Chapter 363 A friend came from afar

   "Are you an idiot?!"

   Seeing the mess on the table, Dolly stared in surprise.

  A bunch of lizard meat skewers as long as a forearm and as thick as two fingers, filled with tail meat grilled into burnt red, worth three chips.

   She was already full after one skewer, but this guy ate four whole skewers!

  Dolly's gaze couldn't help moving down.

  She wanted to find out where this guy put everything he ate? !

   "Didn't you tell me to be polite?"

  Fang Chang calmly wiped his mouth with a tissue, and admired the expression on her face for a moment.

   After thinking for a moment, he continued to comment.

   "The taste is really mediocre, far worse than ours."

   The lizard meat seems to be imported from the south. I heard that there are edible lizards raised on the farms there.

   There is also crocodile meat, which tastes similar to chicken.

   But having said that, the prices here are really not cheap. Such a simple dinner has already cost 20 chips.

  Fang Chang couldn't help thinking that investing in an old street barbecue in Jushi City should make a lot of money.

  Although most of the residents here do not have that spending power, the mercenaries can still afford the money.

  Looking at the pile of wooden sticks on the plate, the corners of Dolly's mouth twitched, and she reluctantly put her hand into her pocket.

  However, Fang Chang had already thrown the 25 green chips into the tray in the hands of the waiter.

   "...help me serve two more bottles of beer and a bunch of lizard meat, and you don't need to look for the rest."

   "...Okay sir." Looking at the green chips on the plate, the waiter silently rolled his eyes inwardly.

   It’s okay if you don’t need to look for it.

   There was no need to look for it!

  Looking at Fang Chang who bought the bill, Dolly was stunned for a moment.

   After a while, when the beer and skewers came up, she whispered something.

   "Didn't you agree that I would treat you...how did you pay for me?"

   "You can hire me after you get your first salary. You should save the bargaining chips in your pocket to pay the rent and repay the loan."

   After taking a sip of the beer that was as light as water, Chang Fang looked at Dolly who puffed out his mouth, and joked with a smile, "And I always feel that I'm at a loss when you invite me with the chips I gave you."

   "Well, I earned that too!" Dolly blushed and argued, "How can I use your chips to invite you?"

   Seeing her playful reaction, Fang Chang couldn't help laughing.

"Yes Yes Yes."

  He never thought that one day, he could become friends with a piece of data.

  But if you don’t think about it, this experience is quite interesting...

  …

  Northern suburb of Qingquan City.

  At the entrance and exit of the inter-provincial highway, a group of dark figures were slowly approaching from far to near.

   It's not so much a caravan as an army.

  The man headed was wearing light gray power armor, thick steel and composite materials armed him from toe to tooth.

  The Gauss rifle he held in his hand was like a big sword across his chest.

   Of the more than one hundred people following him, except for twenty power armors, the rest were also wearing "Pioneer" exoskeletons and holding "Black Swan" assault rifles.

  Different from the crew on the Pioneer, they are the army of the enterprise and real soldiers.

   Judging from the bullet marks and scratches on the car body and armor, it was obvious that their road was not smooth sailing, and fierce battles broke out on the way.

   And not just one or two games!

   At this time, the man walking in the front raised his right hand, and the team behind him slowly stopped.

  I saw a blue power armor standing not far in front of him.

  The man stared at the power armor for a while.

   If I remember correctly, the name of this model should be "Order", which belongs to the police armor of the Renlian era.

  Behind the powered armor, followed by dozens of soldiers wearing "Type Five" exoskeletons, all of which were also police armor from the Renlian era.

  This kind of thing can only be seen in shelters.

  The man was about to speak something.

  I saw the power armor standing in front of him, took the initiative to lift the helmet's visor, and spoke in a loud voice.

   "Welcome, friends from the east coast, I am the manager of Vault 404 and the manager of the new alliance. You can call me by my name Chu Guang, or by my code name Shuguang."

