Chapter 391 Ideal City (1/2)

Red light flashes.

A meteor streaked across the sky and landed in the easternmost part of the Zhongzhou Continent, slamming heavily into a field.

That muffled sound could be heard hundreds of meters away, let alone Wang Dashan who was working in the fields on his tractor.

"Damn...what was that just now?"

Startled by the sound, the slovenly man jumped off the tractor, pulled out the shotgun hanging on the side of the cab, walked towards the direction of the sound, and stuffed a shotgun into the chamber. Shotgun.

This place is located on the border of Yunjian Province, and it is also the northwest corner that no one cares about.

Normally no one would come to this poor place. Even the businessmen thought there was too little oil and water here, and would rather go further and try their luck in the province next door.

But there are no absolutes.

He had seen a few mutants last month - presumably deserters who had been dispersed by corporate patrols.

Those ugly guys, even just looking at them from a distance, made him feel disgusting.

It was a pit more than ten meters wide, as if it had been blasted out by a cannonball.

Looking at the destroyed crops, Wang Dashan's heart ached, but he still leaned over carefully.

There seems to be something in the pit.

He glanced at the Geiger counter on his wrist to confirm that the radiation indicators were normal, and then took a closer look.

I saw a silver-white metal sphere lying in the pit, with a trace of heat rising around it. The scorching high temperature even evaporated the water in the soil.

"What the hell is this?"

Looking at the metal ball in the pit, Wang Dashan studied it for a long time but couldn't figure it out.

Pressing the communicator hanging on his shoulder, he reported the situation to the guards in the village.

Not long after, a pair of car lights appeared at the edge of the field, and a guard wearing an exoskeleton jumped out of the car and strode towards him.

"What happened?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the guard noticed the pit in front of him, shone a flashlight into it, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

Wang Dashan, who was standing aside, said quickly.

"I was working in the field just now, and suddenly I heard a violent noise, so I walked over and took a look... and then I found this thing in the field."

The guard continued to ask.

"Did you see where he fell?"

Wang Dashan pointed to the top of his head.

"Heaven."

"Heaven?"

The guard had a surprised expression on his face. He looked up at the sky and then at the metal ball. Suddenly, as if he remembered something, his eyes suddenly filled with confusion.

"You watch here, I'll call the company -"

The words just fell.

Before Wang Dashan, who was standing next to him, had time to agree, he saw a black shadow flying in the distance.

That's a corporate plane.

The jet-black fuselage is about ten meters wide, like a big bird. The two drum-type engines rotate slowly, spraying blue arcs backwards, instead of blowing downwards.

The air waves overwhelmed the wheat in the field, and the plane landed smoothly in the field.

As the cabin door opened, six soldiers wearing exoskeletons walked out of the cabin one after another.

One of them was carrying a large box that was higher than his head. He walked straight into the pit, picked up the silver ball, and put it into the box.

"Hey, wait, you broke my-"

Seeing these people taking things and leaving, Wang Dashan, holding a shotgun, chased after them and mustered up the courage to yell.

However, before he finished speaking, a banknote was thrust into his hand, blocking his words.

The soldier in the exoskeleton stared at him and asked briefly.

"Is it enough?"

"Enough, enough, hehe..."

Looking at the banknotes in his hand, Wang Dashan's originally indignant expression suddenly turned into a smile, and he politely watched the soldiers return to the plane.

100Cr.

Not to mention the crushed wheat, it was more than enough to buy all the crops in his field.

The guard glanced at the guy enviously, then turned and returned to his car.

If only it had been discovered earlier, he would have had a share of the money.

You will never suffer a loss if you work for a company. This has almost become a common sense in Yunjianxing.

Although those people are not generous, they will never be stingy with the rewards in their hands...

…

If there is any place in this wasteland where you can admire the last glow of the Federation of People’s Federation, it is undoubtedly the pearl of the East Coast - the utopia called "Ideal City".

The layers of concrete and steel frames extend from the ground to the sky. If you stand on the ground and look up, you can't even see the end.

The neon light pollution is the most vivid portrayal of this city. The holographic images projected on the outermost buildings can be seen even from dozens of kilometers away.

No matter how prosperous the wastelanders are when they come here, they will look around like country bumpkins with their eyes wide open and be overwhelmed by the flashing lights and the traffic that extends in all directions.

Maglev trains shuttle between high-rise buildings like schools of fish swimming among seaweed.

Only a few big fish can swim to the highest point and enjoy the first ray of sunshine in the morning...

Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, the man looked out the window quietly, as if admiring the fish tank in the living room.

