Chapter 370.2: The Chips Stained In Blood

Looking at the boy lying on the operating table, Ample Time asked, "What's your name?"

His cracked lips moved slightly. "Hang."

It was a one-syllable name, quite common in the wasteland.

Ample Time, who often gathered intelligence in taverns, had even seen people named after furniture. Relatively normal names like that were a little better.

"Where are your parents?"

"At... They’re at the Giant Wall."

That was most likely the slums outside Boulder Town.

Understanding the situation, Ample Time paused for a moment, then continued in a gentler tone, "We'll send you back. Don't tell anyone about our business; it's for your own good."

While the components of an awakener weren't yet valuable enough to drive people mad, it was a different story when they appeared on a child.

Edmund and his assistants would be sent back to a prison. As long as he didn't tell anyone that he was implanted with awakener parts, no one would know. In fact, no one would even know he had undergone surgery.

"Thank you," the boy said, with bewilderment clear in his eyes.

He didn't understand why those people were helping him.

Previously, when he worked odd jobs at the trading station, people seemed to wish he would die. Yet just as he was about to leave this world, someone reached out and pulled him back.

Watching the figure disappear at the door of the operating room, the boy laid the back of his head on the pillow, staring blankly at the ceiling, muttering softly to himself, "What a bunch of weird people..."

Leaving the operating room, Ample Time stood at the door, looking at Edmund in the hallway.

Feeling Ample Time's gaze, Edmund's heart raced with anxiety.

"I've saved the boy...” Eventually, he sputtered.

Ample Time sneered. "It's what you ought to do."

Edmund's face froze, and after a long pause, he whispered softly, "Do you want money? My chips, and everything here are yours, I just ask you to spare my life."

Ample Time interrupted him. "Of course we'll take your ill-gotten gains; they are our spoils of war."

Hearing this righteous declaration, Edmund nearly choked. The next moment moment, a clear sense of fear flashed in his eyes.

"Are you... Are you guys from the New Alliance?"

Ample Time gave him a peculiar look. "Didn't Gracie tell you?"

"He didn't say that. He only told me there was a seller who could provide parts from awakeners and asked if I was interested. Just give him some money, and he would introduce me to that seller." Stammering, Edmund's eyes suddenly filled with regret. "That damn beast, I knew he was up to no good!"

The players exchanged glances, their amusement clear for all to see.

Calling someone else a beast while being one too.

cinema

"I'm not interested in your grievances." Ample Time cut off Edmund's complaining. "You, your assistants, and a few others who surrendered will be sent where you belong, to face trial."

Edmund protested. "Wait, this isn't the New Alliance’s territory, by what right do you impose your laws on me?"

Ample Time glanced at him. "Because we don't like your kind, is that reason enough?"

"Or there's a gun over there on the ground; pick it up, and we can discuss this in another way."

Edmund stared at Ample Time with a stiff face. He felt a little urge, but he eventually swallowed whatever he was about to say.

Indeed, the reasoning was sound.

After all, they were in the wasteland. It was a lawless zone.

He could decide the life and death of others at will, and others could freely decide how to deal with him.

It was perfectly reasonable.

Edmund and his men would be sent to the court in Dawn City to face trial.

The photos taken by the players on the scene, along with the footage from their action cameras, were enough to ensure these beasts spent the rest of their lives in a prison.

On the first floor of the cinema, in the open courtyard reinforced with trash and concrete.

The players used the butts of their guns to break the rusty chains on the cages, releasing the survivors inside.

These people stood disheveled and emaciated in the middle of the courtyard, unsure of what was to come.

Seeing the fear in their eyes, Old White stepped forward and spoke in his not-so-fluent Human Federation language.

"You are free now."

"Go back, reunite with your families."

"No matter why you were here, don't make the same mistakes again."

After he finished speaking, it took a moment for the survivors to come to their senses, exchanging glances and whispering among themselves.

Almost everyone's eyes were filled with surprise. They thought they were merely moving from one group of villains to another, but those people actually set them free.

A ragged man staggered forward twice and looked at his benefactor. Eventually, he mumbled, "May I know your name?"

Old White shot them a wide smile. "My name isn't important; there are many of us... We're all from the New Alliance in the northern suburbs."

"The New Alliance..."

The man bowed his head.

He chewed on the word, a gleam appearing in his murky eyes. "... Thank you."

He bowed deeply and walked towards the gate, leaving the place.

Some followed him, heading beyond the gate into the wasteland. However, some stayed behind.

Old White counted roughly and saw that more than 50 people had stayed. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Aren't you leaving?"

At his words, people exchanged looks.

One of them stepped forward, eyes downcast. "We have no home, please let us follow you."

Hearing their request, Old White's face showed his conflicted feelings.

According to typical PG games, if he agreed, he would become their leader, responsible not only for their sustenance but even for unclogging their toilets.

Managing a group of NPCs was much more troublesome than managing players.

"You don't have to follow me; you should live your own lives. But if you have nowhere to go, you can come back with us to the New Alliance.

"There are many there like you, and they will help you start a new life." Old White eventually sighed.

Initially, their faces were blank. But upon hearing his last remark, a hint of hope for a new life appeared in their eyes.

A few, who had shown no reaction from start to end, likely lacked complete mental faculties, similar to clones.

Old White had seen such beings in the Bloodhand Clan's dungeon before.

Dealing with those fellows was a tricky problem, but it wasn’t his problem! He was there to play the game!

Acting cool was fun and all, but using his brain was far too troublesome. He would simply leave such problems for their lord administrator!

Though the trade was canceled, the players discovered that their haul from their venture exceeded expectations.

The chips scavenged from the basement piled into a small mountain.

Though each chip was not of high value, collectively they amounted to a whopping 180,000!

Their only investment was a few dozen magazines and a single Switchblade.

It was a pity they hadn't brought an RPG. It would have been even cheaper than the drone.

Looking at the mountain of chips, Peepo couldn't help but yelp, "Indeed... Robbing others really pay off...”

"What do you mean robbing people?!" Ample Time rolled his eyes. "We’re clearly wielding the hammer of justice!"

"We seized their chips, which we'll use to upgrade our equipment, and then use the upgraded gear to save more survivors. It's clearly a righteous act, and you dare call it robbery? How could you?" Ample Time sneered.

Peepo’s eyes widened in surprise.

What the hell?

That makes sense!

Listening to Ample Time's nonsense, Old White roared with laughter. Only after some time did he recover enough to speak. "Alright, enough with the big talk. We're just here to enjoy the game. How should we divide these chips? Give me a suggestion."

Ample Time’s reply came immediately. "Divide them evenly like we did last time! How else are we going to do it?”

Hearing Ample Time's suggestion, Old White snapped his fingers. "Fine, that's settled. When Night Ten and Gale return, we'll each pack a bag."

At this, the players cheered.

"Boss is awesome!"

"Woohoo!"

"We're rich, damn!"

Based on the equal division, each person would receive over 8,000 chips! That was equivalent to 16,000 silver coins!

Was there a job in the world that could actually pay so much?

With such a fortune, they could truly say they made a killing overnight.