Chapter 405.1: The Best Rewards Include Flowers and Applause

On the bridge of the Heart of Steel, scattered next to a toppled chair were documents that hadn't been burned in time. The console connected to the radar had a shattered screen, though the mainframe remained intact. Repairs wouldn't be too difficult.

It was clear that those people had fled in a panic and in a hurry, unable to destroy everything before leaving.

And that, fortunately, was why the Heart of Steel had fallen almost entirely into the Alliance's hands.

"A 1,000-man strong force appeared north of Dawn City. They are suspected to be mercenaries... Little Seven already dealt with them!”

"Master, you can rest easy now!"

Standing beside the floor-to-ceiling window at the front of the bridge, Chu Guang quietly listened to Little Seven’s report on the northern front, a relieved smile curling the corners of his lips. "Well done."

With the battle over, communication between Lucky Valley Municipality and Dawn City had been restored. Signals were especially strong since they were in the air, allowing him at long last to speak directly with Little Seven without constantly worrying about network disruptions.

Even before the Northern Campaign had ended, Chu Guang had already been wary of threats from the north.

Whether it was the investigation into the Bonechewer Clan’s arms supply, or his dealings with the envoys of the Flintstone Group, all evidence pointed to the Army having an intelligence network within the Bugra Free State, and murky mutual interests with local factions.

According to the confessions of surrendered officers under Dillon’s command, Kondra, a commander of the Army, was located within the Bugra Free State.

Chu Guang was even convinced that the Bonechewer Clan’s rampage through the River Valley Province had been orchestrated by that very intelligence network, likely to install a vassal state akin to the Falcon Kingdom.

Clearly, the Army hadn’t given up after one failed expedition. Their military activity in Sunset Province seemed to be laying the groundwork for another campaign.

With the bulk of the New Alliance’s forces tied down by the Heart of Steel on the western front, Chu Guang would have found it strange if the Army’s intelligence operations in Bugra Free State remained idle.

After Little Seven’s report, the stone weighing on Chu Guang’s heart finally dropped.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the torrential rain had ceased.

Gazing at the dimming, twilight-tinged land on the verge of dusk, Chu Guang's thoughts drifted across the horizon, toward the land bathed in the light of the setting sun, 100 kilometers away.

Though he could only make out its vague outline, he could sense the storm that was brewing there.

Still, the war at his doorstep was over. The Heart of Steel was now firmly rooted in the River Valley Province, and for the time being, the Army no longer had the strength to take over the land beneath his feet.

With the help of Yun Song and the 26th Assault Squad, the coalition of the four Kingdoms should be able to hold the line for a while.

And before the main force marched on the Sunset Province, he would finally have a moment to catch his breath and admire the rainbow after the storm.

Just then, footsteps outside the door interrupted Chu Guang’s thoughts.

Lu Bei, clad in Type 5 Light Cavalry exoskeleton, stood at the entrance, his right fist pressed against the chestplate riddled with bullet marks and cracks. He spoke respectfully. “Lord, I brought the man you asked for.”

As he reported, a light of not only respect but also admiration gleamed in the young man's eyes.

As Chu Guang’s personal guard, the Guard Corps had also taken part in the encirclement and annihilation of the Army’s marines.

That figure who charged on the frontlines on the back of a Deathclaw with his warhammer raised... It was deeply etched into his memory.

Whether or not he fought on the did not affect the administrator’s greatness, but in that moment, that silhouette bathed in holy light had seemed to transcend itself.

Lu Bei was certain he wasn’t the only one who had felt that way.

Withdrawing his gaze from the window, Chu Guang turned to the doorway.

Standing beside Lu Bei was a pale-faced man with a prominent nose. He was far from the tall, imposing officers. He looked more like a clerk or a technician.

And indeed, that’s what he was.

According to intelligence from the battlefield scavengers and prisoner confessions, that man was called Finod. He was the Heart of Steel’s logistics officer, holding the rank of senior centurion.

Though he didn’t command troops, the stars on his epaulettes outnumbered even Vanus’s by two.

At the time of battle, he had been stationed at the marine’s camp. When the camp was attacked by the Jungle Corps, he was forced to retreat to the outpost a kilometer away.

He missed General McClennan’s escape pod, then missed Cowley’s last ride out. He ran into the Skeleton Corps at the very end.

That fact that he survived long enough to surrender was, in some sense, remarkable.

Seeing Chu Guang looking at him, Finod swallowed hard and forced an awkward smile as he took the initiative to speak. "I... I can pay a ransom."

