This Game Is Too Real-Chapter 788: The Torch at the End of Its Rope

The battle was over.

And it ended in a complete victory for the Alliance.

In the square of Fortress Town, standing next to an armored vehicle, "Hard to Name" turned off the Tactical Goggles’ visual battlefield guidance system and took off his helmet to look around. He couldn’t help but sigh.

"...Unbelievable."

"Silence," holding a rifle nearby, curiously glanced at him.

"Unbelievable what?"

"That this place once housed over 20,000 people," "Hard to Name" gazed at the playground equipment on the edge of the square, rusty bars and slides indicating that there had been better times.

Life in the Wasteland, although tough, wasn’t all about struggling.

The always quiet "Too Poor" quipped,

"Heck, my tiny hometown had millions of people."

Hard to Name: "Tch, is reality even comparable to the Wasteland?"

Silence mocked with a laugh.

"Haha, you should say is the Game comparable to reality."

Suddenly thinking of something else, "Hard to Name" said,

"Speaking of which, based on the realism of this game so far... those 20,000 people must have existed here, right?"

Silence: "Maybe, so what?"

"Nothing," "Hard to Name" paused, "just wondering... where did all those people go?"

...

Fang Chang had thought he would face a tough battle after entering the shelter, but, unexpectedly, just as he reached the entrance, the other side surrendered immediately.

"I surrender!"

Seeing the power armor at the entrance and the exoskeletons standing behind it, Alzu raised his hands without hesitation.

Undoubtedly, it was the people in the control room who had opened the door.

But whether they opened the door or not didn’t matter anymore; no one knew better than the Alliance how to pry open the doors of a shelter, especially since many of them were Blue Ground Squirrels.

A million thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, but he ultimately raised his hands.

Being captured wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

After all, he had plenty of chips left outside; there was no need to risk his physical body for a fruitless resistance.

Fang Chang could tell from the gray robe this person wore that his status was not low and that his brain certainly contained chips, so he promptly pulled out a medical gun and aimed it at him.

This device, with a range of only twenty meters, could fire nanomachine-laden hemostatic capsule bullets or anesthetic alkaloid-charged anesthesia rounds, marketed at 10,000 Silver coins. It belonged to one of the Alliance’s early ornamental imports from Ideal City.

Since only players who could afford such gear generally wore armor, and players without armor usually didn’t need medical treatment, the gun had very limited use—employed sparingly only for specimen collection missions at the Biological Institute.

Unaware it was a medical gun, Alzu’s face registered surprise, and he instinctively raised his right hand as he stepped back.

"Wait... I’ve already surrendered—"

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of the gun firing resonated, and a hot wave hit his arm.

Before he could gather his senses, a wave of drowsiness swept over his brain, dragging his consciousness into an unfathomably deep mire.

"You might as well take a nap first."

Looking at the "suspect VIP target" lying unconscious on the ground, Fang Chang then turned his attention to another staff member sitting paralyzed on the ground with wet pants and said in a teasing tone,

"If you don’t want to end up like him, you’d better cooperate with our investigation."

The staff member nodded nervously.

"I, I will definitely cooperate."

"Good," pleased with the expression on his face, Fang Chang nodded lightly and continued in a relaxed voice, "Introduce yourself, and the person next to you, as well as this underground facility."

Trembling, the man nodded again and stammered out,

"Tomiller, my name... this, this person is Alzu, an Apostle of The Church, but his status is a bit higher than that of a regular Apostle."

Fang Chang raised his hand to stop him.

"Can you stand and talk? I’d prefer to walk and listen rather than wait at the entrance."

Not caring to hide the wet stains on his pants and the floor, the staff member scrambled up from the ground.

"Okay, okay... I can show you around here, please don’t kill me."

"Do you think we are like you? Of course, whether you live or die depends on the Judge’s trial and your behavior after your surrender."

After dropping that line, Fang Chang touched his helmet to make contact with the command center behind him.

"This is Fang Chang, we have successfully suppressed Shelter No.182... This place appears to have been transformed by the Torch into a research facility. At the entrance, we captured an Apostle suspected of being a high-ranking member of the Torch, as well as a suspected researcher. No missing residents of Fortress Town have been found."

After a brief static noise, a steady voice came through the communication channel.

