The streets of the West Third Ring Road are lit up into day by the light of incendiary bombs, and can be clearly seen even from a distance of several kilometers.

On an abandoned high-rise building, sitting by a broken floor-to-ceiling window, Tail, Sesame Paste and Sisi are looking out at the fire rising into the sky in the distance.

Because the concentration of the spores decays with height, they chose to camp on the 50th floor.

Although the building is also roaming with xenos, since there is no hatchery room or brood, most of the xenos are scattered in various areas of the building, and there are no piles or stairs, so it is not too difficult to get through the safe passage.

At most, just take your time.

"Oh! What a fire! "The eyes reflected the boiling fire, and the eyes of the tail sparkled.

It's a lot more exciting than watching fireworks!

Sesame paste: "Over there...... Is it a war? ”

Siss: "It should be, the wave seems to be all-round, not only in the northern suburbs, but also in the West Third Ring Road. ”

Sesame paste folded hands.

"Hope it's okay."

From the moment the sun went down, the explosions over there never stopped.

At first, four planes flew through the sky, followed by rows of blazing fires that completely engulfed the ruined streets.

This was presumably followed by ground forces.

Fierce firefights erupted between the ruins between the mercenaries and waves of Boulder City, and tracer bullets could occasionally be seen flickering from time to time.

Although Rourou also wanted to see it, he didn't dare to get too close to the edge of the building because of his fear of heights, so he only dared to look at it from a distance.

Crow and Fuji were cooking, and a few NPCs next to them drooled and kept salivaing.

In addition to the guard named Xu Shun, who came back with them this time, there were also five new employees recruited from Boulder City, aged between 16~20, male and female.

According to the NPC named Shuyu in the office, the new employees went to the northern suburbs for "induction training".

Many people are out of the city for the first time, and their hearts are full of apprehension.

But when I smelled the aroma wafting from the pot, all my uneasiness was diluted in an instant.

Although it is left under the protection of the giant wall, it doesn't seem bad to be able to eat such delicious food?

In Boulder, this delicacy is something they can't even think of.

"Let's eat!"

As soon as he heard that the meal was open, Tail, who was sitting on the edge of the building watching the excitement a second ago, immediately came to the iron pot sandwiched on the fire.

"It smells so good!"

The big white bear also came over and looked into the pot curiously.

"What's dinner?"

The crow, who was holding the spoon in his hand, said proudly with the corners of his mouth cocked.

"Bird stew with mushrooms!"

Fujito handed out dishes and chopsticks to everyone.

"Camping outside, the conditions are a little simple, so let's just eat some of them."

Sesame paste also rushed over.

"I'm here to help, too!"

It's okay to eat whatever you want.

Xu Shun, who understood this sentence, was embarrassed.

The residents of these shelters have really redefined what it means to eat casually.

However, after spending so much time together, he was used to how particular the lives of the shelter residents were.

The group sat around the fire, steaming bowls in hand, chatting about what they planned to do when they returned from Boulder City.

"I've decided!" Describing his grand plan, Fujito's eyes were full of determination, and he said energetically, "When I return to the shelter, I must use my scissors to correct the crooked aesthetics of the NPCs in Boulder City!" ”

Siss: "Well, I think...... This isn't necessarily your problem. ”

LSP is human nature.

And that kind of clothes, out of the cultural background, are actually quite normal to think crooked.

The tail is equally energetic: "The tail is too!" Boulder City still lacks a mercenary union! How can an MMORPG be without such an important institution! ”

Raven: "Where's the sesame paste?" ”

The cat's ears on the top of the head shook slightly, and the sesame paste was originally a little embarrassed to speak, but seeing that everyone was talking about this topic, he let go of his reserve.

"I want to deliver a courier!"

Si Si asked strangely, "Why send a courier?" ”

Sesame paste's eyes sparkled.

"Don't you think you look handsome on a motorcycle?"

Is it in cos "Strange X Journey"?

In other words, there are quite a lot of "performance artists" in "Wasteland Online", the official does not sell skins, players are DIY, and conservative hobbies like this are not very common.

Sisi nodded thoughtfully and proposed.

"How about a 12mm revolver?"

Seeing that it was a fellow practitioner, Sesame smiled shyly and opened the bag he was carrying, and there was a silver revolver in it.

"Hehe, I've actually bought it."

But this gun is handsome, but the recoil is too great.

Most of the time, she still uses the Pu-9 a little more.

The tail that was half a beat slower because of eating lit up his eyes.

