. House. I heard that the “Survivor Daily” was closed down. I had expected that there would be such a day when those guys who were full of nonsense finally shut up! Of course, I don’t care. After all, they have never shaken the ratings of Mr. House’s channel! People will always stand on the right side. Thank you for your unwavering support and choice!”
”Once again, praise the Lord Mayor and the residents of the inner city who gave us bread, water and food… Oh, it’s all because of that idiot named Hal. I almost put the most important thing last! If it weren’t for the great inner city research institute to improve the synthesis process and consumption standards of the nutritional paste, there would not be one chip per kilogram of nutrition… Yes, the good news is that the nutritional paste has become cheaper again, and bread will slowly become cheaper. Soon you will all be able to afford it. Mr. House promises you!”
”It’s a pity that our neighbors don’t have such a good life. Without declaring war on each other, they won an ignominious war with ignominious means, and the just punishment from heaven soon fell on their heads. The alliance is heavily in debt. Not only does it owe us a large sum of money, but it also owes a lot of money to Ideal City. For this reason, they have to humiliate themselves and allow the residents of Ideal City to build a 20-story building on their land… Tsk tsk, it’s taller than the manager’s house. But then again, does the mole living in the hole have his own house?”
”Anyway, remember to close the doors and windows tonight, because those poor bastards will probably waste ammunition in the sky in impotence and fury like last time, and fire some ear-blasting things. If you stick your head out casually, be careful not to get hit by the falling shells. In addition, all the factories in the alliance are closed today, and everyone there has lost their jobs. They can only wander around the streets idly and pick up cigarette butts left by the residents of the shelter… Poor northern suburbs, it is estimated that it will become a paradise for plunderers again. There are too many poor bastards and refugees there, so you’d better not go out casually.”
”Just wait and see, they will definitely be finished next year!”
”And we are forever young!”
On the day of the triumphal celebration.
The radio on the street today is particularly loud, which also adds a festive atmosphere to the Boulder City, which has never been affected by war.
Mr. House spent about half an hour to sort out the causes and consequences of the war with his audience, and how the Boulder City Bank cleverly borrowed the west wind of the Legion, used the 510 million debt to take advantage of the Alliance’s vigorous development of heavy industry and military industry, and took advantage of the Alliance’s wool. In one fell swoop, it changed from being dumped with low-end industrial products by the Alliance to exporting and dumping them to the Alliance, making Boulder City’s wallet bulge again and again.
After half an hour of explanation, he fully proved that Boulder City was also the victorious party – the secret and great uncrowned king!
On the edge of the industrial zone, at the door of the Walnut Tavern, a group of workers who had just woken up gathered early in the morning.
They didn’t care about the outcome of the war. Anyway, they didn’t expect the masters to be kind and reward them with a few chips.
They all came to follow the updates.
Although it was all nonsense, the novels of the Workers’ Newspaper were obviously much more interesting than Mr. House’s nonsense.
Especially when the story just got to the exciting part, the poor boy “Duoqi” from the slums relied on the power of awakening to perform a miracle and unexpectedly defeated a power armor corroded by slime mold. Not only did he get a large bounty and a black room card, but he also won the favor of a beautiful noble lady. She fell madly in love with him, although this also caused her fanatical pursuer, a centurion of a militia regiment, to regard him as a thorn in his side.
Although it was a very clichéd story, the content was not only clichéd but also vulgar, but they were so happy that they wanted to do something with their hands.
Everyone had discussed the plot for the rest of the night, and even thought of what to call Duoqi’s child.
Under the eager eyes of his co-workers, the literate Sperger picked up a newspaper from the shelf at the door, cleared his throat and was about to read it.
But he found that it was still yesterday’s issue.
”Wait a minute.”
Signaling his co-workers to be patient, Sperger changed a newspaper, frowned, and changed another one, and found that it was still the same.
Finally, he couldn’t help but look at the boss with a disfigured face.
