Chapter 758.1: THE CHANGE
Chapter 758.1: THE CHANGE
A biting snowstorm howled across the endless tundra. Furry lemmings poked their heads out of snowdrifts, only to retreat in fright as the rumbling grew louder.
A train of only four carriages traveled steadily across the snow. There were no rails beneath it. Instead, tracks ran underneath the chassis. The carriages were connected by heavy couplings. Each appeared to possess its own independent power system, yet somehow it also seemed as though all the propulsion came from the lead car.
Sitting by the window, Night Ten stared without blinking at the vast expanse of tundra stretching endlessly outside, his eyes filled with unconcealed amazement.
These damn developers really know what they're doing.
Although fewer than 100 players were active in the Wandering Swamp, the developers of Wasteland Online had still faithfully recreated this region of the map.
The hailstones striking the windows and the snow kicked up by the tracks. There were even reindeer wandering across the tundra...
Everything felt astonishingly real.
Sitting opposite him, Jiang Xuezhou misunderstood the look on his face and smiled faintly. "Pretty big, isn't it?"
"It really is..." Night Ten nodded before adding with heartfelt emotion, "It's just... a little too deserted."
What he couldn't understand was why the Academy, despite possessing the most advanced technology on the wasteland, had left such an enormous stretch of land undeveloped.
If Ideal City's prosperity contained a certain amount of illusion, its colorful lights and the overwhelming flood of information on Endpoint Cloud creating the impression of incredible technological advancement, the Academy's technology had truly reached an awe-inspiring level.
As the only surviving faction on the wasteland capable of manufacturing anti-gravity devices without relying on black boxes, and one that had even mastered faster-than-light engine technology, they genuinely had the potential to build a true utopia on this wasteland.
Surely that couldn't be any harder than searching the universe for another habitable planet and starting over.
At least, that was how it seemed to him as a college student.
Jiang Xuezhou tilted her head, not entirely understanding what he meant by the land being deserted.
At that moment, however, a Researcher seated at the neighboring table chuckled and joined the conversation. "Naturally. This is the northernmost edge of the Central Continent. The fragile ecosystem is already supporting as many people as it possibly can. Frankly, things are better this way. If more people came, it would only create more problems."
Night Ten looked at him in confusion. "More people would make things worse?"
"After all, the number of tickets is fixed." Another Researcher traveling with them flipped through a paper on his tablet and replied succinctly. "A ship capable of carrying everyone has never existed. The agreement we signed with the survivors never included such a promise."
"Agreement?" Night Ten frowned as he echoed.
"That was a century and a half ago. We left the Great Rift Valley to escape persecution by the Army and the Enterprise. Some survivors who had lost their livelihoods after the Post-War Reconstruction Committee collapsed followed us and asked us to take them in. That's how the Scientific Committee came into being."
The researcher paused before turning his gaze toward the snowy landscape outside. His voice remained calm and almost completely devoid of emotion. "As promised, we provide them with the nutrition necessary to survive. In return, they voluntarily relinquish all political rights, join our program, and submit to our administration. We've fulfilled every promise we made, and we've even rewarded those who obey the rules... although obedience was already part of their obligation under the agreement. Given that, why should we have any reason to improve their standard of living?"
Night Ten stared at him in disbelief. "Good grief. You guys are even more capitalist than actual capitalists."
The researcher blinked before looking at him with a peculiar expression. "I don't know exactly what you mean by that. But at least we never deceived them. Right from the beginning, we made it perfectly clear that the Academy wasn't a charity, nor was it a nation. It's simply a research organization. Our ultimate goal is to complete the Ark. Once it's finished, we'll leave. We never begged anyone to live on our territory. Or do you think the Enterprise's approach, dangling an unattainable dream in front of wastelanders, is somehow better?"
That... actually sounded somewhat reasonable.
For a moment, Night Ten couldn't think of a rebuttal. Especially after realizing that this was ultimately their internal affair. As an outsider, it wasn't really his place to criticize.
Just as he was preparing to let the topic drop, however, Jiang Xuezhou, who normally carried herself like the model obedient student, suddenly spoke up. "Weren't you one of them yourself before getting into the Academy?"
The Researcher glanced at her calmly and replied, "Yes. And?"
Jiang Xuezhou couldn't help protesting. "You used to be one of them too. Why are you talking about them as though they're slaves..."
