Number of Words: 5152 Update Time: 2012-12-20 20: 31: 00
The battle was over.
Outside the Angry Reef City, traces of the battle were left behind. Countless pieces of the collapsed watchtower had been blown off, leaving only thick dust behind. The ground was riddled with craters, the masterpieces of shoulder-fired missiles. As for the charred gla.s.s, it was the mark of the plasma grenade.
Ron"s soldiers were planning to fight in the battlefield, and after this battle, the company"s soldiers had been reduced from two hundred to only thirty or so miserable people. But Tunguska and Rosser did not care, which did not mean that they were indifferent, despite the fact that people in the wilderness had never been enthusiastic. However, the deaths of more than a hundred people would cause them to feel troubled.
In addition, Ron"s needed to provide a grant to those with families who had died in the war, to help those families survive the winter when they had lost their pillars. But that was all. Ron couldn"t and wasn"t obliged to do more.
However, just like the darkness before dawn, the cold winter always pa.s.sed. What Ron lost in this war could be repaid through the weapons, locomotives, and even captives of the DK regiment. In half a year, or even less, the company would be back to its pre-war size. Tungus and Luther had never doubted this. As long as they were alive, there was hope!
But now, there was one more problem that needed to be resolved.
Tungus and Luther felt a headache as they looked at the black man sitting next to the tank, which had been stomped into a discus. After the iron-armored rhinoceros had almost trampled the entire DK Corps convoy into pieces, the giant beast shrank in size, changed in size, and finally froze into this determined black warrior. The black man was wearing a skin-tight tactical suit, revealing the perfect lines of his muscles.
White armor templates covered the chest, shoulders and knees, apparently adding extra protection. On the template on his chest, there was a hammer that was wrapped by electric snakes. The two of them could not figure out which organization this design represented even if they cracked their brains.
Whether it was for a gift or for some other reason, the two of them should have invited the blacks into the city and given them their thanks. However, when the two of them suggested this idea, the black man immediately rejected them and then silently sat down beside the discus. He did not know what to do. The two of them had no choice but to stay by the side. After a while, another two figures appeared on the snowy path. Tungus and Luther stood up nervously, but they heard the black man say in a deep voice, "Don"t be nervous, they are my companions."
"Comrade?" Tunguska looked at the man and woman who had come down the snowy path to deal with him. They were dressed in identical uniforms. The chest area of the uniform had the same hammer pattern as the black man, explaining the definition of a companion.
It was Feng and Su who had come, and as they came up beside Ma Pei, Feng threw an object at the two of them. When the plump thing came to a stop at the foot of Rosser, it was Decars" head. The look of surprise was forever fixed on his face.
Looking at the head of the mob leader, Luther and Tungus looked at each other in dismay.
Feng pointed at the head and said with a smile, "This is an additional gift."
Tungus took a step forward and said, "The three of you have helped us greatly. Please come with us to the city. You can"t say that the city is rich, but there"s wine and barbecue. "
During the turbulent times, meat and wine was already a luxury item. Uncontaminated food was even harder to find. Even Asgard, Feng, and the others mostly ate synthetic food, not natural food.
In the depths of Angry Reef City, there was an underground manor established by Ron"s company. The amount of radiation has been reduced to a minimum soil to meet the minimum planting requirements for fruits such as grapes, which will be sold as wine when they mature, thus providing the city with an additional income. The dozens of unmutated poultry in the manor could occasionally improve the food of the upper echelons of Ron"s company.
Now, Tanguisken took out wine and barbecue to thank them. It was the highest standard of grat.i.tude in the city. Even so, Feng said lightly: "Thank you for your good intentions, but we still need to wait for one more person."
"Who?"
"Our captain …"
Before Feng finished his sentence, he suddenly turned his head to the northern wilderness and smiled, "He"s here."
Tunguska and Rosser looked at the same time. In their eyes, there was nothing on the horizon of the wilderness. A moment later, however, a lone figure appeared on the horizon, heading in their direction. Soon, a man wearing the same battle uniform as the black man appeared before them. When Tungus saw the golden eyes on the man"s face, the man cried out in alarm.
"Why?" Luther looked at him in confusion.
"A friend of Masters"s." Tungus said hurriedly.
"That war dealer has friends too?" Luo Sai had a look of disdain on his face.
"I can"t say I"m a friend, but I do have a relations.h.i.+p of cooperation. I remember Masters talking about him. "Yes, that"s the name, the man who gave Parkland a headache." Tungus added.
The night was cold and still.
"Cheers!" Let us pay our respects to the brave warriors! "
Masters" excited shouts came from the long-absent Albertong Tavern. He raised his gla.s.s high and joined Ron"s soldiers and Tunguska. After the arrival of Zero, the four of them were invited by Tungus and Luther into the Angry Reef City. At the same time, Tunguska informed Masters and Victor of their two old acquaintances, and arranged to meet at the Aberdeen Tavern, with a simple celebration.