"Command center received, investigation team members will arrive at the scene in two hours. Preserve the site and control the relevant personnel as much as possible."

"Received."

After shutting off the communication, Fang Chang noticed the staffer, who had wet his pants in fear, suddenly fell over next to Alzu and started rummaging under his gray robe.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Fang Chang pointed the medical gun at him, only to see the other pull out a thumb-sized electronic component from Alzu’s body, presenting it with a flattering smile.

"This, this for you!"

This thing looked a bit like a USB drive.

Fang Chang was slightly stunned and took it from his hand with interest.

"What is this?"

"This is everything about Shelter No.182."

Tomiller said rapidly.

"The data for the Perfect Life Form Project, along with the related research and experiment logs that this research facility was conducting... Alzu had copied everything from this research facility onto this disk, then cleared the original data from the servers."

As he said this, he carefully looked at the soldier in front of him, his voice carrying a hint of ingratiation.

"Does this... count as a merit?"

Amused by his cautious demeanor, Fang Chang replied teasingly.

"That depends on what we can recover from it. I’m not a judge, I can only help you submit the evidence at most."

He paused, then pointed his gun at the decontamination chamber door.

"Now, I need you to show me around this shelter."

The value of the data stored in the hard drive would be judged by the specialists of the investigation team.

However, the Alliance was relatively reasonable. They generally only imposed the maximum penalty on decision-makers and specifically examined which actions of the executors were subjectively against humanity and which were due to coercion.

If one were merely a researcher and did not participate in the actual decision-making, a death sentence might not be necessary; loss of personal freedom at most, confined for a lifetime in Shelter No.79.

However, Tomiller misunderstood his meaning, thinking that the Alliance people deemed this merit too insignificant. After all, they could find this disk by searching anyone similar. There was no need for him to hand it over.

Seeing his only chance slipping away, Tomiller hurriedly walked ahead of Fang Chang, eager to introduce Shelter No.182 to him and the other soldiers following him.

The group had just passed through the decontamination door and had not yet crossed the shelter’s plaza when they saw a large group of researchers swarm through the hallway doors.

Before Fang Chang could ask what had happened, they dashed up, sniveling and in tears, completely overwhelming Fang Chang and the players.

"What are you doing?"

Looking at the group of researchers, practically begging to cling to his legs, Fang Chang, unable to help laughing and crying, reached down and picked up one particularly agitated fellow off the ground.

An older researcher grabbed his arm, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Brothers from the Alliance... You finally came!"

"You... have suffered," Fang Chang coughed lightly and hurriedly asked Tomiller to his side, "What’s the situation with these people?"

Not daring to hide anything, Tomiller quickly provided an honest answer.

"They are researchers sent by Charles from a company called North Island Heavy Industries; the tanks and anti-tank cannons outside were designed by them."

Upon hearing this, the older researcher immediately panicked.

"You can’t talk carelessly, what do you mean ’all designed by us’?"

Several younger researchers also started yelling.

"We were forced by you!"

"Exactly! Seeing what happened to the residents of Fortress Town, how could we dare to disagree with you?"

"Residents of Fortress Town?" Fang Chang’s heart stirred, and he turned to the young researcher to inquire, "Are those people still alive?"

Suddenly, the plaza at the decontamination doorway quieted down.

Including Tomiller, whether the researchers originally belonged to this research facility or those bound here by Charles, everyone’s expression grew strange, seemingly hesitant to delve into these details.

Under Fang Chang’s probing gaze, the young researcher finally mumbled.

"...On the fifth underground level of the shelter, there is a converted bioengineering factory. It’s equipped with culturing vessels that can transform living people into mutants... I heard it was initially among the earliest mutant cultivation facilities."

By Some Mistake, who was next to Fang Chang, his Adam’s apple bobbed difficultly, forcing out a statement.

"So that means..."

Tomiller received an uneasy gaze from the researchers.

"They drove part of the residents to plant Nago, and part were transformed into mutants..."

Seeing the hostile look from the players directed at him, Tomiller’s forehead was covered in cold sweat as he stammered out an explanation.

"I... I wasn’t involved in this... It was the project team under Alzu that was carrying out the research, I was just responsible for the day-to-day operations of this research facility..."

"Just a bunch of animals," By Some Mistake couldn’t help but curse.

