Cheese Nomi

"R-103 Carbines, VK-74 Vertical Rifles—where did these medical rescue workers get standard-issue weapons?"

Li Aoz did not dare touch the equipment, wary of whatever tricks the Biochemists might have left behind. But Nomi, who came from the Rose Army, had her single eye gleaming as she dug bullets out of the holes and began searching the Watchers' corpses.

After searching them, she was deeply puzzled by the fact that every one of these Watchers carried active-service weapons.

"I'm not familiar with firearms. Is there something special about them?" Li Aoz had long since forgotten most information about early weapons and equipment, so he asked.

"Military weapons in the Four Nations generally come in two kinds: either developed in-house or purchased directly from GTB. I've heard GTB firearms are exquisitely crafted, nothing like mass-produced killing tools from a factory, but elegant, beautiful artworks. I'd like to snatch a few and take a look."

Nomi hefted the rifle. She was small, and the Watchers' rifles—ones that required exoskeletons and prosthetics to even hold properly—needed both her arms wrapped around them to lift. Her petite frame paired with the enormous firearm looked rather comical.

Nomi pursed her lips. "Look, it says FPM-RFI here—meaning Frostplate Military, Leif Light Weapons Industry."

"I know Leif Light Weapons. Frostplate's largest military-industrial conglomerate." Hearing a familiar name, Li Aoz frowned instead. "Are you sure? This manufacturer supplies weapons exclusively to the Frostplate Defense Force."

"Of course I'm sure! Look, there's even a serial number on the back—RFQAJ2200121. Uh..."

A glint flashed through Li Aoz's gray eyes. He vaguely sensed something, but to be safe, he still asked, "What does that mean?"

Nomi said, "It means... this gun left the factory on January 21st this year."

Put more plainly, Nethermark Humanity had completed a transaction with Frostplate's number-one military-industrial conglomerate just this January.

Nomi's words sent Li Aoz deep into thought.

The Four Nations were not merely countries. To the Outland People, they were holy lands, paradises beyond the world—calling them the mythological Heavenly Court or Eden would not be an exaggeration.

By extensively deploying Hemisphere Cities, the Four Nations monopolized all the world's energy, mineral resources, and even sunlight.

Red-and-black Malefic Calamity clouds shrouded Azure Planet's atmosphere. Without sunlight, trees could not survive. Without sunlight, the land remained frozen for long periods, while temperature differences and terrain caused storms to rage, blowing the nutrients straight out of the soil.

Without these basic conditions for survival, no settlements of living beings could arise in the Outlands.

Thus, people had always only smuggled themselves into the Four Nations. Including Li Aoz, no one wanted to remain in the Outlands. The environment here was too harsh for people to scrape out a living.

It was precisely because the Four Nations monopolized energy and resources that they could oppress border towns and the Outlands with even greater impunity, giving rise to rebel groups like the Rose Army.

Energy was life, and resources were lifelines. The Four Nations held the fate of all living beings in their hands. From that perspective, any exploration of the outside world by the Four Nations would only cause Outland organizations to side with the Four Nations that controlled their destinies.

In other words, if an Outland organization had ties to the Four Nations, then that organization itself could be regarded as part of the Four Nations.

It was not as though no one had explored this storyline in his previous life. It was just that Frostplate, this money-grubbing nation, had always been relatively closed off, while Frostplate players were overwhelmed by Law Enforcement Division Four, Gender Discrimination, the terrible leveling environment, and endless Specializations. Who had the mood to focus on a long questline about mutants?

Players did not truly dig into the quest storyline of "Unremembered" until after Version 3.0, when it became casual after-dinner conversation.

Version 3.0? Azure Planet had already been blown up by the players themselves! It would have been strange if they could dig any deeper into the plot.

"Nethermark Humanity's humanitarian relief organization... the professor said the organization had been founded to preserve humanity in the Outlands. But the way she said it made Nethermark Humanity sound like an Outland organization."

Li Aoz toyed with a blade between his fingertips as he pondered.

"Bio-Mechanical Body guards, imprisoning ordinary people, military dealings with the Four Nations, and the long-standing Outland rumors that 'Nethermark Humanity is conducting forbidden human experiments'..."

These matters were tangled and seemed unrelated, yet once they were connected to the Four Nations, they no longer appeared so inscrutable.

