Chapter 768: An Unexpected Letter

Chapter 768: An Unexpected Letter

Time ticked away day by day, passing from mid-August to early September in the blink of an eye, and the streets of Dawn City imperceptibly carried a touch of autumn chill.

Due to the cooling weather, many trend-following residents had already swapped their breezy short sleeves for cotton hoodies or leather jackets, partly for convenience, and partly because they were cheap.

During this period, cotton and leather were probably the most heavily crashed commodities in the game.

The natural resources of the Baiyue Province were abundant to an almost unimaginable degree, while the massive labor force of Port Golden Galleon processed them into cheap and high-quality manufactured goods.

Take leather belts for instance, the cheapest one cost only 100 Galleons, and it was genuine leather at that, with the only caveat being that the specific xenogeneic source species was a bit unusual.

Deducting tariffs, logistics, and other losses, it amounted to just eleven, twelve, or thirteen silver coins, which meant only an hour of work for the middle-class residents of Dawn City.

Of course, the residents of Port Golden Galleon did not lose out either; many of them previously had nothing to wear, but now the streets were full of bicycles moving as fast as the wind.

For the wealthier residents living in Dawn City, clothing choices leaned toward greater diversification.

The display windows of Tengteng's Cottage had, at some unknown point, already become the benchmark of the fashion industry, even exporting to the Ideal City, and even onto the families of those Wilant soldiers.

Perhaps it was the wastelanders' unconscious mimicry of the vault residents' aesthetic preferences, or perhaps it was humanity's natural pursuit of mystery, but more and more black stockings appeared on the streets, along with clothing that clearly did not fit the historical background of the era.

Among these, there was no shortage of eye-catching outfits, but there were also many products that were too preposterous, to the point of being painful to look at.

Yet in a certain sense, this rebellious sight was unexpectedly reasonable when placed within Wasteland OL.

After all, the cultural philosophy of the wasteland itself contained the trait of tailoring.

Namely, splicing together multiple completely distinct, even starkly contrasting elements, and using primitive social behavior to deconstruct postmodern technological products.

For example, an iron pipe rifle made from future high-tech water pipes, a crossbow made from the wreckage of a rifle, and pulling stockings that were meant to be worn on the legs over the head... of course, the latter was a minority, and those who did it were mostly players unwilling to show their faces.

All kinds of attire formed a beautiful scenery on the bustling streets.

He still remembered two years ago, the people in this very same place, in order to keep warm, had to treat waste banknotes from the old era as cotton batting, stuffing them into burlap sacks to wrap around themselves against the cold.

In a mere two years' time, the wardrobes of Dawn City's survivors were stuffed full of new clothes, to the point where they were affluent enough to leisurely ponder which clothes and which pair of shoes to wear when going out.

Back when chips ruled this land, this level of affluence benefiting the majority was almost unimaginable.

"...I always wonder where the problem with chips lay. Logically speaking, there is no difference between chips and silver coins, yet our current life is completely unimaginable compared to the past."

Dawn City, the small house by the side of Lake Ling.

Gazing at the quiet and secluded garden outside the window, as well as the succulents lining the windowsill, Duoli, resting her chin on both hands, suddenly recalled the past, her thoughts momentarily flooding with countless emotions.

She still remembered that humble and tiny wish in the darkness—she wanted to raise a pot of succulents, because she heard they could absorb radiation.

Even though a certain big villain later told her that the claim was just a trick to fool children, and that radiation was not something that could be sucked in, but merely a phenomenon where energy radiated outward in the form of electromagnetic waves or particles.

If photosynthesis were interpreted as absorbing radiation, then theoretically any plant would have the effect of absorbing radiation.

Precisely because of this, those words could only count as a trick to fool children, not an outright lie.

Truly brilliant trickery required no lying whatsoever.

Sitting opposite her, holding a newspaper in his hand, Fang Chang smiled faintly, his doting eyes resembling the way Duoli gazed at the tender green sprouts on the windowsill.

"...When you are still searching for right or wrong within a tool, you have already walked into a dead end."