"First of all, let me correct you." The Researcher lowered his gaze back to the tablet in his hands. "I never said they were slaves. And to answer your question, you yourself said it. I used to be one of them. I’m not them any longer."
That was all he intended to say. He had no interest in making enemies over such a pointless argument.
This train had departed from Ice Sea City, and the passenger accompanying her wore the unmistakable VM. For all he knew, they might be distinguished guests invited under the Mutant Slime Mold Research Committee.
If that were true, then her advisor probably carried considerable influence. He had no wish to argue with someone like that.
Jiang Xuezhou stared at him, utterly unable to comprehend his reasoning. For a while, she couldn't find any words to describe her feelings.
"My bad. I should apologize." Night Ten cleared his throat and stood up, attempting to ease the tension inside the carriage. "Actually... our shelter is the same. A shelter capable of housing everyone could never have existed. Some people got in, while others didn't. Some enjoyed comfort early, while others suffered from the beginning. For the sake of a greater goal, someone always has to make sacrifices... That's reality, and perhaps the most helpless reality of all."
The researcher reading his papers smiled faintly.
Jiang Xuezhou, however, looked at Night Ten in utter disbelief. She seemed unable to believe those words had come from him.
Night Ten didn't even look at her. He simply shrugged and continued. "But just because we were lucky enough to be born inside a shelter doesn't give us the right to trample those who weren't."
"Our knowledge, our technology, our methods, and even our black boxes... Everything we inherited belonged to all of us from that era. I honestly can't understand signing an unequal contract with a tiny group of unfortunate survivors, enjoying the legacy left behind by everyone else while refusing to fulfill the responsibilities that also belonged to everyone else."
"Being a coward because reality forces you into it is one thing. But is that really something to stand proudly and boast about?"
The Researcher’s eyelids twitched visibly, but this time, he chose silence.
The surprise on Jiang Xuezhou's face gradually transformed into delight. A triumphant smile spread across her lips, as though she had just confirmed she hadn't misjudged him after all.
Whispers spread through the carriage.
Some passengers turned to see what kind of person would make such bold remarks. Others curled their lips dismissively, uninterested in the opinions of ordinary people. Still others fell into genuine contemplation, seriously weighing the logic of what had been said.
At the Academy, reasoned arguments were generally welcomed, especially those grounded in sound logic.
That was perhaps the greatest difference between the Academy and every other place.
Simple emotional outbursts rarely received anyone's attention. Ironically, the person who started the whole discussion was now beginning to regret it.
Night Ten's original intention had simply been to apologize for sticking his nose where it didn't belong. Instead, once he started talking, his mouth had wandered off on its own, and before he knew it, he slipped in a sarcastic jab.
Ample Time had been right. He really did need to fix his habit of talking too much. They had come here to make friends, not enemies.
"Thank you." Watching Night Ten sit back down, Jiang Xuezhou blushed as she spoke softly.
"Ah, don't mention it." Night Ten waved it off casually, unable to figure out what exactly he had done to deserve thanks.
Although she was genuinely happy that he had voiced what she herself had wanted, but lacked the courage to say, Jiang Xuezhou soon thought of something else and a trace of anxiety crept onto her face. "Oh... right, you entered here using that electronic travel permit. If you say things like that, your administrator won't blame you, will he?"
Every Researcher in the carriage had installed cybernetic prosthetics. Recording photos or videos required little more than a thought. She worried that if word spread, it might cause diplomatic complications.
For example, they might raise the problem with a shelter resident from the New Alliance publicly criticizing the Academy's policies or the Scientific Committee's administration.
Night Ten blinked before laughing. "Huh? Nah. Our administrator isn't that petty."
Unlike that doggy bastard developer!
Handing out chat bans for posting risque pictures was one thing. But banning perfectly innocent reaction images cut from manga panels too?
That’s seriously over the line.
As they spoke, a faint sign of human civilization gradually emerged from the endless wilderness outside the window.
It was an oil well and its distinctly old-fashioned design immediately made Night Ten feel as though he had somehow returned to the real Earth.
The moment Jiang Xuezhou spotted it, her expression brightened. "We're here!"
Almost simultaneously, the carriage speakers announced their arrival. "We have arrived at stop 721. Passengers disembarking here, please prepare to exit."
Night Ten was about to help her retrieve her luggage, only to watch the suitcase climb down from the luggage rack by itself, roll across the floor on its own wheels, and stop beside the train door.
