"One hundred thousand CR..."
Seated in front of the computer in the Residents of the refuge hall, Chu Guang couldn’t help feeling a wave of emotion as he looked through the manual for the plasma nurical control machine.
The machine was a good one.
It was just freakin’ expensive!
If it were one hundred thousand silver coins, he would buy it without a second thought.
Even taking out a loan or paying in installnts would have been alright.
He heard from Luo Hua that Ideal City had a stock exchange, and he wondered if it were possible to list his Shelter No. 404. Chu Guang didn’t dare make guarantees, but investing in them was definitely more reliable than dispatching so Expeditionary Army.
His gaze returned to the manual.
Although the professional content inside was beyond his knowledge, thanks to so key information Xiao Qi helped sort out, Chu Guang still ca to understand the gist of it.
First of all, this machine tool was indeed very high-tech.
Even though high-precision plasma cutting technology has been around since the end of the 20th century, and people have combined it with CNC technology in the field of precision control machine processing, they were limited by the inherent limitations of plasma, leading CNC plasma cutting machines to be generally limited to cutting patterns and parts on flat steel plates using only two motion axes.
One of the main reasons was that the cut made by the plasma torch was simply too wide, and was fundantally based on heat to make the cut.
Even if manufacturers produced smaller nozzles and smaller plasma arcs, the precision could only reach the lower limit of laser cutting at most.
However, the machine Li De showed him was different.
At the very root of its technical principle, the plasma used by this machine was not even the sa thing as the so-called "flammables" of the Parallel world, but rather a variant of a magnetically confined controlled fusion device.
It could not only heat the inert gas used as a working substance to hundreds of millions of degrees, forming a super-energetic plasma, but could also constrain it using its magnetic field.
It was like a fusion reactor that doesn’t generate electricity.
The plasma jet containing terrifying energy was focused into a cutting line with the width of a single atom.
With precise control over the plasma jet’s emission speed and volu, it could achieve nanoter-level precision in cutting solid materials and even precisely control the cutting depth with almost no visible burrs or scorch marks on the cutting face!
Compared to traditional chanical cutting tools, this "gaseous single-atom knife" ford under magnetic confinent virtually had no "machining principle error."
With just the input of preset paraters, it could, without changing the material’s properties, complete geotrical shapes with simple cuts and welds that traditional machine tools would need multiple processing steps to create.
For the Pioneer ship, the significance of this "antique" might not be so crucial, as such machines were not suited for mass production and only good for high-precision processing of traditional solid materials that had already been shaped, much like the final step of a process. By comparison, they had not only more advanced and safer cold gaseous single-atom cutting technology but were also closer to pre-war society in terms of mass production.
However, for Shelter No. 404, which lacked tools, its aning was akin to an industrial mother machine!
No matter what, this machine tool had to be acquired!
Chu Guang pondered in his heart.
Although it seed sowhat unkind to say so, it was also for the sake of giving his little players a better ga experience.
"I need to find more ways to milk so benefits!"
...
Official website.
Forum.
Makabazi: "??? Why did I get disconnected? Screen went black just as I opened the cabinet? A BUG? Planning dad, check it out for , will you?"
Gno King Riches: "Bro, that’s not a disconnection, that’s instant death."
Midnight Chicken Killing: " 1, I saw it with my own eyes. You were blown to bits, disintegrated; the Manager stood in silence looking at you for a long ti."
Elena: "Don’t pretend, brother, it’s not your first ti dying. Others might not know what the black screen ans, but you know, don’t you? (facetious)"
Makabazi: "???"
Crow: "Hahaha! Noob! Hahaha! A rookie! (*≧▽≦)ツ┏━┓"
Mole on the Run From the Gorge: "I think the official website should update a special achievent, a record of the first player killed by a monster. (facetious)"
Night Ten: "Supported. (facetious)"
Makabazi: "$#@%!"
The whole post was filled with a jovial air.
While everyone was jovially teasing about how Makabazi would die next ti, the official website suddenly updated with an announcent.
