This Game Is Too Real-Chapter 771: Progress of the Southern and Northern Fronts

"The performance wasn’t bad."

In the captain’s quarters of the Iron Heart, Chu Guang sipped his milk tea while watching the stage play on the holographic screen, a look of interest on his face.

"The acting is on point, and the script is pretty decent."

"But there’s just way too much hammering and mothering in the dialogue... Did the locals actually write this thing themselves?"

He had long tired of real-world film and television productions, and the localized works carried over by the players often involved awkward attempts. In comparison, he was more curious about the new variations that the survivors in the Wasteland had come up with on their own.

For instance, Spielberg’s "Awakener Bol" caught his eye, and going back even further, there were the "limericks" written by Hal, even including the picture book given to him by the Honey Badger Princess — "The Father and Son with Thick Fur."

Compared to imported goods, these locally born works better reflected the spiritual world of the Waste Land Wanderers.

As a Manager, his duty was not just to guide but also, and more importantly, to "understand."

And in the latest sociological research report from Ms. Han Mingyue about Poluo Province, there happened to be such a representative work attached.

Although the traditional stage play and the trendy viewing equipment didn’t quite match up, it felt unexpectedly coherent when placed in the Wasteland.

Returning to the play itself.

The play’s title was "The Story After the Storm," and the playwright was a Cow Clan poet who was responsible for the creation of the script, the design of the dialogue, and even the music in the play.

All of the play’s stories took place in a house on Tulip Street which, according to the narrative in the play, was actually the Governor’s Mansion of Nihak; the storm refers to the rain outside the window as well as the "wind" blowing into Jinga Lun Harbor.

However, the entire play wasn’t about the Governor of Nihak and his servant, nor was it related to current affairs or major events. It was merely a small noble’s perspective witnessing the fall of an era and used two inconclusive love stories as a thread to highlight the protagonist’s confusion during the "Exploration period" —

Everyone around him was leaving, but he himself didn’t know where to go or even where he was.

In a certain sense, the protagonist’s spiritual world in the play was very similar to the mental state of the local Old Aristocrats.

After landing in Poluo Province, the Alliance did not plunder the locals’ wealth, but those nobles no longer had any privileges from the old era, nor were they respected and worshipped by those around them.

Even if their lives were still decent for the moment, it was only a matter of time before they would sink in the tide of the times if they failed to adapt.

At the end of the stage play’s holographic image attachment, Han Mingyue left her viewpoint as a researcher.

"...What interests me is not the plot of the play but the shadows of existentialism and nihilism that simultaneously appear in this stage play. I think this work, like the Red Soil, has a representative nature; the latter is the voice of the Radical Faction, the former of the Conservative faction, and they both belong to this period. They are also microcosms of unique cultural phenomena of this time."

After closing the holographic image, Chu Guang continued to read the report written by Ms. Han Mingyue.

According to her point of view in the latest research report, the new cultural movement in Jin Galun Harbor is in full swing, its intensity not at all inferior to the local major infrastructure projects.

The buds of Romanticism and Realism as artistic forms appeared simultaneously in Jin Galun Harbor.

Even beyond that, the former had undergone further — as for leapfrog evolution, and existentialism began to take shape from this.

That is, besides human survival, there was no rightful morality or external soul; morality and soul were created by people in the process of surviving, meaning humans had no obligation to believe in specific religions or ritual laws.

These things had all appeared in the history of United Human before, but seeing them in the Wasteland Era after the Prosperity Epoch was particularly precious.

Of course, at the same time also emerging in Jin Galun Harbor was another extreme — nihilism.

That is, the negation of all meaning, the belief that everything people do is powerless and futile.

The culture of the survivors from Poluo Province originated at Lowell Camp, and locals proudly claimed a culture that covered an area of 4 million square kilometers. In contrast, Haiya Province, which triggered the sensitive nerves of the three major "Degenerate Empires," was not even as big as one state of the Empire.

Even a slave from the farmsteads could stand tall and say that the "Degenerate Empires" and the "Battle of Heaven" were just a few strangely shaped crabs fighting in a cricket cage.

However, facing an emerging Survivor Forces that had risen just two and a half years ago, their pride was utterly shattered.

