The cold wind and snow whistled across the endless tundra, and the fluffy lemmings poked their heads out of the snowdrifts and ducked back in fear of the rumbling sound.

A four-car train travels through the snow.

The train did not have rails, instead it had tracks under the chassis. The carriages are connected by hooks and locks, and each carriage seems to have its own independent power system, but it seems that all the power is provided by the car in front.

Sitting next to the car window, Ye Ten stared intently at the vast and amazing tundra outside the window, and there was indescribable surprise in his eyes.

There's something about this dog plan.

Although there are less than three digits of players active in the swamp, the operators of Wasteland Online still have made this part of the map.

The hail that slapped against the windows, the snow kicked up by the tracks, the reindeer that walked across the tundra......

Everything is so realistic.

Sitting opposite him, Jiang Xuezhou misunderstood the surprise on his face, and said lightly with the corners of his lips.

"Isn't it big?"

"It's really big...... Ye Shi nodded, and added with emotion, "It's just a little cold." ”

What he couldn't understand the most was why the academy had the most advanced technology in the wasteland, but left such a large piece of land undeveloped.

If there is actually a certain "moisture" in the prosperity of the ideal city, such as colorful light and shadow and complex information endpoint clouds can give people the illusion of rapid technological advancement, but the technology of the academy has indeed reached an awesome category.

As the only survivor in the wasteland that can produce anti-gravity devices without relying on black boxes and have the technology to craft tachyon engines, they have the potential to build a true utopia in the wasteland.

This shouldn't be harder than going to the universe to find another planet to move to start over.

At least as a student, it seemed to him.

Jiang Xuezhou tilted his head, not quite understanding what he was referring to.

At this moment, the researcher sitting at the next table interjected with a smile.

"Of course, this is the northernmost part of the Middle-earth continent, and the fragile ecosystem is already at its limit to what it can do today, so it's good now. Rather, if there are more people, things will become troublesome. ”

Yashi looked at him puzzled.

"When there are too many people, it becomes troublesome?"

"After all, the ticket is fixed." Another fellow researcher flipped through the paper on the tablet in his hand and said succinctly, "There has never been a 'ship' that can hold everyone, and the contracts we signed with the survivors never included this one. ”

Night Ten: "Contract? ”

"It was a century and a half ago, when we left the Great Rift Valley to escape persecution by the legions and corporations, and some survivors who had lost their livelihood due to the collapse of the post-war reconstruction committee followed in our footsteps and found us wanting us to take them in, so the science and technology committee was born."

The researcher paused, looked out the window, and continued in a tone that didn't have much of a ripple.

"As promised, we will provide them with the nourishment they need to survive, and they have promised to voluntarily renounce all political power, join our plans, and submit to our management. We have offered them the promised treatment and even rewarded those who obeyed the management...... And the latter was originally an obligation to which they had promised. Do we have any reason why we should raise their standard of living? ”

Ye Shi looked at him in surprise: "Good guy, you are more capitalists than capitalists." ”

The researcher froze for a moment, looking at him with a strange expression.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but at least we didn't deceive them. We made it clear from the beginning that the Academy was not a charity, it was not a state, it was just a research organization. Our ultimate goal is to complete our ark, and when it's done we will leave, and we never begged them to live on our turf. Or do you think it's more appropriate to paint a pie out of reach for the wastelanders, as the corporation does? ”

That sounds like a bit of a point.

At night eleven, he couldn't think of how to refute, especially when he suddenly realized that this was someone else's own business, and it was not his turn to be an outsider to talk about it.

However, just when he was about to end this topic, what he didn't expect was that Jiang Xuezhou, who was quick to look like a good girl, suddenly spoke.

"Isn't you also admitted to the academy?"

The researcher glanced at her and said indifferently.

"yes, so so."

Jiang Xuezhou couldn't help but say.

"You were one of them before, why do you call them like slaves......"

"First of all, correct your statement, I never said they were slaves." The man put his gaze back on the tablet and said indifferently, "Then answer your question, you also said it was before." ”

In other words, he didn't want to make enemies for himself because of this kind of boring verbal dispute.