He had returned three days ago, primarily to handle some matters regarding the listing of the Baiyue Company, such as explaining the allocation of certain funds.

Particularly during the period when the Baiyue Company expanded its business in Port Golden Galleon, which expenses were paid through the company and which were paid through the port authorities, all of these had to be explained one by one.

Fang Chang actually understood the rigor of the regulatory system; after all, overseas business was the hardest area to regulate, and if they weren't strict, the interests of the shareholders could not be protected at all.

For instance, using the simplest and crudest method, they could use the money given by shareholders to build a subway, operate it at a loss, and then use a private company to collect the subway fares to wildly reap the profits.

A sequence of such operations could fleece the residents of Dawn City thoroughly, while the anger could be redirected onto the heads of the Port Golden Galleon residents—"These smelly rats who have the life to earn money but no life to spend it, stealing money right out of your Dawn City grandpa's pockets? Pui, ungrateful white-eyed rats, let's smash them!"

The Manager obviously would not let such a thing happen.

He had already anticipated the Manager's anticipation, having clearly mapped out the finances of the Baiyue Company and the Niuma Group a long time ago.

Even including the account books of the Port Golden Galleon authorities, where every single cent was spent, and from which account it flowed to which account, were recorded with absolute clarity.

However, what surprised him was another small matter; the person interfacing with his work turned out to be Xiaoyu.

That little girl was just like before, always keeping Chu Guang's words on her lips, and she was meticulous in her work.

The aura of the blue coat was completely useless against her; from beginning to end, her heart held only one person, and even if she harbored gratitude toward others, she would not show any leniency.

Those eyes staring at the account books were like a microscope, and some of her aggressive questions even caused him to break into a cold sweat.

Particularly when it came to why the Baiyue Company's investment in the Moon Clan resistance lacked a specific execution standard, such as how much money to give upon achieving what stage goals, he couldn't help but wipe his sweat, admitting that this was indeed his oversight.

He also blamed the jeering of the crowd on the forum, coupled with the large amount of war spoils acquired at that time; he had indeed been a bit reckless when spending money, or rather, too confident.

He thought that giving money and equipment would yield results, and had specifically arranged for people to find those guerrilla forces, but who knew that those fools would all express different views the moment equality was mentioned, yet throw down their armor and flee the moment a battle started, being farmed like wild monsters by NPCs.

Speaking from his conscience, he really didn't harbor any bad intentions when he spent that money; he merely hoped to accelerate the changes happening in the Brahma Province... using the method he deemed appropriate.

"...Brother Chu does not object to you investing in what you believe is worth investing in, but you must give the investors an explanation of what goals you want to achieve, how much money needs to be spent to achieve this goal, what risks exist, and what the return is."

"To this end, you need to formulate a detailed plan. It does not need to specify who executes every single step, but it must, like a quest system, provide support to the executors in stages, along with a planned stop-loss."

"Before seeing this proposal, I suggest you had better not leave Dawn City."

After leaving behind these three pieces of advice, that girl with piercing eyes brought the hearing to a close.

Sitting among the seats of the hearing, Fang Chang lamented for a long while before rising to leave the venue and return home.

If only all the NPCs in this game could be as innocent and filled with a sense of justice as his lovely Duoli.

A simple sense of justice was actually not bad at all.

Being too smart made one less endearing instead...

At this moment, Duoli did not know the praise her sweetheart held for her in his heart; she was still thinking about the issue of the chips and the report she was currently writing.

If she knew, once she snapped out of it, she would probably give this guy a bite.

Her fluffy, bright green short hair swayed gently as Duoli looked blankly at Fang Chang, unconsciously tilting her head.

"Are you saying there was nothing wrong with the chips?"

Fang Chang thought for a moment and said.

"Using something familiar to you as an example easily brings your subjective impressions into play, so I will temporarily use Cr as an example. Do you think Cr is good or bad?"

Duoli knitted her delicate brows slightly, and after pondering for a long while, she said.

"I think... it's actually quite good, right?"

