It's night.

To the west of the Second Ring Road, artillery fire and gunfire continued, and the mercenaries were fighting against the swarming aliens under the cover of air raids and artillery fire.

On the contrary, the north, which had been noisy all night yesterday, is quiet tonight.

More than ten kilometers in a straight line, steel forests everywhere, the gunshots are definitely inaudible, but the explosions can always be faintly heard.

However, Zhao Yongxu did not find it strange at all.

A group of hillbillies fighting with burning sticks can deal with the waves, which is amazing.

Presumably, last night's battle had exhausted all their strength, and even if they were not drowned in the raging waves, most of them would have fled with their tails between their legs.

Looking at the silent night sky to the north, a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

"These idiots."

If you don't have that ability, you don't know how to hide away, isn't this asking for trouble?

It is well known that the wave will move in the direction of a dense population and a small number of slime xenomorphs, whether it is population growth or large-scale elimination of slime xenotypes, which will accumulate such a thing as "hatred points".

Of course, it's normal that the hillbillies don't know.

They can stuff half of the "Wisdom Sutra" of "The Voice of Megalith" in their heads, and they may not know a few words, so how many things can they know?

In his opinion, there is no essential difference between those people and the person who asks for food at the gate of the Megalith City, and it can even be said that they are all the same kind of goods.

Retracting his gaze from the north, Zhao Yongxu, who was standing by the window of the building, continued to look east.

As an officer of the militia regiment and a front-line commander appointed by the city lord himself, it is what he should really care about right now to solve the tide that threatens the prosperity and stability of Boulder City beautifully.

Not far away.

Two arcs of light streaked across the night sky.

As the four black dots fell one after another, the scorching flames engulfed the entire street, drying every grain of dirt on the ground.

A vacuum was cleared near the entrance to the underground complex, and the mercenaries began to push forward.

In the area from the West 3rd Ring Road to the West 2nd Ring Road, two newborn broods on the surface had been destroyed by air strikes a few days earlier, but there were still three broods hidden in underground commercial complexes.

Sudden changes in the hatchery are random and unpredictable, and even after a carpet search, it is inevitable that fish will slip through the net.

Especially when mutations occur underground.

The underground space connected by the high-rise buildings and the rail traffic are intertwined, densely packed like spider webs – or balls of yarn tangled together.

It is said that in the distant era of prosperity, only quantum computers could help people find the fastest way home.

It's a pity that Boulder City doesn't have a quantum computer that can ask for directions, and it doesn't have a strategic weapon that can hit tens of meters into the ground, or even a hundred meters underground.

But it doesn't matter if you don't.

They have a sufficient amount of cannon fodder and ample logistics.

With the support of indirect and direct firepower, even the occasional two powerful evolutionaries could not be their opponents.

If you're optimistic, you'll be able to get rid of a brood hidden underground tonight.

If you are not optimistic, you will have to wait two more days at most.

Zhao Yongxu quietly waited for the good news to come from the front line, and at this time, the voice of the pilot was heard in the communication channel.

"The air raid is complete, and the target has been cleared...... Returning home. ”

"Well done, go back and rest, there's no more work for you tonight."

As soon as he said this sentence, Zhao Yongxu's heart suddenly moved, and then added a sentence later.

"By the way, take a detour north when you come back."

"I want to know about the North Fourth Ring Road."

He didn't have to worry about what the northern suburbs would become.

The reason why he said this was purely to satisfy his personal curiosity.

The pilots on the mission didn't care so much, and replied succinctly.

"Roger."

Two arcs of light made an arc in the air, making a long detour to the north.

Zhao Yongxu waited for a while.

It wasn't long before the voice of a report came from the communication channel.

"It has reached the sky over the North Fourth Ring Road, and no anomalies have been found."

"Crossfire."

"Didn't see it...... It's pitch black. ”

It seems that not only the artillery fire has stopped, but even the gunfire has completely stopped.

Zhao Yongxu chuckled in his heart Sure enough, but at this moment, the voice that had paused for a moment sounded again.

"Not only the North Fourth Ring Road, but also along the Changling Elevated Highway is very quiet, and no open flames have been found...... However, in the area of the 5th Ring Road to the north, you can see sporadic lights. ”

Zhao Yongxu was stunned.

