This Game Is Too Realistic-Chapter 553.2: The Heavens Have Changed

They even executed someone like Jeff!

The heavens had truly changed.

Among the gawkers, those marauders and gang members trapped in the market were even more terrified, their limbs trembling in fear.

The New Alliance had sealed off the entire place. There was nowhere to run.

If their captured comrades ratted them out...

Many couldn’t help but glance toward the surrender window, hopelessly calculating whether they still had any chance of survival.

Unlike the mixed reactions of the marketplace crowd, the gang members detained beside the execution site all looked deathly pale, like lost souls.

Some were frozen, others terrified. Seeing their boss’s corpse at the gate, nearly all their knees buckled in fright. A few wet their pants. Some younger or more timid ones even broke into sobs.

Most people were afraid to die. The ones who weren’t had already died in the firefights before nightfall the day before.

The soldier standing guard with his rifle swept a cold glance over the gang members, curling his lips in disdain.

Now you’re scared?

Where was that fear earlier?

The executions had been carried out in three full rounds, right in front of everyone.

To ensure that every prisoner witnessed the fate of the leaders, Wrench had deliberately brought the captives in shifts to the great wall to watch.

Perhaps it was the miserable end of their leaders that made the subsequent interrogations go much smoother.

The gang members in the marketplace were the first to confess. Those who had been hiding out with a glimmer of hope were quickly reported by the merchants who had done business with them.

Since the New Alliance was clearly not bluffing, the honest and lawful merchants no longer had to worry about revenge afterward.

Next were the captives from the slums. Some even confessed to petty theft and minor crimes, while others, in desperation, started frantically accusing others, scraping their memories to report every associate they knew in hopes of leniency.

The list quickly grew into a long scroll.

Although some unlucky ones caught up in the sweep were released, more people continued to be pulled out of the slums.

The disciplinary camp only grew larger, expanding to over 5,000 people.

Meanwhile, as the gang hideouts within the slums were gradually dismantled, some survivors who had been under their control were rescued.

Most of them were children between the ages of 12 and 16. A full count revealed over 3,000 of them.

Some of them, after long exposure to dark and damp environments, not only suffered from tuberculosis but also experienced severe vision loss. Others were forced into prostitution and contracted diseases at a very young age.

This news was quickly published in Survivors’ Daily.

Not only the residents of Boulder Town, but the entire New Alliance was shocked by the crimes committed in the shadow of the great wall...

...

Ideal City.

Inside a towering skyscraper.

Wu Changnian, seated on a sofa, finished reading the old-fashioned newspaper in his hands, let out a sigh, and placed it on the table. "So many victims..."

The newspaper had been delivered by the New Alliance’s embassy.

In fact, it was personally brought by Ambassador Shu Yu.

Though it might sound cold, the tragedies on the wasteland were too numerous to count, this one wasn’t even the worst. Besides praising the New Alliance, he didn’t feel the need to get too involved.

Watching Wu Changnian sink into thought, Shu Yu spoke sincerely, "We need your help! Honestly... just rescuing the survivors inside Boulder Town already exceeds the limit of what we can manage. Now with another 200,000 people needing aid, it’s nearly impossible for us to do it alone."

Wu Changnian closed his eyes and sighed again.

He was familiar with Boulder Town. It had once been one of the survivor settlements that had been created by the Post-War Reconstruction Committee. Many of the factories there were originally established with help from the Enterprise’s predecessor.

What had happened back then was too complicated. There were both man-made and non-human factors involved, making it a murky affair with no clear account.

The fact that some settlements were left to fend for themselves was just one chapter among many unresolved issues.

Once the Highest Council learned that the New Alliance had secured that weapon, they stopped meddling in Boulder Town's affairs. Who would've thought that, barely over half a month later, he would be troubled again by the survivors 3,000 kilometers away.

Tapping his index finger lightly on his knee, Wu Changnian asked in a deep voice, "What do you need?"

From his experience dealing with the New Alliance, he knew those people never missed a chance to gain some advantage.

However, Shu Yu’s answer surprised him. "Teachers!"

Wu Changnian was briefly stunned, thinking he had misheard. "... Teachers?"

Not going to lie... He had expected the New Alliance to ask for money.

"Yes," Shu Yu nodded seriously. "The New Alliance’s full-time schools and night classes are already operating beyond capacity, and Boulder Town has no educational infrastructure to speak of. We’ve already allocated a large share of educational resources there, but now we’ve got over 3,000 new children to care for."

"I see what you mean. That’s indeed a serious issue," Wu Changnian felt a sense of relief and after a moment of thought, continued, "We’ll organize a fundraising campaign for you on Endpoint Cloud and also recruit volunteers to assist. As usual, you’ll need to guarantee their safety."

This wasn’t something worth elevating to the Highest Council. It could be properly handled within the authority of the Enterprise Management Group.

Clearly, the New Alliance didn’t want to owe the Enterprise too much either, so they hadn’t made any excessive requests like to relocate the people to Ideal City.

Mobilizing civilian power wouldn’t cost too much from the budget either.

With this promise from the deputy head, Shu Yu also breathed a sigh of relief, his face lighting up with a sincere smile. "Rest assured! We’ll ensure their personal safety, accommodations, and health, and we’ll pay them full wages!"

