Chapter 661: Smart Players Not Only Draw Their Own Pies but Even Bake Them

Chapter 661: A Clever Player Not Only Draws Their Own Pie, but Even Bakes It Themselves

Ring Island was the largest man-made island in the southern archipelago, situated at the gateway from the southern seas to the Baiyue Strait, covering a total area of about thirty square kilometers, though less than half of that was actual land.

From the sky, it resembled a doughnut.

It was said that this island once belonged to a wealthy magnate from the era of prosperity, who intended to turn it into a maritime tourist attraction.

Unfortunately, however, the dredging ship responsible for the construction had only just managed to outline the island’s shape with sand when the Three-Year War suddenly erupted, and the island’s construction was forced to a halt.

After the war ended, the survivors of Baiyue Province managed to restart the island-building project, using coastal construction debris and remaining equipment to widen the island’s outline.

Without support from the Post-War Reconstruction Committee, they spent nearly thirty years, like the Foolish Old Man moving mountains, gradually completing a task that would have taken only half a year before the war, and by around the fiftieth year of the Wasteland Era, they had all relocated to this artificial island.

The merchants of Silver Moon Bay called the settlement on Ring Island the Pearl of the Southern Seas, while the locals themselves named it Seagull Harbor.

It was said that seagulls guided them to this sacred place, far from the encroachment of mutants.

Another fifty years passed, around the hundredth year of the Wasteland Era, when both the population and living standards here experienced explosive growth, expanding from an initial few dozen to over a hundred thousand today.

According to records from Silver Moon Bay, the main reason for this phenomenon was that merchants from Silver Moon Bay discovered this port and brought them abundant food.

But Sisi felt that the real situation might not be so simple.

The merchants of Silver Moon Bay would not provide food to the people here for free; there must have been something worth their journey.

Pearls, shells, deep-sea fish, and coastal debris... If it were only these, they could hardly fetch a good price.

Combined with the clues from Vault 70, everything could be explained.

Around the hundredth year of the Wasteland Era, Vault 70 unsealed itself, bringing the local fishermen technology from the era of prosperity.

The development of technology not only improved fishing efficiency but also dramatically enhanced the island’s habitable area and living standards.

Just like the influence of Vault 404 on Dawn City.

Having mastered advanced technology, Seagull Harbor quickly became the most dazzling pearl of the southern seas, attracting merchants from Silver Moon Bay and the Bolo Province.

The merchants of the Hump Kingdom brought abundant grain, while the turbulent Bolo Province provided plentiful labor.

At the same time, Seagull Harbor’s technology spread to both regions along the trade routes.

This was also the main reason why the Hump Kingdom, located in a corner of the desert, had relatively advanced production technology compared to other kingdoms in Luoxia Province.

Relying solely on a researcher from the White Dove Academy, no matter how many black-tech ideas were stored in his head, would not be enough to elevate a conservative feudal kingdom to the level of the Enlightenment...

Closely following the two speedboats, Sisi, steering the Meatball, soon saw the island standing abruptly atop the blue waves.

Boats of various sizes were moored by the dock, white seagulls flapping their wings above the harbor, presenting a scene of peace and tranquility.

This was not their first time arriving here.

The last time they passed by was just at the end of last year.

Back then, there was no Federation; the islands in these waters were all independent, and such a tight defense was unprecedented.

“What is that ship doing?” Meatball, standing at the edge of the railing, curiously watched a flatbed cargo ship dropping spiky black metal balls into the sea.

Tail, holding binoculars, stared intently.

“Whoa! Mines!”

Meatball looked at her in surprise.

“Really?”

Tail raised an eyebrow at her.

“Tsk! What kind of talk is that? Do I look like someone who jokes?”

Meatball’s expression turned subtle as she looked away.

Wasn’t she?

But honestly, those things did look a lot like mines.

Sisi, standing inside the bridge, frowned as she watched the cargo ship converted into a warship.

From the tranquil sea breeze, she caught a whiff of something unusual.

The cargo ship docked at the port.

The man who had hailed them earlier grabbed the ladder, agilely climbed onto the deck, and looked at Sisi as she descended the gangway from beside the bridge.