It was a train from Ice Sea City, and the passenger she was traveling with was wearing the iconic VM of the Vault dweller on his arm, and he was probably a foreign guest invited by the Sticky Community Project.

If that's the case, I'm afraid her mentor's background is not small.

Jiang Xuezhou stared at him with an incomprehensible expression, and was speechless for a while.

"My pot, I have to apologize." Ye Shi coughed lightly and got up from his seat, trying to ease the atmosphere in the carriage, "Actually...... It's the same with our shelters, where everyone can't be sheltered, so some people can get in, some can't, some people enjoy it early, and some people suffer early. For the sake of a greater goal, there must be some people who make sacrifices...... This is the reality, and it is also the most helpless reality. ”

A faint smile curled up at the corner of the researcher's mouth as he brushed the paper, but Jiang Xuezhou looked at Ye Shi in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe that he would say such a thing.

The latter didn't look at her, just shrugged his shoulders and continued.

"It's just that we can't trample those who can't get in because we're lucky enough to be born in a shelter. Our knowledge, technology, methods, and black boxes should belong to the 'all of us' of that era. I really don't understand the unequal contract with a handful of poor people, who only enjoy the inheritance left by 'us' and refuse to fulfill their obligations to 'our'...... Being a coward can be out of the helplessness of reality, but is this something to be proud of? ”

The researcher's brow twitched violently, and he chose to respond to the words with silence.

The surprise on Jiang Xuezhou's face turned into surprise, and then a triumphant smile appeared on his face, as if to say that he really didn't see the wrong person.

Whispers rang out in the carriage, and some looked over to see what the guy who spoke wildly looked like, while others pursed their lips disdainfully, not interested in mortal wisdom.

Of course, there are also some people who show a contemplative expression, and they are really thinking about the reasonableness of this statement.

At the Academy, the voice of reason is relatively welcome, especially the rational one that is logical.

This is also the biggest difference between the academy and other regions, if it is just the output of emotions, no one will care.

However, the initiator, Ye Shi, suddenly regretted it.

His original intention was actually to apologize, and he shouldn't be nosy. However, with a scoop in his mouth, he ran away as he spoke, and he couldn't help but be angry.

Brother Fang is right, his nonsense problem should indeed be changed.

They are here to make friends, not to offend.

"Thank you."

Looking at Ye Shi, who was sitting back in his seat, Jiang Xuezhou blushed and whispered.

"Hey, there's something to thank you for." Ye Shi said a word indifferently, but she didn't figure out what she had helped her.

Although he was very happy that he said what he wanted to say but didn't dare to say, Jiang Xuezhou soon seemed to think of something, and suddenly suffered from gains and losses, and whispered.

"That's right...... You're here with that e-pass, and if you talk nonsense, your administrators won't blame you, right? ”

The researchers sitting in this carriage are all equipped with biomimetic prosthetics, and it is only a matter of thought to take pictures and videos.

She was worried about the diplomatic controversy that would arise from the spread of the Coalition, such as the fact that the residents of the Coalition's shelter would openly criticize the Academy's policies and the Science and Technology Commission's management methods.

Ye Shi was stunned for a moment, and then said with a smile.

"Huh? No, our managers aren't that careful. ”

Not like dog planning.

It's just a matter of sending an astringent picture ban.,The completely non-astringent emoji deducted from the book is also in violation.。

It's a bit excessive!

As he spoke, a faint stream of human smoke appeared in the endless wilderness outside the window.

It was an oil well.

The "old-fashioned" design style makes you think that you are back on the real earth at night eleven hours.

And when he saw the oil well, Jiang Xuezhou's expression suddenly cheered up.

"We're here!"

At the same time as the words fell, the sound of the arrival station sounded in the carriage.

"Place 721 has arrived, please get off the train in time for passengers who get off at this station."

Night Ten was about to help her with her luggage, but saw the suitcase run off the shelf by itself, and rolled to the door of the carriage with a grunt.

"What are you doing standing stupidly? It's time for us to go. Looking at Ye Shi, who was standing motionless next to his seat, Jiang Xuezhou urged excitedly.