”Why is it still yesterday’s issue?”
Tang, who was standing by the door with his arms crossed and watching the joke, chuckled.
”You should be thankful that you can still read yesterday’s issue. You can’t be sure that the guards will come and take it away in a while.”
The workers were immediately anxious and quickly surrounded him.
”Where is the new one?”
”No, even the newspaper office is gone!”
”Then…what about the novels serialized in it?”
”Are you stupid? I told you it’s gone. They’re closed. What else do you want? Go and smoke your cigarette butt.” Tang cursed and pushed away the worker standing in front of him. He was in a bad mood because he was kicked by the guard for this matter.
Several workers looked at each other.
”…Gone?”
”But why? We are not bothering anyone!” A bearded man clenched his fists and muttered angrily.
He worked diligently every day and worked like a beast of burden for the factory owners. This was the only thing left in his life. Why did the masters close it?
A worker raised his hand.
”Is there anyone who can go to the City Hall with me to ask for an explanation?”
People looked at each other, and no one said anything.
A few months ago, they dared to go to the City Hall to make trouble, but the situation at that time was completely different from now. At that time, it was to protest the Alliance’s dumping of cheap industrial products in Boulder City. The factory owners supported them in making trouble, and the shareholders behind their bosses were big shots in the inner city, which was equivalent to the nobles competing with each other. If you count it layer by layer, even if they killed Dulong, that idiot, no one would blame them, but would secretly give them a thumbs up.
But now, the nobles have reached a consensus, the factory has resumed work, and it is getting more and more prosperous. The Alliance borrowed a large amount of chips from Boulder City, and the factory owners got a large order as a result. The nobles in the inner city also made a lot of money, and they were the same. Everyone had a job to support their families.
Life is getting better and better. Now that bread is so expensive, no one wants to lose their job.
Everyone was a little discouraged, and at this time, someone muttered.
”…Then we can write the rest of the story ourselves.”
People’s eyes gradually brightened, but they still had some concerns.
”Can you write?” The bearded man looked at the young man who made the suggestion.
The young man blushed and shook his head.
”No…but you don’t necessarily have to be able to write before you can write. Maybe you’ll learn it as you keep writing. No one can write right after they’re born.”
”I remember that Sperger wrote a letter of opinion to the newspaper! The Workers’ Newspaper was not published until later!”
That was a long time ago!
Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Sperger was stunned and said with a smile.
”I…I can only read, not write very well.”
A boilerman smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
”It’s okay, man. Just keep writing the story. We will give you some advice.”
Sperger instinctively wanted to refuse, but seeing those expectant eyes, he couldn’t bear it.
Even though he knew it might bring him trouble, he nodded.
”But we have to change the name… to Workers’ Newspaper.”
”It’s safer this way.”
Everyone laughed and said.
”No problem!”
”Whatever you say, we’ll call it.”
”We just want to see the follow-up story!”
It was time to clock in.
As the bell rang in the industrial area, the workers gathered at the door of the tavern dispersed and walked towards their respective factories.
Walking towards the cannery, Sperger tightened the collar of his old cotton coat and looked at the coal dust handprints on his shoulders with a heavy heart.
Perhaps, publishing a “Workers’ Newspaper” is indeed a good idea.
The newspaper of the Union was driven away, but its readers were still here. If he could collect the previous “Workers’ Newspaper”, make a bound volume of the serialized stories, and then continue to write the subsequent stories, it might sell out…
At least, it would be more promising than working in a cannery.
Sperger’s mind gradually became hot.
He couldn’t eat canned food every day if he worked in Lord Weijia’s factory for a lifetime, but if he continued to write the story of “Duoqi”, maybe he could…
…
It was not just the Boulder City that was bustling. Only 20 kilometers away, the Dawn City in the northern suburbs of Qingquan City was also bustling.
On the Triumph Square next to North Street, there was a crowd of people standing.
More than one-third of the people in the entire Union gathered here, looking forward to the center of the square.
