Chapter 656: This Time, Even the Envoy from the Free State Has Come

Chapter 656: This Time Even the Envoys from the Free State Have Come

On a street not far from the square, Mosquito, who was selling fireworks from a truck, was caught red-handed by players patrolling with armbands reading [Festival Autonomous Management Committee].

Passersby crowded the area, blocking the street as they curiously watched the commotion.

“Damn! What’s wrong with me selling a little bit of fireworks? Why can others sell them but not me?” Mosquito, who had been grabbed, tried to defend himself, shouting loudly.

The two players holding his arms showed no mercy and retorted without hesitation.

“You’ve got some nerve!”

“Are those even fireworks?”

Irena rummaged through the stall, picked up a rocket with a caliber as thick as a calf’s leg, and clicked her tongue.

“Hail 1.0 rocket… This thing hasn’t been phased out yet?”

The Katyusha rocket launcher, a hallmark of the Alliance.

She remembered they used these back when fighting the Gnawbone Tribe; she never thought she’d still see them in the Wasteland Era 213.

Mosquito grinned, not embarrassed at all, but rather proud.

“Of course. Simple and brutal weapons are the best. I’ve modified the propellant—it’ll last into the next century.”

Building a Dove-class missile required hundreds of supporting industries, but making a man-guided rocket only needed a small workshop.

But that wasn’t the issue here.

Irena rolled her eyes, tossed the rocket launcher back onto the stall, startling the onlookers.

And it wasn’t over yet.

Construction Boy and Brick rummaged through the truck’s cargo for a while, then suddenly widened their eyes in surprise, hauling out a launch tube.

“Holy crap, you’ve even got a recoilless rifle?!”

The group of players wearing [Festival Autonomous Management Committee] armbands immediately shot Mosquito hostile looks.

Irena paused, staring at Mosquito.

“Good grief, you’re clearing out your arsenal here!”

Sweating under the weight of all those stares, Mosquito quickly coughed and explained.

“Ahem… that’s just the shell casing. Try it—it actually fires fireworks… There’s no way I’d sell real weapons here!”

Of course.

He hadn’t entirely ruled out the idea of using the festival to hawk Goblin-tech weapons.

What if?

What if someone, after witnessing the Alliance’s abundant fireworks display, took an interest in Goblin-tech arms?

Surely there would be!

But Mosquito’s explanation didn’t convince everyone—at least not the two players with the Festival Autonomous Management Committee armbands.

Two Strength-type brutes flanked him, ignoring his flailing mechanical arm, and dragged him toward the police station.

“Go explain that to the guards!”

“Take him away!”

“Let me go! I’ve served the Alliance! I’ve bled for the Alliance! I want to see the Administrator~~”

“Behave!”

Watching the howling figure being hauled off, Dolly, standing among the crowd, whispered in slight surprise.

“What did he… do wrong?”

Her gossip antenna twitched!

She smelled a story!

Seeing the curiosity sparkling in Dolly’s eyes, Fang Chang cleared his throat softly and tightened his grip on the small hand tucked in his arm.

“Who knows… Alright, let’s not worry about him. The fireworks show is about to start—you don’t want to miss it, do you?”

He wasn’t surprised by Mosquito’s antics. If that guy ever settled down, that would be the real news.

“It’s starting?! Where, where?”

At the mention of fireworks, Dolly instantly lost interest in the commotion. Her face flushed with excitement as she looked up at the night sky.

For her, the fireworks in Dawn City held special meaning.

They marked the happiest moment of her life.

Seeing the blush rise to her cheeks, Fang Chang smiled warmly and gently squeezed her hand.

“I’ll take you somewhere with a better view… Follow me.”

…

At eight o’clock, the cannon of the Steel Heart aimed at the night sky, announcing the start of the fireworks display with a flare.

It was Xiao Qi’s show.

Clusters of flickering sparks spread colorful lights across the sky, weaving into a brilliant sea of flowers under her command.

Though it would cost hundreds of thousands of silver coins that night, Chu Guang didn’t mind at all. The smiles on people’s faces were worth far more.

Countless survivors had been drawn to Dawn City by its prosperity and had settled here—a wealth that no currency could measure.

Besides, seeing Xiao Qi having so much fun made him happy too.

Money only mattered when spent, and Chu Guang was more than willing to spend some to cheer up his little players and NPCs.

Looking up at the starry sky lit by fireworks, Little Lamb stood in the crowd, holding a cotton candy, her face full of wonder.

“What is that?”

“Fireworks.”

Her father, Yang He, stood beside her, smiling as he gazed upward.

Little Lamb looked at him in confusion, blinking.

“Why do they set off fireworks?”

Yang He thought for a moment, then spoke gently.

