This Game is Too Real

   Chapter 346 You are the lord of Dawn City!

   "Hello, Mr. Dulong, respect the head of the city hall of the giant stone city, I am the city owner of Dawn City——"

   "Luca."

  Refuge B4 floor, browsing room.

   Luca in a formal suit is sitting on the sofa.

   On the coffee table in front of him, there is a holographic computer pen, light blue light beams interweave above the coffee table, forming a three-dimensional imaging cone.

  Through the light blue conical surface, you can see the bay window of the office of the director of the city hall of the boulder city, and the director sitting at the desk.

   "The lord of Dawn City..." Duron frowned slightly, "Where's your manager?"

   If the news is correct, he remembers that the highest authority in the alliance should be the manager.

  What the **** is the lord of Dawn City?

   And this Luca...

   That old, weathered face was more like a peasant than a city lord.

  What plane is the manager of the new alliance working on!

   He couldn't understand it.

   did not take the change in Mr. Dulong's attitude to heart, and Luca continued in a gentle tone according to what the manager explained.

"Our manager is inspecting Dawn City and may not be able to return to Qingquan City in a short time. Since the communication situation there is somewhat unsatisfactory, in order to show his respect and importance to you, he entrusted me to hold this telephone conversation with you. ."

   "When the manager explained this to me, he specifically instructed me that Boulder City is a neighbor of the alliance and a friend of the alliance, so I must show our friendship during the meeting."

   For this high-sounding wording, there was a hint of disapproval written on Dulong's face that was not easily discernible.

friend?

  The Boulder City needs that kind of thing?

   He originally wanted to say, "Since your manager is not here, let's wait for him to come back and talk about it", but thinking that this might take a long time, he swallowed this sentence again.

  It doesn't matter to him, it's a big deal to wait, but the matter explained by the Lord of the Stone City can't wait that long.

   Duron was certain that if the New Alliance planes reappeared in the airspace of Boulder, the anti-aircraft guns would fire.

If this friction turns into a war, he can be sure that the northern suburbs will be turned into a scorched earth, and the militia regiments will use steel and cement to seal the group of blue gophers forever in their shells, but the outside of Boulder City will be forever sealed. The city will undoubtedly suffer great losses.

   Maybe Mr. Fang Ming doesn't care about what happens there, just as the inner city never cares about the life of the residents in the outer city.

   But Duron couldn't care less.

   It wasn't because he was kind-hearted.

   But he is very clear that the nobles in the inner city are his masters, but the factory owners and chambers of commerce bosses in the outer city are his foundation.

"Since you think we are friends, then I hope that your planes will not appear in the airspace of friends' houses in the future. Your planes have appeared on our radar. This time our soldiers maintained restraint, but next time it may not be so. already."

  Luka looked at him and said.

   "This is a reasonable request. What is your airspace?"

   Duron said bluntly.

   "The Fifth Ring Road in Qingquan City is our airspace, bounded by the Ring Road."

   "It's impossible," Luca shook his head. "Dawn City is also part of the Fifth Ring of Qingquan City. We will respect your security needs, but it must be on the premise of not sacrificing our own security."

   Duron raised the volume.

   "Mr. Luca, I'll cut to the chase. This is the request of our city master. Do you understand the meaning of the word request?"

   Luca smiled lightly.

"Of course I understand, but our managers have said that if we make concessions on airspace issues today, we have to compromise on territorial issues tomorrow. We can ensure that our aircraft will not enter the Qingquan City West Circle Line, and only limited to this."

  Duron raised his eyebrows slightly.

   As if he heard something interesting, he said with a smile.

   "Territory? What's the use of that **** I want from you?"

   That 10,000-20,000 mu of land in the picture?

   Those dilapidated houses in the picture?

   That would be too underestimated.

   Luca replied in a lukewarm tone.

   "Our place is broken, but we are very satisfied with our home."

  Duron's tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

   "You don't think that you are qualified to negotiate terms with us after you have defeated a few primitive people with fire sticks."

   was beyond Duron's expectations.