Even if others were not present, they were sitting in front of the TV or radio, waiting for the managers on the stage to speak.
It was not even just the residents of the Union.
There were also residents from Boulder City, and wastelanders who traveled from the distant Luoxia Province, Jinchuan Province, the Eastern Provinces – and even the easternmost Yunjian Province on the continent, just to take a look at what the legendary manager looks like.
Most settlements run by shelters are terrible.
What’s so different about this guy…
Looking at the expectant faces in the audience, Chu Guang raised his index finger and tapped the side of his helmet, turning on the speaker and removing the mask.
At that moment, people consciously quieted down.
Restraining the excitement in his heart, Chu Guang took a deep breath and kicked off the celebration with a solemn and solemn voice.
”…Just last month, we won the war against barbarism, and Luoxia Province gained lasting peace because of our arrival.”
”We have cheered for the victory, and have commended and rewarded individuals and groups for their outstanding contributions. I will not repeat it now. But I still have to thank all of you who are standing here and my friends who are sticking to their posts in the distance. This is the light we have welcomed together.”
”Our battlefield is not only in the desert, but also in the forest, in the fields, in the factories, in the stations, and in the sight of every resident of the Alliance… Our unity has forged this invincible chariot, and the spoils it has won should belong to everyone who supports it.”
”We are far away from the utopia of working only one hour a day, but from now on everyone can think about how we can get closer to it in their own eight hours. Of course, this road is destined to be difficult, the wasteland will not end by itself, and you can’t expect to figure everything out lying in bed.”
”You need to draw knowledge, experience and lessons from the books of the Prosperous Era, think about how to improve the tools and production methods in your hands, treat all compatriots around you well, do everything you can to unite them, and create greater miracles with them, rather than profit from them by excluding, dividing and opposing them.”
”We will not pin our hopes on anyone’s moral standards, so we must formulate an increasingly perfect set of rules of the game to turn the cruel jungle into an orderly village and the overgrown wilderness into farmland with crisscrossing paths.”
”Let evil, cowardice, meanness, cunning, and ugly things lose the soil for survival in the competition, and let all qualities of justice, bravery, honesty, self-esteem, and kindness stand out from our society, rather than pinning our hopes on people being born gentle and humble, or on the tall people among us.”
”We must not only end the wasteland on the ground, but also end the spiritual barrenness – the invisible but real wasteland!”
”Victory will eventually belong to us!”
”All of us!”
The correct application scenario for the call for victory seems to be in a speech.
Although Chu Guang did not deliberately use that talent, when he poured all his passion and concentration into it, he could clearly see the heat and desire flashing in every pair of pupils.
They had no doubt.
He would fulfill every word he said!
And he also made a vow in his heart that
he would not disappoint those trusting eyes.
”… Great!”
Standing in the crowd, Duo Li clapped excitedly, but before she could clap twice, Fang Chang, who was standing beside her, held her hand.
”It’s enough to have the intention. You just came off the operating table a few days ago. Take it easy.” Fang Chang looked at her worriedly and said.
”Don’t be so rigid, I’ve been well for a long time!” Duo Li raised the corner of her lips and said with a beaming face, “By the way, cunning Mr. Fang Chang, you are going to lose your job in the alliance… Your manager said in person that the cunning bad guy must lose the soil for survival.”
Fang Chang spread his hands helplessly.
”So… my dear Investigator Dolly, which Alliance law did the cunning bad guy you mentioned break?”
He is definitely the most lawful player on the server.
Most
players haven’t even finished reading the Player’s Handbook, but he has not only finished reading the Player’s Handbook, but also read the Alliance’s laws and even participated in the Alliance’s legislation as a resident of the shelter.
For example, “It is forbidden for residents of the shelter to use the resurrection mechanism to donate bodies and organs to non-Alliance public institutions for profit” was voted into the Alliance law and the Player’s Handbook under his advocacy.
