Chen Yutong didn't react, and thought about it seriously, but the young man sitting next to him blushed unconsciously. "Hey, what are you doing with this girl you like," Lao Bai laughed and teased.

"Don't do anything, if you're shy, talk about something else."

As if unwilling to admit that he was shy, Zhao Xiao was silent for a while and opened the conversation. "I ...... From the town of 13. "What's that?"

"An autonomous region governed by the Science and Technology Commission. The situation in the tenant autonomous regions is different, some are tribal, some are kingdoms, and we belong to the former, and there are about one or two thousand households. Lao Bai nodded. That's pretty big, too. ”

The average survivor settlement is only one or two hundred households, and there are even a dozen households, and it seems that this wandering swamp is not as desolate as he imagined.

"Yes," Zhao Xiao thought for a while and continued, "Every December, the Science and Technology Committee holds a 30-day assessment to recruit apprentices from each autonomous region who are at least 12 years old and meet the standards. Lao Bai thought for a moment and said.

"This apprentice...... Equivalent to an intern?"

"Internship?" Zhao Xiao was stunned for a moment, nodded and said, "Sort of...... Basically, one or two of each community can be selected, and after becoming an apprentice, you can enter the academy, away from the hard life in the swamp, and your family and the town can also get a sum of money. "Then you're the best of the thousands." Zhao Xiao was a little fluttering when he was praised, and rubbed his nose with his index finger embarrassedly.

It's okay...... But after entering the academy, it was not as perfect as I imagined. Living conditions are indeed much better than in the swamps, but because of the dangerous research subjects they have to work with the researchers, only about 73% of the apprentices make it to the G level each year. And if you are promoted to the G level, you can be regarded as a student who belongs to the academy in the true sense. "It's a very strict selection.

"Yes......" Zhao Xiao sighed, "Sometimes it's not easy to think that you can be promoted to the E level." "For the sake of my sweetheart"

"Part of the reason, we were the same apprentices who were selected, and I promised her to be a researcher········· Then, let's take our parents into the academy as well. Lao Bai asked curiously.

"Aren't you already a researcher?" Zhao Xiao said with a wry smile.

"How is that possible, I'm just an explorer...... Researchers are also at least D-level, and after being promoted to D-level, they need to master at least one professional skill and pass the assessment, and they also need a recommendation from a mentor. But basically...... Mastering just one professional skill is not enough, a large number of apprentices are promoted every year, and most instructors require mastery in more than three specialties. Lao Bai teased. capacity inflation. Zhao Xiao nodded and sighed.

"Hmm...... And with prospectors doing front-line work, it's basically hard to find much time to learn those things. Lao Bai: "Why don't you consider living in a different place?" It's a big wasteland. Zhao Xiao pursed his lips and muttered.

"It's the same everywhere, and don't look at me complaining about this and that...... I think the academy is pretty good. Like you said, at least here I can find the meaning of living, rather than living my life in a mess like other survivors, relegating myself to falling on the ruins. Lao Bai's expression couldn't help but be a little weird, and he asked curiously.

"Why are you so sure that the other survivors must be willing to fall?"

Or else? Do you think there is a future for the Enterprise and the Legion?" Glancing at the corporate pilot who was sleeping like a pig not far away, Zhao Xiao did not hide the disdain in his heart, and said without thinking, "A fool who is addicted to pleasure, a madman who is reckless, if the future of this world is handed over to them, it will be really finished!"

As he spoke, he squeezed the spoon in his hand.

"Someday... We'll recycle all the relics before the legacy of the past is squandered. Then we will no longer have to be nostalgic for the past, we will write a new history, and we will travel to more distant worlds to explore the mysteries that were not conceived in the past. "Good fellows.

What kind of "farsightedness" is this, Lao Bai looked at this young man with a little surprise. These big truths are not like he came up with on his own.

But it may also be because of his youth that he can say it without scruples. Of course, what surprised him even more was the academy.