“I’m Muda, the coast patrol officer here.”

“Sisi, helmsman of the Meatball.”

Muda wasted no time and got straight to the point.

“Where’s your captain?”

“This one.” Sisi pointed at Meatball, answering truthfully.

The latter gave a simple, honest smile, raised a large paw, and looked shy and reserved.

“Hi.”

“Hi...” Seeming never to have seen a talking bear, Muda was visibly stunned but still instinctively returned the greeting.

Taking advantage of his daze, Sisi took over the conversation and asked.

“Is there a war going on here?”

“Yes...” His Adam’s apple moved as he shifted his gaze from Meatball back to Sisi, nodding.

Seeing her guess confirmed, Sisi continued.

“Who are your enemies?”

Muda didn’t hide it and answered directly.

“Vault 70.”

Meatball and Tail exchanged glances, then suddenly, as if by unspoken agreement, quickly covered each other’s mouths.

Muda looked at the one-person-one-bear reaction with curiosity.

“A talking bear... This is my first time seeing one. Are you from the Arctic?”

Sisi: “The Arctic?”

Muda gestured with his hands, explaining.

“I read in a book that polar bears look like this.”

Breaking free from Meatball’s paw, Tail suddenly said with a serious expression.

“Not exactly, though. Our Meatball is actually a brown bear with albinism.”

“Is... that so?” The man blinked, looking at the talking bear with a hint of apology in his eyes.

Meatball glared at Tail, communicating with her eyes.

‘Don’t add weird backstories to me—no, bear-stories!’

Tail stuck out her tongue apologetically.

‘What’s the harm?’

Just as the two were bantering back and forth, Sisi kept observing the changes in expression on that man's face.

Sharply catching that fleeting flicker of apology, a thoughtful look emerged between her brows, and she suddenly spoke.

"We'd like to purchase some supplies here. What procedures are required?"

Muda replied succinctly.

"No procedures. We welcome merchant ships coming here to trade, but as you can see, these are special times. Please understand—we need to inspect the cargo on your ship."

"Alright, follow me."

With that, Sisi led him straight into the cabin.

Watching Muda follow Sisi toward the cabin, Zhimahu grew a bit worried and sidled up to Tail, asking in a low voice.

"Is it okay to let him see the people down in the hold?"

Tail rested her chin on her index finger, pondered seriously for a moment, and then said with certainty.

"Hmm, Tail thinks it should be fine."

Rourou gave her a curious look.

"What's your reasoning?"

Tail flashed a sly grin.

"Pirate's intuition!"

Rourou: "...Damn!"

That reason was way too flippant!

...

Following the woman named Sisi into the cabin, Muda kept a cautious eye on his surroundings and the mercenary-like crew members.

When he reached the lowest level of the gangway and stepped through the hatch into the lower cargo hold with Sisi, he was instantly stunned by the sight before him.

The spacious hold was packed tightly with people—at a rough count, at least several hundred.

Reading the shock in his eyes, Sisi, standing beside him, continued.

"There are more below."

Muda's throat bobbed.

"This is..."

Sisi went on.

"The Yue people of the Bolo Province. Have you heard about what's happening there?"

Muda shook his head and looked at her.

"No... What's going on there?"

Sisi lowered her voice and continued.

"The Xilan Empire is systematically purging the Yue people of Bolo Province, seizing their property, and reducing them to slaves. If we hadn't taken them in, they'd already be shackled and sold to slave traders—just like most of the unlucky wastelanders out there."

Muda studied the people closely for a moment, but saw no slave shackles or obvious markings on them.

The people in the hold were watching him just as warily.

As if sensing that this man might decide their fate, their eyes involuntarily took on a pleading look.

Muda felt a pang of reluctance.

Yet sympathy was one thing; he couldn't let a group of refugees overwhelm the order of Seagull Harbor just because of such a hollow reason.

After all, it was an island of less than thirty square kilometers, already home to nearly a hundred thousand survivors.

"We welcome travelers, but—"

Seeing the thought in his mind, Sisi asked.

"But you never considered taking in so many, right?"

Muda nodded silently, then after a moment continued.

"...This would bring us trouble, and we don't have the extra space to accommodate these people."

