Chapter 655: History Turns a New Page

Chapter 655 History Turned to a New Page

The square before them was a sea of heads, countless eyes gazing up at the sky, where the towering steel fortress parted the vast clouds, slowly rising and falling in the sunlight of the hour of the Snake.

At this moment, whether residents of the Alliance or travelers passing through, all involuntarily cast their reverent gazes toward the heavens.

Standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows of the bridge.

Merely meeting those hopeful eyes, Chu Guang’s heart could not help but surge with emotion.

“Xiao Qi.”

“What is it, Master?” A light voice drifted into Chu Guang’s ears, like a gentle breeze.

Perched on his shoulder armor, Xiao Qi swung her chopstick-like legs, propping her chin in her hands as she studied his profile, her face beaming with joy.

Chu Guang narrowed his eyes slightly and said with a smile.

“Nothing, just suddenly felt like calling your name.”

Xiao Qi: “Hehe, Master, are you feeling excited right now?”

“Yeah, a little,” Chu Guang nodded honestly, his gaze fixed on the magnificent scene beyond the window.

Watching the sapling he had nurtured finally grow into a towering tree—this joy was beyond words!

Chu Guang believed it wasn’t just him; every citizen of the Alliance, whether player or NPC, must feel the same surging emotion in their chests.

They had overcome the curse etched into this land!

They had vanquished the threat that claimed to be eternal!

And they had turned the history of this land to a brand-new page—

Though the path had been fraught with twists, the people living on this land had ultimately come together.

Chu Guang seemed to hear the synchronized beating of thousands of hearts, a sound that stirred a united sincerity.

No matter where they were.

No matter when.

From now on, they would advance and retreat together.

Share honor and disgrace!

A pale blue holographic panel unfolded before Chu Guang.

Seeing the countdown reach zero, he pressed his index finger on the play button, connecting to the broadcasts set up across the square and aboard the Steel Heart—

And then he poured forth that rousing cry!

“Rejoice!”

“All of you standing on this land!”

“We have utterly conquered the waves that surged again and again!”

“We have ended this two-century-long feud!”

“Victory belongs to us!”

“And it will always belong to us!”

Hearing the affirmation from the Administrator, the entire venue erupted in applause and cheers like crashing waves. Men, women, the elderly, and children—every face was radiant with excitement and joy.

“Long live the Alliance!”

“Long live the Administrator!”

“Long live all the suffering survivors!”

“We will finally end this wasteland!”

“Ooh-ooh-ooh!”

In this moment of celebrating victory, people tossed petals and ribbons into the sky, and the united shouts of ten thousand shattered the clouds themselves.

Even survivors visiting this settlement for the first time could not help but be infected by this stirring emotion, joining the tide of cheers.

Their feelings for the Alliance and its Administrator were not as strong as those of the survivors who lived on this land, but their longing for order and an end to chaos was the same.

At least at this moment.

They saw the hope of realizing their ideals…

This was probably the shortest speech ever given by the Alliance’s Administrator at a celebration since the Alliance’s founding.

Yet it was also the most significant.

The applause and cheers that echoed through the city were no less than before—in fact, they were even stronger!

Whether survivors living in Clear Spring or the subjects of ancient survivor factions, all could feel the greatness and hard-won nature of this miracle.

At this moment, the towering Ideal Hotel, with its executive lounge on the upper floors, offered the best view of the celebration.

Unlike the commoners who arrived with dreams, the entrepreneurs from Ideal City did not want to squeeze into the noisy crowds, but their curiosity about the celebration was no less than anyone else’s.

Where there are people, there is a market, and those full of confidence in the future are the richest veins of gold.

To that end, the hotel manager had specially ordered a batch of monocular telescopes, placing them in the high-level executive lounge so guests could see clearly.

Watching the crowded streets and square, the people standing by the windows whispered to each other, their faces uniformly marked with shock and amazement.

Amazement at their unity, and shock at the immense creativity and imagination reflected in this cohesion.

Previously, many business owners from Ideal City had harbored doubts about this young, nascent force, fearing it would wither too soon on this perilous wasteland.

But events had unfolded beyond everyone’s expectations.

After defeating the Legion, they had withstood the threat of the Southern Torch. Then, far from being dragged down by war and falling into decline, they had grown stronger with each battle, even bringing down the Hive that had entrenched itself in the heart of Clear Spring!

The Tide was no longer a shadow hanging over the survivors of Clear Spring.

They could now devote more energy to transforming this wasteland.

Nothing could stop their rise!