"Delivery on a motorcycle...... Got it! Is it a delivery guy? It's really handsome! ”

Especially when you're hungry!

Fujito's expression was a little subtle.

"I don't think you're on the same channel."

……

Players can still eat steaming food, and the mercenaries who fight against xenos in the West Third Ring Road are not so lucky.

The gunfire continued until the early morning of the next day, and sticky blood flowed from the shattered square to the crooked buildings nearby, to the commercial street more than ten meters underground.

Some of them belong to the xenomorphs, and some belong to the mercenaries.

Sporadic fighting continues.

But as the sun rises, it's clear that it's coming to an end.

Armed with a rifle in his hand, Tommy took off his blood-stained gas mask and threw it away, taking a new one, but not immediately.

The brood that had spread to the area was destroyed, and although there was a gray-green fog around it, a small amount of inhalation would not cause much harm.

He'd spent the night in a small tunnel, and now he just wanted to take a big breath of fresh air outside.

Even if the air is mixed with sand.

At this time, another mercenary wearing an exoskeleton, carrying a broken drone assault rifle in his hand, walked over from the ruins on the opposite side with a curse.

"...... The little money you earn is not enough for Lao Tzu to repair equipment, what are you doing here? ”

His name is Virgil, and like Tommy, he is a mercenary active in the area around Boulder.

A week ago, the tide suddenly broke out, and the mercenaries became sweets overnight, and the militiamen who had never looked at them properly became polite.

After all, the tide is such a big thing, you can't completely count on those cannon fodder at the door. If you really want to deal with those xenomorphs, you still have to rely on them as experienced experts.

"LD-47, Scythe assault rifle, stuff made up by scavengers in the northern suburbs. It's powerful, it's cheap, and it's easy to maintain, and I happened to see it when I went to the northern suburbs last time to make a delivery, so I got it," Tommy glanced at the old guy in front of him and asked casually, "How are your casualties?" ”

"Five rookies died, and the rest were fine, except that only one unlucky guy had a leg bitten off by the creeper," Virgil said. ”

Tommy slurred.

"That's pretty bad."

Virgil shrugged his shoulders.

"It's a blessing to be able to save my life."

In the mercenary business, it is common to break arms and legs.

If you save enough money to change to a mechanical prosthesis, you can't still use an exoskeleton, and if you can't even afford an exoskeleton, you can only retire early.

As for the rookie?

That's not a mercenary.

Having only learned how to open insurance from the militia, they are nothing more than cannon fodder thrown to the front.

Only after surviving more than three battles will they be officially admitted. And before that, no one even remembered their names.

After all, if you remember it, it's in vain, and no one is sure if you can use it in two days.

It's all too common.

Tommy glanced at the tall building not far behind him, where the militia regiment's temporary headquarters were.

The two power armors stood motionless at the gate, never moving their legs from beginning to end, making one wonder if the two iron bumps could still move.

"It would be nice if they made a move."

Virgil smiled.

"Don't think about it, that thing is too expensive to repair, and the nobles and lords of the inner city are not willing to let the black blood stain their armor, let alone risk their lives."

Each T-10 is a treasure left over from the pre-war era, and even after two centuries, they are still strong in combat, with only one flaw, that is, there are too few of them.

The militia of Boulder City seems to have taken them for mascots.

It's just that what puzzles Tommy is, in that case, what is the point of the two iron bumps standing here?

Overseer?

Is that necessary?

Not far away, another group of crooked newcomers were sent over, along with hundreds of two-headed oxen and twenty or thirty horses.

The animals were laden with large bags of supplies with food and water, ammunition, and even weapons, accessories, and other things that would be rare even in the markets of Boulder City.

The two-headed cows were led by the merchants of Boulder City.

Since the mercenaries were paid on a daily basis, some merchants who couldn't wait for them to return home would come over to earn their first money, while others had received orders from the militia to transport supplies from Boulder to the front.

It may seem a little weird.

A group of mercenaries wearing exoskeletons and carrying streamlined assault rifles wore clothes made of animal skins, and the merchants who carried supplies to them used primitive vehicles such as ox carts.

But it's also something that can't be helped.

If they don't, the militia will have to hire a lot of low-powered refugees or a small number of four-legged mechanical dogs.

Either way, the cost will be much higher than outsourcing.

Virgil patted Tommy on the shoulder.

"Let's go, eat something."

Tommy shook his head.

"No need, I brought dry food."

Ever since the last time the contractor's "military rations" made him eat badly, he no longer believes in the character of the so-called "good helpers".