  Seeing that the opponent removed his mask, the man walking in front of the team tapped twice on the side of his helmet, and also took off his own mask to show his sincerity.

  As Chu Guang thought, under the helmet was a powerful face.

  Younger than expected, he looks to be in his early twenties.

   "Yun Song, the captain of the 26th Commando of the Enterprise Army Department."

   "We set off from Ideal City and went to the western desert to reinforce the Pioneer. We have already informed you on the communication channel about our purpose."

   "We need to replenish supplies, stay here for a few days, and then continue on the road."

  The captain named Yun Song speaks in a very direct way, without euphemism, and has a military style, which is completely different from those engineers that Chu Guang has dealt with before.

  Chu Guang took a look at the subordinates behind him. There were about 120 or 30 soldiers with live ammunition.

  The remaining 30 to 50 people are probably logistics personnel, and only a few carry self-defense weapons such as pistols.

   In addition, there are nearly ten half-wheel and half-track vehicles, which are probably filled with supplies.

   And the twenty or thirty two-headed oxen and mutated donkeys that were loaded with goods did not seem to be brought out from Ideal City, maybe they were picked up halfway.

   There is no change in his attitude, and Chu Guang still has a spring-like smile on his face.

   "Welcome, the door of the alliance is always open to its friends!"

   "This is not a place for conversation, we have prepared a banquet for you to wash away the dust."

   "Please come with me."

  The "Longevity Farm" built by the Pioneer as a refuge back then, one of the conditions in exchange was to provide a resting place for the company's employees and troops when the company's reinforcements passed by the northern suburbs of Qingquan City.

  Seeing that the manager in front of him fulfilled the agreement, Yun Song's brows relaxed slightly, and a smile stretched out on his tense face.

   "Thank you very much."

"You are Welcome."

  With the usual smile on his face, Chu Guang said calmly.

   "We are friends, and it is right to lend a helping hand to friends who are in trouble!"

  …

  Dawn City does not prohibit the entry of wastelanders with weapons, but there are requirements for the size of armed personnel and the types of weapons.

  For example, general mercenary regiments and caravan guards are free to come and go, but armed forces with a size of more than 50 people need to register before entering the country.

  Extra ammunition and explosives must be left at the trading post next to North Street, and are not allowed to be brought into Dawn City. You can take them with you when you leave.

  The weapons you carry will not check the bullets in the magazine, but you must not open the safety at will, especially when you are on the street, the muzzle of the gun must always be kept facing down.

  There are drones patrolling the sky above Dawn City.

  Once violations are found, the guards will dispatch within 10 minutes, and issue arrest tasks to nearby players depending on the threat level.

  For these soldiers who came from afar, their number, equipment, and nature are obviously beyond the general category, and naturally they cannot be treated as ordinary mercenary regiments in the entry process.

   However, the enterprise is a partner of the new alliance, and Chu Guang generously granted them the right of military access.

   As for the station, I chose the military camp next to the airport.

  As the 2nd Corps was transferred to Xizhou City, there were many ready-made barracks available.

   Walking to the gate of the barracks, many soldiers showed expressions of relief on their faces.

   It can be seen that they have suffered a lot along the way.

  Yun Song had a surprised expression on his face, repeatedly checking the tablet in his hand.

  The screen is a photo taken by the Trailblazer.

  On the bare wasteland, there is only a concrete wall and a few simple barracks made of foam materials.

  However, everything in front of him has nothing to do with the photo in his hand, it can only be said to have nothing to do with it.

  Rows of uniform barracks are located in the open space. Next to the straight airstrip are several wooden hangars, and there are many 100mm artillery. Not far away, there is a steel communication tower.

  Looking to the southwest, you can see the bright lights under the night. Although I couldn't see the whole picture of the survivor settlement, I could feel it from the flickering outline. It was a prosperous settlement with a population of no less than 10,000.

  The strong contrast made Yun Song stunned in place, and couldn't help but look at Chu Guang who was beside him and asked.