When he first got to know it, he thought that the academy was just a simple technical officer governing the country, but he didn't expect that there was a deeper spiritual core. Seeing that this guy was getting more and more talking, Chen Yutong coughed lightly and interrupted his tirade. "Conclusion: This is indeed true of the doctor's theory...... However, I didn't think much about it, and when I was twelve years old, I was lucky enough to pass the exam and enter the academy. Actually, I think it's good to be like you, without our strict hierarchical restrictions, there is more than one path to life, even if you don't become an explorer or researcher, you can live well. ”

"That kind of survivor settlement doesn't exist at all, where there are people, there is a level, at most it is just a subtle performance," Zhao Xiao said disapprerovingly, "I think it is better to write down the level and promotion path clearly, everyone depends on their ability." Lao Bai said with a smile.

"What you said makes a little sense, this is similar to a game, as long as the server continues to operate, there will definitely be old players and new players, and the class will not disappear because of subjective neglect." "Server operation," Zhao Xiao asked curiously. Lao Bai coughed lightly and explained.

"I mean, even alliances have hierarchies, like contribution levels··········· Probably similar to your ranks, G, F, and E class researchers should correspond to the three levels of citizens, and on top of that, there are 'knights' and so on. "Yes," Zhao Xiao looked at Chen Yutong proudly. The latter did not speak, but his expression was clearly lost. It seems that the longing was just a short-lived misunderstanding. Lao Bai paused and continued.

"However, we don't feel like we're superior to others because our contribution level is higher." "It's impossible, who wouldn't say big things." Zhao Xiao said without hesitation, his expression was obviously full of disbelief.

Chen Yutong glanced at the lunch box in his hand, but did not instinctively choose to doubt like Zhao Xiao, but asked. "Why"

This question is somewhat difficult to answer. Lao Bai couldn't help but fall into deep thought. Realistically, it's just a game.

Of course, there are games that deliberately create player conflicts to provoke comparison and consumption, but "Wasteland Online" is obviously not, and there is not even a recharge entrance, not to mention that it is still in the closed beta stage, and even if this kind of problem exists, it is definitely not common.

Most veteran players are still very willing to bring newcomers, even if sometimes the newcomers' performance is really silly, but everyone has come from that stage, so they can understand it somewhat.

As for the relationship between the player and the NPC, it is relatively harmonious, the NPC does not care whether they are a citizen or a "knight", and these titles do not confer the privilege of "being above others" to the inhabitants of the Vault. On the player's side, even if it is a mosquito who has made meritorious contributions to the alliance, he will be sent to a small black room to calm down for violating the server rules. Lao Bai had felt it before.

Those titles are not so much an identity as an honor, or a collective recognition.

"There is no standard answer to the subjective question, I can't answer you, everyone has a different opinion, and if you have the opportunity, you can confirm with your own eyes what kind of place the alliance is." Putting away the lunch box after eating, Lao Bai smiled and continued.

"By the way, good news for you, your teammates don't seem to have given up on you yet, and are following behind our butts five kilometers away." This is the news that Tempest told him before he went offline.

Chen Yutong looked at him nervously, while Zhao Xiao curled the corners of his mouth proudly and said as a matter of course. "Of course! As I said, the academy can't leave us behind!" Lao Bai smiled and continued. "Let's make a bet, then." Zhao Xiao "What to bet on"

Lao Bai said casually: "Just bet...... Before we cross this mountain and enter the desert, will the Academy come to your rescue? ”

Zhao Xiao: "Aren't they already here?"

"It's not a matter of following behind the ass," Lao Bai said with a smile, "People who don't know have looked at Bei, and they think that your people are seeing us off" Zhao Xiao stared at Lao Bai. "What about the bets?"

Of course, he would not be naïve to think that when the people from the academy came, the man in front of him would let go of his captives. Like their sniper said, they still need to use him to block bullets.

However, to his surprise, Lao Bai shrugged his shoulders and said indifferently. When they kill you, I'll let you go. ”

Judging from his experience, if neither side is willing to admit the conflict, then not acknowledging casualties and prisoners is a high probability of happening.

I didn't meet the academy's pursuers when I got here, so there is a high probability that I won't meet them along the way. It doesn't matter if you're wrong. Put one captive, and catch two more.