Counting on businessmen to preach morality?

It's better to count on the xenos to roll back to the downtown area on their own.

Virgil patted his arm, ignored the guy, and walked alone in the direction of the pack caravan.

Taking a cube-shaped barley cake from his backpack, Tommy stuffed it into his mouth and took a bite, then unscrewed the rusty kettle and took a sip.

Looking in the direction of the caravan, he shook his head.

Nutritional paste.

Ever since he knew what it was made of, he would rather starve to death than eat it......

……

While the mercenaries were heading to the caravan to pick up supplies, pick up goods, or spend money for some fun, a large group of bargaining merchants gathered in front of the quartermaster not far from the caravan.

Of course, the oil and water on the front line are not only the food and clothing of those mercenaries, but also the trading of war booty.

As long as there is war, it produces spoils.

In the early years, Boulder simply hired merchants to get the corpses of these xenos and cannon fodder out of the city, preventing them from stinking and rotting on their doorstep, forming a plague and a larger wave.

Later, some clever people discovered that these slime mold xenomorphs such as nibbers and creepers were high-quality "raw materials".

You only need to spend some more time and cost on the inactivation of slime molds, and you can make them into edible nutritional paste!

Although the paste synthesized in this way is not nutritious, who cares?

People who really care about nutrition don't eat that.

Slave owners in the south, especially the big farms in the province of Geumcheon, were interested in these things.

They were abundant and inexpensive, slightly more nutritious than barley, and supplemented with a small amount of protein, giving slaves and animals more strength.

Eating barley for the slaves, although more cost-effective, would get thinner and thinner, and growing barley in large quantities would deplete the fertility of the soil.

But this is not the case with nutritional pastes.

Not only nutritional paste, but also organic fertilizers, bio-oils, food additives, etc., can be extracted from the xenomorphs.

Although the recovery efficiency is average, perhaps even 10% is enough, the amount of these xenomorphs is large enough and the cost is low.

Later, the technology gradually matured and formed a certain industrial scale, and the merchants began to help Boulder City dispose of the corpses formed by the wave for free.

Now, it has become a matter of giving the militia chips upside down to get the bodies out of here, and the price is rising every year.

This year is no different.

Judging by the excited expressions on the faces and the wording of the merchants, it was clear that they had not negotiated with the militia of Boulder City.

"A ton of 50 chips?! Why don't you grab it? ”

"The wave of the previous year was still 20 chips! Don't think we forgot! ”

"It's too much!"

However, the quartermaster did not bother to pay attention to them at all, and said impatiently.

"If you can't afford it, get out."

Fifty chips for a ton of corpses, it is really unprofitable to buy back this garbage at this price, and it is not profitable to achieve a yield of more than 30%!

But how is it possible to do that high?

No matter how much the merchants gathered in front of the quartermaster tried their best to promise all kinds of benefits, this guy could not be relieved.

Even if they were helpless, they had to shake their heads and disperse.

Someone even let out cruel words when they left-"let the nobles and lords of the inner city deal with these troubles by themselves", and then left in a hurry.

The militia standing next to him didn't bother to pay attention to him.

As long as he doesn't disrespect the lord of the city by name, no one cares what he complains about.

Dietway angrily returned to the packer.

Originally, he was counting on a 100-ton corpse disposal business after completing the supply deal

Not far from the caravan.

A group of grain traders gathered together and whispered to each other.

"I heard that this year's batch of 'loot' has been covered by Weijia Commercial Bank."

Hearing the name Weijia Commercial Bank, many merchants showed a jealous expression on their faces.

This commercial bank is well-known in the Boulder City business district, not only investing in two large farms with an area of 10,000 mu in the south, but also operating the largest food processing factory in Boulder City, which is said to occupy more than 50% of the market share of Boulder City.

Its production of "delicious brand canned meat" and "delicious double-ended beef patty" are not only sold well in Boulder City, but also exported to neighboring provinces.

The name of the owner of this business house is Wei Jia, but it is also rumored that the real boss is someone else, and Wei Jia, who was pushed to the front desk, is just a tool to make money for the big people in the inner city.

Whether the rumors are true or not, it is impossible for them, self-employed people who do small business, to compete with a giant like Witte & Co.

It's no wonder that the quartermaster ignored them.

"This is Chiguoguo's monopoly!"

Dietway couldn't help but ask.

"When did these greedy leeches even interfere in the business of nutritional paste?"

Nutritional paste.

It can be said to be the thinnest low-end commodity of all foods, especially the inferior nutritional paste synthesized by slime mold xenogene.