His name is Luo Yong, he is one of the core members of the Silver Wing Group's board of directors and holds 17% of the shares.

"Emergency communication means... It seems that our Pioneer is really in trouble." The guest sitting on the sofa looked at the wine glass in his hand with interest, and suddenly said something casually.

His name is Kang Le, and he is one of the core members of the board of directors of Kangmao Group.

Unlike Silver Wing Group, which is mainly engaged in the manufacturing of heavy engineering equipment, Kangmao Group's business scope is mainly auxiliary equipment and medical equipment.

Although the two of them are drinking buddies, when they get together, the topics they discuss always have nothing to do with wine.

"Um."

"I heard that your son was on the Pioneer?"

"Yes."

Seeing how calm this guy was, Kang Le raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise.

"Aren't you worried?"

"Don't you have a human cloning customization business? Just clone another one." Luo Yong said in a normal tone, and there was no trace of waves in his calm voice.

Kang Le raised his eyebrows slightly and glanced at him twice in surprise, as if he didn't expect him to say that.

Moving his eyes away from the figure in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, he smiled lightly and said.

"...We can clone cells, but we can't clone memories, let alone souls."

"Do you still believe that?"

"It has nothing to do with whether you believe it or not. It's just an abstract statement. I think that people are a concept that is different from things, and flesh and blood is just a carrier of this concept. Making containers is easy, we could do it a long time ago, even We can do better than what is born naturally, but we still cannot transfer abstract ideas from one container to another..."

Kang Le continued to talk endlessly, but Luo Yong, who was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, didn't want to listen and just stared out the window intently.

Not far away, an "Electric Ray" transport plane slowly passed through rows of tall buildings and landed on the apron on the roof.

He saw several soldiers carrying a box and quickly walking into the building.

Soon, the satellite installed in that box will be sent to a professional technical department to be disassembled and the data inside will be downloaded.

Although he has not yet read the data stored in the satellite, Luo Yong can already guess what is written in it.

This means of emergency communication should only be used in the most critical moments.

Since the satellite left its orbit and landed here, it already contains a lot of information...

"I'm not interested in your theories."

Looking away from the window, Luo Yong interrupted Kang Le's eloquence.

Staring at the man sitting on the sofa, he continued in a serious tone.

"Vault 0 is the belief of the residents of Ideal City. After two centuries... we finally found it. As long as we can open that door, we can end all the chaos in the wasteland and return this land to its former glory." Great times.”

Kang Le was stunned for a moment, and then laughed out loud as if he heard some funny joke.

He shook his head and put the wine glass back on the table.

"...You laugh at me for believing in souls, but you believe in an even more unreliable legend."

Luo Yong corrected him and said.

"That is not a legend, but a conclusion reached through rigorous and precise calculations."

There was no change in Kang Le's attitude.

"Calculation... Haha, if there really was that kind of technology to deduce the future, didn't those guys lying in the graves think that it would be like this?"

"What can be deduced is not the future, but the possibility in the sense of probability. Isn't our existence the best proof."

Ideal City is built on Shelter 6, and everything here is strictly a product of the "Fortress" plan.

Unable to refute this sentence, Kang Le was silent for a while and suddenly said in a very soft voice.

"... Let's assume that Vault 0 really has the ability to correct the chaos in this wasteland like a storm. Who can guarantee that it will not affect our current prosperity?"

It would be nice if the Pioneer just went out for a walk.

Whether it is to spread the company's philosophy, sow the seeds of civilization, or show off prosperity and strength... it is of great benefit to the company.

After all, when doing business with a group of primitive people, you can get at most a few shells or animal skins.

But if the miner's exoskeleton and mining machine are sold to those wastelanders, and those wastelanders show the good life in the ideal city, when their caravan passes by again, they only need to spend some pieces of paper to exchange to cartloads of ore.

Expedition for ideals is just a slogan. Even if they come back with nothing, no one will blame them.

However, no one expected that the group of young men would actually find Shelter 0.

It is precisely because of this that the attitudes of the major groups that originally supported the expedition began to become ambiguous.

The only one who unswervingly supports the expedition is the Silver Wing Group.

It's not because of any lofty ideals, it's mainly because they invested in building the Pioneer.

That land-based fortress not only embodies their hard work, but the crew members on it are also the elite backbone cultivated by the group.

Don't talk about other people.

His son is on that fortress...

Although he said that it would be better if he died and had another baby, that was just talk.

Technology can solve many problems, but not all problems can be solved with technology.

Luo Yong looked at Kang Le sitting on the sofa and said in a serious tone.