“What a pity… the cake has all been divided. If only I had come earlier!” A businessman’s face bore an expression of regret and disappointment.

He had long hesitated over the potential risks facing the Alliance, watching as Evermoon Group’s business grew ever more prosperous and Ruyue Group’s market value soared. Driven by the lure of profit, he had finally made up his mind to board a flight to Dawnbreak City.

Yet the scene before him was exactly as he had seen: this settlement was no longer the shabby little village it had once been.

The people here had rosy cheeks, full spirits, wore clean clothes, stood tall with straight backs, and their pursuit of beauty had permeated every aspect of this settlement.

The original kerosene streetlamps had been completely replaced by more stylish electric lights; houses built of red bricks were painted in bright colors; the once bare streets now bore many steel signs adorned with neon lights.

Including traffic lights and white lane markings on the roads—these had all been added after the public transit system was built.

Now, the roads carried not only public transport but also engines and steel produced for war, which had flowed into the civilian automotive industry.

Though private cars were still rare, electric scooters and bicycles were no longer uncommon here. Prosperous commercial districts had begun adding parking lots and universal charging stations.

Some wealthy survivors already lived in detached houses with garages, while even the destitute refugees had free prefabricated panel houses to live in.

Though the Alliance authorities’ aggressive debt expansion strategy made one worry about their future, at least today, they had indeed invested the borrowed wealth into places where most could benefit.

What amazed the entrepreneurs and merchants standing in the lounge even more was that, even though the people here had surpassed the wastelanders of Clear Spring in clothing, food, shelter, and cultural development, they still seemed unsatisfied with their achievements, striving with all their imagination to recreate the fruits of old civilization on this settlement built in the wilderness.

Whether standing in the lounge of the Ideal Hotel or on the bustling street, it was not hard to see the light of order gradually spreading over this land.

Along with it came the visible prosperity and hope.

“It’s not too late to invest now... I heard the Academy plans to set up a special development zone with the Alliance in the Swamp of Hesitation.”

“The Academy?!” Hearing the soft murmur beside him, another entrepreneur from Ideal City couldn’t hide his surprise.

He wasn’t the only one interested in the word “Academy.”

Almost everyone standing there showed keen interest and joined the discussion.

“When did those slugs in the swamps get interested in doing business?”

“I thought they only cared about potatoes and junk.”

“They’re not interested, actually. The special zone is for scientific research—I heard it’s to study the dormant hive near Ice Sea City... But what they don’t care about, we can worry about for them, right?”

“That sounds interesting...”

“Indeed, those slugs may not be good at production, but their stored technology is quite valuable.”

“Here’s the problem: they don’t even have currency. How do we trade with them?”

“That depends on how they negotiate.”

As they spoke, several entrepreneurs unconsciously glanced at the two figures standing in the corner of the lounge.

One was Yi Chuan, the corporate ambassador to the Alliance, a familiar face to the Ideal City regulars who often dealt with him.

The other was someone of far greater stature: Luo Yong, director and CEO of Silver Wing Group, who held a seat on the Council!

Though he alone couldn’t represent the entire Silver Wing Group, the Group itself represented a fifth of the Corporation.

In a sense, his words carried more weight than the head of the Corporate General Management Department, for the Council was the true decision-maker of the Corporation.

No one expected him to be here.

Even if the Alliance was the Corporation’s strategic partner, this was a remarkably high-level presence.

Peering through a telescope at the crowded square, Luo Yong suddenly smiled and said,

“Now I understand why they won last year’s war so smoothly.”

With a respectful expression, Yi Chuan, standing half a step behind him, smiled and replied,

“Back then, Dawn City wasn’t as impressive as it is now. I remember they had Ideal Group help build their roads.”

Luo Yong gave a faint smile and said softly,

“Steel and concrete are the result of development, but the hearts of the people are its foundation. Though I’m a materialist, over the years I’ve come to believe more and more in the power of hearts and faith... especially after seeing the boys of the Pioneer and the young people who followed in their footsteps.”

Among them was his own child.

He had never imagined that the brat who spent his days hanging around bars would one day cross the entire desert for others, fleeing the Legion’s pursuit.

“...Julius united all the Vlandrians, and they succeeded in uniting all the survivors. Though many survivor settlements have tried this path before, so far only they have succeeded.”

It was too early to call it a success, but Luo Yong found himself filled with an unexpected confidence in these wastelanders he was meeting for the first time.

Standing nearby, Yi Chuan smiled and said,

“That is indeed what sets them apart.”