Ignoring Tomiller’s explanations, Fang Chang addressed the researchers from North Island.

"I understand the situation now. I’ll arrange for someone to send you all home."

Looking at their relieved faces, he paused and then continued,

"As for whether you were coerced or joined here on your own volition, we will also arrange for special personnel to investigate. Please rest assured that we will not wrong a good person, but we will also not let a bad person go. I hope you understand this."

Hearing this, everyone hastily responded,

"Please rest assured, we will definitely cooperate with the investigation!"

"Our families can vouch for us!"

"As long as we can leave this damned place... anything is acceptable!"

Fang Chang nodded, had their identities registered by his personnel, and then instructed Tomiller to continue leading them deeper into the shelter.

The scientific expedition team staff here would take over, so there was no need for these players to worry too much about it.

Before evacuating from here, he wanted to see just what kind of hell existed on the underground fifth level...

...

In the captain’s room of the Iron Heart.

After several hours of waiting, Chu Guang, who commanded from the northern front, finally received good news from the southern front.

In the pale blue holographic image, Old White excitedly reported to him,

"...Respected Manager, sir, our forces have successfully taken control of Death Coast and cleared the mutants’ nests and strategic facilities controlled by the Torch Church along the coast!"

"The enemy’s defensive forces have been destroyed by our mechanized troops and aerial power, and the remaining enemy is retreating towards the Heavenly domain away from the coastline."

"Not only that, but we have also established defensive positions and a temporary pier at the landing point on Death Coast. It will soon become our bridgehead for transporting military supplies and personnel from Potato Harbor to the front line!"

"Excellent," Chu Guang nodded in approval and continued watching Old White in the holographic image, "Keep up the current pace, and continue to expand our advantage on the southern line! Don’t give our enemies any chance to counterattack!"

With a fist thumped on his breastplate, Old White said vigorously,

"Yes, sir!"

At this stage of the war, everyone could see the dawn of victory.

After the communication ended, Chu Guang stretched out his index finger to switch off the holographic screen and leaned back in his chair.

Seeing the good mood of Chu Guang, Xiao Qi perched on the pen holder said brightly,

"Congratulations master, there’s finally progress on the southern line. With this momentum, it feels like the war might end soon."

Hearing Xiao Qi’s voice, Chu Guang smiled faintly and picked up the teacup from the table to take a sip.

"I’ve said long ago, from the moment Torch stood in opposition to the civilized world, their ultimate failure was predestined... It was only a matter of time."

It might sound boastful to say this, but the outcome of this war was never truly in doubt from the beginning; the real headache was just how to deal with the aftermath.

Not just for him, even the Academy had no good solutions; researchers from the Wandering Swamp even suggested burning everything.

Even Heya thought that burning was the simplest and most direct solution.

However, these seemingly unsolvable problems found new solutions as his little players became active in places like Baiyue Strait and the Southern sea area.

Although Torch had implanted the aggressive genes from the Clear Spring stone’s lair into the Nago, enabling them to devour other life forms, ultimately they were still unable to resist the fusion with the original strains.

Currently, type B strains have been confirmed to inhibit the Nago strains, and Xiaoyu, who had fused with the type B strains and Ten Peak Mountain Nest, obtained the ability to "graft" synthetic B strains and their inhibiting pheromones, dissolving Torch’s "Heavenly domain" was only a matter of time.

Now, Torch itself was no longer a concern; establishing a new order post-war was becoming a more pressing issue for discussion at the Sticky Community meetings.

Chu Guang could sense that not only the Vellante people who had benefited long ago from the Perfect Life Forms Project, but also the Academy and corporations were all greatly interested in the biological technology controlled by the Torch Church.

If the "spoils" weren’t shared evenly, it might provoke a new conflict, but allowing some technologies to spread could also potentially cause significant troubles.

Regarding this matter, he might need to talk with the high-ranking officials of the Academy.

Moreover, not just balancing the post-war order,

how to continue to maintain the unity of the Sticky Community and keep the various Survivor Forces united was also a significant challenge for the Alliance.

While Chu Guang pondered over his next moves, the Tribunal Penalty Group, defeated at Fortress Town, finally pulled back within the domains of Heavenly realm.