Zhao Xiao looked at him in surprise, and seeing that he didn't look like he was joking, his expression became serious. "And what do you want from me......

"It's okay to get something from you," Lao Bai smiled, thought for a while and said, "Well, I want to think about it...... If I win, you can treat me to a beer. A glass of beer Zhao Xiao was stunned, and his face turned slightly red.

The way he didn't take them in his eyes made him feel a little humiliated. However, the hero does not suffer the loss in front of him, Zhao Xiao still gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Deal...... But you have to talk and count. Lao Bai said calmly.

"Don't worry, I told you you don't need those things."

In the northern part of the province of the river valley, in the wasteland near the nuclear crater, there are rows of dilapidated and sloppy camp tents. The camp doesn't have a name, and it won't even be in the same location next year.

The scavengers who live here are like nomadic herders chasing pasture, moving their tents and campfires wherever they pick up garbage.

If you are unlucky, the ghouls who are hovering near the nuclear crater will naturally help the hapless guy take care of the aftermath.

They don't particularly care if they choose to "degenerate" as scavengers, whether their corpse falls into the mouth of a ghoul or a xenomorph. Anyway, there is no difference between the two eating appearances, and they are not very elegant.

Buyers who are interested in their garbage or their ability to pick up garbage will naturally have a way to find out where they are. Early one morning.

Gust, who was over fifty years old, got up early as usual and was about to drive his "Digger No. 1" to the nearby ancient battlefield to dig up some valuable treasures.

"There are a few big families in the settlement, saying that they want to recruit people."

Hearing that there was a big deal, Gust squinted, sat down on a stool in the doorway, and tapped his pipe on the sole of his shoe. "What kind of work" "Salvage work." "Location?"

"The northern side of the mountains in the northern part of the province of Luoxia."

Hearing this vague statement, Gust frowned. "You just say it's wandering in the swamp."

It would be too long to dig up the treasures of the era of the human union under the noses of the academy, and they were not much better than the marauders in the eyes of those people, and even more hateful than the marauders.

With 10,000 guts, he didn't dare to expand his business to the territory of the academy. The bald man said with a smile.

"Not in the swamp, just on the edge of the swamp." Gust stared at him suspiciously for a moment before continuing. "How many people is he going to recruit," the bald man spread his right hand.

"At least five hundred, but also with specialized equipment and experience in disassembling large machines." "Five Hundred"

Old man Gust's eyes widened and he slammed his mouth.

"That's a big guy...... What are they going to tear down? The bald man said, shaking his head.

"Then I don't know...... But they promised that as long as we could dismantle it and transport it to Xizhou City, they could pay us a total of a million silver coins. A million silver coins?!

Hearing this number, Gust's heart was instantly moved. That's not a small amount, it's close to a thousand tons of wheat!

Of course, no one would trade silver coins for wheat, and a trip west to Oasis No. 8 in Luoxia Province would be cheaper.

What really makes people excited is the alliance's KV-1 exoskeleton, metallic hydrogen batteries, "electric mule" light trucks, and various large engineering equipment.

For those who make a living from waste picking, the simple, crude and cost-effective industrial products produced by the alliance are exactly what they need.

"Sounds interesting," Gust touched his chin, his eyes fluttering with obvious excitement, "those people are still in the camp"

Seeing the heartbeat in the old man's eyes, the bald man said with a smile.

"It's still there, let's go together, this business is not something that a salvage team can eat, let's make more money together."

Gust glanced at him and snorted noncommittally, "I'll talk about it later." "In the middle of the scavenger camp.

Looking at the ragged beggar in front of him, the lost Meng Xin who was standing next to the sixth child in the corner couldn't help but mutter.

"Can you do it with these beggars?" Bai gave a sniper and couldn't help but whisper.

"+1, I'm afraid that one plane will disassemble the parts of two planes when it falls. The sixth man in the corner was stunned. "That's not good"

"What a hammer," Bai sniped and rolled his eyes, "Can you fly?"

While the player was whispering to each other, the old man named Gust was also secretly looking at the three outsiders. Three sets of Type 5 "light cavalry" exoskeletons.

