CHAPTER 376

Although Crimson Citadel’s “Engineering Master” Little Sharon wanted to see the champion of Transia’s first king of fighters championship crowned, after staying at the Crimson Citadel for three days, she finally decided to head to the armament factory at Anderma Hills.

On one hand, Lord Murphy and her apprentice Brother Loyalty had been urging her. Although Brother Loyalty was very interested in the steam engineering on the continent and was determined to master these things, learning itself also takes time, and Brother Loyalty currently didn’t have the ability to independently run a factory based on “fantasy engineering.”

Simply put, Brother Loyalty was recruiting people and desperately hoping his little mentor would come to oversee the overall situation.

On the other hand, the main body of the armament factory on Anderma Hills had been completed, and the large steam furnace power source promised by their “partner” Carpe family had also begun shipping to Anderma Hills.

It was said that more than a dozen skilled workers sent by the Carpe family had begun assembling the production line and were selecting apprentices from nearby villages and refugees at Brother Loyalty’s request, which meant the factory’s actual production was about to be put on the agenda.

Little Sharon had strong feelings for this factory.

The weapon production lines that made up Transia’s First National Armament Factory all came from the former Seicob City, that was her “ancestral property,” which she thought could never be reclaimed but was taken back by Lord Murphy through political means.

And now she was also one of Transia’s administrators and rulers. By both emotion and reason, she must personally participate in the management of the armament factory. Unfortunately, Factory Manager Deon who originally managed Seicob City’s factory district and his capable and competent worker team had all perished in the plague disaster.

However, considering that the deceased in Seicob City have all evolved into restless undead bound to rotting shells, does that mean that someday in the future, she might see that excellent factory director again?

With such questions in mind, Sharon’s carriage slowly departed from the Crimson Citadel under the escort of two Winged Cavalry and four mountain warrior guards.

However, before driving too far, an unexpected visitor appeared beside the carriage and requested to board to speak with Sharon.

Although the little countess had also inherited Lord Murphy’s unique bloodline of sin, because her blood contract had been severed by the clan source blood, her resistance to sunlight was far less than Maxim and Adele. Even in the dim carriage during the day, she still couldn’t muster any energy.

Just out of persistence to her bloodline, she hadn’t yet slept in her exquisite walnut coffin placed in the carriage.

“Lady Dorothy?”

Sharon looked at the Blood Rat Gang leader who boarded the carriage. While drinking energizing hot tea as suggested by that strange Count Andrei, she said with surprise:

“Do you have something to discuss? As you can see, I’m about to leave the Crimson Citadel, and won’t be back for at least 20 days when I return next time.”

“That’s exactly why I’m in a hurry to visit.”

Dorothy didn’t waste Sharon’s time. She directly took out a “sample” from her spirit bag and handed it to the little countess, who took it and looked at it.

This was a carefully made card paper with 64 uniform squares in 8 rows and 8 columns. Different symbols were drawn on it, drawn very small, depicting various animals that exist in reality or legend. There were a few repeats but most were unique.

At the bottom of the card paper, the rules of this “game” were written in the simplest text. Little Sharon was so clever that she immediately realized:

“This is a lottery ticket?”

“Yes, very similar to the lottery tickets that halflings distribute during festivals in their cities, but the rules of this one are a bit more complex. It’s essentially a gamble for high returns with small stakes, something that can’t be done openly.”

Dorothy leaned back in the carriage seat and told Sharon what she had heard from Old Huo:

“For example, the one in your hand, after it’s formed I’ll have the warrior spirit mages in the Blood Rat Gang disguise it, sell it for 5 copper coins each. After buyers get it, they just need to tear off the crude spirit energy disguise to see their ‘winning’ status.

For the animal patterns inside, just one gryphon can be redeemed for 5 silver coins at the purchase point, two gryphon patterns for 10 silver coins, three gryphons for 20 silver coins, and if you can catch the flying lion + gryphon + sea monster combination, it’s the grand prize.

A whole 10 gold coins!”

“This is gambling!”

Sharon said vigilantly:

“My mother told me since childhood never to gamble. She grew up in halfling cities and saw too many poor souls who lost everything in casinos run by the thieves guild and ended their lives. You want to sell these things in the Crimson Citadel?

You’re truly heartless! The people here are poor enough already.”

“How is that possible?”

Dorothy rolled her eyes and said:

“People in the Crimson Citadel use labor points, money circulation is restricted here, and they barely have any money anyway. We’ll put these things in the Crimson Citadel’s underground black market and Bataxin City as pilot sites, and sell them to the northerners to see the effect.

Of course, this is just a ‘warm-up’ for a bigger plan. This little thing is to promote an idea to those who have money but nowhere to spend it, that Transia now has places where they can spend money lavishly.

Don’t ask too much, just tell me if you can design a printing machine for us to mass produce these ‘scratch cards’?”

“Of course I can, it’s not difficult at all.”

Sharon snorted and said:

“I can not only design it, I can also create a mechanical logic for randomly distributing patterns in it, and even set the probability of hitting the grand prize according to how black-hearted you want to be. It just needs two computation beads as calculation cores to achieve this function.