He couldn’t quite describe the feeling, but every time he spoke with the Alliance’s administrators, he couldn’t help but think the same—full of confidence in the Alliance’s future.

At least so far, they hadn’t let him down.

Luo Yong nodded in agreement, then after a moment, said in a relaxed tone with a smile,

“Investing in them might become the most successful of all our foreign investments in two hundred years... Perhaps one day we’ll truly realize our long-cherished wish and bring civilization back to this planet.”

Hearing this, Yi Chuan’s heart stirred, and he seized the moment to pose the question.

“Then... about that matter, what is the Council’s opinion?”

The matter he referred to was, of course, the proposal submitted to the Council some time ago: “Establishing a Cross-Regional Cooperation Organization Targeting Mutant Slime Mold.”

As if anticipating the question, Luo Yong lowered his eyes from the telescope, squinted, and smiled.

“That’s exactly why I’m here.”

Yi Chuan was momentarily stunned, then a flicker of unexpected delight crossed his face.

Catching the micro-expression, Luo Yong teased him.

“Hard to believe, isn’t it?”

“Indeed... a bit unusual,” Yi Chuan said, steadying himself as he looked at the cheerful Council member, voicing his confusion honestly. “In my memory, the Council has never made a decision so quickly.”

Luo Yong chuckled and said lightly,

“When dealing with disagreements, we do spend a lot of time carefully discussing details... But on this matter, my old friends and I surprisingly had no differences.”

Yi Chuan stared at him in astonishment.

“The Council passed it unanimously?”

“Exactly.”

In a voice only the two of them could hear, Luo Yong whispered, “If they can eliminate the hive beneath Cloudfall City for us, we could even start cooperation immediately...”

Meanwhile, as Yi Chuan was stunned by the Council’s decision, the administrator standing on the bridge of the Steel Heart announced the start of the celebration.

As before.

Standing on the elevator, Chu Guang ascended to the square and, under the gaze of the crowd, awarded medals to the soldiers who had distinguished themselves in the Wave Campaign.

Standing on the red carpet, Mosquito, with eight mechanical arms strapped to his back, saluted respectfully with an Alliance military salute and began in his exaggerated tone,

“Respected Administrator, I, WC_RealMosquito, hold my admiration for you as boundless as the vast galaxy—”

“Thank you for your blessings. I am proud of you.”

To prevent this fellow from acting foolish on such a solemn occasion, Chu Guang calmly interrupted his flow with a template line, then pinned a silver medal engraved with an airplane onto his chest.

Cut off mid-speech, Mosquito smacked his lips in lingering satisfaction, yielded his place to the next person, and stepped back into the crowd below.

Next came Feng Qing, also from the Goblin Corps.

Under the gaze of so many, standing on the red carpet, she was both excited and nervous, her palms sweaty, having forgotten the lines she’d painstakingly prepared.

Such moments in the spotlight were rare in reality.

For her, this was even more thrilling than soloing a raider stronghold...

Not letting the cute little player feel awkward, Chu Guang skillfully fulfilled his duty as an NPC, placing the silver flight medal—a symbol of honor—on her chest amid the applause.

“May victory and glory always be with you. Your courage is the wings that escort us.”

Her short hair framed a flushed face. Feng Qing nodded hastily, her voice trembling with excitement.

“Th-thank you!”

Chu Guang smiled gently and said, looking at her,

“You’re welcome. This honor is yours by right. We are the ones who should say thank you.”

Cheers and applause erupted once more at the scene.

Watching Feng Qing, grinning foolishly as he clutched his medal and walked off the red carpet, Mosquito, who had been clapping for his teammates, suddenly snapped back to reality and let out a dissatisfied shout.

“Damn! This isn’t fair, why does he get one more line than me!”

Standing nearby, Night Ten finished clapping and teased him with a jab.

“Who told you to talk so much? The administrator probably wanted to say more but got choked up.”

Noticing Night Ten beside him, Mosquito was taken aback and couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

“How the hell are you here? Didn’t you say in the group yesterday that Fang Chang would collect it for you?”

Night Ten let out a faint sigh.

“Ah, it’s a long story. I’d rather not say.”

He felt it was somewhat embarrassing to talk about, though he wasn’t sure exactly why.

Mosquito: “Damn! If you’re gonna say it, say it; if not, don’t fucking leave me hanging!”

Night Ten: “Then just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Mosquito: “%￥@#!”

While the two were talking, many others received their medals.

More than half of the recipients were shelter residents.

Although Blue Jackets made up an overwhelming proportion of the honorees, no one thought this was unfair, nor did anyone feel favoritism was at play.