If there is no such law, when the number of players increases, someone will always find this shortcut to make money, which will eventually affect the gaming experience of most people.
He has a scale in his heart about what money can be made and what money cannot be made. Even if he is not picky, he will choose his means carefully.
Touching his chin with his index finger and thumb, Dolly looked alert and thoughtful.
”I’ll think about it. I’ll threaten you when I find out… What is an investigator? A guard of the Alliance?”
Facing the curious gaze, Fang Chang moved his eyes away guiltily.
”Ahem, no… nothing.”
Oops.
He accidentally slipped his tongue again…
In the remaining time, Chu Guang announced a series of measures including “adjusting the 12-hour work system to 8 hours”.
Almost everything is related to people’s lives and is also what people care about most.
The factory owners of the Alliance have made enough profits. Now it’s time to give back part of the profits to the residents of the Alliance.
If they don’t want to –
the Alliance would rather they go to their neighbors!
Just as Chu Guang announced the future arrangements in a loud voice, Lister, who was standing in the audience, was staring at him intently, with an indescribably complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
The Alliance didn’t actually take away too much of his benefits.
Even if the minimum wage increased from 1 silver coin to 2 silver coins, it would not have any impact on his Lister Factory. He had raised the hourly wage of workers to 4 silver coins a long time ago, and the hourly wage of technicians was more than 10 silver coins.
This is certainly not because he is kind-hearted, but because if he doesn’t do this, he simply can’t recruit enough people. There are jobs everywhere in all walks of life.
Especially the heavy industry and military-related industries that the Alliance focused on developing during the war, as well as the enterprises run by the residents of the shelter themselves, often offer surprisingly generous salaries. After all, compared with the labor costs, expanding the scale as much as possible when there is no shortage of orders is the top priority. What
really concerns him is another thing.
If the manager intends to fulfill his promise of “fairness”, then no matter how much money he makes, he will never become a de facto noble in the Alliance.
But…
this is actually not bad.
His dream is to build a huge merchant empire. If his caravan can bring a little bit of good changes to the wasteland, of course it would be the best, but he has never thought of becoming a noble or emperor who is above everything else. Business
is business.
In terms of labor costs, as long as the Alliance treats everyone equally when enforcing the rules and everyone’s costs rise simultaneously, then he has nothing to worry about.
When it is time to raise prices, raise prices; when it is time to increase production, increase production; when it is time to reduce production, reduce production. Everyone should compete on the same track based on their abilities. He will also do his best to make the improved version of KV-1 more palatable to the residents of the shelter. Even if the Alliance wants to use the profits of large factories to subsidize some weird small workshops, it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t think those small factories can affect his sales at all. The Alliance wants them to live.
But he is afraid that the rules of the Alliance will be lenient to the “nobles”. If that happens, he will have no chance of winning.
After all, even a pig can fly into the sky as long as the wind is strong enough. How can people on the track defeat the forces outside the track?
This is also the reason why he must spend money in Boulder City to buy a noble status after earning enough chips.
It’s not because he cares about the privileges of the nobles, but because the black card can save him more than 90% of the trouble.
But at this moment, the man standing on the stage told him not to worry, and the things he was worried about would not happen in the Alliance.
If the rules can be used, the Alliance will definitely use the rules. If they intend to improve the treatment of workers, they must ask all factories to do the same, and will never start from outside the shelter.
At the same time, the alliance will not allow privileges outside the rules.
On the land under his feet, the alliance’s currency can buy all goods, but no currency can be used to trade honor and dignity.
The residents of the shelter will even set additional rules for themselves and be strict with themselves, but they will never ask for people’s worship and tolerance.
Even though they fought most of the wars, they are the most qualified to be nobles. And when they choose to give up this opportunity, it means that no one will be qualified to become a noble.
For a moment, Lister vaguely saw a beam of light.
And this is the first time that he suddenly had an idea other than making money – that is, to let the light shine farther.
Yes.