Chu Guang chuckled lightly. "Five million Dinar."

At that astronomical figure, Finod’s already pale face turned ghostly white. He stammered, trying to negotiate. "I-I'm just a centurion... Isn’t five million a bit much?"

Chu Guang replied casually. "Then let’s make it six million."

At that, Finod shut up immediately.

He realized that the man before him never intended to let him go. The ransom amount was completely arbitrary.

Six million Dinar...

That kind of money could arm three full divisions!

Even though being a logistics officer gave him certain advantages, not even in his wildest dreams could he have embezzled that much.

He gulped again, fear creeping into his eyes.

He wondered if the guy before him was planning to use him as a sacrificial pawn just because he couldn’t catch a bigger fish...

Wild thoughts ran through his mind, and Finod felt his knees go weak.

It wasn’t that he feared death. He just wasn’t ready to die for the Marshal yet...

Chu Guang glanced at the man with interest and asked, "You became a logistics officer, and you can’t scrape together that kind of cash?"

Finod answered bitterly. "Sir, do you even know what five million Dinar is?"

"Nope. Don’t care. Besides, your ransom is six million. If you don’t have it, then work it off honestly and hope for leniency." Seeing a flicker of hope return to Finod’s despairing face, Chu Guang smiled faintly and added, "Can you pilot an airship?"

Finod nodded nervously. "A little... I know how to get it moving, more or less."

"Good enough," said Chu Guang with a nod. "You fly. I’ll supervise. Our destination is Clearspring City. If you veer off course... I don’t need to explain the consequences, do I?"

At those words, Finod’s face twisted into misery. He stammered, "S-Sir..."

"What?"

"The left wing... You guys destroyed it! There’s only rear propulsion left," Finod mumbled bitterly. "Forget Clearspring City. Just lifting the anchor could send us drifting..."

Oh, right.

The side was destroyed by them earlier.

Chu Guang admitted to himself that he might have gotten a bit carried away. Capturing such a prize... It was hard not to get excited. It might take days just to catalog all the loot. He was sure he wasn’t the only one excited. Having defeated Wasteland Online’s first open world boss, the players were likely going wild too.

Once everything was counted and the post-battle report was ready, he would share this victory with his beloved minions.

With a light cough, Chu Guang looked at Finod’s grimace and said, "Of course I knew it couldn’t fly. I was just testing you for any funny ideas... You did well. I’ll reduce your ransom by a bit. You owe me 5.9 million now."

Finod gave a wry smile and said nothing.

Chu Guang straightened his expression and continued, "Show me around this place."

Finod let out a sigh of relief and lowered his head respectfully. "Yes, sir."

...

After the Jungle and Burning Corps took control of the airship, they forced the remaining crew to lower its altitude.

Now, the Heart of Steel hovered only 100 meters above ground.

Aside from players on assignment, most had gathered beneath the vessel, snapping photos by the anchor chains.

After all, they had taken down Wasteland Online’s first open world boss.

That was also the server’s first 10,000-player battle.

They had to commemorate it somehow!

Especially with the New Alliance’s flag now hanging on the Heart of Steel... There was a real chance the airship could become a new respawn point for the faction.

It was the best time to snap some pictures for the bragging rights.

"See this newbie village? I captured it myself!"

While players were busy preparing material for their post-logout boasts, Chu Guang was leading the Guard Corps in taking over various sections of the ship from the Jungle Corps.

Roughly 500 crew members had been captured.

Most were non-combatants who were responsible for fire control, radar operation, route plotting, piloting, and maintenance.

Their assistance was vital in understanding how to operate the airship and run its logistics.

For those willing to cooperate, Chu Guang didn’t treat them harshly. He turned them over to the Logistics Department and assigned personnel to learn from them.

Good behavior could lead to a reduced sentence.

Truth be told, given the New Alliance’s current capacity, fully digesting a behemoth like the Heart of Steel wouldn’t be easy. Though technically an air unit, its operational model was more like a navy vessel than an aircraft.

Unfortunately, the New Alliance had only two lakes within its borders. They had no navy to speak of.

Command staff, including the captain, would have to be temporarily promoted from reserve officers within the army and air force.

With Finod’s guidance, Chu Guang arrived at the Heart of Steel’s ammunition depot.

At the end of the corridor stood a steel arch gate 20 millimeters thick. Entry required both a passcode and a key.

"The code is 4731." Finod entered it, unlocked the door with his key, and respectfully handed it to Chu Guang.

Chu Guang took it and tucked it away before glancing inside. He was stunned by what he saw.