This equipment is not uncommon in some city ruins, but there are only two possibilities for it to be reproduced in this way, either it is a copy or it is in a vault.

Whether it is an imitation or not, he can certainly see it after picking up garbage for so many years. There was no doubt that all three of them were soldiers of the Alliance, and seeing the apprehension on the faces of two of them, Gust grinned and said respectfully.

"Honorable Lord, don't look at the tattered clothes we wear, but just pick up the garbage·········· Everyone here is a connoisseur. ”

A bald man next to him also echoed.

"That's right, our ancestors were all scavengers, from the human alliance air frigate to the canned old popsicles, as long as it is something that can be exchanged for money, we have all pondered it!" Aerospace corvettes are ok.

Looking at the translated subtitles projected on the tactical eyepiece, a surprised expression suddenly appeared in the eyes of the lost Meng Xin. "Good fellows, what a wasteland version of the beggars."

"Hiss·····" The gasping Bai Zhisni touched his chin, "You are such a comparison, I suddenly think they can do it again." ”

"it! It's all here, try it first! No, it's not that we're behind it. ”

Interrupting the controversy among his teammates, the sixth in the corner stepped forward and looked at the experienced scavengers in front of him and said.

"As we said earlier, we need at least 500 experienced land-bearers here to help us recover a large piece of equipment that has broken down. We'll bid a million silver coins, and you'll decide how to divide it up for yourselves...... I want you to nominate someone who can speak first. ”

Several scavengers looked at each other, exchanged words and seemed to have an idea, and the old man who spoke first took over and said.

"No problem, my lord, as long as you are willing to pay, we promise to send things to you, and promise not to say a word to the others. By the way...... Can you tell us what it is to recycle? We need to be sure of the tools we need to bring. This is a reasonable request.

The sixth man in the corner hesitated for a moment, nodded and said. "It's an airplane." Gust hesitated. "What about the specific model?"

"The plane is more than 20 meters long, about six or seven meters high, weighs more than 20 tons, and has two plasma engines...... That's all I can say, and knowing too much won't do you any good. Hearing this, a hint of surprise appeared on Gust's face. This describes......

It was the company's killer whale transport plane that vaguely guessed something, and the old man didn't dare to ask more, so he quickly ended the topic and said respectfully. "Understand...... So, my lord, when are we leaving?" The matter between these big forces is not something that a few of them scavengers can join in. As the soldiers of this alliance said, it is not good for them to know too much. Seeing that the old man didn't ask, the sixth man in the corner breathed a sigh of relief and immediately said. "Now, the sooner the better," Gust said with a grin, respectful.

"Yes! I assure you that you will be satisfied with our service!" The old six in the corner nodded. "I hope so."

Led by three players, more than 500 scavengers left the camp and headed for the mountains in the northern part of Luoxia Province.

Some of them drive three-meter-high forklifts, some lead tinkering robots, some lead two-headed oxen or push their own broken carts...... The guys in their hands are basically their own IY, or second-hand goods from merchants, and there are almost no duplicate ones.

Looking at these scavengers, the lost sprouts are full of doubts, but they have come this far, and they can only choose to believe them.

At the same time, after nearly five days of trekking, Lao Bai and his entourage, who escorted the pilot, finally walked out of the mountain range and saw the endless yellow sand. "Babble......"

Looking at the air distorted by the heat wave in the distance, Xiao Yu, who was walking in the team, let out a slightly tired whine. Temperatures are noticeably higher south of the mountains than in the north, and the climate is dry, which makes it noticeably uncomfortable for those who prefer humid environments. Luo Yu touched its little head and comforted. "Hold on a little longer, we're almost there." "Hmmm"

The comfort seemed to have an effect, and Xiao Yu made a happy sound, and the tentacles on the back of her head rippled with happiness like seaweed.

A smile appeared on Luo Yu's face. This kid is too easy to coax.

Ye Shi glanced at Xiao Yu and muttered in a low voice. "Mom...... I panicked when I saw this tentacle. Luo Yu said embarrassedly.

"I was the same at first, but it's good to get used to it."