Guessing he would say that, Sisi sighed, a helpless look on her face.

"I understand. We didn't expect you to take on this burden... But could you turn a blind eye to the people on the ship and allow us to buy some supplies at the port? Please, aside from you, we can't find anyone nearby willing to take us in."

Muda was silent for a long time, as if hesitating, but in the end, his conscience won out, and he slowly nodded.

"Fine... but you have to promise me: at most ten... twenty people can leave this ship. If you don't want trouble."

A relieved smile spread across Sisi's face, and she extended her right hand in thanks.

"Thank you. I promise you."

"You're welcome."

He shook her hand briefly, then let go, cast one last look at the crowd in the hold, and turned to head back toward the gangway.

...

*Wasteland OL* official forum, player discussion section.

After logging off, Sisi took a quick shower, roughly dried her hair with a towel, and sat down at her computer with her damp hair loose. She updated the day's in-game events in her ongoing serial post.

"Big news! The southern sea map seems to have a major update! A new faction, the Southern Archipelago Federation, and Vault 70, located on the seabed, have been added. The two sides are currently in a firefight for unknown reasons. Any ship entering the area will be inspected by Federation vessels."

"We've obtained docking permission at Seagull Harbor and plan to stay in the area for a while to find the exact coordinates and entrance to Vault 70."

"The port has a backlog of unsold goods affected by the war, including pearls, shells, and seabed salvage. The port urgently needs rubber, high-polymer fibers, nitroglycerin, sugar, grain, and other strategic materials. Prices are 20% to 50% higher than last month's market average. I recommend trade-focused players buy seabed salvage here and sell it in Silvermoon Bay. The White Bear Knights' Bank offers favorable exchange rates for Gold Camels, Silver Coins, and Dinars!"

"Also, anyone in Silvermoon Bay or at Oasis 4? We need to restock on dry rations and 155mm and 20mm ammunition. If you can help transport them near the Baiyue Strait, we'll offer generous compensation!"

Hesitating for a moment, since the planner's private message didn't mention making the activation code public, Sisi decided not to include that in the post.

Shortly after the post went up, a dozen replies quickly popped up.

"666!"

"Me, me, me!"

"Rich lady, look at me!"

"Wait, what size ship do you need?"

"Need mercenaries? We've got a hundred strength-type beasts!"

"Can we go by land? I don't have a ship. T.T"

"Dummy! Just rent one!"

"..."

This "field trip" post had been running since last year.

Back then, the White Bear Knights were still at Petra Fortress, having just made contact with White Dove and his "Little Red."

At that time, Sisi discovered that the content she updated in her posts would be automatically collected into the official setting compendium with the creator’s tag attached.

From then on, she began updating the posts with materials she gathered along the way, including local customs, cultural practices, and so on.

Especially the part about the Bolo Province in the official setting compendium—the data on several large settlements and major ports were almost all written by her.

Because of this, the Alliance unexpectedly gained a new trade route to the Bolo Province, and many life-skill players made a killing by exchanging cheap industrial goods produced by the Alliance for two-headed cattle, leather, and spices.

Having tasted the sweetness of overseas trade, many trade-focused players bookmarked this post.

Besides the poster Sisi herself regularly updating her travelogues, occasionally other players who followed the recommended trade route would add clues about ruins they had visited but not discovered, side quests, interesting NPCs, or monster lairs.

When she first posted it, she never imagined it would attract so much attention and spread like the branches of a great tree into a lush canopy.

Although the White Bear Knights were not a proper military order, merely a caravan registered with the Merchant Guild, this motley crew born from a joke about “riding meat” had unknowingly gained considerable influence on the forum.

Though still far from the big shots like Fang Chang, Mole, and Spring, who could rally hundreds, as a T2-tier player, she was already quite formidable.

Debt-Eyes: “Speaking of which, A-Guang suddenly updating a map over a thousand kilometers away feels off to me.”

Irena: “+1, this guy didn’t even post an announcement about it—totally not like him. (Ridiculous)”

Elf King Fugui: “Is it possible the next expansion is over there? (Ridiculous)”

Buried in Peace: “Holy crap! The dog planner has no martial virtue!”