She hadn't seen her family for a long time, and everyone else was homesick, but she was looking forward to it.

"Ah...... Good. ”

Night Eleven looked at her suitcase with envy and followed behind her.

High-tech is still good!

For a university monk who often takes the high-speed train home, this thing is much more attractive than nuclear fusion......

The group stood in the buffer cabin, and as the door outside opened, the whirring wind and snow swept in.

Even though he was wearing a cold-proof suit outside and his whole body was covered with technology, Ye Shi still felt the biting cold coming to his face.

This is a remote corner of the swamp where the settlement called "Lot 721" is located.

According to Jiang Xuezhou, the task of the local survivors is to extract oil from beneath the permafrost in the weather of minus 20 degrees Celsius all year round to provide raw materials for production in the industrial zone 50 kilometers away.

Tracked trucks regularly come to bring away the fuel and bring local supplies.

Although a variety of biological or chemical methods of synthesizing petroleum analogues have been found during the Boom Era, this type of diesel-powered rig is more suitable for the swampy environment and the special organization of the Science and Technology Commission.

Advanced production methods are not always good.

What the Science and Technology Committee needs to ensure is that the colony ships heading for the future can be completed on time, and excessive production is equivalent to waste. The laws of traditional economics do not apply here, not even to most settlements in the wasteland.

They were joined by another man and a woman. Among them the men was tall and thin with short hair. The female wears a black ponytail and looks like a type with few words.

Just as Ye Shi was looking at the two of them, the man looked at him and smiled slightly, and suddenly spoke.

"Excellent presentation."

Ye Shi was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and suddenly felt a little embarrassed, and coughed lightly and said.

"I've won the prize, but I'm a little ashamed, I always talk too much, I'm sorry to offend you-"

Jiang Xuezhou pursed his lips lightly and muttered.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, what you said was originally right, why apologize for the right thing? It's strange that those who feel offended by their relatives and friends obviously live in that kind of place. ”

"Haha, the decision of the Science and Technology Committee is not something I can evaluate, but...... I agree with what this gentleman said, we should indeed do something with the knowledge left to us by our predecessors, and the pursuit of a better life should not be a sin. The researcher smiled, and then introduced himself, "My name is Li Xiang, an E-class researcher. This is an explorer from the same department as me, and his name is Wu Xiaoxiao. ”

The girl named Wu Xiaoxiao nodded solemnly, and glanced at Ye Eleven, but her eyes were more on Xiao Jiang beside him.

Yashi noticed that there was a clear hint of awe and envy in her eyes.

This is actually quite normal.

Although Xiao Jiang is only a small D-level, he is undoubtedly a bigwig-like existence in the eyes of a group of E-level and prospectors.

"Night ten, this is Jiang Xuezhou."

Although he felt that the two might know Xiao Jiang who was walking with him, Ye Shi still introduced himself for her by the way.

Li Xiang looked at the two of them and nodded politely, especially to the senior sister from the same township.

But to Yeju's surprise, he always felt that this guy was more interested in him.

"I heard you're from the Alliance?"

At ten o'clock in the evening, I bowed my head.

"Yes, I'm a resident of Vault 404."

The interest in Li Xiang's eyes grew stronger, especially when he heard about Vault 404.

"Great...... I've always been interested in you, can you tell me more about that? How did you build such a large organization in the wasteland, and it only took two or three years? ”

From those interested eyes, you could see that he was genuinely curious.

I didn't expect to meet fans of the alliance in such a distant place, and Ye Shi couldn't help but feel proud in his heart, and then said with a hearty smile.

"That's a long story...... It's only been two or three years, but a lot has happened in the past two or three years. ”

"It's okay! We can talk as we go. Li Xiang looked at him eagerly, and this time even Jiang Xuezhou couldn't help but prick up his ears curiously.

"Okay, let me think about it......" While recalling the past, Night Eleven made up the story in a chattering tone, "Everything has to start with a mayor named Old Leech and a girl named Xiaoyu......"

Beautiful stories are always heartwarming, and the howling wind and snow don't seem so cold.