Sporadic lights?

The survivors there didn't go?

Could it be that they have already solved the wave...... But how is this possible!

With weirdness written on his face, Zhao Yongxu immediately continued to ask.

"What about the clock tower on 65th Street? What's the situation there? ”

There was silence in the communication channel for a moment.

Soon there was a sure voice.

"We are now over 65th Street, and a large amount of plaque has been found on the wall of the bell tower, which is confirmed to be the remains of the mother nest......"

"There must have been a battle here before, and it was quite fierce, with corpses everywhere on the ground...... But they won. ”

The cigarette between the fingers fell to the ground.

Zhao Yongxu's eyes widened, and his eyes were full of disbelief.

"The wreckage of the brood? Are you sure you read that right?! ”

The pilot replied in the affirmative.

“…… I'm sure of it! ”

The cruise mission is over, and the aircraft begins to return home.

Looking at the north sky outside the window in a daze, Zhao Yongxu was silent for a long time without saying a word.

He couldn't figure it out.

Without the support of aerial fire, how did those people take out the torrent of xenos with only earthen shells and iron tube rifles?

There was a long, long silence before he squeezed out half a sentence from between his lips to fill the incomprehensible mutter.

“…… How is this possible! ”

……

"Damn, that explosion last night was like thunder...... Who of you knows what's going on there? ”

"You mean the south? I heard it too! ”

"It's a wave, those blue coats have been dealing with that thing for the past two weeks, and I heard that the front line is very lively."

"Waves? I've been to Qingquan City so many times, but it's the first time I've heard that the tide will go north. ”

"Maybe this year is different from previous years? After all, it wasn't so lively last year. ”

"It's strange, can the wave still know where there are many people?"

"I don't know anything about you, but my uncle, who was a soldier in the Boulder City militia regiment, told me that every predator you kill outside will come back to you in the form of a wave in the spring of the following year."

"Don't talk nonsense, it's really as mysterious as you said, the survivors of Qingquan City have already died!"

On the North Gate Street of Changchang Farm, the highway hotel next to the trading post, the first floor of the store is full of noisy and noisy.

When it gets dark, it becomes a tavern for mercenaries, merchants, and caravan guards.

Some people eat meat and drink wine, some people play cards with fists, and some people talk about what they see or rumor on the road with strangers next to them, just to earn a beer.

It's no secret that where there's wine, there's a story – and while many of the stories are made up, they occasionally add a sentence or two to the gossip with a little bit of valuable information.

Therefore, whether there is work or not, mercenaries and merchants like to come here to sit and spend time.

"Me and my people need to stay another night."

Sun Shiqi, who walked to the edge of the bar, woke up Old Hook, who was dozing off in the back.

It's such a noisy place, it's a shame that he can sleep.

Opening his cloudy eyes, Old Hook raised his eyelids to look at the young man standing in front of the bar, and yawned.

"No problem...... Why are you suddenly planning to stay an extra day? I remember you weren't in a hurry to go back and get rich? ”

"It's really unlucky that the order has been delayed...... Sun Shiqi muttered and sat down in front of the bar, "Bring me another beer, the kind that doesn't mix it with water." ”

Not only did his orders stop, but all the arms orders for export from the entire Changchang Farm were postponed by one day, saying that the stocks in the industrial zone were sent to the front.

The little girl named Frost River came to the inn to apologize to herself, and offered to compensate him for the cost of his 10 silver coins.

Although Sun Shiqi wanted to complain that the cost of staying here for an extra day was not just 10 silver coins, and the mercenary's salary and accommodation expenses were all paid by himself, but for the sake of the little girl's sincerity in apologizing, he didn't embarrass her.

Besides, even if it's difficult, it's useless, it's something that can't be helped.

There is a war going on on the front line, and it is impossible to drag back the bullets that have been sent to the ammunition depot.

It's not impossible to run into an unreasonable survivor settlement, and it's not impossible to rely on the goods directly until next year, and it's not too much to postpone it for a day or two.

It's impossible to do business in the wasteland without taking a little risk.

"We're not in Boulder City, and we don't sell water-swapping fakes."

Don't forget to label your neighbor when he was selling, Old Hook staggered over to the barrel, unscrewed the silver faucet, took it from a thigh-thick wooden cup, and returned to the bar and snapped it on the table.