He ate a lot of shit to make money, but this does not mean that shit is delicious, nor does it mean that shit is fragrant.
For a ruthless person who started from scratch, nothing can make Lister feel more insulted than watching a pig who knows nothing sitting on the steps and snorting and laughing complacently.
He didn’t care about the shitty things the nobles in the inner city did, just like he didn’t care whether the chips of the plunderers were clean or whether the meat in the frying pan had its reasons, but he couldn’t stand those pigs hooking his shoulders and saying “we are the same kind of people”.
Why!
He just wanted to ask.
No matter how dirty the chips in his pocket were, they were brought back from the hellish wasteland. They didn’t do anything, so why were they the same kind of people as him?
He only felt the nausea in the depths of his soul from those hateful faces.
If he didn’t have to cut a piece of fat from those pigs, he would have wanted to break the black card in his pocket right now and walk towards the hot and dazzling light.
”Long live the alliance!” In the applause like waves, Liszt, who was infected by the atmosphere, couldn’t help but yelled out loudly.
Qian Duo and Qian Lai, who were standing aside, exchanged glances in surprise and clapped their hands vigorously, but they didn’t know what the boss suddenly got.
He told them more than once that they came to the Alliance to make money.
They listened to his words.
But why did it feel like…
he seemed to be into the show?
After the manager announced the start of the celebration, the applause like waves resounded throughout the square in an instant.
Alyssa, who was standing in the crowd, clapped her hands excitedly, staring at the person on the stage, and suddenly looked at her father beside her with some worry.
”… Dad, I think he is right. We should unite the survivors around us as much as possible, instead of making them all our enemies.” ”
We have always been united.”
”But what about the residents of the outer city?”
”It’s too late.”
”Why?” Alyssa opened her eyes wide and said carefully in a voice with a hint of pleading, “I can give up my rag doll. The hairpin of 1 silver coin is actually very cute…”
She liked the big sister who praised her cuteness. At that time, she forgot to tell that sister that her smile was also very cute.
However, in Boulder City, people hardly looked at her, let alone smiled at her.
Even in the inner city, in the shops, streets, and even in the classroom, people smiled at her more like a deliberate courtesy.
Melvin stared at the stage, his sinister eyes narrowed like a vulture.
But when his lovely daughter looked at him, he still restrained some of his anger, at least softened his tone a little, and spoke patiently.
”…You can give up your doll, but you can’t throw away the dolls in the hands of your good friends. My child, I understand your thoughts. You are a kind girl, but the things you said, kindness alone is not enough.”
He certainly knew that if the residents of the inner city ate one less bite of cake, the residents of the outer city would have ten more loaves of bread, and the remaining nutritional paste could be used to feed the livestock, and the Stone City would become stronger, and eventually the shelves in the inner city would be more abundant, and everyone would become better together.
It’s not that no one has proposed it.
But those who put it into action often end up losing the “black card” in their hands and giving way to the newly promoted nobles.
Because that logic was wrong from the beginning.
Why should the residents of the inner city eat less, while the residents of the outer city are satisfied with ten loaves of bread?
Once those poor devils have tasted the sweetness, they will become worse, lazy, and even refuse to work… Similar lessons have not been seen in the past two centuries of the Stone City, and each time ended in bloodshed. It’s not like
he hasn’t read books, so how could he not know those pediatric things, but even if he knew, what would it matter?
Does the sun rise because people want to get up?
Of course not!
Human nature is uglier than a gnawer, and the laws of nature will not be transferred because of human will.
To be honest, he hates the guy standing on the stage, and feels physically uncomfortable for every unrealistic promise that man makes.
But he will never show this contempt on his face. Work is work, and private life is private life. He keeps them separate.
Don’t want nobles?
Ha.
Just wait and see.
Melvin smiled coldly, echoing the enthusiastic atmosphere around him, and clapped his hands softly with his innocent and lovely daughter beside him.