[Announcent: Temporary adjustnts to the expansion pack activities]
[1. In order to test the taste and cooking effects of ingredients in the new ga update, we are now launching a series of life-profession quests. Luka at the Action Camp seems to be in so trouble, as indicated by the yellow exclamation mark on the map. We encourage players skilled in cooking to quickly log in and accept the quest.]
[2. Due to an anomaly with the new monsters’ data in the expansion pack, resulting in a technical bug that is difficult to fix, players who died due to the expansion content will temporarily be unable to resurrect. Our technical staff has been working around the clock to troubleshoot the BUG, having put in 24-hour shifts. Our boss has even purchased extra insurance for each employee, vowing not to leave until the bug is resolved!]
[Since this bug is extrely stubborn and can’t be fixed in the short term, to compensate players who might miss out on the beta test of the expansion, we will distribute 100 silver coins and a lottery chance that guarantees a weapon accessory as compensation to the affected accounts. This compensation will be issued within three days after the end of the expansion pack.]
[At the sa ti, we strictly prohibit exploiting ga BUGs for malicious suicide to obtain compensation. If intentionally abusing the bug is determined, severe violations will result in a 300% additional death penalty, while minor violations will not receive any compensation for the death.]
Tail: "Si Si!!! Log in later and hit with a hamr! !!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ"
Si Si: "Do you want to get banned!"
Makabazi: "What the fuck?! You an I can’t play for these few days??? (panicked)"
Gno King Riches: "What the fuck, bro, you better finish reading the announcent! You’re rich!"
Midnight Chicken Killing: "Damn! Why wasn’t I the one who opened that cupboard! Can I still make it in ti? T.T"
Debt Giant Eye: "Got it! The answer to the version is a corpse!"
Elena: "Anyone want to team up to play corpses? (funny)"
Canyon Escape Mole: "Hold on, everyone, don’t rush to die! The 100 silver coins reward seems a lot, but dying at this ti is undoubtedly a loss! The expansion pack activity points can be used to enter a lottery after the expansion ends anyway, and the compensation lottery chance is just a guaranteed chance at a weapon accessory! You know, besides scopes, grips, bipods, and bayonets also count as accessories!"
Fang Chang: "True, mainly because there’s no exact ti for the expansion to end. If it ends after half a month, and we only get compensated with 100 silver coins and one lottery chance, it really feels like a loss. I don’t recomnd everyone dying just for this little compensation."
Makabazi: "Damn! Now that you ntioned it, I feel so cheated! I was only happy for 5 minutes! QAQ"
Thunder Mage Professor Yang: "Objection! If you hit the unresurrectable bug on the last day of the expansion pack, you will have fully experienced the content of the expansion pack and also received the compensation, isn’t that a huge profit?"
Canyon Escape Mole: "..."
Fang Chang: "..."
Night Ten: "Fuck, you think you’re the smart one! You’re the one who talks too much!"
Thunder Mage Professor Yang: "?"
Several familiar IDs instantly disappeared from the forum.
Players with beta test privileges were either discussing privately in small groups or rushing online to accept the quest "Old Luka’s Troubles". Especially the forr is well known—Ah Guang is a screen snooper. You never know when he will pop up, more startling than the class teacher appearing at the window during evening self-study.
It was only the backseat drivers and the adorable newbies who were animatedly discussing, trying to figure out a reasonable way to die without being judged by the ga designers as maliciously scamming for compensation.
After all, scamming for compensation not only gets you no compensation, if your act isn’t convincing you’ll also receive a triple fine, which is clearly not worth it.
But from another perspective, as long as your acting is up to scratch, that could be a huge gain!
And as long as you’re not overacting to the point where the words "scamming for compensation" are written on your face, even if you’re not successful in deceiving, the chance of getting an extra punishnt should also be quite small—at most a "light penalty of no compensation".
It’s just a ga!
Can there be no death at all?
Moreover, for them, the penalty was not rigorous—just deduct so ga currency without even a ban; it was not really considered a punishnt in their eyes.