A Nie: “Your account is gone.”

Buried in Peace: “(Awkward)”

Watching the increasingly lively discussion on the screen, with people offering suggestions, Sisi couldn’t help but smile with relief.

If only she could attract some players to this area.

Cooperating with other players had a much higher success rate than exploring alone, especially far from Alliance territory.

Just then, a familiar ID popped up in the post.

Tail: “Wow! Since everyone’s so interested in the world across the sea, why don’t we build our own port here! (Evil grin)”

The moment she saw that message, Sisi froze.

Before she could recover, dozens of replies flooded in beneath the post.

Shao Che Duzi: “Holy crap?”

Maka Bazi: “Seriously?!”

Tail: “Wow! Of course it’s serious! Tail’s word is as good as gold! To show sincerity, the White Bear Knights will invest five million silver coins first!”

Roushan Damomo: “(Exciting)”

Quit Smoking: “6666!”

Ye Shi: “Sounds interesting, we Niu Ma Group are in. (Ridiculous)”

Fang Chang: “Indeed quite interesting. The Baiyue Strait sits right in the middle of the east-west sea route of the Central Continent. It’s absurd there’s no port in such a prime spot. Well, Brother Ye Shi has already raised his hand, so we’ll toss in five million to test the waters.”

Ye Shi: “Holy crap! Are you serious?! (Shocked)”

Gorge Escape Mole: “Our Skeleton Group is in too!! Five million!”

Elf King Fugui: “Holy crap, since when are we so rich!”

Gorge Escape Mole: “Hehe, made a small profit from a game on Endpoint Cloud, will give dividends to the brothers in a few months.”

Tail: “!!! Are the big shots serious? Can we invest in Cr? Urgently need foreign currency! QAQ”

Fang Chang: “No problem! Go for it, I believe in you. (Sidelong grin)”

Yaya: “Can I invest five hundred thousand? 0.0”

Tail: “Wow! No problem! The more the merrier! Tail will draft the contract for investing in Meat Meat Port soon! (///ω///)”

Teng Teng: “Uh, I want to invest a little too… but can we change the name? Not that it’s bad, just feels a bit weird. (Blush)”

Tail: “Eh! Is it that weird? ∑(?Д?)”

From some floor onward, the post had completely derailed.

No one was discussing the new map’s gameplay anymore; instead, they were all buzzing about what to name this future maritime pearl and where to place the port on the map.

For the Alliance’s first overseas venture, the players erupted with extraordinary enthusiasm.

Seeing so many interested, Fang Chang simply suggested buying a civilian airship from Dawn City to airlift supplies and personnel to the southern sea area.

That guy really seemed to believe in the region’s future economic potential.

Some players with a background in civil engineering eagerly proposed taking that flight to conduct a field survey, take some photos, and study the area.

A massive overseas infrastructure project worth hundreds of millions of silver coins began to take rough shape amid the lively chatter.

Watching the investment amount break through the thirty-million-silver-coin mark and still skyrocketing, Sisi, sitting before her computer, was utterly stunned.

She had initially planned to find an opportunity to make a small hole in the ship, then use repairs as an excuse to deliberately run aground at the port of Ring Island, slowly working her plan, or at worst, drag things out for ten days or half a month until they finished their quests before leaving.

She never expected her vision was too small.

That girl Tail had simply plopped a home right on someone’s doorstep!

But—

That might not be such a bad idea.

Though the Hump Kingdom’s colonization plan for the Baiyue Province had ended in failure, that didn’t mean they would repeat those people’s mistakes.

At least in terms of biotechnology alone, the Alliance’s reserves were more than a tier above the Hump Kingdom’s!

Not to mention, with the Alliance’s current massive industrial capacity, it was fully capable of supporting the construction of an overseas colonial port!

The more Sisi thought about it, the more excited she became, and a light gleamed in her eyes.

“Good grief… not bad, A-Tail!”

At that moment, she had no idea that a certain dog planner in another world, upon seeing this astonishing brainwave, had also blurted out a “Good grief” involuntarily.

Now players not only made pies for themselves but had even learned to bake them for him.

Was this essentially freeloading a settlement with a “14-day trial card”?

This deal was an absolute steal!