socalfunplaces Chapter 72 Lucas's Return
Chapter 72 Lucas's Return
After successfully exiting the game, the little snail took off its VR glasses and sat up on the bed.
He washed his face with cold water, then took out his phone and went to the official forum to post. A post titled "About the Hidden Main Quest of the First Job Advancement, There Are Still Many Things Underground" quickly appeared on the forum's homepage.
This job change journey has unlocked a lot of useful information, which will to some extent become clues for everyone to advance the plot.
Unable to directly export in-game visuals, the little snail could only find a water-based pen and an A4 sheet of paper to try and draw some rough sketches. Although the style is rough, the information listed in the post is quite detailed.
It's worth mentioning that ever since players discovered they couldn't upload screenshots in the game, they've all honed their drawing skills.
The post detailed the suspension height of the dark green gas at the bottom of the mine, and based on its characteristic of flowing close to the surface, the snail deduced that its density was far greater than that of ordinary air.
Next, he disassembled the alloy explosion-proof door with industrial cutting marks, assessed the pressure resistance threshold of the hydraulic transmission rod, and finally attached the brass nameplate engraved with the number "05101" and a sketch of a gear coin stained with black oil.
At the end of the post, the little snail concluded: "The underlying structure of this game isn't a fantasy RPG about leveling up and fighting monsters; it's more like a wasteland reconstruction after a civilization has been interrupted. The gas hydraulic valve at the bottom of the Warrior's Tribe is malfunctioning, and if it's not repaired soon, the entire map will be submerged in exhaust fumes. The key is the underground black market in the abandoned city; we need to get Edelstein's parts out."
Within minutes of the post being published, casual gamers enthusiastically joined in, analyzing the next steps in the game.
For Lynn, this was a very valuable clue. He was watching from behind the scenes and worried that the agent who was heading to the abandoned city might not be able to see the message in time, so he edited a message and sent it to him via emblem.
Meanwhile, the goose that was heading to the Magic Forest temporarily logged off. After checking the post, it chatted privately with the little snail about the details of the trip.
…………
In the game world, in the basement of the Pearl Harbor General Manager's residence.
The air was thick with the musty smell of metal oxidized over time. Lynn stood in Bolton's vault, before him four rotten wooden crates, violently damaged with crowbars.
The broken wooden board revealed yellowed wood shavings, and the bottom of the box was neatly stacked with bundles of brass maple leaf coins, a small amount of blackened pure silver bars, and some unpolished raw ore.
Just days ago, this place held all the wealth that woman had amassed by ruthlessly exploiting this port city. Now, all that wealth has changed hands.
The lifeless metal blocks piled up in the basement had no market value. Lynn picked up a maple leaf coin and wiped the dust off its surface with his fingertip.
With the rationing system abolished, the indigenous people's motivation to work needs to be rebuilt. Without wages, the reconstruction of the port is just empty talk. And those players who are about to scatter to the four major cities to explore the land will need real hard currency as a stepping stone.
Lynn accessed the system's backend permissions, intending to anchor these physical assets as Pearl Harbor's reserve fund. Subsequently, he added a new exchange agreement to the system's interaction logic.
At this moment, an old friend is about to arrive outside the central square, whether for Lynn and the players from the first test, or for some of the older residents of Pearl Harbor.
The axles of the two-wheeled wooden cart rolled over the uneven bluestone slabs, producing a dry, grinding sound.
At this moment, hundreds of indigenous laborers were gathered in front of the ruins of the rationing point in the square. After the free food rations were stopped, anxiety and confusion spread among the crowd, and low-pitched arguments rose and fell, mostly filled with worry and indignation about being discarded after their usefulness was over.
Fortunately, the situation was quickly brought under control.
A carriage slowly approached, driven by two people: Roasted Whole Lamb and Bucket Runaway.
Not long ago, they accepted Lynn's mission to go to Rainbow Village to learn from old Lucas. Unfortunately, they missed two crucial battles.
On the train carriage sat an old man wearing a tattered robe, with a cane beside him.
After the carriage came to a stop, the roasted whole lamb and the bucket-carrying servants ran off to greet the old man, and the noisy square gradually quieted down. An elderly local fisherman recognized the old man's face, dropped the half-broken rope he was holding, and his lips moved slightly: "That...that's not...Lucas, is it?"
Whispers spread like ripples on water.
Within the inner circle of Treasure Island, this former leader, who had once managed Pearl Harbor with great efficiency and treated refugees kindly, enjoyed an irreplaceable reputation.
The previously crowded people stopped pushing and shoving, and unconsciously moved to both sides, creating a wide passage in the center of the square.
The carriage stopped at the end of the passage. Old Lucas grasped the wrist of the roasted whole lamb, using the momentum to step onto the bluestone slab. A long period of pioneering work had passed since the players from the first closed beta test left Rainbow Village.
For players who experienced the bloodshed of the first test, this NPC, who was originally just a guide in the beginner village, now has an extra layer of heavy significance.
Several players who had just emerged from the respawn point stopped their conversation and spontaneously stood on either side, calmly watching the elder. There was no system announcement of a welcoming party, nor any exaggerated cutscenes; only heavy breathing and the sound of the sea breeze sweeping across the square.
Old Lucas, leaning on his cane, surveyed the port, now awaiting development, his gaze sweeping over the anxious faces of the indigenous people. He didn't preach loudly, nor did he promise a grand future; he simply walked to the abandoned ration point and solemnly began:
"The old rules are over. From today onward, Pearl Harbor needs to be rebuilt. Now that Bolton has fallen, we will create a better life under Lord Lynn's leadership. So take back your tools and earn your real rewards with your own hands. This old man will be here watching over this new account."
There was no lengthy preaching, just a few straightforward promises, which, like a heavy stone, settled in the hearts of the indigenous people who had been hanging in suspense.
For the elderly in Pearl Harbor, Lucas is a source of constant reassurance. Even some young people who didn't experience Lucas's era feel particularly at ease now because they've heard about him from their elders.
The restless crowd gradually calmed down, and everyone felt a sense of security, as if they had found a pillar of support.
Taking advantage of this settled mood, Birdsong and Fragrance moved a sturdy long wooden table from the official residence and set it up on the open ground next to old Lucas, where a yellowed, heavy account book was laid out.
Seeing the scene before him, Lynn felt relieved.
To be honest, when he saw off the committee's special envoy a few days ago, he felt more of a sense of victory than of joy. Instead, governing the region was giving him a bigger headache.
With Lucas now in charge, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.