At first, it was a casual talk about how the flames of order rose from the wasteland, but as she spoke, she was suddenly moved.

It's not that he's boasting.

At that time, it was really not easy, he was a t0 player and had to burn cement himself, and the full-level equipment of the server turned out to be an iron tube rifle with a mirror!

Not to mention the person who listens to the story, even he, the storyteller, is about to shed tears when he says it!

The hearts of the three people who followed him were also touched, and a looming flame burned in their hearts unconsciously......

Just as the night ten overthrew the old mayor of Bate Street from Chuguang and talked about the spark that ignited outside the megalithic city, an inconspicuous cargo ship was slowly approaching the largest trading port on the west coast of Borneo Province, thousands or even tens of thousands of kilometers away from the swamps.

Standing on the bow deck, Governor Nehak looked at the harbor in the distance in amazement, his eyes full of indescribable surprise.

The afterglow of the setting sun shines on the busy concrete pier, and rows of red brick houses are lined up on both sides of the four- or five-meter-wide brick street.

The prosperity here seems to be no less than that of the changed port of Kinggallen.

Even more luxurious, busier than that!

The artistic attainments of the Willantes are not inferior to those of the architects of the Union, the Enterprise, and the Academy, especially in the large and beautiful buildings, they have a huge and unique aesthetic understanding of the caliber of their cannons.

Some of the Willantes seem to have settled here, bringing not only their wives, their houses, and their dinars from the city of Triumph, but also their own elegant way of life.

Governor Nehac saw a high-nosed overseer waving a whip in his hand, urging the shirtless laborers to carry large boxes that could fit themselves into them, and to and fro the hot concrete docks baked by the scorching sun.

That familiar taste!

Looking at the scene in front of him, Governor Nehak took a deep breath and couldn't help but burst into tears for a moment.

It's back!

It's all back at last!

Not far behind him, the fluffy white bear stared at his back with a look of disgust, and couldn't help but mutter.

"Can I drop him off the ship?"

"No, oh meat, he's a quest prop! The customers of the fritter port have paid a lot of money for their travel. Standing beside her, with his tail and right foot on the railing, he was looking excitedly at the legendary Xifan Harbor.

What a big port!

This settlement is probably no smaller than the port of Kingalen, and there are more than a million people!

Moreover, in addition to the natives of Borneo, there are also a large number of Wilantes living in the port area, and it seems that the goods they brought should not be sold!

It wasn't long before the ship anchored in the harbor and a Willant officer stepped onto the deck.

Stepping out of the captain's quarters, Sis handed out the cargo list and showed the VM to the Willant officer his ID and the striped code for identification.

"This is an electronic pass issued by the Adhesive Community, and we want to apply for permission to go ashore."

"Whatever you want," said the Willant officer, glancing at the document, with a smile, "we will guarantee your legal rights, but I advise you to only operate around the port area. The rats have bad habits, and it is better for a lady like you not to walk at night or burrow into the alleys, where our guards may not be able to see them. ”

Sensing the unkindness in his eyes, Sisi didn't care, just said concisely.

"Then I won't bother you, as long as you don't play tricks."

As if he had heard some funny joke, the Willant laughed, and when he had laughed enough, he pouted and said.

"We don't care about being clever, we will go to the battlefield to grab what we are interested in."

I am afraid that only the Willant can puff up his chest and say this.

Si Si shrugged his shoulders and said in a mocking tone.

"It's good for you to tell yourself about this kind of cowhide, there's no need to tell it to us. The people we do business with have made a fortune, but if they want to snatch even a copper plate from us, they must be prepared to break two teeth. ”

Hearing the thorn hidden in the words, Officer Willant smiled absently and made a pompous gesture of please.

"De Colo, director of the Xifan Port Office, welcome to Xifan Port, I wish you all a great time here!"

After saying that, he handed the list of goods to the deputy on the side, and he got off the cargo ship.

In addition to more than 20 passengers, the cargo carried by the Meat Meat was 500 tons of canned herring and 150 tons of spirits made from potatoes.

These are the specialties of Golden Gallen Harbor, and they are also the two most demanded commodities by the Willant people, although there is not much room for bargaining, but there is no need to worry about selling.