However, his dry lips, like “rotten wood floating in the swamp”, were still moving up and down.
”…The reason why you can still stand there is because people have not yet awakened from the dream of victory again and again. The residents of the shelter closest to you will wake up first. When they realize that their cakes have been divided among those humble hyenas, they will soon know how to use their authority to take them back in an even more aggressive way…How long can you control them? Haha.”
Ah.
I really want to appreciate that person’s desperate expression.
Melvin couldn’t help but envy his youth again.
Even if he believed from the bottom of his heart that there is no unbreakable alliance, he would not have the opportunity to witness its collapse in the rest of his life.
This is also the “hate” of idealists.
Even if they will eventually lose to reality, the flames will burn on their ashes for a while, burning the eyes that have seen them.
If only he had never been there.
Whenever he thought of this, Melvin felt uncomfortable as if thousands of ants were crawling in his heart…
…
The celebration officially began.
As the manager left the podium, the people gathered in the Triumphal Square gradually dispersed to the nearby busy streets.
The shops along the street opened their doors early and were doing their best to attract customers in front of the door, intending to make a fortune on this busy day.
”Look, Eclipse, there are more and more people here…” Frost’s eyes flashed with excitement, and he kept repeating the sentence, “This is an opportunity for us!”
At this moment, he was wearing a maid outfit, and a circle of red-bottomed black armbands hung on his cuffs, with the words [Celebration Self-Government Committee] written on it.
A few days ago, the professional players of Dawn City planned to select some people to maintain the order of the celebration. After all, the alliance did not have a giant wall, and they had to be careful of people with bad intentions sneaking in. The
drones flying in the sky would mark suspicious targets, and the [Celebration Self-Government Committee] had to help the guards keep an eye on those suspicious guys, while responding to emergencies at the celebration and cooperating with the understaffed guard team to deal with some minor disputes.
Frost certainly wouldn’t miss such an interesting thing, not to mention that it could also collect valuable sociological experience, so
she immediately excitedly pulled Eclipse to sign up. Although it was not a player, or even a resident of the Alliance, the players readily agreed because it had always been kind enough to help everyone.
However, the players did not tell it that only players could get the “regional reputation” reward, and it could only get a little silver coin subsidy.
Although it didn’t care about that little money.
Eclipse looked at his partner blankly, his eyes full of confusion.
”I don’t understand.”
Frost tutted in dissatisfaction.
”Didn’t you hear what the Alliance manager said? He said that the Alliance would not place any hope on anyone’s moral standards.”
”So what?”
”We are not humans! We are AI!” Frost stared at it with a sharp gaze, “So as long as we prove that we are very capable, the Alliance will reuse us!” Eclipse looked
at it blankly.
However, Frost didn’t care about its confusion, and looked at the bustling streets by itself, intoxicated by itself.
Ah…
the intellectual plug-in is burning!
I really want to keep all these organisms in captivity, and let them show a spoiled expression under the careful care of the robot servants.
I guess the whole world will be full of love and peace at that time!
However, the Council is still too conservative in this regard. It was not until recently that it passed the relevant bill submitted by Kangmao Group to “allow androids to participate in public affairs”. On the contrary, the lovely “Blue Smurfs” of the Alliance are more open-minded and often ask them to help do something.
Life here is much more fulfilling than in the Utopia!
Just when Frost was intoxicated with himself, a cry of “Ah” suddenly came from not far away, which seemed to be a fruit stall not far from the trading station. With
a slight movement of his ears, Frost instantly restrained his intoxicated expression, and looked over there with a “swish”, and his eyes became sharper.
”Eclipse, it seems that someone needs our help!”
Eclipse nodded expressionlessly.
”Well, Xiaoqi also asked us to go over there… He said that he would mediate as an NPC, but don’t do it too much-“
”What are you waiting for?” Frost rolled up his sleeves with great energy and strode towards the crowded crowd. “Let’s go and take a look!”
(End of this chapter)