"What are you standing there for?" Jiang Xuezhou urged excitedly. "Come on, we're getting off."
She hadn't seen her family in a very long time. Most people became nervous as they neared home. She, however, could barely contain her excitement.
"Ah... right." Night Ten gazed enviously at the self-moving suitcase before following behind her.
Having great technology really is amazing.
For a college student who frequently rode high-speed rail home, what he was witnessing was honestly more appealing than nuclear fusion.
The group gathered inside the airlock room and as the outer doors opened, howling wind and snow rushed into the carriage.
Even wrapped in cold-weather gear and equipped with advanced technology from head to toe, Night Ten still felt the bone-chilling cold slam into him.
They were in a remote corner of the Wandering Swamp, home to the settlement called Site 721.
According to Jiang Xuezhou, the local survivors' task was to extract crude oil from beneath the permafrost despite year-round temperatures of -20 degrees, supplying raw materials to an industrial district 50 kilometers away.
Tracked transport vehicles regularly arrived to haul away refined fuel while delivering the settlement's daily necessities.
Although numerous biological and chemical methods for synthesizing petroleum substitutes had already existed during the Prosperity Era, a diesel-powered drilling platform was actually better suited to the environment of the Wandering Swamp, and to the unique nature of the Scientific Committee.
More advanced production methods were not always better. The Scientific Committee's priority was ensuring the colony ship destined for humanity's future would be completed on schedule.
Excess production simply meant waste and the traditional laws of economics didn't really apply here. In fact, they didn't apply to most settlements on the wasteland.
Also disembarking with them were a man and a woman. The man was tall and thin, with short hair. The woman wore a black ponytail and looked like someone who spoke very little.
While Night Ten was quietly observing the pair, the man suddenly smiled at him and spoke first. "That was an excellent speech."
Night Ten froze before awkwardly clearing his throat. "You're too kind. Honestly, I'm the one who's embarrassed. I always end up talking too much. Sorry if I offended either of you..."
Jiang Xuezhou pouted slightly and whispered, "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. What you said was true. Why should you apologize for saying something that's right?"
"The strange ones are the people who felt offended. Their families and friends still live under those conditions."
The Researcher laughed in good nature, "I won't comment on the Scientific Committee's policies. That isn't my place. But, I do agree with what this gentleman said. We really should be using the knowledge left behind by our predecessors to accomplish something. The pursuit of a better life shouldn't be considered a crime."
After speaking, he introduced himself. "My name is Li Xiang, E-class Researcher. This is Wu Xiaoxiao, a Prospector from the same department."
The young woman named Wu Xiaoxiao nodded shyly. She glanced once at Night Ten, though her attention lingered far more on Jiang Xuezhou beside him.
Night Ten noticed the unmistakable admiration, and even envy in her eyes.
That was hardly surprising. Although Jiang Xuezhou was only a low-ranking D-class researcher, to E-class Researchers and Prospectors alike, she was unquestionably someone far above them.
"I'm Night Ten. and this is Jiang Xuezhou." Although he suspected they probably already knew the young woman traveling with him, Night Ten introduced her anyway.
Li Xiang politely nodded to both of them, especially to his senior from the same hometown.
What surprised Night Ten, however, was that Li Xiang seemed even more interested in him.
Li Xiang quickly turned to him to ask, "I heard you're from the New Alliance?"
Night Ten nodded. "That's right. I'm a resident of Shelter 404."
The interest in Li Xiang's eyes grew even stronger, especially after hearing he came from Shelter 404.
"Wonderful... I've always been fascinated by your New Alliance. Would you mind telling me more? How did you build such an enormous organization on the wasteland in only two or three years?"
The curiosity in his eyes was unmistakably genuine and Night Ten couldn't help feeling a little pleased. He hadn't expected to find New Alliance fans even in a place this remote. He laughed heartily in response. "That's... a long story. A lot happened during those two or three years."
"No problem!" Li Xiang looked at him eagerly. "We can talk while we walk."
Even Jiang Xuezhou quietly perked up, curiosity written all over her face.
"Alright then... let me think." Recalling old memories, Night Ten began recounting the story casually, "If we're going all the way back, it all started with a town mayor called the Old Leech... and a girl named Xiaoyu."
Good stories always warmed people's hearts. Even the howling blizzard somehow seemed a little less cold.