The wrinkled old merchant glanced at the back of the caravan and pointed to the guards on horseback and the two-headed oxen laden with goods beside them.

"I heard that a certain big man had outsourced more than half of the logistics orders from the front to them, so they opened a new factory for the production of nutritional paste a few years ago...... However, it is not a sign of 'good taste' or 'good taste'. ”

A merchant said.

"I remember...... Is it overcharged? ”

The other merchant nodded.

"Yes, I remember that name, and Mr. House's radio station advertised it!"

Dietway couldn't help but scold.

"Shameful insider trading!"

The other merchants also scolded fiercely in their hearts.

These shameful slippery heads!

I won't even give them a sip of soup!

At this time, a merchant suddenly spoke.

"I heard...... A wave broke out in the north this year? ”

Someone nodded in agreement.

"And it's not small...... Just the night before, they seemed to have bought incendiary bombs from the militia group. ”

Dietway frowned, looked at the young trader who had started the conversation, and asked.

"North? Do you mean the northern suburbs? ”

"I thought it was the territory of the Chewing Bone Tribe."

The young trader who first started the conversation said with a smile.

"Your information is too closed, I haven't been to the northern suburbs for a long time! I've got the latest news here, I've heard that a month ago, the survivors of the northern suburbs drove the Chewy Bone tribe away. ”

The old merchant with wrinkles on his face nodded.

"Hmm...... I've indeed heard a bit of a rumor that those people seem to have their hands free and interfered in the war between Red River Town and the Snake Clan? I just don't know if it's true or not. ”

The young merchant unscrewed the kettle, took a slow sip of water, and said.

"That's not all."

Interested, Dietway hurriedly asked.

"Tell me about it."

The new merchants next to them were the same, and they all looked at the young people in front of them expectantly.

There are so few merchants heading north, even fewer coming back from the north, there are almost no rumors of the north in the taverns, and lately the "Voice of the Rock" radio station has been so busy advertising that it doesn't report at all about the situation there, so that most people's impression of the northern suburbs is still stuck in last winter.

I heard that the survivors there were choked by the cold winter, and I don't know if those people survived.

Seeing that everyone's attention was focused on himself, the young man smiled slightly and continued unhurriedly.

"The Chewing Bone Tribe is their mortal enemy, so they naturally want to interfere in the war against the Chewing Bone Tribe, and the mine owners of Red River Town are happy to pay cheaper for better weapons, and they have made a fortune as a result."

"These people are very shrewd, they put the money they earned in the wastelands to the north, and they also bought second-hand equipment in Boulder City, and agriculture and industry are doing well."

"Not only that, but they also made a lot of good things...... For example, a bomb that can fly long distances without planes is said to have caused a lot of trouble for the marauders besieging Red River. In addition to that, they offer mercenaries,"

Dietway was surprised: "I heard that the gang in the northern suburbs is a blue coat?" Shelter dwellers? Are those people so capable of fighting? ”

This simply subverted his impression of the blue gophers.

Those people are willing to come out of the warm boudoir?

The young merchant continued, "Not only can you fight, but there are also a lot of good things there, have you been to the Queen of the Night's Bar?" ”

When it comes to the Queen of the Night's Bar, the topic suddenly becomes serious.

Although these merchants are not extremely rich, they have a lot of chips in their pockets, and even if they have not spent money there, they must have negotiated business there.

Soon someone interjected excitedly.

"As soon as you say this, I remember, I heard that they seem to have recently made some not-so-sturdy silk fabrics?"

"The gray squirrel clothing store seems to be selling, and I bought a few sets for my old lover the other day. But convincing her to wear it will cost me half of my strength. ”

"Hahahaha."

The faces of the people showed smiles that everyone understood, but the young man who had provoked the topic before stopped talking, just smiled and watched the people chat.

Dietway didn't have the heart to gossip, his mind was on making money.

A wave also broke out in the northern suburbs?

There's a lot of land planted there?

Maybe......

I should try my luck over there.

Dietway felt a little hot in his palms, glanced at his peers around him, and quietly walked next to the young man.

"Dude, do you have a way?"

As soon as the young man saw the expression on his face, he understood what he was thinking, and said with a slight smile.

"As a human being, I am also fortunate to have made a small fortune."

Dietway took a closer look at the man's outfit, it really didn't look like a bargain, and the holster around his waist was made of deerskin.

This is not common in Boulder City, where most of the fur used by mercenaries and traders is based on boar and hyena skins.