Zhao Xiao, who was walking not far away, looked at the mother who lived in harmony with people in surprise, and felt that his worldview had been impacted. But now he had no time to digest the surprise in his heart.

After five days of traveling, they had already reached the edge of Luoxia Province, and after walking a few dozen kilometers further, they would soon see the No. 8 Oasis. Owing a beer is a trivial matter.

What made Zhao Xiao unbelievable, and even more unacceptable, was ...... I was actually abandoned by the academy and noticed the NPC's dejected expression, and Ye Shi, who had learned about the gambling contract, stepped forward and teased. "Don't be so frustrated, think about it from a different perspective...... The academy doesn't necessarily give you up. Zhao Xiao looked up at the nasty guy in front of him, and didn't understand why he suddenly comforted himself. But he soon realized that he was thinking too much. Ye Shi then continued in a teasing tone. "Maybe they just deregistered you."

"You ......" Zhao Xiao gritted his teeth and glared at him, but finally held back the sentence "fart".

Under the eaves, he had to bow his head, and Zhao Xiao comforted himself in his heart.

At this moment, billowing smoke and dust suddenly rose from a patch of yellow sand in the distance. Looking at the movement in the distance, Zhao Xiao was slightly stunned, and hope suddenly ignited in his heart.

He suddenly remembered that the Golden Lizard Kingdom seemed to be a "reserve member" of the Science and Technology Committee, equivalent to a quasi-vassal of the Academy.

Those people can't be reinforcements from the Golden Lizard Kingdom!

Although the combat effectiveness of those feudal lord armies is stretched, the scale is there, and even one person can drown this group of guys with a mouthful of spit. And yet—

This joy did not last even two seconds in his heart, and soon trucks appeared behind the dust.

It was clearly not the army of the Golden Lizard Kingdom.

It was not only Zhao Xiao who was at the bottom of the valley, but also the beacon team that was following behind all the way. The rear row of the tracked vehicle.

Jiang Xuezhou, who closed his eyes tightly, moved his lips.

"Reinforcements from the Alliance! At least three hundred ...... No, there were 400 of them. The medic sitting next to him smiled bitterly. As for it?"

Zheng Hao, who had been silent, said slowly.

"These people aren't there to guard against us...... Eighty percent is to deter the Golden Lizard Kingdom. "It's impossible for the Alliance to be unaware of the relationship between the Golden Lizard Kingdom and the Academy.

Although their preparations were completely superfluous, in order to take their pilots home, the Alliance was actually ready to go to war with the Golden Lizard Kingdom.

Thinking of this, Zheng Hao's mood couldn't help but be a little complicated. Lao Song, who was sitting in the driver's seat, looked at the captain. "What now?"

It was impossible to get those captives back.

They literally watched as those people wandered around the academy's nose and swaggered home.

Zheng Hao was silent for a long time and said slowly. "Report the situation to your superiors...... Wait for the news. ”

It's out of the cell tower's range, but they can transmit messages by launching drones as repeaters. Jiang Xuezhou nodded.

She was about to send a repeater when her brow moved slightly, and her index finger pressed to the edge of her temple. "There is a request for communication from a stranger...... It should have been sent by those people. Zheng Hao said immediately. Pick me up here. ”

At the same time that the order was given, the pale blue holographic screen unfolded in his field of vision, and an unfamiliar face appeared in front of him.

Zheng Hao saw this man for the first time.

But looking into the man's eyes, he always had a very familiar feeling...... They had met their eyes a few days ago!" I'm Elder Bai of the Burning Corps. The man on the holographic screen said. didn't introduce himself, Zheng Hao stared at him and said. "What do you want to say?"

"It's nothing, I just think that you are a group of archaeologists, and you are not the material for war, and it is quite unlucky to be sent by your superiors to provoke us." Zheng Hao's heart sank slightly. It seems that the captives must have recruited something.

However, he didn't understand why this person wanted to contact him, let alone why this person wanted to reveal this news to him.

You're here to taunt me? Zheng Hao frowned and said. "I'm so bored." Smiling, Lao Bai continued.

