This Game is Too Real

  Chapter 350 The turbulent boulder city

   "Good morning, dear viewers, I'm your dear Haus! Before breaking the news, please allow me to pay the highest tribute to our great city master!"

"Today's Qingquan City is still calm. Out of fear for us, the group of primitive people with pythons written on their faces began to flee east! It's such a pity, if they come to us, I would like to interview these mindless people. The guy... going south? What do you think!"

"It's not just the marauders who are terrified of our stalwart military strength, but also our neighbors to the north. Those guys who were scrambling in the waves, who recently got bruised and bruised with the little guys from the north, are now hiding in the sewers and licking their wounds. "

   "It's really a group of poor people, tsk tsk. But recently, their heads have finally opened up, and they sent their city lord-that is, the city lord of Dawn City, to come to our city hall to negotiate with us."

   "It seems that they finally realized that in the wasteland, relying on the strong is the way to survive!"

   On the bar of an unnamed tavern, there was an old radio, with an exciting sound on the gray speakers.

   "The Voice of Boulder City" is always the favorite program of the citizens of Boulder City. After all, there are only a few signals that can be heard in the wasteland.

The channel broadcasts pre-war classical music 24 hours a day, occasionally inserting one or two news about Mr. House or "getting rich", which not only meets the needs of the citizens for music, but also provides those who love to daydream. imaginary material.

However--

   Not everyone was happy with the sharp drake's voice.

  Especially those whose life is not satisfactory.

   "Can't this **** close his beak?"

   took a sip of beer that was lighter than water, the man in the brown leather jacket muttered in a muffled voice, the corners of his unshaven mouth twitched with anger.

   His name is Sperger.

   In Boulder, it's a trivial name.

   And Mr. Sperger's job, just as his name is as insignificant, is just an ordinary cannery worker.

   As for why sitting here drinking at this point...

   Naturally because he is about to lose his job.

  In Boulder City, canned food is not a popular commodity. Noble people can’t eat it, and ordinary residents can’t afford it.

   Only some large caravans and mercenary groups will purchase canned food to improve food and boost the morale of the team.

   For those mercenaries who fight alone, they are more willing to take on some close-knit day jobs, and go out for two or three days with dry food to deal with it. Although their spending power is not bad, they are more willing to spend money on wine and women.

  Because the profit margin is not high and the volume is not up, so a vote of food processing giants including Weijia Trading Company do not look down on this business at all.

  The entire Boulder City produces canned food in two small factories, and the varieties introduced are only two-headed beef and hyena meat.

However……

   Recently, "instant noodles" and "ham sausages" suddenly appeared on the shelves of Boulder City stores.

  The former, as the name suggests, is a kind of noodles that have been deep-fried and sold in paper cups. Tear off the lid of the cup and soak it in boiling water for five minutes, or you can eat it directly without boiling the water.

   The latter doesn't know what kind of meat it is, and it tastes like it's sandwiched with starch, but maybe it's because of a lot of salt, and it's unexpectedly delicious?

   Anyway, Spergers had never seen such a strange food, and they had no idea it must have been their next-door neighbor.

  Since instant noodles and ham entered Boulder City, their cans have been completely unsold. When their boss finally realized the seriousness of the problem, the cannery was on the verge of closing.

  The boss gave all the workers a day off and told them to go home and wait for the notice.

  Sberger is very clear that although it is a holiday in name, it is actually no different from dismissal.

   It's only a matter of time before the cannery closes, and while the equipment can still sell for some money, the guy with the big brain will definitely sell it without hesitation.

   Now there are only two options left in front of Sberg.

   Either be a mercenary or a caravan escort, or try your luck in the northern suburbs.

  The threat to the north has just been lifted recently, and the trade route to the northern part of the River Valley Province has resumed. Major caravans and mercenary groups are recruiting people. No experience is required, as long as you can carry a gun, you can join the team.

   As for the northern suburbs, the demand for jobs there seems to be always strong, but I heard that they are not given chips but their own "silver coins"?

