Chapter 248.2: You Asshole, Light! All You Do Is Lie!

[Alpha 1.01 version update: Chamber of Commerce System]

– The unlocking mission of level B4 has not yet been triggered, and the number of players cannot be increased for the time being, so beta testing will have to wait for a while.

– I will just temporarily set the version number of this update to Alpha 1.01!

– After finishing typing, Chu Guang took a screenshot, coded the version number, and uploaded it on the forum.

Light: We’re already doing it. So work hard, everyone. When the current expansion pack is over and the farming system test is completed, we will immediately release new maps and new game content to test the caravan system you all have been asking for.

Almost as soon as the post was made, the number of replies instantly soared to double digits and quickly approached triple digits after just one refresh.

Quit Smoking: Wait, why is there only one folder?

Sisi: What’s inside? I want to see it!

Night Ten: Lying Brother Light, Liar Brother Light. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Yaya: Damn it. If only our devs could be half as kind as our warm-hearted administrator! T^T

Looking at the replies below, Chu Guang’s brows twitched violently.

These guys!

Do they think it doesn’t take time to arrange NPCs who can communicate with them?

Do they not need a save point for a two-and-a-half-day journey? What about a communication base station? Do these things not need electricity?

And the most important thing is that if all of you go to the new map to have fun, who’s going to farm for all of us?

Sowing aside, the land reclamation work has to be finished first!

Do they want me, the administrator of shelter 404, to do things like land reclamation personally?

Chu Guang felt that what he had hinted at was already very obvious.

“Those whining shits! The game was just updated, but they still want me to update it again!” Chu Guang cursed angrily and closed the forum. After drinking the homemade sparkling water on the table, he opened Paradox Interactive’s game and started playing it.

…

The next day.

On the south side of the nursing home.

A mature-looking man was touching his chin and looking at the surrounding buildings, muttering something to himself.

Since he didn’t have a VM on his arm, many players were curious about him, but they didn’t pay much attention to him.

As they all knew, NPCs without VMs normally wouldn’t give them missions.

“… Since the defeat of the Bonechewer Clan’s invasion on the frontal battlefield, the morale and confidence of survivors in the northern suburbs have reached a peak, and the prestige of the local leader has reached an unprecedented height. A new survivor force is emerging, which may change the chaotic situations that exist in the northern suburbs for a long time.”

“There is a lot of undeveloped land and enough labor here. Although the infrastructure is backward and there is no supporting industry support, it is precisely because of this that there are huge business opportunities.”

Not long after Ample Time published his market research on Boulder Town on the forum, Liszt also completed a survey of the area under the Shelter 404’s control. However, he did not use any notebooks. Instead, he used a flexible tablet that he carried with him all the time.

That gadget was very convenient. It was usually stored like a pen, and when needed, it could be unfolded like unfolding a scroll. Its screen size could also be adjusted according to his preference.

This high-end product, which integrated a large number of carbon-based optical components and electronic components, was not something Boulder Town could produce.

However, every year, traders from the east coast would bring rare treasures like that from the faraway Ideal City.

“… Yes, plus the title of Enterprise’s Permanent Strategic Partner.”

That was also what Liszt was interested in.

Just a few hours ago, he had confirmed through his own channels that Shelter 404 had indeed received that extremely rare honor, or a type of contract in another sense.

There were only two plains that traversed the entire River Valley Province from east to west. The northern plains had been blocked by the Bonechewer Clan. It was almost foreseeable that a large wave of caravans would pass through the southern plains in the year.

Thinking of this, Liszt couldn’t help but look forward to it.

If he could seize this historic opportunity, maybe he could earn a huge amount of chips that he wouldn’t dare to imagine in the past, and his assets would grow as fast as a rocket!

What is that word called again?

Right!

Win-win!

“How’s the research going?” A familiar voice came from behind.

Liszt turned his head and saw Chu Guang walking towards him, and said with a beaming smile. “It’s done! Surprisingly, the situation is much better than I expected. Although there are many problems that need to be solved. For example, you lack stable electricity, but what’s commendable is that you actually built a steel mill out of the ruins.”

Chu Guang said pleasantly. “The power supply issue will be resolved by the end of the month. Our engineers are already designing power grids for industrial areas and building centralized thermal power plants, what else?”

“And the drainage system,” Liszt continued after thinking for a while. “If you’re going to keep caravans here next year, at least make sure they don’t step on something bad like excrement when they’re walking down the street.”