"5 silver coins."

"Put it on my account."

Taking the wine glass made of wood, Sun Shiqi glanced inside.

Good fellow, he doesn't know if the beer is mixed with water, but the foam alone is already half a cup.

He has now discovered that the hotel does not earn money at all, but the consumption of customers in the store.

According to this sales method, a barrel of beer can be exchanged for a cow.

It's so dark!

"How's the battle on the front line of the Northern Ring Road?"

Old Hook replied casually.

"It's over."

"It's over?" Sun Shiqi showed a surprised expression on his face, suspecting that his ears had misheard, "You mean the wave?" ”

Old Hook: "What else could it be?" ”

Restraining the surprised expression on his face, Sun Shiqi said with a sneer.

"I just didn't expect it to be so soon."

The usual wave will not end until late March.

And that's not even the end of February.

Without continuing to inquire about the wave, Sun Shiqi habitually approached the wine glass and sniffed, smelling the fragrance of wheat sprouts.

"You brewed it yourself?"

Old Hook replied casually.

"The malt and hops from Brown Farm, combined with the special fermentation process of Vault 404, I promise, is a wine you won't get in the taverns of Boulder."

This line is also too skillful to pronounce.

So much so that Sun Shiqi always felt like this guy had been memorized.

That's not his focus, though.

Sun Shiqi pointed to the barrel behind him and asked curiously.

"How much does this barrel of beer cost?"

Old Hook's eyes lit up, and a pleasant smile appeared on his wrinkled face.

"Are you interested? 500 silver coins are sold to you. ”

500？！

This cask is only 50 liters at most, and it is only about 40 liters, so whether it can fill a hundred wine glasses has to be a question mark.

Only fools buy it!

Sun Shiqi rolled his eyes, took a sip of beer, and didn't answer Old Hook's words.

He recently made a small fortune.

But he's not stupid.

The smooth taste made him feel comfortable, and just as he was about to inquire about some business information, the wooden door of the inn suddenly opened, and a dusty figure walked in.

Old Hook looked at the man and asked expertly.

"Eat or stay?"

"Neither, I'm here to find someone......"

Noticing Sun Shiqi standing on the edge of the bar, Zhou Nan's eyes lit up, and he immediately walked over to him quickly, "Hey, friend, I'm looking for you!" ”

Sun Shiqi recognized him, and remembered that he seemed to be staying in the hotel opposite. When he first came to Long Farm, this man invited him to go to Boulder City with him.

"Give him a beer...... Two more skewers of charcoal-grilled lizard meat, and I'll put it on my account. ”

"Okay." Hook turned and walked to the back kitchen.

Sitting on the bar stool next to Sun Shiqi, the merchant from the south said with a happy smile.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Sun Shiqi looked at him and asked, "Is there anything to do with me?" ”

"It's okay, of course I'm not going to bother you." With a smile on his face, Zhou Nan continued, "That's the case, we plan to leave for Boulder City at noon tomorrow, how did you think about the matter I asked you yesterday?" ”

Sun Shiqi made a helpless expression.

"My order has been delayed, and I don't know if it will be delivered tomorrow. Go ahead, I'm afraid I'll have to stay here for a day or two. ”

Zhou Nan said regretfully: "That's a pity. ”

Sun Shiqi looked at him and asked curiously, "Have you already gathered enough manpower?" ”

Zhou Nan said with a smile: "No, but I heard that the battle near the North Fourth Ring Road has been fought, and those blue coats have solved the brood, no matter whether the tide in other places is over or not, at least the wave in the northern suburbs has ended, and now is the best time to go to Boulder City!" My partner and I carefully studied the map and walked west and then north along the North 5th Ring Road to reach our destination quite safely"

Sun Shiqi looked at him enviously and said.

“…… Can you ask what you plan to do or sell? ”

Most of the deals that everyone can access are similar, and Zhou Nan did not deliberately hide it, and said with a smile on his eyebrows.

"Salt and brimstone, that's the best thing to sell there, especially during the wave! Oh yes, and gas masks and devil's cloths from the trading post. ”

Speaking of this, Zhou Nan couldn't help but sigh.

"There's so much good stuff here, and it's a great price! Do you know how much the paste is here? The wholesale price of a ton is only 299 silver coins! ”

299 Credits......

Equivalent to 1.5 assault rifles?

