Chapter 763.1: IPO?

Just as the players had expected, they found four wounded, isolated Mutant Humans within Sandbar Island’s urban district. Three were hiding in the sewers, while the fourth had concealed itself inside the hospital morgue. The peculiar habits they had developed on Ten Peaks Mountain made them accustomed to hiding in dark, secluded corners.

After every remaining threat had been eliminated, the residents of Sandbar Island finally began returning to their homes on the second day after the naval battle.

Construction of the undersea power cable and freshwater pipeline leading to Sandbar Island would begin as soon as possible, with completion expected between late August and early September.

After absorbing the expertise and experience of technicians from Shelter 70, Baiyue Strait Development Company’s underwater construction capabilities had advanced by leaps and bounds.

From the Crab-class underwater engineering armor and the Electric Manta self-welding underwater drone vessel to modular construction solutions for deep-sea environments, both its hardware and software had undergone dramatic improvements.

Of course, that was largely because Baiyue Strait Development Company had already possessed a solid foundation of its own. It had the two major industrial zones of Dawn City and Boulder Town supporting it, along with the engineering technologies excavated by the Scientific Expedition Team from numerous ruins, including Shelter 100. More importantly, it had the powerful New Alliance standing behind it. Otherwise, the technicians from Shelter 70 alone could never have achieved such an astonishing construction speed.

Besides Sandbar Island, the four southern islands of the Southern Seas and Coral City near the central dividing line had all been connected to French Fry Harbor’s freshwater supply network and power grid.

Although Coral City had only restored twenty percent of its facilities due to its enormous power consumption, that was sufficient for the Conch submarine carrier project.

On the fourth day after the naval battle, a twin-engine P-1 Viper transport aircraft landed on Peace Island’s airstrip, and twenty players emerged from its cabin.

They were all highly skilled pilots. Not only had they survived countless trials in actual combat, but they had also received ace pilot certification personally issued by Mosquito!

They would soon head aboard the Conch to complete testing of the New Alliance’s new “underwater carrier-based aircraft.”

Not far from the airstrip, Commander Li Minghui of the South Sea New Alliance’s Fleet gazed enviously at the Viper transport aircraft and spoke to Ample Time, who stood beside him. “You people certainly have a lot of different aircraft.”

Ample Time smiled faintly. “That was a masterpiece of Boulder Town Arms Industry. It existed before the New Alliance was even founded. It’s much smaller than the Overlord. Before the New Alliance existed, the nobles of Boulder Town’s inner city cared only about regional affairs and themselves. The city’s residents existed solely to serve those nobles. The Viper transport aircraft already fully covered all of their short-distance travel requirements.”

Li Minghui raised an eyebrow with interest and looked at Ample Time before asking, “And now?”

Ample Time smiled. “Boulder Town no longer has an inner city. It has its own city hall, mayor, and courts. Its residents only need to fulfill their obligations as survivors of Boulder Town and citizens of the New Alliance, such as obeying the laws that apply equally to everyone.”

Li Minghui nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly asked another question. “What about the other settlements? Are they the same?”

The smile on Ample Time’s face grew slightly. “Of course not. Singularity City, for instance, has a clearly defined hierarchy and promotion system. But that was also what its local survivors wanted. Our administrator respected their choice and merely deprived them of the freedom to sell other people, in accordance with the New Alliance Constitution. Nothing else was significantly changed. He even generously gave them an absolutely impartial AI supervisor.”

Li Minghui nodded in approval. “A policy adapted to local circumstances. I think he made the right decision... We should consider what the survivors themselves want.”

“I agree. In my view, suddenly giving equality to a group of people who interpret equality as ‘being free to do whatever they please’ would be both foolish and absurd. They would feel uncomfortable, and so would we. In the end, it would accomplish nothing except tarnishing the word ‘equality.’ The administrator said from the beginning that we could not bring everyone into the new world. Some people were destined to live according to their wishes.” Noticing the flicker in Li Minghui’s eyes, Ample Time felt a slight stir in his heart and smiled. “If the survivors of the South Sea New Alliance supported you as their president, our administrator would naturally recognize you as well.”

Li Minghui froze for a moment, then deliberately laughed as though the matter meant nothing to him. “Forget it. I’ve never thought about anything like that... Even if they all supported me, they would still have to ask for my opinion. Don’t forget, I’m also one of the South Sea New Alliance’s million citizens. They had better not think they can push me to the front without my permission. Not a chance!”