Wu Changnian chuckled, "That won’t be necessary. Most residents here who are interested in helping survivors live quite comfortably. Just cover their lodging and food."

Shu Yu shook his head and insisted, "That’s not the point. Where we come from, every job must be compensated, and we can’t, in good conscience, let these kind-hearted people pay out of their own pockets. Consider it a token of appreciation from us!"

Seeing how firmly the ambassador insisted, Wu Changnian no longer objected and nodded. "Then I’ll thank you on their behalf."

"No, it’s us who should be saying thank you!" Shu Yu smiled sheepishly, then continued, "Besides teachers, we also need some medical personnel and experts in medicine and biology."

Wu Changnian was taken aback. "I can understand needing medical personnel, we can even donate some medicine... but... Experts in biology and medicine?"

Shu Yu looked a bit embarrassed. "The timing’s just terrible! Every early spring, the Tide in Clearspring City will arrive, especially after a warm winter. Now with everything that’s happened, we’re stretched thin on every front... not just education, but healthcare and production as well."

Wu Changnian quickly coughed to cut him off. "You’re really going through a lot."

Shu Yu sighed, "We can’t help it... Someone has to clean up the mess left by our predecessors. We can’t just turn a blind eye to those poor people."

Though Wu Changnian could tell this earnest young man was talking about the Federation, his brow still twitched involuntarily.

He coughed lightly to cover the awkwardness and spoke with authority. "I’ll see what I can do to help."

A radiant smile spread across Shu Yu’s face as he nodded firmly. "Mm! I’m counting on you!"

Wu Changnian stared at the young man for a moment, feeling that he looked oddly familiar.

Especially that last sentence, it sounded exactly like someone he used to know.

Was it just an illusion?

...

Getting external support was only one part of the work.

The New Alliance’s postwar efforts for their military action extended far beyond that, and wouldn’t be resolved in just a day or two.

After preliminary screening, over 5,000 prisoners assigned to the disciplinary camp were taken by the First Corps to Bluestone County, north of Dawn City.

There, they would undergo two months of military training, after which the New Alliance would send them where they were needed.

With all major gangs thoroughly eradicated, the lockdown on the slums and the marketplace was lifted.

Some wastelanders left the area complaining, unwilling to remain in a place so dangerous. But after witnessing the New Alliance’s swift and decisive measures, most gained confidence in Boulder Town’s future, and chose to stay.

Even though such a major incident had occurred, the New Year’s Eve celebrations weren’t canceled.

In the administrator’s words, the new order established by the New Alliance wasn’t about ruining the new year for good people, but making sure bad people didn’t get to enjoy it.

A few flies shouldn't ruin the holiday spirit. Besides, that wasn’t even much trouble.

The previous New Year’s Eve, they’d barely set down their wine bottles before grabbing rifles and charging into battle.

In Boulder Town’s City Hall.

In the administrator’s new office reserved by the new government, the newly appointed captain of the security team reported the patrol plan for New Year’s Eve to Chu Guang, then hesitantly expressed a concern. "... With so many people gathering on the streets at night, I’m worried that any remnants from the last operation might try to retaliate."

Chu Guang replied calmly, "Then let them come. If it’s going to happen eventually, better to get it over with sooner."

He wasn’t worried they could cause any real damage.

Now that Boulder Town was within Dawn City’s communications range, Little Seven had already taken over the surveillance cameras on the great wall. Every player hoping for a payout was his eyes.

He would soon issue a bulletin, reminding players attending the event to keep their eyes wide open and watch out for anyone trying to stir up trouble.

The security captain hesitated, then said in a low voice, "... I’m actually more worried they’ll target you."

Chu Guang chuckled lightly at that. "Even better. I would love that."

The players were growing more capable by the day. Though Chu Guang had never neglected his training, it had been a while since he had fought anyone.

If some fool actually tried to make a scene in front of him, he wouldn’t mind sparring for a few rounds.

Otherwise, only Hyrja knew how strong he really was. His all-rounded warrior stat panel was practically going to waste.

The captain was stunned by the remark, completely caught off guard, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

He would love that?

Seriously...

Though he knew the Guards had their share of experts and the administrator always wore his exoframe in public, he still thought a bit more caution wouldn’t hurt. But seeing how confident his superior was in his subordinates, the captain said no more, nodded slightly, and left.

Not long after the office door closed, Chu Guang picked up his pen and began reviewing documents. A short while later, a soft knock sounded at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened just a crack. Elisa peeked left and right, then quietly slipped in and gently closed it behind her.

Seeing her cautious demeanor, Chu Guang couldn’t help but smile, setting aside the pen he had just picked up. "Is someone chasing you?"

Elisa blushed and shook her head. "No... Um, do you have a moment?"

She hadn’t wanted to bother the administrator with personal matters, especially not while he was working, but that was a major life decision. She wanted to consider it carefully and make the right choice.

"You’re already here, I can’t exactly tell you to swallow your words," Chu Guang joked, then continued, "Go ahead. What is it?"

"... It’s about Shelter 101." Wearing an expression of hesitation, Elisa bit her lip for a long moment before she whispered quietly, "Is it really as amazing as Pai said it is?"