   But no matter which option it is, it is difficult for Sberg to make up his mind.

   After all, no matter how poor he is, he still has a house in Boulder City that can keep out the wind and rain.

   However, once you leave the giant wall, it means entering the barbaric world where people cannibalize.

   He had heard it on the radio. There were no law-abiding people outside the giant wall. Those uncivilized savages would take civilized people and throw them into the frying pan.

   Thinking of this, he was so frightened that he couldn't sleep all night.

this is too scary!

  …

   It's not just a small character like Sberg who is worried about the future of Boulder.

   Ever since he heard that the Boulder City Hall will sign the "Friendship and Cooperation Agreement" with the new alliance, Vija has been sleepless all night.

   He doesn't care what rifles or cans are on the shelves of the Boulder City store, but the existence of Didiwei Nutritional Cream has seriously threatened the business of Vijay Firm.

   That low price has even broken his cost line.

   It is no exaggeration to say that he directly closed the factory, imported nutritional cream from the northern suburbs and sold it to the south, earning more than what he produced himself now!

   This is simply too much!

   Are those hillbillies opening factories for charity?

   "Those guys at City Hall are like a bunch of pigs! No... Saying they are pigs is flattering them!"

   In a palatial room.

   Wei Jia, who was sitting at the long table, couldn't help but yelled.

  This is the reception room of Weijia Firm, and all the bosses of major firms are sitting here.

   Although everyone is a person of status, there is no need to take into account the image here.

  Because everyone was unhappy with the results from the City Hall.

"The funniest thing is... these pigs are too embarrassed to show off that so-called friendly agreement, thinking they have done something great." The man in the high-necked shirt showed obvious anger on his face .

  His name is Jonah, and he runs the largest cotton spinning factory in Boulder City. The cotton cloth, cotton clothes and shirts he produces not only occupy more than 60% of the market share in Boulder City, but are also exported to Jinchuan and Luoxia provinces.

  From the beginning of the year, the group of hillbilly in the northern suburbs also began to produce cotton cloth and clothing.

   He didn't take it to heart at first, after all, one or two small workshops were not worth his concern.

   But it didn't take long for him to realize how wrong he was.

   In just half a year, the clothes produced by the new alliance first occupied the bar in Boulder City, and then conquered those mercenaries who were willing to spend money through the bar, and then took the entire outer city.

   They make both durable gun bags, bulletproof vests and backpacks, as well as less durable outerwear or clothing.

   There are also stockings that can be worn as pants... He seems to be called Hei Si?

   Of course, it does not have to be black, there are also white and other colors, even transparent.

   is not even limited to socks.

   How did these unruly guys figure out these immoral things.

   Jonah was annoyed.

   What annoyed him in particular was that although his reason told him that that thing was the culprit in shrinking his wallet, he just couldn't control his eyes and hands.

   Another boss who runs a liquor business said equally annoyed.

   "And what about Nuka-Cola... Since that thing came out, our winery's orders have plummeted by 10%! It's crazy! What's so good about sugar water!"

   As several bigwigs spoke one after another, the chatterbox on the conference table was completely opened.

  Everyone complained indignantly.

   "They have been plundering our trade for half a year, but the guys at City Hall have done nothing!"

   "I really don't understand, we have artillery, planes, power armor, thousands of mercenaries and tens of thousands of reservists, why should we talk to them?"

   "Even if we don't need to dispatch a militia regiment, just throw some chips out, we can easily crush that group of grasshoppers!"

   Watching the roaring noise at the conference table, Vija's face was expressionless.

   He originally organized today's meeting to call everyone together to discuss countermeasures, but unexpectedly it turned into a complaint meeting.

   Everyone is venting their grievances for the past six months, but no one can come up with specific countermeasures.

   But he didn't stop the crowd.

   Sometimes emotions are also a weapon.

   After brewing for a moment, Vija put her hands on the table and slowly got up from the chair.

   looked around at everyone, he said.