Even if they counted the thousand pillars of the City of Thousand Pillars ten thousand times over, they couldn’t understand why, when the Alliance fought with the Torch, the mere wind raised by an inadvertent punch could topple the "Gray Wolf," which the Empire took pride in and saw as the spearhead of their power.

Pride and inferiority, though two extremes of self-perception, are not contradictory when appearing in the same person; in fact, they can be considered as inseparable as shadows are to objects.

Compared to the City of Thousand Pillars, the symbol of authority, Lowell Camp is truly the spiritual totem in the hearts of the Survivor Forces of Poluo Province. Even if locals have never prayed to it, they unconsciously lower their heads and quicken their pace when passing by its doors.

However, few survivors of Poluo Province truly realize that prayer is just a "form of expression" of reverence towards the divine and is not the epitome of faith, let alone its essence.

People of primitive societies compiled mythology out of awe for wild fires and thunder; they offered dances to the gods and sacrifices to totems...

Mythology, dance, and sacrifices are insufficient to encapsulate the essence of faith; genuine reverence from the heart—or rather, fear—is what truly defines it.

Due to the Alliance’s arrival, the majesty of Lowell Camp was trampled underfoot. The local Old Aristocrats lost not only the income from their slaves but also their spiritual anchor.

Now, a wave of nihilism is popular among the local upper class, primarily manifesting in the realms of music and painting.

After all, these two areas have higher "entry barriers" compared to writing; the residents of Jin Galun are still at the stage of learning United Human language filled with "Alliance flavor."

"... ’The Story After the Storm’ is just a minor episode in my research report. I know you are more concerned with the voices of progress, not the groans of conservative forces. But I believe you are rational and should know that there’s only a fine line between radical and extreme, with the Torch being the most straightforward example."

"Currently, the survivors of Jin Galun have reached a consensus to dismantle the thousand pillars of the City of Thousand Pillars. Society is united like never before due to this consensus. Although I tend to believe that the majority’s view is more in the spiritual sense than physical, I worry that this movement may spin out of control and lead to damage to important relics of civilization and research materials."

"Before it’s destroyed, I want to conduct a local inspection, preferably leaving behind some visual records or something similar; these are valuable materials for sociological research... While my research may not immediately yield any practical application, I still want to request that you relax the restrictions on task assignments by region, as well as a Viper Transport Plane and a twelve-man tactical team."

Chu Guang read the report to the end, tapped his index finger on the desk, and ultimately denied her request.

"...I don’t mean to underestimate the importance of sociological research; on the contrary, I value it tremendously. However, we have already signed a ceasefire agreement with the Empire. Rashly crossing the ceasefire line might entangle the Army in the already complex regional affairs or even drag the Sticky Community into a new quagmire, who should be focusing their full efforts on the front lines. I cannot approve your request."

"Of course, I will seriously consider your suggestion and urge the Residents of the refuge active in the area to support your research and protect the ’new inheritance of the Era After the Prosperity Epoch’ through indirect intervention."

The Torch Church is playing for time, and the Sticky Community has merely completed the encirclement. It will take some time to completely resolve this trouble.

If the Alliance increases its interference in the Poluo Province area, the Army will immediately follow up to expand its influence and territory in Poluo Province, which may not ultimately benefit the spontaneous revolution of the local survivors.

Better to maintain the status quo and use Jin Galun to contain West Sail Port, allowing local survivors to decide their own future.

Besides, the locals are actually doing quite well.

The decline of the Moon Clan Resistance Army, once shipped from Jin Galun to the Inland, is now piercing through Tiger State and advancing towards the northeastern corner of Poluo Province.

According to Fang Chang’s report at the "hearing" to Little Fish, the "military strongman" they invested 10 million silver coins to cultivate has successfully secured the first round of venture capital from civilian sources in Jin Jialun Port and Potato Harbor, leveraging nearly 20 million silver coins of capital, and preparing to establish a "New Golden Cadron Port" at the outlet of the Tasang River in Mammoth State.

The economic potential of this port may not catch up with the one at the mouth of the Everflow River, but it would radiate to two or three Inland States adjacent to the Tasang River.