   "Here... is really Changjiu Farm?"

  He suspects that he may be in the wrong place.

   Can guess what he was surprised about, Chu Guang smiled and said.

   "That is already a historical place name, and now its name is Dawn City."

   "As for the farm, it's just a corner in the northwest of Dawn City. We reclaimed the wasteland on the north bank of the lake into farmland. If you've been here half a year earlier, you can still see the ruts left by the track of the Pioneer on the land."

   "But now, it has been covered by endless rice fields and corn fields."

  Yun Song didn't speak, but the shock in his heart was clearly written on his face.

  If such a thing happened around Ideal City, he wouldn't be surprised.

  Because of doing business with enterprises, many survivor settlements in Yunjian Province are also developing quite well.

  Especially the settlements around Yunshi City and Yunxia City, relying on the well-connected trade routes and the heritage of pre-war civilization.

  However, such a miracle actually happened in the wilderness deep in the land!

   This is just incredible!

  However, now is not the time to talk about these things.

  Restraining his surprised look, Yun Song looked at Chu Guang and said in a serious tone.

   "We have 20 wounded in our team, can we provide them with beds to rest before we settle down?"

   "Wounded?" Chu Guang looked at him slightly surprised.

  Yun Song nodded, and said with a heavy face.

  “When we were passing through Yongdong City, we encountered a group of slime mold creatures disguised as survivors. Four brothers stayed there forever, and another 20 brothers suffered from different degrees of infection during the battle.”

   "Their symptoms are rare. In addition to irritability and irritability, they are also accompanied by increased food intake, lethargy, and uncontrollable violence."

   "We don't have professional medical equipment and personnel, we can't deal with their conditions, and we don't have cryogenic hibernation equipment to relieve their pain, so we can only give them regular injections of sedatives."

   "It is a burden to take them on the road, and it will be very dangerous for them. We intend to keep them with you temporarily."

   "In July, there will be a caravan from the company coming back from the west. They will bring our wounded back to Ideal City. I'm afraid you will have to trouble you to take care of those wounded for a while...Of course, we will pay you a fee."

  Hearing the words of the commando captain in front of him, Chu Guang's expression also changed slightly.

   Slime molds masquerading as survivors?

   Has the brood in Yongdong City developed to that extent?

   What surprised Chu Guang even more was that even this group of professional soldiers who were armed to the teeth with high-tech equipment were caught off guard by the slime mold fruiting bodies there.

   If I remember correctly, Bach, who runs an aluminum factory in the northern suburbs, seems to have been parasitized in that Yongdong City.

   "I'll let my doctor take a look at it for you." Chu Guang said seriously.

  Although Yun Song didn't have much hope for the small clinic here, Yun Song still nodded.

   "Trouble."

  …

  The reception banquet was held in the barracks, and these big soldiers were not picky about the dining environment.

   It would be better to say that after so many days of living in the wind, eating and sleeping in the open, having a table to eat already makes them happy.

   Not to mention the rumor about food.

  When they just crossed the border of the River Valley Province, many people were already full of expectations.

  At this moment, this expectation has indeed not come to nothing.

  More than 20 round tables were placed in the open space. The middle of the table was hollowed out, and a large pot was set inside.

  There are stones piled under the pot, and a hot coal fire is burning inside. Bubbles were rolling in the boiling pot, and the white air blowing towards the face was mixed with an alluring aroma, which made everyone sitting at the table swallow their saliva.

  Thinly sliced ​​meat and various meatballs are placed in a wooden frame on the table. In addition, there are sliced ​​cabbage, bean sprouts with water drops, mushrooms, tofu cubes, instant noodle cakes and so on.

   Staring at the pot for a while, and the ingredients on the table for a while, a corporate soldier sitting at the table couldn't help asking.

  “…What is this? How should I eat it?”

   "Hot pot is a very common way of eating here. Put the ingredients in like this and cook them, then take them out and eat." While talking with a smile, Lu Bei, who was sitting at the table, gave a demonstration.