Ample Time merely smiled without committing. He said nothing and turned his gaze toward the submarine carrier in the distance. “I hope everything goes smoothly. It would be good if this war could end sooner.”

A person’s true thoughts were hidden behind their stomach. The wasteland was filled with people who committed terrible acts while believing themselves righteous. Ample Time was not some student like Night Ten who had yet to enter society and would spend half a day wondering whether every word someone said was good or bad.

He did not care what the man said. Presumably, the administrator would not care either. All they would do was watch to see what he did.

Li Minghui also turned toward the submarine carrier. After a long while, he sighed softly. “Yes...”

It would be good if the war ended sooner. Although perhaps it would be better if it ended a little later...

...

On the Wasteland Online forum, testing of the new equipment had not yet concluded, but half of the ace pilots had already logged in.

- This new aircraft is fucking exhilarating!

- Honestly, it really is. Stable, accurate, and ruthless. Of course, I’m not talking about the aircraft. I mean the autocannon.

- It would be nice if we could insure it.

- Yep.

The discussion thread quickly grew by dozens of replies, leaving the players watching from the sidelines itching with curiosity. Eventually, someone could no longer restrain himself and posted a question beneath the thread.

- Big shots, do any of you have pictures or videos? No particular reason. I’m just curious about what the aircraft actually looks like. Well I’ve never seen it before. I’m Just curious.

As soon as someone asked, people familiar with the situation quickly emerged to answer.

-We didn’t bring cameras aboard.

- It’s classified.

- What the hell?! Even that’s classified? Can information really be leaked on the forum?

- What’s the rush? There’ll be a promotional video on the day of the landing operation. You’ll see it then. ( ๑‾̀◡‾́)✨

- +1.

- @#%&!

- ...

Irene: Is it just my imagination? I seem to remember there being only twenty pilots. (づ •. •)?

Night Ten: Good grief. How many spectators are pretending they were there?

...

Time passed day by day, and early August soon gave way to the end of the month.

Through a methodical, step-by-step offensive strategy, the Mutant Slime Mold Research Committee’s forces deployed to Ocean Edge Province had advanced the Northern Front from Lai Peak to its southern outskirts. Although no survivors had been found, purification of the local soil had progressed to 70%.

Meanwhile, the purification effort in Guardian Manor Wasteland continued as well. Influenced by the New Alliance’s order, increasing numbers of survivors from the southern Brocade River Province had settled near the Guardian Manor Military Base. The population of the Guardian Manor City settlement had officially surpassed 50,000 and was advancing toward 100,000.

Progress on the Northern Front had been astonishing, and the Southern Front was no less impressive.

The New Alliance’s missile launchers and radar systems had been successfully deployed on Sandbar Island. The Conch submarine carrier had also been completed without fanfare and secretly commissioned into the New Alliance Navy.

Every piece was now in position. All they needed was the right opportunity.

According to information released by the Survivor’s Daily, the New Alliance and its allies in the Southern Seas were planning a decisive battle against the Chalas administration. The time and space remaining to the latter were rapidly running out...

Besides the progress on the front lines, two other major events had recently taken place within the New Alliance.

The first was the formal signing of a ceasefire agreement between the New Alliance and the Xilande Empire. The Empire was required to pay the New Alliance a total indemnity of 500,000,000 Silver, immediately lift its shipping suspension against Port Gallon, and restore normal navigation and trade along the Everflowing River.

However, because the empire did not possess sufficient foreign exchange reserves in silver coins, the indemnity would be secured against its foreign-trade tariffs. An institution appointed by the New Alliance would collect the tariffs on its behalf, deduct the agreed proportion as compensation, and remit the remainder to the Xilande Empire.

The tariffs collected on the empire’s behalf would primarily apply to goods shipped from Port Gallon into the Poro Province. Tariff rates for different categories of goods would be jointly negotiated by both parties and established in a separate agreement.

In other words, the Xilande Emperor would not need to withdraw the indemnity from the imperial treasury. He might even continue receiving money from the New Alliance. Furthermore, considering that Port Gallon now traded a much wider range of products than before, the Xilande Empire might even earn more than it previously had.

Thus, after hearing the improved proposal, Duke Garawa immediately accepted it.

As for sovereignty over Port Gallon, the New Alliance would never allow the Xilande Empire to reclaim it and ruin everything again. Duke Garawa clearly did not expect to win it back merely through words either, so he proposed setting aside the dispute while maintaining the status quo.