Although the plan didn’t fool Little Fish, several shareholder representatives who also attended the hearing were indeed enticed by the prospect and unhesitantly sided with Fang Chang.

Honestly, if they could really build another Jin Galun, would 10 million silver coins be wasted?

Not at all!

Ideal City, with its substantial foundation, can refrain from expansion, comfortably living behind closed doors and still having spare change to tip in the Wasteland, but does City of Dawn have this base?

Overseas business must expand!

Now with grain and mines in hand, the only thing missing is population.

If that Laxi can truly turn the beasts of Poluo Province into people, who cares what he is, could he be more outrageous than that Witch Camel?

After seeing a series of "physical evidence" presented by Fang Chang, Little Fish didn’t say much. Once a complete plan was supplemented, the summons was lifted.

In fact, her actions were entirely based on the Alliance’s charter, and there was no deliberate favoritism or suppression.

Chu Guang was also very pleased with the outcome.

Whether it was for the Baiyue Corporation, Little Fish, or the transformation that Poluo Province was undergoing under the guidance of players.

The place was also Wasteland, with no distinction between mainline Wasteland and sideline Wasteland.

The corruption in Brocade River Province originated from the Torch in Haiya Province, but ultimately it was rooted in Spring City of River Valley Province—or rather, the Lair in Spring City and Shelter No.117.

The Nago from Haiya Province came from Baiyue Province, and the key to solving the Nago problem—the Type B Nago Fungus Strain—also came from the same province, or rather, from the Mucor Nest there that players have yet to discover.

The pioneering of Baiyue Province could not be done without the support of survivors from the Southern sea area, including researching the relics of the Tiangong, the Variants under the sea, and the Lair.

The development of the Great Desert was the same; the Alliance had to pull together with survivors who had once been there and fled, to solve their problems, or at least bring along those willing to venture out from there again.

Every event that happened in the Wasteland seemed to be isolated, but in reality, they were interlocked with each other.

If they did not take each step carefully, even if they inherited many legacies, they would never return to touch the stars they once reached...

At the very least, it was unlikely he would see it in his lifetime.

...

The sun and moon on the battlefield were like snails on the tips of leaves, with the Northern front moving slowly and enduringly, bit by bit.

Time slowly reached the latter half of September.

The allied forces of the Northern front had successfully taken control of the entire Lai Mountain City and penetrated deep into the belly of Haiya Province in a three-pronged manner.

It proved that the war of attrition strategy of the allied forces was effective. Even though representatives of the Army often complained that the Alliance was lining its own pockets through the Sticky Community’s system and taking the opportunity to develop its industry.

However, after seeing the casualties of the Alliance on the front lines—especially the residents of the refuge—they could no longer say those harsh words.

The corporations had no objections; their pursuit was stable and continuous inputs and foreseeable outputs—they only worried about unexpected risks, not the expected ones.

As for the Academy, no one could guess what they were thinking. Chu Guang himself could only guess a fraction of their thoughts; their obsession with secrets was just like their attitude towards knowledge.

The Torch Church seemed to be playing for time, continuing to invest more into the Southern sea area and sending advance troops eastward, attempting to spread the fire to Yue Ma Province.

This advance force, led by a Pioneer and hundreds of Apostles, happened to clash with the 99th Mechanized Infantry Division of the corporations.

The two sides clashed fiercely in the plains and ultimately, the latter with their increasingly flashy equipment, gained the upper hand, causing the advance team to retreat in defeat.

A few novice mercenaries who participated in that battle were said to have mixed in with a lot of equipment.

However, most of these pieces of equipment were eventually high priced by corporations like Huge Rock Military Industry for research.

After all, the bids from those giants in the military industry were indeed too high.

Besides, there were also those who went to work as mercenaries for the Army or even the Hound Special Forces. Some players, keen on "taking the road less traveled," even summarized the most cost-effective way to slack off for various forces on the official forum.

The Alliance offered the most stable earnings with the smoothest growth curve, as if it was meticulously designed.

After all, it was the "Protagonist force" officially endorsed by the Game, serving the majority of people, suitable for ordinary players who didn’t like to do things unconventionally, as well as the numerous members of the Army.