  I saw him pick up a slice of paper-thin beef with chopsticks, put it in the pot and rinse it twice, then took it out, dipped it into the saucer, and stuffed it into his mouth.

  Seeing that he was eating so deliciously, the other soldiers sitting on the round table moved their index fingers and followed suit.

   The two groups of people chatted while eating, and the lively atmosphere was like white mist floating out of a pot.

   At first, everyone was a little rusty.

  But after drinking a few slices of beef with beer, they quickly became familiar and opened up the conversation completely.

  Seeing the way this group of people devoured their food, the soldiers of the Guards who ate at the same table asked curiously.

   "By the way, don't you have hot pot there?"

  I heard that Ideal City is a very wealthy place, and it claims to be the utopia closest to the era of prosperity in this wasteland.

   Compared with that place, their neighbor, Boulder, was as insignificant as dust on a diamond.

  Although the rumors are exaggerated, looking at these voracious guys, Lu Bei couldn't imagine how rich there could be.

  Several corporate soldiers looked at each other and shook their heads in unison.

   "I don't know, I'm an F-level employee."

   "I'm rank E, I should be able to rise to D when I go back."

   "The treatment of the defense department will be upgraded by half, but the Cr will only buy some ordinary food."

   "We don't pay much attention to cooking methods, but protein and fat are not very lacking."

  “The restaurant will process the food and serve it up, and the taste is generally not so strong.”

   At this time, a corporate soldier who was too busy eating nonsense and not participating in the topic raised his head, and couldn't help but swear with envy.

   "Damn... do you eat like this every day?"

   Lu Bei smiled embarrassedly.

   "Not every day... just occasionally."

   Who can stand eating hot pot every day?

  Even if the stomach can stand it, the **** can't stand it either.

   There are quite a lot of good things on the North Street of Shuguang City, and the treatment given to the soldiers by the New Alliance is also good.

  Hearing what the friendly army said, the envious corporate soldiers finally showed a balanced expression.

   Sure enough.

   Such delicious food is not something you can afford every day...

  …

  Due to the rush of time, it was too late to prepare dinner for more than 200 people, so Chu Guang had an idea and simply invited them to eat hot pot.

   This kind of food that can be cooked while eating is not very troublesome to prepare, and it can even be cut while eating, and the hot pot base is pre-made.

   As for letting the soldiers of the Guards Corps dine with the enterprise soldiers from afar, it was also Chu Guang's arrangement.

  The main reason for doing this is to enhance the friendship between the two parties and eliminate each other's wariness.

  Of course, there is another part of the reason, which is to borrow their signboard.

  Chu Guang had heard long ago that the nobles and wealthy businessmen in Boulder City are the number one "dog licking" of the enterprise. The industrial system of the entire outer city, and even the layout of some blocks in the city, were all modeled after enterprises and improved.

  Commodities from Ideal City, especially high-tech products, can often be sold at sky-high prices in the inner city of Boulder City.

  If it weren't for the reluctance to part with the benefits in the city and the long distance, those nobles would have gone to the east coast to enjoy their blessings.

  Thinking of this, Chu Guang, who was sitting at the dining table, couldn't help but have an intriguing smile on his face.

  If this photo appears on the headline of Survivor Daily tomorrow, I don’t know how the nobles in the inner city will feel.

  The visiting group of the enterprise arrived in the northern suburbs with the 26th commando of the Ministry of the Army and started friendly exchanges with the Union Guards.

  He even thought of the title of the news for the newly established newspaper.

   "What is this noodle made of?" Another piece of instant noodle cake was put into the hot pot, and the adjutant of the commando couldn't help asking.

   There are still some noodles in Ideal City, but this is the first time he has seen this kind of fried noodles.

  Although fried carbohydrates sound very unhealthy at first, they taste surprisingly good.

   Especially when cooked in a hot pot, the taste is absolutely amazing!