But when it’s made it will be very delicate yet very heavy, so you’ll need to find a place to store it.”

“Great, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear! Well then, I’ll leave the machine to you.”

Dorothy said softly:

“Can it be done within 5 days? Please understand, my ‘partners’ are unwilling to waste more time, and this is exactly when we need to demonstrate our capabilities to them. I urgently need us to produce something tangible as soon as possible.”

“If the time is this tight then we’ll need to use special methods. If we modify the typewriter I carry with me, it’s possible, but it’ll cost extra!”

Little Sharon opened with an exorbitant price:

“Base price 100 gold coins, I can have it done in 3 days, but shortening the work hours means I need to work overtime at night. I heard a great term from Lord Murphy called ‘labor cost’.

I am the noble Countess of Seicob, yet have to labor mentally and physically to make this harmful thing for you, which makes my conscience feel guilty, so, I quote 300 gold coins! This might make my tormented conscience feel a bit better.”

“But you’re a vampire! Working overnight isn’t pressure for you but a benefit!”

Dorothy complained:

“I know that as Countess of Seicob you need to raise money everywhere as reserve funds for rebuilding your territory, and I know you’ve maximized your craftsmanship to make some premium firearms and sell them at ten times the price to those carefree warriors.

You’re taking advantage of those otherworld spirits’ lack of knowledge!

But I’m a local, Little Countess Sharon, there’s no need for such a harsh price, right?”

“Alright, I’ll give you a discount.”

Little Sharon smiled like a fox who had stolen a chicken, covering her mouth as she said:

“250 gold coins, this really can’t go any lower, and this is already considering we have some friendship. For more machines of the same type later, 300 each, absolutely no bargaining.”

“Deal!”

Dorothy pulled out a money pouch from her spirit bag and threw it to the “little vampire” in front of her with a gloomy face. She didn’t stay long before leaving Sharon’s carriage.

She still needed to go report this matter to her superior Lady Adele to test her and Lord Murphy’s attitudes.

Although the Blood Rat Gang bears the responsibility of earning operational funds for the Shadow Intelligence Bureau, what Dorothy wants to do now is completely different in nature from opening betting pools in the fighting club. She must obtain her superiors’ approval and commission before implementation, so that even if problems arise later, she can find a “scapegoat.”

Always find an escape route for yourself!

This is Dorothy’s philosophy of survival, and the fact that she has survived until now under the pursuit of mysterious forces and is living an increasingly prosperous life fully proves that her survival strategy is correct.

————————

Version 3.0 update was on Friday, and after two days it’s the weekend, which is exactly when the development team promised to release a batch of gaming devices each week.

Today’s quota wasn’t large, only 50, but this was enough to make the forum lively.

Currently the number of “relief seekers” on the forum has soared to 1,500, largely thanks to the precedent success of the unique RP party gaming group in Transia. Having their own territory makes it more convenient to recruit more like-minded people from their “tavern.”

The remaining rapid growth came from the influence of Great Sion’s self-made promotional CG that was taken down midway through being shared privately in various groups.

As the content creator, Sion’s three new thousand-member groups have all reached capacity these days, and he’s establishing more groups.

Of course, he also knows that the friends attracted by this method are definitely mixed in quality and need serious “purification.” This is a responsible matter, if water friends entering the game through his channel cause trouble, he would face “administrative punishment.”

If this were a normal game, bearing responsibility would just mean bearing it, and even if there really was a GM they would at most kick him out of the game. However, 《Reality Realm》 unique game mode puts a lot of pressure on Sion.

Although he currently doesn’t own many “assets” in the game, he truly can no longer leave this land where he has invested so much.

In any case, everything is progressing steadily and well, except that one of the 50 players entering the game this time is special.

MoeHaha didn’t enter 《Reality Realm》 during the first wave of new player logins. She dawdled and waited until half an hour later to “arrive fashionably late.” This made Sister Pomegranate, who was waiting for her at the midnight chamber door, somewhat unhappy, as she remembered her friend wasn’t someone who would casually be late.

“Sorry, I overslept just now.”

MoeHaha in the game was as laid-back as in reality, walking out slowly with square steps like a leisurely little old man, turning her head around curiously like a standard newbie looking at everything with interest.

Perhaps because she wasn’t used to not having glasses on her nose bridge, she would unconsciously touch her nose bridge while speaking, then laugh and hold hands with Sister Pomegranate as they walked out beyond the gallery.

“Did you get home smoothly?”

Sister Pomegranate asked:

“I was planning to have you stay and play here for a few more days, but you only stayed for two days before having to leave, in such a hurry. Did something happen at home?”

“No.”

While examining the gas lamps hanging from the top of the passage, seeming to ponder their operating principles, MoeHaha casually replied:

“It was because of other things. Remember the ‘lockdown’ I mentioned to you on the way from the airport to your home? It’s already being implemented, and your area should be soon too. I heard from some of my channels that this citywide lockdown will be nationwide, duration unknown, but the overall environment isn’t optimistic.