"I've heard that this place is out of the reach of the academy's signal tower, so I'll open the skylight and say something...... Let's make a deal. "What a deal." "We're interested in your tracked vehicles." Zheng Hao was stunned for a moment, and said with a cold smile. "Oh, and then."

"The car stays, and the captives take you away." "Huh." Zheng Hao laughed out loud. It's okay to stay.

He admits that his squad is no match for the well-trained soldiers, just as they don't necessarily have the expertise of specialists like themselves in dealing with xenomorphs.

But if you want this "reindeer" tracked car to stay, it is undoubtedly a fool's dream. This thing's off-road ability is nowhere near what those trucks can match. Expecting him to react like this, Lao Bai continued with a smile.

"Don't be in a hurry to refuse, I can give you another twenty rifles and a ......truck," Zheng Hao said with a calm face.

"What's the use of me asking for all that rags?" Lao Bai smiled and said.

"It's useless, but you've been with us for so long...... Are you willing to go back empty-handed like this?" "Don't you want to win?"

Zheng Hao smiled self-deprecatingly, lowered his voice and said.

"By win, you mean that we left a tracked vehicle and came back with a few E-class prisoners and rifles"

"What if we add a little bit of tissue sample from the parent X-277, a specific variant of slime fungus?"

Zheng Hao was slightly stunned, and a trace of fanaticism suddenly appeared in his eyes, but he was not carried away by this fanaticism, he stared at this family called Lao Bai vigilantly, "Are you willing...... Give it to us."

Lao Bai, who was standing on the holographic screen, smiled and shook the test tube in his hand, which contained several pieces of fine tissue remains.

"Well, our allies have authorized me to provide you with a little bit of tissue samples from the mother, after all, mutant slime molds are our common enemy, and it will be good for us if you can make progress." Of course, it is not the enterprise that empowers him, but the manager.

And the tissue fragments in the test tube in his hand were certainly not samples that had just been collected, or even from Xiao Yu. It was extracted from the brood on the B6 floor, and along with the rest of the Burning Corps, it was airlifted to the vicinity of Oasis 8 by the company's aircraft. However, fooling this prospector should be enough. Presumably, the academy would not believe that the alliance actually kept a brood in captivity that could be studied at will.

Just look at the pomp and circumstance of the annual "wave" in Kiyosen City, which is something that the post-war reconstruction committee cannot handle. What's more, this is a desert, and there is no brood nearby at all.

Zheng Hao stared at the test tube and silently started the pattern recognition program. After receiving an 87% match, his breath became rapid. There is no doubt that it is tissue fragments from the mother or brood!

He thought that he would not be able to be promoted to researcher in this life, and he would be very satisfied if he could keep his status as a D-class explorer. Now, however, this opportunity is back in front of him......

The door of Wu Ao's biological experiment treasure will knock on him, hundreds of mentors will throw olive branches at him, recruit his team and projects into his laboratory, and he and his team members will also be transferred from the most promising investigation department to the promising research department As for the loss of a mere "reindeer", no one will care at all, and those academic powers will rush to pay for him! And most crucially, it's an off-mission gain! No one can take the credit from them!". … What a way to lose"

Hearing this answer, the corners of Lao Bai's mouth curled into a smile.

"It's simple, we'll leave the prisoners, props, and the truck for you to run away in the camp, and you send someone to drive the tracked truck over and drive the truck away from us." Zheng Hao said cautiously: "How do I know that you won't regret it?"

"We don't have a reason to do that, if we wanted to kill you, we would have done it a long time ago, or do you suspect that we don't have that ability?"

Seeing that the man did not speak, Lao Bai continued.

"And I have to tell you, although I have authorization from my superiors, this is not a deal between the Alliance and the Academy, but a deal between the Burning Corps and the Beacon Squad. So I hope there's no locator or surveillance stuff on that tracked vehicle...... From your standpoint, you don't want today's events to be known by other unrelated people."

Zheng Hao was silent for a long time and said slowly. "I hope you keep your word." Lao Bai smiled and nodded. "We will." "And I always have a hunch that there are many opportunities for us to work together in the future."