  Maybe because he was hungry on the way, his mouth has not stopped from the first bite to now.

   This is the third bowl he has eaten!

"...a kind of convenience food, which can be cooked in a hot pot or brewed with boiling water. You guys came too hastily, if you tell us a day or two in advance, I can prepare more hearty food here." Chu Light said with a smile.

   It can be seen that the company has not invested much budget in them.

   Even the logistics are outsourced to the merchants in the wasteland.

  The man sitting on the right side of Yunsong is a merchant accompanying the army. His name is Heding, and he claims to be a merchant walking on the wasteland.

  However, being able to take charge of the logistics of the expedition team does not look like an ordinary merchant.

   "...Eat while cooking, I have never seen such a strange way of eating."

   Chewing slowly, the businessman named Heding had an expression of interest on his face.

  Looking like that seems to have found a business opportunity.

   "Are there any other places?" Chu Guang asked casually.

   "There are similar ones, but the taste is not as strong..." After taking a sip of beer, Heding suddenly changed the subject and looked like Chu Guang said, "Can I inquire about the recipe of the seasoning? Of course, I can buy it with money."

  Chu Guang said with a smile.

   "This is not a secret. If you are interested, you might as well talk to the chef later."

  Heding shook his head and said in a joking tone.

  "I have been in business for so many years, and the first experience I learned is that free things are the most expensive, so give me a chance to pay and deliver."

  Chu Guang gave him a slightly surprised look.

   It seems that this guy is not easy to fool.

   But think about it too.

   Most of the crew members on the Pioneer are engineers, and it is normal for them not to be able to do business.

  This guy is a serious businessman, and he obviously has a lot of dealings with the survivors' residences outside Ideal City.

   Those tricks that I have tried time and again are probably not so effective for him.

  Chu Guang said straightforwardly: "No problem! But let's talk about this matter after the banquet is over."

  Heding said with a smile.

   "Thank you for giving me this opportunity. In fact, it's not just hot pot...I'm also interested in this instant noodle cake."

"Although the nutritional value does not seem high, I guess it should not be difficult to preserve, and it can provide a lot of calories. If it is eaten with some dehydrated vegetables, it might be very popular with mercenaries and caravans .”

sure.

   This guy has something!

  Chu Guang looked at him more and more surprised.

   Although this is not something difficult to think of.

  But it is not easy for this guy to be able to smell the business opportunities in the bowl before the meal is finished.

   Smiling heartily, Chu Guang said.

"you caught me!"

   "The best-selling group of our instant noodles is really mercenaries, followed by caravans traveling far."

  Heding said with interest.

   "Can you expand on this?"

"no problem!"

  Chu Guang found that he and this guy had a good chat, especially when they talked about investing in factories, expanding sales, and opening up the market in Yunjian Province.

  But at this moment, Chu Guang suddenly noticed that the captain named Yun Song seemed to be a little absent-minded about eating, so he spoke a word of concern.

   "Is it not to your liking?"

   "No, your food is very delicious, thank you for your hospitality," Yun Song sighed, staring at the wine bottle on the table, with a trace of sadness in his eyes, "I'm just a little worried about those injured brothers."

  Chu Guang could feel his mood at the moment, but he didn't know what to say, so he could only comfort him.

"Don't worry, our hospital is not as good as yours, but our doctors and biologists are definitely professional. Especially the research on brood and slime mold, we have been dealing with those ghost things a long time ago gone."

   While he was talking, the VM on his arm suddenly flickered, and a line of pop-up windows popped up on the screen.

  Chu Guang stretched out his hand and opened it, and found that the message was from Heya.

  【The inhibitor has been injected, and the injured are in stable condition. 】

  Brows were raised in surprise, and a happy smile immediately appeared on Chu Guang's face.

   "...Just as I was talking, good news came."

  —

   (Thanks to the leader of "One leaf falls and you know the autumn in the world"!!)

  (end of this chapter)