This Game Is Too Real-Chapter 797 "Feasibility Demonstration of the Orbital-free Space Elevator
"Shit, we were tricked!"
After losing over twenty of his men in succession, Favri finally came to his senses. He might have been played by the Alliance people!
This abandoned district was indeed the Torch Church’s stronghold, but the whole place had nothing except for bodies that hadn’t been cleaned up and rubble!
No wonder...
These greedy Blue Ground Squirrels were so quick to spit out the meat they’d bitten off!
This wasn’t meat at all—it was a cold, hard bone!
The more Favri thought about it, the angrier he got. He halted the mine clearance team and the search team that were busy on the ruins and went to the south side of the abandoned district himself.
It was a relatively open area where cargo was piled up in the center of the open space, and Alliance Soldiers in exoskeletons were bustling around, working on something.
They swept the construction debris to the edge of the open space and were leveling the rugged ground, seemingly planning to build a temporary runway that could accommodate airplanes.
Besides that, one could see rows of tents all in the same style and some survivors wrapped in blankets.
It looked like these guys were planning to build a semi-permanent military base on the former site of Haibei City and stay for a long time.
Favri didn’t care how long they wanted to stay there; he just wanted to know what the deal was with the ruins he had received, so he strode up furiously and caught a patrolling soldier to shout,
"Where’s your commander! Have him come see me!"
The patrolling player halted and glanced at this loudly complaining big-nose.
"Who are you?"
Favri squinted slightly, holding back his temper, and said,
"I am the Thousands leader of the first thousand team of the 37th ten thousand team! I need to talk to your commander about the issue of the controlled areas!"
Hearing who he was and why he was there, the player didn’t make things difficult for him, though he didn’t show much enthusiasm.
Thousands leader.
They had captured many Thousands leaders in the desert.
"Wait."
Having said that, the player turned and walked towards the camp. Soon, Killer Dagger came out.
Favri sized him up and said,
"You’re the person in charge here."
Killer Dagger answered concisely,
"Our commander has more important tasks. I’m in charge here. You can tell me whatever you need."
Favri stared at him intently, eyes slightly squinted, 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
"What tricks are you guys playing?"
Killer Dagger, unfazed, replied,
"Tricks? Sorry, I don’t understand what you’re talking about."
"Stop playing dumb!" Seeing the other man feign ignorance, Favri pressed him confrontationally, "That wreckage! There’s nothing in there!"
As his tone became more aggressive, Killer Dagger’s expression gradually cooled.
"Mr. Favri, that position was secured by our soldiers’ blood. You came asking for it, and we could have refused, but we provided it without a second thought. It’s not because we were afraid of you, but because we consider that we stand in the same trench. Yet now you accuse us of tricks and complain about the assistance we provided. Don’t you think you are being a bit too greedy?"
Favri froze, his face turning from pale to flush, yet he couldn’t muster any rebuttal.
Indeed.
His approach was indeed somewhat questionable.
After all, the abandoned district was originally conquered by the Alliance. He thought there was an opportunity and reached for it, only to come back empty-handed and blame others for setting him up.
Ultimately the site was built by the Torch, not by the Alliance.
It was only to be expected that our allies wouldn’t know what was there...
Watching Favri gradually calm down, Killer Dagger continued in a milder tone,
"I’ll give you a bit more information. The Church’s Holy Light Knights, as well as the Flame Hole Tribe that retreated from the Ten Peaks Mountain, are stationed in the city area your forces currently occupy. When our drones spotted them from above, they were fortifying that concrete Fortress."
"It’s impossible for there to be nothing there. if there was really nothing, why would they be building so many defensive fortifications? There must be something secretive they don’t want us taking from them."
The more Favri thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense.
Indeed.
A rational analysis, if it were just a ruin, why would the Torch build so much defensive architecture?
Watching Favri appear to get tangled up in his own rhetoric, Killer Dagger coughed lightly to stifle his laughter, then shamelessly added,
"This kind of hidden map... cough, I mean, a hidden research facility, surely wouldn’t place its entrance where it’s easily spotted. Maybe you should go back and look more closely?"
Actually, the last reminder wasn’t necessary.
The Army’s Thousands leader, before he even finished his sentence, was already eager to go back and resume work.
"Right! I’ll go and search again."
He quickly made this statement, Favri impatiently turned and went back to his controlled area, gathering the resting engineers and laborers.
"Everyone search thoroughly!"
"Even if it means digging three feet deep, you must find the Torch’s research facility!"