Chaos has already emerged frequently abroad, and this wave of ours is defensive self-protection.

Don’t go anywhere during this period.

Just stay at home, playing games and working out is pretty good. By the way, send me your current weight, measurements, and body data, I’ll help you make a training plan for free, just like our past ‘perfect cooperation.'”

“Is it that serious?”

Sister Pomegranate was startled and said while rubbing her head:

“I’ve been so addicted to the game lately that I haven’t paid much attention to real-world news, just heard Lumina complaining in the group chat that they can’t control it over there anymore, and that person is preparing to return to the country to avoid it.”

“Oh, right, Lumina, you mentioned before, an international student, right?”

MoeHaha squinted her eyes, then said with a smile:

“Take me to meet them. I’m very curious what kind of extraordinary women could make my prideful Sister Pomegranate docilely be a team member instead of fighting for the team leader position. I thought you had changed your nature.”

“Be serious.”

Sister Pomegranate pushed away MoeHaha who was nestling against her and said:

“Let me take you to register your identity first. After getting your computation bead and spirit dog tags, you can look around the city first. Lumina and the others can bring back a new batch of refugees from Bataxin City tonight for settlement. I’ll introduce you to them then, and you’ll be our Silver Moon Pride team’s spirit mage!”

“Tch, I don’t want to learn any magic.”

MoeHaha pouted and said:

“I’m a physicist, understand? I worship Einstein and Bohr! Although the founding fathers can’t reach this place, this transition from being a firm materialist believer to becoming a user of mysterious universal energy is too big for me. I’m afraid the founding fathers will come to me in dreams and rebuke me for being an unworthy descendant.”

“But didn’t your Master Newton eventually convert to theology?”

Sister Pomegranate laughed heartily and quite gallantly summoned her gargoyle, taking her little friend to experience the joy of flight.

If it weren’t afternoon now, and vampire players weren’t willing to fly in such conditions, Sister Pomegranate would definitely have taken MoeHaha flying up to the sky, shoulder to shoulder with Father Sun.

Her friendship with MoeHaha was different from her relationship with other Silver Moon team members.

After all, no matter how well they play together, those are just “online friendships,” but MoeHaha is her true good friend of many years.

Back when MoeHaha was still a pitiful graduate student, there was a period when Sister Pomegranate “supported” her, and when Sister Pomegranate was most depressed during her injury retirement period, it was MoeHaha who kept her company and guided her through it.

The two have been good friends for many years.

As MoeHaha said, if it weren’t for them being the same gender and both having normal orientations, Sister Pomegranate would have already been her perfect life partner.

“Go ahead with your business, you’re a veteran player after all, you must have lots to do.”

After receiving her computation bead and spirit dog tags and accepting the initial quest at the Adventurer Guild, MoeHaha said to Sister Pomegranate:

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll wander around the city myself. You know me, I’m interested in different things than most people. Let me observe this place in my own way first, just tell me a meeting point.

I’ll find you there directly when it’s time.”

“Alright!”

Sister Pomegranate had great confidence in her friend’s “survival ability” and said:

“Then at 9:30, meet at the gallery entrance. Lady Aqua’s shop in the city’s trading district is about to open, we’ll go help her clean up tonight, and move the tailoring tools and work shifts from the camp over to prepare for next month’s opening.

I’ll introduce you to them then, they’re all very good people, you’ll definitely get along well with them.”

“Okay, no problem.”

MoeHaha made an OK gesture, then watched as Sister Pomegranate whistled to summon her wandering hunting warhorse from afar, before gracefully mounting and galloping away.

That gallant figure made MoeHaha involuntarily swallow.

“Ah, why am I not a man, or why aren’t you a man? This is killing me!”

The physicist stomped her foot in frustration, but quickly adjusted her mood and started wandering around with her hands behind her back.

Although she also entered the game with a mission.

However, she didn’t belong to the formal establishment of Brother Loyalty’s powerful department. If she had to say, she belonged to “specially appointed personnel” and consultant, so compared to Brother Loyalty’s group, she had much more freedom.

“Lumina Yanghen is returning to the country, this way Brother Loyalty won’t have to worry about her safety over there, but it’s surprising that the ‘Terra Nova’ they were investigating last time actually admitted defeat voluntarily and gave strange reasons.”

MoeHaha thought to herself:

“There’s a mysterious ‘colleague’ in Lumina’s small group who’s researching 《Reality Realm》, and seems to have already made a very primitive prototype based on the principle of brain wave interference.

Are there really such madmen?

Would she dare let others use such equipment that has no theoretical foundation at all? Hmm? What are those people doing up ahead?”

MoeHaha quickly noticed several young people fretting over a pile of strange things in the open space ahead. Out of scholarly curiosity, she went forward to look, then said with an odd expression:

“You’re… trying to make cement? But how did you make it look like this? People who don’t know would think you’re cultivating slimes. Hey, not to criticize, but your hands-on ability is a bit too poor.”