The currency on the wasteland is strange, even if the same currency has different values in different regions, Sun Shiqi subconsciously made a conversion in his head.

And when he realized what this price meant, he was shocked.

"Are you sure?! The price of two assault rifles can be exchanged for a ton of nutritional paste?! ”

In Boulder City, the retail price of nutritional paste is 1~2 chips per kilogram, and the wholesale price is 300~400 chips per ton.

Swap for drone assault rifles, at least two!

And this is based on the fact that the latter is also not cheap.

Noticing the surprise on Sun Shiqi's face, Zhou Nan glanced at him strangely, as if he was surprised that there were still people who didn't know about it.

However, thinking that this benevolent brother had just arrived for two days, Zhou Nan was also relieved, and continued with a smile.

"Isn't it amazing? I was also shocked when I first found out! I suspect that the nutritional paste produced by that Didiwe food processing factory costs less than 200 silver coins per ton! If I didn't have the money, I would have wanted to set up a factory! ”

The banks of Long-Term Farms can take out loans, but not everyone can borrow money.

Unless two conditions are met.

Either there is technology.

Either there is equipment.

Or, there is enough "contribution" to the local economy.

And as a merchant from the south, he happened to have none of those three.

However, this did not prevent him from transporting the paste south to exchange it for grain or livestock, and then transporting the animals back for silver coins.

Zhou Nan studied all day yesterday and found that the demand for livestock here is quite strong, and a two-headed cow is sold to Changchang Farm, which can be exchanged for three or four thousand silver coins, to say the least!

Pull two or three tons of nutritional paste to the south, and with the local currency in exchange, you can easily buy one or two two-headed cows from the farmers and ranchers there.

Seeing that this friend's eyes were full of excitement, Zhou Nan asked with a smile.

"Brother, do you want to be a partner? We can set up a factory with some money, and I have studied that as long as we come back from Boulder City for some second-hand equipment, we can run this factory with 200,000 chips. ”

Sun Shiqi admitted that he was indeed moved.

But after hesitating for a long time, he finally shook his head.

“…… I admit that the offer is tempting, but it is too far to go to Geumcheon Province, and it will take less than half a month to go back and forth. ”

The northern suburbs have the weapons and food that Red River Town is most in short supply, while the latter has the mines and people that the former needs.

Bringing in slaves and mines from Red River and selling them here, exchanging them for rifles and grain, and then dumping them back again, you can also make a lot of money.

There are many ways to make a fortune, he can't eat them all alone, and managing this trade route in his hand is the king!

Sun Shiqi has already thought about it.

He plans to save some money to buy a few trucks and build a fleet of trucks to take down the copper mining business from here to the town of Red River.

Copper ore is in the strongest demand here, used to lay wires and make bullets, and the price is always so stable, and the cost performance of transportation is much higher than that of steel.

After earning hundreds of thousands of silver coins, he plans to buy a piece of land on North Street, first build a warehouse, and then build a mill.

If you're lucky enough to catch the autumn harvest, you can grind the corn and wheat you harvest into flour, whether it's selling it to Red River Town, Boulder City, or Junk City.

The unit price of food is not high, but the gross profit is never low, not everyone wears shoes, but everyone has to eat.

Last year was a cold winter.

This year should be a fat year, and food prices will be cheap.

Sun Shiqi was thinking about the future in his heart, and Zhou Nan, who was sitting next to him, was slightly regretful, but he didn't say anything and raised his wine glass.

"It's a pity, if we join forces, we definitely have the hope of becoming the largest grain merchant in the entire Qingquan City."

"There's no regret, there are many opportunities to make a fortune," Sun Shiqi touched his glass with him and said with a smile, "I wish Boss Zhou a bigger and bigger deal!" ”

"Haha, borrow brother's auspicious words! I toast you! ”

"I respect you!"

The two of them drank red and their faces were full of light, cup after cup, and they talked happily.

Old Hook, who sat behind the bar, listened to the two brag, his wrinkled face full of smiles, and from time to time he laughed at the scene.

No matter how they get rich, the money for drinking is indispensable for themselves.

Of course he was glad they drank more.