“There’s a legend that the Alliance was born from fire, like a phoenix reborn… So whenever the people here overcome a great challenge, they celebrate victory with flames.”

Little Lamb nodded, half-understanding.

“I see…”

“It’s just a rumor,” Yang He said, smiling at his adorable daughter. “Of course, there’s another saying—that this is a tradition brought by the Bluecoats from the Age of Prosperity, commemorating an era as brief and beautiful as fireworks.”

Little Lamb took a bite of her cotton candy, still curious and puzzled. Her age made it hard to grasp such words.

She had grown up in Pinecone Farm and had never seen anything like this.

Though she had only lived in the Alliance for less than two months, she could already feel that the people here spoke and thought very differently from those in her homeland.

There are still so many delicious things here.

No wonder her father was reluctant to go back, always thinking of taking her away from the estate.

The little lamb couldn’t help but think of Yinyin, wondering how she was doing now, and then couldn’t help but wish she could share this soft, white sweetness with her.

Looking at the bewildered child, Yang He’s face broke into a relieved smile as he gently stroked his daughter’s hair.

“Don’t overthink it—just standing under that light and admiring it is good enough.”

Children shouldn’t have to understand too much; some things are meant to be learned gradually as they grow older.

He felt neither pride nor satisfaction in her maturity, only guilt for how much he had failed her...

Not far from them, Shuang He was holding her sister Shuang Ye’s hand, excitedly counting the falling sparks in the sky.

Shuang Xue looked up at the Steel Heart, a faint blush on her face, lost in some unknown thought.

On the other side, in the upper floor of the Honey Badger Kingdom’s embassy building, Afuni sat by the window, gazing at the starry night sky.

Her eyes, reflecting the fireworks, held both admiration and envy for that beauty and prosperity, along with a hint of melancholy.

If only she could stand by his side and enjoy this view...

By the roadside on the eastern outskirts of Dawn City, a Titan covered in pale red slime mold and patches of rust stood still, lifting travelers and children high with its broad hands, occasionally letting out metallic coos, playing joyfully without any of its former menace.

It was controlled by Xiaoyu, while Luoyu stood nearby, occasionally tossing a few candies to feed it, a knowing smile on her face.

Dolly, who had just stepped down from its hand, was filled with incredulous delight, hugging Fang Chang, who had helped her down, and planting a kiss on him.

“Ooh! (Me too!)”

Seeing Xiaoyu eager to join in, Luoyu quickly soothed him.

“Not now, Xiaoyu—this fruiting body is too big; it might hurt someone.”

“Ooh...” Xiaoyu let out a plaintive cry but obediently continued serving as the children’s elevator.

Catching sight of this scene, envoys from other settlements were startled.

Especially the delegation from the Free State of Brugge.

They had come bearing gifts, intending to offer congratulations while probing the Alliance’s stance, hoping to complete the task assigned by the Great Rift. But they never expected to witness such a shocking sight!

The Alliance could actually control the war machines of the Age of Prosperity through mutated slime molds!

Though they didn’t know the Titan’s combat capabilities, this alone was enough to command their attention...

Not far from the Titan, a group of Scavengers in bizarre costumes were performing human pyramids, stilt-walking, and juggling under the direction of Big Eye.

Watching the small mountain of silver coins piled on the ground, Big Eye grinned from ear to ear, gradually losing himself in the cheers and clamor of the crowd.

With the tips people threw, he had made at least several thousand silver coins from this one stunt—with a bit more effort, he could even recoup the cost of buying those useless props!

I’m a fucking genius!

...

In the lobby of the Highway Town Inn, amidst the cluttered cups and plates, glasses clinked as people raised their drinks to celebrate this momentous occasion.

“To the Alliance!”

“To the Administrator!”

“Hope the next time it’s this lively is when that gentleman’s child is a month old!”

“Haha! That’s still far off!”

“Wishing him health and long life!”

Not everyone was interested in the fireworks outside. For instance, Old Bai and Edge, those single dogs, preferred sitting in the tavern, drinking and boasting.

Amid the noisy room, Sun Shiqi, sitting at a corner table with a slight buzz, sighed to his drinking companions.

“The changes here are bigger every day. You know what? My proudest deal wasn’t buying the Might Steel Mill from Fred—it was using the first gold I earned from trading to buy a plot next to Dawn City’s Central Square, where I built a building and a warehouse... Too bad the warehouse is a bit far from the trading post; I’m thinking of turning it into a shop.”

Zhou Nan, sitting across from him, rolled his eyes.

“Stop showing off! If you’re not satisfied, sell it to me!”

Sun Shiqi: “Ha! Don’t even think about it!”

The drinkers around knew he was bragging, but aside from envy, there was nothing to say.