The prosperity of the Ideal City was visible to the entire wasteland; saying Cr was bad would be lying through one's teeth.

But she always felt that this bad guy wouldn't be so kind as to give a simple question, so she was somewhat hesitant when following his lead.

Fang Chang smiled faintly, offering no judgment, only speaking in a casual, conversational tone.

"The essence of Cr is a decentralized currency issued with the sum of all social credit as its anchor. It can liberate all natural persons in society from the debt relationships of the old era. Smart contracts programmed based on quantum algorithms guarantee absolute fairness in transactions, eliminating the need to rely on a central bank to regulate interest rates. Everyone participating in social activities will benefit equally due to the overall prosperity of society... Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

"True... so there is nothing wrong with saying Cr is good, right? Right?" Duoli nodded very honestly, looking at him curiously, waiting for him to continue.

Lifting the coffee on the table to take a sip, Fang Chang said slowly.

"Then what if I told you that the currency of the Bugra Free State was actually designed by mimicking Cr?"

"Ah?!"

Dolly stared at him in astonishment, her small mouth falling open unconsciously. "Is that so?! But... then why has the Buryuan depreciated so ridiculously?"

She had heard that people there often had to pay with strings of zeros, and the smallest denomination of paper currency was 1,000.

Something like that was supposed to be a crude imitation of Cr?!

Appreciating the look of shock on Dolly's face, Fang Chang gave a faint smile and continued in a teasing tone.

"In fact, it's not just the Buryuan... the S-coin that briefly appeared in Qingquan City's history was also a poor imitation of Cr. You wrote a report on that thing, so you should be clear on what it really is by now."

Dolly nodded blankly, her thoughts still reeling from the shocking revelation.

She still couldn't believe that, in essence, the Buryuan and Cr were the same thing.

Fang Chang carried on with an easy, conversational manner.

"I just mentioned that Cr is a decentralized currency anchored to the total social credit sum of the entire society. And in fact, the Buryuan is the same thing. But there's one difference—in Bugra, the 'quantitative standard of total social credit' is not decentralized. On the contrary, it is more extremely concentrated in the hands of a tiny group than traditional currencies—even primitive precious-metal currencies... If you can't understand this concept, think of it as the pen you use to sign when you buy food, drink, or swipe your card."

"You mean they used the method wrong?" Dolly keenly spotted the issue, her eyes widening with surprise.

Hearing this, Fang Chang let out a helpless laugh. "Look at you—I've gone on so long, and you're still debating right and wrong—Ouch! Don't use your teeth!"

Before he could finish, Dolly, flustered and angry, pounced on him like a wildcat and bit down on his arm.

She had been seriously trying to think through this baffling problem, sincerely asking for guidance, but this guy always had to interrupt and flaunt his intellectual superiority.

He was fine otherwise, but this one trait was infuriating.

So what if he was a little bit cleverer? What was the big deal!

Wasn't he... wasn't he, well, there were times when she had him under her heel too!

But when she saw him wincing in pain, she couldn't help easing up a little, blushing as she released the arm now lined with a neat row of teeth marks.

"Who told you to always speak in riddles... Can't you just answer my questions properly?"

Fang Chang hadn't actually felt any pain—players couldn't feel pain beyond a certain threshold, and if anything, it was a little... well, saying it would make him sound perverted.

Out of gentlemanly courtesy, he still rubbed the teeth marks on his arm, pretending to be threatened.

"Ahem, wasn't I answering properly... You keep talking about right and wrong, and I'm trying to correct that mindset. How do you know Flint Group didn't do it on purpose?"

Dolly stared at him blankly. "...On purpose?"

"Is Flint Group about to go bankrupt, or are the people of Free State unable to survive? Their economy isn't worse than ours. They were already running while we were still walking. We laugh at them for watching thirty seconds of ads just to open a fridge door, but they might be laughing at us for not even having a fridge."

To be honest, if it really came to a fight with Bugra, even if they didn't drag the Great Rift into it, the Alliance would need considerable effort to win a conventional war without resorting to strategic weapons first.