The risk here, however, is that you have to keep an eye on the official website at all tis.
If an announcent suddenly pops up and the bug is fixed, then you need to stay where it’s cool and just observe.
Reporting for three days on the forum only to make a loss is a business no one would do.
Watching these little players under his watch, figuring out how to collectively scam compensation the day before the BUG is fixed, Chu Guang found them truly adorable.
Please ponder it more!
With a fatherly smile on his face, Chu Guang had already opened the docunt.
If your bad ideas are better than mine, then we’ll go with your plan.
...
Late at night.
Li De sat in his office, drinking coffee, gazing out at the endless snowflakes, and his thoughts drifted back to his distant hotown.
For the survivors on the Wasteland, this snowstorm was no doubt a disaster.
But for those living on the Pioneer, these two snowflakes weren’t as shocking as the "imrsive dynamic walls" in the single bedrooms of the crew mbers.
If they wished, they could even "sleep on the spire of Ideal City," overlooking the night view of the Ideal City as they fell asleep.
However, if they don’t find more fuel rods, by next month at the latest, they’ll have to cut the non-essential energy budget for the crew mbers.
It’s troubling.
Whenever sacrifices to personal enjoynt were necessary, morale would plumt and everyone would beco gloomy, all buzzing with hosickness.
"Do you think I don’t miss ho too?"
However, since eting that man, Li De suddenly beca interested in the classic arts of managent from the old era and the corresponding sociological research.
Especially in terms of boosting morale.
The ’Blue Jackets’ were clearly earning far less than their salaries justified, using the most outdated equipnt, yet they remained highly spirited and hopeful for the future.
It was puzzling.
He had seen slave city-states where even giving slaves bionic prostheses didn’t improve their work efficiency, and they were even less efficient than non-industrial companion androids.
For all these reasons, Li De speculated that Shelter No. 404 probably housed so sort of sociological research findings. The funding they received before the war might have not been much, so they lacked even the most basic steel and concrete production modules.
If possible, Li De would like to learn about their managent art and thods of boosting morale.
Not to spread it across the whole group, but at least to try it out in the logistics departnt.
"Section Chief!"
Li De set down his coffee as the young fellow burst into the room without knocking and asked him,
"What’s wrong?"
The young man said anxiously,
"Our ally camp is billowing with a lot of white smoke! It might be on fire!"
A fire in snowy weather?
Li De was slightly stunned, quickly stood up, and followed the logistics departnt lad out of the room, through the corridor, to the side facing the Blue Jackets’ camp.
Through the porthole, he saw thick white fog rising from the center of that camp, not dispersing despite the howling north wind.
The communal bathhouse was blocking the view, so the specifics were unclear.
It seed like sothing had caught on fire, but no flas were visible.
Seeing that the fire didn’t seem very serious, Li De breathed a sigh of relief and casually waved his hand,
"Send a water truck to help them."
He hoped it wouldn’t affect tomorrow’s gathering work.
That was crucial for when they could set off.
"Yes!"
The young man nodded imdiately, then dashed off to get busy.
Before long, a water truck from the mobile garage parked next to Pioneer’s tracks departed, heading towards the neighboring action camp.
But...
When the logistics departnt’s driver brought the water truck to the destination, he was dumbstruck by the scene in front of him.
A group of people had set up a wooden shed here, boiling water, kneading dough, chopping at filling, all bustling with great enthusiasm.
And that billowing white smoke turned out to all be rising from the boiling pots...
Old Luka was already familiar with this driver and rembered the youngster’s na was Yuan Hao. Seeing him approaching, a smile imdiately appeared on his face.
"Still working overti? You’ve co at the right ti. Want to try a bun?"
Yuan Hao was perplexed.
"Bun?"
"Yes, those in the stear over there. It’s the food invented by our manager!"
Whether it was really invented by the manager didn’t matter. Old Luka hadn’t seen it before and instinctively attributed the honor to his superior.
The driver glanced over and saw those Blue Jackets turning white flour into round skins, then stuffing chopped at filling inside, pinching them into lumps with little tails... Dough?