This time, not only did they repel the attack of the DK Regiment, they also routed the armed mob. Although it was due to the contributions of the few of them, the information that was sent out after Tungus" packaging would only make them think that Angry Reef City had engaged in a beautiful battle. It could be imagined that after the cold winter, the famed Nefarious Reef City would be able to attract more warriors and skilled personnel to join it.
In the wilderness, warriors and technicians in other fields are fundamental to urban development. Only a strong city would be able to attract more talents.
Naturally, they would not bother about who fought in this battle. To them, these were not important matters. On the contrary, the wine and food were the more practical rewards. Even the zero who did not have much requirements for food would unconsciously let out a sound of satisfaction when he tasted the roast beef.
The tavern was about to burst. Other than the people from Ron"s company, ordinary citizens also squeezed in to join in on the fun. The few of them were naturally the center of attention. Feng, who was both handsome and funny, was naturally favored by the women. His voluptuous figure also attracted the attention of many men. Even the black warrior, Maple, was now drinking wine in the middle of Ron"s company.
The atmosphere in the tavern was lively and harmonious. He took a sip of Ron"s company wine. The wine was bitter in the mouth. It couldn"t be compared to the sprinkling liquor brewed in the old days. However, it was rare for a wine of this quality to be drunk, so he drank it slowly.
A hand patted on his shoulder. Only then did he realize that someone had walked up to his side. With the sensitivity he felt, even in such a complicated environment, it was rare for people to not notice it when they walked to the side. But now, Zero had deliberately lowered its sensitivity and loosened its taut nerves, letting itself be a little lazy for a while.
Turning his head, Zero saw Masters and Victor. The two of them had obviously drunk quite a bit. Their faces were red and their bodies reeked of alcohol. Masters walked to the other side and put his arm around Zero"s shoulders. "It"s good to see you again," he whispered.
Masters was not an easily moved person. On the contrary, he was like a sophisticated machine calculating the different scales between different people. But tonight, he felt a little different, as if there was a reason for him to be moved by all the things he had done to repel the DK Regiment.
Dr. Victor, on the other hand, was more rational. He looked at Zero from head to toe and said, "It looks like you"re doing pretty well."
Zero smiled and said, "It"s pa.s.sable."
"He might even be a big shot already." Masters joked, pouring himself another mouthful of wine. The wine that Ron"s company had sent over wasn"t much, and Masters had only had one gla.s.s of it. Now, the gla.s.s was filled with the beer that had been brewed at the Aberdeen Tavern, which naturally couldn"t be compared with wine in taste or taste, but Masters preferred this bad wine.
After drinking two cups in a row, he looked at Zero with his red eyes and said, "I say, big shot." How can you be free to come to a place like our village and take a spin? "
Victor also looked at Zero. Zero was no longer the same as it used to be. Although they had only been separated for three months, it felt like a long time. Zero"s aura was much more stable and reserved than before, and there was a faint awe-inspiring aura between his brows. This was the manifestation of his ability to advance once again.
The three companions that Zero had brought with him were all powerful ones as well. As for Ma pei, who had single-handedly crushed the entire formation of the DK Regiment, as well as Feng and Su, who had killed Deception, Tungus had later made an evaluation. Job advancement wasn"t an easy task for those with abilities in the wilderness. The few common potions for advancement that were sold by the Dark Council were also expensive, not to mention these were the same as the natural ingredients. Even if one had money, they might not necessarily be able to obtain them.
The four of them were obviously espers. To the people in the wilderness, they were all important figures, just like what Masters mentioned. The world they saw was wider than ordinary people, and the world they lived in was not one that ordinary people could imagine. At the very least, for a small place like Raging Reef City, it was very rare for them to be here, not to mention the fact that there were four of them at the same time!
Even the stupidest person would know that the arrival of the four people who had advanced would definitely not be a coincidence, let alone Dr. Victor and Masters, who had a close relations.h.i.+p with Zero.
Zero answered honestly, "I want to take Dr. Victor to a place …"
He turned to Masters and said, "At the same time, there are some jobs I"d like to trouble you with."
"It looks like an interesting thing. Tell me, what is it?" Masters asked the bartender for another beer and paid for it, explaining that it was his last drink of the evening.
Zero looked at Victor and said in a deep voice, "I have already raised the initial funding needed for the rebirth plan, as well as the s.p.a.ce and equipment required for the plan. I think that place is safer and more equipped than the wilderness. "So, if the doctor agrees, I"ll have someone come over and take you. Tomorrow."
"That sounds like a good place." After finis.h.i.+ng his gla.s.s, Victor burped and said, "Although I prefer here in the Stormrage City, I won"t go back on my promise. Not to mention tomorrow, we can also leave now. I don"t have much stuff to pack up anyway."
Zero nodded and said sincerely, "Thank you, Doctor."