What the heck? Chu Guang was stunned. “Is there such a thing??”

Liszt coughed lightly. “No… I’m just giving an example. After all, your new settlement has a scale of 2,000 people, but I found that there are only five toilets that rely on manpower to keep them running. Indeed, the local people can simply do it in the fields, but what about foreign travelers? What about the merchants? And their guards, entourages, and servants? It is impossible to ask them to urinate or defecate in the fields.”

Chu Guang stroked his chin. “This is indeed a problem. Is there anything else?”

“That’s all for now.” Liszt said after a moment’s hesitation. “However, these are all trivial things, and I was just saying it. You don’t need to take it too seriously.”

“But they are not trivial matters to me,” Chu Guang shook his head and said solemnly, “Those problems will be resolved within a month.”

Liszt was slightly surprised, then smiled. “It seems that the northern suburbs have met a wise administrator, no wonder people here are full of confidence about the future.”

Chu Guang nodded slowly. “Thank you for the compliment.”

Liszt continued, “It’s not a compliment I’m giving for the sake of it. It’s the fact I’ve seen with my own eyes. I have a wide variety of clients, ranging from farm owners like Brown to landowners like your old town mayor, to slave owners and mine owners in Red River Town… Very few people see the problems of the common man as problems to be solved. From my perspective, I certainly hope your residents are better off so they can afford to buy my goods.”

Clearing his throat, Liszt continued confidently, “Perhaps, I should have more confidence in your future… By the way, you seem to be in short supply of agricultural machinery. I happen to know a factory owner who mainly produces engines and various power components. He has stockpiled a large number of agricultural machinery and firewood engines in his warehouse. I also used their products in my own plantations in the south, and their quality is very reliable.”

“If you want, I can order a batch for you. For the sake of our friendship, I can give you a 10% discount.” Liszt concluded.

Just 10%, and the price was something he set originally…

Chu Guang almost forgot how he got scammed previously if this guy didn’t mention it.

However, it was not the time to settle accounts with him.

Chu Guang asked immediately, “You have a plantation in the south?”

In order to show his capability to his partners, Liszt did not hide anything and said with a smile, “Yes, it’s not just the plantation. I have a long-term contract with the local survivor settlement. The rubber they produced is mine, and the biomass oil produced is owned by them. I will go there once a quarter with the necessities they need, and bring back some things that Boulder Town needs. If you are interested, we can also cooperate. You provide the land and are responsible for security, and I provide manpower for farming, and we can split the harvest 50/50.”

What interested Chu Guang was not his proposal, but the information he disclosed.

​The south side of Clearspring City seemed to have a better development environment, and many merchants in Boulder Town had plantations and other industries there.

That was a blind spot of his.

Maybe I should take advantage of the spring and take the opportunity of the restoration of the trade route to send a few people to investigate around Clearspring City.

Chu Guang thought for a moment and mumbled, “It sounds like a very attractive proposition, but we’re going to use more efficient centralized cultivation for cash crops, so let’s talk about those farm machines.”

“No problem.” Liszt was not surprised by Chu Guang’s tactful rejection.

He had strolled around the northern suburbs and didn’t see a single slave, only prisoners of war at most. Obviously, slavery was not popular in this survivor settlement.

In fact, slavery was indeed an inefficient means of production compared to employment. Even with the same standard of living, the work enthusiasm of a freedman would be significantly better than that of a slave.

Therefore, even in Boulder Town, which recognized the legality of slaves, few factories would arrange for slaves to work on the assembly line.

Chu Guang gave Liszt a list and purchased 10 Iron Horse 60 portable steam engines.

Although those things did not use any particularly advanced technology, they were serious heavy equipment, and the price per unit was naturally much more expensive than the much smaller KV-1 exoskeleton.

According to the data provided by Liszt, the total weight of the portable steam engine was about 500 kilograms, and it could provide a maximum of 60 horsepower.

Compared with the 8 to 10 horsepower portable steam engine imitated and improved by players, and the type 20 to 30 commonly used in the Army’s light trucks, the portable steam engine with a weight of 500 kilograms that could provide a maximum of 60 horsepower was indeed an incredible technology.

Shelter 404 had no shortage of light power equipment, but such heavy power equipment was still in short supply.

Whether it was used in construction machinery or in wasteland reclamation work, these machines were enough to more than double the original efficiency.