   "I didn't understand before, how they managed to keep the cost so low."

   Hearing these words, everyone sitting at the conference table became quiet.

   After a moment's pause, Vijay continued.

"Especially I asked someone to inquire. The new alliance requires all factories that workers work a maximum of 12 hours a day, and the minimum hourly wage is 1 silver per hour. If they work 12 hours, they must pay at least 12 silver coins a day, which is converted into chips. 6! That's almost three times what we pay our workers!"

   "There is a problem with this statement. It is impossible for ordinary people to exchange silver coins for chips at will, and they can only exchange chips for silver coins."

   A factory owner's expression was somewhat dissatisfied.

   This statement is as if he was stingy.

  To be reasonable, he clearly already filled those people's stomachs, not only did he not put footcuffs on them, he even paid them wages.

   Isn't that kind enough?

  If it weren't for the cheap electricity and maintenance fees, he would have replaced the workers on the assembly line with those androids who were both capable and working!

   Another factory owner also nodded.

   "I've also heard that they have a saying, it seems to be called forced foreign exchange settlement? Export profits will be settled in local currency, that is, those silver coins. Only when needed, can they be exchanged for foreign currency at the bank."

   "This is too pitiful!?"

   "No wonder... I had a friend who went to set up a factory there before and complained to me that it was too tricky to set up a factory there, and I couldn't make any money at all, so I must never come."

  The crowd was chatting.

   However, at this moment, Vijay interrupted them.

   "...that's what I said, but the money is always real, right?"

  The crowd fell silent.

   Looking at the silent crowd, he continued.

   "If those silver coins are really waste paper, I believe that no matter how much they give them, those workers will not want them, and the factories will definitely run away."

   Hearing this sentence, the factory owners sitting around fell silent, looking at Wei Jia with a bit of confusion, wondering why he was helping the new alliance to speak.

   Shouldn't everyone scold those sly blue gophers together at this time?

   Saying so much nonsense proves that they are not exploiting the workers, and also proves that silver coins are not waste paper, which means that our business ability is not good?

   Who do you look down on!

   Seeing that the time is almost up, Vija continued.

   "Later I found out what the problem was."

"According to my salesman's research, if you set up a factory in the new alliance, the salary expenses can be deducted from taxes. I have made a special calculation, as long as the work efficiency per unit time is guaranteed, although the salary cost will increase, the actual expenses will be higher. Low."

   This is equivalent to subsidizing part of the fiscal revenue obtained from the factory to the workers in the form of tax rebates.

   Due to the rising consumption power of ordinary people, the new alliance light industry is like a sponge that has absorbed water.

   And the factories run by the blue jackets are even more outrageous, they seem to use a completely different system.

  Because of language barriers and differences in cultural customs, he has not yet understood it.

   But that's not the point.

   The real point is, these guys are playing with shit!

   paused for a moment, Vijay's face took on an angry expression, and he gradually raised the volume of his speech.

   "Not only that, they are also playing tricks on the exchange rate, forcing the exchange rate of silver coins and chips to be 2:1. This is not called competition at all, and the consumer goods we produce simply cannot enter their market!"

   "As you can see, our factories can't compete with them, not because we are not industrious enough, nor because our production methods are backward, but on the contrary, we are too honest, and our opponents are too cunning!"

   "They used evil means to rob us of the chips in our hands, watch our factories go bankrupt, and then spread a lot of chips to rob us of the wealth we have accumulated over two centuries!"

   "From the very beginning, we didn't fight on a fair arena, but fell into their trap!"

   After hearing these words, many people had a sudden realization on their faces, like waking up from a dream.

   Actually, I can't blame them for not thinking of it, the key is that this kind of thing has never happened before.

  Ideal city?

   The things there are good enough, but too few can flow to the southern part of the Vale Province. One or two rare things are not a threat at all, and the other party does not think much of what they have in their hands.