At the very least, they would have to be prepared to sacrifice Dawn City.

At least based on the performance on the Northern line, the Hound Special Forces fought no worse than the 100th Mountain Division. Their equipment might be slightly inferior, but their personnel quality was clearly higher.

The Alliance had had minor military skirmishes with Bugra on the border, but neither side had committed main forces; they probed each other cautiously.

In one instance he remembered, the Alliance sent the androids of Camp 101, which wasn't part of the Alliance at the time, while Bugra dispatched a third-rate mercenary company actually hired by Wilant officers.

Looking back, that skirmish was both a contest between the Administrator and Sigma, as well as a test of each other's bottom lines.

Sigma accurately perceived the Alliance's weakness: weak border control and difficulty distinguishing disguised paramilitary forces from refugees. And Chu Guang responded powerfully to Free State's pain point: powerful, unrestrained individuals posed a huge threat to Free State's fake freedom.

One android could cut through a hundred-man squad. What if a hundred androids, or a hundred awakened ones even more troublesome than androids, infiltrated Free State...

For Sigma, that was far more intimidating than 'annihilating a hundred-man squad honorably with regular forces on the open battlefield.' And that was the real reason both sides had tacitly kept conflict scales in check.

The NPCs in this game were just like real people—the deeper you thought, the more so. He wasn't the first to think that.

Pausing, Fang Chang looked at Dolly, who seemed half-understanding, and continued succinctly.

"...So when you discuss whether they are right or wrong, good or bad, you're already walking into a dead end. A gun is faster than a knife, and there are even faster guns, but peeling an apple might not be easier than with a fruit knife."

"Back to your original question—I can tell you that chips are neither good nor evil, neither right nor wrong. They are just tools. The people holding them use them according to their own understanding... including those who issue the chips and those who spend them. That's all."

"As for why the chip didn't end up like silver coins—that's because the guy who lifted the chip up from the start wanted exactly this effect, and he succeeded in what he set out to do. Whether he eventually lost control or not is another story."

The same went for Bugra. Tools like the Buryuan and the board structure were all imitations of Ideal City's design. They, like most wastelanders, desperately envied Ideal City's prosperity.

But as for other aspects of Ideal City, they thought they understood, yet they knew nothing.

And that led to Bugra's cyberpunk-style society—ultra-high technology coexisting with rock-bottom living standards in the same settlement, everyone running like hamsters on a wire.

It bore some resemblance to the Committee of Science, but was fundamentally different.

It was said that the Alliance's scientific expedition team's social research department had set up projects to analyze these phenomena, including the Alliance's own sociological phenomena.

But this was a long-term undertaking; expecting conclusions about the present from the present was unrealistic.

At this point, he couldn't help teasing the bewildered Dolly again, making her blush and lunge at him.

"...It's like the vendor who sells you succulents. He doesn't care about your health or radiation—he just wants the silver coins in your pocket. The only difference is that some people know it, some don't... Ouch! Don't bite randomly!"

Seeing Dolly leap onto the table like a cat, Fang Chang quickly moved his unfinished coffee out of the way, afraid she might burn herself.

But losing one hand, he soon succumbed to Dolly's onslaught.

When the commotion in the room finally subsided, Dolly, red-faced and panting, noticed the crumpled newspaper on the table.

"Is this the Survivor Daily?" Surprise flickered across her face, especially when she saw its layout was different from the Dawnlight City edition.

Fang Chang smoothed the newspaper and gave a faint smile.

"The Golden Garon Port edition... More and more survivors are standing on the same front as us. Occasionally, some eye-catching articles appear in it."

He had been away from Golden Garon Port for a long time and relied on the local newspaper to keep up with the situation there.

He hadn't expected that in just a few months, that port—once filled with slaves and devoid of hope—could produce such a thunderous roar. It really surprised him.

Maybe given a little more time, they might just catch the boat to the new world.

Besides giving money, he had also helped cultivate some talent.