"Come to think of it," Nomi suddenly realized something. Carrying a wrench over her shoulder, she looked at Li Aoz. "Weren't those Nethermark dog doctors treating you pretty well? Why did you suddenly turn on them and decide to go after them? Or do you want to help that messy bunch of bandits take this place and then demand benefits? If it's the latter, I'd advise you not to think Outland people are all that simple and kind..."

"What does it matter who I oppose?" Li Aoz said indifferently.

"Huh? You look fairly decent, but the way you talk... tsk, tsk. Are you really that inhumane?" Nomi looked slightly surprised. "I beat up these bad guys because I have a grudge against them. What exactly are you after?"

"Are Nethermark Humanity good people?"

"No. Have you ever seen good people who capture pretty girls, cut out their kidneys, operate on them, lock them up, and make a bunch of canned people out of rotten fish and shrimp?"

"Then why not fight them?" Li Aoz gave her a strange look instead. "When ordinary people see someone who has done evil, even not bullying them is already mercy. No matter what you do to people like that, your morals and conscience will not condemn you for it. So why not do it?"

"Eh, I heard you were from the Four Nations. How can you have so little awareness of the rule of law?"

"Law?" Li Aoz smiled. "Laws only exist where there is a government. Does the Outlands have one?"

Nomi looked at him in surprise, then broke into a grin. "Congratulations. You've grasped the laws of survival in the Outlands."

Grasped them? Li Aoz shrugged. He had spent at least two versions' worth of time in this place.

The Outlands were lands beyond the law. Anyone seeking to preserve humanity in a lawless land... was insane.

"This is a domain where beasts survive. Humans should not come here, nor should they pursue some so-called light of humanity here."

Thinking that, Li Aoz suddenly had a new idea.

Back then, players had only uncovered that neither Nethermark Humanity nor the White Fang Gang were good people, but they had done so by progressing through the plot and gathering written records.

It was not that this method was inaccurate; it simply omitted some information.

After all, players generally only followed the standard route. At most, they would destroy both the White Fang Gang and Nethermark Humanity, then explore the plot through the items and information left behind.

But if the Four Nations were involved... then "Unremembered" was more than just "unscrupulous doctors versus evil bandits."

Li Aoz calculated silently. In fact, he had already activated a fourth route: the Rose Army.

How to maximize his gains and how to completely uncover the secrets behind Nethermark Humanity were, to Li Aoz, actually the same matter.

"If I only wanted guaranteed returns, that would be fine. But my strength has grown, so I can try for greater rewards..."

Then why not do it?

Li Aoz wasn't a greedy person. He just knew that if something might be his with a little effort, yet he chose not to reach for it and let the opportunity slip away for nothing—then what was the point? Besides, if his reasoning was correct, perhaps the entire "Unremembered" mission could be cut in half. In another half month, he could claim the generous mission rewards and go wherever he wanted.

He was doing it!

Having made up his mind, Li Aoz adjusted the plan slightly.

"Who are we hitting next?"

After resting for a while, Nomi poked Li Aoz's shoulder and asked, "This area's pretty quiet. How about we rest a little longer, then run off while they tear each other apart?"

"We hit White Fang," Li Aoz said.

Nomi froze. "Huh? Are you crazy? The doctors from Nethertrace have done so many terrible things—you saw it yourself. Why are you helping them...?"

"Who said I was helping Nethertrace? Nethertrace may be no good, but the White Fang Gang are genuine beasts, scum, human trash—they and Nethertrace, every last one of them, needs to die."

Li Aoz tapped his temple.

The plan had been completely settled. All that remained was to put it into action.

"But you'll need to cooperate with me and put on an act in a moment."

"An act? What are you doing? Aren't we just running away?"

"Idiot." Li Aoz gave the little shrimp a contemptuous look. "Do you have three shoulders or six legs? Do Nethertrace and the White Fang Gang not have vehicles? Or do you think I can conjure up cheese bread for you with my bare hands?"

"Fuck your Frostplate Civilization's Outland manners! I-I've been scraping by in the Outland for so many years, do you think I wouldn't know that? Besides, couldn't you just go out and steal their vehicles?"

Nomi's face reddened, then her eyes suddenly lit up. "—Tell me more about this cheese bread... Where is it? Where is it?"