After all, deer herds don't pass by this area every year, and high-quality reindeer are even rarer, and they are usually bought by those who are really not bad at money when they just appear on the market.

The most important thing is that this guy is young enough.

It is also this youth that makes Dietway unable to figure out his true "strength".

Dietway smiled, took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it over, his voice tinged with a hint of flattery.

"My name is Dietway, and I've been in the food business in Boulder City for more than a decade helping the militia dispose of corpses. To tell the truth, those dog-called guys are really not kind, and when they run out, they will be thrown away as rags, and you have to be careful if you are going to do their business. ”

The young man did not refuse his cigarette, but he did not light it immediately, and after taking it, he hung it behind his ear and said with a smile.

"I'm not in the food business, I'm a gas mask."

"Gas masks? Good thing, that's much more profitable than nutritional paste! Dietway gave a hypocritical thumbs up, rolled his eyes, and then smiled, "Dude, is there a way to take me?" I'm interested in the wave in the northern suburbs, and you know that I'm in the food business, and it doesn't conflict with your business. ”

The young man said with a smile.

"How do you know I'm not interested in buying and selling food? After listening to you for a long time, it seems to be quite profitable? ”

This guy.

Not very old, but not a small appetite!

Aren't you afraid of dying?

Dietway muttered inwardly, but there was still a flattering smile on his face.

"Yes, we haven't had a new guy in this business for a long time, and I can teach you how to do this business! Believe me, you will definitely not be able to eat all the goods alone, pull the brother, the brother will definitely be indispensable to you! ”

The young man skillfully pulled out a stack of business cards from his pocket and handed them to Dietwee, as well as to the merchants who had been eavesdropping on the side with interest.

"My name is Shuyu, and this is my business card."

"The rulers of the northern suburbs are thinking about recycling the 'garbage' generated by the wave, and I have recently planned to buy a batch of goods from the northern suburbs."

"If you're interested in the market to the north, you can come to me at the address on your business card."

……

Northern suburbs industrial zone.

A brand-new factory was vacated and hung up with a new brand - [Bucky Aluminum Factory], and the material produced was naturally the latest research A3 type aviation aluminum.

Bucky may not be the most proficient in the professional field, but he is definitely a good hand in business.

He himself was born into a merchant family, and his family was in the liquor business, and according to himself, the scale was not small.

Since this guy is so capable, Chu Guang simply maximized his talent and directly asked him to be the director of the factory that produces new materials.

An entrepreneur with an "engineering background", Chu Guang has high hopes for his future.

“…… Vault 404 is a permanent partner of the business, and sooner or later our silver coins will be listed in Ideal City, and even have an independent exchange. Don't think these coins are useless, they'll be the most valuable thing in this wasteland. ”

"Come on, I can assure you that your business will surprise your father. When the name is mentioned, you'll be one of the greatest entrepreneurs in the wasteland, not the son of an unknown wine merchant. ”

"They'll affectionately call you Mr. Ba!"

The entrance to the industrial area.

Listening to the pie that Chu Guang painted for himself, Bucky couldn't help but say.

"You simply said that you can build another ideal city in the middle of the Central Continent...... And my father is not unknown, he is still a little famous in Yunjian Province! ”

Although only a little!

Chu Guang's eyes lit up and snapped his fingers.

"Do you want to build another ideal city in the middle? That sounds like a good idea, and I could write it into the next five-year plan. ”

Bucky: "......"

Is this guy serious?

After a pause, the tin can, who was standing in front of Chu Guang, relaxed his shoulders and continued.

"Your proposal is indeed very attractive, I have dreamed of it before, but now ...... Honestly, I'd rather be a reincarnation. ”

Chu Guang gently patted him on the shoulder.

"I've always treated you like a human being, my friend, and there's nothing false in that statement."

"And, as you should have seen, in addition to the handsome lads and pretty girls in our ranks, there are also lizards, bears, androids, and even rat people you haven't seen before...... They are all our companions, and we don't look at them differently just because they look different from us. ”

"As long as they follow the rules and are willing to be useful to society."

These heartfelt words may have touched Budge.

Chu Guang could feel that the pair of scarlet pupils under the tin can had a little bit of emotion and hope.

Bucky, who had regained his strength, looked at Chu Guang and said seriously.

"I'll admit it, I do feel the things you said about you, and no one but you wants to accept me as I am."

"I will do everything I can to help you, and I hope you can keep your promise and help me return to normal."

Chu Guang nodded lightly.

"I promise you."