"...I don't expect to convince you by reasoning. Let's talk about the conditions."

Kang Le looked at him without asking for conditions.

"Oh? What do you want me to help you with?"

"In two hours, the data analysis should be completed..."

Luo Yong used his index finger to open his cuffs and glanced at the time on his watch. "We will submit a plan to expand the scale of reinforcements at noon today. We have already received the support of Changge Group. We only need one vote... I hope you can convince the board of directors of Kangmao Group to support our proposal at the company's highest board meeting."

Changge Group is the largest arms dealer in Ideal City.

Kangle is not surprised at all that Silver Wing Group can get the support of those guys.

Those arms dealers are eager for the outside to be in full swing. What they like to do most every day is to discount their own products while shouting that the company's armament expenses are too tight and demanding the expansion of the commando team.

Although the company has tens of thousands of subsidiaries, and each subsidiary holding shares of the parent company has the right to vote on major resolutions, since the vast majority of shares are in the hands of five giants, when a proposal is supported by three giants, there will be no suspense about the passage of the proposal.

On the contrary, if three giants oppose it, a proposal will not be passed anyway.

Kang Le thought to himself that this guy had found himself in trouble, and 80% of it was because he ran into a wall with the other two companies.

It makes sense, because the "Endpoint" Group, which mainly engages in intelligent business, and the "Ideal" Group, which mainly engages in public utilities and urban construction, are indifferent to the affairs of the wasteland.

The only one who might be won over...

It seems that he is the only one.

"Expand the scale of recruitment... Kangmao Group can accept equipment and financial assistance, and can only accept this. I don't know what agreement you have reached with Changge Group, but the scale of the commando is already large enough, and you don't want to see those war maniacs become bigger, right?"

Luo Yong said without any change in his expression.

"The agreement we reached with them has nothing to do with expanding the scale of the commando, but about other areas."

Kang Le stared at him for a while and nodded slowly.

"Okay, I can help you, but I'm just a shareholder of the Kangmao Group's board of directors. You can't expect me to convince others with just my mouth."

Luo Yong didn't speak, waiting for him to continue to make conditions.

After a pause, Kang Le continued.

"If you are willing to relax the proposal of bionic people participating in public affairs... I think they should agree to your request." Hearing this request, Luo Yong breathed a sigh of relief, and his tense expression finally relaxed into a smile. "Deal." ... The distant River Valley Province. The horizon finally showed a hint of dawn and dusk, and the residents of Dawn City opened their windows and walked out of their homes to greet the new day. At this moment, someone in Shelter No. 404 had not slept all night, and was still sitting in front of a unique computer with high spirits. "... Unbelievable, guess what I found in those data?!" Without looking at Yin Fang, whose eye bags were deeper than a panda's, Chu Guang, who was sitting on the sofa next to him, replied absent-mindedly. "What?" "The order for the Lagrange Space Station Connector Module Reconstruction Project!" Yin Fang had a happy expression on his face, and continued quickly, "I knew that a research institution that can own an independent scientific research satellite is really not simple!" Lagrange Space Station is okay. That's really far away. At present, the legion is pressing forward step by step, and Chu Guang can't consider such far-off things for the time being.

Compared with the distant space technology, he cares more about the reinforcements on the east coast.

However, he still joked casually.

"Are you going to complete the order for them?"

Hearing this, Yin Fang couldn't help rolling his eyes.

"What are you kidding, that's an order from more than 200 years ago! As of the outbreak of the Doomsday War in 2125, the design work has been completed 50%..."

Chu Guang: "Then what?"

"...Then, they plan to replace the astronomical telescope on the No. 41 connecting arm with a two-kilometer-long mass accelerator. Then, we found some technologies that can be recycled from the list."

"These include 12 electromagnetic control-related technologies and 4 key technologies for gas molecule manipulation, 5 of which meet the E-level standard, 3 technologies meet the D-level standard, and 2 meet the C-level standard!"

Good guy, C-level technology!

And there are two! ?

With a surprised expression on his face, Chu Guang, who was originally uninterested, sat up straight from the sofa.

At present, the new alliance has only two C-level technologies, one is solid hydrogen and the other is a3 aerospace aluminum alloy.

The high-end technology reserves have doubled directly, and this harvest can be said to have completely exceeded his expectations.

Technology is the foundation of the alliance's development.

For Chu Guang, recycling new technologies is more exciting than seeing more and more players break through LV20.

"Can you tell me more about that C-level technology?"

"I'm planning to do that."