   The old man in front of him actually nodded.

   This made him even wonder if he was wrong.

   "Certainly, I have no doubt that we have the qualifications."

   Looking at the head of the city hall, Luca continued as a matter of course, "Actually, I'm negotiating terms with 'you' now, right?"

   When he said this, he bit the word "you" very hard.

  Duron narrowed his eyes slightly.

   He suddenly felt uncertain.

"What's the meaning?"

   Luca said calmly.

   "It doesn't matter, your army is strong, but we are not weak. Boulder may be able to defeat us in a frontal battle, but we can guarantee that our opponents will pay a heavy price."

   "And the price must be 'you'."

   These words stabbed Dulong deeply.

  The neglect of the inner city and the outer city has a long history, and everyone knows it well, and he is no exception. He had no doubt that if there was a war, they would be cannon fodder.

   Like every wave.

   But so what?

   This kind of thing needs you a "wastelander" to remind you?

  Duron sat up straight and laughed in anger.

   "Are you threatening me?"

   The atmosphere at the negotiating table instantly dropped to freezing point.

   Luca was equally nervous in his heart.

   However, he did not write his emotions on his face.

  Before the negotiation started, the manager explained to him that he should not show timidity or panic at any time, and he should remain calm at all times.

  The opponent's strength is very strong, and from their position, "coercion" will become a convenient option, because security issues are the "pain point" of most survivors' settlements.

Although the   Boulder City is the spiritual licking dog of the ideal city, after all, they are not rich enough to be full, and they will not have the so-called moral cleanliness.

   Repeatedly jumping around the opponent's baseline is dangerous, but if you act too weakly, it's also deadly.

   Grasp the pain points of the other party, stop before the other party feels pain, give up part of the appeal appropriately, and find a range that allows each other to feel acceptable.

That's what   negotiations are all about.

   Looking at Duron, Luca said slowly.

"Of course not, Mr. Minister, we sincerely hope that we can live in a friendly and peaceful way. This world has enough tragedies, xenomorphs, slime molds, mutants, cultists, and predators... The fire of civilization is lingering under the cover of barbarism, and living in such an era, we are really, very reluctant to go to the last step."

   After a pause, Luca continued.

   "...but sometimes, even very, very reluctantly, we have to let others know that we are not being frightened and that the land we cultivate is not given by people."

   "Therefore, rather than a threat, I would prefer that you interpret my previous remarks as a response to the threat of war."

  Duron's eyes have been squinted into slits, staring intently at Luca in the hologram.

   He was thinking.

   is also weighing.

  The talks fell into silence.

   Luca waited patiently.

   At this moment, Dulong suddenly blurted out a sentence that had nothing to do with the negotiation itself.

   "You came up with these words yourself, or did your manager tell you to say them."

   Luca replied without hesitation.

   "Is there a difference? The manager's will is both the alliance's will and my will."

  Duron didn't say anything, just stared at the old man and looked at it thoughtfully for a while.

   After about half a minute, he said slowly.

   "I don't agree with your sophistry about the 'threat of war'."

  The conversation changed, and he continued.

   "But I admit your other sentence, there are enough tragedies in this world, we don't need to add meaningless grief."

   "For the sake of the future relationship, I think we need to talk openly and honestly."

   Hearing this sentence, Luca finally breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile appeared on his face.

"I think so too."

  …

  Although the arrogant attitude of the other party has not changed in any way, being willing to solve the problem through dialogue is at least a good start.

  The next step is to bargain.

  Duron thinks this is his area of ​​expertise. After all, he was a businessman before he became the mayor of the city hall.

   However, what he didn't expect was that the opponent's ability to mess around was not inferior to him at all.

   At least not as foolish as he thought.

   "...The North Third Ring Road of Qingquan City belongs to our airspace, and we need to fight against the tide! What's more, our air force shares some of the pressure for you, which is also good for you!"