The dense gray fog was a natural disguise, and the Nago mycelium seeping into the soil was enough to halt the progress of the Alliance’s landing forces.

However, the Hunter knew this was not entirely foolproof.

The Alliance could utilize "Mutated slime fungus" engineered by humans to erode the territories of Heaven in the northern front, so there was no reason the same could not be done in the south.

Currently, the Alliance had already established a temporary dock on the Hainan line, where soldiers in exoskeleton armor were continuously landing behind enemy lines.

Their time was running out.

Leaving his subordinates at the logistics base, the Hunter had gone alone to the shelter where the Saint was staying and reported to the Saint that Alzu’s original form had been captured and that Shelter No.182 had fallen.

After hearing the report from his trusted subordinate, the Saint, who was sitting in a chair, fell silent for a while before slowly speaking up.

"I understand, you may go now."

The Hunter was slightly stunned.

He had thought the Saint would assign him a new task, but the last thing he expected was such a simple sentence.

He did not stand to leave but couldn’t help asking.

"You... don’t need me to do anything?"

He still had twenty-two brothers under his command; he could still fight!

Not just him.

The others from the Tribunal and the knights loyal to the Torch Church... they all still had the power to fight! The Church had merely lost a beach; they had not yet admitted defeat! 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

However, he sensed a hint of resignation in the Saint’s voice—as if they were powerless to turn the tide, as if no one could save their Heaven anymore!

He had dedicated his life to the ideals of Heaven descending to the mortal realm; he could not accept such an ending no matter what!

Seeing the flames burning in the Hunter’s eyes, the Saint knew what he was thinking and spoke in a gentle tone.

"My child, I know you can still fight, but at this stage of the war, the outcome cannot be changed by one or two battle victories."

"The Heavenly domain in Haiye Province has a fatal flaw that allowed remnants of the old era to find a way to break it... It is indeed our oversight."

"Theoretically, even if they managed to get their hands on the original Nago strains in Baiyue Province, as long as we found a way to fix the genetic flaws in Nago before they did, we could have rendered their advantage moot. Unfortunately, we were ultimately one step behind."

Luogan in Brocade River City had been on the verge of victory.

But just as Heaven was about to fully descend on Brocade River City, the Alliance suddenly intervened and disrupted their plans.

He still found it unbelievable to this day.

The most aggressive Lair was right above them, and those people hadn’t even resolved the trouble overhead but had spared efforts to send aid to those they had never met.

He had to admit, the manager of Shelter No.404 was indeed a far-sighted leader, certainly more courageous than another manager he had once known.

But then again, if Sven Vilard had really been such a person, Shelter No.117 might not have ended up in disarray.

Seeing the Saint, whose thoughts seemed to have drifted far away, the Hunter couldn’t help but speak up.

"Are we just going to sit here and wait for death?"

Recollecting his wandering thoughts, the Saint looked at him with interest and spoke.

"Why would you think that we are sitting here waiting for death?"

The Hunter, bowing his head, said,

"The allied forces of the Sticky Community are continuously shrinking our living space... If this trend continues, we don’t have the slightest chance of winning."

It wasn’t just his personal view; many of his soldiers also believed—they were walking further along a path destined for failure.

Looking at his trusted subordinate with bowed head, the Saint thought for a moment, then continued speaking.

"If you are talking about the Heavenly domain in Haiye Province, its collapse is indeed hard to reverse, but that doesn’t mean we have already lost."

"But if you are talking about our ideals, it’s perhaps too early to discuss victory and defeat."

The collapse of the Heavenly domain in Haiye Province was just a failed attempt, which didn’t prove their ideal of ascending to a higher form of life was wrong.

The Hunter suddenly raised his head, his eyes fervently fixed on the Saint seated before him, a glimmer of hope gradually lighting up in his eyes.

"... You have other plans, don’t you?"

He knew it!

They were not so easily defeated!

Seeing his look of a drowning man grabbing at a straw, a faint, indulgent smile formed at the corners of the Saint’s mouth.

Other plans...

Could those even be considered a plan?

But maybe that was a desperate way out after all... although he had never thought he would have to resort to it one day.

His gaze fell on the wall clock in the conference room, and in that moment, he remembered many things—especially the folks from Shelter No.117.

The Pioneers had already set out.

It was about time for him to prepare for his journey as well...