There are at least five or six thousand people in the Willant who have moved to Xifan Harbor, and counting those floating population, it is afraid that it can exceed 10,000, and the daily consumption of herring and spirits can be calculated in tons.

In addition, a few hundred nautical miles to the northwest is the port of the Southern Army, and even if the local consumption is not exhausted, it can be sold there.

And in addition to the two commodities of herring and spirits, there are also some miscellaneous things.

For example, refrigerators, watches, furniture, electrical appliances, and even used books or other crafts from Silvermoon Bay.

After disembarking from the ship, Sis rented a shed beach in the market through the port office, and then directed the crew to carry several boxes of bulk goods to the stalls as samples and put price tags on them.

The four of them agreed to take turns taking care of the booth in groups of two, and the group was determined by lot.

The first group is Sisi and sesame paste.

In order to pass the time when there were no customers, Sisi bought a local best-selling book from the market and looked through it.

At first, Sesame Paste curiously looked at the pedestrians coming and going, but soon found that the people walking in the area were all Willantes, and after a long time, he got bored, so he picked up the book from the wooden box containing the old books and learned to look through them.

Coincidentally, the book she picked up was the "Pol the Awakened" that Ah Ao had in mind.

At first, she just read two chapters casually with the mentality of flipping through them casually, but she was soon attracted by the ups and downs of the plot, and she was fascinated by it unconsciously.

As the minutes ticked by, Sisi had already made two deals, selling 100 tons of canned herring for 6,300 silver coins per ton, and 80 tons of potato spirits for 11,221 silver coins per ton.

In Xifan Port, the retail price in the market is about twice as expensive as the wholesale price. For example, canned herring with a wholesale price of 6.3 silver coins per kilogram will eventually be sold on the shelves at a retail price of 12~15 dinars per box (200g).

In fact, if you convert it a little, according to the minimum retail price of 12 dinars, the "wholesale price" of 200 grams of canned food is about 6 dinars, and one kilogram is 30 dinars, which is exactly 5 times different from the real wholesale price of 6.3 silver coins per kilogram.

The maximum exchange ratio between silver coins and dinars is basically around 1:5.

However, in the case of spirits, the calculated proportion is often higher than this value.

Feeling a little curious about this interesting phenomenon, Si Si wrote it down in the notebook he carried with him, intending to update it in the post after a while as a trip to see and hear about it.

Looking at Si Si, who had been fishing for an hour, he couldn't help but feel a little ashamed, and quietly closed the spread out on his knees, intending to work seriously for a while.

You can't always leave everything to Sis alone, at least...... Sell an order before the sun goes down!

Just as she was thinking this, a customer slipped up to her stall.

The man was thin and plainly dressed, not a Willant but not a local, but a bit like a priest of the Silvermoon Cult in Silvermoon Bay.

Sesame paste is very familiar with this kind of people, even so familiar that they can be recognized from the crowd at a glance.

After all, every time she didn't wear a hat to cover the cat's ears on top of her head, these people would pounce on her with a fanatical face.

I saw that the man glanced at the books on her lap, then at the basket of old books next to her, touched his chin and asked curiously.

"Are these books intended to be sold?"

Hearing that someone was interested in these books, a smile suddenly appeared on Sesame Paste's face, and he said in a pleasant voice.

"Of course, are you interested?"

The man nodded honestly.

"How much?"

Sesame paste said enthusiastically.

"We sell by the ton, and there are about two or three thousand copies per ton, and it only costs 2,000 silver coins!"

However, what she didn't expect was that the man shook his head after hearing it and complained in a low voice.

"It's so cheap, how can such a precious thing as a book be sold cheaper than canned herring!"

But it's an old book......

Looking at the guest who shook his head, Sesame Paste made a helpless expression and said tentatively.

"That'...... 2500？ ”

Before she could finish speaking, the guest had already pulled the money from his modest robe.

"It's just 2,000 silver coins, no need to bargain, give me a ton."

Although in principle, it was sold at a minimum of 5 tons, but considering that he was the first customer, Sesame Paste made an exception and gave him a ticket to pick up the goods.