   "Your Air Force? Oh, just those paper planes? You might as well hire our planes directly, anyway, it's not that you haven't used them before. I'll give you a 20% discount."

   "Yes, we are paper airplanes, so why do you worry about us threatening your safety? Can't you even have paper airplanes in your heart?"

   "...North Fourth Ring Road to North Fifth Ring Road, this is our bottom line! At the same time, I need your commitment that the border of the new alliance will not continue to expand southward!"

   "We can stop expanding south, but in exchange, I ask you to stop embargoing the sale of new alliance merchandise, and we haven't banned the sale of yours, have we?"

   "The last one is impossible. The ban on the sale of LD-47 is a requirement of the "Boulder City Military Industry". I can only promise not to add a new list of import and export restrictions outside the "military industry"."

  These conditions have already met the expectations of the negotiation, but Luca nodded his head in a difficult way.

   "Alright, then keep the status quo."

  Dulong breathed a sigh of relief, and his tense expression finally stretched into a smile.

   "I'm glad we came to an agreement."

   Verbal agreements do not count.

  The two parties will sign a specific agreement later.

   As for the location of the contract, Duron requested that it be carried out at the city hall of Boulder City, and invited him to visit Boulder City.

   For such trivial matters as the place of signing, Luca did not insist much on the advice of the manager, and readily agreed to his request.

   In addition to airspace and trade issues, the two sides also discussed cooperation in various fields and reached consensus.

   After the communication ended, Luca reached out and turned off the holographic computer. The whole person seemed to have taken off the covering of tens of millions of pounds, and leaned on the sofa and let out a long breath.

   "Good job!"

   Hearing the applause coming from the door of the browsing room, Luca immediately got up from the sofa and placed his right fist respectfully on his left chest.

   "Master Manager."

   "No need to be polite, sit down."

   motioned for Luca to sit down.

  Chu Guang sat on the sofa opposite and looked at him with satisfaction.

   To be honest, when I rescued him, I didn’t think about it at all, it was purely out of an accidental kindness.

   In addition, I happened to need an honest and obedient person to help manage the warehouse. By the way, I asked about something I didn’t understand, so I took out a chip and bribed the execution farm guard.

   At that time, Chu Guang didn't expect much from him.

   If nothing else, his greatest achievement in his life is probably to help the outpost of the new alliance manage the warehouse.

   Like Guo Niu, Guo Ma and other liberated serfs who also joined the new alliance very early.

   However, Old Luca's performance at work was beyond Chu Guang's expectations.

   Not only loyalty, but also his precise understanding of his orders, as well as his hard-working and hard-working qualities, far exceeded Chu Guang's initial expectations.

   Although he was a serf, he was less flexible, but compared to other wastelanders, this flaw was not at all harmful.

   Now it seems that that chip is worth it.

   "I have to trouble you to go to Boulder City later."

   "No trouble, it's my honor to serve you." Luca said respectfully.

  Chu Guang smiled.

After    paused for a moment, he restrained his joking expression and continued speaking in a serious tone.

   "In addition, when you return from the Stone City with a friendly agreement, you will be the lord of Dawn City."

   Hearing this sentence, Luca was blindfolded.

   Dawn City Lord?

   Doesn't that mean it's just a negotiating title?

   Luca said with sincerity.

   "Sir, but I—"

   Knowing what he wanted to say, Chu Guang interrupted him.

   "Okay, I've made up my mind! I can see your ability, and no one is more suitable for this position than you."

   Originally, Luka was always taking care of the long-term farm.

   As for origin.

   In Chu Guang's view, it is not a problem at all.

   Rather, it can become a banner for propaganda.

   In the new alliance, equality is not a slogan. As long as he can prove his ability and loyalty to the alliance, he can become the lord of the settlement even from humble beginnings.

good.

  Chu Guang became more and more satisfied with his arrangement.

   When he looks back, he takes the time to write an exhilarating press release and throw it to the people on Union Radio to promote it.