That guy’s vision and guts were indeed unmatched.

Two years ago, if a merchant made a bit of money, they’d immediately think of converting it into chips to buy property in Boulder City. No one would think of building houses in the barren northern outskirts, even if those Bluecoats seemed different from other Bluecoats.

The nobles of the inner city might lack martial virtue, but at least their fists were strong, and they followed more rules than the slavers and raiders of the wasteland.

Yet no one expected that in just two years, this settlement would grow into what it was today, even drawing the attention of Ideal City’s residents!

At that moment, in an inconspicuous corner of the lobby, Sun Yuechi was flipping through the latest newspaper headline, a thoughtful expression on his face.

He had initially thought the Alliance would follow Boulder City’s old path, but now it seemed they weren’t what he had imagined.

They had unhesitatingly chosen the authority of law over the authority of men.

And what surprised him even more was that behind this event, he saw not only immense cohesion but also an incredible capacity for self-repair.

After learning about the fate of Vault 117, he had delved into Boulder City’s society.

That settlement, once led by a group of heroes, had attracted countless wise individuals with its immense cohesion and created a past that could be called a miracle. But in the end, those survivors lost to time.

“They’re like slime molds—after being pierced by a bullet, they quickly heal the wound and evolve armor to resist piercing damage... Compared to sheer cohesion, what’s even more incredible is their ability to correct mistakes. They’re constantly evolving.”

A smile spread across Sun Yuechi’s face. He closed the newspaper, left money for the bill, stood up, and walked out of the inn.

This place wasn’t as chaotic as he had imagined, and the Administrator wasn’t the pretentious warlord he had initially thought.

Compared to the Age of Prosperity, there were many shortcomings here, but they were willing to change, and they wanted people to see that change.

Perhaps—

Vault 70 could give him a hand.

After all, he couldn’t find a better candidate.

...

After watching Xiao Qi’s fireworks display, Chu Guang arrived at the Alliance’s banquet hall to accept the flattery from other survivor settlements on the wasteland.

Truth be told, he had little interest in showing off. Meeting with the delegations from other settlements could have been handled by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. But considering this was a good opportunity to gain diplomatic support for the Alliance, he graciously came.

Otherwise, who would pay for all the money he had spent on grand construction and military campaigns?

Soon, the Alliance would continue its southern campaign to clean up the tumor entrenched in the Jinchuan and Haiya provinces—another considerable expense.

Such a good deed for all humanity couldn’t possibly be funded out of his own pocket, could it?

Rather than spending his own money on good deeds without leaving a name, Chu Guang preferred to loudly spend other people’s money on charity.

The first thing after establishing the cross-regional cooperation organization was to define the division of labor among member states and the Alliance’s relative dominance in “slime mold-related affairs.”

After that, he would immediately start the second thing—declaring the Torch Church, which used slime mold DNA to create hell on earth, as a tumor on human civilization, the calamity of this game!

This casus belli wouldn’t easily unite settlements founded by wastelanders like the Red River Alliance, Garbage City, or the states of the Falling Star Province, but it had natural correctness for ancient survivor factions.

Even if a war excuse from a moral high ground couldn’t get the Academy and the Enterprise to go all out against the Torch Church, it could at least mobilize part of their societies and use that strength to unite the smaller settlements around the He Valley Province.

Then the Alliance's diplomats could go to other settlements to boast—look, the Fallen Empire has joined in, you can't just not get an assist, right?

At that point, the war between the Alliance and the Torch would no longer be a unilateral conflict for the Alliance, but a confrontation between the entire civilized camp and the anti-civilization camp.

Then those with money would contribute money, those without would contribute labor—thus not only would the enormous war expenses be covered, but the Alliance's war chariot would also gain an ally providing technology.

To make the "Joint Processing Center" on Layer B7 achieve its maximum utility, the Academy's technology is indispensable.

Just as Chu Guang had anticipated, the moment he stepped into the banquet hall in his power armor, he instantly became the focal point of everyone's attention.

Standing here, besides the representatives of the Academy and the Corporation, were many settlements that even Chu Guang was hearing of for the first time.

Of course, what surprised him even more was that just moments ago, Xiao Qi had whispered to him that the envoy from the Free State of Bugra had actually arrived here.

If the news was true, this would be the first time an envoy from the Free State had set foot in the Alliance.

Since the two sides had not previously established embassies with each other, the envoy representing the Free State received the same treatment as other envoys from small and medium-sized survivor settlements visiting the Alliance for the first time—all entered the banquet hall wearing "temporary identity badges."

The Alliance's identity verification for banquet attendees was very lenient: players who had earned merits in the expansion could enter, old friends with whom the Alliance had diplomatic relations could enter, and envoys from settlements visiting the Alliance for the first time could also enter.

