Chapter 688.1: That’s Right, I’m A New Alliance Citizen Now. Go On, Try Laying A Finger On Me () |
Before stepping onto the pier, Chen Jianhong had never felt so deeply that life could be this beautiful. Especially after he had just demolished a whole plate of barbecue and washed it down with a huge mug of ice-cold beer, the emotion… or rather, the tears brought on by the throbbing pain at the back of his head, almost spilled out of his eyes.
So this is what living really feels like, damn it!
Our miserable days are finally over!
And only then did Chen Jianhong finally understand why that bastard Sun Yuechi had refused to stay on as an their administrator. If life in the New Alliance was so comfortable, hell, he wouldn’t want to be a submarine captain either!
Understanding was one thing, though. When he got the chance to see that guy again, he was still going to plant a solid punch right in his face. He needed to repay the grudge of those two and a half months of suffering!
Although it was technically morning, for the Dolphin’s crew, whose days and nights were completely reversed, it was just right for dinner. No sooner had one plate of barbecue been wiped clean than a girl in a server’s uniform brought over another.
Staring at the glistening, greasy meat, Chen Jianhong couldn’t help asking curiously, “By the way… what kind of meat is this?”
A player sitting at the same table chuckled, “Garbage kun’s tail!”
Chen Jianhong froze. “? What’s that?”
“Oh… oh…” Listening to the shelter resident’s explanation, Chen Jianhong nodded blankly, then reached out, grabbed another skewer of barbecue, and wiped it across his mouth.
It sounded a little strange, but compared to what they had been eating the past few months, it actually seemed pretty normal…
The entire beach was flooded with the aroma of grilled meat. All kinds of bizarre ingredients were on display, along with mushrooms and berries gathered from the rainforest, and some leaves that gave off strange, enticing scents.
The survivors and crew who had disembarked from the Dolphin went absolutely wild on the barbecue and beer, wolfing everything down like starving ghosts reborn. It was almost painful to watch.
“Thank you… thank you so much!” A haggard-looking middle-aged woman, tears welling in her eyes, clutched Sisi’s hand as she spoke through sobs, her voice full of sincere gratitude. “Up until yesterday, we thought we were as good as dead. If we hadn’t met you… I don’t know how much longer I could have held on…”
“It’s all right. It’s over now,” Sisi said gently, patting the back of her hand.
Judging from their tolerance for suffering, the survivors of the Southern Archipelago Federation really hadn’t been exaggerating. Before the war, they had indeed ended the wasteland to some extent, living prosperous and civilized lives in a relatively closed environment.
By comparison, wastelanders in other parts of the Central Continent had it far worse. Take Clearspring City, for example. Before the New Alliance arrived, most survivors there went their entire lives without ever eating a proper meal. Nutrient paste and gruel made from green wheat were the norm. Only slave owners, black-hearted merchants, mercenaries, and thugs got to live anything resembling a human life for a few days at a time.
But she wouldn’t accuse them of being overly delicate. All forms of suffering were real. They might differ in degree, but there was no such thing as one being more nobel than others.
At least, that was how she saw it.
Watching the group of survivors devouring their food, Tail raised her right hand to shade her eyes as if gazing into the distance, her face full of contentment.
Their mukbang was ridiculously stress-relieving to watch.
“Whoa! Everyone, eat as much as you want, don’t be shy! Anyway, Big Brother Ample Time is treating!”
Just then, Ample Time happened to pass by and shot the fellow who spoke a sideways glance, offering a friendly reminder. “Indeed, no need to be shy. After all, it’s the Baiyue Strait Development Company’s money.”
“Giao?!” Tail stared at him in shock. “I thought you were paying!”
Ample Time smiled faintly. “How can that be? Do I look like the kind of person who would use his own money to do good deeds?”
Tail stared at the shameless man in disbelief. “Heh?! Heartless bastard! Just how did the lovely Miss Dori ever fall for you?!”
Ample Time thought seriously for half a second before replying, “Maybe… she has good taste?”
Tail gaped at him, mouth hanging open, unable to say a word.
Good grief!
Is this what a real expert is like? How does he manage to show off so naturally?
…
In just over 10 minutes, more than half the barbecue piled on the long tables had vanished.
As for the scallops, sea snails, and oysters, they were left untouched in a heap to the side, not a single person bothering with them.
It was hardly surprising. Over the past two months, those seafood items had been pretty much all they had eaten. At this point, just the sight of seafood was enough to make them want to throw up.
Stuffed and satisfied, everyone sprawled across the beach. Some sang while gazing out at the sea, some lay flat on their backs with arms and legs spread, and others simply nodded off right there in the sand.
After bustling about for quite a while, the owner of the Men’s Dream Tavern finally managed to bring out the tavern’s signature dish, french fries, before all the guests fell asleep.
He carried two wicker baskets in his hands, grinning as he jogged over to the beach, then dumped the fries onto the long table that had just been cleared of another pile of barbecue, as casually as feeding pigs. “Fries are here!”