  Although he still had some concerns about whether he was up to this important task, seeing that the manager had chosen him so firmly, old Luca said nothing, but silently hid his gratitude in his heart.

   took a moment to calm down his breathing, he looked at the manager and said seriously.

   "Sir...I don't quite understand one thing, can I ask you."

"What's up."

   "Boulder City...Why are they obsessed with the airspace of Qingquan City?" There was a hint of confusion in Luca's eyes, "They obviously didn't take our plane seriously at all."

   That kind of insidiousness can't be hidden.

   That city hall director even used the term "paper airplane" to describe the Alliance's flying machine.

  Although he was angry, Luca had to admit that this arrogance was not without reason.

  The flying machine of Boulder City may not be enough to look at in front of the enterprise, but it is a product of the pre-war era. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the big guy with a full sense of science fiction is not in the same rank as the small plane of the new alliance.

   "It's good you can think of that."

   Looking at the slowly enlightened old Luca, Chu Guang nodded approvingly, "The reason is actually very simple, because you are right, what they really care about is not the airspace at all."

   Luca was stunned.

   I don't understand the meaning of this sentence.

  Chu Guang did not explain immediately, but reached out and gently pressed on the holographic computer pen.

  The city map of Qingquan City was projected in the light blue light cone, and I saw a few intermittent green dots flashing on the edge of the three-ring line.

   "Because Qingquan city center is their real core of interests."

   "Variant slime molds, evolutionary bodies, ancient battlefields, and equipment left over from the pre-war era... One piece cannot restore the entire puzzle, but countless pieces piled together can always restore something useful."

   A look of surprise appeared on Luca's face.

   "If you say that, isn't that wave..."

  Chu Guang nodded.

   "It may not be a complete disaster for them."

"Our researchers have been studying the evolution of the last wave that spread to the northern suburbs, both in biology and engineering. It's just that we started too late, even though we have good researchers, the progress Still far behind them."

   Looking at Luca with a stunned expression, Chu Guang said slowly.

   "Like you said, they don't care about our plane at all, because that thing doesn't even bother them."

   "Their real purpose, I am afraid, is to limit our access to their treasures."

  …

   On the other side, Boulder City Hall.

   Dulong, who hung up the phone, let out a sigh of relief.

While    was relieved, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but raise a smug smile.

  The planes of the new alliance will no longer enter their core area of ​​interest, and the esteemed city master will definitely be satisfied with this result.

  LD series weapons are still on the list of restricted imports, the trade between the two sides will not be affected, and the military industry group will not make irresponsible remarks about him.

   As for other fields besides military industry?

What does    have to do with him?

   What's more, trade itself is a good thing for both parties. It's not a bad thing that Boulder can buy cheaper consumer goods and industrial raw materials.

  In Dulong's view, he just took out a little bit of honey in exchange for a result that made all parties happy.

  Thinking of this, he couldn't help but praise himself in his heart.

   Lao Tzu is a genius!

  In the past, when you looked around the city of Boulder, you couldn't find a decent opponent in the southern part of the entire river valley province, and the Great Rift Valley in the north was too far away, and everyone looked down on each other.

   He sits in the city hall office every day, either stamping or dozing off, and few people take him seriously.

   Now finally someone can set off his ingenuity!

   At this time, a voice from the side interrupted his thoughts.

   "Mr. Minister."

   "What's the matter?" Looking at his deputy Jaeger, Dulong said cheerfully, who was in a good mood.

   "I don't understand, why do we talk so much with a group of scavengers?" Jaeger's face showed a hint of displeasure, "their population is not even as large as our slums."

  The outside of the city was crowded with people who wanted to enter the city.

   Even the dirt flowing out of the city is enough to feed tens of thousands of people.

   Negotiating with them made him feel unhappy.

  Dulong guessed what he was thinking, and also figured out how to answer this question.

   "They are not as strong as us, but far less weak than we think. Do you remember the look in that person's eyes just now?"

   Jaeger chuckled.

   "Can eyes kill?"

   Duron said softly.