Compared with the fuel engine, the advantages of this kind of machinery were obvious. It was easy to manufacture, and simple to maintain, and its fuel could be found everywhere, so it was quite popular in the wasteland.

However, it was relatively expensive.

The unit price of a unit reached an astonishing 5,000 chips, which was equivalent to 100 iron-barreled rifles, or 30 automatic rifles.

According to an offer of 5,000 chips, if Chu Guang wanted to buy the equipment, he would need to pay Liszt 50,000 chips.

Naturally, Chu Guang didn’t have that many chips.

It was also impossible to give him so much foreign exchange reserves.

However, he didn’t worry too much. Paying money directly was a strange thing anyway, and bartering was the norm in the wasteland.

In the warehouse of the outpost, there were hundreds of tons of psychoid leaves, all harvested from the greenhouse ruin.

After some haggling, the deal was finally settled with 10 portable steam engines for 1,000 kilograms of psychoid leaves.

Liszt had repeatedly stated that 50 chips per kilogram of psychoid leaves was the price in Boulder Town, and it wouldn’t be this price all the time.

Moreover, he had to transport these goods back to Boulder Town, so he had to make some profit.

However, Chu Guang certainly wouldn’t believe his nonsense and replied directly. “5000 chips an Iron Horse 60 portable steam engine, isn’t that also the price in Boulder Town? And it’s the price you quoted me.”

“And I don’t think 1000 kilograms of psychoid leaves can only be sold for 50 chips per kilogram by you. It’s still winter, psychoid leaves are a summer crop, and the demand for the environment and soil is quite harsh. Can you get so much of this stuff from other places?”

“The pharmaceutical factory in Boulder Town will only beg you to sell them this shipment. Just as you trust my management skills, I trust your business acumen to know what to do.”

Chu Guang believed that Liszt would not be stupid enough to falsely quote an outrageous price to him, affecting the cooperation of millions for the mere 50,000 chips.

He also did not believe that Liszt gave himself the lowest price possible.

Just like what this guy said himself, the back-and-forth journey was almost 100 kilometers; both the personnel and the means of transport would cost money.

He couldn’t just do it for free.

“Management ability? It’s really a shame you don’t go into business.” Looking at the order in hand, although there was still some profit, Liszt couldn’t help but complain in a low voice, and then put the order away silently.

Chu Guang smiled.

Hehehehehehe… How do you know I have never done it before?

“I’ll just treat it as you complimenting me.”

Psychoid leaves had a wide range of uses. They could be brewed into tea, stuffed into cigarettes, and could also be made into psychoid drinks with a stronger calming and more obvious pain-blunting effect. Like Power Pills, Minter, radiation-reduction agents, anti-radiation agents, and all kinds of antibiotics, it was one of the most popular drugs on the wasteland.

Although not every mercenary had the habit of using enhancing drugs, even if the proportion only accounted for one-third, it was still a huge market.

A ton should not be enough to make the price fluctuate greatly.

Considering that the caravan at the outpost had not yet been formed, Chu Guang made a slight concession on the price.

After the caravan was formed, he would do business with Boulder Town directly.

“This batch of goods will be delivered within a week. When my assistant comes back, I will let him go back again immediately. I didn’t expect to see a large order of more than 10,000 chips in the northern suburbs. This is really a surprise… It seems that my caravan has to be expanded this year.” Speaking of this, Liszt’s tone couldn’t help but bring a hint of emotion.

In the past, even if his caravan traveled around the entire northern suburbs, he was only able to make from a few thousand to 20,000 chips.

Unlike back then, he could easily make so much money from just one trade.

It wasn’t just chips either. He would be able to gain a lot of resources as well!

Maybe it wouldn’t be long before he could enter the inner city and live the high society life he dreamed of.

Hearing Liszt’s words, Chu Guang suddenly had an idea. “Do you need escorts?”

Liszt, who was daydreaming, replied without thinking. “Of course, there is always a shortage of excellent guards. Even if we occasionally hire mercenaries to make up the number, it is impossible to just hire mercenaries to escort the caravan. The combat effectiveness of those mercenaries is uneven, and the quality is also very average. There are only a few mercenary groups that are slightly good, and most of them are only a little better than marauders.”

A bright smile appeared on Chu Guang’s face. “That’s great.”

Liszt was stunned. “… Sorry, I don’t understand, what do you mean?”

Chu Guang cleared his throat and said seriously, “I mean, in addition to providing quality products, we also provide logistics and security outsourcing. If your caravan needs guards, I can provide them!”

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