Seeing the commander seem to have a new clue, displaying a confident expression as he spoke, the morale of the soldiers, which had bottomed out from returning empty-handed, also quickly rallied with spirited cheers.
"Ooooh!!"
Watching those Weilante soldiers energetically rushing back into the depths of the ruins, the Battlefield Atmosphere Group had a subtle smile on their faces.
Seriously.
It might turn out that they actually dig something up...
Then it would be hard to say who the real sucker would be.
While the Weilante people were bustling on the ruins, players from the Alliance were also having a heated discussion in another world’s forum.
The hottest topic was still the post by Elder Brother Fang Chang.
After retreating from the abandoned city area, Fang Chang went offline and returned to reality, where he shared on the official forum the discoveries of the Burning Corps in Shelter No.20, along with his own speculations about the whereabouts of the residents of Shelter No.20 and the higher echelons of the Torch Church.
"... Shelter No.20 was established in the 51st year of the Wasteland Era, and its last operational year was the 72nd year of the Wasteland Era, after which it remained abandoned."
"Due to the loss of the Administrator’s Log and the death of related persons, it is difficult to speculate the reasons for abandoning the shelter as well as the whereabouts of the inhabitants after the facility was abandoned. However, from the facilities left in the shelter and the data catalog remaining in the database, the research conducted at this shelter appears to be related to ’outer space development.’"
Crow: "Outer space development? 0.0"
Fang Chang: "Yes, the residents of the shelter were not biological experts, but primarily aerospace engineers and related professionals. During the operation of the shelter, they proposed several rather innovative technological ideas for the unique outer space environment of the Wasteland Era."
"For instance, one is the ’non-orbital elevator’ based on graviton-related technology. This space elevator mainly utilizes technology discovered in the late Prosperity Epoch. Its principle is similar to that of the superluminal engine and anti-gravity device, not only offering lower power consumption, maintenance, and construction costs but also lacking the safety hazards present in the classic space elevators built in the early Prosperity Epoch. In suitable circumstances, this device could help survivors return to outer space at a lower cost."
"Additionally, aside from the non-orbital elevator, the survivors from the shelter also proposed another concept called ’mind projection.’"
Blue Ground Squirrel Engineer: "What is that? (Stumped)"
Fang Chang: "Simply put, it involves digitalizing consciousness and then broadcasting it through high-power transmission equipment towards spacecraft or space stations deployed in outer space during the Human Alliance Era, thereby breaking through the blockades of massive space debris and automated weapon systems."
"This concept considers the most extreme situations. That is, individual orbits cluttered with space debris completely cutting off the possibility for survivors to return to space through spacecraft, while the remaining resources are insufficient to allow survivors to rebuild a sustainable new civilization. They believed that by then, people would need to shift their thinking, from an ’inward-out’ self-rescue mode to an ’outward-in’ approach."
Si Si: "So, in the situation where physical bodies cannot leave, let the spirit go out first, take over the control of the outer space facilities left from the Human Alliance Era, and then gradually develop Earth using the technological and resource advantages of outer space, ultimately saving the survivors trapped on Earth... Is that the idea?"
Fang Chang: "Smart."
Quit smoking: "I’m dizzy!!"
Tail: "Giao! So you’re saying... the Torch has already escaped to an exoplanet through this device?! ∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ"
Fang Chang: "Not exactly an exoplanet... Only specific outer space equipment can receive these messages, because signaling to a rock serves no purpose. According to information revealed in the last words of the Saint Heir, they headed to a place one and a half million kilometers away. Based on that figure, I speculate it’s a space station near the Lagrange points L1 or L2, but the specifics are unclear."
Meat Mountain Big Steamed Bun: "That’s far!!"
Ao Ao Sesame Paste: "Hm... But why did he reveal such crucial information to us? (Puzzled)"
Spring Water Commander: "He’s probably convinced that we definitely can’t get there. (Skeptical)"
Si Si: "Hmm... Another explanation from a psychological perspective is that compared to Alzu, who proposed the establishment of Sanctuary No.2, he is the only pioneer who has truly not given up on the physical body. On one hand, he firmly believes that only when Heaven is finally realized can humanity complete its ascension to a higher being as a form of redemption. However, he also distrusts the current technology’s capability to freely transit consciousness between different bodies. Therefore, out of fear of death and future uncertainties, he did some seemingly contradictory things."
Fang Chang: "According to usual game settings, a BOSS revealing key information is generally just to advance the plot, so I think you don’t need to worry too much about these minor details... Besides, these details aren’t the point. The key lies in his last words and the concepts he mentioned in the conversation including ’one and a half million kilometers’ and ’celestial beings,’ based on which I can boldly speculate that the next expansion pack or the next phase of the main story of ’Wasteland OL’ will be related to outer space."