As early as the day after the battle ended, the *Survivor Daily* newspaper and radio had reported the entire course of the campaign, and various private TV stations had broadcast combat footage selected and released by the Alliance authorities.

Whether it was the Death Corps’ desperate fight against the Titans, the Skeleton Corps’ rescue of Boulder City, or the decapitation strike on Mother Matrix Thea, all of it moved the viewers deeply.

Especially the Burning Corps’ raid on the city center.

That life-or-death battle had only three survivors.

Every medal awarded at this ceremony carried a commensurate honor. And this honor was witnessed by all citizens of the Alliance!

Watching Night Ten obediently step up to receive his medal, Jiang Xuezhou, standing among the crowd, couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smug smile. But soon, that smile faded.

She saw Night Ten, wearing a gold medal, walk into the crowd with a smug grin, waving frequently at the cheering masses.

Suddenly, a mature, charming young woman burst out of the crowd, grabbed his face, and planted a kiss on it.

Compared to the reserve of shelter residents and academy researchers, wastelanders were mostly passionate and unrestrained, never beating around the bush when expressing feelings.

But to the reserved, this passion seemed a bit unorthodox.

Watching Night Ten, whose face had turned as red as an apple, and the people around him cheering and jeering, Jiang Xuezhou felt her blood pressure spike instantly. Her teeth ground audibly, and she wished she could summon Xiao Wang right then and there to “take care” of these annoying people!

Whether out of stubbornness about “not being interested in fictional characters” or an inability to accept a confession without emotional foundation, Night Ten ultimately rejected the passionate girl’s marriage proposal. Under her disappointed yet understanding gaze, he scrambled out of the crowded throng.

Seeing Night Ten with a lipstick mark on his face and his clothes slightly disheveled, Jiang Xuezhou gritted her teeth in fury and glared at him fiercely.

“Who was that?”

Completely baffled by the question, Night Ten looked at the inexplicably angry Xiao Jiang. His instincts told him she was asking about the one who had kissed him, so he replied in confusion.

“How would I know…”

“You! You don’t even know her, and you let her…” She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing it wasn’t really his fault.

Besides…

She wasn’t anything to him, so she had no right to be angry.

But since the words were already out, she couldn’t bring herself to take them back. So she stood there, face red, lips moving but unable to form words.

Seeing her expression, caught between embarrassment and anger, Night Ten seemed to understand something and suddenly burst out laughing.

At his reaction, Jiang Xuezhou grew flustered.

“You, what are you laughing at?”

Night Ten joked with a smile.

“Are you jealous?”

Jiang Xuezhou’s face flushed bright red like a lantern, and she glared at him fiercely.

“What nonsense are you talking about, you narcissist? When did I… Pfft! How could I possibly be jealous of that!”

Night Ten wore an amused, almost maternal smile as he watched Jiang Xuezhou, who was gradually losing her composure.

Tsundere, huh?

Didn’t think the dog of a game designer had it in him.

Too bad—I’m not like that bastard Fang Chang, who takes the bait the moment someone crooks a finger.

Especially thinking about some guy lurking outside the server, peeping and laughing to himself, he instantly lost any interest in deepening emotional exchanges with NPCs.

But to be fair, that dog designer’s tactics were dirty—using a honey trap on a buddy just to train an AI!

Once he figured that out, Night Ten let himself go completely and teased the blushing, arguing Jiang Xuezhou.

“Stop mumbling. If you feel shortchanged, you can kiss my left cheek.”

That was a line he’d never dare say normally, but saying it to an NPC didn’t seem so mortifying.

The moment he said it, Jiang Xuezhou, who had been muttering nonstop a second ago, suddenly froze, as if her brain had crashed.

Night Ten was taken aback.

No way?

One sentence fried her CPU?

After a long silence, she squeezed out a sound from her trembling lips.

“Xiao…”

Night Ten, not hearing clearly, leaned in.

“Xiao?”

“Xiao Wang!!!”

Seeing Jiang Xuezhou suddenly lose it and the quadruped robot responding to her call and emerging from the crowd, Night Ten was startled and quickly ducked into a nearby alley.

“Holy shit! Calm down! I was just joking!”

Fortunately, Xiao Wang wasn’t armed, and her furious outburst wasn’t really meant to dismantle him.

But this way of “flirting” was still a bit too hardcore for onlookers. Teng Teng, passing by, held her forehead and called the police.

The two were both taken to the police station, kept there from noon until dusk before being released.

Compared to the wild stunts other players pulled during the celebration, this level of commotion was just a minor scene.