As long as the settlement's name could be found in the import-export records of the Alliance trading post, and the envoy could circle on a map where the settlement they represented was located, state how many survivors lived there, and bring a token gift, they could come in for free food and drink.

Although there had been cases of impostors posing as envoys, or communities of a few dozen people pretending to be settlements of tens of thousands, no one cared about such things.

The envoys of Dawn City were as numerous as ox hairs—let them pretend if they wished!

In Chu Guang's words, all comers were guests; after all, he could afford one meal, and trading a meal for a gift to display in the museum was no loss.

Besides, this was the Wasteland.

Although the Alliance had established order within a limited scope, most places were still in a state of wilderness. A settlement that existed yesterday might not be there tomorrow, and a settlement that didn't exist today might spring up tomorrow.

Therefore, Chu Guang had specifically instructed the Alliance's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that if someone claimed to be from a certain settlement, whether they had heard of it or not, they should tentatively acknowledge its existence.

But acknowledgment was one thing; the Alliance's formal diplomatic relations were at least with survivor factions that had substantial trade with Alliance-affiliated settlements. They couldn't just let wastelanders from who-knows-where spout nonsense and deceive them.

Against this backdrop, the envoy from the Free State of Bugra, entering with a temporary identity badge, was undoubtedly an anomaly in the banquet hall.

Their monthly trade volume with the Alliance, measured in Cr, was at least in the tens of millions, yet because they had no formal diplomatic relations with the Alliance, no one could confirm whether his identity was real or fake, so they could only issue him a temporary badge, which was not considered discourteous.

In fact, not only the banquet's master of ceremonies and the Alliance's foreign minister doubted that fellow's identity, but even the small settlements didn't believe he was really from the Free State.

Watching that fellow standing alone in the banquet hall, a well-dressed, half-drunk man sidled up to him and said with a teasing smile.

"Buddy, not bad. Others make up some obscure name to freeload, but you're directly using the Free State's name. Won't it be awkward if you're found out?"

Looking at this rude fellow, Noreg was furious, but recalling Mayor Odo's instructions, he suppressed his temper and calmly extended his right hand.

"I am Noreg, the Foreign Minister of the Free State. And you are?"

Seeing that this fellow looked drunk and not at all like a respectable person, Noreg's eyes couldn't help but show a hint of contempt.

Speaking of freeloaders, could anyone look more like a freeloader than this guy?

"Pleasure to meet you. I am from Ideal City, Luo Hua, the Chairman of the Corporation." The man grinned and shook his hand vigorously.

Seeing this fellow lying through his teeth, Noreg rolled his eyes and yanked his hand back as if he had touched something filthy.

He was the foreign minister appointed by Odo, belonging to the pro-Corporation faction in the Free State. He had been to Ideal City countless times, even knew it better than the people of Ideal City themselves.

He had only heard that there was a Council there, never that there was a position of Chairman.

Who are you kidding!

Luo Hua didn't mind; he laughed heartily, since he was indeed joking, and he had come in to freeload anyway.

Just then, Noreg spotted Chu Guang walking to the entrance of the banquet hall. His eyes lit up, and he immediately put on a fake smile and went to greet him.

"Honorable Administrator, hello. This is our first meeting. I am Noreg, the Foreign Minister of the Free State. I have long admired your reputation!"

Chu Guang wasn't sure whether this fellow was real or fake, but he still extended his steel-clad hand and shook his.

"Welcome to the Alliance, Mr. Noreg. I have heard of the prosperity of the Free State and the commercial miracle of the Northern Corridor. We welcome all law-abiding merchants and travelers to visit us."

Although Chu Guang had merely spoken a casual platitude, the words took on a different meaning in Noreg's ears.

He reflexively thought of the Synderson case that had caused such a stir in the Free State, and his expression stiffened slightly.

But recalling the instructions from the Great Rift and Mayor Odo's orders, Noreg suppressed his emotions and forced an awkward yet polite smile onto his face.

"Of course... our merchants are absolutely law-abiding."

Chu Guang gave the fellow a strange look, not understanding why he would inexplicably emphasize that point. But before he could think further, he noticed an old acquaintance standing nearby.

"Luo Hua?!"

"Chu Guang! Haha, my old friend, I knew you'd be here. Long time no see! By the way, I've brought you some good news. You absolutely have to have a drink with me this time!"

Luo Hua, holding a wine glass, came forward with great enthusiasm, while Noreg, standing nearby, was dumbfounded.

This guy's name really is Luo Hua?

Wait—

Could the Chairman be real too?

Watching the Alliance Administrator take the wine glass with a smile and clink glasses with that fellow, Noreg was completely stunned...