For instance, Yodu, the secretary in the Governor's office, was a capable moderate reformist.

And Rashi, the director of the Civil Defense Office, had both boldness and execution, and could accept new things. His manner might be a bit rough, but that wasn't a big flaw. Objectively speaking, Rashi deserved credit for the successful transformation of Golden Garon Port.

After all, nothing was more intimidating to the old nobility than a Moon tribesman holding a gun—especially one ruthless to both enemies and his own side.

To survive, those old nobles fawned on the Alliance even harder than the new class.

They were afraid—afraid that if they complained too much, the Alliance would turn a blind eye. Though Alliance people were rational and disciplined, their dogs clearly were not.

That guy had potential. Polishing his temperament in an office was a good idea.

Whatever he wanted to be, he shouldn't wear his thoughts on his face.

That was basic political skill.

If he couldn't master it, he'd be destined to remain the head of a militia regiment for his whole life.

"Red Earth... This article is well written. Doesn't sound like someone who just learned to write." Dolly read the newspaper from beginning to end, her surprise growing, even turning to delight.

Maybe the Dawnlight City Survivor Daily could republish this article.

No—

This didn't seem like an article; it felt more like a preface to a long anthology.

As one of the earliest employees of the Survivor Daily and the editor who had discovered the literary gem "The Awakener Bohr," she keenly sensed that this anthology titled "Red Earth" had potential no less than the former.

On this wasteland, the suffering survivors are not only Bohr of Boulder City, but also L of White Elephant City!

She heard that soul-stirring cry, and she believed others must have heard it too, especially the members of the Workers' Union who had lived through that upheaval!

They had already ended the wasteland around them, but the broader wasteland was not yet over.

She believed that the comrades united back then would not be satisfied with just today's ribs and beer, and would surely be willing to lend a hand to those who also suffered!

At least some would be!

Like Spberg and the others.

"I want to write a column for him!" Dolly's eyes sparkled as she looked at Fang Chang. "More people should hear the voices from there, not just enjoy the cheap goods supplied to us by the local survivors... No, to be precise, this is also for our own sake. If we let them continue to be exploited by the slave owners, eventually our interests will be harmed too, right? Then silver coins will become another kind of chip, just like you said earlier."

As she spoke, Dolly stared intently at Fang Chang, her clever little expression nothing like the silly, naive look from an hour ago.

One could only say she was truly a product of Boulder City, with a rebellious bone in her nose. Saying such a thing in Dawn City to anyone other than a resident of Vault 404 would get her family cursed out.

Fang Chang smiled faintly but did not deny her words.

"Congratulations. While most people are still stuck in the previous version, you've already entered the next one. What I mean is... the problem you mentioned does exist, and it's something we plan to address in the next phase."

"As early as the industrial era before the Age of Prosperity, it was proven that one-sided exploitation is unsustainable. Unequal relationships eventually collapse after reaching a tipping point... whether between individuals or between different settlements. The series of measures we adopted during a specific period could only delay the arrival of that tipping point, buying space for more flexible decisions."

"In the end, we have only two choices: either establish a protected zone like Singularity City, isolating the Brahman Province from mainstream society while observing and waiting for new developments, or push them onto the ship of the new world, to jointly participate in the grand agenda of ending the Wasteland Era."

His plan for Golden Gallon Port was as a "secondary industrial base," while the Brahman Province was to be a supply base for human resources and minerals. But if it could become a vast consumer market, he would be equally pleased to see it.

Not only because it would benefit the Baiyue Company more, but also because he didn't want to stand on the opposite side of other settlements and survivors in the Alliance.

The war of the Sticky Commonwealth against the Haiya Province had actually masked some issues.

Dawn City and Boulder City could feast on orders for military supplies and logistics distribution alone. The entire Sticky Commonwealth was funneling money to the settlements of the River Valley Province, and the residents of River Valley Province could use that money to buy goods from other regions.

Once the war ended, or the Alliance's expansion slowed, or a new crisis erupted, some shelved issues would inevitably surface.