Catching the alluring aroma of carbs, everyone looked toward the small mountain of golden sticks, curiosity and a hint of longing in their eyes.
It smelled even better than the barbecue! Shame, they were simply too full. Quite a few people were sitting on the ground, unable to even move their legs.
Even Chen Jianhong, who was still relatively restrained, cast a curious glance at the pile of golden strips.
“What’s that?”
Ample Time, who had walked over beside him, smiled. “French fries. A local specialty. Want to try some?”
As he spoke, Chen Jianhong had already reached out, picked one up, and popped it into his mouth. His eyes instantly lit up. After a long while, he wiped the grease from his hands on the tablecloth and looked at Ample Time with heartfelt amazement. “Unbelievable… how do you people even come up with so many ways to prepare food?”
Ample Time chuckled, “This is nothing. Once you get to Dawn City, I guarantee you three meals a day, 365 days a year. They will never repeat.”
Chen Jianhong looked skeptical. But seeing the certainty in the man’s eyes, and thinking of someone who had happily forgotten all thoughts of home in Dawn City, he found himself half-believing it anyway.
Just then, a sudden commotion erupted from the far end of the beach, followed by a startled cry. “A boat!”
“It’s coming from the east!”
“Federation patrol craft! Damn it!”
At that shout, people who had been relaxed just moments before scrambled up in panic, not even stopping to grab their shoes as they limped toward higher ground on the beach.
It was clear that the Southern Archipelago Federation’s navy had put them through hell during this time, so much so that even a speedboat could scare them witless.
Seeing Chen Jianhong instinctively reach for his gun, Ample Time quickly grabbed his shoulder and patted it. “Leave it to us.”
With that, he shot a glance at Tail and stood up, heading toward the pier.
…
The speedboat soon pulled in alongside the pier. Compared to the Dolphin submarine beside it, it looked like a little leaf, a leaf lying at an elephant’s feet.
As Muda stepped onto the pier, he noticed the crowd on shore rising in panic, fleeing with their backs to him.
Among them were drunken Dolphin crew, as well as Coral City residents who had been taken hostage by them.
Recognizing who they were, the sailor following behind Muda froze for a moment, then shouted loudly toward the shore. “Get away from our enemies! We’re here to rescue you…”
If they could rally those survivors, maybe they could subdue the crew of the Dolphin!
But before he could finish speaking, a hand landed on his shoulder. “That’s enough. It’s useless.”
Facing his comrade’s surprised gaze, Muda shook his head and withdrew his hand. “Who do you think they’re running from? Those people sitting with them?”
The sailor was left speechless. Just then, shouts erupted from the shore in response to his earlier words.
“Who asked you to rescue us?!”
“Weren’t you the ones who cut off Coral City’s power?! Stop pretending to be innocent!”
“You murderers!”
“Get the hell out of New Alliance territory!”
Seeming to realize that there were only three Federation soldiers on shore, the crowd that had been fleeing just moments ago stopped and turned back, glaring at them with hostility.
“Stay calm.” Muda shot his two subordinates a look, then turned to the group walking toward the pier and called out bluntly, “Someone asked us to deliver something…”
He cut himself off mid-sentence, freezing in place. The two girls who had gone missing near the wreckage of the tidal power station were walking toward them from the nearby beach. The short-haired one was even waving happily at them. “Oh! Long time no see!”
Not just Muda, but the two sailors behind him looked as if they had seen a ghost.
When the group came closer, Muda stared at the two of them blankly, swallowed, and said, “You… what’s going on here?”
Tail grinned. “We almost didn’t make it, but luckily we caught a ride… oh, right, where’s the thing?”
Staring at her for a long moment, he finally glanced back toward the speedboat. “… Under the boat. We hung it there with fishing nets.”
“Oh! Thank you so much!”
Mission complete!
Tail ran excitedly toward the speedboat, eager to turn in the quest.
Without stopping her, Muda looked at Ample Time, Captain Chen Jianhong, Sisi, and the other players who had gathered to watch. After a brief pause, he spoke. “We had an agreement before, Shelter No. 70’s vessels were not to obtain supplies from here. I need an explanation. This submarine, and these people, what’s going on?”
“We didn’t violate the agreement,” Ample Time said with a smile. “Mr. Chen here, and the people on the beach, they’re all New Alliance citizens now.”
Muda froze. “What?”
Before Ample Time could answer further, Chen Jianhong stepped forward, glaring provocatively at him and declaring with swagger, “That’s right. I’m an New Alliance citizen now. Go on, try laying a finger on me.”
Muda ignored him, staring hard at Ample Time instead, enunciating each word. “They’re criminals. Is this what you mean by uniting suffering survivors together, harboring criminals so they can escape justice?”
Ample Time looked at him and asked, “Then what crimes did they commit?”
Muda locked eyes with him. “War crimes. They must pay for the 12 cargo ships they sank and looted, and for the crew who died at sea…”