Before the emergence of the new alliance, they were the only ones engaged in industrialization in the southern part of the entire river valley province. As for the settlements of survivors such as Bate Street and Brown Farm, they could not even talk about opponents in front of them. .

   As for the farmers in the south, they were only the objects of plunder by their factories.

   But now, at some point in the clear water pond, a catfish sneaked into it.

   They vaguely felt that something was wrong, and the warm pool suddenly became a little cold, and they felt that their whole body was full of energy and could not get out.

A factory that can't see any advantages, relying on second-hand equipment and those workers who have been eliminated by them, has produced a lot of cheap and easy-to-use "substitutes", and robbed them of the market that originally belonged to them. .

   They didn't react suddenly until after hearing what Wei Jia said.

   Good guy!

   Relying on these "little smarts", the other party has scoured their wool for half a year!

   Now the city hall is smart enough to sign some kind of friendly cooperation agreement, saying that they want to expand the scale of trade and strengthen people-to-people exchanges. Seeing that they are about to be sold, they have not recovered.

   Of course, that was before, and now they are aware of the problem.

   How can you endure this? !

   The crowd at the conference table could no longer sit still.

   Jonah, who had been silent since just now, stood up and slammed his fist on the table angrily.

   "We have to make this clear to Duron!"

   "Either reduce the tax on the industrial zone, or tax the goods of the new alliance!"

   "Not just taxes! And exchange rates!"

  Vega continued while the iron was hot.

   "In addition to taxes and exchange rates, we have to expand the banned list, and stipulate what they can buy and what they can't buy! How should they buy what they can buy!"

   "If our town hall isn't protecting our interests, what use do we need it for?"

   "We should be united! Put pressure on those rubbish-headed guys! If our minister doesn't respond to our demands—"

   He lengthened his tone, glanced around at the allies present, and continued speaking in a sonorous voice.

   "We'll give our employees a holiday!"

The voice of    fell, and it was loud.

The voice of    supported him like a raging tide.

"support!"

"strongly support!"

"Count me in!"

   Looking at the indignant crowd, Vijay had a confident smile on his face.

   He didn't believe it anymore.

   He won't mess with this signing!

  …

  Qingquan City, the edge of the North Fourth Ring Road.

  In the ruined urban area, a group of people is slowly advancing along the cracked concrete pavement.

   Soldiers wearing exoskeletons scattered around, carefully guarding the surrounding shadows.

   It is summer now, and the lush vegetation and stagnant water in the ruins make the situation in the city extremely complicated.

   The seasonal change system of "Wasteland OL" is also as real as ever, but this seems to be the basic operation for various 3A masterpieces.

   "I always have an ominous premonition..." Fang Chang looked around, holding a rifle.

   Lao Bai, who was walking aside, joked.

   "Why did you also become a perception system?"

   Fang Chang rolled his eyes.

   "What does this have to do with the perception system, do you think it's reasonable that such an important task doesn't happen?"

   "It makes sense for you to say that," Lao Bai nodded thoughtfully, "But then again, it always feels like something is missing when Ye Shi isn't here."

   It's not just that Ye Shi is not here.

  The strong wind and quitting smoking are not there, and it feels like a lot of fun is lost in an instant.

  Thinking of this, a strange expression appeared on Old Bai's face.

  If this wasn't a game, those three guys might never be back...

   At this moment, the voice of a teammate came from the communication channel. It was the reconnaissance team he sent to explore the road ahead.

   "...500 meters ahead, unidentified armed forces were found, about 20 people. The weapons were light weapons such as automatic rifles, and a heavy machine gun was found."

   At this moment, Lao Bai's footsteps suddenly stopped, and his eyes gradually became sharper.

   noticed the change in the expression on Old Bai's face, Fang Chang cast a questioning look at him.

   "Is there a situation?"

   Holding his right fist and making a gesture, Lao Bai neatly loaded the rifle in his hand.

   "Come and live."

-

   (After hanging up the last bag of water today, there is no need to go to the hospital tomorrow T.T)

   (end of this chapter)