The Administrator's decision to approve the Baiyue Company's listing plan at this time must have taken this into account.

As a T0-tier player of the server, he had to ensure his faction's boss had cards to play.

Mulling this over in his mind, Fang Chang suddenly smiled.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks this article is decent. I actually think so too... What do you think about including it in the textbooks of Golden Gallon Port?"

"That's a great idea!" Dolly's eyes sparkled, and she continued in a voice as pleasant as a lark's. "Compared to the textbooks we give them, their own stories can resonate more with their compatriots. They need their own symbols and totems!"

"Haha, then let's do it!"

In just a few seconds, Fang Chang decided on the matter.

That evening, after completing the report Xiaoyu had requested, he found time to send a telegram to the Governor's Office of Golden Gallon Port, instructing them to compile "Red Earth" into the local textbooks.

It was no longer the early days when the Burning Legion had just landed at Golden Gallon Port, when a battle report took two or three days to reach Dawn City, and by the time a reply came, the battle was already over.

Information infrastructure was also part of infrastructure. The Alliance's communication towers and highways and railways were always built simultaneously. By setting up multiple signal relay stations, telegrams from Dawn City could bypass interference and reach Golden Gallon Port directly.

Once the submarine cables were laid, phone calls and even video conferences would be possible.

Not long after, he received a reply from Yodu, the Governor's secretary.

But to Fang Chang's surprise, the reply was not just about the localization of textbooks; it also mentioned Rasi.

"...The Golden Gallon Port Educators' Association is organizing public school teachers to compile textbooks that meet the needs of local survivors. They have already noticed the articles appearing in the Survivors' Daily. Not just 'Red Earth,' but several articles have been recommended by local teachers and foreign teachers. I will keep you updated on the progress of this work."

"Additionally, there is another matter. Due to the Expeditionary Force's series of poor performances at Ten Peaks Mountain, the youth of Golden Gallon Port, upon learning that the Empire plans to send more cannon fodder to the front lines, have been stirred up with indignation, all disdaining the Empire's actions. Recently, representatives from various industries have submitted petitions, hoping that the Golden Gallon authorities will refuse to return the Gray Wolf Army prisoners of war, or at least let those who wish to stay remain... They fear that the young people we release will be used as expendables by the Empire and sent to the front lines in exchange for compensation."

"The indignation is not limited to the civilian sectors but also comes from within the authorities. Rasi, the director of the Civil Defense Office, submitted his resignation this morning, along with nearly thirty mid-level and junior officers from the militia. I tried to persuade them to stay, but their resolve was firm. I have no authority to handle this matter, so I can only report it to you for your decision."

Resigned? No way!

Fang Chang was stunned for a long time, never expecting that guy to have such a temper.

The resignation letter was attached below the telegram. He didn't pause and continued reading.

Though it wasn't the original, he trusted that Yodu wouldn't fool him on such a major matter.

"Dear Mr. Fang Chang, I am grateful for your promotion. Without you, I would not be who I am today. Please also convey my regards to the Administrator. I know he has always been concerned with the affairs of the wasteland and has his eyes on us."

"However, I am but a rough man. Though I know a few words, I cannot speak elegantly. But I believe you know my loyalty; I have carried out every one of your orders."

"Now I submit this resignation out of necessity, all because those bastards in the north are utterly despicable!"

"I hate their lack of ambition, wasting the resources you sponsored; I hate their cowardice, making a laughingstock of the Brahman Sea and beyond; and I hate them for squandering the lives of my compatriots!"

"When the day comes that all clans of Xilan are utterly disappointed, the survivors of the Brahman Province will have no way out. It is not too late now; the resistance still has some fight left. I must step forward!"

"If you think me reckless, just give the word, and I will return my life to you without causing you trouble. If you are willing to let me go north to save our cause, I will never neglect you when I succeed! I, Rasi, will always be your subordinate. Wherever you point, I will go, never straying!"

Fang Chang read the resignation letter twice, unable to utter a word for a long time. Finally, he blurted out, "Good heavens."

Did he write this himself?!