   "No, but it's not easy to get them to submit. Isn't it good to negotiate to solve the problem? If we really fight, we will be the cannon fodder again."

   "Besides, the Lord City Lord's request was to keep their planes away from the Fourth Ring Road in Qingquan City. We not only completed the task, but also exceeded it."

   patted his deputy on the shoulder, and he continued with a beaming smile.

   "Be happy, don't hang your face."

  …

  Qingquan City, on the edge of the North Third Ring Road.

  The slanting sunset stretches the shadow of the viaduct pier.

  The night is about to fall, and the predators wandering in this area are gradually becoming manic and becoming more aggressive.

  Street shops not far from the viaduct.

   Crouched and paddled on the edge behind the window, an assault rifle in hand, carefully monitoring the street outside the bunker.

   In addition to him, there are nine teammates hiding nearby.

   The xenogeneic corpses lying on the streets and the dense bullet holes on the walls told the fierceness of the previous battle.

   Four hours ago, he and the team received a task to walk to the edge of the North Third Ring Road in Qingquan City to pick up the Niu Ma team that was withdrawn from the "new map".

   After a fierce exchange of fire, they successfully cleared the street of aliens.

   However, as dusk was about to fall, more and more alien species began to spread from nearby buildings to the streets, and it was difficult to say how long the tranquility at this moment could be maintained.

   The construction site boy and Brick, who were holding the machine gun, suddenly muttered something.

   "It won't be free again."

   Hearing this, Kakarot glared at him.

   "Less crow's mouth!"

  The debtor gave a look to the edge brother next to him.

   "How long?"

   The edge of the water was about to answer when there was a sudden movement at the intersection.

  The nerves of everyone were instantly tense, and the weapons in their hands were aimed at the past.

   At this moment, a familiar voice suddenly came

   "It's me, don't get mad."

   Looking at the man who appeared at the intersection, he was slightly taken aback by the edge of the water, and a surprised expression suddenly appeared on his face.

   "Fuck!? Old Bai?"

   "Why did you become like this?"

   The situation of Lao Bai at this moment can only be described by the word embarrassment.

In his left hand he was holding a parcel wrapped in a parachute, and in his right hand a blood-stained rifle. Not only was the chemical protective suit gone, but his body was covered in mud, and there was a piece of bulletproof vest hanging on his chest that was almost burned through. hole.

   The whole person is like rolling out of hell.

   Facing everyone's astonished gaze, Lao Bai gave a wry smile.

   "...something went wrong."

   What is this called a little bit? !

   Everyone looked at each other.

   Quitting smoking aside, Lao Bai Fangchang and the others are already the ceiling of the full-service combat power.

  What is the situation, even these guys are so troublesome!

   Debt swallowed his saliva with big eyes.

"……What about the rest?"

   Lao Bai did not speak.

   At this moment, Fang Chang's voice came from behind him.

"died."

   has a heavy expression on his face, Fang Chang's condition is similar to that of Old Bai, and he also has a gray face.

   He probably lost his rifle. He was holding a mechanical arm tied to the VM in his right hand, and half his shoulders hung from the **** interface, which looked shocking.

   The edge of the water recognizes this guy.

   seems to be the arm of the wind...

   "Anyway, the mission is completed."

   threw the **** package on the ground, and Lao Bai raised his arm to wipe the mud and sweat on his forehead, "This thing... Please help me carry it, I really have no energy."

   "What is this?"

  The construction site boy and Brick stepped forward, opened the package curiously and glanced at it, and found a pile of strange parts and dark red mushrooms lying inside.

   Many of the mushroom blocks with exposed tentacles are still slowly wriggling, like freshly cut beef.

   "The wreckage of the evolutionary body, the ghost knows what it is."

   Leaning on the hood of the old car, Fang Chang looked at the fungus in the hands of the construction worker and reminded him kindly.

   "You'd better not rummage through the contents here with your hands... That's how our brother who quit smoking died."

   (end of this chapter)