As for corporations, being the richest backing in the Wasteland and the first magnates to become wealthy, even ordinary Soldiers could become quest-giving NPCs, and the money offered was the highest. The only downside was that the actual combat value of the equipment provided was low.

Aside from the Bionic chips and some implants being very useful, things like Exoskeletons or light weapons were really not worth as much as selling them for money.

If one was pursuing equipment, the Academy and the Bugra Free State were better choices. The former had a technical reserve that was top-notch in the Wasteland, while the latter, with the Grand Canyon as its support, no one dared to attack it, stealing a bit from the former over the past century.

As for the Army, the pay wasn’t great, the equipment was so-so, but there could be unexpected gains, just like the guy from the Battlefield Atmosphere Group.

Chu Guang couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up after reading the post written by that player.

This guy had really figured out the new version, and at the very least, he deserved to become something like a family slave for one of the five surnames.

Of course, Chu Guang always encouraged players to "go out" on their own initiative, as long as it didn’t violate the Player’s Handbook.

However, these small details had a negligible impact on the overall battle situation, and Chu Guang had only learned about them through Xiao Qi without taking a closer look.

The "purification zone" of Haiya Province had now expanded to 70,000 square kilometers, already close to one-fifth of the total area of 370,000 square kilometers of Haiya Province.

This was roughly equivalent to taking down the first mountain of Ten Peaks Mountain, but the hard-to-chew "mountain heads" remained, and each was more dangerous than the last.

Chu Guang had more than once wished for a breakthrough on the southern front while commanding from the frontlines. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Especially now, with the Conch Submarine Carrier completed and the Meissner effect armor successfully installed on the flagship of the South Sea Union, the radar base and missile launchers on Shazhou Island had also been fully deployed, making the timing of the decisive battle better than ever.

Just as Chu Guang was contemplating whether to urge the southern allies to take action, a telegram with an attached battle plan was suddenly transmitted through the Potato Harbor private line to Xiao Qi.

The code name of that battle plan was "Laken"—that is, the fiercest sea beast in the Southern sea area, roughly equivalent to the Claw of Death in River Valley Province.

The author of the battle plan was Li Minghui, the naval commander of the South Sea Union, who had been granted full command of both the Anle Island Naval Base and the stationed fleet by the South Sea Union authorities.

"... The fishing boats and harpoons for hunting Laken have been polished; the fleet of the South Sea Union is ready to take back everything or to sacrifice everything!"

"We plan to launch the final decisive battle at the beginning of October to completely eradicate Charles and his cronies who have ensnared the residents of North Island! And to permanently exile the Torch Church followers and the Mutants from the island!"

"This operation will affect the future of all of us, we need your support!"

The telegram had only three short sentences, but the attached battle plan was a full dozen pages long.

It included using the captured Reef No. as bait to create a flaw and lure the Jingalun battleship out of port, suppressing the anti-aircraft firepower on the island, and covering the union ground troops as they landed.

Due to the presence of Torch forces on North Island, the South Sea Union hoped that City of Dawn would undertake the main role in the ground fighting.

After the success of the plan, the close cooperation between the South Sea Union and the Alliance would continue, and North Island would serve as a logistical transit base for the Alliance, acting as a springboard for the Alliance to launch an assault on the southern shores of Haiya Province.

After reading the entire battle plan, Chu Guang suddenly burst into loud laughter.

"Beautifully done!"

Xiao Qi, perched atop a pen holder, tilted its head.

"Master, do you think their plan is good?"

It felt there were some risks with the plan, as the South Sea Union had almost put all their chips on the table.

Chu Guang’s mouth curled up lightly, and he quickly tapped several times on the holographic screen, sending the battle plan to the staff headquarters and the Army Corps on the southern front.

"... Right or wrong, we can’t decide by looking at the map, whether it works or not we have to try it out."

Saying this, he looked at Xiao Qi and issued two commands in succession.

"Notify all players on the southern front to gather at Potato Harbor! No need to be too specific, just say there’s a new event on the server!"

"Additionally, command the Burning Corps and the Goblin Corps to immediately enter the battle preparation phase! Be ready to receive orders at any moment!"

Seeing the excitement flickering in Chu Guang’s eyes, Xiao Qi also energetically performed an Alliance salute.

"Received!"