Yin Fang showed a smug expression on his face, cleared his throat and continued.

"One is the synthesis path of N10-anionic azide compounds used for ejection cushion airbags... This thing is similar to solid hydrogen and has a very high energy density. However, unlike solid hydrogen, azide compounds are naturally unstable and are more suitable for bombs than batteries."

"The other one is about the control of nitrogen molecules... A gas shield can be formed through a gas control field. Your hammer uses similar technology, which should be familiar to you. However, this thing consumes a lot of energy and does not have a portable reactor. , can only be used for a short period of time with a chemical battery and capacitor.”

Chu Guang said with a smile.

"It doesn't matter! My shelter residents won't mind! By the way, what is that electromagnetic control related technology?"

"Well, it's related to the mass accelerator, which is simply an electromagnetic gun. You won't be able to use it for the time being...well, but that's not necessarily the case."

Speaking of this, Yin Fang suddenly paused for a moment, then changed the subject and continued.

"When the fusion reactor in Xizhou City is re-ignited, it should be no problem to get a few mass accelerators to use as anti-aircraft guns."

"It's not too difficult to get the required materials. That thing is much easier to use than your artillery."

Electromagnetic gun!

Chu Guang suddenly became excited when he thought of the electromagnetic point defense system on the Pioneer that could stop even artillery shells.

"Can you put a mass accelerator on a tank?"

As if you guessed that he would ask this.

Almost at the same time that Chu Guang finished speaking, Yin Fang shook his head and said.

"Don't think about it, unless you can get the technology related to the miniaturization of the electromagnetic gun... This thing is an electromagnetic gun for the space station, and it needs to be used with a fusion reactor. Even if it is scaled down, it will not be possible for you to put it in a car. superior."

It’s nuclear fusion again…

"Okay, pretend I didn't ask."

Chu Guang calmed down his excited expression and sighed slightly regretfully.

It will be great when the alliance can produce fusion reactors independently.

But it seems useless to think about it now.

More critical than the fusion technology itself is the nuclear fuel required for fusion.

The nearest helium-3 collection station is the moon 380,000 kilometers away.

Seeing Chu Guang's unsatisfied expression, Yin Fang couldn't help but complain.

"Be satisfied, two C-level technicians! In the academy, this merit is enough for a D-level prospector to be promoted to C-level."

"No, I'm not dissatisfied. I'm just wondering when our reinforcements will arrive."

"Then you have to ask the people in the company, but I advise you not to have high expectations. Those people may not be easy to deal with." When he said this, Yin Fang's expression was a little subtle.

Looking at that subtle expression, Chu Guang suddenly thought of something and said.

"Speaking of which, there's something I've always been curious about."

"What's up."

"The relationship between the college and the enterprise doesn't seem to be very good?"

Yin Fang thought seriously for a while.

"This statement is true. Although I personally don't hate people in the company, we do have big differences with them on some things."

"Because of their development of the ruins?" Chu Guang asked thoughtfully.

Yin Fang smiled lightly.

"That is just an appearance. They are free to use the relics... What is disappointing in the end is that they have taken possession of the precious heritage but have no ambition. Whether it is territory or knowledge, you can find that they are not actually that Desire. Wealth? Maybe, but I think it’s more a greed for enjoyment than a desire for wealth.”

"You can see that they decorated their home beautifully. The luxury there is almost the same as that of the Prosperity Era. Many wastelanders and old popsicles dream of living there for a lifetime. But in my opinion, it is clearly far from prosperity. The farthest place in the era.”

"A lot of things have been left behind in the prosperous era, whether it's unused fusion batteries, garbage that can be recycled, or black boxes that can turn garbage into treasure... But sooner or later, all these things will be used up one day, and it's either today or today. tomorrow."

"As soon as we finish sorting out the technologies left over from previous civilizations, we will immediately start exploring new topics and find ways to restore the ecology of this planet to pre-war times."

"And they are just squandering their small inheritance."

Speaking of this, Yin Fang paused for a moment.

"Of course, there are some respectable people in the company. Finding Shelter 0 is a good idea... I remember that the college also sent a scientific expedition team into the desert before."

Chu Guang was slightly stunned.

"The academy has also looked for No. 0 shelter?"

"That happened many years ago," Yin Fang sighed, "I only remember that the scientific expedition team disappeared into the desert... and no one mentioned it again after that."

-

(Thanks to the leaders of "ぶ真爱﹍ぇ", "Ayanami Little Angel", "DevilMayCry5", "ぉ Butterfly", "Unwinter", and "Cloud Cliff" for the reward!)