"You"re being too polite." Masters laughed out loud and said, "You"ve done a big favor for Angry Reef City today. Even if Victor doesn"t agree, I"ll still help you pack him into your car. "Then, let"s talk about what happened between us."
He finished the rest of the wine in his gla.s.s and said lightly, "I"d like to go and collect some interest with Parkland. They owe me more than a little now. That"s supposed to be a big number, but you know, we don"t have anyone good at money management. So I thought maybe you could manage the money on our behalf and make it more. "
Masters fell silent. A moment later, he climbed up to the bar and shouted, "Kids, eat and drink to your heart"s content. Tonight, all accounts are mine!"
After he finished, the entire tavern burst into cheers. Mast was far from being a generous man. There were not many opportunities for him to entertain. Immediately, more beer and other food and drink were ordered. This caused the owner of the tavern to be distressed. He didn"t know if the amount of food in the cellar was enough for so many people to eat.
On the bar, Masters winked at Zero. Although he didn"t say anything, he used another method to agree to Zero"s request. Masters jumped down and made his way around the crowd into the tavern"s kitchen. There was a small reception room at the back, where they could talk in detail. Zero followed him. Soon, he disappeared from the tavern.
However, the tavern was too lively. Even Feng and the rest did not know when Du Zero left.
The night was cold and still.
The blizzard was not only raging in the south, but it had left a deep mark in the north.
It was night. The Blue Ridge Mountains were shrouded in darkness. But the city to which Parkland"s chauffeurs belonged did not sleep, and from time to time the light of the night sky flashed across the city, indicating that it was still at work.
In the middle of the city, in a tulip square, was the top of a 16-story building. In old Brent"s bedroom, the fireplace was burning brightly, and the heating system in the room was constantly heating up enough moisture. But even so, the old man in the thick woolen coat still felt an indescribable cold.
Old Brent was sixty-one, and in these turbulent times he was as old as he could be. Given the average age of 40 in the wilderness, the incompetent Brent should have died a long time ago. However, although he did not have the ability, he had the money. All these years, old Brent had been extending his lifespan by relying on the genetic medicine provided by the Dark Council.
He sat in the rocking chair and remembered. On the day of the Cataclysm, when he was only ten years old, the disaster that fell from the sky made Brent, who had a happy family, lose everything. He was one of the survivors of the Cataclysm, and only a thousand or so lucky survivors of the ruins of Brent"s city, which had been almost razed to the ground by the meteor showers.
But Brent had never considered him lucky, because if he had died in that disaster, he would not have had to go through the next ten years of darkness.
That dark pa.s.sage of history was enough to make even a powerhouse to shudder at the thought of it, not to mention the powerless old Brent.
Almost 90% of life on Earth was wiped away by the falling meteor snow. Countless cities were reduced to ruins, and the ozone layer protecting Earth was used up. The entire planet seemed to be exposed to the strong radiation from outer s.p.a.ce without any defense.
Even the lucky ones on the day of the Cataclysm died in the months and months that followed. After that, it was as if the Death G.o.d had forever remained in this world. Every day, a large number of people would die from the radiation. In just a short decade, the number of humans dropped from 500 million to tens of millions of people. This was a terrifying loss of manpower.
During these ten years, the radiation that filled the earth gradually formed in the sky along with the rise of air and dust, and eventually enveloped the entire sky until it was like a thick cloud of radiation. Only then did the rate of human death slow down, and at the same time, the mutations of humans and other living beings had quietly begun to take effect over the past ten years.
If the survivors of the Cataclysm were lucky, then those who survived the darkest decade after would be the favorite of the world. Old Brent was fortunate enough to survive, and through hard work, he started at a small food processing plant. Now, 40 years later, he had pieced together the map of the Parkland business kingdom.
However, now, the kingdom that old Brent had worked so hard for was facing a difficult situation where there was no one to succeed it.
With trembling hands, he pulled out an old photograph from his breast pocket. It was a picture of the Blunt family from ten years ago. In the photo, to the right of old Brent, stood a stubborn boy. The boy had delicate features and a head of golden hair.
That was Saurun, the old man"s favorite grandson. Over the next ten years, Saurun"s talent in the Elemental Region brought hope to this family that had no one with any ability in their bloodline.
Old Bran had secretly drawn up a will long before Sauron had joined the Blood Knights of the Dark Council. It was clearly stated in the will that Sauron would be his successor, but when Sauron should have been in the prime of his life, this excellent young man had fallen at the hands of a mercenary in the wilderness.
Thinking of this, old Brent couldn"t help but cover his fur coat tighter. But that was not enough to lessen the chill that rose up in his heart, and so old Bran began to chant the name of another man, the one who had brought down Parkland"s fortune into the cold winter.
Zero!
(Kids have a long tooth fever recently and are in a bad mood, so please forgive the slow update.) Also, tomorrow will be the 21st. Let"s wait for the 22nd sun together!)