Tail: "Oh! Are we going to the universe?! (✪ω✪)"
Edge Shoveling: "Speaking of which, the terrestrial wasteland hasn’t ended yet, so is it really appropriate to release an expansion pack about outer space so early? (Confused)"
Fang Chang: "On this planet, backwardness and advancement coexist. The outer space Wasteland Era and the terrestrial Wasteland Era can end together, and they can even promote each other. Actually, there’s no conflict in that. Moreover, the idea of the non-orbital elevator proposed by Shelter No.20 might just become a critical clue leading us to outer space."
"Furthermore, I speculate that not only the high echelons of the Torch Church but also the escaping residents of Shelter No.117, and even the inhabitants of Shelter No.20 who disappeared over a century ago... They might all have transferred their minds to a facility one and a half million kilometers away through ’the second method.’"
Blue Ground Squirrel Engineer: "So... the ’celestial beings’ mentioned by the Saint Heir are those who transferred their minds using mind uploading technology to outer space spacecraft and space stations?"
Fang Chang: "Perhaps, but I tend to think the celestial beings accommodated them... For some reason unknown to us."
Night Ten: "So who exactly are these ’celestial beings’? (Confused)"
Fang Chang: "Two possibilities: one might be the Alliance Expeditionary Army returning from South Gate Two, the other might be rebels from Gaia planet."
"If it’s the former, there might still be a possibility to resolve issues through communication."
"But if it’s the latter, we may have to prepare for the worst possible scenario..."
...
Steel Heart’s captain’s office.
The general browsed through the posts on the official forum from start to finish and, after a long moment, Chu Guang leaned back in his office chair and couldn’t help but exclaim,
"These guys are truly talented!"
He had probably said this many times, but that didn’t stop him from feeling it anew each time.
It was rather embarrassing.
He, as the game designer, had not thought of so much, yet his players had already brainstormed it for him.
However, developing outer space...
That idea was indeed a bit too ambitious.
Not to mention that the challenging reality of outer space was something even the Academy found thorny, and the Alliance had too many other issues to address on the ground to spare time for some outer space expansion pack—
Wait a minute.
Chu Guang was about to set this matter aside when he suddenly had a realization.
"Although the Alliance doesn’t have the energy or capability to handle this alone, if it were done in the name of the Sticky Community, combining the resources of the entire Sticky Community..."
Thinking of this, Chu Guang’s eyes brightened, feeling that his scope and approach had been instantly broadened.
Developing outer space was still too distant a goal for the Alliance, but as a new agenda for the Sticky Community, it was just right!
The Battle of Heaven was about to conclude, and the Sticky Community needed a new common goal to keep all its members united under the same roof.
Developing outer space was undoubtedly a great opportunity!
In the long run, aiming to elevate productivity to a mid-Prospeperity Epoch level, restoring "Earth-Moon flights" and helium-3 nuclear fuel production, and other such prerequisites were essential.
In the short term, the high-ranking members of the Torch Church had fled to outer space. To bring these criminals to justice, it made perfect sense for the Sticky Community to pursue them, right?
That was absolutely logical!
Moreover,
The "Celestial Beings," who had always lurked in the shadows and manipulated the situation in the Wasteland, posed a threat that could not be overlooked.
If they were not permanently eliminated, they would repeatedly take advantage of the survivors’ myopia and weakness in the Wasteland, allowing "threats similar to the Torch" to reemerge!
This issue must be thoroughly discussed at the Sticky Community conference.
However, holding a big meeting was secondary for now, as the pressing matter was to figure out whether the "Non-orbital Space Elevator" devised by Shelter No.20 was feasible.
With this thought, Chu Guang didn’t hesitate and immediately turned to Xiao Qi to instruct,
"Xiao Qi, notify Yin Fang! Have him organize personnel and retrieve the data stored in Shelter No.20!"
"I need the research team to prioritize this task, sort out the data quickly, and provide me with a technical feasibility report on the ’Non-orbital Space Elevator’!"
"I need to know how much material and time costs are needed to build such an elevator!"
Watching Chu Guang filled with enthusiasm, Xiao Qi, sitting atop the pen holder, playfully saluted and said cheerfully,
"Roger that!"
-
(Not going to talk about my fever now, just that the cough still continues nonstop, and my head feels as if it’s been hit by a blunt object, all groggy... uncomfortable. T.T)