"Just take this ticket and pick it up on the Meat Cargo Ship...... So, what are you going to do with these books? ”

The man didn't hide it, and said with a reverent face.

"The contemptible people are the servants of the goddess of the silver moon, and they came to this barren land to spread the gospel of the goddess of the silver moon, but unfortunately the local survivors are too ignorant and the people are not wise, I plan to start by teaching them to read."

Sesame looked at him in surprise, and her right hand unconsciously tightened the hat above her head.

Anyway, the Moon Clan people have just been purged by the Emperor of Xilan, so does it really matter if the Silver Moon Sect preaches here?

It's hard to say if there's some kind of connection between the two, after all, Silver Moon Bay and Borneo Province are so close that many things are unclear.

However, it soon occurred to her that this was the rule of the Willants, and the emperor should not be able to control it.

"Good luck then...... Ah, by the way, in fact, in addition to old books, running a newspaper can also improve the literacy rate. In the middle of speaking, she suddenly remembered something, so she kindly reminded her.

“…… Newspapers are they? ”

The man muttered to himself with a sense of understanding, and his eyes gradually brightened, "Hmm...... It's a good idea, and you can give it a try, but what is written in the newspaper? ”

"It might be better to serialize some popular stories, such as ...... How is this? ”

As he spoke, Sesame Paste handed the "Awakened Bol" in his hand to him, and said eagerly.

"I remember that the Daily Survivor in Boulder City first became popular because of its serialization in the sub-magazine! Once people have a common language and topic, they will take the initiative to learn and even participate in the creation of the product, even if they don't have to urge them. ”

She remembered that the first newspapers published stories that were carried by some players were modified in reality, but later the popular stories were all created by the residents of Boulder City themselves.

Looking at the book that the girl had stuffed into her hand, the pastor had a flattered look on her face.

"Ah, that's embarrassing, is it really okay to give it to me? Why don't I pay...... How much? ”

As he spoke, he hastily tucked the book under his elbow and rummaged through his pocket.

Seeing that he was in a hurry to find money, Sesame Paste couldn't help but smile, waved his hand and said.

"No, no, it's a gift for that ton of old books, and if your newspaper is profitable, please send a manuscript fee to Monsia Rock City to Mr. Sperger. Although the choice of words and sentences is a little rougher, after all, he wrote it carefully. ”

"Don't worry! By the way, my name is ...... Mergio, what's your name? ”

"Just call me sesame paste." That was actually the name of her cat, which later became a screen name.

Just then, Mergio suddenly noticed cat ears sticking up from the edge of her hat.

At first, he thought it was an illusion, but when he heard the name Sesame Paste, he vaguely remembered the rumors he had heard when he was in Silvermoon Bay, and the expression on his face gradually changed from stunned to fanatical.

Noticing the change in his expression, Sesame Paste secretly said something bad in his heart, and hurriedly pulled the edge of his hat to plug the exposed ears back again.

But apparently it was too late.

The man's face was filled with great reverence, and he bowed deeply as if no one was around.

"Respectfully...... Sorry, please rest assured, you will not disappoint your expectations! Let the light of the silver moon shine on this barren land! ”

Looking at his obviously over-exerted appearance, and Sisi who was stunned on the side, Sesame Paste explained with a smile.

"Don't be like this, and you misunderstood, I'm really not the incarnation of the Silver Moon Goddess...... I'm just a normal play—hey, what the hell do I have to say to believe you. ”

"You're right, what you say is what you are." Melgio looked reverent and tight-lipped.

Same as when I was in Silvermoon Bay.

These "cat lovers" don't listen to themselves at all.

Although it was fun at first, it will make everyone feel big after a long time.

Sesame Paste lifted his forehead and sighed, and finally gave up the explanation, hugging his knees and muttering quietly.

"Ah...... Anyway, come on. ”

The voice was full of helplessness, but to Melgio's ears it was a very different meaning.

As if he had been called by the Lord's grace, Melgio looked at her as she sat behind the grocery stall and swore reverently.

"Yes!"

(End of chapter)