Bustling with delight!
Yuan Hao had eaten at pies before.
The canteen on Pioneer also provided not just nutritious als, but also at pies flavored with at floss, caral, and mixed nuts as snacks, ready to be heated and eaten.
"What’s that at filling?"
"""Bear at! Just delivered from Outpost Base, wild ga!"""
Upon hearing it was wild ga, Yuan Hao’s eyes imdiately lit up, and he hurriedly asked,
"How much?"
The wild ga from other Survivor Settlents tasted awfully bad, but these Blue Jacket folks clearly had better culinary skills than those natives, sothing he’d witnessed firsthand.
Following the Manager’s instructions, Old Luka replied with a smile,
"We haven’t started business for today; it’s on the house. Just help us taste it and see which one is delicious."
As soon as he heard it was free, the driver imdiately grabbed a freshly stead bun and took a bite.
Beneath the fluffy texture, the taste buds burst with the flavor of at.
His eyes imdiately widened.
Gulping down the entire bun in one go, Yuan Hao struggled to swallow while giving a firm thumbs-up, his words muffled,
"This! Delicious! Tastier than at pies!"
Old Luka’s smile blood as he quickly brought over another new delicacy,
"Here’s also dumplings, the skin is thinner. Have a taste of that too!"
While the bun in his mouth hadn’t even been swallowed, more delicacies were handed to him, and the overfilled Yuan Hao couldn’t help but exclaim,
"It’s so tasty, do you guys usually eat this?"
Old Luka complinted him,
"We’ve only started eating this recently, thanks to you folks for supporting our business."
Yuan Hao laughed, feeling quite satisfied upon hearing this, rather than feeling taken advantage of.
What’s the use of high wages or attendance bonuses?
When you’re so far from ho and can’t spend it!
Here, not only could he enjoy food and drink, but he could also help these poor people. He felt not just physical satisfaction, but a spiritual fulfillnt as well.
Better than searching for Shelter No. 0, indeed, this was the feeling of being a savior!
This was much more enjoyable than throwing money onto a bar’s dance floor!
Yuan Hao, with a face full of justice, said,
"I can’t just eat your food for free... How much for the buns? I want to buy 50 to take back! These delicious treats, I’ve got to bring so back for my colleagues to try!"
"Isn’t 50 too many?" Old Luka suggested, "We also have dumplings, shumai, soup buns... these are sold by weight. Why don’t you get a little of each? You can freeze what you can’t finish, so as not to waste."
Yuan Hao, with a wave of his hand, said generously,
"Then, let’s start with 50 buns, and I’ll take 10 pounds each of the others that are sold by weight!"
"!"
buns, 2CR each, that’s 100CR in total!
As for the dumplings, soup buns, and spring rolls, priced at 10CR per pound, ten pounds of each totals 300CR!
These passengers from the Pioneer really did have money, ready to spend what amounts to four weeks’ expenses for a bottom-rung corporate employee, without any hesitation.
Old Luka no longer dissuaded him, hurriedly helping him pack up. He stuffed the stead food into plastic bags, tied them securely, and instructed that they should be eaten while hot, or frozen if not finished to avoid wasting food.
Yuan Hao only responded with affirmations, then grandly slapped down four 100 Yuan Bills, picked up a large bag of steaming hot delicacies, and drove the water truck back the way he ca.
Before leaving, the water originally intended for firefighting in the truck was also conveniently poured into their bathroom rooftop tanks.
Looking at the four 100CR Paper Currencies in his hand, Old Luka was thrilled.
He was indeed a high-ranking person!
This day alone, they were likely to earn a substantial amount!
The young players nearby were bustling with discussions, joking about the disappearing water truck in the heavy snow.
"How many buns did he buy? How can soone eat so much!"
"Who cares, just keep making them, we earn 1 Copper Coin for each bun! This is way easier than chopping wood!"
"Molding 100 servings, you get 10 reward points; this is too cool!"
"I’m gonna mold like crazy!"
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