In the end, Zhou Nan went out by holding on to the wall, while Sun Shiqi himself lay on the bar for half a night, and was carried back to the room by the hotel waiter in the second half of the night.

When he woke up early the next morning and saw the bill on the bedside table, Sun Shiqi's originally groggy head instantly sobered up, and his face turned green.

"220 credits?!"

What the hell did he drink last night?!

……

Official website forum.

In the past, this should be the peak period for players to go online, and there are no people on the official website, but today this point is not lively.

Quit smoking: "I can't get online!" ”

Me the blackest: "Me too!" It's weird. ”

Similar posts popped up one after another, and many LV9 players were pleasantly surprised to find that they had broken through the bottleneck as soon as they put on their helmets!

The most surprising thing is undoubtedly the garbage gentleman.

He's been stuck on LV9 for almost a month!

This time it finally broke through!

Picking up garbage level 99: "Hahahaha, awaken!" Lao Tzu has finally awakened! ”

Looking at the prompt in the upper right corner of the official website, the garbage gentleman burst into tears with excitement.

How long has it been since the number was created?

As the first batch of Europeans to enter the game, and it is also an account exclusive to the European Emperor, it should have been an exciting thing, but it turned out to be a coincidence of catching up with the cold winter that occurs once in N years.

Coupled with the "experience is harder to obtain" debuff, he managed to reach LV10 almost after the A round of testing.

Watching the "younger generations" successfully awaken one by one, I am afraid that only he knows the sadness of this.

It's really not easy!

Night Ten: ", the garbage king has awakened?!" ”

Canyon on the run mole: "Shocked! Will it turn into a dead claw?! ”

Picking up garbage level 99: "How is it possible, but the strength is really nothing to say, I feel like I can fight with the dead claws at the west gate!" (bared teeth)"

Fang Chang: "Good brother, take a look at the attribute panel!" ”

Tail: "Hurry up!" Let me be well! (｀・ω・´)”

Under the instigation of everyone, the garbage gentleman finally couldn't resist the urge to pretend to be forced and pasted his attribute panel in the post.

【

ID: Picking up trash level 99

Gene sequence: Xenomorph, lizardman

Grades: LV.9→ LV.10

——Basic Attributes——

Strength: 17→27 (+10)

Dexterity: 9→14 (+5)

Constitution: 9→14 (+5)

PER: 9→11 (+2)

Intelligence: 2→3

】

【

Talent:

Cold-blooded (more stealthy, sluggish in cold environments)

Foot (greater stamina, difficulty operating complex machinery)

Flesh Regeneration (more resilient, difficult to level up the gene sequence)

Boiling Blood (Remove the debuff from the "Cold-Blooded" talent for a certain period of time, and gain 10%~20% bonus to strength and constitution attributes.) ）

】

The moment the attribute panel was posted, the comment area below the post instantly boiled!

Tail: "? ”

Quit smoking: "??? ”

Night Ten: "?!" ”

Commander of the Spring: "Why are you hanging up?!" ”

Edge paddling: "Mommy...... This attribute is also outrageous! ”

Lao Bai: "Is the strength attribute serious?!" ”

The construction site boy and the bricks: "Please plan, hurry up and sharpen it!" ”

In just a few minutes, "the balance collapsed" and "the combat power collapsed" all came out in one go.

These people have been unscrupulous in order to achieve their goals, as if they can't operate the next day without a single cut.

Of course, some people are joking.

It's just that for level 99 of picking up garbage, this joke is not very funny.

Seeing that everyone started to plan one after another, the garbage gentleman immediately panicked, and hurriedly picked out the words.

"Gan! Lao Tzu is a circle larger than you, is the attribute high point too much? ”

Less calf: "It's too much!" Even if the attribute is high, why do you have to show it out and pretend to be forced! (Crazy)"

Makabazi: "That's it! Is this a human thing? (Crazy)"

Picking up trash level 99: "??? Isn't that what you want me to post?! ”

That's too doggy, isn't it?

Just when the garbage monarch was fighting against the Confucians, an announcement suddenly popped up on the official website, which can be regarded as relieving him.

Because of this sudden update announcement, both players and cloud players were attracted to the past.

["Wasteland Online" closed beta server will start the B round of testing in 6 days, and the new version will meet you at that time, so stay tuned! ] 】